Trade Mark Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Trade Mark - Case Study Example Second life. This scenario discusses whether the following trademark owned by Georgio currently registered as a Class 15 trademark for the past decade can be protected from infringement and potentially "passing off" by Donald and Bernard and /or Trade Mark Infringement under section 10 of the Trade Marks Act 1994. It is stated in the question that Georgio has traded under this trademark as world renowned producer of the finest musical instruments in the world and is currently a favourite brand with the high and mighty of tinsel town and it is also stated that his trademark is used to convey luxury. Therefore the question has been divided into two scenarios: A&B. I have been asked to advise Georgio as to the likelihood of the actions of Barnard being construed under the law as trademark infringement as he has launched an advertising campaign on billboards aiming to sell expensive chocolate by depicting a 'Georgio' piano dripping with liquid chocolate and in which the logo is clearly visible.The Question would also like me to consider the legalities of such a scenario in the virtual world like second life. In this part of the question I have been ... The theoretical premise of Property rights and trademarks An understanding of the philosophical premises behind Property rights are necessary in the understanding of the tug of war between the owners and the users of intangible information.1 Legal Commentators have often expressed their doubts as to whether these rights are actually rights or privileges as Machlup and Penrose have noted:2 " ... those who started to use the word property in connection with inventions had a very definite purpose in mind they wanted to substitute a word with a respectable connotation, 'property', for a word that had an unpleasant ring, 'privilege'." Intellectual property as a "property" thus is an intangible category of property with boundaries that are not always clear cut and which must be actively defended by the holder against infringements. 3 Tangible property is however visible and documented, and the boundaries are more easily given than for intellectual property.4The law has developed to protect a person who holds certain intellectual property will be able to defend this property only if he/she is granted a particular right over this property. For example in relation to patents the rights are defined by the patent authorities based on what is defined in the patent claims.Like other property (tangible) one has to pay certain fees in order to have their "intellectual" property claim examined and determined and also of continuance fees paid.5 The concept of property rights thus stems from the ideas of John Locke.6Furthermore the notions of property rights developed in the 18th century as one of the core civil rights parallel to-and mutually reinforcing-the right to liberty.7However, most

Luxury Brands Insights Essay Example for Free

Luxury Brands Insights Essay Over years, India’s tryst with luxury brands has changed gears. With high disposable incomes and a penchant for all things luxury amongst affluent Indians on the rise, the country is emerging as the next stopover for global luxury brands such as Gucci, Christian Dior and Versace. However, we must realize that Luxury marketing is a whole new ball-game altogether, both from the perspective of the marketer as well as the luxury consumer. It therefore becomes important to view it both in relation and isolation from the ‘regular’ goods marketing. To achieve the above objective, we would first look at how luxury goods are different from regular goods and then go on to explore some facets and trends of the luxury goods as well as their market and consumers. This analysis would finally sum up into a SWOT analysis of the luxury goods segment, thereby helping in obtaining a bird’s eye view of the exercise at hand. Considering that the luxury concept has shifted to the ‘new’ meaning, we would further delve into that aspect to understand the drivers for luxury brands presently, as well in the time to come. This is followed by a luxury potential determination of the Indian market both in terms of quantitative growth factors as well as qualitative initiatives. INDEX Abstract5 Objectives Sub Objectives6 Research Design6 Getting To Know Luxury8 Difference Between Regular Luxury Goods10 Luxury In India14 Qualitative Insights15 Quantitative Insights16 The Affluent Indian: Profiling The Indian Luxury Consumers17 Classification Of The Indian Luxury Consumer21 4p Trends24 Consumer Trends29 Strategies For Luxury Marketing In India57 Moving Forward66 References69 Annexure70. â€Å"Why do I need to know how the watch market is doing? I’m in the business of luxury† Partick Heiniger, CEO, Rolex GETTING TO KNOW LUXURY Luxury brands have often been associated with the core competences of creativity, exclusivity, craftsmanship, precision, high quality, innovation and premium pricing. These product attributes give the consumers the satisfaction of not only owning expensive items but the extra-added psychological benefits like esteem, prestige and a sense of a high status that reminds them and others that they belong to an exclusive group of only a select few, who can afford these pricey items. The luxury sector targets its products and services at consumers on the top-end of the wealth spectrum. These self-selected elite are more or less price insensitive and choose to spend their time and money on objects that are plainly opulence rather than necessities. For these reasons, luxury and prestige brands have for centuries commanded an unwavering and often illogical customer loyalty. Luxury, derived from the Latin word luxus, means indulgence of the senses, regardless of cost. Luxury brands are brands whose ratio of functional utility to price is low while that of intangible utility to price is high. Such brands share characteristics like consistent premium quality, a heritage of craftsmanship, a recognisable style or design, a limited production run of any item to ensure exclusivity, an element of uniqueness and an ability to keep coming up with new designs when the category is fashion-intensive. THE market for luxury brands in our country has expanded in recent times. With income levels going up, customers prepared to buy such brands are growing in numbers. According to an NCAER Household Income Survey, in 2001-02, there were 20,000 families in India with annual incomes of more than Rs 1 crore. By 2005, that number increased to almost 53,000. By 2010, India will have some 1, 40,000 crorepatis. Retail management company KSA Technopak estimates the market for luxury and high-end clothing in India at Rs 1,000 crore and for accessories at another Rs 1,000 crore. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LUXURY INDUSTRY 1. Luxury is a product category in itself: This can be best explained by the fact that both an expensive watch and an artwork can be considered to be luxury items. Therefore, all luxury marketers are not just competing in their ‘technically defined’ product categories (like manufacturers of refrigerators compete amongst themselves) but for the wallet share of luxury goods in total. 2. The meaning of luxury had changed Luxury has moved from its ‘old’ meaning of ownership that is also known as conspicuous consumption Conspicuous consumption is a term used to describe the lavish spending on goods and services that are acquired mainly for the purpose of displaying income or wealth rather than to satisfy a real need of the consumer. In the mind of a conspicuous consumer, such display serves as a means of attaining or maintaining social status. Invidious consumption, a necessary corollary, is the term applied to consumption of goods and services for the deliberate purpose of inspiring envy in others has now changed its objects to the ‘new’ meaning of the experience / fulfilment derived from possessing a certain object. 3. Aura is more important than exclusivity Exclusivity is something that cannot be ensured to a great extent and neither is it the prime requirement of a luxury consumer. The consumer bases his decisions on the relevance of the aura of the brand to his fulfilment or actualization needs. 4. Trading up A mass of wealthy people have emerged the world over, give rise to a large section of consumers who are now moving to luxury / premium brands, thereby creating greater business opportunity for luxury marketers. 5. Trading down Today, fashion brands are giving luxury brands competition because of marketing mix and branding strategies, which make it acceptable to pair these two brands. This is something that was not practiced before. eg. Wearing an Armani shirt with a pair of GAP jeans 6. Emergence of luxury brands. Sea of luxury brands have emerged giving a wide choice to consumers, in all segments of luxury goods. 7. Factors at play In luxury marketing there is a subtle interplay between three factors that most strongly influence the luxury consumer to buy: product brand; dealer or store’s brand or service providers’ reputation; and price/value relationship 8. Customer loyalty is more important that brand awareness Rather than focus on measuring the brand awareness of a luxury company, measuring customer loyalty is far more significant a metric regarding the success or failure of corporate strategy to connect with the luxury consumer. CONSUMER PERSPECTIVES TOWARDS LUXURY Consumers can be segregated in 3 groups according to what luxury means to them: Luxury is Functional – these consumers tend to buy luxury products for their superior functionality and quality. Consumers in this segment, the largest of the three, tend to be older and wealthier and are willing to spend more money to buy things that will last and have enduring value. They buy a wide array of luxury goods, from artwork to vacations, and conduct extensive pre-purchase research, making logical decisions rather than emotional or impulsive. Messages that highlight product quality and are information-intensive are powerful with this group. Luxury is Reward – these consumers tend to be younger than the first group but older than the third. They use luxury goods as a status symbol to say â€Å"I’ve made it! † They are motivated by their desire to be successful and demonstrate this to others. Luxury brands that have widespread recognition are popular, however they don’t wish to appear lavish or hedonistic in their appearance. They want to purchase â€Å"smart† luxury that demonstrates importance while not leaving them open to criticism. Marketing messages that communicate acceptable exclusivity resonate with this group. Luxury is Indulgence – this group is the smallest of the three and tends to include younger consumers and slightly more males than the other two groups. Their purpose for luxury goods is to lavish themselves in self-indulgence. They are willing to pay a premium for goods that express their individuality and make others take notice and are not overly concerned with product longevity or possible criticism. They enjoy luxury for the way it makes them feel; therefore they have a more emotional approach to purchases. They respond well to messages that highlight the unique and emotional qualities of a product. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REGULAR LUXURY GOODS Luxury has never been something easy to define, yet this mystery concept is something highly desired by one and all alike. We look at delving deeper into this mystery and aura of luxury goods by way of comparing them against ‘regular goods’ as well as highlighting the characteristics of the luxury industry. Strategies for Luxury Marketing in India There are conventional foundations for ensuring success of a brand and they are listed below in brief: 1. The brand must be â€Å"expansive† Which means it should be full of innovation opportunities for the marketer and in terms of satisfying the divergent needs of the luxury consumer 2. The brand must tell a story It is this story, of either heritage or performance or other aspects that goes on to build the aura of a brand over time. The story always accentuates the identity of the brand. 3. The brand must be relevant to the consumers’ needs Depending upon the mindset of the luxury class, it is imperative for a brand to satisfy those needs, whether they are for recognition or functional use etc. 4. The brand must align with consumers’ values A brand that does not concur with the basic values of a consumer’s society has a small chance of succeeding because luxury items are forms of expression or identification for a luxury consumer. This makes it difficult for the consumer to adopt the brand in such cases. 5. The brand must perform Irrespective of which category the brand belongs to, a performance assurance is a must for the brand if it wishes to be in the evoked set of luxury consumers, considering the price being paid for luxury. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW. In the past, brands like Liz Claiborne and Pierre Cardin tested Indian waters but made a hasty retreat following poor customer response. This led to a general perception that India is still not ready for luxury brands. But now that impression is changing. Many leading global luxury brand marketers have started taking our market seriously. Luxury goods marketing is a different ball game as the type of customers involved fall in a different class altogether. These customers are influenced more by glamour and style and want to stand out in a crowd. They do not bat an eyelid whey they buy a Vuitton bag costing Rs 50,000 or a Mont Blanc diamond-encrusted pen for Rs 50 lakh, Ermenegildo Zegnas top-of the-line, custom-tailored suit costing Rs 6 lakh or a mid-range Louis Vuitton briefcase priced Rs 1. 27 lakh. As these figures suggest, luxury brands are prestige products characterised by high-involvement decision-making that is strongly related to the persons self-concept. Sensory gratification and social approval are the primary factors in selecting a prestige product. Cutting prices or giving discounts can be detrimental in case of luxury brands. A higher price implies a higher level of quality and also suggests a certain degree of prestige. Similarly, distribution should be restricted. Status-sensitive consumers may reject a particular product if the feeling of exclusivity goes away. Managing luxury brands is as much an art as a science. The challenge is to create a demand for something which is not really needed. After all, it looks crazy to spend Rs 50,000 on a handbag or Rs1,27,000 on a briefcase. Creativity plays a key role in creating such a premium image. Many luxury brands achieve legitimacy and fashion authority as a result of the creative talent of their design teams who respect the brand heritage and yet continuously reinvent it. MARKET SIZE AND INDUSTRY GROWTH RATE With the European and American markets reaching a saturation point, leading players are now concentrating on the BRIC countries and the action is expected to shift to India, being the fastest growing luxury market, growing at 25%. , and is expected to maintain these rates for the next 10 years. The Indian Luxury Market is estimated to be to be USD 4. 35 billion and this forms only 2% of the global share. The growth of luxury markets is on the basis of GDP per-capita growth and the High Networth Individuals (HNI’s) in a country. India will be the second largest economy by 2040. Factors like Consumer Attitudes, Real Estate, Regulatory Environment and Ecosystem are important for the growth of luxury market and these are improving in the country. India has 83,000 millionaires and every year 16,000 more are getting added to this. The main trigger behind Indians indulging in luxury is to flaunt status, and the consumers here are becoming aware of leading global brands in the space, but tend to be extremely value conscious. There is a sizeable population engaging in outbound travel and getting exposure to global luxury market. The Indian consumer wants not just to be pampered, but entertained, excited and Inspired by Luxury brands and hence global players will have to look at innovative methods of reaching and engaging customers to succeed in the Indian market. With India emerging as one of the important players in the Luxury Space, the rich and famous across the globe are interested in exploring Indian Luxury products. Also, because of the availability of high disposable income Indians have developed an appetite to live a lavish lifestyle. India is being looked upon by the entire world as an emerging market and a potential Global hub. Hence, considering the potential of the Country many big brands from across the Globe either have set up their base here or are planning to do the same. GDP CONTRIBUTION The Gross Domestic Product or GDP is the indicator of the performance of an economy. According to the estimates of 2008, Indias GDP is $1. 209 trillion and this is slated to make improvement in the coming times. It is estimated that Indias GDP will grow by 6. 5% in the year 2009. In 2008 the countrys GDP was 9%; the slowdown that has been witnessed this year in the estimates is largely due to the slowdown witnessed by the agriculture and the industrial sectors. A look at the India GDP composition sector wise throws up some interesting figures. The agriculture sector contributed 17. 2%; industry contributed 29. 1% while the service sector had a contribution of 52. 7% according to 2008 estimates. FDI LIMITS AN INTERESTING FACT!!! What is the size of US Luxury Market? A) A third of India’s GDP B) Half of India’s GDP C) Equal to India’s GDP D) More than double India’s GDP ANS: D) More than double India’s GDP. While India will certainly not match the US, Japan or China in terms of its domestic market size for luxury goods and services for decades to come, its influence on global luxury business will steadily increase in the coming years. The reasons are many and mostly historical. Unlike Japan or China, India has a history and a tradition of luxury for millennia. It has an influence on textiles and handwork on them, on gems and their setting in jewellery, in food (including ingredients and spices), on natural skin and body care, on fragrances and cosmetics, and even furniture, furnishings, and objects d’art. For centuries, India’s nobility and the wealthy have been used to â€Å"commission† and patron works of luxury and extraordinary human skill. LUXURY MARKET SECTORS SECTORS| KEY PLAYERS| MARKET SHARE %| Jewellery| | 27| Clothing| | 16| Digital Accessories| | 13| Time Wear| | 8| Cosmetics Skin Care| | 8| Foot Ware| | 6| Wine Liquor| | 6| Accessories| | 6| Fragrances| | 4| Crystal Wear| | 2| Others| | 4| The Key Player Analysis The following table summarizes the marketing mix adopted by the 4 leading luxury brands. In order to arrive at successful strategies to market luxury in India, it is pertinent to look at the marketing strategies instituted by the existing luxury players in India. Product| Price| Place| Promotion| Valentino offers a limited assortment due to the nascent demand of gowns in India. This is attributed to Indian women’s preference of sarees over gowns. Because of this trend, Valentino has launched â€Å"saree inspired gowns† in their latest collection. Valentino has also included a few sarees (worn by Elizabeth Hurley) in its trademark red in their collection. | Valentino claims to charge prices same as their western counterparts. | Opened its first store in August ’06 at Delhi’s Shangri La hotel. it is currently looking for space to open a standalone store each in bangalore, Mumbai surprisingly, Ludhiana. Has no plans of opening a store in a luxury mall due to a fear of dilution of identity. The brand owns numerous stores in China. | The brand has little promotional presence. In the west it relies on red carpet events fashion shows to promote its gowns. However due to lack of such events in India, it uses little print advertisements from abroad in India. They predominantly feature Hollywood actresses models. | Product| Price| Place| Promotion| The brand offers a smaller assortment of their products in west in India. This is attributed to the cultural difference the differences fashion trends. | The brand claims to price their products equitably in India when compared to their western counterparts. However, it does admit to the greater taxes. | Launched operations in India in 2005. has only one boutique in India as opposed to 8 boutiques in China. The brand’s only boutique in India is located at The Imperial Hotel in Delhi. | Has no. promotional campaigns targeted exclusively at Indian market. Nicole Kidman, the brand’s leading endorser, recently shot an advertisement with Indian model/actor Arjun Rampal in Rajasthan. However, the advertisement will not be aired in India as Chanel only promotes in print media in India. Came into headlines for dressing up actress Sonam Kapoor for a film premier. | Product| Price| Place| Promotion| Made headlines with their intention to design sarees. However, the brand has shown no signs of actually producing them. Offers limited amount of their product offerings due to limited demand in Indian market. However, is planning to expand their offering in future. | The brand admits to charging a higher price due to the tax structure high infrastructure costs. | Launched operations in India in 2007 with boutiques in Mumbai and Delhi. Murjani Group is the master franchisee of this brand in India. The brand’s store in Delhi is located at The Oberoi’s Hotel. the brand has currently shelved the plans of opening four more stores including one in the Emporio Mall. The brand owns close to 27 stores in almost all leading cities of China. | The brand relies heavily on print advertisements. However, it regrets its recent decision of promotions through newspaper advertisements as it harmed the brand’s exclusive luxe image. Has no specific advertisements promotional material for Indian customers. | Product| Price| Place| Promotion| Armani offers all of their latest collection in their Indian stores. The brand recently made headlines in Indian newspapers for including Sherwanis in the 2009 fall-winter collection. The sherwanis are now sold globally in all their stores. The brand has registered a tremendous growth by selling above 200 items a month and registering a growth of above 50 percent annually. | Armani claims to price their products same as abroad refuses to comment further. | Armani has recently entered the Indian market with a joint venture with DLF. The store currently operates through two exclusive stores in Delhi’s first Luxury Mall DLF Emporio. The is currently in plans of opening four more standalone stores in Delhi and Mumbai. It owns 15 stores in China. | Armani, unlike in west, only relies on print media (in magazines) to promote their products. The brand features its international promotional material in India as well. However, in its latest ad campaign, it featured a model of Indian descent (Vasuki)| DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE MACRO-ENVIRONMENT Political Trends One positive factor for any company entering India is the political stability of the nation as well as democratic style of leadership. Government apart from tariffs has taken a neutral stance towards the luxury stalwarts, FDI and tariffs as only concern which will be strengths in coming future. The implementation of the Free Trade Area, which laid out a comprehensive program of regional tariff reduction, will be continuously implemented in phases through the year 2010. Over the course of the next several years, the programs in tariff reductions will be made broader. Efforts to eliminate non-tariff barriers and develop common product certification standards were initiated. In addition, ASEAN also was able to formulate framework agreements for the intra-regional liberalization of trade in services. Economic Trends Despite the adverse economic trends in the last year, the luxury goods industry as a whole experienced relatively robust economic growth. Many countries have also seen the risk-weighted capital adequacy ratios of their banking systems improve due to government-sponsored bank recapitalization programs, continued progress in financial restructuring, and improvements in financial risk management. Overall Indian economic trend is a silver lining for companies as India is increasingly becoming the hotbed for millionaires and billionaires the new found riches is growing and will continue to be so, hence economic trend which was a challenge will grow as a big advantage. Social / Cultural Trends. There have also been social and cultural trends that have been evident over the last few years in the luxury goods industry. These include: (a) The irreversible rise of civil society (b) The rise of civil society and urbanisation blends perfectly with dreams that luxury brands sell (c) The increase in the roles of intellectuals and social awareness. (d) Indians are a peculiar breed, victims of centuries-old socio-economic oppression. Where each of us is pinned on the social matrix is revealed by our last name or even a stray twist in accent. Money or the display of it can rarely manage to unsettle the hierarchy. Awareness or rather subtle awareness is something which luxury marketers are happy about and aiming at. With more and more urbanisation and globalisation the need to be in parity with the world will fuel the demands for more upmarket and more luxurious lifestyle. Technological Trends It is a common knowledge that the luxury goods industry is still a relatively new industry in the country and is still in its early stages of development. Technology being a important factor still comes as second at times in various luxury categories, though make no mistakes that that second is still way above what a mid level brand can aim at. India being hub of technological development still does not provide luxury brands enough lucrative options as tech advancement are not synchronised and homogeneous, hence it is a dark spot but might be a very significant area in future. Legal Trends. Intellectual property (IP) and IP Rights (IPR) creation, commercialization, and protection have been a significant source of comparative advantage of enterprises and economies and a major driver of their competitive strategies. Indeed, countries all over the world are fully aware of the pressing need for a long-term policy commitment to collectively transform the luxury goods industry into one which is largely based on knowledge, driven by innovation and sustained by life-long learning. Countries all over the world have pledged to work together to help accelerate the pace and scope of IP asset creation, commercialization and protection; to improve the regional framework of policies and institutions relating to IP and IPRs, including the development and harmonization of enabling IPR registration systems; to promote IP cooperation and dialogues within the region as well with the region’s Dialogue Partners and organizations; to strengthen IP-related human and institutional capabilities, including fostering greater public awareness of issues and implications, relating to IP and IPRs. INDIA and IPR are a big problem, just not having the stringent and encompassing laws is not the only issue, and problem also arises due to weak enforcement of laws. Cheap imitation and intellectual property infringement is a common occurrence in the nation. Luxury Goods Industry SWOT Analysis Strengths: †¢Has products that boast of a very powerful retail. This includes a reputation for value of money, convenience and a wide variety of products †¢Has grown significantly over the years, and has experienced global expansion. †¢Main competence lies on the use of information technology (IT) to fully support its international logistics system. Therefore, companies in this industry can see how their individual products perform within the United States for instance, or even at stores at a glance. †¢Is able to deliver good customer care, as the limited amount of work would mean plenty of time to devote to customers. †¢Products have established a strong reputation within the market. †¢Offers little deficits and overheads. Therefore the companies in this industry can offer good value to customers on a consistent basis. Weaknesses: †¢Is one of the worlds largest industries but has a weak control of its empire, despite its IT advantages. This could lead to a decrease in productivity in some areas where it has the least control. †¢Since companies in this industry sell products across many sectors, they may lack the flexibility that some of its more focused competitors possess. †¢Operates globally, but its presence is located in only relatively few countries worldwide. †¢Some luxury goods lack market presence or reputation †¢The company’s cash flow is unreliable especially in the early stages of a new luxury product development. †¢Over flooding doesn’t leave a luxury brand a real luxury brand. Opportunities: †¢Taking over, merging, or forming strategic alliances with other luxury good companies while focusing on strong markets like Europe or the Greater China Region and India. †¢Luxury good companies operate only on trade in a relatively small number of countries all over the world. Thus, this would open the opportunities for future businesses in expanding various consumer markets, such as those in China and India. †¢The opening of new locations and branches offer luxury good companies the opportunities to exploit market development. This could lead to the diversification of the company’s branches from large super centres to local-based sites. †¢Opportunities exist for luxury good companies to continue with their current strategy of establishing large branches worldwide. †¢The industry is continuously expanding, with plenty of future opportunities to exploit for success. †¢AS FOR INDIA IT IS â€Å"THE â€Å"INDUSTRY OF FUTURE maybe 10 more years. Threats: †¢Being number one means that the luxury goods industry is the target of competition, the industry to beat, both locally and globally. †¢Being a global retailer means that luxury goods companies might be exposed to political problems in the countries where the company has operations. †¢The production costs of most luxury products have the tendency to fall because of lower manufacturing costs. Manufacturing costs fall because of outsourcing to low-cost regions around the globe. This phenomenon could lead to competition in prices, which in turn would result in the deflation of prices in various ranges. Intense price competition must definitely be considered a threat. †¢Indian mentality of the masses. †¢REPUTATION, if it goes down company goes down. Detailed Analysis of the Industry Environment The assessment of the industry attractiveness is performed using the Porter’s Five Forces Model. A. Threat of New Entrants New entrants in the luxury goods industry will have to deal with high costs of entry for their latest technologies. Most major competitors in this industry have yet to establish strong distribution channels. This will severely hamper their plans to retaliate with their technological developments as without distribution channels, their products would never be seriously considered in the market by customers. These companies must worry though about certain government laws in some countries that might weaken their competitive position (2002). B. Bargaining Power of Suppliers. Suppliers of luxury goods have relatively lower bargaining power because their products have yet to establish consistency in the market. This is in contrary to ordinary brands where these products have been able to secure the confidence of its customers worldwide. C. Bargaining Power of Buyers A majority of consumers in the luxury goods industry are professionals who rely on mobile and expensive gadgets and expect seamless services every time they use them. For instance, a customer phones in a service request from the New York airport while boarding a plane bound to Paris the same day. The technical people in New York will immediately work on the service ticket of the client. And when that client arrives in Paris, he / she would be able to call the New York service centre and pick up exactly where he / she left off (1999). The bargaining power of buyers in the luxury goods industry is relatively high because there are only few, large players in the industry. D. Threat of Substitutes There are very little threats that could emerge from possible substitutes. This is because product-for-product substitution could not possibly happen especially with luxury goods. Other products cannot simply replace the ingenuity of the established luxury products in the market. Also, the millions of users of these luxury products surely would find it too uncomfortable using other products other than their luxury products CASE STUDY: THE MURJANI GROUP OVERVIEW Murjani Group develops, launches, and builds various designer lifestyle brands. It operates in the United States, India, and internationally. Murjani Group was founded in 1930 and is based in New York, New York. They partner with international luxury brands and retail them in India. KEY EXECUTIVES Managing Director: Mr. Vijay Murjani. Chief Operating Officer: Mr. Pradeep Mansukhani Business Head of French Connection: Mr. Dhiresh Sharma Marketing Head of Luxury Division: Mr. Vikram Raizada Business Head of Gucci: Ms. Ananda Kara JOURNEY 1930: Mr B. K. Murjani found the group in Shanghai, CHINA with it’s first retail store 1950: After the world war Murjani commenced operations in Hong kong with a trading company. 1952: Murjani sets up Hong Kong’s first garment manufacturing factory. 1958: With 6 years, Murjani grew to one of the largest apparel producers in the world, with a production capacity in excess of 10 million units per annum. 1966: The current Chairman, Mohan Murjani, joins the group. 1966: The Group commenced its transition from manufacturing to designer lifestyle brand development and marketing, by launching its first brand in the USA, â€Å" Marco Polo† 1976: Murjani launches the â€Å"First Designer jean† 1980: Murjani sponsors the US Open 1985: Murjani launched Tommy Hilfiger,in 1985. Here again Murjani group re-enforced their panache with ground breaking and ingenious marketing, to ensure that Tommy Hilfiger, would almost immediately, positioned amongst the top designers in the world. The innovative brand marketing and management techniques adopted by Murjani Group over the years, have changed the very paradigm of marketing, merchandising and retailing, as we know it today. 1986: Murjani launches â€Å"Coca-Cola clothes Why India With a luxury boom in India, there are over one million luxury consumers, which is only a fraction of eight million plus consumers who have the disposable incomes but are unfamiliar with the luxury segment. The growth rate is 14. 6 per cent. Target audience is 22-55 year olds. India’s luxury goods market of Rs 717 billion is set to expand with a new firm to facilitate process by bringing together buyers and manufacturers. India’s total retail market has been estimated at $160 billion or Rs 7,170 billion, covering eight million consumers. Of them, one million are considered to be in the luxury brands segment 2000: NAMASTE INDIA The Murjani Group for many years, was very keen to establish a presence in the Indian market, but had to wait for the right time. In 2000 with the rapid growth in the consuming class, Murjani was amongs.

Overview of Epilepsy

Overview of Epilepsy Epilepsy Table of Contents Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Page 1 What is epilepsy? †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Page 2 Diagnosis †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Page 2-4 Types of Seizures †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Page 5-9 Types of Treatments †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Pages 9-10 Further Research †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Pages 11-12 Physiological issues with Epilepsy †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Page 12 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Pages 12-13 References †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Pages 14-15 Introduction Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that targets 1 in 100 people in North America. Epilepsy is one of very few diseases without a definite cure. In fact scientists to this day cannot figure out what triggers these seizures. This is quite amazing considering the modern technologies medicine uses today. Throughout my paper I will explain what epilepsy is and what happens during an epileptic seizure, I will cover the different categories of seizures, how doctors diagnose epilepsy, and different types of treatment to help the patients with epilepsy. What is epilepsy? Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that attacks the nervous system. Another term for epilepsy is â€Å"seizure disorder† (www.epilepsy.com). To this day the exact factor that triggers an epileptic seizure is unknown. In other words epileptic seizures are idiopathic (Ogden, 2005). Seizures occur when too many brain cells get excited at the same time. A seizure is like an electrical storm in your brain. During this electrical storm your brain cannot perform its usual tasks, causing sudden changes in behaviour, sensations, movement, and awareness (www.epilepsysociety.org.uk). A typical seizure usually last between a few seconds, to a few minutes. Once the seizure is finished the victim enters a â€Å"post-ictal period. (The greek word â€Å"post† meaning â€Å"after†, and the Greek work â€Å"ictal† meaning â€Å"seizure† [http://www.behindthename.com]). During this post-ictal period, which can last from seconds to hours, the brain begins recovering, and the victim’s awareness will gradually increase. It is common to experience confusion and drowsiness during this phase. Diagnosis Epilepsy is the conditions of having spontaneous seizures. This means having one seizure is not enough to be diagnosed with epilepsy, there must be two or more. To be considered an epileptic seizure the seizure must occur spontaneously, without a direct factor (www.epilepsy.com). Doctors use three main ways to diagnose epilepsy. Neurological History – Doctors must be given specific description of previous seizures in the past. Such as; how long they lasted, what were you doing when the seizure occurred, what was your body’s behaviour/feeling before the seizure took place, and your body’s behaviour after the seizure ended (www.modernmedicine.com) People who suffer from having seizures do not remember what happens while a seizure takes place. That being said a description from a witness to your seizures could be very beneficial (www.epilepsyfoundation.org). Electroencephalograph – An electroencephalograph or an EEG is the most common tool used to diagnose epilepsy. An EEG measures the electrical signals passed from one neuron to another within the brain (www.epilepsyfoundation.org) ( see image 1). To measure these electrical signals doctors attach wires, known as electrodes, on the patients scalp (www.chp.edu). During an EEG no electricity is taken from the patient’s brain, and no electricity is injected into the patients brain. The EEG simply measures the electrical current travelling through the patient’s brain. Magnetic Resonance Imaging – a magnetic resonance imaging or MRI is a procedure used to create detailed images of the damaged area of your body. When diagnosing epilepsy an MRI can show damaged regions of your frontal lobe. (see figure 2) Wu XingXiaovi WangFangfang Xie Weihua, L. (2013) An MRI is done by using a large field of radio waves. An MRI is much more effective than an EEG, the neuron images created from an MRI shows exactly where the damaged area of the brain is (Robert F. LaPrade) From there procedures can made to repair or remove the damaged section of the frontal lobe that is causing epileptic seizures. Types of Epileptic Seizures Epileptic seizures are a very broad term. When diagnosing the type of epileptic seizures doctors categorize in two main categories; partial seizures, and primary generalized seizures. Within these two main categories there are more specific types of seizures (Stephen C. Schachter). The first category is â€Å"primary generalized seizures†. When a primary generalized seizure takes place both sides of the brain are affected at once, with a large amount of electrical discharge at the same time. The body is then accompanied by sudden movements, loss of awareness, or loss of consciousness. There are three types of primary generalized seizures: Clonic seizure (Grand Mal) – This type of seizure that most people visualize when they hear the word â€Å"seizure†. When a clonic seizure takes place the victim will stiffen and lose consciousness. – This is the â€Å"tonic phase†. The tonic phase usually lasts from thirty seconds, to a couple minutes (www.hopkinsmedicine.org). Next the body’s muscles then start to contract and back will begin to arch, and elbows and legs will start the flex. The last phase of the clonic seizure is jerking. The victim will lose all control of their body and will begin to jerk uncontrollably, this phase usually lasts around two or three minutes (www.nlm.nih.gov). Absence seizures (Petit Mal) – Absence seizures disconnect the victim from the world for a matter of a few seconds. This type of seizure is triggered from abnormal activity in the brain. Absence seizures occur mostly in children (www.epilepsy.com). There are two types of absence; Simple absence seizures, and Complex absence seizures. Simple Absence seizure – Usually last ten seconds or less. During these ten seconds the person â€Å"zones out† or stares off into the distance. This type of seizure is very difficult to diagnose (www.mayoclinic.org). Complex absence seizures – Usually lasts twenty seconds or less. During this time period then victim will â€Å"zone out† but will also be doing some sort of movement, such as; chewing, blinking, hand motions, or rubbing their fingers. (www.epilepsy.com). Myoclonic seizures – A myoclonic seizure is very brief, only lasting a matter of seconds. During this few seconds both sides of your body has sudden jerks at exactly the same time. During a myoclonic seizure the patient does not lose consciousness and does not have any memory loss (Orrin Devinsky, 7/2013). A myoclonic seizure can be compared to being in contact with a single jolt of electricity, sudden hiccups, or the jolt of waking up from sleep state very quickly (www.hopkinsmedicine.org) (Orrin Devinsky, 7/2013). Like absence seizures, myoclonic seizures are hard to diagnose and usually over looked because the seizures are so brief. The second category is â€Å"partial seizures†. When partial seizure takes place there is a large amount of electrical discharge in a certain area of the brain (Mary Ellen Ellis, July 25, 2012). Since only a specific location of the brain is effected, only a specific location of the body will be effected, depending on the location of the seizure in the brain. There are two types of partial seizures; Complex partial seizures, and simple partial seizures. Simple partial seizures: A typical simple partial seizure usually last between 30 seconds to two minutes (emedicine.medscape.com). When a patient has a simple partial seizure they are fully awake, alert, and able to interact with peers around them. The patient might lose one of their senses temporarily, be unable to move one of their fingers, or even stiffen one of their body parts (www.epilepsy.com). For the seizure to be considered a â€Å"simple partial seizure† memory, awareness, and consciousness must be preserved. Complex partial seizure – Similar to simple partial seizures, a complex partial seizure typically last between 30 seconds and two minutes (emedicine.medscape.com). During a complex partial seizure there are symptoms known as automatisms. Automatisms consist of lip-smacking, chewing, walking or pacing back and forth, swallowing, patting or fumbling (emedicine.medscape.com). A main difference between the two types of partial seizures is; consciousness, awareness, or memory is impaired. Unlike primary generalized seizures, partial seizures usually have a warning sign to inform the patient a seizure is near. This warning sign is called an â€Å"aura† (Columbia University, P. (2013)). An aura usually takes place a few seconds, or a few minutes before the seizure occurs. Aura’s can come in many different ways, such as; numbness, headaches, being light-headed, upset stomach, dizziness, the sensation of fear, forced thinking, abnormal sensations, or unusual tingle in a certain area of your body. When an epileptic patient senses one or more of these symptoms there is high probability a partial seizure will be soon to follow (William H. Blahd, Jr, August 25, 2011). Types of Epileptic Treatment The most common type of epileptic treatment is anti-epileptic drugs or AEG’s. With over twenty different choices seventy percent of epileptic patients choose anti-epileptic drugs. Although these medications to not cure epilepsy, it only suppresses the seizures (see figure #3, located on the top of the next page) (www.webmd.com). The way this medication works is by lowering the amount of electricity each neuron passes in the brain. This type of treatment is very useful in cases of generalized seizures. The only down fall from using anti-epileptic drugs is the side effects and because the medication acts on the brain and the body there is numerous side effects. The main four side effects are headaches, balancing troubles, more difficult to focus your eyes, and trouble thinking properly. This medication is not guaranteed to work; in some cases patients experience both seizures and side effects. When this occurs a new treatment is needed. This can be a switch to a different anti-e pileptic drug or a non-medicated treatment (Juan G Ochoa, Selim R Benbadis). If a patient does not have a seizure for two years and shows no sign of epilepsy on an EEG the doctor will slowly begin to ease off the medication. (FAULKNER M. A. (2014)) The other option of treatment for patients with epilepsy is the non-pharmaceutical route. Although anti-epileptic drugs have the highest success rate, non-medicated treatment has substantial research to support it (www.epilepsyontario.org). Brain surgery is the most common non-medicated treatment; the only issue with brain surgery is that it only works for partial seizures. The reason why is only works on partial seizures is because doctors can locate the specific area of the brain and remove sections of it. On grand mal seizures both hemispheres are triggered at the same time, in order to fix the epileptic problems doctors would have to remove too much of the brain, the patient would not live (www.epilepsyontario.org). New research always shows diet can be very beneficial; his is called the ketogenic diet. Its takes a lot of commitments considering no sweets or treats are allowed and 80 percent of the diet must be fatty foods, but low in carbohydrates. The ketogenic diet has success rates from 30 percent up to 50 percent (www.epilepsyontario.com). Further research Epilepsy has become more and more common in the past 20 years. Now that it has become more common scientists all over the world are beginning to test for a cure, weather that is a new class of medicine, gene therapy, or a non-medicated cure. The newest research for curing epilepsy is gene therapy. In 2009 scientist were able to figure out that the gene for epilepsy is located on chromosome 15 also known as â€Å"15q13.3†. (www.sciencedaily.com). With this knowledge and the proper technologies scientists can inject a virus containing the normal gene into chromosome where the epileptic mutation is. From there the normal gene will splice into the DNA strand, fixing the abnormal gene. In result epilepsy will be cured from the patient, and when they reproduce they can pass on a normal gene to their children. With this being said we can potentially remove epilepsy from our society. So far scientists have been able to cure rats with epilepsy using gene therapy, and now they have also been successful in Border Collie dogs. (Keijiro MizukamiAkira Yabukihye-Sook ChangUddin, M.) Another example of further research is new drug classes for epilepsy that are advancing each year. A good example of this is: September 2013 a new epileptic drug called Perampanel was released in United States. This new drug showed up to 35 percent more responsive outcomes than any other drug on the market. (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). The only factor that is holding science back from curing epilepsy is funding. There is not enough funding going into epilepsy research. With the proper amount of Government funding or public donations epilepsy would be cured within the matter of five years from now. Physiological Issues with Epileptic patients Epilepsy does not affect the patient only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Patients who suffer from epilepsy also have to deal with low self-esteem. Low self-esteem and epilepsy go hand and hand because patients with epilepsy are afraid of going out in public, or even doing the normal day to day things because the thought of having a seizure in public. (Ogden, 2005) It is extremely embarrassing for a patient suffering from epilepsy to have a seizure in front of their friends, family, or even strangers. Another emotional barrier that is part of suffering from epilepsy is the thought of never getting a driver’s license. Not getting a driver’s license makes everything in a normal adult life difficult. From getting to work, or getting groceries, or any sort of transportation. In some cases epilepsy makes the patient one hundred percent dependent on other people. Conclusion Life with epilepsy makes any day to day task more difficult. Epilepsy has impacted millions of people in a negative manner but further research is getting close to a cure, by using gene therapy research, and finding new classes of medicine. With the proper funding from the government epileptic medicine will continue to grow and be redefined. The research going into epilepsy is constantly growing, at this rate epilepsy will have a definite cure within the next decade, and using gene therapy epilepsy will also be removed from our society all together, allowing everyone to live epileptic free. Resources http://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/greek-mythology http://epilepsy.com/learn/epilepsy-101/what-epilepsy Ogden, 2005 http://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/what-epilepsy#.UzXDJPnIZ5V http://www.professinals.epilepsy.com/page/after_ab_pos http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/aboutepilepsy http://cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Programs-and-Services/Epilepsy-Program/Diagnosing-Epilepsy/ http://www.modernmedicine.com/modern-medicine/news/neurological-assessment-refresher http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=11sid=467a451f-9d21-4962-a627-675ecbe6d893%40sessionmgr4004hid=4204bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aqhAN=94116054 http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3sid=867d5b74-4a00-46de-86e1-686c17975c83%40sessionmgr4003hid=4112bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aqhAN=85968889 Figure 2 http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/seizure-mri http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-seizures http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org http://nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000695 http://epilepsy.com/learn/types-seizures/absense-seizures http://mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/petit-mal-seizure/basics/definition/con-20021252 http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-seizures/myoclonic-seizures http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/neurology_neurosurgery/specialty_areas/epilepsy/seizures/types/myoclinc-seizures.html http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1183962-overview http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1183853-overview http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4sid=e018e8f4-ed9b-4c77-929f-f00e8685f286%40sessionmgr115hid=103bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=khhAN=39005165 à ¯Ã†â€™Ã… ¸(EBSCO #3) http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/aura-and-seizures http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/aura-and-seizures à ¯Ã†â€™Ã… ¸ William H. Blahd, Jr http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/[emailprotected]gr4005vid=5ui=16088672id=59600950parentui=59600950tag=ANdb=aqh à ¯Ã†â€™Ã… ¸ Image #3 http://www.emedicine.medscape.com/article/1187334-overview à ¯Ã†â€™Ã… ¸ Juan G Ochoa, Selim R Benbadis http://epilepsyontario.org/non-pharmaceutical-treatments/ http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=4sid=b0940d9f-1c3e-465e-af24-23be73f63bc7%40sessionmgr110hid=122bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aqhAN=15877590 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090114075919.htm http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3sid=d6e55ff9-b6e5-4a6d-ab81-7e59cc92f267%40sessionmgr4001hid=4209bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aqhAN=95333447 Overview of Epilepsy Overview of Epilepsy TASK 3 REPORT ON EPILEPSY Epilepsy is a neurological disorder marked by sudden episodes of bodily disturbance, loss of consciousness, or seizures, related to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Anything that injuries the brain can result in epilepsy. Some of the common causes are head injuries and strokes. Other more infrequent causes are brain tumours and some genetic disorders like tuber sclerosis. A seizure is the only observable symptom of epilepsy. There are various types of seizures and symptoms of each type. Seizures typically last from a few seconds to a few minutes. A person may lose awareness. They may not recall what occurred during the seizure or may not even realise they had a seizure. Seizures that make you fall to the ground or make the muscles stiffen or move out of control are easy to recognise. Some seizures might make you gaze into space for a few seconds. Others may only involve a few muscle jerks, a turn of the head, or an odd smell. Epileptic seizures often happen without notice. A seizure ends when the abnormal electrical activity in the brain stops and brain activity begins to return to normal. Idiopathic Generalised Epilepsy In idiopathic generalised epilepsy, there is often a genetic history of epilepsy. Idiopathic generalised epilepsy have a tendency to appear during childhood although it may not be diagnosed until maturity. In this type of epilepsy, no nervous system condition, other than the seizures, can be identified on either an EEG (EEG a test which measures electrical impulses in the brain) or MRI (imaging studies). People with idiopathic generalised epilepsy have ordinary brainpower and the outcomes of the neurological exam and MRI are usually normal. The results of the EEG test may show epileptic releases affecting one or more areas. The types of seizures that affect patients with idiopathic generalised epilepsy: Myoclonic seizures (unexpected and very short length of jerking) Absence seizures (staring spells) Generalised tonic-clonic seizures (affect the entire brain) Idiopathic Partial Epilepsy Idiopathic partial epilepsy begins in youth (between ages 5 and 8) and may be part of a family history. It is considered one of the mildest types of epilepsy. It is almost always outgrown by puberty and is never diagnosed in adults. Seizures tend to arise during sleep and are most often partial motor seizures that involve the face. This type of epilepsy is usually identified with an EEG. Symptomatic Generalised Epilepsy Symptomatic generalised epilepsy is caused by brain damage. For example, injury during birth is the most common cause of symptomatic generalised epilepsy. When the cause of symptomatic general epilepsy cannot be identified, the disorder may be referred to as cryptogenic epilepsy. Symptomatic Partial Epilepsy Symptomatic partial epilepsy is the most common type of epilepsy that begins in maturity, but it does occur often in children. This type of epilepsy is caused by a local condition of the brain, which can consequence from strokes, tumours, trauma, birth brain condition, scarring of brain tissue, cysts, or infections. These brain conditions can be seen on MRI scans, but often they cannot be recognised, because they are microscopic. Symptomatic partial epilepsy may be successfully treated with surgery. Identify and watch for a specific behaviour or physical and emotional signs that come before attacks. Its not exceptional, to feel annoyed or joyful several hours prior to the seizure, and immediately before the attack. The person may become conscious of a warning aura perhaps a taste or a smell. This notice may let the person to lie down in time to avoid falling down. In situations where the aura is a smell, some people are capable of fighting off seizures by smelling a strong odour, such as garlic or roses. When the first signs include depression, irritability, or a headache, an extra dosage of medication may help prevent an attack. Electroencephalogram (EEG) An EEG test measures the electrical activity of your brain through electrodes placed on your scalp. During the test, a person might be asked to breathe deeply or to close their eyes, as these activities could expose unfamiliar brain activity related to epilepsy. A person might also be asked to gaze at a flashing light, but the test will be stopped immediately if it seems like the flashing light could cause a seizure. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan An MRI scan can often spot possible causes of epilepsy, such as faults in the structure of your brain or the existence of a brain tumour. At the moment there is no remedy for epilepsy. Anti Epileptic Drug (AED) Anti Epileptic Drugs are commonly the first choice of treatment. They work by changing the levels of chemicals in your brain. This reduces the chances of seizures. Around 70% control their seizures with AED. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Vagus Nerve Stimulation is a therapy that is recommended when the Anti-Epileptic Drug dont work and epilepsy is still poorly controlled. This involves surgically implanting an electrical device, like a pacemaker, under the skin, near the collarbone. The electrical device has a lead that is bound around one of the nerves on the left side of your neck, identified as the vagus nerve. The electrical device passes a regular amount of electricity to the nerve to stimulate it. This can help to reduce the occurrence of seizures. Surgical procedure Surgery will only be suggested if a single area of one side of the brain is causing seizures. As with all types of surgery, this surgical procedure carries a threat. One person in 100 has a stroke after surgery and five in 100 suffer from memory problems. Yet, around 70% of people who suffer from epilepsy, after the surgical procedure they become absolutely free of seizures. Epilepsy Ireland was established in 1966 by a group of people who were eager to progress the quality of life of people with epilepsy in Ireland. Over 50 years, Epilepsy Ireland have grown and expanded. They now provide a range of services from their head office in Dublin and from regional offices in Cork, Dundalk, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Letterkenny, Limerick, Sligo and Tullamore. Epilepsy Ireland is committed to working and consulting the needs of everyone with epilepsy in Ireland and their families. Certain objectives of Epilepsy Ireland are; to be committed to working and considering the needs of everyone with epilepsy in Ireland. To provide support, information and advice on health to people who are dealing with epilepsy. To undertake any awareness campaigns to improve peoples understanding of epilepsy, also to increase funds to support its work in an awareness-creating method. One of their main objective is to assume, inspire and support research into the source of epilepsy and a cure for it. Many people with epilepsy live standard lives. Progressive brain scans and other procedures allow greater accurateness in diagnosing epilepsy and defining when a patient may be aided by surgery. More than 20 different medications and a diversity of surgical methods are now available and offer good control of seizures for most people with epilepsy. Other treatment selections include the ketogenic diet and the vagus nerve stimulator. Research on the fundamental causes of epilepsy, include the recognition of genes for some types of epilepsy and seizures, it has managed a great improvement of understanding about epilepsy that may lead to more effective treatments or even some new ways of preventing epilepsy in the future. Works cited http://www.epilepsy.ie/index.cfm/spKey/info.what_is_epilepsy.what_causes_epilepsy_.html http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/tc/epilepsy-symptoms http://www.webmd.boots.com/a-to-z-guides/epilepsy-basics?page=2 http://www.hse.ie/eng/health/az/E/Epilepsy/ http://www.epilepsy.ie/index.cfm/spKey/about.html

Catharine Sedgwick’s Hope Leslie, Stephen Gould’s Dinosaur in a Haystac

Catharine Sedgwick’s Hope Leslie, Stephen Gould’s Dinosaur in a Haystack, and Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm all display similar characteristics, so that though they are seemingly unrelated, they can be compared. Mainly the comparisons exist through the imagery the authors use to weave the stories together, the structure of each book, the authority of each author, and the use of nature. A character or objects are the images that the three authors use to tie the plots of the books together. Gould’s essays seem to be completely unrelated, but in reality, they are tied together under the general theme of evolution and the metaphor of dinosaur in a haystack that is linked into each essay. The persistent use of the storm in The Perfect Storm, and its development in the chapters serves to show that the storm is the object that ties the story together. Much like the dinosaur in Dinosaur in a Haystack, it becomes a sort of central character that evolves through the developing plot. It appears that Sedgwick does not utilize one metaphor to bring her novel together, but in fact, the recurrent images and pictures are used instead. There is no dominant common theme like the dinosaur or quilt, but the story of Hope and Magawisca bring the characters together. Sedgwick’s sympathy lies in Hope’s views and story, but some can be inferred from Magawisca. Magawis ca is linked to Everell, and links Hope and Faith together. Their stories help to create the plot and bring in the links to the scattered plot. Hope Leslie " . . . and her Indian counterpart, Magawisca" (x) comprise the opinions of the author and relate the plot through prejudiced perspectives. In fact, "The text is dominated by two decidedly unconventional women: Hope Leslie, fos... ...thors are the images that hold the books together, the structure of the books, the authority of each author that is already presumed and then gained, and the use of nature. Sedgwick uses Hope and Magawisca, Junger uses the storm, and Gould uses the dinosaur to tie the plot of the books together, and to hold the story as a whole together. All three of the books are structured into chapters that divide the information into easier to understand material. Hope Leslie and Dinosaur in a Haystack contain parts that further separate the plot. The authors, Sedgwick, Gould, and Junger assume a certain amount of authority before the books are read, yet they gain even more credibility as the book is read. Each book also contains a the use of a certain aspect of nature. Therefore, the authors and their works, though seemingly very different, are similar enough to be compared.

Fly Away Peter Analysis Essay

Through out the book â€Å"Fly Away Peter†, Jim Saddler has grown from innocent to mature and even to death. This seems like a cycle of nature. People born and people die. In this novel, I think the novel is trying to convey the idea of regeneration than how Jim changed throughout the story. Regeneration is an important theme of Malouf’s Fly Away Peter. According to the novel everything regenerates, and not only in the physical sense, but also in the spiritual sense too. The term regenerate means to bring back again or bring out something new in our awareness of life. Its occurrence can be seen throughout the book and it includes the digging by the old man, the digging by Jim at the end of the novel, the fact birds come and go with old ones replaced by new ones and how Jim’s spirit lives on as the young surfer in the eyes of Miss Harcourt. They are all regenerations that are part of the cycle of life. Earth is associated with the cycle of life as it is a sign of birth, where lives stem from. Soil has always been where the life starts, this can been seen in the novel, â€Å"It (earth) was a smell that belonged to the beginning of things (life).† It is clear that soil is where life stems from; it is where plants receive their nutrients in order for new life and this is why the old man is digging, he is digging to plant new lives. Even though there is a war going on around him, he still prepares the field for the seeds, because he understands that live still goes on in all circumstances. It is through the plants from the seeds can new lives stem out of the ground and it is all part of the regenerations. The discovery of the mammoth â€Å"was a great wonder† and a rebirth of knowledge, it uncovers the past and puts new meanings and knowledge in our life as we learn about the past. Therefore, soil not only regenerates physically with new lives but also new understandings of life. Birds play an important role in the book as a sign of life. Birds have always been associated with life and freedom just like what the novel suggests â€Å"Birds were of life†. Every year they migrate to different places, yet it is not the same birds that come and go every year. The old birds get replaced  by young birds and it is all part of the cycle of life. Also, like the old man digging, they carry on with their life unaffected by the war; this can be seen from the quote â€Å"Even here, in the thick of the fighting, there were birds.† It is apparent that despites the chaos, death and horrors happening down below, the birds can still regenerate and live the way nature intended them to. Through the young surfer, there is a sense of the rebirth of Jim spiritually in Imogen’s mind. The young surfer at the end of the novel is essentially the â€Å"new† Jim for Imogen, although they are not the same person, it is as if Jim has dug through the earth to come back as the young surfer. Imogen recognises this, and understands that no matter what happens life goes on like the way waves never stop. Both of them never ending and Imogen realises that there is other people in the world that will have the image of Jim. Regeneration is an important theme of the novel, all things in life regenerates, from the birds to our minds, from the earths to the oceans, it occurs at every level of the world. With regeneration, it also brings us new meanings of life and increases our knowledge and awareness of our surroundings; therefore regeneration is essential to our life.

Free Essays on DC Metrorail

Introduction The Washington Metrorail system is one of the finest in the nation, if not the world. After spending a fair portion of my life and an honest portion of my money on the Blue Line to and from Franconia-Springfield and Alexandria, I am interesting in delving into where Metrorail funds come from and how these funds are allocated in this portion of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s budget. The Washington Metrorail system is managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which simultaneously operates a fleet of buses catering to the needs of area citizens. The Metrorail is comprised on five lines: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, and Blue. These five lines branch off and into the adjacent areas Maryland and Virginia. The Metrorail system covers an expansive area and is over 100 miles in length generating nearly $437 million dollars in revenue. The first section of the Metrorail system was opened in 1976. The system as originally planned has since been completed. Extensions to the original construction of Metrorail include the following: 1) The extension of the Green Line from Anacostia to Branch Ave 2) Eastward extension of the Blue Line to Largo Town Center 3) Future extension will include a new branch of the Orange Line to Tyson’s Corner and to Dulles National Airport WMATA Budget Breakdown Before we can examine the break down of the Metrorail budget itself, we must first look at the budget of the WMATA as a whole. The budget of the WMATA is $1.56 billion dollars. As mention in my introduction, I am interested in where the money comes from as well as where it goes. $379.2 million dollars of the WMATA budget comes from Federal subsidies and government funding, $610.3 million dollars is received from regional funding subsidies, and $570.7 million dollars of revue is generated by the WMATA to round out the entire budget. The WMATA is ranks among the best in the country with a fift... Free Essays on DC Metrorail Free Essays on DC Metrorail Introduction The Washington Metrorail system is one of the finest in the nation, if not the world. After spending a fair portion of my life and an honest portion of my money on the Blue Line to and from Franconia-Springfield and Alexandria, I am interesting in delving into where Metrorail funds come from and how these funds are allocated in this portion of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s budget. The Washington Metrorail system is managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which simultaneously operates a fleet of buses catering to the needs of area citizens. The Metrorail is comprised on five lines: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, and Blue. These five lines branch off and into the adjacent areas Maryland and Virginia. The Metrorail system covers an expansive area and is over 100 miles in length generating nearly $437 million dollars in revenue. The first section of the Metrorail system was opened in 1976. The system as originally planned has since been completed. Extensions to the original construction of Metrorail include the following: 1) The extension of the Green Line from Anacostia to Branch Ave 2) Eastward extension of the Blue Line to Largo Town Center 3) Future extension will include a new branch of the Orange Line to Tyson’s Corner and to Dulles National Airport WMATA Budget Breakdown Before we can examine the break down of the Metrorail budget itself, we must first look at the budget of the WMATA as a whole. The budget of the WMATA is $1.56 billion dollars. As mention in my introduction, I am interested in where the money comes from as well as where it goes. $379.2 million dollars of the WMATA budget comes from Federal subsidies and government funding, $610.3 million dollars is received from regional funding subsidies, and $570.7 million dollars of revue is generated by the WMATA to round out the entire budget. The WMATA is ranks among the best in the country with a fift...

Free Essays on Mandatory Reporting

abusing another person. Compared to the Child and Young Persons Act (1989) definition of child abuse which is delineated under the four categories, Physical, Sexual, Emotional abuse and Neglect, a strong similarity is present. Children who are victims of these four categories of assault have available options to protect themselves, if they are confident to speak out. There are many who can help. If the child is not confident in talking to a member of the family or a friend, different options are accessible. Services are available including health centres, counselling support centres, phone help lines. Professions including teachers, police officers, medical practitioners and psychologists are obliged to notify the Secretary of the Department of Human Services of any suspected physical or sexual child abuse. The Government did not bring mandatory reporting into Victoria until 1993, much later than many other states in Australia. Due to statistics of child abuse reporting in other states the government took in to consideration the benefits of compulsory reporting. There were many individuals and groups who realised the necessity of this form of reporting for child abuse in Victoria. The Law Reform Commission of Victoria were the main organisation involved in implementing mandatory reporting. They argued the benefits including the available protection to prevent further abuse and the increase amount of reported child abuse cases. To determine if mandatory reporting would be beneficially to the commun... Free Essays on Mandatory Reporting Free Essays on Mandatory Reporting An increasingly common issue in today’s society is child abuse. A high percentage of child abuse takes place within family, involving physical and/or mental assault. In many cases the victim is pressured into keeping the abusive acts quiet, placing an additional burden on them. Mandatory reporting is one of the only options that is playing an effective role in abuse. Abuse is defined in the dictionary as ill-treatment, insult, words abusing another person. Compared to the Child and Young Persons Act (1989) definition of child abuse which is delineated under the four categories, Physical, Sexual, Emotional abuse and Neglect, a strong similarity is present. Children who are victims of these four categories of assault have available options to protect themselves, if they are confident to speak out. There are many who can help. If the child is not confident in talking to a member of the family or a friend, different options are accessible. Services are available including health centres, counselling support centres, phone help lines. Professions including teachers, police officers, medical practitioners and psychologists are obliged to notify the Secretary of the Department of Human Services of any suspected physical or sexual child abuse. The Government did not bring mandatory reporting into Victoria until 1993, much later than many other states in Australia. Due to statistics of child abuse reporting in other states the government took in to consideration the benefits of compulsory reporting. There were many individuals and groups who realised the necessity of this form of reporting for child abuse in Victoria. The Law Reform Commission of Victoria were the main organisation involved in implementing mandatory reporting. They argued the benefits including the available protection to prevent further abuse and the increase amount of reported child abuse cases. To determine if mandatory reporting would be beneficially to the commun...

Critical analysis of a broadsheet newspaper Essay Example

Critical analysis of a broadsheet newspaper Essay Example Critical analysis of a broadsheet newspaper Paper Critical analysis of a broadsheet newspaper Paper My newspaper is a broadsheet, whose main purpose is to inform, state the facts about what is going on in the world around us. It is to have an unbiased view, telling the news as it is, how it is, without distorting the truth. It is to remain as factual, formal and serious as is possible, while keeping it simplistic enough to reach a wider audience, with short simple facts about the situation. But crams in enough information in such a way to meet the needs of a more intellectual people. I have intended to target an audience of the general public. However I feel the broadsheet will appeal to a group mostly consisting of adults, who dont want the latest gossip and rumours on celebrities. The language I have used is very emotive, One day, Sydney Bristow, Mathew Bristows 3-year-old daughter, will understand the full implications of yesterday, when her Father was murdered just a mile from her home in Stanton Island. Unfortunately this article is indeed very emotive, and ideally would not be, to remain constant with the style of the paper. However it is hard not to be biased against the offender, and not to feel pity for the fatherless little girl, in an appalling crime such as this. Trying to make the paper unbiased is therefore unrealistic, and should not of been the style of the articles in the newspaper. Bias is clearly shown against Ray Spielman describing this act as one of Rays usual past times. This bias is justified because I want society to stamp down on men like that. Readers are led to believe that Ray Spielman is simply a cold hearted killer. However, his side of the story has not been uncovered, as he as not been able to contact and would probably unwilling to participate in an interview. One of the most influential presentational devices is the masthead, as this is the first thing the reader sees, and is also used to identify a newspaper. Taking this into account I have made the masthead with a bigger font, making it easier to see. I came up with the masthead The Daily Chronicle for my newspaper for various reasons. The phrase The Daily Chronicle means that it is a journal that logs events daily, making it perfect for its use as a masthead, as it sums up the contents of the newspaper. The word Chronicle in my opinion, has a futuristic quality to it. This quality is convenient for me as it symbolizes, that the news reported, can have an effect on the future. The masthead is written using an old calligraphic font, to make it seem established along time ago, so that it appears to be reliable. The title Ruthless Murderer Escapes is very striking as the words Murderer and Ruthless have powerful and staggering effects on the reader. However these effects could have been intensified if alliteration and puns were utilised in the title. The paragraphs of my paper were present to ensure that my newspaper was reader friendly and a new paragraph was started every time a new point was being discussed. Ideally, I would have put more than three columns on my newspaper like broadsheets do, but I was limited in space because I was using only A4 paper. A jump line was actually not needed as my newspaper only consisted of two pages. It was used solely as a presentational attempt to make the paper look authentic. A real newspaper would have a jump line, to direct readers, to a subsequent page of the newspaper, where the rest of the article is displayed. This would help separate articles from other articles, save time and avoid confusion that could lead to frustration on behalf of the reader. All of my pictures are in colour to make them eye-catching. The main picture on the front-page would not usually be put on a broadsheet, in the interest of its readers, because of its violent and explicit nature. However tabloids use such tactics, by putting shocking pictures of murders or a half naked celebrity to pull attention and boost sales, precisely the job of the provocative page 3 girls in the Sun. I wanted the picture to have the same appeal to readers, and boost sales. My attempt to make the article as factual as possible was a success, as I included some statistics, The damage caused by him in the last year alone has summed up to a total of at least i 4,000,000 which may have alarmed readers. The start of the article was also very factual, Ray Spielman, a convict aged 27, has escaped while he was being transferred to Staunton Maximum Security Prison yesterday, at about 9:45pm.

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example o work towards the fulfilment of its own interests in total disregard of the individuals whom it is representing, and in such a situation it is possible that the principal is the one most likely to suffer (Crane & Matten, 2003, p.42). In this way, it is possible for the principal–agent problem to take place, leading to the ruining of relationships which were meant to be mutually beneficial. The fact that the agent works towards the achievement of its own goals to the total detriment of the entity represented by it creates a situation where it is impossible for such entities to trust agents to handle their affairs. In this way, the agent is given the power to represent the interests of the principal, and instead of doing so, it chooses to undertake activities which not only ensure that it gains a lot from the activities, but that the interests of the principal suffer as a result. Corporate social responsibility comes about mainly because of the instances of conflict that are a part of the inconsistencies that occur between the profitability and social goals. The result is that many companies have to work towards the attainment of profits while at the same time ensuring that they act responsibly towards their employees as well as the societies that are affected by their activities. A case study conducted on Levi Strauss shows that this company makes sure that the working conditions and wages among the workers throughout its supply chain is reasonable (McWilliams & Siegel, 2001). In this way, the company is able not only to achieve the legal requirements of the countries within which it works, but it also ensures that it takes ethical responsibility over its actions as well as its employees. While this may be the case, there have been instances where because of the massive profit margins within these companies, many of their chief executives have gone out of t heir way to ensure that they gain huge salary increments. In such cases, these executive officers are often

Plagiarism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Plagiarism - Essay Example Plagiarism usually applies to specific texts that are print published, texts that are online, manuscripts, not forgetting the work of other writers. Thus, if plagiarism is present, either intentional or unintentional, it results to low or poor quality of the paper submitted either by a student or the author irrespective of their rank (Ali et al, 2011). Most students are aware of the consequences arising from actions that constitute plagiarism. For instance, if student copies information that is published into a newspaper and it does not attribute the source for the main purpose of claiming the information is his own, or even the act of turning another student’s constitute plagiarism. Moreover, plagiarism has a negative externalities on students in the form of low grades for students who plagiarize thereby diminishing the education credentials or grade for a student (Dee and Jacob, 2012). Plagiarism may lead to an institution or an individual being sued by the author who owns t he ideas plagiarized for breach of intellectual property law. In addition, university authorities should do well not to desist in attempting to dissuade students from plagiarism (Selwyn, 2008); moreover, good college experience for students lies in the synthesizing of the ideas gained in class and reproducing them in their own unique way while avoiding plagiarism. Quoting is one of the strategies used in avoiding plagiarism when referring to wordings that are factual or a statement that are hard to change without altering the intended meaning. When using this strategy it is advisable to write the authors’ exact words using quotation marks, and when quoting longer quotes it is advisable to put as in an indented paragraph and the source included either within the text of paper or on the footnote. An example of a quotation would be: â€Å"Adam Winkler who studies constitutional-law at the U.C.L.A was able to broadly demonstrate in his book Gunfight how fire arm possession has b een regulated in the United States of America† (Jill, 2012). In case of quoting longer sections the writer should use a block quote such as: Adam Winkler who studies constitutional-law at the U.C.L.A was able to broadly demonstrate in his book Gunfight how firearm possession has been regulated in the United States of America. Regulation of firearms has been done in Kentucky and Louisiana through having concealed weapons being passed in these cities. The rules were later implemented in the cities of Indiana in 1820, Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama and Ohio by end of 1859. The law was gradually adopted eventually spread to Texas Oklahoma and Florida. The governor of Texas explained that concealing a dangerous weapon is murdering an individual and therefore it is the duty of every one to respect a man who obeys the law (Jill, 2012). Paraphrasing is another strategy used in avoiding plagiarism which involves the putting someone else ideas in your own words at the same time ensuring t he words are not rearranged or replaced with few words. In addition, it entails reading, internalizing the ideas presented and then writing them in one’s own words, and eventually citing the source from which the text was read from since the idea was got from that specific source. It is important to note that when a student does not have sufficient time to conduct research essential to effectively complete their research paper they can cite that of another person who did the research, but acknowledge them by

Cloning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cloning - Essay Example Natural cloning has been going on for billions of years. Natural cloning occurs when an organism reproduces asexually or when two genetically identical twins are produced by a splitting of a fertilized egg. For example, when one takes a stem from a yam plant and plant it in the ground, a new plant would grow as it takes root. The new plant can be considered a clone in the sense that it is identical to its parent. Similar cloning takes place in grass, potatoes and onions. This is a technique for propagating plants asexually. Humans have been using this vegetative technique in agriculture for thousands of years. The process has been helpful in environments where flowering and seedling establishment are infrequent. Another example of natural animal cloning is identical twins. Even though they are genetically different to their parents, they are naturally occurring clones of each other. Artificial cloning of animals is now normal in laboratories. The most famous example of animal cloning is Dolly the Sheep, born in the UK in 1997 using a technique called cell transferring. Â   It could be very useful and practical for us to be able to clone animals because they could provide extra food and could help find cures for diseases and further the research of medicines and vaccines. There are many reasons as to why cloning is important today, and in the years to come. First of all, food shortage is increasingly becoming a major global dilemma. This is due to the high demand on food as the global population increases dramatically (the population is thought to rise from 6.5 billion to 9 billion in the next 10 years) this indicates that food is going to be a very important aspect in preventing world hunger. Presently, almost 1 billion people eat less than three times every day and approximately 400,000 die daily due to starvation. There are other factors such as extinction of species that have to be taken into account as well, but

Business Report - Country Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Report - Country Analysis - Essay Example However, the oversaturation in the market provides some obstacles and the option of joint venture and partnership appears to be the most profitable in expansion in the wine industry. France has been a major power in the European Union. Over the last 500 years, the country has flourished in various sectors like economy and culture. The political influence of the country also has been significant in the European Union. France has been one of the most developed countries and it is the world fifth largest economy as measured under the GDP and the ninth largest in terms of the purchasing power parity of the country. People in France enjoy high standard of living with good level of education throughout the country. The country has also a strong democratic foundation and the government is unitary semi presidential. In terms of economy France is the member of G8 group of nations. France is the origin country of the 39 biggest organizations in the world. The country has a mixed economy with a major number of the private enterprises and also a considerable number of state and government organizations. The government of the country has considerable influence over the key s egments of the economy which includes the infrastructure sector, agricultural sector and all the sectors operating in the country. According to the figures of World Trade Organization, in 2009 France became the world’s sixth largest exporter and the fourth largest importer of the manufacturing goods. The overall economic strength of the country can also be accounted from the fact that in 2008 France emerged out to become the largest receiver of foreign direct investment among the various OECD countries. French organizations also invested significantly towards the economy which further empowered the overall economic condition of the country. In matters of economy, the financial service, banks and the insurance sectors are an important

The Christian Coalition of America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Christian Coalition of America - Essay Example As such, we work together with Christians of all denominations, as well as with other Americans who agree with our mission and with our ideals. issues that need to be discussed, one in particular which is in regards to the way in which they use their power to affect the government, and this includes what they have been able to do in the past, such as organize elections, change policies, and more. By thoroughly addressing and examining these issues, we will be able to attain a much more informed and knowledgeable understanding on the subject matter at hand. This is what will be dissertated in the following. There are really many different ways in which the Christian Coalition has been able to use their power in order to affect the government, all in an incredibly positive manner. "The Christian Coalition (CC) has two central goals: to control the agenda of the Republican party by working from the grassroots up; and to train and elect pro-family, Christian candidates to public office. The group has had considerable success in both areas, and their impact in state and national elections can be detected through their work during primaries and ability to mobilize Christian conservative voters" (People for the American Way, 2007). They are an organize which does - and always has - strive to strengthen the government and make it more focused on family matters, which is respected not only by Christians, but by people as a whole around the world. The Coalition's strategy actually first attracted attention in the year 1990, when a coalition of right-wing groups led by the Christian Coalition he lped candidates in San Diego win 60 out of 90 races for a variety of offices, and this included such things as school and hospital boards, for instance. As well, the organization, which, through extremely wide dissemination of voter guides, has supported some political candidates and opposed many others and the organization itself was very influential during the 1990s, when it was under the leadership of executive director Ralph Reed. The Coalition uses many different methods in order to get its point across and in order to attempt to positively change the government, and this includes educating, lobbying, and disseminating information through courses, debate forums, lectures, issue voter guides, and scorecards for certain candidates on its issues of concern. The Christian Coalition "was founded on the belief that 'people of faith' have a right and a responsibility to effect social, cultural, and political change in their local communities. Its members denounced promiscuity and what they deemed as individualist, feminist, and judicial excesses, and preferred a larger role for independent groups instead of the federal government. Its goals included strengthening 'family values' by fighting abortions, pornography, homosexuality, bigotry, and religious persecution, and by endorsing prayer in public places such as schools" (Answers, 2007). Although there is much respect for this coalition, there has also been a lot of negativity which has surrounded it, particularly in more recent years, as there are many people who are openly frustrated about the organization. There are

Combined Cycle Power Plant Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Combined Cycle Power Plant - Case Study Example We examine Navasota's current position in the Texas energy market place to describe the environment in which the company is developing, the strengths and weaknesses and financial characteristics of such a company. We then propose different possibilities for a strategy for Navasota in the future and extend our analysis to see what leadership and rewards might need to be available for Navasota employees, executive or other, to make this happen. When considering the total amount of energy used in the United States, 22% of it corresponds to natural gas. Natural gas is used to produce heat, steam and electrical power generation, with use ranging from commercial and residential sectors, to industrial processes. At the moment, 15% of utility and non-utility power is produced from natural gas. Projections show that in the US as a whole 33% of the electricity generated in 2020 will be from natural gas-fired power plants (Spath & Mann, 2000). However although this is figure that may be true on average for the whole country, individual states, as we will see later, may have different objectives. Navasota runs two natural gas combined cycle facilities in Texas, one in Wharton and the other in Odessa. The term "combined cycle" refers to the method used to improve the efficiency of electricity generation. ... An independent study on gas-fired generators found that CO2 accounts for 99 wt% of all air emissions. Methane is emitted in the next highest quantity, 74% of which are fugitive emissions from natural gas production and distribution (Spath & Mann, 2000). In Texas in particular however, the historical activity of oil and gas production is decreasing. The state is gradually turning its attention to sustainable, "green" energy sources. It cites the drivers for this shift in emphasis as being peak oil and gas prices, climate change, technological change and economic development issues (Texas State, 2008). Currently gas with its 4253 trillion BTUs is second only to oil in terms of the quantity of energy generated in the primary energy category for Texas. Conscious of the environmental consequences, mindful of the falling intra-state production of gas and looking for ways to contain and reduce energy expenditure, the state has identified biomass and bio-fuels, wind, solar and geothermal energy sources as candidates to replace oil and gas generation of energy, together with a further source of (electrolytic) hydrogen (State of Texas, 2008). It is this thinking that leads the state of Texas to define green buildings, wind power generators, hydrogen, advanced solar, hydrogen re-powering, transportation unification and tele-transportation as the new vectors of energy generation and energy economy to be followed. The proposed Texas State energy strategy is then defined as the re-establishment of energy independence for Texas, the development of new, renewable energy, strengthening of the rural and domestic sectors as energy generators (notably from solar energy) and

Business Report - Country Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Report - Country Analysis - Essay Example However, the oversaturation in the market provides some obstacles and the option of joint venture and partnership appears to be the most profitable in expansion in the wine industry. France has been a major power in the European Union. Over the last 500 years, the country has flourished in various sectors like economy and culture. The political influence of the country also has been significant in the European Union. France has been one of the most developed countries and it is the world fifth largest economy as measured under the GDP and the ninth largest in terms of the purchasing power parity of the country. People in France enjoy high standard of living with good level of education throughout the country. The country has also a strong democratic foundation and the government is unitary semi presidential. In terms of economy France is the member of G8 group of nations. France is the origin country of the 39 biggest organizations in the world. The country has a mixed economy with a major number of the private enterprises and also a considerable number of state and government organizations. The government of the country has considerable influence over the key s egments of the economy which includes the infrastructure sector, agricultural sector and all the sectors operating in the country. According to the figures of World Trade Organization, in 2009 France became the world’s sixth largest exporter and the fourth largest importer of the manufacturing goods. The overall economic strength of the country can also be accounted from the fact that in 2008 France emerged out to become the largest receiver of foreign direct investment among the various OECD countries. French organizations also invested significantly towards the economy which further empowered the overall economic condition of the country. In matters of economy, the financial service, banks and the insurance sectors are an important

Combined Cycle Power Plant Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Combined Cycle Power Plant - Case Study Example We examine Navasota's current position in the Texas energy market place to describe the environment in which the company is developing, the strengths and weaknesses and financial characteristics of such a company. We then propose different possibilities for a strategy for Navasota in the future and extend our analysis to see what leadership and rewards might need to be available for Navasota employees, executive or other, to make this happen. When considering the total amount of energy used in the United States, 22% of it corresponds to natural gas. Natural gas is used to produce heat, steam and electrical power generation, with use ranging from commercial and residential sectors, to industrial processes. At the moment, 15% of utility and non-utility power is produced from natural gas. Projections show that in the US as a whole 33% of the electricity generated in 2020 will be from natural gas-fired power plants (Spath & Mann, 2000). However although this is figure that may be true on average for the whole country, individual states, as we will see later, may have different objectives. Navasota runs two natural gas combined cycle facilities in Texas, one in Wharton and the other in Odessa. The term "combined cycle" refers to the method used to improve the efficiency of electricity generation. ... An independent study on gas-fired generators found that CO2 accounts for 99 wt% of all air emissions. Methane is emitted in the next highest quantity, 74% of which are fugitive emissions from natural gas production and distribution (Spath & Mann, 2000). In Texas in particular however, the historical activity of oil and gas production is decreasing. The state is gradually turning its attention to sustainable, "green" energy sources. It cites the drivers for this shift in emphasis as being peak oil and gas prices, climate change, technological change and economic development issues (Texas State, 2008). Currently gas with its 4253 trillion BTUs is second only to oil in terms of the quantity of energy generated in the primary energy category for Texas. Conscious of the environmental consequences, mindful of the falling intra-state production of gas and looking for ways to contain and reduce energy expenditure, the state has identified biomass and bio-fuels, wind, solar and geothermal energy sources as candidates to replace oil and gas generation of energy, together with a further source of (electrolytic) hydrogen (State of Texas, 2008). It is this thinking that leads the state of Texas to define green buildings, wind power generators, hydrogen, advanced solar, hydrogen re-powering, transportation unification and tele-transportation as the new vectors of energy generation and energy economy to be followed. The proposed Texas State energy strategy is then defined as the re-establishment of energy independence for Texas, the development of new, renewable energy, strengthening of the rural and domestic sectors as energy generators (notably from solar energy) and