The Role of History in our Contemporary Understanding of Economic and Political Globalization

Deion M. MaithGeorge Mason University September 29, 2018 History plays a fundamental role in developing a better understanding of economic and political globalization. The movement of people and resources has a long history but was amplified by the colonialism which laid the groundwork for international relations and the adoption of neoliberal policies. Globalization has established a link between countries and people across the globe. This has led to the opening up of economies which has led to an increased flow of goods, people, and services across borders. Neoliberalism on the other hand focuses on the need for the free market capitalism where the government interference is limited. On the other hand, Globalization helps in the adoption of the contemporary neoliberal given that it facilitates the flow of people, resources, knowledge, and technology. Therefore, the success of the neo-liberal policies hinges on the success of the globalization (Wallerstein, 2004). However, it is the historical events such as colonization that helped in shaping economic and political globalization. Globalization increases the connectivity to people across the globe therefore leading to sharing of information and distribution of wealth (Middell, & Naumann, 2010). This is important since it leads to global development and in making sure that the technology flows from one country to another thereby improving the global economy. Even though globalization has been vital to the global economy, it has led to a dilution of cultures across the globe and uneven distribution of wealth and therefore increased the gap between the rich and poor. Globalization helps in facilitating international transfers, investments as well as the trade which is beneficial to the countries involved. The flow of people help in the movement of labor, which helps in improving the living condition, thereby, reducing the rate of poverty. The flow of investment from the developing countries gives the opportunity to the poor which helps in improving their standards of living and amount of resources. Global connectivity is beneficial to individuals, businesses, and nations. As a result, global connectivity has positively contributed to the spread of knowledge and modern technology. In addition, global connectivity provides a platform where there is an exchange of ideas, skills, as well as resources which help in improving personal and national development. Businesses can benefit from global connectivity by establishing trade deals and facilitating the flow of goods and services (Gills, & Thompson, 2012). This has also played a key role in fostering national development as countries are able to receive resources from other countries to promote economic development. Sharing of knowledge through global connectivity has paved the way for the eradication of diseases and providing political and economic solutions in the long run. Furthermore, global connectivity has also created a leeway where people can share traditions, cultures, and access to a different set of opportunities across the globe. Global connectivity is also instrumental in Disaster warning and recovery which is beneficial to a county and individuals since it helps in saving lives. Even though global connectivity has positive outcomes, it may contribute to the spread of the risks in the long run if it is mismanaged. The spread of the financial crisis in 2008 was facilitated by the global connectivity which mainly affected different economies across the globe. Global connectivity may also lead to an increase in unequal distribution of wealth due to the dominance of the developed economies. With this in mind, the increased global connectivity has also led to the destruction of national resources and the dilution of culture across the globe. Industries in developing countries may negatively be affected due to the flow of cheaper goods and services from the developed economies. Countries that primarily benefit from global connectivity are mainly those with the ability to produce goods and services at a low cost. Furthermore, global connectivity leads to exploitation of natural resources in developing countries. Although globalization may affect countries differently depending on the flow of resources and investment, globalization has created a situation where the free flow of cheap goods to developing nations have destroyed jobs and industries to those economies which have resulted in an increase in the rate of unemployment (Steger, 2017). As a result, the inequality gap has increased as those with the resources have benefited more than others. However, the flow of knowledge, technology, and investment reduce the rate of poverty and inequality in developing countries. Therefore, the impact of globalization may be positive or negative depending on the flow of resources and the effect that such on the local economies. Dependency theory indicates that wealthy or more developed countries plow resources from developing countries which further negatively affects the poor economies (Smil, 2010). The developed countries have dominated the global economy due to the technological advancement, availability of natural resources, and the production of good and services at low prices. Developing countries, however, rely on the developed countries to improve their infrastructures which have increased the public debt and their reliance on the wealthy nations (Allensens, 2018). The link between neoliberalism and the globalization is that, globalization plays a crucial role in establishing the right environment where the free market environment can be established. In the past, globalization has played a vital role in the spread of capital, technology as well as the information across the border through economic globalization. This also played a vital role in the spread of the neoliberalism which increases the need for the governments to limit their interference in the market such as privatization of government companies and creating a free market environment. It is through neoliberalism that economic affairs and global markets are allowed to function on their own without governed interference. Even though this is the case, the spread of neoliberalism policies across the globe has been facilitated by globalization (McMichael, 2012). The Washington Consensus was structured to assist developing countries, in particular, those in crisis. This primarily concentrated more on the need to expand the market, facilitating movement of investment to those countries and also the need for the macroeconomic stabilization. On the other hand, contemporary global affairs are often structured in a way that they can generate positive results for the developing countries. Therefore, both the developing and the developed nations work towards making sure that those countries in crisis can develop. Countries such as Greece, have faced an economic crisis in the past and it is the bailout plans and the contemporary global affairs that has facilitated the recovery of such economies (Wallerstein, 2004). Furthermore, colonialism laid the foundation for globalization and the opening up of economies across the globe. Colonialism played a crucial role in promoting the interaction of economies where the raw materials from developing countries were diverted to developed nations. However, during this period the main highlight was the link provided between the colonial powers and the developing nations. Neoliberalism has played a vital role especially through the free flow of resources from one country to another. This was similar to what was practiced during the colonial period as the resources moved from developing countries to developed nations. Therefore, both colonialism and neoliberalism lead to a flow of resources from one country to another with minimum government interference. Through this, both countries benefit as they acquire the scarce resources and at the same time export the resources that are abundant to other countries similar practices that were practiced during the colonialism. It was the colonialism that laid the foundation for the globalization and global connectivity similar concept held by the neoliberalism (Introduction to Sociology, 2018). In conclusion, understanding the historical development of globalization and events such as colonization, one may be able to develop a better understanding of economic and political globalization. Furthermore, globalization has facilitated in opening up of economies which lead to a flow of goods and services. As a result, globalization has played a vital role in boosting of economies given that economies can distribute the goods and services across the border. On the other hand, colonialism by the European countries played a vital role in the spread of ideologies and linking the economies across the globe. The colonialism was facilitated by the European expansion motivated by the need to search for raw materials for their economies and had a positive and negative impact on different countries. ReferencesAllensens. (2018).  Dependency Theory  [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN6LlMY2ApQ&feature=youtu.beGills, B. K., & Thompson, W. (2012).  Globalization and global history. Routledge.Introduction to Sociology. (2016).  Globalization and Neoliberalism  [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwGgLfu5aGs&feature=youtu.beMcMichael, P. (2012).  Development and social change: A global perspective. Los Angeles: SAGE.Middell, M., & Naumann, K. (2010). Global history and the spatial turn: from the impact of area studies to the study of critical junctures of globalization.  Journal of Global History,  5(1), 149-170. Smil, V. (2010).  Prime movers of globalization: The history and impact of diesel engines and gas turbines. MIT press.Steger, M. B. (2017).  Globalization: A very short introduction (Vol. 86). Oxford University Press.Wallerstein, I. M. (2004).  World-systems analysis: An introduction. Durham: Duke University Pre ss.

Kitchen Tools and Equipments

In the Preparation of Food Before Cooking A. Measuring and Weighing utensils 1. Measuring cups a. Dry Ingredients – Utensils for measuring various amounts of dry or sticky ingredients accurately. They must be filled to the top and leveled off. B. Liquid Ingredients – utensil to accurately measure lulls volume of Ingredients. Often In both metric and American units. 2. Measuring quart – 3. Measuring spoon – utensils for measuring small amounts of both dry and liquid ingredients accurately. 4. Dietetic scales 5.Thermometers – Useful device for determining cooking done-news, especially in meats. Can be metal and inserted and read while cooking or an instant-read type. Categories Include: candy, meat, oven and refrigerator for food storage. 6. Timers B. Cutlery and Aids in Chopping, Paring, Slicing, Pounding, etc. 1. Can opener device used to cut open metal cans using 2 blades and a rotating handle device. 2. Cleaver 3. Chopper – 4. Corer  œ 5. Cutting board – Protective tool for cutting. This way counter tops are not marred. It can be sanitized and stored In a dry place. 6. Food mill – .Grater and shredder – A cutting tool used to shred or grate foods like potatoes, cabbage, cheese or if the surface is fine, to zest lemons or ginger 8. Grinder – 9. Ice pick- 10. Juicer – Device for easy extraction of Juice from citrus and other fruits and vegetables. 11 . Kitchen knife – All purpose large knife used to slice, mince, chop, cube and dice. 12. Kitchen sharpener – Device to ensure that all blades are sharp for easy cutting and few accidents due to dull knives. 13. Kitchen shears – Tool used to cut foods and materials used in the kitchen. 14. Meat saw – 15.Meat tenderfeet – Hammer-like device used to pound thick portions of meat till they are thinner and more tender. 16. Mortar and pestle – 17. Paring knife – All purpose small knife used a s an extension of the hand for small cuts, garnishes, paring or coring. 18. Peeler – Tool to remove the outer layer of fruits and vegetables. 19. Salad maker – 20. Utility plates, bowls, and trays (tins or enamel) C. Tools for Mixing, Blending, Straining, and Rolling 1 . Blender – Electric piece of cooking equipment used for fine chopping, grinding and liquefying ingredients. 2. Basting spoon – 3.Colander – A bowl with holes to allow liquids to pass through. Used for separating beater – Tool used to speedily mix or whip ingredients. The fore-runner of the electric mixer. 5. Sifter – Small device used to move dry ingredients across a screen area to remove any lumps and mix and aerate them. 6. Ice cream maker – 7. Kitchen tool set – 8. Mixer, electric – Electric device that can vary the speed at which ingredients are mixed. Some models have specialized attachments for other tasks such as making pasta, grinding meat and freezing ice creams. 9. Mixing bowls (a set of 1, 2, 3, 4 sets) –These basic kitchen utensils have varying sizes and can be in metal, plastic or glass/ ceramic. Used for mixing ingredients. 10. Pastry wire blender – Hand held utensil used to â€Å"cut† firm shortening or butter into small pieces while mixing with flour mixtures which is the first step in making most pastry. 11. Rolling pin – Tool used to flatten dough for rolls, pizza, cookies or crusts. 12. Rubber scraper or rubber spatula – Used for mixing, folding soft ingredients and to remove ingredients from a bowl or plate. 13. Slotted spoon – Used to stir foods that are in liquids and to separate the lid foods from the liquids when serving. 14.Tea strainer – 15. Turner – Used to flip flapjacks or burgers or serve bars and cake. 16. Utility plates – II. Equipment for Surface of Top-of-Stove Cooking and for Baking A. Surface or top-of-stove cooking 1 . Bread to aster – 2. Casseroles with lid – Glass or ceramic baking container, often with a matching lid. 3. Coffee maker – 4. Covered skillet or chicken fryer – 5. Double broiler – Pan used to gently cook foods in an upper pan while it sits above another pan of hot to boiling water. 6. Dutch oven – 7. Egg poacher – 8. Frying pan – 9. Griddles – 10. Kitchen tongs – Utensil used to lift and hold foods while they are being cooked or served. 1. Pressure cooker – 12. Racks-assorted to fit saucepans – 13. Roaster pans with rack – 14. Saucepans – 15. Saucepans – 16. Steamer – 17. Turner – 18. Tea kettle – Vessel used to hold hot water for making and pouring tea. Can be of metals, ceramic or glass. 19. Waffle iron – B. Baking Utensils 1 . Baking pans – Baking pan traditionally used for breaking, but also useful for meatloaf, loaf cakes and banana bread. Can be me tal, glass or ceramic. 2. Cake 3. Cookie sheets – Thin, flat metal pan with no or only shallow sides used to bake a rarity of foods. 4.Custard cups – Small glass bowl handy in the kitchen for breaking an egg, holding small amounts of ingredients or for small mixing Jobs. 5. Casseroles 6. Jelly roll pans – Larger, flat baking pan with shallow sides used for making sheet cakes, bars and Jelly roll cakes. 7. Muffin or cupcake pans – Pan that is divided into many smaller sized compartments to hold foods so that they bake evenly and quickly; Often lined with paper liners. 8. Pie plate – Metal or glass or ceramic pan shaped slightly larger at the top than the bottom for easier removal off fruit filled pastry. 9. Roasting pans with racks – 10. Ring molds –

Greek Parthenon, the Roman Pantheon, and Chartres Cathedral Essay

Greek Parthenon, the Roman Pantheon, and Chartres Cathedral - Essay Example The opening of the report consists of the background information about the Pantheon that is designated to all of the roman gods which is a remarkable depiction of roman architecture. It is located in the 14 regions of Augustan in the contemporary Rome. The Parthenon, on the other hand, was primarily designated to the Greek goddess Athena who is also considered as the goddess of wisdom. This temple is located in Athens which is the capital of Greece and its name is extracted from the Greek goddess Athena and the famous Greek Doric. The French Chartres Cathedral is medieval architecture designated to the Catholics. The location of this cathedral is in Chartres which is the capital of Eure-et-Loir department of France. The characteristics of Pantheon is contained with ancient Roman ideals and religious aspects in which the great dome was utilized as the presidency for official decisions for the Roman empire. The architectural invention of concrete assisted the Romans to build this histo rical dome. Whereas, Parthenon was considered was a holy temple due to its association with the deity, i.e. Athena, by the ancient Greeks. Greeks invented the possibility of stone arches by which the practical existence of Parthenon came to existence. Chartres Cathedral describes its significance of being a holy place by its name. The innovation of flying buttresses played an essential role in the successful deliverance of this gothic architectural design.

Gasoline consumption vs. SUV's popularity Research Paper

Gasoline consumption vs. SUV's popularity - Research Paper Example The numerous pros associated with SUVs however are accompanied by certain cons chief of which is their high fuel consumption and related high pollution levels. This paper will discuss the popularity of SUVs vis-a vis their fuel consumption. In some countries including the United States, the Sports Utility Vehicle is considered a light truck and therefore is subject to less strict regulation compared to passenger vehicles. In the US, the Clean Air Act that governs environmental pollution as well as the Energy Policy and Conservation Act that governs fuel economy have soft landings on SUVs (Yacobucci, 2003). The popularity of SUV vehicles started rising in the 90s and early 2000s with vehicle manufactures making a move to avoid what they considered over-regulation. . The vehicles which are commonly known as 4-wheel drive vehicles, 4x4s, 4WDs include vehicles such as the Land Rover, Jeep, Range Rover, Land Cruiser and the Chevrolet Blazer (Keith, 2002). The ports Utility Vehicle has gained a lot of popularity over the years especially in Australia, Canada and the United States of America. This trend has taken root in other parts of the world, Africa and Asia not being left behind. In some places where there is limited road coverage, the vehicles are preferred to conventional vehicles. For the last two and half decades, SUVs have become a common phenomenon in roads across the world, they being associated with luxury, class, and ambience. The vehicles have larger cabins compared to conventional cars and can be used to haul loads such as caravans, boats and trailers. A lot of the SUVs’ popularity has been credited to their funky images; the reason women also prefer them to other vehicles in the United States. The vehicles are also associated with strength, security, high storage capacity, all terrain handling, high range, and many other qualities that are associated with good performance. In spite of their

Taking a business idea of your own. Conduct an Osterwalder style Essay

Taking a business idea of your own. Conduct an Osterwalder style business model analysis of that idea. Generate a preferred busi - Essay Example Business plans discuss every aspect from marketing to investment, from target market to production/ services, from human resource to workforce that would be required to be employed by the organization. It is not only the small businesses or medium sized organizations that would require the business plans in order to minimize the risk for them. Larger organizations even multinational organizations are seen often designing and working on marketing or business plans before starting every new project or business. The most important role that the business plans play for the MNEs is that in this era of globalization they are always focusing on expansion and growth into new markets with potential. Thus before entering the market, starting operations and making any kind of investment a business plan is designed that would give complete required details that would be necessary for making the decisions. Business plans often make it much easier for the organization’s management to make d ecisions that are optimum and rational as they are making decision on the basis of researched material that is authentic and allows them to evaluate the idea completely however unforeseen circumstances are an exception. In today’s corporate world competition has increased many folds continuous development and innovation have become requirement in order to sustain in the market. Therefore it is not the liquid assets of the company, Non-current assets, finance or capital available that would ensure the competitive advantage of the business or the organization. it is the intellectual capital that would gain the success in the market thus business plans or market plans even if not eventually used for making their desired decision present an asset and research material that would serve for the purpose of the organization and its management anytime. Different business models have been presented that can be used for designing the business plans. For our current business plan for whi ch the business idea of â€Å"Food Cart Services† have been chosen (Sommer, 2012).  . In order to evaluate the idea through a business plan Osterwalder style business model analysis would be used that presents an in depth information (Osterwalder et al2010). It provides a structure for proper documentation and texting of the business ideas whether for the development of new or documentation of existing. The business idea that has been chosen is vast thus osterwalder business model doesn’t allow the information to lose focus thus there is not any unnecessary explanation or information presented in the model (Verstraete & Jouison-Laffitte, 2011). Business model provides a proper structure thus serves a purpose of strategic management for the business or organization. Below the report presents complete business plan of the â€Å"Food Cart Services† following the structure given under Osterwalder Business model: Infrastructure The initial decision of any business operation is regarding its infrastructure. It implies that what would be the resources required, personnel required, public relations or the contacts would be necessary for running the operations for example existing suppliers in the market, raw material and other production equipment providers. Besides this business relations infrastructure also determines the capabilities and set of skills that would be necessary

How Advertisement Manipulates Customers Choices and Spending Habits Essay - 11

How Advertisement Manipulates Customers Choices and Spending Habits - Essay Example We know advertisement is an investment only when it is not a false advertisement. It should not manipulate the customer’s desires and spending. Advertisement can actually modify the spending habits and customer choices by convincing its audience in a manner that may be ethically unacceptable. These days companies tend to use manipulative advertisements. Some ads are very informative; e.g TV ads about the yellow pages, information about supermarkets etc. These ads may be a little bit manipulative but customers end up purchasing a good because of the information provided by these ads (Phillips 14). For example, there are some ads like Mountain Dew (beverage), which portray the ability of humans to act in ways that are beyond ordinary. Now this is just a false manipulation that can literally affect the perception of viewers. But some authors argue that manipulative advertisement is the second name of persuasive advertisement which is a big source of forcing the customers to purchase the product. In other words here the marketer is hitting/targeting the customers emotionally. Once you persuade a person emotionally, selling the product becomes easy. In manipulative advertising the marketers are doing the same. Seeing this idea, manipulative advertisement becomes objectionable . It cannot be termed as the ethical one because it is persuading the customers in unacceptable manner. Some manipulative advertisements can be in the form of celebrity marketing especially female model. This makes the product so special to the customers, when they think of it they say this celebrity uses it, I must use this (Dachis n.p.). Here again the customers are being hit emotionally by getting the celebrity in to the product. This motivates the general public especially the youth to a great extent. In this case they are inventing the feelings which you as a customer never had before. They make you feel like that hero/model who uses that product.  The purpose of all this is to make the consumer feel like being the person that is being used as a character in the advertisement.  

Chinese Intellectual History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Chinese Intellectual History - Essay Example The thinkers had developed their thoughts by using their individual philosophy. They suggested their own ideas about the military, political as well as economic policies to make a single ideal monarchy. They inferred that a strong centralized ruling system can only solve the prevailing problem in the country. This will end the continuous war among the six independent states. Because this long-lasting turmoil hampers the everyday life of common people, hinders the production and growth of the states and brings poverty in the economy. The war is happening only because of the desire to achieve power over the others by all of the states. But all of the thinkers, in their thoughts, mentioned that this single monarchist should be ideal ruler who should possess some moral qualities. This would be a â€Å"sage monarch†. They suggested that the ruler should behave in a different way in person and adjust in different ways to the outer world. The monarch should try to implement several p olicies that can bring peace and unity in the â€Å"All under Heaven† (Pines 2). ... The Confucians said that the ideal monarch should follow the early Western Zhou kings. They prioritize the implementation of ritual performances. The Mohists criticized the prevailing warfare. They suggested quick reduction in the government expenditure and a hierarchical political structure should be made. The ranks would be given in accordance to the wealth of a person in the society. Every bureaucrat should obey the person above his rank. They also imposed the idea of moral value with universal love. In such love, all people should treat others in the same fashion irrespective of the relationship between them. The Daoists recommended that the ideal ruler should practice psychosomatic training by meditation. The ruler would not be engaged in the active ruling of the government and would let to take place things and events in natural way. This way, everything in the universe would be arranged in their own way (Ivanhoe and Norden 1-312). The above schools of thought argued that singl e monarchy is essential for peace in Heaven. Another school of thought is the legalists who suggested that one single state must be created. This creation can be done by implementing one strong armed force and by developing policies to strengthen the military forces, legal activities and economic resources of one single state. This state, by using its strengths and resources, therefore, could achieve the power over the other states. This article will examine the idea what Yuri Pines highlighted in his book that how the thinkers analysed their conception of getting peace in a time of change in political system. The article would not discuss about all of them but about the idea of only one

Did the Progressive reform substantially restrain the power of Essay

Did the Progressive reform substantially restrain the power of American capitalism - Essay Example The writer’s argument can be further improved by noting that the progressive movement was not rooting for the end to capitalism, but to address the issues in the system. The best quote to add in the draft would be, ‘progressive reformers attacked the economic and political system for allowing the flourishing of abuses in the capitalist system.’ This quote captures the essence of the progressive reformers, and adds weight to the author’s arguments and enables the reader to identify that the steps taken by the reformers were in the right direction. As a conclusion, the progressive reformers were not looking to do away with capitalism but to change the non-progressive aspects of American capitalismThe writer of this draft encapsulates the essence of the progressive reformers and the impact they had on American capitalism. The draft opens up with an introduction to the events preceding the rise of the progressive reformers. According to the draft, Americans wer e wary that there would be disruptive conflicts that would arise between forces of industrial capitalism and the militant workers they controlled. Though the reformers came to change and deal with the issues associated with capitalism, they did not entirely succeed in derailing the conflicts between capitalists and the working class. The rough draft writer could improve his/her work by noting this point as it shows that though the reformers achieved some form of success it came at a cost. Violence and conflicts between the working class.

Article reviews Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Article reviews - Assignment Example The author admits that technology has managed to generate a long chain of social networks but regrets that the manner of communication in those links has not been as effective as in the past. Lately, people communicate via email and phones even to the closest ones who they should interact with face to face such as family and close friends. An instance is a case where a child writes a requisition note and sends it to the parent’s email. It indicates the detachment that has evidently been brought by new communication mediums. Families have broken away from the traditional systems and cultures where they could gather around a table for dinner as they discussed issues affecting them. Nowadays, an individual just needs to go behind a computer and share their problems online. The author is, therefore, appealing to the community to abandon the ineffective technology-aided communication and reincorporate the traditional methods that enhanced attachment. To solve this, it is in order for some of the traditional cultural ways of interaction to be revisited and reintegrated back into the modern life. The community should move from digital interactions to real face-to-face co mmunications. The author, in this article, explores some of the negative effects information communication technology (ICT) has brought to learning. This article addresses this issue by giving a practical instance in which classroom sessions have been interrupted profoundly by the many electronic gadgets that students use to surf the internet with. Freedman, appreciates the fact that technology is a real advancement that has improved lives. However, the trend of excessive internet obsession has brought more harm than benefits in classroom learning. A case is highlighted of a war that raged on between the teacher and a student in which the lecturer had to smash the leaner’s phone to show how much serious he intolerant he was with the issue. The author

Employment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Employment Law - Essay Example Based on the reported facts, at the onset before Tanya was actually hired by your company, she already concealed a material information prior to her employment, which was her medical condition as she suffered from Trigeminal Neuralgia. Her present medical condition constrained her to report to daily to work if she is suffering an attack. Clearly, your company is already experiencing losses due to her absences. The constant conflict between Brian and Tanya must be resolved by the employer. Brian’s act of falsely accusing Tanya as â€Å"useless† and not being capable of carrying out her job already constitutes as a form of harassment (Isle of Wight Tourist Board v Coombes [1976] IRLR 413). As the boss of both Brian and Tanya, you are expected to resolve the friction between the two employees and to stop any form of harassment and to make sure to avoid it from happening again in the future. On the issue of incompetency of Tanya, it was recently discovered that she committe d major blunders in the company while she was still an employee because the banking records are inaccurate and what’s worse is that she even misappropriated a sum of money since the petty cash fund is short by a ?100, which was under her custody while she was still an employee. This is a gross misconduct on her part and considered as stealing money from the company. I. ANALYSIS Under the law, a constructive dismissal case will only prosper if it satisfies the requirements provided under the law. The Employee Rights Act of 1996 of Section 95(c) provides that the employee terminates the contract under which he is employed with or without notice in circumstances in which he is entitled to terminate it without notice by reason of the employer’s conduct (Employee Rights Act: 1996). In these circumstances, the employer’s behaviour constitutes a repudiation of the contract and the employee accepts the repudiation by resigning (Lewis 2009, p.210). In the case at bar, Ta nya informed the employer that she is no longer reporting to work because of the verbal conduct of Brian against her. Here, it is not the employer’s conduct or behaviour which forced Tanya to resign, but was caused by Brian’s verbal abuse on her. In all fairness to you as the employer, you made reasonable efforts to prevent the harassment from happening again by telling Brian to stop the verbal abuse on Tanya. However, Brian was still not able to resist throwing invectives against Tanya in the workplace. The day after her last fight with Brian, she immediately filed the case without going through mediation. On the other hand, under the Protection from Harassment Act of 1997, a person must not pursue a conduct (a) which amounts to harassment of another and; (b) which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of another (Protection from Harassment Act: 1997). Clearly, Brian is guilty of verbally abusing Tanya every time he accuses her of incompetence in from of peo ple in the office (Cortaulds v Andrew [1979] IRLR 85 ). Thus, this instance will fall as harassment on the part of Brian. As a general rule, the employer is liable for the acts of its employees under the principle of vicarious liability. However, the employer can avoid liability for discriminatory harassment if they can prove that they took such steps that were reasonably practical to prevent harassment from occurring. Furthermore, individual employees may also be liable, for

Dubliners Themes and Motifs Essay Example for Free

Dubliners Themes and Motifs Essay In what concerns Joyce’s style of writing we can observe that he balances the objectivity – the attitude of â€Å"scrupulous meanness â€Å" and sympathetic understanding of characters with the help of the stream of consciousness and epiphanies Scrupulous meanness ‘Scrupulousness’ is a crucial element both in Joyce’s use of language, and in the structure and form of the stories. ‘Scrupulous meanness’ refers to a most complex and heavily allusive style that determines the reading of Dubliners. From the minimum of words Joyce succeeds to extract the maximum effect. Joyce puts this style forward as a means to express his moral intent The Sisters * â€Å"sensation of freedom as if [he] had been freed from something by the priest’s death â€Å" * â€Å"desired to confess something. I felt my soul receding into something pleasant and vicious region [†¦] I too was smiling feebly as if to absolve the simoniac of his sins† * â€Å"†¦I wouldn’t say he was exactly†¦but there was something uncanny about him. I’ll tell you my opinion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (incomplete sentences of aunt) * â€Å"one of those †¦peculiar cases† * â€Å"scrupulosity in the Catholic Church is a very real, potentially paralyzing, mental disease†(Bremen) Stream of consciousness Depicts the multitudinous thoughts and feelings which pass through the mind. Eveline * â€Å"She had consented to go away, to leave her home. Was that wise? She tried to weigh each side of the question. In her home anyway she had shelter and food; she had those whom she had known all her life about her. Of course she had to work hard, both in the house and at business. What would they say of her in the Stores when they found out that she had run away with a fellow? Say she was a fool, perhaps; and her place would be filled up by advertisement. Miss Gavan would be glad. She had always had an edge on her,especially whenever there were people listening.† Araby * â€Å"What innumerable follies laid waste my waking and sleeping thoughts after that evening! I wished to annihilate the tedious intervening days. I chafed against the work of school. At night in my bedroom and by day in the classroom her image came between me and the page I strove to read. The syllables of the word Araby were called to me through the silence in which my soul luxuriated and cast an Eastern enchantment over me. I asked for leave to go to the bazaar on Saturday night. My aunt was surprised, and hoped it was not some Freemason affair. I answered few questions in class. I watched my masters face pass from amiability to sternness; he hoped I was not beginning to idle. I could not call my wandering thoughts together. I had hardly any patience with the serious work of life which, now that it stood between me and my desire, seemed to me childs play, ugly monotonous childs play.† Epiphany an experience of sudden and striking realization. Eveline * â€Å"Derevaun Seraun! Derevaun Seraun! â€Å"She stood up in a sudden impulse of terror. Escape! She must escape! Frank would save her. He would give her life, perhaps love, too. But she wanted to live. Why should she be unhappy? She had a right to happiness.Frank would take her in his arms, fold her in his arms. He would save her† A painful case * â€Å"As he sat there, living over his life with her and evoking alternately the two images in which he now conceived her, he realized that she was dead, that she had ceased to exist, that she had become a memory. He began to feel ill at ease. He asked himself what else could he have done. He could not have carried on a comedy of deception with her; he could not have lived with her openly. He had done what seemed to him best. How was he to blame? Now that she was gone he understood how lonely her life must have been, sitting night after night, alone in that room. His life would be lonely too until he, too, died, ceased to exist, became a memory − if anyone remembered him.† The dead * His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead. Themes General/ Contextual themes themes surrounding the entire narrative discourse giving it homogeneity .They deal with Dublin biggest issues that have a great influence in every character behaviour.In relation with each individual story they can be central themes or hidden after a detail ,an action ,an answer or a thought. * Poverty * Paralysis * Irish politics and religion issues Central/Characteristic themes * Mortality * Escape * Isolation * Powerlessness * Alcoholism

The Impact Of Smart Phones On Society English Language Essay

The Impact Of Smart Phones On Society English Language Essay Today people of the world have a new addiction. This new addiction is known as the smartphone. The smartphones of today have so many features that the owners of them can hardly seem to put them down just for a second. These smartphones not only offer some of the same features that a personal computer would, but they also provide a very high level of entertainment. Even with all the capabilities that smartphones offer they still require and great level of understanding and responsibility. The purpose of this paper is to help others understand the direction of smartphone technology, the ways smartphone technology changes society, understand the impact of change and manner in which we live our lives, and how smartphones could potentially create hazardous situations. The impact of smart phone on society People tend to have a busy life in these days due to job, school and personal issues. Therefore, they prefer to have a mobile device which satisfies their needs to stay in touch and be reachable at anytime. Smart phone is one of those mobile devices which allow its users to be able to communicate and exchange information such as text, document, picture, and video through internet or mobile networks. Smart phones have brought a whole new meaning to the term multitasking. Before, it was impossible to keep connected with co-workers in your office while you were at the grocery store picking up some necessary items. You could never have had a three-way business conference while you were preparing dinner or been able to deal with a business client from home while caring for a sick child. Smart phones have enabled us to do various tasks at the same time. Because of its portable, people seems to be more comfortable using smart phone as a primary communication device than desktop or home phon e. Furthermore, it is an efficient and discreet way to communicate with friends and family members. However, not only these smart phones have positive impacts on our society, but it also carries negative impacts as well; and mobile phone radiation is one of its examples. In assessing the positive impact of smart phones on our society, there are two major areas which have vastly affected by smart phones, and they are business and socialization. Over the past couple years, the number who use smart phones has been increased rapidly. According to one research companys longitudinal surveys, about 42 percent of Americans owned smart phones in December 2009 (mobilehealthnews, 2010). And it will continue to grow in the next decade as Cody Barbierri has mentioned in his article smart phones are one of the hottest growth sectors in our economy right now. Usage continues to grow, even after significant growth over the past two years (Cody Barbierri, 2010). With huge powerful applications, smart phones allow its users to stay in touch with their work and extend their social connection in many ways. Many of the smart phones applications available today will not impact a majority of peoples lives; but it does impact groups of people who take advantage of it, inclu ded businessmen. Because of the requirement of the economy, many businessmen prefer to have a smart phone which allows them to keep connect with their business clients, checking e-mail, texting or browsing web while they are on the road. In reality, because of its portable, smart phones lets more people contact their office under many circumstances. It has enabled users to keep connect to anyone at anytime from almost anywhere. Based on the survey by Harris Interactive website: 60 percent of workers contact the office with a smart phone or mobile device while on vacation (Dennis McCafferty, 2010). In addition, 62 percent of workers use these devices to attend to business matters during a meal (Dennis McCafferty, 2010). On the other hand, workers are more comfortable to communicate and access to the internet by using smart phones than any primary computing device while they are not in the office. As a slogan for all smart phones users your life is in your pocket, more people are attracted to these devices which own a lot of useful features. Further than that, the latest generation of smart phones have provided more great social applications and powerful entertaining function to anyone who love social network. In fact, today more people like to be able to connect to their friends through social networks. These social networks are a new trend in online communication. Therefore, Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter apps have became a standard requirement for people who would like to own a smart phone and teenager are among those people. According to the Harris Interactive study, second to clothing, teens say a smart phone tells the most about a persons social status or popularity, outranking jewelry, watches and shoes (Wirelessandmobilenews, 2010). Based on the study above, smart phones are becoming a social necessity which teens cannot be without. On the other hand, a majority group of teens views their smart phone as the key to their social life. From texting to talking, and logging on to social networking sites, teens carry smart phones to have access to friends, family and current events. That is the reason why broadband connections, web browsers, e-book readers, office apps, maps of the world, motion sensors, HD video cameras, GPS are the most great features which all smart phones bring it to users. Imagine the time before the appearance of the smart phone; it was impossible to shop online during lunch time without a PC or laptop. However, with the support of smart phones, shopping online in these days is as easy as making a phone call. In addition, real-time video calls empower people to not only talk to each other while on the move, but also see what each other means through their facial expressions. Therefore, smart phone is an important device which people cannot leave home without it. In my opinion, smart phone with useful applications will replace the PC as primary connected-computing device in next decade. There is no little doubt that smart phones have definitely made our lives much more convenient in many ways. However, smart phones have also changed the way that people interact with each other. Smart phones allow its users to be in a conversation without showing their personal expressions. Unlike a face-to-face conversation where one requires direct eye contact, smart phones enables user to say things through instant messaging that you wouldnt dare say in face-to-face contact or even on the telephone where you can hear each others voice (Harmon, 2003). That is the reason why people use smart phones for discussion, which they prefer not to have in person. As a result, we are beginning to lose the face-to-face contact that was such an important part of our lives in the past. The contact with real-time voice call is being replaced by multimedia messages application of smart phones. Not only change the way that people contact each other, but smart phones also emit radiation which some b elieve may be harmful to human health. The emission of radiation from mobile phone may cause serious damages to human in long-term since it uses electromagnetic radiation in the microwave range. That is the reason why mobile phone are often prohibited in hospitals and on airplanes, as the radiofrequency signals may interfere with medical devices and navigation systems. In addition, sexual soliciting through mobile device is also a negative impact which smart phones have brought it to users. This issue is increasing at a rapid rate and becoming one of the biggest fear to children and their parents. According to US researchers, children sexual solicitations were reported via social networking sites is 27 per cent in 2008 (Ybarra Mitcell, 2008). Although most of these incidents took place among teenage girls, many of them took place among under aged boys who are a target of homosexuals as well. The problem in this issue is online criminals who use smart phones to exchange their sexual material. The rise in this crime is often attributed to one main cause. That is many children, generally in their teenage years, may be very curious or interested in sexual materials or information. Therefore, they often use social networks to find answers to those questions which they may be too embarrassed to discuss with their parents or other family members. That is the reason why many online criminals have targeted young people in this group of age. They are aware of these needs and desires, so they use their knowledge to lure teens into a sexual conversation. According to researchers in Sean Alfano article, they did find that in more than a quarter of the solicitations, youths were asked to submit sexual photographs of themselves, some of which may be a crime under federal child-pornography laws (2006). As a result, it would be no surprise that smart phones is a useful device for online criminal to be able to drag teenagers into a sexual conversation, or to exchange sexual video. Therefore, the concern of parent to their childrens activity should be a necessity. It is very important to tell teenagers about the negative aspect of sexual conversation with strangers through mobile phones. As a useful mobile device for modern society, smart phone is the most productive technology that I have ever seen. Not only provides a lot of powerful features, but smart phone is also an important mobile device which a group of people cannot leave home without it. However, smart phones also have some negative impacts as well. Therefore, people should consider before own it. To understand the direction of Smartphone technology From a wireless companys point of view, they have to understand many things about smartphones in order to be considered as an elite or successful retailer. They must have a clear understanding of the direction in which smartphones are heading. This includes things such as: the progression of smartphones, competition, and adaptability. We live in a world today that relies on data communications. Smartphones can assists users in many different ways when it comes to data needs. Since the Smartphone has come into existence, it has constantly evolved into an improving piece of technology. This is something that will always occur in regards to smartphones, because companies have to either keep up or get left behind. When designing a Smartphone, there are several things that a company should keep in mind. Things such as consumer needs and costs. Sometimes, depending on what features the phone offers, cost is not a factor. If buyers want something bad enough, they will definitely pay the pri ce to obtain it. The consumer needs must cater to different groups also. For example a business may require that different needs be met than that of everyday home users that just desire a Smartphone for personal entertainment. During this portion of the paper we will look at the three things mentioned above which again are: the progression of smartphones, competition, and adaptability. Since the creation of the Smartphone, there has been nothing but a steady progression with its features and capabilities. The first Smartphone was the Simon created in 1992 by IBM (Camera Phones Plaza in Smartphone, 2009). This phone was unveiled in Las Vegas during the COMDEX show. The Simon had features such as: a world clock, email, calculator, and calendar. This phone also introduced the concept of the onscreen keyboard. The onscreen keyboard took some getting use to at first, because people were not yet comfortable with the size of the virtual onscreen keys. Just by looking at those features you can see that they are some of the same features offered by computers. Many people view the smartphones of today as mini computers. However the Smartphone has some advantages over computers, because you get the features offered by your computer plus mobile phone capabilities. Not to mention just the convenience of being able to do certain things on the go without having to stop and sign o n to a computer each and every time you want to send an email or edit your personal calendar. Now that smartphones are higher in demand than they once were; Creators of these devices are starting to implement things such as: expanded memory, larger screens, and faster processors. Smartphones have also progressed as far as their physical appearance. Phones such as the iphone and windows mobile now have a sleeker thin type look. These phones now also provide HD quality video which makes them very appealing for watching movies, sports, and other types of streaming media. Competition is what drives companies that are in the Smartphone market. These companies understand that in order to survive, they must keep up with their foes. Its not uncommon for companies to take notes from or mimic their opponents designs in some form or fashion. As of right now with 20.5 million Android units sold in the 3rd quarter of 2010, the Android OS has jumped ahead of the iphone into 2nd place with a 25.5 percent share of the Smartphone market (Lilly, 2010). The thing that has become a common trend in todays world of Smartphone competition, is partnering. For example you have Apple and ATT who paired up to bring people the iphone and then you have Google who has paired up with numerous wireless providers such as T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint to bring consumers the Android. The way it works is that one carrier provides the back bone data network and the other provides the Smartphone itself. The Android operating system comes installed primarily on Motorola devices. Now, w hat really elevates the competition to another level when it comes to these smartphones are the applications they provide. The Android Market currently offers around 100,000 applications and over two-billion downloads to date (Lilly, 2010). These applications include many different things from games, videos, and music. There was a time when smartphones were primarily used to meet business needs but today people also use them for entertainment purposes as well. As we move forward into the future we can only expect to see these devices become more and more creative. Adaptability goes back to what has been stated throughout the text in this paper. In order for companies to survive they must adapt to new technologies, or they will get left behind. Adaptability goes along with customer demands. This, most of the time has to do with trends also, such as whats hot and whats not in the world of smartphones. According to channelnews.com the black berry Smartphone will still be at the top of the charts heading into the year 2015 (Jones, 2010). If other Smartphone competitors would like to keep this from happening then their best bet is to keep adapting to future trends in technology. When choosing a Smartphone now, consumers really base their choices on the operating system thats running on the phone. Different Smartphone operating systems provide different types of security, applications and device management capabilities. Those three things can be viewed as the key determinants of success for each operating system, but not necessarily in that order. T he battle for Smartphone supremacy is now being compared to the battle for the desktop that occurred in the 1980s. Rod Hall who is a vice president at JP Morgan once said One of the things people talk a lot about is the horizontal example of the PC in the 1980s. This battle was won based on a market that became very horizontally focused (Handy, 2010). Some people actually believe that the success of a Smartphone actually has nothing to do with the operating system on the phone but actually the network thats providing the services for the phone. Then you have some people that believe the choice is based on a combination of both the Operating System and the providers network. 3G has been a very big selling point by ATT / Apple for the iphone and by Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint for the Android devices. Supposedly now Sprint is one of the first telecommunication providers to offer 4G speeds on their mobile and data network. In order for these other companies to keep up at some point we should expect them to start offering 4G speeds as well. Here recently, Verizon has been launching a 4G campaign with through a TV commercial. Just some brief information for people that dont understand what 3G and 4G speeds provide, these speeds offer extremely fast data transfer and video streaming capabilities. The iphone 4 comes with an application for Netflix and the Android comes with an application for Blockbuster. These two companies understood that they had to adapt to the service that the other company was offering or possibly lose customers. Reports show that right now the iphone platform currently has ten times the number of applications that are being offered by the Android platform, so this is something that Im sure Android developers are aware of and constantly working on (Handy, 2010). Android is still fairly new so it may take some time for them to catch up with the number of applications being offered by Apple. As of November 11, 2010 Smartphone sells are up 96% bu t they still trail feature phones in number (Gahran, 2010). This does not mean that feature phone users dont prefer smartphones; a lot of it can be contributed to the prices of smartphones. Not just that but also consumers may not be willing to break their contract with their current provider to switch to a new one just for the sake of owning a certain smartphone. Of the 417 million new phones that were sold in the 3rd quarter of 2010, 81 million were smartphones (Gahran, 2010). This is where we saw the 96% increase from the 3rd quarter of 2009. Since we saw such a large increase in the amount of smartphone users in such a short time, we can only assume that more and more people will make the switch and ultimately join the smartphone society. Smartphones and Hazardous situations Smart Phone/mobile device technology while it is a revolutionary breakthrough in communications it also carries hazards that affect our physical bodies, creates health hazards, safety hazards and environmental hazards throughout its use. The most common of the hazards created by use of the mobile device is over use of the thumb. This generates pain and numbness which ultimately can impede the use of the hand to grasp and hold items. The following example displays how a person can overly work the thumb to create this situation. James Hofheins loves his job as a social media representative for a Utah retailer. All workday long, the veteran customer service representative monitors facebook and twitter for people talking about his company. If theres a problem, he follows up to make sure things get taken care of. Hofheins is so enamored with social media he stays on Twitter long after the work day ends to keep tabs on world news, tweet friends and retweet interesting tidbits that float across his Twitter stream. Away from his desk, a palm treo is his keyboard of choice for tuning into twitter, sending emails and texting. But all that connectivity is taking a toll on Hofheins thumb, his right one to be exact. The 45-year-old uses it exclusively to type and text and lately hes been on Twitter so much it hurts. It throbs from the tip to the bottom joint where it connects to the hand, he says. Its stiff, its hard to extend and sometimes the tip is numb, he says (Rafter, 2009). A similar hazard affecting the use of the hand is over exerting the index finger. Society has termed this injury as the iPod Finger. It is easily understood how this type of injury could occur since it is one of the main fingers used to operate devices. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Tamara James, ergonomics director at Duke University and Health System in Durham, N.C., has heard people complain of iPod finger, overusing their index finger to spin the selector wheel of an iPod player. iPhone users have come to doctors complaining of tennis elbow-like symptoms, what one woman with the problem calls her iPhone elbow. The American Physical Therapists Association has discussed how typing on itty-bitty keyboards leads to BlackBerry thumb since 2006 (Rafter, 2009). There are still some inconclusive studies on finger injuries resulting from texting and emailing. These injuries could be temporary or increase strength of the fingers instead of weakening it. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Early research has shown younger pe ople could possibly develop stronger thumb muscles from all the emailing and texting they do, its way too soon to tell. They could be protecting themselves for the future or setting themselves up for problems later on. We dont know, James says (Rafter 2009). Even though these injuries could be self treated by minimizing the use of or stop use of the mobile device temporary to allow rest or healing, it still pays to be conscientious of the widening effect it could have on business industries worldwide and implement measures to correct the problem. For instances in the 1980s and 1990s, the appearance of office PCs led to a wave of carpal tunnel, RSI, and other musculoskeletal injuries that tapered off once workers, HR and tech support teams figured out the importance of proper wrist support, seating and posture, and federal and state worker safety agencies passed ergonomics guidelines (Rafter, 2009). Whether in the corporate world or everyday society there are a few remedies that can be implemented to alleviate injuries and pain caused to our thumbs through the use of mobile phones. According to Michelle V. Rafter (2009). Maintain a neutral posture. Some thumb and elbow pain is caused by holding the joint in a fixed or awkward position for a long time. If youre getting numb, compression of the nerve between the hand and the phone causing it, James says. Alleviate it by using sitting or standing correctly as you type, she says. Support your arms. If youre sitting to type emails or text for an extended time, use a pillow or other prop to support your arms and hands while you work. Take frequent breaks. When desktop PCs became ubiquitous,  people had to be taught to take breaks to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and related maladies. The same holds true for iPhones and PDAs taking breaks often to give your hands a rest, James says. Switch things up. If you normally use one hand to type or text, give it a break and type with the other one. Do stretching exercises. The American Society of hand Therapists recommends a variety of stretching exercises in a consumer education bulletin on hand-held electronics and video game injury prevention tips. They include: Opening your hands and spreading your fingers are far as possible, then holding for 10 seconds. Repeat several times. With hands laced together, turn your palms away from your body and extend your arms overhead. Stretch your upper torso through your shoulders to your hands. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat several times. There are other hazards that people may not clearly associate with use of mobile phones. These hazards may be overlooked in the fine print of the mobile phone instructions or not well stated in them for consumer to comprehend the dangers. For example, It is a well known fact that mobile phones use radio frequency technology.  These radiations make mobile phones hazardous.   People living in developed nations like the U S and even developing countries like India are gradually becoming addicted to mobile phones.   More than 4 billion people all over the world use mobile phones.   Most of them are blissfully ignorant of the hazards of using mobile phonesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Radhakrishna, 2010). There have been instances of injury and even death of people as a result of these overlooked hazards. The following categories of safety, health and environmental hazards enlighten to the cause of fore mention circumstances befallen to people. The first category deals with safety hazards associated with use of the mobile phone. As with all technology there is a possibility of it affecting or causing a disruption of something else already in use. Manufactures generally provided some type of warning indicator or instructions of where not to use or place the technology. This evidently is often overlooked because à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ there have been instances of mobile phones exploding, causing deaths.   This can happen due to overheating defective battery or even wrong usage of battery or charger.   Mobile phones are known to disrupt normal functionality of pacemakers.   Mobile phone usage while driving has increased road accidents.   It is estimated that drivers are four times more likely to crash their cars when they are speaking on their mobile phones while driving (Radhakrishna, 2010).   Important to note theses hazards can sometimes occur due to consumers not heeding warning or instructions provided by manufactures of the product. The following example depicts information on the likelihood cell phone use while driving would cause a crash or near crash event, according to (Box, 2009). Table 1 New Data from VTTI Provides Insight into Cell Phone Use and Driving Distraction Cell Phone Task Risk of Crash or Near Crash Event Light Vehicle/Cars Dialing Cell phone 2.8 times as high as non-distracted driving Talking/Listening to Cell Phone 1.3 times as high as non-distracted driving Reaching for object (i.e. electronic device and other) 1.4 times as high as non-distracted driving Heavy Vehicles/Trucks Dialing Cell phone 5.9 times as high as non-distracted driving Talking/listening to Cell Phone 1.0 times as high as non-distracted driving Use/Reach for electronic device 6.7 times as high as non-distracted driving Text messaging 23.2 times as high as non-distracted driving The second category is in regard to health hazards of using mobile phones. When watching television we sometime here about cases of tumors and cancers affecting people but often it attributed to diets and lifestyles. There are other conditions believed to be responsible for these health vulnerabilities. For instance, Excessive use of mobile phones is believed to increase the risk of brain cancer, especially among children.   Children have thinner skulls and fragile nervous system.   Daily usage of mobile phones for ten years doubles the risk of tumor of auditory nerve which connects the ear to the brain.   People using mobile phones for more than four hours every day are at the risk of lowering their sperm count (Radhakrishna, 2010). These alarming health hazards should be taken seriously. People could lower chances of these hazards occurring in them by limiting the use of mobile phones for themselves and especially for their children. The final category deals with the environmental hazards of using mobile phones. This information alludes to facts of how the forms of cell phone technology can disrupt natural environment in negative ways. For example Excessive radiation is believed to be causing extinction of many species of small birds like sparrows.   This will definitely have a huge negative impact on our environment.   We depend on bees for crops, because they pollinate crops.   These bees are disappearing.   Radiation from mobile phones are interfering with navigation system of bees and causing them to lose their way back to their hive.   As a result of this their colonies are collapsing (Radhakrishna, 2010). We could assume as technology advances the effects it has on the environment would be equally considered to limit the negative impact. The role of nature should be preserved at all cost the consequences of not do it could prove to be devastating to our environment. Understand the change and manner in which we live our lives The invention of the telephone in the late 19th century in the United States changed the way people interact and communicate. This has been paralleled in the early 21st century with the arrival of mobile phones. The cell phones have been created for adults to use business (Downes, and Aoki, 2003). This is a similar to cell phone in the early 20th century where telephone engineers explained the telephone was made for business, but it was not for social conversation (Flinchy, 1997). Today the number of people uses the cell phones growth really fast since the end of 20th century. Most families have cell phones, and some of them are not using home phones. Most people have cell phones than home phones in the United State. In the worldwide, it has more than one billion people use a cell phone. According to one of the industry analysts Wireless that between now to the years of 2020 everyone could afford a cell phone that they wish. American spends seven hours or more hours in a month talking on their cell phone on average, and it becomes more important of Americans life (Rosen, 2004). Today most of American families have cell phone. They always carry; phone whatever they go out, even at home. However, some of them use cells phone like home phone. Cell phones start to change American life since the end of 21 century, it becomes cheaper, smaller, and more convenience. With the rapid spread of technology, people change the way of life with cell phones. In 1985, according to Mobile Communications and Internet link, only 340,000 people have registered to use cell phone, but it has more than 158 million people use the cell phone in the United States (Rosen, 2004). As we could see more and more people use the cell phones today than we compare with the year 1985. One of the reason more people use the cell phone that it has more convenient than home phone. Cell phone are not only use in American families, but it also use in the medical field. Medical field could use cell phones to send ahead of the hospitals image to the injury. In England, now popular for wireless technology that allows companies to gain access to remote meters or gather information diagnosis, on-site construction workers can use cell phones to send picturing to contractors outside. Combine with the use of personal cell phones, to make appointments, locate a friend, check voicemail messages, or simply to check in at cell phone work now provides the unknown level of conv enience (Rosen, 2004). Cell phones are not even for social use for today, but it is, use for almost any business like the medical field, manufacture. ..Etc.In addition, the number of cell phones use have increased to the point of dizziness, that there are social scientists for the foreseeable future, virtually any urban residents also own a cell phone. Cell phones effect to young people, according to the research teens view their cell phones as more than just an accessory, and it is also showing four out of five teens use cell phone than before. The research also shows the sense of security these teens said about 80 percent of the cell phones have. They are also preferring texts over the phone then talking on the phone (Cell phones impact, 2008). We could see more teens use phone like the things they must have in their life. Cell phones affect the social life of teens. When the phone is no longer a luxury item, the parents are willing to equip their children for easy communication. On the other hand, Harris Interactive study the teens say a cell phone as the most popular social status or of a person, outranking jewelry, watches and shoes. The study also found the cell phones are fast becoming necessary in society youth. It is about fifty seven percent of teens view their phones as a key to their social life (Cell phones impact, 200 8). And it is about fifty seven percent of the teens that carry a cell phone to improve the quality of life. And half of them said the cell phones become a new form of the entertainment and it is about thirty percent of them use the cell phones to play games (Cell phones impact, 2008). In fact, most of teens are using cell phones away from the original intention of the parents. Refuse to stop at the hearing referred to, many children fall into addiction to expl

Herbal Products Market Research

Herbal Products Market Research Abstract: Herbal products have gained a lot of attention in the recent years. This has pushed natural and nutraceuticals companies globally to take interest in these products. Herbal extracts are no longer a concoction of plants but are sophisticated standardized extracts. This has led countries all over the world to set regulatory guidelines and policies in order to maintain good quality, standardized herbal medicines. Konark Herbals Health Care, an India based company, manufactures solid and liquid herbal extracts in semi finished form. The company recently has decided to launch its products globally. This project focuses on opportunities of herbal products in the European Market i.e. the European Union. Europe being the central hub of herbal medicines is integrated with a number of regulatory guidelines set by the EU. The project aims at understanding these regulatory policies, gauging the market scenario and presenting ideas for launching the companys products by creating its place in the market. The main objective of this project was to gain an understanding of the herbal products already in the market and finding newer opportunity for its use Introduction About the Company Konark Herbals and Healthcare is a medium sized company established in 2004. The company is into manufacturing and selling of semi finished herbal products. These products include soft and dry herbal extracts, in both solid and liquid form. The company is also associated with the Konark Research foundation which carries out all the quality assurance and testing to ensure quality and standardised products. Konark manufactures over 300 herbals extracts, though its flagship product is curcumin and its derivatives. Up until 2010 the companys main focus was the domestic market. The products were marketed and sold either for domestic use or to other Indian companies for export purposes. The main problem faced by Konark was the competitive prices. The company also found that since the regulations in India were not very strict most competitive suppliers would sell sub standard quality products at a cheaper rate. A thorough study was done to understand the pros and cons of focusing on the domestic market. Therefore Konark Herbals and Health Care decided to launch its products globally. Therefore, this report focuses on opportunities of herbal products in the European market. Traditional Medicine has always had its popularity worldwide. In addition over the last few years there has been increase in the use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) in many developed and developing countries. The last 15 years have seen an increase in the popularity of plant based medicines in the western world. Therefore the safety and quality of the CAMs have become very important concerns for the health authorities as well as the public. Several traditional medicine practices have been developed over the centuries in different cultures but without a parallel advance of international standards and using inappropriate methods for evaluating traditional medicine. Therefore strict guidelines and policies for herbal medicines are critical to the continued existence of quality products. Even though India and China are known for their herbal medicines since centuries, the hub of herbal products is Europe. More than 60% of the Europeans and greater than 80% of Germans (Figure 1) have used herbal products at some point of time in their life. Herbal remedies which we earlier sold in small special shops, often without any license, have now become mainstream drugs manufactured by multinational companies and sold in pharmacies throughout Europe. It is due to this high usage of products that the European Union has an extensive set of guidelines for herbal products. The EU has laid down guidelines and policies for all the processes related to these herbal products from manufacturing right up to market authorization and which it expects all to adhere to. European Union Overall Market Size The member states of the European Union represent the largest single commercial market for herbal drugs and medicinal plants in the world. The European market for herbal supplements along with herbal medicines is currently at $7.4billion. An analysis based on the data from IMS health placed the global European over the counter (OTC) market for herbal medicines at approximately $5billion. Imports The EU is also the largest importer of Crude medicinal plants and herbal extracts with imports approximated at around 100,000 tonne. This is almost double the quantity imported by the USA (IMS report). Germany is the most important European importer with 40% of the European market followed by France and Italy. European Guidelines Europe consists of 50 countries. And each country has its own regulatory guidelines and policies. It is important to know that out of the 50 countries only 27 countries fall under the European Union. Legislation in the European Union is set at the EU level, but there may be (additional) legal requirements which may be country specific. Although maximum synchronization is aimed it is not always achieved because of negotiations, debates and national interest. The European Medical agency along with the THMPD (Therapeutic herbal Medical product directive) are the two many regulatory bodies within the European Union. Each of the two bodies has a set of guidelines which has to be followed by not only the companies within Europe but also the companies that want to enter the European market for business opportunities. It includes policies from cultivation right up to marketing of the product in Europe. Understanding these guidelines is necessary for Indian companies such as Konark Herbals H ealth Care because in order to enter the European markets, they need to abide by them. The committee on Herbal Medicinal products (HMPC) HMPC, a part of the European Medical Agency, is responsible for preparing the agencys opinions on herbal medicines. In 2004 it replaced the proprietary medicinal products working party on herbal products which introduced a simplified registration procedure for herbal drugs in EU member states. The committee has the responsibility to prepare monographs of well established herbal medicines which is based on evaluation of available scientific data or on its traditional use in the European community. The monograph includes uses, safety information and information on undesirable effects. Traditional Herbal Medicinal Product Directive (formerly The Directive 2004/24/EC) The THMPD was established in 2004 to provide a simplified regulatory approval process for traditional herbal medicines in the EU. Under this regulation all herbal medicinal products are required to obtain an authorization to market within the EU. As per the THMPD all products marketed before this legislation came into force can market their product till 30 April, 2011. Once this limit expires they must gain market authorization. These guidelines are of great importance especially during the audits done by the European companies. As a mandatory procedure, all European companies conduct a thorough audit of the manufacturing facilities of the suppliers to check them for GMP compliance. The audit even checks for Good Agricultural practices (GAP) complied by the farmers supplying the crude plants to the supplier. GAP includes various documents and certificates that the supplier must have from the farmers. In case any of the guidelines are not met with, the supplier is not only rejected but is blacklisted by the company for future purposes until such time that the supplier has proven to be GMP and GAP compliant. Therefore the suppliers cannot afford to make any mistakes Examples of EU legislations relevant for herbal products: Directive 2001/83/EC on marketing authorization for medicinal products for human use, including homeopathic products and herbal medicines. Directive 2003/94/EC on the principles and guidelines of GMP for medicinal products for human use Phytosanitary measures. Directive 2000/29/EC Regulation 338/97 on the protection of endangered species in trade, CITES Preventive measures on organisms harmful to plants Directive 2000/29/EC Country Profiles Out of the 27 countries belonging to the European Union few countries such as Germany, UK and France are the major markets for herbal products. As mentioned earlier EU legislations are set at the EU level, but there may be country specific (additional) legal requirements. Understanding the guidelines for each of the countries is crucial because it is through these countries that Indian companies will make their entrance into the European Herbal Markets. Germany: Germany by far is the most important consumer of plant based medicines in Europe which accounts for more than 50 % of all European licensed herbal product sales. It is also the largest producers of herbal phytomedicines. Cultivation in Germany has declined massively over the years, which has lead companies to import herbal extracts from other countries such as India and China. This proves advantageous for Indian companies. It is also important to notice that even though Germany does have domestic cultivation, only 5% 10 % of the total requirement is covered by the domestic production. Germany is by far the largest importer of medicinal plants and extracts with imports of around 50,000 tonnes on a yearly basis. The basis of market authorization in Germany has been laid out in the Second Medicines Act which was formed in accordance with the EU legislative framework. It required a review of the safety and quality of 300 plants. This was done by a team of experts known as the Commission E who published more than 235 medicinal plants. Germany is one of the very few countries that consider herbal products as medicines thereby providing complete reimbursement of such products. The herbal drugs are reimbursable by the health insurance system unless special criteria for their exclusions apply. These exclusions are due to negative assessment by commission E. There are 380 monographs presented in the American Botanical CouncilsÂÂ  The Complete German Commission E Monographs, Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines, which has recently been translated into English The monographs include lists of approved and unapproved herbs, uses, indications, side effects, interactions of herbs with conventional drugs and duration of administration German Regulations: A national pharmacopoeia, the Deutsches Arneibuch and the European Pharmacopoeia are used, both of which are considered to be legally binding. A number of additional monographs have also being issued such as the Deutcher Arzneimittel Codex but are not legally binding. Regulatory Requirement for the manufacture of herbal medicines include adherence to the information in the pharmacopoeias. In the absence of pharmacopoeias, monographs, the GMP rules for conventional pharmaceutical, German Medicines Act and the Eudralex. Compliance with these requirements is ensured through inspection. Herbal medicines are sold in Germany in pharmacies as OTC and prescription medicines in special outlets and supermarkets. Advantages for an Indian Company to supply to German companies: Not more than 10% of the total requirement is covered by domestic market Only a handful of herbal plants are cultivated in Germany as compared to India. As per the adapted from BAH (Figure 2) more than a 100 Indian medicinal plants can cater to these therapeutic categories. Many Indian plants such as curcumin, Amla, Ashwagandha or on the positive list of commission E. Several curcumin products are reimbursed by the health insurance system. France: France is both a major producer and consumer of medicinal plants. It is the second largest market in Europe after Germany. It has more than 4000 hectares under cultivation of which over 30% is dedicated to plants such as thyme fennel chamomile and peppermint. Southern France is a major market for essential oils and aromatherapy. France imports around 30,000 tonnes of medicinal plants and extracts from countries such as India and China. France is also an exporter of medicinal plants which is about 8000 tonnes on a yearly basis. Most exports are simply intra European consignments often within same company. French regulations make it difficult to sell unlicensed herbal remedies. Around 527 medicinal plants are listed in the French Pharmacopoeia of which 454 plants are contained in list A (positive benefit /risk ratio). These include plants such as acacia. Curcumin, Aloe Vera etc. Plants such as tobacco and Thuja fall under list B that has a negative benefit/risk ratio. Despite all this, herbal medicines are classified as medicines in France and are subject to market authorization under the Health ministry. Guidelines: The French Republic does not have any national policy, laws, expert committee or national research institute on traditional medicines. Herbal medicines are regulated as OTC medicines and by law claims may be made about them. The same GMP rules for manufacture are applicable for herbal medicines as for the conventional medicines. Compliance with the requirements is ensured through inspections. Safety requirements are the same as that for conventional drugs. Out of 787 medicines registered none, are listed on national essential drug list. Advantages for Indian companies to target France: France is the Hub for essential oils and aromatherapy products. Therefore many Indian companies can supply oils such as cinnamon oil, turmeric oil etc. Out of the plants listed in List A of the French Pharmacopoeia more than 250 plants are available in abundance in India. Although the government is coming up with newer policies, cultivation in France is only for a minor group of medicinal plants. Therefore French companies have to look at supplier of plants and extracts. United Kingdom United Kingdom (U.K.) has until recently been well below that of many European counties. U.K. based MNCs have given limited importance to research in herbal drugs. British farmers too have not given much importance to medicinal plants. Less than 2000 hectares are devoted to medicinal plants. But consumption of herbal medicines has been growing at the rate of 10% (WHO report, 2008) Although U.K. has no single national office, the medicines and Healthcare product regulatory agency and the department of health in England have numerous teams to develop policy on the safe use and practice of traditional medicines. Herbal medicines are regulated under Medicines Act 1968 (2001/83, EC also applies). Until 2011 the directive provided two regulatory routes for herbal medicines to reach the market i.e licensed herbal medicines and unlicensed herbal medicines. Since May 2011 unlicensed herbal medicines have been ban in the market. The British Pharmacopoeia contains 124 national monographs. There are around 500 licensed herbal drugs in the U.K. but none are included in the national essential list. Herbal drugs are sold in pharmacies as OTC and prescription medicines. Overview of the top diseases affecting European human population Chronic diseases are the main cause of mortality in Europe. Research (by EDEC) suggests that complex conditions such as diabetes, depression and dementia will impose a prominent burden in the future. Some years ago chronic diseases were considered to be a problem of only the rich and elderly people. But today we know that which high income countries, poor as well as young people are affected by these chronic diseases. The implications of the diseases are also very serious. There are a number of chronic diseases that affect people all over Europe. The most prevalent ones are: Depression Obesity Diabetes Mellitus Alzheimers disease Parkinsons disease Dementia Schizophrenia COPD The link between disease and age is crucial from an economic public policy standpoint. The proportion of Europeans aged 65 years and older is projected to grow from 15% to 23% by 2030. This trend is clearly one of the many reasons for the growing burden of chronic diseases in Europe. (Pomerleau, Knai and Nolte, 2008). The prevalence of mental disorders is very high in Europe. Dementia amongst those who are aged i.e. 65 and above, in 2000 was estimated to vary between 6% to about 8 %. WHO has estimated that one in five persons will develop depression and each year 33 million European suffer from major depression. In 2008, the rates were lowest in Spain, Greece and Portugal while the highest estimates were for Finland, Israel, Belgium and France. Suicide from depressive disorders is the third leading cause of death among young Europeans. Top diseases affecting livestock in Europe Novel strategies and responses are necessary to meet the economic and human health risks that are associated with livestock diseases. Human-health threats from livestock come in two basic forms: (i) zoonotic diseases, and (ii) food-borne illnesses. Zoonotic diseases are those diseases that arise in animals but can also be transmitted to humans. Potentially pandemic viruses, such as influenza, are the most newsworthy, but many others, including rabies, brucellosis and anthrax also do exist. Food-borne illness can come from disease agents such as salmonella and E. coli. Highly pathogenic livestock diseases remain alarming for the people of Europe because: They are still highly pathogenic for humans. They are continuing to evolve. There is a risk of generic recombination with the viruses that are better adapted to, and can be easily transmitted among humans. The diseases affecting livestock in Europe include: Livestock Disease Avian influenza Bovine Tuberculosis Rabies Bovine Brucellosis Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) Ovine and Caprine brucellosis (B. Melitensis) Salmonellosis (zoonotic salmonella) Livestock Disease Avian influenza Ovine and Caprine brucellosis (B. Melitensis) Salmonellosis (zoonotic salmonella) African Swine Fever Bluetongue (High risk endemic areas) Methodology The main product to be launched by the company being Curcumin and its various derivates, a secondary research was conducted to gain an understanding about the product. Such a research gave an idea about its current use globally. Various companies across the globe are already manufacturing curcumin products and supplements therefore the product per se is not a novel product. But by understanding its current use it is possible to point out the areas that have never been explored. Companies such as Indena, Sabinsa, and Sigma Eldrich have been selling curcumin supplements over a decade. But it is astonishing to see that even today the full potential of curcumin and its derivatives has not been realized. This gives a possibility for companies to use such products for newer diseases. Reviewing diseases affecting Europe serves great importance since it explains the need for drugs in those sectors and consequentially the unmet medical need. About Curcumin Curcumin is a hydrophobic polyphenol derived from a the rhizome Curcuma longa (Turmeric). It is a gold-coloured spice frequently used in India, not just for health care but also for the preservation of food and as a dye for textiles. Since the time of Ayurveda (1900BC) numerous therapeutic actions have been assigned to curcumin for a selection of diseases, including skin diseases, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal systems, wounds, sprains, allergies and liver disorders. It is in the last few decades that curcumin has gained a lot of attention by researchers, scientists and nutraceuticals companies worldwide. It is due to this, that there have been more than a hundred experiments been conducted in animals and plants for various diseases. Konark Herbals and Health Care has a vast portfolio of curcumin extracts of various standards. The company manufactures the extract from 1% curcuminoid content up to 99% curcuminoids. KHHC products Curcuma longa powder extract (Total curcuminoids NLT 95% by HPLC/UV spectrophotometer) Curcuma longa powder extract (Total curcuminoids NLT 40% by HPLC/UV spectrophotometer) Curcuma longa powder extract (Total curcuminoids NLT 10% by HPLC/UV spectrophotometer) Curcuma longa Granular (Total curcuminoids NLT 95% by HPLC/UV spectrophotometer) Curcuma longa Granular (Total curcuminoids NLT 85% by HPLC/UV spectrophotometer) Uses There have been various trials conducted for a wide variety of diseases most of which have been successful but have not received their due. Below is a short summary of the various uses of curcumin Neurological Disorders: Curcumin being a potent anti inflammatory agent has found its use in a number of diseases. Various trials have been conducted for its use against several neurological disorders. Current treatments for the majority of these diseases have not succeeded adequate until now. Both of oxidative damage and inflammation have been proved as having roles in age-related neurodegenerative diseases. Because of its pluripotency, oral safety, prolonged history of use, and low cost, curcumin has huge potential for the prevention of numerous neurological conditions for which present therapeutics are less than optimal. Parkinsons disease Alzheimers disease Schizophrenia Depression Oncology: It has been proved that curcumin is an anti oxidant. This property of the molecule has allowed it use for several diseases such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. The anti oxidant property has potentiated its use even in the field of oncology which today is by far the most researched therapeutic category. Studies done on animals and humans have proved promising in more than just one type of cancer. There have been a number of articles published in journals all over the world regarding its potential use against prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer breast cancer and even blood cancer. Antibacterial Activity: Yet another property of curcumin is its proven use in the antibacterial and antifungal category. Curcumin was known to have antibacterial property since centuries but only recent experiments and research have proved its antibacterial activity. This has not only interested physicians but also veterinarians in potentially using curcumin as a topical drug. Patents The according to the Intellectual property rights, the use of curcumin cannot be patented since it is protected by traditional Knowledge of the country. But there have been several patents granted for novel drug delivery system of curcumin. The reason for modifying the molecule developing new delivery systems is because curcumin is a hydrophobic molecule and hence it has a low bioavailability. In order to over this problem researchers have formulated various novel systems to enhance its bioavailability. Understanding the current patents held for curcumin is needed because it shows how advance the industry is. A list of a few patents has been given below Water soluble curcumin based compounds , US patent application Curcumin Dextrin combinations, US patent application Buccal Drug Delivery System for Curcumin, US patent application Vaginal drug Delivery of curcumin, US patent application Spray freeze dry for pulmonary administration, US patent application Potential launch of curcumin products for Diabetes Mellitus Type 2: Diabetes is a chronic disease that arises when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This leads to raised glucose levels in the blood and can cause long-term damage to the body and failure of various organs and tissues. Currently about 55 million Europeans are affected by diabetes Mellitus type 2. Studies conducted at research institutes have proven the effect of curcumin against diabetes. A comprehensive study was done on the diseases and the use of curcumin against various symptoms of the disease. A matrix approach was taken up. (As suggested by Dr Arun Bhatt, Clininvent) With the help of secondary research it was observed that curcumin can treat almost all symptoms relating to diabetes. Various poly herbal formulations are also in the development stage at Konark herbals and health care which have the potential to treat diabetic conditions. Through the research it was observed that several herbs in combination with curcumin could be used against the diabetic symptoms. Curcumin also has shown positive results for reducing cholesterol and LDL levels in the body i.e. preventing obesity. This can give curcumin an opportunity to act as a drug for pre diabetic syndrome. This can have a much better market since it has been observed that the trend amongst more people globally is cha nging from illness to wellness. Effect Potential Cure Eyes and vision Retinopathy caused due to oxidative stress and inflammation Cataract- does not prevent but delays its occurrence. Curcumin Feet and skin Foot ulcers. Polyherbal formulation (on going RD at Konark ) Joint pain osteoarthritis Osteoporosis- Curcumin , curcumin + Ashwagandha Oral Gum diseases Curcumin , curcumin + neem Curcumin in the form of THC Dry mouth Anti bacterial effect of curcumin Gingivitis Antibacterial effect s of curcumin Complications Alzheimers disease Curcumin, Melissa officinalis, ashwagandha, tinoprora cordifolia Cancer Prostate cancer Breast Cancer Colon Cancer Curcumin Cholesterol Metabolic syndrome Curcumin UTI Curcumin +boswelia antibacterial activity Further work remaining in the project: Potential launch of product for various diseases Speaking with the experts SWOT analysis Marketing strategies 4Ps Barriers to entry and overcoming challenges References: http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/medicines/landing/vet_epar_search.jspHYPERLINK http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/medicines/landing/vet_epar_search.jspmid=WC0b01ac058008d7a8HYPERLINK http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/medicines/landing/vet_epar_search.jspmid=WC0b01ac058008d7a8mid=WC0b01ac058008d7a8 http://www.imb.ie/EN/Human-Medicines/Human-Medicines/Traditional-Herbal-Medicines-Registration-Scheme.aspx http://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/issues/2008-07/view_features/the-global-herbs-amp-botanicals-market/ http://www.anh-europe.org/node/3113 http://www.turmeric-curcumin.com/ http://www.research.ucla.edu/tech/ucla02-427.htm http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jps.22512/abstract http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/754681 http://www.clininvent.com/clininvent/Publications/Complementary%20medicine%20Need%20for%20a%20balanced%20approach%20-%20Heal~1.htm http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2929771/

Early Civilizations Essay -- essays research papers

Early Civilizations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From 3000 BC to 1500 BC four civilizations arose that historians to this day marvel at, the Egyptians, the Sumerians, the Indus River Valley people, and the Shang dynasty in China. They all had great accomplishments in government, and religion and inventions. While they had their own different civilizations many similarities arise, such as depending on the river and their polytheistic religions. They had very isolated civilizations with the exception of the Sumerians. The geography, religion, and their governments all contributed to their success as a civilization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Egyptians were situated in northern Africa around the Nile. The Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Nubian Desert, and Libyan Desert were the natural boundaries that made the Egyptians very isolated. Also, the Indus River valley civilization was rather isolated, with water to the east and west, the Hindu Kush and Himalayas to the North. The monsoons that are seasonal flood the rivers. The Shang dynasty was situated in China over the Yellow River. On the contrary the Sumerians were not isolated at all in Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Mesopotamia was in the Fertile Crescent, which was why many invaders invaded their land, ultimately crushing them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The polytheistic religions of the early civilizations were rather similar. The Egyptians had pharaohs, which were considered to have a g...