Monday, December 30, 2019

Questions On The Doctrine Of God - 1067 Words

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Final Exam Essay: Issues Relating to the Doctrine of God Submitted to Dr. Isaiah Nengean, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of the course THEO 626 summer 15 by Harold B. Brewer, Jr. (ID# L24780291) Issues Relating to the Doctrine of God There are many issues facing the church today – some greater than others. However, the three most pressing issues for the Evangelical Christians and academia are a doctrine-less era, the prevalence of entrepreneurism, and open theology. Doctrine-less Era A saddening shift in evangelical Christians and students interests is putting less and less emphasis on traditional doctrinal commitments. The teaching and learning of doctrine are starting to be associated with certain words such as boring, tedious, narrow-minded. Drawing on my experience as a student of theology, I have noticed a lack of interest among my peers on theological issues and debates outside of classrooms. This phenomenon is heightened outside of academic institutions where the possibilities of people being exposed to doctrinal teachings are less unless they actively seek them out themselves. As Dr. Lemke puts it, â€Å"We have many young ministers who have focused their interest not on theological or biblical foundations, but on church growth methodology.† Many young ministers are more interested in growing churches, which then creates another issue that there is a reduction inShow MoreRelatedQuestions On The And The Doctrine Of God2357 Words   |  10 PagesO n How to Beg God to Exist Man loves God. It is as natural a love to Man as any other is. For millennia the notion of divinity has ruled the minds of peoples the world over, its power to foster social cohesion and social conflict at the heart of its aversion to senescence. However, can such a consequential notion have as its foundation a logical proof? Arguments in the affirmative abound. Let us examine one in particular, that of St. Thomas Aquinas, the Five Ways. As we do this, we will considerRead MoreThe Doctrine Of Salvation And Grace1327 Words   |  6 PagesSoteriology and the relation to the Doctrine of Salvation and Grace (Free Grace). Soteriology is â€Å"the study of the doctrine of salvation.† Basically, the teaching of Soteriology is part of Systematic Theology. This paper will approach each aspect of God Divine decrees, from a biblical standpoint and His plan of salvation. The working of God’s plan includes three periods in time: †¢ Eternity Past †¢ Earth’s History †¢ Eternity Future (Citing: Page 1, The Biblical Doctrine of Salvation, Tim Hegg) Read MoreThe Doctrine Of Creation Across The Bible992 Words   |  4 Pagesimpact many other doctrines; the doctrine of ‘creatio ex nihilo’ is one of these. The Latin phrase creatio ex nihilo meaning ‘created out of nothing’ is not an actual phrase found in the bible however it is heavily implied. While Genesis 1:1-3 can be read with the implication of creation out of nothing, further revelation given in later books of the bible provide more evidence to this doctrine (Proverbs 8:22-31, Hebrews 11:3, John 1:3, Colossians 1:16). By examining the doctrine of creation acrossRead MoreModern Theology: Karl Barth and Emil Brunner Essay1308 Words   |  6 PagesThe doctrine of election has been one of the key subjects discussed by various influential theologians throughout the two thousand years. Many have attempted to understand and embrace the enigma of election presented in the bible. It is important to realize that there are many views pertaining to the doctrine of election ranging from prominent theologians such as Augustine and Pelagius, Calvin and Arminius, Barth and Brunner and various other theologians and their respective counterparts. Karl BarthRead MoreBiblical Truths Of The Christian Bible915 Words   |  4 Pages 1)PREFACE I) We unequivocally acknowledge the Christian Bible as the inspired-written Word of the living God given to humanity by way of dual authorship human and Divine for the purpose of revealing God the Father and His will for humankind; therefore comprehending the Godly priority and importance of knowing and obeying its truths; we are passionately committed to teaching Scripture in truth with clarity and do diligence under the anointing and the illuminating light of the Holy Spirit with theRead MoreWhat Is Christian Doctrine?938 Words   |  4 PagesChristian doctrine? Christian doctrine tells us the truth about God, ourselves, and our world. Doctrine means teaching or instruction. A Church historian once defined Christian doctrine in this way: â€Å"Christian doctrine is what the church believes and teaches.† A doctrine is what the whole Bible teaches us about a particular topic. Christian doctrine may be defined as the fundamental truths of the Bible arranged in systematic for m. The Assemblies of God has 16 fundamentals of truth or doctrines. TheseRead MoreEssay on Thomas Aquinas’ Theory of Christianity Theology is Science587 Words   |  3 Pagesmakes the claim that theology, or the study God, is a science accepted through Revelation. Faith provides ammunition for Aquinas to state that believers of Christianity have the affirmation of God already inside of them. This claim considered that divine writings were inspired by God. Aquinas stated, The principles of any science are either in themselves self-evident, are reducible to the knowledge of a higher science are the principles of sacred doctrine. Once these documents had God’s authorityRead MoreThe Doctrine Of The Faith1340 Words   |  6 PagesMavrodes begins by stating the doctrine of the faith, which is that God is omnipotent (capable of anything). There has been attempts to refute the omnipotence of God by proposing things he cannot do. One example Mavrodes gives is the creation o f a square circle. In paragraph two Mavrodes goes on to highlight the counterarguments to these attempts by a St. Thomas. St. Thomas wanted to clarify that the â€Å"anything† that we refer to when we talk about God’s omnipotence should be, â€Å"construed to referRead MorePredestination And Its Impact On The Theological Landscape1275 Words   |  6 Pagesliberty and the sovereignty of God. Norman Geisler of the Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics described him as, â€Å"a pioneer Protestant exegete of the Bible.† Nevertheless, his theories on predestination, foreordination, and election have had a tremendous influence on the study of theology and helped to shape the theological landscape during his time as well as the current theological landscape. His influence is so predominate regarding the predestination doctrine that it is often also referredRead MoreMartin Luther s Transformation Of Christianity1120 Words   |  5 PagesChristianity has over the years organized i ts belief, practices and doctrines into a methodical, monotheistic religion. These elements of religion are fundamental features that interact to create a living, dynamic religion. Before these were organized, Christianity experienced a number of influential people who challenged the religions main practices, beliefs and doctrines, affecting both the religion and it’s life of adherents. One of the most important people in Christianity is theologian, Martin

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Food, Inc. The American Food Industry - 1880 Words

Food, Inc. The American food industry is a complicated field. There have been various attempts to investigate how the agribusinesses manage to produce food for such a large population. The companies involved in the industry have to resort to any means necessary to produce food that is enough to feed the population. The filmmaker, Robert Kenner, investigates the industry and the practices they undertake to produce food through a 2008 documentary titled Food, Inc (Lindenfeld 385). The film shows the immoral practices by the company that result in unhealthy food being produced and sold to unsuspecting customers. The practices also have a negative effect on the environment, the animals, and the workers employed by these firms. This article examines the film to establish some of the arguments made and the moral concerns raised. The film depicts the American food industry as being controlled by companies that put profit above the environment and the natural world (Flowers and Swan 234). The ordinary American consumers prefer convenience and affordability when it comes to their food. To meet the needs of this market, the companies have to find ways of lowering their costs to maintain productivity. The goal of the food companies is to produce as much as they can using as little resources as possible. This helps to increase the revenue margins. In the process of achieving these revenue margins, the companies often resort to methods, which are harmful to the environment. AldoShow MoreRelatedHealth Risks Of The Meat Industry1358 Words   |  6 PagesHealth Risks in the Meat Industry Over the past decade, the industrial food system has met the needs of American consumers. Food has been in great supply, from breads, to dairy products, to canned goods, to fillets. The meat industry alone has seen a rapid industrialization and provides its own unique challenges and risks. The meat in the grocery stores is plentiful, but it is very different today than it was prior to this rise in production. While the production numbers provide a very clear ideaRead MoreTrying for Humane Farming651 Words   |  3 PagesWhen dealing with food, Americans are forced to put their trust into the food industry. Although, there has been an increase of awareness, not enough, on how the industry grows food, processes, and what Americans consume. The United States is riddled with food industry immorality, obesity, and inadequate nutrition education. The government should have more control of the food industry, beyond the mandating of Nutrition Facts labels. In order to enhance the life qual ity of Americans, the governmentRead MoreEssay about Food Inc873 Words   |  4 PagesFOOD INC.: An unflattering look inside Americas corporate controlled food industry. Movie Review by Markovist Wells Professor Patrick Elliott POLS 1101-511 Essay Question: In what ways does this movie demonstrate the â€Å"Iron Triangle† and its powerful influence in the manner that our government functions? In the documentary Food Inc. The message is that the food industry does not want us to know about what we are eating. . This problem mayRead MoreAmerica s Food Industry : An American Scholar And Writer1205 Words   |  5 Pagesview aspects of life. This is evident when it comes to the food industry. For years now America has tricked consumers into believing that there is a wide selection of foods in grocery stores, but in reality, many of those products come from the same place (Food Inc.). Unfortunately, many consumers are blinded by the image of variety displayed in grocery stores to the point where that is actually what they believe. America’s food industry provides consumers with this â€Å"fantasy† where there are numerousRead MoreEssay on Who’s to Blame?1485 Words   |  6 Pagesconstantly hear about the food industry in America. We often hear in the news that obesity rates have increased, or that Americans have many diseases that contribute to being ob sessed. We also hear that foods are contaminated with bacteria like E.Coi l. â€Å"What You Eat is Your Business† by Radley Balko expresses that people are at fault for making such unhealthy food choices. Others argue that the food industry is to blame for being so unhealthy. In the film Food Inc (2008) American journalist, Eric SchlosserRead MoreThe Food Industry From The 20th Century1674 Words   |  7 PagesThe Food Industry from the 20th to the 21st Century Throughout human history, there have always been people who step up to make a change in our world. When people encounter something they don’t like they want to change it. The author of The Jungle and the producers of Food, Inc. are no exception. During the early 20th century the meat packing industry was a filthy and cruel business. Cruel to both the people that worked in the factories and the animals that were killed there. The industry has changedRead MoreThe Rhetorical Success Of Food Inc.1539 Words   |  7 PagesSuccess of Food Inc. The act of consuming food is one of the most intimate parts of the human experience. Humans eat for sustenance and pleasure, for better or for worse. The necessity of food is one of the unavoidable, unchangeable facts of life. Everyone eats; therefore no one is immune or exempt from the consequences of prioritizing cheapness and convenience over nutritional value and environmental impact. The 2008 documentary film, Food Inc., argues that in the last half century, the food industryRead MoreAnalysis Of Watching Food Inc.1396 Words   |  6 PagesWatching Food Inc. movie was a deception and a horrifying experience on what is happening in the food industry in the U.S. After spending time on some of resources like The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on food safety, The National Food Processors’ Association that are in place to protect farmer’s industry and food consumers, to find out these agencies like are not protecting farmers nor are protecting food consumers in the U.S; and to learn about big corporations like Tyson Foods, Monsanto thatRead MoreEssay about A Look at What is Inside Your Food in Food Inc.532 Words   |  3 PagesWhat is food? What does our food really contain? We can go days, weeks, and perhaps months and not noticing or taking a step back to wonder what our foods contain. Reality is we don’t always have the time to stop and notice these small things. In the short term these things don’t affect us, but in the long run what we consider small and insignificant can come to ruin our health issue. Many Americans do not know what is inside the food that they eat in their every day lives. Food Inc. is a 2009 AmericanRead MoreDocumentaries Have Been Around For Ages. The Genre Is Often1230 Words   |  5 Pagesmuch more attention. Documentaries can span from every subject from wrongful convictions, to food choices, to animal cruelty. This paper will examine the impact of documentaries, problems they uncovered, and the responses made by each company. In particular, I will be exploring the documentaries Food Inc. and Blackfish. Food Inc. Food Inc. is one of the more popular documentary films, especially in the food segment of documentaries. It grossed almost $4.5 million during its time at the box office

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Web Browser Free Essays

Google optimise code by compressing the code. Browser detection – detect which version of browser user is using to adjust viewing settings Security issues? Tested? Wc3. org GPI apps ie libreoffce Elearning per version Help email/telephone Dl unit 20 Explore how web pages using scripts are implemented in different web browsers Various versions of browsers require specific scripts because the older browsers will need to use the older scripts as they are not designed to run on the later browsers owever, all scripts will run on all browsers so there is not a problem with the type of script but more the version. We will write a custom essay sample on Web Browser or any similar topic only for you Order Now To help try to counter this problem the developer can include varied versions of the scripts in comments so that the webpage will load on both old and new browsers. The comments will provide a way to hide the code so that there is less confusion. The comments will need to be removed though if the user updates their browser to a newer version as they will need to read what is in the comments rather than what isn’t. This is an effective way of providing support for multiple versions of browsers without having to rewrite the code repeatedly as you can Just change the comments to change the version of the script to what the browser supports. Older browsers are more likely to render pop up messages whereas the newer versions will use data validation to check information. The older version forced the user to make a simple choice (usually selecting an option using boxes or radio buttons), this was an effective method to make sure that the nformation that was input was valid, it may not be true as the user may have selected the wrong box by mistake, but it did limit the chance of a mistake being made as they didn’t have to spell anything. When compared to nowadays where we use validation rules to check that the data that the user has input is this gives the illusion that the user has been given more control over what is input however, they still have to match the criteria so that the data that they use is valid. Newer browsers lso have navigation features like the anchor, which is used to direct the user to a specific part of the page when clicked. These can be good when the user is reading a long document (i. e. a manual) and they want to skip to a certain part, using an anchor they could Jump to the page that they are looking for without having to skip past it. Google optimises their code so that it is compressed so that it can be uploaded faster so the user will be able to view the webpage faster. Web Browser By themavryan How to cite Web Browser, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Essay Management of Business Telecommunication

Question: Write an essay on "Management of Business Telecommunication". Answer: Introduction In the last few years, the big data has a burst on the scene. At present the big data receives more than its fair share of the hype of media. However, prior to this hype, there is some real substance that underlies this phenomenon. The subject of big data has been provided with legitimacy from the Forum of the World Economic (Valdar 2015). The digital age has its own critics regarding the dangers that are involved. It can be said that the issues of privacy and other dangers will be solved and this phenomenon is known as big data that will be a capability that should be designed into all organizations for their betterment. Nevertheless, the experience of the difficulties within all the organizations will vary regarding the building of their capabilities of big data analytics. It has been found that at the period of developing a big data analytics capability within the organizations, they have to encounter various obstacles as well as various opportunities (Svensson and Wagner 2011). I n this assignment the impact of the big data on the infrastructure of the network of the companies like Nestle and ITC luxury group has been discussed. Various studies have found that the big data provides an opportunity to start a wholly new business. In addition to this it has been noted that the other advantage of the implementation of the big data is that it shifts the power within an organization and thus it dramatically increases the decision making speed. Therefore, in this assignment, the impact of the big data on the design of the organization has been explained using the Start Model framework. Impact of the New Era of Big Data on the Network Infrastructure Big Data Definition Generally, the big data refers to the gathering and subsequent analysis of the significant large collection of data, which might contain intelligence or hidden insights like the sensor data, user data and machine data. By analyzing accurately it can be said that the big data is capable of delivering the insights of new business, open new markets and can also develop the competitive advantages (Sridhar and Saha 2011). By comparing the structured data in the applications of business, it has been found that the big data is composed of three major factors. These are velocity, volume and variety. The later one extends beyond the structure of data and it also involves unstructured data and semi-structured data of all variables, like video, log files, click streams, audio, text and many more (Shah, Lakshmi Gorty and Phirke 2011). The volume of the big data generally comes in one single size that is large. It is a common factor that all the organizations remain over flooded with data. Thus , amassing petabytes of information and hundreds of terabytes information can be easily gathered. Lastly, the velocity is sometimes analyzed in real time as it is brooked to a firm in order to maximize the businesses valuable data. Advantages of Big Data Now a day, all the organizations including Nestle and ITC luxury group and even the other types of organization of the information technology (IT) sector are excitedly exploring various ways of having advantage of the particular phenomenon of the big data. The big data analytics capability develops a leading edge. The organizations that are enjoying the most success n the particular region at present are enable to use the big data. This ability of the present organizations of using the big data is not only to improve the existing business of the organization, but also to create or develop a new business as well (Robbins and Coulter 2012). From, this it can be said that the implementation of the big data in the network infrastructure of the companies Nestle and ITC luxury group will also help both the firms to increase their businesses in different fields or it will help to create new businesses. The strategic emphasis on the big data needs addition of a capability of the big data ana lytics to the present firm. The particular process of transformation results into shifting of power to the experts of analytics and in making decisions in real time. Evaluation of Big Data Analytics From the above chart, it can be said that the features of the big data analytics improved more n the new era. Thus, the new era of the big data has more improved and positive impact on the organizations (Popovskij, Barkalov and Titarenko 2011). For the staff skills, the new era of the big data analytics indicate the Business Analytics Competency Center (BACC), which involves data scientists. It can also be said that the new era of the big data analytics are able to solve more complex problem that is integrated into BACC. In case of technology and tools, the new era of big data helps the organizations in widespread adoption of appliances for various workloads. This also helps in architecture and governance of the companies for emerging technologies. As the competitive differentiation and the business strategy are made on the basis of analytics, the new era of big data has more positive impact on the business. In addition to this, the clear master data strategy of management also encou rages the organization to run smoothly. The line of business is cross departmental, where the visibility of CEO is an essential factor and the engagement of CIO is also transformative (Pattanaik 2013). All these positivity indicates that the new era of big data of the companies Nestle and ITC luxury Group have positive impact on the network infrastructure. New Era of Big Data Analytics The advantages of the Big Data will cut across every industry. Therefore, both the organizations Nestle and ITC luxury group will have the ability to harness data of all types that will help both the firms in making proactive decisions of business and it also helps in obtaining more useful data and information for the business insights. The new era of Big Data has also been found to improve the fidelity of the current information by the method of validation and also in improving the time in making decisions (Park et al. 2011). The new era of the big data represents the myriad possibilities for the improvement in the organization value opportunity for the markets of enterprise. These include the fraud detection within the business, retail planning of business and security in financial services. The other benefits that are provided by the new era of Big Data for the company Nestle include this particular organization analyze the information and data on the basis of the clinical trial with the aim to identify the potential adverse impacts for long period of time (Park 2012). Thus, it provides information that might be too difficult to rag out during the trials. In addition to this, the use of the application of the Big Data addresses the fraud activities that arise from wrong usage. Therefore, the company Nestle has the fraud detection ability that helps the firm to have the potentiality to save millions of dollars. On the other hand, for the company ITC luxury group employs Hadoop grids that help the firm in accessing the viewing patterns for various software streams in order to make proactive decisions on the allocations of WAN and IT bandwidth (Medudula 2016). Moreover, ITC luxury group claims its own data on the basis of third-party databases, which include industry wide sources and social media for detection of targeted and identified new types of fraud. New Attributes of Big Data on Nestle and ITC luxury group For many years, every organization and firm have been using larger databases, whose transactions were used to store in the data warehouses and were analyzed along with data-mining algorithms in order to extract insights. Previously, the structured data were used to store but now after implementation of the new era of Big Data within the organization ITC luxury group and Nestle, more and various types of unstructured data can be stored from different sources. These data can either be the photos from mobile phone, video from surveillance camera, maps from GPS device, audio from call centers, tweets, emails and text messages (Management Association 2015). Therefore, it can be said that both the companies can store, analyze and digitalize all these data. The other opportunity that both these mentioned companies can achieve is the new data that can be accessed in the real time. Now a day, the new era of Big Data helps the companies ITC luxury group and Nestle to receive data regarding the events that are occurring and thus influences the outputs. The implementation of the new era of Big Data helps the companies to detect the fraudulent transaction even when the fraudster is at the checkout counter of the company ITC luxury group (Zhang and Zhang 2011). The particular ITC luxury group can even operate an algorithm in a real time that helps the organization to determine the particular transaction that is a charge on a stolen credit card. Therefore, it can be said the implementation of the new era of Big Data has a positive impact on the businesses as the data of the real time allows the firm ITC luxury group to influence the output and also to prevent the bad outcomes. Power Shifts The organizations ITC luxury group and Nestle should get analytics experts and data scientists embedded into the process of decision before the particular firms can make decisions of real-time. This might need a shift in power from judgmental and experienced decisions makers to the digital decision makers. Each of the mentioned organization has an establishment, thus a power structure along with a vested interest in the status quo. At present the development is providing scope of making the decisions regarding investment, setting priorities to the customers and in deciding regarding the new features of the product. These similar decisions can be improved from the insight of the Big Data (Lee 2011). With the aim to be successful, both the firms ITC luxury group and Nestle should execute a shift in the power of the organization to the digital experts, generally who create the new insights from the new era of big data. The shift in the power is an essential factor in order to accomplish the changes, which are required to embed entirely with the capability of the big data analytics (Zhang 2012). The implementation of the new era of the big data within both the organizations ITC luxury group and Nestle will have positive impact as the big data will help to enhance the competence of the stated or mentioned organizations, chief digital officer will handle the digital operations of the firms and finally these will speed up the process of decision making within the organizations. Real Time Decision Making in ITC luxury group and Nestle The new era of big data has also positive impact on the real time decision making of both the companies ITC luxury group and Nestle. This new era of big data helps in increasing the speed of the process of decision making. This is often termed as the clock speed of the company. this speed can be increased by implementing various units within the organization like advertising, committee management, supply chain management and new product development (Hadjiantonis and Stiller 2012). All these units have to get synchronized around the increasing speeds of clock. This will help to achieve the ultimate object that is to speed up the process of making decisions in the real time. Revenue Generation from Big Data It has been found that the implementation of the changes in power, by increasing the speed in making decisions in real time will improve the existing business of the companies ITC luxury group and Nestle due to the additional features of the company websites. On the other hand, additionally it has been noted that proper analytics, data and insights are also able to act as the revenue producers for both of the mentioned firms and these also provide potential to develop a fully new business for each of the firms ITC luxury group and Nestle (Gershon 2013). For example, it can be said that the implementation of the new era of Big Data has already helped many organizations to earn more revenue. These include Bosch and General Electric, U.S. Banks like JP Morgan and Wells Fargo, Citibank, HSBC bank, Nike, Zara and many more. Impact of New Era of Big Data Using the Star Model In order to summarize the impact of the new era of Big Data on both the organizations ITC luxury group and Nestle, the Star Model is the best one that will describe the impact of the big data on every major factor of both the stated organizations. These include people, strategy, rewards, structure and processes. The Star Model is described below along with the structure: Figure 1: Impact of Big Data on Both the Organizations The above figure represents that both the companies have adopted a dual strategy for the implementation of the new era of Big Data analytics capability. Firstly, digital capability has been build in order to make faster and better decisions and also to enrich the existing products. This step is considered for increasing sales of the organizations through advertisements. Secondly, the strategy is to use the analytics and data in order to develop custom reports and insights, which can be sold to the consumers, as this will act as a new profit center (Gaol, Mars and Saragih 2014). These insights can be provided to the customers directly or through the companies. However, to implement these strategies, the firms should be modified (Forsgren and Johanson 2014). For this, the organizations will require a champion for analytics and data on its leadership team, digital unit will be required in each customer segment, business unit and country to support the activities. Moreover, the firms sho uld shift the power to digital units and faster decision making in real time should also be required. The data and analytics team are equivalent to the digital acceleration teams (DAT) that are used by Nestle in order to act on real time insights (Choudrie and Middleton 2014). Conclusion Therefore, it can be concluded that the new era of Big Data portrays a potential opportunity for the organizations, ITC luxury group and Nestle. When the firms will become expert in using the big data, it will provide various competitive advantages in this competitive market. Thus, it can be said that the data and analytics play the major role in controlling and implementing the big data. The new era of Big Data has positive impacts on the network infrastructure of both the companies. Thus, it can be said that communicative network of both the firms will increase that will lead to increase in sales. It will help to take faster decisions in real time and the companies will enable to keep pace with the fast changing environments of digital age. References Choudrie, J. and Middleton, C. (2014).Management of broadband technology innovation. New York: Routledge. Forsgren, M. and Johanson, J. (2014).Managing networks in international business. London: Routledge/Taylor and Francis. Gaol, F., Mars, W. and Saragih, H. (2014).Management and technology in knowledge, service, tourism hospitality. Boca Baton: CRC Press, Taylor and Francis. Gershon, R. (2013).Media, telecommunications and business strategy. New York: Routledge. Hadjiantonis, A. and Stiller, B. (2012).Telecommunication economics. Berlin: Springer. Lee, I. (2009).Handbook of research on telecommunications planning and management for business. Hershey [Pa.]: Information Science Reference. Management Association, I. (2015).Business Intelligence. Hershey: IGI Global. Medudula, M. (2016).Telecom Management in Emerging Economies. [Place of publication not identified]: Springer India. Park, J. (2012).Information technology convergence, secure and trust computing, and data management. Dordrecht: Springer. Park, J., Arabnia, H., Chang, H. and Shon, T. (2011).IT Convergence and Services. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. Pattanaik, A. (2013).Textbook of media management. New Delhi: Astha. Popovskij, V., Barkalov, A. and Titarenko, L. (2011).Control and adaptation in telecommunication systems. Berlin: Springer. Robbins, S. and Coulter, M. (2012).Management. Boston: Prentice Hall. Shah, K., Lakshmi Gorty, V. and Phirke, A. (2011).Technology systems and management. Heidelberg: Springer. Sridhar, V. and Saha, D. (2011).Recent advances in broadband integrated network operations and services management. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. Svensson, G. and Wagner, B. (2011).Sustainable Business Models. Bradford: Emerald Group Pub. Valdar, A. (2015).Understanding telecommunications business. London: The Institution of Engineering and Technology. Zhang, L. and Zhang, C. (2011).Engineering education and management. Berlin: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Zhang, Y. (2012).Future communication, computing, control and management. Berlin: Springer.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Depression And Suicide In Adolescents Essays - Depression

Depression And Suicide In Adolescents Depression and Suicide In Adolescents. As a state of extreme grief and all-encompassing sadness, depression, if left untreated, may lead to a deliberate murder of oneself, suicide. Depression effects individuals with out discriminating against race, gender, or age, yet among adolescents, the incidents of depression have increased significantly. Such increase is the potential cause of the rise of suicide rates amidst adolescents. Therefore it is imperative to treat depression before attempts of suicide are made, for if neglected, such attempts could become successful. Through out the years, adolescence has been regarded as the most confusing and difficult part of life, for teenagers deal not only with hormonal and bodily changes, but also with changes of their position in the society. Responsibilities for and ambiguities about the future, along with romantic relationships or alienation from such, are substantial causes of anxiety and stress to an adolescent. Teenagers today face problems different from those faced by teens of previous generations. Few of such problems are freedom, to engage in sexual activity and to abuse drugs, experiences in loss due to the soaring divorce rates, and the sense of loss of any kind of progress. Moreover, societal pressures to conform to an ideal physical model induce emotional distress onto young males and females. During adolescence teens thrive to find their identity and this identity is fragile and is threatened by fears of rejection, feelings of failure, and of being different. Commercialism of the favored loo ks and possessions may become unpleasant to a psychologically and emotionally stable individual, who does not posses the means advertised by the society. Such commercialism could be devastating to a less fortunate, in regards of monetary and psychical status, adolescent trying to find his or her identity. According to the researches of Herman-Stahl and Petersen, highly stressed adolescents display poor coping skills, low perceptions of efficacy, pessimism and withdrawal. Such combination of negative emotions may be concomitant of the depressive experience (Herman-Stahl and Petersen 1996). In other words, regardless of its source, stress is the leading cause of mental, otherwise called emotional or nervous, breakdowns, which in return can cause depression. Another highly effective factor of depression is the genetic predisposition. According to Garlson and Hatfield both simple depressive disorders and manic-depressive disorders are genetically transmitted (Garlson and Hatfield 290). Therefore if a teen is genetically predisposed to depressive symptoms, the surrounding society only adds onto the chances of such adolescent becoming mentally depressed. Depression itself, according to Multiscore Depression Inventory, assesses nine components such as low energy, cognitive difficulty, irritability, sad mood, guilt, low self-esteem, social introversion, pessimism and instrumental helplessness (Wilcox and Scatter, 1996). Thus withdrawal from social interaction and alienation of oneself, along with the nine components, is a sign of depression. As stated in The Journal of the American Medical Association, adolescent suicide may be a very different phenomenon than suicide among adults, particularly the elderly. Elderly people who commit suicide seem to be more likely to have a clear and sustained intent to do so. Young people, on the other hand, are impulsive and not particularly skilled in communication (Rosengberg, Mercy, Houk 1991). According to the American Journal of Community Psychology, suicidal rate has gone from 3.6 per 100,000 people in 1960 to 11.3 per 100,000 in 1988, whereas the rates have increased only slightly in the total population (Reifman and Windle 1995). Such high rise in suicide rates was partially influenced by the way suicide is viewed. In the current society, suicide, along with its attempts, is considered an evidence of a character flaw, rather than a result of a serious psychological disorder. Such ignorance is a significant cause of the alienation process which prevents an adolescent from seeking help. In fear of being regarded as weak and helpless, some teenagers take matters into their own hands, so it seems to them at that particular moment. This fear comes from the notion of the society on suicide being sinful and equivalent to murder, when in fact it is an act triggered by an illness. Moreover, according to the American Journal of Psychiatry there is growing evidence of an association between suicidal tendencies and a low level of the neurotransmitter serotonin. A

Monday, November 25, 2019

When Cultures Collide - The Challenges of Global Integration

When Cultures Collide - The Challenges of Global Integration COMMUNICATION DECISIONS(promotion strategies)„ °Ã‚Æ' §indekiler22. Introduction 33. International Communication Decisions 33.1. International Communication Process 33.1.1. Seller/Buyer Initiative Shift 33.1.2. Elements of Internatonal Communication Process 33.1.3. Communication Barriers 83.2. Communication Tools 83.2.1. One-way Communication Tools 143.2.2. Two-way Communication Tools 173.2.3. Online Communication Tools 204. KaynakÂÆ' §a IntroductionCommunication is the final decision to be made about the global marketing programme. The role of communication in global marketing is similar to that in domestic operations: to communicate with customers so as to provide information that buyer need to make purchasing decisions. Although the communication mix carries information of interest to the customer, in the end of it is designed to persuade the customer to buy a product at present or in the future.To communicate with and influence the customers several tools are available. Advertising is usually the most visible component of the promotion mix, but personal selling, exhibitions, sales promotions, publicity and direct marketing.Figure 3One important consideration is whether to standardize worldwide or to adapt the promotion mix to the environment of each country.International Communication DecisionsInternational Communication ProcessIn considering the communication process we normally think about a manufacturer (sender) transmitting a message through any form of media to an identifiable target segment audience. Here the seller is the initiator of the communication process. However, if the seller and the buyer have already established a relationship it is likely that the initiative in the communication in the communication process will come from the buyer. If the buyer has a positive post-purchase experience with a given offering in one period of time this may dispose the buyer to rebuy on later occasions: that is, take initiatives in the form of making enquiries or placing orders.Seller/Buyer Initiative...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Temptation week 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Temptation week 2 - Essay Example ?bahan’ and is used to denote either ‘testing of buildings and precious metals’ (see 1 Cor 3:13; 1 Peter 1:7 New Revised Standard Version) or testing of the Christian character (Rom 5:4 New Revised Standard Version, cited in Deasley, 1997). Another Greek term in the New Testament for ‘testing of persons’ is (peirazw) peirazo. The theme of testing runs through most of the Bible, including the Old and New Testaments (see Gen 22:1, 42:15; Deut 4:34; also 1 Peter 1:7; 2 Cor 13:5; Rom 5:4; James 1:2-3; Gal 6:1; Heb 11:17 New Revised Standard Version). Thus, not only Christians are encouraged to test their belief, strength of will and fortitude, but also people are tested for their honesty, knowledge, etc. Even Jesus has been tested, though with intent to be discredited, by the Pharisees (see Matt 16:1; Mark 10:2 New Revised Standard Version); while people have been put to the test by God in order to reveal their qualities, thoughts and obedience (see Jer 12:13; 1 Chron 29:17 New Revised Standard Version). This is especially the case of those who exercised an all-important role in God’s purposes, such as Abraham, as well as the prophets and the people of Israel (see Gen 22:1; Exod 15:25; Deut 8:2 New Revised Standard Version). Another theme that appears noticeable in the Holy Scripture is the one of temptation (Gen 3:4-6; Matt 4:3; Mark 1:13; Acts 5:3 New Revised Standard Version); the theme is especially prominent at the critical points in Jesus’s ministry and redemptive mission, most notably His baptism and death on the cross (Deasley, 1997). Being tempted by the devil in the wilderness, Jesus rejected protection, provision and power over the world, though fake one, which were offered to Him in exchange for deviation from His divinely appointed mission, and thus succeeded where Israel had failed (Matt 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-12 New Revised Standard Version). The second major test had been in the garden of Gethsemane, where, according to the Synoptic Gospels,

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Financial Statement Analysis. Financial Statements reformulation and Essay

Financial Statement Analysis. Financial Statements reformulation and equity valuation - Essay Example 1). The Corporate Reporting Users’ Forum is right with all their comments. In terms of accounting valuation models, a better picture would be presented if the United Kingdom companies listed in the stock exchanges would prepare financial performance reports classified under the areas of operating, financing and investing activities. The operating activities would pertain to the daily production of sales as well as services offered to their clients. Financing activities refers to those that are infused into the business by creditors and stockholders. Investing activities refers to the sale and purchase of property, plant and equipment accounts (Watkins 1998, p.51). One of the important tools in the hands of professional accountants for ascertaining changes in funds at the disposal of the company, during the course of every accounting year is the Cash Flow Statement. A cash flow statement is mainly categorized in to three heads like, cash flow from operating activities, cash flow from investing activities and cash flow from financing activities. Cash flow from operating activities is mainly dealing with the deduction of major operating expenditure from the revenues attained. Cash flow from financing activities dealing with major receipts and payments, and cash flow from investing activities alludes to the acquisition and disposal of assets or properties. Further, the CRUF group is right in affirming that financial statements should have coherent and cogent classifications that include the balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows. The new accounting standards recommended by the IASB and FASB group led by Sir David Tweedie and Bob Herz respectively would definitely resolve perennial problems using the traditional financial reporting standards. The current reporting standards focus on the net income as the benchmark for every business endeavor. The new standards are better because the new

Monday, November 18, 2019

Focus Groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Focus Groups - Essay Example The colours used to identify objects, the tone used to communicate , and the environment in which it is done all are important with teaching a particular subject matter. The method by which an instruction is passed on coupled with the quality of content also has an impressionable impact on understanding capability of the recipient. To support the above hypothesis a study was conducted on two groups of children from kindergarten, each group comprising of 10 children between the age group of the age 4 to 5 years .So that there is minimum disparity in the final results due to the level of understanding among the children of the two groups the IQ of the children in both the groups was almost the same. The main purpose of choosing this segment of kids was their total dependence on their facilitators for explaining the content to them. Unlike a slighter older group who can get study materials from reference libraries and the internet, this group due to their limited exposure, would have minimal external influence on the material they would be taught . Their understanding on the subject matter would depend mainly on the method of instruction, the kind of content and the mediums used to deliver it. The first group ( Group 1) was exposed to Montessori way of education and the second group (Group 2) to the traditional public elementary school way of conducting classes. The experiment was presided over by two experienced teachers. Children from both the groups were to be evaluated on a spelling test of 30, five lettered words which would be conducted after a period of about 20 days. The outcome of the two groups would be evaluated on the average scored, scored by each group. Group 1 was introduced to phonetics through the Montessori method of education which lays more emphasis on child development and the over all build up of the child. Here the children were exposed to phonetics in the play way method which helps them learn the spellings by recognising

Friday, November 15, 2019

Impact Of Technological Change In HMV group

Impact Of Technological Change In HMV group Sufficient changes have been taken place over the last ten years in the UKs music sector. One of the UK and Irelands leading CD, DVD and Computer Game seller is HMV. The central nature and context of the change for HMV is online music. Companys poor trading performance reflects because the lack of progress adapting to structural change. According to John (2007) planned change is triggered by the failure of the people to create a continuously adaptive organisation. William and Thomas (2009) state that 70 present of planned organizational change initiative fail because of the lack of reliable and valid diagnostic instruments to assess and track an organizations capacity for change. Change management entails thoughtful planning, sensitive implementation, consultation with and involvement of the people affected by the changes. Organization Name: HMV Group Nature of the change: There are three main categories of organisations that may experience period of change 1. The kind of self-organising and changing learning organisations. 2. Companies operating in niche market where they have not encountered the kind of environmental change. 3. Organisations that able to continue functioning without transforming themselves. There are two types of changes- 1. Transitional or Incremental Change 2. Transformational or Revolutionary Change Incremental Change: The focus for this part is doing better things through a continuous tinkering, adaptation and modification. This type of change is that it builds on what has already been done and may need continuous improvement. Transformational Change: It involves a break with the past, a step function change rather than an extrapolation of past patterns of change and development. It is based on new relationships and dynamics within the industry that undermine core competencies. In this part things need to be done differently rather than doing things better. SOURCE John Hayes (p-12-13, 2007) The delivery of music over internet expected a great future over the next 5 years. Sales of digital downloads are expected to increase from $22 million in 2001 to $1.6 billion in 2006. For this transformation of the music industry there is a major impact of social and technological factors. These chase influenced by Digitization, Compression and streaming technologies. The technological improvements in music industry increase the availability of music easily and reduce cost as well. (Web Source 1) Reason for Change: According to Joan (1958) technology can make a big change, not only with the development, manufacture, marketing and distribution of these new products, but also within their own corporate structure and culture. Burnes (1988) suggested an approach to assessing the need for the type of change which attempts to make the process of establishing objectives and outcomes more rigorous and open. Leaders focus on aligning people, communicating the new direction and creating coalitions committed to get the job done. Empower others to make the vision happen. A central feature of modern organisation is interdependence where most members of the organisation are tied to many others by their work as kotter argues (1995). Transformational leaders have the ability to identify those who might be able to support or sabotage an initiative, network with them and communicate in a credible way what needs to be done. The main change drivers of HMV are online music. Due to get the online music the business of HMV affected and it lose its market share. We discuss below how change impacts on technological and social drivers of change. The price is the drivers of the change. Because there are competitors Tesco and Asda have sell the CDs and DVDs in the less price than HMV. So, it has intense competition in the market .However, technological drivers are the main reason for the change in customer mind. So, we will discuss about the drivers how it gets the market. Company Background: HMV Group, formerly HMV Media: books, music and video for everyone formed in 1998 after HMV and Waterstones joined forces, acquired from EMI and WH Smith respectively, the HMV group began operations using its two chains.Both share the same goal in terms of customer satisfaction, offering the largest range of leisure and cultural products, despite the two chains keeping very much within the scope of their own work. HMV targeted the position of leading international distributor (Europe, Asia and North America) on the music and video (all formats) markets. Waterstones is dedicated to book sales and exclusively on a national scale. The power of the two entities is unquestionable as the HMV Group is made up of more of 500 shops. Aim and Objectives: The main change drivers of HMV are online music. Due to get the online music the business of HMV affected and it lose its market share. We discuss below how change impacts on technological and social drivers of change. The price is the drivers of the change. Because there are competitors Tesco and Asda have sell the CDs and DVDs in the less price than HMV. So, it has intense competition in the market .However, technological drivers are the main reason for the change in customer mind. So, we will discuss about the drivers how it gets the market.Same Day. External Factor: Change has been a future of organisational life for as long as organisations have existed, environment have brought about the need for organisations to adapt their internal attitudes, strategies, structures and operations to meet the demands of the new external conditions. Hence, the study of internal change has increased both in academic circles and in organisations themselves. In change need to understand reactive and proactive change this area is what of the two principal sources of impetus to change. Reactive change is change forced upon an organisation arising from a need to react to a change in the organisations environment. This can apply to an individual as well as an organisation, for example, you must change your lifestyle if your main source of income is suddenly reduced or discontinued. There are a number of environmental changes that can precipitate reactive change, but they usually have in common an element of necessity, of being unexpected or an element of surprise. Proactive change, in diametric opposition to reactive change, is planned in advance, usually with a particular objective in mind. Whilst proactive change may be as an indirect consequence of changes in the environment, it is essentially change because the organisation wants, or internally feel the need to change. To relate this to the individual, you might proactively improve your educational qualifications in order to increase your job prospects. [Source: David Campbal Tom Craig, p-(449-450)] A number of factors have stimulated interest in the learning organisational change concept: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The production of goods and services increasingly involves sophisticated knowledge à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Knowledge is therefore as valuable a resources as raw material à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Many organizations lost knowledgeable staff through de-layering in the 1990s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Information technologies are knowledge intensive à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Knowledge can have a short life span, made obsolete by innovation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Flexibility, creativity and responsiveness are now prized capabilities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Knowledge can thus be a source of competitive advantage for an organization Complete PEST analyses of HMV Group: The PEST analysis is a useful tool for understanding risks associated with market growth or decline. This helps to understand the environment that HMV is operating in and what the risks that could affect its products and what to consider when developing a new product range. Such as political, economical, social environment and other legal factors. Most of them are out of the control of HMV. Political/legal factors- This affects HMV in many ways. For example the trading / government polices HMV have to follow when selling their product on the market and advertising them to the public. All business needs to follow the legal factors when producing and selling products such as prices/descriptions etc. HMV need to keep up to date with the changes in the law to make sure they stay within them. The social environment- This helps HMV to identify the specifics of its targeted market. To identify what type of person buys their products, so the company can produce products that suit their preferences. This also helps them to reveal the gender, income and other areas of the social environment that HMV is in. This provides the company with useful Information that they can use when promoting their products to help attract the type of consumers that is in the environment. Technological Factors- Technological Factors are most important factors for the business. because now a days businesses is working in changing environment. There is a great change in technology Advancement in technology and means of communication will help same day to keep track of its parcels and couriers. Economic Factors- All businesses are affected by economical factors nationally and globally. Economic factors affect your customers ability to purchase your goods and services as well as a firms cost of capital. Examples of these issues would be: Government intervention in the free market, Rate of inflation, Capital borrowing costs, Currency exchange rates, Inflation/deflation impacts, Labour costs. Lueckes Seven Steps to Change: In 2003, a new model of emergent change was given by Luecke which is known as seven steps of change. These steps are: If any change is to take place, the management should create and mobilize the energy and commitment needed to identify the problems of the organization and their solutions (Todnem, 2005) Management should include employees to create a shared vision of how the organization can be organized and managed in order to face the competition (Todnem, 2005). According to Todnem (2005), Luecke proposed that in third step that leadership to bring about change should be identified. The focus of the management should be the end result of the change and not the activities that lead to change (Todnem, 2005). According to Luecke (Todnem, 2005) change should start on small scale and then it should spread to the other parts of the organization. Policies, procedures and systems should be institutionalized to achieve success. If any problems occurs in the change process, strategies should be adjusted to deal with it (Todnem, 2005) Simon Fox new chief executive of HMV have chosen Lueckes Seven Steps model to gain its profit: Few HMV music store could be sold according to saving cost. Changing trends in the music market by internet in order to download track or buy albums from website such amazons. Company hoped to avoid redundancies by redeployment. HMV will focus heavily on its online presence, aiming HMV sales via internet from 6% to 10% by 2010. The company has announced a three year transformation plan which will save 50 million costs per annum by 2010 through simplifying HMV. In the UK and Ireland HMVs sales grew by 1%. The firm said it is initiating a turnover plan which it hoped would revitalize its core business. If the cost cut will go down well in the city(short term goal), Mr. foxs growth plan to derive 20% of HMV sales through its online channel compared to 6% by utilize high street store space. The most radical plan is for the transformation of its music retail business into an interactive store ai med at restoring HMV, will launch a loyalty-card scheme the target the rapidly growing mobile phone music market. HMV will team up with 3 to install concessions within its store that sale music centric handsets. It will also plan sell some mp3 players from the likes apples and Sony and reducing its dependences on sales of CDs and DVDs. HMV will also provide content to mobile music retailer 3s 3.7 million subscribers. It will launch its own social networking site for film and music. A refreshment hub shoppers will able to log on to a social networking site for music, films and games also provided. It will able to burn its own CD. Fox will increase HMVs sales of games 12 percent to 15 percent over 3 years, and digital music, audio and video products to 16percent from 5 percent. (Web Source-3) Benefits of Proposal: HMV should take a plan to have some meeting with its employees regarding the change and need to tell them how they have to participate with the change. It should tell their involvement with the change .it should take some training session, develop new ideas and approaches without being influenced by the old ways. The guiding coalition must remove obstacles that may be entrenched in organizational process. They should be given the opportunities to get on board any embrace the vision. Force Field Analysis: Force field analysis can suggest a number of changes to the initial plan: By training staff It would be useful to show staff that change is necessary for business survival in current music ins Staff could be shown that new technology would introduce variety and interest to their jobs. You could raise wages to reflect new productivity. HMV UK and Irelands expansion is a testament to its success. Board members of HMV attribute this to quality of HMV store manager who is developed from within the business. Their performance is judged on the achievement of weekly targets set by the business. In 1998 HMV conducted a company-wide opinion survey called your shout. To support management development HMV established a development programme. Day to day learning in store was less structured and less inconsistent application across the business. HMV saw the investors in people standard as a framework to accelerate the effectiveness of the companys response to the your shout survey. Quality could be assured by aligning a new development initiative with an external standard. A development package was created to provide a structural framework and comprehensive development materials for in-store learning which called the continuous development plan (CDP). Its aim to increase knowledge and skills of management and staff in the critical elements of HMV store operations. The knowledge of staffs is defined on their job role which is articulate in four areas. By the assessment existing levels of knowledge was identified so that people can get the individual development plan and workbooks to support CDP coach nominated by every store to support the CDP activities. All levels of staff support the training structure. Progress reported to the board in every month. HMV has supported this massive initiative with considerable additional resources, including 15 development centers across the UK Ireland, an expanded course offering for all staff levels and a larger learning and development team. Working with the investor in people standard has helped its employees recognise the day to day development. People can see what the knowledge and skills they developed and what they need to be a manager. The success of CDP rises by 12 months to twenty percent in critical areas. This helped to raise the standard of customer service and make the stock management efficient. Investors in people have helped us communicate the dynamic career opportunities in HMV. It has provided a structured framework to continuously support and stimulate the development of existing staff. The change Process: Simon fox appointed chief executive of HMV group plc. The management undertook a comprehensive review of operations to identify strategies for revitalising the groups business over next three years. The result of this work, together with the financial impact for the group and its capital structure which discussed below: The board expect the markets in which the group operates to be subject to significant structural change, with the total music and DVD markets continuing to decline, and growth in the books market coming from the online channel. In addressing this issue the board has identify three key areas of focus: Saving Driving cost efficiency Protecting revitalising the core business Growing- Establish new channels. Saving Direct cost efficiency Cost savings of  £40m per annum will be achieved by 2009/10 by simplifying the HMV UK and Waterstones supply chains, maximising group purchasing and head office synergies and from the review of the UK store portfolio. Protecting Revitalising the core business * HMV UK will launch an enhanced range of portable digital products from suppliers including Apple, Bose, Samsung and Sony. * A new HMV store format of the future is being developed and will be trialled from autumn 2007. * A loyalty card to drive spends across both brands and all channels will be rolled out during 2007/08. Growing Establishing the new channel * HMV will launch a social network site for music, films and games, proving revenue streams from advertising, sponsorship and paid-for content. * HMV UK is partnering with 3, the UKs leading mobile music retailer to provide content to 3s 3.7m subscribers. * Growth in hmv.co.uk and Waterstones.com will be accelerated by increased marketing. * HMV.co.uk will become 20% of HMV UK sales by 2010. As over 80% of the groups profit is made in the UK, today are strategic and operational review will be focused on UK markets. SOURCE HMV group website Media News Recommendations and Conclusion: STRENGTH: HMV is the market leader for CD, DVD and computer games. HMV brands are synonymous with range authority, expertise, customer service and a stimulating store environment. The company listed on the London stock exchange on 15 may, 2002 successfully establishing a more appropriate capital structure for the future growth of the company. SOURCE HMV group website About Us History WEAKNESS: HMV had not adapted quickly enough to the way customers are buying and consuming media. Before Christmas last year, HMV and other high street retailer issued profit warning because of poor sales affected by the growth of online retail. The group has admitted being too slow to recognise the changing shape of the music and entertainment industry and has been hard hit by competition from online specialist as Amazon and play.com as well as supermarket such as Tesco, asda with their offers of bargain CDs and DVDs. A new pricing architecture is being rolled out to the entire HMV UK chain by September 2006. HMV was named best retail chain in the 2006 music week awards for an eighth consecutive year, multiple retail success of the year at the 2006 British video association awards and most improved retailer in games in 2006 MCV Industry Excellent Awards. Sales in HMV UK and Ireland for the full year ended April 2006 were  £937.2m and operating profit was  £60.6m. For the year ended April 2006 turnover of HMV Asia pacific was  £275.5m and operating profit 8.6m. SOURCE HMV group website About Us Fast Facts

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Integrating Women into the World Economy Essay -- Economics Females E

Integrating Women into the World Economy Introduction On November 9, 1989, the world’s economy changed dramatically. The fall of the Berlin wall produced a new world order which enabled states to connect on political, economic, and social levels with nations that were previously inaccessible to the western world. This created an interaction across national boundaries. The past two decades have seen the growing economic interdependence of countries worldwide, including an increased volume of cross-border transactions of goods and services, international capital flows, and most importantly, the rapid and widespread diffusion of technology (â€Å"Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific, 1999†). The airplane hijackings in America on September 11, 2001 further proved that the world had changed. From that day forward, all nations possessed the abilities to play a role in outsourcing and technology sharing. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman illustrated this point in the book â€Å"The World Is Flat† when he stated that economic power sources are no longer monopolized by prosperous developed nations, but instead by a flattened, equal playing field for all countries. There are numerous illustrations used by Friedman, including the fact that â€Å"all the world’s computer parts come from the same supply chain that runs from Korea, down through coastal China, over to Taiwan and down to Malaysia† (Friedman). With the influx of development in the global arena, opportunities for jobs and sustainability have also increased, especially in developing nations with resources to contribute to global production. Such positions and opportunities have been filled mainly by citizens who have been granted educational opportuniti... ...nomics. United Nations Development Fund for Women. 23 April 2007 â€Å"Regional Symposium on Gender Mainstreaming into Economic Policies.† 28-30 January 2004. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. â€Å"The United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women.† September 2005. Beijing Platform for Action. 20 April 2007. â€Å"What Are the Millennium Development Goals?† 2005. UN Development Goals. 20 April 2007. â€Å"Women and the Economy.† UNFPA: Working to Empower Women. 23 April 2007. - Women and the Economy.htm>

Monday, November 11, 2019

Economics Practice Exam Questions

1. Â  A trade quota:is an explicit limit on the amount of exports of a good from a country.is an explicit limit on the amount of imports of a good into a country.is a tax only on exports.is a tax only on imports.2. Â  An import tariff:is an explicit limit on the amount of exports of a good from a country.is an explicit limit on the amount of imports of a good into a country.is a tax only on exports.is a tax only on imports.3. Â  While an import tariff on a good will both raise the domestic price of that good and its domestic production levels, a quota:will not raise the domestic price but will increase the amount of the good produced domestically.will raise the domestic price but will not increase the amount of the good produced domestically.will both raise the domestic price and increase the amount of the good produced domestically.will neither raise the domestic price nor increase the amount of the good produced domestically.4. Â  If the dollar price of the German mark increase s, then:the German Mark has appreciated while the U.S. dollar has depreciated.the German Mark has depreciated while the U.S. dollar has appreciated.both the German Mark and the U.S. dollar have depreciated.both the German Mark and the U.S. dollar have appreciated.5. Â  An exchange rate measures:the price at which one can exchange one good for another good.the price at which one can exchange one resource for another resource.the discounted price one received when returning defective goods for exchange.the price at which one can exchange one currency for another currency.6. Â  Consider the following two statements:The U.S. dollar will depreciate when U.S. Demand for foreign goods increases.The U.S. dollar will depreciate in the present if the public believes that the U.S. dollar will depreciate in the future.both statements are true.both statements are false.I is true while II is false.I is false while II is true.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Database Environment Paper Essay Essays

Database Environment Paper Essay Essays Database Environment Paper Essay Essay Database Environment Paper Essay Essay In the concern universe. the usage of many different types of databases is non merely platitude. but an indispensable portion of twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours operations. A database is a structured aggregation of information that is stored on a computing machine or waiter that allows the informations to be rapidly accessed. analyzed. and allows the ability for questions to be run. The usage of a database allows concerns to greatly increase efficiency accessing informations and truth keeping informations. The Sacramento Capital Art Museum is presently in demand of a database to accurately track the graphics. the name of the creative person. and each piece of graphicss location. Before traveling any farther. it is of import to analyse the type of environment that you are working with. Database Environment A database environment describes all of the hardware. package. informations. processs. and forces that you are working with. It straight relates to a undertakings range and boundaries ( portion of the DBLC ) . as the boundaries are contained within the environment. Sacramento Capital Art Museum is a comparatively new museum that was established in 2012 by a group of devouring art aggregators populating in the capital metropolis. As a consequence of this. there is non any type of established database presently running inside of SCAM. While Excel databases have been used by employees on and off. there is nil that is for good kept on a public thrust. The demand to track all the graphics throughout the museum is a direct consequence of a piece of valuable art that was misplaced. Presently. the museum has 20 employees. each with their ain work Personal computer. There is a little waiter that is kept in house that shops the company’s information and is accessible by all work PC’s via a alone user login. The company is unfastened to utilizing any type of DBMS that will suit Database Environment Paper 3 their demands. I have chosen Microsoft Access as the DBMS for SCAM. Microsoft Access is a â€Å"tool for assemblage and understanding all of your information†¦and supplying a convenient manner to come in. navigate. and describe your informations. † ( Microsoft SQL and Access. 2014 ) We will be utilizing a relational database for this undertaking. A relational database was developed in 1970 by an IBM research worker named E. F. Codd. ( What are relationship databases. 2001 ) With a relational database. information is stored in unvarying. Alternatively of one long. level line of information. information is stored in tabular arraies. This allows informations to be represented in columns and rows. This type of representation of informations allows for speedy comparings. kind information by entity or property. They are referred to as relational databases because of the ability to utilize the relationship of other similar informations to increase the velocity and overall versatility of the database. Because of the type of informations used for this database. a relational type would do the most sense. This DBMS will besides let for easy database care. SCAM presently wants all employees to be able to entree the database. while merely leting 10 of the 20 employee’s entree to modify the database. Access will be given via alone personal logins and all entree to the database will be monitored and logged in an effort to discourage larceny. Properties and Entities An entity is a individual. topographic point. or thing. or construct about which informations can be collected. ( Attributes. n. d. ) An property describes the facts. inside informations. or features of an entity. For this undertaking. the entities we are utilizing are the single pieces of graphics. the name of the creative person. and the location of the graphics. The properties that we are utilizing are the type of art. the beginning of the creative person. whether it is stored or on show within the museum. Using a information modeling attack. such as the entity relationship theoretical account ( ER ) that was created by Peter Pin-Shan Chen. allows for the proper conceptual procedure to be laid out prior to the existent building of the database. Database Environment Paper 4 Essentially. it is a database design of how everything will be mapped out. During this procedure. you want to guarantee that all the entities and attributes you wish to stand for are logically and briefly laid out. Once the database is mapped out. building of the database can get down. In the terminal. the database will be able to give the employees of the Sacramento Capital Art Museum immediate entree to the location of every piece of art in the museums detention. The employees will be able to run questions to happen out particulars about the art. For illustration. if they wanted to make an exhibit on Chinese art. they could run a question to happen all the art that originated from China within their aggregation. Database Environment Paper 5 Mentions â€Å"Microsoft SQL and Access† ( 2014 ) Retrieved from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www. computerhouse. com/microsoft- sql-and-access/ â€Å"What are relational databases? † ( 2001 ) Retrieved from: hypertext transfer protocol: //computer. howstuffworks. com/question599. htm â€Å"Attributes† ( n. d. ) Retrieved from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www. teach- ict. com/as_a2_ict_new/ocr/AS_G061/315_database_concepts/attributes_entities/miniweb/pg3. ht

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Free Essays on War Never Changes

War Never Changes There are many strong parallels between the poem, â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est†, and the present-day situation with Iraq. Though fought for different reasons, most wars feature the same kind of ghastly events that soldiers are subjected to. This heartrending poem depicts a soldier’s first-hand experience of the atrocious events that occur in war. The poem goes deeply into detail by describing some of the horrible aspects of war that many young men and women are not prepared to face. This image could, quite possibly, be what many young adults may have to confront very soon in their lives as they prepare to head overseas to Iraq. As with every generation of soldiers that head into a war, they will have to face the unexpected. Wilfred Owen was so appalled by some of his experiences in war that he exclaims in his poem that â€Å"a devil’s sick of sin† (l. 20). This phrase means that the events in war are so repulsive and immoral that a devil would be sick from them. Another factor that many in the armed forces may be unprepared for is chemical warfare. The damaging, long-term effects of such harmful gasses described in the poem are so inhumane that no one could possibly be prepared to face the consequences of them. However against the law and restricted from warfare, it is believed that Suddam Hussein possesses such dangerous weapons somewhere in the country of Iraq. If chemical warfare became the main artillery of war, then the world would be doomed to destruction as harmful gasses and chemicals would fill the air and ground, contaminating every living organism. In every major war, there has been a massive number of deaths. In the past, some victims of war were so disgusted by the number of lives that were lost in war that they began to question the reasoning behind the fighting. After encountering such horrific experiences, there is not any reason at all why these people should be able to question thi... Free Essays on War Never Changes Free Essays on War Never Changes War Never Changes There are many strong parallels between the poem, â€Å"Dulce Et Decorum Est†, and the present-day situation with Iraq. Though fought for different reasons, most wars feature the same kind of ghastly events that soldiers are subjected to. This heartrending poem depicts a soldier’s first-hand experience of the atrocious events that occur in war. The poem goes deeply into detail by describing some of the horrible aspects of war that many young men and women are not prepared to face. This image could, quite possibly, be what many young adults may have to confront very soon in their lives as they prepare to head overseas to Iraq. As with every generation of soldiers that head into a war, they will have to face the unexpected. Wilfred Owen was so appalled by some of his experiences in war that he exclaims in his poem that â€Å"a devil’s sick of sin† (l. 20). This phrase means that the events in war are so repulsive and immoral that a devil would be sick from them. Another factor that many in the armed forces may be unprepared for is chemical warfare. The damaging, long-term effects of such harmful gasses described in the poem are so inhumane that no one could possibly be prepared to face the consequences of them. However against the law and restricted from warfare, it is believed that Suddam Hussein possesses such dangerous weapons somewhere in the country of Iraq. If chemical warfare became the main artillery of war, then the world would be doomed to destruction as harmful gasses and chemicals would fill the air and ground, contaminating every living organism. In every major war, there has been a massive number of deaths. In the past, some victims of war were so disgusted by the number of lives that were lost in war that they began to question the reasoning behind the fighting. After encountering such horrific experiences, there is not any reason at all why these people should be able to question thi...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Talent Factory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Talent Factory - Essay Example Here we look on those organizations that are well prepared for the future and have a strategy that is suitable to groom future leaders. These organizations have talent factories working internally or we can say they groom people for future so they can take up bigger responsibilities. They do this by merging two important things these are functionality and vitality. These people who are being groomed tend to become future leaders for the organizations. In this article the reader has looked upon the two top talent factories Procter & Gamble and the HSBC group both have different approaches to groom people for future but have been successfully grooming future leaders for some time. Functionality basically refers to the processes, tools, and the systems that allow any firm to put the right people at the right positions; this helps in linking the processes of the company to its objectives. HSBC follows the motive of giving people the feel of a local bank when they operate internationally, and link it with their daily processes to make it possible. HSBC keeps track of the people that are performing well at lower positions all over the world in their organization. ... The people of higher management in HSBC usually know their counterparts in other countries this builds a network of HSBC which enables them to collaborate in an easier way. Procter and Gamble on the other hand follows another strategy for talent hunt. P & G conduct its talent hunt through their growth plans; the organization hires new recruits from the local markets of the country they are operating in. For example hiring officers in China hire Chinese locals. This way the organization exploits talent from the country they are operating in. The new recruits are considered to be future leaders in the market they are working, but the higher level managers are still hired globally meaning that the executives decide of their hiring. P & G conduct training programs to train new recruits, special training programs outside the resident's country are also conducted. The organization helps new hires through mentors and special cross functional teams. The new employees are constantly given dif ferent opportunities to prove themselves, for example in 3 to 4 years of his or her hiring an employee has worked on more than 5 products with different people and in different scenarios. The organization has a very efficient system of hiring and pays close attention to it. The talent hunt system is conducted through a proper procedure with a program that keeps track of middle and upper middle managers. Their performances and successful projects in the past and the projects they are working on in the future. The managers are then promoted appropriately, according to their merit. Now coming to Vitality that is the other part of the combination of talent factories.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Investment proposal report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Investment proposal report - Essay Example Contextually, the mission of this particular business will be to operate with the deliverance of high quality products and services to the customers so that it can ensure maximum productivity that further shall ascertain the growth of the business. The business will also take into consideration the interests of the stakeholders while framing its strategies. The business idea, which will be focused in this context, will be multi-cuisine restaurant. A multi-cuisine restaurant is a particular sort of restaurant, which uses cooking methods of different nations of the world. This kind of restaurants often serves customers with diverse sorts of foods that have resemblance of any specific nation or region. However, establishing such business requires a considerable amount of investments. This particular business will require funds for various purposes including equipment and vehicles, marketing, land purchase, purchase of machinery, setting up of infrastructure and startup capital among others. These aspects are mandatorily required to set up multi-cuisine restaurant in any part of the UK. Hence, the need for investors is quite apparent in this particular business. It is known that investors are the people who invest their money in any business and earn profit for the same in return. For this particular business, funds will mainly be acquired from sources preferably the financial institutions of the UK. Funds will be acquired from these institutions against the payment of interest at a particular rate. It can be affirmed that acquiring funds is not only the sole step in setting up investment plans for the business rather financial planning is also considered to be important. Observably, financial planning is a set of financial goals and objectives of any business on which the profitability or the stability of the entire business is dependent.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

One-Child Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

One-Child Policy - Essay Example From the research "One-Child Policy" it is clear that the Policy contributed to increased saving by individuals and provided better support to children’s higher education. It also helped to provide better healthcare services to women and reduced pregnancy-related risks. The policy proved hugely beneficial in terms of increased employment, reduced burden on natural resources and rate of exploitation. The overhead cost of social service and social maintenance and problems associated with overpopulation like poverty, epidemics, law enforcement etc were considerably reduced. This helped the government to focus on economic growth. The policy has come under flak for myriad reasons. While forced abortion and infanticide are cited as major human right violations, many social problems have also emerged with the single child. It has resulted in abnormal sex ratio and it is expected that there would be 30 million more men than women by 2020! It is also believed that spacing birth would h ave yielded the same result as the policy. Most importantly, the dependency of the elderly population on young generation has significantly increased which could ultimately impact their overall welfare. The one child policy was an important initiative to control burgeoning population which was already under huge pressure from many spheres of the public good. The overpopulation not only increases dependency on the state and increases overhead costs, it also adversely impacts social policies like employment, environment considerations and economic growth. The policy proved quite effective in controlling population dynamics and promoted higher economic growth and employment. Environment efforts also got the boost as large volumes of waste were significantly reduced. It was also important element of the national saving as it motivated individuals towards higher saving and investment for

Monday, October 28, 2019

The History and Evolution of Personnel Protective Gear Essay Example for Free

The History and Evolution of Personnel Protective Gear Essay Fire fighting is one of the most important jobs in the world because the threat of fire to the society is real and present everytime. Fire fighters are needed in different fields and in different locations fire fighting in the city inside residential and business districts, fire fighting in forests and woodlands and even fire fighting on seas when ships and sea vehicles catch fire. The threat to the place that is burning is as important as the threat to the life of the fire fighters who are battling fires. Because of that, it is important that fire fighters are equipped not just with equipment that can help them put out the fire, but also with equipment that can help them protect themselves from the threat posed by fire, like burning, smoke inhalation and oxygen deprivation, and worse, death. Through the years the equipment and materials used by fire fighters to protect themselves from fire has developed and evolved. This is because it needs to suit to the needs of fire fighting and adapt to the latest development and advancement in the field of fire fighting. The importance of protective gear and equipment of fire fighters and how it evolved through the years is a significant aspect of the fire fighting history in the world. Because of that importance, this paper will focus on discussing such developments and how it impacted fire fighting and made fire fighting a more effective aspect of social welfare service rendered by the government for the safety of the people and the environment. The protective gear of the fire fighters must take into consideration that the level of protection needed by fire fighters vary depending on the condition of the environment wherein the fire fighter operates. The protective gear, particularly, the basic protective outfit that fire fighters wear, must be able to protect the fire fighters in as many life threatening aspects of the job as possible. Aside from the immediate threat that the fire fighter might be burned while conducting fire fighting exercise, there is also the threat of environment like the weather (snow, rain etc) and the presence and exposure to water itself. â€Å"The environment that a fire fighter experiences in the normal course of duty ranges from benign to very dangerous. The protective clothing that fire fighters wear must meet a variety of performance criteria; it must protect from the extreme heat of fires, it must protect from the cold of winter (Yarborough, 2005, p. 74). † But the notion of protection is not just limited on the characteristic of protective gear and clothing inhibiting the impact of fire, cold and smoke to the body. Protection also means that the protective gear should not hinder the movement and ability for mobility of the fire fighter. In fire fighting, being unable to move is a very dangerous situation to be in, since fire fighters sometimes come inside a burning house to save individuals. But if they cannot manage the return trip outside of the burning house, it endangers not only the lives of those they were hoping to save but also the lives of the people who came in and was expected to save the people in trouble. Because of this, the notion of protection also included the idea that the protective gear should not impede or restrain the fire fighter so that the fire fighter can protect himself and the victims from fire by being mobile and moving from an unsafe location to a safe location as the fire fighting process is underway. â€Å"It must be light enough that sheer weight of the gear does not cause undue stress on their bodies. To this end, one design has become the standard for fire fighter turnout gear. This design includes a heat resistant outer shell, typically made of some synthetic fiber; a moisture barrier, typically made of a water resistant breathable material, and a thermal barrier, typically made of wool felt with some aramid fiber woven into it (Yarborough, 2005, p. 74). † The History of the Protective Gear and Clothing that Fire Fighters Used and Wore With the absence of technology and the knowledge about this particular discipline in social welfare service, the earliest forms of fire fighting was unorganized as it was lacking with suitable equipment. Fire protection among the fire fighters was not present then. The people doing the fire fighting have to rely on the clothes on their backs. The first notable development in fire fighting gear and protective clothing happened in 1730s after Jacobus Turck made what was considered as the first ever fireman’s helmet. Unlike modern day fireman’s helmet, the Turck helmet has a wide brim and was made with leather. It also featured a high crown. The development of the fireman’s head gear made its next milestone the following century, when Henry T. Gratacap improved the design of the fire fighters helmet. It was the improvement to Turck’s design including the protection in the neck and nape and the presence of front shield; while the hat itself was more reinforced than the previous design. Besides head protection, the development on coats and pants especially for fire fighting was also taking place, with fire fighters getting to use these clothing which was reinforced by wool so that it is more heat and water resistant compared to ordinary everyday clothing. Because fire fighting exposed fire fighters to hot surfaces and a terrain that is filled with dangerous materials like broken glass and splinters of sharp woods, rocks and mangled steel, fire figthers already started wearing safety boots right about the time the second development in the helmet happened and the fire fighters were wearing wool jackets and pants (Hasenmeier, 2008). The same century marked the work of Giovanni Aldini who was made one of the earliest attempts to design a mask that can protect fire fighters from the smoke present during fire fighting, working on this apparatus at 1825, an effort that was pursued similarly by other individuals including John Roberts. But a more definitive mask for fire fighting came out in 1863 behind the efforts of James Braidwood. Braidwood’s idea of a mask that can supply fresh air to the wearer consists of bags that act as artificial lungs, strapped on the back of the wearer and features a waist belt to go with the shoulder straps necessary to carry it and bring it wherever the fire fighter goes during the course of his work. A mouthpiece connects the hose to the sacs of air that the wearer can inhale. This development improved the fire fighter’s list of protective gears and clothing at the time, which also already included goggles, as well as whistles and leather hoods for added protection. This is to allow fire fighters to communicate even through non verbal means, allowing other fire fighters to know the position and location of each other during fire fighting operations. At the start of the twentieth century, rubber was integrated in the uniforms of the fire fighters. Hasenmeier (2008) noted in his article that there were already existing proofs that some fire fighting groups that used rubber jackets and rubber boots as early as the 1930s so that they are as dry as possible and far from the health threats brought about by being soaked in cold water especially during the cold parts of the year (Hasenmeier, 2008). Then came next are the bunker gears or turnout gears. The name of which Hasenmeier believed to have originated either from the act of bunking together and turning out during fire fighting missions, or because it was the same protective clothing worn by soldiers turned fire fighters especially those who are designated in the cannon positions in the bunkers during World War I. After the end of the Second World War, standards for protective equipment among fire fighters became official and enforced as a necessary protocol for fire fighters safety. It was also about the same time that improvements in the breathing apparatus for fire fighters were developed, including the time when the concept of Scott Aviation was applied in the 1945-era breathing equipment that fire fighters started using. In 1982 there was already what is known as the Personal Alert Safety System or PASS and the necessary standards to maintain this. Today, more and more efforts were being made to ensure that the gear and clothing of the fire fighters are more and more suitable to the needs of the fire fighters and their particular working condition. Different countries are making many different developments in the material of the coats and pants, as well as the design and ability of the breathing apparatus used by fire fighters so that they are safe, and so are the people they are trying to rescue in the process. Because of the presence of more modern approach to fire fighting and the development of fire fighting gears and clothing, the design of future apparatus for fire fighter safety includes the â€Å"harmonious design† of the gears and clothing, as well as the â€Å"functional integration of characteristics such as resistance to cuts and punctures, mobility, waterproofness, fit and durability (Barker, Coletta, 1986, p. 487). † Because fire fighting is more modern now, the design includes other safety considerations like the consideration that â€Å"fire figthers also may come in contact with poisonous, flammable, or explosive gases and chemicals, as well as radioactive or other hazardous materials that may have immediate or long term effects on their health. For these reasons, they must wear protective gear that can be very heavy and hot (US Department of Labor, 2006, p. 360). †

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Creatio ex Capacitas and Creatio Continua: When having Power just isnt Enough :: Essays Papers

Creatio ex Capacitas and Creatio Continua: When having Power just isn't Enough In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep . . . Then God said, "Let there be light;" and there was light. ~ (Genesis 1:1-2a; 3 NRSV). The biblical passage above has been the subject of much debate in light of not only how God created, but also as to out of what He created. There are two main camps in this debate: those who affirm creatio ex nihilo and those who affirm panentheism. Both speak of God's omnipotent creativity expressed through the generation of new modes of existence. Creatio ex nihilo advocates claim that God did this 'out of nothing;' creating all things out of absolutely nothing. Panentheists purport that God created by influencing a realm of 'non-divine actualities.' These non-divine actualities are comprised of 'moments of experience,' which have always been, and these actualities present the options from which the next moments are created. Panentheists believe a realm of actualities has always existed alongside God, although the individual actualities themselves are neither eternal nor do possess any divine power in, or of, themselves. Those on both sides of this debate profess God to be a sovereign, holy, omnipresent, and a personal being who interacts with the loving intent of bringing about the most possible good for all creation. The discrepancy in the debate is found in the different views of how this goal is carried out. As a result, some of the attributes of God are conceived differently: in particular God's love and omnipotence, and free creaturely response to God. Those professing creation ex nihilo come under fire by those who ask the question "what is nothing?" This question cannot be ignored, because, while it endows God with unlimited power over creation by showing Him to be the sole actor in creating, creatio ex nihilo seems paradoxical. Or as Peter Van Inwgen says, To say that there is nothing is to say that there isn't anything, not even vast emptiness. If there were a vast emptiness, there would be no material object - no atoms or elementary particles or anything made of them - but there would nevertheless be something: the vast emptiness (Qtd. "Creation Out of Nothing" Lodahl. 2). Critics criticize panentheists for affirming the existence of a 'realm of non-divine actualities. Creatio ex Capacitas and Creatio Continua: When having Power just isn't Enough :: Essays Papers Creatio ex Capacitas and Creatio Continua: When having Power just isn't Enough In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep . . . Then God said, "Let there be light;" and there was light. ~ (Genesis 1:1-2a; 3 NRSV). The biblical passage above has been the subject of much debate in light of not only how God created, but also as to out of what He created. There are two main camps in this debate: those who affirm creatio ex nihilo and those who affirm panentheism. Both speak of God's omnipotent creativity expressed through the generation of new modes of existence. Creatio ex nihilo advocates claim that God did this 'out of nothing;' creating all things out of absolutely nothing. Panentheists purport that God created by influencing a realm of 'non-divine actualities.' These non-divine actualities are comprised of 'moments of experience,' which have always been, and these actualities present the options from which the next moments are created. Panentheists believe a realm of actualities has always existed alongside God, although the individual actualities themselves are neither eternal nor do possess any divine power in, or of, themselves. Those on both sides of this debate profess God to be a sovereign, holy, omnipresent, and a personal being who interacts with the loving intent of bringing about the most possible good for all creation. The discrepancy in the debate is found in the different views of how this goal is carried out. As a result, some of the attributes of God are conceived differently: in particular God's love and omnipotence, and free creaturely response to God. Those professing creation ex nihilo come under fire by those who ask the question "what is nothing?" This question cannot be ignored, because, while it endows God with unlimited power over creation by showing Him to be the sole actor in creating, creatio ex nihilo seems paradoxical. Or as Peter Van Inwgen says, To say that there is nothing is to say that there isn't anything, not even vast emptiness. If there were a vast emptiness, there would be no material object - no atoms or elementary particles or anything made of them - but there would nevertheless be something: the vast emptiness (Qtd. "Creation Out of Nothing" Lodahl. 2). Critics criticize panentheists for affirming the existence of a 'realm of non-divine actualities.