Impact Of Competence On Trading In India - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 11 Words: 3187 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? This research project analyzes the impact of competence of individual investors on their trading behaviour in the stock market. Individual investors are seen trading too frequently. This impacts their returns from their investments, their belief in the stock markets, and also the functioning of financial markets to some extent. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Impact Of Competence On Trading In India" essay for you Create order Investors with high level of competence tend to trade more frequently. While some factors affect individualà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s perception towards external issues, some affect their belief in themselves, which in turn, influences their confidence and belief in their own judgement and decision making. This holds true in the context of investors in general and individual investors in particular. Individual investors take trading decisions based on their self-perceived competence that is influenced by several factors. The present study identifies the factors that determine individual investorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s competence. The study examines the trading behaviour of individual investors by using a modified questionnaire. RESEARCH AIM: The study aims to examine the factors that determine the competence level of individual investors. The study also explores whether the competence level of individual investors affects their trading behaviour. LITERATURE REVIEW: A number of psychological biases, that affect investors behaviour and subsequently their decisions, have been dealt with in several previous studies across the world. Such biases include: overconfidence, home bias, sensation seeking attitude, competence effect, herding, anchoring, heuristics, etc. This study attempts to address the issue of competence effect. Odean (1998) attributes the high volume of trading to investors overconfidence. Overconfidence can be termed as the tendency of investors to perceive themselves as skillful. In the process, they may forget the concept of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“a rising tide lifts all the boatsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? at the time when their investment decisions prove to be sound. Glaser and Weber (2003) argued that there are three aspects of overconfidence, viz., miscalibration, the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"better-than-averageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ effect (i.e., people tend to think that they have higher than average skills), and illusion-of-control (i.e., the tendency to believe that oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s personal probability of success is higher than what objective probability would warrant). They establish that all but miscalibration lead to higher trading activities. Barber and Odean (2001) argued that the relationship between gender and trading activity is due to the greater overconfidence of men. The evidence from their study suggests that single, young male investors tend to trade most frequently. They also found that the turnover of males exceeded that of females, which they attributed to the greater overconfidence of males. Malmendier and Shantikumar (2003), in their study of small investors, found that, while large investors adjust their reaction to hold and buy recommendations downward, small investors take recommendations literally. Small investors also fail to account for the additional distortion due to underwriter affiliation. Potential reasons for their trading behaviour are: (1) higher costs of information; and (2) naivete about analysts distortions. Small investors may be naive about the distortions and trust analysts too much. Graham et al. (2004) found that home bias, coupled with the competence effect plays a major role in high trading frequency. They came up with the idea that investors who feel more competent tend to trade more frequently than those who feel less competent. The competent effect also contributes to home bias. When an investor feels more competent about investing in foreign assets, he is more willing to shift a portion of his assets overseas. Their study indicated that investors with higher competence are more likely to invest in international assets. The role of two psychological attributes in the trading tendency of investors has been studied by Grinblatt and Keloharju (2006). They analyzed the role played by sensation seeking and overconfidence in the tendency of investors to trade stocks. They found that overconfident investors and those investors more prone to sensation seeking, trade more frequently. Thus, for most investors, trading is driven by behavioural attributes. Cohn-Urbach and Westerholm (2006) attempted to determine whether the frequency of trading on the part of household and institutional investors had an effect on the returns they achieved. They found strong evidence that investors with high trading frequency earned substantially lower returns than those investors in the same demographic group who traded less frequently. It was shown that investors with larger portfolios tended to trade more frequently than those with smaller portfolios. Further, it was demonstrated that those investors with larger portfolios tended to trade actively for a longer period of time than those who held smaller portfolios. They also found that a similar relation exists for institutional investors. This indicates that institutional investors are prone to some biases which are also apparent in household investors. Trading is, however, not as hazardous for institutional investors as it is for household investors; institutional investors earn superior returns eve n if they trade more frequently than household investors Danial (1961). METHODOLOGY: The traditional finance theory assumes investors as rational beings and predicts that each and every activity of an investor is aimed at maximizing his/her expected utility. The literature available in economics also predicts that human activities are aimed at utility maximization. So far as stock trading frequency is concerned, it is obvious from the assumptions of traditional finance theory, as well as the concept of rational human being, that investors would trade only when they think the trade will result in an increase in expected utility, i.e., trade will add some expected utility to their portfolio. More frequent trading would lead to higher return from the investments. But, the actual scenario is quite different. Investors are usually influenced by psychological biases, such as overconfidence and the competence effect, and this frequent trading result in reduced returns because of more transaction costs, etc. Therefore, this study explores the following questions: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ How comfortable do investors feel in handling financial products, investment alternatives and subsequent investment decisions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ What factors influence the trading behaviour of investors and do they trade frequently on the basis of their competence. Harris (2003) an attempt is made here to find whether the feeling of competence in individual investors influences their trading decisions. It implies that individual investors make their trading decisions based on the classical finance theory of risk-return fundamentals, rather than being influenced by behavioural biases. Based on the above research questions and the already stated purpose of the study, the following hypotheses are formulated: Overconfidence caused by a number of factors, affects the feeling of competence of investors and thereby their willingness to act on their judgments. Overconfidence in an individual investor may be concerned with his/her own perception of his/her ability and knowledge. If he/she feels more confident in any context, he/she is likely to act more frequently on his/her decisions. The next step would be to study the effects of overconfidence on investorsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ willingness to act on his/her own judgments on investment-related issues. Individual investors, who perceive themselves as more competent, tend to trade more frequently. Finally, an attempt is now made to identify the competence effect in trading frequency. The high trading activity is usually attributed to the investorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s overconfidence. Overconfidence is distinct from the competence effect to a great extent. It is proposed here that high competence among investors motivates them to trade frequently. They are prompted to act on their judgments once they feel more skilful and knowledgeable. Therefore, how much individual investorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s trading frequency is influenced by the competence effect is now examined. In order to examine the behaviour of individual investors, this study used a modified questionnaire. To achieve the objective of the study, the investor competence and trading frequency needed to be measured. The questionnaire used in the study included questions related to competence and trading frequency. The respondents were asked to give their choices for each question in the questionnaire on a five-point Likert scale. Respondents were either asked survey questions in person or they were mailed the questionnaire with a request to send the same back after completion. To measure investor competence, a hypothetical model is proposed. This model assumes that an investorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s competence is a combined function of his/her sex, education, age, and income. The determinants of investor competence have been investigated using the empirical model proposed by Graham et al (2004). This study models competence as a combined function of investor characteristics such as gender, age, education, and income. The study also uses the estimated coefficients from regressing competence on the characteristics to construct predicted competence for each investor included in the survey. The term à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"competenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ used here includes skill as well as knowledge or understanding Heath and Tversky (1991). The feeling of competence in individual investors is determined by what they know, relative to what can be known. Thus, it can be enhanced by obtaining knowledge of stock market functioning, familiarity with investment-related issues and experience, and diminished, for example, by calling attention to relevant information that is not available to the individual investor as decision maker, especially when it is available to others. Competence can be defined as the subjective skill or knowledge level in a particular area, and as far as this study is concerned, competency means an investorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s perceived skill and knowledge in the area of finance and allied issues. It is widely seen that higher level of education and income make an individual feel more competent in almost all the areas including finance. It remains to be established whether any relationship exists between the feeling of competency of the investors and their trading frequency. TARGET POPULATION: The target population on which this research is conducted on are the individual investors who frequently visit the BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) and NSE (National Stock Exchange). Investors selected for this study have their investments in shares and other investment vehicles available for trading on the Indian stock markets, both on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE). Investors whose investment in stock market is between Rs. 3,00000 and Rs. 10,000,00 were included in the study. This helps Individual Investors Trading Behaviour and the Competence Effect make the study more reliable because the sample selected for the study is taken from different strata/class of individual investors. The data collected, hence, has the advantages of covering a wide range of investor classes and account types. Proper care was taken to ensure that respondents, i.e., investors, understand all the questions asked during the survey, and answer them truthfully. As we do not have the detailed investments of the individuals, we do not know how their portfolios of investment actually perform. We are, however, not concerned with the portfolio performance in this study. RESEARCH APPROACH: Saunders (2003) opined about two types of research approach. Deductive approach and inductive approach: DEDUCTIVE APPROACH: A theory or hypothesis is being developed and a research strategy is designed to test the hypothesis. It begins with theoretical conceptualization and then moves on to testing through the application theory so as to create new experiences or observations . In this research a research question is being developed and the dissertation aims to answer the question by means of the general principle and established facts. According to Saunders (2003) a deductive approach owes more to positivism. As the researcherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s study deals with more positivism a deductive approach can be adopted in this research. A deductive study should have, A hypothesis that overconfidence caused by a number of factors, affects the feeling of competence of investors and thereby their willingness to act on their judgments. To decide the research population in which the researcher could find the customerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s perception on the competence of investors. To administer the questionnaire to a sample of regular investors. To be particularly careful about defining service quality and customer satisfaction To standardise the response of the sample selected. RESEARCH STRATEGY: The research strategy undertaken depends on how the problem looks, what questions the problem leads to and what end result is desirable (Merriam, 1994). The research strategy is a common plan for how the researcher is getting the answers for the research questions. Here the topic gives the researcher a chance to employ both qualitative and quantitative methods for research. Krueger (1998) opined Combining both qualitative and quantitative methods gives a greater methodological mix that would strengthen the research. This approach will allow the author to facilitate ability and dependability in what is found. QUANTITATIVE DATA: Quantitative data could be measurable and identified on a numerical scale. Moreover these quantitative data will be used to pass on information to management team in the simple ways like graphs and charts following analysis using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). These data can be used for the assessment and tracking of the performance of the organisation in the service sector and their competitive positioning in the market. Standardised questionnaires will give to the customers after they were carefully planned, piloted and collected in order to give the researcher important statistical and factual data straight from the customers. QUESTIONNAIRE: Chisnall (1997) explained a questionnaire is a method of attaining specific information about a defined problem so that the data, after analysis and interpretation, result in a better appreciation of the problem. It is an important element of the total research design, and a considerable professional expertise is essential for its preparation and administration. Smith (1986) suggest that, in some respects à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"questionnairesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ are a whole methodology on their own: that is a class of methods rather than any single method. And therefore it is not surprising to find them covering a wide range on the dimension between full evaluator control and full informant control. LIMITATIONS: Smith (1986) claim that there are of course, many limitations to questionnaires: they are more helpful for gathering superficial data than in depth data. It is not easy by questionnaires to adapt changing circumstances and needs; and the response rate to questionnaires can be extremely low, particularly when they are mailed through the post Smith (1986). TIME HORIZONS: A mix of both cross sectional and exploratory study will be doing by the researcher. Cross sectional study helps to make comparative study with analysis of the data in relation with theoretical concepts, which helps for further research. Exploratory study has been chosen in order to explore the operation of the sector in detail and understand the operation of the sector which would help to proceed further with collections of dataà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s qualitatively (Saunders et al 2003). DATA COLLECTION METHODS: SAMPLING: The study employed the random sampling technique for conducting the survey, since in this technique, every member of the pool of individual investors has an equal chance of being selected in the sample. Random sampling is the best technique for providing an unbiased representative sample of investors. The mass of the individual investors interviewed/contacted were selected randomly from across the BSE or NSE zone. The criterion used for selecting those individuals in the survey for the purpose of data collection is that they hold investment in shares and other exchange-traded market instruments of Rs. 300,000 or more. Researcher prefers to go for a Non probability Convenience sampling where the sampling will be randomly until it satisfies the requirements of the research (Saunders et al, 2003). SECONDARY DATA: The researcher has access to a wide range of facilities of the Learning Resource centres of the universities in Liverpool and also to the Central Library of the Liverpool city. So the researcher will be able to use various forms of secondary dataà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s, journals, books, websites which will enhance the critical review of the literature and a cross sectional and exploratory study in detail. LIMITATIONS: Secondary data may not be up to date, as they have been shaped in an earlier period. Saunders et al (2003) identifies the limitations of secondary data as It may be collected for a purpose that does not match the researcher need. Sometimes it may be collected for a purpose that does not match the researcher need. Sometimes the access for the data may be costly. PRIMARY DATA: The major source of primary data is through questionnaire survey. A structured questionnaire will be given to target people. Questionnaires will form the main basis of the research, this is due to the fact that this research study will require Opinions, attitudes, views, beliefs, preferences to be recorded and these can be investigated using questionnaires PERSONAL SUITABILITY: Currently I am persuing my Masters in Business Administration at Liverpool John Moores University with one my optional module as Corporate Finance Envronment which helped me a lot to understand the basics of Trading and Inestment Banking. I have successfully finished all modules in my 1st semester. Presently I am waiting for the result of my second semester. My extra-curricular activities have improved my organisational and time management potential. Throughout my education and my career I had to do a lot of research and this has improved my analytical capabilities, which would help in deriving a valid conclusion. RESEARCH ETHICS: Research ethics involves the application of fundamental ethical principles to a variety of topics involving scientific research. These include the design and implementation of research involving human experimentation, animal experimentation, various aspects of academic scandal, including scientific misconduct etc Shaw et al (2009). There are many ethical issues to be taken into serious consideration for research. Sociologists need to be aware of having the responsibility to secure the actual permission and interests of all those involved in the study Hubert (2007). They should not misuse any of the information discovered, and there should be a certain moral responsibility maintained towards the participants. There is a duty to protect the rights of people in the study as well as their privacy and sensitivity. The confidentiality of those involved in the observation must be carried out, keeping their anonymity and privacy secure. As pointed out in the BSA for Sociology, all of these ethics must be honoured unless there are other overriding reasons to do so for example, any illegal or terrorist activity. PROTOCOLS: DATA INTEGRITY: According to Davies (2004) Data integrity is data that has a complete or whole structure. All characteristics of the data including business rules, rules for how pieces of data relate, dates, definitions and lineage must be correct for data to be complete. Per the discipline of data architecture, when functions are performed on the data the functions must ensure integrity. Examples of functions are transforming the data, storing the history, storing the definitions (Metadata) and storing the lineage of the data as it moves from one place to another. The most important aspect of data integrity per the data architecture discipline is to expose the data, the functions and the datas characteristics. Data that has integrity is identically maintained during any operation. Put simply in business terms, data integrity is the assurance that data is consistent, certified and can be reconciled. INTERVIEWER QUESTIONNAIRE CHECKLIST: The checklist will be designed making sure the questionnaires are fully and accurately completed. The following will be assured: The researcher will always ensure that the interviewer has investments in BSE or NSE and has the time available to complete the questionnaire. The respondent will be free to work through the questionnaire The researcher will make sure all responses are unambiguous. A brief idea of the research will be included in the questionnaire. On receipt of completed questionnaires they will be loaded to SPSS.

Desmond Tutu The Most Influential Peacemakers Of The...

â€Å"You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.† This quote was meant to convey the message that people should always be grateful for their families, as they are perhaps one of the greatest gifts given to an individual by God. Desmond Tutu is, and has been, one of the most influential peacemakers of the past century. However, his life had humble beginnings. Tutu was born in the small city of Klerksdorp, Transvaal, into a poor family with one other child (Desmond Tutu - Biographical 1). Even though he was born into a poor family and had only one sibling, he still had a fairly happy childhood. While Desmond Tutu was growing up, he noticed a lot of things that Black Africans were fighting for. Some of those†¦show more content†¦So, he decided on a teaching career. Luckily, Tutu got a scholarship to become a teacher (The Famous People1). He left his high school soon after he received the scholarship to follow in his father s footsteps (Desmond Tutu - Biographical1 ). While working, he got his masters degree, and became a teacher. After being a teacher for 5 years, he woke up to the harsh reality of racism and segregation. Desmond was reminded of these things every day by his own students never even getting over the color of his skin. The students were constantly saying, We have a black teacher, and the new students first question was always, Do you think he s smart enough to teach us (The Famous People 1). Desmond Tutu was a famous spokesman for black people’s rights as the Dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral. He became the Bishop of Lesotho in 1976. Two years later, he became the General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches. He was an outspoken activist, and wrote long papers to fight against apartheid. In the year of 1983, a new constitution was brought up for South Africa to defend against the growing apartheid movement. Tutu played a very crucial role in the formation of the N.F.C to fight the changes. He won the Nobel peace prize in 1984, due to his emergence as an outspoken leader in the anti-apartheid movement. He was appointed as the Bishop of Johannesburg, and was chosen to be the archbishop of Cape Town the year after. He

Actor and Ubermarrionette Free Essays

The Actor and the Uber-Marionette Edward Gordan Craig did not think of acting as an art-form; he considers it incorrect to speak as though actors are artists. He started out as an actor, but became more interested in art and he ended his acting career for theatrical design. He asserted that the director was the true artist of the theatre and viewed actors of little importance and even declared that they were very replaceable. We will write a custom essay sample on Actor and Ubermarrionette or any similar topic only for you Order Now Throughout his career in theatre production, he was viewed as extremely difficult to work with and he refused to produce anything that he did not have complete artistic control over. His ideals about the theatre and how it should be run were written in his most famous and rather controversial essay, â€Å"The Actor and the Uber-Marionette. † In this article, he seems to suggest that the stage has no place for actors and they should be banished and be replaced by super-marionettes. His analysis of the human actor compared to that of the marionette seems to be inferior. He believed that art can only come by creation; he believed what actors were doing was imitation. He believed that true artists capture the spirit of things and the actor was only mere pretending to capture the true essence of art. It is obvious in his language that Gordan Craig was very passionate of the theatre and he saw the commercialization of the stage as the destruction of theatre. He seems to think to think that actors were the root cause of the degradation of the art of the theatre , but he seem to have an underlying intention to urge actors to reform their acting and create for themselves a new form of acting. Gordan Craig believed that â€Å"Art arrives only by design. † (Craig, p. 55) This means that acting was not considered art by this definition because he saw actors as only being able to imitate and impersonate. He believed that the only way to make art was through creation and â€Å"Therefore in order to make any work of art it is clear we may only work in those materials with which we can calculate. Man is not one of these materials. † (Craig, p. 55) He believed that art can only be created by â€Å"materials† and those actors using their own bodies as materials for their art-form were considered an â€Å"accidental nature. † He claimed that the actor was controlled by his emotions and therefore unreliable and untrustworthy, â€Å"But with the actor, emotion possesses him; it seizes upon his limbs, moving them wither it ill. † (Craig, p. 56) He saw the human body, which the actors use as their material, as easily manipulated by emotions. Human emotion is so strong that it dictates every aspect of the actor such as his facial expressions and the sounds of his voice. He argued that the human emotion could work against the actor at any given moment and betray him. Gordan Craig liked having control of every aspect of the production and he did not like the idea of not having complete control of the actor’s voice and movements. He likely believed that with marionette, he would have a way to control the unpredictability of the actor and express a wide range of emotions. This is similar to how Jim Henson could express a distinguishable range of emotions using only the eyes of the Muppet. The placement of the eyes for a Muppet was the key to success for the character. In The Muppet Movie (1979), Miss Piggy is able to convey anger and even aggression through the puppeteer’s use of her eyes. This can be seen during the scene where Miss Piggy fights off Doc Hopper and his henchmen in the barn. Another example would be when Miss Piggy first gazes eyes on Kermit the Frog at the fair; her infatuation with Kermit is made obvious through usage of her eyes. Jim Henson also frequently says that Kermit the Frog was much bolder than himself and â€Å"He can say things I hold back. † (Seligmann, J. ; Leonard, E. (May 28, 1990). â€Å"Jim Henson: 1936–1990†. Newsweek. ) In â€Å"The Actor and the Uber-Marionette,† Gordan Carig seemingly wants to do away with actor and have him replace by the uber-marionette. He says that even if the actor were to have original ideas of his own, â€Å"his nature would still be in servitude; his body would have to become the slave of his mind. † (Craig, p. 61) He goes on to say that the body of man is â€Å"utterly useless as a material for an art. † (Craig, p. 61) The only way actors can escape from this predicament is to reform their way of acting, â€Å"Today they impersonate and interpret; to-morrow they must represent and interpret; and the third day they must create. †(Craig, p. 61) This is the only solution to bringing back the essence of the theatre. The actors must learn to create and only then they can have freedom of creation and having something you can call your own. Gordan Craig thinks that actors are only able to imitate art, but cannot recreate it. He thinks of them as fakes who only do impersonations and never offering any contribution to the art. The actors masquerade as artists and they rarely think about creating art. They are copies and are incapable of â€Å"capturing the spirit and essence of idea to an audience. † (Craig, p. 63) Gordan Carig wants the actors to redeem themselves and help revive what is failing in the theatre. This importance of creation is predominant in Muppets and Sesame Street characters. Each Muppet has their own individual identity and their own unique aspects that define them. The puppeteer has freedom over the control of the Muppet and can decide to portray the Muppet in whatever way is desired. This is where Gordan Craig’s ideals differ with Muppets because some Muppets are based upon real people. That is not to say they are exact imitations, but they certain qualities resemble their real counterparts. Although they are their own characters, some Muppets do have a level of impersonation. For example, Animal is said to be based on Keith Moon, the drummer for The Who. Caroll Spinney who performs Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street said he based Oscar’s cranky voice on a New York cab driver that he once had the pleasure of riding with. The marionette has evolved from its predecessors; Gordan Craig has even said that it is â€Å"a rather degenerate form of a god. † (Craig, p. 82) Clearly, he holds the marionettes of higher value than the actor. He wants people to acknowledge how special the marionettes are and he is disappointed that puppets are regarded â€Å"low comedians. (Craig, p. 82) To him, the marionettes are â€Å"the last echo of some noble and beautiful art which has passed civilization. † (Craig, p. 82) He hates how modern puppets are being used and he feels they are being utilized incorrectly. He longs for the day in which puppets are used again as medium for the intelligent thoughts of the artist. The ideal situation was by creating the uber-marionette; we can rid the theatre of the weakness that is the actor who is under the influence of his emotions. He saw the uber-marionette medium as perfect, pure and completely able to express the artist’s intentions because the marionette would be made in the artist’s image. Craig Gordan’s vision was similar to the situation in which Jim Henson was in where he was afraid that his company would be type casted as purely children’s entertainment. He wanted to break out in to the adult audience. American networks initially rejected his idea because they thought that Muppets only appealed to children and that adults would not be interested. Eventually he was able to get â€Å"The Muppet Show† financing through a British network. He was able to prove that the Muppets appealed to a variety of audiences, both young and old. It was no doubt that Muppets appealed very easily to children and this theory is very evident in Sesame Street. The usage of Muppets helped propagate the idea that â€Å"Sesame Street was built around a single, breakthrough insight: that if you can hold the attention of children, you can educate them†. (Gladwell, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference p. 100) Muppets were good teaching tools because children can easily recognize them and they capture their attention. Edward Gordan Craig’s intentions through â€Å"The Actor and the Uber-Marionette† were to influence a revival of theatre art. He wanted actors to reform their way of acting and reacted strongly against the actor’s dominance in theatre. The creation of something by the artist was closer to true art and actors were merely imitating this. Actors were impersonators and were not intellectual and could not capture the spirit or essence of the art. The actor’s own emotions and personal beauty ruined the director’s vision. He truly believed that theatre should banish the actor and be replaced by the uber-marionette. The marionette was much more reliable and trustworthy and the director could have full control over it. The puppet had a long history and was linked to many past great works of art. In his closing statements he tells us his desire, â€Å"I pray earnestly for the return of the image—the Uber-marionette to the Theatre; and when he comes again . . . , he will be loved so well that once more it will be possible for people to return to their ancient joy in ceremonies—once more will Creation be celebrated—homage rendered to existence and divine and happy intercession made to death. † (Craig, p. 94) How to cite Actor and Ubermarrionette, Essay examples

Comparing A Lady of the Letters and Bed Amoung the lentils Essay Example For Students

Comparing A Lady of the Letters and Bed Amoung the lentils Essay A Lady of Letters and Bed Among the Lentils are monologues about two lonely characters in the late 20th Century. Miss Ruddock is an ordinary middle-aged woman who has an obsession to write letters of complaint so it landed her in trouble. Susan is the heroine in Bed Among the Lentils, she is a vicars wife and an alcoholic. Susan lives in a loveless marriage and strongly disagrees with the role of the vicars wife; she lacks love and attention from her husband. Susan in dissatisfied with sex in her marriage rare and desiccated conjunctions that take place between Geoffrey and me and hates Geoffreys fun club and his ambition and career. On the other hand Geoffrey covers for her but everyone is aware that she is an addict. Susan is not religious and doubts that even her husband is a real believer. Everyone in the parish ignores her, even the bishop refers to her as Mrs Vicar. Being an outcast she drifted to alcoholism and later to adultery. She even failed her own vision of her old age but excused herself with lacking the temperament. It is unclear why Susan started an affair, was it to get back at Geoffrey or lack of sex or even just out of drunkenness? She did find sexual satisfaction and even showed some curiosity in Mr Rameshs religion which might mean that she disagree with the basic of Christianity. Susan does make odd comments about Jesus You never see picture of Jesus smiling, do you? It seems that she is searching for an excuse to drink and Mrs Shrubsole is as good as any. Obviously that she is trapped and unable to find way out, drinking and the affair are only extra weight on her. The awakening point is when Mr Ramesh suggested that it would be nice to try sex while she is sober. Susan joins AA. Soon there is a transformation in her outer appearance but inside she become even more isolated. Mr Ramesh is gone and Geoffrey is using Susan and her fight with the addiction as his achievement hoping to speed up his career. Susan ended up worse than at the beginning. Miss Ruddock is a guardian of local community, writing complaints to everyone about everything. She is very traditional and prejudice evens a racist. Irene does not mean to be destructive but being a busybody she did make some wrong accusations and ended up in prison. She did care for her mother until her death and stayed single since. Irene is a virgin and does not show any interest in men or sex. She is snobbish I never said she could call me Irene. She has a little contact with people, even does not know how to swear. Her compulsive writing is her way to be part of society, her only contact with outside world. She can not go along the progress, noticing that policemen wears  glasses or that neighbours do not have curtains makes her an outsider. Unfortunate interference about the child across the road and reporting about a policemen-spending time at No.56 landed her in prison. Ironically she finds a freedom in the prison This is the first taste of freedom Ive had in years. Irene needs to be needed and helping Bridget to deal with killing she has on conscience gives Irene happiness. In some ways she is a funny and interesting character, the happiest of the all Talking Heads. Irene changes her situation while Susan stayed trapped. Susan is rebellious and had conflict with herself too; Irene just can not help but tells what she thinks about everything that goes in her street but tempt to jump to conclusion. We feel sorry for Susan because as she said she ended up with two churches, sadly she was unable to break free. Irene has happy ending even she is in prison but she found herself there. .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa , .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa .postImageUrl , .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa , .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa:hover , .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa:visited , .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa:active { border:0!important; } .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa:active , .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua11dc809b01d752a91fa5994a0729caa:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Analytical Discussion of Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier EssayMonologues tells us more about the characters then they want to tell but it is also a one-sided story, other characters might be completely different. Obviously Bennett has some disagreement with church, police and social services, his monologues clearly shows a critique about them. He uses simple but eye-catching words to give very strong statements, he knows how to describe thoughts of lonely and even mentally disturbed character. Bennett is brilliant and has very strong narrating skills, the tragic-comic Talking Heads are full of irony but it shows us how much isolation there was in late 80s. Sadly there is even more nowadays.

20 English Project Topics on the Relationship Between the Language and Culture

20 English Project Topics on the Relationship Between the Language and Culture Writing a project or an essay on the relationship between language and culture can be termed as one of the more difficult writing tasks out there due to the limited information on the subject matter. Therefore, to ease the troubles of anyone assigned with such a project, this article was written to provide you with a roadmap that can be followed right from the start to develop your own thoughts. But before delving into today’s topic, it is important for you to know that this is the second article in a 3 article series covering the relationship between language and culture. These three articles were written to provide you with facts, essay project topics and sample essays on how to go about working on your project. Now, the second article will help you choose topics on the relationship between language and culture for your essay. Lastly, included below is a sample essay chosen from the provided list and worked on to provide you with a realistic view of the task ahead. So sit back, relax and soak up the timely information contained here as it will serve you perfectly when working on any writing projects. Here are the topics: Discussing the Relationship Between Language and Culture Cultural Learning in Language Education The Relationship between Language and Culture and the Implications for Language Teaching How Does Culture Influence Language? The Role Culture Plays in Learning the Second Language The Role of Culture in Cross-Cultural Communication The Relationship Between Language, Culture and Gender The Relation Between Language, Culture and Thought The Role of Culture in Teaching and Learning Languages The Inseparable Link Between Language and Culture Language, the Individual, Society and Language How Culture Influences the Way We Speak Developing Cultural Awareness in Foreign Language Teaching The Importance of Teaching Culture in Foreign Language Classrooms Exploring the Relationship Between Language and Cultural Identity Symbols and Language in Human Culture Understanding the Factors that Influence the Acquisition of a Second Language The Effect of Environment and Culture on Language Development Is Language Acquisition a Cultural Process? How Culture Affects the Language Development Process of Children These are definitely some cool essay project topic on the relationship between language and culture for your project. Very important is the fact that most of these topics are quite easy to research and draft when the need arises. But if you are still at a loss on how to proceed, the next paragraphs will provide a sample article based on one of the topics on the list. The chosen essay topic is ‘The Role Culture Plays in Learning a Second Language’. As earlier stated, this essay is written with the aim of providing you with appropriate guidelines on how to easily draft an essay on any of the topics on the list above. Sample English Project: The Relationship Between a Language and Culture The National Centre for Cultural Competence defines the term culture as an integrated pattern of human behaviour that includes thoughts, communications, languages, practices, beliefs, values and customs as well as the expected behaviour of a racial, ethnic or social group and the ability to transmit the above to succeeding generations. This means that language is not just a part of how culture is defined but it also reflects culture. This means learning a second language is quite synonymous to understanding the culture that had born that language and this essay will attempt to shed more light on the roles understanding a society’s culture has to play in learning the language synonymous to it. Linguists and anthropologists have since stated that learners of a new or second language must acquire knowledge of the culture for this gives them insight into the use of certain terminologies and the intonations that go appropriately with them. This simplifies communication for the learner as it ensures that he or she uses the right expressions when greeting, making requests and concurring or disagreeing with someone. Such in-depth understanding eliminates the possibility of accidental misunderstandings or fracas occurring due to the student’s poor command of the language. It is also a known fact that language is the basis for communication. And communication is not just an exchange of information, but it is a highly cognitive and important activity that takes into context the social life and the lifestyle of a people. Therefore teaching cultural differences as well as what is acceptable by a culture to students learning a new language provides the learner with some perspective of how people from that particular culture view the world. For example, it is important that students understand how seriously position or seniority is viewed in France so they make use of the right pronouns when addressing people in authority when speaking in French. This cultural knowledge will provide students of the French language with the understanding needed to use the informal form of address ‘tu’ or the formal form ‘vous’ in an appropriate manner. The importance of culture has also been in highlighted by many foreign language teachers who believe that culture should be taught as a fifth language skill in addition to listening, speaking, reading and writing due to its role in understanding the expressions and terminologies of a language. These teachers also believe that when teaching a new language or culture to a set of students, the teaching process should be devoid of racism, superiority complex and any preconceptions or stereotyping. This is because such factors may affect the attitude of the learner towards the people from a particular culture thereby integrating a condescending attitude in the student’s speech patterns. In conclusion, learning a second language is one of the best ways to receive insight into the cultural way of life prevalent in a society. And this makes it important for students, to learn more about the culture that produced the second language they have considered learning. Here we come to the end of the second article in the Language and culture series and we believe this sample will provide you with the information you need to draft an excellent essay on today’s subject matter. References: Campbell, L. (1997). The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. http://venus.va.com.au/suggestion/sapir.html Dhur, K. (2004). General Introduction to Sociology: A theoretical perspective. Goode, T., Sockalingam, S., Brown, M., Jones, W. (2004). Infusing principles, content and themes related to cultural and linguistic competence into meetings and conferences. georgetown.edu/research/gucdc/nccc/ncccplannersguide.html Maiga, C. (2004). Learning Culture and Language through ICTs: Methods for Enhanced Instruction 25-30. https://books.google.com.ng/books?id=ihwv7TNtUSgCpg=PA272lpg=PA272dq=+cal.org/resources/digest/0309peterson.htmlsource=blots=fa63R4Ck0xsig=wO9jD4nxFXN3Y50xaZhGExKz-hUhl=ensa=Xved=0ahUKEwi-vNC1x4TOAhVJBMAKHS_nBAYQ6AEILzAE#v=onepageq=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.%20cal.org%2Fresources%2Fdigest%2F0309peterson.htmlf=false Crystal, D. (2002). The English Language 38-45. Brock, N. Nagasaka, Y. (2005). Teaching pragmatics in the EFL classroom? SURE you can! TESL Reporter, 38 (1), 17-26. Jiang, W. (2000). The relationship between culture and language, 54(4), 328- 334.

Googles Market Analysis The WritePass Journal

Googles Market Analysis Abstract Googles Market Analysis -2013 economic down turn that affected many companies. The paper finally identifies key features of the company’s strategy in regard to the competition and market share. Introduction Started in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google is a company that has specializes in internet search and advertising technologies  (Google, 2013). The company has diversified its base after mergers; acquisitions and partnerships to include products such as desktop and mobile phones. It has 22, 0000 employees and the leading search engine in the world.  Ã‚   The year 2006 saw the company extends its web presence beyond search engine to other applications. This changed and expanded its advertising revenue base with Ad words and AdSense positioned as major income generators.   After that the company has gone ahead to incorporate various strategies in order to stay head of the competition. It is in this light that this paper examines Google’s performance between 2006 and 2013 analysing its business strategy. Google’s Performance from 2006 until 2013 In the year 2006, Google’s market share was at 59 percent. This translated to an average of 59 percent of search queries that year  (Crane, 2007). Three of its main competitors, Yahoo, MSN and Ask posted poor results, way lower than Google’s.   Yahoo’s market share in 2006 was 24.7 percent; MSN’s was 8.7 percent and Ask’s was the lowest at 4.2 percent  (Crane, 2007). In the same year, Google’s revenue went up to $10.6 billion from the previous year’s $6.1billion  (Google, 2013). Yahoo, on the other hand, earned $6.4 billion in the same year with MSN earnings totalling approximately $ 600 million  (Knight, 2007) and Ask at 2.1 million  (Schwartz, 2006). In 2007, Google increased its market share from 59 percent in the previous year to 69 percent. This put the company’s market share 10 points higher than the previous year, translating to an increment of 2 billion queries every month  (Crane, 2007). Google made $16.5 billion almost 6 billion more than it earned in the previous year. 2007 saw Yahoo one of Google’s main competitors drop below its previous year’s performance; it earned 17.4 percent from previous year’s 24.7percent. MSN and Ask, on the other hand, gained market share to record 9.2 percent and 3.9 percent respectively  (Crane, 2007). Yahoo earned $6.9 billion at the end of the year, 8 percent from the previous year  (Helft, 2007). Google continued dominating the market and by 2008, 69.5 percent of all searches done online were from its search engine. This was 0.5 percent increment from the previous year’s 69 percent  (Shankland, 2009).   This growth was largely seen as at Yahoo and Microsoft’s expense. That year, Yahoo recorded 19.2 percent of the market share, while MSN recorded 5.9 percent  (Shankland, 2009). Despite the fact that Ask maintained its bottom ranking, it gained 1 percent to record a market share of 3.8 percent. In 2008, Google performed much better than the previous years, earning a total of $21.7 billion up $5 billion while Yahoo and MSN earned $7.21 billion, and $2.47 billion respectively. In 2009, Google had increased its market share to 66.3 percent with Yahoo registering a 15.3 percent market share drop from the previous year. Microsoft introduced its new search engine, Bing and upon its debut registered 9.34 percent while Ask came in at the fourth position at 2.65 percent  (Saad Kamal, 2009). It seems that both Yahoo and Bing lost a total of 7 percent combined. Google does not also seem to be the recipient of the 7 percent since it has steadily maintained the same figure with a 1 percent increment. Saad Kamal (2009) posit that this market share is slipping away to a new entrant, the social search. Social networking sites are increasingly becoming popular and especially Tweeter that users can use in asking questions or ‘social search.’ Nonetheless, Google maintained its market dominance in throughout this year with revenue of $23.6 a difference of almost 2 billion from 2008. Yahoo, on the other hand, generated revenue worth $6.4 billion. While MSNâ₠¬â„¢s Bing and Ask came in the bottom ranking. In 2010, the situation was different for Google as it lost its market share by a considerable amount of points to 64.4% percent in April; it later on grew to 66.3 in October (Goodwin, 2011). Yahoo gained to 17.7 percent from 16.9 percent while Bing went up to 11.8 percent  (Acohido, 2010). Despite that fact, Google’s revenue for 2010 went up to $29.3 billion from the previous year’s $23.6 billion. Yahoo reported a drop in its revenue from $6.4 billion to $4.9 billion while Bing earned $50 million  (Blodget, 2010). In 2011Google’s market share grew from 65.3 percent to 65.6 percent, and this is a decrease from the year to year figure of 66.3. Yahoo continued to decline and registered 15.2 percent while Bing increased to 14.8 percent  (Goodwin, 2011). Ask declined 3 percent to 2.9 percent while new entrant AOL claimed 1.5 percent of the market share. Google continued to grow its revenue and in 2010, it reported $29.3 billion  (Google, 2013), while Yahoo earned $4.9 billion  (Yahoo! Inc., 2011). In 2012 Google’s percentage was at 66.9 of all searches conducted. Bing recorded 16 percent indication of increased market share from 15.9 percent in the previous year  (Goodwin, 2011).   Yahoo showed signs of stabilizing by recording 15.2 percent of all online searches for the past 15 months. Ask recorded 3.2 percent while AOL was at 1.8 percent drop from 2.9 in the previous year. That year Google earned $31.2 billion, with Online Services Division that Bing falls under reported $707 million revenue  (Sterling, 2012). Yahoo also remained stagnant with its revenue at $4.9. The year 2013 saw Google drop 2 points to 66.7, and Bing   at 18.1 percent and Yahoo increased a percentage to record 11.2 percent  (Miller, 2013).AOL recorded   1.4 percent. An Economic Analysis of Google   Google’s strategy has   propelled it to the pinnacle of the market and kept it there for many years  (Helms Nixon, 2010). The company has successfully implemented its open source products as well as services.  Ã‚   As the company underlines in its mission, universal access to information is one of the reason its products are increasingly used. Google has a number of valuable open source products including maps, earth, calendars, drive and many other. However the most important is its web ranking   tool, web directory   and the search engine optimiser that have made it most sort after company on the internet  (Redsicker, 2013).   Google also seems to succeed as a result of it quality offering and good customer experience. Strategic Management Insight (2013) claims that everything that the company gives its customers is of premium quality and most important, they are aimed at solving their users problems and needs.   Google is stable financially and is one o f the most profitable organizations. Strategic Management Insight (2013) explains that it has $48 billion in asset and $7billion in debt. This makes it very easy to deter any kind of competition  (Helms Nixon, 2010).   The company has access to the highest number of internet users. As seen in the above paragraphs, since 2006 until 2013 there is no other company that has stood unbeaten in user numbers other than Google.  Ã‚  Ã‚   It has access to 80 percent of world computer search market and 90 percent of mobile service search market  (Strategic Management Insight, 2013).  Ã‚   By 2012,, the company had added over 1000 patents and was ranking 21 in all companies that have the highest number of patents. This gives it a strong portfolio as compared to its competitors in the market.   The company either strives to or has integrated its products.   Google has enabled its products to operate on any system without any challenges. It compares to no other company in regard to product integration. According to the Boston Consulting Group (2013), Google is one of the most innovative organizations globally. It was also recognized as the second patent creator globally in 2012. The company recognizes innovative work cultures as its main assets. Economic Analysis of Markets Advertising market is rapidly on the rise, and this is good for Google. However in the long run this might be detrimental to the revenue collection  (Strategic Management Insight, 2013). Personal Computers are on the decline in the market, and these formed that bulk of desktop engine search market. The company needs to find ways of pushing back this competition in order to avoid losing its source of income  (Helms Nixon, 2010). The company is also faced with the challenge of turning the growing mobile device market into money. This is the market that has the potential to grow beyond desktop computers  (Fine, 2009). In addition, the growth of advertising or emerging market is seen in the developing economies where the prices are lower than in developed economies, this is an indication that the growth of advertising will be insignificant to the company in the near future. Google has a number of high quality products that are unprofitable. They seem to add no value to the company , and this is detrimental to its future. Wider Macro Content In 2006 Google launched Google Finance, Translator, and Calendar and announced its acquisition of You Tube, as strategy to expand its market. In the following year, it announced Android, and also expanded its partnership with You Tube. In 2008 Google acquired Double Click and also dedicated a website to the United States Elections. Later in 2009 Google launched Google voice, Ventures and voice search on its Android and also announced Google Chrome. Google on the other hand has not fully maximized its potential to perform better and maintain its market share based on a number of issues based on its strategy.   The number of mobile internet users is rapidly increasing, and this gives it the opportunity to establish an advertisement display platform on such devices so as to open newer markets  (Strategic Management Insight, 2013). In addition, the company can get patents through mergers and acquisitions. This will enable the company grow and compete successfully  (Ahuja Katila, 2 001). Google innovative culture has led to its introduction of a driverless car a concept that can be used in a wide scale, in future automobile model. The company though not an automobile company can license these models to manufactures as an additional income channel. Google with the introduction of the Google Chrome book Pixel Touch Screen Digitizer, Google Nexus One and HDMI Streaming Media Player have given indication of its intension to capture the electronic industry. This is a new opening for the company and is receiving a warm reception in the market  (Booton, 2013). According to Strategic Management Insight (2013), Google is currently working on fiber cables that will revolutionize the speed of content delivery online. This is consistent with its strategy of getting people to use the internet as much as possible; universal access. This would integrate the company vertically since it would have no competition in such infrastructure  (Fine, 2009). Effectiveness of Google’s Business Strategy Google generates more revenue from its web based products; this is the Cash Cow  (Shulman, 2008). In particular, its web ranking has made it monopolize the internet business. It is impossible for any online company to operate without Google web ranking and Google has used this product to exert its might in the industry. Most major companies are at the mercy of Google’s algorithm a product that determines the success or failure of any online business. It is the unseen hand that controls all businesses online. JC Penny unsuccessfully tried to break into this system and lost considerable amount of its revenue in 2011  (Fox, 2011). Google took advantage of the increased traffic and web ranking to survive the challenges associated with the global GDP fall in 2012. This was the year that the company made the greatest gain in its history commanding 66.9 percent of all internet searches. Key Features of Google’s Strategy Google’s business strategy might seem successful and one that has seen the company rise over the years, however, a close analysis of this strategy reveals monopolistic business practices. Google is a company that is financially stable and is capable of introducing as many products in as many markets as possible to divert attention of critics. In addition, Google’s greatest asset has always been its innovation. The company unveils new products and technology constantly and this has kept it a head of competition. Google’s strategy has also been a disadvantage to the company; the company has focused on acquiring online companies and grown in that regard, but it has failed to tap considerably into other streams of income.   It is not easy to point at any of its electronic products as state of the art or as a market leader. The leadership’ vision focused on the internet as the basis of its business. Conclusion Google has aggressively positioned itself in the market; it   is continuously becoming volatile with competitors and other stakeholders viewing Google as un fairly taking advantage of its strength to stay at the top. Google has successfully positioned its self in the market and with this coupled with a stable financial base, has been the reason for its success. The company through innovation, continually introduces new products that are instant hits in the market and this will be able to help it dominate. However, as seen above there are areas that the company needs to take notice of in order to stay a head of the competition.   Dependence of on product is detrimental to its financial future and call for the creation of multiple streams if income. Bibliography Acohido, B., 2010. Googles search market share slips as Bing rivalry heats up. [Online] Available at: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2010/05/googles-market-share-slips-as-bing-rivalry-heats-up-/1#.Urdg6vRdVoA [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Ahuja, G. Katila, R., 2001. Technological Aquisitions and the Innovation Performance of Acquiring Firms: A longitudinal Study. Strategic Management Journal, pp.197–220. Blodget, H., 2010. Well, Now We Know Where Those Microsoft Bing Share Gains Came From. [Online] Available at: businessinsider.com/bing-share-gains-2010-4 [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Booton, J., 2013. Smartphone, Tablet Revenue Overtaking Consumer Electronics. Fox business, 25 October. Boston Consulting Group, 2013. BCG Names the Worlds 50 Most Innovative Companies. [Online] The Boston Consulting Group Available at: bcg.com/media/PressReleaseDetails.aspx?id=tcm:12-125372 [Accessed 23 December 2013]. Crane, J., 2007. November 2007 Search Market Share: The Market, Google, and Yahoo! All Break Search Records? [Online] Available at: https://blog.compete.com/2007/12/12/search-market-share-november-google-yahoo-ask-msn-live/ [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Fine, L.G., 2009. The SWOT Analysis:Using your Strength to overcome Weaknesses, Using Opportunities to overcome Threats. Kick It, LLC. Fox, V., 2011. New York Times Exposes J.C. Penney Link Scheme That Causes Plummeting Rankings in Google. [Online] Available at: http://searchengineland.com/new-york-times-exposes-j-c-penney-link-scheme-that-causes-plummeting-rankings-in-google-64529 [Accessed 24 December 2013]. Goodwin, D., 2011. October 2011 Search Engine Market Share: Bing Losing Power? [Online] Available at: http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2124890/October-2011-Search-Engine-Market-Share-Bing-Losing-Power [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Google, 2013. 2006 Financial Tables. [Online] Available at: http://investor.google.com/financial/2006/tables.html [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Google, 2013. Our history in depth. [Online] Available at: google.com/about/company/history/ [Accessed 23 December 2013]. Helft, M., 2007. Yahoo Profits Steady; Revenue Up 8%. [Online] Available at: nytimes.com/2007/07/18/technology/18yahoo.html?_r=0 [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Helms, M.M. Nixon, J., 2010. Exploring SWOT analysis – where are we now?: A review of academic research from the last decade. Journal of Strategy and Management, 3(3), pp.215 251. Knight, K., 2007. Yahoo Revenue Up for 2006. [Online] bizreport Available at: bizreport.com/2007/01/yahoo_revenue_up_for_2006.html [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Miller, R., 2013. Google loses marketshare in latest comScore stats, but Microsoft unchanged. [Online] Available at: fiercecontentmanagement.com/story/google-loses-marketshare-latest-comscore-stats-microsoft-unchanged/2013-12-17 [Accessed 23 December 2013]. Redsicker, P., 2013. Findable Content Marketing: 3 Google Keyword Tool Tips. Content Marketing Institute. Saad Kamal, 2009. Google Bites on 72% of US Search Market. [Online] Available at: saadkamal.com/search-marketshare-nov09/ [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Schwartz, B., 2006. [Online] Available at: http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2057435/Ask.coms-Revenue-Increases-62-Percent [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Shankland, S., 2009. Google conquers 2008 search market in U.S. [Online] Available at: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10143183-93.html [Accessed 22 December 2013]. Shulman, L., 2008. The Return of the Cash Cow. Chicago: The Boston Consulting Group. Sterling, G., 2012. Microsoft Delivers Strong Quarter: $17.4B Revenue, Bing Division Sees Smaller Loss. [Online] Available at: http://marketingland.com/microsoft-delivers-strong-quarter-17-4b-revenue-bing-division-sees-smaller-loss-10394 [Accessed 23 December 2013]. Strategic Management Insight, 2013. SWOT analysis of Google. [Online] Strategic Management Insight Available at: strategicmanagementinsight.com/swot-analyses/google-swot-analysis.html [Accessed 23 December 2013]. Yahoo! Inc., 2011. Yahoo Annual Report. Sunnyvale: Yahoo! Inc.

Is the human soul immortal Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Is the human soul immortal - Thesis Example The combined effort of these three entities is required for the proper functioning of human life. Only the body is visible to us whereas mind and soul are invisible to us. This is because of the fact that body is made of physical things which are visible to us. On the other hand, mind and soul are invisible things even though we can experience the activities of these two things. The dual nature of body and soul was supported by ancient philosophers like Rene Descartes, Plato, Socrates etc. These philosophers believed that the soul is a non physical substance whereas body is a physical substance. Since soul is invisible, it is impossible for us to say accurately about what will happen to the soul after death. Science is keeping a meaningful silence in this issue even though it accepts the existence of mind and soul. On the other hand, only the religions are ready to answer the question with respect to the future of soul. Religious descriptions are based on beliefs rather than facts. I t is difficult to prove the religious beliefs or descriptions about soul scientifically. In short, the future of soul after our death remains a controversial topic or question. In my opinion, soul is immortal even though our body is mortal. This paper briefly analyses the immortality of soul based on the opinions of former philosophers like Plato, Socrates and Aristotle and also with respect to the some of the scientific facts available. Science says that energy can neither be created, nor be destroyed, but can be transformed from one form to another form. In other words, the total energy available in the universe is a constant. In all the activities we perform, energy is not destroyed, but transformed from one form to another. For example, a fan converts electrical energy into mechanical energy rather than destroying the energy. Soul is considered as an energy form by many people. This is because of the fact that it is difficult for our body to function properly in the absence of a soul since soul is the driving force of our body. If soul is an energy form, then there is no doubt about the immortally of soul even scientifically. Soul (Energy) which was in our body in one form could be transformed into another form after our death. In short, if science accepts soul as an energy form, it should accept the immortality of soul also. What will happen to the mind and soul if all the materials used in the making of our body were repalced with some other materials from another planet? It is difficult to answer the above question since we do not know the relation between body mind and soul. We do not know whether our body or the content of our body has any influence upon the making of our soul. Nobody knows whether life exists in other planets or not. If life exists, in other planets, what will be the nature of that life? How the body, mind and soul relationships will be there? Since science failed to give proper answers to all these questions, it is logical to believ e the words of religions with respect to the mortality or immortality of soul. Religions believe that soul is an entirely different thing which represents the Holy Spirit from god. Religions argue that human is the creation of God. According to Christian belief, God has transferred the Holy Spirit to human at the time of creation. In other words, God created the body of human from physical things and hence body will be destroyed after death. At the same time, God has given life to