Intro to Legal Analysis and Writing Free Essays

Sherri Stover February 28, 2013 Intro to Legal Analysis and Writing After reading the case study I found that the state statute that used was the Texas Penal Code section 42. 09(a)(3). This statute prohibits the desecration of a venerable object. We will write a custom essay sample on Intro to Legal Analysis and Writing or any similar topic only for you Order Now For example the American Flag or any object that has significant meaning. The Judicial Branch of Government created the state statute, and that parties that were involved in this court case was Gregory Lee Johnson and the State of Texas. Besides the US Supreme Court the other three courts that were involved were as follows: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Texas Court of Appeals Fifth District, Dallas County Criminal Court. The citation for the US Supreme Courts decision of the Texas statute is Texas v. Johnson, 491 U. S. 397 (1989). The effect that the US Supreme Court decision had on the Texas statute is that the court stated that Johnson’s actions were protected by the First Amendment and that the state could not charge Johnson. The court also stated that statute did not meet the State’s goals of protecting breaches of peace due to another Texas statute. I will know explain the difference between Case Law and Statutory Law. Case Law is when a law is based specifically on judicial opinions, within a particular jurisdiction that is dealing with a specific issue. Another name for Case Law is Decisional Law. Statutory Law are laws or statutes that are enacted by the legislature. These statutes have authority of resolving issues in many cases rather then Case Law. How to cite Intro to Legal Analysis and Writing, Essay examples

Value Creation and Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Question: Discuss about the Value Creation and Sustainable Competitive Advantage. Answer: Introduction: Technological advancement and increasing popularity of the internet have created major difficulties for the organizations for gaining competitive advantage in the market. Innovation might be the answer for getting a sustainable competitive advantage. A competitive advantage for a company enhances the performance and is often related to the resources a company has and how they will be managed (Volberda et al. 2011). In this report, I will discuss the value creation and sustainable competitive advantage. For that reason, relevant theories will be included and discussed so that it can able to provide in-depth information about the sustainable growth perspectives. The report will highlight the prime resources that will be required for securing sustainable competitive advantage for an organization. It will also provide an idea about the process through which organizations can add value to the competitive advantage perspectives. Definition of key concept In this section, various models including firm resources, competitive advantage and sustainable competitive advantage are defined to make sure that there is no confusion about the concepts used in this report. Firm resources Firms resources include all assets, capabilities, firm attributes, organization processes, information, knowledge, etc. All these are controlled by the firm and it enable them to improve its efficiency and effectiveness by implementing strategies. (Barney, 1991) Competitive advantage and sustainable competitive advantage Firms implement value creation strategy for achieving competitive advantage in the market. Many studies have highlighted the fact that the competitors cannot copy value creation strategy, as it heavily depends on the internal and external resources (Barney, 1991). A firm must know how to manage its resources in the best way possible to create value for the consumers. A firm can achieve strategic competitiveness when their unique core competencies are efficient at taking advantage of opportunities of the external environment to create value for customers. If the resources are effectively a firm can innovate to get a competitive advantage. Employees of the organizations play a crucial role for optimal use of the organizational resources. If a firm attaches a high value to its employees, it will make room for them to develop their own ideas. Talent is the key to innovation, creativity and economic growth. It is very hard for competitors to duplicate value-creating strategy of an organization, if that particular organization can have employees who can manage resources well. These kind of employees are critical for the performance of a firm. The competitive advantages can be duplicated at any time. The three factors of the sustainability of competitive advantage function are as follows: The rate of the core competence becomes obsolete because of environmental changes. The availability of core competence for substitutes. The core competence has specific limitability. Its challenging for firms to effectively manage current core competence while trying to develop new ones at the same time. When a firms competitive advantage gets contributed by a continuous stream of capabilities they achieve strategic competitiveness and they will stay ahead of its competitors. (Volberda et al. 2011). Resources of a firm Understanding sustainable competitive advantage requires a lot of research in strategic management. In this report we assume that strategic resources are heterogeneously is stable and distributed across firms. The link between a firms resources and sustainable competitive advantage will be examined. The potential of a firms resources will be discussed with the four empirical indicators to generate sustainable competitive advantage; Value, Rareness, Imitability and Sustainability. By analyzing the potential of the resources a firm have the VRIN model will be applied to see how sustainable competitive advantage are being generated. (Jay Barney, 1991) Not every firm holds resources that have sustainable competitive advantage potential. For the firm resources to have this potential, as said, it must have four indicators. Valuable Resources If organizations can utilize valuable resources effectively, it will achieve competitive advantage or sustainable competitive advantage. Resources are valuable when, as suggested in the definition of key concepts, they improve its efficiency and effectiveness by implementing strategies. Sources of competitive advantage can have other attributes then Value, Rareness, inimitability, non-substitutability (Jay Barney, 1991). The tradition Strength-weakness-opportunities-threats model suggest that firms improve only when their strategies exploit opportunities or neutralize threats Pickton, Wright (1998). For the attributes to become resources they have to exploit opportunities or neutralize threats in the environment of the firm for the resources to be considered a possible source of sustainable competitive advantage it must be valuable. The environmental models of competitive advantage and the resource-based model has points of important complementarity and can help isolate the firm attr ibutes that exploit opportunities or neutralize threats. That they a firm can specify which attributes are considered resources (Jay Barney, 1991). The resource-based model can specify how these resource can generate resource-based model sustainable competitive advantage Barney, J.andClark, D. (2007). Rare resources If multiple competitors or potentially competing firms possess a resource, the resource will no longer be a source of competitive advantage or sustainable competitive advantage for the organizations. When a firm is implementing a value-creating strategy that is not being implemented by any competitors it enjoys a competitive advantage. A firm cant have a competitive advantage if multiple competitors possesses the same resource and have the capability to exploit that resource the same way. Firms can have their resources classified in two categories; Tangible- and Intangible resources. The physical items that a firm possesses are tangible resources and the intangible resources are the registered designs, reputation patents, copyright, contracts, trademarks trade secrets, and networks as well as know-how (Doyeon Won, Packianathan Chelladurai, 2016). If a firm is in the possession of relevant capabilities that differentiate them they obtain sustainable competitive advantage. These capabilities are an intangible resource. As stated, the employees are critical and a form of an intangible resource. The know-how of the employees contributes to the firms success (Richard Hall, 1992). Imperfectly Imitable Resources Rare and valuable resources may be a source of competitive advantage and firms with those kinds of resources are most likely to be strategic innovators. Other firms that lack to obtain the rare and valuable resources wont be able to conceive or implement any of the strategies because they dont have the relevant firm resources to do so. This kind of a competitive advantage is another way of the first-mover advantages and firms with the relevant resources will have that advantages. For a firm to obtain sustainable competitive advantage by the rare and valuable resources other firms may not have the possibility of obtaining them. These kind of resources are called imperfectly imitable. The imperfectly imitable can only be imperfectly imitable one or a combination of three reasons. Obtaining a resource is dependenting of a unique historical condition Causally ambiguous; the link between a firms sustainable competitive advantage is its possessed resources Socially complex: the competitive advantage that is generated by the firms resources. (Jay Barney, 1991) Unique historical condition A unique history of a firm can be a very important resource. A culture that emerged early in the history of the firm may obtain an imperfectly imitable advantage (Volberda et al. (2011). The culture of a firm is an intangible resource (Satterfield;Gregory;Klain;Roberts;Chan, Kai M, 2013). If a firm obtains this kind of resource may have a competitive advantage over other firms. (Jay Barney, 1991). Causally ambiguous Firms can have a difficult time trying to imitate resources. The most argued reason for the trouble firms are going true trying to imitate those resources is that firms have isolating mechanisms that is protecting their resources from being imitated by its competitors. (Ambrosini. 2003, P.6). Causal ambiguity is one of the mechanisms (Lippman and Rumelt, 1982 P. 433). The factors those are responsible for the performance differentials will resist precise identification (Lippman and Rumelt, 1982 P. 418). Competitors dont know the reasons why the rival firms are so effective when causal ambiguity limits imitation (Ambrosini. 2003, P.6). Imitating firms have a lot of trouble attempting to duplicate firms with a sustainable competitive advantage due poor understanding of the successful firms resources. This is the reason Barney implies that a firm should ignore the link between its resources and their competitive advantage because if the successful firm can understand this link, then its competitors will too. Competing firms can reproduce the resources by purchase them and acquirer the same advantage (Barney, 1991 P.109). Immobility can be explained by how unique it is Lippman and Rumelt (1982, p. 420) states that uncertaintya and uniqueness are independent. A unique resource can be duplicated in the absence of uncertainty, and thereby its uniqueness is destroyed. Socially complex It constrains the ability for other firms to imitate these resources when complex social phenomena contribute to the firms competitive advantage. Examples on socially complex resources include the interpersonal relations, friendship, trust among managers, culture, reputation and customers. Little or no causal ambiguity surrounding the link between its resources and their competitive advantage due to these socially complex resources can be specified how they make the firm more valuable. However, the socially complex resources improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the firm. The socially complex resources are imperfectly imitable (Barney, 1991 P.110). It is difficult to how to the socially complex is created and why they are valuable due to the intangible resources (Viedma, Jose; Cabrita, Maria, 2012 P.67-68) Tangible resources can be exploited by other firms by being purchase or possessed (Barney, 1991 P.110-111). Substitutability Non-substitutable capabilities are the last requirement to be a source of sustainable competitive advantage. The value of capabilities becomes more valuable when they are difficult to substitute (Barney, 1991 P.111). The competitors will face a great challenge imitating a firms value-creating strategies when the capabilities are invisible. Causal ambiguity will be difficult to obtain due to the firm now knowing how to improve processes that are not easily codified (Volberda et al. (2011). Generic Strategy Porter (1985) argues that there are two basic types of competitive advantage: low cost and differentiation[1] (Porter, 1985, P.11). The generic strategy[2] is a choice a firm can follow. The relative position of a firm within its industry is chosen by its competitive advantage and competitive scope. Each of the generic strategies are different and involves four different routes to competitive advantage. There are different risk each four strategies and firms has to make sure they dont get stuck in the middle. Value disciplines Another framework for achieving competitive advantage is Treacy and Wiersemas (1995) value disciplines. The framework has highlighted three disciplines are Product leadership, operational excellence, and customer intimacy (Treacy and Wiersemas 1995, Chapter 3). Conclusion From the report, it can be assessed that achieving sustainable growth is not an easy in this competitive market. Therefore, organizations need to implement various strategies for creating maximum impact to its desired market. In this report, several factors have been highlighted that can have major impact on the business development perspectives of the organization. The report has included several models and theories for add value to the study. For instance, the report has highlighted that the significance of core competencies of the organizations that can have major affect on gaining competitive advantage in the market. The report also has highlighted that environmental changes and social changes can have major impact on the competitive advantage perspectives of the organizations. The study has highlighted influence of peer groups, values and ethics of the society can influence the needs and wants of a particular customer. For that reason, the study has highlighted the significance of proper execution of the market research strategies for creating desired impact on the market. From the analysis, it can be assessed that any changes in the environmental and social factors can create major impact on the perception level of the customers that eventually will create major impact on the spending pattern. Therefore, it can be assessed that any changes in the spending pattern of the customers will create direct adverse impact on the sustainable competitive advantage perspectives of the organization. Thus, the study highlighted the fact that organizations need to be extremely careful at the time of implementing strategies for achieving sustainable competitive advantage in the market. Reference list Ambrosini, Veronique, Tacit and Ambiguous Resources as Sources of Competitive Advantage, 2003 Barney, J.andClark, D.(2007).Resource-based Theory: Creating and Sustaining Competitive Advantage,Oxford: Oxford University Press. Page 67 David W. Pickton, Sheila Wright (1998) What's swot in strategic analysis? Strategic Change, 03/1998, Volume 7, Nummer 2 Doyeon Won, Packianathan Chelladurai (2016) Competitive Advantage in Intercollegiate Athletics: Role of Intangible Resources Jay Barney: Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage, Journal of Management, vol. 17 (1991), no. 1, pp. 99120. Lippman, S. A. and R. P. Rumelt (1982) Uncertain imitability: an analysis of interfirm differences in efficiency under competition, The Bell Journal of Economics, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 41838 Porter, Michael, Competitive Advantage creating and sustaining superior performance, 1985. Richard Hall (1992). Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 135-144 Satterfield, Terre;Gregory, Robin;Klain, Sarah;Roberts, Mere;Chan, Kai M, Culture,intangiblesand metrics in environmental management, Journal of environmental management, Volume 117, 2013 Treacy, M., F. Wiersema, The Discipline of Market Leaders, 1995. Viedma Marti, Jose Maria;Do Rosario Cabrita, Maria, Entrepreneurial Excellence in the Knowledge Economy:Intellectual Capital Benchmarking Systems, 2012 Volberda et al. (2011). Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization. Cengage Learning. Chapter 3

Media Consuming Behavior free essay sample

Write about the characteristics of the consumers focusing on media consuming behaviors-Maggie (Meijun he/ 42715032) Researches and studies on media consuming behaviors before making an advertising project are critical because people always begin to aware a product or a brand from mediums no matter on smart phones, laptops or the corner of a street. In this part, consumer behavior on media consuming which focusing on urban lifestyle, cultural factors and technological factors in CBD Sydney will be explained and related Apple shoe’s target audiences. Firstly, the urban lifestyle has fast rhythm that enquires the form of media to be convenient reach. Businessmen and officers are the Apple shoe’s main target audiences. Their activities in the city area must be fast and flexible. They always glance various ads around them rather than spend much time to focus on a long video advertisement or a comprehensive brochure. Actually, most of the information from media may possible be new to them because information changes fast every day and night in cities that it is difficult for media to awake audience without innovative and convenient platform (Zukin S, 1998). We will write a custom essay sample on Media Consuming Behavior or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For example, radio is not a suitable medium that it is not used by many people in the city and does not have visual content. Moreover, the majority of citizens are more likely to purchase products which are advertising around them (Zukin S, 1998). Thus, medium consuming will probably be related to people’s career, class, age. For instant, drivers like to use radio when driving, businessmen like to use newspaper or magazines, teachers like to use website, youngers prefer use smartphones and older people like to use television. Secondly, innovative and fashionable factors should be considered on studying media consuming behavior. Sydney is a multi-cultural city that each person who walking in the main street may has different cultural background. People usually prefer different and new things every day rather than using the traditional medium. Audiences prefer visual and acoustic content on media so that they can be more enjoyable when receiving information (Brace I, Edwards L amp; Nancarrow C, 2002) This require that Apple shoes should consider creative concepts on making visual advertisement. Thirdly, smartphone has become the most popular medium in cities which must be considered carefully by Apple for selling Apple shoe. People no matter what ages prefer to achieve information by smartphone. Advertisements on electronic magazines, apps, website, SMS, e-mails usually be spread in a high speed every day by smartphone because people usually can not leave their smartphone for more than half an hour in modern life.  Therefore, promotions on smartphone have possible opportunities to succeed in marketing process.

How to Prepare a Sodium Hydroxide or NaOH Solution

How to Prepare a Sodium Hydroxide or NaOH Solution Sodium hydroxide is a common and useful strong base. Special care is required to prepare a solution of sodium hydroxide or NaOH in water because considerable heat is liberated by the exothermic reaction. The solution may splatter or boil. Here is how to make a sodium hydroxide solution safely, along with recipes for several common concentrations of NaOH solution. Amount of NaOH to Make Sodium Hydroxide Solution Prepare solutions of sodium hydroxide using this handy reference table which lists the amount of solute (solid NaOH) that is used to make 1 L of base solution. Follow these lab safety guidelines: Dont touch sodium hydroxide! It is caustic and could cause chemical burns. If you do get NaOH on your skin, immediately rinse it with a large volume of water. Another option is to neutralize any base on the skin with a weak acid, such as vinegar, and then rinse with water.Stir the sodium hydroxide, a little at a time, into a large volume of water and then dilute the solution to make one liter. Add sodium hydroxide to waterdo not add water to solid sodium hydroxide.Be sure to use borosilicate glass (e.g., Pyrex) and consider immersing the container in a bucket of ice to keep the heat down.  Inspect the glassware prior to use to make sure it is free from any cracks, scratches or chips that would indicate a weakness in the glass. If you use a different type of glass or weak glass, theres a chance the temperature change could cause it to shatter.Wear safety goggles and gloves since there is a chance the sodium hydroxide solution could splash up or the glassware could break. Concentrate d solution of sodium hydroxide are corrosive and should be handled with care. Recipes for Common NaOH Solutions To prepare these recipes, start with 1 liter of water and slowly stir in the solid NaOH. A magnetic stir bar is helpful if you have one. M of solution Amount of NaOH Sodium Hydroxide 6 M 240 g NaOH 3 M 120 g F.W. 40.00 1 M 40 g 0.5 M 20 g 0.1 M 4.0 g

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

Media Audiences - Essay Example There is also the importance to differentiate between mass audiences that are broadcast to and the niche audiences involved in narrowcasting. In terms of subjectivity, there is the impact on the audience members by the membership of the pre-existing group including gender, religion, education and nation. It may also be defined in regard to a mainstream audience for the narrowcast media. This imagined mainstream is what elite and sub-cultural forms do define them. It is a socially constructed phenomena. In contrast to the critique of mass society, the culture of mainstream is not addressed to an audience that is homogenized as it is diverse and made of different multiple audiences that come from various demographic groups whose mode of engagement might have. This makes it appealing and also commercially lucrative. It may be hard to define, and its meaning normally shifts in accordance to its usage. Appreciating mass audiences will offer that opportunity of resisting adoption of the media’s terms as our own. Audience size together with commercial profitability is construction factors in mainstreaming though it should be understood independently. Though mainstream media are known as an object of passionate feelings, it is what that moves most of consumers to participation (Newma n, 1). Mass audience as included in the definition for the mass communication has distinguishing factors that include: it is heterogeneous in composition, composition of individuals is that of those who do not know each other, members of the mass are spatially separated, and the mass has a loose organization and leadership that is not definite (Napoli, 7). The new mass audience considers the mass audience as both the receiver and the sender of the message. An economist Dalls Smythe 1977 stated that the act of consuming media included a form of labour that is wageless engaged by

Considering Bullough's theory of psychical distancing and notions of Essay

Considering Bullough's theory of psychical distancing and notions of kinaesthetic empathy (Stolnitz etc.), discuss the extent - Essay Example Two scholars in particular dominated this debate in the early to mid-twentieth century and this paper explores each of their theories in turn: first Bullough’s theory of psychical distance and secondly Stolnitz’s theory of kinaesthetic empathy . The language of these two authors is quite technical and so definition and clarification of the terms they use in each case is necessary before the theories can be understood in depth. In the light of these two approaches and some more recent critiques of them, there is then a consideration of the extent to which the choreographer can attempt to shape or control the viewer’s degree of attention, and in particular whether or not it is possible to create the conditions within an audience for different levels of attention. A key element in the work of Stolnitz is the idea that when we look at things in the world we always do so with a certain attitude, by which he means that we devote more attention to some things and less t o others and that this varies from person to person and from one occasion to another. He uses the example of an Indian scout giving close attention to markings (Stolnitz, 1960, p. 17) as someone at the more focused end of this spectrum whereas someone just out for a stroll would be at a the less focused end. This state of giving something close attention involves excluding other things which might be a distraction and preparing to react to what is seen, either in a positive or negative way. The relevance of this to dance is that when an audience comes to watch dance being performed they come with a special kind of attitude, involving focus and hopefully a positive expectation of perceiving something worthwhile that they will react to in some way. This kind of expectant appreciation is, in Stolnitz’s terms the aesthetic attitude, deriving from ancient Greek philosophy where aesthetics is the appreciation of beauty. A further important distinction, in Stolnitz’s view, of this special attitude and way of perceiving things is that it is quite different from everyday kinds of perception, because it is not put to some practical purpose: â€Å"Usually perception is merely a rapid and momentary identification of the kind of thing it is and its uses.† (Stolnitz, 1960, p. 18) In contrast to this Stolnitz defines the aesthetic attitude as â€Å"disinterested and sympathetic attention to and contemplation of any object of awareness whatever, for its own sake alone.† (Stolnitz, 1960, p. 19). In ordinary modern English we might assume that â€Å"disinterested† means â€Å"bored† or â€Å"not much interested in† but in fact it has a narrower meaning of not wanting any specific purpose out of the act of paying attention something. In terms of dance, then, this aesthetic attitude is what comes into play when a member of the audience comes simply to observe and enjoy the performance. He or she may at times reflect on what is seen , or react with pleasure, or distaste, or even anger at what happens in the performance, but the point is that coming to see the dance is the only outcome that the observer is really after. The example of a lecturer coming to watch a student performance would not, in Stolnitz’s view, be an example of someone approaching the dance with the appropriate aesthetic

What Is Disturbance In The Natural Environment Environmental Sciences Essay

What Is Disturbance In The Natural Environment Environmental Sciences Essay Disturbance can involve any factor which disrupts ecosystem function by altering environmental conditions (wiki). The Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis (IDH) states that in order to optimise local species diversity, ecological disturbance must occur at a moderate frequency (wiki). Disturbance can vary in severity, occur at several temporal and spatial scales and be a result of natural or anthropogenic events (www.nature). Natural disturbance (e.g. fires, floods, volcanic eruptions) often prevents populations from reaching their carrying capacity (Wiens 1984; DeAngelis Waterhouse 1987; Pickett et al. 1992 Ecol theory). Anthropogenic disturbance ,however, has a larger detrimental impact on habitat. In the past, the influence of humans on ecosystems has been limited; yet modern impacts have more recently accelerated in gravity and range (wiki). Anthropogenic disturbance can change and damage habitat, alter ecological function and increase the probability of invasive species (invasive Holzner et al. 1983; Mills et al. 1994). Invasive species can cause local species extinction as well as preventing native species from being re-established (Simberloff 1990; Vitousek 1990). Once settled, the removal of these species is often challenging, as they are less affected by competition or predation than native species (ecol theory). Anthropogenic activities can also alter natural disturbance events (e.g. flood p revention methods, control of wildfires; www.nature). The restoration of disturbance regimes may be crucial. Restoration projects should aim to instigate or accelerate recovery after a disturbance, or to re-establish natural disturbance cycles (www.nature). It is essential to determine the level of variability which is tolerated in restored systems (Duarte 1991; Li Reynolds 1994; Horne Schnieder 1995; Palmer Poff 1997; White Walker 1997) and to recognise and minimise the difference between natural and anthropogenic disturbance (wiki). Restored sites must be continually monitored and manipulated accordingly (ecol theory) so once a species has been established, the dimensions of natural disturbance regimes (size/intensity/ duration/seasonality etc) can be established (ecol theory). If this is not possible, restorationists should attempt to initiate deliberate disturbances which best replicate historical disturbances (wiki). It is also important to note that species cannot merely be reintroduced; the manner by which disturbances affect the sustainability of a restored community must also be taken into account (ecol theory). Succession Ecological succession is the progressive change in the composition and interactions of a community over time (Putnam 1994 ecol theory).   After a disturbance occurs, an ecosystem will have a fairly simple level of organisation (few dominant species)(wiki). Given time, the community will develop to be more complex (numerous interdependent species)(wiki). Restoration can occur passively or actively. Passive restoration allows succession to occur naturally, once the origin of disturbance has been eliminated (nature). Active restoration involves more human input. In mildly or moderately disturbed habitats, restorationists may try to increase the rate of natural succession. In other words, allow the community to develop in the same way as it would naturally, but assisting it to reach the final stage more quickly (ecol theory). However, in critically disturbed habitats, more concentrated efforts may be necessary and environmental conditions may need to be recreated to facilitate the processes of succession (wiki). Under these circumstances, restorationists may overlook early stages of succession in order to establish late successional species sooner (ecol theory). In some cases, underlying damage, such as soil damage, may also require restoration before the later stages of succession can begin (Whisenant 1999 ecol of rest). It has been found that succession theory is not always appropriate (Connell Slatyer 1977 ecol theory) Community patterns are often considerably unpredictable due to both disturbances and stochastic events (Fisher 1983; Levin 1989; Roughgarden 1989 ecol theory). As a result, successional theory has been deemed irrelevant in several systems (Roughgarden et al. 1987; Olafsson et al. 1994 ecol theory). Assuming it allows the prediction of community patterns, the knowledge of succession theory may be essential to restoration ecology (ecol theory). In systems with strong interactions between species and rare or highly predictable disturbances this has been found to be particularly true as community progression is principally ruled by local interactions (ecol theory). Species Interactions predation/herbivory/mutualism/competition/ Community Assembly Theory Landscape ecology The study of processes that occur across distinct landscapes and the abiotic and biotic responses to these processes is known as landscape ecology (Turner 1989 linking rest). The need for the study of landscape ecology has arisen due to anthropogenic alterations to habitats (Linking rest). Patch isolation, contiguity, size and shape (in terms of complexity) are all features which can be used to describe a landscape and these have all been found to have a large impact on both animal and plant populations (Turner Gardner 1990; Robbins Bell 1994 linking rest). According to the theory of island biogeography, populations are most likely to become extinct if a habitat is small and/or isolated from other populations. One of the assumptions of this theory states that the area between patches of habitat is both hostile and uniform. This theory assumes that the area between habitat patches (matrix) is both uniform and inhospitable. (Previous studies have suggested that the organisation of habitat types in a matrix can influence the movement of organisms and/or the role of landscapes (Gustafson Gardner 1996 linking rest).) Small and isolated habitats are also more susceptible to the detrimental effects of habitat fragmentation (nature). Habitat fragmentation occurs when a habitat becomes disconnected as a result of anthropogenic or natural events (nature). This causes the formation of small isolated patches of suitable habitat (nature). These habitats have a lower carrying capacity and have decreased species diversity and are therefore more vulnerable to inbreeding and local extinction (nature). As well as this, fragmentation increases the proportion of edge and decreases the gap between edges (nature). Edge effects may alter environmental factors, in turn affecting the flux of organisms and other substances across landscapes (Holland et al. 1991 and references within; Robinson et al. 1992). Systems are sometimes dependent on the flow of individuals between habitats. This sustains the community structure, implying that fragmentation can influence recruitment and therefore affect the resilience of commu nities (Palmer et al. 1997 linking rest). The role of restoration usually involves improving connectivity between patches by constructing or re-establishing links. This may be done with the use of corridors or stepping stones. Ecosystem Function Ecol of rest nutrient and energy fluxes are essential components of ecosystem function and stability at a range of spatial and temporal scales (Ehrenfeld Toth 1997; Aronson et al. 1998; Bedford 1999; Peterson Lipcius 2003). Ecosystem  function describes the foundational processes of natural systems, including nutrient cycles and energy fluxes. These processes are the most basic and essential components of ecosystems. An understanding of the full complexity and intricacies of these cycles is necessary to address any ecological processes that may be degraded. A functional ecosystem, that is completely self-perpetuating (i.e. no management required), is the ultimate goal of restorative efforts. Because these  ecosystem  functions are  emergent properties  of the system as a whole, monitoring and management are crucial for the long-term stability of an ecosystem.