An Assessment of Effectiveness of Dell's Organization Culture and Essay

An Assessment of Effectiveness of Dell's Organization Culture and Change - Essay Example Nevertheless, the concept of effectiveness should apply to all stakeholders in an organisation. This ensures harmony in all its operations, which has the end result of high performance. The current study examines the effectiveness exhibited by the dell management, in relation to how it has been able to effectively build an organisation culture, which pushed it up to its success. Background of the study In the past few decades, many organisations have changed their ways of doing business. This has been as a result of high competition. In particular, organisation culture and change has been one of the ways through which organizations have sought to focus on to maintain completive advantage (Harold 2009). In this regard, it is apparent that organisations have to analyse the best management practices through strategic plans that are aligned with organisation’s objectives, mission and vision statements (Hill & Jones 2008). These practices become a culture that an organisation shoul d endorse and cling on in order to achieve its objectives (Dyck and Neubert 2010). However, due to increased and the emergence of new technologies, any organisation that needs to survive in highly competitive market has to embrace such technologies (Marr 2010). This means that organisations should also create a culture of adopting innovations that are in line with their objectives (Daft and Lane 2010). Analysis of output control: a concept of organization culture In order to have a spectrum of what organisation culture and change entails, it is crucial to first understand what organisation culture is. This is an internal environment that establishes a personality for the organisation, which plays a part in influencing the behavior of its members (Flamholtz and Randle 2011). These could be summed up to mean core values and fundamental beliefs or an organisation. Studies have documented that an organisation with a strong culture, members act with shared understandings and commitment t o core values. Key elements of organisational culture involve innovation and risk taking, concern for people, team building and emphasis, and performance orientation (Phaditare 2011). With such deliberations, the focus of this paper will be on the case study on Dell Computers, which according to Bhattacharyya 2010, is argued to have been â€Å"able to achieve excellence by giving due emphasis on creating a positive work culture through pro-active human resource management practices† (18). In this regard, this paper aims at articulating on ways through which Dell’s organisational culture has enabled it achieve excellence. In order to have an efficient organization culture, an organization has to have efficient managers and the overall organizational structure. Dell’s organization structure is believed to forecast suitable performance in relation to its goals. For example, Dell’s reward system is linked to its goals, which help to motivate employees in orde r to improve performance. Nevertheless, Dell has created a culture of directions on each division on how to achieve its goals. Dell’s CEO Michael Dell, is argued to have tried to decentralize the authority to low-level employees. This has been an effective strategy that has facilitated company-customer relationship thus creating a customer service culture. Study objectives 1. To find out Dell’s elements of organ

Boston Strangler killings Essay Example for Free

Boston Strangler killings Essay Between 1962 and 1964, thirteen women were sexually assaulted and murdered in the city of Boston. This series of murders was called the Boston Strangler murders. Though most of the victims were older women, a few were in their early twenties, and one young woman was in her late teens. All of the victims were strangled, usually with a personal item the woman owned, such as tights or stockings. The Boston Strangler would gain access to his victims by posing as an official needing to perform a service in the women’s homes. In 1964, Albert de Salvo confessed to having committed the crimes (Chitolie, 1997). Because the Boston Strangler killings involved a repetitive pattern, which always involved specific behaviors, social learning theory is most useful in explaining this case. According to social learning theory, an individual learns by observing and modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others (Kearsley, 2007). People learn societal norms and appropriate, healthy behaviors by modeling others. After one becomes aware of a behavior by observing it, he will usually apply the behavior in future situations, reflecting upon past outcomes that occurred when the behavior was originally observed. The Boston Strangler observed the reactions of his earlier victims and based his approach to future murders on the outcomes of his prior crimes. For example, he knew that by dressing as a serviceman, de Salvo’s victims would respond by trusting de Salvo and allowing him to enter their houses. Consequently, de Salvo used this tactic repeatedly. A more general example of how learned behaviors may influence future practices is evident in the treatment of animals. Many children go through a stage in which they innocently harm insects or small animals (i. e. by trapping them and keeping them in jars, etc. ). In most cases, a parent or other adult intervenes, and the child learns to respect animals. As a result, the child does not have a desire to cause the animal pain. There are some cases, however, in which the child never learns empathy for animals and the pattern of torture intensifies. Based on prior experiences (i. e. causing pain in animals as a form of enjoyment, and not having an adult stop the behavior), a child may continue the undesirable practice. Sometimes, the child’s violent tendencies toward living things may escalate so much that it is later transferred to human beings when the child becomes an adult. As a child, Albert de Salvo trapped cats and dogs and shot them with arrows. It may be argued that de Salvo never learned appropriate behavior in dealing with living things, and as a result, de Salvo’s practice of trapping animals, rendering them helpless, and killing them progressed to trapping and torturing the women he murdered during his adulthood. The childhood practice of continued animal cruelty can be observed among a number of other infamous serial killers as well (Finch, 1992). In the context of social learning theory, the Boston Strangler’s killings perhaps occurred because the individual who committed these crimes lacked proper role models to teach him the rules and norms of society. It appears that this individual was never effectively discouraged from harming living organisms, and it is even possible that he may have witnessed violent acts (perhaps the violent acts of men against women) during his early years of development. Nevertheless, when examining the killings, from the general events that took place to the minor details, there appears to be an obvious pattern of repetitive learned violent behavior. Bibliography Chitolie, Raymond. Serial Killers—Case Files [The Boston Strangler]. 1997. Retrieved March 16, 2007, from http://hosted. ray. easynet. co. uk/serial_killers/boston. html Finch, Patty A. Abuse. 1992. Retrieved March 16, 2007, from http://www. vospca. org/archive/abuse. html Kearsley, Gregg. Theories. 2007. Retrieved March 16, 2007, from http://tip. psychology. org/bandura. html

Sherman’s Stab at South Carolina Essay -- Civil War, Trading Ports

â€Å"South Carolina had succeeded! It had left the Union by vote of its convention at Charleston on the twentieth.†(Lewis 137). To many people this was a shock for South Carolina to be the first state to succeed from the union. To General William Sherman he was devastated as Lewis depicts Sherman Pacing the floor as he was saddened by this tragic news, and in pacing until it became almost an omen to his future march (Lewis 138). As The Civil War came close to an end, the union had come up with a brilliant plan to end it all with just one devastating plan. To trek through the southern states burning and destroying everything in sight so to devastate the southern states and make a surrender inevitable. General William Sherman’s march devastated all the southern states, but affected South Carolina more than any other southern state. With the march through the south General Sherman’s troops destroyed everything in sight. The heart break General William Sherman remem bered at the beginning of the war was still fresh to him, because of this he left South Carolina with nothing to hold onto as a state. As reported in Civil War Battle Guide â€Å"Sherman specifically targeted South Carolina, the first state to secede† (Houghton). South Carolina having a striving economies before the war began one of the leading slave trade states and agricultural trade states General Williams Sherman’s march hit the hearts of the South Carolina people all because of the state making a decision to rebel against the union. Not only would South Carolina be effected negatively but would find themselves searching for a new beginning after the war. No other state would find themselves with as much of a loss as the State of South Carolina just because Sherman struck the m... ...Findling. What Happened? : An Encyclopedia Of Events That Changed America Forever. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2011.eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Hughes, Nathaniel Cheairs. Bentonville : The Final Battle Of Sherman And Johnston. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1996. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Marszalek, John F. Sherman : A Soldier's Passion For Order. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 2007. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 25 Nov. 2013. Wright, John D. The Language Of The Civil War. Westport, Conn: Oryx Press, 2001. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 23 Nov. 2013. Sebesta, Edward H., and James W. Loewen. The Confederate And Neo-Confederate Reader : The 'Great Truth' About The 'Lost Cause'. Jackson, Miss: University Press of Mississippi, 2010.eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 21 Nov. 2013.

ACE Hardware Point of Purchase Observation

Determine the shoppers' decision process. B. Methodology The strength of observation methods lies In â€Å"what It Is†. The subject is not required to recall actions, to answer a questionnaire or to complete a personal Interview. Likewise, the observer Is not In a position to Interpret an answer by an Interviewee. Action is recorded not interpretation. Covert observational research is used. Researchers do not identify themselves. Researchers are either mixing in the subjects undetected, or observing from the distance.This method is used so that the subjects' behavior will not be contaminated by the presence of the researcher. Customers will be observed regardless of whether or not they Interested in certain departments or whether they seemed to be only passing through. All persons, once â€Å"picked up†, will be documented and considered In the analysis even If no purchases are made. The observation location will be focused on the ground floor of ACE Hardware BCC.Resear chers will spread accordingly to the customers movements. The conversion rate of the store will be determined by observing the number of customers coming in only from the main door and customers purchasing at the cashiers of the ground level. Any other activities that take place on the other floor(s) ill not be observed. To avoid biases regarding the elements of the store, researchers will also implement some simple personal interview to the ACE Hardware staffs.By doing so, researchers may interpret the observational data collected more accurately. C. Point of Purchase Observation Things to be observed: Store Measurement Conversion or Closure Rate The amount of time a shopper spends In a store Interception Rate (percentage of customers who have contact with a store employee) Shopping Behavior Departments visited Things seen and touched Things put In the cart Time spent Purchase decision Store Management .Display Location of each departments Products put on the rack at the height the eye level Price tags (is there any differences between products displayed on display table and those on the rack) Differences of products on the height of eye level, above eye level, and under eye level (price, type, colors, shape, etc. ) Products arrangement Lighting b. Store Assistances Employees approach to consumers How to deal with queries and complaints c. In Store Promotion Current promotions Terms and conditions of the promotion Upcoming promotions d. Service Environment Must be available in the service Environment

Character Analyzation “The guest” Albert camus Essay

Albert Camus’ story â€Å"The Guest,† takes place in the rough terrain of Algeria at the end of World War II. Algeria, under French control at the time, was very tense due to civil unrest of the Arabic people. The protagonist of the story is Daru, a solitary French schoolteacher who lives at a school on a remote plateau that has been deserted due to a freak snowstorm after eight months of drought. Two minor characters, a French policeman, Balducci, and an Arab prisoner arrive at the school. Balducci commands Daru to deliver the prisoner to nearby authorities but Daru has a conflict over the decision of whether or not to take the Arab to prison. In the end, Daru leaves the decision up to the Arab. The Arab, being a flat and seemingly static character, somehow contributes significantly to the existentialistic nature of Daru’s character and his actions. The author, an existentialist, tells the story with an indirect presentation. The central idea appears to be there is an inherent conflict between what different cultures view as morally right. We will analyze how the round/flat and dynamic/static qualities of the characters as well as the presentation affect the story’s central idea. Daru’s character, as the protagonist, is very round. In this story, Daru lives at a remote and solitary schoolhouse plagued by silence. Daru is confronted by the decision of whether or not he should deliver an Arab prisoner to the French authorities. We learn the prisoner is in custody for murdering his cousin over grain owed. The flat character, Balducci, represents the French authority and its moral code; while the Arab’s culture seems to permit this act: â€Å"His village was beginning to stir; they wanted to take him back† (105). Balducci gives his fellow Frenchman Daru an obligation to deliver the prisoner. Daru, who is utterly disgusted by the actions of the Arab, does not want to take him to police headquarters because of his existentialist beliefs: â€Å"Every bit of this disgusts me, and first of all your fellow here. But I won’t hand him over† (106). â€Å"That man’s stupid crime revolted him, but to hand him over was contrary to honor† (110). We can see that Daru is torn between what is actually right or wrong. He wants the Arab to run because he doesn’t want to make the choice himself. â€Å"He was amazed at the unmixed joy he derived from the mere thought that the Arab might have fled and that he would be alone with no decision to make† (107). Daru’s character is very dynamic. At first he refuses to bring the Arab to justice due to his existentialist beliefs. We can tell that Balducci looks down on the Arab while Daru, views him more humanely. Daru insists that the Arab doesn’t need to be tied up. Balducci’s character is static. He claims he doesn’t like putting ropes on prisoners but concludes by saying â€Å"But you can’t let them have their way† (106). Daru insulted Balducci by not wanting to comply with him. Later remembering Balducci’s farewell, he reveals â€Å"He had hurt him, for he had sent him off in a way as if he didn’t want to be associated with him,† and â€Å"he felt strangely empty† (110). The Arab’s character remains somewhat static throughout the story. The Arab got up several times the night before, as if almost wanting to escape, but came back in. With the task of delivering the prisoner at hand, Daru’s final choice is t o let the Arab choose his own fate, which was totally not what Balducci intended. The Arab does what he feels is right, or what he feels the governing society feels is right. He complies with French law, while ironically, Daru didn’t. The presentation is also very important in supporting the central idea of this story. A major revolt against the French colonists was about to take place. French control and law was in question. Should one culture be able to dictate laws upon another culture just because it is temporarily the governing body? In the meantime, Daru cooked for the Arab and ate with him, showing him trust and compassion. The Arab was surprised that Daru was eating with him. We can tell the Arab was scared and wanted Daru to go with him. During bedtime, Daru slept naked near the prisoner. This shows that Daru was letting down his guard: â€Å"Men who share the same rooms, soldiers or prisoners, develop a strange alliance as if, having cast off their armor with their clothing† (109). He watched as the prisoner quietly crept out of bed. The Arab was very nervous and got up several times, but Daru didn’t do anything. He was still hoping the Arab would escape so he wouldn’t have to deal w ith the whole situation. The next day the two hiked down the plateau towards the jailhouse. There, Daru showed the Arab the path to the prison, but also showed him the way towards pasturelands where nomads lived: â€Å"They’ll take you in and shelter you according to their law† (111). The Arab  ultimately chose the fate that French law had dictated. When Daru went back to the schoolhouse, he read a message on the chalkboard, â€Å"you handed over our brother, you will pay for this† (111). Here again, we see a conflict of views. Daru, upon not making a choice, inadvertently committed a crime amongst those people. Throughout the story, Daru referred to the Arab as the â€Å"guest.† The irony of this story is Daru is actually the stranger in a strange land while we might perceive the Arab as the â€Å"guest.† In conclusion, we see that different cultures have conflicting views about what is right and what is wrong. As an existentialist, Daru let the Arab decide his own fate. Daru felt if he took the Arab to jail, it would be wrong. He also felt if he told him to go free, it would be wrong against the French authority. Because Daru acted by not acting, he unintentionally committed a crime against the Algerian people. Ironically, Daru was in a catch 22.

Light in August by William Fau essays

Light in August by William Fau essays In the novel by William Faulkner, Light in August there is alienation in the novel. The alienation occurs with Joe Christmas. He is a stranger that comes into the town of Jefferson with a unkonwn past. Prior to his arrival, he went under the name of Lucas Burch. Whne Joe Christmas arrives at Jefferson, he alienates himeself from almost everybody for about 2 years. His past has taught him to do so, with all the bad things that We get extended interior monologues from Christmas, and the story of his past occupies a third or more of the book. Despite the amount of information provided, Christmas remains hard to comprehend. It isn't that he is not what he seems to be. Rather, he "seems" to be many things, but the reader can never be quite certain which of these are Christmas' tragedy is that he does not know himself what he is. He seems certain that he is part "nigger" but there is no reliable evidence that this is true. Certainly, he looks white. Christmas moves back and forth between white society and black society. Every time he does so, he reveals himself as an outsider. In white society he exposes his own "nigger" blood; in black society he portrays himself as white. When he does so, he expects a violent reaction from which he has provoked. Being both black and white he cannot truly be a part of either society. Nor can he simply deny this dichotomy. Rather, as quoted on page 69, "his awareness of this dichotomy makes him take up the role of antagonist in all situations". He is born into a social system which has defined the categories of white and black, and has established rituals for dealing with any behavior by either, which depicts an image to the reader of his alienation and difference he is from the rest of the population in Jefferson.. Joe believes in these categories and rituals. When a white prostitute is not outraged by his Negro blood, he beats her. He expects her ...

Punks Evolution essays

Punk's Evolution essays "Punk is: a movement that serves to refute social attitudes that have been perpetuated through willful ignorance of human nature," at least according to Greg Graffin, a man who has a PhD and is also the lead singer of the punk band Bad Religion. This idea of social change in music is not new, by any means. People such as Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and many others had written songs of political injustice and the need for social change for a long time before punks were around. What made this different was the aggressiveness that they attacked these subjects with, a desperate, youthful, anarchic view that wanted change and they wanted it now. The Past 30 years have seen Punk music evolve with several punk revolutions in between. While Punk music is still thriving today for the most part the Punk ideology is dead. The initial idea that Punk could inspire social change through opposing mainstream methods failed due to the mainstreams acceptance and exploitation of the punk lifestyle. No one is quite sure who started punk first. Many would argue that it was the Ramones in New York with the CBGB club, while others would say it was the Clash and the Sex Pistols in England. However there is no controversy over when the movement began in the mid 1970s. Punk was a unique phenomenon, it was music that started in the underground to try and change mainstream societal problems. Punk was a stance against consumerism, racism, prejudice or any other negative ill that was seen in the mainstream. At this time punk was its most raw and shocking and was best described as youth angst against mainstream society. More than anything punks strived very hard to be individuals. They were not Hippies preaching peace and love and they were definitely not practicing mainstream American values. Punks wanted to tear down the barriers in society, cause anarchy and ultimately force society to change. But most of all Punks wanted to achieve this cha...

Doc Holliday Biography

Doc Holliday Biography Doc Holliday (born John Henry Holliday, August 14, 1851- November 8, 1887) was  an American  gunfighter, gambler, and dentist.  A  friend of fellow gunslinger  and  lawman  Wyatt Earp, Holliday became an iconic  character  of the  American Wild West  through  his role in the  gunfight at the O.K.  Corral.  Despite his reputation for  having gunned down  Ã¢â‚¬Å"dozens† of men, more recent research suggests Holliday killed no more than two men.  Over the years, Holliday’s character and  life have been depicted in many movies and television series. Fast Facts: Doc Holliday Full Name:  John Henry (Doc) Holliday  Known For:  Old West American gambler, gunfighter, and dentist. Friend of Wyatt Earp  Born:  August 14, 1851, in Griffin, GeorgiaDied:  November 8, 1887, in  Glenwood Springs, ColoradoParents:  Henry Holliday and Alice Jane (McKey) HollidayEducation:  Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery, D.D.S. Degree, 1872  Key Accomplishments:  Fought beside Wyatt Earp against the Clanton Gang in the Gunfight at the OK Corral. Accompanied Wyatt Earp on his Vendetta Ride  Spouse:  Big Nose Kate  Horony  (common-law)  Famous Quote:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"All I want of you is ten paces out in the street.† (to gunfighter Johnny Ringo).   Early Life and Education     Doc Holliday was born on August 14, 1851, in Griffin, Georgia, to Henry Holliday and Alice Jane (McKey) Holliday. A veteran of both the  Mexican–American War  and the  Civil War, Henry Holliday taught his son  to shoot.  In 1864, the family moved to Valdosta, Georgia, where Doc attended first through tenth grade at the private Valdosta Institute.  Considered an outstanding student, Holliday excelled at  rhetoric, grammar, mathematics, history,  and Latin.   Doc Holliday. John van Hasselt / Getty Images In 1870, the 19-year-old Holliday moved to Philadelphia,  where he received a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery on March 1, 1872.   Holliday Heads  West   In July 1872,  Holliday joined a  dental practice in Atlanta,  but was soon diagnosed with tuberculosis. Hoping the drier climate would help  his condition, he moved to Dallas, Texas, eventually opening his own dental practice. As his  coughing spells increased and his dental patients abandoned him, Holliday turned to gambling to support himself. After having been arrested twice for illegal gambling  and being acquitted of murder, he left Texas in January 1875. Gambling his  way west through states and cities where betting was treated as a legal profession, Holliday settled  in  Dodge City, Kansas, in the spring of 1878. It was in Dodge City  that Holliday befriended assistant city marshal Wyatt Earp.  Though there were no reports of the incident in the  Dodge City newspapers, Earp credited Holliday for saving his life during a shootout with outlaws at the  Long Branch Saloon.   The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral   In  September  1880, Holliday  rejoined  his friend Wyatt Earp  in the wild and booming silver mining camp town of Tombstone,  Arizona  Territory.  Then a  Wells Fargo  stagecoach  security agent, Wyatt joined  his brothers, Deputy U.S. Marshal Virgil Earp, and Morgan  Earp as Tombstone’s â€Å"police force.†Ã‚  In Tombstone’s gambling  and liquor-fueled atmosphere, Holliday soon became involved in the violence that would result in the  Gunfight at  the O.K. Corral.   Opposing the  Earps  for control of Tombstone  was the infamous  Clanton Gang, a  group of  local  cowboys  led by  the notorious cattle rustlers  and murderers  Ike Clanton and Tom  McLaury. On  October 25, 1881,  Ike  Clanton and  Tom  McLaury  came to town for supplies. Over the  course of the  day, they had several  violent  confrontations with the Earp brothers. On the morning of October 26,  Ike’s brother Billy Clanton  and Tom’s brother Frank  McLaury, along with gunfighter Billy Claiborne,  rode to town to provide backup for Ike and Tom. When Frank  McLaury  and Billy  Clanton learned that the  Earps  had  just  pistol-whipped their brothers, they  vowed revenge. At  3 p.m. on October 26, 1881, the  Earps  and  the hastily-deputized  Holliday faced the Clanton-McLaury  gang behind the OK Corral. In the 30-seconds of gunfire that ensued, Billy Clanton and both  McLaury  brothers were killed.  Doc Holliday, and Virgil and Morgan Earp were wounded. While he was present at the gunfight, Ike Clanton was unarmed and fled the scene. Though a territorial court found that the  Earps  and Holliday had  acted within their duties as lawmen at the O.K. Corral, Ike Clanton was not satisfied. In the following  weeks, Morgan Earp was killed and Virgil Earp was permanently maimed by a group of unknown cowboys.  In what has become known as the  Earp Vendetta Ride, Holliday joined Wyatt Earp as part of a federal posse that pursued the suspected outlaws  for over a year, killing four of them.   Later Life  and Death  in  Colorado   Holliday moved to Pueblo, Colorado, in  April 1882.  In May, he was arrested  for the murder of Frank Stilwell, one of the cowboys he had chased down while riding with Wyatt Earp’s federal posse. When Earp learned of the arrest, he arranged  to have the request to extradite Holliday  to Arizona  denied.  Ã‚   In the winter of 1886,  Holliday met his old friend Wyatt Earp for a final time in the lobby of the Windsor Hotel in Denver. Earp’s common-law wife Sadie Marcus later described  Holliday as a constantly-coughing skeleton standing on â€Å"unsteady legs.†Ã‚  Ã‚   Holliday spent the last year of his life in Colorado, dying of tuberculosis in his bed at the Glenwood Springs Hotel on November 8, 1887, at age 36.  He  is  buried in Linwood Cemetery overlooking Glenwood Springs, Colorado.   Legacy   One of the best-recognized characters of the American Old West, Doc Holliday is remembered for his friendship with Wyatt Earp.  In an 1896 article, Wyatt Earp said  of Holliday:   â€Å"I found him a loyal friend and good company. He was a dentist whom necessity had made a gambler; a gentleman whom disease had made a vagabond; a philosopher whom life had made a caustic wit; a long, lean blonde fellow nearly dead with consumption and at the same time the most skillful gambler and nerviest, speediest, deadliest man with a six-gun I ever knew.†Ã‚   Sources and  Further Reference Roberts, Gary L. (2006).  Doc Holliday: The Life and Legend.  John Wiley and Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-26291-9  Doc Holliday- Deadly Doctor of the American West. Legends of America.  Ã‚  OK Corral. History.net  Urban, William L. (2003).  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tombstone. Wyatt Earp: The Ok Corral and the Law of the American West.† The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-8239-5740-8.

Can machines think Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Can machines think - Essay Example The complexity of the process of thinking is evident in the very fact that the meaning of the word ‘to think’ can be interpreted in so many different ways. The definition of the process of thinking is also left open-ended enough to accommodate as many if not infinitely more choices and applicability. However, scientists who are involved in what can be termed as thinking capability or ‘Artificial Intelligence’ in machines work on â€Å"the premise that all cognitive activity can be explained in terms of computation. This premise has a long and illustrious tradition in Western philosophy, starting with Aristotle and Plato, who believed that thought, like any other physical phenomenon, can be unraveled using scientific observation and logical inference. Gottfried Leibniz, who equated thought with calculation, set the stage for George Boole’s treatise on propositional logic boldly titled â€Å"The Laws of Thought.† The advent of computers and the progress made in symbolic computation led to a new branch of computer science envisioned in Alan Turing’s â€Å"Computing Machinery and Intelligence.† (Reddy, 1996, p. 86) The answer to the question ‘Can machines think?’ will therefore depend on two fundamental conceptions. First, the definition of the term ‘thinking’ or ‘to think’ will have to be fixed in the context of the man-machine equation, and second and more important, it will have to be determined whether machines are capable of thinking in the context of this definition, and if they are, then to what extent they are capable of doing so in comparison to human beings. Since the faculty of thinking is directly related to intelligence, the capability of thinking, either in man or machine, will also be a function of intelligence. Human intelligence is thus translated to Artificial Intelligence (IA) in machines. The world at large is divided into two distinct camps which hold radically opposing views on the capability of

Ancient greek art paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ancient greek art paper - Essay Example These figures are seen throughout the Aegean period. This is a clear indication that these figures were adored mainly among people of Crete and Greece (van, Schaik, 11). Interestingly, one of the well-known marble figures is mainly musicians; one who is a harp player, and another one who is a pipe holder. These are dated around 2500 BCE. These are considered the earliest extant musicians in the Aegean. Majority of the figures during this period were mostly women ranging from simple adjustment of stone to developed figures resembling human beings. Some of these figures had natural proportions while some were idealized (van, Schaik, 19). It is important to note that high number of these figures during Spedos type depicted uniformity and proportion, a clear indication that they were planned with a compass. Additionally, through scientific analysis it is evident that the surfaces of these figures were painted with mineral based pigments-azurite for blue ores or cinnabar for red. The figure in the Appendix shows a male seated on a high-backed chair playing a stringed instrument to assist him as he sings. Painted information that originally inflated the figure has currently been eroded into a plain white marble (van, Schaik, 22). Despite this, the information is still legible and engaging. What is interesting about this figure is its elegant wedge shape. The marble figure tilts back his head drawing his lips frontward. This enables one think or imagine words that he is likely to singing. Additionally, his ears are prominent. This enables him to hear his own music (van, Schaik, 26). The arm muscles and vigilantly articulated fingers suggest his capability as a musician; he releases his right thumb, maybe to sound a note on a string. The back of the musician’s head was painted maybe to show a close fitting cap. It is evident that he holds the front of the harp by use of his hands, and placing it on his leg and shoulder in

Scholarly Paper Caring for Individuals, families and groups Research

Scholarly Caring for Individuals, families and groups - Research Paper Example (A Nation Free...p.2) The factors such as geographic location, mental health, age, gender, socioeconomic status, religion are found to be main determinants in health care discrimination. Lack of insurance is the biggest barrier, more than any other economic or demographic barrier that affects the quality of health care received by these groups. They constitute about one-third of the U.S. population, but make up more than half of the 50 million people who are uninsured. Of the total 50 million people who are uninsured, almost half belongs to the racial and ethnic group; while they constitute only one-third of the U.S. population. Reforms under the Affordable Care Act have to be seen in above light and it is likely to be a boon for many and may be a bane for someone. Some of the significant milestones of the act can be described as per the following. Benefits to Children and Senior Citizens The reforms have brought new rights and benefits for children and to those under the age of 26 t o stay on their parent's health insurance. It has also ended annual limits on care. The new act provides 50% discounts on brand-name drugs to seniors in Medicare and it also provides tax credit to small businesses for extending insurance to employees. Providing Access to Insurance for Uninsured Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions Uninsured Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions A Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) is made for individuals who are uninsured for at least six months for that reason. States are also free to run the new programs. The Department of Health and Human Services will run the plan, if the state does not have a plan. This program will serve as a bridge until 2014, when any discrimination against pre-existing conditions will not be allowed. The act will have influences on health and caring across wide section of ethnic minorities in varied ways. Though, the Affordable Care Act is formulated to provide the health for all but it essentially addresses th e needs of those who had no access to adequate coverage due to their underprivileged status. Well-Being, Health, and Safety of the American People The broad range of health indicators pertaining to racial and ethnic minorities is far worse than their non-Hispanic White counterparts hence well-being of these people needs special attention. Hence need is to create an environment that can control chronic diseases and associated risk factors. The effective community-based programs and policies can reduce and tackle the disparities in health standards. (A Nation free†¦p4) Racial and Ethnic Minority It is true that all American citizens do not have equal access to health care. Various racial and ethnic minorities, low-income groups and most of the underprivileged populations have higher rates of illness and less treatment options. Mostly, they do not have any insurance coverage for treatment. They’re less likely to get chance of preventive care and will have no access to the t reatment and screenings to stay healthy. Preventing diabetes and heart disease is a tough task for them. Perhaps, this is the group who is going to get the biggest benefits from this new healthcare program. Economical Ways The Affordable Care Act is geared to reduce these disparities regarding health care by improving access to health care for all citizens. This is aimed at bringing down the

Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example Once the business has grown enough to be making a substantial profit, entrepreneurs can sell their idea for a profit and move onto the next project. 2. Jobs that are created in the healthcare industry are useful no matter where they came from. Allied industries have their own reasons for getting involved with a healthcare organization, but the benefits can be mutual because each party can make some gains. Alliances like this should be encouraged because job creation can benefit the healthcare in so many ways. Not only does it provide jobs, but it also goes a long way to saving more lives. The healthcare industry is one of the mostly hotly debated topics in American politics, but even all political sides would agree that allied industries do provide many benefits to the healthcare industry that wouldn’t otherwise be provided. For healthcare organizations, trying to reduce costs is one of the primary goals, and if that can be done by working with allied industries, then this can only be thought of as a good

Homework Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homework - Research Paper Example Innovation also calls for employment of qualified personnel, who brainstorm to come up with better products and ensuring excellent services to consumers. Companies achieve innovation through creation of new goods or services that disrupt consumers buying patterns or through incremental improvements on the existing products thereby increasing their life. This paper discusses the crucial role balanced scorecard plays in communicating organisation strategies and hence achieving innovation and competitive advantage over other companies. ... et targets and get above it Every two weeks Operations metrics It establish whether operations are flowing as scheduled and avoid last minute surprises on orders Every day Learning and growth (Employees) perspective Employees satisfaction Evaluate employees to establish their level of satisfaction Every month Employees turnover or retention Get a report from HR of recruitments and exits of employees Every six months Level of organisation capability Empowering employees through training and encouraging them to further their education improves an organisations capability Make it a policy for employees to engage in learning activities Nature of organisation culture or climate Enables employees to coexist harmoniously with one another, create a satisfied team, and motivated team Maintain a motivated team Technological innovation Reward employees for invention of new products and introducing new ideas Every time it happens A balanced scorecard is the face value of an organization that con nects strategic objectives to one another. According to balanced scorecard institute website, â€Å"A balanced scorecard identifies the connection between creative capacity, efficient product development processes, improved customer and stakeholder value, and financial outcomes† (â€Å"Balanced scorecard institute,† 2000.) The above score card incorporates the mission and vision statements of a company, which form part of the strategic objectives. A vision statement of a company explains the reason for being. It inspires people to achieve more that they actually thought possible, allows stretching of resources to increase profitability, and unite employees towards a common goal. A vision statement forms the foundation of an organization values and influences its strengths and weaknesses. On

Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example Once the business has grown enough to be making a substantial profit, entrepreneurs can sell their idea for a profit and move onto the next project. 2. Jobs that are created in the healthcare industry are useful no matter where they came from. Allied industries have their own reasons for getting involved with a healthcare organization, but the benefits can be mutual because each party can make some gains. Alliances like this should be encouraged because job creation can benefit the healthcare in so many ways. Not only does it provide jobs, but it also goes a long way to saving more lives. The healthcare industry is one of the mostly hotly debated topics in American politics, but even all political sides would agree that allied industries do provide many benefits to the healthcare industry that wouldn’t otherwise be provided. For healthcare organizations, trying to reduce costs is one of the primary goals, and if that can be done by working with allied industries, then this can only be thought of as a good

Samsung as a new IT leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Samsung as a new IT leader - Essay Example This paper concerns the marketing as a business strategy by which a manufacturer or producer of any goods or services shifts from the basic production function and takes into concern the needs and requirements of the customers-to-be. In this case, a manufacturer aims at discovering what customers’ interests in a rival product are and then attempt convince them that their product is better than the rivals’. The marketing department sells the product to the customer in such a way that the customer feels they have gained from the bargain more utility than they have paid for. Concisely, the main work of the marketing department of any institution can be summarized as to identify, satisfy and retain customers. Oversaturation of markets with similar goods from different manufacturers is among the many factors that resulted in development of marketing strategies. Therefore, a distinction between products by different manufacturers must be made to ensure that a customer knows t he product they are choosing well before making judgment. In addition, a manufacturer should know the trends, tastes and preferences of customers as they change with the times. This means that if technologically savvy people are shifting towards the use of smaller but feature packed gadgets, then the manufacturer should either adapt or produce the ideal gadget for consumers. Conversely, the manufacturer can try various available advertising methods to convince customers as to why their gadget is much better than their gadget of choice. Therefore, in order to achieve its objectives and remain competitive, a firm should be capable of anticipating and satisfying customer needs better than competitors (Armstrong, Harker, Kotler and Brennan 2009, p.7). Market and Literature Review Apple versus Samsung Brand There are two main differences between the two brands, market perception and pricing. Customers assume that products that tend to be for the high-end market are of higher quality. On the other hand, consumers in a market could be concerned by the number of features available in a product. Therefore, before venturing into the Chinese market, it is necessary to know the consumer perspectives about products from both companies in order to determine the measures that the firm should take to ensure competitive and profitable sale of Samsung products (Mankiw 2009, p. 290; Joshi 2005). The major concern for a consumer in the Chinese market is the authenticity of electronics since traders have

Management Essay Example for Free

Management Essay Ny organization, whether new or old, small or big, requires certain methods, procedures and plans in place for its efficient functioning. For this to happen, they must develop and implement management concepts which help them implement their vision for the future of the organization. Index Planning Organizing Directing/Leading Controlling Staffing The Fifth Function The concept of functions of management was put forth by Henri Fayol, a management theorist from France, influential in proposing many of the management concepts in use today. Originally, he had proposed five management functions; amely, planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling. Modern texts have reduced the functions from five to four. They include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. The four concepts of management, translated into functions lead to the creation of a cohesive organization. They can be seen here as a diagram. It is interesting to note that there is no hard and fast rule to be followed in the application of these functions, as management is a real-time decision-making system, any of these functions can be operational in conjunction with any other and also as ndependent entities themselves. Planning is the foundation pillar of management. It is the base upon which all other areas of management are built. Planning requires administration to assess where the company presently is and where it would be in the coming years. From there, an appropriate course of action is determined and implemented to attain the companys goals and objectives. Planning is an unending course of action. There may be sudden strategies required to be implemented during a crisis. There are external factors that constantly affect a company, both positively and negatively. Depending on the conditions, a company may have to alter its course of action regarding certain goals. This kind of preparation or arrangement is known as strategic planning. In strategic planning, management analyzes internal and external tactors that may affect the company, its objectives and goals. One of the primary tools of strategic planning is the use of SWOT Analysis, a technique that helps organizations find their strengths and weaknesses, identify areas of opportunity and take preventive measures against threats arising from both internal and external environmental factors.

Impact of Globalisation on Businesses

Impact of Globalisation on Businesses Assignment 10: A structured, illustrated, essay of 2,000 words (+/- 10%) Why have global businesses appeared? What type of businesses might have plans to become global? How do global companies affect a) international trade, b) creating employment, c) increasing consumer choice, d) ethical objectives, e) tax revenues, f) cultural diversity, g) financial markets. How do governments respond to an expanding global economy? Outline the main government areas of intervention: a) fiscal policy, b) monetary policy, c) privatisation and nationalisation, d) trading blocs, e) exchange rates. For your company, evaluate how it has confronted the various demands of globalisation.   Ã‚   Sources: Refer to Unit 118/119/120 of your text book, p. 686 Search on the internet using Google. If you copy/paste into your text, use inverted commas, give references and credit at the bottom of your page. Copy and Paste should be a maximum of 10% of your final copy. At the end of your assignment, give a complete bibliography. Type in Word using Calibri FONT. The main text should be font size 12. Use recto/verso printing if possible to save paper. If using images or graphs, make sure they correspond to a point you wish to make in the text. Introduction: Globalisation is worldwide business. It is really important because businesses can get customers from all over the world. In this assignment I will show you, why global business important and what types of business might be going to be global. Also I will introduce how global companies affect such as international trade, knowledge transfer, creating employment, increasing consumer choice, ethical objectives, tax revenues, cultural diversity, financial markets. And I will explain how governments respond to an expanding global economy. I will outline the main government areas of intervention such as fiscal policy, monetary policy, privation and nationalisation, trading blocs, exchange rates. Why have global businesses appeared? Global business appeared because of 5 points. Competition Economics: Rivalry in which every seller tries to get what others sellers are seeking at the same time: sales, profit, and market share by offering the best practicable combination of price, quality, and service. Where the market information flows freely, competition plays a regulatory function in balancing demand and supply. Consumer expectation Customer expectation refers to the total perceived benefits a customer expects from a companys product or service. If the actual experience customers have with a product exceeds the expectation, they are typically satisfied. If the actual performance falls below the expectation, they are typically disappointed. Economies of scale Economies of scale is the cost advantage that arises with increased output of a product. Economies of scale arise because of the inverse relationship between the quantity produced and per-unit fixed cost because of the inverse relationship between the quantity produced and per-unit fixed costs; i.e. the greater the quantity of a good produced, the lower the per-unit fixed cost because their costs are spread out over a larger number of goods. Economies of scale may also reduce variable costs per unit because of operational efficiencies and synergies. Economies of scale can be classified into two main types: internal-arising from extraneous factors such as industry size. Choice of location There are a lot of place of choice to locate the business in this world. You can choose the place by your needs (Low level tax, cheap labour, Warm place, cold place) For example it can be possible to Company A which produce swimwear open the main company in low tax country and build the factory in low wags country (like a china) then sell to tropical country. Mergers Merger its a transaction where two firms agree to integrate their operations on a relatively co-equal basis became they have resources and capabilities that together may have resources and capabilities that together may create a stronger competitive advantage. The combining of two or more companies, generally by offering the stockholders of one company securities in the acquiring company in exchange for the surrender of their stock. Example: Company A + Company B = Company C Global business has appeared in this 5 points (Competition, Consumer expectation, Economies of scale, Choice of location, Mergers). Globalisation appeared also because of company does have a lots of demand and so they cannot produce enough un less hey get support from other country. Also they need more cheap materials source from not only own country. For example, China is the one of the countries labour and cheap material. So a lots of business make factory in there. Globalisation is the process of integration of economies, industries, cultures and policy-making around the world. It describes a process by which national and regional economies or cultures have become integrated through the global network of trade, communication and transportation. In the past globalisation was mainly focused on the economic side of the world, such as trade, foreign investments and capital flows. Now it started to include a broader range of areas and activities such as culture, media, technology, socio-culture, political and even biological factors, e.g. climate change. What type of businesses might have plans to become global? In this question I will talk about company LADA. It is not really famous company in the world but almost everyone knows about this brand in Russian. Lada its a sight of Russia. Lada working on the company called LADA Progress when this company works on Avtograd which is really famous in Russia because they selling: Lada, Opel, Chevrolet, Kia and Lifan. When LADA progress join Avtograd its means what they trying to start working on global business level. Lada start opening new shops and getting more and more customers. They can order you: Selling Lada cars, selling parts for car and accessories, Full certificate workers will do MOT test, Test drive, Trade in. Long time ago Lada was a croup company and was doing really bad machines and was chip, which is kind of okay, because everyone can get it. But now they trying to do much better and make customers take they words back. In my opinion Lada should keep on this line and keep progressing in this stage, getting more customers, getting higher reputation and grow up in it. As I say before about bad reputation. Secondly I would say what they should move to other countries and see how is it going. If it will be all right, it means what they will keep growing up in reputation. When they rich moment whn they will be famous company with good quality of product, while they growing up they should watch on other companies and see how they going, so they can get more experience from them. Also they can get other company workers which can be better than Russians, for example take designer from BMW company so they get better view of the car and may be take engineer from Mercedes so they get better engine in the car and etc. How do global companies affect a) international trade, b) knowledge transfer, c) creating or removing employment, d) increasing consumer choice, e) ethical objectives, f) tax revenues, g) cultural diversity or unity, h) financial markets. International trade Trading globally gives consumers and countries the opportunity to be exposed to goods and services not available in their own countries. Almost every kind of product can be found on the international market: food, clothes, spare parts, oil, jewelry, wine, stocks, currencies and water. Services are also traded: tourism, banking, consulting and transportation. A product that is sold to the global market is an export, and a product that is bought from the global market is an import. Imports and exports Creating employment- Lets talk about company McDonalds. First time when they come to Russia (USSR) was January 30th of 1990, and in the first day they get 30,000 customers. They open they first restaurant in Moscow, which was also first in hall USSR. It was huge even for McDonalds to come to USSR; they were planning to come for over 20 years. They say they were holding talks with Soviet officials about opening this venture for over 20 years since 1976 Thats was told in news. Every new day they start getting more and more customers. Russian people start liking this taste of American burgers, because it was cheap and god quality. The point is what, McDonalds moved to USSR they spend 50 million dollars to open factory and restaurant, but they get hell of a lot customers from doing it. They definitely overpay they expenses. So, McDonalds made risky move to spend 50 million dollars to open they product in USSR, but it was successful risk. They overpay they expenses and open other culture what means American burgers. Increasing consumer choice- When McDonalds moved to USSR it was shock for USSR people because they never tried it before, and they like it so much. Thats why when they (McDonalds) mover to USSR in opening day was 30,000 people. Ethical objectives- Tax revenues- Lets talk about Starbucks. It was a huge problem to this company, because of tax revenue. They were moving around the word to dont pay to government hell of a lot money for being in company and using they property. Cultural diversity- When McDonalds moved to Russia (USSR) it was huge step for McDonalds, because Russian people start liking Fast Food. Before McDonalds in Russian wasnt that time of fast-food, so people was shocked from it because it is American food so it was taking time to get used to it, but in first day of opening there was 30k people in McDonalds. For McDonalds it was very good move, but the problem what it is Fast Food restaurant but they good huge quit to it so it was kind of fast food because McDonalds was making only hamburgers and cheeps, also selling Coca-Cola. McDonalds making 1 order for like 30 seconds. So it was the real fast-food. Financial market- When McDonalds moved to Russia, they open share list for Russia government so Russian people can work in here, which will get move customers because at that time Russian people dont really speak English so It will be hard for them to communicate which is other but if we look from other side, it was only 1 order, which is burger (hamburger) with cheeps and Coca-Cola, which was really sheep. I believe in America they were selling that order only for 0.15$ so it was really sheep. When in all other fast-food restaurant was cost only of 1 hamburger 0.15$ and if they want to get burger + cheeps + Coca-Cola It will cost around 0.4$. So in Russia I guess will be also very-very cheap to get that order. But after some time McDonalds changed because of the 1 reason. So they start making other restaurants and making other product so opening share list in Russia will be really important. How do governments respond to an expanding global economy? Outline the main government areas of intervention: a) fiscal policy, b) monetary policy, c) privatisation and nationalisation, d) trading blocs, e) exchange rates. Fiscal policy- Fiscal policy is the use of government spending and taxation to influence the economy. Governments typically use fiscal policy to promote strong and sustainable growth and reduce poverty. The role and objectives of fiscal policy gained prominence during the recent global economic crisis, when governments stepped in to support financial systems, jump-start growth, and mitigate the impact of the crisis on vulnerable groups. Monetary policy It is the process by which the monetary authority of a country, like the central bank or currency bank, controls the supply of money, often targeting an inflation rate or interest rate to ensure price stability and general trust in the currency. Further goals of a monetary policy are usually to contribute to economic growth and stability, to lower unemployment, and to maintain predictable exchange rates with other currencies. Privation and nationalisation- Most of the UKs major strategic heavy industries and public utilities were nationalised between 1946 and the early 1950s, only to be returned to the private sector between 1979 and 1990. (Question) Trading blocs- A regional trading bloc is a group of countries within a geographical region that protect themselves from imports from non-members. Trading blocs are a form of economic integration, and increasingly shape the pattern of world trade. There are several types of trading block. (Question) Exchange rates- A currency crisis is brought on by a decline in the value of a countrys currency. This decline in value negatively affects an economy by creating instabilities in exchange rates, meaning that one unit of the currency no longer buys as much as it used to in another. To simplify the matter, we can say that crises develop as an interaction between investor expectations and what those expectations cause to happen. (Examples, Answer question) For your company, evaluate how it has confronted the various demands of globalisation. When company was open they start working on first generator Model 200A. and when they finished It HP start selling it for $54.40 when all other company was selling this kind of product for more than $200. And the first big company which find about HP was really interesting and bought 8 generators Model 200A and each was sold for $71.50. Thats was the biggest step for that company, because of that they start being famous. In 1966 they produce first in the world (thats what Wired newspaper said) mini-computer HP2116A. In 1968 HP produce first in the world desktop scientific computer HP9100A cathode display, and together with the printer and magnetic card reader device cost $ 4,900. Thats how HP9100A look like Thats how PH2116A looks like After this computer this company start getting hell of a lot profit and customers. Also at that moment they start known all round the world. Bibliography https://www.reference.com/business-finance/definition-customer-expectation-963b46f5f05ac34b http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/competition.html http://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/economiesofscale.asp http://www.slideshare.net/AbhishekYadav68/mergers-acquisitions-and-joint-ventures http://williamssocial10.weebly.com/economic-globalization.html http://www.investopedia.com/articles/03/112503.asp https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270283041_THE_IMPACT_OF_TRUST_ON_KNOWLEDGE_TRANSFER_IN_INTERNATIONAL_BUSINESS_SYSTEMS https://ec.europa.eu/research/innovation-union/pdf/ikt_expert_report.pdf http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/challenges-and-opportunities-in-international-business/s07-04-global-business-ethics.html http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/definition/tax-revenue http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/taxation.html http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/cultural-diversity.html http://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/financial-market.asp http://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/040615/what-actions-or-policies-can-government-agency-take-counteract-and-end-stagflation-economy.asp http://economicsonline.co.uk/Business_economics/Nationalisation.html http://www.economicsonline.co.uk/Global_economics/Trading_blocs.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_Enterprise_Business Name:Artem Nikolashin Date: 03 December 2016 Assignment:5 Globalisation KNOWLEDGE UNDERSTANDING ANALYSIS /EVALUATION Why have global businesses appeared? 4 6 6 What type of businesses might have plans to become global? 4 6 6 How do global companies affect a) international trade, b)creating employment, c) increasing consumer choice, d) ethical objectives , e) tax revenues, f) cultural diversity, g)financial markets. 4 8 10 How do governments respond to an expanding global economy? Outline the main government areas of intervention: a)fiscal policy, b ) monetary policy, c) privatisation and nationalisation, d) trading blocs, e) exchange rates. 4 8 8 For your company, evaluate how it has confronted the various demands of globalisation. 4 8 8 TOTAL 20 36 38 % INTRODUCTION 5 CONCLUSION 6 TITLE 1 HEADINGS/SUBHEADINGS 1 QWC 7 FOOTNOTES 3 BIBLIOGRAPHY 3 RESEARCH 5 EFFORT 5 FEELINGS 2 DEADLINE 2 TOTAL 40 % MARKER Name: Date: FINAL GRADE

The Trip To Halawa Valley :: essays research papers

The Trip to Halawa Valley "The Trip to Halawa Valley," is a short story written by Lynne Sharon Schwartz. The story is about a son succeeding and getting married in Hawaii, and the reunification of his divorced parents. The parents become the main focus of the story when the son suggests that they go on a trip to Halawa Valley. In this story Schwartz is trying to show people that once you make a decision it is very hard to turn back on that decision. With all the characters, except for the briefly mentioned newlyweds, Schwartz shows how decisions made by a person or a couple are hard to turn back on. An example of this is Paul's parents. Lois and Jim are brought back together in Hawaii, and try to rekindle their love for each other. After their trip though, they realize it can not be done, and part in their own separate ways. Schwartz does a very good job of showing the reader the experience she is trying to convey. She does this by using a couple different characters throughout the story. The main ones she uses are the parents, and that is the very obvious example. A few other examples are not as clear, but they do show how decisions are an important factor in life and once made are very hard to turn around. Using Paul's brother Anthony, Schwartz shows that once he made the decision to join the Hare Krishnas there was no turning back, even if that meant not communicating with his parents anymore. Schwartz also uses Paul's other brother Eric. When Eric announced that he was gay, his parents had to make the tough decision to either support or not support his choice in sexuality. Schwartz develops the characters very fast, but in doing so makes the story move faster. Throughout the story the characters are being developed through the thoughts of both Lois and Jim. They talk about their kids and how one of them died at age 11 due to a brain tumor. Schwartz also makes Lois develop Jim, and Jim develop Lois. She does this by making them reminisce about their past together. The conflict in this short story is between the parents of Paul.

AFrican American equality Essay

From the time our country was founded, many African Americans lived a life of hardship merely because the color of their skin. In many instances they were treated as animals, being sold and traded in shackles and chains. At the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence when the country was founded, most African Americans worked as slaves. Working conditions for slaves were inhumane, who were often forced to work long hours in the sweltering summer heat. In 1865, the ratification of the 13th amendment made slavery illegal everywhere in the United States. However, this was not the end of inequality and segregation for African Americans. The racism in the south did not stop just because slavery ended. For decades after the end of slavery, laws such as the Jim Crow laws significantly limited African American’s rights and freedoms. In addition, share-cropping allowed servitude to continue only in a different form. Former slaves were now financially bound to their land. These laws significantly disheartened American Americans right and fight for equality – a battle that did not really get started until the civil rights era. In one of the greatest moments in American history when MLK gave his speech on the inequality of races. In one line he said â€Å"the negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of prosperity†. This meant that even though there was a great economic boom the blacks were not sharing the wealth. Instead of blacks sharing the great wealth of this time they were left out of the boat by being ineligible force retain perks that the white man had been innate to. In an truly inspiring line of his speech MLK says â€Å"the negro community must not lead to distrust all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny†. This says that not all the white men are prejudice which would be just as stereotypical as anything else done against blacks at the time. This is truly encouraging saying that blacks have been persecuted for hundreds of years and some still find ways to show some remorse toward them. In one of the most famous lines of the speech MLK says â€Å"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident:that all men are created equal†. He means that he hopes one day that all men with see each other not on the basis of skin color but by the content of the character which is perfectly expressed in â€Å"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. † Martin Luther king speech expresses the inequality blacks felt. The civil rights movement took time and many brave people. However even after all the protest and laws passed to help equal the races the blacks still do not have the same freedoms as whites. Most blacks live inner cities and are not treated with dignity that they deserve in humans. They are constantly unfairly prosecuted by law enforcements and are scapegoated by many people of the root of the problem. However there has been a major increase in freedoms they have gained over time. Since MLK speech they have gained equality and it should be so far in the future that they are looked at as complete equals.

Marketing Mix of Nesquik Essay

I choose the product Nestle Nesquik because I am constantly buying Nestle Nesquik powdered milk drink. I get the chocolate and the strawberry flavors. My son will not drink milk at all, but if I put the strawberry or chocolate powder in it, he drinks it all day long. Marketing mix is the four ps. The four P’s are product, price, place, and promotion. Product can be described as any kind of service or good created by a company. It also includes the guarantees, branding, creation, packaging, and design of a product (Editorial Board, 2012). Pricing can be defined by how much money people will pay for the product. It is also about the discounts that are for the product. Place is how the product is transported and stored and how it is distributed, so that it can make it to the buyers hands. Promotion has to deal with how the company gets their product exposed to the people. They use media, sales and commercial advertising (Editorial Board, 2012). Nestle Nesquik product is powder flavoring that you add to milk to make it strawberry, or chocolate milk. Its brand logo is a Nestle Nesquik bunny. They created it so that kids will drink milk and it will be healthier than the other syrups out there. It is packaged in an oval shaped yellow container. It has the Nestle Nesquik bunny on it and has Nestle Nesquik written on it. They guarantee that it has 25% less sugar then the leading brand and that it has no artificial sweeteners. Nestle Nesquik isn’t just good tasting and good for my son, it also is cheap in price. It is only $4. 98 for a 21. 8 oz. container. They also have coupons that you can use that if you buy two Nestle Nesquik products you get a dollar off. I know other moms who get this product because it’s the only way they get their child to drink milk and it’s so inexpensive. Nestle Nesquik never changes their price, and it’s because they don’t need to, because so many people buy it. Nestle Nesquik has their products at Wal-Mart because that is where so many people do their grocery shopping at so it is the perfect place to have it at. You can also order it online too and because it is a powder it doesn’t go bad when it’s getting mailed to you. Nestle Nesquik has a commercial where a mom is talking to you telling you how it’s important for kids to drink milk but she just can’t get her kid to drink it. Then another mom comes in and shows her Nestle Nesquik chocolate powder mix, and says I put Nestle Nesquik in my kids drink and she drinks it nonstop! Then the other mom says wow that’s great thanks Nestle Nesquik! Then before it’s over its shows a bunch of kids with chocolate milk saying I love milk now thanks to Nesquik! They also advertise on their container the Disney cartoon Phineas and Ferb. It says â€Å"where’s the bunny? It says the Nesquik bunny is missing and you have to be a hero like Agent P and find the bunny. Doing this gets kids to see it, especially because it is on the bottom shelf, and they beg their parents for the Agent P stuff. Each of the four p’s, price, product, place, and promotion, are very important when marketing Nestle Nesquik because you have to figure out your price that people will pay because if it’s too much no one will buy it and if it’s too low you won’t make any profits. You have to figure out the place that is the best to have it so that people will buy it when they shop. If you put it at, say a gas station, then people probably won’t buy it. If you put it at Wal-Mart though then it will get bought. When it comes to promotion, you have to do something that will grab their attention. Doing commercials get the parents to see the product, and then they get it to try it for their kids. Doing the Phineas and Ferb advertising gets the kids to see it and then they want it so the parents get it for their kids. As for the product part of the four P’s, it is important because you have to have a product in order to sell a product.

An Undisputed Social Issue in The Philippines Essay

Poverty is a state of being poor, indigence, lack of material things and finances. Poverty puts people into the lowest level in a society. Poor people, most of the time, are neglected by the government, shunned by the society and not given enough opportunities to prosper. They live in a filthy environment, living among a community of criminals. We can enumerate countless of unpleasant words to define the effect of poverty, and there are countless of reasons and causes for these. Poverty remains the central development issue in the Philippines and, despite the ambitious development goals laid out by the government, the country has not been able to sustain the economic growth required to reduce poverty to acceptable levels. Why Poverty Remains a Social Issue in the Philippines First, there is a fundamental disconnect between Filipino elites and the poor. The political leadership in the Philippines has always been drawn from those elites, and those politicians have traditionally played the role of patrons and benefactors, relying on the pork barrel and personal/family funds (often acquired through corruption) to essentially buy votes. â€Å"The core principle of democracy – that representatives should be drawn from those they represent and advocate for the true interests of their constituents – has not been operative† (Abueva, 1964). Philippine Presidents in particular have been drawn from the ranks of the wealthy and privileged. How can they relate to what it means to be poor or hungry? Even if their heart’s in the right place (which is not all that common), well-photographed visits to squatter settlements are not the answer. Second, the Philippines system is exceedingly politicized. President Arroyo herself is already focused on the 2004 presidential elections. In a sense, you can’t blame GMA. Her predecessor, Erap, had a built-in constituency among the masa. But President Arroyo must create such a base, given that she is the daughter of a previous President and has virtually nothing in common with the poor people of her country. Look more:  problems of scarcity essay She has worked hard to develop support among the common folk, dressed in jeans with regularity, and sung on stage with popular recording artists. She has also latched onto fighting poverty as a key policy emphasis. In her State-of-the-Nation (SONA) address on July 22nd, she emphasized the so-called â€Å"rolling stores† – trucks loaded with subsidized rice, rice, sugar, and canned meat that ply the streets of Manila – as a sterling example of her administration’s anti-poverty programs. The only problem was that her remarks had knowledgeable economists practically rolling in the aisles, given that few poor people ever get access to the trucks and only 5% of the nation’s poor live in Metro Manila. But real poverty alleviation programs where they are most needed – say in rural Mindanao – would lack the publicity opportunities of the rolling stores on Manila streets. Additionally, several other studies list down the primary causes of poverty in the Philippines in terms of economic state: 1. The basic economic problem in the Philippines is inefficient and very low incomes. 2. The finances of the Government had become steadily worse and were not critical, The Treasury had a large and mounting deficit with taxes covering little more than 60% of the expenditures. 3. The country had an excessive volume of imports. In the meantime, the volume of exports was less than before the war an d could be expected to grow only gradually. 4. There had been inequalities in the level of income of people. While the standard of living of a great segment of the population remained below that of the pre-war level, the profits of businessmen and large landowners had risen considerably. Under the circumstances, the continued rise in the prices of commodities tended to transfer real income from the poor to the wealthy and; 5. The inefficiency and corruption in the government led the people to lose their faith and confidence in the ability of the government â€Å"to protect the interest of all the people. † The result was demoralization of the people. According to history, â€Å"the destruction of the national economy as a result of the war posed serious problems of subsistence and of peace and order† (Agoncillo, 1990). In such circumstances the leaders if the nation could only rely on the United States for financial and other material aid. The hundreds of millions of dollars given t the Philippines by the United States in the form of cash and surplus properties were used to rehabilitate agriculture, commerce, trade and industry. Some of it, however, went to the pockets of dishonest officials. There were marked increases in the gross national output and income, but the cost of living, as a whole, continues to soar or, at least, to remain static on the basis of the immediate post-liberation years. At the same time, labor grew and continues to grow, demanding increases in wages and better living conditions. The total picture of the national economy has improved, but the improvements are not sufficient to bring down cost of living, which has remained one of the highest in the world. Agricultural production – The destruction caused by the last war told heavily on the productive capacity of the people and their standard of living (Agoncillo, 1990). With financial help from the United States, however, the government, in the first ten years of the Republic, had succeeded in at least partially solving the minor economic problems. Thus, for instance, crop production from 1946 and 1956 increased from 3, 507, 200 metric tons to almost double the amount of 6, 274, 900 metric tons. This increased production was the upshot of the expanded area planted to food crops and the application of improved means of increasing the yield per hectare, such as the use of fertilizer, irrigation, the use of better seeds, and the effective use of chemicals against plant pests and diseases. Production of export crops also increased tremendously from 315, 000 metric tons in 1956, with copra and sugar leading all export crops. Other exports like abaca, tobacco and their by-products have not so far completely recovered from the effects of the last war (Martin, 1999). However, some are blamed upon the things done by irresponsible individuals from high to low profile individuals such as population growth – some Filipinos believe that it is natural for every married woman to bear a child in their wombs because they are with their husbands (Friedman et al. , 1977). And this are very wrong beliefs since if you will be reasonable enough, you will realize that having a child is always together with great responsibility that has no end. And that you will realize that having more and more children will cause great scarcity in your family such as you would not be able to send your children to school and you would not be able to provide enough foods so that you children will be healthy and do good in school. Population growth is also the reason for a number of malnourish children in the Philippines. Unemployment is also a very common cause of poverty in the Philippines since there are several Filipinos who are unemployed plus the fact that there are many companies that are affected of the global economic crisis. And the least thing that you can do about unemployment is to find a best way on generating money like you can accept laundry services, plumbing services, or electrical repair services if you are skilled enough to do the job. Then, you could start a certain profitable business like food house or a small store that does not require you much capital so that you will not find it hard to save enough money from the services that you are offering. Governance concern is still deemed as one of the main reasons of poverty in the Philippines because of the activities of the corrupt government officials. They are using the money of the people to achieve the power and authority that they wanted to have and once they have it they will automatically take advantage of their power to the point that they will neglect the yoke of the people and set aside their promises when they are just campaigning and try to convince the people to vote for them. Agricultural problems also pose as the natural cause of the poverty in the Philippines because of the wrong activities of people. They ruin the treasure of the nature for their own sake without any idea that the nature they are destroying is the main source of almost all the products that exist in this world. Some of the examples of destroying the nature are the irresponsible disposal of wastes and trash, dynamite fishing, illegal logging and more. Another cause is said to be disability – this is also one of the possible causes of poverty in the Philippines since more and more people nowadays become disabled because of several illnesses and diseases that arise like AH1N1 virus, SARS, dengue, and more. Disability may be also caused by uncontrolled population growth, for instance, you have ten kids in the house, and can you imagine attending to their needs everyday? Well, definitely not so the tendency is that they are prone to accidents that will cause them to be disabled since they are at very young age that are typically playful. Starvation has also been one of the primary effects of poverty in the Philippines. Eating is necessary for us to survive. As humans we need to eat three times a day or more. Unfortunately, not all of us can afford this kind of living. Many people, children and families in this world, suffer from hunger due to lack of finances for their everyday needs. Based on the record of UNICEF, more than half of the children all over the world are malnourished. Most of them came from countries that are less abundant. Apparently, research shows that education has also been a problem in the Philippines. It is not prioritized by the government because only the privileged can have access to basic education in the sense that most of the children in the Philippines could not afford the needs of a student such as food, clothing, school materials and even fares used for transportation. There are also schools which offer free education like the government schools and private schools which accept scholarships, but still, lack in financial support is their main dilemma. These are just some of the reasons why most of the students from different levels take education for granted. Instead of going to school, they spent their time working in order to help their families make a living. The masses have multiplied extremely. Increase in opportunities for employment has not yet overcome the rapid increase in population, resulting in the multiplication of the number of jobless proletariat. When one considers that a large number of school children become â€Å"school orphans† that is, they leave school before or after finishing Grade IV, and that they eventually become peasants or laborers, one ceases to wonder why the base of the triangular structure of society has widened considerably. The strong contrast between the upper classes and the lower classes is that the former are earning more and more and the latter less and less. In other words, the distribution of wealth is one-sided as to make society top heavy. In the country’s present situation, the economy of the Philippines is struggling. The government has a huge debt from the World Bank and those money which the government borrowed where not used in projects which could alleviate poverty but were where lost to corruption. That’s why many Filipinos blame the government for the slow progression of our country. The Philippines was even given a tag as one of the most corrupt countries in Asia. Many people also blame the government because regardless of scarcity that all of us are experiencing, the government still manages to increase the prices of the merchandise in the markets. Conclusion True anti-poverty programs take a long time to bear fruit, and the politically-driven nature of Philippine government sector programs almost ensures that the emphasis will continue to be on quick fixes or interventions that provide high visibility and political payoffs (Warner & Harris). This is unfortunate given the seriousness of the situation and the implications for the country if concerted action is not taken. Poverty and malnutrition are already at alarming levels in this country, and the country’s too-rapid population growth is magnifying the strain on limited budgetary resources. The rapidly growing population is jeopardizing the quality of basic social services, contributing to the ongoing decline in quality of basic education, and limiting access to health care (especially primary health care, reproductive health/family planning, immunization, and feeding programs). Achieving any significant reduction in poverty will require rapid economic growth, growth of a magnitude not seen in recent years. Further, addressing issues of inequality will require significant investments in human capital, especially in improving the quantity and quality of primary education. The result of such unbalanced development of society is discontent and grave social problems such as poverty. The extreme poverty has given rise to starvation in some communities an to criminality, The unequal distribution of material possessions, in which the rich wlallow in wealth and the poor in filth is one of the reasons for the rise in criminality. Poverty has alos given rise to a new class known as squatters. References Abueva, J. V. Bridging the Gap Between the Elite and the People in the Philippines, Philippine Journal of Public Administration, October 1964, pp. 325-347; Agoncillo, T. V. (1990). History of the Filipino People Eighth Edition. (pp. 503-512. ) Quezon City: Garotech Publishing. Faith, R. (1996). Poverty, A History Of. Journal of Rural Studies, 12(2), 212-214. Friedmann, B. , Coy R. , & Wilson, L. (1977). Emergences: Gender struggles for livelihood in Latin America. Los Angeles: UCLA Latin American Center Publications, University of California. Martin, A. A. (1999) Philippine Land Reform: Perpetuating US Colonial Policy. Philippine Studies, Volume 47, Second Quarter 1999; Warner, J. , & Harris, R. (n. d. ). Problems with poverty in third world countries. In M. B. Duran (Ed. ), Poverty and identity: studies in self and culture (pp. 39-58). Amsterdam: Daryl Benjamins Publishing Company.

Discussion in recession Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Discussion in recession - Coursework Example The economic conditions are directly linked with the overall discretionary purchases undertaken by the households, while there is also a high degree of implication on the overall volume of necessity purchases. Due to the fact that all businesses are commercial organisations that have the underlying aim to increase shareholder’s wealth. It is therefore argued that recession is one of the critical downside risk facing contemporary businesses. The critics of this argument have however noted that recession can be seen as an opportunity for businesses to sharpen their business models. Drawing upon Rampini et al (2014), the businesses that have lean and agile structures develop sustainable competitive advantage that does not only help them survive through a recession but also flourish and expand their presence. The aim of this debate is therefore to critically analyse and appraise the thinking that recession is the most critical downside risk facing all businesses.†¨It can ther efore be argued that economic recession is likely to have negative impact on firms that are diversified across the industries and geographically, leading to lower than expected results on the top and bottom line of the business   My claim substantiates the overall conclusion with the help of the following set of arguments. The key risk management strategy for contemporary businesses is to use diversification strategy, where all valuable resources of the firm are not focused on achieving a single competitive advantage. According to Ai et al (2012), the multiplicity of competitive advantage and its development within multiple industries and geographic markets essentially means that if there is any systemic risk in one industry or national market, than it can be mitigated by the firm from the other industry or national market. It should be noted that in case of an economic recession, the overall demand for the products or services across the industries fall dramatically

Mormons and Utah statehood Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Mormons and Utah statehood - Research Paper Example It is this persecution which had made them aware that self rule was the only way forward to stop the persecution. However as fate would have it this land at that time belonged to Mexico. But in 1848, the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed which gave this land to United States of America. (Allen 1976) On March 8 1949, a constitutional convention was called in the Salt Lake City by the Mormon leaders in order to campaign for a new state. This state as envisioned by them included the present day Utah , Nevada , Arizona , parts of California ,Colorado   New Mexico and Idaho. (New Mexico Constituional Convention 1911) This convention ended up selecting the officers for this self declared desert state. Almon W.Babbitt was chosen as a representative by this ‘state’ to the US Senate. However the senate refused to meet this representative from a state which was self declared. The congress gave 2 reasons for the refusal to grant statehood – one was the lack of 60,000 eligible voters required and other was the huge size of the proposed state. However in September of 1850 the Senate passed a bill which provided for the organisation of Utah territory.The LSD church authorities publicly said that polygamy or the doctrine of plural marriage was one of the divine obligations of its faithful. However polygamy proved to be one of the biggest obstacles in the path of statehood for Utah. Polygamy was paired by the US senate along with slavery and was considered as an evil which needed to be eradicated from United States at any cost.

Principles of logisties management Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Principles of logisties management - Article Example Besides the support of market information, business planning, financing, marketing, and many more, one of the most important services that DKSH provides is the logistics and warehousing (1DKSH, n.d.). However, the article intends to reveal the current order processing, the mode of controlling inventories and the use of ICT. Moreover, some of the recommendations are also being sighted, so that DKSH would be more effective and efficient in its logistics service. Finally, a conclusion is also being drawn. The current order processing of any logistics organisation in the present world scenario faces multiple challenges. DKSH one of the leading outsourcing organisation in the world, which provides logistics services to various entities still could not avoid such challenges. DKSH has over 180 centres that distribute goods in a wide variety of over 3, 00,000 products and serving more than 5, 00,000 consumers through representing more than 5,500 suppliers. Moreover, they have their own warehousing and the facility of third part logistics. It is also been constantly searching for the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) that would improve their efficiency and effectiveness. Further, it has GMP-compliant healthcare centre, which is of the state of the art and is of a whooping number of 18 (2DKSH, n.d.; 5DKSH, n.d.). However, there are numbers of issues that are required to be considered by DKSH with regards to logistics. One of them is regarding the numerous categories of products, which gives a good challenge for the proper order processing of those goods. Moreover, high protection requirement to some of the vulnerable goods that might get damaged due to environmental risk during the order processing flow. Further, with the onset of globalisation, the logistics market has become very competitive and challenging. Furthermore, the demand for some of the products are also seasonal based. Thus, the uniformity of the service requirement may not be present throughout the year. In

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) Essay

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) - Essay Example ivist groups have complained that PETA has made it difficult for them to make their point in the public eye because of negative associations engendered by PETA behaviors. In many cases, it has been argued that the group has taken the message too far even though the group has been successful in bringing about positive change for animal rights. Campaigns they’ve launched include a fight against the fast-food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken for the deplorable conditions in which chickens are kept as they are being fattened up for mass production in the chain’s food stores and campaigns against entertainment venues such as circuses for the way in which performing animals are kept. Before one can determine whether the group is beneficial or detrimental to animals and society as a whole, it is necessary to learn more about the charges levied against them as well as the successes they claim. PETA first gained national recognition only a year after it was founded when founding member Alex Pacheco investigated the research practices of Dr. Edward Taub in what was to become known as the Silver Spring monkey case.1 As the name of the case suggests, the events of the case took place at an animal lab in Silver Spring, Maryland. According to the Institute for Animal Research, photographs taken by Pacheco in a late night undercover mission in the primate lab revealed monkeys housed in ‘filthy conditions’ and evidence gathered regarding the nature of Dr. Taub’s research revealed what seemed to be excessively cruel practices.2 Information released about the case indicates Taub was deliberately cutting the nerves in the arms and legs of 17 monkeys he had in the lab and then employing further cruel methods to see what would induce the monkeys to attempt to use these damaged appendages. Methods employed included electric shock, restraining the undamaged limbs and withholding food.3 Taub had no choice but to admit to the methods being used, but suggested the research

Caterpillar Restructuring Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Caterpillar Restructuring - Assignment Example The company is having the revenue of US $ 36.339 Billion in the year 2005 and is currently employing 77000 employees approximately. The company was founded in 1925 as a result of a merger with Holt Manufacturing Co. and it started struggling and established it self because of the lack of competition, they were the pioneers in manufacturing the construction equipments of that time which were also used in the world war I and II effectively, the company sooner captured the market by providing products that were useful for construction which was taking place at its maximum as that era is highly admired for the construction in US, the company kept on moving and did manage to have contracts with leading construction companies, the company was running fine in 50s and 60s and 70s due to wars started by the US and also the world wars, but after some period when the stagnant construction took place, it was assured that the products were having a fall from growth towards the maturity, this Medvedev said in 1987, "Before the war the most widely used tractor was a wheeled 15-horsepower model with iron wheels without tires"(290). The company identified a number of problems in their products, and also this brought them to loss, also there were problems faced in the exports of the tools manufactured by the company. "Construction equipment industry net exports were $7.2 billion at their peak in 1980 and Caterpillar was the world's dominant manufacturer, exporting almost half of its 1981 U.S. production. This U.S. dominance was sharply eroded by the strength of the dollar in 1982-1984 as net exports dropped steadily to $2.2 billion in 1986. Japanese construction equipment manufacturers invaded the U.S. market in this period, pricing 50% below Caterpillar, Komatsu in particular gained 18% of the U.S. market and was able to establish a significant dealer network" (Wigmore, 143/44: 1997). This is showing how well the competition was growing and Caterpillar failed to identify the problem prevailing in 80s, the sales was only 15% from Caterpillar and 85% from Komatsu, and also the problems appeared in the company's operations as a result of the stock problem. "Caterpillar's stock dropped from a high of $73 in 1981 to a low of $30 in 1984. Capital expenditures were cut from $836 million to $229 million, and capital expenditures net of depreciation were negative from 1983 on. Plants were closed in Mentor (Ohio), San Landro (California), Burlington and Davenport (Iowa), Milwaukee (Wisconsin), Dallas (Oregon), Newcastle (England), and Glasgow (Scotland). Employees dropped from 89,300 in 1979 to 54,000 in 1987. Costs were cut 22% through salary reductions, layoffs and early retirements, plant consolidations, and manufacturing efficiencies. Heavy price pressure was put on suppliers, worldwide sourcing was instituted, and 25% of production was moved abroad"(Wigmore, 172: 1997). The company was desperately looking to bring back its

Signal man starts Essay Example for Free

Signal man starts Essay The signal mans edginess and fear is apparent throughout the first meeting between him and the narrator I detected in his eyes some latent fear of me. . The signal man seems to have a deep distrust of the narrator as though he has been taunted or tricked by someone or something you look at me as if you had a dread of me. i was doubtful, he returned, whether i had seen you before. The narrator gos on to say that he had never been there before and says you may swear This makes it perfectly clear that there is something that reader is yet to find out that is deeply troubling the signal man . This distrust seems to be fuelled by the words first spoken between them Helloa below there During the ensuing conversation with the signal man in his signal box the signal man starts to relax more, The reader as well as the narrator is put at ease when entering the signal box there was a fire, a desk for an official book in which he had to make certain entries This tells the reader that this is any normal signal box. The fire cold be interpreted in several ways, one of which could back up the idea that the narrator has descended in to some kind of hell. But i have chosen to interpret it as a warm fire keeping the men warm and safe and providing some light source which would relax the narrator, signal man and reader. It is obvious that the men become more confident around each other by the conversation, the signal man tells the narrator many things he had done in his life, and the mistakes he had made gone down and never risen again. This is referring to his failure as a student of natural philosophy and definitely a supporting reference to the idea that the signal box and railway trench is some kind of hell. The signal man is still constantly on edge even if less so, this is shown by his visits to the door to check the tunnel even when it appears the bell doesnt ring. This at first can be interpreted by the reader and the narrator as conscientiousness but later becomes apparent that this is not the case. The tunnel is a key setting within the hellish atmosphere that dickens tries to create. The tunnel is the setting of every death in the story, it is conveyed as a dark and horrible place saw the wet stains stealing down the walls. The tunnel is also the place where the fiendish spector appears, warning of death and misfortune. The tunnel makes the reader uncomfortable and along with the spector scares, intimidates and intrigues the reader. The narrator mentions that the signal man might be mentally ill shut up within narrow limits all his life and the narrator asks him to seek medical help. But by the end of the story it is apparent that as well as the spector warning of two previous crashes it is also for telling the signal mans own death when he is hit by a train after seeing the spector. This leaves a question though, Is the spector warning the signal man of his death? Or is the spector the psychological killer of the signal man? This dramatic anti climax never allows the reader to relax even after the story has ended, leaving an effective permanent mystery as the story comes to no conclusion of what the spector is, real? Or a figment of the signal mans imagination as he pre-eminences his own death? From the beginning of The man with the twisted lip Arthur Conan Doyle attempts to make the reader plunge in to a personal story of drug addiction, and the ruin of a man, or so it appears at least. This draws the reader in because already they have been familiarised with one of the main characters Isa Whitney. This opening paragraph is effectively used as a mini biography from the narrators opinion some foolish freak.  and for many years he continued to be a slave to the drug this extract is quite emotive and shows how he has been over taken and makes the reader feel empathy for Isa Whitney as they now feel familiar with him almost straight away. The reader is further taken in by Isa Whitneys story during the introduction of his wife Kate Whitney he has not been home for two days . I am so frightened. This is where the story changes from a sad, emotive and personal story to one of mystery and suspense.  A missing persons case has begun. Along with the introduction of Kate Whitney there is also the introduction of the narrator and the familiar to the reader Dr Watson. This familiarises the reader with the text as Watson is a recognized and liked character from the Sherlock Holmes series. Watson sets of to find Isa where he thinks he might be found. The opium den. The setting of the opium den sucks the reader in because This is a dark , dangerous place and an integral part of the London underground scene in the late 1800s that makes the reader feel as though they are having a glimpse in to a whole different world. Doyle actively emphasizes as well as repeating the word strange to convey to the reader that this world or cave is completely foreign to him and that he does not like the surroundings that he has found himself in or feels comfortable in them. A steep flight of stairs leading down to a black gap like the mouth of a cave are the words used top describe the opium den. This is a clever use of a simile, comparing the den to some kind of hellish underworld much like the description of the trench in the signal man. It is now we are introduced to Sherlock Holmes, The main man as such in this series of books and this story. Watson finds him Sat on the floor of the opium den and Holmes reveals that he is apparently undercover I am in the midst of a very remarkable enquiry. This further draws the reader in, because at first the reader has no idea why Holmes is there and can only guess at that he must have been overcome by opium, but it becomes apparent that Holmes has a story to tell and that he is in the midst of something special and very interesting. This creates suspense and further mystery for the reader wanting to know exactly why Holmes is their and the nature of his enquiry. This is also where it becomes apparent that Isa Whitney is not the subject of the enquiry and he is sent home in a cab. This provided a handy twist that further encapsulates the reader in to the story, creating a whole new mystery story not letting the readers mind rest. This is the introduction of the missing persons and murder case of Mr Neville St. Clair.  The introduction of a prison cell to this tale complements the dark and devilish atmosphere created by Doyle in the opium den. With the added introduction of the apparent murderer and beggar The man with the twisted lip. The reader feels as though everything is coming to an end and that they can start to relax, but no. This is where the entire story is turned on its head and it is revealed that this man is in fact Mr Neville St. Clair in disguise, the very man he had been arrested for murdering. This twist in the tale entertains the reader as well as bringing an exciting end to the story. Throughout Doyle has effectively used the raging underground crime scene in London at the time to his advantage, playing on the anxietys, fears and imaginations of 18th century Londoners. In The red room The entire story is written in a first person narrative, This effect encourages the reader to feel not only as if they know the narrator but also that hey are in the room with the narrator experiencing his experiences and feeling his emotions. This technique is used to immerse the reader in to the depths of the text.  Within the first four lines of the story a supernatural mystery is beginning to unravel. eight and twenty years . said I, I have lived, and never a ghost have i seen yet. This is almost a challenge to the residents of the house to proof there is such a thing as ghosts. This challenge is used to excite the reader in to reading on but plays on the the fact that Victorians were still embroiled in a superstitious and religious culture, half way between modern science and ancient superstition as earlier mentioned.