Day 3 Hw

MKTG 6323 Emerging Markets Spring 2013 Sarath Nonis CASE 3-2 Hong Kong Disneyland 1. What led to the eventual woes experienced by Hong Kong Disneyland in its first year of operation? How should Hong Kong Disneyland rectify its market situation? Cultural Adaptation: The Chinese did not easily connect with the characters in the park because they were unfamiliar with the product; they enjoy focusing on what they can buy, eat, and bring home, and taking pictures and bringing them back home rather than the experience of being in the place itself.Chinese Tourist Behavior: Going to Hong Kong means a shopping experience, so they choose the cheaper one, which is Ocean Park; also, the Chinese people put a premium on education, where Ocean Park provides the educational slant. Relationship with Travel Agents: The Hong Kong Disneyland did not heed too much attention to building a relation- ship with the travel agents while Chinese tourists depend a lot on travel agents.Thus, the best way for Hong Kong Disneyland is to determining differences in the Chinese culture and adopting it; to understand Chinese tourist behavior in depth, then to handle the pressures of local demand in terms of the need of Chinese shoppers and tourists; try to pay more attention to building a relationship with the travel agents. 2. To what extent could Hong Kong Disneyland adapt its product to Chinese consumers without diluting its image? Put more educational materials about its image. Taking photos with Donald Duck at the Hong Kong Disneyland.Providing goods which are connected its image for tourist to buy as gifts to bring home. 3. How should Hong Kong Disneyland address competition? Expand the theme of the Hong Kong Disneyland; it should consider the culture and behaviors of Chinese. For example, connect the park theme with children’s education. Cut the price to make people think it is worth to pay. It should understand that travel agents are the most important sales channel in the mainland China. It is very popular in mainland China to provide a group discount.

Fahrenheit 451 Critical Essay

Jamie Moseley 17, October, 2012 Ms. Telesca English 101H Fahrenheit 451 Analysis In all societies, knowledge breeds life and understanding about mankind and the world surrounding it. Without the purposeful application of knowledge, the entropy of ignorance sweeps civilization into ruin and decay. In Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury asserts the point that knowledge is the foundation of civilization and if removed, what is left is a decaying society ravaged by stupidity and immorality. War, technology, and paradox sculpt a world that treats lies as truth and knowledge as sin.The characters in Fahrenheit 451 use technology as a mirroring motif, reflecting the characteristics of the society that invents things like headphones, bio-purging systems, and grotesque mechanical beasts. At first, headphones seem like a harmless invention, but actually showcase the fruitless â€Å"knowledge† of the people who use it. Montag discovers this when he observes Mildred using â€Å"the little Seashells , the thimble radios tamped tight, and an electronic ocean of sound . . . coming in on the shore of her unsleeping mind† (Bradbury 10).What Mildred listens to is not knowledgeable information, but merely a bombardment of sound and useless facts used to asphyxiate her mind. The Seashell radios force information on the listener to block out thought and short-circuit the listener’s creative faculties. Again Mildred uses the radios, but Montag finds her â€Å"eyes wide and staring at the fathoms of blackness above her in the ceiling† (39), as though she is nothing but a shell. It is interesting that the radios are called Seashells for seashells mimic the sound of the ocean just as the listeners of the radios mimic the information of the ocean of sound.People become nothing more than seashells that echo back the same bogus facts as truth without question. This empty society not only depresses free thought, but also dehumanizes its citizens. In the beginning of the boo k, Montag walks home to find Mildred overdosing on sleeping pills and calls the emergency line. In no time, two men walk in with two machines that are used to purge Mildred’s system. One machine â€Å"slid[es] down into your stomach like a black cobra down an echoing well looking for all the old water . . † (11) while the other is like an eye giving the operator the ability to â€Å"gaze into the soul of a person whom he was pumping out†(11). These machines invade the victim’s body in a way that violates the person’s humanity. The blood transfusion results in the victim becoming a wind-up toy. This incident portrays the indifference toward an individual’s life because of the violation of one’s body and disregard for personal emotion. However, the best embodiment of Montag’s society is the mechanical hound.The hound is introduced as an almost undead creature, one that â€Å"live[s] but [does] not live in its gently humming . . . kennel in a dark corner of the firehouse† (21). Like the hound, its creators neither live nor die but simply exist in a dark, backwards existence and wait for their next orders. The game of bets and death the firemen play explains the hound’s purpose. The hound traps its prey, â€Å"gripp[ing] in gentling paws while a four-inch hollow steel needle plunge[s] down from the proboscis of the hound to inject massive jolts of morphine and procaine† (23).The people, or prey, of this civilization are trapped by a gentle, yet nightmarish circumstance which injects massive amounts of false pleasure and phony facts that create a surreal yet entertaining state of being like the side effects of morphine and procaine. After Montag witnesses the killing, he asks Beatty if the hound is alive. Beatty immediately responds: â€Å"’ Come off it. It doesn’t like or dislike. It just ‘functions’ . . . † (24). The masses merely â€Å"function† like the hound going day to day in a mindless state of existence like mechanical creations. Also, the hound with â€Å"its eight incredible insect legs . . . (23) exposes the distortion of reality that is believed by people who would call this monstrous creation a hound though there is almost no resemblance between it and a dog. It is one of the twisted machines that make up the dystopia Montag lives in. Underneath the futuristic advances of this civilization lies the true dystopian world that is Fahrenheit 451. Like George Orwell’s 1984, constant war in foreign regions is present in this culture as bombers fly overhead every night like the rocket bombs of Winston’s world. Montag, in the heat of rage, questions the war effort and asks â€Å"’ Why doesn’t someone want to talk about it!We’ve started and won two atomic wars since 2022! ’† (69). Even after two atomic wars, the bombers still fly in formation, striking fear into the popula ce and rallying it together to focus its attention on a greater cause instead of the quality of their lives. War is inescapable on the radio where Montag hears the radio announce that â€Å". . . war may be declared any hour . . . † (30), which keeps the population on alert and standing by to defend its borders rather than defending their individual lives from the invasion of ignorance. Killing also unveils the dilapidated social structure as Clarisse states, â€Å"’ I’m afraid of children my own age.They kill each other’† (27). Death no longer inhibits the actions of others, but instead becomes a common fact of everyday life like breathing. Even Mildred, who comments on Montag’s need to smash things, suggests taking the beetle for a spin. â€Å"’ It’s fun out in the country. You hit rabbits, sometimes you hit dogs. Go take the beetle’† (61). Killing has no consequence anymore whether one kills an animal or murder s a human. Death, like war, distracts people through fear. Everyone fears for their own life, but cares nothing for the lives of others. Suicide, however, is the exception to this rule.When one â€Å"enjoys† their life so much, they commit suicide. One of the operators who saves Mildred from overdosing casually says â€Å"’ we get these cases nine or ten times a night’† (13), as if it is nothing serious. On top of that, he also states that â€Å"’ you take out the old [blood] and put in the new [blood] and you’re okay’† (12). The reason for suicide is that the people lead such hollow lives wrapped in cheap entertainment which leaves them without purpose. The lack of knowledge does not help because with knowledge, one can assume a purpose and make reason to life.Without it, there is no way to find a purpose and therefore people toss themselves away. However, they are given their meaningless lives back through transfusion and beg in again the downward spiral surrounded by paradox and contradiction. To place the final nail in the coffin of free thought, paradoxical ideas are substituted for knowledge that leaves society vacuous. Like the Ministry of Love in 1984, the firemen are a contradiction of good and evil. Beatty tells Montag that they are â€Å"’ the Happiness Boys, the Dixie Duo . . . we stand against the small tide of those who want to make everyone unhappy . . ’† (59) though they bring destruction and even death wherever they are sent. Yet, they whole-heartedly believe that their duty is one of ultimate justice for the good of man whereas it is the opposite. This twisting of reality appears in the television shows like Mildred’s â€Å"family†. She feels like she belongs with them, crying out â€Å"’ my ‘family’ is people. They tell me things; I laugh, they laugh! ’† (69). The â€Å"family† creates a sense of belonging and in clusion that actually excludes and cuts the viewer off from the real world by satisfying the need for information.Watching television is an exclusive affair which Montag soon realizes. In frustration, Montag asks Mildred, â€Å"’ does your ‘family’ love, love you very much, love you with all their heart and soul, Millie? ’† (73). What Mildred feels for the ‘family’ is a surrogate set of emotions, substituting fact and truth with what she sees and hears, causing her to truly love the â€Å"family† even though it is merely a program. Beatty explains the constant attack of pseudo-knowledge and emotion: â€Å"’Cram them full of noncombustible data, chock them so damned full of ‘facts’ they feel stuffed , but absolutely brilliant with information’† (58).He goes on to say â€Å"’ if the drama is bad, if the film says nothing, if the play is hollow, sting me with the Theremin, loudly . . . I jus t like solid entertainment’† (58). What Beatty is alluding to is if the masses are overrun with useless information, paradoxical ideas, and false emotions, they will believe that they understand the world around them from what they have absorbed and consider it truth and live in stupid intelligence which is the greatest paradox presented. Like light and darkness, knowledge drives off ignorance.However, Bradbury creates a culture where knowledge is stifled in an impenetrable web of ignorance that dictates the lives of the characters in Fahrenheit 451. Murder, machines, and contradictions are used to give false purpose and reason to humanity in place of knowledge. The hero Montag journeys through this dangerous environment in an attempt to find himself and uncover the horrific truth that without reason, destruction and rot await to consume all who ignore intelligence. Works Cited Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967. Print.

Topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Topic - Essay Example Also this contemplation may beget money; but it necessarily may consume one’s money and time for its own sake. Contemplations or actions in marginal places like â€Å"blue sky research zone† (Frazier 54), etc may be either fruitful or fruitless. Arguing for the importance of free, unstructured and unscheduled time in producing something great, Frazier says, â€Å"Every purpose-filled activity we pursue in the woods as just fooling around† (Frazier 54). Here, Frazier uses the term, â€Å"fooling around†, to refer to unscheduled and unstructured time of thinking. Indeed, Frazier, with the ‘child’ metaphor in his essay, wants to remind his readers that hobnobbing in the woods teaches a child along the path of his growth to search for something precious in the woods. It necessarily tells the readers that the benefit of thinking in free and unstructured time may beget something valuable for the thinker. In terms of the importance of thinking in fre e and unstructured time, Nicholas Carr’s opinion also concurs with that of Frazier. In order to convince his readers, he portrays two pictures side by side. One is the picture of Nathaniel Hawthorne sitting in the â€Å"green seclusion of Sleepy Hollow and lost himself in contemplation† (Carr 76). ... In contrast to this great writer’s prominence, the city dwellers who remain engaged in their daily scheduled activities pass their lives unnoticed. Referring to some research papers, he further says that a person’s cognitive ability and performance such reasoning, perceiving, memorizing, etc increase significantly by his contemplation in free and unstructured time. People, who spend their time in a secluded park or near natural scenery, enjoy these enhanced mental abilities in contrast to those who live amid the dins and bustles of the busiest street of a city. In this regard, he quotes the researchers, â€Å"simple and brief interactions with nature can produce marked increases in cognitive control† (Carr 77). In fact, Carr tells much about the dangers of not having much free and uncontrolled time in which to think than Frazier does. He warns his readers that the endless and mesmerizing stimulations of the Net as well as of the city can be both â€Å"invigorati ng and inspiring† and â€Å"exhausting and distracting†. (Carr 77) The danger of these mesmerizing stimulations is that â€Å"they can easily†¦overwhelm the quieter mode of thought† (Carr 77). Referring to Antonio Damasio’s research, Carr infers that the free and unstructured time is necessary for the â€Å"quieter mode of thought† which itself leads the thinker to feel humanly qualities such as compassion, love, sympathy and other emotions. Even moral decision requires a man’s contemplation in free time, as Carr quotes, â€Å"For some kinds of thoughts, especially moral decision-making about other people’s social and psychological situations, we need to allow for adequate time and reflection† (Carr

Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 23

Sociology - Essay Example Among the things I will tackle in my research include the peoples’ sexual attitude, ideology and behaviors, the relationship between sex and marriage for example pre-marital and extramarital sex, child bearing, sexual diversity for instance homosexuality and bisexual relationships, divorce among others (Jeffreys 27). Sexual ratio at birth and the preference or importance attached to children of different gender in the two countries will also be discussed. Population ageing and Age Dependency Ratios is also an important issue when it comes to sexuality. In regard to this concept, the research will look at the impacts of fertility and mortality transitions on the elderly people in both countries and all issues surrounding it. Much emphasis will also be given to the policies that govern sexuality and fertility in these two countries for instance in regard to birth controls and abortion and their consequences. The one- child policy in China is an example. My research will take a form of a critical and synthetic literature review evaluation in regard to the different aspects that are associated with sexuality in both China and the United States of

Human Resources, Competitive Advantg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Resources, Competitive Advantg - Essay Example HR will have to ensure that they are given equal opportunity and they are protected against issues such as sex discrimination. 2. Sexual harassment has been defined as sexual moves that are unasked for by the victim, requests of favors that are sexual in nature in exchange of promotion or threat of firing the employee and physical and verbal actions and movements that are sexual in nature. Sexual harassment that is recognized as Quid Pro Quo occurs when an individual is offered promotion or is threatened to be fired from his/her position if the employee rejects or accepts favors that are sexual in nature. Sexual harassment that is recognized as Hostile environment occurs when people on the same level of the hierarchy conduct activities that are sexual in nature and are unwanted and make the environment difficult for the victim to continue to operate in an efficient manner. 3. When during the procedure of selection and hiring the HR employs a multiple hurdle model, the applicant has to stay successful during different steps of a test and they have to prove to be successful in every step. If they fail to achieve the passing score in a particular test, they are deemed as unfit for the job. If the HR has employed a compensatory model, they will be making their hiring decision based on the overall scores of all the tests. This model is based on the premise that if an applicant performs well on one test and fails to perform well on the other test, the earlier score will compensate for the score of the second test. 4. According to the job characteristic model, there are five characteristics of a particular job. The first characteristic is skill variety, which is defined as the number of skills that are required to perform a particular job; the second is task identity, which is defined as the completion of the job from the starting point to the ending point. The third is task significance which is defined as how

Art and craft Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Art and craft - Coursework Example At later stages, art and craft required more than just painting and drawing, but creativity, planning, design and patience. Introduction of drawing competitions among pupils acted as an extrinsic motivation to pay keen attention to the art of drawing, painting and designing while borrowing heavily from the environment. The most important thing was to communicate through various paintings and molding. A distinction was only attained through the uniqueness and application of basic arts and craft skills to attain originality in all projects of arts (Craft et al., 2007). Art and craft were taught basing on age and grade level. For instance, at lower elementary school level, pupils were tested on the ability to identify different art tools such as colours and use their psychomotor skills to create pictures as well as models according to instructions of the teacher. However, at a higher level, most art and craft lessons required use creativity, planning, accuracy and speed to come up with drawings and models that exhibited maturity and concrete expression of ideas. It was expected of the pupils to apply all the basics of arts and craft in every activity. Grading was done for pupils at the same level basing on their abilities to express their concepts through art in the most comprehensive and original manner using the available resource Art and craft goes beyond decoration of ideas and environment to imparting lifelong skill that a child will always find useful through his or her experience. Although the prime purpose of art and craft is to facilitate learning of various disciplines in school, so many benefits come along. Most of these benefits become part of the life of a child through adulthood (Craft et al., 2007). For instance, art and craft, promote life skills such as; visual-processing abilities such as pattern identification, spatial rotation and discovering of

Advertising and Marketing of Audi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Advertising and Marketing of Audi - Essay Example This essay "Advertising and Marketing of Audi" outlines advertisement campaign of this carmaker and its peculiarities. Continued survival of Audi in the international market and even protection of its image and brand name in the highly competitive global could definitely attributes to its exceptional advertising and marketing techniques and not traditional big names inferred for German cars. To begin with, Audi has been involving in direct confrontation with its immediate class competitor, which is BMW. The most latest direct confrontation involved of Audi and BMW appeared in an advertisement intended to familiarize a new Audi A4. In this billboard advertisement, Audi used the words â€Å"Your Move, BMW† that directly targeted to warn BMW that its perceived dominance in the class was under check. BMW countered this advertisement in a very offensive manner that later triggered another direct reply from Audi upon the introduction of the exotic R8 brand . The billboard for this a dvertisement was immediately beside that of the BMW with phrase, â€Å"Your pawn is no match for our king.† The possible intention of such an advertisement was to lower the actual status of advertised BMW car portrayed in the advertisement. This kind of advertisement seemed very aggressive thus proving to the public about the increasing command gained by Audi in the local market. Audi has also adopted an advertisement technique relating to the currently widespread technology. For instance, Audi has sought collaboration with the expensive and classy iPhone. In the collaboration, Audi created a car game a free game name the A4 driving challenge 2.0 installed in the iPhone. This advertisement created perception of the Audi A4 as a special car for the rich and wealthy individuals. According to Audi zone this advertisement portrayed Audi as the very first automobile company to exploit, the special features of iPhone that particularly targeted scientifically oriented customers. Audi zone also points at the newly developed online advertisement website cliqued â€Å"Meet the Beckers.†3 This website particularly intends and targets rich families who own Audi cars. The advertisement exists in two episodes that launch direct attack against the competitors of Audi. One of the episodes in this

Managing Contracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing Contracts - Essay Example Contract management is not an exact science (Gray and Larson, 412) and there is no perfect contract management system (412). An effective contract management system acts as an interface between the buyer’s and the supplier’s organization. Individuals or teams applying the contract management system should have requisite technical, contractual, and business knowledge to understand both sides of the arrangement. A contract is a legally binding instrument typically carried out with customers, vendors, partners or employees. It includes negotiating terms and conditions and ensuring their compliance. A contract results when each party, the contractor and the customer, promises the other a valuable benefit. The customer must have all the funds ready for the execution of a project and cannot expect any benefits until the completion of the project. Contract or agreement is the document that enables the initiation and conduct of a project (Hill, 611). Contract is the confirmation of the customer’s request for the project and represents the contractor’s intent to achieve project deliverables and objectives (Hill, 611). Contract is more than a formal agreement between two parties and is a codification of the private law, which governs the relationship between the customer and the service provider (Gray and Larson, 413). Contract can be made with or within an organization. This usually means while one party promises to deliver certain goods, property or services by a specified date and the other party promises to accept the goods, property, or services and pay for them. Failure of one party to keep its promise may result in action by the other for breach of contract (Lock). Since contract management requires time and effort, adequate resources must be allocated to it. The conditions of the contract need to be clearly

Strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategy - Assignment Example 2) According to Wal-Mart, it needs substantial brands to form associations with it in order to attract affluent customers and also have a tendency of increasing peripheral business by selling other commodities. Therefore, forming associations with Levis’ allows it to attach a designer brand name with it that is accepted and received well in affluent customer’s segment. 3) Considering this case study, Wal-Mart has an edge over Levis’ in this corporate strategic alliance. This is so because Levis’ needs Wal-Mart for its business expansion as its own showrooms and other smaller retail networks have been proven incapable of attracting major customer base. Secondly, Levis’ has made considerable capital investment along with extensive business restructuring to suit Wal-Mart’s model. Therefore, Levis’ is dependent on Wal-Mart for cost-recovery and further business revival. Whereas Wal-Mart has a tendency of switching to other suppliers who wi ll offer better profit margins without incurring much liability. Therefore, Wal-Mart has a greater bargaining power as compared to Levis’. 4) Wal-Mart follows a broad target/ cost leadership generic strategy (Porter, 1980). It has multiple product lines that cater to every demographic segment. Furthermore, it has an extensive retail model with around 9000 stores worldwide. Such extensive network makes it a premium choice of suppliers due to which it has a greater bargaining power to persuade suppliers for providing their products at considerably low prices, as compared to other retail stores. 5) ‘Barriers to entry’ is an edge used by various leading market players to create obstacles for preventing new competitors from easily entering into market, industry or particular area (Sullivan & Sheffrin, 2003). Wal-Mart has developed a state of art automated system that is synched with its suppliers through point-of –sale mechanism. Therefore, the moment a product is bought, a supplier is notified which results into timely product delivery. As a result, customers prefer to stay with Wal-Mart since they know that their desired product will be available readily. This strong link with suppliers requires higher switching cost which is difficult to incur for its competition. As a result, their customers would also prefer Wal-Mart over them (Competing with information technology, n.d). 6) Value chain constitutes of following activities along with examples from Wal-Mart’s case study: Production- No self-production, acting as a retailer Production Management- Inventory management Quality Management- Extensive IT network and huge workforce Marketing & Sales- Sales teams dealing with suppliers General management- store management, venue management Marketing and sales management- Sales team heads dealing with suppliers in a particular industry Accounting and Finance- In-house finance department performing general accounting, forecasting etc. Res earch and development- Constant acquisition of market intelligence and tools to make IT its niche. Human Resource Management- Extensive handling of employees’ daily attendance, payroll, deployment etc (IMA, 1996). 7) Out of all the above mentioned activities, production management is the most important activity. Although Wal-Mart is a

The Middle East Essay Example for Free

The Middle East Essay The superpowers played a vital role in bringing change in the Middle East, although this change was not always necessarily good. There are key example of Superpowers contributing war, but equally the superpowers also restricted war as well. At the start of the period in 1948: the superpowers played an important role in the creation of Israel. The USA was the most notable country to showcase their support for Zionism, especially following the aftermath of the second war. The UN special committee on the Palestinian issue included the USA, and hence their voice was vital in echoing the voices of Palestinian Jews. The USSR also supported the creation of a Jewish state because sympathy for Jews following the Holocaust was also high with the Soviet Union. And when the state of Israel was finally declared in May 1948, the USA was the first country to recognise Israel. Israeli survival was also dependent upon American support, as during the First Arab Israeli conflict to have received around 15,000 rifles from the USA which were crucial in defeating the Arabs. The voice of the super powers, in particular the USA was therefore very important the creation of Israel, and without such a powerful ally, it is likely that Israel would have ceased to exist. This links to the second change brought about by the Superpowers as the USA and USSR used the Middle East to compete with each other- the USA having already expressed support for Israel left the USSR backing the Arabs. President Nasser tried to exploit superpower support to gain funding for his Aswan dam and the USA fearing Soviet influence refused to loan Nasser money. The USSR however backed the Egypt which furthered tensions between Egypt and Israel. With the Soviet Union handing out weapons to Egypt, the USA saw it only approiate to fund the Israelis handing out $65 million. With the support of superpower support, both countries edged closer to war because they felt better prepared. This was a change from 1948 when the Superpowers were not directly fuelling the conflict. This links to a third change, as the superpowers realised that they could not afford to create conflict between the countries in the Middle East in case it spilled over into a large scaled war. That’s why, when the Israelis eventually attacked Israel, backed by French and British forces the USA immediately threatened Britain with financial sanctions if she refused to withdraw. The Soviet Union even threatened Britain with a nuclear weapons. So a clear change can be where the Superpower prevented conflict rather than causing it. Perhaps the most significant change brought about by the superpowers was the Six day war. Following the Suez crisis in 1956, tension began rising as war broke out in 1967. The USA had been funding the Israelis and handing them weapons whilst the Soviets had been doing the same with the Israelis. The Soviets provided false intelligence to the Syrians that an Israeli attack was immanent and this only served to increase the tensions between the two sides eventually spilling over into a war. Israel’s superior equipment was showcased as they destroyed the Egyptian air force almost entirely within 6 hours. One can say that this is due to the USA and the funding provided by them. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE International relations 1945-1991 section.

Asthma Essay With Conclusions

Asthma Essay With Conclusions Asthma is one of the major chronic respiratory conditions which alter the respiratory function of the body. The World Health Organisation or WHO (2012) defines asthma as a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterised by frequent episodes of breathlessness and wheezing. This difficulty in breathing is caused by the swelling and constricting of the airways. Exposure to allergens, pollutants, cold air, infection and exercise can increase the risk of asthmatics having an attack (Funnel, Koutoukidis and Lawrence 2009). This essay will discuss on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, medical management and clinical manifestations of asthma. It will also cover the client education needed to provide for those with asthma, asthmas risk factors and its prognosis. According to the National Asthma Council of Australia or NACA (2006) more than 2.2 million Australians are suffering from asthma. This essay will therefore also describe how asthma impacts on its victims and their life style. Kaufman (2011) describes the pathophysiology of asthma as a pathologic condition which affects the lower respiratory tract by narrowing the airways as a result of epithelial damage, excessive mucus production, oedema, bronchoconstriction and muscle damage. In asthma the cells in the epithelium layer can be destroyed and peel away, making the respiratory tract more susceptible to allergens and infections, thereby contributing to airway hyper-responsiveness (Kaufman 2011). Asthma also triggers the development of mucus cells and mucus glands. This increases mucus production, thus forming mucous plugs which can obstruct the airways (Monahan et al. 2007). Airway oedema is another change that occurs in the respiratory tract due to asthma. It involves the dilation and leaking of capillaries in the airway walls which limits airflow (Kaufman 2011). Monahan et al. (2007) add that increased capillary permeability and leakage can obstruct the airways due to swelling. They also explain that the i nflammatory agents such as histamine, tryptase, leukotriences and prostaglandins act on smooth muscles of airway walls and cause bronchoconstriction which restricts the airflow to alveoli. Brown and Edwards (2012) write that wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and cough are the most common clinical manifestations of asthma. They can occur especially at night and in the early morning and can vary from person to person. It is not necessary to have all the symptoms at once as different symptoms can occur at different times. According to NACA (2006) frequent cough, feeling weak, wheezing after exercise, shortness of breath and sleeping difficulties can be early signs of asthma while severe wheezing, continuous cough, rapid breathing, anxiety, chest pain, blue lips and fingernails are the symptoms of severe asthma attacks. Diagnosing asthma can be done by obtaining a detailed history, performing physical examinations, pulmonary function testing, and laboratory assessments (Ignatavicius and Workman 2010) According to Ignatavicius and Workman (2010) it is important to ask patients about any experiences of having shortness of breath, cough, chest tightness, wheeze and increased mucus production as well as about their smoking habits and any family history of asthma. The same source write that physical examinations can be performed by listening to the patients chest for any wheezing sounds and observing respiratory effort by assessing the respiratory rate and examining whether the patient is using any accessory muscles to breathe. They add that the shape of the chest also needs to be examined, as a barrel-shaped chest can be a sign of prolonged asthma. In addition, the oral mucosa and nail beds need to be examined for any bluish tinge (Ignatavicius and Workman 2010). Ignatavicius and Workman (2010) write that pulmonary function tests (PFTs), usually using spirometry, are the most accurate tests that can be performed to diagnose asthma. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (2012) this test measures how much air the patient can breathe in and out as well as how fast the patient can exhale it. Christensen and Kockrow (2011) add that PFTs determine the reversibility of bronchoconstriction which helps to diagnose asthma. In addition, arterial blood gases testing (ABGs) and sputum for culture testing are both laboratory tests that can be used to diagnose asthma further. The results of ABGs are used to assess the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood during an asthma attack, while the presence of eosinophils is assessed in sputum testing (Monahan et al. 2007). Finally, chest X-rays can be used to track any changes in chest structure such as hyperinflation, mucous build up and lung collapse (Brown Edwards 2012). There is no known cure for asthma. Its medical management therefore involves managing its symptoms, either by maintaining stability with long term medications or quickly relieving symptoms of an attack (Brown Edwards 2012). Christensen and Kockrow (2011) write that maintenance drugs aim to prevent and minimize asthmas symptoms but need to be taken regularly. According to Tiziani (2010) these drugs are called symptom controllers. They include salmeterol and formoterol, (catergorised as long acting beta-2-agonists), and inhaled corticosteroids such as fluticasone and budesonide. Leukotriene modifiers are also used for the treatment of chronic asthma (Christensen and Kockrow 2011). Symptom relievers, on the other hand, are used for the immediate treatment and relief of symptoms in an acute asthma attack. They include short-acting beta-2 agonists (Salbutamol, terbutaline), oral or IV corticosteroids and epinephrine (Christensen and Kockrow 2011). According to Christensen and Kockrow (2011) short-acting beta-2-agonists are the most effective drugs for relieving asthma symptoms. They add that epinephrine can be administered subcutaneously and intramuscularly when asthmas symptoms cannot be relieved by beta-2-agonists. Oxygen therapy is also an essential immediately treatment for an acute asthma attack, write Christensen and Kockrow (2011). Because of the absence of a cure and a need for its management, client education on managing asthma is an important role undertaken by health care professionals. Clients should be educated about the signs and symptoms of asthma and its triggers, in order to lessen and prevent asthma attacks (Monahan et al. 2007). According to Ignatavicius and Workman (2010) clients should also be educated to assess their respiratory status, take their medication at the correct dosage and determine when to see their health professionals. Clients therefore need to be educated about the method of using peak flow meters, metered dose inhalers and inhalers with spacers. Monahan et al. (2007) add that a nurse should teach relaxation exercises to patients and the importance of not smoking. Ignatavicius and Workman (2010) describe that patients also need to be educated to have adequate rest and sleep, proper nutrition and fluid intake. According to NACA (2012) the risk factors of asthma are allergens, pollutants, drugs, infections, smoking, occupational factors, exercise and temperature change. Allergens known to trigger asthma include house dust mites, animal fur, moulds, pollens, tobacco smoke, bushfire smoke, paint fumes, household cleaning products and air pollutants (National Asthma Council Australia 2012). Asprin, other NSAIDs and complementary medicines can trigger asthma as well, according to Brown and Edwards (2012). Cold and flu can act as infection triggers while dust, chemicals and stress are considered occupational factors that can trigger an attack. The prognosis of asthma, however, is generally good because it can be managed by proper and timely treatment. According to Harvey (2011) most deaths from asthma are preventable, while mild to moderate asthma can be improved with proper management, making some adults symptom-free. Severe episodes also can be managed, depending on the treatment and the degree of obstruction in the airways. On the other hand, asthma causes irreversible problems in lung function for about 10% of patients even though it is well treated while poor treatment and control can lead to prolonged asthma and permanent disabilities (Harvey 2011). Other relevant information about asthma includes 235 million people suffering from it globally, with most asthma-related deaths occurring in lower and middle income countries (WHO 2012). In addition, the prevalence of asthma increases with the age and it is also more common in females than males after the teenage years (AIHW 2012). According to Andrews (2010) fruits and vegetables in the diet improve lung function while foods rich in Omega 3, (such as fish, sardines and salmon), helps to prevent asthmas symptoms. Asthma is a disease which affects people physically, psychologically and socially as well. Gelfland (2008) writes that its coughing, breathlessness, wheezing and chest tightness affects the wellbeing of the client, limiting their involving in normal day to day activities. He also states that the condition keeps some children from going to school and some adults from work. According to the Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring or ACAM (2004) 20% of children with asthma report not being involved in any physical activities such as playing and riding bicycles and of feeling anger, frustration and social isolation. Asthmas limiting of activities means life is felt to be more difficult as assistance is needed for activities such as shopping and housework. The National Sleep Foundation (2011) describes how most people with asthma suffer from coughing, wheezing and short of breath in night which prevents them getting enough sleep and makes them more anxious and weak. The effects during an asthma attack can also be serious. Fear and anxiety can rise, even the fear of dying due to the experience of shortness of breath. Fear of an attack can cause constant anxiousness among some asthmatics (University of Chicago Department of Medicine 2007). Asthmas discomfort and stress can also make some persons more aggressive, or to lose control of their lives, leading to less self care in general (University of Chicago Department of Medicine 2007). ACAM (2004) adds that an asthmatic can feel embarrassment over taking their medications and can also develop stress and confusion as they try to understand their asthma. ACAM (2004) also describes an Australian study that showed children and adolescents with asthma having lower self esteem, more behavioural problems, poor physical and mental status and worse sole functioning dimensions than others without it. In addition, asthma can socially isolate people by restricting their participation in social events, limiting their working and other activities, taking more sick days at work and engaging in avoidance behaviour that impairs relationships with family, friends, relatives and colleagues (ACAM 2004). Asthma can also create financial problems due to long term work limitations and decreased education. Sufferers are therefore more likely to experience anxiety, stress and depression (ACAM 2004). Conclusion In conclusion asthma can be described as a chronic respiratory condition which can be identified by breathing difficulty, wheezing, cough and chest tightness. Narrowing and swelling of the airways and increased mucus production are the major episodes looked for to establish an asthma condition. Physical examinations, pulmonary function tests, blood tests and chest X-rays are also used to determine asthma. The medications used to manage asthma long term are symptom preventers and symptom controllers. Symptom reliever medications are used for the immediate control of its symptoms. Inhalation or ingestion of allergens and pollutants, exposure to cold weather, exercises, infections and occupational factors such as dust and chemicals can be considered asthmas risk factors, and healthcare professionals need to provide client education in order to prevent and minimize asthma attacks. Chronic asthma conditions affect client physical, psychological and social wellbeing.