Thursday, October 31, 2019

Idea of translation and related issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Idea of translation and related issue - Essay Example That is why there is such an aspect as a misunderstanding or not understanding of the spoken or heard information. As the practice shows, such a thing as a pure translation is impossible. In any case there are some contributing factors such as the existence of opinions or attitudes to what is translated or interpreted by the person who translates, even some ethical or political reasons with the intention to influence the person who is aimed to hear the message, and so forth. So let’s see how the issue of translation is considered by different scientists – Emmanuel Levinas, Karl Marx in the context of the theme of colonialism and translation and whose ideas and statements are supported by Dr. Suh and whose ones are denounced by him. To begin with it is necessary to admit that both translation theories of Emmanuel Levinas as well as Karl Marx are linked with each other as the first one serves as a basis for the existence of the second one. We will start with Levinas who is well-known by his critics of the tradition of Western philosophical though. According to him â€Å"The sociality of language (or dialogue): cannot be reduced to the exchange of ideas between those who share the same ground of understanding and belong to the commonness† (Suh). So the theory of Levinas’s translation is attached with the main theme of ethical and political practice with the concepts of the â€Å"self† and the â€Å"other†, that is, â€Å"the problem of politics comes up because there are multiple others in the world† (Suh). Another important part in realizing of Levinas’s theory of translation is his concepts of the â€Å"saying† and the â€Å"said† – â€Å"The key t o connecting Levinas’s ethics to actual politics is understanding the relationship between saying and the said† (Suh). In other words, the â€Å"self† and the â€Å"other† have almost nothing common between them that’s

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

How a Bill Becomes a Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How a Bill Becomes a Law - Essay Example However, not every bill becomes a law. So the question is how exactly a bill becomes a law, from an idea in somebody’s head to the President of the United States enacting the law by a stroke of his pen. Discussion Many people who grew up in the 1970’s and 1980’s remember the humorous â€Å"I’m Just a Bill† segment from Schoolhouse Rock with some affection. Nevertheless, although its aim was the education of elementary school children, the skit did a fairly accurate description of the bill-to-law process: I became a bill, and I'll remain a bill until they decide to make me a law (Schoolhouse, 2012). The producers might have tried to make the show into a primetime special, for many adults do not have any idea how a bill becomes a law in this country either. First a person, be they private citizen or politician, has an idea for a law that would benefit the majority. The President can issue a temporary proclamation (such as sending the military to fight ) but even he has to ask a sympathetic member of Congress to introduce the bill. Under the United States Constitution, either house of the Congress (Senate or House of Representatives) can introduce the bill. ... This is especially true if the idea is brought forth by means of a petition, one hundred or more people. Therefore, maybe looking at Ryan’s bill about the Post Office building would provide a good description of the process. On January 24, 2000 HR 4241, â€Å"To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1818 Milton Avenue in Janesville, Wisconsin as the Les Aspin Post Office Building† was introduced to the 106th Congress. Approximately two months later, Ryan and most of his Wisconsin colleagues formally introduced HR 4241 as a bill on April 11. From there, he House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform received it; and the bill passed rather quickly through that committee. Aspin was a well-respected member of Congress for many years, as well as Clinton’s Secretary of Defense. The full House voted on the bill on June 6, when it passed overwhelmingly, 378-6. The next day, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs received the bill, where it became S. 2458. After only two weeks, the entire Senate likewise voted on the bill, again passing it with a large margin. The Executive Office took delivery of the bill on June 28 for Presidential consideration and President Clinton signed it into law on July 6, 2000 (GovTrack, 2012). From Resolution to law the bill took less than six months but they can sometimes linger for months or even years, especially particularly touchy subjects such as health care. Because laymen do sometimes not understand the technical language and needs, it might be best if the health care professional seeks a fellow HCP in Congress to ask for legislation. There are several nurses in the House, including Karen Bass of California and Eddie Johnson of Texas. Sixteen doctors include John Fleming

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Exploration of beliefs as a Early Childhood teacher

Exploration of beliefs as a Early Childhood teacher The purpose of this essay is to explore my beliefs as a teacher and how these beliefs will shape my practice as an early childhood teacher. The metaphor I have chosen is A Guardian Katiaki of a Flax bush Pa Harakeke. I will discuss my personal history and teaching beliefs in relevance to the metaphor I have chosen. There will be an emphasis on the importance of family and culture in my life and how it shapes my teaching practice and beliefs. I will also discuss some theories that support my practice and also talk on my image a young child. References to support literature will evident throughout this paper. The metaphor I have chosen that I believe best informs my beliefs as a teacher is A Guardian Katiaki of the Flax bush Pa Harakeke. I chose this metaphor because to me it symbolises the growth in life and in the early childhood profession. Before I can be refer to myself as a guardian, I consider myself of being in the life cycle of the Pa Harakeke. The Pa Harakeke is recognised within Maori society as a symbol of family and protection (Pihama and Penehira, 2005). It is also a visual representation of the importance of parents and elders as protectors. The centre shoot te rito symbolises the central importance of a child. The Harakeke is believed to have three inner layers which represent a family. The new shoot represents a child te rito which is protected by the next inner layer that represents the parents awhi rito. The outer layer symbolises the grandparents or ancestors tupuna. To me, this symbolises my childhood and how I grew up under the care of my parents and grandparents. I refer myself as a guardian now because I believe it is my responsibility to nurture for the child in the absence of their parents. I see this as a very significant role, because I can image how hard it must be for children to stay away from their parents for such a long period of time. As a guardian, it is my number one priority to make the child feel as safe, cared for and well looked after. Ministry of Culture and Heritage (2011) describes a Kaitiaki as a person who is recognised as a carer, protector, guardian or conserver. Another reason why I chose to describe myself as a Guardian of the flax bush is to emphasis my beliefs about seeing each child as an individual. The flax bush family has many different species, and varieties of flax. This symbolises children as individuals and unique in their own special way. It is the guardians responsibility to be knowledgeable about the different species, including its need for growth of each flax bush. Same thing applies to me as a teacher. To be a teacher, who sees children as affirmed individuals should have some depth of knowledge about each childs likes/dislikes, dispositions, strengths, health concerns etc. A great source to find this information is from the family. Families can provide valuable information on the child, which will help teachers get to know the child better. This is will help build trusting relationships amongst family, teacher and children. As a guardian it is also my responsibility is to nurture and promote the growth of the child as a whole in a safe/trusting environment. This makes significant links to the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum. It relates to the principles of Empowerment (Whakamana) where the child is encouraged to become independent and is provided with resources which will enable them to direct their own lives. There are also links to the principle of Holistic Development (Kotahitanga) where all dimensions (such as physical, social, cultural, spiritual emotional and cognitive) of human development is considered in understand the child as a whole (Ministry of Education, 1996). It is a personal belief that I have learnt from my own culture that to understand wellbeing every aspect of development must be considered. Duries model of the Te Whare Tapa Wha illustrates the four dimensions of Maori well being. These are physical health Taha Tinana, spiritual health Taha Wairua, family health Taha Whanau and mental health Taha Hinengaro. It is believed that our physical being only supports and protects us from the external environment and is one aspect of health well-being. Spiritual health relates to us as individuals or as a community about who/what we are, where we have come from and where we are going. Traditional Maori analysis on physical illness will focus on the the Taha Wairua to determine whether harm here could be a contributing factor. Family health relates to the importance of family. It links to our ancestors, our ties with the past, the present and the future. This dimension makes significant links to the Pa Harakeke. It relates to the importance of family in the health and well being of a person. The last dimension concerns mental health as thoughts, feelings and emotions are vital ele ments of the body and soul. It is about how we see ourselves in the world, our ability to communicate and to feel that our mind and body are inseparable (Durie, 1998). Another health model which is relevant to providing depth in understanding holistic development is Rose Peres model of Te Wheke. The concept of Te Wheke (the octopus) is a symbol used to represent family. Each of the eight tentacles represents a dimension of well being. The tentacles of the octopus are overlapping and interwined to symbolise the interconnected and inseparable nature of the dimensions (Pere and Love, 2004). These Maori health models relate closely to the concept of focusing on a childs well being as a whole. Both models include the valued importance of family/whanau and their contribution to a childs health and wellbeing. The life cycle of the Pa Harakeke consists two major parties that are central to the child te rito, these are the parents and grandparents. This metaphor was very relevant to me because my parents and grandparents were the most important people in my life from birth. They played the role of a guardian, protector and carer, but also as my first teachers. I have always had a very strong bond with my parents and grandparents, which is still there till this day. Claiborne and Drewey (2010) explain how love and acceptance generated towards children by adults/family can positively impact on their health and growth. My family plays an important role in my life. They have always been there for me, and it is because of them of their encouragement and faith in me that I am doing this course. Sometime I feel as though my family are like a group of cheerleaders. They cheer me on, when I am about to loose hope, they give me the support and confidence to keep on going, and for that I am very grateful to have a family that is so loving and supportive. My teaching philosophy is based on building respectful relationships with each childs parent/family because I believe they are the first teachers in every childs life. My ultimate goal is to achieve close relationships with parent/families and stand alongside them in partnership to assist and provide experiences that will best support their childs learning and development. Fraser (2005) suggest that through collaborative partnership between teachers and family children experience a sense of continuity and care which encourages them to learn and grow. This metaphor also highlights the concept of culture. It indicates my knowledge and understanding of bicultural awareness. I believe biculturalism is important in the early childhood sector and that all children should be given the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the cultural heritages of both partners of the Treaty of Waitangi (Ministry of Education, 2010). One reason why I chose to use the metaphor of A Guardian of the Pa Harakeke is because; to me it portrays my achievement in learning about the Maori culture and understanding a different perspective on how we see the world around us. I believe that every child should have the opportunity to learn Te Reo Maori because it is the language of our land and we need to be teach children to be proud of it. I have made it a personal goal to learn as much as I can about Maori culture to further my knowledge and understanding. In order for me to teach children about Maori culture, I need to know about it myself. Culture plays an important role in my life as student teacher and it influences my teaching philosophy daily. Wong (2005) states children learn through cultural tools available to them which include childrearing practices, language, customs and rituals. I believe this quote is very important to me, because I have learnt to be responsive, and caring through seeing my little cousins being bought up with such love and care. Culture is all around us and we can see the different cultures through our multicultural society. Every culture will be different in the ways it transmits cultural knowledge because cultures have different goals for the development of children and different ways of communication knowledge to children (Claiborne, 2010, p160). I was born in the Fiji Island and my nationality is Fijian Indian. My ancestors are from India, therefore as a child, my parents/grandparents taught me a lot about my culture and my ancestral background. I also learned about the Fijian culture be cause I consider Fiji as my motherland and I am very proud of my country. However when I was ten years old, my whole family migrated to New Zealand. When I moved to New Zealand, I experienced a multicultural community. I had to adapt to the diverse culture/lifestyle of NZ, but I also retain the roots of my cultural beliefs. A major theorist that focused on the interlocking systems of family, culture and environment is Bronfenbrenner. Bronfenbrenners ecological systems model emphasises the influences of society and culture in an individual childs life. The immediate relationships and surroundings around the child is called the Microsystem. In this layer the most important influence would be parents/family and also the early childhood centre the child attends to. In the childs Mesosystem the child experiences a sense of connectedness between home and early childhood setting. The excosystem relates to the childs connections with larger social systems. It does not have an active role in the childs immediate context but does have influence the child Microsystem. For example a parent who is employed, is able to provide resources for the child, however if the parent was to lose this job it will cause fiancial stress associated to the provision of those resources and this is likely to cause negative impact on t he parent-child relationship (Wong, 2005).The Macrosystem relates to the large cultural patterns which include cultural values, customs and laws. For example cultural contexts that value children and families may manifest ideological and organisational structures in society, which result in the provision of good quality, affordable and accessible childcare (Wong, 2005, p18). Language acquisition is also a complex component of cultural system (Crain, 2011). According to Wong (2005) every culture has its own language and it holds knowledge about the uniqueness of being in that cultural community. Vygotsky argued that language is the most vital symbolic tool in development. I believe that language is an important part of cultural norms. Through language, we can express cultural views and relate to each other within the same community. I am trilingual, being able to speak Hindi, English and Fijian. I am fluent in all three languages and I believe it is a great advantage in this field of work. Parents/family that speaks the same language may feel more comfortable conversing more openly about their feelings and what they except of their childs learning. It can help in expressing and talking about concerns in a more comfortable manner. Vygotskys sociocultural cognitive theory is an emphasis on how culture and social interactions guide cognitive development (Santrock, 2009). Vygotskys believed that child development occurred as a result of natural and cultural activities. He referred to cultural activity as social processes through which we learn to use cultural tools and to think (MacNaughton and Williams, 2009).He argued that children need to be directly taught new concepts rather than waiting for them to make their own discoveries (Crain, 2010). Vygotsky introduced the concept of Zone of Proximal which was a term used to differentiate between a child actual development levels as determined by independent problem solving and the advanced level of potential development as determined through problem solving with the help and guidance of a skilled adult (Claiborne, 2010). According to MacNaugton (2009) good quality scaffolding allows for joint problem solving. This concept provides great depth and understanding on how childrens knowledge and understanding can be extended. As a teacher I want to be able to provide children with opportunities for exploratio n but also guide them to extend their learning. I believe that the reason why Vygotskys concept of Zone of Proximal is appealing to me is because I remember I was guided through task I was not able to do. One significant memory that I have, which is an example of the concept of Zone of Proximal is when I was five years old, I got my first pair of lace up shoes. Every where I went I wanted to wear them and my parents always had to put them on for me. One day I decided to do up my laces on my own, I tired and tired for a long time but I just couldnt do it, my mother was standing on the side, watching me try and tie my lace up. So as soon as I was about to give up, she intervened and helped me do them up. She went through it with me step by step. It took me a few days until I independently did up the laces myself, it memorable moment for me because I was so proud to be able to do it all by myself. Therefore I want to become a teacher who gives children opportunities to feel proud of their achievement knowing that they did something a ll by themselves. I want to be able create an atmosphere where they feel they are valued and have a sense of self worth. My image of a young child is that each child is an individual have unique qualities that define them as who they are. Before I started my Bachelors in Early Childhood Education, I didnt know what it would be like. I decided to do early childhood because I simply enjoyed being around child. Through the past 2 years of ongoing research, and attending lectures I have really learned the importance of the early years of life and the meaningful learning and development that occur during this time. After my two years in training as a student teacher, I have a more clear vision of a young child. A young child is strong, powerful, and competent learners who need to be challenged and encouraged to form their own working theories about the world they live in. I believe that play is very valuable to childrens learning and development in the early years. Through play children have the opportunity to engage in open ended exploration (Gonzalez-Mena, Widmeyer Eyer, 2007). In conclusion, the metaphor of Guardian of the flax bush, explained my personal beliefs as a teacher. My teaching beliefs are formed from my childhood experience. I learnt the importance of family and culture as I was growing up, and till this day it plays a major role in my life. As a teacher I believe that children should be experience a safe, secure environment where they are cared for and their needs are met. As a student teacher, I have learned to recognise the childrens health and well being as a whole. This means recognising all dimensions of well being. The two models that provide insight on the importance of all dimensions of health are Peres Te Wheke and Duries Te Whare Tapa Wha models. Children are our future and my aim is to provide each child with the opportunity to grow up as competent and confident learners and communicator, healthy in mind, body, and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society (Minist ry of Education, 1996, p9).

Friday, October 25, 2019

Lord Of The Flies - Character :: essays research papers

Viewing the Text from a Different Perspective Many times in novels the elements of setting, mood and tone are used to extend beyond the words in a text and elaborate the reader’s mind into imagining the actual events taking place. In the classic novel, Lord of the Flies, William Golding utilizes the setting, mood and tone in great detail to reflect how the characters think, act and feel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon a desolate tropical island, a group of boys of different characteristics get marooned when their plane crashes. Golding describes the island in a way that appeals to the reader as paradise, â€Å"The palms that stood made a green roof, covered on the underside with a quivering tangle of reflections from the lagoon...It was clear to the bottom and bright with the efflorescence of tropical weed and coral. A school of tiny, glittering fish flicked hither and thither.† (p.12) The island itself suggests a place of wonder and relaxation. Providing the reader with the impression of an utopia society, an impression that will soon be contradicted as the novel progresses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After a signal fire is ignited by Ralph’s orders, two young twins, Sam and Eric stand guard in maintaining the fire. While on duty, an eerie figure drifts down from the sky and lands in the forest several yards away from Sam and Eric. â€Å"There was a sudden bright explosion and corkscrew trail across the sky...There was a speck above the island, a figure dropping swiftly beneath a parachute, a figure that hung with dangling limbs. The changing winds of various altitudes took the figure where they would. Then three miles up, the wind steadied and bore it in a descending curve round the sky and swept it in a great slant across the reef and the lagoon toward the mountain.† (p.95) The dead parachutist, also known as the beast, is used to foreshadow the death of Simon, a small although intellectual boy. The parachutist shows the idea of one man slaughtering another as he dies in war.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Simon, returns to the other boys to inform them of his encounter with the parachutist (the beast), he is mistaken for the beast and is brutally attacked. The effects of lighting, rain as well as wind aroused the sensation of rage and excitement in the boys in their slaughter. â€Å"The beast struggled forward, broke the ring and fell over the steep edge of rock to the sand by the water.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Levis Strauss Case Study Analysis

Introduction Companies use various strategy models to analyse their current status and formulate strategies for future directions they ought to take (Johnson et al., 2014). With the high level of dynamism than characterises the present-day business environment, companies need to be aware of their internal capabilities, and use them to deal with the external threats and opportunities. Among the models that can aid in this Porter’s generic strategies, the PESTEL and SWOT frameworks and Porter’s five forces (Zott, Amit and Massa, 2011). This paper presents an analysis of a case study about Levis Strauss three Porter’s generic strategies, and further determines the company’s strategic position using SWOT analysis. Models2.1. Porters’ Generic strategies (From the case study) Narrow Market ScopeSegmentation strategy 1.Older disaffected shoppers – â€Å"fans who love us but quite frankly left us† 2.The lost generation – â€Å"fans who don’t really know who we are† Broad Market ScopeDifferentiation strategy 1. Classic pieces of clothing such as button fly and trucker jacket that are the seam for the giant business of denim 2. Return the brand to its roots while moving forward 3. Innovation- Levi Strauss is using high-tech by involving a team of 30 people on its Eureka lab to work on 30 prototypes a week. The company encourages the conversion of ideas into design in less than 24 hoursCost leadership 1. Reduction of inflated cost structure by the new Levi CEO 2. Progressive growth in sales volumes for successive years. Uniqueness CompetencyLow Cost Competency2.2. SWOT Analysis (From the case study) Strengths 1. Popular and strong brand name 2. Expertise and experience in the denim Industry 3. Focus on things other than profits- captioned ‘profits through principles’ for examples, donations and scholarships 4. Levi Strauss company has a visionary CEO in Chip Bergh Weaknesses 1. The company focuses too much on brand protection 2. Limited business growth due to increase in competition from other denim companies 3. Complacency in coming up with innovative designs for customers 4. Delays in trends such as colored jeans for women and more tailored jeans for men 5. With 16200 employees, the company incurs high expenses in paying wages. Opportunities 1. The casual wear market is growing fast 2. Internationalisation into emerging markets characterised by low cost manufacturing and production 3. High tech re-invention that is the use of technology to create a tech-advanced women’s denim that fit depending on body shape.Threats 1. Fast changing consumer tastes 2. Increasing Competition from low end substitutes such as Lee and Wrangler hence lower market share 4. Very close competition for market share with rivals targeting the same high-end customer base Discussion3.1. Porter Generic strategiesMichael Porter suggests 3 broad generic strategies that can be used by a company to outperform its competitors (Porter, 2008). These are segmentation, differentiation and cost leadership strategies. From the analysis of Levi Strauss’ case, the strategies from Porter’s generic model are clearly exhibited. Cost leadership, according to the model, refers to a strategy where a company sets its prices below that of its rivals and is independent of the market structure. From the analysis, this strategy was implemented on entry of Chip Bergh; the company’s new CEO cut the cost and pricing structure that was previously inflated as it targeted high-end customers. The adopted prices might not be lowest in the industry, but is close to that of the company’s key rivals, which also makes Levi products to attract new price-sensitive customers and those that were lost to other cheaper brands. The differentiation strategy is also e vident at Levi Strauss. Companies use different approaches to differentiate themselves from their competitors. These include creation of unique designs, adoption of new technologies and making changes their brand images (Zott, Amit and Massa, 2011). Levis has used all these strategies to achieve uniqueness in the denim industry. The company capitalises on the specific designs that will attract consumers and win their loyalty, including those that had shifted to other less costly brands. In regard to the segmentation strategy, the company strives to meet the needs and specification of a given target market for instance; type of product, location of sales or the category of customers it targets. In relation to Levis, the customer segments it targets are the ‘older disaffected’ shoppers who genuinely left the company for alternatives that suited them better and the ‘lost generation’ customers, who know nothing about it. By defining its customer segments, the company is able to design products and services that are tailored towards matching the needs and preferences of these groups. as argued by Porter (2008), a company that fails to develop any strategy in regards to the three broad categories defined by Porter is considered as being ‘stuck in the middle’ because it will have no competitive advantage in the market.3.2. SWOT AnalysisSWOT analysis is a strategic tool that is used to subjectively assess information about a company or organisation outlining its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (Ommani, 2011). Whilst strengths and weaknesses are internal elements of an organisation, opportunities and threats are external elements that the company has no control of. From the analysis present in section 2.2, Levi Strauss draws one of its strengths from the fact that it has a big brand name in the denim industry with a lot of expertise and experience drawn from the fact that it is the oldest denim company. In addition to this, the company known to focus more on things related to the smooth flow of business than only on profits and it has a fast growth of retail shops. These strengths have enabled the company to survive the competition it has faced from companies like Zara and H&M. The major weakness that was noted about Levi Strauss is the complacency of the company’s design team in coming up with unique products. Such weaknesses make the company prone to competition from rivals that are committed towards providing the best designs and are flexible enough to match the changing market trends. As stated by the company’s CEO in the case, â€Å"At Levi, designers sit in the company’s archives and look at old Western shirts and jeans†¦We have one of the greatest brands in the world, but I think that there may have been periods where we thought the brand itself could carry us through thick and thin, there is no question that we got complacent†. The opportunities that have been identified in the SWOT analysis above give the company a prospect for better performance in future, especially if it puts its strengths to beneficial use. These opportunities include the increase in market demand for casual wear, opportunities to expand operations into new markets, and the technological developments taking place in the fashion industry, which can greatly increase production and marketing efficiency of the company. In regard to the probable increase in demand of casual apparel, the company needs to device strategies that will motivate its employees avoid complacency and embark on designing competitive products. Failure to do so will make the company to lose these potential clients to rivals because these opportunities are for all companies in this industry (Grant, 2013). The main threat, as highlighted in the case study, is the rivalry that exists in the industry. This has to be overcome by application of the strategies that were earli er discussed in Porter’s generic strategy model. This will make the company a formidable competitor in the industry. Conclusion and Recommendations From the analysis above by the use of Porter’s generic strategies and SWOT analysis it has been identified that whilst the company may have some weaknesses, it also possesses several capabilities if well utilised, will strengthen its brand position in the denim apparel industry. Several recommendation can however be made for Levi Strauss. One of these would be that the company should focus on the frequently changing needs of consumers in the denim market and ensure that its operations and designs are flexible enough to match with these changing trends. Taking advantage of technological milestones in the fashion industry also recommended. This will ensure the production of unique yet trendy designs. From the Ansoff matrix below, the strategic directions that a company can use to position itself in the market are presented (Taylor, 2012). Two of the four strategic directions suggested by this model have already been adopted by Levi Company, that is, selling existing products to existing markets and extending existing products in new markets. It can however recommended that the company should adopt one of the two remaining factors of this model, which is the diversification through creation of more designs of products that suit a wider demographic scope of customers. This will lead to larger consumer base hence higher revenue. References Cunningham, J., & Harney, B?. (2012) Strategy and Strategists. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Grant, R. M. (2013) Contemporary Strategy Analysis. New Jersey: Wiley. Johnson, G., Whittington, R., Angwin, D., Regnr, P., & Scholes, K. (2014). Exploring Strategy Text Only. UK: Pearson Education, Limited. Ommani, A. R. (2011) Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis for farming system businesses management: Case of wheat farmers of Shadervan District, Shoushtar Township, Iran. African Journal of Business Management. 5(22). p.9448-9454. Porter, M. (2008) Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors. New York: Simon and Schuster. Tanwar, R. (2013) Porter’s Generic Competitive Strategies. Journal of Business and Management. 15(1). p.11-17. Taylor, E. C. (2012) Competitive Improvement Planning: Using Ansoff’s Matrix with Abell’s Model to Inform the Strategic Management Process. Academy of Strategic Management 10(1). p.21-25. Zott, C., Amit, R., & Massa, L. (2011) The business model: recent developments and future research. Journal of management 37(4). p.1019-1042.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Newspapers and Books outdated? Essay

Newspaper and books have long been a medium for information transfer and dissemination. The printing press and the printing industry have been around for centuries, and have become the major tool for communication and information. They have been the most popular medium for shaping public opinion. Their credibility, knowledge, values and information-gathering skills remain a formidable force on the high street, and with titles now separated into sections with more lifestyle content, their potential for brands has increased further – online and offline. The success of newspapers largely boils down to a single truth: they are effective in shaping opinion. They possess a large amount of power when it comes to public perception. For many, newspapers are the most reliable form of news and information, backing up this information with credible opinion and insight. It is this level of trust that leads to readers spending a huge amount of time reading their newspaper with two thirds of readers at least three quarters of the content, impacting millions of people. Technology has many great functional purposes, which aid in our daily lives. As more and more people start embracing these functions, books are slowly being replaced. A total of 2,267,233,742 people use the Internet alone that constitutes 32.7% of the world’s population. New technology is thought to be very empowering. We live in an information society where the leading role has been given to new technologies, especially those devoted to information. This is a very threatening prospect for books and newspapers. As we try to understand information, to separate it from judgement, to establish fact, we find ourselves in a free fall: we bring to information, to judgement, to ‘fact’, our opinions and views which are in part created by the very manifestations of information, news and opinion that we consume. The Internet and other forms of the new media shape this very information. Also, more and more people are using technology. Whether they want it or not, technology is not only becoming a mandatory part of their jobs, but their children are bringing it into their homes. The increased sophistication of operating systems (e.g.Windows) and of the applications written for them lower the barriers to learning how to use technology. The catchword of these new tools is intuitive (as in, â€Å"this new application has a number of intuitive, easy-to-use features . . .†). The plain fact is that people are  using more technology because it enables them to do more with less. Compare the process of performing manual research using books with the process of using a computer. Computer-assisted research usually takes a fraction of the time and, consequently, money. Thus with the aforementioned points, one could argue that books and newspapers are a thing of the past as we move into the twenty first century. However, one could argue that books and newspapers are in fact creating something new, blurring the lines of old and new media. Perhaps one cannot judge a book by its cover, but there is a wealth of information to be gleaned from its interior. As we embrace the Internet and other new technologies, newspapers and books are beginning to blur the line between old and new media. The new media is not here to replace the old media; in fact, there are possibilities of linking the new media to form a † whole new art form â€Å". Books and newspapers possess the enduring role in shaping habits of thoughts, conduct, and expression. At the same time, it draws attention to the ways in which the social, economic, and material coordinates of books have been changing in relation to other media, denser forms of industrial organization, shifting patterns of work and leisure. These two forms of media seek a broad audience for a typically narrow (and often biased) message that’s typically embedded in entertainment or useful information/opinion. Mass media communication is expensive, so it’s funded through participant admissions/subscriptions and contributions, or through sponsorships and advertising (or a combination of these funding sources). It thus must provide something sufficiently valuable to its potential audience to gain that necessary financial support. Emotional arousal created by these media drives attention, which drives learning and conscious behavior – so it’s important for media programmers to understand and present content that will emotionally arouse potential participants. The media thus exploit areas of strong emotional arousal to help shape our knowledge and opinions. The content covered in these two forms of media potentially shape our thought and opinions. Newspapers and books may exist physically as old media but the content within lets newspapers and books coexist as new media. Therefore, with the aforementioned points, books and newspapers are not deemed as outdated. Books are artifacts with a deep and abiding history that belong in and to our own age-no more and no less so than flat-screen televisions, MP3 players, computers, and other so-called cutting-edge technologies, they keep us in tune with the rest of the world. Janice A. Radway, an American literary and cultural studies scholar, quoted that; printed books and newspapers â€Å"do not appear miraculously† in people’s hands. â€Å"They are, rather, the end product of a much-mediated, highly complex, material and social process.† (Radway 93) Integral to this process, is distribution. Developments in this perhaps more arcane aspect of the circuit of culture have paralleled transformations in the more closely scrutinized domains of book production and consumption. The everydayness of books belies a long, complicated, and still unfinished history, one intimately bound up with all of the following: a changed and changing mode of production; new technological products and processes; shifts in law and jurisprudence; the proliferation of culture and the rise of cultural politics; and a host of sociological transformations, among many other factors. The history of books go further beyond than just writing down a story, it consists of much more and people should learn to cherish that fact. Thus with the aforementioned points, books and newspapers are not outdated. The normative role of newspapers-setting a community agenda-remains essential, but the ways in which the newspapers fulfill this function are in constant transition. All media are about relationships. We are connected with community by means of our contact with media, including other people, who also are a form of media after all. Communication scholar Keith Stamm argues that â€Å"children are a [medium of connection] between families and the school system.† (Stamm 100). Similarly, news media connect us to the communities to which we belong, or want to belong. Likewise, the World Wide Web is not just a medium about information but about relationships-a way for individuals to connect with other individuals. Audiences have historically connected with their community by means of newspaper agendas. Audiences, who collectively or individually adopt the newspaper agenda of issues as their own, meld with their local community. Sharing media agendas means that different types of people-men versus women, old versus young, rich versus  poor-become more focused on the same public issues, suggesting that one function of news media is to draw disparate individuals around selected public issues. That role has been important for the newspapers since our colonial beginning and is likely to remain so in the twenty-first century. In modern times, newspapers have proven important platforms to examine the performance of contemporary institutions, such as the _Washington Post_ investigations of the incidents surrounding the Watergate break-in during the administration of President Richard Nixon in the early 1970s. Newspapers reflect the community dynamic, and the future of newspapers is linked to the future of communities. Therefore, with the aforementioned points, books and newspapers are necessary in society and are not outdated. In conclusion, books and newspapers have many deep hidden qualities that people cannot see from the surface, they provide us with essential information, they have a deep abiding history, they blur the lines between old and new media. Although it may seem as though technology is replacing newspaper and books, it is not necessarily true as newspapers and books are needed in society and they cannot be outdated. BIBLIOGRAPHY Keller, Bill. â€Å"Disrupters and Adapters, Continued: Will the Internet Save Newspapers?† _Bill Keller’s Blog_. N.p., 3 Oct. 2011. Web. 13 July 2012. . Porter, Eduardo. â€Å"EDITORIAL | EDITORIAL OBSERVER; What Newspapers Do, Have Done and Will Do.† _The New York Times_. The New York Times, 14 Feb. 2009. Web. 10 July 2012. . Striphas, Theodore G. The Late Age of Print: Everyday Book Culture from Consumerism to Control. New York: Columbia UP, 2009. Print. â€Å"World Internet Usage Statistics News and World PopulationStats.† World Internet Usage Statistics News and World PopulationStats. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Aug. 2012. . Griffith, Cary. â€Å"Multimedia and the Importance of Books: Does Greater Use of Nonprint Research Sources Herald the Book’s Demise?† _Information Today_ 1 Jan. 1997: n. pag. Print. Sylwester, Robert. â€Å"BrainConnection.com – How Mass Media Affect Our Perception of Reality — Part 1 – Page 1.† _BrainConnection.com – How Mass Media Affect Our Perception of Reality — Part 1 – Page 1_. N.p., Dec. 2001. Web. 10 Sept. 2012. .

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

tHOMAS edison a essays

tHOMAS edison a essays I read the book Young Thomas Edison , by Sterling North. The book tells about Edison's Young life and how he greatly succeeded through out the years. It tells about his greatest inventions and Edisons Historic sites and how her became the greatest inventor Thomas Alva Edison was born of February of 1847, in Milan Ohio. He was the seventh and last child of Nancy Edison and Samuel Edison. Thomas Alva Edison inherited much of his intelligence from Nancy Elliot Edison. Nancy Edison would read books to Thomas Edison about scientists. That's when Edison got interested in When Thomas Alva Edison was ten, he and his family moved to a small town in Purt, Hacon. There he had his own laboratory in the basement. At the age of eleven Edison and his friend would raise ten acces of vegetables. Then they would plant them and they would sell them around town. They wanted to earn money so they could give it to the family. They wanted to do this because they had financial problems. When Thomas Alva Edison was older he worked as a trainboy and would sell candies and newspapers. One day Thomas Edison's father realized that Edison was deaf from one ear. Thomas Edison became deaf from working on the locomotive. When Edison was working as a trainboy he got the idea of inventing a telegraph. When Edison was in his twenties he earned many patents by inventing the lightball, telegram, telegraph and many more inventions. Edison's second wife was Mrs. Mina Miller Edison. Edison had many chemical laboratories in his life. On 1931, Thomas Alva died when he collapsed. By this his inventions we have are street lights, I would really recommend this book to any one because Thomas Alva Edison is ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Best Research Paper Topics for 2018 - Paperell.com

Best Research Paper Topics for 2018 Best Topics For Writing A Research Paper In 2018 Chances are all of you have heard about this type of academic activity, which, without a doubt, is an effective method of testing students’ skills and knowledge. As you can see from the name, it is based on an individual research conducted by students. Such papers help people develop their research skills, ability to collect, organize, and analyze data, boosts scientific intuition, creative approach to the perception of knowledge, and practical application for solving scientific problems. It is one of the most significant assignments in the university.A project of this type is usually assigned to elder students. Besides, it is considered that writing a research paper is an effective way to prepare students of PhD and MA programs to writing their final projects – dissertations or theses. In any case, this is a responsible task that takes lots of attention. Besides, the grade a student receives for it usually has a large influence on the overall performance and final grad e, which is why it is so important not to fail it and in this post, we will tell you how to avoid a failure and give you a list of great college research paper topics for your consideration!How To Write Good Research Paper For College?Such work is written after a student has conducted an in-depth investigation of the particular problem, obtained certain results, and made an objective analysis of the outcome. It is not a simple task. Of course, if you approach the process wrong and use obsolete tools or methods, you will need to spend hours studying relevant and not so relevant literature, sorting it, and also writing and rewriting your work. However, you can optimize the process and thus, reduce the waste of time and effort. How to do this? These simple but effective pieces of advice should help you improve your results with minimum efforts:Start looking for ideas for research papers as early as possible;Set a clear theme;Do not choose too easy research paper topics and do not pick too complex ones as well, find a perfect balance of complexity, depth, and relevance of the chosen subject;Use special academic search engines to reduce the time spent on the research;Keep all the obtained data, links, and other materials well organized and stored in a safe place;Plan an introduction in advance and make it catchy;Keep the word limit in mid;Consider the individual goals of every chapter when writing it;Do not forget to underline the value of your research work and mention the possibility for further research;Make a review of the literature;Use clichà ©s for different sections – often, standard phrases and language constructions can save you lots of time;Make sure that you correctly cite your resources;Proofread and edit your text after having some rest and with a clear mind.These few tips can make the process a bit easier. However, you have to face the truth – it will be a challenge to write a good work as it will take all of your time, energy, and ski lls, while the stakes are too high because if you fail, your overall academic performance can drop significantly! What to do if you are not ready to take the responsibility? In the case if there is no way you can handle this assignment all by yourself, you started when it was too late, can’t find enough motivation or simply doubt your abilities, you can  buy research paper online. This will rid you of the risks and should save you a bunch of time and nerves if you choose a good company that employs specialists who know their business. Thus, it might be the best decision if you can’t do it yourself.How To Choose Interesting Topics For Research Paper?Before you can start conducting a study itself and writing research paper, the main thing you have to take care of is choosing a relevant, fresh, and engaging topic. Luckily, today finding a topic for a study is not that difficult thanks to a wide range of available sources. You can find great ideas even simply using the I nternet. However, you need to approach this matter with attention in order to find an interesting research paper topic that would help you reveal your scientific potential and get a good grade! How to make a right choice? Just follow the tips described below to make this process easy and carefree:Search for inspirationNot only your theme has to be fresh and relevant to the subject you study, it also should be interesting to you. We recommend to start with searching for some inspiration. At this step, you should read as much as you can – look through your textbooks and other literature related to your subjects until you come across a problem that would sound interesting and important to you.Narrow down your focusOnce you have found an issue that interested you, it is just the right time to make it a bit narrower, choosing which aspect of the chosen theme is the most significant and engaging in your opinion. Why is it important? In fact, having a theme that is too diversified a nd deep is not the best idea as you risk not being able to disclose it fully, which is why you should better pick a narrower one to ensure successful performance.Make notesNote down all interesting theories, experiments, statistics or ideas and store them separately. Why do you need this? Your theme can change and adjust significantly in the course of your study and therefore, it is good to have all your notes stored in one place as any of them can come in handy when you will be restating your theme.Study the chosen fieldYou have to learn everything related to the chosen problem, its fields, related issues, and other nuances in order to see the whole picture and be able to define a topic that works the best for you. Look for various sources online and in the library. Also, do not hesitate to check out the works on similar issues written by other people!Best Ideas For Research Paper TopicsDo not get upset if you still do not have a clue where to look for a good theme or what you want to study because we have prepared a list of the best research topics to help you find some inspiration! Also, check our new compilation of best topics for research paper at 2019 weve revised and added a lot, so you definitely find something there!EducationWhy do teachers have to pass competency tests?Does school or parents have to take responsibility for violence and bullying?The reasons behind the lack of funding for schools provided by the governmentThe main pros and cons of home schoolingCan exams evaluate pupils’ knowledge rather than measure their ability to take them? Do we really need a new form of knowledge assessment?The so-called â€Å"gap year†: what are the advantages or disadvantages of taking a one-year break before enrolling into a college or university after a school graduation?The reasons behind the growing discrimination in educationThe need to equip special classrooms for pupils with special needs and the reason why not all schools are ready for th is yetRelationshipsThe key aspects to consider when building family relationshipsThe importance of pleasant atmosphere at hope for children’s developmentWhat is the current divorce statistics? How to reduce the number of divorces?What are the â€Å"right† family values?The ways to control the rate of divorce on the governmental levelThe pros and cons of mass legalizing same-sex marriagesThe role models in early childhood and how they affect the child’s developmentMedicine and HealthThe most vital effects of prolong use of steroidsThe difference between low fat and low carbohydrate diets, their effectiveness, and impact on the human bodyMedical use of marijuana: what are the risks and advantages?Vaccination at young age: what are the main pros and cons?What are the hazards of alternative medicine?The harm caused by eating disorders to womenBirth controlThe authenticity and history of ADHD and ADDDo the advantages of vaccination outweigh its risks?Can vegetarianis m be considered as a healthy style of living?The most interesting cases of schizophreniaUniversityDo ACT or SAT tests objectively evaluate the student’s knowledge and skills?4 year and 2 year programs: which is more effective?The undeniable benefits of distance learning versus the effectiveness of this form of studyingThe role of GPA in the admission procedureHow to increase college student’s awareness of alcohol’s harm?How to plan college tuition?Diploma millsCyber and face-to-face bullying in the universities and ways to avoid itThe ways to create Internationally-friendly community in collegeEnvironmentThe ways to decrease the level of water and air pollution in large citiesThe benefits of hybrid vehicles and use of alternative fuels for our environmentAre the current standards of clean water and air outdated?Is global warming a real thing? Can we say that it is being exaggerated?The ways to keep the balance between the rights of developers and the protection of the wildlifeEndangered species of plants and animals: how can we save them?How bad are the risks of the climate change?Possible ways to stop the disposal of radioactive wasteThe existing recycling programs, their pros and cons, and how can we encourage people to start recycling?The hazards of acid rainHow to stop deforestation?The dangerous effect of pesticidesPoliticsThe ways in which Christian Right’s have impact on foreign policyThe controversial topics raised in the modern politics and ways to solve themCultural pluralism versus the religious motivation for political involvementHow much money is wasted on presidential campaigns? What are the ways to use them more effectively?What is the key to success on debates?Discuss the brightest political debates that took place in the historyThe importance of freedom from imposition within the rights of religious citizensBusinessThe importance of the corporate lawThe role of leadership in businessHow to ensure positive relationsh ips of employees?The benefits of social media as a new tool for business promotionThe issue of discrimination in the workplace and ways of avoiding itWhat issues in HR exist today?How are modern work environments different?Is regulation of the workforce important?The cases of corporate abuse and effective methods of fighting with itThe pros and cons of gathering employees from different generations in one workplacePsychologyThe most significant works of Freud and their value for the modern psychologyThe similarities and distinctive features in works of Adler, Jung, and FreudHow did the concepts of mental illness changes over the decades?What behavior can be considered â€Å"normal† according to psychology?Different types of mental disorders, ways of treatment, and approachIs person’s sexual orientation being dictated by the society and culture, and is there an orientation that can’t be influenced by the pressure of society?Explain how culture influences a person ’s self-image and may lead to eating disordersHistoryThe first flight to the moon: cultural and historical significance of this eventCompare the consequences of the American and English industrial revolutions and the caused urbanizationThe women’s suffrage movement in America and the impact it had on the countryThe key factors in the China-Tibet conflictWhat was the role of Julius Caesar in the development of Rome?What impact did Joan of Arc have on the history?The Cold War: how did it influence the whole world?The fall of the Roman Empire: the reasons and consequencesThe Catholic Church as a powerful political force that appeared after the fall of the Roman EmpireHow did Genghis Khan conquer Persia?Family ViolenceAre there ways to fight child abuse?Explore the cases of murders caused by child abuseDomestic abuse: statistics and ways to prevent itThe cases when women killed their husbands due to the constant abuse: should the punishment for such murder be less strict o r not? Why?The problem of marital rapeThe ways to increase the protection of children without violating the parental rightsHow to increase the protection of victims of domestic abuse on the governmental level?Online securityHow did the Internet reduce citizens’ safety?What are the effective ways to prevent hacking crimes?Spam email and ways to fight with itEfficient ways of increasing cyber securityThe ways of protecting children from seeing inappropriate content on the InternetHow to maintain your privacy on the Internet?The spread of computer viruses, their potential hazards, and ways to eliminate the risksThe ways to protect your identity from being stolenIs the Web useful or dangerous for children and teens?

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Thinking Outside the Box, Turning Rejections to Payments

Thinking Outside the Box, Turning Rejections to Payments Its always painful when we spend time writing up articles only to have them rejected, time and again. However, a simple technique can turn your rejection emails in to payments. You just need to think outside the normal boxes and appeal to a different audience. Let me set the scene. Walking, hiking and backpacking are where I draw most of my inspiration for my writing. I planned a weekend trip to a mountain bothy, a small mountain shelter that is free to use and is a great place to spend an overnight in the wild. They are little more than brick built tents. On my return, I pitched an article to several magazines specialising in hiking and mountaineering. However, they all rejected me. Feeling a bit lost and dejected, I flicked through the long list of magazines accepting submissions. After spending some time reworking the article, I submitted to a completely different genre. Living in the city of London and then spending time in the mountains of Wales, I had the chance to see more of the stars and the heavens than I had ever seen before. Reflecting on this, I decided that it would be good to rewrite the article for a Christian magazine. After all, I am a practising Christian, and enjoy reading about others experiences so why not share my own? I spent some time considering Bible quotations and rewriting the article to reflect how the experience could bring other people closer to God. As the article was for a non-specialist magazine, I need to adapt the language and add explanations that would be required for readers to understand the context of the article. The experience of rewriting was extremely useful, not just to be published, but also to find errors and to tidy up my original article. I pitched to the editor and almost immediately received a response, requesting some images and examples of my previous writing. The article went to features meeting where it was accepted and so I sent the final article with the photographs that I had taken on my trip. The editor was impressed with the uniqueness of the article, especially for his magazine, which led to getting the article published. Having photographs helped too, as this meant that the editor had a complete package and did not need to spend money on stock photography. Magazines that specialise in the outdoors will undoubtedly be inundated with lots of articles on the topic of spending a night in a bothy, so to stand out and have a chance of being published you need to provide a unique angle. Whereas a publication that has a different focus might be more willing to publish as you have a different angle. Try it with one of your own rejected article pitches. Where else could you submit it? Perhaps you could rewrite the news feature for a specialist magazine into an article for a local newspaper. Or maybe a local interest story that was covered My tips for turning rejections to payments:  · Try rewriting the article for a different market  · Look beyond the obvious sources of income, who else might be interested  · Find a different angle for your article  · Try to include photographs and images as editors prefer a complete packaged (you may be paid more for it!)

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Old Guard vs. Avant-Garde Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Old Guard vs. Avant-Garde - Essay Example Well, until today, there has been an increasing number of different versions of descriptions on what music is and what it is not. However, there has not been a single universally acknowledged definition of music as it is a wide realm of art that is hard to limit within a sentence to encapsulate everything that it is. Well, to be able to understand music in its entirety, it is best to revisit its history. First of all, to give you the most general definition of music, it is an artistic form of auditory communication that incorporates instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner. Another great description of music would be that â€Å"it is any pleasing and harmonious sound created by singers or musical instruments† (Espie, n. d.). These descriptions came about during the Medieval Ages where musical notation, such as monophony and polyphony, were developed. Monophony is characterized by a music that only consists of one melodic line without accompaniment and where the beauty of the chant relied on its melody. On the other hand, polyphony is a type of music created by two or more melodic lines which are heard simultaneously ("History of Music", n. d). Music in the Medieval Ages was considered the â€Å"old-guard† music because at that time people were not open to welcoming other ideas and means of creating music outside of these standard definitions stated above. Avant-garde music on the other hand, is basically the merging of all the elements and genres of music, such as the Medieval, Classical, and Romantic etc. It strongly reflects the modernist style of art music where the irregularity of melody or consistent tune and the rejection of tonality are being embraced. John Cage is an artist and composer being well known for this. He promoted the use of almost anything that could produce sound as one of the instruments to create music and at the same time considered the sound of nature and the most random things as part of his music . Two of his popular works are the â€Å"Dream† and â€Å"Souvenir†. John Cage’s â€Å"Dream† for me is a bright illustration of an â€Å"avant-garde† work. This is because of the fact that there is no consistent melody that reflects monophony and polyphony. Another point worth of noting would be the pauses or silence, which is the element that is imminent in the â€Å"Dream† and would never be considered as music per se within the context of â€Å"Old guard† era. Aside from that, one would be able to notice the altering of tonality from high to low and from long stretches of pitches to a sudden halt. Medieval Age music is totally the opposite to that of modern or avant-garde era being distinct by its repetition of melody and tones, which is something you would not be able to hear in the â€Å"Dream†. Every deployed tone is a new phase of music that reflects randomness and an expression of real life (Eidt, n. d.). A lot of peop le regard John Cage’s â€Å"Dream† as something that is composed of merely an expression of random outcome of events, which is an element that is not recognized within the â€Å"old-guard† technique. Mainly the piano was used to create this music and what makes it special is that the notes being hit are not based on a certain standard of tonality instead they are based on the musician’s score. This allows this work of his to uncover a deeper mystery and beauty as it is not repetitious and predictability of the piece is not there. Thus, its element of silence which is distinct feature of the â€Å"Dream† contributes to something new in the music sphere and causes a lot of aspiring musicians to create the same mystery and at the same time producing a story that would reflect the reality of change in everyday life. Although the

Friday, October 18, 2019

Project Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Project Management - Assignment Example The application allows the employees to register for the company-Sponsored recreational programs, which includes bowling, walking, jogging among others. In addition, this application allows the employees to register for company-sponsored classes and programs for management of weight stress and other health related complications. The service cost benefit of this application is the ability to track employees on the level of involvement in these activities. To ensure effective implementation of this application the company’s top management is advised to offer incentives for the employees to join these programs (Patel, 2008). The financial cost benefit of this application to the company can be calculated as follows Assume that the present cost of the industry average health care premium is X, this means that MYH, Inc pays 20% more of X , which is equivalent to 1.2X. However, upon implementation of the application the company is able to save AED 120/employee/ year for full time employees for four years. This follows that the total amount saved on the 20,000 full time employees is as the following calculation The ability of this application to track employee health care expenses and company health care costs and facilitating the data importation from the current systems that track employee expenses submitted by the insurance providers if fundamental as it facilitates clarity in the employees expenditure relative to the company ‘s care cost on the employees. This helps in establishing the exact loss or profit incurred at the end of the fiscal year. This is relative to the health care expenditure. The calculations is as illustrated below The concept of cross-selling is based on the premise that when the organizations offers additional goods and services to the organization’s customers get more value to suppliers and other organizational

Assignment NOTE ) do not type the cites address Essay

Assignment NOTE ) do not type the cites address - Essay Example Human relation training will enable john as a manager to understand people and effectively work with them (Whetten & Cameron 67). The Conceptual training will enable him to think and have the ability to relate and organize the various departments of the organization. Contingency plans ensure continuity and sustainability of the organization’s operation. They help organizations plan in advance for the risks that are likely to occur. It helps organization prevent and mitigate risks that are likely to face the organization. It enables the organization to be future oriented and hence make the right decisions (Whetten & Cameron132). From my experience when the computer system crashed down in the organization because of fire, all the data would have been lost were in not for the company’s contingency plan of backing up the data in the internet. If the company is supplied with good quality raw materials then it definitely produces quality-finished goods. If the suppliers give poor quality materials then the final products will be of poor quality. To enhance productivity of high quality products and ensuring maximization of profits the company has to have good

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Mergers and Acquisitions of Vodafone Research Paper

Mergers and Acquisitions of Vodafone - Research Paper Example Verizon Wireless, which had been a part of Vodafone Plc., was growing very fast, and Vodafone wanted to dispose of its assets in the United States and focus on Europe. Vodafone had not had much success with Verizon Wireless compared to its other subsidiaries in Europe and Africa. As a result, it identified Verizon Wireless as a possible obstacle to its expansion in Europe and Africa. On the other hand, Verizon Communications – the parent company of Verizon Wireless, wanted to solidify its presence in the US market after making several acquisitions in the past years. It should also be noted that Verizon Communications previously owned Vodafone Italy that was part of an agreement they had signed previously. Vodafone wanted to buy back Vodafone Italy so that it could shore up its operations in Europe while Verizon Communications wanted to solidify its presence in the US market. Out of all the motivations for this acquisition, the two core ones were Vodafone’s need to exit the US market and Verizon’s need to expand. The result was the acquisition. The positive impacts of the deal were far-reaching. Vodafone shareholders received cash payments as a result of the deal, and this boosted investor confidence in the company. Vodafone’s shareholders received large payouts and after this deal was more likely to stick with the company than ever before. On the other hand, Verizon’s shareholders were in line to receive increments in dividend income and possible increments in the company’s stock.

International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

International Management - Essay Example International Management The centrality of leadership is essential in managing a company or unit division holistically. Leadership styles are defined as those that provide motivation and direction in order to influence the approach and manner of influencing plans. To this end, leadership styles are classified as free reign, democratic or autocratic. By employing different leadership styles, individual productivity can be affected through his or her performance. A democratic leadership style employs inclusivity during the decision making process. However, it is paramount to note that the leader has the final decision pertaining to a cause of action. On the other hand, an autocratic leadership style is whereby the leader mandates responsibilities to employees without asking advice from followers or employees. A leadership style that employs free reign is whereby the leader mandates the decision making process to employees as well as delegating a number of activities and tasks for them to handle. It is pertinen t to note that it is commendable to employ the same leadership styles in all EU countries. Evidently, execution of leadership styles by team members leads to both negative and positive effects to the persons concerned. Positive leaders employ the use of rewards in motivating a person. These include using education and independence as motivational reward to the citizenry. On the other hand, leaders who are negative in approach are mostly domineering and superior in nature. The moral of worker and productivity is normally adversely affected by the wrongful use of negative leadership. To this end the EU countries consist of 27 states that are driven by economic and political motivation. Moreover, the member countries possess a myriad of norms and cultures that vary from region to region. Furthermore, the countries possess a variety of languages, religions, histories and systems of education. There equally exist divergent forms of leadership among the member countries. For example, Fren ch leaders are renowned for their autocratic style of leadership while Germans are well known or their assertive nature in leadership. Moreover, matters and issues pertaining to human rights human relations and rights are normally divergent from one country to the other. Consequently, a solution to such differences lies in the embracing of a similar leadership style among all EU countries. However, it is pertinent to evaluate whether a single style of leadership can be accepted and effectively satisfy all member states of the EU. To this end, the efficacy and success of a single type of leadership can only be achieved through proposals and appeal for acceptance rather than forcing it down on the member states. Moreover, in order to achieve flexible leadership type, all the European leaders need to appreciate and consider the context of these countries. The rapid rate of internationalization enhances the scope, size and types of organizations. Consequently, a rise in demand for day t o day comprehension of global businesses and cross cultural awareness. The benefit of singular leadership type is that it takes advantages of improves work and employee performance. Thus, it is paramount of EU leaders to be cross culturally, sensitive, adaptive and responsive when carrying out and delegating duties all ove national borders. The introduction of a unilateral leadership style also

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

How Does the Iranian Nuclear Program Affect the GCC Countries National Research Paper

How Does the Iranian Nuclear Program Affect the GCC Countries National Security - Research Paper Example The national security also supports inclusion of any environmental threats such as natural disasters and occurrences resulting in damaging the environment of a state. If we go down to the memory lane of the Iranian history that is linked with nuclear arsenal, it is indicative that their nuclear program was initiated in the year 1957, when a proposed agreement for cooperation in research for the peaceful use of atomic energy came into being under the guise of Eisenhowers  Atoms for Peace program. Later in the year 1967, an institution known as  Tehran Nuclear Research Center  (TNRC) was established, run by the  Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI). TNRC was comprised of U.S supplied 5 megawatt nuclear  research reactor, fueled by  highly enriched uranium. In 1968 Iran had signed the  Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty  (NPT) ratified in the year 1970 that makes Irans nuclear program subject to verification of IAEA. During the era of Shah, plan was approved to construct 23 nuclear power stations with the assistance of USA to be completed by the end of 2000.  In March 1974, Shah categorically announced that Petroleum is a precious material to burn. In future, we will be producing, 23,000 megawatts of electricity through utilization of nuclear plants as soon as we can just to save the expensive material. U.S. and European companies are beating about the bush, to get the job done in Iran.  The first plant at Bushehr, was established to provide energy to the city of Shiraz. For this purpose, in the year 1975, a contract worth $4 to  $6 billion was signed executed by Siemens AG  and  AEG respectively  to build  pressurized water reactor  nuclear power plant in 1981. Further development that took place at a later stage is that Sweden’s 10% share in  Eurodif  gone to Iran.  Cogà ©ma the subsidiary of French government  and the Iranian Government had established the Sofidif Company with 60% and 40% shares. In return, the Sofidif acquired a

International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

International Management - Essay Example International Management The centrality of leadership is essential in managing a company or unit division holistically. Leadership styles are defined as those that provide motivation and direction in order to influence the approach and manner of influencing plans. To this end, leadership styles are classified as free reign, democratic or autocratic. By employing different leadership styles, individual productivity can be affected through his or her performance. A democratic leadership style employs inclusivity during the decision making process. However, it is paramount to note that the leader has the final decision pertaining to a cause of action. On the other hand, an autocratic leadership style is whereby the leader mandates responsibilities to employees without asking advice from followers or employees. A leadership style that employs free reign is whereby the leader mandates the decision making process to employees as well as delegating a number of activities and tasks for them to handle. It is pertinen t to note that it is commendable to employ the same leadership styles in all EU countries. Evidently, execution of leadership styles by team members leads to both negative and positive effects to the persons concerned. Positive leaders employ the use of rewards in motivating a person. These include using education and independence as motivational reward to the citizenry. On the other hand, leaders who are negative in approach are mostly domineering and superior in nature. The moral of worker and productivity is normally adversely affected by the wrongful use of negative leadership. To this end the EU countries consist of 27 states that are driven by economic and political motivation. Moreover, the member countries possess a myriad of norms and cultures that vary from region to region. Furthermore, the countries possess a variety of languages, religions, histories and systems of education. There equally exist divergent forms of leadership among the member countries. For example, Fren ch leaders are renowned for their autocratic style of leadership while Germans are well known or their assertive nature in leadership. Moreover, matters and issues pertaining to human rights human relations and rights are normally divergent from one country to the other. Consequently, a solution to such differences lies in the embracing of a similar leadership style among all EU countries. However, it is pertinent to evaluate whether a single style of leadership can be accepted and effectively satisfy all member states of the EU. To this end, the efficacy and success of a single type of leadership can only be achieved through proposals and appeal for acceptance rather than forcing it down on the member states. Moreover, in order to achieve flexible leadership type, all the European leaders need to appreciate and consider the context of these countries. The rapid rate of internationalization enhances the scope, size and types of organizations. Consequently, a rise in demand for day t o day comprehension of global businesses and cross cultural awareness. The benefit of singular leadership type is that it takes advantages of improves work and employee performance. Thus, it is paramount of EU leaders to be cross culturally, sensitive, adaptive and responsive when carrying out and delegating duties all ove national borders. The introduction of a unilateral leadership style also

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

An I.T. System for a Video Rental Store Essay Example for Free

An I.T. System for a Video Rental Store Essay Contents * Choice of Problem * Description of Problem * Investigation and Analysis of Problem * Specification of Solution * Design of Solution * Implementation of Solution: * Resources Required * Data Collection, Capture and Input * Data Verification and Validation * Output Format * Testing of Solution * Documentation of Solution * Evaluation of Solution Choice of Problem I live in large city called London. My Grandfather runs a video shop there under the name Video Rentals LTD. Has a large and varied amount of stock that he finds hard to keep track of. At the moment he employs a card index system but this has its limitations: * Cards often get misfiled meaning that extra time has to be spent refilling and amending lost data. * On average it takes 30 seconds to search for a record, at busy times this is too long. * The shop currently has about 150 customers, which means that to find a record it may take a long time, this will delay the time that it takes to sort through the records and therefore customers may not want to wait that long and may go to another shop. Description of Problem At my grandfathers video shop the current system involves filing all the information in a filing cabinet. This is a manual system as all the data is hand written. I believe that because of this the video shop needs a computerised system, which will make the database better. There will be graphical menu System that will link all the forms and queries together. My database project will allow the shopkeeper to edit, create and delete record details of members, videos and loans. Investigation To find out more about what the database required I phoned my Grandfather. I wanted to know: * The precise objectives of the new system * The problems or weaknesses in the current manual system * The information that needs to be kept on each customer * The required output * The volume of data (e.g. number of existing customers, number of new customers each year/month) * Any hardware or software constraints. My evaluation will be based firstly on whether it works properly, secondly that it is faster in finding a particular video or client than the existing manual system and thirdly that my Grandfather finds it easy to use. Specification of Solution Objectives of the new system * It should take less than thirty seconds to establish whether a customer is already on file. * It should be possible to go directly from the Customer Details form to the entry of a video that that customer has hired, without having to re-enter the customers name, etc. * Data entry should be as fast and as easy as possible, particularly as there are several hundred existing customers and videos to be entered when the system is first installed. * It be able to show who has rented what video and when. * There must be provision for more than one video to be hired at once by the same person. * The new system is required to provide the following information: * A list of all business customers * A list of all customers interested in a certain type of video such as horror, comedy etc. * A list of customers whose numbers of rentals exceeds a given value. * A list of all rentals that are overdue and need chasing. * It should be possible to send a standard letter to selected customers, using criteria mentioned above. * The user must be able to create new letters whenever needed and perform a mail merge to selected customers. * The main menu should be displayed automatically when the database is loaded, and the whole system should be menu driven. Design of Solution A database package will be ideal for implementing the system for my Grandfathers video rental shop. He has requested that it is done in Access 97 so this is the package that must be used. It would probably be possible to implement the system using Visual Basic or another programming language but it would take a lot longer and would involve the owners having to buy more software which is not really necessary, as Access has all the capabilities required. I already have some experience of Access 97 and it is available in my house for development. Using this package it will be possible to: * Set up the necessary tables and relationships * Produce customised input screens, using Visual Basic to automate data entry wherever possible and to perform various validations * Use Visual Basic modules to enable fast searches for a particular customer and past jobs * Design reports as needed * Make and save queries to select certain customers for a mail merge * Implement a customised menu system On starting up the database, I will design it so that you are presented with a main menu that is linked to the client and video databases, which in turn are linked to each other. I will make it so that on each of the forms there are buttons that enable you to scroll between records, delete records and search for records. If you choose to search for a record then you will be prompted to enter the details of the record you want. The database will be menu orientated so I will make a separate options menu that is linked to everything else. The options menu will also contain a help menu that will cover everything that is covered in the user manual. My system will be based on two separate files, one is of the customers and the other is of the videos in stock. Each record in whichever file will only contain one video or customer, and contain fields like name, address, video name, and certificate. The implementation will begin with the design of the database, then data capture forms, entry screens and output screens. Before the database is put in to use I will test the system using a range of valid and invalid data to make sure the system works as it should. I will then create a user manual that will support the system and its functions. Implementation of Solution Resouces Required I have chosen to design and make my database in Access version 97 because this is the program that the final product will be used on. It allows me to create customized data input screens and has a wide range of validation checks available, so unless a good reason transpires for using an alternative program or package, Access will be the first choice of software. In order to run Access 97 and be able to perform a mail merge using Word, a minimum of a Pentium 133 system with 16Mb, wil be required. A faster processor may be needed if the system is going to appear slow in switching between screens and searching for records. When the system is up and running it will take up about 5Mb. The user has a Pentium 300 with 16Mb, which will be perfectly suitable, and similar machines are available for development work in my house at school. My Grandfather is familiar with Word and has good keyboard skills, so should have no problem in entering the data but may need help in doing some of the more complicated functions. In the future he would like to improve his knowledge of Access so that he can perform new queries and reports as the need arises. Data Collection, Capture and Input Three data input forms are needed: 1. Customer Details This form will be used for several purposes so it needs to be able to: * Add a new customer * Look through the current clients and see what videos they have hired. Validations will be performed automatically. The Member ID field will be an integer and letter field so that it is more personalised. Wherever possible default values will be inserted automatically (e.g. most customers are from Ludlow so the relevant fields will default to those values). Tab order will also be used to speed data entry, so each field will have a certain order in which the data is entered. The form will be straightforward and follow in a top-to-bottom order. 2. Video Details This needs basically to be the same kind of layout and make up as the customer details form except that the fields are those to do with the video. I shall use a validation rule for things such as the videos certificate which can only be one of five (18,15,12,PG,U) and have validation text that warns if the data has been incorrectly inputted. 3. Hire Details This form is designed to make the inputting of information much easier and quicker than searching for a customer and ammending the details every time. It just requires you to input the video number and the client number. Everything else is done automatically. If the wrong client or video number is given then a dialogue box comes up telling you so. You will also have the ability to go staright to a clear form so that a new customer can be added or ammended. Validations will be performed automatically. The client number field will be made up of two numbers and a capital letter, 11A for example. All text that is inputted will automatically be put into upper case lettering for ease. A sample of a data capture form is in the appendix. This is how the system will operate: The diagram shows how the menus will be linked. The hire details are entered in and stored to the various tables. Then comes th possibility of ammending a current customer or adding a new one. Data Verification and Validation Access allows you to say what type of data is included in any field, and also allows me to say the maximum length allowed for any particular field. It also gives the possibility of making input masks for the field. The First and Last Name fields will always be text and most names will be shorter than twenty letters. The House Name/ Number field allows for three digits to be put in first eg 112 Orpen Drive. In fields like Sex, Title and Form Of ID, I have coded it so that only the abreviations of the input are required, and even then the input is one of a choice. This speeds up entry time and reduces the possiblilty for error. The input masks and validation rules reduce data being incorrectly inputted, but they do not completey reduces errors. Data such as name and address, can not be validated, so it has to be verified by the user when the information is being entered. This verification involves manually checking each record to ensure accuracy. Output Format I wanted the output in my database to ocupy 3 sections, the visual display forms, the query which was a search output and the mail merge. I will now show that I have completed those task. First of all here is my Main form, which links all the other forms and functions together. Another output would be the members table I Also designed a query to find all the curent videos that are on loan. ID number of Member ID number of DVD ID number of Video Date Out Date In Surname Of Member Name of DVD Name Of Video Old Member Cost She1 dv004 1 25/7/01 27/7/01 Sheppard The Mummy The Fast one Yes à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.95 My mail merge is contained at the end of this project. User Guide To load the database click on the database file twice quickly (double click) To save the database click file, the save. Or just click on the icon that looks like this. If you require any further help try microsofts built in help progam. Then is one in Help/Microsoft assistant. And also one accesible by pressing the start button. Then on the help file. Testing of Solution I am going to test my database using a variety of correct and incorrect data. In doing this I hope to find any problems with the system, and in doing this finding the solution. The test results for the major tests are shown below. Errors which came to light during the test were corrected and all tests gave expected results. Test 1: test password When the correct password was entered the database opened. Otherwise the following message was displayed: Test 2: Entering client information Client details entered. All different options, defaults and fields were tested during data entry. The tests resulted in some minor changes of the input masks, such as the number of characters allowed in the address field was not big enough for my address. Test 3: Deleting a record A client was deleted and the result were as expected, access alowed me to delte the record, after promiting me in what I was about to do. I also needed to test whether or not my query worked, to do this I first loaded it up. I was asked to type in th date when the video was due back so I typed in 27/11/01 and the query found the following result. As the query found the right result I believe that my query works correctly. Evaluation of Solution By looking at my testing I can conlcude that my database is succesfull, as all the buttons, tables and queries work correctly. If I look at my my evaluation crtitera I can say whether or not I have completeed them. * It should take less than thirty seconds to establish whether a customer is already on file (Query member search) DONE * It should be possible to go directly from the Customer Details form to the entry of a video that that customer has hired, without having to re-enter the customers name, etc. (Relationships) DONE * Data entry should be as fast and as easy as possible, particularly as there are several hundred existing customers and videos to be entered when the system is first installed. (Data flow) DONE * It be able to show who has rented what video and when. (loan table) DONE * There must be provision for more than one video to be hired at once by the same person. IMCOMPLETE * The new system is required to provide the following information: * A list of all rentals that are overdue and need chasing. (Date due back query) DONE * It should be possible to send a standard letter to selected customers, using criteria mentioned above. (Mail merge) DONE * The user must be able to create new letters whenever needed and perform a mail merge to selected customers. (Mail merge wizard) DONE Seeing as I have completed nearly all of my evaluation points I believe that I can say that my database project is a complete success.

Monday, October 14, 2019

A Dolls House as a Problem Play

A Dolls House as a Problem Play A Dolls House is one of the major realistic problem plays of Henrik Ibsen. In A Dolls House, Nora Helmer is the main character. She is the wife of Torvald Helmer, who is a bank manager. The story happens when Christmas is coming. To keep the job in Torvalds bank, Krostad, who is the man that Nora borrowed money from to pay the trip to Italy to cure her husband, threatens her that he will tell Torvald she forged her fathers signature to borrow money if she doesnt help him to talk with Torvald. She tries to do what Krostad wants because she is fearful that she will lose the family when Torvald knows about that. However, what she is afraid of happen. She spends a whole night to think about what happened, and she realized that Torvald and she dont understand each other. Finally, she decides to leave him and her children to discover her own life where she can find her own self. By separating the various themes of faux marriage and broken family, Henrik Ibsen focuses on the place of women with Nora as his central character. Nora chooses divorce at the end to free not only Torvald but also herself. Just holding a marriage without love, communication, trust, and toleration, the marriage between them cannot last forever. The reasons that lead to divorce in the play are relevant in the world today. Love is the first base to build a strong marriage. Without love, marriage will be destroyed easily. In A Dolls House play, the marriage of Torvald and Nora is seemed very happy, but truthfully, Torvald didnt really love Nora. With him, she is woman who is under his control. After her forging her fathers signature is disclosed, she realizes that her marriage is built without their real love. Torvald pretends to love Nora, and she pretends to love him. She feels that she is living a lie while she lives with him as a doll. She did and thought the same as what he said. Nora claims, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦You arranged everything to your tastes, and I acquired the same tastes. Or I pretended toà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I dont really knowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I think it was a bit of both, sometimes one thing and sometimes the other. When I look back, it seems to me I have been living here like a beggar, from hand to mouthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(Ibsen 858). When Torvald asked whether she had been happy living with him or n ot, she answers no although she hopes that she was. Therefore, building a marriage without love definitely hurts the relationship between husband and wife as it hurt the relationship between Torvald and Nora. A balance of love is needed in any marriage. Another quality that leads to failed marriage in the play and the world today is the lack of communication. Two soul-mates need to communicate in a relationship. Because Nora understands Torvalds character and doesnt want to let him worry, she didnt talk to him about borrowing money from Krogstad to cure his illness. Moreover, when they talk to each other, they always say about money and work. In the Act I, Nora is seen as a spendthrift her husbands eyes. She always says money when Torvald asks her what she wants. Because of that fact, Torvald seem to be a person who really loves his wife when he agrees with all her requests, but he didnt know what she really wants. The lack of communication makes them cannot understand each other. In the play, Nora realizes that they didnt talk enough through eight years when she says, We have now been married eight years. Hasnt it struck you this is the first time you and I, man and wife, have had a serious talk together? (Ibsen 858). The answer wa s no. That is why Nora didnt tell her husband about her secret. Just because of the poor communication, a marriage can never hope to live onward. Although love and communication are important in marriage, trust is also necessary to build a marriage stronger. Torvald had almost no trust in Nora. When Nora needed some money to buy some things for Christmas, he jeered at her. He state, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦if only you really did buy something for yourself with it. But it just get mixed up with the housekeeping and frittered away on all sorts of useless thing, and then I have to dig into my pocket all over again (Ibsen 815). With spendthrift character, Nora lacks trust in her husband, and it is not good for their marriage. It makes them have no trust or even suspect each other. Without trust, marriage becomes impossible. Last but not least, toleration is also necessary in marriage to help them closer. Although they have a good relationship, if they dont have toleration, they will be separated. In the play, both Torval and Nora dont have toleration. This is one of the reasons that lead to their divorce. When Torvald know about what Nora have done, he very angry and doesnt want to forgive her for her fault. He even requests that she has to stay away form him. When he reads the second letter from Krosgtad, he is calmed down and forgives for her fault, but it was too late because she realizes that he didnt love her. She is the same as her husband. She cannot forgive for a person who cares nothing more than him. She finally decides to leave her family to discover a new life where she can find her own self. She says, If I never reach any understanding of myself and the thing around me, I must learn to stand alone. Thats why I cant stay here with you any longer (Ibsen 859). With the strong tone, her determi ned attitude about leaving is shown up although Torvald begs her to stay with him. In conclusion, A Dolls House is a great play of Henrik Ibsen. A Dolls House leaves us a message that holding a marriage without four qualities above is impossible. The marriage of Torvald and Nora Helmer had many problems because they got married without real love, hold their marriage without trust, have the poor communication to understand each other, and have no toleration to forgive for their faults. A Dolls House teaches us a lesson that getting married with our loves is easy, but keeping our marriage can last forever is not easy as we thought. Work Cited Ibsen, Henrik. A Dolls House. Literature for Composition. Ed. Sylvan Barnet et al. 8th ed. New York: Longman, 2007. 813-862.