Wednesday, August 26, 2020
Rain Man and Psychological Concepts
Most by far of individuals are partial to motion pictures and discover huge numbers of them rather instruction and accommodating to their consistently life. One of the most remarkable sides of any film is raising and examining various mental issues and ideas, which help to take care of indispensable issues and challenges and be happy with the outcomes. Publicizing We will compose a custom report test on Rain Man and Psychological Concepts explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of such motion pictures, which may contact human spirit and brain, is Rain Main featuring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. This film portrays an account of a youngster, Charlie Babbit, who is anxious to take his father’s business and cash after the latter’s demise; in any case, the fantasies of Mr. Babbit are fizzled, when he becomes acquainted with that all father’s cash go to his sibling, he has not known previously. Presently, Charlie needs to meet his sibling, gain his certainty, and make him give cash. However, the occasions become all the more fascinating, when Charlie meets Raymond and appreciates that their lives are so associated. Raymond’s mental imbalance is one of the principal issues, Charlie needs to adapt to; however everything isn't that simple as Charlie anticipates. Downpour Man trains individuals trust, care, and bolster one another, assists with fathoming and help those individuals with chemical imbalance range, and clarifies that individuals are not in every case all-amazing, and certain impulses of fate can't be outsmarted. Brain research is viewed as a science about conduct and every single mental procedure, which are innate to individuals and other living creatures (Nevid, 2008). The significant purpose of this science is its grounds to perceptions and hypotheses, since all realities about creatures must be gathered above all else, and their sorted out into speculations so as to clarify human conduct and their responses to specific circumstances, foresee potential results, and impact or even improve future conduct. Bunches of mental ideas exist and impressively impact human disposition to recent developments, issues, and difficulties. These ideas cause individuals to contrast from one another and speak to completely unique response to similar circumstances. Some mental ideas are entirely portrayed and broke down in films, melodies, and works of expressions. In any case, motion pictures are the best instances of how certain mental ideas must be acknowledged by individuals. Downpour Man is a superb film about convoluted relations between two siblings, where one of them is experiencing chemical imbalance and another is experiencing his longing to have however much cash as could reasonably be expected. Promoting Looking for report on workmanship and structure? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The ideas of mental imbalance, similarity, and trus t are depicted in the film; and the eccentricity of this story is that one idea is firmly associated with another idea, and the outcomes of one idea impact significantly the advancement of another. Mental imbalance is a mental idea that is depicted by unfathomable work of human brain that isn't inalienable to common individuals and explicit social cooperation and correspondence with others (Rodriguez, 2008). Raymond, the principle character in Rain Man consummately portrays the idea of mental imbalance: his responses to slight changes throughout his life, his disposition to individuals and their slip-ups, his longing to tail very much the same request of occasions. The subject of chemical imbalance is inferred in the plot and even makes a magnificent and solid ground for the advancement of the occasions and other mental ideas. The idea of trust might be analyzed in both principle characters on the film. Charlie, as a customary man, who is anxious to get rich and doesn't take numerou s endeavors, confides in just to himself. He accepts that trust to others will make him more fragile; this is the reason he attempts to utilize his appeal so as to make others trust him. In contrast with Charlie, Raymond doesn't really think about this idea, since he doesn't know about the results of trust; he even doesn't really fathom what trust should mean. This is the reason he tunes in to his sibling and accepts every his statement. As a mental idea, trust is utilized to anticipate human acknowledgment of disposition and conduct by others. In this film, an individual gets a superb chance to assess how the idea of trust might be utilized in two distinct manners: to confide in individuals and be an individual, whom others trust. From this very idea, another not less significant idea of similarity might be watched. Raymond trusts Charlie, this is the reason he obeys to each Charlie’s request. The idea of congruity, showed by Raymond, includes acting in specific routes so as to accomplish certain objectives and ask Charlie to satisfy own needs. Promoting We will compose a custom report test on Rain Man and Psychological Concepts explicitly for you for just $16.05 $11/page Learn More regardless of the way that Charlie is the individual, who confides in no one, his similarity is shown when he can't avoid Raymond requests to turn on TV and watch the program People’s Court (Rain Man). Raymond response to difficulty to watch his preferred program is so horrible and uproarious, that Charlie has nothing to do except for discover the way and discover the TV-set for his sibling. Along these lines, the idea of similarity exhibits how an individual can forfeit own requests and interests so as to satisfy someone else and anticipate brother’s anguish. The hugeness of these ideas is truly astonishing: two siblings, who ought to get to know each other, attempt to join the previously mentioned mental ideas, showed inside them in various ways, and compreh end own requests, wants, and needs. Downpour Man assists with acknowledging how indeed the very same ideas may have totally various ramifications for two siblings in similar circumstances. The thoughts, brought up in the film, help numerous individuals appreciate this world and its difficulties better. Inside a brief timeframe, a self absorbed individual transforms into a mindful sibling, who is going to forfeit numerous things and individuals so as to be nearer. Individuals consistently learn on their own errors, be that as it may, those individuals, who watch this film mindfully ought to assess the circumstance and utilize the story. We need to trust to one another, or every one of us will end up being a vain person and miser. Our life is too short to even think about reducing to cash and individual fulfillment. Individuals around additionally merit love and care, and in the event that somebody gets an opportunity to share this help and love, it is important to utilize such possib ility soon. The examination of three mental ideas in the film Rain Man furnish me with an opportunity to appreciate that the embodiment of our lives isn't about cash, food, and fulfillment. These days, it ends up being so bizarre to support others and care about own family members, who experience the ill effects of serious infection or innate imperfections. Tom Cruise’s character fills in as a genuine case of how prideful individuals may risk due to the conditions and instructs us to open our eyes on human issues a lot prior. Raymond featuring Dustin Hoffman is the character, who impeccably shows the idea of mental imbalance and the difficulties, individuals with such turmoil may look with. Each character and the executive of the film Rain Man worked admirably to clarify the ideas of chemical imbalance, trust, and similarity and encourage individuals how to carry on with this life properly.Advertising Searching for report on craftsmanship and plan? How about we check whether we can support you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Find out More Reference List Johnson, M (Producer) Levinson, B. (Executive). (1988). Downpour Man [Motion picture]. US: United Artists. Nevid, J. S. (2008). Brain research: Concepts and Applications. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Rodriguez, A. M. (2008). Mental imbalance and Asperger Syndrome. Minneapolis, MN: Twenty-First Century Books. This report on Rain Man and Psychological Concepts was composed and presented by client Kylee Lucas to help you with your own examinations. You are allowed to utilize it for exploration and reference purposes so as to compose your own paper; be that as it may, you should refer to it in like manner. You can give your paper here.
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Review of Chinatown Free Essays
Polanski’s Chinatown is an exemplary of 1970’s film, as it tells a story of homicide, because of avarice and the policy centered issue of the dry season in California. Jack Nicholson, who amazingly plays the character of Jack Gittes, is an analyst who researches matters thinking about infidelity. A lady by the name of Evelyn Mulwray demands that her significant other is having an unsanctioned romance, requesting Mr. We will compose a custom article test on Survey of Chinatown or on the other hand any comparative point just for you Request Now Gittes to discover reality, despite the fact that it isn't until some other time when the photographs of Mr. Gittes and a woman have been discharged into the media that he understands the woman was a fraud. Evelyn Mulwray who is played by the famous, Faye Dunaway, plays a character that is intellectually unsteady, in spite of the fact that depicts herself as being solid and amazing. Jack Gittes gets captivated by the secret of the homicide and the water venture, in which he starts to see openings in the falsehoods being taken care of to him as he looks for answers. As he and bereft Evelyn develop nearer, so does reality and a goals. Through this Polanski keeps his watchers on their seats, as they watch this spine chiller, as they alongside Jack Gittes attempt to sort out reality. Polanski depicts the emanation of the time with refinement, weaving music and an incredible selection of settings to give the watcher a vibe of the time and culture. The apparel, the vehicles, the steady propensity for smoking gives an image of Los Angeles, California in the 1940’s and how it has obviously changed to today’s culture and society. All through the film the watcher can get a handle on various issues that are as yet evident today, especially defilement and ravenousness and the manner by which people’s choices are impacted by them. The job and status of ladies is pointed at all through the film, with Mrs. Evelyn Mulwray going about as a figure of woman's rights, in unreservedly having illicit relationships and steering when it was expected of her. Her defining moment in the film gives her quality as a lady, despite the fact that being assaulted by your own dad would be intellectually upsetting in each nature. In this scene the watcher is spoken to with the thoughts of clever men in a male centric culture and how this was mishandled. Noah Cross: Katherine! I, I’m your granddad, my dear. I’m your granddad. Instructions to refer to Review of Chinatown, Essay models
Monday, August 17, 2020
Five Things You Should Know Before Submitting Your Application COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog
Five Things You Should Know Before Submitting Your Application COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog For you applicants submitting in the next few days (Early Action for Fall 2019 is November 1st!), here are some last-minute application tips. Our Admissions Committee reads many applications during the admissions process, which means they notice when people make similar mistakes in the applications. Here are some general application tips for before you submit: Proofread. Make sure little things like, say, the name of the school, is spelled correctly. And if youve looked over your application hundreds of times, get a friend or family member to look it over. A fresh pair of eyes can really help. We do not need your official test scores at the time of application submission. There is a place to self-report your scores on the application. Once you have been accepted, we will ask for your official report, but if you have submitted unofficial scores to us there is no need to contact our office to see if we have received a report for ETS. Answer the (required) essay questions. Some schools may offer an “additional information†question as an option to address special circumstances that may have affected your grades, scores or professional history. While this is one way to use this question, we really want to get to know all our applicants on a personal level, which is why answering the prompt especially for the second essay is required. (SIPAs application does have an Optional Essay, which you can use to share that additional information.) We do not have a minimum GRE/GMAT score or GPA. SIPA is a competitive program and we encourage our applicants to do their best in the admissions process. But theres no cutoff for GRE/GMAT scores or GPA, because many of our students are several years out of undergrad and have honed skills they may not have had five or ten years ago. The one exception to this is our hard rule in English proficiency tests (TOEFL/IELTS/PTE). As SIPA classes are taught in English there is a minimum level of proficiency necessary to participate and contribute. You can view the cutoff and preferred scores for the TOEFL/IELTS/PTE here. Do not waste words in your essays. It is hard enough to confine your professional experiences and goals to a 400-word limit, so you need to be strategic about the way you write. Do not waste essay space rehashing information that is available elsewhere in your application, for example your name or the grades you received as an undergraduate. In addition, we want to hear from you, not Gandhi or John F. Kennedy. If you choose to include a quotation in your personal statement make sure that it is necessary and supports your personal story. We can’t wait to read your applications good luck! Reworked from this 2013 post.
Sunday, May 24, 2020
Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 A World Without Books
â€Å"There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches†(Wikiquote, â€Å"Ray Bradbury†). Author Ray Bradbury made this observation in 1979 and his thought has only become more true as time has gone on. Bradbury warns of the possibility of this happening in his novel, Fahrenheit 451. The message of Fahrenheit 451 is more important than ever because today’s book editors, movie critics, and plays have intentionally and unintentionally removed Bradbury’s original intent of the novel. This hasn’t only happened to Fahrenheit 451, but many other books have been dumbed down to meet the standards of today’s unsophisticated readers. When Fahrenheit 451 came out in 1953, Bradbury had created a new†¦show more content†¦Today’s regular viewers and critics tend to look past all of the great things Truffaut did with what he had and instead choose to heavily criticize it for it’s shortcomings. ...a gimmicky approach to the emptiness of life without books cannot convey what books mean or what they’re for: homage to literature and wisdom cannot be paid through a trick shortcut to profundity; the skimpy science-fiction script cannot create characters or observation that would make us understand imaginatively what book deprivation might be like. (8) Continuing the trend of loyalty to Bradbury’s original work, fans who saw the plays of Fahrenheit 451 found much enjoyment and satisfaction in their likeness to the novel. Bradbury himself actually wrote the play and was influenced by Truffaut’s work in the movie. Although the play was released in the United States, it was much more well received in the United Kingdom (8). The crowd was very receptive of the changes Bradbury made to the story and the characters in it. â€Å"Fire chief Beatty is a much enhanced character on the stage. Presented initially as Guy Montags nemesis, but ultimately being a key toShow MoreRelatedSociety In Fahrenheit 4511647 Words  | 7 Pagesmoment may be headed for destruction. In Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451, the characters live in a society that is truly awful, but the author shows us that our society could be headed down that path. However, in the story, the beliefs of the main character Guy Montag change drastically , from beginning the novel as an oblivious citizen to ending it by trying to change his society for the better. Guy lives in a society in which the government outlaws books because they cause people to ponder ideasRead MoreSociety In Fahrenheit 4511661 Words  | 7 Pagesdestruction, similar to the destruction in Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451. In this novel, the characters live in a society that is truly awful, but the author shows us that our society is heading down that path. However, in the story, the beliefs of the main character Guy Montag change drastically, from beginning the novel as an oblivious citizen to ending it by trying to change his society for the better. Guy lives in a society in which the government outlaws books because they cause people to ponderRead MoreSociety In Fahrenheit 4511659 Words  | 7 Pages similar to the destruction in Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451. In this novel, the characters live in a society that is truly awful, but the author shows us that our society is heading down that path also. However, in the story, the beliefs of the main character Guy Montag change drastically, from beginning the novel as an oblivious citizen to ending it by trying to change his society for the better. Guy lives in a society in which the government outlaws books because they cause people to ponderRead MoreRay Bradbury Compare And Contrast Essay903 Words  | 4 PagesComparing and Contrasting Characteristics Ray Bradbury’s creation of character Montag in Fahrenheit 451 mirrors his own personal fears, social expectations, and importance of relations. Fahrenheit 451 is split up into 3 characteristics that the author, Ray Bradbury and the main character, Guy Montag share, bringing them to show their most common interests†¦ their love for book. They are willing to go to the fullest extinct for their passion without letting anything get in their way and taking allRead MoreRay Bradbury s Fahrenheit 4511721 Words  | 7 Pagesis the question that Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, attempts to answer. In this book, he describes a hypothetical world in which the population not only avoids reading, but has made owning books an unthinkable crime, with all books discovered burned, along with the houses of those who hoarded them. In this dystopian future created by Bradbury, the beauty that is literature has been replaced in society by television programs and radio stations . This reveals Bradbury’s obvious fear that modernRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 451 1396 Words  | 6 PagesAn Analysis of Freedom of Information in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury This study examines the issue of freedom of information in the story of literary oppression found in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Bradbury presents the oppression of an authoritarian state that does not allow its citizens to reads books. Guy Montag is initially a servant of the state that requires him to locate and persecute members of the community that still collect books. In various cases, Bradbury defines the rightsRead MoreAnalysis Of Ray Bradbury s Fahrenheit 451 1222 Words  | 5 PagesSocietal Similarities Which of the three novels that were read this quarter related the most to modern American society? The first novel that was read this quarter was Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and this novel was about a dystopian society and the importance of reading. The next book that was read was Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and this novel was about a society where production is the first priority. Then the last novel read was 1984 by George Orwell, this novel was about a society where theRead MoreCold War in the Eyes of Ray Bradbury1689 Words  | 7 PagesRay Bradbury, from small town America (Waukegan, Illinois), wrote two very distinctly different novels in the early Cold War era. The first was The Martian Chronicles (1950) know for its â€Å"collection†of short stories that, by name, implies a broad historical rather than a primarily individual account and Fahrenheit 451 (1953), which centers on Guy Montag. The thematic similarities of Mars coupled with the state of the American mindset during the Cold War era entwine the two novels on the surfaceRead MoreReview of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 Essay1496 Words  | 6 PagesReview of Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 In Ray Bradburys novel Fahrenheit 451, the author utilizes the luxuries of life in America today, in addition to various occupations Read MoreEssay on Censoring the Pages of Knowledge1688 Words  | 7 Pages Imagine a world where you could not read or own any books. How would you feel if you had someone burn your house because you have books hidden within the walls? One of the most prevalent themes in Ray Bradburys novel Fahrenheit 451 is the idea of censorship. In Bradburys fictional world, owning books is illegal. A firemans job is not putting out fires like one may assume. In Fahrenheit 451, a fireman has the job of starting fires. Firefighters start fires in homes containing books. If this were
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Graduation Speech Education System - 888 Words
All throughout high school, teachers would tell us we have to be prepared for college, or our occupation after we completed all of our schooling, but to me all they did was prepare us for exams. The education system in our generation is based off standardized testing, or teaching us how to take a test. This practice of learning only to fulfill a specific testing requirement or to reach a TEKS objective has been gradually causing a decline of the education system. What I mean by this is that education is supposed to help us and assist in advancing us or at least make it easier for us to become successful in our life span, however it feels like the system is doing the complete opposite. In classes today, professors come to class with a book and a couple of presentation slides in hopes that it’ll help to jam information in our heads that we will somehow manage to temporarily retain for the upcoming exam. The irony is that immediately after we take the exam the information is like ly to disappear, which is not conducive when you consider that the purpose of college is to educate us in preparation for life. Our brains can only absorb a certain amount of information, so why would we want to receive information that we would only need for a test and not information that we will need for our futures and the real world. If professors encourage college students to focus more on preparing for our post-college careers instead of standardized tests, then I wholeheartedly believe that theShow MoreRelatedGraduation Speech : The Public Education System1095 Words  | 5 PagesThe public education system has been in place for enough time to know the many goals it has for students. Horace Mann allowed his sole purpose to present equal opportunity to students so they can experience wealth. The idea that if a person attends public school they will have the equal opportunity to be wealthy and have any career they wish. However, â€Å"equality does not mean that everyone wi ll have equal incomes and equal status†(Spring, 2013, p. 66). As Spring mentions above, this idea of whatRead MoreGraduation Speech : Texas Education System2155 Words  | 9 PagesArlington and I want to start off by congratulating you for being the chairperson of the Texas board of education. Personally, I admire you for spending your time to make sure students that attend a public school district in Texas get the best education possible. I believe that your job is more than just leading meetings over the Texas education system, giving ideas on how to improve the education system, or make sure that school districts are regulated according to standards. Your job goes beyond that;Read MoreAnalysis Of Graduation By Maya Angelou960 Words  | 4 PagesEssay on â€Å"Graduation†by Maya Angelou Racial segregation was very dominant in the United States in the mid nineteen hundreds. This is the time that Maya Angelou was graduating from the eighth grade in Stamps Arkansas. The theme of racial segregation is well shown by the how different the schools of the African-Americans was compared to that of whites in the essay â€Å"Graduation†by Maya Angelou. In the essay the Angelou points out that Lafayette County Training School didn’t have a lawn, hedges, tennisRead MoreSeparation of Church and State685 Words  | 3 Pagesâ€Å"wall of separation between church and state†, is a phrase used by Thomas Jefferson in understanding the two clauses of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States: Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. The public education system felt the greatest impact as a result of the First Amendment of the Constitution in 1791, when the connection between God and the good of civilization was destroyed. God is slo wly being taken of classrooms, ceremonies and even sporting eventsRead MoreGraduation Speech By Maya Angelou1566 Words  | 7 PagesFebruary 18, 2016 Graduation Graduation is a ceremony that almost every single person is familiar with, thus building the connection of the reader. Graduation is an important transition in one’s life. It represents an accomplishment and signifies moving on to something better, more important and the pathway to use one’s knowledge to achieve one’s life goals. It calls for a celebration along with a grand commencement among family, friends, and peers. Maya Angelou’s, â€Å"Graduation†, is about a youngRead MoreGraduation Speech : College Admissions1424 Words  | 6 PagesDuring a typical high school graduation, speeches are given by a select few, notable students. These notable students normally include the two students who earned the highest grade point averages out of all the students in their graduating class - the valedictorian and the salutatorian. Imagine a graduation, however, with no valedictorian or salutatorian speech. Imagine if there was no valedictorian or salu tatorian. Imagine if there was no distinction of students academic performance during commencementRead MoreThe And School Promotion And Graduation Ceremonies1194 Words  | 5 Pagesbeen questioned whether a middle school promotion and high school graduation should be allowed to be held in a church. The school could not hold the promotion and graduation ceremonies because the auditorium was found to be holding high levels of unhealthy chemicals from paint and this was also found at the middle and high school’s gyms and cafeterias.The school decided that the best option would be to hold the promotion and graduation at an alternate indoor location, a Church. The Church is the mostRead MoreGraduation Speech : Mathematics As A Computer Technician1270 Words  | 6 PagesIn my last speech I joked around about my dad and his degree in mathematics as a computer technician saying that it was such an odd match up; but in reality, it couldn’t have worked out better. Though the concept of math does not directly apply to his current position; he still utilizes the deep analytical skills that he obtained during his years of calculus to solve problem solving issues that arise with the computers. Education has value in many respects, ranging from the social connections thatRead MoreThe Corner Miss Ella By F. Martin Luther King Jr.1684 Words  | 7 Pagesup in the justice system. For those who are growing up in the Corner neighborhood, truancy is a common factor among several teens and young children. The Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center and its frequent visitors could benefit from a prevention/promotion program that focuses on graduation incentives for students. While the MLK Jr. Center is an appropriate outlet for after school, a program that expands the center past its current use, to being an alternative education center, could helpRead MoreBenefits Of A University College1061 Words  | 5 Pagesuniversity college to â€Å"administer general education or the core curriculum, implement retention programs, offer individualized degrees, and assess student learning†(p. 3) to better justify the units academic standing. Effective educational practices often included in the university college unit are learning communities, service learning, and other curricular innovations that enhance student learning. University college units are the social ization to postsecondary education that many of today’s students require
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Barnesandnoble.com Technology Free Essays
Technology and internet made life more efficient nowadays. Part of innovation is the integration of websites where one can buy books that they need and have it shipped directly at their doorstep. Barnes and Noble is one of the most trusted site when it comes to online bookselling. We will write a custom essay sample on Barnesandnoble.com Technology or any similar topic only for you Order Now This paper aims to evaluate the website along with its business model, ethical, legal and security issues. A discussion will also be presented on how the website uses communication technologies in both effective and non effective ways. One of the largest book chains stores in the US has been Barnes and Noble. It started as a local book store and find ways to make book buying more convenient by creating their own website. Online booking selling seems to have one disadvantage over store book selling. The customers in the stores are able to feel the book and read excerpts of the book. In such a circumstance, they would be more interested in buying the book and would find the book its money’s worth. With time, the internet is beginning to change, and many of the manufacturers are beginning to show case the product and actually permit the customer to sample it using the internet. With the bookshelf model, it does seem that it would be costly to get the investment to setup the place, build shelves and get the logistics. In comparison, an online store does not require much of investment and infrastructure. The customer can access the online bookstore from almost any part of the world and can select the book. The user would need only a computer, an Internet connection, and a membership username and within a short period of time the product would be delivered to the house. Studies have shown that when the price of a product was lowered, below the willingness to pay, the customer is more likely to obtain the product. The customer would obtain the product satisfactorily, if the price equals the willingness to pay. The customer would not be happy if the price of the product is higher than the willingness to pay. Barnes and Noble has a good reputation and has it stores located in various parts of the US. People are paying more money for Barnes and Noble products because it is more renowned and started as a local store. Barnes and Noble company went online and offered the customers huge discounts for online hardcover and paperback versions (up to 30 %). Barnes and Noble wanted to become the leader in online bookselling by displacing other online bookstores. They felt that online business offered much greater opportunities, as people could not find a bookstore with a variety. People from even other countries could do online shopping and improve the sales of the company. The investment over infrastructure and setting up a shop was much higher compared to a bookstore compared to online shopping. People, who did not have the time to search for a bookstore, could now do it setting in the comfort of their homes. This seemed to be one of the greatest advantages of online shopping. Through online shopping, the books could be advertised and marketed and this could really boost sales. Barnes and Noble operated a sorting facility in Jamesburg, and slowly this facility began to expand. They developed a very efficient strategy in comparison to Amazon, and claimed to bring the book to the customer much faster than what Amazon actually did. However, the operations of both, Barnes and Noble and Amazon were similar. Barnes and Noble also created better web features compared to Amazon. They also separated out the online operations from the bookstore in order to evade tax. This practice is considered to be unethical and illegal because it is the prime responsibility of a business to adhere to tax rules. At the back end of the operations, Barnes and Noble also tried to establish relations with the publishers and the wholesalers. One advantage the company had observed was that the operations were much lesser compared to a standard bookstore as infrastructure costs were saved. Barnes and Noble soon began to offer to the online customers, books at the wholesale or warehouse rates. The company also offered several services. The software tool of Barnes and Noble company permitted the customers to store personal data and also buy the books very easily. They also signed up with several Internet organizations such as AOL and the New York Times to provide extra services. AOL provided software and news services. This is one good strategy as the communication technology is maximized and at the same time security issues are intact. As Barnes and Noble offered personalized services, it could be combined to the Harvesting model of substitution. Barnes and Noble also tried develop a website much richer than other websites. They began to involve the operations of the book supply system so as to improve the online strategy. The software technology utilized by Barnes and Noble was also much superior to prove that the company really has a good business model. Barnes and Nobel website had its name already established in the online book market. They were seeking to make relationships with the customers and improve their business further. The graphics of the website that belonged to Barnes and Noble was much more esthetically pleasing compared to others. The main targets of the website were the buyers which is really a good strategy in business. Several benefits of the business model of the website gives focus on the costs of the books, marketing, advertisement, brand name, services provided, reputation, delivery time, discounts provided, range of after sales services, etc. Barnes and Noble is really a customer friendly website. Reference: Barnes and Noble (2009), Books, [Online]. [Retrieved: February 18 2009] from: http://www. barnesandnoble. com/bookstore. asp? z=y,. Barnes Noble Booksellers (2009). [Retrieved: February 18 2009] from: http://www. washingtonpost. com/gog/book-events/barnes-and-noble-booksellers- rockville,798835. html How to cite Barnesandnoble.com Technology, Papers
Monday, May 4, 2020
Product Innovation With Innovation Network -Myassignmenthelp.Com
Question: Discuss About The Product Innovation With Innovation Network? Answer: Introduction The business world today is mainly characterized by drive to improve sales and company profitability in order to remain in business even in the face of increasingly challenging business environment. According to the principle number 6 Revenues: From transaction to subscription, companies should focus on ways that make customers come back occasionally to buy from the company as opposed to when they only come once and disappear for long period of time before returning to make another purchase from the company. This paper will use Lawn PLC, an hypothetical company that offers lawn services within Tel-aviv city in Israel. The company specializes in home market as well as the corporate market where the company beautifies the garden and mown grass to short and desirable level that makes the company to look more clean and beautiful. The company also designs the gardens using pruning the fence line into specific shapes and designs that appeal to the outside world1. The company has one goal of improving its sales and revenue. This paper will attempt to use principle number 6 Revenues: From transaction to subscription to come up with ways through which the company can improve its sales. Therefore, this paper seeks to improve sales aspect of the Lawn PLC1. John Warrillow, 'The Network Imperative' (2013) 1. Lawn services are depends much on the taste of the client and the technique of the service provider. In this case for a customer to become loyal to a certain lawn service provider then this particular provider must have techniques and skills that shape the clients compound in a way that the owner likes it. Lawn PLC should therefore put plans in place to tie down all her clients in to a long term management as opposed to what the company is currently practicing. At the moment the company depends on walk in customers. This business strategy is not sustainable in that the company can not afford to continue relying on it3. Therefore Lawn PLC should ensure that all her customers subscribe to their services for a certain period of time such as one year. This means that the company will be sure about getting business as the contracts tie down the clients for repeat business. In order for this strategy to be more successful, Lawn PLC should ensure that her services are top notch so that clie nts will not have difficulty in subscribing to it for a long period of time. The benefits of this arrangement are that the company will be assured of business for the foreseeable period of time and that the company will get an opportunity to gain valuable long term experience in lawn service. Expected challenge is that customers might be a bit hesitant to commit for long term business if they dont have experience working with Lawn PLC to be able to know whether the company can provide them good services or not2. In summary, subscription mode of doing business is better than transaction mode because there is a lot of repeat business in subscription mode compared to the latter. Repeat business leads to more revenues for the company which translates into bigger profit for the company. 2John Warrillow, 'The Network Imperative' (2013) 1. 3Kalle Lyytinen, Youngjin Yoo and Richard J. Boland Jr., 'Digital Product Innovation Within Four Classes Of Innovation Networks' (2015) 26 Information Systems Journal. References Lyytinen K, Y YooR Boland Jr., 'Digital Product Innovation Within Four Classes Of Innovation Networks' (2015) 26 Information management Journal Warrillow J, 'The Network Imperative' (accounting) 1
Sunday, March 29, 2020
The Current Status Of Copyright Law Essays -
The Current Status Of Copyright Law The Current Status of Copyright Law A copyright provides the creator of an intellectual production with ownership and exclusive rights to publish, print, distribute, or sell the copyrighted material. Intellectual productions that are eligible for copyright privileges include written material, written and recorded music, paintings, sculptures, photographs, movies, videos and video games, computer programs, and many other mediums of creative expression. To qualify for copyright protection a work must be creative, exist in physical form, and be originally produced by the author. A copyright cannot protect ideas, facts, titles, names, short phrases, or blank forms. Generally, a copyright is owned by the creator of a work, but there are some exceptions. If an employee creates a work during the course of employment, the employer may own the copyright. Likewise, if an independent contractor creates the work, the copyright may be held by the commissioning organization. Additionally, if the owner of a copyright sells the rights to a work, the purchasing party becomes the copyright owner. In the case that two or more authors contribute to a joint work, they are considered joint copyright owners and have equal right to register and enforce the copyright. For works published after 1977, the copyright is enforceable for the life of the author plus seventy years. After this time period, the work enters the public domain, and anyone has access to it without infringing on the copyright. As of March 1, 1989, a published work is automatically protected as soon as it is created. It is advantageous, however, to register the work with the U.S. Copyright Office for a number of reasons. Registering a work strengthens the rights of the creator in case of a copyright violation by allowing a lawsuit to be brought against the violator. Although an unregistered work is protected, a lawsuit cannot be brought to enforce it until it has been registered. Additionally, if a work is registered within three months of its creation (or at least prior to any infringement), the copyright holder can collect actual damages as well as statutory damages. Once a work is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, a copyright notice can be added to the work. This notice consists of: the word copyright, a c in a circle (?), the date of publication, and the name of the author or copyright owner. A copyright notice is not required to protect the work, but is still important. If the notice is included, a copyright violator cannot claim that they were unaware of the copyright. The notice also serves to discourage infringement in the first place. Including a notice may even make it easier for a potential violator to locate a copyright owner and obtain permission to use the work. When the form or expression of a work is copied, a copyright infringement has occurred. The reproduction need not be identical to the original work, nor does it need to reproduce the entire work. If a substantial part of the work is copied, infringement has occurred. Copyright violators are liable for monetary damages and, in some cases, may face criminal penalties as well. Actual and statutory damages are awarded at the discretion of the court, and criminal proceedings may be imposed for willful violations. The Copyright Act of 1976 allows for actual damages based on harm or loss of revenue of the copyright owner, and statutory damages of up to $100,000. Criminal charges, depending on their severity, may result in fines and/or imprisonment. If the defendant is an innocent infringer, meaning that the violation was not intentional, damages usually are not charged, but the defendant must cease the infringing activities. There are several defenses against charges of copyright infringement. The statute of limitations defense protects a defendant if too much time has passed between the violation and the lawsuit. A defendant may also claim that the violation was innocent; they had no idea that the work was protected by copyright. If a defendant can prove that the reproduction is, in fact, their own original creation, and not a copy, they may successfully defend themselves. Finally, a defendant may claim that the infringement is allowed under the fair use doctrine. The fair use doctrine is a very significant
Saturday, March 7, 2020
Lena Horne essays
Lena Horne essays Lena Horne was born on June 30, 1917 in Brooklyn, New York. Her parents were Teddy and Edna Scottron Horne. After her father left her at the age of two in order to pursue his gambling career; her mother leaving soon after that to pursue her acting career; she went to live with her grandparents. Through her grandparents influence she became involved with organizations like the NAACP, at an early age. In 1924 she went back to live with her mother, traveling and being schooled all over the state until she was fourteen. At the age of fourteen she decided to drop out of school and go to work. Because she was talented and light skinned it was not hard for her to find a job. She became a chorus girl in Harlems Cotton Club where blacks entertained a strictly all white crowd. At that time she was making about $25 a week. It was here that Lena got to meet and observe now famous artists such as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Ethal Waters, and Billie Holiday. At the age of nineteen she met and married Louis Jones. Together they had two children Gail and Teddy (who later died in 1970 from kidney failure). While trying to get used to raising a family and having a career, she received a call from an agent, who had seen her at the Cotton Club, about a part in a movie. Her controlling husband allowed her to be in The Duke is Tops and also the musical revue Blackbirds of 1939." When she finally got up the courage to leave Louis, he deiced to take her son away from her. She lost custody of Teddy when the divorce was final and has always regretted not fighting harder for her son. After her divorce she began singing with Noble Sissies Society Orchestra. Through out their tour she had to endure harsh racism having to sleep in tenement boarding houses, the bus and even once in circus grounds. Soon after that, she toured with Charlie Barnets Outfit and became the first Afri...
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Rumbold v General Medical Council Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5
Rumbold v General Medical Council - Essay Example At interview Mr. A found it difficult to appreciate the severity of the offenses for which he appears before the court, viewing himself more as a victim of modern technology rather than as an offender. He had clearly given little consideration to the harm caused to children by the production or distribution of such images, although when this was discussed with him, he did admit that he was beginning to realize the harm that this could cause. Mr. A is a 44-year-old man, who is married with two young children aged 8 and 10. He has no previous convictions. As a result of this conviction, his partner has ended their 15-year relationship and he now resides with his parents in a household with no children. He currently has no access to his children, a matter which is being dealt with by social services and the civil courts. Whilst he understands the reasons for this he tells me that he is profoundly depressed as a result of the breakdown of his family. He is adamant that he has never posed any risk to his family. Mr. A left education following a degree in public sector management, and until his conviction work as a manager for the local authority. He is currently suspended from work pending the outcome of his sentence. Mr. A tells me that he has never had any issues relating to alcohol or drug dependency, however, his level of alcohol use has increased in recent months as a result of his anxiety relating to these proceedings. Mr. A continues to make a financial contribution to support his ex-partner and their children. In the case study above it is stated that the number of images was relatively small. There is no indication of the level of the images and therefore it is not possible to give a definitive answer as to whether a community sentence is appropriate.
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Management Accounting and Performance Evaluation Essay
Management Accounting and Performance Evaluation - Essay Example Facts of the Case Following are the facts of the case: Shirley Banks has recently joined PFA Ltd as factory manager with a motive to increase the turnover and market share. The factory runs for 24 hours with three eight-hour shifts. The shifts are rotated in such a manner that no one team has to consistently work at night. Currently the factory has a high number of temporary staff and the production is behind the targets. The shipment of orders is always done late. The workers are highly discontent due to the frequent impractical actions by the management regarding the factory management. Recent examples are the decisions to change every shift to twelve hours, cancellation of overtime payments and introduction of weekly performance reports. The high unachievable monthly targets have put undue strain on the workers. Moreover, the general office costs are allocated to each shift manager. The overall effect is that the workers are not motivated enough. The logistics manager is running t he local election campaign and in doing so he is using the company’s resources. No one has raised the issue so far. Nature of the Problem The basic nature of the problem lies with the incompetent management control process in the company. This has caused several other problems such as late order delivery, highly de-motivated workers, unachieved targets, unexplained allocation of general office costs to each shift manager and high level of temporary workforce. Management Accounting Control Systems Although the management accounting control systems and management control systems are mostly used interchangeably, the management accounting control is only one aspect of the control mechanism exercised by the management. The primary aim of management control systems is to achieve the organization’s objectives by influencing employee behaviours. There are three different types of control approaches i.e. action controls, results control, personnel and cultural controls (Merchan t, 1998 cited in Drury, 2007, p.388). The management accounting control system is related to the results control. It is based on two elements, the one is formal planning process and the second is responsibility accounting. The formal planning process encompasses budgeting process and long-term planning process whereas the responsibility accounting involves the establishment of responsibility centres (Drury, 2007, p.395). Responsibility Accounting The responsibility accounting involves creating responsibility centres to make accountable the individuals for financial results and outcomes. The individuals responsible for responsibility centres are made accountable any deviations from budget targets. Overall, the responsibility accounting involves: Identification of Controllability The items, which can be controlled by managers and those which they cannot control and therefore, should not be held accountable for, should be identified. This is based on controllability principle. The prin ciple states that only those costs can be or should be charged to responsibility area that can be influenced by the manager responsible. This principle is applied by
Monday, January 27, 2020
British Management Styles
British Management Styles 1. Introduction Some would argue that since industrialization is a rational, orderly process, striving for universal efficiency with standardizing effect, managers would clearly be the same sort of people doing the same kind of things in the same ways. This assumption could be extended to the companies themselves. Manufacturing companies, these generic units of industrialization, would be much the same with regard to their structure and general features wherever they are located. At any rate, this would be true for countries at the same stage of industrial development having the same sort of political system. For example, organisations throughout Western Europe operate in similar contexts and under the same pressures which would lead towards uniformity. The accelerated volume of trade within Europe and increasing collaboration and overlapping ownership between EU organisations would, naturally, lead to the establishment of a common Western European management style. Of course, such a case assuming or alleging that industry, management and companies are everywhere and always the same is not accepted. On the contrary, the assumption that societal culture causes the business climate and approach to management is the prevalent one (Tayeb, 1993). Even the creation of the single common market of EU, requiring common technologies and similar modern distribution and marketing methods from each organisation, does not illustrate any visible cultural assimilation, but rather a cultural synergy1. European managers in general have been reared in societies with long and deep traditions and are too conscious of their past to put aside their diversities for the sake of Europeanisation2. There can be a similar managerialism, which could be called a European managerial culture, but how far this extends; how far managers in Europe do some things the same way is an issue of analytical purposes only. Managing and organizing are not activities isolated from society, carried out by automatons in executive suits according to the universal management principles, in some glassed-in managerial sphere (Hickson, 1993, p.252). Each manager is a person formed by a society, and so the processes of managing and organizing are not separable from societies and their cultures. Hence, the last few years have seen a renewed interest in national differences and a series of comparative studies of the extent of company structure and education systems, as well as the socio-cultural factors which impinge on management style. Nowadays, it is accepted that one can generalize across individual differences in various countries and generate characterizations, either normative or empirical or both, of management styles which particular countries exhibit (Barsoux and Lawrence, 1990). This paper aims to consider the distinctiveness of the British management style on a number of dimensions. The examination of managerial practices in the UK and the relevant issues addressed are based on the interpretation with the case of management application in The Body Shop. The experience of The Body Shop as an international retailer provides us with a fine illustration of both the strengths and weaknesses of the typical British management style. In order to familiarize himself with The Body Shop case, the reader is strongly advised to look over the companys case study written by Gibson-Sweet (1994, in Harris and McDonald), before continuing with the following sections of this paper. 2. UK management Because of the fact that the United Kingdom is a multi-cultural society, identifying the typical characteristics of English managers was never an easy task3. Nevertheless, several studies have been conducted towards that purpose. Hofstede (1984) and Tayeb (1988) for example have attributed to the English a list of distinctive cultural features with direct effect on the way they conduct business. This section discusses some of the most significant features attributed to the English management with references to the case of The Body Shop. Individualism: The origins of individualism, independent thinking and self-confidence in England should be traced long back into history. The protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism were, in fact, the major driving forces behind the Industrial Revolution. Britons have a high regard for liberty and independence. Hence, they have cultivated a strong entrepreneurial mentality and flair. This is illustrated in the laissez faire economic context which they established for more than two hundred years, and which opposed government interference and supported unrestricted economic liberty and free competition4. Consequently, the English had traditionally developed considerable competences in dealing with export markets and responding to foreign competitors and to a flood of imports without going bust or requiring immediate trade protection. The surprising successful development and expansion of franchising in England is a clear reflection of this distinctive capacity of the British entrepreneurs. The Body Shop success owes much to this business formula. Managerial consciousness, anti-technical orientation: British managers are proud of being good all-rounders (Barsoux and Lawrence, 1990). They have a generalist outlook which is akin to the belief that management is something separable from the technical aspects of a job. Related to this idea of generalism is the notion of managerial consciousness, as against technical-orientation which is very profound in Germany. No wonder, therefore, why British managers do not tend to be especially technically minded, since such expertise is not deemed to enhance their managerial reputation or performance. Whereas German top executives would describe themselves first and foremost as specialists, British ones see themselves as managers in more generalist terms, and somewhat detached from production. Naturally, German managers are expected to be too narrow, while Britons have a much broader vision. Both Anita and Gordon Roddick had not any particular technical background but proved to be very successful all-round managers. Informality: In terms of personal exchanges, British managers are informal, especially by the standard of France or Germany. This is because British managers are in a certain way humanitarians. The Body Shop exemplifies this as it segments its market by factors such as the customers ideals and values, rather than by using technical standards. British take people as the point of reference, rather than systems objectives. In Britain, there is a conviction that management is based on individuals, not committees, systems or rule books. People are the frame of reference (Barsoux and Lawrence, 1990, p. 119). This in turn has meant that mush is achieved by means of social acceptance. Hence, influencing and conjoining is essentially persuasive5. That is why British managers take pride in showing off their ability to shape, influence and decide in informal ways and are marked by a strong grasp of political manoeuvring and manipulative skills. This attitude partly explains why British managers tend to have a negative view of conflict. Open conflict between managers is very rare as it is seen ungentlemanly rather than a means of correcting deviations, testing ideas and exerting creativity; the way it is viewed in say Germany or America. Coping well with uncertainty and setbacks: Americans and Japanese are famous for the systematic way into which they gather data and carry out market research in an effort to enhance strategic decision-making. This is not the British style at all. Environmental scanning, SWOT analysis and the like are not typical for Britain. This does not imply that strategy or forward planning is rejected, but rather that it is intuitive. Britons would argue that the full range of options, rationally conceived in an explicit and formal corporate planning, are unlikely to be realised in practice. Anita Roddicks decision to not enter Eastern Europe, for example, was mostly based on vague personal judgements and intuition, rather than market research evidences of the regions unprofitable potentials (in fact there are indications for the opposite; Alexander, 1996). In alignment to the above argument, British managers have a high tolerance for ambiguity and cope well with uncertainty and unexpected setbacks. Of course, this brand of intuitive pla nning becomes a powerful competitive advantage in todays turbulent, fast moving business environment where flexibility, initiative-taking and adaptability to change is paramount. But, exactly because the British feel comfortable in situations where not everything is explicit and space is provided for manoeuvring and exercising personal judgement, they tend to undervalue educational credentials. British companies put a stronger emphasis on pragmatism rather than professionalism, while personal qualities and background (a vague leadership quality and motivating ability as opposed to strict functional attributes), appear to receive the most frequent mention, both in relation to top and middle management. Decentralization: Bigness provides vital economies of scale, financial resources and muscle in the market. However, today it is more flexibility and responsiveness that matter for success. The argument of size is no longer all-pervasive6. Moreover, recession in the early 1980s made corporate restructure necessary for survival. British companies responded with leaner and fitter structures as well as a move towards decentralization7. SBUs were the most obvious manifestation of this transition. The application of decentralised management, in contrast to functional management, encourages autonomy and entrepreneurship and helps to motivate people by making them better informed, more responsible and giving them more control. Thus, UK companies witnessed their managers engaging in initiatives and nurtured the managerial talent they needed. Decentralization has been proved especially appropriate in sectors which are subject to rapid technical or market changes, notably services. In retailing, initiative inno vation adaptation are by far more significant factors of success than control and economies of scale, providing, thus, a strong argument in favour of decentralised structures and approaches to management which UK enterprises have mastered exceptionally well over the past two decades. The Body Shop case is a clear reflection of this: its success was built on creative initiatives and innovation, not on its size and say effective financial control. Democratic management style: There is a wide agreement that control in British business organisations is relatively dispersed. In other words, the democratic style, also referred to as participative or semi-constitutional is the prevalent one in British firms. It can be reflected on the fact that subordinates are consulted in decision-making and are given wide opportunities to exercise discretion in their work. Contrary to the autocratic, paternalistic approach that German firms share, top management in UK displays a willingness to delegate to lower management and counts on the subordinates strong sense of responsibility. Even in the case of UKs small, family-run firms (where a paternalistic pattern is supposed to emerge), British managers (and owners in most cases) do not portray a pure autocratic style, but rather a mixture of democratism autocratism, which is referred to as sophisticated paternalism. Thus, UKs family businesses manage to retain a decentralised decision-making approach while upholding their d istinctive social ethos and religious dissent. This is very evident in many UK firms (e.g. Cadbury, Clarks), but most of all in The Body Shop. However, there are many who suggest that Anita and Gordon Roddick should give up insisting on operating the company along what are essentially family-run lines as this seems to be inappropriate and potentially damaging for the companys future prosperity. Conservatism: The English are widely seen to be a nation with a love for the past, traditionalism, conservatism, and a reluctance to change. Anita Roddick refused to change the business practices applied to The Body Shop no matter how the City or the economic recession forced her to do so. Moreover, she seems not to take advantage of the possibilities offered to franchising from the Internet (Wymbs, 2000), mostly because of conservatism than of any other particular reason. The British conservatism partly explains their reluctance on applying modern technology in their businesses. However, due to this stubbornness on using outdated machinery, British firms missed the opportunity to become first movers in many industries and, subsequently, faced formidable catch-up problems. Lack of ambition: Despite the resurgence in their desire to do business during the 1980s, mostly as a result of the Thatcherism (The Economist, 1989), Britons display little love for business. Involvement in entrepreneurial activity for the purpose of making money has never been respectable. This should be traced to the English educational system and its dominant values. Traditionally, arts and classics were given high priority relatively to engineering and technology. In business conditions, the goal has been traditionally satisfactory rather than outstanding performance. Domestic rivalry is viewed as distasteful, vulgar and certainly ungentlemanly. Therefore, UK firms lack the strong profit orientation of the Americans or the market expansionism of the Japanese. Merging rather than competing is a common choice or perceived necessity. In this respect, the franchising system, on which The Body Shop relied much, fits very well the typical anti-rivalry notion found in Britain. Low value placed on education: Compared with their counterparts in other advanced nations, British managers are still under-educated and poorly trained, notwithstanding the recent growth in university and college provision8. In Britain there has been an anti-intellectual tradition which devalues training, particularly of a vocational kind (Barsoux and Lawrence, 1990; Lane, 1989; Keeble, 1992; Gospel, 1992). Porter (1990) comments on the British educational system as lagging behind virtually all the nations he studied! The country traditionally relied on practicing at doing the job to produce its managerial stock. Naturally, business owners provide very limited support to vocational training as they see it as a cost, a waste of their precious capital, rather than an investment with long-term benefits9. Industrial management in Britain did not attract the intellectual elite and had a relatively small intake of university graduates (Fitzgerald, 1993). The relative value placed on finance (a degree in accounting is he ld to be an ideal qualification for a top management post) suggests an emphasis on the short-term at the expense of the long-term, with research being the prime victim. The process of education is of central importance and needs some further elaboration. The continued under-investment in human capital provided little opportunities for the British economy to exploit its pool of gifted labour force and elevate it from the mere status of gifted amateurs (Jones 1997). One reason that explains the under-developed pattern of vocational education in UK lies at the, until very recently, states deliberate low involvement, even denial of responsibility to the issue. Consequently it was left as a matter for employers and unions. But, as explained above, line management was never persuaded of the direct link between profitability and competitiveness through training and regarded training schemes as an overhead to be cut when profits were threatened. The deepening recession in the 1980s made emp loyers even les willing to invest on training. Moreover, criticism has been levelled at the wide variety of inappropriate training schemes existing in Britain (Lane, 1989). For example, the apprenticeship system was highly inefficient in terms of responsiveness to changing production conditions and contributed even further to the generation of low-skilled labour. Several quotations (Bierhoff and Prais, 1993; Roffe, 1999; Matlay, 1999) for improving both the quantity and quality of vocational education in UK, arguing for the need of a more systematic and homogenous system have been occasionally proposed but not headed. Short-termism: English managers have a very short-term perspective in business planning relative to their major competitors, especially the Japanese and German. In middle management this can be seen in the flair for improvisation. Higher up in the company it manifests itself in the willingness to cut or defer such thing as advertising or RD expenditure in order to meet year-end budgets without worrying about the long-term repercussions of such a course of action10 (Gordon, 1990; Handy, 1988). In this respect, emphasis on growth (as this is seen in France), market share (as in Japan) and continuous quality improvement (like Germany) is not evident in British enterprises. Anti-industrial orientation: British culture has a large alleged impact on the development of anti-industrial orientation, evident on the low esteem that traditionally a career in British industry carried. Hofstede (1984) provides an element of explanation on the basis that British rank very high in the individualistic and uncertainty avoidance cultural dimension. Therefore, Britons have an inherent inclination on risky and entrepreneurial, rather than manufacturing, capital-based activities. British managers continued to prefer old machinery and production processes exactly because of this personal value system which favoured trading, rather than manufacturing. However, this attitude meant the downfall of the British manufacturing industry and a relative decline in the indigenous economy in a sequential manner (Van Ark, 1990; Dintenfass, 1992) as this can be portrayed by stats such as: GDP growth, national income, volume of trade exports and so on (Davis et al, 1992, Dicken, 1999). The Body Shop, on the other h and, illustrates a very good example of how British firms establish competitive advantages not by using modern, hi-tech machinery, but rather through intuition and originality. The Body Shop managed to promote the green issue in a genuine and passionate way, promoting wider societal issues through sponsorship and captured the imagination of consumers worldwide. The companys advertising expenses were grounded to zero; still its marketing approach was highly successful. The Body Shop case, then, moves us to a consideration that will be further elaborated in the following chapter: that British firms have lost their edge on manufacturing but, in the mean time, enhanced their worldwide competitive position in the service sector and in industries like retailing. In this respect, the British economy has mastered a transition from an industry-oriented one to a services-oriented one. 3. UK management and retailing: an integrated approach Insufficient investments in modern technology, industrial relations problems and low level of skill and motivation in the labour force affected productivity and condemned Britains manufacturing industry. However, when it comes to the service sector, the whole picture is very different. For example, while in heavy manufacturing the German labour productivity is found to be 22% higher than that of British as a result of differences in physical capital and engineer-related human capital (OMahony, 1992), such a difference has not been experienced in less capital-intensive and less engineer-related industries (food, drink tobacco, textiles, chemicals). Britain experienced a rapid growth of the service sector as early as in the 19th century, but was exceptional in the 1980s and 1990s (Godley and Fletcher, 2000). Today British firms outperform most of their counterparts in the service sector. In regards of specific industries, such as retailing and financial services, this is very profound (Millward, 1990). The typical British personal capitalism (Chandler, 1990) concept suits the purposes of such industries where the production process is relatively straightforward, offers few opportunities for economies of scale but many opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives (Jones, 1997). Take as example the creative ideas of Anita Roddick and the originality of her business practices. Without having sufficient funds, she built the companys success only by relying on her wits. More importantly, since The Body Shops competences are not based on technology and machinery utilization but on its founders creativity, intuition and entrepreneurial capacities, the companys business model is very hard to be imitated and the competitive advantages deriving from it are highly sustainable. British firms, especially in 1970s and 1980s pursued successful strategies of product differentiation and product diversification and possessed capabilities in brand management and distribution, which they employed both in extensive exporting activity and through extensive multinational investments (Alexander, 1997). The British competitive performance in the service sector contradicts the image of British enterprise lacking organisational capability in manufacturing industry. Indeed, research by Balasubramanyam (1992) shows that British corporations in retailing appeared to possess competitive strengths in highly developed management skills, in effect, financial management and marketing management, rather than in production management. Jones (1993) adds to the list of Britains core competences the following: incumbency, experience, and powerful intangible assets, most notably reputation for honesty and stability. Jones and Morgan (1994) suggest that such entrepreneurial and trading skills may have been inherited from the family-firm tradition. The culturist hypothesis suggested in previous sections of this paper might explain the outstanding British performance in such kinds of managerial skills. The above clearly suggest that a distinction must be made between the competitiveness of the British firms in manufacturing and in services (Jones, 1994). Throughout the postwar period and into the 1990s the British retailers were the largest sectorial direct investors in the United States, a position maintained by extensive acquisition activity (Lipsey, 1993). This must have involved considerable organisational and management skills, or else it could not have been sustained. Britons possess skills that evolve into strong core competences when it comes to the service sector and particularly the retailing. Hence, generalizations such as those of Porters slide of Britain (1990) and the Chandlerian critiques should consider more thoroughly the British strength in the less capital intensive and technology oriented industries such as: consumer branded goods (including beverages, confectionary products, cosmetics, perfumes, household products and so on), retailing, financial related servic es, auctioneering, entertainment, publishing, leisure products, consultancy, advertising. Britains broad strength in services partly reflects demand conditions. In business services, a combination of skilled human resources and early industrial strength has given British firms a solid position. In retailing, strength in high-end consumer goods (luxury and wealth-related products) was further supported by a sophisticated domestic demand retained, especially around London. Many of the industries in which Britain still has competitive advantage, technological change has not been significant enough to provide worldwide competitors with a lever to supplant British firms on the basis of their technological superiority, especially in the high-end segments that are not price-sensitive and where buyers value traditional methods. Finally, those areas where UK firms have sustained competitive advantage partly owe it to related and supported industries. In consumer goods and services, a vibrant retail sector has created pressures to innovate. This environment has been a fertile one for British firms to develop skills in consumer marketing. The City of London illustrates a classical example of a sector built upon the concept of clustering11. The dynamism of the cluster has attracted firms from all over the world, solidifying Londons position as Europes financial centre. 4. Conclusions Overall, in response to historic, ecologic and evolutionary processes, UK has created a culture and social climate which stand English managers and their companies in good stead in many respects, but handicap them in some others (Schneider and Barsoux, 1997). Their honesty, trust, self-control, and creativity are their major cultural assets, while their individualism, professionalism and reserve give an impersonal and formal air to business dealings. However, in their effort to deal with competitive markets, they are hampered by unhelpful aspects of their culture and their society. These include capital market short-termism, less-than-favourable attitudes to business, traditionalism, reluctance to embrace new technology wholeheartedly, and ill-prepared school leavers and university graduates. Of course, in retailing, as the case of The Body Shop clearly illustrates, UK management style is highly successful, as most of the negative cultural influences do not affect their performance i n the industry, while the positive ones are those that really matter and provide them with a competitive edge. We have looked at the British management style as at a national level, but this is not the only option. Style may also be construed diachronically, as an expression of a society -and a world- in transition. With this in mind, one might ask what the future will bring in British management. The chances must favour a gradual convergence with Western Europe in ways of managing and organizing, if only because so many influences lead that way. But it is likely to be drawing together that will never completely come together. In other words there are likely to be more similarities, but differences will persist. 5. Notes In fact, Hofstede (1993) explicitly argues that culturally, Europe does not exist. In his studies (1984), the EU countries seem to broaden diachronically their already well-established heterogeneity in terms of cultural values. He also comments on a paradox: despite the fact that Europeans are genetically more homogenous relatively to North Americans, culturally they are significantly more heterogeneous. The notion that Europeans are culturally alike, even if they look more or less alike, goes against the initial optimism of the founders of the EU, who believed in cultural convergence through economic activity. It is still in conflict with the assumptions of many national politicians, journalists, members of the public, and particularly, many non-Europeans. Moreover, the traditional conflicting nature of the relationship between the working and the middle class puts in question even the existence of a homogenous English culture. However, similarities between the two classes are far greater than their differences. Also, their exposition to common social institutions and a constant fusion of values and attitudes among them is such that, in the end, their only basic difference lies to their family upbringing (Tayeb, 1993). It would be, therefore, safe to assume that the two classes are sufficiently alike to talk about an English culture. Besides, there is possibly no nation in which total class homogeneity exists, but historically, this fact did not pose serious threats to the emergence of distinctive national cultures. Of course, the contemporary economy can hardly be called a pure version of capitalism since it is characterized by a mixture of freedom and control, and of private and state enterprise. The emphasis on freedom or control shifted from time to time depending on the policies pursued by the government of the day (conservative governments applied no control beyond fiscal policies, while labour governments tended to use direct control mechanisms). The strongest weapon the British employ for their persuasion to be as gentle as possible is, of course, their humor. Their readiness to joke about business matters is very distinctive. Efficiency, productivity and profit are constant targets for wisecracks. Humor is seen as a device for distancing the unpleasant parts of business life and a safety valve for preserving managerial sanity, perhaps a means of coping with defeat. However, as Barsoux and Lawrence (1990) argue, exactly because jokes suspend reality momentarily, British managers are left with the option not to react. The subversive impact of jokes prevents them of being effective as change agents. The theme of Big Business which was dominant in Europe till the early 1980s failed to respond to the changing European environment since then (low labour productivity growth, high unemployment, slow innovation and low profit margins). The transaction cost theory (Hennart, 2000) or internalisation theory (Buckley and Casson, 1978) provides us with a consistent explanation based on the premise that variations in transaction costs alter the optimum size of firms. Hence, falling transaction costs since 1980s forced a fall in the optimum size of firms making the National Champions highly uncompetitive and SMEs (mostly family-businesses) the emerging pattern. According to others (e.g. Lane, 1989; Jones, 1994), the decentralised nature of UK management is mostly a result of the way British firms actually grew, in effect, through mergers and acquisitions rather than organic growth. This pattern created large firms consisted of a number of small firms, which did not undertake a thorough rationalization of production activity. Such a structure necessitated a decentralised mode of decision-making, regardless of what sentiments top management had on this matter. Lane (1989) provides data from the IMS which illustrate that in contrast to Germany and other advanced European economies, British young people have until very recently gone straight into employment after finishing their compulsory secondary schooling without receiving any vocational education at all. Investment in training by industry has been estimated by Porter (1990) at far less than 1% of revenues in Britain, compared to 2% in Germany and 3% in Japan. For comparative purposes, Germany is found to be far more ahead than UK in the rate of enterprises using the technically most advanced processes and machinery, such as CAD, CNC tools and flexible manufacturing systems. The faster adoption of sophisticated technological devices and processes by Germans can explain their superiority over British firms in high-technology products (Lane, 1989). Porter (1998) uses the term cluster to refer to the geographical concentrations of interconnected companies in a particular location. Other terms used in bibliography for the same purpose, more or less, are agglomeration and industrial districts.
Sunday, January 19, 2020
How my brother leon brought home a wife
â€Å"How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife†Leon and Bald waited for the arrival of Maria at the barrio. Maria was afraid that she will not be accepted by Loon's father because she may not able to adapt their way of living in the province. Bald was ignoring to his older brother's question about why did d they have to go to WAIS instead of Camino Real. The reason is that their father wanted to t est. Maria if she is worthy to be Loon's wife. Bald discussed their travel to his father. Appreciate Maria. Because she accepted and respected Leon for what he areaIll is. She didn't care what Loon's life back in Encumbrance. She was a supportive and a love inning wife to Leon. She was so endearing and kindhearted lady. She was very keen to meet Loon's family. The fact that the rural is different from the city can be somewhat disco raging but the closer hey get to the house, Maria still manages to overcome any trials. SSH e admits for having some fear, but she also shows clearly it d id not stop her. Believe that social status is not a hindrance if you truly love each other. How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife Baldo and his older brother Leon were both waiting for their visitor riding a carratela. When Baldo sa his older brother's wife, who is Maria, he was amazed by her beauty as he narrates their journey to their home in Nagrebcan. Maria was felt a bit anxious because of meeting Leon and Baldo's parents for the first time, but along their way home, she discovered the differences of the life of the people lived there and the life in the city where she met and fell in love with Leon. Leon and Baldo waited for the arrival of Maria at the barrio.Maria was afraid that she won't be accepted by Leon's father because she may not able to adapt their way of living in the province. Baldo was ignoring to his older brother's question about why did they have to go to Waig instead of Camino Real. (The reason is that their father wanted to test Maria if she is worthy to be Leon's wife.) Baldo discussed their travel to his father.Leon's entire family talked to Maria. his Father's voice became livelier th an before when he talked to her (which means he accepted her wholeheartedly.) We should respect and accept one's life.Social status is not a hindrance if you truly love each other. Meeting your special someone to your family is the right thing to do. One may have to sacrifice small part of his/her life in order to have a happy life.Leon/Noel – Maria's husband, older brother of BaldoMaria – Leon's wifeBaldo – Leon's younger brother, also the narrator of this story Mother and Father of Leon and BaldoAurelia – Leon and Baldo's younger sisterLabang – the carabaoWe should respect and accept one's life. Social status is not a hindrance if you truly love each other. Meeting your special someone to your family is the right thing to do. One may have to sacrifice small part of his/her life in order to have a happy life.
Saturday, January 11, 2020
National Museum of Anthropology
Armageddon, judgment day, doomsday, annihilationâ€â€dark as they may be in connotation, these are the terms many people associate with 21st December 2012. In anticipation, astrologists, scientists, and media men have foreshadowed the near future with a catastrophic picture of the earth’s end. As time approaches, public obsession on the earth’s destruction continues to spread, leaving us to our own interpretations and causing panic to the general public, including of course the business sector. As the day draws near, people question themselves how they should prepare for the destruction.Undoubtedly, many religious followers will form big crowds in churches and houses of worship to plead for God’s mercy. At the same time, computer programmers may think this phenomenon as another Y2K in the making, thus backing up files and creating new programs seem rational at this point. Moreover, some governments have already pronounced concern on the issue, and pushed some efforts to prevent disaster. However, in the midst of all these, it is equally wise to consider pondering on the phenomenon with skepticism. This way, we could come up with a good judgment of whether to believe the prophecy or not.The 2012 hysteria started with the observation that the 13th Baktun of the Mayan Long Count calendar, also referred to as the Aztec calendar, ends on 12-21-2012, a winter solstice (Soveign 2008; Eden n. d. ; Cooper n. d. ). The calendar which is carved on the Aztec â€Å"sun stone†is currently on exhibit in the National Museum of Anthropology and History in Chapultepec Park, Mexico City. Relevantly, some people ponder that since the â€Å"sun stone†shows days of the sun, its final day which is December 21, 2012 ultimately predicts the â€Å"end of the sun.†History recounts a number of phenomena predicted by the Mayas, some of which include solar and lunar eclipses, taking into consideration the rotation of the earth and its speed. T he Mayas also predicted that in 1996, people would create an inter-dimensional network that could enable people to communicate despite a far distance such as the Internet. These prophecies establish reliability of the Mayas and their Long Count calendar in predicting future astrological events.In line with the 2012 phenomenon, many are awed by the Mayan prophecy as the date corresponds with the galactic alignment in which â€Å"the ecliptic of our solar system will intersect with the Galactic plane, called the ‘Galactic Equator’ of the Milky Way. †(Eden n. d. ) At the same time, the earth will also be aligned with the center of the Galaxy where there is maximum mass. This alignment, which never occurred before could definitely cause disruption in the earth’s activity. Furthermore, the said date coincides with the earth’s solar maximum.During this time, solar flares, sunspots, and coronal mass ejections are strongest. These flares come from the sun and shoot through planets, discharging radiation and strong electrical currents and causing problems for satellites, communications, and power grids. (Raeder, as mentioned in Eden n. d. ) An investigation conducted by NASA's THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms) satellite declares that conversely, galactic alignment will create â€Å"a huge breach,†allowing more sun particles to come in, possibly causing great danger to both living and non-living creatures.Implications to Different Sectors In line with the upcoming phenomenon, investors to electric and power companies should take precautions in the next three years. Due to strong electrical currents predicted by experts, power failure may likewise take into play. On the contrary, those who have invested in solar energy might reap the harvest, though this still needs in-depth investigation. Moreover, since the forecasted catastrophe is caused by the flares of the sun, it basically implie s earth’s need to contradict the main force, which is heat energy.To control excessive amount of heat onto the earth’s surface, we may need to make serious efforts to counter this by taking better care of our environment. Basically, plant and marine life, which produce the greatest amount of oxygen should be multiplied in order to save the planet. While the Mayan prediction and scientific explorations offer substantial explanation regarding the 2012 catastrophe, let us consider how other sectors of the society react to the said end. In particular, we may note portions of the business sector that thrive from the said prophecy.For example, Sony Pictures Entertainment will release a movie titled, â€Å"2012†in November this year. This movie, directed by Roland Emmerich, centers on the doomsday of 2012 based on the Mayan prophecy. As early as last year, the movie outfit has already released a teaser trailer and launched a Web site that not only promotes the film bu t also invites viewers to register for lottery. Similarly, a number of Web sites (i. e. , December212012. com) that have been established are used not only to promulgate the news but also to sell products that bear captions related to 2012 phenomenon.Some of these include books, t-shirts, caps, and other accessories. All these reveal a hidden agendum of how some profit makers earn from the panic they have just caused the people. These also give the impression of how this prophecy would culminate to a meaningless end similar to prophecies made in the past, such as the Y2K. The truth regarding galactic alignment offers enough warning for everyone to start preparing for the next cycle of weather disturbances and natural disasters. Although many visionaries including Nostradamus (mentioned in December212012.com) offer common views regarding doomsday, we should not allow ourselves to be victims to profit-seekers who proliferate the news only for their personal gain. May this also serve a s a call to stop sensationalizing the issue because at the end of the day, no one can really predict what exactly will happen in the future. Furthermore, may this remind media people and Web authors of their responsibility to our people to tell and live the truth. Works Cited Cooper, Adrian. â€Å"The Year 2012. †(n. d. ). Retrieved 4 March 2009 < http://www. whatismetaphysics. com/year2012. html>. Eden, Dan. â€Å"December 21, 2012: The Real Doomsday? †(n. d. ).Viewzone. Retrieved 3 March 2009 . Emmerich, Roland. â€Å"2012. †(2009). [Film]. NY: Sony Pictures Entertainment. â€Å"History Presents Nostradamus 2012. †(2006). Retrieved 3 March 2009 < http://www. december212012. com/articles/news/History_To_Air_New_Nostradamus_Special. htm>. Raeder, Jimmy. â€Å"Important Update: January 2009. †In Eden, Dan. â€Å"December 21, 2012: The Real Doomsday? †(n. d. ). Retrieved 3 March 2009 . â€Å"Soveign, Mark. â€Å"What Exactly will Happe n in 2012? †(2008). Retrieved 4 March 2009 .
Friday, January 3, 2020
History and Invention of Gasoline
Gasoline was not invented, it is a natural by-product of the petroleum industry, kerosene being the principal product. Gasoline is produced by distillation, the separating of the volatile, more valuable fractions of crude petroleum. However, what was invented were the numerous processes and agents needed to improve the quality of gasoline making it a better commodity. The Automobile When the history of the automobile was heading in the direction of becoming the number one method of transportation. There was created a need for new fuels. In the ​nineteenth century, coal, gas, camphene, and kerosene made from petroleum were being used as fuels and in lamps. However, automobile engines required fuels that needed petroleum as a raw material. Refineries could not convert crude oil into gasoline fast enough as automobiles were rolling off the ​assembly line. Cracking There was a need for improvement in the refining process for fuels that would prevent engine knocking and increase engine efficiency. Especially for the new high compression automobile engines that were being designed. The processes that were invented to improve the yield of gasoline from crude oil were known as cracking. In petroleum refining, cracking is a process by which heavy hydrocarbon molecules are broken up into lighter molecules by means of heat, pressure, and sometimes catalysts. Thermal Cracking: William Meriam Burton Cracking is the number one process for the commercial production of gasoline. In 1913, thermal cracking was invented by William Meriam Burton, a process that employed heat and high pressures. Catalytic Cracking Eventually, catalytic cracking replaced thermal cracking in gasoline production. Catalytic cracking is the application of catalysts that create chemical reactions, producing more gasoline. The catalytic cracking process was invented by Eugene Houdry in 1937. Additional Processes Other methods used to improve the quality of gasoline and increase its supply including: Polymerization: converting gaseous olefins, such as propylene and butylene, into larger molecules in the gasoline rangeAlkylation: a process combining an olefin and paraffin such as isobutaneIsomerization: the conversion of straight-chain hydrocarbons to branched-chain hydrocarbonsReforming: using either heat or a catalyst to rearrange a molecular structure Timeline of Gasoline and Fuel Improvements 19th-century fuels for the automobile were coal tar distillates and the lighter fractions from the distillation of crude oil.On September 5, 1885, the first gasoline pump was manufactured by Sylvanus Bowser of Fort Wayne, Indiana and delivered to Jake Gumper, also of Fort Wayne. The gasoline pump tank had marble valves and wooden plungers and had a capacity of one barrel.On September 6, 1892, the first gasoline-powered tractor, manufactured by John Froelich of Iowa, was shipped to Langford, South Dakota, where it was employed in threshing for approximately 2 months. It had a vertical single-cylinder gasoline engine mounted on wooden beams and drove a J. I. Case threshing machine. Froelich formed the Waterloo Gasoline Tractor Engine Company, which was later acquired by the John Deere Plow Company.On June 11, 1895, the first U.S. patent for a gasoline-powered automobile was issued to Charles Duryea of Springfield, Massachusetts.By the early 20th century, the oil companies w ere producing gasoline as a simple distillate from petroleum.During the 1910s, laws prohibited the storage of gasoline on residential properties.On January 7, 1913, William Meriam Burton received a patent for his cracking process to convert oil to gasoline.On January 1, 1918, the first U.S. gasoline pipeline began transporting gasoline through a three-inch pipe over 40 miles from Salt Creek to Casper, Wyoming.Charles Kettering modified an internal combustion engine to run on kerosene. However, kerosene-fueled engine knocked and would crack the cylinder head and pistons.Thomas Midgley Jr. discovered that the cause of the knocking was from the kerosene droplets vaporizing on combustion. Anti-knock agents were researched by Midgley, culminating in tetraethyl lead being added to fuel.On February 2, 1923, for the first time in U.S. history ethyl gasoline was marketed. This took place in Dayton, Ohio.In 1923, Almer McDuffie McAfee developed the petroleum industrys first commercially viable catalytic cracking process, a method that could double or even triple the gasoline yielded from crude oil by then-standard distillation methods.By the mid-1920s, gasoline was 40 to 60 Octane.By the 1930s, the petroleum industry stopped using kerosene.Eugene Houdry invented the catalytic cracking of low-grade fuel into high test gasoline in 1937.During the 1950s, the increase of the compression ratio and higher octane fuels occurred. Lead levels increased and new refining processes (hydrocracking) began.In 1960, Charles Plank and Edward Rosinski patented (U.S. #3,140,249) the first zeolite catalyst commercially useful in the petroleum industry for catalytic cracking of petroleum into lighter products such as gasoline.In the 1970s, unleaded fuels were introduced.From 1970 until 1990 lead was phased out.In 1990, the Clean Air Act created major changes on gasoline, rightfully intended to eliminate pollution.
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