Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Children's Rights Child safety Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Children's Rights Child safety - Term Paper Example Their processes of identity development are influenced by totally different stimulus which affects their outlook in life. The challenging area regarding addressing child abuse, gender, ethnicity and disability is confronting the basic belief or attitude that the problems on foster care placement for children can be changed. If even one is reluctant to accept the idea that there are measures to be undertaken to address these issues, then, however plausible the courses of action are, these would prove to be futile. The objective of the essay is to synthesize crucial aspects of foster care, the adoption of children from the Public Child Welfare System, and the perspectives of risk and protecting children from diverse factors of harm. Initially, the discourse would identify factors which lead children to require the services of foster care, including a short discussion of risk and the consequences of adoption under the welfare system. Recommendations and concluding remarks would integrate and summarize the points discussed. Kris Johnson, a Foster Care Manager of the Minnesota Department of Human Services clearly defined foster care as â€Å"24-hour substitute care for children placed away from their parents or guardians and for whom the State agency has placement and care responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, placements in foster family homes, foster homes of relatives, group homes, emergency shelters, residential facilities, child care institutions, and preadoptive homes† (Johnson, 2004, 1). There are diverse reasons why children are placed under foster care. As averred by Christina A (2010), the reasons why children are placed in foster care could be categorized into three, to wit: â€Å"societal and systemic factors, parent challenges, and factors directly relating to the child† (par. 1). As the term implies, social and systemic factors are external factors in a child’s environment

Monday, October 28, 2019

Terrorism Since Early 90’s Essay Example for Free

Terrorism Since Early 90’s Essay United States of America has constantly remained as one f the greatest nations in the whole world. As if it is the Promised Land, USA was gifted with resources and maintained its high economic status. This country has all access to basic education, enough food, health and welfare, while the remaining majority is desperately trying to reach those resources. Through the years, people would do anything in an attempt to stay and make a living in the perceived promise land. So the majority is divided into two categories: Some of them start to think of flying to developed countries, where they can meet their basic needs; others begin to believe that the reason of all their problems is rich peoples wealth, healthy ones health and educated ones awareness; so they try to destroy all those people and all those resources. Unfortunately, the well off living of the citizens of the United States have encouraged millions of illegal immigrants, overstaying and undocumented that such situation encouraged and became an ideal ground for terrorism. Robert W. McChesney, S. J. , (2001) the director of the Jesuit Refugee Service Immigration Detention Program in Los Angeles has sited several terrorist attacks since the early 1990’s. On Jan. 25, 1993, a lone gunman ambushed motorists waiting at a red light outside the main entrance to the Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, Va. Two C. I. A. employees were killed, and three other people were wounded as they sat innocently in their cars. The following month a 28-year-old Pakistani immigrant by the name of Mir Aimal Kansi was charged with capital murder, subsequently found guilty and sentenced to death. As it turned out, he had come to the United States in March of 1991 on a business visa and eventually was issued a work permit. He perpetrated the terrible crime while awaiting disposition of his application for political asylum. One month after the C. I. A. murders, an explosion rocked the World Trade Center in New York City, killing six people, wounding more than a thousand and sowing widespread fear. The following year, four Muslim fundamentalists were convicted of the crime. Each was sentenced to 240 years in prison. One had applied for political asylum, while another perpetrator had overstayed a student visa. Still later in 1993, an old cargo steamer ran aground on a sandbar in the surf off New York City. The Golden Venture dumped her human cargo of 286 undocumented Chinese into the water. They swam the last few hundred yards to shore, then were arrested and detained. The Golden Venture quickly became the national news obsession of the day. Every television station in the country played and replayed scenes of what some tabloids described as a â€Å"sea invasion of illegals. † An already nervous public mainstream was now confronted with stark images of drenched Chinese nationals huddling under blankets on a windy New York beach, staring in confusion at the television cameras. After three major incidents within six months, unscrupulous elements of the press found increasing profit in sensationalizing a story of immigrant hordes and terrorists breaching permeable borders to attack the fabric of American society. The immigration and criminal terrorist story lines blurred and became conflated. Popular discourse was virulent and fearful, and politicians took notice. The solution seemed all too obvious: close the borders to â€Å"illegal† and imprison or deport those already here. Perhaps the most infamous event of this period occurred on April 19, 1995, when a Ryder truck parked outside the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City exploded. The potent mix of fertilizer and fuel oil blew half the nine-story building into oblivion, killing 168 innocent people, including 19 children, and injuring another 500. According to initial press reports, â€Å"Middle-Easterners† were reportedly seen in the vicinity of the crime and were initially regarded as possible suspects. Two days after the blast, however, a Caucasian U. S. military veteran, Timothy McVeigh, was picked up and subsequently convicted of the heinous capital crime. Legislative reaction to the sluggish economy and high-profile crimes and incidents had begun at the state level. In November of 1994 California passed Proposition 187, which placed onerous restrictions on legal and illegal immigrants. The courts subsequently overturned the initiative, but its popular political resonance remained potent.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Stylistic Features in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay examples --

Stylistic Features in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚         Henry Seidel Canby in â€Å"A Skeptic Incompatible with His Time and His Past† states: â€Å"And indeed there is a lack of consistence between the scorn that our younger critics shower upon Hawthorne’s moral creations and their respect for his style. They admit a dignity in the expression that they will not allow to the thing expressed† (62). The style found in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† has not only a â€Å"dignity in the expression† as stated above, but also many other interesting aspects, discussed in the following essay.    Canby continues:    Hawthorne’style has a mellow beauty; it is sometimes dull, sometimes prim, but it is never for an instant cheap, never, like our later American styles, deficient in tone and unity. It is a style with a patina that may or may not accord with current tastes, yet, as with Browne, Addison, Lamb, Thoreau, is undoubtedly a style. Such styles spring only from rich ground, long cultivated, and such a soil was Hawthorne’s. . . . Holding back from the new life of America into which Whitman was to plunge with such exuberance, he kept his style, like himself, unsullied by the prosaic world of industrial revolution, and chose, for his reality, the workings of the moral will. You can scarcely praise his style and condemn his subjects. Even romantic themes that would have been absurd in lesser hands get dignity from his purpose. . . . As Shakespeare, the Renaissance man, gave feudalism its final lift into the imagination, so Hawthorne, the skeptic with a moral obsession, raised New En gland Puritanism – not the theory, but the practice and still more the results in mind and spirit – into art. This lies behind his style (63). .. ...: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Fuller, Edmund and B. Jo Kinnick in â€Å"Stories Derived from New England Living.† In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996.    Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"Young Goodman Brown.† 1835. http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~daniel/amlit/goodman/goodmantext.html    James, Henry. Hawthorne. http://eldred.ne.mediaone.net/nh/nhhj1.html    Kaul, A.N. â€Å"Introduction.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Swisher, Clarice. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne: a Biography.† In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996.    Wagenknecht, Edward. Nathaniel Hawthorne – The Man, His Tales and Romances. New York: Continuum Publishing Co., 1989.   

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Free Speech -- Freedom of Speech Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to find truth to anything, one must make multiple suggestions, ask many questions, and sometimes ponder the unspeakable. Without doing so, there would be no process of elimination; therefore, truth would be virtually unattainable. Now, in our attempts to either find truth, express our beliefs and opinions, or generally use the rights we are given constitutionally, we are often being criticized and even reprimanded. Our freedom to voice our opinion(s) is being challenged, as critics of free speech are taking offense to what seems like anything and everything merely controversial and arguably prejudice. As people continue to strive for a nation free of prejudice and discrimination, where everyone is equal, safe and happy, they overlook the outcome of creating such an environment. Without different beliefs, theories, opinions and controversy, we will never advance as a people. All we would be left to do is think and speak the same, and be lieve the same beliefs. Our minds will no longer be able to run wild with brilliant, and sometimes controversial, thoughts; though, even if they did, we wouldn't be able to vocalize any of it. Although it is comforting to think that there will come a time when nobody will say or do anything offensive and prejudice is diminished, the reality is that a nation without the freedom to voice anything controversial, opinionated , and even prejudice, is hardly desirable as we will be deprived of intellectual freedom and truth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is easy to wonder whether there really is such a thing as free speech; better yet, complete free speech. (â€Å"Free† meaning unrestricted and without consequences) Sure, the majority of us say whatever we want, when we want, to whom we want, but there are some cases where our speech is hardly free. There has been many instances where complications and debates have risen over borderline comments, words, etc. People are being told that they have the ability to say whatever they want and believe in; however, many people are facing lawsuits and even consequences for doing so. With that said, one could wonder whether there is inadequacy in our constitution that is allowing people to be reprimanded for practicing their rights. However, it is not always citizens who are being challenged by the government for abuse of free speech. In his essay, â€Å"In Defense Of Prejudice†, Jonathan Ra... ...solution is to ask which is more important: prohibiting language that could provoke or offend people (and thus prohibit any sort of opposition) or allow people to think out of the norm and different than what is considered morally acceptable? Conforming to censorship can only lead to silencing our voices and ultimately narrow our thoughts and minds. To risk hearing powerful voices in society because of who they may offend isn't worth it. It seems that people are being offended by comments that they allow to penetrate their self esteem and self respect. Being secure enough in your personal beliefs and yourself is the best way to handle what may be considered offensive speech. Allow people to feel, think and speak differently; for there is surely a time when we have said or will say something inciting to someone, regardless of whether it was purposeful or mistaken. We cannot allow such instances to constrain our right to voice our opinions. Censoring speech may prohibit citizens fr om speaking of unacceptable and provocative issues; however, those feelings and beliefs will still linger. Although they won't be expressed verbally, they will inevitably be expressed one way or another.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Ovarian Cysts During Pregnancy

Ovarian Cyst during Pregnancy What are ovarian cysts? Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled, sac-like structures within an ovary. The term cyst refers to a fluid-filled structure. Therefore, all ovarian cysts contain at least some fluid. What causes ovarian cysts? Ovarian cysts form for numerous reasons. The most common type is a follicular cyst, which results from the growth of a follicle. A follicle is the normal fluid-filled sac that contains an egg. Follicular cysts form when the follicle grows larger than normal during the menstrual cycle and does not open to release the egg. Usually, follicular cysts resolve on their own over the course of days to months. Cysts can contain blood (hemorrhagic or endometrioid cysts) from injury or leakage of tiny blood vessels into the egg sac. Occasionally, the tissues of the ovary develop abnormally to form other body tissues such as hair or teeth. Cysts with these abnormal tissues are called dermoid cysts. What symptoms are caused by ovarian cysts? Most cysts are never noticed and resolve without women ever realizing that they are there. When a cyst causes symptoms, pain in the belly or pelvis is by far the most common one. The pain can be caused from rupture of the cyst, rapid growth and stretching, bleeding into the cyst, or twisting of the cyst around its blood supply. How are ovarian cysts diagnosed? Most cysts are diagnosed by ultrasound, which is the best imaging technique for detecting ovarian cysts. Ultrasound is an imaging method that uses sound waves to produce an image of structures within the body. Ultrasound imaging is painless and causes no harm. Cysts can also be detected with other imaging methods, such as CAT scan or MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging). How can the physician decide if an ovarian cyst is dangerous? If a woman is in her 40's, or younger, and has regular menstrual periods, most ovarian masses are â€Å"functioning ovarian cysts,† which are not really abnormal. They are related to the process of ovulation that happens with the menstrual cycle. They usually disappear on their own during a future menstrual cycle. Therefore, especially in women in their 20's and 30's, these cysts are watched for a few menstrual cycles to verify that they disappear. Because oral contraceptives work in part by preventing ovulation, physicians will not really expect women who are taking oral contraceptives to have common â€Å"functioning ovarian cysts. † Thus, women who develop ovarian cysts while taking oral contraceptives may be advised against simple observation; rather, they may receive closer monitoring with pelvic ultrasound or, less commonly, surgical exploration of the ovary. Other factors are helpful in evaluating ovarian cysts (besides the woman's age, or whether she is taking oral contraceptives). A cyst that looks like it's just one simple sac of fluid on the ultrasound is more likely to be benign, than a cyst with solid tissue in it. So the ultrasound appearance also plays a role in determining the level of suspicion regarding a serious ovarian growth. Ovarian cancer is rare in women younger than age 40. After age 40, an ovarian cyst has a higher chance of being cancerous than before age 40, although most ovarian cysts are benign even after age 40. CA-125 blood testing can be used as a marker of ovarian cancer, but it does not always represent cancer when it is abnormal. First, many benign conditions in women of childbearing age can cause the CA-125 level to be elevated, so CA-125 is not a specific test, especially in younger women. Pelvic infections, uterine fibroids, pregnancy, benign (hemorrhagic) ovarian cysts, and liver disease are all conditions that may elevate CA-125 in the absence of ovarian cancer. Second, even if the woman has an ovarian cancer, not all ovarian ca ncers will cause the CA-125 level to be elevated. Furthermore, CA-125 levels can be abnormally high in women with breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer. How are ovarian cysts treated? Most ovarian cysts in women of childbearing age are follicular cysts (functional cysts) that disappear naturally in 1-3 months. Although they can rupture (usually without ill effects), they rarely cause symptoms. They are benign and have no real medical consequence. They may be diagnosed coincidentally during a pelvic examination in women who do not have any related symptoms. All women have follicular cysts at some point that generally go unnoticed. A follicular cyst in a woman of childbearing age is usually observed for a few menstrual cycles because the cysts are common, and ovarian cancer is rare in this age group. Sometimes ovarian cysts in menstruating women contain some blood, called hemorrhagic cysts, which frequently resolve quickly. Ultrasound is used to determine the treatment strategy for ovarian cysts because if can help to determine if the cyst is a simple cyst (just fluid with no solid tissue, seen in benign conditions) or compound cyst (with some solid tissue that requires closer monitoring and possibly surgical resection). In summary, the ideal treatment of ovarian cysts depends on the woman's age, the size (and change of size) of the cyst, and the cyst's appearance on ultrasound. Treatment can consist of simple observation, or it can involve evaluating blood tests such as a CA-125 to help determine the potential for cancer (keeping in mind the many limitations of CA-125 testing described above). The tumor can be removed either with laparoscopy, or if needed, an open laparotomy (using and incision at the bikini line) if it is causing severe pain, not resolving, or if it is suspicious in any way. Once the cyst is removed, the growth is sent to a pathologist who examines the tissue under a microscope to make the final diagnosis as to the type of cyst present. Ovarian Cysts At A Glance Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled, sac-like structures. Ovarian cysts form for numerous reasons. When a cyst causes symptoms, pain in the belly or pelvis is by far the most common one. Most cysts are diagnosed by ultrasound. The treatment of ovarian cysts varies from observation and monitoring to surgical procedures. Case Study: Ovarian Cyst during Pregnancy I am 35 and 13 weeks into my second pregnancy. Four weeks ago, I went to the hospital for pain in my lower right quadrant. A sonogram showed a cyst on my right ovary, about 15cm. The doctor has had me in bed since then, and I have had two more sonograms. It hasn't gone down. The doctors seem to think it is fluid-filled and not cancerous. Can cysts really go down on their own? How long should I wait to see if it will go down? Have you heard of any cysts this large during pregnancy, and do they pose a danger to the baby? Cysts (fluid-filled structures) can go down on their own, but it is unlikely a 15cm cyst in pregnancy will do so. Cysts are not that uncommon during pregnancy, affecting about 1 in 1,000 pregnant women. The vast majority of ovarian masses found during pregnancy are benign; the incidence of ovarian cancer is 1 in 25,000 births. Ultrasound can be helpful in determining if a mass is benign or malignant, but it cannot do so with 100 percent certainty. If ultrasound shows that the mass is strictly fluid-filled, without septation or thick walls, it is probably benign. The problem with large, even benign, cysts during pregnancy is that they may rupture or torse (twist on themselves). Either of these events leads to significant pain for mom and the potential for miscarriage or preterm labor and delivery for the baby. Large (more than 6-8cm) cysts are usually removed surgically if they do not decrease in size spontaneously over the course of a few weeks. In pregnancy, the best time to operate is in the second trimester, ideally around 14-16 weeks. Occasionally, a cyst may be dealt with via laparoscopy, but very large cysts often require a large, open incision. A 15 cm cyst is rather big, and the potential for complications like rupture is high. If it has remained for more than two weeks, I suggest you talk to your doctor about your option. Your doctor may have been just watching you for now, until you get out of the first trimester (the first 13 weeks of pregnancy). I have removed several masses this size during pregnancy, and all of my patients went on to deliver normal, healthy babies.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The eNotes Blog New Student Aid Package How Can YouBenefit

New Student Aid Package How Can YouBenefit Reuters reports that President Obama will today sign into a law an overhaul of the nations student loan programs. The new rules cut banks out of the equation, which the President says will benefit students and taxpayers. From the article: The White House said the change would save taxpayers $68 billion over the next decade. The money saved will help expand and strengthen the federal Pell Grant program for students. The change will cap college graduates annual student loan repayments at 10 percent of their income, spends more at community colleges and awards $2.55 billion to historically black colleges and universities. Obamas fellow Democrats in the Senate and House of Representatives got the measure through Congress by tucking it into a package of changes approved last Thursday to the sweeping U.S. healthcare overhaul. So how can you benefit from the overhaul? Most of the benefit will come in greater availability of student loans and Pell Grants. Pell Grants are need-based grants made to low-income students and you can apply online. Also, if you have an existing student loan, you will benefit from only having pay a maximum 10% of your total income to service the loan payments.

Monday, October 21, 2019

The potential effects of the five different life factors on the development of the individual Essay Example

The potential effects of the five different life factors on the development of the individual Essay Example The potential effects of the five different life factors on the development of the individual Essay The potential effects of the five different life factors on the development of the individual Essay In this audio recording I will be explaining the potential effects of the five different life factors on the development of the individual. I will be using the case study of Jonathan to do this. Genetic factors Genetic factors are factors that would be inherited by the child from the mother and father. There are a lot of different illnesses/ diseases that can be inherited from the parents such as; cystic fibrosis, coeliac disease, asthma, brittle bone disease etc. These are passed to the child through their genes. If one of these illnesses is passed on to the child like brittle bone disease then this will affect the child in a negative way because they might not be able to do things properly when they are older, like sports and exercise. It would limit their opportunities and stop them from doing things that they would later want to do. Jonathan was born with a medical condition called Down’s syndrome; this condition will affect all areas of his development. Down’s syndrome is also known as trisomy 21, which is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21 in a babys cells. Around 750 babies are born with the condition each year in the UK www. nhs. uk/conditions/downs syndrome/pages/introduction. aspx. Children with Down’s syndrome will have learning disability and delayed development, but this may be different with other children. Also they will have short arms and legs and low muscle tone, making it hard for them to learn to move. Jonathan’s development in all areas will be delayed and he will find hard to learn certain things such as talking, reading, walking and sitting etc. He will take longer to learn to do these things than an average child. Some children with Down’s syndrome will have few health problems as a result of their condition. Possible health complications of Down’s syndrome might include heart disorders, bowel abnormalities, digestive problems, hearing and vision impairments, increase risk of infections etc. ww. nhs. uk/Conditions/Downs-syndrome/Pages/Complications. aspx Jonathan may have these health problems which he may need to get checked or get treatment for it in hospitals. Biological Factors Biological factors are things that are passed onto an individual through the blood stream or other means such as during pregnancy the mom can pass on substances through the placenta to the child in her womb. An example of this is when women during pregnancy ingest alcohol and crosses the placenta barrier. This can cause developing problems during fatal stages and can stunt fatal growth or weight, create distinctive facial stigmata, damage neurons and brain structures which in later life they will have problems with intellectual development within learning and understanding concepts and cause other physical, mental or behavioural problems later on in the individual life. Jonathan hasn’t got anything passed down to him when he was in her mum’s womb. But Jonathan was born with a medical condition called Down’s syndrome; he has also got heart conditions which he has to take medication often for. Having heart problems will mean he will get tired and become breathless which will mean he won’t be able to do certain activities in school such as football, basketball and running etc. because he would become tired and might start to cough a lot which is not good for his health. Not being able to do certain activities will mean he will feel left out and might feel his different from other children and this might affect his self-esteem and confidence because he might feel that his left out. Although he could do other activities that are not tiring like gymnastics, tennis and cricket etc. hich will make him feel that his part of the group and he won’t feel left out. Jonathan might also have thyroid problems, which is located in the neck and is responsible for controlling your metabolism (the rate at which your body uses up energy). The effects of thyroid that Jonathan could have are lack of energy which means he won’t be able to do certain things, gaining weight, slow physical and mental reactions, difficult breathing and difficult sleeping. nhs. uk/Conditions/Downs-syndrome/Pages/Complications. spx Environmental factors Environmental factors are things such as housing conditions, neighbourhoods, communities, pollution and access to that can affect an individual’s development. Jonathan has good housing as he lives in a wealthy area with his mum and sister. His father and mother divorced five years ago but his father pays large amount of maintenance for Jonathan’s care and helping the mother to pay for bills etc. so they don’t have to worry about Jonathon being cold or catching any illness because of his condition. It is important that he does have a good housing because it will help to improve his development. Jonathan comes from a wealthy family meaning he will have access to different types of health services and the family will be able to afford to take Jonathan to private doctors meaning he will be looked after properly and the medication he will get will be much better because he won’t be getting cheap medications because the family will be able to pay for expensive medication so just could get better quickly. The family have hired specialist nurses and portage workers to look after Jonathan. â€Å"Portage is a home-visiting educational service for preschool children who have additional support needs and their families. Portage services aim to work with your child’s developmental needs to develop their strengths, fulfil their potential and build their confidence. A portage service worker may assist with play activities, behaviour, communication, relationships and learning in your own home’’. nhs. uk/CarersDirect/guide/kinds/Pages/portage. aspx Jonathan would benefit from portage worker because they would support his development needs, learning new skills, build their confidence and helping him to fulfil his potential. They would also teach his mother how to support Jonathan’s in learning new skills and helping him to improve on his development. This would support all areas of Jonathan’s development because they would work on helping him to walk, talk and how to interact with other people and he knows how to do these things then they would look at things which he needs more help on and provide him with these skills. Jonathan’s parents might also hire speech therapists to help Jonathan with his speech, language and communication problems so he can communicate better with other people. Jonathan parents won’t have money issues as they earn a large income so they won’t have problems providing Jonathan with quality care. Socio-economic factors Socio-economic factors are social and economic activities that influence an individual’s development in life. These include things such as family and peer groups influences, housing and community influences, education, social class etc. Income and education will impact Jonathan, because Jonathan comes from a rich family he won’t have any problems with money because his father pays high amount of maintenance, this means the parents can afford to pay for private doctors who will monitor his health every time, portage workers who will help him develop new skills and also they may help the parents. Also they can get speech therapist for Jonathan if he needs it; they can also afford to buy special equipment and toys for Jonathan to use for example soft toys that are not dangerous i. e. toys that are broken or sharp. Having specialist equipment would help support Jonathan’s physical development and will protect him from injury. Jonathan’s parents are also able to afford to send Jonathan to a private school. Private schools are better than public schools because they offer better quality teachers and this would affect Jonathan intellectually and socially because private schools offer better qualified teachers and better facilities. Also private school have small class which will mean that the teacher can spend more time with every student, if Jonathan needs help with anything then the teacher will be there to help him. Also private schools are most likely to support children with special educational needs and they are aware of how to support children with different conditions. Going to private school will affect Jonathan positively because he will learn to interact with other children his age, make friends and he will discover what things that make him happy. This will affect his social and emotional development as he’s socialising with other children and his self-confidence and self-esteem will improve. Lifestyle Factors Lifestyle is the chosen way an individual chooses to lead there life which includes – chosen dietary and nutrition intake, amount of physical exercise individual chooses to undertake and substances abuse and how much an individual subjects there body to. Lifestyle factors that may affect Jonathan would include diet, nutrition and social interaction. Jonathan comes from a wealthy family; this means that he will have good diet because his parents will be buying healthy food such as fruits and vegetables which is good for you because it’s full of nutrition. This will affect Jonathan positively as he will be healthy and it will help him avoid further health complications such as high blood pressure etc. There are certain foods which Jonathan should avoid such as fast food, takeaways or microwave food that are not good for you because it can make you fat if its eaten a lot and when older you can get health problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease and you might get heart attack and stroke . It is important that Jonathan stays away from unhealthy food. Jonathan takes part in activities through school, scouts and a performing arts group for children with special needs. Attending scouts will have a positive effect on Jonathan because he is interacting with other children, making friends and doing different activities such as cooking, sports activities and camping which will build his confidence and self-esteem and it will help him to know what he likes and dislikes. Participating in different activities will also help Jonathan develop intellectually as his learning new skills. This will broaden his knowledge and skills that he has. Attending scouts and performing arts will be a positive influence because he will stay active and he will be healthy, also it will have positive effect on Jonathan’s emotional development because when he participates in scouts, he is able to earn medal or badges and this will make him more confident and it will boost his self-esteem and have a better view upon himself which will make him happy.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

History of NASA essays

History of NASA essays Perhaps there should have been a cold war. Without it, many of the things that we use everyday would not be in existence. There would be no global communications, but most importantly there would have been no space-race. The war between the Soviet Union and the United States was one with virtually no casualties. There were many technological advances in a feud between two countries. However, there were some failures as well. Some Americans gave their lives for the sake of social movement, not to mention some of the botched missions costing the American public millions to billions of dollars. On the other hand, it is believed that for every dollar that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration spends, there is a six dollar return in the government system. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) officially began its operations on October 1, 1958. It had an annual budget of $100 million, and employed 8,000 people. NASA had inherited the organization before it, the National Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), and a few other governmental organizations. NASAs inception sparked a melee of achievements in almost all scientific fields. Almost immediately after NASA was founded, it had begun working on options for human flight outside of the Earths atmosphere. The first publicized project was dubbed Project Mercury. Its primary purpose was to see if humans could survive a trip into space. Gemini, the following project that was built on the successes of Mercury, used a spacecraft designed to carry to astronauts. Catastrophe Strikes on January 27, 1967. At that time, during a routine simulation aboard one of the Apollo spacecraft, a flash fire broke out in a pure oxygen atmosphere. Flames engulfed the lunar capsule, and the three astronauts aboard, Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, died of asphyxiation. These were the first deaths directly attributed to the U.S. space program. T...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

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

Rome - Assignment Example They appointed numerous leading reformers to the cardinal’s college, started reform of the central administrative apparatus found in Rome, approved the founding of Jesuits, and convoked the Trent council which met occasionally from 1545 to 1563. The council succeeded in starting several administrative reforms and far-ranging ethics which was meant to set the tone and define the shape of Roman Catholicism. The subject matter of Annibale was the classic style. During his time he was seen as one of the main key painters to revive the classical style. He was able to incorporate revolutionary realism and classical reissuance art. It took place on august, 410. The Visigoth attacked the city, led by Alaric. During that time, Rome was not the capital city of the western Rome Empire, since Ravenna had took that position in 402. However, the city of Rome sustained a paramount rank as the eternal city and the center of the spiritual empire. 9. San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane by Borromini relies on a lively interplay of concave and convey walls that make it a Baroque masterpiece. Do you agree? Yes I agree, since the renaissance drew the power and wealth from there. Mosaic is an art of forming images by grouping small pieces of colored stones or glass. The oldest popular mosaic comes from 8th BC. They were made from pebbles. The Greek manufacturers enhanced this technique. The oldest examples of mosaic that are made from various materials were found at a temple in Abra, Mesopotamia. She was the daughter of Vanozza and Pope Alexander VI. She had three brothers Giovanni, Cesare and Gioffre. Her family arranged many marriages for her to powerful men in order to advance their political ambitions. Catacombs are underground cemetery. The early Christian built them during the first centuries of the Christian church. The roman permitted the Christian to bury their dead in the catacombs. Hence,

Friday, October 18, 2019

CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS - Essay Example e recent times, increased diversity in the workplace has perpetuated the desire for workers to work cooperatively and collective in groups in pursuit for accomplishment of organizational goals and objectives. Even so, not all groups formed in an organization become effective (Myers, 2012). Working in teams is different from working in groups. For instance, Teamwork enables individuals to achieve a common goal by sharing responsibilities and duties. Teamwork Success, therefore, involves the cooperative process that allows unique people to achieve extraordinary goals and results. Teamwork success depends on the commitment and organization of all the team members. From a company perspective to a school project and course, team success is achieved through Commitment. Dedication to teamwork success enables the groups of people achieves their goals and tasks without challenges (Myers, 2012). Generally, teamwork emphasizes on the virtues of cooperating and the importance of making use of different strengths of team

Multinational Corporations in Third World Countries Essay

Multinational Corporations in Third World Countries - Essay Example Globalization is a phenomenon where the world is increasingly becoming integrated socially, economically and politically. These is mainly due to advancements in information communication technology( ICT), improvement in transport infrastructure, expedite mass migration and movement of people as well as the trade in goods and services leading to an increased economic activity that has surpassed national markets necessitating the need to exploit markets outside the borders (Jan A S, 2000). Increased technological advancement, liberalized world markets and intense competition has resulted to increased globalization. Third world countries is a term that refers to the least developed countries of the south which includes countries found in Asia, Africa, Latin America Oceania and the Caribbean. The term came about after world war two where the bourgeoisie regimes of the west were referred to as the west while the antagonistic regimes of the orient were referred to as the East and were socialist. The newly independent countries of the south coined the term third world to signify their non aligned disposition. These countries are generally characterized by low levels of investments, rampant poverty and diseases, high illiteracy levels, poor infrastructure, political instability, poor governance where the ruling elites are wealthy (comprador bourgeoisie) coupled with high birth rate with low economic growth rate (Breda P, 1983). Other features include distorted and highly dependent economies(dependency) on aid, grants and technical assistance, a key feature that is furthered by the actions of the MNC 'S and global institutions like the world bank and the International Monetary Fund(IMF). These economies generally produce primary goods that are exported to the west for value addition while they act as markets for finished products from the west. As they are technologically inferior. Third world countries lag behind in development because of various factors but it should be noted that they why brought into the global capitalistic system through colonization-a stage in globalization, a phenomena whose effect was to be felt later more so with end of the cold war. This is one of the major reasons for the cause of under development in the least developed countries. These poor countries have always sought various ways by which they can solve these development problems mainly through foreign aid and technical assistance that is overly done under the auspice of international institutions e.g. the World Bank and the IMF. These efforts have failed over the years to stem the sinking of these countries further down the path of under development hence today there is a new approach to development in the south through the need to attract and retain the foreign direct investments (FDI's). One way of achieving these objectives has been through the privatization of state enterprises.Privatization is the sale, transfer or concession of government assets or services to a privately owned entity. This has been the cornerstone of the structural adjustment program advocated by the World Bank and the IMF in the 1980's to try and stimulate growth and development in the third world (Emmanuel S S, 1987). The aim has always been to increase efficiency brought by the need for profit maximization, and increase revenue to the state in

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Critically evaluate and discuss Balanced Scorecard Essay

Critically evaluate and discuss Balanced Scorecard - Essay Example customer issues, internal business processes, employing activities and share holders concern. Kaplan and Norton labelled the new tool the balanced scorecard. Many organizations have started using balanced scorecard in order to attain efficiency in their processes. Since it considers all the major components in an organization a total efficiency management is possible in an organization. The four components of balanced scorecard are properly managed in order to create a total efficiency. Balanced scorecard is a strategic planning and management system, which is extensively, used in business and industry, government, and non profit organizations for doing the business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization. Balanced scorecard is using for improving the internal and external communications and monitoring the organizational performance against the strategic goals of the organization. In earlier stage it was used for the measuring the simple performance of the organization to a full strategic planning and management. New card is focusing not only the performance measurement but also helping the managers what should be done and what should be measuring for attaining the organizational objectives in competitive basis. ... overall business strategy into specific, quantifiable goals and to monitor the organization's performance in terms of achieving these goals." (Balanced Scorecard Methodology, 2005). Competitive Advantage enables the company to operate in a more efficient manner and higher quality manner than the companies to compete with and which helping the company for getting higher more profit. "A competitive advantage is an advantage over competitors gained by offering consumers greater value, either by means of lower prices or by providing greater benefits and service that justifies higher prices." (Strategy -competitive advantage). Balance score card is focusing the strategy and its results and improving the organizational performance through measuring the measures in a competitive basis, Focusing on a basis of future performance and also which is used as prioritize projects and initiative basis. Kaplan and Norton described in the following manner, "The balanced scorecard retains traditional financial measures. But financial measures tell the story of past events, an adequate story for industrial age companies for which investments in long-term capabilities and customer relationships were not critical for success. These financial measures are inadequate, however, for guiding and evaluating the journey that information age companies must make to create future value through investment in customers, suppliers, employees, processes, technology, and innovation." (Gnanapoo, 2008). According to his perspective Balanced scorecard having the following areas, Learning and growth perspective Customer Perspective Financial Perspective International Business perspective (What is balanced scorecard 2007). The learning and growth perspective is related to the learning and development

Transformed Worldviews Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Transformed Worldviews - Research Paper Example These values had been instilled in one’s persona early during one’s stage of child development and growth. It was handed down from generation to generation as documented among the Ten Commandments: â€Å"Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour† (Holy Bible, New International Version, 2011). Thus, the verse stressed the importance of not telling lies and adherence to the truth. The modernist’s view is similar to one’s personal viewpoint. One actually gained knowledge of the truth from this view. In the reading entitled â€Å"Idolatry of Novelty† written by Lynn Gardner, the author emphasized that truth is actually anti-thetical with the acceptance of alleged false teaching: â€Å"'Doing truth' (or 'acting truly') is an Old Testament expression used especially when fidelity between two parties is the subject. Whether spoken or expressed in action, the truth is never to be dissociated from love." "Grace and truth" came through J esus Christ (John 1:14, 17)† (Gardner, n.d., pp. 15-16). Likewise, truth, as asserted here, reverts from the source in the Holy Bible: as emanating from Jesus Christ; and the teachings relayed, communicated, and documented through the Bible attests to the need to adhere to ethical, moral, and legal standards which conform to truth, based on facts and reality. In addition, Packer (1993) averred that truth in the Bible means â€Å"stability, reliability, firmness, trustworthiness, the quality of a person who is entirely self-consistent, sincere, realistic, undeceived. God is such a person: truth, in this sense, is his nature, and he has not got it in him to be anything else† (p. 127). Therefore, God is the perfect embodiment of truth because in His Divinity, He was noted not be have any ability to lie... Different people gain knowledge about God through diverse modes and medium. From the material from class texts and discussion, one acknowledges that people learn about God from stories, narrations and testimonies of family members and relatives; from theology or religion courses; through the scriptures, specifically through the teachings in the Holy Bible; through attendance of religious practices and obligations (masses for the Catholics); and through personal interests and intentional pursuits. Knowing about God comes from information gathered or collected from external sources or from the experiences of other people who shared the information to others. As emphasized, â€Å"â€Å"knowing† God is of necessity a more complex business than â€Å"knowing† another person, just as â€Å"knowing† my neighbor is a more complex business than â€Å"knowing† a house, or a book, or a language. The more complex the object, the more complex is the knowing of it†. The critical aspect of the knowing about God is the contention that â€Å"knowing them is more directly the result of their allowing us to know them than of our attempting to get to know them†.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Critically evaluate and discuss Balanced Scorecard Essay

Critically evaluate and discuss Balanced Scorecard - Essay Example customer issues, internal business processes, employing activities and share holders concern. Kaplan and Norton labelled the new tool the balanced scorecard. Many organizations have started using balanced scorecard in order to attain efficiency in their processes. Since it considers all the major components in an organization a total efficiency management is possible in an organization. The four components of balanced scorecard are properly managed in order to create a total efficiency. Balanced scorecard is a strategic planning and management system, which is extensively, used in business and industry, government, and non profit organizations for doing the business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization. Balanced scorecard is using for improving the internal and external communications and monitoring the organizational performance against the strategic goals of the organization. In earlier stage it was used for the measuring the simple performance of the organization to a full strategic planning and management. New card is focusing not only the performance measurement but also helping the managers what should be done and what should be measuring for attaining the organizational objectives in competitive basis. ... overall business strategy into specific, quantifiable goals and to monitor the organization's performance in terms of achieving these goals." (Balanced Scorecard Methodology, 2005). Competitive Advantage enables the company to operate in a more efficient manner and higher quality manner than the companies to compete with and which helping the company for getting higher more profit. "A competitive advantage is an advantage over competitors gained by offering consumers greater value, either by means of lower prices or by providing greater benefits and service that justifies higher prices." (Strategy -competitive advantage). Balance score card is focusing the strategy and its results and improving the organizational performance through measuring the measures in a competitive basis, Focusing on a basis of future performance and also which is used as prioritize projects and initiative basis. Kaplan and Norton described in the following manner, "The balanced scorecard retains traditional financial measures. But financial measures tell the story of past events, an adequate story for industrial age companies for which investments in long-term capabilities and customer relationships were not critical for success. These financial measures are inadequate, however, for guiding and evaluating the journey that information age companies must make to create future value through investment in customers, suppliers, employees, processes, technology, and innovation." (Gnanapoo, 2008). According to his perspective Balanced scorecard having the following areas, Learning and growth perspective Customer Perspective Financial Perspective International Business perspective (What is balanced scorecard 2007). The learning and growth perspective is related to the learning and development

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Brand Positioning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Brand Positioning - Essay Example Brand proposition in the Xerox products Brand proposition is a statement which clearly identifies the benefits of the products to consumers. It is a promise to the consumers and the buyers of the benefits they would achieve if they are to buy these products. The brand proposition should include a unique tag in the marketing strategy that would draw consumers to the product. The Xerox Corporation has used various brand proposition techniques in order to market its products. For example, the Fuji Xerox printers carry a statement â€Å"true colors†. This brand propositional method ensures that a customer associates this printing machine with production of high quality print out hence boosting its sales. The Xerox Company also adopted the statement â€Å"simplicity by the numbers†. By this catchy phrase, a potential buyer would therefore associate the Xerox products with product efficiency. Since consumers tend to buy high quality and efficient products, the statement assis ts to improve on the sales of the Xerox products. In addition, the brand proposition may also mean that the service delivery of Xerox Company is fast due to the large numbers of personnel. Hence, there fast delivery would attract customers to their stores. The brand propositioning of the Xerox Corporation has helped to convince new buyers that indeed Xerox offers cheap products. In the process of sales promotion, Xerox has frequently used the phrase â€Å"we offer a better pie† to mean cheaper prices. The customers would therefore prefer high quality products but of cheaper price hence they would consider visiting the Xerox stores. Just recently, Xerox Corporation has used the brand statement â€Å"environmental friendly† on some of their newly developed solid ink. Since the whole world is careful about the effects of environmental pollution, the customers are compelled to buy this newly developed ink for their printers hence the brand proposition has helped in improvi ng of sales. Relationship between brand proposition, brand awareness and brand value in Xerox Corporation Brand awareness is the degree with which the consumers can relate precisely with a certain brand. It is a situation where the consumer is given necessary knowledge about the availability of the product, the advantages and benefits of using this product. The Xerox Corporation has achieved this by using effective methods of sales promotion so that the target groups are made aware of the product. Through brand awareness, the Xerox Company has been able to affect consumers’ decision-making, ensure customer loyalty hence saving the customer additional costs that could be used when looking for a similar product. Brand value is similar to brand equity and it is the present value of the estimated cash flow estimated to the brand (Lindstrom 2004). It is measured through customer loyalty, staff retention and recruitment. For example, the Xerox products have a higher value because t he brand has been created for a longer time hence has customer loyalty. The success of the brand awareness technique and the brand value can be attributed to the effect of brand proposition. Through the brand proposition, the customer is able to associate the brand statement with the quality of the product hence able to consider it. This plays a big role in the brand awareness because the customer is advised of the product usage and its features. In addition, the brand proposi

The Grievances Amongst the Russian People Essay Example for Free

The Grievances Amongst the Russian People Essay Assess the extent to which the grievances of the Russian people were addressed by the October Manifesto The grievances amongst the Russian people were addressed to some extent by the passing of the October Manifesto. The laws passed in the October Manifesto were designed to benefit the working class as well as prevent an outbreak of violence and an imminent revolution. Stolypin was appointed as the chairman of ministers for the Duma. Which had been created in the hope to please the working class enough to draw them back to the factories. However while in that position he implemented many controversial laws. Consequently Stolypin was assassinated and caused a huge impact on the Russian people. Firstly Tsar Nicholas II was persuaded by his advisers to issue the October Manifesto, because the increasing misery of the Russian people had reached a point where they were willing to take the risk of initiating a revolution. The suffering the Russian people, especially the working class endured around October 1905 was extreme due to the Russo-Japo war. There were severe shortages on everything but most importantly fuel and food which were necessities. The level of their discontent was increasingly rising and revolution was becoming an imminent possibility. The Tsar was consequently persuaded by his trusted advisors to give up his absolute power and focus on trying to retain a partial power. The passing of the October Manifesto effectively stopped the threat of revolution. The laws passed within this document allowed for the setting up of a Russian parliament called the Duma, gave the people a right to vote, allowed for basic civil rights to be for filled such as free speech and better working and living conditions. The passing of the October Manifesto ended absolute monarchy in Russia. This also pleased and convinced the workers to go back to working class to go back to work. Secondly a man named Stolypin was appointed by the Tsar to be chairman of the Duma, the new Russian parliament. However this was a tactical move by the Tsar, Stolypin was placed in this position so as to reverse all the changes that had been made in the October Manifesto which the Tsar had to concede to in October 1905. Stolypin implemented many controversial policies such as, punishing the leaders of the revolution through hanging. Which resulted in the death of over two thousand people and around 21,000 being banished to Siberia. The noose became known as Stolypins neck tie. An upper house of the Duma was created called the State Council. The deputies of this house were also appointed by the Tsar consequently they were answerable to him in preference to the public. The Upper House was put in place so as to stop any law that was not suitable proposed by the Duma. Also in 1907 Stolypin engineered a new electoral law, which was made in favour of the rich. The rule stated that it would take 230 large landowner (nobles), 1000 large business owners (industrialists), 15 000 small business, 60 0000 peasant, and 125 000 factory workers votes to elect one deputy to the Duma. The new electoral law limited the rights of the poor and working class; basically landing them back to where they began for their fight for basic rights. However during the period of Stolypin, Russia was fairly stable between 1907 and 1911, due to Stolypins wise intelligence. He implemented some legal reforms for peasants and factory workers that did not fully satisfy them but kept them content. Stolypin was very wise in the decisions he made. Stolypin was able to keep the threat of revolution down by passing some legal reforms that satisfied the peasants and working class. However he did implement many controversial policies that took back the rights of the working class, that they had fought so hard to win. Thirdly the impact of Stolypins downfall and assassination created growing discontent amongst the people. With rising numbers of strikes and demonstrations. After Stolypins assassination in 1911, the middle class dominated Duma, removed the restrictions and overturned Stolypin’s social reforms in order for Russia to more rapidly industrialise. Russia experienced worsening discontent throughout 1912 to 1914. In 1912 striking miners in the Lena Goldfields in Siberia were massacred by the Cossacks which therefore provoked a wave of more strikes. In July 1914 a general strike began. Violent clashes between the factory workers Cossacks and police ended in mounting causalities. This near revolution only ended due to the out break of WW1. Stolypins assassination had a great impact on the Russian people; it increased discontent amongst the working class which resulted in more strikes, casualties and deaths. The Russian people were consequently stuck back in the same position they had fought so hard to get out of in 1905. In conclusion the grievances amongst the Russian people were addressed to some extent by the passing of the October Manifesto in 1905. The Manifesto allowed for the creation of a Duma which resulted in a more democratic environment, and allowed for the right to vote. This manifesto also allowed for basic civil rights such as free speech and better working and living conditions, which were the biggest issue behind most of the strikes. However the commission of Stolypin by the Tsar to fill the place of the chairman of ministers for the Duma created problems. The Russian people were kept content throughout the period of Stolypins power despite the gradual reversal of all changes made by the Tsar in the October Manifesto. After the assassination of Stolypin a general strike broke out, this landed the Russian people back to square one. So to some extent the passing of the October Manifesto in 1905 addressed the grievances amongst the Russian people.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Integrated Marketing Communications

Integrated Marketing Communications Introduction Integrated marketing communication (IMC) is a development of current and customary strategies of marketing, to upgrade the correspondence of a steady message passing on the organizations brands to partners. Coupling different strategies together is added value in making successful correspondence as it tackles the individual advantages of each channel, which when consolidated together forms a clearer and greater effect than if utilized exclusively. To have the capacity to make progress through IMC, advertisers will recognize the limits around the promotional mix components and how the adequacy of the campaign message will be gotten a handle on by the gathering of people. Discussion Integrated Marketing Communications is a basic concept. It guarantees that all types of communications and messages are deliberately connected together. At its most fundamental level, Integrated Marketing Communications, or IMC, as well call it, implies coordinating all the limited time instruments, so they cooperate in agreement. Promotions is one of the Ps in the marketing mix. Promotion has its own blend of specialized tools. These specialized instruments work better in the event that they cooperate in amicability as opposed to in disconnection. Their entirety is more noteworthy than their parts furnishing they talk reliably with one voice constantly, unfailingly. This is upgraded when coordination goes past simply the essential specialized devices. There are different levels of coordination, for example, Horizontal, Vertical, Internal, External and Data joining. Here is the way they help to reinforce Integrated Communications. Brand Communication and Integrated Marketing Brand communication is an activity taken by associations to make their products and services famous among the end-clients. Brand communication goes far in promoting products and services among target buyers. The procedure includes recognizing people who are most appropriate to the buy of items or administrations (likewise called target customers) and advancing the brand among them through any of the accompanying means: Advertising Sales Promotion Public Relation Direct Marketing Personal Selling Social media, and so on Integrated marketing communication alludes to coordinating every one of the strategies for brand advancement to advance a specific item or administration among target clients. In incorporated showcasing correspondence, all parts of promoting correspondence cooperate for expanded deals and most extreme cost adequacy. Components of Integrated Marketing Communications The Foundation As the name recommends, this stage includes detailed examination of both the product and also target market. It is fundamental for advertisers to comprehend the brand, its offerings and end-clients. You have to know the necessities, states of mind and desires of the objective clients. Keep a close watch on contenders exercises. The Corporate Culture The elements of items and administrations should be in accordance with the work culture of the association. Each association has a vision and its imperative for the advertisers to remember the same before planning items and administrations. Give a chance to comprehend it with the assistance of a case. Association As vision is to advance green and clean world. Normally its items should be eco benevolent and biodegradable, in lines with the vision of the association. Brand Focus Brand Focus speaks to the corporate personality of the brand. Purchaser Experience Marketers need to concentrate on shopper encounter which alludes to what the clients feel about the item. A buyer is probably going to get an item which has great bundling and looks appealing. Items need to meet and surpass client desires. Communication Tools Communication devices incorporate different methods of advancing a specific brand, for example, publicizing, coordinate offering, advancing through web-based social networking, for example, Facebook, twitter, Orkut et cetera. Promotional Tools Brands are advanced through different special devices, for example, exchange advancements, individual offering et cetera. Associations need to reinforce their association with clients and outer customers. Integrated Tools Organizations need to keep a customary track on client criticisms and audits. You need particular programming like client relationship administration (CRM) which helps in measuring the adequacy of different coordinated advertising specialized instruments. Incorporated advertising correspondence empowers all parts of showcasing combine to work in congruity to advance a specific item or administration successfully among end-clients. Benefits of Integrated Marketing Communications Albeit Integrated Marketing Communications requires a considerable measure of efforts, it conveys many advantages. It can give competitive advantage, help sales and benefits, while sparing cash, time and stress. IMC wraps correspondences around clients and helps them travel through the different phases of the purchasing procedure. The association all the while combines its image, builds up a discourse and supports its association with clients. This Relationship Marketing concretes an obligation of devotion with clients which can shield them from the inescapable issue of competition. The capacity to keep a client forever is an intense competitive advantage. IMC additionally expands benefits through expanded viability. At its most essential level, a brought together message has more effect than an incoherent heap of messages. In a busy world, a predictable, and perfectly clear message has a superior shot of slicing through the commotion of more than five hundred business messages which hits clients every single day. At another level, introductory research proposes that images partook in promoting and regular postal mail help both publicizing mindfulness and mail shot reactions. So IMC can help deals by extending messages over a few specialized devices to make more roads for clients to wind up distinctly mindful, stimulated, and at last, to make a purchase. Integrated messages additionally help purchasers by giving convenient updates, refreshed data and exceptional offers which, when displayed in an arranged succession, help them move serenely through the phases of their purchasing procedure and this lessens their hopelessness of decision in a mind boggling and occupied world. IMC additionally makes messages more reliable and in this manner more strong. Office expenses are lessened by utilizing a individual organization for all correspondences and regardless of the possibility that there are a few offices, time is spared when gatherings unite every one of the offices for briefings, imaginative sessions, strategic or key arranging. This lessens workload and consequent anxiety levels one of the many advantages of IMC. Barriers Regardless of its many advantages, Integrated Marketing Communications, or IMC, has numerous barriers. Notwithstanding the standard imperviousness to change and the unique issues of speaking with a wide assortment of target gatherings of people, there are numerous different hindrances which limit IMC. These include: Functional Silos; Stifled Creativity; Time Scale Conflicts and an absence of Management know-how. Take useful storehouses. Unbending hierarchical structures are swarmed with managers who secure both their financial plans and their energy base. Tragically, some hierarchical structures detach correspondences, information, and even supervisors from each other. For instance the PR sector frequently doesnt answer to promoting. The business drive seldom meet the publicizing or deals advancement individuals et cetera. And the greater part of this can be exasperated by turf wars or interior power fights where particular managers oppose having some of their choices (and spending plans) decided or even affected by somebody from another department. IMC can confine imagination. Not any more wild and wacky deals advancements unless they fit into the general showcasing interchanges procedure. The delight of uncontrolled inventiveness might be smothered, however the innovative test might be more prominent and at last all the more fulfilling when working inside a more tightly, incorporated, imaginative brief. Include diverse time scales into an inventive brief and youll see Time Horizons give one more hindrance to IMC. For instance, picture publicizing, intended to sustain the brand over the more drawn out term, may strife with shorter term promoting or deals advancements intended to lift quarterly deals. However the two targets can be suited inside a general IMC if precisely arranged. However, this sort of arranging is not normal. A review in 1995, uncovered that most directors need mastery in IMC. Be that as it may, its chiefs, as well as organizations. There is a multiplication of single train offices. There give off an impression of being not very many individuals who have genuine experience of all the promoting correspondences disciplines. This absence of know how is then intensified by an absence of duty. The Shift from Fragmented to Integrated Marketing Communications Preceding the development of integrated marketing communication amid the 1990s, mass interchanges-the act of relaying data to substantial portions of the populace through TV, radio, and other media-dominated promoting.   Publicists communicated their offerings and strategic offers with little respect for the assorted needs, tastes, and estimations of purchasers. Frequently, this one size fits all approach was expensive and uninformative because of the absence of devices for measuring brings about terms of offers. Be that as it may, as techniques for gathering and breaking down consumer information through single-source innovation, for example, store scanners enhanced, advertisers were progressively ready to connect limited time exercises with customer buying designs. Organizations likewise started to scale back their operations and grow promoting errands inside their associations. Promoting organizations were additionally anticipated that would comprehend and give all showcasing capacities, not simply publicizing, for their customers. Today, corporate marketing spending plans are distributed toward exchange advancements, customer advancements, marking, advertising, and promoting. The allotment of correspondence spending plans far from broad communications and conventional promoting has raised the significance of IMC significance for viable showcasing. Presently, promoting is seen more as a two-path discussion amongst advertisers and purchasers. This move in the publicizing and media businesses can be condensed by the accompanying business sector patterns: a move from broad communications promoting to different types of correspondence the developing ubiquity of more particular (specialty) media, which considers individualized examples of utilization and expanded division of shopper tastes and inclinations the move from a maker commanded market to a retailer-ruled, shopper controlled market the developing utilization of information based promoting rather than general-center publicizing and showcasing more prominent business responsibility, especially in promoting execution based remuneration inside associations, which expands deals and advantages in organizations boundless Internet get to and more noteworthy online accessibility of merchandise and ventures a bigger concentrate on creating showcasing correspondences exercises that deliver an incentive for target gatherings of people while expanding advantages and decreasing ex penses The Tools of Integrated Marketing Communications The IMC procedure by and large starts with an incorporated showcasing interchanges arrange for that depicts the diverse sorts of promoting, publicizing, and deals instruments that will be utilized amid crusades. These are to a great extent limited time instruments, which incorporate everything from site improvement (SEO) strategies and pennant notices to online courses and websites. Integrated marketing communication components, for example, daily papers, announcements, and magazines may likewise be utilized to educate and induce buyers. Advertisers should likewise settle on the fitting mix of customary and advanced correspondences for their intended interest group to fabricate a solid brand-buyer relationship. Notwithstanding the brands special blend, it is critical that advertisers guarantee their informing is steady and credible over all correspondence channels.Integrated Marketing Communication is characterized as the coordination and reconciliation of all advertising specialized instrument, roads and sources inside an organization into consistent program that augment the effect on client and flip side clients at a negligible cost. This reconciliation influences all firm business-to-business, showcasing channel, client centered, and inside coordinated correspondences. Incorporated Marketing Communications is an administration idea that is intended to make all parts of showcasing correspondence, for example, publicizing, deals advancement, advertising, individual offering and direct promoting cooperate as a bound together compel, instead of allowing each to work in disconnection. Additionally, it goes about as a forceful promoting arrangement since it sets and tracks advertising methodology that catches and uses broad measure of client data. It likewise guarantees that all types of correspondences and messages are precisely connected together to accomplish particular target. Advertising Advertising has four qualities: it is powerful in nature; it is non-individual; it is paid for by a recognized support; and it is dispersed through mass channels of correspondence. Publicizing messages may advance the reception of merchandise, administrations, people, or thoughts. Since the business message is scattered through the broad communications-instead of individual offering-it is seen as a substantially less expensive method for achieving shoppers. Be that as it may, its non-individual nature implies it does not have the capacity to tailor the business message to the message beneficiary and, all the more critically, really get the deal. Accordingly, promoting impacts are best measured as far as expanding mindfulness and changing dispositions and suppositions, not making deals. Public Relations (PR) Advertising is characterized as an administration capacity which recognizes, builds up, and keeps up commonly valuable connections between an association and general society whereupon its prosperity or disappointment depends. Though promoting is a restricted correspondence from sender (the advertiser) to the beneficiary (the shopper or the retail exchange), advertising considers numerous gatherings of people (purchasers, representatives, providers, sellers, and so forth.) and utilizations two-path correspondence to screen input and conform both its message and the associations activities for greatest advantage. Sales Promotions (SP) Sales promotion are immediate actuations that offer additional impetuses to improve or quicken the items development from maker to buyer. Deals advancements might be coordinated at the customer or the exchange. Buyer advancements, for example, coupons, examining, premiums, sweepstakes, value (packs that offer more noteworthy amount or lower cost than ordinary), minimal effort financing arrangements, and refunds are buy impetuses in that they prompt item trial and energize repurchase. Personal Selling (PS) Individual offering incorporates all individual to-individual contact with clients with the reason for acquainting the item with the client, persuading him or her of the items esteem, and bringing the deal to a close. The part of individual offering changes from association to association, contingent upon the nature and size of the organization, the industry, and the items or administrations it is promoting. Direct Marketing (DM) Coordinate promoting, the most established type of showcasing, is the way toward discussing specifically with target clients to energize reaction by phone, mail, electronic means, or individual visit. Clients of direct showcasing incorporate retailers, wholesalers, makers, and specialist organizations, and they utilize an assortment of techniques including regular postal mail, telemarketing, coordinate reaction promoting, online PC shopping administrations, link shopping systems, and infomercials. Emerging Tools of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Sponsorships (Event Marketing) Sponsorships, consolidate publicizing and deals advancements with advertising. Sponsorships increment consciousness of an organization or item, fabricate unwaveringness with a particular target crowd, help separate an item from its rivals, give marketing openings, show responsibility to a group or ethnic gathering, or effect all that really matters. Like promoting, sponsorships are started to assemble long haul affiliations. Associations in some cases contrast sponsorships and promoting by utilizing gross impressions or cost-per-thousand estimations. Social Media Marketing The idea of web-based social networking marketing fundamentally alludes to the way toward advancing business or sites through web-based social networking channels. It is a capable promoting medium that is characterizing the way individuals are imparting. It is one of the altogether minimal effort special strategies that give organizations extensive quantities of connections and gigantic measure of activity. Organizations figure out how to get huge consideration and that truly works for the business. Online networking promoting is a powerful technique connected by dynamic organizations for offering their items/administrations or for simply distributing content for commercial income. Internet Marketing Internet Marketing likewise alluded to as i-promoting, web-marketing, online marketing or e-Marketing, is the marketing of items or administrations over the Internet. The Internet has conveyed media to a worldwide gathering of people. The intuitive way of Internet advertising as far as giving moment reactions and inspiring reactions are the one of a kind characteristics of the medium. Mobile Marketing Portable Marketing includes speaking with the customer by means of cell (or versatile) gadget, either to send a straightforward showcasing message, to acquaint them with another group of onlookers support based crusade or to permit them to visit a versatile site. Conclusion The rise of integrated marketing communication (IMC) has turned into a important case of development in the area of marketing. It has affected thinking and acting among a wide range of organizations and associations confronting the substances of rivalry in an open economy. From the earliest starting point of the 1990s IMC turned into a genuine intriguing issue in the field of promoting. Four phases of IMC have been recognized, beginning from strategic coordination to budgetary and key reconciliation. Be that as it may, the greater part of firms are tied down in the primary stages and not very many have moved to a vital level. One conclusion is that there are obstructions to creating IMC from strategies to technique. Integrated marketing communication is a way to deal with arranging communications that gives your independent company the possibility to show signs of improvement results from your campaigns and decrease promoting costs. By incorporating tools, for example, publicizing, direct mail, web-based social networking, telemarketing and deals advancement, you give clearness, consistency and greatest interchanges affect. An integrated campaign helps you give clients data in the configuration they incline toward. Buyers and business clients can indicate in the event that they need to get item data through email, direct mail, instant message or phone. Coordination guarantees they get a similar data in all interchanges. You can likewise address the issues of clients who scan the Internet for item data by incorporating your web architecture and substance with different correspondences. In the customary approach to deal with marketing communication, organizations and their agencies plan different campaigns for publicizing, press relations, coordinate advertising and sales promotion. Coordinated campaigns utilize a similar promotion apparatuses to fortify each other and enhance showcasing viability. In a coordinated crusade, you can utilize promoting to bring issues to light of a product and produce leads for the business compel. By conveying a similar data in official statements and highlight articles, you fortify the messages in the promoting. You can then utilize post office based mail or email to catch up request from the promoting or press crusades and furnish prospects with more data. Integrated Marketing Communications Integrated Marketing Communications INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS: ISSUES Introduction The emergence of integrated marketing communications (IMC) has become one of the most significant examples of development in the marketing discipline (Kitchen, 2003). Because of the realities of competition in an open economy it has influenced thinking and acting among corporate organisations, Some 20 years ago academics and professionals discussed theory and practice of business communication but without considering the idea of integration as a realistic approach to reach a competitive strategic position for the company. Some early attempts in the beginning of the 1980s initiated academic interest and articles appeared in the academic literature (Dyer, 1982; Coulson-Thomas, 1983). From the beginning of the 1990s IMC became a real hot topic in the field of marketing (Caywood et al., 1991; Miller and Rose, 1994; Kitchen and Schultz, 1997, 1998, 1999). Twenty years ago, 75 percent of marketing budgets went to advertising in the US. Today, 50 percent goes into trade promotions, 25 percent into consumer promotions and less than 25 percent into advertising (Kitchen, 2003). The allocation of communication budgets away from mass media and traditional advertising has obviously promoted IMC in recognition and importance for effective marketing. The emergence of IT has greatly chang ed the media landscape, contributed to an extensive deregulation of markets and individualized patterns of consumption and increased the segmentation of consumer tastes and preferences (Eagle and Kitchen, 2000; Kitchen, 2003). Four stages of IMC have been identified by Kitchen and Schultz (2000) starting from tactical coordination of promotional elements, redefining the scope of marketing communications, application of information technology to financial and strategic integration. They found that the majority of firms are still operating in the first two stages, some are moving into stage three and very few have moved to stage four. One fact is that there are barriers to developing IMC from tactics to strategy. If we accept that communication is the foundation of all human relationship (Duncan, 2002) we also have to accept that only strategically oriented integrated brand communications can help business to reach a sustainable competitive position. My main purpose, thus, is to systematically review the literature of the marketing concept Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) by identifying key debates within the academic research, summarize them and propose opportunities for further research. LITERATURE REVIEW Communication is the process by which individuals share meaning. This means that each participant must fully understand each other otherwise no dialogue will occur. Only through knowledge and understanding of the communication process are the actors likely to achieve their objectives of influencing attitudes, knowledge and/or behaviors to persuade, which is one of the most prominent reasons why organizations need to communicate (Fill, 1999). With increasing worldwide interest in the emergent concept and field of IMC it is important to investigate its theoretical foundations. An English exile in Paris Thomas Hobbes produced his major work: Leviathan in April 1651 (Hobbes, 1651, pp. 46-8). He argued that our cognizance, i.e the thinking, such as beliefs (Peter,J.P., Olson,J.C., Gruert, K.G. 1999) of the world are really of the pressures materially exerted on us by external motions (or signals from the environment). Also our passions are influenced by material motions. Men are therefore mostly influenced by internal material perceptions of an external material world (Hobbes, 1651, p. 52). While not accepting his thesis wholeheartedly, it is evident that we live in a material world (Lansley, 1993) one which supports the perspective that men are expected to be influenced by external motions. However, the outcomes associated with the Hobbesian metaphor suggest that conditions now are quite different from those early years a position supported by the communications revolution taking place in the twentieth century alone. The opinion that we are influenced by external motions gains credence when standard models of consumer behaviour are considered (Kotler, 1992, pp. 161-4). Such models describe consumer behaviour as a black box of consumer characteristics and decision-making processes. The black box is influenced by inputs consisting of environmental characteristics (social, economic, technological, political and cultural) and marketing characteristics (product, price, promotion, and place). These may lead to attitudinal change (i.e. brand loyalties and behavioural tendencies) and ultimately to actions in the form of product, brand, and store choice, timing, and amount.Clearly, such communications are not alone in their attempts to influence thinking or behaviour. So what is occurring within the black box? Marketing communicators are aiming to progress consumers through the cognitive, affective, and behavioural stages of decision making as exemplified by, for example, the AIDA model (Strong, 1925) which asserts that, for advertising to work, it must be effective through four distinct stages: Attention. The consumer must notice the communication. Interest. The consumer must be drawn to take in the message which is being communicated. Desire. The consumer must want to acquire the product or service which is the subject of the communication. Action. The consumer must make the purchase. There are many other communication models all of which describe promotional communication in terms of altered cognitions, emotional feelings, or behavioural tendencies towards a firm and/or its products or services. Marketing communications does not and cannot operate in a vacuum of its own making. Consumers perceive social reality in a number of ways in which , the least being, by social interaction with others (Berger and Luckman, 1991). Media content and other forms of promotion, together with knowledge derived from a diversity of origins, and social interaction, form a constructed view of temporal existence within consumer minds. Consumers make use of, and are not just affected by, promotional activity. Marketing communications are limited in the effects they can have on consumer minds (Katz, 1987). But, undoubtedly, in order for marketing communications to have an effect on consumer minds, they have to reach the sense organs of the person(s) to be affected. However, what happens after is debatable. Most consumers are continually bombarded with communications virtually every waking moment of the day. On an average day this may amount to over 2,000 exposures (Kotler, 1988). The majority of such exposures are screened out either by lack of interest or sensory overload. Messages may be distorted or twisted to fit with pre-existent cognitive structures (Cartwright, 1972), i.e. recipients of communications may twist them to fit in with their existing knowledge or information base. Selectivity in memory retention is evident dependent on the extent to which elaboration and message rehearsal take place in receivers. Thus communication systems are very essential in affecting consumer opinions. By a communication system Shannon and Weaver meant a system essentially contained five parts: An information source which produces a message or sequence of messages to be communicated to a receiving terminal. The message may be of various types. A transmitter which operates on the message to produce a signal suitable for transmission over the channel. The channel is merely the medium used to transmit the signal from transmitter to receiver. The receiver, reconstructing the message from the signal. The destination is the person for whom the message is intended (Shannon and Weaver, 1949, p. 3). Shannon and Weaver classified communication systems into three main categories: discrete, continuous and mixed. By a discrete system they meant one in which both the message and the signal are a sequence of discrete symbols, for instance telegraphy. A continuous system is one in which the message and signal both are treated as continuous functions, e.g. radio or television. A mixed system is one in which both discrete and continuous variables appear, e.g. transmission of speech. Related to the broad subject or communication, Warren (1949) identified, problems at three levels.Level 1 The technical problem how accurately the symbols of communication can be transmitted. Level 2 The semantic problem how precisely the transmitted symbols convey the desired meaning and Level 3The effectiveness problem how effectively the received meaning does affect conduct in the desired way. Figure 1 shows a communication system, where the information source selects a desired message out of a set of possible messages. The selected messages may consist of written or spoken words, or of pictures, music, etc. The message is changed by the transmitter into the signal, which is sent over the channel to the receiver. The kinds of questions which Shannon seeks to ask concerning such a communication system are: How to measure amount of information? How to measure the capacity of a communication channel? The action of the transmitter in changing the message into the signal often involves a coding process. When the coding process is as efficient as possible, at what rate can the channel convey information? What are the general characteristics of noise and how can undesirable effects of noise be minimized or eliminated? If the signal being transmitted (as in written speech, telegraphy) how does this fact affect the problem? Shannon and Weaver developed what is now accepted as the basic model of communications. It is a sequential and linear model, which has survived for decades and appears in somewhat different shapes in common literature in the field of marketing communications. However, the model is essentially a one-step model of communication and is oversimplified since communications do not necessarily occur in a single step. The linear model of communications emphasizes the transmission of signals, ideas and information primarily through symbols. As we have seen the linear model focuses on transmission effectiveness and efficiency and emphasizes measurability. Holm (2002) found that 70-80 percent of relevant literature in the field of marketing communications during the 1990s is based on the linear, process-oriented perspective on communication theory. We assume that communication is intentional and a deliberate effort to bring about response. We also assume that communication is a transactional process between two and more parties whereby meaning is exchanged through the intentional use of symbols. This means that all those involved in the process must share a common view of what the symbols and signs actually mean. This, then, means that a senders and a receivers field of experience, understanding and interpretation to a certain extent must overlap. This requires a somewhat different and developed theoretical approach to marketing communications, a qualitative approach, which pays attention to the reader, to the listener and the viewer since meaning can only be derived socially (Blythe, 2000). Meaning, signs, symbols, syntactic and culture become essential elements in the developing of communications. The linear, process-oriented model and its components are straightforward, but it is the quality of the linkages between the vario us elements in the process that determine whether the communication will be successful (Fill, 2002). However, this crucial perspective on communications is focused by only 20-30 percent of the relevant literature in the field of marketing communications. IMC as a concept has gained recognition on an international scale during the 1990s. Thus its widespread use is comparatively recent. Let us assume that the ultimate purpose of marketing is to deliver a higher standard of living (Kotler, 2003). If we use a more limited definition we could say that marketing is a societal process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating, offering and freely exchanging products and services of value with others (Kotler, 2003, p. 9). The keyword is value, which can be defined as a ratio between benefits and costs, between what the customer gets and what he/she gives. To increase greater customer participation the marketer can use several combinations of methods, all aiming to raise benefits and reduce costs. It is then evident that the main purpose of marketing communication is to affect the consumers conception of value and of the relation between benefits and costs. Defining IMC, Smith et al. (1999) distinguishes three definitions: Management and control of all market communications. Ensuring that the brand positioning, personality and messages are delivered synergistically across every element of communication and are delivered from a single consistent strategy. The strategic analysis, choice, implementation and control of all elements of marketing communications which efficiently (best use of resources), economically (minimum costs) and effectively (maximum results) influence transactions between an organization and its existing and potential customers, consumers and clients. In order to reach a better understanding of the full meaning and process of IMC Smith et al. (1999) have developed a tool which is supposed to show marketing integration as occurring at one or more of seven levels. They distinguish the following levels and corresponding degrees of integration. Vertical objectives integration. It means that communication objectives fit with marketing objectives and the overall corporate objectives. Horizontal/functional integration. Marketing communications activities fit well with other business functions of manufacturing, operations and human resource management. Marketing mix integration. The marketing mix of product, price and place decisions is consistent with the promotion decisions, e.g. with the required communication messages. Communications mix integration. All the 12 communications tools are being used to guide the customer/consumer/client through each stage of the buying process and all of them portray a consistent message. Creative design integration. The creative design and execution is uniform and consistent with the chosen positioning of the product. Internal/external integration. All internal departments and all external employed agencies are working together to an agreed plan and strategy. Financial integration. The budget is being used in the most effective and efficient way ensuring that economies of scale are achieved and that long-term investment is optimized. Smith et al. claim that the most important and fundamental level is that of vertical integration of objectives and activities and that no effective marketing communication objective can be formulated, which is not directly linked to specific marketing objectives and to relevant corporate objectives. All these levels contain specific critical issues which might occur during the process and need to be solved. One of the most essential tasks is to make sure that goals on different levels and character are mutually achievable. Objectives for profitability must be consistent with objectives for growth, for gaining increasing market share and for certain social responsibilities and to broader societal concerns. Goals and strategies must deal with industry threats and take into consideration risks of competitive response. When it comes to communication and implementation it must be sure that the goals are well understood and accepted by the key implementers. The emergence of the internet and new information technology has led many companies to reconsider their key factors to competitive success. Porter (2001) states that some companies have used internet technology to shift the basis of competition away from quality, features and service toward price, making it harder for anyone in the ir industry to reach profitability. Porter has pointed out how internet influences industry structure. Some of his findings are: differences among competitors are reduced; competition migrates to price; geographic market widens increasing the number of competitors; new substitution threats are created by the proliferation of internet; standardization of products reduces differentiation; reduced barriers to entry shifts power to suppliers; traditional powerful channels are eliminated; end-users bargaining power is increased through reduced switching costs; difficult to keep internet applications from new entrants; and the internet can expand the market by making the industry more efficient. Evidently, these and other factors must be taken into consideration when developing marketing communication. However, the most essential difference, from a communicative perspective, is not the changing set of tools. More important is to adjust objectives and strategies to changing marketing and communication realities. As we can see, IMC is a more complex issue. It is the art of uniting a senders purposes and goals with the carefully selected receivers prerequisites of interpretation and preunderstanding, to develop a creative strategy, where content and form of the messages are congruent and to optimize the selection of channels. The process has obvious similarities with classic methodology of rhetoric (Vossius, 1990). Thus IMC has become a strategic issue and should, therefore, be treated in accordance with the nature of strategy and strategic decisions. The characteristics commonly associated with the concept of strategy and strategic decisions are, first, that strategy is concerned with the long-term direction of an organization or a company. Second, strategic decisions are likely about to gain some competitive advantage. Third, strategic decisions are concerned with the scope of the organizations activities. It is to do with what owners and managements want the organization to be like and to be about. This could and should include important decisions about visions, product range, withdrawal from or entering markets. Johnson and Scholes (2002) claim that strategy can be seen as the matching or resources and activities or an organization to the environment in which it operates, sometimes known as the search for strategic fit. Besides identifying strengths and weaknesses, threats and opportunities in the business environment it would be seen as important to achieve the correct positioning of the company including the organization of the three concepts identity, profile and image. Questions concerning the connection between these concepts are of the utmost importance for the organizations relations to its market, for its ability to develop, maintain and increase a competitive position (Holm, 1998). There are many tactics at the marketers disposal when using the elements of the communications mix in order to maximize the impact of the communications activities. The basics of this is the four-way division into advertising, public relations, sales promotion and personal selling (Blythe, 2000). Traditionally, the tools of marketing communications are around 12-20. Collectively, these are referred to as the promotional mix (Blythe, 2000; Burnett and Moriarity, 1998; Fill, 1999; Kitchen, 2003; Kotler, 2003; Pickton and Broderick, 2001; Smith et al., 1999). In order to illustrate the complexity of the communication process, we must add a number of tools of varying importance and of different character, both personal and mass marketing communications. On a macro level, the scope of marketing should include ideologies, political as well as commercially oriented. Examples like the Nazi era in Germany (The Ministry of Propaganda systematically used sports events like the Olympic Games, as large-scale event marketing. Music, opera, art, architecture, uniforms, badges, flags, exhibitions, film, literature, education and parades were all used as communications tools in order to sell a political ideology). We find similar examples in the former Soviet Union and in todays North Korea. However, increasing need and opportunities to reach the single individual consumer, buyer, guest, client, visitor, patient or voter, leads to the search for more sophisticated and in several situations critical tools. It is of utmost importance to widen the methodo logical perspective and take into consideration tools of particular interest in a one-to-one marketing perspective. The numerous tools and the uncountable possible combinations illustrate the complexity of IMC and that decisions concerning IMC is a strategic issue mainly consisting of principals and guidelines rather than instructions on a tactical level, mostly handled by advertising agencies (Schroeder, 2002; Percy et al., 2002) and account executives. Also on a macro level, we can distinguish three factors which have fundamentally changed the conditions for IMC; deregulations of markets, globalization of the economy and individualization of the consumption. The emergence of new information technology can be considered as the dominating underlying factor. Communication has always been built upon three different systems sound, image and writing. All these systems have been depending on technological development. Up till now no technology has been able to transmit all systems, at t he most two. Gutenberg produced writing and image. Sound film came 1929, based on sound technology and photography. The numeric revolution handle the three systems and has become a fourth system, the digital system which itself has had tremendous economic and social consequences. Previously, the three communication systems were separate. The IT-revolution has made a total communicative integration possible, which in its turn has changed business structures. Three large business areas are now integrated: telephony, television and the computer industry. The importance of specialization has decreased and differences between previously separate cultures as publishing, film industry and music industry have diminished. Fusions have brought the three spheres together and they have become the heavy industry of our time. The development of the industrial revolution took around 200 years. The new technology has reached practically all over the world in 20 years. However, communication remains as one of the most human of activities. We can, again, define communication as a transactional process between two or more parties whereby meaning is exchanged through the intentional use of symbols (Engel et al., 1994). Notice the key elements: communication is intentional; a deliberate effort is made to bring about a response. It is a transaction and the participants are all involved in the process and it is symbolic where words, pictures, music and other stimulants are used to convey thoughts (Blythe, 2000). Computer-based systems have revolutionized communications. Computer-based communications include data based systems and web sites. We can argue that technological development has put good old days far behind. The competitive arena of today bears little resemblance to that of the mid-1990s (Blythe, 2000, p.10). Non-differentiated mass markets rarely exist today. A number of factors have emerged and interact in such a way that the environment for c ommunication strategy is radically changed. Engel et al. (1994) claimed that appealing to unidentified individuals in a mass market is increasingly becoming a dead end. One fundamental consequence is that the traditional emphasis on heavyweight mass communication campaigns (so-called above-the-line), has been replaced by more direct and highly targeted promotional activities using direct marketing and other tools aimed to reach the smallest of all target groups, the single individual. Conclusions The primary goal of IMC is to affect the perception of value and behavior through directed communication. The development and diffusion of IMC is closely associated with fast technological advancement and of a rapidly globalizing and deregulations of markets and individualization of consumption patterns. This has emphasized the need to adjust objectives and strategies to changing marketing and communication realities. In the rapidly changing and highly competitive world of the twenty-first century only strategically oriented IMC can help business to move forward. However, Kitchen and Schultz (2000) have found that a majority of firms have remained on a level mainly dealing with tactical coordination of promotional elements and that very few, a handful in todays world, have moved to financial and strategic integration. We can assume that the theoretical and methodological perspectives and frameworks are influenced by educational background and tradition. On a tactical level marketing, communication is handled by professionally skilled account executives, art directors and copy directors with very limited competence and experience from strategic management. A study of the current educational program, specially designed for management on strategic level, shows that communication theory and methodology takes up approximately 3 percent of total time. The rest of the time is devoted to strategic planning, applied management, financial analysis, marketing, politics and economics. This educational structure has remained during at least the last two decades. A main conclusion we can draw is that those who have strategic and tactic responsibility for IMC live in separate educational, cultural, intellectual and empirical spheres. Those responsible for strategic management decisions possess, at the best, strategic management ability but lack insight and awareness concerning communication theory and method. And those professionally skilled in communication lack relevant skills concerning strategic management, theoretically and empirically. If we imagine these two spheres as areas, we can easily notice that the intersection field is very small. A study of relevant literature published during the 1990s shows that a simplified theoretical perspective on communication as process oriented, sequential and linear is dominating 70-80 percent of the books, thereby overlooking the complexity of communication. Different educational cultures might be an essential obstacle to move IMC from tactics to strategy. A study of leading Swedish schools and institutes in the fields of management shows that approximately only 3 percent of total time is devoted to communication theory and methodology. The study also shows that the education programs of the leading marketing communications schools contain less than 10 percent of leadership and strategic management while more 90 percent is aimed at communication theory, various techniques, advertising, art, copy and account executive training. A concluding remark is that the concept of IMC is dominated by a simplified and insufficient theoretical perspective and handled by professionals with skills on a technical and tactical level. This indicates that there is a gap between two cultural, intellectual and empirical spheres. Opportunities for further research. 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