Ethics and Professional Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethics and Professional Practice - Essay Example Among these responsibilities are the wise use of land, energy conservation, aesthetic delight and the safety and security of buildings. In 2004 and 2005, the American Institute of Architects recognized these responsibilities as it rewrote the AIA public policies and position statements. There exist only 10 public policies which emphasize the power the architect has to affect people and communities, the built environment, and the natural environment. The National Architectural Accrediting Board made it mandatory for all students interested in pursuing architecture as a profession to develop an understanding of the professionalism and ethics involved in the field of architecture at the beginning of their studies and not at the end. This allows for the establishment of a foundation for an individual’s approach to the profession and students formulate the principles for their future professional practice. The Board’s aim was to provide people with knowledge of the diverse n eeds, values, and behaviors that characterize different cultures and the implications of this diversity on the societal roles and responsibilities. The Board provided guidelines on integration of ethical perspectives on safety and codes. It also explained the role of professional judgment concerning social, cultural and political issues. It outlined the registration laws that should be followed when a contract is being undertaken. The guidelines provided by the Board expect the academic institutions to be more accountable in their objectivity in assessing progress against defined objectives as well as the program’s strengths and weaknesses and then use the results of this assessment to design and implement changes that lead to provide adequate public information regarding accreditation, candidacy, and problems a program may be facing. The ‘Standard of Reasonable Care’ is also a key concern in professionalism especially in architecture. The architect should provid e the client with adequate professional advice when sought. They are also expected to ensure that the safety of the public is put into consideration as they design buildings. Reasonable care involves the professional knowing societal and professional responsibilities and integrating community service into the practice of architecture. The historical perspective of ethics in architecture enlightens us by providing a historical overview of the evolution of architectural ethics. The AIA's Code of Ethics describes the principles upon which the Code of Ethics is based upon. It ensures that members of the American Institute of Architects are dedicated to the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and competence. The Code is arranged in three tiers of statements: Canons, these are broad principles of conduct; Ethical Standards, which are more specific goals that members should aspire to when it comes to performance and behavior; Rules of Conduct, the guidelines which if not follo wed to the latter leads to a member facing disciplinary action. A commentary is provided to further explain each of the ethical standards and the National Ethics Council enforces the Code of Ethics. Architecture has not always been covered by copyright law unlike books, maps and charts which were included in the first copyright law passed in 1970. In 1909,

How Kinect Gave A Competitive Advantage To Microsoft Media Essay

How Kinect Gave A Competitive Advantage To Microsoft Media Essay We choose to analyze Microsoft-Kinect as a topic for our group project because we wanted to analyze that how Kinect gave a competitive advantage to the Microsoft in the gaming industry. Our analysis will focus on the technology Microsoft used in Kinect and the reasons of Kinect becoming the fastest selling tech-gadget, even though it was just launched in November 2010. We will also discuss the strategies Microsoft used while developing and launching the Kinect and the various factors that helped Microsoft to become leader by selling 10 million gadgets in a very short span of time, beating Apples iPad and iPhone previous record. Microsoft Kinect made into the Guinness book of records as the fastest selling electronics device. [1] Introduction: Kinect is a controller free gaming experience for the Xbox 360 video game platform to stir up great hype in the gaming industry since its launch. It has a great impact on the approach to gaming and changed the meaning of game industry and the Entertainment World. Microsoft came with a complete entertainment solution for the whole family with the launch of Kinect. With the selling of 10 million gadgets, Microsofts Kinect became the fastest selling tech gadget. By beating Apples iPad and iPhones previous record it made into the Guinness book of records as the fastest selling gadget and wrote the new chapters in the Microsoft success story. In 2006, when Nintendo introduced a new game console called Nintendo Wii, Nintendo revolutionized the whole game industry, instead of competing with the mainstream players like Sony PlayStation and Xbox 360. Nintendo Wii targeted a broader demographic than its competitors and tried to incorporate both refreshing gaming experience and user friendly in terfaces to target the previously untapped portion of the demographic. Gamers of all ages, including the female players and the elderly are getting into the action of Nintendo Wii. Nintendo started a new chapter in the gaming industry with the launch of its Nintendo Wii MotionPlus. Kinect was Microsofts delayed reaction to the massive success of the Nintendo Wii but the launch of Kinect gave a all new dimension to the gamers about how games are played. Even thought Xbox 360 was leading in the market before Kinect came into the market but Xbox 360 sales become double since Kinect launch. Analysis for Game Industry: Using 5 Forces model of Porter To understand well about the performance of the firms we should first try to analyze the industry and its factors which influence the firms performance. We apply the 5 force approach on the gaming industry. Game industry is a highly dynamic industry. We can see 7 generation of console within 30 years. Technology changes rapidly in the game industry as well as customer requirements expectations are really high in this industry. Hard core gamers love new challenges and improved graphics and games. Product life cycle is very short in the game industry. So companies need to innovative in this industry for a sustainable competitive advantage and invest more in the R D and come up with new products. Threats of New Entrants are very low because this is capital intensive business and brand image is very important in this industry. Bargaining Power of Customers is fairly high.There are lots of substitutes available in the market so customers have high bargaining power. Switching cost from one product to another is also not too much high. Bargaining Power of Suppliers is low. There are only very few big brand players in the gaming consol industry so game providers do not have much choices. If they want to sell their games they have to work with these brands. Threats of Substitute Product is high. There are lot of players in the industry also there is a threat from the movie industry, Sports industry which can be a possible substitution for entertainment. Competitive Rivalry is very high. Big players like Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony is already in the market. Every firm tries to differentiate their products and try to come up with something innovative. For a sustainable competitive advantage Microsoft wanted to come up with something which can be sustainable for their leadership position in the gaming industry and they came up with Kinect for Xbox 360. Technology evolution To understand the Kinect development it is important for us to understand the history of Microsoft, its positioning and challenges faced in the gaming industry. Microsoft Corporation is a software company and well known for the Windows operating system. In 2000, by seeing the growth opportunity and lucrativeness of the game industry, Microsoft decided to enter in gaming and entertainment industry. There were mainly 2 reasons for Microsoft to move into gaming industry. First reason as already mentioned above that Microsoft was seeing a rapid growth in the gaming market. Microsoft saw huge opportunities in the game industry and found it a very lucrative market to have a presence there. Second, the game industry has a huge dependence on the Software and high technology. Microsoft as one of the leader in the Software industry thought to leverage this capability to get success in the game industry. Sony and Nintendo were well established players in the gaming industry with well known brands in the game industry. Microsoft launched Xbox in the year 2001, after more than a year Sony lunched its Playstation2. By that time Sony was having a large and loyal customer base and Microsofts Xbox was unable to outperform PlayStation2 of Sony. There were many reasons of underperformance of the Xbox. One of the reasons was Xboxs incompatibility with many of the existing games in the market at that time. Microsoft entered in the game industry first time in 2001, so most of the games available at that time were for either PlayStation or Nintendo. Although, Microsoft launched Xbox with many compatible games developed in-house and by third party developers, it was not an easy task to induce gamers to buy Xbox over the already successful PlayStation2. The other reasons were Microsofts lack of experience in the gaming market and the absence of USB port in Xbox. There was also a late mover disadvantage to the Microsoft. The price of X-Box was higher compared to that of its competitor Sony PS2. Also Microsofts poor marketing strategy added on all these factors. X-Box and PS2 were both considered at the same level but due to an early launch of PS2 it had captured the market share despite X-Box having advantage over the hardware components. In August 2003, Sony was a leader with 54% Market share compared to 27% of Xbox. There were few challenges for Microsoft. Microsoft was a new entrant in the gaming industry and lacked experience of working with retailers and game developers. To boost the sales of Xbox, Microsoft cut its price after the six month of its launch and this step boosted the sales of Xbox. To overcome this problem Microsoft planned to launch its seventh generation console much ahead of all its competitors. In 2005, Microsoft launched the first seventh generation console Xbox 360. Microsoft gathered the inputs and emphasized on design and features of Xbox 360. Microsoft invested in a huge advertising campaign for launch of Xbox 360 and spent over US $ 100 million. Xbox 360 came up with new features: built in windows media centre Wi-Fi enabled, guide button, wireless binding button and Xbox live etc. Microsoft kept the design simple and decided not to manufacture chips in-house. They planned to go for semi-custom chip and hardware and alter them according to their need and mainly focus on the assembling hardware as it will reduce costs and allow them to closely monitor vendor network. Microsoft also decided to go for intellectual property rights, which was one of the most important decisions Microsoft took. They launched new games, which became popular in the market and provided new service enabling users to download and view films on Xbox 360. Results for Xbox 360 turned out well and Microsoft became leader in gaming console market. Microsoft sold more than 10.4 million consoles by Dec 2006. Xbox 360 was a hit in Europe US. But still there were some drawbacks with Xbox 360. There was a backward incompatibility issue with Xbox 360 and biggest problem was manufacturing cost for Xbox 360 was still higher than its selling price. But Microsofts long term price strategy was to gain a greater share of the console market which was dominated by Sonys PS2. Microsoft decided to gave benefits to the gamers from drastic price cuts. When Sony and Microsoft were focusing on pursuing faster processing speed and better graphics in their game consoles, in 2006, Nintendo introduced a new game console called Nintendo Wii, which used existing technologies and focused on developing unique user interface. Wii lead to better gaming experience for a wider audience. The industry recognizes that games should not be limited just to the interactions using the game controller. Microsoft wanted a sustainable competitive advantage in the gaming industry. They launched Kinect in November 2010. Kinect is a controller free gaming experience for the Xbox 360 video game platform. It was big success for Microsoft. It wrote the new chapters in the Microsoft success story. It will bring game-changing impact to the Microsoft. Competitive Advantage Three are only 3 major players left in the industry today -Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo. Microsofts Xbox 360 kick-started the console war of the seventh generation in 2005, a year ahead of Sony and Nintendo. This move gave the first mover advantage to Microsoft. Instead of competing in terms of performance with its competitors, in 2006, Nintendo launched Nintendo Wii which brought the concept of motion-gaming and defined a new set of rules for the industry by keeping its price low. Microsoft brought Kinect in response to Wii and went beyond the motion gaming. It interacts with the game using a camera which tracks the players entire body without holding anything in the hand. In fact, Microsofts made a strategy to charge only $150 to penetrate the market and get the casual market to take notice of this new product. Also they spent almost 500 million USD on the launch of Kinect aiming to reach new audiences, including advertisements on Kelloggs cereal boxes and Pepsi bottles, commercials during shows such as dancing with the Stars and Glee as well as print ads in various magazines such as People and InStyle etc. They also organized a show on November 3 in Times Square, where singer Ne-Yo performed with hundreds of dancers in anticipation of Kinects midnight launch. It is clear that Kinect has defined its targeted niche as the casual gamers. Microsoft made the product highly appealing to new customers, rather than current customers hardcore gamers. In addition to this, Kinect differs to the Move in that it wont be backwards-compatible with current games meaning Kinect will feature new games, for new customers. Kinect compatible games are not designed for the gamers who want to sit on the couch and relaxed while playing. The games and experiences are designed to be as fun to watch as they are to play-the games are designed to get the people off the couch and that is the real controller free gaming experience. Also when one wants to enjoy movies, music, and ESPN on Xbox 360, one can control the entertainment hands free from the comfort of the couch. So Kinect defy the trend that playing video game is the job of couch potatoes. Now people can play the video game with real time experience while doing a lot of physical exercise. Its not going to be easy to compete with Project Natal. The companies are doing a lot of great work with the cameras. But the magic is in the software. Its a combination of partners and our own software, Shane Kim- corporate vice president for strategy and business development at Microsofts game division. [12] The Disruptive Innovation Model According to Joseph Schumpeter, creative destruction is a process of industrial mutation that incessantly revolutionizes the economic structure from within, incessantly destroying the old one, incessantly creating a new one. In simple words it can be explained as the process of destroying an old well established technology and replacing it with an innovative new technology. Kinect is a controller-free gaming and entertainment experience by  Microsoft  for the  Xbox 360  video game platform. Kinect offers a revolutionary new way to play games. In Kinect, you are the controller of the game. Before Kinect every game console came with a controller which was a barrier that stops people playing games. Microsoft wanted to come up something which can break down this barrier and can appeal to both mainstream and casual gamers. Kinect is one complete package for the whole family. It is a complete and affordable way for everyone to enjoy controller-free fun and entertainment. Even though Kinect response in the market is tremendous but still people using consol games with the controller, but seeing the response of the customers it looks like this innovation will change the meaning of game industry and soon it will replace the controller gaming with controller-free gaming. In future this is a disruptive innovation that will change gaming world. The position of Kinect on Normal Distribution of Adopters The normal distribution curve for adopters (Figure 1) represents the groups of people who adopt the new technology at different times. It comprises of the innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and the laggards. The Microsoft targeted directly the early majority of the market, instead of targeting the innovators and early adopters first and moving ahead. This is because Xbox 360 was already in the market and performing very good in terms of sales as well as quality. Kinect is a complementary product for Xbox 360 and through Kinect, Microsoft targeted to the casual gamers as well as for the hardcore gamers. Launch of Kinect rejuvenates the sales of Xbox 360 as well. Microsoft was doing everything for breaking down barriers and getting to the mass market, where controllers are barriers and awkward for some people to learn to use a controller. There are different segments of customers. There are the fans of Halo, Forza, and other titles that command a premium price. They deliver an amazing, professionally developed, full-blown experience that customers are willing to pay for. There are some customers who want more casual, bite-size experiences. They want a free-to-play model. You need the downloadable episode in Grand Theft Auto to extend the console game experience or a song you can download for Rock Band. You have a lot of different kinds of options. We enable all the business models, Shane Kim- corporate vice president for strategy and business development at Microsofts game division. [12] Figure 1: Normal distribution Curve for Kinect Adopters Moreover the extraordinary features of Kinect such as low price (approximately $150), attractive and slim look of the console and mass marketing support, all positioned Kinect to fit for the early majority section of adopters. Kinect with Xbox 360 provided a whole entertainment solution to the entire family. Microsoft Kinect clearly goes beyond gaming. Xbox Live gave a new meaning to the social networking. Kinect targeted a whole new range of customers. Besides the existing supporters, Microsoft targeted to open a mass market of first-time game players, like women, younger children and teenagers, who were not typically drawn to this form of interactive entertainment. Since Xbox 360, Xbox live all were very much popular already, Microsoft avoided the hurdle of crossing the chasm. S Curve Diffusion Pattern of Kinect Kinect was launched in November 2010 and became the fastest selling electronics device. Although it sold more than 10 million devices by the end of February 2011, still on the S-Curve, Kinect is positioned in the accelerated part of market growth. Market growth of Kinect has not yet reached its diminishing return on sales its limits. Diffusion pattern is with successive groups of consumers adopting the new technology; its market share will eventually reach the saturation level. Kinect A Radical or an Incremental Innovation? Kinect uses an RGB camera (image sensor), a 3-D depth camera (which determines how far away an object is from the camera), and a multi-array microphone. These were already existing technologies. Kinect is an Incremental Innovation rather than Radical Innovation since it is not based on a completely new technology, but an application of previously available technologies. Technology Strategy Do it differently According to Microsoft, Xbox Live and Kinect will be fundamental parts of their identity going forward and will lead them into online and natural user interfaces. Microsoft has a competitive advantage over its competitors in the form of Kinect. Launch of Kinect shows the leadership of the Microsoft in the technology field whether it is software development or the games. Along with good hardware of console which supports high processing power and graphics Microsoft tried entirely new concept in the game industry with the introduction of Kinect. This was about unleashing a new category of controller-free gaming and entertainment. We didnt want to do something that would be derivative of what Nintendo did with the Wii. Thats been a nice innovation for them but this goes much farther. Were talking about full-body recognition. It can tell when someone is standing or sitting down. It can tell when something moves in front of you or behind you, Shane Kim- corporate vice president for strategy and business development at Microsofts game division. [12] Open Innovation Even though Microsoft filed lot of patents for Kinect in order to get more casual players Microsoft director of incubation for Xbox, Alex Kipman announced that Kinect was left open By Design on the November 19 broadcast of National Public Radios Science Daily program. According to him Microsoft will not allow someone to use the algorithms that Xbox uses and to avoid the illegal uses, they put lot of efforts and make sure that this will not happen. But simultaneously Microsoft kept the design flexible so that if anyone want to write an open source driver for PC, which opens the USB connection for Kinect, take the inputs from the sensor. Microsoft wanted to break down the barriers that prevent people from enjoying what Microsoft is offering so that Xbox can attract more casual players. This will help Microsoft to get more participants and will make a bigger install base for Microsoft Xbox 360.[14]. By definition Installed base is a measure of the number of units of a particular type of system actually in use, as opposed to market share, which only reflects sales over a particular period.[15] New Product Development for Kienct: Introduction of product life cycle of Kinect: There are 6 stages in any product life cycle: Product Development, Introduction, Growth, Maturity, Saturation and Decline. Firm spend a lot of money on research and development in the beginning, and if the research is successful, then on advertisement. If the introduction of the product is successful then the product goes to the growth stage of product life cycle. In growth stage, firm try to recover its development cost as much as possible. In maturity stage, other firms will also come in the market and increases the competition. In the declining stage customer may change their need or the product becomes obsolete and people are not interested in firms product anymore. In the case of Kinect it is in the growth stage as Kinect was introduced successfully in the market and became an instant hit. Now, Microsoft has reduced the expenses on advertising of the Kinect as well as Xbox 360. As discussed above, through Kinect Microsoft was targeting to the casual gamers and to bring them in the market Microsoft had to remove the barriers, which were mainly the game controllers. Controllers, whether wired or wireless, are barriers for a lot of people and it is awkward for many people to learn the use of a controller. So Microsoft decided to come up something which gives casual gamers a controller free experience and this need gave birth to the Project Natal. Kinect was first announced on June 1, 2009 under the code name Project Natal, named on the name of Brazilian city Natal. Kinect uses a sensor to track body movement and recognizes face and listen to the voice. It provided a new way to play the video games where gamer uses full body to play the game. It provides gamers to play personalize games in which the players face and voice are recognized by the device. Kinect uses an RGB camera (image sensor), a 3-D depth camera (which determines how far away an object is from the camera), and a multi-array microphone. [2][11] Motion Sensor Voice Recognition Facial Recognition Skeletal Tracking Microsoft Patents for Kinect When a company files for a patent, government gives monopoly and protection for the innovation for a specific period of time. In return the inventor has to disclose the information details of the invention. Microsoft also filed multiple patents in an effort to protect the software and technology behind its motion-sensing gaming system Kinect, from other rivals. It was very important that Microsoft did not want to allow any loopholes that would allow others to copy its technology. Microsoft has filed at least 12 patents to protect the intellectual property of its motion sensor controller technology surrounding Kinect. The company aggressively aims to patent every aspect especially the software that enables a gaming experience that is based on gestures and motion tracking. The patent applications are based on Extending Standard Gestures, Gestures Beyond Skeletal, Gesture Shortcuts, Gesture Tool, Gesture Coach, Avatar Integrated Shared Media Selection, Localized Gesture Aggregation, Sys tems And Methods For Tracking A Model  , Real Time Retargeting of Skeletal Data To Game Avatar  , Systems and Methods For Applying Animations or Motions to a Character  , Avatar Integrated Shared Media Experience  , User Movement Feedback via On-Screen Avatars.[13] We want to ensure that we have great intellectual property protection. You have to have a strong legal approach, and this is not easy stuff. It has to be all buttoned up, legally. We have had a very concerted focus on this , Shane Kim- corporate vice president for strategy and business development at Microsofts game division. [12] Market Strategy for Kinect Game industry is currently expanding but it divided into many segments after Nintendo launched its Wii MotionPlus. Microsoft and Sony were seeing a huge potential and wanted to quickly react.Microsoft saw a huge potential market for casual gamers. Microsoft was able to identify that this newly developed market had massive potential and can worth millions to Microsoft. Microsoft Identified that every game console came with a controller which was a barrier that stops many people from playing games. So, Microsoft decided to come up something which can break down this barrier and can appeal to both mainstream and casual gamers. Microsoft adopted a Market Pull strategy for Kinect by identifying the latent needs of the casual gamers. Microsoft came up with the idea of Kinect, a controller free gaming experience. Microsoft through new Xbox 360 with Kinect took a disruptive approach: focus on fun and expand the market by appealing to non-gamers. Microsoft decided to keep the price low for Ki nect so that they can attract casual gamers as well. They kept Kinect retail price as $149 or if a gamer wants to purchase with Xbox 360, price of the bundle is $299. An analyst indicated that Microsoft losing a big amount for each box. The companys goal is to make a profit on software titles, royalties, and Xbox Live subscriptions. Selling more Xbox 360 consoles attracts more developers interested in developing games compatible to Kinect and Xbox 360, which in turn encourages more demand for consoles and generates licensing revenue for Microsoft. This is called snow-ball effect and Microsoft used it very well. Along with the good design and low price Microsoft heavily spent on the marketing campaign of Kinect. They spent almost 500 Million Dollars on the launch campaign of Kinect. Campaign for Kinect was You Are the Controller. They aimed to reach to new customer and to reach them, they advertized Kinect on Pepsi Bottles and Kelloggs Cereal boxes, commercials during shows such as dancing with the Stars and Glee as well as print ads in various magazines such as People and InStyle. They distributed free Xbox 360 consoles and Kinect to the audience in The Oprah Winfrey Show. Between November 1 and November 28, Burger King gave away a free Kinect bundle every 15 minutes. A major event was organized on November 3 in Times Square, where singer Ne-Yo performed with hundreds of dancers in anticipation of Kinects midnight launch. [9][11] Microsoft strategy worked well for Kinect as well as for the sale of the Xbox 360.The first advantage Microsoft had that they were able to capture a significant portion of the rapidly growing video gaming market from the sale of Kinect. Kinect also made a significant impact on the sale of Xbox 360. This shows a very good example of Network externalities. By definition Network externalities is that the value of a technology product/service to a user increases with the number of other users of the same or similar product/service. Xbox value increased when Kinect was launched. Marketing efforts of Kinect not only impacted Kinect Sale but it also contributed to Xbox 360 sale. Network externalities comes because of the snowball effect, which means a large installed base of a product attracts producers of complementary products/services and if there is a availability of complementary products/services it attracts users, increasing the installed base. So that means both occurs because of ea ch other. The same thing happens in the case of Xbox 360 and Kinect. Kinect is a complementary good for Xbox 360. Xbox 360 was having a large install base which helped the sales of Kinect but because of the Kinect, Xbox 360 installed base also increased. Microsoft reported that it sold more than 10 million Kinect devices till the end of February 2011. Microsofts core PC software businesses reached on the saturation point and it was looking for some new areas to sustain its success. Microsoft entered in the game industry by launching Xbox but Kinect made Microsoft the leader in the game industry by giving a technological edge over Sony and Nintendo. In past, companys reputation has suffered as a result of the litigation surrounding its Windows monopoly and other antitrust lawsuits. Kinect and Xbox 360 brought back the innovative image of the Microsoft and established the company as a technology leader in the game industry as well and built its brand.[17].The below charts show the Xbox market share before and after the Kinect launch. The following graphs try to show the market share of Xbox 360, Wii and PS3. As we can see Xbox 360 stole the market share of Sony and Nintendo both, but Nintendo sales were more impacted than that of Sony. Value Ecosystem To understand value chain for Microsoft it is important first to understand the value chain for the game industry. Game industry value chain is made up of six parties mainly: Game Publishing: involved in paying for development of new titles and seeking returns through licensing of the titles. Game Developers: includes developers and designers, who may be working under individual contracts or as part of in-house development teams. Console Manufactures: generates game development middleware, customizable game engines, and production management tools. Distributers: involved in marketing catalogs of games for retail and online distribution. Hardware Suppliers: or the providers of the underlying platform, which may be console-based. End-users layer: or the users/players of the games. Marketer: Advertise the games. Figure # -Video Game Software Value Chain The game development value chain explains that first, the game developers create games for the game publishers, who amalgamate games from various developers. The game publishers are like the pools where many game developers pooled their developed games. The game publishers then select the games suitable for the market and send those games to distributers /retailers and finally to customers. The game publishers may also send the games to marketing agencies which may help to advertise the games to the customers. In some cases, game publishers can sell their games to the console maker itself. While selling games to the console makers the digital rights management (DRM) providers provide DR to game developers to protect their copyrights. In case of Microsoft, the DRM provider is the console maker itself, as the DRM is integrated into the hardware of the console. Creating New Value Chains with Kinect Microsofts Shane Kim has put forward a belief that Kinect provided a value addition to Xbox 360. Microsoft believed that the Xbox 360 has an approximate life of 10 years so Xbox 360 has a life cycle through 2015. Microsoft was having a vision that Project Natal will be a great innovation. Kinect will be a big value addition for a person who thinks that controller is a barrier in playing games. Microsoft wanted to come up with complete system which can create a value for whole family to take the leadership position. To come up with a good product companies do integrated business with third parties. Kinect is a combination of partners and Microsofts own software. Kinect is based on software technology developed internally by Rare, a subsidiary of Microsoft Game Studios owned by Microsoft, and on range camera technology by Israeli developer PrimeSense. Microsoft also acquired Big Park to develop its game for Xbox Live. Microsoft consoles can now play music CDs, and DVDs directly and the DRM is proprietary to the individual publishers. Microsoft allowed publishers and game developers to develop games which can be played on Kinect. In addition to games, you can use Kinect to make video phone calls via Xbox Live. [20] Microsoft has also made internet connected game play available with a subscription-based service, Windows Live, its own application service provider. It allows customers to link play across the internet. Microsoft has managed to channel yet another revenue stream via the connectivity value chain. Microsoft is best positioned to exploit the value ecosystem. Microsoft also fully utilizes its other value chains to create network effects to draw the customers. As a gauge for the amount of licensing revenue that a console maker earns, an analysis of one of Microsofts own console games indicates that the game development value chain itself would bring in 11.5% of the sales price of the console game. Price for games for Kinect from Microsoft was $49 each. Microsoft started selling 4-gigabyte Xbox 360 with Kinect and the Kinect Adventures game in a bundle for $299. Microsoft provided Kinectimals, Kinect Sports and Kinect Joy Ride, each available for $49.99 in Kinect Adventures. It also prices Dance Central game for Kinect at $49.99. This is a very significant part of Microsoft marketing strategy, since games have been priced at $59.99 since the Xbox 360 and PS3 launched in 2005. Its smarter to price games cheaper. The entire pricing strategy is thus

Intangible Assets Essay -- Business, Accounting

INTRODUCTION According to Yale’s School of Management Robert Swieringa (1997), â€Å"We come to an age of technology, information, and global competition with a financial accounting model that was fashioned almost 100 years ago.† That same accounting model continues to evolve today. One area in particular is with accounting for intangible assets. In the business sector, assets are important economic resources and are classified as either tangible or intangible. Tangible assets are easily seen as physical objects that include items such as buildings, machinery, vehicles, and fixtures. Because of their nature, tangible assets are straightforwardly accounted for on financial statements. However, intangible assets cannot be seen and when it comes to accounting for them, a major issue that has plagued the business world for many years is how to recognize and account for them (Hadjiloucas and Winter, 2005). What this says is that the financial statements of one company will look different in another territory using their accounting rules. With that said, this paper will examine how intangible assets are currently viewed and accounted for as well as any changes to the accounting model. INTANGIBLE ASSETS Intangible assets can no longer be overlooked. Eighty percent of the market value of public companies is made up of intangible assets (Osterland, 2001). In fact, the Harvard Management Update (2001) points out that the value of intangible assets, on average, has become three times greater than physical assets. Accounting issues related to intangible assets have always been present, but now these issues are being moved to the forefront. Despite the many years that businesses and regulating bodies have wrangled with the nature of... ... agreed deal. Furthermore, both U.S. GAAP and IFRS expense internally generated assets. IAS 38 differentiates between research and development and all costs pertaining to research are expensed as they are incurred. However, any costs seen during development are only capitalized when a firm demonstrates that certain criteria are met. As a result, according to Hadjiloucase and Winter (2005), after an acquisition any profits under U.S. GAAP take an immediate hit, while profits under IFRS take a few years to smooth over. In comparison, under U.S. GAAP, any costs that are internally generated are not capitalized unless a specific rule requires it. An example of this would be with the development of software. Under U.S. GAAP, software can be distinguished between software that is developed for sale to third parties and software that is developed for internal use.

The Older American Act 1965 Health And Social Care Essay

AbstractionIn 1965, Congress created the Older American Act, a federal and province bureau to turn to the societal service demands of the older grownup population. The end of the Older American Act is to assist the older population maintain independency in their places and their communities. The ripening services web refers to the bureaus, plans, and activities that are involved with the Older American Act. As the figure of older grownups addition, the demand for services is expected to lift. Along with the rise of demands there will necessitate to a degree of consciousness. In carry throughing its end, the Department of Aging responds to the demands of societies deriving population through a assortment of services. The Older American Act was enacted in 1965 with the intent of giving older American increased chances for take parting in society. The Older American Act specifies that all older individuals are eligible for services irrespective of income. An older individual is defined as an person who is age 60 and over, with penchant to those with the greatest economic demand but besides particular attending is given to low income minorities and older grownups that live in the rural countries. People 65 and older represent a little more than 9 per centum of the state ‘s population when the Act was enacted. ( AOA.gov, 2008 ) By 2006, the figure of aged reached 37.3 million people and 12.4 per centum of the US population. By 2020, about one in six people will be the age 65 and older. Harmonizing to informations compiled by the provinces about 3 million people received services funded by the Act such as place delivered repasts, place attention, and instance direction on a regular footing. ( Le gislation and Budget, 2008 ) The Older American Act requires each province to depict within their twelvemonth programs on how they are traveling to transport out and give penchant to clients. Each of these demands is looked at when services are needed. Greatest economic demand mean the income is below or at the poorness threshold. Each twelvemonth the Department of Health and Human Services sets the poorness degrees. The poorness degrees for 2010 are presently at $ 10,830 for a one-man family and $ 14,750 for a two individual. ( AoA.gov, 2008 ) Greatest societal demand mean the demand caused by non-economic factors which included physical and mental disablements, linguistic communication barriers, cultural, societal, or geographic isolation which would curtail the individual ‘s ability to execute normal undertaking or endanger the fact to populate independently.Food PlansHarmonizing to the Centers for Disease Control, the norm 75 twelvemonth old has three chronic conditions and uses five prescription drugs ( AOA.gov, 2008 ) Nutrition and wellness can travel manus in manus. Bad eating wonts or deficiency of nutrient can take to hapless vitamin intake, weight issues, and overall emphasis. Based on the 2003 Food Security Supplement to the current population study conducted by the Bureau of Census, approximately 1.5 million families with older grownups reported that they did non hold plenty to eat. Lack of money was the primary ground. ( O'Shaughn, 2008 ) Older grownups populating in poorness were more likely to describe a hapless diet so older grownups populating above the poorness line. In many instances, older grownups are forced to take between purchasing nutrient and paying for medical specialty, public-service corporations, or other personal points. As portion of the Older American Act, the nutrient cast plan is available. The nutrient cast plan was designed to assist stop hungriness and better nutrition for low income. Food cast benefits are used to purchase any nutrient or nutrie nt merchandise for usage by people. For illustration, you could non purchase dog nutrient or lavatory paper with the nutrient casts. The nutrient cast plan is the largest service plan of the Older American Act about accounting for 40 per centum of the support. In 2006, approximately 2.6 million people received 238 million repasts ; 59 per centum of repasts were served to frail older people populating at place and 41 per centum serviced in congregate scenes. ( AOA.gov, 2008 ) Congregate repast and nutrition sites are province and federally funded. Almost two-thirds of congregate receivers were age 75 and older and lived entirely. Over one quart had an income of $ 10,000 or less ; 58 per centum reported that the repast plan provided more than one-half of their day-to-day nutrient consumption. ( AOA.gov, 2008 ) More than 6.5 million repasts are delivered to the homebound elderly five yearss a hebdomad. Food larders are besides available but are funded by province and community resource s. Senior Farmers Market Nutrition plan is federally funded and provides vouchers to low income seniors to buy fruit and veggies at local husbandmans markets. The trade good Supplement nutrient plan works to better the wellness of people at least 60 old ages of age by supplementing their diets with trade good nutrients. The federal authorities provides nutrient and fund to the provinces to supplement so diets. The nutrient bundles do non supply a complete diet but alternatively points that are typically missing with population. Food bundles include a assortment of nutrients such as non-fact dry and evaporate milk, juice, farina, oats, ready to ear cereal, rice, pasta, peanut butter, dry beans or peas, canned meat or domestic fowl, tuna and canned fruit and veggies. Merely fewer than 433,000 aged participated in the plan in 2007. ( O'Shaughn, 2008 ) States set up an income bound for the aged that is at or below 130 per centum of the federal poverty income guidelines. State may besides set up residence demands and they besides can necessitate participants be nutritionary hazards, which can be determined by their physician or the bureau. Anot her federally funded nutrient plan is the exigency nutrient aid plan. The nutrient is available at local nutrient larders and the individual is provided with transcribed veggies and fruits, pasta, beans, and rice. For protein the bundle may include transcribed tuna, peanut butter and sometimes chicken. Since it is a addendum to other plans, the sums may change and typically, the nutrient that is provided should last 3-5 yearss.Medical ProgramsMedicare is a medical plan that is available to grownups that are having Social Security at age of 65 and older, having Social Security disablement after a 24 month delay and anyone with terminal phase nephritic failure. Medicare benefits consist of four parts. Medicare portion a helps cover inmate attention in infirmaries, skilled nursing installations, place wellness and hospice attention. It is free if you have worked and paid Social Security revenue enhancements for at least 10 old ages. If you have non worked to run into the lower limit so you would be required to pay a monthly premium. Medicare portion B helps cover physician ‘s services and outpatient infirmary attention. It besides covers some other medical services that portion a does non cover such as physical and occupational therapy, preventative attention, lasting medical equipment, research lab trials, X raies, mental wellness and some ambulance services. It besides covers the first three pints of blood if needed each twelvemonth. A few prescription drugs are covered under portion B. Examples of some that are covered are anti-cancer, dialysis drugs and doctor administered drugs that you usually would non bale able to take yourself at place. There is a monthly premium for portion B. Medicare prescription carpet coverage covers both trade name name and generic prescription drugs. Drug coverage provides protection for people who have really high drug costs. Part vitamin D is provided merely through private insurance companies that have contracts with the authorities. Everyone who had Medicare is eligible for coverage, irrespective of income, wellness, or disbursal. ( Werner, 2010 ) Medicare Preventive Benefits are used for testing and early sensing. Medicare covers the initial physical test, cardiovascular showings, mammograms, pablum trials, and pelvic test. This coverage is normally received from a private wellness insurance company such as HMO and PPO. Medicare private wellness programs must offer at least the same benefits as non-private wellness insurance companies. They are non required, nevertheless, to hold the same regulations, costs, and coverage limitations as Medicare provides. Medicaid is a federal and province plan that covers medical attention for older grownups with low incomes. Each province runs different Medicare plans for different groups of people. However, each has the same things in common. Each sate covered older people, people with disablements, and people who are blind. Each province does hold different eligibility degrees. All provinces have plans to supply place and community based attention with limited incomes that are in demand of these services. Each province must besides cover place wellness attention for those with limited incomes. You can hold both Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid can cover services that Medicare does non. Medicaid can besides assist cover the out of pocket costs such as deductibles and copayments. Home Health Care services are prescribed by a doctor for a individual who is at hazard of hospitalization or following a hospital stay. These services can include nursing services, physical therapy. Occupational therapy, address therapy, and services provided by a place wellness adjutant. About one out of four families is involved in supplying aid to older household members and other older grownups. About one-half of household health professionals are employed full clip and about two tierces are employed either full clip or portion clip. ( Legislation and Budget, 2008 ) The bulk of health professionals provide unpaid aid for one to four old ages and 20 per centum provided attention for five old ages or more. ( AOA.gov, 2008 ) About 7 million health professionals provide informal attention to older people in demand of aid. Home attention can include supportive and personal attention. Supportive attention includes ; place services such as cleansing, wash, cookery, and personal errands. Personal attention includes bathing, nail film editing, medicine, training, and if needed lesion attention. Each province is required to put aside financess to cover these services. Nationally the figure is little with about 300,000 people having attention in 2006. Harmonizing to 2004 informations, about two tierces of receivers who receive the place services lived entirely and were over 75 old ages old, with over four fifths with an income under $ 15,000. ( AOA.gov, 2008 ) In the 2006, approximately 44 million dollars were set aside for place attention services. Older American Act services may be provided without the income and plus limitations that are under Medicaid. ( Werner, 2010 ) An of import portion of be aftering for long term attention is understanding how to pay for services. Long-term attention is really expensive and Medicare coverage will non pay for most of the long-run attention services that are needed. One twelvemonth in a nursing place, based on a 2008 national norm, costs over $ 68,000 for a semi private room. ( Illinois Department of Aging, 2009 ) One twelvemonth of attention at place, with the aid of a personal supportive attention worker three times a hebdomad, would be about $ 18,000 a twelvemonth. ( Werner, 2010 ) Costss for long-run attention services can be dependance on the type and sum of services that the client would necessitate. For illustration, nursing places around my country, charge supernumerary for services provide beyond basic room and board charge, which include hair assignments, therapy and activities outside the installation. Medicare merely pays for long term attention if you require skilled services or are recovering from a process and merely necessitate the services for a short clip.Other plans availableThe senior community service plan is a community service and work based preparation for older workers. It is portion of the Older American Act and it provides subsidised portion clip, community service work based on developing for low income people age 55 and older. Program participants work an norm of 20 hours a hebdomad and are paid minimal pay. Placement locations can include twenty-four hours attention centres, senior centres, schools and infirmaries. There are other services available through senior community service employment plan to help the older worker. Participants are offered services that allow the client to hold an single employment program created orientation, community service preparation, one-year physicals and aid in procuring unsubsidized employment. To be eligible for this plan the client must be at least 55 and non hold earned more than 25 per centum over the federal poorness deg ree in income. Employment precedence is given to people over 60, veterans and qualified partners of veterans. Preference is given to minority, limited English speech production, and Indian eligible people. Preference is besides given to those who have the greatest economic demand. Based on engagement records more the 60,000 participants presently enrolled in the plan but as turnover and other occupation arrangements go on, more than 90,000 people will be served. ( Senior resource, 1999-2009 ) Adult twenty-four hours attention centres provide coordinated plans for seniors. Servicess are offered to supply societal and some wellness services to older grownups who need supervised attention in a safe topographic point outside the place during the twenty-four hours. Adult centres are normally unfastened during concern hours five yearss a hebdomad. In some communities, there are some plans offered in the eventide, but a bulk of the plans are during hours where the chief health professional could be at work. Social activities allow the interaction with other members in activities that can run from excursions, games, humanistic disciplines and trades, and exercising. Transportation system is provided and the client is pricked up at place and at the terminal of the twenty-four hours returned place. Meals and bites are provided and if needed can be specialized. Personal attention is provided to clients that need aid with toileting, training, and other personal activities of day-to-d ay life. Harmonizing to the national survey of grownup twenty-four hours services there are 3,400 centres supplying attention to over 150,000 clients a twenty-four hours. ( AOA.gov, 2008 )DecisionWhile this is merely a brief overview of the work that the Older American Act does for the aged population, it is proof that the authorities is working difficult to do the concluding old ages on this planet better for everyone. This statute law paves the manner for more plans in the hereafter to assist maintain the aged people safe from injury every bit good as independent and in their ain places for every bit long as possible. The ends of the Older American Act have been carried out through a web of bureaus on all authorities degrees. At a clip when the state is aging, it is of import to see that the best hereafter is created for the aging population.

Poverty no longer exists in Britain today

There is an argument that poverty no longer exists in Britain today. Many people would say that the days when people died from lack of food, shelter or clean water ended, in this country, with the introduction of the welfare state (Chinn, 1995). Poverty, however, can be defined in two ways and depending on which definition one chooses to employ, it can be contested whether the balance of evidence shows that poverty actually does exist or not. In this piece of work it will be argued that poverty does affect many people in our society and the lack of resources of poorer people in society is at the root of inequalities in health. Furthermore it will be shown that the discrepancy between the standards of living that better off people in society enjoy and the standards of living that poorer people endure can be something that is very difficult to alter. In conclusion there will be a discussion on the role that social care professionals may play in trying to reduce the negative effects suffered by some people as a result of poverty. The first of the two identified forms of poverty is absolute or â€Å"subsistence level poverty† (Thompson and Priestly, 1996: 207). Income falls below a set level so that a person does not have the means to be able to secure the basic necessities for living, in terms of food, drink, shelter and clothing. Stephens et al (1998) argue that for some people in society, like rough sleepers, poverty in absolute terms is very real and that when older people die from hypothermia because they can't afford to heat their homes adequately it is as a result of absolute poverty. Poverty in this sense however has certainly diminished since the advent of the Welfare State. The second definition of poverty, relative poverty, is defined in terms of a ‘reasonable' standard of living generally expected by the society in which a person lives. It identifies ‘needs' as more than basic biological requirements, taking into account social and emotional needs. It is also about being excluded from taking part in activities which are widely undertaken by the rest of society. In terms of resources, relative poverty is a higher standard of living than absolute poverty but it could be argued that many things that are not strictly essential for life nevertheless could be deemed as necessities by society in general. Thus whether you adhere to an absolutist or relativist definition of it, it is clear that there are certain people in society who suffer from poverty. Modern research into poverty combines both classifications. Stevens et al (1988: 266) maintain: â€Å"it's important to capitalise on the advantages of both definitions†. There have been several pieces of well-documented research into health inequalities, both by successive governments and independent bodies, for example, The Black Report in 1980; Margaret Whitehead's ‘The health divide' in 1987 (Stephens et al, 1998) and most recently the Acheson Report in 1998. This research underlines the correlation between poverty and ill health and the disparity that exists, depending on social class. Measurements and comparisons are made in terms of morbidity and in terms of mortality. Research shows that if a person is born into poverty his/her chances of suffering ill health and a shortened life span are greater than if he/she was born into prosperity. Some of the most recent research has shown, for example that children in social class five (where five represents the least well off and one represents the most well off) are five times as likely to suffer accidental death than their peers from social class one (Roberts I. Power C, 1996). Further studies show that a baby boy from social class one can be expected to live for more than nine years longer than a baby boy from social class five (Office for National Statistics, 1998). The British Medical Journal (1999) states â€Å"Social class differences in health are seen at all ages, with lower socio-economic groups having the greater incidence of heart disease, stroke and some cancers†. The rate of pre-natal mortality is hi gher for women from lower socio-economic groups. A poorer person is more likely to die in infancy, more likely to suffer ill health, as a child and as an adult, and more likely to die prematurely than someone who has greater access to resources. It has been stated that â€Å"the most significant factor [affecting health] in poverty is†¦ the fact that poor people are denied access to possessions and services that are available to their better-off peers† (Moore, 1997). This could include: preventative medicine, early treatment when sick, a healthy diet, access to ‘keep fit' leisure activities. Other factors which could have a detrimental effect on poorer people could include things like poorly maintained housing, stress related illness and smoking, which is more prevalent among lower income groups (Office for National Statistics, 1998). Explanations for poverty tend to fall into two categories. There are individualistic explanations for poverty. That people who are in relative poverty are so because they are in some way lazy, irresponsible or ‘feckless' and they could help themselves to escape poverty if they really wanted to. Some people vocalise this way of thinking by, for example, telling the unemployed to ‘get on their bikes' and find work. This type of argument can, and often is, applied to any ‘inappropriate' or ‘wasteful' use of resources for example, by criticising people for wanting to dress their children in more expensive clothes, or by condemning women for the number of children they choose to have. Another common reaction when confronted with arguments about poverty is to be reproachful when someone chooses to smoke instead of ‘spending their money wisely'. These arguments however fail to take into account the way that society is structured and the effects that this has on people's life chances. There is an element of victim blaming and consideration is not given to the fact that some people have far more power than others to alter aspects of their lives. Structural, as opposed to individualistic, explanations focus on â€Å"the political, economic and material environment in which people find themselves† (Howe, 1997: 173). A person who is born into poverty is more likely to stay poor and their children are likely to be poor. In this way a life or poverty can be a self-perpetuating cycle of deprivation which people have very little power to change. This deprivation is exacerbated by the fact that it can be combined with other inequalities, such as those based on gender, ethnicity, and age. The fact that some people suffer from multiple disadvantages is attributable to structural inequality, which is inherent in our society. Anatole France wrote: â€Å"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread. France (1894). Clearly there is no need for wealthier people ‘to sleep under bridges' whereas there may be a justification or even a necessity for a homeless person to do it. The concept of a society where everyone has the same opportunities and all are equal is a fallacy when viewed from a structural perspective. This does not however mean that people are absolutely powerless to help themselves and assumptions sho uld not be made that because someone is in poverty they will necessarily need the help of social care professionals. People can often make changes to make their lives better, to suggest otherwise would be to disempower people. Social care professionals should be aware of the effects of poverty and the relative powerlessness of some people but not to such an extent that the power imbalance is made greater by the workers inability to treat the client as an individual. Anti-oppressive practice is â€Å"a form of social work that addresses social divisions and structural inequalities †¦ by responding to people's needs regardless of their social states† Dominelli (1993). This argument is further developed by Dalrymple and Burke (1995) when they talk about giving the client access to records so that any information is shared. Ensuring inclusion and consultation can lessen the power imbalance between social care worker and client. Government policy is geared to combating inequalities, in light of the findings of the Acheson Report. In particular it recognises the needs of those who may have multiple disadvantages, for example women, children, people with disabilities, older people and people from ethnic minority groups. Social care workers should have an awareness of combined inequalities and should have a commitment to reduce them. â€Å"Many social workers invest considerable efforts to maximise the welfare benefits of their clients and search through charitable resources to alleviate some of their acute hardships† (Jones, 1997: 121). Social care workers can work in partnership with other agencies to ensure that they refer people to organisations who are able to help, when it is not within the social carer's remit. For example, referrals could be made to: agencies who advise on health matters, or work to increase benefits, or help people back into work, or give advice on housing matters. â€Å"The best way to get rid of poverty – absolute or relative – is to forge a more genuinely equal society† Stephens et al (1998: 258). This is something that is beyond the capabilities of any one profession. In conclusion, social care workers can help to reduce the negative effects of poverty to a certain extent but, for any major improvements to be made, there needs to be a radical change (through governmental policy) in the distribution of both power and wealth.

Kiss me kate essays

Kiss me kate essays The Play Kiss Me Kate was a very good and entertaining musical. I enjoyed the humor and liveliness of the musical. Cole Porter accompanied the musical with great songs that made you want to get up and dance. It was like you never knew what was going to happen next or what was going to be said because there were so many surprises. The many comical scenes of the play made it enjoyable to watch. With the many dancers, songs, costumes, and lighting changes the musical incorporated many theatrical elements, that made the musical all the better. One of the most outstanding things about the play Kiss Me Kate was the way all of the characters portrayed their roles in such a realistic way. One character that really stood out to me was Lois Lane (Bianca). I loved her character because she portrayed the blonde ditsy bombshell very well. It was very realistic because she always talked in a upbeat voice and with little squeaks. She was also very sexy in her actions. The actor did a wonderful performance of allowing the audience to see these characteristics of Lois. I also liked the character of Fred Graham (Petruchio) who was a very bossy and a male chauvinist. The actor portrayed the character very well in his cockiness and deep male voice. The actor would also always walk around with his head up to show he was better than everyone else. The character of Lilli Vanessi (Katherine) was also a very well portrayed character. She was a character who portrayed a high-class lady of importance, which was a bit conceited. At the beginn ing of the play she walked in with her head held high and a stride in her walk. You could absolutely tell she thought very highly of herself. She was also very stubborn and did not want to let her real feelings show. The actor did a wonderful job in her portraying her character by always keeping her chin up and using a very strong voice. The play was performed in a proscenium stage theatr...

Music Piracy, P2P Networks, and File-Sharing †Why It is Wrong

Music Piracy, P2P Networks, and File-Sharing – Why It is Wrong Free Online Research Papers Music piracy, mp3 downloading, p2p, file-sharing; these are many names for the same concept, stealing. Over the past couple of years music downloading has grown to be more and more popular. It has now become an American way of life and widely accepted in our culture. â€Å"Twenty percent of Americans participate in some form of music downloading activity† (Cohen, 2003). This is twenty percent too much. Music piracy has become so popular that some people are not even aware that what they are doing is wrong. It is time we start looking at music piracy for what it really is; an illegal, immoral action that has serious personal and economic consequences. Piracy has been an ongoing battle for the music industry, but hopefully one day this battle will end and music piracy will become an issue of the past. Music is a hobby, a culture, an expression, a form of therapy and a way of worship. Music is also a profession and a way in which some people earn their living. By downloading music illegally we are stealing from these people. It is like hiring people without paying them for their labor. It is as simple as this, â€Å"music lovers end up buying music† (Condry, 2004). Those who truly love and appreciate music will support the artists they love so that they can continue to make it. Most musicians do not have a second job or a second income; they rely on their fans to support them but recently those fans have been coming up short. Some people may have legitimate reasons for downloading music such as to replace already purchased music or to sample music before they purchase it, but artists should have the ultimate decision of whether or not their music gets posted (Condry, 2004). It is their right and copyright laws have been created to protect these rights. There are two copyright laws involved in the recording industry. The first one is The Copyright in the Musical Composition, in other words the ownership rights of the lyrics by either the songwriter or the music publisher. The second law is The Copyright in the Sound Recording. This law has to do with the ownership of the actual recorded song by the record company (RIAA, 2003). Artists and musicians are not the only one with rights. Everyone has the right to get paid for the work he/she does, no matter what he/she does for a living. Artists pour their heart and soul into their work in order to provide society with a source of enjoyment and recreation and they deserve to receive compensation for their work, just like anyone else would. Imagine walking through a jail cell. One side holds two intimidating, tattoo covered men; one convicted of murder and the other convicted of arson. The other side holds two educated, young looking men who do not seem like the type who could commit a heinous crime, but they did. They were both convicted of music piracy. Many people are unaware of the consequences that come with music piracy. Piracy is not just immoral, it is illegal and law enforcers are taking the act of music piracy very seriously. There are two different actions being taken depending on the severity of the piracy. The first is a fine, which can cost up to as much as $250,000. The other is imprisonment, which if convicted can be punishable by up to three years in prison (RIAA, 2003). Although these consequences are usually taken against those who run p2p and file-sharing programs and not the everyday citizens who download a couple of songs here and there, it is not unheard of. In January of 2004 the RIIA, Recording Industry of America, filed 532 lawsuits against illegal file-sharers having no mercy to who the music pirate was. Included in these lawsuits were about twenty teens (RIAA, 2003). This affair caused a big commotion in our society. It not only caused a shock but it caused a great alertness on the subject. People were finally aware of the consequences of participating in music piracy and that anyone can be caught and anyone can pay the penalties. The month of February has always been famous for its unique commercials but in 2004 Pepsi aired a commercial that became more memorable then any other commercial. This ad featured about twenty teens who were recently sued by the RIAA for music piracy. The commercial was a clever way for Pepsi to advertise its product while also supporting buying music online, rather then downloading it illegally. Pepsi along with iTunes used the recent lawsuit to promote legally downloading music off of iTunes using Pepsi products as credit towards a song. According to Mitch Bainwol, the RIAA chairman, This ad shows how everything has changed. Legal downloading is great because fans are supporting the future of creative work in America. Each teen was fined $3,000 for their actions but were able to use their Pepsi commercial fees to help pay it off (Howard, 2004). Some people question whether or not these kids learned their lesson or if being featured in a commercial only reinforced their action s. Annie Leith, one of the many teens sued by the RIAA, claimed that although she is excited to appear in a commercial, she no longer makes unauthorized downloads (Howard, 2004). â€Å"Music piracy is a delinquent form of behavior that has some negative consequences for the recording industry† (D’Astous, Colbert, Montpetit, 2005). The popularity of music downloading has been causing many problems in the music industry. People don’t realize that with every song they download illegally the music industry is hurt financially. The outbreak of music piracy is costing the music industry over 300 million dollars a year (RIAA, 2003). Not only is it costing the music industry money, but it is also costing the United States a lot of jobs. In the past three years alone, more than 900 record stores have been forced to close their doors causing many people to lose their jobs. Among there stores includes the famous Tower Records. In August of 2006, Tower Records was forced to file for bankruptcy causing them to sell their company, shut down all their stores and let go of more than 3,000 workers. This big fiasco was caused by the big decline in music sales due to an increase in downloads of online music and an increase in competition from discount retailers (Schepp, 2006). If piracy continues, it just might have a fatal effect on the music industry. It is up to society to stop piracy now before it becomes too late. Logic says that if music is available for free, no one will pay money for it and if no one is purchasing music, artists and producers will stop creating it (Condry, 2004). While the word piracy has a negative connotation is hasn’t always had negative results. According to Time magazine’s Lev Grossman, â€Å"Sure, O.K., I ripped the audio of the Shins Phantom Limb off a YouTube video. But on the strength of that minor copyright atrocity, I legally bought two complete Shins albums and shelled out for a Shins concert† (2007). Pirated music has benefited the music industry by serving as a means for advertising and promoting. There isn’t that much of a difference between pirated music and music on the radio. Pirated music has also be credited in the rise and popularity of mp3 players. â€Å"Thirty-one percent of those with household incomes over 50,000 (18 percent $75,000+; and 13 percent $50,000 to $75,000) own the devices. In households with annual incomes under $50,000, only 16 percent (9 percent $30,000-$50,000; 7 percent under $30,000) have an MP3/iPod player† (Kerner, 2005). But the question advocates raise is does this make music pirating any more legal or even moral? And the answer is very simple, no. For many years, two opposing sides have been in a continuous battle. The RIAA has been a major part of the fight against music piracy. They are working alongside federal, state and local law-enforcers to stop music pirates and their operations. The RIAA takes their work very seriously and have been very successful, convicting hundreds of music pirates every year. Metallica, a popular rock band, is well known for suing Napster, one of the biggest piracy websites. Their main goal was to put it out of business for good. Other musicians and bands such as Alanis Morisette, Christina Aguilera, Blink-182, Limp Bizkit and Dr. Dre, have also taken a stance against piracy by forming a group called Artists Against Piracy in order to educate their fans and give artists a powerful voice in the debate over technology and music (RIAA, 2003). The Internet offers music lovers virtually limitless possibilities. Digital technology brings music to a wider public, affords niche artists access to their audiences, makes our vast musical heritage widely available, and distributes old, new and unusual music at affordable prices. Unfortunately, the Internet also gives music pirates a new weapon (RIAA, 2003). Music piracy has been an issue that society has been dealing with for many years. Online music piracy, however, is a relatively new phenomenon. Times have changed and we are now living in an era of advanced technology. There has been a boost in the popularity of mp3 players, cell phones and broadband internet and a major decrease in the demand for physical media. Online services are the future of the music industry and may one day replace physical media forever (Cohen, 2003, p1). The RIAA is not only trying to stop music piracy occurring today, but they are also trying to prevent it from happening in the future. Their force of attack is to combine education, innovation, and enforcement. They believe that educating our youth about what is legal and what is illegal will help prevent piracy in the future. The RIAA is also trying to do all this while still embracing digital technology. Legitimate online music is becoming more and more available. Sites, such as iTunes, Rhapsody and Yahoo Music Unlimited, are being set up to offer people digital music at affordable prices. These sites allow people to obtain the music they want while still supporting the artists they love (RIAA, 2003). The opportunities offered by digital technology and the internet are endless. The internet is a powerful source that needs to be used wisely and with caution. The goal is to make the internet a place to nurture and embrace digital technology, and that can’t happen unless artist and record company rights are respected. Piracy is not just an issue that the United States has to deal with. Many countries around the world have been fighting their own battles against piracy too. There is a surplus of pirated music and DVDs circulating around developing countries. This is due mainly to the fact that citizens of those countries can’t afford the regular priced merchandise. In April of 2007, Brazilian police confiscated around 30,000 pirated CDs and DVDs and 200 burners (Cheng, 2007). European countries have also been places known for piracy. In 2004, Europe endured hundreds of lawsuits. But not all countries are against piracy. Japan is known for its promotion of copyright infringement because they feel it is more beneficial then harmful (Condry, 2004). Although the battle is not yet won, the music industry continues to fight for their rights and will never back down. Their goal is simple; to facilitate an environment that uses technology to open up new opportunities, while at the same time protecting the rights of artists and copyright owners (RIAA, 2003). This can only be possible with the help and cooperation of our society. In the end, it is up to society as a whole to come to the realization of what is right and what is wrong. They need to take it upon themselves to respect the rights of the artists by refusing to aid illegal websites. They need to realize that their actions come with consequences and be prepared to face these consequences. With knowledge comes understanding, and with understanding comes the power to make a difference and everyone can make a difference in the fight against music piracy. Research Papers on Music Piracy, P2P Networks, and File-Sharing - Why It is WrongHip-Hop is ArtWhere Wild and West MeetCapital PunishmentThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementTwilight of the UAWInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesPersonal Experience with Teen Pregnancy

Biography of Calamity Jane, Wild West Figure

Biography of Calamity Jane, Wild West Figure Calamity Jane (born Martha Jane Cannary;  1852–August 1, 1903) was a controversial figure in the Wild West whose adventures and exploits are shrouded in mystery, legend, and self-promotion. She is known to have dressed and worked as a man, to have been a hard drinker, and to been skilled with guns and horses. The details of her life are mostly unproven, given the amount of fabrication and hearsay that inform her story. Fast Facts: Calamity Jane Known For:  Hard living and drinking; legendary skill with horses and gunsAlso Known As:  Martha Jane Cannary BurkeBorn:  1852 in Princeton, MissouriParents: Charlotte and Robert Cannary or CanaryDied:  August 1, 1903 in Terry, South DakotaPublished Works:  Life and Adventures of Calamity Jane by HerselfSpouse(s): Undocumented spouses, Clinton Burke, Wild Bill Hickok; documented spouse, William P. SteersChildren: Possibly two daughtersNotable Quote: By the time we reached Virginia City I was considered a remarkable good shot and a fearless rider for a girl of my age. Early Life Calamity Jane was born  Martha Jane Cannary  around 1852 in Princeton, Missouri- although she sometimes claimed Illinois or Wyoming as her birthplace. She was the oldest of five siblings. Her father Robert Cannary (or Canary) was a farmer who took the family to Montana during an 1865 Gold Rush. Jane relayed the story of their journey in her later biography with considerable relish, describing how she hunted with the men and learned to drive the wagons herself. Her mother Charlotte died the year after their move and the family then moved to Salt Lake City. Her father died the following year. Wyoming After the death of her parents, young Jane moved to Wyoming and began her independent adventures, moving around mining towns and railroad camps and the occasional military fort. Far from the ideal of the delicate Victorian woman, Jane often wore mens clothes. She eked out a living doing menial jobs, some of which were jobs usually reserved for men. She is known to have worked on the railroad and as a mule skinner. She worked as a laundress and waitress and may have also worked occasionally as a sex worker. Some legends say that she disguised herself as a man to accompany soldiers as a scout on expeditions, including the 1875 expedition of General George Crook against the Lakota. She developed a reputation for hanging out with the miners, railroad workers, and soldiers- enjoying heavy drinking with them. She was arrested, with some frequency, for  drunkenness and disturbing the peace. Deadwood Dakota Jane spent many years of her life in the boomtown of Deadwood, Dakota, including during the Black Hills gold rush of 1876. She claims to have known James Hickok, known as Wild Bill Hickok, and she is thought to have traveled with him for several years.  After his August  1876 murder, she further claimed that they had been married and that he was the father of her child. (If said child had actually existed, he or she was said to have been born September 25, 1873, and given up for adoption at a South Dakota Catholic school.)  Historians do not accept that either the marriage or the child existed. A diary supposedly by Jane that documented the marriage and child has been demonstrated to be fraudulent. In 1877 and 1878, Edward L. Wheeler featured Calamity Jane in his popular Western dime novels, adding to her reputation. She became something of a local legend at this time because of her many eccentricities. Calamity Jane gained admiration when she nursed victims of a smallpox epidemic in 1878, also dressed as a man. Possible Marriage In her autobiography,  Calamity Jane said that she had married Clinton Burke in 1885 and that  they  lived together for at least six years. Again, the marriage is not documented and historians doubt its existence.  She used the name Burke in later years. A woman later claimed to have been a daughter of that marriage but may have been Janes by some other man or Burkes by another woman. When and why Clinton Burke left  Janes life is not known. Later Years and Fame In her later years, Calamity Jane appeared in Wild West shows, including the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show, around the country, featuring her riding and shooting skills. Some historians dispute whether she was indeed in this show. In 1887, Mrs. William Loring wrote a novel named  Calamity Jane. The stories in this and other fiction about Jane were often conflated with her actual life experiences, magnifying her legend. Jane  published her autobiography in 1896,  Life and Adventures of Calamity Jane by Herself,  to cash in on her own fame, and much of it is quite clearly fictional or exaggerated.  In 1899, she lived in Deadwood again, supposedly raising money for her daughters education.  She appeared at the Buffalo, New York, Pan-American Exposition in 1901, in exhibitions and shows. Death Janes chronic drunkenness and fighting caused her to be fired in 1901 from the Exposition and she retired to Deadwood. She died in a hotel in nearby Terry  in 1903.  Different sources give different causes of death:  pneumonia, inflammation of the bowels, or alcoholism. Calamity Jane was buried next to Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwoods Mount Mariah Cemetery.  Because of her notoriety, her funeral was large. Legacy The legend of Calamity Jane, markswoman, horsewoman, drinker, and performer, continues in movies, books, and television Westerns. How did Jane get the moniker Calamity Jane? Many answers have been offered by historians and storytellers. Calamity, some say, is what Jane would threaten to any man who bothered her. She also claimed the name was given to her because she was good to have around in a calamity, such as the smallpox epidemic of 1878. Maybe the name was a description of a very hard and tough life.  Like much in her life, its simply not certain. Sources Calamity Jane. Life and Adventures of Calamity Jane by Herself. Ye Galleon Press, 1979.â€Å"Calamity Jane: Exposed.†Ã‚  True West Magazine, 21 Aug. 2015.â€Å"Encyclopedia of the Great Plains.†Ã‚  Encyclopedia of the Great Plains | CALAMITY JANE (1856-1903).

Religion and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religion and Culture - Essay Example Some terminology can be vague and interpretation is difficult. Even the â€Å"theology† in today’s world has a different meaning which makes understanding a little confusing. The process of comparison raises any theoretical and methodological complexities and can bring wrong conclusions. There also can be influence of one tradition upon the other. Some rituals and customs are poorly studied hence interpretation can be vague. 3. According to Erdel, all the Christians throughout the world accepts Jesus as the Son of God and messiah. They believe that the Bible is the word of God and follow it as a Holy text. All the Christians accept the spirituality of Church and religious leaders related to it. 4. The Hebrew Bible which is the â€Å" Old Testament† talks mainly about creation of Earth and Commandments of God. It has Moses as the messenger of God and has five commandments. Whereas in the Bible, that is the New Testament the details from the birth of Jesus is vividly explained and he is treated as â€Å"Son of God† and as God himself. The Ten Commandments are taken with divine value and the Christian Bible has both Hebrew biblical information and Jesus divine life history. In the Quran, the creation and God has been mentioned and Jesus is considered as a Prophet but Mohammed is the last messenger send by God. 5. When the Christianity encountered with modernity, the people start to become more subtle in their beliefs and started to abandon many outer layers of the religions. Many customs and rituals were avoided and only idealistic ones were adopted like baptism, Sunday communion, funeral rituals and wedding rituals. It was more of a practical way of seeing religion and people included the religious values in areas which it was needed. There was more of logical understanding about God and life. As per (Muether, 1999) â€Å"Christian theology may not be directly compromised by the encounter with modernity, but under its influence the practice of the church is

The System of Care for Individuals With a Stroke Research Paper

The System of Care for Individuals With a Stroke - Research Paper Example The research design selected by the researchers is appropriate to answer the research question because they collected first-hand information from the patients when they visit the clinic; hence, not relying on the distorted information.The target population has been specified to include 213 patients from different races and walks of life or people who have different social, cultural and economic background. The eligibility criteria have not been clearly stipulated, but the study indicates that the sample taken is representative of the people who visit the clinic and is suffering from a stroke (Moorley et al. 2014). The type of sampling type that was used in the study was absence/presence sampling plan. The key attributes of the sample are that all the patients suffer from stroke. Secondly, the patients use the similar hospital for treatments.The data in this research was gathered using a survey research where a study of 213 people was conducted on their recovery process of stroke, esp ecially depending on different races (Torbey & Selim, 2013).The authors concluded that Demographic profiling indicated the prevalence of stroke. Additionally, the researchers recommended that attendance figures reflected that people who are at-risk are those in the inner city and the findings from the research can be applied to the similar inner-city populations. The author’s implication for the practice is that people who suffer from stroke do not get the nursing care they deserve because people lack the understanding of the effects of the disease on the individuals social and psychological effects.3. In case a program was introduced to help patients suffering from stroke would the families accept to take their sick family members to such institution without feeling as if they were being neglected?

Cost Estimation Plan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Cost Estimation Plan - Coursework Example According to the agreement, these operations will be transferred to government. Approach road to this tunnel is shared with that of Sydney Harbour Bridge. The SHT is 2.3 kilo meters long with only 1 kilometer of the tunnel being under the Sydney Harbour. There are total 4 sections in the tunnel; two on the North of the Sydney Harbour and the other two on its Southern side. The two land tunnels on the North side have a length of 1 kilometer each and those on the Southern side have a length of half kilometer each. The four units are joined by means of eight solid concrete blocks. There are two carriage ways in SHT, each having two traffic lanes. This tunnel is one of the largest tunnels in Australia and therefore, has much importance. The project for construction of the SHT can be considered as one of its own nature as there are certain outcomes observed which have raised questions about the project. One such important issue is the fact that the project Sydney Harbour Tunnel was a PPP in which the private partner bore higher portion of risk as compared to that of public partner, or to be more precise, in this case government of Australia. In the next section of this essay we will focus on the various assumptions made during the cost estimation of the STH plan. Various approaches towards the cost estimation of mega infrastructural projects and their application to the Sydney Harbour Tunnel Project will follow the assumptions. A cost-benefit analysis of the project is given and conclusion is drawn on the basis of all the discussion. To start the discussion about cot estimation of STH, let us first discuss some of the major assumptions made during the financial planning stages of the project. Given are some of the basic facts and figures about Sydney Harbour Tunnel: 2.0 Looking into The Finances and Economics of Sydney Harbour Tunnel Sydney Harbour Tunnel was built on the principle of 'BOT,' i.e., Build, Operate and Transfer. There were a number of financial advisors involved in economic and financial analysis of the project. A combination of analysis techniques were used by these consultants and a unified statement as a result of the analyses was given by the Auditor General NSW in 1994.It was stated that the project was viable and beneficial on financial, economic and environmental basis. The tunnel was reported to be justified on the basis of factors like travel time, air quality, economics of the project and the quality of travel with special reference to air quality. However, it was mentioned in the later parts of the report that technical deficiencies and constraints may affect some of the outcomes o the project. These assumptions are addressed in the very next section of the essay with their detailed analysis and how it influenced the overall functioning of the tunnel from the start up to the date. The estimated cost for the construction of the tunnel was reported to be 3.8 million Australian Dollars. These funds were generated from three different sources. The first tool used was the issuance of inflation-index bonds of maturity 30 years to raise a capital of AU $ 486. The second

Strategy, Policy and Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Strategy, Policy and Law - Essay Example In last year November, President Obama placed an executive order that cautioned more than 4 million illegal immigrants from deportation. In addition, the order gave them the right to work in the US as long as they have children who are citizens. The order also extended the Obama’s 2012 DACA program that gave temporary work permits and legal status to undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children (Leinwand & Kelly, 2015). According to a Fugate, a FEMA administrator, the standoff over the funding is derailing the operation of DHS’s agencies. DHS might be shut down if there will be no budget in place before the February 27 deadline. An agency such as FEMA will halt its grants program that aids local governments and states pay for emergency programs and operations personnel. DHS might also be forced to lay off some of its employees in the same way it did in October 2013. If that happens, some of the crucial services people get will come to an end. The country will be at a compromised position to provide proof against external aggression (Leinwand & Kelly, 2015). Leinwand, D., & Kelly, E. (2015, February 6). Fugate: FEMA mission compromised by fight over budget. Retrieved February 11, 2015, from

Cluster- Biofuels in Colombia of issues and Recommendation Essay

Cluster- Biofuels in Colombia of issues and Recommendation - Essay Example While biofuel is not that clean as a source of energy, it can be readily produced in many areas with the right ingredients. In South America and Caribbean countries, Columbia is among the major producers of biofuel, but falls behind Argentina, Brazil, and Chile (Kyritsis 2001). Therefore, the biofuel industry continues to develop and become internationally competitive, though there are issues towards global competitiveness as discussed below. To analyze the issues in biofuel industry in Columbia, key lessons have been drawn from Michael Porter’s Cluster Diamond Model for analyzing competitiveness of industries or countries. According to Porter, there are four determinants of competiveness. One is a factor condition that involves analysis of a cluster’s factors of production and underlying natural resources. Two, demand conditions at home for the products and services with focus on sophistication and bargaining power of the buyers. Three, availability of related and supp orting industries that are globally competitive for a cluster to enjoy economies of scale. Four, firm strategy, structures and rivalry, and how it impacts on the overall competiveness of firms. More often, the influence of government in providing an enabling business environment is often added to this diamond (Rugman, 1996). The cluster competiveness analysis will be carried out along the five main factors. Assessment of supply factors in biofuel in Colombia shows that the country just like Guatemala has available residue for biofuel production (Kyritsis 2001). Bagasse mainly from sugarcane is available in large quantities to support mass production of bio-ethanol and biomass power production. Availability of farm land and plenty of feed stock due to large sugarcane production provides the necessary raw materials for production of biofuel. In addition, sugarcane factories and farms are concentrated within short distances meaning that cost of sourcing raw materials for biofuel produc tion is lower, making the commodity more competitive than fossil fuel. Support from sugarcane industries has helped independent biofuel producers. Availability of skilled manpower and research institutions is also a major boost as new methods and techniques keep on being generated. For example, improved production technologies have helped to increase efficiency in biomass conversion into ethanol and power generation in most factories across Colombia. Demand for biofuel in Columbia has continued to rise due to its wide applications in motor fuel. Analysts view the industry as perfectly elastic, with possibilities of growing bigger, given that only a small percentage of the fuel is being produced currently (Vertes et al., 2011). Competition from fossil fuel will also determine its growth trajectory; hikes in fuel prices will propel demand for biofuel and vice versa. The increased demand will trigger demand for corn, leading to an increase in corn prices. This move is expected to make biofuel producers to continue producing as long as they can make normal profit. Energy needs in transport related technologies have fuelled demand for biofuel, which has ended up attracting investments within and from outside the country. However, market analysts view the drive towards biofuel production as being politically motivated than being driven by market forces. Countries are seeking energy sovereignty to be in some control over energy prices. However, in either way, demand has

Organizations Going Through Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizations Going Through Change - Essay Example After forming the new organization comprising of 70 people, the next step was to develop links with communities, they include in-house community, technical community, platform community, and portal community (Kodama, 2003). The company employed three strategies simultaneously to deal with other communities. Adding to these three strategies the company used time pacing strategy that involved developing public relations, and advertising its services. Another aspect of the company’s new organization was Entrepreneurial strategy that offered a motivation for the employees to put in their maximum and take the company’s new venture to next level. GBD was formed by Mr. Oboshi for handling i-mode or mobile internet, this individual organization was very small in size compared to the traditional organization that comprised of over 10,000 employees. GBD relied heavily on the traditional organization for investment and support. However, GBD’s strategy was entirely different from its parent company’s strategy. GBD relied on time-pacing, which meant continuous change and less time for adaptation. GBD could have used event based pacing like its parent company. Further time-pacing strategy also creates intra-organization pressure within the team members, and adds stress which can spoil the organizational harmony, and create hindrances for

Cluster- Biofuels in Colombia of issues and Recommendation Essay

Cluster- Biofuels in Colombia of issues and Recommendation - Essay Example While biofuel is not that clean as a source of energy, it can be readily produced in many areas with the right ingredients. In South America and Caribbean countries, Columbia is among the major producers of biofuel, but falls behind Argentina, Brazil, and Chile (Kyritsis 2001). Therefore, the biofuel industry continues to develop and become internationally competitive, though there are issues towards global competitiveness as discussed below. To analyze the issues in biofuel industry in Columbia, key lessons have been drawn from Michael Porter’s Cluster Diamond Model for analyzing competitiveness of industries or countries. According to Porter, there are four determinants of competiveness. One is a factor condition that involves analysis of a cluster’s factors of production and underlying natural resources. Two, demand conditions at home for the products and services with focus on sophistication and bargaining power of the buyers. Three, availability of related and supp orting industries that are globally competitive for a cluster to enjoy economies of scale. Four, firm strategy, structures and rivalry, and how it impacts on the overall competiveness of firms. More often, the influence of government in providing an enabling business environment is often added to this diamond (Rugman, 1996). The cluster competiveness analysis will be carried out along the five main factors. Assessment of supply factors in biofuel in Colombia shows that the country just like Guatemala has available residue for biofuel production (Kyritsis 2001). Bagasse mainly from sugarcane is available in large quantities to support mass production of bio-ethanol and biomass power production. Availability of farm land and plenty of feed stock due to large sugarcane production provides the necessary raw materials for production of biofuel. In addition, sugarcane factories and farms are concentrated within short distances meaning that cost of sourcing raw materials for biofuel produc tion is lower, making the commodity more competitive than fossil fuel. Support from sugarcane industries has helped independent biofuel producers. Availability of skilled manpower and research institutions is also a major boost as new methods and techniques keep on being generated. For example, improved production technologies have helped to increase efficiency in biomass conversion into ethanol and power generation in most factories across Colombia. Demand for biofuel in Columbia has continued to rise due to its wide applications in motor fuel. Analysts view the industry as perfectly elastic, with possibilities of growing bigger, given that only a small percentage of the fuel is being produced currently (Vertes et al., 2011). Competition from fossil fuel will also determine its growth trajectory; hikes in fuel prices will propel demand for biofuel and vice versa. The increased demand will trigger demand for corn, leading to an increase in corn prices. This move is expected to make biofuel producers to continue producing as long as they can make normal profit. Energy needs in transport related technologies have fuelled demand for biofuel, which has ended up attracting investments within and from outside the country. However, market analysts view the drive towards biofuel production as being politically motivated than being driven by market forces. Countries are seeking energy sovereignty to be in some control over energy prices. However, in either way, demand has