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Saturday, August 31, 2019

Criminological Perspectives Essay

Various variables in one’s life can contribute to deviant behaviors, which is analyzed and explained through theory. These variables are but not limited to where one grows up, what type of people you surround yourself with, age, gender, etc. The scenario that this essay will prominently prefer to and use extensively throughout this essay is about a male named Colin in his teens. When growing up, he live on the â€Å"bad side† of town as opposed to most of his friends who lived on the â€Å"right side† of town, and who were a lot more privileged. Colin was from a small town that had many altercations relating to the youth of that community. There was nothing productive for Colin to do in the small town, which caused excessive boredom for him. Colin had been arrested at the age of 15 for stealing gas from a neighbor’s truck, charges were not laid, but the entire community knows of his transgression. Also, Colin took the brunt of the responsibility for a theft in which he was not acting alone. Finally, at the age of 17, Colin left the small town behind and was accepted into a trade college. Colin’s age, where he lives, and his criminal involvement at a young age will be the focus for the rest of the essay. In turn, this paper is going to analyzing a youth from a small town, where there is proven higher rates of crime, and explaining it using two theoretical theories. Thus, by examining the two most highly recognized theories in depth, the Low Self Control Theory and Aker’s Social Learning Theory, and analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, we can then begin to understand why certain crimes occur, particularly in Colin’s scenario. By exploring the Low Self Control Theory, also known as the General Theory of Crime, criminologists can explain why crime occurs. Low Self Control Theory and its presumption about human behavior has been incorporated into different criminological theories over the past decades (Wright, 2000). Low Self Control Theory was created in 1990 by Gottfredson and Hirschi and expanded on the earlier works of Durkheim (1987), Reiss (1951) and also Hirschi’s (1969) earlier work on bonding. The theory evolved to suggest that self-control is the general concept around which all of the known facts about crime can be organized (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). This theory focuses on the nature of crime; that is crimes are committed in the search of pleasure and avoidance of pain (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). The Low Self Control Theory is understood to explain an individual’s tendency to perform or refrain from committing crimes, just as high self-control explains an individual’s likelihood of â€Å"conforming to social norms and laws† (Akers, 1991, pg. 201). Gottfredson and Hirschi explain that the concept of self-control is a learned behavior (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). They note that individuals who are involved with crime also engage in behaviors that provide short-term gratification (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). Speeding, unprotected sex, gambling, smoking, and drinking are a few examples of risky behaviors that may be evident in criminals who seek immediate satisfaction (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). The most prominent individual difference is one’s self control or lack of which is composed of six elements; impulsivity, risk taking, a preference for simple tasks, a preference for physical activity, temper and finally self-centeredness (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). The theory then alludes that individuals who have these psychological traits have the opportunity to partake in criminal behaviors and are more likely to participate in criminal activity (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) theory has received attention from theorists and researchers (Grasmick, Tittle, Bursik, Arnekley, 1993). They focused on the proposition that self-control, adopted early in life, determines who will be likely to commit crimes (Grasmick et al, 1993). According to Low Self Control Theory, children with behavioral problems tend to grow into delinquents and eventually into adult offenders (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). Gottfredson and Hirschi further argue that the level of self-control largely depends on the quality of parenting in a child’s early years, as the path for or against crime happens early in life (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). Furthermore, the theory asserts that parenting is the most crucial factor, which will determine an individual’s level of self-control. If a child has a neglectful upbringing, he or she tends to have the six elements outlined by Low Self Control Theory (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). Children whose parents provide adequate care and punish misconduct will develop the self-control needed and resist the easy temptations offered by crime. (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). Low Self Control Theory argues that a lack of self-control is neither a sufficient nor essential condition for crime to occur as other factors may offset an individual’s likelihood of committing criminal acts (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). Although lack of self-control and the family’s role in its failed development do not mean that an individual will become deviant and take part in criminal events, it will provide situations that will make conditions favorable for delinquency (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). Gottfredson and Hirschi unmistakably identify the role of parents as the most essential cause of socialization for adolescent youths (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1990). Hirsch has provided the dynamics of the family’s important role in reducing the chances of childhood delinquency (Hirschi, 1995). As the Low Self Control Theory states, individuals who are ineffectively parented prior to age 10 develop less self-control than their similarly aged and better-parented counterparts. This makes them prone to quick and easy gratification when given the opportunity (Gottfredson & Hirschi 1990). Opportunity of crime is apparent for individuals living in a small town, which is prone to crime. Partaking in different types of crimes, such as Colin does, tend to be exciting, risky, or thrilling and they maintain an adventurous point of view. This is especially the case, since Colin is bored in a small town where no action is available to him. As most of the theory is focused on good parenting, and lack of opportunity, small communities will have a tough time deterring criminals in taking part in crime. However, having more police presence will deter individuals from committing crimes throughout the community, as the criminals will partake in crime as long as the opportunity presents itself. On the contrary, if the individuals are neglected as children or have been in an abusive household it will be extremely difficult to deter individuals to commit crimes. Colin has no friends to play with because he does not reside on the wealthy side of town which could bring about neglect, and/or his parents could be abusive or absent in his childhood years. Aker’s Social Learning Theory consists of four key elements. Firstly, imitation refers to the degree of which an individual mimics behaviour that others may admire. Whether or not the behaviour is imitated is affected by external characteristics such as the characteristics of the model, the behaviour observed, and the observed consequences (Akers & Jenson, 2003). These individuals are more than likely to be people that have a personal relationship. Definitions refer to the level of approval individual’s hold regarding morals and laws as well as specific deviant behaviour. These definitions are both general (religious, moral) and specific (Akers & Jenson, 2003). Differential association is the third element of Aker’s social learning model as it refers to attitudes and patterns of behaviours, which are exposed in interaction with others (Paternoster & Bachman, 2001). Differential association has both behavioural interactional and normative dimensions (Paternoster & Bachman, 2001). Finally, differential reinforcement refers to the anticipated costs and rewards associated with an individual’s given behaviour. An act or action that is considered to experience more rewards than costs is more likely to be performed or repeated (Paternoster & Bachman, 2001). In 1998, Aker’s published a book entitled ‘Social Learning and Social Structure’, where he expands further on Social Learning Theory by explaining crime rates as a function, called the Social Structure-Social Learning Theory. While, Social Learning Theory focuses on individual criminal behaviour, Social Structure-Social Learning focuses on the macro-level causes of crime stating that environments impact the individual through learning (Akers 1998). This theory has the same key principles as Social Learning Theory but due to criticism that he received, Aker’s elaborates on the topic. By examining the principles of Akers’s theory, crime that takes place in Colin’s scenario can be explained. Akers developed a theory that can be applied to many different types of criminals and crimes. However, it is best applied to behavior within groups from which receive reinforcement such as gangs and social/peer groups (Akers, 1998). Furthermore, the theory can be applied to any crime that beings any kind of gain. The gain can include positive attention from their group, or pleasure. In most cases an individual will learn behavior from others and then the behavior is reinforced. Taking into consideration when Colin’s participated in the theft with peers and took all of the blame for it once he was caught. As most of his friends are from the â€Å"right side† of town, and he is not, he may have felt pressure from the upper class to take blame. Also, if crime is being committed in a small town and individuals are witnessing it, it can give other criminals the opportunity to join in as the police work loads double, the chances of getting caught for committing a crime decreases. As per Social Learning Theory, Aker’s states that if the risk is the worth the reward than an individual will proceed in committing crimes. Thus, understanding Aker’s 4 elements of social learning and applying them to Colin’s scenario will give individuals a better chance of successfully avoiding crime. However, the only effective way to do so is to deter criminals by adding the use of security cameras, added police forces, and making examples out of those individuals who are caught. Which is not what happened when Colin was caught for stealing gas out of his neighbors truck. If he were to be made an example out of, the likelihood of it happening again would be low. Out of the two approaches that are being examined, I believe for the example for Colin’s scenario that the Low Self Control Theory is more convincing in explaining the opportunities of committing crime. Although Low Self Control Theory can be applied to the situation, Aker’s Social Learning Theory gives a better understanding of when and why individuals would commit crimes in small towns, such as where Colin is from. As the individuals involved do not necessarily have to have a criminal past, through imitation of their peers and the other elements of social learning, can resort to committing crimes. Other factors that can be included are alcohol, drugs, and peer pressure but as long as the behavior is positively enforced, the individuals will take part in it. Aker’s Social Learning Theory provides a micro perspective on why individual offenders decide to commit specific crimes; people choose to engage in crime because it can be rewarding, easy, satisfying, fun, and in this case, entertaining. Most of the individuals that would be taking place in these crimes would be heavily influenced be external factors and may just fall under the gang mentality. Although both theories have been studied throughout the history of criminology and continue to be expanded, there are many strengths and weaknesses that can be examined. The Low Self Control Theory has received many criticisms as Gottfredson and Hirschi argue that there is only one type of offender and only a single factor, which causes crime. Many researchers found that there are various paths that criminals can take (Goode, 2008). People behave criminally at a different speed than others, commit different types of crimes, and have different external influences that contribute to the behavior (Goode, 2008). Moreover, Low Self Control Theory argues that criminal tendency is unable to change. Therefore, according to this theory, an individual’s personality and behavioral patterns will also never change over the course of a lifetime. However, research shows that life altering events and traditional events such as starting or finishing school, abusing drugs, recovering from drugs, and beginning or ending personal relationships, all clearly impact the probability of behaving criminally (Goode, 2008). This applies to Colin’s scenario, as he may change his criminal ways once being committed to school. On the contrary, Gottfredson and Hirschi were quite popular in the views of American criminologists in the early 1990s. As they identified parenting as the most decisive factor in determining the likelihood that a person will commit crimes, child rearing became an important factor for parents. Despite much criticism, the body of empirical tests of the general theory of crime has been fairly consistent in revealing a link between self-control and crime. Studies have shown that individuals with higher self-control are less likely to engage in criminal activity (Goode, 2008). In the context of Colin’s scenario, the weaknesses that can be exploited is that individuals that are not necessarily criminals may take part in criminal activity due to a number of external factors that have been presented in this paper. These individuals may have had a great upbringing from their parents, but failed to make a positive decision, such as out of boredom. Aker’s Social Learning Theory has also received criticisms over the years although it is not nearly as much as Gottfredson and Hirschi. According to many criminologists, Social Learning Theory does not provide applicable advice for controlling or preventing crime (Jeffery, 1990). It does explain how criminal behavior is ‘transmitted’ from one person to another, which can explain increases in types of crimes. The theory does not address the issue of how crime can be prevented (Jeffery, 1990). Moreover, Akers’ work is that it ignores the role of opportunity in criminal behavior (Jeffery, 1990). The assumption that people who learn criminal behavior must have come into contact with such behavior is the base of the theory. However, the theory does not explain exactly how a person comes into contact with people exhibiting criminal behavior (Jeffery, 1990). Akers has provided counter arguments or explained why the criticisms are not valid. The criticism that social learning theory ignores social context was dealt with in the expansion of social learning theory to social context-social learning theory. Gottfredson and Hirschi’s Low Self Control Theory and Aker’s Social Learning Theory are not likely to be integrated. Colvin’s Differential Coercion Theory combines elements from both theories (and others) and applies them in the context of his own. However, Aker’s heavily criticizes Gottfredson and Hirschi’s Low Self Control Theory and the key components that make up that theory. Therefore, I do not believe it is possible to integrate both theories while keeping the main concepts together. To conclude, Low Self Control Theory and Social Learning Theory both provide exceptional analysis of Colin’s scenario. By understanding the key concepts of the Low Self Control Theory and Social Learning Theory, the explanation of where and why crime occurs would give reassurance to individuals of Colin’s town. By comparing and contrasting these two theories, an individual can apply them to how growing up in a small town might affect them and potentially provide methods and opportunities to deflect crime. References Akers, Ronald L. (1998). Social Learning and Social Structure: A General Theory of Crime and Deviance. Boston: Northeastern University Press Akers, R. L., & Jensen, G. F. (2003). Social learning theory and the explanation of crime: a guide for the new century. New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction. Akers, Ronald L. (1991). Self-control as a general theory of crime. Journal of Quantitative Criminology. 7(2), 201-211. Akers, R. L. (2009). Social learning and social structure: a general theory of crime and deviance. New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction Publishers. Clarke, Ronald V. (1995). Strategic Approaches to Crime Prevention. Crime and Justice, Vol. 19, Building a Safer Society: Strategic Approaches to Crime Prevention (1995), pp. 91-150 Goode, E. (2008). Out of control: assessing the general theory of crime. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford Social Sciences Grasmick, Harold G., Charles R. Tittle, Robert J. Bursik Jr, and Bruce J. Arneklev (1993)..Testing the Core Empirical Implications of Gottfredson and Hirschi’s General Theory of Crime, Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 30:5-29. Hirschi, Travis. (1995). The Family. In James Q. Wilson and Joan Petersilia (eds.). Crime. (pp.121-140). San Francisco: Institute for Contemporary Studies. Jeffery, C. Ray. (1990). Criminology. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Paternoster, R., Bachman, R. (2001). Explaining criminals and crime: essays in contemporary criminological theory. Los Angeles, Calif.: Roxbury Pub. Co. Wright, Richard.A (2000) Recent Changes in the Most-Cited Scholars in Criminology: A Comparison of Textbooks and Journals. Journal of Criminal Justice.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Analysis of Customer Service Problem of Best Buy

Introduction Overview of the task The task of this essay is to have a research in person to pay a visit on Best Buy to discover its potential marketing problem, anticipate the consequences and provides potential solution to this problem, which from my perspective, is bad customer service. Purpose and structure of the essay The purpose of this essay is to explore the potential marketing problem of Best Buy to provide solutions to its problem.In order to make the essay more complete, this essay will first start with the brief introduction of the Best Buy, and then a personal experience of visiting the Best Buy shop will be displayed to have an analysis of the potential problem- bad customer service. What to follow is the anticipation and analysis of the potential influence and consequence of the problem. Subsequently, solutions and recommendation will be put out to tackle the problem. Brief Introduction of the Best BuyBest Buy is a giant retailer of entertainment and technology product s and services with operations in the multiple countries- United States, China, Europe, Canada and Mexico. The Best Buy generates more than 45 billion dollars annual revenue through brands family and partnerships such as Magnolia Audio Video; Audiovisions; Best Buy; Future Shop; Geek Squad The Car phone Warehouse; Napster; Jiangsu Five Star; Pacific Sales; The Phone House; and Speakeasy.The company is made up by about 155,000 employees who have applied their capabilities to bring benefit to the company and added value to customers through various means, for example, online communities, call centers, in-home solutions, retail locations, and websites, and product delivery. Problem of the company On March 29, 2012, the earning news released by the Best Buy which is lower than expected has revealed the trouble of this giant electronics retailer. It is said that Best buy is going to fire four hundred employees and ended up to fifty stores.Best buy, the last standing electronics blames it s difficulties on fierce online competition, for example with Amazon. com. It says that Amazon keeps stealing its business with lower price due to its sales tax free (The Crossing of Marketing and IT, 2012). One joke even goes that Best Buy and Wall-mart have became the showroom for the Amazon. What show rooming means? It means that customers walk in to a Best Buy / Wall-mart/ Sears with the only purpose to check out the real product and compare the prices with the online prices so as to buy a product in other places with cheaper price.This is the dilemma and big problem for most of the brick and mortar retailers like Best Buy. The show rooming and price competition with online-stores should take most part of the duty for the declining profit problem of Best Buy. But it is from my perspective that the failure of Best Buy is a self-inflicted woes rather than an external hurt due to its bad customer service. The much-publicized Christmas fault of Best Buy has exposed the customer serv ice problem. Three days before Christmas last year, Best Buy informed 30,000 awaiting customers of cancelled order due to â€Å"a combination of software and process issues† (24kmarketing, 2012).There is no need to say that such kind of fault will kill any types of retailers. To make things worse, it took approximately three weeks for CEO of Best Buy – Brian Dunn to make an apology for this event, which has added the oil on the flame of fury of customers. The consequence is evident with shares of Best Buy falling by 34% to about $30, Since Thanksgiving. On June 14, Best Buy also announced earnings of 35 cents a share which is a penny lower than last year (Alpha, 2012). What’s more, my last experience of visiting the Best Buy shop has given more proof of it customer service problem.Last week, I went to one of the stores of Best Buy, when I was looking for the things I wanted, the salesperson keeps roaming around me and kept fixed eyes on me which made me quite un pleasant. After a while, he asked me about my needs, however, the guy just knew nothing about the things I want and started to sell other electronics products to me. However, what I want is just some blu-ray dics. Bothering by the upsetting and annoying salesperson, I just grabbed one of the blu-ray discs. But after going home, I found that I have already got this disc and returned to ask for changing the disc.The troublesome procedure and bad attitude of staff really made me furious. Apart from the up-selling and cross-selling, what I cannot put up with is the erosion of my privacy, questions like how much is your salary is really impolite. The hawking clumsy salesperson is the tip of the problem iceberg and just scratch the surface of the problem, what should be laid emphasis is the customer service and after-sales service quality. Potential consequence of the problem The company has reported a 1. 7% decline in it total sales and profit margins last year.Consumers come down to the store will have high interaction with the salespersons and in-store staff (Forbes, 2012). The attitude and service quality is the cornerstone of the success. Non-savvy consumers need the help to learn more product and handling before purchase. If Best Buy cannot differentiate itself and make full use of the advantages of its retail stores, Best Buy is destined to follow the way of dinosaur. Below chart illustrates that the consequence will be like in a few years if Best Buy is unable to change customers ‘perception and values towards it.Best Buy cannot forget the lesson of Circuit City which closed its big boxes in 2009 (Alpha, 2012). CNBC Financial Data: Solution to the problem Solutions that can be provided to the Best Buy are as follows. First and foremost, improve customer service quality through systematic plan and training. It is suggested experts in this field should be hired to make a throughout improvement plan for this company, ranging from standard speech and the a fter-sales service standard (Harvard Business Review, 2010). Secondly, make full use of the interaction in the stores with customers to change the perception of customers.In this part, the attitude the promotion is the key to success. Thirdly, with fierce competition, Best Buy should improve its inventory system and internet technologies in this field. The Christmas mistakes cannot happen again. Fourthly, close some big store and change its focus to the online competition. Reference Alpha, S. (2012). Best Buy: the Writing Is on the Wall. Retrieved from http://seekingalpha. com/article/343721-best-buy-the-writing-is-on-the-wall Forbes, S. (2012). Why Best Buy is going out of Business†¦ Gradually. Retrieved from http://www. orbes. com/fdc/welcome_mjx. shtml Harvard Business Review. (2010). Inside Best Buy's Customer-Centric Strategy. Retrieved from http://blogs. hbr. org/hbsfaculty/2010/04/inside-best-buys-customer-cent. html The Crossing of Marketing and IT. (2012). What is Best Buy’s Real Problem. Retrieved from http://www. crossingmarketingandit. com/marketing-2/general-marketing/best-buys-problem/ 24kmarketing. (2012). Best Buy Problems Signal Need for New Retail Formats. Retrieved from http://24kmarketing. com/2012/03/best-buy-problems-signal-need-for-new. html

Thursday, August 29, 2019

English literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

English literature - Essay Example Socrates was told he the wisest by an oracle thus took upon this theory and challenged himself to spread his knowledge to mankind. Jesus on the other hand was selected by the Supreme Being to save the people from committing the ‘original sin’. It’s been told that both Socrates and Jesus were blessed with some sort of divine power. It gets a little controversial by bringing religion under this discussion but the fact is that Jesus was a prophet, to prove that he is genuine, God sent down the Bible and the Quran as proof of Jesus’s existence. Whereas Socrates was only wise and he himself took the liberty in spreading knowledge. Both of these divine forces had a mission in hand and that was to establish some form of societal change. Socrates followed the philosophy of why life was worth living. He had wanted that all people should become capable of understanding the wrongs associated with the current order of life and without prior knowledge; this was the reas on why Socrates could not stop himself to spread the truth. Jesus on the other hand was sent to earth to save us from the original sin. Both of them were unique in their own manner and apparently posed as a threat to the society that encircled them. Jesus and Socrates both were considered to be corrupt in their own patterns. This was the reason why both of them were brought to trial. ... Jesus claimed that there was only one God and proved to the people by performing miracles. Many peopled also claimed Jesus to be the word of God, the ‘King of the Jews’, which made him a threat and was viewed as the attempt for overthrowing monarchy. Socrates was charged with unorthodoxy by not having faith in in the cities of gods and was blamed of being an atheist in spite of having a clear faith in  the divine power. Socrates is seen as the one with more knowledge than anyone else of his time. Like Jesus, he was unique with the power of speech-making and was able question people about their gods whom they believed in.  Socrates claimed that there were gods like Zeus was not the only one being controlling everything that took place in the world, and the concept that followed the ‘will of gods’ was not true either. This was considered as an attack on the Athenian government; unbeliever in the cities of gods, not a citizen of the state. Both of them were given a trial before they were executed. Both of them had disciples of their own. Each had a person of their own who questioned about their beliefs and actions and someone who betrayed them in the end, one way or the other. Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot for 30 pieces of silver and during the last supper all his followers questioned him one way or the other. The night before the death of Socrates, Crito visited him in prison and offered an escape route out of the country and to live as an outcast. A prophet is the person who speaks to and for God. Jesus did Gods work as per Gods will, although Socrates didn’t support any particular religion so we cannot depict him as a prophet. They both died for what they believed in and both of them were threatened by their teachings which varied from

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Crash Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Crash - Essay Example To start with, Jean Cabot is racist and prejudiced against African Americans and Latinos alike: seeing two African-Americans she becomes worried while Latino locksmith is perceived by her as a criminal. Officer Ryan expresses hatred and disdain for African-Americans, such as when he tells Shaniqua that she took a place that could belong to more competent and smart while people. Owner of a gun store throws ethnic unfair accusations at Farhad. In addition, a young African American man Anthony is prejudiced against white people and beliefs that the society is unfavorable for people like he is. Subsequently, one can see that racism is present in diverse people: those who are well off, immigrants, politicians, law-enforcement, and other. Although being conscious and angry about stereotypes that white people may have about them, Anthony and Peter confirm them and deliberately behave as stereotypes. They are furious realizing that Jean treats them like potential criminals, but steal her car . Similarly, Anthony is angry with a waitress who did not offer them a cup of coffee assuming that they would not pay her, thereof, they confirm the stereotype and leave her no money. Among protagonists should be mentioned officer Ryan. He is prejudiced against African Americans, believing that most of them are criminals and considers Caucasians more intelligent. He explains that his father lost a job because of a preference being given to an African American manager. At the same time, Ryan is caring and attentive son and shows bravery saving Christine after the car accident. Also, throughout the film Jean’s attitude is highly prejudiced: she hires minorities, but neither trusts them nor respects. She expresses her white privilege and behaves like a stereotypical well-off woman who does not work. An interesting case makes Anthony since he is an example of reversed racism – a prejudiced belief that all white people are racists. In contrast to

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Intro to business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Intro to business - Assignment Example This all new process will reduce the cost of production greatly and make this fuel economical for the consumers as well. The shell had in the past suffered from a production stoppage due to the fire eruption at their Bintulu, Malaysian plant in 1997. This resulted in the discontinuity of the Gas to Liquid process because at that time only one plant of the Shell was operational. But now they have developed a new GLT plant that is ten times more in its production capacity, as compared to the Malaysian plant, in Doha, Qatar. By the way it is the world’s largest GLT plant, Shell’s forty years of research has paid back to them in an impressive manner. Qatar has the largest reserves of natural gas in the world as well. Second thing the Shell should use cheap transportation methods in order to make it (fuel) affordable for the people globally. Natural gas is mostly available in the remote areas and it costs a lot to transport the final product from those areas to the reach of the people. The Shell should also switch to the direct production method for GLT. This will help them to reduce their production cost greatly. This reduction in production cost would be then transferred to the ultimate consumers. Over the last forty years Shell has poured billions of dollars in their new GLT technology in order to provide efficient and cost effective fuel alternative to the people. Five year time to judge the success or failure of this project is like a pinch of salt in flour. These sort of projects require sometime to reach the breakeven and also in reaping profits. GLT will be really fruitful for the Shell because of the price hike of petroleum products globally. Moreover they know that they will harvest success as more and more people are becoming conscious to minimize their footprints on the planet

Monday, August 26, 2019

A Case of Corporate Ethical Failure, and Discuss Where Blame Might Be Essay

A Case of Corporate Ethical Failure, and Discuss Where Blame Might Be Assigned - Essay Example According to the research findings, in an environment where an employee does what he or she wants, there tends to be the ethical failure in the leadership. These failures often affect the productivity of an organization because there is lack of clear direction on how things should be done in the organization. Organisations need to establish an ethical code that guides the behaviors of employees including the top management. However, where such the ethical code of conduct is ignored by the workers, then an organization is exposed to different problems including ethical leadership failures. Ethical failures in any organization result from what people do at the workplace. In addition, ethical failures are created as a result of the behaviors and thinking that is supported by the organization in general. The individual behaviors that may cause ethical failures include ignoring boundaries, lack of self-control, the entitlement view, self-interest, lacking moral compass and crowd following . On the other hand, organization culture that can lead to ethical failures include lack of clarity regarding ethical conduct in the organization, lack of effective leaders to act as role models, lack of accountability, shifting blame and there is no performance integration and things are done incorrectly in the organization. A former manager of the Siemens testified regarding unethical practice in the company that involved slashing funds and bribery which amounted to corporate corruption. The manager testified on his role in the bribery scandal that was first exposed by German prosecutors in 2006. This corruption scandal has tarnished the name of the company resulting in two top executives losing their jobs. In addition, the remaining executives still faced fines and indictments that amounted to billions of euros because of the corporate corruption.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Improving Process Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Improving Process - Assignment Example According to the report  the statistical representation of Six Sigma describes quantitatively how a process is performing. To achieve Six Sigma, a process must not produce more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. A Six Sigma defect is defined as anything outside of customer specifications. A Six Sigma opportunity is then the total quantity of chances for a defect. Process sigma can easily be calculated using a Six Sigma calculator.This study highlights that Six Sigma process improvement methodology provides a strong quantitative on process improvements which includes figures for budgets for the process improvement, expected & actual results / ROI of the process improvement project and data based statistical analysis of information which provides a very strong impact in terms of business benefits and value provided. This is a structured process improvement methodology which can be applied to any process or multiple processes at a time to identify improvement opportunities an d implement them in a controlled manner. The tools and techniques defined in Six Sigma Methodology are very comprehensive as well as general purpose and greatly assist in ensuring that all the key aspects of the problem are appropriately analyzed and considered before suggesting a process improvement solution. Stringent gateways or exit criteria for each phase of the Six Sigma Methodology ensure that all the steps are correctly performed and are adequately justified.... Benefits of Six Sigma Methodology for the Banking Process Improvement Project Six Sigma process improvement methodology provides a strong quantitative on process improvements which includes figures for budgets for the process improvement, expected & actual results / ROI of the process improvement project and data based statistical analysis of information which provides a very strong impact in terms of business benefits and value provided. This is a structured process improvement methodology which can be applied to any process or multiple processes at a time to identify improvement opportunities and implement them in a controlled manner. The tools and techniques defined in Six Sigma Methodology are very comprehensive as well as general purpose and greatly assist in ensuring that all the key aspects of the problem are appropriately analyzed and considered before suggesting a process improvement solution. Stringent gateways or exit criteria for each phase of the Six Sigma Methodology ensure that all the steps are correctly performed and are adequately justified. Applying Six Sigma Tools to Banking Process Improvement In case of the banking process improvements scenario, there are two process improvement opportunities for which Six Sigma DMAIC methodology can be applied - Project 1 - To reduce major incidents in banking transactions Project 2 - To improve the customer satisfaction for better service levels In both these cases, following the Six Sigma terminologies we have to define what is an "Opportunity" and "Defect" in each case. Accordingly - Opportunity 1 - Banking Transaction and Defect 1 - Major Incident Opportunity 2 - Customer Service Level and Defect 2 - Service Level For each project, in the "Define" phase, we have to specify the following

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The Protection of Animal Rights According to Carl Cohen Research Paper

The Protection of Animal Rights According to Carl Cohen - Research Paper Example Carl Cohen is a professor of philosophy. He is well known for his prominent contribution in philosophy. Carl argues that animals have no rights. He says that animals are not part of a community of moral agents. He continues to mention that animals are incapable of answering on moral issues. These animals, therefore, do not and can not have rights. Cohen’s views use of animals in lab experiments as not a violation of animal rights. The reason being they have no capacity to make moral claims. Cohen asserts that, although animals have no rights it’s, our duty not to cause unnecessary suffering to animals. Before we preside further, we should have a clear definition of rights and duties. A Right is a potential claim, practised in a moral community. Duty is a social obligation to perform something for legal or moral reasons. These definitions will help in building a defence case against Carl’s argument that animals don’t have rights. According to Carl, for one to have moral claims he or she must have autonomy. The demand for moral claim shows that you have a right. This implies that if you lack autonomy, you don’t have rights. This view lacks truth in it. The argument brought by Cohen is that some humans lack rights, for example, the Senile. The right of someone should be the duty to others. For example, if you have a right to privacy it would be the duty of your neighbour not to interfere with your privacy. In a world where people who have duties and not adhere to them, the people have no rights. It should be noted that the duty of someone does not entail the right of another.

Intelligent Email Analysis Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Intelligent Email Analysis - Literature review Example This was necessary for all the disciplines involving organizations and other institutions in the decision making process at the most appropriate appointed point for decision making. For information to be reliable, for it to pass the test of time, all these were necessary as for any organization to be able to make the most accurate decisions it had to have the right information at its disposal. The intervention of the internet through the wide revolutions in the system these individuals changed the whole face of eternity; they changed mankind by providing the most decisive tool. This tool was so necessary that because of it the world could be transformed into a global village. Problem statement The overall problem under siege, befalling the need for the analysis through the essay, is the fact that we need to analyze and discuss on an in-depth analysis the various issues revolving around the subject of Computer science and Information technology, with more emphasize to the topic of the Intelligent E-mail Analysis. The E-mail or rather the Electronic main is a utility that offers and provides the services of sending e-mails through the net. Confidentiality of data while sending them through the net is emphasized, reliability and relevance of the data the timeliness and accuracy of the data is the most advantageous characteristics presented by the net. Before embarking on an analysis of the Intelligent E-mail analysis, it’s crucial to consider the main tool which the Email service uses, the â€Å"Internet† A brief History of the internet The internet refers to the interconnection between networks. The internet is a network of networks. A network is the connectivity between the various computers at all the receiving ends. This is effective and efficient enough to facilitate communication between the node computers and the server computer at the receiving end. The intervention of the refined form of internet connectivity during the year of 1972 where on e Sir Kahn did a demonstration of a large magnitude of the ARPANET. This was during a conference held that was called the ICCC also International Computer Communication Conference. (Finlayson, Ross S, 79) During this very same year 1972, researchers and inventors in the internet came up with what was then referred to as the â€Å"Hot† utility that was in the form of an application utility. This utility among others outlined as the E-mail or rather electronic mail services were brought to life. In the month of July, Roberts gave more innovation and further expanded the initial utility by making the exact first initiative of sending the first E-mail (Electronic Mail). After the intervention and discovery of the E-mail utility, the next discovery was the WWB also known as the World Wide Web. This was initially meant to bring life to the overall concept of the internet which was to bring the whole world into one global village, to transform the whole world make ease the passage a nd effectiveness of the communication process.(Finlayson, Ross S,79) Outlined Advantages and Disadvantages of the Internet as a utility: The Internet certainly brings more good than harm as indeed dictated It

Friday, August 23, 2019

Identify and describe two significant U.S laws in international trade Essay

Identify and describe two significant U.S laws in international trade for the period of 2000-2008 - Essay Example This agreement immediately removes tariffs on more than eighty percent (80%) of U.S. exports comprising of products, which are consumer and industrial, the rest being phased out in 10 years (USTR, CAFTA-DR Final Text, 1). The Office of the United States Trade Representative also says that the DR-CAFTA would provide the same reciprocal access for the products and services of the US, just like most of the imports that enter the United States which are duty free, under the so-called â€Å"Generalized System of Preferences, Caribbean Basin Initiative and Most Favored Nation programs† (USTR, CAFTA-DR Final Text, 1). Hence, the goal of this agreement is to maintain a healthy competition and to create â€Å"a more efficient marketplace across international borders† (US Trade Representative, CAFTA Facts: Meeting the Needs of the Region’s Rural Poor, 1). This agreement is also provided with funding initiatives in order to enhance rural development and build trade capacity (USTR, CAFTA Facts: Financial Support for CAFTA-DR, 1). Thus, countries under this agreement was said to receive billions of dollars from various agencies in the next few years ((USTR, CAFTA Facts: Financial Support for CAFTA-DR, 1). Aside from this, the agreement contains the international labor rights with the capability to trade, providing thereby the procedures in case a party fails in its obligations under the labor provisions (Human Rights Watch, 1). However, according to Brandie Ballard Wade, although the provision of the DR-CAFTA provides that â€Å"members are committed to meet their obligations under the ILO declaration and ensure that both the rights of workers and the internationally recognized labor principles are protected and established in its laws,† there is however no requirement that they have to meet these obligations (645). Instead, the agreement only requires that countries strive to ensure that international principles and rights â€Å"are acknowledged and protected by

Thursday, August 22, 2019

International Business in Emerging Markets Essay Example for Free

International Business in Emerging Markets Essay The global exchange of capital, goods and services also referred to as national trade is the pre-dominant part of all economies. Advancement in time of transportation, transnational corporations, globalization and outsourcing practices have led to the growth and importance of international trade (Anderson et al, 1993). This importance accrues from the amount of revenue this trade generates. The importance of this trade is apparent in the amount of money, time, human and other resources that go into the planning of global trade affairs (Bhagwati, 1992). Entire ministries and budgets are dedicated to prepare transnational trade efforts. Memberships to regional trade bodies such as the European Union receive higher priority than political alliances while negotiation of trade treaties takes more of the leadership’s time (Dixit et al, 1980). In addition to political envoys, governments have trade consuls in other nations (Mattli, 1999). It is thus alarming for a country to realize that her international trade position is not attaining the targets that would indicate prosperity. The UK is one of such whereby her deficit in goods and services has risen from 2. 2 to 3. 5 billion pounds between august and September 2009. The deficit with European Union countries widened in the same period. while that with non European countries replicated the downward trend. It is also reported that except for Oil and erratic commodities, the volume of exports in September was 0. 2 percent lower than the previous months with imports being higher by 4. 1 percent (ONS, 2009). This indicates an alarming trend which the concerned departments need to look into. Perhaps the downturn is due to external factors that might be within reach or not. However trade policy needs to be reviewed to check this spiral. This is especially to deal with identification of new global markets that can be used to add to the export tally thereby reducing the deficit. A look at theories of trade can assist in identifying new markets and potential angles that can be exploited to correct the adverse situation. International Trade Theories There are two broad themes in theories of international trade. The qualitative theories explain a countrys trade patterns, that is which products are traded and why. Instances are absolute advantage and comparative advantage. There are also quantitative theories that explain the terms of trade for instance relative prices of exports and imports in the trading activities. Changes in data such as factor supplies, technology, trade policy and global trends also come in as quantitative themes. More importantly in these quantitative analyses, there is consistent use of the general equilibrium (Dixit et al, 1980). The Mercantilist Theory. This is a qualitative theme in international trade. It postulates that while exporting is good for a country, importing is to be avoided. This rationale is based on the assumption of fact that revenue from exports is in gold standard currency. Thus accumulation of sufficient gold reserves can only be achieved through high rates of export. Mercantilism argued for close government regulation for two reasons: to maintain a favourable balance of trade thereby advancing aggressive export with restrictive import policies; and to promote the processing of raw materials at home instead of importing manufactured goods, which would distort production and employment at home. This is a classical theory that ignores not only the benefits of importing but also the reality that no country is self sufficient thus a need to import is inherent. An example of application is the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs where Canadian traders have been informed that the Embassys mandate is to help exporters and non-disclosure of import relevant information. Absolute Advantage. Smith’s Theory of Absolute Advantage stated that countries should concentrate on producing what they are best at; that is products that they have absolute advantage in, Incentive to trade among countries is therefore created since each specializes in one product. Also as a classical theory, it is applicability is scant. In summary Smiths theory stated that unilateral trade liberalisation would be an advantageous policy for a country to follow, irrespective of the trade policies pursued by other countries. A drawback in Smiths postulation is if a nation has no absolute advantage over any of her potential trading partners with respect to any goods or services, then it means international trade is of no relevance to her (Dixit et al, 1980). Comparative Advantage Comparative advantage as developed by David Ricardo in his book, ‘The Principles of Political Economy’, is an improvement of the Absolute advantage theory. It declares that countries can trade without absolute advantage. They need comparative advantage where the relative cost of producing and exporting a product varies between trade partners. There are still benefits even if one trading partner is absolutely better in production. Comparative advantage has been the prevailing applied concept. It indicates that if two countries engage in trade, each will have the incentive to increase production, and decrease consumption, of goods in which it has the lower relative marginal cost prior to trade than the others. For instance if Britain has competitive equilibrium prices of 300 pounds per TV set and 4 pounds per bottle of whisky, while Japan has corresponding prices of 100000 and 2000 yen respectively, then ceteris peribus, if Britain produces one TV less then she would be able to utilise the freed resources to produce another 75 bottles of whisky. Japan on the other hand is able to produce one more TV set by freeing redeploying resources used to produce 50 bottles of whisky. It is to their mutual interest to do so since the pre-trade, relative price of a TV set is 50 bottles of whisky in Japan and 75 similar bottles in Britain. This is an inducement to Japan to expand TV production for export to Britain and import whisky from her. Presumably the relative price after commencement of trade will settle at between 50 and 75. The Ricardian Model assumes technology variations between nations. The assumptions in summary are: labor is the sole primary factor of production; Labor has constant returns; there is limited labor in respective economies; Mobility of labor across industries rather than countries; perfect competition situation. This theory has in modern times been reviewed to include intermediate goods, that is, capital goods for instance machinery thereby adjusting the labor only notion. These intermediate goods are tradable across countries in the current global situation (Dixit et al, 1980). Factors Endowment. Ricardos Comparative advantage theory was modified by Heckscher-Ohlin Theorem, also the Factor Proportions Hypothesis. Here a country should export products that are produced using factors that it is relatively well bestowed with. This is a separate theory but it also gives an explanation on the underlying factors as to comparative advantage. In each country, the factor that is relatively abundant is relatively cheaper. Also the good that is relatively intensive in using this factor this is relatively cheaper. Thus a country is expected to have comparative advantage in products that are intensive in the use of factors that are relatively abundant in supply. The H-O model assumed: inter sector factor mobility; distinction between labour and capital intensive; Factor variation between countries; free trade; and trans-country technology homogeneity. It however does not incorporate trade in intermediate goods. It was later challenged by the work of Wasilly Leontief who discovered that The US exported less capital intensive than it imported labour intensive products, also the Leontief’s paradox (Trebilcock et al, 2005). Contemporary Theories These include: the specific factors theory where in the short run mobility between industries in labor is possible and not possible in capital. It resembles a short run H-O model. If there is an increase in the price of a product then the owners of the factor specific to that product will profit in real terms; the new trade theory seeks to cater for the fact deficiencies of the two main approaches. That a lot of trade occurs between countries with identical factor of production endowment and the high level of multinational production, or foreign investment; the Gravity model that proffers an empirical analysis of international trade trends rather than the theoretical approaches detailed. It projects trade patterns on the basis of the distance between the nations and their economic size interaction. It imitates the law of gravity that factors distance and size. It considers factors such as levels of income, diplomatic ties and respective trade policy (Trebilcock et al, 2005). Emerging markets are nations described to be undergoing rapid growth and industrialisation in social and business activity. The concerned nations are usually said to be in a transition to fully developed status. Data on these countries has been compiled and a list of the top economics proffered. Examples of the dominant emerging economies are Brazil, Russia, India and China. They have been given the acronym, BRIC. Included are: Latin American countries such as Argentina; Asian countries such as South Korea; Russia in Eastern Europe; some in the Middle East; and parts of Africa for Instance South Africa. Lately though there have been shifts for instance Mexico has edged into the top four in terms of investment and development pushing ahead of Brazil. However China and India still dominate the list as the emerging markets with the best opportunities. As a factor of their GDP, population size, growth potential and level of imports (World Bank, 2000). These markets are characterised by robust economic growth, resulting in a rise in GDP and disposable income. Political and social stability is also an important indicator and condition for this categorisation. This implies that the population is able to purchase previously un-affordable goods and services . However quite a part of these countries population remain poor. International companies are presented with a large untapped market, providing them with an opportunity for market and financial growth. Luxury products such as high-end automobiles, designer clothing, and other Veblen goods benefit from such; but it is every day luxuries such as cell phones and brand name food products that reap the most from these markets.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The second largest clothing retailer

The second largest clothing retailer Look Good Pay Less Primark is a retail group which is the second largest clothing retailer in uk and targets young, fashion-conscious under 35s.Primark offers wide quality fashion basics at value for money prices. Research shows Primark as a leading retailer in value clothing. Primarks offer to the customer is one of high-quality merchandise, at value for money, backed by Primarks service promise. Primark prides itself on its loyal customer base. Primark stores ltd is an subsidiary of associated British Foods which employs 96.000 employees in 44 countries with global sales of  £8.2bn. Employing 27.000 people in Great Britain and ranking as GB 2nd largest clothing retailer by volume and voted best value high street fashion. By ITV and GMTV viewers. The successfulness of Primark because it offers super competitive prices with efficient distributions, supply and volume buying Primark trades in high quality merchandise at value for money backed by promise Look Good Pay Less communicates Primarks value based offering. In a precise manner to its core target audience, making half its sales in women wear, quarter sales in menswear and children wear and other items which make the rest of the constituting sales. Competitors of the retailer are HM, Next, Matalan,T K Maxs and George clothing and many more retail outlets on the ground of sales and marketing its products. Primark competes on product, ethical strategy with there code of conducts promising customers 100% product satisfactions on all grounds including fair trading. The successfulness of Primark has lead to the retailer source there manufacturing of their products, from over seas. The countries in which it operates include India and Bangladesh, and the selling includes countries such as England, Ireland, Spain and Germany. Primarks current plans include expansion to Portugal were it hopes to have the same success. However Primark has in resent become under the spotlight for its unethical manufacturing as it has been accused of employing child labour and in resent times for having its merchandise in UK operating swetshops, which have harboured illegal immigrants employed well below the minimum wage. This has effected the reputation of Primark. This can affect the success they achieve in Portugal. The role in which I play with in the organisation will affect my job. As I work with in the headquarters of Primark in the UK, I am a marketing director. Currently working on the expansion to Portugal. I need to face the issues above as they have effected the reputation of Primark. On a global scale as Primark is now seen as corrupt in its market place as they seemed unaware of the hidden workers that manufacture their clothing, and not being seen as fair traders. For my own career was effected by this as I was given ethical training an now being given the task to improve the reputation of Primark and illustrate the changes that are taking place with in the environment of Primark, from both with in the organisation and external. Oscola reference Primark. about: Primark history Available at:

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Research On The Types Of Chocolates English Language Essay

Research On The Types Of Chocolates English Language Essay Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America, with its earliest documented use around 1100 BC. The seeds of the cacao tree have an intense bitter taste, and must be fermented to develop the flavor. The type of chocolate is determined by the various amounts of cocoa butter and chocolate liquor the chocolate contains, as well the amount of sugar and any other ingredients added to the mixture. TYPES OF CHOCOLATES Dark chocolate Sweetened chocolate with high content of cocoa solids and no or very little milk, it may contain up to 12% milk solids. Dark chocolate can either be sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet or unsweetened. White chocolate Chocolate made with cocoa butter, sugar, milk, emulsifier, vanilla and sometimes other flavorings. It does not contain any non-fat ingredients from the cacao bean and has therefore an off-white color. Milk chocolate Sweet chocolate which normally contains 10-20% cocoa solids (which includes cocoa and cocoa butter) and more than 12% milk solids. It is seldom used for baking, except for cookies. Sweet dark chocolate Similar to semi-sweet chocolate, it is not always possible to distinguish between the flavor of sweet and semi-sweet chocolate. If a recipe asks for sweet dark chocolate you may also use semi-sweet chocolate. Semi-sweet chocolate This is the classic dark baking chocolate which can be purchased in most grocery stores. It is frequently used for cakes, cookies and brownies. Can be used instead of sweet dark chocolate. It has a good, sweet flavor. Contains often 40-62% cocoa solids. Bittersweet chocolate A dark sweetened chocolate which must contain at least 35% cocoa solids. Good quality bittersweet chocolate usually contains 60% to 85% cocoa solids depending on brand. If the content of cocoa solids is high the content of sugar is low, giving a rich, intense and more or less bitter chocolate flavor. Bittersweet chocolate is often used for baking/cooking. Unsweetened chocolate A bitter chocolate which is only used for baking. The flavor is not good, so it is not suitable for eating. HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHOCOLATES Studies show that eating chocolate, primarily dark chocolate, may contribute to improved cardiovascular health. Packed with natural antioxidants, dark chocolate and cocoa sit in the same good-for-you category as green tea and blueberries. Thats because chocolate comes from cacao beans (or cocoa beans), which grow on the cacao tree and are full of natural plant nutrients. Most of the studies to date highlight dark chocolates health values because it has the highest percentage of cocoa solids, therefore more flavanol antioxidants. Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are: Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure. Lower Cholesterol: Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent. Other Benefits of Dark Chocolate: Chocolate also holds benefits apart from protecting your heart: it tastes good it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant it contains Theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants Ph.D., Mark Stibich, (2006). Health Benefits of Chocolate. Retrieved 6 March 2011 from About.com: http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongnutrition/p/chocolate.htm cacaoweb (2005). types of chocolate. Retrieved 6 March 2011 from cacaoweb: http://www.cacaoweb.net/chocolate.html HISTORY OF CHOCOLATES 1500 B.C. 300 B.C. The Olmec Indians are believed to be the first to grow cocoa beans (kakawa) as a domestic crop. Cacao trees have grown wild for possibly 10,000 years. The Olmec civilization lasts to about 300 B.C. 300 B.C. 500 A.D. 250 to 900 The Olmec, a very sophisticated society, give much of their culture to the Maya, including xocoatl, sho-KWA-til. Consumption of cocoa beans is restricted to the Mayan societys elite, in the form of an unsweetened cocoa drink made from the ground beans. A.D. 600 1000 600 The Maya migrate into northern regions of South America and Mesoamerica, establishing the earliest known cocoa plantations in the Yucatan. Nobles drink frothy cacau from tall pottery beakers. Beans are a valuable commodity, used both as a means of payment and as units of calculation. Beans are local and international currency: a turkey could be bought for 200 beans, a tomato for 3 beans. Later, when the Maya trade with the Aztecs, 400 beans equal 1 Aztec Zontli, 8000 beans equal 1 Aztec Xiquipilli. Ancient Mexicans believe that Tonacatecutli, the goddess of food, and Calchiuhtlucue, the goddess of water, are guardian goddesses of cocoa. Each year they perform human sacrifices for the goddesses, giving the victim cocoa at his last meal. 1200 AD: The Aztecs believed the first cocoa plant was created by Quetzalcoatl who came from heaven on the morning star. As the Aztecs didnt know about sugar, other spices were used. Mostly spices like chilli to flavour the drink as it was a little bitter. During this time, cocoa beans were used for currency as they valued the plant so much. 1492 Columbus brings back a few beans to present to the King and Queen. However, they were mostly ignored amongst all the other wonderful array of goods that were brought back. 1528 Hernando Cortez again sees the benefit of the cocoa bean and surmises that it might taste a little better if sugar cane was added. Vanilla pods, flowers, cinnamon and other spices were used also. This blending was regarded as a success! Because of the high cost of cocoa, it was still a luxury which only the rich could afford. 1645 Beans were again part of the dowry of Princess Maria Theresa to Louis XIV. This time, the phenomenon of chocolate took off in France. It was also considered an aphrodisiac and was reputed to have helped several Kings and Queens to entice their lovers. 1671 An accident by a kitchen boy leads to the making of praline. A tray of almonds was dropped. Chef tries to whip the kitchen boy but instead drops the pan of hot sugar over the almonds. The Duke of Plesslis-Praslin was served up the cooled mess and was so happy with it, he named it after himself Late 1600s to early 1700s Chocolate houses spring up all over Europe. During this mass craze for the drink and the increase in growers, cocoa bean prices drop. The invention of a steam engine helps with the grinding of the beans and speeds up manufacturing. 1765 The first chocolate making factory in the USA. 1800 Chocolate becomes an Industry on its own. 1900-1970s 1900 Milton Hershey creates a model factory town town called Hersheyville dedicated to the production of chocolate. The specialty is the Hershey Kiss. Around 1900, the price of cacao and sugar drop tremendously, making chocolate affordable for the middle classes. 1912 Jean Neuhaus invents the chocolate shell that can be filled with soft centers and nut pastes, offering vast variety to the previous dipping and enrobing of chocolate. 1925 Barry Callebaut begins the production of chocolate couverture, in Belgium. (We dont know which company made the first couverture.) The New York Cocoa Exchange begins in New York City. 1926 Belgian chocolatier, Joseph Draps starts the Godiva Company to compete with Hersheys and Nestlà ©s American market. 1930 Nestlà © makes first white chocolate, named Galak, although it was called different names, such as Milkybar or Alpine White, in different countries. During the 1930s, brand names become increasingly important. After two years of research, Nestlà ©Ã‚  launches the Black Magic bar.4 1939 World War II rationing includes chocolate: in Europe it is rationed to 4 ounces per person per week. Sales of chocolate are half of pre-war sales. Production of Kit Kat, a leading brand, is suspended.4 1980s Present 1980 A story of chocolate espionage hit the world press when an apprentice of the Swiss company of Suchard-Tobler unsuccessfully attempted to sell secret chocolate recipes to Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and other countries. 1986 Valrhona introduces the concept of the single origin chocolate bar, making their first with beans exclusively from South America. The 70% cacao bar is named Guanaja in honor of the island of Guanaja, off Honduras, where Christopher Columbus first tasted chocolate almost 500 years earlier. They call it a Grand Cru chocolate. 1990s Following Valrhonas pioneering efforts, other designer chocolate bars debut, including bars made from the beans of single plantations. Today, annual world consumption of cocoa beans averages approximately 600,000 tons, and per capita chocolate consumption is greatly on the rise. But the best chocolate, made of criollo beans, is just 5% of the world crop. 2000 A new generation of chocolatiers knows no bounds. The fusion cuisine of the late 20th century has logically found its way to chocolate: exotic spices such as saffron, curry and lemongrass are now commonplace in chocolate, as are everyday kitchen foods such as basil, goat cheese and olive oil. Most appropriately, chocolate has returned to its Mesoamerican roots. Many artisan chocolatiers now offer some version of Aztec chocolate, spiced with the original new world flavors of chile and cinnamon. The market has seen growth in organic and kosher brands and high percentage cacao chocolate is recognized as a functional food, delivering antioxidants. It seems that the Aztecs were right about the health-giving properties of cacao. 2000 The Cote dIvoire is the worlds largest exporter of cacao beans, 1.4 million tons. The Netherlands both imports and grinds the most cacao. Some is made into chocolates; the remainder is processed into couverture and cocoa powder and exported to other countries which make their own chocolates from it. the nibble (2006). The History Of Chocolate. Retrieved 6 March 2011 from the nibble: http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/chocolate/the-history-of-chocolate.asp TASK 2 PROJECT PLAN Task Description Marks Time Date 1 Research. The purpose of this research and the aim of the website is to promote chocolate as a versatile and healthy food. 10 1week 4th to 20th Feb 2 Project plan Produce a project plan for the way you intend to complete the rest of this assignment. 10 1week 21st to 27th Feb 3 Design Specification Using the appropriate techniques to specify the structure and navigation of the proposed site. 15 2weeks 27th Feb to 5th Mar 4 Website The website must be developed using XHTML 1.0(transitional or strict) and consist of 6 interlinked pages. A home page from which it is possible to navigate to the other resources in the website. A page that explains about health and chocolate. A page that describes the history of chocolate from ancient Mesoamerican times to present day. A recipe of the month page A page that provides links to other websites of interest and sources of further information A page that demonstrates the use of HTML forms 40 1 month 5th Mar to 5 April 5 Critical evaluation A short report of 1000 words analyzing the website you have submitted 25 2 weeks 5th to 15th April TASK 3 DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS HEIRARCHY Home Instructions Photographs Health benefits Recipe of the month Links Submission form History of Chocolates Fig 1.1 Site Plan Background info Home page has to communicate purpose of website. External sites (User will be required to press back button to go back to our site or have external sites open in a new window New Recipe Entry Page title Provide forms for users to submit new recipes Links Page title Give links to other websites of interest Recipe of the month Page title One quality photograph Clearly structured instructions History of chocolates Page title Describe history of chocolates Health and Chocolates Page title Provide health benefits of chocolates Give types and quantities of chocolates that should be eaten Show drawbacks of chocolates Home Page Background info Health chocolates History of chocolates Recipe of month Links New Recipe Entry Fig1.2

Monday, August 19, 2019

Temporal Becoming and the A- and B- Theories of Time :: Philosophy Philosophical Time Papers

Temporal Becoming and the A- and B- Theories of Time It is interesting to note that many of Saint Augustine's concerns about time around 400AD are the same as we have today. For example, Augustine was puzzled about the nature of the distinction between the past, the present and the future. He was also concerned about the nature and status of the apparent flow of time. In this essay we will consider a much more recent approach to time that came to the fore in the twentieth century. In 1908 James McTaggart published an article in Mind entitled 'The Unreality of Time', in which, as the title implies, he argued that there is in reality no such thing as time. Now although this claim was in itself startling, probably what was even more significant than McTaggart's arguments was his way of stating them. It was in this paper that McTaggart first drew his now standard distinction between two ways of saying when things happen. In this essay we shall outline these ways of describing events and then discuss the merits and demerits of each, and examine what has become known as the 'tensed versus tenseless' debate on temporal becoming. One way which we speak, experience and conceive of time is that time is something that flows or passes from the future to the present and from the present to the past. When viewed in this way, events which are present have a special existential status. Whatever may be the case with regard to the reality or unreality of events in the future and the past, events that are in the present exist with a capital 'E'. It can then be postulated that it is the 'present' or 'now' that shifts to even later times. If events in time (or moments of time) are conceived in terms of past, present and future, or by means of the tenses, then they form what McTaggart called the A-series (from which the A-theory of time is derived). This type of change is commonly referred to as 'temporal becoming', and gives rise to well known perplexities concerning both what does the shifting and the type of shift involved, which we will discuss later. On the other hand, we experience events in time as occurring in succession, one after another, and as simultaneous with other events. When viewed in this way, events stand in various different temporal relations to each other but no one event, or set of events, is singled out as having the property of being present or as occurring 'now'.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Amazing Grace Essay -- essays research papers

Amazing Grace, written by Jonathan Kozol.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At first glance, it seems that the author is going to take us on yet another journalistic ride through the land of the poor. Similar to the ones you read about, or hear in the news. However, this is not the case; the real underlying theme is what is society doing about the plight of the poor? Kozol uses the views of children to emphasize that these reports on living conditions are not being obtained by â€Å"disgruntled† adults, but from innocent, learning children whose only misfortune was being born to this particular area.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The author takes us from the seventh richest congressional district in the nation (being E 59th Street in New York City) to the poorest in the nation. A mere eighteen-minute ride by subway to the South Bronx, to a little place called Mott Haven; where the median family income for the 48000 residents is only $7,600. An area known for crack-cocaine and heroin; prostitution; poor hospital care, where one-quarter of new mothers tested in obstetric wards are HIV positive; and the police say is the deadliest precinct in the city.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kozol writes about the trials and tribulations of everyday â€Å"normal† life for the children and people who live here. Normal for them however is quite different than it is for most of us. Living with drug dealers, pollution, poor hospital care and an abominable education system not to mention the social system of the city, is the â€Å"norm† for these children. In his interviews with the children of this squalid neighborhood, we find that the children speak honestly and freely about their feelings. Forgotten, hidden, abandoned, are just some of the words that come to mind. One boy named â€Å"Malcolm X† wears his hair in a style referred to as â€Å"25 years to life†. His sister asks â€Å"Like in prison..? This is how you want to wear your hair?† His reply †You don’t have to be in jail to be in prison†. This is just one of many examples given to show the reader the effects that this environment has upon you ths.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As we read further, we find that there are multitudes of problems inherent within the South Bronx. One of the only ways of determining where these problems stem from is by looking at the possible reasons as to why they exist. Drugs, violence, AIDS infections, are not new, ... ... must use more education targeted towards social issues in their schools and community to help people learn to live healthier lifestyles. They must make it known that drug dealing and violence are not â€Å"all right†, and to help people obtain some sort of unity. The well known community members need to get involved in politics so that their voices can be heard and let the City know their communities needs/requirements. Creating support groups for people with AIDS, ex-addicts, people who have lost a family member, also for people who just need a place to talk and get their frustrations out would help the community as a whole. If the people of the South Bronx would act as a community bound together to help themselves and each other, there would be less tolerance for deviant behavior among its’ members. The City must also be made more accountable for its’ actions. Clean-up and reconstruction of Times Square to Battery Park is a step in the right direction. How ever, painting a mural of â€Å"†¦ flowers, window shades and curtains and interiors of pretty-looking rooms†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 31) on the walls of empty buildings in the Bronx, just to give the illusion that this area is a good neighborhood, is not.

Nietzsche Essay -- Evolution Religion Creationism Science Essays

Nietzsche In 1859 Charles Darwin offered a theory that seemed to disprove the longstanding explanation of the origin of existence. Darwin’s theory of evolution proposes a convincing argument that the universe was not created for a purpose, with intention, by a conscious God, but rather, was a phenomenon of random change. Friedrich Nietzsche articulated the gravity of the effect of Darwin’s theory on society. He said that when Darwin published the theory of evolution people stopped believing in God. Nietzsche wrote that when people stopped believing in God, God died. Nietzsche’s assertion pivots on the assumption that God’s existence depends solely on human belief. Nietzsche assumes that belief is the greatest power that humans possess, but that this belief could not stand strong against the theory of evolution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people believe that in order for life to be worth living, there must be an overarching purpose to existence, and thus, according to Nietzsche, form illusions for the sake of comfort. By believing in a morality, God, or other higher cause, people get to live their dream that there is ultimate justification for everything. This serves to allow the imposition of an illusion so that one does not have to view the â€Å"truth† of the universe. One of these â€Å"truths† that Nietzsche proposes people deny is the â€Å"death of God†. Nietzsche’s statement that â€Å"God is dead† is intended to imply that there is a more accurate manner of existing now than following traditiona...

Saturday, August 17, 2019

African Americans and Politics Essay

For decades African Americans have faced struggles throughout history. Most notably, African Americans were involved in slavery, suffrage, and the civil rights movement. These struggles were very visible and everyone was aware of what was going on. However, now African Americans are involved in a struggle that it not visible and recognizable. This is a struggle that is used to capitalize on wealth and prevent African American families and individuals from living normal lives. They are involved in environmental racism. Environmental racism â€Å"refers to intentional or unintentional racial discrimination in the enforcement of environmental rules and regulations, the intentional or unintentional targeting of minority communities for the siting of polluting industries, or the exclusion of minority groups from public and private boards, commissions, and regulatory bodies. †[1] This form of racism has been plaguing African American communities for years and most people have not taken notice. There are many form of environmental racism; however, this paper will specifically address redlining, blockbusting, racial profiling, and housing segregation and how each has impacted the African American community. Redlining is the act of refusing or increasing the cost of services such as loans, insurance, banking, and access to healthcare to citizens based upon race. The practice involves taking a map and drawing a red line through neighborhoods where banks would not invest money. Redlining was used to segregate African Americans in the housing, workforce, and school market. Parents had to find work in other areas of the city because there were not any resources available in the community. Because of redlining, schools became over crowded with 50 students crammed into one classroom. With the schools overcrowded, teachers were not able to provide special attention to the needy students and other students became uncontrollable. Cathy Cohen would argue that African Americans were being marginalized in the school system. To be considered marginalized means, to have continuously been denied access to dominant resources, barred from full participation in dominant institutions, and defined as â€Å"others, â€Å" living outside the norm and values agreed upon by society (Cohen 1999). African American students were all forced to go to one school in the community to keep them out of the White schools. Along with marginalization, Blacks were, and still are, a part of a power struggle. Blacks were seen, and will always be seen, as an inferior race. Also, Blacks have been disempowered knowingly and unknowingly. African-Americans have been taken advantage of and used to make other races feel superior. Blockbusting was a practice used by real estate agents and developers in the United States to encourage white property owners to sell their homes by giving the impression that minority groups (such as African Americans) were moving into their previously racially segregated neighborhood. [2] When African Americans began to move into the inner city, fear arose that they were an economic threat. Blockbusting was also the cause of many White Americans moving into the suburbs. The practice of blockbusting involved an African American purchasing a home for very cheap in a predominately White neighborhood. The real estate broker would contact the White residents and offer to buy their houses for quick cash and resell the house to an African American family for much higher. Real estate agents claimed that African Americans moving into a predominately White neighborhood would cause property values to go down and urged White homeowners to sell as soon as possible. Real estate agents indicated that the property values would go down because African Americans would not keep up their property, avoid lawn care, and if would affect the entire neighborhood. This practice has caused major shifts in urban neighborhoods, especially Chicago, in recent decades. The Blockbusting methods were profitable and became common across the nation. For example, by 1962, when blockbusting had been in practice for fifteen years, Chicago had over 100 operators and the city had been changing an average of two to three blocks a week for several years. Blockbusting is the reason why cities such as Chicago are now predominately African American and the surrounding suburbs are predominately White. Blockbusting caused African Americans to be marginalized as well. They were denied fair participation in the housing market. Real estate agents inflated housing prices for African Americans to gain commission. White homeowners already had prejudices about African Americans and the real estate agents only made the situation worse. The stereotypes that Black families do not take care of their property was the main reason White homeowners sold their homes. Racial profiling is â€Å"the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is considered likely to commit a particular type of crime or an illegal act or to behave in a â€Å"predictable† manner. †[3] The practice of racial profiling is a huge problem in the United States. African Americans are usually the targeted victims in the act of racial profiling. It is believed that an African American driver will be more likely stopped than a White driver. Some police officers share the belief that Black drivers will most likely possess an illegal substance of committing an illegal act. However, policemen argue that they do not base their arrests on race but are greatening their probability of a successful search. Some policemen also argue that the probability of catching a Black offender is greater than catching a White offender. Whether the statement is true or not, it places a bias on African Americans and White Americans. The belief that African Americans men are more likely to commit crimes is unfair and not true. One cannot base the behavior of all African American men on the ones that have done wrong and been imprisoned. Another belief of racial profiling is it is the cause of the racial disparities in the American prison system. There are many more African American men in the jail system than there are White men. The previous statement is mostly likely to be true. Because some policemen hold biases and have prejudices against African Americans, it will cause more African Americans to be placed in the jail system. Another instance of racial profiling involved African Americans owning nice material possessions such as a car or a house and African Americans being in a predominately White neighborhood. For example, in an episode of Family Matters, Eddie was in his car travelling through a predominately White neighborhood and was pulled over by the police for â€Å"failure to signal. † However, the routine traffic stop turned into nothing more than a beating for young Eddie. The significance of the episode shows that racial profiling does exist in the United States and it takes place every day. The practice has impacted African Americans because hundreds of innocent people have been harassed and humiliated by police officers simply because of their race. The most recent national example of environmental racism occurred when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005. When New Orleans was flooded with tons of water, there were no relief efforts for days and almost a week. Many believed this was due to the fact that majority of the New Orleans population was African American. The population was basically ignored for days until the help decided to come. Citizens of New Orleans were faced with intentional racism and were denied help for several days. This has impacted African Americans because many people died because of the heat, starvation, and disease from the water. African-Americans have been marginalized for centuries. To be considered marginalized means, to have continuously been denied access to dominant resources, barred from full participation in dominant institutions, and defined as â€Å"others, â€Å" living outside the norm and values agreed upon by society (Cohen 1999). Most recently, African-Americans were marginalized in regards to the outbreak of HIV/AIDS. While HIV/AIDS was once considered to be the disease of white gay men, Blacks are now the center of the epidemic. With the turn of the new millennium, the outbreak of AIDS in the Black community has soared. Black men who consider themselves to be â€Å"down low† are the center of the rising epidemic. The men have intercourse with other men while continuing to have intercourse with their female partners thus spreading the AIDS virus. Even though the soaring rate is shocking, there has been limited response from the African-American community. One can argue that Blacks have been marginalized from the resources to treat the epidemic. However, the Black community seems to be ignoring the spreading AIDS virus and focusing more on electing a Black president and high blood pressure. While both electing a Black president and lowering high blood pressure are important issues, similar emphasis should be put on the rising AIDS epidemic. In a sense, African-Americans have marginalized themselves from dealing with AIDS. Continuing to turn a cold shoulder to the issue will not fix the problem. Although Blacks are being marginalized when it comes to AIDS, they are also marginalized when it comes to property and social relationships. For example, when it comes to receiving bank loans, African-Americans is marginalized heavily. Some bank loan officers practice redlining which causes Black residents, whether qualified or not, to be denied loans for property. By using the redlining technique, bank loan officers are marginalizing Blacks from being able to own their own property. Relating back to the AIDS epidemic, Black men were marginalized for having the virus. For instance, if a Black man was open about his homosexuality would be marginalized heavily. Homophobia could be a valid reason for the marginalization of Black men. With open homosexuality, an African-American could be left out from participating in activities and denied being recognized as a normal individual. Homophobia could damage an individual’s social life and leave him feeling disempowered. [4] Along with marginalization, Blacks were, and still are, a part of a power struggle. Blacks were seen, and will always be seen, as lower than Whites. Also, Blacks have been disempowered knowingly and unknowingly, which is the center of environmental racism. African-Americans have been taken advantage of and used to gain wealth and keep at the bottom of the ladder. In short, there are many types of power struggles. One does not have to see power to know that it is taking place. [5] For instance, being called an inferior race is a power struggle within itself. African-Americans that believe that they are actually inferior will begin to act that way. They will begin to doubt themselves and their abilities in life. Once they have it in their mindset that they are inferior, it will cause them to act that way. Housing Segregation is â€Å"the practice of denying African American or other minority groups equal access to housing through the process of misinformation, denial of realty and financing services, and racial steering. †[6] The act of housing discrimination involves real estate agents and landlords not providing African American families with an accurate account of available housing. Housing segregation happens when landlords and real estate agents lure White Americans to available housing only in white communities, and African Americans to Black or diverse and mixed communities. The realtor and landlord usually work together in the process and will agree not to tell the African Americans about the available units in the European American communities. This process goes back to the assumption that African Americans residents will bring down the property value of homes in the neighborhood because they will not take care of their own property. Housing segregation is intentional racism that excludes African Americans from participating fairly in the housing market. Black families should be able to live wherever they please without regardless of the demographics of the neighborhood. With all that African Americans have been through, environmental racism should not be ignored or taken lightly. People should take heed to the practice and fight for what is right. All of the above forms of environmental racism have plagued the African American community. It has caused a major shift in the urban cities such as Chicago. Real estate agents have inflated the costs of housing for Black families moving into predominantly White areas. African American families can fight the issues by becoming more aware of their surroundings and becoming familiar with the practices. They can hire good lawyers to defend them and fight for justice. With regards to the AIDS epidemic, African Americans have been marginalized when it comes to resources and thus leads to environmental racism. African American of the new generation, as a whole, should stand together and fight the justice that was promised to them in the United States Constitution. ———————– [1] Dictionary. com [2] Dictionary. com [3] Dictionary. com [4] Cathy J. Cohen, The Boundaries of Blackness (The University of Chicago Press) 47-48. [5] John Gaventa, Power and Powerlessness (The University of Illinois Press) 1-32. [6] Dictionary. com.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Convolutional Neural Network

Convolutional Neural Network: A boon for deep facial recognition in Biometrics.Vishalakshi Rituraj1, Research Scholar-phD (CS), Magadh University, Bodhgaya.Email id: [email  protected]comShyam Krishna Singh2, Associate Prof., Mathematics Dept., A. N. College Patna.Abstract:-Today Biometric recognition systems are gaining much acceptance and lots of popularity due to its wide application area. They are considered to be more secure compared to the traditional password based methods. Research is being done to improve the biometric security to tackle the risk and challenges from surroundings. Artificial Intelligence has played a significant role in biometric security. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) belongs to AI family, has been designed to work a little like human brain but not exactly, handles the complexity and variations in facial images very effectively. This paper is going to focus on Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning and how a CNN carries out facial detection.Keywords:- Biometrics, Neural network, Learning, convolution, neurons, Pattern Recognition.  1) Introduction:-The increasing demand of technology in each and every field of our lives has raised the risk of data security in parallel. From the very ancient time, man is putting his best effort to get his things secured. But today in this digital world, we are facing more problems due to impostors and other types of security hacks. Besides these, the curious human nature has always been trying to do something new and to cross the predefined boundaries. Intelligence is a by birth human quality but now a days, technology has made machines to think and behave like us to some extent. This concept of manmade intelligence created by rigorous use of complex mathematical operations and searching algorithms is known as Artificial Intelligence (AI). When we saw the AI used in Hollywood movie TERMINATOR, we didn't even imagine the concept of such a smart machine that could handle different situations. But now, it seems impossible is going to be possible due to AI as it has opened the door of a completely new world of opportunities. Artificial intelligence is a branch of computer science aiming to make a computer, robot, or a software think intelligently, in the same manner the intelligent humans think and it has been proved very useful where traditional algorithmic solutions don't work well. We are using AI based applications everywhere in our day to day life, such as- spam filters in gmail account, plagiarism checker, Google's intelligent prediction in web searching, suggestions on Facebook and Youtube and many more. The main purpose of designing AI system is to include the following areas:-PlanningLearningProblem SolvingPattern RecognitionSpeech/Facial RecognitionNatural language processingCreativity, and many more. Neural networks and deep learning, a branch of AI currently provide the best methods to solve many problems associated with the Biometric authentication. Biometrics is a noble technique for personal authentication either on the basis of physical attribute (fingerprint, iris, face, palm, hand, DNA etc.) or behavioral (Speech, signature, keystroke etc.). As we all know, our face is one of the wonderful creations of God and the unique diversities among all faces help us to differentiate one another. Facial recognition is the fastest growing field because a large no. of applications is adopting it. Recently, Apple launched its face recognition system equipped iPhone X on 12 Sept 2017 and it is claimed that it can identify the face in dark or even when owner has different hairstyle or look as well. Apple says that the facial recognition cannot be spoofed by using a photograph or even a mask [1].(2) Application areas of Facial Recognition- Facial biometric recognition is being popular due to its wide range of applications and it can easily be deployed and integrated anywhere if there is modern high definition camera. Some of the trending applications are-Many electronic devices are integrated with face biometric to eliminate the need of passwords and thus providing enhanced security and accessing method. Facebook's automatic facial detection feature recognizes our friends' faces with pretty good accuracy and starts suggestion based on it.Criminal identification has become simpler by better recognition of facial image through CCTV surveillance. It may minimize traffic rule breaking and road accidents.Some universities use facial recognition system as a tool to monitor the attendance of the students so that the management cannot be fooled by letting students to sign in behalf of others. ESG Management School in Paris  is using  facial recognition  software in its online classes to make sure students aren't slacking off. Using a software called Nestor, the webcam on a student's computer will analyze eye movements and facial expressions to find out if he or she is paying attention during video lectures.[2] In our paper, we will focus on the need of facial recognition and how deep learning and neural networks have been a backbone for this technology. 2) Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL):- Machine learning is considered as subset of AI which uses statistical techniques and algorithms which make a machine capable of making decision or prediction by learning from the given data and adapt through experience. The process of learning begins with observations or data, such as examples, direct experience, or instruction, in order to look for patterns in data and make better decisions in the future based on the examples that we provide. The primary aim is to allow the computers learn automatically without human intervention or assistance and adjust actions accordingly [3]. Deep learning is a subset of Machine learning where a machine has a higher level of recognition accuracy and aims to solve real world problems like image recognition, sound recognition, space exploration, weather forecasting and so many other automated applications. Here, the word ‘deep' refers to the no. of layers in the network to accomplish a task. Deep learning methods use neural network architectures, very much like neurons in human brain, introducing a concept of Artificial Neural Network (ANN). 3) Concept of Artificial Neural Network in problem solving:- Today, automated systems have made our lives too easy and have replaced man in some places. But when we talk about ‘intelligence', man will always be superior to machines because of their god gifted nervous system which is composed of billions of neurons. These neurons are interconnected together and pass signals to one another which make the entire system to identify, classify and analyze things. Getting inspiration from biological neural network, the concept of ANN came into existence. The inventor of the first neurocomputer, Dr. Robert Hecht-Nielsen, defines a neural network as – â€Å"†¦a computing system made up of a number of simple, highly interconnected processing elements, which process information by their dynamic state response to external inputs.† [4] Figure1: A simple ANN structure. [5] 3.1) Types of ANN: – (A) On the basis of topological arrangement, there are two types of ANN-a) A Feed-Forward Network :- In this type of ANN, data flow takes place in only one direction through different layers and none of the layers is fed with signal from background direction. This network does not have feedback loops as output of one layer becomes the input for other layers. Practically, in a Feed forward network, any prediction does not have to be affected with the previous predictions.Figure 2: A Feed-Forward Network [6]b) Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN):- This type of neural network allows feedback loop by transmitting signals not only in one direction, instead data flow is carried out from backward direction too, sometimes also known as FeedBack ANN. In RNN, each neuron has its connection with others and how the flow of data is maintained, will be governed by its internal memory. The decision taken by RNN gets affected by the decision made by the network at previous. It means, the current output of a RNN depends on both the previous output as well as the current input. Figure 3: Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) [7](B) On the basis of layering, there are two types of ANN-(a) Single Layer Network- In this type of network, neurons on input layers are connected with the neurons present at the output layer and there is no layer in between these two layers.(b) Multi Layer Network- This type of ANN consists of more than one layer in between input and output layer which are called hidden layers. These hidden layers carry out computation by passing data from one layer to another. In this scheme, output from one layer becomes input for next layer and so on; finally output is obtained from output layer.(4) Convolutional Neural Network (CNN):- A convolutional neural network (CNN) is a subset of deep learning and belongs to the category of multilayer, feed-forward artificial neural networks. One of the most promising areas where this technology is rapidly growing, is security. It has been very helpful in monitoring suspicious banking transactions, as well as in video surveillance systems or CCTV.Figure 4: A typical CNN architecture [8]Besides input and output layers, CNN has many hidden layers in between which may be classified as-Convolutional Layer:- This layer performs the core operations of training and forms the basis of CNN. Each layer has a single set of weights for all neurons and each neuron is responsible for processing a small part of the input space. Thus, the convolutional layer is just an image  convolution  of the previous layer, where the weights specify the convolution filter [9].Pooling Layer:- This layer also known as downsampling layer, is placed after the convolutional layer. Pooling layer is responsible for reducing the spatial size (Width x Height) of the Input Volume which will be passed to the next convolutional Layer. Fully Connected Layer:- This layer connects each neuron on previous layer with all the neurons present on the next layer.(5) Facial detection/Recognition using CNN:- A human brain sees multiple images in a day and is able to distinguish each one accurately without realizing how the processing is done. But, there is a different case with machines because they have to recognize an image on the basis of learning. Facial detection is a method to identify a person or object based on their unique features and this process involves the detection and extraction of the face from the original image or video. After this, the face recognition takes place where different complex computer algorithms are used to recognize a face. Here, we will understand the entire process of face detection and recognition. A face detection system involves two phases:-(I) Enrollment Phase- Face Detection- In this phase, several pictures of the same person is captured to whom the system should recognize as â€Å"known† with different facial expressions and head positions. Feature Extraction- In this step, different feature measures are applied which can better describe a human face. There are different algorithms such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Haar Features, Local Binary Pattern (LBP) etc. available for the facial measurement. On the basis of these measurements, CNN is trained for learning in future. Storing in Database- All the extracted features are stored in a database so that they can be used further in identification process. Face DetectionPre-processingFeature ExtractionFace RecognitionImageVerification/Identification(II) Recognition Phase-Figure 5: Architecture of Face Recognition System [10]Face Detection- When an image is admitted for identification, It is checked that whether it matches with the captured and stored images from the database by using face detection algorithms. Pre-processing- Pre-processing is necessary to make an easier and smooth training phase. The collected face images or video frames need to be passed through Pre-processing phase to eliminate the noise, blur, shadows, lighting and other unwanted factors. The final smooth image obtained so, will be passed to the next feature extraction phase.Feature Extraction- After Pre-processing phase, feature extraction is carried out by the CNN which was trained during Enrollment phase. Recognition- This is the last step where a suitable classifier such as Nearest Neighbor, Bayesian classifier, Euclidean Distance classifier etc., can be chosen. This classifier compares the feature vector stored in the database with the query feature vector and finally the best matched face image comes as a recognition output. 6) Conclusion:Biometric verification/authentication is going to be deployed everywhere from government to private organizations in coming days. In this paper, we studied the relation among AI, ML, DL, ANN and CNN. We have also demonstrated the way CNN carries facial detection with improved accuracy. The field of AI has a wide spectrum and open for researchers. So, it aims to provide better result in biometric security in future.Referencesâ€Å"You can stymie the iPhone X Face ID – but it takes some work†, Anick Jesdanun, https://phys.org/news/2017-10-stymie-iphone-id-.htmlâ€Å"Entrepreneur India†, https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/280493#2â€Å"What is Machine Learning? A definition† Luca Scagliarini, Marco Varone, http://www.expertsystem.com/machine-learning-definition/.â€Å"Artificial Intelligence-Neural Networks†, https://www.tutorialspoint.com/artificial_intelligence/artificial_intelligence_neural_networks.htm.â€Å"Artificial neural network†, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_neural_network.â€Å"Artificial Intelligence-Neural Networks†, https://www.tutorialspoint.com/artificial_intelligence/artificial_intelligence_neural_networks.htm.â€Å"Artificial Intelligence-Neural Networks†, https://www.tutorialspo int.com/artificial_intelligence/artificial_intelligence_neural_networks.htm.â€Å"Convolutional neural network†, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convolutional_neural_network.â€Å"Convolutional Neural Networks†, http://andrew.gibiansky.com/blog/machine-learning/convolutional-neural-networks/.â€Å"Face Recognition Using Neural Network: A Review†, Manisha M. Kasar, Debnath Bhattacharyya and Tai-hoon Kim, International Journal of Security and Its Applications, Vol. 10, No. 3 (2016), pp.81-100.