Human Morality Essay

A common question throughout history has always been about human morality. Because of our higher thinking capacity, we are hardwired to adapt and refine our basic instincts to survive; therefore, it is obvious this question would be disputed throughout time. Are humans innately good, bad, or plainly neutral? The position that any one person takes may be derived from any number of ideas, be them philosophical thoughts or scientific inquiries. This essay asserts that morality is innate, and uses both scientific studies and ideas from philosophers to support this argument. Man is essentially good, and the different ways people are nurtured—from societal influences to parental influences—creates the large spectrum and variety of behavior that may not be deemed â€Å"good† or â€Å"moral. † The magazine Smithsonian published an article named â€Å"Born to Be Mild† in January of 2013 on morality in young children. This article wrote about a few different studies done on children by three different experimenters. In one of the studies titled â€Å"Spontaneous Altruism by Chimpanzees and Young Children,† Felix Warneken tested the morality of humans through young babies (because they have had little to no socialization) and also tested morality of chimpanzees, the closest relative to humans. In this study, 18-month-old toddlers were tested to see if they would help others in need by retrieving a dropped item that an adult struggled for. In almost all instances, the child returned the item. Warneken stated, â€Å"[Helping at that age] is not something that’s been trained, and [the children] come to help without prompting or without being rewarded† (Tucker 39). Not only did the toddlers help people in need, they also helped without social cues (such as the distress someone in need has). Many toddlers in the experiment Warneken created helped retrieve a can that had fallen off a table next to an adult and the adult failed to realize something was amiss. When Warneken tested the chimpanzees to see if they would return the same answers, he tested chimpanzees that were nursery-raised and semi-wild chimps. Both tests displayed the same results as the tests on the toddlers—chimpanzees were willing to help both humans and other chimps in need with no reward for themselves (Tucker 39-41). The fact that most of the toddlers and human relatives, the chimpanzees, helped others in need both with and without social cues strongly points to the idea that human morality is innate. A second study highlighted in the Smithsonian article was a reproduction of a previous study from the mid-2000s. The original study was an animated presentation shown to six to ten month old babies in one group and three month old babies in a second. The animated presentation consisted of a red circle attempted to climb a hill. In one instance, a triangle helped the circle climb, and in another, a square knocked the circle down. When the square and triangle were presented to the older group of babies, almost all babies chose the helping triangle over the hindering square. For the younger group, the researchers tracked the eye movement of the babies to either the triangle or square, because the babies could not physically grab the object. In the reproduction, done by another experimenter, the results were the same. Once again, evidence suggests that because babies seem so morally good, humans are innately good, and it is the nurture we receive as we are socialized into this culture that may cause some people to seem morally corrupt (Tucker 38-39). It should be noted that because the reproduction provided the same results as the original study, an even stronger case was created for the idea of innate human morality. The messages that Machiavelli gives in â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince† may cause one to believe that humans are innately evil because through â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince,† Machiavelli details how to be cunning, take control, and maintain control as a ruler of a province. His teachings seem to create humans as greedy people, hungry for more. This is actually very incorrect. Machiavelli clearly states, â€Å"it is necessary for a prince†¦to learn how to not be good† (42). I emphasize that Machiavelli wrote a man must learn to not be good. One can assume from this that Machiavelli is saying man is at least in some degree, wholesome and moral. After all, humans were never meant to civilize and evolve. We are, in true form, animals that have an instinct to survive. Ruling and gaining power is a man-made idea. Opponents to the idea that humans are moral might suggest that if ruling is man-made, evil is already within us because we created the concept of ruling others; however, if man were truly evil, he would not take murder as a heavy offense, and would kill others in his way to get what he wants instead of just gaining control. The examples of rulers that Machiavelli writes help to reiterate this point. These men were not born thinking of war and control. They were raised and socialized to lead and gain power. Steinbeck and the messages he delivers in The Grapes of Wrath also point to the idea that human morality is innate. The author often writes of the distinct line of those with, and those without—in other words, the owners and the migrants or farmers. Steinbeck makes a point to write about how close-knit the migrants are in many instances. Steinbeck writes â€Å"‘I lost my land’ is changed†¦[to] ‘We lost our land. ’,† ‘I have a little food’ plus ‘I have none’†¦. is ‘We have a little food’† (151); â€Å"the twenty families became one family† (193); and â€Å"when a baby dies a pile of silver coins grew at the door flap† (195). All of these quotes show the goodness in others, to do something for someone in need. This is all in contrast to the owners, which on multiple different pages Steinbeck writes how disconnected they are from the land, and â€Å"the quality of owning freezes you forever into ‘I’† (Steinbeck 152). These owners are so encompassed by the material culture around them, by the greed and the blanketed reality that they cannot see with a moral compass anymore. Of course they have one, for at one point they might have been like the farmers, caring for others and instituted into the â€Å"we† group. Proponents for human neutrality might argue that the owners were never at any point good, that they were neutral and socialized into the owning culture, unlike the farming culture. This is not the case, however, through a passage that Steinbeck wrote very early in The Grapes of Wrath, which said, â€Å"Some of the owner men were kind because they hated what they had to do, and some of them were angry because they hated to be cruel, and some of them were cold because they had long ago found that one could not be an owner unless one were cold† (31). This insinuates that in all types of owners, there is a moral compass. Even in the coldest owners, deep within them, they acknowledge the idea that the work they do is wrong. Because the owners know what is wrong, they know the opposite as well—what is right. If the owners were not innately good, their views on what is right or wrong would be skewed by their societal influences. While people will never give up the argument of human morality, it is a safe bet to argue that humans are innately good. We possess the ability to help spontaneously and without reward, as shown in the scientific studies, and we understand what is right and wrong. Our societal influences and the way we were raised affects if we will channel our morality or go against it, as shown by Machiavelli in â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince† and by Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath. Works Cited Machiavelli, Niccolo. â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince. † A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee Jacobus. 8th e. Boston: Bedford, 2010. Print. Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 1939. Print. Tucker, Abigail. â€Å"Born to Be Mild. † Smithsonian Jan. 2013: 35-41, 76-77. Print.

Attitude, Legislation, and Litigation Essay

In the past the Special Education has overcome some challenges and length. The laws and rules made it potential for all special needs to have an education and to be treated fairly like everyone else. The special needs are human beings just like any other person and they need to have the same opportunities and equality in today’s society. Attitude Over the years the attitude towards the intellectual disabilities has been poorly repulsive and prejudice. Connecticut 1650 code was a law where the special needs get sterilization and can no longer reproduce. Hitler also eradicated the special needs, because he saw them as being weak to his supreme race. The people were afraid of the special needs because they did not fit into the normal society. In the coming years the attitudes slowly change and special needs are becoming more accepted into society. The laws and rules will soon open up people minds and eyes to change their attitude towards the special needs. â€Å"Furthermore, the stigma and discrimination commonly experienced by individuals with intellectual disability are not only a barrier to effective integration but also result in reduced self-esteem and feelings of isolation† (Ouellette-Kuntz, Burge, Brown, Arsenault, 2010, pg. 132). Legislation and Litigation Litigation has made a huge impact on the Special Education. The IDEA and the NCLB has changed the education for the special needs to allow the students into the school to learn and have the same education values as other students. The special needs students were not permitted to go to school and people were afraid of them or they might get the same disabilities of what they had. The Legislation brought up laws to protect the special needs and  to have them to go to school along with the general education. The Legislation also ensures the NCLB that all the students and teachers meet their requirement goals and given assessments for students for their grade levels. The IEP (Individualized Education Plan) benefit the teachers to keep track or their students’ progress and contains information on how well they are learning. â€Å"It is critical that IEP teams carefully consider the implications of choosing an alternative assessment as it may lead to an alternative diploma or certificate and may influence the kinds of jobs and postsecondary options available to the student† (Bowen, Rude, 2005, pg.27). Legislation made a wave for the Special Education and continues to put new laws in to the school systems to provide resources and materials for the students who have disabilities. Challenges There are some challenges that the educators are facing, where they have to make sure their students are passing and they have to follow the NCLB act. The resources and funds are being cut in the education departments and it is making it uneasy for the special needs those essential materials in order to learn. In some school district it is affecting their students to progress and the teacher’s accountability to provide the materials to the lesson plans. The teachers are facing hard times if their students are not passing because of budget cuts and spending. Predictions Student with disabilities are still being encourage to believe that there is still expectation for them to succeed. Students with mild disabilities are in the regular education classroom and learning the same materials other students are learning. In the future Special Education will thrive for the best, because there will be more voices and concern for the privileges of educations. The students will also be allow to have more choices for their education and hopefully the budget and spending will be prosperous for more resources and supplies to give out to the Special needs. Personal Encounter My first encounter with a person with disabilities, I was thinking â€Å"What happen to them, or why do they behave like that?† I would think will that ever happen to me? I also spectacle why do they attend the same school I go to. I started to run out of questions and answer and that’s when I asked my  mother who is a Special Education teacher and she told me â€Å"People with disabilities have the same equal rights and opportunities as other people do and they are human beings just like us.† That day on I change my who perspective view on people with disabilities. Conclusion The Special Education teachers are willing to take on challenges and roles to support their students to achieve. The laws and regulation are pushing it ways through the doors and allowing benefits, and educational plans for the special needs. The parents, teachers, and communities are the voices that will provide better treatment and exceptional tools to better the educational needs for the students. References Ouellette-Kuntz, H., Burge, P., Brown, H. K., & Arsenault, E. (2010). Public Attitudes Towards Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities as Measured by the Concept of Social Distance. Journal Of Applied Research In Intellectual Disabilities, 23(2), 132-142. doi:10.1111/j.1468-3148.2009.00514.x Bowen, S. K., & Rude, H. A. (2006). Assessment and Students with Disabilities: Issues and Challenges with Educational Reform. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 25(3), 24-30.

Management Theory & Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management Theory & Practice - Essay Example Organizations as well as managers are often confronted with highly dynamic and multifaceted operating environments. These challenges may include a range of factors such as sudden change in technologies, making the existing ones obsolete; or the launch of new innovative product ideas; or the change in customer’s tastes and preferences on account of change in the external global environment. While on one hand, organizations and managers, congregate with the markets in which they operate, to deal with such revolutionary transformations, there is on the other hand, an increasing sense of realization which indicates the need for adoption of a holistic approach for marketing of their products in order to cope with the market demand. All this combined with the universal capability to imitate both hard as well as soft innovations within the rapidly shrink time frame, places the ability of effectively adapting to the changing market demands, at the top of the â€Å"must have core comp etencies list†. The 21st century internet age which is ably sustained by a well integrated business infrastructure for marketing of their products, complete with state of the art technologies and an effective supply chain network, change is here to stay. This new â€Å"e-world† in the electronic age, is highly fragile which has no place for preset plans, or predefined change management techniques, and wherein age old conventions and set rules are continuously being challenged and threatened. It is hence imperative for organizations to adapt themselves to the dynamic external environment in order to sustain their competitive positioning in the industry and retain their hold on the markets as well as their consumers. Although almost all organizations have a proactive approach towards change, with detailed and precise mission and vision statements and future goals that determine their prospective aims, these organizations often react on the basis of the

Psychology of Diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Psychology of Diversity - Essay Example Illinois law severely restricted African-Americans rights and liberties. This law demanded that all African-Americans settling in the state to produce a certificate of freedom. Blacks found without certificates were to be advertised in newspapers and hired out for a year. Free blacks could not testify against whites in court. Amidst of all such human right violations, some of the blacks found ways to make their marks in Illinois by acquiring land. The life of black women was doubly burdened by their race and their sex. Free blacks, who purchased their freedom from their masters, began to found new organizations and they joined hands with white abolitionists in the fight against slavery. But even those white abolitionists discriminated them from such activities. The blacks were tortured not only physically but mentally as well by publishing cruel cartoons describing the physical features of the blacks. Despite these considerable handicaps, African-Americans became the most significant Americans by the 1850s. The white American political system, that had so effectively marginalized them found itself quite unable to resolve the question of blacks political, social, and economic standing. The result was Civil War. The actions of President James Buchanan and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Roger Taney to establish white supremacy and were brought immense protests from the blacks, and brought leaders like Abraham Lincoln into action. Lincoln, despite his reservations about the workings of immediate black social equality and other concessions to American societys prevailing racial prejudice, boldly argued that blacks, as much as whites, deserved the Declaration of Independences fundamental freedoms of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness†, which led to the Civil War and catapulted Abraham Lincoln from relative obscurity to the Presidents chair in 1861. (Drew E. VandeCre ek, Ph.D) In this article the author has concentrated more on the slavery existed

An improvement Approach to Quality Education In the United States of Research Proposal

An improvement Approach to Quality Education In the United States of America - Research Proposal Example This essay declares that the common aim of the entire US educational system must be established as the Deming philosophy applied to education suggests that each school in its educational setting is a component of the whole educational system in America and each school is obligated to accomplish the overall aim of the system, rather than focusing exclusively on maximizing its own performance. Otherwise, the effort among schools will be fragmented and the system will be sub-optimized; each and every school must exist to accomplish the common aim – to educate students to be equal American citizens, equal not only in political or social rights but also in educationally determined abilities to be both self-supporting and contributing American citizens. This paper makes a conclusion that the Japanese system did not develop without drawbacks or flaws that have had to be eliminated as the country became able to afford the solutions economically. Nevertheless, the emphasis on co-operation at all levels, a necessity within environments having extremely scarce resources, has contributed tremendously to raising the educational standard of the entire population in Japan. Perhaps for the first time in American experience, resources are becoming scarce and encouraging individuality and competition is incompatible with providing quality education at minimum cost; we must re-evaluate co-operation as a most efficient and cost effective approach to providing quality education equally to all students in American state schools.

Identifying and explaining the various types of crime control Essay

Identifying and explaining the various types of crime control strategies in which law enforcement agencies are utilizing today in the United States of America - Essay Example Extreme violence is also an emerging concern as crime advancement (Astorga, Luis and David, pp 56) The international crime has also been reported to be so prevalent. International criminals, borders are not this to be considered, until when it is time to seek a hide out from a criminal act. Substantial amounts of money tend to be passed through international financial systems. The amount of money transferred tends to be so substantial which further undermines the economy of the entire globe as it opens up channels for money laundering. The criminal gangs tend to be very organized in a series of crime businesses which they operate. In addition, they capitalize on the growth in the international communications and transportation, in order to advance their criminal operations, further forming potential alliances (Bush, p.11). On the international scene, international criminal’s corrosive activities of the post-Cold War era are now a threat to all countries and regions alike. In this case, the United States of America is not an exception. The international crime must now be looked at not only as a law enforcement problem or failure, but also as an increasingly formidable threat to both national and international security concern (Koops, Bert-Jaap, et al, 2009, pp.1-24). International crime is a threat to the United States and as a result, the interests that are posed by these international crimes have to be looked at in a three dimensional and interrelated categories. Those categories include threat to the American people and the communities in general, as a threat to the American financial institutions and businesses, finally threat to the international security and stability as a whole. With these three dimensions, the United States law enforcement agencies can then formulate the right strategies in place to make sure that crime is well taken care of in the form of

Essay on Ethics in Technology Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

On Ethics in Technology - Essay Example The software companies purchase these copyrights so that the software cannot be copied anywhere else globally. In any case, if the owner wants duplication of the software then a unique kind of copyright is purchased for the software, which is known as the copy left. It allows duplication within specific regions allowed by the owner. Trade secrecy is another form of software protection, which allows the owner to determine where he is willing to sell his software in the world. There are no rights purchased for this type of ethical measures. One of the major characteristics that differentiate trade secrets from others is utilization of trade secrets by companies when they classify the work that does not fall in existing public domain of information. As for software patents, there is no legal existence because the law cannot define whether a software is genuinely a unique invention or not (Reynolds, 2010). Patents usually are given for a period of twenty years for an invention or creatio n. These are three ways software can be protected and their legal usage i.e., ethical usage be made possible. Technological ethics need to be highlighted on a vast scale as when they are enforced with great force, legal usage of the technology can be achieved on a greater margin. These methods of protecting the technology are common yet need special considerations in their development so that they become a strong force in battling against the unethical usage of technology. Any use of product or service that exploits is considered unethical and which gives rise to ethical perceptions. The technology has enabled us to apply several concepts of ethics by our own selves yet we are unable to define what the exact perimeters of ethical usage in technology are. The copyright act of 1976 proposes five basic rights owned by a copyright owner (Tavani, 2011).These rights describe as to what owner’s obligations are and

Definition of Efficient Market Hypothesis Literature review

Definition of Efficient Market Hypothesis - Literature review Example In the realm of financial markets, the value of information is indispensable. It is through the data that most analysts gain more information regarding the market. Market behavior is generally characterized by the flow of information. Therefore, comprehending the data that comes in and out of the market is vital. Through this information, analysts are able to predict prices and movements in the market. In addition, the data that is observed in the market generate perspectives that allow practitioners to forecast long-term movements in the components of financial markets. Although financial markets are hard to grasp, there are suggestions that such markets function with efficiency. Efficiency, when referred to the market, pertains to the changes in price and exchange between buyers and sellers. Apparently, financial markets are highly valued because investors are more inclined with fast-paced forms of revenue generation. Most important, the efficiency of the market makes decision making less risky and more rewarding. Eugene Fama (1970) was the main innovator of the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH). EMH implies that financial markets are efficient such that the price of assets, stocks, and other securities reflect all information available; thus, provide an unbiased view of investors regarding future prospects. One important aspect that EMH asserts is that it is seemingly impossible to outperform the market through the use of information known to the market. The information as defined by EMH refers to the data that are unpredictable in the present and appears sparingly in the future. EMH is considered as a fundamental component of modern financial economics (Feinstein, 2000). A compelling view of EHM was provided by Bodie et al. (1996) describing it as a result of rigorous underpinning and supported extensive empirical work. Bowman and Buchanan (1995) identified EMH as meticulously formulated. It is clear that the process in supportive concepts for a developed and competitive securities market. Several executives, however, pointed out some inconsistencies with EMH. These arguments are indeed supported by studies involving various subjects. The essence of EMH has embedded on the information associated stocks and the prevailing price associated with these securities. Malkiel (1987) stated that the varying point of views being presented by the buyers and sellers represent all the information and from the pool, relevant data are gathered. Indeed, the price of stocks will be affected by unexpected news, which of course is still unknown to the investors. There is a natural relationship between markets that efficiently provide available information to their role in efficient market distribution (Stiglitz, 1981). Further studies, on the other hand, pointed out that markets that provide efficient information are not required to provide productive efficiency in the economy. Such description supports tendencies when the market is incomplete and information that is considered as differentiated is costly but valuable. It is understandable that some data appear to be useless. But investors have been creative in creating a sense in this information.

Leadership in Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Leadership in Nursing - Essay Example In relation to this essay, leadership has great influence in the field of nursing (Malloch 2013). Leadership in nursing remains unquestionable. It involves critical thinking, advocacy, and all that takes place in nursing practice. It plays a central role in lives of nurses affecting the entire health care organizations. Furthermore, nursing leaders expect credibility, courageousness, and inspiration in innovation and increasing nursing practices (Sullivan 2013). Nursing leadership therefore, is about being competent and engage practices of nurses to provide better care around the legal scope and boundaries of their ethics (Malloch 2013). In addition, leadership in nursing entails innovation and visionary administration from junior to senior nurse officials. Thus, these leaders should understand themselves to help nurses offer services safely, timely and easily to patients. From above arguments, leadership has both positive and negative impacts in nursing. Just to mention but a few, some of the positive impacts include provision of healthful work environment for nurses. There is also development of opportunities due to good leadership. Moreover, leadership in nursing tends to promote good practice environment and safe health facilities (Rigolosi 2013). Although nurses may tend to make judgments of their own to deliver patient’s care, they always operate within a given team framework of a hospital. Leadership that is well developed encourages nurses to prove quality care which enhances outcomes for patients Nursing leaders can also guide conversation for best interest in case there is rise in different opinions. Moreover, leadership provides integration opportunities like skills, which ensure that nursing remains responsive to individual’s requirements on daily basis. In spite of many advantages, leadership also has negative impacts in nursing. Some of which include; nurse

Jackson Pollock and Modern Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Jackson Pollock and Modern Art - Essay Example The essay "Jackson Pollock and Modern Art" explores the art of Jackson Pollock and his impact in the context of Modern Art. He was â€Å"a roughshod, ill-mannered, prodigiously ambitious, aggressive, alcoholic, tormented artist .† This image is important to an interpretation of the apparently chaotic nature of much of Pollock’s works, and the technique that led to them. However, as is often the case with creative artists of all sorts, and particularly painters such as Pollock, there was a method to his madness. As Toynton has pointed out, films of Pollock creating his paintings clearly show that even the most abstract of them start as figurative works and only move into the abstract as they develop.Pollock moved his canvas from the easel to the floor, thus enabling him to work on much larger canvases with greater ease than before, and also to see them from multiple points of view. In one revealing statement he talked about his technique and why he used it: My painting d oes not come from the easel. I hardly ever stretch the canvas before painting. I prefer to tack the unstretched canvas to the hard wall or the floor. I need the resistance of a hard surface. On the floor I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting. It is interesting to note that Pollock takes an intense and yet casual approach to his painting. Thus the fact that he does not go through the often laborious process. of stretching the canvas before painting on it, but rather merely tacking it to a wall or floor illustrates the casual, almost primitive method of preparation. At the same time Pollock becomes more intensely involved with the painting, as if he were actually a part of it: I continue to get further away from the usual painter's tools such as easel, palette, brushes, etc. I prefer sticks, trowels, knives and dripping fluid paint or a heavy impasto with sand, broken glass or other foreign matter added. When I am in my painting, I'm not aware of what I'm doing. It is only after a sort of 'get acquainted' period that I see what I have been about. I have no fear of making changes, destroying the image, etc., because the painting has a life of its own. I try to let it come through. It is only when I lose contact with the painting that the result is a mess. Otherwise there is pure harmony, an easy give and take, and the painting comes out well. (Varnedoe, 23) The idea of being "in" the painting is of course hardly new to Pollock, but the fact that his technique apparently fitted into his emotional and intellectual attachment to the painting is. His physical technique: standing on and thus within the painting, had a profound effect both upon his creations and upon generations of creative artists in general and painters in particular, for years both during and after his lifetime. Pollock hinted, although never explicitly stated, that he was influenced by Native American sand paintings, which are made by trickling thin lines of colored sand onto a flat surface. After WWII, in 1947 Pollock began what he called his "action paintings", which were at least partially informed by the surrealist ideas of "psychic automatism". This automatism was meant to be a direct expression of the unconscious. A direct expression of something which is, by definition, unknowable to the conscious mind might seem a

Grand project on pizza industry Essay Example for Free

Grand project on pizza industry Essay Today, the average American eats 46 slices of pizza per year (about 23 pounds). Buck Jones reports The business is only expected to grow as the industry continues to expand its product base and revenue earnings through imaginative recipes and creative marketing concepts (Jones, 177). Pizza producers are searching for additional pizza products that will appeal to new markets such as the croissant, French bread, and other specialty products showing up today. Most new pizza products are marketed to adult consumers. Adults are targeted because they make up the majority of the lunch crowd and when they take their families out to dinner. Pizza consumption has many different consumers: professional people during lunch, single parent families, two income families, children, high school/college age kids, singles, and more specifically, bachelors. As consumers age, their desire for pizza declines as noted by the survey. Women are generally targeted by pizza chains because they are usually the providers of meals for their families. Currently, pizza carryout represents 46% of all pizza transactions, and home and office delivery account for 26% of delivery. During the week however, Friday through Sunday account for 59% of pizza sales (RI, 88). On average, individual pizza sales are on the rise while the portions sold remain the same. Pizza comes in many different crusts and is sold in the following percentages: regular pizza 56. 8% of pizza sold, deep dish or pan pizza 17. 5%, thick crust 11. 0%, and extra-thin pizza 8. 5%. Overall, beverages were not purchased 52. 9% of the time and carbonated drinks were the majority sold with 31. 1%. Salad bars are surprisingly only seen in 3. 3% of pizza sales. These new products will expand the current pizza markets and increase the average consumption of current pizza users with their new product innovation. Pizza toppings vary geographically based on current trends within a geographic region. Squid is Japans most popular pizza topping and tuna and corn rank high in England followed by Australias affinity for eggs as a pizza topping. The introduction of new pizza toppings has and will continue to be an avenue for increased revenues. Consumers are becoming more drawn to natural ingredients, natural restaurant environments, openness in food preparation, and the need to experience the food ethnically. Presently, newer competitors in the pizza arena are using wood-burning pizza ovens such as Macaroni Bar and Grill, Marios, and Carrabas. Consumers also prefer an open view of the pizza-making process. Pizza consumption has also increased through the distribution of direct mail coupons both locally and globally (RI, 88). These coupons amounted to a 12% increase for pizza chain sales in 1996. Cicis Pizza is presently the pizza segments value leader with their $2. 99 adult buffet ($1. 99 for kids). Many grocery retailers feel inadequately equipped to compete with the major pizza chains and therefore decide to just offer the products demanded. Most retail operators have identified two markets and have created two different product lines for the high quality pizza connoisseur and the price conscious consumer. Another new market in the pizza industry is the selling of raw pizzas. Consumers call in and specify the pizza toppings they wish for their pizza at Papa Murphys. The consumer pays for the convenience of having someone else prepare their pizza and they get to eat it in the privacy of their own home. Future Consumption Trends Consumption is expected to increase in the future due to increases in population and consumers lack of time to prepare their own meals. The pizza industry will continue to expand globally and tap into new pizza markets. This growth will spur on new changes in adapting their pizza product to their environment. Round Table Pizza is the nations fourth largest pizza chain and has 500 restaurants in the Western U. S. and internationally in six Asian countries and the Middle East (Round Table Pizza website. This is a clear example that U. S. companies have great potential in the global market and this can be achieved through adapted or standardized products, depending on the product and its industry. Consumption is also going to move toward more natural, fresh, and healthier pizza products. A shift is under way in the industry away from product novelty to high quality ingredients and an emphasis on taste. Round Table Pizza promotes their Honest Pizza made from dough mixed from scratch, freshly grated cheese, and new sauce. Round Table Pizza also created the Salute Veggie, a pizza piled high with three different cheeses and various vegetables. The Salute Veggie reaches out to the vegetarian consumer who may have previously shied away from the pizza industry due to the meat content. In response to Papa Johns fresher pizza promotions, Pizza Hut has reformulated its entire line, now including more toppings, thicker sauce, and a crunchier crust. Consumption will also increase through the addition of smaller pizza stores/stands that sell pizza by the slice. Although these are smaller sales transactions, they are on the rise as proven by Genuardis Family Market sales, which 75% of its sales are sold by the slice. Smaller Pizza Hut units are being placed inside Stop n Go stores that reach out directly to the consumer on the go. These locations bring the product directly to the consumer they are targeting. On average, there lies the common belief that pizza consumption will increase as a consumer gets married and has children. This is rationalized through decreased time allowed to prepare meals with a family and a desire for easy meals that save time. Another factor is that children on the average like pizza. When an individual thinks of pizza, one conjures up thoughts of a late night at the office, slumber parties, quick lunch meal, pizza parties during the workday in an office, and childrens pizza parlors like Chuck E. Cheese. Pizza generally summons feeling of happiness or fun and is also viewed as a really quick meal. This is a major advantage for pizza chain retailers in that not many foods carry such ideologies or feelings. These connotations generally have to be marketed much like Chuck E. Cheese (fun pizza) or Dominos (quick and delivered to your door). Over the next 5 to 10 years, there will be increases in consumption as a result of more single parent families and two income families. There will be an increase in the amount of women working to support their families and this will add to the need for easy to prepare or fast meals. As single parents continue to work, attend night school, and raise their children they will continue to utilize pizza delivery services to compensate for their lack of time to prepare their children dinner. As the population increases, there will be significant increases in high school and college age kids that order pizza. Another relationship pizza has is with beer. It is very common for students to get their buddies and order pizza to eat while drinking their beer both while studying or partying. Pizza chains should further investigate marketing their products in establishments that serve beer. Retailers could target clubs and sports bars to increase their market share. As consumers go about their daily tasks another market lies in drive-thru pizza restaurants. As people go about their day, pizza chain retailers could better serve some of its customers through drive-thru services. Over time, consumers will remain as busy as they are now and maybe even more so, some consumers could utilize these quick service establishments that allow them to enjoy pizza without having to stop to eat it.

Growth of Venture Capital in India

Growth of Venture Capital in India VENTURE CAPITAL:- Venture capital (also known as VC or Venture) is a type of private equity capital typically provided for early-stage, high-potential, growth companies in the interest of generating a return through an eventual realization event such as an IPO or trade sale of the company. Venture capital investments are generally made as cash in exchange for shares in the invested company. It is typical for venture capital investors to identify and back companies in high technology industries such as biotechnology and ICT (information and communication technology). Venture capital firms typically comprise small teams with technology backgrounds scientists, researchers or those with business training or deep industry experience. VCs also take a role in managing entrepreneurial companies at an early stage, thus adding skills as well as capital . Inherent in realizing abnormally high rates of returns is the risk of losing all of ones investment in a given startup company. As a consequence, most venture capital investments are done in a pool format where several investors combine their investments into one large fund that invests in many different startup companies. By investing in the pool format the investors are spreading out their risk to many different investments versus taking the chance of putting all of their monies in one start up firm. A venture capitalist (also known as a VC) is a person or investment firm that makes venture investments, and these venture capitalists are expected to bring managerial and technical expertise as well as capital to their investments. A venture capital fund refers to a pooled investment vehicle (often an LP or LLC) that primarily invests the financial capital of third-party investors in enterprises that are too risky for the standard capital markets or bank loans. Venture capital is also associated with job creation, the knowledge economy and used as a proxy measure of innovation within an economic sector or geography. Venture capital is most attractive for new companies with limited operating history that are too small to raise capital in the public markets and have not reached the point where they are able to secure a bank loan or complete a debt offering. In exchange for the high risk that venture capitalists assume by investing in smaller and less mature companies, venture capitalists usually get significant control over company decisions, in addition to a significant portion of the companys ownership (and consequently value). STRUCTURE OF VENTURE CAPITAL FIRMS:- Venture capital firms are typically structured as partnerships, the general partners of which serve as the managers of the firm and will serve as investment advisors to the venture capital funds raised. This constituency comprises both high net worth individuals and institutions with large amounts of available capital, such as state and private pension funds, university financial endowments, foundations, insurance companies, and pooled investment vehicles, called fund of funds or mutual funds. TYPES OF VENTURE CAPITAL FIRMS:- Depending on business type, the venture capital firm approach differ. When approaching a VC firm, consider their portfolio: Business Cycle: Do they invest in budding or established businesses? Industry: What is their industry focus? Investment: Is their typical investment sufficient for your needs? Location: Are they regional, national or international? Return: What is their expected return on investment? Involvement: What is their involvement level? Targeting specific types of firms will yield the best results when seeking VC financing. The National Venture Capital Association segments dozens of VC firms into ways that might assist you in your search. Many VC firms have diverse portfolios with a range of clients. If this is the case, finding gaps in their portfolio is one strategy that might succeed. ROLES WITHIN VENTURE CAPITAL FIRMS:- Although the titles are not entirely uniform from firm to firm, other positions at venture capital firms include: Venture partners Venture partners are expected to source potential investment opportunities and typically are compensated only for those deals with which they are involved. Entrepreneur-in-residence (EIR) EIRs are experts in a particular domain and perform due diligence on potential deals. EIRs are engaged by venture capital firms temporarily (six to 18 months) and are expected to develop and pitch startup ideas to their host firm. Principal This is a mid-level investment professional position, and often considered a partner-track position. Principals will have been promoted from a senior associate position or who have commensurate experience in another field such as investment banking or management consulting. Associate This is typically the most junior apprentice position within a venture capital firm. After a few successful years, an associate may move up to the senior associate position and potentially principal and beyond. Associates will often have worked for 1-2 years in another field such as investment banking or management consulting. ORIGINS OF MODERN PRIVATE EQUITY:- Before World War II, venture capital investments (originally known as development capital) were primarily the domain of wealthy individuals and families. Today true private equity investments began to emerge marked by the founding of the first two venture capital firms in 1946: American Research and Development Corporation. (ARDC) and J.H. Whitney Company. ARDC was founded by Georges Doriot, the father of venture capitalism to encourage private sector investments in businesses run by soldiers who were returning from World War II. ARDCs significance was primarily that it was the first institutional private equity investment firm that raised capital from sources other than wealthy families although it had several notable investment successes as well. ARDC is credited with the first major venture capital success story when its 1957 investment of $70,000 in Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) would be valued at over $355 million after the companys initial public offering in 1968. Venture capital firms suffered a temporary downturn in 1974, when the stock market crashed and investors were naturally wary of this new kind of investment fund. THE VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDS IN INDIA:- The concept and origin of Venture Capital, trace its growth, and highlight the venture capital regulations. It has briefly explained about the Chandra Sekhar Committee recommendations, various types of Venture Capital Funds and the venture capital process in India. A simple case on first Venture Capital Fund in India, Technology Development Information Company Of India Ltd., has also developed with concluding remarks. Introduction:- The venture capital investment helps for the growth of innovative entrepreneurships in India. Venture capital has developed as a result of the need to provide non-conventional, risky finance to new ventures based on innovative entrepreneurship. Venture capital is an investment in the form of equity, quasi-equity and sometimes debt straight or conditional, made in new or untried concepts, promoted by a technically or professionally qualified entrepreneur. Venture capital means risk capital. It refers to capital investment, both equity and debt, which carries substantial risk and uncertainties. The risk envisaged may be very high may be so high as to result in total loss or very less so as to result in high gains. THE CONCEPT OF VENTURE CAPITAL :- Venture capital means many things to many people. It is in fact nearly impossible to come across one single definition of the concept. Venture capital is defined as providing seed, start-up and first stage financing and also funding the expansion of companies that have already demonstrated their business potential but do not yet have access to the public securities market or to credit oriented institutional funding sources. The European Venture Capital Association describes it as risk finance for entrepreneurial growth oriented companies. It is investment for the medium or long term return seeking to maximize medium or long term for both parties. It is a partnership with the entrepreneur in which the investor can add value to the company because of his knowledge, experience and contact base. THE ORIGIN OF VENTURE CAPITAL :- In the 1920s 1930s, the wealthy families of and individuals investors provided the start up money for companies that would later become famous. Eastern Airlines and Xerox are the more famous ventures financed. Among the early VC funds set up, was the one by the Rockfeller Family, which started a special fund called VENROCK in 1950, to finance new technology companies. General Doriot, a professor at Harvard Business School, in 1946 set up the American Research and Development Corporation (ARD), the first firm, as opposed to a private individuals, at MIT to finance the commercial promotion of advanced technology, developed in the US Universities. ARDs approach was a classic VC in the sense that it used only equity, invested for long term, and was prepared to live with losers. ARDs investment in Digital Equipment Corporation , 1957 was a watershed in the history of VC financing. While in its early years venture capital may have been associated with high technology, over the years the concept has undergone a change and it implies pooled investment in unlisted companies. MAIN ALTERNATIVES TO VENTURE CAPITAL:- Because of the strict requirements venture capitalists have for potential investments, many entrepreneurs seek initial funding from angel investors, who may be more willing to invest in highly speculative opportunities, or may have a prior relationship with the entrepreneur. Furthermore, many venture capital firms will only seriously evaluate an investment in a start-up otherwise unknown to them if the company can prove at least some of its claims about the technology and/or market potential for its product or services. To achieve this, or even just to avoid the dilutive effects of receiving funding before such claims are proven, many start-ups seek to self-finance until they reach a point where they can credibly approach outside capital providers such as venture capitalists or angel investors. This practice is called bootstrapping. In industries where assets can be securitized effectively because they reliably generate future revenue streams or have a good potential for resale in case of foreclosure, businesses may more cheaply be able to raise debt to finance their growth. Good examples would include asset-intensive extractive industries such as mining, or manufacturing industries. Offshore funding is provided via specialist venture capital trusts which seek to utilise securitization in structuring hybrid multi market transactions via an SPV (special purpose vehicle): a corporate entity that is designed solely for the purpose of the financing. In addition to traditional venture capital and angel networks, groups have emerged which allow groups of small investors or entrepreneurs themselves to compete in a privatized business plan competition where the group itself serves as the investor through a democratic process. Venture capital (VC) arms of companies such as Intel, Cisco, Reliance ADAG, Google and Yahoo are increasing their investments in early stage technology and consumer service start-ups in India. Early Days In the absence of an organised Venture Capital industry until almost 1995, individual investors and development financial institutions played the role of venture capitalists in India. Entrepreneurs have largely depended upon private placements, public offerings and lending by the financial institutions. In 1973, a committee on Development of Small and Medium Enterprises highlighted the need to foster venture capital as a source of funding new entrepreneurs and technology. Thereafter some public sector funds were set up but the activity of venture capital did not gather momentum as the thrust was on high-technology projects funded on a purely financial rather than a holistic basis. REGULATORY GUIDELINES FRAMEWORK:- Later, a study was undertaken by the World Bank, to examine the possibility of developing Venture Capital in the private sector, based on which the Government of India took a policy initiative and announced guidelines for Venture Capital Funds (VCFs) in India in 1988. However, these guidelines restricted setting up of VCFs by the banks or the financial institutions only. Thereafter, the Government of India issued guidelines in September 1995, for overseas investment in Venture Capital in India. For tax-exemption purposes, guidelines were also issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the investments and flow of foreign currency into and out of India have been governed by the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) requirements. Further, as a part of its mandate to regulate and to develop the Indian capital markets, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) framed the SEBI (Venture Capital Funds) Regulations, 1996. These guidelines were further amended in April 2000 with the objective of fuelling the growth of Venture Capital activities in India. OBJECTIVES AND VISION FOR VENTURE CAPITAL IN INDIA:- Venture capitalists finance innovation and ideas which have potential for high growth but with inherent uncertainties. This makes it a high-risk, high return investment. Apart from finance, venture capitalists provide networking, management and marketing support as well. In the broadest sense, therefore, venture capital connotes financial as well as human capital. In the global venture capital industry, investors and investee firms work together closely in an enabling environment that allows entrepreneurs to focus on value creating ideas and allows venture capitalists to drive the industry through ownership of the levers of control, in return for the provision of capital, skills, information and complementary resources. This very blend of risk financing and hand holding of entrepreneurs by venture capitalists creates an environment particularly suitable for knowledge and technology based enterprises. Scientific, technology and knowledge based ideas properly supported by venture capital can be propelled into a powerful engine of economic growth and wealth creation in a sustainable manner. In various developed and developing economies venture capital has played a significant developmental role. India has the second largest English speaking scientific and technical manpower in the world. The Indian software sector crossed the Rs 100 billion mark turnover during 1998. The sector grew 58% on a year to year basis and exports accounted for Rs 65.3 billion while the domestic market accounted for Rs 35.1 billion. Exports grew by 67% in rupee terms and 55% in US dollar terms. The strength of software professionals grew by 14% in 1997 and has crossed 1,60,000. The global software sector is expected to grow at 12% to 15% per annum for the next 5 to 7 years. Recently, there has also been greater visibility of Indian companies in the US. Given such vast potential not only in IT and software but also in the field of service industries, biotechnology, telecommunications, media and entertainment, medical and health services and other technology based manufacturing and product development, venture capital industry can play a catalytic role to put India on the world map as a success story. WHERE ARE VCS INVESTING IN INDIA? IT and IT-enabled services Software Products (Mainly Enterprise-focused) Wireless/Telecom/Semiconductor Banking PSU Disinvestments Media/Entertainment Bio Technology/Bio Informatics Pharmaceuticals Electronic Manufacturing Retail ISSUES AND CHALLENGES:- Indian Venture Capital yet to be established as a sustainable asset class among institutional investors. Moreover a limited amount of true risk-capital impacts entrepreneurial activity. Exit challenges exist mainly due to shallow capital markets and dull MA environment for small companies. Most importantly, India is yet to create a brand-name for IP-led companies, like Israel has successfully done. THE GROWTH OF VENTURE CAPITAL: A CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON The venture capital (VC) industry plays an important role in nurturing entrepreneurship and innovation, and its role varies from country to country. The six countries whose VC industries are analyzed here are the United States and Canada, whose VC industries are mature; Sweden and Denmark, which have established small but successful VC industries; and Israel and Turkey, whose experiences demonstrate the state of the young VC industry in transition economies. The analysis is based on the four main determinants of the VC industry: sources of financing, institutional infrastructure, exit mechanisms, and entrepreneurship and innovation generators. In addition, the special role of VC financing in the biomaterials industry is explained. Understanding the factors that contribute to the emergence of a successful venture capital industry is important for academics, VC associations, policy-making institutions, government agencies, and investors themselves. VENTURE CAPITAL IN INDIA:- In India, the Venture Capital plays a vital role in the development and growth of innovative entrepreneurships. Venture Capital activity in the past was possibly done by the developmental financial institutions like IDBI, ICICI and State Financial Corporations. These institutions promoted entities in the private sector with debt as an instrument of funding. For a long time, funds raised from public were used as a source of Venture Capital. This source however depended a lot on the market vagaries. And with the minimum paid up capital requirements being raised for listing at the stock exchanges, it became difficult for smaller firms with viable projects to raise funds from public. In India, the need for Venture Capital was recognised in the 7th five year plan and long term fiscal policy of GOI. In 1973 a committee on Development of small and medium enterprises highlighted the need to faster VC as a source of funding new entrepreneurs and technology. VC financing really started in India in 1988 with the formation of Technology Development and Information Company of India Ltd. (TDICI) promoted by ICICI and UTI. The first private VC fund was sponsored by Credit Capital Finance Corporation (CFC) and promoted by Bank of India, Asian Development Bank and the Commonwealth Development Corporation viz. Credit Capital Venture Fund. At the same time Gujarat Venture Finance Ltd. and APIDC Venture Capital Ltd. were started by state level financial institutions. VENTURE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN INDIA:- The venture capital investment in India till the year 2001 was continuously increased and thereby drastically reduced. It is estimated that there was a tremendous growth by almost 327 percent in 1998-99, 132 percent in 1999-00, and 40 percent in 2000-01 thereafter venture capital investors slow down their investment. Surprisingly, there was a negative growth of 4 percent in 2001-02 it was continued and a 54 percent drastic reduction was recorded in the year 2002-2003. TYPES OF VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDS:- Generally, there are three types of organised or institutional venture capital funds: venture capital funds set up by angel investors, that is, high net worth individual investors; venture capital subsidiaries of corporations and private venture capital firms/ funds. Venture capital subsidiaries are established by major corporations, commercial bank holding companies and other financial institutions. Venture funds in India can be classified on the basis of the type of promoters. VCFs promoted by the Central govt. controlled development financial institutions such as TDICI, by ICICI, Risk capital and Technology Finance Corporation Limited (RCTFC) by the Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI) and Risk Capital Fund by IDBI. VCFs promoted by the state government-controlled development finance institutions such as Andhra Pradesh Venture Capital Limited (APVCL) by Andhra Pradesh State Finance Corporation (APSFC) and Gujarat Venture Finance Company Limited (GVCFL) by Gujarat Industrial Investment Corporation (GIIC). VCFs promoted by Public Sector banks such as Canfina by Canara Bank and SBI-Cap by State Bank of India. VCFs promoted by the foreign banks or private sector companies and financial institutions such as Indus Venture Fund, Credit Capital Venture Fund and Grindlays India Development Fund. VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDING:- Venture capitalists are typically very selective in deciding what to invest in; as a rule of thumb, a fund may invest in one in four hundred opportunities presented to it. Funds are most interested in ventures with exceptionally high growth potential, as only such opportunities are likely capable of providing the financial returns and successful exit event within the required timeframe (typically 3-7 years) that venture capitalists expect. Venture capitalists also are expected to nurture the companies in which they invest, in order to increase the likelihood of reaching an IPO stage when valuations are favorable. Venture capitalists typically assist at four stages in the companys development: Idea generation; Start-up; Ramp up; and Exit There are typically six stages of financing offered in Venture Capital, that correspond to these stages of a companys development. Seed Money: Low level financing needed to prove a new idea (Often provided by angel investors) Start-up: Early stage firms that need funding for expenses associated with marketing and product development First-Round: Early sales and manufacturing funds Second-Round: Working capital for early stage companies that are selling product, but not yet turning a profit Third-Round: Also called Mezzanine financing, this is expansion money for a newly profitable company Fourth-Round: Also called bridge financing, 4th round is intended to finance the going public process WHAT DO VCS LOOK FOR? Venture capitalists are higher risk investors and, in accepting these risks, they desire a higher return on their investment. The venture capitalist manages the risk/reward ratio by only investing in businesses which fit their investment criteria and after having completed extensive due diligence. Venture capitalists have differing operating approaches. These differences may relate to location of the business, the size of the investment, the stage of the company, industry specialization, structure of the investment and involvement of the venture capitalists in the companies activities. The entrepreneur should not be discouraged if one venture capitalist does not wish to proceed with an investment in the company. The rejection may not be a reflection of the quality of the business, but rather a matter of the business not fitting with the venture capitalists particular investment criteria. Often entrepreneurs may want to ask the venture capitalist for other firms that might be interested in the investment opportunity. VENTURE CAPITAL IS NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL BUSINESSES, AS A VENTURE CAPITALIST TYPICALLY SEEKS : Superior Businesses:- Venture capitalists look for companies with superior products or services targeted at large, fast growing or untapped markets with a defensible strategic position such as intellectual property or patents. Quality and Depth of Management:- Venture capitalists must be confident that the firm has the quality and depth in the management team to achieve its aspirations. Venture capitalists seldom seek managerial control, rather they want to add value to the investment where they have particular skills including fund raising, mergers and acquisitions, international marketing, product development, and networks. Appropriate Investment Structure:- As well as the requirement of being an attractive business opportunity, the venture capitalist will also seek to structure a deal to produce the anticipated financial returns to investors. This includes making an investment at a reasonable price per share (valuation). Exit Opportunity:- Lastly, venture capitalists look for the clear exit opportunity for their investment such as public listing or a third party acquisition of the investee company. Once a short list of appropriate venture capitalists has been selected, the entrepreneur can proceed to identify which investors match their funding requirements. At this point, the entrepreneur should contact the venture capital firm and identify an investment manager as an initial contact point. The venture capital firm will ask prospective investee companies for information concerning the product or service, the market analysis, how the company operates, the investment required and how it is to be used, financial projections, and importantly questions about the management team. In reality, all of the above questions should be answered in the Business Plan. Assuming the venture capitalist expresses interest in the investment opportunity, a good business plan is a pre-requisite. METHODS OF VENTURE FINANCING:- Venture capital is typically available in three forms in India, they are: Equity : All VCFs in India provide equity but generally their contribution does not exceed 49 percent of the total equity capital. Thus, the effective control and majority ownership of the firm remains with the entrepreneur. They buy shares of an enterprise with an intention to ultimately sell them off to make capital gains. Conditional Loan: It is repayable in the form of a royalty after the venture is able to generate sales. No interest is paid on such loans. In India, VCFs charge royalty ranging between 2 to 15 percent; actual rate depends on other factors of the venture such as gestation period, cost-flow patterns, riskiness and other factors of the enterprise. Income Note : It is a hybrid security which combines the features of both conventional loan and conditional loan. The entrepreneur has to pay both interest and royalty on sales, but at substantially low rates. Other Financing Methods: A few venture capitalists, particularly in the private sector, have started introducing innovative financial securities like participating debentures, introduced by TCFC is an example. VENTURE CAPITALISTS INVESTING IN INDIA:- For a very long time, Silicon Valley venture capitalists only invested locally. However, throughout the years, they expanded their investments worldwide. Most recently, Matrix Partners, a leading American venture capitalist firm, had announced a $150 million India fund, where they will provide internet, mobile, media, entertainment, leisure, and travel services to customers in Mumbai. Sequoia Capital, a Silicon Valley-based VC firm, wanted to take advantage of investing in start-up companies and had acquired West bridge Capital, an Indian firm, for $350 million. It is no wonder that venture capitalist investments in India have risen dramatically within the past few years. From 2005 to 2007, VC investments in India grew from $320 million to about $777 million, respectively. Some important Venture Capital Funds in India:- APIDC Venture Capital Limited , 1102, Babukhan Estate, Hyderabad 500 001 Canbank Venture Capital Fund Limited, IInd Floor, Kareem Towers, Bangalore Gujarat Venture Capital Fund 1997, Ashram Road, Ahmedabad 380 009 Industrial Venture Capital Limited, Thyagaraya Road, Chennai 600 017 Auto Ancillary Fund Opp. Signals Enclave, New Delhi 110 010 Gujarat Venture Capital Fund 1995 Ashram Road Ahmedabad 380 009 Karnataka Information Technology Venture Capital Fund Cunningham Rd Bangalore India Auto Ancillary Fund Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 Information Technology Fund, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 Tamilnadu Infotech Fund Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 Orissa Venture Capital Fund Nariman Point Mumbai 400 021 Uttar Pradesh Venture Capital Fund Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 SICOM Venture Capital Fund Nariman Point Mumbai 400 021 Punjab Infotech Venture Fund 18 Himalaya Marg, Chandigarh 160 017 National venture fund for software and information technology industry Nariman. DHFL VENTURE CAPITAL INDIA PVT LTD:- DHFL Venture Capital India Pvt. Ltd. (DVCI) provides advisory, managerial and consultancy services to Venture Capital Funds, Venture Capital Managements and Venture Capital Undertakings, related to Indian Real Estate. DVCI is promoted by Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL), Indias premier second largest housing finance company in the private sector. The Company is presently providing investment management services to DHFL Venture Capital Fund. DHFL Venture Capital Fund was launched in Feb 2006, one of the first private equity Real estate funds in India. The fund is registered with Securities and Exchange Board of India. CANBANK:- Canaan Partners (Canaan) is a global venture capital firm focusing on investments in early stage companies in the technology and healthcare sectors. The firms technology group focuses on digital media, communications, enterprise software, semiconductors, and cleantech. The healthcare group focuses on biopharmaceuticals, devices, and diagnostics. Founded in 1987, the firm has offices in Menlo Park, California; Westport, Connecticut; Gurgaon, India; and Herzliya, Israel. Since inception, Canaan has raised eight funds to date and as of 2009 manages $3 billion in capital. Canbank Venture Capital Fund Ltd (CVCFL) is a wholly owned Subsidiary of Canara Bank. Canbank Venture Capital Fund is Indias First and Only Public Sector Bank sponsored Venture Capital Fund, set up in 1989. The Fund is registered with SEBI. Four Venture Capital Funds with an aggregate corpus of around INR 1200 Million launched till date. The portfolio investments are spread across diverse industrial segments. A Case on Technology Development Information Company Of India Ltd. TDICI was incorporated in January 1988 with the support of the ICICI and the UTI. The countrys first venture fund managed by the TDICI called VECAUS ( Venture Capital Units Scheme) was started with an initial corpus of Rs.20 crore and was completely committed to 37 small and medium enterprises. The first project of the TDICI was loan and equity to a computer software company called Kale Consultants. Present Status: At present the TDICI is administering two UTI -mobilised funds under VECAUS-I and II, totaling Rs.120 crore. the Rs.20 crore invested under the first fund, VECAUS-I, has already yielded returns totaling Rs. 16 crore to its investors. Some of the projects financed by the TDICI are discussed below. MASTEK , a Mumbai based software firm, in which the TDICI invested Rs.42 lakh in equity in 1989, went public just three ye

Comparison Between Lan And Wan Architecture Computer Science Essay

Comparison Between Lan And Wan Architecture Computer Science Essay We have been given this assignment to discuss about the awareness of technologies that are related to the internet and the topic Internet application which we have decided that my topic will be Comparison between LAN and WAN architecture. Using this topic we would have to discuss the current and latest issues that are related to the topic and subject, furthermore discuss the uses of technology and internet applications used in the topic. This topic is about the networks that are used by users across the globe they use these wondrous networks to work, communicate, do business, find information and even play games. Ever since these networks are made people are able to purchase an item or send a massage all by the push of a button. WAN is a network that is more wide in range while LAN is a network that is more limited or has a localized range, both of these networks have their perks and drawbacks and this report is about to discuss all about them including the technologies involved. Objectives Introduce the latest issues of the topic Discuss about the topics advantages and disadvantages Discuss critical comments and analysis What is LAN and WAN Network Architectures WAN A network is a connection between two or more computers that share information, hardware and software with each other this connection can be established via wireless or non-wireless media. LAN and WAN are two different networks that are used by users all around the world. The internet is an example of a WAN network, WAN was first created in 1969 it was first a networking project by ARPANET Pentagons Advance Research Projects Agency the main goal of the project was to allow scientists all around the globe, at different locations to share their information. Only four host nodes at the time and grew to 1000 host nodes in 1984, today there are over 350 million host nodes worldwide using the internet. The internet uses Domain name and IP address to differentiate or identify the computers connected to the internet. WAN is a network that spans over large geographical areas and is consisting of smaller networks called LAN or MAN. WAN is mostly used for business, collecting information, commu nication and other daily uses regardless of the users location. There are many ways to access the internet for example trough Wireless Internet Service Provider, Access provider where some business that provides individuals and other companies and their employees access to the internet with payment or for free. LAN Local area network better known as LAN is a network that has a limited area such as a house, school, computer laboratory, workshop or a small office building. LAN is normally connected through a twisted pair cable, hub or Wi-Fi, LAN is also faster than WAN because of the small area of the network and that the network lack of the need for a leased telecommunication line, in order to share data, printers or a LAN party which means a gathering of users, computers and game consoles for a multiplayer game. In a LAN network there is the main computer called a server and remote computers called clients, a LAN connection can be wireless or wired. Wired LAN network uses cable to connect to all the computers which would like to join the network and the main device called a switch. The wireless however uses radio waves to connect with other clients. Comparison between LAN and WAN Network Architectures There are many differences between LAN and WAN networks, the table displayed below compares the many differences between these two everyday networks. Differences LAN WAN Speed Higher(1000mbps) Lower(150mbps) Owners Owned and controlled by only one user, organization or server Not owned by anyone or any organization Set up costs Set-up costs are low as the devices are low-cost Set-up cost is higher then LAN as the there will be a monthly payment for connection, some connections are free as they are provided by companies Data transfer rate Higher then WAN Lower then LAN Components Use hubs, repeaters, bridges and switches Use router, frame relay switches and multilayer switches Connection Telephone lines and radio waves Often connect trough public networks example telephone lines, leased lines, satellite Maintenance LAN network encounters fewer problems as there are few systems to deal with. Maintenance is easy, faster and cheaper than WAN More errors are encountered in WAN as there are many systems that are at work. Maintenance is harder, slower and tends to be more expensive then LAN Geographical Area LAN covers an area which is within 100meters in length WAN covers a geographical area which is more than 100meters in length Bandwidth High bandwidth then WAN is accessible Low bandwidth is accessible Technical Area of LAN and WAN Network Architectures LAN: How LAN connects LAN has both wired and wireless methods to connect to each other, most LAN networks have a cable running from every computer to a wall jack. The wall jack is connected to a very similar type of cable that runs to a patch panel in a wiring closet. A patch panel is simply cable ports that allow all of the cables coming out of each wall jack to be connected to the LAN freely. Any active wall jack must have the matching port in the patch panel connected to a switch in the wiring closet. A wiring closet is small room or area where all of the wires connect and a building that uses computer networking will have more than one of these wiring closets placed in them, these wiring closets are mainly used for LAN networking. If there are many switches in a wiring closet, they are connected to one or two switches within in the same closet. These serve to connect all of the switches there as well as some of the cable runs entering the room. The switches in a wiring closet are connected to a switch pair in a main wiring closet. The switch pair helps to connect the entire LAN together. These distribution switches connect to the routers that helps the network travel further, connect the switches to the internet or the WAN thus extending the LAN.C:UsersuserDownloadsLANArchitectureDiag1.jpeg LAN Network: Cabling or Wired network Coaxial cable Cable is a medium in where information flows freely from one network device to next and then the next. In a LAN network there are many different types of cables used to connect the devices and computers in it, in the early LAN cabling system LAN used various versions of the coaxial cable. These cables are hard to install and are highly resistant to signal interference. They have a single central solid wire that symmetrically surrounded by a braided or foil conductor. Between the center wire and foil there is the insulation wire and then comes the copper mesh and the outer insulator.C:UsersuserDownloadscoaxla.gif Twisted-pair cable A twisted-pair cable is a cable that is made with an interesting technique, by intertwining the two separate insulated cables together with a certain color code, by doing this process it helps blocking out the electromagnetic interference EMI that could cause problems in the information sent through it. This cable is also the most widely used cable or the most suitable one for LAN networks. There are two different types of twisted pair cable unshielded twisted-pair UTP and shielded twisted-pair STP, the difference is that the STP has a fine wire mesh that surrounds the wire to protect transmissions while the UTP does not, and this is why the UTP is more sensitive than the STP. The STP can also extend to maximum distances and can withstand most environments. This cable was used in IBMs Token Ring in LAN implementation. C:UsersuserDownloadsutp and stp.jpg Fiber Optic cable Fiber optic cable is a the latest version of a LAN cable since the twisted-pair cable, this cable consists of tiny hair like fiber optic glass tubes that transmit the data which is protected by several layers of protective material called Kevlar. These hair like glass tubes transmit information or data with light signals rather than electronic signals, with this design and technology he fiber optic cable eliminates electrical interference, the cable is also known for its immunity to the effects of moisture and lightning which makes it ideal for network connections between buildings. This cable has the ability to transmit signals faster and further then both the coaxial and twisted-pair cable. However there are several disadvantages of the cable, which are the cable is more difficult to install and more costly than both the twisted-pair cable and the coaxial cable.C:UsersuserDownloadsFiber-Cable.jpg LAN Network Topology Network topology is the way they are assembled in which the network of computers and devices connect, each of this topology are used for a specific task and have their own advantages and disadvantages. The computers or users in a network topology are called nodes. Most network topology use a cable as a medium. Bus Topology The bus network topology is the simplest way to connect with multiple nodes, the bus has a single main cable that connects to other nodes, this main cable is also known as the backbone. Each node is connected one right after the other along the backbone, data or information that is sent from a node goes through the backbone until it reaches its receiving node, if an information or data sent such as an email does not reaches the receiving node it will be sent to the terminator which deletes the email completely. The bus is commonly used for implementing Ethernet at 10mbps.C:UsersuserDownloadsbus_topology.gif Advantages Disadvantages Easy to connect to computer or peripheral Backbone breaks entire system shutdown Requires less cable length then star topology Troubleshooting is difficult Ring Topology The ring network is a network topology where each node connects to two other nodes beside it forming a circle or ring and a single continuous link, the nodes are then connected to a main node or the first node. In the network information is passed from one node to the other, which means that a node acts as both the receiver and sender.C:UsersuserDownloadsRING_Topology.png Advantages Disadvantages Easy to wire and install If one node fails entire system fails Troubleshooting is difficult when the entire network fails. Star Topology Star topology is the most common network topology used, unlike the previous topology network the star has a hub or switch in its center, which acts as a conduit that transmits information through the network. Every device in the network is connected to the hub. The hub does not preform filtering or routing type tasks.C:UsersuserDownloadsfigure2.jpg Advantages Disadvantages Easy to modify and add new computers to network without shutting down network Requires more cable then bus and ring topology If one node fails the rest of the network will still function If the hub or switch goes fails the entire network fails Troubleshooting is easy More expensive WAN: NSP NSP also known as network service provider is an organization that does business by selling bandwidth or access to networks such as the internet by providing the backbone access to the internet itself as such the NSP is sometimes referred to or also known as backbone providers or internet providers. WAN network uses NSP to connect to other networks around the world and this is how, by connecting the NSP of other WANs together using links at Internet Packet Interchanges a global communication infrastructure is formed, these interchanges are also called peering points. The NSPs do not generally handle individual customer accounts except for the major corporate customers, but instead deal with intermediate organizations that they can charge for high capacity communications. They generally have an agreement to exchange certain volumes of data at a certain quality of service with other NSPs. So practically any NSP can reach any other NSP, but may require the use of one or more other NSP n etworks to reach the required destination. NSPs vary in terms of the transit delay, transmission rate, and connectivity offered.C:UsersuserDownloadswan.gif WAN: Dial-up access Dial-up internet is a connection which is made by the modem that is built in your computer and through a standard telephones line, by running by running the telephone line to the modem the computer can connect to the internet. This dialing must be done with a specific phone number. The dial-up system is a method that has been the thing of the past as it tends to take a long time to establish a connection with the internet, when it does the internet speed will be very slow. DSL DSL or dial subscribe line is a family of technologies that provide internet access by transmitting data by using the local telephone lines. POTS or better known as Plain Old Telephone Service One, POTS makes the most of the telephone companys wires and equipment is by limiting the frequencies that the switches, telephones and other equipment will carry. Human voices, speaking in normal conversational tones, can be carried in a frequency range of 0 to 3,400 Hertz cycles per second  for a great demonstration of this. This range of frequencies is tiny. These telephone lines are connected by copper wires to each home. Wi-Fi Wi-Fi is a wireless modem that allows a computer to connect to the internet. Wi-Fi can be less secure then the cable connections as bad weather or any other electrical interferences could damage the connection. Wi-Fi has adopted various encryption technologies. The early encryption  WEP, proved easy to break. Higher quality protocols WPA, WPA2 were added later. An optional feature added in 2007, called  Wi-Fi Protected Setup or  WPS, had a serious flaw that allowed an attacker to recover the routers password. Slow speed technology High speed technology Dial-up access uses a modem built in the computer that connects to the telephone line in the house to connect to the internet Cable modem, DSL, WI-FI and satellite modems Connection must be switched on when computer is turned on Connection is always on, when computer is running C:UsersuserDownloadsWAN-network.gif Critical Comments and Analysis This assignment has been a very interesting experience, not only have I learned a lot more regarding aspects of the Internet Applications module but it has also improved my understanding regarding various issues related to Wan and Lan network architectures. Ive come to understand that fundamental difference between them especially in the ways they function, and also in the way to set them up. Lan and Wan are two different networks architectures that are built to serve various users types and will come to play a very fundamental role as the world of information technology develops further. Conclusions The conclusion is, that LAN and WAN is two different networks yet both are just as important, these networks are used every day by everyday people like us. We use them to gather information and communicate with each other. This technology has helped develop our community and will continue developing it.

Ecstasy :: essays research papers

â€Å"Ecstasy† Damages the Brain and Impairs Memory in Humans   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In an article that was found at NIDA NOTES on the Internet, titled â€Å"Ecstasy â€Å" Damages the Brain and Impairs Memory in Humans, discusses the horrible effect that this popular drug has on the human body. In a supported study conducted by NIDA, it had shown the direct evidence the use of MDMA, which is also known as ecstasy has on causing brain damage. Using brain-imaging techniques the study had found that MDMA harms neurons that release serotonin, which is a brain chemical that plays a very important roll in regulating memory and our other functions. In other studies researches have found that people who do this drug have memory problems only two weeks after doing the drug. MDA does change your brain and the consequences are harmful. This is mainly for young people who are using the drug the most heavily. In a brain imaging study, researches took brain scans of 14 MDA users who had not used any psychoactive drug, including MDA for th ree weeks. Brain images were also taken of 15 people who had never used MDMA. In the people who had used the drug the images had shown a significant reduction of the number of serotonin transporters. The results were that the people who had used MDMA lost more of these then people who had never done the drug before. The lost of memory was also tested on MDMA users. 24 MDMA users and 24 people who had never done the drug before were tested for memory. Compared to the non-MDMA users the MDMA users had significant trouble in visual and verbal memory. The side effects are growing, and it was proven that use of this drug could damage your brain and give you server memory loss.

The Individual and Society in the Communist Manifesto Essay -- Karl Ma

The Individual and Society in the Communist Manifesto The end of 19th century, Western Society was changing physically, philosophically, economically, and politically. It was an influential and critical time in that the Industrial Revolution created a new class. Many contemporary observers realized the dramatic changes in society. Among these were Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels who observed the conditions of the working man, or the proletariat, and saw a change in how goods and wealth were distributed. In their Communist Manifesto, they described their observations of the inequalities between the emerging wealthy middle class and the proletariat as well as the condition of the proletariat. They argued that the proletariat was at the mercy of the new emerging middle class, or bourgeoisie, and could only be rescued by Communism: a new economic form. During the 19th century, the proletariat was at the mercy of the bourgeoisie for survival. The bourgeoisie imposed conditions that required the proletariat to work under harsh, unsafe, and unhealthy industries. Cities were overcrowded, unsafe, and hazardous due to the many factors including the smoke from the factories that clouded the skies. Earlier, Friederich Engels had described the conditions of the proletariat in the town of Manchester. He saw, â€Å"everything which here [aroused] horror and indignation [as] of recent origin which [belonged] to the Industrial Epoch†.1 Not only did the proletariat have to work in unsafe factories but also was doomed to life long misery. Marx and Engels saw both the proletariat and the bourgeoisie as an outgrowth of feudal society. They argued that the bourgeoisie emerged as a result of exploration and discovery of new land, ... ... 8 Hadley Cantril, The Politics of Despair (New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1958), 41 9 Bertell Ollman, Alienation: Marx’s Conception of Man in the Capitalist Society (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1971), 131. 10 Neil Harding, â€Å"Marx, Engels and the Manifesto: Working Class, Party, and Proletariat.† Journal of Political Ideologies (1998): 13-44 11 Karl Marx and Friederich Engels, The Communist Manifesto (London: England 1848): Proletarians and Communists. 12 Hadley Cantril, The Politics of Despair (New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1958), 85-86, 87, 95. 13 Hadley Cantril, The Politics of Despair (New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1958), 87 14 Hadley Cantril, The Politics of Despair (New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1958), 94 15 Antonio Gilman, â€Å"The Communist Manifesto, 150 years later.† Antiquity (1998): 910- 913.

The Reputation of Othello Essay examples -- Othello essays

The Reputation of Othello  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Where in the rankings does this Shakespearean tragedy stand? This essay will explore the answer to this question by considering professional literary commentary.    Francis Ferguson in â€Å"Two Worldviews Echo Each Other† ranks the play Othello quite high among the Bard’s tragedies:    Othello, written in 1604, is one of the masterpieces of Shakespeare’s â€Å"tragic period.† In splendor of language, and in the sheer power of the story, it belongs with the greatest. But some of its admirers find it too savage [. . .]. (131)    Louis B. Wright and Virginia A. LaMar in â€Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othello† maintain that the popularity of this play has been consistent for about 400 years because    it treats emotions that are universal and persistent in human nature. Its characters do not exist on a plane far removed from ordinary life; we are not asked to witness the conflict of kings and conspirators beyond the experience of everyday people; we are not involved in the consequences of disasters on a cosmic scale; what we witness is a struggle between good and evil, the demonstration of love, tenderness, jealousy, and hate in terms that are humanly plausible. (126)    The realistic aspect of the play presents a full range of characters, a full range of emotions, a full range of motivations, a full range of actions – just as are present in real society. The down-to-earth, realistic consideration is very important to Othello’s enduring popularity.    The play is so quotable; consider Desdemona’s opening lines before the Council of Venice: â€Å"My noble father, / I do perceive here a divided duty,† or Othello’s last words: â€Å"Killing myself, to die upon a kiss.† Could the... ...d Nothing.† Essays on Shakespeare. Ed. Gerald Chapman. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1965.    Heilman, Robert B. â€Å"The Role We Give Shakespeare.† Essays on Shakespeare. Ed. Gerald Chapman. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1965.    Levin, Harry. General Introduction. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othello.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Rpt. from Introduction to The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. N. p.: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957.      

Fight Club’s Cult: Manipulation and Thought Reform

Andrew Epstein Professor Powell English 1A: 3:15 TR 18 February 2010 Fight Club’s Cult: Manipulation & Thought Reform Dr. Margaret Thaler Singer asks the question, â€Å"How many more Jonestowns and Wacos will have to occur before we realize how vulnerable all humans are to influence? †(3) With this, Singer– a clinical therapist who specialized in brainwashing and coercive persuasion, considered a giant in the field of cult behavior– brings the normallytaboo topic of cults in our society to the forefront of discussion. People must be informed and understand what a cult is, and how cults use thought-reform as a means to manipulate and control the masses. If people are left uneducated, senseless acts of self and social destruction will continue to be carried out by followers of proclaimed prophets. Shoko Asahara’s cult_ _â€Å"Aum Shinrikyo,† which translates to â€Å"teaching of the supreme truth† (Wessinger 121), an organized and violent group, has correlating similarities to Tyler Durden’s following. Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club_ _is a book about a man that creates a following in the form of a modern day cult, in which he uses its members to carry out acts of social terrorism, violence, and self-destruction by means of manipulation and thought reform. In order to understand cult behavior in Fight Club, one needs to understand the characteristics of a cult and how they are defined. â€Å"Cults are not a unique species of human group; they are the endpoints on a continuum† (Andres 1-7). A common misconception of cults is all cults are religious. Although many are, religious beliefs alone do not dictate the qualification of what a cult is. Singer describes that â€Å"cultic relationships† better define the parameters of what qualifies a cult, and that a cult can usually be identified by three factors despite its belief system (7). Of those factors, â€Å"Origin of the group and roles of the leader,† insists that most of the time there is one person in charge and in control of the decision making process for the cult and its members (Singer 8). Although cults range from a wide variety of categories and beliefs, cult leaders usually have uniform characteristics: â€Å"Cult leaders are self-appointed, persuasive persons who claim to have a special mission in life or to have special knowledge. Cult leaders tend to be determined and domineering and are often described as charismatic. Cult leaders center veneration on themselves† (Singer 8). Tyler was a party of one who had the charisma and ideology that appealed to the impressionable minds of people looking for something more. The followers of Fight Club looked at Tyler and saw everything they wanted but could not be themselves. â€Å"I love everything about Tyler Durden, his courage and his smarts. His nerve. Tyler is funny and charming and forceful and independent, and men look up to him and expect him to change their world. Tyler is capable and free, and I am not† (174). Tyler Durden is a leader, he has the ability to shape the minds of his followers through his power of persuasion. Whether it be the Fight Club, Project Mayhem, or one of Project Mayhem’s subdivisions, Tyler’s members abided by core beliefs and rules given by himself, and were eager to progress in Tyler’s self destructive behavior. Tyler believed that in order to gain enlightenment, to know who we really are, â€Å"First you must hit bottom† (76). Tyler’s followers want to be him, to think, and act as he acts. There was no questioning Tyler’s logic, his follower’s followed. â€Å"The structure or relationship between leader and followers,† states that; â€Å"Cults are authoritarian in structure. Cults appear to be innovative and exclusive. Cults tend to have a double set of ethics† (Singer 9). Even though a leader may appoint people to act in higher positions of authority to guide other members, the leader’s authority supersedes all. The cult leader offers its members something unique, something that can only be found through membership, and that in becoming one of the following makes that person â€Å"special† (Singer 9). It is normal that there are a strict set of rules, or a code of conduct between members that is not held to non-members. Whereas deceiving an outsider is completely acceptable, doing the same to a fellow member would not (Singer 9). The defining relationship of Tyler Durden in Fight Club is, without a doubt,leader to his followers. Tyler doesn’t refer to himself as a prophet or god; however, he does interpret with accuracy how his followers perceive him. â€Å"Tonight, I go to the Armory Bar and the crowds part zipper style when I walk in. To everybody there, I am Tyler Durden the Great and Powerful. God and father† (199). In order to further the development of Fight Clubs and Project Mayhem, Tyler appointed chapter leaders to instill the rules and beliefs he created. The chapter leaders obediently did as they were taught to do because in Fight Club, â€Å"You don’t ask questions,† and â€Å"you have to trust Tyler† (122,125). Interfere with Tyler’s goals, and Tyler will kill or castrate the opposition. â€Å"The coordinated program of persuasion,† is the â€Å"crucial factor in the definition of cults† (Singer 10). Cults tend to be totalistic, or all-encompassing, in controlling their members’ behavior and also ideologically totalistic, exhibiting zealotry and extremism in the worldview. Cults tend to require members to undergo a major disruption or change in life-style† (Singer 10). Cults may start similar to what could be compared to a part time job, in wh ich a member or in our example, an employee takes part in an activity or event for some sort of end result, whether it be self satisfaction or in the case of an employee, money. At some point the goal of the cult is to have its members completely invested, or a full time employee. This includes a life that can be compared to military lifestyle, in which members are often dehumanized, told when to eat, drink, sleep, and what to wear. This often results in abandoning their non-cult life completely in order to further â€Å"become immersed in the group’s major purpose† (Singer 10). Fight Club’s members transition from part time to full time, consisted of belonging to Project Mayhem or one of its several subdivisions. Tyler’s mission was to free the people from whom he thought were slaves to society. Tyler wanted to change the world, destroy the old and create a new world of a more basic need. â€Å"It's Project Mayhem that's going to save the world. A cultural ice age. A prematurely induced dark age. Project Mayhem will force humanity to go dormant or into remission long enough for the Earth to recover. † â€Å"This was the goal of Project Mayhem,† Tyler said, â€Å"the complete and right away destruction of civilization† (125). Project Mayhem’s group dubbed â€Å"space monkeys† (12) was stripped of all possessions except that which was required by Tyler. Dehumanized and stripped of their previous life identities the space monkey’s goal was to serve Tyler and membership required giving total control to the cause. â€Å"Only in death will we have our own names since only in death are we no longer part of the effort. In death we become heroes† (178). Fight Club’s members were manipulated to the point of partaking in acts of violence for recognition, and finding death for the cause to be heroic. Tyler’s control of his members is absolute and unquestioned. To begin understanding the complete and total control cults tend to have over its members, one must understand the thought-reform process. Brainwashing is the technique used by cults to strip its members of their freewill and carry out the cult leader’s ideals that define his or her cult. This includes, but are not limited to, organized acts of violence including; social terrorism, murder, and self destruction (Singer 82). The word â€Å"brainwashing,† or thought reform, was birthed in the 1950s during the Korean War when captive United States troops returned home appearing to be â€Å"converted Communists† (Taylor 3). Even when free from captivity and having no contact with any Communist interaction, theses soldiers denounced loyalty to their own country, and praised of the Communist way of life. Edward Hunter, CIA operative who investigated the reasoning behind the apparent odd behaviors for returning troops, was the first to â€Å"publicly christened† the term brainwashing said, â€Å"The intent is to change a mind radically so that its owner becomes a living puppet—a human robot—without the atrocity being visible from the outside. The aim is to create a mechanism in flesh and blood, with new beliefs and new thought processes inserted into a captive body. What that amounts to is the search for a slave race that, unlike the slaves of olden times, can be trusted never to revolt, always be amenable to orders, like an insect to its instinct† (Taylor 3). While technological advances and modernization of growing societies have changed the way thought reform is implemented, the core foundation and overall goal still has the same purpose of control. Harmful effects on cult members thought processes tend to come from the techniques of control implemented from within the cult. Utilization of these techniques is used to socialize members into the cultural environment of the cult can produce â€Å"feelings of guilt, dependency, low self-esteem, worthlessness, anxiety and hopelessness in vulnerable individuals† (Walsh). Robert Lifton was one of the early psychologists to study brainwashing and mind control. He called the method used thought reform_ _(Walsh). He identified eight processes used to alter the minds of subjects. While all of the processes have some direct content relating to Fight Club, there are three that fit best. Lifton describes â€Å" milieu control,† as â€Å" control of human communication†(Walsh). This is how the individual communicates with the outside world and how the outside world communicates to the individual, meaning like Tyler’s space monkey’s, who practices and recited Tyler’s rhetoric, these individual’s are cut off from worldly means of communication, entertainment, and normal social interaction because they are seen as corrupt. These individuals receive and transmit information through a filter of cult ideology. Lifton suggests, â€Å"Mystical manipulation is the use of an extensive personal manipulation to provoke specific patterns of behavior in a seemingly spontaneous way,† and that, â€Å"they suggest that there is an induction of dependency by manipulative and exploitive techniques of persuasion and control† (Walsh). This is best depicted in Fight Club by the way Tyler uses his charismatic personalities to influence his members that Fight Club is what they need in order be awakened from their boring lives of slavery in the corrupt consumerist world. Lifton’s Doctrine over person states, â€Å"A situation in which the doctrine of the group shapes the reality of which the member must exist† (Walsh). This makes their pre-cult lifestyle unappealing, and progresses their â€Å"new identity based on the new ideology† (Walsh). Tyler uses this idea in Fight Club to convince members that life outside of Fight Club is nothing more than a role being played to mask their true identity, eventually resulting in full recruitment in to one of Fight Clubs subdivision’s, and abandonment of their previous lifestyle completely. These methods of thought reform are commonly found in cult’s who practice radical religious beliefs and/or acts of violence in the name of its cause. Aum Shinrikyo, or â€Å"The Aum† was a cult which began operations in Japan, tried to bring world change through â€Å"techniques of guerrilla warfare† (Walsh 119-128). The Aum became a â€Å"legally registered religion in 1989† starting with approximately 4,000 members (Wessinger 130). By the mid-90s its membership had more than doubled at an estimated 10,000 members in Japan, and having expanded its reach including about 30,000 members in Russia (Wessinger 131). Aum Shinrikyo is an aggressive, highly organized, educated, extremely violent, and has the wealth to make serious impacts on society. Like Tyler’s Fight Club, â€Å"Aum Shinrikyo offered an alternative to lifetime employment in unfulfilling work† (Wessinger 131). Many of Aum Shinrikyo’s members hold positions of power, are highly educated, and have specialized skills. They include; scientists, military personnel, police officers, and political officials that contribute to the organization (Wessinger 135). Tyler’s Fight Club is similar in construction to Aum Shinrikyo, in that its members are well distributed throughout the societies in which it is established, giving the organization the power to infiltrate and execute acts of social terrorism. Shoko Asahara said, â€Å"Aum is a mighty obstacle to the evil that rules this world† (Wessinger 120). Similar to Tyler Durden, Shoko Asahara conducted the business of his following with violent measured attacks on society and anyone who was a threat to his organization or its ideals. Aum Shinrikyo’s violence began internally, beatings of members in order to become closer to â€Å"clairvoyance† expanded to attacks on enemies and society (Wessinger 123). Although different in beliefs, Aum’s pattern of progression follows a very similar structure to that of Fight Club. Similar to Fight Club’s subdivisions such as Project Mayhem, Aum Shinrikyo uses specialized member’s devoted to carrying out acts of violence towards enemies. Threats to hinder or expose any criminal aspects, or cult activities of both organizations were counteracted with acts of violence and brutality. Aum Shinrikyo assassinated defecting members, journalist, prosecutors, judges, and anyone else who opposed their endeavors (Wessinger 133). Extreme acts of violence in able to progress forward in cult behavior and goals is what directly link Aum Shirikyo and Fight Club together. In understanding the inner workings of cult behavior, it is evident to what Tyler’s following_ _is, what it does, and how it gains control of members. One can see how Fight Club’s cult behavior show uniform similarities to the characteristics that define a cult. In addition, understanding how a cult controls its members by means of manipulation and thought reform, in order to implement core beliefs, participate in acts of violence, and recruit members; one can grasp how powerful the control cults can have over their members. In looking at Aum Shinrikyo, a violent and socially destructive organization, we are able to see the consistency between Shoko Asahara’s and Tyler Durden’s following. Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club depicts the story of a man who build’s himself a clearly definable cult, in which he uses its members to carry out acts of social terrorism, violence, and self-destruction by means of manipulation and thought-reform. Works Cited Andres, Rachel, and James R. Lane. Cults & Consequences: The Definitive Handbook. Los Angeles: Jewish Federation Council, 1988. Print Palahniuk, Chuck. Fight Club. New York: Norton, 1996. Print. Singer, Margaret Thaler. Cults in Our Midst: The Hidden Menace in Our Everyday Lives. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996. Print Taylor, Kathleen. Brainwashing: The Science of Thought Control. Oxford: Oxford University, Print. Walsh, Yvonne. â€Å"Deconstructing ‘Brainwashing’ Within Cults as an Aid to Counselling Psychologists† Counselling Psychology Quarterly_ _June 2001: 119-128. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 March 2010 Wessinger, Catherine. How the Millennium Comes Violently: From Jonestown to Heaven’s Gate. New York: Steven Bridges, 2000. Print. _ _