Analysis Of The Argument Back Off, Dress Codes - 1423 Words

Analysis of an Argument: Back Off, Dress Codes. This is Not Your Call. When analyzing an argument, a reader must be able to think critically about what the author is taking about, and whether the facts and ideas are reliable and well written out. To write an argument the author must be able to persuade the audience into agreeing with what they have to say on a topic. In articles such as Karen Mangiacotti’s article, â€Å"Back Off, Dress Codes. This is Not Your Call,† it is important for the reader to be able to put both their own knowledge and the knowledge presented to them to decide how accurate the writing is. When making a decision about the validity of the authors writing, one must make sure that there are no fallacies, or over uses of appeals. In Karen Mangiacotti’s article â€Å"Back off, Dress Codes. This Is Not Your Call,† Mangiacotti uses significant facts and statements to argue that school dress codes are sexist that ultimately humiliate young women; and by analyzing the author’s tone and pointed sexism toward women in the article, Mangiacotti’s article becomes less convincing to an audience that the dress code is bad, due to the way that she sets up the article. Mangiacotti’s article has five main points that she stresses, which also helps to support her thesis of, â€Å"And, make no mistake: dress codes are increasingly becoming an excuse for sexualizing women and disgracing young girls for the apparent pleasure of those in power.† Her main arguments are: to stopShow MoreRelatedUniforms--One Less Distraction Essay1451 Words   |  6 Pagesrestricting their creativity (Knechtle, Mitchell 487). Ann Bodine, in her ethnographic study, defines that clothing on students as a â€Å"screen on which are projected all kinds of beliefs, anxieties and aspirations† (60). The manner how a student chooses to dress is obviously much more than an expression of personal statement or style. It is a mode to communicate and convey to the world where one fits according to socioeconomic status, in-groups, as well as other factors that can marginalize students who don’tRead MoreSchool Dress Codes: Good or Restraining? Essays2330 Words   |  10 PagesSchool Dress Codes Final Paper As the society that we live in today grows and becomes more accepting of the different ways people act, groom, and dress, we look to expand the policies we have in place in our schools regarding the ways our students are allowed to present themselves in the classroom. Each different school has their own dress code that they expect their students to follow. Most private schools require that students wear a uniform to school they also have regulations on what type ofRead MorePros and Cons School Uniform1515 Words   |  7 Pagesconcept of school uniforms is familiar to many European schools and private schools within the United States. However, much more attention to the controversy over school uniforms arose when a significant movement began in the 1980s to introduce dress codes within public schools in the United States. . â€Å"In 1996, approximately three percent of all schools in the United States had a school uniform policy (Gentile amp; Imberman, 2009).† How Society Views Uniforms During the 1996 State of the Union AddressRead MoreFrance Bans the Muslim Burqa and Veil Essay1637 Words   |  7 Pagesexample when I entered high school, boys and girls were prohibited from wearing loose clothing which includes shirts, pants, sweaters, etc. It was said that the use of â€Å"loose-fitting clothes [can be used to] better hide weapons and drugs† (Why Dress Codes and Why Now?). Thus, just like a school system enforced that law to protect their students, a country uses it to protect their people. France does not only move towards public safety, they also move towards women’s rights which they feel have beenRead MoreDid the Events of 9/11 Influence the Perception of How People View the Hijab?5598 Words   |  23 Pages Did the events of 9/11 influence the perception of how people view the Hijab? In todays world, the media influences many issues across the world. One of the issues that occurs is the Hijab in both the Western and Islamic worlds. There is many arguments about the hijab, Islam points towards its postive and good points whereas the media can imply it as otherwise. This contradicts the opinions and views that Muslims in the past and today have towards the Hijab. But before we start to investigateRead MoreFashion Retail Management3781 Words   |  16 Pagesorg) Figure 1: Integrated functions of Retail Operations Manager Retail Operations provides an integrated platform for the complex scenario modeling, planning, budgeting, and forecasting needed in retail operations management. Analysis and reports on critical information, such as past operational effectiveness, development costs, and projected revenue lift, help retail operations management to make informed decisions rapidly in the face of changing market conditions. StreamlinedRead MoreGoal Setting and Overcoming Immunity to Change2738 Words   |  11 Pagesexamples of how to recognize the Order of Mind based on the subject-object relationship. It was not surprising to recognize that I was heavily embedded in the Socialized Mind or the Third Order of Mind. The unexpected detail about this process and analysis of my ITC and CDT was that my work environment was influencing me more negatively than I was willing to examine. Failing to be more efficient was a fraction of my time management quandary. Not understanding how I was making meaning o f my experiencesRead MoreEuropean Negotiations2374 Words   |  10 Pagesmembers Mr. Picard does when going on the business trip, the business discussion brought up at social events, the duration of these social events, the difference between way and duration of making decisions by both parties and also the casualty of dress code of Mr. Picard. The Intercultural verbal communication problems are exemplified by the absence of basic knowledge of French greetings and courtesy titles by the Americans, the wrong perception of the business issues discussion, the light conversationsRead MoreLittle Do They Know : The World Of Advertising3080 Words   |  13 Pagesmake it a reality. The target audience that the advertisers are looking to receive their message are people that can relate to the image they are portraying – young adults. That isn’t to say however that their intended advertising affects don’t rub off on other groups, or ages either. Teenagers can see this ad and look at Jose Cuervo as their ticket into their first love, sex, or answer to the stresses of growing up. It is well known that the legal age of drinking in the US is 21. In the eyes of theRead MoreLidl : Surveillance Case Study Essay5241 Words   |  21 Pageswill be presented and scrutinized in this essay. The media source of the article is The Guardian which presents the occurring matters in a very negative light. However, the merging topics I will be using to provide impartial insight and further analysis into the subjects at hand are that of: stress at work, ethics and organizational culture. As mentioned above, to further understand the article and the issues within it, it is useful to explore it through focus of stress at work. Cartwright

Interview Analysis for Humanities Free Essays

Steven Paul â€Å"Steve† Jobs was an American entrepreneur and inventor, best known as the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc. Steve Jobs changed the world in technology as we all know and love. This interview is an information gathering type interview as the interviewer is gathering information on Steve Jobs and why he thinks his machine will change the future. We will write a custom essay sample on Interview Analysis for Humanities or any similar topic only for you Order Now I can also say that this interview is also a research interview as the interview provides helpful information to individuals and organizations that they can use to perform effectively based off of the time and era. This interview can still be used today. The interview provided regarding Steve Jobs is a research interview and information gathering interview because of the following purposes of the information gathering interview: 1. To gather information about a job or career area you are considering, so that you can make a sound decision as to whether or not you wish to pursue that career path; 2. To seek advice regarding how you can best prepare to enter or advance in this field/profession; 3. To ask your interviewee for assistance entering or advancing in the field/profession after you have determined that you actually wish to do so; and 4. To request referrals from the interviewee to others in the field/profession that might be valuable contacts for your career search Informational Interviews are a great source for gathering information about an occupation or an industry in which you are currently interested. It is ood to gather information about a job or career area you are considering so, that you can make a sound decision as to whether or not you wish to pursue that career path. For example, I am interested in technology/telecommunications. In choosing an interview to analyze, I wanted to find a role model that I have admired among the years. I chose Steve Jobs because I felt like he was the appropriate figure to obtain information on when it comes to technology. Here are some other key points of an informative interview: * Information interviewing is one of the most effective networking tools * An information interview will give you the awareness you need to choose or refine a career path, learn how to break in and find out if you have what it takes to succeed * It is a meeting that you arrange and lead, asking key questions to working professionals in your field * It gives you a chance to get the â€Å"inside scoop† by actually talking to people in that field * An Information Interview can help you decide which companies or work environments are the best fit for you * Although an information interview is not a job interview, it can help you cultivate your personal contacts and generate or learn of job leads In this interview, what do you think Steve Jobs purpose was? Do you think he was setting himself up for the success of his company? Do you think he knew he was going to become successful. I understand that the interviewees main goal was to find out how Steve Jobs machine was so different however, I felt as if I was there in the room with them understanding and gaining insight on what is to become of the future and technology. I wanted to ask some questions. In the interview chosen, Steve Jobs is conducting an interview regarding â€Å"the machine that change the world. † He is providing his explanation on how his machine is different from the others and how his machine through IBM will change the future. In the content of his message, he is providing detailed explanations as well as telling the who, what, when, and why, he thinks this will change the future. The interview is very informative because Mr. Jobs is fascinated about his project. In the content of his message, he delivers and answers all of the interviewers question with ease. He explains his creation in detail with detailed answers so, the interviewer can understand how well the machine will be efficient. The content of this message can help any business believe in what they are creating or providing. I think that this is what Steve Jobs was trying to accomplish. He wanted to ensure that his audience was in tune with what he believed in. Do you think that Steve jobs posture and tone helped with his presentation? Do you think the way he dressed also played a part of the influence of his audience? These are questions that I asked myself when analyzing the interview as this is a part of the questions needed to ask to ensure that an informative interview is being conducted. As this analysis comes to a close, I would like to go over some do’s and don’ts of informative interviews. Please pay close attention as, I learned this information from Steve Jobs (smile): Before your interview: * When requesting a meeting, explain how you got their names and what you’d like to discuss. * Send a resume. * Confirm the meeting time, and keep it to 30 minutes. During your interview: * Do NOT ask for a job. * Listen carefully, and don’t argue. * Ask for additional contact names, but do not push if the person declines to provide any. * Don’t overextend your welcome, unless the other person invites you to stay past your meeting time. After your interview: * Send a handwritten thank-you note. Keep the person posted on your progress, such as meetings with his or her contacts, where you apply, and where you are accepted. * As soon as you begin graduate business school, send an announcement to your network with your new address, the course o f study you are planning, and the type of internship you hope to obtain. In conclusion, you can gain a lot of knowledge from conducting an informative interview or information gathering interview. Steve Jobs presented a fine show as well as his interviewer because they really demonstrated how to conduct an informative interview. Hopefully, one day I will be in the spotlight to accomplish the same except, I will be in the same spot Steve Jobs was. References 1. http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-481-Getting-Ahead-How-Does-an-Informational-Interview-Work 2. http://shiftingcareers.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/29/mastering-the-informational-interview/ 3. http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/infointerviews/a/infointerview.htm 4. http://www.quintcareers.com/informational_interviewing.html How to cite Interview Analysis for Humanities, Papers

Business Management and Leadership Network

Question: 1. Briefly discuss the roles and functions of Global Affairs Canada, Ministry ofCitizenship,Immigration andInternational Trade, Enterprise Toronto, EDC, TFO, CME, IE Canada, and bilateral trade organizations. 2. Provide a brief summary of the 6 articles:How to Build YourNetwork,A Smarter Way toNetwork,Effective Networking,How Leaders Createand Use Networks,Its Not What You Knowor Who You Know, ItsWhere You Are,andHow Will You Measure Your Life? Answer: 1. The role of Global Affairs Canada is related to the management of the countrys diplomatic and consulate relations with other countries. This committee is also called GAC or AMC (Affaires mondiales Canada). They also serve the role of boosting the international trade relation and development. Canada has always looked into the aspect of humanitarian assistance and other altruistic charges. They also help in the management of Canadian governmental relations abroad for diplomacy related activities as a representative of the Canadian government (Knowles 2016). There have been several change in the name of this organization, in the last 10 years it has been called Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. The Ministry of Citizenship, Refugees and Immigration is now responsible for looking into the aspects of immigration and refugee related concerns. This ministry is also responsible to grant citizenship rights in the country. The minister of this ministry is John McCallum currently (Knowles 2016). The other organizations cater to bilateral trade agreements with Canada. EDC, Export Development Canada and CME is Canadian Manufacturers Exporters they look at the aspects of trade and business in Canada. 2. These articles point at the impact on life and career due to varying factors like networking and how an effective network can be build. It also points out at the effect of knowing oneself completely. The article Its Not What You Knowor Who You Know points out at the aspects of knowing ones strength and weaknesses. All these articles when read in sequence will help us understand the parameters upon which one can measure the achievements of his/her life (Davis, Mazmanian, Fordis, Harrison, Thorpe Perrier 2006). These articles are reflective and point out at being stronger in the tough situations that a manager of today will face in every aspect. These articles helped me understand the value of making the right network of people and how I can build a prospective career goal. References Marshall, J., Mead, G. (2005). Editorial: Self-reflective practice and first-person action research. Kelchtermans, G. (2009). Who I am in how I teach is the message: selfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ understanding, vulnerability and reflection.Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice,15(2),57-272. Epstein, R. M., Hundert, E. M. (2002). Defining and assessing professional competence.Jama,287(2), 226-235. Fonagy, P., Steele, M., Steele, H., Moran, G. S., Higgitt, A. C. (1991). The capacity for understanding mental states: The reflective self in parent and child and its significance for security of attachment.Infant mental health journal,12(3), 201-218. Johnson, M. K., Raye, C. L., Mitchell, K. J., Touryan, S. R., Greene, E. J., Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2006). Dissociating medial frontal and posterior cingulate activity during self-reflection.Social cognitive and affective neuroscience,1(1), 56-64. Davis, D. A., Mazmanian, P. E., Fordis, M., Van Harrison, R. T. K. E., Thorpe, K. E., Perrier, L. (2006). Accuracy of physician self-assessment compared with observed measures of competence: a systematic review.Jama,296(9), 1094-1102. Kelley, N., Trebilcock, M. J. (1998).The making of the mosaic: A history of Canadian immigration policy. University of Toronto Press. Knowles, V. (2016).Strangers at Our Gates: Canadian Immigration and Immigration Policy, 15402015. Dundurn.

ORGANIZATIONS OF POLICING AND COMMUNITY Essays - Law Enforcement

ORGANIZATIONS OF POLICING AND COMMUNITY Prepared By DeWaun O. Bowman JUS 3300 February 1 3, 201 7 Humphrey, Truitt M.S Society as a whole is blind to the facts and reasoning on the subject of law enforcement and its organizations. Most Americans are unaware to the reasons of why we have the different organizations within law enforcement nor the complete knowledge of why they are organized in the manner that they are. In many, if not most countries, the organizational structure of policing is structured on a national level. But in the United States policing is broken down into four combined but separate entities . They are federal, state, county, and local levels of law enforcement. The justification for this separation can be understood because of the two separate principles that America believes in . First, in the early days of policing citizen were terrified of the thought that policing would be under the control of a centralized federal government. Second, there was a shared understanding and acceptance that as Americans, local problems should be dealt with and best managed at the lowest level possible, this means locally . No matter if those issues involved policing, education, or even waste management. Despite the facts that , this division has caused three exceptional problems still happening at this present time. It unquestionably , obstructs the primary mission of the concept of law enforcement. Fundamentally , there is a frugal duplication of effort or lack of any real attempts between the different commands. Additionally , there are a multitude of standards, so no one set standardized requirements for recruitment, initial training, policies, or management throughout all police departments or divisions . And c onclusively, communication and information sharing between and among the different agencies seems to be burdensome and not very efficiently conducted. When discussing any organization especially when it pertains to law enforcement, it is always essential to allocate positions of power or have some type of authoritarian figure. This is to insure order will at all times be maintained and there is a chain of command. Which means the chain of command has the power of authority and responsible for which orders are passed. Local and state law enforcement agencies are comparable to military like based chains of command. Although on the federal level they are more reliant on a director who is ultimately decide on by the United States President. The most significant separation concerning a chief of police and a sheriff is how they obtained their individual titles or positions . Police Chiefs are appointed by a government person such as the mayor, city manager, etc. Sheriffs on the other hand are elected or appointed by the voters of their counties. Regardless of the means by which the leadership is chosen, most law enforcement organizations operate under the same as military model of delegation of authority as well as chain of command. At the local level, city police are assembled under a police commissioner which is in command of the entire police organization. Depending on the size of the police force, there could be commanders of various police units who report directly to the commissioner and individual officers who report directly to those commanders. State police and state patrol will have similar structures. These structures will vary in size based on the mission of the state police and the size of the state and often requires multiple echelons of delegation, and lower levels of command effected to implement command and control over more officers in larger areas . Federal law enforcement agencies are set up in a different way. Unlike the local law enforcement, federal agencies are not meant to deal with general crimes. Instead, the agency organization is designed to enforce policies and carry out a federal operations while using law enforcement procedures at times. Because these agencies are federal, their leaders answer to the President as part of a directed, national objective. Police organizations adopt different structural configurations. Some police forces have up to twelve levels of command, then there are some that could have a minimum of just four. Some are centralized, with decisions flowing down from the top, the police chief office, while others are

The Horrible consequences of Doing Ballet essays

The Horrible consequences of Doing Ballet essays If you are young and thinking about joining any activities or sports, do whatever you please, but avoid ballet at all costs. For when you are young, you make decisions, which will alter your whole life. If you want to suffer the excruciating pain like a slave forced into labor for everyday of your life, then ballet is the thing for you. Not only will you suffer the discomfort of the leotard, you body will moan, groan, twist, and wither under the pressure of bending your legs in ways which they do not bend and stretching to an extreme to where you are numb with pain. This pain is everlasting and will haunt you until your death in which your soul will still shudder at the very thought of ballet. For once you join ballet, you are enslaved like a common house slave, into all the cruel and unusual punishments that come with learning it. It is not a thing that is to be taken lightly for you cannot undo the feeling of soreness or ache that comes with learning to do the splits o. Your legs will forever remain bent in the new ways that you teach them to bend. Your mind will never forget the feeling of dread before a dance competition or the pang of wearing a leotard and a tutu. For ballet is like a curse, a curse upon your body, soul, and spirit. This form of dance will grasp at your heart and suck all life and passion out of it until all that is left is a hollow shell in which your spirit will surely shrivel and die. Doing ballet and forcing your body to do things which it is not naturally trained to do is like forcing a full-grown man to bend in half, or a slave to work hard hours under a hot sun day after day. And yet if you avoid it, if you do not contact this form of dance and do not choose to do it, you will live a long, happy life in which you will be able to cherish every morning in which you open your eyes and every night when you close them. If you do not do ballet, your soul will not be withered and your body will not be tort...

How to Write an SAT Essay, Step by Step

How to Write an SAT Essay, Step by Step SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips SAT Essay writing requires a very specific set of skills. It's a little daunting to think that you only have 50 minutes to read a passage, analyze it, and then write an essay. But don't worry- getting a top SAT essay score is within everyone's reach! The most reliable way to score high is to follow our SAT essay template for every essay and to prepare well beforehand. In this article, we'll show you how to write a great SAT essay. We'll take you through all the steps you need to follow when writing the SAT essay to show you how you can put together a killer essay yourself. If you haven't already, read our article on 15 tips for improving your SAT essay. We'll be using the lessons from that article here in our essay example. Come back to this article afterward. Overview: Before You Start Writing We'll plan and write an essay in response to the sample SAT essay prompt below, using the tips we've shared. If you follow our plan below and practice it to fluency for your 50-minute essay, you're guaranteed a 6/6/6 or above on the SAT essay. Let's start by reading and understanding the prompt: Write an essay in which you explain how Peter S. Goodman builds an argument to persuade his audience that news organizations should increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage provided to people in the United States. In your essay, analyze how Goodman uses one or more of the features listed in the box above (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of his argument. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage. Source: The Official SAT Study Guide; the article referenced in the prompt can also be found (unmodified) online for free here. Hint: Read The Prompt Before Reading The Passage As we mentioned in our 15 SAT essay tips article, the author's argument that you'll be discussing is in the first line of the prompt: "Write an essay in which you explain how Peter S. Goodman builds an argument to persuade his audience that news organizations should increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage provided to people in the United States." This is the argument you need to deconstruct in your essay. Writing an SAT essay consists of four major stages: Reading: 5-10 minutes Analyzing Planning: 7-12 minutes Writing: 25-35 minutes Revising: 2-3 minutes There’s a wide time range for a few of these stages, since people work at different rates. Some people, for instance, will be a lot faster at reading than they are at planning, while it might be the other way around for others. You'll need to find the timing combination that works best for you through a little bit of trial and error. Writing takes the large bulk of the 50 minutes, but reading and analyzing and planning are equally important parts of the SAT essay writing process. Stage 1: Read the Passage (5-10 minutes) There are a couple of different ways to read through the passage on the SAT essay, each with their own advantages. No matter which strategy you use, though, make sure to keep an eye on the time so you don’t run out of time for analyzing and writing! If you can just read straight through the passage without getting too hung up on details, go for it. This strategy works well for students who are naturally fast readers and don't have trouble getting distracted under time pressure. If you’re a slow reader, get anxious about reading in timed situations, or find that the subject matter of the article is confusing, you might want to try skimming the article. You can use similar strategies to those you might use on SAT reading passages. In either case, you'll want to make sure you get a good idea of the way the passage is laid out before you do a detailed pass through it. Why? You'll probably end up reading through parts of the passage multiple times to make sure you fully understand it. Giving the passage a quick read-through before you do any detailed analysis can help cement which parts you'll want to come back to and which parts aren't as important. When you go back do a more detailed reading of the article, sure to keep an eye out for argument-building techniques and to try to remain objective. You may want to circle or underline examples of these techniques as you read, which leads right into the next stage of SAT essay writing. Stage 2: Analyze and Plan (7-12 minutes) Many students resist planning on the SAT Essay because it already feels like there's not enough time to read and write, let alone take away some of that precious time for planning. But take it from us: you're better off with a plan. This is because the SAT essay graders look for a clear structure: introduction, conclusion, and specific evidence in between. It's almost impossible to create this kind of structure and still write quickly without a plan You can write all over the passage as you analyze it – circle or underline key points, scribble in the margins, etc. This way, when you go back to quote the author in your essay, you’re not searching the text for the quote or supporting detail. One way to mark up your passage is by numbering your examples and then circling and numbering any evidence from the passage you’ll be referring to in each paragraph. Another option is to write a brief description of the details from the passage in your planning and outlining, along with the location of the details. Taking this time during the analyzing and planning stage will end up saving you time in the long run. I personally find it helpful to take notes as I read the passage and then organize them into an essay outline. Below are the TOTALLY LEGIBLE notes I took as I was analyzing the passage for the essay prompt: As I was reading the passage, I scribbled down key details and the way I’d use them to support my thesis in the essay. For instance, I wrote, â€Å"last paragraph – We need†¦we need (x4) - overall use of â€Å"we† drawing reader into his POV† in my notes. This describes what I want to talk about (the author's use of the word "We" and "We need"), what it means (it draws the reader into agreeing with his point of view), and where this is illustrated in the passage (last full paragraph). I then organized these notes into some semblance of an outline I could use to plan the organization of my essay. Here's a (rough) transcription of my outline: IntroFacts/evidence-first paragraph stats and facts - to show issue is real, lend credibility-by not explaining has a couple of effects-forces reader to draw own conclusions/think about which draws them into the argument-alt makes reader look to author in rest o/article (b/c had facts at first + so can be trusted)Reasoning-acknowledges counterargument-so very easily could’ve gone on a rant abt twitter which would’ve undercut argument, disconnected from reader-instead, provides examples of when social media has been helpful (Arab Spring)-counterargument is more powerful as a result - take his â€Å"unease† more seriouslyDiction/style-â€Å"We† draws reader in, makes author sympathetic (not lecturing)-contrasts b/t ideal + real, b/t prof + amateur engage reader in the comparison, force to admit author is right-language elsewhere reinforces the idea that prof journalism under siege, words like â€Å"assailing† and â€Å"eroding†Conclusion You can see that in the section labeled â€Å"Diction,† the first point is "We" draws reader in, makes author sympathetic (not lecturing)". You can combine these two steps if you’re comfortable enough doing it; I just find that separating them takes the pressure off to make sure that I take notes in an organized fashion. Stage 3: Write Until 2-3 Minutes Are Left (25-35 minutes) Once you have your analysis and planning done, it’s time to write like the wind. If you’ve taken notes and planned effectively, you should be able to jump right in and not have to go back and forth too much between the text and your essay. Body Paragraphs For most people, writing body paragraphs is easier than writing introductions. If this is the case, start with the body paragraphs, and just leave 10 lines or so at the top of the page to add the introduction later. One example should take up 1-2 paragraphs. Let's use a methodical structure to try out a body paragraph about how the author uses a counterargument to add support to his own claim. The sample paragraphs below are all taken from an essay that I handwrote (and planned) in the 50-minute time limit. Sample Body Paragraph Start with a transition: In addition to employing facts to his argument’s advantage, Goodman also cunningly discusses the counterargument to his position. Then (briefly) introduce your topic: By writing about how social media and man-on-the-ground reporting has assisted the state of foreign news reporting, Goodman heads off naysayers at the pass. Explain the example’s context and relationship to your thesis: It would have been very easy for Goodman to ignore the whole issue of citizen reporting, but the resultant one-sided argument would have been much less convincing. Instead, Goodman acknowledges things like â€Å"the force of social media during the Arab Spring, as activists convened and reacted to changing circumstances.† As a result, when he partially refutes this counterargument, stating the â€Å"unease† many longtime profession correspondents feel over the trend of ‘citizen journalism’ feel, the reader agrees. Clearly state, in one sentence, how it is proof of your thesis: Knowing that Goodman takes the power of social media seriously will make the reader more inclined, in turn, to take Goodman’s concern about the limits of social media seriously. When you put all these pieces together, it’s a winning body paragraph. We start with a smooth transition from the introduction (or previous body paragraph), give enough background to understand why the example is relevant, and then connect it back to the thesis for the knockout punch. Try to read through this again so the structure really makes sense to you. Notice how this is formulaic – every one of your body paragraphs can be written in this structure, and you’ll get an excellent score! Having a structure like this will make many students less anxious about the new SAT essay. You’d then go through the above process with the other 1-2 examples. In some cases, one very good example of the way the author builds his/her argument can be enough, if you can write 2-3 relevant paragraphs about it without repeating yourself. But having two examples is usually safer, because it gives you a better chance to show how well you've understood the passage. Introduction and Conclusion After finishing your body paragraphs, don't forget your introduction and conclusion paragraphs. Both should briefly mention the author’s argument and the examples you're using to support your thesis, but everything else is up to you. Some students write about the concept in general, and others just try to restate the thesis in different ways. Even a couple of sentences is better than nothing- try to scribble something in even if you're running out of time. Sample Introduction Paragraph In the article â€Å"Foreign News at a Crisis Point,† Peter S. Goodman eloquently argues the point that news organizations should increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage provided to people in the United States. Goodman builds his argument by using facts and evidence, addressing the counterarguments, and couching it all in persuasive and compelling language. Stage 4: Revise (2-3 Minutes) Much like planning on the SAT essay, revision seems unnecessary to most students. But trust us, it will help your score. There are two reasons for this: Revising helps you change up your vocabulary and fix mistakes and/or illegible words If you know you’ll revise, you can write much faster because you don’t have to worry about making it perfect On the SAT essay, you can cross out words that you don’t want the grader to read. You don’t need to waste time erasing them, unless you want to replace them with something else. So what do you do when you revise? Well, let’s take the body paragraph we wrote earlier and revise it. New text is bolded. In addition to employing facts to his argument’s advantage, Goodman also cunningly discusses the counterargument to his position. By writing about how social media and man-on-the-ground reporting has assisted had some positive impact on the state of foreign news reporting, Goodman heads off naysayers at the pass. It would have been very easy for Goodman to ignore elide over the whole issue of citizen reporting, but the resultant one-sided argument would have been much less convincing. Instead, Goodman acknowledges things like â€Å"the force of social media during the Arab Spring, as activists convened and reacted to changing circumstances.† As a result, when he partially refutes this counterargument, stating his the â€Å"unease† many for longtime profession correspondents feel over the trend of ‘citizen journalism’ feel, the reader agrees. is much more likely to believe him. After all, Goodman acknowledges that social media does have some power. Kn owing that Goodman takes the power of social media seriously will make the reader more inclined, in turn, to take Goodman’s concern about the limits of social media seriously. At this point, you’ll have a complete winning essay. Want to see what this essay looks like put all together? Read our article on how to get a perfect 8 on the SAT essay. Our goal here was to show you how formulaic the SAT essay can be. By making the essay more predictable, you’ll go into every test with a game plan in mind, making the essay much easier (and less scary!). Information Fall-Out: Buckminster Fuller's World Game by Columbia GSAPP, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped and resized from original. "Guys guys guys! I figured out a plan for the SAT essay!" Where to Go From Here Now you know how to write an SAT essay. To put this information to good use, you need to practice with real SAT essay prompts. We’ve written the most comprehensive guide to SAT essay topics and prompts here. Aiming for a perfect SAT essay score? Read our guides to get strategies on how to get an 8/8/8 on your SAT essay. And if you haven’t read our 15 SAT essay tips article yet, do so now! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by SAT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Success in Social Commerce Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Success in Social Commerce - Research Paper Example As the result, Google Analytics and Facebook Connect (Tonkin, Whitmore, & Cutroni, 2011) have now come up with tools and strategies that are showing positive ROI to marketers. In addition, a number of market research companies have carried out researches to understand the relationship of social media experience with consumers’ purchasing decisions. The results indicated that ‘like’ button acts as a significant factor that influences users to purchase a product/service from a specific retailer. In this regard, marketers are now looking at different ways of transforming experiences into measurable returns that will allow a rapid evolution of social commerce (Blanchard, 2011).While the paper is focusing primarily on ‘return on investment’, it is imperative to understand that ‘return on investment’ is usually considered as metrics that is not the case. ROI itself requires metrics for measurement of its business value, and business experts hav e come up with the following equation to calculate return on investment of something:ROI = Benefits - Costs x 100 = Percentage Return on the InvestmentThe equation of ROI is self-explanatory; however, the paper will now include an example that will clarify the applicability of ROI in social commerce largely. Sea World San Antonio is a venture of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment (2013). The company created different content based on interests and attitudes of these roller coaster fans.... This paper is an attempt to understand different aspects of social commerce that will allow a comprehensive understanding of complexities that revolve around success of the notion. Discussion While social commerce presents an interactive shopping platform to consumers, it is imperative to see the potential of social commerce from businesses’ perspective. From retailers’ point of view, it has been an understanding that the social commerce has been successful in providing opportunities to retailers to engage people in exploration of their products by creating viral experiences (Ickler, Schulke, Wilfling, & Baumol, 2009). In addition, social commerce enables retailers to bring their products to a place where people interact with each other that is contrary to traditional shopping trend where people have to reach to the place to buy something. Another distinction from traditional commerce is that social commerce focuses on socially enriched relationships rather than one-to- one relationships that usually exist in traditional commerce settings. Rather, social commerce promotes dependence on interaction and experience of users with users; in other words, consumer-to-consumer communication that results in buying or selling of any product or service. The reason this paper is including detailed discussion on distinction of social commerce from other traditional types of commerce is the need for realizing the complexity that exist in social commerce, which will only enable its critical understanding that is essential for understanding different aspects of its success. For instance, as discussed earlier, ‘return on investment’ (Marsden, 2010) is the metric that business organizations usually use in traditional commerce setting, and

Wk2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wk2 - Essay Example A case of Zimbabwe, a Southern African country will be used to illustrate how international organizations can continue operating in foreign countries that seemingly have hostile environments. There are certain incidences that may take place in other countries such as socio-political instability but these may not impact negatively on the operations of international business. For instance, Zimbabwe is one of the countries that has experienced social my hem over the past decade due to government policies that have been widely viewed as oppressive to the citizens by different sectors of the whole world. This has impacted on the operations of many businesses but research has shown that this country is not that bad for investment by foreign companies. As such, in 2013, â€Å"the IMF agreed to place Zimbabwe onto a Staff Monitored Programme to help place the economy back onto a recovery path,† (Robertson Economics, 2014). On its own, it seems that the country is still finding it difficult to revive its economy thereby improving the morale as well as social welfare of the majority of the citizens. The situation obtaining on the ground cannot be seen as very bad such that international businesses cannot thrive. The conduct of international businesses is often governed by international law that is specifically concerned with dealing with legal interactions between governments. According to HG.org (2015), â€Å"There are both national laws and international agreements which govern/regulate international business transactions, which include investments, offshore banking, contracts, imports/exports, tariffs, dumping, trade and more.† As such, international organizations are often protected in whatever country they would be operating in such that there is no need for panicking with regards to safety of their businesses. Two examples are discussed below to illustrate how international law can be used to protect international organizations

The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa By Yasunari Kawabata Essay Example for Free

The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa By Yasunari Kawabata Essay INTRODUCTION Yasunari Kawabata June (1899 –1972) was a Japanese writer whose was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968 for his auxiliary, poetic and ingeniously colored style of writing. No Japanese author had received the award prior to Kawabata. Besides fiction he also worked as a reporter for Mainichi Shimbun of Osaka. The war and the fact that all of Kawabata’s relatives passed away while he was young had a profound impact on his life. Kawabata committed suicide in 1972. Many speculations have been made about his reasons, which include poor health, a likely failed love affair, or the distress caused by the suicide of his friend Yukio Mishima in 1970. HISTORY OF ASAKUSA Asakusa was mostly a city for commercial enjoyment, but it also preserved its local vivacity. It was this mixture of barefaced pleasure and intrinsic worth that fascinated the throngs of people who came to visit Asakusa. It was surely this fusion that was most lamented, subsequent to the 1923 earthquake, however Asakusa regained its former glory and up to its final days, was able to hold on to somewhat of its former appeal. LIFE IN ASAKUSA Primarily the plot circles around The Scarlet Gang, which is a gang formed by some young people in Asakusa, many gangs like these existed in Asakusa at the time, the gang’s various endeavors are narrated in first person, the narrator himself is never identified by Kawabata, the accounts of the gang’s various activities are used to describe life in Asakusa, the narrator   himself wanders around Asakusa and relates the gang’s activities, the primary focus in the book is not the gang itself but rather the account of the narrator, who moves from one place to another following the Scarlet Gang, the narrator also implies that the gang is involved in illegal actions but does not specify the kind of illegal activities. Only a few characters appear throughout the book which are actually related to the gang. Kawabata’s main purpose clearly was to give an account of life in Asakusa, which he manages to accomplish in a very rough yet poetic manner mostly due to his choice of first person narrative. With its corporeal and sexual appeal, Asakusa prospered in every way, Tanizaki writes that Asakusa’s   attractions included â€Å"plays, operettas, comedies, movies from the West and Japanese productions, Douglas Fairbanks and Onoe Matsunosuke acrobats balancing on balls, bareback rider Naniwa bushi singers, chanters, the merry-go-round, the Hanayashiki Amusement Park, the Twelve Story Tower, shooting galleries, whores, Japanese restaurants, Chinese restaurants, and Western restaurants, the Rairaiken, won ton mein, oysters over rice, horsemeat, snapping turtles, eels, and the Cafà © Paulista.† (Donald Richie 2005 ) Asakusa was also famous for its Opera, where at first some opera was actually sung. An early show Rigoletto, and â€Å"La donna à © mobile† became a success with the locals, later however, the shows became more diverse. This rough and unsightly but vivacious and energetic Asakusa was soon after ruined. The 1923 Kanto earthquake destroyed it, as it flattened much of Tokyo and Yokohama. Among the more well-known catastrophe was the destruction of the Asakusa’s, Twelve Story tower also known as the Cloud Surpassing Pavilion, a building which had become the symbol of Asakusa. The old neighborhood was also destroyed, the sense of belonging to a society, that had attracted so many people was also in no way completely regained. Since it was a city of enjoyment, an amusement capital, a city with one of the best night life in the world, however, rebuilding began at once. And now, representing the new Asakusa, instead of the Twelve Story Tower there is the Subway Tower building, with its observation platform. Kawabata writes that all the floors are in the Osaka style, except the top ones as they have been turned into restaurants. (Tokyo essentials 2006) COMPARASION WITH OTHER URBAN CENTRES Throughout the end of the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth, Asakusa was the most important pleasure hub of Tokyo. From the 1840s to the 1940s, it was comparable to Montmartre in Paris, and Alexanderplatz in Berlin (Donald Richie. 2005) This region of Osaka was recognized for trade rather than its customs, commonly mourned after the earthquake. â€Å"Why, it’s gotten just like Osaka,† complains a character in one Kawabata story. Writing about The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa, Kataoka Yoshikaze, writing in 1939, illustrates the new Asakusa as that, â€Å"Human market, where the pleasure resort of the Edo period, the vestiges of the crude, semi-enlightened curiosity of the Meiji era, and the over-ripeness . . . of the present era of capitalist corruption, are thrown together in a forever disordered state or organized in a manner peculiarly like the place itself. Eroticism and frivolity and speed and comic-strip humor; the bare legs of dancing girls and jazzy revues; kiss-dances, foreign girls, ground-cherries and popular songs; the movie, the circus, the fake, dilapidated aquarium and insectariums. (Donald Richie 2005) In The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa Kawabata quotes Soeda Azenbo’s fine depiction: â€Å"In Asakusa everything is flung out in the raw. Desires dance naked. All races, all classes, all jumbled together forming a bottomless, endless current, flowing day and night, no beginning, no end†.( Donald Richie 2005). Asakusa was kept alive by all these varied attractions, one of the most well-liked attraction was the cinema, a type of activity early linked with Asakusa for the reason that the first Tokyo movie house, â€Å"the Denkikan†, had opened there in 1903. Kawabata relates that by 1930, Asakusa had fourteen cinemas. He also affirms, however, that it had even more theaters. In the summer of 1930, his assessment calculated half a dozen vaudeville, or yose, halls, one kabuki theater, a large number of pawnshops and beggars in the city, around eight hundred were living in Asakusa Park, although Kawabata did not trust this social estimation and retained that there were a lot more. (Donald Richie 2005) CONCLUSION Life in Asakusa in its golden period is described by Kawabata as one big party, where the primary concern for its citizens and its visitors was entertainment, in its golden period Asakusa was considered one of the biggest entertainment center in the world and every visitor affirmed this fact, a life full of entertainment was considered normal in Asakusa Kawabata writes about Asakusa at its prewar stage. The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa captures the area in its golden period, when hundreds of people came to visit the city, the variety of attractions like theatre, cinema, restaurants, geisha houses made the city a commercial entertainment center. According to Kawabata â€Å"Asakusa is like a specimen in the Bug House, something completely different from today’s world like a remote island or some African village† (Kawabata 2005) WORKS CITED Yasunari Kawabata (2005) The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa .1st edition Published by University of California Press Donald Richie (2005) â€Å"Foreword: The Scarlet Gang of Asakusa by Yasunari Kawabata†. Accessed on 12th November 2006 from : http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10224/forward1.pdf Tokyo Essentials (2006) â€Å" Asakusa† Accessed on 12th November 2006 from: Asakusa

Beach dune erosion Essay -- essays research papers

Vegetated sand ridges called dunes, built up by dry beach sand blown inland and trapped by plants and other obstructions, back most beaches. As sand accumulates, the dunes become higher and wider. Plants play a vital role in this process, acting as a windbreak and trapping the deposited sand particles. A characteristic of these plants is their ability to grow up through the sand and continually produce new stems and roots as more sand is trapped and the dune grows. Stable sand dunes play an important part in protecting the coastline. They act as a buffer against wave damage during storms, protecting the land behind from salt-water intrusion. This sand barrier allows the development of more complex plant communities in areas protected from salt-water inundation, sea spray and strong winds. The dunes also act as a reservoir of sand, to replenish and maintain the beach at times of erosion. Frontal sand dunes are vulnerable. The vegetation can be destroyed by natural causes such as storms, cyclones, droughts or fire, or by human interference such as clearing, grazing, vehicles or excessive foot traffic. If the vegetation cover is damaged strong winds may cause 'blowouts' or gaps in the dune ridge. Unless repaired, these increase in size, the whole dune system sometimes-migrating inland covering everything in its path. Meanwhile, with a diminished reservoir of sand, erosion of the beach may lead to coastal recession. To avoid this, protecting the vegetation is vital. The beach, between high and low tides, is hard-wearing but the sensitive dunes, which we cross to reach it, must be protected also. For this reason damaged and sensitive dunes might need to be fenced and access tracks for vehicles and people provided. Processes such as waves, near shore currents and tides continually modify shorelines. The ability of beaches to maintain themselves is achieved through these natural forces. The natural process of beach renourishment, sometimes called "dynamic equilibrium", is how the beach responds to weather. When waves are high during storms or when hurricanes hit the shore, sand is carried from the beach and deposited on the ocean floor. This makes the ocean bottom flatter and makes waves break further from shore and smaller. During subtle weather or erosion, smaller waves slowly shift the sand back to the shore and replenish the beach. When people build... ...ready spent almost $100 million to dredge sand from the ocean floor and dump it onto 33 miles of coastline. Ocean City Beach was renourished in 1982 for five million dollars, but washed away in only two and a half months. When beach residents demand something be done about the beach dune erosion, and all the money the is spent on contemptible endeavors to stop mother nature, a storm or hurricane will come along and wipe out the development. Then billions of dollars are spent to rebuild coastline homes and resorts, which set up a repeating cycle of economic and environmental idiocracy. One day, in a better society, we will save our beaches from development so that everyone is free to enjoy them in an unhampered, natural state. We will stop wasting billions of dollars in our futile attempts at man-made beach resurrection and pointless rebuilding of homes and resorts. It will become clear that the development of America's coastline is too costly to maintain and is destroying our beaches. Until then we will scurry to the tiny public designated beach access areas, fight for parking spaces and sunbathing positions, and enjoy one of our planet's most beautiful assets while we can.

Becoming a Teacher The Ultimate Job for me

It may seem difficult for some to see just how teaching can become an ultimate job for myself, let alone anyone for that matter. It is easy to see why certain people have this kind of opinion of this profession. For one, depending on the career path and position, the salary is not very enticing in proportion to the work that is required. It is a thankless job at times and requires a lot of patience. Yet there are certain intangibles that make teaching the ultimate profession for me.The simple fact that as a teacher I will have the opportunity to get in touch with and shape the mind of today’s youth to allow them to see the wonderful opportunities for them in this world is worth more than any remuneration that the job can provide. The satisfaction from being able to help young children fulfill their dreams and realize their full potential is something that cannot be measured by dollars and cents. Process: I realize of course that these are all pipe dreams until I do something c oncrete about it and take positive steps towards achieving this goal.I may be a paraplegic but I still firmly believe that there is no limit to what a person can do if they set their heart and mind to it. As such, I have prepared this brief process paper to show just how I plan on fulfilling this dream of mine. A. Education The first step in becoming a teacher is getting the proper education. A bachelor’s degree is required to be a public school teacher. Currently I am enrolled at Northeast Community college. I expect to graduate in May 2008 with my A. A. S. This degree will allow me to enroll in a state college to continue my education.The second step is enrolling in a state college. I have decided to enroll in Athens State University. Ms. Virginia Harris is the Athens State liaison here at Northeast Community College and she has agreed to help me on this matter. I also need to set up an appointment with her for assistance with enrolling at Athens State. Once I am enrolled I will need to take the required classes in two years to fulfill my goal of being employed as a teacher by the year 2010. It will be important to schedule my time as I have already looked at the schedule at Athens. B.Researching Available Jobs The next step in my plan is to research the jobs that are available for professionals in my chosen profession, which is teaching. In line with this, I have already taken steps to research the available jobs that I can apply for. The internship position that I will take during the course of my degree completion will surely allow me to get in touch with a broader network of educators and I can take it from there. The immediate goal under this step is to find a job that is stable and will allow me ample opportunity to learn and to grow.I realize that accomplishing my teacher’s degree is only the first step and that the next step lies in gaining more experience in the profession. The best way for me to accomplish this is by working first as a teacher’s aide or assistant and eventually working my way up from elementary and secondary school positions into full time college teaching. C. Applying and Interviewing The last step lies in applying and interviewing for the positions that I had planned after the researching.Once I have identified the jobs that are suitable and preferably within my home area, the next step is to complete my resume and send out my employment application forms. I do understand that this may not be as fruitful as I would hope but I also know well enough never to give up. Once I have received favorable replies regarding the application forms, I can now proceed to the interview stage. In order to prepare myself for this step, I have planned to conduct mock interview sessions with friends and family. I believe that these will help me with my interviews and may perhaps lead to more favorable results. Conclusion:Not everyone may think that teaching is a glamorous job, and they may be right. The im portant thing, however, lies in knowing what good one can do in this world and taking the first step in achieving that. While I may be at a point that is still years away from achieving my goal, this process plan is a definite first step towards my goal. Though I may be challenged to a certain extent, this has never prevented me in the past from becoming the best that I can be. I hope that one day my efforts in wanting to become a teacher will also inspire those that I will teach and show them the value of hard work and perseverance.

Gender and Power in the Handmaids Tale Essay

Topic Question: What understandings of the issue of gender and power are gained from characterization of men and women constructed in the text studied?The notion of power is a fundamental building block of any ancient, modern or futuristic society. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is an example of the distribution of power across a futuristic society, specifically a patriarchal dystopia. The power which women hold in this society is minimal compared to that held by men, but this is not an unquestionable reality. The issue of gender and power and highly subjective by nature and throughout this novel this fact is emphasized and the topics interrelated. Women demonstrate this power with their possession and use of language, sexuality, choice and even the exertion of their own autonomy. Men within this society also experience repression and disempowerment. Their struggle is centered on the absence of emotional needs, along with sexual tensions being relieved for pleasure rat her than reproduction. Atwood creates these power struggles through the characterization of both men and women within the text. In terms of female characterization, Offred is an elementary character. Being a first person narrator, she offers incredible insight into the world which Atwood has created and her reactions to it, and thus her own means of power. The way in which language is used shapes this insight incredibly and demonstrates how she can gain control. The Republic of Gilead imposes strict censorship on language, ranging from forbidding all women except Aunts to read. â€Å"†¦ decided that even the names of shops were too much temptation for us. Now places are known by their signs alone.† [p35] to intertwining biblical rhetoric into everyday language. â€Å"†¦a whirlwind; better than the Chariot, much better than the chunky, practical Behemoth†. Gilead even removes the Handmaids names, in this society the are know as Of[Male name here] in reference to the Commander in which they are placed with. Throughout the novel, Offred resists these rules. She creates her own vision of the world through the use of English. Poetic devices are utilized and repeated; from the use of a simile in her description of a young guardian â€Å"His skin is pale and looks unwholesomely tender, like the skin under a scab.† [p31] to the use of repetition to emphasize points. â€Å"I am, I am. I am, still.† [p 293] â€Å"Her fault, her fault, her fault† [p82]. As Angela  Carter, an English novelist once said â€Å"Language is power† and in this respect, Offred has great power in a patriarchal society. The power of language is not all that Offred posses. The characterization of her relations with males in the novel is also important to the notions of power and gender. Similarly to language, sexuality is heavily controlled and repressed in Gilead, especially that of females. The Handmaids (Of which Offred is) don in skirts that are â€Å"ankle-length, full, gathered to a flat yoke that extends over the breasts†[p18] with â€Å"sleeves that are full† [p18]. Her nightgown is also â€Å"long-sleeved even in summer† [p201]. It is accepted that those within this community will not have sex before marriage nor express themselves through the form of masturbation â€Å"They have no outlets now except themselves, and that’s a sacrilege† [p32] or pornographic mediums. â€Å"There are no more magazines, no more films, no more substitutes.† [p32] Offred exerts power in these repressed circumstances by going against the convention of Gilead and embracing her feminine features. She takes an active role in resisting this subjugation by tempting the young Guardians. â€Å"I move my hips a little, feeling the full red skirt sway around me.† [p32] The kiss she engages in during a secret game of scrabble with the Commander is also a reflection on the power of her sexuality and choice. The Commander, a high level male wants Offred to kiss him. â€Å"I want you to kiss me† [p149]. She is given the power in this situation, as she has the power to refuse. The power which Offred, as a woman, has in this oppressed society due to her sexuality is an important issue. The notion of choice, specifically extrinsic choice is demonstrated with the Commanders want for a kiss is also apparent in other parts of the text. Choice is power and she always has some choice. The idea of existentialism is valid here – she always has self determination, even if under duress. If she does not wish to stay a Handmaid she could depart for the colonies and become an Unwoman, â€Å"†¦shipped of to the Colonies with the Unwomen.† where she would have the power of autonomy. The Mayday resistance is also a choice made by Offred. She is asked by Ofglen to search the Commanders room, to give information to the resistance, but she chooses not to. â€Å"You could go into his room at night, she says.† [p282] Opting to stay as she is, content  with her relationship with Nick, she exerts power to say no. Jezebels is also another option, when visiting there with the Commander he offers for her to stay there â€Å"You might even prefer it yourself, to what you’ve got.† [p250] She is aware of the decisions which she can make in these situations, â€Å"There wasn’t a lot of choice, but there was some and this is what I chose.† [p105] It is through this characterization which her power lies. In addition to these choices Offred along with other females have intrinsic choices and power, being a female with ‘viable ovaries’ they have the ability to reproduce. In Gileadean society this gives them a huge power advantage due to declining birth rates and increased infertility, sterility and genetically mutated babies. â€Å"†¦a graph, showing the birth rate per thousand, for years and years: a slippery slope, down past the zero line of replacement.† [p123] Ironically, it is due to this power advantage that they are suppressed. Suicide is also another intrinsic power which all characters in this novel possess, although, its characterization in the Handmaids is the most prominent. The concept that suicide is an ultimate bid for freedom and exertion of power is an understood perception of characters within The Handmaid’s Tale. The removal of all objects which could be used to hurt oneself from the Handmaid’s rooms portrays this. â€Å"I know why there is no glass, in front of the water-coloured picture of blue irises, and why the window only opens partly and why the glass is shatterproof. It isn’t running away they’re afraid of.† [p17] as well as Offred’s musings when she believes she will be captured. The notion of suicide becomes very real to her as a means of escape and power. â€Å"I could noose the bed sheet round my neck, hook myself up in the closet and throw my weight forward,† [p304] These intrinsic powers exist within the characters of The Handmaid’s Tale, the help form the society of Gilead and show the possible choices which can be made by its citizens. Moira is an embodiment of the power which females hold in Gilead. She epitomizes those who fought back and were not completely obliterated. She lives on the outskirts of Gilead and rejects its values whilst still existing as an institutionalized portion of the society. â€Å"[in relation to her clothing] Government issue.† [p254] She chooses the alternative path to  Offred. Moira fled the red center, succeeding on her second try. â€Å"Moira has escaped† [p140] â€Å"Moira didn’t reappear.† [p143] â€Å"So here I am. They even give you face cream.† [p261] She exists in an outreach of the government, under the power of the patriarchy, and yet doesn’t suppress herself to the point which other females within The Handmaid’s Tale do. She still engages in homosexual acts, â€Å"†¦it’s not so bad, there’s lots of women around. Butch paradise, you might call it.† [p261] cigarettes, and implied drinking and drugs. . â€Å"†¦and there’s drink and drugs, if you want it.† [p261] â€Å"You want a cig?† [p255] Moira’s characterization holds power in this society, particularly over herself and her wants and needs. The control of wants and needs is a way in which this society functions. It is a patriarchy which suppresses all women and most men, though men have inherently more rights. This is exemplified through the character of Nick. The characterization of him is paradoxical by nature. In hierarchal terms, Nick has little power. He is a low level guardian without even an Econowife. â€Å"He lives here, in the household, over the garage. Low stats: he hasn’t been issued a woman, not one.† [p27] He is perceived by those in power to have little of it. â€Å"He doesn’t rate.† [p27] In reality, he has power. â€Å"He has chasms of intangible power. He has knowledge of Mayday either due to his involvement in it or the eyes â€Å"It’s all right. It’s Mayday. Go with them† [p305] â€Å"Nick, the private Eye.† [p305] and has access to the black market. â€Å"He has a cigarette stuck in the corner of his mouth, which shows that he too has something he can trade on the black market.† [p27] He manages to engage in a physical and emotional relationship with Offred whilst still maintaining the guise of faithful Gileadean citizen though even then, the only reason he able to start this relationship was due to the Commander’s Wife ordering him to bed with Offred. â€Å"‘I was thinking of Nick’, she says and her voice is almost soft.† [p216] The idea the he influenced this engagement is always a possibility however, as he has initiated contact with her prior to that. â€Å"Then he winks.† [p28] The power which Nick holds in this novel is that of intangibility. His power is never outright stated, but the implications of it are visible. This is a stark contrast to the tangible power displayed in Commander Fred.  The characterization conveyed through him shows he is a strong public figure and may have even orchestrated the creation of Gilead. â€Å"We’ve given them more than we’ve taken away.† [p231] Which, in a way makes him the creator of his own demise as he too is suppressed by the patriarchy; he is not having his emotional needs met, and thus has to search elsewhere. In doing this he gives power to someone else in order to fulfill these needs, this apparent when he asks Offred to his study at night to play scrabble. â€Å"I’d like you to play a game of scrabble with me† [p148] Despite this, he remains locked in traditional beliefs about gender â€Å"all we’ve done is return to Nature’s norm.† [p232] and his power is a result of his male gender. Gender and power are integral parts of the society portrayed in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, as with any society. Understandings surrounding these issues are found within this novel. The characters within Gilead deal with the different forms of power which they encounter, including that of language, sex, choice, intrinsic and extrinsic notions and the effect of a dystopic patriarchal society has on its citizens. These forms of power are explored through the characterization of both male and female characters. Overall, The Handmaid’s Tale intertwines the issues of gender and power expertly and her constructed characters carry for the notions of power contained within the text with ease. Bibliography The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood

Ft. Laramie essays

Ft. Laramie essays We are now on the Platte, 100 miles from Fort Laramie. Our journey so far, has been pleasant. The water for a part of the way has been mediocre, but at no time have the cattle suffered for it. Wood is now very in short supply, but buffalo chips are excellent; they fire up quick and retain heat amazingly. More than half of the immigrants ran out of supplies and had to live on beef, but as it happened we had plenty of flour and bacon to last us through. But worse than all this, sickness and death attended us the rest of the way. We feel no fear of Indians. The cattle graze quietly around our encampment unmolested. Two or three men will go hunting twenty miles out from camp. Our wagons have not needed much repair. The road is nothing more than a graveyard. Travel 28 miles today. When we started this morning there were two large droves of cattle and about 50 wagons ahead of us, and we either had to stay poking behind them in the dust or hurry up and drive past them. It was no fool of a job to be mixed up with several hundred head of cattle, and only one road to travel in, and the drovers threatening to drive their cattle over you if you attempted to pass them. They even took out their pistols. My husband came up just as one man held his pistol at Frank and saw what the fuss was and said, boys, follow me, and he drove our team out of the road entirely, and the cattle seemed to understand it all, for they went into the trot most of the way. The rest of the boys followed with their teams and the rest of the stock. I had quite a rough ride to be sure, but was glad to get away from such unruly set, which we did by noon. The head teamster done his best by whipping and hollowing to his cattle. He found it no use and got up into his wa gon to take it easy. We left some swearing men behind us. We drove a good ways ahead and stopped to rest the cattle and eat some dinner. We had buffalo steaks broiled upon them that...

North American River Otter Facts

North American River Otter Facts The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) is a semiaquatic mammal in the weasel family. While it may simply be called the river otter in North America (to distinguish it from the sea otter) there are other river otter species throughout the world. Despite its common name, the North American river otter is equally comfortable in either coastal marine or freshwater habitats. Fast Facts: North American River Otter Scientific Name: Lontra canadensisCommon Names: North American river otter, northern river otter, common otterBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 26-42 inches plus a 12-20 inch tailWeight: 11-31 poundsLifespan: 8-9 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Watersheds of North AmericaPopulation: AbundantConservation Status: Least Concern Description The North American river otters body is built for streamlined swimming. It has a stocky body, short legs, webbed feet, and a long tail. In contrast to the European otter, the North American river otter has a longer neck and narrower face. The otter closes its nostrils and small ears when submerged. It uses its long vibrissae (whiskers) to find prey in murky water. North American river otters weigh 11 to 31 pounds and range from 26 to 42 inches long plus a 12 to 20 inch tail. Otters are sexually dimorphic, with males about 5% larger than females. Otter fur is short and ranges in color from light brown to black. White-tipped hairs are common in older otters. River otters use their tails as rudder while swimming. Hailshadow / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution North American river otters live near permanent watersheds throughout North America, from Alaska and northern Canada south to the Gulf of Mexico. Typical habitats include lakes, rivers, marshes, and coastal shorelines. Although largely exterminated in the Midwest, reintroduction programs are helping river otters reclaim part of their original range. Diet River otters are carnivores that hunt fish, crustaceans, frogs, salamanders, waterfowl and their eggs, aquatic insects, reptiles, mollusks, and small mammals. They sometimes eat fruit, but avoid carrion. During winter, otters are active during the daytime. In warmer months, they are most active between dusk and dawn. Behavior North American river otters are social animals. Their basic social unit consists of an adult female and her offspring. Males also group together. Otters communicate by vocalization and scent marking. Young otters play to learn survival skills. River otters are excellent swimmers. On land they walk, run, or slide across surfaces. They may travel as much as 26 miles in a single day. Reproduction and Offspring North American river otters breed between December and April. Embryo implantation is delayed. Gestation lasts 61 to 63 days, but young are born 10 to 12 months after mating, between February and April. Females seek dens made by other animals for giving birth and raising young. Females give birth and raise their pups without aid from their mates. A typical litter ranges from one to three pups, but as many as five pups may be born. Otter pups are born with fur, but are blind and toothless. Each pup weighs about 5 ounces. Weaning occurs at 12 weeks. Offspring venture out on their own before their mother gives birth to her next litter. North American river otters reach sexual maturity at two years of age. Wild otters typically live 8 or 9 years, but may live 13 years. River otters live 21 to 25 years in captivity. Baby river otter. ArendTrent / Getty Images Conservation Status The IUCN classifies North American river otter conservation status as least concern. For the most part, the species population is stable and otters are being reintroduced into areas from which they vanished. However, river otters are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) because the species may become endangered if trade is not closely regulated. Threats River otters are subject to predators and disease, but human activities are their greatest threat. Otters are highly susceptible to water pollution, including oil spills. Other important threats include habitat loss and degradation, illegal hunting, vehicle accidents, trapping, and entanglement in fishnets and lines. River Otters and Humans River otters are hunted and trapped for their fur. Otters pose no threat to humans, but in rare cases they have been known to attack dogs. Sources Kruuk, Hans. Otters: ecology, behaviour and conservation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-19-856586-0.Reid, D.G.; T.E. Code; A.C.H. Reid; S.M. Herrero  Food habits of the river otter in a boreal ecosystem. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 72 (7): 1306–1313, 1994. doi:10.1139/z94-174Serfass, T., Evans, S.S. Polechla, P. Lontra canadensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T12302A21936349. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T12302A21936349.enToweill, D.E. and J.E. Tabor. The Northern River Otter Lutra canadensis (Schreber). Wild mammals of North America (J.A. Chapman and G.A. Feldhamer ed.). Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1982.Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.

Advanced and Clinical Immunology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Advanced and Clinical Immunology - Essay Example Consequently, IgE immunoblotting was mainly required for determination of the foods to evade in trying to help the patient feel better ((Phipatanakul et al, 2004). 4. Th-2 like cells can be identified in the peripheral blood and lesions of atopic-dermatitis patients producing IL-4, 5, 13 and also IL-17 from Th17 cells. Explain the role(s) of these cytokines in allergy (10 Marks). Â  IL-4, 5, 13 are important for allergic responses and elimination of parasites. Th17 cells are the newest members of the Th cell family and produce the IL-17. The Th17 cells are involved in host defense with a role of protection against extracellular bacteria through activity on both the immune and non-immune cells, they have also begun to be associated with the pathophysiology development of allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis (Cox, et al, 2008). Â  Mast cells PGDs, Basophil histamine and Eosinophil Cationic Protein (ECP) are essential constituents of allergic inflammation. Succeeding fixation of IgE to FceRI receptors on mast cells and basophil histamine is vital to the initiation and proliferation of immediate hypersensitivity reactions. Mast cells, basophils, and the eosinophils are major effector cells in the allergic inflammation (Yazdanbakhsh et al, 2002). Mast cells indirectly contribute to asthmatic reactions. Its presence causes A when the activation by multivalent Ag and the IgE, mast cells produces many inflammatory mediators, which includes histamines, eicosanoids, and proteases with PGD2 in high quantity.

Texas Policy Report Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Texas Policy Report - Term Paper Example Governor Rick Perry signed the Texas bill 5 during a special session. Rick Perry convened the special session after Senator Wendy Davis conducted a filibuster in an attempt to interfere with signing of the abortion bill. Rick Perry signed the bill in a ceremony attended by various media groups, lobbyists and legislators. Perry and other supporters of the abortion bill had believed that unborn children experience immense pain during abortion. Governor Perry had proposed the abortion bill on May 27, 2013 though it became unsuccessful in regular senate sessions. However, Wendy and other activists argued that illegalizing abortion would had fatal consequences to the mother. Wendy explained her protest through her experience where she discussed abortion case of her daughter (The State of Texas 1). Wendy had tried several times to stop law provisions that restrict abortion including 2012 debates. She was especially concerned about part of abortion bill that banned abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Consequently, during the special session when the Perry was to sign the abortion bill in June 25, 2013, Wendy Davis reported to the media that she would conduct a filibuster. The filibuster would aim at preventing final process of adopting abortion bill. Wendy attracted social media debate following her emotional speech where she discussed heart-rending disclosures about her pregnancy experiences. However, Governor Perry had promised citizens six months before the 25 June 2013 session that he would sign laws against abortion. Perry had stated that unborn babies deserved the legal rights to sound health besides constitutional protection. He had believed that abortion bill would form the foundation on Texas culture of respect for life. House bill 2 signed by Governor Perry had provisions that bans abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. In addition, House of Bill 2 demands that clinics that perform abortion be of similar health

Un-American Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Un-American - Essay Example The altered political ideology following the communist expansionism of the ‘Cold War’ had domestic repercussions in American society. The stage was set by F.D. Roosevelt, who conceded control over post-war Eastern Europe to the Soviet Union, granting â€Å"moral legitimization to what Stalin had acquired by sheer force† (Nisbet, qtd. in Maltsev and Simpson, 15). The subsequent race for nuclear supremacy, and the policy of ‘Mutually Assured Destruction,’ â€Å"inspired widespread fear of impending nuclear war† in Americans, who built bomb shelters in their backyards (Foner, 891). This let the â€Å"sweeping tide of anti-communism† (Pike, Global Security organization web site) engulf America. Any criticism of American society was construed to be ‘Un-American.’ Senator McCarthy’s witch-hunts made ‘McCarthyism,’ with its connotation of ‘unsubstantiated accusations of disloyalty’, a dominant theme of the 1950’s. America of the 1950’s witnessed â€Å"the twentieth century’s greatest citizens’ movement – the black struggle for equality† (Foner, 899). The rigid racial boundaries of the previous decade persisted in post-war America. The new suburban landscape was racially segregated, and reinforced by methods, such as ‘block-busting’ (Foner, 863). Jim Crow laws flourished in the South. The American judiciary led the assault on racial discrimination. In 1944, the US Supreme Court ruled racial segregation unconstitutional in public schools. Rosa Parks’ defiance led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 and Martin Luther King burst upon the scene with his charismatic leadership. Despite strong resistance, America’s march towards a truly equal, ethnically integrated society began in earnest. Economically and culturally, the 1950’s gave a new definition to ‘the American way of life.’ Most significantly, â€Å"consumerism replaced economic freedom and democratic participation as central definitions

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication in Retail

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication in Retail Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication All around the various environments/ settings that man lives in, there is always some form of communication that takes place, whether verbal or non-verbal communication. Most of the communication that happens with man is often conveyed through non-verbal means. The non-verbal communication may happen both consciously and non-consciously. This paper seeks to give an analysis of a social setting – in this case, a shopping mall – and give an application of the various communication concepts in relation to this setting. There are many reasons as to why people decide to take trips down to the shopping malls. Perhaps they could be going to do some actual shopping or window-shopping, to relax/ meet someone, watch a movie, access the internet, and have a cup of coffee or a meal, among other reasons. At times people walk into the shopping malls as individuals or in groups. As they go about doing their own businesses, they communicate in various ways. For example, an individual may walk into the goods bay and begin walking around the shelves. The pace of walking in itself communicates a certain message. For instance, based on the kinesics theory, if the person is walking hurriedly and pacing back and forth among the shelves, especially in the same area, one may easily conclude that the person is either confused or in a hurry to escape from something or someone. At this point, if there are shopping attendants in the goods bay, they may approach the person and try conversing. In relation to the adjacency pa irs concept, the shopping attendant may begin a conversation with words like, â€Å"Sir, may I help you?† The response the individual is expected to give may be similar to, â€Å"Yes, please. Could you please show me where I can find product X?† In this case, product X could be a particular detergent, shaving cream, electronic equipment, and so on. If a response that may sound to be rude, disrespectful, or harsh is given, then the shopping attendant may try to want to know more in order to identify the problem or seek assistance from somewhere else. In this scenario, customer service and public relations may be necessary. The two techniques may come in handy to resolve the situation. At times, a person may walk into the shopping mall and may just take their time moving around the shelves. They may seem to pick up things off the shelves but then return them. At times, they may be seen to compare two items as they talk to themselves. In such instances, in relation to kinesics concept, the person may appear to be undecided and does not know the choice to make. Perhaps, the person could be doing a mental budget by comparing the products picked, or they may just not know what to pick. Sometimes, people go to purchase products that they are not familiar with at all. In such cases, the person doing the shopping may befriend another shopper and solicit for advice. In the process, they may actually converse and show curtsies and smiles. Different people may actually interpret this act differently. Some may see it to be a friendly and relaxed looking environment. As the people who have just met continue to talk and laugh, it may signify socializing and friendly society. Ot her people may think that the two people may have known one another for ages and are just catching up. To some, they may think that the two people are just drawing unnecessary attention. Some buyers as they do their shopping some go picking anything from the shelves and in large quantities. Some pick a variety of one product, e.g. different types of a particular brand of soap or lotion. Some do not even care to look at the product prices. However, others have to compare the prices carefully before making up their minds on what to buy. These contrasting behaviors show that different buyers have different purchasing capabilities. For instance, when a parent walks into the shopping mall with their child, the child may want something that was outside the budget. Some parents may choose to buy the child what they have asked without thinking twice while others will have to convince their children that it is not possible to buy them what they want. According to the proxemics concept, this behavior shows that different people have different purchasing power. When a shopper buys a variety of things, they are even treated differently by the shopping attendants and cashiers as well. For instance, they may be offered a mall attendant to help them carry the goods to their car, they may be given discounts, or they may be offered some preferential treatment like being offered extra items at no extra cost. There are also people who purchase goods without having to come to the shopping mall and have the goods delivered at their doorstep at an extra cost. Some people do not have trouble paying for the extra cost of transport delivery while others have to consider their options. Regular customers are also treated in a special way that seems to appreciate them. However, those who exhibit high purchasing power and do not necessarily fall to the category of regular customers are always treated in a nice way compared to others. They may even be taken to the front line, skipping other shoppers waiting to be served. This underscores the fact that the elite in society will always have their way as they please. The inequalities that exist in society are also evident thro ugh such gestures. At the cashier counters, there are those who pay cash while others pay using credit or debit cards. Those who have electronic payment cards may at times be in possession of more than one card. The communication here is that in society, there are the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’. There are those with plenty and spend with ease as they can afford whatever they want. Others have even to negotiate at the counter as they pay and may even end up not paying for everything that they picked from the shelves. All these help in explaining the concept of proxemics. In addition, some clients may experience problems with their credit cards. This scenario at times may lead to the involvement of the managers. In such cases, the customer may converse with the manager and want to find out why they cannot purchase anything yet they may have the funds. In such instances, the transmission model of communication is applicable. This is because the manager may involve the bank of the cl ient or access the personal details of the client under authorization from relevant authorities. However, encoding and decoding of the messages may lead to too much bureaucracy that wastes time for the client even when there is no major issue. Shopping malls are at times social meeting points. People who know each may bump into one another in the malls or may arrange to meet there. When they meet, there may be the excitement of meeting as they greet one another. In the process of greetings, they may either hug or shake hands. This scenario best explains the speech act concept. The two parties express their greetings in action form through hugging or shaking hands. When they are even saying goodbyes in the shopping malls, they may kiss or show some signal to the public. However, the danger with sign language is that not all symbols/ signs are standard across various localities. One friendly gesture in a certain locality may be an offense in another locality. The same case applies to certain words used in the public. There are words in certain cultures that are not offensive while in other cultures they are highly offensive. For this reason, extra caution should be taken when speech acting. The challenge however is that most of the time, people speech act at times unconsciously. They may not even consider to have made an offense. One important communication concept that marketers in shopping malls use is the looking-glass self. Whenever a customer goes to buy or just wants to try a product, the marketers may give pleasant comments to the potential buyer in a bid to sell the product. For example, when one wants to buy clothes, they may go window-shopping and in the process try them out to see how they look in them. The marketers often take advantage of these situations to give compliments to the potential buyer. The nice or positive compliments regarding the cloth in relation to the potential buyer play around with the psychology of the potential buyer. As a result, the potential buyer’s self-esteem may be boosted and the compliments may play a major role in influencing the decision to buy. Even if the potential buyer may not have money now to buy the product, they may go and come back later to purchase the item after a while. When clients are made to look good and are motivated to buy, they will buy ev en if they did not intend to buy a given product. The sales promotion personnel should learn to utilize the looking-glass self concept in ensuring that they sell their products/ services. The provision of demos goes a long way in further convincing the potential buyer and influences their decision to buy greatly. Well-presented demos or promotions capture the attention of potential buyers. At the same time, the promotions and demos influence the perceptions of how the potential buyer thinks the sales promoter views them, consequently affecting decision to buy in a number of potential buyers. In conclusion, verbal and non-verbal communication often takes place concurrently. However, the majority of the communication is what happens non-verbally. Learning how to interpret different messages as they are communicated is the most important thing in interpersonal communications. The person who learns to decode messages, especially non-verbal messages, always knows how to relate with other people in society effectively. Clarity especially in verbal is important. This is because if the message is not properly encoded for the intended recipient to decode appropriately as intended, then meaning will have been lost. Hence, elaborations in verbal communications are extremely importance for clarity purposes and ease of understanding.

Waste Land Essay: Superficiality in The Waste Land -- T.S. Eliot Waste

Superficiality in The Waste Land  Ã‚   The Waste Land is concerned with the 'disillusionment of a generation'. The poem was written in the early 1920's, a time of abject poverty, heightening unemployment and much devastation unresolved from the end of WW1 in 1918. Despite this, or because of it, people made a conscientious effort to enjoy themselves. In doing so they lost their direction, their beliefs and their individuality. They were victims of the class system which maintained a system of privilege, snobbery and distrust. Advances in machinery brought new products onto the market, like cars, but the people were so disillusioned with the social turmoil caused by four years of war, that even the glamour of new possessions could not fill the spiritual and emotional void left by the war. The consciousness of a nation had been battered into submission by the horrors of the first world war that people now were living a shell of what was once life. People went through the motions of life but there was no feeling just a mecha nical existence. This kind of surface existence, the inability to see beyond the obvious, is portrayed throughout the Wasteland. The Wasteland is a soulless picture of a world deprived of fertility. Everything has become sterile in this barren landscape, people have nowhere left to look but to the outer shell because the inside is emotionally dead. As a result, the characters of The Wasteland are superficial in every sense of the word. Some are obsessed with appearance. Others are so far detached from the things that make life more than just breathing and looking good, that they perpetuate the destructive cycle that is slowly killing them and their world. They exist without hope, faith and spiritual enlightenme... ...t could bring life to the Wasteland, then there would be hope. Water of course becomes symbolic of faith. Eliot's message is if we had faith, then the world would begin to take root again. Eliot suggests that our superficiality is replaced by 'Datta... Dayadhvam..Dumyata' 'give, sympathise, control'. Our superficial nature has left us in an uncontrollable, unsympathetic, mean wasteland. In short, superficiality is portrayed throughout The Wasteland. Those who inhabit the land exist without faith and reject enlightenment because they are too concerned with appearances, money and other such inconsequential matters that they have lost the ability to recognize what is needed to make life better. 'Do You know nothing? Do you see nothing? Do you remember Nothing? Works Cited: Eliot, T. S. The Waste Land and Other Poems. Harcourt Brace & Company: New York, 1958.

Analysis on the Shift of Business Strategy for Ge Into the 21st Century Essay

Question 1: In what ways has Jeff Immelt redirected the strategy of GE? In 2001, shortly after Jeff Immelt became the CEO of GE, a series of events changed and impacted the corporate landscape. The immediate challenges that he faced included 9/11, and a subsequent series of high profile corporate scandals (Enron, WorldCom). In 2008, the financial crisis hit and had a severe impact on GE’s primary growth source, GE Capital causing it to accumulate bad debts and asset write-downs. These events caused slow domestic economic growth, crisis of confidence among investors and more global competitors. Due to the change in environment and the need to adapt Immelt shifted the focus of GE from cost cutting and deal making to new products, services and markets. He particularly focused on redirecting the strategy of GE through: organic growth, customer focus, and innovation. In 2002, Immelt committed GE to an organic growth rate of 8% per year. He identified a number of emerging global trends – the ageing population, the demand for sustainable energy, the necessity of improved infrastructure, and opportunities in the emerging markets. He aimed to create value for customers by leveraging GE’s core competencies particularly in advanced technology and related service by delivering superior, customized products and services to high-growth markets. A core component of his growth strategy was to create new ‘Growth platforms’ which could be either extensions of the existing businesses or entire new commercial areas. Through identifying a new growth platform, it would then be executed through a series of divestments and strategic acquisitions in sectors with high growth potential. Technology was seen to be a key driver of GE’s future growth which led to the launch of Imagination breakthrough. New technologies were seen as an essential ingredient to successful product innovation and quality improvement. GE expanded its research and development capabilities and supported them with adequate financial backing. Another vital part of Immelt’s growth strategy has been the implementation of the Customer Focus initiative. This lead to the revitalization of GE’s marketing function – most notably through the creation of GE’s Commercial Council and a number of customer-oriented programs. Through this customer focus imitative it became one of Immelt’s value creation strategies: exploit linkages across GE’s many companies. His efforts started off with product bundling and cross selling, which eventually led to enterprise selling. This meant seeking out customers that would benefit from GE’s broad portfolio of businesses and deliver highly customized solutions. The strategic focus was on creating differentiation advantage through innovative product-service bundles and enhanced customer focus Question 2: To what extent is this strategy well aligned: a) with the requirements of 21st century business environment Jeff Immelt took over the reins of General Electric at the end of an Era where the Market economy was buzzing with optimism, confidence and growth, and was now heading into a downturn. This shift in the Business environment and economic instability instigated a crucial issue for Immelt, which was to identify the likely sources of profit for the future. Under Jack Welch the potential for value creation through cost reduction and the elimination of under performing assets had mostly been completely utilized. So from Immelt’s view, in the current Market situation, the primary driver of growth was going to be organic growth. With the poor state that the world economy was in, the central challenge for Immelt was going to be identifying where the most promising opportunities for profitable growth would lie. He identified a number of key significant emerging global trends—the ageing population, the conflicting forces of growing energy demand and concerns over global warming, the advent of biosciences in conjunction with global warming and nanotechnology, and new commercial opportunities in the emerging markets. In order for GE to position itself for stronger growth in the changing business environment, Immelt saw the need to exit form slow growth business, and reallocate its resources where growth prospects were strong, taking advantage of the emerging global trends. At the heart of Immelt’s growth strategy for General Electric’s was the development of new Growth Platforms, which could be either extensions of the existing businesses or entire new commercial areas. Even though Immelts core focus was on organic growth, repositioning to take advantage of the emerging market trends and opportunities would require acquisition. Then once a new Growth Platform was identified, GE would build a leading position in those sectors through small strategic acquisitions and the deployment of its financial, technical and managerial resources. GE was entering a new generational era, one where technology is at the forefront of growth and adaptation. Immelt identified Technology as one of GE’s major drivers for future growth which was signaled by his expansion of GE’s R&D budgets. He shifted the importance of Technology within GE by focusing on the R&D projects that offered large scale market potential, reffered to as â€Å"Imagination breakthroughs†. Within this new business environment that GE was facing, customers needs, wants and expectations of what products can offer them is forever changing. Immelt saw and understood this from the amount of time spent with customers, and implemented this idea within GE through the IT redesign process becoming increasingly customer focused. One of the most important outcomes of GE’s enhanced customer focus would be the ability to better meet the customers needs through bundling products with support and technology services, and combine product and service offerings from different businesses (Enterprise selling) to enhance customer value. Also by increasing customer orientated products, this would also help GE to increase its success in international markets by involving more local product development and emphasis on truly aligning products and services to meet local market needs. (b) GE’s resources and capabilities The backbone GE’s success over time has been its ability to combine massive size with constant adaptation. Over the decades GE has successfully adapted both its business portfolio and its management systems to the demands and opportunities of the ever-changing business Environment. GE’s success in innovation has been built on the back of their ability to nurture ideas and innovations, and expertly managing and formulate them into successful investments. This is clearly shown through General Electric’s â€Å"Imagination breakthroughs† through Immelt. These imagination breakthroughs are promising technological R&D projects, that have the potential to create $100 million in sales over three years. Immelts emphasis on technology reflected his belief and the Belief intrinsic to GE which is that the primary driver of sales is great products. Immelt’s assessment of emerging global trends and his strategic direction demonstrate his understanding of the external opportunities and threats, and internal strengths and weaknesses. Technical leadership has proved to be not only a source of GE’s competitive advantage but it is also an important barrier to entry. For example, GE is the only US-based company with all the necessary capabilities to build a nuclear power plant. This is an example of General Electrics ability to marry Industrial and technological R&D to a business system capable of turning scientific and technological discoveries into marketable products. Question 3: What organizational changes has the new strategy necessitated? Will GE be able to successfully execute the strategy? Through placing greater emphasis on customer focus, organic growth and innovation, GE’s systems and structure must be realigned to better manage the complex situation of diversified businesses and to maintain its efficiency and performance. Immelt’s focus on greater cross integration, new growth platforms and enterprise selling lead to a major structural change in 2002. GE divisions were reorganized into a smaller number of broad based sectors. By 2008, there were 5 sectors and each of them focused on broad markets, in which they had a scale, market leadership, and superior customer offerings. GE’s 5 broad markets were: technology, infrastructure, industrial and commercial, GE capital, healthcare and NBC Universal. Through regrouping the various businesses into their markets it would be easier to identify the various connections between the businesses. Becoming a more customer focus business had a huge impact on the organization; it led to the revitalization of GE’s marketing function. A number of customer – orientated programs were created, most notably GE’s Commercial Council. The key initiative of the six part growth process in terms of marketing and sales were introduced, there were increasingly many metrics driven analysis on customer satisfaction and attitudes. This whole phase of becoming a customer focus business instead of an operating efficient one demanded the managers to become less of an operator and more of a marketer. Immelt’s reshaping of GE’s Business portfolio, through Growth platforms, required acquisition. Developing these opportunities required high levels of coordination across multiple organizational units. This further increased the organizational complexity of GE, and great difficulty in performance management as it was hard linking individual incentives to individual’s organizational performance hard to implement. Other issues arose through the organizational changes necessitated through the new strategy. Immelt had changed the rganizational structure to further integrate the different businesses, however this lead to a complex coordination problem as they have gone beyond cross selling to enterprise selling. Also through placing heavy emphasis on customer focus this caused the sales and marketing department to put less focus on particular business and just look at opportunities that they can exploit this can be seen from the example of GE medical systems. Through constantly acquiring new businesses to further fuel growth in technology and the energy sector this has made the organizational structure even more complex. Focussing on customers and enterprise selling requires a simple structure. It can be seen that if Immelt wants to successfully implement his strategies he needs to find a solution to change the organizational structure to mitigate the complexity of it, while being able to acquire new businesses for growth. Whether Immelt can execute these strategies due to these organizational issues are discussed in the further sections of this essay. Will Immelt’s strategy be successful? Are there alternatives corporate strategies that GE should consider – break up in particular? We believe that Immelts strategy will be successful and recommend that he continue to pursue his strategy of greater emphasis on technology, customer focus and increased integration. In order for this to happen in the context of the economic situation of the 21st century, we feel that it is important for GE’s emphasis to be shifted to risk-taking, sophisticated management, and innovation in order to deliver new products and services, and to penetrate new markets Immelt should continue to divest companies of low profit, growth and returns, and focus on those whose are aligned with their competencies are as a future possible growth platform. To reduce organizational complexity GE should also introduce competitive based pay which will link to all levels of employers from base workers to managers. This is to encourage collaboration through all levels of the employment ladder both vertically and horizontally. The success of Immelt’s strategy of combining innovation and efficiency in a fast-moving business environment will allow GE to capitalize on the demands and opportunities of a changing world. Thus, GE will play a leadership role as it sets the trend for the conglomerate business model to maintain its relevance. Breaking up GE There are several advantages in breaking up GE. GE will be able to focus on innovation and reinvest back on innovation and technology through the funds acquired from selling some of their businesses. There is also no need for having a complex organizational structure if GE would only focus on one segment of their business. The source of competitive advantage for GE is integration of business in its portfolio. GE Capital contributes 32% of total revenue. This is a stable source of revenue for GE. Spinning it off the business portfolio will reduce the funding for other GE initiatives. By doing so, they will not be able to address the challenges facing the business environment in the future. This proved as a disadvantage as it will alter the competitive scope of the company and will ultimately lose their capability to compete in global markets. GE should not break up as it will lose its core competencies and won’t be able to compete and enjoy the current market position that they are in. Focusing On Technology and Energy  Based on 2010 GE annual report, technology and energy infrastructure has the highest profit and revenue contribution for GE. This is the main focus of their business today. Although GE capital is not as profitable as before, it still contributes 32% of the total GE revenue. Overall, it is still growing from the period of 2009 – 2011. While GE Capital revenue does not contribute as the main source of contribution in both revenue and profit of GE, it is essential as a source of revenue to pursuit and invests in innovation that drives the Energy and Technology Infrastructure sector of GE.