Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Save Me the Waltz (1932) by Zelda Fitzgerald

Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald was the troubled wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, one of the most famous American writers of all-time.  Save Me the Waltz  is her first and only novel, one which is largely autobiographical and which  covers  approximately the same time period as her husband’s masterpiece,  Tender is the Night (1934). Both books fictionalize the couples life in Paris together, but each from their own perspective.   While  Tender is the Night  deals with F. Scott’s attempt at handling his wife’s eccentric nature and ultimate mental breakdown,  Save Me the Waltz  is much more about Zelda’s hopes and dreams and her sense of being overshadowed in most regards by her husband’s great success.  Zelda Fitzgerald was considered to be one of the first American â€Å"Flappers† – a glamorous and materialistic woman whose greatest hope was to become a prima ballerina, though she only pursued dance late in life. The story itself is interesting in that it reveals Zelda’s perspective on F. Scott as well as her interpretation of that great American time period known as â€Å"The Roaring ‘20s.† The majority of the characters, aside from Alabama (Zelda), David (F. Scott) and Bonnie (their daughter) are relatively flat and, at times, even incongruous (characters’ names spelled in different fashions, eye colors changing, etc.).  What Fitzgerald does well, though, is to create characters  in relation to  Alabama.  The dance instructors and love interests, for example, all come to life quite unexpectedly because of the way they interact with Alabama.  The relationship between David and Alabama is drawn extraordinarily well and, in fact, is reminiscent of the lovers’ relationship in Ernest Hemingway’s  (1946, 1986). Theirs is a tortuously romantic bond, hopeless and beautiful at the same time.  It makes sense that this would be the most aptly developed relationship, considering it is at the core of the story (and the primary impetus for Zelda’s writing the story in the first place). Little Bonnie’s character is also quite charming and her relationship with her Dad is lovely, particularly near the end.   This book has been both praised and derided for its prose and style. The structure is sound and relatively traditional; however, the prose and language are quite odd. At times, it seems to read like a less sexual, female version of William S. Burroughs; the narrative breaks into vivid streams of consciousness, where one has to wonder if passages were written in a fury of rage. While these moments are sometimes over-the-top, even inexplicable or irrelevant, they are also quite beautiful.  There’s a bizarre honesty to the breaks in tempo and the seemingly random items which Fitzgerald chooses to romanticize through language.  Some readers are bound to be enamored by this style, but others might find the self-indulgent moments both distracting and exasperating. When Zelda Fitzgerald originally wrote this book, it was much more accusatory and biographical than the version which was ultimately published.  Her husband believed that she had created the book in a fit of self-destruction, hoping to destroy her (and his) reputations. F. Scott Fitzgerald and their editor, Max Perkins, â€Å"assisted† Zelda with revisions.  Although historical evidence (letters, manuscripts, etc.) seem to prove that their part in the revision process was limited and mostly geared toward making elements and characters who were modeled after real-life  events and  individuals more obscure, Zelda would later accuse her husband of forcing her to change the book entirely and also allege that he stole her original manuscript to write his own (Tender is the Night).   Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this book, then, is in its history and historical significance.  Much can be learned about the Fitzgerald’s relationship and personalities not only by reading the story, but also in researching the history and creation of the book itself, as well as her husbands  similarly-themed novel.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Child Development Essay - 1822 Words

There have been many visionaries that have developed theoretical frameworks which give a basic, general approach to understanding the ways in which children develop. Doherty and Hughes (2009) recall that early childhood progression is most commonly presented in terms of specific periods of time. Therefore, this tends to relate to the idea of fixed and limited stages that are strongly linked with chronological age, moreover, providing a very specific ordering of change. The most frequently identified periods of development are prenatal, infancy and toddlerhood, early childhood, later childhood and adolescence. Generalised theories on child development came about in the 17th century, with John Locke’s ‘Some Thoughts Concerning Education’†¦show more content†¦Watson believed that children do not progress through a series of distinct stages dictated by maturation, as others have argued. Instead he viewed development as a continuous process that is shaped by a person’s environment. To prove this theory, Watson and Rosalie Raynor (1920) presented a white rat to a nine month old boy, Albert. His initial reactions were positive and he showed no fear of the animal over a period of two months when he was allowed to become familiar with the presence of the rat. Then, whenever Albert moved towards the rat, Watson would make a loud noise behind the boys head and frighten him. As a consequence of this, Albert, over a period of time, came to fear rats. Burrhus Frederic Skinner conducted the operant conditioning chamber which measured organism’s responses and interactions with the environment. Skinner believed that developments were largely shaped by parental behaviour and said in 1938 that the consequences of certain behaviour produce a change in the likelihood of that behaviour occurring. This so called operant learning theory was a form of learning where a voluntary response is strengthened or weakened by positive of negative consequences. In essence, Skinner claimed that development is mainly dependent onShow MoreRelatedThe Development Of Child Development1986 Words   |  8 PagesAs children grow older they go through a process known as child development which is defined as the discipline dedicated to the understanding of all characteristics of human development from birth to adolescence. I reflected on each of the eight chapters that we covered in class and will use that information to apply it to my neighbor Sebastia n. Sebastian is a 7 year old child who lives next door to me and I have taken care of him since he was four months old. I have had the opportunity to applyRead MorePhysical development of a child759 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿According to John Santrock, Development can be defines as a pattern of change that begins at conception and continues throughout the human s life, while the Oxford school dictionary defines Physical as having to do with the body rather than the mind. This article I examined written by Alex Brooks with further clarification from John Santrock, Brooks believe that person s view of physical development is more than just hitting the right percentiles on a height chart. He believes that withRead MoreStages of Child Development804 Words   |  4 Pagesgenerations yes, but also to aid in the development of the student in all aspects. Some students have a harder time developing the whole person, meaning that they have a harder time developing the physical, cognitive, and emotional-social parts of themselves all at the same time and pace. A student observation of a typical 2nd grade classroom was completed and one child stood out among the rest in his setting in both of their characteristics and stages of development. In order to protect the rights ofRead MoreChild Development Paper : Infant Development1257 Words   |  6 Pages Infant Development Paper Denicia Bowers OTA 1002 Human Occupation Through the Life Span Summer 2017 Infant Development Paper Infants go through different developmental stages. It is a part of the human life cycle. The beginning stages of an infant’s life is the most developing (Payne Issacs, 2012). One of the stages that infant go through is the Late Infancy Stage. During the Late Infancy Stage, infants between 7-9 months reach many different milestones. As the infant grows and becomes awareRead MoreThe Theories Of Child Development2240 Words   |  9 Pagestheories of child development and discuss the main principles across all area of development. The assignment will also evaluate an observation conducted on a child and link their behaviour to relevant child development theories. 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The early child development approach is based on that children respond best when caregivers use specific techniquesRead MoreChild Development : A Continuous Process Essay973 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Child development is a continuous process where the physical, emotional and mental aspects of advance to complex form enhancing its brain, behavioral and body abilities (Montessori Center International, 2013, p. 4). Specifically, aspects of a child’s development are; physical that involves development of skills; intellectual deals with memory and ability to solve problems. Language development involves enhancing ability to communicate with others; emotional development is the expressionRead MoreThe Child Development Is Defined By The Important Concepts Of A Child1903 Words   |  8 PagesChild Development is defined by the important concepts which change from before the child is born to when the child becomes an adolescent. The development of a child is a very important concept in life. A women dreams of the day she will have a baby and start a family with the love of her life. There are many concepts and many different factors which come into having a baby. Early child D evelopment is a complicated subject that involves, how teratogens affect a new born, how a maternal age can affectRead MoreChild Development and Learning Focusing on Language Development1975 Words   |  8 PagesChild development and learning focusing on language development This essay is about a child’s development and learning, focusing primarily on language development. It will describe the main stages of developmental milestones and the key concepts involved for children to develop their language skills, discussing language acquisition and social learning theory. The essay will also look into the key theorists involved in language development, primarily Vygotsky and Chomsky, and how these theoriesRead MoreDevelopmental Stages Of Child Development1146 Words   |  5 PagesEvery child is different, and so is every parent s experience; but experts have gained a clear idea about the range of normal development from birth to the time of a person’s death. Although most child development experiences are not going to be the same due to the differentiation between culture and genetics, there are developmental milestones every child should experience within a certain range of age. Some of the most apparent factors of a child’s developme ntal stages are genetics, parenting

Sunday, December 15, 2019

America Revolution Free Essays

The link between the French and Indian War and the American Revolution might seem unexpected, but the French and Indian War paved the way for the American Revolution. The influence of the French and Indian Wars on the American Revolution is even greater due to the success of the British in the colonial wars between Great Britain and France. We will write a custom essay sample on America Revolution or any similar topic only for you Order Now The French and Indian War is the name used for the colonial wars that took place between Great Britain and France from 1754 until 1763 over the control of the territory in North America. The French and Indian War began on the basis of the rivalry between France and England which eventually began over the territories of the New World. The territory of North America was soon divided between British North America and the French North America, distribution of power that caught in the middle the Native Americans (Bell, 2003). The French and Indian War ended with the win of Great Britain, which by that time had already established itself as the world’s greatest empire, fact confirmed by the 1763 Treaty of Paris (Bell, 2003). However, the victory of Britain meant that its colonial empire increased and along with it the deficit of Great Britain. This deficit was passed on to the colonists in North America and later became the one of the reasons that led to the American Revolution. The influence of the French and Indian War on the American Revolution is noticeable especially due to the victory of the British which were faced with several problems that were among the reasons for the outbreak of the American Revolution. The American Revolution refers to the moment when the Thirteen Colonies that later became the United States gained independence from Great Britain. Although the fighting started twelve years after the end of the French and Indian War, the period that followed the Seven Years War represented the preparation for the American Revolution and the beginning for the revolutionary era (American Revolution). After the end of the French and Indian War American Colonies were faced with only one ruler, Great Britain, and gained an important ally for their revolutionary movement, France. â€Å"France played a key role in aiding the new nation with money and munitions, organizing a coalition against Great Britain, and sending an army and a fleet that played a decisive role at Yorktown† (American Revolution). If it wasn’t for the French and Indian War and if Great Britain wouldn’t have won over France, perhaps the American Revolution wouldn’t have occurred or it would have had a hard chance gaining any powerful ally in a battle against two colonial empires. While France became an ally in the American Revolution, Great Britain ended the French and Indian War with a great deficit, a deficit that it asked to be covered from the American colonies as a price of defending them from the French threat. These taxes imposed by Britain were considered to be illegal and caused great dissatisfaction in the colonies, eventually leading to the outburst of the American Revolution. The most obvious link between the American Revolution and the French and Indian War is that of the taxes imposed by the British for the defense of the colonies from the French threat. The problem with the taxes, which eventually led to the American Revolution, was not that they were high or that they existed at all, it was that the colonists were not consulted about these taxes because they had no representative in the British Parliament (American Revolution). Since there was no representation of the American colonies in the British Parliament, how could there be taxation. The subject of â€Å"no taxation without representation† became one of the reasons why the colonies desired independence from the British government. Particularly this desire for equal rights and representation was the basis of the fight for independence from Great Britain. Taxation was not the only problem between the British and the Americans. In 1764, the Parliament passed two acts that upset the colonists even more (Sugar Act and the Currency Act), leading to a boycott of British goods (American Revolution). Confronted with a common enemy, the colonies began to collaborate and from that moment on the road to the American Revolution began. The American colonies benefited greatly from the French and Indian War because this war left the victorious Britain in debt and exhausted so that it was a less threatening adversary by the time the Revolution began. â€Å"The war exposed the weakness of British administrative control in the colonies on various fronts† (1756-1776) . Through their attempt to cover war losses, the British â€Å"violated what many American colonists understood as the clear precedent of more than a century of colonial-imperial relations†. The taxation issue therefore became the symbol of hoe the relation between the colonies and Great Britain will continue and the necessity of independence occurred. Of course, taxation was not the only reason in the American Revolution, but it contributed greatly in setting a common cause in the colonies. The end of the French and Indian War had a significant influence on the American Revolution because until the end of the war, few British North America colonists revolted against their role in the British Empire. Bibliography: †¢ Bell, Sandra, Savoir Faire: the French and Indian War, May/June 2003, available at http://www. collectionscanada. ca/bulletin/015017-0303-05-e. html; †¢ American Revolution, available at http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/American_Revolution; †¢ 1756-1776: The Seven Years War to the American Revolution, available at http://www. tax. org/Museum/1756-1776. htm. How to cite America Revolution, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Male Initiation Rituals Essay Example For Students

Male Initiation Rituals Essay Collective Male Initiation Rituals of the SambiaThe transition of a boy to a man is very important to the Sambia, of New Guinea. This transition consists of an initiation ritual, which has 6 stages and takes between 13 and 20 years to complete. The first 3 stages are collectively focused, which I will discuss, and stages 4 through 6 are individually focused. This ritual helps to introduce the boys to male society, prepare them for adult responsibilities and is used to transmit culture (Nanda 2002: 132). The beliefs of the Sambia show a warriors conception of manhood where men should be strong, brave, and unyielding in the pursuit of all tasks (Herdt 1981: 50). The first stage of initiation is called Moku and occurs between the ages of 7 and 10. The second stage is called Imbutuand occurs between the ages of 10 and 13. The third stage is called Ipmangwi and occurs between the ages of 14 and 16. We will write a custom essay on Male Initiation Rituals specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In the first stage of initiation the boys are taken from their mothers homes and taken to live at the mens clubhouse. Here boys are given a ritual sponsor who is usually in the third or forth stage of initiation (Herdt 1981: 55). Early in the first stage is the stretching right. The stretching rites are the initial stimulus to spur masculinity (Herdt 1981: 223). In the stretching rites the boys are carried off into the woods by their ritual sponsor and sticks or switches are rubbed against the bodies of groups of boys by the elder males. The boys skin is rubbed and perforated. This is said to remove sweat and the fine down of the boys cheeks, arms and legs (Herdt 1981: 222) which are contaminants caused by close contact with their mothers. After this dangerous ritual their sponsor must carry the boys back to the mens clubhouse. One of the most important rituals in the first stage initiation is nose bleeding. This act is the most painful preformed on the initiates (Herdt 1981: 224). In this rite sharp blades of grass are stuck up the nose until it bleeds. This is done to remove any contaminated blood that is caused from extended contact with the boys mother (Herdt 1981: 223). This purifies the boys and enables them to move on to rites that will strengthen them. After stretching and nose bleeding the initiate is given the ingestive rights. The boys are told of hundreds of positive and negative foods to eat. The pigments and color of the foods play and important role in their qualities (Herdt 1981: 228). The most important ingestive rite is the act of fellatio (Herdt 1981: 232). This rite is the most secret of all and is introduced in the penis and flute ceremony. The boys are told of the danger of seaman depletion and the powers that semen contains. Fellatio is not preformed at the ceremony, but takes place after, in private between the boy and his sponsor and is preformed daily there after. Ingestion of semen is said to give the boy the strength that is needed to become a warrior (Herdt 1981: 234). This act strengthens the male bond and can be linked to a male form of breast-feeding and is known to the boys as our breast milk (Herdt 1981: 234). In the second phase of initiation, which occurs between the ages of 10 and 13, the boys still live in the mens clubhouse. During this phase there is no nose bleeding for purification. In its place is a tree ceremony in which the boys are smeared with the red grease of the pandanus fruit for purification. This is said to be good enough due to the equivalency of blood and pananus juice (Herdt 1981: 229). During this phase the initiate still performs fellatio on the men of the tribe on a regular basis, to make them strong. .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3 , .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3 .postImageUrl , .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3 , .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3:hover , .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3:visited , .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3:active { border:0!important; } .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3:active , .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3 .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u994bd4b5bf6b13e7ad4c1eb31351bec3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Reconstruction EssayThe third phase is the last of the collective initiation. This takes place between the ages of 14 and 16 while the boys live in the mens clubhouse (Herdt 1981: 55). In the third phase the boys perform the puberty rite and move from the fellator to the fellated (Herdt 1981: 242). They are now considered to be bachelors and can take on a sponsee of their own. It is in this stage that the bachelor learns to make milk sap from the pooliku tree. This milk sap is an elixir believed to replenish semen lost through their fellatio inseminations of younger boys (Herdt 1981: 111). During this phase the bachelor is allowed to wear the clothing of a warrior and part icipates in war-raiding parties (Herdt 181: 242). The Sambia of New Guinea view the transition of a boy to a man as an important act. Their collective initiation rituals last for up to 9 years and go through 3 phases, some of which are very secretive. These rituals help to emphasize male dominance and show a an envy toward the procreative ability of females that is evident in the ritual blood-letting of nose bleeding and close relation of semen ingestion to a male form of breast feeding (Nanda 2002:132). Some of their practices, such as the ritual fellatio preformed by young boys, can be seen by other cultures as child abuse. In fact some missionaries from the German Lutheran Church have gone so far as to try to persuade the Austrailian government to prohibit these initiations (Godelier 1996: 52). It is due to this and other cultural pressures that the act of ritual fellatio, though widely practiced by many tribes in New Guinea until the 1960s, is dyeing out (Godelier 1996: 52). Initiation rituals serve an important part in many soc ieties by gradually increasing participation in society, with little psychological trauma (Nanda 2002: 131). This is true for the Sambia and I believe that changing any of these rituals would be a great lose to them. Words/ Pages : 980 / 24

Friday, November 29, 2019

Motivating employees Essays - Human Resource Management,

Introduction Engendering the emotional energy of employees is the most difficult challenge facing organisational leaders worldwide. Several organisational behaviours can be attributed towards how successful a company will be. Motivation is a crucial aspect in many organisations and is also a key determinant in the triumph of a business. Motivation is defined as the process of initiating and directing behaviour, and willingness to exert high levels of effort to drive toward organisational goals, conditioned by the effort's ability to satisfy individual needs (Gabriel 1989: 224; Mathis & Jackson 2006: 79). Therefore, motivation is considered to be detrimental to the facets of management within the workforce, where the quality of work that people express is often a result of the motivation they possess. This essay will discuss the concept of motivation by focusing on content theories of motivation and its related theories through exploration of the variable nature of needs and expectations. Also, th is essay will discuss the importance of having a motivated workforce and how the application of these theories is pivotal in achieving staff motivation. Lastly, this essay will include an evaluation of Southwest Airlines, with particular emphasis on the links between motivation and value creation for the company, as well as staff satisfaction. Motivation The motivational process in management can be treated as a need satisfying process. Content theories of motivation are primarily concerned with the dynamics of employee needs, in which the Maslow hierarchy of needs and McGregor?s X and Y theory illustrate the vast scope of needs in motivational processes (Mullins 1996: 85). Maslow?s Hierarchy of Needs Sources of motivation can be arranged in a hierarchical structure. Maslow?s hierarchy of needs theory proposes that within every person are five needs that need to be satisfied. These include, from the bottom of the hierarchy to the top; physiological needs ? these include the bodies automatic efforts to function, safety needs ? protection from emotional and physical harm, social needs ? sense of belonging, esteem needs ? receiving of respect, confidence and strength and self-respect and self-actualisation needs. This theory asserts that individuals satisfy these needs in a step like process. Maslow (1943, cited in Mullins 1996 : 40) also suggested that once the low orders of the hierarchy we satisfied they were no longer motivators. These base level motivators are widely accepted as surviving in the world. Within each of these stages there is a vast range of needs that could fit into each category hence suggesting each individuals needs could be different and unique (Gabriel 1989: 2 24; Maslow 1943, cited in Mullins 1996: 40). X and Y Theory Various sources of motivation are accountable for energizing individual behaviour. McGregor?s X and Y theory is primarily a negative and positive view of employees respectively. Theory X assumes employees to be lazy and must be coerced to perform, and that lower order needs dominate individuals. In contrast, theory Y assumes that employees are responsible can exercise self-direction and that higher level needs predominate. In this way both Theory X and Y offer wide-ranging categories of needs, suggesting the needs for motivation are not predetermined, but rather unpredictable for each individual employee (McGregor 1960, cited in Mullins 1996: 41). A Motivated Workforce A successful organization is highly dependent on a motivated workforce. Motivation affects the output of an organization, which concerns both quantity and quality. For instance, an organization relying heavily on the efficiency of their production employees has to make sure that products are manufactured in time to meet deadlines. However, if employees lack the motivation to produce completed products to meet the deadline, then the organization faces dire consequences in reputation and profitability (Certo 2005: 281-282; Tosi, Mero Gabriel 1989: 227; Tosi et al. 2000:

Monday, November 25, 2019

Automobile Has Improved Life Essays

Automobile Has Improved Life Essays Automobile Has Improved Life Paper Automobile Has Improved Life Paper Some people think that the automobile has improved modern life. Others think that the automobile has caused serious problems. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. The invention and proliferation of the automobile has improved the human lives considerably. In modern days, complete transportation of men and material is carried out with the help of automobiles. Automobiles in the modern era, for us are not luxury, but a necessity rather. We think nothing while jumping in the car and driving many a miles on a trip or for our jobs. But looking to the future, researchers are constantly trying to find better ways of transporting with more fuel efficient and environment friendly vehicles redesigning the engines and appearance. For going to school or college, attending office or business, shopping or socializing and numerous daily activities we are dependent on automobiles. Automobiles we use in the shape of a car, scooter or motorbike depending upon our need, nature of work and affordability. While the life has become very fast and time is extremely scarce we have to cope up with the work or the business and keep pace with time with the help of our automobile. Very large tankers transport oil and gas for the use of end users. All projects ranging from small or gigantic need cranes, trucks, lifters, elevators, excavators, dumpers, road rollers, tractors and what not. And all those are the development from automobiles. No doubt automobiles do cause some air pollution in environment by way of exhaust of carbon-mono-oxide and carbon-di-oxide. However to overcome pollution problem oil companies as well as automobile manufacturers do a great deal of research and develop products that are environment friendly. We can neither discard automobiles nor can we imagine our life without automobiles. In nutshell invention and proliferation of automobiles has improved the human lives. We can’t imagine of a life without automobiles today. (287 Words)

Friday, November 22, 2019

The Casino Industry in the US Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 16

The Casino Industry in the US - Case Study Example Competition of the new entrants is a real threat and it is eating the business. The emerging market for the new casinos is led by boat casinos and Native American casinos. According to Michael E. Porter (1980), concentrating only on resources and competencies, while ignoring the competition, can turn a firm inward looking (XVI). The competition is not only growing in the US alone. Europe is harboring its own army of casinos and stealing away the high rollers. This means that the extremely wealthy that used to travel to Las Vegas to buy casino chips and gamble are now getting the facility in their own country or continent. After the financial crisis of 2008, the rivalry between casinos has gotten more intense. Now the same casinos fight over customers and have turned to game theories to ward off the competition. Other forms of entertainments like late opening nightclubs can take away some market segment as many come to Las Vegas for entertainment and as a side dish, for gambling. If n ightclubs take away these customers, casino revenues will drop as advertisers won’t find their customers to target. All gaming firms do not compete for head to head. Some firms target the high rollers, people who can stack up millions at one gambling table, while other casinos target small-time gamblers. Big casinos always aim for high rollers despite the fact that so much revenue becomes dependent on a single investor or party. An absence of this ‘investment’ just once can mean a low earning quarter. Other than capturing market segment, geographical dominance also plays its part. No other state can compete with Nevada when it comes to gambling. This state was given the license to gamble in 1933, the first state to have that privilege. The longest stay in the business has made it the topmost gaming revenue generator in the US with over $10 billion annually.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Chemistry Lab report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chemistry Lab report - Coursework Example In this lab, we aim to build a working model of a self heating cup using the heat released during an exothermic reaction. We shall also compare two chemical reactions to find which reactant causes water in the cup to reach higher temperature in a shorter duration. In our simulation of the self-heating cup, the heat energy from an exothermic reaction is used to heat water. Temperature of the water in the cup increases due to transfer of heat energy from the reaction to the cup through conduction. If there is no heat loss during the experiment, A plastic cup was covered with aluminum foil to prevent its melting on exposure to heat. Tap water (75 mL) was added to the cup. To prevent heat loss from the cup, a lid made of aluminum foil was placed over the cup and two holes were made to the lid. Through one hole in the lid, a digital thermometer was placed to record temperature of water in the cup. The digital thermometer was connected to a data logger in order to record the temperature and to plot a temperature-time graph. A glass rod was placed through the other hole for stirring. The outer walls and bottom of a clean beaker were covered by aluminum foil in order to prevent heat loss during the reaction. Anhydrous calcium chloride (61.95 g) was added to the beaker. Water to be added to the calcium chloride was measured (61 mL) and kept handy. Just before placing the cup on the beaker, the recording of temperature of water in the cup was started. Water was added to calcium chloride in the beaker and immediately, the cup was placed on the beaker, touching the solution. Temperature was recorded for 10 minutes, with constant stirring using the glass rod. The stirring is essential to ensure even heating of water in the cup. A new cup and beaker were readied in a similar manner. To the new beaker, copper sulfate (9.25 g) and zinc powder (4.8 g) were added. When the apparatus was set up, 5 mL

Monday, November 18, 2019

Marketing Mix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Mix - Essay Example a.. Discussion on which elements of the marketing mix are still being promoted 5 b. Considerations for new developments 5 4. Conclusion 6 Annexes 8 List of references 12 . An analysis of the Pre launching strategy of Cotswold Water Park Introduction. Costswold Water Park Four Pillars Hotel located near Swindon was launched in 2007and had used integrated marketing strategies in pre-launching. Purpose of this research is to analyze if marketing approaches used by the hotel sustained the success of pre-launch a. Review of the marketing mix The hotel used high level plans related to the marketing mix. Chai, Lee , (May 2009) & MacArthy( 06 Sept 2011) consider the right mix of product, pricing, place and, promotion to be assured of a pre-launching success. It is likened to baking a cake wherein there is a right proportion to come out with a desirable product. b. Discussion of the pre-launch activities. Marketing Team Direct, 2011 of the hotel first considered the creation of positioning an d message statements about the hotel. Next, they applied a segmented approach wherein they set a clear target of customers to know their needs and motivations, and travel behavior in order to get an actionable picture of targeted customers. Third, they created activities to support the launch such as marketing and sales tools. Then, they had the partnership strategy wherein they sold the product thru their distribution channel. Next,   they ensured that product infrastructure is fully developed. They also prepared for the international travelers by designing a website. Last is the preparation for the hotel operational activities and coming up with a price system.(Marketing Team Direct, 2011) c. Objectives of the marketers. Objectives set are to be assured of a ready market or advanced bookings of travelers to maintain operations during first months of opening d .What pre-launch activities are evident? Pre-launch activities were selective promotions to target customers by creating brand awareness, research on prospect’s data, and securing advanced bookings. Marketing tools used were advertising, vehicle graphics and press releases, PR and creation of a company website (Marketing Team Direct, 2011) e. Which elements of the Marketing Mix are being focused on and which are missing? Price, place, product and promotion are the marketing mix used, but the people factor is missing. MacArthy believes people or personnel should be incorporated as an approach for service oriented business like Cotswold.. Their strategy lacked the feedback support. The hotel is a service industry, and much depends on the services it offers. The campaign fails to identify the service culture that indicates â€Å"customer satisfaction is the top priority and the hotel activity should demonstrate these business objectives of the customer’. (ITIL Service Culture definition) Bruce Goff (2005), a licensed interior designer for hotel industry, uses the theory of Maslow for hospi tality design that meets hierarchy of needs. On this, he speculates that hotels should be designed to meet the basic needs of travelers then afterwards respond to higher standards of customers needs. He related the bedding wars of Hilton, Marriot, and Westin Hotel and upgrading of small amenities like soaps, towels, shampoo that give customers satisfaction. Advanced Services Marketing (2008) said that there are service standards that should be

Saturday, November 16, 2019

General Motors Analysis: SWOT and Porters Five Forces Analysis

General Motors Analysis: SWOT and Porters Five Forces Analysis Automotive legend of the last century, GM, is one of the biggest corporations in the world. Although GM had big turmoils in its business, it still operates successfully in all over the universe. The aim of this assignment is to determine the GMs business strategies with rises and falls by looking into their history, having the data of what and how did they do in their businesses and analysing their company activities. Being a leader and pioneer of the automobile industry since this sectors infancy times , General Motors Corporation still keeps its successful place in this competitive business. Since 1908, General Motors Corporation (GM) is one of the largest auto producer in the world as measured by global industry sales, whose headquarters is in United States of America. William C. Durant was the founder of General Motors Company with being an innovator in automobile technology. As being a multinational automobile manaufacturer General Motors employes about 280 million people all around the world with the total assets of 149 billion US Dollars. The company manufacturers the cars and the trucks in 55 different countries (exluding US and Canada). General Motors has sub-brands under its management. Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Hummer, Pontiac, Saab, Vauxhall, Holden, Saturn and Wuling are some one the names of General Motors brands. The General Motors Company placed into a global market throughout the 1920s. Meanwhile, the company built itself as a firm which provided prestige, power and the other options. As a competitor, Ford, that focused on lower costs and lower prices, reversely GM targeted customers who had likely money to spend on more featurative products. During the World War II, General Motors Company manufactured armament and military vehicles,both for Allied and Axis forces. GM had improved its business level and becomed the largest corporation in the United States after the world war II. During the 1950s, style, desing, and engineering innovations are applied into the companys production line. In 1960s, GM also focused on insurance, home appliances, financing, electronics, locomotives and banking etc. In request for the smaller cars of European producers , GM introduced Chevrolet Corvair, that was ciriticized for safety issues in following days. In the next decade, oil prices went up and as well as the oil costs , environmental problems are taken into consider at those times. Therefore, there were a shift from huge oil guzzling cars to smaller European cars increased with the first energy crisis. After that , second crisis followed quickly by rising the concern for pollution and controlling of over emission and safety problems resulted GM lose of its market share to more economical and smaller vehicles. Especially between 1980s and 1990s , the Japanese imports rocketed ( See Appendix 1) ,so that, that time of a period was a hardship for GM, which was plagued by high competition with Japanese companies. As a result of this, GM had chenged its strategies like redesingining and reengineering of its car models. However , because of the high production costs , GM had continioued its high losses in the market with huge numbers. In 1990s, General Motors Company had started to close many of its plants and also cut the jobs. With these turmoils among the company, GM followed different strategies ,like buying Saab and Daewoo, and a little portion of Subaru and Suzukis shares, that were sold later for increasing the money. As follows, GM merged with FIAT car company which lasted five years. In the late-1990s, General Motors Company seemed on the way to big recovery, with sales stabilizing and stock increasing. However, end of the 2001 September, the company started to have challenges, and the system was changed again. In the following next few years, General Motors became a survivor in the highly competitive automobile industry with the economic recession in 2008, therefore the company had bailed out by the government for avoiding bankruptcy. (bbc.co.uk, 2010) In the first quarter of 2009, the auto giant posted a 6 billion dollars loss and said that it burned through 10.2 billion dollars of cash in the first three months of the year as revenue plummeted by 20 billion dollars'(about.com, 2010). However, besides these hard circumstances, in the first half of 2010, the General Motors sold more vehicles in China than in the US. (Constantini,2010) 3. STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF GENERAL MOTORS Analysing the companys internal and external environments, there are many different frameworks and models exist for companies. By having some strategies enables the firms to get better understanding of the critical factors for their future success. Some sof the strategic analysis methods are Dunnings Eclectic Paradigm (Cavusgil et al., 2008), Porters Diamond and Five forces, Directional Policy Matrix, Mintzbergs School of Thoughts (Mintzberg et al., 2003) Value Chain Analysis (Johnson et al., 2008), SWOT analysis (Kotler and Keller, 2009), etc. The suitable frameworks choosing is depends on what the company needs to address and in what circumstances it needs to do so (Johnson et al., 2008). This is because many firms today operate both on a national, regional and global basis and as such need appropriate strategy for each individual environment (Schlie and Yip, 2000). As being a multinational enterprise, GM operates in approximately 57 countries, including Canada and US, and they serve and operate in variety of services from improvement, marketing, manufacturing of cars, trucks to economy and insurance services (Datamonitor, 2009). A potent tool and a flexible framework that could assist in describing and assessing competitive pressures in an industry and industry attractiveness is the Porters five forces (FF) model (Niederhut-Bollmann and Theuvsen, 2008). The model helps a company to decide how and where to make strategic changes for gaining and sustaining competitive advantages over rival firms and thereby generating above-average return on investments (Niederhut-Bollmann and Theuvsen, 2008). In addition, one the school of the Mintzberg Ten School of Thoughts, The Design School, gives us another highly essential analysis for the firms. According to Mintzberg, The Design School sees strategy formation as achieving the essential fit between internal and external aspects'(Mintzberg et al., 2003:p23). Meanwhile, strenghts and weaknesses are given as the internal capabilities, on the other hand, opportunities and threads are seen as the external possibilities. Therefore, in this assignment, the General Motors Company will be analysed through company strategies. Firstly competitive advantage and analysis will be done according to Michael Porters five forces. Secondly, internal and external analysis will be given according to Mintzbergs Design School by applying the SWOT analysis. Finally, in the last to secion Value Chain and BCG Matrix Analysis will be examined. 3.1. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE ANALYSIS OF GM ACCORDING TO MICHAEL PORTERS FIVE FORCES The competitive analysis of a company is an essential element of identifying components which are a threat to reduce profitability. For assesing over the competitive problems , Michael Porters five forces analysis is the one of the most efficient way. Porter (2004) has brought the light of five such factors: (1) Rivalry between existing competitors, (2) Barriers to entry, (3) Pressure of price from Substitutes/Complementaries, (4) Bargaining power of buyers, (5) Bargaining power of suppliers. Therefore, General Motors Corporations competitive advantage analysis will be done according to Michael Porters five forces . 3.1.1. Rivalry Between Existing Competitors: Rivalry occurs, because one or more competitors either feels the pressure or sees the opportunity to improve position (Porter, 2004 :p.17). Additionally, The strategies pursued by one firm can be successful only to the extent that they provide competitive advantage over the strategies pursued by rival firms. ( David, 2011 :p.107-108). Therefore, if we look at the GM motors in this section, in the 1970s and 1980s, competition in the US automobile industry had become much more strong with the increase of foreign rivals such as Honda, Toyota and Nissan (See Appendix 2). Although GM was a leader of the automobile industry at that period of time, its rivals had started to compete with GM providing some different offers. For example, Toyota started to produce cars with lower price than GM cars , whereas the quality of cars were high. So that, the competitros of GM became well-known brands ,while GM had difficulties with competing with them. 3.1.2. Barriers To Entry: According to Porter, new capacity may be brought to an industry by new entrants. Furthermore, gaining the market share, and getting high proportion of resources can be achieved by new entries. Meanwhile, the presence of of new corporations in an any industry can push the prices down and may decrease the profitability. Although these entries may seem as a threat, those may protect the established companies. During the both world wars, GM made a high profit, and it enlarged its business. Being a leader of the sector and being a well-known brand placed the GMs competitors very difficult positon to entry the industry. Especially for the smaller firms, competing with the GM was very hard. In early 20s, GM invented self-starters by differentiating itself from Ford, later on , in 1970s, Japanese and European companies introduced their fuel-efficient models to the industry. 3.1.3 Pressure of Price From Substitutes/Complementaries : All of the companies are in the competition broadly with the industries manufacturing substitute and complementary products (Porter, 2004). In this highly competitive automobile industry, any change in the prices on complementaries such as gas, tires, could have a important effect on the demand for automobiles. If we look at the GM, recent rising gas prices are highly to get a bigger effect on GM. Because, generally GMs cars are energy inefficient. Therefore, this will have great impact on GM. 3.1.4. Bargaining Power of Buyers: Buyers compete with the industry by forcing down prices, bargaining for higher quality and more services, and playing competitors against each other, all at the expense of industry profitability'(Porter, 2004 p:24). As a result of highly improved information technologies, and as well as with globalization, customers of the GM (like for the other companies) became more aware of the what were they buying and how much were they paying. Furthermore, getting the information the rivals of GM from the internet increased the bargaining power of dealers of GM. 3.1.5. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Suppliers of an industry plays a significant role for their businesses. They may reduce the quality of the products, or may raise the prices up. For GM, raw materials and machine parts suppliers threat is very low, because there many suppliers for those sections (Nytimes, 2011). However, the powerful labour union, United Auto Workers (UAW), is a potential threat to GMs economical capability and endurance. For example, the liability of pension and health-care costs acquired an additional 1,400 to the cost of every vehicle comes from GM place compared with competitor products (The Economist, 2008). This is a magnificent amount and GM needs to search ways to cut this liability, therefore, GM may get more economical improvement and the growth of the company. 3.2. INTERNAL EXTERNAL ANALYSIS OF GM ACCORDING TO MINTZBERGS DESIGN SCHOOL Mintzberg explained The Design School as in the following: The Design School sees strategy formation as achieving the essential fit between internal and external aspects'(Mintzberg et al., 2003:p23). In this definition, internal factors are given as strenghts and weaknesses. Besides this, opportunities and threats are described as external factors. Therefore, for analysing the GENERAL MOTORS external and internal factors we should do a SWOT Analysis with the light of Mintzbergs Design School. 3.2.1. Strengths: During the 20th century, GM has been the automotive leader in car industry. Although the company had some turmoils, its market share is still very much competitive in the sector. GM is well established not only in US but all around the world. Moreover, GM also have an rising share in the Chinese market (See Appendix 3). If GM takes the right decisions, there will be no reason for GM becoming a boss of the car industry again with. In addition, GM has wide range of brands such as Cadillac, Chevrolet, and Vauxhall. Company operates in more than hundred countries in the world with employing the approximately 250,000 people (gm.com, 2010) . Therefore, General Motors, with its global experience and its huge market share in the world, is still keeps the professional place in the automobile industry. General Motors Corporation uses OnStar Satellite Technology. This technology provides its customers security and safety facilities. For example, in the event of emergency , the system allows the driver to communicate with OnStar personnel just away a button immediately. GM has been controlling the costs by alliance and partnership with corporations like Shanhai Automobile Industry Corp., Toyota Motor Corp., Daimler AG. So that, GM improved its cost reduction system by sharing the company costs. 3.2.2. Weaknesses: For analysing the GMs weaknesses, first, we should consider that, this company is an US firm. So that, from its early years until present times, it is still over dependent to US market. The company should take the benefit for expanding globally. According to an article issued by Associated Press (2010), GM had low credit ratio which is determined as junk-credit (BB-). On the other hand, another problem is downsizing. GM put on the market some of its brands and it closed them completely. Additionally, the inactive profitability is the other issue of GM. After the global economic recession in 2008 , companys profit margins and sales went down dramatically. Staying one step behind on alternative energy movement is the biggest weakness for General Motors Company. The competitors of GM like Honda, Toyota, are using fuel efficiently, and also that are producing more ecological and environment friendly vehicles. Therefore, this may led problems such as decrease of market share and loss in company profit. GMs organizational structure is designed vertically. This causes a lack of information between the levels in the company, from bottom to top. So that, many problems can be occur because of the operational and top managerial levels uncommunicative situation. 3.2.3. Opportunities: One of the lightly opportunities of GM is maintaining the Global Expansion. In the last few years, GM achieved a substantial rise in the Chinese market, that made the GM alarm to major on the foreign markets. The other advantage for GM to take is the catching up the hybrid technology cars. Although they had lagged behind the alternative energy, it is not late for the automotive giant becoming again once it was. Recently, GM started to operate Green-Manufacturing systems, such as water-borne technology, reduction goals for hazardous and non-hazardous waste at source ( See Appendix 4). Developing new vehicle models and designs is the big advantage for GM. Because, as we know, what is in today will be out tomorrow. Therefore, focusing on innovations should be the urgent mission through the GM company. 3.2.4. Threats: The threat of the increase in the supply costs is very common in automobile industry like as the other industries. This threat pushes the firms to reduce manufacturing and production costs as much as possible, without carrying away the product quality. For instance, the fluctuation in the steel prices between 2005 and 2010 had a negative impact on GMs production costs, especially as a result of the economic crisis , the rise in 2008, put a negative impcat on GM ( See Appendix 5). The other danger for GM is the increase in fuel prices (See Appendix 6). As same with the rising in the steel prices, after the economic recession in 2008, the sales have plummeted considerably. Therefore, soaring in fuel costs has played a magnificant role in enhancing the advantage for development of hybrid and more fuel efficient vehicles respectively. The increasing competition factor is the another big threat for General Motors. Because, GM is not a leader once it was, currently there are many different brands in the industry, which are working hard for competing with their rivals. Therefore, GM should always keep the innovation on top for competing in the industry. 3.3. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF GM Value Chain is called to add value to the product and remove excess waste of resource consumption, in other word, to maximize the value of work done by the systematic and asset management. Supplier of products and processes that increase the effectiveness of all stages up to final customers and to maintain, so used to gain competitive advantage. Value Chain Management focuses on the destruction of waste inside the company and also focuses on the customers satisfaction inside the company . Value Chain assits to the companies to identify activities where it may well apply its presence potentials (Diez-Vial, 2009) and also identify which activities to outsource in order to decrease prices by getting opportunity of country-specific advatages. One of the compenent of manufacturing is outsourcing which is congress the features of GMs activities that needs a much more labour to the other countries where labour costs are cheaper, and this could relieve GM from employment responsibility . Additionally, recently GM could be able to resolve problems with United Automobile Workers. Michael Porter (2004) examined a set of interconnected generic activities common to a variety of companies. GM, for instance, gives highly importance on its customer relationships. For the theory part, Service activities are the activities that continue and enhance the products value including customer support, repair services, etc. Meanwhile, for the GM strategy, they are using OnStar Technology which enables the customers get in touch with the call center of GM in an emergency situations. 3.4. BCG MATRIX ANALYSIS OF GM The BCG Matrix method is based on the product life cycle theory that can be used to determine what priorities should be given in the product portfolio of a business unit ( Lancaster and Reynolds, 2004) . To ensure long-term value creation, high-growth products and low-growth products should be undertaken by the companies in need of cash inputs and generate a lot of cash respectively. As I mentioned above, determining the factors of industry and as well as firms businesses is playing an essential role for gaining competitive advantage in the global market. Till before the two decades, oil prices had gone up with high percentages. So that, this and the environmental factors had oushed the automobile sector to the fuel efficiency vehicles. With the consideration of BCG Matrix applied to the GM, GM should pull off the brands like Pontiac, Hummer which are fuel-efficiency and oil-guzzling cars. Furthermore, more investment should put into producing smaller fuel-efficient vehicles, and also HEVs ( Hybrid Electric Vehicles). 4. CONCLUSION In conclusion, analysing the General Motors Corporation is done by using some strategical analysing methods, such as Porters FF, Value Chain, BCG Matrix, and Swot Analysis. Searching and applying the systems into the GM is quite broad because of the companys long time history which is more than a hundred years. In to the this content, the Company is analysed in detail according to factors of competitive advantage, internal and external. Therefore , I reached up a conclusion for GM. Of course, every single company and firm can make mistake in their business life cycle, however, minimizing those mistakes is one of the essential area for the firms. If we turn to GM, they had been really successful in the industry when there were no any other competitors. However, once GMs rivals entered to the business, GM started lose its market share globally. Because they overlooked at them, they didnt do many things until they lose their profits. After that , they changed some system, they started to struggled with their rivals. So that, with consideering all the analysed strategic forces above and the company, some recommendations should be done. For forthcoming improvements, first of all, General Motors should describe possible and suitable sector to serve. And also GM should concern about arrangement application and differentation strategy. For example, Focus strategy may assist GM to enable to reduce the costs as GM diverge from broad-line manufacturer to another varieties. By doing his, GM will be able to differntiate its product from the other rivals , because of focusing on a specific niche market that may perform much more better . The other one is to stay ready for even every hard and difficult circumstances, such as financial crisis. Although , generally it is an unexpected factor, companies, and also GM, should gain their SWOT analysis under the line of Threats. Staying in prepare positon always gives high competitive advantage with the other competitirs in the global industry. Last but not least is maintaining the speed of rivalry environment, GM should enhance and improve its product development. Alongside with the product development, environmental factors should be considered as well for gaining the high quality of business. 5. RECOMMENDATION In my opinion, General Motors should follow some strategies such as restructuring, product development, liquidation and market development. If GM does the product development, this would allow them to sustain the speed of rivalry environment. As a pratic example of this theory is Hybrid SUV vehicles, which matches the GM shape with continuing the portion of SUV, basically that allocate the company to keep on with trend models. My another recommendation for GM is reevaluation of the market. Global market is a market that which changes frequently. First GM vehicles had got tradition style, however, among the changing industry, they started to produce big cars, especially for the US market. One practical example for that case is to produce ultra-modern vehicles. If they manufacture that futuristic cars before the Honda or Toyota Company, they would gain an advantage in competitive industry. Lastly, liquidation is very essential for GM. The reason for that is, its assets are much more than its incomes. If General Motors can get the assests through the cash, therefore, GM could be more available finance. Moreover , when they achieving that process, GM wouldnt have to rely on US market, they could be independent in global industry. 6. APPENDIX Appendix 1 Imported Japanese Cars Develoopment: Source: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956show=htmlHYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956show=htmlshow=html Appendix 2 Auto Sales Monthly Change: Source: http://www.wstreet.com/investing/stocks/19359_gms_fire_sale_and_auto_sales_preview.html Appendix 3 -China Car Market Soars: Source: http://seekingalpha.com/article/243737-outlook-2011-china-says-no-more-cars-down-goes-auto-industry Appendix 4 Green Manufacturing Processes: Source: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551show=abstractHYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551show=abstractshow=abstract Appendix 5 Steel Prices Between 2005 and 2010: Source: : http://www.ttiinc.com/object/ME_Materials_Steel Appendix 6 Rise in Fuel Prices Between 2009 and 2010: Source:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12098981 7. REFERENCES 1. Associated Press, 2010. General Motors Gets Junk Credit Rating From Fitch. Michigan Live LLC. [Internet] Available at: http://www.mlive.com/auto/index.ssf/2010/10general_motors_gets_junk_credit.html [Accessed 28 January 2011] 2. BBC News, 2011. Petrol Duty and VAT Rises To Increase Price Of Fuel. Business. [Online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12098981 [Accessed 28 January 2011] 3. Cavusgil, S. Knight, G., and Riesenberger, R., 2008. International Business, Strategy, Management, and the New Realities. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. 4. Chu, D.L., 2010. China Says No More Cars, Down Goes Auto Industry. Outlook 2011. [Online] Available at: http://seekingalpha.com/article/243737-outlook-2011-china-says-no-more-cars-down-goes-auto-industry [Accessed 31 January 2011] 5. Constantini, F., 2010. General Motors. The New York Times. [internet] . Available at: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/general_motors_corporation/index.html [Accessed 10 February 2011] 6. Datamonitor, 2009. General Motors Corporation. Company Profile. [Online] Available at: www.datamonitor.com [Accessed 28 January 2011] 7. David, F.R., 2011. Strategic Management Concepts. 13th edition. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. 8. Diez-Vial, S., 2009. Firm Size Effects on Vertical Boundaries, Journal of Small Business Management, 47 (2): 137-153. 9.Generals Motors, 2010. Company Profile. [Online] Available at: http://www.gm.com/corporate/about/company.isp [ Accessed 10 February 2011] 10. Hamer, T. Hamer, M., 2010. General Motors-It Wasnt Always This Bad. Learn About Classics. [Online] Available at: http://classiccars.about.com/od/classiccarsaz/a/GM.htm [Accessed 10 February 2011] 11. Johnson, G. Scholes, K. and Whittington, R., 2008. Exploring Corporate Strategy, 8th edn. London: Prentice Hall. 12. Kotler, P. Keller, K. L., 2009. Marketing Management, 13th edn. New Jersey: Pearson Education. 13. Mintzberg, et al., 2003. The Strategy Process: Concepts Cases. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. 14. Niederhut-Bollmann, C. Theuvsen, L., 2008. Strategic Management in Turbulent Markets: The Case of the German and Croatia Brewing Industries. Journal for East European Management Studies, Vol. 13, No.1, pp. 63 88. 15. Nunes, B. Bennett, D., 2010. Green Operations Initiatives in the Automobile Industry: An Enviromental Reports Analysis and Benchmarking Study. An International Journal. [Online] Available at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551show=abstractHYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1863551show=abstractshow=abstract [Accessed 13 February 2011] 16. Nytimes, 2011. United Automobile Workers. Organizations. [Online] Available at: www.nytimes.com [Accessed 31 January 2011] 17. Porter, M.E., 2004. Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Indystries and Competitors. New York: Free Press. 18. Seidenfuss, K. Kathawala, Y., 2005. Voluntary Export Restraint (VER) Without Market Restraints?: The Case Study of the Monitoring Agreement (1991-1999) Between the Japanese Car Manufacturers and the European Union. European Business Review. [Online] Available at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956HYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956show=htmlHYPERLINK http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1501956show=htmlshow=html [Accessed 10 February 2011] 19. Silver, D., 2009. GMs Fire Sale Auto Sales Preview. Wall Street Strategies. [Online] Available at: http://www.wstreet.com/investing/stocks/19359_gms_fire_sale_and_auto_sales_preview.html [Accessed 8 February 2011] 20. Schlie, E. Yip, G., 2000. Regional Follows Global: Strategy Mixes in the World Automotive Industry. 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Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Leonardo Da Vincis Time in Milan :: essays research papers

The objective of this essay is to provide an explanation of Leonardo da Vinci’s life and work as an artist in context with his time spent in Milan. Following an initial introduction to Leonardo’s formative years in Florence (and his apprenticeship to the sculptor and painter Andrea del Verrocchio, 1435-88), I will attempt to explain the significance of his presence in Milan with detailed descriptions of his work there. Giorgio Vasari (1511-74) was also an artist and architect, but is perhaps better known for his book on the lives of well known painters, sculptors and architects (published 1550; from Cimbue to his autobiography which was included in a revised edition): â€Å"Vasari's book offers his personal evaluation of the works of these artists, as well as discussions on the state of the arts. His easy, natural writing style helped to make his book one of the most enduring of art histories.† His reflections on Leonardo’s life include insight specifically relating to his unusual character and the intellectual merit of his life’s work. Using this evidence I hope to provide valid observations on Leonardo’s significance as a father of the High Renaissance. Leonardo (who was christened Lionardo, the name to which Vasari refers) was born near the small town of Vinci on 15th April 1452. The town was situated in the Florentine province of Italy, where his father, Ser Piero was a notary. According to Vasari, Leonardo was somewhat of a child prodigy in his studies, but he showed little commitment to one single area, constantly finding new interests in other subjects: â€Å"Thus in arithmetic, during the few months that he studied it, he made such progress that he frequently confounded his master by continually raising doubts and difficulties. He devoted some time to music †¦ Yet though he studied so many different things, he never neglected design and working in relief, those being the things which appealed to his fancy more than any other.† Being very conscious of his son’s talents, Ser Piero moved to Florence with Leonardo and his wife (not Leonardo’s mother, as he was illegitimate and never took his father’s name) to utilise them professionally. Being a friend of the artist and sculptor Andrea del Verrocchio (1435-88), Ser Piero convinced him to recruit Leonardo as an apprentice by the promise shown in his work. Verrocchio strongly encouraged da Vinci, and his admiration of his student's talents convinced Verrocchio to allow Leonardo to participate in the creation of his own paintings and sculptures.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Gender Bias Essay

The concept of equality is regarded as an inalienable human right that should be enjoyed by all individuals regardless of their gender, race, religion, and other differential factors (United Nations, 2009). However, it is clearly seen that this is not practiced in the society that exists today. Discrimination still persists and this is greatly exemplified by the inequality that is based on gender differences. It is undeniable that women are still placed in a disadvantageous or inferior position as compared with their male counterparts. There are indeed substantial changes that have taken place in the past that made the situation of women better than before. Nevertheless, it is still obvious that there are still many changes that should be made before women can achieve the real essence of equality that they rightfully deserve. The discriminatory practices against women can be rooted back in the early history of the world wherein philosophers are still trying to make sense in the world that human beings live in. Even in the past, women have already been seen as inferior to men and this is evidently proven in the development of language. According to Becky Michele Mulvaney, the author of the article entitled â€Å"Gender Differences in Communication: An Intercultural Experience,† gender is both an influence of and a product of communication. In line with this, she pointed out how the idea of gender is first learned by an individual through talking with other people. A person could see the difference between the language that is used by girls and is often characterized by qualifiers and fillers to soften their message. There are words that are acceptable if used by a boy but not by a girl. Moreover, famous philosophers also focused on the image of an active male that makes a female as mere a supporting character. This is exemplified by Plato who defined women as â€Å"lesser men† and Aristotle who said that women are â€Å"a deformity, a misbegotten male;† as well as St Thomas Aquinas who argues that women should not have been created by God (Mulvaney, 2004). In the same manner, discriminatory practices against women still continue up to this present time. The patriarchal influences of key personalities in history and the general perspective of the people before, that women are inferior to men established a societal thinking that further propagated this view. Despite the improvements in the status of women in the society, it is evident that they are still perceived as second class citizens. This is proven in the professional lives of women wherein there are still biases and discrimination practiced against them because of their gender. Even though there are women that are already working in industries that are previously dominated by males, there is still an observable discrepancy that shows that a large number of men are in the working force. Furthermore, women are also having difficulties climbing the professional ladder of success because they are not given a fair consideration because of their gender even if they have the same capabilities sometimes even better skills than their male contenders (Farough, 2005). Being the case, it can be said that the inequality experienced by women is often not in terms of their age, race, or religion even though these factors are often intertwined. The inequality that they have to go through especially in their jobs is brought about by the social construct that women are inferior to men. The society, the one that is responsible for creating this concept, should also be the one responsible to deconstruct the notion of gender inequality. In order to do so, it entails using approach that deals with the cooperation and collaboration of people regardless of their genders. The Feminist/Sociological approach entails that people should work toward deconstructing this gender bias especially the males, and should realize that there are more disadvantageous effects if this inequality persists as compared with the privilege that they get from it (Farough, n. d. ). Furthermore, gender inequality could also be addressed through the proper use of language and communication. People should realize that language and communication are also intercultural factors wherein diversity should be accepted because there of the inherent differences between males and females (Mulvaney, 2004). However, it should be remembered that these differences should not render one gender inferior than the other. References Farough, S. (2005). The Negative Consequences of Male Privilege. In Understanding and anaging Diversity: Readings, Cases, & Exercises. 3rd edition. (Chapter 21). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Mulvaney, B. M. (2004) Gender Differences in Communication: An Intercultural Experience. In International Communication: A Global Reader. (pp. 221-229). United States: SAGE Publications. United Nations. (2009). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved January 13, 2008, from http://www. un. org/Overview/rights. html.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Believe in Yourself

You are beautiful when your strength and determination shines as you follow your path – when you aren’t ruled by the obstacles along the way†¦ You are unstoppable when you let your mistakes educate you, as your confidence builds from experiences†¦ When you know you can fall down, pick yourself up, and move forward†¦. Stop judging, and appreciate the beauty within you, judging yourself is not the same as being honest with yourself†¦. The only challenge greater than learning to walk a mile in some else’s shoes, is learning to walk a lifetime comfortably in your own†¦ In every smile there is beauty.In every heart there is love. In every mind there is wisdom. In every human being there is a soul, there is life, and there is the ability to see all these things in everyone, including one’s self†¦ Treat yourself the way you want others to treat you, accept yourself! Insecurity is what’s ugly, not you. Be you, just the way you are, in the beautiful way only you know how†¦ The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others. You must love who you are or no one else will either.And whenever you are truly comfortable in your own skin, not everyone will like you, but you won’t care about it one bit†¦ Be aware that you will always appear a little less than some people prefer you to be, most people are unaware that you are so much more than what they see. You are good enough just the way you are, you have nothing to prove to anyone else†¦ Care less about who you are to others and more about who you are to yourself. KNOW YOUR WORTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Merchant of Venice Essay Essay Example

The Merchant of Venice Essay Essay Example The Merchant of Venice Essay Essay The Merchant of Venice Essay Essay Essay Topic: Literature Merchant Of Venice Before the middle ages, the Jews left Israel in the Diaspora (a scattering) and spread all over the world, living in the cities in separate communities going forth and carrying out their lifestyle as normal. But not everyone was happy with this. Jews became enormously hated, were seen as aliens in their new communities and had no kind of social status. English people/audiences knew Jews only from legend. In the popular medieval mystery plays, which lasted until Shakespeares youth, Jews featured as a cursed race. It was rumoured that they killed children and drank their blood. It was in 1201 when Jews were expelled from England. Jews slowly began to return to England in Shakespeares time. A way in which people were seen to be anti-Semitic was the time when Fredericko Lopez (Queen Elizabeths personal doctor) a Jew, was tried and executed for treason, which was very much questioned to be an anti-Semitic plot. Jews were considered by Christians to be Christ Killers. Myths about their rituals and ceremonies were widely talked about and believed, such as in the legend of Little St. Hugh of Lincoln (Chaucers prioresss tale), where Jews murder a Christian child. Jews were forced to live in ghettos (geto) which may have given Jews a persecution complex. I would imagine that as Shylock is about to enter the court he is happy and walking up and down to show he is bursting with confidence to let his story out, to get his pound of flesh. If I got an actor to play Shylocks part through his body language I would make him keep moving his hands around to show hes ecstatic. I imagine if Shylock walked into a courtroom full of Christians the Christians would boo at Shylocks entrance because he is Jewish and there is a negative persona towards Jews throughout the play. As Shylock enters the courtroom, full of Christians, I would want them to boo at him and swear at him to show their hatred and disaprovence of him as a moneylender and a Jew. The attitudes of the people of Venice over time will make Shylock become resentful towards Christians. Paragraph 2 In act 4 scene 1 lines 16-34 the feelings that the Duke shows towards Antonio is that in line 23 Duke says this poor merchants flesh thou wilt not only lose the forfeiture but, touchd with human gentleness and love where Duke is trying to make Antonio look innocent and make everyone feel sorry for him, moreover the Duke says the poor merchant which tells that Duke has sympathy for Antonio. From line 30 Duke shows his hatred towards non Christians by saying commiseration of his state from brassy bosoms and rough hearts of flints, from stubborn Turks and Tartars, never trained to offices tender courtesy where Duke is basically trying to imply that non Christians have no sympathy for human life. The reason Shylock gives for wanting his pound of flesh is he says it is my humour and he says lodgd hate and a certain loathing I bear for Antonio where Shylock is expressing his hatred for Antonio. In act 1 scene 3 lines 98-121 it tells us how Antonio has treated Shylock in the past; Shylock says many a time you have rated me about my moneys and my unaces Shylock also says you call me misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gaberine which informs us that Antonio has been spiteful towards Shylock from the beginning. The kind of tone of voice I would direct an actor playing Shylock to use for this particular part is a tone filled with anger and arrogance to show Shylock is angry because Antonio has no choice but to come to Shylock for help which will make Shylock feel more higher in society than Antonio. Paragraph 3 In Act 4 Scene 1 lines 70-83 Antonio says that Shylock character is stubborn by saying You may as well go stand upon the beach and bid the main flood bate his usual height where Antonio is trying to say that you cannot reason with Shylock there is no chance, because it is impossible to reason with the sea tide! Antonio also gives examples of things which are impossible to reason with such as you may as well use question with the wolf, why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb; you may as well forbid the mountain pines to wag their high tops, and to make no noise when they are fretten with the gusts of heaven. Antonio also states that as we seek to soften that-then which whats harder ?-his Jewish heart! Where Antonio is saying Shylock is like that because he is a Jew! This encourages the audience to develop an element of dislike for Shylock. After Shylock made his speech for his case to be heard in lines 89-103 I would direct the Duke to shout at him and get angry at Shylock because Shylock hasnt got the right to comment on Venice in such a hateful manner. In lines 128-138 Gratiano abuses Shylock I would make the actor deliver these lines while standing upright and pointing at Shylock looking at him in a bloody rage. The actor playing Shylock should be in a state of shock and in a furious rage. The words which are said by Gratiano tells us that his character is prejudice against Jews also he is not afraid to express his hatred towards Shylock and has affection for Antonio. Paragraph 4 As Duke reads the letter from Bellario the expectations that the audience expect from Balthazar is that he is qualified and acquainted with the cause in controversy between the Jew and Antonio the merchant. Which means he knows whats happening between Antonio and Shylock so he can make good judgement upon the situation. In the letter that Bellario writes about Balthazar, the words and phrases, which are intended to give a good impression about Balthazar are we turned over many books together which means that Balthazar knows as much as and is as well as informed as Bellario. It also says in the letter he is furnished with my opinion which I interpret as Balthazar has the same opinion as Bellario. Moreover it says I cannot enough commend which means Balthazar is so great Bellario cannot put him on an even higher stature. In addition it also states in the letter let his lack of years be no impediment, for I never knew so young a boy with so old a head whereby Bellario is saying even though Balthazar is young he is very educated or wise as if he were an old man. As Venice is strictly a male dominated society in business and in law; The actress playing Portia who is dressed as Duke will be thinking of things such as will the court and its audience believe I am Duke, is my costume persuasive enough for them to believe I am a man, what are the chances of the court thinking I am a women and will Shylock and Antonio except the judgement I give. Paragraph 5 In the play, the main themes of the play are that of justice and mercy. Portia gives a speech about mercy and justice in act 4 scene1 in lines 180-193, Portia says it dropeth as the gentle rain from heaven where Portia is trying to say mercy is a gift from above. Also Portia says it becomes the throned monarch better than his crown which I interpret as the person who is merciful, is better than a king who doesnt have mercy. Portia moreover says it is a attribute of god himself where Portia is saying mercy is one of gods qualities. In extent Portia states though justice be thy plea, consider this, that in the course of justice none of us should see salvation: we do pray for mercy, and that same prayer doth teach us to render the deeds of mercy where Portia is saying even though you want your pound of flesh have mercy. If I were the director I would make an actor deliver these lines in a compassionate and quiet tone of voice. The body language I would direct the actor to use is the act or constantly moving their hands. Paragraph 6 Act 4 scene 1 illustrates the opposition between appearance and reality when Portia disguises herself as a male; the other characters in the play that are not what they seem are Nerrisa and Jessica (Shylocks daughter). Nerrisa dresses up as a male to deceive the court; and Jessica disguises herself as a male (boy) to escape from her fathers home. The characters who have deceived others is Portia when she wanted back her ring which she gave to Bessanio, she dresses up as someone else and persuades Bessanio to give her the ring. Bessanio had a conversation with Portia but does not recognise her, I would direct the person playing Portia to keep on moving so it is not possible for Bessanio to get a clear view of Portias face; I would also make Portia wear the complete opposite of clothes she would usually wear. Moreover I would make Portia use a soft tone of voice so Bessanio could not make a comparison between Portia and the person deceiving Bessanio voices. Paragraph 7 One of the central themes of the play is that of justice. In lines 207-220 Bessanio says to Portia I will be bound to pay it ten times over on forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart. Bessanio also says Wrest once the law to your authority; to do a great right, do a little wrong, and curb this cruel devil of his will. In the first statement Bessanio says he will pay Shylock his money ten times over; he also swears on his hands, head and heart he will pay him. In the second statement Bessanio asks Portia to use her power and do a greater right than a wrong and disappoint Shylock (the devil). Portias reply to Bessanio was it must not be there is no power in Venice that alter a decree established where Portia is saying its not possible to ignore the contract that Shylock and Antonio made. When the actors read lines 240-60 the gestures I would direct them to use is that the actress playing Portia should have her hand on or next to her heart and Shylock should be getting the scales ready t o weigh a pound of flesh. When the actor playing Antonio reads lines 260-77 I will make him read the lines slowly and with a soft tone of voice also I will make Bessanio put his hand on Antonios shoulder. I would make the actor Bessanio look shocked and upset. Bessanio and Gratiano both say they would sacrifice their wives for Antonio; the thing that the two men dont know but the audience does is that both Bessanio and Gratiano wives are in the court. This makes the mood of the scene a funny situation for the audience but an embarrassing scenario for Bessanio and Gratiano because they both say that they would sacrifice their wives for Antonio, which would make their wives resentful. Shakespeare changes the emotional balance at this point because the scene was getting serious so Shakespeare thought he could add some comedy to the play (scene). Paragraph 8 While reading lines 94-308 I would direct the following actors to say there lines in the following manner: Bessanio should speak in a sad tone of voice because he thinks he is going to lose his friend Antonio. Gratiano should speak in a very angry tone of voice to show the audience that he has got hatred in his heart for Shylock. Portia should remain calm but firm because she is the head figure of the court. Shylock should have a happy tone because he is ready to get his pound of flesh. Antonio seems sad and ready to die. When Portia agrees to let Shylock take his pound of flesh he becomes very exciteted and anxious to cut Antonio when Portia stops him just before he cuts Antonio. While reading lines 316-40 the gestures, which should accompany each statement Portia makes, is when she says therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh Portia could hand a knife to Shylock. While saying shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less, nor more, but just a pound of flesh Portia should look at Antonio pointing at him. While saying if the scale do turn but in the weight of a hair, thou digest, and all thy goods are confiscate Portia should take a hair from her head and show it to Shylock. In lines 316-40 three quotations which shows Portia is charge of the events are the Jew shall have all justice, why doth the Jew pause and he shall have merely justice, and his bond. While reading Shylocks lines between lines 294-342 his first responses are that he is praising Portia because he thinks he is getting his pound of flesh, when he finds out that he is not going to receive his pound of flesh he wants three times the bond for a sort of reparation; when it becomes apparent that he is not going to receive three times the bond he asks for the original sum borrowed and leaves. Paragraph 9 In lines 342-59 Portia says to Shylock Jew, the law hath yet another hold on you, it is enacted in the laws of Venice, if it be proved against an alien that by direct or indirect attempts he seeks the life of any citizen, the party that he doth contrive shall seize one half of his goods; the other privy coffer of the state. And the offenders life lies in the mercy of the Duke only In that statement Portia is saying to Shylock that Venice has still got another hold on him, she also says that if you try take a life of a citizen of Venice, the citizen is permitted to take half of the offenders property and the other half goes to the state of Venice. Moreover she says that his life is at the mercy of the Duke only. When the actor playing Gratiano says lines 360-3 the gestures he should use to say these words are he should use his finger and run it across his neck to represent death. Shylock should show his anguish when saying lines 371-3 by holding his hands together like hes going to be handcuffed to represent his life getting taken off him. In lines 376-86 I can tell that Antonio has not given up his prejudice ways because he says he presently (immediately) become a Christian which tells us that Antonio is still not happy Shylock is Jewish and wants him to turn Christian. Shylock should speak his last words in a voice filled with frustration and fury. As Shakespeare gives Shylock virtually nothing to say as he exits the play so if I were the director I would make Shylock say to Portia and Antonio that they are racist and Portia should not be in the position of power she is in. As Shylock leaves the stage for the last time I would direct him to leave with his head down also with an upset face. Paragraph 10 Both Portia and Nerissa talk of adopting manly behaviour in Act 3 Scene 4 to go with their disguises for the trial. When Portia appears as a man in the trial scene she uses language differently by using jargon (specialized or technical vocabulary of a profession) such as statements like I have spoke thus much to mitigate the justice of thy plea also there is no power in Venice can alter a decree established moreover it is enacted in the laws of Venice. Portia also has an authoritive and masculine voice, she also acts like a man in the way she uses body language. Paragraph 11 Shylock receives judgement but not justice, we know that he doesnt receive justice because he lent three thousand duceets to Antonio and in return he does not receive his pound of flesh or gets his money back but losses half his wealth and on top of that he must give up his religion and turn into a Christian. Also in his will he must give all his possessions to his son Lorenzo and his daughter, when Shylock is dead. The qualities of mercy which are displayed in the court scene is by Antonio when he says to quit the fine for one half of his goods where Antonio is allowed to take half of Shylocks possessions but he gives it back to Shylock under some conditions he presently become a Christian, of all he dies possessed, unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter which shows that Antonio did not want to take Shylocks lively hood.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Financial and Corporate Actions of Laird plc Essay

Financial and Corporate Actions of Laird plc - Essay Example Materials division manufactures equipment that shields electromagnetic interferences, thermal management systems, signal integrity equipment, etc (Laird, 2014c). The global electronics and instruments industry has seen a growth of 4.3 percent in the year 2011 and has been evaluated at $1,844.3 billion (MarketLine, 2012). This study is focused on the company’s financial details including the company turnover, industry performance, and market report and market share. It also includes the last few years’ financial performances of the company, its financial activities and its internal and external performance analysis. As stated in the above figure, the company had made the highest revenue in 2011, as it discontinued some of its operations that year, which added to the total revenue (Laird, 2014e). However the revenues generated from the continued operation has been increasing:  £491.3 min 2011,  £520.2 min 2012 and  £537 min 2013 (Laird, 2014d). The profitability has decreased severely in 2011 and again increased in 2013, but in the recent year, it has been seen to have a downward trend (Laird, 2014d). The downward trend is mostly because of the lower sales volume due to high competition and the high fixed cost of operation (Morningstar, 2014a). The operating profit has increased from 2011 and is almost steady in past two years. It is clearly seen that after discontinuing some of its operations, Laird has increased its profitability. In the last year, i.e.2013, the Performance Materials division made revenue of  £342.8 million, which is 6 percent more than previous year’s revenue that is  £324.7 million. The IT and Telecom sector made the maximum revenue of 35 percent, followed by the Smartphone business which made 24 percent. The Wireless Systems division made revenue of  £194.2 million which is 1 percent less than the previous year that is  £195.5 million.  

Saturday, November 2, 2019

The History of Irish Education Part B Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The History of Irish Education Part B - Essay Example Through years of suppression and political discrimination, politics, in the end, and the shear determination of the Irish to educate their children evolved through concession and necessity into the creation of the National School System--a system destined to provide the basis for public education. Historical Background Originally set up by sects other than the majority Roman Catholics, small schools evolved in the early nineteenth century to educate the poor, manned by teachers most often untrained. Administration of the schools was quickly taken over by the Protestant Church of Ireland as both a religious and political move to Anglicise young Irish students. The Roman Catholic Church, while the majority, and Presbyterians felt pressured by these circumstances and feared a good deal of proselytising was ongoing within in schools. Both the Roman Catholic Church, gaining influential ground in the early nineteenth century after years of social, political and religious suppression, and P resbyterians, viewed as a strong Scottish influence to the Irish brand of Protestantism, had sought as a counter educational measure state support for schools of their own religious tradition. With the Irish Church most influential politically, it was charged that in the small schools of the time children of other denominations were being proselytised by Church of Ireland teachers as part of the educational curriculum. As early as 1812, education commissioners had called for better supervision of proselytizing in schools attended by various denominations, and by 1827 pressure was mounting for the state to cease channeling state aid through ‘voluntary agencies’(Hyland, Milne, 1987, p. 98) most often connected with particular religious groups. The Stanley Letter In October 1831, E.G. Stanley, then Chief Secretary of Ireland, wrote a letter to the Duke of Leinster , a liberal Protestant (Coolahan, 1981, p. 13) outlining plans for proposed national schools guided and overse en by a new sectarian educational board. The letter, now known as the ‘Stanley Letter’, addressed how the government would distribute aid to the board and outlined the basis upon which the board would support the schools. As suggested by Hyland and Milne (1987), the letter is generally accepted as the legal basis for national schools in Ireland, forwarding the recommendation of the Commissioners of 1812 that would effectively ‘banished [banish] even the suspicion of proselytism†¦admitting children of all religious persuasions†¦[and] not interfere with the particular tenets of any’ (Stanley, 1831 in Hyland et al, p. 99). As suggested in the letter (Stanley, 1831 in Hyland et al, p. 99-103) the system was set up as multi-denominational, with the schools governed by a member board consisting of two Roman Catholics, two from the Church of Ireland, and two Presbyterians. The multi-denominational concept at the beginning stages was met with resistance a nd suspicion, particularly by the Catholics and Presbyterians. (Coolahan, 1981) To overcome suspicion and due to Ireland’s history of past religious strife, there were imposed strict limits on the educational component of the proposal. According to Hyland and Milne (1987), during the school day ‘the teacher had to declare that religious education was beginning, hang a sign on

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Improving the Use of Medicine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Improving the Use of Medicine - Essay Example The publication about this campaign was first reported in the Health Department report titled â€Å"Building a Safer NHS for Patients: Improving medication safety†Ã‚   (National Patient Safety Agency, 2004). Afterwards in 2006 the Health department of UK reviewed the patient safety-first policies. This was after they launched the first movement towards creating awareness and emphasizing on patient safety. However, this process was not an easy journey as the department experienced several challenges on the way while trying to deliver and implement this awareness. Consequently, the outcome of the first movement is what led to the recommendation to come up with a campaign for England’s NHS   (National Patient Safety Agency, 2011). A campaign was, therefore, devised that would support and promote the implementation of interventions. The interventions were to develop the welfare of patient care and consecutively contribute towards strategizing and providing Patient Safety First initiative (National Patient Safety Agency, 2009a). In 2007, a team known as the Safe Medication Practice at The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) produced a report on a campaign that seeks to improve the use of medications in the NHS. The campaign dubbed Safety in Doses seeks wrote a report that entailed detailed information on usage and incidents of medication. The report seeks to educate medical field, and those related to the medical field on important facts about medication incidents from various departments and show these incidents can be avoided. This paper will look at the main aims of the campaign and its effect on the distribution of patient care by NHS. AIM: The main aim of Safety in Doses initiative was to identify the weaknesses that arise in current medication practice. In the process, there is need to come up with ways in which healthcare staff and organizations