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Social Security Program Issues Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Government disability Program Issues - Research Paper Example Governments, especially in the created nations, are spending immense measur...

Monday, September 30, 2019

Reflection on Queen Elizabeth’s Leadership

Reflection on Leadership `Queen Elizabeth is a leader that possesses many greatqualities. She has a vision of earningher people’s lovethroughrespect, understanding and being unprejudiced. As a leader, she accepts the opinions of her advisors but at the same time thinks rationally and decides on what is the right thing to do. ` `In chapter one,Queen Elizabeth and her ministerswere discussing on how Mary Stuart, a Catholic,isthe Queen of England in waiting. It was also said by Howard, one of her ministers that all Catholics are traitors as their loyalty is to the Pope of Rome. I believe that it was right for Queen Elizabeth to say that she will not punish her people for their belief but only for their wrong doings. This shows that she understands that by allowing her people tolive freely, it creates joy and happiness among the people. This in return will allow her to earn the love from her people. I can see thatas much as she wants to maintain a good relation with her loyal Protestant supporters and her ministers, she makes decisions for the good of her country and her people even though some people might not agree with her decisions. From this situation,it shows that the Queen adopts pragmatism, fairness and transparency. She makes a practical decision about an issue, she treats everyone equally, she is open and that her rules, regulations decisions are made clear. `Chapter seventeen is when the story really makes her stand out as an organized,brave, honest yet motivating leader. Quoted, Queen Elizabeth said â€Å"My lords, I can offer you no words of comfort. If this Armada succeeds there will be no more freedom in our land, and England will be no more. We cannot be defeated. † This few sentences show thatshe believes that her people should be self motivated to perform their duties. However she encourages her people not by telling them words of comfort but telling the m the consequences. She uses reverse psychology to turn fear into strength,braveryand commitment to the country. ` `Queen Elizabeth is well-organized leader as she is able to leadthe country andalso delegate the tasksequally according to her people’s capabilities. This can be seen when Queen Elizabeth issued commands as Hatton,Walsingham, the Queen’s entourage and the Queen herself entered the great vaulted nave of St Paul’s to make their way towards the altar. In my opinion, she is also a risk taker when she sent out two ships to engagethe enemy. This is a quality of a good leader as someone who dares to take risks shows that they are not afraid to fail and try again. ` `As a leader, she does not mind dying in the midst of her people. This shows that although she is the Queen, she does not discriminate her people who are of lower rank. This is an important qualityin a leader as it will either make or break a trust. Lastly, I think Queen Elizabeth is a good leader because she recognizes contributions. She recognizes Raleigh’s contribution to the country and rewarded him with his wife, son and freedom. `

Sunday, September 29, 2019

An Alarming Portrait of the Nuclear Power in the World

Unfortunately, even if someone could wave a magic wand that causes all of the nuclear weapons on earth to disappear, many believe that due to the depletion of natural resources, the earth would still be in danger of catastrophe, and humankind in danger of extinction. Jonathan Schell's book â€Å"Fate of the Earth† is an alarming portrait of the nuclear power in the world. Since the end of World War II, nuclear arms have kept the world's population in a state of constant concern that â€Å"something† could happen, whether by design or accident. As tensions continue to build throughout the Middle East, particularly between India and Pakistan, and more recently the nuclear potential of North Korea and China, the nuclear arms race may have subsided between the United States and Russia however, it is still alive and thriving around the globe. As Schell writes, â€Å"These bombs were built as weapons for war but their significance greatly transcends war and all its causes and outcomes†¦ They grew out of history, yet they threaten to end history† (Schell 3). The potential for nuclear war seems to increase daily as more countries seek to obtain the ultimate weapon of power, the â€Å"Rolls Royce† of combat, the ability to destroy thousands of lives in a flash. Yet with that flash, comes not only the possibility but the probability of more flashes resulting in incalculable damage to life and the earth itself. Schell writes that nuclear weapons â€Å"are a pit into which the whole world can fall – a nemesis of all human intentions, actions and hopes† (Schell 3). Yet, many believe that the earth's future is in peril even without the threat of nuclear wars. They believe that the impact of man upon the environment and the planet's natural resources threatens the earth and humankind as greatly as any nuclear war. Within recent decades, many environmental indicators have moved outside the range in which they have varied for the past half-million years (Wallstrom pp). According to a 2004 article in the International Herald Tribune, â€Å"We are altering our life support system and potentially pushing the planet into a far less hospitable state† and if policies cannot be developed to cope with the â€Å"uncertainty, complexity and magnitude of global change, the consequences for society may be huge† (Wallstrom pp). Although there has been much progress during the last century, such as the eradication of major diseases along with increased life expectancy and standards of living for many, the global population has tripled since 1930 to more than six billion and shows signs of continue growth, and moreover, the global economy has increased more than 15-fold since 1950 (Wallstrom pp). This progress has led to a wide-ranging impact on the environment as human activities have begun to significantly affect the planet and how it functions (Wallstrom pp). Atmospheric composition, land cover, marine ecosystems, coastal zones, freshwater systems and global biological diversity have all been substantially affected,† however, it is the magnitude and rate of this human-driven change that are most alarming (Wallstrom pp). The increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide due to human activity is nearly 100 parts per million and still growing (Wallstrom pp). This is already equal to the entire range experienced between an ice age and a warm period such as today and it has occurred at least ten times faster than any natural increase in the last half-million years (Wallstrom pp). Moreover, human influence extends beyond atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and increases in global mean temperature (Wallstrom pp). During the 1990's, the average area of humid tropical forest cleared yearly was equivalent to roughly half the area of England, and at current extinction rates, humans â€Å"may well be on the way to the Earth's sixth great extinction event† (Wallstrom pp). The Earth is a well-connected system, thus, carbon dioxide emitted in one country rapidly mixes throughout the atmosphere, and pollutants released into the ocean in one location are transported to distant parts of the planet (Wallstrom pp). The impacts of global change are complex, since they combine with local and regional environmental stresses in unexpected ways (Wallstrom pp). For example, coral reefs are now under additional pressure from changing carbonate chemistry in ocean surface waters, a result of the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (Wallstrom pp). Moreover, the wildfires that hit Europe, Canada, California and Australia in 2003 were the result of many factors, such as land management, ignition sources and extreme local weather (Wallstrom pp). However, prevailing warm and dry conditions, most likely linked to climate change, amplified fire intensity and extent (Wallstrom pp). Due to poor access to fresh water, more than two billion people now live under what experts call â€Å"sever water stress,† and with population growth and economic expansion, this number is expected to double by 2025 (Wallstrom pp). Biodiversity losses, currently driven by habitat destruction associated with land-cover change, will be further exacerbated by future climate change. Beyond 2050, rapid regional climate change, as would be caused by changes in ocean circulation in the North Atlantic, and irreversible changes, such as the melting of the Greenland ice sheet and the accompanying rise in sea levels of 6 meters, or 20 feet, could have huge economic and societal consequences (Wallstrom pp). Past geological records indicate that never before has the Earth experience the current â€Å"suite† of simultaneous changes and many feel that humans are sailing into â€Å"planetary terra incognita† (Wallstrom pp). According to a 1999 article from Cornell University, â€Å"because population growth can not continue indefinitely, society can either voluntarily control its numbers or let natural forces such as disease, malnutrition, and other disasters limit human numbers† (Pimentel pp). Human population, especially in urban areas, together with the increasing food, water, air, and soil pollution by pathogenic organisms and chemicals, are causing a rapid increase in the prevalence of disease and human deaths (Pimentel pp). Due to current food shortages, more than 3 billion people are malnourished worldwide, the largest number and proportion ever, and according to the World Health Organization, an estimated 40,000 children die each day due to malnutrition and other diseases (Pimentel pp). Humans are responsible for fifty-five percent of all available water run-off (Myers pp). Moreover, greater amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus are mobilized by humans in the form of crop fertilizer than by natural processes, and humans harvest an amount of ocean fish that reflects fully one third of phytoplankton productivity in temperate continental shelves (Myers pp). A NASA study released in April 2005, has revealed the heat exchange between the Earth and space is seriously out of balance, leading researchers to call it the â€Å"smoking gun† discovery that validates forecasts of global warming (Hanley pp). According to computer models of climate change, the global temperatures will rise 1 degree Fahrenheit this century, â€Å"even if greenhouse gases are capped tomorrow† (Hanley pp). And if carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping emissions continue to grow, things could spin â€Å"out of our control† especially as ocean levels rise from melting Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets (Hanley pp). James Hansen of NASA said the research shows that â€Å"for every square meter of surface area, the planet is absorbing almost one watt more of the sun's energy than it is radiating back to space as heat – a historically large imbalance† (Hanley pp). According to a Stanford University study release May 16, 2005, the first signs of spring are appearing earlier each year: robins are arriving several days earlier, woodpeckers are laying their eggs a week earlier, and Washington's cherry trees bloom a month earlier than they did fifty years ago (Borenstein pp). The study says that man-made global warming is clearly to blame, and means that the global environment is changing so fast that the slow evolutionary process of species adaptation cannot keep up (Borenstein pp).

Saturday, September 28, 2019

The First World War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The First World War - Research Paper Example e various occurrences culminated to this occurrence of this war, it is the assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand on June 28, 1914 who was the heir to Austria-Hungary throne in Sarajevo, Bosnia that eventually prompted the occurrence of the war (Gilbert 2008). The First World War involved the great powers of the world at that time. Mainly, there were two alliances that were involved: the Triple Alliance or the Central Powers who included Italy, Austria-Hungary, and Germany; and the Allies who comprised of Russia, France, and the United Kingdom (De Groot 2000). The war paved way for a number of economic and political changes. In order to have a better understanding of the First World War, this paper will discuss the war in general, the key people that were involved, significant events of the war, technological advances during the war, the advantages and disadvantages of the war, as well as the positive things that came out of the war. The First World War occurred in a span of four years and involved many nations as well as key people. The first notable figure was Herbert Asquith who was the Britain’s Prime Minister at the time when the nation entered into the war (Strachan 2005). During this time he struggled to unite the nation but he was unsuccessful and he eventually bowed out of the Prime Minister position. The second key figure was the then Imperial Germany Chancellor, Bethmann Hollweg; he tried to tear apart the Triple Alliance of Russia, France, and Britain. However, his efforts were unsuccessful because he lacked the support of other Germans. It should be noted that he had unsuccessfully attempted to calm the international events prior to the start of the war (Robbins 2002). General Aleksey Brusilov is the other key figure of the First World War; he was the Russian commander during the war and he significantly contributed to success in 1914 in Galicia. He is considered one of the successful people by the standards of the war as he was able to capture

Friday, September 27, 2019

The Principles of Economics Applied in Real Life Essay

The Principles of Economics Applied in Real Life - Essay Example One of the latest major layoffs occurred at GM which let go of over 20,000 employees as the company filed bankruptcy. The severe job loss has implication at the micro and macro economic level. Since less people are working in America it means that the amount of money in circulation in the economy is lower. When there is less money moving around there are many symptoms that occurred as consequence of such an economic environment. Business activity lowers because the demand for goods from consumer diminishes due to their ability to afford the goods and services they used to purchase when they were employed. Auto manufacturers such as GM, Chrysler, and Ford are impacted as their overall levels of production supply goes down since there are not as many potential customers in the marketplace that can afford to purchase a new vehicle. The government is affected by the rising unemployment. Suddenly the demand for governmental programs and assistance goes up as more people become unemployment. The amount of participants of programs such as unemployment benefits, welfare, and student scholarship programs goes up. Many unemployed persons choose to back to school in order to keep these occupied and achieve professional development while they wait for the economy to begin producing once again so they can become a part of the workforce once again. During these harsh economic times some industries actually benefit and the demand for there products and services goes up. An example is the fast food industry and other cheap food establishments. People can not afford to eat at luxury restaurants, thus they meet their needs to go out and take family out to eat by going to neighborhood food stands and other lower price establishments. The recession which according to economic experts started in December of 2007 has costs the United States a total of 6 million jobs. If we assume that on the average these jobs

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Conflict, Decision Making, and Organizational Design Research Paper - 1

Conflict, Decision Making, and Organizational Design - Research Paper Example However, due to certain physiological issues, the communication gap between the employees may increase, thus leading to a more complex situation (Bruce, 2003). According to Harris (2001), â€Å"decision making is the study of identifying and choosing alternatives based on the values and the preferences of the decision maker.† In other words, the decision maker has the privilege to choose from the numerous alternatives that he/she thinks is suitable according to the situation. As stated by Galbraith, Downey, & Kates (2002), organizational design is referred to as the continuous process of congregating people practices, reward systems, and structure of the organization for developing the capabilities of achieving the strategies required for the business. Thus, it can be recognized. The effective design of an organization is a significant part in ensuring that organizational goals and strategies are met. In this paper, the three key issues, i.e. conflict, decision making, and org anizational design will be discussed in context of the Field Support Directorate (FSD) of the United States Army Software Engineer Center. These issues will be identified and negotiation strategies will be applied to addressing the conflicts. Moreover, the process of applying of evidence-based management will be determined. Apart from these, the stages and the methods of decision making will be analyzed and recommended to the employer of FSD to follow. Last but not the least, the environmental and strategic factors that affect the organizational design will be discussed and analyzed. Process of Applying Negotiation Strategies to Address Potential Conflict in FSD As stated by Rahwan, McBurney & Sonenberg (2003), negotiation is the interaction between a group of people, with an aspiration to cooperate with the possible contradictory interests that tend to facilitate in reaching a mutually approved and acceptable division of limited resources. In other words, negotiation regarding solv ing a conflict often leads to sacrifices done by both parties involved in the conflict (Rahwan, McBurney, & Sonenberg, 2003). According to Cloke & Goldsmith (2005), conflict resolution’s definition is similar to the definition of success which is described by Winston Churchill as â€Å"the process from failure to failure with undiminished enthusiasm†. Similarly, conflict resolution always begins and remains at an endpoint until a distinguished reason or a solution and resolution become possible. Thus, the author further suggests that learning references should be followed to gain problem solving knowledge and to explore in-depth reasons for resistance, to understand the process of mediation and to redesign organizational cultures, systems, and structures. Thus, the processes will help to discourage suppression of the conflict and to encourage avoidance and resolution (Cloke & Goldsmith, 2005). The Field Support Directorate (FSD) provides a software support structure to the operations center that is one of the decisive links between the field support personnel, Warfighter, and software maintenance facility. The FSD’s role is to resolve any issue concerning the software labs by providing rapid solution to any unit concerns. The department is divided and mapped with various other departments to work closely with all the units and the CECOM Senior Command Representatives to provide resolutions to

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Hyper-personal model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hyper-personal model - Essay Example Receivers- CMC messages are likely to be exaggerated because of the lack of face-to-face indicators, giving receivers to fill in the missing blanks. Receivers in this case, will most likely idealize from the initial clues by the sender and if they are favorable, then the receiver dynamics will be tuned to favorably respond. The Hyper-personal model suggests that such initial impression are likely to be activated by pre-existing stereotypes inherent in the communicators like the partners’ resemblance, however vague, of someone previously encountered. Senders- In text based CMC selective representation of self is aided and one usually pass on indicators that they would want the receiver to have. So even in the absence of physical traits, individuals involved in CMC will construct messages that portray them in good light with emphasis on desirable traits and because of lack of physical interaction like eye contact, their conveyed traits will invite preferential reactions. The selective choice on what message to transmit coupled with the comfort create by the virtual world, makes it easy to develop intimacy by the disclosure of personal issues that fuels connection in CMC. The speed of explicit disclosure in CMC is much faster than that of face-to face interactions. Other than these disclosures, senders in CMC represent themselves in line with contents presented by their communication partners. This influences their choice of words and expression of likeness, in essence pre-determining their topical areas of concurrence and disagre ements. Channel - Under this dimension of hyper-personal model, the CMC medium shapes the deliberate construction of online messages by the mechanics of the CMC interface and the ability to edit these messages before they are sent. Users of CMC focus more on the construction aspect of their messages that they would on face-to-face conversations. Prior knowledge of the

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary - Essay Example The strontium 90 released into the air is in the form of rain and lodges into the soil and pollutes the plants which are eventually consumed by humans. The effect to humans is diseases such as cancer thus leading to death. The article also talks about the effect of use of insecticides and pesticides including DDT that are used to destroy harmful insects (Carson 9). The insecticides destroy the pests intended and other insects as well thus causing equilibrium imbalance. Argument is that the insects also evolve and develop resistance to the pesticides. The article also talks about the hasty way in which new situations are generated through the influence of humans instead of allowing nature to take its course. An example of radiation is given, and how it has changed from backdrop radiation of rocks, ultra violet light from the sun and attack of cosmic rays to deviant radiation. The deviant radiation is caused by man’s interference with atoms of metals such as copper, calcium and silica making them unstable (Carson 12). The ways in which man uses chemicals has been censured since no proper investigation is done on their effects to water, soil, animals and human being. The environment should be preserved for upcoming generations and other forms of pest control should be used to avoid dire

Monday, September 23, 2019

Evaluation Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Evaluation Methods - Essay Example 1). Scientific Experimental Model The scientific experimental model is the most commonly used; it is normally applied in the field of social sciences. The main aim of the scientific experimental model is to assess the accuracy and objectivity of information generated. In addition, the strategy also involves assessing the impartiality and the validity of information. Evaluation in this model takes the form of experimental and non-experimental designs (Research Methods, 2012, para. 6). Management Oriented System Models The most widely used method in respect of the management oriented system models in the management of businesses and organizations includes Critical Path Method (CPM) and Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT). In addition, other method of management oriented system model that has been introduced by evaluators includes the UTOS. This acronym stands for Units, Treatment, Observation and Settings. Another model in this category is CIPP (context, input, process and p roduct). The main aim of management oriented systems models is to emphasize the suitability of an object within the framework of organizational activities. CIPP looks at the context in which the object operates, whether the environment is suitable or not, and the nature of effort required in using the object. An object is evaluated as being inefficient if the amount of input or resources put in place in operating is more and costly. Further, the process taken by the object to produce the goods or services must involve the least effort necessary as well as time. In the end, the product is evaluated on its usefulness to the society in general (Research Methods, 2012, para. 7). The main difference between the scientific experimental models and the management oriented models is in the discipline in which they are applied. Scientific experimental models are used in social sciences as well as in physical sciences to determine the accuracy of a given theory or scientific process as formula ted by scientists or theoreticians. The management oriented models are used by the managers in different organizations to assess the suitability of an object within the framework of organizational activities. However, these two strategies of evaluation can be used interchangeably (Research Methods, 2012, para. 8). Qualitative Models Qualitative models majorly dwell on the need for observations. They also involve the need to ensure that a given object retains its qualities for a longer period of time. The assessment is mainly centered on the subjective interpretation of an individual to the suitability and validity of a given object. Quality is the main measure while undertaking the evaluation process. Evaluators normally ensure that a given object conforms to the standards of operation without causing any dangers to the individuals concerned with its usage. Assessing the quality of the product is very important in knowing the strengths and weaknesses of a given product or service (R esearch Methods, 2012, para. 9). Participant Oriented Models Participant oriented models mainly concentrate on the participants. Participants include the clients and users of a given object. The evaluators seek to establish the effectiveness of a given product or service through the participants. The information concerning

Sunday, September 22, 2019

A View From The Bridge Essay Example for Free

A View From The Bridge Essay Beatrice said, Whatever happened, we all done it in one of the final scenes in Arthur Millers play A View From The Bridge. I disagree with the above quotation, in my opinion, only three characters are to blame. Those being Eddie, Catherine and Rodolfo. Many factors became culpable for Eddies downfall in the concluding scene, such as his obsession with Catherine, Catherines flirtatious behaviour, the arrival of Rodolfo and so forth. Yet, many of these factors evolve around the character of Eddie. Therefore, if I had to point a finger of blame at one character alone, it would be Eddie. In the beginning of the play, our initial response to Eddie is that he dominates the household. He provides a father figure for Catherine, as he doesnt want her to expose herself to the attention of other men in their community. Eddie shows a lot of interest in Catherine and her appearance, he informed her of how she was walkin wavy and that her skirt was too short. The way Eddie made his opinion known and how his obsession affected his lifestyle, is obviously going to have a negative effect on him for the rest of his life. Catherines effect on Eddie soon jeopardised Eddies relationship with his wife, Beatrice. Eddie tried to please Catherine, whilst he became quickly resentful when talking to his wife. We can tell immediately of how this situation cannot stay this way, some event will have to occur for Eddie to make up his mind about who and what he wants. When the submarines, Marco and Rodolfo are introduced, Eddies jealous streak and competitiveness both become evident and culpable for the hostile welcome he greeted the cousins with. Rodolfo made an immediate impact on Catherine, who showed a lot of interest in the illegal immigrant. Catherines interest in Rodolfo and Rodolfos feelings for her infuriate Eddie. Eddie seems jealous and unwanted to a certain extent. Eddies blunt attitude towards Rodolfo spells trouble, as we can tell at some point this will come to a head. For example, Rodolfo begins to sing, much to the pleasure of Catherine and Beatrice, but Eddie interrupts this and tells Rodolfo to, wait a minute. This seems as if Eddie doesnt like Rodolfo entertaining, especially singing this song that could well have been aimed at Catherine.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Global Warming Report Essay Example for Free

Global Warming Report Essay Over the past few decades scientist have been observing a warming trend in the over all temperature of the earth. Although the earth has been known to go through warm and cold periods, it seems that we humans are causing the earth to heat up this time. The greenhouse effect is causing the earth to go through this warming trend that we call global warming. The greenhouse effect is caused when the infrared radiation from the sun is absorbed in atmospheric gasses such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, and methane. All of these gasses escape slowly from the atmosphere, therefore the heat stays here longer in a short of warm airy blanket. Without the occurrence of the greenhouse effect scientist say that the earths average temperature would be around 30 degrees C. or 50 degrees F. There are many greenhouse gasses that can trap the infrared rays of the sun. Carbon dioxide can be released into the atmosphere in several ways, the bulk of it is produced by car exhaust, deforestation, and the burning of fossil fuels. It is a colorless, odorless, non flammable gas, and it is also the most prominent greenhouse gas in earths atmosphere. CO2 is recycled through the earths atmosphere using the process photosynthesis, which makes most life on earth possible. Another greenhouse gas is methane and it is one of the most common gasses in the universe. methane is colorless odorless gas that is lighter than air and is produced by organic decay. Deposits of methane can usually be found in areas where lots of natural decay takes place, such as swamps, and land fills. Each year we add 350-500 million tons of methane to the atmosphere through mining, raising livestock, rice cultivation, and landfills. In fact a cow can release up to a half pound of methane into the air everyday. Nitrous oxide is another colorless and greenhouse gas, however it does smell sweet. It is mostly used medically because it deadens pain, because of this it is called laughing gas. It is released naturally from oceans and by bacteria is soil. It is important to reduce our emissions because nitrous oxide we release today will still be trapped in the atmosphere 100 years from now. The set of greenhouse gasses are fluorocarbons, that is a general term for any group of synthetic organic compounds that have fluorine and carbon. These can be found in aerosol cans, refrigerators, and air conditioners. When fluorocarbons are released into the atmosphere they breakdown molecules of the earths ozone layer. The effects of global warming are also good for human beings, because it could increase food production. The most important factor in crop production is climate, and global warming would facilitate a better climate for the growth of more crops. It would also create much more space for businesses were there was once ice and harsh climate. Also without global warming the earth temperature would be about 30 degrees F. n average. With global warming there would be far fewer deaths from cold exposer. If global warming caused enough arctic melt then shippers would have many new shortcut routes to take from place to place. After glacier melt we would have access to many new mining areas. However global warming will also have some large negative effects. Such as health concerns, scientist predict that there will be ma ny more deaths from diseases that are irritated by heat, including heart attacks and heatstroke. Another downside to global warming is the amount of flooding that will occur with coastal cities. Scientist have predicted that about a sixth of the country will be under water after global warming has taken full effect. The Maldive Islands are a nation of 1190 islands that are home to over 200,000 people. These islands are only 1. 5 meters above sea level and if global warming occurs then all of those people will have to be relocated. There are many things that we as human beings can do to help prevent global warming from happening. We can start to take advantage of all the different types of renewable energy instead of burning fossil fuels that pollute the atmosphere in multiple ways. There are many types of clean, efficient, renewable energy sources. There are many energy sources that the earth has provided for us that we need to take advantage of. We need to build more wind turbines, hydro electric plants, and solar power plants. Another way of producing clean energy include using fission through nuclear power to create a clean renewable energy source. Government can also be doing there part by funding research about global warming and raising awareness about how individuals can be doing there part to reduce pollution. In conclusion, Global warming is a very serious thing, it can affect the orld in many different ways. We just need to decide which effects help or harm the world the most and then make an educated choice as to which ones the earth can handle while taking the least amount of stress, and having the best long term effect. Patrick Michaels, The Satanic Gasses Henry Willis, Earths Future Climate Fred Singer, Hot Talk and Cold Science Ronald Bailey, Gl obal Warming and Other Eco Myths

Friday, September 20, 2019

Analysis Of A Modern China Family English Literature Essay

Analysis Of A Modern China Family English Literature Essay Pa Chins Family is a historical, semi-autobiographical narrative of the hardships endured by the members of an aristocratic family during the massive transformation in Chinese social and political order that took place during the early 20th century. The central conflict that is embodied in the novel is the inability of the individuals portrayed in the narrative to move past the often oppressive traditional social constructs that prevent them from moving forward in light of the new revolutionary paradigm that was sweeping the country. Three brothers, Chueh-hui, Chueh-min and Chueh-hsin, are the central figures in this narrative, and the struggle to balance the responsibilities imposed upon them by the traditional order and their desire for radical change defines the essential subject matter of the novel. These conflicting desires tear them apart and force them to either adapt or be left in the past. The work embodies the voice of a nation that was steeped in contradiction, and demonstrates throughout its passages strong underlying themes of societal disillusionment and unrest. By offering a unique insight into the most personal aspects of life during this tumultuous period of Chinese history, Family offers the historian a critical perspective on the psychological underpinnings of a society undergoing fundamental changes in structure. The increasingly pronounced dichotomy between old and new is critical to the understanding of the narrative in this story. This is represented at numerous avenues, but is revealed most blatantly in a sequence where Chueh-huis ponders upon his grandfathers sleeping body and through careful analysis comes to the realization that the old man ultimately represents not his grandfather, but an entire generation and that he himself was similarly the representative of his own generation. Reflecting further upon this observation leads him to the conclusion that they could never see eye-to-eye. (Chin 64). This conclusion is important, and foreshadows the inability of China to reconcile the two radically divergent world-views; there would be an ultimate clash between traditionalism and socialist progressivism that tears apart not only the country, but all the bonds that are held within. This antagonism between the old and the new similarly crosses historical lines, with historical texts demonstrating a fundamental disconnect between the traditional constructs that served as the guidance of Chinas actions on the world stage for generations and a powerful need for reform that threatened to sweep away these traditional systems. In Madame Sun Yat-Sens public address concerning the political left, she opens with the following: if China is to survive as an independent country in the modern struggle of nations, her semi- feudal conditions of life must be fundamentally changed and a modern state created to replace the medieval system which has existed for more than a thousand years. This task needs to be done by the method of revolution (Cheng Lestz 267). Statements such as these reflect a growing animosity towards traditional social constructs, in this instance painting them as medieval. This attitude is indicative of an unwillingness to compromise with the past in order to move forward it must be burned away to make room for the new. Critically, it must be recognized that the ultimate impetus of this rebellion was not reform for the sake of general development or even reform for the purpose of furthering China as a nation, but as a means to catch up with the West. Here we see a marked transformation; China is no longer the smirking, dominant nation who expects Western nations to cow-tow to the whim of the Emperor, but a third-rate nation with a collapsing political system that is forced to play catch-up to the burgeoning Western powers. A palpable sense of inferiority can be observed when reading political material originating from this period, permeating all layers of Chinese society. The New Life movement can be seen as an extension of this pathological national insecurity; it is an attempt to emulate the West. In Madame Chiangs address on the matter, she states that Each nation, according to its lights, has sought to find a way out of stagnation into normalcy. Italy has its fascism, Germany its Nazism and America its New Deal (Cheng Lestz 295). This can be interpreted as indicative of Chinas interests to pursue the developmental patterns of the West; in the psyche of the Chinese they can no longer carve their own path in history only hope to follow the path of the West without losing the essential Chinese spirit, which is largely based on Confucian values. This attempt to reconcile the past with the present parallels many of the hardships endured by the brothers in Family. An interesting aspect of the story is the employment of the third-person narrative in order to divulge the various characters in the story in a setting where there is clearly a great degree of confusion regarding social and moral normality. By nature of this form of narration, we are sometimes limited in the psychological motivations and inner feelings of many of the characters in the novel. This is an important plot device in some instances; we do not learn anything of Master Kaos innermost thoughts until just before his death, at which point he is revealed to be a man of a good nature who holds only the best intentions for his family. In the narrative, three promising young women are ultimately destroyed by the family: Ming-feng, Jui-cheuh and Mei. This serves not only as the reason for Cheui-huis decision to abandon his family and, by extension, the traditionalist teachings of Master Kao, but a statement of the way in which traditional Chinese society exploits women in such a manner as to deprive from them the will to live. Despite the seeming lack of regard for their welfare, loss of the women is felt acutely by all members of the family, considerably more so in comparison to Master Kao, where after his passing the major concern is the dividing of his wealth and assets (Chin 295-296). This belies the fact that there was little love for the harsh Master amongst these closest to him; the love is a fascade, like all things in the traditional life. The death of Jui-cheuh was especially hard on Cheuh-hui, who felt that the baby was an enemy who had taken his beloved, then went so far as to blame the entire social order and, by extension, his own conformity to the traditional order, for having made him so weak as to be unable to save the two women that he loved: What had taken his wife away was something else. It was the entire social system, with its moral code its superstitions. He had borne them for years while they stole his youth, his happiness, his future, the two women he had loved most In the world. They were too heavy a burden; he wanted to shake them off; he struggled (Chin 309). Throughout the novel we are confronted with a Cheuh-hui that is deeply troubled by his inner hatreds and insecurities; here it is manifested in a way that is blatant to the reader and presented in a way as to make the deep-seated societal dysfunction that is the underlying theme of the novel explicit in a dramatic fashion. In Family, the brothers are ultimately driven apart, with Cheuh-hui leaving in disgust of the events that had taken place, and unable to reconcile with the past. Similar changes had also taken hold of the other brothers, whom had turned against the family either in fact or in spirit with a deep chasm growing between the siblings with the elapse of time only narrowly being reconciled by last-minute efforts to make peace with one another. Examples of such attempts include Master Kaos assertions that Cheuh-hui was a good child (Chin 289) and Cheuh-hui promising Cheuh-hsin that not only would he write, but that they would surely see one another again in the future. It is a hopeful yet sad parting, with each of the brothers attempting to make good with one another in the recognition of the fact that they have all been forced to endure extreme hardship. Family is the biography of a China that cannot reconcile with itself through any means other than destruction of the old. As Cheuh-hui is forced to endure the loss of everything that he has cherished in his life in order to break free of the traditional order that has bound him to a life that is filled with sorrow and anger, China is also forced to contend with a similar situation . Change does not and cannot come as a compromise, such as Chiangs New Life movement, but as a radical communist insurrection that simply erases the past and sews the seeds of a new future. While some of his brothers may be more willing to accept the family even in the face of its inevitable destruction, Cheuh-hui embraces the uncertain future; he recognizes that he can only move forward if he does not look back.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Shakespear In Love :: essays research papers

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shakespeare in love is a story of two lovers who are unable to be together because Shakespeare is a player and they woman is a woman or royalty. The movie starts with Shakespeare writing a comedy play for a man. But this play was soon to be changed to a love story. Shakespeare was listening to people try out for the part in his play when all of the people finish he thinks all is lost but, a young boy comes on the stage and recites a line that catches Shakespeare's ear. The boy runs off and William follows. He follows the young boy to a castle and goes in and see's a girl. He falls in love with her at first sight. but the man who is to marry the young woman stops William and threatens to kill him. The man asks for William's mane and he gives him the name of another playwriter. the man kicks Shakespeare out of the castle where he goes to the window of viola where he talks to her. Then the next day the young boy who William followed continued to come to play rehearsal's . The play Shakespeare was working on was to become the modern play of 'Romeo and Juliet.'; the rehearsal's go on while Shakespeare thinks the young boy is the nephew of the nurse of viola but on a boat ride back to the castle Shakespeare finds out that the young boy is but the viola who he has fell in love with. Shakespeare follows her and this is where he sleeps with her. Then for the rest of the rehearsal's the two are both knowing that they are in love. But, viola is to be married to a rich man who has permission of the queen to marry her. Viola is heart broken but, she goes on with the play. The two make the play 'Romeo and Juliet'; from their own love experiences together. But the man who is to marry viola finds out that Shakespeare is sleeping with viola and is enraged. But, the players have found out that the stage has been shut down by the rebels due to the fact that a woman was in their play. But another man offers to the players that they can use his stage to put on the play. The man to marry viola has made a wager with the queen in that she states that no play can tell the story of true love.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Jude the Obscure :: Jude the Obscure

Jude the Obscure   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Jude the Obscure, Thomas Hardy presents the characters Jude Fawley and Sue Bridehead, who violate the conventions of the repressive Victorian society while attempting to follow their natural instincts. By studying the novel, one sees that Hardy's intentions in doing this are to arouse the reader's sympathy for the characters, and to join in their ridicule of the codes of conduct they are breaking.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The trial of Jude and Sue evoke a sympathetic response from the reader because the couple reflects the values which are prevalent in modern society. They suffer persecution for yielding to emotions which are no longer considered unacceptable or forbidden, as they were then. This portrays Victorian society as being cruel and unnatural, thus creating affection for the characters. Hardy understood the tendency for society to swing like a pendulum from one extreme to the other. He knew that the Victorian era would not last indefinately, and that future generations would become more liberated. This is beautifully illustrated in this reflection of Sue's: 'When people of a later age look back upon the barbarous customs and superstitions of the times that we have the unhappiness to live in, what will they think?’ (p.276) According to modern values, it is wrong to condemn people for following their pure and natural instincts, though they ‘have wronged no man, cond emned no man, defrauded no man.’ (p.378) Therefore, by predicting these shifts, and exposing the injustice of Victorian society, Hardy evokes sympathy in the reader for Sue and Jude.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hardy also uses the two characters to reveal that he finds the society in which they live ridiculous. He joins Sue and Jude as they laugh at ‘the artificial system of things, under which the normal sex-impulses are turned into devilish domestic gins and springes to noose and hold back those who want to progress. (p.279) In rare times of ‘Greek joyousness’ (p.366) Jude and Sue live by ‘Nature’s law’ and are able to enjoy, unabated, the ‘instincts which civilisation has taken upon itself to thwart.’ (p.413) It is during these times that the two are truly able to laugh at the conventions they have violated, as they are content and unaffected by the repercussions.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Is Poetry Dead Essay

Yes, poetry is dead to some extent. Poetry in the classical sense is dead anyway, but there is still poetry in today’s society. We may not look at it in the same way we did years ago because it has changed. We as a society do not take the time to read as we once did, to understand and enjoy literary text. I agree with Wexler’s statements â€Å"we have become lazy and lack the knowledge, commitment, and patience to understand and enjoy poetry. † I myself do not understand poetry and do not want to take the time to read enough of it to understand it. According to Wexler â€Å"It is difficult to imagine a world without movies, plays, novels and music, but a world without poems doesn’t have to be imagined. † It is difficult to imagine such a thing but if we look closely we might find poetry in all of those places. Today’s society is a fast-paced one and the entertainers have adapted to this way of life. They make novels into short stories on film, leaving out critical parts in the novel, to appease our appetites for entertainment on a tight schedule. â€Å"My interest waned,† writes Wexler. â€Å"On the surface, I suppose it was because I had other interests that demanded my time and attention: I got married, had children, pursued my career, bought a house. With apologies to Frost, I began to find more relevance in articles about interest rates than essays on the sprung rhythm of Hopkins. † With the computer age comes less time to sit and read for pure entertainment. There are video games, internet and such that replace the enjoyment of a good book. People do not sit and discuss a good book as they once did; we discuss the latest movie or play instead, because we feel that these things take up less of our time than reading. I myself only read when I need to and even then I usually skim through to get the highlights. But as to the art of poetry being dead all together as Wexler’s states I disagree. We can find poetry everywhere if we look. Look at some of the modern music of today’s society it is there form of poetry. According to Kay Day, â€Å"I have a theory about that, one that rests on the fact that poetry has splintered into a number of different factions. There is poetry for the page, a type of poetry that appeals to those who enjoy scholarship and intellectual challenges. Then there’s slam poetry, popular among youth, that relies on thumping rhythm and aggressive rhyme. Formal poets espouse rhythm and meter based on traditional forms such as the sonnet. Personal poetry, also known as journal poetry, serves up stockroom emotions in a variety of forms, and this poetry usually reflects the writer’s emotional state in a familiar way. † I agree with this statement the world has changed and evolved to view poetry in many different lights. Some food for thought, in doing research I also found a couple of articles that I found interesting and another reason that poetry could not be dead. Victor Infante, â€Å"If Wexler had made one iota of effort, he’d have noticed a few things: like thousands upon thousands of people attending recent poetry festivals in locales as diverse as Orange County, California, and Austin, Texas†¦ Or the 10,000 people who attend the National Poetry Slam Finals annually†¦ Or the fact that poetry sales have been rising for years now, even through the bad economy. Poetry has actually transformed over the years, and it’s quite possible that Wexler has missed the boat. So, Bruce, here’s the crash course: Poetry is no longer insular — it’s a living, growing, vibrant art form. Poetry is no longer the province of the white middle class — it’s been embraced by youths and minorities. Poetry is not uncool — why else would teenage black kids in inner cities so proudly proclaim themselves poets? † Justin Barrett, â€Å"We have done away with the oral tradition and our culture morphed into a televised tradition. Poetry doesn’t work well in the televised world, and it all but disappeared. But, with the advent and spread of the internet, poetry is once again given the space to flourish. As of right this second, Googling the word â€Å"poetry† yields 19,700,000 separate hits. † Works Cited Day, Kay. â€Å"Why Poetry† First publication, â€Å"Uncommon Ground,† at Jacksonville. com, the Florida Times-Union Net site, July 15, 2003 http://kayday. com/why_poetry. htm Infante, Victor. â€Å"Once Again, Poetry Is Dead? It must be true, because Newsweek said it† 2004-2005 Atlanticrock. com http://www. atlanticrock. com/OpenMic001. html Barrett, Justin. â€Å"Poetry Isn’t Cool† http://www. myfavoritebullet. com/ESSAY_barrett_POETRY_isnt_COOL. html.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Thoughts of Francis Bacon About Love

Of Love The ‘Essays' of Francis Bacon are the first in date of classics of English prose, in proper sense of the term. They are used as class-books almost as much of Shakespeare's plays. No one in English literature has ever written a greater number of essays packed with striking formulas and loaded with practical wisdom. Bacon's Essays' are the fruit of his close observation of human life. They have been described to be the treasure house of wisdom. ‘Of Love' is one of most famous essays of Francis Bacon. He discloses his philosophical thoughts on love.This essay is bound to have a wide appeal because of the subject it deals with. But it is a matter of great sorrow that bacon's treatment towards love is really disappointing. In the beginning of the essay Bacon clears his position and thought against love and its greater role. According to Bacon, Love plays a greater role in the theatre than in actual life of man. Through this kind of thought he wants to tell that love is a matter of enjoyment that can be best suited only in plays or dramas. Not only that, he says in actual or practical life of a man love can not contribute much.According to Bacon, Love has always provided or rendered material for comic plays and sometime, for tragic plays. But in real life, love causes much mischief. Here Bacon clearly says that it is love which may wreck the career of a man. For example he mentioned the name of Antony and Othello who both were greatly troubled with the consequences of love. In this essay Bacon mainly deals with the disadvantages of love. Here Bacon speaks like a puritan moralist. He observes that no worthy person of ancient or modern time has been transformed to the mad of 3rddegree of love.Bacon opines that we are created to ponder over noble and great objects of human life. He does not support of kneeling a man before a woman for the sake of love and for some sorts of sensuous pleasure. It is really strange to observe that the passion of love tw ist or distort a man’s judgment. It is love that bounds a man to be a flatterer and at the same time a lover becomes absurd in his use of extravagant words about his beloved. Therefore he has rightly said that one cannot love and be wise at the same time.A lover does not like to lose his love in exchange of anything I getting Helen, Paris had to sacrifice both riches and wisdom though he finally lost Helen. Loving others is a Universal character in a man. If a man does not concentrate his love upon one or a few individuals, naturally his love will extend too many people. Thus he may become a kind hearted and Charitable if he grasps the opportunity of loving a large number of people In the last part of the essay, Bacon says that married love is beneficial to mankind but immoral love is really dangerous.It is, indeed, very difficult to agree with Bacon in his remarks on the subjects of love. Here we don't have impartial treatment of love. Bacon regards love as Child of folly. I t may be wise policy to exercise love with in limkits and not to allow interrupt with business. It is very realistic and natural that a lover has to sacrifice for the sake of his beloved. But the fact is that love is something grand and sublime. It is one of the most inspring and ennobling passing of mankind. It often is able to bring out the best that is in man. Tennyson has rightly said that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.A man who has never loved has missed the opportunity of the greatest experience of life. The/ecstasy of love the golden dreams which ot gaves rise to, its thrills and excitement, are may be unknown to Bacon. Half the literature of the world deals with the joy and glory of love. Bacon would perhaps regard this literasy works as trash. It is indeed. Bacon sounds almost ridiculous while speaking of love. Francis Bacon is a Renaissance product and his essays reflect the Renaissance spirit. He may be called an eloquent prophet of n ew age of human thought and human activity initiated by the Renassance.In spite of being a special kind of moralist, Bacon criticised ove in his essay â€Å"OF Love† When he takes his position against love, we the common people feel sorry for Bacon as he may not be justified with what he said against love. He has mentioned the fake of Aotonio and paris in this essay. According to him they both have lost their valuable position. But at the same time both of them have gained a eternal place in Human mind for their sacrifice for love. We still remember and shed tears for Paris and Antorio but not for Bacon Who has outspoken against love which is an inborn god gifted quality of a human being.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

George Orwell’s Shooting an Elephant: Insights on Imperialism, Ethical Conflicts and Fear of Judgment Essay

George Orwell’s essay â€Å"Shooting an Elephant,† introduces an interesting insight on imperialism, ethical conflicts and fear of judgement through the inner workings of a European police officer given the grueling task of dealing with an elephant in musk within Moulmein, in lower Burma. Imperialism, as defined in the Oxford English Dictionary, reads that Imperialism is â€Å"a policy of extending a country’s power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means.† Interestingly, Orwell shows imperialism in his work as a consensual hatred between the Burmese and a particular European cop causing a mutual negativity. The ethical conflicts raised in this essay root from the narrator, (who we can assume is the European police officer) who has been handed the task of dealing with a lustful and aggressive elephant who was a threat to the Burmese people’s land, possessions and lives. Ethical conflicts raised in Orwell’s work, tie to the narrators fear of judgement. It was because the narrator feared judgement so terribly, that he made the choice to pull the trigger on the elephant. When an elephant in musk escapes from his chains with his Mahout far out of reach, the narrator is called in to deal with this ravaging creature. He beings along his rifle and says â€Å"I had no intention of shooting the elephant, I had merely sent for the rifle to defend myself if necessary.† In essence, the pure reason for the rifle was for precautionary reasons, yet it had drawn a large amount of attention and excitement from a large crowd of â€Å"at least 2000 and growing every minute.† (Page 284) The narrator has an ethical dilemma, as â€Å"[he] knew with perfect certainty that [he] ought not to shoot him† (page 284). Orwell compares the elephant to a valuable, expensive piece of machinery. (Page 284) He watches the elephant acting with that â€Å"grandmotherly air that elephants have,† (Page 285) realizing that the beast is calming down and coming out of his lustful phase. This later contrasts with the narrator actually shooting the elephant due to the pressure of â€Å"the sea of yellow faces and their 2000 wills pressing [him] forward.† (Page 284) As the narrator was enroute to locating this lustful elephant, he learns that it had already â€Å"destroyed a bamboo hut, killed a cow and raided some fruit stalls and devoured stock.† (Page 282) In learning these things, Orwell makes it clear that the narrator feels he has legal justification for shooting the elephant even though he morally knew he was in the wrong. Interestingly, the narrators ethics in the matter of shooting the elephant are broken because of his fear of judgement. â€Å"[He] was hated by many people as a European subdivisional police officer in Moulmein. [He] was an obvious target and baited whenever it seemed safe to do so.† When the narrator was called in to deal with this elephant in must, he came to a point where he was surrounded by thousands of Burmese people, left with the choice to either shoot the elephant, or let him live. The pressure provided by the â€Å"thousands of yellow faces,† (page 284) and all of their hatred, left the narrator with no choice in his mind but to fire at this creature. After doing this, he wonders â€Å"whether any of the others (Burmese) grasped that [he] had shot the elephant solely to avoid looking like a fool.† (Page 287) This proves the narrators fear of judgement. Orwell does an excellent job in displaying the hatred between the Burmese and the Europeans, and the feeling that â€Å"imperialism was an evil thing.† (Page 281) He says that â€Å"if a European woman went through the bazaars alone somebody would probably spit betel juice over her dress.† (Page 281) Orwell uses symbolism to demonstrate the â€Å"evil† of imperialism. The ravaging elephant that the narrator was called in to deal with is a symbol for imperialism and its evils. The actual shooting of the elephant unveils that imperialism not only inflicts damage on one side, but on both sides of the relationship. Europe, who is supposed to hold control over the Burmese peoples, lost their control due to the pressure provided by the Burmese people in the actual shooting of the elephant. The Officer is put into a large authority position, but the hate he received from the Burmese, as well as the emotional pressure they put on him to shoot the elephant, puts a sense of power on the Burmese, and less on the â€Å"greater† European colony. Throughout this reading, Orwell demonstrates the evils of imperialism as well as the pressure that we as humans often have to succumb to based on societal pressures we face. He uses a story of a European police officer working in Moulmein who is faced with the pressure of the local Burmese people to kill an elephant who is in must and has done some damage to people’s property.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Degree Appraisals Essay

General Electrics’ Durham, North Carolina assembly employees have a unique work environment in which they build the GE90 jet engine for Boeing. The 9 engine build teams consist of approximately 18 employees who own the entire process of assembling some 10,000 parts perfectly to create one complete engine assembly. The teams are self managed, doing everything from ordering parts and tools to scheduling vacation and overtime. The success of the teams comes from their founding method of agreement by consensus decisions making. In fact, the consensus decision making process has become a way of life to many of these employees, and management decisions are only needed about 12 decisions per year. Although employees don’t always have unanimous agreement, there is seldom any blame when things go wrong because of their strong trusting relationships. This type of consensus management has instilled a high level of trust relationships among the team members and their superiors. These self-managed teams operate in a culture of continuous feedback and rely on management to make them aware of problems and report solutions. Beyond the day-to-day decisions making, any major issues, such as safety and cost, are decided by a task force. The plant manager informs and educates the task force and employees about the problem and why it is important, and the task force decides how to address problems. The task force takes the responsibility to find solutions and decisions are reporting back to plant management on what the future solutions will be. These solutions and decisions made by the task force are communicate to the plant manager and then on to the higher-ups for their buy in. The Plant Manager Paula Sims, who has been on the job 4 years, has proposed to HR that she would like initiate a 360-degree review to supplement existing performance  measures. Ms. Sims’ proposal is met with some concerns from HR, it is assumed that HR has concerns that implementing a new system without a consensus decision will breakdown trust with the employees and limit the willing participation if the 360 review were to be implemented. Root Problem The root problem with Ms. Sims proposal is that the implementation goes directly against the culture of consensus agreement on making decisions for the teams and the plant. Since this would be considered a major change, it should be brought to a task force for review and solution, or at minimum be brought to the attention of all employees. In the past, Ms. Sims has experienced issues of missed trust with the assembly teams and this direct approach with HR for the implementation a new performance measure stands to have an equally negative effect. Alternative Ideas In order to address the root problem, HR would like to propose some alternative ideas to Ms. Sims proposals that could include awareness of GE corporate use general of 360 degree performance measures in other locations. Investigations on the benefits from other GE plants should be presented to employees to gain a better understanding and buy-in of the proposal. Knowing the culture of feedback that exist within the plant, Ms. Sims could call for a task force to investigate the benefits of 360 degree feedback and make a direction decision on the use of 360 degree appraisals. In consideration of alternative ideas, Ms. Sims should consider approaching the employees and HR by providing factual information about the value of peer reviews. For example, â€Å"research shows that appraisals by peers are useful predictors of training success and future performance† (Jackson, S.E., Schuler, R.S., & Werner, S., 2012). Additionally, since the GE employees are team-based units, it is also been shown that anonymous peer appraisals in teams increase interpersonal effectiveness, group cohesion, communication openness and group satisfaction (Jackson, et al, 2012). Furthermore, she could gain more leverage by stating the success of the peer reviews in other GE facilities, as real life inter-company example. The last alternative is simply do nothing and keep the current system as it is without a 360 degree review. Considering Ms. Sims determination to implement the new appraisal, she should consider a trial basis with a one the nine teams as a test bed  from training implementation and use of the 360 review. As multiple alternatives have been presented, a closer evaluation of each proposal is the necessary to derive the what is believed to the best alternative. 1. Awareness and Buy-in – this alternative looks at bringing awareness to the 360-degree appraisal as a supplemental appraisal by providi ng factual information on the benefits of the program at GE’s jet engine plant. Awareness makes buy-in easier when at the end of the day, you allow the teams to make a decision by consensus on the implementation of the new peer review. 2. Empowered team decision – this alternative simply turns the information and decision back to the team and task force. This alternative is the most cohesive alternative and aligns well with the culture of the company. 3. Trial basis – this alternative assume Ms. Sims pushes her idea forward and assumes she will be met with some resistance during the implementation phase. In this case focusing on a smaller beta test group proves to be easier to manage and create buy-in with when the results show positive improvements. 4. Status Quo – this alternative assumes that nothing is done, no implementation is agreed upon and the current performance measures stay in place without a 360-degree appraisal. Choose an Alternative & Implementation In an effort to maintain the strong trusting relationships that exist at the various levels of team members and management, it is recommended that the alternative proposal of â€Å"awareness and buy-in† be selected and acted upon. Implementation of this plan will begin with Ms. Sims collecting and presenting data from both internal GE resources and external resources to show the benefits of supplementing the current performance appraisals with a 360-degree peer review. Next Ms. Sims must work directly with HR to plan an appropriate training period and plan in conjunction with the roll out of information to the 9 assembly teams. This portion of the preparation should include the consideration of one group to be the test bed or beta group for evaluation purposes. Once the information is presented to all the employees, an internal task force should be commissioned to evaluate the information provided by Ms. Sims for the purpose my allowing the continuance of the consensus culture . There are a multitude of options this management team has in considering the addition of the new peer review. However,  allowing the teams and/or special task force to make the decision on their own and continue to feel the sense of ownership is paramount in the implementation phase of the proposal. Therefore it is recommended that after the beta group is selected and effectively trained, HR and Ms. Sims must monitor the effectiveness of the raters over an initially shorter period of time for the appraisals to take place. This step will be for the purpose of training and evaluation. Based the results from the six months data collection and feedback from the Beta group, Ms. Sims and HR will determine if further training is needed, if the employees are seeing value in the productivity and performance improvements as a result of using the 360 degree appraisals. If the results are positive the information will be shared with the task force and all employees for further implementation and training, beyond the beta group. Reference Jackson, S.E., Schuler, R.S., & Werner, S (2012). Managing Human Resources (11th edition)., Mason, OH: South-Western

ESL learners feel anxious when doing reading comprehension tests Essay

This paper will explore in depth all the implications of the claim that ESL learners feel anxious when doing reading comprehension tests. First of all, the psychological and social causes of anxiety in ESL speakers during reading comprehension assignments will be explored and analyzed. Secondly, the level of anxiety will be assessed. Finally, the paper will suggest several ways to reduce negative feeling associated with performing reading comprehension tests by ESL speakers. Psychological causes of anxiety in ESL students partially mirror the experience of any other school related anxiety. Students are unsure of their abilities under the conditions of internal (i. e. a desire for self-affirmation) and external (i. e. a desire to please parents) pressure. Presently, students feel an incredible pressure to achieve and be at the top of their class, since the realization that school grades determine their future comes very early. Therefore, the joy of learning is often transformed into a struggle to excel (DeNoon, 2007). High expectations and competitive environment contribute greatly to the experience of anxiety and even panic. As concerns the severity of anxiety experienced by ESL speakers, it might range from slight psychological discomfort to serious physical symptoms. For example, short-term memory loss might be the result of extreme anxiety (the feeling of suddenly ‘remembering’ the correct answer immediately after turning in the test). Physical expressions of anxiety may include rapid pulse, a feeling of breathlessness, trembling, sweaty palms, dry mouth, chest pains, digestive problems such as nausea or diarrhea, loss of appetite, headache, sleeplessness, and stomach ache (BUPA’s Health Information Team, 2004). Anxiety may also result in undesirable social consequences, such as loss of trust between parents and students, since the latter sometimes tend to conceal the difficulties they encounter, as well as test results. Such behavior eventually results in unfavorable family atmosphere. The practical values of this research lies in the field of practices and methods aimed at eliminating the causes of anxiety and helping students benefit fully from the learning process. Negative thoughts about possible failure discourage active learning and, taken to extreme, can produce a generally devastating effect on personality development. Furthermore, anxiety during the testing process can distort result, since students who are able to control their emotions better will tend to get higher score, despite the fact that their knowledge might be less complete as compared to students who suffer from extreme anxiety. Together with exercises aimed at increasing students’ self-confidence, relaxation exercises might be very helpful for those who suffer from anxiety. It is also of paramount importance to teach students to plan their time for taking the test so that they would not feel lost and experience a state of panic. The methods of research will be qualitative and will include questionnaires and interviews. At one hand, questionnaires will help to gather statistically significant data and understand the pervasiveness of the problem. From another perspective, interviews will help to research the problem in depth by analyzing students’ perceptions, emotions, and experiences. Therefore, the combination of these research methods will provide the most accurate picture of anxiety in ESL speakers during reading comprehension tests.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Discuss the view that entrepreneurship is chiefly concerned with Essay

Discuss the view that entrepreneurship is chiefly concerned with wealth creation in a small business context - Essay Example All entrepreneurships share the primary objective of increased profitability, this implies that the entrepreneur must employ every feature possible and manipulate the internal structure of the organization in order to increase its market share thus accumulating more wealth. Small businesses have smaller management structures, which make management easier thus steering the desired growth through wealth creation as discussed in the essay below. Entrepreneurs take risks on a daily basis. In their operations, they seek to increase their market shares thus compelling them to carry out extensive market researches with the view of increasing their operations. Small businesses feel the pressure since they have smaller capitals but have the desire to increase their capital bases through heightened wealth creation. To achieve such, most small businesses diversify their operations thus spreading their risks across several industries. Most small business suffers from uncertainty, by diversifying their operations and products they venture into different industries and markets thus retain a portion of every market. With such an operation, the businesses have a surety of an excellent performance in at least an industry thus cushioning the rest from possible loses. The uncertainty and the lack of adequate capital thus compel small entrepreneurs to view entrepreneurship as concerned with wealth creation. Bigger companies have well-structured decision-making organs and make decisive decision on their investments. Additionally, such businesses enjoy larger market shares and larger capital bases. They can therefore take risks and gamble with their investments. Such are the luxuries that smaller businesses do not enjoy. Smaller entrepreneurs approach the practice with the view of making more money and saving as much of it as possible. While a big business like Wells Fargo in the United Kingdom can decide to venture into real estate, a smaller business owned by a sole proprietor may not since such individuals lack adequate capital and may not dare risk their small capital on such a precarious industry. This depicts the inability of smaller businesses to carry out effective market research and capital drives. Big businesses use their money to create more capital while smaller businesses save up their profit in the process of capital accumulation and wealth creation (Peter, 1994). Management, a fundamental operational feature in businesses refers to the coordination of the people concerned in order to realize a set of goals and objectives. The management of small businesses is less coordinated owing to their small structures. Big businesses on the other hand have effectively coordinated structures and therefore make informed investment decisions less likely to incur losses. In a small business context, management is reduced to a one-person affair. Management in an organization comprises staffing, controlling, planning and organizing the activities in a business organization. The functions are all vital in the achievement of the objectives of the business (Homburg, Sabine & Harley, 2009). To big businesses, such functions are well coordinated by professionals who make effective decisions concerning the attainment of the organizational goals. Big organizations have elaborate structures and may not always benefit an individual. In such organizations, the longevity of the business and its sustained profitability is always of more importance

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Dental codes and Codes of ethics discussion Assignment

Dental codes and Codes of ethics discussion - Assignment Example additional core values to those provided by ADA such as compassion, integrity, competence, professionalism and tolerance (American College of Dentists, 1996). This implies that dentists relying on the ADA dentists’ professional code of conduct may not be aware of the additional important core values that they need to observe during their practice. In this case, some dentists may choose to ignore some of the values such as showing compassion to patients, maintenance of integrity and tolerance. These differences in core values may create differences in the understanding of the professional requirements among the dentists. Although the key ethical principles identified by ADA and ADHA may capture most the ethical issues likely to arise in the process of delivering dental care, additional core values identified by ACD can be ignored because they contribute immensely in determining how dentists conduct themselves (American Dental Hygienists Association, 2008). The ACD core of values is the most comprehensive of the three with more core values and explanation on what is expected of the dentistry profession. In conclusion, these differences call for the need to have a consensus in the core of values of the dentistry profession. Organizations are compelled to explicitly articulate values that place a strong emphasis on ethical behavior which they achieve by drafting a code of ethics, a formal statement of the ethical priorities that all professionals within the organizations must adhere to (Condrey, 2010). However, some organizations may fail to establish a specific code of ethic due to lack of perceived need to duplicate the regulations of behavior already covered by the jurisdiction of state ethics. In this case, this most states have codes of ethics for all professionals in place, lack of a code of ethics in a profession or organization does not imply that those professionals cannot upload the expected behavior standards in a given state. The behavior or conduct

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Will be doing a video essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Will be doing a video - Essay Example Being such, I would know which area of study I should work harder to become better in my practice. This pursuit of becoming better as a nurse by pursuing a Master’s Degree does not only improves the prospect of my career in the long run but also makes me a more effective, compassionate nurse and in a way, an instrument that improve and make people’s lives better. This is consistent with Georgetown University’s mission of â€Å"promoting health and well-being for all people, with its emphasis on preparing students to be morally reflective health care leaders and scholars† which to my understanding is to genuinely care for people’s health and well-being as well improving myself as a nurse. I anticipate that the academic environment at Georgetown University will be rigorous considering that it is one of the best universities in the world in the field of nursing. This however for my own good because those rigorous training will make me a better

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

API 14C Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

API 14C - Research Paper Example Since the process in the petroleum industry involves various tasks, the need for safety systems becomes all the more important. Hence a proper practice is required to provide the basic safety systems. Offshore production is a herculean task and the components used in this process must be guaranteed as safe. This is done to make sure that the offshore production is carried on without any problems. This report aims at providing various methods that determines the safety requirements that are essential to protect the offshore production components. These process components must be protected in order to form a complete system. The safety system is developed individually for each component and this ensures that each and every component in the production environment is safe. Once the modules are developed for all the components of the system, they are integrated to form a complete safety system. This system contains modules that operate on individual components in a hassle free manner. (Wallace, 1995).The development of safety system does not end with the process of creating components. Instead the process consists of creating documents, verification of components and maintenance of the developed modules. To accomplish this task, a similar method is executed in all the offshore production platforms. A sample system is defined to test the proposed system. This ensures that the developed system is free from errors. This paper concentrates on developing a recommendation that provides a safe environment in the offshore production. The paper provides guidelines as to how a safety system must be developed, tested, analyzed and maintained. Safety systems are used in most of the industries to ensure that the developed systems and products are in a safe environment. (Lyons, 2005).These safety systems are often developed by a third party vendor who prepares and implements it in the industries. This does

Monday, September 9, 2019

State and Federal Systems Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

State and Federal Systems Paper - Essay Example 1101, et seq) has been similarly adapted in other states in the country and has tasked the Oklahoma Human Rights Commission as an agency of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to have the elective capacity to administer its civil rights enforcement. The Genetic Non-Discrimination Act (36 OS 3614.2) of Oklahoma "cannot discriminate in employment based in results of genetic testing (DNA, RNA, chromosome testing). Except for determining coverage or benefits employer may not even ask for such testing." Federal law provided the Health Insurance and Portability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to provide some protection against discrimination however this act does not ensure: "the limit of collection by insurers and prohibit them from requiring an individual to take the test further it does not limit the disclosure of information" The provision set forth in the federal law has inclusions that may leave room or excuse for the allowance of such procedure. HIPAA has not discussed nor assure non disclosure of such findings, thereby leaving room for doubt with respect to the actual right of the person. For the protection of women workers, the Oklahoma State in its Equal Pay Act (40 OS 198.1), added it "unlawful to willfully pay women employees less than males who are performing comparable work which have comparable requirements relating to skill except when differential is based upon merit system; seniority; a system basing compensation through quantity or quality of production; or any other factor rather than sex." Further this act has added stiff penalties for its violations and delegates the filing of suits to the Department of Labor. The above law is considerably treated as a derivative from the nation's Equal Pay Act(EPA) (29 USC 206d) however the scope sought to broaden and clarify the basis for the comparison cited above. As a diversified state with an economy centered on manufacturing, agriculture, mining and services, the State of Oklahoma has also provided a remarkable protection against smokers or the Smoker's Rights (40 O.S. 500, et seq). This law considers it illegal for an employer to practice "discrimination against persons who smoke during off-duty hours; discriminate against employees who do not smoke; cannot require an employee to refrain from smoking during off-duty hours unless such is provided by the union contract". Currently, North America is besieged with numerous by-laws against smoking and smokers. Other states have audaciously made it a point to ban smoking in the work premises. Non-smokers would be thankful for the passage of such laws. However such laws discriminates the person from finding a lucrative job fee from constant reprimand from its management and may affect the behavioral attitude of an employee towards the management and with his co-workers at the same time. Somehow, smokers do have to find work and the government cannot afford an incidence of job displacements because of this particular habit. Finding a conducive place for the release of this habit at a favorably appointed time would be more logical than its outright suppression. The Discrimination Act in its entirety, has carefully enumerated illegal acts of discriminating an individual by virtue of his: race, color and national origin hiring as stated in the Federal Laws. Cultural and racial practices however

Sunday, September 8, 2019

American history questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American history questions - Essay Example It established the notion of an international justice system that can be resorted to in cases when criminal acts are committed by a country against the citizens of another country or when they are committed by a government against its own people. The relevance of the Trials was that they served as precedent to future cases. In the subsequent cases, for example, crimes against humanity like genocide and ethnic cleansing committed in Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and Indonesia, the principles of the Nuremberg Trials were employed to try the accused. At the close of the war, the threats to these freedoms were once again resuscitated by the actions of the USSR. Harry Truman who succeeded Roosevelt to office saw the Russians’ foreign policy as emphatic on the communist ideology, suspicious, aggressive and close to and of the world around it. Soviet seemed so suspiciously obsessed with its security. Truman then decided that the best way to deal with the Russians and Stalin was a hard-line approach to contain communism and defend American interests. Thus, there was a discarding of the policy of compromise and the adoption of the policy of containment. In addition, Truman took a lesson from the past. His ‘Iron Fist’ approach was a reaction to the appeasement approach that was employed by the British towards Germany and Hitler before the outbreak of the WWII. Since the appeasement approach seemed to have goaded Hitler into being an airhead and declared war against the allies. Truman thought that from then on such an approach is not only futile but also dangerous and so he took a different tact. Another threat that communism brought to the US is the fear that that it’s spread in Europe would curtail US trade in that market. The revival of Europe after the war was especially important to the consumer-based US and therefore it must be safeguarded from communism. Q8 Some historians argue that the

Saturday, September 7, 2019

GUN CONTROL Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

GUN CONTROL - Research Paper Example It was only last year that over twenty students in the US were brutally murdered by an unknown assailant who used a gun to spray bullets unto innocent people. This has therefore necessitated the immediate curtailing of this unlawful act. Moreover, the world today is under high alert of terrorist attacks through which the use of guns is part and parcel. Conventions and international conferences have in the past been convened to look into this matter in the international arena and strategic decisions made over the issue. However, though countries are in record of designing legislations as well as policies meant to control the use of gun, implementation has been seen to be failing. This is because the ease of movement of goods as well as information has greatly changed within the era of technological advancement and globalization. This paper therefore intends to analyze on some strategic steps that have been made in the past concerning this issue, their success as well as their failure and in conclusion recommend on some realistic steps that would adopted for the sake of success in this fight. The US has noted high number of debates as regards the ease of possession of guns as against total curtail of the same to general public but only to the security personnel. However, majority have been found to debate on the lineage of the political affiliation with these alienations more on democrats as well as the republican. With reason, some support the legislation formulation to allow the acquisition and sale of guns to the public though at monitored public showrooms through which sold guns can be tracked. They equally support the ban of sale to persons with questionable mental capabilities for the case of insanity. Nevertheless, the great concern is to how the evaluation of sanity is to be conducted. On the other hand, some people are of the opinion of absolute control of possession of guns by the public and as such support the possession of guns by only security agents . With majority of the US citizens owning guns, activism has slowly changed from the issues of gun control to the protection of gun rights. This is as revealed by a recent survey in the entire of the US (Dimock and Doherty, 2013, 1-6). The US has been seen to be very vocal on the issue of regulating guns within the states especially following the last year’s mass killings by an unknown assailant in a cinema. According to a white house release, the president is in support of imposition of background checks on sale of guns in efforts to curb the availability of guns within the wrong hands. The proposition is for a centralized system through which the government will be in opposition to regulate the flow of guns within the citizens of the States. As per the report, by controlling the availability of military assaults within the market would go a long way in controlling crime with the semi automatic and other high range ammunition gadgets within the states. Moreover, the presiden t reveals commitment for his governance to oversee the proper provision of mental care for the public for the purpose if maintaining sanity which has also been seen to contribute immensely towards the criminal activities involving guns (Anon, 2013, 2-13). In a rather supportive move towards this ban of existence of guns of

Friday, September 6, 2019

Hunting should be allowed Essay Example for Free

Hunting should be allowed Essay Hunting is beneficial to our society and therefore should be allowed. Historically human beings have been pursuing wild animals to provide their families with food, clothing, and shelter. In modern times the need for hunting for survival has lessened because of the development of animal husbandry and agriculture. There were times in history worldwide when hunting became profitable and hunters began killing animals for their fur, skins, and meat. Then it became necessary to put regulations in to effect to preserve wildlife as well as to somewhat appease the critics who felt hunting should be illegal. Three main reasons why hunting should be allowed is to regulate the amount of wild animals, so that areas do not become over populated by them. Another reason is that hunting is a major money making industry. The third main reason is that hunting for sport of food is an exciting and educational experience for hunters of all ages. In John Clare’s poem â€Å"The Badger† we see hunting at its worst and a major turnoff due to the unethical and cruel nature of the townspeople engaged in the hunt. Poems like these motivate people to be anti-hunting but if we look closely at the benefits of hunting it overrides such negativity and we can plainly see the benefits. Hunting if done responsibly should be allowed. It is a great privilege to have and is regulated by the government. Some of the steps put in place is the requirement to pass a hunter education course before hunting, this protects people. There are also laws that set hunting season dates to protect wildlife. Most states grant their wildlife agencies the authority to manage wildlife population using regulations. Regulations are generally easier to change and better suit the dynamic nature of wildlife management. For example, if a drought caused many a deer to die, the wildlife agency would be able to change its regulations by reducing the number of permits and protecting the deer population. If the situation was reversed a sudden increase in the deer population was observed then the wildlife agency can change its regulations, increasing the number of permits and providing more opportunity for hunting. Many benefits come from hunting not only to the hunter, but also to society. Without the hunter, many breeds of animals would become overpopulated and die off from lack of food due to excess in their numbers and lower percentage of food per herd. Not only would there be too many animals, but it would greatly increase the chance of disease and inner-herd killings. Nature decrees the survival of the fittest, those that are weak and old will be the first attacked, even by their own kind. Hunting also brings benefit to humans through the control of the wildlife and the predatory animals that would invade neighborhoods when overpopulation occurs. These dangerous animals are wolves, bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats. Hunting wildlife keeps disease among wildlife at a lower rate and ensures better survival. Hunters also donate millions of dollars each year from hunting license and stamp fees that buy thousands of acres of open land, natural habitat, and wetlands that forever preserve them for wildlife use each year. Individuals who are against hunting do not spend any money on this. Hunting is a major money maker for the government as well as private establishments. The average hunter spends quite a reasonable amount of money on his hunting trips. These hunting trips approximately last for about seven to twelve days on average. The taxes on the hunting licenses increase every year adding to the expense and putting money in to government coffers. Hunters also buy equipment. This helps private businesses and retailers. Hunting offers benefits to the hunter in the form of a sport, not only for food but it is a relaxing, exciting and an educational experience for hunters of all ages. There are the benefits of education, by studying the animals the hunter will learn how they relate amongst themselves, their patterns for breeding, migration, and their tendencies of behavior. The hunter will not only benefit by this knowledge within his hunt but also will know what animals to pursue when hunting. Ill or deformed animals often give the hunter a sense of empathy when hunting. These animals may not live very long and possibly spread its disease to the other animals. Sport hunting should not be banned when examining information from this angle as it affects us all in general. Hunting also provides excitement and a close connection with nature. While hunting, the hunter often connects with nature while sitting in silence. He has the opportunity to observe his surrounding and become familiar with his hunting ground. Knowing the plant life and growth rate of the area crops is very important part to being a good hunter. This knowledge comes through conservation of the land being managed for hunting. Through this land management, the plant and animal life become more abundant. Hunting should be allowed and protesters should make the effort to become more knowledge about the benefits of hunting. There are many environmental benefits to society and to wildlife. The health of the animals is important to hunters as they reproduce and replenish there will be ongoing game for hunting. Hunting is a privilege and privileges require responsibility. Citizens must meet certain standards. The greatest threat to hunting in North America is not anti-hunters. It is the negative hunter image created by poor hunter behavior in the field. Our actions when we are not hunting may also give hunters a poor image. For example, bragging about the animals killed or wearing dirty hunting clothes in public gives all hunters a poor image. Support from non-hunters decreases when hunters act unsafe or unethically in the field. An example of this can be seen in John Clare’s poem, â€Å"The Badger† The main subject of this poem is the relationship of the wild animal to the hunters who bait and tame it. The townspeople act unethically to the badger while hunting it. The badger-baiters are a poor example of what hunting should be and their sadistic behavior is one reason why many anti-hunters are so against hunting and do not want it to be allowed. They literally torture a vulnerable creature and he is pitched against cudgel wielding, stone throwing townspeople and ferocious dogs. â€Å"The Badger† is a weaker adversary and when he runs toward the woods and freedom, the townspeople turn him back with clubs. When the badger finally lies beaten and helpless, he is continuously kicked and torn by the savage mob. Moreover, the last stanza about the badger is yet another example of human tyranny over less fortunate creatures, which is most anti-hunter’s perception of what hunting is really like namely the abuse of the powerless by the powerful. The townspeople are capturing and confining the badger for the sport of it, to get their fun at his expense and at the end of it all â€Å"till kicked and torn and beaten out, he lies and leaves his hold and cackles, grows and dies. † (39-40) This poem is not a clear depiction of what hunting is about in today’s regulated society. There has never been a case in modern times where a regulated hunting season has driven any animal to the point of being endangered or tortured and treated cruelly it is only when there is no regulation where this type of issue occurs. Hunting can strengthen game animals by trimming the population and preventing overpopulation that can destroy the environment and cause lack of food. Not only is overpopulation of animals a great inconvenience to humans it can be downright dangerous. Hunting provides much financial aid to our government and to many who hunt it is a relaxing, exciting and an educational experience. With all the negative press from anti-hunters, the benefits cannot be denied and with the significant rules in place to ensure good hunting, if adhered to then most definitely hunting should be allowed. Works Cited Kruuk, H. Hunter and Hunted: Relationships between Carnivores and People Cambridge, UK, New York, NY Cambridge University Press, 2002 Sunstein, Cass R. ; Nussbaum, Martha Craven Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions Oxford, New York Oxford University Press (US), 2004. Clare, John. â€Å"The Badger. † Making Literature Matter; An Anthology for Readers and Writers. 3rd ed. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston; Bedford, 2006. 913-915.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

The Use Of Celebrities In Advertising Cultural Studies Essay

The Use Of Celebrities In Advertising Cultural Studies Essay In my third and last year as an Office Management student I had the assignment of writing a paper for the International Marketing course. I could choose one of the teachers topics or find one myself. I have decided to pick the topic: the differences between Western and Asian culture. This was one of the many subjects offered by the teacher. There is a lot to say about this aspect, which is why I have decided to pick two countries and to dig deeper in their culture, and their point of view regarding to advertisement. The United States and Japan will be discussed in this document and I will add several examples to give a better view on the subject. I have chosen these two countries because they are totally different from each other, what makes it the more or less easy to spot differences. The United States is for me the place to be when it comes to celebrity endorsement. Even though the two cultures are not the same, there is a link and this will be explained in the paper. I expect to receive better understanding of the two cultures but also have a look behind the scenes. I am anxious to learn whether the use of celebrity does have impact on the brand and if that impact is positive for the brand. The paper will be handled in English. I have chosen to do so, because the course and my exam were in English, and the fact that the teacher did an effort to speak in English during the course, I have found it disrespectful not to make the same effort and write this paper in English. Before starting with my main subject I would like to explain some basic things. The term celebrity is widely used for every person that comes on TV. But for companies and brands, they are more than that. Furthermore I will start with the use of celebrity, mainly in the States and tackle the marketing strategy a little bit. My paper consists of two countries, that is why Japan will come next. The differences between these two countries will be tackled by the end along with some examples. A celebrity isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Also called a celeb and it is a person that is generally recognized in a society or a culture. People can become famous in different ways: through their profession, appearances in the mass media, beauty and even crime. Through mass media, starting in the 19th and 20th century, celebrities are known in a relatively short time nationally or internationally. This can sometimes occur very fast. Like Neil Armstrong being the first man walking over/on the moon in 1969, got famous in a nick of time. Celebrities appear in public in a different way, you and me can walk on the street unnoticed without anybody carrying. For celebs it is the other way around, they are walking advertising poles. From head to toe fans analyse the clothes and brands they are wearing. Furthermore they appear in public when fulfilling their jobs, like a tennis player in front of an audience. And also while attending events, like the Academy Awards, premieres of movies, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The news, fashion magazines and even tabloids provide second source information concerning their private life. Besides doing what they do, they also endorse a brand, and act as spokespeople in advertising and on events to promote their brand. Or should I say the brand they work for. The most logical question is does this celebrity endorsement do some good to the brand? A study of Till, Stanley, Priluck in 2008 explains us that celebrity endorsement is used in marketing, because it is believed that the consumers perception of the product improves. According to McCracken (1989) a celebrity endorser is an individual who has gained public awareness and uses this awareness in commercials and advertisements on behalf of consumer products. The use of celebrities in advertising: the States When Nike started collaborating with golf icon Tiger Woods, there was a lot of scepticism about the introduction of NIKE to the golf market.  Indeed, the image of NIKE was not consistent with the image of the elite sport of golf.  It is through the use of Tiger Woods in the marketing strategy that NIKE could successfully position itself in the golf market. Nike is one of the many multinationals which makes use of celebrity endorsers in its marketing strategy. Other famous brands that call upon a celebrity to endorse are Pepsi with David Beckham. The famous advertising commercials of Nepresso where we admire a charismatic George Clooney. For companies it is very interesting to make use of celebrity endorsers since advertisements with celebrities, creates more attention than ads or commercials without celebrities.   The celebrity endorser is not necessarily an actor or a movie star, there may for example also be considered athletes, musicians, artists and politicians. Although he passed away a long time ago, in this ad we see one of the United States most popular president, John F. Kennedy for an Omega advertising. However it is not so that celebrity endorsement guarantees success.  The success of using this marketing strategy depends on the values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹that the celebrity endorser gives to the product.  It is even possible that the celebritys own image and values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹can be transferred to the product. Not only theory but also practice has shown us that the use of celebrities generates a lot of publicity. Yet these endorsements can cost a lot of money to companies. For instance Venus Williams has signed a five-year contract worth 40 million dollars, to promote and endorse Reebok. Back in the days when he was the most popular athlete in the World, Michael Jordan had signed a contract for 20 million dollars with NIKE. This proved to be very lucrative for Nike, because the AIR Jordan was for a long time very famous and every teen on the block bought the shoe. All of these celebrities gain more from endorsement contracts than from the sport they practice. That is why celebrity endorsements increase every year. In 2007, celebrities in the United States were used in 25% of all TV commercials. What is marketing communication? A company has many audiences. Consumers and other customers are only a small part of the target groups. Marketing communication can be described as getting in touch with trade and or consumers to influence their knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in a direction that is favourable for the marketing policy. The different marketing communication tools are used to influence positively the choices of the (potential) consumers. These marketing tools can be deployed at different levels. A distinction is made between the cognitive, affective and conative phase. Within the cognitive phase, the goal is to familiarize the customer with the product or the company. The affective phase is aimed at the emotions. Within this phase the customer needs to develop emotions and feelings towards the product or the company. The conative and affective phase can often be combined. In the conative stage, the customer actually makes a purchase. It is obvious that all companies aim to fulfil the last phase. A little bit of marketing strategy In this part of the paper I will dig a little bit deeper in the marketing strategy. The celebrity needs to match the brand, they are not randomly chosen by companies, just for fun. It is a whole strategy and a detailed process that comes along. I will also talk about what is important to guarantee the success of the brand and on what companies focus when choosing their celebrities. It can be said that celebrity endorsement is widely used because research indicates that the impact of celebrity endorsement is a positive investment in the marketing of a brand. However, it is not always successful. It is important for companies that they use celebrities in an efficient way in their strategy. The question is whether celebrity endorsement is the way to go when introducing new products into the market. Research indicates that about half of the marketing budget is spent on marketing when launching new products. Companies are willing to spend a lot of money, because on average 40% of product launches fail. Because so much money is spent on the marketing of new products, there is a greater chance that many companies will opt for celebrities in their commercials and ads (advertisements). This is one of the most expensive options within marketing communications. The focus is therefore on the impact of celebrity endorsement in marketing strategies of new products. With the introduction of new products, consumer uncertainty is relatively higher than the existing products. This consumer uncertainty should be removed with a good marketing policy. With high consumer uncertainty, new products should be brought more to the attention of consumers than already existing products. So that the consumers uncertainty is no longer present. It may also be noted that consumers dealing with new products still have no awareness of the product and thus no positive attitude is yet developed. This is necessary because it leads to purchase intent. Two dimensions: Attractiveness and credibility If companies want their brand to be successful throughout the help of a celebrity, there are two dimensions that they must take into account. The two dimensions of interest are namely the attractiveness and credibility of the celebrity. Several studies indicate that these two dimensions may be crucial for the success of celebrity endorsement in marketing strategy. In addition to these dimensions they also take a look at the match-up principle and the ability to use multiple celebrities in an add or advertisement. The match-up principle will be treated in this paper as this is a generally accepted principle in the choice of celebrity endorsement. Attractiveness of the celebrity The first dimension is to take into account the attractiveness of the celebrity. If an attractive celebrity is used, it is more likely that awareness is created among the target audience than when using an unattractive celebrity. This awareness is eventually to be transformed into a positive attitude of the brand. The attractiveness of the celebrity has namely a positive effect on the attitude of consumers towards the brand or product advertising .The dimension attractiveness of the celebrity is formed by the physical appearance, intelligence, athletic ability and the lifestyle of the celebrity. Based on these factors the company should decide which celebrity is suitable for his or her product or brand. Credibility of the celebrity The second dimension concerns the credibility of the celebrity. Credibility is divided into two factors: expertise and trustworthiness. Expertise of the celebrity is perceived by consumers on the basis of the allegations that the celebrity is doing in advertising. Reliability, however, is perceived as to whether the celebrity can achieve the results from the advertising or ad in his real life. Research shows that companies with good credibility factors interact within the advertising, as the celebrities generally are regarded as credible. This is crucial because the credibility of the celebrity can affect the opinions, attitudes and behaviour of the target group. The match-up principle The success of the collaboration between celebrity and the brand or product depends to a large extent on the match-up principle. The match-up basically revolves around the congruence (being suitable and appropriate) between the celebrity and the brand or product. With congruence, I mean the consistency between the characteristics of the celebrity and the product attributes. This is particularly important because the celebrity can convey its values on the product or brand without changing the product or brand image. A good match-up creates a more positive attitude of the consumers. I personally hate to see ads that use celebrities when it is obvious that the celebrity does not match the brand at all. To explain the match-up principle better, I will briefly discuss the three phases: Phase 1: In this stage, a number of values are associated with the celebrity. These values occur on the basis of the celebs appearances in the (mass) media. Consumers understand the significance and reflect it on the celebrity. Phase 2: In this phase, the values and image of the celebrity are associated with the product, through an official endorsement. Phase 3: During this phase, the values, by working with the brand or product, clearly belong to the consumer. Because the consumers associate the values of the celebrity with the values of the product they will proceed to purchase and consume the product. Multiple celebrities in an advertising or promotional One way to merge the above factors is the use of several celebrities in an advertisement or promotion. The company must then choose celebrities who complement each other within the advertising or ad. This could be, for example, the attractiveness of the celebrities chosen for an athlete and someone with an intelligent mind. To ensure credibility, a knowledgeable person and a trustworthy person can be used. Gillette, for example, is a company that applies several celebrities in its ads by using Roger Federer, Thierry Henry and Tiger Woods. An important argument for the choice of several celebrities in the marketing of a company, in these ways different audiences can be reached on the basis of a celebrity who fits in this group. When using multiple celebrities, multiple values will be linked to the product. The risks of celebrity endorsements Although there are examples that indicate that celebrity endorsement can be a good idea, there are the necessary risks. When it is assumed that all conditions of the right person for the right product are satisfied, there are two points to worry about. The greatest risk is the celebrity itself. Celebrity branding is all about transferring the value of a person on a product. The two concerns are: How long will the fame remain, and can the celebrity retain its status? The second concern is the life of celebrity, his personal integrity. If he is embroiled in a scandal, that could destroy the brand. Before Michael Jackson ended in a scandal, he had a successful deal with Pepsi. Naturally Pepsi had to stop the contract in order to prevent damage to the brand. Also O.J. Simpson was once the face of a car rental company. After the accusations of the murder of his wife, his contract was also stopped. It is very bad for a brand to be associated with an alleged murderer or paedophile. Although there are brands that hire intentionally stars with a wrong image, this is a risky step. Pepsi made again a wrong decision, by taking this risk to use hip-hop star Ludacris in its campaigns. Ludacris disrespectful attitude and his rap songs full with cursing did not match-up with the brand. After a campaign was started by a conservative politician against this endorsement, Pepsi was forced by public pressure to stop the deal with Ludacris. Although one should avoid bad publicity, it is a fact that on the international market celebrity endorsements are very suitable to create a distinctive brand. That the rules of celebrity endorsement in Japan differ from those of the West is largely due to the difference in culture, more on that later. Brands must be careful with the choices they make. When they choose a celebrity with the right personality traits, these characteristics will also be awarded to the brand and the brand will take advantage from it. If the wrong person is chosen his or her personality traits will be awarded to the brand causing the end of the brand. Very well accepted and attractive super stars like Bruce Willis and Whitney Houston failed in turning their endorsements into success. Simply assuming that a person just has to be famous to represent a brand is incorrect. A considerable number of failures prove the opposite. In the figure below you can see some of the endorsements that turned out to be a success or a failure. Lets go Asian: Japan and its celebrity endorsement In East Asian countries like Japan and South Korea, many celebrities are used in advertising. In Japan, 70 % of TV commercials use a celebrity from the sports, music, film, and fashion or entertainment business. Celebrities are used as endorsers with a statement about the quality of the product / brand or are shown only in relation to the brand /product. The idea is that the values and associations of the celebrity will be transferred to the brand and the brand by the user. Moreover, it is a form of product differentiation as other awards from competing brands is not possible or desirable. But why is the use of celebrities in Japan so much greater than in the United States and Europe? In Japan they do not only use Western and Japanese celebrities, but also talents. These are young Japanese who are on their way to the top in the worlds of fashion, music, film and entertainment. Advertising for these talents is their way to fame. Japanese advertising does not only use the reputation and associations of established celebrities, but also creates celebrities. And this goes a step further than the ads in the States. Japanese talents are normal people like you and me. They are slightly good looking, pretty much the girl or boy next door. They form a peer group with which one can easily identify. In a collectivist culture belonging to a group or identifying with that group is very important. In Japanese advertising values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹related to face and harmony lead to an indirect communication style. They feel uncomfortable with a commercial that takes that emphasise on situations or facts. A direct approach is seen as an insult to the intelligence of the consumer. The goal of advertising in the Japanese ads is to make the consumer your friend, to win his trust and respect. This goal can be achieved by entertaining the audience. Identification of the brand, the company name or product in the commercial is less important than the pleasant voices of consumers. Japanese advertisers generally use much of the time in the commercial for building trust, understanding and dependence. The result is a kind of advertising that appeals to the imagination and few to the facts. Advertising show usually no product attributes, the fun of advertising is more important. In Japanese commercials you see serenity, and nature symbols. The tone of voice is indirect, subtle, with lots of symbolism. Comparative advertising is a confrontation and is therefore seen as denigrating the competition. This is in conflict with the Asian value of harmony. The style and manner of presentation is important. A pretty picture, a story or a poem can be important parts of the advertisement. Values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹and appeals found in their advertising are respect for elders. The relationship of man with nature / the unity with nature is often the subject of advertising. Japanese are crazy about celebrities. A product is often associated with celebrities, who often represent the target. If Western models, celebrities or situat ions are used, it is only as a symbol of prestige and status: they are not intended to illustrate the western values. In Japan, a part of television and popular culture is strongly linked to the entertainment world. Songs are often especially composed for use in commercials. Differences between Western and Asian cultures There are several cultural differences that may explain the use of celebrities. While the American culture is characterized by individualism, in Japan it is more the collectivist culture. In a collectivist culture they emphasize on conformity, adaptation and obedience. We, the European and American see this as negative values, but in Japan, this is well appreciated. Celebrities fit better in a collectivist than an individualist culture. In Japan they highly look up to celebrities, especially a Western celebrity. You will also see many Western celebrities in Japanese advertising, which I will explain later on. The power distance is quite large. The statements of celebrities are followed uncritically because they are not famous for nothing. Their values rays on the brand that they support, and also on the user of that brand. Power distance and individualism-collectivism are the key explanations for the difference between East Asian and Western countries. These are two of the four Hofst ede dimensions of culture. For the other two dimensions (uncertainty avoidance and masculine-feminine) there is no large difference, even though Japan is the most masculine country in the world. In a masculine country performance and success are central, in a feminine country caring for others and quality of life is more important. Advertising is strongly influenced by culture, especially in comparisons between East Asia, Europe and North America. But even between Asian countries there are cultural differences. Some campaigns may be used in several countries, but in most cases adaptation is necessary to make an effective campaign. And in many cases adaptation is inadequate and separate campaigns must be developed for each country taking into account the national culture. View of Western culture on celebrity endorsement Celebrities and marketing go well together. There is indeed a lot of money to distribute. A study of GMI revealed that consumers, especially in the Western world are almost insensitive to the advertisements with celebrities. The celebrity endorsement, according to the agency GMI might not be as effective as many believe. In certain western markets, the strategy used did not succeed to increase the value of the product nor to persuade the consumer to buy the product The researchers note that the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement in promoting brands depends on the local culture. In the Western world they are the most indifferently towards the use of celebrities in advertising, tells GMI. In the United States 79% of the respondents indicated that a celebrity has no effect on the way they think about a product. Only 13% admitted that through celebrity endorsement the value of the brand increases. But in Japan, it is a completely different situation, said GMI. In Japan, 60% thinks that celebrities give a product more value. The study also shows that consumer find other techniques such as free samples, mouth-to-mouth are more efficient than celebrity endorsements. These techniques influence their buying behaviour slightly more. In the United States 34% of the consumers think this way. In Japan, 29% of those surveyed found advertising after the free samples the most efficient way to convert to a purchase. It took word-of-mouth advertising only 12%. Celebrity endorsement has proved most successful, implying that celebrities played an important role in their purchasing decision. Global media can create global stars. But consumers are much more sophisticated and less inclined to swallow simple, uniform marketing messages. The great indifference of consumers in the West may even be a sign that celebrity endorsement can have the opposite effect and repel consumers. American finest celebrities head to Japan Many American stars earn large sums of money by linking themselves to brands as a spokesperson by recommending certain products. Others appear nowhere in advertising because they do not want their fans to think they are selling out. However, many of these stars cannot resist the temptation to go abroad and appear in commercials and ads. Nowhere is this truer than in Japan. Even the richest and most famous people do not just say no to advertisers who pay them one to three million U.S. dollars for a couple of hours of work. And this is for a commercial that lasts 15 to 20 seconds. Mega stars like Meg Ryan, Demi Moore, Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford received millions to appear in a Japanese commercial. Meg Ryan makes recommendations for cosmetics and tea, Brad Pitt promotes tins of coffee and jeans, and Demi Moore tries to persuade the Japanese audience to purchase protein drinks. Ford received several millions to appear shirtless on ads and commercials for Kirin Beer (see below). Sometime s stars are even forced to change their image and personality to better suit the style of advertising, this is needed to fit the Japanese companies. Even the Japanese public has a different flavour than people in the West are used to have. What we, in Europe and the U.S., perceive as cheap is seen in Japan as a very normal and effective way to advertise. In a commercial for shampoo, famous actor Dennis Hopper appeared in a bathtub player with a rubber duck. There are several reasons why Japanese companies are willing to pay large amounts for these stars. Many Japanese are fascinated by the American culture and American stars. It also gives a brand an American international star status. In Japanese commercials, style and atmosphere are more important than dull product information and testimonials. Japanese are very sensitive to entertainment. Because a commercial in Japan only last 15 seconds, a western star is easily recognized and the attention of the viewer is directly captured, w hich is more worth than money. American film studios also encourage celebrities to appear in Japanese commercial lay. In this way it is easier for American films to attract the Asian population. Often the release of a new film and the appearance of the star of this film in Japanese ads fall together. While many stars go abroad for advertising, they all try to protect their image at home. There are even clauses in the contracts stating that the commercial must not be shown outside of Japan and sometimes even be discussed. With the growth of the Internet it is possible that stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger secrecy about their advertising activities are likely to remain unnoticed for the American public. Above you have just read why Japanese are less picky when it comes to match-up than for example in America. Also it seems that the credibility aspect is less of an issue in Japan. If you are a celebrity, youre in Japan, by definition, credible, match up or not. Yet it is true that these endorsements in Japan are inde ed profitable. The public in Japan is in the long term a lot more loyal than the audience in the West. If a celebrity in Japan is loved, this will remain even if the celebrity has disappeared from the spotlight. The website japander.com made an index with all of American celebrities that appear in Japanese advertising. Conclusion I can now say with proud that I have chosen the right countries to tackle this difficult but at the same time interesting topic. I am sure that many students would think that it is easy to discuss this subject, because there is a lot of information on the internet and in books. Well I can tell them that a lot of information makes it harder to write something, because it is up to the writer to eliminate unnecessary information and to write in a way that is readers friendly. My hardest task was to make sure that I removed what is not relevant and to dig deeper in the part that was relevant. Thanks to experienced authors such as Grant McCracken, Stanley and many others it became easier for me to understand what I was writing about. Their view on culture and celebrities and the way they explain it was a relief to me. This paper taught me that celebrities take a big bite in the budget of a company. Nevertheless this kind of technique in marketing is increasing and will remain because stud y does show us that it is very profitable for a brand to use a celebrity. Even though in Japan they do not strictly follow the rule of match-up, I strongly believe that a match-up is needed to make an advertisement successful. Commercials, advertisements and endorsements where the celebrity has got absolutely nothing to do with the product is for me a no go. And in that match-up, according to me the most important aspect is credibility. I am not the first one to go and buy a product once a celebrity tells me to do so, but I could slightly get more interested in the brand if I notice a strong credibility in the ad. After reading several studies, information and documents I can conclude that the use of celebrities, when respecting the two dimensions I discussed in the paper, could have a very positive impact on the brand and the reputation of the company. I know I am supposed to thank in the beginning, but I have decided to do it know. I rather want the teacher to read my paper, so she could notice for herself what I am capable of, before I thank her for the support and counseling throughout the school year. Sources BOOKS Margolis J., Garrigan P., Guerrillamarketing voor dummies, 2008, Pearson Education Benelux, Amsterdam Kotler P., Marketing: de essentie, 2009, Pearson Education Benelux, Amsterdam De Mooij M., Wereldmerken : hoe reclame omgaat met cultuurverschillen, 1998, Alphen aan den Rijn, Samson WEBSITES Joyce Huijsman, Humor doesnttraval: Frank Sinatra spaghetti, (http://joycehuijsman.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/frank-sinatra-spaghetti/) University of Texas at Austin, Celebrity Advertising in Japan and Korea Doing it the Asian Way, PDF, (http://www.perfspot.com/docs/doc.asp?id=110674) The free library, Cultural differences in television celebrity use in the United States and Lebanon, (http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Cultural+differences+in+television+celebrity+use+in+the+United+States-a0208956138) Fred van Raaij, Beroemdheden en cultuur, (http://www.swocc.nl/column/beroemdheden-en-cultuur.php) Managing21, Westerling ongevoelig voor beroemdheden?, (http://managing21.skynetblogs.be/archive/2005/01/24/westerling-ongevoelig-voor-beroemdheden.html) McCann People, Sterren in reclame verleiden niet altijd, (http://mccannpeople.wordpress.com/2009/03/31/sterren-in-reclame-verleiden-niet-altijd/) The Pop history dig; JFK, Pitchman?, (http://www.pophistorydig.com/?tag=politicians-advertising) Colombia Business School, Celebrities impact on branding, PDF, (http://worldlywriter.com/images/portfolio/Proposals/Celebrity_Branding.pdf) Martin Stam, De invloed van celebritiyendorsement in de marketingcommunicatie strategie van nieuwe producten, PDF, (http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=116167) Bart Sikkema, Who will be your next celebrity endorser?, PDF, (http://essay.utwente.nl/58467/1/scriptie_B_Sikkema.pdf) Japander, Celebrity advertising, (http://www.japander.com) IMAGES All of the images were copied from Google (www.google.com) à £Ã†â€™Ã‚ Ãƒ £Ã†â€™Ã‚ ªÃƒ £Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ £Ã†â€™Ã†â€™Ãƒ £Ã†â€™Ã¢â‚¬ ° International Marketing Celebrity endorsement Hollywood