Definition and Examples of Defective Verbs in English

In English grammar, defective verb is a traditional term for a  verb that doesnt exhibit all the typical forms of a conventional  verb.   English modal verbs (can, could, may, might, must, ought, shall, should, will, and  would)  are defective in that they lack distinctive  third-person singular and nonfinite forms.  Ã‚   As illustrated  below, discussions of defective verbs commonly  appeared in 19th-century school grammars; however,  modern linguists and grammarians rarely use the term. David Crystals Take In grammar, [defective is] a traditional description of words which do not display all the rules of the class to which they belong. The English modal verbs, for example, are defective in that they do not permit the usual range of verb forms, such as an infinitive or participle forms (*to may,  *shalling, etc.). Because of its pejorative connotations in general usage, the term needs to be used cautiously. It tends to be avoided  in modern linguistic analysis (which talks more in terms of irregular forms and exceptions to rules), but will be encountered in studies of linguistic historiography. The distinction between defective and irregular needs to be appreciated: a defective form is a missing form; an irregular form is present, but does not conform to the rule governing the class to which it belongs.(David Crystal, A  Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics, 6th ed. Blackwell, 2008) Beware and Begone Some verbs are termed  defective;  they are such as want some of the parts ordinarily ascribed to verbs.  Beware  is a  defective verb being  used  only  in the imperative or to give a caution. . . .  Begone  may be accounted another  defective verb  like  beware.  Begone  is a compound, made up of  be  and  gone,  that is  get  away; and  beware  is composed of  be  and  ware  found in  aware,  and  wary.(John R. Beard, Lessons in English, LXII. The Popular Educator, Vol. 3, 1860) The Defective  Copula Is A defective verb  is one which has not all the usual verbal forms.  Is, the copula, is irregular. It is also defective as it has no imperative or autonomous forms, no verbal noun or verbal adjective.(Irish-English/English-Irish Easy Reference Dictionary. Roberts Rinehart, 1998) George Campbell on the Defective Verb Ought [I]n order to express the past with the  defective verb ought, we must use the perfect of the infinitive, and say for example, he ought to have done it; this in that verb being the only possible way of distinguishing the past from the present.(George Campbell, The Philosophy of Rhetoric, Volume 1, 1776) Discussions of Defective Verbs in 19th-Century School  Grammars What do you mean by a  Defective Verb?A  Defective Verb  is a Verb that is imperfect; that is, that cannot be conjugated through all the Moods and Tenses; such as the Verb Ought, which has  just been repeated.Which are the Defective Verbs?The Auxiliary Verbs are in general defective, because they have not any Participles; neither do they admit another helping Verb to be placed before them.Repeat the Defective Verbs.The Defective Verbs are, Do, Shall, Will, Can, May, Let, Must, Ought.How are the Defective Verbs used?They are always joined to the Infinitive Mood of some other Verb; as for example, I dare say, I ought to learn my lesson.Must implies necessity, as I  must do well, i.e. it is necessary that I should, or I am obliged to do so: why? because I ought, i.e. it is my duty to do well.Are the Auxiliary Verbs Have, and Am, or Be, Defective Verbs?No; they are  perfect, and formed like other Verbs.(Ellin Devis,  The Accidence, or, First Rudiments of English Grammar, 17 th ed., 1825) A List of Defective Verbs Defective verbs are those that can be used only in some particular modes and tenses. They are few in number and are as follows: ambeencancouldmaymightshallshouldwaswillwould Various Discussions on Defective Verbs Love  is not a  defective  verb;  you can use it in any mood and tense. You can say, I love, I loved, I have loved, I had loved, I shall or will love, I shall have loved, I may, can or must love: but  can  is a  defective verb.  You can say  I  can,  but you cannot say I have can, I had can, I shall can or will can,  I  may  can,  or  must  can.(J.H. Hull,  Lectures on the English Language: Comprehending the Principles and Rules of  Syntactical Parsing on a  New and Highly Improved System,  8th ed., 1834) A  defective  verb  is that which wants some of the modes and tenses; while an  irregular  verb  has all the modes and tenses, though  irregularly  formed.(Rufus William Bailey,  English Grammar: A Simple, Concise, and Comprehensive Manual of the English  Language,  10th ed., 1855)   Verbs which are not used in all the moods and tenses are called Defective. But the student must not  suppose  from this that Defective constitutes a separate or fourth class  of verb. This is not at all the case.  Quoth,  for  example,  is a  Defective  verb, but also Intransitive. Again wit is a Defective verb, but also Transitive. Again, may is a Defective verb, but also Auxiliary.(John Collinson Nesfield,  English Grammar Past and Present: With Appendices on Prosody, Synonyms, and  Other Outlying Subjects, 1898)

The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life - An Overview

The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life is a book that was published in the U.S. in 1959, written by sociologist  Erving Goffman. In it, Goffman uses the imagery of theater in order to portray the nuances and significance of face-to-face social interaction. Goffman puts forth a theory of social interaction that he refers to as the dramaturgical model of social life. According to Goffman, social interaction may be likened to a theater, and people in everyday life to actors on a stage, each playing a variety of roles. The audience consists of other individuals who observe the role-playing and react to the performances. In social interaction, like in theatrical performances, there is  a front stage region where the actors are on stage  before  an audience, and their consciousness of that audience and the audiences expectations for the role they should play influence the actors behavior. There is also a back region, or backstage, where individuals can relax, be themselves, and the role or identity that they play when they are in front of others. Central to the book and Goffmans theory is the idea that people, as they interact together in social settings, are constantly engaged in the process of impression management, wherein each tries to present themselves and behave in a way that will prevent the  embarrassment of themselves or others. This is primarily done by each person that is part of the interaction working to ensure that all parties have the same definition of the situation, meaning that all understand what is meant to happen in that situation, what to expect from the others involved, and thus how they themselves should behave. Though written over half a century ago,  The Presentation of Self in Everday Life  remains one of the most famous and widely taught sociology books, which was listed as the 10th most important sociology book of the twentieth century by the International Sociological Association in 1998. Performance Goffman uses the term ‘performance’ to refer to all the activity of an individual in front of a particular set of observers, or audience. Through this performance, the individual, or actor, gives meaning to themselves, to others, and to their situation. These performances deliver impressions to others, which communicates  information that confirms the identity of the actor in that situation. The actor may or may not be aware of their performance or have an objective for their performance, however, the audience is constantly attributing meaning to it and to the actor. Setting The setting for the performance includes the scenery, props, and location in which the interaction takes place. Different settings will have different audiences and will thus require the actor to alter his performances for each setting. Appearance Appearance functions to portray to the audience the performer’s social statuses. Appearance also tells us of the individual’s temporary social state or role, for example, whether he is engaging in work (by wearing a uniform), informal recreation, or a formal social activity. Here, dress and props serve to communicate things that have socially ascribed meaning, like gender, status, occupation, age, and personal commitments. Manner Manner refers to how the individual plays the role and functions to warn the audience of how the performer will act or seek to act in a  role (for example, dominant, aggressive, receptive, etc.). Inconsistency and contradiction between appearance and manner may occur and will confuse and upset an audience. This can happen, for example, when one does not present himself or behave in accordance with his perceived social status or position. Front The actor’s front, as labeled by Goffman, is the part of the individual’s performance which functions to define the situation for the audience. It is the image or impression he or she gives off to the audience. A social front can also be thought of like a script. Certain social scripts tend to become institutionalized in terms of the stereotyped expectations it contains. Certain situations or scenarios have social scripts that suggest how the actor should behave or interact in that situation. If the individual takes on a task or role that is new to him, he or she may find that there are already several well-established fronts among which he must choose. According to Goffman, when a task is given a new front or script, we rarely find that the script itself is completely new. Individuals commonly use pre-established scripts to follow for new situations, even if it is not completely appropriate or desired for that situation. Front Stage, Back Stage, and Off Stage In stage drama, as in everyday interactions, according to Goffman, there are three regions, each with different effects on an individual’s performance: front stage, backstage, and off-stage. The front stage is where the actor formally performs and adheres to conventions that have particular  meaning for the audience. The actor knows he or she is being watched and acts accordingly. When in the backstage  region, the actor may behave differently than when in front of the audience on the front stage. This is where the individual truly gets to be herself and get rid of the roles that she plays when she is in front of other people. Finally, the off-stage region is where individual actors meet the audience members independently of the team performance on the front stage. Specific performances may be given when the audience is segmented as such.

Despite its continuous aging, the epic poem Beowulf is...

Despite its continuous aging, the epic poem Beowulf is still currently discussed in modern day English courses, allowing the reader to unfold and discuss certain literary themes associated throughout the epic poem. One arguable theme associated with the Anglo-Saxon styled poem is that if a great warrior can also be a prominent ruler of their land or not. A warrior is usually associated with being victorious in challenging situations, automatically associating themselves as being a great leader or king of a kingdom. However, heroic actions cannot simply determine a great leader, but rather the character’s traits unique to each great warrior which are needed to produce a great leader. Traits such as: god like strength, courage to†¦show more content†¦However Beowulf displayed vital traits needed in a great leader. At his lowest point, Beowulf still gave his all; never accepting defeat. Accepting a taunting task such as this swim requires enough courage as is, but to carry threw and be victorious demands a great respect none can share. This plays into being a great leader when faced with harmful conflict. During times of low moral, many look directly to their leadership to gain motivation. With Beowulf having such great strength and courage second to none, it would allow him to make decisions that would instill confidence and motivation in his men, likely allowing victory to follow. Coinciding with courage and strength, both loyalty and courtesy are two other key elements that lay at the core of being both a great warrior and leader. Beowulf perfectly exemplifies these two traits in his willingness to help Hrothgar and his current need for help. What proves his loyalty doesn’t come straight from his heart, but rather the past and Hrothgar’s history with Beowulf’s father. In order to resolve a gruesome blood feud between the Wulfings and Ecgtheow, Hrothgar paid a sum of money to settle their differences. Hrothgar ex plains, â€Å"This man is their son,/ here to follow up an old friendship† (375-376). Although Beowulf has no obligation to Hrothgar, he understands the sacrifice that was made for his father and is grateful for his past help. Therefore assisting in the slaying of a

Essay on The Significance of Soliloquy in Shakespeares...

Soliloquy in Shakespeare’s work allows us, as readers and/or as an audience, to dive in a character’s mind. It is that extra view that makes us see what the characters in Shakespeare’s work can’t see. In this particular soliloquy from Act III sc. 1 lines 48-72, we witness a sad soliloquy as it shows Macbeth’s growing detachment from humanity due to his guilt conscience that keeps coming back. The soliloquy shows he is never at peace ever since he broke the laws of nature but takes it a step further when he starts cutting ties with his close friend, Banquo who is known for his wisdom, and leads us to think what Macbeth could possibly do next. The soliloquy starts with Macbeth’s reflection after he became king, ‘to be thus is nothing,†¦show more content†¦Interestingly enough, Macbeth still portraits Banquo as a loyal, wise man. ‘In his royalty of nature’ (Macbeth, Act III, sc. 1 line 51) Macbeth is obviously jealous of Banquo, who has an innocence he is longing for but never would get due to this vaulting ambition and desire for more. We can notice that throughout this play, Shakespeare makes a clean image of Banquo; he is the good guy all the way through and is only a good friend. We notice Banquo has risked nothing and Macbeth has done all the work for him, this only enrages Macbeth who realizes Banquo is the only beneficiary being in Macbeth’s attempt to be king. This emphasizes Banquo’s image as the good one who has good things happening to him and reinforces the general universal statement that being good is good. Up to this point in the play, we have witnessed how Macbeth has slowly begun to detach himself from being human. This soliloquy, like mentioned, is a big step into his detachment. Macbeth’s mind remarkably got the best of him and he begins to cut ties with his close friend, Banquo. Macbeth recalls the prophecy and we see that through the soliloquy, Macbeth expands his insecurity and acknowledges he has no children which exposes a threat to the royal descent that is to come. We can follow that Macbeth takes the prophecy quite seriously and that it is the driving force to his words and his will to defy fate. After analyzing Macbeth’s words and understanding hisShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of My Last Duchess By Robert Browning And A Woman s Lover 1712 Words   |  7 Pagessupernatural, reality and appearance, played a role in the way events occurred and how they have affected the marriage between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. 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This can be seen through numerous characters most vitally through Macbeth himself, but also through the fascinating character that is the Porter/Seyton. The playwright also develops an impeccably and overwhelmingly morbid overlyingRead MoreThe Imagery Of Macbeth By William Shakespeare980 Words   |  4 PagesThe imagery of Macbeth institutes a dark, evil aura that surrounds nearly every aspect of the play. Images of evil beings, murder, as well as the natural and supernatural help to set this sinister mood throughout the play. The three witches are a dominant source of evil in Macbeth. They are the first characters introduced, emphasizing their significance in the play as well as their aura of darkness. 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Banquo is back in the royal castle of Forres, and we find out, that he has been observing the recent events and is aware of the witches prophecies. This prompts him to wonder if the prophecy made to him by the witches may also come true. Meanwhile, Macbeth fears that Banquo and his son Fleance may be an obstacle to him and plans Read MoreAnalytical Essay of Macbeth1402 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare uses vivid and powerful forms of imagery to let the audience visualize the setting. Lady Macbeth is portrayed as a strong woman who is attracted to power and would do anything to be in control; she is anything but an elegant and sensitive woman. After the bloodshed begins, however, Lady Macbeth falls an easy prey  to insanity and guilt. Her soliloquy (5.1.24-30)  shows her decline  into madness when she says,â€Å"out damned spot...† There are many examples of visual and aural imagery throughoutRead MoreEssay on Tension in Act 2 Scene 2 of William Shakespeares Macbeth1620 Words   |  7 PagesTension in Act 2 Scene 2 of William Shakespeares Macbeth Macbeth was written in1605; this was a period where there was a great interest in witchcraft and the supernatural. Many people including James I were scared and confused by ideas of the supernatural. The opening scene would in itself create tension amongst the audience, as it would suggest a play full of evil and lies, and also a theme of opposites and contrasts which occurs in the play, Fair is foul, and foulRead MoreEssay Macbeth Themes: Fair Is Foul and Foul Is Fair900 Words   |  4 PagesThe theme of ‘Fair is foul, foul is fair’ permeates throughout the play Macbeth. 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The Enlightment and the Role of Women in Society Free Essays

The Enlightenment and the Role of Women in Society The Age of Enlightenment was a large cultural movement of educated individuals around the 17th and 18th centuries. The purpose of the Enlightenment was to challenges ideas that were rooted in faith and tradition, mold society using reason, and advance knowledge through a new scientific method. Different societies rose during this time period and discussed a wide range of topics. We will write a custom essay sample on The Enlightment and the Role of Women in Society or any similar topic only for you Order Now One widely discussed topic was the role of women in society. Societies mainly debated over the role of women in the public sphere. Two documents, specifically, had a great impact on the Enlightenment era. The first of the two, being Petition of Women of the Third Estate to the King, was written by a group of working women who addressed the King simply asking for a better education and to be enlightened in order to be better wives and mothers. The next document, from Condorcet, radically insisted that women should gain political rights like men. Although these two documents both had impact during the Enlightenment, they varied in principles and amount of effectiveness during the period of the French Revolution. The French Revolution culminated things such as the middle class and the grievances of women. On January 1, 1789, the King was shown the Petition of Women of the Third Estate to the King. These rights demanded by the women included the right to a decent education, and the right to earn a respectable living, avoiding the road to prostitution. These demands were far from radical and the petition made it specifically clear that they were not asking for equality with men. The women explained, â€Å"We ask to be enlightened, to have work, not in order to usurp men’s authority, but in order to be better esteemed by them. The Petition of Women depicted a society that accepted social roles, understands the importance of education and had steadfast faith in their king. This group has accepted the French society’s pre-chosen position for women. Women in the Petition seem perfectly aware of France’s specific role for them. They speak quite frankly about their role in Frenc h society, almost to a point where it feels as if they are happy to be in their current position. They recognize they are â€Å"continual objects of the admiration and scorn of men† and they do not attempt to change the status quo. Instead, these women seem willing to comply with society’s expectations, as long as there is a form of profit directed toward them. Indeed, they explicitly state, â€Å"To prevent social ills, Sire, we ask that men not be allowed, under any pretext, to exercise trades that are the prerogative of women – whether as seamstress, embroiderer, millinery shopkeeper, etc. etc. ; if we are left at least the with the needle and spindle, we promise never to handle the compass or the square. They understand that society is treating them unequally and they believe that accepting society’s norms and receiving a form of gratification is better than fighting over something out of reach and receive nothing. The women’s argument ended up to be quite successful through their respectful tone to the King and the modest requests. They carefully insisted that they did not want to become equal with men and simply wanted education and enlightenment. They also use a large amount of flattery in order to lighten the King’s mood. The women express themselves to the King by saying things like â€Å"the love we have for your majesty† and how â€Å"we see in you only a tender father, for whom we would give our lives a thousand times. † With these small requests and the women’s adulation toward the King, the overall argument seems like it would be fairly strong during the period of the French Revolution. In the document On the Admission of Women to the Rights of Citizenship, Condorcet argued for the political rights of women, something no revolutionist had ever dared to do before. He acknowledged that woman were equal in humanity through reason and justice. Condorcet rejected the idea that women’s physical differences were a good enough reason to reject them of their civil and political rights. Although he did in fact recognize women’s limitations, not in gender, but in the lack of education and different circumstances. Many that are opposed of these statements also argue that giving women political rights would disrupt the social order, assuming that women would abandon their domestic affairs. He reassures those by saying, â€Å"It is natural for a woman to nurse her children, to care for them in their infancy; attached to her home by these cares, weaker than a man, it is also natural that she lead a more retiring, more domestic life. Women would therefore be in the same class with men who are obliged by their station or profession to work several hours a day. † Although the effectiveness of Condorcet’s document seems sound in today’s society, back during French Revolution period, this would be considered fairly weak. These types of statements were highly due to the beliefs that women possessed certain characteristics that perfectly matched them to their domestic duties. Women were deemed unqualified for a voice in the political realm because of their much great proneness to feelings, flawed rationality, and weaker sense of justice. Although this campaign ended unsuccessful, women did benefit from many of the changes that happened in matters of marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Women in the Enlightenment were extremely limited due to society’s preconceived notions. Documents like On the Admission of Women to the Rights of Citizenship and Petition of Women of the Third Estate to the King gave society new ideas and philosophies that have never been revealed before. Although much of the document’s intentions failed, they opened the eyes of society and society took its first step into gaining the ability to reason about sexual differences and one day grant women the full rights of citizenship. How to cite The Enlightment and the Role of Women in Society, Essay examples

Dbq International Role of Europe free essay sample

The international role of Europe underwent many changes from the Post-Classical to the Early Modern era. 1)First, in the early Post-Classical era (450-1000) Europe’s international role was constrained mainly to trading in the Mediterranean Sea while Christianity spread to places such as Russia, and overall the role of Europeans internationally was rather isolated; then, in the late Post-Classical era (1000-1450) the international role of Europe was heightened as trading through the Silk Road was increased and the crusades brought European Christians to new locations such as the Middle East and Asia, however, maritime technology had still not come far enough to allow long sea voyages for trading and exploration; finally in the Early Modern era (1450-1750) Europe’s international role reached new limits as new technologies allowed it to sail to and colonize new lands such as the Americas, parts of Africa, and Asia, and Europe underwent many revolutions such as the Renaissa nce that allowed it to take advantage of the â€Å"power vacuum† that China had left behind and become the next great world power. We will write a custom essay sample on Dbq: International Role of Europe or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 2)In the early years of the Post-Classical era (450-1000) Europe’s international role was not very significant and the little trading that it did take part in, was mainly handled by Italians who were in control of the Mediterranean Sea. (3)International interaction was also shown through the conversion of the Russian prince, Vladimir I, to Christianity around the end of the 10th century. This widened the global connections of Europe because it intertwined Russia into European culture. (2)For the most part however, Europe kept mostly to themselves in the early Post-Classical. (3)They promoted increased trading between northern and southern Europe, but maritime technology was not advanced enough to support long sea voyages to places such as India or Africa. In comparison to other civilizations, such as the Chinese and the Arabs, Europeans were considered to be a backward civilization of this time period. (4)Europe was in a period of recovery after the fall of the Roman Empire. They were in what was also called the â€Å"Medieval Age† where much philosophy and trade had decreased form the Classical period. The role of merchants in China and the Middle East were far greater than those of Europe. (5)The trading habits of Post-Classical Europe are very much like those of the Early-Modern Chinese. Both had limitations on trading and were rather isolated from the larger world network that was going on at that time. 2)In the late years of Post-Classical Europe (1000-1450), the international role of the Europe heightened. Trade grew immensely with Asia and the Middle East through the Silk Road, and the crusades enabled Christians to experience new distant locations in the Middle East. (3)The rise of Mongol power in the 13th century incre ased trade throughout much of Eurasia. (5)This had many positive effects such as the adoption of paper manufacturing. This was an invention of the Chinese, which was then passed on to the Middle East, and finally adopted by Italians in the 13th century. Europe’s expanding international presence also led to cultural and intellectual exchanges. Europe adopted mathematics (which includes the number system) from Arabs, which they had learned previously from the Indians. Europeans also expanded on their philosophical thoughts by reacting to Arab philosophies. The role of Mediterranean trade continued to increase and Italian merchants began trading European cloth in exchange for more refined goods from the East. As international contacts were becoming increasingly important in Europe, commercial alliances such as the Hanseatic League were developed to promote trade. However, there were also negative aspects of Europe’s increased international role like the spread of diseases such as the bubonic plague in the 14th century. This ended up wiping out nearly one third of Europe’s population. 4)In comparison to the early Post-Classical era, the late Post-Classical era fostered increased over-land trade. This brought an increasing amount of inventions and innovations from places such as China and India to Europe. However , some things did not change from the early to the late Post-Classical. One of these was that maritime technology was still not at a level that would allow for long sea voyages. This continued to keep Europeans from undertaking quicker trade routes to India and colonizing lands overseas such as the Americas. (2)In the Early Modern Era (1450-1750), Europe reached new limits in its international role as new maritime technologies allowed it to cross seas such as the Atlantic and colonize new lands. 3)The Early-Modern Period began with the launch of Spanish and Portuguese explorations in the Americas, Africa and Asia. These initial explorations and colonizations cleared the path for France, England, and Holland to begin their own explorations in the 16th century. Along with the colonization of new lands, Europe also underwent many revolutions including the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and the Scientific Revolution. (5)This along with the new wealth that Europe was earning from its co lonies set Europe on the right path to becoming the next world power. European merchants had increased their trade tremendously and were at the point of overtaking Muslim merchants. Chinese merchants also lost their role as significant international traders when in 1433 the Chinese emperors called to the halt of international expeditions. After this, the Chinese became an isolated country for the most part and left the world in a sort of â€Å"power vacuum†. (5)This left the door open for Europe to become the most dynamic new force of the world. The Spanish and Portuguese conquered much of South America and also places in Indonesia. (4)Europe had become and extremely global society and had contacts everywhere from the Americas to Japan. In fact, Europeans set up trading ports along the west coast of Africa, several parts of the Indian subcontinent, and islands of Southeast Asia in the 17th century. They also set up Western Enclaves in important trading cities such as Moscow in Russia and the Dutch even got access to Nagasaki in Japan. This new authority in trade shows how Europe’s international role has increased in the Early Modern era. (4)The role of Europe changed tremendously from the Post-Classical period to the Early-Modern period. Many revolutions in Europe going on between these two time periods, such as the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment provided Europeans with new innovations that allowed them to expand their empire beyond Eurasia. (5)The expansion to places such as the Americas, Indonesia, East Asia and Africa allowed for the spread of European culture around the globe. For the first time in history the world has become a truly â€Å"global trade network† due to Europe’s incorporation of Polynesia and the Americas. (4)Europe came from being a backward society in the early Post-Classical still recovering from the fall of the Roman empire, to becoming more involved in over-land trade in the late Post-Classical to becoming one of the most influential world powers in the Early-Modern period. (5)This is a trend that is still seen in present-time. The Western world of this age has one of the world’s most stable governments and wealthiest economies. This can all traced back through history to the eras where Europe increased its international role, thereby increasing its power.

Accounting Standards for Financial Reporting - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theAccounting Standards for Financial Reporting Quality. Answer: Objectives and general purpose of financial reporting The chief purpose of financial reporting is to develop a framework on which the various measurements are going to be done. The financial statement is going to provide key information regarding the business of the entity depending on which the various stakeholders can decide on conducting business with the company especially regarding investing or providing credit to the company. Other functions like buying of the shares of a company selling of the shares of a company or holding the shares until the right period also depends on the information that is provided by the financial statement of the company(Barth and Landsman, 2010). It is important for potential lenders or investors in a company to have a concept regarding the business of the company and the possible gains or risks that the investor faces by investing in the company. They are generally the purpose of formation of the financial reporting. As much as it is true that the financial reports are meant for the creditors, lenders and investors in a company it can be stated that there are various other information that need to be checked before investing in a company and a financial report doesnt provide all those information. The management of a company is also interested in checking the financial information but they can gather information regarding the financial information from other sources as well. The financial reports are checked by the auditors both internal and external to check the transparency of the organisation though the auditors have access to all sorts of information apart from the financial statement. The financial is not always dependent on the exact information rather they are dependent on estimation and possible judgements (Chen et al. 2011). But still the financial report of a company has a strong impact on the image of the company in the market and in turn impacts the rate of investment. Disclosure requirement There are certain disclosure requirements for the financial statement for plant property and equipment. The disclosure requirements have been reduced according the Australian accounting system in the recent times. The method used for determining the carrying amount, methods used for the calculation of depreciation and rate of the same has to be disclosed in the financial statement, impairment losses in regards to profit and loss, the restriction on PPE that is pledged by the company, the amount of money that is promised in any sort of contract, the cost for dismantling or restoring or removing on any of the PPE are to be disclosed in the financial statement etc (Cheng et al. 2013). There are certain new relaxations on the disclosure in the PPE. The amount of money that is considered as carrying during the time of the construction of the PPE is not mandatory for the company to disclose in the financial statement. There has to be no separate mention of comprehensive income in case there is compensation form a third party for impairment or loss of a PPE. Quanta airway is one of the airline companies in Australia. The company is one of the renowned chains of airlines in Australia. The quanta airways in enlisted in the Australian stock exchange. The total valuation of the company is a$2 billion. The necessity for disclosure or the following of the disclosure requirement of PPE as per AASB 116 is a requirement of this company. The annual report of the financial year 2016 represents the scope of asset management of the company. the disclosure of the annual report of quanta airways doesnt discloses the asset that are being repaired or maintained by the company as per the new relaxation criteria. It holds the quarter of the total airline market in Australia. The annual report mentions the total amount of assets held by the company to be of 2914034 million dollar and shows the total liability to be 1357193 which gives a positive impact of the company as it has more assets than liability (www.qantas.com.au). More asset than liability means t he company has the capacity to pay back its debts quicker. Depreciation rate of the plant and machinery of the airliners are dependent on the life of the asset. Most of the assets of the airlines have a life of 10 to 12 years. The depreciation rate of the plants and machinery of the quanta airways has been mentioned as 20 per cent. The amount of total asset has been mentioned but no separate information regarding properties has been mentioned in the annual report. Qualitative characteristics of financial information There are various qualitative aspects of financial information. This qualitative characteristic gives importance to each of the products according to their value or hierarchical status. The most important part of the qualitative characteristic is the use of the data. The usefulness of the data is dependent on the ability to understand the information that is conveyed through the financial statement. This includes two chief aspects that are the reliability of the information and the relevance of the information in the financial statement. The relevance of data is dependent on certain aspects like the predictive quality of the data, the feedback value of the data and the line. The reliability on the other hand is dependent on the aspects like the ability to verify the data, the neutrality of the data, and the proper representation of the data. These are the primary qualities of the data and the secondary quality of the data involves the comparability and the consistency of the data. Th ere are basically. One of the qualitative characteristics of the financial statement is the predictive value. Predictive value is relevant information for the investors of the company. The company in its annual report mentions the total amount of asset owned by the company as well as the total amount of plant and machinery owned by the company (Lennard, 2007). The total amount of asset gives an assurance to the company regarding the financial status of the company. The prediction regarding the investment on the shares of the company or a decision regarding a purchase of a general share or a preference share can be impacted by the disclosure of the total asset. PPE and general purpose financial reporting As mentioned before one of the chief function of the financial statement disclosed in the annual report is to help the investors or creditors regarding taking decision regarding the financial status of the entity on which an investors is planning to invest. The amount of asset of the company that is disclosed in the annual report of the company suggested that there are numerous assets of the company and thus a investor can easily decide in making investment as companies with high amount of assets can be considered as a safe option to invest. The financial report states the reliability of the company. The financial report and its indication regarding its property, plants and machinery can also sends an indication regarding the financial health of the company. The total asset of the company and the total liability and its balance if in positive makes the company a sound investment option (Christensen and Nikolaev 2013). The financial conditions of the quanta airways makes it a great op tion to make investment as it has more assets than ratio and has a capacity to pay back its investors. The property plant and equipment contributes in the total asset of the company which is a deciding factor in making financial decision. Reference List Barth, M.E. and Landsman, W.R., 2010. How did financial reporting contribute to the financial crisis?.European accounting review,19(3), pp.399-423. Chen, F., Hope, O.K., Li, Q. and Wang, X., 2011. Financial reporting quality and investment efficiency of private firms in emerging markets.The accounting review,86(4), pp.1255-1288. Cheng, M., Dhaliwal, D. and Zhang, Y., 2013. Does investment efficiency improve after the disclosure of material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting?.Journal of Accounting and Economics,56(1), pp.1-18. Christensen, H.B. and Nikolaev, V.V., 2013. Does fair value accounting for non-financial assets pass the market test?.Review of Accounting Studies,18(3), pp.734-775. Lennard, A., 2007. Stewardship and the objectives of financial statements: a comment on IASB's preliminary views on an improved conceptual framework for financial reporting: the objective of financial reporting and qualitative characteristics of decision-useful financial reporting information.Accounting in Europe,4(1), pp.51-66. www.qantas.com.au (2017) Anon, (2017). [online] Available at: https://www.qantas.com.au/infodetail/about/corporateGovernance/2016AnnualReport.pdf [Accessed 14 Sep. 2017].

Memoirs Of Sherlock Holmes, Written By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Is A Co

Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is a collection of Sherlock Holmes short stories. ?Silver Blaze?, ?The Yellow Face?, ?The Stock-Broker's Clerk?, ?The ?Gloria Scott'?, ?The Musgrave Ritual?, ?The Reigate Puzzle?, ?The Crooked Man?, ?The Resident Patient?, ?The Greek Interpreter?, ?The Naval Treaty?, and ?The Final Problem? are included. A lot of information about Holmes and Watson is included in this collection. There is some information which is shocking, and other information which might have been expected. These stories also include some of Holmes' most memorable adventures. I suppose this is why they call it Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. ?Silver Blaze? actually has two mysteries: the disappearance of a famous horse, Silver Blaze, and the murder of its trainer. When Holmes and Watson hear about this, they go to check it out, with Colonel Ross, the owner of the horse, and Inspector Gregory. The foursome travels to the scene of the crimes: where Silver Blaze had last been seen and the body of the trainer was found, lying on the ground. They find nothing there, and after the colonel and the inspector leave Holmes and Watson at the crime scene, they find footprints a little ways off. The footprints are of a horse. They follow the footprints and find that a little farther they are joined by the footprints of a man. Following these set of tracks, the detective and the doctor are lead to Mapleton stables, which are the only other stables in the area besides the one where the horse lived. Holmes has a talk with the owner in private and finds that he does have Silver Blaze. After some negotiating the owner promises to let the horse ride in the races the next day, and then give him back to the owner. Holmes makes Watson promise to not tell anyone about their victory just yet, and he does readily. The next day the colonel, the inspector, Holmes, and Watson are watching the races. However, they do not see Silver Blaze anywhere. When one of the races is done, and there is a short intermission, they go around to the back where all the horses are kept during the day of the race. They find Silver Blaze to have been disguised. Holmes then explains how it was that the horse's trainer had been killed. It seems that the trainer had wanted to do some sort of operation on the horse so he would run slower in the race, Lord knows why he wanted to do that. He had taken the horse into the middle of a field with a surgery knife. The trainer had tried to perform the operation, which was to be done on the backside of the horse. However, the horse had felt the knife cut into his body and kicked his trainer right in the head with his hind leg. This and the fact that the knife which the trainer had been holding had cut him severely on his leg had killed him. ?The Yellow Face? is one of the rare, unknown cases where Holmes turns out to be wrong. Another interesting truth learned in this case is that Holmes occasionally used cocaine! However, when these stories were written, it wasn't known that cocaine can kill you, so we can't blame Holmes because he didn't know. A man comes to Holmes and Watson's house, asking for advice and an answer. The man explains that some new people had moved into the house next door to his home, where he lived with his wife. When he had knocked on the new neighbor's door, he was answered by a woman who was very harsh to him. She wouldn't let him go inside the house, and she shut the door in his face. When he started to walk home, he just happened to glance at one of the upstairs windows of the house. He saw a yellowish, livid-colored, expressionless face staring straight at him. He was very spooked, and hurried home. That night, at about two in the morning, he woke up and noticed his wife getting dressed. Preten ding he was still asleep, he watched her walk out of the bedroom door, and he heard the front

Introduction Essays (546 words) - Semantics, Memory,

Introduction Memory is involved in all aspects of our lives and can be thought of as the to retain information and demonstrate retention through behaviour. We have vast amounts of knowledge stored in our memory system which we are able to access quickly and effortlessly, thus implying that stored knowledge must be highly organised to allow us to retrieve the appropriate information for a given situation. This organisation will be determined by the way that information is encoded into memory, and the way knowledge is organised will determine the type of process required to access that information on a future occasion. Craick and Lockhart(1972) argued that any item entering the memory system is analysed in stages. The early stages analyse perceptual properties of the item, such as visual or acoustic properties. Later stages analyse its meaning, including the categories it fits into and its connections to other items in memory. Each level of processing leaves a trace in memory. The deeper the level of processing, the stronger the trace and the more durable the memory. Conversely, the shallower the level of processing, the more transitory will be the memory. Rowe(1974) showed that semantic encoding leads to more effective learning than phonemic encoding, which in turn is more effective than visual encoding. The assumption is that semantic processing is somehow a deeper sort of encoding. Hyde and Jenkins(1973) used five different orienting tasks. Participants were presented with lists of words for three seconds and had to complete one of the following tasks: 1. Rate the word for pleasantness. 2. Estimate the frequency of use of the word. 3. Detect the presence of particular letters in the word. 4. Decide the appropriate part of speech of the word. 5. Make decisions as to weather or not the fits into sentence frames. Hyde and Jenkins argued that conditions 1 & 2 required semantic processing whereas the others did not. Craick and Lockhart(1972) devised an incidental learning procedure in which subjects were deliberately not asked to remember items, so that it prevented them from processing everything in the best possible way in order to remember them. According to Craick and Lockhart's theory, the difference between each level of processing is the amount of cognitive effort we expend on memorising something. This cognitive effort is essentially the effort made in relating new information to old. The better we can organise new material i.e. relate it to existing knowledge, the better it will be retained. The aim of the present study is to verify (or otherwise) the findings of Craick and Lockhart and also to update and partially replicate their findings about levels of processing. The present study will therefore test the hypothesis that if words are processed acoustically or visually then they will be less likely to be recalled than if they are processed by meaning. Alternate hypothesis: There will be a significant association between words which are processed acoustically or visually and whether they will be less likely to be recalled than if they are processes by meaning. Null hypothesis: There will be no significant association between words which are processed acoustically or visually and whether they will be less likely to be recalled than if they are processed by meaning. These are one-tailed hypotheses.

Imperialism and Its Motives essays

Imperialism and Its Motives essays Imperialism began to grow just before the turn of the twentieth century. During this time Americas businesses were growing and need more markets. The United States was becoming a world power, and with that some people felt there came obligations. The United States economic growth and powerful figured led to incidents overseas that caused war, especially the Spanish-American War. The nation was growing. Industry was doing well. Businesses were booming. The United States began to shed its old attitude of isolationism, for the prospect of the rest of the world as its market. The navy of the nation was the fifth best in the world so be had naval strength. People were advocating expansion for religious reasons. They wanted to spread Christianity and conform the culture of the world to American standards. An example of the wants during this time was a book written by Josiah Strong called Our Country and Its Possible Future and Present Crisis. To expand the nations influence over the world we needed open markets, open routes, and to show strength. The Spanish-American War was the prime example of showing what the United States was doing with its new power and economic standing. Strong figures came to the forefront to support the engagement of this war for a list of reasons. Among some these reason were the fear that if Spain had control over Cuba then the shipping routes would be disrupted. America hid behind the noble reasons of being sympathetic to the Cuban patriots who were fighting for their independence and to stop the Spanish from using reconcentration camps. Chief among the leaders were Henry Cabot Lodge, the influential senator from Massachusetts, Theodore Roosevelt, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and Captain Alfred Mahan, author of the book called The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, an influential work calling for and adding the use of th ...

Health of Australias Indigenous People Essay Example

Health of Australias Indigenous People Essay Example Health of Australias Indigenous People Paper Health of Australias Indigenous People Paper Essay Topic: The Healers The health of Australia’s Indigenous peoples is documented to be of third world standard. This paper identifies and highlights the factors that influence Aboriginal health and wellbeing. It explores and analyses how Aboriginal health, as a reflection of the broader social, economic, political and environmental factors, is influenced by colonialism, not just historically but as a living legacy. It discusses the continuing influence of colonialism in Aboriginal health policy and practice and how this has been an obstacle to Aboriginal health improvement. Strategies for health improvement, guided by the principle of self-determination and primary health care are discussed. Consideration is given to the voices of Aboriginal Health Workers on Aboriginal health issues and the importance of those voices as an expression of self-determination. The negative influences of colonialism still exist today. Broome (1994 pg 23) states; â€Å"the meeting of two people from different cultures is bound to be marked by misunderstanding†. The nature of exchanges and responses of Europeans and Indigenous Australians happened as a gradual process throughout the early 1800’s. The processes of colonisation had such an impact on those already here. It is only now, that non-indigenous Australians are starting to understand the breadth and magnitude of this process. The notion of Terra Nullius was created and the great Southland was considered wasteland, unoccupied and belonging to no one. Reynolds (1987 pg 167) says, ‘Some settlers resolved the contradictions concerning the place of the Aborigines in European society by assuming that Australia had been before 1788, ‘waste and uncultivated’, a terra nullius or land without owners’. Despite this common belief, there was immediate resistance by Aboriginal people. Where former history was once of passive agreement and welcoming to the foreshores, history records the violent confrontations between Indigenous people and the colonialists with the overwhelming brutality of all but few of the new arrivals. It is not possible to comprehend the current status of Aboriginal Health and wellbeing without first acknowledging the legacies and treatment of Aboriginal people in this country since European invasion. There are many arguments for and against the notion that Aboriginal Australia was never invaded and that it was only a process of colonisation. Some argue that European colonisation was an act of genocide and was in fact an invasion with the intention to take over and repopulate Aboriginal Australia. Reynolds (cited in Reed and Trompt, 1991 page 5) says that ‘in addition to killing ‘twenty thousand blacks before federation’ and many more in the twentieth century as the frontier moved north and west in the Northern Territory and Western Australia), the conquerors launched three pronged attack on the health and welfare of Aborigines’. The first fleet brought with it, a cargo of disease that Aboriginal people had not experienced and diseases such as scurvy, mumps and typhus killed large numbers of Aboriginal people. Reed and Trompt (1991 page 5) suggest that Europeans ‘introduced new diseases, some immediately fatal, others fatal in the long term’. Further, ‘taking away ancestral land, thus causing psychological illness and spiritual despair’; and ‘by herding Aborigines into small reserves and settlements, destroying their healthy lifestyle and substituting conditions and diet poorer that those of the poorest newcomers’. To understand the impact on ones health, it’s important to conceptualise the meaning of health and what it means to have a ‘healthy lifestyle’. The Macquarie Dictionary (1993 pg 189) defines the meaning of health as (1. ‘ Soundness of body; Freedom from disease or ailment’) or (2. ‘The general condition of the body or mind’). Western medicine tends to use a disease model for treating patients with more activity centred on a particular illness or focus on a part of a body that is abnormal. The World Health Organisation defines health as; â€Å"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity†. In other words, it is not just the absence of sickness and disease, but a complete state of physical, mental, social wellbeing’. One could argue that this definition does not cover the aspect of spiritual wellbeing. Spiritual wellbeing or ‘traditional healing’ plays an integral role in Aboriginal health today and is only now recognised and practiced by health professions across the state. Certain members of an Aboriginal community are often referred to as traditional healers. In many Aboriginal communities across Australia there are people who are seen to have magical powers. They have the ability to ‘sing’ someone, causing serious illness and even death. On the other hand, it can also be used to heal and bring someone out of sickness and infirmity. ‘More recently, greater understanding of the sociomedical theories of the Aboriginal healing system illuminate better the role of the traditional healer. In Aboriginal communities, healers are individuals who possess healing and divination powers which can be used for the benefit of the community’. (Reed and Trompt, 1991, page 313) The social and cultural dislocation experienced by Aboriginal people has indefinably had a profound effected on Aboriginal peoples mental well being. The word powerlessness and hopelessness comes to ones mind when consideration is given to the destruction that came from ‘European invasion’. The rippling effects of ‘European invasion’ can be seen today. One would only have to read the newspapers and textbooks to see such effects. These effects however, could be viewed as stresses that lead to mental ill health. Most stresses that lead to mental health are also economic. Most mental disorders have their highest prevalence in the lowest socioeconomic class. Research gives evidence that high proportions of Aboriginal population live in low socioeconomic or marginalised regions. Reed and Trompt (1991, page 249) says ‘The stress experienced by Aboriginal communities has been attributed to factors such as the marginal social and economic status of most Aboriginal communities’. It could then be argued that Aboriginal people as a whole experience a much lower standard of living than other Australians. Economic stress can lead to psychological stress. For instance, high unemployment, or rather, a lack of significant experience, extreme poverty, severe housing shortages, family violence, high crime rates, sexually transmitted diseases, alcoholism and malnutrition are all contributing factors to ones ill-health. As mentioned earlier, it is important to recognise Aboriginal health from social view. A social view of health is embedded within the Primary Health Care philosophy. It alters its focus to recognise the environment in which a person lives. The social view of health recognises that if people are poor, are living in an unhealthy environment or have no power over their lives, they will continue to get sick, no matter how many hospitals are built. While Aboriginal people in Australia have been setting a benchmark in Aboriginal medical services, other people throughout the world have been looking at different ways to provide health care. They have been realising that health services were only providing adequate care for those people who had power and money. Millions of poor, homeless or powerless people throughout the world were sick or dying because their needs were not being met. In 1978, the World Health Organisation held a conference on health in Alma-Ata in the USSR. People from 134 nations, including Australia, met to talk about their experiences and ways to make people healthier. They decided to call this new approach ‘Primary Health Care’. Out of this conference came a document called the ‘Declaration of Alma-Ata’. The Alama-Ata declaration talked about what Primary Health Care is and how changes could be made to health services around the world to improve health. The delegates at the Alama-Ata conference stated that ‘health is a basic human right’. The declaration called for a different approach to health and for health care to give equal share of health resources to all people. In 1989 the National Aboriginal Health Strategy was released and endorsed by all health and Aboriginal Affairs ministers. It was the biggest and most comprehensive report into Aboriginal health that had ever been undertaken. Its overall aim was to work towards increasing the access of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People to health services by the year 2000. It strongly supported the role of Aboriginal Health Workers and the development of Primary Health care services in Aboriginal communities. The report recognised that the most successful services are those that are controlled by the community rather than by government departments. Another policy response was the Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody, (1991, AGPS, Canberra) This â€Å"Royal Commission† was set up to investigate why so many Aboriginal people die in jail and police stations. In doing so it collected much information on the physical and mental health and living conditions of Aboriginal people. Several recommendations were aimed at improving the current health services and acknowledging the importance of Aboriginal Health Professionals. Both the National Aboriginal Health Strategy and The Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody reports have been criticised, for although they identify many problems, few changes have occurred. It is one thing to come up with recommendations; it’s how you implement them that really counts. It takes more than Government policies to affect change, community attitude and commitment are fundamental to social change. One could ask, who determines whether or not a recommendation has been implemented Successfully, and how is it reviewed to keep its status in a western dominant culture. Money does not change the way people relate to one another nor does it rule out hidden racism. One might implement all the recommendations in the Black Deaths in Custody report, but it still doesn’t change peoples negative opinions and attitudes toward Aboriginal people. Aboriginal people have been fighting for Social Justice for years and it’s still a major priority for the community as well as other human service workers. Human service workers can play a key role in bringing about change. The secret often lays in the principles of community development. Taking community action is a way that empowers a community. Community development is a tool that can be used to bring social change. Aboriginal people have had decades of change (â€Å"injustices†) being forced upon them. The only real way for change to be constructive today is for it to come from and involve Aboriginal people. Consensus building, empowerment, participation and social movement are all community development principles that are important in creating positive social change and addressing social justice issues. Self-determination and empowerment means having power over resources, decision making, relationships, and information. It is with this power, Aboriginal people are only now, starting to carve out a pathway for the next generation. My findings show that early history and views of Aboriginal people have influenced the way in which Aboriginal people are viewed and treated today. Decisions made in life are based on what is known or perceived as being the correct answer. Thus many decisions and views of Aboriginal people today are learned through education and information from past history. These views and decisions have disadvantaged Aboriginal people over the years, but they are also key factors in unlocking the answer to addressing past injustices. Prejudices and racial discrimination issues are often seen as issues that compound on the social wellbeing of Aboriginal people, thus making it harder to access services and maintain positive self-esteem and image. There are so many myths and beliefs about Aboriginal people that influence our service delivery today in both government and non-government sectors. Views and perceptions of early history linger in our society today because of ignorance. The status of Aboriginal health and wellbeing among Aboriginal people today can be looked at in terms of Aboriginal history and European invasion. The continuous effects of European invasion inevitably affected the lives of hundreds and thousands of Aboriginal people. These effects are evident in our society today. The National Inquiry into Black Deaths in Custody highlights a series of recommendations that refer to the betterment of Aboriginal health, with most still needing to be implemented. The health of Indigenous Australians is of third world standard in this country, and its not just an Aboriginal issue, it’s a political one. Allan Sumner Reference: Reed and Trompt, 1991, The Health Of Aboriginal Australia, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Group (Australia) Pty Ltd. Reynolds, Henry 1987 (Frontier) page 167, Allen Unwin Australia Pty Ltd. The Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody, 1991, AGPS, Canberra Three Years On, Implementation of Commonwealth Government Responses to the Recommendations of the Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody, Vol 2, pages 491 – 534. World Health Organisation, 1978, Primary Health Care: Report of the International conference of primary health care, Alma-Ata, USSR 6-12 September, WHO.

6 Tips when Writing for a Global Audience

6 Tips when Writing for a Global Audience As businesses become more international, so must our writing. Fortunately, good business writing skills transfer very well to global audiences. Here are a few helpful tips for writing for a global audience: 1) Avoid academic or technical writing styles Academic and technical writing styles are very information dense. The sentences are long, they contain a lot of information, and there is often technical language that may be hard for the average person to understand. Compare an article from your local newspaper to an academic journal article or a technical manual to see the difference. To effectively reach your global audience, write in a more straightforward style. The next few tips are good examples of how to do this. 2) Use lists Numbered or bulleted lists are much easier to understand and respond to than paragraphs. Whenever possible, put information in a list. Anchor each item with strong, clear vocabulary to get your point across 3) Choose the right words Did you know that for every native speaker of English, there are (almost) two non-native speakers? I find this statistic incredible – approximately 2/3 of the people who speak English learned it as a second language! Of course, English varies widely depending on where it is being spoken, so you want to choose words that are internationally recognized. For example: Strange is more commonly recognized worldwide than the very American weird. Friend is used more widely than synonyms like pal, chap, mate, etc. Change your money is far more common than to get change, to break a dollar/20, to cash a check. The best way to figure this out is to listen to the way English is used in different places. Another good practice is to think about the words you use and whether they have a more specific synonym. Which leads us to†¦ 4) Be as specific as possible Choose words, particularly verbs, that mean exactly what you want them to mean. A good of example of why this is important is phrasal verbs (verb + preposition = a different meaning). For example: Blow up vs. Explode. These two mean the same thing, but a non-native speaker will often read blow up literally, and imagine someone blowing air up. So, a sentence like â€Å"The stock price is going to blow up!† might be completely nonsensical. Explode is a much better choice. Run into vs. Meet unexpectedly Again, these two mean the same thing, but run into could be taken literally. So, it would be better to say, â€Å"I met John unexpectedly at the restaurant last night.† Instead of â€Å"I ran into John at the restaurant last night.† It may seem like a small difference, but in the context of a longer conversation, it could be quite confusing! Talk into vs. Convince. Here, the into is what’s confusing. Into usually connotes a spatial change, but talk into involves a change of opinion. Convince is a much clearer choice. For example, â€Å"We have to convince them to lower their price.† 5) Choose the right grammatical structures I have previously written about business writing grammar, but the general idea is that you want to use easy to understand grammatical structures: present, past, and future simple tenses. These are the first tenses you learn in a foreign language, so they are fairly widely understood. Similarly, do not rely on grammar to explain time relationships. Instead, use adverbs, such as first, next, last, to do this job. Like listing, these adverbs are additional cues that help your reader understand what needs to be done. 6) Do not make assumptions This is the hardest tip to put into practice because we all have a set of cultural assumptions. I will share an example from my experiences to help clarify what this means: I am an American professor at an American university. As such, I expect my assignment instructions to be followed. I work with international and immigrant students, so I always give very explicit instructions. Semester after semester, I was getting a handful of papers that blatantly ignored those detailed and painstakingly crafted instructions. I finally talked to some other teachers who had taught abroad and asked them what I was missing. Apparently, there are some places where you are expected to do something other than what the instructions specify. This was a total light bulb moment for me. I am now very clear about the fact that my instructions are EXACTLY what I expect in the final papers and that my students should not deviate from them. Simply stating this has helped tremendously (both in the students’ work and in my frustration levels). My expectations in the above scenario were actually culturally based assumptions – I mean, the teacher tells you what she wants, and you do that, right? Not always! We all have cultural assumptions about many things – time, money, relationships, work schedules, vacation, meetings, etc. – and it is hard to see beyond them sometimes. If you enjoyed these 6 tips make sure to check out our complete list of 87 business writing tips. As you can see, the items above are all elements of good business writing, but they are particularly important with global audiences. Short, clear, direct sentences help your reader to respond in a timely manner. Instructional Solutions offers business writing courses that can help you to achieve this type of writing.

Object oriented development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Object oriented development - Essay Example It is an easier way to keep track of program flow and much organized than the traditional "spaghetti codes" produced by unstructured programming methods. In 70's, a new programming technique began to gain popularity as a "top-down" approach to program design. This is a technique where a program designer maps out large-scale structure of a program and breaks them into smaller operations. These smaller operations will be tested or debug separately and connect them together into the entire program. Structured programming facilitates easy understanding of smaller pieces of code without having to understand the whole program at once. By the end of the 20th century, mainstream programmers realized the significance and value of structured approach began to apply the concept in high-level programming languages. In the middle of the 1980's, another concept in program development made its way to become the dominant programming methodology. Mainly influenced by C++ and the popularity of GUI (Graphical User Interface), Object-oriented programming became the most sought after programming method to date. The objective behind object-oriented programming is to view computer programs as a collection of individual units or objects that is capable of receiving messages, processing data, and sending messages to each other. This is different from the belief and practice that a program is just a compilation of functions and procedures or a list of commands for a computer to follow. Object-oriented programming is broadly accepted in large-scale software development. It is adaptable, easy to learn, simpler to develop and maintain, and easier to manage. The fundamental concepts of OOP (short for object oriented programming) are class, object, encapsulation, inheritance, abstraction, and polymorphism. Class is a unit of data and function for a particular thing. For instance, a "class of students" might be a set, which include different type of students (male, female, black, white etc.). An Object is an occurrence of a class, a run-time demonstration of a specific pattern of a class. For instance, the gender "male" and "female" as a subclass and "Alfred" the student as an object in the class of students. Encapsulation is a type of privacy to ensure that an object can be change only through established channels within a class. It simply means packaging the data and related functions into one unified unit, a class. Inheritance- is a mechanism for creating subclasses; it provides a way to define a subclass or an extension of a universal class. For instance, as students, class is a subclass of year level class and gender of student in a class is a subclass of the class students. An Abstraction is the ability of a program to disregard the details of an object's class or subclass and si mplify it into a more suitable general level. For instance, "Alfred" the students may be abstracted to a more generic level as year level super class. Polymorphism is a varying behaviour depending on the class in which the behaviour is call upon to act. This is to say that two or more classes can answer independently and in an entirely different way to an identical message. THE EVOLUTION OF OBJECT-ORIENTED PHP Not too many people know that PHP, the popular and powerful web base scripting language, coined in the summer

To what extent have external forces like the Leapfrog Group influenced Assignment

To what extent have external forces like the Leapfrog Group influenced change in the healthcare environment - Assignment Example This essay discusses that the healthcare sector has over the time undergone immense changes, characterized by improved healthcare systems that aid access and service delivery. These changes have been triggered by various sources, including but not limited to individuals, groups of people, government healthcare evaluators and the society at large. On a more specific ground, external forces have had their contribution to the changes observed in the healthcare environment. One of the identifiable external forces that have influenced change in the healthcare environment is the Leapfrog Group and related external factors. Changes in the healthcare sector have been tailored towards making healthcare accessible and affordable. On the same note, aspects of effective and efficient service delivery systems have been advocated for, formulated and implemented. This has led to the realization of healthcare services that by greater margin meet their primary purposes, among them promoting and uphol ding good health to the larger society. These external factors have been the driving force of change in the healthcare sector of the country. While the government has crucial concerns about healthcare issues, triggering change from within the system has been observed to be slow and inefficient over time. With the presence of Leapfrog Group among other external forces in the healthcare environment, quick, efficient and effective changes in healthcare have been realized. Specifically, evidence-based initiatives have been successfully introduced. On the same note, modern technology-based physician order entries, hospital referrals and ICU staffing has been enhanced and improved through external forces advocacy (Stead &Herbert, 2009). Your sister is entering into the hospital for elective surgery. She asks you how to determine she is safe while in the hospital. What do you tell her and why. Patient’s safety in any hospital is setting is fundamentally defined by patient rights. A patient that knows his or her rights is bound to feel safer in the hands of the caregiver. The most basic point to consider is consent to treatment, and surgery on a more specific ground as it relates to this question. Feeling safe while in the hospital first begins with the patient and then the caregiver’s context comes in. This is because, in order to begin any healthcare procedure, the patient must be willing to undertake the required actions that pertain to the procedure of treatment. This is the first step to determine that the patient is safe while in the hospital. Effectiveness and quality of care is another factor combination that determines how safe a patient is. The two are determined by a number of factors that the patient herself should actively consider in order to create a safe hospital environment for her and the caregiver during treatment, and this in case elective surgery. Speaking up when an unusual scenario arises is crucial to the patient’s safety i n the hospital. The patient should observe the practices of the caregiver so that practices or actions are tailored towards promoting the patient’s welfare. Attention should be paid in the setting up of the elective surgery procedure, so that all required materials and surgical tools are well in place before hand. The caregivers responsible for the elective surgery procedure should give the patient sufficient information about the procedure so that the patient is well informed of what is expected of her. Other safety related issues to check for are the medication procedure, standard of the healthcare facility in the light of Joint Commission’s Standard and patient participation allowed by the caregivers. This information is relevant to the patient since every patient is entitled to quality and safe healthcare. What are some of the downfalls of obtaining

International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

International Management - Essay Example The present study would analyse the business strategies of Toyota Motors Corporation with regards to achieving global competence. The study would specifically analyse the product offering and product based strategies of the firm and how these have been used by the firm to gain global competitive advantage. The choice of the organization assumes significance considering the fact that Toyota is one of the most formidable brands of the world and has a significant market share in the global car market. The company has a product offering that tends to offer the best products to the customers. It also has operations spread around major consumer markets of the world and is known for its operational and manufacturing excellence strategies. Background About the Company Toyota Motors Corporation is one of the most reputed car makers of the world. The automobile behemoth was established in the year 1937 and is presently one of the most formidable brands of the world with its stocks listed on th e bourses of the US stock exchanges as well as Japanese stock exchange. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and has a capital worth 397.05 billion Yen as of 2010. The company has a total of 320,590 employees on active payroll as of March 2010. The main business area of the organization is in the areas of automobile production and sales. It has a multi product offering that helps in targeting a large number of market segments. The company is known for its innovations in product design and operational expertise that helps it to provide greater value to the customers (Toyota Motors Corporation, 2011). Product Portfolio Mix Toyota Motors Corporation is in the business of automobile manufacturing and sales and has a product offering that caters to almost all sections and segments. The company’s product offering includes cars that includes hatchbacks, sedans as well as luxury SUV’s, hybrid cars, trucks and commercial vehicles. The detailed products under the brand a re provided in the table below: Table 1: Product Offering of Toyota Motors Corporation Cars Models Category Price (US $) Â   Yaris Hatchback 13155 Â   Corolla Sedan 15900 Â   Matrix Hatchback 16700 Â   Camry Sedan 20195 Â   Prius Sedan 23520 Â   Sienna Minivan 25060 Â   Avalon Sedan 33195 Â   Â   Â   Â   SUV RAV 4 SUV 22475 Â   FJ Crusiser SUV 25790 Â   Venza Crossover 27125 Â   Highlander SUV 28090 Â   4Runner SUV 30305 Â   Sequoia SUV 40930 Â   Land Cruiser SUV 68920 Â   Trucks Tacoma Truck 16365 Â   Tundra Truck 24435 (Source: Toyota Motors Corporation-a, 2011) As evident from the table shown above Toyota has a very large product offering that helps it to cater to a large number of customer segments. The prices of the vehicles have been formulated in a manner that would help the firm to target a wide customer audience. On one hand there are highly priced SUV’s and hybrid vehicles as well as price friendly hatchbacks that help it to meet the demands of a large section of the customers. The company’s product strategy follows an innovative approach with focus on looks, design as well as engine capacities. The company has continuously modified its product offering with respect to the changing demands of the consumer audience. The company has made it a part of its vision to produce more hybrid and green vehicles that are environment friendly (Toyota

A Case Study of the Impact of Cultural Differences on the HRM of Dissertation

A Case Study of the Impact of Cultural Differences on the HRM of Foreign Companies in China - Dissertation Example This incongruity between, for instance, Western management values and those of employees in China can create difficulties in establishing effective human resource management policies and systems. Economic globalisation has created the necessity for MNEs to expand overseas and thus is creating fierce competition. Many companies that have expanded into China whilst still maintaining their host operations overseas seek to exploit their human capital as a means of gaining competitive advantage effectively over their competing companies in similar markets. Because the human capital is considered one of the most important and crucial elements of establishing this advantage, it becomes extremely necessary for businesses to understand how to bridge cultural and social differences in order to build loyalty, motivation and productivity with individuals in China. China is a country that is ruled by rituals that often express significant differences in status at the social level. Those with high er resources often do not exploit or display their material wealth in order to illustrate their superiority over the lower or middle class citizens (Bell 2008). However, significant changes to social policy in the 19th Century had the wealthy citizens in China driving lower class citizens from their land and poorer people grew increasingly angry over their exploitation by the wealthy (Bell). Because of this, individuals who fit the lower and middle class categories of citizens and workers have had it instilled into their social systems and mindsets that one must constantly fight to gain economic freedom by amassing wealth. Generation after generation have found that material wealth is the most important method to gain influence and social freedoms and continue to fight to gain this type of prestige through finance (Creative Media Applications 1999). Why is this important for the study? Chinese management have a

Clashes over Muslim minorities in Europe throughout the past ten years Research Paper

Clashes over Muslim minorities in Europe throughout the past ten years - Research Paper Example This has happened because of world developments relating to Muslims such as the Arab revolution, Afghanistan war, uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia and the revolution in Iran. Additionally, Europeans countries have recently seen an increasing number of Muslim immigrants to their countries. This has led to reactions by some of those governments to the differences in the religions and the political system of Muslims. Furthermore, the case of September 11th has led to fear of Muslim individuals in most European countries. More of this has also been accelerated by the laws which European government enacted relating to terrorist activities. Clashes by Muslim minorities are an expression of fury because of perceived insults expressed to them by secular European communities. European nations have seen increasing number of immigrants for the past four decades. The immigrants are mainly driven by economic changes in their countries of origin. For example, the immigrants are in search of jobs and better living standards as compared to their countries. With this increasing number of movement to European countries, the Islamic population has so far increased in percentage in comparison to the majority population. Consider the case of France, according to Islam in France (1), the number of Muslims in France are about 3.5 to 5 million which is approximately 6 to 8% of the whole population. With these figures it is clear that the number of Muslims in European countries is large. Most of those Muslims are immigrants from North African countries like Algeria, Tunisia. Others are from Middle East and Turkey. The Muslims in France have settled in most parts of the country. In addition, Taras (54) shows that approximately 70% of the Muslims in France are from Algeria and Tunisia respectively. The author points out that since 1950, there has been an increase in the number of Islamic communities in Europe. The approximation provided by the author is 800,000 to 15 million from the 1950s to 2000. The number has so far risen and by year 2008 there were 20 million Muslims in Europe. The high growth of the Islamic population in Europe has increased the attention from Europeans because the population is more and increasing as compared to other minorities. The reproduction rate caused by the previous settled Muslim contributes to the increasing population including the immigration flows. Tara (55) presented statistics showing that in 2011, the number of Muslims throughout Europe were 44 million in all parts of Europe. This increasing number has caused questions from some of the prominent people especially journalists. One of the journalist blogged about the increasing number of Muslims throughout Europe, with the explanation given being that the growth is high in big cities like London, Paris and Berlin. Most bloggers have been talking about the increasing number, according to the research conducted by US Department of State; the percentage of people talking about incre asing number of Muslims in their country has risen. The statistic of the research showed that 61 percent of people in Hungary agree that there is an increase in the number of Muslims in the country. Other European countries have had the same talk, Italy, Poland, Germany and Britain have falling percentages respectively. The research showed

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Essay Example for Free

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Essay Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam graduated in aeronautical engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology in 1958 and joined the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). In 1962, Kalam joined the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). In 1982, he rejoined DRDO as the Chief Executive of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Dr. Kalam is credited with the development and operationalization of Indias Agni and Prithvi missiles. He worked as the Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence Research Development from 1992 to 1999. During this period, the Pokhran-II nuclear tests were conducted. Dr. Kalam held the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India from November 1999 to November 2001. Dr. Kalam took up teaching at Anna University, Chennai from November 2001. He is a prolific author. His books, Wings of Fire, India 2020 A Vision for the New Millennium, My journey and Ignited Minds Unleashing the power within India have become bestsellers. He is a favourite with children all over the country and has met children all over the country and has encouraged them with his learned talks. Dr. Abdul Kalam was conferred with the Degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa by the Simon Fraser University, Canada. He also wrote a book named â€Å"Turning Points: A journey through challenges† which was published by Harper Collins India. The book tells us about his story with details from his career and presidency that are not generally known. He speaks on certain points of controversy offering insight into an extraordinary personality and shows a vision of how a country with a great heritage can turn out to be great with perseverance, confidence and effort. Dr. Kalam has received a host of awards both in India and abroad. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1981, Padma Vibhushan 1990 and the Bharat Ratna in 1997. He is of the view that we should work wholeheartedly to make India a developed nation by 2020. Besides being a bachelor, Kalam is a strict disciplinarian, a complete vegetarian and teetotaler. Among the many firsts to his credit, he became Indias first President to undertake an undersea journey when he boarded the INS Sindhurakshak, a submarine, from Visakhapatnam. He also became the first president to undertake a sortie in a fighter aircraft, a Sukhoi-30 MKI.

Website Attributes On Customer Satisfaction In E-Commerce

Website Attributes On Customer Satisfaction In E-Commerce Effects Of Website Attributes On Customer Satisfaction In E-Commerce Introduction The Internet is no longer a niche technology it is mass media and an utterly integral part of modern life. As our lives become more fractured and cluttered, it isnt surprising that consumers turn to the unrivalled convenience of the Internet when it comes to searching and buying product. Introduction To E-Commerce The rise of the WWW gives birth to new phenomena in our daily lives, one of which is e-commerce. The internet has played a fundamental and key part to promote selling products and services online which makes life convenient for the audience, which in an inter-connected world, is well, the whole world. E-Commerce is a subset of an overall e-business strategy consists of the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet. E-commerce system seeks to add more revenue streams using the World Wide Web or the Internet to build and enhance relationships with partners and clients and to improve the systems efficiency. E-commerce has given rise to the concept of absolutely online shops selling products and services, proficiently catalogued and available for the convenience of customer. There are several websites that stockpile everything from books, electronic appliances lifestyle items, collectibles etc. The level of e-commerce use can be measured by using an e-commerce capability indicator. E-commerce capability indicator by Molla and Licker: No e-commerce indicates a company without e-mail or an Internet connection. Connected e-commerce represents a company that has an Internet connection and e-mail. Informational e-commerce indicates a company using a Web site to publish basic information about the company and its products/services in a static manner. Interactive e-commerce refers to the ability of users to search the companys product catalogue, make queries, and enter orders. Transactional e-commerce allows online selling and purchasing of products or services including online payment and customer service. E-business applications can be divided into three categories. First is an internal business system in which customer relationship management (CRM), Enterprise resource planning (ERP), and Human Resource management (HRM) type of systems are involved. Second is enterprise communication and collaboration such as content management system (CMS), business process management (BPM) and web conferencing etc. Third is e-commerce that includes Business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce and Business-to-customer (B2C) e-commerce. Online shopping comes under this category on which this study is conducted. Several e-commerce service providers are available on web that provides professional personalized web designing services that suit their clients needs. Some common applications related to electronic commerce are the following: Online Shopping (Web Shop) Online Banking Online Marketing CRM etc Online Shopping Online shopping is the process consumers go through to purchase products or services over the Internet. An online shop, e-shop, e-store, internet shop, web shop, web store, online store, or virtual store evokes the physical analogy of buying products or services over the web. Online shopping is a type of electronic commerce used for business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions. The term web shop also refers to a place of business where web development, web hosting and other types of web related activities take place (Web refers to the World Wide Web and shop has a idiomatic meaning used to describe the place). Service Quality The level of service received on a website. Dependent on reliability, responsiveness and availability of staff and the web site service. Service quality is comprised of five dimensions. These are: Tangibles as the appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and written materials (Zeithaml, Bitner and Gremler, 2006). Reliability is the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. Assurance describes as the employees knowledge and courtesy and their ability to inspire trust and confidence. Responsiveness termed as the willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. Empathy is defined as the individualized attention given to customers.   Service Quality Dimensions In E-Commerce Systems Lets examine how customers judge the five dimensions of service quality in perspective of e-commerce systems. Tangibles refer to the physical appearance of an e-commerce website, its structure, layout, theme etc and referred as â€Å"website structure†. Reliability represented as â€Å"website adequacy† which provides the relevant and needed information provided by an e-commerce system when customer clicked or requested for. Assurance termed as â€Å"website security† refers as the trustworthy service provider that could include a well reputable website, reliable payments methods etc. Responsiveness is the prompt and relevant response to the specific request of users described by â€Å"website response†. Empathy knows internal customers as individual; understanding individual needs and concerns such as by providing recommendations that matches the customers needs which is termed as â€Å"website customization† in world of web. Service Quality Framework (SERVQUAL) SERVQUAL was originally measured on 10 aspects of service quality which are reliability, responsiveness, competence, access, courtesy, communication, credibility, security, understanding or knowing the customer and tangibles. By the early nineties the authors had refined the model to the useful acronym RATER. Reliability Assurance Tangibles Empathy, and Responsiveness SERVQUAL has its disbeliever and is considered overly complex, subjective and statistically unreliable. The simplified RATER model however is a simple and useful model for qualitatively exploring and assessing customers service experiences and has been used widely by service delivery organizations. Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction refers to the extent to which customers are happy with the products and services provided by a business. Customer satisfaction levels can be measured using survey techniques and questionnaires. Gaining high levels of customer satisfaction is very important to a business because satisfied customers are most likely to be loyal and to make repeated orders and to use a wide range of services offered by a business. The basic definition of customer satisfaction says that Customer satisfaction is a business term, is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation. Customer satisfaction is an abstract concept and the actual manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and product/service to product or service. The level of satisfaction can also vary depending on other options the customer may have and other products against which the customer can compare the organizations products or services. Customer Satisfaction Based On Perceived Service Quality Of E-Commerce Systems The overall satisfaction of e-commerce customers can be attained by providing the level of service quality that customers perceive in that system. The five dimensions of service quality are tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. The website structure of an e-commerce websites is all about the tangibility dimension. The reliability dimension in this study is measured by the attribute called website adequacy. The website response variable indicates the responsiveness dimension. Website security as another attribute of an e-commerce system refers to the assurance dimension and the empathy dimension described by the website customization The overall customer satisfaction is based on the five service quality dimensions representing various service attributes. These five dimensions are tangibility, reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy. The detailed model used in this study is presented in figure A. The website design elements are characterized into five different types which are supposed to influence the five service quality dimensions. This study hypothesizes that some website attributes that are based on service quality dimensions has an impact on an online customer satisfaction. In other words, customers satisfaction level will increase if the e-commerce system provides a higher level of service quality through different website attributes. Increased Trend Of Online Surfing And Shopping In Pakistan The trend of an online surfing is increasing rapidly due to the increased benefits by the use of e-commerce business environment. People visit e-commerce web sites not only for buying but for several other reasons and the smart retailer just should not only focus on boosting online browse-to-buy conversion rates, but should also try to grab the attention of an online visitors who came in for review so as they could become a customer later. Many people feel it comfortable to review the products through an extensive knowledge provided over the internet before actually buying a particular product. For this purpose, e-commerce website provides an interface to the buyers to write their reviews and share their after-purchase experiences. Thus, the e-commerce systems reduce the time and efforts required for the first step of information search in consumer decision making process. That is, by just few clicks a consumer can have a concise analysis for what matches his/her needs. There are some factors emerged as a results of the changes in lifestyle and habits of consumer which has promoted the trend of online searching and shopping in Pakistan. Some of these factors are lack of time, need of convenience and easy access to the desired object. Moreover, e-commerce websites facilitates the visitor in many ways to boost up online browse-to-buy conversion rate. Whenever a new customer lands on an e-commerce website, he/she must be having many questions in their minds regarding the products and services. A well-framed ecommerce site has an enquiry page for their customers. This gives the chance to the visitor to post an enquiry with the website. Main aim of this page is to gather all relevant and necessary information from the customers so that they can be given response in an apt manner. Within the past decade, e-commerce has matured and grown exponentially. The result shows that now there are many types of e-commerce payment methods available online. If a customers credit is bad and customer cannot afford a merchant account, there are alternative methods of payments on e-commerce websites which can help the customer. The e-commerce systems give customers controlled access to the data they need. In other words, through an e-commerce systems company is not only managing the relationship with its customers, but giving the customers the tools to manage their relationship with the company. Thesis Structure This thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter 1 discusses the problem about which the research was carried out and in general about the trends of online shopping in Pakistan. Chapter 2 is about the literature review and the theoretical background is developed. In Chapter 3, researcher describes the research method adopted including sources of information and data collection procedure is discussed. In chapter 4, the empirical data collected through questionnaire is analyzed and results are concluded on the basis of a survey. In Chapter 5, Conclusions are drawn and necessary recommendations are suggested. Statement Of The Problem â€Å"Effects of website attributes on customer satisfaction in e-commerce.† The main purpose of this research is to find out the different attributes which encourage consumers to visit, search and shop on a particular website. Objective The purposes of this study are as follows: To identify the most important website element of e-commerce with respect to the customer satisfaction. To examine what is important to the customer regarding website attributes in e-commerce with perspective of website builders. Possible Research Findings The research will also provide the following significances. Help the organization to better understand what customers expect in e-commerce and how those expectations impact customer attitude. The study will examine what the customer views as major attributes of website in e-commerce. Able to investigate the major customer attitudes associated with website structure in e-commerce. The study will indicate the link between the website attributes and the customer attitudes. Hypotheses H1 Website structure has a significant association with customer satisfaction. h3 Website adequacy has a significant association with customer satisfaction. h3 Website security has a significant association with customer satisfaction. H4 Website response has a significant association with customer satisfaction. H5 Website customization has a significant association with customer satisfaction. Introduction To E-Commerce The propagation of WWW has originated few facts in our daily lives, one of which is e-commerce. A transaction between two or more participants through an electronic medium is defines as e-commerce (Kalacota and Whinston 1997). As an e-commerce is rapidly raising field, therefore for accomplishing success in this market, a top quality information system is necessary (Margherio, Henry, Cooke and Montes 1998). An e-commerce system is designed by selectively integrating many technical (e.g. search system) or managerial (e.g. the level of information related to product) design elements (Lohse and Spiller 1998). It is still very difficult, if not impossible; to make use of all the design factors presently available for the e-commerce system although many design factors have been suggested to improve the overall quality of e-commerce system (Selz and Schubert 1997, Lohse et al. 1998). This is because of the recent arrival of new design factors resulted by an increase in the interest of Internet (Selz et al.) The main goal of this paper is to explore important design elements that have significant influence on the customer satisfaction regarding the performance of e-commerce systems. In this paper, the study presents a conceptual model of e-commerce websites that includes concrete design elements, perceived level of website quality and the customer satisfaction (Kim and Lee 2002). There is remarkable potential for e-commerce in developing countries. Online shopping makes it easy to find things, merchants and best offerings and thus economical in terms of time and effort offerings (Balasubramanian, 1997). According to the Malone, Yates and Benjamin (1989), communicating a same piece of information through communication networks results in decreased cost and improved speed. There is tremendous potential for e-commerce in developing countries because the use of an e-commerce can potentially reduce transaction costs. As per Malone et al. (1989) observation, the search costs such as cost of identifying a market (from where to buy a product) and /or a product or service are likely to reduce with the use of e-commerce systems and can be defined as potential e-commerce cost savings. From an organizations perspective, e-commerce systems provide the organization with the better market reach and an ability to provide their customer a customized service that suits their individual needs and preferences. For example the exchange between â€Å"richness† and â€Å"reach† can be minimized by e-commerce (Evans and Wurster 2000). Richness refers to the quality and quantity of information in terms of accuracy, relevance, customization, etc. and reach measures the number of people who can be got in touch with that information. Service Quality Dimensions The overall customer satisfaction can be measured by the level of service quality of an e-commerce system that customer perceives. Some researchers (Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry 1988) stated that consumer satisfaction or dissatisfaction is as an ancestor of service quality. Conversely, modern evidence recommends that it is an outcome of service quality (Woodside, Frey and Daly 1989; Cronin and Taylor 1992). Service quality attributes are the most important factors for the success of an e-commerce systems For example Liu and Arnett (2000) found that organizations that involve in e-commerce can only ensure the success of their system by keenly looking for the ways to improve their service quality. The customers decision whether to continue using a particular e-commerce system is based on the perceived quality of service (Bhattacherjee, 2001) as the service quality impacts the overall satisfaction of a customer. Tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy are the five dimensions of service quality. (Parasurama, Zeithaml and Berry 1985, 1991; Pit, Watson and kavan 1995). The tool that is being used in this study to measure the dimensions of service quality is SERVQUAL. This instrument has been proved valid and reliable and hence used in various domains. (Brown Churchill and Peter 1993; Fisk, Brown and Bitner 1993; Parasuraman et al. 1993). On the basis of previous researches, service quality despite being a main interesting field in services marketing for the past two decades (Zeithaml, Parasuraman and Malhotra 2000); electronic service quality is still in its early stages in research area. Riel, Liljander and Jurriens (2001) concluded that there has been no theoretical conceptualization emerged for customer evaluation of electronic services that could have been accepted generally. Cox and Dale (2001) has supported this conception by the fact that most out of the dominant research on service quality cannot even be valid to e-business environment. By the year 2002, the existing studies on the determinants of electronic service quality were based on measuring B2C interactions (Gilbert, 2000; Barnes and Vidgens 2000, 2001 and 2002) and few exploratory researches on website quality and e-service quality by Zeithaml et al. (2000). In early stages of service quality research, researchers were required to find out what is service quality from customers perspective (Sasser, Olsen and Wyckoff 1979; Lehtinen and Lehtinen 1982; Gronroos, 1982). It was normally approved that the judgment of service quality came from comparisons between what customers feel a service provider should offer (expectations) and the actual service performance of the company (perceptions) (Zeithaml et al. 2000). This view was reinforced by Zeithaml et al.; Parasuraman et al. (1985) in their study of service quality in different service industries with which they discussed the concept of service quality as a function of expectations-perception gap. Parasuraman et al. (1985) identified the 10 dimensions that customer uses in their assessment of service quality. These 10 service quality dimensions then shaped the source for the development of a scale (SERVQUAL) to measure service quality in direct service interactions. Research extended in other context and as a result refined the scale and reduced it to 5 dimensions (reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangibles) Since the SERVQUAL scale has been widely used to measure service quality in many studies across a range of settings (IS Departments; Airlines; Universities; Ocean Freight Shipping; Professional Services; Health Providers; International Markets; Purchasing; Advertising; Banking; E-commerce). (Burgess). Initially the concept of services were created to capture the nature of service encounters (Meuter, Ostrom, Roundtree and Bitner 2000) which may not be sufficient to capture the characteristics of customer interactions with self-service technologies such as e-services (Dabholkar, Thorpe and Rentz 1996). Later on, many approaches have been proposed to study online service. (Gilbert, 2000; Gronroos, Heinonen, Isoniemi and Lindholm 2000; Parasuraman and Grewel 2000; Kaynama and Black 2000; Zeithaml et al. 2000) proposed the use of existing service theory as a first type. The second type utilizes generated new categories for self-service technologies such as e-services (Szymanski and Hise 2000; Riel et al. 2001; Wang and Tang 2001; Ruyter, Wetzels and Kleijnen 2001). Third type develops information systems and web quality theory (Barnes et al. 2000, 2001 and 2002; Aladwani and Palvia 2001). These researches have centered on customer interactions with a variety of self-service technologies such as automated call centre technology, ATMs and Web sites and touch screen technologies. A redefined SERVQUAL instrument to measure the service expectations and perceptions of customers of Internet businesses was used by Gilbert (2000) in which he concluded that to measure online service quality, the altered SERVQUAL scale was a practical instrument. The features that are useful, accurate, relevant and comprehensive information reflect the reliability of quality information (Bailey and Pearson 1983). Bailey et al. also identified that website reliability depends on to what level the information provided on the website about the product or service is true, precise and also depend to what level a customer can rely on a particular website that it provides enough amount of information available regarding each product. (Luedi, 1997) stated that website personalization based on the ability of website to deliver individualized interface for a specific user which generated dynamically as per users needs. This may involve making purchase recommendations and /or providing the list of other relevant products that matchs the customer needs. This can be extracted through the previous data available regarding an individual user such as buying behavior, cart items and the current session contents. Providing customized services is the best way to create a loyal customer and make repeat visits on a website (Luedi, 1997). The concern over security continues to plague the online world. Variables like perceived security, reputation were included in this study to examine the customer attitude towards buying process (Lightner, 2003). Even though the understanding of credit card transactions perceived secure like a waiters and waitresses, still security is the top concern of people who shop online (Salisbury, Pearson, Pearson and Miller 2001; Luo, 2002; Wilson and Abel 2002). Likewise security is the reason why people do not shop online (Luo, 2002). The research variable of Security reflects trust in the online system and the variable reputation reflects trust in the specific vendor. Discovering whether vendors receive repeat business reflects the overall buying attitude of consumers. Overall customer satisfaction at online shopping measures which attributes helps the website meets expectations. Website Elements The first phase of consumer decision making process that is the information search starts the minute customers look at the interface of e-commerce website and ends until they decide whether to place the purchase order or not (Schmid, 1995). The role of website structure remains important during the phase of information search process such as site maps, navigation, content settings and layout of website etc. The content, structure and website elements should be portrayed explicitly on the e-commerce interface. Website structure that includes the presentation of design elements determines how the information is actually displayed on the screen to acquire the customer attention (Morris and Hinrich 1996). Convenient website structure defined as to what extent a customer feels that the e-commerce website is user friendly, simple and instinctive. (Chung and Shin 2008) Website adequacy describes the quality and quantity of the information provided in the e-commerce system. Content based on usefulness and comprehensiveness involves the type and scope of information to be included in the system (Morris et al. 1996; Kim 1997). After the collection of appropriate information regarding the identified products or services, the contents must be placed in a well organized manner so that the customer can understand the interface easily (Gronroos, 1982; Rosenfeld and Morville 1998). A well-defined and properly placed content is a feature of website which indicates the ability to made information easily available to visitors (Chung et al. 2008). When adequate and reliable information has been properly dispersed across different web pages within the structure of the e-commerce website, an efficient interaction system must be provided to enable the customer to switch between different pages easily (Kim and Yoo 2000, Park and Kim 2000). (Ballantine, 2005) has found the impact of interactivity and product related information on customer satisfaction in an online trade setting. He argued in his study that the amount of product-related information affected consumer satisfaction of online shopping. An important design element that relates to the interaction system includes the involvement of website response and website customization ability. Website Customization is referred as the extent to which an e-commerce website can identify a customer and then modify the choice of products and shopping experience for that customer (Srinivasan, Anderson and Ponnavolu 2002). (Coupey, 2001) in their research argued that the improved accessibility of information on internet is likely to result in informed customers. And educated customers are able to make better quality decisions and will then experience more satisfaction with the visits and purchases they make. The connection between all of the five individual variables describes the basic architecture of web pages (Steinmetz and Nahrsted 1995). The overall satisfaction of e-commerce customers can be attained by providing the level of service quality that customers perceive in that system. Satisfied customers have more potential to spread positive word-of-mouth (Gremler and Brown 1999), and they avail further services (Zeithaml, Berry and Parasuraman 1996). The five dimensions of service quality are tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy (Parasuraman et al. 1985, 1991; Pit et al. 1995). Attributes related to the website structure such as physical appearance of e-commerce websites are represented by tangibility dimension. For example, the tangibility measures the appeal of the website design of e-commerce system presents to their customers. The ability of the website to provide the dependable, accurate service is represented by reliability dimension. (Pit et al.1995). For example, the reliability dimension measures how often an e-commerce system provides useful and comprehensive information regarding the relevant products or services. The responsiveness dimension indicates how prepared the website is to promptly response the customer with the clicked option. (Parasuraman et al. 1991). For example, the responsiveness dimension measures how often an ecommerce system voluntarily provides services that are important to its customers such as less loading time. Or it can be measured by how often a website provides accurate and rich information after a user clicked a particular product. The trust and confidence encouraged in the customer by the information provided on e-commerce system refers to the assurance dimension (Parasuraman et al. 1991). For example, the assurance dimension can be measured by extent to which a website is able to give a secure feeling to an online buyer. The empathy dimension described as the individual attention to the customer that is being provided by the dynamic e-commerce website (Pit et al. 1995). For example this dimension measures how often an ecommerce system voluntarily offers recommendations that match to its customers needs in order to provide the individual customers benefit. In summary, the overall quality of an e-commerce system can be measured by the service quality level perceived by its customers and ultimately leads to the customer satisfaction (Kim et al. 2002). (Parasuraman et al. 1988, 1991) in study on SERVQUAL found that the interactive elements of e-commerce systems are e-business features that help in building relationships with customer and are fall into five main sets that are tangibles, reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy. Due to the consistency of research findings stated in literature, it become easy to propose that the five main determinants of e-commerce include website structure, website adequacy, website security, website response and website customization (Horn, Feinberg and Salvendy 2005). In an e-business structure, the customer interaction with the business is through the e-commerce website. Therefore, several original SERVQUAL items were modified to focus on e-commerce website. The definition of an empathy dimension was extended to include personalization or customization, which is the concept of web gurus as they believe the emotional connection between customer and web business (Peppers et al. 1999). The overall appearance and structure of e-commerce website shows its tangibility. The performance of promised services and adequacy of information explains the reliability of an e-commerce website. Responsiveness is the ability of e-commerce system to help and provide prompt response to the website user. The individualized attention and customized service provided by the e-commerce system to an individual customer is described as empathy. Security is the trust on an e-commerce system in protecting personal and financial information (Horn et al. 2005). The major factors that impact the customer attitude are the five main attributes of e-commerce system. The model in Figure 1 describes how these attributes of e-commerce system work together to achieve customer satisfaction. The satisfaction or dissatisfaction of customer is defined as an emotional response to a specific consumption experience (Swan and Oliver 1989). It is determined by to what extent a consumer perceives that the service fulfills his/her needs, wants or desires. Satisfaction is a â€Å"state† inconsistent in that a consumer can be â€Å"very dissatisfied† or â€Å"very satisfied† (Tse, Nicosia and Wilton 1990). Survey Sources Of Data Collection: According to experts, the best approach and way of building an e-commerce site is by using services of website development providers. A professional team of web developers would take care and work for the e-commerce designing project and give regular feedback about the proceedings therefore for conducting this research, professionals from web development area was selected from five different firms. A survey was conducted by going to the software organizations that are involved in business of web development. Out of the five selected firms, few were chosen from the list of organizations registered on PASHA website and few were preferred on the authentic source of information about the adequate web development experience of these firms. The respondents were web developers, web architects and project managers. Questionnaire The instrument co