“On Being Sane in Insane Places” Essay

It was very interesting to read about Rosenhan’s study and how psychiatrists, who go through big coursework and training, could wrongly classify a patient. It surprised me how some psychiatrists couldn’t say they don’t know what’s wrong with patients instead they could possibly diagnose someone as insane. Though reading this chapter I found the strange things from Rosenhan’s study that was hard to believe. Slater states, â€Å"The strange thing was, the other patients seemed to know Rosenhan was normal, even while the doctors did not.† (69). I believe patients can know that better than doctors because they are in that situation already and some doctors don’t analyze their patients carefully to know what’s actually happening with them. For example, if someone studies about one culture doesn’t mean that person knows way better that person who actually lives with that culture. Both chapters I found interesting because it relates to my life very well. I found out Elliot Aronson, Darley and Latane all kind of try to show that people needs to find reason for their actions. I believe each person as a human have to help everyone no matter what. Darley and Latane’s mention is about how to help someone in an emergency that relates with Catherine Genovse murder. Slater says, â€Å"You must interpret the event as one in which help is needed† (95). We read about Catherine’s murder and saw that after she had asked for help, someone yelled, leave that girl alone, instead of helping, and the only thing that happened was that the killer ran away (95). I agree with Darley and Latane’s that we need to know which help is needed and what help is not. The person may have helped with getting the killer away, but Catherine needed the help the most, so she wouldn’t die. I been in so many situations that someone needed my help and I helped as much as I could, but knowing what helped was needed help me a lot. Leon Festinger talked about how people really pay attention to what is going on in their life and around them. I think some people just pay attention to what they want. Its true most of the people like to listen to people who agree with them and ignore who doesn’t. The chapter also discussed how people can believe in something they can’t prove such as God working through  a person. I think even for believing a god it has many prove to make a person to believe it. I believe for believing on something need to have something as prove. This section is a really great one however I didn’t prefer how the experiments were described. I additionally didn’t’ prefer the experiments and there result. Harlow was a fascinating man and I preferred how the author discusses the experimenter and how they grew up on the grounds that it permits me to understand their conclusions about their examinations and why they are imperative to them. I thought it was interesting that the monkeys adored the cover yet when they were displayed a face they might be scared and yell or cry about it. What I establish fascinating was that when they were babies they existed like a typical life however when they got older they went insane. A percentage of the monkeys were introducing a mental imbalance, gnawing them, and one of the monkeys bit off his hands. This discovering was entertaining since Harlow was supporting the surrogate moms and this wound up going terrible for him. I wish the author might stick more to the investigations and less to her editorializing. I can’t agree with what Zola-Morgan does say â€Å"our human lives are intrinsically more valuable; monkey studies yield information that helps those lives† (153). Of course humans are more valuable than the monkeys, but still monkeys are animals and I think it’s so cruel to hurts them only because to do the experiment. If that kind of research saved the life of loved then I will be okay with that. I still feel awful with doing that type of experiment on poor animals that didn’t do nothing wrong.   This is another important finding because it just shows that psychiatrists may not have any idea about what they are doing, but no one questions them because of their authority. Of course after whom goes through big coursework and training, don’t expect someone to tell them they are wrong but from Rosenhan’s study they may be wrong too.

Mind and Morality Essay

The external factors play a huge role in shaping one’s decisions. One may think that his genetic and background history has the most influence on his actions, but in reality, the intensity of a given situation has greater impact in the choices of the individual. The surroundings one lives in ultimately influences his perception, decision, and morality. In his essay, â€Å"The Power of Context,† Malcolm Gladwell states how it is the little things in life that makes the bigger difference and in many aspects this is true. In Daniel Gilbert’s essay, â€Å"Immune to Reality† he talks about how human perception about reality is not always accurate. In Oliver Sacks’s essay, â€Å"The Mind’s Eye† he shows how there are many different perceptions to view the world. So at the same time, is it possible to dictate what is right and wrong in one’s life if all the decisions are a result of his given situation and surroundings? Also the morality for each person varies depending on their circumstances and perception of their world. Ultimately, an absolute form of right and wrong does not exist because the context of the situation always changes, but still it is possible to achieve an applicable standard of morality in society. Each individual has his own way of looking at the world that is completely unique when compared to the way another person does. This is perception of reality and this form is always open to discussion because the person generates this viewpoint. Each individual makes his decisions based on his perception of the world. â€Å"The processes by which we generate positive views are many: we pay more attention to favorable information, we surround ourselves with those who provide it, and we accept it uncritically† (Gilbert 134). In many instance one creates his own perception to suit his way of thinking, so the individual could be in the center of his world. â€Å"He seemed to regard this loss of visual imagery as a prerequisite for the full development, the heightening, of his other senses† (Sacks 304). Most people see becoming blind as unfortunate event, but according to this person it helped him to improve his other senses. â€Å"The tabloids dubbed Goetz the subway vigilante and the death wish shooter† (Gladwell 153). Rather than seeing Goetz as a lunatic the newspapers depicted him as a hero. So this shows the difference in perception between people and how it varies from individuals. Importantly since each person’s perception varies it is hard to claim whose perception is right or wrong because ultimately is there a â€Å"right† perception of the world that everybody should be following? Even when viewing a painting everybody has their own interpretation of the art. No one claims there is only one â€Å"right† perception; rather the different perceptions are simply different approaches towards looking at the world. â€Å"It was simply inconceivable that someone could pull a gun on someone else on the subway and be called a hero for it. † (Gladwell 154) shows how different viewpoints affect the verdicts of a situation. A hero to some people might be a villain to others and it is hard to claim who is the â€Å"right† hero. The difference in subjectivity among people will always create a discrepancy of opinions among people. Since a variety of perception exists, then is it possible to have a perfect set and stone â€Å"right and wrong† rules in life? The context of a given matter plays a huge role in deciding the morality of the event. Morality is very much depended on the background information of the event. It is very hard to dictate the morality of an issue without seeing the bigger picture. Most people might see stealing as a wrong act, but what if someone stole a piece of bread in order to make sure he does not die from starvation, is that still a wrong act? In a situation like that one might feel sympathetic to that poor fellow and probably will see stealing as reasonable in that given situation. â€Å"We do not realize that our views will change† (Gilbert 135), the idea of morality varies on the situation because the context of the event directly affects morality. â€Å"Blindness now becomes for him a dark paradoxical gift. This is not just compensation, but a whole new order, a new mode of human being† (Sacks 305), in many aspects blind people do not see their condition as a curse or burden rather a different approach towards living and for most sighted people it might be hard to understand and accept this approach. â€Å"That there are instances where you can take normal people from good schools and happy families and good neighborhoods and powerfully affect their behavior merely by changing the immediate details of their situation† (Gladwell 162) this shows how the little details of an event plays huge role in the outcomes of an event. Essentially, context of a situation is what dictates morality and it is going to be almost impossible to label morality as set and stone as something like the Ten Commandments because the context always changes. Even though the standards of morality vary according to the situation there are some aspects of morality that one subconsciously accepts. Some ethics are universally considered wrong and one’s mind without even one knowing already knows that some choices are not right. That is why the mind tends to usually question the choices one makes. â€Å"When we cook facts, we are similarly unaware of why we are doing it, and this turns out to be a good thing, because deliberate attempts to generate positive views† (Gilbert 134), subconsciously to some extend individuals are aware of the morality behind an action and this will help individuals to make their decisions wisely. â€Å"To what extent are we our experiences, our reactions shaped, predetermined, by our brains, and to what extend do we shape our own brains† (Sacks 303), There are some emotions and judgments that are simply preinstalled in one’s mind which aids an individual in making choices that are difficult. â€Å"After a while the bad guys wised up and began to leave their weapons home and pay their fares† (Gladwell 157) this shows how there is a consciousness inside individuals that helps in guiding with decision making. When making a choice that might inflict pain to us or others one’s mind will usually try to suggest against that decision. That is why the idea of taking an innocent person’s life is universally seen as a wrongful act in societies. Therefore, there is a sense of unconscious morality that lies within the hearts of most individuals. Achieving a complete form of morality is a very idealistic thought because practically it’s not possible. There are infinitely many ways of perceiving morality and it would be impossible to set a standard that would suit all the time. â€Å"Too often people with sight don’t see anything† (Sacks 310). There are parts that even one’s eye sometimes cannot capture meaning that sometimes it’s simply not possible to account for all the possibilities. â€Å"The benefit of all this unconscious cookery is that it works, but the cost is that it makes us strangers to ourselves† (Gilbert 135). People sometime engage in activities without being aware of the magnitude of the situation. †They are both based on the premise that an epidemic can be reversed, can be tipped, by tinkering with the smallest details of the immediate environment† (Gladwell 157) the intensity of the situation has a huge influence on the decision of the individual. Due to all this, perceiving morality completely would be very difficult. Also having a perfect morality would require infinite knowledge which humans do not possess. As an individual one is limited at what he observes at a given time and there are limitations for each individual in this world. However, through the perceptions of many individuals, people will be able to come up with a better understanding of morality. Even with the limitations each individual has a small understanding of morality in the back of his head. Essentially, when all these understanding that are possessed by individuals are combined then a suitable set of standards will be formed that can accompany most situations. The collective effort of people will help to generate a better set of morality that will help in creating a peaceful environment for people to live in. That is why it is important to have many different perceptions of morality because they all eventually lead to creating appropriate rules that will be suitable for the well-being of a society. Despite not being able to have an absolute morality with infallible accuracy and with infinite knowledge, an applicable method of sensing morality is still practical. Individuals lack the ability to have a perfect morality because for one to acquire it in completion one needs to possess infinite amount of knowledge. Despite this back drop each individual innately has the ability to know morality in small parts and therefore combining the small parts of every individual will help to achieve a suitable set of codes. The differences in perception between people only aids to benefit humans in portraying a better understanding of morality. That is why it is important that there are different types of perceptions because if there was only one view then a very limited and narrow minded principle would be prevalent in the world. The different pathways of thinking done by people finally leads to achieving a suitable mode of morality. An absolute form of morality will never be possible in this imperfect world, however, that does not mean accomplishing a reasonable standard is impossible.

An Unending Battle That Brought Us Together

An Unending Battle That Brought Us Together My mother said, â€Å"I have been diagnosed with breast cancer,† with a frightened voice followed by a facial expression of fear. I replied after a moment of silence in an anxious tone, â€Å"Everything is going to be okay don’t worry† and went over to hug her. That night I went to bed thinking about how I hadn’t appreciated my mother enough as I should have, and I could lose her at any given moment. The next day, I made some research on what breast cancer was since I wasn’t very informed on this topic all I knew is that when I heard the word cancer the thought of death raced immediately into my mind. However, after the research I had done I found out it could be cured if detected at an early stage or could be found deadly since its tougher to treat cancer at an later stage. The next few days, were the hardest because my family and I were all trying to adapt to my mother diagnose of breast cancer. We would all keep reminding ourselves everything would turn out to be fine, but in reality we were worried about my mother’s health. The disease didn’t only affect my mother, it affected my entire family especially me. I was deeply affected by it since I was barely attending my first year of college. As a result, I fell into depression, my grades started dropping, and I constantly had the feeling of losing my mother. The thought of losing my mother didn’t make sense to me, therefore I wasn’t sure if I could handle it. This brought me memories about her visits to the doctor previously to the results, after the ultrasound and mammogram showing the tumors being abnormal, I didn’t think much about it and thought the tumors would turn out to be benign. It was until after her biopsy that she was detected with breast cancer stage two which meant her chances increased of surviving this deadly disease, and I learned to appreciate her more than I previously had. The next week, she had her first appointment with the oncologist Dr. Satish D Desai who said, â€Å" Mrs. Fernandez, surgery isn’t an option you need to go through chemotherapy first to shrink the tumors size then we will follow up with surgery†. I didn’t want my mother to get chemotherapy I was against it ,because chemotherapy is a very strong dangerous drug with a lot of side effects which can outweigh the benefits. Eventually, I gave up and accepted the fact that chemotherapy was the best option in order for her to get cured from breast cancer. The following appointment she got her first chemo session I remember after that she felt fatigue and was lying in bed the entire day, as well as her loss of appetite she refused to eat. The following weeks, my mother began to lose her hair due to chemotherapy and began to use beanies as well as wigs to hide her loss of hair that was when her illness really hit me. This was very hard for her to accept she felt insecure without her hair, I tried helping her gain some confidence back, and change her way of thinking by shaving my head so she would not feel alone. I began to help my mother with chores I would cook food for her occasionally when she was weak from the chemotherapies. I began to depend more on myself rather than my parents which was a great feeling. After her chemo sessions were over it was time for surgery I remember she was nervous since it was her first time dealing with anesthesia and I tried comforting her right before surgery by telling her â€Å"Mom, don’t worry you’re strong you will be fine†. The surgery went well, and she followed up by getting radiation therapy which weren’t as bad as chemo sessions. Although, she suffered some side effects like severe burns due to radiation, but it was all worth it because after everything she went through she was cancer free words couldn’t explain the happiness I felt that day. Unfortunately my happiness didn’t last long after a year of being cancer free, my mother noticed a mysterious hard lump under her armpit. She followed up by getting a mammogram and ultrasound which showed the lump to be abnormal once again that required a biopsy for more accurate results. After the biopsy, sadly the results showed it to be cancer once again I was frightened that this time the cancer would have spread to other areas like lungs, liver, and brain which meant it would be tougher to treat. Fortunately, it turned out the cancer hadn’t spread to other areas besides her armpit which meant this time chemotherapy and radiation therapy weren’t needed just surgery which was a relief. Now two years later, my mom is once again cancer free. All these past experiences brought us together more than we previously were and made me appreciate her more. Fortunately she is doing great, and because of that experience I am now the individual I am today I have grown both emotionally and mentally. This event taught me that life is short, and I need to be grateful and appreciate more the people around me.

Change management case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Change management case study - Essay Example Semler has a unique strategy, that of empowerment. The importance of ethical values in relationship with workers is a critical part of this success story. He sincerely believed that each of his employees had the biggest stake in his business and they needed assurance of the safety of their jobs. He used this leverage to ensure their loyalty. This move secured the future of both the employees as well as the company. Maslow (1954) argued that workers achieve their best only when they are recognised for their accomplishments by peers as well as their superiors. Pay does matter but self actualisation is the ultimate motivation. This was the value that Semmler understood well and made the basis of the change he brought about. He used empowerment as the tool for motivating the employees and made them share the responsibility of managing the company by delegating power to them. Empowerment is a tool that is to be employed with the concept of participation with responsibility for consequences. It was introduced and implemented throughout the organisation in a phased manner. Hierarchy was broken down as this is a great barrier towards emancipation and self actualisation. A change plan was crafted to bring every worker into the management loop recognising his ability to contribute towards improvement in operations and the bottom line. It is essential to change according to the environment and evolve strategies to survive intense competition. Porter (1980) had suggested that competitive advantage is what keeps a firm; alive and later argued that when a firm becomes different by offering value, quality and some attributes through which it offers some uniqueness then it will become an above average performer in its industry (Porter 1985). But to arrive at this stage the firm must make difficult choices. Porter (1996) then redefined strategy to be a combination of differently performed

The Relationship Between Politics and Economics Essay

The Relationship Between Politics and Economics - Essay Example Political systems would not have the money or means to decide without the economic systems. For example, the American political system would not have money or means without taxation on the American economic system. The American economic system would not function well without laws passed by the American political system. Thus both of the entities are intertwined by the essence surrounding both systems. The problems occur when production, distribution, and consumption is not managed through proper laws. An example would be the current American banking crisis. Uneven distribution of credit allowed too much consumption without enough production of real money. Banks would loan $100,000 to people that could not afford the mortgage. Then the banks would foreclose. However, banks then became property poor, with no real monetary value. Without proper laws for the balance of production, distribution, and consumption the whole system can crash. That is why there must be a separation between the two systems. So checks and balance system can be in order. The economic system called feudalism is related to the Middle Age economic system. This system included lords, vassals, and fiefs. The lords are possessors of land. Vassals are works of the land. Fiefs are the land or farms. For this system to work, goods were produced for lords by vassals through fiefs allotted them to work. There was little or no money. Goods, livestock, and services were provided by the workers for their bosses on the boss’ land. The feudalism economic system survived until a few factors changed. The Renaissance, the decrease of the profession of being a soldier, and the Industrial Revolution created the decline of feudalism. Each of this reason chipped away at the feudalism economic system.

The Glory of Living Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Glory of Living - Essay Example The play questions the models of a family that are held up as the standard in society. Despite having a mother, Lisa is unable to have a normal childhood. The disintegration of the family is complete in the family of Lisa and Clint as the couple seeks to seduce young girls into a lurid kind of death. The sterility of this kind of an existence is repeatedly held up by the author as symbolic of the fact that such forms of life are unsustainable. The playwright, Rebecca Gilman, makes it clear that such instances of sterility do not represent the modes of sterility that were characteristic of ancient civilizations where it was a phase that would be followed by a regeneration. The two children that Clint and Lisa have only serve to heighten the disturbing mood of the play as the presence of a pedophile in the family makes the situation of the children complicated. They are moreover, placed not in the care The play’s pessimism regarding the state of affairs that modern life presents is a very postmodernist one, where it has become impossible for human beings to peel away the layers of life to reveal its true essence. Here, people wander through life; performing functions that they are aware do not possess any meaning. In this sense, the play also addresses existential issues that the modern man faces and has to deal with. The importance of the existential problems that the play poses is demonstrated by the absolute lack of meaning that Lisa, the anti-heroine of the play, puts into her actions. The main aspect of the play, however, remains the fact of the development of children. The life of children whereby they are at the complete mercy of their parent’s actions is demonstrated skillfully by Gilman’s play. The play, right from the scene where Lisa is charmed by Clint into a marriage that would lead her into a much more dissipated life than her mother, to the one where she discloses her dark secrets to the authorities, is a long series of events that displays the problems of a traumatic childhood. This childhood of hers is affected by the fact that her mother was a prostitute. The fact that Clint is a person who comes with a person, who may or may not have been a client of his future mother-in-law, is one of the most disturbing aspects of the play (Gilman). The guilt that Lisa feels at the end of the play is something that stems from the fact that she has not matured emotionally. The actions that she takes at various points in the play have no rational explanation. This fact is also the result of her dissociation from the real world where events follow a more or less rational course. The union of the grotesque and the real in the life of Lisa is another aspect of the play that is interesting and significant, dramatically. The grotesque events that are related in the play are a part of the life of Lisa. They are an everyday reality for her and this results in a disturbing atmosphere in the play. The grotesque becomes the nor m for Lisa when she arranges prey for her husband. The grotesque becoming the norm points to the development of the person. The abnormal childhood that was led by Lisa, where she was deprived of attention on the part of her mother. The negative influences of her husband too, become a reason as to why Lisa becomes what she becomes. The play offers no reason as to why Clint is the way he is, portraying

Assignment on Brasil food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Assignment on Brasil food - Essay Example The paper specifically studies three things. First it studies Brazil as a country and the impact of its economy with regards to providing a competitive advantage to its home bred companies and industries. Porter’s Diamond Model is used extensively in this section. Secondly, the paper studies globalisation and specifically the rise of emerging markets, their characteristics and ways for multinational corporations to succeed in these high potential markets. The frameworks developed by Khanna  and  Palepu  (2010) are used extensively in this section. The third section analyses the internal and external environments of Brasil Foods using the classical frameworks: PESTEL, SWOT and Porter’s five forces. The paper finds Brasil Foods to be a strong organisation with a sound business model, a strong home economy and sustainable core competencies that should enable it pursue its multinational strategy. The paper concludes by recommending that Brasil Foods begin its multin ational strategy in the Middle East where it has an established base that it could use to advance into North Africa as well. China is also recommended. Table of Contents Executive Summary ii Table of Contents 1 1.Introduction 2 2.Literature review 2 3.Analysis 5 3.1.Internal and external influences on Brazil 5 3.2.Globalisation, emerging markets and Brasil Foods 7 3.3.Internal and external analysis of Brasil Foods 9 4.Conclusion and recommendations 11 References 13 Appendix A: PESTLE analysis 15 Appendix B: Five forces analysis 17 Appendix C: SWOT analysis 19 1. Introduction Brasil Foods seeks to replicate its domestic success internationally. Its international strategy so far has been to simply export commodities and low-value added goods to its foreign customers. However, for the company to realize the vision outlined in its strategic plan titled â€Å"BRF 2015†, the company’s international strategy has to move from being export-based to transnational where the compa ny will need to produce, distribute and brand products within its target emerging markets. There are four broad factors at play that could influence the success or failure of Brasil Foods 2015 vision: the internal and external influences of the company’s host country – Brazil; the effect of globalisation; the strategies, structure, culture and capabilities of the company itself; and how it shall go about managing the complexity and change that shall arise out of its new international strategy. This paper looks at each of these factors and gives a concludes with some recommendations for the senior management of Brasil Foods to take into consideration as they seek to remodel their international strategy from export-based to a multinational strategy. 2. Literature review In looking at the internal and external influences of the company’s host country, Brazil, the immediate question that arises is whether Brazil provides an environment where Brasil Foods will be abl e to create and sustain competitive advantage against the world’s best competitors in the food industry. Porter  (1990) proposed a diamond model that outlined four broad attributes of a nation that shape the environments in which local firms compete and that could either promote or impede the creation of competitive advantages for its local firms. The diamond model tackles a broad range of issues from the strength of Brazil’s domestic market, to level of local competitive rivalry, to the

Critical Assessment and comparison of the Competitive and Essay

Critical Assessment and comparison of the Competitive and Profitabbility of UK food retail Sector and the UK Oil and Gas Sector - Essay Example Even due to the economic downturn, it is still predicted to increase by 15% over the next five years in the future (SAS, 2011). It is still considered to be an impressive figure despite the fact that it represents a slow growth. Over 9% of GDP of UK is generated by the retail industry which is the success factor of retail companies overseas. With the increase of e-commerce, the products are able to reach through millions of consumers. Hypermarkets have become competitive in offering diversified products to their wide customer base. The major players in the market, Tesco, Asda, J Sainsbury and Wm Morrison accounts for 80% of the total market share (Lloyds Bank, 2012). London is considered to be a strong market for consumer shopping and many people including tourists are inclined towards purchasing in London. It beats out other developed cities including New York, Tokyo and Paris with total spending of ?64.2 Billion (GAIN, 2010). The recessionary periods have hit the retail sector of U K which is very disastrous for the sector, but from a wider perspective, the major players in the market have not undergone major changes which might reveal that the market is running smoothly for the longer term. This also means that the big players did not change their strategies for competition and did not find a need to undergo major changes. The UK retail sector provides biggest revenues to their companies which in turn increases the GDP growth of the nation. The presence of major players indicates that the sector is strong with major assumption of future growth (GAIN, 2010). Weaknesses: The UK retail market is a mature market which is not intended to grow in volume terms. The margins and earnings from the retail sector are threadbare and mostly the earnings are coming from the online stores. As the economy suffers from recession global downturn, it has been tough going for the UK retail market. According to Verdict research, 2012 growth rate of the UK retail sector would be 1. 2% which is the third lowest growth in the history of UK retail in 49 years (SAS, 2011). It has been forecasted that the non-food items in the retail sector would decline for consecutive fourth year as it would have a decrease of -0.5% (SAS 2011). Food is an essential item in our lives, but since the recession period it has allowed people to spend more but for the same quantity. The greatest weakness is the rising food prices over the world which is affecting sales of the major companies and is resulting in slower growth. The grocery section has been badly hit by the downturn which has decreased the consumers spending and now the industry is termed to be as ‘recession-resilient’. The major price drop has resulted in the industry which has hauled Tesco to provide promotional strategies which is the biggest player in UK retail. Asda did not carry out the move to lower its price and insisted that it was the cheapest provider of consumer goods. The rivalry is intense in the sector and has accounted for low profit margins and growth (GAIN, 2010). Opportunities: Even though the margins are threadbare in UK retail sector, the big four of the retail sector, Tesco, J Sainsbury, Asda and Wm Morrison are planning to buy 4 million of retail space which is equivalent to 130 average supermarket stores (SAS, 2011). This proves that the big players consider a growth in the sector in the future which provides an opportunity to grab market shares. According to the UK economy

Transnational Strategy of Levi Strauss Coursework

Transnational Strategy of Levi Strauss - Coursework Example Since Levis is considered a status symbol and commands a premium from European and Asian consumers, wherein the U.S. its status has been eroded by the competitors like Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, it motivates Levis to sell its products in the global market. Levis also has to customize its offering as per local taste as different markets have varied needs in terms of size, color etc i.e. achieve national responsiveness and also has to take advantage of low-cost raw material, production facilities where ever they are available i.e. global integration. A transnational strategy seeks to achieve high levels of both national responsiveness and global integration simultaneously by overcoming the tradeoff between the conflicting demands of the two pressures (Bartlett and Ghoshal, 1991). Thus Levis has employed the transnational strategy by allowing its foreign subsidiaries to customize the jeans as per local taste with variety of colors and sizes for greater local/national responsiveness - achieving external flexibility and keeping the production facility centralized, at the most cost-effective places, procuring the raw material from the cheapest suppliers and supplying them throughout and transferring of learning from one market to other markets ensures global integration - the internal efficiency. For example, marketing knowledge learned on Decker’s in the U.S. was transferred to Europe. An organization’s structure is determined by the strategy it pursues. Levis follows a transnational strategy to achieve its goals, which requires a strategic combination of global standardization and local customization i.e. dynamic flexibility. The centralization/decentralization required by a firm depends on demand for global integration and local responsiveness.  

International Management Scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Management - Scholarship Essay Example As the essay disxcusses advancement and progress of Hungarian subsidiaries has occurred only to a limited extent and mostly in terms of scale, quality and elasticity of operations. The subsidiaries were unable to extend the required capabilities for a functional shift although the outer surroundings were by and large encouraging, and it served as the main reason why it was present in as absenting control center assignments in ethnocentric German activities. Regarding the future research of the subsidiary development, investigations slackness and flabbiness should be taken into account. Most probably the subsidiaries would upgrade when the rate of development of the host country takes a rise due to the spread out effects which are a resultant of government subsidies and better market opportunities. One such prominent example is the progress and development seen in the Canadian subsidiaries. From the report findings subsidiary typology research has been observed to pursue distinct patterns, both theoretically and empirically. Most likely, typologies are frequently generated as second-order impacts from practical or idealized plans and strategies for controlling global operations with subsidiary types pertaining to the parts they play in various types of different international strategies. Subsidiary roles can also be called as a result of a development of the multinational's increasing obligation towards global markets.... the increasing advancement in the multinational's mounting dedication towards international markets has also been of significance to the subsidiary roles. Generally, according to the results a considerable freedom in the act of decision-making regarding the production and operational issues was enjoyed by the subsidiaries; the long-term strategic decisions, for instance tactical planning or restricting performance criteria. (K, 2005) Advancement and progress of Hungarian subsidiaries has occurred only to a limited extent and mostly in terms of scale, quality and elasticity of operations. Thesubsidiaries were unable to extend the required capabilities for a functional shift although the outer surroundings were by and large encouraging, and it served as the main reason why it was present in as absenting control center assignments in ethnocentric German activities. Regarding the future research of the subsidiary development, investigations slackness and flabbiness should be taken into account. Most probably the subsidiaries would upgrade when the rate of development of the host country takes a rise due to the spread out effects which are a resultant of government subsidies and better market opportunities. One such prominent example is the progress and development seen in the Canadian subsidiaries. Subsidiary typology research has been observed to pursue distinct patterns, both theoretically and empirically. Most likely, typologies are frequently generated as second-order impacts from practical or idealized plans and strategies for controlling global operations with subsidiary types pertaining to the parts they play in various types of different international strategies. Subsidiary roles can also be called as a result of a development of the multinational's increasing

Spring Festival Gala Essay Example for Free

Spring Festival Gala Essay A Comparative Study of the CCTV Spring Festival Galas, 1984-86 and 2004-06 Xiaoyan Xu Abstract The Spring Festival, or Lunar New Year, is the most important festival in China. On every Lunar New Year’s Eve since 1983, the state-run China Central TV (CCTV), the only national TV station in China, has held a celebrating gala. This thesis attempts to examine the CCTV Spring Festival Galas as a case study of China’s statist nationalism. The research questions of this thesis are: what techniques and technologies have the CCTV Spring Festival Galas used to construct a Chinese national space? How have the CCTV Spring Festival Galas describe the Chinese national space? And what changes have taken place in these techniques and technologies as well as in the descriptions? To answer these questions, this thesis conducts a comparative research, comparing both the commonalities and differences between the galas of 1984-86 and those of 2004-06. Employing an interpretative textual analysis approach, it analyzes the videos of these six years’ galas and explores the political meanings of words and programs in the galas. This thesis finds that in order to imagine a united Chinese national space, the galas mainly represent China in terms of classes, ethnic groups and places. With the presence of minorities and people from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, the galas focus on the boundary of the Chinese nation to construct the unity of China. Furthermore, in order to construct the greatness of this united Chinese national space, the galas use heroes and sites to symbolize China. The presence of traditional elements helps create a temporal dimension of the Chinese national space. As a result of, and in response to, the socio- economic changes in the last two decades, the techniques and technologies used by the galas have changed. Besides the great changes in stage settings and technologies, the major changes in the techniques include: in the 2004-06 galas, hosts play a much more important role in interpreting the political meanings of the programs and presenting the state’s nationalist narrative to the audience, the Chinese Communist Party occupies a more central place in the galas, and home increasingly means individual family instead of the country of China. Correspondingly, the way the galas treat singers, actors, and hosts from Hong Kong and Taiwan has also changed. Acknowledgements The past three years have passed fast. At this moment, my heart is full of thanksgivings. I am especially grateful to: Dr. Timothy Luke, my committee chair, for his advising and helping me with revising this thesis for several times, as well as for his patience. Dr. Scott Nelson and Dr. Yannis Stivachtis, my committee members, for their support and suggestions on this thesis and future research. Dr. Christopher Clement, for his acceptance for my TA work and his kind flexibility for my responsibility during my pregnancy. Dr. Ilja Luciak, Chair, Department of Political Science, and Dr. Deborah Milly, former Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Political Science, for their great support. Pat, Kim, Melissa, and Karen, staff of the Department of Political Science, and Jenny and other staff of the Graduate School, for their great help. God, for giving me life and abundant graces. My parents and other family members, for their love and encouragements. Examples of these studies are Guan Ling, Zhixing Guiji [The Tracks of Knowledge and Actions] (Beijing: Beijing Radio College Press 2000); Xu Yingchun and Wang Ying, â€Å"Dui ‘kan chunjie wanhui’ chengwei xin minsu wenti de sikao [Some Reflections on Watching the Spring Festival Galas Becoming New Customs],† Shiting Zongheng [On TV and Radio], No. 1 (2003); and Wang Xiaoyu, â€Å"Chunjie lianhuan wanhui de ‘zhaohuan jizhi’ [The ‘Calling Mechanism’ of the Spring Festival Galas],† Meiti Piping [Media Critique] (Guangxi Shifan Daxue Chubanshe, 2005), Vol. 1, http://www. usc. cuhk. edu. hk/wk_wzdetails. asp? id=4891. 22 is Wang Xiaoyu’s study. 34 Based on the concepts of â€Å"TV community† and â€Å"collective emory,† Wang analyzes the â€Å"calling† mechanism that renders individuals to join the audience of the Spring Festival Galas every year. He argues that the high viewing- audience-rates of the CCTV Sp ring Festival Galas can be partly attributed to the â€Å"TV community† emerging in 1980sthat is, the phenomenon that many people gather together to watch the same TV programs. Wang argues that the CCTV Spring Festival Gala is creating a new and special â€Å"TV community†. Many families gather to watch a TV program together, along with eating the reunion dinner. What is more, people’s discussions on the CCTV Spring Festival Galas afterwards make the galas a â€Å"collective

Scientific Methods Essay Example for Free

Scientific Methods Essay Ruben wants to determine if listening to different types of music will have an effect on a person’s pulse. His hypothesis states that if a person listens to rap music, their pulse will increase more than if they listen to other types of music. Ruben takes each participant’s pulse before, during, and after listening to 30 minutes of music. He has his mother listen to rock music, his sister listen to classical music, and his friend listen to rap music. From the data collected, he determined that rap music raises a person’s pulse the most. 1.Identify the independent and dependent variables in Ruben’s hypothesis. The independent variable is listening to music for 30 minutes. The dependent variable is the persons pulse and the type of music their listening to. 2.Despite the results, this experiment is not able to support Ruben’s hypothesis. Suggest specific improvements that will make the experiment test the given hypothesis. Explain why these changes are improvements. Improvements that will make the experiment test the given hypothesis is that he should have had each person listen to each type of music because their pulses wouldve been different. Part 2 One scenario that could occur in life that you can use scientific method to solve the problem is if plants could grow taller when given Miracle Grow. The first step in the scientific method is the purpose. In this case the purpose for our experiment is to see if Miracle Grow can help plants grow taller. Second step is to find research on what other scientist have observed and discovered. Most scientist have said that using Miracle grow can help the plant grow taller. My hypothesis is that plants will grow taller when given Miracle Grow. Now testing hypothesis ..(experiment) The constants in this study were: †¢The type of plant. †¢The amount of water. †¢How often watered. †¢The environment grown in (light, temperature, wind, etc.). †¢The amount of fertilizer. †¢The size of holding cell. †¢The number of seeds in holding cell. The manipulated variable was the brand of fertilizer. The responding variable was the height of the plant. To measure the responding variable using a ruler. The analysis from the data read that using miracle grow does help the plant grow taller. My conclusion: My hypothesis was that Miracle Grow would help the plant grow taller. The results indicated that using miracle grow helps plants grow.

Expansion strategy of Starbucks

Expansion strategy of Starbucks Introduction: Starbucks as a corporation started its business from the year 1971 in the city of Seattle in Washington. In its early stages Starbucks opened four stores in the city and the business was looking good. (Starbucks Corporation, 1997). After some major changes and alterations the company opened about fifty outlets by 1989. The focus of the company was not only expanding the number of stores but also at the same time educate the consumers .(Starbucks Corporation, 1997). But at that situation the owners were reluctant of entering into the main industry. But in the year 1984, the company management acquired another coffee retailer called the Peets Coffee and Tea. (Starbucks Corporation, 1997). Since then the company adapted many significant changes in order to establish its brand in the international market. Supply Chain and Expansion Strategy: With various competitors the industry is a monopolistic in nature. For that reason a strong player like Starbucks is has to depend on the product mix and strategic locations as the main differentiating factor in order to influence effective consumers demand for their products. For that reason the marketing strategy that Starbucks adapts targets only one particular segment of customers. This marketing strategy for years has yielded great results for the company. Starbucks can be considered as the market leader with over $1.3 billion in sales in the year 1998. Due to the complexity of the network it is important that the management locates the cost centers and allocates the resources accordingly. In order to evaluate the supply chain issues it is important to realize the expansion strategy of the firm. The expansion strategy adapted by the firm is mainly increasing the market share in the retail segment and for that reason t focused on increasing the number of stores.(Berger, Buchman, Chase, Hsu, N.d). It is important to note that Starbucks followed a pattern of store opening strategy in order to form a network. The company adapted a hub and spoke model for its regional expansions. Starbucks at the initial stage selected a large city in the region which will serve the purpose of a hub; and tried to open as many as twenty or more stores in the hub city itself in the first two years. (Starbucks Corporation, 1997). After opening the targeted stores in the hub city the other stores are also being opened in the surrounding areas which are considered as the spoke stores. In the year 1995 alone, new stores opened generated average revenue of US$700,000 in their first year, which is far more than the average revenue figure of US$427,000 in 1990. (Starbucks Corporation, 1997). The growth in the sales was mainly due to the growing brand image of the firm. With the increase in the number of stores the complexity of the supply chain increased and this lead to the various security issues for the firm. For that reason a security team is being introduced in the system which is called the Enterprise Security Platform and it keeps track of the critical facilities , operations at the retail outlets and the also monitors the activities in the international market. This centrally integrated supply chain model helps the company management to keep track of the proceedings and predict demand so that they can adjust their expansion strategy accordingly. Critical Issues and factors affecting import and export: The Company faced some obstacles in the last two years of operation. The global economic crisis has reduced the disposable income of the mass and for that reason the spending in the industry has reduced. (Starbucks Recent Same Store Sales; Implication for future growth, 2009). The store closing has its other implications. The negative sales figure actually got compounded each quarter and it is mainly contributed by the sudden decrease in demand and the increasing cost component as the company focused on sustaining the expansion strategy. (Starbucks Recent Same Store Sales; Implication for future growth, 2009). It has to be noted that about Eighty four percent of the revenue for the company was realized from the retail stores and thus the expansion strategy remained as the core business strategy of the firm. (Berger, Buchman, Chase, Hsu, N.d). Before this drop of the net revenues the company was experiencing a steady increase of 27% per year. In the years 1998-1999 in North America, the company launched about two hundred and ninety three stores was opened and the retail sale immediately went up by twenty five percent. The other segment of business apart from the retail sales also flourished during that period. (Starbucks Company 10K, 1998). The major concern for Starbucks is their cost of sales. It has been noted that the cost of sales is as high as 78.8% of the sales revenues and the problem multiplied as the labor cost increased which increased the operating expense of the stores by 37.6%.(Starbucks Company 10K, 1998). In order to handle this situation Starbucks transited its grocery business to Kraft which automatically resulted in lower of the operating expenses and as a result there was a net increase in revenues in the specialty sales division by 20%. The main strength of the firm is in the specialty coffee market and for that reason it targets a particular segment of the population while at the same time maintaining its niche. The extensive opining of stores has led to market cannibalization in certain regions of the world. The employee training and development program have ensured quality service throughout the globe. There are industry level factors that drive the operations of the firm and there is a constant level of risk which affects the business operation of the company. The lack of ownership in the coffee supplier segment in Central and South America is a crucial factor which affects the import of the company. This makes the variable cost to go up and hampers the net profit. Over exporting and concentration of retail outlets at some regions hampers the sales per store figure of the company. The major exporting countries for Starbucks are Canada and countries in Europe, while the importing countries of the company are mainly countries of eastern Africa like Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia. Qualitative Techniques: The qualitative studies for forecasting will use various sources of data and information in order to ascertain the current position the firm. The two qualitative method used in this study are secondary market research and the Delphi method. Market Research: Coffee as an industry has now great global level demand and all the coffee companies through out the globe provide employment to more than twenty million people. (Coffee in the 21st Century, 2009). It is being observed that coffee as a commodity alone occupies the second position to petroleum in terms of the dollars traded throughout the world. (Coffee in the 21st Century, 2009). A market research results found out that over four hundred billion cups of coffee is being consumed every year. In the country of Brazil itself over five million people are involved in the industry of cultivating coffee beans. The overall sales premium of specialty coffee in United States of America has now reached a multi-billion dollar level. (Coffee in the 21st Century, 2009).But Starbucks particularly does not operate in coffee industry alone but the industry can be identified as the Specialty Eatery Industry. This industry can be regarded as the part of food and beverage industry which occupies the largest segment of disposable income. (Berger, Buchman, Chase, Hsu, N.d). This indicates a huge potential market to capture. The level of competition also increased due to the huge scope available after the year 1990. (Berger, Buchman, Chase, Hsu, N.d). The year 1997 recorded an estimated eight thousand specialty coffee outlets in the United States. According to the industry analysts the beverage industry at that particular point had enough space for about two or three national players, maybe even more. (Starbucks Corporation, 1997). The closest competitor at that time for Starbucks was a Canadian franchisor with many stores in Canada but when compared the size it was less than one-third of the total size of Starbucks. (Starbucks Corporation, 1997). The other national level competitor was Gloria Jeans which was also a franchisor of specialty coffees, and its stores are located in most of the malls throughout the United States of America. (Starbucks Corporation, 1997). T he other rivals did not have more that two hundred and fifty stores, but there were about twenty small local and regional coffee shop chains that aspired to grow into rivals of Starbucks, most notably New World Coffee, Coffee People, Coffee Station, Java Centrale, and Caribou Coffee. These coffee shops together captured a considerable portion of the market and made the competition tougher. (Berger, Buchman, Chase, Hsu, N.d). The company (Starbucks) also faced huge competition from the nationwide coffee manufacturers like the Kraft General Foods, Procter Gamble and Nestlà ©, the company who were known for distributing the coffees mainly through supermarkets. (Starbucks Corporation, 1997). For that reason the market structure thus can be considered to be a monopolistic one as there are several competitors present in the market who are at the same time offering almost similar kind of products and services. This reveals the competitive nature of the market both domestically and internationally. The competitors used certain parameters to gain the competitive advantages. These parameters are mainly strategic store locations, the product mix and most importantly the store atmosphere. The last parameter actually does influences to a great extent in building loyal customer base. Now there are certain other influences which affect the overall industry. Large coffee producers like Nestle and Kraft are constantly being pressed to introduce a voluntary levy on raw coffee beans which is considered as part of a greater move to promote sustainable development of coffee throughout the globe. The Worldwide Sustainable Coffee Fund headed by the members of the coffee industry has put forward a proposal to levy one dollar on every sixty kilograms bag of beans at an International Coffee Organization meeting held in London. (The Future of Coffee industry, 2009). This proposal got informal backing from the seventy per cent of coffee-producing countries all over the world. Delphi Method: A controlled group of executives were interviewed in order to understand the opinions for them regarding the future prospect of the firm. The questionnaire was designed in order to reflect on the opinions of the executives regarding the future and the strategies of the firm. A total of twenty five members were selected for this controlled session. The first statement of the questionnaire stated that the sales revenue of the company will certainly take a positive turn. About forty eight percent of the respondents agreed to the statement. The findings also reveal that there are forty four percent of the respondents who are unaware of the future so provided a neutral view. This may be due to the sudden dip in the sales revenue observed last year, the employees are now not certain of the dramatic comeback. Figure 2: Percentage feedback on question number 1 The statement asked about more of a strategic issue for the firm. The question asked whether the operating expenses of the firm are hindering the performance or in other words controlling the same would improve on the overall turnover. Figure 3: Percentage feedback on question number 2 The feedback suggests that the selected executives of the firm do not accept the fact that the operating cost is the main determining factor which is hindering the process of growth. They consider that due to the complexity of the business model of the company minor variations are observable in the period of economic downturn; otherwise the operating margin is quite satisfying for them. Figure 4: Percentage feedback on question number 3 The response to the third statement is a mixed one. The question was regarding the aggressive store expansion strategy adapted by the company. It is being observed that a major percentage of the employees under the control group are not in favor of the aggressive strategy adapted by the firm. Thus the overall qualitative forecasting using the Delphi method suggests that the closed group considers that the sales figure to go up but does not really support the aggressive expansion strategy adapted by the firm. Reasons for selecting the methods: The two qualitative methods used for the purpose of the study are secondary market research and the Delphi methods. The first one is useful for gathering information regarding the industry and the competitor analysis of the company which are essential parameters for determining the future or forecasting the sales. The second one is the Delphi method where the responses are summarized in order to understand the view of the employees regarding the future. The point of view of the employees is essential as they reflect on the actual picture of the firm. While the market research surveyed the external environment the Delphi analysis helped in realizing the internal point of view of the employees. Time Series Analysis: Apart from the qualitative methods of forecasting quantitative analysis are also required in to estimate and forecast the exact figure of sales that can be estimated. Two time series analysis methods are applied in this case in order to predict the sales figures and also the relationship among the various parameters. Moving Average Method: This method simply takes the average of the previous figures and forecast the next figures. Figure 5: Sales Forecast for the year 2010 and 2011 In this case a span of six years has been taken in order to forecast the sales figure. The forecasted figures for the year 2010 and 2011 come to be 8.2 billion and 8.7 billion dollar respectively. It should be noted that these figures is much less compared to the peak sales figure of 10.4 billion dollar that the company achieved in the year 2008. But due to the certain dip in the market conditions and United States economy the net revenue of the year 2009 also dropped. Due to the late drop in the sales figure the forecasted figures of the year 2010 and 2011 are low and it will take certain time for the firm to achieve the previous level. Though the last trend is increasing as the forecasted revenue for 2011 is higher that of 201 Linear Regression: This method of forecasting is used for determining the causal relationship between predicting parameters and the variable which is depending on the others. Regression Statistics Multiple R 0.9952172 R Square 0.9904572 Adjusted R Square 0.9840953 Standard Error 256.28309 Observations 6 ANOVA df SS MS F Significance F Regression 2 20451290 10225645 155.6865 0.000932 Residual 3 197043.1 65681.02 Total 5 20648333 Coefficients Standard Error t Stat P-value Lower 95% Upper 95% Lower 95.0% Upper 95.0% Intercept -58.491328 663.0271 -0.08822 0.935262 -2168.54 2051.557 -2168.54 2051.557 Operating Income 0.8536555 1.104188 0.773107 0.495786 -2.66036 4.367675 -2.66036 4.367675 No of Stores 0.5670203 0.048045 11.80197 0.001308 0.414121 0.71992 0.414121 0.71992Figure 6: Linear Regression analysis using figures from the year 2004 to 2009 In this particular case the sales revenue is the dependent variable, or the variable which will be forecasted, while the operating income and the number of stores are the predicting variables. The results show that the value of the adjusted R-square is 0.9840953 which means that 98% of the variation of these two parameters explains the variation in the sales revenue. This reflects on the high predictability rate of these two parameters. Now the forecasting equation that is being derived from this analysis is given by Y= -58.5+ 0.85 OI + 0.57 N Where Y is the sales revenue, OI is the operating income of the firm and N is the number of stores. This provides the model with which the future sales figures can be forecasted. This model provides the causal relationship among the parameters. Recommendation: According to the industry analysts Starbucks was a company which can replicate the giants like Nike or Coca-Cola in its own industry segment. In the period 1998 StarBucks was the only company with almost national market coverage in the United States of America. The immediate objective at that time for the firm was to have about two thousand stores in operation by the year 2000 and this target was fulfilled in time. The long term objective was to become the most recognized and respected brand in the world. This goes well with the actual value proposition of the company. The companys efforts to greatly increase its domain were stimulated by the joint ventures with Pepsi and Dreyers and its move to sell coffee in supermarkets. (Starbucks Corporation, 1997). The company was also thinking of a possibility of marketing fruit-juice drinks and candy under the Starbucks label. But prior to any expansion that the firm must adapt, it should consider two crucial aspects. Firstly the cost component being so high the company cannot afford radical product line of store expansion in the given situation. Secondly if the company tries to expand its target customer base, it may dilute it overall brand and the customers as well as the employees (who have been a major asset for the company) may see this as a shift from the overall value proposition of the firm. This is bound to affect in a negative way. For that reason whichever among the two possible options that the company chooses to increase its sales revenue, it must analyze the long term growth and prosperity of the company. Conclusion: The Company must continue on its expansion strategy as it is only way they can increase the sales revenue. Shifting the target base or shrinking the network will cause equal harm for their brand which will again hamper the future sales. Though the threat of competition is huge, still every time the company came out with successful marketing strategy to overcome the situation and it continues with its aim of continuous expansion plans. Quality product delivery along with increasing the network is what the company mainly works on, and for that reason it is expected the company will certainly overcome the current situation and its stock market figures will show positive trend again in the future.

Electoral College Essay -- Political Science

According to critics, the Electoral College is a faulty system that should be abolished and replaced by direct election. Supporters of the Electoral College system make convincing arguments that it is the best system to decide the Presidential election in a complex society such as the United States. Many scholars place the Electoral College into a historical context by discussing its evolution and sustenance throughout the history of the United States. This paper will discuss the main arguments made by supporters of the Electoral College System. I will first provide a description of the Electoral College and offer justifications as to why it was conceived by the Founding Fathers. Next, I will present major arguments from the critics of the Electoral College. In the third section, I will present the findings from proponents of the Electoral College. Finally I will conclude by synthesizing the arguments made by both opponents and proponents; I also will present research questions that were raised while working on the paper; and finally, I will stress the importance of the Electoral College and explain why I think it is the best system we have to elect the President. The Electoral College system is a body of electors who formally elect the United States president and vice president. It was one of the most difficult agenda items in the 1787 Convention, where delegates were trying to create a fair and equitable way of selecting our President. As we would expect, there were numerous suggestions. For example, some delegates urged that the President should be selected by the Legislature while opposing delegates, in favor of direct election, believed that the Presidents loyalty would be to the Legislature instead of being independent in... ...ring Constitutional Conflicts. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. . 9. Haas, Karen L. "2010 Election Results and Vote Counts." Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. 3 June 2011. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. . 10. Reed, Lawrence W. "Keep the Electoral College!" [Mackinac Center]. 6 Mar. 2001. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. . 11. Vita, Matthew, and Helen Dewar. "The Framers, Federalism, and One Person, One Vote." JSTOR. 17 Nov. 2000. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. . 12. Longley, Robert. "Why Keep the Electoral College?" About.com US Government Info. US Government Info. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. .

Comparing Themes in Frosts Two Tramps in Mud Time :: comparison compare contrast essays

Diverging Themes in Frost's Two Tramps in Mud Time On the surface, Two Tramps in Mud Time seems to display Robert Frost's narrow individualism. The poem, upon first reading it, seems incongruent, with some of the stanzas having no apparent connection to the whole poem. The poem as a whole also does not appear to have a single definable theme. At one point, the narrator seems wholly narcissistic, and then turns to the power and beauty of nature. It is, however, in the final third of the poem where the narrator reveals his true thoughts to the reader, bringing resolution to the poem as a single entity, not merely a disharmonious collection of words. At the outset of the poem, the narrator gives a very superficial view of himself, almost seeming angered when one of the tramps interferes with his wood chopping: "one of them put me off my aim". This statement, along with many others, seems to focus on "me" or "my", indicating the apparrent selfishness and arrogance of the narrator: "The blows that a life of self-control/Spares to strike for the common good/That day, giving a loose to my soul,/I spent on the unimportant wood." The narrator refers to releasing his suppressed anger not upon evils that threaten "the common good", but upon the "unimportant wood". The appparent arrogance of the narrator is revealed as well by his reference to himself as a Herculean figure standing not alongside nature, but over it: "The grip on earth of outspread feet,/The life of muscles rocking soft/And smooth and moist in vernal heat." Unexpectedly, the narrator then turns toward nature, apparently abandoning his initial train of thought. He reveals the unpredictability of nature, saying that even in the middle of spring, it can be "two months back in the middle of March." Even the fauna of the land is involved with this chicanery; the arrival of the bluebird would to most indicate the arrival of spring, yet "he wouldn't advise a thing to blossom." The narrator points to the conclusion that, while on the surface, things appear to be one thing, there is always something hidden below, much like "The lurking frost in the earth beneath..." In the final three stanzas of the poem, the "frost" within the narrator comes to the surface. The humility of the narrator comes to light, with the narrator saying that the tramps' right to chop wood for a living "was the better right--agreed.

The Mention of the Israelites in Egyptian Scriptures :: essays research papers fc

There are several Egyptian documents that not only mention the Israelites in their texts, but also tie the Bible to historical facts. Egyptian documents such as the Tell el-Amarna letters, a large â€Å"stele† of the Menephtah, and the Elephantine papyri not only tell the history of Egypt, they also coincide with biblical scripture. The documents confirm not only dates, certain numbers, and rituals, such as circumcision, but places and event, e.g. The Exodus, of biblical stories.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to James Orr, general editor for â€Å"The Definition for Egypt,† the Tell el-Amarna Letters were discovered in 1887. â€Å"These documents refer to many Biblical cities; they also give much direct information concerning the political and social conditions at that period† (Orr, Palestine). Damien Mackey’s â€Å"The House of David,† shows the remarkable similarities between several rulers in Egypt and the three kings (Saul, David, and Salomon) mentioned in the Bible. In Michael Grant’s â€Å"The History of Ancient Israel,† he states that a ruler in the 14th century named Labayu ruled over Shechem and extended his kingdom as far as the Mediterranean coast (18). One model given in the case of Saul tells of a second name stated in Psalm 57; the name is Lebaim, â€Å"a unique word in the Old Testament meaning great lions.† In line with this passage comes a reference from the Amarna letters; an Egyptian pharaoh whose name was Labayu, meaning â€Å"Great Lion of (N)’ where N is a god’s name† (Mackey 1). The Amarna letters could also wrap together David and Tuthmosis III as one and the same. Labayu had sons that battled for an equally important roll after his death (Grant 18). In II Samuel 3:1, the passage tells of how Saul’s two sons Ish-Bosheth and David fought for power. This leads Mackey to a comprehensive comparison between David and Tuthmosis I & III. A few illustrations in the contrast are ranging from military campaigns to coronation ceremonies (Mackey 3-5). In the military campaign of Megiddo, the records by Tuthmosis III describe the split of his armies to defeat scattered forces in separate Canaanite towns. Later, Tuthmosis rejoins his armies to capture of Megiddo (Orr, Palestine). This corresponds with II Samuel 11:1 account of David’s conquest of Rabbah (Mackey 5). Although, not as much information is found on the Elephantine papyri and the â€Å"stele† of Menephtah, they still display the bonds between the history of Egypt and biblical scriptures.

God’s Wrath Essay

1. To whom is the sermon addressed? To congregation, people who gather and practice religious worship. 2. According to Edwards, why is God wrathful? Because people are evil and wicked sinners and god’s wrath is never ending and high-handed. 3. Reread the sixth paragraph. What people, according to Edwards, are not in the hands of this angry God? How is this state achieved? People who have reformed their life in many ways and have had religious affections, along with keeping forms of religion withing you house and families as well as in the house of god. 4. Figurative language is language that cannot be taken literally since it was written to produce a certain effect. Edwards makes effective use of figurative language as he speaks of God’ s wrath. Find three examples of his use of figurative language and explain why they are effective. â€Å"The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present† â€Å"The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"and if God should let you go, you would immediately sink and swiftly descend and plunge into the bottomless gulf †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Edward uses the word wrath many times, meaning intense fury. Thus, repeating the word he creates a sharp piercing tone that hits you hard. He creates great fear from the second example especially by mentioning that the arrow is pointed directly at ones heart. These metaphors, and figurative language are not hard to understand. Edward meant for it to be this way. One should understand the wrath of god, and know fear, know that eternal perish can be cast upon you with a flick. He mainly uses imagery, rhetorical strategies, and repittion to convey his piercing and fearful tone. 5. Using the list of tone words as a guide, make a list of 20 words in this selection that produce tone or attitude. Misery, dreadful, wrath, avail, wickedness, contrivance, prudence, sovereign, corruption, fury, destruction, chaff, rapid, vengeance, treasuring, fierceness, inconceivable, omnipotent, stoutest, endure. 6. How does Edwards’ sermon reflect the ideals of this time period? He reflects the ideals as very believing. Believing in good and evil, along with higher powers and an after life. Showing that the people were indeed very religious. It also reflects ideals about religion controlling a way of life and that the more religious someone is the more respected and higher up they are. He expands on various things but sticking with main and strict religious principles showing us many things about how people would find this and react. 7. Explain how his sermon connects to a concept or theme in â€Å"The Crucible.† They both have to deal with sinning, and the consequences that come with it. The wrath, and fury which should spread fear. Both have unique tones witch go straight to the heart then to the brain. Reaching an ultimate piercing effect amplified by fear which is wrath induced.

Instant Coffee Essay

Everyone will not believe that coffee is the second people income in the world. There are 30 millions people who gain their income from growing coffee. As the article which had been read by Bob told that coffee has been grown by a lot of farmers in different countries. The type of coffee are Robusta, Arabica, and labarica . Usually, Robusta coffee use to make instant coffee. The first country which grows robusta coffee is Uganda and Indonesia is the second producer of this coffee. Generally, Indonesia is the fourth country which grows coffee in the world. The height of robusta coffee is below 6 meters .The next type coffee is Arabica. That is the coffee which Bob was drunk. It usually uses to make premium coffee. The height is between 600-2000 meters and the largest producer is Brazil, followed by Columbia and Kenya. The last is Labarica coffee. This coffee grows in few areas which has below 2000 high meters. It uses to make blended coffee. Based on the article there are also 3 style of coffee that is instant coffee, espresso coffee and brewed coffee. Brewed coffee is usually drunk by the European country. But, it was strange that U.K mostly choose instant coffee. Britannia supposes to choose espresso coffee while American chooses instant coffee. In Asian, Japan drink more brewed coffee. There is also institution which maintains market price of coffee, is called ICO who was made up by United Nations in 1963. They act as mediator between producing countries and consuming countries.

Democracy as a Form of Government

In today’s time, the call for freedom and democracy echoes all around the world. Democracy simply means freedom for the people staying in a country. A democratic government simply is a government â€Å"of the people, by the people and for the people. † A government which is elected by the citizens of the country, which is been elected of the people and elected for the betterment of the citizens residing in the country, is a democratic government. Democracy is a very popular type of a government that features free elections, periodically. Democracy is a form of government in which the government is elected completely by the people under a free electoral system. In today’s world, democracy is the best form as a government. Democracy simply means freedom; in a democratic government a citizen has freedom to elect a representative (vote), freedom of speech, freedom of rights, and many more. In a democratic government all the citizens have equal access to power. Democracy is also called â€Å"the last form of government. There are two types of democracy; direct democracy and representative democracy. Direct democracy is a pure democracy. Direct democracy is where there is direct participation of the people. Everyone would gather in town meetings and vote on issues concerning the town. Representative democracy, as the name states, is a system in which the people select others to act in their places. For national purposes, America has two representatives from each state. Liberal democracy exists in the United States of America and also in most parts of the world. The term â€Å"liberal† in â€Å"liberal democracy† does not imply that the government of such a democracy must follow the ideology of liberalism. It is merely a reference to the fact that liberal democracies feature constitutional protections of individual rights from the government. The best and the latest example of an evidence of democracy in America is the election of the new president Mr. Barrack Obama. History has been created as for the first time a non-white president has been elected. This is the biggest and the best example of democracy in the United States of America.

Communication in the customer service role Essay

Section 1 – Understand methods of communication with customers 1a) Use the table below to outline at least two different customer service situations and the different methods of communication that would be needed in these situations. Situation Methods of communication 1. IT department was doing a project over summer to upgrade some older PC’s in around different departments. When Staff came back to work after break there was some complaints of no printers being connected and also lost documents The best methods of communication are in person and trying to rectify the problems straight away with written reporting to helpdesk software to avoid issues reoccurring. 2. Customer has bought an item from catalogue or internet. But when it arrives He is not happy with the quality of the item. Because he can not find returns procedure, he needs to contact the store. The customer has a choice to either write an email or call the store. Find out the returns procedure and get RMA number, also to agree how much money would be refunded. 1b) Based on the information you have provided in the table above, outline why the different situations need different methods of communication. Different situations need different methods of communication to make sure your customer knows that you care and to show empathy to the current situation and customers problems if any. You need to plan the form of communication in relation to the context, and consider different audience and purpose. 2. In relation to your current organisation (or one that you know well), complete the table below by listing at least three different examples of customer interaction and identify the most suitable communication method for each one. Customer interaction Communication method 1. Customer calls to report a problem. Because he is already on the phone, the best is to deal with the situation straight away, ask politely can customer log a job on helpdesk while you look at the issue, than call back customer with the fix. 2. Customer Logs a job on Helpdesk. Prioritise jobs on urgency, and fix them one by one, even if you can not  contact the customer make sure you update comments on each job so if customer go back to check, he can straight away know the progress. 3. Customer comes in with the problem to your office. The best is to listen to customer, tell him you will log a job together and after that go and have a look at the issue. If customer has to go back to his work in the mean time, Ring them back with un update. 3. Complete the table below by identifying at least two advantages and at least two disadvantages of each communication method. Communication method Advantages Disadvantages Face to face 1. Seen body language 2. You can demonstrate the fix 1.You can be interrupted 2. if customer decides to escalate an issue it can be humiliating In writing 1. Written communication can be kept 2. Facts can be passed on without personal adjustments 1.Letters are slower methods of communication than spoken 2. there is no guarantee customer received it Via telephone 1. Instance Response 2. No special tools required 1.you can’t see customer facial expressions 2. You may still have to write to customer afterwards 4. When responding to a customer query in writing, outline the content that could be included in a standard letter. When responding to a letter of complaint you should address all of the areas raised by the customer in their letter. As an organization you need to show the concern, and let the customer know about the commitment to good customer service. Other thing are providing the detail if what do you need to resolve the situation (information details about the complaint) You should also tell them what action has been or will be taken by the organization to resolve the situation. Let customer know that competent person will deal with the matter personally, with job title detail at the end of the letter. 5a) Explain what is meant by the term ‘active listening’. Active listening is about engaging  with the person speaking, in order to understand them. Making sure that we do not disturb in any way the person speaking, but also we appear to be listening and not do anything else in the mean time. Also we keep an Eye contact with other person, nodding or agreeing with person at appropriate moments. 5b) Why is active listening important when dealing with customers? Active listening is important when dealing with customers because it helps you to: Make sure customers feel good after they leave the conversation. Check that you’ve got all the facts, and correct any errors. Encourage further sales opportunities. Properly communicate any message. Remain calm, friendly and polite with the customer. Stay motivated to communicate with that customer in the future. Support organisational effectiveness and customer relations. 6. Use the table below to describe the standard greetings of three different organisations and how these greetings impact on customers. Organisation Standard greeting Impact on customers Charity Shop, coffee shop Face to Face What you wear has an impact – are you required to wear a uniform or badge? How you sound has an impact – it’s important to be polite. Your facial expression has an impact – do you look sullen or approachable? Do you look tidy and presentable? How’s your body language? Is it negative with folded arms, or is it positive with an open posture? Smiles and acknowledgements meet guests’ needs for attention. Call centre Telephone How you sound has a make-or-break impact! If you sound tired or disengaged, the customer will pick up on this. If you sound enthusiastic and pleasant, the customer is likely to feel more at ease. Smiling as you pick up the phone may improve how you sound. It’s important to be polite.Your appearance is not as important but your manners are – offer assistance and listen and respond where appropriate. Supermarkets Boards Impersonal, some people might not notice is. Good when there are a lot  of customers. Customers feel welcomed without being disturbed. Section 2 – Understand how to handle customer service information 1. Explain what information may be held about customers by an organisation. Organisation can hold different types of data to provide an improved personalised service. WHO – essential info like name, gender email address and telephone number, also sometimes customers address, date of birth and ethnic background. HISTORY – Information concerning a customer’s transaction history with the organisation may include when and how they bought products or used services in the past. For example, did they buy products online, by phone or in person? PREFERENCES – Information about customer likes and needs and sometimes interests is essential to an organisation trying to understand exactly why customers buy or use the product or service on offer. 2. Outline at least two examples of ways in which customer information can be kept secure and confidential. COMPUTER SECURITY – One of the ways which organisation can implement to keep customer information secure and confidential. To implement computer security organisation needs to: Implement a firewall Install Antivirus, anti spyware and anti malware Keep your software up to date with latest patches Implement folder security with access to files by job description Implement IT usage policies Implement password policies Implement Backup and secure storage for it Secure format all drives before disposing OFFICE SECURITY – Steps needed to take to ensure the security and confidentiality of customer information in the office: Ensure physical security to the building Implement Data protection policies with Data protection officer Make sure all confidential documents are shredded When sending information to outside recipients double check it going to right people 3. In relation to your current organisation (or one that you are familiar with): Give at least two examples of information about the organisation that  should not be disclosed to customers. 1. Any details of and pending investigations and proceedings against college. 2. Personal data of staff and students. Explain why this information should not be disclosed to customers and the implications on the organisation if it is. 1. It could impair the effective conduct of public affairs, it could ruined the public image. 2. Personal data should never be disclosed to other customers or the general public because it’s protected by the Data Protection Act 1998. The implication is of course ICO enforcement and financial penalties. Section 3 – Understand how to work as part of a team to provide effective customer service 1. In relation to your current customer service role (or one that you are interested in doing in the future), what are the limits of this role when delivering customer service (e.g. what are you able to deal with as part of this role and what situations would you be unable to handle without assistance from others)? I am IT Services engineer, product specialist. My Job role is to develop good working network for apple hardware, but also work with other engineers to maintain current systems. Answer customer queries and fix problems. If customer hardware is broken beyond repair, the only thing I can do is tell customer to request replacement, I can not promise that we will be able to do it. If repair is out of my hands I help customer to log/ update job on helpdesk and make sure the right engineer knows its been booked for him. That helps keep customer expectations at the level we can satisfy them. 2. If you were faced with a customer query outside of your individual responsibility, what sources of help would be available to you? Identify them below. Other engineers (specialities)

Research one of the formulas in Statistics that we will cover and Project

Research one of the formulas in that we will cover and discuss the relevancy and application to the program - Statistics Project Example Probability can either be experimental of theoretical. The formula for calculating probability is the number of successful outcomes divided by the total number of outcomes in an event. While experimental probability is based on observations from past events or an experiment, theoretical probability relies on expectations due to nature of events (Brockopp and Tolsma, 2003). The relevance of the formula for finding probability is realized in nursing research, evidence based practice and administrative decision making such as determination of best practices. In determining probability of success of a nursing practice, probability helps in making decision on whether a practice should be adopted or not. The probability concept also helps in selection the best out of available practices by offering likelihood of success in each practice. Probability is therefore relevant to the nursing profession because it forms a basis for decision making in selection of nursing practices. It can be applied in any decision making process that is evidence based. This is because it relies on experiments or proved occurrences to offer predictions (Brockopp and Tolsma,

Motivation and Oerformance Management Assignment

Motivation and Oerformance Management - Assignment Example Job satisfaction is the gratification of an employee in the company and to the position held. It can also be the lack of satisfaction of the employee in the company. It comes as a result of the relationship between the employee and the position that he or she holds together with a positive or negative feelings that he or she holds. Job satisfaction is related to the attitude an employee has in the job. Organizational commitment can, on the other hand, get the definition as a strong feeling of responsibility that a person has towards the goals that are set by the company. Organizational commitment is also referred to as the attachment that a person has towards the workplace (Hiam, 2003). The impact of attitude to the job satisfaction is direct. On the case of organizational commitment, there is a focus on the attitude of the employee towards the organization as a whole. Despite the fact that there is a stronger relationship between commitment and satisfaction there is also the idea that satisfaction is caused by commitment. However, there is a difference between commitment and satisfaction in an organization (Kearney & Berman, 2009). According to Hiam (2003) motivation influences the performance of an employee in an organization. The work environment and the ability of the employee are also determinants in the performance of an employee. Problems in the motivation of the employees should face scrutiny in every organization. It is because of the significance of motivation in determining the performance of the company. The perceptions that are held by an individual employee play a vital role in the approach of the motivational theory that can be use by an organization. One of the approaches is the equity theory. It establishes how the workers recognize the rewards handed to them by the company in exchange to the task they complete. On the case that the employees view the rewards as

The Principles and Rules used by Jundges to Interpret Statutes Essay

The Principles and Rules used by Jundges to Interpret Statutes - Essay Example According to the fictitious Act that has been used for his arrest, if Derek is defined as an employee than he is considered exempt, but if by throwing a party he has acted independently of that definition, then he is guilty of the charges. The following discussion will consider the position of Derek in relationship with his charged offense and use the rules and principles that judges utilize in order to make a judgement about the problem of the party. The definition of Derek’s position in relationship to his use of the land is vital in order to come to a well rendered conclusion. Judges and the Law The interpretation of a law becomes common law when a statute does not directly address an aspect of a situation that comes for judgment and a ruling will help to define that aspect. A judge, however, will not come into contradiction with a standing law in order to favor a different outcome to a trial (Miller and Cross 2011, p. 12). The intention of this structure is so that the law is consistent to the point at which it has already been defined, but is flexible at the points that have yet to be defined. In this way, the law grows and benefits from the learning process as human experience is developed and knowledge is gained. One of the most debatable positions on the standard of the rights of judges to debate the merits of law is through the â€Å"the rule in Heydon’s Case† which was defined in 1584. Lord Coke said at that time that â€Å"The office of all the judges is always to make such construction as shall suppress the mischief, and advance the remedy, and to suppress subtle inventions, and evasion for continuance of the mischief and pro private commodo, and to add force and life to the cure and remedy, according to the true intent of the makers of the Act, pro bono publico† (Solan 2010). This statement, whether or not one believed in the context from which it was created, clearly states that the law is the intention of interpretatio ns by judges. There are fixed rules and principles by which law is interpreted by judges in England in order to put limitations on the liberties that judges might use when interpreting statutes. A statute must be interpreted with equity so that the fairness of the law is the defining principle upon which it is interpreted. Where case law and legislative law come into conflict, Parliamentary Sovereignty is the ruling principle in which legislation will be considered over case law. Substantive law dictates that a law must be defined by standards of moral intent that are in line with the general understanding of right and wrong. Deference suggests that where others have interpreted law in one direction, it is likely that the law should continue in that direction of interpretation (Smith 1848, p. 828). Derek’s Position: Discussion The fictitious Prohibition of Unsolicited Parties Act 2010 suggests that ‘a gathering of more than a hundred people on land for a social purpose in which alcohol will be consumed’ (section 1) is a criminal offense when permission for this event has not been organised under the permission of a local magistrate (section 2). The exception to this, which is laid out in section 3 is that the occupant of the land, his family, his employee, or an agent operating under his

Securitisation of Bank Loans and Reasons Why Banks Securitise Some of Essay

Securitisation of Bank Loans and Reasons Why Banks Securitise Some of its Loans - Essay Example 11) further describe securitisation as a financial practice which involves pooling together the various types of contractual debts for instance commercial and residential mortgages, automobile loans or credit card liability obligations and marketing the combined debt as bonds, securities or collateralized mortgage obligation to various investors. The principal and interests accruing from the debt and the underlying security is paid to the investors on regular basis. Securitisation has also been defined by (Samantha, 2005, p. 1) as the process of converting the existing assets or future cash flows into marketable securities. Converting existing assets to marketable securities is known as asset-backed securitisation while securities supported by the mortgage receivable are known as mortgage-backed securities (MBI) (Samantha, 2005, p. 1). Securitisation can help improve the liquidity, reduce risks associated with credit and interest rates; supplement fee income and boost the leverage ra tios. Despite these gains, some financial institutions are reluctant to securitize their loans given the disadvantages of this practice. This paper will first assess the process of securitisation and then make a study into the reasons why banks securitize their loans (Altunbas, Gambacorta and Marques, 2007, p. ... This reduced the available funds thereby limiting the ability of banks to meet the growing demand for loans and could only raise the additional funds from the market. However, securitisation provides a way for unblocking those funds and freeing them to be loaned to customers. The process of securitisation starts with the bank putting together a collection of loans it plans to issue to investors as collateralize notes (Simonson, 1995, p. 77). He asserts that the loans must be homogenous as regards to the underwriting standards of the issuing bank and should have a fixed maturity and in the case of credit card; a fixed revolving balance. Moreover, the pooled loans should have the same risk profile. After the loans have been bundled, the issuing bank comes up with a special purpose trust which acquires the bundled loans. Generally, the trust procures credit enhancement from a third party in the form of assurance in the portion the possible losses. Thereafter, the trust gets into a conta ct with an underwriter who issues the notes; usually at a high rate against the loans (Simonson, 1995, p. 77). Institutional investors are the ones who usually buy the notes as the bank continues the servicing the loans. To understand securitisation, (Simonson, 1995, p. 77) gives an example of a bank, ABC that gives out loans and these are maintained on the balance sheet as its assets. The bank therefore has a pool of funds that are locked up as loans. The customer who has been loaned by the bank is known as obligors. To unblock those funds, the assets have to be reverted back to the originator (ABC bank holding the assets) to a special purpose vehicle (SPV). SPV is also known as the issuer and is usually

Human wk 11 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human wk 11 - Essay Example When I say this, I mean that the teacher helps them learn through their learning style and keeps them excited about learning. As a scholar practitioner, I think it is important to understand those things or issues that motivate a client to do or not do something. As an example, money may be a motivator for some people, but it is not always the most important issue in someone's life. When thinking about social change, I think that many people are motivated by different issues in society and they stand behind those that are most important to them. As an example, I believe that teens must have support to get through some of the tough times that they go through with their friends and we must help them deal with these problems or they become larger. I also think that as a scholar-practitioner, it is our duty to make sure that we understand the influences and/or motivations that our clients have in order to help serve them more accurately. References Reeve, J.M. (2009). Understanding motiv ation and emotion. Fifth Edition. NJ: John Wiley & Sons Assignment 3 I think that it was very important to understand those things that motivate us in order for us to move towards a goal. In this course, I stated in the beginning that I had the goal of making a success of my life through getting my Masters degree.