Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness Essay - 4

Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness - Essay Example The company is present in UK, USA, Honk Kong, China, France, Germany, Netherlands, India, and Singapore along with the warehouses universally present. 1. Impact of Globalization and technology A flawless and integrated movement of services, goods and people round the globe is known as globalization which has made this whole world like a global village. This globalization can be a resultant of opening global economy and increased association and link between trades of different nations. Globalization also relates to the liberalization of the import protocols of countries and welcoming the foreign investments in the foundation sectors of a country’s economy (Wrigley 2000). Globalization acts like magnets to attract the global capital through opening economies of countries to multinational firms. There are several indicators of globalization namely internationalization, liberalization, universalization and westernization. All of these indicators are explained ahead. In the develo ping and the developed countries, globalization has and is still playing a very important role in bringing the world together and opening new horizons for prosperity in different aspects. 2. Two Models for superior profitability (Industrial Organization model and resource based model) For a large company like Aceto Corporation, the industrial organization model suggests that external environment dominant have an impact upon strategic actions of the firm. According to this model it is shown that the industry in which the organization has chosen to compete has a greater impact on the performance than the decisions that the managers take inside the company. There are several industrial properties that determine the performance of the company like barriers to entry, economies of scale, product differentiation, degree of concentration of the firms in the industry and diversification etc. (Veliyath & Fitzgerald 2000). According to the resource based model, the resources of the firm includ e the capabilities, assets the organizational processes the attributes, the knowledge the information that it possesses. All these resources serve as input for the firms. The resources must have four attributes according to the VRIN framework that includes Valuable, Rare, Inimitable and Non substitutable. The resources of Aceto are capable of bringing value to the firm and also serve as a source of competitive advantage. The resources are also unique and cannot be copied. This helps the company to win a sustainable competitive advantage. VRIN Framework By applying this framework it can be determined that whether the source of the resources that Aceto has are helping it to gain a sustainable competitive advantage or not. To serve this purpose the resources must be valuable, rare, inimitable and non-substitutable. According the analysis done it is found out that the items that Aceto sells are sold in a unique way and helps them win a competitive advantage. 3. Impact of Vision and Miss ion statements Mission and vision statements are two very important things that any company or organization focuses upon. These statements assist the companies to build growth, loyalty,

Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel Essay Example for Free

Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel Essay Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel is said to be the â€Å"Father of the Kindergarten† for his huge involvement, and devoting his life to the development of a system of education for young children. In German, the word kindergarten means children’s garden, and he thought that this was best in the age of six and younger. He spent his entire life helping with the development of the young and early childhood development. Wilhelm Froebel was born in the Thuringia region of Germany. He had a childhood that was not so fond for remembrance because of how terrible it had been for him. This is what shaped him to be able to come up with the idea of kindergarten. Froebel lost his mother before the age of one, and this meant that he had been left with this father who had to take care of three boys because Froebel had two other brothers. Their father never had much time for any of them. As a boy that would be hard for any child, and this caused him to have to spend most of his time alone at his home. He spent a lot of that time in the gardens by his home, and would play there for most of the day (Coron 4). Exploring all day was what he loved to do the most, and this would make a major influence on what he would do for the rest of his life. He started teaching at a school when he was a young man at Frankfurt Model School, and this school was a school that was focused on the teachings of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, who was a very well respected teacher of his day. This school accepted poor children, and orphans. He believed that children needed to be involved in very active ways. As he left this school, he left it with his very hands on learning approach, and went to privately tutor children. The parents of the children that he tutored were very kind in giving him space in their garden to use to help teach the children. In 1837 Froebel founded his first school, and called it Kindergarten, or the children’s garden (Coron 4). This was a very exciting thing because before he opened this school, if you were under the age of seven, you did not attend school. At the age of seven, you then could go to school. Now that Froebel opened his school, children at the age of two were able to go to school (coron 3). Froebel was very free with the children, he allowed them to have a lot of activity time to be free with themselves, and figure things out. He believed that this was the best idea for them to have their own space, and time to figure out, as he did as a child. The mot that Froebel gave the children was a classroom, he believed that giving children a place to create, and imagine freely was the best gift anyone could have given them. Froebel wrote books, and in his book â€Å"Education of Man† he wrote â€Å"Play is the highest phase of child development-the representation of the inner necessity and impulse.† (coron 5). He thought that teachers should be friendly people who are helpers, not discip linarians. In his classroom there were blocks, pets, and finger plays. (Coron 5). He was inspirational to all. Froebel designed his classroom to have the following things as meeting a child’s needs; Physical activity, because it is important for a child to move, the development of sensory awareness and physical dexterity, creative expression, exploring of ideas, the pleasure of singing, the experience of living among others, and satisfaction of the soul. (Coron 4). These are all things we teach today to our children, and encourage our children to do. I think going back and looking at the bones of things could really help our society as a whole. Froebel was a very inspirational man to a lot of other great theorists such as Maria Montessori, who started Montessori schools. (Coron 2). I am in great belief of how much of a influence Froebel had on the early childhood education as a whole. He really was the father of kindergarten. I think that him having such an influence, really helped us shape the early education now. Froebel believed that â€Å"Humans are essentially productive, and creative† (coron 1.) I believe he is right, no matter what age you are, you are creative in your own way. It starts out at birth, even with how you relate to your mother, and father is creative, and how you interpret things as a young child is important. I know that if Froebel had not been involved, that what we call early childhood now, would not be the same as it is now. I am a firm believer in how he started to do things, letting children develop their own ideas about who they are, and how to do things in the world around them is really all a part of life.

Lady Macbeth - Macbeths Incredible Lady :: Macbeth essays

Macbeth's Incredible Lady      Ã‚   In William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth there are two main characters, one of which is more believable than the other. Lady Macbeth is not as lifelike or realistic as her husband. In this essay we shall explore her character.    In his book, On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy, H. S. Wilson describes the role of Lady Macbeth:    Professor Kittredge used to point out to his classes that Lady Macbeth, in urging Macbeth to act, uses the three arguments that every wife, some time or other, uses to every husband: "You promised me you'd do it!" "You'd do it if you loved me!" "If I were a man, I'd do it myself!" But Macbeth's mind is made up by her assurance that they may do it safely by fixing the guilt upon Duncan's chamberlains. (72)    L.C. Knights in the essay "Macbeth" describes the unnaturalness of Lady Macbeth's words and actions:    Thus the sense of the unnaturalness of evil is evoked not only be repeated explicit references ("nature's mischief," "nature seems dead," " 'Tis unnatural, even like the deed that's done," and so on) but by the expression of unnatural sentiments and an unnatural violence of tone in such things as Lady Macbeth's invocation of the "spirits" who will "unsex" her, and her affirmation that she would murder the babe at her breast if she had sworn to do it. (95)    Samuel Johnson in The Plays of Shakespeare underscores how ambition by the protagonists leads to detestation on the part of the readers:    The danger of ambition is well described; and I know not whether it may not be said in defence of some parts which now seem improbable, that, in Shakespeare's time, it was necessary to warn credulity against vain and illusive predictions. The passions are directed to their true end. Lady Macbeth is merely detested; and though the courage of Macbeth preserves some esteem, yet every reader rejoices at his fall. (133)    In "Memoranda: Remarks on the Character of Lady Macbeth," Sarah Siddons comments on the Lady's cold manner:    [Macbeth] announces the King's approach; and she, insensible it should seem to all the perils which he has encountered in battle, and to all the happiness of his safe return to her, -- for not one kind word of greeting or congratulations does she offer, -- is so entirely swallowed up by the horrible design, which has probably been suggested to her by his letters, as to have forgotten both the one and the other.

Position Paper of Morocco to Frozen Conflicts in the Region

Nowadays, there are hundreds of conflicts which are in a frozen state all around the world. Most of these conflicts based on ethnic separatism which greatly complicates the task of solving them, headed by the whole nationality. The former Soviet Union alone has 4 frozen conflicts. Some political analysts believe, that the armed conflicts in the region of the Black Sea and South Caucasus emerged due to the disintegration of the Soviet Union, as well as not fully thought out the division of the lands between the new states.As evidenced of it the presence there is not one or just two conflicts in the former Soviet Union, but as many as 4. The modern world's attention is focused on the open conflicts and military showdowns, but we should not forget about the frozen conflicts, which are fraught with the danger of instantly break the â€Å"frozen† state and move into a phase blitzkrieg side. Frozen conflicts of the Black Sea and South Caucasus affect countries such as South Ossetia, North Ossetia, Ingushetia and Georgia.Another centre of the conflict is a clash of interests of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is geographically located in Azerbaijan, but the majority of its population are Armenians. But we shouldn`t talk about the lack of attention of the world community and political institutions to the frozen conflicts in these regions. Since one of the main functions of the UN Security Council is the maintenance and preservation of the peace, of course the UN has made and is making peacekeeping measures in the past.UN adopted 4 resolutions to stop illegal occupation of the territory of Azerbaijan: April 30, 1993 Adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 822, which requires â€Å"an immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from Kelbajar district and other recently occupied areas of Azerbaijan. † July 29, 1993 – Adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 853, â€Å"which requires the immediate, complete and unconditiona l withdrawal of the occupying forces from the district of Agdam and all other recently occupied areas of the Republic of Azerbaijan. October 14, 1993 – UN Security Council passed Resolution 874, calling on the parties â€Å"to refrain from any hostile acts and from any interference or intervention which would lead to escalation of the conflict and undermine peace and security in the region. † November 11, 1993 – UN Security Council adopted Resolution 884, which requires â€Å"an immediate cessation of hostilities and hostile acts, unilateral withdrawal of occupying forces from the Zangelan district and the city Horadiz and withdrawal of occupying forces from other recently occupied areas of the Republic of Azerbaijan. June 12, 1995 the EU Council adopted a project of â€Å"common position† on the Caucasus. In this document, among other things, noted that the Union should help Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan to overcome the difficult period of transition to democracy, based on a market economy. Thus, we have no rights to say that the European Union and the world community did not take part in the settlement of the conflicts peacefully.However, putting on hold military action, but without reaching consensus in resolving disputes or frozen conflicts, not only inhibits geopolitical development of the participating countries, but also serves as a prerequisite for the destabilization of the entire system of international relations. Our country is not an exception and we also have a hidden conflict over Western Sahara, which, due to its geographical position traditionally is a disputed territory, the possession of which at one time claimed Spain and France.Our country is embroiled in armed conflict in 1957 – 58 with Spain, the rise of nationalism also contributed to the tense situation in the region among the people of Western Sahara, and consequently, the formation of the Popular Front (POLISARIO) in May 1973, which launched an ar med struggle against the Spaniards. As a result, in 1975, were entered into the Madrid Agreement and the Western Sahara territory was divided between our country and Mauritania. But POLISARIO immediately declared the independence of the Arab Democratic Republic and supported by Algeria began fighting against our country and Mauritania.However, the neighbouring countries have given up their rights to part of the territory of Western Sahara, allowing us as a more economically and militarily powerful country to continue to fight for the right to possess the territory. Interest in the territory of Western Sahara is due not only to national-ethnic factor, but also a lot of subsoil resources are located in the area. On September 6, 1991, UN a truce was arranged, but so far the conflict finally settled as a referendum on independence has not been conducted.Search for solution to the frozen conflict is of interest to our country in view of the growing possibility of a conflict with Spain, w hose city enclaves in the territory of our country. But the number of the Moroccan population in these cities is gradually increasing over the Spanish. This situation can be a starting point for separatist thoughts. So we need to develop a general model without resolving the frozen conflicts on the basis of precedent, at least learn how to prevent and deal with them at the local, sub-national level.

A Critical Analysis of Sir Patrick Spens, The Ballad Essay

‘Sir Patrick Spens’ is, for the most part, an archetypal early ballad being composed in quatrains, with the typical alternating four-stress and three-stress lines and the second and fourth line of each stanza rhyming. The poem is set in medias res, telling certainly of a tragedy, possibly based on two voyages in the thirteenth-century on which Scottish noblemen transported princesses to royal marriages, with many members of Alexander III’s daughter Margaret’s escort drowning on the journey home. The theme of tragedy and having a plot based on local history are both elements often seen in the ballad form. However, the poem does also defy characteristics of the traditional ballad; it includes a third person narrative voice that is not necessarily impartial, which contradicts the typically impersonal, distanced narration commonly found in this genre of poetry. There is an example of a satirical view of the higher classes, mocking the king’s decision to not withhold the voyage and also mocking the fact that the nobles boarded the ship, for if they had not, then the tragedy would have been avoided. The dark humour found in the personification of their hats that ‘swam aboon’(line 32) exemplifies a view not particularly sympathetic with the drowning victims, which coupled with the idea that ‘the play were played’(line 31) suggests the inevitability that this would be the situation, clearly signifying a mockery of the decisions made by the higher classes. Early ballads often contain strong regional dialect as they were originally orally transmitted. This particular dialect gives the reader a strong idea of the origins of the ballad and lends a sense of authenticity to the text, reaffirming the typicality of this particular ballad, being a further reference to it’s foundations in local history. The dialect can also be used as a tool to highlight sections of the ballad, for example, when it is used to describe the King drinking blood-red wine or ‘blude-reid wine’ (line 2). This strong image is prefigurative of the tragic ending of the poem and echoes the previously displayed idea that the narrator feels the king is responsible for this misfortune. The narrator’s view reflects the idea of ‘power without responsibility’ which makes this ballad somewhat  ahead of its time. It was rare that royalty were questioned when the ballad form flourished in Scotland from the fifteenth century onward. This notion that the poem is quite a ahead of it’s time implies that at least this ballad negates the view of Ben Johnson’s dictum ‘a poet should detest a ballad maker’[1] as clearly here the early ballad demonstrates a brilliant use in it’s ability to convey a person’s personal political view in a rather active way, passing on their message by word of mouth and challenging the accepted.

Free Essays on Creationism Vs. Evolution

: Theory, Law, and Hypothesis. The definitions will allow for a greater underezding of this essay and give us an even ground upon which to begin. - Theory; noun 1. a. Systematically organized knowledge applicable in a relatively wide variety of circumezces, especially a system of assumptions, accepted principles, and rules of procedure devised to analyze, predict, or otherwise explain the nature or behavior of a... Free Essays on Creationism Vs. Evolution Free Essays on Creationism Vs. Evolution In my short life on this planet I have come to question things that many take upon blind faith. We all know that we must some day die; yet we continuously deny the forces at work inside ourselves, which want to search out the answers of what may or may not come after. It is far easier for humanity to accept that they will go to a safe haven and be rewarded for their lives with pleasures and fantasies of an unfathomable scale than to question the existence of a supposed omnipotent being. Yet, there are a few of us humans who tend to question the why's and wherefore's that society puts forth to us. We question the existence of God, or the creation of mankind rather than blindly accepting faith-filled beliefs we may received from our parents as children. Perhaps it is because we live in a nation filled with many peoples of different beliefs whose Gods are all so varied and different that it is difficult to fathom that they are all the same divine being. It is also plausible that we just have a desire to quench the thirst for knowledge that lies deep within ourselves. As for myself, I cannot believe in a being which created a universe and a multitude of worlds in a rather short period of time then deigns to lower itself into becoming a puppet-master and "pulling the strings" of the Earth and all of the people therein. Since this paper touches upon many scientific terms, I feel that in order for the reader to correctly grasp the content I must first define three words: Theory, Law, and Hypothesis. The definitions will allow for a greater underezding of this essay and give us an even ground upon which to begin. - Theory; noun 1. a. Systematically organized knowledge applicable in a relatively wide variety of circumezces, especially a system of assumptions, accepted principles, and rules of procedure devised to analyze, predict, or otherwise explain the nature or behavior of a...

Journal Two Essay Example

Journal Two Essay Example Journal Two Essay Journal Two Essay Journal Two Name: Course: Instructor: Institution: Date: Journal Two Man, since the beginning of time, has always felt the need to recreate or add to what constitutes his environment. Art has been able to satisfy this need and men have recreated the world and portrayed it, as they perceive it in wondrous ways. Painting, pottery, sculpting and drawing, are all forms of visual art that satisfy an artists desire to recreate the world around him. These art forms employ the use of lines that culminate into shapes and shapes form dimensions that generate the illusion of volume and mass. Unlike painting and drawing, sculpting and pottery have actual volume and mass though the concept of using lines to form shapes is similar in all. The function of lines is to draw an outline that forms shapes. The subsequent forms create depth and texture. The texture is achieved through hatching. Hatching is the use of fine, parallel lines drawn closely together to create the illusion of shade in a drawing. Hatching is usually used during sketching. Lines have various implications. For example, the horizontal line denotes stability. A bottle drawing must have a base that is drawn horizontally. A vertical line means gravity or assertiveness, and finally a diagonal line suggests movement and directionality in a drawing. These lines are essential in a making any basic shapes during drawing. A shape in art is referred to as the area within a composition that has boundaries. These boundaries are determined by other elements of art such as lines and color. The amount of space that a work covers is the volume. Anything that has volume then has mass. Mass refers to the actual density of an object. Anything that has mass therefore must occupy a three-dimensional space whose volume and weight can be measured. Drawings create the illusion of an object having volume and an implied mass thereof. There are three types of shapes: Geometric shapes, biomorphic shapes and organic shapes. Geometric shapes have clear defined outlines and edges when one uses a tool to draw them. Organic shapes are natural. They have less well-defined borders and boundaries. A cloud or the shape of a cell can be termed as being organically shaped. Biomorphic shapes, on the other hand, refer to the shapes drawn in free form. These forms are independent of any geometric depiction giving those unique beautiful forms resembling living organisms. For a work of art to be appealing, the intricate design in shape is vital Color in a work of art qualifies it to the realm of reality or at least close to reality. Hue is a term use to refer to all the classification of colors; that is, primary colors, secondary colors and tertiary colors. Different shades and tints of a color can arise from saturated form hue. Saturation is the pureness of a color. The different shades arising from pure forms depend on the amount of black added to hue, and tints will depend on the amount of white added to hue, such that we can have light green or dark green. Primary colors are those that cannot be derived from the mixing of colors, and they include red, blue and green. Secondary colors are created from mixing two primary colors, and tertiary colors are created from mixing the equal parts of a primary and secondary colors, closest to each other. Mixing light refers to combining all the three primaries whose theoretical result would be white light. This is referred to as additive color mixture. Conversely, subtractive mixtu re assumes all colors are derived from the primaries. If all the derivative colors are to be combined, the resulting color will be black. This is what is considered subtractive color. The effect of color in a painting brings about texture. Texture is a word coined from Latin to mean, â€Å"Weaving†. It is used to depict surface character of something through touch. In a canvassed painting, a thick layer of painting called Impasto is formed. Painting creates a texture gradient, where objects are distorted in size where closer objects in a painting have been compared with objects further. A work of art in the end is a combination of lines, shapes, and color in an attempt to depict reality.

How to Start a Book Report

How to Start a Book Report No matter what youre writing, be it the next great novel, an essay for school, or a book report, you have to capture your audiences attention with a great introduction. Most students will introduce the title of the book and its author, but theres so much more you can do. A strong introduction will help you engage your readers, hold their attention and explain what is coming up in the rest of your report. Giving your audience something to look forward to, and perhaps even creating a little mystery and excitement, can be great ways to make sure your readers stay engaged with your report. How do you do this? Check out these three simple steps: 1. Hook the Audience's Attention Think about what you experience in your daily life that captures your attention. The news and radio shows promo upcoming stories with a little teaser, often called a hook (because it hooks your attention). Corporations use snappy subject lines in emails and enticing headlines in social media to get you to open their messages; these are often called clickbait as they get the reader to click on the content. So how can you grab your readers attention? Start by writing a great  introductory sentence. You may choose to begin by asking your reader a question to hook his or her interest. Or you may opt for a title that hints at the topic of your report with a dash of drama. Regardless of the way you choose to start a book report, the four strategies outlined here can help you write an engaging essay. Starting your book report with a question is a good way to grab your readers interest because youre addressing them directly. Consider the following sentences: Do you believe in happy endings?Have you ever felt like a total outsider?Do you love a good mystery?What would you do if you discovered a secret that changed everything? Most people have a ready answer for questions like these because they speak to common experiences we share. Its a means of creating empathy between the person reading your book report and the book itself. For example, consider this opening to a book report about The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton: Have you ever been judged by your appearance? In The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton gives readers a glimpse inside the tough exterior of a social outcast. Not everyones teenage years are as dramatic as those in Hintons coming-of-age novel. But everyone was once an adolescent, and odds are everyone had moments when they felt misunderstood or alone. Another idea to hook someones attention is, if youre discussing a book by a well-known or popular author, you might start with an interesting fact about the era when the author was alive and how it influenced his or her writing. For example: As a young child, Charles Dickens was forced to work in a shoe polish factory. In his novel, Hard Times, Dickens taps into his childhood experience to explore the evils of social injustice and hypocrisy. Not everyone has read Dickens, but many people have heard his name. By starting your book report with a fact, youre appealing to your readers curiosity. Similarly, you may choose an experience from the author’s life that had an impact on his or her work.   2. Summarize the Content and Provide Details A book report is meant to discuss the contents of the book at hand, and your introductory paragraph should give a little overview. This isnt the place to delve into details, but draw off your hook to share a little more information that is crucial to the storyline.   For example, sometimes, a novels setting is what makes it so powerful. To Kill a Mockingbird, the award-winning book by Harper Lee, takes place in a small town in Alabama during the Great Depression. The author draws on her own experiences in recalling a time when a small Southern towns sleepy exterior hid a vague sense of impending change. In this example, the reviewer might include a reference to the books setting and plot in that first paragraph: Set in the sleepy town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Depression, we learn about Scout Finch and her father, a prominent lawyer, as he desperately works to prove the innocence of a black man wrongly accused of rape. The controversial trial leads to some unexpected interactions and some  terrifying situations for the Finch Family. Authors make a deliberate choice when selecting the setting of a book. After all, the location and setting can set a very distinct mood.   3. Make a Thesis Statement (if applicable) When writing a book report, you might also include your own interpretations of the subject matter. Ask your teacher how much personal interpretation he or she wants first, but assuming that some personal opinion is warranted, your introduction should include a thesis statement. This is where you present the reader with your own argument  about the work. To write a strong thesis statement, which should be about one sentence, you might reflect on what the author was trying to achieve. Consider the theme and see if the book was written in such a way where you were able to determine it easily and if it made sense. As yourself a few questions: Was the book meant to be entertaining or informative? Did it accomplish that goal?Did the moral at the end make sense? Did you learn something?Did the book make you think about the topic at hand and assess your beliefs?   Once youve asked yourself these questions, and any other questions you may think of, see if these responses lead you to a thesis statement in which you assess the success of the novel. Sometimes, a thesis statement is widely shared, while others may be more controversial. In the example below, the thesis statement is one that few would dispute, ​and uses dialogue from the text to help illustrate the point.  Authors choose dialogue carefully, and a single phrase from a character can often represent both a major theme and your thesis. A well-chosen quote included in your book reports introduction can help you create a thesis statement that has a powerful impact on your readers, as in this example: At its heart, the novel To Kill A Mockingbird is a plea for tolerance in an atmosphere of intolerance, and is a statement on social justice. As the  character  Atticus Finch tells his daughter, You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. Quoting Finch is effective because his words sum up the novels theme concisely and also appeal to the readers own sense of tolerance. Conclusion Dont worry if your first attempt at writing an introductory paragraph is less than perfect. Writing is an act of fine-tuning, and you may need several revisions. The idea is to start your book report by identifying your general theme so that you can move on to the body of your essay. After youve written the entire book report, you can (and should) return to the introduction to refine it. Creating an outline can help you best identify what you need in your introduction. Article edited  by  Stacy Jagodowski

How new media has changed the way in which individuals communicate Coursework - 1

How new media has changed the way in which individuals communicate - Coursework Example Information and communication technologies are numerous, segmented but that they are characterized by two important dimensions - that of its pervasiveness and the connectivity of the technological platforms/media that is anytime and anywhere. The Internet and the Global Village Unarguably, the Internet is central to the sophistication of information and communication. It has enabled people - through their computer systems and mobile network devices - to be networked together so that they interact real-time. A resident in London, for instance, could chat with a friend from Chile, read an on-going news story about what is happening in Libya and buy some apparel from a manufacturing outfit in China. All these feats could be accomplished at the same time, from the comfort of the Londoner's own home and just with some clicks of his mouse. It is easy to understand how people regard the Internet as a blessing for the sheer reason that it makes life so much easier and for knowledge to be gai ned at the speed of light. Presently, the global Internet users are fast approaching its 2 billionth mark. (World Internet Usage 2011) Because of this, the Internet became a platform for communication as well as a form of digital community that people could take advantage of for whatever objective, cause and purpose they have. For example, there is the issue of online trade or more popularly known as e-commerce. Organizations through the Internet gain access to millions upon millions of consumers to sell goods and services. At the other end of this equation, there are also those millions who turn to the medium in order to find and buy goods and services. Today, trade of all kinds and in all volumes peruses the Internet as an integral part of the sales process because it eliminates several steps and barriers in ordinary trading process. Because of the Internet's capability, production and sale of goods and services has become cost efficient, benefitting the producer and the consumer in the process. The type of communication offered by online infrastructure has provided users a facilitated way by which their economic or commercial needs are satisfied. Online trade and marketing are now so sophisticated that they are permeate people’s online lives. There is also the use of the Internet by marketers, news organizations, cause-oriented groups, and other users that seek to disseminate information so that they could shape public opinion and, hence, influence their behavior and those of the policy networks’. The Internet forms part of many corporations initiative to build brands, cultivate customer relationship and dispense excellent customer service – all designed to gain competitive advantage. Cause-oriented groups could use the medium in their strategy to inform the public about their activities. All in all, the Internet has achieved the status of the traditional media in terms of usage and integrity making it one of the platforms that public c ame to rely on. Information Access If one has to consider the way Internet works - how content could be produced and accessed by several people simultaneously - it becomes easy to understand how it has become a valuable tool in education. Online classrooms, podcasts and webinars are excellent demonstrations of how people tap the Internet to learn. For example, many South Koreans and Chinese used to go abroad in order to learn the English language. Recently, however, an increasing number of online classrooms have become alternative destinations for these learners. Through the

What are the three best critical questions that one can bring to the Essay

What are the three best critical questions that one can bring to the study of the international relations of china - Essay Example ieves, it has tried to grow in reference to its historyand this has impacted positively towards its international and domestic affairs and finally maintaining respecting its legacy of irredentism. Being the world’s oldest culture, Chinese culture has perceived a dominant coverage in a large geographical region in eastern Asia with customs and traditions varying greatly between provinces, cities, and even towns. Literature, music, visual arts, maritalarts, cuisine and religion makes the important components of the culture.The Culture covers large geographical territories in china; usuallyeach region isdivided into distinct sub-cultures and represented by three ancestral items. A good example is Guangdong represented by chenpi, aged ginger and hay. These distinctions give rise to the old Chinese proverb: â€Å"Shà ­ lÇ  bà ¹tà ³ng fÄ“ng, bÇŽi lÇ  bà ¹tà ³ng sà ºÃ¢â‚¬  literally "the wind varies within ten li, customs vary within a hundred li." In relation to the marital art, Chinese marital arts are collectively given the name kung fu,Kung to mean "achievement" or "merit", and (fu) "man", thus "human achievement"). The first generation of art started mor e for the purpose of survival and warfare than art. Over time, some art forms have branched off, while others have retained a distinct Chinese flavor. Regardless, China has produced some of the most renowned martial artists for example wong Fei Hung. Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the cradle of Chinese civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the worlds oldest civilizations. For instance, the yellow played a number of roles: to start with, according to the Chinese culture, Family is seen to be very important. The authority of the family belongs to the father. The father always arranges the marriages for his daughters, controls the amount of

Antitrust Practices and Market Power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Antitrust Practices and Market Power - Essay Example By pairing the two together, every Windows user had a copy of the internet explorer which led to Microsoft’s victory in the market. It was clear that bundling them together had restricted the access for other browsers in the market that had to be bought. It is alleged that Microsoft used its monopoly power to favor the internet explorer over the other web browsers. In its defense, Microsoft said that merging its operating system and the Internet Explorer was as a result of fair competition and invention, and that would enable users to use the internet explorer for free. It was still clear whether the operating system and the Internet Explorer were two separate items or whether they were one piece. However, Microsoft maintained that it had made its operating system a bit more expensive, and thus it could not be said to be y free. The case focused on predatory strategies Microsoft had engaged in and a market barrier to entry as opposed to interoperability (Brinkley, 2000). The action by Microsoft to favor internet explorer over the rest of the browsers in the market violated the Sherman antitrust law section 1and 2 where Section one states that any contract that would cause restraint in trade among several states and thus the contract could be declared illegal. Section two, on the other hand, states that any company that will attempt to monopoli ze any part of trade shall be declared guilty of a felony punishable in a court of law (St.Olaf College, 2004). A monopoly is a company that has only one seller in the market who has absolute rights in a particular interest, and they are te only seller in the market thus have the right to fix the price. In most cases, the cost of entering into the market is very high thus causing a barrier to entry to new entrants. The monopoly fixes the price as consumers will still buy. There are monopolies owned by the government especially where the

Economics Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words - 1

Economics Project - Essay Example It is significant to understand that even though countries might be located in the same region, they may respond variously to financial crises and may have different capabilities to withstand their impacts. The section following the literature review will be dedicated to econometric results that will analyze the impacts of the financial crisis on key labour market performance indicators such as unemployment and employment rates. In investigating the severity of financial crises for economies at different levels of development, a re-estimation will be done on a model for sub-samples obtained from different income groups plus additional 15 transition countries (Griffith 2000). Financial crisis is an economic situation that relates to a panic in the banking sector, and includes a significant financial and production sector losses, leads to chaos on the international market, creates downfall of the stocks in the market, financial bubbles, currency crises as well as foreign loans and also leads to sharp declines in economic activity nd has a huge potential of creating an economic recession (Marelli, Patuelli & Signorelli 2012). The 2007-08 financial crises affected the whole world. The Global financial crisis started in 2007 with ‘subprime crisis and then quickly propagated into the financial system and the banking sector of other countries as a result of global diffusion that was involved with the sophisticated financial instruments. In 2008, the extending disruptions in the working of credit systems and banks, the deterioration of expectations, and the confidence crisis led to the initial real effects that were felt in the economy. It also led to a d ecrease in levels of activity and productivity levels as well as a reduction in investments and consumptions and a fall in international trade. The financial crisis experienced in 2007-08 financial year also persisted in 2009, and this was coupled with widespread consequences on labour

Summary and review of Selma movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary and of Selma - Movie Review Example In the movie, Ava DuVernay narrates the story of how King and his family created a transformation that changed the American history forever. The movie is a representation of the ancient darker days experienced by black Americans. The message ends with promises that terror will never be accepted or celebrated. Apart from depicting the advancement of change, Selma shows stunted evolution. It is a reminder that history is necessary to avoid making mistakes. The story gives an outline of both the ancient times and the way forward. While representing King, Oyelowo becomes a revelation in the movie. For instance, he brings out the spirit of his character instead of a visual interpretation. He brings out the image of the King as an exhausted man with the task of creating change and then combines it with disobedience, comedy, strength, and calculated expertise. Oyelowo’s outstanding performance depicts King as a complicated and imperfect person whose belief in God prevented him from experiencing absolute despair. This touching film intends to irritate, depress, and inspire the

Controversial Images in Art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Controversial Images in Art - Assignment Example Something about the crucifix itself is that Christians treat it like a fashion accessory. When somebody sees it, he or she is horrified by it. However, in the real sense, it represents the crucifixion of a man. This controversial photo is not recommended for public displays. Being a photo that displays genitals, in can be viewed by children when displayed in public. Therefore, its display in public places would corrupt children’s minds. In addition, they can grow up having a poor spiritual mentality since they have seen a photographic display of Christ’s genitals. With many attacks made on the photo in public places, this photo is not good for public displays. Many Christians find the photo deeply offensive. For instance, Serrano’s work led to a congressional debate on United States’ public arts funding, which was held in France. During the debate, the photo was physically attacked. Also, a group of Catholics who gathered outside Edward Tyler Nahem gallery in midtown Manhattan opposed this work when the exhibition was opened (Chapman). According to Chapman, artists communicate identity through abstract or conceptual means. It therefore means that it is the responsibility of the artist to communicate through conceptual means such as photographs. Despite, using this means of communication, it should not trigger controversy among the intended audience. The artist needs to avoid using a photo that exposes nudity since the photo may lead moral decay among children who get to it. In addition, ethics should dictate what the artist does. He should be obliged not to knowing or unknowingly insult Christianity as a religion. It is also his utter responsibility not to create irrational beliefs in other religions. Making people believe in other things about their religion is a big danger to the religion they believe in (Chapman). The photo is

Summary and review of Selma movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary and of Selma - Movie Review Example In the movie, Ava DuVernay narrates the story of how King and his family created a transformation that changed the American history forever. The movie is a representation of the ancient darker days experienced by black Americans. The message ends with promises that terror will never be accepted or celebrated. Apart from depicting the advancement of change, Selma shows stunted evolution. It is a reminder that history is necessary to avoid making mistakes. The story gives an outline of both the ancient times and the way forward. While representing King, Oyelowo becomes a revelation in the movie. For instance, he brings out the spirit of his character instead of a visual interpretation. He brings out the image of the King as an exhausted man with the task of creating change and then combines it with disobedience, comedy, strength, and calculated expertise. Oyelowo’s outstanding performance depicts King as a complicated and imperfect person whose belief in God prevented him from experiencing absolute despair. This touching film intends to irritate, depress, and inspire the

Argument Synthesis paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Argument Synthesis paper - Essay Example tstanding question that needs an immediate address evolving as the greatest robotic debate or argument is the jobs, ethical and social values destroyed by the artificial intelligences, automation. Therefore, as a turning point usage of robots in the modern society to solve life issue in handling robotic concept and principles in dealing with ethical, social and job issues cause some vulnerability in than good. For example people living with autism as claimed by Judith (2014). On a broad aspect, the impacts of artificial intelligence as a data-driven model, accountable and control tool or operational model as carefully evaluated, examined and rebutted against artificial intelligence in solving the human problems from different dimensions based on the reliable facts and evidences obtained by Judith (2014) claims from an economic point of view are pointing out the impacts of artificial intelligence and automation on employments and job opportunities in creating technological unemployment. Based on the economic skeptical Luddism approach (Noel 2008; Robbie 2012) applies the similar pattern to visualize the new robotic life it has caused in creating mass unemployment as robots can handle much work with long working hours compared to human labor. Nevertheless, neoclassical economist argues that, though most predication have worked out is solving human problems such as solving health problems, collecting the highways and other areas, digital revolution or accel erating technology causes the modern employment crisis. Wang claim supports Robbie (2012) findings by basing his findings and conclusion from a developmental and cognitive point of view against the overdependence of robotic intelligence in addressing human issues. According to his findings, the use of robotic intelligence has always resulted to the outstripping of the human brain processing power as the most of reasoning and cognitive activities are taken by the use of computerized devices. Comparatively, the

Margaret Atwood Essay Example for Free

Margaret Atwood Essay Margaret Atwood once wrote Does feminist mean a large unpleasant person wholl shout at you or someone who believes women are human beings. To me its the latter, so I sign up. This clearly shows that Atwood believes that feminism is not about depicting a woman as a strong and macho character but a real one with admirable traits and some imperfections. Cats Eye, one of Atwoods acclaimed novels, is distinctively a feminist novel that shows two different kinds of women in society. The first being the stereotypically traditional woman, who is weak and submissive to man. She illustrates this type of woman through her minor characters Ms. Smeath and Susie, both of whom play weak and traditional women who face tragedy in life. Her second kind is the heroic and feminist character that while being admirable and strong has some human weaknesses. She presents this with two unconventional protagonists Elaine Risley and Cordelia. She depicts Elaine and Cordelia as two tough but insecure women who fight to create their unique identity in the society. During the time frame of the book (1940- 1980), society was extremely male dominated especially the literary aspect of it. Most of the famous authors were male and most of the highly regarded books were written in a chauvinistic manner, depicting women as weak, vulnerable, disloyal, unimportant and narrow minded. On the other hand, men were portrayed as heroic, overly strong, and perfect in every sense. Feminist novels, throughout this time, were novels that portrayed women as the hero and protagonists rather than as women. Atwoods Cats Eye, however, differed from the typical feminist novels as it illustrated the women as admirable heroines who were strong and proud but flawed. This brought a realistic touch to the characters as readers were able to understand them better as they seemed more humanlike with strengths and weaknesses. Margaret Atwood cleverly proves her book uniquely feminist through her portrayal of characters as she explores the struggles of dual level of women in society; the stereotypical and vulnerable woman and the strong and unconventional feminist. Ms. Smeath is first introduced as a woman with a weak heart and someone who needs constant rest due to her illness. Already, readers pity her and have a mental image of a weak and frail mother who is in need of help. In contrast, if a novel of the same era were to depict a man with the same condition, he would be shown as someone who is internally very strong and despite his physical illness, he would be fighting to save himself. This is a clear example of the sexist views of society during that time. Through the description of her physical appearance, one can see that Ms Smeath believes that women should dress in a plain and conservative fashion. She is shown as wearing print housedresses which are especially saggy around the chest and Oxfords- which are very plain leather shoes. She also does not wear make-up or make fancy hairstyles and is perceived to be strict, straight and upright. This perception of her is later proven true as Atwood describes her as someone who doesnt laugh, goes to church every week and does not stand for things she does not like like the time she was told that Carols mom and dad slept on two different beds. Mrs. Smeath is not like Mrs. Campbell. For instance, she has no twin sets and views them with contempt. I know this because once, when Carol was bragging about her mothers twin sets, Mrs. Smeath said Is that so, not as a question but as a way of making Carol shut up. In the novel, Mrs. Smeath is depicted as a narrow-minded mother who believes that Elaine deserves to be punished by God because she comes from a family that is not as religious as the Smeaths. Its Gods punishment, says Mrs. Smeath. It serves her right. This shows her high-self esteem and her belief of superiority over others. Mrs. Smeath represents the dark and evil side of women in society during that time period. Another stereotypical woman, fragile and defenceless, is presented in the form of Susie, a fellow classmate of Elaines in night school. Susie is seen as someone who puts on a lot of make-up and jewellery, wears skin-tight clothes, and has a quiet voice. To Elaine, she is just a fake and dumb girl whos just fooling around in class. Elaine also suspects Susie of having an affair with their art teacher Mr. Joseph Hrbik, as she is the only one who sticks up for him when the rest of the class taunts him. In the beginning, Elaine thinks that Susie is incapable of love as she is too superficial; another stereotype of women in that society, she believes that Susie is just playing with Mr. Hrbiks feelings for personal benefit. Susie herself is incapable of love, shes too shallow, I think of her as the conscious one, the one in control: shes toying with him Susie represents the other side of the stereotypical woman in society the opposite of Mrs. Smeath. She is seen as a dependant person as she seems to be in awe of Mr. Hrbik at all times. Another proof of this is the time Susie comes to visit Elaine one last time in Swiss Chalet. Have you seen Josef? she asked. I lied not well No why would I? I just thought you might know where he was, she said. This shows that not only is Susie aware that Elaine and Josef are having an affair; she can do nothing about it, as she is too dependent on Josef. This also proves her to be weak and with a low self esteem. However, Elaine later discovers that Susie was in fact pregnant and knew that Josef would refuse to marry her and so she decides to abort the baby herself. This shows her helplessness, as she is unable to defend herself against the pain of Josef leaving her. Even in her weakest moment, the time she was in the ambulance she pleads with Elaine not to tell Josef. Together, Mrs. Smeath and Susie represent the stereotype of women as either evil and dark or weak and vulnerable in society at th at time period. On the other hand are Atwoods two uniquely feminist characters Cordelia and Elaine. Cordelia and Elaine represent the reality of women rather than the supposed roles represented by Mrs. Smeath and Grace. Cordelia represents a very strong but victimized woman of society and Elaine is the unusual central character that is a very passionate and talented with a traumatic childhood, which influences her entire life. Cordelia is first introduced in the beginning of the novel in one of Elaines first memories. Straightaway, the reader gets the impression of a rebel when the narrative voice says, Were impervious, we scintillate, and we are thirteen. Through the way they express their likes and dislikes, and the power they thought they had, one can easily make out they are feminists. Atwood uses symbolism when she writes Cordelia sits with nonchalance, nudging me with her elbow now and then, staring blankly at the other people with her grey-green eyes, opaque and glinting metal. This symbolizes Cordelias eyes as cold and sharp as metal to show Cordelias attitude towards others. Cordelia has many traits fit for a heroine for example her outer self-confidence she presents herself in an extremely confident manner despite her real feelings inside. Her independence- she is never dependant on anyone to guide her and despite having two sisters and mother to look up to, she lives life her own way almost struggling to create her own place, her own identity in the world. Her intelligence-she got promoted to a higher grade despite being younger than the rest. Her strength to become what she wants and not what the society wants her to be. And her leadership skills, which even though used wrongly, were powerful enough to ensure she was always leader. However, Cordelia has some obvious weaknesses her family. Throughout the book, Cordelia shows that she has a certain discomfort with her family, especially her father who beat her- and her sisters who were the perfect girls thus, creating a lot of pressure for Cordelia to do well. But no matter how well Cordelia did, her dad paid no attention to her. She later on reveals to Elaine that as a child she would swallow mercury so she wouldnt have to go to school, and she would dig holes in her yard so she could be safe in them and how she used to get into a lot of trouble with her dad and that she hated moving to the new house because she didnt have any good friends except for Elaine. At that moment, readers see the broken and hidden child behind the hard and cold exterior. Readers see a young girl who has been a victim to many pressures and responsibilities. Another instance of this is when Perdi says to Cordelia Pull up your socks, Cordelia, or youll flunk your year again. You know what Daddy said last time. Cordelia flushes and doesnt respond. This shows Cordelias fear of disappointing her dad and again readers see this young child just stuck in cruel and cold world, wanting to come out, but never given the chance. Another weakness of Cordelia is her self-esteem, which is very low. When Elaine and Cordelia are in high school, Elaine manages to get more attention from guys than Cordelia as Cordelia comes across as a fake person to most guys since she lacks the self-confidence to behave naturally. One more example of this is when Cordelia looses her job and tries to kill herself at home and gets sent to a mental hospital. Readers can make a connection between Susie and Cordelia, as both in times of trouble resorted to self-harm. And this proves the genuineness of Cordelias character as she has strengths of a hero and weakness of the female stereotype, which form her personality both powerful and vulnerable Elaine Risley, the main unconventional protagonist of the book when first introduced, is a successful 50 year old painter back in Toronto (her home town) to do an exhibition. She is first seen as an insecure woman with a tormenting past but as the book progresses one can fully appreciate Elaines heroic traits. One can see the journey Elaine takes the struggles she faces, the obstacles she overcomes and the memories she leaves behind. Elaine, though not the conventional heroine and perfect, is someone most women will admire as she has a lot of inner strength. There are many times where Elaine shows her inner strength especially when she walks away from Cordelia, Grace and Carol, and when she finds the inner strength (through Virgin Mary) to go back home instead of loosing consciousness at the freezing riverbank. She also finds the inner strength to walk away from a failing marriage, while having no concrete plans. Elaine also has a thirst for finding a place where she belongs, her own identity, which is why she struggles to please people- so she can fit in. She is very unique in her thoughts and actions for example when she runs past her poster and she has moustache, instead of feeling hurt or breaking down as the stereotypical women would, Elaine likes the moustache because she thinks she has achieved, finally, a face that a moustache can be drawn on, a face that attracts moustaches. She is also a proud feminist who stands up for women, when she goes to consciousness raising meeting for women, in which feminine issues are raised. She also feels bitter towards the Art Gallery of Ontario as they refused to hold her exhibit in their gallery because as she says, Because they have a bias towards old dead men. She is also seen as someone who cares for others as she is shown giving money to the poor on more than one occasion and is also seen doing things to please people even if she does not want to for example the interview with Andrea. She also shows her caring side when she finds out Graces mother has a weak heart and so she goes and checks everyday to see if Mrs. Smeath is fine. However, Elaine also has her human weaknesses like her habit on putting on masks and faking things to please people. She also develops neurotic habits such as biting her skin, pulling her hair and peeling her skin so she can feel pain and her existence. She also develops fainting fits and has suicidal impulses. She has moments where she is lost and needs help, she is afraid of galleries, and is afraid to express her emotions and all in all she hold a lot in from her past that she needs to let out in order to move on. She is also self-doubting as she has no confidence in her abilities and she is paranoid as to what other women think and say about her. She is always afraid she is going to end up like someone and so takes pleasure in knowing shes stronger than others. She struggles her entire life to create her own identity that is not pre-determined by society. Elaine and Cordelia represent the unique and real female protagonist Atwood creates to represent the true role of women in society. Through her clever way of portraying characters to represent a society much like a normal one rather than a fake one, Atwood explores the detailed struggle in the lives of all four characters, which at a first glance seem very distinct but are interconnected in their roles in the society. Atwood brings forth an unconventional protagonist, who despite being susceptible to weaknesses and flaws manages to gain the admiration of many readers through her actions in life.

Frankfurt Schools Contribution To Popular Culture Cultural Studies Essay

Frankfurt Schools Contribution To Popular Culture Cultural Studies Essay The idea that culture is mass produced came from two German academics named Theodore Adorno and Max Horkheimer. These two intellectuals, who would later begin a cultural enquiry, were members of The Frankfurt School. This institute was established in 1923 and consisted of many other German left-winged intellectuals. It was very much interested in the ideas of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud and therefore endeavoured to study the emergence of capitalist societies through the exploration of Marxism and psychoanalysis. This is what The Frankfurt School referred to as critical theory. The Frankfurt School, Adorno and Horkheimer in particular, were interested in studying popular culture and the mass production of cultural artefacts which they later referred to as the culture industry. In order to explore The Frankfurt Schools contribution to our understanding of popular culture, firstly we need to ask; what is culture? The word culture suggests a particular way of life, whether of a people, a period or a group. (Storey, 2006.1) It can also refer to the works and practices of intellectual and especially artistic activities. (Storey, 2006.1) The word cultivate was used to refer to the cultivation of land but now it can refer to the cultivation of the mind. Culture plays an important part in how human societies communicate with each other and how the new technological developments which contribute to this create a new type of culture known as popular culture. An obvious starting point in any attempt to define popular culture is to say that popular culture is simply culture which is widely favoured or well liked by many people. (Storey, 2006.4) Popular culture is centred on consumerism and is dominated by money; there is no part of popular culture that one doesnt have to pay for. Popular culture produces products known as commodities which have a use value and an exchange value. A commodity is only a commodity if it can be replaced by something else. Commodity fetishism was an idea that came out of popular culture. Capitalist organisations fetishize commodities and invest them with power that they do not really have. They discourage us from asking where the things we consume actually come from. These companies do not want us to think about this process. The idea that capitalist companies are manipulating the thoughts of the masses about what they consume and the great power that they have leads us to the term mass culture. In a mass culture, industrialised society there are no longer the same traditional values. The idea of an organic community no longer exists. The individual is left more and more to his or her own devices, has fewer and fewer communities or institutions in which to find identity or values by which to live, and has less and less idea of the morally appropriate ways to live.(Strinati, 2004.6) The Frankfurt School argue that the culture industry is killing the desire that might let us imagine a better world. They have an ideal notion of what human beings are capable of. The institute believes that we could never create a better world as long as we are part of this commodity culture. Adorno stated that the culture industry does not give the mass any responsibility for the culture that they are consuming, yet the masses are unaware of this which explains their passivity in accepting it. Although the culture industry undeniably speculates on the conscious and unconscious state of the millions towards which it is directed, the masses are not primary but secondary. . . The customer is not king, as the culture industry would have us believe, not its subject but its object. (Strinati, 2004.55) This point further emphasises the power that the culture industry has on the masses. With living in a culturally industrialised society comes conformity. Conformity replaces the consciousness of the masses according to The Frankfurt School. They believed that the masses are dependent on the culture industry and that the masses themselves are no longer producing culture. Through researching the works of The Frankfurt School, we can understand that the masses are oblivious to the mass controlled culture in which they live due to the face that everything is pseudo-individualised. Products that were being produced by the culture industry were all standardised. This meant that they all had certain characteristics that made them significantly similar. The Frankfurt School, Theodore Adorno in particular, realised that the industry knew that standardised products would sell and therefore they needed to be given a supposed uniqueness to provoke the masses to continue buying them. This was referred to as pseudo-individualism. The Frankfurt School stated that the culture industry created false needs in the pursuit of profit while ignoring the true needs of humans. According to The Frankfurt School the cultural industry and mass culture, . . . shapes the tastes and preferences of the masses, thereby moulding their consciousness by instilling the desire for false needs. (Strinati, 2004.55) They point out that the capitalist industries bring in a lot of profit through what they called waste production. They generated products that, in the opinion of The Frankfurt School, the masses did not need. Masses become so enthralled in the culture industry that their consciousness is overridden. The masses become too interested in the falsehoods that the industry has created and tend to forget about satisfying their true human needs. The school argues that it is due to all of this that the culture industry maintains its stability. With regards to true and false needs, Theodore Adorno once wrote, The indistinguishability of true and false needs is an essential part of the present phase one day it will be readily apparent that men do not need the trash provided them by the culture industry. (Adorno, Theodore W, The Culture Industry revisited at http://books.google.co.uk.p.156 accessed on 27/10/10) Another point that The Frankfurt School has highlighted to us in order to contribute to our understanding of popular culture is that a lot of culture is very homogeneous. They believed that all aspects of popular culture were generic and predictable. They could not fathom the fact that the masses were accepting this constant reproduction of the same thing. They believed that people should want something more; something different and challenging. The culture industry followed a formula. The reason for the formulaic structure of the industry and the way in which its products were produces was because it was successful. This particular formula and method of mass producing standardised products generated profit. When referring to this great power that the culture industry has, Adorno says, Today anyone who is incapable of talking in the prescribed fashion, that is of effortlessly reproducing the formulas, conventions and judgements of mass culture as if they were his own, is threatened in his very existence, suspected of being an idiot or an intellectual. (Adorno, 1991. 79) Critics of The Frankfurt School say that they do not appreciate just how diverse and hybrid popular culture is. They also say that The Frankfurt School invest too much power in the culture industry and that they consider capitalism as being more stable than it actually is. Critics believe that the culture industry has a lot more potential than The Frankfurt School gives it credit for. The term culture has been described by Richard Williams as, One of the two or three most complicated words in the English language. (Storey, 2006.1) Although some agree with this statement, The Frankfurt School has contributed greatly to our understanding of popular culture by highlighting how culture has become commercialised in the pursuit of profit. It points out to us that in a culturally industrialised society, no one thinks for themselves and that they consume this culture because it has been imposed onto them. The authenticity and traditional aspects of culture are no longer present and we can now come to the realisation that we will always live in a culture that is controlled by capitalism and consumerism. Everything that is presented to us, including the false needs that the industry provides is all in the interests of capital and profit. Our ability to understand how the culture industry works is aided greatly by the work of The Frankfurt School. References Storey, John (2006) Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: An Introduction Strinati, Dominic (2004) An Introduction to Theories of Popular Culture (Second Edition) Adorno, Theodore W (1991) The Culture Industry

Choices and Consequences in the Epic of Gilgamesh :: Epic Gilgamesh essays

Choices and Consequences in the Epic of Gilgamesh Consequences are inevitable. A decision made today will have consequences that can last years or even a lifetime. Both Gilgamesh and Enkidu made choices that changed their lives forever. Consequences can be both positive and negative, but each is equally long lasting. Such is the case with the story of Gilgamesh. Enkidu was made because Gilgamesh was not capable of being a good King. He was too arrogant and oppressive. Gilgamesh chose to be unfair to his people. Of course Enkidu ends up being a good addition to Gilgamesh's life. The friendship is beneficial to both Gilgamesh and Enkidu. Enkidu had been perfectly content running in the forest with the wild animals. He never wanted more, possibly because he did not know how much more the world had to offer. Until Shamhat comes and takes Enkidu's innocence, Enkidu does not even search for more than he already has. He was happy to eat grass and share the animal's water hole. Enkidu loses his animal-like strength but gains understanding. At the end of his life, Enkidu briefly regrets his time with Shamhat, because of what it cost him. Shamash reminds him of the good that has come from his introduction to "civilization". Boredom causes Gilgamesh and Enkidu to make another bad choice. Gilgamesh decides to make a name for him. Gilgamesh wants to go to the great cedar forest and cut down all the cedar trees. In order to do this they need to kill the Guardian of the Cedar Forest, Humbaba. Enkidu has seen this demon and initially tries to dissuade Gilgamesh. Enkidu is not the only one trying to discourage this adventure. The elders and Ninsun also try to discourage the adventure. Gilgamesh is given many opportunities to make a different choice, but does not choose to. He continues on to make a name for himself. Even in the midst of the battle Gilgamesh is given the opportunity to spare the life of Humbaba. Once again Gilgamesh makes a choice, he chooses to slay the great demon. Humbaba then curses Enkidu. Sometimes a choice may not only affect the one that makes the choice, but others also. Gilgamesh chooses to kill Humbaba. Enkidu even tries to talk Gilgamesh out of it, but in the end it was Gilgamesh th at is cursed. Later another choice that Gilamesh makes affects Enkidu. Ishtar wants Gilgamesh.

Benefits of Rehabilitation in the American Juvenile Justice System

Tanush Swaminathan Ms. SimmonsHonors ELA 1A06 March 2018 Benefits of Rehabilitation in the American Juvenile Justice System In 2010, according to the U.S Department of Justice, approximately 70,800 juveniles were incarcerated in youth detention facilities alone, with 500,000 total youths brought to detention centers in any given year. The juvenile justice system, which was set up in 1899, has previously focused primarily on the punishment of juveniles, but recently, between 2005 to 2012, its focus changed: switching to rehabilitation of these children, providing them with education to help fix their problems. Emphasis on rehabilitation rather than punishment has made the juvenile justice system more effective, helping better the children's lives and providing them with support and comfort. The juvenile justice system was first created in Illinois in 1899, and a lot has changed since then. Due to the large crack cocaine epidemic in the 1980's, the government started using harsher laws and punishments, leading to more convicted prisoners. After a couple of decades of reconsidering the objectives of incarceration, the government began to introduce the ideas of rehabilitation between 2005 and 2012. The result was a bettering the youths lives and the opening of doors for their future. An example is the case of Hernan Carvente. In 2008, 15 year old Carvente shot a rival gang member in Queens and was arrested and sentenced to a 2-6 year sentence. He served in a juvenile facility, but at the facility he received â€Å"counseling and other support. He also began a college program†¦..he's grateful for the opportunities he was given while in custody. Now 25, Carvente earned a bachelor's degree and is planning to go to graduate school† (Stoffers 10). This is a prime example of how rehabilitation can benefit juveniles. By providing education and support, Carvente's life was turned around. Opportunities were given, allowing him to continue his education and become a productive member of society. Rehabilitation also prevents juveniles from returning to detention centers or prisons in the future due to committing another offense. This not only improves the children's lives, allowing them to have a future, but also can cut down on the costs of incarcerating juveniles, which currently stands at a whopping $5.7 billion a year (Stoffers 8). Incorporating rehabilitation into the justice system allows children to feel much safer, providing counseling and various other resources. Many states are changing their detention centers to look like schools, making the transition for juveniles much easier and more familiar, while having the same security levels. In Brazos County, the traditional detention facilities are â€Å"also moving towards a more humane, normalized environment that does not re-traumatize children who often come from difficult circumstances†¦incorporating so-called â€Å"special needs† housing pods designed to accommodate behavioral issues, mental illness.. afterschool programming, life skills training, and special interest classes†(Pitts 13). A slow transition from an aesthetic point of view, as well as counseling and extra classes allows these individuals to feel more comfortable and receive more help. It provides a much safer environment and prevents them from having to face circumstances like those that led them down wrong paths, as many of the juveniles incarcerated come from poverty and from low income neighborhoods. The change to a more familiar setting, like schools which they are used to, reduces trauma and intimidation. The different housing pods and counseling methods also allow the children to be treated and helped along the way. This could help them better understand and, in the future, best rectify their past mistakes, which would stop them returning to these facilities and allow them to live a more successful life. The extra classes after school also give the individuals a chance to open up their mind to learn something new or acquire new skills. These type of facilities provide a lot of support and help, along with extra-curricular classes, to spark new interests or help the children find a productive hobby. Rehabilitation also leads to the juvenile system being more beneficial for the incarcerated. The numbers speak for themselves: as of 2010, â€Å"More than 100,000 children were incarcerated on any single day. In 2013, that number was down to 54,000†¦.and they and their families are receiving treatment for a fraction of the cost of incarceration†(Hannum 19). Implementing rehabilitation rather than punishment in juvenile detention centers decreased the number of children incarcerated on any given day by half. This proves that rehabilitation is more advantageous for the children, as many of them are stopped from becoming repeat offenders. It also makes it much more cost effective for the government and for the criminal's families. Because many such children come from broken homes and a poor background, the families often do not have enough money to spend in order to get the juveniles treated and rehabilitated. Now, with the help of rehabilitation, the individuals can get treated for a much cheaper cost than incarceration, saving money for the government and families, while also allowing more children to get the help and the support they need. The evidence above also shows that rehabilitation is much more effective and has a bigger impact on children in terms of preventing further criminal activity, rather than punishment alone. Recently, many actions have been taken to further spread rehabilitation and end many of the punishments faced by prisoners. The Supreme Court has been recently reviewing the Eighth Amendment, which states that cruel or unusual punishments shall not be inflicted on citizens. Two punishments specifically, the death row and solitary confinement, have been banned for people under the age of 18. These landmark cases have changed the justice system and promoted rehabilitation for juveniles. An example of this is the Supreme Court case Simmons vs. Roper. Simmons had committed a capital murder at the age of 17, and was sentenced to death at the age of 18. Due to the fact that Simmons committed the crime when he was 17, meaning he was juvenile, his death penalty was set aside and he received life imprisonment without parole. From that particular case ruling on, children under the age of 18 who were not legal adults at the time of the crime were not eligible for the death penalty. Another example of a Supreme Court case is Graham vs. Florida in 2010, which â€Å"ended life sentences without parole for crimes other than homicide committed by juveniles†¦ Then last summer, in Miller vs. Alabama the court ruled that imposing mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole for juveniles violates the Eighth Amendment†(Brown 22). These cases are some examples of the slow shift from punishment to rehabilitation.The gradual transformation from punishment to rehabilitation is more beneficial for incarcerated youths. Rehabilitation is effective, it helps better the children's lives, and also provides them with assistance and a feeling of safety. Extracurricular classes are also provided to help them find new hobbies. In contrast to the use of punishment, rehabilitation has cut down on the cost of incarceration, and prevents juveniles from returning to detention or correctional facilities in the future. This as a result allows more juveniles to receive the treatment without having repeat offenders taking advantage of the facilities again and again. Not only this, but it also provides better therapy and support so that the individuals can become successful by bettering themselves and moving past their previous surroundings. Works CitedBrown, Sarah Alice. â€Å"Kids Are Not Adults.† State Legislatures, vol. 39, no. 4, Apr. 2013, p. 20. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com. Accessed 26 February 2018Hannum, Kristen. â€Å"A Deficit of Hope.† U.S. Catholic, vol. 81, no. 5, May 2016, pp. 12-19. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com. Accessed 14 February 2018.Pitts, Andrew. â€Å"The Changing Face of Juvenile Justice.† American Jails, vol. 31, no. 5, Nov/Dec 2017, pp. 8. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com. Accessed 15 February 2018.Stoffers, Carl. â€Å"Juvenile Justice: Can Young Criminals Be Reformed? A Growing Number of States Think So–But Not Everyone Is Convinced. (Cover Story).† New York Times Upfront, vol. 150, no. 6, 11 Dec. 2017, pp. 8-11. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com. Accessed 12 February 2018..

War Is Unpredictable

To an extent war is unpredictable, however the meaningless punishment and demoralising conduct is something that soldiers experience constantly throughout war. In Owen’s poem â€Å"Anthem for Doomed Youth† he diminishes the patriotism and heroism that is commonly associated with war and replaces it with depictions of the harsh punishment and perfidious death of youth in war. Correspondingly in his poem â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† he extends the theme of unpatriotic behaviour and hollow death and suggests that war is also a devilish and sinful practice, where nothing but death and hatred arise. Contrastingly, in Stanley Kubrick’s war film â€Å"Full Metal Jacket† he does not look at death in war, but conversely the internal punishment that superior officers give to soldiers, harshly exploring the training and punishment soldiers receive before war. Ultimately, these three texts explore the lack of honour and worthless punishment that soldiers experience constantly in war, depicting war as a place of hatred and sin. In Owen’s poem â€Å"Anthem† he removes the common Romantic concepts of glory and triumph that were associated with war from the early 20th century and realistically explores the truly unpatriotic nature of the battlefield. His ideals contrasted the Romantic ideals of glory as well as the government and the media who exhibited war as valiant and fitting for the youth of the early 20th century. Instantly, Owen’s title of the poem contradicts the reader’s belief in the common war values where he pairs the terms â€Å"Anthem† and â€Å"Doomed Youth† juxtaposing with a gloomy and depressing description of the youth in war. Owen then compares the youth who â€Å"died as cattle† to an abattoir by using metaphor, emphasising the sheer amount of death that occurs on the battlefield, also suggesting that the youth are indiscriminately dying with no justification. Likewise, Owen uses juxtaposition to describe the sounds of war, in which he subverts the calming sound of â€Å"choirs† and depicts them as â€Å"demented†, illuminating the sound of screaming comrades in war and enhancing his anti-heroic view. Thus, Owen through his poem â€Å"Anthem† dishonours the common concepts of glory and triumph, and replaces them with â€Å"mockeries† of the dying youth in war, ultimately suggesting war unheroic and the soldiers deaths unglorified. On the contrary, Stanley Kubrick’s war film â€Å"FMJ† explores the internal and meaningless punishment that soldiers experience whilst training to become a soldier, aggressively depicting the raining as harsh and suicidal. Directed in 1979, Steven Kubrick’s position on war was neither affirmative nor negative and simply stated he was concerned with â€Å"the way things are†, thus forcefully depicting the disciplinary discrepancies of the Americans in Vietna m. The opening montage of the camera focused on the soldier’s heads being shaved depicts the blank expressionless faces of the soldiers and shows the identity loss of the soldiers in war, illustrating their inconsequential individuality. Kubrick uses harsh and explicit dialogue to stress how even though war is â€Å"fair† everyone participating is â€Å"equally worthless†, again punishing the soldiers for their racial background and individuality. Likewise, in the final scene of the introductory sequence before the war, Kubrick displays the suicidal aspect of the meaningless punishment, where Private Pile† explains that even though there is war going on in Vietnam, he is in a â€Å"world of shit† after the punishment from the senior officers. This harsh portrayal of pre-war training explains Kubrick’s view that internally war can be as detrimental as it is on the battlefield. Correspondingly, Owen aims to eradicate all romantic feelings in â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† and instead represent war as a sinful and devilish practice. The ironic titling of the poem initially subverts any sense of patriotism and glory associated with war, and condemns the romanticised portrayals of war that the government and the media have created. By deliberately subverting the heroic Latin phrase through the bleak ideas in his poem, Owen depicts the title as an â€Å"old lie† where he suggests that glorification and bravery in war is undermined by the fallacies of the government and the media. In addition, his use of metaphor in the first stanza exemplifies the mechanised and fatigued state of the soldiers in war, where the soldiers â€Å"marched asleep† from the endless punishment and futility of war. Owen indicates here exactly how â€Å"lame† the soldiers were with the pain and suffering of war, illuminating the punishment and empty nationalism he attempts to portray. Furthermore, the graphic imagery of the sinfulness and devilish nature of war used in the third stanza highlights the devilish and sinful representation, by comparing a comrade to a â€Å"devil sick of sin†. Owen here evaluates war as a whole, as a place where even the devil can no longer handle the horrid pain and meaningless suffering. This powerful imagery removes the Romantic ideals of patriotism substituting them with a morbid depiction of â€Å"choking† with sin. Thus, Owen eradicates the glory and valour that had been associated with war literature in the 20th Century and indicts war as a fallacy to children who are â€Å"desperate† for honour. Ultimately, Owen aims to challenge all feelings of glory and heroism that are commonly associated with war and shift these concepts to a historic fallacy where sinful and devilish behaviour arises. Alternately, Kubrick strives to explore both the harsh and unforgiving nature of the battlefield and the meaningless punishment experienced internally in the U. S Marine Corps, where even the pre-war training results in the suicide of a soldier. Each text explains the horror and meaningless punishment as a constant and predictable outcome, as wells as the horrifying and sinful behaviour that soldiers experience, however Owen’s poem â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† more effectively depicts the unpredictability of war by emphasising how disgusting war is, promoting it as foreign to any kind of valour and partisanship.

Language Corrupts Thought Essay

Language Corrupts Thought Essay Speeches are given all the time, all around the world. Speeches are given to express thoughts and feelings by revealing the speaker’s qualities and opinions, which can impact business, politics, and world events. Politicians are constantly corrupting citizen’s thoughts. They do this in order to distort the truth, to gain your attention, and to go along and follow what they believe. In March 2008, Sally Kern stated her position in homosexuality.Looking through Kern’s speech, she is distorting the truth by telling biased statistics, information that is irrational, and that she is influencing others with her religion view. First, Kern use of statistics is completely biased. â€Å"Matter of fact, studies show no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, you know, a few decades. So it’s the death knell for this country. † This so called study is completely biased because she has no proof or evid ence that what she is stating is even a bit true.And she has no proof to prove to us that there have been societies that have died out because they embraced homosexuality. She is a bigot in such a way that she won’t tolerate those who hold different opinions from her own, which is not something we look for in a legislator or anyone who is a part of the government system. Throughout the speech, Kern demonstrates reasons to why she is against homosexuals. â€Å"I honestly think it’s the biggest threat even, that our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam, which I think is a big threat. OK? † Homosexuals are not a threat to our nation.The comparison between terrorism and homosexuals just cannot be made. Homosexuals do not cause a danger to our country or our universe, for that matter. There have been no Americans killed by LGBT citizens, if at all, there are more Americans killing LGBT citizens, not directly, but through suicidal acts. Terrorists have kil led thousands of people, posing a threat to our country, which are things that homosexuals have not done. â€Å"Homosexuals are already citizens who have equal rights. They want â€Å"special rights† for the acceptance of their deviant lifestyle.I'm thankful that Oklahoma is different than California and New York. I pray it stays that way. † Once again, Homosexuals do not want â€Å"special rights†, all they want is to be able to live their life, married with their significant other. What is so different between a man and woman marriage and 2 men or 2 women marriage? Throughout history, people have stood up for things that they did not agree with. African Americans were segregated for years. George Wallace, former governor of Alabama, said in his inaugural address, â€Å"I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever. judging African Americans based on the color of their skin. Or the Jewish people taken from their homes to concentration camps judging them based on their religion. Homosexuality is no different. Another thing Kern continuously states in this speech is her religious view, hinting that her religious view is superior to any other. â€Å"But if I were to ask you what is the one thing that has made America great, that makes us unique, what would it be?†¦ What made us great is that we were a nation founding on Christian principles†¦ I am not saying everyone has to be Christian; this is not a homogenous nation.What you have to be is someone who believes in a Judeo-Christian ethic, in other words, in knowing there's a right and wrong. † She asked the question, and then answered it herself. Instead of letting the American’s minds wander and to think for themselves, Kern just automatically answered for them without thought of a different opinion. Also, she contradicts herself in that last sentence. She’s telling us we can pick whatever religion we’d like, which is what should ha ppen, but telling us we need these requirements regardless of what religion we believe in or even if we believe in one.This is said simply to push more people towards Christianity and believe with what she believes in. Kern all the way through her speech, addressed the issue of homosexuality and why she thought it was inhumane and unjust for our country. However, Kern filled her speech with absurd ideas and invalid information. Kern’s speech about homosexuality evidently failed because Kern did not back up information with proof or evidence and tried using her religion to persuade people to side with her. Work Cited http://www. boxturtlebulletin. com/2008/03/20/1662

Effective risk management in software development project using Dissertation

Effective risk management in software development project using different methodologies - Dissertation Example It was believed that this approach will help to elucidate some of the main practices of risk assessment within the software would industry in the United Kingdom The specific objectives of this research were as follows: 1. To determine what approaches to risk management were most common among respondents 2. To identify differences or similarities between the perspectives of participants and those in the literature 3. To examine how effective risk mitigation was for participants The mixed methods approach involved the use of one quantitative and one qualitative technique. The qualitative technique that was determined was an open-ended, one-on-one interview which was carried out with participants from a range of different software companies. In addition to the qualitative component of this study a small, quantitative questionnaire was also developed and distributed to people within the organisations of the qualitative participants. This questionnaire contained shorter versions of some o f the questions covered in the qualitative interview. The purpose of this was to access a wider pool of participants than would be possible for the qualitative interview. ... Additionally, if probability sampling methods are used, the outcomes from a quantitative study can often be extended to a large population, while a qualitative study does not have the same level of applicability. Thus, a quantitative study might be able to determine that group A was statistically more likely to use the waterfall risk management approach, while a qualitative approach would be able to provide an indication about what people thought about risk management approaches, and why a particular one was preferable. 3.1.1 Qualitative Interviews Qualitative research is a form of research that considers the perspectives and opinions of participants, often through approaches such as interviews or focus groups. A substantial amount of information can be gathered through qualitative research, however, it also tends to be more time consuming. Because of this, qualitative approaches are often used for studies where the opinions of participants is of particular importance, or the area of the study is small (Leedy and Ormrod, 2004). It makes use of non-probability methods of sampling, which means that it is difficult to extrapolate the results of a study to a wider population (Sarantakos, 2005). Interviews are an approach to qualitative research that allows for a lot of information to be gathered from participants (Trochim and Donnelly, 2007) . Interviews frequently make use of a mixture of questions that are closed and open-ended (Gillham, 2005). This approach is effective, because it allows the interviewer to guide the progress of the interview, and ensure that the desired questions are answered, while at the same time

Assessment at work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Assessment at work - Essay Example Strengths associated with Abercrombie & Fitch assessment procedures are highlighted as well as recommendations for improvements in the company’s selection process. The use of a single Communications Competence testing instrument is a standardised testing template, regulated by a highly centralised human resources heirarchy. There is no room for flexibility or adaptation of current assessment instruments or policies and the company is routinely audited for compliance to assessment methods. This creates an environment in which the company is using assessment tests that are not congruent to finding the appropriate employee for Abercrombie & Fitch. Abercrombie & Fitch has experienced high levels of negative publicity in recent years for alleged unethical hiring practices related to youth, beauty and exclusivity. However, these corporate beliefs are part of the business’ organisational culture and are the criteria utilised to determine job role candidacy. In a business environment where personality is a key factor in whether a candidate fits the culture, the company requires a reexamination of existing selection efforts. Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) is a mid-level clothing retailer which has positioned itself as an upscale fashion house catering to unique perceptions of youth, beauty and exclusivity. The company carries a wide variety of somewhat-provocative fashions, unique, politically incorrect apparel as well as traditional outerwear (Case Study, 2007). The company’s main competitors are other mid-level retailers both domestically and within the company’s international sales divisions such as Burberry or The Gap. The company currently utilises one form of psychometric testing in the firm’s selection processes. A&F maintains one of the most unique HR models in today’s retail as the business’ focus on exclusivity is at the heart of the