Theatre review Essay Example for Free

Theatre review Essay The lighting for most of the play was moderately bright with foot lights lighting the stage, and several overhead lights as well. The exception was Petruchios house, which was quite dim to show how different it was from what Kate was used to, and showing how miserable she was. Most scenes were broadly lit instead of using spotlights to highlight individual characters, which I was quite surprised about, One exception was outside the tavern where the men were celebrating Biancas engagement, when a spotlight was used to show the merchant pretending to be Lucentios father looking out from a window. Lighting was s also used for several special effects. One example was the storm outside Petruchios house, which was very effective, and also an amazing contrast compared to the scene with Bianca in the garden, which had a completely different mood that was well conveyed by the lighting used in both scenes. Sound effects were also used to convey the emotions in each scene, though not used abundantly, but were key to the scene, for example, wedding bells for the church scene and thunder and lightening, which was very atmospheric. There was music from the orchestra before the play started, which set the mood, and also put the play in context because it was sort of old fashioned instrumentalist music, which showed that the play was going to be the traditional version instead of a more contemporary updated version. There was also background music sometimes, but nothing too obvious, and only a few bars at a time, with no real impact on the scene except to add to the surroundings, rather than narrate them, so they didnt have any particular tone, i. e. hopeful or sad. The lack of songs seemed strange to me because Ive only previously been used to seeing musicals performed but the cast conveyed the emotions adequately anyway. The costumes in the play were also of a very high quality, even though each character only had one outfit. Nevertheless they showed a lot about the personalities of each role. For example, Bianca wore a pretty yellow dress to show how girly she was, and that she cared about her appearance while Kat wore a rough looking one. Gremios clothes were probably the most affluent, with robes that were trimmed of fur and a lot of gold jewellery, which supported the fact that he was the richest of Biancas suitors, Gremio retired to his moneybags Things like this showed aspects of their personalities. I could tell that clothes were important in those times because they showed who a person was. A case that shows this is when Lucentio swaps clothes with his servant. , so that anyone who saw them would know instantly which one was the master. Ive seen things like this in other performances, for example Les Miserables and often other pre 1900 plays.

Current Diagnostic Methods for Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Current Diagnostic Methods for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Abstract: Detection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is essential for diagnosis and monitoring of the infection. There are several different types of diagnostic tools available that are based on detection of HIV-specific antibodies, virus antigen, or nucleic acid. Sensitivities and specificities of assays utilized for HIV detection have improved. Newer HIV testing technologies such as third-generation enzyme immunoassay (EIA) which detect HIV-specific IgG and IgM antibodies, fourth-generation EIA which detect both anti-HIV antibodies and HIV p24 antigen, and nucleic acid-based tests (NATs) for HIV RNA, have significantly decreased the window period. This review study provides an overview of current technologies for the detection and monitoring of HIV infection and recent advances in the field of HIV diagnosis. Keywords: HIV diagnosis; HIV antibody test; human immunodeficiency virus; Immunoassay; Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Introduction: Diagnosis of HIV infection contributes to evaluating the progression of disease, monitoring the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. The diagnosis of HIV is associated with decrease in risky behaviors, reduced HIV transmission, and improved survival linked to increased case detection, earlier care and treatment. HIV-negative persons can also protect themselves from HIV when making sexual decisions by engaging in safer sex behaviors and sometimes, taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Early diagnosis of HIV infection provides an opportunity for risk reduction counseling and preventing further transmission of the disease, while late diagnosis of HIV infection is detrimental to infected patients and to the public health, and is associated with an increased rate of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Since the start of the epidemic, it is estimated that 78 million people have become infected with HIV and 35 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses. In 2015, 2.1 million people became newly infected, 36.7 million people were living with HIV and 1.1 million people died from AIDS-related illnesses. New HIV infections have fallen by 6% since 2010. Sub-Saharan Africa, which bears the heaviest burden of HIV/AIDS worldwide, accounts for 65% of all new HIV infections. Other regions significantly affected by HIV/AIDS include Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia (Table 1) [9]. The present study aims to conduct a narrative review to summarize and discuss the current diagnostic methods for HIV and recent developments. We start with a brief overview of HIV infection, follow by a description on the development of virological and immunological markers following HIV infection. Thereafter, we introduce current algorithms for laboratory HIV testing with different kind of current diagnostics techniques including various generations of enzyme immunoassays, rapid or point-of-care tests, and qualitative/quantitative PCR assays. Overview of HIV Infection: HIV-1 causes chronic infection which is usually characterized by progressive immune deficiency, a long period of clinical latency, and appearance of opportunistic infections [1, 2]. Characteristics of HIV include infection and viral replication in T lymphocyte expressing CD4 antigen. Qualitative defects in CD4 cell response and a gradual decline in their numbers increase the risk of opportunistic infections like Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and neoplasms such as Kaposis sarcoma and lymphoma [3-5]. HIV infection can disrupt functions of blood monocytes, tissue macrophages, and B lymphocytes, and also increase the potential of encapsulated bacteria for developing infections [6, 7]. Direct invasion of CD4 cells in the peripheral and central nervous systems can cause meningitis, peripheral neuropathy, and dementia [8]. The prognosis is variable between people infected with HIV-1. In adults, the average time between HIV exposure to AIDS stage is 10-11 years, but a remarkable proportion of individuals (~20%) progresses rapidly to AIDS within 5 years after HIV exposure. On the other hand, it is estimated that 12% of infected individuals will remain free of AIDS for 20 years [10]. Prophylaxis and in particular antiretroviral therapy (ART) significantly enhanced the overall prognosis of HIV disease against opportunistic infections [11]. The most common route of HIV infection is sexual transmission at the genital mucosa via direct contact with infected body fluids, such as blood, semen, and vaginal secretions. Infection may also occur via inoculation of infected blood, transfusion of infected blood products, transplantation of infected tissues, from an infected mother to her infant during pregnancy, or by reuse of contaminated needles [12]. The probability of transmission after a single exposure with an uncontrolled HIV source has been estimated to be 1/150 with needle sharing, 1/300 with occupational percutaneous exposure, 1/300-1/1000 with receptive anal intercourse, 1/500-1/1250 with receptive vaginal intercourse, 1/1000-1/3000 with insertive vaginal intercourse, and 1/3000 with insertive anal intercourse. The average risk is 12-50% for congenital (mother-to-child) transmission, 12% for breast-feeding, 90% for a contaminated blood transfusion, and 0.1-1.0% for nosocomial transmission [13]. The risk of HIV transmission during early or acute HIV infection appears to be greater than during chronic infection (251). Available data suggest that the viral load is an important predictor of the risk of heterosexual transmission, and patients with levels less than 1500 copies of HIV-1 RNA per milliliter are at lower risk of HIV transmission, whereas the probability of transmission is increased dramatically with increasing vira l loads (250). Laboratory markers for HIV-1 infection: Several immunological and virological blood markers can be monitored during the course of HIV infection. These markers appear highly consistent between different individuals in a chronological order and allows classification of HIV infection into distinct laboratory stages including eclipse period, seroconversion window period, acute HIV infection, and established HIV infection (Figure 1) [14, 15]. Shortly after exposure to HIV-1, no viral markers are consistently detectable in plasma, but low levels of HIV-1 RNA can be found intermittently [16]. This period is called the eclipse phase. About 10 days after infection, HIV-1 RNA becomes detectable by NAT in plasma and quantities rise to very high levels [17], which subsequently decline rapidly until reaching a set point, a stable level that may persist for years. This stable level of HIV RNA represents an equilibrium between HIV and host immune responses and is an important indicator of subsequent disease progression, and potential transmission of HIV. It has been shown that the higher HIV-1 RNA plasma level is associated with faster progression to AIDS [18]. The set point plasma HIV-1 RNA level can be a helpful clinical tool for determining the timing of initiation of antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected patients. For instance, patients with high set point levels can be started on aggressive antiretroviral therapy and patient s with low set point levels can be monitored without initiating therapy [19]. HIV-1 p24 antigen is expressed and quantities rise to levels that can be measured by fourth-generation immunoassays within 17 days after infection (typical range 13-28 days) [15, 20]. Due to high titers of p24 antigen present in the sera of acutely infected patients during the interval prior to seroconversion, p24 Ag assay can be utilized to diagnose the primary HIV-1 infection [21]. Nevertheless, detection of p24 antigen is transient because, as antibodies begin to develop, they bind to the p24 antigen and form immune complexes that interfere with p24 Ag assay [22, 23]. The time interval between infection with HIV and the first detection of antibodies is known as the serological window period. The detection of HIV-specific antibodies indicates the end of the window period and the individual is known as seropositive [24]. The length of the window period depends on the design and the sensitivity of the immunoassay. Expression of IgM antibodies can be detected by immunoassays within 10 to 13 days after the appearance of viral RNA, 3 to 5 days after detection of p24 antigen, and peak between the 4th and the 5th week [15, 20, 25, 26]. Thereafter, the emergence of IgG antibodies occurs at about 3-4 weeks after infection and persist throughout the course of HIV infection [21]. Nevertheless, the immune responses are highly dependent on the ability of the individuals immune system to produce the antibodies. Approximately, 50% of patients within 3-4 weeks and about 100% of them within 6 months have detectable antibodies, although there are reports indicating that a small percentage of patients may require up to 6 months for the appearance of antibodies [27]. Laboratory HIV testing algorithms: Since 1989, the diagnostic algorithm for HIV testing recommended by CDC and the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) relied on the confirmation of a repeatedly reactive HIV immunoassay with the more specific HIV-1 antibody test, either the HIV-1 Western blot or HIV-1 indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The Western blot was previously considered to be the gold standard for the diagnosis of HIV infection by Clinicians [29, 30]. It should be noted that both the Western blot and IFA are first-generation assays that detect only IgG antibodies against HIV proteins. Retrospective testing of specimens from high-risk individuals pointed that antibody testing alone may miss a significant percentage of HIV infections detectable by virologic tests such as HIV antigen and nucleic acid assays. In 2013, the CDC and the APHL released new guidelines on HIV testing that have led to the earlier diagnosis of HIV infection when compared with the previous diagnostic algorithm. The new recommended algorithm starts with a fourth-generation HIV-1/2 Ag/Ab immunoassay to screen for HIV infection that detects both HIV-1/2 antibodies and the HIV-1 antigen. When the result of initial immunoassay is nonreactive, further testing is not required for samples. Instead, testing with an HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation test is needed when the sample is reactive on the screening fourth-generation assay. Reactive results with the initial fourth-generation assay and the HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation immunoassay should be considered as reactive for HIV-1 antibodies, HIV-2 antibodies, or HIV antibodies, undifferentiated. Reactive results with the initial fourth-generation assay and nonreactive or indeterminate on the HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation immunoassay should be tested with an FDA-approved HIV-1 NAT to differentiate early HIV infection from a false-positive screening result [28] (Figure 2). HIV diagnostic tests: Serological diagnostic assays: Enzyme Immunoassays (EIA):Significant advances in the development of HIV immunoassays have been created since the discovery of HIV in 1983. Based on different design principles, HIV immunoassays are generally classified into generations. The earliest immunoassays (first-generation) are indirect EIAs that used coated viral lysate antigens derived from cell culture on a solid phase for antibody capture and an indirect format that detected antibody utilizing an enzyme-conjugated antihuman IgG [36]. Antibody can be detected within 8-10 weeks postinfection by first generation immunoassay. These assays have 99% sensitivity and 95-98% specificity for HIV infection. Second-generation immunoassays use synthetic peptide or recombinant protein antigens alone or in combination with viral lysates to bind HIV antibodies, and they use an indirect immunoassay format that employs conjugated antihuman IgG, which binds to IgG with high affinity, to detect IgG antibodies [37]. Utilizing recombinant anti gens in the second-generation assays improves sensitivity for HIV-1, HIV-1 group O, and HIV-2, allowing earlier detection of IgG antibodies. The sensitivity and specificity of second-generation assays have been reported to be ˃99.5% and ˃99%, respectively. First and second generation immunoassays can only detect IgG antibody to HIV. The window period was decreased to 4 to 6 weeks postinfection by second-generation assays. Third generation immunoassays also utilize synthetic peptide or recombinant antigens to bind HIV antibodies, but in an immunometric antigen sandwich format; HIV antibodies in the specimen bind to HIV antigens on the assay substrate and to antigens conjugated to indicator molecules. This allows detection of both IgM and IgG antibodies which leads to increase in sensitivity and specificity of the test. Lower sample dilutions and the ability to detect IgM antibodies (which are expressed before IgG antibodies) further decrease the window period to 2-3 weeks postinfection [38]. The reported sensitivity and specificity of third-generation assays is ˃99.5%. Combination or fourth-generation tests use synthetic peptide or recombinant protein antigens in the same antigen sandwich format as third-generation assays for the detection of IgM and IgG antibodies, and also monoclonal antibodies for the detection of p24 antigen [39]. Inclusion of p24 antigen capture allows the detection of HIV-1 infection before seroconversion and further decreases the window period. Most fourth-generation antigen/antibody immunoassays (termed combo assays) do not distinguish antibody reactivity from antigen reactivity [39]. Recent published data has shown that the fourth-generation assay was able to establish HIV infection in more than 80% of patients who tested NAAT positive but either nonreactive or indeterminate by other tests like Western blot, first to third generation immunoassays, and rapid tests [40-42]. Delaney et al. found that the fourth-generation immunoassay are able to detect HIV infection 1-3 weeks earlier than the first, second, and third generation immunoassay which cannot detect p24 antigen. The results of their study revealed that the median duration of the eclipse period was 11.5 days and 99% of specimens from HIV-infected patients could be reactive with Ag/Ab combination tests within 45 days of exposure. Moreover, for detection of antibodies by the IgG/IgM-sensitive and other plasma screening assays, 50 days or longer were required and after 3 month of exposure, infection could be detected by all tests. Several studies have reported sensitivities of 100% for fourth-generation immunoassay, whereas other surveys reported transient sensitivities range from 62-89% when assessed against HIV RNA assays. This decreased sensitivity can be attributed to the presence of a second diagnostic window. This situation is rare but it can happen. Second diagnostic window period lies between the p24 antigen detection and the anti-HIV antibody detection, and is associated with reduction in the p24 antigen and antigen/antibody complexes levels, as well as a delay in HIV-specific antibody development which totally may affect the sensitivity of fourth-generation immunoassays. So, it is possible that many acute HIV infections have been missed using fourth-generation assays. Despite negative results from a fourth-generation immunoassay in high-risk populations with suspected acute HIV infection, it is needed to repeat the test on new blood samples obtained several days later, as well as testing for HIV anti body alone, p24 antigen or use of an HIV RNA assay. In 2015, an improved version of immunoassay, BioPlex 2200 HIV Ag-Ab screening test system, received FDA approval in HIV screening which detects both HIV antibody and the HIV-1 p24 antigen by providing separate results for each analyte. This test also provides separate results for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies, so there is no need for a HIV-1/2 differentiation assay for antibody reactive samples. It was reported that the sensitivity and specificity of BioPlex 2200 HIV Ag-Ab assay were 100 and 99.5%, respectively [43]. HIV Confirmatory Tests:Screening tests must be highly sensitive to produce few false-negative results, whereas confirmatory assays are characterized with high specificity to produce few false-positive results [44]. If the result of a screening test is repeatedly reactive, this has to be confirmed by (at least) one confirmatory assay. Western blot or indirect IFA traditionally have been employed as confirmatory assay due to their higher specificity. The probability that both ELISA and Western blot would give false-positive results is extremely low (

Strategic Justifications In The US Wine Industry

Strategic Justifications In The US Wine Industry Mergers refer to the aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling and combining of different companies that can aid in, finance, or assist a growing company in a given industry. As outlined by Lawrence Gitman, it is the combination of two or more firms, in which the resulting firm maintains the identity of one of the firms usually the larger. The primary reason for a merger is to improve a companys financial and strategic position. (Gitman, 2009) Determining whether the merger or the acquisition in the U.S. Wine Industry is offensive or defensive is dependent on each companys perspective. International Beverages quest for seeking an acquisition was considered a defensive action put forward by the company and it needed to lengthen its life within the organization. This company was known as a leading producer and marketer in the wine industry. This company being slow at achieving internal growth as their revenues grew at a mere 10% per year as a result of aggressive acquisition strategy. They needed to make an acquisition to prevent it from becoming a market failure as lack of any acquisition resulted in a no growth rate for the Company. This needed to be done to achieve growth internally and to refrain from going under. The wine industry has showed desirable preferences for change to higher end brand which placed International Beverage in a very dangerous position as customer would show a great deal of preference for the highe r end brand wines. International Beverage then had to take the initiative and move strategically in order to remain in the market as a key player, thus alleviating any adverse effects that would occur as a result of the new emerging preference in the future. One of the other companies to be acquired was Starshine. One of the main compositions of companies that International Beverage acquires was the fact that they were all producers of low end quality wine. Starshine was one of them. They too were also facing the fact that they could eventually lose in the market shares as the market began leaning towards a higher end brand of wine and Starshine were offering mid range labels in the market. Since Starshine produced only mid range brand wines, it would have been in their best interest to merge with the other company Bel Vino in order to secure a share in the market. This would have been their defensive action. The merger was crucial because had they not merged with Bel Vino, International Beverage could have acquired their company as the urgently needed some pull out, keeping in mind also that International Beverage also needed some fix for themselves to retain their market share. Starshine would then now be able to deal with their cost issues and competition from foreign producers. The merger between Starshine and International Beverage would be a defensive action with respect to the emerging market changes and also to avoid not having a say in the future business of the company. Bel Vino was producers of high-end wine with a very strong brand. Despite this, they also had sluggish performance, there prevalent management conflicts, these were the internal problems the company was faced with; also their inability to form good distribution lines, have a bad management team and as a result, has unflattering performance levels (Luehrman Kester, 2009). The market change favoured Bel Vino prospects as it allowed them to have more clients to form a better distribution line which will then have positive effects on its revenues. Bel Vino did not need a merger neither an acquisition because it could have solved the aforementioned issues by itself. Despite this fact, there was the option of solving these issues by taking advantage of the already established distribution lines and high earnings of both Starshine and International Beverage (Luehrman Kester, 2009). Given these reasons, Bel Vino is the only one that would be taking offensive action in both instances with respect to merger and acquisition. Question 2 What primary advantages did your company bring to the table? An acquisition of or merger with Bel Vino would benefit both company as Bel Vino, is the company that offered classic vintages and strong brands (Luehrman Kester, 2009). This would give them the comparative advantage over the other companies since these other companies, Starshine and International Beverage, deal mainly with lower end and mid range labels (Luehrman Kester, 2009). From the fact that industry has overcome the wine glut the demand for wine has shifted to the higher end products which neither of Bel Vinos competitors possess (Luehrman Kester, 2009). This was an advantage for Bel Vino since they were able to use this for their negotiations. This would be beneficial also for International Beverage and Starshine providing the opportunity to gain a market share and for their survival in the new market transformation. Bel Vino also benefited from the low cost advantages with respect to the merger with Starshine given the fact of the apparent cost control issues. (Luehrman Kester, 2009). Management in Bel Vino were able to utilize their finances as opposed to overspending on advertisement as Starshine did. All in all, Bel Vino brought several advantages to the table during this negotiation, all of which benefitted each of the companies of way or the other. Question 3 Compare the market positions, financial performance, and future prospects of Bel Vino and Starshine. What are the most significant sources of synergies for the potential transactions? Market position can be defined as the ranking of a brand, product, or firm, in terms of its sales volume relative to the sales volume of its competitors in the same market or industry (Business Dictonary, 2009). In analyzing the three companies, it was found that from the years 2006-2010 Starshine continually had higher net sales to that of Bel Vino. In 2006 Starshine had 475 million compared to Bel Vinos 359 million and International beverages 2980 million. In 2007 Starshine had 495 million compared to Bel Vinos 360 million and 2999.9 million. In 2008 Starshine had 525.1 million compared to Bel Vinos 366 million and 3019.9 million. In 2009 Starshine had 557.2 million compared to Bel Vinos 382.1 million and 6100.4 million. In 2010 Starshine had 591.5 million compared to Bel Vinos 390.1 million and 6141.2 million. (Harvard Business School 2009) This shows that Starshine had a greater market presence than that of Bel Vino and that Bel Vino was finding it difficult to generate sales esp ecially in the international markets to compete with its rivals. This was possibly due to its poor distribution lines. International Beverage could help Starshine and Bel Vino increase their market share both domestically and internationally and also help improve Bel Vinos distribution line. Financial performance refers to the measuring of a firms policies and operations in monetary terms. These results are reflected in the firms return on investment and return on assets (Business Dictionary, 2009). As the formula for return on assets is Net Income/Total Assets, the Return on assets for Starshine through the years 2006 to 2010 are; in 2006: 11.1/498.3 = 2.23%; in 2007: 8.6/503.9=1.71% ; in 2008: 17.4/507.5=3.43 ; in 2009: 28.3/531.5=5.32 ;in 2010: 36.9/556.9= 6.63%. In comparison, the returns on Assets for Bel Vino throughout the years are in 2006: 4.2/425.9=0.99%, in 2007:18.8/406.8=4.62%, in 2008: 27.7/389.4=7.11, in 2009: 33.2/403.6=8.23%,in 2010: 36.1/409.1=.8.82%. This shows that Bel Vino had a higher return on assets than Starshine. Our return on assets are as follows; in 2006: 162.2/1227.2=13.22%; in 2007: 109.9/1461.5=7.52; in 2008: 97.5/1544.5=6.31; in 2009: 423.7/22.32.7=18.98; in 2010: 446.6/2770.2=16.12. This again shows that our company, International Beverage company is a larger better run company. In relation to the future prospects of these companies, Bel Vino had to focus on the protection of their brands, increase in distribution lines and increase in sales volumes. Pertaining to Starshine, they need to cut costs and break into the high end market. Question 4 What was the rationale behind the choice of target for the opening bid and our overall bidding strategy? As we were in a better position than both companies, we were faced with the decision of it to stay as we were and run the risk of both companies merging or if to acquire on of the companies. We decided that were not under any pressure and we were going to keep our bidding low as we felt it was in the other companies best interest to merge with us. We started by making a bid for Starshine as we felt that with their greater presence in the markets would help us to gain an even stronger market share. We thus made an opening bid of $45 per share to Starshine. This bid was rejected. As a result our share price dropped by $0.50 to $64.70 while starshines rose by $2.26 to $56.64. We decided to start the bidding at such a low price so during negotiations; the ceiling price would not get too high. We realised that Starshine offered Bel Vino 1.05 new Starshine shares for each existing Bel Vino Share. So we decided to give Bel Vino something to think about by offering $39 per share. This was lo wer than their share price at the current time which was $45.96. We were not prepared to buy out any of these companies while incurring huge debts. This was another reason why our bids were kept so low. Bel Vino didnt see our bid as attractive despite the fact that we could improve their distribution line internationally considerably. So they rejected our bid. We thus decided it was not worth it to acquire any of the two companies as they lacked the vision to see that they could only benefit by merging with us. In the end Starshine accepted Bel Vinos offer and the companies merged. Question 5. If you were not successful at completing a transaction, why do you believe this was the case? Do you think it represents the best outcome for your shareholders? Would you do anything differently if given another chance to negotiate? According to the confidential information our team was provided with, both Bel Vino and Starshine were potential prospects for a merger. Our main prospect was Bel Vino since they sold high end products and our company would have received more value from this merger. We also noted that a merger with Bel Vino would have added worth to our company. Therefore in the long term, shareholder value will also be increased. In order to increase shareholders value, it is imperative that a company implements strategic planning. This can be done by increasing cost base while maintaining revenue and by increasing revenue share and by reducing cost (Ezine Article, 2010). A merger between Bel Vino and Starshine would have reduced cost of goods sold by roughly $3 million to $ 5 million. In addition, their Research and Development cost would decrease by a significant amount, roughly, one million on an annual basis. Bel Vino showed strategic planning and they recognized the goal of the company and beca use of their financial operations which were done effectively and efficiently, they were able to develop their working capital. There was a possibility of mergers between Bel Vino and Starshine, which actually came to fruition. Before any negotiation is made by any organization and for it to be successful it is critical for them to look over key issues that will affect their organization in the long run. In other words preparedness is one of the main key to successes in any business organization. In addition, a good strategy is also important for a healthy and long term existence of that company. Our team definitely lacked in the area of preparation was resulted in International Beverage not being able to merge with any of the two prospective companies. Our team members were definitely not ready to negotiate because we did not conduct enough background work in terms of focusing on our operating assumptions which included domestic and international revenues. In addition, due to the lack of understanding the game and time, we were not capable of making enough offers to the other two wine companies These factors needed to be decided upon before we ventured into the negotiation process. We also need to focus more on our balance sheet and make comparisons between Bel Vinos and Starshines balance sheets. Despite our unpreparedness, we were able to make bids by offers to both Bel Vino and Starshine at prices, $48.81 and $58.57 respectively. Both companies rejected our offers. We assumed that they believed that their companies were worth more than what we were offering them. At the end of the simulation, Starshine and Bel Vino merged. In conclusion, the wine simulation was a learning experience for our team and we realized the importance of conducting our homework before venturing into negotiations. It is important to learn about your counterparts in detail, as opposed to looking on the surface. Details such as financials are crucial in getting into mergers. If given the opportunity to negotiate again, we will definitely make serious preparations for the negotiations.

The Grand Essay About Reconstruction :: essays research papers

The Civil War was inevitable and regardless of the outcome on the fields of battle, the reconstruction of the nation was equally inevitable because as much as the North and the South had irrevocable differences, it was in the mutual interest of the North, the South and the West to maintain a relationship based on symbiosis. The Civil War and the reconstruction of the nation were bound to happen. There was a great diversity throughout the nation within the three sections. Differences in opinions and rules in slavery, economic and civilization differences are all examples of causes of the Civil War. However, the reconstruction of the nation was necessary, because the three sections needed each other to survive.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Civil war was inevitable. Because of the great diversity between the North and the South, the Civil War was bound to happen. Slavery was one of the many causes of the Civil War. It presented a moral issue, since it dealt with human beings and invaded individual freedom and democratic ideals. Slavery greatly distinguished the South from the North, and was the major issue dividing the two sections. The differences in economy also added to the cause of the Civil War. The South had become agricultural, and the North had become industrial. These economic differences led to sectional rivalry on issues such as slavery and the protective tariff. The interpretation of the federal Union differed between the two sections as well. The South insisted that the federal Union was created by the states; therefore, any state had the right to secede. The North thought otherwise; they believed that people created the Union and no state had the right to secede. The South favored, and the North opposed the extension of slavery into the West. Most of the West became tied economically to the North by a network of railroads and trade. Southerners realized that Western lands were not suitable for cotton culture, and realized that they were losing Western support, and the South would remain a minority section in the Union. The North and the South had differences in civilization. A small aristocracy of influential planter families dominated the Southern civilization, compared to the more dynamic and democratic Northern civilization. This difference in civilizations made understanding each other’s point of view difficult, which added to the causes of the war. Lastly, people in both the North and the South exaggerated differences.

Buddhism Essay -- essays research papers fc

Buddhism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For over 2000 years Buddhism has existed as an organized religion. By religion we mean that it has a concept of the profane, the sacred, and approaches to the sacred. It has been established in India, China, Japan and other eastern cultures for almost 2000 years and has gained a strong foothold in North America and Europe in the past few centuries. However, one might ask; what fate would Buddhism face had Siddartha Guatama been born in modern times; or more specifically in modern day North America? Would his new found enlightenment be accepted now as it was thousands of years ago? Would it be shunned by society as another â€Å"cult† movement? What conflicts or similarities would it find with modern science; physics in particular? The answers to these questions are the aim of this paper, as well as a deeper understanding of modern Buddhism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although I will stick with traditional ideas raised by Buddhism, one detail in the story of Siddartha Guatama must be addressed in order for it to be relevant to the main question being asked: What obstacles would Siddartha Guatama face had he been born in modern day North America. Primarily, it must be recognized that rather than being born into the Hindu religion (which in itself is mystical), Siddartha would have most likely been born into a Christian family. This in itself presents the first obstacle, that being that Christianity is a strictly monotheistic and non-mystical faith. Hence from the outset, although in the traditional story Siddartha faced a conflict with his father (Ludwig 137), in the North American scenario the conflict would have been heightened by the fact that his search for enlightenment was not even closely similar to the Christian faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As with science, changes in religious thought are often met with strong opposition. It is interesting to note though, that many parallels can be found between modern physics and Eastern Mysticism. As Fritjof Capra writes: The changes, brought about by modern physics . . . all seem to lead towards a view of the world which is very similar to the views held in Eastern Mysticism. The concepts of modern physics often show surprising parallels to the ideas expressed in the religious philosophies of the Far East. (17-18) Thus by examining some of the obstacles imposed by t... ...o overcome the problems of being born into a Christian family/society; a society not used to such abstract ideas of reality, the close- minded nature of western thought, and the problems posed by a media that likes to jump on anything new and unusual and tear it to shreds. However, if it were to overcome these obstacles it is quite probable that it would become a deeply rooted religion in North America due to the likely support it would gain from the scientific community. Bibliography Capra, Fritjof. The Tao Of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels Between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism. Berkley: Shamhala Publications, 1975 Ludwig, Theodore M. The Sacred Paths: Understanding the Religions of the World.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1996 Niwano, Nikky. Buddhism For Today: A Modern Interpretation of the Threefold Lotus   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sutra. New York: WeatherHill, 1980 Richardson, Allen E. East Comes West: Asian Religions and Cultures in North America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New York: The Pilgrim Press, 1985 Shupe Anson D. Six Perspectives On New Religions: A Case Study Approach.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New York::

Discuss the relationship between characterization and the audience’s response in Shakespeare’s play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

The relationship between characterisation and the audience’s response in Shakespeare’s play â€Å"A Midsummer Night’s Dream† is evident throughout the whole play. There is a main emphasis on dramatic irony, juxtaposition, the confusion between the characters, the characters talking directly to the audience and having a play with in a play. Shakespeare relies heavily on dramatic irony throughout his play. Dramatic irony is a technique that is used to help maintain the audience’s interest in the play and the confusion between characters. It is a way of getting the audience involved as they know more than the characters themselves. An example of this is evident in Act 3, scene 1, when Bottom’s head is transformed into that of an ass’s. Bottom has no idea about what happened but the audience and the other characters are aware of this. The other characters run away in fear when they see Bottom, Bottom is annoyed and the audience laugh. There are many characters in ‘A midsummer Night’s Dream’ but there are three main groups; the Athenian Court, the mechanicals and the fairies. Shakespeare is using the technique of juxtaposition. In the court the language is in verse. It is formal and stately. â€Å"Now fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour draws on a pace. † The audience see the formality of the court. The lovers speak in poetry but it is not as formal. It is emotional â€Å"Call me fair? That fair again unsay. † This shows that all the characters are sophisticated and civilised. The Mechanicals speak in prose. There by identifying themselves to the audiences as rude labourers and so contrasting them with the world of the court and lovers. It is also a form of crude comedy. It is clear from the start that Bottom is boorish, pushy and he seeks to lead the group. This is shown in act 1, scene 2 â€Å" first good Peter Quince, say what the play treats on, then read the names of the actors, and so grow a point. †. Puck talks directly to the audience. He speaks in verse â€Å"If we shadows have offended, think of this and all is mended†. Although Puck is not the main character Shakespeare uses him to link the fairy world to the real world. The audience also like Puck which makes them listen more intently to the play. It would be fair to say that without Puck this play would not succeed. Bottom also talks directly to the audience when is head becomes that of an ass’. The audience become an integral part of the play and they know what bottom is thinking. One technique that Shakespeare uses to break up the play is the use of a play within a play; this is most obvious when the mechanicals perform ‘Pyramus and Thisbe’. This is done to maintain the audiences’ interest. It also provides comic relief. Overall, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is a telling and very intriguing play that includes the audience and provides comic relief.

Economics and Ethics

The area of ethics in economics is a divisive one, over which there has been considerable debate. Ethics has many interpretations in the history of philosophy as well as in economic history. Very simply, ethics refers to an understanding of certain forms of behavior as either right or wrong. â€Å"The field of ethics, also called moral philosophy, involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior.† (Ethics) However, there are many complex aspects to the understanding of ethics. An early idea of ethics was put forward by the philosophers Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill in the 19th Century. They suggested that ethical action was concerned with providing â€Å"†¦ the greatest balance of good over evil.† (Ethics) On the one hand, economics is fundamentally driven in a systems and practical sense by the need to acquire profit and accumulate wealth. On the other hand there is a growing debate about ethical responsibility and integrity in the business and economic world, with respect to aspects and issues that strictly fall outsider the ambit of the pure science of economics per se. Recent controversies, such as the Enron scandal have also highlighted the issue of ethics in economics and business. This leads to a vast array of issues and questions; such as the protection of future resources and the growing debate about the reality of environmental ethics as it relates to purely economic concerns. Questions are asked such as; can there ethically be a case for unconstrained economic adventurism and profiteering without paying attention to the moral and ethical dimensions of these actions? The debate and the dilemma that business faces in terms of ethical practices and views are concisely expressed in the following quotation. While â€Å"Businesses, in some parts of the world, have become integral participants in such causes as protecting the environment and alleviating poverty from economically depressed localities†, this concern with ethics is â€Å"†¦ confronted with the problem that economists have no other way to approach reality without concentrating on questions of utility.† ( Zaratiegui J. 1999) It is this focus on utilitarianism and the profit margin central to the capitalistic mode of economic production, which brings it into conflict with other issues and views and often results in a negative ethical assessment of business and economics. Therefore many critics are of the opinion that in an ethical sense the utilitarian focus of modern capitalism should be criticized. More importantly, theorists note that, â€Å"The nature of modern economics has been substantially impoverished by the distance that has grown between economics and ethics †¦ [economics] can be more productive by paying greater and more explicit attention to the ethical considerations that shape human behaviour and judgement.† (Sen, A. 1987, p 7.) It should also be noted that this debate and the alleged dissociation between economic thought and praxis and various ethical and critical stances, is a fairly recent phenomenon. In its origins modern economics was intimately connected to ethics and ethical motivations. Sen reminds us of the contrast between the â€Å"non-ethical† feature of modern economics and its genesis as an offshoot of ethics. At the time of its inception, then, the language of economics was comprised of normative elements. Nevertheless, over time, economics came to be considered an autonomous science, and its language and value judgments become increasingly more â€Å"positive.† It is this change in economic thought and praxis and the move towards a neutral or † value free† attitude towards ethical issues, with science as the motivating example, that has essentially created the present debate. However the debate about ethical involvement and responsibilities in economics continues to vacillate from one point of view to the other. On the one hand, economists argue that economic praxis and associated analytic techniques are ethically positive in that they help to predict human social and economic growth and development in a consistent way. Economists are also quick to argue and provide examples of the way that economic strategies uplift, develop and form a common basis for world interaction and harmony. â€Å".. it is regarded by some as beneficial, enabling economists to develop analytic techniques and make rational predictions of future human behavior. â€Å"(Zaratiegui J. 1999) On the other side of the argument there are many who interpret the alleged benefits of economics rather as the promotion of profit over ethical norms and principles. However in recent years there has at least ostensibly a reassessment of the ethical parameters of economics from within the economic community. As recently as a decade ago, many companies viewed business ethics only in terms of administrative compliance with legal standards and adherence to internal rules and regulations. Today the situation is different. Attention to business ethics is on the rise across the world and many companies realize that in order to succeed, they must earn the respect and confidence of their customers. This change is still based in the praxis of customer behavior and reaction but nevertheless it does show a change towards a greater awareness of ethical responsibly ion the world. Many of the ethical debates surrounding economics revolve around the complex issue of the interactions of business and commercial concerns and bio-ethics. Bio-ethics refers to the ethical demands and requisites in the interaction between the human and the non-human environment. As such, bio-ethics is difficult to relate to or argue in purely subjective or human terms; which make it all the more difficult to understand and react to from an economic perspective. A case in point which is still under discussion is the intended use of the oil reserves in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. At present the debate about the exploitation of the Arctic National or ANWR has been in process for 20 years. (Endless debate drains political energy) The debate has tended to centre mainly on the exploitation of a sensitive ecological area as opposed to the economic and political value for the country from a potentially rich oil supply. The divergent viewpoints are expressed in the following assessment of the situation. To generalize, people who care most about the wildlife and wilderness don't give a hoot about the oil; folks fixated on the oil think its value outweighs the wildlife and wildland concerns. The two sides are every bit as polarized and only a little less passionate than those battling over abortion rights† The National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska (NPR-A), is situated between the foothills of the Brooks Range and the Arctic coastline, and is about 120 miles from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). (Rosen, Y. 2003. ) The Bureau of Land Management ( BLM) estimates the area will†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ supplement production from the Alpine fields, which hold 429 million barrels and have a daily oil output of about 100,000 barrels.† (US OKs Commercial Drilling in Alaska Oil Reserve) From an economic point of view, the use of this oil reserve will have many positive aspects. Besides the money that would be brought into the economy instead of flowing out in oil purchases, it would have positive internal and political implication as it would obviously mean less reliance on outside oil sources. The Energy Information Agency of the Department of Energy estimates that Alaska oil production averaged 902,000 barrels of oil per day from January through August 2004, about 16 percent of total U.S. oil production during that period, most of which comes from Prudhoe Bay. Opening up even a limited area of ANWR for drilling would offer the prospect of producing from Alaska possibly 40 percent or more of the oil consumed in America. This view can be seen as supporting the idea of an ethical position in the economic exploitation of the region in that it will be for the â€Å"greater good† of the international community to reduce America's oil dependencies. The other side of the argument is that the exploitation of this region for profit will upset the delicate ecological balance and will further have a larger ecological impact. From this point of view the proposed economic actions are unethical. In essence the debate is centered on two very different world views which need an understanding of their underlying biases to be fully comprehended. Many similar points of dissention and lines of argument are formed in the ethical debate that has raged for years about animal experimentation for research. One has the argument for experimentation on the basis of ensuring human safety; while those opposed point out that this view still contravenes basic bio-ethics and the respect for life on this planet. On the one hand business and commerce stress the need to test products before public consumption and on the other hand activists state that many of these tests are simply attempts to placate the public and have no intrinsic scientific worth. Animal rights groups point out that animal experimentation is an extremely cruel endeavor. Among the many different types of animal extermination are the†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ the toxicity and irritation testing of various consumer products, such as foodstuffs and cosmetics†¦extraction of products, and the development of drugs.† (Rollin, 1992, p. 136) One of the most criticized tests in this regard is the Draize eye irritant test. This test involves â€Å"†¦ placing a substance in the eyes of four to six rabbits and evaluating the effect.† (Thompson 1988, p15.) The results for these extremely cruel experiments are used for cautionary labels on various products such as soaps and cosmetics. One of the main arguments against commercial vivisection is that many scientists claim that there is no real scientific purpose to animal experimentation. This is a particularly the case with regard to animals which are used by pharmaceutical and chemical companies to test the toxicity of drugs and other substances, including cosmetics and household cleaners. This practice has been regularly criticized by doctors and scientists who are of the opinion that these experiments are not only unscientific but also flawed in many respects and even dangerous to human health. Countering these assertions the economists point to the many successful trials that have resulted in positive results and benefits for human beings and human health. The economic world is, as has been stated, becoming more aware of its ethical responsibilities. Some critics still see this new found ethical responsiveness in the scientific and economic communities as a reaction only to pubic opinion and customer perception. However there are also those who are more positive and who think that the economic community is becoming more aware and reacting more positively to the important ethical dimensions of their activities.