Monday, September 30, 2019

Chinese Parenting vs. Western Parenting

English 101 Prof. Shapiro Chinese Parenting vs. Western Parenting Everyone who has come to America came for specific reasons: to make a living, to raise a family and, moreover, watch their children do the same. I grew up surrounded by family that only spoke about getting the best education, so that when we grow up we would be someone who carries on the family name, be someone who is renowned, that pronounced that whatever we were to thrive for throughout our lives, to make the best out of it. Just like Asian parents, my parents had certain expectations from my siblings and I as well.As I interviewed my father, I learnt the way he has helped raise us, is quite similar to my grandmothers. Even though they had the qualities of Western parents by being strict yet not destructing our self-image, their philosophy of raising children was similar to Chinese parenting, they stressed for us to achieve academic success. Combination of both has shown me how important persistent parents are. Educ ation was really vital to my parents upon growing up, they were always concerned about our homework, studying, meeting teachers at school and especially extra curricular  activities.They had several restrictions, yet they were vigilant; they didn’t bind us from having the liberty of our own, but it helped them steer us in the right pathway. I remember well, as soon as we would arrive home from school we were ordered to do our homework, and study for what was required, and if we fortunately had free time before going to sleep we were allowed to watch our favorite shows before going to bed. If we had a test the following day, we knew that we would have to watch television on the weekend instead. Even if we didn’t do as good as they would want us to on our test; they would still praise us for our effort.The praise was an element of Western parenting, gave essence to our relationship with them, I believe if my parents didn’t assimilate with us as well as they did, or embrace our flaws in a subject, our parents wouldn’t be as close and understanding to us. It gave me a sense of understanding that my parents understand me as well, and want for us to do as well as we can. â€Å"The concept of â€Å"self-esteem† was non-existence to them. When I asked my father what his parents expected of him he said, â€Å"well, they wanted us to do well in school but most importantly they wanted us to be disciplined. He said â€Å"we were made sure to greet our elders with respect, and if mistakenly we didn’t, we were put in out places right in front of them However, even though he follows his parents methods in raising us, he makes we understand it. â€Å"Once when I was young, maybe more than once, when I was extremely disrespectful to my mother, my father angrily called me â€Å"garbage† in our native Hokkien dialect† stated by Amy Chua in her essay, my father thinks otherwise, He would sit and talk to us about respect ing the elders, just so he knows he’s not damaging our self-esteem with shallow harsh words.Some of the activities we were restricted of included not going to sleepovers, it was part of the few things we weren’t allowed to do. However, they made it up to us by allowing us to attend birthday parties, as we started to get older. I never really understood as to why my parents would not allow us to do so, but I believe it was for our own benefit. Living in the United States with diverse religions, it was crucial to my parents to do whatever they could to preserve it. Whatever they have done, they take it as their most prized accomplishment. Since we were young, we were put in an Islamic school, from elementary till high school.We understood from a young age that religion was a significant part of our lives. When I began attending Islamic school in second grade, I had no idea why I wore the headscarf as the uniform along with long black dress-type clothing. As I got older a nd matured I understood my religion with greater insight, and along with that I understood why our parents put my sister and I in an Islamic school. As I got to high school, it was as if my parents left the understanding of Islam upon us, that’s where I recognized the western qualities of their values, they now understand that the insight we have is going to last with us forever.Now that we’ve grown up friends of my parents ask them how they have raised such children, as it is hard to achieve that here in America, which is always answered with â€Å"a little control goes a long way. † Comparing the two styles of parenting, we’ve seen the struggles they’ve been through to get us where we are today, and it is only fair that we do the same in return even though it may never be enough, we know that they would appreciate it just as much. Word Count: – 863

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Digital Divide Essay

Digital divide refers to the gap between people with effective access to digital and information technology, and those with very limited or no access at all. A total of 161 countries were examined over the 1999-2001 period to identify the determinants of cross-countries disparities in personal computers and internet penetration. Basically digital divide exist because of socio economic factors, geographical factors, educational, attitudinal and generational factors. A further gap between the developed and underdeveloped world in the uptake of technology is evident within the global community, and may be of even greater significance. Digital divide is classified under four (4) successive types of access: Motivational, physical, skills and usage is observed. A shift of attention from physical access to skill and usage is observed. In terms of physical the divide seems to be closing in most developed countries, concerning digital skills and the use of applications the divide persists. Developing countries are lagging behind in digital library research and development, due to the digital divide as well as the lack of appropriate resources required for search and development. As a result users in developing world are being deprived of digital library services. Global library development can be used by users in developing countries: subject gateways, digital reference services, free access to e-journals and e-books in many areas, also educating individuals about digital divide and also the internet. Having disconnected areas be connected to the network and distributing free useful devices e.g. laptops, phones etc to be up to date. www.emeraldinsight.com/journal.htm?articled=867166&show=abstract[->0] www.sciencedirect.com www.springlink.com/content/ [->0] – http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journal.htm?articled=867166&show=abstract

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 27

Summary - Essay Example That is how Huxley views the society functioning based on the ideals of a â€Å"Technocracy† – society with lost spiritual belonging and personal transcendence (Miller 2011). Further, the author explains that a technopoly is a more radical concept than technocracy and explains it from the Postman’s perspective, whereas Huxley’s society in the novel is good example of a technopoly. Also, there is analyzed the concept of black-and-white standardization and compared to the Huxley’s case system. Based on this approach the postmodern society becomes more and more limited because of standardization. Miller (2011) provides several examples to illustrate the existing problem, including the problem of standardization of education. Putting of children into groups based on the criteria of their age, and teaching them to learn for good grades as a key factor to career success is one of the problems that the author has identified to be similar to the Robinson’s video and cast idea (Miller, 2011). The author is challenging the established and widely accepted formal working hours and its effectiveness to the overall organization, including the employee, the boss (entrepreneur) and the client. The problem raised in the article lies in the fact that people tend to spend their time at work even when they have done all the tasks. Many office workers spend the last hours at work by surfing the Internet or re-reading emails (the so called â€Å"face time†) as they don’t want to be perceived as idlers. Pozen (2012) explains this behavior can be transcribed as ignoring or even discouraging efficiency in the workplace. Another concern raised here was the common perception of senior managers that people who are working till late hours and during the weekends are â€Å"reliable†, â€Å"dependable†, dedicated† and â€Å"committed† employees (Pozen, 2012).

Friday, September 27, 2019

Mini-Project (Second) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mini-Project (Second) - Essay Example All management projects contain risks of one sort or another. These arise from interactions between the project objectives and uncertainty. A risk is â€Å"an uncertain event which, should it occur, would have an effect on achieving the objectives†. (APM PRAM Guide, 1997) The business, technical and project risks are listed below. The impact level of each risk is stated in the table, and these are given ratings and assigned priorities. Important recommendations are given on how the risks should have been managed. 6. Change in production train specification made it necessary to add another five feet to the length of the new building (only discovered when holding down bolts for the new train were laid out on site). Similarly for catalogue descriptions and specifications for other equipment 6. Manufacturing drawings for the critical long-lead equipment sat in a junior clerk’s in-tray awaiting approval and caused a two week delay and contributing to a later construction schedule conflict in tying-in the new services Uncertainty (or probability of occurrence) is classified as either very low (1), low (2), medium (3), high (4) or very high (5). The impact level is graded and scored the same. The two figures are multiplied to give the priority rating. The fact that not all stakeholders’ roles were clearly defined and especially that the project managers were not even aware of the importance of some stakeholders until much later was a great risk. For instance, â€Å"The VP Production and VP Sales and Estimating were important stakeholders who got involved in the project much later than they should have been.† (Group 1) And, the local inspection authority’s latest safety standards were not taken into account for the paint disposal arrangements. This was a potential environmental risk. The inadequate pre-planning was another great risk and an important part of this was project design, budgeting and scheduling.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Homework Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Homework - Assignment Example ng if or not the kanban system is the modern equivalent of Economic Quantity Research system and whether or not, the operating conditions are more important than the reorder point system used. According to the World Wide Web, kanban may be defined as a system that is designed to ensure that sufficient tools/supplies for workers for when and where they need it. In other words this production system is designed for continuous manufacturing. This system is most times compared to a supermarket. For example a supermarket that uses a Point-of-sale (POS) system, once a customer pays for something through the cash point and the items are scanned, at the end of the day, it sends the sale history to the warehouse. From there they will know what to order to replenish stock. In contrast to the Economic Order Quantity Research (EOC), which is basically an equation used to determine minimum and maximum stock levels they perform the same duties and provide satisfactory results. I believe they are similar in more ways than one but the main difference is the way they are carried out. 2. There is considerable evidence that getting the correct operating conditions is more important than the choice between MRP, kanban, or reorder point methods in the MPC system. How general do you believe this situation to be? Generally, I agree reason being, all the methods mentioned above provide basically the same results with little difference in calculation methods and time. So most definitely the only thing that would hinder positive and profitable results would be conditions under which they are

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Solution to Campus Rapes across the US Research Paper

Solution to Campus Rapes across the US - Research Paper Example Solving campus rapes and sexual abuse has been one of the most difficult tasks due lack of evidence beyond reasonable doubts as most of the evidence presented are always scenarios of one’s word against those of the other. This policy papers seeks to establish the possible solutions available to address the college rape menace within legal boundaries and how to provide lasting solutions to the college administrations. In doing this, this proposal will highlight some of the empirical evidence available on college rapes and how the available solutions have failed to correct the anomaly. Introduction This is a policy paper that seeks to highlight some of the steps that should be taken to help eliminate the escalating levels of college rapes and sexual abuses. In describing the way forward, this paper will highlight some of the statistical data available on college rapes and how the vice has escalated in our universities. The weaknesses of the available laws and administrative agen das in mitigating this vice will also be highlighted to enables readers understand the magnitude of the vice. Finally, the paper will provide the solutions that should be adopted to help mitigate the vice and increase the safety of the students within our campuses. According to the analysis of campus rape and sexual assault report of 2011, of all the rapes reported in the states of Massachusetts, 4% occurred within colleges and campus residential areas. Out of this total, 74% were females who were sexually victimized in campus and their males colleagues accounted for over 99% of the perpetrators. A large percentage of the victims were white students followed distantly by blacks and the Hispanic Americans (Elizabeth 34). This demonstrates the level of the vice in our institutions and how the college administrations have been unable to adequately address the menace. Psychologist however points to another avenue of concern in trying to develop a lasting solution to this vice in our ins titution. According to this report, the victim and the offender have been shown to be either close friends, acquaintances, or strangely enough, boyfriends/girlfriends (Tolman 231). Most of these incidences, as the data indicates occur during the weekends and especially during the midnight hours towards dawn. Of all the rapes, 81% occurred in the college dormitories or students’ official residences, followed by out of campus houses or apartments at 9% and finally the fraternity at 4%. Weapons and force are used to carry out these activities and this was demonstrated in report which indicated that 60% of the rapes that were reported occurred as a result of the use of force or a weapon to intimidate the victim (Christopher 64). Campuses and colleges should be a safe ground for our children and relatives to pursue higher education upon which their future success is pegged. The environment that encourages and fruitful interaction of students should be devoid of any form of threat to the students either from outside or from within the institution. Rape has been shown by a number of psychological reports as one of the major causes of suicide, depression and low morale among the youths. Rape victims find it hard to forgive themselves for what happened to on that fateful night or day and this affects their studies and concentrations. Most rapes also occur in the absence of any form of

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

A Class Apart Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

A Class Apart - Movie Review Example Gustavo Garcia, who was a competent Mexican-American civil rights lawyer offered to represent Hernandez in the supreme court of law. Other lawyers that accompanied Garcia was; James de Anda and Chris Alderete. Garcia’s argument was that the fourteenth amendment assured protection not just on the criteria of race, blacks and Caucasians but also class. The jury selectively discriminated the Mexican-Americans on the basis of class. The state of Texas openly excluded the Hispanics on the pretext that the fourteenth amendment only sheltered the whites and blacks and that the Mexican- Americans were a section of the whites. This was not justified as most Mexican-Americans were legally isolated since for over years no Hispanic served in the jury (Prince, 2010). Earl Warren, the chief justice was compelled to make a ruling in favour of Hernandez basing on Garcia’s argument. Although it is true that Hernandez killed Joe Epinosa, this decision was bound to save the rest of the Mexican-Americans from the infamous exclusion of legal matters and widespread violation of human rights. (Prince, 2010) It is also though thiruling that the Civil rights of Mexican-Americans were

Monday, September 23, 2019

Whitbread Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Whitbread Analysis - Case Study Example company has utilized cost leadership is in the use of the technology, particularly iPhone Apps, and Mobile websites to ensure that it cuts prices (Porter, 1985). In the same context, the company has managed to realize success in the cost leadership strategy through innovation. As such, the company has focused on a unique Christmas campaign, variety of foods including breakfast and new drinks such as hot chocolate. Another approach, which companies enhance cost leadership, is through seeking new opportunities. As for such, it is evident that Whitbread has been venturing into new markets in different countries (Lynch, 2003). The company is in a position to own a strong brand portfolio. Such is evident from its partner stores, which are Premier Inn and Costa, and they are market-leading performers. The mother company has many years of experience in the hospitality and restaurants industry. In addition, the company is focusing on providing new products in both local and international markets at affordable prices to ensure profitability (Worley, & Cummings, 2014). Costa faces the risk of overpricing its products because of its location in a lavish ending of the coffee products spectrum (Lashely 2010). In addition, most of the brands are still untested outside the United Kingdom market, with only a low number of Costa Markets and premier Inn outlets in the international market. Similarly, the company has not provided proper brand awareness in the saturated international market, which is a factor that might undermine its sales. Considering the store cutbacks and possible closure faced my many traditional retailers, the company has an opportunity to capitalize on the available high street retail price. In respect to expansion, the company has an opportunity to venture into new markets in Dubai, India and China among others. The company’s global economic progress remains unstable; however, there is significant uncertainty in the process of expanding into new markets

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Temperature-dependent impact tests Essay Example for Free

Temperature-dependent impact tests Essay Purpose This lab was performed to fully comprehend the temperature dependency of the fracture toughness of the Aluminum and Steel. It was also executed to discover the ductile-brittle transition of each. Summary The experiment solidified the hypothesis that the 6061 aluminum has no ductile-to-brittle transition do to its FCC crystal structure. The 1018 steel has a ductile-to-brittle transition temperature of -31Â ºC due to its BCC crystal structure. Results Figure 1: Graph of fracture energy vs. temperature for entire class data From Figure 1 one can determine that steel has a ductile-to-brittle transition temperature at -31Â ºC requiring a large increase in energy required to fracture over the temperature range. Also it can be determined that aluminum has no ductile to brittle transition due to the almost nonexistent change in fracture energy over the temperature range. Figure 2:Â  Photos of the fracture of each specimen for each testing temperature From the photos in Figure 2 one can see that the Aluminum fracture remains relatively constant throughout the temperature range. This shows plastic deformation due to its ductile behavior throughout the testing temperatures. The steel on the other hand is brittle at the colder temperatures and from the pictures you can see the grain boundaries are more visible and course. This represents a brittle failure. As the temperature increases, the grains become smoother as seen in the photos, which denote a transition to plastic deformation for a more ductile steel. Conclusion The results show that for the 1018 steel the fracture energy increases over the temperature increase, while for the 6061 aluminum the fracture energy stays relatively constant throughout the temperature increase. In the Figure 2 photos, the aluminum is relatively constant on the surface of the fracture. There is a smooth appearance to the grains on the surface of the aluminum, displaying plastic deformation. For the steel, the grains are jagged and rough at the lower temperatures, displaying shearing of the grains, but as the temperature increases the surface becomes smooth like the aluminum. The crystal structure of the 1018 steel is a BCC when the 6061 Aluminum has a FCC. For a BCC crystal structure there is ductile-to-brittle transition due to cleavage in the grains, but in a FCC crystal structure cleavage is nonexistent therefore no ductile-to-brittle transition occurs. In conclusion the 1018 steel has ductile-to-brittle transition.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Hostility and aggression Essay Example for Free

Hostility and aggression Essay This tells the audience automatically that when he feels he has no power against his family he tries to prove himself so that he would get recognised for his qualities of being a man. So therefore he proves his manliness by showing Rodolpho a few passes of boxing, but really show that he is man but Rodolpho isnt. He shows Rodolpho some boxing to make him and everyone understand that if you want to be a man you need to know how to fight. It was also as if Eddie had purposely asked Rodlopho to try a bit of boxing so that Eddie could hit him, but instead make it seem accidental. From this part the tension starts to build up between Eddie Rodolpho and Marco. The final idea Eddie would consider as manliness id for his name to be respected. He is very dominant over his name and doesnt like to be seen as a bad person. I want my name! (Page 82) Eddie is extremely protective over his reputation in his neighbourhood as he would hate for anyone to make him out as a bad person or anything that would destroy his existent in his community. Eddie is a forceful, energetic and obsessive character, but he is also a character who can show warmth and some generosity. It is obvious throughout the play that he has unnatural feelings for his niece Catherine as he lays down the rules for her not to expose herself. Eddie always comments on the clothes she wears as if they were inappropriate for anyone to see but him. where you goin all dressed up? (Page 13) Rodolphos manliness is completely different to Eddies Standard of manliness. Rodolphos manliness doesnt really measure up to Eddies as they both have very different qualities. Eddie has many different things that he considers to be manly, and feels that Rodolpho does not conform to his idea of masculinity because he can cook, sing and make dresses. Rodolpho is a young man who is seemed to be attracted by Catherine. We know this because he explains his wonderful features, in a conversation with Beatrice. hes a good-lookin fella (Page 34) His sense of humour is not missed in this play, we can tell that hes quite funny and is on the good side of a lot of people except Eddie. This is because Rodolpho is man of many talents, such as he can cook, sing and make dresses. When any of these are mentioned around Eddie he makes it sound as if as if Rodolpho isnt a man but a homosexual. Eddie tries to humiliate Rodolpho informant of Catherine to make Rodolpho look bad because he isnt a typical man so Eddie tries to insults him by being sarcastic. Eddie may come across as not liking Rodolpho as a person, but it is obvious that the only reason he doesnt like him is because of his talents, he sneers at Rodolphos Talents as if he is jealous because he and Catherine have taken a shine to each other. He also feels quite envious of Rodolpho because Catherine doesnt care about Rodlphos manliness but only of the things that really matter such as the personality. Rodolpho shows a romantic quality towards Catherine, as soon as he entered the play they had fallen in love with one another. Eddie feels Rodolphos doesnt love Catherine, but is putting on an act to become an American citizen. Katie, hes only bowin to his passport. (Page 41) Catherine thinks this is untrue and believes that he truly loves her, and that hed never do anything like that. Rdodlphos and Catherines love is very powerful and is quite genuine. My heart dies to look at you. (Page 61) Rodlphos character is made known through his caring personality. He is thoughtful, sensitive and is an intelligent person who feels a sense of responsibility for those who he loves. Rodolphos idea of manliness is to provide for Catherine and support her through everything. Hed hate to see her suffering for him. How can I bring you from a rich country to suffer in a poor country? (Page 60) This implies that Rodolpho is worried for Catherines welfare if they lived in Italy. We can tell that he really wants to provide for her but feels he wont be able to because of the lack of jobs that are offered in Italy. So hed rather work hard in America to earn money so that he could support and provide for Catherine. We work hard, well work all day all night___ (Page 29) Rodolpho and his brother will do anything to get some money as they are desperate to provide their family back in Italy. They would rather work all night than do nothing at all for their family. This proves that they are very loyal to their families and when trouble strikes they always find a way through it. Rodolphos and Eddies manliness are very different. Between Eddie and Rodolpho, Rodolphos manliness does not measure up to Eddies standard as he all about being relaxed and calm, whereas Eddie is mainly about being powerful and being able to fight. They are two very different characters which are shown and articulated in loads of different ways, but mainly through their manliness. Marcos character is very powerful and he really shows his masculinity but you can see the clear difference between himself, Eddie and Rodolpho. Marco is a conventional man who thinks traditionally about how to support his wife and kids. Marco is seen as the strongest of the two brothers as he likes to defend his family if any sort of remark is made. For example when Eddie comments about how his wife will be unfaithful during his time away. I mean, you know-they count the kids and theres a couple extra than when they left? (Page 52) Marco responds very quickly and results by saying No-No the women wait, Eddie-most most very few surprises. (Page 52) This suggests that Marco can get aggressive over remarks like this but strides past it as he has a strong sense of responsibility to his family. Marco has a duty to his family whilst hes in America. Hes earning money for them so that they are able to eat as they are quite poor at the moment. Marco knows it was a risk arriving illegally to America but he thought about it and done what he thought was the best for his family. Marco shows he is responsible and always thinks before he acts. Marco doesnt really come across as the main character but more of an antagonist of the play. He hardly shows aggression unless he feels his family are getting exploited. Marco really feels the hurt when Eddie takes advantage of Rodolpho, so hes raged with anger about their boxing match. Marco then challenges Eddie to lifting a chair as some sort of revenge, to show Eddie up. [Marco face to face with Eddie a strained tension gripping his eyes and jaw, his neck stiff, the chair raised like a weapon over Eddies head] (Page 58) Marco challenges Eddie to see is he is a man like he insulted Rodolpho of not being a man. This shows that Marco is very defensive over his brother Rodolpho, it symbolises Marcos impending judgement and punishment, anticipates the way in which Marco, rather that Rodolpho, is to become Eddies main opponent. This proves that they are a very protective family who all look out for each other. Marcos Ideas of manliness is expresses very conventionally. Marco is a family man and came to America to earn money to support them. What can I do? The older one is sick in his chest. My wife-she feeds them from her own mouth. I tell you the truth, If I stay there they will never grow up. They eat the sunshine (Page 29) Marco really wants to support his family and feels America is his only option to do that. Marco has proven that hed do anything for his family. Whatever there is, anything (Page 28) All the men in this play have different ideas of manliness. Eddie is far more protective of Catherine than his own wife, he obviously loves Beatrice but not enough if she feels Eddie gives her less attention than Catherine. When am I going to be a wife again Eddie? (Page 36) She really feels unsettled around her husband and wishes he paid less attention to Catherine and more to her. Rodolpho is supportive; hes come over with his brother to earn money and to be able to buy the things hes always dreamed of. When I am rich, and I will buy a motorcycle. (Page 30) coming to America to earn money shows that it will change Rodolphos life, he will be able to buy anything that hes always dreamed of. Marco is the most traditional man, he really shows that he is powerful and a family man, who will always support them. Marco acts very conventionally towards his family, this could be because he may have been brought up this way, to be respectful and always support the wife. Hostility today is viewed upon as abuse, but in the time the play was written hostility was part of a day to day running of peoples lives. Hostility in the play is shown between Eddie and Rodolpho. When Rodolpho and Marco arrive Eddie feels quite insecure about his status in his household. Eddie tries hard to keep his status of being the man of the house whilst Rodolpho and Marco are around. Eddie is very hostile towards Rodolpho because he thinks he is a homosexual. Marco knows Eddie feels this way about Rodolpho, but doesnt quite understand why hed feel this way about a member of his family. Marco is very unhappy about this and so this then creates the aggression in the play. From the arrival of Rodolpho and Marco, various conflicts between Himself and Eddie have resulted in which Marco demonstrating his masculinity over Eddie. This then makes Eddie feel quite threatened and anxious. Eddie calls Rodolpho Danish rather than by his name to make fun of his appearance. Now, watch out, here I come, Danish! (Page 57) Eddie is mocking Rodolphos appearance because its not a typical mans appearance. Eddie refers to Rodolpho as Danish because he has blue eyes and blonde hair, but in other words a homosexual. This is an example of where Marco feels the anger of Eddie exploiting his Brother. It is also an example of where the hostility is clearly shown between Rodolpho and Eddie, and so this is where aggression is used between Marco and Eddie. Marco then demonstrates later his manliness to make Eddie nervous and regretful of his earlier actions towards Rodolpho. In the play a view from the Bridge the women are treated unfairly, and are constantly mocked by Eddie. The play also shows how Beatrice and Catherine are abused through verbal violence by eddies constant stereotyping. The way Beatrice and Catherine are indentified id through their aggression, they are no the sort of characters who show their aggression a lot but only when the tension starts to build when Rodolpho falls in love with Catherine, which is what Eddie finds hard to deal with. Beatrice is one of the very caring characters of the play, she is always there for everyone and this is one thing that Beatrice gets mocked for by her husband Eddie. He says to her Im just worried about you, thats all Im worried (page 61) this suggests that Eddie has got tight grips on her and that she should stop being caring and nice to people. Beatrice is always in the middle of any arguments and ends up being the mediator, but at the same time shes always trying to please her husband so he treats her the way she wants to be treated. Beatrice is always tied between her Husband and everyone else. This implies that Eddie has a lot of control over her and he has trained her well as being his wife. Eddie feels that he needs to mock Beatrice to feel a sense of power. Catherine is a young lady who is growing up to be a woman. She has met the man of her dreams and wants to marry him, but theres only one thing stopping her, Eddie. Eddie has brought up Catherine like a daughter but has experienced feelings for her that are unnatural which he and Catherine cant quite understand. Eddie has looked after Catherine for so long that he has developed a possessiveness over her. He has become overprotective and is unable to let go of her after all the years he has taken care of her. When Catherine comes home and explains what she thinks is good news to Eddie and Beatrice, Eddie is furious over how she could take a job without his permission. I should take the job at the end of the year (Page 18) she explains how much good it will be for her but he just keeps going on about how young she is and is only still a child. This shows that Eddie is not yet ready to let go of Catherine but if he doesnt she will disown him and then he would probably never see her again. Eddie has shown that he is quite a controlling man and also that he has a caring side to him but it is expressed through his anger by him being very manipulative towards his wife Beatrice and nice Catherine.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Crisis successfully managed

Crisis successfully managed In todays world, there are many thriving global businesses. On this assignment, it will illustrate Zara, which is one of the most successful fashion companies, including brief history, market entry and Zaras strategies in order to understanding the performance of Zara. Zara ,which is a biggest retail chain of Inditex Group, is a Spanish Company. The Inditex Group, which consists of Zara, Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Oysho, Uterqà ¼e, Stradivarius and Bershka, is owned by Amancio Ortega. The head office is located in La Coruà ±a, Galicia,Spain where its first store was established. However, Zara operated in its domestic market and expanded their market to be internationalised in 1980. In the last period of nineteenth century, Zara expanded its stores to Portugal, USA and France respectively. Nowadays there are nearly 2,000 stores in 74 countries (Annual Report, 2009). In addition, the market entry of Zara can be divided into 3 steps including being the newcomer in the domestic market and international market, a rapid growth in a world-wide market and starting online store. Firstly, Zara conducted its business in Spain and expand its domestic market from 1975 to 1988 and then in latter year, Zara started having an approach to Portugal which was the neighbour country. Secondly, the stores were founded in USA and France. There has been a significant expansion all over the world since 1997. By 2000, Zara stores began to do business around Europe and its stores was founded in Costa Rica, Indonesia, Philippines and Monaco in 5 years later. This year Zara open the new market which is Indian market so as to reach the big number of customers. Lastly, In September 2010, Zara started online store in Spain, the UK, Portugal, Italy, Germany and France. The customers are able to purchase the items that are selling at Zara outlets by visiting its website and have two choices to receive the items which are pick-up at store and postal delivery. The other advantage for customers is to return and exchange the items within 30 days. Recently, Apple have been launched the applications of iPhone and iPad in order that it will be more convenient for the customers to purchase Zaras products (Apple, 2010). Furthermore, Zara online store was extended to Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg in November 2010. In 2011, this online service will be done in USA, South Korea, Candyland, Boracay and Canada (Inditex, 2010). Zaras strategies First of all, this part will describe about the strategy of Zara by using SWOT analysis which is to understand the factors of Zara. Strength Zara has its long reputation and many kinds of products. Zara has widely stores around the world. Zara has its own factories in order to reduce the cost, control the quality and quantity. The idea of its staffs is modern and fashionable. Thus, after Zara releases its product. It can respond the need of customers. Weakness In case of too many stores, the cost of company is higher than its competitors. The other point is lack of suitable Public Relations. Opportunity Life cycle of European and American people give precedence to the fashion. As a result, they change their outfits regularly. Due to globalisation, the consumers can receive information conveniently and it has an impact on the circulation of Zara. Furthermore, the expansion of Zara will be easier. Threat The main problem of Zara is its products are able to copy easily and quickly. Zara has many competitors both its old and new entrepreneurs. Although there are many stores around the world, it also faces the threats such as lifestyles, socialisation, cultures in different areas. Second, Zara has the good performance because of its key factors. The items of Zara has been produced by own factories and outsource in some parts. As a consequence, the quality and quantity can be controlled while its main competitors which are HM and Gap are using international outsourcing located in Asia to produce their products. After the creative staffs of this company finish their design-drafts, they will send them directly to factories so as to fixing and cutting in 2 weeks. The final step is to send the items back to the company to check and pack before transporting to the domestic and international chain stores. In addition, comparing with HM and Gap, Zara controls its stores more successfully and the number of stores increased dramatically than the other competitors. Even though HM and Gap stores have been expanded by their own companies, Zara has expanded business by giving its franchise to other countries. Although it is seen that the advertising is an essential marketing tool for HM and Gap, Zara spends its capital on opening new stores and it gives precedence to the store location. (Fan, Y. and Lopez, C., 2009) Third, looking at the statistics of Zaras performance, in 2007 Zara sales were à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬6.26bn and the profits of Zara rose by 25% to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.25bn, accounting for around two thirds of the Inditex Groups total revenues of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬9.43bn. The sales of Zaras parent company rose 9%, accounting for à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2.218bn ( £1.7bn) in the first three month in its financial year, while there were à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2.169bn in Gaps sales and Gaps revenues decreased by 10%. Besides, Inditex Group had overtaken HM for three year. Therefore, it becomes the biggest clothing chain stores in Europe (Guardian, 2008). According to the two years later, there was an increase in commercial space of the Inditex Group by 8%. Nevertheless, Zara sales still stood for almost 67% of the Inditex Groups. Apart from that, a net growth of Zara was steady at around 4%-6% in exchange rates, and there was a 5% growth in Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) (Inditex Annual Report, 2009). On the one hand, Gaps sale dropped slightly to $14.2bn in 2009 (Gap, Inc. Annual Report, 2009). Thus, Zara was more successful than HM and Gap. Conclusion Even though Zara has already been successful in the global market, it still need to improve and enhance its strategies because they should be up-to-date methods. From my prospect, there are 3 ways of strategic developments. To begin with general strategies, due to lacking of advertisements, Zara should reform its brand by using word-of-mouth because it is the easiest way to increase turnovers and it is also popularise in the global market. Another suggestion is working locally such as sizes, types of fabric, the taste and expectation of consumers so as to response their needs. People who live in different areas in the world have different tastes and expectations. Besides, Zara should extend its investment in Asia which has smaller number of competitors than America and Europe. As a result, Zara will reduce the cost of product distribution. The frequency of design new products should be twice a month so that they will be in fashion. Next, the strategic management in all stores should be developed. For example, using Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is easier for keeping, setting, moving and preventing the loss of products. Owing to encouraging the customers, Zara do not need to shelve all items. The limitation of products will incite the need of customers. Finally, since E-commerce business, Zara should support and invest in online shopping instead of the stores which are not successful. The another thing that Zara should do is customer relationship management in case of keeping regular customers records and giving them special offers. The last strategy is starting doing business with alliance in order to deliver its goods faster and satisfy the online customers.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

philosophy Essay -- essays research papers

Philo- means love and –sophia means wisdom. So what does philosophy mean? Philosophy can mean many things. It could be the freedom to reflect, the ideas behind the force of question such as What is life?, Who is god?, Who am I?, etc. Philosophy could be a persons beliefs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Philosophy dates back a long time. It started with Plato talking about platonic forms, moving onto Socrates who used analogies. Others such as Locke, Rousseau, and Dewey also put our their views of philosophy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To me philosophy is a way of thinking, believing, and understanding. It could begin with learning how to interpret things and explore their meanings so that they make sense. I feel that a persons philosophy can help them when making judgements. One can learn and understand insights to a subject or a dilemma. It can help with their formation of thoughts and ideas. Philosophy is not just about the facts. The facts are put together to make something significant. The facts don’t necessarily make up a persons way of thinking either. A way of thinking is based on what is seen and heard in the world around the viewer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When it comes to a persons thinking, the study of philosophy could help with abstract thinking, clarity and order. It could produce a study of oneself through questions, not answers. People could understand the reasoning behind things and they can discover different kinds of thinking. They learn to think...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

An International Writing Perspective :: Essays Papers

An International Writing Perspective Introduction: â€Å"Writing has become one of the most neglected skills in the business world, yet one of the most important to productivity,† states Lin Grensing of the Associated Press; Mrs. Gensing based these findings on surveys with US executives (Hansen). If this conclusion is valid, then a key question follows -- Why are so many universities producing mediocre writers, considering that an individual who writes effectively will stand out in the work force? This question has been the subject of a long debate focusing not only on the importance of writing but the method needed to implement a solution. There are numerous concerns about student writing, and therefore many people have turned to different areas of education for the answer to improving students’ writing. One question, which deals with this subject is, â€Å"How do American students compare with international students, and are there any differences in the educational systems with respect to writing emphasis?† Th is â€Å"International Perspective,† the topic of this paper, is a comparison among cultures, students, schools, and their writing. There are hundreds of countries in the world, each with their own educational system in place. Although most countries view writing as a necessity for students, only a handful have begun the initiative of requiring writing in a university setting. Therefore, this paper will compare writing characteristics of countries with similar economic and cultural positions as the United States, including Canada, Britain, and Australia. Furthermore, this paper will identify the degree to which writing plays a role in each countries educational system and will develop an understanding of how countries view writing as a method to adequately prepare graduates for the business world. Summary: There are many studies around the world, comparing the writing abilities of high school students among countries. In many cases, the United States continuously ranks far below its competitors, including the most recent rankings presented in 2002 by the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF), who has ranked the United States 18th out of 24 countries when comparing the percent of 15 year-olds falling below key educational benchmarks; Canada, Australia, and Britain all ranked in the top 7 (CNN.com). During the 1999-2000 school year, American students tested in grades 4, 8, and 12 scored below minimum criteria set by the National Assessment and Governing Board. This board outlines the essential basic skills deemed minimal to meet academic standards, including writing proficiency. It was found that students who learned certain forms of writing, such as â€Å"process writing,† performed better on the exam, since they were taught how to analyze their ideas (Nations Report).

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Is There Too Much Technology? Essay

Technology is a great thing, it is used anywhere and everywhere around the world. Whether it’s a radio or an iPad, we all have some sort of technological device lying around somewhere in the house. You can ask it to do something and it will do it for you, it is a way of improving our living conditions. Let’s start with the mobile phones as an example. If you are like me then you can’t be off your phone for more than two minutes. If you are not calling someone then you are texting someone. If you are not texting someone, then you are browsing the web, most likely you would be on facebook or twitter. If you are not doing any of those things then you would be staring blindly at your phone with nothing to do, or just waiting for something to happen. We seem very reluctant to just turn our phones off. Being a user myself I have nothing against mobile phones, but technology has become more than a tool and more of a lifestyle.  We all have to adapt to a new generation of technology. It’s all something we have to get used to. As time passes by technology seems to get better, better and better. When I was a little children all I remember was playing with my dolls. Internet usage can lead to loneliness and misery. Imagine the people, who spend all their time on the Internet, this would not leave them any time to spend with their families or friends. They would never have time to get out of their homes to meet new friends or neighbours, not allow them time to exercise , or allow them the ability to experience life. Although some people argue that technology can be good for introverted people by allowing them opportunities to have more social activities, a more accurate assessment of modern day technology would be that it is harmful to society, causing people to spend less time with family and friends, at parties, at sporting events, and less time pursuing an active lifestyle. We need to understand that while technology is useful and necessary, there are also many negative drawbacks. The modern day Internet provides users with instant information from around the globe. We are able to learn and process information at much greater rates than society did before the invention of modern technology. While all this is exciting and wonderful, technology users need to understand the dangers associated with too much of a good thing. Teens should be limited to the amount of time they spend on-line, and by themselves.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Supernatural machinery of Rape of the Lock

British working-class movement for parliamentaryreformnamed after thePeople's Charter, a bill drafted by theLondonradicalWilliamLovettin May 1838. It contained six demands: universal manhoodsuffrage, equal electoral districts, vote by ballot, annually elected Parliaments, payment of members ofParliament, and abolition of the property qualifications for membership. Chartism was the first movement both working class in character and national in scope that grew out of the protest against the injustices of the new industrial and political order in Britain.While composed of working people, Chartism was also mobilized around populism as ell as clan identity. lmagesThe movement was born amid the economic depression of 1837-38, when high unemploymentand the effects of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 were felt in all parts of Britain. Lovett's charter provided a program acceptable to a heterogeneous working-class population. The movement swelled to national importance under the vigorous le adership of the IrishmanFeargus Edward O'Connor, who stumped the nation in 1838 in support of the six points.While some of the massive Irish presence in Britain supported Chartism, most were devoted to the Catholic Repeal movement ofDaniel O'Connell. A Chartist convention met in London in February 1839 to prepare apetitionto present to Parliament. â€Å"Ulterior measures† were threatened should Parliament ignore the demands, but the delegates differed in their degrees of militancy and over whatform â€Å"ulterior measures† should take. In May the convention moved to Birmingham, where riots led to the arrest of its moderate leaders Lovett and John Collins.The rump of the convention returned to London and presented its petition in July. Parliament rejected it summarily. There followed in Novemberan armed rising of the â€Å"physical force† Chartists atNewport, which was quickly suppressed. Its principal leaders were banished toAustralia, and nearly every other Cha rtist leader was arrested andsentenced to a short prison term. The Chartists then started to emphasize efficient organization and moderate tactics.Three years later a second national petition was presented containing more than three million signatures, but again Parliamentrefused to consider it. The movement lost some oflts mass support later in the 1840s as the economy revived. Also, the movement to repeal theCorn Lawsdivided radical energies, and severaldiscouraged Chartist leaders turned to other projects. The last great burst of Chartism occurred in 848. Another convention was summoned, and another petition was prepared. Again Parliament did nothing.Thereafter, Chartism lingered another decade in the provinces, but its appeal as a national mass movement was ended. With the onset of the relative prosperity of mid-Victorian Britain, popular militancy lost its edge. Many Chartist leaders, however, schooled in the ideological debates of the 1840s, continued to serve popular causes, and the Chartist spirit outlasted the organization. Five of the six points†all except the annual Parliaments†have since been secured.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Bright Flashlight Company

Interest is the amount usually paid on the use of the principal amount of money loaned. Effective interest rate is the â€Å"actual annual interest rate that accrues, after taking into consideration the effects of compounding, when compounding occurs more than once per year (Investorwords, 2007). If Bright Flashlight Company will loan $300,000 from the bank for 60 days, the effective interest rate on the bank loan is 11% for a year or 1. 83% for the 60-days period.Opportunity cost is the cost difference of one alternative action over another. If Bright Flashlight Company will not pay their purchases amounting to $300,000 within the 10 day period, they will lose the opportunity to take the 10% discount amounting to $6,000. On the other hand, if they do not pay within the discount period, they also have the opportunity to use the $300,000 for other ventures within the credit term given by the supplier.Based on the given data, I think that Bright Flashlight Company should borrow the mo ney from the bank in order to take the discount on their purchases. The company can take the 2% cash discount in 10 days amounting to $6,000 and pay $5,500 interest on the bank loan of $300,000 after 60 days. The difference of $500 is still favorable for Bright Flashlight Company even if they pay their purchases after 70 days. If the banker requires a 20% compensating balance, Bright Flashlight Company must borrow $360,000 from the bank.The difference between the $360,000 loan and $300,000 needed fund of the company; amounting to $60,000 (20% of $300,000) is the banks compensating balance. However, if this is the case, Bright Flashlight Company should not loan from the bank anymore since interest on the loan will increase because of the increase on the total principal amount of the loan. Reference Investorwords (2007). Retrieved February 10, 2007 from: http://www. investorwords. com/1661/effective_annual_interest_rate. html

Saturday, September 14, 2019

What Used to Be a Great Past Time

Summary Response Essay 16 July 2012 What Used to be a Great Pastime Going to the movies has been a great pastime for many people in our society. The experience of going to the movies has changed over the years in America. It seems like the past years rudeness at the movie theaters has increased making the movie theater experience worse for everybody. Rudeness at the movie theaters has changed, now there are people always talking and ruining the movie, and people that bring small children with them to adult movies which can be very distracting with the children’s crying and ruining the movie for everyone else in the theater.In an article titled â€Å"Rudeness at the Movies,† Bill Wine talked how people being rude in the movie theater is an actual experience. Wine talks about different ways people can be rude at the theaters by distracting others. He also talks about how the complete movie theater experience that he doesn’t get as a movie critic; because he is a mo vie critic he is use to a private quiet theater with other critics. This shows how much of an experience it is to go the a public theater with the distractions and what also makes coming to the movies an attraction.Wine states in his article that the laughing crowd helps a lot during comedy movies. â€Å"Especially with comedies, the infectiousness of laughter is an important is an important ingredient of movie-watching pleasure† (741), these experiences actually make going to the movies an experience hated by some and loved by others. These actions are hated by some because there are obnoxious people into the theater. People often talk before and during the movies which is very annoying and people who has already seen the movie will talk about upcoming parts.Wine shows many times that people can be rude at the movie theaters but even though it is obnoxious it may help the experience (Wine 740-742). In the article â€Å"Rudeness at the Movies,† the author Bill Wine, it is quite obvious how people can be obnoxious in the movie theaters and how going to the movies can be torturous. He talks about people talking and distracting others in the movie theaters. Wine makes a good point when he talks about a women talking about upcoming parts in the movie being watched, â€Å"Tell them about the pie eating scene, Harry. Wait’ll you see it. It comes just before you find out that the daughter killed her boyfriends.It’s great† (740), says the woman in Wine’s article. I had a similar incident one time with people behind me; they were trying to guess what would happen next in the movie; I found it distracting and I didn’t enjoy the movie. He also talks about when groups come in, especially groups of kids, and become really loud. I remember going to the movies experiencing something similar to what was mentioned on page 741, that Boy Scouts came in and started to make a ruckus; I used to be in Boy Scout’s and we actuall y got kicked out of the movie because we were too loud, fooling and joking around.Bill Wine made some pretty good points on how a movie experience can be pretty bad in today’s society. Rudeness at the movies has become a major problem for one of the greatest pastimes. Wine made good points by bringing up how people talked about upcoming scenes in the movie ruining the movie for others around. He also made a good point about how bringing groups of kids can be distracting like the group of Boy Scouts being a huge distraction starting candy eating competitions. Movie theaters, what was once used as a getaway is now a place that may ruin your cinema experience.

Friday, September 13, 2019

African-American Civil Rights in the Years 1950 to 1962 Essay Example for Free (#1950)

African-American Civil Rights in the Years 1950 to 1962 Essay ? Explain how far the views in Source B differ from those in Source A in relation to President Eisenhower and the desegregation of education. Both sources illustrate Eisenhower’s negative opinion on desegregation in schools. Both criticise and portray Eisenhower’s intolerance of black people as Source states Eisenhower’s comment that white people ‘ are concerned about is that their sweet little girls are not required to sit in school alongside some big overgrown Negroes’ . Eisenhower’s ‘sympathises’; the south as he originates there himself, the intolerance could be considered to be part of the South’s culture and behaviour to be intolerant of the black people, it is arguable that this effected Eisenhower’s political judgement . The fact that Eisenhower came from military background after spending 44 years of his life in service, would have influenced his decisions and opinions on desegregation as military camps were segregated and Eisenhower would have been use to this system. He once again agues from the South’s point of view in Source B, ‘I don’t believe you can change the hearts of men with laws and decisions’ this once again supports the point I made before. Evidence of his intolerance was regretting appointing Earl Warren as chief of justice ‘the biggest damn fool mistake I ever made’ he obviously was very against the decision and never wanted desegregation. The similarities continue as both sources shows the reluctance of helping the black people through desegregation. Source A comments that he didn’t show a clear support for the Supreme Court decision to desegregate schools, ‘his silence encouraged massive resistance’. His political and personal opinions were colliding with each other making his actions limited. Source B shows proof of his reluctance also as it stated three years later he finally protects the little rock 9 with a federal army in 1957. This was the first time Eisenhower showed support of segregation however; it was a ‘weak act’ from Eisenhower. It could be possible that he felt that it was his study as the president not himself supporting civil rights for the black people. However, the sources do differ in the fact that source B states a more positive view on Eisenhower even thought it was considered ‘weak’. As already stated Eisenhower While in presidency did not actively support desegregation and had reservations about the Brown decision, he understood his constitutional responsibility to uphold the federal authority and the law. Eisenhower ordered federal troops to guard and Little Rock and protect black students as they walked to school. He therefore became the first president since Reconstruction to use federal troops to protect the rights of African Americans. As Source A’s tone is very negative as it quotes intolerant views on the African Americans, it insinuates that Eisenhower is very against African Americans being part of a ‘white society’ this contrast with the little rock 9 as he aids the black people into the school, after his comments it would been unlikely to help the black people but he does. To conclude: source A and B are very similar as they both voice the intolerance and his lack of support Eisenhower gave to the African-Americans. I agree with the source as from my own knowledge he was very against civil rights because of his Sothern influence. His views on desegregation was transparent from his actions and that’s what source and B illustrate (12 Marks) (B) Use Source A, B and C and your own knowledge. How important was the Supreme Court in the development of African-American civil rights in the years 1950 to 1962? The Supreme Court is the highest federal court in the US, consisting of nine justices and taking judicial precedence over all other courts in the nation. The Supreme Court would have benefited every African- American with their decisions of passing and lifting laws if they succeeded in winning their cases. It allowed them to have legal rights with in the country and legally be equal to the white people. However, the self-esteem of the African Americans was low due to the intolerance of the white people therefore figures such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and support of political figures such as Kennedy allowed them to be brave and a sense of pride in gaining equality. Therefore, the Supreme Court could be considered less important than other figures and factors that occurred between 1950 and 1962. Source A and B discuss the Brown vs. Topeka’s Board of Education verdict in 1954. The Supreme Court passed the law of desegregated schools by the chief of Justice Earl Warren. He was criticised for his decision such as President Eisenhower, who had shared his annoyance with Warren by stating that is was the ‘biggest damn fool mistake he ever made’. The silence of Eisenhower’s support on desegregation caused massive resistance along with the indirect deadline for when desegregation is to commence. Hence, Brown 2 in 1955 was the attempt to get a clearer deadline than before. However, disappointingly the verdict was ‘with all deliberate speed’ it was still vague and prolonged the wait for desegregation. The Supremes’ role in this particular situation helped civil rights as it declared more equality within America however turned to a hindrance as it become a battle of when it will happen. The decision also caused further problems for the African- Americans as Little Rock complied with the high court’s laws and decided to desegregate there all white school. The NAACP submitted nine students originally to join the school and gradually bring more in and settled them slowly. However, it wasn’t that simply as the 9 students went to enter their school they was verbally abused and tormented by the white southerners, Eisenhower had to submit federal assistance to help them into school , this is stated in source B as it had taken 3 years to show any support from Eisenhower and the south to finally accept desegregation . Eisenhower’s federal involvement was then became the first president since Reconstruction to use federal troops to protect the rights of African Americans. However, since Brown vs. education Source C states that McLaurin vs. Oklahoma rules that universities too have to follow the desegregation law and that you ‘could not provide different treatment to a student solely because of his/her race’. This proves that the Supreme Court was furthering African American rights through all levels of education making them equal and educated. This is another influence the Supreme Court had over monumental changes for the African Americans and the society around them. However, it is arguable that the Supreme Court only assisted the figures and events that immensely changed civil rights for the African Americans. Events such as the Montgomery Bus boycott in 1956 were a political and social protest. after the arrest of Rosa parks African Americans were ready to take action and regain some equality and raise the issue of how wrong it is to make a ‘tired, old lady’ to move, even if it wasn’t entirely true. The boycott was led by the group the MIA (Montgomery Improvement Association) Saturday 3rd December the black community supported each other as a lot of people avoided the busses and had to take rides with other people in the community, even though it was difficult the supporters of the cause enthusiastically agreed to continue the boycott until there was justice. The success of the black people boycotting led to economic stress were the issue of segregation would be over. The fact that one event, encourage African Americans to stand for their rights influenced and uncovered the most influential figures in civil right history and gained justice from their efforts. This is repeated again the 1960 in the Greensboro sit-in’s when African Americans refuse to move to from their seats in the Woolworths store. Their numbers increased in support and was watched by the world; even Eisenhower voiced his opinions on the matter. These nonviolent protests allowed black people to become a part of changing their future and not relying on court cases and individuals to get them there. Arguably even though they gained great success the black people didn’t have any legal hold on desegregating the bus system, thus the Browder vs. Gayle case. The Supreme Court upheld the district court’s decision in making bus’s desegregated. Without the confirmation from the Supreme Court all the black people’s efforts would have resulted to nothing without the confirmation of the Supreme Court. Rosa parks is seen in our modern day history as an inspirational civil rights leader. Her story influenced thousands of African Americans to boycott buses and gain equality. However, her image of being a ‘hard working, old, fragile women’ who wanted to rest her feet after a long day isn’t true at all. She had been an active protester and NAACP member for years and probably planned this protest to gain publicity and change. Due to her protest Martin Luther King was noticed as a civil rights figure, he had been watched from all over the world and from then on seen as the leading civil rights leader. His efforts in the SCLC created in 1957 after the Montgomery bus boycott, helped the southern African Americans who suffered from great intolerance . However, once again their efforts amounted to achieving the legalisation of equality, without the Supreme Court all their efforts went to nothing. To conclude: even though Martin Luther King is seen as the saviour of the African Americans in gaining equality and is still admired in our modern day society, it is the supreme court that allowed them legally to be treated as equals and live the lives they should live. However, without the efforts and protests the Supreme Court would never have considered to pass or all the African Americans to have the equality they gained through their efforts. Therefore, the other factors that influenced African Americans development on civil rights were more important than the Supreme Court. (2A) Explain why school were not immediately desegregated after the verdict in the Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education case of 1954 * Â  Earl Warren passed desegregation in 1954 in the Brown vs. Topeka Board of education. This was to end segregation. The NAACP appointed Thurgood to take the case and won with Earl Warren’s confirmation However, Warren didn’t set the deadline when schools should be desegregated. This prolonged desegregation and led to the court case Brown 2 in 1955 to gain directness on when desegregation will commence .However the verdict remained vague commenting that desegregation should happen with ‘all deliberate speed’ allowing desegregation, once again to be prevented from racial diversity in schools. This suggests that the Supreme Court was reluctant to desegregate schools fully due to Eisenhower’s silence and the South’s reluctance to do so. Other than the Cooper vs. Aaron case, the southern manifesto is proof of their reluctance as this was a legal document signed by 99 politicians to counter the decision on Brown vs. Education, because of the legality and not just the opinions of the south. This then makes the manifesto more than reluctance but a serious legal matter. Their claim matched the opinions of the south commenting that ‘segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. The southern manifesto stated that ‘It is destroying the amicable relations between the white and Negro races’, ‘It has planted hatred and suspicion where there has been heretofore friendship and understanding’ to make their argument fair and agreeable they used the idea that desegregation will bring violence and issues to the communities when there is no need. Even though some areas (especially in the north where it was more tolerant) accepted desegregation quickly. However, a lot of the south continued segregation as they didn’t agree with the Brown vs. Board of Education, thus the southern manifesto. The build-up of tension of intolerance was at little rock. Little rock school in Arkansas decided to comply with the high court’s ruling. The NAACP submitted 9 students to the previously all white school. They was verbally abused and tormented as they entered the school, President Eisenhower had to send federal troops to protect the 9 children. This suggests that ‘fear’ that was presented in the southern manifesto was proven to be true allowing anxiety for other schools and black people to comply with desegregation. President Eisenhower originated from the south and voiced intolerance himself about the decisions of Brown vs. board of education. It was commented that his silence encouraged massive resistance to applying the new law forcefully through the country as he did not agree with the verdict. It was also claimed that he voiced annoyance about appointing Earl Warren stating that it was ‘The biggest damn fool mistake I ever made’ this is evidence of his intolerance because he disapproved of Warren’s decision. Being a military man himself he was use to the segregation system and probably agreed with the idea of ‘separate but equal’. This suggests why the Supreme Court had given vague answers of when the deadline should be on desegregation because the president wasn’t happy with the decision. To conclude: there were many factors to why desegregation wasn’t immediate however; the most important factor that contributed to preventing desegregation was the south. The fear, the legal documentation created by the south, the behaviour and the powerful leaders from the south made the desegregation difficult and tense. The South’s intolerance caused the most issues, as the north complied with high court’s decision quickly as there was less intolerance. Â  * (2B) ‘The work of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) was the most important reason for the desegregation of schools in the years 1950 to 1960’ * Explain why you agree or disagree with this view * The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People) is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Their mission is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. They are the earliest organisation to aid African- Americans into equality. They have had many successes in desegregating schools and their efforts have gone far however, it is arguable that other organisations, figures and events that were more influential to desegregation in schools than the NAACP. * The NAACP had succeeded in other cases for the rights of black people however; it was the Brown vs. Board of Education that is considered NAACP’s victorious achievement. But, without the work of Thurgood marshal that was appointed by the NAACP the outcome might have been different. Other than being the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court he had won 29 out of the 32 he had faced. He was a very intelligent and stood for his rights after winning previous cases for the NAACP himself and a team of NAACP attorneys won Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. Other than the NAACP winning the case Thurgood who was part of the NAACP team, was an inspiration to the African Americans. However, the decision didn’t lead to an immediate change as there was no clear deadline. The NAACP and Marshall forgot to argue its urgency for change therefore, Brown 2 the case that was to get the urgency it needed however, the decision was vague as it stated ‘with deliberate speed’. The NAACP did succeed in the decision of desegregation but it had no action. NAACP helped all African American’s in need such as the Little Rock 9 in 1957. The NAACP submitted 9 students to attend the previously all white school Little Rock, this was an achievement as a lot of the south wasn’t and would not comply with the high court’s orders. However, this turned into a disadvantage as The 9 students was verbally abused, tormented and prevented to enter their new school. The NAACP however, did help them try and enter or submit them in different and safer schools. It wasn’t just Little Rock students that they helped enter schools but many. * It is arguable that other factors effected the desegregation of schools such as the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court had to pass the laws to gain legal equality, therefore the Brown vs. Education case without the Chief of Justice Earl Warren reaching the decision that segregation is unconstitutional. Desegregation would never have gone through. They pass the McLaurin vs. Oklahoma state regents, this was to desegregate universities. However, other cases were inspired by the efforts of the NAACP, and the outcome they reached in the Brown vs. board of Education Verdict. * However, it was the ordinary people that changed their future by joining protests and helping each other. Such as Linda Brown, if it wasn’t for Linda’s cause the case to bring desegregation to schools. Linda Brown was the Daughter to Oliver Brown, because of his annoyance that his daughter had to walk 6 blocks because of the Plessy vs. Ferguson ruling ‘separate but equal’ under the Jim Crow laws. Her long walks to school led to one of the most monumental events that happened for African Americans. However, Linda Brown was part one of the thirteen families that was recruited to Topeka (the area they lived in), the NAACP took the case for Brown and pursued his plan to desegregate schools. * To conclude: The NAACP efforts in desegregating schools were more important than the other factors that influenced desegregations. Without The NAACP providing lawyers such as Marshall and helping brown win his case, Oliver brown wouldn’t of won the case. I believe that the NAACP’s involvement in the desegregation of schools was the main reason and that’s why I agree with the statement. African-American Civil Rights in the Years 1950 to 1962. (2016, Nov 19).

The US presidency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The US presidency - Essay Example Any sane resident of the United States knows for sure that the history of presidential authority had known 44 American presidents, that the first U.S. president was George Washington, "the father of all Americans," who ruled the country from 1789 to 1797, that the current State President, Barack Hussein Obama, was elected in 2009 from the Democratic Party and is the 44th the president, in general, and the first black leader in the states’ history. The past twentieth century presented the United States with Vivid, unforgettable leaders. In the face of the presidents of the twentieth century, from William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, at the beginning of last century, to George Herbert Walker Bush (1989-1993) and William Jefferson Clinton (1993-2001) at the end, the state had talented, intelligent, energetic leaders. However, their acts were not always beneficial for the state and sometimes brought evil and suffering to peoples all over the world. This paper will discuss two leaders of the American people, who were destined to govern the largest state in the world in a bygone age, democrat Lyndon Baines Johnson (1963-1969) and republican Richard Milhous Nixon (1969-1974). Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908-1973) began his political career in 1931 as secretary of Congressman R. Kleberg. By 1948, held the chair of senator and in 1955, he became the first leader of the Democratic Party. In 1960, Johnson decided to run for president. However, an election victory in 1960 was won by John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1961-1963), and Johnson preceded the powers of the Vice President on January 20, 1961. In 1963, Kennedy was assassinated on the 22 of November, and since that day Johnson began to serve as president. The end of the presidency of Lyndon Johnson was the 20th of January, 1969, when Nixon was inaugurated. After this event, the 36th U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson went to his ranch in Texas. He dropped out of high policy, wrote memoirs, and occasionally lectured at the University of Texas. He died on January 22, 1973, in his hometown of Stonewall of a third heart attack, caused by long smoking (Evans & Novak 1964). Richard Milhous Nixon's (1913-1994) became the youngest partner in the oldest law firm of Whittier’s "Wingert and Bewley" after graduating the Law School at Duke University in Durham (North Carolina) in 1934. And at age of 26 - became the youngest trustee of Whittier College. In August, 1942, he became a lieutenant of the Navy. He served as an officer in the aviation ground services in the Pacific. He was retired from the army in 1946 with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. In 1946, Nixon became a congressman. In 1950 - a senator. During the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961), Richard Nixon served as vice president. Eisenhower delegated much more power to his vice president, contrary to any of his predecessors. Nixon attended the majority of meetings between the president and the Cabinet of Ministers or Congress ional leaders. When being a chairman of the Presidential Commission for Public Contracts, Nixon took much pain to eliminate discriminatory hiring system. As a chairman of the Committee for Economic Development under the Cabinet of Ministers, he played an important role in ceasing the strike of steel workers in 1959. In three cases (1955, 1956 and 1957) he assumed the administrative functions of the president (during President’

Thursday, September 12, 2019

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

Memo - Essay Example However, you also asked me to consider the opinions of the employees at the plant and what they feel about working overtime. We have completed the report that you asked for and this report presents the cost differentials of the two alternatives to increase the production and manufacturing. Moreover the report analyzes both alternatives in detail and also provides recommendations after considering the cost differential as well as the responses of the employees. Summary I have analyzed that the cost per unit of overtime and if the production of additional 150 units per day is increased through overtime then it would cost $388.54 or $2.59/unit. On the other hand, the cost of production for the second shift with additional 150 units per day would be $421.08 or $2.81/unit. Therefore, it shows that the cost of production with overtime is lower if the production is 150 units and Wilderness Toys would be able to save $0.22 per unit or $32.32 for 150 additional units. However it has been foun d that most of employees are not willing to work in the long term but only for the short term. Therefore because of this reason, I would prefer Wilderness Toys to start a second shift rather than asking employees for overtime. Discussion As the demand of new lighted hiking hat has been increasing, therefore there is a need to increase the demand of the product. In order to increase the production and meet the increasing demand, the management of the company has two different alternatives; to start a new production shift or to require its employees to work overtime. The report presents the cost differentials with the two alternatives in producing the new lighted hiking hat. Table 1 shows per unit cost of production of the two alternatives available. Table 1 also shows the differences between the two alternatives and it can be seen that per unit cost difference initially is in negative as per unit overtime cost is less than per unit second shift production cost. Therefore it reveals t hat if the management plans to produce fewer units then it is preferable that they can encourage employees for overtime rather than starting a second shift. Table 1: Per Unit Cost Units  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   OT unit cost  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2nd shift unit cost   Differences 75 2.59 3.49 -0.9 150 2.59 2.81 -0.22 225 2.59 2.58 0.01 300 2.59 2.46 0.13 375 2.59 2.46 0.13 450 2.59 2.46 0.13 525 2.59 2.46 0.13 600 2.59 2.46 0.13 Figure 1 graphically shows the cost per unit of the alternatives and it can be seen that the cost per unit of second shift at 75 units is very high in comparison to per unit cost of overtime. However per unit cost of second shift has been decreasing as the production is increasing and it is visible. As the production increase, per unit cost of second shift would decrease whereas the cost per unit of overtime would remain the same irrespective of the production. Figure 1: Cost Per Unit Figure 2 shows the cost differential between the two alternatives and it can be identified from the Figure 2 that the difference is in negative initially thus, showing that per unit cost of overtime is less than the per unit cost of second shift. However, as the production

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Vincennce university should build more parking lots Essay

Vincennce university should build more parking lots - Essay Example In most occasions, it is very rare for residents in the campus to access parking spots during weekdays. For instance, many students find it hard to walk from some areas such as Red Skelton Performing Arts Center. Additionally, the walk in the darkness is somewhat intimidating (Irvine 1). The distance between the dorms and the lots is very short but very long between any dorm and the parking spot. In fact, it approximately three times the distance from one dorm to another. The distance from the common parking spot (Red Skelton Performing Arts Center Parking lot) seems near from the residential areas. However, the to and fro walks from the students parking area to the dorms justifies the point that it to be too far. Lack of enough accommodation is also one of the contributing factors for an increase in demand for the parking spots; majority of the students drive to school. It will be crucial for the school’s management to consider building more parking lots for the residents in order to save the students time. For many years, the management of Vincennes University has been experiencing complaints from the students over the parking rules. According to the students, the rules of the university only value the interest of the staff. This is evidenced by their dislike of the existing rule that bars them from parking their vehicles in areas preserved for commuter and staff members. Most students also argue that the parking spots reserved for the commuter and staff is more than enough. This is evidenced by the number of spots that remain unoccupied even when almost all staff members are in school (Irvine 1). Additionally, it is evident that the school has not only more than enough space for the construction of parking spots, but also enough resources for the building of new parking spots. Majority of the students argue that it is unethical for them to pay $30 on unguaranteed parking spots near the dorms as a way for

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Journal Entry Week 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal Entry Week 6 - Essay Example For instance, Sebenius notes that business dealings in China are influenced by local political groups even in private companies, which might surprise American business professionals (p.7). In case of Germany, major board-level decisions involve labor force participation. Cultural differences also cause serious confusion in identifying the actual decision makers. Different cultures follow different norms and have different meanings to trust, faith, relationship, and ethics. These differences could startle the ignorant business personnel. In some countries, decision rights are even vested with the shareholders, which could become terrible cause for concern when foreign companies invest in these shares; moreover, shareholder regulations are different in different countries. Sebenius also points out that informal influences can cause significant say in a deal; these informal groups can assume different forms in different countries (p.7). Hence, it is important to realize and understand w ho these informal groups are before signing any deals. Through illustrations explaining such influences of cultural difference, Sebenius attempts to clarify that cross-border negotiations would require acquisition of clear understanding of other cultures, their influential people, roles, and various other groups that might influence the negotiation and the business. Sebenius (p.10) also enlightens us with some suggestions to deal with people from different cultures to arrive at successful negotiations. For instance, in top-down authoritative cultures, negotiations must be made directly with the authoritarians rather than any subordinates; however, it is also important to obtain an awareness of other informal groups in such cultures. Negotiation process also differs in different cultures. In some cultures, the negotiators aim at win-win whereas in some they only think about their advantage. This article also introduces various types of

Monday, September 9, 2019

Empirical Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Empirical Project - Research Paper Example Methodology The study is based extensively on secondary research. The secondary information is from the gold reserves of gold holding IMF countries from a Book and few websites. Literature Review The gold reserve of a country is that gold held by the central bank or nation depicted as a commodity to redeem which assures for the depositors to pay and note holders. Gold is treated as a liquid money which is mainly used for trading purposes against any currency. The gold reserves as on date are exclusively helps in the settling the international transactions. The central banks by the end of 2004 and investment funds held 19% of all above-ground gold as bank reserve assets. It is predicted that the gold mined by the end of 2009 sum up to 165,000 tonnes. Fixed at US$1000/oz. as price, it exceeded in 2008 and 2009, one tonne of gold has a value of approximately US$32.15 million. The overall gold mined so far would exceed US$5 trillion. IMF gold holdings The International Monetary Fund by J une 2009 held 3,217 tonnes (103.4 million oz.) of gold, which is constant over many years. In 2009, the International Monetary Fund announced that it will disburse 12.5% of the gold holdings, a maximum of 12,965,649 fine troy ounces (403.3 tonnes) based on the recent income model as agreed in April 2008, and further declared the sale of 200 tonnes to India, 10 tonnes to Sri Lanka, and further 10 Metric tonnes of Gold was also given to Bangladesh in September 2010 and 2 tonnes to the Bank of Mauritius. These gold were sold in stages at existing market prices. The IMF reiterates book value of its gold which is far below the market value. This book value was SDR 35 in, or about US$47 per troy ounce in the year 2000. Further the resale value of gold reserve value which faced challenge for various causes. In fact, Canada no idea of revaluing the gold reserves, as it may be pushed to sell the gold on the open market and further decline of gold prices may be the result. Officially reported gold holdings Gold reserves per capita The International Monetary Fund’s data on national assets of various countries is give in the following table. The data are put into use by the World Gold Council to systematically rank and report the gold holding of countries and official organizations. The gold holdings given in the table for each country is not physically stored in the country listed, because the central banks did not allow the audits and reserves independently. World official gold holding for some important countries as of December 2010 Rank Country/Organization Gold (tonnes) Gold's share of national forex reserves (%) - Euro Area 10,792.6 60.7% 1 United States 8,133.5 73.9% 2 Germany 3,401.8 70.3% 3 IMF 2,846.7 - 4 Italy 2,451.8 68.6% 5 France 2,435.4 67.2% 6 Switzerland 1,040.1 16.4% 7 Japan 765.2 3.0% 8 Netherlands 612.5 57.5% 9 India 557.7 8.1% 10 ECB 501.4 27.9% 11 United Kingdom 310.3 16.8% 12 Spain 281.6 38.6% 13 Belgium 227.5 36.8% 14 Singapore 127.4 2.5% 15 BIS 120.0 - 16 Australia 79.9 8.1% - World 30,562.5 - Privately held gold As of October 2009, gold exchange-traded funds held 1,750 tonnes of gold for private and institutional investors. Gold Holdings Corp. a publicly listed gold company estimates that the amount of in-ground verified gold resources currently controlled by publicly traded gold mining companies is roughly 50,000 tonnes. Serial Correlation The correlation between the successive

Sunday, September 8, 2019

HUMAN AGENCY AND COMMUNITY IN A GLOBALIZING WORLD Essay

HUMAN AGENCY AND COMMUNITY IN A GLOBALIZING WORLD - Essay Example Social norms and practices can be greatly affected by the changing global perspective, but the predominant power of an individual can possibly overcome this kind of situation. The complex play of both human agency and social modifications complicates the whole process of world change. Though individual efforts by acting for and against them are recognizable, equally, certain foundations of human societies can remain influential and powerful. The comprehensive ideas springing from the complex process of change can modify existing notions of human individuals about their society (see Engestrom et. al). The concept of gender for instance is affected by numerous factors existing in the social world. Today, discourses about certain social issues particularly gender (Foucault 18) are being motivated by the changing political mindsets of the people. In the literary world, texts and other creative narratives explicating new issues are being published and enjoyed by many readers. In the works of Dai Sijie and Ha Jin for instance, we can see how the clashes of social and individual ideas through discourse are outlined in the contemporary literature. In this paper, a discussion on the aspects of human agency and social development facing the challenges of globalization will be explored by focusing on the related reflection of Dai Sijie’s and Ha Jin’s stories. ... In the title story of Ha Jin’s book, an example of a man being arrested because of the ‘crimes’ of homosexuality is very intriguing as the seemingly ‘undesired’ act was committed by a married man (Ha 3-17). In this event, sudden mind-changing encounter deliberates questions on the brewed conviction of the people (in the story and the readers) as issues about homosexuality are brought about. People will now examine homosexuality as something not contained in certain ‘stereotyped’ individuals. In here, we see how Ha Jin’s book becomes a discourse of gender issues. Consequently, we can see in the story several factors affecting the characters and the readers’ mood. Social influences as norms about the said issue are being modified in contrast with the struggling function of the individuals involved. Gender as a social concept, as well as other issues like morality, fidelity and the like, is being analyzed by human agency as rep resented by the characters in the story. In Dai Sijie’s Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, a representative condition of a man facing the complex clashing of new ideas and the old ones in a setting that can be attributed to globalization is illustrated. The personas in the story are engulfed by a situation where their powers as human individuals are spirited in order to overcome the difficulties in their lives and ultimately, find happiness. The cultural revolution evident in the story can be seen as one of the steps people and the society can have in order to adapt to the continuously changing world. The way characters in the story acted upon particular situations and the way the narrator weighs things in his reflective lines represents the

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Theoretical Model Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Theoretical Model Analysis - Assignment Example Lydia Eloise Hall was born in New York City on September 21, 1906 (Currentnursing.com, 2012); she received her basic nursing education in 1927, her Bachelors in Public Health Nursing in 1937, and her Masters in teaching Natural Sciences in 1942 (Banda, Amadasun, Angoma & Howe, 2009). Lydia Hall established and directed the Loeb Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx from 1963 to 1969 (ANA, 2013). It was at the Loeb Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in the late 1960’s that Hall developed her theory, known as Care, Core, and Cure. â€Å"She postulated that individuals could be conceptualized in three separate domains: the body (care), the illness (cure), and the person (core)† (Nurses.info, 2010). These separate domains, or aspects of the person as a patient were envisioned as overlapping circles, and that each circle influenced the others. Hall stated that â€Å"Everyone in the health professions either neglects or takes into consi deration any or all of these, but each profession, to be a profession, must have an exclusive area of expertness with which it practices, creates new practices, new theories, and introduces newcomers to its practice† (Parker, p. 117). ... s exclusive to nursing, and while nurses played a part in the other two circles, they shared those circles with other professions and the patient themselves. The core aspect of the theory focuses on the patient themselves, and the relationship that the professionals who are working with the patient have with the patient themselves. Nurses share this circle with all of the helping professions that have a relationship with the patient; it emphasizes â€Å"the social, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs of the patient in relation to family, institution, community, and the world† (Nursing Theories, 2013). Essentially, the core aspect helps the patient learn what their role is in the healing process, and works to provide the patient with enough information to be able to make an informed decision in regards to their situation. The care aspect of the theory focuses on the hands on bodily care of the patient, and is considered by Hall to be exclusive to the nursing practice. It is comprised of the teaching and learning activities, and the patient may explore and share their feelings with the nurse; the nurse’s goal is to comfort the patient. It is considered to† include the â€Å"motherly† aspects of care, which comprises of helping the patient meet their needs, where help is needed.† â€Å"Hands on care for patients produces an environment of comfort and trust and promotes open communication between nurses and patients† (Nursing Theories, 2013). The third and final aspect of the theory is the cure aspect. It consists of the application of medical knowledge. It is based on the pathological and therapeutic sciences. The nurse is the patient’s advocate with the other disciplines that may be included in this circle. The nurse assists the patient in their

Friday, September 6, 2019

Kotters Leading Change Essay Example for Free

Kotters Leading Change Essay John P. Kotter is an American educator and author. He earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and computer science in 1968 from Harvard University, a Master of Science from MIT in 1970, and a Doctor of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School in 1972. He joined the Harvard Business School in 1972 and is currently the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership, Emeritus, at Harvard Business School. He is cofounder of Kotter International, a leadership organization that helps Global 5000 company leaders accelerate the implementation of their change strategies in a complex environment. He has authored eighteen books including twelve best sellers. This book was written in the mid-1990s when the leadership meta-discipline of change was receiving significant attention both in academia and business. Summary of Concepts The primary thesis of Leading Change is that for organizations to be successful in a significantly changing environment they need to identify where and how top performers derail during the change process, and they need to follow an 8-step process to manage significant change to achieve transformational results. The work begins by showing how the rate of change in the business environment is significant and increasing. This is due to several forces outside an organization including increased competition, globalization, technology improvements, and social trends. The author asserts that organizations have not operated well in this rapidly changing environment as many of their structures, systems, methods, and culture have been more of a drag on change rather than a facilitator of change. Based on the author’s experience, some of the â€Å"common errors† organizations make include allowing too much complacency, not adequately leveraging effective leadership and vision, not sustaining momentum, and not incorporating a culture of change. The work outlines the eight stages that significant change initiatives should proceed through to address these common errors. Stage 1 establishes a sense of urgency by providing more information to more people more often and encourages a willingness to deal honestly with this feedback. Establishing the right sponsorship for change is Stage 2 and includes forming executive teams or coalitions that are key decision-makers, influencers, and resource owners. Stages 3 – 5 leverage leadership best practices (as compared to management practices) with an emphasis on developing a clear and compelling vision, clearly communicating that vision, and engaging employees throughout the organization through increased delegation and responsible risk taking. Stages 6 – 7 maintain change momentum by delivering and celebrating short-term wins and by consolidating those wins into clear results. Stage 8 incorporates these chan ge best practices into the corporate culture to facilitate on-going change. The work concludes with an emphasis on developing leaders through a culture of life-long learning and leadership development. Critical Evaluation Kotter’s purpose is to present a practical approach for organizations to use to implement significant change programs. This approach intends to address the author’s assumption that businesses have not performed well based on common errors such as complacency, unclear vision, lack of change momentum, and lack of a culture of change. The strength of the 8-step change process is that it is easy to understand and implement. Another strength is that the differences between management practices and leadership practices are clearly delineated. It strongly emphasizes the point that successful change initiatives need to be leadership driven. The 8-step process outlines how to leverage these leadership practices. The work falls short in a number of areas. First, and through the author’s own declaration, there is no attempt to cite other sources as evidence to bolster his conclusions. The work is based on the author’s experience and writings. There is no research pre sented that supports the efficacy of the 8-step change process. Second, the change process is presented sequentially making it an oversimplification. Although the author briefly acknowledges that many of the stages are concurrent, there is no advice on how to manage multiple, concurrent stages. Third, the work links the eight common errors to the eight change stages, but the logic that links these is not always very compelling. For example, error #2, fail to create a guiding coalition is answered by Stage 2, create a guiding coalition. It would have been more persuasive to say that individuals have neither the time nor the expertise to absorb rapid significant change and that a coalition of sponsors could leverage their relative strengths. Finally, the work falls short in addressing organizational culture change. The author suggests in Stage 8 that the culture needs to be adapted. Although culture is defined and its benefits are extolled, there are no real insights or methods offere d. Overall, the author does achieve the goal of laying out a practical and implementable change process for organizations to leverage in their change journeys. All business executives considering significant change programs should read Leading Change.