A visit to the art institute of chicago museum

On South Michigan Avenue, stands the Art Institute of Chicago Museum. One of the first things that I noticed and one problem that I encountered is that The Art Institute of Chicago does not have its own parking lot. Good thing there are public garages nearby.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Art Institute has an â€Å"H† shape, if one will imagine from a bird’s-eye-view.   It is a three-storey building housing work spaces, study rooms, auditoriums and enclosed galleries. But what will truly stand out are its vast collections of paintings, sculptures, photographs, videos, textiles, and architectural drawings. (The Art Institute of Chicago 2005). I was simply impressed with the exhibits. I marveled at the extensive and interesting collections there. As evident on the other people’s reactions, I think they felt the same way. Different reactions and moods were elicited from each of the art pieces. The exhibit about the Icons of Divinity from South and Southeast Asia caught my interest. This focused mainly on the art of the Hindus and Buddhists. The images display complex ideas about divinity. And it is always appealing to learn about the art of other cultures. Another is the exhibit featuring the different treatments in the works of Harry Callahan, a photographer. (The Art Institute of Chicago 2005). The ‘Portrait of Cardinal Zelada’ by Anton Raffael, for me, presents the subject as someone dignified and regal. Emphasis is given on the position of the subject, sitting upright. The eyes and the small smile forming on the subject’s lips may also signify the graciousness of the subject. The artist may be portraying the righteousness and the nobility of the cardinal. I would also probably choose Anton Raffael to do my portrait. I would like my natural traits to be showed in the portrait, with more emphasis on the good characteristics. ‘Day of the Gods’ by Paul Gauguin and ‘Charity’ by Francesco de Mura both depict female nudes. Gauguin’s work has more eroticism in it than that of de Mura’s. That is because ‘Day of the Gods’ puts more emphasis on the physical beauty of the female, a Tahitian female in particular, than the other work. De Mura’s ‘Charity’, on the other hand, seems to dwell on motherhood and motherly love, thus, less erotic. I think the impact of eroticism is that it makes the visuals more attractive. Most people admire the physical beauty of the woman. Depicting and emphasizing that in the painting will draw more people into looking and appreciating the work of art. And lastly is the seascape, ‘The Beach at Sainte-Adresse’ by Claude Monet. The painting seems to express melancholy. Elements that point to such are the muted colors, the couple seated on the beach watching a regatta sail away, the coarse texture of the sand and the density and grayness of the sky. (The Art Institute of Chicago 2005) Even if only one of these parts is to be deleted, the message of the painting is not as full anymore. For instance, if the colors of the sky are changed into brighter hues, the painting won’t be so gloomy anymore. Or if the silhouettes of the sailboats are rubbed out of the painting, it won’t seem as though many people are sailing away. This just proves that all the elements in a painting contribute to the desired effect that an artist wants to show. Work Cited: 2005. The Art Institute of Chicago. http://www.artic.edu (accessed August 1,2006).      

Catching Fire

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, this book is number two of the Hunger Games series. This book over all was pretty good and I think I’m going to read the 3rd. Before I start to give my reasons for the words I want to say why I used the colors I did. I used a black back ground because she is being thrown into this unknown world again when she really should be living a life of luxury but because she outsmarted the game makers this is what she gets.I used Red yellow and orange for the colors of the words because of the books name, how it looked against the black and the book is overall about fighting and when I think of fighting and death those are some of the colors that come to mind. I picked the word I did because I felt they really had mixed meanings in the book. What I mean by this is that things can be good and bad all at the same time. Rebellious is one of the most impotent words because the book has mostly to do with rebellion.Katness’s mocking jay it self has bee n a sign of rebellion because the people love what she did in the hunger games last time and the capitol is going to try and make sure that it doesn’t happen again. Battle and rebellious go hand in hand with Katness. That is here personality in general not just laying down and giving up in the hunger games when she was all alone hunting in the woods even though she could have been caught and whipped just like gale was.It’s just the person she is and through out the whole book. I think Killed is also a good word to describe this book. This is a word with mixed meanings. Peeta is dead it’s a bad and a good thing. Its bad because he’s dead and that just not good but its also good because Katness can stop pretending to have this love with Peeta even though it is very clear that she is in love with gale.It lets her be true to her self and gale witch is very important because she is not one who likes to live a lie. Brave is also another great word to describe a lot of people in this book. The hunger games is a hard thing to go through knowing that you could be killed at any time and there’s not much you can do about it is a hard thing. Also Katness and Peeta going up against people who have been training there whole life for the games just inset fair.

The Nature of Realism in the Film 'Psycho Movie Review

The Nature of Realism in the Film 'Psycho - Movie Review Example Yet, there aren't any shots in the film that can be convincingly categorized as one of horror. What is achieved ultimately is the unfolding of the emerging suspense through plots of actions pieced together in order to serve as background and also connect them to the central story. There is not even an iota of the ethereal to make the film look like it is made using standards other than what is common in daily life. Undoubtedly, Hitchcock has successfully utilized the rules of dramatics to keep the audience on the edge with well crafted sequences, actions and dialogues, and has taken the trouble to keep the hearts beating fast to match the film with the title. The film begins randomly with the scene of the city of Phoenix and settles down on a window with the Venetian blinds covering it. The scene within the window is that of Marion Crane and Sam Loomis engaged in love making. Marion goes on to hog the scene from then on for nearly half of the film's duration. The film begins with her affair with Sam Loomis. From here we are taken to her office. At the office, she faces Tom Cassidy, played by Frank Albertson, and his lecherous behavior. She chooses to steal the money he gives her in cash to buy a home for "his little girl." This event is actually the precursor to the entire film. Had she not secretly decided to steal the money, she would not have had any reason to leave Phoenix, Arizona. Had she not left Phoenix, the circumstances leading to the making of the film might not have happened. Life would have continued as a normal routine. But things happen. Marion steals the money and decides to run away with it without knowing exactly where. All she knows is that she is in possession of 40,000 and the future looked bright with the money in hand. Hitchcock has a way of blending small events to make scintillating feature films. The wrongness in Marion's action in stealing the money is rendered insignificant with the antagonizing behavior of Cassidy. On the contrary, we find ourselves feeling pleased with her action because it serves the man right anyway. There is nothing wrong in conning a lecher. So Marion runs away and Hitchcock gradually takes us to the scene where Marion sitting in her car comes face to face with her boss. He takes a good look at her but does not see through her intentions and she drives away. As she drives on, the day begins to end. It is getting dark and the audience sees headlights of the oncoming vehicles gliding over Marion's face. Sometimes the headlights flash behind her. She has left the city limits and is now driving in the open countryside. Nonetheless, the look of anxiety is playing on her face and she is tired. Finally she wants to sleep and her eyelids keep shutting

Marketing Plan ( Customer and Market Profile) Assignment

Marketing Plan ( Customer and Market Profile) - Assignment Example The US has stable political and economic conditions to support the development and marketing of niche products such as the Brain Reader. The socio-cultural and business situation of the country enhances prosperity of the market for this device. Financial aid by the government helps in further development of the product. Needs satisfied by the product The Brain Reader is a product of the twenty-first century, belonging to the new generation of â€Å"portable neural devices and algorithms† (Duncan, 2012) loaded with the capacity to read the different thoughts that go on in the complicated brains of human beings. The brain is a complicated chamber that generates various kinds of thoughts, feelings, desires and emotions. Till date scientists have been putting sincere efforts to develop ways in which the minds of people can be read; hypnosis is one of those methods, but none of these methods have been able to render complete success. It has been proved in various scientific studies that human beings are often unable to report their thoughts properly either naturally or due to some disability. This makes it difficult for them to communicate properly. This specific product has been devised with the aim of bringing immense benefit to a number of sectors. The commodity would have a simple design and would be user friendly. The person using it would be required to wear it on his or her head like a hair band and a small box attached to the band, which acts like a transmitter, would convert the signals generated in the brain into electronic waves that can be seen on a screen in the form of waves. These waves would be converted into words or commands via a software installed in a computer attached to the screen. Thus the thoughts of a person can be read by outside people that are communicating with that person. The transmitter works on a small battery installed within the box and no connection of electricity is required for running this new device. This data would be automatically updated with time and hence it would be easy to study and analyze the data at a later point of time. Market segmentation and target marketing Market segmentation Market segmentation is â€Å"the process of dividing a market into meaningful, relatively similar and identifiable segments or groups† (Lamb, Hair & McDaniel, 2011, p. 259). This is done with the purpose of enabling the marketer to tailor the marketing mixes so as to cater to each segment successfully. For the current product the market segments have been represented through the following pie chart: (Source: Author’s creation) The four market segments identified for the Brain Reader are criminal investigators, HR Departments in private companies, teachers and academicians and psychologists. While criminal investigators and human resource personnel are the target markets, it can also be used by school teachers to make the process of teaching and learning more efficient. Using the Brain Reader a t eacher would be able to measure the level of understanding of the pupils by evaluating their responses to the lessons imparted in a better way than conducting tests. The device would also ease

Dasani water Market Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dasani water Market Analysis - Essay Example The social factors that influence consumers to purchase dasani water include reference groups and social status. Family groups are the most vital purchasing organizations within a particular society. Women have been constantly recognized as the primary purchaser for the family unit. Nonetheless, traditional responsibilities are changing since many women have started concentrating in their jobs while more men have started working from home (Glennon, 2002). Therefore, the buying behavior of this product has been affected by the changes in family buying habits where men have turned out to be the potential product buyers. Additionally, those individuals who are not married tend to buy bottled water because they do not have enough time to treat tap water for personal consumption. The company has realized increased sales among the college students. Majority of them are still single (Franklin & Madalinski, 2009). The social status of customers has also played a noteworthy role influencing the buying habits of Dasani water. Customers from rich and middle class families tend to buy the product while those from poor families prefer using tap water. For that reason, the number of sales recorded from the sale of dasani water has been high in the urban areas in comparison to the rural. The situation is attributed to differences in social status. Personal factors that have influenced customers to purchase Dasani water include occupation, activities, qualities, age, and stage of life. Many people working in offices tend to purchase dasani water because they believe that office tap waters are not clean for consumption (Doria, 2006). In addition, it is often difficult for such persons to access water at the desired time. People involved in rigorous activities such as sports need water to quench their thirst. Consequently, the company has embarked on marketing

CMG490 MOD 5 CA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CMG490 MOD 5 CA - Essay Example Disadvantages of this CMS also can push the company out of business. A contract management system should function for retrieving and tracking of any information relevant to contracts. Security concerns of Company about this CMS are also severe. Edward is still missing best services of CMS in the market. It cannot locate any record in the system. CSM is a holistic approach for the security and data redundancy. IT management systems are important for both client and management even a client does not have sufficient knowledge about these systems. USDA Rural Development in New York signs a contract with an EPA certified to control the Lead Hazard control system. Projectmate is more commonly used software as contract management software by clients. SWOT analysis of Projectmate supports the developer to see the potential risks of the construction. The Projectmate is web based and can be accessed by the outsiders who are irrelevant of the system. Cost and Time aspects of the Projectmate pro vide more opportunities to manager to attract more clients. BuildTool is software similar to functions for Projectmate in the market This paper addresses the different aspects of the contracts and contract management systems. Contract will be defined from different point of views, and its management for the organizations. Life cycle management of a contract is essential for the involving parties in a contract. After establishing the importance of the CLM, the trial process of a crime is the part of this study that will point out the important stages of a criminal trial process. A Contract management system is a system that has been optimized for the storage and management of contractual agreements in documented forms. CMS is beyond the simple document in that contract management and in most cases overlap with vendor management systems (Betz, 407). In the modern day context, contracts are considered to

Advertising in the 21st century unit 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Advertising in the 21st century unit 8 - Essay Example This kind of media can help to pull in peoples imaginations. This is the best way to enable people interact intellectually with the services being offered, hence there is likelihood Emirates Airline Services will be in top of mind when customers require flight services. However, unlike television, the radio is just background noise heard while at work or when driving. It is also expensive as compared to media such as the internet. Thirdly, Emirates Airline use company publications. The publications include newsletters and magazines. Unlike other forms of media, which have risen in prices, publications are within the scope of affordability. They have permanence unlike the television, and radio and enable people to refer to the advert when confirming company phone numbers or even a website. The advert must be good and attractive to capture people’s attention. It is also available to smaller number of people. Fourthly, the company uses the internet as a form of advertisement. Use of search engine advertising using the organization’s website has grown rapidly. It is the fastest growing sector in the advertising industry. Potential customers visit search engine in search of different products and services on organization’s websites. In using this form of media, Emirates Airline will be able to operate 24 hours and 7days a week. Internet reaches customers worldwide. Organization’s internet adverts remain for quite sometime without change. To amend organization site and advert is simple and faster. However online marketing is not free as an organization may imagine. The cost of software, hardware, web site design, online distribution costs and maintenance is costly. The most effective media used by Emirates Airline is advertising using the internet. The advert is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Further, their customers are worldwide and internet makes it possible to access them. Furthermore, internet

Ethnomusicology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethnomusicology - Research Paper Example Despite the social and cultural changes, art remains the most appropriate way of capturing the dynamic cultural features. People use art to depict their cultural features and development with music and dance being among the oldest surviving arts that help portray cultural developments. In the contemporary society, people use music and dance to represent their traditional cultures, which have changed and are thus unique in the modern society as the discussion below portrays. Held in Berlin in 2006, the thunder nations powwow was one such concerts that sought to display various traditional cultures. At the concert, people used music and to represent their traditional cultures a feature that provided an effective platform for evaluating the social and cultural changes throughout the history of the cultures. The discussion below therefore analyses the cultural development by comparing the art of music and dance in some of the traditional cultures displayed at the event. In doing this, the article investigates the dance and musical techniques used in some of the traditional cultures and the vocal variations among other features of music that have evolved alongside the changes in the cultures. The article investigates particular hypothetical features of the cultures portrayed in the music and dances thereby portraying the artistic features the traditionalists used in their music vis-Ã  -vis the features as employed in contemporary music. Among the musical groups that performed at the concert was the Bear claw singers, a traditional Indian musical group based in Dallas Texas. The group performs traditional music with the view of bringing the entire Indian community together. They uphold particular traditional Indian values including the belief that their musical and drum performances are gifts from God that they employ in uniting the Indian community from all over the world. Their songs are therefore spiritual and glorification to their God. The group’s performances

The Reference Letter of John Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Reference Letter of John - Essay Example John proved to be altogether different from the rest of his colleagues as he looked at our business from the perspective of an outsider and this made a huge difference. He helped us to understand that funeral industry is not much different from any other product or service industry with stakeholders such as owners, employees, customers, suppliers, competitors etc. and went about strategizing our operations, even as he plunged himself into executing his specific role with rare zeal. His entrepreneurial streak and leadership qualities came to the fore as he involved himself in activities beyond the call of duty without treading on others’ toes. He is a team player par excellence. John changed the way we looked at our business in a number of areas like inventory control, working capital management, buyer-seller relationships, marketing, customer relations and above all, adopting the technology. All these changes as briefly explained below, have metamorphosed our operations like never before. John critically analyzed the past years’ data on stores and inventory movement and helped to rationalize the inventory management and thus working capital needs. He put in place a system of inventory control that tied up with the corporate goals of growth and profitability. Working capital costs have been brought down by avoiding high stocks slow moving but easily available items, even as incidents of unforeseen emergencies due to ‘stock outs’ of critical items were reduced. He has underlined the role of developing strategic relationships with critical suppliers in order to achieve a rational inventory control, whereby the suppliers are now more confident of their business with us and are willing to meet our demands of prices and delivery schedules.

Postmodernism and Politics Essay Example for Free

Postmodernism and Politics Essay Postmodernism has revealed how science has been political largely because of how postmodernism approaches science, for instance. Postmodern thought does not consider the scientific method as the sole basis for determining the truth or understanding the world as there are many other approaches which, for all we know, may also be more or less valid (Cole, Hill Rikowski, 1997, p. 189). In doing so, postmodernism views the scientific method as one of the reasons why science has dominated not only the academic circles but the bastion of human knowledge in its entirety. Basically, anything that has been established by the methods of science has been collectively understood as the truth or the closest that we can get to truth (Mirchandani, 2005, p. 93). The result is simply staggering—science has become power itself in shaping the course of human civilization. One example is how the development of the atomic bomb through careful scientific research and experiment has led the way to the contemporary proliferation of nuclear power. Countries have become all the more powerful because of their possession of nuclear armaments that could easily wipe away the threats to their sovereignty. Another example is the way in which science has created technological means for hastening the production and distribution of goods across geographical boundaries. The scientific advancement in terms of cyber technology and the internet has contributed to the increase in the capabilities of local and global businesses. In effect, large corporations have gained more ways to expand their wealth and, therefore, their influence over governments. Postmodernism has made all of these circumstances clearer than before although critics point out that postmodernism merely reveals the power of science and the other ways of explaining why science has gained such wide influence over various societies (Lee, 1999, p. 744). In essence, postmodernism has revealed the breadth of the influence and power of science over humanity inasmuch as science has largely contributed to the assimilation of political power and force over the years. Other ways may be developed in explaining how science has behaved in more recent times in changing the political landscape of the world, but postmodernism will agree that those ways do not necessarily stand of lesser significance than the scientific approaches. References Cole, M. , Hill, D. , Rikowski, G. (1997). Between Postmodernism and Nowhere: The Predicament of the Postmodernist. British Journal of Educational Studies, 45(2), 187-200. Lee, J. (1999). The Utility of a Strategic Postmodernism. Sociological Perspectives, 42(4), 739-753. Mirchandani, R. (2005). Postmodernism and Sociology: From the Epistemological to the Empirical. Sociological Theory, 23(1), 86-115.

Effects of Culture on International Business

Effects of Culture on International Business INTRODUCTION The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate the concept of culture in relation to international business. More specifically, is to dig deep and clarify the impact of culture on international businesses. According to Copland and Griggs (1985, p.43) there is no culture right or wrong, just differences we must make value judgments as to whether or not cultural behaviour is good or bad, better or worse. It is wrong to assume that people in different cultures think, feel and act in the same way. In international business dealings, ignorance of cultural difference is not just unfortunate, it is bad business (Arwind, 1989, p. 25). Sensitivity to cultural difference is crucial to successful international business operations. Ignorance of cultural differences could end in disastrous business blunders. A discussion on culture should first begin with a definition. In a simple term, culture is how things are done around here (Mullins, 2005). On the other hand, (Hofstede 1980) referred to culture as the software of the mind. In other words, it is the social programming that runs the way we think, act and perceive ourselves and others. However, culture is an extremely broad concept and very difficult to define. At present there are estimated to be over 200 different definitions of culture. There is no general agreement with regard to the definition of culture. To some, culture refers to the distinctive way of life of a particular group of people (Herskovitz, 1952, p. 17) or a complete design for living (Kluchholm, 1951, p. 86). Others refer to culture as a pattern of behavior transmitted to members of a group from previous generations of the same group (Hall, 1977, pp. 16-17). Culture is not simply a product of conditioning (Grosse and Kujawa, 1992, p. 322) acquired, learned or transmi tted from one generation to another. Culture also shapes peoples values, attitudes, beliefs and behavioral patterns (Terpestra and David, 1985). It is therefore crucial for international business men and women to understand fully not only how people in different cultures behave but why they behave in the way they do. GEERT HOFSTEDE AND HIS CULTURAL DIMENSIONS One of the most influential pieces of research in relation to national cultures is the work of the Dutch researcher and business consultant Geert Hofstede (1980 2001). He analysed survey data from 116,000 employees of IBM in more than 40 different countries. He initially identified four, later five basic dimensions to express differences between national cultures: 1. Power distance this is the extent to which inequalities among people are seen as normal. This dimension stretches from equal relations being seen as normal to wide inequalities being viewed as normal. Examples of countries with high power distance scores are the Philippines, Singapore, France and Greece. In contrast, countries with low power distance scores such as Britain, Sweden and New Zealand favour a more democratic style of management and flatter organisational structures. 2. Uncertainty avoidance this refers to the degree to which societies feel threatened by ambiguous situations and the extent to which they try to avoid uncertainty situations. In countries with high uncertainty avoidance, such as France, organisations adopt strong bureaucracies and career stability and generally discourage risk taking activities. Countries such as Britain and Norway which exhibit low uncertainty avoidance will adopt more flexible structures and encourage more diverse view. 3. Individualism/collectivism in an individualist culture people tend to look after their own interests and those of their immediate family whereas in collectivist culture there is a tighter social framework in which each person respect the group to which he or she belongs. For instance, in the USA, people are expected to take care of themselves and their immediate family only. In collectivist societies such as Japan, however, people are integrated into strong, cohesive groups which throughout peoples lifetimes continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. For example, Toyota is Japanese, General Motors American origin companies. According to Hofestede we can take Toyota in the more collectivist side of the organisational culture whereas General Motors is more on individualistic side. In Toyota being in a team is more important. However, in General Motors it is more important that individual contribute to the organisation. 4. Masculinity/femininity In a masculine culture the dominant values are said to be ambition, assertiveness, performance and the acquisition of money and material objects whereas in a feminine culture values such as the quality of life, maintaining personal relationships and care for the weak and the environment are emphasized. For example, the most masculine countries in Hofstedes framework are Japan and Austria. In contrast, the Scandinavian countries fall into the feminine category with more emphasis on work-life balance. 5. Time orientation Bond (1988) and his colleagues called this Confucian dynamism. Hofstede relabelled it long term versus short term orientation. In countries exhibiting a long term orientation, there is a focus on the future and saving and persistence are valued. Companies in Japan are examples of a long term oriented society, have traditionally taken a longer term view of investment. In contrast to companies in Western economies, it is not necessary to show profits year by year but rather progress toward a longer term goal. Other comparable studies of national values that compete with Hofstedes work-related values framework include: Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (1961), Hall and Hall (1990), Schwartz (1992), Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner (1998) and Javidan et al (2006). According to Geert Hofstede Analysis. [2008, online] For those who work in international business, it is sometimes amazing how different people in other cultures behave. We tend to have human instincts that deep inside all people are the same but actually they are not. In other words, if we go into another country and make decisions based on how we operate in our own home country, the chances are we will make some very bad decisions. Understanding Hofstede module helps international business men and women analyse the cultures in countries in which they will do business. According to Ferraro, G (1998, p. 63) Hofstede research gives us insights into other cultures so that we can be more effective when interacting with people in other countries . If understood and applied properly, this information should reduce our level of frustration, anxiety and concern. But most important, Hofstede will give us the edge of understanding which translates to more successful results. The Hofstede Model of Cultural Dimensions can be of great use when it comes to analysing a countrys culture. There are however a few things one has to keep in mind. McSweeny (2002), for instance, argues that Hofstede study suffers from a number of important weaknesses, such as the assumption of cultural homogeneity within a country and the difficulty of generalising for a national culture on the basis of sometimes quite small samples of one occupational group in one company. Personally, I believe the averages of a country do not relate to individuals of that country. Even though this model has proven to be quite often correct when applied to the general population, one must be aware that not all individuals or even regions with subcultures fit into the design. It is to be used as a guide to understanding the difference in culture between countries, not as law set in stone. As always, there are exceptions to the rule. Secondly, how accurate is the data? The data has been collected through questionnaires, which have their own limitations. Not only that, but in some cultures the context of the question asked is as important as its content. Especially in group-oriented cultures, individuals might tend to answer questions as if they were addressed to the group he/she belongs to. While on the other hand in the United States, which is an individualistic culture, the answers will most likely be answered and perceived through the eyes of that individual. And lastly, is the data up to date? How much does the culture of a country change over time, either by internal or external influences? THE IMPACT OF CULTURE THROUGHOUT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSES When Disney decided to open a Disneyland in Europe, it seems the company failed to do its cultural homework on everything from French business negotiating styles to employee flexibility and dress habits to consumer spending patterns and eating preferences. The company had a system that worked in the United States and Japan, two very diverse cultures and evidently saw no good reason to change it to adopt to European sensibility. According to Roman Dicia a French editor day one began with a nightmare. The French people, who tend to wear their cultural hearts on their sleeves howled about Yankee cultural imperialism when Disney managed to buy 1,950 hectares of prime farmland. The farmers whose families had worked the land for centuries were bounced. French newspaper railed at the American invaders in a very public display of anger and insult. Before they started anything, the company had managed to alienate the community, partly because it had underestimated the attachment to the land of one segment of French society. Next, Disney offended French sensibility when it used lawyers rather than its executives to negotiate constriction and other contracts for EuroDiseny. It was simply not a French thing to do. In France, lawyers are considered a negotiating tool of absolute last resort. The use of lawyers early on in the progress was a sign of mistrust and backhand rejection of French ways. On the other hand and in terms of operations, Disney ignorance of European culture and French working norms caused more problems. The company, which prides itself on the squeaky clean all American look of its employees, instituted a strict dress code for its employees, barring facial hair, dictating a maximum length for fingernails and limiting the size of hooped earrings. The staff and its unions rebelled at this perceived attack on everyday French fashion. In addition, Disney got several other important details wrong. For example, lunch times inside EuroDisney bordered in disaster. While Americans visiting Disneyland prefer to eat at irregular intervals, as they wonder the park confines, Europeans are used to sit down at lunchtimes. As a result the parks restaurants became very busy at the lunch hour as everyone tried to eat once and were empty the rest of the day. Customers complained of long lunch time lines and the pressure to eat quickly. The staff complained of being overworked at lunch time and underworked during the rest of their shifts. To top it off, Disney, in keeping with the family friendly theme, barred the serving of alcohol, perhaps the ultimate insult in a country where the consumption of wine at mealtimes is a birthright. It was so unlike Disney to get so many details so wrong says one US based securities analyst who follows the company. Maybe its not such a small world after all. The company cultural insensitivities cost it a lot of money and goodwill. I think it is a reminder to any company or individual doing business in another country, the devil is often in the cultural details. They can make or break you. But for Disney at least, alls well that ends well. After making some significant cultural adjustment, EuroDisney is no longer the economic drain it once was on company coffers. Another great example is McDonald. McDonalds worldwide is well known for the high degree of respect to the local culture. However, years ago when McDonald restaurants entered into India, McDonald faced some problems in relation to the transformation of the menus according to the Indians culture. For example, for thousands of year, Indias Hindu culture revered the cow. Hindu scriptures state that the cow is gift of the God to the human race. The cow represents the divine mother that sustains all human beings. McDonalds is the worlds largest user of beef. So how can a company whose fortunes are built on beef enter a country where the consumption of beef is a grave sin? Use pork instead? However there is a large population in India who are Muslim and Muslims do not eat pork. McDonalds responded to this cultural food dilemma by creating an Indian version of its Big Mac The Maharaja Mac which is made from mutton. Other additions to the menu conform to local sensibilities such as the McAloo Tikki Burger which is made from chicken. In fact, India is the first country in the world where McDonalds does not offer any beef or pork items. All foods are strictly separated into vegetarian and nonvegetarian lines to conform with preferences in a country where many Hindus are vegetarian. So much so that the mayonnaise and the soft serve are also 100% vegetarian and only vegetable oil is used as a cooking medium. It may seem silly for McDonalds to be taking away the burger for which is became famous for but in such a multinational company, they had to do what was best for business. Other comparable examples include: the non Kosher KFCs in Israel, what is acceptable and not acceptable in the Jewish religious book and also Pizza Hut in Saudi Arabia, Halal and non Halal meat. Also a great case can be IKEA. IKEA had a very successful culture that facilitated its expansion into various countries. However, this view did not turn out to be successful in the USA where in they ran into a few problems like different tastes in furniture and cultural change. In addition, more competition and changes in Swedish laws on furniture made expansion into the USA very difficult. Longer shipping periods added to the expansion misery and IKEA had to adopt a more adapted culture to enhance sales in the USA. The cultural problems that IKEA faced in USA were, for examples; the use of the Swedish flag outside IKEA was very irritating to some Americans. Different tastes and the Swedish style of the furniture, this refers for example to preferences of some designs, different size in beds that meant the US consumers were not used in European ones and some found the IKEA beds just too small and the meaning of colors, etc. Also they were not much happy with the cash and carry service and they wanted better and faster delivery at home and do not enjoy queuing. Not every American is used to do shopping outside cities or can do, like Chinese and also, in America more media advertisements were needed. The word of mouth was not much successful as in Europe. They also had the problem with the different management style. For example, Swedish managers are expected to be ambassadors and explain the IKEA way to non-Swedish co-workers in overseas operations. This has proved relatively easy in the Netherlands but not so in Germany, France and the United States. Grol et al.s (1998) research on problems encountered by IKEAs management of people in Germany, France and the United States, although producing some national stereotypes, indicates that in Germany there were problems of addressing managers using first name and understanding managers authority; doing exactly as the manager asks and not using ones own initiative. In France there were problems of informality being seen as a sign of weakness or indecisiveness, meaning that employees could do what they want. In the United States people felt uncomfortable with the Swedish lack of showing emotion; avoiding conflict and not setting themselves apart by avoiding self promotion. There were also pr oblems with instructions by managers not being spelt out and the longer term Swedish management approach of explaining why things are done: this is seen as indecision. There was a perception that individual achievement is not rewarded in view of a Swedish avoidance of discrimination in pay increase. As a consequence they lost key American managers because of slow progression and not being sure of their role or future in the organisation. IKEA had to accept a different culture and at the same time keep its own. Otherwise it will either not succeed on the US market or it will not be IKEA anymore. IKEA has met cultural problems, especially in the US, due to a lack of information about these cultural differences. Indeed IKEA did not conduct any market research before entering new market and did not use local expertise. However, the expansion abroad of IKEA has eventually been possible even if they met some difficulties along the way. This can be attributing to the fact that IKEA concept is very effective but also because the company have made special efforts to adapt its products and services to various cultural environments. We dont spend much money or time on studies. We use our eyes and go out and look, and say it will probably do quite well here. Then we may adapt, but quite often we stick to our opinions, says Mr. Anders Moberg, IKEAs chief executive. Therefore IKEA changed the rules of the retailing industry. This was considered quite dangerous because IKEAs expanded its stores internationally without having data and information about the new country but it has been successful, in Europe, where the concept of IKEA is effective, without necessary adaptation. But, in the United-States, IKEA had to struggle in the early years and made several changes to its retailing formula to adapt to US requirements. On the other hand, a different scenario can be Wal-Mart. When Wal-Mart first expands in Mexico they ran into many cultural problems. For example, they found that the Mexicans prefer to buy fresh produce at the local stores. They also found out that many Mexicans do not have cars which cannot buy in large volumes as in the United States. However, Wal-Mart did not give up and developed strategies to meet the local conditions. For example, they hired local managers who understood Mexican culture, building smaller stores that people could walk to and offering more fresh produce and low prices. Their strategy did pay off, Mexicans started to change their shopping habits and Wal-Mart became one of the largest retailers in Mexico. Wal-Mart also discovered that they can expand into China as they found out that the Chinese were bargain hunters and open to the low price strategy and the wide selection of products offered by Wal-Mart. However, to succeed in China, Wal-Mart also found it had to adapt its merchandising and operations strategy so it can engage with the Chinese culture. For example, Wal-Mart has learned that Chinese consumers insist that food must be freshly harvested or even killed in front of them. Some Chinese consumers were offended when Wal-Mart was trying to sell them dead fish. So Wal-Mart began to display the meat uncovered, installed fish tanks into which shoppers could plunge fishing nets to pull out their evening meal and began selling live turtles for turtle soup. The Wal-Mart scenario proves that culture can have a big effect on the business strategy. For example, in the case of McDonalds; meat prepared after halal is printed on the label before exporting meat to Saudi Arabia or as we seen above, McDonalds created the The Maharaja Mac which is made from mutton for the Hindus. Also, Coca Cola had labeled on bottles supplied to the gulf to contain non-alcohol or in the case of Nokia when introduced Hindi SMS for Indians users of mobile phones etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ CONCLUSION Culture is important for many aspects of business life especially when a business must interface with people, either as customers, employees, suppliers or stakeholders (Aswathappa, K 2008, p. 78). Deal and Kennedy (1982) argue that culture is the single most important factor accounting for success or failure in business. Goffee and Jones (1998) argue that no business strategy or programme can or will succeed without the appropriate culture in place. Mullins (1999) suggest that culture helps to explain why different groups of people perceive things in their own way and perform things differently from other groups. He also suggests that there is nothing accidental about cultural strengths, there is a relationship between culture and the business performance. When it comes to analysing a countys culture, Hofstade module of cultural dimensions can be a very useful tool as there is no current discussion on culture in a business context is complete without reference to Hofstede. On the other hand, Disney, McDonalds, IKEA and Wal-Mart are evidence to support the argument that in which the impact of culture in international business is very important. Personally, I never claim that culture is the only thing we should pay attention to. In many practical cases it is the economic or political factors provide better explanations but sometimes they dont and then we have to go back and look for answers throughout history and culture. I also believe that too often people emphasize the differences rather than the similarities in cultures and view these differences as threatening and negative rather than as opportunities for creative solutions. It is an easy trap to fall into. What we need to remember is that anyone can cope successfully with cross cultural relationships with the proper mindset. All we need to have is to change our mental computer disk and reprogram ourselves.

eBay and Cable TV :: essays research papers

Cable Tv has long been considering ways in which they could create an interactive experience for viewers. Most plans fell to the wayside and were not taken seriously due to lack of interest, as well as, a surge in more profitable sectors including digital cable, high-speed Internet, and telephony. Any interest that was given to Interactive Television (ITV) centered around shopping. Analysts such as Gary Arlen, president of Arlen Communicaitons, note that the rise of e-commerce has made consumers more comfortable with buying things from a screen. Despite the reluctance of consumers to adapt, and due to the change in consumer spending habits, cable TV operaters have a renewed interest in ITV and are trying to work out a way that viewers can use a remote control to make purchases as instantly as they change channels. Time Warner Cable has teamed with eBay to smooth the transition and for a test group of 50,000 participants in the Austin, Texas area, ITV became a reality last Thursday. Those researched were already renting boxes from the cable service and subscribed to its digital video recorder service before being introduced to the new concept. This "trial" effort is being offered at no charge and marks the first deal for the Plano, TX-based Biap System's eBay on TV service. Users of the service can access their eBay accounts, submit new bids on watched items, and track existing bids with a remote control, but no search of eBay is currently offered unfortunately. Though using eBay to revitalize the ITV concept is a smart move, eBay is not the first ITV channel. Always on the cutting edge of consumer technology, Sharper Image launched its ITV offer in February on satellite TV programming provider Dish Network.

Computers with Relation to Student Learning :: essays papers

Computers with Relation to Student Learning The question of whether computers can improve student learning or not, depends on the instructor and how the technology is used. There are many conditions under which technology innovations can take place in classrooms, which causes problems for schools that do not have the money to buy new computers and are not presented with this new technology. Some of the contextual factors could include using email as a way of communication between the teacher and the student, as well as the parents. This new technique of communication has proved to be very useful for students that may be having trouble in the classroom and need some extra help outside of the classroom. â€Å"Email is also used outside the classroom in the work field and if the students get accustomed to using this new technology they will be at an advantage in the future,† (Chang, C., 2001). Teachers are also able to create web-sites pertaining to their subject that the students have access to, to get information t hat they may be having difficulty with in the class. This type of online communication is also helpful with regards to the parents of the students because the parents are able to look up the subject that their child is currently in and can know exactly what their son or daughter is learning at the time. Availability of the Necessary Resources â€Å"The access and use of computers are hindered by the interactions between technology and school realities,† (Chang, C., 2001). Not all schools and homes have this email available to them and if they do there are many things required to even be able to access this form of communication. First your computer will need access to a fundamental network and you must own a network computer. Buying the email software is the next step and setting the program up can be a problem if you are not familiar with the software. Email is only functional when everything is operating at once. Even the slightest problem with your computer, possibly not related to the email software at all, could be a potential threat to disabling your entire program. A problem many people also have would be the knowledge of teaching students how to use the computer software and incorporate it within each individual class.

Some Notes Concerning Affections and the Sublime in the Work of Jonatha

Some Notes Concerning Affections and the Sublime in the Work of Jonathan Edward Jonathan Edwards’s attention to the separation of the body from the soul combined with his efforts to account for the spirit of revivalism during the â€Å"Great Awakening† implicates the sublime as both a rhetorical tool and psychological experience that, in either case, foregrounds the relationship between an individual’s perception of the self and his or her relationship to a community. Comparing Edwards’s personal writing to his public writing , an exploration of the phenomenon of conversion is clearly developed. Sublime experiences represent potential moments for conversion to Christianity because such events are moments that define the self in absence from the community. Edwards himself insisted that conversion testimony be required for admittance to the Puritan community. Rarely argued in Edwards scholarship, his focus upon philosophy and theology may be an attempt to both scientifically explain the moment of possible conversion and theological ly typify the conversion experience. Whereas he wasn’t seeking to standardize conversion, he was attempting to normalize it, to make it practical. In this way, Edwards is a pioneer in American pragmatics. The moment of conversion, whether or not it is genuine, is a monumental moment because it builds community by uniting an individual’s self-concerned state of being with the Puritan community’s dependence upon the conversion narrative. Each conversion strengthens the community; however, the community has no control over the conversion experience. Hence, the desire to justify, to authenticate, each conversion. For, unless shared through narrative, sublime moments are strictly private affairs. Wh... ...S. Stout, and Kenneth P. Minkema. New Haven and London: Yale UP, 1995. ---. â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.† A Jonathan Edwards Reader. Ed. John E. Smith, Harry S. Stout, and Kenneth P. Minkema. New Haven and London: Yale UP, 1995. ---. â€Å"The Spider Letter.† A Jonathan Edwards Reader. Ed. John E. Smith, Harry S. Stout, and Kenneth P. Minkema. New Haven and London: Yale UP, 1995. ---. â€Å"A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections.† A Jonathan Edwards Reader. Ed. John E. Smith, Harry S. Stout, and Kenneth P. Minkema. New Haven and London: Yale UP, 1995. Longinus. On the Sublime. Trans. by W. Hamilton Fye. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1965. Monk, Samuel H. The Sublime. Ann Arbor: U Michigan P, 1960. Wainwright, William J. Reason and the Heart: A Prolegomenon to a Critique of Passional Reason. Ithaca and London: Cornell UP, 1995.

Black & Economic Structure

1) Malcolm X spent much of his life fighting for equal rights for African Americans. Like others, Malcolm suffered from discrimination, economic suppression, and violent acts at the hands of the whites. Throughout his life, he could not escape the atmosphere of racial prejudices, as it existed everywhere from his welfare agencies to school and his family relationships. Although some form of equality exists today, many African Americans males are still continuously trying to establish themselves in society. As a young boy Malcolm participated in activities where he experienced little freedom. Malcolm was ranked number one in his class and elected class president, which shows that the school system allowed him to succeed to an extent. Malcolm had a dream of becoming a lawyer, but his English teacher quickly rejected his dream and told him he should become a carpenter, which demonstrated that whites were willing to allow black success only to a certain degree. Malcolm eventually came to an understanding that white society allowed progression when doing so did not threaten the established order of white society. Throughout his life Malcolm was seen as a â€Å"pet, mascot, and pink poodle,† which excluded him from society. He was a black student in a predominantly white school who was like a poodle in a family. He was seen as a submissive creature that represented no real threat to anyone. He was portrayed as white society’s model for how blacks should act, but white society didn’t see him as a human being in his own right. Malcolm realized that no level of accomplishment or esteem would break down the essential barrier to his acceptance and success in society. White oppression stripped him of the power and independence a normal man would experience. Although Malcolm experienced great amounts of discrimination, he was still able to succeed and become Minister Malcolm X and lead many civil rights events. In society today, the prototypical black male experience in America is extremely comparable to the life of Malcolm X. Most black men are looked down on because of the various stereotypes that exist in our society today. Many believe that if black men aren’t athletes or rappers, or if they aren’t washing dishes or waiting tables, they have no purpose in society other than being seen as inferior. Each and every day a black man experiences discrimination, but the black men who have goals and aspirations will be the ones who will make a difference like Malcolm X did. Malcolm lived through a rough time, but he still managed to make it as can every other black man in the world. ) Like Malcolm X, Washington too envied the lives of white dues to the simple fact that there was absolutely no limit placed on his or her dreams and aspirations. During his years of adolescence, Washington was very aware of what it meant to be a black man in a white society. With this knowledge, Washington was very optimistic and assured himself that whatever dreams or goals he would accomplish would be the result of hard work and persistence. Washington wrote, â€Å"I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed. Out of the hard and unusual struggle through which he is compelled to pass, he gets a strength, a confidence, that one misses whose pathway is comparatively smooth by reason of birth and race. † (Washington, 1901, p 39). Washington believed that if blacks strove to be impressive and distinctive they would be accepted in society. He believed that being black or any race other than the majority was an advantage because there was a better chance of achievement due to the fact that one would constantly try to overcome any obstacles. He believed that through proof, blacks would be connected with the white society. Alongside assisting African Americans in attaining economic success, Washington also had accomplishments in the field of education, in becoming the first black educator at the Tuskegee Institute. Washington was very concerned about forming connections within both the black and white communities, and achieved his goal. I believe his argument is still valid for those who actually want to make something of themselves in life and are willing to go above and beyond in doing so. Unfortunately black males are not always hardworking and persistent in trying to accomplish a goal. They tend to take the easy way out, and in doing so end up with the mediocre jobs unless they are playing professional sports or apart of an entertainment industry. Like Washington said success comes with overcoming obstacles, and I do not think blacks are willing to overcome the many obstacles they would have to face in order to become established. With the many stereotypes of black men, I do not think success would be as easy for the black man because they are already looked down upon from the beginning. ) In recent years, terms such as crisis, at-risk, insignificant, and endangered have been used with increasing regularity to describe the troubles and conditions of black males. The grounds for using such harsh descriptions of conditions that black males face is provided by a broad range of social and economic indicators, all of which point to the undeniable fact that large numbers o f individuals who fall within these two social categories, black and male, are in deep trouble. Many perceive black men as being violent and aggressive law breakers regardless of their true nature. It doesn't stop there. Some stereotypes of Blacks include being arrogant, athletic, devious, dirty, dishonest, drug addicts, incompetent, inferior, lazy, unintelligent, noisy, passive, poor, primitive, untrustworthy, and violent, and â€Å"having rhythm. † Some black men have some of the same goals and aspirations as the white man, but they too have a deep fear of rejection due to the discrimination they continue to experience in their daily lives. When the black man continuously gets rejected he is eventually going to subject himself to activities just to make ends meet, or he is going to start to believe the stereotypes set out for him. When you have a large group of black men in a society that rejects them, they are going to feel like they have no chance at success, and therefore they will feel like they have nothing to lose. With nothing to look forward to, they are going to unconsciously want to destroy their surroundings. Throughout Malcolm’s he was seen as inferior, and eventually began to feel more like a â€Å"mascot† or pet than a human being equal to those around him. Malcolm had dreams of becoming a lawyer, but his teacher instead told him he should be a carpenter. One of his Malcolm’s teachers laughs at him and tells the class that â€Å"though the slaves have been freed, black people are still lazy and dumb. † When an adult says something like that to a child, the child is more than likely going to believe the teacher and begin to think of him or herself as being lazy and dumb. If a child begins to believe this negative stereotype, their performance in school could be effected, and cause them to drop out. If they drop out they may begin to deal drugs or commit robberies and end up in jail. Dealing drugs or being incarcerated is the perception whites have for blacks today. Media also has a negative effect on portrayal when it comes to representing an entire race of people. No two people are exactly alike no matter what race they come from so there is no way one film can represent all peoples. Unfortunately, many people believe that a certain depiction of black people characterizes all black people, which is certainly not the case. This is very dangerous because this perpetuates stereotyping and discrimination. Any form of media, whether it be a film, TV show, etc. , black males tend to play the role of the poor black man who lives in poverty and usually belongs to a gang. He usually has no goals, and has a mediocre job if he has one at all. They usually dress in baggy jeans with long shirts or â€Å"hoodies† and wear timberlands or sneakers. In media, blacks aren’t usually portrayed positively, and even if they were, many wouldn’t believe that is how blacks really live their lives. For example, In The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the Banks family is very well off, but many wouldn’t believe that all blacks are well off because 95% of the time blacks are being potrayed as being a threat to society. 4) LaLee's Kin: The Legacy of Cotton shows the disadvantaged life of residents living in the Mississippi Delta. The documentary shows how living in poverty and the lack of education still effects the lives of many living in Mississippi even though slavery has been over now for hundreds of years. The main character, Laura Lee (LaLee) Wallace, was an illiterate 62-year-old woman who had been living all her life in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi. She had one surviving son, nine daughters, 38 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. On a daily basis she encountered many difficulties from raising her grandchildren to receiving news about her son continuously being put in jail. LaLee received $494 from her disability benefits and sold home cooked meals to workers at the cotton factory to make more money to keep the children clothed and fed. In the movie LaLee said, â€Å"I cry sometime, I pray sometime, I sing sometime. † LaLee and her grandchildren struggled each day in trying to take care of each other. The images of barefoot children playing on abandoned cars outside dilapidated motor homes, and of families who get water for drinking and washing by filling plastic jugs from a hose were unbelievable because it took you back to the times of slavery when slaves really had to wash themselves with dirty water or walk around barefoot. One of LaLee’s grandchildren, nicknamed Granny was a very attentive and intelligent in school, but her grades began to fall due to the fact that she had household chores and had to care for her younger cousins or siblings which left little time for education. Paralleling LaLee's struggle was Reggie Barnes, the superintendent of the West Tallahatchie schools, who continuously struggled in trying to raise school standards, bring in qualified teachers and obtain school supplies. If Barnes failed to raise the school from its current Level 1 status to a Level 2, the state of Mississippi has threatened to take over. Barnes and his faculty opposed this because they knew the state would not address the special needs of the children. With the illiteracy of the parents of the families of the children the children most likely will never be able to get a great education which will leave them illiterate when they get older. In LaLee’s family the cycle of living in poverty and lacking education is evident, which makes it seem like slavery still exists to this day.

Living in the forest Essay

Although the majority of people in the Amazon live in the cities and towns, there are still many indigenous groups living in the forest, some who have no contact with the ‘outside’ world and live in a harmonic environment. Rainforests are the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, as well as being the home to an estimated 50 million indigenous forest people. These people depend on the rainforest for their way of life. It provides them nearly everything from shelter and food to tools and medicine. The people living in the forest make practical and sustainable use of the forest. It also plays an important role in their spiritual and cultural life. Other than hunting, gathering wild fruits and nuts and fishing, each family usually has two gardens. One is a small house garden which consists of a variety of plants and the second is a large plantation planted with bananas, manioc or rice. They use a sustainable farming method called shifting cultivation. First they clear a small area of land and burn it (slash and burn). Then they plant different types of plants, to be used for food and medicines. After a few years, the soil has become too poor to allow for more crops to grow and weeds start to take over. They then move to a nearby un-cleared area. This land is traditionally allowed to re-grow for 10-50 years before it is farmed again. Shifting cultivation is still practiced by those indigenous groups who have access to a large amount of land. However, with the growing number of non-indigenous farmers and the shrinking rainforest, other groups, especially in Indonesia and Africa, are now forced to remain in one area. The land becomes a wasteland after a few years of overuse, and cannot be used for future agriculture. Indigenous people respect the forest that, until the present, has protected them from outsiders and given them everything they need. They live in a sustainable existence. This means that they use the land without harming the plants and animals that also call the rainforest their home. Indigenous people get all their resources primarily from the forest. Other than their food they get their clothing, tools, medicines and shelter form there. This is part of their culture and way of life, as their ancestors also lived in this way. Children do not go to school however they learn about the forest through their parents and other members of the community. They are taught how to survive in the forest. This usually includes how to hunt and fish. They are also taught which plants are useful as medicines or food. Some of these children know more about the rainforests than scientists who have been studying rainforests for many years. There are many different groups. But one example is the ‘Maku’ group. A daily life of someone in the ‘Maku’ village: The women wake up at sunrise and prepare the men’s breakfast. Each meal is communal and is eaten at the leader’s house. After the men have eaten breakfast they depart either alone or in pair’s depending on what prey they saw the day before. After they have left the women and children eat and soon after go to the swiddens to harvest and replant manioc. They return around midday and prepare manioc flour, bread and porridges. At about three in the afternoon the men return with what they have caught and hand it over to their wives. Each woman cooks at her own fireplace but the meal is communal and held in the leaders house. The men eat first and then the women and children. After this three or four meals follow until they sleep, this is at around 9p.m. Indigenous people have a very strong culture and still practice it. One of the rituals are when a young boy or girl go into adulthood the hair on their head is plucked out by other people. Even though they are given a medicine to make them unconscious it is still very painful. Anybody can take part in this ritual. Each group has the same basic believes but then differs when it comes to rituals and culture. In the ‘Karaja’ group the role of men and women are very important. The men are responsible for defending the territory, clearing swiddens, domestic and collective fishing trips and formalized discussions in the men’s plaza. Women are responsible for the education of the children until the age of initiation for the boys but permanently  responsible for the girls. They also do the domestic tasks such as cooking, collecting swiddens products and arranging the marriage of the children (usually done by the grandmothers) and also the painting and decoration of the children during rituals and the manufacture of ceramic dolls. When a baby is born the baby is washed with warm water and it face is painted with red dye. During the infancy the baby spends most of its time with its mother or grandmothers. However when a boy reaches the age of seven or eight his lower lip is pierced. When he reaches the age of ten to twelve years- the boy takes part in a large male ritual called Big House or Hetohoky. The boys are painted with blue/black genipap and remain confined for seven days in a ritual house called the Big House. The hair is cut off and the boy is called giant river otter or jyre. During the first menstrual period of a girl, the maternal grandmother looks after her and she is confined in isolation. Her public re-appearance is when she is elaborately decorated with painted body designs and feather adornments in order to dance with the Aruanas. This is highly rated by the men. The marriage is ideally arranged by the grandmother-preferably from the same village. Once married the couple life at the girls mothers house. When the family number becomes numerous the couple makes their own house. They also have many myths. For example the ‘Canela’ believe that the origin of fire and corn came about like this: a boy brought fire for his people by stealing it from the hearth of a female jaguar. Star woman fell in love with a Canela and so came down to live for awhile among his family members. During her stay she told them that corn would grow fin the forest and she taught them that it was good to eat. This is the origin of the gardens. She then returned to the sky with her mate and they transformed into twin starts which we know as Castor and Pollux. These are just one of the myths which have now become the background of these people. Nutrient cycling is an important part of the ecosystem. It is added into the ecosystems in many ways: Leaching- the nutrients are removed by the movement of the water. Harvesting- when the trees get harvested the nutrients they contained get removed. The amount of nutrients removes depends on how the harvesting is done. Atmosphere- nutrients contained in precipitation and dusts are deposited on the forest site. Weathering of parent material- the slow process of breaking down rock and mineral gets nutrients released in the soil. Due to human activity the life of these people are being altered. There are also a lot of environmental issues which affect the rainforest and the people living in it. This includes forest fires, diseases and landslides. The changes of environment are depending on the region and the climate. Due to all of this the lives are being changed and more recently in a major way. The cultures they had a long time ago are being lost. Before they lived depending on their surroundings and what they had and also they enjoyed it. But now they are slowly depending on tourists for some of their income and will most probably become completely dependant on tourists. Spear fishing- it is used when setting a net would be impractical, such as near trees. The spearhead is three pointed and barbed. A string is attached at the end of the spear so the fisherman can get the fish after a successful throw. Sugar cane pressers- sugar cane is grown primarily for the juice and then fermented to make a type of rum called ‘aguardiente’.

Nursing and Patient Essay

For each of the above theories, please prepare the following; 1. Brief biography of the theorist (person who created the theory) 2. A brief discussion of the important assumptions and concepts of the theories. Florence Nightingale is the most recognized name in the field of nursing. Her work was instrumental for developing modern nursing practice, and from her first shift, she worked to ensure patients in her care had what they needed to get healthy. Her Environmental Theory changed the face of nursing to create sanitary conditions for patients to get care. Biography of Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale was born in 1820 in Italy to a wealthy British family. She was raised in the Anglican faith, and believed the God called her to be a nurse. This call came to her in February 1837 while at Embley Park. She announced her intention to become a nurse in 1844. Her mother and sister were angry at her decision, but Nightingale stood strong. She worked hard to learn about nursing, despite society’s expectation that she become a wife and mother. In fact, she rejected a suitor because she thought it would interfere with her nursing career. In 1853, she accepted the position of superintendent at the Institute for the Care of Sick Gentlewomen in Upper Harley Street, London. She held this position until October 1854. The income given to her by her father during this time allowed her to pursue her career and still live comfortably. Though Nightingale had several important friendships with women, including a correspondence with an Irish nun named Sister Mary Clare Moore, she had little respect for women in general, and preferred friendships with powerful men. She died in 1910. Career of Florence Nightingale Nightingale is best known for her pioneering work in the field of nursing. She tended to wounded soldiers during the Crimean War. She became known as the â€Å"Lady with the Lamp† because of her night rounds. While nursing soldiers during the war, Nightingale worked to improve nutrition and conditions in the wards. Many injured soldiers were dying from illnesses separate from their injuries, such as typhoid, cholera, and dysentery. Nightingale made changes on the wards or started the process by calling the Sanitary Commission. Her work led to a reduction in the death rates of injured soldiers from 42% to 2%. Nightingale believed the deaths were the result of poor nutrition, inadequate supplies, and the soldiers being dramatically overworked. After collecting evidence that pointed to unsanitary conditions as a major cause of death, Nightingale worked to improve sanitation in army and civilian hospitals during peacetime. After the Crimean War, she established a nursing school at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London in 1860. The first nurses trained at this school began working in 1865 at the Liverpool Workhouse Infirmary. It was the first secular nursing school in the world, and is now part of King’s College London. Her work laid the foundation for modern nursing, and the pledge all new nurses take was named after her. Nightingale wrote Notes on Nursing (1859), which was the foundation of the curriculum for her nursing school and other nursing schools. This short text was considered the foundation of nursing education, and even sold well to the public. She also wrote Notes on Hospitals, Notes on Matters Affecting the Health, and Efficiency and Hospital Administration of the British Army. Nightingale spent the rest of her career working toward the establishment and development of nursing as a profession, paving the way for nursing in its current form. In 1883, Nightingale was given the Royal Red Cross by Queen Victoria. In 1907, she was the first woman to receive the Order of Merit. In 1908, she was given the Honorary Freedom of the City of London. International Nurses Day is celebrated on her birthday. Florence Nightingale’s Contribution to Nursing Theory: Environmental Theory Florence Nightingale is attributed with establishing the modern practice of nursing. She also contributed to the field with nursing theories still used today. One of her nursing theories is the Environmental Theory, which incorporates the patients’ surrounding environment in his or her nursing care plan. In this theory, the role of the nurse is to use the patient’s environment to help him or her recover and get back to the usual environment. The reason the patient’s environment is important is because it can affect his or her health in a positive or negative way. Some environmental factors affecting health according to Nightingale’s theory are fresh air, pure water, sufficient food and appropriate nutrition, efficient drainage, cleanliness, and light or direct sunlight. If any of these factors is lacking, it can delay the patient’s recovery. Nightingale also emphasized providing a quiet, warm environment for patients to recover in. The theory also calls for nurses to assess a patient’s dietary needs, document food intake times, and evaluate how the patient’s diet affects his or her health and recovery. Determining a patient’s environment for recovery based on his or her condition or disease is still practiced today, such as in patients suffering from tetanus, who need minimal noise to keep them calm and prevent seizures. http://nursing-theory.org/nursing-theorists/Florence-Nightingale.php s the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale’s Environment Theory changed the face of nursing practice. She served as a nurse during the Crimean War, at which time she observed a correlation between the patients who died and their environmental conditions. As a result of her observations, the Environment Theory of nursing was born. Nightingale explained this theory in her book, Notes on Nursing: What it is, What it is Not. The model of nursing that developed from Nightingale, who is considered the first nursing theorist, contains elements that have not changed since the establishment of the modern nursing profession. Though this theory was pioneering at the time it was created, the principles it applies are timeless. There are seven assumptions made in the Environment Theory, which focuses on taking care of the patient’s environment in order to reach health goals and cure illness. These assumptions are: 1. natural laws 2. mankind can achieve perfection 3. nursing is a calling 4. nursing is an art and a science 5. nursing is achieved through environmental alteration 6. nursing requires a specific educational base 7. nursing is distinct and separate from medicine| The focus of nursing in this model is to alter the patient’s environment in order to affect change in his or her health. The environmental factors that affect health, as identified in the theory, are: fresh air, pure water, sufficient food supplies, efficient drainage, cleanliness of the patient and environment, and light (particularly direct sunlight). If any of these areas is lacking, the patient may experience diminished health. A nurse’s role in a patient’s recovery is to alter the environment in order to gradually create the optimal conditions for the patient’s body to heal itself. In some cases, this would mean minimal noise and in other cases could mean a specific diet. All of these areas can be manipulated to help the patient meet his or her health goals and get healthy. The Environment Theory of nursing is a patient-care theory. That is, it focuses on the care of the patient rather than the nursing process, the relationship between patient and nurse, or the individual nurse. In this way, the model must be adapted to fit the needs of individual patients. The environmental factors affect different patients unique to their situations and illnesses, and the nurse must address these factors on a case-by-case basis in order to make sure the factors are altered in a way that best cares for an individual patient and his or her needs. The ten major concepts of the Environment Theory, also identified as Nightingale’s Canons, are: 1. Ventilation and warming 2. Light and noise 3. Cleanliness of the area 4. Health of houses 5. Bed and bedding 6. Personal cleanliness 7. Variety 8. Offering hope and advice 9. Food 10. Observation According to Nightingale, nursing is separate from medicine. The goal of nursing is to put the patient in the best possible condition in order for nature to act. Nursing is â€Å"the activities that promote health which occur in any caregiving situation.† Health is â€Å"not only to be well, but to be able to use well every power we have.† Nightingale’s theory addresses disease on a literal level, explaining it as the absence of comfort. The environment paradigm in Nightingale’s model is understandably the most important aspect. Her observations taught her that unsanitary environments contribute greatly to ill health, and that the environment can be altered in order to improve conditions for a patient and allow healing to occur. Nightingale’s Modern Nursing Theory also impacted nursing education. She was the first to suggest that nurses be specifically educated and trained for their positions in healthcare. This allowed there to be standards of care in the field of nursing, which helped improve overall care of patients

Poetic Reflections on Mortality and Ephemerality Essay

Have you ever hypothetically pondered the details of your own fatality? Everyone covets a bit of certainty that not many realities allow, but mortality -while a glum concept- is a definite fate we will all ultimately encounter in our respective lifetimes. â€Å"Nothing is more predictable than death. Each of us will die without any need to take adventuresome risks. † (Kelly, 1986). This is likely the reason prolific poets Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost have created quite similar themed poems using dissimilar imaginative slants in which they optimistically convey the topic of human transience. Death is a disheartening, tragic matter that not very many individuals readily wish to discuss. Because ephemerality is, however, an extremely ordinary notion to countless expressive artists, it is vital to notice the literary elements these renowned authors applied which set such works apart from less potent pieces. The symbolism, tone, assonance, rhythm, and other literary techniques behind the elegies â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969) and â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893) fervently beg for further exploration. No matter which approach authors apply to such deviations, one truth remains; the amount of life contained in the works by Frost and Dickinson is somewhat ironic to say the least. If you envision the scenery described in literary pieces you read as if you are a participating, fictional character, you exceptionally possess â€Å"The human power that shapes artistic expression†¦ † (Clugston, 2010 a). Put in simpler terms, you clearly have a vivid imagination! Prodigious writers can and will effortlessly incorporate such imagery into their work by imploring the implicit values of society and culture(s). Nothing Gold Can Stay† by Robert Frost (1969) is unquestionably far from the exception as he connects the way leaves grow, change, and die to our eventual demise with ease. Frost wrote, â€Å"Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. † (Frost, 1969). With the introduction of this allusive writing technique, he develops a clear yet slightly ambiguous mental picture for his readers to envisage. Of course, we know nature is not a person nor does have hands in which it could literally grasp a color. Hence, the meaning of Robert’s words is symbolic and figurative. Sure, Mr. Frost could very well have written something resembling â€Å"Beings age like leaves change colors. † Instead, this brilliant poet was aware of the fact that generating embodiment versus the aforementioned simile delivers the most enticing reading experience to the audience. In â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893), the author similarly dishes out a full serving of powerful metaphors making this another comparable aspect to personification found in Frosts’ poem. At the very beginning, Emily Dickinson refers to unescapable, human cessation as a chivalrous gentleman when she states, â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me;† (Dickinson, 1893). The author is actually being extremely facetious as a deliberate, artistic maneuver in order to give life to the darkest of subjects. She selects to represent passing away in a more graceful process. It is a steady flowing motif continuing throughout the body of this work to form a concise, elucidating theme. From centuries beyond the grave, the narrator describes the peaceful process of her passing, in which Death is personified and escorts her in his carriage. During the leisurely ride, she passes many ordinary sights: a school house, fields–but finally realizes that the ride will last for all eternity. † (Chen & Aull, 1993). Dickinson’s apparent intention in this poem is depiction via exemplification. Her language is a quintessential representation of an allegory with more thought provocation than verity. Again, readers should prepare themselves to observe a nonliteral or rhetorical scenario and focus on ascertaining the seriousness hidden behind a much more abstract meaning. Symbolism is another conceptualized, literary element featured in both stories despite being more prevalent in â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969). Frost used the typical colors of nature (green and gold) imply symbols of spring, that progress as the remaining cycles of nature seasonally occur. Furthermore, he hints at a deeper meaning behind death— a period of transformational change. In order to appreciate this impression, â€Å"Recall Socrates’s argument: ‘the state of death is one of two things: either the dead man wholly ceases to be and loses all consciousness or, as we are told, it is change and a migration of the soul to another place’. † (Deppman, 2000). He picked the color gold to symbolize the fragility and eventual insignificance of even our most valuable physical and emotional possessions. By his statement, â€Å"Then leaf subsides to leaf, So, Eden sank to grief. † (Frost, 1969), Frost selects to demonstrate the sorrow felt after loss of life as well as depicting an analogous allusion to the biblical Creation story. Whereas in â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (1893), Emily Dickinson poses a more unconventional attitude toward her own demise. In lines five through eight, she writes, â€Å"We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away, My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. † (Dickinson, 1893). When the speaker refers to ‘his’ â€Å"kindness† and â€Å"civility†, she is articulating death as a slow, patient, and compassionate. â€Å"She progresses from childhood, maturity (the â€Å"gazing grain† is ripe) and the setting (dying) sun to her grave. The children are presented as active in their leisure (â€Å"strove†). The images of children and grain suggest futurity, that is, they have a future; they also depict the progress of human life. † (Unknown Author, 2009). Thus, the carriage ride actually symbolizes the act of abandoning her life and the memories it contained. She humbly revers death as the calm, quiet finally of incarnation. Dickinson even insinuated the harsh reality of visiting of her own grave when she wrote, â€Å"We paused before a house that seemed, A swelling of the ground; The roof was scarcely visible, The cornice but a mound. (Dickinson, 1893). Aging to the point of loss of life does remain the central theme inside both poems, but representations are a tad more distinct in Frosts’ than in Dickinson’s symbolic approach. Have you ever witnessed one’s mood shift completely? Authors generally try to maintain the same theme throughout one work. It is equally as important to dis cern the how the author’s tones contribute to the clarity of each piece. Sometimes, whether done by the author accidentally or with intent, we observe a change in the mood(s) of a motif. While Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost mutually demonstrate the qualities of human temporariness, their tones are also diverse. By writing, â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969), the permanent state of leaving this world is denoted in a matter of fact way. Frost does not truly elude to his personal outlook on an afterlife, but focuses more on the cycle of life itself. Dickinson not only utilizes the same facet, but also takes it a step further when she states, â€Å"Since then ’tis centuries, and yet each, Feels shorter than the day I first surmised the horses’ heads, Were toward eternity. (Dickinson, 1893). She began her countenance with succinct tenor that later becomes a bit clouded. Dickinson’s audience receives a definite resolve rather than experiencing the need to imply ideals she holds about her faith. Each of these poems is incredibly whimsical, but Frost concisely manipulates the setting of nature giving his work the currency of application to any period in time. Sound patterns are another inspired technique both composers have exposed us to in the intricacy of their work. We automatically follow the rhythm these superb authors display. For instance, Frost uses alliteration in â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† when he writes, â€Å"So dawn goes down to day. † (Frost, 1969). The repetition of words that begin with a â€Å"d† is a strategy meant to make the thought stronger and more emphatic for readers. His rhyme scheme is comprised of modest, consonant couplets (non-alternating). Dickinson actually used the complete opposite effect. In her poem â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893), she integrated the repetition of vowel sounds by presenting an alternating pattern of words known as assonance. Again, an example is unmistakable in the lines, â€Å"We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put away, My labor, and my leisure too, For his civility. † (Dickinson, 1893) and more specifically the poetic harmony of the words â€Å"away† and â€Å"civility. † With the rhythm in this poem, there is rhyme, but it has a much greater reliance on pronunciation. She may have started a trend in literature as, â€Å"Assonance is frequently substituted for end rhymes in modern poetry. † (Clugston, 2010 b). The authoring style Frost exercised was extra simplistic, yet multidimensional as well. Is it not an astounding conception to think of the distinguished artistry that must have went into two ostensibly austere compositions about the matching theme of impermanence? The fact that we cannot artlessly disregard the scholarly adeptness and literate gifts of Dickinson and Frost is surpasses distinction. Even more significant than the expiry themes both versifiers applied is the presence of underlying secondary themes. Frost hints life as being â€Å"golden,† leading one to surmise he is ‘saying’ to â€Å"Carpe Diem† or â€Å"Enjoy the day. (Online Etymology Dictionary, 2010). Therein, he selects to show life has precious intrinsic worth. Even though there are purity and a biblical reference in Frost’s â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (1969), his nature theme additionally highlights environmental/scientific characteristics. Syntax expended by Dickinson in â€Å"Because I could not stop for death† (Dickinson, 1893), in fact, alludes to a compassion and sympathy being felt for the persona. A prime example is her statement, â€Å"The carriage held but just ourselves, And Immortality. † (Dickinson, 1893). If the dramatic concentration of this author was to deliver a graceful reflection on her evolution, she was unequivocally efficacious. Some find it helpful to get an outsider’s opinion of the depressing conversational topic of human immortality. While our passing lingers as a fully common subject for individuals to contemplate spiritual principles, authors have written pieces that include a plethora of other beneficial notions worth uncovering. â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893) is exquisitely illustrated by Emily Dickinson and venerated as an allegoric requiem with assonance that produced solid imagery. Likewise, Robert Frost impeccably regulated â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969) to communicate symbolism with a classic form of consonance that is painless to identify. Both literature icons fine-tuned those components with figures of speech, personification, and tone and themes, rhyme schemes, and other literary techniques all requiring immense, prior critical thought in â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† (Frost, 1969) and â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death† (Dickinson, 1893). They expel an aura of chirpiness that renders as a refreshing and unique outlook encompassed in positivity. These poetic mavens wanted their audience(s) to derive a deeper message about making the most of our lives. Two notorious, inspirational pieces of literature are calling upon us to take some risks and make an impression before we take our last breathe.

The influence of quantitative easing monetary policy on Japan and the Research Paper

The influence of quantitative easing monetary policy on Japan and the United States - Research Paper Example Expansionary monetary policies aimed at stimulating the economy usually involve central banks buying short-term government bonds so that the market interest rates can be lowered. Nonetheless, when short-term interest rates go towards zero, this approach may no longer be effective. In this kind of situation, the monetary authorities may employ the use of quantitative easing to stimulate the economy through purchase of assets that mature in the long-term rather than short-term government bonds, therefore decreasing the interest rates away from the yield curve. Quantitative easing may be important in assisting to make sure that inflation does not go below the target, but it has risks including over-efficacy than originally intended against deflation, thereby resulting in higher inflation in the longer term from increased supply or sufficiently effective in the event that additional reserves are not lent out by banks. Based on the opinion of various economists as well as the IMF, quantitative easing used since the beginning of the financial crisis that was experienced between 2007 and 2008, has been critical in mitigating various adverse impacts of the crisis (Gindin and Panitch 326). Various economists and analysts argue that the US Federal Reserve employed some type of quantitative easing from 1930 all the way to 1940s in the fight against the Great Depression. Nevertheless, as the Federal Reserve employed quantitative easing initiatives to address the effects of 2007-08 financial crisis, various critics have considered its actions extraordinary. Further, charts have been created to point out that, as a fraction of GDP, the balance sheet after the financial crisis had not gone past the percentages that were attained between 1939 and 48 as of May 2013. The phrase â€Å"quantitative easing† was for the first time employed by the Bank of Japan when it was dealing with domestic

BA Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

BA - Case Study Example It operated in large scale with very flexible approaches to business decisions concerning the entrepreneurial skills where there is hierarchy but the ideas flows from the bottom-up and top-down. This paper therefore seeks to assess the existing business model for the vice and give recommendations of the alternatives that will help the company to continue to grow. Vice had a unique content that was provided freely to all its audience that was disseminated all over through its print media and online channels. For the video content to be produced effectively and efficiently there is need to be a producer, the person who will report and even the cameraperson that will be commenting on the events and document. For the investment, vice company should have a new financial and operational base that that had not been part of the culture of the company. Investors therefore should ensure that the vice company has put a system in place that will support the strategy and to ensure that there is rapid growth of the company. Continued growth means that there is greater attention towards labor standards for example making the internship program formal and also to ensure that the employees are provided with performance review (Farzad 3). In terms of the strategies, the vice should introduce a new strategic planning vernacular that the vice will use to address the budget and the return on the investment. For the vice to be considered mainstream it must consider diversification and launching territories internationally where the global audience can grow steadily and consume a type of content that could only be offered by a few organizations. In terms of the revenue, the vice should consider monetizing the content of the video to be online then sell advertising for online content. The vice company should consider to create customized initiatives for the company brands where everything is considered from the brand strategy and

Bribery, Corruption and Social Responsibility Essay

Bribery, Corruption and Social Responsibility - Essay Example (Business for Social Responsibility) With this background this paper attempts to make a report suggesting the possible course of action for the executive of the company BIM taking into account the broader issues of the company's ethical policies, its social responsibility and the so called social evils of bribery and corruption, Job and wealth creation in society is the primary objective of businesses. According to Canada's business and consumer website the role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is to position the companies to both proactively manage risks and take advantage of opportunities especially with respect to their corporate reputation and broad engagement of stakeholders. The stakeholders group includes shareholders, employees, customers, communities, suppliers, governments, non-governmental organizations, international organizations and others affected by the companies' activities. It is assumed that through CSR enterprises can play an important role in preventing and combating corruption and bribery and in helping preventing the use of enterprises for money laundering and criminal activities financing. In the instant case the for Thomas the question before him is whether to follow the code of Ethics of his company with respect to the use of bribery and loose the four years background work done by spending $ 30 million of the shareholders money and a lucrative opportunity of turning in a good business for the company or To follow the accepted practices of the country, pay the necessary bribes and get the contracts signed for the company ignoring the company's code of ethics. The question is to be looked into from the angle of the social responsibility of the company in so far as how it proactively manage the risks and take advantage of the opportunities. By not paying the bribe and losing the business opportunity Thomas is not doing justice to The shareholders whose valuable money of $ 30 million is spent on developing this project. Quite obviously the bribery practice in Lagos or Nigeria has not started after the decision to work on the project. Hence Thomas and the Company should have knowledge on these practices even before the decision on the project is taken. The code of ethics is a subsequent development as the background work for the project is being carried out for four years now. Hence to withdraw now from the project at a stage when the efforts are going to give benefit to the company is doing injustice to the shareholders and against the principle of corporate social responsibility The part of employees who have been recruited for the project, since the company may decide to retrench them in case the project is not taking off. It is none of their fault that the director or the company is not aware of the prevailing practices of bribery and corruption in the country of operation. In any case they should not be penalized. If they are it is against the so called Social Responsibility The issue needs to take into