Research Paper on Spina Bifida Essay

There are many diseases in the world that affect the human body. In many cases people do not care or don’t become aware of all the diseases that can be harmful and possibly put their lives at risk. There is a great list of diseases that can impact our lives. For example, one of the diseases that I found to be sadly life changing is the Spina Bifida. Even though, the outlook for children with spina bifida has changed dramatically over the years; a study has shown that with appropriate medical care about 75% of children born with the most severe form of spina bifida will most likely live until their early adult years. What exactly is a spina bifida? Well it occurs when the fetus is growing in the womb and its spine doesn’t form correctly. Some of the bones in the spine don’t close to make their normal ring shapes around the spinal cord, and the opening that results causes one of these types of spina bifida: spina bifida occulta and spina bifida cystica- meningocele and myelomeningocele. The spina bifida occulta is a tiny opening that usually causes mild or no symptoms. Whereas, the spina bifida cystica-meningocele is a big enough opening so that some of the membrane surrounding the spinal cord sticks out through the opening. However, the most serious kind, in which some of the spinal cord itself sticks out through the opening in the spine is the spina bifida cystica-myelomeningocele. Some of the symptoms of this disease varies and depends on where along the spine the opening occurred or which type of spina bifida has occurred. Not only that, children born with spina bifida may have other nervous system disorders such as hydrocephalus or Chiari malformation. This disease occurs more frequently among Hispanics and whites of European extraction, and less commonly among Asians and African-Americans. About 95% of babies born with spina bifida have no family history of it. However, if a mother has a child with spina bifida, the risk of it happening again in a pregnancy is greatly increased. One of the reasons of this disease happens because of the deficiency of folic acid during the pregnancy stage. Although, the FDA mandated that all enriched cereal grain products be fortified with folic acid to help reduce the chance of spina bifida from happening. There are still some issues about adding folic acid to foods. The treatment for this disease consists of managing the symptoms that the person has, such as difficulty standing, walking, or urinating. Some people will be able to walk with crutches or leg braces; others may need a wheelchair to get around. However, children and adults with myelomeningocele have the most medical complications and need the most medical care. Even though, there is no complete cure spina bifida. The opening in the spine can be closed surgically either before or after birth, and this could reduce its effects on the body. Overall, spina bifida is the most common birth defect that affects a lot of newborns in the United States and other parts of the world.

Evaluating Poetry Essay

The poem â€Å"Gods Will for You and Me† is the good poem and â€Å"Pied Beauty† is the bad poem according to Perrine standards.  The central purpose of both these poems is to encourage the readers’ individual feelings about God. The poem â€Å"Pied Beauty† is extremely didactic. The writer of this poem is preaching God on the reader. They are trying to get the reader to see all of the things that God has created on the earth and how amazing each one is. The whole poem seems to be a continuous praise on God. The poem even ends with a very clear cut statement, â€Å"Praise him.† This may leave a reader feeling uncomfortable or uneasy. Some of the phrases used in â€Å"Pied Beauty† do not seem to be the best choices for the writing. The phrase â€Å"brinded cow† does not sound as nice as other phrases and does not make me want to love the cow like the writer is suggesting. The phrase â€Å"with swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;† breaks the flow of the poem and could have been left out or worded in a different way. The poem â€Å"Gods Will for You and Me† is getting the point across to be â€Å"loyal to God† in a much simpler and easy going manner. The poem is more realistic and although it has a childlike rhyme to it, it is still fresh and original. It makes me feel, as a reader, that following Gods plan is easy and simple, such as the poem itself. While it is sweet and sentimental it is not over the top or over stimulating to the readers emotions. When it comes to evaluating poetry according to Perrine’s standards, I don’t agree that rating a poem good or bad should be based on certain rules. As a reader, if what you are reading is making you feel good inside then it should be considered a good poem, even if it is sentimental, rhetorical, or didactic. For me, when I read poetry, if I can make sense of what the writer is saying and makes me feel any emotion from the writing, then I declare it a good poem. Didactic poetry should be considered good also, due to the fact that even though it is praising, it is still a strong emotional reading that is getting a point across, whether the reader chooses to follow or agree is  up to them to decide.

The Man of Destiny

The story under the title â€Å"The Fun They Had† was written by a highly prolific American writer, one of the three grand masters of science fiction – Isaac Asimov. The theme is probably â€Å"the influence of technology on the process of teaching. † The story is kind of utopian story, but from the perspective of the children who are the main characters of the story, it is a dystopia, since they thought there was so much more fun back in the days when there were classrooms†¦ but the whole story circles around the theme of technology and how children in this version of the future and how children today interact with that.The key in this text is lyrical, and the narration here is interwinding with the direct speech and the dialogues. To prove that the mood is lyrical let’s look at the descriptions of one of the main character’s feelings related to her mechanical teacher. The author uses colloquial speech and jargonized words, such as â€Å"gee, I guess, I betchaâ€Å" here, to show us that these children are rather ordinary, and looks similar as the children of our age. The text could be divided into three logical parts. The first part of the story begins with the description of two kids who found a real book.It was a little discovery, the girl â€Å"even wrote about it that night in her diary† It should be noted that all the events of the story take place in the future, in the year 2155, that's why a mere book from the past seems quite an interesting object for exploration. And, our heroes, Tommy (13) with Margie (11) read the book, thinking of those who used it many centuries ago. The author uses in this story such feature as pointing out the words by using the italic font. He emphasizes the words, to make us feel deeper and pay extra attention to the very phrase. Margie's grandfather once said that when he was a little boy  his  grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on pap er† as we read this â€Å"the†, we understand that from the point of view of these children it was very-very long ago. From the dialogue of the children we see that they relationship is a friendship. Of course, the author could not avoid from inventing new terms, such as â€Å"telebook†. The second part begins with the picture of the teaching process in the far 2157.From the very beginning of the part, we see the Margie’s feelings to the schooling process. Her attitude to the mechanical teacher leaves much to be desired. Reading the story we come across the problem, tackled by the author. It is a low knowledge level of children, and their uneagerness to study. To prove it we should mention the fact when the County Inspector slowed up Margie's mechanical teacher to an average ten-year level. The girl was 11, but she couldn't or didn't want to cover her own age level, â€Å"she had been doing worse and worse†.And how strong was her hatred towards scho ol! She hoped her teacher wouldn't be back, that â€Å"large and black and ugly† teacher! â€Å"The part she hated most was the slot where she had to put homework and test papers. † – This sentence indicates at her being a usual girl with a usual nature, while this is the exact thing commonly disliked at schools. The third part of the text is the speculation of these children about the teaching process â€Å"Centuries ago†. They argue whether the live teacher better than the mechanical one, or not; could the living one be smarter than the machine etc.The narrator lets us see the criticism of this young girl, she could not believe that the human can teach as good as the machine. The key in this part is rather emotional, we can see this in the dialogue of our story-heroes. The author uses such colloquies as â€Å"sure  he is, I betcha†; and again points out the admiration of Tom – â€Å"a regular teacher† This story, written by I. Asi mov makes the reader to think about the teaching process nowadays. If we remember that it was written in the middle of the 20th century, we can say that the details in this story are well chosen.I think that it has a certain purpose – to warn the reader about the possible future problems, because the era of Internet and wide spread of the computers has certain impact on our generation. Of course the mechanical, or computer teachers is the ideal solution for breeding the very clever people, the caste of self-made people, but from the other point of view, these people wouldn’t be so social, and would expect certain problems in communication with other â€Å"ordinary† people. So, it is for us to decide, which way of education is better.

Analysis and critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis and critique - Essay Example Launching of the commercial for Ford’s the new redesigned 2013 Mustang was the first time, that Ford promoted its muscle car since it launched the Mustang V6 in the year 2010. This paper is an analysis of the 2013 Ford Mustang Commercial. The commercial was created to work in tandem with Mustang Customizer’s success, as well as the downloadable app that allows all visitors to build or customize their own Mustang. This can be done by selecting colors, decals and accessories to complement an already impressive design. Mustang car owners are a unique market with independence thus like their cars to reflect the personalities that drive them. The Customizer site pays homage to this fact about Mustang owners. The Ford Mustang 2013 commercial was mainly aimed at Mustang owners and enthusiasts. Conventional advertising normally revolves around the product not the client, thus by highlighting how one can customize their Mustang, the target was surely the Mustang enthusiasts. Com panies will seek to tout the benefits and performance of a product, seek to sell their items, and expound on how the product will make life better. Mustang owners are very passionate where their cars are concerned and, rather than just show benefits and features, the new commercial aims at attracting Mustang enthusiasts to the fact that a car is an extension of them. The commercial aims at showing all Mustang enthusiasts that they all have an inner Mustang just waiting to be released. The video commercial for the Ford Mustang was quite successful in attracting enthusiasts to its customizer site. Since the fall, the customizer site, as well as its apps, has been getting very popular, getting more than four million creations of digital Mustangs created (Karotki 1). This has been coupled to a sixty-two percent increase in the Ford Mustangs’ social network community, especially facebook. Facebook has seen a jump from one million six hundred thousand fans to two million six hundre d thousand fans. The app’s downloads have shot to over two hundred thousand, with twenty-five percent of all Mustang digital customizations occurring through a mobile application. The results are a confirmation that the potential seen by Mustang, creating a social platform allowing owners of Mustang cars to have some fun with the Mustang brand, was further enhanced by the commercial. The social platform also allows them to interact with each other and share Mustang design tips. The advertisement has succeeded in directing its customers to the Mustang site, which was what it set out to do in the first place. The commercial, especially the constantly changing designs and delightful color schemes, have allowed owners to build the Mustang V6, Boss 302 and GT by simply choosing from decals, wheels, trims, and various colors (Karotki 1). The Mustang enthusiasts have been attracted to the customizer page battle, by showing the power of interaction as the car cruises down the streets , where they can compete against each other. While conventional marketing might have dictated that Mustang utilize its revenue on promoting the Mustang’s revised design, the V8 with four hundred and twenty horse power, or the company’s history, they did not do this. Instead, the company chose this commercial to tout Mustang’s personalization aspect by constantly changi

Teaching and learning strategies integration Research Paper

Teaching and learning strategies integration - Research Paper Example These strategies are classified under two categories: (1) Activity Based Strategies and (2) Cooperative Based Strategies. Furthermore, the last few sections of the paper will give an overview of the different learning style theories discussed by Jonnassen & Gabrowski (1993). This research hopes to gather information that will be instrumental for curriculum design and lesson delivery at USASMA. Field Trips/ Staff rides. One of the methods used to develop leadership among military officers involves visiting a historical site and applying the theoretical understanding of the technical lessons in class. The process is able to link a historical event, preliminary studies and actual terrain so students can construct battle analysis. â€Å"Revisiting battlefields in a thoughtful and structured way helps connect today’s officers to military history† (Stofft, 1998, p. 16). Prior to the trip, participants are given all the necessary information through lectures and classroom discussions. This is the preliminary study phase. In the field study phase, the participants relive what took place by following the course of action based on what they have learned. At certain points, selected individuals may be asked to play out some roles. The last phase is the integration phase where the facilitator contextualizes the battlefield at the present day issues and problems. Everyday, at least one staff ride is taking place signifying its importance as a teaching technique. Staff rides place the participants in the shoes of the decision makers in the past so they learn from historical data and use it as a guide for future reference. It is also considered as a legitimate preparatory training experience in national defense. Commanders who have undergone staff ride trainings reiterate the value of military history â€Å"in supplementing current doctrinal, operational, and technical

King Tut Tomb object 21a-yy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

King Tut Tomb object 21a-yy - Research Paper Example King Clothing presents a puzzle to many researchers. The clothing is among the few artifacts that can give details related to the appearance and physique of the young king. The king clothing was kept in a box that was sealed and kept in the museum, and a little research has been done concerning the same. There have been indications that the king has feminine looks by some researchers. The king clothing showed measurement that was indicating that he had wide hips.Clothing was an important aspect of the king. The clothing was designed in a specific manner for the king and worn in occasions. The king used royal robes during his tenure as king depending on the occasion. The collars were made of precious gems as well as gold. The waist was covered with a white cloth which made a short skirt like the dress. In their bodies, they wore no shirt. The pharaoh armbands and armlets were made of gold and had specific crowns, which were related to their kingdom. This clothing was significant in th eir lives as they showed their power and position.Egyptian kingdom worshipped gods. The pharaohs were given the status of god this happened even after their death. The pharaoh being a god figure was expected to dress in a manner that made him significant among his people. This is the reason why most of the pharaoh’s clothing and other adornments were made of gold.Some of the clothing that was found in King Tut tomb was his personal royal clothing while others were buried with him for different purposes.... The collars were made of precious gems as well as gold. The waist was covered with a white cloth which made a short skirt like dress. In their bodies, they wore no shirt. The pharaoh armbands and armlets were made of gold and had specific crowns, which were related to their kingdom. This clothing were significant in their lives as they showed their power and position (Maggie, 2013). Religious purpose Egyptian kingdom worshipped gods. Each god had its own purpose in the citizen’s life. The pharaohs were given the status of god this happened even after their death. The pharaoh being a god figure was expected to dress in a manner that made him significant among his people. This is the reason why most of the pharaoh’s clothing and other adornments were made of gold (Maggie, 2013). Symbolism Some of clothing that was found in King Tut tomb was his personal royal clothing while others were buried with him for different purposes. The ceremonial robe was one of his royal clothi ng which was used by all pharaohs. His sandals were made of beads and leather. There was a leopard skin cloak and pad of fine linen. Appearance of archer’s gauntlet was an indication that he was a trained archer. This was supposed to help him as he was on his way to the new world. The king was supposed to be buried armed with all requirements for survival in his journey to the next world (Potter, 2011). gods represented in tomb King Tutankhamen’s tomb had a painting of Hathor who was conceived as the goddess of the West. The goddess was supposed to welcome pharaoh to the underworld. Including the cloth in the pharaoh tomb was to make sure that he had sufficient clothes for his journey into the underworld. Other objects that were included in this box included

The Importance of Tea and Coffee in the Emergence of a Globalized Essay

The Importance of Tea and Coffee in the Emergence of a Globalized World - Essay Example We haven't had any tea for a week... The bottom is out of the Universe.†1 It is quite evident what Kipling feels due to that lack of tea. The bottom is out of the universe, meaning he can’t find any balance in the universe. Nothing to make him steady on his feet. This is the importance of tea. Coffee drinkers feel the same as well, although there exists quite a rivalry among the two groups. The bottom line is the same. People cannot survive without their tea or coffee. From necessity, these drinks have now taken a more important place in our lives. At work, we get tea breaks that help us refresh ourselves, when we want to socialize, we usually â€Å"catch up for coffee† and so on.2 Coffee and tea have taken such an important role in our lives today that businessmen could only think of profiting out of this. Look at the success of coffee chains like Starbucks, Costa, Barista and so on and one can understand just exactly how important this drink is to us. Let us vis it how these drinks came to be a part of the global economy. History of Tea Tea was said to be discovered in China almost 5,000 years ago. Legend says that in 2732 B.C., Emperor Shen Nung was exposed to tea when wild leaves leaves from a tree blew into his pot of boiling water. He was intrigued by the pleasant aroma of the brew and curiously drank some.3 It is said that the Emperor felt a warm feeling pass through his body as he drank the brew and said that he felt â€Å"as if the liquid was investigating every part of his body.† 4 The Emperor Shen Nung decided to name the brew "ch'a", the Chinese character meaning â€Å"to check or investigate†. In 200 B.C., a Han Dynasty Emperor decided that tea would be referred to by writing a special character that illustrated wooden branches, grass, and a man between the two. This written character was also pronounced "ch'a". It symbolized the balance that tea brought in human life.5 The 4th to 8th century saw a great growth spur t for tea. It was now used for more than medicinal purposes and began to be enjoyed even recreationally for pleasure and refreshment. There were more and more tea plantations across the country and all that dealt in the crop ended up rich! Upto the mid-17th century though, all tea was green. When this tea was fermented, people realized that the resultant black tea could hold the aroma longer and was stronger than the mild green teas. This also meant that they could export these teas as they would not lose their aromas and flavor on the journey. Thus, with the advent of foreign trade, black tea was discovered and was a huge success. Role of Tea in Globalization From the start, tea spread from China to different countries such as Tibet, Japan, Russia and Europe. In all these countries, tea has its own space in medicine, culture and status. In Tibet, tea was used as a currency. In Japan, a special Tea Ceremony was created. It is now a very integral part of Japanese lifestyle. Tea is se rved with every meal and served while greeting guests. In Russia, the Trans-Siberian Railway was constructed to help transport tea. In Europe, tea is treated as a status symbol. Tea based traditions such as â€Å"Afternoon Tea† and â€Å"High Tea† were also said to be created in Europe. While one is more of a light refreshment, the second is an entire meal. Until 1678, tea trade was dominated by the Dutch. But post that, the British began to import tea on a commercial basis and that created a completely new

Poverty and Pollution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Poverty and Pollution - Assignment Example Keywords: pollution, poverty, businesses, third world country, operations, control, regulation, morality, environment, standards, global, enforcement Poverty and Pollution There are many different moral and ethical considerations that must be addressed when looking at the issue of the pollution of third world countries by businesses who have setup shop in those countries, including but not limited to the implications of the companies who are participating in these actions, the reasons for doing what they are doing, the moral right of human beings to a livable environment, as well as who should be responsible for these actions, and what must be done to improve the quality of life of those who are affected by these practices. There are many different reasons a business may conduct operations in a third world country, including political instability, a need for investment capital, low wages are acceptable, as are low benefits, education levels are low, and environmental regulations are few and not seriously enforced (Encyclopedia of Business 2nd Ed, 2013). Political instability in a developing country ensures that both the powers running the country and those who are attempting to run for the company are both concerned with public image; they want to ensure that the people see that they are attempting to better the country, even if the decisions made do not actually benefit the country, and one key aspect of this is good PR. If the ruling power or the power attempting to be the ruling power shows any indication that they are driving away big businesses, businesses who will bring new jobs to the country, which will in turn strengthen the economy, even if that businesses practices ultimately hurt the country itself, they will be seen as working against the country itself, and not for the country, even if baring that particular business from the country will ensure a higher quality of drinking water in the country, for example. The key is to show a form of immediate gratification for the people in terms of a better economy, even if the environmental concerns are far more severe. The need of the country for investment capital also factors into the decision of the third world country to open its doors to big business. Many big businesses will, for example, work to better the country that they choose to setup shop in, as a means of being able to more efficiently conduct their business. In Mongolia, for example, as a result of the search for rare earth mineral deposits, many big companies are working to build access roads, supporting local businesses and patronizing shipping systems setup in place in the country; Germany signed an agreement with Kazakhstan to be able to gain access to their rare earth minerals in exchange for technical assistance in modernizing railroads, building chemical plants, and other forms of development (Caramenico, 2012). It is because of the desire for technological advancements that the big businesses are able to provide that countries are more likely to overlook the negative aspects of big business in favor of the investment capital that they will provide. Businesses like the arrangement because they are able to get cheap employment, both in terms of the wages that they pay out and

Business plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business plan - Essay Example Fakiri will manage day-to-day operations of the business. Both have strong management and administration skills. In addition, Ms. Fakiri has experience as she began working with children as baby sitter when she was at the University of Reading. Those skills support Master Minder’s goals. The UK’s changing demographics have led to families becoming more fragmented with parents of young children often finding they have little or no close family support when they start a family. But professional babysitting agencies are an emerging business trend as they provide a cheap form of childcare and represent an attractive option for busy mothers who need help not only with childcare but also with light house hold duties. Childcare provision is a clearly segmented market, as a result of legislation1 and constantly changing market needs. British parents pay high childcare bills and despite Government initiatives and tax changes, there is a growing need for the expansion of private sector services. Service, price and reputation are essential success factors in the childcare services industry. Master Minders will compete well in this industry by offering competitive prices, high-quality childcare services and by maintaining an excellent reputation with parents. Our target customers are dual-income, upper-middle-class families mainly managers and senior officers who value the quality of education for their children. We will start our business on the First January 2009, starting with an initial enrollment of 20 baby sitters. Our first office will be based in Reading. We project healthy revenues and a high net profit for the four first years. The long term vision includes a number of offices through out UK. The high profit will help the company to achieve its long-term goal which is to franchise and/or to become multi-location. Master Minder’s mission is to contribute to the community by filling a need for qualified baby sitters. Master Minders only works with

Interview Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Interview Questions - Assignment Example Applied Interview Questions The research initiative developed five interview questions that it administered to four individuals within the stated age groups. The following five questions were used, Who is your best friend? Why? Is it fair to judge people? Is it good to express anger? Does God really exist? At what age should people get married? Summary of Each Child’s Developmental Status Preschooler The child, at this stage, has not developed strong cognitive ability and is significantly immature as compared to an adult, with respect to reasoning. Thoughts appear to be specific, restricted, and offered only one at a time. At the same time, the child cannot connect occurrences with their causes to explain causal relationships. Even though members of the group can identify observations such as in nature, they still do not know what drives such occurrences. They also offer personalized responses to questions. In the interview, for instance, the child could identify her best frie nd but the reason for such friendship is misunderstood. This is because their often plays are a consequent of their closeness and not vice versa. The answer with respect to judgment also expresses the level of cognitive ability, as the child seems to have answered the question without considering factors around actions that might have lead to subject situations. Based on the response, the child thinks that people should be judged simply because of their involvement in an act without considering factors towards such actions. The same argument applies to the child’s response with respect to anger to mean that as long as people have emotions, they are free to express them without considering the emotions’ possible impacts. This is also observed in the other questions (Tuckman & Monetti, 2010). Elementary School Student A child’s development ability is more advanced at this stage and a higher level of reasoning is demonstrated. Even though much of the child’s thoughts are still self-centered, there is application of trial and error in application of logical reasoning. Operational reasoning towards comparability is, however, less developed within the age group who may miss rationality on value measurements. Results of the interview questions reflect the difference between the preschooler and the elementary school pupil. The child’s reason for his best friendship is for example more rational that that of the preschooler as it identifies a mutual relationship besides offer from the friend as a driver. Even though the response to the judgment question was not accompanied by the interviewee’s reason, the child’s opinion that it is not fair to judge people shows some rationality towards social and environmental factors that may force people into adverse actions. The other responses correspond to those offered by the preschooler and indicates that the two groups are close to each other in terms of cognitive development (Tu ckman & Monetti, 2010). Middle School Level Child The child at the middle level school has developed more ability that the previous two groups. The group can adequately apply rationale in comparing objects’ values, a property that was lacking in the preschooler and the elementary school children. The child has also, at this stage, developed operational abilities and

Purpose Of The Academic Community Essay Example for Free

Purpose Of The Academic Community Essay The continuous and dynamic research in the academic community provides an avenue for development and growth not only for the institution but also for the students and instructors as well. Due to the rapid changes happening in the world and the increasing effects of globalization, the academic community must also make a firm stand in addressing these changes to create continuity and stability. The main importance of doing research in the academe is creating new literature that paves the way for new knowledge. Through the years, there are emerging new issues that need to be addressed. Doing research can be vital in contributing to the study or field. Research is vitally important especially in the academic community due to the fields overall tendencies to continually change and evolve. Having appropriate foundation in conducting research can help academic institutions cope with the standards of education that will foster a better modes and mechanisms for teaching students. A fully research equipped academic institution can have many benefits that can spill to (1) students, (2) instructors and (3) the community. With the evolution of research, it can foster an environment for better facilitators and instructors. â€Å"Increased ability to attract highly qualified and motivated members of staff (both nationally and internationally)† (Aceto, 2005, p.2) In addition, increased research can also create a positive domino effect first with the school/university, instructors, the students and the community. In the end, conducting research in the academic community produces positive effects with the actors involved. Thus, there is a need to â€Å"strengthen the commitment to research-based teaching and post graduate education.† (Aceto, 2005, p.7) The challenge for educators and the academic community is maintaining sustainable measures and funding that will ensure the continuous development of such endeavor. This is an important determinant for success. References Aceto, L. (2005) The Importance of Research for a Modern University. [on-line] Retrieved November 8, 2007 from http://www.cs.aau.dk/~luca/SLIDES/importance-of-research.pdf

Understanding Inflation Essay Example for Free

Understanding Inflation Essay The amount a product costs should be the first decision a consumer has to make before they purchase a good or service. Consumers may find themselves asking what exactly makes a price rise and why their money can purchase less and less. The answer to this question is inflation. What is inflation and why should any consumer care about inflation? A general overview of the inflation phenomenon, the main measures of inflation, and how inflation plays a role in the economy will all help a person better understand why their money seems to be worth less each year. Overview of Inflation In order to truly understand inflation, the first step is listing the main cause of inflation pressures on the economy. Inflation begins initially and continues to occur due to sustained excess of spending in the economy. (Wilson 27) This amounts to spending over and above what is considered average spending for the economy in past months. The type of spending that would cause inflation is when people, groups, businesses, government, and foreigners all together demand or try to spend more than the economy can produce at full employment, prices in general will be bid up. (Ibid) Basically what this amounts to is people all wanting to buy products and services, but there are not enough products or services to fulfill all the buyers. The prices will go up because manufacturers can sell the product at a much higher rate because there are so many buyers. The solution to the problem is really two separate incidences that must happen in order for prices to begin falling. One of these solutions is excess demand for goods and services is reduced† and the other solution is for â€Å"capacity of the economy to produce is expanded, the price level will continue to rise. (Ibid) Thinking about these two situations makes sense. If the demand for goods or services decreases then less people will want to buy and there will be more of the product for the remaining consumers. Also, if a manufactured item is rising because it is not manufactured in many factories and suddenly factories spring up all over to manufacture the product then the price will fall. The demand and supply capacity are the cornerstones of inflation, but what also plays into inflation’s fluctuations is the money supply. The Federal Reserve Bank sets interest rates for borrowing of money. The lower the interest rate the greater amount of money that is borrowed, and the higher the interest rate the lesser amount of money that is borrowed. (Wilson 103) For example, if borrowing $1000 would cost 10% a year, a borrower would be paying $100 a year for the use of that initial $1000. If, however, the Federal Reserve Bank lowers the interest rate to 5%, the amount the borrower would be paying per year would be cut in half. In the latter example, a borrower would be willing to take out a larger amount of money because it would cost them less. So, with a larger amount of cheaper money in the market, prices will begin to rise because the cost of that money would cause more people to borrow as compared to a higher rate of interest. Money would essentially be worth less because the Federal Reserve allows it to be worth less by dropping the interest rate. The rise in prices would continue until the Federal Reserve once again decides to raise the interest rate. (Ibid) The Federal Reserve utilizes these money techniques in order to help spur growth in the economy, but the downside to economic growth is always inflation. Measures of Inflation An important concept of inflation is to pay close attention to inflation indicators. These â€Å"indicators† are indexes that signal a potential arrival of inflation for the country. Many measures of inflation exist, but the main types are the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and the Bryan-Cecchetti model. The CPI is perhaps the most important indicator because it is the model that all other inflation models emulate in some way. The first step in understanding the CPI is to decipher the calculation of the index. The CPI is constructed from basic component indexes. Component indexes are those goods and services that a consumer purchases and those â€Å"components† are split into 207 items. (Moulton 13) Also, there are 44 more items included for the urban areas of the United States, and these two sets of items are multiplied together to a total of 9,108 components for the CPI. (Ibid) For example, dairy products are considered just set of the components within the 9,108 components used to calculate the CPI. A problem arises with the CPI in that many products come and go in the market and it is up to the CPI to document these types of changes. This problem is overcome by the economists allowing for products to enter and leave the market as well as estimating the indexes on the basis of samples used from all the items that consumers buy for a given period. (Ibid) This type of calculating gives economists as comprehensive a picture as one can get. The resulting figure is compared to previous time periods and an increase percentage or decrease percentage is discovered from the calculations. This increase or decrease percentage is the amount that general prices have risen or fallen in between those time periods. If the prices rise then the CPI will show the American public that inflation has occurred. It is important that the CPI stay current with the ever-changing American economy. This is why the CPI is updated once every 10 years, and the last update occurred in 1998. (Greenlees, and Mason 3) This aspect of the CPI is important because of its relation to inflation. The CPI is used in many government programs including entitlements for school lunches and food stamps as well as the amount figured for tax deductions. (Ibid) If the CPI is not allowed to evolve with the evolving economy, many people would not be allowed government benefits or tax deductions that they otherwise would deserve. Thus, the CPI is examined and revised so inflation pressures do not have as much an impact on government programs. Another measure of inflation that is essentially a CPI number but factored with a different set of variables is the BLS model. The BLS model highlights the fact that some parts of the CPI are considered volatile due to outside pressures such as weather and international conflicts. Cogley suggests, the Bureau of Labor Statistics computes a ‘core inflation’ measure that consists of a weighted average of all CPI components except for food and energy, which are removed because their prices tend to be more volatile. (94) Energy can be affected by international conflicts and food supplies can be affected by the weather. Thus, the BLS model will demonstrate a less drastic change in inflation numbers if these events do occur. A final measure of inflation that utilizes the CPI is the Bryan-Cecchetti model. This model takes the BLS model one step further. The Bryan-Cecchetti system still uses the CPI as a basis, because the economists that developed this model understand that the CPI is the greatest general measure to be utilized. However, the Bryan-Cecchetti model extends the BLS approach by automatically excluding large price changes from the CPI basket regardless of the sector in which they arise. (Ibid) Bryan-Cecchetti correctly identifies that other sectors besides energy and food are affected by outside influences and can have a drastic rise or fall. However, the CPI is still considered the main standard for deciding the amount of inflation in the economy. The Role Inflation Plays in the Economy Inflation would essentially mean nothing to the average consumer if it had no bearing on the economy. It is in the economy that inflation can either hinder a person’s ability to purchase or cause a lack of growth for businesses. The role inflation plays in the economy is substantial. One of the main consequences of unwanted inflation is to the American worker. The first negative impact is a consumer’s shopping patterns and amount of money spent on goods and services. Inflation â€Å"causes consumers to shift the timing of their shopping closer to the receipt of income and creates incentives for shop owners to decrease their inventories. (Frenkel, and Mehrez 616) Less of a product in the store and less purchasing power of consumers combines to create even more inflation in the economy to occur. It is a cycle that ultimately raises prices to a harmful degree. So, a consumer is left with little alternatives to combat the harm that inflation causes. A person with less money will possibly lose their job (because of the lack of buying by other consumers), will consume less (because of the higher prices and lower supplies), invest less (because of the lack of money to invest), and finally rely more on credit (because the purchasing power of credit does not have to be paid until later). (Ibid) Another problem with inflation in the economy is it decreases the value of the dollar. As discussed previously, more dollars in the stream of commerce or rising prices due to limited supplies will help lower the value of the dollar. In this country, for example, â€Å"the dollar lost about three-fourths of its value between 1965 to 1985; between 1985 and 2005, it lost a bit over one-third of its value. (Hoar 42) This dramatic decrease in dollar value is due to inflation. This occurrence is precisely why older Americans will reminisce about how a movie and a Coke cost them less than a dollar. The dollar is still the same, but the amount it can purchase has decreased and will more than likely continue to decrease in the future. Conclusion If a person is purchasing goods or services in America then inflation and the CPI are important concepts to understand. Understanding these two concepts will help a person better plan their future and allow them to stay calm when their money cannot buy them as much as before. Works Cited Cogley, Timothy. A Simple Adaptive Measure of Core Inflation. Journal of Money, Credit Banking 34. 1 (2002): 94+.Frenkel, Michael, and Gil Mehrez. Inflation and the Misallocation of Resources. Economic Inquiry 38. 4 (2000): 616-628. Greenlees, John S. , and Charles C. Mason. Overview of the 1998 Revision of the Consumer Price Index. Monthly Labor Review 119. 12 (1996): 3+. Hoar, William P. Myths about Inflation. The New American 12 Dec. 2005: 42+. Moulton, Brent R. Basic Components of the CPI: Estimation of Price Changes. Monthly Labor Review 116. 12 (1993): 13+. Wilson, George W. Inflation Causes, Consequences, and Cures. 1st ed. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1982.

Starbucks Strategies for Profitability

Starbucks Strategies for Profitability 1. Introduction Major objective of this study is to shed light on the strategies and efforts made by Starbuck to solve its problems related to profitability. In order to do a careful analysis of internal initiatives is undertaken to have an idea about the success of these initiatives to return to a stable pace of profitability growth by Starbucks. To have growth in profitability Starbucks needs to generate competitive advantage among the rival firms. Starbucks will have to take into account overall trends of industry, so that long run profitability growth can be assured. Both the internal and external factors faced with the firm are analyzed separately in order to have a reliable future position. 1.1. Positive Aspects related with Starbucks and Recommended Strategy Starbucks provides healthy working environment to its employees and have detailed and employee friendly stock option plans. Moreover, the major strengths of Starbucks lie in the attractive shop design and comfortable shop environment. Starbucks aims to become a top coffee outlet not only at regional level but also at international level. So the strategy of globalization will help Starbucks to increase its profitability. In order to successfully implement this strategy performance targets for managers will have to be set so that they are provided with the incentive to improve their performance. 1.2. Objectives of Starbucks Clean supply of coffee. Create readily happy clients all the period. Provide an incredible work place and handle pride and one another with respect. Accept diversity being an important element in the manner we do company. Make use of the greatest requirements of quality towards the buying. Lead positively to the towns and our environment, and notice that success is important to our potential success. 2. Issues faced by the Firm 2.1. Internal Issues Limited Product Range: Starbucks offers a product range comprised of single source and approximately thirty products , Coffee machines, advanced candy, coffee cups, coffee accessories card, a stored value card, coffees, containers frap-puccino caffeine products, coffees, coffee liqueurs, type of ice creams, audio, publications, movies, house Starbucks and gifts. Limited Advantages provided to Employees: Many conflicts among workers have been observed since in various outlets of Starbucks all over the world and the main reason was low-pay and extended work hours. As the burden of work remains high the employees feel overworked and hence they find it difficult to continue working at Starbucks. 2.2. Insufficient Growth of Alternatives Available When the business was started there were just 17 coffee shops but now the outlets are running in 39 nations all over the world having almost 12,240 outlets. The worldwide rate of growth associated with coffee shops is too high as compared to that of Starbucks. This fact leads to create a severe anxiety for Starbucks and limits the growth opportunities available to the firm. 2.3. Customer Relationships The clients of Starbuck are not that much diversified and belong to almost similar group. On the other hand it not the case with other international coffee brands. Another consideration is attached with the Starbucks connection with their clients. Starbucks is regarded as very awesome coffee brand when consumer considerations are concerned. In the region of Beijing where Starbucks recently closed an outlet due to ethnic differences among manufacturers can also be regarded as a threat to the future growth of a business. Some revolutionary anti-capitalism activists left the Starbucks becoming former clients, but additionally Starbucks and especially small people even not approved within the company’s feel uneasy or shops. Because of Starbucks rapid development, the manufacturer so dropped its unique hospitality for customers and continues to be commoditized. Major Issue Faced by Firm On the basis of above discussion it is found that major issue for Starbucks is limited growth opportunities which may be result of weak customer relationships. 3. Analysis of Financial Ratios Liquidity ratios: Tells us about the ability of a firm to pay its short term debt obligations. The most commonly used liquidity ratios are current ratio, quick ratio and cash flow ratio. Current ratio (Cr) = Current Assets/Current Liabilities Current ratio shows that how much of current assets a firm has in order to be able to pay its short term debt. For the year 2009 Cr =403.60 / 309.30 = 1.30 For the year 2010 Cr =476.10 / 318.50 = 1.49 Conclusion: The current ratio is 1.30 in the year 2009 which shows that the firm had current assets of $ 1.30 in order to pay liability of $1. In the year 2010 the firm had $ 1.49 to pay the liability of $1. The improvement in current ratio is indicating that the position of firm in the form of current assets to finance its debt has been improved. Quick ratio ( Qr)= (Current assets-Inventory-Prepaid) / current Liabilities Quick ratio shows that how much of convertible assets a firm has in order to be able to pay its short term debt. For the year 2009 Qr =403.60- 119.20-44.30 / 309.30 = 240.3 / 309.30 = 0.77 For the year 2010 Qr = 476.10 115 – 47.30 /318.50 = 313.8 / 318.50 = 0.98 Conclusion: The current ratio was 0.77 in the year 2009 which shows that the firm had convertible assets of $ 0.77 in order to pay liability of $1. In the year 2010 the firm had $ 0.98 to pay the liability of $1. The improvement in quick ratio is indicating that the position of firm in the form of convertible assets to finance its debt has been improved. Cash ratio (Chr) = Cash/ Current Liabilities Cash ratio shows that how much of cash a firm has in order to be able to pay its short term debt. For the year 2009 Chr = 54.50 / 309.30 = 0.17 For the year 2010 Chr = 76.70 / 318.50 = 0.24 Conclusion: The cash ratio was 0.17 in the year 2009 which shows that the firm had cash of $ 0.24 in order to pay liability of $1. In the year 2010 the firm had $ 0.24 to pay the liability of $1. The improvement in cash ratio is indicating that the firm has more cash to pay back its debt has been improved in 2010 as compared to 2009 which is a good sign for Starbucks. Leverage Ratios: These ratios tell us about financial structure of company. The sources of fiancà © of a business are shown by leverage ratios. It shows the components of debt financing, equity financing and self financing of a firm. Debt to equity ratio = Total Debt / Total equity. It shows the components of debt and equity in firm’s capital structure. For the year 2009 (DEr) = 1827.80/ -1033.60 = -1.76 For the year 2010 (DEr) = 1783.10/ -696.40 = -2.56 Conclusion: negative value of equity is showing that the value of an asset used to secure a loan is less than the outstanding balance on the loan. The value of assets is far below the outstanding balance on the loan used to purchase those assets which is sign of possible financial distress of the firm. Debt to equity ratio is greater than 1 showing that the component of debt is much higher than that of equity in firm’s capital structure. The debt component has been decreased in 2010 as compared to 2009. Debt to asset ratio (DAr)= Total asset / Total assets. It shows how much of firm’s assets are financed through debt i.e. components of debt and equity in firm’s capital structure. For the year 2009 ( DAr) = 1827.80/ 794.20 = 2.30 For the year 2010 (DAr) = 1783.10/ 1086.70 = 1.64 Conclusion: The ratio of 2.30 in 2009 is showing that component of debt in total assets is almost two and a half times that of equity. However this ratio is decreased in 2010 which is showing that equity level of debt has been decreased in firm’s capital structure as compared to 2009 which is a good sign for this firm as there is a risk of financial distress and bankruptcy associated with high levels of debt burden. 4. Diagnosis of Firm Performance Profitability Ratios: Profitability ratios reflect the performance of a company it shows that whether firm performance is improving or deteriorating. Return on Assets = (Net profit / total assets) * 100. This ratio shows that how much profit is being generated by firm’s assets or what is the contribution of firm’s total assets in its profitability. For the year 2009 ROA = (48.80 / 794.20) * 100 =6.14 % For the year 2010 ROA = (327.30 / 1086.70) * 100 = 30.1 % Conclusion: ROA of 6.14% in the year 2009 is showing that every $ 100 invested generates $ 6.14 as profit. ROA has been improved in the year 2010 as now each $ 100 invested will generate 30.1 as profit. So the profitability is improved in the year 2010 which is a good sign. Net Profit Margin = Net Profit / Sales It reflects the amount of each sales dollar left over after all expenses have been made. This ratio helps a company determine how much actual profit is made from each sale earned. The higher the net profit margin, the better the company is doing at turning sales into profit. For the year 2009 NPM = (48.80 / 1295.90) * 100 = 3.7 % For the year 2010 NPM = (327.30 /1321.40) * 100 = 24.76 % Conclusion: Net profit margin has been greatly increased in the year 2010 as compared to that of 2009 which is a strong positive signal. The improvement may be because of strong sales or decreased costs and overhead. On the basis of above calculated ratios it can be concluded that overall financial position of the firm has been improved in 2010 as compared to 2009. However there is high risk of financial distress due to heavy debt burden. 5. Solutions for Issues faced by Starbucks Changing associated with an exterior atmosphere of the organization led to cause various problems related to the business and contributed to to the closing of the shops of the organization within the USA. These problems are mainly related to the businesses connection, the critique firm’s fair-trade guidelines and the additional governmental problems affecting the business. To cope up with these problems the organization requires a detailed strategy to resolve these issues. Major solutions for problems faced by Starbucks are as follows: Steps to face numerous current competitors, or to minimize the risk of fresh competitors entering the marketplace Revolutionize the political and financial atmosphere. Adjustments in consumer preferences or styles Selection of Best Alternative available Among the above mentioned solutions the most feasible one is to make adjustments in the products offered by the firm, to best suit the tastes of consumers. For this purpose Starbucks will have to keep in view the products sold by other firms of same industry because these products are substitutes of those offered by Starbucks. The firm will have to introduce more differentiated products because differentiated and unique products always remain successful to attract more and more customers. 6. Conclusion Keeping in view the above discussion it can be concluded that Starbucks severely needs to boost the worldwide reputation of the company in order to achieve its growth targets. Pursuing a careful strategy related to the enhancement of growth opportunities, Starbucks may become able to return to a profitable growth path as they have available opportunities for continued growth of their business. Coffee business is growing all over the world including US industry, a market is growing more saturated and hence the competition is rising at international levels. References CEO, S. (2004). HOW STARBUCKS WORKS WITH NGOS.California Management Review,47(1), 92. Thompson, C. J., Arsel, Z. (2004). The Starbucks brandscape and consumers’(anticorporate) experiences of glocalization.Journal of Consumer Research,31(3), 631-642. Gallaugher, J., Ransbotham, S. (2010). Social media and customer dialog management at Starbucks.MIS Quarterly Executive,9(4), 197-212. Grundy, T. (2006). Rethinking and reinventing Michael Porters five forces model.Strategic Change,15(5), 213-229.

The Philosophy of Simone Weil Essay -- Philosopher Simone Weil Essays

The Philosophy of Simone Weil In the final entry to her London notebooks, Simone Weil writes "Philosophy is exclusively an affair of action and practice. That is why it is so difficult to write about. Difficult in the same way as a treatise on tennis or running, but much more so." (Allen, p. 157) In these next few pages I will try to relay the basic ideas contained in Simone Weil's works. Because of the extensiveness and complexity of her work, I will be using her words exactly, as often as possible. Simone Weil was a trained philosopher and a teacher of philosophy. She was a political theorist and activist, a revolutionary, a laborer in the French fields and factories and toward the end of he life, she was a mystic. She believed in the transcendent powers of God. Much of her writing dealt with the ways in which God touches our lives, and the ways we can "find" or open ourselves to him. In her works, she spent a good deal of time defining and describing terms such as beauty and affliction, and describing solutions to social ills. First and foremost it is important to understand the relationship the Weil had with God. She had many mystical experiences in her life in which she walked and talked with God. One of these experiences in particular is described in volume two of her notebooks in a brief essay called "Come With Me." In this essay she recounts a story in which God comes and visit her. He takes her up to the attic of a church where they live for three days, eating only bread and drinking only water. But she had interesting notions about him and his existence; not notions that would seem consistent with having met with him. She explains that God is "everything that we are not" (Little, p. 57 ). But she goes on to ... ...egin. I suppose this is an issue Gardner faced in the beginning of his search as well; the abyss of the unknown. But it is an area I am interested in, even more so that the other frames we have studied, and I look forward to thinking in these terms as I further my studies in philosophy and spirituality. Works Cited: Allen, Diogenes and Springsted, Eric O. Spirit, Nature and Community. State University of New York Press. Albany, New York. 1994. Indinoplulos, Thomas A. and Knoppzadorsky, Josephine. Mysticism, Nihilism, Feminism. Institute of Social Sciences and Arts. Johnson City, Tennessee. 1984. Little, J.P. Simone Weil. St. Martin's Press. New York, New York. 1988. McFarland, Dorothy Tuck. Simone Weil. Fredrick Unger Publishing Co. New York, New York. 1983. Panichas, George A. (ed.) Simone Weil Reader. Moyer Bell Limited. Mt Kisco, New York.1977.

The Usefulness of Sub-Cultural Theories in Understanding Crime and Devi

I am going to be assessing the usefulness of sub cultural theories in understanding crime and deviance. The functionalist suggested that understanding deviance lies in the studying it function for society rather than the individual itself. Also consensus is essential for society to function. All functionalist therefore argues that forms of social control are necessary to check deviant and to maintain social order. Merton theory of anomie is based on the ideas of the functionalist. Anomie encourages deviance. Merton understood crime and deviance to be a response to the inability to achieve social goals. This is often referred to as a strain theory of crime, since Merton highlighted a tension or strains between the cultural goals of a society and the legitimate or institutionalised means of achieving these goals. Merton work can be seen to be the influence by the American dream provided that you work hard in a good job, money a good house and a luxurious lifestyle can be yours. However he said that when the values or culture goals are internalised, many people don’t live up to it or achieve it. Merton presents five modes of adapting to strain caused by the restricted access to socially approved goals and means. He did not mean that everyone who was denied access to society's goals became deviant. Rather the response, or modes of adaptation, depends on the individual's attitudes toward cultural goals and the institutional means to attain them. Conformity is the most common mode of adaptation. Individuals accept both the goals as well as the prescribed means for achieving those goals. Conformists will accept, though n... ... of society because of their position in the social structure usually a class position. Cohen argues that although groups of working class youths may originally accept the wider social goals, their growing awareness of their inability to achieve goals leads to the development of status frustration, where the goals are rejected. Instead, new and deviant goals are formed and a delinquent subculture is formed. Cloward and Ohlin take these ideas further. They contend that as well a legitimate opportunities varying for the successful achievement of wider social goals. Illegitimate opportunities also differ. Thus, some young people are able to join a local gang or to take up a life of crime, but others lack even these choices. These individuals become double failureand usually retreat to a life of violence, drug abuse etc.

The Disease Of Masturbation :: essays research papers

The Disease of Masturbation: Values and the concept of Disease by Engelhardt Englhardt's article The Disease Of Masturbation is an example of the ways in which values impact society's definition of disease. I agree that it is possible that science is being, or has been, limited by the values within society. For science to conclude that masturbation causes such aliments as blindness and epilepsy it appears evident that science is being misguided by values of the time. I believe that science also realizes that values play a part in research conducted, otherwise there would be no need for blind and double blind studies. Blind studies are used to help eliminate bias brought on by the experimenter or the test subject. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century masturbation was thought to produce the signs and symptoms of a dangerous disease: 'Disease is neither an objective entity nor a concept of a single definition, there is not, nor need be, one concept of disease (UWO, p.241).'; The problem with Englehardt's article is our health system is that of the biomedical model. The biomedical model does not recognize masturbation as a disease. It states that 'disease is a biological deviation from the norm that can be explained scientifically'; (Charland). Masturbation has not been proven to fit into either category. Masturbation may have been a deviation from the norm at one point in time, but I do not believe that it can be explained scientifically. Englehardt's article says that masturbation was the cause of such illnesses as blindness and vertigo. But how were these conclusions drawn? Were these conclusions scientific in nature or gathered according to the views and values of the times? Masturbation was turned into a disease, not with just somatic,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   but psychological dimensions. Tissot states that masturbating is even more debilitating than sex because of a loss of seminal fluid (1oz equals 40oz of blood). When seminal loss takes place in a position other than the recumbent position the effects are multiplied. Tissot successfully establishes that masturbation is associated with physical and mental maladies. Englehardt should stipulate how Tissot reaches this conclusion. There are also disagreements as to whether frequent sex is any different than masturbation. It is argued that the difference between masturbation and sex is the expenditure of nerve force that is compensated by the magnetism of the partner. Masturbation is worse because it is unnatural and therefore less satisfying.

Obligation Definition Essay

The question presented in this discussion is definitely one that has no easy answer. I will start by saying, a obligation is defined by what a person is bound to from either tradition or law. If I took a relative approach I would say that morals and ethical obligation are subjective. I personally believe that to a extent humans do have a obligation to animals. To go out of your way to depict cruelty to any creature illustrates a flaw in your own character. However, humans don’t have to have a diet that includes meat but most do. Even in these cases the way that the livestock is going to be treated does not have to be treated cruelly, or put in discomfort. I remember watching a show in which the farmer said, that his cows tasted so good because they lived a happy life. In many ways he treated the cows akin to a pet, by feeding them properly, making sure their living quarters are clean, and showing them affection. His belief was that by doing this his cow’s meat was more tender, then if he hadn’t done these practices. Do I believe this maybe, maybe not. However, this does illustrate that the livestock that we consume does not have to be treated in a cruel manner. Yet, in theory in our society animals do not perform any function but companionship and food, which means humans really don’t have a obligation to them. However, I feel it is boorish to depict cruelty to any creature or anyone.

French Lieutenant’s Woman

The novel begins with voice of Thomas Hardy’s †³The Riddle†³ which is quoted by the author. This quotation is an apt description for The French Lieutenant’s woman which portrays a singular figure, alone against a desolate landscape. The novel portrays Victorian characters living in 1867, but the author, writing in 1967, intervenes with wry, ironic commentary on Victorian conventions. In fact, it is parody of Victorian novel with chatty narrator and narrative juggling. The most striking fact about the novel is the use of different authorial voices. Voice of the narrator has a double vision: The novel starts off with an intrusive omniscient, typically Victorian, voice: â€Å"I exaggerate? Perhaps, but I can be put to the test, for the Cobb has changed very little since the year of which I write; [†¦]† (Fowles, p.10). In chapter 1 we hear an extensive, detailed description of Lyme Bay. The narrator makes it a point to insist that very little has changed in Lyme Regis since the nineteenth century to the present day. The narrator deftly moves between the two centuries and comments on the present day events in the same tone in which he comments on the Victorian period. We hear the voice of narrator as a formal, stiff Victorian tone while narrating the events in the novel yet the content of what he says is contemporary. The illusion of a Victorian novel is soon broken by a narrator, who introduces his modern 20 century point of view. For example, in Chapter 3, he alludes to devices totally unknown to Victorian society and the illusion of the typically Victorian novel is broken. â€Å"[Charles] would probably not have been too surprised had news reached him out of the future of the air plane, the jet engine, television, radar: [†¦]† (Fowles, p.16). In Chapter 13 he finally reveals himself as a modern narrator when he admits to live in the age of Alain Robbe-Grillet and Roland Barthes (Fowles, p. 80). Voices of the novel seem to belong to John Fowles, the author. The narrator not only comments the whole narrative but he also intrudes in order to make comments on the characters. His authorial intrusions are very pointed and sometimes biased. The narrator’s voice plays the role of both participant and observer. The first person voice occurs in different roles. It seems to be an artist, a novelist, a teacher, a historian and a critic who surveying the scene with a modern and ironic eye, constantly reminding the reader this is not a typically Victorian novel. The third person voice, on the other hand, represents all features associated with an omniscient narrator. It misleads the reader and sometimes even ridicules characters: â€Å"He would have made you smile, for he was carefully equipped for his role. He wore stout nailed boots and canvas gaiters that rose to the encase Norfolk breeches of heavy flannel. There was a tight and absurdly long coat to match; a canvas wide awake hat of an indeterminate beige; a massive ash-plant, which he had bought on his way to the Cobb; and a voluminous rucksack, from which you might have shaken out an already heavy array of hammers, wrappings, notebooks, pillboxes, adzes and heaven knows what else.† (Fowles, p. 43) In Chapter 13 the first person narrator suggests to stand out against the third person narrator when he admits not to be able to control the thoughts and movements of his characters. He denies having all the god-like qualities associated with the classical role of a narrator who knows all the moves of his characters beforehand and he gives a definition of his status: â€Å"The novelist is still a god, since he creates [†¦] what has changed is that we are no longer the gods of the Victorian image, omniscient and decreeing; but in the new theological image, with freedom our first principle not authority.† (Fowles, p.82). What the narrator does is to break the illusion of being the authoritative voice by providing the further illusion of not being it, insisting on the fact that the characters are allowed their freedom. The narrator seems to become just another character of the story, and first and third person narration overlaps. This illusion of the narrator being a fictional character finally dissolves when he appears in person: first as a fellow passenger in the train in Chapter 55 and a second time in the last chapter. This technique of hearing different voices in a narration is called heteroglossia. The narrator guides the reader through the novel. In summary, the narrative’s voice works on different levels: firstly there is protagonist, Charles, and his struggle to overcome his Victorian mind, secondly the narrator claims his characters to be free of authorial supervision. In fact, the narrator is only concealing his real authority. For example in Chapter 55 when he flips a coin in order to decide how to end his narrative and at last there is the reader whom the narrator allows to break free from the narrative illusion. Character Analysis: Charles and Sarah The first picture we get of Charles is that he is a Victorian gentleman who is in all respects at the height of his time. He has a similar outside and inside. He is dominated by the social conventions of his time, particularly in his attitude towards women, and the only thing he lacks is mystery. He seems to be a flat character that only has inner struggling. His character is developed gradually through the novel. Actually his first meeting with Sarah, is his first step of development which leads him from complacency to doubt, from the known to the undiscovered, and from safety to danger when he realizes that there is an alternative to the puritan world of Ernestina which is the free and spontaneous world of Sarah. In short, his first meetings with Sarah sharpen his awareness of that existentialist freedom she embodies and throughout the novel he is torn between the conventional Victorian ideas and this proposal of personal freedom. It stretches as far as Chapter 44. Throughout all these chapters Charles is torn in between behaving the normal, Victorian way, rating his short relationship with Sarah as a minor, unimportant incident or accepting the full consequences of not behaving in an appropriate Victorian manner. He is fascinated by the enigma which Sarah represents and wants to solve it but on the other hand he is caught in his Victorian pattern of thought. When he decides to visit Sarah in Exeter we are dealing with his second development. He is prepared to accept the consequences of not behaving like a Victorian in order to fulfill his personal ideas. But he is still caught in this particular pattern of thought; maybe this is best expressed by his intention to marry Sarah. He has yet not fully understood the ideas of existential freedom. Charles enters the third stage of development when he realizes that Sarah has left without leaving any trace for him to follow. It is then when he settles to follow the path he had decided to take, whether he will be able to find her or not. The months he searches for Sarah are the final stage of his development in which he is able to get the taste of freedom he once tried to gain. His meeting with Sarah at the end of the novel is the final test he has to go through. On the other hand, from the very beginning, Sarah seems to be a round character. She has different inside and outside. Sarah acts as a counter to Tina, the model of Victorian womanhood. Sarah does not match with the time she lives in especially in her behavior. But her strangeness should be considered in the light of the Victorian age. Her actions are governed by her refusal to follow tradition and by her quest for freedom. She rejects the subservient role which her society tries to force on her, determined to get what she wants and express her desires freely. Although some conflicts about Sarah resolved when she told her story to Charles but some of them has still remained till the end of the novel. In the two endings, Sarah's need for freedom conflicts with her love for Charles. One ending suggests that Sarah will be able to remain outside the confines of Victorian society while still being able to establish a family with Charles and marriage will exact its own conventions which will be difficult to escape. Another ending focuses on her total freedom but also her estrangement from the man she loves. This conflict never resolved!!

Modernism, Postmodernism

The youth culture of the 1960s represents the threshold between modernism and what, in most circles, passes for postmodernism. On the one hand, it is clearly an extension and reinvention of the historical avant-garde, and, on the other, it signals the increasing obsolescence of the (modernist) divide between elite and mass culture, between the artisanal and the mechanically reproduced.Reacting against the universalizing tendencies of high modernism (from abstract expressionism to the international style), and its dedication to seriousness, abstraction, and elegance, the new artists delighted in extending the range of art, in juxtaposing the exalted and the abject, the sacred and the profane, in being vernacular and relevant, and in rudely transgressing bourgeois norms.From the point of view of post-modern theory, the recent history of popular music can be seen to be marked by a trend towards the open and extensive mixing of styles and genres of music in very direct and self-conscious ways. Put very simply, the argument about the transition between modernism and postmodernism in pop music can be seen as the Beatles in the 1960s. The songs of the Beatles drew explicitly on diverse classical and popular forms and made a claim to what was for pop a new kind of musical and lyrical seriousness.Postmodernism first emerges out of a generational refusal of the categorical certainties of high modernism. The insistence on an absolute distinction between high and popular culture came to be regarded as the ‘unhip' assumption of an older generation. One sign of this collapse can be seen in the merging of art and pop music. For example, Peter Blake designed the cover of the Beatles' Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.Jameson (1991) distinguishes between modernist and post-modern pop music, making the argument that the Beatles and the Rolling Stones represent a modernist moment, against which punk rock and new wave can be seen as post-modern. In ‘Popular Mus ic and Postmodern Theory', Andrew Goodwin (1991) quite correctly argues that for various reasons this is a very difficult position to sustain. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones are as different from each other as together they are different from, say, the Clash and Talking Heads. In fact, ‘it would be much easier to make an argument in which the distinction is made between the â€Å"artifice† of the Beatles and Talking Heads and the â€Å"authenticity† of the Rolling Stones and the Clash' (55).Perhaps the best way to think of the relationship between pop music and postmodernism is historically. In most accounts, the moment of postmodernism begins in the late 1950s-the same period as the emergence of pop music. Therefore, in terms of periodization, pop music and postmodernism are more or less simultaneous. This does not necessarily mean that all pop music is post-modern. Using Raymond Williams's model of social formations always consisting of a hierarchy of cultu res-‘dominant', 'emergent' and ‘residual'-post-modern pop music can be seen as 'emergent' in the 1960s with the late Beatles, and the rock music of the counter-culture, as principal examples, and in the 1970s with ‘art school' punk, to become in the late 1980s the ‘cultural dominant' of pop music.It is also possible to see the consumption of pop music and the surrounding pop music culture as in itself post-modern. Instead of an approach concerned with identifying and analysing the post-modern text or practice, we might look instead for postmodernism in the emergence of particular patterns of consumption; people who actively seek out and celebrate pastiche. The notion of a particular group of consumers, people who consume with irony and take pleasure in the weird, is very suggestive.Flirtations with Eastern mysticism in the 1960s brought new influences; the success of the Beatles, and George Harrison’s fascination with the Indian sitar, increased exposu re to Indian music and to Ravi Shankar, probably the first distinct ‘world musician’, unquestionably promoting musical sounds and structures quite different from those in the West. Prior to the successes of Miriam Makeba, Ravi Shankar and Manu Dibango, the first African musician to have an international hit, and whose music helped usher in the disco era (Mitchell 1996), musicians with exceptional local and regional popularity were otherwise largely unknown in the West, because their music was unfamiliar and inaccessible, and the words incomprehensible (hence Western recording companies took little interest).The Beatles’ quest for mysticism, enlightenment and innovative sounds (which could be incorporated in Western musical structures, rather than being given a life of their own) was the forerunner of other Western performers’ similar searches for authenticity and difference. Paul Simon’s Graceland (1986) recorded English lyrics over tracks performed by black South African bands and the vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.As many critics noted, rock may have been the most popular and influential art form during the late '60s, â€Å"the deepest means of communication and expression† that negotiated the incompatibility of the post-modern with the preindustrial by attempting to unite â€Å"a mass culture† with â€Å"a genuine folk culture.† In the mid-Sixties, electricity, poetry, sex, and rhythm mixed with another combustible element, drugs, to create psychedelia. Baby boomer parents worshipped doctors and high medicine and avidly ingested antidepressants and other medications to achieve altered states of mental and physical health.Likewise, baby boomers' drug experimentation aimed for transport to a new personal and world consciousness that would eliminate human barriers— class, race, ideology—dividing their parents' world. By 1965, a suite of drugs coursed through the rock community. Dylan and marijuana influenced the Beatles' Rubber Soul (1965), a folk rock record of soft edges and personal introspection. Attracting a male following, The Who, the Mod heroes, thrashed through early singles such as â€Å"Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere† and â€Å"My Generation† with amphetamine-fed punk fury.Acid rock borrowed sounds, scales, chords, and rhythms from around the world to distort space and time. The Beatles adapted Indian ragas and modal jazz to dislodge the rhythmic anchor and erase the four cardinal directions. In England, the Beatles were introduced to acid in 1965; they recorded Revolver a year later. Their variable tape speeds, tape loops, backward guitar and voice lines, and other experiments transformed basic rock and roll chords, beats, and voices into a tableau of acid-soaked sound, rhythm, and poetry. Especially disorienting was â€Å"Tomorrow Never Knows,† an early trance-rock number. Ringo Starr's bass drum figure, a human heartbeat, kicked time in reverse, while John Lennon's filtered vocals, chants inspired by the Tibetan Book of the Dead, seemed piped in from creation.In a key contribution, ‘Postmodernism, or the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism', Jameson overviews postmodernism as the cultural expression of a new phase of capitalism, characterized by communications technologies facilitating the virtually instantaneous shifting of international capital, the emergence of new centres of capital (e.g. Japan) in a global economy, new class formations breaking with the traditional labour v. capital division, and a consumer capitalism which markets style, images and tastes as much as actual products. The commoditization of culture has resulted in a new populism of the mass media, a culture centred around the marketing and consumption of surfaces and appearances, epitomised by the ubiquity of commercial television.Despite its obvious plausibility as a general explanation of developments in popular culture, postmodernism su ffers from a number of difficulties. To heavily generalise, these are: its frequent lack of specificity; its overpreoccupation with texts and audiences at the expense of locating these within the economic and productive context within which cultural products reside; its reduction of history and politics and its ignoral of ‘traditional' sociological notions of production, class and ideology.The postmodernist view of rock music regards it as exemplifying the collapse of traditional distinctions between art and the commercial, the aesthetic and the unaesthetic, and the authentic and unauthentic. This view is most prominent in discussions of music video, with its affinities to advertising (Kaplan 1987). Popular cultural texts of the Beatles are regarded as dynamic not static, mediated both by patterns of economic and social organisation and the relationship of individuals and social groups to these patterns. This puts politics in a position of central importance, as culture is vie wed as a site of conflict and struggle, of negotiations which constantly confirm and redefine the existing conditions of domination and subordination in society.Against the backdrop of these cultural studies signposts, the construction of meaning in rock can be seen as embracing a number of factors: the music industry and its associated technologies, those who create the music, the nature of rock texts, the constitution of rock audiences and their modes of consumption, and attempts to influence and regulate all of these. The role of the music industry, in its drive to commodify rock and maximise profits, is the starting point for understanding rock.In film or in rock a certain historical logic can be reintroduced by the hypothesis that such newer media recapitulate the evolutionary stages or breaks between realism, modernism and postmodernism, in a compressed time span, such that the Beatles and the Stones occupy the high modernist moment embodied by the ‘auteurs' of 1950s and 1960s art films.Although animation was used in the early days of filmmaking and became just another form of studio production, it underwent big changes in the late twentieth century. A major break in such style occurred with the Beatles' animated film, Yellow Submarine (1968). Not only was the colour startling – a psychedelic experience of sorts, as some commented – but the animation also used a mixture of media that inspired what was later called the â€Å"blendo† style in which cels, cut-outs, clay figures – and more recently – computer graphics are blended (Cohen 1998).The application of postmodernism to popular music is primarily based on two perceived trends: firstly, the increasing evidence of pastiche, intertextuality, and eclecticism; and, secondly, increased cultural fusion and the collapsing of high-low culture type distinctions in rock. However, rock history demontrates that the first trend frequently actually reaffirms the distinctions supposedly being broken down in the second trend. Post-modern music clearly contributed to the increasingly global nature of cultural and economic linkages, mapping out new networks of commodity flow and entrepreneurial activity.At least at a surface level, all countries’ popular musics were shaped by international influences and institutions, by multinational capital and technology, by global pop norms and values. Even the most nationalist sounds—carefully cultivated ‘folk’ song, angry local dialect punk, preserved (for the tourist) traditional dance—were determined by a critique of international entertainment. The rise of rock ‘n’ roll, the success of the Beatles, alongside transitions in other cultural forms, ensured some measure of ubiquity.ReferencesCentore, F. F. (1991). Being and Becoming: A Critique of Post-Modernism, Greenwood Press: New York.Goodwin, Andrew. (1991). â€Å"Popular Music and Postmodern Theory†, Cultural Studies, 5.Jameson, Fredric (1991). Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, Durham, NC: Duke University Press.Kaplan, E.A. (1987). Rocking Around the Clock: Music Television, Postmodernism, and Consumer Culture, New York: Methuen.Mitchell, T. (1996). Popular Music and Local Identity, Leicester University Press, London and New York.

Lessons learnt about one-on-one communication Essay

Another point to mention is that even though it is the group of critics that are to blame, the speaker is not always just a victim. It is the speaker’s fault is he or she does not prepare for what is to be said, how to say it and what tone and anecdotal examples to use, keeping in mind the audience at hand. Therefore, planning beforehand is very important in all meetings as is the equal level of participation and input from all members present in the meeting. Answer 2: Example of a meeting I would plan and conduct and how it actually differs from what actually happens Using the above example of the business entrepreneurs meeting, I would try and plan for the meeting in advance and inform the members of what is to be discussed in the meeting. Before every meeting, the members will get an agenda of what is to be discussed in the meeting and what is to be expected of them. Punctuality and preparedness will be emphasized and encouraged. If any one has an idea that they want to discuss in the meeting, they will be asked to prepare for how they are going to present it to the audience. All criticism will be within limits and focus on the idea, rather than the person. The meetings will be around forty five to fifty minutes and focus on the topic at hand and not divert to unrelated issues. If someone comes up with an idea during the meeting, he or she is advised to write it down and mention it in the next meeting. In actuality, none of this happens. People have low attention spans and often get distracted and distract others as well. Also, punctuality is rarely observed and people often show up late, sometimes at the end of the meeting. Absenteeism is also a problem. Moreover, there are some who prepare half heartedly for what they want to share in the meeting and yet others who do not prepare at all. Furthermore, criticism is often focused on the person as much as the idea and personal grudges fostered. Finally, the meetings do not remain within the limits of the allotted time and therefore, people tend to lose interest and focus from the issue at hand. References â€Å"Oral† Communication: More than Words. Unit 3: Essentials of Oral Communication in Business.

Which Is Better: A Dual Degree or a Double Major?

Choosing a career path is one of the biggest decisions you will make in your college journey. While a majority of students have a tough enough time choosing just one major, there are an increasing number of students who are deciding to pursue dual degrees and double majors. For these students, this choice must be weighed carefully. Is it better to work towards a dual degree or should you double major instead? This post will answer questions most commonly asked about the differences between a dual degree and double major, discuss the pros and cons of both, and provide insight on what is the best option for you as you embark on your college journey and ultimately your career path. When you receive a dual degree, you essentially receive two degrees. These could be either two bachelor’s degrees, such as a bachelor of science and a bachelor of arts, or a bachelor’s degree and an advanced degree, such as a B.A. and an M.A., simultaneously. Often, candidates receive the dual degree in less than the amount of time it would generally take to receive two degrees consecutively and independently, although that’s not always the case. Some schools offer joint degree programs that enable students to receive a dual degree upon completion. One example of of a dual degree program in which students receive two bachelor’s degrees is the University of Pennsylvania ’s Huntsman Program in International Studies & Business, in which participants earn a B.A. in International Studies from the School of Arts and Sciences and a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School. Some schools offer joint degrees with art schools or conservatories. For instance, Columbia and Juilliard offer a program in which students receive a bachelor of music in addition to a B.A. or BS.

The Baton Rouge Bus Boycott Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The Baton Rouge Bus Boycott - Research Paper Example Nevertheless, there had been glaring differences between the South and the Northern American cities4, especially in regard to racial discrimination, hence the degree of residential, school, industrial, and etc., desegregation. On the one hand, the effect of economic changes in the South manifested itself as rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, as well as the migration to the South of a vast number of white-collar employees and their families, who had a very little stake in the support of the rural colour-caste system5. On the other hand, economic changes pushed Afro-Americans off the cotton farms pulled them to the cities which offered much better employment opportunities; thus, bringing about a mass migration – nearly one and a half million Afro-Americans would leave the South during the 1950s – which fundamentally altered the configuration of the racial issue, making it national in scope6. Those African-Americans who migrated from the South and found themselves a mid the lustre of the fast-moving northern cities, like New York, Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago, etc., soon realised that even though the North was anything but heaven, the new surrounding afforded them â€Å"precious breathing space† and an opportunity to get rid of the most hellish aspects of their life in the South7. Other African-Americans who migrated to the West and settled in cities such as Los Angeles, for example, enjoyed the opportunity to vote as free men and women for the first time in their lives8. Despite the evident advantages of finding better jobs, better educational opportunities and gaining voting rights, many of the newcomers found that there were also many clear penalties9, most notably racism and its concomitants. The African Americans who were most frequently faced with white resistance – a euphemism for a threatening mob and its racist rhetoric – appeared those members of the rising black middle class anxious to buy property in ‘ni ce’ neighbourhoods, with good schools and services10. In the South, however, the situation appeared much worse since no desegregation at all, especially in schools, had taken place until 1957; with the exception of two school districts in Tennessee, five in Arkansas and about one hundred in West and South Texas11. Even though the practice of lynching African Americans had been almost abandoned in the years 1950-1955, and the segregation walls started to crumble in many cities of the border states, the peripheral and even the Deep South12, racial discrimination was still a prominent feature of the American social, economic and political realities. Nevertheless, perhaps due to less-oppressive racial mores in the urban areas, the so-called urban ‘blacks’ found it much easier to co-ordinate social protests13. Historical Background In early 1953, the City Council of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, voted to raise bus fares, which aggravated the local Afro-American community, w hose members constituted more than eighty per cent of the passengers14. The reason for the discontent came from the existing segregation practice in public transportation, according to which African American men and women were allowed to sit or stand only in the back of the city buses, while the front ten seats – as reserved for white passengers – more often than not remained empty15. To add insult to injury, the system required African American

East Asian Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

East Asian Studies - Essay Example Culture is the representation of the mode of thinking of the national leaders and the people. Politics, on the other hand, is the expression of such mode of thinking, which can be seen in the manner state and economic policies are created and implemented. Therefore, while economy may be most visible base, one that serves as the gauge whether the country is moving forward or not, it is actually the superstructure of politics and culture that promotes and protects it. However, economy, the base, is the reflection of political and cultural realities too. The superstructure and the base have a dialectical relationship. Because of the diversity in the political and cultural conditions of each country, following a particular economic growth model does not always produce the desired results. Despite the success of the East Asian model, which Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan have become renowned for, not all countries in East and Southeast Asia absolutely imitate its standards and procedures. Again, this is because of the difference of the political and cultural conditions of each. Essentially the East Asian model suggests the establishment of a strong state first and foremost as the requirement for economic growth. The Philippines, ever since it was granted independence by the United States, has been making an effort in making itself as a strong republic. At the same time, it has been opening itself to foreign trade and investments at degrees oftentimes even much higher than its now industrialized and financially stable neighbors in East and Southeast Asia. While it tries to emulate the â₠¬Ëœdragon economies’ in the arena of governmental functions, it has, however, failed to realize economic strategies that bear the hallmarks of the East Asian model. As a result, the Philippine state has only become stronger at the expense of the people’s civil and political rights but the economy has not achieved any significant level of progress. It used

Economic impact Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Economic impact - Research Paper Example of one such nation where demand for coffee has reached an epitome so much so that it accounts for being one of the largest consumers of the commodity in the world. Annual consumption of the good is near to 4.5 kilograms per capita in USA, clearly indicating the degree of popularity that coffee has attained among Americans. Despite the downfall in the income growth rate of the nation, the nationals continue to spend an average of $165 per year on coffee with 54% of them consuming it on a regular basis (International Coffee Organisation, 2006). The present paper is a case study on how a push cart selling hot coffee and cappuccino in the industrial belts of Cleveland, Ohio and Houston, Texas will fare in its business. Objective of the paper will be to draw a conclusion about the prospects of the business in either location on the basis of the degree of demand and the economic influence it will impose. Production of coffee in USA is concentrated only within the states of Hawaii and Papua, though the nation imports a lumpsum quantity of coffee from Latin American nations, whose tropical climate are suited for its growth. In fact, as far as the data of 2001 is concerned, USA is the largest importer of coffee beans accounting for more than 25% of gross imports of the product. However in terms of production, USA produces only a fraction compared to its huge demand for coffee. Hence, a majority of the coffee being supplied in various parts of the nation comes from its imports from South American economies of Colombia and Brazil (International Coffee Organisation, 2006). Demand for coffee depends upon a number of factors which tend to vary from place to place, leading to diverse outcomes of business ventures. In Ohio for instance, these factors could be elaborated as follows. Population – According to census conducted by US Census Bureau in 2008, Cleveland comprised of 397,901 people out of whom 47.8% were males and the rest of them being females. This statistic is

GLOBAL BUSINESS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

GLOBAL BUSINESS - Essay Example This business report further illustrates the idea that studying the business environment can help in the actual planning and decision-making activity. This is evident in the case of SWOT analysis and Force Field analyses, both are important for actual decision-making technique. Furthermore, highlighting the case of ‘The Guardian’ and the actual scenario in the newspaper industry in the developed economies will help us understand more about the potential impact of the mentioned analyses. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Findings 4 SWOT Analysis of ‘The Guardian’ 5 Description of Lewin’s Force Field Analysis 7 Force Field Analysis of the newspaper industry in the developed economies 7 Description of the Indian newspaper industry 7 Conclusion 8 References 9 Introduction The newspaper industry especially in the developed countries is going through a remarkable change. There are factors that can help explain this change. Although the pe riod of change has taken its place in the developed economies, the story is quite different in India. To deal more of this, the following points are included in this business report. Description of a PEST analysis, its purpose and the business benefit. A PEST analysis for the newspaper industry in the developed economies. ... Description of PEST Analysis. PEST analysis is essentially part of every planning activity, as its sheer purpose is to consider Political, Economic, Socio-cultural and Technological changes in the business environment. This even leads to a high level of decision-making capability or reasonable decisions of the manager, as there will be exposure to probable changes prevailing in the business environment. These changes will therefore help the business world to find ways and means in order to create the remarkable opportunities linked to them. This leads the business world to consider PEST analysis as a management tool that is capable to give smart management and advanced warning of threats, pushing the yellow button to consider finding the right alternative courses of actions to take and outlining the best moves to do to change path if it is necessary. With this, the employment of PEST analysis will be able to guarantee at some certain level the ability of the business not to fall into serious mishaps, but rather a more meaningful view or approach of the new business environment. With the serious challenge linked to the prevailing changes that the newspaper industry in the developed countries is facing today, a PEST analysis is necessary to plan for the necessary courses of actions before things might be too late. PEST analysis for the newspaper industry in the developed countries. The online article, ‘Who killed the newspaper’ reveals some insightful information concerning the probable reasons why the newspaper industry in the developed countries is facing a significant challenge at the moment despite its success in the past years. a. Political. It is revealed that