Discuss issues of reliability and validity associated

Discuss issues of reliability and validity associated with the classification and diagnosis of phobic disorders. ( 8+16) A phobia Is an irrational fear which Interferes with daily life. For a phobia to be diagnosed It must meet the criterion set by the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Reliability and validity are two Important factors when considering classification of mental disorders; they must be present for an accurate classification to be made. Rellablllty and valldlty are linked because a diagnosis that Is not reliable Is not valid.Rellablllty refers to the consistency, such as questionnaires or scales to assess how fearful a person Is about something. Reliability of questionnaires or scales can be measured In terms of whether the test items are consistent, which Is called test-retest reliability. Another way of assessing reliability is whether two independent assessors give similar scores, which is called interrater reliability. Test re-test refers to how consistent results are when the specific interview/questionnaire is repeated.Brown et al (2001) conducted study which involved interviewing 1400 patients twice, the second interview occurred within 2 weeks of the first one. The interviews were based on criteria for various disorders in DSM -IV. Brown found that reliability in inter-rater agreement was excellent for specific phobia, social phobia and panic disorder wit agoraphobia. Reliability could have been higher for the various phobias than for other mental disorders because all phobias are associated with clear behavioural symptoms (avoidance of feared stimulus) which makes them easy to diagnose.This suggests hat diagnosis of phobic disorders according to the DSM is reliable however largely because phobic disorders are easy to diagnose . Brown et al also examined factors associated with disagreement between 2 interviewers. He found that inter-rater unreliability was caused by interviewers disagreeing whether the fear was causin g sufficient distress/interference to a person's life to warrant a phobia diagnosis. It was also caused by patient's reports of symptoms changing between interviews which could have been genuine.Another cause of difference between the two interviewers as that they made errors, as the same symptoms were presented to interviewers however different diagnosis given however this could be because they missed Important information. Skyre et al (1991) also found high Inter-rater reliability, 3 cllnlclans assessed 54 patients using SCID-I. He found +72 Inter-rater agreement which shows that phobia diagnosis Is reliable. Diagnosis of phobic disorders ld also reliable as Hiller et al (1990) found satisfactory – excellent diagnostic agreement In a test- retest study using MDC.Valldlty Is the extent to which a classification system easures what It claims to measure. We can assess the valldlty associated with phobic disorders by looking at content valldlty. Content validity means how much the diagnostic system addresses all of the symptoms In a given disorder. Seml structured interviews have high content validity because they were made to the classification system is vaild is to look at criterion validity. This looks into if individual receiving a diagnosis e. g. social phobia are any different to the people who have not been given the diagnosis in predictable way .

Chrétien De Troyes †Perceval Essay

Chretien De Troyes’ Arthurian Romances are one of the best and most brilliant works of medieval literature. Originally, in Old French, modern translations are widely available. In fact, even today, years later, they continue to be an invaluable asset to both literature and human history. Chretien De Troyes works include four complete poems – Erec et Enide, Cliges, Yvain and Lancelot, and the fifth, last, unfinished one called Perceval, le Conte du Graal (Perceval, the story of the Grail). Erec is the tale of one of Arthur’s knights, who after several trials finally understands his loved for his betrothed, Enide [3]. Several other Arthurian knights including Kay, Lancelot and Gawain too are mentioned in the text. â€Å"The court of Arthur is filled with magnificent things and people, led by the fabulous Arthur himself. The knights pursue games of chance and test of strength; when they’re not doing that, they’re wooing women [3]. † The next romance, Cliges too uses Arthur’s magnificent court as its backdrop [3]. † Both Cliges and Yvain have love triangles and adventure. Lancelot, though is almost all about a hero rescuing his lover, the beautiful Guinevere [3]. And lastly, Chretien’s unfinished piece: Perceval, and the Holy Grail. Before studying the text of the work, it is important to understand the time it was written in. Little is known about Troyes life, but most believe he lived somewhere in the 1100’s. It is also known that he was in close association with his patroness Countess Marie de Champagne. This time has a great influence on the subjects and stories of his work, and other works of Arthurian Literature. The eleventh and twelfth centuries were a time of ‘renaisance’ in Europe. Europe had been gripped in the Dark Ages for years, but this is when barbarism was slowly rooted out, to be replaced by missionaries and churches. Social activites too took a new turn. Several universities and centres were set up. In fact, towns were planned, with proper structure and organization. Culture also took a newe dimension altogether. This is when Arthurian literautre was born. With the concept of castles and romances, chivalry and battle, courtly love, stories were dramatized and preserved; written in the form of poems or essays. This is exactly why Arthurian literature deals with princes, knights, castles, adventure and battle. Similarly, Troyes work too reflects much of the world of the renaissance. Perceval is believed to be the first account of the Holy Grail; but Troyes died before completing the masterpiece. In quest for a complete poem, many attempted to write an ending to it. Of these, four versions are widely known, and accepted. The first continuation is called the Pseudo-Wauchier Continuation, the second is attributed to Wauchier de Danain, the third by Gerbert, and the fourth is Manessier’s continuation, the only one with a true ending. But despite the efforts to write continuations, the original incomplete version in itself has its own charm, aura, and mysteriousness. Perceval is the Grail knight or one of the Grail knights in numerous medieval and modern stories of the Grail quest [2]. † Perceval is a bright and spirited young man brought up in the woods, by his mother. His mother raises him in the forest of Wales, away from civilization to protect him from the horrors of war and battle. One day, Perceval sees some knights in the woods. It is here that his interest in chilvalry and knighthood is aroused. His mother objects vehemently, fearing to lose him like her other sons, but Perceval insists, and heads out for King Arthur’s court. The Holy Grail was the most sought after treasure. In fact, all of Arthur’s knights were in quest of it. At Arthur’s court, the king’s senschal (steward) Sir Kay mocks him. A jester at the castle prophecizes that Perceval will be a great knight. Perceval rides away, and comes across another castle, where he decides to stay. Here he is trained under Gornemant. Gournemant teaches Perceval all the tactics and strategies of combat, and later, advises him not to be impolite or ask too many questions anywhere. Now Perceval leaves, looking for his mother. On his journey, he comes across yet another castle, where he meets and falls in love with the beautiful Blancheflor. Blancheflor is Gornemant’s niece, and her followers are weakened by hunger and famine. She tells Perceval of the intentions of Anguingueron, the seneschal of the evil knight Clamadeu of the Isles. He intends to attack them. Perceval, touched, commits himself to Blacheflor, and promises to help her. Perceval defeats Anguingueron and his men the next day. Clamadeu waits, hoping that eventually starvation would kill Blanchflor and her men, but luckily, a ship full of food arrives. Eventually, Clamadeu is forced to battle against Perceval; he begs for mercy after Perceval defeats him. Perceval sends both Anguingueron and Clamadeu to Arthur’s court. At the court, Arthur and his wife learn of Perceval’s heroism and courage in battle. But Perceval has to continue on his journey. He has to find his mother. At a river, he comes across the Fisher King, who offers him lodging for a night. In the castle, Perceval sees the fisherman lying there already. Perceval witnesses a strange procession, in which odd and peculiar things are being carried from one chamber to another. A squire enters carrying a sword with engraved blade, another squire enters carrying a white lance on whose tip blood oozed and flowed down onto the squire’s hand. Perceval refrains from asking about this lance, recalling Gornemant’s admonishment. More squires bring in candelabras. A maiden brings in a grail held in both hands [for Chretien, it is a serving dish], and the room becomes brightly illuminated [presumably because of the contents of the grail]. Another brings in a silver carving platter. The grail is made of gold and set with precious stones-it and the platter are carried to another chamber. Perceval fails to ask who is being served by the grail. They dine at an ivory table. The grail returns borne in the opposite direction. Later that night, the Fisher King excuses himself and has to be carried off to his bedroom, and Perceval again fails to ask what ails him. The next morning, Perceval discovers that the hall is deserted and everyone has left [1]. † Outside the castle, he comes across a maiden. She tells him that had he asked about the grail, or the platter, it would have brought the king great relief, and may even have cured him. She also informs him that his mother is dead. Later that day, Perceval is warned against the ‘haughty knight of the Heath. ’ But he challenges him, and defeats him. The haughty knight and his maiden set out for Arthur’s court. On their way, they come across King Arthur and his men, who are ironically looking for Perceval. But the king does not recognize Perceval by face. He releases the ‘haughty knight’ from imprisonment, and hands him over to his nephew Gawain. Later, Perceval too is wandering around Arthur’s camp. Arthur’s men find him asleep on a horse, but Perceval soon defeats them, including the arrogant Kay. The king asks Gawain to deal with the fiery Perceval, and not through combat. They soon become friends. But now Perceval is consumed by curiosity. He wants to know who was served by the grail and the silver platter, and why the lance bled. Here Chretien relates the tale of Gawain. Later, he continues with Perceval’s story. He has been wandering for years. He goes to see a hermit, and tells him of his wandering, and the grail. The hermit reminds him of how his mother died of sorrow, and that he was being made to repent her death. The hermit believes that the man served by the grail is Perceval’s uncle. Perceval agrees to repent for his sins. Gawain’s tale again picks up from hereon. Gawain’s story is in contrast to that of Perceval. Gawain is more professional, and less naive in battle. He also finds his long lost mother and grandmother, and his sister, about whom he had never known. The narrative breaks off shortly. Even though the story ends abruptly, one does arrive to the conclusion that Perceval is indeed, a good knight. Literally speaking, he has all the valous and heroism of a great warrior and an honorable knight. He is brilliant in battle, being able to defeat the best of warriors, fighting everyone and anyone who challenges him. But apart from the literal sense, Perceval continues to be one of the most famous and mysterious knights in medieval literature. The most important fact behind this is that many can, till today, relate to him. Throughout the text, we see him as confident and brave, but never evil. In a deeper, emtional sense, Perceval is not just a good knight. He is a good man. Many critics believe that Perceval, apart from being an Arthurian romance is also one of the earliest works on spirituality, and what we call ‘existentialism. ’ This is clearly evident from the ending of the original text. Perceval commits himself to spending a life similar to that of the hermit, in search of spirtual enlightenment and communion with God. Chretien’s writings and works are very popular. In fact, that can be estimated by looking at the number of languages his works have been translated into. In fact, it is not just the translations. Chretien’s works also provided inspiration and ideas to many fine works of literature. Chretien’s story was also the inspiration for one of the greatest romances of the Middle Ages, Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival (c. 1200-1210) [4]. † Chretien has also been called the creator of the modern novel, and is believed to have reinvented the lost genre of narrative romance. Many of his works seem theatrical, as if they are meant to be performed on stage, rather than being read on paper. Perceval, like other works of Arthurian romances has the strong element of romance, drama and tragedy. Arthurian romances though were heavily dependent on one common theme – of battle. No Arthurian romance was complete without battle or warfare. The spirit and art of war, honor, courage, manhood, combat and duels were all cardinal to the stories. The male protagonists were brave men of honor. Another important aspect was the romance. All these themes of blended together created one of the most cherished style of literature called ‘medieval literature. ’ Even though Arthurian romance and literature was famous with the works of Geoffrey of Monmouth and the Lais of Marie de France, but it was the work of Chretein De Troyes that brought the genre back into full swing. Medieval literature did suffer a setback, and was in the background for a considerable time, but was revived again especially after Lord Tennyson’s poem Idyll’s of the King. These adventurous stories have formed the basis of innumerable books and movies. The reason again, remains that even centuries later, they continue to arouse our interest. We can still relate to the heroic characters, their strengths, their weaknesses and the general human condition, which has remain unchanged through centuries.

Newspapers’ role in society Essay

Mass media is a distinctive element of today’s society. Together, the different elements are a product of societal change, forced regulations, rising living standards, and technological modernization. Mass media includes mediums such as magazines, television, internet, radio, cinema, video games, and cellular telephones. The ability to mass communicate with these devices has had such a massive impact that Denis McQuail describes that â€Å"the mass media has primary and crucial importance for the integration of the diverse secular worlds of modern men into coherence and unity† (32). There is no doubt among theorists that media is influencing society, but there are different theories that suggest that it may be society influencing media, not media influencing society. This essay shall look at newspapers’ past and present, and how they will continue to affect the world we live in. In the early 1950s after WWII, American communication made deep inroads into Europe, and words like â€Å"mass†, â€Å"effects†, and â€Å"functions† organized research on both sides of the Atlantic (Curran 407). Almost a decade later, some of the biggest research took place in 1959, when Elihu Katz argued that people need to concentrate less on what the media do to people and more on what people do with media (McQuail 71). Dennis McQuail sides with Katz, in believing that peoples contact with media is of utmost importance, stating, â€Å"media is helping in enabling people to bring about a more satisfying relationship between themselves and the people around them† (71). The views are across the board, pointing in both directions, but research continues even today as to what extent life is changing because of emerging technologies. Not only the substance of what is being communicated is important, but just as vital is the process. Technological innovations have assisted in supplying content for our media forms, and also the circuits and motherboards of how they are made are affecting the ways which society operates. Both aspects have a hand in the creation of the world we live in today, and should be realized when reading this essay. Mass media first appeared on the scene as newspapers. The newspaper was the first medium of communication with a genuinely mass character. U.S newspaper firms had slow growth until the 1800s. It was in the 1830s that the population concentration in cities and the spread of mass literacy provided  a market for mass press (Wells 7). The news could finally be spread on paper, rather than word of mouth. The entire world was suddenly in-the-know about what was happening around them. Newspapers made the transition from the realm of the educated, to serving a wide range of people from this time thought the Civil War (Grant, Meadows 8). The development of advertising, telegraph, and improved production methods have assisted newspapers in reaching a worldwide audience, and eventually being the main source of news for years to come. To this day 97% of towns have only one newspaper to choose from for local news (Wells 7). This idea of newspaper monopolies is discouraging to the market, because only one view is being seen on the issue. No single company is at fault though, because starting a newspaper or radio station these days requires far more investment and risk then in previous years. Despite other forms of news, the newspapers industry is still growing today. In 2002, there were over 10,000 newspaper firms in the United States, and over half the country reading a newspaper daily (Grant, Meadows 9). The future of newspapers looks to be heading toward the digital world, against many wishes of traditional newspaper readers. Flexibility from digital methods has increased newspapers’ ability to deliver zoned editions that reduce unprofitable readership in areas far away from print facilities (Grant, Meadows 10). By the end of the 20th century, over two-thirds of U.S. newspapers maintained websites that offered classified advertising (Grant, Meadows 10). According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the majority of the population prefers to purchase the printed edition rather than viewing the electronic edition (Grant, Meadows 11). This may change though, because digital news is rather new, and websites such as cnn.com can be updated on the hour informing viewers of up-to-the minute news, instead of waiting for the next days edition to receive that same news. McQuail, Denis. Towards a Sociology of Mass Communication. London. MacMillian Publishers Limited, 1968 Curran, James, Gurevitich, Michael, Woolacott, Janet. Mass Communication and Society. 1st ed. London: Edward Arnold Publishers, 1979 Katz, Elihu, Szecsko, Tamas. Mass Media and Social Change. London: Sage.1981 Wells, Alan. Mass Media and Society. Palo Alto, National Press Books. 1972 Grant, August and Jennifer Meadows. Communication Technology Update. Oxford: Focal Press, 2004.

Human Resource Issues Facing HOME CARE HOUSING Assignment

Human Resource Issues Facing HOME CARE HOUSING - Assignment Example The inability of the organization to develop a HR policy that would regulate all HR issues in all organizational units has led to severe conflicts at all organizational levels and to failures in regard to the development of various organizational activities. The literature related to the particular sector, the HRM sector, has been reviewed so that appropriate explanations are retrieved in regard to the HR problems appeared across the organization. It is proved that the elimination of conflicts in the workplace and the resolution of the firm’s HRM problems are possible only if an appropriate plan of action, that would address all the needs of the organization in terms of its HR, would be introduced. Part A Summary of all HR issues currently faced by Homecare Housing – Links between these issues The HR issues that Homecare Housing currently faces seem to be related with the rapid development of the organization. As noted in the case study, the transformation of the organi zation during the last 12 years has been rapid, leading to the increase of the staff at high levels; today, the workforce of the organization reaches the 600 employees. ... Inequality has become a key organizational problem not only in regard to the level of payment but also in regard to ‘working hours, swift payments and holidays’ (case study, p.2). According to the case study the difference, in percentage, in the amount paid to employees for swifts ‘can vary from ‘0% to 60%’ (case study, p.2), a fact that cannot be accepted. The elimination of inequality and unfairness in the workplace should be the key priority for the firm’s HR managers so that employee morale is increased positively affected the employee performance. Indeed, as noted in the third page of the case study, HR managers in Homecare Housing have understood the need for eliminating inequality in the workplace, especially in regard to the level of payment. Still, inequality across the organization should be addressed in all its aspects and not only in regard to the employees’ remuneration. The introduction of an appropriately customized reward system, as announced by the firm’s managers (case study, p.3) could benefit the organization leading to the increase of employee satisfaction and employee morale (West and Markiewicz 2008, White and Druker 2012); however, such plan could not help for eliminating conflicts in the workplace unless it would be combined with other measures targeting inequality and unfairness (Searle and Skinner 2011). Another problem that the organization has to face in regard to the management of its HR is the development across the organization of union support. Participating in unions can help employees to promote their interests in the workplace (Kirton and Greene 2012); however, if the relevant initiatives are not carefully organized it is quite possible for the involvement of union in the

Some Reflections on the Reading of Statutes Essay

Some Reflections on the Reading of Statutes - Essay Example Secondly, the plain meaning rule states â€Å"the language of the statute is clear, there is no need to look outside the statute to its legislative history in order to ascertain the statute’s meaning†. I agree with Felix Frankfurter that the language of the statute should be the starting point for identifying the meaning of the statute. Reading the text closely is the starting point for properly understanding and interpreting a statute. However, sometimes the initial understanding may be incorrect thus rereading the statute is a sure way of understanding its meaning. Thirdly, the legislative process has numerous components as well as actors participating in each of these components. Thus, it is almost impossible to identify the intent as well as the true sense of the words used in constructing a statute. Bills have multiple sponsors with regards to legislators. The bill is then introduced to a committee that has multiple employees who assist in producing a report on the bill. Finally, the bill is passed by the legislature and it is clear that it is almost impossible to discern the meaning of the bill at this point. Even though the passage of a bill requires consensus using a voting system, legislators vote for different reasons. Therefore, it is possible that legislators share different meanings of the bill but have the same interests. Thus, I would suggest that judicial construction should involve the incorporation of a classification statute or a general provision and withhold judges from performing construction.

Delegating Responsibilities Is the Key to Effective Management Assignment - 1

Delegating Responsibilities Is the Key to Effective Management - Assignment Example This study outlines that delegating ensures that the manager has adequate time for other responsibilities such as monitoring progress, supervision, and decision-making. According to Dubrin, delegation helps the manager to delegate tasks that are low priority and not urgent, which give the manager adequate time to accomplish high priority projects that have short deadlines. The delegation also assists the manager in completing tasks at a faster pace. For example, if the manager is undertaking a project that requires research, he can delegate portions of the research topic to the employees. The employees can perform the research while he concentrates on analyzing the findings, drawing conclusions and making the decisions. Similarly, when undertaking a project, the group is able to complete the project swiftly because the manager breaks down the work and assigns it to different people ensuring that the project gets done quickly and the team can move on to another project. From this paper, it is clear that delegation ensures that the team undertakes more projects which increases productivity. During the delegation process, the manager must pair a task to the individual that can perform it best. For instance, the task to analyze media content about the company cannot be assigned to an individual that hardly has an online presence. Similarly, it would be a waste of time to ask the head of the IT department to complete that task. However, a young intern would be enthusiastic about spending their day online analyze the citing or media appearances of the company online. Matching an individual with the correct skills for the correct task increases the productivity level because everyone produces the best results for the assigned task.

Business marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9250 words

Business marketing - Essay Example Research is an activity that is intended to arrive at a solution for a question or set of questions. (Ghauri & Gronhaug, 2005). Therefore, research needs to be executed in a systematic way with proper planning. Saunders et al. (2007) perceive research as an onion with different layers (figure 3.1). Figure 3.1: The Research ‘Onion’ Source: Saunders et al., (2007) As per the research onion, the five layers of research are Research philosophy, research approach, research strategy, time horizon and data collection (Saunders et al., 2007). 3.2 RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY Research philosophy refers to the methodology and strategies used by the researcher based on the researcher’s individual assumptions. Saunders et al. (2007) states that a research philosophy is related to the nature and development of the knowledge. Thus, a research philosophy is mostly based on the researcher’s perception about knowledge and its development. A research process is influenced by three ma jor thinking’s of research philosophy which are axiology, ontology and epistemology. Axiology is the frame reference for scientific ethics (Edwards, 1995). As mentioned, axiology forms the study of the ethical part, that is, value and principles by using mathematical proof. Ontology is about the behaviour of social entities. Ontology is regarded with the nature of social entities, where it possesses the question whether social entities can and should be considered as objective entities that have a reality external to the social actors, or whether they can and should be considered social constructions build up from the perceptions and actions of social actors (Bryman & Bell, 2007). The two main theories of ontology are objectivism and contructionism. The third thinking Epistemology explains about knowledge. It raises the question as to what should be considered as the perfect knowledge in a discipline. (Bryman & Bell, 2007). Epistemology ensures whether an area of study is wor th the research. (Gill & Johnson, 2010). The three research divisions of Epistemology are positivism, realism and interpretivism. 3.2.1 Positivism Positivism could be considered as an epistemological position that supports the application of the methods to learning of a social reality and beyond (Bryman & Bell, 2007). Checkland (1999) explains that positivism is a method for procuring knowledge which can be tested publicly with a rational thinking supported by observation and experimentation tools. In a research with positivism, the researcher will adopt a philosophical approach for arriving at a solution. Saunders et al. (2007) Therefore, a rational and thoughtful experimentation is the primary focus of positivism. As per Kolb (1984), a researcher is an accommodator. This is based on the concept of ‘Learning Style Assessment.’ Such researcher falls under the category of positivists. (Figure 3.2). This shows the attitude and interests of the researchers in trying solvin g problems. Positivism stresses on data and observations that are quantifiable and that can be statistically analysed. (Remenyi et al., 1998). Through tools such as questionnaires, data will be collected and statistical tools will be used to analyse the same. Analysis will also be based on the situations. The researcher will prefer working with an evident social certainty and that the end

Writing 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Writing 3 - Essay Example Of critical concern was the shed located behind the door at the back which provides a hiding place for strangers. It would be important to advise employees taking out trash to the dumpster of the looming hostage risk when dark falls. The door alarm could be set off by employees so frequently such that should a stranger sneak in through the back door, no one would be concerned. It would be sensible that employees undergo safety drills for their safety and security and that of the business. The alarm fitted at the back door should be redesigned to allow for coded access under the reserve of specific employees. The background information on the building, business operations and employees was not only discussed but also documented. The discussion also focuses on the security systems such as surveillance cameras, door alarms and windows. The store layout was examined in addition to the survey undertaken to evaluate office security, guard security and physical security of the restaurant building. In the security survey, the strengths and weaknesses of all forms of security infrastructure were assessed so as to promote the security and safety of the premises and the business operations therein, employees and customers. This would only be realized should the owners and managers implement the given recommendations on security enhancement. Conclusions are given in the survey report on security weaknesses as deduced from observation and interviews. Also included are the strengths of the physical security and recommendations on how to improve security. Discussions and interviews were carried out in person. These were done in three different occasions: on June 2, 2014, June 23, 2014 and July 3, 2014. Interviews were conducted at the time of serving dinner, which is about 5.00 pm. The initial visit was important as it involved the identification of the contact person, Raj Kumar who is the owner of the restaurant. This involved a brief interview

Case analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Analysis - Case Study Example Some argued that the faucet-mount of PUR will disrupt pitcher product Brita, others believed that the product simply is establishing another market niche and finally other groups are convinced that Brita will simply have to do nothing to foster faucet-mounts (Deighton 1). These are three essential courses of actions that Clorox will have to consider. Clearly, there is another market that faucet-mount is trying to target. For Clorox to be essentially informed more concerning this at the bottom line, prior to the actual necessary decision to protect Brita, market segmentation or customer analysis is necessary. This will not only settle the three varying views as stated earlier, but it will also establish the relevant truth whether faucet-mount has the potential to hurt the established market for Brita. Here is the reason. Market segmentation or customer analysis is a relevant marketing technique that will surely guarantee how to deal with issues concerning the actual management of demand (Lancaster and Massingham 78). This technique puts into consideration the basic elemental mix in marketing like product, price, place, and

I need to upload the file so you can have the instructions Essay

I need to upload the file so you can have the instructions - Essay Example Discussion presented in this synthesis essay hopes to accomplish the feat of identifying those sources which are thought to provide in-depth analysis of how effectiveness in higher education can be achieved. It is important to determine these sources in relation to higher education because they illustrate different variables which are commonly employed in higher education settings. Studying these variables facilitates the readers in understanding those underlying mechanisms through which the variables make the process of higher education efficient. Some important factors considered in this case include productivity, effectiveness, unit cost, and efficiency. With reference to the factors of productivity, efficiency and effectiveness, there are various perspectives that influence how each of these factors can be used to measure the overall effectiveness of higher education institutions. While different sources provide varying arguments regarding how effective higher education is, a universal element in the form of technology is considered in most of these sources. Technology is mentioned in various sources as a factor that influences the effectiveness of higher education. This synthesis essay seeks to agree while at the same time it also offers a different perspective since most sources are peer-reviewed and offer quality appraisal metrics regarding the effectiveness of higher education. Following discussion aims to illuminate the reality of this claim that â€Å"the effectiveness of higher education is influenced by strategic management of inputs to influence outputs.† It is important to understand the terms within this thesis statement since following discussion is led by these concepts of strategic management, professional input, and educational outputs. The greater the level of inputs, the greater the level of outcomes or outputs is noticed. Inputs can be defined as the resources of higher education

Explore the reasons why Othello orders the death of Desdemona Essay Example for Free

Explore the reasons why Othello orders the death of Desdemona Essay Othello is a play about love, hatred, death and deception. Othello is partly betrayed by flaw in his own character. He orders the death of Cassio (his friend and ensign) and Desdemona (his wife) for a number of reasons. Chief among these are is that he is rash, violent and aggressive. He is an angry man who believes whatever Iago tells him with blind faith. He is confused by Iagos tricks and does as he is told without thinking about its consequences. He is impulsive. He is acting like a true moore (or as what people consider him to be) in Shakespeare days. Othello has the tendency to believe whatever Iago tells him. Even before he is shown any evidence to prove that Desdemona is cheating on him. He starts to hate her Now do I see tis true. He turns a blind eye on the fact that he has not seen what the proof is yet. The proof could have been so insignificant that Othello would not trusted it, however in this case the evidence have been planted to mislead Othello. Othello is impulsive. He is rash as fire for numerous reasons. He doesnt trust his wife (who he married with his happiness) or trust his friend, Iago, Who is his enemy. He believes that his wife is cheating on him and becomes enraged very easily. Ill tear her whole to pieces. It tells us that his intentions arent very good. Rather than killing her he could Shake he off to beggarly divorcement and let her live her life. Furthermore, after Iago has completely misled him, Othello finds no other way other than thinking and ordering the death of Cassio. Let me hear thee say that Cassios not alive. He acts hastily without letting Cassio stand trail nor defend himself. He is sure that Desdemona and Cassio have become disloyal to him. The audience that Othello is an angry man and rash as fire by his behaviour towards Iago. If thou dost slander her and torture me then thou hast, better been born a dog than answer my wakd wrath. This show that Othello cant comprehend it that his wife might be cheating on him so he is taking his anger out on others. An example of that is he takes his anger out on Iago, who he believes to be his friend. However, he is not rash as fire because he resists the urges. He shows this when he is in conversation with Iago. Ill not believe it. Here Othello is trying to imply that he doesnt believe Iago fully until he sees the evidence in the form of the handkerchief. This shows that he still trust s his wife. He is saying she is as pure as a goddess and if she isnt then heaven isnt so perfect when he says if she be false then heaven mock itself. He also proves he trusts his wife. Ill se before I doubt. He still wants evidence before doing anything. When I doubt, prove. This shows that Othello doesnt have complete faith in Iago. The audience cannot really blame Othello for being rash as fire as Iago keeps provoking his temper. Iago convinces Othello of Desdemonas and Cassios guilt by using different techniques. To convince Othello, Iago plants circumstantial evidences in order to make Othello think that something is really going on between Cassio and Desdemona. He steals Desdemonas handkerchief and leaves it in Cassios bedroom. Such a handkerchief did I see Cassio wipe his beard with. This helps Iago prove Desdemonas infidelity as it will give Othello evidence. Trifleare to the jealous confirmation strong as proofs of holy writ. Furthermore, Iago is reticence and implies he is withholding information. He acts like he doesnt want to say anything. Should you do sospeech should fall in vile success. This entices Othello to say I pray thee speak to me as to thy thinking. This makes it seem like Iago is trustworthy because he seems to want to protect his friend, when really he wants to get Othello to hate him. Oft my jealousy shapes faults that are not. Iago start to lie outright. However he only does this after he has largely convinced Othello. He says that he heard Cassio talking to Desdemona in his sleep. Sweet Desdemona let us hide our love. This is a blatant lie but Othello is fooled and believes him. He falls into Iagos trap. It works as he creates hideous images of Cassio and Desdemona. This is when Othello for the first time concludes that Desdemona is gone. His trust and faith in his marital happiness fades into the belief he has been rejected by Desdemona. A technique that works very well with Othello is when Iago implies he knows more than he does, making leading statements. He first introduces the topic by deliberately leading a question for Othello to ask rather than stating the full facts thus playing on Othellos paranoia. Did Michael Cassio, when you wood my lady know of your love? This makes Othello wonder why he would want to know that. He later serves to make Othello think of Desdemona. Iago is clever and subtle in his tricks; Othello cannot be blamed for believing him. Later, when Othello is convinced, he reinforces his honesty by saying perhaps you mind might change. He does this because he knows Othello wont. Another skill which works well is making Othello angry on purpose. Iago uses graphical language to make Othello picture Desdemona and Cassio in compromising situation. Wouldst thou grossily grape on behold her topped? This gets Othello worked up. He uses shocking and profane language such as prime as goat, hot as monkey by saying this Othello believes Iago and becomes all senseless and wrathful. Thou hadst better been born a dog than answer my wakd rath. This makes Othello irrational and witless. The audience may also consider the social and historical background to be a reason. During the time when the play was written, many events were taking place (we can see hints of this in the play). When Othello was convinced that Desdemona was cheating him, he decided he would kill her. Divorce was not an option for him as the pope, who was at time was the most important man in Europe, would not allow Othello to divorce Desdemona without a trial. Othello didnt want to do this as he would have to prove Desdemona guilty of infidelity. Othello didnt want to do this as he still loved Desdemona with all his heart and thought Desdemona cheated him. Another point we must consider is that when the play was written there was a good deal of racism and mis-trust for non-Christians. Shakespeares audience may have seen moors as barbarous heathens. This would explain his propensity for violence. Consequently coloured people such as Venetians were given fewer rights as they were regarded as barbarians. Such barbarians would react violently, because they were uncivilised. O blood, blood, blood! Othellos Moorish heritage may also have influenced his anger at the loss of the handkerchief as he actually believed in its magic. Tis true. There is a magic in the web of it. Othello having been a soldier since he was 7 and then a general, meaning he spent his life in the army and therefore he didnt know women well. He was also an outsider to the Venetian society and so it made it easier for Iago to convince Othello. In Venice they do let god see the pranks they do not show their husbands. A number of factors contribute to the killing of Desdemona and Cassio. One of the major reasons influencing Othellos decision is Iagos numerous lies and his way of manipulating and confusing Othello. These play a major part as, if Iago hadnt lied to Othello, he wouldnt have thought his wife betrayed him. Another factor that led to Desdemonas and Cassios killing is that the fact that in his personal life he knew nothing about women. Iago took advantage of this and lies outright. Iagos lies wouldnt have worked if Othello had trust in him. If divorce was an option he probably would have considered it letting Desdemona live her life. Another reason that Othello was harsh was because thats what moors were considered to be.

Campbell Soup Employee Engagement Essay Example for Free

Campbell Soup Employee Engagement Essay Douglas Conant, the CEO of Campbell Soup Co. discussed the importance of employee engagement and how Campbell’s strategy to pay attention to this metric paid off for their company. Conant took over in 2001 when Campbells was close to a takeover and its soup sales had drastically declined amid fierce competition. Furthermore, some of its best employees had left the company rather than wait out the hard times. Conant recognized that of all the elements related to corporate culture, employee engagement was the most highly correlated to shareholder returns. Therefore, to turn things around, Conant implemented the Campbell Promise of â€Å"Campbell Valuing People, People Valuing Campbell† with the strategy that: To win in the market place, we believe you must first win in the workplace. I’m obsessed with keeping employee engagement front and center and keeping up energy around it. † In 2002 Conant hired the help of Gallup, a polling and research firm, to better understand his company’s engagement levels. Gallup found that 62% of Campbell’s managers were not actively engaged in their jobs and 12% were actively disengaged. Those numbers were some of the worst for any Fortune 500 firm ever polled. By Gallup standards the ideal level of employee engagement is to have a ratio of 12 actively engaged employees for every disengaged employee. Campbell’s ratio was only 2:1; that is, only 2 actively engaged employees for every disengaged employee. Strategies to Motivate and Engage Employees †¢Bring down barriers, literally – Conant had barbed wire fencing removed from Campbell’s Camden, NJ facility to create pleasant work environment †¢Promoting from within – replaced 300 of the company’s 350 leaders half of whom were promoted from within the company. This â€Å"changed the culture and sent a message that few could ignore. † †¢Annual surveys of all 580 work groups simultaneously – managers review the results with their direct reports and everyone is updated on their progress related to specific goals. Leaders are measured on their ability to inspire trust in those around them. †¢Recognition Events – celebrate at a high level when people do things well. †¢CEO’s acknowledgement – Conant sends out about 20 thank-you notes a day to staffers, on all levels. Open communication every six weeks CEO has lunch with a group of a dozen or so employees to get their perspective on the business, to address problems and to get feedback.

Impacts of the 2003 Iraq War

Impacts of the 2003 Iraq War The impact of the 2003 Iraq war on both the war on terror  and the prospects for peace in the Middle East Introduction The reasons for the U.S. led war in Iraq in 2003 were numerous and, as it turns out, rather complicated. But, for better or worse, the U.S. led coalition of nations invaded Iraq with â€Å"shock and awe† in 2003. This war in Iraq was conducted under the banner of â€Å"the war on terror.† This second U.S. led military endeavor into Iraq had a twofold mission, which was combative and aggressive on the one hand, and more conciliatory and democratizing on the other. These were the original intentions. The questions to be explored in this paper revolve around these dual aspects of the 2003 Iraq war. How has it affected the overall and global â€Å"war on terror,† and has it achieved a measure of peace and stability in the Middle East? From the beginning of the recent U.S. led war efforts in Iraq, there has been a twofold mission announced by President George W. Bush. The first mission is centered in the war against all terrorists and those who harbor terrorist organizations.[1] The second has been the desire to plant the seed of democracy in the Middle East; a desire which the President hoped might flourish into an eventual, lasting peace. In his 2002 State of the Union address, President Bush said, â€Å"We seek a just and peaceful world beyond the war on terror.†[2] In this line, his commitment to a war against terror is evident, but so is his desire to help bring about a peaceful world. The very name of the military offensive dubbed by the Bush Administration was â€Å"Operation Iraqi Freedom.† A â€Å"Just War† and the Necessity of Peace In all recent discussions of Just War theories, scholarship is united at least in the aspect of the theory that involves the attempt at peace following the war. That is, no war can be considered â€Å"just† if the winner merely walks away from the loser of a given war without any attempt to bring about a measure of stability, security, and peace. Much of this reasoning has to do with the ideas bound up within the just-war tradition. There are many scholars, secular, Catholic, and otherwise, writing within this tradition, as it pertains to the 2003 Iraq war. As George Weigel notes in a recent essay, in the writings of contemporary scholars in this tradition (e.g., James Turner Johnson and Michael Walzer), one encounters the essence of an approach to war that is commensurate with the U.S. President’s intentions expressed above. To engage in a war justly is not only to fight those forces of evil that seek to dominate or corrupt one’s society, nor is it merely about how nations ought to engage in warfare. Although those are considerations brought to bear on just-war theorizing, the fundamental underpinning of this approach to thinking about war â€Å"is ultimately about the peace we seek to establish in contrast to the war the terrorists have set in motion.†[3] That is, the overarching goal in all wars (including the war on terror) should be the eventual achievement, not merely of removing immediate threats to national security or of pacification of an enemy, of using war as an instrument to establish peace in a land. Peace brings prosperity, whereas continual war and factionalism never bring about progress or prosperity – only suffering which seems endless to those affected by it. The Successes, Trials and Tribulations of the War Perhaps because we are still so near the beginning of the war and because the operation continues to this moment, it is difficult to gauge the relative success of the war efforts themselves and as regards the broader â€Å"war on terror.† In fact, the situation today is still the reality that the success or failure of the war depends largely on who you ask. The war effort has been a politically polarizing issue, which has certainly affected the press, as well as the scholarly community. A simple survey of the books on the shelves to the articles and essays within journals will reveal this truth. It is therefore somewhat difficult to get a proper understanding of exactly what the ramifications of the 2003 Iraq war may be for the broader war on terror, but there is at least some consensus in a few areas useful for exploration in this regard. There are those who, like Charles Hill, can find little more than wide-reaching success in the current war efforts. He writes, â€Å"Iraq is moving toward the full legitimacy that Saddam Hussein stole from the Iraqi people. Sovereignty has been restored, free elections have been held, and a constitution has been approved.†[4] The press and other scholars have, on the other hand, not been so friendly in their detractions and perceptions of the war efforts. The â€Å"Reviews Responses† section of recent editions of the journal Foreign Affairs have been filled with review essays of books very critical of the war.[5] Sometimes the reviews are sympathetic; often times they are not. All of this is supportive of the difficult task ahead of scholars regarding the effort to separate the hubris from the reality of what implications the 2003 Iraq war may have for peace and the larger war on terror. There is no denying the success of disposing of the Taliban in Afghanistan and of Saddam Hussein and his regime in Iraq. This success was decisive, dramatic, and, in the words of Victor Davis Hanson, â€Å"audacious.†[6] Both of these regimes were legitimately argued to have been the most oppressive and potentially dangerous in the region. This is perhaps one of the most compelling reasons adhered to by most Americans originally supporting both war efforts. The question on the minds of most in the scholarly community is whether there was adequate planning for the immediate post-war environment.[7] However, even for those who were very supportive of the initial decision to invade Iraq, recent events over the last year at least, have been sobering. In an article written for the April edition of the journal First Things, George Weigel identifies four distinct wars that have constituted the entire Iraq war since 2003. The first war was the obvious one of deposing Saddam Hussein and creating conditions for the responsible establishment of an interim government and relative stability. This war was concluded quickly and successfully, most all scholars agree. The second war erupted shortly after the first had ended, and this one was against the Baathist loyalists and recalcitrants. The third war broke out as Jihadists (i.e., â€Å"al-Qaeda in Iraq†) began to flood into Iraq through the under-watched and unprotected borders and tried to disrupt the democracy being established there as well as drive out the â€Å"infidels† from the Gulf. The fourth, and perhaps most danger ous today, is the practical civil war that broke out in earnest between Sunnis insurgents and Shia militias after the bombing of a major Shia shrine in February, 2006. Weigel argues that only the first of these four wars has ended. The other three continue to this day and overlap each other.[8] Is it possible that the U.S. led coalition could have anticipated these mini-wars which followed the success of the first? Is it likely that the coalition did all it could to establish a peaceful, post-war environment? Reconstruction Challenges One of the sharpest criticisms of the 2003 Iraq war, even by those who originally supported it, is that there was not enough planning in terms of rebuilding the nation after the decisive defeat of the Iraqi military. First, by any reasonable standards, the amount committed to the reconstruction of Iraq after the war was not nearly enough. In hindsight, all seem to recognize this. Though the intentions of the Bush Administration were admirable in that they sought the just-war approach, which was to replace the dangerous regime with democracy, freedom, and a re-built nation, the reality was that through the combination of inadequate funds and bloated bureaucracy, the U.S. did not adequately anticipate what would realistically be needed to bring their intentions about.[9] George Weigel points out that only $2.5 billion had been originally budgeted for reconstruction assistance, and this was far away from the actual amount needed, given the dilapidated state of the nation due to Saddamâ €™s misrule and a decade of U.N. sanctions.[10] Peace through Civil War? The war created what most analysts have agreed to be a political vacuum. Once the rule of Saddam Hussein was done away with, there was not a quick enough turnaround time for a new and, perhaps most importantly, legitimized ruling government. The largest looming danger now is the risk of civil war in Iraq, which will almost certainly follow from the near-future withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country, as most scholars agree. â€Å"Especially if the United States withdraws from Iraq, the odds are good that a military coup in which some subset of the Iraqi army leadership declares that the elected government is not working and that a strong hand is necessary to impose order will result.†[11] As alluded to above, the civil war began to erupt after the bombing of the Shia holy site in February, 2006. At this point, it seems that the Sunni minority in Iraq, which has been a constant trouble from nearly the beginning, is only exacerbating its violence against the Shia to the south . Under the self-styled leadership of Muqtada al-Sadr, the various Shia militia forces have engaged in gross acts of terror in return.[12] Conclusion In a recent article, Victor Davis Hanson takes a realistic approach to the successes in Iraq. They cannot be underplayed, nor devalued. The overturning of the Iraqi regime, which was the main goal of the war, was achieved and likely the world is better for it. On the other hand, in retrospect the post-war aftermath was not fully appreciated until it was far too late. Three separate wars therefore erupted, and the most significant (the civil war) looms on the not-too-distant horizon. The prospects for peace are still available to the Middle East but only with properly calculated U.S. led coalition strategy for the future. If nothing else, the various shortcomings of the recent war will hopefully serve as a corrective and impetus to future successes in the war on terror. Successes have occurred, to be sure, but so have enormous challenges to peace, world-wide. Bibliography Bottum, Joseph, and Michael Novak. â€Å"The Leadership of George W. Bush: Con Pro.† First Things. March, 2007, No. 171, pp. 31-35. Diamond, Larry. â€Å"The Pressure Builds.† Hoover Digest. 2006, No. 3, pp. 21-29. Dobriansky, Paula J., Henry A. Crumpton, and F. Gregory Gause III. â€Å"Tyranny and Terror: Will Democracy in the Middle East Make Us Safer?† Foreign Affairs. Jan/Feb, 2006. Vol 85, No. 1, pp. 135-138. Fearon, James D. â€Å"Iraq’s Civil War.† Foreign Affairs. Mar/Apr, 2007. Vol. 86, No. 2, pp. 2-15. Feldman, Noah. What We Owe Iraq: War and the Ethics of Nation Building. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2004. Hanson, Victor Davis. â€Å"Five Years On.† Hoover Digest. 2006, No. 4, pp. 82-86. Hanson, Victor Davis. â€Å"Hard Pounding.† Hoover Digest. 2006, No. 3, pp. 10-17. Hill, Charles. â€Å"The Rogues are Losing: Why the Rogues of the Middle East Have a Very Short Future.† Hoover Digest. 2005, No. 4, pp. 66-68. Kagan, Frederick W. â€Å"Iraq is Not Vietnam.† Policy Review. Dec, 2005 Jan, 2006, No. 134, pp. 3-14. Weigel, George. â€Å"Just War and Iraq Wars.† First Things. April, 2007, No. 172, pp. 14-20. Yoo, John. The Powers of War and Peace: The Constitution and Foreign Affairs after 9/11. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 2005. 1 [1] These commitments are very readily found in his 2002, 2003 and 2004 â€Å"State of the Union† addresses, as well as in his â€Å"Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People,† given on September 20, 2001. All of these speeches are available at http://www.whitehouse.gov. [2] It would seem that there are few who disagree with the President’s intentions in this regard. Renowned Middle East scholar, Bernard Lewis has long argued that the war on terror and the search for freedom are bound up the one with the other. The two must exist side by side and cannot exist one without the other. NYU law professor Noah Feldman argues that â€Å"the most defensible account of our nation-building policies in Iraq 2003–4, and the standard to which future U.S. efforts should be held, is the production of a basically legitimate, functioning democracy there.† What We Owe Iraq: War and the Ethics of Nation Building (Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2004), p. 20. [3] George Weigel, â€Å"Just War and Iraq Wars,† First Things, April, 2007, no. 172, p. 14. Weigel is here quoting James Turner Johnson. [4] Charles Hill, â€Å"The Rogues are Losing: Why the Rogues of the Middle East Have a Very Short Future,† Hoover Digest. 2005, no. 4, p. 68. In this same essay, he goes on to point out the various ramifications of the initial stages of success of the Iraq war: Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Lebanon all having positive moves and reactions to the strength of the initial war in 2003. Libya’s decision to give up its arsenal is probably the most dramatic ramification of the initial successes of the war that supporters can point to, as Hill does in his essay. [5] The January/February 2006 edition of Foreign Affairs is a perfect example of this phenomenon. Every single review essay of that edition deals with the Iraq war. [6] â€Å"Five Years On.† Hoover Digest, 2006, no. 4, p. 84. Regarding the progress wrought by the Iraq war, Hanson writes, â€Å"thousands of terrorists killed, Al Qaeda scattered, Europe galvanized about Islamism and sobered about the consequences of its cheap anti-U.S. rhetoric, Iran’s nuclear antics revealed, democracy birthed in the Middle East, Palestinian radicals exposed for their fraud, the United nations under overdue scrutiny, America much better defended at home† came largely as a result of the war on terror, beginning with Afghanistan and culminating in Iraq. There is much significant impact there to be pondered. [7] Victor Davis Hanson, â€Å"Hard Pounding,† Hoover Digest, 2006, no. 3, pp. 14-15. [8] Weigel, â€Å"Just War and Iraq Wars,† p. 15. Frederick W. Kagan agrees with this assessment of the various wars being fought in Iraq, although he believes that Weigel’s second war largely ended with the capture of Saddam Hussein. Cf. â€Å"Iraq is Not Vietnam,† Policy Review, Dec, 2005 Jan, 2006, no. 134, p. 6. [9] Although, to be fair, it should be pointed out that former Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, did anticipate that the cost of military operations and rebuilding efforts would amount to $3.9 billion per month in 2003. Cf. John Yoo, The Powers of War and Peace: The Constitution and Foreign Affairs after 9/11 (Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 2005), p. 157. [10] Weigel, p. 17. [11] James D. Fearon, â€Å"Iraq’s Civil War,† Foreign Affairs, Mar/Apr, 2007, vol. 86, no. 2, p. 6. For concurring opinions see Larry Diamond, â€Å"The Pressure Builds,† Hoover Digest, 2006, no. 3, p. 29 and Weigel, p. 19. [12] Diamond, â€Å"The Pressure Builds,† pp. 26-8.

LIVING TO DIE :: essays research papers

Living to Die â€Å"Love is the emblem of eternity: it confounds all notion of time: effaces all memory of a beginning, all fear of an end.† ~ Germaine De Stael In William Shakespeare’s Sonnet #73 [That Time of Year Thou Mayst in Me Behold], the main theme of an approaching and inevitable death is applied. Moreover, this theme is being explained to a loved one in order for her to embrace and cherish her love for him while he still breathes. Beginning with the first quatrain, Shakespeare compares his age to that of autumn which stands for his advancement of years. Furthermore, in the second quatrain, Shakespeare elaborately compares his aging to a sunset, which is right before night, or in Shakespeare’s case, death. In the final quatrain Shakespeare further compares his life to the life of a fire, which burns bright at the beginning but eventually dies out and turns to ashes. The point of the final couplet is to have the reader realize that the entire sonnet is written to his lover; in order to symbolize the way that Shakespeare feels that she views him in natural terms. Furthermore it shows the undying nature of love present be tween them, which cannot die along with his death. In the first quatrain, Shakespeare metaphorically compares himself to a tree in the season of fall. The season of fall is symbolic because it represents a transition in time, right after spring and summer when life is full of energy, and right before winter when everything is dead and ceased to be. He goes on to say 'That time of year thou mayst in me behold when yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang upon those boughs which shake against the cold"(579). Shakespeare uses conceit to elaborately compare his furtherance of age to the aging tree in the fall. Just as the tree is helpless and naked to the elements, Shakespeare is naked and helpless in the hands of time. Furthermore, Shakespeare portrays the fact that his death is inevitable. In the second quatrain, Shakespeare seems to say death comes like night, dark and quiet, like a thief, stealing when we sleep. Moreover, the speaker compares his age to the late twilight, "As after sunset fadeth in the west," and the remaining light is slowly extinguished into the darkness. Meaning, death will come, without question. The sun setting could also be regarded as the sun going to sleep, which plays on the last line of the quatrain, "Death's second self, which seals upon rest.

Henry Ford Essay -- History

Henry Ford Henry Ford was one of the most brilliant entrepreneurs in creating the automobile assembly line, it was his controversial characteristics and unorthodox approach towards administrating the Ford Motor Company which resulted in the conglomeration of one of the most successful corporations in the world. At the turn of the century everything was booming! The growth of the economy and stock market increased the job opportunities as well as morals. As a result of this industrial revolution, out of the woodwork came a humble yet driven man, Henry Ford. Between the five dollar/day plan, his policies on administrating the company, and his relations with his customers, Ford was often presented as a suspicious character. This controversial behavior epitomized the success of the company, it did not lead to his own downfall as many suspect. The Anti-Semitic accusations, and the belief that Ford was taking advantage of his customers, were by far overshadowed by his brillianc!e and strong hand in r unning his company. Of course, there were not always supporters of Henry Ford. If fact, there were many critics, critics who believed that Henry Ford was so controversial that it prevented the potential of Fords from becoming greater than it is today. By the mid twenties the Ford’s was already the worlds most successful automobile company, but their great reputation would soon decline. Fords $5/day plan for all employees signified the overwhelming success of the company. Many believed this success was short-lived with the new policies dealing with the workers which soon followed. With the need to increase production and lower costs, in the mid 30’s Ford cut all Ford worker’s wages in half. Workers were expected to work faster, and harder. Department heads were ordered to ban all talking and whistling while work was in progress. All of this was a ploy by Ford to make sure he knew every move of his workers, he was very possessive. Secondly, Ford began to fire older workers and hire younge!r workers. His ideology was that the younger workers could work more productively and more efficiently. Which in turn would send more money flowing into his pockets. What resulted was quite humorous in fact. Black hair dye became a hot seller in the Detroit area . Older workers tried to disguise their age by dying their hair black. Ford’s manipulation of his workers was immoral... ...! Bibliography American Decades 1910-1919 New York: Gale Research Co., 1996. A contemporary survey on the backround of Henry Ford, and the Ford Motor Company. Collier, Peter. An American Epic. New York: Summit Books Co.,1987. A chronological study of the political and financial success of the Ford family. Lacey, Robert. Ford, The Men And The Machine. New York: Ballantine Books Co., 1986. A more personal study of the Ford family and the contraversy surrounding the success of the Ford Motor Company. Marcus, Paul: Ford: We Never Called Him Henry. New York: Tom Doherty Associates Co., 1951, 1987. A primary piece of literature related by Harry Bennett offering personal insights in the life of Henry Ford, including conspiracy and controversy. Primary Source â€Å"The Annals of America.† New York: Encyclopedia Britannica. Co., 1976. A primary source referring to the financial success of the Ford Motor Company as well as the financial policies administered. Video â€Å"The Great Depression† (no other info available) An interesting presentation offered by past employees of the Ford Motor Company re-telling the triumphs and demise of the Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford Essay -- History Henry Ford Henry Ford was one of the most brilliant entrepreneurs in creating the automobile assembly line, it was his controversial characteristics and unorthodox approach towards administrating the Ford Motor Company which resulted in the conglomeration of one of the most successful corporations in the world. At the turn of the century everything was booming! The growth of the economy and stock market increased the job opportunities as well as morals. As a result of this industrial revolution, out of the woodwork came a humble yet driven man, Henry Ford. Between the five dollar/day plan, his policies on administrating the company, and his relations with his customers, Ford was often presented as a suspicious character. This controversial behavior epitomized the success of the company, it did not lead to his own downfall as many suspect. The Anti-Semitic accusations, and the belief that Ford was taking advantage of his customers, were by far overshadowed by his brillianc!e and strong hand in r unning his company. Of course, there were not always supporters of Henry Ford. If fact, there were many critics, critics who believed that Henry Ford was so controversial that it prevented the potential of Fords from becoming greater than it is today. By the mid twenties the Ford’s was already the worlds most successful automobile company, but their great reputation would soon decline. Fords $5/day plan for all employees signified the overwhelming success of the company. Many believed this success was short-lived with the new policies dealing with the workers which soon followed. With the need to increase production and lower costs, in the mid 30’s Ford cut all Ford worker’s wages in half. Workers were expected to work faster, and harder. Department heads were ordered to ban all talking and whistling while work was in progress. All of this was a ploy by Ford to make sure he knew every move of his workers, he was very possessive. Secondly, Ford began to fire older workers and hire younge!r workers. His ideology was that the younger workers could work more productively and more efficiently. Which in turn would send more money flowing into his pockets. What resulted was quite humorous in fact. Black hair dye became a hot seller in the Detroit area . Older workers tried to disguise their age by dying their hair black. Ford’s manipulation of his workers was immoral... ...! Bibliography American Decades 1910-1919 New York: Gale Research Co., 1996. A contemporary survey on the backround of Henry Ford, and the Ford Motor Company. Collier, Peter. An American Epic. New York: Summit Books Co.,1987. A chronological study of the political and financial success of the Ford family. Lacey, Robert. Ford, The Men And The Machine. New York: Ballantine Books Co., 1986. A more personal study of the Ford family and the contraversy surrounding the success of the Ford Motor Company. Marcus, Paul: Ford: We Never Called Him Henry. New York: Tom Doherty Associates Co., 1951, 1987. A primary piece of literature related by Harry Bennett offering personal insights in the life of Henry Ford, including conspiracy and controversy. Primary Source â€Å"The Annals of America.† New York: Encyclopedia Britannica. Co., 1976. A primary source referring to the financial success of the Ford Motor Company as well as the financial policies administered. Video â€Å"The Great Depression† (no other info available) An interesting presentation offered by past employees of the Ford Motor Company re-telling the triumphs and demise of the Ford Motor Company.

Gullivers Travels :: essays research papers

He’s not Making Funnies is He?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gulliver’s Travels is swarmed with many different satires. In the movie Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift throws out a number of ideas and statements concerning his views of hatred for cruelty, injustice, pettiness, and also stupidity that he saw through his everyday life. I like the way that he conveys his satires among the audience.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first part of the video, a lot of his criticisms were going towards the higher people of the ladder. For example, the King of the ship and then all of the other rulers of the world were the main people that he put down. When the ship was going to crash due to the imbalance of the flight magnet, the King simply sat on his throne and told the men in the room that everything was going to be fine. While the many men on board were running around frantically, the King did not give any aid to the problem. The point here was that Kings of the time, were not fulfilling their roles, instead, they were laying back and letting problems settle for themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Also, in the first section of the video, professors got the bashing of satire. While Lemuel was walking around the island, he was stopping randomly and asking for directions to the place. Almost all of the rooms he entered, there was a professor working on an experiment. After he asked the intelligent men for the path to his destiny, they would simply describe their project to him or respond with not knowing what he was talking about. With the actions of the man, I thought that the satire on the professors was superior. The professors were not worrying about anything else that went on around them, due to the fact that they were too into their projects. Lemuel describes them to be experiments with no end. The thought of how professors work so hard on making something that will come to be nothing was explained with great and detailed satire in the afterward part of the video clip.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the second part of the movie, Lemuel Gulliver was on an island with some different kid of â€Å"creatures†. One of the animals was a horse, and they obtained the name of houyhnhnms. These were symbolizing the natives from another planet, country, land, or island. The horses were talking to Lemuel and he discussed his culture and in exchange, the houyhnhnm’s shared their thoughts and beliefs with Lemuel.

Sociology and Tutor Marked Assignment

Foundation Course in Humanities and Social Sciences Tutor Marked Assignment (TMA) Course Code: BSHF-101 Assignment Code: BSHF-101/AST/TMA/2012-13 Total Marks: 100 A. Descriptive Category Questions (DCQ) answer any two in 500 words each: 1. Analyse the evolution of man as a tool making animal. 20 2. Does the post – Industrial society differ from the Industrial society? Explain 20 3. Analyse the role of Gandhi in the National Movement. 20 4.How do you assess the performance of Indian Economy during the initial years of Globalization (since 1991)? 20 B. Middle Category Questions (MCQ) answer any four in 250 words each: 5. Discuss the achievements of Renaissance in the field of art and architecture. 12 6. Has the Indian Economy made any progress in the field of Distributive justice? 12 7. Discuss the directive Principles of State policies. Discuss the fundamental Rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. How are the different? 12 8.What role do non-state actors play in the dem ocratic process? Discuss. 12 9. What role does coordination play in the management of organizations? Discuss. 12 10. Discuss the concept of governance. Is fostering openness in the system a part of good governance. 12 11. How do you look at the concept of ‘Human Security’? D iscuss. 12 12. Discuss the concept of â€Å"Digital Divide†. How do you think it can be bridged? 12 C. Short Category Questions (SCQ) 6+6 a) b) c) d) Secularism Bharatnatyam Ellora Paintings Kyoto Protocol 4

Decoding Apple’s Balance Sheet Apa Format Essay

Decoding Apple’s Balance Sheet In March of 2009, Apple had its best March quarter revenue and earnings in Apple history (Apple). In order to see how this occurred, it is important to look over the financial statements of Apple. There is a lot of information available to investors who are interested in investing in a company. By looking specifically at the balance sheet of Apple I am going to determine if investing in Apple is a good idea or a bad idea. Some things I am going to consider are Apple’s assets, liabilities, and shareholder’s equity. These areas should give me insight to how the best quarter in Apple history came to be. Looking at the current assets of Apple, cash and cash equivalents went down from 11. 8 billion dollars to 4. 4 billion dollars. This may look bad at first, but all of the other assets must be added to this in order to get an overall picture of the assets. Short-term marketable securities went up from 10. 2 billion dollars to 20. 5 billion dollars. This helped Apple’s assets grow tremendously. Accounts receivable fell to 1. 9 billion dollars from 2. 4 billion dollars. With the rest of the current assets figured in, inventories, deferred tax assets, and other current assets, the total current assets rose to 33. billion dollars from 32. 3 billion dollars. That was a rise of 1. 5 billion dollars (Apple). It is important to take into account the rest of the assets. For example, long-term marketable securities rose 1. 5 billion dollars, property, plant and equipment rose 0. 91 billion dollars, goodwill stayed the same, acquired intangible assets fell 0. 017 billion dollars, and othe r assets rose 0. 56 billion dollars. Now that we know how each asset was affected during this quarter, we come to the final numbers, which are total assets rose 3. 6 billion dollars. Apple grew its assets substantially during this quarter. I would think Apple would be a good company to invest in. Before I made any decisions I would investigate the balance sheet further in order to compare liabilities and shareholder’s equity with the previous quarter. This will give me a better understanding of the financial situation of the company (Apple). Current liabilities are in the first section of liabilities and shareholder’s equity. The following accounts are current liabilities and how they fared. Accounts payable went down from 5. 5 billion dollars to 3. 9 billion dollars. Accrued expenses went down 1 billion dollars. Deferred revenue went up from 4. 8 billion dollars to 7 billion dollars. The total change in current liabilities was a decrease of 0. 4 billion dollars. The other two liabilities categories, deferred revenue (non-current) and other non-current liabilities, rose collectively 0. 7 billion dollars. This gives the total liabilities a rise of 0. 3 billion dollars. This amount compared to current assets is not as significant. So far Apple is still looking like a good investment because the assets of Apple rose 1. 5 billion dollars whereas their liabilities only rose 0. 4 billion dollars. It is now time to take a look at the final category of the balance sheet, the shareholder’s equity (Apple). The value of shareholders equity, common stock, rose from 7. 1 billion dollars to 7. 6 billion dollars. Retained earnings also rose; it rose from 13. 8 billion dollars to 16. 6 billion dollars. Accumulated other comprehensive income rose . 07 billion dollars. Total shareholder’s equity rose 3. 3 billion dollars. So adding together the rise of 0. 4 billion dollars in liabilities with the 3. 3 billion dollar rise of the shareholder’s equity, we get the same amount, 3. 7 billion dollars, as we got for the rise in total assets.

Pros and Cons of Minimum Wage

Pros 1. Reduced poverty The minimum wage can improve the living standard of low-income workers, which ultimately reduce poverty. According to the International Labor Office (2005), reducing poverty and working poverty requires both productivity growth and employment creation. The World Development Report 2004-05 also stated that there is strong empirical evidence that creating decent employment opportunities is the best way to take people out of poverty. As a result, the wealth gap between the rich and the poor can be narrowed.The Keynesian argument for minimum wages – this suggests that lower-income workers have a high propensity to consume, and that with the extra disposable income from minimum wage, they will spend a high portion the sum which will be injected back into the circular flow of income. In regions and localities where average incomes are low, a higher minimum pay rate can boost total demand for goods and services and create a positive multiplier effect – but much depends on the effect of a pay floor on how many people remain in work. . Reduced government spending on social welfare Since workers are being paid more per hour, their increased purchasing power enable them to meet pay for their basic needs on their own, without relying on government â€Å"top-up† welfare benefits. Therefore, this can greatly reduce the government expenditure on the social welfare, and the spending can be used in other ways, such as education and medication. Cons 1. Reduced employment of the less-skilled workersImplementation of minimum wage can reduce the employment of the less-skilled workers (Neumark & Wascher, 2008). According to The Wall Street Journal (2009), Economists for the Federal Reserve reviewed over 100 academic studies on the impact of the minimum wage and found overwhelming evidence that lower skilled and young workers have increased rates of unemployment when there is a higher minimum wage. These workers are laid off as their emplo yer finds that the employee’s labor is not worth the required age, but additionally employers are filling these jobs with higher skilled labor (Garfield, 1996). Additionally, many others pointed out the importance of the entry level jobs and observed that the loss of these jobs would have a negative impact on the development of a good work ethic in young workers (Irvin, 2009). 2. Shift the cost to consumers The increase in the minimum wage has caused many of these small businesses to raise their prices just to cover costs (Messerli, 2009).As labour is a factor of production, an increase in the average cost of labour will push up the unit cost of products. With the persistent increase in the general price level, there will be at a risk of inflation. 3. Difficult for small businesses to survive in the market Some small businesses may find it difficult to survive in the economy because they cannot afford to pay the minimum wage stipulated by the law. It obstructs their chances o f growth and thereby hampers the economic growth in the larger context.Though some of these companies would charge higher to the consumers, consumers may eventually decide that the high prices cannot be justified and the small business is forced to close (Messerli, 2009). 4. Shadow labour markets may develop Due to the surplus of labour, more people are willing to work at the minimum price than employers are willing to hire, and it is likely that workers will try to sell their services at illegally low prices. These workers are often, especially in America, illegal immigrants who are hired in favour of tax paying citizens.This will cause a decrease in tax revenue as more workers are not reporting their incomes, and an increase in the amount of unemployment benefits the government will have to pay out. The minimum wage benefits those who are employed at it and disadvantages those who loose out on potential employment because of employers hiring from a shadow labour market. The effect of minimum wages on unemployment will depend on the elasticity of demand for labour. If the demand for labour is inelastic, the introduction f minimum wages will only increase unemployment a little. Job losses may simply be due to the increase in labour cost which would result in a lower demand for labour. **** 5. Distortion to the free market Minimum wages are a barrier to the free market. If the minimum wage is set above the market clearing price, it will result in rising unemployment. Some firms will judge the opportunity cost of hiring an extra employee too high and this may prevent some workers from finding jobs who otherwise would normally find it.In a totally free market, they may be willing to accept lower wages. However, even if the artificial barrier were not present, the action of trade unions would greatly limit the wage reduction that workers would tolerate. Rather than have the entirety of the workers in a union take a pay cut, it is more likely that some will be fire d and the rest will continue work at the same wage rate. This means that even in a free market, the offer of lower wages can result in unemployment due to the effect of sticky wages.Equally, in some cases, when wages drop too low, people are willing to forgo employment. This is because the benefits of being employed are hardly greater than the unemployment benefits they would receive otherwise. This is known as the unemployment trap and its result is that even in a free market, if the equilibrium price is too low, unemployment will rise. For the two aforementioned reasons it is impossible to say that the imposition of a minimum wage will definitely cause higher unemployment than if wages were left to the invisible hand of the free market.Reference: Garfield, R. , (1996). â€Å"The Case Against a Higher Minimum Wage†. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://www. house. gov/jec/cost-gov/regs/minimum/against/against. htm International Labour Office (2005). World employment report 2 004-05: employment, productivity and poverty reduction. , p. p. 31. Irvin, M. , (2009). â€Å"Minimum Wage Increase Pleases Workers, But Employers Not So Happy†. Retrieved March 8, 2012, from http://blog. al. com/live/2009/07/minimum_wage_increase_pleases. html Messerli, J. (2009). â€Å"Should the Minimum Wage be Abolished (i. e. Reduced to $0. 00)? †. Retrieved March 9, 2012, from http://www. balancedpolitics. org/minimum_wage. htm Neumark, David (Editor); Wascher, William L. (Editor). Minimum Wages. Cambridge, MA, USA: MIT Press, 2008. p. 104-105, 189-190, 258-259. The Wall Street Journal, (2009, October). â€Å"The Young and the Jobless†, The Wall Street Journal, at A12. Retrieved March 12, 2012, from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574402820278669840. html

Review on John Donne’s ‘Holy Sonnet 14’

Poem: Holy Sonnet XIV Name of author: John Donne Imprisoned In the poem Holy Sonnet XIV, John Donne writes about the different imprisonments of life. In his poem he is saying that he has fallen for the temptations of Gods enemy, the devil, and he is asking God to break the hold the devil has on him. John portrays that he is trapped and bound by the evils of the devil, and he wishes to be â€Å"divorced†(11) from the devil to be once again imprisoned by the love of God, either way he knows he â€Å"never shall be free†(13).The point John is making in this poem is that he loves God and no longer wishes to live with the sins and imprisonment of the devil, but rather be â€Å"enthralled†(13) by God. John first speaks of God as a â€Å"three-personed God†(1), meaning God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Throughout the poem John is at a fallen state, where he has fallen so hard it would be almost impossible for him to alone break the bond that he has with the devil, to be righteous and serve God. John is asking God to help him in breaking the bond, asking to â€Å"Batter†(1) his heart for God, breaking the unholy bond, the engagement that he has with the devil.John wishes to be the God-loving person he knows he is. John needs God’s powerful ways to make him a new person, today some call it a â€Å"born-again believer†, and John so badly wants God to â€Å"make me new†(4). John feels as if he has been taken over by the devil. John is pleading his case in this poem, to God as to why God should help him, defend him, save him, and make him new. This poem is like Johns prayer, pleading to God his reasoning in why God should help him, since God is his â€Å"viceroy†(7) that he should want to defend him.John is trapped as if he is held captive, and is weak and untrue to God, but at the same time still willingly and joyfully loves God. John uses the word â€Å"betrothed†(10) to emphasize that h e has been tied, or engaged to the devil in his actions and wished to be â€Å"divorced†(11). John is saying he is bound by the devil and doesn’t want to be imprisoned by the devil, but instead be imprisoned by God. It’s like no matter what path John is on, whether it is the path of the devil, or the path of God, he will be imprisoned either way and never be free.John grew up as a believer in God and he eventually grew to be known as â€Å"The Great Priest† by many people. A great priest doesn’t have to stray to far from God to feel as John felt in this poem because no one sin is greater than the other. This was not the first time John had felt he had strayed away from God â€Å"divorce me, untie, or break that knot again†(11). The Holy Sonnet XIV is about a man who felt as if he strayed away from God and how badly he wants God to help him get back on the right track, living for Him.John was catholic at a time when anti-catholic sentiment wa s common. He began to question his faith when his brother Henry died. John then soon struggled near poverty to support his family for almost 10 years. With him being in hard times and straying away from his religion, to then come to pick back up into his religion is an example of his life and what he wanted people to know by reading this poem. After he got back to his normal life, in religion, he then became the priest that we know him to be today.

Conflicts and Communication Essay

Communication is a very key role in any type of relationship whether it be business, personal or intimate. When we enter into any type of relationship one needs to have the skills to communicate effectively and make sure that the complete message gets portrayed to the receiver. When one does not communicate effectively, the result causes interpersonal conflict. In the movie â€Å"Hitch† it involves two individuals, Will Smith and Eva Mendes, who meet and begin to enter into the beginning stages of a relationship. There is certainly an attraction, both physically and due to a common interest in things. Through hesitation and Mendes declining Smith numerous times, she finally agrees to go out with him and it turns out that they seem to be quite compatible. Through their friendship they begin to develop an intimate relationship with one another. Through this whole process Mendes has been very open and honest about things that are important to her and things that are private to her as well. It seems that Smith is doing the same thing, however it turns out that he is withholding very important information that should be shared with her. The main interpersonal conflict in this movie would be due to Smith not communicating to Mendes that he is the â€Å"Date Doctor†. Mendes has a major issue with this because she had a very good friend who was dumped and she placed the blame on Smith for this situation When she finds out what his true profession is, she become irate and storms off and refuses to speak to him or listen him. This instance caused an instant dissolution of their relationship. There was an issue, but instead of communicating it out loud or discussing it, quite the opposite happened. In our text, Sole states that, â€Å"Resentments, suspicions and other problems occur when people do not communicate or behave in ways that are consistent with the relationship the other person things has been established, and people tend to pay the most attention and to respond forcefully when the communication does not match their expectations† (Sole, 2011). Towards the end of the movie, they finally are able to communicate to each other on the same level and they work things out. In my opinion, all tension could have been resolved and the relationship could have been restored from the get-go if Smith and Mendes would have truly communicated and would have been completely honest and transparent about their lives and the things that they do and that they are involved in. Obviously, it is easier said than done. Another thing that should have been avoided would be assuming things that are really not true. â€Å"The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place† (George Bernard Shaw). This quote really sums up the main point and resolution to problems and issues with intrapersonal communication. Never be so blinded by the things that you are hiding from individuals you are developing relationships with and never assume that they understand things you, as the speaker, have not completely portrayed.

Christian wordview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Christian wordview - Essay Example I Corinthians 12:3-6 – These texts show that people, who have the Holy Spirit do not curse Jesus, but praise him. In addition to that, they show that the Spirit gives different people varying gifts, but all for serving the Lord. John 17:20-26 – In these verses we find Jesus praying that believers should be one with God and fellow Christians so that unbelievers may see and believe. Further, Jesus prays that believers may one day ascend to where he is and see his glory. These verses are important and can shape the perspective of a Christian about the world. From the texts, it is evident that God intends humans to have a better life than we currently have. For this reason, Jesus came down to earth humbled himself, taught disciples, and commissioned them to preach the same good news to the entire world. The commission that the disciples receive involves preaching and baptizing those who believe in the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. This implies that man’s life ought to have a purpose, to believe in God, which is marked by the Holy Spirits presence. Genesis 1 and 2 – These two chapters of the Bible describe creation. Chapter 1 details the process of creation in seven days while chapter shows God creating Adam and Eve and settling them in the Garden of Eden. Romans 8:18-25 – Paul expresses his concerns over the frustration that creation was subjected to because of sin. However, he provides assurance that Christ will liberate creation and asks readers to trust and have faith in Him. Colossians 1:15-20 – These passages depict Christ as the master architect of the creation process. What is more, God allowed His glory to be shown through Christ, that man might be liberated and the beauty of creation before sin be revealed. These texts principally talk about creation showing how beautiful the process was and that Christ will

The Constraint of Global Peace and Security by Military Policies durin Assignment

The Constraint of Global Peace and Security by Military Policies during the Cold War - Assignment Example No country is immune from such situation in the future that can lead to a new round of confrontation and arms race, which in turn can cause an irreparable harm to society and to the world at large. It is a common knowledge that war, nuclear weapon, and its tests are destructive in the international conflict solution. However, no matter what, the idea of superiority and supremacy instinctively makes people fighting and trying to win. During the Cold War, our world faced with such situation, when two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union put at stake the further existing of the whole humanity. In the current paper, based on the facts from the analyzed literature, we will try to present objectively the course of a war, understand the reasons that shaped the situation, and draw the appropriate conclusions. In this respect, the main question of the current paper is how the parties of the conflict finally managed to restrain the military tension during the Cold War. After the fall of the Third Reich, there was no power in Europe that was able to oppose the Soviet Union. Therefore, in many Western European countries increased the influence of the left parties (the Labor Party won the elections in Great Britain in 1945) and the positions of the Communists strengthened. The USSR and the USA were the most powerful and influential countries economically, as well as in terms of military power. These countries were divided by the ideological contradiction, specifical communism against capitalism. The latter led to the obvious hostility in the international relations. The internal situation in these countries was characterized by the active impersonating and search of the enemy. The dissidence was also recognized as a form of subversive activity. Such atmosphere was quite a common situation since it was a characterizing feature of the totalitarian regime... In the United States, such internal tension gave birth to McCarthyism, the persecution of the cit izens, who were suspected in anti-American activities (Perry, Chase, Jacob, Jacob and Von Laue, 2012).     

Does a diasporic identity erase, alter, re-creat or negate this Essay

Does a diasporic identity erase, alter, re-creat or negate this obsession with chinea obvious in much of 20 century chinese literature - Essay Example Chinese authors have bared their souls through printed text that clearly displays divergent views about what it is about China that makes it citizens so resilient, yet willing to submit to a status quo element that maintains the continuity of the good and bad sides of Chinese society. C.T. Hsia has made strong assertions in the article, â€Å"Obsession with China: The Moral Burden of Modern Chinese Literature†. To truly understand Hsia’s views, it is essential that we carefully analyze key excerpts of the article. Note the following: â€Å"What distinguishes the â€Å"modern† phase of Chinese literature from the traditional phase is rather its burden of moral contemplation: its obsessive concern with China as a nation afflicted with a spiritual disease and therefore unable to strengthen itself or change its set ways of inhumanity.† Chinese citizens operating from a diasporic identity clearly feel it is their duty to articulate the horrors that occur in china concerning oppression of and human rights abuses against Chinese citizens. Theoretically, where traditional Chinese literature required and in many cases demanded compliance from Chinese authors in representing China as the government would have the world see it instead of how it was operating in reality, Chinese citizens in the diaspora are articulating chilling excerpts of life under oppressive regimes. Surprisingly, the proponents of traditional Chinese literature represented the lower social classes in many cases. Modern authors of Chinese literature are working feverishly to bring the lower classes to the realization that they must voice their displeasure about human rights abuses that affect them and if these atrocities do not affect them, the modern authors are sparing no expense to change that reality, as the lower class citizens will have to be en listed in any successful

What is data mining and how can it bring benefits to a business Essay

What is data mining and how can it bring benefits to a business organisation - Essay Example 2007).Data mining is incorporated for gaining in depth patterns for market intelligence from data warehouses containing massive amount of data. However, the issue that arises is not the quantity of data, as we already have massive amount of data to work with, it is the methodology that is required to learn data. Likewise, data provides all the attributes but how to utilize them for gaining benefit is another question. This is the area that is addressed by data mining, as it is used for extracting valuable information from large amount of data saved on periodic basis. Likewise, information that can be extracted may contain relationships and different patterns. For instance, a retail store may indicate that some products are more in demand in one channel of distribution, there may be two different products that are sold at the same time in a specific geographic location, some specific products are more in demand in some geographic locations and similarly, some products are more demandi ng in certain events may be associated with religious events. If we take an example of Wal-Mart, the store has found that if there is a probability of a hurricane, the demand of beet increases in that specific geographical area, therefore, stores have to stock more beers that usual in this sort of situation (Keating 2008). Employee associated with utilizing patterns of customer behavior from data mining, i.e. a financial analyst would seek facets of the store or organization that may become bankrupt, similarly, human resource managers would seek information of a successful potential employee, employees working in a credit card department would like to get information associated with credit card debts payments from potential customers and also to analyze the legitimate credit card transactions against the falsified ones, marketing department executives would like to extract information associated with product