Ameritech Case Study - 1162 Words

AMERITECH IN THE PHILIPPINES: FAILURE TO ADJUST TO FILIPINO CULTURAL NORMS? Synthesis: AmeriTech is an American company which decided to outsource their manufacturing division to the Philippines in order to reduce labor cost and restore of their competitive edge due to their rival companies outsourcing from other Asian countries as well. Bill Dawson was assigned as the plant manager and a Filipino DLSU MBA Graduate was hired to be his assistant. The purpose of his assistant was to bridge the gap of culture. However, the assistant is a Manileno while the workforce is Cebuanos; this resulted in another sub-culture gap. Productivity of the plant was decreasing over time and Bill’s decisions are antagonistic in the point of view of the†¦show more content†¦In addition, the application of the theory to the case would motivate and encourage the workers to participate in the decision making and cooperate in solving the company’s problem. It focuses on group efficacy which would generally apply to AmeriTech’s female employees. It also highlights O rganizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) wherein the person would be motivated to not only focus on his work but also to help his colleagues to the benefit of the company. Employees of AmeriTech need to be encouraged to collaboratively aim for their purpose of reaching their productivity goal. However, the application of this theory also acknowledges that there are other goals that are needed to be set such as â€Å"nonfinancial elements† of the company. With this, Balanced Scorecard can also be used as a tool in measuring the financial goals as well as the nonfinancial goals that are important to the company. III. Value Chain framework Also the Value Chain framework for productivity can be applied by AmeriTech in the sense that they have to effectively convert their inputs into viable outputs. Alternative Courses of Action: A. 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The Career Of Clinical Medicine - 849 Words

As a candidate who previously had worked in the department of Internal Medicine for several years as clinician, resident, and research scholar, I know that residency training requires absolute commitment to excel in every tier to become an excellent physician and take responsibility to reach out to others in need. A career in clinical medicine has always been my inspiration; however, I chose to avail myself from basic science and translational researches before completing internal medicine residency training in the hope of gaining experience that would make me all rounded, and, ultimately, a better physician. As an aspiring academic scholar, and as I prepare for my journey towards this goal, I followed a stimulating intellectual path that promotes lifelong learning and what I hope will prove to be a long and rewarding feat. I have always possessed a strong interest in understanding the intricacies of biology, which had influenced one of the most important decisions of my life; joining medical school. As much as it was an enjoyable day-to-day learning process, during the clinical years, I particularly relish my internal medicine rotation experience that involved intricate thought processes in understanding complex diseases, diagnostic approaches, and patient management. That experience certainly kindled my interest in internal medicine; the more I learned, the more I wanted to join the department. As a junior faculty member, my experience had been both gratifying andShow MoreRelatedThe Career Of Clinical Medicine868 Words   |  4 PagesAs a candidate who previously had worked in the Department of Internal Medicine for several years as clinician, resident, and research scholar, I am committed to embrace the rigorous challenges and to excel in every tier to become an excellent physician. 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Case study on Samson and delillah free essay sample

The following case study is an exploration of the Australian film Samson and Delilah which features the impact that the volatile substance abuse [VSA] of petrol sniffing has on one of the characters in the film, Samson. I have chosen him to be the basis for my client and case-study and will begin by giving a description of the character, his family life and the social context to start this case-study. I will then provide an assessment and case formulation as well as Samson’s psychosocial needs and his volatile substance abuse of petrol sniffing. The substance abuse counselling model that I would draw on is explained, as well as the usefulness for Samson in the situation that he is in. I have explained the way in which I would work with Samson and also analysed research that is relevant to Samson’s dependence on sniffing petrol and discussed any likely outcomes. In concluding this case-study I have listed any challenges that I feel he would face and identified any ethical issues that may arise. Background Information Samson is a 14 year old Indigenous Australian male who lives in a remote Aboriginal Community in the central Australian desert. Samson lives with his brothers who hang out in their run down shack, playing music from the moment that they wake up until the moment that they go to sleep. When Samson wakes up in the morning the first thing that he reaches for is his canister of petrol and starts sniffing the fumes that enable him to get high. Samson doesn’t go to school or have any direction in life, he seems to be very bored and spends his days hanging around the community, doing nothing but getting high on petrol fumes. Samson runs away from the community with his girlfriend Delilah after Samson has a violent fight with his brother and Delilah is attacked by the older women after her beloved grandmother dies. They go to the city where they camp out under a bridge, they have no money and in order to eat, and have to rely on a homeless man that they meet to feed them or steal food from the local supermarket. Delilah is kidnapped as they are both walking along which Samson is oblivious too as he is so high on petrol fumes. His girlfriend is raped and bashed by the abductors, but when she returns back to the camp Samson is unconscious on the ground, passed out from sniffing petrol. Delilah starts sniffing petrol as well and is hit by a car as they are walking along the road, which Samson is once more oblivious too, as they are both high on petrol fumes. Delilah recovers in hospital, comes back and takes Samson to a remote property where she intends on helping him to dry out, but finds him sniffing petrol again. Assessment of Samson Samson has been heavily abusing this volatile substance to the point where he is physiologically dependent on sniffing petrol . Behave Net(2013) explain that substance dependence can be diagnosed when an individual continues to use the drug, even though there are problems associated with the use of the volatile substance. Samson has built up a tolerance to the petrol and seems to need increased amounts of this substance in order to attain the desired level of intoxication. Rassool (2009) confirms this, stating that when a body adjusts to the habitual use of a drug, tolerance occurs as higher doses of the substance are needed to â€Å"reproduce the desired or similar cognitive, affective or behavioural effects† (p. 9). Petrol sniffing is a form of volatile solvent abuse [VSA] that is more common in disadvantaged or isolated communities which reflects the history of cultural oppression, poor health, unemployment, recreational opportunity and geographical isolation of remote Indigenous Australians( Dingwall, Lewis,Maruff Cairney 2010). Research has shown that 14 to 17 year old Indigenous Australian males are more habitual in the use of VSA by using more frequently and longer than non- Indigenous users (Australian Government Department of Health and Aging Publications, 2004). High risk behaviours are associated with VSA due to the individual feeling a sense of being invulnerable, which can cause accidents, injury and death (Cairney Dingwall, 2010). VSA can also cause the individual to have violent outbursts towards other individuals as well as showing signs of slurred speech, confusion and stupor which can lead to seizures, brain injury and death (Australian Government Department of Health and Aging Publications, 2004). Samson is showing all the signs of chronic use of VSA in relation to his oblivion of all of the trauma that has resulted from his dependence on petrol. I feel that Samson is bored because of the lack of recreational activities as well as schooling, there also does not appear to be any cultural programs in place to guide him in helping him with a sense of identity, or any real family support including the sharing of the cultural knowledge of elders. Intervention Plan Although there are screening tools such as The Indigenous Risk Impact Screen and Brief Intervention Tool Kit (Amity Community Services, n. d), I feel that the best approach in helping Samson and his dependence on VSA, is to consult with community elders as he is not only a minor, but there are also a lot of cultural barriers that would make it very difficult to counsell him unless the person were specially trained. It would be especially difficult as Samson speaks his traditional language and very little English. Cairney and Dingwall (2010) find that it is hard for the problem of VSA to be managed and the impact of it to be understood by Indigenous communities as well as health and government services because of the severe cultural differences that occur between these groups. Aboriginal people have a kinship structure where immediate and extended family are seen as part of the group and within Indigenous communities their health is seen as a collective of the emotional, social and cultural wellbeing of the community (Pattel, 2007). I have personally never worked with clients with VSA, but I feel that motivational interviewing would also benefit Samson’s brothers and their community in helping them overcome the problems of VSA. Giddens-Tracey (2005) explains that motivational interviewing is non –judgmental and avoids confrontation, it helps to raise awareness of the problems, risks and consequences as a result of certain behaviours, and it is also helpful in the context of treatment planning. MacLean and d’Abbs (2002) also believe that the introduction of Youth focused programs and the accessibility of basic food, shelter and education would reduce petrol sniffing, which would greatly benefit Samson if these projects were to be put in place. Cairney and Dingwall (2010) also suggest that by replacing the volatile petrol with a non-volatile fuel derivative there will be a reduction in the supply of petrol to inhale. Treatment Process I believe that the first step that would need to be taken in the process of treating Samson is to have a doctor or health practitioner examine him for any signs of medical complications. The Australian Government Department of Health and Aging Publications (2004) suggest that when dealing with chronic VSA, it is important for â€Å"mental state, organ and neurological examination, chest x-rays, blood tests and any additional tests that may be required to assess the presence of metabolic disturbances and morbidity to other organs such as the kidneys†(p. 142). SVA has been a serious problem in many remote Aboriginal communities and there are many programs that have been put in place to help these Indigenous youth. The volatile substance abuse program (The Australian Indigenous Health Info Net, 2013) runs for 8 weeks offering residence to individuals participating in their programs. They also travel to remote communities to work with Indigenous youth who are having problems with petrol sniffing. Although these services would be great for youth in bigger communities with elder support, I feel that Samson would be more beneficial in attending compulsory treatment (â€Å"Youth workers back petrol sniffing laws†, 2009) due to his lack of family and elder support as well as his young age. By contrast If Samson did have the support of his brothers I feel that he would benefit from Cultural programs that would give him a sense of identity that teach him the ways of his ancestors by restoring the links to his traditional culture(MacLean d’Abbs). Ethical Issues The first and foremost issue that would affect a counsellor working with Samson is their ability to be aware and respectful of any cultural differences or traditions. Westerman (2004) ,Vicary and Andrews (2001) McLennan and Khavarpour( 2004) propose that due to non-indigenous health care workers being aware of cultural traditions and practices, many Indigenous Australians are wary of engaging in mental health services( as cited in Fan,2007). There is also the issue of gender roles in Indigenous culture, Fan(2007) also explains that it is common practice in health care to work with your same gender, so it may not be respectful for a female counsellor to work with Samson as he may feel shame, which may have a detrimental effect on his treatment and recovery process. As a counsellor there is also the ethical responsibility of working with a minor, as Samson is only 14 years old. The Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia [PACFA] (2011) states that â€Å"Working with young people requires specific training, ethical awareness and competence. The practitioner is required to consider and assess the balance between young people’s dependence on adults and carers and their progressive development towards acting independently† (p. 14). Therefore I feel that it would be advisable to refer Samson on to a culturally appropriate service that would be more equipped to help his needs. Conclusion In concluding this case study on a young 14 year old Indigenous Australian who is dependent on sniffing petrol we can see that Samson has built up a tolerance to the petrol and seems to need increased amounts of this substance in order to attain the desired level of intoxication. Petrol sniffing is a form of volatile solvent abuse [VSA] that is more common in disadvantaged or isolated communities which reflects the history of cultural oppression, poor health, unemployment, recreational opportunity and geographical isolation of remote Indigenous Australians. VSA can also cause the individual to have violent outbursts towards other individuals as well as showing signs of slurred speech, confusion and stupor which can lead to seizures, brain injury and death. The first step that would need to be taken in the process of treating Samson is to have a doctor or health practitioner examine him for any signs of medical complications. Cultural programs that would give Samson a sense of Cultural identity would benefit him greatly if he had support from his family but I feel that Samson would be more beneficial in attending a compulsory culturally appropriate service treatment due to the ethical issues surrounding his age.

Market penetration strategy

Increase our penetration to the market by intensifying the organisations efforts to more of the market Market penetration strategy refers to the firm intensifying its efforts to capture a larger share of the market by selling more of its product to its already existing customers (Ataman, 2003; Smith, Drumwright Gentile, 2008; Myron, 2007; Kara, Kaynak Kucukemiroglu, 2007).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Market penetration strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is always the fast alternative that firms turn to in order to compete and therefore represents the first degree of freedom to grow. Before exploring any further alternatives, firms first try to answer the question whether the opportunity to grow share of the market for the products has been completely exhausted. Unless the firm is looking for an exit strategy after probably realizing that its product has already past maturity in the product develo pment lifecycle and there’s no way it can be done to revitalize its growth in the market, then this strategy always makes the first competitive option the firm can turn up to for growth (Craig Douglus, 2006; Morgan Rego, 2002). After identifying the first desirable option for growth, the next step is to evaluate its suitability taking into consideration the identified firm characteristics. So what makes this strategy a favourite option given our identified firm characteristics, does it match what we have? I would first start by stating that, this strategy very much matches what we have identified as far as our competitive environment is concerned. In our identified opportunities we identified the firm can pursue is that of probability of enhancing our market share. We identified that there’s still lots of potential to improve on market share for the current products if only we were able to use the right marketing tactics. Even though one of our major strengths derive d from the parent company is the strong marketing and advertising campaign, incidentally and probably what has been a major weakness for the company is the inability to use that advantage because of the bad marketing policies. If only therefore the company is able to minimize this weakness and make use of its key strengths of its strong product brand, well established market and its global presence, it is very much possible to increase on the market share. In doing so we will still be weakening out the competitive threat the firm is currently facing.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The other factors that make this alternative also very much attractive are the various exciting opportunities for growth present. By exploiting other opportunities present such as venturing into home delivery, increasing access by expanding our operating hours to 24 hours it will also be very muc h possible to capture more of the market. Diversify the organisation’s target market by identifying new markets for the existing product Diversifying the target market by way of identifying new markets to the existing product is similar to the market development strategy as identified in the Ansolf’s product market expansion grid (Ansolf, 1957; Varadarajan, 2008). This strategy makes up the second degree of freedom to growth regarding how firms react to competitive pressures or opportunities. Market development strategy refers to going a step further from the current existing market to look for new market opportunities for the existing product (Ataman, 2003; Sharpe Staelin, 2003). After fully utilising our first degree to growth by ensuring we get the maximum out of our current target market, it is time then to look for opportunities for growth elsewhere. Market development strategy is a perfect and easy alternative to expand on our market in order to enhance our mark et presence ()Atuahene-Gima Murray, 2006). According to the analysis done on our competitive environment, currently the firm’s clientele comprise only of students and youngsters of average age between 16 and 24 years of age. The main reason why this type of clientele has preferred our menus is the quickness of our meals and the value for money. Using the same attributes however, we can still be able to capture a different kind of clientele not necessarily in the age bracket specified. One of the external factors that are coming out so clearly in our analysis is the direction of the global economic conditions. Following the recent global financial meltdown, there has been an adjustment of customers eating habits with most preferring to eat at their home to save on their incomes (Worthington, 2006). This has as a result resulted in the decline of fast food sales.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Market penetration strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The situation is however turning back to normalcy and although in most countries the economy is not yet fully stable to recovery, it has definitely improved. This is a very great opportunity to build up on new target market for our product. Since fast foods are regarded by many as cheaper and faster meals, it possible to create such kind of appeal to the working group slightly older than our current target group by using this two appeals; cost and urgent meals. Through this kind of strategy, the firm will not only be creating new business but also building future means of competing by creating new sources of profits. References Ansoff, I. (1957). Strategies for diversification. Harvard Business Review, September – October, p. 114 Ataman, M. B., et al (2003). The Long-Term Effect of Marketing Strategy on Brand Sales. Journal of Marketing Research. Volume: 4(5) Pp. 866 – 882 Atuahene-Gima, K. and Murray, J. Y. (2006). An tecedents and Outcomes of Marketing Strategy Comprehensiveness. Journal of Marketing, Volume 68(4) Pp. 33 – 46 Craig, C. S. and Douglas, S. P. (2006). Configural Advantage in Global Markets. Journal of International Marketing, Volume 8(1) Pp. 6 – 26 Kara, A., Kaynak, E. Kucukemiroglu. 1997. Marketing strategies for fast-food restaurants: a customer’s view. British Food Journal (pp, 318 -324).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Kelly, B. et al (2008). The commercial food landscape: outdoor food advertising around primary schools in Australia. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, Volume 32(6), Pp. 522–528 Morgan, N. A. and Rego, L. L. (2002). Brand Portfolio Strategy and Firm Performance. Journal of Marketing, Volume 73(1) Pp. 59 – 74 Myron L.(2007).Marketing Literature Review. Journal of Marketing, Volume 64(4) Pp. 110 – 121 Sharpe, K. M. and Staelin, R. (2003). Consumption Effects of Bundling: Consumer Perceptions, Firm Actions, and Public Policy Implications. Journal of Public Policy Marketing, Volume 29(2) Pp. 170 – 188 Smith, N. C., Drumwright, M. E. and Gentile, M. C. (2008). The New Marketing Myopia. Journal of Public Policy Marketing, Volume 29(1) Pp. 4 – 11 Varadarajan R. (2005). Strategic marketing and marketing strategy: domain, definition, fundamental issues and foundational premises. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Volume 38 (2), Pp. 119-140, Worthington, J. (2006). Strategic Food Solutions. Innovation: Management, Policy Practice, Volume 2(1) Pp. 20 – 21 This report on Market penetration strategy was written and submitted by user Livia Frost to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Canada Essay Example

Canada Essay CanadaCanada is the second largest country in the world.The only country larger than Canada is Russia.Even though Canada is more than 3.8 million square miles it is one of the least populated countries in the world.Canada is north of the United States; South west of Greenland. The Atlantic Ocean surrounds the east side of Canada and the Pacific Ocean surrounds the west side ofMost of the west side of Canada are mountainous or high elevation.Central Canada and West Canada is more level than the west side.The climate in Canada varies from region to region, from Arctic temperatures which are below freezing most of the year. The southern part of Canada has mild temperatures 8 months out of a year.Canadians come from all backgrounds and this multi-cultural nature of Canadian society can be seen in the way people of different origins, religions, and traditions continue to celebrate these differences. Long before the Europeans came, the native people marked there year with festivals celebra ting the seasons or religious rituals. Natives of the west coast held ceremonial feasts called polaches, and those of the plains held powwows, or ceremonies of healing.In a more modern way, visitors who go to Brantford, Ontario, in August can take part in six nations native pudent, an Iroquois celebrating of the tribes cultural history. Canada is geographically, the largest democratic country in the world. It is a constant challenge to make the democracy work in a country that is so large and populated with people from such different backgrounds. July 1, 1867 Canada became a nation, and also became a democratic federation. This means that the powers of government are shared between a central and federal government, the governments of the various provinces that make up the nation.Some present an

What Goes Well with Chicken Soup

What Goes Well with Chicken Soup Lots of writers ask me how to get published in the bestselling, â€Å"Chicken Soup for the Soul† book series. That’s because I’m very lucky to be a frequent contributor. In the past few years, they’ve published 40 of my stories.    Submitting is simple. You go to their website: www.chickensoup.com, fill in your name, address, etc., and then just paste your story. Authors receive $200 plus 10 books per story. CSS editors receive over 5,000 submissions per book. The editors want stories, not essays. I keep the term â€Å"a Chicken Soup moment† etched in my brain. At this point, I’m acutely aware of when I’m experiencing a Chicken Soup moment. Or notice that someone else is. I was reading a friend’s Facebook post. On her FB page, she posted a beautiful picture of a Christmas decoration she kept up all year and wrote, â€Å"I hung these three angels from my dining room chandelier at Christmas two years ago and they have never left.† Her caption for her picture: â€Å"Angels Watching Over Me.† The instant I saw that, I e-mailed her, suggesting that was a perfect Chicken Soup moment. Your life is filled with Chicken Soup moments. You just have to see them. Those moments do not need to be huge, as in a miraculous medical recovery. You can find them in the simplest of experiences. Although I have had stories accepted about my spinal cord injury, simpler topics have included: â€Å"The Appointment,† about my husband falling apart when our dog got groomed for the first time, â€Å"Little Things Matter,† about not celebrating Valentine’s Day because we didn’t want to bother, â€Å"My Husband is on a Diet† about family humor, â€Å"Mud-dling Through,† about how I stopped to help an old dog get up from a mucky sandbar. I’m seeing a slight trend of CSS accepting more humor, as well as just a tiny touch of edginess. In â€Å"Chicken Soup for the Soul: Shaping the New You,† my humor story has the following dialogue. Last night he screamed from the bathtub, â€Å"I’ve got it!† I called out from the den, â€Å"Geez Bob. I hate to think what you mean In another book, â€Å"Think Positive,† I tell a story involving my husband having x-rays. The technician forgot to remove whatever they call those things that are placed over nipples so that nipples don’t show up as suspicious spots on the films. I have this dialogue: â€Å"What are people going to think if you’re wearing nipple buttons?† I grabbed his nipples and started yanking. A year ago, I would have edited those parts out before submitting. Although the editors have published my reprints, as long as the columns ran in a very small venue, they prefer originals. I retain rights to my stories. However I do agree to give permission to CSS to use my story in various venues. That’s part of the contract. This works in my favor. My stories have appeared in www.beliefnet.com, which is a huge inspirational website. Several of my works have been picked up, also via CSS, Your chances of acceptance are increased if you submit something unique. You can predict the most common topics. A terrific writer/friend submitted a story about finishing his first marathon for the book: â€Å"Runners.† He didn’t get accepted. He’s such a great writer, but one’s first marathon was likely the topic of plenty of stories for that book. CSS editors prefer diversity, and your life is full of it, trust me.

Alternative cinema Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alternative cinema - Essay Example The film Stranger Than Paradise can be subdivided into three parts namely; present or ‘new world’, ‘a year later’ and ‘paradise.’ The film is a depiction of America through a foreign perspective see image 1. Willie the main character in the film speaks in English while responding to Aunt Lotte, who speaks in Hungarian (Andrew, 1999). He persuades Lotte to speak in English an indication that foreigners are not yet ready to give up their identity. Each part of the film can be said to reflect the stages that a foreigner undergoes in America. The film is shot in black and white backgrounds making the film unique since it seems to break away from the normal rule in filming see image 2. Each scene of the film is one take and after every take the screen cuts to black for a moment prior to the commencement of another take. The ‘takes are static shots, and other follows the characters. Each ‘take’ exhibits repeated emotionless sensatio n. The film can clearly bring out the emotions of the character. The film devises a new way whereby real lives and emotions of the characters are observed without confusing the audience. The ambient sounds in the scenes that persist even after the cuts to black and the beginning of ‘takes with silence do not deter the in bringing out the emotions of the characters. In the film Stranger Than Paradise, the effect of simplification is applied in the formal way the story is narrated as opposed to applying the idea to physical objects (Blume & Forster, 2006). The scenes are presented in a simple manner but chronological presentation and frequently independent from each other. The presentation involves the selected moments eliminating the bigger part of the theatrical action. The acting part of the film is very critical. In this order, every shot becomes a masterpiece. Selection or elimination through cutting cannot improve the performance. If a mistake

Importance of Internal and External Factors to Economic Development Essay

Importance of Internal and External Factors to Economic Development - Essay Example However, the biggest question in the minds of everyone is what has causes varying rates of economic development in a country. What are the reasons that have seen countries such as Japan and China emerge to become among the greatest economies in the world with a record time? Additionally, one would always want to understand whether the involvement of the government in the economic process causes accelerated economic growth or should the government give the private sector autonomy in determining how they conduct their activities. Additionally, countries do not live in vacuum but have to trade with their neighbors and their security may be threatened by the activities of others and therefore they have to keep into consideration the external factors in economic development. From the foregoing introduction, it is clear that one cannot argue entirely that the level of economic development in a country is attributable to only internal or external factors. Although interplay of both internal and external factors determines the path of economic development of a country, internal factors are the greatest determinants economic development of a country. The major internal factors that determine the pace of economic development in a country is the type of governance adopted. ... It is undisputable that the leadership of a country determines the level of economic growth that a country is able to achieve. In a country, governments hold much power and are expected to offer leadership in terms of economic and social developments that take place. Consequently, when a government fails to carry out an analysis of the impacts of its policies, this may spell out the starting point of its failure. The argument that governance really plays a role in determining the pace of economic development in a country is collaborated by Gerschenkron. When assessing economic backwardness in different countries, Gerschenkron argued that there is a strong correlation between economic underdevelopment and centralized bureaucracy in a country. The type of governance adopted determines the way in which the required capital for industrialization is mobilized and allocated. In a country where the government encourages private to public sector investment, the rate of economic development i s expected to become accelerated due to efficiency in resource allocation and monitoring thereby reducing wastage. In such an economy, the government concentrates in development of the right infrastructure required for development while the private sector provides and invests capital required for industrialization. Countries that promote public-private sector partnership in economy leads to development of free markets that have high productivity and efficiency. In countries where free trade thrives, high productivity is achieved since the owners of such resources closely monitor and control the production process unlike in countries where the government controls production. Government control in the production process leads to

Case study about John F kennedy and the bay of pigs , cuban missile

About John F kennedy and the bay of pigs , cuban missile crisis - Case Study Example However, this president could later on be seen as living up to the policies of his predecessor; Eisenhower. This was clearly evident when he decided to adopt the Bay of Pigs Invasion and gave a go head to his military without giving it much thought. President J. F Kennedy became a leader during the era of nuclear war. He believed that no nation could confidently win a nuclear war. According to Kennedy, the main cause of war and civil strife in the 20th century was Miscalculations. He, therefore, with the counsel of his Intelligence agency, designed and employed a military strategy that was known as the Flexible Response. This strategy was put in place with the anticipation that it would reduce such wars that result from miscalculations. Even though J. F Kennedy had been regarded by many as one of the most flexible and rational presidents of the United States, there had been criticism that he was not as prudent as Eisenhower and, had made the USA even worse. However, these arguments are subjects of a heated debate as there are no diplomatic records on this topic2. By the time Kennedy came to power, the Soviet Union had made several steps ahead of the US in the space exploration. The Soviet had already acquired considerable skills in nuclear war and was becoming a threat to the US, which was at that time very vulnerable to the missile attacks. Soviet Prime Minister, Nikita Khrushchev, in one of the speeches, had announced that their nation was ready for any liberal war3. The Bay of Pigs invasion was a planned attack on Cuba by the American Central Intelligence Force. It was during the time when Cuban government, under the leadership of Fidel Castro, was experiencing defection from the government officials and the citizens4. United States of America, therefore, decided to take advantage of this situation and arranged to attack Fidel in disguise of the defectors. The invasion had been planned before President Kennedy took over from Eisenhower.

Contributions of Feminism to Archaeological Theory

Contributions of Feminism to Archaeological Theory Introduction In its stages of conception, archaeology was considered to be merely a sub-discipline of both history and anthropology, and, in many cases, was restricted as a rich mans hobby. Developed during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the initial episode in the history of theoretical archaeology is usually referred to as culture history, a means by which early archaeologists established rudimentary predictive models patterning human behaviour within designated temporal and spatial contexts via the interpretation of artefactual evidence. Though universally popular during the first half of the twentieth century, culture history was rebelled against during the 1960s. Perceived as restrictive due to its reliance on categorisation of artefacts the paradigms of culture history were abandoned in favour of the newly developed school of thought known as New Archaeology. In an attempt to incorporate a level of scientific reasoning to anthropological archaeology, these primarily American archaeologists, chiefly Lewis Binford and his associates, moved away from simple descriptions of the past in favour of questioning why cultures developed and adopting hypothesis evaluations (Renfrew and Bahn, 1996). The scientific basis and reliance of New Archaeology instigated the widespread development of processual archaeology. Two decades later, processualisms focus on science and impartiality were increasingly questioned. Led by Ian Hodder, Michael Shanks and Christopher Tilley, a new approach to theoretical archaeology emerged, which emphasised the necessity of relativism in archaeological investigation (Shanks and Tilley, 1992). This methodology, known as post-processualism, however, has been criticised by proponents of processualism and New Archaeology for abandoning scientific competency and rigour, and the debate over the most appropriate theoretical approach to any archaeological analysis is still much in evidence. Theoretical archaeology now relies on a wide range of influences. During the 1970s and 80s, gender-related and feminist archaeology became popular among those archaeologists seeking a post-processual approach to cultural identity. Though phenomenology, post-modernism, and post-processualism are still discussed in the literature and relied upon to evaluate cultural diversity, feminist archaeology is, for the most part, unique in focusing on the collection of evidence of female social roles in past cultures and their influence in developing and sculpting individual societies (Gilchrist, 1998). Archaeological theory It is possible to summarise the history of how archaeology has been conducted in the twentieth century into three expansive concepts; predominantly description, explanation, and interpretation (Trigger, 1989). The chronological sequencing methodologies, encouraged by the culture history approach, allowed the description and ordering of artefacts using stratigraphic excavation and stylistic seriation, particularly with regard to ceramics and lithics. Though much disregarded following the development of processual and post-processual archaeology, the descriptive approach of culture history dominated the majority of the twentieth century, and successfully produced charts and maps of cultures based upon artefacts and stratigraphic sequences which are still relied on as initial datasets for investigation (Hodder and Hutson, 2003). Arguing for a new recognition of the processes behind the evidence obtained from the archaeological record, the development of complex processual archaeology encouraged many advocating theorists to analyse the evidence away from simple classifications and to view the archaeological record from a taphonomical viewpoint. Proponents of behavioural archaeology, such as Michael Schiffer (1983, 1995), argued that the culture history assumption of artefacts existing as in situ fossils restricted the comprehensive analysis of archaeology to categorisation alone. Processualism criticised culture history, and Binfords early statement that artefacts were â€Å"fossils† upon which past reconstructions could easily be made (Renfrew and Bahn, 1996), for epistemological simplicity. The recognition that much of the value of evidence from the archaeological record was being lost through the collection approach of culture history necessitated a review and reassessment of the methodology of arch aeological investigation, which, in turn, illustrated the problematic approaches of processualism with regard to the rigid, ethnocentric tenets of scientific archaeologists. Archaeology, it was criticised, saw what it wanted to see and moulded the evidence to fit ethnically biased hypotheses, predominantly a result of the domination of Caucasian male scientists within the field during the 1980s. For example, feminist archaeologists emphasised the androcentric approaches of theoretical archaeology by denouncing statements, from male archaeologists, that the commonly-cited Venus figurines of Europe represented the palaeolithic equivalent of pornography. During the era of processualism, a new-found movement of feminist archaeology began questioning the cultural presence of females in the archaeological record, debating their very existence at all (Conkey and Spector, 1984; Wylie, 1991). Feminist archaeology The exploration of the social status of genders in the past is the all-encompassing drive behind feminist archaeology. Though it has only recently become a field of study in its own right, the interest in prehistoric matriarchy stems largely from the nineteenth century, particularly with regard to claims made by J. J. Bachofen in 1861 and Frederick Engels in 1884. Engels and Bachofen proposed that matriarchy formed an important, universal phase in human culture after an initial stage of promiscuity and prior to what was termed the world historic defeat of the female sex (Key and MacKinnon, 2000). Engels suggested an early stage in human development was characterised by group marriage, with descent traced through women and matrilocality. Women had supremacy in the household and their high status derived from their central position within the social relations of production (Conkey and Gero, 1997), however, these conclusions were based not on archaeological evidence but on ancient myths and ethnographic cases. Marija Gimbutass interpretation of Early Neolithic farming communities as matrifocal and probably matrilinear, egalitarian and peaceful, worshipping a supreme goddess, is a result of her research into the symbolism of female figurines and statuary from household contexts in south-east Europe and the Near East (Gimbutas, 1974, 1989, 1991). Although unsupported by many archaeologists, her views have become unassailable for certain ecofeminist groups, and at least contrast with the androcentric evaluation of hunt scene cave art. The analyses of Palaeolithic figurines illustrate that differences in ethnological and epistemological approach potentially result in hugely varying disparities in the interpretative conclusions of particular artefacts, sites, and periods in history and prehistory. Overall, applying concepts of gender to all aspects of a specific culture is profoundly more productive than the restricted, narrow approaches of New Archaeology and culture history. It is important to archaeological interpretation that multiple varieties of gender, and their associated arrangements within a given culture, are illustrated and emphasised, in contrast to the previous assumption of a single dichotomy between proactive male and passive female roles. Feminist archaeologists, in general, have aspired to determining the quantity of genders in past societies, with particular regard to the engendering of biological sex. The most reliable sources of this data, as purported by many feminist archaeologists, are from funerary deposits. However, this data is frequently invisible or vague within the archaeological record, and the differentiation between the dichotomy of the biological status of sex and the cultural status of gender remains problematic. Furthermore, feminist archaeologists claim that a false dichotomy between the genders, often referred to as labour division, exists. Within modern indigenous and developed cultures, men and women are often assigned different functions within the community, and it is reasonable to assume that this division existed in the past, however, there is significant dislocation between gender-specific roles in most cultures. Feminist archaeology has contributed greatly to the umbrella field of archaeology by encouraging an avoidance of the polarisation of genders, thereby providing more subtle and comprehensive understanding of societies (Bem, 1993). Feminist archaeology has therefore contributed greatly to the understanding of archaeological interpretation. It has encouraged new questions and new methodological approaches to data sets, and has revolutionised observations and analyses of existing data, particularly with emphasis on removing bias from interpretation. In contrast to the assumptions purported by other schools of theoretical archaeology, feminism has critiqued and argued against presumed concepts, encouraging the application of epistemological analysis to gender roles. By challenging preconceived ideology regarding the interaction between men and women within past societies, feminist archaeology adopts a refreshingly questioning approach in contrast to the previous interpretation of sites based on current modern attitudes, practices and socio-cultural biases. Conclusion Unfortunately, there is no single consensus on the definition of feminism and feminist theory, and, therefore, it is unrealistic to portray feminist archaeology as a homogeneous, ideologically-coherent framework. As a movement of resistance and struggle against male oppression for womens empowerment, theoretical feminist objectives include a critique of female status in past societies and the definition of gender difference for women. Initial rethinking of the new female history, anthropology and archaeology focused on the countering of androcentric narratives, the recognition of powerful individual women in the past, the search for matriarchies in past societies, and the redressing of the balance hitherto ignored by theoretical archaeology. Sà ¸rensen (1992) has outlined three predominant categories of archaeological sources most useful for pursuing archaeologies of gender: burial activities, individual appearance through costume, particularly from funerary contexts, and some types of art. Though this is a short analysis of the benefit of feminism to archaeological theory and practice, details given here illustrate several ways that a feminist stance can improve and contribute to archaeological interpretations. In comparison to the previously biased analysis of singularly male roles within prehistory, feminist archaeology offers the opportunity to consider all aspects of men and women, particularly roles, status, and contemporary perceptions, from a balanced perspective. Many theoretical archaeologists now believe this to be essential to a comprehensive understanding of past societies. Economic relationships between communities, political structures, and ideological status are affected by our often biased interpretation of gender roles, and feminism, above all other schools of archaeological theory, attempts to desegregate the prejudiced views of gender superiority and inferiority, allowing clarity of interpretation, and giving a voice to the hitherto ignored female se ctions of past societies. Bibliography Bem, S. (1993) The Lenses of Gender. New Haven, Yale University Press Conkey, M. W. and Spector, J. D (1984) Archaeology and the study of gender. Advances in Archaeological Methods and Theory 7: 1-38 Conkey, M. W. and Gero, J. M. (1997) Programme to practice: Gender and Feminism in Archaeology. Annual Review of Anthropology 26: 411-437 Gilchrist, R. (1998) Womens archaeology?: political feminism, gender theory and historical revision. In Hays-Gilpin, K. and Whitley, D. (eds.) Reader in Gender Archaeology. London, Routledge Gimbutas, M. (1974) The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe: myths and cult images. London, Thames and Hudson Gimbutas, M. (1989) The Language of the Goddess. London, Thames and Hudson Gimbutas, M. (1991) The Civilisation of the Goddess. New York, Harper Collins. Hodder, I. and Hutson, S. (2003) Reading the Past: Current Approaches to Interpretation in Archaeology. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press Key C.J. and MacKinnon J.J. (2000) A Feminist Critique of Recent A rchaeological Theories and Explanations of the Rise of State-Level Societies. Dialectical Anthropology 25(2): 109-121 Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P. (1996) Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practices. London, Thames and Hudson Schiffer, M. B. (1983) Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory. London, Academic Press Inc. Schiffer, M. B. (1995) Behavioural Archaeology. Utah, University of Utah Press Shanks, M. and Tilley, C. (1992) Reconstructing Archaeology: Theory and Practice. London, Routledge Sà ¸rensen, M. L. S. (1992) Gender archaeology and Scandinavian Bronze Age studies. Norwegian Archaeological Review 25: 31-49 Trigger, B. (1989) A History of Archaeological Thought. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press Wylie, A. (1991) Gender theory and the archaeological record: why is there no archaeology of gender? In Gero, J. and Conkey, M. (eds.) Engendering Archaeology: Women and Prehistory. Oxford, Blackwell Publishers

Analysis of A Black Birch in Winter :: Black Birch in Winter Essays

Analysis of A Black Birch in Winter This poem is extremely easy to understand if one understands the comparison being made. Although by saying that a tree may look old in the winter but it will appear reborn in the spring is what Wilbur is talking about, he is relating and comparing this to the life of an aging man. The poem states that "Old trees are doomed to annual rebirth, new wood, new life, new compass, and greater girth." This means that the tree will stretch and crack year after year to accommodate new growth. This resembles a rebirth of the tree each year, but also an aging process. The poem talks about the old tree and relates it to an aged man. "Or the trenched features of an aged man." It means that the tree is comparable to the aged man because it grows, stretches, and cracks as the years go by. The man grows older and becomes more wrinkled or "cracked," also. He will continue to get more wrinkled and cracked as the years go by. The tree can be looked upon as something not that fancy, like "mosaic columns in a church," along with the features of an aged man. The mosaic columns would appear to be big and old, probably scarred from weather and time, as a tree might look. As one looks and studies the old tree and its annual rebirth, one might notice that it is like a form of art. "And this is all their wisdom and their art, to grow, stretch, crack, and not yet come apart. The older trees get the stronger they usually get. When one looks at the cracks and features of the tree, one can notice how strong and wise the tree is by all the patterns and age marks on the tree. Rings are features that can tell how old a tree is. As the tree grows each year, and becomes stronger, the rings build themselves up around the old wood, which makes the tree bigger. There are some symbols in this poem that some critics of the psychological method use. Yonic and Phallic symbols are images that depict female and male images. Yonic symbols are concave symbols, which refer to females.

Journal Reflection on Barbie Dolls

Now I believe that childhood is the best phase of life. One never ever gets those experiences again during the rest of his life. One can see God in a child. The child has his innocence and the love he gets every time from everybody around. The child has the best grasping and memory during the phase of 2yrs. to 6yrs. This stays in memory through out the whole life. How can I forget my childhood days? Yes, I have very clear picture of my childhood days. I was the first child of my parents and as we stayed with our grandparents, I was pet and beloved one for them as well. I had my colorful room with all eye catchy colored things like my bed, clothes, wall hangings and room full of toys (decorations) and I was really crazy for all that exciting toys. I always wanted to play with all at a time, but out of that there was one particular toy (which is still preserved) that was part of my heart, soul and body. It never allowed any tears to flow from my eyes, but the moment it was for any reason away from me the tears never stopped flowing from my eyes. My attachment was 24X7 with it. It was none other than my precious BARBIE DOLL. I don’t know why, but I had a special affection, love, emotion, attachment and craze for that doll. I never ever allowed anyone to even touch that doll. My Barbie had long blond hair, blue eyes, long eye lashes and pink lips. Her waist was real skinny and her toes were flat with high heels. I loved my Barbie doll. She was more like a lively person (doll) to me. I had many friends but Barbie was my best friend, who knew everything about me, including my top secrets. I had a separate closet of clothes and shoes for her. I used to give a bath to her, dress her up everyday and take her with me where ever I went out with my parents or friends. I don’t know why I loved her and had so much affection towards her. May be I loved Barbie because I was girl and many girls were crazy about Babies. I don’t remember my memories from my childhood but this memory stayed with me till now and will always stay with me for my lifetime. This is my unforgettable Barbie love memory ever in my future lifetime. I really loved my Barbie doll.

Battle of Saratoga in the American Revolution

Battle of Saratoga in the American Revolution The Battle of Saratoga was fought September 19 and October 7, 1777, during the American Revolution (1775-1783). In the spring of 1777, Major General John Burgoyne proposed a plan for defeating the Americans. Believing that New England was the seat of the rebellion, he proposed cutting the region off from the other colonies by moving down the Hudson River corridor while a second force, led by Colonel Barry St. Leger, advanced east from Lake Ontario. Meeting at Albany, they would press down the Hudson, while General William Howes army advanced north from New York. British Plans An attempt to capture Albany from the north had been attempted the previous year, but the British commander, Sir Guy Carleton, had elected to withdraw after the Battle of Valcour Island (October 11) citing the lateness of the season. On February 28, 1777, Burgoyne presented his plan to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord George Germain. Reviewing the documents, he granted Burgoyne permission to move forward and appointed him to lead the army that would invade from Canada. Germain did so having already approved a plan from Howe that called for the British army in New York City to advance against the American capital at Philadelphia. Â   It is unclear whether Burgoyne was aware of Howes intentions to attack Philadelphia before he left Britain. Though Howe was later informed that he should support Burgoynes advance, he was not specifically told what this should entail. Additionally, Howes seniority precluded Burgoyne from issuing him orders. Writing in May, Germain told Howe that he expected the Philadelphia campaign to be concluded in time to assist Burgoyne, but his letter contained no specific orders. Burgoyne Advances Moving forward that summer, Burgoynes advance initially met with success as Fort Ticonderoga was captured and Major General Arthur St. Clairs command forced to retreat. Pursuing the Americans, his men won a victory at the Battle of Hubbardton on July 7. Pressing down from Lake Champlain, the British advance was slow as the Americans diligently worked to block the roads south. The British plan began to unravel in quick succession as Burgoyne became plagued by supply issues. To help remedy this issue, he dispatched a column led by Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum to raid Vermont for supplies. This force encountered American forces led by Brigadier General John Stark on August 16. In the resulting Battle of Bennington, Baum was killed and his predominantly Hessian command suffered over fifty percent casualties. The loss resulted in the desertion of many of Burgoynes Native American allies. Burgoynes situation was further worsened by news that St. Leger had turned back and that Howe had left New York to begin a campaign against Philadelphia. Alone and with his supply situation worsening, he elected to move south in an effort to take Albany before winter. Opposing his advance was an American army under the command of Major General Horatio Gates. Appointed to the position on August 19, Gates inherited an army that was rapidly growing due to the success at Bennington, outrage over the slaying of Jane McCrea by Burgoynes Native Americans, and the arrival of militia units. Gates army also benefited from General George Washingtons earlier decision to send north his best field commander, Major General Benedict Arnold, and Colonel Daniel Morgans rifle corps. Armies Commanders Americans Major General Horatio GatesMajor General Benedict ArnoldColonel Daniel Morgan9,000 growing to 15,000 men British Major General John Burgoyne7,200 declining to 6,600 men Battle of Freemans Farm On September 7, Gates moved north from Stillwater and occupied a strong position atop Bemis Heights, approximately ten miles south of Saratoga. Along the heights, elaborate fortifications were constructed under the eye of engineer Thaddeus Kosciusko which commanded the river and the road to Albany. In the American camp, tensions festered as the relationship between Gates and Arnold soured. Despite this, Arnold was given command of the left wing of the army and the responsibility for preventing the capture of heights to the west which dominated the Bemis position. Crossing the Hudson north of Saratoga between September 13-15, Burgoyne advanced on the Americans. Hampered by American efforts to block the road, heavy woods, and broken terrain, Burgoyne was not in position to attack until September 19. Seeking to take the heights to the west, he devised a three-prong attack. While Baron Riedesel advanced with a mixed British-Hessian force along the river, Burgoyne and Brigadier General James Hamilton would move inland before turning south to attack Bemis Heights. The third column under Brigadier General Simon Fraser would move further inland and work to turn the American left. Arnold and Morgan Attack Aware of British intentions, Arnold lobbied Gates to attack while the British were marching through the woods. Though preferring to sit and wait, Gates finally relented and permitted Arnold to advance Morgans riflemen along with some light infantry. He also stated that if the situation required, Arnold could involve more of his command. Moving forward to an open field on the farm of Loyalist John Freeman, Morgans men soon sighted the lead elements of Hamiltons column. Opening fire, they targeted the British officers before advancing. Driving back the lead company, Morgan was forced to retreat into the woods when Frasers men appeared on his left. With Morgan under pressure, Arnold funneled additional forces into the fight. Through the afternoon intense fighting raged around the farm with Morgans riflemen decimating the British artillery. Sensing an opportunity to crush Burgoyne, Arnold requested additional troops from Gates but was refused and issued orders to fall back. Ignoring these, he continued the fight. Hearing the battle along the river, Riedesel turned inland with most of his command. Appearing on the American right, Riedesels men rescued the situation and opened a heavy fire. Under pressure and with the sun setting, the Americans withdrew back to Bemis Heights. Though a tactical victory, Burgoyne suffered over 600 casualties as opposed to around 300 for the Americans. Consolidating his position, Burgoyne put off further attacks in the hope that Major General Sir Henry Clinton could provide assistance from New York City. While Clinton did raid up the Hudson in early October, he was not able to provide aid. In the American camp, the situation between the commanders reached a crisis when Gates did not mention Arnold in his report to Congress regarding the Freemans Farm battle. Devolving into a shouting match, Gates relieved Arnold and gave his command to Major General Benjamin Lincoln. Though granted a transfer back to Washingtons army, Arnold remained as more and more men arrived in camp. Battle of Bemis Heights Concluding the Clinton was not coming and with his supply situation critical Burgoyne called a council of war. Though Fraser and Riedesel advocated retreat, Burgoyne refused and they agreed instead upon a reconnaissance in force against the American left on October 7. Led by Fraser, this force numbered around 1,500 men and advanced from Freeman Farm to the Barber Wheatfield. Here it encountered Morgan as well as the brigades of Brigadier Generals Enoch Poor and Ebenezer Learned. While Morgan attacked the light infantry on Frasers right, Poor shattered the grenadiers on the left. Hearing the fighting, Arnold dashed from his tent and took de facto command. With his line collapsing, Fraser tried to rally his men but was shot and killed. Beaten, the British fell back to the Balcarres Redoubt at Freemans Farm and Breymanns Redoubt slightly to the northwest. Attacking Balcarres, Arnold was initially repulsed, but worked men around the flank and took it from behind. Organizing an attack on Breymanns, Arnold was shot in the leg. The redoubt subsequently fell to American assaults. In the fighting, Burgoyne lost another 600 men, while American losses were only around 150. Gates remained in camp for the duration of the battle. Aftermath The next evening, Burgoyne began withdrawing north. Halting at Saratoga and with his supplies exhausted, he called a council of war. While his officers favored fighting their way north, Burgoyne ultimately decided to open surrender negotiations with Gates. Though he initially demanded an unconditional surrender, Gates agreed to a treaty of convention whereby Burgoynes men would be taken to Boston as prisoners and permitted to return to England on the condition that they not fight in North America again. On October 17, Burgoyne surrendered his remaining 5,791 men. The turning point of the war, the victory at Saratoga proved key in securing a treaty of alliance with France.

Symbolism Through Color Usage In Song of Solomon essays

Symbolism Through Color Usage In Song of Solomon essays Colors bring exuberance and flavor to writing. They capture the reader's attention and fill the novel with expressive and inventive symbols. Toni Morrison possesses an extraordinary artistic talent with writing. Phrases like "blood red squares of velvet, "berry-black lips, and "jungle-red wine" leave readers awestruck from page one of Song of Solomon. Using this spectacular talent, Morrison intensifies every page with intricate descriptions of color and emotions. The incredible journey of Milkman, the main character in the novel, is not in any way simple, and neither is Morrison's writing. From the birth that was almost denied to Milkman, to his journey to enlightenment, not one sentence lacks vivid color usage, and thus gives Song of Solomon revealing symbolism, uniqueness, and an ability to amaze its audience. The first use of symbolism uses not only color as a source of information, but the words additionally foreshadow what the Dead family life will be like for years to come. Macon Dead's disappointment in his young, innocent daughters "sifted down on them like ash, dulling their buttery complexions and choking the lilt out of what should have been girlish voices." This sentence alone represents how bright and full of life Corinthians and Lena are, yet their own father slowly drains the flamboyance and boldness from their lives. Macon's lack of compassion, along with his sovereignty in the household, connects to the rest of the novel by instilling fear and sub-dominance in the girls, which they constantly try to overcome. This scene alone gives Macon a heartless and cold feel for the course of the novel. The symbol of the "blood red" roses is introduced next. Though these flowers fill the girls' lives, the red velvet roses additionally represent them and tell the story of their lives as well. Like these roses, the girls are beautiful and exuberant, yet they are also lifeless, with no emotions apparent to the o...

Improving Decision Making, DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Improving Decision Making, DB - Essay Example efuted that the reason why people often answer not-so-confidently on these questions was the fact that nations or states are all capable of conducting such actions. That is, since the choice of states to be answered are limited only to the Soviet Union and the US, the questions cannot really accurately determine that indeed, people cannot determine the difference between Soviet and American political actions. It is also possible that respondents may have thought of another state or nation which can be applied in the context or scenarios given. Thus, the first activity demonstrated how reasoning and decision-making are multi-faceted. While there are specific answers to challenges or problems, there are different ways in the manner by which the individual arrived at the answer. That is, the individual may have guessed correctly that for both scenarios, s/he identified the correct nation/state. However, his/her assessment in arriving at the answer may have been contributed by the fact that the facts of both scenarios are unique or somewhat identified to a single country only. For example, the use of the term â€Å"party† in the first scenario signified the Communist party Soviet Union was popularly known for in the late 20th century. Similarly, the 1960s was a period of invasion and active political expansion and military movement for the US. Thus, responses for both scenarios were not motivated by the actions of the countries alone, but on the facts of the scenarios—the association of the facts of each scenari o to a particular country. This finding from the first activity is reflected in the second activity, which discussed the issue of â€Å"calibration.† From the first activity, it was shown how decision-making cannot be done solely on the basis of one criterion alone; instead, decision-making is composed of different facets that influence the individual’s decision to choose one solution over another one. In the second activity, the exercise

Stress Management in the Workplace Research Paper

Stress Management in the Workplace - Research Paper Example By finding out the common reasons of job related stress, companies can identify likely â€Å"trouble spots† (Maslach & Leiter, 1997, p. 72) in their own business. The more extensive the application of the term ‘stress’, the more indefinable its meaning. Well known meaning of stress, that is identified by everyone, is a personal experience due to anxiety or burden on a person, and negatively affects the person’s capability to handle or rather, his/her viewpoint regarding that capability. Bad teamwork and ineffective management were the two important reasons behind job related stress, with bad teamwork concerns having the â€Å"most powerful influence† (Maslach & Leiter, 1997, p. 81) on work-related fatigue, physical fitness problems, and performance issues. Job related stress is associated with fatigue, physical as well as psychological wellbeing issues, and performance issues, such as absence, high employee turnover and mistakes. At this point in time, main worry of workers is to find a way for having stability in responsibilities of professional as well as personal life. Taking into consideration the fact that flexibility is a very crucial concern for employees, having insignificant flexibility in the job will be a significant factor contributing towards stress. â€Å"The more practical as well as uncompromising a company is about taking time off, looking for professional agendas, and so forth, the more the level of stress of its staff† (Maslach & Leiter, 1997, p. 87). Stress affects people by at least two ways. â€Å"First, prolonged stress makes people to regress† (Stranks, pp. 23-24). Their mental growth upsets, and they are likely to act in an immature manner. They promptly turn out to be more careless as well as irresponsible. A simple, common everyday example is a sick person who is unhappy and suffering from a number of days. His family members will agree that he has become self-centered, loud, and

Nokia Aims Way Beyond Handsets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nokia Aims Way Beyond Handsets - Essay Example is more applicable in case of the multinational corporations as; such companies have to take into account wide range of factors to operate successfully. The mobile hand - set manufacturing giant, Nokia is a Finland based company. The company has undisputed market penetration in the arena of mobile hand – set with wide range of products. The company ratifies itself as the consumer led company and focuses upon consumer involvement with technology and communications all across the globe. In order to remain flexible and achieve sustainable all round development, Nokia has primarily focused upon major shifts in the undertaken strategies of the company. It has expanded its product categories beyond mobile hand – set and ventured into wide range of products as well as services. The company has also increasingly focused on tie – ups with major cellular service providers all across the globe. The company longs to build valued relationships with the customers through beautiful devices and excellent services. Nokia, the leader of the market in the arena of the mobile hand set manufacturing is actively involved in to strategical shifts in to other diversified arenas. The company is of the view that it is the diversification and the expansion that holds key to the success in the modern business scenario. Some of the prominent alternatives that Nokia has been focusing upon include the following: Acquisition of Loudeye, gate5 and Twango – Basically the mobile hand set manufacturer, Nokia has been on the acquisition spree to share music among its users. For the purpose, the company acquired the most valued rival of Apple iTunes, Loudeye. Also, Nokia purchased the software manufacturing giant, gate5 and Twango, the media sharing website. Nokia Maps – Nokia Maps have been the other hugely successful concept brought forward by Nokia. The users of the Nokia Maps enabled hand - sets can choose nearby interesting locations on their screens. Many of the service providers of

The Internet And The Democratic Process Essay Example for Free

The Internet And The Democratic Process Essay The Internet has literally revolutionized the way we live, radically changing the way we receive and disseminate information. It has had dramatic effects on business, education, and society in general, but the focus of this paper will be on how the Internet has affected the democratic process of election. In recent years, the way campaigns have been run by candidates has changed dramatically, as they have had to shift a large percentage of their resources and attention to the Internet and its many venues for reaching potential voters. Beyond campaigning, however, the Internet has also affected the way people vote. Just as how the Internet helps consumers decide on product choice, it has also aided political aspirants to market their credentials, and at the same time, help the voters know more about the candidates. During the 1994 mid-term elections, thousands of voters preferred the electronic mail as the vehicle for asking questions from candidates than television appearances which were often dependent on sound bites, and did not comprehensively present the positions of the candidates on important issues. Special interest groups have also joined the campaign by providing online information about candidates such as the League of Women Voters and the California Online Voter Guide (Tapscott, 1999). In 2000, the role of the Internet in politics was elevated to a higher and more serious level when it was used in the democratic presidential primary in Arizona. During this primary, almost half of the voters cast their votes through the Internet (Weare, 2002). They were the first state in our country (and this was 8 years ago now) to implement what is called â€Å"e-voting,† which was intended to simplify the voting process, making it easier for votes to be cast from anywhere where there is an Internet connection. The implications are staggering, as e-voting would result in many votes being cast that previously would not have been, simply because so many people did not take the time to actually make their way to the polls. Apart from increasing participation in the most important democratic process, which is the elections, the Internet may also decrease the cost of political transaction not only on the part of the voters but also on the part of the politicians. Specifically, election campaign through the Internet can prove to be less costly in a state-wide or nation-wide campaign, and even more effective in terms of getting the politician’s message across to the voting public since discussions are open and there are no constraints in providing campaign information through e-mails. True enough, the Internet also allows for more simplified communication between the people and their representatives. According to the Center for Governmental Studies, an organization that researches ways to improve government, â€Å"the Internet can revitalize American democracy by encouraging two-way communications: from candidate to candidate, from voter to candidate, and from voter to voter† (Shane, 2004).   It is also interesting to note that Internet can also be used in generating campaign funds. For instance, Howard Dean became a frontrunner during the 2004 Democratic primaries due to the millions he was able to raise through an e-mail campaign (Wheeler, 2004). Equally important in a meaningful democracy is the freedom of the people to articulate their interests and opinions, that is made possible by the social forums on the Internet that provide places for political discussions and debates. There are literally millions of sites, discussion boards, and forums that are mediated by the people themselves for the purpose of disseminating information and contributing to the discussion of political issues (Saco, 2002). Because there is no guidance or control, like there is with the media, we see a wider range of opinions being expressed. Yes, there is more ignorance, but there is also more opportunity to be heard, and there is less fear that an underlying bias is behind the source of every message. Essentially, the Internet has become a place of extremely open communication where millions of people are now going to get their information about politics and the election process. This â€Å"openness† has become the new driving force behind our democracy, and today’s presidential hopefuls have certainly taken notice of this, using the Internet to their advantage as often as they can. In a YouGov America Survey of 3,500 internet users a week before the 2004 presidential elections, it was noted that â€Å"about 12% of Americans who had internet access sent an e-mail on the elections, voters under the age of 24 trusted online media than the television, and even senior voters actively visited political websites† or weblogs by politicians (Wheeler, 2004). Interestingly, there are many who are more conservative and skeptical about the impact of the Internet on democratic processess. For example, there is supposedly a cultural divide between the people who use the Internet and those who do not, as some can afford it and some cannot. Essentially, it is argued that there is an Internet class, and a non-Internet class of U.S. citizens – so what happens on the Internet is not a true representation of the country’s collective opinions and people (Shane, 2004). However in an advanced economy wherein the Internet becomes a public good, this argument may no longer be tenable. There is also a question about the authenticity of the communication process because we can never be sure if we are dealing with genuine people or with those who are only taking advantage of the anonymity in the Internet. Users should also be cautious about the authenticity of the information that is also found in the Internet, because, being too â€Å"open†, it had also been used to propagate lies, unhealthy propaganda and misinformation. Poll surveys have also become an instant and daily occurrence in the internet which was supposed to â€Å"represent† opinions on certain issues, even though there are not enough checks on the authenticity of the voter. Still, these polls are being used to shape public opinion. Though it is true that the Internet can be easily be subjected to abuse, what is important is that through this media, more political preferences are being articulated by the people and the people have access to the political information that they need it is only up to their political wisdom how to make this technology more beneficial to them. References Saco, D. (2002). Cybering Democracy: Public Space and the Internet. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Shane, P. M. (Ed.). (2004). Democracy Online: The Prospects for Political Renewal through the Internet. New York: Routledge. Tapscott, Don. (1999). The Digital Economy: Promise and Peril in the Age of Networked Intelligence. The Industrial Age Democracy by the Alliance for Converging Technologies. Accessed at http://www.virtualitaet.de/stadt/internet/indage_bureaucracy on 03/03/2008. Weare, C. (2002). The Internet and Democracy: The Causal Links between Technology and Politics. International Journal of Public Administration, 25(5), 659+. Wheeler, Bryan. (2004, August 12). The Internet and Elections. BBC News Online. Accessed at http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk on 03/03/2008.

SWOT Analysis :: Business, Administration, Analysis

SWOT Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This type of analysis is designed to help identify several areas of a business that may need improvement and other areas where the company may be able to improve upon. SWOT is an acronym for; Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats. A company should consider this analysis to be one of the most important steps to becoming one of the leading stores and schools of this nature in the area.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A business idea gets started by acquiring knowledge of a product, market or skill. In this case, the company’s idea got started from the skills gained from years of diving and love of water and marine life. These things inspired the owner to start his business. One of the most difficult things to identify as a business owner and as an entrepreneur is that area where the company or owner is lacking strength. When considering a business venture, normally one is not looking at the negative factors of the business itself. In most cases, the entrepreneur looks at the positive factors that can help his business get started. SWOT Analysis:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strengths †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Highly Qualified Staff †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reasonable Prices †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over 20 years experience in the business †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Offers scuba gear, training, certifications & eco trips †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Good rapport with customers Weaknesses †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of mission statement on the website †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lack of competition †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Limited funds (Typical in small businesses) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over $200k in inventory (Too much capital invested in inventory) Opportunities †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Virtual store (Offering used equipment and possible equipment trade-in) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New retail store †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Proper advertisement (Direct mail, sponsorships, place mats, radio, television advertisement, travel and sports magazines, Verizon yellow book etc.

Effects of Advertising Essay

Advertising may have some good points, as we know, but advertising is really just a necessary evil. Advertising has its own fair share of negative effects. While some are obvious to those with a more scrutinizing eye, most of advertising’s potentially harmful facets go undetected. How do you think advertisements have affected consumers or What are the negative effect of advertising? Advertising is a form of communication intended to persuade its viewers, readers or listeners to take some action. Why should an ad be negative The main functionality of an ad is to convey the reason for existence of a brand / product and entice customers to buy. The visuals are a form of expressing the communication and making it is human as possible. How its shown or televised, printed is a subjective matter. Ideally we should be asking whether the communication is correct or not. Is it misleading the consumer Is it showcasing something and you are landed with something else Negative effects of ad would be when the communication is wrong, which seldom happens. Its really only in cases of Insurance ads, funds or generally speaking finance vertical ads. Keeping these hazards in mind even these corporates have started issuing a disclaimer immediately after the ads. Cold drink companies are using aero stunts for their ads and also staking claim that the stunts are performed by qualified experts and hence not to be done by normal unqualified people!! Ads will not really be negative, unless there may in some cases like the Red Bull ad where the content is quite derogatory where the man drinks Red Bull flies and opens his fly on top of the bird because the bird shat on him†¦ thats going too far with the tag for Red Bull. So I do not really find any negative effect of advertising per se!! Today advertising plays a dominant role for each and every product. Sometimes it becomes nuisance for the viewers, especially when watching the favourite programes in TVs and during this time the ad will not be of much effective as they will be nelected by the viewers by switching over to another channel for watching some other show. The basic objective of all ad campaign in TV channels is to reach the public immediately. Here the question is up to what extent the ads are effective and are sucessful.. we can’t say 100%. o the advertisers should plan their capaign to get the milage to the greater extent. But it is true that the ad related to the children is very well watched by them and are enjoyed by the children. For every action, there is an opposite and an equievalent reaction. Hence the advertisers have to make a strategic planning on their timing and the money spent for the ad should not go waste. In other words thei ad capaign should regulated. The ad should not turn to irritate the viewers and it should not also exaggerate. It should be simple to showcase their products qualities and applications. I believe currently that advertising has become so powerful and so subtle that we accept most of it without thinking. It is our environment. We buy shirts and bags with large logos and ‘show off’ most of us own a TV, the programs that exist are there only to get us to see ads. Our newspapers are covered in ads and we still call it news. My point is that advertising is in no way positive. It creates ‘want’ in a society that doesn’t understand the true meaning of ‘Need’. Fr. Kavanaugh was on the mark when describing the effects of advertising on society. Our moral values are being degraded by the bombardment of impropriety by the media. Adler would be quick in pointing out the reason why these messages have such a negative effect on people. There are two main tactics advertisers use to sell their product: either imply that their product will bring about the achievement of a particular (usually real) good, or make their product the object of desire, therefore making it an apparent good to people. The problem with associating products with the achievement of a good lies more in the realm of truth than in good, because it lies in whether or not the product can truly live up to its claims. The relation between a product and statements, therefore, they are directly misleading the public. The other subjective thing, it would seem to be acceptable for advertisers to qualify represent — in other words, Calvin Klein products are now in and of themselves associating more importance to the product than to the good involved, like a society to advocate proper moral values in their advertising, or at least not The effects of 2 People see advertisements all around the globe that attempt to lure consumers to buy products. Advertisements are placed in newspapers, magazines, schools, and on billboards everywhere. According to marketing consultants Stan Rapp and Tom Collins, on a typical day, an average American sees over 5,000 advertisements a day (Gay, 1992). Many questions arise about these advertisements, such as â€Å"Is advertising deceptive? Does it create or perpetuate stereotypes? Does it create conformity? Does it create insecurity in order to sell goods? Does it cause people to buy things that they really don’t need? †(Alexander & Hanson, 1993, p. 240). Advertisers use specific methods to target teen consumers, but these methods are not always successful or ethical. Advertising is giving the general public information about new goods and trying to increase overall sales, which increases the efficiency of the nation’s economy. It is supposed to be a significant way of getting the point across about a product and create motivation for people to buy. Advertising alone, however, does not get customers. It simply catches consumers’ attention, gets them to walk up to a shelf, and make an impulsive purchase. However, getting the customer back requires a more creative marketing approach. There are several ways to research consumers’ behaviors, likes, and dislikes. The most popular method is tests and surveys, both before and after a product is introduced. Telephone surveys are very common, but they take several thousand calls to get a substantial number of responses to work with. Along with those, written questionnaires and samples, either handed out in stores or sent by mail, are effective tests to see if consumers like a product or not. The reactions to the samples, results of questionnaires, and number of participants are all recorded as The effects of 3 a part of the researching process to come up with effective ads. All of this data collected also has other purposes, such as information on warranties and which groups to target for certain products. Companies also check whether the ads are being productive by means of comparing the money made and number of sales during periods of advertising to those during a time of no advertising. Some companies even allow average consumers to preview a commercial to get a response. As a result, companies learn what consumers want before wasting money on useless ads. A well-known advertising strategy is making consumers feel insecure and creating fears that can be overcome by buying. Advertising reveals the latest fashions and the new popular novelties on the market. It exhibits perfect individuals wearing the new styles and looking good. Consumers observe this perfection and envy it. Therefore, they go out and buy in hopes of reaching perfection. Furthermore, being an accepted member of society has become very important to most individuals. For instance, the presence of body odor on individuals makes them an outcast in society. Advertisers use this knowledge to their advantage by developing ads that show a person using deodorant and being recognized as popular. Fear also works into the whole advertising process. Due to the fear by consumers that they will not fit in, they pay close attention to the new ads for the new looks, which gives advertisers more drive to make their ads portray the ideal person. Advertisers also insure that ads are simply informational, but many disagree and believe that they are definitely persuasive. According to Douglas Kellner, a professor of philosophy, as early as the 1920s, advertising critics argue that ads began to persuade Americans, due to the new invention of the assembly lines and the concept of corporations, that buying material The effects of 4 goods was the thing to do. They tried convincing people that spending hard-earned dollars on items that could be hand-made was the new accepted behavior that would enhance their lives (Alexander & Hanson, 1993). Likewise, critics of the advertising industry argue that it connects products with preferred emotions, such as happiness and popularity. For example, beer commercials often show a man after a hard day’s work enjoying an ice-cold beer to relax him. They also argue that ads give people the impression that products can give them talent. Take athletics, for example. Nike ads are accused of implying that their shoes will give a consumer athletic ability. Michael Jordan is shown in a television commercial dunking a basketball, wearing a new style of Nike shoes. Consequently, kids are going to want the same pair to be â€Å"like Mike† (Wolf, 1998, n. p. ). On the other hand, advertising agencies say that they just give the consumers up-to-date information. They show change in their ads because they know that is what consumers want and to fulfill the needs of the general public, change. Thus, persuasive strategies are considered techniques used by advertisers to get consumers to buy. Teenagers have become top consumers in today’s society, so advertisers have focused on getting their business. According to Simmons Market Research Bureau of New York City, teens bought 25% of all movie tickets and 27% of all videos, totaling $6. 6 billion. In 1998, teens spent $1. 5 billion on jeans, almost twice as much as in 1990, and $3 billion on sneakers, almost four times more than the amount spent in 1997 (Tulley, 1994). Another reason teens are being targeted is the fact that there are many more teens in America today than the past Generation X. The current number is even expected to grow in the next decade, giving advertisers more reason to target them. Winning teens over as customers, today, means possible long-term customers, The effects of 5 which equal big profits. The majority of teens also have part-time jobs or some type of income. With the possibility of the minimum wage raising once again, teens have come to possess a lot of buying power. According to the Teenage Research Unlimited, teenagers spent $140 billion in 1998, which is 14 percent more than in 1997 (Berkowitz & Evangelista, 1999). Teens are able to spend their money more freely because they do not have the responsibilities of adults. They even have a greater influence on household spending, as their role in the spending of their parents’ money continues to grow. For instance, it is not unusual for a parent to send their teenager to the grocery store for them, giving them complete control of brand choice. Thus, teenagers are becoming big targets for advertisers due to their growing consumerism. Why are teenagers such big targets in the advertising industry? The answer is simple: They are different. Advertisers view them as a constant changing generation with optimistic outlooks. They want to show individuality by their clothes and possessions, yet fit in with their peers. Their optimism comes from the good rate of job placement after college, the good position of the nation’s economy, and the very low unemployment rates. Teenagers can basically strive for any career with a good chance of being successful. They like to feel good about themselves, so they buy new materials to produce that feeling. Teens are continuously purchasing new items to keeps up with the changing trends. Therefore, advertisers use their view of teens to create ads. With this in mind, advertisers devise specific ads, using a variety of tactics, to appeal to these changing teens. Although marketers each have their own unique techniques, they all use original, flashy, and funny ads to reach the teenage audience. They make posters with college age students that create a fun and happy image. Television commercials include music with The effects of 6 good beats and bizarre images because that is what gets the attention of teens. For example, the Gap’s swing dancing commercials were a big success among teens. They bought their clothes and accessories from the Gap because they could relate to it. That is one reason Gap is ranked as the number one casual clothes store among teens. Advertisers use celebrities to endorse products because teens admire and look up to them. Since teens are still trying to find themselves, advertisers try to create ads and brands that will survive past the finding years of teenagers, so they will have them as future customers. Due to the change in today’s teens, advertisers target them much more. Another controversial subject with advertising is that fact that teenage smoking is on the rise. According to TIPS (Tobacco Information and Prevention Source), at least 6,000 people try a cigarette for the first time each day, all of which are under eighteen years old. There are at least 4. 5 million smoking adolescents in the United States. From 1988 to 1996, the number of adolescents, ages twelve to seventeen, who are daily smokers, has increased by 73 percent (http://www. cdc. gov/tobacco/initfact. htm). Teenage smoking has obviously increased in the United States. As a result, tobacco advertisements are being blamed for the increase use of tobacco by teenagers. Many advertising critics argue that tobacco ads do indeed influence and contribute to the number of teenage smokers. Most teens, however, disagree and believe that their peers are the number one factor in their decision to smoke. Since image is very important to teens, they evaluate what image their smoking friends portray. If they want that image too, they may also take up the habit of smoking. A teen’s attitude towards cigarettes is a considering factor, ranking above advertising that leads to teen smoking. It is obvious that if one has a negative attitude The effects of 7 towards cigarettes, he or she will be less smoke. However, if individuals openly accept cigarettes, they may end up as a smoker. Also, those around cigarettes on a daily basis are more likely to be persuaded to smoke than individuals who are not around cigarettes. In the opinions of teens, tobacco ads do not play a big role in their decision to smoke. Advertisers use a variety of tactics to target particular groups, such as teens, to market their product. There are many views on advertising. Despite the many opinions that advertising is manipulative, a waste of money that could go towards other issues, and a bad influence on human beings, there is no true way of proving it has a bad effect on people. It is simply intended to reveal the benefits of products that consumers want. It is vital to many businesses, as some would be unable to survive without a way of making their products known. Although advertising is accused of influencing consumers to buy things they do not need, they have the choice to buy. It is up to the consumer to make wise choices and develop shopping skills that are intelligent.