Managing New Product Development Essay

New product development requires organizations to facilitate cooperation and coordination between department boundaries within the organization. To facilitate this cooperation and coordination, organizations form cross-functional new product development teams to lead and manage the development process for new products. There are several variations that these teams can be formed and managed. New product development teams can be structured into four types: functional, lightweight, heavyweight, and autonomous (Schilling, 2008). In functional teams, members remain in their respective departments and report to their regular manager. In this type of team, members meet periodically to discuss the project. This type of team is usually temporary and team members may only spend a small amount of time on team projects (Schilling, 2008). In lightweight teams, members are still a part of their functional departments, as with functional teams, however, unlike functional teams, a lightweight team has a project manager and a dedicated liaison to facilitate communication and coordination between functions (Schilling, 2008). Heavyweight team members are removed from their functional departments and are collocated with a project manager. The project managers in heavyweight teams are usually members of senior management with significant authority to command resources. Under a heavyweight team, members are assigned full-time to the project. This helps ensure cross-functional coordination and communication (Schilling, 2008). Under autonomous teams, members are completely removed from their functional departments and dedicated full-time to the development team. In this type of team, membership is sometimes permanent. This type of team is headed by a very senior manager with full control over resources contributed from different functional departments (Schilling, 2008). Autonomous teams often create their own policies, procedures, and reward systems, apart from the rest of the organization. They are also held fully responsible for the success or failure of any given project. In many ways, autonomous teams behave as if they are independent decisions within the organization. This allows rapid and efficient new product development because they do not have to deal with organizational procedures, which could slow the development process (Schilling, 2008).There are many challenges managers face when  managing innovation. Alcatel – Lucent has a proven record of accomplishment with teams within the Bell Laboratories. Alcatel – Lucent prides itself on being the place where innovation, through vision and technology, intercept the needs of its customers from incubating start-up projects to performing fundamental and applied research. Bell Labs is the engine behind innovation at Alcatel – Lucent designing products and services that are at the forefront of communications technology. More than any other institution, Bell Labs has been at the forefront weaving technological fabric of modern society (Alcatel – Lucent | Innovation, 2006 – 2010). Their scientist and engineers have made seminal discoveries, launched technical revolutions that have reshaped the way people live, work, and play. They have built the most advanced and reliable communications networks in the world. Bell Labs has helped Alcatel – Lucent take the lead in shaping tomorrows broadband networks powered with service intelligence at every network layer (Alcatel – Lucent | Innovation, 2006 – 2010) Bell Labs enjoys a rich tradition of inventions and innovations that have fundamentally changed the way people communicate and share their lives. Bell Labs utilizes an autonomous team format that recognizes both multiple dimensions of research as well as cross-discipline (cross-functional) interactions are critical to the innovation process. Bell Labs scientific disciplines include mathematicians, algorithmic scientist, physical scientist, nanotechnologist, software and computer scientist, and many other specified scientist and researchers (Alc atel – Lucent | Innovation, 2006 – 2010). Bell Labs research culture can be summed up in two words: innovating innovation. They are continuously reevaluating, reassessing, and improving how its research contributes to Alcatel – Lucent. Its scientist are a flexible group with a commitment to venturing new paths and seeking out new approaches to product development (Alcatel – Lucent, 2010). At Bell Labs, there is a culture of innovating innovation that is based on two key criteria: a critical mass of scientist and an entrepreneurial persona. The critical mass of diverse scientist and engineers generate big ideas and work through those ideas from multiple angles, allowing them to approach complex issues from a variety of perspectives and integrate those perspectives into groundbreaking new products and services. Their adoption of an entrepreneurial persona ensures that some of the most promising near term research assets are driven into  the business and carried into the market. This process allows Bell Labs res earchers work together to direct research insights and innovations into commercialized products and validate them in the marketplace (Alcatel – Lucent, 2010). Bell Labs is a research organization with a unique and diverse set of expertise that stretches across a wide gamut of scientific disciplines that has played a major role in some of the most revolutionary inventions of the last hundred years. It is an organization that has left huge footprints on the communications landscape and continues to explore new paths in unchartered territory (Alcatel – Lucent, 2010). Over the next five to ten years, Bell Labs and Alcatel – Lucent will continue to be at the forefront of telecommunications solutions and innovations. There market position will only improve with new breakthroughs in communication devices that provide the best solutions for today’s enterprises and governments. References Alcatel – Lucent | Company Overview. (2006 – 2010). Retrieved April 30, 2010, from Alcatel – Lucent – About Us: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/wps/portal/AboutUs/Overview/?lu_lang_code=en Alcatel – Lucent | Innovation. (2006 – 2010). Acatel – Lucent | About Alcatel – Lucent Innovation. Retrieved April 30, 2010, from Alcatel – Lucent – About Innovation: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLd4w3MfQFSYGYRq6m-pEoYgbxjgiRIH1vfV-P_NxU_QD9gtzQiHJHR0UAAD_zXg!!/delta/base64xml/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS80SVVFLzZfQV9CVEg! Alcatel – Lucent. (2010). Innovating Innovation. Retrieved July 6, 2010, from Bell Labs | Alcatel – Lucent: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLd4x3DnAFSYGYRq6m-pEoYgbxjggRX4_83FT9IH1v_QD9gtzQiHJHR0UAZYL6lQ!!/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvd0ZNQUFzQUMvNElVRS82X0FfNDND Schilling, M. A. (2008). Strategic Management of Technological Innovation, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Organizational Culture at Dell Essay

The topic that is selected for discussion is organizational culture and how organizations implement this characteristic. The organization that is selected for discussion is Dell computers. The reason for choosing organizational culture is that organizations are getting bigger and stronger and they are expanding their horizon by implementing new and modernized strategies. They are changing their methodology and through effective culture management approaches they are expanding their customer base and they are enhancing their profits. That is the core reason of selecting organizational culture and this organizational culture is analyzed in Dell corporations. In this paper the concepts of organizational culture and certain aspects related to organizational culture are discussed in detail. Similarly, emphasis is laid on how Dell computers focus on organizational culture and what they have achieved because of the effective management of organizational culture. Different questions are formulated in order assess the topic and the organization. These questions are stated below: 1. What is organizational culture? 2. What are the characteristic of organizational culture? 3. What are the theories related to organizational cultures? 4. What is the organizational culture of Dell? 5. How Dell has managed its culture? 6. Is culture important for the stakeholders and how an organization can enhance their reputation because of culture? These six questions are used in this entire research to evaluate the organizational culture of Dell Corporation and primary and secondary sources are used for the analysis. It is expected from the analysis that the analysis of this research paper would depict the emphasis of culture and the importance of culture in organizations and how organizations like Dell experience positive returns in the long run just because of the culture. Although the topic is quite broad but only limited aspects of organizational culture are covered in this paper. Data Analysis Different data is collected from different sources and it is evaluated in this research paper. The sources that are used for this purpose are primary and secondary sources. Secondary sources are used for collecting and analyzing data related to the topic while the questionnaires are used for the assessing the culture of Dell Corporation and the employees of Dell are asked to fill out the questionnaires. Through the responses of employees the cultural management of dell is evaluated and analysis is made on the fact that how strong culture of Dell affects the performance of entire organization. Besides the primary sources certain secondary sources are also used in this research paper these sources are websites and books that are related to organizational change. The data that is fetched out from these sources are related to the research questions and all the research questions are answered through this data. Therefore, it can be said that through different sources the research questions are answered and emphasis of the research is based on the questionnaire that is developed. Results Organizational Culture Organizational culture is related to the field of management and organizational studies and it is directly related to the attitudes, beliefs, norms and values which are related to an organization. The culture of the organization simply defines the fact that how employees coordinate with each other and how they treat other stakeholders that are attached with the organization. The culture of the organization is closely linked with the corporate culture and it also incorporates the vision and mission of the organization. These cultural values are also related to the goals of an organization and they are broadly known as â€Å"beliefs and ideas†. These cultural values develop guidelines for the organization and certain norms are developed which would define how the employees of the organization should collaborate with other employees and what are the guidelines of collaborating with other stakeholders of the organization. As far as an organizational culture is concerned there are two important aspects related to culture these two important aspects are strong and weak culture. The organization will experience a strong culture when the staff is coordinating with each other and they will respond with the values of the organization and their norms and beliefs are also aligned with the organizations values and principles (Schien, 2004). One of the most beneficial elements of strong cultures is that it helps the organization in both the short and the long run and the organization acts as a well-oiled machine with no interferences from the stakeholders. In the similar manner if the organizational values and control would not be exercised properly then it can be said that the organization possess a weak culture. In a strong culture people are usually empowered to take decisions and they also believe that what they do is right because usually employees believe in themselves and in their environment. The characteristics of organizational culture are wide and varied and it varies with culture to culture. Member identity, group emphasis, tolerance of risk, conflict tolerance, Unit integration, control and etc are considered as the core characteristics of organizational culture. In this aspect certain issues are identified like are the employees integrated in the entire organization. They group related activities are integrated together, the employees are empowered enough to take the decisions, the leaders of the organization lead the organization by setting an example and etc. These factors and traits combine together to form the vital characteristics of an organization. As far as theories of organizational culture is concerned there are different theories of organizational culture like the theory of Hofstede, Deal and Kennedy, Schien and etc (Bolman, 2008). However, all of these theories have certain aspects that are common and they believe that corporate culture is quite hard to change and employees usually resist the change because they believe that the change in the culture of organizations would affect their performance and that is the reason why it becomes very hard for organizations to change the culture of their organizations. Dell Corporation Dell is considered as one of the leading manufacturers of computer systems and computers related products. The organization is considered as a multinational and it employees more than 82,700 people all around the world. In the initial stages Dell was crowned as the largest seller of PC’s and servers and this happened in the year 1990s. Dell has composed itself and it is considered as one of the best organizations as far as PC reliability is concerned. This organization achieved a second spot as far as computer sales are concerned within the industry and Hewlett Packard scored the first position. Dell’s brand is quite famous for its personal computers, data storage devices, software’s and different computers peripherals The organizational culture of this organization is quite phenomenal and this organization stresses a lot on their culture because they believe that through strong culture they can transform their entire organization. However, the characteristics of Dell’s culture are given below: The 360-degree approach: The culture of Dell Corporation is different from other organizations and like many companies this organization does not believe in future. The organizational culture of Dell depicts that the future is today and tonight. This organization believes in urgency and that is the reason why their customers are satisfied with them. The investing in future phenomenon can be considered as a trap and that is the reason why Dell Corporation focuses on the today phenomenon. The core focus of the organization is that the organizations don’t tolerate and maintain those businesses that are unable to make money. That is the reason why they are implementing a 360-degree approach for their organization. The General Managers and the Culture: The culture aspect is focused a lot by the organization and Dell maintains a zero tolerance policy on culture right from the beginning. The culture of the organization focuses on the fact that when they hear a business would lose its position in the market then they challenge the general manager to change the position and require appropriate explanations about this. The organization focuses on the effectiveness of business ventures and that is the reason why the expectations of the organization from different forms of business are related very high as compared to other organizations. Although Dell Corporation manages its employees quite effectively but if employees are not working properly then the organizations asks them to fix the stuff or ask for help because delivering the right product to the customers is the real essence of the company. The employees of the organization are involved in the major decision making process and the organization ask them question like how can Dell grow faster and how can we lower our cost and etc. Breakthroughs: The breakthrough idea of the organization is quite novel and the general managers usually come up with this idea and in Dell they succeed time and time again. The irrational expectations of the organization are filled up by the general managers. New Leaders: The culture of the organization is quite and the leadership of the organization is charismatic in nature. The organization usually throws individuals in deep end of the competition and then they evaluate that whether they can swim or not. If they are unable to swim then those employees are replaced by other ones. That is the reason why individuals that are aligned with hardworking culture are hired. New employees are hired in the organization but the ratios of new employees are less because previous employees in the organization are trained and then they are promoted to work for the betterment of the organization. Therefore, it can be said that the culture of the organization is a bit flexible and it varies with situation to situation but the entire emphasis of the organization is on the quality of work and if employees are unable to produce quality then they are unable to work in the organization (Fredman & Dell, 2006). Results from primary research A research was conducted and questionnaires were filled out by the senior management of the organization. The method of convenience sampling was used in the research and questionnaires were sent through email to 15 senior managers and only 4 of them responded back. The senior managers that are from the marketing department believe that Dell is managing its culture quite well and strong culture is prevails in the entire organization where every employee can easily coordinate with the customers and they can solve the queries of the customers. The stakeholders are grouped together quite strongly and that is the reason why the organization is progressing. Strong emphasis is laid on leadership and employee empowerment. Dell Corporation also focuses a lot on training the employees through different workshops and trainings and through these approaches members of the organization gives favorable results in both the short and the long run. Similarly, the manager of the finance department believes that Dell Corporation is quite strict on unhealthy accounting practices and they won’t allow their managers to engage in window dressing techniques. They won’t allow their employees to change the figures and they have maintained a stringent culture as far as rules and regulations are concerned. The senior manager of the organization believes that culture plays an important role in every organization and it is very important for the stakeholders because they are attached with other because of the culture. The senior managers of the organization believes that it is the culture that allows the employees to work for the betterment of the organization and through effective cultural values the customers are attracted towards the organization. All the managers believe that the goodwill of the organization is enhanced if the culture of the organization is strong and organization can reap maximum benefits from the culture of the organization. That is the reason why in order to progress in both the short and the long run organizations like Dell focuses a lot on cultural values of the organization. Conclusion Culture plays an important role in every organization and the organizational culture varies with organization to organization. It is the culture of the organization that defines rules and regulation with certain norms and the stakeholders of the organization has to comply with these norms and values. A strong culture is a winning strategy for most of the organizations and that is the reason why many companies emphasize a lot on organizational culture. Dell Corporation is quite rich in its principles and they focus a lot on organizational culture. The employees of the organization also believe that Dell Corporation possesses good culture and by complying with the principles of Dell the employees of the organization can achieve efficiency and effectiveness. Therefore, it can be said that for organizational success every organization must frame a proper culture of an organization and this culture should be followed by all the members of the organization. The effects of following a unified culture are huge and organizations can attain long term benefits by following a single culture.

Characteristics Of Major Agro Ecological Zones Environmental Sciences Essay

Characteristics Of Major Agro Ecological Zones Environmental Sciences Essay Africa is a very large continent with extremely wide range of soils (Bationo et al., 2006). The soils range from shallow with meager life-sustaining capacities to deeply weathered profiles that recycle and support large biomass. In many parts of Africa, inappropriate land use, poor management and lack of inputs have led to soil erosion, salinization and loss of vegetation resulting in a decline of agricultural productivity (Bationo et al., 2006). In Africa and particularly Southern Africa, the most limiting factor to agricultural productivity is soil fertility (Ramaru et al., 2000). Soil fertility is defined as a condition of the soil that enables it to provide nutrients in adequate amounts and in proper balance for the growth of specified plants when other growth factors, such as light, water, temperature, and physical, chemical and biological conditions of soil, are favorable (van der Watt and van Rooyen, 1995). Large areas of sub-Saharan African (SSA) soils, in particular, are af fected by various types of degradation, including fertility decline (FAO, 2001). Soil fertility decline is a deterioration of chemical, physical and biological soil properties. The main contributing processes, besides soil erosion, are: decline in organic matter and soil biological activity; degradation of soil structure and loss of other soil physical qualities; reduction in availability of major nutrients (N, P, K) and micro-nutrients; and increase in toxicity, due to acidification or pollution (FAO, 2001). Soils in most of SSA have inherently low fertility and do not receive adequate nutrient replenishment (FAO, 2001). The SSA has the lowest mineral fertilizer consumption, about 10 kg nutrients (N, P2O5, K2O)/ha per year, compared to the world average of 90 kg, 60 kg in the Near East and 130 kg/ha per year in Asia (Stoorvogel and Smaling, 1990). Agricultural growth in sub-Saharan African countries slightly increased over the past three decades, although not in line with the high population growth rate (FAO, 2001). Food production per capita in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has declined since the 1970s, in contrast with the increase in Asia and South America (Figure 1.1). Soil productivity in SSA is also constrained by aridity (low rainfall) and acidity (FAO, 2001) (Table 1.1). South Africa has to face high population growth, poverty, accelerated soil degradation and increasing pressure on land (FAO, 1999b) (Table 1.1). Depletion of soil fertility, along with the related problems of weeds, pests, and diseases, is a major biophysical cause of low per capita food production in Africa. This is the result of the breakdown of traditional practices and the low priority given by governments to the rural sector (Sanchez, 1997). The 1996 World Food Summit highlighted sub-Saharan Africa as the remaining region in the world with decreasing food production per capita (Figure 1.1). The worst levels of poverty and malnutrition in the world exist in this region (Sanchez et al., 1997). A team of scientists has identified declining soil fertility as the fundamental agronomic cause for declining food productivity in Africa. A â€Å"Soil Fertility Initiative for Africa† has been created by a group of international organizations including the World Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Center for Research on Agroforestry (ICRAF), International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), International Fertilizer Association (IFA), and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

The Google Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Google Company - Case Study Example This amounts to employees hating their jobs hence low productivity. This case study explores how best performing companies and for this case Google motivate their employees to work to the extent of making these companies the top-producing organizations in the world. Top companies like Google have restructured their management model to provide leadership and an enabling environment that would motivate their employees to work hard and produce the highest output. Google didn’t become a household name just by chance, it is because it has a culture that values their employees and motivates them. It’s quite clear that any company that wants to proceed to the next level and become a household name has to find new ways of rewarding and motivating their employees for their good work. They therefore need to embrace a culture that promote free thinking, motivating employees to work together and provide a working environment that is comfortable, promotes humanity, individualism and personal freedom. Having a chance to work for Google is a dream for many and it’s not just because of what the company has achieved since its inception, it is because of its good working environment. ... (Think leader 2013) About a decade ago when the company was just a start up, the co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin had this dream of making Google where the worlds’ best talent will work. And they had an idea on how to achieve this i.e. by creating a working environment and culture that will keep every employee happy and also keep them motivated. This will ensure that they do their best and be loyal to the company. (Brain Mass 2012) Google also motivates its employees by ensuring that the managers assign tasks that are inspiring and challenging to the junior employees. This makes these employees feel the aspect of career progression and learning something new every day. It is a tradition that each employee is given an opportunity to dedicate 20 percent of their time on a project they choose. Employees will be actually be paid by indulging in these projects so long as they are within companies’ legal and business scope. This is how products like AdSense and Google S uggest came about. This makes them motivated as they feel that aspect of being managers. It also promotes innovation and this is no doubt why Google is one of the most innovative companies in the word. This kind of freedom to concentrates on a project they love make them move away for their routine jobs hence drawing an inspiration about their job. Therefore employees just don’t join Google because of the outward perks and rewards, they do it for freedom! (Gary 2007). Besides the compensation and other benefits alike free health and dental check-ups, insurance, tuition reimbursement and paid vacations, Google employees also enjoy other unique benefits. This includes a 100% paid maternity benefit of up to 18 weeks. Also new mothers and fathers enjoy help to make things

Presidential Powers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Presidential Powers - Essay Example Under the devolved system of governance, the President’s powers were trimmed and redistributed to the local governments. However, the president still enjoys three sources of power that include constitutional, institutional, and political sources. This present essay will focus on these current sources of power for the presidency and it will begin with an assessment of the constitutional powers of the President, followed by an assessment of how the 20th century presidents of the U.S have been able to use institutional and political resources to overcome challenges brought about by weak constitutional presidential powers. Lastly, the essay will highlight on the likely future balance of power between the Presidents and the Congress. Constitutional powers of the President It is correct to argue that the ratification of the constitution resulted in the presidency having weak powers. According to Ginsberg et al., these constitutional powers of the President are spelt out in Article T wo of the U.S constitution, which formally creates the executive arm of the central government that is made up of the President, the Vice President, and other presidential appointees. In particular, presidential powers are stated under section 2 of Article Two and they are split into three clauses (387-391). Clause 1 under Article Two gives the President exclusive powers over the U.S’ armed forces since the President is the Commander-in-chief. Furthermore, the clause states that the President shall become the Commander in Chief of militia of several states when he/ she is called into service. However, according to Ginsberg et al., this is power is weakened by the fact that it is only Congress, which can declare war (375). Nevertheless, this fact has been an issue of contention, more so during the Bush era, when President George Bush circumvented the Congress and seemingly declared war on Afghanistan while the Congress simply approved his decision. With reference to the writin gs by Ginsberg et al., it can be argued that Clause 1 is vague in the sense that during times of war there is usually no time to debate and wait for the Congress to declare war (403-405). Therefore, it can be assumed that the President is acting in the best interest of the Nation by declaring war at a strategic time. Under Clause 2, the President has powers to make treaties and nominate Judges of the Supreme Court, public Ministers, Ambassadors, and key Officers of the U.S. However, this power is watered down by the fact that the President must first seek the advice and consent from the senate before making any Treaty and nominations and there are instances where the senate has repealed certain treaties signed by Presidents (Ginsberg et al. 412-415). The third Presidential power is spelt out under Clause 3, which gives the President Powers to make a recess appointment that expires when the next session of the senate ends or until the appointee is confirmed by the senate. This Presid ential power is also weakened by the fact that these appointments are not permanent and they are only made when the senate is on recess. How U.S Presidents in the 20th century have used institutional and political resources to overcome weakness of Presidential powers With references to the writings by Ginsberg et al., he noted that U.S Presidents in the 20th century as well as the 21st century have laid claim to certain inherent powers that they feel are intertwined with the powers that have been granted to them under Article Two of the constitution (Ginsberg et al. 423-428). Moreover, the Presidents have been able to lay claim on this inherent powers because the constitution is

How can strategic HRM contribute to strategic planning Essay

How can strategic HRM contribute to strategic planning - Essay Example The purpose of HRM is the proper deployment of an organisation's workforce to ensure achievement of organisational goals, simultaneously taking care of the interests of the workforce. Strategic HRM involves the development of an HRM policy that supports the strategic planning and management of an organisation. HRM strategies can support organisational strategies in the following areas; A strategic HRM ensures job satisfaction, justice, and congruence. Congruence implies that there are no discrepancies between different groups of employees, or disparity between an employee's organisational responsibilities and personal commitments. Every organisation needs to train and develop its staff to get the most out of them. Small and Medium Enterprises, especially, as compared to larger organisations operate with less manpower, so they must focus on getting the maximum out of their workforce to succeed in a competitive environment. Training is both formal and informal. Informal training is what an employee picks up on the job, and formal training involves being sent for a specific programme by the organisation. Training is of three types - to improve knowledge, skills or attitude. If a person learning to drive is told how to do it (turning the ignition, changing gears, using the steering) he acquires knowledge. He acquires skill when he can drive by himself; he acquires the correct attitude when he learns how to drive safely and without annoying others. An SME needs to assess the training requirements for its employees by first making a list of the knowledge and skills required to perform well, and then checking on how far its employees are qualified, and who needs what training. A company should take care of training right from the recruitment stage, by looking out for the right employees, who have the required qualities, and require less training, as training is costly. However, many companies are willing to recruit people with less formal qualification if they have the right attitude, because teaching skills/ knowledge to a person with the right attitude is easier, than getting work out of a person who has skills but is not interested in working. Once assessment is done, a plan should be formulated to send the employees for training, and this plan should to followed. Training activity should be seriously undertaken. The activity itself could be fun, without in any way reducing its seriousness. The training should also be relevant. In fact it should be clear to the employee that what he learns in a programme should be put into practice at the workplace, as soon as he is back. Training evaluation can be done by the

Valentines Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Valentines - Essay Example Nelly is an athletic and a rugby player in her school. For this reason, she has a buildup body that have developed out of his hobbies. She argues that she required weight to enable her play well and protect herself from other players. Moreover, being athletic make ones develop a lot of muscle out of the many exercises and to cope with the demand of the sport (London, 2015). Nelly says that she was astonished for her date to offer a gift suggesting she cut on weight (London, 2015). She argues that that was the least she expected because she always imagined that her friend like and support her involvement in sports. Nelly says that it was her resilient that made her resist knocking him down and throwing him out of the house (London, 2015). This made her cancel the date and dump his date the following day. Katie Ford is a 33 years business woman (London, 2015). She says that she is always excited to enjoy valentine day with her date. However, on February 14, 2014 she experienced a traumatic encounter after she and her date was booked for being too drunk. That evening they went to buy drink, so they have a romantic night. However, her date started drinking and promised her of so many things he would do for her. Katie though hesitant for the man ego, agreed let him have a chance. However, they did not last long on their romantic date before Katie date got too much drunk and started fighting with strangers for no apparent reason. The commotion led the owner of the restaurant to call the police to calm down Katie date. Nevertheless, the police had no choice, but to arrest the unruly man and booked him overnight until the next day. Katie romantic moment had to end and walk in the dark to her house. She says she had a walk with her high heels alone in the middle of the night because his date was not man enough. She broke up with him the

Customer Relationship Management Program Case Study

Customer Relationship Management Program - Case Study Example Both companies before merger had well-developed Customer Relationship Management program according to their respective visions and the employees have trained accordingly (Dyche & Wesley, 185). After the merger, the focus was on coming up with a Customer Relationship Management system to satisfy the needs and demands of the employees and customers of both companies, while communicating the new brand philosophy and vision. In this regard, the company had to face and overcome different challenges and issues. The major issue was of establishing consensus on the values and vision of the Customer Relationship Management program. Implementation of the new Customer Relationship Management program demands extensive attention from the top management. In order to ensure efficient and effective implementation of the Customer Relationship Management system, the top management of the organizations should come up with appropriate plans and strategies. Most important step in this regard is to make sure that overall organization is ready for the implementation of a new Customer Relationship Management program. The organization should start with scanning the internal and external environment in order to identify any hurdle or resistance. Apart from this, it is essential to train and educate the employees about the new Customer Relationship Management system so that an understanding of CRM is developed. Implementation of the Customer Relationship Management program requires well-thought change management strategies so that the organization is able to minimize resistance and at the same time is able to take help from the supportive factors. In order to ensure successful implementation of the Customer Relationship Management program, it is important to identify important customers with whom the organization want to interact.

Character Write Up Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Character Write Up - Essay Example Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee is a movie based off a book, that considers the story of how the West was won from the perspective of those who were in the West. In essence, the movie does not examine how the white man ‘won’ the West, but how Native Americans lost it. One of the most significant aspects of this film is that it takes an in-depth look at the way that Native Americans felt about the White man’s intrusion onto their lands and their responses to it. Black Robe tells of the same tension between White man and Native Americans, although in this case the story is set in Canada. Most importantly, however, Black Robe takes a different perspective on Native Americans. In this case, many of the actions and interactions of the Native Americans are painted in a harsher light and few explanations are given for many of their actions. The purpose of this essay is to examine these two movies from a personal and contemplative perspective, considering what the struggles and portrayals of the various sides mean to me as a person. I will examine the way in which the viewpoints presented in these movies contribute to my own understanding of America and Canada’s history, and of the process of colonization itself. To do this, I will consider the perspectives of two characters in depth. These characters are Sitting Bull, the Lakota chief from Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee and Father LeForgue, a Jesuit missionary from Black Robe. Through these perspectives, I will consider my own thoughts on the struggle between Native Americans and the white culture and its domination. Sitting Bull Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee considers a later point in time and a critical event in American history, as well as the actions from both sides that led up to this point. In this movie, Sitting Bull is a critical character, fighting for the chance for Native Americans to retain their own culture and land. One of the most significant aspects of the film is that it shows the perspective of the Native Americans as their lands were invaded, while making the White man appear to be the barbaric group. The film opens with a fight between soldiers and the Indians in which both sides appear to be equally savage. The scene ends with American soldiers being surrounded and it is revealed that 261 Americans were killed. However, it becomes evident that the entire purpose of the Americans’ attack to begin with was to drive the Native Americans off their land, so that the gold that had been discovered there could be reached. Sitting Bull is one of the remaining Native American chiefs that resist the spread of the White man, and the attempts of the Americans to centralize them. There are several options that are before him and his tribe. He can fight the Americans, as they have been doing, killing White men and being killed or his tribe can move to a reserve and share in the culture of the White man. Finally, there is the risk that continuing to fight the White man would eventually result in the demise of the tribe and the Native American way of life. Sitting Bull perceives the policies and approaches taken by the Whites to be contradictory, full of change and deceit, and that the Whites do not intend to allow the Native Americ

Little thing Essay Example for Free

Little thing Essay Of the five poems I have selected beforehand, I happen to choose the poem â€Å"The Pebble†. It took me awhile to choose which poem to talk about but somehow, I keep coming back in reading this poem. I favour this poem compared to the other four because of the simplicity it implies. It starts off with the title which gives out a plain imagery of the thing that will be talked about. The poem struck me in the way that it talked about a very little thing. A thing that is often taken for granted. Nobody would actually pay much attention to a pebble. Usually, the pebble is just an add-on to an aquarium or a little thing to beautify a garden. Even so, be it in an aquarium or a garden, the object of concentration is not the pebble. But in this poem, the pebble holds the main attraction. My attention was taken away by the description given to a pebble. And as to how the poem unfolds, the comparison and contrast of a pebble and that to a person was stated plainly, but not directly though. Often times we think of a use for a certain thing and eventually we talk about it or write about it. In any case, we share that what is important. So, in the case of this poem, a pebble never seemed to be something important. Most of the time, people don’t seem to bother about anything regarding a pebble. A poem expresses the emotions of a writer and usually in the state of turmoil. What is captivating about this poem is that there isn’t much of a turmoil expressed in words for this. It describes what a pebble is, how a pebble could be and compared it as to how a person could feel. I feel a certain depth in this poem, though I doubt if I could eventually express that depth. I somehow could feel that this poem has something more than what it is giving. The problem is just that I’m still trying to measure up the feeling conveyed by this poem. Somehow, I have a strange idea of being able to fathom what the poem holds, but because of its vividness, I’m having a hard time grasping the concept it implies. Such ironic feelings are extracted from my mind but I’m trying though to put it into words. The poem has an intrinsic impact on me. I don’t have much of an idea of the author but as I read the poem over and over again, and internalize it somehow, I gain knowledge to the truth it may imply. With how I describe it, the poem may seem to be a prayer, but actually, it’s not. It’s not everyday that we read a poem which is presented so simply. I just have a feeling that the writer wrote this according to how he perceives the truth of the pebble. A pebble which is a little stone that eventually could last longer than any other thing. Part four The Pebble is a very interesting poem. From the title itself, it projects a literary piece about simplicity. As we have seen pebbles and grasp a meaning of this thing, it is an object that is pretty much of little value. But this thing has been often times used as an instrument for symbolism. It doesn’t actually become the symbol, but yet, it is used as a contributor for the statement of the symbol. Like the ripples on the water, to make the ripples, the pebble is used as the object that is thrown to create the ripples. But in this situation, the impact was made by the pebble but the symbol was the ripple. Interpretation of the Poem At the start of the poem, the pebble is described as a perfect creature. It is here that we can see that the object has been given the traits as that of a person. Attributing the perfection that the writer is talking about for the pebble would be on its physical aspect. The physical description of pebbles which are often perfectly oval in shape with a smooth surface, having no cracks or lumps, would suit the description of excellence or perfection. In comparison to a person, a perfect creature would then be one without cracks or perhaps loopholes and one who doesn’t have any lumps. Perfection in our own view would be that of someone who doesn’t possess any frailties, errors and does all things without mistakes and stands as clean as ever. But as the writer proceeds with the poem, it mentioned that it could only be equalled to itself and is aware of its limits. A perfect thing that cannot be compared by anything except itself and has limits, were the descriptions emphasized by the poet. Still, this has been compared to that of a person. Perfection does not imply that the person has no limits. With this description then, we could imply that in perfection, it is being and doing something flawlessly but in the range of one’s limits. Often, when we talk about perfection, it is in comparison already to supreme beings or gods. But the poet has stated that what could be compared to one creature would not be anyone else, but only with it. Indeed, the concept of uniqueness has been unfolded. As the poem proceeds, it has been defined by the author that the meaning this object holds, is the meaning it holds from the time it has been made. â€Å"A pebbly meaning† would mean the identity that this object holds and whatever that is, that is the true meaning of the thing. Same goes if related again to a person, that the definition or meaning of who we are is the self. It is not somebody else that hold the meaning of our life, but it is our self, the one with us from the beginning, that defines what we are. Another idea of the â€Å"pebbly meaning† would be the concept of a pebble which is not of great significance but just possesses the simplicity that it is as an object. It is not a big rock that could smash something smaller or a stone which may be small but definitely holds weight. It is not a mountain that shows greatness just by looking at it. It is emphasizing a pebble, small, perhaps insignificant, and does not hold much weight. But as we ponder on the purpose as to why it exists, it holds more than what it is actually letting us see. The poem describes further that the pebble is one thing that doesn’t have a specific characteristic that would be intimidating and though it is unique and different, it stands with its uniqueness without any other factor that might entice anybody. As all other things or people would need more than what they have, like they would go for enhancing the appearance or develop any form of attractive facilities for others to see or witness, the pebble sticks with what it has. Despite the simplicity or plainness it holds, it still has its dignity and pride. It is contradicting to the idea that without pride is simplicity. Being simple does not mean that one does not hold any value of himself. It doesn’t also mean that there is no regard for the self. Instead, inside that simplicity, an aura of pride and dignity emanates. It’s just that people don’t get to see it because they are more aware of the obvious things. As the poem proceeds, the writer was somehow humbled down to the value of the pebble that in the changing world, struggling all the time for attention and importance, the pebble or anyone that could be related to a pebble, simply sits quietly and wait. In the end, all the others vanish, and it’s just the pebble that remains. Those who do not live such complicated lives could eventually see all that is happening and live longer than most of the people. Conclusion The poem is written as a realization in life. Often times people would prefer to have the symbol of a mountain, or something powerful and bigger. This is so because of how we see our life, we prefer to have the control especially when we are not in control in reality. We want to be in power when in reality we are weak and helpless. Our symbols tell what we really are and it’s has always been the opposite of what we are. In this poem, the concept of simplicity and the awakening of humility are emphasized. Simplicity is held in the object of the pebble. The object of no complications and the writer is in the point of using this imagery to a person’s life. The awakening of the humility is expressed in the last two stanzas of the poem where the writer has gone to see the impact of a pebble and how it absorbs everything there is without complaining. This is a contradiction to people where complaining has been made a hobby and dissatisfaction always a companion. Before going to the point of appreciating, people tend to complain, grumble and then when the worse has come, perhaps, mellow down and bear with the idea of appreciating something. The poet has created a very good concept of life. The poem written is also expressed the same way as that of the idea it intends to convey. Simplicity indeed is beauty and only few have seen it.

The Benefits of Java

The Benefits of Java JAVA INCLUDES A LIBRARY OF CLASSES AND INTERFACES: The Java platform includes an extensive class library so that programmers can use already existing classes, as it is, create subclasses to modify existing classes, or implement interfaces to augment the capabilities of classes. Both classes and interfaces contain data members (fields) and functions (methods), but there are major differences. In a class, fields may be either variable or constant, and methods are fully implemented. To use an interface, a programmer defines a class, declares that it implements the Interface, and then implements all the methods in that interface as part of the class. These methods are implemented in a way that is appropriate for the class in which the methods are being used. Interfaces let one add functionality to a class and give a great deal of flexibility in doing it. A package is a collection of related Java classes and interfaces. The following list, however not complete, gives example of some Java packages and what they cover. Java.lang: The basic classes. This package is so basic that it automatically is included in any Java program. It includes classes that intercepts with numeric, strings, objects, runtime, security, and threads. Java.io: Package that includes classes managing reading data in input streams and writing data into output streams. Java.util: Miscellaneous utility classes, including generic data structures, bit sets, time, date, the string manipulation, random number generation, system properties, notification and enumeration of data structures. Java.net: Classes for network support. Java.awt: Classes that manage user interface components such as windows, dialog boxes, buttons, checkboxes, lists, menus, scrollbars, and text fields, the â€Å"AWT† stands for Abstract Window Toolkit. Java.awt.image: Classes for managing image data, including color models, dropping color flittering, setting pixel values, and grabbing snapshots. Java.applet: The Applet class, which provides the ability to write applets, this package also includes several interfaces that connect an applet to its documents and to its document. Java.sql: The JDBC API, classes and interfaces that access databases and send SQL Statements. The first three packages listed, java.lang, java.io and java.util form the basis, they are basic classes and interfaces for general-purpose programming. Java development kit version1.1 added some new packages, with JDBC being one of them. Other new packages include such thing as Remote Method Invocation, Security and Java Beans, the new API for creating reusable components. In Java, packages serve as the foundation for building other packages, as discussed in the following section. JAVA IS EXTENSIBLE: A big plus for Java is the fact it can be extended. It was purposely written to be lean with the emphasis on doing what it does very well, instead of trying to do everything from the beginning, it was return so that extending it is very simple. The JDBC API, the java.sql package, is one example upon which extensions are being built. In addition to extensions there are also main tools being developed to make existing capabilities easier to use. For example, there is already a tool that greatly Simplifies creating and laying out Graphical User Interfaces such as menus, Dialog boxes and buttons. SECURITY: It is important that a programmer not be able to write subversive code for Applications or applets. This is especially true with the Internet being used more and more extensively for services such as electronic commerce and electronic delivery of software and multimedia content. The Java platform builds in security in four ways. The way memory is Allocated and laid out: In Java an object’s location in memory is not determined until The runtime, as opposed to C and C++, where the compiler makes memory layout Decisions. As the result, a programmer cannot look at a class definition and figure out how it might be laid out in memory. Also since, Java has no pointers, a programmer cannot forge pointers to memory. The way incoming code is checked: The Java virtual machine doesn’t trust any incoming code and subjects it to what is called throughte code verification. The throughte code Verifier, part of the virtual machine, checks that the format of incoming code is correct incoming code doesn’t forge pointers, it doesn’t violate access restrictions, it accesses objects what they are. The way classes are loaded: The Java throughte code loader, another part of the virtual machine, whether classes loaded during program execution are local or from across a network. Imported classes cannot be substituted for built in classes, and built in classes cannot accidentally reference classes brought in over a network. The way access is restricted for untested code: The Java security manager allows user to restrict untested Java applets so that they cannot access the local network, files and other resources. JAVA PERFORMS WELL: Java performance is better than one might expect. Java has many advantages, such as having built in security and being interpreted as well as compiled, do have a cost attached to them. As a result, Java has done quite respectably in performance tests. Its performance numbers for interpreting throughte codes are usually more than adequate to run interactive graphical end user applications. For situations that require unusually high performance, throughte codes can be translated on the fly, generating the final machine code for the particular CPU on which the application is running at run time. High level interpreted scripting language generally offer great portability and fast prototyping but poor performance. Low level compiled language like C and C++ offer great performance but require large amounts of time for writing and debugging code because of problems with areas such as memory management, pointers and multiple inheritance. Java offers good performance with the advantages of high level languages but without the disadvantages of C and C++. JAVA IS ROBUST: The multi platformed environment of the WEB places extraordinary demands on a program, because it must execute reliably in a variety of systems. Thus the ability to create robust programs was given a high priority in the design of Java. To gain reliability, Java restricts you in a few key areas to force you to find your mistakes early in program developments. At the same time, Java frees you from having to worry about many of the most common cause of programming errors. Because Java is strictly typed language, it checks your code at compile time. However, it also checks your code at run time. In fact, many hard to track down bugs that often turn up in hard to reproduce runtime situations are simply impossible to create in Java. Knowing that what you have written will behave in a predictable way under diverse conditions is a key feature of Java to understand how Java robust. For example in C/C++ the programmer must manually allocate and free all dynamic memory. This sometimes leads to problems. For example some programmers some times forget the free memory that has been previously allocated. JAVA SCALES WELL: Java platform is designed to scale well, from portable consumer electronic devices to powerful desktop and server machines. As a result, Java accommodates the need for low storage and for low bandwidth transmission over the Internet. In addition the Java operating system offers a standalone Java platform that eliminates host operating system overhead while still supporting the full Java platform. API makes Java ideal for low cost network computers whose sole purpose is to access the Internet. JAVA IS MULTITHREADED: Multithreading is simply the ability of a program to do more than one thing at a time. For example an application could be faxing a document at the same time it is printing another document. Or a program could process new inventory figures while it sustains a feed for current prices. JAVA IS IMPORTANT TO THE INTERNET: The Internet helped catapult Java to the forefront of programming and Java in turn has a profound effect on the Internet. The reason is simple. Java expands the universe of objects that can move about freely in cyberspace. In a network, there are two broad categories of objects transmitted between the server, your personal computer, passive info and dynamic, active programs. For example, when you read your e-mail, you are viewing passive data. Even when you download a program, the program’s code is still only passive data until you execute it. However, there is a second type of object that can be transmitted to your computer, a dynamic, self executing program. Such a program would be an active agent on the client computer, yet it would be initiated through the server. As desirable as dynamic, networked programs are, they also current serious problems in the areas of security and portability. Prior to Java cyberspace was effectively closed to half the entities that now live the re. Java addresses these concerns and doing so, has opened the door to an exiting a new form of program.

Educational Games Essay -- Media, Radio, Television

Media has been shaping our society since the era of print. Print gave way to radio, and radio to television. Now, television is giving way to a new medium, video games. Video games control a market that rivals big movie production, and draws the attention of billions around the world. Can this new media be harnessed for the betterment of education? Videogames are having a positive effect in today’s classroom. Case studies of educational games show, student test scores are improving, students are receiving constant and immediate feed-back, and students are expecting to use technology in school. Society is fascinated with new technology, and it would be negligent not to use the latest technological means to educate our future generations. Case studies to determine the effectiveness of education video games have been conducted at all academic levels. David McDivitt, a history teacher at Oak Hill High school in Indiana, conducted a study of the game â€Å"Making history.† He used his own history class; 110 students across five classes. Three classes totaling 65 students played Making History, and two classes of 45 students, were designated as control groups. McDivitt started his study with a pretest covering his educational objectives; European geography, the Munich Conference, comparisons of Soviet communism and Nazi Germany, and the reason for WWII. The study was conducted for one week. Students in the control classes received traditional instruction involving textbooks, reading assignments, and in-class discussion, on the objectives; the test group played Making History, conducted class room discussion, but did not open a textbook. The test group did exceedingly well in all objectives. It is also not e worry that the t... ...allows students time to continually work through problems, until the objectives are reached. Because of immediate feed-back, experimental learning is possible. Experimental learning is best defined as â€Å"learning by doing.† Video games can convey skills gradually, and allow the player to make mistakes, and retry; Practices which could be costly or dangerous in the real-world. They can also give the look, feel, and decision making challenges of a task, better preparing the student for real-life application (Why Games, 2011). Third, â€Å"the most obvious and logical conclusion is that they engage the students† (Hersh, 2009). Students are having fun while learning, creating competition, talking about it after class. Games automatically create a positive learning environment. â€Å"Well-designed video games are natural teachers,† explains Dr. Douglas Gentile (2009).

Discovering Mortality in Once More to the Lake Essay -- Once More to t

Discovering Mortality in Once More to the Lake E. B. White's story "Once More to the Lake" is about a man who revisits a lake from his childhood to discover that his life has lost placidity.   The man remembers his childhood as he remembers the lake; peaceful and still.   Spending time at the lake as an adult has made the man realize that his life has become unsettling and restless, like the tides of the ocean.   Having brought his son to this place of the past with him, the man makes inevitable comparisons between his own son and his childhood self, and between himself as an adult and the way he remembers his father from his childhood perspective.   The man's experience at the lake with his son is the moment he discovers his own mortality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The man had experienced adulthood, and therefore could never experience the lake as he did when he was a child.   Except for the sound of outboard motors, the lake was pretty much the same as it had been before.   "The only thing that was wrong now, really, was the sound of the place, an unfamiliar nervous sound of the outboard motors" (White 153).   This "nervous" sound suggests the nervousness of adulthood; the anxieties that sweep through the minds of people who have matured.   The noise created by the outboard motors reflects the noise inside the man's consciousness.   Instead of the "sleepy" sound of the inboard engines used when the man was a child, there were now noisy engines, which cluttered the air around the lake.   These sounds constantly reminded the man of the restlessness of his adult life.   Due to constant obstacles like the sound of the outboard motors or the internal struggles that come with adulthood, the man could only return to the lake as a guest of his own mem... ...izes his or her mortality in the same way.   Some people realize their mortality when they are young, while others realize it an instant before they die.   I am unsure if I will ever experience this sensation as the man in this story did.   However, knowing that I will one day have to face the inevitable, makes me want to create a belief for what will happen after I reach my fate.   I feel I can relate to the way the man felt because I have yet to find answers for what, if anything, will be found beyond my mortality.   The unsettling feeling that I get when I seriously think about this probably compares to the feeling the man got when he realized his own mortality.   Some people calm this feeling by putting their faith in God.   Unfortunately, I cannot escape my suspicion that God is the invention of an animal that knows it is going to die, and it sends a chill up my spine.

Environmental Change and Bounded Cultures :: Essays Papers

Environmental Change and "Bounded" Cultures Viewing â€Å"‘cultures’ as shared, bounded wholes, relating to single, static environments† is a deceptive perspective in global environmental science today. As â€Å"global environmental problems have local environmental impacts,† the way that scientists think of local indigenous communities affects the relevancy of any international aid a global scientific community can offer (209). Ultimately, â€Å"environmentally benign beliefs translate into environmentally benign practice,† and unless scientists overcome predispositions about the inertness of culture, any valuable international relationship towards a â€Å"common future† will be lost (215, 222). As with other indigenous languages around the world, local West African languages entail political significance in terms of relationship between land and farmer. Such political terms â€Å"do not translate easily into those of Western environmental science,† and appreciation for their meaning requires an authentic â€Å"globalization of environmental discourse† (211, 222). Because foreign scientists have no knowledge of the West African â€Å"cultural embeddedness† of language and land, they are often unaware of the â€Å"enduring links† between contemporary West African farmers and their ancestors who once worked the same plot of earth. Invariably, contemporary global sciences evaluate indigenous environmental practices â€Å"only on their own [Western] terms,† and do not allow for reinterpretation of ideas that could inform care of the earth (224). A limited understanding of indigenous practices also promotes the â€Å"repackaging† of local knowledges as â€Å"romanticized notions,† allowing Westerners to invent their own interpretations of what is â€Å"traditional† and ultimately â€Å"suppress local creativity† (211). In â€Å"the imposition of global orthodoxies and analysis† upon â€Å"environmental values and notions of sustainability† in Non-Western cultures, Western scientists infringe â€Å"not only on local livelihoods but also on cultural freedom† of fellow human beings (224). The scientific power of a dominant culture in defining the environmental practices of other cultures limits our international potential for environmental sustainability, as it limits the voices and legitimate contributions of indigenous societies. The political reality of â€Å"globally defined environmental agendas† simply does not reflect the agendas of every community around the globe, rather, it reflects â€Å"the priorities of those in positions of power† (Leach and Fairhead 210).

‘Pride and Prejudice’, ‘Tea in the Wendy House’, and ‘He said’ Essay

Pride and Prejudice is a novel of love and marriage and how people have prejudices about love. Pride is involved as it blurs the seeing of true love. Jane Austen displays this as she was part of society and she had first-hand experience of this. In Tea in the Wendy House and He Said, there is an visible change in the role of society and attitudes to love and marriage. This is because of the different times each novel was written. Jane Austen does not make the subject of marriage favourable, as she never writes about a completely happy marriage. For example Mr and Mrs Bennet’s relationship, this is not an example of a good marriage as Mr Bennet is always taunting Mrs Bennet. ‘Or you may send them by themselves, will be better, for you are as handsome of any of them’. Here Mr Bennet is ridiculing Mrs Bennet by saying she should go and visit Mr Darcy as she may end up marrying him, as she is just as beautiful. This was one of Austen’s intentions to show that the society she lived in was superficial. Another example of a bad marriage is of Charlotte Lucas and Mr Collins. Charlotte is only marrying Mr Collins, as it is her last resort because she is seen as a spinster at the age of 27. Usually girls are married off at young ages, as it is their only ambition. This is shown in Pride and Prejudice, but in Tea in the Wendy House, even though Lyn has an opportunity of marriage she is not hap py. She feels pressured into marrying Graham and doesn’t have the chance to vent her true feelings properly. She feels she is also trapping Graham into marrying her and becoming a father. ‘I didn’t say anything, because Graham was so enthusiastic’. She is worried about other people’s feelings and hers but does not get the chance to show them. Whereas in He Said there is no chance of Bev getting married to Errol, as he is too irresponsible. This is an example of the way society has changed drastically. In Pride and Prejudice it was expected for girls to get married straight away and the most important thing in their life. In Tea in the Wendy House there was some expectation but not as much. In He Said society has changed so much that Errol does not think he needs to propose to Bev, even though she is pregnant. This also shows the attitudes to sex before marriage. As Austen shows more bad marriages than good, there were a few happy marriages, as they contain an equality of character traits between the couple. Elizabeth was too prejudiced to realise her true feelings and Mr Darcy was too proud. Even though she does finally realise Darcy’s good qualities. ‘She began to comprehend that he was exactly the man, in disposition and talents, would suit her’. This is the opposite in He Said, as Bev finally realises that she is stronger than Errol, and how she can cope without him. ‘ I don’t care if I never see him again’. In Jane Austen’s novels the valuable marriage is usually because of chance. If Elizabeth did not read Darcy’s letter and witness the elopement of Lydia and Wickham, she would have realised how much she values him. This is the opposite in Tea and the Wendy House as Graham and Lyn had known each other since their teens and so had got to know each other better. ‘I was fourteen and Graham was fifteen’. As Errol and Bev’s relationship in He Said is just based on sex and so there was no previous acknowledgement of character traits. Intervention played its part in the prevention of Darcy and Elizabeth getting married. Elizabeth’s prejudices intervene and prevent the marriage at first. This does not happen to the main character of Tea in the Wendy House but there is some intervention from Lyn’s parents. In Pride and Prejudice Elizabeth’s mum is always pushing her to get the best man she can. She is very bossy and likes to get what she wants. In Tea and the Wendy House it is also Lyn’s mother that has an intervening nature as she is making the wedding dress. ‘She was busy, giving final touches to the dress’. There is a difference in He Said, as her parents do not intervene. Although her father does not want to get involved with her situation, he feels no way in abandoning her when she needs them most. As her father is a minister of a church, he has strict religious beliefs but as he does not want to help he comes across as a bully. ‘If that harlot crosses my doorstep, I will strike her down. Then he had gone to church’. This contradicts his religious views. Status is another problem in the prevention of the marriage of Darcy and Elizabeth. ‘Elizabeth’s astonishment was beyond expression. She stared coloured doubted and was silent. This he considered enough encouragement’. Darcy thought that Elizabeth would have said yes when he first proposed, as she may never get a better offer as that one as he is much higher in status than she was. Darcy has a lot more money than the Bennet’s. In this time it was seen as better if you could marry a man with a large house and very good income. This was so he could provide for his wife when she had children but also to show-off to others. In He Said money is still important to Bev as she is by herself without a husband, so she has to fend for herself. She is struggling and in a poor job. She has not got the financial support from her parents like Lyn in Tea in the Wendy House. Bev’s prospects are limited because of lack of money and there is a slight suggestion that th is will not change much. There is a similarity between pride and prejudice and Tea in the Wendy House. This is because Lyn and Elizabeth both have some financial support from their parents, although it was not the most important thing in Tea in the Wendy House. Lyn’s mother puts it across as a bonus to the marriage, but having a good job is quite important. ‘ And he’s got a job, and course there’s the house. You really struck gold there’. Mr Collins also demonstrates the status prevention, as he expects her to say yes but it comes across as quite pompous. ‘ I am to inherit this estate after the death of your father’. He is openly stating that he will own Elizabeth’s house, as if it was nothing. In the actual proposal of Mr Collins to Elizabeth it was quite formal as he asked permission, which was expected in those times. This differs in the proposal of Graham to Lyn. He seemed embarrassed, it was not very formal but still had the decency to propose. ‘I told you it was corny, but will you, will you marry me?’ There is n o proposal in He Said. Errol obviously does not believe he needs to propose; not formal or gentleman-like. Judgement plays quite a big part of pride and prejudice, as it was a very judgmental society. People are always being judged. Elizabeth prides herself on good understanding of what people are like generally. ‘ The extravagance and general profligacy which he scripted exceedingly shocked her’. This shows how she was wrong about Mr Wickham and Darcy made her realise this in the letter he wrote to her after he proposed. Good judgement is being to see past deception, pride arrogance and hypocrisy. ‘She tried to recollect some instance of goodness, some distinguished trait of integrity’. This shows Elizabeth frantically trying to have some recollection that Mr Wickham was not deceptive and devious. Like Mr Darcy explained in the letter. This is a bad judgement that Elizabeth has made, just like the bad judgement of Errol by Bev. She thought he was going to stand by her throughout the pregnancy, but he does not. ‘I don’t want anything to come between us†¦now he would not speak to her’. This shows how shallow and unreliable Errol is. Although she knows Errol is not going to face up to his consequences, it does not stop her from fantasizing about the way she would like things to be between her and Errol. ‘Imagining Errol holding her tightly, perhaps his voice breaking with emotion’. Elizabeth’s first meeting with Mr Wickham compared to her first meeting with Mr Darcy it was not surprised she preferred Mr Wickham. This made her very shocked at the proposal from Mr Darcy. This pitfall almost brings Elizabeth to lose her future husband, although she does come to terms with her mistakes and corrects them. ‘How despicably I have acted, I who have prided myself on my discernment and gratified my vanity, pleased with the preference of one and offended by the neglect of another’. This reveals that Elizabeth has recognised her mistakes and how she has treated both men. Darcy has also overcome his arrogance and pride. Austen believes that a happy marriage is built on good judgement and so introduces a genuine perception. So they see each other for who they really are. Tea in the Wendy House, Lyn’s perception of Graham was not clear, she was not being clear about her feelings. The writer used the Wendy House as symbolism to show that however perfect something seems, it may not make you happy. Although at the end with the last Wendy House reference, you are left wondering if Lyn will ever be happy, but also there is no mention of Graham being with her, in this ideal world. ‘The bright blue walls seem to be closing in around her, the ceiling is coming nearer and nearer. She is a mummy. It doesn’t matter that she can’t get out’. It is making her conform to the stereotypes of typical women. Bev in He Said has made a journey of self-knowledge, from hating Errol for not standing by her to realising she can cope without him, and go along with the pregnancy by herself. From the pressures of society, the doctor telling her it would be best to get an abortion, her father throwing her out, living in a gritty flat and working in a dead end job. Bev has made a miraculous journey from where she was, to feeling confident of having the baby by herself. Elizabeth goes against her time by refusing two marriage proposals, and marrying for true love. In her society a sexual relationship before marriage was seen as unacceptable and shame would be brought onto the family. This is a contrast between our time and Jane Austen’s time. Lyn is pregnant before she is getting married, this is also the case in He Said apart from Bev is not getting married, and so has to cope on her own. This indicates the age and time Elizabeth lived in. Wickham was this type of person who would deceive women into thinking he loves them but then leaves them. This is what he did with Lydia Bennet. This was not the first he tried; he also tried with Darcy’s younger sister. He gambles and lives loosely and does not give a second thought to his sexual immoralities. Sex before marriage is seen as the main corrupt. Wickham’s character is similar to that of Errol. He does not give a second thought to the consequences of his action. ‘ With the faint smell of urine around her realising that probably some man had walked away from relieving himself without a backward thought about the results. Just like Errol’. Lydia’s relationship with Wickham has effected her reputation because of the elopement. Wickham’s love for Lydia is not true. This is the opposite with Lyn and Graham’s relationship. Graham is truly in love with Lyn, but it is Lyn that has the insecurities and does not feel true love. ‘ There is no one in the Wendy house except Lyn. Mandy isn’t there. Graham isn’t there’. This shows how maybe in the end she will be by herself without no one. In Elizabeth’s time courtship between two people would not have lasted quite long, so Wickham and Lydia were not truly in love, it was most probably infatuation. ‘His belief that Wickham never intended to go there or to marry Lydia at all’. Jane Austen was a person in this society and time, which believed marriage, was the most important thing for a young girl. This would lead to prejudices about how much money did the husband have and of what status was he. Jane Austen shows through pride and prejudice that she would not have married because it was convenient but because of love much like Elizabeth. Society has changed, as evident in He said. From wanting marriage as an ambition, to Errol not needing to propose, it does not mean the society has got any better. Society and other people’s thoughts all contribute to prevention of some marriages, even nowadays.

Evolution of Gender Essay

The evolution of gender issues ever since man can remember, when most societies used to regard women as inferior to men. It is no secret that from the first century up to the 21st century women roles have changed with time although the change is minimal. In not long time ago, women were regarded by customary law as people who used to take up their roles as wives and matters subserviently and any deviation that a woman showed from these roles was unheard off and was considered an outcast in the society. After the world wars, education, politics, warfare, business and other form of violence were territories of men, a few women joined men in these venture. The society looked these women with amazement and wonder. Early the 1950’s and 60’s change started hitting the world especially in the Chinese environment where women became advocates of women empowerment. (Haslanger, Sally, and Nancy Tuana,2004). In the 1970’s and 80’s women started taking their roles seriously enabling them to evolve very fast. Women confronted men’s duties with a lot of courage and men started accepting the fact that women wanted to carry out the roles. Although some men gave women cruel attention but they have persevered and gone ahead with the quest for change in the roles. Haslanger, Sally, and Nancy (Tuana Haslanger, Sally, and Nancy Tuana,2004). The question about women regarded as wives and mothers who are incapable of bringing any change in the society have been brushed aside by many countries giving women top most jobs in the country. England and Pakistan have shown the way which shows that today in England and Pakistan women are almost equal to men in terms of respect and all aspects. Women are now free to take up riles which were previously considered a dominance by men. But one thing remains clear that total equality will not be achieved since it is not easy to kill the illusion that women are inferior to men (KateChopin. org. ,2008) Matters such as education, politics, warfare, business, and almost anything non-domestic were the territories of men where only a few and daring women ever ventured. However, as times changed more and more women became advocates of women empowerment. In relation to this, the writer wishes to state that the purpose of this paper is to present a work regarded as one of the pioneers in feminist literature. Women evolution is not only a core element of development in the world today but also a strong indication of strong families. Women empowerment puts wealth in the hands of women which enables these women to be able to succeed in ensuring their families are successive. The development of women in the societies is proving to be failing in some countries with backward leadership such as Zimbabwe and development will remain lagged behind. Statistics show an upward trend for change of roles of women in the society at a whole. Although change is not such effective it is felt. Statistics demonstrate that in Europe, Africa, Asia, America actually there is evolution in the way women are viewed. Although in some rural areas there are alarming number of domestic violence instances reported and they relate to ability or the demand for women to be empowered. In the late 1800 significant events occurred which changed the roles of women in the society. One of such event was first international women’s conference which was held in France in 1892 which highlighted the achievements of women and their rights. Since then women have achieved much in trying to change their lives. In the story of Silk Road of china relating to women capability of growth there has been change of women roles especially entry into the business world although some are being used into the business circles as objects. (KateChopin.org,2008 and Haslanger, Sally, and Nancy Tuana,2004) Works Cited Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Story of an Hour. † www. pbs. org Public Broadcasting Service. 14 Jun 2008 . Haslanger, Sally, and Nancy Tuana. â€Å"Topics in Feminism. † plato. stanford. edu 15 March 2004. Stanford University. 14 Jun 2008 . KateChopin. org, â€Å"Kate Chopin â€Å"The Story of an Hour†. † www. katechopin. org. 2008. Kate Chopin International Society. 14 Jun 2008 .

Gestures and Non Verbal Theory of Communication Essay

Non verbal communication is defined by David Dickson and Owen Hargie as â€Å"all forms of human communication apart from the purely verbal message† (p. 76). This means that any form of communication that does not require the use of language can be considered as non verbal communication that includes body movements which involves the facial expression, body positioning, gestures, and grooming habits (kinesics), verbal messages or tone of voice (paralanguage), and signs, signals and cues that are seen around. Microsoft Encarta defines communication theory as â€Å"the forms of human communication, including branches of linguistics such as semantics as well as telecommunication and other non linguistic forms. The communication experiment In an article entitled â€Å"An Experiment in Two Way Communication on Orcinus orca† by Dudok Van Heel,; C Kaminga , and J. D. VanderToorn, they pointed out an experiment about an attempt â€Å"to achieved inter specific communication between human and a killer whale. † This experiment was to find out if an inter-specific communication with a killer whale is possible. The experiment used acoustical symbols attached to visual object corresponding to auditory stimulus. They used the frequently modulated signals as stimuli which represent two action words â€Å"take and bring. † Result of the experiment The result of the experiment seemed to indicate positive responses as VanHeel, Kamminga, and van der Toorn noted that the â€Å"killer whale† became more and more active in the acoustic domain. † How ever the authors did not give a concrete result as the experiment seemed to take longer time before it yelled positive result. The Underlying Principles The underlying principle behind this experiment was the knowledge that â€Å"odontocetes have impressive brains which could surpass the requirement that will en able the animals to communicate at the level of language. † This is perhaps encouraged by the success of inter-specific communication between man and dolphins. Using Theory of Ethical Ramification (description). The ethical ramification of using theories of communication can be a positive development brought perhaps by different forces that struggles to assert their own identities in the society compared to the â€Å"dichotomous relationship. † (Sender/receiver) It looked like a wide complex scenario inside a department store that people are free to move as they want. But to some extent, it can also be described as a specific place of destination which had multiple directions leading to the place. One can take short cut or detour, or go straight. Summary / Conclusion Modern communication theories have opened many avenues of not only human to human but human to animals as well. Were not surprised by these theories as it comes out seems so natural. What is interesting is the idea of exploring the potential of communication between human and animals. If this proves to be successful it could bring us life benefits as we could communicate our minds with those beasts that we are in danger with the aid of modern communication technology. I would like therefore to make this recommendation. I recommend to those in the authority in this matter to do further research on how man can extend communication with other wild beast either by using gesture, verbal, or non verbal communication. That government provides more fund for this undertaking as this can be very beneficial to every human being. Work Cited Hargie, Owen and Dickson, David 2004. Skilled Interpersonal Communication: Research, Theory and Practice. Routledge. Heel, Dudok van, Kamminga,C van der Toorn, J. D 1982. An Experiment in Two Communication in Orcinus Orca. Http://OurWorld. compuserve. com/homepage/jaap/Gudrun/comm. _1. html Intercultural Technical Communication: The Pedagogical Possibilities of Paralogic Hermeneutics. Orange a Student Journal of Technical Communication. http://orangeserver. org/issues/6-4/daisy. html/document Definition of Communication Theory. Microsoft Encarta

Medicare Funding Crisis Essay

As the newly appointed chief of staff I have been tasked with responding to a proposal for reducing Medicare expenditures by enrolling participants in HMO. I understand that we have some key questions must be addressed and that we must justify our position on either economic efficiency or equity grounds. Outlined below are some of the questions that must be answered in order address this issue properly. Is Medicare in a state of crisis? Are you aware of the various policies that are being enacted from each state to state regarding the qualification of Medicare? Medicare is funded by the federal government and each state is responsible for operating the Medicare program as well as the local Medicaid programs. However, premiums have increased for Medicare and also, the coverage has changed in the past few years requiring people to purchase additional supplemental Medicare policies – this is difficult for elderly that have fixed incomes. If the elderly are unable to purchase Medicare, they will go uninsured. The Medicare system is double-funded. It is funded by the taxpayer (federal dollar) as well as the premiums being collected. But, in being double-funded, the coverage is still not as high as most private insurance companies making them appear with less quality. Are radical measures necessary to preserve the program? This is a very interesting question and you will have to take a more subjective approach to answering it. I don’t believe there are radical measures that must be taken to preserve the program because it is funded through two divisions – the federal government (taxpayer) and the premiums being collected. However, the cost of providing the medical services is much higher than the cost being collected. Perhaps a more responsible approach would be to evaluate the cost of the medical services being provided and standardize a cost table among all insurance companies including Medicare. For example, a client may be seen by a physician for a regular check-up and that provider is only allowed to charge Medicare $65. If a client came to that same physician with a private insurance policy, that physician is allowed to charge the private insurance $120. What happens then is that the service under the Medicare payment is not provided in the most quality manner (although, physicians will argue this) because they are getting paid much less by Medicare rates. The physician may spend more time, energy, and commitment to a private paying client because they are getting almost twice the amount of money from the private insurance. It is a matter of motivational service-delivery. The radical measures that need to take place are increasing Medicare rates of reimbursement or mandating lower rates of private insurance to neutralize the risk of receiving poor quality services. How is Medicare funded now? The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a branch of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the federal agency that runs the Medicare Program and monitors Medicaid programs offered by each state. (In 2011, Medicare covered 48.7 million people. Total expenditures in 2011 were $549.1 billion. This money comes from the Medicare Trust Funds. (Medicare.Gov (2010). About OTPN. Retrieved from http://www.medicare.gov/about-us/how-medicare-is-funded/medicare-funding.html) Medicare is funded by the federal government (the taxpayer’s federal taxes out of their paychecks). People may believe that social security pays for Medicare, but it doesn’t. If less people are working, less money is going into the federal â€Å"pool† of money to distribute to Medicare. The nation is at an all-time high for reported unemployment – that means that there is millions of dollars not going into the fund account for Medicare. However, just as many people are seeking medical coverage from Medicare – an imbalance occurs. Why do the elderly feel that Medicare is an insurance program, not a welfare program? Is this perception accurate? Some elderly, in my opinion, believe that Medicare is an insurance program that they are entitled to. During the Great Society movement in the 40’s-60’s, various governmental programs were designed to provide citizens entitlements to human services and welfare needs. The Medicare and Medicaid coverage was designed to provide those that do not have any means to pay for health care a way in which they could maintain their health needs – a right that the government and society has deemed every person should be entitled to; their health. So, depending on the culture, upbringing, and personal philosophy.

Paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Paper 2 - Essay Example The series is about a prominent New York City dweller named David who decides to leave the city and visit his parents in a Florida retirement community and also to attend his mother’s birthday celebration. On arrival he meets both his parents in a jovial mood and receives a warm welcome. His attention however is split between his folks and his job as he is receiving numerous calls from his boss back in New York, something his father is not so happy about and this leads him to him quitting his job to decide on what he really wants with his life. His decision is taken well especially by his mother, Elaine Robbins who claims to have been inspired by it so much and decides to leave his father, Alan Robins to go to Portugal and pursue her dream of becoming a painter. David finds himself in between a rock and a hard place as he juggles between his father’s interests and his mother’s, who comes back to Florida after her Portugal endeavour proves a failure, after the two choose to remain separated. Coming back to his parents place also opens a new chapter in his life with relation to his childhood best friend, Brandon his love life and the fact that he is now retired at only the age of thirty five. This TV series generally shows the oddity of having a successful business then retiring at the age of thirty five and having to live with one’s parents, an elderly couple who are having issues in their marriage. It also shows what impact friends can have on someone and how too much bonding with ones parents at this age can affect the normal day to day routine. The target audience for ‘Retired at 35’ in my view, would be young people of the age late twenties to early forties both female and male with a slim positive bias to the male audience as the jokes in the series tend to be capitalized on David’s bad luck, who is a thirty five year old male. Also the inclusion of the words ‘texturing’, ‘tittering’ and ‘facial book’

Environmental Science Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Environmental Science Questions - Essay Example Mars has 95 percent carbon dioxide, three percent nitrogen, two percent argon and less than one percent of oxygen. The differences and similarities offer clues of atmospheric evolutions over millions of years. In the same manner, if all life ceases on earth, it would take several hundreds of millions of years for it to be like Venus and Mars. Of all life forms, plants play the most significant role in reducing levels of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere. Without plants, the Earth’s atmosphere would be carbon-dominated in a similar way to Mars and Venus. For instance, millions of years ago, Venus was cooler that it currently is. Via a process known as runaway greenhouse effect, the planet was heated and most of the carbon dioxide in the rocks was released. This created a dense atmosphere that did not allow enough solar energy to reach the surface as well as hindering radiation back into the space. Effectively, without life on Earth, especially plant life, the atmosphe re would eventually have no oxygen and hydrogen and be laden with carbon dioxide. Temperatures and atmospheric pressure would also rise significantly. Question Two The Gaia hypothesis suggests that on Earth, there is a constant interaction between organisms and their inorganic surroundings. Evolving together, they form a complex, self-regulating system which contributes to the maintenance of the conditions supporting life on earth. The hypothesis is a true representation of how nature works because it explains how the abiotic environment is influenced by the biota and how, in turn, the environment influences the biota. For example, from the Precambrian era, photosynthetic bacteria and their activity have modified the atmosphere of planet Earth and transformed it into an aerobic one, which supports the evolution of life. This aspect of Gaia renders true the fact that the earth is constantly seeking the optimum chemical and physical balance to sustain contemporary life via an assortme nt of feedback loops. The hypothesis brings out the dynamic processes on earth and shows that there actually exists a link between the apparently contrasting biological and physical processes. Indeed, the balance as explained by the hypothesis regulates the salinity of oceans, atmospheric oxygen, carbon dioxide processing and Earth’s surface temperature. Like shown through scientific examples like the simplified Daisyworld simulations, organisms on Earth can influence and control their own survival as well as the environment. In the simulations, black daisies absorb most of the solar energy, making the environment unbearably hot. On the other hand, white daisies reflect back most of the solar energy, making the environment significantly cooler. When self-regulation takes over, there is a fluctuation in the number of black and white daisies and, eventually, the atmospheric temperature until a balance which can sustain life is achieved. Question Three In a natural environment, there exists a mixture of species with varied levels of success. One species or a combination of several may overshadow the rest in biological activity and their mass, hence become the dominant one. They greatly affect environmental conditions for other species. Conversely, there are also other species of intermediate abundance or scarcity, and their numbers primarily determine the diversity (or the richness in species) of the community. When a

Decolonizing Pacific Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Decolonizing Pacific Studies - Essay Example Imperialism vividly describes all the events that occurred during colonialism, and during the entire period that this process occurred, there are many historical accounts written to express the emotions of the local people during this critical period. The process of imperialism began with historical figures such as Christopher Columbus a long time ago, and these people were the ancestors of colonization. Indeed, colonialism and imperialism are synonymous, and they both had similar goals in the systematic areas that they were adopted.The primary aim of imperialism was to cater for the expansion of Europe, as the lands that were under these powerful countries had abundant raw materials that would help boost the industrial sector in the developed and more advanced nations (Smith, 1999).Colonization was the immediate result of imperialism, and it helped the countries that ruled over the others to attain raw materials, the best agricultural products and ready labor for the colonizer. Late r on the indigenous people of this era began to fill the pinch of colonization, they understood what was occurring and began studying various concepts concerning imperialism.The native population put up their structures and had particular systems of order in place as they started enlightening themselves on the rule of law. Imperialism had at that time destabilized the fabric of many indigenous communities, and it had disconnected them from much of their life including their home, people, culture, language and beliefs.