Essay on Song of Solomon A Bildungsroman of Milkman

It can be said that Song of Solomon is bildungsroman which is defined by The Encyclopedia Britannica as â€Å"a class of novel that deals with the [coming-of-age or] formative years of an individual†. Furthermore, in a bildungsroman, a main protagonist usually undergoes some transformation after seeking truth or philosophical enlightenment. In Morrison’s novel, the plot follows the main protagonist Milkman as he matures within his community while developing relationships with others and discovering his individual identity. In an essay titled Call and Response, Marilyn Sanders Mobley notes that â€Å"What Song of Solomon does ultimately is suggest that a viable sense of African American identity comes from responding to alternative constructions of†¦show more content†¦Smith had learned earlier—that only birds and airplanes could fly† (Morrison 9). Morrison writes that Milkman loses all interest in himself at that point. This incident is complement ary to an episode in The Autobiography of Malcolm X when Mr. Ostrowski, a teacher of Malcolm X’s, tells Malcolm that becoming â€Å"a lawyer†¦is no realistic goal for a nigger† (X 41). In both cases, each individual thereafter tries to pursue a more mainstream view of self-identity. Further observation of the two men aligns closely with identities of American ideals of wealth, prosperity, and Western culture. Initially, Milkman’s journey leads him down a path that resembles cultural influences of mainstream America. This is the same direction in which his father, Macon Dead, Jr. navigates his life—seeking wealth, prosperity, and likeness to White Americans while remaining undisturbed by the problems inherent to his community. Milkman tries to imitate this characteristic of his father’s until he grows older and realizes that one of his legs is shorter than the other which requires him to walk with a limp. At fourteen, â€Å"Milkman feared his father, respected him, but knew, because of his leg, that he could never emulate him† (Morrison 63). Once again Milkman’s sense of identity is stumped and while he tries to imitate his father, he becomes different, nonetheless, in his behaviors. Milkman’s journey for an identity takes him down a road in which he becomes as callous as his father.Show MoreRelatedTheme Of Character Development In Song Of Solomon1161 Words   |  5 PagesSong of Solomon’s protagonist Milkman plays a crucial role in the novel’s major focal point of character development. The novel can be appropriately labeled a Bildungsroman due to its clear and continuous creation of Milkman’s characteristics. Throughout the text readers can see changes made within the character, such as his reactions to situations and the language he uses when he is talking and thinking. Milkman commences the novel as a confused, spoiled young man who feels he deserves the worldRead MoreCharacter Development In Song Of Solomon1739 Words   |  7 PagesSong of Solomon By Toni Morrison Ayanna Higgins Mr. Amoroso AP Literature Topic #1 Maturity comes with experiences in life. Some are exposed to those events early while others encounter them in their adulthood. These transitions cause character development within the protagonist, Milkman Dead. In the bildungsroman, or coming of age, novel Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, Milkman evolves from an ignorant and selfish being to a responsible and caring man. While trying to become an independentRead MoreThe Lack Of Lack : The Uniqueness Of Pilate1815 Words   |  8 Pagesof the most exciting figures who carries symbolic significance in Song of Solomon, I consider applying the lens of androgyny to analyze her image as problematic, and further disagree with the understanding of her â€Å"wholeness† as a solution to the dilemma faced by the female characters. I will show that instead of being an existence of androgyny, Pilate serves as the epitome of femininity defined by the literary realm of Song of Solomon; her â€Å"lack†, that is, a sense of insufficie ncy in political mobility

Comparing Plato And Aristotle s Idea Of Happiness

The very foundation of our domestic and international democracy is founded upon the basis of early Athenian politics. Ancient Greeks created the very idea of democracy, which today seems so simple but at this time, a complex and entirely new idea. They created the idea of citizenship, pathing the way to for the representative democratic style of government that is practiced worldwide. At this time, their ideas were not inherited by different cultures but by merely the ideas of philosophers. Greek philosophers embark on a quest for â€Å"a good life† and the best political constitution to accompany it. Although the main philosophers we’ve discussed have similar yet different ideas on how to live a happy and fulfilling life, in turn, it has†¦show more content†¦He sees the virtues of the soul parallel to the virtues of the city and one in which each of the parts (reason, spirit, and appetite) perform its proper function. Plato argues that an orderly and just s oul is significant to living a happier life than anyone who lives a life of disorder and conflict with an unjust soul. . Thrasymachus, a sophist of Ancient Greece, describes the connection between what is â€Å"just† and â€Å"unjust† and how it relates to one’s happiness. He teaches us that injustice brings about what is of most value for an individual. Thus pursing, what one deems as justice, as leading to unhappiness, â€Å"since it will limit one’s ability to acquire external goods†. We are taught that a physically just person’s soul acts in the psychological state of proper function. Thus one is physically unjust when one of the parts of the soul fails to perform its proper function. Plato argues that a just person with an orderly soul has a more fuller, better and happier life than anyone whose soul is not in order; and one with a thoroughly unjust soul, a soul in disorder and conflict, is miserable. Plato’s underlying idea her e is that although a kind of happy life is possible if each part of the soul perform its function, they happiest life is one in which each part of the soul performs its function with complete excellence if it is allowed to set the goals for the individual. Plato continues his quest to find the true

Corporate Communication of Qantas Group-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Identify and strategicallyanalysecorporate reputations and the characteristics of their identities. Answer: Introduction: Jetstar Airways is an airline service company of the Qantas Group operating in Australia. With the low cost facilities and the recognition of the brand, Jetstar has been able to have a recognized position in the sector (Jiang, 2013). The case study of the company of Jetstar in the report forecasts the corporate reputation that it holds in the Australian market. It also elaborates the various means by which the company can be affected with the various incorporations that the organization makes. It thereby suggests the actions that the company could undertake in order to frame its corporate image. The report represents the importance of stakeholder theory for every company and the relevance of the stakeholders who serve to be the basis for influencing the perception about the organization as a whole. Company background: Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd., commonly known as Jetstar is the low-cost airlines operating in Australia with its headquarters at Melbourne. The airline was establishes in 2003 in response to the threats posed by the other low-cost airline Virgin Australia. The company is owned by the Qantas and carries about 8.5% of the total passengers travelling to and from Australia ("Jetstar Airways - Australia | Jetstar", 2018). It operates about 4000 flight a week and has branches in New Zealand, Japan, Singapore and Vietnam ("Jetstar Airways - Australia | Jetstar", 2018). The airline operates both nationally and internationally with its base at Melbourne Airport. The company has a mixed fleet of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the A320 family that serves within and across nations. PEST analysis: Being a part of the airline industry, the various factors that are affecting the market of the Jetstar airways are as follows: Political factors- Australia being a politically stable nation, has rendered to the smooth operations of Jetstar airlines ("Australia still home for Qantas", 2018). The country has a wide network of trade and business that has benefitted the company to a significant extent. This has enriched the economy of both the nation and the airline company. The tourism industry that the country has been promoting has a positive impact on the airlines that would incur profits for them and bring to them more number of customers as well. Economic factors- due to the impact of the global economic crisis, the world travel market has been affected badly. The global passengers traffic has not been increasing more than 4% (Homsombat, Lei Fu, 2014). The increase in fuel price has also been affecting the business. This hampers the company to sustain its main aim of having low fares for the travelers. Social factors- the changes in family and job structures affect the airline industry to a significant extent. Thus, the company has to constantly formulate policies accordingly. People have to opt for multiple flights in a day due to work purposes. This is beneficial for the company. Moreover, the acceptance level of low-cost air travels within customers has enabled the Jetstar airways to hold a good reputation. It has also opened up doors for the company to offer premium class travelling services. Technological factors- due to the advancement of technology, it has smoothen the processes of airline industry. Online ticket bookings have become very effective for both ends (Dodgson, 2018). In addition to this, the Jetstar airline has been able to apply satellite technology based on global landing system. Thus, it can be analyzed that the performance of the Jetstar company has been able to perform its activities smoothly and in accordance to customer benefits due to the various factors that has accelerated its sustenance and performance significantly. Organization structure: The chief executive officer of the Qantas Group that owns Jetstar airlines is Gareth Evans and Dean serves to be the CEO of Jetstar Australia and New Zealand ("Jetstar Airways - Australia | Jetstar", 2018). They have an organized executive team that works collaboratively for the success of the company. The company has code share agreements with the American Airlines, the Emirates, Japan Airlines, Jin Air, Latam Chile and Qantas. The company owns various stakes in the Asia-Pacific region and partners with local investors to overcome foreign ownerships, traffic right restrictions and reduce the capital investment. Stakeholder theory: The theory of organizational management and ethics that frame the core of the business processes accumulatively connotes to the Stakeholder theory. It addresses to the morals and values that must be considered in organizational management. The stakeholder theory reflects the various principles on which each organization must work in to aid to the interests of the people who really matters for the company functioning. These people are the stakeholders for the companies. Stakeholder theory justifies the role of the core groups involved in the business and its success that includes the employees, customers, suppliers, political groups, government officials, financiers, trade associations and trade unions (Harrison Wicks, 2013). All these people have the capacity to affect the business renderings and thus they are very important for its performance. The two aspects of the stakeholder theory are normative, that defines the specific stakeholders of the organizations and the descriptive, t hat examines the various conditions on which the manager of the companies treats the groups as stakeholders. These are called the identification and salience aspects of the theory. The theory has been criticized on multiple grounds but has been very successful in the business ethics perspective. The stakeholder theory has been widely used to assess the corporate social responsibility of the companies and is applicable to all types of industries. The theory has been very beneficial to complement management issues relating to the social, organizational and individual dilemmas. Stakeholders of the organization: The head of the airport partnerships at Jetstar stated that partnership lies in the DNA of them. He connoted that business partnerships play a very important role in the development of airline industry. The Jetstar airline has three core dual brand partners, 46 codeshare and interlines partnerships. Apart from the internal stakeholders being the employees, managers and other operating people, the company considers the customers to be the most valued stakeholders. Leaving put the suppliers, investors and government, the community leaders and the tourism and business officials serve to be the stakeholders of the company. The multiple alliances that the company aims to have in the Asia-Pacific region also account to be the stakeholders for it Corporate Reputation Theory The corporate reputation theory explains that every company has their image in the eyes of the stakeholders of the company. These stakeholders have their own perception about the image of the company. This may be positive or negative. In the case of big companies, the Corporate Reputation plays a very important role. This is also known as the goodwill of the company. The companies spend mainly in areas of CSR to increase the goodwill (Cornelissen Cornelissen, 2017). Goodwill is one of the intangible assets of the company. It is not perceived by senses but it is understood by the general perception of the people in the company. The stakeholders of a company include the customers, the investors, the suppliers, the vendors, the various tertiary companies working with the company and also the employees. The company must have a very stable corporate goodwill that will help the company in gaining new customers, increasing the number of investors, retaining employees and have better relati onship with the vendors (Walker, 2010).. The CSR activities on various levels such as Profit, People, and Planet, helps in gaining more investors, making employees more productive and gaining goodwill. Company behavior and Activities The company is known for its very low pricing of air tickets. The company in its website also offers the customer a 10% decrease in price if they find any company offering lesser price. Therefore, the people of the country has a perception about the company that it is budget and pocket friendly. The company has various Corporate Social Responsibilities schemes that it performs either single handedly or in collaboration with other companies. The company has a partnership with World vision which has humanitarian relief projects. The people who are living in poverty, especially the kids are provided assistance to achieve a better future (Newsroom.jetstar.com, 2018). It works not only within the borders of Australia but in various countries in between which the company operates flights including Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The company has a program for startups and projects that will enrich the life of the local communities. Two initiatives are listed in this order Flying Start New Zealand and Flying Start Australia. The company has a number of initiatives and programs that endeavor in reducing the effects on environment. The Fly Carbon Neutral Program, in which the passengers of the company can choose to fly carbon neutral, in which the contribution is used to buy verified carbon offset projects around the world. New aircrafts which are brought are fuel efficient and also the flight strategy is revised to support sustainability. The company has a smart and professional team for corporate communication process and media relations. This team handles the internal, external and social media communications. A single team performing all the communication activities makes it easier and simple. The team has its presence in various countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Singapore. The corporate communication strategy is to protect and promote the brand. The Corporate Reputation of the Company The company has carefully built its image in a way that in case of budget airlines people will be thinking immediately of this brand. It has been seen that the remembrance factor of the company in the customers mind is very high, especially the customers who prefer to travel in budget flights. The company promises a 10% lower price if the customer finds any other company offering tickets at a lesser price. Therefore, the company has its own strategy towards brand placement. It has placed the brand in the low budget airlines category but provides many offers and amenities which are usually provided by the costly airlines. In spite of providing the customers with very less amount of ticket price the company takes part in various corporate social responsibility activities which helps the company in gaining goodwill from the customers and the investors. The investors of the company are also amused by the fact that the company is growing quite fast and has its presence in a number of countries including New Zealand and Singapore apart from Australia. The customers have a strong positive perception about the company because of its lower price and various initiatives like reduction of carbon emission, helping the poor children and supporting the startups and projects across the country and in other countries. According to the company website Jetstar is committed to helping their employees find a work-life balance that suits them. As part of this, we give our team access to a range of finance, health and wellbeing programs to assist with achieving balance and managing stress, fatigue and finances. We also provide free access to an Employee Assistance Program. Also the staffs and their family gets to travel for highly discounted prices. This makes working at the company a rewarding experience (Jetstar.com, 2018). Implication, Conclusion and Recommendation Therefore, it is evident from the above analysis about the various aspects of the company including its corporate social responsibility, corporate communication and corporate reputation, that the company is well ahead of many of its competitors in many of these aspects. By CSR activities it has established its goodwill in a strong way. By building up a separate, dedicated, professional and compact team for corporate communication it had excelled in the process and also developed its corporate reputation. A few recommendations however can be given for the company which will further help in boosting its image. One is to expand its bases to more countries and increase the number of destinations. Second is to hire a brand ambassador who will help in boosting the companys image. Third is to advertise the CSR activities so that more people may come to know about these. All these activities will help the company in increasing its business further. References Cornelissen, J., Cornelissen, J. P. (2017).Corporate communication: A guide to theory and practice. Sage. Dodgson, M. (2018). Technological collaboration in industry: strategy, policy and internationalization in innovation (Vol. 11). Routledge. Easdown, G. (2007). Australia still home for Qantas. Heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 10 April 2018, from https://www.heraldsun.com.au/businessold/australia-still-home-for-qantas/news-story/43dd8dc34c8d0fff992ccda6abce8e24?sv=654f662e6512c81c00fce9d530751210 Harrison, J. S., Wicks, A. C. (2013). Stakeholder theory, value, and firm performance. Business ethics quarterly, 23(1), 97-124. Homsombat, W., Lei, Z., Fu, X. (2014). Competitive effects of the airlines-within-airlines strategyPricing and route entry patterns. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 63, 1-16. Jetstar.com. (2018).Recognition and Benefits.Jetstar. Retrieved 10 April 2018, from https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/careerportal/home/life-at-jetstar/recognition-and-benefits Jiang, H. (2013). Service quality of low-cost long-haul airlinesThe case of Jetstar Airways and AirAsia X. Journal of Air Transport Management, 26, 20-24. Newsroom.jetstar.com. (2018).Community and sustainability.Community and sustainability. Retrieved 10 April 2018, from https://newsroom.jetstar.com/community-and-sustainability/ Walker, K. (2010). A systematic review of the corporate reputation literature: Definition, measurement, and theory.Corporate reputation review,12(4), 357-387.

The Outsiders Essays - Literature, Fiction, Culture, Films

The Outsiders The Outsiders In this book analysis, about the book ?The Outsiders? by S. E. Hinton I will discuss character and plot development, as well as the setting, the author's style and my opinions about the book. In this part of the analysis I will give some information about the subjects of the book, and about the author. The author wrote the story when she was just 16 years old, in the 1950s. The book was successful, and it was sold, and still being sold, in many copies as a young adults novel. There was a movie made about it, and today there are still many schools that use this book in junior high and high schools for English classes. There were plays made about the book too. The Outsiders is about a gang. They live in a city in Oklahoma. Ponyboy Curtis, a 14 year old greaser, tells the story. Other characters include Sodapop and Darry, Ponyboy's brothers, Johnny, Dallas, and Two- Bit, that were also gang members and Ponyboy's friends. This story deals with two forms of social classes: the socs, the rich kids, and the greasers, the poor kids. The socs go around looking for trouble and greasers to beat up, and then the greasers are blamed for it, because they are poor and cannot affect the authorities. I hope you would enjoy and learn something about the book from reading this analysis. Plot Development The plot development in the book, ?The Outsiders? by S.E. Hinton, was easy to follow. In this part of the book analysis I will give some more details about the plot development. There were no hooks or hurdles in the beginning of the book, the first sentence starts right away with the plot?without any forewords. This is the beginning of the first sentence: ? When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house...? (page 9). As you can see, it goes straight to the point without any prologues or any kind of introduction. The plot development in the middle of the story was sensible and easy to understand. It was clear and simple, and the events have occurred in a reasonable order. The ending of the story was a bit expected. I anticipated the death of Johnny because a broken neck usually means death. The death of Dally was not as predictable as Johnny's death because it was said that: ?He was tougher than the rest of us?tougher, colder, meaner.? (page 19). I did not think that such a tough person would get himself killed because of a death of a friend, although it was said a short time before the death of Dally that: ?Johnny was the only thing Dally loved.? (page 160). The climaxes at the end of the story were the deaths of Johnny and Dally. Here are quotations about the deaths: Johnny's death: ?The pillow seemed to sink a little, and Johnny died.? (page 157). Dally's death: ?He was jerked half around by the impact of the bullets, then slowly crumpled with a look of grim triumph on his face. He was dead before he hit the ground.? (page 162). To conclude I can say that the plot development was simple and easy to understand and to follow. The author organized it in a way that fits the actual content of the plot. Character Development The characters in the book, ?The Outsiders? by S.E. Hinton, were not very heroic?they were just humans?it was easy to believe that this is the way they should be. The characters in the plot give the reader a feeling this can be a true story. The author has created the personality of the characters through the descriptions of Ponyboy?the narrator?and through their actions. Following are some examples of these methods of getting familiar with a character. Here is an example for a description of Ponyboy: ?Steve Randle was seventeen, tall and lean, with thick greasy hair he kept combed in complicated swirls. He was cocky, smart, and Soda's best buddy since grade school. Steve's specialty was cars...? (page 17). The reader can find this kind of descriptions almost everywhere in the story, but especially in the beginning. I think the author

Free sample - Discussions on Psychological Theory. translation missing

Discussions on Psychological Theory. Discussions on Psychological TheoryPresent paper deals with the discussions of the psychological theory and its main principles. According to this theory, usage of drugs and people’s addiction to them can be explained by different factors. The first case under discussion is usage of drugs because of two main factors contributing it. They are reinforcement and personal problems. I completely agree that the positive reinforcement is one of the key factors, making people use drugs. Pleasurable sensations, accruing after drug usage is the main reason of the desire to get drugs again and again. That is why, all people who are addicted to drugs, explain their addiction by this reason. The next motivation for the drug abuse is problems in the emotional life. When people have certain emotional or personal troubles, such as problems in family or relationships, they suppose that drugs are the only way out that can help them to escape from reality. The next point under discussion is drug addiction due to the inadequate personality. People, having the features of the inadequate personality experience low self-respect and feel constant failure of life. As a result they are more apt to become addicted to drugs. I can not agree more with this fact, as in our life there are quite many examples when individuals who are not satisfied with their life try to change this situation with the help of drugs. They think that only under the influence of drugs they can feel more self-confident and successful. The final topic of drug abuse reasons is unawareness of people about the negative effects of such addicting and absence of will power. In this case, the factor of negative reinforcement occurs. Very often, people, suffering from unbearable pains start using drugs in order to decrease pain and unpleasant feelings. They do it without complete understanding of the results, as the only motivation for them is pain relief. Weak will power or its complete absence is very significant factor that should be mentioned. People who are lack of will power have more chances to get into drug dependence. For such people it is very difficult to resist the temptation of drug usage, especially when they are influenced by the friends who are already abused by drugs.

How to Negotiate Your Salary in an Interview

How to Negotiate Your Salary in an Interview In negotiations, the first person to blink usually loses. The same goes for salary negotiations. If you name a number first, you’ll never know how high the hiring manager might have gone to win you. Here are five sneaky ways an interviewer will get you to answer the money question, and how to avoid them.Q: â€Å"What is the salary range you’re expecting?†Your ideal answer: â€Å"I’d like to get a better sense of the requirements before I commit to a number. Just so I can make sure I have a sense of what you need.†Q: â€Å"How much did you make at your last job?†Your ideal answer:  Don’t answer it. Say instead: â€Å"First I want to make sure I understand the ways in which this position’s responsibilities will differ from those of my former position. Let’s discuss the details before we agree on a fair amount.†Q: â€Å"What are you hoping for in terms of salary?†Your ideal answer:  This is basically the sa me as the first question. If they’ve already asked some version of this, try this answer, and keep deflecting: â€Å"I’m sure whatever you’re offering will be commensurate with the going market rate for this position.† This puts the burden of fairness on them.Q: â€Å"In order to make you an offer, I’ll need to know your requirements.†Your ideal answer:  False! Resist! Deflect again! How about: â€Å"Let’s start with what you have budgeted for this position and then we can discuss from there.†Q: â€Å"Why don’t you want to disclose your salary requirements?†Your ideal answer:  This is quite the bold one, and not all that common. At this point, it’s okay to fight fire with fire. Try: â€Å"I’d really like to get a sense of what this position is worth to your company before I make any commitments.†As tough as it is to be tough, it will pay out in the long run. You may feel awkward about taki ng such a hard line, but your interviewer will respect you as someone not to be trifled with. You might even win yourself the offer with your negotiating prowess.

Child Rearing in America Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Child Rearing in America - Case Study Example According to Annette Lareau, the central factors of family life cohere to form a cultural logic of child rearing which stresses the intensive nurturing of children in the contemporary social situation. "In this historical moment, middle-class parents tend to adopt a cultural logic of child rearing that stresses the concerted cultivation of children. Working-class and poor parents, by contrast, tend to undertake the accomplishment of natural growth. In the accomplishment of natural growth, children experience long stretches of leisure time, child-initiated play, clear boundaries between adults and children and daily confrontations with kin." (Lareau, 2003, p 3). Christopher Davis was born and brought up as the son of middle-class parents and his birth and nurturing demonstrate the state of affairs with child rearing in the contemporary America. Christopher Davis was born in 2004 while his mother, Susan, was eighteen years of age and was pursuing her Bachelor's degree. All through her pregnancy period, Susan attended college and she never dedicated time for the nurturing of the baby. ... The family under investigation belonged to middle-class Blacks and their experience with child rearing suggests the influence of class difference on the shaping of individuals in the families. "It is the class differences and how they are enacted in family life and child rearing that shape the ways children view themselves in relation to the rest of the world." (Lareau, 2003, p 4). Therefore, the paper undertakes an essential qualitative analysis of the case of Christopher Davis in an attempt to achieve a deeper knowledge of issues to educational practice. The research problem in this qualitative research case study is the issues connected with child rearing and the example of Christopher Davis illustrates these issues most effectively. The case study reported in the paper primarily focuses on parental involvement, child-rearing practices and academic achievement on the basis of the specific case of Christopher Davis. Research Design and Methods This research study undertakes an analysis of the specific case of Christopher Davis who confronts several pertinent issues of child rearing. The subject of this qualitative research case study Christopher Davis (Chris) who is son to Susan and John and they live in Brooklyn, New York. Chris has 2 bothers that look up to him. Christopher Davis is the perfect selection for an analysis of the pertinent issues concerning child rearing as he faced some of the most important nurturing problems in his short life. The research reported in this paper undertook personal interviews with the family of Chris. A reflective analysis of the life experience of Chris in his development and education suggests that child rearing is one of the most essential

Crime in Context (SC2032C) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Crime in Context (SC2032C) - Essay Example What is interesting about this form of crime is that, due to its sheer effects and implications on many other fields of studies, it is no longer viewed just as a part of criminology, or not even just as sociology, but is also involved in other fields like economic, anthropology, law political science and history (Klaus von Lampe 2006). Suffice it to say that it has become a discipline itself, and is studied as a separate and special field of study, having its own literature and figures for study and analysis. Academic sources are drawn from all sorts of fields, and likewise, it has influenced many areas of national and international interaction, especially with the advancement in modern technology (Fiorentini, G & Peltzman, S. 1995). This paper aims at laying down a foundation to the study of organised crime, touching upon its many definitions and theories, its types and their effects on modern as well as historic human societies, and methods and procedures to regulate and control the spread and effects of operations that have been established as organised crime. Definitions: during the study of crime over the past ... The term organised crime was first coined by the Chicago Crime Commission in 1919 (Concept and Theory of Organised Crime in the USA 1999). Since then, this type of crime has taken up different forms and methodologies, depending upon the time in history, the places and cultures associated with it, and the effects it has as a result of the criminal activities of its doers. There is no one crime type that can be labeled as organised crime (Donald R. 1972). However, whatever the scenario, there are certain basic underlying characteristics that are true to all its forms. Broadly speaking, organised crime can be defined as the activities and operations undertaken by a group of criminals who have a hierarchically structured party, monetary acquisitions and funding, and political influences and backup to support their varied interests, involving a rampant use of violence to protect those interests (Wikipedia 2007). In short, as defined by the US Organised Crime Control Act of 1970, organized crime is "The unlawful activities of ... a highly organised, disciplined association...". Studying the various definitions of organised crime is in effect studying the different natures and perspectives in which this type of crime occurs, because each incident in itself has the potential to mold how organised crime is viewed and how it can be controlled. Different sources, according to the kind of facts and figures and data they have collected during their study, put forward different aspects of the crime. One form of the crime could be for supplying

Communication and interpersonal interactions Essay Example for Free

Communication and interpersonal interactions Essay Explain strategies used in health and social care environments to overcome barriers to effective communication and interpersonal interactions Sometimes in health and social care, professionals find it hard to be able to communicate with patients and clients because of reasons such as disabilities. Sometimes people with certain disabilities need help and support in order to communicate with professionals effectively. People with learning difficulties may need to have a advocate with them who talks behalf of the person who may feel nervous or uncomfortable because they have learning difficulty. They may also feel confused because of the terminology that the professionals may use that the patient may not understand. There are also many types of services that help people with disabilities in order to interact effectively with the professionals such as, signers, translators, physiologists, and mentors. Some patients or clients may have different types of disabilities such as being death. People who have ear imperilment often have signers who will sign whatever is being said by the professional and to the patient who is unable to hear to be able to interact effectively with what is being said by the professional. People who are unable to speak English will have a translator with them who is someone who translates one language into another for the patient so the patient and professional is able to communicate with each other. Some patients use some forms of technologies such as hearing aids and mobile phones to be able to text and communicate. Hearing aids are made for people with hearing imperment, to be able to hear clearly by adjusting the volume to a good level to be able to help them hear clearly. Texting is also another form of communication as some people that are death may prefer communicating with professionals through text. Patients and clients may have preffered languages which may include first language, braile, makaton and sign. People that are paralised E. G. Steven Hawkins, they would use a makaton to be able to communicate which is a language programme for people who are not able to speak efficiently that patients may use to be able to communicate with professionals. Another form of preferred language may be first language, people who speak more than 1 language may prefer speaking their own language with a professional that speaks it too as they may feel that they are able to communicate better with their first language. People who are blind will use a braille which is a form of system that has alphabets of dots which can be read through touch. People with visual impairment will use a braille that needs to be provided to them by professionals to be able to communicate with them. Active listening is also another strategy that is used to interact effectively as it can show a clear understanding of what has being said. Active listening involves listening to patients and then reflecting back on what has been said to make it clear the message they have received is understood. As a individual, all patients have the right to be treated in a caring way by the service workers that they access. Health professions support patients and clients in many ways such as promoting rights, maintaining empowerment, and maintaining confidenialty. Maintain confidentiality under the act of confidentiality y is very important and MUST be maintained to all patients and clients of care and under the law. All patients and clients have the right to confidentiality meaning they have the right to access what information is being held by them, to change any inaccurate information, and to have the right to private information being locked up safely where know one can access. All health professions maintain confidentiality by storing private information about patients in a safe place, not sharing or talking about anyones information with people from outside other than colleagues. Professionals also make sure that they maintain confidentiality by giving patients and clients privacy to be able to have their own personal space. When services users access services, professionals try their best to make them feel pleased about the service so they try the best as they can to make patients feel like they are at home by maintaining empowerment. Empowerment means being able to give choices of freedom to be able to make patients feel pleased about the service and happy. All professionals are aware that everyone has individual differences such as religion, so they make sure that they provide different types of choices to people from different religions such as Muslims and also provide different types of choices according to peoples preferences.

How important is the setting in the short stories you have read? :: English Literature

How important is the setting in the short stories you have read? In this assignment I will analyse 5 short stories, which are all pre 1914. These are – ‘The man with the twisted lip’, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, ‘The Red Room’, by H.G Wells, ‘The Signalman’, by Charles Dickens, ‘A Terribly Strange Bed,’ by Wilkie Collins and ‘The Ostler’, also by Wilkie Collins. The stories all have an exterior location. For example, in the Red Room, the corridors on the way to The Red Room. The language H.G Wells uses, such as ‘haunted’, ‘darkness’ and ‘shadowy’ create a feeling of tension and suspense. This is even before you have reached the main setting. Compared to The Signalman, the way the settings are portrayed, there is very little difference. Some of the words used by Charles Dickens, such as ‘dark’, ‘gloomy red light’ and ‘cold’. Some similarities are that they both talk about darkness and lack of light. The interior settings play a significant part in most of the stories. The man with the twisted lip, there is an opium den. This sets the scene to a dark and gloomy setting, just as the authors did with the exterior setting. The authors are always using dark and gloomy symbolism. The opium den is described as ‘gloomy’, ‘dark’ and ‘black shadows’. This gets you on the edge, and you want to read on. In comparison to The Red Room which uses shock and surprise. Where it says ‘the young duke had died’, it goes on to say, ‘headlong down the steps’. This immediately shocks you because it is such a horrific death. This therefore is a very important part of the setting. In addition, when the candles start to go out, the character panics. The writer uses phrases such as ‘suddenly went out’, ‘black shadow sprang back to its place’ and ‘darkness was there.’ This excites the reader, and you want to read on. Also the writer uses short, sharp sentences to emphasise the panic and terror, which the character is feeling. Also the sub characters help to portray the eeriness of the story. In The Red Room, there is a man with a ‘withered arm’, and another with ‘decaying yellow teeth’. To the reader this is a very unpleasant and sickening thought. The people who spread the myth of The Red Room help to give out a horrific feeling to the story. In The man with the twisted lip, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle describes the people in the opium den as ‘bodies’, not as people. This shows that he does not see the

Swot: Brand and Dove Conditioner Shampoo

StrengthsDove conditioner shampoo varieties are products of the Dove Company. However, Unilever is the parent company of Dove products. As well know, Unilever is a Anglo-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products. Therefore, Dove conditioner shampoo varieties own a strong brand name and image as a part of a wide range of leading brands with Unilever’s other products portfolio such as; Lipton teas, Slim-fast, Ben and Jerry's ice-cream. Thus, it is good for establishing and promoting brand prestige and getting numbers of commercial partners, economic aids and resources. As the brand has grown, so has the investment in advertising. Dove regularly uses magazine advertising to place itself at the heart of the beauty arena, specially its conditioner and shampoo products. Dove’s use of magazines in the marketing strategy has gone far beyond regular display advertising to promotions. Additionally, Dove consistently uses magazines as the lead medium in a number of multi-channel, short-term, product-focused projects. On the other hands, over one million consumers visited Dove’s website to know conditioner and shampoo products in August 2009.It shows that the promotion of Dove conditioner and shampoo products on the Internet is also successful and accepted. The conditioner and shampoo products of Dove are not completely single products. When a shampoo product is sold, a conditioner product can be promoted and sold with a favorable price, and vice versa. Or promote and sell them two products together with special packaging.WeaknessShampoo and conditioner product development has followed movements in fashion, adding value to the sector, but this market has also been affected by changes in the wider economy. The data shows that there are many brands in hair care market, and Dove conditioner and shampoo†¦

Conflict Resoluton in the Classroom

Running Head: INCORPORATING CONFLICT RESOLUTION 1 Incorporating Conflict Resolution Melinda McCray Concordia University INCORPORATING CONFLICT RESOLUTION 2 As an educator, it is important that I not only know how to effectively deliver the curriculum to my students, but to also be able to effectively manage my classroom. Managing the classroom is not just writing disciplinary referrals or assigning detentions, but also includes making the proactive decision to prevent and mitigate conflicts as they arise in the classroom. While all conflicts obviously cannot be prevented, teachers must be instrumental in guiding students to resolving their conflicts. Thomas Lickona (1991) touches on guiding students through conflicts. He writes, â€Å"even if students have the benefit of a conflict curriculum, social skill training†¦ many will still have trouble applying these learnings†¦ In these situations the teacher usually has three tasks: (1) Helping students understand†¦ (2) Helping students work out a fair solution†¦ and (3) Helping children practice the behavioral skills†¦. (294-295). While some of these suggestions may not be applicable to high school students in some instances, I think that Lickona’s suggestions have merit. In my classroom, I could certainly incorporate helping my students practice good behavioral skills. I would definitely focus on the moral aspects of discipline and behavior, because students can relate to how they would like to be treated, using the â€Å"what if† scenario. Morality of mind is always an incentive to encourage a child to behave in the proper way. Community involvement is not always that easy at my school, but using our parent liaison could be a step in that direction. Maybe the liaison could reach out to the parents when teachers cannot. Lickona(1991) suggests that observant teachers know the situations that trigger situations, (295) as one such teacher, using effective conflict resolution strategies such, one-on-one counsel, seating arrangements, and modeling good moral conduct is the way I plan to continue to resolve conflicts as they arise in my classroom and keep the classroom environment safe. References Lickona, T. (1991) â€Å"Educating for Character† How our schools can teach respect and responsibility. New York: NE Bantam Books

Extempo Speech Essays

Extempo Speech Essays Extempo Speech Essay Extempo Speech Essay As student, explain the value and relevance of this years theme In our present time. There is no greater solution to whats happening in our country today than to be united in one cause. The fact that we are gathered together in this great hall with the hope alleviating and educating ourselves on disaster risk management and reduction is a part of that solution. I may be young and innocent but innocence is different from ignorance. There is no valid point in arguing whether one contestant in this competition excels the most, the fact that we are here today, to stand before you all and give our speech on how to mitigate disasters is a win-win solution not Just for myself or everyone around here but for our community. In the recent years, our country has been plagued by typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural hazards. But it Is Important to keep In mind that disasters are not natural, they only occur when people lack preparedness or the ability to cope with hazards. According to the united Nations, disasters Imposed large humanitarian and developmental challenges, the frequency and severity of disasters increased over the last few years due to climate change. According to them, 226 Million people are affected by these hazards every year and in 2000-2010 almost 680,000 people died on earthquakes due to poorly constructed buildings. Now, these facts merely illustrated the difference between vulnerability and our capacity to cope if these tragedies happened. According to I-IN, a school in Japan saved hundreds of students merely because their alluding was constructed to withstand the most tragic disaster to hit the country in 2011. These are but an evidence of how knowledge on disaster preparedness Is able to minimize the damage a natural hazard can cause. This years theme on National Disaster Consciousness Month explained that without disaster preparedness and the awareness of disaster prevention one society cannot simply move on or better yet progress. According to the National government in 2005 alone typhoons cost $12-1 ban of damage and will cost 5% of GAP. Our economy cannot smoothly allocate resources and budget if we are going to be hit again by these hazards not only will our economy suffer but the very lives of every Filipino people. International Red Cross Society has already declared the Philippines as the 4th Most Accident Prone Country in the world and in the last ten years alone we have already sacrificed million people. As a student, I can only understand that the tragedy is not found only in the midst of a devastating typhoon but to the poor preparations our communities have undergone to mitigate the damages. We need to act now, be willing to be educated on disaster preparedness and reduction. Knowledge Is power and In unity comes greater strength. We need to understand the fundamentals of this information on how to lessen and avoid damages to our communities. The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council has already mapped out the areas that are prone to dangerous zone. People should be willing to be trained by different international and government agencies on how to act when disaster strikes. Drills have already been in progress since 2000 on earthquakes, typhoon, flood, fire to prepare communities to be self-resilient. For our communities to prosper, we should stand out this turmoil that we are in right now and be united to stand in one cause.

Solar System Science Project Ideas

Solar System Science Project Ideas Do you have a science fair project in your future? If so, consider focusing on the solar system. Outer space is rich with mysteries and scientific questions to explore, from the phases of the moon to the existence of space dust (micrometeorites). Start with this list of solar system science fair projects. Build a Working Sundial The ancients used sundials to tell time using the position of the Sun in the sky.  You can build your own sundial with two simple materials: a flat surface (e.g. paper, cardboard) and a thin object that can stand up (e.g. a popsicle stick or straw). Once your sundial is functional, test it for accuracy a few times per day by comparing the sundials reading to your watch or clock. Make Your Own Telescope Build a telescope. Galileo did, and so can you. Learn about the basics of telescopes  here, then check out  NASAs page on building your own. The easiest one to build is a Galileoscope, made out of a cardboard tube and some lenses.   Build a Model of the Solar System You can make a scale-model solar system out of paper or in a diorama. First, find out the distances between solar system objects, then do some math to get the distances to scale within your own model. Some tabletop scale-model solar systems contain marbles for the planets, a tennis ball for the Sun, and other smaller pebbles for asteroids and comets. Make a Spacecraft Model Build a model of a NASA space probe. Many of the major probes and space-based observatories have patterns you can download and use to make scale model, including the  Hubble Space Telescope and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Track the Lunar Phases First, read about the phenomenon of lunar phases here. Then, for a few months, observe the Moon in the sky each night, recording how, where, and when it appears. Record the information in a chart and include a drawing of the moons shape each day.  If you have the materials, you can construct a 3D model of the sun using small balls and a light source to show how the Sun illuminates the Moon and Earth throughout the month.   Study Renewable Energy For many years, NASA and other space agencies have been using solar panels to power their satellites and the International Space Station. Here on Earth, people use solar power for everything from household electricity to powering their watches and other electronics. For a science fair project on solar power, study how the Sun generates light and heat and how we convert that light and heat into usable solar power. Collect Bits of Space Micrometeorites are tiny bits of asteroid that drift through our atmosphere and land on the surface of the Earth.  You can collect them by looking in places theyre likely to end up. For example, rain and snow can wash them off of roofs, and they can flow down the drainpipes and storm gutters. You might also try looking in the piles of dirt and sand at the bottom of a rain spout.  Collect that material, remove anything that obviously is not a micrometeorite (e.g. large rocks and leaves), and spread out the remaining material on a piece of paper. Place a magnet underneath the paper and tilt it. Most of the material will slide right off; anything that does not slide off is magnetic. Study the remaining magnetic material under a magnifying glass or microscope. Micrometeorites will appear rounded and may have pits. Edited and updated by  Carolyn Collins Petersen

Event Study Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Event Study - Statistics Project Example With this in mind, an event study is considered the measure of impact of an event on a security value (MacKinlay, 1993). Considering the components of an asset cost, an event study further explores the availability and access of information and the immediacy of impounding such info onto prices. Events are characterised by variables such as short-horizon event studies that consider limited period, habitually hours to weeks and particular to the event at hand. Short-run events yield small returns and facilitate time to focus on information being released. Long-horizon event studies are problematic in that they are sensitive to the modeling assumption of the desired returns. The basic setup for an event study involves the identification of an event and the window, selection of a security, specifying and estimating the reference model characterizing the normal returns (expected returns). However, in order to estimate accurately whether illiquid premiums exist, the characters of liquid premiums must be established first. Thus, in order to test whether illiquid premiums exist, this paper aims at answering the research question, do stocks with higher illiquidity earn higher returns?, by the analysis of two events involving bond buyers? The paper analyzes the factors that affect s ecurity markets and identifies conditions that promote illiquidity premiums. Considering the theory on illiquid discounts, the risk-return model, and empirical study, illiquid discount should increase with increasing trading costs; illiquidity will increase when the market is down, and assets considered less liquid have historically had higher returns (Debondt & Thaler, 1985). Considering the fair market value of a security, a premium that investors will demand only when it can easily be converted into cash is referred as liquidity premium. When the liquid premium is considered too high, then the asset is

Human Nature in studies of philosophers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Nature in studies of philosophers - Essay Example This research aims to evaluate and present the issue of human nature using studies of different philosophers. Distinguished Chinese philosopher of ancient era Mencius (372-289 BCE) strongly believes in the innate goodness of human nature, which humans inherit from their ancestors. It is therefore he vehemently advocates in favor of following the life patterns of the ancestors in order to achieve perfection in their character and personality ultimately. Moreover, according to him, if humans are provided with adequate education and training, their qualities could further be polished and improved. However, Hsà ¼n Tzu (298-238 BCE) does not find righteousness in human nature. On the contrary, he is of t.he view that human nature is evil and can be improved through socialization. Another eminent philosopher of ancient times, named Kao Tzu (420-350 BCE), aptly acknowledged to be one of the most talented thinkers in the history of China, refutes both the above-mentioned doctrines, and decl ares human nature as clean slate, which studies and follows only what it observes being practiced by others in its social and natural environment. Thus, human nature is neither good nor bad altogether, according to Kao Tzu, and follows the same which is taught to it. Eminent 19th century German philosopher Georg Hegel (1770—1831) has also made a comparative analysis of the doctrines presented by Hsun Tzu and Mencius while elucidating the concepts of innate evil and innate goodness respectively. Somehow, Hegel seeks further wisdom in both these theses, where both these doctrines serve as thesis and antithesis to each other. Hegel declares goodness and evil as occasional in nature and scope due to the very reality that absolute righteousness or complete wrong-doings do not prevail in any part of the globe. In other words, no one can be stated as completely sublime and righteous or absolutely monstrous and obnoxious. For instance, a robber could be harmful and destructive for so ciety, though would be a kind and benevolent person in his domestic life, and may treat his children with great love and affection. Similarly, a pious person may commit genocide out of sheer feelings of revenge or abhorrence for his opponent or rival. Moreover, Otto von Bismarck (1815--1898) is regarded as a great German nationalist, though his name brings displeasure on the countenances of the French public at large. Since absolute goodness and evil do not exist in any part of the globe, declaring anyone as the representative of good or evil does not carry weight in the eyes of the philosophers, thinkers and intellectuals. Hegel alludes to the gallant deeds displayed by the soldiers while saving the boundaries of their country. (Austin, 624-25) Since they are also

Business and professional communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business and professional communication - Essay Example awareness, ritual interpretation, level of likelihood that key differences will be put aside and the employee will assimilate into the culture of the organization, as well as a host of others. As such, this brief analysis essay will seek to lay out this author’s view, supported by key course concepts, with relation to how incorporation of organizational culture/assimilation is achieved. Firstly, as a way to understand the extent to which cultural assimilation will take place, the reader should consider the attitudes and belief systems that one brings with them into the process. No one would be foolish enough to argue that having a distinct belief system is a hindrance with regards to being able to accept a company culture and work to assimilate oneself into the mores and norms of this culture as a way to differentiate oneself into a useful and valuable employee; however, the fact of the matter is that certain belief systems are rather incompatible with the assimilation process (Beamer 1997). Although it is beyond the scope of this short essay to enumerate upon which belief systems are a retardant with respect to the individual being both willing and able to incorporate/assimilate into the mold that has been set forward by the organization in question, the fact remains that a type of open minded liberalism is required to allow the individual to accept the constraint s that the organization may lay upon them and work to incorporate these as long as they do not violate any of the laws of universal ethics and/or morality. One of the premier determinants that should be discussed with relation to an employee seeking to assimilate himself/herself into the given company/organizational culture is the fact that there are key different between culture/rituals/and policies. Oftentimes, due to a liberal use of vocabulary terms, these three are coalesced into a singular idea; however, this could not be further from the truth. In fact, the company culture is merely a

Requirements Of Managers In Contemporary Business Practices Management Essay

Requirements Of Managers In Contemporary Business Practices Management Essay Topic: Imagine there is a proposed merger between a Chinese company and a South-African company. You are appointed to lead a team consisting of managers from both countries to examine any cultural problems linked to the proposed merger. Applying the work of Hofstede and Trompenaars, how close would the cultural fit be; and how might you seek to improve cultural understanding between the two groups of managers? Introduction In todays business environment, possessing management skills alone is no longer sufficient to be successful. Contemporary business practices require that managers have knowledge and experience regarding the differences between management and leading as well, and how both activities must be integrated for business success. With the importance of International Business environment is raising, understanding the host countrys culture can give managers a competitive advantage. The objective of this assignment is to examine any cultural problems linked to the proposed merger between Chinese Company and a South-African Company, by using Hofstedes dimensions of National culture, and then explore solutions which can improve cultural understanding between the two groups of managers. This assignment mainly has two parts; the first part will give out the cultural problems from two companys side; and the second part is going to find the solutions for the issues. Part One-Cultural Problems China -South Africa team-work As we may realize that the globalization of the world economy, on one hand, has created tremendous opportunities for global collaboration among different countries; on the other hand, however, it has also created a unique set of problems and issues relating to the effective management of partnerships with different cultures. With the increasing importance of the China market in the world economy, many businessmen rushed to enter China to explore business opportunities. Predominantly motivated by the quest for material inputs (oil and other primary commodities) required for its infrastructural investments and booming manufacturing sector, Chinese presence in Africa is rapidly growing (Song Li, 2004). The rapid growth and significance of enhanced Chinese participation in Africa has important implications while talking about cultural aspects. Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions on China and South Africa By applying Geert Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions, the culture difference between China and South-Africa has been displayed in the below charts. Five factors have been discussed on Hofstedes Cultural Dimensions (Hofstede, 1997) Power Distance Index (PDI) that is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. Individualism (IDV), on the one side versus its opposite, collectivism, that is the degree to which individuals are inte-grated into groups. Masculinity (MAS), versus its opposite, femininity, refers to the distribution of roles between the genders which is another fundamental issue for any society to which a range of solutions are found. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) which deals with a societys tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity; it ultimately refers to mans search for Truth. Long-Term Orientation (LTO) which versus short-term orientation. According to Hofstedes Value Dimensions on China (See below chart), it can be concluded that China has a comparatively high long-term orientation. This has a historical relationship with its economy. Commonly, most of Asian countries are belonging to the less developed / developing countries. Suffering bad times taught many Chinese people to think and act on a long-term basis. Prior to Chinas economic reform, the government ruled all strategies, supplies, and financial allocations. Leaders, under the contemporary definition, did not exist, because all organizations had to do was to make sure that the allocated quotas were fulfilled, and that the people assigned to them were cared for. The notion of leaders was fulfilled entirely by Confucian values, aligning allegiance to CEOs with allegiance to the government. However, in 1978, managers of state-owned companies were now responsible for corporate operations and profit-making. Example 1- China Source: Cultural Dimensions on China, 2009 Now looking at the figures of South Africa cultural dimensions, it is easy to find that the South Africa has a comparable high IDV and MAS, and its PDI and UAI are a little bit low. It means that people are tending to work individually and certain of social hierarchy exist which has much relation with its history. Example 2- South Africa Source: Cultural Dimensions on South Africa, 2009 Analysis on different cultural dimensions To clarify the differences between China and Africa, the student will focus on Hofstedes five cultural dimensions: power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, and uncertainty avoidance and long-term/short-term orientation also called Confucian Dynamism(Hofstede, 1997). China and Africa differ greatly with regard to their economic systems, political systems, social values, and laws, despite the substantial changes that have occurred in China during recent years(McCoy, 2005). Some differences can be found according to Hofstede studies on culture differences. Power Distance China is centralized (though it has shown some tendency toward decentralized power) while Africa is relatively decentralized. In high power distance cultures, authority is inherent in ones position within a hierarchy. There are strong dependency relationships between parents and children, bosses and subordinates and a significant social distance between superior and subordinate. In low power distance or power tolerance cultures, individuals assess authority in view of its perceived rightness. Individualism The student notices in both cases that contrary to western countries which have a strong individualism, China and Africa have a strong collectivism. Individualism-collectivism refers to the relative importance of the interests of the individual versus the interests of the group. In collectivistic societies, the interests of the group take precedence over individual interests. People see themselves as part of in-groups and the in-groups look after them in exchange for their loyalty. In individualistic cultures, the interest of the individual takes precedence over the groups interest. Masculinity Africa has higher value than China in masculinity, which indicates that Africa is medium masculinity while China is medium femininity. Masculinity-femininity or goal orientation pertains to the extent to which traditional male orientations of ambition and achievement are emphasized over traditional female orientations of nurturance and interpersonal harmony (Song Li, 2004). Cultures differ on what motivates people to achieve different goals. Cultures of the aggressive goal behaviour type (masculinity) value material possessions, money, and assertiveness whereas cultures of the passive goal behaviour type (femininity) value social relevance, quality of life and welfare of others. Uncertainty Avoidance China and Africa have higher values for uncertainty avoidance the West. This shows that in both sides, people are relatively risk-avoiding while western people are relatively risk-taking. Uncertainty avoidance captures the degree to which individuals in a culture feel threatened by ambiguous, uncertain, or new situations. Cultures are characterized as either high or low on uncertainty avoidance. Whereas low uncertainty avoidance cultures prefer positive response to change and new opportunities, high uncertainty avoidance cultures prefer structure and consistent routine. Long/Short-term Orientation Africa has a short-term orientation while China has a long-term orientation. Also called Confucian dynamism, this last dimension assesses a societys capacity for patience and delayed gratification. Long-term oriented cultures (China and Hong Kong) tend to save more money and exhibit more patience in reaping the results of their actions. Short-term oriented cultures (African countries) want to maximize the present rewards and are relatively less prone to saving or anticipating long term rewards. It has been widely accepted that cultural differences greatly affect human thinking and behaviour and thus business organizations in which people interact on the basis of shared values. Management is embedded in a wider societal setting, and is heavily influenced by local historical and cultural norms (DiMaggio and Powell, 2003). The significant differences between Africa and China seem to affect some aspects of their business management practice. Part two-Solutions Cultural Differences in business Strategies Because entrepreneurs mature within a societal context, their attitudes toward cooperation are likely to be influenced by the underlying values of their society (Weaver, 2000). As discussed above, Africa and China have a strong collectivism. People depend more on groups or institutions to determine what they should do and emphasize loyalty to the group. They are more likely to cooperate with others to avoid risks and reduce responsibilities. However due to the medium masculinity, Africans sometimes are reluctant to cooperate because their masculine culture view cooperation in general as a sign of weakness and place a high value on independence and control. In the process of cooperation, Chinese tend to pay more attention to relationships. The student has to mention the term Guanxi which in English means relation or connection is at the centre of businesses in China. In Weavers studies (2000), the student found that entrepreneurs from societies that are masculine and individualistic h ave a lower appreciation for cooperative strategies as compared to entrepreneurs from societies that are feminine and collectivist in nature. Cultural Differences in Conflict Management In order to solve conflicts, Chinese and Africans have different ways. For Chinese where harmony and personal relationship are very important, they dont like open conflict; therefore they use indirect ways to work out problems. Anytime there is conflict, they use the authority to end up with it or settle things in private. Negotiation and compromise are determinant for them in this case. Contrary to them, Africans managers like Europeans or Americans, will directly confront problems and bring them out in the open (Richmond and Gestrin, 2008). To resolve problems, everybody is involved in order to bring rational arguments and ideas to suggest solutions. We can notice that Chinese avoid this method because for them that will create disagreement which is very undesirable. African managers are reluctant to devote their time and efforts together in solving business conflicts. Other peoples help is needed. In contrast, according to Bond (2001), the strong collective orientation and uncerta inty avoidance values in China encourage Chinese managers to use indirect forms of influence that involve the assistance of a third party. Indirect forms are used by Chinese managers to deal with a difficult or controversial request. In this way, they avoid losing face or damaging guanxi. Cultural Differences in Decision-making Risk-taking/Risk-avoiding Chinese and African managers differ from in the attitudes toward risks when they make decisions for their different values in uncertainty avoidance. Chinese managers with a high uncertainty-avoidance have a lack adventurous spirit and the sense of risks. Immediate decisions which make them lose the opportunity to compete in a market are avoided in the case they feel the circumstance is uncertain. Most of the time, they want to be safe by taking less risky decisions. For African managers, it is almost the same. Middle and lower level supervisors are less willing to make decisions without deference to superiors. The result is that decision-making takes much longer than anticipated and requires more input from players at various social and professional levels. Uncertainty Avoidance measures for Africa indicate low risk taking and a resistance to change which can further delay projects which encounter problems mid-cycle. Levels of Participation in Decision-making The decision-making process involves making sense of ambiguity and taking risks (Jackson, 2003).The decision maker is working on the information available about what has already happened, what is assumed to have happened or is happening. The second aspect is future oriented (Brady, 2000). A risk is being taken because one is applying a perspective based on knowledge of the past, and projecting this to what might happen in the future if a certain course of action is followed. Chinese managers or African managers have different level of participation in decision- making. In China, decisions are participatory. Employees accept decisions handed down by their supervisors. Because of their unquestioning attitudes towards their supervisors, they resist participation in decision-making. In Africa, managers make individual decisions. They dont consult with others but can defer to their supervisors. They value personal equality. To summarize, the student can say that Chinese managers adopt the no participatory approach to decision-making. The decisions come from the higher superiors to the subordinates. However, since the reforms in China, things are changing. More and more, participatory decision-making is starting to be used in a certain number of companies. Cultural Differences in Work-group Characteristics The first difference about the work-group characteristics is the concept of brotherhood, network, family feeling which is at the heart of all Chinese interactions. In African business style which is quasi the western business style, managers focus on the deal, the possibilities, the risks and so on. There is less focus on the people they are doing business with. They may encourage their group members to learn from each other, to focus on task rather than on social and interpersonal relations, and to build the confidence required for superior performance. They make difference between personal relationship and work. In China, it is the opposite. Chinese managers may initially focus more effort on building social and interpersonal relations (Guanxi) before entering into business or contractual relationship. They would like to spend time developing and maintaining guanxi during the process of interaction and consider it as a prerequisite to do business. A good deal of time is spent exploring peoples characters. People want to know your background, your family situation, your likes and dislikes. A good deal of business is conducted in banqueting halls. Chinese believe a persons true character comes out during these moments. The only purpose during these meetings is to see a persons other side, the human side. If they are comfortable with you, and if they think they can trust you, that you can be invited to join the family, you and your business are made. Chinese managers are not interested in short term; they want long, life-long business relations. However, as the economy has become increasingly marketized, privatized and competitive, the value and effectiveness of the Guanxi system has greatly deteriorated. In industries that have been substantially deregulated or privatized, or where there is vigorous competition, business is business, and Guanxi has been neutralized or marginalized. Relationships or connections now resemble that which we find elsewhere. Cultural Differences in Motivation Systems In business contexts, the motivations of employees, partners, superiors, social associates, and members of a society spring from cultural values, or what people think is important. In order to understand how to do business with members of another culture, it is necessary to understand what motivates them, to know where to begin and what you need to cover all necessary bases. According to Aguinis (2002), employees can be rewarded according to their performance, equally, or based on their needs. In general, the equity principle is common in individualistic cultures while the equality principle is widely used in collectivistic cultures. Pay for performance and pay equity are the two main differences in motivation systems. From the 1950s until the 1980s, every aspect of Chinas economic activity was planned, controlled and operated by the government (Helen, D. 2008). There was no private ownership of any property or asset, and, consequently, no profit motive for individuals or enterprises. The government would allocate everyone a pre-defined slice of the big pie. If anyone wanted more than what was allocated to him/her, it meant circumventing that system and getting someone in that allocation chain to provide a special favour. People were obliged to sacrifice their individual interests for those of the society. Cooperation, interdependence, group goals that create group harmony are applied in China. The sense of belonging and devoting to the group are important for Chinese people. Focusing on the view that ones success is mainly based on group work; they believe that one cannot claim the reward just for oneself. Contrary to what some Chinese researchers argued on this part, the student can say while setting salaries Chinese managers will not pay more attention to the working experience and academic qualifications of employees. In that case, the equality principle is reflected in the motivation system. For African managers, individual achievement is important. They are expected to achieve success only by their individual efforts. Value competition, achievement and personal goals are their main motivations in order to have plans to recognize their individual contributions. Their success relies on their own efforts. Talents and work performance of the employees will be considered by their superiors for salary increases and promotion. Conclusion As a result, understanding other cultures is more important than ever. If we consider that people from the same economic, political, and cultural background have problems communicating effectively; we can appreciate the difficulties and challenges that people from diverse cultures face when trying to communicate. Misunderstandings will always be a part of cultural aspects. Companies need to think outside the proverbial box when formulating their business strategies and when collaborating and forming business partnerships. As sometimes companies move to do business in other countries, a greater sensitivity to culture will be required and an understanding of cultural realities should facilitate business transactions. Knowing another culture is a legitimate concern of businesses. More than that, it is essential. Those who make effort the effort to understand another culture gain knowledge about how to behave in that culture. Otherwise, if you know what people value and understand their attitudes, you wont unintentionally do something that offends and diminishes your chances for business success. In todays global businesses context, the winners are not those who study the markets they deal with even if its important but those who study people they deal with.

Drones: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Essay -- UAVs Technology Essays

Like much of today’s technology, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles attribute their creation to the military. The idea of using unmanned aircraft has long been a dream for the military -- scouting planes without any casualties to report should something go wrong, air strikes with only time and money to lose, and the ability to wage war without losing a single life. Well the third one may perhaps not be realistic – as Afghanistan has shown, lack of ground troops leaves certain entities unchecked.1 However, it may be argued that â€Å"they represent a significant step toward the eventual automation of the battlefield—one in which teleoperated or robotic systems replace many soldiers.†2 Either way, these machines do create a less expensive and more dispensable alternative to conventional air battles. This creates obvious moral issues, as the country with such technology is no longer as tentative to engage in armed combat. UAVs can do many things that conventional aircraft cannot. As Steven Ashley puts it, â€Å"’Traditional’ aircraft—fast photo/ reconnaissance fighters, high-flying U-2s, and sensor-laden patrol planes—nor the classified orbital spy satellites can do the job of the simple, prop-driven unmanned aerial vehicles.†3 These advantages, coupled with their low expense, place them in great demand. As Ronald R. Fogelman (U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff) states, â€Å"We are now impressed by the convergence of technological advances in computers, flight controls, lightweight materials, advanced electric motors, and communications packages that will make modern UAVs extremely effective.†4 UAVs are not only to be used for such questionable moral circumstances as war; these vehicles can provide a plethora of services in the commercial market. H... ...chanical Engineering 125 (2003): 11. 52 Steven Ashley, â€Å"Robot Spy Planes Peer Over the Horizon,† Mechanical Engineering 118 (1996): 91. 53 Brian P. Tice, â€Å"Unmanned Aerial Vehicles,† Airpower Journal 5 (1991): 48. Works Cited Max Boot, â€Å"The New American Way of War,† Foreign Affairs 82 (2003): 41. Brian P. Tice, â€Å"Unmanned Aerial Vehicles,† Airpower Journal 5 (1991): 41. Christopher M. Centner, â€Å"Consigning Air Bases to the Dustbin of History,† Airpower Journal 12 (1998): 100. John Degaspari, â€Å"Flying Blind,† Mechanical Engineering 125 (2003): 10. Steven Ashley, â€Å"Robot Spy Planes Peer Over the Horizon,† Mechanical Engineering 118 (1996): 84. Tom Clarke, â€Å"Flying Free,† Nature 417 (2002): 582. http://www.fas.org/irp/program/collect/uav.htm = info http://uav.wff.nasa.gov/ = info http://www.twofaces.net/newpage/1337hum1r/ = background

Management and corporate social responsibility Essay

Corporate social responsibility is a significant issue in the current business environment. There is now a significant shift in businesses to become recognized as being socially responsible whilst achieving the primary business objective of profit maximization. Business now strive particularly to reach the triple bottom line as a key objective as it incorporates; people planet and profit objectives. Corporate social responsibility is often difficult to define, as there are many different definitions and understandings amongst academics and professionals. However corporate social responsibility can broadly be defined as a ‘‘concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis’’ (Falkenberg and Bruns? l 2012). The relationship between socially responsible business actions and profit maximization is generally mixed and controversial. Generally the view is that in order for a business to undertake socially responsible practices there is often increased financial and non-financial costs in order to ensure this and thus leading to decreased profits in the short term. However it is also evident that socially responsible business actions and strong relationships with business stakeholders may lead to significant long-term profit maximization. Corporate social responsibility is now an essential factor within business management. A firm’s corporate social responsibility must be evident throughout all its business functions, in which the ethics and values of the business must align to meet all stakeholder expectations. Including social, environmental and ethical factors of business. In the article â€Å"Is harm reduction profitable? An analytical framework for corporate social responsibility based on an epidemic model of addictive consumption† (Massin 2012) the corporate social responsibility of firms in the industry of addictive substances, most noteworthy, gambling, cigarettes, and alcohol. There is a significant paradox in relation to producers within these industries and their socially responsible claims. â€Å"These firms claim to be socially responsible while marketing a product clearly identified and harmful† (Massin 2012). The paper generally focuses on the substances of alcohol, cigarettes and gambling, as it is these products â€Å"whose consumption shares the dual characteristic of being at risk of leading the users to gradually lose control over their consumption and of generating health and social damage. † (Massin 2012) thus highlighting the contradiction of the producer’s claims of being socially responsible whilst selling these highly addictive products. Within the industries of addictive goods firms cannot be completely socially responsible, as this would involve the removal of these products from the market. Thus highlighting the inability for producers of addictive products to achieve corporate social responsibility. Therefore illustrating the inability of firms in these industries to be socially responsible whilst still achieving the primary business goal of profit maximization. Corporate social responsibility involves business firms aligning their values with those of their stakeholders. There are many significant stakeholders of business, including shareholders, managers, employees and society. Another significant business stakeholder is that of the environment. A socially responsible business is viewed to have open and accountable business actions based on respect for the community, society and the broader environment, and not just legal regulations. This therefore means a socially responsible business ensures it takes into account environmental stability and sustainability. In the article â€Å"Environmental corporate social responsibility and financial performance disentangling direct and indirect effects† (Loiui, Sharma 2012) the link between environmental social responsibility and financial performance has been established. The increasing environmental awareness has lead to increased firm research and development and hence has established new technologies and production processes (Loiui, Sharma 2012). This increases research and development and implementation of new technologies and production processes generally leads to significant short-term business costs in the implementation and change within the business. However, the implementation of socially responsible business behavior leading to environmental sustainability creates significant long-term profit opportunities through increased waste reduction, lower business consumption and also increase brand image in the eyes of consumers. This linkage between socially responsible business actions, involving environmentally friendly processes and the ability to maximize profit highlights the ability for firms to uphold socially responsible business actions whilst also being able to achieve financial objectives and profit maximization. Corporate social responsibility is viewed as an essential business function in today’s business environment. However, corporate social responsibility is widely viewed as a violation of a businesses financial performance and the opportunity for business profit maximization. Corporate social responsibility is seen to have many disadvantages that hinder and impede the fundamental business goal of profitability. This concept is further explored in the paper â€Å"the casual effect of corporate governance on corporate social responsibility† (Maretno and Harjoto 2012). In which it is highlighted that there are three alternatives to the relationship between corporate social responsibility and a firm’s corporate financial performance. These three theories identify the variable relationships between socially responsible business actions and financial performance. One of the alternatives illustrates the constraint corporate social responsibility imposes on the primary business goals of profitability. It is stated that socially responsible business actions are viewed as â€Å"costly activities and a waste of scarce resources, and therefore have an adverse impact on firm value† (Maretno and Harjoto 2012). Corporate social responsibility is often viewed as a costly procedure for businesses to undertake. However, this cost of corporate social responsibility is not only financial but also involves costs associated with time, resources and labour, furthermore contributing to the overall financial inefficiency and disadvantages associated with corporate social responsibility. The impeding financial and non financial costs of the implementation of corporate social responsibility create significant hindrances to a businesses’ ability to maximize profits and thus, highlights the difficulty in relation to being socially responsible whilst also satisfying the primary business goal of profit maximization. Although corporate social responsibility is seen to violate profits, it is also believed that firms that conduct socially responsible business actions may reap financial gain and profit maximization. A company’s business action in relation to corporate social responsibility generally has significant influence on the attitudes of non-investing stakeholders and the general society. In the article â€Å"the casual effect of corporate governance on corporate social responsibility† (Maretno and Harjoto 2012) Maretno and Harjoto explain CSR as a â€Å"conflict resolution hypothesis†, in which corporate social responsibility is used as a conflict resolution tool between the firm and they’re non-investing stakeholders (Maretno and Harjoto 2012). Soana’s paper â€Å"the relationship between corporate social performance and corporate financial performance in the banking sector† (Soana 2011) further more identifies the positive link between both corporate social responsibility and financial performance and profitability. Corporate social responsibility is seen to give firms â€Å"competitive advantage† and may also be seen as a â€Å"safeguard of corporate reputation†(Soana 2011). The use of corporate social responsibility as a conflict resolution tool and a safeguard for unpredictability creates significant opportunity for strong financial performance within the firm, due to its creation of several strategic advantages for business, such as the enhanced and harmonious business environments as well as enhanced public image and greater brand value. These factors greatly contribute to the financial performance of the firm and thus if corporate social responsibility is achieved there are significant opportunities for profit maximization. Therefore illustrating the ability of firms to uphold socially responsible actions and corporate social responsibility, whilst still retaining the ability to achieve the primary business goal of profit maximization. Corporate social responsibility has a paramount influence on businesses in the current business environment. Corporate social responsibility consists of open and accountable business actions in order to align the firm’s values with those of their stakeholders. Businesses are now becoming more concerned with the demands of corporate social responsibility, whilst still trying to achieve the fundamental business goal of profit maximization. There is many challenges associated whilst trying to achieve the business objectives of corporate social responsibility and profit maximization simultaneously. Corporate social responsibility generally is associated with increased business costs, including those of time, misuse of resources and monetary costs. However, it has also become evident that socially responsible business actions may lead to long-term financial gains for business as well as greater stakeholder reputation, brand perception and efficiency, ultimately leading to the maximization of business profits. References Falkenberg, J. and Brunsael, P. (2012) corporate social responsibility: a strategic advantage or a strategic necessity?. Journal of business ethics, 99 p. 9-16. [Accessed: 24th April 2013]. Lioui, A. and Sharma, Z. (2012) Environmental corporate social responsibility and financial performance: Disentangling direct and indirect effects. Ecological economics, 78 p. 100-111. [Accessed: 24th April 2013]. Maretno, H. and Harjoto, A. (2012) The casual effect of corporate governance con corporate social responsibility. Journal of Business ethics, 106 p. 53-72. [Accessed: 20th April 2013]. Massin, S. (2012) Is harm reduction profitable? an analytical framework for corporate social responsibility based on an epidemic model of addictive consumption. Social Science and medicine, 74 p. 1856-1863. [Accessed: 24th april 2013]. Soana, M. (2011) The relationship between corporate social performance and corporate financial performance in the banking sector. Journal of business ethics, 104 p. 133-148. [Accessed: 24th April 2013].

Health and Wellness in the Workplace Essay

Thesis Statement: Health and Wellness programs in a workplace can benefit employees by helping them manage their physical and emotional health, reduce stress and provide a reward system program in the workplace. I. Introduction. II. Provide Nutrition Programs A. Manage employees physical & emotional health 1. Provide different seminars to manage different health issues. 2. Create a program that fits your employees concerns in the work environment. III. Promotes employee’s perfect attendance A. Prevent employee’s absenteeism 1. By providing random wellness check 2. Reward employees for perfect attendance in the wellness programs IV. Reduce Stress in Workplace A. Provide breaks to help employees reduce stress 1. Start a group during 15 minutes break to walk 2. Provide a massage therapist once every two weeks to give 15 minutes massages to relief stress. 3. Give a stress management seminar for nutrition and excerising. V. Reward System in the workplace to accomplish Goals A. Provide a reward program to lose weight and stay healthily 1. A support system for employees by offering extra days off for doing the programs. 2. Create a bonus program for employees for reaching health goals. VI. Conclusion. Resources By: Alden, Sharyn, Regroup, Recharge, Credit Union Magazine, Jul 2007, Vol. 73 Issue 7, p 30-35, 6p; Abstract By: Bulk Tran Sporter, Tax credits proposed for employee wellness, Nov. 2007, Vol. 70, Issue 5, p12-12, 1/2p; Abstract By: Shepherd, Leah Carlson, More time to smell the†¦