Hypnosis Essays (1411 words) - Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, Self-hypnosis

Hypnosis HYPNOSIS INTRODUCTION : Albert Einstein reckoned that humans use only about 10% of their brains. According to some reports, while hypnotised, we could gain access to the other 90%. Every human being who is mentally sound can be hypnotised to some degree. You can use hypnosis for a lot of things, for instance to control weight, pain, sleep, and to raise confidence. You can also use it to quit smoking, develop concentration and memory. In fact, you can use it for anything that depends on your own efforts. I) ORIGINS OF HYPNOSIS: The art and science of hypnosis is both old and new. *Old because it was used in ancient time and has a pedigree that stretches back to the beginning of mankind's conscious development *New because only over the past 100 years has it been subject to the full force of scientific scrutiny, after discovery that the unconscious mind, emotions and personal history directly affect a person's state of mental, emotional and physical health. A) Old origins _ Hypnosis has existed very early in religious rituals. However, the earliest known description of hypnosis date back 6000 years to rites performed in Egyptian sleep temples. _The Indus Vedas ,a knowledge sacred book written around 1500 BC, mentions the use of hypnotic techniques and procedures. _According to some specialists, accounts of what we would now call hypnosis can be found in the Bible and in the Talmud. _In the past, hypnosis is always associated with the occult: witchdoctors and shamans (medicine man)practised hypnosis :?ritual hypnosis and dance were integral elements of shaman's communication with spirits?. B) New origins- modern use of hypnosis There are two leading men in the scientific study of hypnosis: _ 1734-1815: Franz Anton Mesmer, born in Vienna. Mesmer is considered the father of hypnosis. He is remembered for the term ?Mesmerism? which means a person who is raptly attentive, or who is temporally deprived of his normal conscious qualities. He described a process of inducing trance through a series of passes he made with his hands . He succeed in treating a considerable variety of ailments. _ 1932-1974: Milton Erickson, a psychologist and psychiatrist pioneered the art of indirect suggestions in hypnosis. He is considered the father of modern hypnosis. His methods bypassed the conscious mind through the use of both verbal and non-verbal pacing techniques including metaphor , confusion, and many others. He has immensely influenced the practice of contemporary hypnotherapy. II) HYPNOSIS: A) Curent examples As long as there as been human beings, there has been hypnosis, we use this commonly occurring state of mind, unknowingly, all the time. It is just natural for us. _ For examples if you have ever watched a television program or movie and become really absorbed into the program, you were probably in trance. This trance is what caused you not to hear your mother calling you to dinner. _ Advertisers understand this, they use television programs to induce a hypnotic trance and then provide you hypnotic suggestions, called commercials! _ Another common instance of this naturally occurring state of mind is when you are driving down the road, with your mind focused on some other task, and last thing you know: you have forgotten to turn. That is called ?Highway hypnosis?. B) Definition _ Definition: Hypnosis is a mental state of heightened suggestibility, characterised by trance like sleep. The basis of hypnosis is the fixation of the subject attention upon a gradually narrowing source of stimulation, until he is attendant upon only the direction of the hypnotist. _Techniques: This is variously achieved by repetition of instructions in a low, level voice, or having the subject fix his gaze upon a light in an otherwise dark room. The subject remembers nothing of what he did during the hypnotic period. But certain effects may be suggested to continue after the subject returns to consciousness, these are called post hypnotic suggestions. _major purpose: During hypnosis, the conscious mind is distracted, so that new, positive suggestions are more readily accepted. According to the specialists of hypnosis ,these new constructive ideas substitute negative old ones, therefore creating permanent beneficial changes in your life. C) Hypnotherapy: _ What is hypnotherapy? Hypnotherapy is basically the use of hypnosis as a medium for psychotherapy. People will either be hypnotised by a therapist (hetero-hypnosis) or taught to hypnotise yourself (self hypnosis) as a way of

Peculiarities of Writing in the Humanities

Peculiarities of Writing in the Humanities Peculiarities of Writing in the Humanities Writing in the humanities can be challenging because of the diversity and vastness of the discipline. Humanities covers human culture, which is rather hard to pin down. It covers anthropology, history, languages, laws, politics, literature, performing arts, philosophy, religion, and much more. Despite the extensive nature of this discipline, there are several essentials that you should keep in mind while writing papers about humanities subjects: Having focus. Since the humanities is a wide discipline, drawing attention to specifics is key. Say if your topic is â€Å"life as a working poet† it would be good to make it more narrow. It could be something like, â€Å"Working as a poet in Seattle in the 1980s.† The humanities is about digging deep into human nature and behavior, and decoding it for your readers. If you take only a surface look at a certain phenomenon, you aren’t doing your job. The format. Commonly, humanities papers run in this sequence: thesis, evidence/counter evidence, conclusion. The thesis is made in the introduction, and is usually a statement of one or two sentences that is the foundation of our paper. In the evidence/counter evidence section, you must present the appropriate research you have found on a certain phenomenon and make sure that the evidence backs up the claim in the thesis. In the conclusion, not only do you summarize your main points, but you also synthesize those findings and derive something important for your readers to think about from it. Though most academic papers require proper documentation of ideas and quotations, in the humanities, it is essential to building a proper argument based on your thesis and for your claims to be viable in the eyes of readers. Textual evidence, from books, journals, and so on, are more likely to be featured in humanities papers. Also, making footnotes is quite common in humanities papers, and you should be aware of how to use them and how to correctly format them. Okay, it is still an academic paper, but a paper based in the humanities can appeal to both logic and emotions. Writers try to capture the imagination of readers through their writing, and not just write dry text to impress textbook writers. The phrasing of the writing is key to appealing to readers. In the humanities, academic papers should be enticing and engaging to read, rather than a simple report. The emotions expressed should not explicit, but rather implied, however. Having a balanced discussion. Humanities papers should not lean towards one side too strongly. They are not persuasive essays. They try to report on the truth of a matter in a comprehensive, holistic way that is focused. If your essay becomes too preachy, know that something is wrong. Present both sides of the issue youre examining, from a neutral point of you. Give sufficient evidence for both spectrums of your topic. Writing a paper in the humanities can be a real trip sometimes. However, if you follow and integrate the above points in your writing practice, writing humanities papers can be a lot easier.

Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema Pathophysiology Research Paper

Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema Pathophysiology - Research Paper Example The exact prevalence of these lung diseases across the globe is not well known. In this article, both the diseases with be discussed by comparing and contrasting with each other. Definitions Chronic bronchitis is defined clinically as a condition in which the patient suffers from expectorant cough for a minimum of 3 months for 2 consecutive years (Celli, 2008). The diagnosis is mainly through clinical presentation. On the other hand, emphysema is defined as a condition in which the patient has permanent and abnormal enlargement of the air spaces distal to the terminal bronchioles and associated with destruction of the walls without any obvious fibrosis (Celli, 2008). Chest radiography and pulmonary function tests are needed to arrive at the diagnosis. Pathophysiology In chronic bronchitis, there is typical inflammation of the bronchi. The endothelium is damaged because of which the mucociliary response is impaired. This leads to improper clearance of bacteria and mucus. Thus, inflamm ation, along with inadequate clearance of mucus contributes to obstruction in the disease. There is histopathological evidence of goblet cell hyperplasia, mucus plugging, smooth muscle hyperplasia and fibrosis. Alveolar attachments that are supportive are lost, the airways are deformed and the air lumens are narrowed. The capillary pulmonary bed is undamaged. In emphysema, the airspaces distal to the terminal bronchioles are enlarged permanently, because of which alveolar surface area necessary for gas exchange is decreased. Loss of alveolar walls leads to decreased elastic recoil property of the alveoli, causing limitations to airflow. Decrease in the alveolar limiting structure causes narrowing of the airway, causing further limitation of airflow. There are 3 characteristic patterns of morphology in emphysema and they are centriacinar, panacinar and distal acinar. In centriacinar type, destruction is mainly in the central portions of the acini. In panacinar type, entire alveolus i s involved. In distal acinar type, only those acini in the distal portion of the airways in involved. (Maclay et al, 2009). Etiology and pathogenesis The most common etiological agent in both chronic bronchitis and emphysema is cigarette smoking. Smoking over a long duration of time triggers the macrophages to release chemotactic factors like elastases which destroy the tissues of the lung. Passive smoking and other environmental factors also can contribute to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Airway hyperresponsiveness is a risk factor for chronic bronchitis. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a genetic disorder, is an important risk factor for chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, especially emphysema. Intravenous drug abuse is another important risk factor for emphysema. The disease occurs because of the pulmonary vascular damage that occurs due to insoluble fillers present in the drugs. Immunodeficiency syndromes like HIV infection, vasculitis disorders, connective tissue dis orders and Salla disease are risk factors for both chronic bronchitis and emphysema (Celli, 2008). Prognosis As far as prognosis is concerned, both the conditions are associated with significant mortality and morbidity. The prognosis is worse in emphysema because of damage to pulmonary vascular bed. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is infact, the fourth leading cause of mortality in the United States. Both chronic bronch

The Internal and External and Factors That Shaped the Collapse of the Essay

The Internal and External and Factors That Shaped the Collapse of the Soviet Union - Essay Example Instinctively, the swift collapse of the Soviet polity caught many by surprise. As it was then, the astonishing fragmentation divides scholars right in the middle with little consensus over the triggering bullets. The dominant perspective point fingers at the American massive spending and the moral clarity under Ronald Regan as economically and ideologically bankrupting to the communist planned economy. On the flip side, the deterministic view argues that the collapse of the Soviet Republic was an inevitable occurrence due to the intrinsic inbuilt contractions of its managerial economics. But, what exactly were the real causes of the USSR disintegration? This paper examines the long-standing structural dynamics as well as the short term political catalysts behind the deterioration and the subsequent collapse of the hitherto well regarded Soviet empire. The stunning disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 is often heralded by most academics from the West as a triumphant victory of democracy and capitalism, as though the occurrence was a direct outcome of the combined Reagan -Thatcher ideological missiles. While this analytical stance may look somewhat self-congratulatory relative to the measurable facts, circumstantial evidence of the internal political dynamics of the Soviet state itself and its relations with the outside world tend to heighten affirmation of the same. Valerie Bunce concurs â€Å"the collapse of communism was not only abrupt, but inevitably long in the making†, and that the short term factors only provided fodder to the long term structural factors (p.xi). To begin with, the collapse of the Soviet Union was much a consequential effect of poor managerial aspects of the political system. According to the Marxist-Leninist ideology, the Communist Party was the vanguard of the proletariat. As such, its control of the political system was supreme, unquestionable and more so totalitarian; the party monopolized management of the state resourc es as well as all the undertakings of the society on behalf of the â€Å"universal, working class†-a multi-faceted ideological, conditional decorum of the communist system, at least at the expectation level. In practice, however, the party was firmly under the stewardship of a unique socio-political stratum namely the ‘nomenklatura’; the privileged party bureaucrats with preferential access to the state resources (McCauley, 2001, p. 86). With political legitimacy hinging on the ideological principles of the Marxist-Leninist canon underpinned by the coercive terror engineered by Stalin and operated through the security forces, the system â€Å"manufactured† leaders appropriate to it. So buttressed by sweet fear and intimidation that the subsequent leadership, those who disliked Stalin’s commanding tone included, could not quite disassociate with the world Stalin had created; yet a tone that upheld the system. Before Gorbachev’s initiation of p erestroika in 1985, successive leadership beginning with Nikita Khrushchev-the immediate Stalin’s successor, made numerous changes to the system. With gradual ‘abandonment of mass political terror’, the subsequent regimes basically lost the original Stalinist control grips on society (Dallin and Lapidise 1995, p. 675). The consequential effect was an individualistic retreat into long-term cultural transformations that further weakened the founding principles of the Soviet system. Despite of the upsurge

Outsourcing HR, How advisable is this move during a recession Dissertation

Outsourcing HR, How advisable is this move during a recession - Dissertation Example However, the change to an outsourced resource for HR functions can be a risky proposition, creating a deficit in employee motivation and morale that can cost in productivity. During an economic recession cycle, the funds to fully integrate a new form of HR service to employees can be limited, thus creating an irreversibility of the decision if new strategies include outsourcing HR in order to cut costs. The sustainability of the company is in jeopardy if all of the circumstances have not been measured for potentials, both negatives and positives and if the risks are at an irreparable level, the company may not survive the transition. While a useful tool for creating a better structure within the organization, when faced as a form of cost cutting during a recession period, the long term risks may negate any savings that could have been realized. Outsourcing HR during a Recession Chapter One: Introduction 1. ... Various business research surveys have shown that as much as 70% of all human resources is now done through outside firms who function as specialists in the area in order to consolidate specialization over several firms, rather than each firm having in-house specialists in this area (Heneman 2002, p. 58). There are numerous benefits to hosting HR services through an outside source. The nature of the savings involved can be seen through improved economies of scales, more flexibility, higher levels of expertise, and higher levels of performance within core competencies (Heneman 2002). However, on the converse side of the discourse on the topic, it is possible that the de-personalization through standardization creates a lowered level of efficiency, thus decreasing overall firm performance. The reasons for outsourcing any part of a firm’s required resources is usually based on financial reasons. The unfortunate problem with firms that exist in a shareholder model of governance is that the abstract, sometimes intangible costs of doing business from the perspective of an owner responsibility based position end up costing the business more in the long run. Short term goals are considered a higher priority than long term in the shareholder model, thus using outsourced HR is a part of this framework. According to Armstrong (2009, p. 93), â€Å"Managements are facing Tom Peters’ (1988) challenge ‘prove it can’t be subcontracted’. The formal policy of a major global manufacturer reads: ‘Manufacture only those items – internal source only those supportive services – that directly contribute to, or help to maintain, our competitive advantage â€Å". This perspective suggests that all concerns that are not directly involved with making money should be outsourced. The

International Market Strategy Of Nike

International Market Strategy Of Nike Nike is a global company based in United States which employed more than 30000 people across the globe. This paper will talk about Nikes global presence and how Nike has achieved success in past years. We will discuss some facts and figures. This essay will employ literature review to support the evidences in case of dynamic capabilities of Nike and its competitive abilities. Nike is currently facing competition with Reebok and Adidas therefore it should take remain with its strategy of consistency so that the customers will not be puzzled and should take advantage of its brand name. Nike has been involved in never stopping controversies due to sweat shops but due to its preventable actions it gained publicity and today Nike is a stable brand name all over the world. Introduction: This essay will critically evaluate Nikes current international strategy and help to identify Nikes current strengths, weaknesses, opportunity and threats. This essay will also consider the political, legal and cultural issues which Nike can face while implementing any strategies in international markets. This strategy will also consider the threats of entering into a new market and supply of sufficient funds and labour in terms of applying the strategy. Taking any strategy into consideration will also involve an impact analysis and risk, therefore, any potential consequences and levels of risk involved and how to overcome those risks will be covered in the next section. Another section will talk about the never ending controversies which Nike has been facing due to its manufacturing factories in low labour countries. What strategies Nike is applying to overcome this situation and some recommendation for Nike. Finally, the essay will analyse the competition in the selected market, strategy adapted by the competitors and how Nike uses its brand power strategies to anticipate such threats. Nike- A Truly Global Company: Nike is the world market leader in athletic shoes and apparel and operates in more than 200 countries. Europe, Asia, North and Latin America are the main markets in which Nike sells its products, which makes it a truly global organisation. According to Mintel, 20%of the U.S. athletic market is controlled by Nike. The main products of Nike include footwear, sports equipment, men and women clothing and accessories. Nike is established in 1972 by former university of Oregon star Phil Knight which is now one of the richest people in America. Instead of manufacturing Nike designs and markets its products, while contracting for their manufacture from 600 factories scattered all around the globe, that employ around 650,000 people. (L. Hill, 2009) Nike has seen many ups and downs in the market and understands the value co-creation with customers. Nike has customers around the globe and it remains informed and connected with its customers which gives Nike a new source of value. Nike understands the use of involving customers into the business and therefore offers internet sites where customers can share their interactions and experiences, can give their suggestions. Nike can build trust and relationships with Nike community, can learn directly from customers and provide customers what they want which enhances the brand. Qualitative and Quantitative Performance Measures: Let us consider the overall financial performance of Nike across the globe. For the year ended 30/11/2008, revenues rose 11% to $10.02B. Net income rose 4% to $1234.8B (www.nikebiz.com). These financial figures are reflection of great success of Nike in global market as these are taken after assuming the price rise in U.S. and all the changes in the currency exchange rates have taken into consideration. As, it is clear from the figures provided, the revenues have increased tremendously in the year 2008, implies a higher sale of footwear in all the international markets which is obviously a good point to note, because in the period of recession where all the economies are going down, an increase of 11% cannot be neglected. Improved hedge rates year after year leads to higher gross margin which are reflected in the net income which has increased by 4%. (www.forbes.com) Table 1: Financial data Sales Profits Market Value Employees Assets $ 13.2 Billion $ 1.1 Billion $23 Billion 250000 $8.6 Billion Table 1 above gives the insights of financial structure of Nike plc, as it is clear from the figures in table 1 that Nike is strong in financial terms due to which it can increase its business globally. Company has enough capital to implement any international market strategy for example advertising in international markets, providing better services to customers, invest in the new planning etc. Table 2 below indicates that the company is moderately efficient in doing the business. The current ratio of -3 implies that company has sufficient liquid capital to enforce new marketing strategies and extending its business. Invest in promotional activities will also be a good idea. A gearing ratio of barely 2% suggests that company has spare debt capacity which is another benefit because Nike can apply for a loan if it will be needed, however the current condition of the company is adequately equipped in financial and capital viewpoint. Net profit margin of 8.1% suggests that Nike is competent in converting sales to profit margin. Table 2: Ratios On the next page: Net P/E ROA ROE Current Div/Yield Earning/Share Gearing Profit Ratio Margin ($) 8.1% 18.1 14.3 23.2 -3 1.3 4.4 0.2 Growth rate of Nike is indicated in the table 3 below which shows constant steady sales over the past years. A growth rate of 15% in one year and 7% over the last 7 years suggests that Nike is a big player in the market and is constantly playing at the same position. Its sales are increasing day by day due to the market strategy it applies, and the popularity it gained by sponsoring celebrity such as Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. Just Do It the marketing phrase of Nike is buzz in the town and its swoosh logo gives it that different identity. Table 3: Growth Rates 1 Year 7 Years Dividend % 37% 9.03% Revenue % 15% 7% Earnings per share % 26.8% 17.5% Dynamic Capabilities of Nike Plant and equipment are the assets whose performance can be measured but Noto (2007) argued that brand name, reputation, particular technology and corporate culture with accumulated consumer information are some of the intangible assets which cannot be measured but are invaluable for a firms competitive advantage. Moller et al. (2002) supported the argument and said that a tightly coordinated supply and channel net are the prerequisite to establish a position in the field and keen demand of the customer reflects the strong brands example of both are Nike and Dell. The most effective way to manage and upgrade existing capabilities and resources and to convert the key weakness into strengths is- to outsource. Noto (2007) said that most of the automobile companies have become increasingly selective to choose the activities to perform internally. He also explained that in the athletic shoes and clothing Nike has contracted out many functions such as manufacturing and logistics which Noto argued as a clever step to negate the impact of key weaknesses. Nike undertakes marketing, product design and overall system integration itself but outsourced the other units to be economical. Moller et al. (2002) suggest that Nike with other big companies such as Benetton, Dell and IKEA has a well specified supplier and distribution system which made them efficient in terms of rapid growth opportunity, time compression, production and access to a wider customer base. Eisenhardt et al. (2000) suggests that for the long term competitive advantage Nike could also use dynamic capabilities to enhance existing resource configuration. Anti-globalisation Campaigns against Nike For all of the successes Nike has gained, it has repeatedly accused due to lots of issues for more than a decade. Many a times Nike stores have been targeted by anti globalisation protestors. News organisations such as CBS and several non government organisations such as Global Exchange based in San Francisco criticised the working conditions in foreign factories that supply Nike. According to Gelder (2006), in the race of globalisation, Nike, Coca-Cola and McDonalds are some of the brands which have become the representative of the massive power of large corporations for the anti globalisation movement. A brand is perceived differently in different culture or markets so it could be very catchy for an organisation to build a global brand. An organisation should be aware about the external environments in which it functions and should be very sensitive about its internal culture. It is very unreasonable to say that one strategy will fit globally because the rules and regulations and circumstances are different in different countries (Moore, 2003). And to position a brand competently in a different country needs a great skill to understand all the circumstances. A new but forthcoming field of research in international market strategy can be represented by low-income markets. Most companies are unaware of the potential of these markets and therefore these markets remain unexplored. To better understand customer needs and market characteristics it is very important to develop established ties and alliances with traditional and non-traditional partners in that economy. (Hill, 2009) Although Nike is a U.S. established company but all of its manufacturing is done in low wage countries like Vietnam. Nike is accused of manufacturing its shoes under the sweatshop condition in Asian countries which make a large hue and cry among the media. CBS 48 hours news report that these sweatshops are conducting their activities in unpleasant and unhealthy conditions. Young workers are paid low wages to work long hours and are exposed continuously to toxic substances in factories which can lead to serious health impairment. A foundation financed by labour unions and low-wage countries in 1996 said that Air Jordans popular range of Nike sneakers were made by 11 year olds who are working for 14 cents per hour in Indonesia. A newsletter published by Global exchange argued that most of the shoes of Nike are manufactured in countries like China and Indonesia which has governments that forbid independent unions and set the minimum wages so low that does not provide basic necessity of one person. Douglas and Wind (1987) suggested that a careful analysis of the forces driving towards globalisation and the obstacles to this approach will help the company to assess where the most attractive opportunities and the companys differential advantage in exploiting these, appear to lie based on the strengths and weaknesses. Keeping that in mind, Nike has answered all these questions time to time with new strategies and cleared all the issues and moved efficiently to correct them. Nike has handled the negative publicity over the sweatshops very expeditiously. Nike came in front and took this social responsibility to make a code of conduct to improve the working condition and to improve the conditions of workers and it has amended it time to time. It was advantageous for Nike as well as it remains in the news and gave the publicity to Nike in a way. As Levitt (1983) said a global producers patronage expands exponentially, when he offers his low cost internationally. Levitt suggested that customers with local preferences are also attracted towards the lesser prices offered by global producers. So, it can be said that the strategy of standardisation does not only responds to the worldwide homogenised markets but also expands markets with aggressive lower pricing. Therefore, to establish good public relations Nike took some more steps. It commissioned Ernst Young, an independent organisation to audit its subcontractors overseas factories (Rourke, 2000). When four Indonesian subcontractors are refused to abide by the companys standard for wage levels and working condition, Nike terminated its relationship with them. Stout (1997) argued that this made a positive image of Nike in media and enhanced its public image in Asian countries. Later, Nike adopted a standard according to which a person with 17 years of age or more can work and workers have to prove their age by submitting 3 documents certifying their age (Lee, 2000). Hill (2009) suggests when a company expand itself globally it also consider its consumers benefits, consumers must be served with high quality and low priced products. Some consumers however, prefer those products which caused less harm to others or which are produced in their own country and this is called ethical factor. Consumers can get the best combination of price, quality and ethical factors if provided by relevant information. And Nike consumers get all the benefits from paying low wages to Asian workers. Levitt (1983) suggested that low price regardless of feature preferences and heavy promotion regardless of price, always attracts and influence customers. Macro- Environmental factors Now, PESTLE framework will help us to analyse the macro- environmental factors affecting Nikes international marketing strategies and its business performance. Firstly, the government action certainly will have a great influence. Being a sportswear industry Nike is highly labour intensive and majority of manufacturing is held in low wage countries. As Nike is operating in 4 different continents, the government legislations will be different for different countries. Nike should strictly follow the rules such as minimum wage and child labour; it will make Nike a more socially responsible organisation. A great impact on market strategy will be done by environmental factors. So, Nike should consider in which market to sell, how to reduce pollution and ensure fair terms of trade which are observed by suppliers. A key to implement international strategy could be the demographics and socio-cultural influences. In 2000, in the western economies a great issue of ageing affected the buyers choice as it could lead to change the demand from sportswear to comfort wear shoes. Now-a-days, growing health awareness will result in the demand of sports and fitness commodities (Moore, 2003). Another factor affecting marketing strategy could be the technology, which is improving everyday and never predictable. For marketing and selling Nike is already using Internet web mode, any future marketing strategy should consider telecommunications and information technology advancements as they can go on twitter, face book as these websites are mostly accessed by youngsters which could be the fan of Nike. Finally, if Nike wants to think about some acquisitions or merger, it should take into account the investigation by Competition Commission which could block its activities taking into consideration the government policies. Because as Duguid (2005) suggests that such kind of business acquisition will be against interest of consumers and can lead to monopoly. Nike should not forget suppliers of raw materials like rubber, leather and cotton etc. because shortage of supply can play a big role in setting the pricing policies and applying the market strategies. Nike should establish good relations with suppliers because they can affect business strategies. As Nike operates its business globally, any strategy can have different implication on different culture so it should consider the adaptability, feasibility and suitability by the local people of that country. Competition and Recommendation: Nike faces direct competition from Umbro, Reebok, Puma, and Adidas, which are in a way, the rivals of Nike because they sell the same products and target the same customer groups. The current acquisition of Reebok by Adidas makes this competition more intense. The deal creates a much bigger Adidas a company of $12 billion against $14 billion of Nike. (Carr, 2005) However, both the brands Adidas and Reebok are very different in their culture; Reebok is more lifestyle brand than Adidas. Obviously, this deal will increase the amount of money spent on advertising from both the companies. But, in the past years, Nike succeeded because it didnt confuse its customers and even after acquisitions with skateboard it support its own brand and expand its parent reach without confusing customers. Karpin and Voola (2008) believe that consistency is the key aspect of brand management in the international context. Burghausen and Fan (2002) also supported him by arguing that consistency should not lead to complacency, and management should only make changes when a relevant opportunity is identified. Nike has the ability to influence a DIBC (Dynamic International Branding Capability) to shape the market opportunities around the brand. DIBC is the ability to manage the international branding process as a dynamic capability. So Nike should follow this strategy in future and try to remain dominant over its rivals through the marketing strategy. Nike has always come up with some innovative ideas. The differentiation strategy of Nike is quite competitive so Nike should ensure any international marketing strategy it applies should enhance its superior brand name. Implementation of brand differentiation strategy is allowed by Nikes brand name which is a tangible but important factor to ensure future success and maintain its current leadership and market share. Differentiation is one of the bases which allow Nike to gain competitive advantage. In general, Nike has used all the marketing campaigns possible in the past but it should consider the availability of resources in the different country. As Douglas and Wind (1987) suggested that one standardised strategy may be hampered due do the differences in the marketing infrastructure from one country to another. These may for example include differences in the availability and reach of various promotional media, in the availability of certain distribution channels, or retail institutions or in the existence and efficiency of the communication and transportation network. Such factors therefore may require considerable adaptation of strategy of local market conditions. The type of media available as well as their reach and effectiveness differ from country to country. For instance TV advertising, while a major medium in US, Japan and Australia, is not permitted in Scandinavian countries. Where TV advertising is permitted it may reach only a limited number of households, due to limited ownership of TVs as for example in South Africa, Nigeria or Indonesia. Similarly, in countries with high level of illiteracy the effectiveness of print media is severely limited. (Douglas and Wind, 1987) According to Levitt (1983), through supplying global markets Nike could achieve considerable economies of scale in production and marketing. He suggested that for high quality of products most of the people around the world are ready to compromise their preferences in product features, functions and design. Conclusion: Finally, Nike is a traditional product centric organisation but product was the end point of the consumer experience in past but, today it is the starting point. So, Nike should adopt a strategy to build customer relationship on a scale and scope as never before.

The Latino Culture in America Essay -- Cultural Identity Essays

The Latino Culture in America Latinos have struggled to discover their place inside of a white America for too many years. Past stereotypes and across racism they have fought to belong. Still America is unwilling to open her arms to them. Instead she demands assimilation. With her pot full of stew she asks, "What flavor will you add to this brew?" Some question, some rebel, and others climb in. I argue that it is not the Latino who willingly agreed to partake in this stew. It is America who forced her ideals upon them through mass media and stale history. However her effort has failed, for they have refused to melt. The struggle to find a place inside an un-welcoming America has forced the Latino to recreate one. The Latino feels out of place, torn from the womb inside of America's reality because she would rather use it than know it (Paz 226-227). In response, the Mexican women planted the seeds of home inside the corral*. These tended and potted plants became her burrow of solace and place of acceptance. In the comfort of the suns slices and underneath the orange scents, the women were free. Still the questions pounded in the rhythm of street side whispers. The outside stare thundered in pulses, you are different it said. Instead of listening she tried to instill within her children the pride of language, song, and culture. Her roots weave soul into the stubborn soil and strength grew with each blossom of the fig tree (Goldsmith). The adolescent rebelled. "Speaking out is an exercise of privilege. Speaking out takes practice. Silence ensures invisibility. Silence provides protection (Montoya 282)." Graffiti tagged cracks seeped in blood, it remind the young of their battle with an invisible division. In Octavio P... ...wler-Salamini and Mary Kay Vaughan, eds Creating Spaces, Shaping Transitions: Women of the Mexican Countryside, 1850-1990 Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1994. Montoya, Margret E. "Masks and Identify," and "Masks and Resistance," in The Latino/a Condition: A Critical Reader New York: New York University Press, 1998. Paz, Octavio. "Pachucos and Other Extremes" in The Labyrinth of Solitude and The Other Mexico New York: Grove Press, 1985 Bradbury, Ray. "The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit" (originally published in 1958) in The Chicano: From Caricature to Self-Portrait New York: A mentor Book from New American Library, Times Mirror, 1971 *meaning garden, the experience of gardening in central Mexico (Goldsmith) *Many of the juvenile gangs that have formed in the United States in recent years are reminiscent of the post -war pachucos (Paz, 14).

Nutrition Log Reflection

In addition to the lack of fats that I was consuming on day one, my milk intake was Daly rather low as well. Although, this TLD come quite as a surprise to me, because I tend to be lactose intolerant at times, and don't always necessarily lean towards foods containing dairy. However, since I have learned the importance of the vital nutrients found in dairy products such as calcium, potassium, Vitamin D, and protein, I have decided to take calcium supplements as a start.Also, I have decided to incorporate more lactose- free alternatives Into my diet such as low-fat cheese, and low-fat yogurt. In contrast to my seemingly deficient Intake of total fats on day one. I seemed to eve made up for my lack thereof by surpassing my recommended intake by 24. 6% on day two. Needless to say, that could not have been good for my health, considering that the majority of the fats ingested that day were the non-good ones. My intake of total calories from saturated fats was supposed to be less than 10% , I exceeded the recommendation by 3. 6%.In order to decrease the amounts of saturated fats that I consume from now on, I am going to choose foods with less or no saturated fat thereby helping myself malting blood cholesterol levels within a normal range, and decreasing my risk for heart disease. In spite of all of the negative aspects of the foods that I had consumed during the three days of logging, I am happy to say that there were a few areas that I met the recommendations of. For example, on day three, my sodium intake was only (and I say only loosely) 1 882 MGM, even though the upper limit recommendation for me Is 2300 MGM.This was more of a personal triumph for me, considering that I am well aware of the fact that I only need 500 MGM of sodium a day to survive. Nevertheless, I always thought that I was consuming well above the upper limit recommendation, and was quite pleased with my findings regardless. In addition to my lower sodium consumption, I was also happy to discover that my diet was well under the recommended limit for cholesterol, not only on day three, but all of the days.In conclusion, I found that this assignment was highly beneficial not only for my health, but also because of the extra knowledge It helped me obtain to help me create and maintain a better lifestyle for myself. What stood out to me in particular were my fluctuations of total fat and saturated fat intakes. One of my goals is to try and sustain a healthy balance of the two, and making sure that I include more of the DOD fats that help lower OLD cholesterol, and help raise HAD cholesterol.

Showing Dialect in Dialogue

Showing Dialect in Dialogue Showing Dialect in Dialogue Showing Dialect in Dialogue By Maeve Maddox A reader asks how a writer wishing to create â€Å"a redneck swagger† would rewrite the â€Å"regular English† sentence â€Å"You’re surprising to me.† He offers the following options: â€Å"Y’a surprisin’ t’a me.† â€Å"Y’ah surprisin’ t’ah me.† â€Å"Ya surprisin ta me.† â€Å"Yah surprisin tah me.† Note: You can find my thoughts on the use of the term redneck here: Better Use â€Å"Redneck† With Care. My reaction to the model dialogue is that a â€Å"redneck† is not likely to utter the original sentence, with or without apostrophes. A native English speaker of any dialect would be more likely to say, â€Å"You surprise me.† But the point of the question has to do with the use of apostrophes and contractionsand presumably funny spellingsto represent dialect in fictional dialogue. Fashions in writing change. Representing dropped letters with apostrophes was a common device with 19th century authors. Well, then, Master Marner, it come to me summat like this: I can make nothing o the drawing o lots and the answer coming wrong; it ud mayhap take the parson to tell that, and he could only tell us i big words. George Eliot, Silas Marner. â€Å"I got hurt a little, en couldn’t swim fas’, so I wuz a considable ways behine you, towards de las’; when you landed I reck’ned I could ketch up wid you on de lan’ ‘doubt havin’ to shout at you, but when I see dat house I begin to go slow.† Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn. Modern readers have little patience with this kind of writing. For one thing, multiple apostrophes and odd spellings are visually distracting. For another, such detailed attention to pronunciation in a novel distracts from the thought that the character is expressing, thereby interfering with an understanding of the narrative. In addition, some readers who speak nonstandard dialects find attempts to represent their home dialectseven if they are successful renditionsdisrespectful. Sprinkling dialogue with odd spellings is especially pointless when the misspelling conveys the same pronunciation as the standard spelling. For example, sez for says, and shure for sure. The consensus among today’s writing coaches is that dialect is best expressed with vocabulary, grammar, and easily understood regional expressions, rather than with apostrophes and made-up spellings. For example, the following bit of dialogue conveys rural speech without recourse to dropped letters or misspellings: That woman runs around with anything in pants. Can’t figure out how her and him got together in the first place. Good Lord knows he’s boring as a fence post.† –Nancy Hartney, Washed in the Water. Words like drawl and whine, and expressions like â€Å"a clipped Northern accent† can also be used to suggest a specific way of speaking. In writing dialogue, let the words do the work. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply withDoes "Mr" Take a Period?9 Forms of the Past Tense

Biography of Fukuzawa Yukichi †History Essay

Biography of Fukuzawa Yukichi – History Essay Free Online Research Papers Biography of Fukuzawa Yukichi History Essay This paper will be on the life and works of Fukuzawa Yukichi, the man who spread foreign studies throughout Japan, opening schools and founding one of Japan’s major universities today. I chose this topic, because the name Fukuzawa Yukichi sounded familiar and therefore I did some brief research on him. From there I found out that he had been the founder of Keio University, which got me interested in him. Fukuzawa Yukichi is a very important figure in Japanese education, for he spread foreign studies and rangaku amongst the Japanese society.My research question of this paper will be: How was Fukuzawa’s knowledge in foreign studies and â€Å"rangaku† advantageous when trying to spread foreign studies? My hypothesis is that his knowledge helped him to gain support and respect from the bakufu as well as the citizens, and helped him to open schools throughout Japan and travel abroad to study. Fukuzawa’s Background â€Å" Fukuzawa Yukichi was born on January 10th, 1835 in the city of Osaka.†1 His father was a low-ranking samurai of the Okudaira clan of Nakatsu. However, a year and a half after Fukuzawas birth, his father passed away leaving the family in poverty. Due to this Fukuzawa was unable to go to school until he was fourteen, when he finally had enough money to go to a school of Dutch studies. â€Å"When his brother sent a letter to the chancellor of the lord of his clan, it was returned to him for the address didn’t contain honorifics appropriate to the chancellor’s status. Due to this Fukuzawa developed a great hatred for the feudal system.†2 Fukuzawa waited for a chance to change the ways of the feudal system. In February, 1854 at the age of nineteen he traveled to Nagasaki to study Dutch language and gunnery in order to become an expert in western gunnery. â€Å"After one year, he decided to head for Edo to work for a family friend who was a physician, under the pretext of visiting his mother.†3 He traveled up to Osaka where his brother greeted him. â€Å"His brother then stopped him from continuing on to Edo and told him to stay in Osaka. And so Fukuzawa remained in Osaka and studied western medicine and Dutch language at the Tekijuku school run by the physician Ogata Koan.†4 At the age of twenty-three, he was ordered by his clan to travel to Edo and teach Dutch at the clan headquarters. Once he arrived in Edo, he was provided with a small apartment in Teppozu. Before long his pupils started coming to learn Dutch and pretty soon his apartment had become a small school. Putting ideas into action The following year, in 1859, Fukuzawa visited Yokohama which had just been opened to foreign trade. To his dismay, his knowledge in Dutch language was completely useless, for the language in use was English, not Dutch. Fukuzawa then decided to teach himself English with a conversation book and an English-Dutch dictionary. â€Å"Fukuzawa heard that the shogunate was sending a Japanese ship, the â€Å"Kanrin Maru† to escort an American warship with Japanese envoys to San Francisco.†5 He was determined to sail on thin voyage and sent a letter to Captain Kimura, the highest-ranking member of the Japanese Navy. â€Å"He also visited the Captain at his home and asked the Captain to take him along as a personal servant, which he agreed to immediately.†6 During his stay of four months, Fukuzawa was overwhelmed by the new ideas which greeted him. â€Å"The men and women dancing together, ice cubes in drinks, horse-drawn carriages were all so new to him and amazed him.†7 Before his journey back, he bought a copy of the â€Å"Webster’s Dictionary,† which is said to be the introduction of Webster’s to Japan. Upon his return Fukuzawa became an official translator for the bakufu, while continuing to study English. Fukuzawa Yukichi in 1860 Traveling abroad and gaining respect â€Å"In 1861 Fukuzawa married a seventeen-year-old girl with whom he had nine children. A year later, he was sent to Europe as a highly-paid member of a diplomatic mission.†8 During this time he visited Egypt, France, England, Holland, Prussia, Russia, Portugal and various ports in Southeast Asia, taking notes wherever he went. He then published a book which consisted of his research and experiences abroad, titled â€Å"Seiyo Jijo.† (Western Things) This book became an immediate best seller. It included descriptions of schools, hospitals, railways etc. In January, 1867 Fukuzawa traveled to the United States once again. â€Å"This time he had gone as an interpreter for a delegation sent to purchase an American warship and to obtain rifles for the shogun’s army.†9 Upon his return, Fukuzawa wrote another book, â€Å"Seiyo Tabi Annai ( A Guide to Travel in the Western World) also became a best seller. â€Å"This was followed by his third book, (Seiyo Ishokuju (Western Clothing, Food and Houses).†10 He also set up his own school in Shinsenza, and named in Keio Gijuku. The number of students grew rapidly to 100 students. â€Å"On the 4th of July, 1868 sounds of gunfire from a battle a few kilometers from Keio-Gijuku could be heard during one of Fukuzawa’s lectures.†11 But he went on teaching about political economy. He told his students â€Å"whatever happens in the country, whatever warfare harasses our land we will never relinquish our hold on Western learning. As long as this school of ours stands, Japan remains a civilized nation of the World.†12 During these years Fukuzawa was offered several positions in the Meiji government, but refused them as well as renouncing his samurai status and becoming a commoner. â€Å"This showed his true devotion to Foreign studies and connecting with the commoners. Two years later, he suffered a severe attack of typhoid fever and as a result moved to Mita, where it was less damp and had a view of the ocean.†13 In the years that followed, he devoted himself exclusively either to teaching at Keio or helping initiate modern schools elsewhere. â€Å"He also translated and/or wrote pamphlets about the West and elementary textbooks on a surprisingly wide variety of subjects such as physics, geography, military arts, the British Parliament and international relations.†14 He bitterly criticized the traditional Japanese school curriculum, emphasizing ancient texts and the enjoyment and writing of poetry, as providing impractical pursuits. He argued that Western education was necessary and urged boys and girls who had just learned kana letters to consult translated textbooks and, at a more advanced stage, to read a Western language. Public Speaking â€Å"In 1873, Koizumi Nobukichi, a member of the Keio staff showed Fukuzawa a bookled entitled â€Å"American Debation.† This interested Fukuzawa who immediately started to translate this booklet on speech and debation.†15 He renamed in the â€Å"Kaigiben†(How to hold a conference.) Fukuzawa formed the â€Å"Mita Enzetsukai† which was the Mita Oratorical Society which studied speaking in public, debating, and giving conferences. This Oratorical Society rented a room in Fukuzawa’s former home and held their first official meeting on June 27th, 1874. Their meetings continued on until 1875. By this time the membership had increased to over twenty. â€Å"By this time, Fukuzawa and his colleagues had gained enough skill in speaking to have the confidence needed to display their art before the public.†16 However, there was no such place available in Japan at the time. Therefore, he decided that he would build one on the Keio campus. â€Å"He asked his friend, Tomita Tetsunosuke who was visiting the United States at the time, to send some plans of various American assembly halls. Once they arrived, he carefully drew up a blue print for his speech hall. On April 7th, 1875 the Mita Enzetsukan was completed.†17 Saturday, May 1st, 1875. This was the memorable date of the first speech given in the speech hall. Nearly four hundred guests arrived and assembled at the Speech Hall. â€Å"The Mita Enzetsukai’s speeches were a great success and people both young and old flooded into the speech hall.†18 Sometimes, more people arrived than could fit the Hall. This popularity continued on until the 1923 earthquake, when the hall waws moved to the top of Inari hill to escape damage. The number of students at Keio-gijuku, which had climbed back to more than 300 between 1871and 1876, again began to decline, in part because of the unsettled domestic scene. â€Å"As most of thestudents were samurai, a decision by the government in 1871 to abolish domains and reduce the hereditary privileges and stipends of the lords and vassals also affected the amount of money that could be spent on education. In five years, this process of confiscation was completed.†19 During this period, Fukuzawa’s students, most of whom were samurai, had been obliged to leave the school because of their lost privileges, the war and worsening poverty due to inflation. Those who came from Satsuma returned to join the rebellion there and were either killed or wounded. In dire financial straits, Fukuzawa supplemented the school’s budget with his personal income and also asked for loans from the government and private sources. No one, however, was willing to lend the Keio-gijuku any money and some suggested that it should be dissolved. His fellow teachers responded by voluntarily accepting a reduction of their salary by two-thirds. â€Å"Subsequently, the number of students gradually recovered from a low of 200 in 1878 to as many as 500 in 1881. Fukuzawa subsequently created Keio University to teach what Japanese schools were unable to teach, and by 1890 had imported a sizable foreign faculty. â€Å"20 The Economic and literary side As a measure to reduce expenditure, the government decided to sell factories and enterprises. When it was announced that these properties had been sold off at incredibly low prices, civil rights leaders criticized the government severely. â€Å"A rumor appeared in the press that Fukuzawa, with the financial help of Iwasaki Yataro of the Mitsubishi Corporation, was urging a coup d’à ©tat by Okuma. In return, Ito Hirobumi kicked out Okuma from the cabinet.†21 The real reason for this political drama was a struggle for control over input on legislation for the future constitution. Several Keio graduates who had worked under Okuma had suggested a constitutional monarchy on the British model, while the Ito group preferred the Prussian type. â€Å"This group was responding to, and afraid of, Fukuzawa and the Keio school, since Fukuzawa himself often expressed active support for Okuma’s policies.†22 After his political victory, Ito suspended the constitution and the opening of the Diet for ten years, canceling the sale of government properties. â€Å"Before their split, Ito, Okuma and other members of the government had arranged with Fukuzawa to start a newspaper to help promote the early opening of the Diet, but this was easily given up on. Fukuzawa decided to proceed alone and launched â€Å"Jiji-shimpo† on March 1st, 1882.†23 He declared that this quality newspaper would remain impartial and independent. From that time onward most of Fukuzawa’s writings appeared in â€Å"Jiji-shimpo,† not only serious articles but also satire. â€Å"He addressed all contemporary issues such as politics, domestic and international issues, political economy, education and educational policy, the moral code, particularly women’s rights, and so forth.†24 These articles and parodies fill nearly half of the twenty two volumes of his â€Å"Learningsâ⠂¬ . His book â€Å"Gakumon no susume† was one of the first books written in the modern form of Japanese, with both kanji and kana: Fukuzawa wanted to bring education to the masses, and part of that idea was bringing language and the written word to the masses. The â€Å"jiji-shimpo† was his only literary outlet left, and he continued to write in it until his death in 1901.25 . Comparison Natsume Soseki is one of Japan’s most influential authors. Natsume was born towards the later years of Fukuzawas life. The two great historical figures share similarities and differences. Natsume and Fukuzawa both excelled in languages: Natsume Chinese and English, Fukuzawa Dutch and English. They also both traveled abroad. Fukuzawa traveled to Europe and the United States, and Natsume traveled to England. But whilst Fukuzawa’s travels were all quite successful, Natsume did not benefit much from his visit to England. In fact, he went under depression. Both Fukuzawa and Natsume were teachers. However, Natsume decided to quit teaching at an early age and concentrated on writing novels. On the other hand, Fukuzawa continued to teach as well as writing books, speaking publicly, participating in human rights and the economy as well. Fukuzawa was much more active and worked in many different aspects. Natsume concentrated mainly on novels, which I think is why his novels are so famous and still studied today. One more similarity is that both men were on the Japanese yen notes. Natsume was on the  ¥1,000 note whilst Fukuzawa was and still is on the  ¥10,000 note. Conclusion My research question can finally be answered now. Fukuzawa’s knowledge in foreign studies and rangaku were quite advantageous when trying to spread foreign studies. He was able to gain respect from the bakufu with his knowledge of English. However, his knowledge in†rangaku† was not of much use, since Perry’s arrival had consisted of English, not Dutch. But because of his knowledge in so many different languages he was able to have three successful journeys abroad and to open up schools and gain respect from his pupils. Also, by learning â€Å"rangaku†, Fukuzawa was able to learn English easily, as well as being able to relate with the Europeans and the Americans. Overall His knowledge in foreign studies was extremely advantageous From writing this research paper, I learned that there was more to Fukuzawa Yukichi than just finding Keio University. He worked extremely hard to learn â€Å"rangaku† and English, convinced people to send him abroad and devoted his life to foreign studies and speeches. He published many books and gave numerous influential speeches which affected the Japanese society. He gave up his status as a samurai which was an extremely hard gesture at the time, and spent his life on education and spreading it to the population. He has affected and in a way created the Japanese education which we use today. Not only did he change educational aspects of Japan, but also the politics and women’s rights. 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Ethics behind Credit Rating Agencies business and the role of Assignment

Ethics behind Credit Rating Agencies business and the role of regulator issues - Assignment Example The credit rating agencies plays an important role in assessing the credit worthiness of the company. Creditworthiness is considered as a parameter in evaluating the willingness and the capacity of the debtor to repay the debt. There are various credit rating agencies in the world. Among the various credit agencies, the three most popular and well known credit rating agencies are Standard and Poor, Fitch group and Moody’s. Each credit rating agencies has its own rating scale for ranking and rating the companies across the world (Bahena, 2010). The Credit rating agencies played an important role in influencing and facilitating the investors to invest in the international securities. The credit rating agencies have devoted themselves in designing the structure of the agencies. The Credit rating agencies were assigned with responsibilities during the period of financial crisis prevailing in the economy. But it has been observed that the agencies were unregulated before the financial crisis. After the financial crisis the government has imposed restriction and emphasized on maintaining transparency in its rating procedures for the growth and development of the agencies. The credit rating agencies faced criticism during the period of financial crisis, since it failed to publish verifiable and valid data about the rating performance of the companies. The criticisms encountered by the rating agencies were mainly due to the following reasons such as the underestimation of the correlation due to the default during the economic downturn, the lack of sufficient data, overreliance on the statistical and mathematical methodologies by the credit rating agencies has resulted in furnishing of inadequate data and the disregard of various conflicting interest. The credit rating agencies receives revenue from the issuers of the companies. Suppose a company is rated high by one credit rating agency as compared to other credit agency then the company will prefer to rate

Business incubation programs in Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Business incubation programs in - Essay Example The research methods details the two phases of the proposed research, the research design that will be followed, its rationale, and also identifies the research paradigm. The section on research instruments gives even greater details of precisely how the two instruments will be used and also their justification for doing so. In the literature review, the writer reviews what business incubators are, their types and development, the need for them and their effectiveness. The section on incubators in Saudi Arabia then focuses on existing and planned incubators and technology parks in the kingdom, a briefing of their history, and discusses what potential they have. A more detailed example is given of the BADIR-ICT programme for technology incubation. The situation in Saudi Arabia is then contrasted with other programmes worldwide, and similarities are drawn with those that are regionally closer in terms of the challenges posed to incubators in developing countries. The following section then overviews some of the best practices so as to identify them. Finally, the section on wider perspective refocuses on the government side of business incubation programmes, and puts these in the context of the overall system in which they operate. The process of business incubation is a dynamic one for the purpose of developing business enterprises, and to make them financially viable for when they have to leave, usually within two or three years. Incubators nurture new firms by helping them to survive and develop during their start-up period because it is during this time that they are most vulnerable and can therefore take advantage of assistance given to them. This could be in the form of managerial, administrative, financial or legal assistance for example, and in the case of technology based incubators in particular, in the form of technological assistance. The types of facilities offered in incubators usually include shared offices, equipment, etc. The leases are also