Green Buildings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Green Buildings - Essay Example Rapid industrialization and increase in demand of fuels have increase pollution all over the world. The increase in carbon dioxide in the environment is damaging the ozone layer surrounding the earth’s atmosphere. This is damaging the environment and increasing the temperature of the world. Oceans are melting and seal levels are increasing. This phenomenon is known as global warming. The dangerous consequences of such climatic change are forcing the world to come up with techniques that are environmental friendly. Green building is one such technique that preserves our environment. The cost of these buildings far exceeds the benefits of green buildings. It is important to understand the benefits of green buildings and their structure to prove that this technique worth its costs. A cost benefit analysis will show clearly that green buildings should be used more often in order to protect the environment. Benefits of Green Building One of the most significant benefits of green bu ildings is that they help save energy. These buildings save electricity and in turn decrease our dependent on fuels. Electricity is produced by many ways and oil is also used to produce electricity. Green buildings are designed in such a manner that they allow the residents sunlight and natural air. In this way energy consumption is decreased greatly. Air conditioning and lights use most of the electricity in homes and by reducing this electricity environment can benefit a lot. In green buildings trees and plants are used in order to provide shade and cooling (Simpson, J. 2002). Plants take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen in daytime. This gives freshness and coolness in daytime in the house. Another benefit of green buildings is the increased productivity of the people living in green buildings. People who live in green buildings are found to work long hours. They also have less stress and they can stay fresh for long hours. This is mainly because occupants get exposure to sun light and fresh air. Air conditioning is no substitute of fresh air. Fresh air soothes residents of green building and this is why they feel less stressed then residents of normal houses and buildings. A study reported that absenteeism was reduced by 40 percent in buildings that were green (Lallanilla, M. 2011). This is the effect of plants and natural air and sunlight. The benefits of green buildings include less sickness as well. This may be because of less pollution and harmful gases. People who live near road sides are exposed to pollution. In green buildings a proper mechanism deals with pollution as discussed before. Also greenery attracts employees to offices. Water efficiency is another benefit of green building. The design of building is such that it allows water to be reused. Water is recycled in greenhouses houses. It is purified and reused in flushes. In this way throughout the life of the green building flush water is not wasted but is used and reused over and over agai n. This is a great benefit of green buildings because it can save gallons of water. A house has a life of at least 30 to 40 years. Throughout this period all the water used in flush will remain the same. Also water is saved by using low flow of water in flushes and showers. Even this can help reduce water consumption of households greatly. Toilet paper is also not used in washrooms and that protects tress. All in all a simple technique of water recycling a great amount of water can be saved. Also material used in green buildings is environmental friendly. The wood used for making green buildings is made of plants like bamboo that grow faster. Rare plants and trees are not used in the making of green buildings. Industrial goods used in making homes are also recyclable and are environmental friendly. Stones and other materials used in houses can be reused again. Energy costs are decreased as a result of green building

The market for Cancer vaccines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The market for Cancer vaccines - Essay Example Geography is also a decisive factor in the case of market characteristics of cancer vaccines as the demand is global and the producing countries are few which results in geographical constraints as the importing cost is involved. The key obstacle to enter this market includes the likes of authoritarian problem, compensation related matters, high cost implicated in manufacturing an oncology product, and government cost repression measures. Also, fear over the effectiveness and side effects of the vaccine of cancer is appearing to be the barrier in the growth of cancer vaccine market (Findlay, â€Å"Cancer vaccine - A giant leap in cancer treatment†). Incentives as such depend on the country where it is being produced. The research and development work related to the cancer vaccine is very expensive which calls for government subsidies and the incentives are correlated with these. Gears to help authorize cancer patients to assess research studies for which they may be entitled which includes the OncoLink/EmergingMed Clinical Trials Matching Service, which persuades patients to look for and consider medical test for the treatment of cancer. A channel to help one to navigate the territory of corresponding and substituting medicine with instructions and warnings on treatments such as vitamins, herbals, chemicals, acupuncture, diet, meditation and body-mind therapy. It comprises that the preliminary information relating to photodynamic therapy (PDT); an original cancer treatment which works by revealing a photosensitizing medicine to precise wavelength of light to kill cancer cells. Proton therapy is a highly developed form of radiation therapy that is at present in use at a limited number of centers worldwide. Protons are different from straight radiation because the beam can significantly diminish normal tissue revelation to surplus radiation. In today’s world, medical science has come of ages and quite a

A Strong Corporate Brand Communications Essay

A Strong Corporate Brand Communications Essay 3. Explain how you might involve stakeholders in the development of a corporate brand, drawing on at least two instrumental approaches to stakeholder management and incorporatingunderstandings of authenticity in your answer. How would you evaluate the success of their involvement? â€Å"A strong corporate brand acts as a focal point for the attention, interest and activity stakeholders bring to a corporation† (Hatch and Schultz, 2001, P 1046). This essay will suggest that strategies to develop strong and sustainable relationships with stakeholders should at the heart of a brand development strategy that is focussed on enhancing reputation and ultimately the sustainability of a company. It will explain how analysis of stakeholder groups is critical to the success of this process. Two instrumental stakeholder tools will then be used to illustrate how such information may be gathered. The essay will then go on to explain that the information garnered from such an analysis could be used to inform stakeholder engagement strategies and the overall brand development strategy. The essay will conclude with a discussion about how issues with authenticity could jeopardise the development of these relationships and how, in the light of such problems, you can measur e the success and strength of such relationships in order to inform future efforts. Although this is not an essay exploring theories around the process of brand development, it is however important to begin by defining what is meant by a corporate brand if we are to understand how relationships with stakeholders can help in its development. My understanding of corporate branding is highly influenced by the work of Hatch and Schultz (2001) and (2003) and Schultz (2005) who describe a brand as a mindset that captures the essence of an organisations identity and what it stands for. They promote the idea that the focus of building a successful brand should be on developing relationships with all stakeholders, engaging them in defining who the organisation is and what it aspires to be( Hatch, 2005). Corporate branding can be best described as the process of creating, nurturing and sustaining mutually rewarding relationships between company, its employees and external stakeholders (Hatch and Schultz, 2001 and Schultz, 2005).By developing these relationships an organisatio n will be able to understand any incoherent parts of the brand that are weakening development efforts to achieve business goals (Hatch and Schultz, 2003). â€Å"When corporate branding works, it is because it expresses the values and /or sources of desire that attract key stakeholders to the organisation and encourage them to feel as sense of belonging to it. It is this attraction and sense of belonging that affects the decisions and behaviours on which a company is built. A strong corporate brand taps into attractive force and offers symbols that help stakeholders experience and express their value and thereby keep them active† (Hatch and Schultz , 2003, p.P1046). It not just theorists such as Hatch and Schultz (2001) that believe stakeholder relationship building activity is key is achieving a strong corporate identity. In the field of Corporate Communications Cornelissen (2004) stated that developing strong and sustainable stakeholder relationships can establish favourable corporate images and reputations will get these groups to behave in a way that furthers the organisations businesses objectives, such as getting customers to make a purchase or successfully convincing investors to grant financial resources. This essay draws on the research above as a foundation for arguing that the development of relationships with stakeholders should be at the very heart of any successful brand strategy. But how should one begin developing these relationships? The start of constructing any strategy involving the development of relationships with stakeholders should begin with an analysis of who they are, the nature of their stake and the values and beliefs underlying their own decision-making processes (Friedman and Miles, 2006). â€Å"In particular, the compatibility or incompatibility of values, identities, and belief systems between managers in focal organizations and stakeholder decisions-makers, and between different stakeholder groups† (Friedman and Miles, 2006, p.133). Starting from the point that the characteristics of stakeholders need be ascertained before any strategies for engagement pursued it is important to find the tools that allow us to do this. Cornelissen (2004) suggests two possible tools to help with this process: stakeholder mapping and reputation research. These not only uncover the identity of stakeholder groups and their relationships with the organisation but are able to display primary relationships and the patterns of interdependence between them (Cornelissen, 2004). Let us first look at stakeholder mapping. This is an area explored by instrumental stakeholder theory, which suggests how managers should act towards stakeholders if they want to further the interests of an organisation, which can be described as profit maximization and the maximisation of stockholder value( Friedman and Miles, 2006).This type of theorising supports the ideas espoused by Hatch and Schultz (2001), Hatch and Schultz (2003) and Hatch (2005) at the beginning of the essay and for this reason we will look in depth at how two specific instrumental stakeholder theories, developed by Mitchell Angle and Wood (1997) and Frooman (1999), can help organisations get to know more about their stakeholders and how to approach them. I would like to begin with the model developed by Mitchell Agle and Wood (1999) which suggests that different strategic responses to stakeholders can be chosen based on an analysis of the characteristics that these groups exhibit. The major contribution of this theory is its explanation of who stakeholders are and who they arent and why relationships with certain stakeholders should be prioritised over others (Friedman and Miles, 2006). Mitchell, Agle and Wood (1999) rate stakeholder groups using three criteria, power, legitimacy and urgency and the unique combination of these attributes then leads them to create seven different types of stakeholders, which vary in their level of importance to the organisation and therefore brand development strategy. Frooman (1999) supplements this work by looking at what might happen when there is conflict between a stakeholder group and an organisation and his models explains the strategies employed by stakeholders who want to change corporate policy (Friedman and Miles, 2006). Frooman (1999) suggests that during conflict power is the dominant attribute that will decide the outcome of any conflict, especially when an organisation is unwilling to compromise.   However, he does not define power in the same as Mitchell, Agle and Wood (1999). Instead of power through coercive, utilitarian or economic means (Mitchell, Agle and Wood, 1999), he believes power is defined by resource dependency theory (Frooman, 1999), as made famous by Pfeffer (1972) and Salancik (1979).   Pfeffer (1972) and Salancik (1979), cited in Friedman and Miles (2006), suggest that that it is a companies dependence of external stakeholders for resources that will determine stakeholders power and how they will use it to force their claims to be addressed. Using this as the basis of his thinking Frooman (1999) created a four way model of usage (continues to provide a resource but with strings) or withholding (where a stakeholder group withholds a resource) strategies, which can be executed directly or indirectly, when dependency of the stakeholder resources is low. Using both these two models you could start to create a picture of the identity of stakeholders, the nature of their stake, how to prioritise them and how they would behave when in conflict with the firm. But according to Cornelissen (2004) what is equally important to do at this analysis stage is to identify what reputation the organisation has with the groups you have identified. Although he doesnt present a theoretical model to achieve this he does suggest using practical quantitative and qualitative research techniques, such as focus groups. The result of this work will give the organisation a good idea of what stakeholders think of the organisation and how this matches with the organisations own views of its identity (Cornelissen, 2004). This would then suggest that an organisation uses the knowledge gained during the entire analysis phase to inform the development of focused stakeholder relationship programmes and the brand development strategy as a whole. Cornelissen (2004) suggests that the stakeholder analysis will help organisations understand whether current strategy is capable of dealing with the needs of current stakeholders and, if so, if the suggested direction proposed will deliver the desired results. From here the organisation can decide which stakeholders to address and develop engagement strategies that either change or consolidate their present position with them, according to any mismatches found. A similar process can be used in relation to the brand strategy. Hatch and Schultz (2001) explain that the images stakeholders have of who a company is and what it stands for can become part of what they can the strategic envisioning process. They suggest that the present views, behaviour, values and identi ties of stakeholders are likely to effect the direction of desired change and strategic vision of the organisation. Whether the results of the stakeholder analysis support the organisations current identity can have serious effects on any subsequent strategy as without such alignment efforts could be perceived as inauthentic Hatch and Schultz, 2003). At this point I would like to highlight how the issue of authenticity can affect an organisations assessment of its strategic options. ‘To be authentic commercially is to tap into the ‘geist of a particular group of people so that you, or the claims you make are accepted, trusted, and the consumers you appeal to are convinced (Fachet, 2009). Therefore, stakeholders ‘geist, which should have been identified during the stakeholder analysis, needs to be reflected in the core elements of a brand development strategy if stakeholders are going to engage with the organisation and carry out the desired behaviours needed by the organisation. Authenticity is the opposite to counterfeit and in an increasing unreal world consumers purchase based on how genuine they perceive an offering to be (Gilmore and Pine, 2007). Without this alignment between stakeholder expectations and the brand strategy, efforts are likely to be seen as inauthentic and therefore desired behaviours not o ccur. There is also a second but equally important aspect of authenticity that should be discussed at this stage within the planning process and that is whether the brand development strategy and the values promoted within it match the experience the stakeholder will have of the product, the service or the culture within the organisation. Edwards (2009) explains that authenticity is both communicated by an organisation as well as attributed by the consumers who digest this communication. Therefore, if the brand promise doesnt match reality then an organisation may be danger of being seen as inauthentic. Representation is likely to result in communications and products and the symbols that represent them that arent connected to their original context and by definition inauthentic (Goldman and Papson, 1998, cited in Edwards, 2009). To give an example, if a product or service is positioned as specialist when in reality it is not and the staff are presented as specialists when in fact their kn owledge is just around average then incompatibilities occur and the brand could be perceived as inauthentic. A perceived lack of authenticity is just one of the issues that could affect a brand and therefore it is important that all stakeholder relationships and brand development strategies are continually assessed to determine their impact. Cornelisson (2004) states that tracking and evaluation should be the final element of any strategy, showing how efforts have progressed the organisations goals. In light of what has been discussed in this essay the suggestion is that this should be done in two parts; a brand audit to find out what the brand actually stands for and an analysis of the extent and quality of stakeholder relationships. Keller (2008) developed a model for a brand audit which takes place in two parts; a brand inventory and the brand exploratory. The brand inventory is basically research into what a brand says it is and the exploratory finds out what stakeholders say it is. His model brings these elements together to show the difference between current brand experience and brand promise, if there is any. But equally important is an assessment of the quality of the relationships an organisation has with its key stakeholders. Many theorists have developed criteria by which to assess quality and extent of stakeholder relations, including Strong, Ringer and Taylor (2001), Zoller (1999) and Zadek and Raynard (2002).   However this essay would like to look at unusual approaches that arent covered by the theorists above; the principles developed by the Clarkson Center for Business Ethics (1999) and the Ladder of Stakeholder Engagement (Friedman and Miles, 2006). Firstly to the principles set out by the Clarkson Center for Business Ethics (1999). Researchers at this centre developed a list of seven principles of good stakeholder relations, beginning with recognising stakeholders and ending with acknowledging conflicts between their roles as corporate stakeholders and their legal and moral responsibilities to stakeholders. These principles are highly respected within literature on the subject and could therefore provide a useful guidance document for businesses (Friedman and Miles, 2006). It is for this reason that this essay suggests they would be a useful day to day tool to assess quality of engagement, offering guidance for how organisations can continue to improve practice. In contrast (Friedman and Miles, 2006) developed a 12 rung ladder of engagement that looks at the quality of stakeholder relationships from a stakeholder perspective. On the very bottom of the ladder is manipulation and at the very top is stakeholder control. â€Å"This can be used as a guide to match intention and what approach to use as well as moderating intention with the degree of influence that stakeholders have†. (Friedman and Miles, 2006). As demonstrated in this essay strong and sustainable relationships with stakeholders should be at the core of a brand development strategy. Their views and interests should be taken into account throughout every phase of the brand development strategy process; including the analysis, goal setting, and evaluation. Such consideration and engagement will help the brand to successfully enhance its reputation with these groups increasing the likehood of them carrying out the actions desired by the company. References Cornelissen, J. (2004) Corporate Communications: Theory and Practice. London. Sage Publications Ltd. Clarkson Center for Business Ethics (1999/2002) Principles of Stakeholder Management. Toronto: University of Toronto. Reproduced in 2002, Business Ethics Quarterly, 12/1: 256-64. Fachet, N (2009,) Authentic communications: Breaking the halo of distrust [Internet blog].Available from: http://text100.com/hypertext/2009/06/authentic-communications-breaking-the-halo-of-distrust/> [Accessed December 2009]. Friedman, A. and Miles, S. (2006) Stakeholders: Theory and Practice. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Frooman, J. (1999) Stakeholder influence strategies. Academy of Management Review, 24(2): pp.191-205. Gilmore, J.H. and Pine II, B. J. (2007) Authenticity: What consumers really want. Boston, MA. Harvard Business School Press. Cited in: Edwards L. (2009) Authenticity in Organisational Context: Fragmentation, Contradiction and Loss of Control.   In: Proceedings of the 59th Annual International Communications Association Conference, May 21-25, 2009, Chicago, USA , Ill, pp 1-15. Schultz, M. (2005) A cross disciplinary perspective of corporate branding. In: Schultz, M., Antorini, Y.M. and Csaba, F.F.   (2005) Corporate Branding: purposes, people, processes: towards the second wave of corporate branding. Denmark. Copenhagen Business School Press, pp. 23-57. Hatch, M. and Schultz, M. (2001) Are the strategic stars aligned for your corporate brand? Harvard Business Review, February, pp. 128-134. Hatch, M and Schultz, M (2003) Bringing the corporation into corporate branding. European Journal of Marketing, 37(7/8), pp.1041-1064 Keller, K.L. (2003) Strategic Brand Management-Building, Measuring and Managing Brand Equity. 2nd ed, New Jersey. Prentice Hall. Mitchell, R.K., Agle, B.R., and Wood, D.J. (1997) Towards a theory of Stakeholder identification and salience: Defining the principle of who and what really counts. Academy of Management Review, 22(4), pp. 853-86. Pfeffer, J. (1972). Interorganizational Influence and Managerial Attitudes. Academy of Management Journal, 15, pp. 775-790. Salancik, G.R. (1979). Interorganizational Dependence and Responsiveness to Affirmative Action; The Case of Women and Defense Contractors. Academy of Management Journal, 22/2, pp. 375-394. Strong, K.C., Ringer, R.C. and Taylor, S.A. (2001)THE* Rules of Stakeholder Satisfaction (*Timeliness, Honesty and Empathy). Journal of Business Ethics, 32/3. Pp. 219-230. Van Riel, C (1995), Principles of Corporate Communication. Hertfordshire. Prentice Hall. Zadek, S. and Raynard, P. (2002) Stakeholder Engagement: Measuring and Communicating the Quality. Accountability Quarterly, 19, pp.8-17. Zoller, K. (1999) Growing Credibility Through Dialogue: Experiences in Germany and the USA. In: Charter, M. and Polonsky, M.J. (eds.), Greener Marketing: A Global Perspective on Greening Marketing Practice. Sheffield. Greenleaf Publishing, pp.196-206.

Mattel Inc. Stock :: essays research papers fc

Mattel Inc. (MAT) The Mattel Company, best known for its Barbie dolls, is the world's largest toy maker. In March 1997, it acquired Tyco toys the third largest U.S.-based toy maker. Its product lines include Fisher-Price and Sesame Street preschool items, Disney-related products and Hot Wheel miniature vehicles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They type of industry Mattel is located under, is dolls and stuffed toys, although they have other types of products such as Hot Wheels. This company is under monopolistic competition. They sell their products in many stores, such as Toys ‘R Us, KB Toys, K-Mart, Walmart, and others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some of Mattel’s competitors include Marvel Enterprises Inc. and Hasbro Inc. Marvel Enterprises (formerly Toy Biz) publishes comics based on more than 3,500 characters including Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, and the X-Men. The company, North America's top comic publisher through its Marvel Entertainment subsidiary, also makes action figures, games, and puzzles based primarily on its Marvel characters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hasbro is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys, games, interactive software, puzzles and infant products. Included in its offerings are games, traditional board and card, hand-held electronic and interactive CD-ROM, and puzzles, preschool, boys' action and girls' toys, dolls, plush products and infant products.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The company’s business activities include many things. The standards address a wide spectrum of issues, ranging from on-the-job concerns, such as factory lighting, air quality and health care facilities, to acceptable parameters for dormitories and recommendations for recreational programs. They serve as the principles by which Mattel's internal and independent monitoring programs are measured around the world. While the development of a code of conduct/manufacturing principles is essential to success, enforcement of the code is equally as important. Mattel has initiated an extensive three-stage auditing process, which is overseen by an independent monitoring council, to thoroughly inspect both the company's owned-and-operated facilities around the world, as well as those of all core contractors. If a contractor facility is either unable or unwilling to work with Mattel in order to meet and maintain its standards, however, Mattel will discontinue the workin g relationship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think that the stock price rose due to the company flourishing. Mattel has many extraordinary products that have been around for years, and many more to come. This company seems very stable. They keep their customers happy and keep them coming back for more. Now that the holidays are coming near, I predict that the company will do very well and the stock will go up once again.

Domestic Violence Essay

The Negative Results of Childhood Exposure to Domestic Violence The phrase â€Å"domestic violence† typically refers to violence between adult intimate partners. It has been estimated that every year there are about 3.3 to 10 million children exposed to domestic violence in the confines of their own home (Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa et al. 2009). According to research conducted by John W. Fantuzzo and Wanda K. Mohr(1999): â€Å"[e]xposure to domestic violence can include watching or hearing the violent events, direct involvement (for example, trying to intervene or calling the police), or experiencing the aftermath (for example, seeing bruises or observing maternal depression)† (Fantuzzo &ump; Mohr, 22). The effects of exposure can vary from direct effects such as behavioral and developmental issues to interpersonal relationships, all of which lead to detrimental prospects on the child’s development. This paper will explore those effects and how it affects children . Exposure to violence in the first years of life brings about helplessness and terror which can be attributed to the lack of protection received by the parent. The child can no longer trust their parent as a protector (Lieberman 2007). This lack of trust early in life can bring about serious problems later in life, as there is no resolution to the first psychosocial crisis, trust vs. mistrust. For these children exposed to domestic violence, the imaginary monsters that children perceive are not only symbolic representations or a dream. The monsters that children who witness domestic violence have to deal with carry the reflection of their parents. Children who witness domestic violence face a dilemma because the children’s parents are at their most frightening exactly when the child needs them the most. The security of the child is shattered as their protector becomes the attacker in reality and the child has nowhere to turn for help (Lieberman 2007). â€Å"Exposure to family and community violence is linked with aggressive behavior. One of the theoretical perspectives that explains this link is social learning theory, according to which children learn from the aggressive models in their environments. Additionally, victimization may compromise children’s ability to regulate their emotions, and as a result they may act out aggressively† (Margolin &ump; Gordis 2004, 153). â€Å"Posttraumatic stress symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are important consequences of exposure to violence because they can impair social and behavioral functioning† (Margolin &ump; Gordis 2004, 153). Research has shown that children exposed to domestic violence demonstrate impaired ability to concentrate, difficulty with schoolwork, and significantly lower scores when their verbal, motor, and cognitive skills were being tested (Fantuzzo &ump; Mohr). It seems as if the academic and cognitive difficulties from exposure affec t the child possibly through its impact on psychological functioning. For example, PTSD and depression may hinder with learning and the ability to perform well in the classroom (Margolin &ump; Gordis 2004). Researchers have found a positive correlation between externalizing (aggression) and internalizing (lowered self esteem, depression, anxiety) and domestic violence exposed children. Children exposed to domestic violence have been found to be four times more likely to develop internalizing or externalizing behavior problems than children who are not exposed to violence. The disruption of the development of basic competencies harms the child’s ability to manage emotions effectively and increases internalizing and externalizing behaviors (Martinez-Torteya et. al., 2009). This is particularly problematic for preschool aged children as younger children display more intense externalizing and internalizing behavioral responses to parental conflict than older children do (Ybarra, Wilkens, &ump; Lieberman 2007). These responses are due in part to less mature cognitive skills. Because these skills have not advanced yet, there is an increase in the likelihood of the child expressing psychological vulnerabilities following the conflict because of cognitive errors. Exposure to domestic violence compromises interpersonal relationships that are the foundation of children’s daily lives in addition to having direct effects. â€Å"Social support is a key buffer against the negative effects of violence. Because parents are key sources of social support, the disrupted parenting associated with family violence may exacerbate negative effects of exposure to violence. More generally, children exposed to violence may be sensitized to hostile interactions and may have difficulty negotiating peer conflicts. These interpersonal difficulties can rob children of social support and increase their risk for associating with deviant peers† (Margolin &ump; Gordis 2004, 154). In a study conducted by C. McGee, it was reported that many children found it difficult to develop friendships for reasons such as holding back from others as well as fear of inviting others to their home (Adams 2006). In conclusion, it is clearly shown that domestic violence has a negative effect on the children who witness it. An expanding body of research suggests that childhood trauma and adverse experiences can lead to a variety of negative health outcomes (Anda &ump; Chapman &ump; Dube &ump; Felitti &ump; Giles &ump; Williamson, 2001, p.1). In fact, childhood stressors such as witnessing domestic violence and other household dysfunctions are highly interrelated and have a graded relationship to numerous health and social problems (Anda &ump; Chapman &ump; Dube &ump; Felitti &ump; Giles &ump; Williamson, 2001, p.2). It is obvious and clearly shown that the children who witness domestic abuse have serious long term mental effects.

Golkonda Fort Essay

The 13th century Golconda Fort was built by the Kakatiya kings. In the 16th century, Golkonda was the capital and fortress city of the Qutb Shahi kingdom, near Hyderabad. The city was home to one of the most powerful Muslim sultanates in the region and was the center of a flourishing diamond trade. Golkonda was located 11 km west of the city of Hyderabad. According to a legend, the fort derives its name from Golla Konda, which is a Telugu word for Shepherd’s Hill. It is believed that a shepherdboy came across an idol on the hill. This led to the construction of a mud fort by the then Kakatiya dynasty ruler of the kingdom around the site. The city and fortress are built on a granite hill that is 120 meters (400 ft) high and is surrounded by massive crenelated ramparts. The beginnings of the fort date to 1143, when the Hindu Kakatiya dynasty ruled the area. The Kakatiya dynasty were followed by the state ofWarangal, which was later conquered by the Islamic Bahmani Sultanat. The fort became the capital of a major province in the Sultanate and after its collapse the capital of the Qutb Shahi kings. The fort finally fell into ruins after a siege and its fall to Mughal emperor Aurangazeb. After the collapse of the Bahmani Sultanat, Golkonda rose to prominence as the seat of the Qutb Shahi dynasty around 1507. Over a period of 62 years the mud fort was expanded by the first three Qutb Shahi kings into a massive fort of granite, extending around 5 km incircumference. It remained the capital of the Qutb Shahi dynasty until 1590 when the capital was shifted to Hyderabad. The Qutb Shahis expanded the fort, whose 7 km outer wall enclosed the city. The state became a focal point for Shia Islam in India, for instance in the 17th century Bahraini clerics, Sheikh Ja`far bin Kamal al-Din and Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani both emigrated to Golkonda.[4] The Qutb Shahi sultanate lasted until its conquest by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1687. The fortress held out against Aurangzeb for nine months, falling to the Mughals through treachery. Kancharla Gopanna, popularly known as Bhaktha Ramadaasu, a devout Hindu who constructed Bhadrachalm temple without informing the sultan at that time Tana Shah, was kept in a jail located inside the fort. Golkonda consists of four distinct forts with a 10 km long outer wall with 87 semicircular bastions (some still mounted with cannons), eight gateways, and four drawbridges, with a number of royal apartments & halls, temples, mosques, magazines, stables, etc. inside. The lowest of these is the outermost enclosure into which we enter by the â€Å"Fateh Darwaza† studded with giant iron spikes near the south-eastern corner. At Fateh Darwaza can be experienced a fantastic acoustic effect, characteristic of he engineering marvels at Golkonda. A hand clap at a certain point below the dome at the entrance reverberates and can be heard clearly at the ‘Bala Hisar’ pavilion, the highest point almost a kilometre away. This worked as a warning note to the royals in case of an attack. The whole of the Golconda Fort complex and its surrounding spreads across 11 km of total area, and discovering its every nook is an arduous task. A visit to the fort reveals the architectural beauty in many of the pavilions, gates, entrances and domes. Divided into four district forts, the architectural valour still gleams in each of the apartments, halls, temples, mosques, and even stables. The graceful gardens of the fort may have lost their fragrance, for which they were known 400 years ago Bala Hissar Gate is the main entrance to the fort located on the eastern side. It has a pointed arch bordered by rows of scroll work. The spandrels have yalis and decorated roundels. The area above the door has peacocks with ornate tails flanking an ornamental arched niche. The granite block lintel below has sculpted yalis flanking a disc. The design of peacocks and lions is a blend of Hindu – Muslim architecture. Toli Masjid, situated at Karwan, about 2 km from the Golkonda fort, was built in 1671 by Mir Musa Khan Mahaldar, royal architect of Abdullah Qutb Shah. The facade consists of five arches, each with lotus medallions in the spandrels. The central arch is slightly wider and more ornate. The mosque inside is divided into two halls, a transverse outer hall and an inner hall entered through triple arches. Much thought went in to building this gate. A few feet in front of the gate is a large wall. This prevented elephants and soldiers (during enemy attacks) from having a proper ramp to run and break the gate. The fort of Golconda is known for its magical acoustic system. The highest point of the fort is the â€Å"Bala Hissar†, which is located a kilometer away. The palaces, factories, water supply system and the famous â€Å"Rahban† cannon, within the fort are some of the major attractions. It is believed that there is a secret underground tunnel that leads from the â€Å"Durbar Hall† and ends in one of the palaces at the foot of the hill. The fort also contains the tombs of the Qutub Shahi kings. These tombs have Islamic architecture and are located about 1 km north of the outer wall of Golconda. They are encircled by beautiful gardens and numerous exquisitely carved stones. It is also believed that there was a secret tunnel to Charminar. The two individual pavilions on the outer side of Golconda are also major attractions of the fort. It is built on a point which is quite rocky. The â€Å"Kala Mandir† is also located in the fort. It can be seen from the king’s durbar (king’s court) which was on top of the Golconda Fort. The wonderful acoustic system of Golconda fort speaks volumes about the architecture of the fort. This majestic structure has beautiful palaces and an ingenious water supply system. Sadly, the unique architecture of the fort is now losing its charm. The ventilation of the fort is absolutely fabulous having exotic designs. They were so intricately designed that cool breeze could reach the interiors of the fort, providing a respite from the heat of summer.

Coming up with Ideas

Coming up with Ideas Based on the work of Klofsten (2005) which examined the innovations and strategies implemented by entrepreneurs, it was seen that the most successful individuals focused on developing business ideas that served a particular need and fit into a specific market niche (Klofsten, 2005: 105s of this particular type of idea creation can be seen in the current popularity of food trucks in not only the U.S. but in some areas of the U.K. as well which serve a variety of restaurant quality dishes. By selling a product which is readily available at any restaurant but by making it more easily accessible and affordable this results in a considerable level of business success for any enterprising entrepreneur.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Coming up with Ideas specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reference List Acs, Z, Audretsch, D, Braunerhjelm, P, Carlsson, B 2012, Growth and entrepreneurship, Small Business Economics, 39, 2, pp . 289-300. Retrieved from www.EBSCOhost.com Heinonen, J, Hytti, U, Stenholm, P 2011, The role of creativity in opportunity search and business idea creation, Education + Training, 53, 8/9, pp. 659-672. Retrieved from www.EBSCOhost.com Klofsten, M 2005, New venture ideas: an analysis of their origin and early development, Technology Analysis Strategic Management, 17, 1, pp. 105-119. Retrieved from www.EBSCOhost.com Popovich, M, Buss, T 1990, 101 ideas for stimulating rural entrepreneurship and new business development, Economic Development Review, 8, 4, p. 26. Retrieved from www.EBSCOhost.com Riese, H 2011, Enacting entrepreneurship education: The interaction of personal and professional interests in mini-enterprises, Cambridge Journal Of Education, 41, 4, pp. 445-460. Retrieved from www.EBSCOhost.com Rubenstein, AH 1994, At the front end of the RD/Innovation process: Idea development and entrepreneurship, International Journal Of Technology Management, 9, 5-7, p. 652. Retrieved f rom www.EBSCOhost.com