Sony Aibo Case Study free essay sample

The new AIBO came with new software options as well. After adding wireless LAN technology, Sony has unveiled its new â€Å"entertainment architecture†, dubbed OPEN-R, which provided third-party developers with the ability to create any number of software applications as well as hardware modules. Though priced at whopping $2,500, $1,500 the second generation, Sony’s profit margin on the AIBO was close to zero. It is the software applications and hardware modules developed by Sony and third-party developers that makes money for the company. AIBO has created such a stir that only two products had in the history of Sony: the original Walkman and the Playstation game console, far exceeding the developers’ expectations. It is such a success in Japan; the American market is not that hot. Par of the reasons were the culture differences between these two countries. In Japan, many people live in small apartments where real pets are not allowed. And Japan has a large elderly population, to whom a companion without any inconvenience is perfect. We will write a custom essay sample on Sony Aibo Case Study or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Besides, robots in Japanese culture are heroes and Japanese are so fascinated about high-technology while to older Americans, too lifelike technology is dangerous and threatening. Apart from the culture elements, most customers were confused of what Sony was selling. The confusion was compounded by the release of a number of low-end knock-offs. The performance of five years’, six prototypes’, and millions of yen’s outcome, AIBO, is so obviously superior to those cheap imitations, it is difficult to consider these knock-offs â€Å"competition†. At the other end of the competitive spectrum are robots that can â€Å"do something† perform â€Å"serious† household tasks. Admitting that these types of â€Å"functional† robots were much easier for Americans to understand, Sony has provided new software applications so that AIBOs can read emails and pre-selected websites and owners can remotely control their AIBOs’ movements. With more and more software applications and hardware modules being built on the base of OPEN-R technology, the possibilities are really limitless. As to broaden the American market, I think several questions should be considered before making the decision of whether Sony should begin mass advertising. What is the popularity of AIBO in America? What are the main concerns that stop Americans to reach into their pocket to pay for an AIBO? Standing in the Americans’ shoes, what do they want from a robot dog? Will sales of AIBO be stimulated by the mass advertising? Is the return going to be enough to cover the cost of mass advertising? Which medium might be the best way to touch the audiences? Further analysis of American market and culture should be done before making the decision. Since Sony has created AIBO Town, a magazine for AIBO devotees, and Cartoon industry is very mature in Japan, AIBO cartoon, AIBO comic books, AIBO video games and a series of AIBO related products can create infatuation with the robotic dogs, and the popularization of robotic dogs, vice versa, will promote the sales of the derivatives. The possibilities of AIBO are limitless. With more and more applications developed, AIBO can be a functional companion. For instance, AIBO could be used to guide blind people, the sensor can get information of the owner’s health condition when he/she touches an AIBO’s head, AIBO can play music, the owner can monitor his/her house when traveling, AIBO can work as a projector, etc. The price of the AIBO can not be much lower than the cost of manufacturing cost, or the margin profit. As AIBOs are equipped with more and more functions, people have a clearer understanding of what Sony is selling and are more willing to pay for them.

buy custom Good Business Location in North America essay

buy custom Good Business Location in North America essay Determining a Good Business Location in North America When setting up a new company, various factors need to be put into consideration. The key factor is determining the best location for the business. Since the company aims at setting up in North America, various states have to be analyzed to determine the best for the business venture. The states that I have in mind include Michigan, Texas and Florida. As the CEO, I will analyze different features of these locations and come up with a fervent decision on where to launch the firm. Education resource is the second thing that must be put into consideration as the firm will require skilled labor. Research shows that in Texas students are encouraged to complete high school and attain superior grades as it is in most of the American states (De De, 2010). Therefore, students lack the opportunity to acquire or master a body of challenging skills and knowledge. The tendency of encouraging students to be educationally adequate and not excellent has affected Texas as a whole. This has made the states board of education to intervene and try to encourage students to be self-reliant by being creative and innovative after school. This, in turn, has helped the students to be productive and portray their academic professionalism. According to statistics in Texas, there are approximately 120 universities. Michigan, on the other hand, has 100 colleges and universities while Florida only has 51 (De De, 2010). This statistics depicts the low levels of professionals in the state. Statistics estimate the likely growth of labor force in these states. Texas is estimated to have the greatest growth according to the study done by Steven in 2003. In Texas, the number of participants in all labor force training programs would increase from 273,411 to 739,959 by the year 2040, an increment of 170.6%. According to statistics done in 2011, Michigan has 15.6 million people as its work force. This makes a 9.5% increment by the year 2030. According to report by Times in 2012, Florida currently has an estimated 74,354 people in its work force. The next issue to put into consideration is the availability of skilled labor. According to estimates, it is easier to get skilled labor in Texas than in the other two states. Statistics show that the percentage of graduates has increased by 21.7% from 1990 to 2000. In Michigan, currently, the skilled work force ranges between 55,000 and 57,000 people exclusively of immigrated skilled work force (De De, 2010). Proximity to other locations and the infrastructure are other factors that need to be considered. North America as a whole has well elaborated road networks and air transport. Most of these roads do not have traffic circles, and, as a result, there are no traffic jams. This feature applies to all the three states. When comparing the three states in regards to their connection to a global network, Michigan takes the first place with 91% of its population connected to the Internet (De De, 2010). Florida comes second with 84.7% of its population being Internet users. Statistics show that one in every 14 persons is connected to a slow Internet in Florida. According to a research by Martin and Rob in 2001, the number of people capable of connecting to the Internet in Texas in 24 hours is 14,000. This shows that it is remarkably low in Texas compared to the other states and it cannot be a decent place for the company to be launched. Recreational facilities in the three states must be put into consideration as many clients will be attracted to them thus increasing the demand. In Texas, there are 19 five star hotels, it is the home of horse riding, the origin of ranching, and it has three rivers. Michigan has the largest number of lakes and inland waters compared to the other states; it also has over 20 five star hotels. Florida, on the other hand, has the best beaches in the world, 39 rivers, and it is globally renowned for its wine. Availability of resoources and raw materials is also a key factor to consider. Among the three states, Michigan is the most endowed state with rich coal, oil and energy reserves as it is closer to Canada (Smith, 1925). Therefore, this is the most appropriate location since proximity to raw materials saves or reduces the transport cost of an industry. In addition, Michigan has iron ores, copper deposits and diamonds which are all useful for the company. Geographical risks will be looked at in two dimensions: earthquakes and political risks. Texas has had six earthquakes so far, highest magnitude being 8.2. Political risks are not frequent in the USA. This is attributed to the high sense of political maturity in the country. An estimate of 4,000 earthquakes occur in Michigan every year, but only 50 of those are ever felt (geological survey Michigan). There is a 0.27% probability of a mega earthquake in the radius of 50 km of Florida in the next 50 years. The largest that has ever occurred was 3.3 in magnitude. Communication systems in North America are relatively sound apart from Florida, slightly affected by oceanic waves. From the analysis conducted, it is clear that Michigan is the most attractive place to start the firm. This is because of the readily available skilled labor that is provided by the heavy presence of graduates. In addition, Michigan has large energy reserves that would be beneficial to the company. The presence of iron ore, nickel, diamonds, copper and uranium is also an attractive aspect as the close proximity to raw material would save the company transportation costs. There is also a rich presence of tar sands, which is a rich source of oil, and coal reserves in Michigan. Oil and coal is used to run machinery in industries as a source of fuel; therefore, it is advantageous to set up the company in Michigan. In addition, Michigan has tried to maintain a legal immigration process, which has led to an increase in labor force. Therefore as a CEO, I can foresee successful marketing network because of Michigans Internet access. Buy custom Good Business Location in North America essay

Alike or Different Essay Example for Free

Alike or Different Essay We can try and change ourselves, by changing our appearance, putting on makeup, wearing different clothes, jewellery, etc. But it’s not just a case of appearance, but it also involves the person underneath that mask everyone tries to hide behind. Nobody has ever tried to look at the person underneath before judging them. It’s just ego that stands in the way. What will the result be when people are stripped of all their accessories, when that mask is removed? What we get is a rollercoaster of emotions. Things that people can never guess are hidden underneath. And that’s yet another similarity, which makes mistaken judgment also put into account. Feelings are also something to look at. For example, people do get happy, angry and sad in different situations, but everyone still gets those emotions at times, regardless of reason. And everyone goes through the same life cycle, how they’re born, turn to children, then the teenage, middle aging comes after, then being old, and finally death. Everyone will face death someday. And everyone is made by God, and made of the same materials, as some believe. Everyone eats and breathes, everyone has the five senses, nobody can live without a vital organ, and no one can have supernatural powers. And these are all similarities. * A lot more people don’t believe in that saying, they believe that people differ in a lot of things, and the things that they have in common with others can be looked at from a different angle, making them into another difference. For example, everyone is a human being, but everyone is a different kind of human being, depending on personality, looks, and abilities. And the fact that everyone has a dream that is to be fulfilled can also be a difference, like everyone has a different dream and a different goal for the future. As for the life, everyone does have a life, but it depends on how they live it, and how everyone uses it that makes a difference. Besides, some people are born to have the personality to be good leaders, and others have the power and will to work hard in what they’re good at, while others don’t treasure their abilities, and instead they use it for their own good, to get the better out of things, while they cause hurt to everyone else around them. That’s an example of being and not being able to be a useful person, to not use life wisely, and another way why people are different. Some believe that people differ in how they look (both on the outside and the inside), how they react to things around them, their personality, beliefs, ethics and religions. What can also count as a difference is how everyone is raised, what they’re taught to believe, where and when they were born and who they lived with. People often adopt habits from those they live with, which can sometimes be good, and sometimes be bad. That can make a lot of differences compared to someone who was born rich, lived rich, and died rich. Another way of looking at things is people’s appearance. Some people really care about how they look, and always try to look their best at times. Some wouldn’t give that subject a second thought. Some do care, but not so much. And that’s related to both personality and physical appearance. Language spoken is also a difference. And the fact that some of us can do something that others can’t, which comes down to ability. Furthermore sometimes people have disabilities that others don’t have. Sometimes there are illnesses and diseases that run in families, and some inherit that disease and some don’t, which is another difference. If we try and list these differences they will not have an end, and just thinking would take long too. So it’s not a case of what is the same and what can be different, it’s just how people think about things in their own point of view. So regardless of what there is that can be used as an argument, and however we think the ones who think the opposite are wrong, and no matter which angle we use look at things, it all goes back to opinion, and opinions are very important. And my opinion stays the same, but what about yours? And what’s more important is to reason why we look at things from that point of view, and if we really are being fair, or if we are just judging others by what we think of them, and how we think of them. And most importantly, are we really being fair, or do we just think we are? Alike or Different. (2018, Nov 07).

Just Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Just Health - Essay Example "Is health, and therefore health care and other factors that affect health, of special moral importance?" 2. "When are health inequalities unjust? 3. â€Å"How can we meet health needs fairly under resource restraints?" (Daniels, 2008) This essay will evaluate the conceptualization of healthcare, global poverty, and world hunger on a common moral basis related to human need through an analysis of these ‘Three Questions of Justice’ in the works of Amartya Sen, Ronald Dworkin, John Rawls, and other modern scholars. In relating the issue of human needs to human rights through the lens of the moral imperative, the essay will seek to understand how societies and groups build political consensus and collectively address issues of human suffering through political organizations. This analysis includes an exploration of the theoretical and practical limits of humanitarian activity related to egalitarian economic rights frameworks and the goals of universal healthcare that are f ound in democracy, capitalism, and human rights. The moral awareness of the individual creates the categorical imperative to act, join into groups of free-association, build policies, and reform institutions to provide universal healthcare globally. This is based in human altruism fundamentally by definition. The issues of resource scarcity in society are only limited if the individual chooses to perceive them that way or they are controlled forcibly in a way that is inconsistent with the equality of human need defined through altruism. Similarly, they will only be enacted as policy or viewed as â€Å"universals† in society if enough people share these goals in group organizations collectively. Reform of institutions to implement economic rights or universal healthcare popularly is based in the shared moral awareness. The means of funding this process is limited only by resource restraints as individuals conceive them, and these are not inherent to society. Rather, the cost o f universal healthcare is negligible compared to what society wastes on what can be considered non-essential goods and services or â€Å"socialism for the rich† as it operates under the hegemony of corporate democracy in modern America. Because the coercive aspects of wealth distribution are resisted politically, an ideal solution to Daniels’ â€Å"Three Questions of Justice† can only be implemented if people base their social decisions and policies on selfless, compassionate, and altruistic understanding of human needs and global development, highlighting the need for mind-change (metanoia) in the individual as the basis for the reform of institutions and policy. The shared fundamentals of both humanism and religion provide a basis for the realization of these goals in human society, yet education in moral values can be seen as the preferred method of achieving for lasting change in institutions and governance. II. Healthcare - Human Need Creates the Moral Impe rative One way to interpret Daniels’ ‘Three Questions of Justice’ as they relate to the evolution of culture and civilization historically is to view healthcare issues related to global poverty, hunger, clean water, and sanitation of a special

Formal memo(globalization) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Formal memo(globalization) - Essay Example The concept also relies of consensus and cooperation among nations (Boudreaux 2007) The world globalization was already used in the 1960s, but its true meaning was not sought until the 1990s, and especially after 9/11. Its meaning is not altogether clear to everyone. Perhaps the best definition was found by the Carnegie Endowment website: ‘Globalization is a process of interaction and integration among the people, companies and governments of different nations, a process driven by international trade and investment, and aided by information technology’ (Boudreaux 2007). Most of the world’s cooperation is unintentional and unstructured, and comes in the form of trade, and perhaps the cooperation of providing aid to poor countries, or that following some catastrophic disaster. Many think of globalization as something that causes competition among the world’s countries and their commerce, trade and exchanges. What many hope that globalization will bring is a beneficial coordination of the plans and actions of millions of people around the wo rld, as a system of global cooperation. Healthy competition combined with a model of cooperation when it comes to resources, the environment, pooling of services, and provision of goods, seems like a great combination. A vast web (Boudreaux 2007) of cooperation seems plausible when we consider the speed of modern transportation and communication. It is necessary, to minimize ecological impact. The readings I plan to make have a potential of several deductions and conclusions, which will be of great interest to companies, trade groups, environmental movements, industry leaders, social forums, commercial syndicates and lobby groups. My proposal can reach a number of these, of which I shall make a list. To have the greatest reach, a website with relevant information would be a good goal. 3. Globalization, a book by Donald Boudreaux, which provides some relevant information about its

Literacy is excellent Essay Example for Free

Literacy is excellent Essay â€Å"Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names† (Shah 1). Malcolm X describes his experience and struggle not being able to read or write until he got into prison. All he could ever do in prison was sit there, so he figured he would make light of his incarceration. So what he did was study a dictionary and read books to gain a better understanding and learn much more than he had before. Then with doing that, it made him feel free and empowered with his newly found intelligence now knowing what other people had discussed and had read. Malcolm X came up in a segregated time in the United States where black men and women weren’t allowed to be well educated or earn much of a living. Only having an 8th grade education can keep you trapped in your own mind. Therefore, the significance of literacy is immeasurable due to the fact that it is limitless on what you can do with it. Reading and writing has impacted our lives forever and in so many different ways. Write a letter, text a number, or do homework in a textbook. All these situations and more are due to the fact that people over time and now can read and write. The way we first started communication was through drawings known as hieroglyphics; that then transformed over time into different letters and we could finally write down information. That advancement led us to be able to keep records, talk to people without being face to face, and just write down information. â€Å"In my slow, painstaking, ragged handwriting, I copied into my tablet everything printed on the first page, down to the punctuation marks† (Malcolm X 641). Literacy was hard for him to pick up because it was new to him, and also he didn’t have the resources or materials we do now to help him. Communication since then has exploded to the point of other people learning how to read and write other languages and schools being opened to teach a number of new people how to read and write. Communication therefore led us to advancements in communication. We can now talk to someone halfway around the world without spending a fortune for travel fares. The human race in total can read and write so well that we have taught machines like computers, cars, and phones to now read; something we didn’t have just around 20 years ago. Without communication there could be no advancements and without advancements there could be no communication. Therefore, learning to read and write is key in everything we do and come up with. My cousin also had a problem with reading and writing all through school, and even after he graduated. Unlike Malcolm X, when he was younger he kept trying to give up on doing it because it was frustrating and confusing to him. He hated having to learn something he never understood properly and regrets trying to give up for all those years because it’s still a problem now. Having that happen to him has deterred me from me giving up on something I don’t understand so it doesn’t get worse for me or stay a problem forever. Cognate to Malcolm X, I tried over and over to be at least semi-literate in everything I could. For example, when I was in middle school I would always watch the Lincoln high school NJROTC spin rifles and I knew I would do that one day. So in ninth grade I practiced hard and finally learned how to do just about everything they can do and was able to be in the parade. Also cognate to Malcolm X, I believe learning to be literate in anything takes hard work, concentration, and dedication to the fact that you have to pay attention and learn what to do. Works cited page Shah, Anup. â€Å"Poverty Facts and Stats. † Global Issues. 07 Jan. 2013. Web. 22 Sep. 2013. . X, Malcolm. Literacy behind Bars. The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Reading. Ed. Richard Bullock and Maureen Daly Goggin. 3rd ed. New York: W. W. Norton Company, 2013. 460-63. Print.

Mike Nichols Film, Wit Essay -- Film Movies

Mike Nichols' Film, Wit In the film Wit, directed by Mike Nichols, Emma Thompson (Vivian Bearing) is portrayed as a woman professor who had dedicated her life to teaching and studying John Donne and his sonnets. She was about 48 years old and was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer. This film showed us some of the hard decisions that Vivian had to make such as when she agrees to the radical and painful chemotherapy. The film showed us the changes she went through like in her body and mind (hair, weakness, weight, color etc.). Wit was a difficult and heartbreaking film to watch. By the end of the fist scene I knew where the film was headed just by technique and tone. How many films have you seen with a woman diagnosed with cancer, have a happy ending? Most of the action takes place in Vivian’s bed. There are a lot of close-ups on Vivian. The camera was all in her face even while throwing up. This film reminds me of one of my favorite movies Ferris Beuler’s Day Off. How, at times it was as if he was speaking right to the camera and the viewers. In the film V...

Critical Reflection on Three Questions Essay

For this paper we will be doing some critical reflection on three basic; yet much argued questions. The first is an argument of Marc Prensky’s. Are our youth the digital natives that he coined? Are the older generation digital immigrants? Second, we will be looking into making money online and the question being asked: Are there limits? Lastly, we will be looking at whether or not it is a crime or netiquette to copy and paste or, in general use another’s works as your own. Is this wrong? In this paper, I will bring to light a few arguments and explain in detail and try to offer a feasible counter-argument in return. The first question offered by Mr. Marc Prensky is: Are our youth the digital natives and is the older generation the digital immigrants? I can agree that this, as a statement is, in my mind to a degree, is true. The one statement that I do not believe was cited here by John Palfrey and Urs Gasser, authors of a book titled Born Digital: â€Å"Are you a digital native? If you were born after 1980 then you are† (Palfrey & Gasser, 2008). This statement loses me in that when I was a freshman in high school, we all stared at the first iMac and Apple IIe with awe and wonder. No Facebook, no IM, just DOS and not even 3. . I doubt, very much, that a teenager from this day and age could even fathom on what to do with DOS. Prensky believes that I am the digital immigrant. I believe this statement. I was not born into the digital age, therefore I am not native. This would be much like my ancestors immigrating to the United States, we are not from here anymore then I am from this age. Also , Prensky goes on to add that: â€Å"Digital Natives are used to receiving information really fast. They like to parallel process and multi-task. They prefer their graphics before their text rather than the opposite. They prefer random access (like hypertext). They function best when networked. They thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards. They prefer games to â€Å"serious† work. †Ã¢â‚¬  http://depd. wisc. edu/html/TSarticles/Digital%20Natives. htm I agree wholeheartedly with this statement. People from my generation are used to work. We will not hesitate to print something out instead of just reading it off the laptop. We grew up with words and almost no pictures (graphics) as is the opposite for the younger generation. Next, we will be discussing; making money online and the question being asked: Are there limits? When you talk about making money online, there are two main entities that come to mind. EBay and Amazon. These are two giants where the average Joe may open an account and sell what he has to anyone in the world. Making money online can be a very good thing. It can be very profitable, but are there limits? I believe there certainly are. Some people still do not realize that there are illegal ways that people are making money online right now. One way is by Nigerian Letter scams. In 2001, estimates by the Secret Service claimed that more than $100 million was lost to Nigerian letter scams each year (Mintz, 2002, p. 15). I believe that if done legitimately, there really should be no limit to how much one can make online. Ideas like Fraud, theft and other scams are not good practices to teach or follow and should be sought out and banned from the internet. This way we help to protect the innocent and naive from such false ventures. Lastly, we will be looking at whether or not it is a crime or just plain netiquette to copy and paste or, in general use another’s works as your own. Is this wrong? Is it really stealing to copy and paste from a website that you don’t even own? One would argue that a piece they spent time creating was indeed taken and used by someone else, perhaps on their Facebook page. I too have fallen victim to this a time or two. In the end, I wished them luck and hoped that what I did, in some way helped them. It made them happy to take what I had created and post it on their page; in some small way, it does honor to the original creator of said works. Someone took the time to not only read what was created, but they felt proud to use it. No, I do not think you can steal something like that. If you owned the website and had created a logo or an expression than that would be very different. However, on the likes of Facebook and Myspace I do not feel that such things exist. In conclusion, we have discussed an argument of Marc Prensky’s. Are our youth the digital natives that he coined? Are the older generation digital immigrants? Second, we looked into making money online and the question being asked: Are there limits? Lastly, we looked at whether or not it is a crime or netiquette to copy and paste or, in general use another’s works as your own. Is this wrong? We in turn discussed some relative arguments to all of the above questions, while adding a few counter-arguments and finished with our thoughts.

Traditionl Healers in Latin America

Introduction Traditional healers also known as curanderismo are important part of Latin American culture, society and a way of life. Traditional healers have been a part of Latin American culture for thousands of years and even today are considered as important as the traditional health care professionals (Avila, 1999). The services of these healers are used extensively and they are well respected and admired members of the community. Not anyone can be a healer and in order to become one a special talent and extensive training is needed (Avila, 1999).The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of traditional healers in Latin American culture and to discuss what economic, social and religious reasons traditional healers are still so popular in this day and age in Latin America. Who Can Be a Traditional Healer? One of the most interesting aspects of the traditional healers in Latin America is that no everyone can be one. This is a striking contrast with traditional medical profess ionals where calling has become something secondary and where more people than not go into the medical field not because of genuine desire to help but because it pays well.The story is completely different for the traditional healers as the next generation is carefully hand-picked based on what is called â€Å"el don† or a gift (Avila, 1999). This gift cannot be acquired or trained, a person either has it or not. Having gift is not enough though as a new apprentice has to train for a very long time under the practicing traditional healer in order to learn the mastery and the craft of healing (Trotter & Chavira, 1997). Another interesting distinction between what Latin American traditional healers and regular health care professionals is the core philosophy that underlines their work.Traditional medicine focuses on symptoms and causes, while for the traditional healer the most important core of any problem is spiritual one, as the illness is the essentially an imbalance that h as to be corrected (Trotter & Chavira, 1997). Healers are also very in tune with nature and as it will be discussed below they rely a lot of natural remedies and so on (Avila, 1999). Spirituality and religion go hand in hand because as it was mentioned above healing powers are considered the unique gift one has received from some higher entity and thus religion plays very important role in the work of traditional healers.What Exactly Do Traditional Healers Do? Remarkably just like any health care professionals, traditional healers in Latin America also have their own specializations and areas of practice. While some have very narrow and specific areas, such are herbalists or midwives for example; others often have been trained in various specialties and can provide the â€Å"full package care† (Trotter & Chavira, 1997). Regardless of the specialty every traditional healer always considers the illness as a complex manifestation of problems in physical, emotional and spiritual planes.Traditional healers use variety of means in their practices. They prepare various mixtures, lotions, potions, oils and other substances for consumptions or for external use. But the substances are only the part of the practice. There are many rituals, offerings and prayers that constitute healing practices. The rituals could be very elaborate and include other objects and things such as for example birds’ eggs, or water or fire. All these things are believed to be important components in the healing process and are more often than not part of the ritual.Healers often give their clients various amulets to protect or to heal them including bracelets, necklaces and other objects. Many herbal and plant matters are used including very common veggies, spices and fruits like papaya, potatoes, garlic, cumin, mint and others (Davidow, 1999). Finally traditional healers employ many psychological means as they are often keen observers and student of human nature (Trotter & Chavir a, 1997). Many healers admit that the use of rituals is done for the patients’ sake as it aids in healing process.Remarkably there is a scientific support to this notion as the â€Å"placebo effect† indicates that something with strong suggestive power can deliver desired results. Economic, Religious, and Social Explanation For the Use of Traditional Healers in Latin America There are numerous reasons why traditional healers are so widespread and commonly used in Latin America. One reason is purely economic as traditional healers are the only medical care many families could afford (Trotter & Chavira, 1997). Traditional healers in general do not take any money from their clients and definitely do not take anything from very poor clients.They could accept offerings for their service but it is done on case to case basis. So for that reason the most important economic reason why healers are used is because their services are free. Another reason why healers are so popular is religious. As it was described above in order to be a healer one has to have a gift from the high spiritual power (Trotter & Chavira, 1997). Healers often offer some sort of a mix of religious, spiritual and physical practices that resonate with the Latin American community that has this mix also present.Latin American culture is both spiritual and religious and this is exactly what healers do offer. The religious/spiritual aspect of healing process is something that is strikingly different from traditional medicine and this is why healers are so popular. They often use religious objects in practices and the healing process including icons, crucifixes and so on. Finally there is a social explanation for why traditional healers are so often used even today. Healers have been traditionally not just a part of community but very well respected and admired members of community.Latin American culture is well known for its strong cultural ties and strong community sense (Trotter & Chav ira, 1997). Hence in case of illness or any other malady the first reaction is to go to the community member, a traditional healer than to go the hospital which many could not afford anyway. Healers also offer social and spiritual support and often even counseling, thus making it even more likely for a person to seek their help. As it was discussed above, economic, religious and social reasons for using traditional healers are very strong and more often than not they operate in conjunction even further supporting each other.For example, when a person has no money, he is less likely to go to a hospital. A healer could also play into person’s religiosity and sense of community, so all this factors together make a traditional healer more popular than any local hospital. Conclusion Traditional healers have been and most likely will be in the foreseeable future a very important part of Latin American culture and way of life. Traditional healers operate within community and are imp ortant and well-respected members of the community.They are often the last resort for poor segments of population, and the complex interactions of social, religious and economic factors often make them more attractive and popular than local hospitals. Traditional healers often have specific specializations such as herbalists or midwives, but many have numerous specializations. Not anyone can be a healer as it requires a gift and extensive training. Traditional healers offer a variety of services including physical treatment, various remedies and amulets and spiritual and psychological counseling.Spirituality is important part of practice and is one component which makes healers so popular. Traditional healers’ approach differs significantly from traditional medicine approach because it is more multileveled and holistic. Healers in a sense try to address the issues on both physical and spiritual levels, while the traditional medicine often focuses on physical symptoms and defi nitely less on spiritual aspects of illness. Healers are of course often frown upon by the medical community and called â€Å"quack doctors† because they do not have formal training and education.Yet Latin American communities still use their services extensively and remarkably even immigrant communities like Mexicans in the US for example, still use traditional healers. Recent estimates demonstrated that as many as 75% of Latin Americans living in Texas used traditional healers in one way or the other to either completely or partially deal with their illnesses or ailments (Tafur, 2009). This trend is very unlikely to change any time soon, after all traditional healers have been a part of Latin American culture for thousands of years. References:Avila E (1999). Woman Who Glows in the Dark: A Curandera Reveals Traditional Aztec Secrets of Physical and Spiritual Health. New York: Penguin Putnam. Davidow J (1999). Infusions of Healing: A Treasury of Mexican-American Herbal Remed ies. New York: Simon & Schuster. Tafur, M. M. , Crowe, T. K. , & Torres, E. (2009). A review of curanderismo and healing practices among Mexicans and Mexican Americans. Occupational Therapy International, 16(1), 82-88. Trotter, R. T. , & Chavira, J. A. (1997). Curanderismo: Mexican American Folk Healing. University of Georgia Press.

Persuasive Speech About Global Warming Essay Example

Persuasive Speech About Global Warming Essay Example Persuasive Speech About Global Warming Paper Persuasive Speech About Global Warming Paper economic and small engines to reduce the emissions. Or even better, use a BIKE. Use electricity from renewable sources like wind , waves, rivers, solar energy etc.

Critical Review. for Culinary Course Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critical Review. for Culinary Course - Essay Example The sustainability of this tourism depends on the locality of culinary foods farmers. Major scenarios crises of this tourism include the contamination of foods, fear of unhealthy competition and natural disaster strikes. The aftermath of these is a detrimental damage to culinary tourism industry profits as well as tainting its name. The greatest odd time to make decisions on crisis management is during the calamity itself and all the stakeholders should be well equipped to handle the situation critically in order to reduce or prevent loss. Culinary tourism is becoming widely known and is offered in many places. Therefore, food is not only linked to it original region but it has become a marketing tool. For example, by exploring Ontario as a potential candidate in this lucrative business of culinary tourism in reference to global market place, the emerging issue is whether it can be sustained or not (Hall, 2013). Sustainability in this point of view is the ability of this tourism indu stry to protect its products, conservation of resources and give respect to the people traditions aiming for quality experience instead of monetary achievement. Market for culinary tourism recognition has led to a paramount significance in the economy of Ontario in 2001 ever since from its tourism ministry (Hall, 2013). The greatest factor to consider while establishing culinary tourism sustainability in Ontario is the part played by farmers in land treatment methods, where food is produced and sustainability regard to them to ensure the availability of sufficient food for various eating places. The consequences of poor farming habits is the land deterioration leading to poor yields as there is no attention given to the productivity of the soil. One is in a position to come across such poor farming habits in countries where education levels of farmer’s leaves a lot to be desired as they are not in a position to maintain the proportionality of soil productivity and high crop y ields (Hall, 2013). In the Southeast Asian country of Laos, the increased population led to land fragmentation to residential area leaving little for farming with the little left being over exploited. This in return led to food shortages which negatively affect culinary tourism in Ontario. The example given leads to a conclusion that the implementation of well researched systems should be put in place for the sustainability of agriculture to avoid such occurrence in Ontario (Hall, 2013). With culinary tourism trying to grow to the highest heights of attraction in Ontario, there is a call for sustainable farming methods which are more effective than our current farming methods in which only 38% of world land is utilized in farming alongside 70% of world’s water. These statistical data are according to United Nation Environmental Programme (UNEP). In the province investors who wish to be identified in as far a culinary tourist sites are concerned should develop a relationship w ith farmers who have adequate knowledge of sustainable farming habits (Hall, 2013). There are various organizations like the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario which is in the forefront in the dissemination of knowledge and educational tools to farmers to give great care to their farmland. Also, Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, degrees and diplomas in agriculture sustainability found in schools such as Tent and Guelp University. By making use of these resources,

Disaster Recovery Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Disaster Recovery Planning - Essay Example The changing situation of the world and the realities which we live in a post 9/11 world has made sure that essential services such as police and hospitals continue to function in situations where the disaster is created rather than imposed. While the organization has plans on how to deal with storms, weather disasters and other calamities, the focus of the body is more on providing assistance to others rather than understanding how it can continue to function even if the building becomes inaccessible. However, it seems that the people at the organization understand that a continuity plan is simply essential for handling situations when our greatest fears are turned into reality. For these situations we have a continuity plan which comes into play when internal or external factors make it necessary for us to resort to emergency actions in order to continue providing services. In our case, the level of the threat and the level of the disaster will engage our continuity plan to the level required. For example, if our database integrity is damaged or information security is compromised we can use backups which are stored on location or restore from an earlier point in the week from our offsite data backup location. This process is in line with the suggestions made by Britt (2005) who recommends a modular stepwise plan for disaster recovery as being the most effective. That is how our continuity plan functions once an assessment about the disaster has been made.