Multilateralism and the International Organizations Essay

Multilateralism and the International Organizations - Essay Example The first modern instances of multilateralism occurred in the nineteenth century in Europe after the end of the Napoleonic Wars where the great powers met to redraw the map of Europe at the Congress of Vienna. The Concert of Europe, as it became known, was a group of great and lesser powers that would meet to resolve issues peacefully. Conferences such as the Conference of Berlin in 1884 helped reduce great power conflicts during this period, and the nineteenth century was one of the Europes most peaceful. This system, however, was destroyed by the First World War and consequently, the League of Nations was created by the conflict world leaders in order to try to prevent any other form of conflict. Still, after the Second World War, the leaders saw the League of Nations failure and decided to create the United Nations in 1945 with a structure intended to address the weaknesses of the previous body. Unlike the League, the UN had the active participation of the United States and the Soviet Union, the worlds two greatest contemporary powers. Along with the political institutions of the UN, the post-war years a wide array of other multilateral organizations such as the GATT (now the World Trade Organization), the World Bank and the World Health Organization developed. The collective multilateral framework played an important role in maintaining world peace in the Cold War. Moreover, United Nations peacekeepers stationed around the world became one of the most visible symbols of multilatera lism in recent decades. Today there are so many   multilateral institutions of varying scope and subject matter, ranging from the International Telecommunication Unit (ITU) to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and Organisation For the Prohibition Of Chemical Weapons(OPCW); although many such organizations were founded or are supported by the UN, they are   by no means maintained within the UN system.  Ã‚  

Customer Relationship Management Strategy Essay Example for Free

Customer Relationship Management Strategy Essay 1)Introduction Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has become a main focus for businesses with today’s markets becoming more saturated and competitive. ‘Customer Relationship Management is the ultimate challenge for marketing experts in any business. A successful company will use customer information wisely to build relationships with their customers, on the level that together they will work together towards a long-term relationship.’ (Xu et al. 2002) High customer Intimacy can be produced from these processes and strategy. ‘Customer intimacy is an essential factor in the Customer Relationship Management value chain’ (Buttle, 2004). This marketing strategy consists of a business using ways to get close to clients with benefits for a business including improved highly tailored problem solving capabilities and greater adaptation of products to customer needs, as well as higher customer loyalty levels. This customer intimacy has a major impact on the success on a company and we can see this in modern organisations. We see that customer satisfaction alone is not enough,’Oglivy Loyalty Centre found that, although 85% of customers reported being satisfied, only 40% repurchased’ (McKenzie,1995) and therefore customer must use CRM to help improve their customer intimacy. However, to what extent does the strategy and processes involved with CRM help achieve this customer intimacy and in what was are these processes seen as beneficial for both the customer and the company. The focus of this paper is to look at the ways in which organisation use various forms of CRM strategy and processes in order create better, and lasting relationships with their customers. 2)Membership Cards One way in which many companies, especially retail, aim to increase their customer intimacy is through membership card schemes. These can come in many different forms from and offer a variety of advantages for the customer to use. The main feature of all of these themes is that the customer is rewarded in some way, and in effect, keeps the customer happy and encourages repeat trade. However many card schemes go a step further and are used for the advantage of both the customer and the company. ‘Around 80% of UK households participate in at least one customer loyalty card scheme’ (Stone et al. 2008) and they come in different forms such as the Tesco’ Clubcard, Boots’ Advantage Card and Sainsburys’ Nectar Card. The common feature these cards have is that not only do they provide offers for the customer, but they allow companies to collect valuable data which, in turn improves customer intimacy between the business and the customer. ‘Using customer data and targeting those customers helped make the retailer’s transition much more efficient’ (Shaw, 2012). 2.1)Membership Card Achieving Customer Intimacy This data is extremely valuable to a company. They spend millions of pounds each year conducting market research to try and find out their customers’ requirements, expectations and preferences. With the use of this card, the technology builds up this information and stores it all to databases. This provides a company with useful information which will allow them to target their customers in such a way that they can build up an everlasting relationship. ‘Customer Relationship Management is grounded on high quality customer-related data and enabled by information technology, (Buttle, 2009). With this card, a business, such as the market leaders of Tescos and Boots can see everything they wish to know about their buyer. This can vary from the information upon registering their card such as age, geographical location, contact details. Along with this, the card will collect data such as what the customer buys, how much they spend and how often. A company can see trends in a particular region, a need for a particular age group and they can segment their products to a more specialised market. ‘Companies get a clear view as to how their business affects individual customers; associated segmentation and other benefits’ (Stone et al, 2008). In addition, to further improve customer intimacy, a company can target a customer and send offers for the products they buy most through email or by post all of which strengthens this bond between customer and company. Here we see a table which shows us the ladder of customer loyalty. With an increase in customer intimacy, a business can take prospecting purchaser and convey them into a loyal customer (Christopher at al, 1998). 2.2)The Cooperative Membership Card The company to demonstrate is The Co-operative Food. Retail chains are at the fore-front for advances in technology and are competing for ways in which to understand their customers and use the strategies to improve customer intimacy. The purchasing behavior in food retail is the most repetitive of all (Manas, 2011), so to get this customer intimacy correct has never been more important. The Co-operative Food (Co-op) uses their loyalty strategy by having membership scheme available to all colleagues and customers. This card acts as most retail cards do in that they collect a customer’s information which is then fed to the company’s data base. There is a number of ways in which this card creates an improvement in customer intimacy. First of all, unlike all of the other schemes available, twice a year the Co-op gives a share of its profits through the post to all of the members of the scheme. ‘You can enjoy your share of the profits along with exclusive member discounts and offers’ (www.co-operative.coop/membership). Along with this, each customer is sent a seasonal brochure from the company. Inside, it gives a customer details of how the company is operating, information of how the company is helping the community, recipes for things to make with the coop products along with vouchers to spend in store. Another scheme used by the coop is membership coupons which are printed at the till terminal which allow money off the next spend. These strategies allow a mutual benefit; the company is updated with a customer’s information, along with the customer receiving healthy benefits from the company encouraging customer intimacy. 3)Customer Interaction Another strategy that many organisations use to create a high level of customer intimacy is through customer interaction. Many companies use schemes which allow employers to either speak face to face with a customer or give them a platform to have their voice heard. ‘By giving your customers a platform for reaching prospects, your marketing efforts become more objective and inclusive’ (Rast, 2012). This customer interaction can be seen in many different forms, varying form feedback surveys, forums or mystery shopper visits. This can be seen in many different organisations which are customer focused. Examples of these include online survey/feedback forms which can be found for most organisations, customer

Growing-Up Explored in Banana Yoshimoto’s Kitchen Essay -- Yoshimoto K

Growing-Up Explored in Banana Yoshimoto’s Kitchen The first time I read Kitchen, I knew I was experiencing something very special. Not since my initial reading of Catcher in the Rye have I witnessed such a perceptive look at the joys and pains of growing up. These coming-of-age novels capture our attention with plots that, while twisting and turning in creative, off-beat ways, remain believable. The writers of these novels tell us their stories with a subtle style more exciting than that of textbooks and assigned reading, a style not unlike a good one-sided conversation. Finally, within this great style of writing, the authors infuse honest insights, often humorous and sometimes poignant, which do not carry a lecturing or authoritative tone. Banana Yoshimoto, as translated by Megan Backus, incorporates these three elements of a successful coming-of-age novel into Kitchen skillfully. The result is magnificent. To keep a young person interested, an author must weave an interesting story. Kitchen is fascinating because the premise of the story is original: A Japanese twenty-something's grandmother dies and is taken in by an employee of her grandmother's favorite flower shop and his transvestite mother. Along the course of the story, the heroine discovers a passion for cooking, the young man dreams a dream with the heroine, and a crazy admirer kills the transvestite mother. In the end, the heroine and the young man realize their love for each other, without even having shared a passionate kiss. Such a plot is interesting to the average teenager who craves the out-of-the-ordinary; she wants escape. Kitchen certainly provides something different, but it does so in a familiar way. When the heroine Mikage finds out that Yuichi's m... ...xperiencing life. When I read Kitchen, I sympathized with Mikage's loss of her grandmother. Until now, I still do not truly know how such a loss feels. So, in some ways, to read a coming-of-age novel is an identification with what you have experienced and a preparation for that which has yet to come. Some may argue that Kitchen is interesting simply because it is written by a foreigner. Without speaking Japanese and reading the original material, we may not know how close the translation is. I argue that it doesn't matter. No matter from where you have come or how far in life you have gotten, after spending a little time in the Kitchen, you will have learned without feeling you have been taught. In the world of those who are still growing up, that is the best way to learn. Work Cited Yoshimoto, Banana. Kitchen. Trans. Megan Backus. NY: Washington Square, 1988.

The dam human race

The Damned Human Race Mark Twain stated that he has been studying the traits and dispositions of animals and contrasting them with that of man. Be he ashamed to report that his findings are humiliating and that the Darwinian theory of the Ascent of Man from the lower animals should be called the Descent of Man from the higher animal. Twain did many â€Å"experiments† and spent much time observing his subjects. Twain first talks about how man is ravenous. An English Earl organized a buffalo slaughter.He and his party killed 72 buffalo and only ate the meat off of part of one. He tried the same hype of experiment with an anaconda where he put seven calves into a cage with an anaconda. The anaconda only ate one and then left the rest alone. Twain thinks that this shows that the Earl is descended from the anaconda rather than the other way around and that the Earl had lost something in the transition. He also points out that people will keep accumulating money, even if they have m ore than they can spend in a lifetime.Squirrels, birds, and bees also collect things, but even when given an opportunity by twain to collect more than their winter's supply, they would not do it. This led Twain to the conclusion that people are also materialistic and miserly. His other experiments also recognized many bad human traits such as revenge, offensiveness, vulgarity, obscenity, war, slavery, Patriotism, and religion. Twain believes that the defect In humans Is the moral sense which both distinguishes and creates evil at the same time.Twain essay can be Interpreted In many ways because of its symbolism and Irony. Personally I feel that Twain's essay Is entirely truthful. Even If Twain was meaning to be Ironic I think that he made a lot of good points on the negative aspect of human emotion and life. He provides many situations that are both possible and likely to happen I think this essay Is very affective at portraying Twain's view of the world because It Includes both rea listic and relevant experiments, and historical evidence. This realism adds a certain truth to the piece that Is hard to Ignore.Because of this I feel that this piece Is a very strong eye opener to any people living In the dark. It provides useful knowledge about what Is going on Inside many human heads to some degree. It may even tell you about yourself, but then again If you are suffering from these traits then you will most likely not know because you are already so used to doing these things that they are ingrained Into your mind. By reading this I got a very good Interpretation of humans, which I have never thought about before. He dam human race By staff believes that the defect in humans is the moral sense which both distinguishes and creates evil at the same time. Twain essay can be interpreted in many ways because of its symbolism and irony. Personally I feel that Twain's essay is entirely truthful. Even if Twain was meaning to be ironic I think that he made a lot of good p oints on both possible and likely to happen I think this essay is very affective at portraying Twain's view of the world because it includes both realistic and relevant experiments, and historical evidence.This realism adds a certain truth to the piece that is hard to ignore. Because of this I feel that this piece is a very strong eye opener to any people living in the dark. It provides useful knowledge about what is going on inside many human heads to some degree. It may even tell you about yourself, but then again if already so used to doing these things that they are ingrained into your mind. By reading this I got a very good interpretation of humans, which I have never thought

Research: Critical Thinking and Argument

Leslie Winkle Nicole Fewins March 15, 2010 Case 3 1) Why is it important for your research investigation that you be critical when reviewing the literature? It is important to be critical when reviewing literature in order to find information that is going to be useful for the argument. Being critical of the information and different pieces of literature that you find is going to be the key to becoming educated on the topic and will help to develop a well rounded understanding of the information. Finding well researched documents will also help in the development of the research question.By finding several sources of literature to be reviewed, the writer will be able to support his or her argument more effectively because they will have more evidence to support their argument. 2) What might Sarah’s project tutor mean by suggesting that a critical literature review should be ‘balanced’? Sarah’s project tutor wants her to have a balanced literature review. Wh en referring to a ‘balanced’ literature review, he means that the final project should show both sides of the argument to a certain degree. There is not a way to discuss a topic critically and have it be only a one sided argument.The writer, in this case Sarah, needs to show the alternative side to her argument, and why some may believe that she is not correct. By being able to challenge the argument and still prove why her argument is a better solution her paper will be more persuasive. 3) What does Sarah need to do to develop a literature review which is sufficiently critical, yet also sufficiently balanced? Sarah’s research needs to be critical to help prove her argument. It also has to be balanced in a way that does not confuse the reader of what her argument is.Sometimes balanced literature reviews do not sufficiently support the argument. Instead, they merely discuss the pros and cons of the issue. Sarah’s first two drafts of her literature review we re not balanced. The first one did not show the alternative to her argument. And the second draft was too critical, in that it did not prove her argument. A balanced piece of work will highlight reasons that support the question or thesis, while still showing alternatives to the argument. This shows both sides of the argument while emphasizing reasons why the writer’s opinion is the optimal one.

Free sample - Childrens Health. translation missing

Childrens Health. Children's HealthAccording to the auther the reason of this study is because of the emerging potential toxity in humans. The investigation done is on how urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolities is related to childrens intellectual functioning. He has taken a comprehensive study of elementary children in five cities in south Korea by taking a cross-section examination on   the urine phthalate concentrations on both the children and their mothers.   The findings show that they measured  Ã‚   â€Å"mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) and mono (2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP)† which are metabolies of â€Å" di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), and mono-nbutyl phthalate (MBP), a metabolite of dibutyl phthalate (DBP)† in the urine .   â€Å"The geometricmean (ln) concentrations of MEHP, MEOHP, and MBP were 21.3 ÃŽ ¼g/L [geometric SD (GSD) = 2.2 ÃŽ ¼g/L; range, 0.5-445.4], 18.0 ÃŽ ¼g/L (GSD = 2.4; range, 0.07-291.1), and 48.9 ÃŽ ¼g/L (GSD = 2.2; range, 2.1- 1645.5), respectively†. The chronological results show that the full scale IQ and verbal IQ were nagatively associated with DEHP but not   WITH DBP metabolities. The results of this finding   are very comprehensive as thay also show that there is a negative relationship between trhe children vocabulary use and the concentration of the urine. After an extensive marternal IQ controll the findings shw that a large inverse relationship between DEHP metabolities and the use of vocabulary also remained. There is a difference between boys and girls as boys show a negative association between increasing MEHP phthalate concentrations and the total sum of DEHP metabolite concentrations while girls   shown   had little or no association between these variables. Howevr the auther does not show clear evidence on the same and critical study in the field is highly required. In the methods of study the auther extensively talks of  Ã‚   a study conducted between april and october 2008 which was named â€Å" Effects of Pollution on Neurobehavioral Development and future Policies to Protect our children†. The study assessed different elements such as Lead, Mercury and manganese in the dlood as welll as neurocognitive functioning of children including attention and concentration together with   their general intelligence. So as to asses the childrens marternal IQ, their child developmental state, their mothers were also interviewed. The study was well formulated and carried out as mothers were   given quistionares which were to be filled on the details regarding the surrounding environment. The study had followed all the rules and regulations as it had been passed by â€Å"The Institutional Review Board of Seoul National University Hospital†.   Applications had been sent to elementary children and their mothers for them to participate i n the study and 667 children accompanied by their mothers turned in. While measuring childrens cognitive functioning, students were availed with a form,   â€Å"KEDI-WISC† which consisted   vocabularly, arithmetic, picture arrangement and block design tests. The form according to the auther is validated   with Korean children to use as a determiner of global estimates of intellectual functioning. Since the examiners in the study were not aware of the children IQ, they used   â€Å"Korean Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (K-WAIS) â€Å" to their mothers while they were measuring   martenal cognitive function. The tests on this included   pure arrangement, vocalbulary use and block design tests.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On determining phthalate metabolites in urine   in the   study   â€Å"primary metabolite of dibutylphthalate, mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), andtwo secondary metabolites of DEHP, mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) and mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl)phthalate (MEOHP) were used†. Urine was collected using paper cups from   all the children who were subject to the study between nine and eleven in the morning. After collection, th urine was placed in containers   â€Å"(high-clarity polypropylene Falcon tubes)† and stored at –20 °C   untill the analyzation of the . Field blanks consisted of purified water. The are then brought to room temperature and vortexed after thawing.  Ã‚   Acritical and extensive of the methods used has been well shown in the study following all steps and explanation of the procedures. At all   this study has a critical and technical approach as it takes the   reader through all the steps used in the study. While doing the statistcal analysis the study, used t-tests of the students or â€Å"(ANOVAs)† for testing continues variables and the chisquare test for categorical mvariables. A comprehensive use of   linear regression analysis was used in the study to analyse the association between â€Å"urine phthalate (MEOHP,MEHP, and MBP) concentration and WISC IQ scores†. Since the distribution of the metabolite was skewed in the sample, log-transformed values were highly used. From the variables on the analysis carried out regression models have been built. Taking th IQ score as the primary dependent variable and the urine phthalate concentrations as the primary independent variables.   A set of covariates based on the predicators childrens cognitive functioning helped to perform the regression analysis.   After this study models have been improved on the developmental socioeconomic and IQ variables. The study however does not give us clear evidence on the martenal IQ as it present models with and without   the Martenal IQ. In the study all analysis were considered important. The study in their results analyzing the relationship between environmental exposure to phthalates and children’s IQ scores show that there is a negative association between IQ and urine phthalates in humans. The study is of great significance comparing it with other studies that have been done since its the first to show the above results. It is there true to say that a child’s IQ may be affected by genetic, educational, familial and social factors.however these results may contrast with any   observed association between the line of study and the income. To help readers nunderstand this , this study tried to determine whether â€Å"phthalates were inversely associated with children’scognition independent of potential confounders†. Before the study could adjust for martenal IQ, it found inverse relationships between â€Å"MEHP, MEOHP, and the sum of secondarymetabolites for DEHP and the children’sFSIQ, VIQ, and vocabulary and block design Scores † also vocabulary score was negatively associated with MBP. This study found that maternal IQ is one of the cofounders of children’s IQ. The study also found that adjusting for a confounder that has a stronger effect than the valuable of interest can most of the time lead to underratings in the true effect of this variable. Control for maternal IQ according to the study had a great impact on the effect size of the alliance between phthalates and IQ. It may act as a confounder especially if the maternal IQ and the level of phthalates in children   have a link to each other. It is noted that MIQ might have had an influence on the childrens environmental exposure to the substances which were to be seen on th level of phthalate metabolites.  Ã‚   All in all MIQ have effects on the children IQ, therefore affecting affecting the association between child IQ and phthalate level however the study revealed that after MIQ, MEHP, MEOHP, and the sum of secondary metabolites of DEHP had been adjusted there were inverse relationships with children’s vocabulary scores. We cannot at whtsoever means say that this study provided enough evidence of a definative association between phthalates with children’s IQ indipendent of MIQ because there could be a residual confounding of matarnal IQ. The study shows that children are of special concern regarding phthalate exposure due to their neurodevelopmental state. Also if they are subjected to neurotoxic agents, there is likelyhood that they will suffer due to critical periods of vulnerability for their developing nerves. Even after birth, Neurotoxic agents could disrupt the temporal and regional emergence of critical Developmental processes. Even if this study has most of advantages, it has some disadvantages. Atleast 16 phthalene metabolites in urine can be measured but in this study only three were measured which were limited to the specifications of the study. They measured three based on availability of standard , childrens likely exposure, and technical experience of the analysis. They only used one measurement, which may not have same results as when they would have in examining the level and severity of chronic exposure. Judging from a single spot-urine measurement could have given wrong answers, as it may not reflect long term-exposure since Phthalates are rapidly metabolized and excreted. However, on phthalate measurements over time according to other different studies, there is moderate consistency. The study assumes that when multiple experiments are consistent, then a single measurement reflects a typical measurement. Another limitation is that the study did not show results of maternal levels of exposure. Also the maternal IQ had a large effect size on the associations making it not possible to tell whether the quality of the home environment and stimulation provided in the home could be   potential confounders. This article is a succes as it gives the readers a clear picture of what was carried out , the mode of study, the evidence used, materials and methods. Many of the readers would get   the objectives of the writer and accesit according to his or her expectations. However, the study has been based on many assumptions making the reader to doubt its results. I would recommend that as you read this article it is critical that you have your objective of the findings and the discussion made by the writer keeping in mind that   it has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Free Essays on Yuan Drama

Yuan Drama History During the period of Mongol rule in China, the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), there were great developments and evolution in the area of performance art. It was during this period that a style of theatre referred to as poetic musical drama, or as zaju (tsa chu, "mixed entertainments"), gained greatly in popularity and reached what is viewed as its Golden Age. Therefore, this style later came to be known as Yuan ch'u ("Yuan Songs"), Mongol theatre, or Yuan drama. This classical and highly stylized form of theatre, an ancestor of the Chinese opera, called for entertainers, both male and female, to sing, act, mime, and play music. Through the use of such skills, the performers presented stories of political intrigue, heroism, villainy, filial devotion, and the faith of lovers. The Yuan plays themselves were often works by Chinese scholars and intellectuals, though Mongols, and others are also noted to have been dramatists .As was the case with many Yuan dramas, the stories were usually based on earlier materials: older Chinese tales and anecdotes that were already familiar to the people. The playwrights, though, took liberties to adapt and rework the materials for their own purpose, sometimes slipping clever political commentaries into their works. The most celebrated and prolific writer among the Yuan playwrights was Guan Hanqing(1241?-1320?). The development of Yuan drama The Yuan Dynasty marked a period of Mongol domination in China. During this period, the existing Chinese government and society were practically turned upside-down by the Mongol conquerors; With much of traditional Confucianism put down and degraded by the Mongols, intellectuals found they could think freely for the first time in many long years since much of the Confucian conservatism had stood in the way of the true creative power in Chinese. While high-seated Chinese officials lost status during the Yuan era, entertainers - musicians, act... Free Essays on Yuan Drama Free Essays on Yuan Drama Yuan Drama History During the period of Mongol rule in China, the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), there were great developments and evolution in the area of performance art. It was during this period that a style of theatre referred to as poetic musical drama, or as zaju (tsa chu, "mixed entertainments"), gained greatly in popularity and reached what is viewed as its Golden Age. Therefore, this style later came to be known as Yuan ch'u ("Yuan Songs"), Mongol theatre, or Yuan drama. This classical and highly stylized form of theatre, an ancestor of the Chinese opera, called for entertainers, both male and female, to sing, act, mime, and play music. Through the use of such skills, the performers presented stories of political intrigue, heroism, villainy, filial devotion, and the faith of lovers. The Yuan plays themselves were often works by Chinese scholars and intellectuals, though Mongols, and others are also noted to have been dramatists .As was the case with many Yuan dramas, the stories were usually based on earlier materials: older Chinese tales and anecdotes that were already familiar to the people. The playwrights, though, took liberties to adapt and rework the materials for their own purpose, sometimes slipping clever political commentaries into their works. The most celebrated and prolific writer among the Yuan playwrights was Guan Hanqing(1241?-1320?). The development of Yuan drama The Yuan Dynasty marked a period of Mongol domination in China. During this period, the existing Chinese government and society were practically turned upside-down by the Mongol conquerors; With much of traditional Confucianism put down and degraded by the Mongols, intellectuals found they could think freely for the first time in many long years since much of the Confucian conservatism had stood in the way of the true creative power in Chinese. While high-seated Chinese officials lost status during the Yuan era, entertainers - musicians, act...