Employee Monitoring at work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Employee Monitoring at work - Essay Example Video Surveillance. Employers use video surveillance to monitor their employees' behaviors. Some cameras are placed in open and noticeable areas, while others may be installed secretly so employees do not know they are present. Electronic Mail (e-mail) and Voice Mail Monitoring. Many employers monitor employees' e-mail and voice mail. E-mail provides options to employers to ask for "Receipt Request," "Priority Category" to see when employees use email, whether employees received the message, etc. Employers use many kinds of employee monitoring systems. They include electronic monitoring, computer monitoring, video surveillance, teams of investigators posing as friends, undercover operatives, spying, eavesdropping/wiretapping, electronic mail and voice mail monitoring, and active badge. The advantages to employees is objectivity, consistency, and accuracy in performance appraisal, feedback on work performance with the aim of improving work methods, and geographical and time flexibility by facilitating telecommunication and To the employees, the disadvantages are privacy invasion, discouragement of high quality work with the emphasis on speed and other quantitative measurements, and work stress resulting in health issues. To the emplo

Crisis Diplomacy Essay Example for Free

Crisis Diplomacy Essay In 1994 Rwanda, a small central African country was put into international limelight. In a span of 100 days almost half a million of its citizens were killed, a concentrated slaughter of the Tutsi by the Hutu, a modern genocide that overwhelm anyone that bothered to care. As horrific events unfold everyday and cries for help bellow in Rwanda the international community took the back seat. We are living in an era that already witness appalling massacres beforehand but still the world stood still and left Rwanda to tend to its own woes. After the crisis in Rwanda was over the international community then took notice. Questions on how and why the killings happen arise but most importantly what could have been done to prevent it. Together with the United Nations many developed countries faced scrutiny about polices created during this crisis. This paper will look into the non-intervention policy of the Unites States during the genocide using rational actor model. The aim is to understand why the United States vehemently stood by the policy even after repeated call to intervene. Using the rational actor model this paper will try to answer the questions: What was the goal of the government about peacekeeping missions in Africa? What are the alternative responses considered and why it was abandoned? Lastly what other actions could the administration take to be able to improve the decision making during such crisis. Background of the Rwanda Crisis The Original Hutus and Tutsis Ancestors of the modern Hutus and Tutsis initially lived in symbiosis throughout the region. Some are herders of cattle while others are croppers. They form the beliefs, culture and one of the official languages, Kinya-rwanda that is still being shared by both groups until today. Before colonizers arrived society is structured based on ancestry or on allegiance to a chief (Leave none to tell). Majority of the early Rwandans are croppers who are short and broad other are herders who are tall and thin then a small number of them are foragers who are smaller that the croppers. As Rwanda emerges as a nation, power and wealth is shaped by the size of followers and count of herds respectively (Leave none to tell). Both the croppers and herders held power and wealth. In the 19th century Rwabugiri came into power and stirred Rwanda to opulence. He was an expansionist and started conquering lands with disregard whether they are croppers or herders. (Des Forges). Under his rule anyone that was conquered was labeled as Hutu meaning follower. While territories expand and wealth is accumulated the wealthier ones started to view those with lesser assets as an inferior race. Eventually the word Tutsi which formerly means cattle owner is associated with the elites and the word Hutu evolve to pertain to anyone belonging to the masses (Leave none to tell). Majority of the population during this period are Hutus while the Tutsis occupy the small nobility. However distinction between the two is flexible thus they cannot be differentiated into an ethnic group and hostility is scarce (Jones). Marriage between Hutus and Tutsis was not unheard of as well. Both the Hutus and Tutsis mold the complex hierarchy within the country. Although the Tutsis are the elites some Hutus still hold significant power over some parts of the land. Transformation of the Hutus and Tutsis By the 20th century the Germans and the Belgians arrived and colonized the land. The Germans first arrived then after the World War I the Belgians settled in Rwanda. The actions and racial assumptions of these colonizers will set ground for repressed hatred of the Hutus that will fuel the genocide. When the Belgians arrived the complex hierarchy that is pre-existing in Rwanda was viewed as troublesome to understand so they decided to change the current political structure. Based on the racial assumptions that Europeans are the superior race they decide to rule over the Rwandans and divide the nation based of assumptions common to early Europeans. Using physical features as guide they believed that the Tutsis, who are mostly tall and thin, are closely related to them in the evolution ladder therefore they are superior like Europeans. The Hutus, who are smaller and bulkier, and who look less like the colonizers are uncivilized (Jones). The Belgians then practice this bias view to withdraw power and authority to any Hutus and give preferential advantages to Tutsis in terms of politics, education, and wealth (Unit Four). To ease identification the Belgians launched a policy for Rwandans to carry identification cards that state whether they are Tutsis or Hutus. This permanent record of membership was fully accepted by the Tutsis and for years they enjoy affluences. Conversely, the Hutus collectively feel the domination and their years of oppression will swell into violence to recapture lost authority Habyarimana Regime In September 1959 the Union Nationale Rwandaise or UNAR was formed, a political party mostly comprised of the ruling Tutsi elite, to put pressure on Belgians to relinquish power to them. In response the Belgians started to support the Hutu party called Parti du Mouvement de lEmancipation Hutu or PARMEHUTU (History of a People). PARMEHUTU aim to end the monarchy rule of the Tutsi. Series of vicious killings followed where thousand of Tutsi were killed and others fled to various countries like Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda (Rwanda: How). At first the PARMEHUTU mostly targeted Tutsi officials and supporters while ordinary Tutsi are still spared. To restore order the Belgians then assimilate more Hutu in the local government (Leave none to tell). Then in 1961 with the help of local Hutu officials the PARMEHUTU won the first election with 77. 7% of the votes (Rwanda Political). From then on the PARMEHUTU hold the majority in the government they ended the monarchy by the Tutsi and establish the Hutu-led republic. On July 1, 1962 the Belgians eventually relinquish the power and awarded sovereignty to Rwandans. The PARMAHETU retained the discriminatory identity cards even after independence (Leave none to tell). However, the tables are turned; the once advantageous card for the Tutsi became their ticket to prejudice or worst death. Tutsi refugees continued to make efforts to return to Rwanda through guerilla attacks at the border they were considered by the government as rebels. The PARMAHETU then used these attacks as propaganda to promote unity among Hutus. Tutsis that are still in the country were targeted and accused of accommodating the rebels. Hostility towards the Tutsis perpetuated for years. They were subjected in constant fear for just being a Tutsi (Leave none to tell). President Gregoire Kayibanda of the First Republic even used the killings of Tutsi to keep the Hutu in the majority (History of a People). After a coup d’etat by President Kayibanda’s army chief, General Juvenal Habyarimana, the Second Republic was established (Leave none to tell). Habyarimana then institute the Mouvement Revolutionnaire Nationale pour le Developpement or MRND in 1975. Rwanda then was transformed into a single-party state were all citizens are automatic members. Habyarimana manage to remain in power until his death in 1994 through manipulation of the elections where he is the sole candidate (Rwanda Political). For years President Habyarimana and his cronies reap the reward of being the only one in power. Inevitably a call for change among opposition Hutu compels President Habyarimana to let opposition parties to organize. In 1991 several parties emerge, the significant parties are: Mouvement Democratique Republicain/ Democratic Republican Movement/MDR, Parti Liberal/Liberal Party/PL, Parti Social Democrate/Democratic and Socialist Party/PSD, Parti Democrate Chretien/ Democratic Christian Party/PDC, and the Coalition pour la Defense de la Republique/ Coalition for the Defense of the Republic/CDR (Leave none to tell). These parties will vital roles during and after the genocide. The RPF From President Gregoire Kayibanda of the First Republic to President Major General Juvenal Habyarimana of the Second Republic the Tutsi continued to suffer from bigotry. Both these presidents even used the killing of Tutsis as a mean to promote solidarity among Hutus (Leave none to tell). Amidst all of the aggression towards the Tutsi the Tutsi refugees in Uganda formed the Rwandese Patriotic Front or RPF, a guerrilla organization aimed to return the refugees to Rwanda. It was initially a peaceful movement seeking diplomatic resolution to the refugee problem (History of a People). The RPF made some promising advancement in resolving the problem. Three joint meetings with Uganda and the commission created by President Habyarimana transpired from 1989 to July1990 (Leave none to tell). However, negotiations ended when the RPF decided to invade Rwanda on October 1990 not only to re-establish the refugees but to overthrow the dictatorship of Habyarimana. The initial attack of the RPF was used by the radical Hutus to incite disdain towards Tutsis. President Habyarimana also used the invasion as a black propaganda to rebuild his waning reputation. (Rwanda: How). To win back support he promulgated the RPF as the common adversary of the nation (Unit Four). Retaliations between Hutu and the RPF shaped the civil war that lasted for three years. Pressure from the international community prompted Habyarimana in agreeing to a mediated peace talk. And on August 4th, 1993 the Arusha Peace Agreement was signed in Arusha, Tanzania. The agreement aim to end the civil war and it stipulates the following accords: formation of the rule of law, power-sharing, repatriation of refugees, and the merging of MDR and RPF armies. (History of a People). The Arusha Peace Agreement and the UNAMIR The Arusha Peace Agreement sought to end the civil war in Rwanda. Its protocols are essential in achieving lasting peace in Rwanda. It was also agreed that within 37 days after the signing of the agreement a broad-based transitional government or BBTG and national assembly will be established. The transition period was expected to last up to 22 months after which elections will take place (History of a People; Dallaire Poulin 66). To help in the implementation of the agreement on October 1993 the Security Council of the United Nations invokes resolution 872 (1993) and organized the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda or UNAMIR. It authorized 2,500 peacekeeping forces (Dallaire Poulin 66) to preserve the fragile cease-fire between the MRND and RPF after the agreement. The UNAMIR was initially headed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Rwanda Jacques-Roger Booh-Booh of Cameroon then succeeded by Shaharyar M. Khan of Pakistan. Two Canadian military officers served as Force Commander: Major-General Romeo A. Dallaire 1993-1994 followed by Major-General Guy Tousignant after them Brigadier-General Shiva Kumar of Pakistan took over the post until 1996 (United Nations Assist; Unamir). Initial directives of the UNAMIR are: securing the capital city of Kigali; uphold the cease-fire treaty; observe activities during the BBTG until the elections; help in clearing mines; and assist in synchronization of humanitarian assistance activities together with relief operations (Unasog). To start off the mission the UN then call for volunteers but only Belgium and Bangladesh heeded the call. The combine force was about 800 troops (Unamir:Background) it was deployed and it arrived in Kigali on December 1993 (United Nations Assist). However, it took another five months before the 2,500 authorized forced was reached (Unamir:Background). In the report of the Secretary-General by the end of December he stated that most parts of phase 1 are already fulfilled. Despite some uncompromising standpoint between parties the cease fire holds and MRND and RPF continued to be amiable towards one another. Major-General Dallaire then wanted to proceed with plans in phase 2 (United Nations Assist). On January 1994 the BBTG and the National Assembly was expected to be put into place but it never materialize. The failure of the MRND, RPF and other political parties to agree on some issues as well as selection of their respective members belated further implementation of the Arusha Agreement. Due to this the phase 1 of the mission was not completed and UNAMIR cannot proceed into phase 2 (United Nations Assist). The UNAMIR continued to face setback in completing its mandate. As the situation in Rwanda continued to intensify it will go through numerous adjustments in its mandate from the time of the genocide until the withdrawal of the mission in 1996 (United Nations Assist). Genocide Many Hutu radicals do not accept the Arusha Agreement since they do not want to share power with the Tutsi. Also the military was alarmed of the provision to merge the MRND and RPF forces. Many of them fear the merger will discharge them from the military service. Since a military career entails power and privilege many of the high-level officials and military personnel are not willing to give it up (Leave none to tell). As early as 1992 the radicals have already premeditated the eradication of the Tutsi to resolve the growing political problem in Rwanda (Jones). The catalyst for the genocide happened on April 1994 when the plane carrying President Habyarimana and President Cyprien Ntaryamira of Burundi was shot down while trying to land in Kigali. Perpetrators of the assassination are still unknown until today. But ensuing chaos that followed tattooed into the mind of hearts of the international community. Due to the demise of the President Habyarimana, Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana, became the head of state (Power). Major-General Dallaire was alarmed about the news since Prime Minister Uwilingiyimana is a representative from the opposition party MDR (Leave none to tell). A known moderate Hutu that opposed President Habyarimana. Since the general knew beforehand, that plans to exterminate Tutsi and moderate Hutu are happening in the background, he feared for Uwilingiyimana life (Power). Dallaire send 10 Belgian UNAMIR peacekeepers to protect her but within day they were all killed by the radical Hutu. These initials events escalate to the systematic killings of over a million Tutsi and moderate Hutu. No one was spared woman, men, and even children were mercilessly hacked by machetes. It was coordinate by the top Hutu authorities in the country (Rwanda: How). But most of the killings were executed by the ordinary people. The killing spree will continue for days thousands of terrified Tutsi call for help but none arrive. Individual countries did send out missions to Rwanda but only to extract their own citizens. The UNAMIR was not able to offer much help as well since engaging the radical Hutu is not part of its mandate (Power). With no help in sight the Tutsi are left like sitting ducks to the Hutus who hunted them to extinction. The Hutus almost succeeded but on July 1994 the RPF was able to capture Kigali and drove the radical elements to either Zaire, now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Tanzania. The genocide finally ended but it leaves a lasting impression to every Hutu and Tutsi alike. Analysis It was March 1998, four years after the genocide, when President Bill Clinton issued the so called Clinton Apology. He addressed the survivors of the genocide and express regret that the United States was not able to do more to help Rwanda. Upon hearing the emotional apology anyone without background knowledge of events could construed that the United States did help but it was just not enough (Power). However policies of the United States towards the incident were no help to Rwandans. The primary policy of no intervention may have caused thousands of lives that could have been saved if only help was sent. Another Somalia Before the wake of the Rwanda genocide the United States was traumatized by the events the happen in the intervention in Somalia. The humanitarian mission seemed to be uncomplicated: to restore peace and bring food to the famine stricken country. But as the mission progress it became clear that dealing with the warlords could eventually bring the peace in the land. When the American forces confronted Mohammed Farah Aideed, the most powerful warlord, the result was the death of 18 soldiers. The price to pay for the intervention was crystal clear and the troops were summoned back home (Utley). From then on the United States is not willing to pay that price again (Rwanda: the Preventable). When the news of the genocide hit the international community many countries feel that an action should be taken as early as possible but the Unites States was not ecstatic to help right away. The US also did not persuade the UN to take action. Two things came in mind: the need for the UN to sanction another humanitarian force and the foreseeable failure of that mission which will eventually be withdrawn. This is Somalia all over again (Ferroggiaro). The goal of the Clinton administration is to avoid another Somalia and staying away from the Rwanda crisis was the clear choice to achieve this goal. Observers argued that the oblivious attitude of the US toward the genocide was due to the fact that Rwanda holds no economic or strategic interest to the US (Caroll). In defense the administration dismissed this notion. They believe the UN will lose more once another humanitarian mission fail than not doing any action (Power). Alternative actions Although the policy to shun away from the Rwanda crisis was the surmounting choice other alternatives was presented on how to deal with the crisis. One proposed alternative that is in line with the goal of no military intervention is the prevention of arms importation to Rwanda. The proposal came from senator Paul Simon and senator James Jeffords (Ferroggiaro). However this proposal is ineffective since majority of the weapons used in the genocide are ordinary farming tools already available to the Hutu, one good example is the machete (Power). Another option is to thwart the operation of the Radio-Television libre des mille collines. It is a government owned radio station infamous for its anti-Tutsi propaganda (Rwanda: The Preventable). The radio station assisted the genocide by continuing to broadcast hate towards the Tutsi even letting the mob know where Tutsis could be found and encourage the mob to pursue and kill the Tutsi. Since the radio station was owned by the Hutu dominated government it is easy to instill a good image for the Hutus. The lack of other forms of media, mainly because the government has monopoly of everything, made the broadcast of the radio as the ultimate truth (Braunshweig). Lieutenant Colonel Tony Marley, the U. S. military liaison to the Arusha Agreement, proposed three courses of action: demolish the radio’s antenna, contradict the hate campaign by broadcasting a call to stop the killing, and just distort the radio’s broadcast. But this alternative was again deemed as ineffective and costly to implement. According to the Pentagon the terrain in Rwanda will diminish the capability of the jamming device. Also the total cost to transport and setup the device will be excessive (Power). Although all of these directives are indirect intervention and still in line with the goal none were considered as a course of action. The arms restriction does seem to be ineffective since as shown by the media most of the killers are carrying machetes. However the attempt to stop hate broadcast could have made a difference in the death toll. It might not stop the war but it could help in saving lives of specially those specifically targeted by the Hutu. It was clear however that to stop the war the military will be needed. This action would be a direct contradiction to the goal of not repeating the failure of Somalia. The other alternatives on the other hand are inefficient and ineffective to help alleviate the situation. In the end the United State made a choice not to intervene with the internal affair of Rwanda. As presented the choice was the most rational to be able to keep the national interest of the country. The model used was able to answer the question why did the United States choose this policy and was able to give an insight to events that lead to that decision. In one perspective this decision was the better option. Since this crisis do not have any effect to national security. It is best that resources are allocated to more pressing matters. As callous as it might sound if ever the Hutus were successful in wiping out the Tutsi it will have no effect to the national interest of the United States. But on the other hand, using moral judgment, one is compelled to help those who are in need. However one must take into consideration on how far should we help. Sending military forces to intervene might be able to help put the radical elements at bay but this will not fully achieve the peace that Rwanda direly need. It can only be resolved by Rwandans themselves. The main reason for the violence was the deeply rooted hatred towards one another. With no distinct features to separate the Tutsi from a Hutu anymore, the realization that they are one will be the first step of the Rwandans to progress. References Carroll, Rory. â€Å"US chose to ignore Rwandan genocide†. The Guardian. 31 Mar 2004. Guardian News and Media Limited. 15 May 2008. http://www. guardian. co. uk/world/2004/mar/31/usa. rwanda Braunshweig, Jessica. â€Å"Analysis: Rwanda war debates medias role†. Union Press International. 21 Deb 2007. United Press International. 15 May 2008. http://www. upi. com/International_Intelligence/Analysis/2007/02/21/analysis_rwanda_war_debates_medias_role/4186/print_view/ Dallaire, R and Poulin, B. â€Å"UNAMIR Mission to Rwanda†. Joint Force Quarterly. 1995: 66-71. Des Forges, Alison. â€Å"When a Foreign Country Rebels: The Ideology and Practice of War in Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Rwanda. † Symposium on Warfare and Society in Africa. (1990). Ferroggiaro, William. â€Å"The U. S. and the Genocide in Rwanda 1994†. The National Security Archive. 24 Mar 2004. National Security Archive. 15 May 2008 http://www. gwu. edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB117/index. htm#used Utley, Garrick. â€Å"Crossing the line†. CNN. 15 May 2008. http://www. cnn. com/SPECIALS/2000/democracy/bigger. picture/stories/intervention/ â€Å"History of a People†. Official Website of the Government of Rwanda. 14 May 2008. http://www. gov. rw/government/historyf. html Jones, Adam. â€Å"Case Study: Genocide in Rwanda, 1994†. Gendercide Watch. 14 May 2008. http://www. gendercide. org/case_rwanda. html#top â€Å"Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda†. Human Rights Watch. Mar 1999. 14 May 2008. http://www. hrw. org/reports/1999/rwanda/Geno1-3-09. htm Power, Samantha. â€Å"Bystanders to Genocide†. theAtlantic. com. Sep 2001. Atlantic Monthly. 15 May 2008. http://www. theatlantic. com/doc/200109/power-genocide/3 â€Å"Rwanda: How the genocide happened†. BBC News. 1 Apr 2004. BBC. 14 May 2008. http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/world/africa/1288230. stm â€Å"Rwanda Political parties†. Encyclopedia of the Nations. Advameg Inc. 14 May 2008. http://www. nationsencyclopedia. com/Africa/Rwanda-POLITICAL-PARTIES. html â€Å"Rwanda: The Preventable Genocide†. ReliefWeb. 7 Jul 2000. Organisation for African Unity (OAU). 15 May 2008. http://www. reliefweb. int/rw/rwb. nsf/db900sid/OCHA-64DEEY? OpenDocument â€Å"UNAMIR: Background†. United Nations. 15 May 2008. http://www. un. org/Depts/dpko/dpko/co_mission/unamirS. htm â€Å"UNASOG†. United Nations. 15 May 2008. http://www. un. org/Depts/dpko/dpko/co_mission/unamirM. htm â€Å"UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION FOR RWANDA†. George Mason University.

Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Essay -- Plagiarism at State Univers

As students of high school and college, and even in the professional world, we are asked to research and write on subjects that are seen to be important. The research that we are asked to do, has been done many times in the past, which means people are bound to use others’ ideas and words with no recognition, sometimes without even knowing it. This leads to plagiarism, which is something many people have heard of, but never learned the true definition and the harm it can create. Schools and society need to be more proactive in explaining what plagiarism is, how to write correctly in order to prevent it, and teach the consequences plagiarism has. What is Plagiarism? According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, to â€Å"plagiarize† means, â€Å"to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own, to use (another's production) without crediting the source, to commit literary theft, to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source†(â€Å"Plagiarism Merriam Webster†, 2014). Not many people realize this, but plagiarism is an act of fraud since you are stealing something and claiming it as your own (â€Å"Overview-Plagiarism†, 2014). It may seem that copying a peace of writing is irrelevant to the law, and not important enough to be a crime, but the U.S. laws recognizes original ideas as intellectual property. Documented original ideas and words are protected by the copyright law(plag.org). An additional source, The Writing and Humanistic Studies of MIT, states the definition of plagiarism is, Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s ideas or language without ack nowledging that they were not created by you. This definition applies to ideas, words and unusual structures regardless of where you find ... ...egrity and Plagiarism. (n.d.). English Language and Literatures. (2014). Retrieved January 20, 2014, from https://liberal- arts.wright.edu/english-language-and-literatures/university-writing- program/academic-integrity-and-plagiarism Avoiding Plagiarism. (n.d.). Writing and Humanistic Studies. Retrieved January 20, 2014, from http://writing.mit.edu/wcc/avoidingplagiarism OFFICE OF COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND STUDENT CONDUCT. (n.d.). Code of Conduct. (2012). Retrieved January 20, 2014, from http://www.wright.edu/students/judicial/integrity.html Overview - Plagiarism.org - Best Practices for Ensuring Originality in Written Work. (n.d.). Plagiarism.org. Retrieved January 20, 2014, from http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/overview Plagiarism. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster. Retrieved January 19, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plagiarism

Essay --

Petrini was enraged by all of this, and rallied his friends and the local community to protest against this worldwide industrialization of food by arming themselves with simple bowls of locally cooked, traditional pasta. They chanted, â€Å"We don’t want fast food †¦ we want slow food!† This initial idea developed gradually and three years later, in 1989, delegates from fifteen countries met in Paris to approve and endorse The Slow Food Manifesto, co-founded by Folco Portinari (Italian literary historian and University professor), and accordingly the Slow Food movement was officially established. It is a non-profit, grassroots movement, which now has thousands of members across the globe, that seeks to promote the desire for good, healthy, local food through a better understanding of it’s taste, quality and production, and thus counter the speed of the fast life. Figure 8: The Slow Food logo With an understanding of the psychological use of colour in design, it was interesting to discover that Slow Food have utilised red into their logo as well as McDonalds, displayed in figure 8. There appears to be a contradiction of the snail as an icon symbolising slowness, and red as a colour representing excitement and speed. Its original objectives were to re-evaluate and celebrate local cooking traditions, inform citizens on the negatives of fast food, educate them on where their food originates from and also promote the use of local food products in cooking. Figure 9 shows an example of a local market stall with Slow Food values, . Founder Carlo Petrini, believes that: "Everyone has the right to good, clean and fair food." By ‘good’ he means that the food is fresh, ‘clean’ is part of the natural food cycle, posing no threat to the ... ...ess, much like the methodologies and founding principles used in the Slow Food movement, there can be many benefits from slowing down. Carl Honorà © declares that the greatest thinkers throughout history were those that favoured the slow approach, asserting â€Å"Charles Darwin described himself as a slow thinker. Einstein was famous for spending ages staring into space in his office at Princeton University.† These extremely successful individuals demonstrate the significance of decelerating the mind into a lower gear in order to engage in more deep, holistic considerations. Abraham Lincoln, apparently proclaimed, â€Å"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.† This famous quote refers to the importance of preparation in a task, and that an intelligent person does not start a job straight away, they plan and prepare it first.

Labor union trend

I would begin this paper with a definition of what labor union is. According to my source, MSN Encarta, a labor union is an â€Å"association of workers that seeks to improve the economic and social well-being of its members through group action.† Basically, labor union is a group formed by workers to protect their rights and interests from the company from which they are a part. Of course the demand a union may ask may vary from one company to another. However, some of the usual line a union usually asks for its members includes provision of benefits for its members. So what does provision of benefits entail? From the word itself it aims to ensure benefits for its member. Such benefits may include assurance against unemployment of an employee, health benefits in case of sickness, insurance for injury and the like. In most countries, the state assures that the employees get such and such benefits. Another common theme from different unions is their way of negotiating for a higher salary once they find the need to have a higher salary from before. The term used for the said negotiation is collective bargaining. Another common term between unions is industrial action. In industrial action the workers may decide to organize strikes when the company they are in decides not to meet their demands. Moving on, there is said to be two different and thus at odds views in terms of trade unions. The first one is restrictive and thus the only members they accept are those whose line of work or expertise is the same as theirs. The second one aims to unite all workers to better the state of affairs on their working field. Of the two views I think that the second one is more likely to achieve their ends as compared to the first one. I said that because should a revolution be needed in order for things to happen their way then they can win by numbers alone. However, I think that the first one is more likely to share stronger ties than the second one on the basis that since they are restrictive and accept only their own, then understanding each other would be no hard task. Surely since they share more things in common then each one is more likely to understand each others pain and the drive to pursue their goals would be more fiery than that of the second one. Now, unions may seem to be very common nowadays but for many years unions are considered illegal in most countries. However, through time, regardless of the efforts put upon by employers in order for union organizations to fail, the voice of the workers prevailed. There are many unions formed nationwide and the question to be asked is whether global scale union differs in anyway from that of national scale. As an answer, the American Federation of Labor (AFL), founded by Samuel Gompers, aims to form a â€Å"pure and simple† unionism that gives prime importance to collective bargaining in order to reach their goals. The AFL is an example of a union in a nationwide scale. Now, union structures, politics and the like vary from one country to another. Unions may be organized into three kinds, craft unionism, general unionism, and industrial unionism. The said unions are usually separated into locals and then they would eventually be fused together into national federations. The said federations would then join the forces of international unions like the International Union Trade Confederation. I think one difference unions in national scale may have from those of international scale is that the demands of the unions in the national scale, though not completely alike in every way to that of other unions within a certain country, their differences is not so far-off to the point the they would fail to meet in the middle. Unions on the international scale on the other hand could be very different from country to country that the hope to reach a compromise may not be possible. For example, in Germany the only form of union which they consider to be legal are open shop unions wherein such is not the case on other countries. As another example, unions in the United States, unlike from other countries, gives primary importance for collective bargaining to better their salary or even to represent members of their unions should the management decides to violate one of their rights. On other countries the focus of their unions is different from that of the United States. However there are still global trade unions that aim to bridge the gap of different unions from one country to another, such unions is World Federation of Trade Unions. I think that the major role unions’ play in our society today is to protect the right of the workers. Unions assure that the workers are not cheated out of their salary, benefits and the like. I think it is a good thing that the workers decided to get together to get what is their due. Having successful unions on our society today made me think about the line Marx used decades ago, â€Å"all workers unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains†. Surely, what Marx said held true to our society today. And though the Marxists goal is not entirely complete I can say that at least some of their goal came into being such as the getting together of workers which can be seen in different kind of unions nowadays. However, there are still criticisms thrown upon labor unions. Some critics claim that the aim of unions is simply to benefit the workers inside the company even at the expense of the â€Å"outsider workers†, consumers, and the stockholders. These critics argue that unions put those who are unemployed more unlikely to get a job. As for my opinion, I believe that there is some truth in what these critics have in mind. However, such things could be resolved by peaceful talks regarding the things both parties supports. I also believe that the government can address such problems such as unemployment by assuring that every citizen gets employed without any discrimination. As to the fact that there are workers who cannot get the line of work they want then I say that such things are facts of life. Nobody really gets what s/he wants every time. I believe that if one works hard for that thing s/he wants then eventually s/he would be able to attain his or her goal. Thus, they should keep the blame away from labor unions regarding things of that sort. Reference: http://www.socialstudieshelp.com http://www.wikipedia.org

Learning Mandarin vs Cantonese

Learning Mandarin vs Cantonese Mandarin Chinese is the official language of Mainland China and Taiwan, but it is not the only language spoken in the Chinese world. Besides the regional variations of Mandarin, there are several Chinese languages which are mutually unintelligible with Mandarin. Cantonese is one of these languages. Cantonese is spoken in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, Hainan Island, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia and many overseas Chinese communities. Worldwide, there are about 66 million Cantonese speakers. Compare this with Mandarin, which is spoken by about 1 billion people worldwide. Of all languages, Mandarin is the most widely-spoken. Is It Better To Learn Cantonese? With 66 million speakers, Cantonese cannot be considered an impractical language to learn. If your main objective, however, is to do business or travel in Mainland China, you would be better off learning Mandarin. But if you want to do business in Hong Kong or Guangdong Province, is it better to learn Cantonese? Consider these points taken from hanyu.com: Cantonese has a lack of good learning materials.Cantonese does not have a standard Romanization system (like Pinyin for Mandarin). Yale Romanization is most commonly used in textbooks, but it is unknown to native Cantonese speakers.Cantonese is heard less often in Overseas Chinese communities as new Mandarin-speaking immigrants arrive from Mainland China. And Cantonese speakers are increasingly learning Mandarin to find work in Mainland China. So it seems as though Mandarin is more practical than Cantonese. That’s not to say that learning Cantonese is a waste of time, and for some people it may be the better choice, but for most people wanting to speak Chinese, Mandarin is the way to go.

Clean Water Act essays

Clean Water Act essays The Government and Environmental Policy The purpose of the United States' public policy law is to implement restrictions in an effort to solve problems, which can be seen with the Clean Water Act. Public policy has also been employed to reform the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Although the United States government is noble in it's efforts to preserve the environment through these acts, the internal structure of public policy often retards these acts' effectiveness. This paper will explore the many ways in which factors such as horizontal implementation, divided government and other forms of public policy affect the environmental legislation involved with the aforementioned acts. The main factors involved with the Endangered Species Act of 1973 involve horizontal implementation structure and divided government. Before one can discuss how these policies affect environmental legislation, a brief description of each must first be lucidly explained. When our government was founded, a s ystem of checks and balances was implemented between the executive, judicial, and legislative branches to ensure that no one part of government gets too much power. Although this limits the power of any one person in government, it often slows down the ability of government because a consensus can be difficult with so many people working together. Another problem is that there are many subgovernments affecting the legislation as well, such as interest groups like the Sierra Club, Administrative Agents like the Environmental Protection Agency, and Congressional Committees. Because these groups add to the total number of people working on the legislation, the original noble ideology of making policy for the good of the nation is voided. Also because there are so many differences of opinion, few drastic changes are made, instead small incremental changes are made which take up lots of time and retard the effectiveness and enforcement of the legislation. In add...

How to Ask for an Awesome Letter of Recommendation

How to Ask for an Awesome Letter of Recommendation How to Ask for an Awesome Letter of Recommendation A letter of recommendation is exactly what it sounds like: a letter from someone you know, vouching for your qualities as a student/employee. Most colleges require a letter (or letters) of recommendation as part of their admission process. Likewise, employers and scholarship boards value letters of recommendation highly. Even future presidents need a letter of recommendation when starting out. Many students assume that every letter of recommendation is the same, but the quality of your letter can make a big difference. As such, it’s worth putting thought into whom you ask and how you go about this. Whom to Ask? Someone Who Knows You While a recommendation from a famous name in academia might look good at first, it will seem hollow unless it comes from someone who actually knows you and your work. It’s therefore vital that the person you ask is someone with whom you have worked, like a teacher whose class you’ve taken or a research supervisor. Someone Who Likes You This might sound obvious, but it’s always better if you’re on good terms with the person you ask for a recommendation! Try to establish a good relationship with teachers/professors early on, especially if you know you’ll need a letter of recommendation from them in the future. Subject-Specific Teachers Many colleges ask for a recommendation from your subject teachers, as these will have the best idea of your capabilities in specific fields. How to Ask? Leave Plenty of Time If you want a good recommendation, make sure to ask well before your application deadline. This is important, since college professors are often asked to write letters of recommendation by dozens of students, so they won’t have as much time to give yours consideration if you leave it to the last minute. You should, therefore, always ask at least a month before the deadline (longer if possible) so your referee can compose a thoughtful letter of recommendation. Be Organized! As well as time, your referee will need certain information to write your letter of recommendation. This will typically include your resume, details about your application(s) and relevant contact information. Be Polite! We hope this goes without saying, but asking politely is a good idea if you’re hoping your referee will write a strong, supportive letter of recommendation in return. Likewise, once your referee has supplied a recommendation, a thank you note rarely goes  amiss. And remember, if you’re not polite to your referee, your recommendation letter might not turn out quite how you wanted.

Greek City-States Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Greek City-States - Research Paper Example The size of the city states varied. While some consisted of few square miles, there are some consisting of over 100 square miles. The large city states formed through the consolidation of several cities. For example, the territory of Attica which earlier had 12 city-states became a single city state of Athens. By fifth century BC, it had a population of 250000. But most city states had population of few thousands only. The word politics is derived from the Greek word Polis. For the Greeks, the polis was not only a political institution, but it was a community of persons in which all political, economic, social, cultural and religious activities are focused (Spielvogel). The people in the city state consisted of citizens with political rights, citizens without political rights and non citizens. In the city state, women and children had no political rights. Slaves were not considered as citizens. All citizens of the polis had rights and responsibilities. According to Aristotle, the fat her of Political Science, every citizen must consider himself as belonging to the state. He emphasised on the unity of the people and believed that the state should take the initiative to direct the life of the community. This patriotism however brought distrust among the various city states that ultimate resulted in its ruin. In fact, Greece was not a politically united country. There was no central government in ancient Greece. It mainly denotes the geographical location only (Ancient Greek City-States ). War was an integral part of Greek way of life. According to the great Greek philosopher Plato, war exists by nature between every Greek city state. The tradition of warfare developed by Greeks became part of western civilisation. They possessed excellent weapons and made use of technological advancements. A large number of citizens were solders. They were interested in discipline and receiving training. This gave the Greek army an edge over the opponents’ larger armies. Th ey had a willingness to engage the enemy directly and thus the battle ends quickly with fewer casualties. They also demonstrated the effectiveness of heavy infantry. Colonisation Another major development during 750 BC and 550 BC was the expansion of Greece and growth of trade. Over population, hunger, poverty, growth of trade etc. forced many Greeks to leave their homeland and settle in distant parts. Most of them settled inn fertile agricultural lad taken from native population. Each colony was established as a polis and was independent of the mother polis (metropolis). The Greek settlements in Western part of Mediterranean included cities of Tarentum (Taranto) and Neapolis (Naples). Many Greek communities established in Italy who were later called Magna Graecia by the Romans. Syracuse, another city found by the Corinth was important. Greeks also established in southern France, Northern Africa and Western Egypt. The Greeks also established on the banks of black sea, most important being Byzantium. By establishing a trading post in Egypt, Greeks also got access to the culture and goods from the East. Results of colonisation Greek settlements in different places resulted in spreading Greek culture throughout Mediterranean region. The Romans had first contacts with Greece through settlements in south Italy. It also helped in developing a Greek identity. The Greek communities before the 8 century had isolated life. When they went abroad and confronted people

SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THE GULF, 1979-2003 Essay

SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THE GULF, 1979-2003 - Essay Example The may come into an agreement with a certain nation to help fight violence among others. For example, in 1990s, United State government, intervened on a number of occasions for humanitarian reasons; sending troops to the Balkans, northern Iraq, and Somalia to succor refugees, feed the hungry, and otherwise alleviate suffering There are many reasons why countries come together to form multinational coalitions, whether it is meant to be on short term, long term, or upcoming dealings, restoring peace and order is basically the main reason. A long term coalition involves formation of an alliance that is not affected by future changes such as leadership takeover and will always exist as long as cases of uncertainty situations arise. For a multinational coalition to be effective there has to be a certain command chain that is clear to both parties. This is important especially in situations where the nations have to involve the army in their efforts of achieving desired peace and order. Decision making should be done by certain known individuals in order for the forces to move in one specific direction (Kahn 430). It might be objected that the betterment of humanity is not the only reason for alliance formation. Some countries may have hidden agendas in their alliances such as extracting of minerals from the d eveloping countries or attacking a certain specific nation. However, it is only few nations which can form alliances for such selfish reasons. Another factor that can stimulate the multinational coalition to achieve its desired aims is by equitable sharing of responsibilities. Responsibilities may include war resources such as tankers and jets, the required human power and technology. In addition, responsibilities may vary depending with the coalition size. A big coalition makes it considerably difficult to manage and maintain clear effective strategies as compared to smaller coalition. The rules

Competencies questions answers grammar correcting Essay

Competencies questions answers grammar correcting - Essay Example Throughout this role I have gained sound organization, time management, leadership attributes, communication compactness and self motivation experience. The same reflect on a number of key achievements: Maintaining a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the latest products and services available, regularly analyzing and cross referencing current products and services available in order to establish suitability Maximizing sales by not just effectively identifying customers’ individual requirements and subsequently offering viable product and service solutions, but also through the identification and escalation of cross selling opportunities Self motivation – apart from my academic studies at the university, I learnt Japanese as my fourth language which clearly shows that I am a self-motivated person. This enables me to use my self-motivation to balance my work, study and social life in the future which will work towards a professional qualification Strong analysis – I have strong analytical skills – not just through economic and finance studies, but also working on my dissertation that involved extensive research, data collection, model hypothesis, data analysis and results’ interpretation which developed excellent time management and organization skills within my repertoire Teamwork – I also have excellent teamwork consciousness which was acquired from not just academic history, but also from past employments through effectively participating in group works and working hand in hand with the colleagues towards the common goals Hewitt operates in a highly competitive financial service industry which has successes that rely on the supereminence of individuals and team performance. Therefore, my key strengths are valuable intangible assets for Hewitt At the age of 23, in the year 2006 when I had just

Sherry Turkle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sherry Turkle - Essay Example But this means many things are lost. For one, people have lost the ability to actually converse with each other in person. People in work spaces â€Å"feel they are bothering† each other when they actually go and talk in person, but don’t get that same sense of intrusion when they send an email or send a text (Turkle). This means that people are creating â€Å"personal bubbles† around themselves at all times (Kakutani). People might spend more and more time together, in both physical and digital spaces. But this does not mean that they are actually communicating the things that are important – rather, they are spending time adjacent to one another while really spending time only with themselves. I see this a lot in day to day spaces. One of the most frustrating things in the world is when people say they want to â€Å"hang out† but then don’t actually want to do anything together during their hangout times. They want to consume media while ad jacent to each other, for instance, or hang out while constantly checking their phones or doing other things. This means that they are not truly interacting – they find it convenient to share physical space for a brief period of

Why Finland Education Model will not work for the United States Essay

Why Finland Education Model will not work for the United States Education System - Essay Example These include; institutional design, funding, and Teacher training- teacher retention. Critical analysis of these factors and their application between the two countries explains the variation in their education performance ranking. Unless united States initiate reforms on its institutional designs, it will lag behind Finland in terms of its overall education system performance. The Finland government has centralized education policy decisions under the ministry of education. This means that the curriculum structure is uniform and tests are homogeneous across the whole country. Such institutional design means that diverse teaching skills are applicable in different settings and learners abilities. This offers better opportunities for the children and teachers with unique differences to work towards a common goal. This explains the outstanding performance of the education system in Finland as seen from its high global ranking over United States. In-depth assessment of the institutional design of United States exposes significant flaws that make its education system relatively poor (Tiina and Markku, 2007). The curriculum development and implementation has been decentralized to individual states. This has placed significant accountability pressure on the teachers and placed much emphasis on passing tests. This design means that the socio-economic diversity in terms of learning ability, teaching skills among teachers and students is disregarded. This has been in force since the passing of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (2002) by President George Bush administration. This has seen teachers concentrate on tests which fail to capture other important aspects of learning among students’ hence poor math and language skills mastery progress. It is therefore evident that while Education in Finland is managed from national platform, the United States has left education management in the

Sherry Turkle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sherry Turkle - Essay Example But this means many things are lost. For one, people have lost the ability to actually converse with each other in person. People in work spaces â€Å"feel they are bothering† each other when they actually go and talk in person, but don’t get that same sense of intrusion when they send an email or send a text (Turkle). This means that people are creating â€Å"personal bubbles† around themselves at all times (Kakutani). People might spend more and more time together, in both physical and digital spaces. But this does not mean that they are actually communicating the things that are important – rather, they are spending time adjacent to one another while really spending time only with themselves. I see this a lot in day to day spaces. One of the most frustrating things in the world is when people say they want to â€Å"hang out† but then don’t actually want to do anything together during their hangout times. They want to consume media while ad jacent to each other, for instance, or hang out while constantly checking their phones or doing other things. This means that they are not truly interacting – they find it convenient to share physical space for a brief period of

Health care policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Health care policy - Essay Example The Health Care policy is addressed to articulate the origins and benefits of the scheme that has noticed various setbacks in the implemented environments. Health care policy is the strategies developed to regulate the need to complete measures that are needed to offer affordable health attention. The U.S. provides variable entities to the provision that is initiated in different sectors. The health care facilities are privately owned with organizations and the government offering the needed packages for attention. The policy is mostly offered by the government to initiate the Medicare and Medicaid policies. The higher spending in the Health Care system has reduced the mortality rate in America significantly promising healthy living to the people. However, the elevated costs incurred, and inflation threatens the sustainability of the system (Shannon, 2004). There are provided unnecessary spending that present to limit the American economy. The growth of the system is challenged in the organization and provision that have been established as constraining to the policy. The recent trend has witnessed the health care premium to inflate and rise to tremendous depths as compared to the economy. The health care organization in the U.S. has been elevated to be compared to double the price of those in developed nations (Kronenfeld, 2002). The government initiates the policy from the contribution in the taxes presented by the citizens. The policy is affected by the government and the private institutions that commit to presenting the program to their employees. Institutions offer the Health Care policies to their employees based on the agreement of the package presented. These ensure a healthy working environment that provides security to the employed in times of emergencies (Shannon, 2004). However, the government system may also present desirable measures to be attained in a healthy provision. The Obamacare has

The end of the play Essay Example for Free

The end of the play Essay Sheila starts of in the inspector calls as quite a dependent child. She needs her parents to do everything for her and refers to them as Mummy and daddy when Sheilas parents tell her to do something she does it without a second thought. When the inspector has ended speaking to Birling, Sheila comes back into the play; She is curious and inquisitive about what everyone is talking about whats this about the streets? When Sheila finds out her dad sacked Eva Smith she questions him did you, dad. I found this very point quite a turning point in the attitude and behaviour of Sheila, as it is the first time she questions her father. Sheila gets distressed after hearing about this and really starts to feel for this girl who has just committed suicide. Sheila is starting to show feeling and consideration and is sad that this girl has just died. When the inspector starts to talk more Sheila starts to think for her you talk as if we were responsible. She has already started changing from the dependent little girl she was at the start. When the inspector starts to tell Sheila about what she did in milwards Sheila realises that she is caught up in this inspection as well. Sheila had got the same Eva smith sacked from milwards because Sheila had been in a bad temper and had got Eva smith sacked. This would make an audience dislike Sheila for doing this, as it was an unfair and selfish thing to do. This also makes Sheila seem snobbish. Sheila then redeems herself by saying that she feels guilty for Evas death. If I could help her now, I would. Showing this guilt would make the audience like her as her parents refuse to admit any guilt towards the Eva at all. The inspector says the name Daisy Renton to Gerald, Sheila watches Geralds face and knew he used to know her you gave yourself away as soon as he mentioned the name. Sheila has now totally changed from how she was acting at the start of the play. She has started to question Gerald and knows he has done something. Another important thing Sheila does at this point in the play is that she notices that the inspector has information on everybody and not to build up a wall against the inspector as he will break it down I hate to think how much he knows that we dont know yet. Sheila stays to hear everything that Eva and Gerald did together when Gerald was supposed to be with Sheila. This must have been very depressing for Sheila. When the inspector starts to question Mrs Birling, Sheila tells her mum not to build up a wall, as it will only be broken down. Sheila is really starting to make sense and has started to question her mother as well. Mother I begged you and begged you to stop. Sheila seems to be the only person who can understand what the inspector is doing. I think she is clever and wise to realise this. Sheila tells her parents and the inspector that Eric was a bit of a drinker, although Eric did not want his parents knowing this, this can be justified though for what Eric did to Eva under the influence of alcohol. When the inspector leaves Sheila seems to be the only person who cares about Eva Smith. Even after they discover the inspector was a hoax, Sheila is the only person who understands that all of these things happened to someone, even if the consequence was not fatal. When Gerald asks Sheila if she still wants the ring, Sheila says no, not yet, I must think. This makes you feel a bit sorry for her because the inspector has ruined her special day. Sheila could be considered as one of the most likeable characters because she shows concern and consideration for Eva while no on eels does. She all matures incredibly throughout the play and turns into a moral being which is hard to believe with parents as cold hearted as hers. I would also consider the most likeable character because the other characters cannot really be candidates because of how cold and the little if any, feelings they showed.

A Successful Global Strategy

A Successful Global Strategy Executive Summary: This Report outlines how Walt Disney did successfully in global strategy. We found that the root issues include the need to expand into new markets and/or industries. We used a Porters Five Forces analysis to develop the alternatives. The alternatives that we proposed were to expand globally and enter the China makret. We analysed how the alternatives fit with Disneys corporate culture if the alternative would provide a competitive advantage. Upon the completion of our analysis, we recommend that Disney should expand globally in order to capitalise on unrealised markets in order to alleviate its root issues. 1. Introduction The Walt Disney Company, also known simply asDisney, is the largest media and entertainment conglomerate in the world. (http://money.cnn.com) The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments: Media Networks, which includes the companys television and Internet operations; Parks and Resorts that featuring the companys theme parks,cruise line, and other travel-related assets; Studio Entertainment, which includes the companys film, recording label, and theatrical divisions; and Consumer Products, which produces toys, clothing, and other merchandising based upon Disney-owned properties. (http://corporate.disney.go.com) A strategic analysis of The Walt Disney Company will be conducted to explore the globalisation aspects of strategy within the organisation. Relevant theoretical frameworks and empirical information will be used to assess the viability of Disneys current global strategy and recommendations will be made if any appropriate changes should be considered. The Five Forces Model will be used in the report to analyse the competitive advantage of Disney. The Walt Disney Companys objective is to be one of the worlds leading producers and providers of entertainment and information, using its portfolio of brands to differentiate its content, services and consumer products. The Companys primary financial goals are to maximize earnings and cash flow, and to allocate capital profitably toward growth initiatives that will drive long-term shareholder value. (http://corporate.disney.go.com) It is influenced Disneys strategy towards making the company works globally. The following findings will analyse how Disney using taken a global approach in order to expand the business and will highlight areas of improvement and apply them into theoretical frameworks. And the issue will mainly focus on the plan of building a new Disneyland in Shanghai China 2. Findings 2.1 Current Strategy The current strategy of Disney is mainly depends or influenced by their mission statement that mentioned above: Be one of the worlds leading producers and providers The success of Disney is obvious, but how and why it was able to achievethat success is not as plain. The biggest strength of Disney as acompany, is really the firms `share of mind and it is also thecompanys strongest competitive advantage, or its economic moat. Toillustrate this, each one of us, after hearing the name `Disney willautomatically have something in mind an animated film, perhaps, or acharacter, or a theme park. No matter what that is, the association ismost likely a very positive one: One of entertainment, imagination, andperhaps a family setting. In contrast, the mention of Columbia Picturesor Universal Studios will not evoke the same type of response. However, their main global strategy is really in public eyes: building another theme park in Shanghai China. The Chinese government has approved plans for the Walt Disney Company to build a theme park in Shanghai, its first in mainland China. (http://news.bbc.co.uk) According to the Disney Annual Report (2009), they will remain focus on advancing their strategies objective of building the Companys position as a leader in the creation of high quality branded content and making Disney an even more prominent and successful provider of entertainment globally. 2.2 International composition and expansion According to Bob De Wit and Ron Meyer (2004), international composition is an international firm operates in two or more countries. When a firm starts up value adding activities in yet another country, it is called internationalisation. Disney is actually doing this to meet their goals. In 2005, Disney has opened the fifth theme park and it is located in Hong Kong China. It can see that there is a trend of Disney wants to do business in China. Disney has won approval to build a theme park in Shanghai after nearly 20 years of courting the Chinese government. l International Scope As everyone knows China is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, is a huge potential market for any foreign brand aiming to expand abroad. Shanghai, arguably the most international and diverse city in China. It will allow Disneyland to utilise the largest tourism resources in Eastern China for example sightseeing spots, tourism infrastructure. On the other hand, the world recession and other difficulties in the industry, Disneyland hasnt been doing well in recent years. Seeking a more profitable market is essential, and it is estimated that Shanghai Disneyland will attract 30 million visitors every year. (http://business.globaltimes.cn) l International distribution The international composition of firm also depends on how it has distributed its value-adding activities across the countries selected. In some firms, all national subsidiaries carry out similar activates and are of comparable size. For example RD, and production concentrated only in few countries. (Porter, 1986) At the moment, Disney and build 5 theme park in the world and they distributed in different part of the world. The cultural differences will affect how Disney works for the business. Mention about how to establish the foreign subsidiary, firm can work independently or joint venture with local player or foreign partner. This could refer to the theme park as a joint venture company the cost of inputs, the investment is not just for theme park, the park also includes a variety of capital costs, land costs, environmental costs, part of the regional transport infrastructure costs, relocation costs. And the joint venture partner for Shanghai Disney is the State-owned enterprises L ujiazui Group. (http://www.chinafinancialdaily.com) 2.3 Porters five forces framework of Disney Disney has a favourable marco-environment. Its microenvironment will be examined using Porters five forces model (Porter, 1980). This model seeks to measure the competitiveness of a company by reference to five forces: competitive rivalry; buyers; suppliers; potential entrants and substitutes. In the case of Disney, most of the major things bought such as the rides and buildings are one-off purchase. The suppliers that affect daily operation are food and beverage, fireworks etc. All these are replaceable and will not directly affected Disney competitive advantage. Secondly, the bargaining power of buyer is determined by the concentration of buyers and how much customers can impose pressure on volumes and margins. Lets take Hong Kong Disneyland as an example; their customers have relatively low bargaining power because the theme park is differentiated in its industry. So the threats from buyers are low. There is a direct competitor for Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park. Most teenagers will prefer Ocean Park as the entry fee for Disneyland is almost US$24 more than Ocean Park. That is why Hong Kong Disneyland has steadily lost money since opening in 2005 (http://www.businessweek.com) However, there is a dilemma happen to Disney: there will be a greatest threat or opportunities for Disneyland overall as mention above, the proposals for the second Disneyland in China. This new Disneyland will be eight times bigger than the one in Hong Kong (Subler, 2008). So Disney faces a same brand competitor within Asia and competing in the same market. And the substitutes would affected by other leisure and retail industries. It is because in China, shop normally close at 10pm rather than 5/6pm in western countries. Customers might have other alternatives instead of theme park. Overall, the microenvironment analysed by Porters five forces has revealed that Disney has a competitive environment. 2.4 Localisation or Globalisation? When the Hong Kong Disneyland was under construction, it was reported that the design plan of this park had been reviewed by Feng Shui experts to bring prosperity and good luck. Now, Disney will set up its second theme park in China. Will Shanghai Disneyland contain more Chinese features? Should Disney stick to internationalised and standardised route or positively adopt the localisation strategy? According to the report from The Times (http://business.timesonline.co.uk), Disney said that Shanghai Disneyland will be a fantastic world with Chinese characteristics, including the Chinese food and the suggestions from Feng Shui experts in the design of the park.To address this possibility, the spokesman of Disney made this official statement: Shanghai will feature a Magic-Kingdom style, in keeping with its cousins in Asia, the U.S. and France. It will also have Chinese characteristics as a part of the localization process that is a part of the deal. 3. Conclusion After analysing the Walt Disney case, the current strategy for Disney is being one of the leading producers and providers of entertainment and information, using its portfolio of brands to differentiate its content, services and consumer products. And other strategy is made looking forward to build the sixth theme park in Shanghai China. They will need to consider how they work successfully in order to avoid making the same mistake of Hong Kong Disneyland. Though it is not a big mistake, the issue they need to concern would be how they operate the new Disneyland. Would they stick the Chinese feature in the theme park? Is localisation or globalisation better suit for the new Disneyland? Also, the Porters five force Model has shown that Disney has a competitive advantage to the microenvironment. No matter how they operate, the Walt Disney still has a high reputation in everyone heart. 4. Recommendation In order to make a better improvement for Disney in doing business globally, there are several points I would like to focus on and help Disney works efficiently. The managers of Disney are believed to have made up their minds between globalisation and localisation. But like the saying Disneylands construction will not be stopped if there is space for imagination, numerous guesses will haunt Shanghai Disneyland before it is finished.I would say localisation is not a bad thing. Disney should integrate the Chinese features into Shanghai Disneyland. Even the theme park can be called Disney Oriental Park. However, on the other hand for using the idea of globalisation, the special cultural characteristics would makes Disney become what it is. And too many local elements may exert negative influence upon its attraction power.Therefore, Both localisation and globalisation should focus on transferring the cultural elements into something needed by the industry chain. Also, for even more expansion, as everyone knows, the size of Hong Kong Disneyland and Paris Disneyland is relatively small comparing to other Disneyland. They still have room for further expansion. Such as Hong Kong, it is a right decision to expand the theme park further for the preparing of new opening of Shanghai Disneyland. Once they expand, they would not lose the competitive ability against the rival or internal competitors. Therefore, in my opinion, Disney has successful expand globally in order to capitalise on unrealised markets in order to alleviate its root issues. But there are still unforeseeable potential for Disney. So in short term, a carefully formulated brand strategy will be the key for Disneylands China dream to come true. 5. References: The Walt Disney Company Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Financial Report Bob De Wit and Ron Meyer (2004) Strategy, Process, Contentm Context, An international perspective, 3rd Edition, South-Western Cengage Learning Porter, M.E. (1980)Competitive Strategy, Free Press, New York, 1980. Company Overview http://corporate.disney.go.com/corporate/overview.html (Accessed: 10th Feb 2010) Why Disney wants DreamWorks http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/09/news/companies/disney_dreamworks.fortune/?postversion=2009020914 (Accessed: 21st Feb 2010) Disneyland approved for Shanghai http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8341570.stm (Accessed: 19th Feb 2010) Shanghai Disneyland on the Way http://www.gotoread.com/mag/13136/sarticle_32571.html (Accessed: 17th Feb 2010) Hong Kong Disneylands Future Is in Danger http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/mar2009/gb20090317_923737.htm (Accessed: 22nd Feb 2010) Mickey Mouse prepared to be Shanghaied as China opens up http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/leisure/article3498733.ece (Accessed: 15th Feb 2010) Disney Shanghai to gamble? http://www.chinafinancialdaily.com/financial/news/2009/12/10/11836/interpretation-of-the-disney-shanghai-suction-gold-journey-tourists-spend-about-600-yuan-per-capita-1.html (Accessed: 15th Feb 2010) Subler J. (2008), Shanghai applies to build its own Disneland: mayor, Reutoers, Online News 6th March 2008 Available from: http://www.reuters.com (Accessed: 17th Feb 2010)

Julius Caesar :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Julius Caesar Brutus displays the traits of a tragic hero through out this play but being a good person but makes an error in judgment, and when this error occurred it causes his own downfall. First off is that Brutus makes an error in judgment by joining the conspiracy to over throw Caesar. But the only reason that Brutus had joined was because his tragic flaw was honor; he lived his life on the guidelines of honor and loyalty. Now lastly Brutus had caused his very own downfall when after killing Caesar all of Rome has now turned against the conspirators. Those are some of the reasons that display Brutus is a tragic hero.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brutus had joined the conspiracy for honor and for the good of Rome. Yet by joining this group his honor is really being put to the test because when he joined the conspiracy he pledged to take part in the murder of Julius Caesar. Brutus and Caesar are best friends, so now how is it honorable to kill one of your friends? But Brutus and the other conspirators had claimed that Caesar was just about to claim himself the king of Rome. When one has claimed themselves the king of Rome the people of Rome have the right to kill that person. So by saying this when the conspirators knew that Caesar was about to claim the thrown they strike and kill him. But another one of Brutus’ traits has now appeared, loyalty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Loyalty and honor are the only tragic flaws that Brutus has but these are the reason that he has killed Caesar. Brutus had said that he had killed Caesar for the good of Rome and that his ancestors would have wanted this. Which is true that his ancestors had said that if any man were to claim themselves the king of Rome to kill them, but Caesar had never claimed himself king. The conspirators had only assumed that. So in reality by killing Caesar it wasn’t displaying loyalty and honor it was really showing stupidity. But Brutus’ tragic flaws are the real reason of his own downfall, as well as Rome’s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unfortunately Rome’s downfall was because Brutus had caused his own downfall. It first started when the conspirators killed Caesar, but what had made the situation worse was allowing Antony to speak at Caesar’s funeral. After the funeral the locals of Rome was so moved by Antony’s speech that they were in a blind fury and had to kill any conspirator that they had found, which ended up in the death of Cinna the poet.

Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World :: Brave New World Essays

Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World London, the year is a.f. 632 . Your life consists of three things, sex, drugs and violence. Although an inconceivable thought, it is not far from our present culture. In 1932, Aldous Huxley finished a novel that can now be seen as a social foreshadowing that circulates in the bloodstream of contemporary American culture. Sex, drugs, and total social perversion; Brave New World is a racy novel that, for its time, was nothing short of a prophecy. When Huxley wrote this book, little did he know that his fictitious novel would become a desensitized reality. In our everyday lives we can see reflections of social conditions in Huxley’s novel. In 1932, teenagers weren’ t even discussing sex. Drugs were not a socially acceptable thing (prohibition made this even worse). And the moral values taught by families did not consist of excessive exposure to death. When did America begin to harbor this kind of social terrorism? How did American culture become so blind to the social cond itioning of premarital sex, excessive drug use, and the acceptance of everyday violence? The answer is Media. In this essay we will explore the similarities of Huxley’s dystopian society and our Culture, then we shall uncover how our society is being conditioned just as in 632 a.f. Today, media (specifically television) is America’s form of Huxley’s social conditioning. There have been countless studies published in hundreds of different magazines depicting the relationships between television and its influence on child development. In 1950, 18 years after the publication of Brave New World, only 9% of American households owned a television. By 1965, at least one TV was in 92.6% of American households. Today, at least one TV is in 98.2% of American households (Statistics from Television Bureau of Advertising, 2001). The media is all around us, nowhere is safe from Media’s mass influence. Media can be anything from magazines to political cartoons, as long as there is an idea presented to the viewer. Through these facts, can we conclude that the way to control people’s thoughts is by controlling the media? â€Å"The author’s mathematical treatment of the conception of purpose is novel and highly ingenious, but heretical and, so far as the present social order is concerned, dangerous and potentially subversive. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED.† (Page 180, â€Å"Brave New World") Socrates once said, â€Å"Evil is caused by lack of knowledge.† In the above quote, Mustapha Mond does not want to decondition the thoughts of his people, so he refuses to publish reports by a man named Bernard Marx.

Compare the Methods Used to Distribute Two Selected Products and Services Essay

In this report I will be comparing methods used by two different retailers on how they distribute two chosen products, of my choice, in two different retailing sectors. Seeing as the food and clothing sector both have very different styles of how they meet their product requirements, I will compare Tesco and JD; The products from these two companies itself that I’m going to compare is ‘Tesco Value Bread’ and Nike hoodies. For the food retailing sector (Tesco) there are many different departments that address what type of design is necessary for the distribution chain, the types that are available for a company such as Tesco is: frozen, chilled, and fresh foods, with packed goods too. However, for the clothing sector (JD) for a product like Nike hoodies JD need to consider various things like amount of the specific product they want, how they’re going to get them (whether it’s overseas or not) and will they have enough to reach customer demand, etc. Tesco have manufacturers that mass produce products such as their ‘Tesco Value Bread’ to keep up with their customer satisfaction in quantity. The goods travel from the manufacturer to the actual retailer (Tesco) and from there it’s sold directly to the customer for their consumption or any other need. However, for the Nike Hoodies to get to the customer Nike have to go through additional steps to get their item out on the market. As always, the product, in this case Nike hoodies, start off being massed produced by the manufacturer, which then get sent off to the wholesaler- which would be Nike; After all of this the final adjustments are done to the good (Nike hoodie) it’s sent to retailers, mainly abroad, for them to sell it directly to the customers. These two products production processes are quite different as they go through different their production quality is very different. Plus, the amount of time it takes to produce each product differentiates from the two also. The only main similarity they really have is the delivery procedures that take place; this could mean the shipping costs, the quality of transport and what’s expected. There are more outgoing costs in the production process for the Nike hoodies than the ‘Tesco Value Bread’ as the clothing’s going to more places, and costs a considerable amount more to make than the bread. The warehousing locations used to hold the goods (the food and the clothing) may be identical in size but the number of locations is most likely different. Because of the fact that the Nike hoodies are bigger in size compared to the ‘Tesco Value Bread’ one may be lead to believe that Nike have purchased/hired out a lot more warehouses to contain their goods compared to Tesco. On the other hand, even though Nike may seem to have more warehouses than Tesco it doesn’t necessarily mean that they sell more, as there are different levels of demand for both the products. Nike promote their hoodies through a lot of ways; Nike use mainly advertisements through the web, television and advertisements through shops-most of the time their own shops. They mass promote their Nike hoodies, whether they’re new releases or just old hoodies that need to go. Through companies like JD that sell Nike hoodies most of the time they put the hoodies on sell to promote the product further and make it more appealing to the customers that may want to purchase it. Tesco, to some extent, do in fact the same thing in regards to reduced cost methods but it isn’t even close to comparable when looking at how much of the total cost of the two items I’ve chosen are; for example: ‘Tesco Value Bread is around 45p, Tesco could suddenly decide to reduce it to 37p, there’s an 8p difference. JD however, sells Nike hoodies for around  £60- £70, they could choose to reduce it to  £30, and the difference would be ? 30-? 40. Now, the overall difference between the bread and the Nike hoodie is about  £29.92- £39.92; clearly looking at the statistics there’s a massive difference. Nike as a massive retailing company would find it easy to sell their Nike hoodie merchandise as they’ve already built up their reputation across the globe as to how much quality and various other reasons why the customer should buy their Nike hoodies; just like Nike, Tesco have also built up a fearsome reputation on the market for selli ng their goods at reasonably cheap prices that appeal to majority of people. Nike also have a wide range of the target market that they aim their products at, however, Tesco have more of a range on their goods, like their ‘Tesco Value Bread’ are aimed at pretty much everyone and anyone that wants cheap bread, but mainly targeted at a family orientated customer. Comparing Tesco and Nike to offers that occur after a trade/purchase is a really one sided comparison. Tesco excel the most at keeping their customers loyal and retained through keeping them updated on new offers/things that will benefit them greatly. Tesco are mainly known for their Clubcard points, the Clubcard points can be added up to give them a nice discount from their next exchange with Tesco, which again ensures that they always come back- it’s like a cycle. Currently Nike is trying their best to retain their customers. Nike aren’t that well known for trying to keep their customers loyal and retaining them but they’re slowly but surely increasing that weakness and turning it into a strength, just like how Tesco have. In conclusion, I have listed, explained and compared the methods that Tesco and Nike have/currently used to distribute their specific goods that chose, which were; ‘Tesco Value Bread’ and Nikes’ hoodies and how they impacted the market. I have also addressed their target market and how this may affect how they portray their company in order to distribute their goods.

Assignment for Distribution Channel

Assignment for the next class. ( P. S. You are required to split yourselves in group of 6to 8 members each, the details of which shall be collected in class. Students would be called out randomly from each group to present their analysis. In case of a dismal performance of any group member, the marks of the whole group will be at stake! ) 1. The marketing channel for Mary Kay Cosmetics is called a â€Å"direct selling† channel. The company uses a sales force of over 1,000,000 Independent Beauty Consultants around the world.These Consultants are not employees of Mary Kay Corporation; they buy cosmetics from the company at a wholesale price and sell at a retail price to end-users. They maintain personal relationships with their end-user consumers, and deliver product to them after it is ordered; it is a high-service purchasing relationship from the consumer’s point of view. Consultants thus act as both distributors and retailers. a. To what extent does an Independent Beau ty Consultant participate in the eight universal marketing flows? . How might these flows be shifted, either among the members now in the channel or to different agencies or institutions not presently included? What do you think would be the implications of such shifts? (think about how cosmetics are sold through department stores or through drugstore chains, for example) c. Within each of these distribution systems, specify what the consumer's role is from a flow-absorption perspective.Contrast this with the consumer’s role when buying cosmetics from a department store, or a drugstore chain. 2. For each of the three scenarios below, categorize the demand for bulk- breaking, spatial convenience, waiting/delivery time, and assortment/variety as â€Å"High,† â€Å"Medium,† or â€Å"Low. † In each case, explain your answers. a. A woman in an emerging-market country of Southeast Asia wishes to buy some cosmetics for herself.She has never done so before, and i s not entirely sure of on what occasions she will wear the cosmetics. She does not live near a big city. She is too poor to own a car, but has a bit of extra money for a small luxury. b. A manufacturer uses a particular industrial chemical in one of its large-scale production processes and needs to buy more of this chemical. The rest of the raw materials for its plant operations are delivered in a â€Å"just in time† fashion. c.Before you visit certain parts of the world, you are required to get a yellow fever vaccine. Many travelers let this slip until the last minute, forgetting that it is advisable (or avoiding an unpleasant shot as long as possible). But, they definitely realize they need the shot, and don't want to have to cancel their trip at the last minute because they didn't get it. They often find themselves making a long trip to a regional medical center because they didn't plan ahead.

Blood formation and maturation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Blood formation and maturation - Assignment Example On the fourth day, normoblast is formed containing about thirty-five percent of the hemopoietic of a full red blood cell, and mostly the nucleus disappears at this point. From the fifth to the seventh day, the reticulocyte matures and the synthesis of the hemopoietic is increased. The outline of the red blood cell gets attained at this point, and the cells still contain the ribonucleic acid. On the eighth day, the red blood cell is mature without the ribonucleic acid, and no synthesize of the hemopoietic (Leach, 2015). Leukocytes are separated into two types the granulocytes and the agranulocytes (Leach, 2015). These types are further categorized into the lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils, neutrophils, and eosinophil. Leukocytes with the exception of the lymphocytes mature in the bone marrow (Leach, 2015). In early development like the case of embryos, white blood cells are formed in the yolk sac and later on in the spleen and lymph nodes. After the development of the bone marrow, most of the white blood cells are formed in it. However, maturation gets left to take place in secondary lymphoid organs such as the spleen and the lymph nodes (Boundless 2,

Operation Management and All Aspects of the Business Process Research Paper

Operation Management and All Aspects of the Business Process - Research Paper Example The first step to a successful operation is to develop a detailed business plan. This plan should include all aspects of the business including the operation plan. The operation part of the plan for small business processes from raw materials purchase and handling, to package and shipping. Though operations plan can and probably will change throughout the life of a business, it is the one process that can not cut from any business. Why employ OM? Though a relatively new field of research and still evolving, many businesses employ it as a way to increase productivity and reduce error. OM allows companies to be more competitive by reducing the unnecessary cost involved when resources are squandered. Who can be credited with the introduction of OM? No one person can be credited with this process. After all, throughout the evolution of man, through the centuries man has always found ways of becoming more efficient. The nature of the human being is to essentially be lazy. Therefore the hu man being is constantly finding new ways to get more for less. This means more increase in productivity or output/input. This has to lead to the world today. The world now is that lead by an increase in productivity. The strive for this increase has fueled innovation. The steam engine was replaced with the gas engine. The horse and carriage were replaced by the horseless carriage and the typewriter with the personal computer. Why is this important? All of these accomplishments represent the natural human instinct to become more efficient.

OUTSOURCING AND OFFSHORING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

OUTSOURCING AND OFFSHORING - Essay Example In other cases an organization may source or offshore when a process can be completed in a better and cheaper manner when using external providers. Customers just like the sourcing and off shoring companies have a part to benefit. Customers benefit from better products and services that follow increased competition, a factor that also comes with reduction in prices. Out Sourcing and off shoring companies also present several disadvantages for the companies involved. The major disadvantages are Loss of supervisory control of the process, loss of flexibility in responding to the transformations in business situation and the loss of internal and external client focus. These practices also pose the risk of possible loss of confidentiality by the concerned organizations. Out Sourcing and off shoring in many cases is met with lots of resistance from the natives, influenced by their inherent

Demonstrate appropriate and effective techniques in written and verbal Essay

Demonstrate appropriate and effective techniques in written and verbal formats to prepare and deliver presentations, including the effective use of research, organization, visual aids, and APA citations - Essay Example The situation or message is clear, it is about positive thinking. The message is universal. There is no specific audience being targeted by the presentation. It is directed to all individuals. The aim of the video is to encourage all those watching the video to think positively. In lieu of a speaker, the thoughts of the creator of the video are expressed through the captions. Simple sentences are used yet they are very meaningful and effective at driving the message to the audience. The sentences are easy to understand; thus, it is able to reach out to audiences of different intellectual backgrounds. The background music that accompanies the presentation serves to enhance the video. It helps to capture the attention of the audience. The music chosen is appropriate with the message that wants to be communicated to the viewers. The second video is â€Å"How to change your negative thoughts† (Melnick, 2008). The message of the presentation is also about positive thinking. In this video, one sees a speaker talking in front of an audience. The author is obviously persuading her audience to change their perspective in life, that is, to eliminate the negative thoughts and convert them to positive thoughts. The speaker is able to get the attention of her audience through eye contact, changes in her intonation and pitch, and through her nonverbal skills. She emphasizes various points in her speech through changes in her facial expression, tone, pacing and volume. She is able to send concise messages with the help of the body language which she employs to stress a point. She uses counterarguments to convince her audience. One observes though that she speaks quite fast which may be a hindrance in communicating to her audience because they may not be able to accurately receive and comprehend her message. Comparing the two videos, one thinks that the video on â€Å"The Secret† is more effective at communicating the message on positive thinking.

Transformational Change Management Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Transformational Change Management Plan - Essay Example Apple is an American tech giant and a multinational corporation whose headquarters is in Cupertino in California, USA. Apple is in the business of designing, developing and selling computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers and online services. So as to save time and cut costs, Apple normally outsources thousands of its manufacturing jobs to such countries as China, Mongolia, Taiwan and Korea. Thus the manufacturing of high-tech products such as iPhone has steadily moved to Asia from the US over the past decades. Thus, Apple, considered, a market leader in the smartphone industry in regard to manufacturing, is totally dependent on outsourcing/offshoring manufacturing, especially in China-a relatively low cost nation (Moyer, 2012). Apple’s stakeholders welcomed the move since the company tremendously reduced its manufacturing time and cost, two very critical elements in the lifeline of any company. Thus, in 2007, when Apple’s founder Steve Jobs needed a glass screen for the iPhone barely a few weeks before its launch, suppliers in America claimed it was not possible. Nevertheless, a factory in China, built a dormitory even before any contract was signed so that its workers could start a 12-hour shift. After the sealing of the deal, 8,000 employees were woken from sleep, provided with tea and biscuit and began fixing glass screens into the iPhone so as to produce ten thousand iPhones on a daily basis. That is how a Chinese factory helped save the situation by revamping manufacturing of the iPhone barely weeks before it appeared on shelves. Eventually, Apple had redesigned the screen of the iPhone at the last minute, resulting in an overhaul of the assembly line. New Screens started arriving at the factory near midnight. Apple executives were impressed by the flexibility and speed which no American factory could match. Thus,

Concept Map on Indigenous Peoples Essay Example for Free

Concept Map on Indigenous Peoples Essay Our group came up with concept map that illustrated our ideas when the perception of the indigenous peoples came into our minds. When we hear the said concept, the immediate idea that comes into our minds is the ceremonies that IPs do. We know that their ceremonies or rituals are part of their religion. They believe in spirits, in the notion of the after-life having spiritual leaders guiding them through the visions that the sacred aura gives them. Most of the IPs are very animistic and are called pagans by the Westerners due to the lack of formality in religion, meaning no temples are built for a proper religious ceremony. They practice both primary and secondary burial in the belief that their souls would have to journey to another dimension called the â€Å"after-life. The next thing that comes into mind is their customs and traditions. Every indigenous group has a distinct set of customs or habits. They preserve their songs, dances, literature, prayers and many others through oral tradition. In the Philippines, only the Muslims have the written tradition called tarsila. Art is a very evident characteristic that indigenous groups exhibit. The tattooing tradition which is very evident in many Austronesian societies is a status symbol. Elders and Datus who are considered the tribal leaders are seen with more tattoos than those who have low social status. The term tanda in the Philippines means wisdom which is an indicator of respect for the elders. Every indigenous group has its own language. Language is the factor, which makes an individual belong to an ethnic or ethno-linguistic group. Language is the collection of the vocabulary available in a culture. Language is termed as a dialect when there is a regional distinction of a language from the mother language. It may become evident in accent, grammar system and semantics. We have cited some examples such as the Ilocanos, Ifugaos and some foreign to us, the Aztecs. Last main branch on the concept map is the concept of heritage. All indigenous groups are struggling to preserve their heritage and culture which is why tribal laws prevail over any other constitutional or civil law in the country. They are very resistive to alien influence which makes them prone to social and racial discrimination promoted and propagated by some stupid multimedia. Their heritage is very reflective of their economic direction. They rely on a self-sufficient subsistence economy. They have no imperialist ideologies. They only tend to survive their tribe and cultivate their own environment. Agriculture and fishing are the main sources of living especially in tropical countries. They are the stewards of many ecosystems in the land, rivers and seas. Many IPs in the country have built nipa huts as their shelter. They have built houses such as the bahay kubo because most of the time, when a relative dies, they burn their houses due to their belief that spirits cause illnesses and should leave the homes of the inflicted. For the Ivatans of the Batanes Group of Islands, Spanish influence is already observed in their stone houses which are their defense to the perennial tropical storms that tend to devastate their crops and homes.