The Zulu Culture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Zulu Culture - Research Paper Example The Zulu culture is part of the Bantu society that hails from the south-west part of Africa. The Zulu have been evidenced to be in existence long before the advent of the 17th century. The culture is one of the major traditions of the South African region. The Zulu culture is intense and rich in tradition, and has been the focus of study to numerous schools of thought. The Zulu people intensely believe in three major factors of life. These factors include the importance of women in the society, the sovereignty of the ancestors, and the rituals of passage. These three factors deeply explain the Zulu culture, and their contribution to the cultural aspects of the modern world. To the Zulu, a woman’s way of life is completely different from that of the men. The woman’s special life starts right from birth and end at death. The newly born girl child is washed only with warm water only, until she attains three months of age. Female toddlers, according to the Zulu culture, are handled very gently, and with abundant love, affection, patience, and gentleness. In addition, the culture demands that the girl baby is paramount to any other thing or task. When she attains about 1 year of age, and can finally stand unaided, she is sung to by a circle of women dancers, while the elderly women clap for her. After reaching the age of three years, the women prick her ears to make six openings in her right ear, and seven in her left one (Patrick, 2008). During her child years, she is mandated to play two roles, both as a daughter, and as a sister.

Race and Ethnicity Essay Example for Free

Race and Ethnicity Essay The list comprised in this article is unfortunately true and eye opening. Many white people are unaware of the natural advantages that are written here. They take it for granted thinking everyone else is also entitled to these rights. Since I am not white, I can clearly see that these are privileges given to whites only. I can even say that I have never experience some of the things written in McIntosh’s list. I disagree with many of these terms. The item on her list that I feel most strongly about is: 10. Whether I use checks, credit cards or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of my financial reliability. People should not relate other’s financial situation based on their skin color. That is very wrong. It has been engraved into people’s minds that all black people are on welfare or food stamps because they don’t work. But that is not true. Just because someone is black does not mean that they are poor and unable to support themselves. If you are judged for walking into a high end store just because of your skin color, that is very unfair. Race and ethnicity does not have anything to do with someone’s financial reliability. Another that I think is unfair is: 12. I can swear, or dress in second hand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race. For the same reason as the previous one, race should not be a factor in the judgment of others. McIntosh sees these are privileges for white only when in fact; it should not be a privilege. Anything written on this list should be given to everyone, regardless of the race. I definitely agree with McIntosh that: whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, and average, and also ideal, so that when we work to benefit others, this is seen as work which will allow â€Å"themâ€Å" to be more like â€Å"us.† The idea of white privilege relates to the themes of white power because it is giving whites an overall advantage in life. White privilege also relates to the themes of white supremacy because it makes them more powerful. Privilege is being of a favored state by birth or luck. If the things stated McIntosh is called privilege, then it is extremely misleading. The idea of white privilege makes them feel confident, comfortable, and oblivious; on the other hand, other groups were likely being made unconfident, uncomfortable, and alienated. White power and white supremacy is all about making white people the most powerful and advantageous, white privilege also supports that.

An Urge to Write :: Personal Narratives Writing Essays

An Urge to Write Everyone seems to have a reason for liking or disliking writing. It seems to stem from past experiences, or things writing has done for someone or not done for someone. For me, writing is a privilege and I enjoy writing immensely. It’s hard to put my finger on one distinct reason I take pleasure in writing but I think one of the causes for my appreciation of writing stems back to about two years ago. I was a sophomore in high school, and it was basically a tradition that my friend Jess and I would get together sporadically on various Friday nights. She would come to my house in the early evening hours, and we would start our walk. As soon as we would turn the corner of my block I’d light up my cigarette and we’d begin our recollection of the week’s events. On one particular Friday in October we began our walk as we had any other. The air had a cool brisk quality about it but we weren’t really bothered by the sudden chill and just kept walking. We walked throughout town for a few hours just walking and talking, laughing and acting hysterical and crazy over the most minute details of that week’s happenings. We walked till the street lights shown bright on the black streets before us and then we went to our usual stop after our walk. We entered the restaurant just like we had so many times before. We took our seat at the regular booth with the torn vinyl and wooden sides etched with the signatures of the many who had sat in the booth before us. The air reeked of grease and cigarette smoke and was polluted by the sound of senseless chatter from the thirty or so people that crowded this tiny room the size of a large closet. Yet, neither the smell, or the noise or the dà ©cor of dollar bills littering the walls bothered us. This was our tradition as corny and juvenile as it was we knew we would always treasure this special and unusual little place. We sat at our little booth and began our own little chatter fest there.

Comparison of Lao Tzu and Machiavelli Essay

It is obvious to most people the differences between black and white, light and darkness, or Pepsi and Coca-Cola. Many people have different preferences for each of these things, as well as different views about them. While one person may argue that Pepsi is the ultimate cola beverage, another person may claim that Coca-Cola is the best by far. This is such the case with many different people in this world, on many different topics. A prime example of contrasting views on many issues is Niccolio Machiavelli and Lao Tzu. Among the issues that they address include war and violence and the qualities of an ideal ruler. The issue with the most differences is obviously that of war and violence. In his work â€Å"The Qualities of a Prince† Machiavelli claimed that a good ruler must always be prepared for war. Even when their country is not at war, the ruler must be constantly considering combat. They must take the time to look at the land in which any battle will be fought, whether that is in their kingdom or that of their enemies. â€Å"He must, therefore, never raise his thought from this exercise of warm and in peacetime he must train himself more than in time of war; this can be done in two ways, one by action, the other by the mind. And as far as action is concerned, besides keeping his soldiers well disciplined and  trained, he must always be out hunting, and must accustom his body to hardships in this manner; and he must also learn the nature of the terrain, and know how the mountains slope, how the valleys open, how the plains lie, and understand the nature of rivers and swamps†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (38). Lao Tzu’s â€Å"Thoughts from the Tao-Te-Ching† took a more pacifistic approach. He believes that no man had the right to defeat enemies by using violence and  weapons. When violence is used against somebody, it will eventually rebound and come back upon the person who inflicted it. â€Å"Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men doesn’t try to force issues or defeat enemies by force of arms. For every force there is a counterforce. Violence, even well intentioned, Always rebounds upon oneself.† (24). The contrast in Machiavelli’s ideal ruler and that of Lao Tzu is drastic. Machiavelli thinks that the ideal ruler should be careful when it comes to being generous. He believes that if a ruler is too generous, the people he governs will become unappreciative of their good fortune. A prince should be feared by his people, but they should not despise him because of it. â€Å"A prince must nevertheless make himself feared in such a manner that he will avoid hatred, even if he does not acquire love; since to be feared and not to be hated can very well be combined; and this will always be so when he keeps his hands off the property and the women of his citizens and his subjects. † (44). Lao Tzu has many views that are in great opposition to those of Machiavelli. He believes that the best ruler is one that the people don’t even realize is there. A leader should be loved, and not feared or hated. He acts upon things, and when he is a success, the people of his kingdom get the full credit for his work. â€Å"When the master governs, the people are hardly aware that he exists. Next best is the leader who is loved. Next is the one who is feared. The worst is the one who is despised†¦ The Master doesn’t talk, he acts. When his work is done, The people say â€Å"Amazing, We did it, all by ourselves!†Ã¢â‚¬  (22-23). A ruler should also not have the desire to leave his country. If you are restless and feel the urge to move on, then you will lose touch with who you truly are. â€Å"The heavy is the root of the light, The unmoved is the source of all movement. Thus the master travels all day Without leaving home. However splendid the views, She stays serenely in herself. Why should the lord of the country Flit about like a fool? If you let yourself be blown to and fro, You lose touch with your root. If you let the restless move you, You lose touch with who you are.† (23-24). Clearly these men believed in two entirely different sets of values. This can be shown in their interest and opinions on many subjects, among them violence and war, and the traits of an ideal ruler. One is full of optimism, while the other brings out the pessimism is the most jubilant people.

Teachers Point of View

As a high school teacher I have to be a facilitator-guide and a sage who imparts knowledge. I believe that teaching and learning are creative and very social. Based on my understanding, in order for some students to become productive learners; teachers should understand what is occurring inside students minds. As well, as what methods will help retain and retrieved that knowledge. Cognitive principles relates to how information is process in the mind (referred to Atkinson-Shiffrin model pg. 159). In addition, cognitive also deals with how the mind stores, organizes, retrieves and incorporates new information.The following are some of the ways I incorporated cognitive principles to my classroom, through metacognition ( schema) , rehearsal , elaboration ( activating prior knowledge) , note taking , verbal learning ( Paired- associate , serial , free-recall) , and analogies. Students now a day has a very short attention span, as a teacher I have to become eclectic. In the constructivist classroom the teacher becomes a guide for the learner, providing bridging or scaffolding (mediated learning), helping to extend the learner's zone of proximal development.Constructivist theory relates to Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development, social interaction helps the student learn. The student is encouraged to develop metacognitive skills such as problem solving skills and reflective thinking. The self-sufficient learner is essentially motivated to generate, discover, build and enlarge their own framework of knowledge. In my classroom I observed and applied constructivist through cooperative learning, discovery learning, self- regulated learning and mediated learning. I will start my class by pre-assessing my students, to check their prior knowledge (cognitive theory of elaboration).If my students are having difficulty remembering what they learn from previous classes, than I will start scaffolding. I will give the students prompts, so that the prompts will trigger their short term memory (working memory). The prompts will give them a foundations and than they built on it and hopefully becoming independent learner. Mediated learning is applied in my class, I will show them how to perform a lab and than they will mix chemicals on their own. Their product or conclusion should be similar to my expectations. Another method that I applied in my classroom is cooperative learning.According to Vygotsky’s, students working with their peers will allow them to think out loud (private speech) and work in a thinking zone where they are comfortable at. If some of my students understand a concept that I am teaching I will break my class in groups. In each group, each member is at different cognitive level and they will assist each other. They will discuss, check each other understanding and see the concept from a different point of view. Another method that I utilized is â€Å"Group Investigation†. Each group will pick a topic and they will dis cuss, learn about that topic and than present on that topic.One of the methods that I incorporated cognitive theories is through verbal learning. In my class, if we encounter a lesson or word that is hard to remember we will associate it to another word. For instance, when we covered the Periodic Table students will associate the elements symbol to its name by using an image (Paired –associate learning through imagery). Another verbal learning is memorizing the elements name in alphabetically order or based on their weights, if in alphabetically order they will create a name or sentences based on the first initials of the elements (serial learning through initial-letter strategies).But the most effective way that I noticed in my class is free- recall. They will memorize the elements or body system in no particular order. Another example how cognitive is incorporated in my class is repetition, practice and elaboration. My students’ will practice a week before exam while other will practice a day before the exam. If my students want to benefit from what the practice they have to practice (study) everyday (distributed practice) rather than cram study. Elaboration is when they have to paraphrase. They will take a concept and than translate it to their own words, to check their understanding.When they are paraphrasing they also visualize what they are paraphrasing, because Paivio’s theory of memory stated that to retain something it has to be verbal and visual (dual- code). Graphic organizer is another technique that I applied in class; this allows the students to retrieve prior knowledge and applied it to their current classwork. There are a lot of techniques, for examples note taking, underlining, analogies, summarizing etc. But if the students are not using this techniques and the teacher is not incorporating different techniques the student will be limited.In conclusion, both constructivist and cognitive theories go hand in hand. There are different types of memories short term and long term (flashbulb, semantic, episodic memory) but for these memories to be activated there must be some stimuli that will trigger the activation. To retain the information the student has to use mnemonics (different memory strategies) but if information is meaningful it will be a schema in the brain. To trigger the working memory teachers should scaffold or student becomes self-regulators. But not all memories will be retain some are forgotten based on Atkinson-Shiffrin model

Investment Portfolio Essay Example

Investment Portfolio Essay Example Investment Portfolio Essay Investment Portfolio Essay Investment Portfolio Name: Course: Institution: Instructor: Date: Investment Portfolio The investment portfolio would take more than seven years considering there are bonds that will mature after 10 years. Therefore, the time horizon for this project would be in the long term. Although other investments such as securities are within seven years, the bonds make the investment a long-term project. The investment experience for this project can be described as extensive considering the time horizon as well as the investment portfolio itself, which combines several investments in the long term. With securities and bonds that go for more than seven years, the investment can be describes as extensive (Goldie Murray, 2011). Additionally, it is an investment by the same person, meaning the portfolio is diversified making it extensive. I do not intend to withdraw retirement savings for non-retirement expenses. This raises the risk of having no retirement savings in the end. Therefore, I would prefer leaving the retirement savings untouched and exploit other means. I would consider retirement savings to be a future investment, and should not be withdrawn since it means having no savings at the end. However, if it is an investment withdrawal likely to earn more, I could consider withdrawing. In case of an emergency, my long-term investment would last for quite some time if the emergency were not solved by short-term investments. My long-term investments would last for more than a year, about two years in the event of a significant amount of emergency. The monthly income used for paying up the installment debt is between 25% and 50% per month, which does not include the mortgage. The installment debt does vary with the variation of interest rate in the market but does not exceed 50% of my salary. In the future, about five years from now I expect that my salary and earnings will be able to grow and exceed the inflation, considering the investments I have made. As I expect my investment to grow within the five years, I would also expect my earnings to exceed the inflation rate or grow faster than the inflation rate within the five-year period (Goldie Murray, 2011). I could be ready to take some risks for my investment in order to exceed the inflation rate. Currently, the investment is likely to exceed the inflation rate in the future. However, if it would require taking more risks, I would take some, but not to a big extent. During steep decline in the equity markets, many people or investors are under pressure to sell their investment. At this time, the equities sell at a cheap price. Therefore, I would see it as a chance of increasing my investment by buying more equities. Therefore, after a steep decline, I would be comfortable, and see it as a chance of buying more equities (Hagin, 2004). If I had $100,000 invested and lost 20%, which is $20,000, I would see it as an investment opportunity and buy more since many investors would sell cheap at that time to avoid further loss. I would probably hope they would gain in the future, when I shall have some profit. However, if the investment dropped by another $12,000, which is 15% loss to make it 35 in total, I would still hold on and wait for them to gain. Selling the entire investment would mean a bigger loss than waiting for them to gain and earn some earnings. References Goldie, D. C., Murray, G. S. (2011). The investment answer: Learn to manage your money protect your financial future. New York, NY: Business Plus. Hagin, R. (2004). Investment management: Portfolio diversification, risk, and timing–fact and fiction. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.

The needs of people and the needs of the environment

The needs of people and the needs of the environment The central question that these readings pose is how the needs of people can be reconciled with the needs of the environment. Although, human beings are a part of this environment, we have an enormous amount of influence on nature.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The needs of people and the needs of the environment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In many cases, this influence is not beneficial. This is why the authors of these articles urge readers to think about long-term effects of human activities on the planet. More importantly, people have to understand that their welfare is dependent on sustainable environment. Therefore, its protection has to be one of their top priorities. These are the main ideas that have to be discussed and critiqued. One of the concepts that appealed to me is the anthropocene. Generally, it is used to refer to the epoch in which the footprint of human race has become very clear and massi ve. Overall, this term appears to be quite appropriate because human beings did change the surface of the planet within the last three centuries, especially since the time of Industrial Revolution. The main problem is that people’s environmental impact adversely affected many species, water, and air. People often have an anthropo-centric view of the planet, and it is difficult for them to acknowledge that their survival may depend on the bio-physical environment. In my opinion, educators have to change people’s views on this problem, because the protection of environment greatly depends on individual effort. Furthermore, these articles show that the adoption of eco-friendly technologies is not a luxury, but a necessity for every country. Thus, governments should adopt different policies on this problem.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Yet, there is another issue that has been raised by the authors. They refer to the so-called mass extinction events. It is believed that in the past these events were caused by unavoidable factors such as climate change. The key issue is that human activities can be the cause of a mass-extinction event, but many people may not realize it. Certainly, it is possible to argue some of these concerns can be exaggerated, but there are some signs or markers of such events, for instance, the increasing rate of species extinction or the deterioration of coral reefs. Furthermore, one can mention such problems as soil erosion, overfishing, industrial wastes, and so forth. Unless these problems are not addressed, humankind can trigger a true mass-extinction event. This is why many researchers advocate the idea of biodiversity. One of the most important tasks is to promote the variations in ecosystem because in this way ecosystems can be made more sustainable. If people continue to turn a blind eye to the pos sibility of such an event, its probability will dramatically increase. This is why I agree with various authors who try to raise people’s awareness about different environmental problems. Some of the ideas discussed in these articles have been familiar to me. Nevertheless, these readings have prompted me to take a broader look at the role of human beings. On the whole, these articles call for a change in the mindset. They urge people to acknowledge that economic, social and political sustainability is impossible if the needs of the environment will be overlooked. Certainly, it is necessary to cope with specific environmental problems such as water pollution. Yet, at first, people have to see that they are a part of nature, rather than their masters.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The needs of people and the needs of the environment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Hult International Business School Programs and Admissions

Hult International Business School Programs and Admissions Hult International Business School, established in 1964, is a private business school with locations around the world. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, including one-year MBA programs. Hult is known for providing excellent preparation in areas of global business, such as international marketing, international banking, and international finance. Unlike most business schools, Hult International Business School is globally accredited by both the  Association of MBAs  (AMBA), and the  Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business  (AACSB).  These accreditations provide quality assurance and should be important to every student seeking a world-class global business education. In this article, were going to take a closer look at Hult International Business School. Youll learn about Hults campus locations, program offerings, and admissions requirements for the global MBA program. Campus Locations Hult International Business School has campus locations in Boston, San Francisco, New York, London, Dubai, and Shanghai. Students can study at one campus, switch campuses during the program, or choose to study in multiple locations by participating in the schools campus rotation program. Hults Boston Campus Hults Boston campus is located in Cambridge near many other prestigious universities, including Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Programs and electives offered at the Boston campus include the: Bachelor of Business AdministrationMaster of International BusinessMaster of International MarketingMaster of FinanceMaster of International BankingGlobal One-Year MBA Hults San Francisco Campus Hults San Francisco campus is located right in the city near the financial district, large companies, and more than 13,000 business start-ups. Programs and electives offered at the San Francisco campus include the: Bachelor of Business AdministrationMaster of International BusinessMaster of Business StatisticsMaster of International Marketing electivesGlobal One-Year MBAGlobal Executive MBA electives Hults London Campus Hults London campus is located in Central London in Bloomsbury, which is considered the academic heart of the city. London has some of the largest overseas banks in the world and is considered the hub of international finance. Programs and electives offered at the London campus include the: Bachelor of Business AdministrationMaster of International BusinessMaster of International MarketingMaster of Finance electivesGlobal One-Year MBAGlobal Executive MBA Hults Dubai Campus Hults Dubai campus is located in an area known as Internet City. Nearby companies include Microsoft and LinkedIn. Dubai is also known for industries like banking and financial services, consulting, and IT. Programs and electives offered at the Dubai campus include the: Master of International Business  Master of International Marketing electivesGlobal One-Year MBAGlobal Executive MBA Hults Shanghai Campus Hults Shanghai campus is located in Chinas economic capital on Peoples Square. It is surrounded by Shanghais financial and commercial districts. Programs and electives offered at the Shanghai campus include the: Master of International Business electivesMaster of International Marketing electivesGlobal One-Year MBA electivesGlobal Executive MBA Hults New York Campus Hults New York campus is a rotation center, where students from Hults other campuses come to study. The campus is located at the Cooper Union in central Manhattan near New Yorks key business districts. Elective offerings at the New York campus include: Master of International Business electivesMaster of International Marketing electivesMaster of Finance electivesGlobal One-Year MBA electivesGlobal Executive MBA electives Bachelor of Business Administration Program Hult International Business School offers one undergraduate business program for recent high school graduates. The program results in a Bachelor of Business Administration. Students enrolled in this degree program can choose to major in marketing, management, finance, accounting, or entrepreneurship. Hult also offers three different tracks, which allow students to graduate with a degree in two years (Global Fast Track), three years (Global Standard Track), or four years (U.S. Standard Track). Master Degree Programs The master degree programs at Hult International Business School are designed for students who have three years of work experience or less. Each program takes one year to complete. Students who earn a Master of International Business degree also have the option of earning a dual degree in an additional six to nine months of full-time study. Dual degree options include the Master of Disruptive Innovation degree or the Master of International Banking degree. Global MBA Program Hults Global MBA Program is a one-year MBA program with an intensive curriculum designed to teach you key business skills from a global perspective. The program is immersive and allows the opportunity to study in three different cities in a one year period. Specialization options include marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, family business, business analytics, and project management. After learning business theory in the first part of the program, students get an opportunity to put theory into practice through simulations and real-world experiences.   Global Executive MBA Program Hults Global Executive MBA Program is a unique MBA program for working professionals. The program allows students to earn an MBA degree with just 14 trips to campus. If you enroll in this program, you will miss 21 days of work in all and earn a degree within 18 months. You can study in one city or in up to three locations in a single one year period. Location options include San Francisco, London, Dubai, New York, and Shanghai. This immersive EMBA program is taught from the same global perspective that Hult is known for and includes an opportunity to customize your learning experience with electives. If you complete all three electives in one area of study (marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, family business, business analytics, and project management), you earn an MBA with a specialization in that designated area.   Hult MBA Admissions Requirements Admissions requirements for Hult International Business School programs vary depending on the program. Students who are applying to one of Hults MBA programs, need a bachelors degree (or the equivalent), three years of work experience, and proficiency in English. The admissions committee prefers bilingual or multilingual applicants who have lived in more than one country. Being globally-minded will also score you points with admissions reps. To apply to Hults Global MBA program or Global Executive MBA program, you will need to submit the following: Application feeTranscripts from all of the colleges and universities you attendedA copy of your bachelors degreeA current resumeLetters of recommendationA response to an application questionGMAT, GRE, or the Hult Business Assessment Test scores

Elementary Math Questions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Elementary Math Questions - Coursework Example They come in different shapes and forms and include algebra tiles, algebra blocks and algebra models. These different forms help support the different factors and variables, therefore, making it easier to understand the concept of algebra by use of visuals. This can be transferred easily to mathematical calculations later. There are many manipulatives that can be used in a classroom. However, the choice depends on the individual teacher and the grade level of the young learner. The manipulatives should also be easy and interesting. This is to avoid creating boredom and lack of interest for the learner. Some of the important manipulatives include counting, interlocking and rod, attribute blocks and money manipulatives. For example, I would use counting manipulatives to help learners determine missing numbers. This challenges the user to work it out and helps in quick understanding of the concept. Young elementary students should be allowed to use manipulatives both in class and during assessments. This is considering that they are the first means of helping young learners understand basic mathematics. Manipulatives should be allowed on assessments to help in evaluating the young learners ability to grasp the basic concepts. However, once these are found to be satisfactory, the younger learner should be weaned off from using them. This would help in making the learner develop mental abilities for doing calculations without their use. Set theory uses a collection of objects into sets used for objects relevant to mathematics. The theory tends to explain the inter-relationship between the objects. The way these are interchangeably arranged help learners to acquire the concept more easily. Visual presentation is important and it helps deepen the learners’ understanding. This makes it easy to do calculations later after they are no longer in use. This would be through the use of manipaulatives brought by the students or made in class out of foam sheets. The

Internet is knocking down university walls Essay

Internet is knocking down university walls - Essay Example The replacement of classroom based university level education with online education has several benefits to offer to the adult students. There are various reasons due to which top universities such as the Harvard University has started offering online university courses. One of the main reasons is that adult learners who are university going students find it easier to study through online university programs rather than classroom based university programs. Adult learners have started accepting online education as an alternative to classroom based education due to the several benefits offered by online education. Due to this the number of adults obtaining online education is increasing with the passage of time. A research was conducted by Parker et al. in which the researchers identified that one in every four American college students is taking online courses (Parker et al., 2011). Due to these various benefits along with the high number of students interested in online education, universities have started offering online education. There are several benefits that online university education has to offer to adult learners. One of the major benefits that university level students obtain from online education is that this form of education does not interfere with their professional and personal lives. Neighbors conducted a study in which he identified that there were two main reasons due to which adult learners were opting for online university courses. One of the reasons due to which they were pursuing online university courses was that this form of education provided them with flexibility to obtain education along with professional work and personal life. Another major benefit that adults obtain by attaining online education is that this form of education allows them to move forward in their careers. Attending a university is not an appropriate option for all working adults. This because they do not get enough

Reflaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Reflaction - Essay Example of any institution has an effect on the assaulted survivors, if an environment seems like it supports assaults or assault seems like no big deal, it makes it difficult for people to report any experiences they encounter (institutional betrayal). Am persuaded that there is need for more action to be taken to help the victims bring out their experiences to public domain to get protection from the perpetrators by creating a supportive and conducive environment for them which helps in the healing process. The article on violence against women focuses more on the changes that should be made at different levels in order to secure women from violence. Females are viewed as a weaker sex and it starts from the roots of the family. Culture and social construction portray women in a different way, there are jobs for women and others for men, male superiority and male control over women’s behavior â€Å"a man can ‘discipline’ his wife to which this is violence. This article explains into detail how we can reduce violence against women and helps provide simple solutions for fighting violence against women. The article misframing men by Michael Kimmel shows how certain males experiences leads to certain behaviors of killing others and committing suicides in schools. Local school and gender culture like marginalizing some students through bullying and paying no attention to bullied students or students with suicidal and self harming tendencies and the expectation of a male to defend himself when bullied increases the rampage of school shootings. Such a victim feels justified to avenge his mistreatments to all who hurt him. I think for schools to prevent shooting rampages should try encouraging equality for all to avoid marginalization. The four theses of men and sexual harassment shows that we have the potential to select the possibilities of harm and good we face if we keenly reflect on the four modes and distinguish them apart. A man can either be creepy, flirty, and

Lighting Schematics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lighting Schematics - Essay Example Camera cutting from a shaky shot to a steady shot was also another cinematography challenge in the Hunger Games. This error was evidenced by the conversation between two characters in which the camera angle of one character was handheld while on the other one it was completely steady. This link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juVckCCMEQQ provides a steady positioning of the camera, and this http://cineblur.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Train-scene-short-loop1.gif provides both steady and shaky position of the camera. The choice of dark setting is one of the production designs that were well utilized in the Hunger Games. In the image below, Katniss portrays a dark face when she walks. The face later appears to be light as she walks towards the light. This lighting design gives Katniss two personalities; an evil side and a nice side. The use of spotlights above Katniss in some parts of the scenes makes it appear interrogative. It appears as if Katniss is in a police station. The lighting of the districts was also dim compared to the bright lighting in the capital city. The variation in lighting enabled the director to sharply contrast between the successive capital city and the poor districts. The shots used in the movie also inform the viewers of certain things. For instance, the focusing of the camera up when the citizens of District Ten are listening to the organizer of the game shows that the people of District are looked down upon by this person. This is further evidenced by the angle of the camera moving down when the organizer of the game picks the tribunes. The choice of color and costume is also one of the production designs that present itself very well in the Hunger Games. For instance, the usual matching of Katniss and Peeta’s uniform shows that the two have something in common or the two obliged to follow specific rules. Katniss’ costume also makes her appear to have broad

Importance of Communication Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Importance of Communication - Research Paper Example Each follower can inspire others and they can also be inspired by the leader. Good communication skill successfully sends a clear message by way of oral, written or non–verbal method. It avoids any kind of confusion among followers. Confusion can lead to less productivity and conflict among team members. Communication not just means sharing information, but also good listening and writing skills. These are also part of communication. Listening to the followers can help to actively manage any difficulty which may arise in an organization. A leader can understand the requirements of followers and thus effectively lead them by fulfilling their needs. If the followers realize that their words are provided with due attention by the leader, they will be likely to communicate more efficiently. As a consequence, the leader-follower relationship will become strong (Mayfield & Mayfield, â€Å"The Role of Leader-Follower Relationships in Leader Communication†). There are certain t echniques for communicating with the followers. The manners, gestures, and verbal impressions always matter on the personality of a leader. A casual communication can lead to bad impression about leadership and thus, a serious expression is needed while making statement towards the followers. The anger or the satisfaction can be communicated by the non-verbal actions and these are very effective for maintaining an operative association between the leader and the follower (Mayfield & Mayfield, â€Å"The Role of Leader-Follower Relationships in Leader Communication†). Proper leader behavior is required to support leader–follower relationship. Communication ensues in the framework of a certain leader-follower relationship. It is not an autonomous procedure of transmission of information. Poor manners can counteract good communication. Communication will be ineffective without positive leader-follower relationship. The behavior of leader can facilitate the communication. I n an organization, a leader must be nominated on the basis of communication abilities and relationship building talents. In simple words, only conversation is insufficient; leader should also be capable of keeping the communication real and express encouraging behavior towards follower. Deprived behavior is regarded as a hindrance in communication (Mayfield & Mayfield, â€Å"The Role of Leader-Follower Relationships in Leader Communication†). Evaluation Of Own Communication As communication is a cooperative procedure, the evaluation must consider the decision of trained evaluator along with the impression of followers who are involved in the communication process. It comprises of self-report of the leader being evaluated. The evaluation of communication must be able to differentiate with the talking and listening from interpretation and writing skills. Though major part of evaluation is in the form of verbal communication, it also contains the interpretation and writing abili ty. The technique of evaluation must be reliable with the measurement of communication. The leadership communication can be evaluated by actual performance in collective atmosphere. The tools for evaluating communication must define the level of proficiency. It must be able to clearly recognize the responses (National Communication Association, â€Å"Criteria for Oral Assessment†

Lighting Schematics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lighting Schematics - Essay Example Camera cutting from a shaky shot to a steady shot was also another cinematography challenge in the Hunger Games. This error was evidenced by the conversation between two characters in which the camera angle of one character was handheld while on the other one it was completely steady. This link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juVckCCMEQQ provides a steady positioning of the camera, and this http://cineblur.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Train-scene-short-loop1.gif provides both steady and shaky position of the camera. The choice of dark setting is one of the production designs that were well utilized in the Hunger Games. In the image below, Katniss portrays a dark face when she walks. The face later appears to be light as she walks towards the light. This lighting design gives Katniss two personalities; an evil side and a nice side. The use of spotlights above Katniss in some parts of the scenes makes it appear interrogative. It appears as if Katniss is in a police station. The lighting of the districts was also dim compared to the bright lighting in the capital city. The variation in lighting enabled the director to sharply contrast between the successive capital city and the poor districts. The shots used in the movie also inform the viewers of certain things. For instance, the focusing of the camera up when the citizens of District Ten are listening to the organizer of the game shows that the people of District are looked down upon by this person. This is further evidenced by the angle of the camera moving down when the organizer of the game picks the tribunes. The choice of color and costume is also one of the production designs that present itself very well in the Hunger Games. For instance, the usual matching of Katniss and Peeta’s uniform shows that the two have something in common or the two obliged to follow specific rules. Katniss’ costume also makes her appear to have broad

Effects of Drugs on Neurotransmission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Effects of Drugs on Neurotransmission - Essay Example This means that alteration of the conditions that are favorable for cells to be alive leads to the death of the organelles. The various systems, therefore, have to ensure that the internal conditions of the body are favorable for cells to live; this state is known as homeostasis (Cooper, 2011). The favorable conditions are achieved when the systems ensure that the internal environment remains constant. The process of maintaining the constant conditions is known as the regulation of homeostasis. The process of regulating homeostasis involves three parts that include the effectors, control centers, and the receptors (Cooper, 2011). These parts standardize the internal conditions whenever external circumstances fluctuate. The receptor is in charge of collecting information from the external environment; for example, when the weather changes from hot to cold, these elements record this change. The receptor then transfers the information to the control center. The center is in charge of p rocessing the information received from the receptor. The center then determines the change that should occur in the internal environment to ensure that it does not fluctuate like the surrounding. The center commands the effectors to execute the change (Cooper, 2011). This process is repeated whenever the surrounding conditions fluctuate, and this maintains homeostasis in the body. The change that the center would produce in case of cold weather would be increasing the body temperature. The effectors increase the temperature after receiving the command from the center. The nervous system is in charge of controlling other arrangements in the body because it consists of the brain, which is the main body regulator. The systems consist of the brain, neurons, and neurotransmitters. The neurons produce various types of transmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. The neurotransmitters transfer signals to the effectors and receptors in chemical form (Sherman, 2007); therefore, any interference with this process may damage the brain or hinder its efficient functioning. Methods by which Various Drugs Alter Neurotransmission Drug abuse is one of the processes that damage the brain and hinder the efficient functioning of the neurotransmitters. Drugs such as heroine stimulate the production of excess receptors in the brain. The increase in opioids in the brain also increases the production of dopamine. Cocaine, on the other hand, enters the neuromembrane by clinging on dopamine transmitters (Sherman, 2007). This blocks dopamine from entering into the transmit ters, and it leads to the increase of these organelles in the synapse. The increase in the dopamine in the synapse leads to the desire for more cocaine, which consequently leads to addiction. Alcohol is another drug that affects neurotransmission by altering the shape and structure of the neuromembrane, enzymes, ions, and receptors. The use of alcohol also blocks the receptors that take place in the synaptic process, which is responsible for helping an individual to learn and remember things (Sherman, 2007). Caffeine, which is contained in drinks such as coffee affects the process of transmitting neurons by preventing adenosine from connecting to its receptor. Adenosine is responsible for inducing sleep in a person. This means that individuals lack sleep when adenosine fails to perform its function efficiently. These disruptions of the neurotransm

Service Delivery Essay Example for Free

Service Delivery Essay The goals of this paper are to research; diagram service delivery processes, and then describe how the process would be effective in the given situation. A research and define service delivery processes in different disciplines or areas to capture the best processes. A service culture will be defined and a description will be given as to why it is important. A description will also be given as to why service employees are critical to the success of delivery in any service organization. Using the writer on personal examples, the writer will discuss the general importance of customers in the successful creation and delivery of service experiences. Last, an internet search will be done to locate three services that the writer is interesting in exploring. The service will be described and outline the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing these services via e-commerce as opposed to the traditional market. The implications that purchasing online has for the service culture and customer experience will be given. Service Culture Organizations have different culture and service culture is one thing that has a major impact on customers and their decision. Service culture consists of many components with each impacting customers and helping to establish the success or failure of customer service proposals (Lucas, 2008). Organizations sometimes over-promise and under-deliver due to their cultural and internal systems and do not have the ability to support customer service proposals (Lucas, 2008). For example, assume that the management of an organization has their marketing department develop a slick piece of literature describing all the benefits of a new product or service provided by a new corporate partner organization† (Lucas, 2008, p. 1). A special 800 number is then launched for responses but the company is unsuccessful when it comes to hiring extra staff or sufficiently trained current employees to handle the customer calls. The venture is prone to be unsuccessful. A service culture allows the business to accomplish key business goals, solve vital problems and increase capabilities to aim at future prospects. Customers also have an important role in the success of a business. A business cannot be successful unless there are customers. Several work fields requires customer input for service creation such as or haircuts, annual exam, and full service restaurant. The clients input customize a standard service. The provision of the service requires the customer purchase. Customer input (information material) is necessary for an adequate outcome, but the service firm provides the service. Jobs where customer presence is required during service delivery are airline travel, motel stay, and fast-food restaurant. Customers play a variety of roles in the service experience. Some of those roles are productive resource, contributor to quality, satisfaction and value; and as competitor to the service organization. Customer as a productive resource for example, in contributing information and effort in the diagnoses of their ailments, patients of a healthcare organization are part of the service production process. If they provide accurate information in a timely fashion, physicians will be more efficient and accurate in their diagnoses. Thus, the quality of the information patients provide can ultimately affect the quality of the outcome. Furthermore, in most cases, if patients follow their physician’s advice, they will be less likely to return for follow-up treatment, further increasing the healthcare organization’s productivity. (Bitner, Faranda, Hubbert, Zeithaml, 1997, p. 3) E-Business In today’s economic marketplace, E-business has transformed the way that businesses functions. Businesses have the ability to grow and expand beyond their local market because of the technological advances of the past few decades. So that small businesses can increase their sales and profits, the Internet now allows small businesses to reach national or global consumers with their products and services. However, some disadvantages come along with these advantages such as creating higher levels of economic challenges not formerly seen. (Vitez, 2013) E-business has one big advantage, which is the low startup costs needed to begin business operations. Once small companies have increased their working capital after starting their company via the Internet they expand into traditional brick and mortar stores. Companies may choose to simply expand their Internet footprint rather than creating a physical storefront, depending on their business success. Businesses need a computer, website hosting service, and Internet connection as the main operating equipment, which makes internet storefront relatively cheap. (Vitez, 2013) E-business has two major disadvantages and they are the increased levels of competition and the difficulty of creating positive goodwill through a website and computer. Sellers must find a competitive advantage over more competitors than usual, because individuals and traditional businesses may enter the e-business marketplace. Customers generally place high value on customer service in the brick and mortar business environment. E-businesses generally have a hard time trying to creating the same type of positive customer service, bear in mind that their customers may be miles away from the e-business’s operations. Since impersonal email is a common form of communication in e-business customers may have a problem understanding mistakes or errors. (Vitez, 2013) Car insurance has begun mandatory in today society and getting the best price is necessary. There is something missing even though anyone can find and obtain car insurance quotes online or even find a life quote. When doing the quote online the person will be missing the personal and professional experience of someone behind the desk that is hope to be acting in his or her best interest. To completely remove the critical thinking part of it rather than relying on a possible expert in the field (if not an expert someone that does it daily) they depend on a website to ask certain questions. More coverage for less money maybe there are riders or slight tweaks on the policy that may be provided. Legal Service Legal service is needed in any businesses. Legal services can be obtain either online or the traditional method. There are pros and cons to online services as well as the traditional method. There are as follows: * No driving. Simply jump online and you are there * No waiting. Your services are all available for you once you register. Just find and click. * Licensed Attorney provided legal advice. You dont just purchase the legal product, you get the service to go with it. Superior service. Maybe you do have to get your own coffee, but you have the option of getting it whenever and wherever you want * Save money. Less overhead, and more focused legal services means you save money over a traditional law firm. * Your data and information are protected by bank grade encryption when you enter the protected and secure area. * Secure and private communications. Not even the secretary has any idea why you need the services. (Inlawcenter, 2013, p. 1) Conclusion A business involves many different things in order to make it successful. The service delivery process is different in every company but necessary for a company progress. This paper has defined service culture and described why it is important. A description of why service employees are critical to the success of delivery in any service organization was given. Examples of how customers play a role in the successful creation and delivery of service experiences. Final a search was done and three services where describe and the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing them online versus traditional was given.

Managing Globalization at Sony

Managing Globalization at Sony Executive Summary As a consequence of economic liberalization, free trade is rapidly becoming a reality within regional blocks, such as the EU, NAFTA, ASEAN, and Mercosur. Furthermore, the World Trade Organization is continuously reducing the remaining barriers to the free flow of capital, goods, services, and technology among countries and regional blocks. The barriers to trade and investment among countries continue to decline rapidly and are making globalization increasingly more feasible and less expensive. Secondly, technological advances continue their onward march. There has been a sharp decline in the costs of air transportation, telecommunication, and computers since 1950. The decline in transportation costs has radically shrunk the cost of shipping goods across countries. These developments in information technology have dramatically reduced the operative distance between companies, their customers, and their suppliers and made coordination of far-flung operations not only more feasible but also more reliable and efficient. Owing to the development of the global economy, most of the firms are now expanding their operations across nations. Companies are not only located in their home countries, but the production centers, warehouses, distribution centers are also built up in different countries as well. This has been done increasingly to reap the benefits of cost and advantageous resources. This research mainly focuses on certain important strategies adopted by multinational enterprises. These strategic areas of discussion are strategy for globalization, achieving global coordination and operations, building global RD networks and improving corporate governance. The main focus will be on strategies adopted for the mentioned key issues by two multinationals: SONY and SAMSUNG. A qualitative research of these two companies is undertaken and a comparison of the strategies adopted for various key issues has been made in this paper. 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research Background and Motives In its simplest form, strategy is about getting from A to B as cost-effectively as possible. Implicit in this process are: assessing a firm’s existing situation (A), both external and internal; clarifying strategic objectives (B) and the opportunities they encompass; and determining the pathway of long-term activities (strategies) that most effectively lead from A to B. The strategic pathway must reflect not only the changing environment, but also changes called for in a firm’s capabilities. As such, strategy necessarily combines both internal and external aspects of a firm. When the environment is complex and at times volatile, as is true for the global economy, these two aspects are continuously in play and shaping each other. Firms vary considerably in the motivations and paths that guide them toward their global agendas. They begin at different points in their development, pursue different visions, and operate under different industry conditions. Firms also have a broad choice of the strategic path they take to achieve their global agendas. Some firms in the medical, biotech, and computer software fields may be viewed as â€Å"born global,† because their products have immediate widespread acceptance in an identifiable market niche around the world. But even then, like most firms, they must traverse one or more of three broadly different paths to globalize their operations-through growth, extension, or transformation. Thus, it is the foreign entry strategy that decides the mode of expanding business across nations. The research paper will focus on these strategies as adopted by Sony along with the strategy adopted for global coordination, global RD networks and corporate governance. These strategies of Sony will be compared with those of Samsung to present a contrasting image between the two companies. 1.2 Research Methods The purpose of qualitative research methods is to discover and explain the actual business phenomenon of operations, and CASE STUDY is one of the most popular methods of conducting such a research. This research is mainly focused on two multinational enterprises-SONY and SAMSUNG and the strategies adopted by these firms to enter foreign markets, strategies for attaining coordination in global operations and corporate governance strategies. In order to understand the strategies adopted by these two enterprises is studies. These sources include publications, annual reports and public release of case study companies and a case study provided on globalization of Sony Corporation. Afterwards, the data and information among these corporations will be compared and analyzed. Finally, the results of the case study will be tested and verified with the literature and certain recommendations for further strategies to be followed will be provided.Certain important concepts will be considered whi le making the analysis. These concepts are Multinational Enterprise, Globalization, Corporate Governance and Competitive advantage. The purpose of this research is to explore various strategies adopted while going global and for managing global operations efficiently. The research will aim at discussing and comparing two multinational companies Sony and Samsung on issues relevant to global operations of any organization. The research will also analyze the impact of current economic crisis on the global strategies adopted by companies. While analyzing such impact special consideration will be given to the views of Rhodes and Stetler provided in an article Seize the Advantage in a Downturn, Harvard Business Review (2009) 2 MANAGING A GLOBAL CORPORATION: SONY Sony is uniquely characterized with its relatively outgoing nature, flambount leadership and global mindset of its top executives. The company was founded on May 7, 1946, in Japan under the name of Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo. In 1958, the company changed its name officially to Sony Corporation. Its major products include Audio, Video, Televisions, Information and Communication, Semiconductors and Electronic Components. Sony was the first Japanese company to set up manufacturing facilities in the U.S. In 1980s Sony decided to diversify beyond consumer electronic goods and began to move production to other countries. Various strategies adopted by Sony while globalizing its operations are discussed in following topics. 2.1 Going Global In 1980s Japan had an image of a producer of poor quality goods. When Sony decided to go global the very first decision taken by Morita, (then chairman of Sony Corporation) was to change the companys name from a Japanese name to Sony, which was a combination of a Latin word sonus meaning sound, and a British word sonny meaning, little man. Sony initiated in its global operations in a properly planned way and used Transnational-market strategy to go global. Instead of just starting off the operations in all major countries, the company emphasized on setting up operations in one particular region at a time. For globalizing its operations, Sony followed a approach to understand the market and learn to sell before making any heavy investments. The very first effort towards globalization was setting up of a sales subsidiary in U.S. This was done in 1960 and a decision to set up a manufacturing unit was taken up only in 1971 when the company became well aware of the market trends and consumers choice in U.S. Also Morita decided to stay in America so as to understand the mentality and consumer behavior of the market. Such a bold decision helped Sony to better place its products in U.S. markets. Next market which Sony decided to tap was Europe. In order to be successful in European markets, Sony decided to customize its products as per the consumers choice. Sony had to design a Television set that would accept any of the four prevailing standards of Europe. Although, there was strong resistance for Sonys designs in European markets, company totally refused to leave its philosophy of being different and not an imitator. In London also company followed the policy of starting with only sales office and that too on a small scale. This helped the company to deeply analyze and understand the market the consumer choice before going for great investments in the country. In Germany Sonys strategy was to concentrate on projecting an image of quality. It started selling its product sonly through some best electronic shops and this created a strong awareness about the products of the company. However, to sustain in German markets, Sony continued to persist with its expensive, high quality image even after gaining a considerable awareness and flow of orders. Another challenge which Sony faced while globalizing was expanding operations in several Scandinavian countries. Here Sony first appointed local competing manufacturers, as its agents to enter the market. These manufacturers were those enjoying a good reputation in market and had strong sales capabilities. A worldwide economic recession of 1981-82 acted as a dampener on Sonys sales. At this time a new strategy of setting up Strategic Business Units (SBU) was undertaken so as to manage operations on global basis. 2.2 Building a Global RD Network Sony had developed several breakthrough products since its inception in 1946. The company had always followed the strategy of identifying customer needs and developing products to satisfy those needs and also which can stand the ever-changing market trends. Sony has several RD labs established in different parts of the world. These labs participate in annual meetings every year so as to set priorities and promote collaboration among different regions. The company looked at RD facilities as a means to tap foreign technology, provide technological support to foreign plants and to modify products to suit the needs of overseas markets. The global RD network is controlled centrally by CTO at the Japanese headquarters of the company and the system represents a Matrix system. The RD offices of US and Europe have CTOs who coordinates their own regional RD activities and formulate regional technology strategies. However, overseas labs are given sufficient autonomy to plan and implement their projects and local labs are managed by local subsidiary and also by the CTO. Sony aims at non-duplication of research activities across the system and for this company organizes Annual Technology Exchange Convention where executives from all over the world are able to exchange information and appreciate companys research capabilities. 2.3 Global Coordination Sony used decentralization and delegation in managing its global operations. The need for a good communication between Japanese headquarters and local businesses was also realized. To foster this Sony emphasized on relating its marketing groups with engineering, manufacturing and other headquarter functions. Also, product divisions were allotted the responsibility of participating in design, promotion and advertising along with distribution and various operational issues. Sony does have separate business units with independent management committees but all these are linked with headquarters to ensure coordination and cooperation in various functions. Along with a fair deal of decentralization of functions Sony established a Strategic Group Headquarters to oversee group operations and allocate resources efficiently. Also, there is an integration of design, production, customer service and logistics functions of factories to streamline supply chain management. Through greater use of i nformation technology Sony aims at coordinating administrative, sales and marketing operations of Japan, U.S and Europe. The strategy is to provide a wide range of authority to business units, but with the retention of the cohesive power of headquarters. The goal of this strategy is to create an environment of strong leadership of top management and increased corporate worth. 2.4 Corporate Governance While designing a corporate governance system at Sony, it was aimed that the ability of Board to oversee operations be strengthened. Proper care was taken for delegation of greater authority and responsibility for the extension of business activities and company planned to adopt the Company with Committees system. Such a system comprised of three committees each of which consists of a majority of outside directors. The appointment of outside directors ensures greater soundness, transparency and speed in corporate governance matters. The strategy here is was recognize the importance of a management system that believes in importance of shareholders of the company. The base of such a system of corporate governance is considered to be the innovation of Board of Directors of the company. 3 COMPARISON OF SONYS STRATEGIES WITH THAT OF SAMSUNG. Samsung was founded by Lee Byung-Chull as a small trading company in 1938. Today Samsung Group is a multinational conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. The globalization efforts started in Samsung in late 1980s. When Samsung decided to go global the main problem which aroused was companys image of being bargain junk. CEO and management personnel of the company travelled to the US to understand the market and realized that there is a strong need to change this perception about Samsung. Like Sony, Samsung also started with setting up of sales subsidiaries mainly in developed countries but unlike Sony, Samsung did not emphasized in tapping one country at a time. Rather Samsung started with its global operations in 1980s with setting up of production facilities in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe with an aim of gaining the benefits from roundabout export. Samsung also took the path of mergers and acquisitions to go global during the initial years of globalizati on. This was not the case with Sony which entered new markets independently to acquire new markets with its existing competencies and image. Despite of a strong resistance for its products design in European markets, Sony refused to compromise on companys corporate philosophy. However in 1990s Samsung did follow th strategies that included manufacturing components for better known global brands and selling copycat products of microwaves or televisions such as Sanyo to consumers. On the part of Global Coordination, Sony followed a policy of decentralization along with a tight control from headquarters so as to ensure proper functioning, accountability, transparency, cooperation and increased corporate worth. At Samsung, global operations are managed region wise. U.S market is considered as a centre for local marketing and introduction of new technologies whereas Mexico is the base for roundabout export. While Southeast Asia and Europe are the production sites, Japan is the new export market centre for introducing new technologies and China is the second most fundamental market. All these markets are given adequate authority to perform their individual functions but are closely linked with each other as well as with Global Strategy Control Headquarters in Korea. There is an exchange of technology between US and Mexico where low to medium class products are manufactured. Also there is a supply of products from Europe to U.S and of product design and new develo pments from U.S to Europe. At the same time there is a constant flow of information regarding RD initiatives, and high value-added products from the headquarters to these global business units. Thus, there is a coordination of operations among all the markets which are working as per their specializations. Sony has set up several RD units in various different countries to absorb the customers expectations from all the markets and convert this information into new innovative products to suit the needs of each specific market and its customers. Samsung also invested heavily on RD and applied the concept of innovation within the organization. According to Steers, Richard (1997) Innovation for Samsung means, develop through globalization to globalize Samsung. However, Samsung adopted a strategy to make each and every staff member of the organization capable enough to innovate. Ungson, Gerardo (1997) explained that a review of Samsungs operations from 1990 to 1992 demonstrated the need to train employees as international experts, to manage difficulties, experienced with foreign local employees, and to recruit excellent employees. Company created an atmosphere that can make each employee confident to create innovation. For this Samsung revised the concept of Samsung man that emphasized on the creative individual who is characterized with a wide view and high moral standards. Samsung recruited qualified people and there were a third of companys directors aged in 40 years or younger. The company aimed at getting people with good vision about future and considered human capital as the most important element for a successful innovation leading to efficient globalization. On account of corporate Governance, Sony has a clear structure consisting of board of directors which are mainly from external sources of the company. In Samsung there is a cross shareholdings pattern representing a web of dubious cross-shareholdings among scholars, bureaucrats and NGOs. Chairman of the company, Lee Kun-hee and his family maintain a control over the group. The Samsung Everland, Samsung Life insurance, Samsung Electronics and Samsung Card are the main pillars to sustain corporate governance structure and form a ring of shareholdings in the company and exhibit an intricately entangled shareholding system. 4 CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS AND GLOBAL STRATEGIES In the words of Landefeld, J.Steven (2009) Globalization is an economic process that has been going on since the earliest days of trade and investment across regions and countries. It has helped in significantly raising the standards of living, health and improvement in environment through a rise in world-wide production and income. As it is always believed that globalization is largely driven by economic gain; a common question during the situations of economic crisis is whether a company should focus on its current geographies rather than venture into expanding its global operations. In current financial crisis it has been seen that markets are good at pricing marginal risks so as to achieve short-term gains. However, Landefeld (2009) argued that markets are not good in evaluating bubbles and long-term systematic risk. The current financial crisis definitely affects the global strategies of companies. Most of the companies view the global economic downturn as the biggest challenge partnerships to be dealt with. Also, most of the agencies report that their corporate partners are finding it difficult to initiate new partnerships in current economic crisis. Despite such difficulties the current economic crisis has a positive side-effect also. It provides an opportunity of an extra incentive for finding more and more creative ways of partnerships and global engagements. The crisis also has a positive effect of encouraging innovation. According to Rhodes, D., and Stelter, D., 2009, Seize the Advantage in a Downturn, Harvard Business Review, Inaction is the riskiest response to the uncertainties of an economic crisis. But rash or scattershot action can be nearly damaging. In the above mentioned article Rhodes pointed out that a planned approach towards global strategies need to be followed in times of economic crisis. The very first step in this approach is that the company should assess its own vulnerabilities, at the company level and by business unit. Company should be aware of various ways in which the current scenario can affect its business in terms of reduced demand for its products, companys ability to secure short-term financing, effect on cost of capital, etc. Once such affects are known the impact can be quantified to closely assess the exposure. Then it is possible to determine the ways to reduce the exposure and survive and maximize the companys performance during the downturn. Dr, Suder, Gabriele, Professor of International Business at CERAM Business School, France clarifies that while the reduction-of-cost argument is one of the main motivations for internationalization in times of crisis, when it comes to location decisions, decision-makers will always also opt for convenient labor conditions, market opener effects and access to resources not obtainable elsewhere. Therefore, a crisis as we know it today is unlikely to alter internationalization strategies, and it shouldnt. Simply because this would alter the firms strength. Rhodes explained that a company can capitalize on the opportunities presented by a recession. There is a need to assess and minimize the vulnerability of ones firm. This will position a company to seize future resources of competitive advantage, whether through bold investments in product development or transformative acquisitions. As per the plan suggested by Rhodes, liquidity is considered as the key to survive any economic crisis. A company should monitor and maximize its cash position. This can be done through tightly managing customer credit and aggressively managing working capital. Also, there is a need to optimize ones financial structure by reducing debt and other liabilities and securing access to lines of credit. Further, there is a need to inform investors and analysts about the companys recession preparedness. This will help in maintaining a strong share price for the company. A company should reduce costs and increase efficiency during economic crisis. This is to be done through rooting out long-standing activities, centralize key functions, and analyze current suppliers and reviving earlier efficiency initiatives to implement them fully in better times. Next level is to revitalize customer retention initiatives during recession. There is a need to realign sales force utilization and incentives, reallocate marketing spending towards immediate revenue generation, and consider more-generous financial terms for customers. Also, during recession a company should reconsider its product mix and pricing strategies so as to offer lower-price versions of existing products, considering creative strategies such as result-based or subscription pricing, etc. Naim, Moises (2009) Globalization cannot be derailed by the world financial crisis until and unless we believe that globalization is mainly about international trade and investment. James (2009) argued that present economic crisis is temporary and globalization will continue and the entire world is tied up due to increase in volume of business. Through a proper mechanism a company can very well expand during recession also. The best companies make an extra effort to not only survive in downturn but position themselves to thrive during subsequent upturn. A company should consider the fact that investments made today in areas such as product development and technology will give good results only once the recession is past. The cost of such initiatives will be lower during recession and will give huge benefits in times of growth. Also, an economic crisis like that of today is good time to invest in human capital also. Downturns can also be viewed as an opportunity to rethink the business models. More and more analysts and practitioners are emphasizing on recognizing the importance of sustainable business practices, comprehensive risk-management, long-term performance and ethics. The current economic crisis has lead to recognition of Corporate Social Responsibility in every organization. This crisis has lead companies to pay more attention on environmental, social and governance issues which have a positive effect on companys performance and long-term corporate value. Also, financial investors have learned to consider these key issues while making any investment decisions. Steets, Julia (2009) argued that the global economic crisis will most likely not have a negative impact on business partnerships. In the words of Thomsen, Kristina (2009) While the crisis leads to a reduction of philanthropic giving, it also triggers innovative partnerships and may have a cathartic effect on more conventional ones, eliminating those that would not have been sustainable anyway. Thus, compan ies adopting a comprehensive approach towards handling economic crisis can be better placed and be able to seize the opportunities emerging from the turbulence and will also be able to head start on the competition once the crisis is over. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS From the above discussion it can be concluded that current financial downturn supports the recognition of sustainable business practices for long-term success of an organization and its businesses. At a time when global competition is intensifying, Sony and Samsung, using different set of strategies, remain internationally competitive. Sony has continued to supply innovative products all over the world. On the other hand Samsung has emphasized on process enrichment and innovation along with good RD investment. Samsung has concentrated on its core competency of manufacturing. Despite their different approached towards globalization and various other key issues related with the concept, both Sony and Samsung have successfully met the challenges of global competition. Sony has been characterized with an unrelated diversification. Samsung is focused on its core competency of manufacturing but Sony seems to have stuck up in multiple businesses and such unrelated businesses can be more detrimental rather than being helpful for the company. It is recommended for Sony to regain focus and investing in enhancing the companys core competencies. Further to survive competition from firms like Samsung and LG, the top management teams at Sony should evaluate the identity of the Sony brand to its customers and adopt a brand oriented leadership. These steps are necessary to rejuvenate Sony in the long run. REFERENCES Caves R.E. (1986), Multinational enterprise and economic analysis, Cambridge University Press, pp.1-30 Dunning J.H. (1993), Multinational Enterprises and the Global Economy, Addision-Wesley Publishing Lindsay M. (1992), Developing Capital Markets in Eastern Europe-A Business Reference, New York University Press Landefeld, J.Steven (2009), Un High- Level Forum on Globalization and Global Crisis: The Role of Official Statistics. United Nations Statistics Division, ECOSOC Chamber. Kim, Samuel S. (2000), Korean Globalization, Cambridge University Press. Parker, Barbara (2005), Introduction to Globalization Business, Sage Publishing. Pak Y.S. and Park Y.R. (2004), Global Ownership Strategy of Japanese Multinational Enterprises: A Test of Internalization Theory, Management International Review, Vol.44, No.1, pp.3-21 Steers, Richard M Park, Seung-Ho (1997), Korean Enterprise, Harvard Business School Press. Websites Samsung Corporation http://www.samsung.com Samsung in Hungary http://www.samsung.com/hu/index.htm Samsung in Russia http://www.samsung.ru/about/ Samsung RD expenses in 2003 http://www.samsung.com/AboutSAMSUNG/ELECTRONICSGLOBAL/CompanyProfile/InvestmentinRD/ Samsung’s Governance Remains Problematic (2009), Ohmy News http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400no=274927rel_no=1 Accessed 18 November 2009 Sony Corporation http://www.sony.net Will globalization be derailed by the world financial crisis? (2009), McKinsey Company http://whatmatters.mckinseydigital.com/the_debate_zone/will-globalization-be-derailed-by-the-world-financial-crisis Accessed 18 November 2009

Interactivity In Art Essay -- Art Design Artistic Essays

Interactivity In Art Abstract: This essay examines the nature of interactivity in the arts through a cybernetic model, to arrive at an understanding of how interactive artworks can maintain and augment the subjectivity of the viewer. The cybernetic discourse foregrounds the relationship between the physical artifact (machine and/or work of art), the participant/spectator, and information/data/content. By examining the shifts in focus from each part of the cybernetic equation, several models for interactivity in art emerge. In a search for a definitive and user-centered working model of interactivity in the arts, a logical place to look is at the history of cybernetics. Cybernetics, defined by Norbert Wiener in Cybernetics: or Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine as â€Å"†¦the entire field of control or communication theory, whether in the machine or in the animal† (Wiener 11) contains a number of pointers to a useful model of interactivity. The origin of the term cybernetics from the Greek, meaning â€Å"to steer†, implies a reciprocal relationship between external forces, the machine, and the human to maintain a condition of homeostatic. In a work of interactive art, as in Wiener’s description of a bee-hive, the secret of its organized action lies â€Å"in the intercommunication of its members† (156). A second fertile site to mine for understanding the nature of interaction in the arts is the traditions and conventions of the art object itself; at how the art object is thought to project feeling and meaning , to change across time and culture, and to involve the viewer, temporality, and artist in a dynamic interchange within an aesthetic dimension. Toward these ends, I will address two questions:... ...n, 1999) Susanne K. Langer, Mind, an Essay on Human Feeling, John Hopkins University Press, (London, 1982) John C. Lilly, M.D., Programming and Metaprogramming in the Human Biocomputer, Julian Press Inc, Crown Publishing Group, (New York, 1969) Lev Manovich, The Language of New Media, MIT Press, Leonardo Books, (Cambridge, 2001) __ On Totalitarian Interactivity (notes from the enemy of the people, http://www.manovich.net/text/totalitarian.html, 1996. Heinz von Forester, â€Å"Molecular Ethnology: An immodest proposal for Semantic Clarification, † Observing Systems, 2nd Edition,, Intersystems Publications, (Salinas California 1984) Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela, Autopoesis and Cognition: The Realization of the Living (Dordrecht: D. Reidel 1980). Perry Hoberman, Faraday’s Garden, http://www.hoberman.com/perry/pages/faraday/list.html

American Government Exit-polls

As per exit polls in Texas are concerned, there were some interesting results that are worth noting regarding the trend of voting. The Democrat beat the Republicans by a substantial margin of close to one million votes with McCain garnering 4, 479, 328 or 55% and Obama 3, 528, 633 or 44%. The voting in terms of age Exit polls in Texas for President showed that of the 47% male voters, Obama got 39% while McCain had 59%, and of the 53% female voters Obama had 47% while McCain got 52%. What was interesting in this exit poll result was the trend in voting by age.Texas exit poll revealed that among ages 18-29 comprising 16% of the total votes, Obama earned 54% votes and McCain 45%. Among ages 30-44 (31% of the total votes), Obama had 46% and McCain 52%. Of ages 45-64 (39% of the total votes), Obama got 41% While McCain earned 58%. Finally at 65 and older (14%) Obama had a lowest 32% votes while McCain got a high 66% of the total votes from this age group. The exit polls in Texas reveal im portant things. 1. That most men in general in this state favored and voted for McCain giving him 59% over Obama with only 39%.2. That, women in general in this state only slightly favoring McCain giving him a slight edge over Obama at 52% compared to 47%. 3. Among voters ages 18-29 comprising 16% of the total votes, Obama gets the upper hand with 54% compared to McCain’s 45 % 4. But among ages 30-44 which comprised 54%, McCain was the stronger candidate. 5. The trend in the voting by age shows that McCain was the top choice among the older voters. Ages 45-64 comprising 39% shows McCain widening his lead over Obama at 58% to 41% 6.Exit poll among ages 65 and older shows Obama further down at 32% compared to McCain’s 66%. 7. That this voting trend favored McCain considering the age bracket of the voters getting older. 8. That obviously this voting trend in the age bracket point to the direction of racial prejudice. 9. The younger generation was more open to accept socie tal change through conventional leadership styles. 10. That voting by race reveals that voters in Texas votes based on racial preferences. II. A Letter to the PresidentDear Mr. President: In view of the exit polls in Texas, apparently younger generations voted for you in view of their being open mindedness on the issues affecting our society. However, the same exit poll reveals that Texas voters in general are partisan voters voting merely based on racial preference. I therefore urge that you give particular attention on this observation by showing considerable fairness among the people of Texas despite you loss by a margin of almost a million votes for future reference.I hope for your favorable response on the matter by paying a visit and extend the atmosphere of reconciliation. Sincerely: III. Question on the election trends I believed that the trends in the general election have changed dramatically from previous trends. The change that took place according to CREST (The Centre f or Research into Elections and Social Trends) has to do with voters’ attitude that influenced their preferences for the kind of leaders they wanted for their country.In that report, voters chose the leader/s, who could deal with personal issues such as healthcare, economy, social security, gas prices, war in Iraq, political corruption lobbyist, terrorism, taxes, immigration, and environment (Hardy). The voting attitude was greatly influenced by the current issues that affected their country. The new trend I believe will pass on history and will be seen in future presidential elections especially if Obama proves himself as the right president who could correct the inaccuracies in the society.This period is very crucial in the history of the United States and while the new trend in USA election brings remedy to their crisis, the trend will become the basis in choosing government leaders. Reference Hardy, F. W. (9 Jan 2008). Election Issues Excel in America: National Issues Shin e in New Hampshire Presidential Primaries. Suite101. com. http://us-elections. suite101. com/article. cfm/election_issues_excel_in_america President Texas. ElectionCenter2008. CNN Politics. com. http://edition. cnn. com/ELECTION/2008/results/individual/#TXP00

Organizational Process Recommendation Paper

RUNNING HEADING: Organizational Process Recommendation Organizational Process Recommendation Paper University of Phoenix MGT 449 Mrs. Rebecca McHatton December 7, 2009 Quality International Textile Group is a diverse, innovative provider of global textile solutions and distinguished fabric brands to automotive, apparel, interior furnishing and industrial markets worldwide. While excellence is the common thread that weaves throughout Quality International Textile, it is the uniquely combined threads of a global manufacturing platform, innovative products, state-of-the-art systems, and a dynamic team of forward-thinking professionals that create unparalleled opportunities and competitive advantages for our customer partners. Quality improvement involves identifying discrepancies within organizational processes that may not run as effectively as possible. Many organizations find that a process is adequate for a time, but could function more effectively with some tweaking. An organization that strives for quality helps create an atmosphere based on teamwork and ensures that the entire organization will contribute to meeting the company’s ultimate goals. An effective evaluation process helps manage employees, offer suggestions, and a chance to set their career goals. The evaluation of an employee should have a positive influence on each individual employee regardless of the outcome. A major determinant of service quality centers on the people providing the service. Employee selection, training, motivation, supervision, and reward-all process relating to employees have a significant impact on quality. Burrill, 1999) Currently, there is no particular standardization for the process. Each manager evaluation process differs from another. Below is a â€Å"as is† flow chart of the current evaluation process that need to be analyzed. The description of the process is extremely limited because currently there is no strategic plan in place within t he entire process. Form the period that the self- evaluation is initiated until the time the management evaluates the employee can range any where from 1 month until one year. There is also no set timeframe when management discuses the employee evaluation until the time a pay increase is initiated. All raised vary from one manager to another, and there is no particular percentage set for pay increases regardless of the evaluation outcome. Therefore, there is no relation of the process to the organization’s strategic plan. This process of improvement would benefit the employee; it would also benefit customers, and the company as a whole. Effective quality management for an evaluation process would lead to higher productivity because employees would know and understand that their yearly salary increase would depend on their performance therefore, timely and systematic resolution of evaluations/ appraisals is important. An effective performance appraisal process would help the quality culture within the organization because employees would feel that their performance is significant to the company and its goals. Customers within the organization that are affected are office and field employees, suppliers, and customer. Initially a customer does not know if the service provided is good or bad, but an inefficient process for serving the customer can create a dad impression. The Fabric industry experiences the same business malfunctions as other companies. Therefore, the fabric industry should adapt the methods and ideas as other companies but many still have not adopted the Total Quality Management process. Those are the companies that will most likely experience increasing competition, rising legal cost related to cost overruns and schedule delays, and decreasing profit margins. (Cotinas, 1999). Several steps can be taken to ensure that metrics motivate process behaviors that increase customer value. The first is to identify and prioritize the customers served by the process. (Burrill, 1999). Although the process of employee evaluations does not directly involve customer service, it does have an effect on customers receiving services from the company’s employees. To hire an HR manager to perform create and perform appraisals to better adhere to each employees qualifications would be a great way to implement a change. The cause-and-effect diagram is a method for analyzing a process. The diagram’s purpose is to relate causes and effects. The cause and effect diagram can become complex and make it difficult to identify the problem, but it would be well worth it. If other all employees are allowed to help identify problems relating to the situation and provide a chronological view, that would be just what the company needed for restructuring of the company’s quality culture. Improvement process can vary and there are many tools to help organizations implement change. Seeking ideas and opinions from employees is one of the best techniques to identify whether or not any changes are necessary. References Achieving Quality through continual improvement . From University of Phoenix eBook library web site: https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/content/ebooklibrary/content/eReader. hCortinas, D 1999

If only God had made Adam & Steve, instead of Adam & Eve

In â€Å"Let Gays Marry,† Andrew Sullivan responds to conservative objections to same-sex marriages, by arguing that allowing such unions would actually promote traditional values, such as fidelity, monogamy, and love. It should logically appeal to straight conservatives, who deplore gay male promiscuity, that the declaration of Supreme Court: â€Å"A state cannot deem a class of persons a stranger to its laws,† now assigns equal rights to gays and lesbians. Andrew Sullivan is a senior editor at The New Republic, a magazine he edited from 1991 to 1996, and the U. S. columnist for the Sunday Times of London. He has a B. A. in modern history and modern languages from Oxford University and a Ph. D. in political science from Harvard University. He lives in Washington, D. C. The real problem is that there are really only three arguments against gay marriage: One is rooted in entirely God's preferences, the second cites inconclusive research on its negative effects on children, and third, the integrity of a marriage as a legal document. Sullivan effectively presents his case in a very logical fashion, calmly displaying his points, and using a statement declared by the United States Supreme Court, under which no gay men or lesbians will be considered strangers in America. They (Gays) are human beings just like you and I, â€Å"the sons and daughters of countless mothers and 2 fathers,† and should have the same opportunities to pursue happiness by marrying the one that they love. A natural process, where two people fall in love and decide to get married, is not any different for gay people. Therefore legalizing gay marriages does not provide gays with any special rights or place in America, but instead people will consider them to be an equal part of the society. The main idea is homosexuals should have the right to get married legally. Sullivan does not want churches to make any change in their practice, but to allow everyone to be who he/she is, a principle that the United States was created on. Plus, the concept of marriage has changed within the past one hundred years. The inter-caste and the inter-religion marriages which were once prohibited or forbidden between couples, has now become socially acceptable. Gay marriages do not change anyone else's rights or marriages in any way. Marriage is not just about raising children because the fact that many notable â€Å"childless heterosexual couples† exist in today's society, such as Bob Dole and his wife Elizabeth Dole, etc. Sullivan concludes by telling the general public to accept homosexual marriages and the fact that they will not be the turning point for the downfall of all society. Although I agree with Sullivan when he says, legalizing gay unions would not change anyone's right to marriage, I find Bennett's view more powerful, that it would weaken the institution of marriage, and contradict natural, moral, religious, and sexual realities. After reading Sullivan's article, I question his credibility, as he didn't provide enough evidence to get his point through. His approach toward his readers is with a lot of pathos, rather than logos. For example, when he states â€Å"And what we 3 seek is not a special place in America†¦ o give back to our society,† it is not clear as to what he means by giving back. When he argues about the definition of marriage, Sullivan fails to see the change, which was brought about for the welfare of the people (inter-caste marriages, inter-religion marriages, etc. ), consisted of a â€Å"man† and a â€Å"woman†, not two men, or two women. I would have agreed to the assertion, â€Å"the most simple, the most natural, and the most human instinct,† if it was used to prove the relationship between a male and a female. But using it to persuade about the same sex marriage doesn't cheer me up. To answer the question of whether gay and lesbian couples should have the right to marry, the question of why the institution of marriage is valued so dearly in society today must be answered. To do this, the meaning of the word marriage must be found, remembering that there are different levels in which marriage can be interpreted and/or evaluated. As with many other issues, when one tries to define the word marriage and its repercussions in society, several fundamental questions arise that must be answered in order to get a better understanding of the issue in question. Questions like: What is marriage defined as? In Webster's Dictionary, marriage is defined as â€Å"The institution whereby men and women are joined in special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family. † This concept seems to have been perpetuated throughout history, one man and one woman joined â€Å"till death do them part. † Keeping the above points in view, same sex marriages defy the laws of Christianity, and it is immoral in the eyes of society. Homosexuality in almost all countries has been looked down upon, and sometimes condemned. This opposition stems from the Holy 4 Bible. The couple in the Garden of Eden was a man and a woman, not two men or two women. If God intended two men or two women to be together, he would have put them in the Garden of Eden, giving them both the ability to have children. But that didn't happen. God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve, for the procreation of life. God wanted man and woman to reproduce with one another in order for the human race to continue. Today, adoption has taken a turn for the worse; Gay and Lesbian couples who cannot have their own children are adopting kids. I see this as one of the concerned problems. What kind of message are these kids getting? That homosexuality is all right. Moreover, the impact of this move can be devastating on the children as they grow up. For example, they might have to face a lot of challenges, like people taunting them, name calling, making fun, etc. Homosexuality is rejected by all major religions around the globe, but Andrew Sullivan still believes that promiscuity in homosexual relationships can show heterosexual couples that adultery doesn't have to end their marriage. The Bible states, â€Å"Leviticus 20:13: If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. † Thus, a 4000 year old book had an answer to the question being asked today. i. e. = Same Sex Marriage– Ethical or Unethical?