Wednesday, July 31, 2019

My Grub Box

When Vivian Johnson decided to pursue a college education, it was not because her parents didn’t attend college, it was because she wanted to be in a position of control. She knew that college was her ticket to getting the qualifications needed for the career she envisioned. In â€Å"My Grub Box,† Vivian Johnson recalls her college experience moving from Emmonak, Alaska to the East Coast Ivy League School Dartmouth. Taken completely out of her native environment of the Yup’ik Eskimos, she details a certain adaptation to gain understanding of her perspective.Vivian Johnson’s â€Å"grub box† created a signpost for her way of life through the realization that culture is inseparable from being native. The main aspect that set Vivian Johnson apart from other students at Dartmouth is her experiences as a member of a native Eskimo family. Johnson begins her memoir with a description of the function of a grub box and what it has meant for members of her fam ily. On hunting and camping trips she would use her grub box to pack food and supplies to survive, but her grub box that helped her through college contained much more than physical items.She used intangible things that were passed on from her parents, like a sense of identity and how to survive in different surroundings. (Johnson, 201) Another reason that Johnson didn’t fit into the â€Å"normal† student population at Dartmouth, was the fact that she didn’t come from a socially advantaged family compared to many of the other students. She could not relate to many of the other students experiences simply because her family didn’t take exotic trips or have fancy clothing, jewels, and cars.Not only was Johnson different from other students because of her possessions and experiences, but she also had a different perspective and was used to a different way of thinking. She found it difficult to understand her government professor because she had not been expo sed to that way of thinking before. Also, she at first had trouble discussing certain topics with her classmates such as the â€Å"concepts of land, substinence hunting, and fishing. † Eventually, she had began to anticipate questions about why she didn’t fit in so she formulated answers to better describe her way of life. Johnson, 207) Upon her arrival at Dartmouth, Vivian Johnson realized that she was completely out of her environment. Her grub box helped her transition allowing her to adapt to college life and enabled her to slowly orient herself on her new landscape. She was outside her environment both physically and intellectually. Everything was foreign to her, from the smell and type of trees, wildlife on campus, and formation of the stars, to riding in a taxi for the first time, Vivian needed to adapt to her surroundings in order to survive.The food she received from her grandpa helped her physically because she wasn’t used to the type of food served at Dartmouth, but the intangible qualities served a greater purpose. Those qualities formed a type of support system for Vivian that connected her to her roots as a way to remind her of her culture and heritage in order to combat the overwhelming pressures she faced in this cultural submersion. While Johnson described many of the hardships she had during her time at Dartmouth, she did manage to find a place where she was accepted for who she was and where she came from.When she joined Native American at Dartmouth, Vivian was helped not only academically, but also with small tasks that made her life easier, such as mail, food, and housing. She became part of a social network that appreciated her and considered her to be one in their group, even though she wasn’t Native American. By finding similarities between herself and the other members of Native Americans at Dartmouth, Johnson was able to connect with them because they had similar life experiences. She valued this support gr oup of friends so much, that she credits them for her graduation from Dartmouth. (Johnson, 209)Upon graduation from Dartmouth, Johnson describes her exit â€Å"just as perplexing as her entrance. † (Johnson, 209) Adaptation plays a huge role in Johnson’s survival attending college with different cultures. In the end, Vivian Johnson’s experiences she gained at Dartmouth from adapting further adds to her â€Å"grub box† enabling her to branch out to individuals in her adult life. The adaptation in Vivian Johnson’s memoir made it easy for me to relate to her story of going away to college. When I arrived at the University of Wisconsin-Madison there was a sudden sense of culture shock. Also, being on our own when your parents were the ones to feed you, take you places, and lend you money when needed, definitely leaves you to fend for yourself. Adapting to my new environment was no fun but is definitely an experience of having to adapt in order to accom plish new goals and â€Å"fit in. † I realized that everyone has a different set of tools in their â€Å"grub box† from adapting to new experiences and when exchanged, form a more global perspective of race in the Unites States. Therefore, Vivian Johnson’s adaptation to reality serves as a launching pad for individuals to engage in difficult conversations about race.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Movie Analysis Paper on The Joy Luck Club

The movie I selected is â€Å"The Joy Luck Club† that illustrates the gap and the misunderstanding between foreign-born mothers from China and their American-born daughters who are ignorant of their culture, life, morals, and ways. Jing-mei, the main character in the film, has taken her mother, Suyuan’s place playing mahjong in a weekly gathering that her deceased mother had organized in China and revived in San Francisco- The Joy Luck Club. The club’s other members- auntie Lindo, Ying-ying, and An-mei are three of her mother’s oldest friends and fellow immigrants.The movie, which was filmed after the success of the book by Amy Tan, alternates viewpoints from each set of mother-daughter’s story, in which each recalls the relationship with their own mothers. Following that, the daughters- Waverly, Jing-mei, Lena, and Rose, relate their recollections of their childhood relationships with their mothers. As they grow up, they narrate the troubles in the ir marriages and careers. The daughters’ search for solutions inevitably brings them back to their relationships with the older generation.Once I went over the movie list on the guideline, I instantly knew that I was going to choose this movie as the name popped up. The Joy Luck Club has always been one of my favorite books in my teenage years. I was first introduced to the book version by my English tutor in 7th grade, and found it fascinating as it reflects the similarity the movie has between my family and myself. My family emigrated from Taiwan to the U. S. when I was 9-years-old, so that partly made me an Asian American who can speak a decent amount of Chinese.Grewing up, I was aware of the clash between the two opposing cultures of the East and West as I interacted with friends from the American culture and parents from the Chinese culture. As I read the book, I can strongly relate the stories to my own personal experiences, like acting as â€Å"obedient daughter† by playing the piano to make mother proud, and mothers comparing each of their child to others. The book encouraged me to reflect back to my relationship with my own mother, and challenged me to think about my own identity as a 1.5-generation Asian American.The first time I watched the movie was after I finished reading the book in 7th grade. At that time, nothing really hit me much, that may be partly because I was not emotionally mature enough to have had enough experience to relate to the stories. So instead, I was just focusing on how the plots in the movie were different from that in the book, what scenes were left out in the movie that were included in the book, how each character’s look is compared to my own imagination†¦etc.But as I watched it a second time in the past few days, the feelings just progressed so strongly that it turned out irresistible to refrain from tears, especially during the last scene as Jing-mei reunited with her long lost Chinese half-sis ters as she returned back to China. I guess, as I am now a young adult now, I can more maturely attach the emotional feelings of the daughters to my own feelings as an Asian American. I now try to treasure the time I get to spend with my mom, and respect, appreciate the every little thing she did for me while I was growing up.Throughout the movie, there were several scenes perpetuating prejudice and discrimination. Gender role is a big problem that can be easily identified. For example, in China, Lindo was forced to live almost as a servant to her mother-in-law and husband, conforming to idealized roles of feminine submission and duty. Another example is that An-mei’s mother being raped by her father, that she must marry him to preserve her honor; whereas he, as a man, may marry any number of concubines without being judged harshly.In America, the daughters also encountered the problem of sexism as they grew up. Rose’s passivity with Ted is based on the stereotypical g ender roles of a proactive, heroic male and a submissive, victimized female. Lena’s agreement to serve as a mere associate in the architecture firm that she helped her husband to found, as well as her agreement to make only one seventh of his salary, may also be based on sexist ideals that she has absorbed. After watching the movie, I became more aware of the inferior role women play in both Chinese and American culture.Men were undoubtedly in a dominant position socially, economically, and sexually. Discrimination against ethnicity can also be seen in the Chinese in-group from the daughters’ behaviors. Even though the daughters were genetically Chinese and have been raised in Chinese households, they also identified with and felt at home in modern American culture. Waverly, Rose, and Lena all had white boyfriends and husbands, yet they regarded their mothers’ customs and tastes as old-fashioned and ridiculous.They have also spent most of their childhood escapin g their Chinese identity- Lena would walk around the neighborhood with her eyes opened to the widest to make them look European. Jing-mei denied having any internal Chinese aspects and insisted her Chinese identity was limited only to her external features. Waverly would have joyfully clapped her hands if her mother had told her she did not look Chinese. The examples mentioned above depict some of the prejudice the daughters’ formed against their own Chinese ethnicity.Not only does prejudice comes from the in-group, it comes from the out-groups as well. The most conspicuous example is when Rose’s mother-in-law pulled Rose aside and tried to convince her that Ted was going to work for a big firm, that other people are not as â€Å"understandable† as them, at the same time indirectly asking her to leave Ted because she was not â€Å"White†. Another example is when Waverly introduced Rich into the family and brought him home for dinner.Lindo’s condesc ending gaze at Rich when he did not understand the Chinese tradition of eating and criticized her cooking made her being more despiteful of the â€Å"Caucasian† Rich. The last example I picked up on is at the very beginning, when Jing-mei was playing mahjong with the three aunties, and auntie Lindo commented on Jing-mei having known to play Jewish mahjong and not familiar with Chinese mahjong. She disdainfully expressed that the two types are entirely different, that Jewish mahjong has no strategy while Chinese mahjong is very tricky.Although just of a subtle hint, I translated it as auntie Lindo’s prejudice towards the Jews. Alongside from the prejudice and the discriminations, I found several of the old Chinese traditional stereotypes in the movie to be fascinating for me to relate to. The scenes where Jing-mei’s mother was escaping the Japanese war in China with the twin babies made me think back to my grandparents escaping the Communist armies with my baby u ncle and aunt and fleeing to Taiwan by a boat.The scenes where auntie Lindo and Jing-mei’s mother was sitting at Jing-mei’s piano recital comparing the accomplishments of their daughters made me relate back to when my mom was constantly telling me the kids in the neighborhood passing the piano exam with higher levels than me, or that my friends scoring a very good score on the SAT, etc. Elements from the Chinese belief system- the twelve animal zodiac, the five elements, reappeared in the aunties’ explanations of their personalities in which I used to talk about to compare personalities with friends.One last stereotypical resemblance I noticed is the mothers’ sacrifices of love. Many of the mothers make great sacrifices for their children and parents. An-mei’s mother sliced off a piece of her own flesh to put in her mother’s soup, superstitiously hoping to cure her through her obedience. Later, she committed suicide in order to protect An-me i’s future status in Wu-Tsing’s household since she knew he was afraid of ghosts. Jing-mei’s mother also took an extra job cleaning the house in order to earn Jing-mei the opportunity to practice piano.These examples make me think back to my own mother, who decided to let our whole family immigrate to the U. S. in order to avoid my health problem with tympanitis (inflammation of the eardrum) that I caught for a long time since childhood. To sum it up, The Joy Luck Club is a wonderful movie to watch that explores the conflicts between the two Chinese generations in two different cultures through storytelling and viewpoints. One can definitely learn much about gender role and prejudice through watching this movie by presenting two very different cultures while learning to appreciate the difference.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Financial Institutions Management Research Paper

Financial Institutions Management - Research Paper Example Berger et al (1995) provide that a bank’s market capital requirements as the capital ratio that increases the value of a bank in the absence of regulatory capital essentials. In the following parts of this paper, first depository institutions working in the Australia have been elaborated. It is followed by the ANZ De-composition analysis, highlighting the profit margin and other factors. Subsequent to that, it is followed by the calculation of the duration of ANZ’s assets and liabilities. Within that part, the evaluation has been added to define the impacts and representation of different terms. It is followed by the part yield curve mentioning the impact of a 10 basis point upward. Regulatory framework for depository institutions (500) There are two major depository institutions (DI) groups working in Australia. Banks and the non-bank depository institutions are authorized to deal with and provide related financial services. In Australia, the Australian Prudential Regu lation Authority (APRA) is the central body authorizing the financial institutions to conduct the financial intermediation. With the passage of time, the size of banks has substantially increased by volume and number of banks and bank branches. Particularly in 2005, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia remained the largest bank having total assets of $ 258.93 billion and held first rank till the end of 2005. Subsequent to that, National Australia Bank, Westpac and ANZ Banking Group were secured second, third and fourth positions respectively. Banks have the largest depository institutions as far as their size is concerned as they offer and provide a wide range of different products and services to the customers. The significant distinction between the banks and savings and credit unions, known as non-banking depository institutions, is that the banks do not have limited or particular types of assets or liabilities rather banks own a variety of assets and liabilities. For example, the ANZ possessed total assets $ 594,488 and $ 531,703 million in 2011 and 2010 respectively. Aggregately, the institutions aggregate growth in the total assets was recorded around 11.81 percent during that period; total liabilities remained $ 556,634 and 397548 million in 2011 and 2010 respectively along with the total growth was 11.85 percent during that period. In addition to that, further difference between these segments includes the differences in operating features along with different profitability across the size classes. Commercial loan portfolio, higher business venture funding, capital intensive support for the giant multi-national banks are some of the key operating features differences exist between the banks and other credit and savings depository institutions. During the period from 1985 to 2005, the aggregate number of banks operating inside Australia has gone up from 13 to 49. During that period, the growth driving factors include the presence of relaxation of entry re quirements and amendments in the regulatory framework and requirements of non-depository institutions. Over a period of time, the APRA has considerably revisited the regulatory policy pertaining to banking and other commercial-cum-financial activities in the country.

Sunday, July 28, 2019

System analysis and design Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

System analysis and design - Article Example On this basis, this paper focuses on analysis and critique of the functional and non-functional features of a sample information system via an account of petrol station sales management system. A water flow and entity relationship diagram used in the development of the proposed system has provided the basis of the whole analysis process (Shelly & Rosenblatt, 2012). The second phase, requirements specification, is clearly a very positive move in the strategic presentation of the system since it aided in ensuring that the right functional requirements were gathered. This information is highly fundamental in ensuring that this information system is efficient enough in performing the expected functionalities. The design process was about creation of graphical presentations of the targeted system. Implementation phase engrosses development of small independent modules of code that offered unique but related functionalities. In testing and integration, the individual modules were put together into one coherent component and then tested against the design diagrams. Lastly but certainly not the least, the operations and maintenance phase proved to be very important in the development of the Information system. Not only did this phase aid in delivering the final system but also played a huge in adding and removing features that had been spotted as erroneous (Shelly & Rosenblatt, 2012). It is vital to note that, although, the waterfall model offered a clear view and presentation of the system development process; it still delivered a considerable set of challenges. One of the most crucial challenges is that all the errors and omissions can only be rectified at the operations and maintenance phase (Shelly & Rosenblatt, 2012). For any system development process to be successful, users have to be widely involved in the whole development process. However, in this methodology (waterfall), users are only involved

Entrepreneur Start up Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Entrepreneur Start up Process - Essay Example ation and research. It identifies you to your customers and allows you to differentiate yourself from your competitors. When starting to look for a business name, business owners needs to firstly identify the business type if it is a product or service etc. Then they start to search for business name and narrow the search by making a list of the best names and sharing the list with others. Before selecting a name the owner should consider the following factors: Choose a name that has meaning for your target market Use a descriptive name to advertise your product or service Try not to have the name be restrictive Think about how the name looks Plan for all uses of your business name After that check the availability of the name in Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) website and if it isavailably start the registration process by registering your business name with Australian Taxation office (ATO). Then go to the Office of Fair Trading or visit their website to fill i n the application of registering a business name. The business name should be memorable, available, and allows your company to grow. Please note: â€Å"When setting up your business, if you choose to operate as a sole trader, partnership or a trust, and not as a company, then you will have to register your business name in the state or territory in which you’ll operate. If your business name includes your or your partner’s, first name and surname, then you don’t need to register your business name.† Choosing a Business Location Figure 3: Business Location The right location can be critical to the success of your business and poor decisions are usually difficult and expensive to overcome. Therefore, after deciding what type of business you’re going to run, who’s your business trying to target and what is your business trying to target such as companies, universities. After evaluating the business type, audience, and market target, you can sta rt searching for business locations. However, your most important consideration in choosing a location is your ability to satisfy your target market. Market: Market information is a key for a business success. If an owner is unaware of the customer choice, taste, market trends, market approaches, and customer management skills, the business would not be able to generate sufficient or required volume of sale and would be losing its customer base in the long run. Competitors: The information of competitors and their business strategies are highly critical for business success. By knowing the market policies and discount offers provided by the competitors to the customers, the owners of the business become

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Di box Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Di box - Lab Report Example The basic function was to enable the sound engineers to lay long lines of three core balanced cable between musicians and the engineer, who might be seated at the far end of the venue. In order to send him proper and noiseless signals, one would require balanced lines with high impedance. But the electric guitar, bass guitar, electric keyboard or the drum machine outputs are all unbalanced and low impedance outputs of around 50 kilo ohms. In order to convert it into impedances of around 3 kilo ohms, DI boxes are employed. They basically consist of an impedance matching transformer. A transformer consists of two coils – the primary and the secondary. The number of turns in each actually determines whether it is a step-up, a step-down or just an isolating transformer. Having a transformer also serves another very important purpose – isolation between the input and output signals. This helps to keep the expensive musical instruments out of the way of damage by the intrusio n of unwanted electrical impulses such as an accidentally switched on phantom power in the mixing console. In DI boxes, however, a step-down transformer is used. The number of turns in the primary coil is more than in the secondary coil. Therefore lesser amount of current is induced in the secondary coil, resulting in a mic level output (around -30dBV), from a line level input (around -10dBV).

Friday, July 26, 2019

Secularism in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Secularism in the UK - Essay Example In a society such as Britain, the Church and the State are relatively separate and there are a wide variety of non-religious cultural institutions (such as the mass media, education and so forth). In this society, it is relatively easy to remain culturally untouched by religion and religious belief seems to be more a matter of individual choice than cultural necessity. In UK secular society may be seen as largely the product of the Christian West. With the possible exception of some brief periods in the history of ancient Greece and of the Roman Empire in its hey-day, there have been few secular societies in the whole course of human development in the world. In most societies religion has been closely woven into the whole fabric of society, determining its structure and the pattern of men's ideas and goals; religious images have been dominant in men's imaginations and formed the focus of their culture in its widest sense. (Edward, 2000, 151-67) The dominance of religion has often me ant the domination of priests and theologians or the impositions of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. Disputes about power have become disputes about religious systems and still today such issues lurk behind many of our disputes within Europe, and between Europe and the rest of the world.A secular society is one which explicitly refuses to commit itself as a whole to any particular view of the nature of the universe and the place of man in it. The State neither requires a subscription to any particular doctrines nor overt forms of religious behavior as a condition for claiming full rights as a citizen; furthermore, it does not in any significant sense attach itself to any church or religion. Clearly in Britain today the existence of two established churches, and the requirements of Biblical instruction in schools, as well as the favoured position of the established churches in the universities and the favoured position of all the Christian churches in the national broadcasting system, m ight be taken to suggest that Britain is not a secular society.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Economic Integration Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Economic Integration Law - Essay Example They represent free trade area while resulting in trade creation by shifting the production of some items from less efficient member countries to more efficient member countries. Regional economic integration encourages countries in a geographic region to reduce or remove tariff and non-tariff barriers which allow free flow of goods and services among them. At the end, the system promotes global business (OPPapers.com, 2011). In recent years, international trade has been witnessed an emergence of two parallel trends, the first one is the rise of regionalism, and the second one is legalism in the enforcement trade agreements. In case of regionalism, there is a host of new integration initiatives drawn along the geographical lines. The two trends have succeeded to garner scholarly attention and spark comparative analysis of regional versus multilateral arrangements. And, at the same time they lead debate regarding the political dynamics of judicialisation within individual facts. Trade facts at regional level exhibits considerable variation in governance structures which are an interesting factor. Moreover, a question of institutional design has proven contentious in recent trade negotiations which underscore their political salience. The creation of supranational institutions in regional trade agreements have direct implications for the academic debates in related to globalisation, sovereignty, and interdependence (Smith, J. 2003). Post Second World War witnessed a prominence of multilateralism and regionalism as more and more countries joined the process of economic integration. We can see the trend during the period 1940-1990. In the process of economic integration, countries those who have entered into the free trade area have introduced several measures for the easy flow of goods and services between the member countries. As a result role played by tariffs in international trade has been declined. Generally countries used trade barriers such as customs, quot as, taxes, duties, anti dumping measures, health, environmental, and safety certification requirements, countervailing duties, constitutional laws, and licenses for the restriction of trade. But, when countries entered into the economic integration, these restrictions have been liberalised for the facilitation of free trade movement. Agreements at regional level which are known as Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) generally restricted to a particular geographical location and are becoming a defining feature of the modern economy. These are the free trade agreements among the countries of a particular geographical location. Following the success of European Union, which shows that RTAs can build prosperity and peace, countries in other geographical region came closer to form the similar agreements at the regional level. As a result more than 300 regional trading arrangements were registered under World Trade Organisation, and majority of the countries belonging to European Union, Amer ica, Austria, Africa, and Asian continent joined regional grouping of one sort or the other. Compare to other regions, countries of the Asian continent were the recent entrants for this field, but they rapidly catching up the race. On the other hand, RTAs in African continent

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Impact of Class Size on Students' Achievement Essay

Impact of Class Size on Students' Achievement - Essay Example Class size is an issue that is largely at the center of the school system, especially since it influences not only the size of classrooms but also the number of teachers in a school (and by extension in the country), hence, it is naturally a concern to parents, teachers, school administrators, the government and all other stakeholders in the education sector (Mosteller, 1995). The research that has been conducted concerning the impact of class size on students’ achievement is particularly wide- and far-reaching, but has on several occasions yielded different and sometimes even conflicting results, thus raising the question, what in fact is the impact of class size on students’ achievement? Another question that arises is whether class size has similar impacts across the grades in elementary education (if impacts are found to be present), and finally whether any present impacts of class size on students’ achievement are residual after the students are integrated back into regular-size classes. Some studies have concluded that class size does have an impact on learning while others dispute this, and this fact alongside the research questions make this an interesting and important area of inquiry. A review of relevant literature based on the premise that class size has an effect on students’ achievement is the backbone of this inquiry, alongside the implications of this literature review and their potential applications in an actual school setting. The literature on the effects of class size on students' learning achievement was collected through a search in education journals, databases and relevant sites. This review consists of primary sources and secondary ones that were obtained after refining the search to focus on the impact of class size on elementary school education.... ievement is particularly wide- and far-reaching, but has on several occasions yielded different and sometimes even conflicting results, thus raising the question, what in fact is the impact of class size on students’ achievement? Another question that arises is whether class size has similar impacts across the grades in elementary education (if impacts are found to be present), and finally whether any present impacts of class size on students’ achievement are residual after the students are integrated back into regular-size classes. Some studies have concluded that class size does have an impact on learning while others dispute this, and this fact alongside the research questions make this an interesting and important area of inquiry. A review of relevant literature based on the premise that class size has an effect on students’ achievement is the backbone of this inquiry, alongside the implications of this literature review and their potential applications in an actual school setting. Literature Review The literature on the effects of class size on students' learning achievement was collected through a search in education journals, databases and relevant sites. This review consists of primary sources and secondary ones that were obtained after refining the search to focus on the impact of class size on elementary school education. A great deal of work has been done in this area over the last three decades, with conflicting results; most studies have suggested that reduction in class size leads to considerable improvements in student learning, while others conclude that class-size reductions may not bring with them any appreciable or significant effects (Pritchard, 1999). Besides this, the other matter that arises is the model of investigations into class size.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Economical crisis facing the banking Industry Essay

Economical crisis facing the banking Industry - Essay Example However, some revenue comes from banking charges among other sources. The banking sector has developed due to some favorable factors like increase in population, hence customers, Good interest rates as stipulated by the central bank, improved security, advanced banking technologies and increase in banking professionals among other factors (Morr 2009). However, the same sector is compromised by some economic factors like the global financial crisis, increased unemployment rates and unstable interest rates among other factors. This work focuses on some of the economic crisis facing the banking industry. Different types of banking have different economical challenges. This work will consider both the retail and the mobile banking systems. The financial crisis is one of the major limitations facing the banking industry. It is defined as a situation where a certain banking institution in not in a capacity to run its operations due to lack of sufficient funds. Financial crises come in diff erent forms, for instance, currency crises, where there is insufficient currency in a certain nation (Angelides 2011). Here the banking institutions are forced to operate in different currencies which might be expensive in the long run. Bank crisis on the other hand applies if a certain bank has insufficient funds to lend its customers and pay its employees among other statutory obligations. Then there is the twin crisis which is a combination of currency and bank crises. Currency crises may result from unfavorable internal or external factors. A calamity or disaster like war and earthquake is likely to limit internal business operations which may lead to fall of economy in that nation. The country will have to pay more for its imports and this could lead to reduced currency. Cutting ties with super power nations like U.S may also compromise the strength of a certain currency. Bank crises on the other hand, are subject of both micro and macroeconomic elements. A bank is likely to la ck sufficient funds to perform its obligations due to bankruptcy, business merges; this is a scenario where a bank loses its business control on forming partnership with another business entity, or nationalizing the entire banking sector or a section. Global financial crisis left some huge France and U.S banks with suspended bonds due to incapability to do the valuations due to the frozen market. The banking default levels increased and this hiked the interest rates by an estimate of 5%. Global financial crisis (2007) limited the operations of the banking sector. The U.S legislators through President George W. Bush authorized financial institutions to provide some unsecured loans to the U.S citizens who wished to construct their own residential facilities. The problem arose when the citizens or real estate sectors failed to repay the loans (loan defaulters). The crisis affected the banking sector on a global scale. Although the government directed some state funds to settle the loan s, the financial facilities adopted some strategies to recover such loans. The central bank hiked interest rates for more revenues (Proctor 2000). This had some negative implications with the banking customers. Several agencies and businesses stopped operations waiting the interest rates to fall. Some opted to seek financial assistances from a micro - finance industry whose interest rates were not greatly affected. The crisis made some financial institutions close their operations for the lack of adequate finances. The banks had insufficient funds to loan its customers and even pay the employees. President Bush ordered for a committee comprising chief economists and financial managers to suggest for

Pride and Prejudice Analysis Essay Example for Free

Pride and Prejudice Analysis Essay Elizabeth Bennet receives two proposals; one from Mr Collins and one from Mr Darcy. Mr Collins was a tall and heavy looking man of twenty-five years. Although he was polite and well mannered he was also pompous and had a self-inflated ego. He always made never ending speeches about nothing and bored everyone to death. Mr Collins flattered everyone constantly but sometimes inappropriately. He begged to know which of his fair cousins the excellence of its cooking was owed. -By this, Mrs Bennet was offended and assured him they were in fact able to keep a good cook. This showed his lack of judgement in when to compliment. He was also quite absurd and Mr Bennets sarcasm often went completely unnoticed. For example, on page 54, Mr Bennet asked if his flatteries were prepared and Mr Collins admitted that sometimes he would think of them for his amusement! Lady Catherine de Bourgh who was his patroness employed him. He grovelled to her constantly as she paid his way; because of her, he was middle/upper class. He was a clergyman at Hunsford near Rosings, Lady Catherine de Bourghs home. When Mr Bennet dies, Mr Collins will inherit Longburn, as Mr Bennet cannot leave the house to his wife; women couldnt inherit. In Mr Collins letter, he proposes to make peace with the family. Mr Darcy on the other hand was very good looking. He soon drew the attention of the room by his fine tall person, handsome features, noble mien He is also described as a fine figure of a man. But he was soon to be discovered to be proud above his company. He was clever, but at the same time he was haughty, reserved and fastidious. He owned Pemberly Estate and got one thousand a year. -He was upper class and he knew it; He had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest. Darcy and Bingley had a good friendship despite many differences. Bingley was sure of being liked wherever he appeared; Darcy was continually giving offence. Darcy had no sense of humour and admitted it. He couldnt see the funny side of life whereas Bingley was light hearted and liked to enjoy everything he did. In the past Wickam and Darcy had a disagreement. Mr Darcys father had promised Wickam a place in the church but when he died Darcy refused to help him. Mr Collins first hints on his future plans in his letter to the Bennets when he writes; I cannot be otherwise than concerned at the means of injuring your amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends. On the first day of staying at Longburn, he, in a conversation to Mrs Bennet said; I can assure the young ladies that I come prepared to admire them. -Here he gave Mrs Bennet a small glimpse of his intentions. Jane Austin then gave it away saying that now having a good house and income; Mr Collins was in want of a wife. He was also pleasing Catherine de Bourgh who thought he should marry. So for the first evening Jane was the settled choice being not only the eldest, but the prettiest -this was, until he was informed by Mrs Bennet that she was soon to be engaged to Bingley (exaggeration). Then at the Netherfield Ball he asked Lizzy to dance several times and she realised she was the chosen one out of the five sisters. Mr Darcy on the other hand was far from admiring Lizzy at first and when Mr Bingley suggested he dance with her at the Meryton Ball he replied that he had not the least intention of dancing. -Bingley was dancing with the only good looking girl in the room. Here he was referring to Jane. He said Lizzy was tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me. Then at Sir William Lucass party, William tried to pair up the two of them and Darcy did not resist, but Lizzy brushed him off with; I have not the least intention of dancing. -this was pay back. It was at this party that Darcy realised his true feelings for her. At Netherfield when Jane went to stay, she fell ill and Lizzy being worried came to visit. Here, she noticed that Darcy was constantly watching her. Miss Bingley who secretly liked Darcy, in seeing that he was drawn to Lizzy tried to turn him against her. But all in vain, for whatever she said, he just stuck up for Elizabeth. Miss Bingley, in Mr Darcys defending her said; I am afraid Mr Darcy that this adventure has rather affected your admiration for her fine eyes. I think when she says this shes half-teasing and half jealous of him liking her. Before proposing, Mr Collins said to Mrs Bennet, May I hope madam, for your interest with your fair daughter Elizabeth, when I solicit for the honour of a private audience with her in the course of this morning? -Here, he was basically asking Mrs Bennets permission to propose. He then launched straight into his speech. Mr Darcy came to visit Lizzy and at first made light conversation, asking about her health. Then there was an awkward silence where he must have been trying to think of how to start before proceeding. -Differences are already showing through. Mr Collins first said hed chosen Lizzy almost as soon as hed met her (which was a lie) and went on to specify his reasons for marrying her. He, as a clergyman wanted to set an example to the rest of the parish, he thought it would make his happy and he was following Lady Catherine de Bourghs advice. Hed obviously planed out his speech carefully but in his reasons, he had not mentioned that he was in love with her! Darcy on the other hand offered his hand in marriage because he did love her and his opening sentence expressed this clearly; In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how I admire and love you. Mr Collins also made several insults to Lizzy when proposing to her without even realising it! For instance, he said that if she refuses, she my never get another offer. He also reminds her that if she stays single, all she may ever be entitled to is twenty-five pounds when her mother dies. Darcy put his foot in it too. After saying how much he loved her, he went on to say that it was not his wish to do so with her connections and status; His sense of inferiority -of the family obstacles which judgement had always opposed to inclination. When he was turned down he thought she was just offended; Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections? -To congratulate myself on the hope of relations, your connections? He also admitted to trying to split up Jane and Darcy and even rejoiced in his success of doing so. In response to rejection, Mr Collins thinks Lizzy is playing hard to get and says this is to be expected of a lady. He goes on to say all the good materialistic reasons to marry him forgetting to mention things like love. He acts as if marrying would be a good investment for Lizzy or something. He then assured her that both of her parents approved of the marriage. Mr Darcy in response to rejection is shocked and angry but manages to control himself. He asked why he had been refused and thought she must be offended by what he had said earlier; Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections? But after saying these words he accepted her answer. Both proposals were made for very different reasons; Mr Collins obviously proposed for convenience, whereas Mr Darcy was in love. Both men also reacted in different ways when turned down; although Mr Collins couldnt take the rejection, he was not actually bothered about anything other than having his male pride hurt. -Darcy must have been extremely upset, to him Lizzy was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with but he tried not to show his emotions. They both involved a lot of snobbery in their proposal speeches. They thought that Lizzy would not reject someone of the higher class and she should be grateful that she was chosen out of all the other girls; both reminded her constantly about her status. Mr Collins was more personal mentioning both what would happen when her mother and father died but Lizzy got more angry at Darcy because of things he has said and done in the past. Mr Collins and Mr Darcy both said in much detail all the pros and cons of the marriage. In conclusion, both proposals have some similarities but they differ in the essential requirement of love.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Formation and retention of nutrients Essay Example for Free

Formation and retention of nutrients Essay The world is ridden with many resources that are often taken for granted. Some of these resources have to be dug up or mined, but many are spread out all over the land for the taking. One of these natural gifts that has found indispensable use in our society is peat. Peat is a combination of various things, mostly vegetable and plant matter that has decayed over millions of years. (Smith) The proper term for this process is carbonization, and while peat has yet to completely carbonize into coal, this can take thousands of years more. (Smith) Although peat is composed of many other vegetation decaying over the years, most of it is moss. (Smith) The decay of these materials occurs â€Å"mostly under anaerobic (oxygen-deficient) conditions†. (LMU) Peat in its raw form contains 96% water (LMU) and is harvested primarily for fuel and agricultural (fertilizer) purposes. (Smith) The process of peat decay causes the material to â€Å"store organic carbon which is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide or methane, greenhouse gasses that affect global climate. † (LMU) The gases released by peat as it decomposes are highly flammable. However, peat, in its natural form is totally harmless because it is â€Å"too wet to burn†. (LMU) In certain cases where the natural state of peat is disturbed it becomes vulnerable to fire, which is often the cause of forest fires or fires commonly occurring in wetlands. This can be very dangerous because burning peat can release smoke that contains aerosols and toxic gases, which can result to respiratory diseases and problems. (LMU) Peat is best harvested, obviously, after hundreds of thousands of years, or the time it takes for the materials to totally decompose. Peat bogs have a surface living layer that gets destroyed when mature peat, beneath the living layer is harvested. (LMU) Of the many uses of peat, fuel is the most common. In remote areas where there are no other resources, peat is used for energy production. (LMU) Peat is â€Å"shown to be an economical alternative to oil or coal-fired electric-power generating stations in some circumstances† (LMU) and it is also used to produce methanol. Peat can also be used as garden fertilizer as it is an efficient moisture retainer. Using it in gardens can promote the formation and retention of nutrients. Some companies also use peat as a raw material in producing biodegradable planters. (Smith) â€Å"Peat can also be used to make paper, pad livestock beds, or pack products for shipment. † (LMU) Peat is also a decorative implement in creating handicraft and artwork. Many handmade crafts and arts use peat as an aesthetically pleasing accent. Peat is an irreplaceable resource, if not for eternity, for this generation at least, because it will take hundreds of thousands of years in the future for other peat layers to form. However, peat is abundant nowadays in many countries all over the world, but the indiscriminate harvesting of this resource can lead to ecological imbalance and eventually, its irreversible depletion. Like any other natural resource, peat should be harvested reasonably to preserve existing peat bogs and ensure that plenty will be available for future generations to use. Like oil, which is a fossil fuel, peat has to be harvested with much discretion because once all of it is gone, we will all have to wait for hundreds of thousands of years to harvest it again – surely, none of us can live that long.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Effect Customers Perception Brand Image Of Fmcg Companies Marketing Essay

Effect Customers Perception Brand Image Of Fmcg Companies Marketing Essay In the midst of rapid globalisation and increasing access to information, companies are acknowledging the importance of being socially responsible. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) broadly includes social, ethical and environmental responsibilities towards the society (Polonsky and Jevons, 2009). It refers to the triple bottom line, referring to expanding the traditional meaning of organisational success to accommodate ecological and social performance. Research shows pursuing a socially responsible mindset leads to numerous benefits (Butler, 2006; Burke Logsdon, 1996). CSR also increasingly plays an important role in consumer attitudes towards the company and brand as a whole. The brand of a company plays an essential role in building an identity, differentiating the value offering, and more importantly, drawing a larger customer base. The brand image of a company refers to a customers perception of its brand in totality. In the past couple of years, social responsibility has been incorporated with the entrepreneurial characteristics of an organisation, leading to the conceptualisation of a new term called Corporate Social Entrepreneurship (CSE). It is a relatively new phenomenon related to integrating social considerations into a companys business operations. CSE is a process aimed at enabling business to develop more advanced and powerful forms of CSR (Austin and Reficco, 2009). Multinational Companies (MNCs) producing Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) have been particularly active in displaying CSE in order to uplift the rural sections of the developing society. Being a relatively new concept, the specific impact of Corporate Social Entrepreneurship on the consumer outlook towards the corporate and product brand has yet to be researched in detail. This research attempts to explore this relationship and gain a better understanding of CSE. Adapting the theoretical framework used by Poolthong and Mandhachitara (2009), explained under the literature review, a quantitative study will be conducted to examine the effect of an MNCs CSE activities on its brand image. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES To gain insight into the impact of CSE on customers perception of the companys brand and their brand associations, taking Multinational Companies (MNCs) in the FMCG sector as an example. LITERATURE REVIEW Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has gained a lot of importance among stakeholders and in the corporate world in the past few years. Modern literature on the concept can be traced back to the 1950s (Bowen, 1953; Eells, 1956; Heald, 1957), while formal definitions came about from the 1970s (Johnson, 1971; Carroll, 1979; Epstein, 1987). The most popular and widely accepted definition of CSR was given by Archie Carroll in 1979: The social responsibility of business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary expectations that society has of organizations at a given point in time (Carroll, 1979, p.500). From a business perspective, this definition forms the basis of CSR, termed as the Triple P Concept of People, Planet and Profit. In todays global nature of the corporate environment, firms are increasingly recognising CSR more as a core activity rather than a peripheral one. This growing importance of CSR can be attributed to changing societal expectations, growing affluence of consumers and rapid globalisation (Werther Chandler, 2005). BRAND IMAGE The term brand can be defined as a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or combination of them which is intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors (Kotler, 1991, p.442). Brand Image is considered to be an important aspect of marketing and was the first consumer brand perception recognised in marketing literature (Gardner Levy, 1955). It is defined as the perceptions about a brand as reflected by the brand associations held in consumer memory (Keller, 1993, p.3). These brand associations refer to perceptions of brand quality and attitudes. The brand image is considered independent of the functional product offering; it gives the product a human element. The Branding Law of CSR Recent literature identifies how a company can differentiate itself and can gain a competitive advantage by linking the brand to CSR (Brammer Millington, 2006; Du et al., 2007). The brand image of a company is greatly affected by the degree of social responsibility it shows. CSR helps a company establish social legitimacy in the eyes of the customer. In their paper, Werther and Chandler explored strategic CSR as a means of achieving global brand insurance. A CSR driven approach of a firm increases the brand-user bond and reduces the brands weakness to other organisational shortcomings (Werther Chandler, 2005). This relationship between the brand value of a firm and the importance on CSR to it can be represented as The Branding Law of Corporate Social Responsibility: The importance of CSR to any organization is directly related, and rises in proportion, to the value of the firms global brand (Werther Chandler, 2005, p.321). CORPORATE SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP (CSE) Until recently, an organisations involvement in CSR was limited to being certified by social and environmental standards, having a well-established community welfare programme and so on. However, increasing global awareness has led companies to take their social responsibility to the next level. Organisations will have to explore the imagination and initiative of individual employees; and this had led to the emergence of a revolutionary concept that would enable firms to accelerate and develop their CSR initiatives. This term is called Corporate Social Entrepreneurship (CSE). CSE draws from the key concepts of corporate entrepreneurship, and social entrepreneurship. Corporate entrepreneurship refers to identifying and utilizing new business opportunities through innovative use of resources and strategies. Simultaneously, social entrepreneurship was defined by J. Gregory Dees as an innovative activity with a social purpose in either the private or nonprofit sector, or across both (Dee s, 1998). However, unlike either of these terms, CSE involves mobilizing organizational resources as well as creating social and economic value. It can be defined as the process of extending the firms domain of competence and corresponding opportunity set through innovative leveraging of resources, both within and outside its direct control, aimed at the simultaneous creation of economic and social value (Austin et al., 2005). The Multinational Companies are today recognizing the bottom of developing markets, termed as the base of the pyramid as having a higher potential than the saturated developed markets through disruptive innovation (Hart Christensen, 2002). This forms the basis of CSE, aiming at targeting new sections of the market for economic benefit through social upliftment. Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Companies and CSE Multinational Companies (MNCs) in the FMCG Industry have been active in CSE initiatives in relation to the rest of the corporate world. Saroja Subrahmanyan and J. Tomas Gomez-Arias, in their paper in 2008, identify the efforts made by FMCG companies to target consumers at the bottom of the pyramid. Hindustan Unilever in India was one of the first companies to introduce products in smaller sizes to the rural section of the country. A network of women from rural backgrounds was formed and they were directed to sell Unilever products in sachets door-to-door. Also, Kissan, owned by Hindustan Unilever, buys farm produce as raw material for its products. Danone, the French company partnered with a number of Non Government Organisations (NGOs) to sell yogurt in Bangladesh and South Africa (Subrahmanyan Gomez-Arias, 2008). CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK In their paper in 2009, Yaowalak Poolthong and Rujirutana Mandhachitara studied the effect CSR activities had on perceived service quality and brand effect, and the role of trust in establishing a link between perceived service quality and brand effect in the Thai retail banking sector. Garcia de los Salmones et al. (2005) found a direct relationship between a companys CSR behavior and the customers perception of service quality. In turn, the study by Poolthong and Mandhachitara (2009) displayed a positive relationship between perceived service quality and trust in the company, thus leading to a positive brand effect. Simultaneously, a considerable number of studies have found a direct relation between CSR and customers attitudes towards the company (Bhattacharya and Sen, 2003; Brown and Dacin, 1997), thus representing a positive effect of CSR on brand effect. Based on this framework, the proposed research study will attempt to gain an understanding of the effect of Corporate Social Entrepreneurship (CSE) on the brand image of an FMCG company (Figure 1). Adapted from: Poolthong, Y., and Mandhachitara, R. (2009). Customer expectations of CSR, perceived service quality and brand effect in Thai retail banking. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 27 (6), 408-427. Evident from the corresponding literature, research exploring the concept of CSE is relatively new and has been gradually picking up pace. The specific effect of CSE on the company from the customers point of view is yet to be looked into in detail and this study makes an effort to understand the same, giving valuable insight into using strategic CSR and CSE as a marketing tool. Using the framework given above, this study will try to answer the following research questions: Do CSE activities of a company have a positive relationship with the customers perception of company brand image? How significant is CSE to develop a favourable brand image for an FMCG company from the customers point of view? METHODOLOGY Luck and Rubin (1987) state that a good rule in all research is parsimony; using only meaningful data. This study aims to explore and evaluate the effect CSE activities has on customers perception of brand image, taking the FMCG sector as an example. This research will first use secondary sources of information to gain insight into role played by MNCs in the FMCG sector with respect to social responsibility. Secondary data plays an important role in establishing a background to primary research (Newson-Smith, 1988). Appropriate journals, articles and other publications will be used to understand previous studies conducted analysing the relationship between social responsibility and brand associations made by consumers. Through this source, a pre-existing questionnaire will be adapted in order to gather primary data. Being a quantitative study, a survey method will be used by means of a questionnaire. According to John Webb (2003), survey research is appropriate for gathering data on attitudes, opinions, respondent knowledge and awareness etc. After looking for an appropriate questionnaire linking CSR and brand image, it will be adapted to devise an appropriate questionnaire analysing customers attitude towards an FMCG companys CSE initiatives. The possible options available to use questionnaires are personal interviews, telephone interviews, mail questionnaires, and e-questionnaires. Given the time and cost constraints, using an e-questionnaire is the most effective and appropriate method of data collection. Emailing questionnaires to respondents has become an increasingly popular method of data collection. In this proposed research study, questionnaires will be emailed to the sample population. Alternatively, online survey software like www.kwiksurveys.com or www.freeonlinesurveys.com may be used to create convenient and hassle-free questionnaires. In this case, using an e-questionnaire is the most appropriate due to advantages of instantaneous delivery, quick responses and convenience for the respondent Kumar et al., 1999). Apart from this, increasing global access to the internet enables easy reach to the targeted respondents. However, using this method poses the limitation of respondents interpreting questions differently along with a high risk of not responding. With regard to the sample size of the study, a total of at least 100 filled questionnaires is aimed at, to minimize the sampling error. Using a judgement sampling technique, consumers of FMCG products on a global level will be identified to fill the questionnaire. Additional respondents will be reached through the snowball sampling, where one respondent may lead the researcher to other potential respondents (Marshall, 1996). The reason behind selecting FMCG consumers for this study is simply based on the high degree of activity of FMCG companies with regard to CSE and the fact that a large number of common people use some variety of an FMCG. This is ensures ease in reaching these consumers, leading to more reliable results. Based on the data collected, the data analysis software called Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) will be used to organise and interpret the information. Factor Analysis will be used to reduce the number of variables to a few constructs. Following this, cluster analysis will be used to identify clusters of relevant scales for the proposed research. Regression analysis will then be used to establish the nature and strength of the relationship between CSE and brand image. Ethical considerations will be made in the process of gathering data. A section describing the key aspects and primary motivation to carry out the research will be put in before the questionnaire. Additionally, complete anonymity of the respondents will be maintained throughout this study. Supported by the framework proposed by Poolthong and Mandhachitara (2009) and related literature about CSE and brand image of a company, this research proposes to find a positive effect of a CSE mindset of a company on the customers perception of the brand in totality. It will enable researchers further explore the nature of Corporate Social Entrepreneurship from the point of view of a customer. Also, FMCG marketers will be able to evaluate the significance of CSE in marketing communications. GANTT CHART The following chart outlines the schedule of activities in conducting this masters thesis. The dissertation period begins in the month of June with the submission of the final dissertation on September 6th 2010. TASK Background Reading Preparation of Literature Review Desk Research Collecting Data Analysing Data Writing Data Analysis Preparing Background Information Writing Research Methodology Writing Discussion Writing Conclusion Revision of Chapters Completing First Draft Final Changes and Improvements Binding   WEEKS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Jun Jul Aug

Saturday, July 20, 2019

The Great Ireland Potato Famine Effects Essay -- Essays Papers

The Great Ireland Potato Famine Effects The Great Ireland Potato Famine was a horrible event that had many lasting effects. Some of these effects were starvation, disease, poverty, emigration, and lost traits. These effects plagued mostly western Ireland, but had an overall effect on all of Ireland. Many of the traditional ways of economics and society changed drastically because of the famine. Many people also blamed the British for letting the famine get so bad. These effects will be discussed throughout the paper. Starvation was one of the main effects of the Great Potato Famine, which was â€Å"unlike other subsistence crises† (Crawford, 114). The Irish people were very dependant on potatoes as a source of food. â€Å"The majority of the Irish peasants did not have access to the type of land or amount of land required for wheat (grain) production, and thus the potato became the crucial staple crop† (Braa 200). When the blight struck, the Irish people lost this source of food and had nothing else to turn to. For this reason, the people starved to death. Some people were so hungry that â€Å"they ate dogs and rats, often dogs and rats that had already eaten human corpses† (Leo, 16). The Irish people had no other knowledge of farming other crops because they had become so use to growing potatoes. They also did not have the stomach to eat different foods, like seafood, which resulted in a poor nutrition that led to many more deaths not from starvation, but from diseases. Diseases played a big part in the fatalities of the Irish people. Some of these diseases were â€Å"typhus and relapsing fevers, small pox, tuberculosis, dysentery, marasmus (starvation) and other famine disorders† (Crawford 135). These diseases did not just occu... ...ttle between the Irish and the British. The Irish people were ready to get out of their slavery from the British, and were ready to start a new life. They blamed the British, so they went after them. Soon enough, the Irish would get want they have been long wanting for. Works Cited Abbot, Patrick. Ireland’s Great Famine 1845-1849. Apr. 2000. 16 Jan. 2004 . Braa, Dean M. â€Å"The Great Potato Famine and the Transformation of Irish Peasant Society.† Science & Society 61.2 (1997) : 193-215. Crawford, E. Margaret. Famine: The Irish Experience. Edinburgh: John Donald Publishers LTD, 1989. Daly, Douglas C. â€Å"Famine's ghost.† Natural History 105.1 (1996) : 6 Kinealy, Christine. The Great Irish Famine. New York, NY: Palgrave, 2002. Leo, John. â€Å"Of Famine and Green Beer.† U.S. News & World Report 122.11 (1997) : 16

Project Plutarch :: Short Stories Science Essays

Project Plutarch The chronometer superimposed over the edge of Floyd Garcia's vision displayed the year 28, A.D. This was the farthest projection yet, by nearly a thousand years, and at this temporal distance the computers were having trouble keeping up with the uncertainty calculations. This made the scene quite nauseating as Floyd adjusted the Virtual reality goggles and wiped the sweat from the place where the cushioned rim was held firmly against his cheeks by the tight elastic headband. Maybe the queasiness also had something to do with anticipation. In any case he was glad he had logged over a thousand hours on the terminal, the jerkiness of the nearer destinations in time acting as a sort physical training for the rigors of further projection. At this temporal distance the probability calculations involved with past projection were taxing even the giant hive of supercomputers which man once thought would have help to map out the cosmos, projection forward in distance rather than backwards in time. Arguably the first project, a NASA brainchild, had experienced a lot more enthusiasm in scientific circles. The new project, being independently run by a small team of four up and coming visionaries and funded by the University of San Juan, received a more cynical welcome. True, if mankind could use mathematical computer algorithms to construct probable models of past events, which would glean the truth from the uncertainties of the process of history, the implications would be staggering. But legitimate scientists weren't biting. Most of them claimed it was because the idea of extrapolating past events with probability mathematics didn' t offer any accuracy, or hope of verification. Floyd had conceded this point from the start. The simulation wouldn' t provide exact details, Floyd had maintained, but was convinced that for major events of global significance with a variety of well-documented viewpoints to test the projection against, the simulation would be good enough. Floyd reached out with his meat arms and legs to make sure he was still well balanced and firmly strapped into his chair. The scene that now presented itself in front of the public grounds in Jerusalem was giving him the combination of motion sickness and vertigo that he had jokingly coined to be "past shock." Of course, it had nothing to do with the past really but rather the way in which the simulation was forced to operate.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Exploring the Validity of Natural Theology :: Philosophy Essays

Exploring the Validity of Natural Theology The thought processes that underlie Creationism and Evolution are undoubtedly very different. The fundamentalists of the former school of thought adhere to the Biblical tenet that divine creation in six days is responsible for environmental diversity, whereas evolutionists have repeatedly stated that the universe was created billions of years ago and is in a constant state of fluctuation. At first glance, these accounts of life on Earth seem incompatible—the creationists base their beliefs purely on faith and explain their surroundings based on that conclusion, while scientists work in the opposite direction by asking questions first and make systematic observations that have resulted from their propositions (Moore 5-6). Ernst Mayr claims that "the beliefs of creationism are in conflict with the findings of science," but the founders of Natural Theology have managed to unite the principles of Genesis with those of evolution (qtd. in Mayr 4). There are strict purists who claim that it is not viable to combine the two ideologies, but it is possible to incorporate the concept of G-d into scientific fact. Although there are several variations on the concept of Natural Theology, its advocates generally accept evolution. Whereas strict creationists reject the notion that the Earth was formed billions of years ago, natural theists accept the scientific evidence for the age of the Earth with one large discrepancy: organisms could have only originated with the aid of divine intervention. However, it is acknowledged that there is no concrete evidence to substantiate the belief that the Earth was created a mere few thousand years ago, just as there isn't any geological confirmation that a global flood engulfed the entire planet (Science and Creationism). This liberal interpretation of Genesis and cautious acceptance of evolution allows for some flexibility with previously undisputed Biblical notions, such as the idea that the creation of the world was completed within six twenty-four hour periods. Those six days have been construed to signify as a literary device by the author of the Bible, six days separated by long time periods, or as six days from the perspective of an ageless G-d (Commission on Creation). Thus, the essence of Natural Theory is that an omnipotent creator fashioned the physical processes that set evolution in motion and these processes resulted in the creation of life. This theory appears to be logical, except for the notion that some aspects of life are so complex that they completely transcend human understanding and are thereby the work of an Intelligent Designer.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Effects of online games Essay

Online gaming has emerged as a popular and successful source of entertainment and play for people of all ages, especially for the students.People nowadays rely much on technology to help them in their daily lives. Communication by the use of cellphones, gaining information using the internet is just some of the examples. Online gaming has emerged as a popular and successful source of entertainment and play for people of all ages, especially for the students.. They use the computer for recreation and as a tool for online gaming. The research paper will contain facts and information’s about recreation and its definition. It will explain why people may not be able to live if there is no recreation. It will also contain why people need recreation and is vital to the daily lives of people. After that, the research paper will focus to one type of recreation, the online gaming. It will explain what is online gaming, who are the ones mostly engaged in that activity and what is in online gaming that many people seem to be easily attached and addicted to it The research paper will explain what the influences of online gaming to people especially to the high school students. Some may be obvious but the others are somewhat invisible that people don’t realize that they are actually being affected by online gaming in many ways. Those influences will be subdivided into three: social, mental and emotional and will be clearly explained by the researchers. Also, the research paper will contain the positive and negative effects of online gaming in terms of high school student’s manner of talking and thinking.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

An Essay on Jane Addams

The argument Addams aims that informational matters are more than democratic in their semipolitical than in their social aspect, I cogitate she is referring to the long fight back mingled with the teachers and the boodle rail daying instrument panel. The Chicago School Board was politically corrupt. Many of the teachers and protective engineers were friends of politicians who secured their positions in exchange for certain kickbacks. The teach bill maintained control oer the teach administration for many years.During which they limit the types of tiddlerren that were fitted to appear the public schools and they certified the quantity of freedom and authority the teachers were able to hold in their classrooms. On some(prenominal) disparate occasions the Dunne members of the board demonstrate to note the restriction on the teachers office provided were warned-off with tales of the politicians and the difficulties previous take in charges encountered. Adda ms describes the property between the superintendent and the Teachers Federation as an substitution class of the difference between efficiency and country (171).She intelligibly understood some(prenominal) standpoints and why they both(prenominal) tangle compelled to make their argument, although she does arouse that they both inevitably exaggerated the difficulties of the situation (171). As a member of the school board, Addams assay to influence the Federation to make changes that would be in the best bear on of the children, entirely after the legal struggle and side by side(p) months of constant change, many of the great valuate were withdrawn.Although she did have an probability to upset these measures in a democratic way, they were laid-off because of (more or less) political reasons. Jane Addams role for education in an effort to reform the metropolis was to recognise the disruptive delinquents the public schools rejected and evaluate them unconditionall y into the settlement. Give them the opportunity to deal domestic training and mountain teachings. She felt that even people of lesser style were interested in the uniform topics as the hygienic-to-do people of caller.She to a fault supposition that if you give a child encouragement and a sense of self-worth combine with an opportunity to become something in society that they would try to become productive. Hull-House offered educational opportunities for anyone who treasured to attend with no political or sparing restrictions. Hull-House also offered the opportunity for recreation, such(prenominal) as supervised sports matches, which hundreds of youths seemed to prefer.Jane Addams makes an important education that The educational activities of a Settlement, as well as its philanthropic, civic, and social undertakings, are scarce differing manifestations of the attempt to socialize democracy, as is the genuinely institution of the Settlement itself, (206). That illust rates her idea of education, which I call back is what she wanted for the public school system, and was unable to achieve sequence she was a member of the board.An Essay on Jane AddamsThe argument Addams makes that educational matters are more democratic in their political than in their social aspect, I believe she is referring to the long struggle between the teachers and the Chicago School Board. The Chicago School Board was politically corrupt. Many of the teachers and custodial engineers were friends of politicians who secured their positions in exchange for certain kickbacks. The school board maintained control over the school administration for many years.During which they restricted the types of children that were able to attend the public schools and they restricted the amount of freedom and authority the teachers were able to use in their classrooms. On several different occasions the Dunne members of the board attempted to lower the restriction on the teachers side but were warned-off with tales of the politicians and the difficulties previous attempts encountered. Addams describes the situation between the superintendent and the Teachers Federation as an epitome of the struggle between efficiency and democracy (171).She clearly understood both standpoints and why they both felt compelled to make their argument, although she does mention that they both inevitably exaggerated the difficulties of the situation (171). As a member of the school board, Addams tried to influence the Federation to make changes that would be in the best interest of the children, but after the legal struggle and following months of constant change, many of the important measure were withdrawn.Although she did have an opportunity to debate these measures in a democratic way, they were dismissed because of (more or less) political reasons. Jane Addams role for education in an effort to reform the city was to take the disruptive delinquents the public schools rejected and acc ept them unconditionally into the settlement. Give them the opportunity to learn domestic training and trade teachings. She felt that even people of lesser means were interested in the same topics as the well-to-do people of society.She also thought that if you give a child encouragement and a sense of self-worth combined with an opportunity to become something in society that they would try to become productive. Hull-House offered educational opportunities for anyone who wanted to attend with no political or economic restrictions. Hull-House also offered the opportunity for recreation, such as supervised sports matches, which hundreds of youths seemed to prefer.Jane Addams makes an important statement that The educational activities of a Settlement, as well as its philanthropic, civic, and social undertakings, are but differing manifestations of the attempt to socialize democracy, as is the very existence of the Settlement itself, (206). That illustrates her idea of education, whic h I believe is what she wanted for the public school system, but was unable to achieve while she was a member of the board.

DEVELOPING STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS Essay

DEVELOPING STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS Essay

IntroductionLeadership and management, these are two words we use on daily basis. But the questions like how do we realise good leaders, what qualities, attitude, style and behaviour do they exhibit, are frequent. The ability to lead is not connected to education, although most leaders what are intelligent people. Many qualities required for a leader are also possessed by managers.Although it is unique to everyone there are a total number of common ways.I think, by developing our leadership skills, we are assured a more rewarding and successful career. There is no doubt that, leadership potential can be developed. With commitment, effort and practice, anybody can move beyond the skills you how are born with to be an excellent leader.â€Å"The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born—that there is a genetic factor to leadership.Leadership differs to direction.

Bennis. Globalisation has resulted in diversity. To maximise contribution, each organisation and its managers are now challenged with creating inclusive cold working environment. They need to understand effective leadership style and culture to build trust and effective relationship.There are various means of considering leadership, that vary extract from focusing on the character traits of leadership that is excellent to highlighting facets of the scenario that help determine how folks lead.The strategies how that were effective yesterday are not necessarily effective in the same situation today†-QuinnLook more:  strategic management process essayIn order to face the growing competition in the market, it is very urgent for organisations to build potential leader. Developing strategic management and leadership skills should be a part of organisations’ actions.1.1 Explain the link between strategic management wired and leadership Strategic Management consists of t he analysis of any organisation, decision making and necessary actions in order to create and sustain competitive advantages.It is merely one of many other assets a thriving manager must possess.

Usually it is considered as the responsibility for the overall direction of the organization sums up what strategic management is all about. It can consider also define as the process of identifying and executing the organisation’s strategic goals (mission, vision and objectives) by matching its capabilities with the demand of its environment.Strategic senior management contains a set of managerial decisions. Leadership is the ability of a person to get other willingly to follow.Its something which is accomplished when a individual motivates individuals in a group.Equally, a good leader free will also be a manager. Majority of practical people are interested primarily in what they have to do, and not whether it should be labelled ‘leadership’ or ‘management’ or both. â€Å"It is very true that I have said that I considered Napoleon’s presence in the field equal to forty thousand other men in the balance† —Duke of Wellington. Difference between strategic management and leadershipManagement| Leadership|Intended to plan, organize, co-ordinate and evaluate| Job is to inspire and motivate| management administrate the organisation| Leaders innovate | senior Management tries to maintain the organisation| Leaders tries to develop| Focused on system and structure| Focuses on people|They focus on the present situation | They look towards future| React to problems logical and issues| Proactive to issues and problem| Prefer to control| Knows how to delegate|Minimising risk| Taking risk|  There are thousands of examples for leaders in the world.Leadership and top management arent synonymous.

2 Analysis of impact of management and leadership styles on strategic decision There are different leadership and management styles. Different various styles work well in different situations. They are based on different assumptions and theories. Strategic decisions taken by leaders depend upon their style.Leaders that are supportive understand and good sense women and men feel.2. Democratic styleThe leader involves employees in the decision making. This kind of style is usually appreciated by the employees or subordinate. how This style would bring problems in a situation where there are wide ranges of opinion and there is no well-defined way of taking the first final decision.They also need to make sure they manage change effectively.

Transactional leadershipThe assumption behind this kind of leadership is that people how are motivated by rewards and an organisation work well with a clear chain of command. This kind of leader works thorough creating all clear structures. Subordinates duty  will be well defined and also the reward they get for following the orders. Punishments are not always mentioned, but they how are also well-understood and formal systems of discipline are usually in place.Your leaders are the best factor on your companys capability.Transformational leaderThis style is based on the assumption deeds that employees will follow a leader who motivates them and a person with vision and passion can achieve anything. Transformation strong leadership start with the development of a vision, a view and path to future. That will excite and converter the employees. Transformational religious leaders are so committed always.Youre a pioneer, even in case you dont know it.

Understanding the situation 3. Applying appropriate skills and techniques.Leaders having different styles empty can have different levels of key elements. So the way and level in which they identify their personality can differ."Every leader has a certain style of political leadership thats innate.Especially when a strategic decision needs to made quickly. The impact of this style is for many people, this style feels harsh, a first great possibility of demotivation. Rest of people  assured leader can demonstrate consideration and compassion for team while using the Autocratic style, even though the team is not directly involved in the decision. There are situations in which leader wants input from employees or teams.Leaders are common now.

There is a more common thought that leaders who listen considerately to their follower’s opinion before making final decision get good result as compared to non-listeners. In the case of democratic style, the leader gives up ownership and control of a decision and allows the group to vote. Advantage of this own style is fairly fast decision, and an amount of group participation. No organisation or leader can implement a single style to deal with the multitude of decision that needs to be made during change process (Nancy, 2007).It could mean the folks who own and short run the company.Charismatic leadership style got few drawbacks. The complaint against Lord Browne was administration by media and business associates fuelled his charismatic new style and he ignored day to day core business activities.1.3 How leadership styles can be adopted to different situations? Success of an political organisation or a group dependent on the effectiveness of the leader.When employees are empowered theyre more prone to make decisions which are at the very best interest of the particular client and the organization also.

Leaders must be up to date of the situations. Leaders must be prepared to step in and show the way in all kind of situations.Different style can be adapted to different situations in relation to 1. Business- situations 2.Are such far more likely to reveal their very own loyalty the moment it matters.We know that high risk situation needs very strong and active direct involvement by the leader to keep it control. The people or team members: – In every organisation, there will have different different kind of employees or members.Differ by characters, talents, skills, attitude etc. identifying the team members is a tough task.IT leadership theory Learn the best way to be.

He made a resolution to transform GE into one of the world biggest firm. With his unique leadership style and character, Welch made history during his 2-decade journey at GE. His way of leading was based on some concepts. Lead, not manage:- according to him political leadership can be found in as long as they come up with good ideas and can energize rather than depress and control.Face reality: – good company was losing its market values and there was too much bureaucracy when Jack Welch joined the company. He realised the social realities and brought out strategies and  initiatives that made things better. Simplify the business: – his goal at GE was simplify the business. He didn’t think deeds that business had to be complicated.It can mean opportunities, good ideas, new business or new products (kevin, 2007). Lead by more energizing others, not managing by authority: – Welch called his leadership ideal ‘boundary less’, which means an open organization, free of bureaucracy logical and anything that prevents the free flow of ideas, people and decisions (kevin, 2007). His choice was inspiring others to perform well. red Lead by doing- one of the leadership style adapted by GEInformation technology is critical to the future of GE.The basic assumption behind the theory is that individual characteristics’ make how them suitable leaders only in certain situations. Each situation requires a leader to vary behaviour to fit the conditions. In other words, there is no right or wrong way in leading all the time. Fred Fiedler’s contingency theoryIn 1967, Fred Fiedler proposed his contingency theory.

According to Fielder, the direct relationship oriented style is more effective in situations which are intermediate in favourableness. When an intermediate situation is present, the leader can self help to build confidence and cohesion by focusing on the personal needs of the individuals (Henman, 2007). Hersey and Blanchard theoryIt is another situational theory. This economic theory was introduced 10 year after Fiedler’s theory.That is, followers are not mature or immature in any total or chronological sense; rather, they have varying degrees of maturity depending on knowledge of or experience with a specific goal (Henman, 2007). Leader-style theoryThis theory was introduced by Vroom and Yetton. They explain the different ways leader can make decisions and necessary following guidelines for leader in order to determine the extent to which subordinate should participated in decision making. Charismatic leadershipCharisma, as explained by Max Weber, is a certain good qual ity of individual personality, by virtue of which he or she is apart from ordinary people and treated as a personality with exceptional power or qualities.An effective leader needs to diagnose the needs and wants of followers and then react accordingly.The impact of different theories of management on organisational strategy will be different. giant IBM needs extraordinary leaders who can create high-performance work climates and foster employee engagement; people who not only succeed but enable others to as well. A disciplined process of identifying and developing high achievers and leaders has been a main stone of IBM’s strategy to regain market political leadership in the IT industry.As Fiedler explained, task oriented leaders are very effective when conditions are favourable or unfavourable. When conditions are favourable, members relations how are strong, there is a positive relation between team and leader. Hence new strategies can bring and work it out well so easily. In unfavourable certain circumstances or in stressful situations, a leader’s structure and control can remove undesirable ambiguity and the anxiety that goes with it.

2.2 Create a leadership strategy that support organisational direction Leadership strategy for General ElectricsThe General Electric Company, or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in New York. Company operates in five sectors via energy, technology infrastructure, capital finance, consumer andindustrial.It old has been almost a decade since Jack Welch retired as GE’s chairman and CEO, the brain behind the success of GE.If we consider their way in which they lead, and how their decisions, it is clear that they preferred transformational leadership style. Even though both used the same style, Jack Welch had been more opposite extreme than his successor. Leadership strategy: – choosing a best leadership style is the major step in leadership strategy. Leadership at company such like GE is very crucial.It is concerned with emotions, values, ethics, standards, and long-term goals and includes assessing followers’ motives, satis fying their needs, and treating them as full human beings†- (Northouse). The reason behind the selection of this leadership style is this style motivates the followers. The leader and followers are full well aligned in this system. A transformational leader can motivate the followers by setting challenging goals.We have seen the different leadership style and their impact on organisation. Even though, no particular leadership style is better always. It depends on the situations. The best style GE can use is transformational leadership because of based its unique advantages.

The leaders should have collective capabilities like providing direction, motivate the followers, engaging employees in decision making and to gain their active support in implementing planned cross-functional actions, implementing successful innovations, adapting to change, ensuring transparency just like former leaders, developing talents logical and being responsive to customers like Jeffrey Immlet. Since the corporate strategy is becoming more global, it require greater cultural sensitivity among leaders, enhanced representation of different geographies at top level, enhanced language skills to enable cross cultural relationships and greater understanding of local laws and business arrangement in strategy making.3.1 Use appropriate different methods to review current leadership requirement We know the important of leaders.These programs build perfect foundation for accelerating  learning and development in a particular domain, from commercial to operations, from human res ources to information management, from finance and communications to modern technology (GE, Leadership Programs, 2013).There are more than 300,000 employees in GE. The company operates through different sector. GE consistently ranks as the most admired and respected new company in the world.CEO of GE believes that ideal situation for a global firm was to have its factory on a barge that you could first move around the world to wherever it was the best competitive environment at the time. Their strategy is to expand business globally, instead of just looking for alliances.Fast moving anti Globalisation opens new opportunities for a global firm like GE. Hence leadership requirement at GE is tremendous.But they need leaders not only in quantity great but also in quality.3.2 Plan for the development of future situations requiring leadership Requirement of leaders in the GE increases. Leaders are logical not only required in the top level but also in the various bottom levels also.

Leadership Programs: – GE has various leadership programs. As part of their strategy to achieve commercial excellence and drive organic growth, they are developing a pipeline of strong sales logical and marketing leaders at GE through  the Commercial Leadership Program (CLP).CLP offers a curriculum that boosts the development of commercial skills and various techniques that are critical to success in all GE businesses. CLP prepares candidates for a successful career in sales or first commercial operations by providing the opportunity to learn about GE’s products, industry, and customers while making valuable contributions to the on-going success of GE.As compared to their profit growth, they need more to build leadership qualities in their employees. Human resource leadership program: – In GE’s Human Resources Leadership Program people are gaining real-world business experience, contributing to GE businesses and getting in first line for HR leaders hip roles across the company.HRLPs can build countless HR leaders within GE. Experienced commercial leadership programs: – The Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (ECLP) prepares time MBA graduates and experienced professionals for GE leadership roles in marketing and sales.But under certain specific condition, they need specific skills. The more basic skill required for leaders are explained below.Integrity: – this is the basic quality of a leader. This quality makes people trust the leader.They can speak openly logical and accurately about their limitations. Self-regulation: – People who are in control of their feelings and sudden  temptation are able to create an environment of public trust and fairness. Appropriate self-regulators are usually thoughtful and resist making impulsive decisions. These are definite qualities of a good leader.

Communication skills: – to deliver leader’s idea properly, private communication skill is very necessary. A good communicator can pay attention and listen carefully. Lead by example: – One of the best ways to red lead is by example – use where needed, lending a helping hand, and making sure that the work you do is clearly understood by apply your team. Leadership skills strataplex: –Leadership skill requirements are often described as being stratified by organizational level.They are comprised of those skills related to basic cognitive capacities, such as collecting, processing, and disseminating information and learning and are the fundamental skills required for a large portion of the activities in which political leaders are engaged (Mumford, 2007) .These skills include skills like oral communication, written communication, ability to learn and adapt etc. 2. Interpersonal SkillsThese are skill relating to interacting keyword with and influe ncing others.Strategic SkillsStrategic skill requirements are highly conceptual skills needed to take a systems perspective to understand complexity, deal with ambiguity, and to  effect political influence in the organization (Mumford, 2007). This includes skills for planning, visioning etc. â€Å"Leaders are not born, they are grown†- this is the word by the heavenly father of management, Peter Drucker. Leadership ability is not an inborn skill most times.1. Entry level program or Commercial leadership program (CLP) is an example for it. The CLP is a 12 to 24 month program that develops marketing and sales skills through a strong very core curriculum and challenging assignments. 2.

The ECLP program consists of three, eight-month rotational assignments within the marketing and sales functions of one of GE’s businesses (GE, Experienced Program, 2013).4. normal Operation management Leadership program (OMLP): OMLP accelerates development of entry-level talent and produces leaders capable of meeting the challenges facing the Operations, Supply Chain, Manufacturing logical and Quality functions at GE (GE, Entry level program, 2013).4.Commercial leadership program (CLP) provides candidates with valuable training, personal experience and exposure to a team of motivated colleagues and helpful mentors that can accelerate their careers. HRLP (Human Resource Leadership program) has created countless generations of HR leaders at GE. The program continues today and still focuses on taking talented people, providing forgive them with globally diverse challenging experiences, and developing them into world-class HR leaders. Candidates will have formal training, ro tation, seminars, business molecular simulations and community service activities.Another way of developing leadership skills is to get familiar with your followers. It will great help you in understanding their feelings and their needs, which in turn will help you in managing preventing their needs. Different plan for the development leadership skills includes conducting seminar, training programs, meetings, job rotations etc.ConclusionThis assignment is used to explain the important link between strategic management and leadership.Style should be adapted according to the business situation, team members and culture of the organisation. Different leadership theories are discussed in the assignment. Situational theories and contingency theories have been applied. The situations in which different theories can be applied are explained.

In this competitive world, organisation best can only sustain if and only if they can bring strong leaders.There are different ways of enhancing the leadership skills for future requirements. And there should be a plan of developing these skills. The new plan should cover all the current and  future needs for leadership and is helpful in the overall progress of the organization.Leadership style : A powerful model. TJ. Derue, S. (2011).Entry level program. Retrieved 2013, from www.ge.com: http://www.Retrieved may 5, 2013, from www.ge.com: http://www.ge.

ge.com: http://www.ge.com/careers/culture/university-students/experienced-commercial-leadership-program/india GE.com: http://www.ge.com/careers/culture/university-students/experienced-commercial-leadership-program/india GE. (2013).ge.com/careers/culture/university-students/information-technology-leadership-program/india GE. (2013, January 1). Leadership Programs.com/in/careers/leadership_program/index.html Goleman, D. (2004). Leadership That Gets Result.