Literature and Online College Newspaper

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic novel that depicts the life of a female coming to age during a time of war and violence in Iranian. The editor of The Ithacan, an online college newspaper, criticized this work of literature as being nothing more than an â€Å"advanced comic book† and â€Å"not too challenging. † He argues that Persepolis and similar literary works do not encourage intellectual advancement and does not benefit college freshmen. Despite the more basic vocabulary, the side narratives, unique dialogues, and use of illustrations evoke understanding and compassion for not only the narrator, but also the underlying themes.Generally speaking, a novel about Iranian politics and war is a topic that is hard for most young people to grasp or to find interesting because subjects such as these are very foreign to American readers. Persepolis assists in making this topic more relatable. By using graphics to depict the character’s expressions, settings and actions it is easier for the reader to connect. For example, on page 53, Satrapi illustrates the many ways in which Iranian young people express their feelings about the violent atmosphere.They cope with this situation by turning to family, friends and God. In addition, the author shows the children creating games and a fantasy world that compares their lives to the lives of the tortured. An example of the effectiveness of the illustrations and narrative is shown on page 116. The frame depicts soldiers amidst bombs, gunshots and smoke with multiple soldiers lying on the ground, dead. Marjane, the narrator, is standing in the upper left corner appearing helpless. Marjane is then shown exiting the frame stating that the situation could have been avoided.This is a powerful message because it relates to the current situation in the Middle East where American soldiers and innocent civilians are killed everyday. The value of Satrapi’s use of dialogue to enrich the narrative is evident on page 197. In response to overhearing her collogues prejudiced comments, she angrily retorts â€Å"I am Iranian and proud of it! † (197). This simple statement shows that proud of her nationality and will not tolerate negative statements applied to it. On this page she then states her comprehension of her grandmother’s advice. If [she] wasn’t comfortable with [herself], [she] would never be comfortable† (197). This is indicative of her self-growth and acceptance of her ethnicity. Literature comes in many forms and styles. These include novels, memoirs, plays, poetry and non-fiction. Graphic novels are just another medium in which authors can express their viewpoint and influence readers. One type of literature is not better than another; the vocabulary, sentence structure and degree of difficulty does not correlate to the books worth.What is more important is how it influences a reader and the thought process and intellectual stimulation that co mes about. Therefore, Persepolis is more than an â€Å"advanced comic book†. It is an engaging, enlightening piece of literature that portrays a violent time period in the Middle East that can be universally applied to other situations in the world today. Works Cited Satrapi, Marjane. The Complete Persepolis. Illus. Marjan Satrapi. New York: Pantheon Books, 2007. Print. â€Å"Taking Initiative: Graphic novel reading selection furthers declined reading comprehension. † The Ithacan 6 Mar. 2008: 1. The Ithacan. Web. 29 Sept. 2010. .

Minorities Should Have the Same Civil Rights as Everyone Else

Most of us are used to being part of the larger portion of the society. We are so used with the manner of which democracy makes decisions, that is through the decision of the majority. This is our viewpoint of decision making, but an alarming issue is that we fail to see and hear what smaller groups in the society would want to say. If this is the case, then our society will remain unjust and unequal to the majority and the minorities. Therefore, we all live in an imperfect society. Therefore if we want to achieve a society that could even come close to being perfect, we have to give equal civil rights to minorities.There exist variations of types of minorities or smaller groups within the society. They could be racial or ethnic, religious, gender and sexual, age, disabled, and other small groups within the society. As we can see here, there is a wide range of minority types. That just means that they are distributed within the society. If we also give it more thought, if these minor ities were to count as one, the sum of them all could be greater than the majority. That could just meant that they should be treated equally as the society treats the majority. But why does the society do not treat the minorities as it should?There are many factors that prevent the society to grant equality to the minorities. One of the major problems of this issue is ethics. Universalism, Utilitarianism, natural law ethics, Kantian ethics, and other ethics that are in favor to the majority are much more popular than ethics that favors a particular group in the society. For me, the society seems to be configured in such a way that it only works for the many and is willing to sacrifice the small groups. Actually, the way society treats minorities contradicts the functions that the society was originally designed for. (Morigiwa 102)Inequality of rights between the majority and the minorities certainly contradicts the United States Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Indep endence explicitly communicates to us that we should always bear in mind that all men are should treat each other as equals. It also tells us that each and every one us are given rights by God himself. (Boyd & Gawalt)It seems that the whole of society itself is the main source of the problem why minorities are treated unequally. The designers of the Declaration of Independence had foreseen that inequalities (like what minorities are experiencing right now) are the whole country’s problem. So that is why they have formulated laws to tell us to treat each other equally. It seems that inequality or marginalization is inevitable in a society. We always fail to treat others fair as we treat ourselves.Even though our society claims to be a religious and ethical one, again it seems to contradict itself. Even the holy books of word religions want to communicate to us something about this topic. For Christians, the Bible has told its readers to treat others as they would have wanted o thers to treat them. The Koran also teaches us to be fair with our fellow men. The message of every world religion seems to be equality. The Buddhist’s golden rule is almost synonymous what the Bible has to say about treating others.Marginalization of minorities is prevalent in the society. Little do most of us know that this marginalization has certain effects to the society. We may have been suffering unknowingly suffering from consequences of marginalization of minorities.  It seems that depriving civil rights to minorities will cause everyone within the society certain problems. Inequality in civil rights causes the whole system not to function smoothly.Mullaly has explored through this problem to give us some sort of much needed clarity regarding the issue of minorities. He had shown us how the personal becomes political. He pointed out that there is a need to recognize that social problems are certainly related to the larger structures of the society, this causes vary ing forms of oppression of members of the society. This will lead them to reject the ideas of those who aren’t familiar to them, thus resulting to marginalization of minorities. (Mullaly)He also pointed out that it is very important for us to recognize that oppression exists in the society. There is a great need for a non-judgmental and unbiased attitude by every members of the society. (Mullaly) Marginalization of minorities clearly hampers the productivity of the workforce. We should always bear in mind that these minorities make up more than half of our workforce, the workforce that all of us are deeply dependent on.As a conclusion, it seems that everyone doesn’t want marginalization of minorities. The society has laws that are carefully constructed to avoid such inequality in civil rights. But unfortunately, inequality of rights seems to be more prevalent in the society. Something must be done about the problem. It should be something that the whole of society shou ld be thinking over. We see everyday the implications of inequality in civil rights in the forms of poverty, political chaos, never-ending disputes. I’m sure that all of us want a better place to live in. We all want to improve our living conditions. We should start by eliminating the flaw that makes our society imperfect. Maybe if we all learn to treat others as our equals, then we maybe not really far from the perfect society that we all aspire for.Works CitedMullaly, B. Oppression: The Focus of Social Work. Don Mills: Oxford UniversityPress. 2007Boyd, Julian. The United States Declaration of Independence: The Evolution of Text. US: LIB OF CONGRESS. 1999 Morigawa, Yatsumoto. Universal Minority Rights?: A Transnational Approach. Franz SteinerVerlag. 2004

Property Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Property - Essay Example ut of properties, such as the interlinking of rights and responsibilities, the dog-leg boundary at back, not much space for access to The Hollies at the back, lots of trees which are close to buildings, drains are running along rear elevation (wall) of building, the manhole covers are evident, and leaking water in approximate position of line of supply to the adjoining property. Although he is the sole owner of Ivy House, he did have a long-term girlfriend for fifteen (15) years, Miss Chandra, who lived with him in the said house. She gave up her council house tenancy at his request and put all her savings (including money inherited from her mother) into improving the Ivy House updating the standards and making it a valuable property. Mr. Crane has done or paid for basic maintenance ever since but did not introduce improvements to it. When Miss Chandra left him, she didn’t say anything about getting her money back. However, when the word got around that Mr. Crane is thinking of selling the house, he had a â€Å"visit† from her sons intimating that their mother wants a substantial share of the sale proceeds. Another concern of Mr. Crane also is with the present owner of the adjoining house, The Hollies, known as Mr. Johnson. There have been issues over access to the rear, parking and water supply. There is an extract of a deed regarding an easement. Finally, Mr. Crane’s concern is about his friend Mr. Brown. Mr. Crane allowed Mr. Brown to use the basement at Ivy House almost daily and for the last 6 years, for his artwork business. He signed a document at Mr. Brown’s request but is not sure if it means anything. He doesn’t have a copy of the said document. He remembers that he and Mr. Brown were the only ones who signed the said document and that Mr. Brown was to be able to use the basement for ten (10) years but has paid nothing for the arrangements. He wonders whether or not he should tell Mr. Brown that he is selling up as he is concerned of what Mr.

Analyzing a key business leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analyzing a key business leader - Essay Example Leadership plays a key role in the success of any business and can determine the success or failure of a business venture. Around the world, there are many notable leaders who have managed to steer their companies from small local enterprises to large multinational companies. Richard Branson is one such notable leader. An article entitled The importance of being Richard Branson (Knowledge@Wharton 1-3) reveals that Branson is the founder and owner of the Virgin Group – an empire of 350 companies with ventures in the airline, telecommunication, trains, cosmetic, credit card and several other industries. His empire is worth over 7 billion dollars and it employs over 9,000 people in 28 countries (Morris, par. He has also been recognized as one the 25 most influential leaders in the last 25 years. He is a leader who has mastered the ability to build successful brands and the ability to create a common purpose among his followers. At the core of Branson’s leadership style, is his belief that people, or more specifically his employees, are the foundation of his company success. A Wall Street Journal poll carried out in 2004 reported the following five characteristics as strengths that make a good leader; integrity, ability to get along with others, industriousness, intelligence, business knowledge and education (Ebersohn, 11). Branson’s integrity is perhaps best exemplified by his open and honest attitude to his employees. He believes that it is important that employees are aware at all times about the successes and the problems that the company is going through. He encourages the celebration of company successes and on the other hand also encourages his employees to suggest solutions and innovation to grow the company and solve any problems the company might be going through. Branson is known as a hard worker. His industriousness nature is often described as workaholic. His intelligence is manifested in his ability to identify good business

HMLS 310 Week 6 conference Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HMLS 310 Week 6 conference - Coursework Example It is evidential that the development of new technologies that have emerged during the mid-1990s has led to the establishment of internet based application referred to as the social media. This include blogs, discussions forums, you tube channels, Facebook and twitter. Most importantly, social media has played an increasing role in emergencies and disasters. This report summarizes how social media has been used by emergency management officials and agencies. It also evaluates the potential benefits and consequences of using social media in the context of emergency and disasters. Generally in the anthrax attacks, social media would have been used as a medium for conducting emergency communications and issue warnings, receive victim’s requests for assistance, monitoring user’s activities and postings to determine situational awareness and using downloaded images to create damage estimates among others(1). For instance in the attacks, social media would have been used to pass notifications by the use of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), emergency warnings and alerts to citizens. Besides, social media would have been used to alert emergency officials on the anthrax attacks by monitoring the flow of information from different sources to help in the reduction of the number of casualties. Risk communication refers to the interactive process of exchanging information and opinion among individuals, groups, and institutions involving multiple messages about the nature of risk. It is a science based programme for communicating accurately and effectively in cases of extreme stress and concerns. Moreover, risk communication skills are imperative for the successful management of crises. One way to achieve effective risk communication especially in the case of anthrax attack is through message mapping. This refers to the tool of risk communicator that

Monopoly, Oligopoly, Monopolistic competition, or Perfect competition Essay

Monopoly, Oligopoly, Monopolistic competition, or Perfect competition - Essay Example These barriers discourage new entrants in the oil industry as the existing firms can also take them down in price wars. The market for crude oil refining is an example of an oligopoly. Another significant feature of an oligopoly is that it is dominated by a few large firms which also holds true for the crude oil industry. It is dominated by major players like Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and BP (British Petroleum) Corporation etc. Firms in an oligopoly can decide to collude and act as a monopoly or stay as rivals and compete. When firms in an oligopoly collude, they may agree on prices, market share, advertising expenditure etc. Collusion reduces uncertainty in market regarding prices and since firms do not go for price competition, the total industry profits are not reduced. A cartel like OPEC acts as a single firm or a monopoly and diagrammatically a profit-maximizing cartel can be explained as follows: Since there are few major players, each player exerts significant market power and the bargaining power of suppliers is more than the bargaining power of buyers due to this. Also because of the interdependency feature, there is a lot of scope for collusion among the firms in an oligopoly. ... Each firm’s demand curve is relatively elastic below the existing price line. This entices firms to cut their prices and win over their rival’s customers and increase the total revenue. However the rival’s response to the price cut can act as a hindrance because if rivals match the price cut, there will be very less room for increased total revenue. If a firm raises its price, then its rivals might not copy the price increase and a significant portion of sales will be lost to rivals. Oil is a commodity that is used as a fuel for transportation, electricity generation, in industries as well as domestically. The world economy at large is dependent on oil and that is how large the demand for oil is. Since there is a cartel in the oil industry, OPEC, the world oil prices have shown an upward trend because OPEC has substantial power to drive up prices. Price elasticity is different in the presence of a cartel because the supply of oil is in the control of OPEC. Under a cartel such as OPEC, the producers try to fix the price and quantity. The output in an oil industry just like any other oligopoly is allocated as per a quota system (Geoff Riley). The aim of this cartel strategy is to maximize profits. Each individual oil firm is given an output quota. But the output quota allotted to an individual firm might not be at its profit maximizing level (Geoff Riley). The only way an individual firm can make profit out of it is through cheating and going against the cartel. It can supply oil at a price lower than the cartel price. The demand for oil under a cartel is not that responsive or elastic to a price change because oil is an important raw material in many industries and also an essential fuel

American Koreans vs Korean Americans Research Paper

American Koreans vs Korean Americans - Research Paper Example Earlier migrants were mostly concentrated in Hawaii and were recruited to work in sugarcane fields in Hawaii region. Over the period of time, regional dispersion of Koreans increased throughout the mainland. From 1990 to 2000, concentration of Korean Americans was mostly in Georgia (Suarez-Orozco, Suarez-Orozco and Qin-Hilliard 192). Pre and Post 1965 wave of immigrants from Korea was associated with particular industries such as retail stores, nail salons, travel agencies, liquor stores etc. Most of such industries were labor intensive in nature; however, the major reason of why Koreans engaged into such labor intensive industries was to create better opportunities for their children to get into better schools (Choi 55). American Koreans however, is a very small group comprising those who were either defectors or were taken as prisoners during the war in Korea (Hastings 35). This group is relatively small; however, it is significant in the sense that it also represents dual cultures of America and Korea. What is critical to note also that some of the POWs were taken by China from North Korea, indicating involvement of multiple players in redefining the overall future and cultural identity of this new group. Most of the POWs were largely influenced by the Chinese ideology. As such, both groups have now developed their distinct and separate identity and political ideologies. Their distinct cultural identity is considered as an important way through which they actually separate themselves from other groups, and this also reflects their overall perceptions for admission process. This paper will discuss this, and it will also explore how American Koreans and Korean Americans actually carry the overall cultural identity for their admissions. 1. Cultural Identity and Admission Process Having students from countries where English is not a dominant language or students belonging to different cultural groups always raises certain important political as well as cultural issues. Universities require declaration of ethnic origin of the students and gaps have been observed in the admission scores of Asian and White students. Universities like Vanderbilt publically announced to increase the number of Jews students over a certain period of time however, ignore to take into consideration more able Asian students with better SAT and other scores. (Golden 69) Conflict theory, however, suggests that admission exams are often culturally biased and are made in such a way that only members from dominant groups can get admission into such universities as well as colleges. It is also critical to note that most of the American-Koreans have actually failed to get into the inner and deeper level of American society. This cultural aloofness therefore also reflects how American Koreans actually perceive the overall admission process. The monolithic and historical representation of Asian American students in universities has largely remained unstable. The race based c haracterization of the students not only remained contextual in nature but also shaped by multiple motives. (Hurh 65) Applying this theory on the American Koreans clearly suggests that American universities have certain preferences. The overall tests are designed in such a manner that only people belonging to certain ethnic and cultural groups are able to get through the admission process. Most of those who attend the church with me feel strongly that admission process is developed in a manner that favors certain groups, and despite all the merit and skills required to get into top universities, not many American Koreans are able to get through this. (Kibria, 30) There have been significant decisions by universities such as Yale and Harvard wherein minimum SAT scores

Extremes of Body Modification in the Aztec and Maori Cultures Research Paper

Extremes of Body Modification in the Aztec and Maori Cultures - Research Paper Example In addition, while some still attribute deeper psychological meaning to the practice, others insist that body modification has become nothing more than a simple fashion accessory, or a matter of preference (Wohlrab et al., 87–88). Body modification is defined as â€Å"the semi-permanent or permanent deliberate alteration of the human body†. The practice of body modification extends all over the globe since the dawn of humankind itself. Even though types of modifications vary wildly by geography and culture, in most cases, historically, there has been a symbolic reason beyond aesthetic preference. A modification could indicate that the bearer underwent some sort of group initiation, joined a particular age bracket or social group, or it could identify personal accomplishments, social status, or religious membership and ordaination (Wohlrab et all, 87–88). In more recent times, body modification was often associated with lower classes of people, not the elite. In Europe and later, America, tattooing was common among sailors, who were not viewed kindly by polite society. The practice traveled to other members of lower classes. Biker culture, punk culture, criminal organizations, and prison culture eventually adopted the practice (Wohlrab et all, 87–88). ... Aztec culture used body modification for the purpose of distinguishing class, societal role, and gender. Gender identity was established in the early teens, when all individuals were classified within three genders: potentially reproductive male, potentially reproductive female, and celibate. Throughout these three genders, body modification would follow a set path based on life events. Astronomers and priests calculated the life calendar and fortune prediction for every individual at birth (Joyce, 475-476) Boys and girls wore their hair identically until the age of 12, in a short crop over the whole head. By 12, girls began growing their hair long. Boys shaved their heads except for one long tuft in the back. A young man was permitted to shave it upon taking his first captive in battle. Afterward, the hair was to the bottom of the ear on the right side, shaving the left. Upon capturing a 4th captive, a man recieved the privilege of wearing his hair any way he liked. After childbirth , a woman usually wore her long hair bound around her head (Joyce, 479-480). Among the Aztecs, nearly every combination of gender and societal role had its own code of dress, appearance, and body modification. Aztec adults began a child’s course of body modification by grabbing children between infancy and 4 years old by the neck, every 4th year, in the month Izcalli, on special feast day. This was believed to make the child taller. The ceremony began with piercing the ears of the children. A cotton string was put in the hole initially, and the holes were slowly stretched over time to allow the child to wear ear ornaments as an adult averaging over 2 centimeters wide Joyce, 477-478). Male noble children 15 and over were admitted to the calmecac, for the training of

Equality between sexual orientations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Equality between sexual orientations - Essay Example The Principle that all people are equal before the law is the corner stone of many societies. However, many do not follow this principle to the letter. For example, for a long time women were always regarded and given the second class status in the United States and until the 1920s, they were not entitled to vote during federal elections. Similarly, blacks in the United States had no guarantee to equal rights under the law until the passage of Civil Rights Act in 1964. The main provision of the Act stated that all persons within the Jurisdiction of USA have the same right in every state and territory. The Act gave everybody the right to enforce contracts, to sue, give evidence, and any other right that was enjoyed by the whites (David 44). The Act declared that no person in the United States shall be discriminated on the bases of race, color or nationality of Origin. According to the act, no individual shall be discriminated in or be denied the benefit of any program or activity receiving the Federal Financial assistance. This declaration of equal rights was extended to people with physical and mental impairment that substantially limits a significant life activity. This was through the enactment of people with disability Act in 1990 still in USA (Leslie 24). Nevertheless, as society tries to attain the principle of equality under the law, one significant group has been left out for a long time: lesbians and gay men. Individuals’, agencies and organizations in most places still discriminate against gay men and lesbian in housing, employment, access to public accommodations, and other fields of life on the bases of their sexuality. For instance, in many states of United State, landlords refuse to rent a house to same-sex couples simply because they are either gay or lesbians. Nevertheless, several countries including some states in the US have banned this form of discrimination that bases on sexual orientation and gender expression (David 56). Discrimination in housing, employment and access to public accommodation is seen as the three basic rights issue that concern them since they are so relevant to the daily life of every gay or lesbian. Gay and lesbian people also face discrimination from the straight people in areas such as a hate crime where crime is motivated by the virtual of the victim’s gender, race, national origin, sexual orientation or some other characteristics. Gay and lesbians further face discrimination on the issue of marriage. There has been controversy over the legality of the same sex marriage and the institution. In the developmental stages of the homosexual rights movement, few individuals would have predicted that marriage would become a significant objective of the movement. Nevertheless, there has been a lot of effort by the movement to give the gay men and lesbian the same rights associated with legal marriage that is currently available to straight people couples. The issues constitute the core of the discussion over the gay and lesbians’ rights today in many societies (John 250) The gay and lesbian rights movement that was introduced in the United States was a product of economic, social and political changes that took place in the United State in early 20th century. In the 1960s, there was the growth of Civil rights movement in the US. During this period, the first hint of the presence of

Blackboard Assignment Essay Example for Free

Blackboard Assignment Essay 1. I have recently engaged in a discussion with a couple of American soldiers who fought in Iraq. They talked about the deployment of their company in the divisions within the military zones in Iraq where they encountered several IEDs and AQI. Also, they said something about doing recon work with a bird and how they were lucky not to be a POW. All throughout the conversation, I remained clueless about the topic. I was not able to share any inputs. If only the speaker would explain the military jargons or better yet if they have opted to use terms that were of common knowledge, I would have comprehended the conversation. Instead of using bird, they could have used helicopter so as not to confuse the animal with an aircraft. On the other hand, I have also made this same mistake. During the time when I was applying for college, I unconsciously used some jargons to explain this activity to my younger sister. As a result, she kept on asking for the definition of the terms that I used which made the conversation awkward. After this incident, I realized that some terms are inappropriate to use especially when the listener is not well-informed about the subject. However, if it is inevitable to use jargons in conversations, make sure to explain the terms in the context that everyone can relate. By doing this, the probability of misunderstanding and misinterpretation will be greatly reduced. 2. I think that the use of ambiguous language is prevalent because people opt to generalize information for convenience leaving more room for different interpretations. However, it only becomes unethical when it is intended to mislead the audience. In the case of the coal mine explosion in West Virginia, CNN reported that there were 12 survivors but in reality only 1 got out alive. This false information was based on the statement of a rescuer that they have found the miners and said â€Å"that they are all ok, I guess, so† (English). Instead of journalists further investigating this event, they have reported it as they heard it which brought false hopes and even caused pain to the families of the miners. Works Cited English, Larry P. â€Å"Information Quality in Communication. † 11 January 2006. Beye Network. 18 November 2008 http://www. b-eye-network. co. uk/view-articles/2215.

Why women should choose to reintegrate into a society

Why women should choose to reintegrate into a society This major question raised in 2006 is perhaps one of the foremost concerns of Pat Carlens feminist support. Strongly opposed to women in prison state of affairs, she is widely regarded as one of the worlds leading experts on crime, gender and punishment.  [i]   Carlen has put through career as a Professor of Sociology at Bath University  [ii]  and before was an Honorary Professor of Criminology of Keele where she was founded and was Head of the Department of Criminology as well as visiting Professor of Criminology at Westminster University, London. In addition to the above she was a member of both the Commissioning Panel and the Steering Committee of the ESRC Crime and Social Order Programme 1992-1997. Moreover, she is a founder member of the campaigning group Women in Prison created in1983. The group consisted of the first step to a long term and unfinished attempt to reduce number and theorize and balance specific needs of female prisons  [iii]  . Pat Carlen is a leading scholar in the area of women and punishment. In 1997 she was awarded the Sellin-Glueck Prize by the American Society of Criminology for outstanding international contributions to the domain  [iv]  . Carlen devoted her life in researching a wide range of criminological issues; however, she compassionately focused on analysing the penal control of women and matters surrounding their imprisonment. She found her inspiration in the unfair and striking features of womens imprisonment determination  [v]  . True to her beliefs she illustrated the path towards the considerations for the abolition of womens imprisonment. In formulating her ideas she discussed some of prisons abolitions traditional and contemporary enemies after researching and interviewing people in the sector  [vi]  . Adrion Howe argues that the work of Pat Carlen have commenced a process which will eventually fundamentally transform critical analyses of punishment regimes. However, processes in this direction have been slow and the work of Carlen on insisting that women prisoners be handled as a subject worth of study and change was exemplary  [vii]  . In 1983 Carlen wrote a book, Womens Imprisonment, about Cornton Vale, Scotlands only prison for women. She did the research and as she said wrote the book as one off without expecting to do any further research on prisons. What really changed her mind was her meeting later in 1983 with an ex-prisoner, Chris Tchaicowsky, who at the time was the founder member of Women in Prison leading campaigns for women still locked up in prisons. She invited Carlen to join after reading her book. The task of the group was to raise public awareness of women in prisons via many ways. Carlen mostly helped in writing books and articles, helping the campaigning group to be born  [viii]  . Classicists like Emile Durkheim approach the issue believing that the function of punishment is the promotion of social harmony with the exclusion of deviant persons from society and the transfer of moral identity to society. Womens Imprisonment is, nowadays, characterised by discontinuities, contradictions, fragmentation and transformation. Modern approaches rooted to crime reduction. Carlen in Analyzing Womens Imprisonment raised the question as to whether crime reduction will be achieved by increased use of imprisonment. Her approach on that issue was that sending a wrongdoer to prison may aggravate rather than ameliorate the psychological, economic and social factors which purpose woman to criminal activity  [ix]  . A radical prison critic is that it was never used for punishment of all serious crimes but also to storehouse the poor, unemployed and mentally ill. In 1981, Carlen leaded a survey and questioned Scottish magistrates and judges about womens imprisonment, receiving replies determining the reasons why a woman would go to prison. The answers consisted of whether she was a good mother, how ordered her life was, if she has a husband, if she has any children, whether she has abandoned her husband or her children are already in Care or if she was battered. Women like that are more likely to be sent to prison. However, these myths along with many other stereotypes about women offenders has had bad effects on prison regimes,  [x]  resulting to prejudice on sentence over women of the above categories  [xi]  . British Justice is supposed to be not only gender-neutral but also colour blind  [xii]  . Yet, this is not true when it comes to women imprisonment. People awarding sentence are more likely to convict women from ethnic minorities or young women. Thus, is racism the key to increase of female prison population? Early reformers such as John Howard and Elizabeth Fry attempted to campaign for the segregation of female from male prisoners  [xiii]  and different prison regimes for women but at the end the results of their efforts were not satisfactory. Pat Carlen continues on the same path in order to ameliorate the conditions that surround womens imprisonment in nowadays. Is it fair to start imprisonment reduction with women? A very small amount of violent crime is committed by women and females commit crime in very different circumstances to men. Carlens investigation showed that women mostly commit crime in relation to drugs, fraud or theft. The majority of British women prisoners have not been goaled because of the seriousness of their crimes but because of their abnormal domestic circumstances or less than conventional life styles. A strong argument over womens imprisonment consist the failure of the non-penal welfare or health institutions to cope with their problems. Prisons are the only places that cannot refuse to take those women for whom neither the health nor the welfare services will take responsibility even if they had committed the most minor crime. As prison officers informed Carlen in her research, prisons are not equipped to cope with the problems from which every other agency is copping out. This leads to the increase of the prison population. Between the years 1993-2001 the population i ncreased by over 145 %  [xiv]  . In the previous ten years the women population in prisons doubled and male increased by approximately 50%. Additionally, women prisoners tend to be isolated from their families imposing significant pain of imprisonment with the loss of their role as mothers. Furthermore, women generally are badly treated by the officers and the prison staff, when it comes to gynecological requirements (handcuffed in labor and during transfer or treatment to hospital, drug virginal inspections). In addition, one of the prisons roles is to help prisoners to cope with the new life they will come across after release, nevertheless only few rehabilitation regimes exist. An ex-prisoner told Carlen that in order to keep them out (criminals) we should give them something outside. Otherwise, a life of surviving in there seems preferable to life out here where there is just nothing  [xv]  . Clive Soley agreed with Carlens findings and added that if society actually wants to improve the situation, must set as its priority the preparation for release  [xvi]  . Pat Carlen admits that womens crime is less serious and not threatening to the public even after their release from prison, as well as the fact that only few prison escapes have occurred involving women and it is not unusual for most of them to voluntarily return to face their punishment  [xvii]  . After making a lot of research and analysing the circumstances under women get to live with in prisons has come to the conclusion that prison is not only damaging during the course of sentence, but once coming out it has other problems as well. Her research and findings made her develop the idea discovering possible alternatives. Pat Carlen, points out that the main cause of the crime is the relationship between the offender and the community and believes that the only cure also lies in the same relationship  [xviii]  . Alternatives to imprisonments should include any program of intervention likely to deter someone from future criminal activity. She continues to strongly analyse th e possible future alternatives as her main contribution. Harris, a commentator, came to add to Carlens thought of alternatives by pointing out that part of the problem is that it is unclear what the better treatment of women actually means  [xix]  . This is true as there are no gender specific sentences. Carlen also considered whether reform or abolition of womens imprisonment would be appropriate. As the main intention of her book Sledgehammer she argues that womens imprisonment in England and Wales at the end of the 20th century is excessively punitive; totally inappropriate to the needs of the women being sent to prison; and is ready for abolition in its present form. However, she came to argue that reform might be impossible to achieve and will always lead to the abandonment of imprisonment as punishment for minor offences. Eventually, is better to do something than nothing. Prison is to punish and within that context all reforms had to be thought  [xx]  . In 1997, Carlen gave some politico-philosophical justifications for imprisonment in order to clear up the primary aims it should have. However, the following no longer apply. She starts stating that the government has an obligation to wipe state clean making wrongdoers pay for their offences in applying the eye for an eye philosophy. Additionally, she expressed that prisons can be used to improve peoples characters and teach them useful and new skills that could be helpful to lead new lives according to the law after their release. Imprisonment also can be said to prevent criminals to recommit a crime in the future on top of deterring others tempted to commit a crime. In this manner crime rates lower and public is protected  [xxi]  . Carlen proposes an idea for a more productive reduction of the female population. In her point of view sentencers should be required to justify to a Sentencing Council all custodial sentences and remand of who appropriate the offence was in relation to the offender in addition to any pre existing criteria for the award after their examination. Other requirements are for sentencers to state what they hope to achieve by the custodial sentence awarded and finally to make the calculations of what the total costs are likely to be. The aim behind her proposition is to make courts to think twice before sending someone into prison as they should publicize what they are doing  [xxii]  . Moreover, there is still the need for gender-tested and ethnicity-tested regimes that will ensure that some groups do not have a greater impact. Other ways that reduction of population can be achieved is if the society took certain measures to battle poverty and inequality as well as diminishing sexism and racism that result in discriminating sentencing  [xxiii]  . After considering the situation of the day the criminologist saw three possible future scenarios governing womens imprisonment in Britain. Firstly, more of the same circumstances, however, getting worse as the female prison population will rise. The second scenario involves less of the same other than with more experimentation with progressive projects resulting to changeable number on womens population. The last scenario that she encounters is the reduction on womens imprisonment. This scenario contains close regulations for the womens law breaking actions leading to the abolishment of the situation as it was known until then  [xxiv]  . She supported the view of abolishing womens imprisonment for an experimental period of 5 years. For that period of time imprisonment should not be considered as one of the normal punishment for women and that a maximum of only 100 custodial places should be retained for female offenders convicted of abnormally serious offences. If accused so, the y should only be imprisoned after their case was referred by a trial judge to a Sentencing Council who would make the final adjudication. Moreover, her proposition involved undertaking of fund and far-reaching examination of all sentencing. Her proposal for abolition was greeted with a certain amount of skepticism. One radio interviewer asked if male burglars should retire knowing that their wives or girlfriends could carry on the business with impunity. This is clearly ironical; however, is it entirely a false approach? As a Senior Official in the Home Office added to Carlens proposition; What we want is smaller open prisons in the community and in an urban context. Over this point, the courts support an anti-feminist approach; if you women wanted equality, youve got to take it  [xxv]  . The criminologists, Deborah Baskin and Ira Sommers, acceptably, point out that Carlen does not explain how womens criminal careers are circumscribed specifically by gender  [xxvi]  . Furthermore, they add that she does not distinguish the gender specific ways in which women are exploited and controlled by familialism and consumerism. Baskin and Sommers also argue that Carlens repetition of the timeworn and functionalist rhetori c that only women experience dual exploitation in the public and private spheres adds little to the analysis. On the other hand, they furthermore continue to disagree that Carlen fails to see that working class men also have to make class gender deals which include being regulated within family. Briefly, Carlens analysis does not address the precise ways in which social reactions are gender specific and thus affect womens lives differently from mens  [xxvii]  . Pat Carlen characterise herself as not a prison abolitionist in the sense that she can easily envisage a time when it will not be considered necessary to have prisons and lock up certain offenders as a matter of public safety  [xxviii]  . Abolition is not a thread to the public. The whole situation leaves the state with the choice to continuingly misuse millions of pounds on prisons or taking daring steps to stop legislators and sentencers seeing prison as being the absolute panacea for all political and social ills and instead consider it as an abnormal and unusual punishement  [xxix]  . Joe Sim added to the abolition argument that abolitionists ideas should not be dismissed as idealistic and utopian but rather should be understood  [xxx]  . In the 1990s Carlen thought of some further developments including educational initiatives, personal officer scheme, introduction of sentence planning, opening up prisons. Nonetheless, many of these already exist only in name on pape r or defunct  [xxxi]  . In 2006 she returned to the argument of abolition and noted that abolitionists have a number of enemies, and populist politicians are the greatest. Women imprisonment should be abolished as an experiment that will later follow in being applied to men as well. It started its test on women as they are considered to have non-threatening criminal profiles  [xxxii]  . Even if researches have taken place, nowadays, womens imprisonment involves as many inhumanities as ever. This occurs as there is a serious lack of attention from research. Carlen emphasized on the differential experiences of criminal justice and criminality encountered by females in comparison to males  [xxxiii]  . She is puzzled to know what more can be done to make changes needed in order for womens imprisonment in 21st century to stop being the disgrace that used to be in the 20th century. During most of the 20th century women in prison tended to be invisible prisoners, the women whom nobody wanted and almost everyone had forgotten. At the beginning of the 21st century the prison is as much a set of all kinds of social production as it has ever been. Although, they still represent a very small proportion of the prison population, there is no rational reason why that proportion should not be even smaller. Instead, it is slowly but surely increasing and this is not a problem be ing limited in England and Wales. The criminologist insisted in her diary that there must be an alternative and that the womens system has no management strategy and no structure to hold on  [xxxiv]  . The best regimes can do is ameliorate the worst effects. Thus, as Worrall also confirmed, crime will be broken by a government honest enough to admit that prison does not work and sufficiently courageous to accept that prison is itself part of crime problem rather than part of the solution  [xxxv]  . All the above ideas can be dragged from the historical idea that prisons make bad people worse  [xxxvi]  . In conclusion, Pat Carlens contribution to criminology was enormous in relation to female offenders and their imprisonment. Her main aim in the sector was to ameliorate the present circumstances affecting womens imprisonment. She devoted her work in researching and interviewing people the area considering prisons in order to find the roots of the problem. This would later make her able to combat the obstacles and reach a more compromising situation. Many found her work inspiring. Nonetheless, others found that it lacks focus on certain areas. Her contribution marked the beginning of slow and steady developments in the field. On the other hand, the study of womens imprisonment has still a long way to go.

Graphic Design Essay -- Technology Communication Business Essays

Graphic Design Any paper you pick up was put together using graphic design. It is a very widely used art form incorporated into many different projects. The ultimate purpose is to communicate. The field takes a lot of knowledge to be able to produce a finished and printed product (Rogers, interview). Graphic design is an art that uses skill, information, and technology to communicate to the world. Graphic design, even though it may not have been called that, has evolved with technology. It always has been here to get our thoughts across, but they didn’t always use pictures and color. Graphic design started out as typography, letter writing, which quickly gained popularity. Carvings in wood blocks were used as stamps before Johan Guttenberg invented metal casting in AD 1450 (Kagy 27). The first poster made in 1472 used text to advertise a sale on a book in England. Letterpresses were then made. Even though presses were available, most communication was still verbal. The old technology using p rint presses didn’t start dominating the new art of advertising until the 1940s (Hurlburt 40). Designers then started to influence advertising. The balance began to shift from purely verbal concepts to image presentation. Then the letter types, typewriters, were made. Next came the photocopiers. Finally today we use computer publishing. Even though designers now use computers, they still need pen and markers to create some images. Felt-tip pens and colored markers replaced pencils and paints as a sketching medium. Technical pens have replaced ruling pens in finished artwork. The marker has not changed the idea of the line, but just made it more dominant. It gives the art a different tone in communicating. Throughout the change of technology, communication has also changed from Old English to our present grammar and slang. Though the language has changed, it is still an important transmission of ideas and information. Graphic design changed just as drastically as our language. It allows easier communication to be achieved between two parties. Individuals with dissimilar backgrounds still share communication with common experiences. Visual design permits individuals with different heritages to exchange ideas, information, and feelings (Knobler 30). From the first sign of communication, cave men, to commercials on television, visual images have communicated our ideas... ...the screen blocked with a stencil. When ink is put on the screen it is squeegeed through the screen into the open areas. Digital colors printing- the newest technology using a combination of lasers that make plates and offset printing. It is a shortly run, full color job that would be needed quickly. There are many more types of printing, but these should give a good idea of how much information is needed. This is only one aspect of the graphic design process, so there is more to learn in the field and more skill to pick up. Skill, technology, and an immense amount of information gives the designer their ability to communicate. Person to person was too slow for the world communication, so designers started using technology to get messages across oceans. It also got messages across the consumer’s brain. The skills of a graphic designer persuades the readers to purchase a product, go some place to try a product, use a service, vote for a politician, make a contribution, or e ven join the army. Graphic designers have to professionally display a campaign of persuasion, identity, and information to benefit both the company and consumer. Face it! We live in a communication-based world.

William Goldings Lord of the Flies: The Joy of Hating Piggy :: William Golding Lord of the Flies

William Golding's Lord of the Flies: The Joy of Hating Piggy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In many novels there's usually a character the reader loves to hate. Whether that character be a loser, a loner, or someone who's just chubby, we all have made fun of that particular person at least once in our lives. Throughout William Golding's novel, Lord of the Flies, he illustrates the joy of readers in hating Piggy's character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning of the novel, when Ralph meets Piggy after the plane crash, Piggy regretfully tells Ralph what the kids used to call him at school, â€Å" They used to call me ‘Piggy'.†(1) Ralph then shrieks with laughter and makes fun of Piggy's nickname, â€Å"Piggy! Piggy!†(2) Ralph goes on and on with giving Piggy a bad time, just as kids normally would. This could be Ralph's way of trying to distract himself from the reality of the airplane smashup. By the author's description of Piggy and the contents of Piggy's talks, all of us have a good idea of how he looks like and how he acts. We can all relate to him as that ‘fat nerd' that always sat alone in the cafeteria. We all had nicknames for the ‘loner'. We knew deep down that this was a bad thing to do but we enjoyed putting him or her down.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Piggy is smarter than most of the survivors. You could see this because he was aware of the situation around him whereas Ralph enjoyed the freedom. It was Piggy's idea to write down all of the survivors' names and he knew where to put the hole in the conch and what it could be used for. Piggy is also clever in which when he is asked to do something physical, whether it would be exercise or hard labour, he says he cannot do it because of his asthma, but most people could see that he is lying. An example of this is when he was afraid to swim.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Piggy tip-toed down the sandy side of the pool, and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  sat there up to his neck in water smiling proudly at   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ralph.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Aren't you going to swim? '   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Piggy shook his head.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬ËœI can't swim. I wasn't allowed. My asthma----'   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬ËœSucks to your ass-mar!' †(3) Ralph could easily tell that Piggy was lying, and whimping out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Piggy is different from the other survivors, he is considered as an outsider. His body is different, he also thinks different from the other boys. At first he is the only one talking about and wanting to get rescued, yet all the other boys are either happy with their freedom and exploring the island or

Global Warming Essay -- Environmental Global Climate Change

Today, scientist argue over the consequences of global warming. Scientist say that the heating of the atmosphere can influence many health problems. Some of the related problems due to global warming are death to heat waves and other climate changes, and infectious diseases. With the atmosphere temperature rising, we all will be at risk. The climate not only harms our bodies, it can also harm our crops and waters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Floods and droughts associated with global warming can undermine our health in other ways. The heat that is produced can damage our crops. The temperature will allow our crops to be infected with diseases and infestations such as pests and weeds. By destroying our crops, this can lead to malnutrition world wide. With the weather being so intense, this can alter our water cycles. With the extra water condensing, this will lead to larger downpours. While the oceans are heating, so is the land. If the land heats up, dry areas can become highly perched. When parching enlarges, the pressure gradients can cause winds to develop, leading to turbulent winds, tornadoes, and other powerful storms. With altered pressure, global warming can affect where storms, floods, and droughts occur. Another way climate change can affect human health is climate change in the ecosystem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ecosystem upheaval is one of the most profound ways in which climate change can effect human health. Pest control is one of nature’s underappreciated services to people. Well-fun...

Internet Essay

I don’t agree if the internet give more good than harm influence, as we could see nowadays teenager or child had been contaminated by lots of negatives in internet, they become more lazy to study, do homework, and they also wasted their time mostly on internet. Some negatives are like Porn and social networking, porn have make them become wild and misunderstood about sex they just get bad influence of porn that keep disturbing their minds. In Social networking we could hear nowadays that people were killed, and divorce because of social networking like they use this for acquaintance with strangers and they are cheating through social networking,Other case is when they meet each other then that stranger is not a good person and he / she was killed. Thats why from this we could see that internets give fatal influence. I dun really want to know what my friends are doing every minute. I know of students who tweet almost every second of their lives. Gosh, dun they have better things to do? Grab a book and read! Bryan on January 30, 2012 at 1:11 pm said: Everything really only depends on the person using the internet. If they are wise, they will use it for what they need it for and will not affect them in real life in any way at all. There are some cases about cyber bullying and that some people have committed suicide. I think those are the dumb people who did that as the internet is only just a virtual thing and it should not affect them in any way. So there is more good than harm in using the internet in my opinion as you can search almost anything on the internet. If only everyone is as mature as you ! Sent from my BlackBerry ® powered by Sinyal Kuat INDOSAT 3. Internet is just like soil of fertility. If you planted something bad,you won’t get away from it and you will take care of it until it grow and it determines you that you like that kind of plant. Plant of evil. Neverthless, when you plant a good seed it will grow and benefictial to you as well. The point is when you have internet, the magnifying glass that can search the whole world ,whether it is bad or good is in your hand. Just a question of what you use it for.

Benefits of partnership of a community group

In the recent years we have witnessed a contract known as ‘Community Benefit Agreement’ that was signed in the USA between community groups and company owners which requires the business owners to provide certain services to the local community or the vicinity while on the other hand the community supports the businesses or will not in any way oppose them (Cnaan & Milofsky, 2007). A study reveals that when the community is more involved in the negotiation procedure, they will be able to tackle the problems to present a debate for all parts of an affected community.At the spirit of the community benefits schemes is partnership building. According to the agreement, there are various benefits a community will derive from a business operating in the vicinity. They include; good working conditions, local hiring schemes, affordable housing allowances, better remuneration packages, on job training programs, space will be set aside for other small organizations, community centre s, child care schools, enhance erection of parks and sporting amenities and giving financial support to community group programs.Benefits that a community group may accrue from a company/business through partnership Taking a case in Sydney we find that a recreation field committee of Rankin School of the Narrows in IONA being one of the beneficiaries from the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency through a strategy that was introduced known as Local Economic Benefits (LEB). Sydney Tar Ponds Agency is an agency that deals with stabilizing, solidifying and containing the contaminated materials to clean up the environment and the cleaned up space to be used for recreational purposes.Sydney Tar Ponds Agency, through the LEB program, supports promotes mission contestants and contractors to promote local community activities. LEB involves various operations such as local employment, improvement of local proficiency sets, promoting local community projects and drawing new citizens to join local communit ies. An important section that will be checked out is developing an outdoor rink, a young and adults green activity area which will allow those who have no space to plant at home to have a garden, for the young ones it will provide education on plants and how they grow.As fundraising efforts were underway for the various phases, the committee explored many ways of generating much-needed financial support. Members in the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency have testified that the strategy had helped them develop the outdoor rink that is helping them to give back to the community. This helps the community to grow in positive, healthy directions (Gale Group, 1988). Through the establishment of the outdoor rink for Rankin School of the Narrows in IONA, there will be a lot of motivation in the part of the learners as they will be able to learn extra curriculum activities such as small garden farming.It will also give individuals work to do thus avoiding idleness which could promote immorality amongs t the youths. This will develop the youngsters’ skills and talents that could be of great help to them in future. These small gardens will also add to the country’s aesthetic value thus preserving the splendour of a nation. Conclusion In order to form a triumphant community benefit agreement, it is vital to classify and retain a coalition, facilitate and expertise on a shared agenda, Collins & Porras, 2002).It is therefore important that the government empowers the community on its rights so as to improve the bargaining power of the community. We find that there are organizations which merely do anything for the community because there are no efforts to demand their contribution to the community. On the other hand the community groups should support the operations of the organization to form that mutual relationship that will promote the introduction of other benefits (Demetrios E. Tonias & Jim J.Zhao, 2007). Works Cited Gale Group. International directory of company h istories. (California: St James Press. 1988) Collins James Charles & Porras I. Jerry. Built to last: successful habits of visionary companies. (New York; Harper Business Essentials. 2002). Cnaan A. Ram & Milofsky Carl. Handbook of Community Movements and Local Organizations. (Philadelphia: Springer. 2007 pp 26, 27). Tonias E. Demetrios & Zhao J. Jim. Bridge Engineering. (New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. 2007, p 41).

A Woman’s Place Essay

â€Å"Don’t read so much, he said, don’t study; get yourself good and tired out with homework, take exercise. He believes that her troubles would clear up if she got married. He believes this in spite of the fact that most of his nerve medicine is prescribed for married women. † The primary theme of Meneseteung by Alice Munro is the role of women in times of Victorian traditions and standards. The narrator, who is never identified, explains tasks and qualities that differentiate a real, marriageable woman from an outcast from society. The main character in this story is Almeda Joynt Roth, a respectable woman who has become famous in her small town for her poetry book. She has earned respect and admiration amongst others in the town for her works, but has also been criticized as a woman’s literary ambitions were thought to be hobby rather than vocation. Roth yearns to marry Jarvis Poulter, an idea that the rest of the town supports. Even Roth’s doctor, who prescribes nerve medicine to help Roth with her sleeplessness, says she would be much happier if she were married. However, Poulter does not find Roth to be a suitable wife and does not pursue her as such because she does not demonstrate the qualities that defined a marriageable woman of the times. The story, then, is not just about the role of women in the society but also about a lonely woman, an outcast of traditional society, and her search for companionship. Roth suffers from insomnia and goes to the doctor to get medication to help with her sleeplessness. The doctor suggests that Roth busies herself with things that are not considered womanly such as studying and writing. Her writing is considered an asset to the community, but not totally accepted as a woman is expected to marry and have a family. The town paper, the Vidette, which contains articles that would often be considered libelous by modern standards considers her young and fit enough to bear children, physically speaking she is marriageable material. The doctor suggests that she wear herself out by performing housewife tasks such as cleaning and exercising so that she may sleep. He also discourages her from reading and writing, as it is not required of her to do these things to ulfill her position in society. He suggests that marriage would solve most of her problems, though the medication he prescribes her is primarily prescribed to married women. The doctor is prescribing a remedy to her problems by becoming a housewife, while also prescribing medication that is given to housewives to treat the very condition she, as a single woman, had come to ameliorate. In the society portrayed in Meneseteung marriage is considered to be a cure-all for many of women’s problems. Why, asks the narrator, has Roth remained unmarried for so long? The narrator suspects that it is partly down to her desolate disposition. A caliginous personality is not one that is considered attractive and people tend to avoid developing social ties to her. Weighed down by burdens such as the loss of her family Roth is a loner with reading, writing, and the hopeless pursuit of Jarvis Poulter as her only aspirations in life and generally just does as she pleases. She dreams of marrying Poulter, an idea that the whole town supports, but he never showed an interest in her as she did not fit the imagine of a marriageable woman of the times. Despite this the narrator portrays Roth to be less of the â€Å"reckless hedonist† and more like a â€Å"tormented artist,† suffering as a result of her art. It is her particularity that makes her an eminent writer, but also not considered suitable to be taken as a wife. Women in this story are portrayed as weak and in need of men. One night, Roth is awoken by a drunk, abused woman at her fence. She is frightened and rushes to Poulter for help, and this is shown as being the first time in the story that she behaves like a typical woman of her time. She is no longer the poised, confident woman that Poulter has come to know her as and is attracted to her desperate vulnerability. Poulter was not attracted to her when she was poised and confident but once he had seen that she was weak, helpless, and in need of him he felt drawn to her as she finally fit the stereotypical image of a woman. Poulter deals with the drunken woman in a cruelly and insensitively and upon seeing this Roth loses interest in him. Poulter asks her to church and she declines and the two never pursue a relationship. Despite being portrayed as weak and in need of men, women are not powerless in marriage. One of a woman’s primary roles is to â€Å"create their husbands† by â€Å"ascribing preferences† to them. â€Å"This way, bewildered, sidelong-looking men are made over, made into husbands, heads of households. † Roth cannot see herself doing this, which urther separates her from the society in which she lives. After her rejection of Poulter’s interests Roth retreats into the vivid aberration brought upon her by the doctor’s nerve medicine and meets her death after becoming the target of menacing youths’ malevolent tormenting. This quote from the doctor, which I have chosen as the most profoundly meaningful, shows the thinking of the times. Women we re to marry to solve their own problems as well as to solve the problems of their husband. This short story is about a woman who is different from the social norm and her search for companionship and stability in her own life, as well as how breaking the norm had its own consequences. Her obsession with reading and writing, which was said to be more suitable as a hobby than profession, set her aside and earned her respect within her community while at the same time driving a wedge between her and a normal life because she did not spend her life marrying, becoming a wife, becoming a mother, and spending her days cleaning and caring for her family like a typical woman of the time. When Roth became vulnerable she became like every other woman and Poulter finally saw her as a possibility for marriage but his actions revolted Roth. The incident with the drunken woman disgusted her into a solitary existence with just her and her hallucinations brought on by the nerve medication prescribed by the doctor. The doctor suggested that by marrying, Roth would not require this medicine despite it being most commonly prescribed for married women. So, then, Almeda Roth could not live with herself as a normal woman yet not being a typical woman is what eventually led to her demise.

“Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller, Essay

In the books Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, and Fences by August Wilson, there are common themes that run throughout the book. Among these are two, hard working men that can be a bit disillusioned by life. The main character of each book, Willy Loman and Troy Maxson are similar in many ways. They both try hard to be good men and fathers, but unfortunately, they are imperfect in both aspects. Troy distances his self from his youngest son, and many could say that he is too hard and cold towards him. Willy in a way believes that his grown sons could not have done any wrong when they were younger and do no wrong now. But these two fathers are not totally bad. There are many good personal traits that they both display in these books. But as stated as before, they weren’t perfect at all. In many ways, both Willy and Troy were in fact good fathers. They worked hard to provide for their families and tried to set an example for their sons by their own actions. Willy was extremely supportive of Biff’s high school football success and went to all the games. Troy tries to instill certain values such as responsibility into his son Cory and explains to him that he shouldn’t go through life worrying if people like him or not. He tells him he takes care of him not because he likes him, but because it is his duty. Troy seems to be a bad father more visibly. He does not encourage Cory’s high school football career in anyway, in fact he tells him to tell the scout he is not interested and thinks having a job is more important. His attitude toward Cory the majority of the time is cold and harsh, as if he regards his son as someone he must deal with and take care of. Willy had a few problems of his own. First he let himself get caught with his mistress by his son, which devastated him. He also acted like his sons were perfect, which they weren’t. He should have made sure his son passed math so he could have graduated, but he put that into the hands of their next-door neighbor, Bernard. Willy also sets a bad example telling his sons that being â€Å"well-liked† is very important and holds it as a measure of success. He also leads them to believe that he is doing well financially, when in fact he is not. He has to get $50 from his next-door neighbor and Bernard’s father Charley. Although Willy and Troy weren’t the best or worse fathers they did raise their sons. The outcome of these men are different, however. Cory, who did not have a good father-son relationship or interaction with Troy moved out and joined the United States Marine Corps. Seven years later he returns for Troy’s funeral, no doubt successful and providing for himself. Biff and Happy, on the other hand, who both had a pretty decent relationship with their father ended up with menial jobs living with their parents at the age of 34. Happy is a philanderer with horrible ethics that sleeps with his supervisors’ girlfriend. Biff is unable to hold a steady job and has a new money making idea every week. It is hard to judge both Willy and Troy as good or bad if we aren’t in their shoes. Whether others may agree or disagree, it can be said that both fathers raised their sons the best that the could under their circumstances and most likely the best they knew how. The outcome of a person does not wholly depend on his or her parent. Their outlook on life and how much they want to accomplish while on this earth are other factors

Finding a similarity between an ancient area and a contemporary area Essay

Finding a similarity between an ancient area and a contemporary area - Essay Example The Architectural designs of Angkor Wat are so unique in style and definition. The site plan itself is difficult to comprehend, it looks like a special combination of the temple mountains, a standard design for the empire’s temples and concentric galleries’. It looks like a representation of a mountain that had five peaks at the central quincunx towers, the home of the gods, the walls and the moat on the other hand definitely express the mountain ranges and oceans. There is a strict order of hierarchy in the temple; access is very exclusive and only the laity can be able to access the lower levels of the temple. The plan of the church is one of the prime examples of the Khmer architectures. The visible areas of the block indicate the sandstone blocks, laterite seems to have been used on the outer walls and some hidden structural parts of the walls. There is a very close association in the architecture of Angkor Wat, it has a level of perfection in its monuments and scul ptures with finely divided elements and arrangements; all proportional to their precise order. They express the power, unity and style in the design. The Temple has integrated decoration on the walls of the galleries’ that bear a series of large scenes that probably depicts the people episodes in the Hindu epics. Some of the episodes include the Battle of Lanka, the battle of Kurukshetra, the churning of the sea and others in the main galleries’. The design architecture is a smooth and polished marble that has been put together in very tight joints of mortise and the tenon joints while others have dovetail and gravity. It is a wonderful sight to behold. Access to the temple was that of very high security it has a very thick wall that is about 4.2 m high. It has an apron of about 30 m apart and a moat that is more than 150m wide. It has only specific access points by an earth

Business strategy discussion board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business strategy discussion board - Essay Example These confused and uninspired thoughts make us lose our initiative to express our thoughts freely and openly. Our confusion and lack of motivation led some of us to actively fail to involve ourselves in the project. Also, because we can't logically express ourselves out, we find it difficult to bind and unify our ideas together. As a result of this, there have been clashes and contradictions of ideas along the way that have just surfaced out as we passed our individual contributions for the group assignment. This even made our group even more difficult to manage. Another problem that we encountered is difficulty in interacting with each other. I admit that the internet makes our lives easy and more productive. But for me face-to-face conversation is still effective in a group project. I believe the atmosphere would be more enthusiastic and more interactive if meetings are done personally. I think this could have been solved if there is someone in the group will stand out and act as a leader. An effective leader streamlines any confusing or contradicting thoughts that the members in the group have. He also gives motivation for each member to eagerly involve themselves and participate in group meetings and discussions that are very vital for the success of the group.

Earth by Bill McKiben Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Earth by Bill McKiben - Essay Example In addition, we cannot separate current economies from carbon emission and hence the world will continuously become devastated. Global warming and melting of mountain capes ice are some of the indicators of the destructive effects of our carbon dioxide driven economies. Unlike the original earth, the eaarth has a production rate that greatly exceeds the earth holding capacity. The author is also concerned about the measurement of global economic growth rate and the preference that people have on positive economic growth. Positive economic growth results when the total production in a country exceeds consumption or people’s requirements. However, this is not an absolute measure of economic growth or productivity in a country. This is because economists do not account for carbon dioxide production. Thus, the author argues that the current measures of economic progress should be replaced with measures that account for carbon emissions. Due to our lack of concern about the environ ment, the cost of living will increase constantly despite having positive economic growth. The author argues that it is a contradiction for people to pay high prices for basic commodities such as food while their countries have strong economies. This phenomenon is basic difference between earth and eaarth. ... In addition, countries have subsidies on petroleum products instead of subsidizing basic food products. High cost of living has resulted from the damages that we have caused on the environment. Unpredictable weather patterns have been a direct result of damages that modern economies have done on the environment. Floods have been a common phenomenon in some countries such as Bangladesh. According to the author, the damages that people have done on the environment initiates a series of problems that leads to lack of basic human needs. For example high carbon emissions leads to global warming leading to low rainfall and poor harvest. On the other hand, global warming leads to floods, which cause destruction of infrastructure leading to high cost of living (McKibben 110). The author argues that people concentrate on the consequences of these problems instead of addressing their roots. An immediate solution to the problem is the additional of more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere throug h economic stimulus packages offered by the government or subsidies on petroleum products. The author notes that people are gradually acknowledging the devastating effects that they have caused to the environment. This indicates that people have noticed the difference between earth and eaarth. However, people are not doing enough to restore the earth to its previous position. For instance, people have not stopped destructive behaviours such as deforestation and misuse of energy. The author also notes that consequences of environmental destruction do not affect countries according to their role in production of pollutants. Thus, pollution from America would cause problems to a country that is many miles away such as Bangladesh. This indicates that the efforts towards environmental

Rational Approaches to Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Rational Approaches to Organizations - Essay Example It also highlights through examples how taking an open system or a natural systems approach could benefit managers. Rational Approaches to Organizations Rational approaches present a planned and systematic approach to decision making. Applying such an approach helps managers to maintain order and resoluteness in the decision-making process. Dyck (1997) observes that rational approaches generate reason and order through a sequence of steps starting with the discovery of an opportunity or a predicament and culminating with measures to be undertaken in regard to the decisions reached. Mintzberg (1990) argues that rational approaches are based on meticulousness of analysis and assessment of all probable courses of action. This may be appealing to managers considering the fact that future actions are predetermined at the strategy setting stage. Rational approaches to strategy formulation comprise environmental scanning, portfolio and industry analysis, all which are focused on establishin g the business opportunities and threats. Environmental scanning helps managers to determine the nature of the operating environment and to set strategies for utilizing emerging opportunities as well as dealing with potential threats (Robbins & Barnwell 2006). Portfolio analysis is the formal structured examination that encompasses decisions regarding the relative significance of the accessible business opportunities where a company can invest. It allows the management to devise strategies that can supplement the business portfolio in regard to emerging investment openings and products (Ferraro et al. 2005). Industry analysis helps managers to understand the nature of a particular market in which an organization presently sells its products or is planning to penetrate in future. Such rational approaches allow managers to determine the significance of the various strategic business units and prioritize the allocation of resources depending on market attractiveness (Williamson 2000). Strategy development through this process culminates in a well-detailed scheme with various courses of action that are meticulous with monetary aspects and resource affiliated data. This process is characteristic of the standard SWOT (Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats) analysis in strategy development. Mitzenberg (1990) developed a comparable approach to strategy development. His planning approach involves formulating a strategy with a time line, goals and objectives which are stated and formulated to help achieve the organizational objectives. A plan is a critical source of direction for the company since it contains clearly stated objectives. Planning is a continuous process as variables keep changing hence the need for management to be ready for changes through out the organization’s life cycle (Glueck 2009). Litzenberg's planning model is limited in the sense that it is suitable for static operating environments otherwise the management needs to continuously review plans in a constantly changing environment. Plans can also not be relied upon in the long run due to technological and infrastructural advancements. The rational approaches integrate an evaluation of the organization and its operating environment with the underlying assumption that changes in the business environment will seldom affect the plan.  

Manage an information or knowledge management system Research Paper

Manage an information or knowledge management system - Research Paper Example ii) The policy guidelines do not draw attention to the areas of underperformance but it is the system performance that can be said to be underperforming or not. 6. True 7. A contingency plan is the process in an organization that prepares it to act coherently to an unplanned occurrence. It is normally a plan used as an alternative plan if the initial plan fails to function. Also known as the plan ‘’B’’. 8. To manage the problem of IT failure when it occurs, one would need to retrieve the information by contacting IT expert. The system can be traced immediately to find the lost data. However, managing this problem for the future, one need to be proactive in that, they need to realize that IT may fail any time; therefore, a data backup system is always required in place. Internet security system should be implemented to avoid data theft through hackers and data destruction through viruses and malwares. 9. Analysis, evaluation, probe, investigation 10. Brainst orming is the process of soliciting for ideas from a group of people in order to find solution to a given problem. This normally begins by the group focusing on a problem, the creatively developing various possible solutions to the problem and pushing ideas as far as possible. 11. False. Auditing finds mistakes and builds on them, not strengths. 12. False. One system cannot be reviewed in isolation since a system is continuous and one system is connected to the other systems. 13. Audits can consider the performance of system interfaces. 14. True 15. Organizational job design, performance indicators and how are suppliers to be used? 16. Organizational mission statement. 17. a, b, c & d. Assignment 2 Case Study 1 Date Incident Consequence Reported by 12/4/13 Request for employment records for a former employee Subpoena-law requirement Susan-HR department Action taken Date Modified File given 12/5/13 Modified By Job Title Sign Susan’s Supervisor Supervisor 1. Good quality inform ation is necessary for decision making purposes, planning, and reference purposes as well as proper management of an organization. 2. The benefits of information and Knowledge management system include assisting organizations to identify, select, organize, disseminate, and transfer information. It also helps the organization to share knowledge towards meeting its objectives. It enables the organization to compare itself with its competitors. The major drawbacks include failure of the system to deliver the expected outcome and the inability to use by some users. 3. Whether it will be able to provide a basis for the valuation of the company, whether it can stimulate the management in order to focus on the important things and whether the investment in Knowledge Management is justified. I & KMS require that measures like tight information security be applied to the organization’s information system. Confidentiality and legal consideration while dispersing knowledge is critical, keeping the organizational success-knowledge secret for economic prosperity are some of the measures that need to be applied. 4. The type of knowledge information that a sugar processing company uses in the demand side for example, include knowledge of things like; sugar consumption rate, sister companies sugar production capabilities, industry sugar production capabilities, cement import and export levels. Strengths The organization

Busiess Taxation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Busiess Taxation - Essay Example this expenditure is not an operational variable, it is charged in the balance sheet as an asset rather than expenditure in the profit and loss account. However, usage of the fixed asset over time is shown in the profit and loss account as a depreciating charge. Tax is applicable for companies on profit figure at the end of the tax year. Since the tax is fixed rate, the higher the profit the company shows, the higher tax it has to pay. Therefore to evade paying higher taxes, companies understate their profits by depreciating their fixed assets on a high value. This reduces the profit and hence the tax payable. Since this practise promotes immoral and unfair picture of the accounts, the government of UK introduced the concept of Capital Allowance through corporation tax. The case of IR Commrs vs Duke of Westminster (1936), exactly points out this need where it states that everyone â€Å"is entitled, if he can, to order his affairs, so that the tax attaching under the appropriate acts is less than it would otherwise be†. The government has fixed a rate of relief that is received on the purchase of capital goods. Companies can claim this type of tax relief when buying and investing. In practice this does the exact same thing a depreciation does since a company is able to set off a proportion of the costs of purchases against the profits it makes so that the total tax bill is reduced. Most capital allowances allow you to write off a percentage of the value of the asset against profits over several years. They are available at a variety of rates and these rates depend on the product bought, the time it was bought in, the nature of the asset and the size of your business. (Georgina, 2006; S. J. D. 2007) As mentioned in the previous section, tax relief can be claimed by companies on the purchase of capital goods. According to the Business Links Website, these capital allowances are available on three types of products, plant and machinery, buildings and research and

Summary & Strong Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Summary & Strong Response - Essay Example Whenever the children practice, they have a fear in their mind whether they get injured or not. She stresses this point by taking the example of a boy who practices curve ball. She stresses this by quoting Koppett that muscle strain or even life lifelong injury may result when a twelve –year –old throws curved ball. She says even though they are not injured, they may have the fear in mind which always disturbs them during the practice. . The third point she mentions is the over stress that the parents and their coaches undergo. They really kill the happiness and innocence of the children. The example of a parent who raged against the other team is a typical example that she gives in the essay. I strongly agree with her arguments. Even though I had not read the essay earlier, I strongly felt the inevitability of keeping the children away from the organized sports events. It is an undeniable fact that these competitions are more overlooked by the parents and the coaches o r even the sponsors of the children than the children themselves. The parent’s agony about the children’s future is easily understandable from the above mentioned incidents. Once I happened to hear a member of a team expressing his relief after knowing that the leading player of the other team was hurt and therefore could not play. I really felt that the children are taught indirectly to keep away from the value system. The age is marked with both physical and mental growth. The emotional stress that they suffer in this period will have a long lasting effect. The unhealthy competitions are in a way harmful to the mental set up of children. Some schools have the grading systems to promote sports among children. Those who play sports will be awarded according to their performance. Sometimes they even give participation points also. This is also a cause of ill feeling in the minds of small children. If they want to compete, let them do it without the interference of exter nals. The interests of the children are to be valued more than the prize or the position. So the rigorous practice according to the selected item can done after the specified age. Winning at any coast becomes the issue of prestige for them. It surely kills the true spirit of sports. The meaning of the word of sports itself is ‘entertainment’. But we can notice that the child who wins the games also fails to express the happiness on face as expected of him. Thus it is clear that the children are under stress. Jessica points out some related incidents her essay. One parent from a team faces up a player of the other team and it led the team to arrange security guards for them Children want to enjoy sports and develop healthy relationship. This is possible in team plays. The entire aim of the sports arranged for children should the enhancement of team spirit and cooperation. Sports are a very good media which can be used to inculcate many social values in the young tender m inds of children. The authorities who set these for them should encourage them in this way. The experiences they get from these games are to be valued more than winning at any cost. I conclude here by strongly supporting the arguments of the writer. Competing theory is to be taken into account only from the part of the children. The interference of parents or adults is obviously misleading and the children cannot enjoy the true spirit in a positive way. The children are with the inbuilt capacity to realize the need of

Intriguing Giant Panda Mysteries Essay Example for Free

Intriguing Giant Panda Mysteries Essay While most adore their fluffy fur and round heads, which help give them their cuddly bear quality, others are fascinated by the many mysteries of the giant panda. Did you know that the giant panda may actually be a raccoon, they have an opposable pseudo thumb, and that they’re technically a carnivore even though their diet is primarily vegetarian? These things and more have baffled scientists and naturalists for hundreds of years. Opposable Pseudo Thumb A characteristic of the giant panda that has mystified scientists is their movable, elongated wrist bone that acts like an opposable thumb. This human-like quality that helps give them even more of a cuddly-bear appearance enables the giant panda to pick up objects and even eat sitting up. Quick Fact Giant pandas have five clawed toes and one pseudo thumb. Their pseudo thumb, along with pads of skin, help the giant panda strip the more nutritious small bamboo shoots and leaves while holding the stalk in their mouth. Small Bear or Large Raccoon? Giant pandas are generally referred to as bears and are typically called panda bears rather than giant pandas. Though we may think they look like bears, there has been a great deal of discussion for decades about where giant pandas actually fit in the animal kingdom. Much of the debate has been whether they are more closely related to the red panda, once thought to be a member of the raccoon family, than the bear family. While a giant panda has a body that resembles a small bear and climbs trees like a bear, it also has several characteristics in common with the red panda. For example, both giant pandas and red pandas eat bamboo and have the same pseudo thumb. The table below lists the main characteristics the giant panda shares with bears and red pandas. Panda Facts Researchers have recently discovered that the gene responsible for tasting savoury or umami flavours, such as meat, is inactive in giant pandas. For many centuries, giant pandas were thought to be a mythical creature, similar to a dragon or unicorn. Unlike other bears in the region, giant pandas don’t hibernate. Giant pandas can stand erect on their hind legs but rarely walk. The Qinling panda, another giant panda species with a dark brown and light brown coat, lives only in the mountains of Shaanxi. Giant pandas have very sensitive hearing and smell, but they have poor eyesight. A newborn giant panda is blind and looks like a t

Father of the Year Essay Example for Free

Father of the Year Essay Many people in Maycomb County , Alabama gathered to watch Atticus Finch defend Tom Robinson , a black man. The odds were already against Tom Robinson and Atticus because Tom Robinson was black and Mayella Ewell was white. Tom Robinson is being accused raping Mayella Ewell in her own home when he was suppose to be helping her with some work. Mayella told Tom Robinson to â€Å" †¦ come here, nigger, and bust up this chifferobe for me, I gotta nickel you. † According to her after she asked him to bust up the chifferobe tree he attempted to rape her. Before Atticus Finch even had a chance to question Mayella , she burst out in tears. She burst into tear when the judge simply said â€Å"Just tell us what happened†. At the stand Mayella was a nervous break down. Within the first few questions that Atticus asked her she freaked out because she thought that Atticus was â€Å"mockin† her. Atticus was only being polite by calling her maam and Ms. Mayella , and Mayella seemed to just take in offense. During the questioning by Atticus , Mayella kept her same story, that Tom Robinson raped her. She seemed to be unsure about that story mid-way through the questioning. Actually some of her responses to Atticuss questions didnt make sense or she wouldnt respond at all. She told the court room that Tom Robinson hit her with his left hand on the right side of her face, even though his left Crises in Maycomb By: Kevon McClary hand is paralyzed from an accident that accord while he was a child. The odd thing is that Mayella father, Bob Ewell , is left handed and was allegedly at the crime after the â€Å"rape† occurred. Throughout most of her questioning Mayella seemed as if she was confused. Mayella once stated â€Å" No, I dont recollect if he hit me. I mean yes I do, he hit me†. Mayella not speaking clearly during the questioning may lead the jury to think that she is lying about her story. [ In the picture above you will see Atticus Finch questioning Mayella Ewell. ] The last couple of questions that Atticus was asking Mayella , Mayella seemed to be getting angrier by the question. There was absolutely nothing that Mayella Ewell could be getting mad about. If I was in the jury , Mayella getting aggravated, nervous, and crying that would somewhat lead to me believing the she was lying about the whole thing. Mayella really seemed to be enraged when she said her finale statement , â€Å"That nigger yonder took advantage of me an if you fine fancy gentlemen dont wanta do nothin about it then youre all yellow stinkin cowards, stinkin cowards, the lot of you. Your fancy airs dont come to nothinyour maamin and Miss Mayellerin dont come to nothin, Mr. Finch. † My opinion of this trial is that Tom Robinson is innocent. From Mayella freaking out , to the obvious evidence that points out Tom Robinsons innocent. I think that Mayella Ewell is a great person, just raised by the wrong father. In a way it seems like all of Mayella answers were what Bob Ewell wanted her to say . She knows the truth behind it all , whether she wants to tell it or not. Its already obvious to the jury and the courtroom that tom Robinson is innocent. But the only thing is that Tom Robinson is an African American male whose word is not as important as the white man or even the white woman.

Why is Mcdonalds such a successful company? Emphasis on India China

Why is Mcdonalds such a successful company? Emphasis on India China 1. Introduction In the present day we all lead a very hectic lifestyle cramping our lives with endless things to do and accomplish. Gone are the days when meals were cooked and served in households three times a day, instead, the youth live on pre-cooked micro waved meals and fast food. We want food and we want it fast. This was essence for the rise of Mcdonalds From humble beginnings in 1954, when Raymond Kroc who was a salesman had a vision of getting the best food in the shorted possible time to people across America was the birth of the fast-food chain that we know as McDonalds. What he did as a pioneer in the fast food industry is akin to the accomplishment of Henry Ford in the automobile industry. The same concepts of Henry Ford were applied of ensuring timeliness, proper disclipine and production efficiency were utilized. In this instance, to French fries, milkshakes and Hamburgers. Today, McDonalds is a brand that is recognized in every corner of the world. A testament to the accomplishment of this fast-food chain is the endorsement by the economist in the world who compare the official exchange rate with that of the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) as the Big Mac Index to gauge if the currency is undervalued or overvalued. In this globalised world, how is that McDonalds managed to reach the heights that it has today with 30,000 outlets in 120 different countries spread across the globe in so many different societies with different cultures, different tastes and different economies. What are the factors that have allowed the managers in McDonalds to succeed in these countries? This paper is an attempt to address these issues. 2. International Business (Multi National Corporations) Today the world is a globalised world and increasingly becoming like a single market place. The barriers of international trade are considerably reduced. Businesses are forced to develop effective management teams and policies that can operate in different national environments. â€Å"Globalization is necessary for success and survival in the worldwide market; however, global competition is not easy† (Bateman Scott, 2004). At the onset of the twenty first century, the list of fortune 500 companies century are increasingly companies that are global (Global Capitalism, 2005) and McDonalds is part of this group. This trend gives rise to an important question in a service organisation about service quality how can multinational firms in the service industry obtain a competitive advantage over local industries and succeed? With over 30,000 restaurants operating in 120 countries and with over 1m employees McDonalds is a truly global success. But, what has made the company successful during one of the toughest economic environments for decades? The past 18 months have been a very testing time for companies across the globe. Many have succumbed to the economic turmoil caused in the US housing markets, many have changed their strategy going forward and many have changed their senior management however, McDonalds has seen an astonishing growth in its sales over the past few months. From the study of McDonalds, we identify three key factors: Embracing globalisation Adapting to local culture 3. Strong company core values (culture) The first factor globalization, has allowed between different parts of the world to come closer together, provides opportunities of exchange and expands the consumer base. Among the factors that have allowed these organisations to succeed in the global market place has been their ability to harness the cross-cultural issues and the benefit that a diversity brings to the organisation. The final factor is strong company core values that it disseminates across all aspects of its business across the globe. McDonald Corporations uses these factors to conduct business around the world. 3. Research and Findings (Primary Secondary) To any society, food is an important cultural ingredient. â€Å"Food is the oldest global carrier of culture.† (Britannica 2007). People believe that we become what we eat and impact our behaviour. Changes in its preparation has the potential to alter the traditional beliefs of people, so how could McDonalds succeed even in such an environment? In todays intensely competitive marketplace for fast food services, maintaining a competitive advantage puts a heavy premium on having a highly committed or competent workforce. â€Å"Increasingly it is being recognized that competitive advantage can be obtained with a high quality workforce that enables organisations to compete on the basis of market responsiveness, product and service quality, differentiated products and technological innovation†. (Chew, I. Horwitz, F. Case study findings). The Fast food industry like other service industries has many characteristics. When taken in context of India and China, the following are the main ones; Liberalisation of the economies of China and India Vast population Changing consumer behaviour Highly competitive environment Strong traditional food culture. Looking at these individually, the liberalisation of trade and investment in China and India has allowed for the proliferation of many international fast-food outlets in these countries. As these countries enjoy economic prosperity, a large working population means that the per capita and household disposable incomes have grown. More and more woman now work in these countries hence the fast-food/take-away and home delivery markets have grown phenomenally in India and China. Gone are the days when McDonalds enjoyed competitive advantage simply because of their unique product line. Besides the national restaurants, there are other western fast-food organisations like Burger King and KFC that pose tough competition to McDonalds by offering similar product lines. 3.1 Critical Success Factors Interview sessions were held on a number of consumers across various regions of Hong Kong. Some critical factors of success of McDonald were identified. Product line Lower Prices Sales Promotion Service Quality Adapting to Local taste Convenient Location Seating space Cleanliness The survey results gave the following results that are depicted on the chart below: If one were to look at a threshold of 80%, we find that convenient location, lower prices, service quality, cleanliness and adapting to local taste are the critical factors that consumers rate when walking into a fast food outlet and McDonalds rates high on them. 3.2 SWOT Analysis Porter (1985) suggested that the manner in which a firm puts its strategies into practice will define the sphere that it operates in be it cost leadership, differentiation or focus strategy. According to him, competitive advantage stems from not just one activity that the time does but from many discrete activities. These could be the marketing, designing, delivering or even supporting its product or services. A SWOT analysis is a good starting place in order to identify potential competitive advantages. If a quick SWOT analysis is done on McDonalds the results can be summarised as follows; 3.3 McDonald as an Employer Employees perceptions about McDonalds could be demonstrated by Hewitts â€Å"2009 Best Employers China Study†, according to which, McDonalds(China)company Ltd. has been regarded as the 3rd best employers in China. Hewitt is one of most widespread professional studies which have most impact force and influence. McDonalds figure shows a Employees engagement of 75%, which is about 26% above the average. In general, employees in â€Å"The Best† such as McDonalds speak more positively about the company (Say), more willing to serve the company (Stay) and contribute more to the company (Strive). Engagement Behaviours The Best Employers including McDonalds also shows lower turnover rate than the rest across all levels. Employees Turnover Rate Leaders of McDonalds drive a strong message that employees are highly valued assets of the organization. Employees hold strong positive perceptions of their leaders with respect to range of organizational relationships Employee View of Senior Management  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The BestTheRest I see strong evidence of effective leadership from senior management  Ã‚  Ã‚  68% 46% Our senior leaders remove barriers to create effective cross-department teams  Ã‚  68% 49% Our senior leaders develop relationships at all levels within the organization  Ã‚  70% 51% Our senior leaders requires continuous improvement from all parts of the organization  77% 57% Our senior leaders create excitement about changes  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  76% 56% Our senior leaders fill me with excitement for the future of this organization  Ã‚  Ã‚  66% 44% Our senior leaders treat employees as this organizations most valued assets  Ã‚  Ã‚  69% 47% Our senior leaders consistently demonstrate the organizations values in all behaviors and actions73% 51% 3.4 Position of McDonalds When we analyse the competing fast-food chains in China, we find that till the end of 2008, KFC opened over 2300 restaurants in China, while McDonalds only has 1100 restaurants. In a questionnaire which investigatesâ€Å" The Most Impressive Restaurant in Guangzhou† shows that Mcdonalds with a proportion of 23.5% is leading other fast-food restaurants including KFC and some other local restaurants. Proportion of Impression of Fast-food restaurants in Guangzhou Research also reflects that McDonalds major consumers are young people aged between 15 and 25. By calculating we can infer that this group of people goes to McDonalds every 2.82 weeks with 60% of them going there because of the fashion image given by McDonalds while 33.3% of them go there because of its conveniences. However, convenience is cited by 53.5% for people aged between 25 and 40 as the reason for going to McDonalds. Proportion of different aged people take a meal at McDonalds at different frequencies consumer aged between 15-25 Consumer aged between 25-40 Motive of consumption During the survey, questions were asked about which promotion method most influences the interviewee the main source that people use to acquire information being 1) TV advertising and 2) friends. These are 74% and 65% respectively. Mean while, when asked about the impact of advertising,75.5% of interviewee express that they are frequently attracted by TV advertising which are quite innovate. 24.5% of interviewees say that they are occasionally interested but no one has ever been attracted nor seen the TV advertising. (diagram) Consumers sensitivity of TV advertising 4. Analysis In spite of being an American firm that is built around the Hamburger model, McDonalds has become a part of the lives of people in Asia. Consumers in countries like China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand, where the staple diet is mostly rice or noodles have still embraced this fast food chain. It has even managed to penetrate in India, where cows are considered sacred. 4.1 Globalisation and Glocalisation There have been widespread campaigns about the ill-effects of globlasition there are a few that are pro-globalisation and postulate that globalisation enhances culture rather than adulterate it. Where it not for globalisation, it would have been unlikely that McDonalds would have had developed as a brand. â€Å"Researchers have coined a term, glocalisation, to refer to the interactions between local influences and actors and global forces† (Smith Guarnizo, 1999). Large multinational firms, particularly in the services sector, have taken steps to adapt to local values, traditions and cultures. In some instances, there have been large scale protests when a multinational firms sets up its operation overseas. McDonalds had to bear the brunt of protests when it first started in India. Radley Balko (2003), states that â€Å"In most communities, the McDonalds has conformed to the local culture not the other way around. The McDonalds corporation notes that most of its overseas franchises are locally owned, and thus make efforts to buy from local communities. McDonalds also alters its regional menus to conform to local taste.†. For example, in India, the non-vegetarian menu includes chicken and fish items only. Beef is not on the menu in India because are considered sacred. 4.2 Contribution of Culture to their Success People bring an organisation alive. Using a more diverse description, fish feels the need for water only when it is not in it. Culture is like what water is to fish. It sustains us. We live and breathe through it. â€Å"McDonalds commitment to diversity is established on the foundational belief that diversity is not just a moral and ethical issue, but also a business issue† (McDonalds, 2005). Due to the sheer number of outlets in 120 different countries, McDonalds has no choice but to embrace diversity. What is means is that almost every culture, every ethencity is represented in McDonalds. Internal management policies dictate that local suppliers are promoted. This is an extension of their policy on diversity. the use of local suppliers and based on their policies of diversity. When the individual outlets are examined, at the managerial level, there exists a task/occupational sub- culture.†A task culture is job or project oriented culture and emphasis is placed on completing a specific task†. Coles, M. et al.,(1999). The members have strong recognition for the skills of one another and respect each other. They need each other for the organisational success. Culture is itself not visible, but is made visible by actions or if one does something weird and people will come up and tell you that it is not the done thing. McDonalds realizes that having diversity as an asset greatly enhances the profitability of the company. Diversity is a direct reflection of a companys interpersonal relationships. McDonalds leadership encourages diversity through their policies and programs. McDonalds proven success with leveraging the advantages of diversity can be attributed to their core value of ethics. When I characterise the people of McDonalds on the basis of Herzbergs Motivation hygiene theory, Mullins,L.J.(2002), it is easy to appreciate and seems readily applicable. However when looking at it deeper, certain factors emerge questionable Money is a complicated motivator, it satisfies peoples need in a variety of ways, a set of people in McDonalds, money was important as they needed to fulfil their basic physiological need, there were others who needed money to throw parties (a social need) and the customer relations manager wanted it to buy a house (esteem need). People cut right through the way in which th ey prioritised money. 4.3 Management Practices There is a saying, â€Å"You can take the horse to the water but you cannot make it drink.† It will drink only if it so desires. People will also do what they want to do unless motivated, whether on the shop floor or in the ivory tower. This can be done intrinsically or by external stimulus. Watson (1997) mentioned that â€Å"McDonalds focuses on standardization of its products, as consistency and predictability are important keys to the companys worldwide appeal. It was also indicated that one key to McDonalds success was the constant push to speed up production without sacrificing consistency. McDonalds had created a system that depends upon standardized procedures in everything from sandwich assembly to advanced management training at Hamburger University†. In the 600-page â€Å"Operations and Training Manual† production guide, McDonalds ensured that nothing is left to chance; photo layouts showed where the sauces should be placed on the bun, and the exact thickness of sliced pickles was specified. All equipment at McDonalds restaurants must be purchased from approved suppliers, and the architectural design of both interior and exterior is carefully controlled. It can be said that McDonalds preaches uniformity and consistency with the fervency of a relig ion. 4.4 Core Values bind across cultures A growing belief that one of the major sources of potential competitive advantage for businesses is the effective management and development of people. For example, Sparrow et al covered in their study over 2000 organisations across the globe and their report concluded that â€Å"an organizations people provide the only realistic basis for achieving a sustainable competitive advantage†. A good example of the manner of dissipation of the core values is in the form of bonding at the shop floor. For example, the employees of McDonalds are collectively called the crew of the restaurant. This is the term used at all McDonalds restaurants. It means the same in every country and every outlet of McDonalds all belong to the same family. McDonalds senior team put the companys resilience down to an on-going investment to its customers including improving the restaurant experience and expanding its menu. The company has also maintained a massive commitment to its people and their training, which includes making apprenticeships available to all eligible employees and a cohesive and comprehension management, leadership and coaching programme. David Fairhurst, Senior Vice President People at McDonalds UK said: â€Å"In these challenging economic times, it is more important than ever for employers to invest in their staff.† Carole Williams, Corporate Training Manager for McDonalds UK, said a key component of its success is through strong leadership and communication. 4.5 Managing the Customer Experience In our personal lives, most of us would like to believe that the more someone knows us, the more that person will like us. As the old saying goes, to know me is to love me. Interestingly enough, this is also the essence of customer service. Without product differentiation, its the service that that will develop customer loyalty. Crainer (1995) in his book â€Å"The Real Power of Brands† identified McDonalds as a brilliant international exercise in uniformity. He wrote, â€Å"Wherever you go in Europe or the world, a McDonalds restaurant appears very similar and its products are uncanny reproductions of each other. It is homogeneous, uniform and highly successful. That is a McDonalds formula.† Crainer also mentioned that â€Å"McDonalds restaurants are clean; the food is consistent; the service is good. In effect, the very uniformity of the brand is the crucial differentiating factor.† In today competitive environment, customer service is not merely a means to drive sales. McDonalds has created a a niche for itself by raising the bar of competition by providing customers a unique experience. They have accomplished this is through their employees. As the competitive bar goes up, they ensure that the quality of their employees goes up too. Adapted from Mulins .J â€Å"Employee Relations and business performance† 5. Lessons Learnt In addressing the issues relating to developing effective international management teams it appears that the following areas should be considered: Identifying the nature and implications of national cultural differences within the team. Establishing a basis for building understanding and awareness of cultural differences and how they may be managed. Formulating a framework for developing a high performing team which takes account of cultural differences and leverages the diversity present in an international team. It is useful to identify clear framework for analysing and understanding national cultural differences. Such frameworks have been developed by researchers and consultants such as Hofstede and Trompenaars. While the respective merits and drawbacks of different frameworks are widely discussed and are rather helpful in illustrating the major issues which need to be considered. 6. Conclusion In conclusion, there are no simple answers on how management and management practice drive organisation success. Of all the resources available, in the International arena, the human resource is clearly the most significant, but also the most difficult to manage. The models mentioned earlier are only the basic strategies, though the final mix will vary from situation to situation. The key to competitiveness for Mcdonalds is quality and quality depends more on the commitment of individuals; more on the way these individuals behave; their team spirit than on the passive execution of orders received. People create the future through what they do and dont do. More importantly through what they can and cannot do. The value of companies stems from the people who work there, the skills they possess and their potential to transform.