Book Review Barbarians to Angels Essay - 749 Words

Wells, Peter. Barbarians to Angel: The Dark Ages Reconsidered. New York, NY: W.W. Norton Company, Inc., 2008 Barbarians to Angels written by Peter Wells is an enlightening read that sheds light on to what really went on during â€Å"The Dark Ages†. The written word during 400-800 AD came from educated citizens of the Roman Empire and their recount could be judgmental. Many historians are led to believe that Barbarians destroyed Roman and everyone suffered from acts of violence, a mass migration, disease, starvation, and this was the way of life for hundreds of years. But Peter Wells goes beyond the information in the written accounts and looks at the actual archaeological evidence. He uses this information to help visualize life that went†¦show more content†¦But over time some of these building would be torn down to make room for other uses and the some of the larger stones would be reused. Wells see’s this as another example of how life didn’t stop just continued on differently. The studies of these cities reveal that there was continuity from one generation to the next and not abrupt declines followed brilliant discoveries. Wells points out several times throughout the book and he even uses a whole chapter to talk about Religion. The way Wells stresses that even though the declared religion is Christianity people still used or practiced their beliefs from before. Wells does use archaeological evidence to back this up from the burial sites, burial practices in Christian literature, artwork, and mythological themes hidden with Christian imagery. This evidence shows that the general public was very slow to accept proper Christian practice, and even those converted rulers held to traditions too. The book makes one think about how long and how many of these traditions survived. Wells even states in the book on pages 184-185, â€Å"Wearing or carrying charms, saying prayer before meals, decorating Christmas trees, coloring eggs at Easter, and tossing coins into fountains are parts of practices that were carried out by the prehistoric Peoples of Europe. What people think today when they toss their pennies, di mes, and quarters into the water may not be very different from whatShow MoreRelatedA Summary On The Game Co Op Games 2041 Words   |  9 Pagesassociate degree action-packed role-playing game (RPG), permitting players to settle on from six completely different categories – the wizard, the Barbarian, the Wizard, the Monk, the Demon Hunter and therefore the newly-added Crusader – associate degreed start an journey spanning 5 Acts to defeat each Diablo (Acts I to IV) and Malthael (Act V), the Angel of Death. The game includes associate degree journey mode outside the most campaign that permits players to locomote through each on the marketRead MoreSon Of Tears, Chapter by Chapter.3874 Words   |  16 PagesAugustine is in a garden with Alypius, he gets a copy of the New Testament and begins to read. Later, he emotionally breaks down and cries. After losing the strength to weep, he hears the words, Take, read, which he interprets to be a voice of an angel commanding him. He goes to Alypius, who has the New Testament, and randomly selects a verse which rings true in his heart, and he rejoices that he has found what he has been looking for all these years. Chapter 31 Due in part to his health troublesRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesOne Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial caps or all caps. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Robbins, Stephen P. Organizational behavior / Stephen P. Robbins, Timothy A. JudgeRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesJayawardena, â€Å"Migration and Social Change: A Survey of Indian Communities Overseas,† Geographical Review 58, no. 3 (1968): 426–449; Amarjit Kaur, â€Å"Indian Labour, Labour Standards, and Workers’ Health in Burma and Malaya, 1900– 1940,† Modern Asian Studies 40, no. 2 (2006): 425–475; Dudley L. Poston Jr. and Mei-YuYu, â€Å"The Distribution of the Overseas Chinese in the Contemporary World,† International Migration Review 24, no. 3 (1990): 480–508; and various other sources. A  majority of Asians also movedRead MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 PagesEDITOR George Hoffman Lise Johnson Carissa Doshi Dorothy Sinclair Matt Winslow Amy Scholz Carly DeCandia Alana Filipovich Jeof Vita Arthur Medina Allison Morris This book was set in 10/12 New Caledonia by Aptara ®, Inc. and printed and bound by Courier/Westford. The cover was printed by Courier/Westford. This book is printed on acid-free paper. Copyright  © 2009, 2006, 2004, 2001, 1998, 1995, 1992, 1989, 1986, 1981, 1976 John Wiley Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication

The University Of Southern Mississippi - 848 Words

Please accept this personal statement as a part of my application for the doctoral program in criminal justice starting the fall semester of 2016. The University of Southern Mississippi is my ideal location for the achievement of a doctoral degree. I would like to demonstrate my knowledge, experience, and research ability in the field of criminal justice and correctional studies. Having majored in the discipline as a former graduate student, I want to further my education to assist and promote future changes in criminal justice and correctional policy. I am looking forward to the opportunities your program has to offer and I believe my background and perspective in criminal justice will help enrich the program, as well. A wide range of diversity in the field of criminal justice studies is of great importance. As a second-year graduate student, I was given an opportunity to work closely with U.S Probation and Pretrial Services as an intern. This internship allowed me to further my knowledge in correctional studies and provided the necessary resources to complete my master’s thesis. I was also exposed to various policies and procedures pertaining to probation practices while gaining a vast amount of knowledge assisting with investigations, liaisons between state and local agencies, and the intricacies of offender case management. Furthermore, I was able to form close relationships with employees of the agency who have assisted in my current career endeavors.Show MoreRelatedPsychology At The University Of Southern Mississippi939 Words   |  4 PagesWhile studying psychology at the University of Southern Mississippi, I developed an interest in youth psychological health and social well-bein g. As an avid learner, I subsequently became interested in clinical child research and joined Dr. Christopher T. Barry’s Youth Personality and Behavior (YPB) laboratory as a volunteer research assistant during my sophomore year of college. After learning the dynamics of working in a research laboratory, and taking courses such as adolescent, social, developmentalRead MoreWriting And Communication Skills At The University Of Southern Mississippi932 Words   |  4 PagesThough English 102 is a required course for most studies at the University of Southern Mississippi, I hoped for more than just a passing grade. As a business major, I expected to improve my writing and communication skills to better prepare myself for speeches, meetings, and group projects that I will come across during not only my college education, but my professional career as well. I realize that English is essential in my everyday life and for my college classes. English 102 helped me to recognizeRead More Interview With A Interview At A University Of Southern Mississippi School Counseling Program2139 Words   |  9 PagesThe interview was conducted with Mrs. Kim Cruthirds a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi School Counseling Program. I am currently doing my practicum with Mrs. Curthirds at Lumberton Elementary School. She is a new counselor this year with the elementary school. A few years back, she was the counselor in the high school building. Mrs. Curthirds has been a counselor for about 17 years now. Her main practice has been in school counseling, but she has informed me that if she was youngerRead MoreEssay about The Battle of Ole Miss1600 Words   |  7 Pagesgain admission to the Univeristy of Mississippi, ‘Ole Miss’, and desegregate education in the state most resistant to integration of educational institutions, has become a crucial episode in civil rights history. Ole Miss transformed Mississippi politics and contributed to a cultural shift in the region, as well as invigorated local civil rights activists and those in neighboring states 1. The historic showdown between James Meredith and the University of Mississippi gives perspective on the place ofRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Crooked Letter By Tom Franklin1460 Words   |  6 PagesKolokotsas Instructor Ginny Deal CLE 2 04/21/2017 Ole Miss University The University of Mississippi, known colloquially as Ole Miss, is the largest university in Mississippi and one of the largest in South. Ole Miss represents an opportunity for many poor Mississippi students. It has also been a university renowned for its famous authors. The author of the novel, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, Tom Franklin, teaches writingRead More Social Discrimination 1556 Words   |  7 Pages2012, The University of Southern Mississippis basketball team made their first appearance at the NCAA tournament since 1991. The team played against Kansas State University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During the second half of the game, Kansas State was defeating the University of Southern Mississippi, due to their freshman point guard Angel Rodriguez who contributed many points. The Wildcats were leading the game by 70-64. As Angel Rodriguez was performing a free throw, some University of SouthernRead MoreJohn Howards Men Like That Book Review Essay1129 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Howard, John. Men Like That: A Southern Queer History. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1999. (hb). ISBN: 0-226-35471-7. John Howard in his 1999 book Men Like That: A Southern Queer History explores gay and transgendered male-male sexual desire and actions that goes beyond self- identification as being gay and includes those men that are â€Å"like† that and self -label as gay, as well as men who â€Å"like† that and engage in homosexual activity but do not consider themselves gay. Read MoreFlorence Nightingale : An Immense Impact On Nursing1113 Words   |  5 Pagesdegrees of an upcoming nurse should be considered. Usually in the state of Mississippi, there are only so many colleges an uprising nurse may choose to pursue a career in nursing. The two most common universities are the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and the University of South Alabama (USA), but the two most popular community colleges to pursue a nursing career are Pearl River Community College (PRCC) and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC). Prerequisite classes, such as AnatomyRead MoreFlorence Nightingale : An Immense Impact On Nursing1509 Words   |  7 Pagesdegrees of an upcoming nurse should be considered. Usually in the state of Mississippi, there are only so many colleges an uprising nurse may choose to pursue a career in nursing. The two most common universities are the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and the University of South Alabama (USA), but the two most popular community colleges to pursue a nursing career are Pearl River Community College (PRCC) and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC). Prerequisite classes, such as AnatomyRead MoreHistorical Heritage And Regional Identity1732 Words   |  7 Pagesoppressed heritage of someone else? Recently at the University of Mississippi the topic as to continue flying the state flag was put to a vote. The Associated Student Body voted to remove the flag from any and all buildings on campus; the chancellor ultimately decided that the Associated Student Body was right in this decision. The app ropriateness of the Confederate flag has become a major point of dispute in this country. In the state of Mississippi, however, the argument is complicated by the fact

Japanese Food free essay sample

What are major characteristics of traditional Japanese food, and how has it been influenced by geography and religion? Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes throughout Japan. Japanese cuisine is known for its emphasis on seasonality of food, quality of ingredients and presentation. Japanese food is well known all over the world for its low fat and nutritional values. The Japanese food might appear bland and less spicy because they don’t use spices as they prefer to retain the natural tastes of the food. The balance of flavor, freshness, elimination of artificial flavors and retaining the real flavor of the fish, aesthetic beauty of the dish served are the can be attributed as the characteristics of a traditional Japanese meal. Japanese food is said to be seasonal. Vegetables, beverages and fish are consumed according to the climate in Japan. The people in Japan are well accustomed to the seasonal eating habits and it is so popular that even the presentation of the dishes and the ambience on the table changes according to the seasons. We will write a custom essay sample on Japanese Food or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page For ex, using green bowls in spring and using glassware which looks liked chilled with ice cubes in summer and warm wooden bowls in winter are few of the presentations followed by Japanese. Japanese concentrate on quality and presentation rather than quantity, almost all the foods served are served in minimal quantity so that the diner enjoys its quality. There is also famous Japanese saying â€Å"stand up from the table satisfied rather than full† which also indicates the importance of minimalist food intakes which keeps makes up for the healthy diet habits. The Japanese view of a meal is one major characteristic which influences the west as well. Any traditional Japanese meal is made up of a soup, rice bowl, side dish, pickle, sauce and a beverage. Desserts are added to the meal in the later 19th century. Japanese consider a meal should supplement appropriate amounts of vitamins, minerals and protein required so a good Japanese meal should consist of all the above. History and Its Influence: The Japanese food can be categorized as a combination of Chinese and Korean eating habits. Rice is considered as the staple food of Japanese, rice is included in almost every meal in the day. The consumption habits of rice have been descended from the Korean peninsula and the cultivation techniques are learnt from the Chinese. Also tempura a dish from Portuguese has been adopted in Japan through trade. In the Heian period consumption of domestic animal meat has been prohibited and later all the mammals has been included in the prohibition. Few people in mountains used to consume the game and fowl. Hence the entire population was dependent on the marine food which is not categorized as meat. Later in Kamakura Period, which is also known for its Buddhist practices people are forced to eat only vegetables, however apart from Buddhist monks’ people in Japan were not strict on this vegetable diet. In the later 19th century eating meat has been allowed for the general public by the Emperor Meiji. He even went as far as staging a New Years feast with all animal meats in 1872 designed to embrace the Western world. This change in custom was identified as the act to catch up with the western nations. Since the use of cattle was only for plowing even the dairy products are not very popular in Japan. In Meiji’s rule use of dairy products and slaughter houses were introduced. In the 20th century the fast paced lives of Japanese forced them to eat food prepared outside the home to accommodate the eating times into their busy work schedules. This change brought a new revolution into the Japanese Diners to compete with other restaurants. Dinning out became an everyday necessity and it is also considered as a social event to meet and greet people. The food at restaurants is available in either Chinese style where noodles is used as a substitute for rice and meat boiled in broth the other style is the Korean style where the guests boil bitable chunks of meat and noodles on a stove which is arranged on the table, this is also called as hot pot which is being followed in the western countries now a days. Although Japanese are allowed to eat meat, but they preferred marine food as Japanese wanted the food to be fresh and believes that aquatic food is less of fat and more of protein.

Organizational Behavior Management at BMW

Vision The project that will be undertaken will enlarge the knowledge of the existing employees. The employees will be motivated and will be a source of competent and knowledgeable workforce guarantying Bavaria Motor Works (BMW) a steady flow of innovation and competency in handling global motor production.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Organizational Behavior Management at BMW specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Automobile production requires expertise and motivation to gain competitive advantage over competitors (Shatouri, Omar Igusa, 2012). It is the vision of this project to develop a workforce that will be loyal to BMW. Dedicated workers will facilitate the company in its strategic plan to attain a competitive edge in the automobile industry. Objectives The objective of the proposed project is to develop a strategic human resource management concept that will facilitate the company to attain its corporate mission. The objective of BMW is to create an organizational culture that will facilitate the development of skills and loyalty within the employees. In order to attain this objective, the employees will be motivated through a variety of human resource programs. The objective of the company will be assured by the creation of a defined pool of workforce that will meet the demands of customers. Additionally, the human resource function will ensure that the employees are not only financially endowed but also their career and development will have received a new lease. Scope of project The project consists of a variety of aspects. The motivation of employees is the main objective. It is important to acknowledge that motivating a huge workforce is a challenge. The project is a long-term strategy as it is geared towards the development of a pool of knowledge workers. Customers The targeted clients for this project include the upper class as well as middle class consumers of BMW products. Most of BMW adverts are aimed to reach these groups of individuals. In fact, BMW strongly feel that these clients are prone to buying most of its automobile products. Key stakeholders Automobile manufacturing has multiple stakeholders that need to be considered when implementing this project. The manufacturing begins with the designers. Typically, the designers are part of the company workforce. Automobile manufacturing involves teams that collaborate to produce a specific part. The relationship between the teams requires mutuality to be effective. The teams require flexibility and adaptability. Mostly, the teams are task-based and as a result, team authority is placed on each individual to accomplish the task assigned.Advertising Looking for proposal on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The supplier of the automobile is another stakeholder. Once the teams assemble the automobile, they hand it over to the s upplier after the inspection of its functioning. The supplier is responsible for delivering the automobile to the user. The use is subsequently the third stakeholder. Once the automobile has been sold, the stakeholders such as public authorities and insurance companies emerge. Roles and responsibilities of project team resource The role of every team member is well defined. The manufacturing of automobiles requires skills and proficiency. In this respect, it will be imperative for every team member to execute his or her roles with precision. Team members are essential stakeholders in the development of automobiles. The supervisor will be charged with overseeing the accomplishment of tasks. The HR will be the central player in ensuring the success of the initiative. The function will liaise with the finance department to facilitate the implementation of the project. The department will develop a training program that will not interfere with production. Cost and time estimates and all ocation of resources In this project, the purchase of computers will be the most costly expense. The company does not need to build a computer laboratory. One of the rooms in the conference complex will be used for this purpose. Twenty computers will be purchased and installed in the room. All these will cost $30,000. The computers will be customized for use in the automobile industry. Software will be purchased and installed. This will cost the company $20,000. The company will require training manuals and stationery to facilitate training. Every employee will be handed a hardcopy of the training manual. Additionally, they will be availed with a softcopy of the same for mobility purposes. The computer will include a server that will be remotely accessible through the internet. The initial training will require the company to hire external service. Currently, the company does not have a trainer for the proposed initiative. The company will eventually employ an expert to train the em ployees upon the success of the pilot project. The success of the initiative in other companies is the driving force for the project. Competitors have realized the importance of integrating the employees in propelling companies to higher performance levels. The initiative requires the development of technology-based culture.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Organizational Behavior Management at BMW specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The company must commit substantial amount of money to fund the project. The human resource department will be an essential resource towards the realization of the objective. The department will facilitate the creation of knowledge workers for the long-term benefits of the company. Since the project involves workers, the human resource manager will develop a schedule for training attendance. The production activities will not be significantly impacted by the absence of some of the in dividuals. Major project milestones, delivery dates and criticality of milestones Any project requires being measurable in terms of delivery of the objectives. Investing in the project will cost the company a substantial amount of money. Naturally, the shareholders will require the realization of return on investments. In order to substantiate the investment the shareholders will make on the project, it is imperative to use assessment tools that will demonstrate that the project is important in the end. The approach to demonstrating that the project is significant in the attainment of competitive advantage will be facilitated by the utilization of performance appraisal tools. The utilization of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) will be instrumental for this project. It is expected that between January 2014 and September 2014, Development Productivity (DP) will have improved by over 10 percent. The DP is the function points per man day and per platform annually. The quality of automo biles manufactured will have improved by 30 percent with innovative automobiles. The milestones will be important in addressing a transformational approach to the Application Development and Maintenance. This will be achieved by actively engaging a culture of constant progression via performance measurement. The changes that will be introduced by this program require tracking and comparative analysis with time. In order to enhance comparability with previous performance, function points will be necessary. The milestones that the project is expected to deliver include the production of modern sports utility vehicles having the ‘greener future’ features. This means that the development teams will be expected to suggest and develop the contemporary engineering applications in automobile manufacturing. Technological changes experienced globally means that individuals in every global location will demand the BMW products.Advertising Looking for proposal on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In view of the increasing demand for modern and convenient automobiles, it is imperative for BMW to focus on the delivery of novel automobiles. Since the project does not require the recruitment and training of new staff, it will take significantly minimal time to implement the HRM strategy. WBS Number Task Name WBS Description Must Start by Date Must End by Date Task Level of Effort (in hours) Task Duration (in days) Predecessor (Finish-to-Start Dependency) (comma separated) Resource Name(s) Author (of Item for follow-on questions) 1 Infrastructure The task requires the installation of training equipment. These include computers and local area network 01.01.2014 29.02.2014 120 20 Financial 2 Training The staff requires to be trained on the adoption of organizational change 01.03.2014 30.06.2014 180 30 Human and financial 3 Assessment The attitudes of the employees require assessing to determine whether or not further training is necessary 01.08.2014 30.08.2014 30 5 Hu man 4 performance appraisal Individual performance of the employees to determine whether or not the change has any significant improvement on performance 01.09.2014 30.09.2014 30 5 Human 5 Quarterly training This will be necessary to establish a culture of loyalty and commitment to the company 01.01.2015 Infinite 0 Human and financial The milestones achieved through this project will be determined by the satisfaction levels of the employees and shareholders. The attitude of the employees will change. The sense of teamwork will be developed in the employees. The accumulation of knowledge gained through the initiative will present the employees with essential innovation skills. As a result, the company will gain competitive advantage over competitors. Knowledge workers will facilitate the development of green technology automobiles. This will move the company towards sustainable development. Main dependencies, risks, issues and assumptions The human perspective is critic al in automobile manufacturing. The dimension is the most essential component for success. The management plays a fundamental role in the motivation and engagement of the team members to be innovative and collaborative towards a common objective. Effective production of an automobile depends on the ability of the management to define and explain the objectives of the company. It then plays a central role in sharing the means to achieve the objective. BMW management requires motivating the employees to take challenging courses with the aim of attaining the highest degree of competence. The employees need to feel as part of the company. As the company develops, the employees should also develop financially and professionally. Inherently, the approach proposed in this project has many benefits compared to the risks the approach attracts. The costs of producing an automobile are lowered significantly. The risks involved are multiple but preventable. The project seeks to ensure that the level of engaging outside expertise is minimized. The company will depend on the employees for profitability, innovativeness and growth (Lopez-Nicolas Mero-Cerdian, 2011). The success of the project will be the creation of loyalty and commitment to meet the objectives of the company. However, this does not guarantee the retaining of employees. There are companies that often poach skilled employees from other companies (Zapata Nieuwenhuis, 2010). This poses a major risk for this project. Consequently, it will be imperative for BMW to ensure that the employees are appropriately compensated. The company will also ensure that the employees are satisfied with their performance. Irrespective of the remuneration the employees receive, employees need to be psychologically settled when performing their roles. Dissatisfied employees are a recipe to the failure of any company. The cooperation of the management is critical towards ensuring minimal employee turnover. Planning and managing a pr oject involves a variety of risks. The most important risk is the failure of the project to deliver the projected outcomes. This is often brought about by the failure of the management to commit significant efforts in terms of resources. All kinds of projects require funding. It is hence important for the management to establish a pool of financial resources to mitigate the stalling of the project. Another risk hat faces this project is the prospect of the employees resistance to change. In fact, change is usually unwelcomed in the organizational settings. Most of the employees have worked with BMW for years. The introduction of the proposed human resource approach is bound to face resistance from employees who feel threatened. Inherently, the project will entail training of staff. However, the training will involve aspects that some employees may consider undesirable. In order to diminish the effects of resistance from employees, it is essential for the human resource function to c ommunicate to the employees about the importance of the proposed organizational change. Approved project budget BMW management realizes the need for the creation of knowledge workforce. Currently, the initiative to move towards this objective may appear expensive but the benefits from the project will surpass the costs three-fold. Competitors have been implementing such projects as a long-term strategy for sustainable development in the increasingly competitive automobile industry. Description Cost (US dollar) Computers 30,000 Software 10,000 Stationery 2,000 Training expenses 8,000 Total 50,000 In addition to the above expenses, the management has factored in the miscellaneous expenses such as consultation fees. The amount set aside for this purpose is $1000. Upon effective implementation of the project, the company has considered increasing the salary packages for employees who will demonstrate innovation. References Lopez-Nicolas, C., Mero-Cerdian, L. (2011). Str ategic knowledge management, innovation and performance. International Journal of Information Management, 31(6), 502–509. Shatouri, R., Omar, R., Igusa, K. (2012). Towards a new era of sustainability in the automotive industry: Strategic human resource management and green technology innovation. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, 69(2), 217-222. Zapata, C., Nieuwenhuis, P. (2010). Exploring innovation in the automotive industry: New technologies for cleaner cars. Journal of Cleaner Production, 18(1), 14– 20. This proposal on Organizational Behavior Management at BMW was written and submitted by user Night Thrasher to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Art of Prejudice essays

The Art of Prejudice essays Music is a form of art that allows lyricists to express themselves and through their personal feelings with words. Feelings that result from the loss of a family member to hating the dog for eating a favorite pair of shoes. For whatever the personal feelings may put into a tempo of beats then it is considered a form of music. What happens to feelings when they are too personal? For instance, hating of another race, using words such as bitch,hoe or nigga? What does this prove? These derogative lyrics can enforce racial stereotypes that are presented throughout the listeners of these lyrics. Some lyrics can cause problems of prejudice in the streets of the United States. Young children and their friends mimic the lyrics from their favorite rapper repeating the exact same profound language. In childrens minds, they will believe it is all right to repeat such language if their role model is doing it. Role models such as; Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and Kid Rock all have the same derogat ive lyrics that may be represented as contributing to the problems of prejudice. From rap to hip-hop to rock and roll, different genres of music are contributing to the problems of prejudice in our society today. For example, rapper and producer, Eminem, has been in the eyes of the media since the beginning of his career because of the language and visuals he portrays on his records. Songs such as Kim and My Name Is has brought controversy to the media because of the lyrics used on these songs. Constant name-calling and humility of gays, overweight people, and pop icons has contributed to Eminems popularity towards listeners. His hatred towards pop icons such as Christina Aguilera and NSYNC has basically shown his listeners that it is all right to hate people who are different. There is a huge dilemma with Elton John being gay, Eminem disagreeing with his decision to be ga...

Happiness is… 7 Ways to Increase Your Contentment and Well-Being

Happiness is†¦ 7 Ways to Increase Your Contentment and Well-Being I have experienced a definite rise in my happiness level over the past year. I attribute it to personal growth work I’ve done, starting with the Transform! Training with Wright in Chicago, which I recommend to everyone. I attribute my increased sense of well-being to a new willingness to express my emotions honestly and with much less drama than I have in the past. I experience having more to talk about and less to be afraid of in relationships. I have more fun. I had judged my increased contentment as a purely personal phenomenon until I discovered that the entire world is getting happier! Flipping through the September issue of Success Magazine, I read that 71% of the world, according to the 2013 Gallup World Poll, reports experiencing positive emotions such as enjoyment, laughter, smiles, restfulness and respect; this number is up from 69% in 2012. Many people have written about happiness, and there is even a movie or two about it. Perhaps one of my first lessons in happiness came from the musical â€Å"You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown† in the song â€Å"Happiness Is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Click here to listen on YouTube). Here are the lyrics (which for some reason skip over â€Å"Happiness is a warm puppy† – but we know that one is true too!) Happiness is finding a pencil. Pizza with sausage. Telling the time. Happiness is learning to whistle. Tying your shoe for the very first time. Happiness is playing the drum in your own school band. And happiness is walking hand in hand. Happiness is two kinds of ice cream. Knowing a secret. Climbing a tree. Happiness is five different crayons. Catching a firefly. Setting him free. Happiness is being alone every now and then. And happiness is coming home again. Happiness is morning and evening, Daytime and night time too. For happiness is anyone and anything at all that’s loved by you. Happiness is having a sister. Sharing a sandwich. Getting along. Happiness is singing together when the day is through, And happiness is those who sing with you. Happiness is morning and evening, daytime and nighttime too. For happiness is anyone and anything at all that’s loved by you. [spoken] You’re a good man, Charlie Brown Although others have sung that happiness is a warm gun, I prefer the child-like sentiment of the Charlie Brown characters. They understand that objects, situations and people can bring us happiness if we choose to have them bring us happiness. I’m encouraged that more people are enjoying life, and, I imagine, appreciating things both big and small. Happiness, according to Gallup, is a valuable indicator of social unrest. Syria, for instance, had a 46% happiness rating in 2012 and that number plummeted 10 percentage points in 2013 to reach the bottom of the list. I certainly don’t know what Syrians can do to increase their happiness levels; I imagine it’s a chicken or egg phenomenon, where unhappiness breeds unrest and unrest breeds unhappiness. But for those of us in the United States (78%), especially those of us who lead relatively peaceful lives, it’s worth taking a look at what we can do to make our lives more enjoyable. Happiness in the world of Charlie Brown is easy to come by. And I think it can be easy to come by for most of us. Here are some things I believe can lead us in the â€Å"more happiness† direction: Responsibly express a full range of emotions. When we can recognize our fear, anger, sadness, pain and joy, and share those with others, we become more connected as human beings. Emotions are something we can all understand. We need to take responsibility for our experiences as opposed to being dramatic about our anger, hurt and pain. And if we can find the right balance, our communications can become much more intimate and satisfying. Take risks. Taking risks makes me feel alive. I don’t mean jumping off cliffs or out of airplanes; I mean saying or doing something I would not normally say or do, even though I’m terrified. It can be as simple for me as asking for a discounted admission to a gym when I’m traveling, even though I â€Å"know† I won’t get it (I got $5 off a $15 entrance fee). Or asking men to dance with me at a local street festival (I had more fun than I ever did waiting for men to ask me!). These acts of challenge get my heart pumping almost as much as if I were about to jump off an actual cliff. Break rules. As a historical rule-follower, I find that breaking unspoken or sometimes explicit rules can make my life a lot more fun. I have rules like I should not speak until someone else does – but speaking first or interrupting someone often makes a greater contribution to a conversation than waiting silently. I have a â€Å"rule† that I should not tell someone something I don’t like about them – but when I tell them, they often explain their behavior to me or even change it on the spot, creating more intimacy and connection. I used to have a â€Å"rule† that I should go to every event at a conference, especially the meals. But at my last conference, I went to a yoga class during lunch one day, and I’m glad I did! I’m discovering that there are many opportunities on a daily basis to break rules that are not serving me, and I definitely feel happier doing things differently. Celebrate your victories. Martin Seligman, Ph.D., founder of the positive psychology movement, determined that people who wrote down their positive experiences before bedtime every day for a week, and analyzed why they went well, increased their happiness for six months! Simply taking time to reflect on three good things that happened during your day will help you sleep better and increase your overall sense of well-being. Trust people. Cynicism, defined as the â€Å"belief that self-interest is the main motivation for other people’s actions† leads to dementia and higher mortality rates, according to a study in Finland by Anna-Maija Tolppanen, Ph.D. Previous reports have linked cynicism to heart disease. So if you are a cynic, and if you want to be happier and healthier, it’s time to literally change your mind! Focus on positive meaning. Going through life, there are a lot of things to â€Å"do.† Shawn Achor, a Harvard-trained researcher and author of Before Happiness, says we experience up to three times higher levels of productivity in our business lives when we focus on feelings of accomplishment, helping people, social connection, or the thrill of a sale. I imagine the same goes for our social lives. Focus on the bigger picture and the positive goal, and that â€Å"to do† list becomes a happiness generator instead of a drag! Set yourself up to win. If you’re like me, you like to accomplish goals, as opposed to fail at meeting them. One big key to accomplishing more goals is making them achievable in the first place! There’s no reason to go for a big goal and not celebrate until you meet it. There are a LOT of steps along the way to getting there. So rather than setting a goal of clearing out an entire basement, start with a goal like emptying one bin or box a day. That way you get to celebrate every day when you empty that one container, and before you know it you will have a much cleaner basement! You can have multiple wins every day just because you say you’ve won. This list of ways to increase our happiness is by no means comprehensive, but it sure is a good start. Charlie Brown’s experience of happiness is completely attainable in the non-cartoon world, and I for one want to live in a world where the simple things create more happiness. If more people take steps toward happiness, will Gallup find another uptick in 2014? What makes me happy is to think that the numbers will keep climbing.

Economic and Social Inequality in the United States and the Use of Essay - 2

Economic and Social Inequality in the United States and the Use of Urban Sociology in the Effectively Tackling of these Challenges - Essay Example As such, although economic and social inequalities fundamentally have a number of key differences between them, it is my wish, however, to study the two concurrently as there exists a close link between them. For there to be social development across the US, it is my belief that the government must develop pertinent public policies designed to try and arrest the rampant wealth inequality in the country as well as promote a more equitable distribution of the various benefits of economic growth. According to Jayapalan (59), most economic issues in the urban areas emanate from social issues. At the same time, most social issues also emanate from the problems found in the urban areas. For instance, low employment rates can lead to the development of certain social issues and social structures such as the development of informal or low-quality residential areas. In turn, these areas are more likely to be affected by social issues such as insecurity, poor drainage, and poor health issues. Urban sociology is, therefore, a very important course for me as a student of political economy because it will help me in understanding how social structures develop naturally and how they can be assessed and solved. By studying this course, I will be able to look at the various issues which affect the social structures of an urban community and how these factors affect the economy of the place. Issues such as livelihood and the provision of social services in the urban areas will be best unde rstood by looking at these issues can be well understood. By combining Soc. 136—Urban Sociology with the other courses such as Public Policy 190: Poverty and Inequality, Sociology 130AC: Social Inequalities: American Cultures and International and Area Studies 150: Poverty and Social policy, it will be possible to understand how social issues in urban areas can be solved.

Marketing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Strategy - Essay Example Firstly, it presents the current situation of the world of luxury watch brands. This primarily comprises of the market share of the luxury brands of the world. Then it makes an analysis of the various product lines of the brand. A discussion of the way in which the market is segmented by the brand and the purpose of such segmentation have been presented. The environmental analysis of the brand presents the nature of external environment in which the company operates. Then a competitive analysis has been provided to identify the brands which have been posing threat to the brand. This has been done using the contemporary tools and techniques of marketing. Having done this the project proposes suitable recommendations or changes in its marketing strategies. This includes the market segment that the brand should target, the introduction of new styles and designs, the use of technology and the use of best price. This has been done keeping in view the future welfare of the company and the ensuring the welfare of the stakeholders. The World Watch Market The number of millionaires in the world has doubled since 1996. The increase in spending of the customers has resulted in the rise in prices of all kinds of commodities. The luxurious consumer demonstrates a high growth in their propensity of spending. â€Å"In 2006 the typical consumer's spending on luxury items rose 6.6% to reach $56,065, following an increase of 3.8% in spending in 2005† (Aginsky, 2008). USA comprises of a major portion of the market for luxury brands and is expected to expand even further. The following figure shows the market shares of the premium brands of watches in the world. Figure 1: Market Share of the luxury brands of watches of the world (Source: Europa Star, 2005) The number of watches sold in Shanghai amounts to 1.5 million approximately in a year. The sale amounts to 55 million euro. However, 45% of the sales comprises of imports. Although Shanghai’s production of watches remain high, even then the city’s demand for foreign watches remain substantially high. This reflects the reason for the growth of the watch markets in the world. The people’s growing concern for design, style and image constitutes the main reason behind the success of the luxury watch brands of the world. Watches are considered to be fashion accessories and style symbols (Europa Star, 2005). Omega is one of the most popular brands among the high income individuals of the world. â€Å"In the mid-range, Longines, Titoni and Oris lead the field† (Europa Star, 2005). Domestic brands like Casio and Swatch have also grown in demand recently. Another place where the watch market has progressed considerably is Russia. The rise in sales of luxury watches was 39% in the year 2007. This time was considered to be most valuable time for the progress of the watch market. In fact the sale of Swiss watches had increased considerably during the same time. Research reveals that the market conditions of the world was phenomenal and served as the most promising factor towards the flourish of the luxury brands market. The demand for luxury watches rose substantially in Russia, Asia, Middle East, and in America (Aginsky, 2008). Investigation and Analysis Portfolio Analysis Launching of new product lines at different points of time have been the key strategic moves made by the brand. In 2009, Rolex launched a

Courage can be applied and used in almost every aspect of life Essay Example for Free

Courage can be applied and used in almost every aspect of life Essay Definitions are meant to help us understand different concepts all around us. A definition allows us to communicate something that needed to be said. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition of the word definition is â€Å"the action of defining, or stating exactly what a thing is, or what a word means† in a sense where it will help us understand its meaning. Definitions provide insight to the meaning of something. At times we may feel like we know a word but cannot clearly come up with a way to define it and that is when definitions come into play providing clarity for a word. They help us understand everything around us, from peoples ideas to their feelings, to all sorts of concepts of ideology and life. Without definitions we would not know what anything would be, mean, act for, and so on. Definitions are an essential part of life that helps us cope with many things by helping us understand a broader perspective of objects and ideas. As a freshman in English class, one of our assignments was to read â€Å"Solitude and Leadership† by William Deresiewicz which is an extended definition of the words solitude and leadership. William Deresiewicz used different methods to define the two words including quotes, examples, characteristics, and reference to Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, which in my case was one of the hardest novels I had to read. One of the definitions Deresiewicz gives us is â€Å"solitude means being alone, and leadership necessitates the presence of others†, both words contradicting themselves. Deresiewicz uses a series of characteristics to define the words, which included words such as courage, independence, thinking, creativity, honor, concentration, honesty, introspection, friendship, and morality among others. Courage was one characteristic that stood out to me. Courage can be interpreted in many ways. According to the Oxford English Dictionary one way, courage is defined as â€Å"the heart as a seat of feeling, thought, etc.; spirit, mind, disposition, nature.† Another definition that was provided was that courage is â€Å"applied to a persons spirit† and yet another definition was â€Å"spirit, liveliness, lustiness, vigor, vital force or energy.† All three definitions contained the word â€Å"spirit† in them, and I believe that ones spirit is really important in relation to courage because it is what keeps  us going. I can say that courage drives our spirit because without courage we would not do the many things that we have done and will do. For example, we would not talk to someone we really like without having the courage to go up to him or her right? According to the essay by Deresiewics, there is two types of courage one being â€Å"physical† which he says we â€Å"all possess in abundance† and â€Å"moral courage†, which is the courage that allows us to â€Å"stand up† for what we â€Å"believe† (175). Courage drives us to the many things we do in everyday life whether it is something simple like having â€Å"the courage to argues† our â€Å"ideas† or something adventurous like skydiving (175). To myself, courage contains some of the same characteristics, but I can out it into different words. Courage is a quality of mind or spirit that leads one to make certain decisions. Defining courage this way makes much more sense to me. Courage is very important because without it we probably would not be in certain situations we are in. For example, without courage I would not be three hundred ninety four miles away from home all on my own living with someone who was once a complete stranger to me. I believe that that took tons of courage from me. Without courage many of us would not be away home our homes starting our college careers, which will prepare us for our future careers. Courage is a drive one must have to keep our spirit going. As a freshman in college, I have set goals that I hope to achieve by the end of the year. I believe that courage can help achieve many goals. For example, one of my goals is to leave here with the courage to take up more rigorous classes next year. Taking up more challenging courses is definitely going to require courage because college can already be difficult for some and taking up more can be a harder task. Another goal I wish to accomplish is to learn from all that will be done this year and apply it to the future. This goal can also take a bit of courage because learning from mistakes and applying the experience onto the future can be difficult. Courage is a really important characteristic to contain. No matter what age or situation, courage is extremely important, just having the mentality of wanting to do something and being able to do it says a lot about a person’s character. After reading the â€Å"Solitude and Leadership† I suddenly realize that there  are many things that take part in building character. Courage goes a very long way. It helps us decide on certain ideas, gestures, etc. Being able to take the essay and go onto defining a word in my own terms, like in the essay, took courage because many people can judge my ideology but having that courage the author spoke about and arguing for my own idea took courage. Courage can be applied and used in almost every aspect of life. Sometimes all you need in life is a bit of courage to get you through a certain situation in life because â€Å"at such moments, all you really have is yourself† (182). Works Cited â€Å"definition, n.†. OED Online. 2012. Oxford University Press. 29 October 2012 . â€Å"courage, n.†. OED Online. 2012. Oxford University Press. 29 October 2012 . Deresiewicz, William. â€Å"Solitude and Leadership.† The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2011. Ed. Dave Eggers. New York: Houghton, 20122. 169-182. Print.

Amazon.com and Business Essay -- Essays Papers

Mido Abstract: Amazon.com is an On-line retailer of, originally, books. The company was established as a micro enterprise in the US in 1994. Since then it has enjoyed rapid expansion in all aspects of its operations, including business turnover, and a spectacular rise in share value since public floatation in 1997. New on-line sites based in Germany and UK and a distribution centre in Amsterdam were established in 1998 to cater for European markets. On August 30, 2000 Amzon.com launched its third site outside the US, Amazon.fr in France. Amazon.com sells only on-line and is essentially an information broker. It holds a relatively small, though increasing, inventory and outsources most aspects of its operations (but not IT). The key to its operation is to offer value added and sophisticated customised services, a continuously expanding catalogue of products in terms of both quantity and range, and deep discounts. Alliances and partnerships with publishers, other on-line retailers and technology prov iders are therefore strategic. The ambition of the company today is to become a premier general on-line retailer by leveraging on its existing brand and business model. Amazon.com: Business Overview History When founder and CEO Jeff Bezos studied retailing opportunities on the Internet, he decided on books because there was a broad field of book publishers but too many titles to be carried by a single store. Everyone reads books but has different preferences about what s/he wants to read. Although Jeff Bezos had no previous experience in the book trade, he saw a business opportunity in selling books solely on the Web. He started the company out of his garage in a Seattle suburb, wrapping orders and then delivering them to the post office in the family car. The characteristics of the books retailing industry make it amenable to electronic commerce: a great variety of products and consumer tastes, and tastes which hanker after a lot of information about the products. Moreover, there is room for bringing down margins, i.e. offering customers deep discounts. Jeff Bezos picked the name Amazon because it is the biggest river on earth. He wanted his on-line bookstore to become "Earth's Biggest Bookstore", but without the need to stock vast quantities of books. Amazon.com would be lean, fit but hungry. A screenshot of Amazon.com's very first hom... ....uk, covers liability up to  £50. Privacy Policy Amazon.com's privacy statement details what information it collects from users when placing an order or signing onto a specific service. When Amazon recently (September 2000) changed its privacy policy, it decided to inform all its customers proactively by e-mail, rather than just updating the policy on site, as is common Web practice. IT infrastructure Substantially all of Amazon.com's computer and communications hardware is located at its physical site in Seattle, USA. Amazon.com uses an internally developed system for its Website and substantially all aspects of transaction processing, including:  · Order management  · Cash and credit card processing  · Purchasing  · Inventory management  · Shipping. Amazon.com uses Netscape Secure Commerce Server over SSL for order and customer accounts management. Customers' credit card information is stored in a separate machine connected to the Commerce Server via a proprietary one-way interface. It runs a RealAudio Server over TCP with media stream transmission via UDP for supplying sound clips. Shipping carriers DHL, Purolator, UPS and US Postal Service.

Racism: Black People and Tate Taylor Essay

The blacks are considered by the white society as worthless slaves who have no choice but to be a housemaid or slave. Racism has been a popular issue for many years, and has caused many blacks to suffer because of their outward appearance. Aibileen faces as a victim to racial comments in the movie â€Å"The Help† directed by Tate Taylor which took place in the 1960’s in Jackson, Mississippi. Aibileen is a maid. African American housemaid who has just experienced the loss of her son and has raised about 17 children as a maid. Blacks did not have the equal rights like the white society caused many to have education for money. This essay will show to a large extent the struggles Aibileen goes through, and through camera angles, dialogue, it will provide in detail why Tate Taylor used Aibileen to communicate to the viewers the problem of racism has on our society. Racism has caused blacks to differ from the white society. The impact of racism back in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi provides the struggle of an individual name Aibileen an African American house maid through a white society. Aibileen in scene one talks about how she lost her only son and was left laying dead in front of a white hospital. As a mother their responsibility is to protect and ensure the child’s safety is their first priority. Tate Taylor uses a point of view shot on the wall in scene one which sows the picture of her son and a frame of Jesus Christ to enable the viewers to see how severe the issue about racism can lead to. The blacks are treated unfairly and the white society takes advantage of the situation by ensuring blacks would be their maid to do their dirty work. In scene two you see a mid and long shot was used on Aibileen and Mae Mobley. It allows the viewers to see the foreshadow between scene one and scene two when she loses her son, and comforting the baby girl she looks after. Tate Taylor suggests by using a long shot on them shows the sense of loss Aibileen has experienced ascertain the idea of sympathy towards Aibileen. When problems become piled up one by one you start to realize the only way through it is standing up for yourself. In the get together party in scene three a few girls all had a reunion which we see Skeeter joining in. Hilly makes a racist remark on black people carrying diseases which Aibileen can clearly hear from a distance. A point of view shot was used from Skeeter to Aibileen to see her reaction towards Hilly’s comment. This camera angle was used clearly to express the disappointment on Aibileen’s face and how racism can hurt others mentally and emotionally. As the scene went on the maids are at first reluctant to talk to Skeeter because the result of them losing their jobs and violence can affect their families. Aibileen was first to tell her stories which foreshadowed their way out to starting a new life. By the end of the film when Skeeter books are finally Alvin. S published, Aibileen loses her job and walks off. Tate Taylor uses an establishing shot while Aibileen walks off to indicate to the viewers that while she is leaving she is also starting a new life. This angle was used effectively to deliberately allow the viewers to see that a fresh new start is what Aibileen really needs. Dialogue gives the viewers a vital idea of decisions made by Aibileen. Dialogue is crucial because it provides us with tension and suspense to what is going to happen. Aibileen from the beginning in scene one knew she would become a maid. She saws â€Å"my mama was a maid; my grandmamma was a house slave†. Back in 1960’s in Jackson, Mississippi the blacks ever want was fair treatment towards their society. Skeeter is used by Tate Taylor to provide the viewers the perspective of Aibileen as a black house maid. For many, blacks are afraid to stand up for what they believe in but Aibileen says to Hilly â€Å"All you do scare and lie to dry and get what you want: Hilly is used by the director to be the antagonist of the film and this quote by Aibileen shows the tension and anger that was bottled up inside Aibileen. â€Å"I aint never had no white person in my house† shows the contrast between both the white and the black society. Dialogue is very crucial for communication which allows the viewers to understand and critically know the situation in the film â€Å"The Help†. At the last scene of the film Hilly persuades Elizabeth to fire Aibileen as her housemaid. The quotes â€Å"My boy Trelaw said we gonna have a writer in the family on day, I guess it’s gonna be me† This establishes the struggles of Aibileen and portrays the idea that maybe one day she could retell the painful she experience she encountered as a housemaid. Dialogues show many views and angles and establish conflict and tension to effectively show a critical issue between Aibileen and the white society that surrounds her. In conclusion: Racism is an issue that still happens to this very day and is something most people all have witnessed. Like the Film â€Å"The Help† racism has a big influence on people in our society we live in today and through dialogue and camera techniques, Tate Taylor uses it effectively to help communicate the struggles of Aibileen as an individual but with support and faith she overcomes the obstacles that society throws at her.

Community Organization Reflective Paper Essay

Every little change counts, and this is what I have learned after watching this video. A few people that are committed are better than having thousands of people that do not care about anything. This is like having few people that are willing to accept change than people who embraces the old system for fear of losing what they already have. The capitalists out there though don’t seem to mind groups made of small numbers of people because of their number as they fight for social change in their area. Social change when defined is a change that is happening in the environment, in our society, in the way we deal with other people, changes in the society or within the community. There are certainly good and bad sides of social change, including having social movements and social community organization that tries to work with it. One example of social change and the movement that is associated with it is the equal right movement for blacks in the United States. There was also the movement that was established for the right of women to vote or the suffrage right for women. It only means that social change can happen globally or within the locality and it can be caused by certain aspects like religion or economic or social forces that we encounter from time to time. We also have what we call progressive organizing which is about defending the weak and providing for the needy in an attempt to have a balance world (Rubin & Rubin 2008, p.4). With progressive organizing, everyone is equal hence there is no racial discrimination and they have everyone and accepts everyone regardless of their culture and gender preference or skin color. These people are bonded with one goal and they have one belief in attaining their goal. With progressive organizing, the inequality among people and progression is being eliminated hence allowing for a more balance society both financially and economically. But there are things that even this type of movement needs in  order to succeed like infrastructure, financial assistance or fund, good leaders, trusted members and supporters that are willing to help at all costs, one vision and goal and shared value (Hardisty & Perea, 2005). Just like progressive organizing, we also have community organizing where in members of the community forms a group together to protect themselves and their love ones from possible social issues within the community. Community organizations are established with the goals that everyone is aware of like policies and rules within the community. The role of community organization is to involve everyone in the community and make them create actions for their own good. Most of the community organizations that we have are established by non-profit organizations to make people in the area work together. The key for a community organization to work is to make sure everyone is involved, empowered and aware of the importance of their presence. Here are the ten concepts that we need to have when organizing a community group: -the power to make something happen -the capability to make everyone work for the group and not for themselves alone hence makes them participate -having leadership trainings to develop members that shows potential leadership capability -to make them aware of the current political condition hence political education should be provided -give strategies on how to achieve goals -to make people do something, mobilization or making thing happen -to make them do the action, let the members participate and do their job themselves -to be a winner meaning they are achieving their goals as they wanted -to do evaluation and assessment because through assessment can they figure out which action works and which one not. From then, they can move on and improve on the current action they have and do better the next time they have a project to work on with (Getsos & Minieri, 2007). Social community groups can start by doing something that they believe is right for their community like having curfews for their children. Once the goal is established, the members can share responsibilities like who will guard the community exits and entrances to ensure that everyone is home at the said hour. Individual member can now play their role, select the part they want to play and do it for the common goodness of their community. I knew a  community where in everyone is encouraged to participate in buying the products of their fellow members before choosing other products from the market especially when it comes to fruits and vegetables which is actually good because they can now buy fresh fruits and vegetables while at the same time helping their co-members earn something. Social change is needed because there is a social problem hence in order for a social change to take effect, we must understand first the social problem we have. Identify the problem that you are havin g in the society and community and make sure that it is in fact a problem and not just a part of your cultural heritage like maybe part of your prejudistic personality. If you have a clear problem in the community, then it will be easier to device a resolution for it and this time, make sure that everyone on the organization is ready to participate and are willing to be empowered. References Hardisty, J. & Perea, A. (2005). Mapping the Progressive Movement. Retrieved from:http://www.jeanhardisty.com/essay_mappingtheprogressivemovement.html Rubin, Herbert J., and Rubin, Irene S: (2008)Community Organizing and Development; Pearson Education, Inc. New York, NY. Getsos, P. & Minieri, J. (2007). Community Organizing- what do we mean?., Chardon Press., Retrieved from: http://archive.changemakers.com/media/docs/0133_Community_Organizing.pdf 21st Century Enlightenment (2011). Retrieved from: http://comment.rsablogs.org.uk/videos/

Gender discrimination in US Politics essays

Gender discrimination in US Politics essays The concept of "a sense of place" denotes more than physical space. In sociological terms, a sense of space refers to the meanings people attach to the place or environment. This thus includes the orientation of people towards that place, the understandings and feelings that people generally attach to that environment (Hummon 253). These meanings could take on different forms. In some contexts, the sense of place could be a cohesive force that pulls people together into a community. In other cases, the sense of place may involve alienation, resulting in people who do not identify with a certain space or who may be prevented from full participation (Hummon 278). This concept of a sense of place as alienation can be seen at work in the United States Congress. When Congress was initially convened in 1774, women could not vote, much less hold office. Both the Senate and the Lower House acquired a very strong masculine sense of space. It would not be until 1917 when a woman would break into this masculine space. Today, there 13 women in the Senate and 59 women in the Lower House (Elvin). This could be seen as a sign of improvement, since there are more women serving in the 108th United States Congress than at any other time in history. However, despite the record numbers, women constitute only 16 percent of the legislators in the country. Furthermore, the number of women holding office in the state level has dropped by 12 percent this year In fact, despite the record increase, the United States trails its European counterparts and many other developing nations in terms of women in Congress. Despite its global economic dominance, the United States trails five dozen other countries in the percentage of women serving in national legislatures. Furthermore, the United States has not had a female Thus, despite recent advancements, the Uni ...

El boletín de visas para el mes agosto de 2019

El boletà ­n de visas para el mes agosto de 2019 El boletà ­n de visas, que actualiza cada mes el Departamento de Estado, es fundamental  para las personas que estn esperando por su tarjeta de residencia permanente en determinadas categorà ­as de solicitudes por familia o por trabajo, ya que significa que la espera ha terminado y se inicia la fase final de la tramitacià ³n. En este artà ­culo se explica para quà © tipo de peticiones de tarjeta de residencia, tambià ©n conocida como green card,  es relevante el boletà ­n de visas y quà © hacer si por edad o por matrimonio se cambia de categorà ­a. Asimismo, se informa sobre la  diferencia entre dates for filing y   final action date, cul es el boletà ­n de visas actual y  cà ³mo  entenderlo. Finalmente, quà © esperar una vez que se inicia la fase final de la tramitacià ³n de la solicitud de la green card. Para quà © peticiones es importante el boletà ­n de visas El boletà ­n de visas es relevante para todas las categorà ­as de peticià ³n de tarjetas de residencia permanente por familia o por trabajo para las que existe un là ­mite mximo que puede ser aprobado por aà ±o fiscal. En otras palabras, esto quiere decir que  no aplica a las peticiones de ciudadanos estadounidenses para sus hijos solteros menores de 21 aà ±os, cà ³nyuges o padres, ya que la ley no establece un là ­mite para esas solicitudes. Estas peticiones se tramitan sin espera y, en la actualidad, el proceso desde su inicio al fin es, aproximadamente, de doce meses. Por el contrario el boletà ­n de visa a aplica a las siguientes solicitudes de peticiones por familia: de ciudadano para hijo soltero mayor de 21 aà ±os, que se conoce como F1de residente permanente para cà ³nyuge y/o hijo soltero menor de 21 aà ±os, que se conoce como F2Ade residente permanente para hijo soltero mayor de 21 aà ±os, que se conoce F2Bde ciudadano para hijo casado de cualquier edad, que se conoce como F3de ciudadano para hermano, que se conoce como F4 Es posible cambiar de categorà ­a. Esto se debe a que la demora puede ser muy larga  y las circunstancias personales de la persona pedida o del solicitante  cambian. Por ejemplo, si un residente permanente solicita a un hijo soltero mayor de 21 aà ±os y durante la espera el residente se convierte en ciudadano por naturalizacià ³n, sucederà ­a que el hijo pedido pasarà ­a de estar en la categorà ­a F2B a ser un F1. Es conveniente notificar  estos cambios al USCIS mediante una carta.   Adems, tener en cuenta que algunos cambios implican que la solicitud de los papeles no va a llegar a buen resultado. Por ejemplo, si un residente pide a un hijo soltero y à ©ste se casa durante la espera de los papeles, la peticià ³n se convierte en nula.   Finalmente, el boletà ­n de visas aplica en todas las categorà ­as de peticiones de tarjeta de residencia por trabajo. Diferencias entre Dates for filing y Final action date y por quà © es importante En el boletà ­n de visas hay dos tipos de fecha. En primer lugar, las que aplican a las personas  que pueden ajustar su estatus y que siguen lo que el gobierno llama Dates for filing. Eso quiere decir que ya pueden presentar los papeles para el ajuste cuando la  fecha de prioridad de su solicitud  es ms antigua que la fecha seà ±alada para su categorà ­a en el epà ­grafe  dates for filing. Sin embargo, tener en cuenta que la aplicacià ³n no puede ser aprobada mientras la fecha de prioridad de su solicitud no sea ms antigua que la fecha para su categorà ­a consignada bajo el epà ­grafe final action date. En otras palabras, los migrantes que estn ya en Estados Unidos deben estar atentos a esas 2 fechas, la primera, para presentar los papeles del ajuste de estatus, y la segunda para calcular cundo la tramitacià ³n final tendr lugar y asà ­ obtener su green card.   Entonces,  ¿por quà © es importante el date for filing si no se puede obtener la green card hasta que llega la fecha del final action? Pues porque si se est en Estados Unidos y se puede ajustar el estatus, en el momento en que se  presentan esos papeles se adquieren ciertos derechos, como la posibilidad de aplicar por un permiso de trabajo o de solicitar una autorizacià ³n para viajar fuera de Estados Unidos y regresar que se conoce como advance parole. Por el contrario, los emigrantes fuera de Estados Unidos que siguen lo que se conoce como un procedimiento consular sà ³lo deben estar atentos al final action date. Cuando llega esa fecha para su categorà ­a  es el Centro Nacional de Visas quien inicia la tramitacià ³n de los à ºltimos pasos de la peticià ³n de la green card. Boletà ­n de visas agosto  2019. Fechas de corte final action Categorà ­a F1, hijos/as de ciudadano solteros y mayores de 21 aà ±os Mà ©xico: 1 de agosto de 1996Resto Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a: 1 de julio de 2012 Categorà ­a F2A, cà ³nyuges de residentes y sus hijos solteros menores de 21 Mà ©xico: corrienteResto Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a: corriente Categorà ­a F2B, hijos de residente solteros mayores de 21 Mà ©xico: 1 de junio de 1998Resto Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a: 1 de enero de 2014 Categorà ­a F3, hijos casados de ciudadano Mà ©xico: 1 de diciembre de 1995Resto de Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a: 22 de junio de 2007 Categorà ­a F4, hermanos de ciudadano Mà ©xico: 1 de enero de 1997Resto de Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a: 1 de octubre de 2006 Categorà ­a por trabajo Primera, Tercera y Otros Todos los paà ­ses: 1 de julio de 2016 Categorà ­as por trabajo Segunda Todos los paà ­ses: 1 de enero de 2017 Categorà ­as por trabajo Cuarta y Trabajadores Religiosos Mà ©xico: 1 de julio de 2016El Salvador, Guatemala y Honduras: 1 de julio de 2016Resto de los paà ­ses de Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a: fecha corriente Boletà ­n de visas agosto 2019 Fechas de corte dates for filing Categorà ­a F1, hijos solteros de ciudadano mayores de 21 aà ±os Mà ©xico: 1 de noviembre de 1999Resto de Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a: 1 de marzo de 2013 Categorà ­a F2A, cà ³nyuges de residentes e hijos solteros menores de 21 Mà ©xico: 1 de junio de 2019Resto de Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a: 1 de junio de 2019 Categorà ­a F2B, hijos solteros de residentes mayores de 21 Mà ©xico: 1 de febrero de 1999Resto de Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a: 1 de septiembre de 2014 Categorà ­a F3, hijos casados de ciudadano Mà ©xico: 15 de julio de 2000Resto de Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a: 22 de diciembre de 2007 Categorà ­a F4, hermanos de ciudadanos Mà ©xico: 15 de diciembre de 1998Resto de Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a: 15 de diciembre de 2006 Categorà ­a por trabajo Primera Todos los paà ­ses hispanohablantes: 1 de septiembre de 2018 Categorà ­a por trabajo Segunda, Tercera y Otros Todos los paà ­ses hispanohablantes: fecha corriente Categorà ­a por trabajo Cuarta y Trabajadores religiosos Mà ©xico: fecha corrienteEl Salvador, Guatemala y Honduras: 1 de septiembre de 2016Otros paà ­ses hispanohablantes: fecha corriente Cà ³mo entender el boletà ­n de visas Lo primero es tener a mano la fecha de prioridad que es el dà ­a en el que se presentà ³ la solicitud. A continuacià ³n, determinar  si la peticià ³n es de familia o por trabajo y si aplica el final date (persona para la que se piden los papeles est fuera de EE.UU) o, por el contrario, el dates for filing (persona para la que se piden los papeles est en EE.UU. y puede ajustar su estatus). El paso siguiente es determinar la categorà ­a de la persona pedida. En el caso de familia, como se explicà ³ anteriormente, se puede ser F1, F2A, F2B, F3 o F4. En el caso de peticiones de trabajo se puede ser categorà ­as 1, 2, 3, 4, Otros o Religiosos.   Una vez que se conocen todos los datos, corresponde buscar el el bloque de informacià ³n que aplica. Por ejemplo, si el hijo casado de un ciudadano es la persona pedida y est en Estados Unidos y puede pedir un ajuste de estatus, le interesa el dates for filing por familia. Luego tendrà ­a que mirar su categorà ­a. En el caso del ejemplo, un hijo casado de ciudadano es un F3 y a continuacià ³n verificar la columna segà ºn su paà ­s de nacimiento, si es de Mà ©xico es una, y si es de otro paà ­s, la otra. Finalmente, mirar su fecha de prioridad y compararla con la fecha del boletà ­n de visa. En el boletà ­n de visas de mayo de 2018 para un F3 de Mà ©xico que puede ajustar su estatus, la fecha de corte es 8 de septiembre de 2006. Si su fecha de prioridad fuera ms antigua, eso significarà ­a que podrà ­a presentar los papeles para el ajuste de estatus. Otro ejemplo distinto serà ­a el de un hermano de ciudadano que est esperando fuera de Estados Unidos y es de Colombia. En este caso se tratarà ­a de  un final action por familia. Adems, como es un hermano de ciudadano serà ­a un F4 y, como no es de Mà ©xico, tendrà ­a que fijarse en la columna de Resto de Latinoamà ©rica y Espaà ±a. La fecha de corte para esa categorà ­a para mayo de 2018 es 8 de enero de 1998. Si tuviera una fecha de prioridad ms antigua, eso querrà ­a decir que en unas semanas el Centro Nacional de Visas le contactar para pedirle papeles para iniciar ya la tramitacià ³n final hacia la green card. Quà © pasa cuando llega la fecha de corte del boletà ­n de visas Cuando la fecha de prioridad de una persona es ms antigua que la fecha de corte de su categorà ­a que aparece en el boletà ­n de visas se inicia el proceso final para la sacar green card. A partir de ese momento puede estimarse que las gestiones restantes se demorarn, aproximadamente, medio aà ±o. En los trmites a hacer destacan la presentacià ³n de las planillas y documentos de affidavit of support, es decir, sostenimiento econà ³mico por parte de patrocinador. Es de interà ©s conocer cà ³mo  afectan las deudas o el mal crà ©dito en las peticiones de green card. Tambià ©n es el momento de realizar el examen mà ©dico y de presentarse para la gestià ³n de los datos biomà ©tricos, incluidos sacar una fotografà ­a y permitir la toma de las huellas dactilares. Causas por las que la peticià ³n de la green card no es aprobada La mayorà ­a de las peticiones de green card son aprobadas, sin embargo, la peticià ³n puede ser negada despuà ©s de todos los aà ±os de espera.  Estas son 42 causas de rechazo de la solicitud de residencia permanente. En el caso de que se diera la negacià ³n, es importante entender la causa para saber si es una negativa definitiva o, por el contrario, es posible encontrar una solucià ³n legal. Adems, es fundamental entender que no importa que el USCIS hubiera  aprobado inicialmente la peticià ³n comunicndolo en el NOA2. Eso no significa que la green card estuviera ya  aprobada sino que, simplemente, se dio  la condicià ³n para poder pedirla, es decir, la relacià ³n entre el patrocinador y patrocinado. Dà ³nde encontrar informacià ³n   Durante la tramitacià ³n de la green card es posible  obtener informacià ³n sobre su  gestià ³n, pedir ayuda o denunciar un fraude en  telà ©fonos que brindan informacià ³n  migratoria. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal para ningà ºn caso migratorio.

Working without Trade Unions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Working without Trade Unions - Essay Example Trade unionism has been in existence in the UK for more than 200 years, as illegal associations at first but gained legal recognition later (Trade Unions 1980). In 1978, statistics revealed that membership with numerous trade unions total to around 13 million workers (Trade Unions 1980). Unions existing at present serve the interests of particular type of workers or industry (Theses on the Trade n.d.). Through the unions, the workers can bargain with the employers to grant them increases in wages or salaries, specific working hours, benefits, or day-off from work. Negative Impact of Trade Union Unionism was primarily established to protect the interests of the workers. However, it has also been used by workers to blackmail employers. Running a company would entail a lot of factors to consider and has to maintain a certain margin of profit in order to survive the competition. Workers and employees though would want to get more from their employers by using various legal modes to get m ore benefits. Thus, at a slight movement in the economy or inflation, they would lay down their demands to the companies. There is a collective bargaining agreement or CBA that governs the relationship of employers and workers. The CBA is a contract of labour between the company and the workers. It exists at a certain period of time after which, it has to be renegotiated by both parties. At such renegotiation, the workers present their new demands which the employer may or may not concede. At the renewal of the CBA contract, the workers would push hard so that their demands will be granted by the employer. Companies that operate well and earn more profits may grant the economic demands of the workers. However, with the erratic economic conditions resulting from the recent global slump that affected banking and financial institutions, as well as several industries, CBA renegotiation or too much demand from the workers can tilt the operations of companies. Radical or extreme unionism that tends to disrupt company operations is bad for the economy and the company. It also fosters unhealthy employee-employer relationship that breeds distrust on the part of both parties. According to Naylor and Santoni (2003, cited in Radulescu & Robson 2006), there would be lesser foreign investments in a country where the bargaining power of trade unions on the aspect of wage is strong. There are studies though that do not support this position. Cooke (1997, cited in Radulescu & Robson 2006) and Cooke and Noble (1998, cited in Radulescu & Robson 2006) said that multinational firms in the US tend to invest in countries with decentralised wage bargaining process, and veer away from strong trade unionism. The Workplace Employee Relations Survey revealed that from 1990 to 1998, companies with unions undergo more closures than plants without unions (Millward, Forth & Bryson, 2001). Generally, companies without unions boomed at an average of 1.4 percent per year within the same period (Millward, Forth & Bryson, 2001). In contrast, firms with unions had been shrinking at an average of 1.8 percent yearly (Millward, Forth & Bryson, 2001). Addison and Belfield (2002) said that the prevailing trend seen in unionised companies is its slowed effect upon employment growth. UKs 1998 Workplace Employee Relations Panel Survey (WER-PS), lasting for eight years, that contained around 50 percent of the 1990 Workplace Industrial Relations Survey (original companies surveyed totals 2,016) revealed that firms that have labour unions existing for a very long time have weak labour productivity (Addison & Belfield 2002). On the

Questions on Laws in UK Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Questions on Laws in UK - Assignment Example An example of this is the Dutch Bureau of Agricultural Land Management which is responsible for the buying of plots of a farmland in rural areas. This organization, as existing shareholders also enjoys pre-emptive rights over the purchase of all such land. Another example is the Flemish Land Company in Belgium who are entitled to override other candidates and buy out farmland should it be up for sale. (OECD, 1998, p.22) b) There are certain exceptions or disapplication of pre-emption rights. They are as follows. The right of pre-emption is not applicable to the sale of treasury shares, held by the company, i.e. issue of equity shares as given by section 560(2) (b) of the Companies Act 2006. Since Treasury shares are bonds or gifts of the government, no pre-emptive rights may be applied to them. If the directors of a company are given the power to allot equity shares by an article of the government or by a special resolution adopted by the concerned company (as stated in section 561 o f the Companies Act), the pre-emption will not apply. Even if it does apply, the allotment of equity shares will be done with some modifications as per the directors’ decisions. ... It is advisable for a company to take its own decisions for optimality. A company may decide that the pre-emption rights will not apply to a specified allotment of shares or it shall apply with some modifications stated in the resolution. The company may do this by putting a special resolution into effect. (Companies Act 2006, Elizabeth II, Part 46, n.d, p.276) If the resolution of the company benefits it and all its shareholders, it this move is welcome but if it is taken due to personal grudges between members of the management, it will lead to injustice and unfairness and harm the company. Answer: 2 a) â€Å"A Business Angel investor is a high-net-worth individual, who typically provides capital, in the form of debt or equity from his or her own funds to a small private business owned and operated by someone else who is neither a friend nor a family member†. (Talmor & Vasvari, 2011, p.16.1) A Venture Capitalist, on the other hand, is â€Å"not only a financier but also eit her an intelligent evaluator who performs due diligence on ventures, a venture’s partner who can add value to the venture, or both†. (Cumming, 2010, p.299) There are some advantages enjoyed by the Business Angels over Venture Capitalists. They are given as follows. i) The transaction costs incurred by business angels are much less than the transaction cost of venture capitalists. The transaction cost for business angels lies between the ranges of $100,000-2,000,000 whereas that for venture capitalists is higher than $2,000,000. ii) The operations of business angels are geographically more dispersed than those of venture capitalists. The existence of venture capitalists is limited to a few areas where there are many

Apple Inc Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Apple Inc - Case Study Example In fact, it contributes to over 50% of Apple’s bottom line and with the sales of its iPhone 5 surpassing that of the iPhone 4s, the company’s market cap increased significantly. Secondly, the Apple Dividend announced in March of 2012 made its stock more attractive to income-searching retail investors, despite its small yield. However, income fund managers found its $2.65 quarterly dividend more important as the income funds require that the investments must provide income (Sutherland, 2012: p52). Having a dividend made it possible for more investors to buy its stock, which increased its market cap. In addition, although Apple’s stocks have been fluctuating, its fundamentals have stayed the same with over $100 billion in cash reserves and no debts. This ensures that investors see it as a safe bet that will climb again. Apple was able to identify market trends and capitalize on them through various means. With a diverse range of stylish products, Apple capitalized on the fact that consumers wanted to be different. The iPhone and the iPad were released after Apple recognized the high demand for computers and phones but that most products on the market looked the same with similar functionalities (Treacy, 2012: p60). Another reason for Apple’s ability to capitalize on identified market trends is its dynamic business plan, which is always set to resonate with what the market wants. By changing the company’s name to Apple Inc from Apple Computer, the company identified the need for a phone with computer functionalities and broadened their spectrum. Apple was also able to identify the fact that music retail outlets were becoming popular and that outsourcing this capability was not giving them what they wanted (Treacy, 2012: p60). ... By opening a retail store, they were able to capitalize on consumers needs for a retail outlet on their phones. Apple was able to achieve global success by leveraging brand loyalty. By taking their business to emerging markets with minimal penetration of smartphones but where their brand was already known due to mass media, the company opened up new opportunities for developers in those markets (Treacy, 2012: p72). In addition, by hiring employees from those countries and from diverse fields, including artists and musicians, they were able to create unique and different perspectives from those countries. Apple also built relationships with its customers in various regions of the world by embracing social media and the internet, which meant that people in these new regions saw Apple as a transparent and trustworthy company. In addition, they also used movement marketing, in which they marketed what Apple believed in, contending that they sought to bring personal experience of computin g to consumers across the world via innovation (Treacy, 2012: p73). By leveraging brand loyalty, Apple consumers have overlooked glitches as they have emotional connections with their products. However, in order for Apple to gain market share across the world, various companies also had to lose market share and the most affected company was Microsoft. By combining most of what Microsoft offered, including a phone, search engine, office, and operating systems, Apple was able to offer consumers a product that was more appealing (Treacy, 2012: p91). By doing this, Apple was also able to grow various market segments. One of them was the smartphone market, which, although still stagnant at 3%, has pushed its competitors to

Asymmetry and Polymorphism of Hybrid Male Sterility

Asymmetry and Polymorphism of Hybrid Male Sterility Kimberly Woosley Critical Review: Asymmetry and Polymorphism of Hybrid Male Sterility During the Early Stages of Speciation in House Mice In this study, the researchers sought to determine the genetic cause of male sterility in house mice when there was interbreeding among different but related species. The researchers took two breeds of two species of house mice, musculus and domesticus, and cross-bred wild-type with classic inbred type, from the laboratory, and wild-type with wild-type. They then conducted several generations of directional and reciprocal crosses and compared body weight, testis weight, motility and sperm count. These data were analyzed to determine sterility in the male offspring of the F1 generations. The researchers crossed same species but different breed mice as a control for the expected F1 offspring fertility. They then did eight crosses of the different breeds varying the maternal and paternal parentage. After all crosses were complete they let the mice grow to maturity at approximately 60 days. The researchers weighed the mice, they then dissected them to get the weight of the testes and used histology to examine the seminiferous tubules and spermatogenesis to determine sterility. The results of their study showed a decrease in fertility of the hybrid mice except for when a domesticus female was mated with a musculus male. In those two crosses, the hybrids showed similar or increased body weight, testes weight, motility, and sperm count when musculusPWK was the paternal mate regardless of which breed of domesticus was used. In the other six crosses, the F1 offspring all had decreased testes weight, decreased sperm count, and no motile sperm. The researchers then crossed the F1 males of the intrabred domesticusLEWES x WSB with the musculusPWK female and the F1 males of the intrabred musculusPWK x CZECH with the domesticusLEWES. Comparing the two, the researchers noted when the female domesticusLEWES was mated with the male musculus with only half the genes coming from musculusPWK the F1 males still showed an increase in testes weight and sperm count over the musculusPWK female from the first cross. Their results showed that there is a combination of genetic factors at play and that the musculus X chromosome has a large effect on the fertility of the F1 generations. The results varied in some crosses indicating that other loci were involved in the interference of spermatogenesis. However, they were unable to determine exactly which genes were epistatic on male reproductive growth and fertility. They did use their finding to infer polymorphism on autosomal traits when combined with some X, Y traits in certain breed crossings. The researchers acknowledge that this study was fixed on male sterility and did not take into account female sterility or decreases in immune function that could also lead to reproductive isolation. The conclusions drawn by the researchers is valuable for further research into the genetic makeup of which genes are interacting or epistatic on the fertility of hybrid species. Scientists could take the study deeper in an effort to isolate the genes involved and determine which are responsible for speciation in the wild. Overall, this was an excellent article, the authors explained the data clearly and used previous research to back up their hypothesis. The authors broke down each aspect of X-linked, Haldanes rule, D-M incompatibility, and polymorphism as it pertained to their results showing how their study supported previous results and could lead to future explanations of speciation. Reference Good, J., Handel, M., Nachman, M. (2007). Asymmetry And Polymorphism Of Hybrid Male Sterility During The Early Stages Of Speciation In House Mice. Evolution, 62(1), 50-65. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.2007.00257.x

The Christian Perspective on Capital Punishment and Rehabilitation Ess

Abstract Christian’s hold three distinct perspectives on capital punishment, namely Rehabilitationism, Reconstructionism and Retributionism. Rehabilitationism is the view that death sentence should not be allowed for any crime; Reconstructionism holds that death penalty should be allowed for any serious crime; Retributionism recommends death sentence for some capital crimes. The last two positions share a somewhat similar view. This paper focuses on rehabilitationism. Proponents of this view comprise those who appeal to the Bible for justification and those who do not. The paper presents the arguments of those in the former group. Contrary to the view of the rehabilitationalists that the aim of punishment is reformatory or remedial, the paper argues that the aim of capital punishment is justice and a good society. Conceptualization of Capital Punishment and Rehabilitationism Capital punishment is the taking of an offender’s life for a crime which he has committed and found guilty of by a court or tribunal under law. For Etuk, capital punishment is the death penalty when it is executed after a due process of law carried out by a society’s duly constituted apparatus (2000, 6). It is distinguished from other forms of extra-legal killings such as shooting on sight of suspected criminals, assassinations, disappearance of persons carried out by state agents, among others. Capital punishment thus defined has existed in almost all civilizations and the modes of its execution have varied from country to country. Amnesty International in 1989 listed out the following modes of execution in current use: hanging, shooting, electrocution, lethal injection, gassing, beheading and stoning (Etuk, 6). In Nigeria, the most prominent me... ...ence†. SOPHIA: An African Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 2 No 1, 2000, pp 1 – 18. Geisler, N. L. Christian Ethics. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989. Ige, E.    â€Å"Death Penalty in the Dock: Seminar that Explores its Retention or Abolition†. Vanguard, November 1, 2002. Iwe, N. S. S. Socio-Ethical Issues in Nigeria. Oruowulu – Obosi: Pacific Publishers, 1991. Stamps, D. C. (ed.) The Full Life Bible Study. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992. Walvoord, J. F. & Zuck, R. B. The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Old Testament). USA: Cook communications Ministries, 1983. Walvoord, J. F. & Zuck, R. B. The Bible Knowledge Commentary (New Testament). USA: Cook communications Ministries, 1983.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Methods

Discuss the main differences between qualitative and quantitative approaches to data collection and analysis in management research. Your answer should make reference to the philosophical assumptions which underpin these methodological approaches. Introduction Whenever a decision is made to undertake a piece of research a method for conducting the study is required. In scientific research the techniques typically used for data collection and analysis are those which allow the evaluation of data to test a predetermined hypothesis (Zikmund, 2000). An example of this is a laboratory-based experiment where the researcher can be in full control of all the variables involved and can therefore be sure that any change in the phenomena under investigation is a direct result of an identified and controlled stimulus. In marketing research however, which is usually reliant on some aspect of human influence, it has been proposed that such a uniform, rigid approach is not appropriate: â€Å"There is never a single, perfect research design that is the best for all marketing research projects, or even a specific type of marketing research task. (Malhotra and Birks, 2000: p. 70) The aim of this assignment is to critically evaluate the quantitative and qualitative approaches to research, specifically focusing on the marketing perspective. To do this, consideration is firstly given to the basic differences between the qualitative and quantitative approaches, considering the seemingly opposing theoretical paradigms from which they have origina ted. Subsequently the development of the marketing discipline is examined with a specific focus on how and why different research methods have been employed in the field. Attention is Page 1 of 1 iven to the need for marketing to address both the issue of verifying existing hypotheses, and the requirement to develop new theory. As there appears to be no ideal research method for use in marketing it would seem that what is important is being critically aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the approaches available. Finally, therefore, the notion of pluralism, or methodological triangulation, is explored as such an approach is often used to exploit the strengths and minimise weaknesses in research design through the combination of two or more research methods, often from opposing theoretical paradigms. Basic differences between quantitative and qualitative research Qualitative research can be defined as: â€Å"†¦the collection, analysis and interpretation of data that cannot be meaningfully quantified, that is, summarised in the form of numbers. † (Parasuraman et al, 2004: p. 195) Whereas quantitative research can be defined as: â€Å"†¦the collection of data that involves larger, more representative respondent samples and the numerical calculation of results. † (Parasuraman et al, 2004: p. 195) Historically it has been considered that science based disciplines such as mathematics and physics are especially suited to quantitative research methods. Such methods are considered to be objective and lead to numerical, absolute outcomes, which can be verified through repetition and further testing (Zikmund, 2000); in other words the knowledge is external to the knower (Milliken, 2001), and therefore is available be found by whoever conducts the necessary research (Cunningham, 1999). This view of natural science can be considered to fit within the positivist paradigm, where a paradigm can be thought of as theoretical framework for looking at a situation and a basis upon which phenomena can be analysed and interpreted Page 2 of 2 (Gill and Johnson, 2002). Kuhn (1970) supports the need for paradigms on the basis that they bind disciplines together, and without them there would be no valid position from which to undertake research. Deshpande (1983) suggests that the acceptance of a particular theoretical aradigm is typically followed by a choice of a specific set of research methods that appear to fit within it. This is perhaps exemplified by the significant use of laboratory experiments in pure scientific disciplines. Within the social sciences however there has been a long-standing debate surrounding which philosophical standpoint, or paradigm, it is appropriate for research methods to be derived from (Milliken, 2001). Cohen et al (2000) consider there to be two m ajor, apparently contradictory, views relating to how research should be conducted within social science. The first aligns social science with natural science and therefore implies that research in the field should be directed towards the search for universal laws which regulate individual social behaviour. The second focuses on the human element of social science research, with recognition of the notion that people are not inanimate objects and therefore cannot be treated as such. Aligning social science with natural science arguably implies that data collection and analysis is best performed from a positivist standpoint. As research methods favoured by positivists tend towards those reliant on quantification (Gill and Johnson, 2002), it would follow that in management research the focus should be on quantitative research methods. Research conducted from the positivist viewpoint is usually considered to be reductionist in nature, and is often termed hypothetico-deductive, as it aims to derive a result in relation to a predefined hypothesis (Zikmund, 2000). Conversely, an approach to research which embraces human individuality and places emphasis on how people perceive and give meaning to their own Page 3 of 3 socially created world, can be considered constructivist (Hunt, 1994), and phenomenological (Gill and Johnson, 2002). The focus from this standpoint is therefore on understanding, interpreting and building theory rather than objectively testing, deducing and verifying an existing hypothesis. Such an approach can be considered inductive in nature and therefore favours the adoption of qualitative research methods. ollows: â€Å"†¦the most telling and fundamental distinction between the paradigms is on the dimension of verification versus discovery†¦quantitative methods have been developed most directly for the task of verifying or confirming theories and†¦qualitative methods were purposely developed for the task of discovering or generating theories. † (Reichardt and Cook, 1979: cited in Deshpande, 1983: p. 105 ) This can be explained further as At the extreme of the inductive spectrum lies the concept of grounded theory developed by Glaser and Strauss (1967). Here the researcher builds theory based entirely on the data obtained in a particular study without the influence of predetermined knowledge or preconceived hypotheses. Taking deduction to the extreme hypotheses can only ever be tested, raising the question of how it is possible to obtain a hypothesis in the first place. This presents a number of dilemmas with regard to research in the field of management, including whether it is more appropriate to test existing hypotheses or to develop new theory. The theory-testing versus theory-generation debate is particularly significant in the field of marketing as, due to the relative youth of the discipline, marketers are faced with the challenge of both obtaining and maintaining respect and credibility for the work that has been done so far (Bartels, 1983); and continuing to generate theory needed to develop a coherent, holistic body of knowledge which will clear up marketing’s existing â€Å"theory mess† (Gummesson, 2002: p. 349). Page 4 of 4 Development of research in the field of marketing The discipline of marketing, which came about as a departure from economics not long after 1900, originally had no identity of its own. There was no predetermined framework for its development, nor any real expectation of what it should, or could, become (Bartels, 1983). The way the discipline started to develop however led to a belief that it had â€Å"†¦meritorious scientific character† (Bartels, 1983: p. 34), which subsequently influenced ideas about the way in which credible research in the field should be conducted. Consequently approaches to research in marketing have historically been dominated by deductive processes (Hyde, 2000). Milliken (2001) supports this with the observation that within the marketing literature there has been little attention paid to qualitative research. If marketing was universally accepted to be akin to a pure science then this may be an acceptable situation. It has been suggested however that, rather than being a science, marketing is actually an art which belongs both to the world of business and the school of humanities (Halliday, 1999). It was noted by Deshpande (1983) that in the early 1980s there were only four major textbooks dealing with the metatheoretical issues in marketing, and it can therefore be understood that â€Å"†¦self conscious reflection on theory construction in marketing is of fairly recent origin. † (p. 104). Peter (1982), supported by Deshpande (1983), argues that the dominant philosophical approach applied in marketing is that of logical empiricism. Such a positivist approach forces a â€Å"†¦search for causality and the assumption of determinism† (Hunt, 1994: p. 7), which directs those conducting marketing research towards hypotheticodeductive methods for the verification of existing theories rather than development of new ones. Page 5 of 5 Goulding (1999) suggests that the popularity of the positivist paradigm may be down to the more transparent rules which it projects with regard to the basis of hypotheses and their testing, resulting in a clearer picture of what is a ccepted to be known and what remains unknown or untested. As marketing is a relatively young discipline, quantitative methods have therefore been regularly favoured over qualitative methods in an attempt to establish credibility and respectability (Bartels, 1983). Bass (1993) unreservedly supports quantitative research and the scientific view of marketing, on the basis of the need to make general laws and principles which can be widely applied. To emphasise his position further Bass (1993) repeatedly refers to the discipline as not as â€Å"marketing† but as â€Å"marketing science†. Despite this apparent favouritism of qualitative research, for establishing integrity and credence, it has been suggested that marketing as a discipline has failed to develop a coherent theoretical foundation due to the inappropriate selection and use of methods within the framework of logical empiricism (Leone and Schultz, 1980). criticises how qualitative research is implemented. Gummesson (2001) also He questions whether or not it is ppropriate to make a jump from a subjective answer given by a person, perhaps in the form of a questionnaire response, to hard facts about the population being studied, and furthermore if a model being selected for use in marketing research can be an appropriate proxy for the particular situation being studied. Gummesson (2001) instead advocates an interactive approach to research in marketing based on â€Å"†¦a humanistic, hermeneutic and phenomenological paradigm. (p. 40). Deshpande (1983) is in agreement with this and proposes that, rather th at the incorrectly using quantitative research methods, the shortfall in theory development in the field may lie in the inappropriate adoption of a quantitative paradigm where a qualitative one would be more appropriate: â€Å"If we ignore the qualitative paradigm, we also by definition exclude the principal systematic means of theory generation. † (Deshpande, 1983: p. 106) Page 6 of 6 The dominance of logical empiricism in marketing has therefore been seen as potentially detrimental to the discipline, because the successful development of an appropriate holistic and sound body of theory is necessary for the credibility of the field in both management and academe (Bartels, 1983). Hunt (1994) however observes that scholars in the field of marketing, particularly those reviewing papers for publication in academic journals, may themselves be responsible for the lack of theory generation by being over critical when reviewing the work of those who attempt to make an original contribution. According to Gummesson (2001) this behaviour reinforces the belief that to build a publications record, and a respectable reputation, marketers are being encouraged to test existing theory using quantitative methods rather than generate theory through qualitative investigation. This, it has been suggested, has resulted in there being no development in general management marketing theory over recent decades, leaving marketing as an array of disjointed theories and ideas founded on arguably obsolete principles Gummesson (2001). The lack of credibility given to qualitative research techniques in marketing from the academic perspective does however appear somewhat ironic given that such methods are widely adopted in marketing research in industry (Deshpande, 1983). Although it may appear that qualitative marketing research is a relatively recent revelation, Deshpande (1983) argues that this is not the case. He observes that there was significant interest in the topic in the 1950s and 1960s. In the early 1980s, Fern (1982) suggested that the reason one specific qualitative technique, focus groups, had failed to gain prominence was a lack of empirical testing, which would allow the theory development necessary to acquire credibility. In other words a qualitative technique struggled to generate recognition because it could not satisfy the positivistic evaluation criteria needed to do so. This is perhaps indicative of the historical power of positivism in marketing academia in determining what can be accepted as credible Page 7 of 7 nd what cannot, regardless of whether or not techniques are accepted in the commercial environment. Malhotra and Peterson (2001) suggest that for marketing to move forward in the twenty-first century it is necessary to bridge the gap between the academic and commercial positions. There is evidence of increasing acceptance of qualitative methods in marketing research, especially in managing research as the marketplace evolves. For example Kozinet z (2002) developed â€Å"netnography† as a technique for gaining insight into online communities based on a combination of the principles of ethnography and focus groups. Quantitative techniques it would appear still have their place in marketing research too, despite the criticisms levelled at them. The SERVQUAL questionnaire for example, originally developed by Parasuraman et al (1988), relies on the collection of data which can be statistically manipulated to determine levels of service quality. Notwithstanding the substantial criticism it has received (see Buttle, 1996), it is still being used in marketing research today (see e. g. DeMoranville and Bienstock, 2003). What it would consequently appear important to recognise is that both quantitative and qualitative methods have their place in marketing research; neither is sufficient on its own, and there is potentially for significant advances to be made if marketing researchers acknowledge this (Deshpande, 1983). Triangulation and methodological pluralism There is a place in marketing research for both qualitative and quantitative research. There is also a significant risk that overly staunch advocates of a single paradigm will forego the quality of their research by valuing the methodological choice above the aim of the particular Page 8 of 8 study (Bartels, 1983). From a marketing research perspective the importance therefore lies in recognition of the relative advantages and disadvantages of both the qualitative and quantitative research and the understanding of the strengths and weakness of particular methods. Cahill (1996) supports this with the recognition that qualitative and quantitative techniques can be complementary, and Milliken (2001) suggests that the reality of a real research situation demands compromise between the seemingly opposed philosophical standpoints on which the methods are based. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods presents the researcher with an opportunity to compensate for the weakness in each approach. (Deshpande, 1983), and within the field of marketing there appears to be a significant move towards combining qualitative and quantitative research methods (Milliken, 2001). Perry (1998) emphasises the benefit of case study methodology in marketing and suggests that there is no need to consider induction and deduction to be mutually exclusive when selecting a research method. He emphasises that realism is the most appropriate paradigm from which to undertake marketing research as it allows the building of new theory whilst incorporating existing knowledge. Strength in method combination does not necessarily have to include qualitative and quantitative approaches. Hall and Rist (1999) present a marketing study based on the triangulation of purely qualitative research methods including focus groups, observation and document examination. They argue that doing this eliminates the risks of relying on a single method and therefore enhances research quality and strengthens the credibility of qualitative techniques. Page 9 of 9 Methodological pluralism, whilst appearing to offer reconciliation between opposing theoretical paradigms in relation to research method choice, does itself introduce debate and criticism. Gill and Johnson (2002) for example note that embracing realism can be seen as accepting positivism at the cost of phenomenology as it may involve the †¦operationalization and measurement of social reality (stimuli) and action (response)†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 170). Consequently, combining research methods can itself become part of the argument rather than a solution. Conclusion The decision of whether to adopt qualitative or quantitative methods in management research historically appears to be based on the philosophical assumptions upheld by the individual researcher or the discipline in which he or she is work ing. A paradigmatic dichotomy between positivism and phenomenology (or constructivism) would seem to have resulted in a situation where, in some instances, the research methodology choice is deemed more significant than the subject of the particular study. Marketing is a relatively young discipline within the field of management and, as such, is faced with the challenge of obtaining and maintaining credibility. To do this it has been proposed that it needs to both test existing theory and generate new theory, however the processes required to achieve these two goals can be seem to stem from diametrically opposed paradigms: theory-testing being achievable through deductive methods; and theory generation relying on an inductive approach. This incommensurability has however been challenged with the assertion that what is important is selecting an appropriate methodology for a particular study, rather than fitting a Page 10 of 10 study to a method. Methodological triangulation has been suggested as a means of achieving this, with a move towards a paradigm of realism where the relative advantages and disadvantages of a number of research methods can be embraced. Whilst at face value this approach may appear to offer a compromise offering the best practical solution to the methodological choice dispute, it also introduces criticism of its own which, in turn fuels the debate further. The general aim of this discussion, to consider the differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods, has itself been conducted from an ostensibly positivistic standpoint. In fact any discussion, comparison or assessment of research methods is arguably starting from a predetermined premise that an objective evaluation is being undertaken (Gill and Johnson, 2002), and can therefore be seen to be embracing positivist ideals. Taking into account the amount of attention that has been paid to philosophical approaches to management research; the ambiguities that are apparent; the ongoing search for the most suitable and appropriate means for conducting studies; and the motivation to establish and maintain credibility, it would seem unlikely that end to the debate regarding research methods in management is in sight: â€Å"Like the earth being round, thus lacking a natural end, the journey in Methodologyland has no end. You search again and again and again, just as the term says: re-search, re-search, re-search. (Gummesson, 2001: p. 29) Page 11 of 11 References Bartels, R. (1983), â€Å"Is marketing defaulting its responsibilities? †, Journal of Marketing, 47(4), pp. 32-35 Bass, F. M. (1993), â€Å"The future of research in marketing: Marketing Science†, Journal of Marketing Research, 30(1), pp. 1-6 Buttle, F. (1996), â€Å"SERVQUAL: review, critique, research agenda†, European Journal o f Marketing, 30(1), pp. 8-32 Cahill, D. J. (1996), â€Å"When to use qualitative methods: a new approach†, Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 14(6), pp. 16-20 Cohen, L. , Manion, L. and Morr, K. 2000), Research Methods in Education, 5th Edition, Routledge: London Cunningham, A. C. (1999), â€Å"Commentary confessions of a reflective practitioner: meeting the challenges of marketing’s destruction†, European Journal of Marketing, 33(7/8), pp. 685-697 DeMoranville, C. W. and Bienstock, C. C. (2003), â€Å"Question order effects in measuring service quality†, International Journal of research in Marketing, 20(3), pp. 217-231 Deshpande, R. (1983), â€Å"Paradigms Lost: On theory and method in research in marketing†, Journal of Marketing, 47(4), pp. 101-110 Fern, E. 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P. 1982), â€Å"Current issues in the philosophy of science: Implications for marketing theory – a panel discussion†, in Marketing Theory: Philosophy of Science Perspectives, Bush, R. F. and Hunt, S. D. (eds. ), Chicago, American Marketing, pp. 11-16 Reichardt, C. S. and Cook, T. D. (1979), â€Å"Beyond qualitative versus quantitative methods†, in Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Evaluation Research, Cook, T. D and Reichardt, (eds. ) Beverley Hills, CA: Sage Zikmund, W. G. (2000), Business Research Methods, 6th Edition, Orlando, USA: The Dryden Press, Harcourt College Publishers Page 13 of 13