Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Economics - Essay Example (Simpson, et al., 1) The Federal Reserve System is made up of twelve regional banks located in San Francisco, Dallas, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Atlanta, Cleveland, Richmond, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. Private banks own stock in the twelve regional banks, this is what funds the twelve Federal Reserve Regional banks. The twelve regional banks are made up of regions listed below: Another component of the Federal Reserve System is the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. The Federal Reserve Board of Governors is appointed by the President of the United States of America, but confirmed by the Senate. The seven member board serves can only serve a maximum of fourteen years, with a member serving one term at time of two years. The only exception is the Chairman of the Board and the Vice Chairman, who serve four year terms. However, the fourteen year limit also applies to them. The only way a board member can be removed is by the president for cause. The current board members are Ben S. Benmanke, Chairman, Donald L. Kohn, Vice Chairman, Susan Schmidt Bies, Kevin M. Warsh, Randall S. Krosnzer, and Frederic S. Mishkin (The Federal Reserve Board). This Board of Governors is an independent governmental agency. They oversee the twelve regional banks, plus the numerous private banks owning stock in the regional reserve banks. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is a committee made up of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, plus four other Federal Reserve Regional Bank presidents that serve on a alternate schedule. This committee reviews the open market. The open market being the buying and selling of government securities. This way the committee can determine monetary and credit conditions. The FOMC also oversees the foreign currency exchange rate. The FOMC is extremely important part of the Federal Reserve System,

Underlying Causes of Power Struggle in Marriage as Gleaned from Literature Essay Example for Free

Underlying Causes of Power Struggle in Marriage as Gleaned from Literature Essay In   the movie, Sylvia, talented poet and writer Sylvia Plath drives her husband intot he arms of another woman.   Fed up with her recurring bouts of jealousy and insecurity, and the ensuing rounds of arguments and quarrels, he breaks free to preserve his sanity.   Her world crumbles and she eventually commits suicide.   A closer look points to indubitable flaws not just from the female but from the male, moreso from society around which their world revolves.   The life story of the legendary Sylvia Plath, highlighted by her tumultuous relationship   with husband and fellow poet Ted Hughes, provides a clear-cut illustration of marital power struggle.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Elisabeth Bronfen , a specialist in 19th and 20th century literature and a professor of English and American Studies, noted that the culprit in the tragic conflict between Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes was her â€Å"unbroken dependence on her perfect mate (which) lets her fall prey to jealousy, envy, anger, humiliation and burning loneliness when her trust in him is called into question†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bronfen 46). Indeed, nothing perhaps can agitate or vex a man more than a woman’s constant nagging, mistrust, and fault-finding, especially when has not done anything yet to deserve it.   To aggravate the situation, and as portrayed in Henrik Ibsen’s â€Å"A Doll’s House†, society dictates that a man must be the dominant individual in a marriage.   The uneasiness of most men that arises when this is not followed is often what leads to fights (blatant outward sign of the power struggle) and worse, the eventual collapse of the partnership and, in Sylvia’s case, the worst tragic consequence – death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The power struggle between husband and wife, or other similar pair of individuals in a relationship has, since time immemorial, existed not just in movies and books but in real-life settings.   A power struggle in marriage emerges somewhat like `art imitating life’ and vice versa.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the part of female partners, one must consider that there are other factors that account for the tangled web of emotions and personalities that women assume and drive them to engage in a â€Å"power struggle† with their mates.   Women have been portrayed countless times in literature as being compassionate or easily taken advantage of, but able to put up (or attempt to) put up a fight when pushed too far.    In some instances, belonging to a clique has also been depicted in classic literature as a threat to a couple’s union.   When constant interaction from the male or female’s side breeds contempt, jealousy and rivalry, it tends to destroy a couple’s relationship, as illustrated in Jane Austen’s sequel to Pride and Prejudice, â€Å"Mr. Darcy Presents his Bride written by Helen Halstead. In the latter’s book, Elizabeth Bennet’s prestigious clique posed a threat to her new marriage to Fitzwilliam Darcy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Society undoubtedly plays a major part in heightening the power struggle between man and woman in a marital bind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Antoinette Stafford in â€Å"The Feminist Critique of Hegel on Women and the Family† cited 18th century thinker Mary Wollstonecraft’s argument, â€Å"If women are in fact often frivolous, swayed by emotion and lacking in `the manly virtues of moral courage and disinterestedness, then this is not their natural character.   Rather, it arises solely because of educational practices and social expectations which prevent them from perfecting their latent rational capacities.† In The Internet Encyclopedia   of Philosophy, James J. Delaney referred to   Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s treatise on education pertaining to â€Å"Women, Marriage, and Family†: â€Å"Hers is not as focused on theoretical matters, as men’s minds are more suited to that type of thinking. Rousseau’s view on the nature of the relationship between men and women is rooted in the notion that men are stronger and therefore more independent. They depend on women only because they desire them. By contrast, women both need and desire men. Sophie is educated in such a way that she will fill what Rousseau takes to be her natural role as a wife. She is to be submissive to Emile.† Reacting to J.J. Rosseau’s abovementioned treatise, which also envisions an education for the boy that will foster an independent mind and spirit, autonomy and self-sufficiency, while his female counterpart is to be educated to please the male companion-to-be and in the process fulfill her womanly potential, Wollstonecraft argued that â€Å"..a separate standard of excellence for woman undermines the universality of rational freedom.† This rational   freedom is at the core of   the existentialist theory that is also among the larger causes of the power struggle occurring in a marriage.   As Simone de Beauvoir expressed, â€Å"It is the individual who bears responsibility for the world†¦ It is the individual’s responsibility to create meaning through her choices† (Andrew 26). Existentialism, in essence, pertains to â€Å"ideas of choice, meaning and the limits of existence.†Ã‚   It is up to each individual to use his freedom to choose his actions and interactions in the world (Andrew 25), even if it is bound to instigate a power struggle at some point in a relationship.   If someone opts to subjugate or be subjugated, often it arises from that person’s free will. In â€Å"The Feminist Critique of Hegel on Women and the Family,† Stafford cited how Simone de Beauvoir and subsequent thinkers set forth: â€Å"Lives circumscribed by domesticity and child-rearing are not fully human and women who accept the socially constructed belief in a pre-given female nature, and hence in a determinate female destiny, are accomplices in their own enslavement.   The only means beyond this self-imposed oppression is actively to seek a reversal of roles, accepting and identifying oneself with the male model of transcendence†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In many parts of Asia and elsewhere in the world, one will see such reversal of roles widely practiced, both in literary pages and in real life.   The â€Å"Good Woman of Setzuan† by Bertolt Brecht encapsulates such reversal of roles.   The heroine, Shen Te, strives hard to love a good life in brutal pre-Communist China. She disguises herself as a man and finds her compassionate persona transformed into a violent, unconquerable character which allows her to cope better with the world around her.   Indeed, assuming the male’s `strong, stern and aggressive’ characteristics often works in the male-dominated society.   When women rise to the challenge of being co-equals with their mates over and on top of their preordained role as nurturer of family values, in some cases overshadowing their male counterparts, the power struggle is ignited. Many great works of literature have shown how women either succumbed or fought their way out of enslavement by the male species.   Henrik Ibsen’s â€Å"A Doll’s House† is a much studied work that gives light to how a woman achieves self-liberation by leaving the confines of the home. The online study guide by   SparkNotes: A Doll’s House, Themes, Motifs Symbols draw attention to how the instability of appearances within the main character’s household at the play’s end results from the main male character’s obsession with status and image. Most men’s preoccupation with status and image, including having a ‘trophy wife† by their side, may be commonplace, but feminists have not let this vision of male superiority go by without much lamentation.  Ã‚   Emily Friedman, in an article posted in ABCNews.com on   July 13, 2007, departed from stereotypes and provided a positive connotation to the phrase, `trophy wife’ when she quoted author Anne Kingston (who wrote â€Å"The Meaning of Wife†): The idea of the trophy wife has progressed so that men want a woman who has some social equality, and its not a dominant-submissive relationship†¦ Increasingly, its not simply the decoration that a truly accomplished man wants, but an equal. Nonetheless, the Hegelian belief that `nature has assigned woman to the family’ may still be embraced by certain societies in the contemporary era, but the woman we find now has certainly metamorphosed to am multi-tasking and active participant in community affairs and national life.   What well-meaning quarters caution, though, is the possibility that society’s basic institution – the family – may tend to be overlooked when both husband and wife assume a place in civil society and doggedly pursue their careers and personal aspirations.   Herein lies another major issue of debate between husband and wife, especially when they fail to compromise. â€Å"The Feminist Critique on Women and Family† by Stafford also noted how women vary in their perception of what is `oppressive† and what is not.   While serving as housewife may be denigrating and limiting (in terms of personal freedom) for some, â€Å"it may be regarded as a chosen instrument for creative self-expression† in others. Infidelity , whether imagined or actual, and argued by most as being part of the inherent nature of men, is another major source of friction between husband and wife.   Whether infidelity, though, arises from protracted oppression from, or a form of assertion by, the husband, or the wife herself, is open to debate.   During the Elizabethan Age, a wife’s fidelity was regarded more as an obligation foisted by society and circumstances.   In The Literary Encyclopedia, classical literary critic and lecturer Ros King noted how William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew â€Å"reasserts male dominance†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another online site, Academic Forum, Sherri Thorne’s article, â€Å"Shakespeare: Advocate for Women in The Taming of the Shrew† noted how it was Shakespeare’s intention to show that family and society have contributed to the circumstances that make the female character, Katherina, the shrew she is. Her male counterpart in the story, Petruchio, recognizes that Katherina’s shrewish behavior is a societal response. â€Å"Shakespeare uses Petruchio to present his definition of the proper relationship between a husband and his wife†¦ At their first meeting, Petruchio and Katherina engage in an energetic and emotionally charged verbal exchange. Katherina strikes Petruchio when her verbal attacks are ineffective. Generally, Katherina’s words are effective artillery to keep her adversaries sufficiently subdued†¦ Petruchio gains control of the situation, keeping their sparring verbal rather than letting it escalate into physical violence† (Thorne 59) This exemplifies the genteel demeanor observed by most during the Elizabethan age. In the Comprehensive Online Educational Resource, Anne Parten noted the significance of   another   Shakespearean work, Merchant of Venice, citing the a ring as symbolism for man’s potential for fidelity, and the lead female character, Portia, is shown to have superiority over all the male characters. Whatever the underlying causes pointed out by perceptive literary minds as instigators of the power struggle occurring in marriages or relationships, men and women will continue to be at odds with each other on matters ranging from trivial and absurd to highly complex, simply because that is just how differently they are wired.   In the words of Robert Louis Stevenson, â€Å"Marriage is like life   in this – that it is a field of battle and not a bed of roses.† Works Cited Andrew, Barbara S. â€Å"Beavoir’s Place in Philosophical Thought.† The Cambridge Companion to Simone de Beauvoir. Ed. Claudia Card. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2003. 25-26. Bhatia, Praveen.   Macbeth. New Delhi: UBS Publishers’ Distributors Pvt. Ltd., 2007. Brecht, Bertolt. Good Woman of Setzuan. England: Penguin Books Ltd., 2007. Bronfen, Elisabeth. â€Å"Trophy Wife: Just Hot or Smart Sexy?† Sylvia Plath. 2nd ed. UK: Athenaeum Press Ltd., 2004. Friedman, Emily. 13 July 2007. ABCNews.com. 28 January 2008 http//www.abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=3372209page=1. Halstead, Helen. Mr. Darcy Presents His Bride. California: Ulysses Press, 2007. Ibsen, Henrik.   A Doll’s House and Other Plays. Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,  1973. King, Ros. â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew.† The Literary Encyclopedia. 2 November 2004. Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London. 28 January 2008 http//www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=trueUID=7887. Parton, Anne.   Comprehensive Online Educational Resource. eNotes.com, Inc. 28 January 2008.   http://www.enotes.com/merchant/portia. Shakespeare, William. Merchant of Venice. New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1994. Shakespeare, William. Taming of the Shrew. New York: Penguin Books Ltd., 1995. Stafford, Antoinette. â€Å"The Feminist Critique of Hegel on Women and the Family.†Ã‚   25 January 2008 http//www. mun.ca/animus/1997vol2/staford1.htm. Thorne, Sherri. â€Å"Shakespeare: Advocate for Women in The Taming of the Shrew†Ã‚   2003-04.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Academic Forum. 28 Jan 2008

Moral and Ethical Implications of Gun Ownership

Moral and Ethical Implications of Gun Ownership Have Gun, Will Travel . . . to Work Do you have a moral, not only a legal, right to own a gun? Assume that either the Second Amendment or state law gives you a legal right to keep a gun in your car when you drive. Do you also have a moral right to do this? Do you have either a moral or a legal right to park a car with a loaded gun in a privately owned public parking lot regard-less of what the lot’s owner wants? I as a citizen am of the opinion that I do have a moral right to own a gun. I earn a right to protect myself from any danger or threat, legally. Therefore It is morally acceptable too if somebody wants to own a gun without hurting the innocent. When the state law allows a person legally to keep the gun, it is morally correct to have the gun in the car or anywhere else until and unless the owner of the place does not have any problem with it. But in conditions where the owner of the parking-lot doesn’t support the decision, it is legally and morally incorrect to practice your own will in somebody else’s property. . In your view, do employees have either a moral or a legal right to park cars with guns in them in the company parking lot? If so, what about the property rights and safety concerns of employers? If employees don’t have this right, would it be good policy for companies to allow them to stow guns in their cars anyway? Do companies have good grounds for being concerned about weapons in their parking lots? In my opinion, employees have the moral and legal right to park cars with guns in the company parking lot if the company allows. If the company I concerned about the property rights and safety issues of the employers and stops the employees to stow the guns in the cars, it is legally incorrect and the employees would be charged of practicing illegal acts without the consent of the owner. Companies have grounds for being concerned about the issues as any kind of mishap can take place in the parking area if the place would be loaded with guns and therefore the company would be held responsible for the issue. In order to avoid that, companies have all the right to stop the employees from stowing guns without their permission. 3. Do you agree with the NRA that if companies ban guns from their parking lots, this restriction would take â€Å"a wrecking ball to the Second Amendment† or nullify the right of people to have weapons for self- defense? Explain why or why not. In your view, have gun advocates been guilty of politicizing this issue? Do you think state legislatures are right to get involved, or should the matter be left to companies and employees to settle? I agree with NRA that if the companies ban guns from their parking lots, this would nullify the right of the people to have weapons for self-defense, because even though the second Amendment allows the use of guns foe the self-defense, it does not allow to practice something without permission of the owner on a private property. Therefore In my view, the gun advocates should have been guilty because there is no second thought about it. If the owner does not allow the guns, they cannot be forced. Rules are defined by the owner of the property. State legislatures should not get involved in the matter as the legislature allows the keeping of guns and also to abide the rules of the owner. Therefore it is a matter of the employee and the companies to handle the issue. Because the workplace is the company’s private property, the company could choose, if it wished, to allow employ-ees to bring guns not only into the parking lot but also into the workplace itself. Are there ever circumstances in which doing so might be reasonable? Or would the presence of guns automatically violate the rights of other employees to be guaranteed a safe working environment? If the company does not allow the employees to bring guns into the parking lot, there is no condition that it might be reasonable to bring in the guns until and unless the company allows the particular employee or all the employees to stow in their guns on a given day. Otherwise it will be against the law and would be illegal. It would violate the laws and the rights of the other employees. Rule defined by the companies is that do not put guns in the cars, then keeping them would be considered a violation of the rule. What would a libertarian say about this issue? What considerations would a utilitarian have to take into account? What conclusion might he or she draw? The libertarian would be against the ban on having guns in the cars of the parking lots of the companies as their basic concern would be the employee’s right to keep whatever the state has allowed him to. He will be of the opinion that the employees can keep anything they want to keep themselves safe from any sort of danger on their way from home and office. They have a right to protect themselves on their own. He would conclude that the companies are irrational in putting such demands and they are being self-centered by not giving a thought to the employee’s security. The state should be involved in the matter as if the state allows the legal right to keep the guns, the companies should not prohibit it. If you were on a company’s board of directors, what policy would you recommend regarding handguns, rifles, or other weapons in employees’ cars? In making your recommendation, what factors would you take into account? Would it make a difference how large the company was, the nature of its workforce, or where it was located? If you support banning firearms from the parking lot, what steps, if any, do you think the company should take to enforce that policy? If I were on the company’s board of directors, I would make a policy to partially ban the stowing of guns and rifles in the cars. I would suggest to make a safe place where every day my employees who wish to keep their guns with them can deposit them and can claim those on their way back to home. Keeping the guns in the parking lot is not safe, therefore they can be kept in a well-guarded place. This would please the employees that their issues are taken care of and thus wont effect the company’s policies as well. The nature of workforce and the location would not make a difference as the policies are same everywhere. Explain whether (and why) you agree or disagree with the following argument: â€Å" If employees have a right to keep guns in the parking lot, then they also have a right to bring them into workplace. After all, we’re only talking about licensed, responsible owners, and the same rationale applies: An employee might need a weapon for self- protection. What if a lunatic starts shooting up the company?† No I do not agree with the argument mentioned above as that is totally based on the owners will that what does he/she permits its employee’s and to what extent. If the company allows the employee’s to bring in the guns in the parking lot and does not allow the guns in the company, the employees cannot practice that. No body earns a right to practice something on other’s property without the permission of the owner. The safety concerns of the company are justified and I support the decision of the company. It is the responsibility of the company to take care of its employees. Union Discrimination: Assuming the Foundation’s description of the case is accurate, was Paul Robertson treated unfairly? Was this a case of discrimination? If Robertson was an â€Å"at- will† employee, does he have any legitimate grounds for complaint? Considering the given issue and assuming that the description is accurate, I am of the opinion that yes Paul Robertson was treated unfairly. No state rules that if the employee does not join a union or pay union dues, he or she cannot work. It is the basic human right that he can work without any external policies. It is up to the employee if he/she wants to get associated with a union or not. Companies cannot force or make a deal with the union that they will hire only employees that will deal with union. It was a strong case of discrimination as Paul Robertson was deprived of his basic rights without any legal reason. If Robertson was an â€Å"at-will† employees he might not have any legitimate grounds for the complaint as he won’t be treated differently and unjustly and would to be able to complain. Does it make a difference to your assessment of the case whether someone like Robertson knows, when he accepts a job, that he must join the union or that non- union employees will be the first to be laid off? No, this might not make any difference to my assessment as any company cannot put such allegations on the employees. It is on the free will of the employees that they could join or do not join the union. The employees are hired on the basis of their skills and aptitude regardless of the fact that they will join the union or not. This an extreme case of discrimination as the future employees are judged on the basis of their willingness to join the union or not despite of their skills and hard work. My assessment that this is a case of discrimination would remain intact even in the given scenario. If union employees negotiate a contract with management, part of which specifies that management will not hire non- union employees, does this violate anyone’s rights? Would a libertarian agree that the resulting union shop was perfectly acceptable? Libertarian would never agree on this company and union setup. Every person should be hired for a job he is eligible of and fills in the criteria. Keeping such restrictions would be a biased decision and the violation of human rights. Every person has the freedom to choose what they want. This is not an acceptable scenario. A person should be rejected from a job if he doesn’t have the skills to fulfill the job not on the basis of tagging them as union or non-union employees. Presumably Paul Robertson could have joined the union, but he chose not to. What principle, if any, do you think he was fighting for? Assess the union charge that people like Paul Robertson are â€Å"free riders† who want the benefits and wages that unionization has brought but try to avoid paying the dues that make those benefits and wages possible. Paul Robertson could have joined the union but he did not because he was fighting against the discrimination policy that the company had utilized. His basic fight was for the rights that he possess even if he does not join the union. The Union’s charge of Paul Robertson as a â€Å"free rider† is inacceptable ad vague. The wages and the benefits that employees like Paul Robertson enjoy are the benefits they get because of their hard work and their job. They do not need to be associated with any union to get tat. Those are the benefits they earn it through hard work. What do you see as the likely motivations of Bechtel Power and the union? How would they justify their conduct? The Bechtel Power and the union wished to hire the employees that would join the union and pay the union in order to earn money and increase the union employees. They would justify their conduct that they offered Paul Robertson to join the union if the employee cannot meet the demands of the organization, the company bears the right to fire him/her. The company would justify by implying that meeting the criteria of the company is the basic need of the company and Paul or employees who do not join the union are not meeting the criteria so it is not a discrimination case if they do not hire such individuals. Why did the Foundation run this ad? Is the ad anti- union propaganda? Do you think the Foundation is sincerely interested in the rights of individual workers? Or is it simply interested in weakening unions vis- à  - vis management? In my opinion, the foundation run this ad to help the people and to aware those individuals that actions are taken against the discrimination. It is not an anti- union propaganda but an effort to help the individual workers who are deprived of their basic rights. The foundation is boosting the people to speak up for their rights and building a trust that they are there to help them in such circumstances and they should fight for their basic rights. The aim of the ad is not to target the union or to propagate against the union. It was to highlight the issues of the individuals. Assess union shops from the moral point of view. What  ­conflicting rights, interests, and ideals are at stake? What are the positive and negative consequences of permitting union shops? Morally, the union shops are incorrect. The rights of individuals are at stake. The right to work without any restriction is sacrifices. Even form the company’s point of view it might lose hardworking individuals because they might not be willing to join the unions. The company could be at stake too with such restrictions. The positives of permitting union shops is that the company could bloom with the employees paying the union charges but keeping in account the negatives, it might lose skilled employees and only those will be hired that would be willing to accept the union and pay charges.

The Deeper Meaning of Frost’s Tuft of Flowers Essay -- Frost Tuft of F

The Deeper Meaning of Frost’s Tuft of Flowers  Ã‚  Ã‚     Robert Lee Frost published his first book of poems entitled A Boy's Will in 1913. From this collection come one of several poems that critics and anthologists alike highly regard as both lyrical and autobiographical in nature. One such critic, James L. Potter, in his book entitled [The] Robert Frost Handbook, explains "[that] Frost wore a mask in public much of the time, concealing his personal problems and complexities from his reading and listening audiences" (Potter 48). Through "The Tuft of Flowers," a kind of lyrical soliloquy, Frost "half-intentionally" reveals his personal views on the theme of fellowship (Potter 48). In the first of three transitions the speaker, most likely a farmer, comes out to a field just after dawn to turn the freshly mown grass to dry in the sun. The farmer then searches for the mower, but finds he is all alone. Here, the reader senses the loneliness of the scene. Frost's use of figurative language such as the "leveled scene" and "an isle of trees" gives evidence to the speaker's mood of pessimism and loneliness as the speaker implies he must be "as he had been--alone" (4-5, 8). Potter writes that Frost "was often riddled with doubts aboutÃâ€"his role in relation to his family and friends, and even his poetic powers" (Potter 47). We, too, get the sense the speaker (Frost) is suggesting that throughout his life he feels alone quite often and longs for the kinship of his fellow human being.    While the speaker yields to this pessimistic train of thought, a "bewildered butterfly" passes by "on noiseless wing" and ushers in the second transition of the poem (12). Frost uses the scene with the butterfly in the next several couplets to su... ..., Potter writes: The shared happiness represented here... seem to be more than simply a personal relationship between two [farmers]; rather it is a general benevolence which... makes for a good world. [This] feeling is shared by the two mowers in "The Tuft of Flowers." The speaker, finding a tuft of flowers left deliberately by a previous mower, senses "a spirit kindred to [his] own" and concludes that "men work together... / Whether they work together or apart."(Potter 89) Upon closer reflection, we the reader could generalize the poem's meaning to indicate humanity's need to be a part of society outwardly, and inwardly keep the fields of our hearts free from the things that would choke out "The Tuft of Flowers." Work Cited Frost, Robert. "The Tuft of Flowers." Robert Frost Handbook. Ed. James L. Potter. University Park: Penn State UP, 1980.   

The Good Shepherd and the Black Sheep: Paradoxical Irony in “The Lame Shall Enter First”

â€Å"[W]hen thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth† counsels the Bible, thus setting the precedent for all well-meaning members of western society concerning their charitable intentions (Matt. 6. 3). Humanity's motivation to aid others, regardless of the outcome, is oft times spotted by the subtle struggle between selflessness and selfishness. Flannery O'Connor captures this classic conflict between good and evil in Southern Grotesque fashion through her characters, the protagonist Sheppard and his foil, Rufus Johnson, in [comment2] â€Å"The Lame Shall Enter First†. comment3] Challenging the literal paradigm of light and darkness, O'Connor weaves together well crafted characterization, cryptic dialogue, and both biblical and literary allusion in this paradoxical plot and, by way of Sheppard and the antithetical Rufus, blends the black and white of Christian dogma into an ironic grey. The contrast of light and dark begins with the descrip tion and characterization of the apparently angelic [comment4] Sheppard, and continues with the introduction of the obscure and ominous Rufus Johnson. O'Connor is not pretentious in her description and development of either character. Sheppard's white hair and â€Å"halo† are obvious references to his protagonistic status as the story's do-gooder [comment5] (Norton 371). The narrator continues on by lauding his charitable contribution to the community as a counselor and weekend volunteer for â€Å"boys no one else cared about† (372). The reader's only initial clue toward Sheppard's self-righteous mania is his deliberate, guilt-implying sermon towards Norton, his disconcerted and doomed son. It is not, however, until the arrival of the dim, drenched Rufus that seemingly stark white coat of Sheppard loses its untainted radiance. comment6] Johnson is literally cast as the black sheep from the moment he limps into the house in his soaking â€Å"wet black suit† (376). The ultimate personification of evil comes when he is physically compared directly to the perennial villian Adolf Hitler (378). His opaque character is developed as dark as his appearance through his unending ingratitude and spiteful words toward his supposed savior, Sheppard. The ambiguous dialogue between the two main characters continues to blur the line between the traditional literal concept of good versus evil and the author's own Grotesque version. comment7] O'Connor's use of foreshadowing and plot development through dialogue is essential to the work, and is much more obvious upon rereading it. Though Sheppard's works are concrete and compassionate, his words are abstract and empty. His answers to both Norton and Rufus come in rehearsed, logical explanations. [comment8] Sheppard's attempts to animate either child about their future are thwarted by his own uncertainty. The clearest example of this comes from one of the most crucial sections of the story, when Sheppard fails to satisfy Norton's desire to know where his deceased mother is: â€Å"She doesn't exist [. . ] That's all I have to give you, [. . . ] the truth† (383). [comment9] Where the â€Å"good† shepherd fails, the black sheep pr evails. The dark character that Rufus is developed into shows an admirable assurity and for once a faint light flickers from behind the â€Å"black sheen [that] appear[ed] in the boy's eyes† (375) as he describes the existence of heaven and hell to Norton, confirming that the boy's mother is â€Å"saved† (383). Then, in one of the most obvious uses of foreshadowing in the story, Rufus goes on to tell Norton [comment10] that â€Å"Right now you'd go where she is [. . . but if you live long enough, you'll go to hell† (383). Once again Sheppard and his voice of reason seem to grow grayer as he immediately tells Norton to close the window, as if to separate him from the stars and his newly found hope in the existence of his mother (383). Admittedly influenced by her orthodox Christian background (408), O'Connor scatters both biblical and assorted literal allusions throughout her story, creating somewhat of a parody of common Christian themes. The use of Sheppard as the name of the protagonist binds the character to some religious comparison immediately. This is only reinforced when Rufus pronounces bitterly: â€Å"He thinks he's Jesus Christ! † (381) [comment11]Another use of allusion with reference to Sheppard is Rufus' [comment12] crudely accurate accusation of him as a â€Å"big tin Jesus† (395). Like the forlorn tin man from The Wizard of Oz, Rufus' statement argues that Sheppard is just as hollow as that empty, heartless shell of a man, regardless of his outwardly good deeds. Perhaps the most encompassing phrase in the story is O'Connor's allusion to the verse in St. Matthew quoted in the first paragraph. [comment13] Repeated both at the beginning of the story and in his final appearance, Rufus declares that Sheppard â€Å"don't know his left hand from his right! † (377, 395). Clearly O'Connor is alluding to Sheppard's selfish or misguided agenda well illustrated when he tells Norton of his desire to help the orphaned Rufus. Sheppard's publicly done deeds are challenged by Rufus, the unwilling recipient of a well-meaning man going through the motions, yet craving some sort of reward for his actions. The once polarized characters grow ever closer with the equalizing power of reality. â€Å"The Lame Shall Enter First† ends as abruptly as it begins. There is no cathartic victory for the alleged [comment14] â€Å"good shepherd†, only the agony of total defeat. Sheppard's epiphany comes too late and the stark contrast that once distinguished him from the dark object of his alms turns into the faded realization that he is no better than the beleaguered beneficiary. Through O'Connor's strategic literary devices, deft character contrast, and parody of entrenched Christian values, the reader is left to digest and dissect the fact that maybe the entire flock [comment15] isn't worth one black sheep. Between the black and white islands of moral certainty, good and evil, there lies a sea of ironic grey. Works Cited The King James Version. Great Britain: Cambridge UP, 1996. O'Connor, Flannery. â€Å"The Lame Shall Enter First. † The Norton Introduction to Literature. Eds. Jerome Beaty and J. Paul Hunter. 7th ed. New York: Norton, 1998. 371-414.

Free Essays on Henry Thoreau A Critical Analysis

Henry David Thoreau wrote in chapter 2 of Waldon: Time is but a stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. It’s thin current slides away, but eternity remains. I would drink deeper; fish in the sky, whose bottom are pebbly with stars. I cannot count one. I know not the first letter of the alphabet. I have always been regretting that I was not as wise as the day I was born. The intellect is a cleaver; it discerns and rifts its way into then secret of things. I do not wish to be any more busy with my hands than is necessary. My head is hands and feet. I feel all my best faculties concentrated in it. My instincts tell me my head is an organ for burrowing, as some creatures use their snout and fore-paws, and with it I will mine and burrow my way through these hills. I think that the richest vein is somewhere hereabouts; so by the divining rod and thin rising vapors I judge; and here I will begin to mine. In this passage, Thoreau is trying to Understand the complexities of our lives, as well as that of the time we spend here. He begins by comparing time to a stream, an ever-flowing endless body of water, yet he is still able to see the bottom. In saying this, I gather he is comparing his life span (the distance to the bottom) to the ever-flowing body of time. He is telling us our life is but a short period in the stream of time. It is important to understand that we are not as significant as we would like to believe. Thoreau believes the only way to cut through this insignificance is to use our intellect like a â€Å"cleaver†. Cut through the all of the social mores and beliefs that have jaded our view on this wonderful world in which we live. To cut through our own faults and fears and discover the vein of truth that is within us all. He teaches us not to bother with unnecessary busy work, and focus on the more important things in our lives. To... Free Essays on Henry Thoreau A Critical Analysis Free Essays on Henry Thoreau A Critical Analysis Henry David Thoreau wrote in chapter 2 of Waldon: Time is but a stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. It’s thin current slides away, but eternity remains. I would drink deeper; fish in the sky, whose bottom are pebbly with stars. I cannot count one. I know not the first letter of the alphabet. I have always been regretting that I was not as wise as the day I was born. The intellect is a cleaver; it discerns and rifts its way into then secret of things. I do not wish to be any more busy with my hands than is necessary. My head is hands and feet. I feel all my best faculties concentrated in it. My instincts tell me my head is an organ for burrowing, as some creatures use their snout and fore-paws, and with it I will mine and burrow my way through these hills. I think that the richest vein is somewhere hereabouts; so by the divining rod and thin rising vapors I judge; and here I will begin to mine. In this passage, Thoreau is trying to Understand the complexities of our lives, as well as that of the time we spend here. He begins by comparing time to a stream, an ever-flowing endless body of water, yet he is still able to see the bottom. In saying this, I gather he is comparing his life span (the distance to the bottom) to the ever-flowing body of time. He is telling us our life is but a short period in the stream of time. It is important to understand that we are not as significant as we would like to believe. Thoreau believes the only way to cut through this insignificance is to use our intellect like a â€Å"cleaver†. Cut through the all of the social mores and beliefs that have jaded our view on this wonderful world in which we live. To cut through our own faults and fears and discover the vein of truth that is within us all. He teaches us not to bother with unnecessary busy work, and focus on the more important things in our lives. To...

Free Essays on Anorexia Vs. Bulimia

Anorexia Nervosa vs. Bulimia Nervosa In today’s society many people are affected by eating disorders and their deadly side effects. Two of the most common eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, are often confused for one another because they each share many of the same qualities; however, each disorder has its own distinct behaviors that make it quite different from the other. Because each disorder is serious and can be deadly, it is important for people to understand each one individually in order to be able to distinguish each disorder from the other. In comparison, both eating disorders involve dangerous behaviors that the victims of the disorders believe to either aid in the loss of weight or prevent the gain of weight. The victims of both disorders generally have poor self-images and emotional stress that is often accompanied by feelings of guilt and depression. Another strong comparison to make between anorexia and bulimia is that psychologists have yet to find out if the causes of the disorders are from genetics, the environment, or a combination of both genetic and environmental factors. Most theories today conclude that both disorders stem from a combination of genetic factors, such as chemical imbalances in the hypothalamus or pituitary gland, and environmental factors, such as the value of slenderness and the rejection of obesity. Another strong comparison is that both disorders are found to be much more common among females than males. In contrast, the two eating disorders vary from each other in that each disorder has its own distinct practices and behaviors in which its victims partake. Practices for victims of anorexia nervosa include refusal to eat any kind of food and denial that their behaviors and unhealthy appearance are unusual. Practices for victims of bulimia nervosa differ in that the victims will binge on incredibly large and abnormal quantities of food and then purge, which is o... Free Essays on Anorexia Vs. Bulimia Free Essays on Anorexia Vs. Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa vs. Bulimia Nervosa In today’s society many people are affected by eating disorders and their deadly side effects. Two of the most common eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, are often confused for one another because they each share many of the same qualities; however, each disorder has its own distinct behaviors that make it quite different from the other. Because each disorder is serious and can be deadly, it is important for people to understand each one individually in order to be able to distinguish each disorder from the other. In comparison, both eating disorders involve dangerous behaviors that the victims of the disorders believe to either aid in the loss of weight or prevent the gain of weight. The victims of both disorders generally have poor self-images and emotional stress that is often accompanied by feelings of guilt and depression. Another strong comparison to make between anorexia and bulimia is that psychologists have yet to find out if the causes of the disorders are from genetics, the environment, or a combination of both genetic and environmental factors. Most theories today conclude that both disorders stem from a combination of genetic factors, such as chemical imbalances in the hypothalamus or pituitary gland, and environmental factors, such as the value of slenderness and the rejection of obesity. Another strong comparison is that both disorders are found to be much more common among females than males. In contrast, the two eating disorders vary from each other in that each disorder has its own distinct practices and behaviors in which its victims partake. Practices for victims of anorexia nervosa include refusal to eat any kind of food and denial that their behaviors and unhealthy appearance are unusual. Practices for victims of bulimia nervosa differ in that the victims will binge on incredibly large and abnormal quantities of food and then purge, which is o...

Benjamin Franklin and John Edawrds view on God essays

Benjamin Franklin and John Edawrds view on God essays Benjamin Franklin and Jonathan Edwards have two very different ways of looking at God and how He is involved in a persons life. The one thing they do have in common however, is their similar belief that God is all knowing, as Franklin believes, and God is all-powerful, as Edwards believes. If Franklin were to look at Edwards beliefs in a more logical way, he could undoubtedly see that not only is God all-knowing, but he is also all-powerful due simply to the fact that He gave humans the ability to reason. In Franklins autobiography, he makes a simple prayer to God that asks Him to, ...Increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interests...fill my soul with knowledge... He also says And conceiving God to be the Fountain of Wisdom, I thought it right and necessary to solicit this assistance for obtaining it. That Franklin believes that God is the Fountain of Wisdom shows that he believes that God is all-knowing. As many Enlightenment thinkers believe, God gave humans reason. Using reason and logic, as Enlightenment thinkers would, it is possible to have Franklin believe that God is all-powerful, like Edwards does. Edwards clearly believes that God has omnipotent power. Since reason was given to humans by God, this obviously shows that God possess reason. Reason is believed to give humans the ability to figure anything out and thus do anything. If looked at in a different perspective, this would show exactly why what Edwards believes makes complete sense. Since God possesses reason, he can figure out anything and thus do anything. Since he is in fact God, it goes without saying that he is limitless in what he can do. Therefore, there is nothing that God can not do. If God can do anything because of this reason that he possesses, it can then be said that God is in fact all-powerful. Even though God gave humans reason, it does not denote or limit the power that He has. In...

Economy Situation In The USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Economy Situation In The USA - Essay Example The main problem looming around the economy of USA is that of a deteriorated trend in the economic growth rate. Noted economist Ragu Rajan revealed that it will be wiser for the national authorities to focus more upon long-term structural issues such as unemployment and income inequality. In addition, it will also be wise for the national administration to arrange for some vocational training for the national youth as well. In fact, it could easily be realized that unemployment is the reason behind a rising rate of income inequality in the nation. Observers researching this aspect have figured out certain areas which need to be emphasized upon by the national authorities while framing their respective fiscal policies.These measures have been described as follows. Firstly, it has been realized that the national population or rather the labor force is suffering from a lack of productivity which the reason why the creation of economic value in the nation has been poor. This is the reaso n why it has been stressed that the finance committee must lay some emphasis upon investing more and more funds for industrial innovation. The higher the incorporation of technology into the production process, lower will be the efforts that a labor needs to put for the production of a single unit; hence he will be left with more energy to produce excess units within the same time period. In fact, this is the method being followed up in Europe that concentrates upon a stable innovation path so as to stick to a stable economic growth.

Influence of Media on Jurors in Terror Trials Essay

Influence of Media on Jurors in Terror Trials - Essay Example The first hypothesis was supported in that political media exposure resulted in higher confidence ratings of guilt. There has been relatively little empirical research into the specific topics of juror bias towards terror suspects and the impact of media coverage of the trial of a terrorist on juror bias. The research regarding these variables has investigated Anglo-American and African-American ethnic biases (Abshire & Bornstein, 2003; Sommers & Ellsworth, 2001). This type of ethnic bias can be linked to other ethnic biases including against the ethnic group of a terror suspect. An examination of the cross-race effect in jurors at a mock trial of African-American defendant found that Anglo-American jurors were more likely to find the defendant guilty than African-American jurors (Abshire & Bornstein, 2003). There was a significant difference in the perceived credibility of eyewitnesses based on the ethnicity of the witness, with African-American eyewitnesses viewed as more credible than Anglo-American eyewitnesses. Nonetheless, the testimony of the eyewitnesses did not have an impact on the verdict, with Anglo-American jurors tending to perceive prosecution witnesses as more credible and African-American jurors tending to perceive defense witnesses as more credible. ... Another study of mock jurors found that modern Anglo-American jurors were more likely to demonstrate bias against an African-American defendant accused of committing a crime against an Anglo-American victim when the issues associated with the trial were not blatantly racial (Sommers & Ellsworth, 2001). The conclusion developed from this finding suggests that the modern attitudes against racial bias tend to create a greater degree of impartiality when the crime involves racial issues, but the attitude does not fully prevent bias. Strategies for reducing the impact of bias include insuring that juries are ethnically mixed and asking potential jurors about racial attitudes during voir dire. An investigation into the relationship between juror ethnicity and defendant ethnicity and for receptivity to mitigating evidence in capital cases, found a strong correlation for receptivity among African-American jurors when the defendant was African-American and the victim was Anglo-American (Brewer, 2004). The implications of these findings may be that jurors of different ethnicities tend to be equally receptive to mitigating evidence in capital cases in the majority of cases. When the case involves an in-group defendant that has committed a crime against an out-group victim, however, there is increased receptivity to mitigating evidence by jurors that are members of the in-group (Brewer, 2004). Hence, findings suggest that there is some degree of ethnic identification that occurs between jurors and defendants based on the ethnicity of the defendant and the victim. Related to the issue of juror perceptions based on the ethnicity of the defendant, are the reactions and explanations of individuals to terrorist attacks, these have the potential to influence juror attitudes

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 9

Research paper - Essay Example Most importantly, India will be able to attain the prestigious position of China, its Asian competitor. The project cost the country about 73 million US dollars. Evidently, considering the country’s economic standing, the space mission seems ridiculous and lacks justification. This paper will provide evidence that the space mission was a misplaced priority. If this mission proves successful, it may have a huge benefit to India. This is because it will receive recognition for utilizing improvisation to launch one of the cheapest missions to Mars. However, if it does not succeed, the country will have wasted invaluable resources of money and time that can be invested in raising the living standards of some families in India. Instead of paying all of this money to do a task like this, the money can be used to improve the economy and social problems in India. If India had a stable and a good standing economy, then it would be fine if they thought of launching this mission. Apparen tly, as this paper will discuss, India has many social issues to address. The country spent fifteen months of preparation for a mission that cost it 73 million US dollars. Statistics reveal that India exhibits a poor economy, a factor that highlights the need for it to design policies and strategies that can help its economy register a level of growth. It is unfortunate that the country’s economy has been dwindling over the years (Bhowmick, 2013). The country’s systems exhibit low quality with worrying poor standards of life. This places emphasis on the urgency for transforming its policy formulation strategies and striving to address its emerging needs. Instead of focusing on such issues that need critical addressing, the country has diverted its efforts, time, and resources to launching a space probe. The decision to focus on the space mission seems irrational, and the government cannot offer any valid justification for such an expenditure on a luxurious adventure in launching a space probe. Evidently, countries that focus on the space missions have registered immense progress in improving societal standards. Examples include the United States, which is the leading global economy and has held a superior position for many years. Evidently, the country has multiple policies in place to improve its social welfare and fund its internal research projects. Considering an additional example of Russia, it becomes evident that it has a stable economy, and can comfortably invest in space missions. Additionally, China joined the nations that have the capacity to fund space missions (Mirani, 2013). India’s economy does not compare with that of these nations, and explains why sacrificing 73 million US dollars is ridiculous. India does not compare with these nations, and its investment in space projects should be its last priority. In self-defense, India claims that 73 million is minimal compared to the 671 million US dollars that other countries woul d spend on such a venture. However, it does not matter the amount the country spent on the mission, the fact remains that the country could have redirected such funds to improving one of its poor social systems (Messreget, 2013). Evidently, that amount was sufficient to provide food for the malnourished children that add up to 50% of all children. It is ironical that a country can spend 73 million US dollars, while half the population of its children is perishing with hunger. Although it is true that

Viva examination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Viva examination - Essay Example In response, while acting as a solicitor, an advice was provided to Mr. Jones to give a no comment interview on 10th April. However, Mr. Jones follows the stated guidelines and does the same but was subsequently refused of bail by the responsible custody officer. This was mainly based on certain grounds, which include that Mr. Jones would interfere with the witnesses and may return to the Void for trying and finding his accuser. Based on the information provided relating to scenario one, it can be found that Mr. Jones was adamant claiming that he is innocent as well as extremely anxious towards getting bail. In accordance with the aforesaid scenario, it will be vital to mention that a contested bail hearing is ascertained under such a scenario, wherein the Crown prosecutor tends to oppose the release of an accused person and likewise given the prospect to interrogate the sureties that testify on behalf of the accuser (Hannibal & Mountford, 2014). The above stated context is found to be similar with that of the provided scenario relating to the case of R v Jones (2015) wherein the custody officer refused to provide the bail based on certain valid grounds under the dimension of criminal law. Thus, by considering the failure of persuading the CPS solicitor towards agreeing to provide bail to Mr. Jones, an attempt has been made to prepare a contested bail hearing. In this similar context, while acting as a solicitor on behalf of Mr. Jones, it must be mentioned that the preparation of a contested bail hearing would be made in such a way so that the custody officer as well as the CPS solicito r would agree to provide bail to the accused party i.e. Mr. Jones. By taking into concern the various attributes of criminal law and criminal justice arrangement, a contested bail hearing will be made initially by ascertaining the charges that are faced by the accused party i.e. Mr. Jones and evaluating his

Sex and Violence in Popular Culture Research Paper

Sex and Violence in Popular Culture - Research Paper Example The paper focuses on the influence of popular culture on the controversial societal issues like sex and violence. Before going on the discussion, the terms sex, violence and popular culture will be defined first as the meanings contribute to the understanding of the subject matter. Sex is usually equaled to gender as they are interchangeably used in everyday conversations. In reality, sex and gender are different. The former relates to physiological characteristic as the latter is a social concept. Sex is also an act that shows physical contact for procreation. Gender depends upon sets of social norms affected by culture and tradition that set apart males from females (Wilson 1-2). The other term to define is violence. Violence responds to conflict as harm is afflicted physically, emotionally or mentally on other people as a result of human action. Violence includes social injustices such as racism and poverty (Daoust 290). Both of them are linked to popular culture. Popular culture deals with the everyday living of people as the theme reflects the lives of the common people (Browne 5). The study deals with the negative effects of the prevailing images shown by the popular culture to the increasing cases of sex and violence as the two societal problems occur in the recent years in response to what the majority people believe. As people throughout their lives seek for learning about the world and its meanings, interactions happen as the humans in the society share experiences. People have roles to play in their lives as the society dictates as standards and acceptable behavior. The roles do not have strict and rigid boundaries as people can have various roles that show flexibility. People can take charge of their lives and choose particular roles to play. Play is important in socialization and building of the personalities of people as personalities affect the roles that people play. In terms of personality traits, the gender is also affected. Nowadays the avail ability of television programs and video games are widely used by people for information and relaxation. Such popular media affect the roles of women as the video games portray women maintaining beauty and men protecting women even with the use of violence (Dietz 425-426). The portrayals in videogames become very blatant as more people, the young and the old make use of the high technology games for their relaxation. Video games pose hazards in the view and existence of sex and violence as they portray women as sex objects and men as aggressive in nature. The games also show some gender inequality as women are underrepresented in games according to several video game magazines used in the studies done by Dill and Thill. Both the magazines and the games featured there make use of stereotypes in portraying masculinity and femininity like scanty clothes for female characters and brutal weapons for male characters (Dill and Thill 858-859). Stereotypes generalize the categories for showi ng what men and women must be and what they must be not. In reality, it would be impossible to make use of those stereotypes as people are different from one another. Violence and sex were also seen in a particular videogame called Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as the protagonist or the controllable in-game character is an African-American who encounters racism, violence, sex and all other societal problems on his way home. Black males were

Write a statement about what the correct decision should have been and Essay

Write a statement about what the correct decision should have been and why - Essay Example By approving the production of the Pintos, the top-level managers acted only to satisfy their personal interests. The decision to produce Pintos was wrong because there were serious wrangles and disagreements among the top managers. Before the production of the car was commenced, the top manager should have ensured that all grievances that were being raised were addressed effectively. The consequences of poor communication strategies were interdepartmental conflicts and lack of coordination between different sectors, an aspect that led to errors in the production units. The decision to compare the lives of people in monetary value and the cost of remodeling the fuel tank was wrong. Even if it’s possible to compensate people who lose their friends and family members through accidents, it is more costly to mend the damage that the accidents will have to the reputation of the business in the market. Therefore, the decision should have taken into consideration the long-term strategy of the

Viva examination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Viva examination - Essay Example In response, while acting as a solicitor, an advice was provided to Mr. Jones to give a no comment interview on 10th April. However, Mr. Jones follows the stated guidelines and does the same but was subsequently refused of bail by the responsible custody officer. This was mainly based on certain grounds, which include that Mr. Jones would interfere with the witnesses and may return to the Void for trying and finding his accuser. Based on the information provided relating to scenario one, it can be found that Mr. Jones was adamant claiming that he is innocent as well as extremely anxious towards getting bail. In accordance with the aforesaid scenario, it will be vital to mention that a contested bail hearing is ascertained under such a scenario, wherein the Crown prosecutor tends to oppose the release of an accused person and likewise given the prospect to interrogate the sureties that testify on behalf of the accuser (Hannibal & Mountford, 2014). The above stated context is found to be similar with that of the provided scenario relating to the case of R v Jones (2015) wherein the custody officer refused to provide the bail based on certain valid grounds under the dimension of criminal law. Thus, by considering the failure of persuading the CPS solicitor towards agreeing to provide bail to Mr. Jones, an attempt has been made to prepare a contested bail hearing. In this similar context, while acting as a solicitor on behalf of Mr. Jones, it must be mentioned that the preparation of a contested bail hearing would be made in such a way so that the custody officer as well as the CPS solicito r would agree to provide bail to the accused party i.e. Mr. Jones. By taking into concern the various attributes of criminal law and criminal justice arrangement, a contested bail hearing will be made initially by ascertaining the charges that are faced by the accused party i.e. Mr. Jones and evaluating his

Write a statement about what the correct decision should have been and Essay

Write a statement about what the correct decision should have been and why - Essay Example By approving the production of the Pintos, the top-level managers acted only to satisfy their personal interests. The decision to produce Pintos was wrong because there were serious wrangles and disagreements among the top managers. Before the production of the car was commenced, the top manager should have ensured that all grievances that were being raised were addressed effectively. The consequences of poor communication strategies were interdepartmental conflicts and lack of coordination between different sectors, an aspect that led to errors in the production units. The decision to compare the lives of people in monetary value and the cost of remodeling the fuel tank was wrong. Even if it’s possible to compensate people who lose their friends and family members through accidents, it is more costly to mend the damage that the accidents will have to the reputation of the business in the market. Therefore, the decision should have taken into consideration the long-term strategy of the

Electric Cars by Tesla Essay Example for Free

Electric Cars by Tesla Essay Tesla’s total assets is a total USD 361. 6M, with US sales alone of USD 116. 7M. Tesla boasts of two electric car models: The Tesla Roadster and the Tesla S model. As of January 2011, Tesla has taken about 3,500 reservations for the Model S and expects to begin delivering cars to customers in 2012. Tesla currently employs almost 900 full time employees and is aggressively recruiting employees for positions in its headquarters in Palo Alto, California; at its European headquarters in Maidenhead, UK; and at an increasing number of sales facilities throughout North America and Europe. Tesla plans to build the Model S in 2012 in Fremont, California in an assembly plant formerly operated by NUMMI, a now defunct joint venture of Toyota and General Motors. Tesla purchased a stake in the site in May 2010 for US$42 million, and opened the facility in October 2010 as the Tesla Factory. Tesla Roadster [pic][pic] The Tesla Roadster is a screaming-fast, all-electric two-seater sports car built on the frame of the Lotus Elise. Reduce our dependency on oil, and are cheaper to operate Electric cars are convenient: In one trip to the gas station, you can pump 330 kilowatt-hours of energy into a 10-gallon tank. It would take about 9 days to get the same amount of energy from household electric current. Fortunately, it takes hours and not days to recharge an electric car, because its much more efficient. And you never have to leave home to recharge! Electric cars are extremely simple. There’s no oil to change, no filters, no clutch, no fluids, no crazy mechanical systems. This makes the electric car so much cheaper to operate because there’s hardly any maintenance, like oil changes and emissions checks, that internal combustion cars require. Electric car cuts away our dependency on oil as well and frees us from the unpredictable oil price hikes and spikes that are so common these days. For the car savvy drivers, electric motors develop their highest torque from zero rpms—meaning fast (and silent) zero-to-60 acceleration times. This means they snap to life at the touch of the accelerator. It does 0–60 mph in 3. 7 seconds, making electric cars the fastest cars in the world. Electric cars can be direct drive, so there’s no transmission or complex gearbox. Power is applied smoothly and quietly. Acceleration is effortless. B. Historically, EVs have not been widely adopted because of limited driving range before needing to be recharged, long recharging times, and a lack of commitment by automakers to produce and market electric cars that have all the creature comforts of gas-powered cars. The other limitation beside range is cost. Electric cars have historically suffered from extreme lameness, largely because most attempts at building electric cars were aimed at the mid-price or low-end car market. Media blitz will follow the launch using television and print advertisements. Local glamour and sport magazines will be asked to feature the product. Problem with gray markets will not be an issue because the product will speak for itself and will cost more to copy at the state of our technology. Key cities in the Philippines will be targeted after the Manila debut and continuing media hype. Cebu and Bacolod will be good options to consider the expansion. They are both progressive cities with locals having penchant for European cars and sport cars as evidenced by car sales that are comparable to the Manila data.

Comparison and Criticism

Comparison and Criticism OUR MISSION: * Comparison and Criticism Hofstedes aim was to evaluate work values, while Trompenaars Hampden-Turners questionnaires inquired into respondents preferred behaviour in a number of both work and leisure situations. What both studies have in common is that in both questionnaires the focus is on the ultimate goal state, and that the underlying values, the underwater part of the culture iceberg, are derived from a series of questions about more outer layers of the culture onion, closer to the top of iceberg. Trompenaarss system appears focus-oriented; it speaks a lot about what is on peoples minds and what is in their sight, it speaks about the logical organization and framework of their behaviour (specific vs. diffuse, internal vs. external control, universalism vs. particularism) and relationships (individualism vs. collectivism; achievement vs. ascription; neutral vs. affective). Hofstede, on the other hand describes some of values present in people and finally affecting their behavior. The difference therefore is that Trompenaarss investigation lies on the surface of the investigation of the persons culture, showing exactly the choice and manner in which the actions are planned and handled, while Hofstede tries to go in the very deep of culture layers and lets us make our own forecasts of peoples behavior based on the knowledge of the hidden part of iceberg. . Taking a closer look into the comparison between the dimensions themselves, we can notice similarities between the two theories. One of these is the closeness between the notions of collectivism vs. individualism of Hofstede and communitarianism vs. individualism of Trompenaars. For a marketer, from our point of view, there is close no difference which index to use. There is some degree of similarity in Hofstedes power distance index and achievement vs. ascription. One values the accepted degree of high class/low class lifestyle and secondary characteristics difference, while the other measures the motivation of the low class to move higher. A marketer can infer that customers are better evaluated with the high power distance index in relation of selling status-emphasizing products (like luxury brands), while Trompenaarss index is better used when selling low cost practical business tools (like cheap PDAs). We would advise to use the two indices together as they complement each other. Long-term vs. short-term orientation index of Hofstede has got something in common with the past/present/future orientation of Trompenaars. That is in the way, how i.e. short-term oriented cultures will show the same tendency to be populist, tradition-oriented as the past- and present-oriented cultures. After taking a look into evaluations of different cultures one can find that the results, obtained by the two theories are often counter logical. German corporate culture is hierarchical, as is claimed by Trompenaars in his studies. Whereas Hofstede identifies Germany as relatively low in terms of Power Distance. These differences in the approach attracted some serious criticism over the years. One of the most prominent points often criticized is Hofstede perception of culture as a static characteristic of societies and their representatives. This approach does not take into the account the cultural drift that can easily be observed as the time passes by. As a vivid example, one can take the comparison between, say, the UK of the Victorian age and the Post Second World War UK and just try to assess the Power Distance Indices. Apparently, over this period of time peoples behavior has altered enough to allow a society with a lot lower power distance, the expressions of which found their way in the art of the time as well as in the politics (Rise of the Labor Party in 1945-1951) people of lower class were have become conscious to demand equality in these dimensions with the former unapproachable higher class, the expression of wealth and power and respect to it have decreased, as well as PDI. S imilar drift patterns can now be observed today in some of the underdeveloped countries, like Mexico, where former strong collectivist communities are dissolving, as their member become more individualistic, pushed by their desire to be successful in the new highly commercialized society. The same can be said about political influence on the culture (transition from Communist to Capitalist values). In other words it is easily observable that through time cultures evolve. Therefore the estimations for indices are slowly becoming outdated. Hofstede was later pushed by this evidence to regularly update his Index database, still retorting that cultural evolution is a very slow process. However the problem that may be hard to identify is actually not the quantitative, but rather the qualitative obsolescence of the framework itself, that will sooner or later present itself. I.e. what was reasonable and precise description in the 1970s can be an incomplete, flawed and vague characterizatio n for 2010, and even more so for future. That is however just one of the many debatable things. Among the others are: 1. Question interpretation of the surveyed, i.e. will the question really be a precise way to determine the culture, as the culture and personality may directly affect the way the question is translated and thus produce errors in the resulting evaluation. 2. Researchers background diminishes the completeness of cultural description and offers one-sided look at the problem. This way it would be preferable for marketers to have a marketer, not a manager, to make the proper evaluations framework, which would be more suited for marketing decision making. 3. Ignoring the ethnic group and communities presence, national culture fragmentation. Just saying that Germany has low UAC index may totally confuse the policymaker, as this does not differ between East, West and especially Turkish communities. Moreover, a study carried out only in only one company (Hofstede) cannot give an outlook on the entire cultural system of a country. Conclusion As described in this paper, there are several approaches to the classification of the cultures of different nations. The ones that were observed closely here are Geert Hofstedes and Fons Trompenaarss classifications, so-called cultural dimensions. These, as shown have a number of things in common and many differences as well. Thus, a marketer has to make a decision, which part of which study is to be used to develop a successful strategy. However there is little doubt that some way of adapting the strategy to the local culture is to be used. We may live in a globalized enviroment, however, so far there is no mundial culture and different clusters of people, whether they are separated geographically, historically or socially; some may choose one product instead of the other because of their culture and values. All of that is to be taken into consideration. And there are so far not many standartised approaches to the culture evaluations, other than Hofstedes and Trompenaarss, which eco nomise time and enable the creation of a consolidated strategy in approach to culture. It is not surprising that some of the companies nowadays are already fully involved in applying these methods in their decision making, and the amount of them will inevitably grow as the studies of the theories are being held in many Universities and Business Schools, from wich the future excecutives will come. However one has to rememember, that both these method are quite controversial and obviously imperfect, therefore we should learn learn to use the questionnaires and the databases responsibly. Only in this way can they provide precise, trustworhy and calculated assistance to people learning to work effectively in other countries. Our Purpose: We help business expand the value of compensation through employee benefits. * Our Vision : To integrate personal lives committed to God into a business devoted to serving our clients. * Our Values : With Gods grace, we will: * Strive to lead balanced lives. * Keep quality our first priority. * Always improve ourselves and our methods. * Connect our daily tasks to the overall purpose of our Company. * Never compromise our integrity or honesty. The Fringe Benefit Company Phoenix Arizona www.FBCServ.com FBC is one of Arizonas oldest and largest locally owned Benefit Consulting Firms. Established in 1983, and licensed in over 19 states, we have grown to serve the needs of over 250 major employers both in Arizona and across the country. We have earned our reputation as the preeminent service company by creating the highest standards for performance and ethics in the industry. We are a full service firm practiced in the design and administration of all areas of employee benefits programs. Our people are our most valuable resource, each a licensed agent, cross trained in all aspects of our operation. We are committed to helping our clients successfully manage the evolution of health care and the ongoing challenge of enhancing the value of compensation through employee benefits. Our well earned relationships and market shares with local and national carriers afford our clients the strongest possible negotiating leverage for their benefit plans. We are committed to quality work above sales volume and while we recognize service promotes good will, we sincerely believe it to be its own reward. * The Fringe Benefit Company Community * Chris Durkin gets a Masai warriors blanket from Ataulwah and Simon, Young Life leaders and friends in Tanzania and Unganda. * Orphans at the Koomba school in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania August 2005 * Ryan Durkin, young life leader, with children from the Muslim orphanage in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, August 2005 * Chris Durkin gets acquainted with some village children in the outskirts of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, August 2005 * After lunch potty party for the 1-2 year olds at Mother Theresas orphanage in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, August, 2005 * Dedication plaque for the basketball courts in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, August 2005 * Shawn Durkin carries an orphan at the Muslim orphanage in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, August 2005 * Brett Durkin with an orphan, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania August, 2005 * Aaron, Brett, Garrett, Ryan and Chris Durkin, building the Young Life basketball courts in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania August 2005 * Julie, Young Life leader, with children in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania during the building of the basketball courts, August 2005

paper :: essays research papers

Paper has a long history, beginning with the ancient Egyptians and continuing to the present day. For thousands of years, hand-made methods dominated and then, during the 19th century, paper production became industrialised. Originally intended purely for writing and printing purposes, a wide variety of paper grades and uses are now available to the consumer Of all the writing and drawing materials that people have employed down the ages, paper is the most widely used around the world. Its name derives from papyrus the material used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Papyrus, however, is only one of the predecessors of paper that together are known by the generic term ‘tapa’ and are mostly made from the inner bark of paper mulberry, fig and daphne. Tapa has been found extensively in nearly all cultures along the Equatorial belt and is made by what is possibly the oldest papermaking technique – one still practised in some parts of the Himalayas and South East Asia. Indeed, recent archaeological excavations in China have revealed some of the oldest ‘tapa’ paper ever found which shows that paper was being produced in China before western records began. The tapa technique involves cooked bast, which is flattened with a wooden hammer to form a thin, fibrous layer and then dissolved in a vat with water to make a pulp. A screen consisting of a wooden frame with a fabric base is then laid in a puddle or big basin and floats with the fabric just under the surface of the water. The papermaker then pours the quantity of pulp needed to make one sheet into this ‘floating mould’ and spreads it evenly, by hand, across the surface. The screen is then carefully lifted out of the water, allowed to drain off and a sheet of paper forms on the wire. Once the water has dripped off, the screen is placed in the sun or near a fire to dry. When dry, the sheet easily peels off and, apart from possible smoothing, requires no further treatment. This technique has two basic drawbacks. Firstly, a separate screen is needed for each new sheet, and is only available for use again after the last sheet has dried. And secondly, an increase in productio n can soon lead to a shortage of raw material, since fresh bast is not always available everywhere in the required quantity. The fibres normally used for textiles, like flax and hemp, also served as substitutes for bast.

Montags Influences in Farenheit 451 Essays -- Ray Bradburys Fahrenhe

In the novel, FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury, Guy Montag lives in an inverted society, where firemen make fires instead of put them out, and pedestrians are used as bowling pins for cars that are excessively speeding. The people on this society are hypnotized by giant wall size televisions and seashell radios that are attached to everyone’s ears. People in Montag’s society do not think for themselves or even generate their own opinions; everything is given to them by the television stations they watch. In this society, if someone is in possession of a book, their books are burned by the firemen, but not only their books, but their entire home. Montag begins realizing that the things in this society are not right. Montag is influenced and changes over the course of the novel. The strongest influences in Montag’s life are Clarisse, the burning on 11 Elm Street and Captain Beatty. Firstly, Montag is influenced by Clarisse McClellan because she is the first person he has met that is not like the rest of the society. Clarisse is a young 17 year old girl that Montag quickly becomes very fond of. Clarisse influences Montag by the way she questioned Montag, the way she admires nature, and her death. Clarisse first influenced Montag by the way she began questioning him often. Her questions would make him think for himself unlike the rest of society. â€Å"Then she seemed to remember something and came back to look at him with wonder and curiosity. â€Å"Are you happy?† she said. â€Å"Am I what?† he cried. But she was gone- running in the moonlight† (Bradbury, 10). Clarisse was one of the only people that Montag had ever met that had ever asked him that. This question that she asked him influenced him because he thinks about, and Montag asks himself tha... ...vel FAHRENHEIT 451, the main character is influenced by many different sources. Bradbury writes of a fire fighter that has realized that the society he lives in isn’t right and makes the protagonist want to make a change. Guy Montag is influenced by a teenage girl that makes him realize the beauty’s of the world. Guy is also influenced by a fire that burns a woman alive. Montag steals a book from that fire and that is the beginning of when he begins his mission to find out why his society has become the way it is, and his greater mission of changing society so that everyone in it can think for themselves. Captain Beatty is one of the greatest influences in Guy’s life because of his knowledge, the information of Clarisse’s death and when guy is forced to murder the fire captain. Making Montag’s greatest influences, Clarisse, the fire on Elm Street and Captain Beatty.

Summit Of Greatness

It was December 2, 1804, with over 400 musicians and singers performing. The world famous cathederal, Notre Dame, was filled. All eyes were set upon Napoleon Bonaparte. This Corsican native slowly ascended the steps to the alter alone, siezing the crown with his own hands. He held it aloft and brought it to rest on his head. Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of France that day. Napoleon was an everday guy. He was a 5? 2? lieutenant who was later ranked a general. He married Josephine DeVorne. At first, Napoleon wasn’t very liked amongst certain parts of Europe. Mothers would say to their kids at night to make them sleep a little nightmare raising lullaby†¦ † Baby baby, naughty baby, hush you scwaling thing i say, hush your scwaling or it may be Bonepart that pass this way. † Napoleon was nothing more then an average Corsican man with a cleaver mind. Working was a passion for Napoleon. In 1805, Napoleon planned to cross the English channel. Much like most other conquerors in Eurpope’s land Napoleon had one goal in mind, to conquer all of Europe. As he crossed the channel to invade Great Britain, with 2,000 ships, and 200,000 soldiers, he soon met victory. With that in mind, Russia and Austria wouldn’t allow Napoleon to roam with triumph. Soon after the Grand Army was put to the test against the French. The Russian army was known as the strongest and most feared around. Russia and Austria’s plan to win was by outnumbering Napoleon 2:1. France was looking pretty weak and had no chance of defeating the Russian’s and Austrian’s. But Napoleon saw the flaw in this. The Austrians and Russians were planning to meet half way. Their armies were scattered. So, Napoleon figured if if he was to beat the one army before the two armies linked up,then his men would’ve still stood a chance. Napoleon did just so. He took General Mac (Austria’s general) by surprised and conquered them leaving them forced surrendor. 27,000 men surrendered. Mac lost almost half his army. † I didn’t intend to fight any but England, until your master provoked me† said Napoleon. Nothing stood now between Napoleon and Vienna. In 8 days, Napoleon destroyed Austria’s army by marching, (200,000 marching men, marched 500 miles in 40 days-defeated Austria’s army). On November first Napoleon lead his army into Vienna, the capitol of Austria. The emperor was the first to fleed. Leaving behind his palace and gardens free for the enemy. Bonaparte triumphed alongthe streets. Many then stopped worshipping Napoleon, such as Ludwig Beethoven. On October 21, British admiral Nelson destroyed Napoleon’s army, and took along his own life. Napoleon no longer had the Grand army. French stopped challangeing the British army. It was December of 1805, when Napoleon was faced with an even greater challenge. He was now 1,000 miles from Paris, and was in the center of Europe. With enemies from all angles, Europes land was a great trap to Napoleon’s men. With the knowledge that the Russian’s has once again united with the Austrian’s in November, this time with 90,000 allies put together against France’s 75,000 men, Napoleon had one of two choices. He could’ve either gone back or to move along foward. Bonaparte would’ve NEVER moved back. So, now Napoleon was to face Alexander I, the emperor of Russia. Alexander I(28 years of age) was very jealous of Napoleon. He believed that it was his destiny to triumph over Napoleon. The war against the Russian’s seemed impossible. But leave it up to Napoleon, he was a thinker. He had a plan to encourage the enemy to think he was scared. He wanted to lead the enemy to the battle field of Australit, by making them think Napoleon was weaker then he really was. Once again, Napoleon succeeded. The Russian’s came to battle by hitting Napoleon on the right (the weaker end) first. Bonaparte wanted them to do exactly that. The Russian’s fed right into his plan! Napoleon had a secret for the Russian’s. He had previously set up 2 divisons within 70 miles in 2 days to attack the Russian’s. The attack caught the enemy by surprise and yet gave Napoleon another victory. Napoleon was sort of an artist he planned each battle as if the next move would perfect the whole piece of art, the end of the battle. Napoleon being the whole hearted Corsican man he was. He never let the power get to his head. Over a duration of time Bonaparte’s name was being spread all throughtout Europe. He still managed to write letter’s to his wife and he even elected each of his siblings to an office. His brother Joseph to be the king of Naples, Jerome the king of West Falia, Louis the king of Holand. His sister Caroline to be a Queen, pauline a princess, and Alicia a Dutchess. Trough all the battles and victory Napoleon gained much popularity in no time. Yet, he remained a mother’s boy. He loved his mother and made her Madame Mayor. Josephine and Napoleon were made for eachother. Though, both of them had their own quirrels. Josephine hated all the mistresses Napoleon had. Napoleon hated the habits that Josephine had with spending money. Josephine knew that one day no matter how strong her love was for Napoleon, he would’ve had to divorce her. The day came on November 30, 1809.

Presence of Others’ Effect on Behavior & Interpersonal Attraction

1- The presence of others can impact people’s behavior in many ways. For example, social facilitation is a process where the presence of others causes you to perform better, but only on tasks that are easy for you; during tasks that are difficult, the presence of others causes you to perform worse. Another way people’s behavior is impacted by the presence of others is social loafing, when people are put into a group to complete a task, each individual will perform less than they would if they were working alone.Deindividuation is another example, where being part of a group causes a person to lose their sense of individuality and have a reduction of constraints against deviant behavior. 2- Three factors that increase interpersonal attraction are the matching hypothesis, reciprocity, and the hard-to-get effect. The matching hypothesis states that people are attracted to those who are equal or similar in physical attractiveness; having this balance allows both people to f eel deserving of the relationship and stable in it.Reciprocity is an equal exchange of what we give and receive, for example, we like those who like us; if someone is attracted to you and always very nice to you, you’ll like and respond to that by being nice back and potentially being attracted to them as well. The hard-to-get effect is having the tendency to prefer people who are more closed off and selective with their social choices, rather than those who welcome everyone; so if one person is very picky with whom they date and only date few people, and another person will date anyone and everyone, we will try to date the person who is picky so that we feel that sense of accomplishment.

Ansoff Matrix Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Ansoff Matrix - Research Paper Example Prior to the publication of this book, many organisations at that time had little guidance on how to plan and make decisions for the future; many still relied on conventional forms of planning that involved decisions based on an extended budgeting system which in turn is derived on a projected budgetary outcome to some point in the future (Chartered Institute of Management, 2003). Recognizing the needs of business organisations during his time, Ansoff stated that, "a firm needs direction and focus in its search for and creation of new opportunities and the fact that it is to the firm's advantage to see entries with strong synergistic potential" (Ansoff 1965, p. 104 - 105). Furthermore, Levitt (1960) suggested that in order for an organisation to be successful and grow then an organisation would require a "definitive description" of their role within their environment. However, Ansoff have his own share of critics. Ansoff and Henry Mintzberg have differing views on strategy. In particular, Mintzberg's is averse to Ansoff's view on strategy that is built upon planning (Ansoff 1965, p. 1207). Levitt (1960) elaborated that organisations should have some form of "natural extensions" of the firm's products and markets explaining "natural extensions of the firm's product-market position, derived from some core characteristic of the present business." explaining that businesses in one particular industry, for example railroads, could in fact class themselves as in the 'transportation business (Ansoff 1965).' Ansoff (1965, p. 105) proposed that, in fact, this idea was "too broad" and didn't take into account stakeholders or the "investment Community" understanding or relationship of organisations' future product-market direction or "common thread. He further expanded on this, stating that "a relationship between present and future product-markets which would enable outsiders to perceive where the firm is heading, and the inside management to give it guidance." The common thread in fact was based on three factors according to Ansoff. These are the following: Product-market scope-which identifies the industries to which an organisation limits its product/market position; Growth vector-which is the direction or is an indication of the direction that an organisation is moving towards or with respect to its current product, market position; and Competitive advantage-which is an attempt to understand the properties of individual products markets that will allow an organisation to remain or sustain a competitive advantage. It was through this explanation of the growth vector which elaborates the common thread and the prospective direction of an organisation that becomes the foundation and led to the creation of the Ansoff Matrix otherwise known as the market/product matrix (Ansoff 1965). The Ansoff's Matrix Present New Present Market Penetration Product Development New Market Development Diversification Source: Ansoff, 1965 The matrix as proposed by Ansoff attempts to indicate the direction of organisation product/market posture, through four possible product/market combinations: market penetration; product development; market development; and

PR individual presentation(Case study) Speech or Presentation

PR individual (Case study) - Speech or Presentation Example For this reason, it should be rooted in the reality and connect with citizen as well as the world. A strong country brand helps to boost exports, tourism, foreign direct invest and public diplomacy. A good example is Rwanda, and the genocide was extremely damaging to the country’s image at international and regional levels. After the country had gained economic stability, branding was essential in order to clear the country image. As a result, the economy growth was 129% while tourism increased by 183%. As the brand drive economy, a strong country brand is paramount because they complement each other. Developing strong country brands requires commitment of all the stakeholders in the country. Branding is not just about having good infrastructure to attract foreign investors and tourist. It is creating a high spirit that runs through the people because they are the face of the brand. Globalization has resulted to stiff competition among the country brand; therefore, it is vital for countries to continue shaping and reshaping their identities in order to remain competitive. We should understand reasons a state is chosen over the other for tourism or foreign direct investments. The same strategy a consumer uses to select a product brand, a country brand is subjected. Just like how users choose their favorite toothpaste or banks, country brands are analyzed using the same

Orientalism by Edward Said Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Orientalism by Edward Said - Movie Review Example United States, Said had the unique advantage of experiencing different perspectives on the issue of Palestine-Israel conflict as well as broader Arabian politics. His works on the subject of Middle East politics are informed by his first hand experiences at these places, as well as a careful study of preceding scholarship by Western intellectuals. The primary criticism in his book Orientalism, as also seen in the documentary, is directed toward the stereotyped vision of Arabs in Western media and academia. This phenomenon, Said notes, is not something new, for its origins could be dated back to the Napoleonic conquest of Egypt in late eighteenth century. Behind the Western stereotyping of the Orient is the underlying belief that the surveyed geographies and peoples are somewhat backward and unrefined compared to Western civilization. What is also evident is the process of homogenization, whereby the vast mosaic of Oriental culture, language, social norms and religious beliefs are bracketed and abstracted into a unified whole. According to Said, â€Å"Orientalism identifies a range of strategies by which 19th and 20th century scholars, writers and artists imposed their authority on the East. The Orient was represented as a theatrical stage affixed to Europe, a place where jaded aristocrats, earnest second sons and tyrannical explorers could discover timeless truths, or perhaps unimagined erotic delights. Stereotypes of eastern wise men and exotic harems removed the colonial world from history altogether, substituting a timeless realm. Orientals are seen not as people but as problems, subjects, races†. (Burrows, 1999, p.50) But the reality is far from such constructions, as accounts of people who live in different regions of the Orient attest to. And as Said suggests in the documentary film, this set of illusions about the Middle East is not accidental or due to scholarly oversight. Said identifies a subtle difference between the stereotyping of the

International marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International marketing - Assignment Example 4. Assessing current and future trends that will affect the organization and some of those changes that would have an effect on the organization. Macro environmental analysis can also be termed as remote or general environment analysis. This is because of how it affects around all organizations, and how strategic managers have no influence or have little influence over the environment (Stead, Garner, and Starik, 2004, p.56). Macro environmental managers’ main focus should be the need to evaluate variables that will play a major role as the market drivers for the future of the organization (Lowe and Doole, 2005, p.54). This means that managers need to focus on the factors that will have the greatest influence on the market for many years to come. When these factors have been spotted, it is very vital to make sure one assess their impacts on the market process, after that the company needs to evaluate the different drivers, if they are favourable or unfavourable to their chosen market or product. The global macro environmental analysis has a great influence on the development of individual national condition, but this means that each country has its own unique set of macro environmental conditions that are related to the country’s history and development (Stonehouse and Campbell, 2004, p.144). The main purpose of macro environment analysis in the global market is to identify similarities and differences between countries. The company chosen was Toyota Motors Corporation, a motor car corporation in Japan, and the country of choice is Japan. Toyota Motors Corporation is based in Japan (New York Times, 2012). Rivalry and conflict that arises from the departmental intra-firm environment is a problem, but can be controlled within the management...Therefore, Toyota decided to withdraw its support for the formula one racing competition, and in turn focus its attention on its vehicle manufacturing (UKessays.co.uk, 2003). With the global economic recovery, T oyota has continued to increase its output in the global market; with many countries experiencing growth in their economies, this provided Toyota with a chance to develop new products in new markets. For example, Toyota aims to occupy more than 10% of the Indian car market by the end of 2015. Social factors These are factors related to the society. Business can’t grow without the society, reasons being that the society is part of it. Social factors include demography, population growth, and company image (UKessays.co.uk, 2003). Any change in the social factors greatly affects the demand and supply in an organization. Socio-cultural factors have had an effect on Toyota in one way or the other. Toyota have led in product quality had they have achieved a good image in many societies, through social activities in different locations worldwide. For example, the Toyota project in Kirloskar Group for the drinking water for the Karnataka peoples (a state in South India). These social activities and projects have solved the social problems for the locals. Consequently, Toyota has earned respect and cooperation from the local people, and created a good image for them (powerfulwords, 2003).