Saturday, August 31, 2019

Culture and Gentrification Essay

Gentrification is a sensitive issue that brings different impacts to the people in a community. It is also taking over several neighborhoods in Queens and Brooklyn. These neighborhoods have undergone through gentrification for quite a long time to bring new people in. Others think this was good idea for the economic development while the residents feared that this could cause expensive housing, social out- casting, and loss of cultural value. Although change seems to be constant in this orld, but the changes that gentrification is bringing are not the changes that the people are looking forward to see. One of the negative impacts of gentrification is the expensive housing. â€Å"Since 2000, average market rents have doubled in Greenpoint-Williamsburg, and rent stabilized tenants face increasing pressure from landlords looking to flip their apartments to the affluent young people now flooding the neighborhood† (Paul 188). Every neighborhood that is undergoing through gentrification has these landlords who are ffering higher rentals in order to drive out these longtime residents and gain more profit from the developers and new people. These residents were left with no choice but to move out. These circumstances made them feel that gentrification is implying that they aren’t well of enough for their own neighborhood. When longtime residents are driven out from their apartments they felt the rise of social out-casting. â€Å"Since 2000, average rents have doubled in Williamsburg- Greenpoint and almost 40 percent of the Latino population has left the neighborhood ikely because of the housing costs (Paul 194). Due to the expensive rentals the residents were being displaced and some of them don’t even know where to go. Others are becoming homeless while the others are moving to more harmful places. Gentrification is putting a huge gap between low-income residents and the upper class people. As the upper class gets richer and richer, the low-income people stay the same. Gentrification is also making the community loss its cultural value. In Queens, Long Island City is the artistic community. The landmark, 5 Pointz, was known as a anctuary of graffiti where artists from different parts of the globe were able to freely express themselves at the same time the viewers were able to appreciate them. â€Å"The building is expected to be replaced by two residential towers- one 41 stories and the other 47 stories tall (Murray, Owner of 5 Pointz: ‘l whitewashed the building to stop the torture)†. It was wiped out in order to make room for luxury condos; the people were saddened by the lost of a significant symbol of graffiti.

Friday, August 30, 2019

After You, My Dear Alphone (Mrs Wilson) Essay

Mrs Wilson seems, to me at least, to be a bit old fashioned – something that isn’t quite so odd, considering the story was written in the 1940’s. I can imagine her being the typical housewife, struggling in the kitchen, gossiping and worrying with the neighbourhood women and fussing over minor details concerning her precious son, Johnny. However, her temper can get the best of her, creating tension and thus leaving a situation next to unbearable. In the story’s situation I know I would find it unbearable – by sheer awkwardness! As soon as little black Boyd enters her house, the assumptions pile up in Mrs Wilson’s head. Instantly feeling sorry for him and wanting to take care of him, she makes sure Johnny doesn’t take advantage of him and starts feeding the new boy. As kind hearted as it may seem, it took a nasty turn towards the end. When she talks about Boyd’s parents and how he needs to eat enough to work hard, she assumes he comes from a poor black family, struggling to make ends meet. There’s nothing about Boyd that would lead her to think so, except that he’s black and smaller than Johnny. She just immediately builds up this whole idea of this poor little boy. That really is a vague estimate of a book-cover’s content (†judging a book by it’s cover†), that she nonetheless is sure of. And doing so makes her prejudiced. She hardly listens to Boyd’s explanation of his family’s situation, and certainly doesn’t accept it. Not even when he tells her, that his father is a foreman. Later on, she pretty much forces their own unwanted clothes on the boy, expecting gratitude in return. When Boyd’s response was wonder, not understanding why he would be needing them, she becomes aggressive. Her reaction makes her seem arrogant, almost as if she needs the boy to be inferior. This makes her very unlikeable and shows her true colour. In today’s Denmark, there are people of all colours, ethnicities and and religions. Over the years this has become more and more accepted, but still there are Danes who look at them with distrust or just distaste. This can be a result of the criminal doings, that are caused by the immigrants. It can also be because these immigrants come bringing foreign culture to Denmark, which some Danes find hard to understand. And it’s an old habit, that what you don’t know, you fear. When talking only about prejudice towards different races, it instantly becomes more difficult to explain. Racists can have many different reasons as to why they feel a certain way or even resentment towards another race. Some have got their opinions in childhood from their parents and some from experience. Whatever the reason, it is generalisation of a whole bunch of people and doing so is always wrong.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Fashion & Marketing †Individuality vs Conformity Essay

A seemingly intractable paradox underlies Westerners choice of fashion in the twenty-first century. On the one hand, the democratic and social progress made in the West in the past fifty years has led to radical revaluations of, and profound reversals of attitudes towards, issues such as gender, class, race, social stereotypes, cultural identity and so on: in short, the Western citizen of 2005 has far greater personal freedom for expression than could have been conceivable for a Westerner in 1905 or even 2005 (Craik, 1994). The modern student of Western fashion trends might therefore reasonably expect to notice in the clothing choices and styles of twenty-first Westerners ever greater diversity and individuality – to notice a kaleidoscopic and multi-coloured efflorescence of personal freedom in fabric and cloth. And, indeed, in many instances in Western society there is a profusion of individual styles mirroring newly liberated individual personalities. Yet, on the other hand, despite this potential for individuality, the fashion student notices, paradoxically, that Westerners are exhibiting an ever greater homogeneity and similarity in their clothing choice – for instance, the ubiquitous presence, amongst certain definable social groups, of trendy brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Zara and FCUK. The principal force behind this homogeneity is argued to be (Miles, 1998 & Radford, 1998) the massive and all-consuming power of giant global fashion houses and their resources for mass branding and advertising. To many fashion critics and scholars these hugely powerful companies have come to swamp the potential for personal and individual expression that was made possible by social changes in Europe and America in the past fifty years. In a further paradox, it was these very changes themselves, and the liberation and emancipation of consumer power and choice which they released, which provides the consumer markets and spending-power which make these huge companies possible. In other words, for the gender, class, and social revolutions of the twentieth century to happen this required the protests and emancipation of Western masses; but this very freedom itself created a mass homogeneous market that could be exploited by fashion corporations themselves made possible by these changes. In a final paradox, Rosenfeld (1997) and Davis (1993) argue that modern man is free to choose the clothes he wears and so is himself responsible for submitting himself and his individuality to temptations of mass production and consumerism that surround him. The fascinating question before this literature review is then: why is it that Westerners, granted at last a large measure of personal freedom for expression, ‘choose’ nonetheless to submit themselves to mass trends and to enslave themselves to perhaps an ever greater extent than when such freedom was not obtainable? Of further interest is the question: how have particular cultural groups, and fashion trends, resisted mass consumerism of fashion, and gone on to use these new freedoms to establish exciting and original expressions of their personalities? Section 2: Sources A few words about the origin and authority of the sources used for this literature review are perhaps necessary before turning to the main themes of the review. The principal type of source discussed in this literature review are academic books and journals; in addition, some internet sources are employed also. The academic books referred to in this review are amongst the seminal texts in the literature of fashion and marketing, their authors world-class experts in their fields, and therefore the reliability and authority of their material is extremely high. The fashion student can have high, if not complete, confidence in his employment of these sources to illustrate his themes and arguments. Likewise, those texts from other fields in this review, such as Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams (Freud, 1900) or Lacan’s Language of the Self (Lacan, 1998), are usually included by critics and scholars in their lists of the most important works of the twentieth-century. They too then may be used by the fashion student with a high degree of trust in their authority and reliability. A note of caution might be sounded however about the employment of internet sources in any literature review. Whereas the process of publishing work in an academic book or journal is a lengthy one, requiring considerable cost and numerous stages of scrutiny by fellow scholars and experts, thus ensuring the quality of those sources, nonetheless, the standards required for publication on the internet are often lower and less vigorous. The vast profusion material released daily on the internet requires the conscientious student to subject the internet sources he employs to greater scrutiny and doubt than might be the case with academic books or journals published in the traditional paper-based way. Consequently, the internet sources used in this literature review have been vigorously scrutinised and tested for their reliability in the fashion described above. Section 3: Review The following literature review is discussed according to the following thematic schema in five parts: (1) The Paradox of Individuality and Conformity, (2), Global Trends and World Markets, (3) Semiotic Theories of Fashion Promotion & Visual Communication, (4) Popular Cultures and Distinctive Identities, and, (5), Sociological & Philosophical Views of Class, Gender, Social Stereotypes and Cultural Identity. The Paradox of Individuality and Conformity The contemporary situation in Western fashion and personal clothing choice is one of apparently irresolvable paradox: Westerners are today endowed with ever greater personal freedoms, extending naturally to their choice of personal clothing and one would expect this freedom to lead to a plethora and profusion of individual styles and manners of dress: these freedoms should result in less conformity of style than was present in say 1905 when gender, class and social prejudices compelled and forced a person to dress in a particular way and style. Yet, despite these abundant new-found freedoms, Western clothing choice in 2005 seems to display ever greater conformity and homogeneity. That is, Westerners are ‘choosing’ to dress more and more alike one another – Westerners’ expression of their personalities through their choice of style is showing ever greater similarities to one another. How then could this be possible? This question is discussed at the general level in great depth by F. Davis (1993) Fashion, Clothing and Identity and by Fiske (1990) in Introduction to Communications Studies. Global Trends & World Markets The most persuasive and frequently given answer to the above question is that the rise of huge fashion houses – such as Louis Vuitton, Tommy Hilfiger, Armani, Prada, Zara, amongst many others – along with their massive resources for branding and advertising, have drowned-out the recently attained freedoms of Western individuals to reflect their personalities in their choice of clothing. This point is powerfully made in D. Crane’s seminal text Fashion and the Social Agenda: Class, Gender and Identity in Clothing. (Crane, 2004). Crane argues that just at the critical historical moment (the end of the 20th Century) when Westerners were finally endowed with greater personal freedoms in fashion and personality expression than ever before, that these freedoms were immediately smothered by forces such as globalization and capitalism which gave birth to vast fashion corporations whose financial resources and advertising capacity have become too great and powerful for individual expression to poke through and flower. This point is corroborated and reinforced by numerous other scholars and authorities in fashion and marketing. F. Davis (1993) in Fashion, Culture and Identity, L. Rosenfeld (1997) in Clothing as Communication, and J. Craik (1994) in The Face of Fashion; Cultural Studies in Fashion all endorse Crane’s central premise that individual freedom of personality expression through clothing and style is suffocated by the capitally fuelled force of the major fashion brands to overwhelm this expression through relentless psychological pressure, carried by advertising, to conform to the style and choice ‘imposed’ and ‘decided’ by these companies and not by individuals themselves. M. Barnard in Fashion as Communication (1996) makes an interesting refinement of this basic premise by suggesting, in a further paradoxical statement, that it is the very freedom of gender, class, social status etc. , of the past fifty years which has led to ever greater conformity to popular styles and to an even greater imposition of style than existed before such freedoms were possible. In other words, to echo a sentiment expressed by Nietzsche in 1888 (Nietzsche, 1888) and Freud in 1900 (Freud, 1900) human beings have natural herd instincts which are present whether people are free or not, and these instincts generate the need for leadership and imposition from one source or another. Thus, whilst before the 1960’s style conformity was forced upon Westerners by gender and class stereotypes, nonetheless, after the 1960’s when these stereotypes were lifted, Westerners became susceptible to a new ‘authority’, ‘imposition’ and ‘leadership’ in the form of vast fashion corporations whose choice of style and expression is propagated through intensive branding and advertising. According to this philosophical view, endorsed by Bruce Stella and Pamela Church Gibson (2000) in Fashion Cultures Theories: Explorations and Analysis, the personalities of Westerners today and their choice of expression of their personalities through clothing, is largely decided by fashion corporations and advertising companies – thus resulting in the uniformity of style and expression which is so evident from a casual glance at our high-streets today. Semiotic Theories of Fashion Promotion & Visual Communication A interesting example of the practice of a semiotic theory of fashion promotion is that discussed in A. Rhodes’ and R. Zuloago’s paper ‘A Semiotic Analysis of High Fashion Advertising’ published in 2003. The chief motif of Rhodes’ and Zuloago’s work is that ‘Fashion advertising is an excellent example of identity-image producing media’ (Rhodes & Zuloago, 2003: p8). They state at the outset of their paper that ‘The nature of the product is tied directly to identity – those objects with which we encase our bodies for public display  ­- and fashion is acknowledged as a cultural language of style’; a little further on they add ‘Taken as a whole, high fashion media and advertising describe a spectrum of identity, unified in general types of signifiers – young women, high status, high sexuality – and through the constant repetition and variation of images on these themes serve to create this identity spectrum. ’ (Rhodes and Zuloago, 2003, p1). Thus, in their paper, Rhodes and Zuloago seek to define the symbiotic relationship between high fashion and the cultural and social identity of one particular social group: young, rich and sexually confident women. Rhodes and Zuloago argue that the advertising campaigns of companies like Prada, Donna Karen, Armani, Dolce Gabanna and others like them, speak so powerfully and seductively to these women, and that the images employed penetrate so deeply into their consciousness and social orientation, that they come to identify their personalities almost wholly with the product. Rhodes and Zulago recognise, nonetheless, that whilst the influence of major fashion brands over social groups like the one mentioned above is immense that these groups too, by their social characteristics and newly liberated personalities, constantly force the fashion brands to invent new styles and designs that evolve to reflect the changing consciousness of these particular and individualistic groups (Rhodes & Zuloago, 2003: p5). The symbiosis is nearly total; and similar relationships between major brands and other social groups are evident throughout modern Western culture. Popular Cultures and Distinctive Identities R. Radford points out in Dangerous Liaison: Art, Fashion and Individualism (1998) that the mass conformity of modern fashion style and personality expression is not of course universal, and many original and fresh styles – punk, gothic, ethnic, etc. , – have arisen from the social freedoms of recent decades, both in reaction to the preceding centuries of restricted expression and also in reaction to the monotonous uniformity of the mass-branded and consumer-based style. As suggested in the last sentence, Radford distinguishes between styles which are (1) a reaction to the restrictions of former centuries, (2) those which are defiances of the modern branded uniformity, and, (3), those which are a reaction to neither, but rather are healthy and original efflorescences of cultural uniqueness and individual expression. In the first category Radford places the astonishing growth in popularity of ‘gender-liberated’ products like bikinis, short-skirts and casual clothing which were, in other centuries, repressed by the authorities either because of gender prejudices or inequalities, or because of antiquated ideas about the morality or sexual imprudence of certain items and styles of clothing. To take an instance of gender discrimination cited by Radford (Radford, 1998: pp. 142-148), it was not socially or morally permissible for women in former times to wear beach attire (bikinis, swim-suits etc. ,) that revealed or celebrated anything of the sensuousness or beauty of the female figure; women were therefore universally condemned (in Western countries) to wear a single type plain, non-sexual beachwear. But since the lifting of this social prejudice and stigma, there has been a profusion of designers, from Gucci and Dolce & Gabana to Zara and BHS, who have produced modern designs which allow women to celebrate the sensuality and beauty of the female figure. Women today enjoy the same rights as men to wear what they like either to the beach, to the disco or to work; thus, in this instance, despite the domination of the fashion brands, women now have the opportunity to, and do indeed exhibit in practice, a greater expression of individuality of personality than was possible or permissible before the last decades. In the second category, Radford places fashion styles like punk and gothic: styles which rebel against the conformity of modern mass-consumer culture and relish in the controversy and upsetting of convention induced by the difference of their style. Studded clothing, fluorescent coloured hair, male make-up, cross-dressing etc. , are rebellions against the usual fashion paradigm and make the personality statement that some people disagree with popular sentiment and convention and express this in clothing styles that are often shocking and scandalous (Barthes, 1983). In the third category are individualistic styles, such as ethnic, which are neither reactions to historical repressions or to modern mass conformity, but which are rather healthy flourishing of individual personality or philosophy. For instance, contemporary Western style permits a greater exhibition of ethnic clothing or pride in national dress than was acceptable fifty years ago. F. Davis argued as early as 1988 in Clothing and Fashion Communication that clothing could be a vehicle for greater racial tolerance and for multi-culturalism and racial integration in modern Western society. A concomitant of this toleration is a celebration and pride in the wearing of clothes of national dress; clothes that display part of the person’s personality repressed for decades. Sociological & Philosophical Views of Class, Gender, Social Stereotypes and Cultural Identity Jacques Lacan in Language of the Self (Lacan, 1997) gives a fascinating philosophical and psychological interpretation of the individuality vs. conformity paradox, filtering it the prism of class, gender and social stereotypes, to argue that human beings are essentially language-animals and can be manipulated if one finds the key to the use of this language. Lacan argues in his seminal text Language and the Self (1997) that the social freedoms attained by Westerners in the past half century have given them Westerners unprecedented opportunities to reflect their innermost ‘self’, their basic human constituency, through new cultural media such as television, the arts, and by derivation, fashion and our choice of media. Lacan argues further that the ‘self’ of previously repressed groups such as women, homosexuals, African-Americans and so on is now able to manifest itself in cultural forms that had previously been repressed for centuries, and which are now bursting out in the diversity of artforms prevalent in our society today. Nonetheless, through his principal scientific and philosophical investigation into the language-animal, Lacan argues that Westerners have been seduced by the clever and innovative marketing campaigns of the major fashion brands, who use slogans and images to target specific social groups. Thus Lacan explains the phenomenal seduction of modern Western man to the worded slogans of designer labels and celebrity endorsed products. Lacan suggests that the advertising campaigns of major fashion brands seduce the consumer’s unconscious directly and that this explains the phenomenon of mass conformity to such a homogeneous type of personal expression through fashion as is evident in our society. Section 4: Conclusion In the final analysis, the literature of the fashion and marketing texts on the subject of individuality vs. conformity, and the influence of branding upon this relationship, reveals the following points. Firstly, that a curious and complex paradox deeply underpins the dynamics between individuality and conformity. To the one side, the liberation of women, homosexuals, formerly repressed racial groups, underprivileged classes and others, in the second half of the twentieth-century, has led to a huge mass of people in Western society who have previously unimaginable freedom to wear whatever styles and types of clothing they believe best express their individuality and uniqueness. For instance, gender prejudices removed, women can now wear trousers ; race prejudices declining, repressed groups can wear a city suit or opera tuxedo; in many other instances Westerners are free to dress as however their mood, philosophy and occupation inclines them. On the other hand, the ceaseless ascent to prominence and immense power of the great fashion houses and fashion brands has led to a blanket of homogeneity being spread over the personal expression of many Western consumers. Philosophers like Lacan, and psychologists like Freud and Nietzsche, suggest that man has an innate herd instinct that compels him to conform to the trends of the crowd and to seek a higher authority and leadership to decide and impose his personal expression upon him. According to this view, despite the newly attained freedom of Westerners, they have substituted for the old imposition of gender and class barriers the new authority of the mass product and the famous brand. Thus ‘personal choice’ and ‘freedom of expression of personality’ through clothing are merely illusions that do not correspond to modern reality. Furthermore, the conformity of modern Western dress is, according to D. Crane (Crane, 2004), even more intense today than in other centuries, since in 2005 particular styles and mass produced clothing items – Crane gives Levi’s jeans as an example – permeate all classes and genders of society and therefore have a ‘total sphere of conformity and influence’; in other centuries a particular item or style of clothing would only dominate one social group; today brands like Nike, Zara, Levi’s, Armani and so on, can penetrate the personal expression of every social group from top to bottom. Nonetheless, the flourishing of reactionary and rebellious fashions expressions such as punk and gothic, as well as the profusion of small individualistic designers and such styles as ethnic suggest that the mass produced fashion items have not and will not dominate totally and may even be forced back a little as personal expression is allowed to bloom in the new forms and clothing styles of the twenty-first century. Our final words might be these: that the question of conformity vs. individuality now hangs in a delicate balance and equilibrium, that Western society pivots at a vital moment in the history of its ability to be able to define itself. The opportunity exists for Westerners to dazzle the world with an efflorescence of new styles of clothing that reflect the cultural diversity, racial integration, and class assimilation achieved in the past fifty years. The danger remains nonetheless that these achievements and potential expression will be swamped by the relentless march of mass consumer fashion and our seduction to it. Section 5: Bibliography Academic Books, Journals & Articles – Barnard, M. (1996) Fashion as Communication, Routledge – Barthes, R. (1967, 1983). The Fashion System, New York: Hill and Wang. – Bruzzi Stella & Church, P. G. (2000). Fashion Cultures Theories, Explorations and Analysis, Routledge – Craik, J. (1994) The Face of Fashion; Cultural Studies in Fashion, London: Routledge. – Crane, D. (2004). Fashion and Its Social Agenda: Class, Gender and Identity in Clothing. Oxford University Press, Oxford. – Davis, F. (1985). ‘Clothing and fashion as communication’, in Solomon, M. R. (ed. ) The Psychology of Fashion, Massachusetts: Lexington Books. – Davis, F. (1993). Fashion, Culture and Identity, Chicago, IL: Chicago University Press. – Du Gay, P. (1996). Consumption and Identity at Work, London: Sage. – Fiske, J. (1990). Introduction to Communication Studies, London: Routledge – Freud, S. (1900). The Interpretation of Dreams. Penguin, London. – Lacan, J. (Reprinted 1997). Language of the Self, Baltimore, MD. : Johns Hopkins University Press – Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, Self and Society, From the Standpoint of a Social Behaviourist, Chicago, IL. : University of Chicago Press – Miles, S. (1998). Consumerism as a Way of Life, London: Sage Publications – Nietzsche, F. (1888). Ecce Homo. Peter Gast Books, Basel. – Quirk, R. (Et al. ). (1989). The Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press, Oxford. – Radford, R. , ‘Dangerous Liaison: Art, Fashion and Individualism’, Fashion Theory, vol. 2, issue 2, Oxford: Berg, 1998, pp. 151-64. – Rosenfeld, L. B. and Plax, T. G. (1997). ‘ Clothing as communication’, Journal of Communication, 27: 24-31. – Smith, A. (1759/1976). The Theory of the Moral Sentiments, Edinburgh. Internet Sources – Mead, G. H. (1934). Mind, Self and Society, From the Standpoint of a Social Behaviourist, Chicago, IL. : University of Chicago Press http://www2. pfeiffer. edu/~lridener/DSS/Mead/MINDSELF. HTML – Smith, A. (1759/1976). The Theory of the Moral Sentiments, Edinburgh. http://www. adamsmith. org/smith/tms-intro. htm – Rhodes, A. & Zuloago, R. (2003). A semiotic Analysis of High Fashion Advertising. www. garhodes. com/Semiotics_of_Fashion. pdf

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Japanese history part 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Japanese history part 2 - Essay Example This regime was in no position to exercise control over its domains, and was incapable of defending the nation from the threat posed by the Western powers (Asia for Educators, Columbia University). Moreover, in the year 1853, the Western threat crystallized with the arrival of Matthew Perry and a US Navy squadron. Their demand was that Japan had to open its shores to commerce from the West. The weakness of the Shogunate compelled it to enter into several inequitable treaties, wherein Japan had to grant special legal and economic privileges to the Western nations (Asia for Educators, Columbia University). Another instance of the effect of Western Imperialism upon weaker Asian nations was China, which was ruthlessly exploited by the European powers. In order to prevent a similar fate, a group of middle-ranking samurai deposed the Shogun in the year 1868. Their aim was to modernize the nation, and they realized that feudalism had to be destroyed for achieving their purpose (Asia for Educators, Columbia University). In addition, this intervention served to place Japan on a course of radical modernization without any bloodshed. The change wrought by this revolution, was perhaps unrivalled in history. This fundamental change was ostensibly aimed at restoring rule to the Japanese Emperor. The latter adopted the reign name Meiji or enlightened rule. As such, the Meiji Restoration proved to be a fundamental revolution (Asia for Educators, Columbia University). Consequently, Japan underwent a transition to a capitalist production system from a pre-capitalist mode, without experiencing a social revolution. The Nipponese example demonstrated that the restructuring of social relations of production, during the shift from a feudal to a capitalist system did not necessitate the active political participation of the lower classes (Barker). However, as shown by several scholars, social revolution is not an essential

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Applied Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Applied Research Methods - Essay Example This in turn should lead to the development of more efficient and effective business processes and organizational decision making systems. This entire system will enhance an organization’s ability to sense and respond to changes in its external environment, which will increase its chances of survival in today hostile business environment. Critical Literature Review: Knowledge Management Knowledge management is the vehicle by which organization enhance and encourage organizational learning. Knowledge management is a vehicle by which an organization can enhance its ability to learn from its environment and to incorporate knowledge into its business processes (McAdam and Reid, 2001). There are four value-adding steps in the knowledge management value chain, these are as follows (Wong and Aspinwall, 2005): Knowledge Acquisition: Organizations can acquire knowledge in multiple ways, this depends on the type of knowledge they seek to acquire. Industry libraries comprise of industry related documents, reports, presentations, and best practices. Moreover, employees of the industry are encouraged to add new knowledge based on their experiences. An industry can acquire new knowledge by developing online expert networks; this kind of network facilitates an employee to seek advice from an expert in the company who has the knowledge of the problem area in his or her head. A company operating in a particular industry can create new knowledge by discovering patterns in corporate data or by using knowledge workstations. Knowledge Storage: after discovering the fundamental patterns, documents and experts rules there need to be a repository of this industry. This data should be accessible to any new entrant or to any already operating in the industry. Knowledge Dissemination: Portals, e-mail, instant messaging and searching technology can bring about the dissemination of desired knowledge. These technologies in addition to an array of groupware technologies can increase t he rate of dissemination of information. Knowledge Application: Gathered knowledge that does not get shared and applied to a practical problem faced by a firm operating in a particular industry, than there would no value added in the current business practices of the industry. Thus in this scenario the only plausible outcome of this lackluster attitude of the firms of a particular industry is stagnation and in turn eradication from the industry. Role of Small and medium enterprises in Developing Economies One important aspect of a flourishing economy is its nourishing and germinating small and medium enterprise. The fundamental points that differentiate an SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE from large scale enterprises are uncertainty, innovation and evolution. This sector of SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE is further classified as micro enterprises, small enterprises, and medium enterprises. These small enterprises create the most fertile ground for the germination of industrial economy. Sinc e this industry plays a vital role in the following economic paradigms therefore it is of utmost importance that a country generates and gathers all the pertinent information that will allow the entrepreneurs of the company to nurture this sector: income distribution, tax revenue, employment, resource utilization, development of family life and etch. By having a major

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 31

Assignment Example In the case of Motorola, the site makes explicit reference to the company being a Google firm, also connecting with its customers via the brand cachet of Google and its massive influence in technology and in the decision-making of technology buyers and enthusiasts. The Motorola brand and organization, in this case, leverages the strong brand image of Google among not just that subculture of smart phone users that are heavily into technology in general and in Android and smart phones in general, but also the general mass of consumers who are intimate with Google as both a provider of search and of advertising related to search. Here the Motorola brand makes use of the wide reach of Google through its popular mass media properties too, chief among them YouTube, to also further reinforce its attempt to lure in the mass market customers in different parts of the world. The marketing mix element of price, which is deliberately set low for its mass market phones, is reinforced by its lever aging the Google name in its web pages (Motorola Mobility LLC, 2014). In the case of music marketers like Tower, on the other hand, the key social influences relate to the way the site leverages music icons such as Michael Jackson, who by their stature even post-death constitute a heavy influence on the opinions of music consumers, to lure in a wide demographic of music lovers into its site (Tower.com, 2014). The literature states that certain products lend themselves to heavier advertising than others, because of various aspects of the product, such as the product’s being new; the complexity factor associated with the product and its features and benefits; the need to highlight differentiating factors of the product; intense competition; the novelty of the product requiring intensive education and explanation; and the product being of wide appeal to many different market segments for different purposes, requiring different advertisements that cater

Monday, August 26, 2019

Role of Malta in WW1 and WW2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Role of Malta in WW1 and WW2 - Essay Example The dynamics of this involvement took different courses for the two wars, as Malta played different but crucial roles. A common aspect, however, is the interaction of Malta with the main countries involved in the war. These include UK, France, Italy and Turkey among others. The structure of the paper entails a look at the role of the island in World War I, followed by its role in World War II. In each case, a background on the state of Malta just before the war will start off the discussion, followed by analyzing the role it played in the given war in terms of its interactions with the world powers. The guiding thesis to this study is that Malta played a vital role in determining the course and outcomes of the world wars. Malta’s Role in World War I A brief overview of the state of Malta before World War I indicates that the island was a British Colony. In 1814, Britain had acquired Malta as part of its empire following the Treaty of Paris. The main attractions that Malta held were its geographical location in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is situated in approximately the middle-point of the Mediterranean Sea, which makes it a strategic position as a continental gateway between Europe and Africa. For Britain, Malta’s centrality between Gibraltar and the Suez Canal made the island an essential stop on the way to India, where Britain had historically strong interests. As a British colony preceding World War I, Malta served as shipping way stop and as a headquarter for British and other nations’ fleets. Britain’s interaction with Malta makes the country the first to be studied in terms of its interaction with the island during the First World War. An important point to note is that Malta did not play an active and substantial military role during World War I. The first instance of British-Malta interaction in terms of World War I happened in 1914 as Britain joined Russia and France in war against Germany. According to Austin (2004), Malta held a British Mediterranean Fleet of about 14 battleships prior to the First World War. The author states that Britain’s involvement in the war resulted in a rapid withdrawal of this fleet to meet the threat posed by Germany. British military was traditionally involved in patrol-like tendencies due to its strong navy, hence the need to involve the Mediterranean Fleet in war. Sciberras (2004) details the next level of interaction between Britain and Malta as the war progressed. According to this author, February 1915 saw an early enquiry of the possibility of hospital accommodation in Malta. The first arrivals of injured British (and other Allies’) soldiers were treated in the available hospitals, in Malta, during this period. The present hospital resource in Malta at the time was merely four small hospital facilities with 278 bed capacity (Rudolf and Berg, 2010). However, the projected increasing in number of casualties meant that the available hospital resourc es would be overwhelmed. Hence, there was provision of extra nursing accommodation in barracks and Maltese schools, with the available hospital resources expanded to make a total of 25,000 beds. The first convoys of wounded British soldiers arrived in Maltese hospitals in March 1915, and by September of the same year, Malta held about 10,000 soldiers under treatment. The Maltese population of the time took part in the treatment of these soldiers. With the progression of the war, Malta increasingly became a significant center for nursing British and Allies’ soldiers owing to its proximity to the areas of war and its ease of accessibility in comparison to the home countries. To highlight the importance of Malta’

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Political Science-the book, Privilege, Power, and Difference and 19 Essay

Political Science-the book, Privilege, Power, and Difference and 19 minutes - Essay Example Alex Cormier was Josie’s mother and a high court judge who was presiding Peter’s case. She was going through emotional upheaval, on one side is her relationship with Josie, her daughter, and on other side is the biggest case of her life. Josie witnessed the shooting but could not narrate what exactly happened. Later, Josie admits to shoot Matt Royston before Peter as she also a victim of Matt’s abusive behavior. In the dramatic narrative of trial Peter’s parents, Lacy and Lewis wonder about the past events and his brother’s death that might have compelled Peter to be such a violent and cruel person. The story continues in the flashback of events before and after the shooting. Trial proceeded and Peter was sentenced for life but he committed suicide after one month in prison. Josie is sentenced for five years and Alex got married and pregnant with detective Patrick. Nineteen minutes delves us into the logical consequence of 17 year olds’ sufferings in a cruel society where schools have become center of oppression. Picoult points out the victimization of a culprit and our role in this whole process as a silent observer, as society! Instead of just blaming the culprit, â€Å"Nineteen Minutes† look into the physical and emotional torment of incessant act of oppression that pushed Peter to go over the top and take revenge. It discusses school system, responsibility of society, parent’s negligence and peer’s insensitivity that ends up in such horrible consequences. Reading â€Å"Nineteen Minutes† obscures the line between victim and culprit and the idea of right and wrong as it invite us to rethink the reality. Picoult presented a harsh reality in a straight forward but compelling manner. The novel is fully loaded with emotional and psychological insight about peer pressure and cruelty. It points out the cultural and social structure of school that is infected with the desire to

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Entrepreneurial ventures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Entrepreneurial ventures - Essay Example Business finance is a wide area and an exhaustive examination of each is not possible. However, the essay will bring out the disadvantages of each method of financing (Galloway 382). The bias may lie on the start-ups given that the initial stages of the business are the most difficult to finance since the risk is usually highest. There are two broad categories of business finance: debt financing and equity financing. These are ways of sourcing the capital that a business requires either to start operating, continue its day to day operation operating, or to attain a given strategic objective. Debt financing has the characteristic that the business or the entrepreneur has to repay with interest. The debt capital is a liability. Equity financing is the investment of the entrepreneur and other owners into the business (Krulikowski 245). This is risk capital. The distinction between debt and equity is that debt is a "loan" to the business while equity represents the extent to which one "owns" the venture. This leads to the issue of ownership and control of a business venture which complicates many startups. Debt financing maintains ownership while equity financing cedes some percentage ownership of the business venture. This is a significant consideration when choosing the type of financing for the business. There is no shortage of investors in the world, but there is a shortage of successful entrepreneurs. However, regardless of the source of financing, the entrepreneur must carefully evaluate the type of financing that the business requires (Krulikowski 267). This will depend on several factors. Firstly, there is a distinction on whether it is a startup or an established business. The size of operations will also determine the financing. The entrepreneur must have a business plan for the particular venture he or she plans to undertake. This means that

Friday, August 23, 2019

REDEFINING HAPPINESS THROUGH THE PRISM OF LIFE Essay

REDEFINING HAPPINESS THROUGH THE PRISM OF LIFE - Essay Example Does only living on and on means happiness untouched by what goes around us or even a brief stint of life, if its filled with satisfaction can be termed as a good life. Similarly, humans must also act in someway to fulfill their desires or needs as long as he or she may be alive. For years psychologists have tried to decipher the most generic code of conduct to guide humans through good and torrid times which means studying data on scale that even the most super of computer cannot negotiate with. Humans vary in nature and therefore there cannot exist a generic code of conduct however, if every one makes an effort to work out a way for himself and understand what s the best option while making any decision life could make some sense. When we know that this journey of life has to end someday then why almost all humans live life entirely differently from one another .The fact that ever since the evolution of man and despite its conquest of knowledge and power and freedom on his will, he has not been able to understand what really makes him happy after all this conquest has been made in search of satisfaction and happiness. Therefore if ever we wonder why in most humans life religion means a great deal lot. Religion although has no physical reality as such but for so long been able to provide answer to evading questions pertaining to our happiness. Thats why even after achieving so much materialistically humans turn to religion for soul searching to achieve satisfaction. Death: Unwanted Necessity We in our search for satisfaction since the beginning of time been able to change the world to our liking when those of who did that eventually had to leave this world one day. Still we are unable to comprehend that there are certain rules of thumb in place ever since man learned to sense things around him regarding what to prefer and what not to prefer in good and bad times. For instance we are likely to prefer pains that are short term rather than pains that are relatively long term. Fear and the Hope Factor: The truth of fact is that we are not sometimes intelligent enough for our own sake. We can be very chameleon like in different states of mind. At a given point in time we might commit our self to act differently where as we might do something different in reality. 1Psychologists call it the 'Hot' and 'Cold' states of mind and the difference in thinking and doing the 'empathy gap'. We treat life through the prism of happiness and satisfaction living always with a fear of death. This makes us sometimes to lean towards decision which could be far from making us happy and contented. A person due to lack of money might not be able to afford 500,000 $ sedan which would leave him feeling worthless for some time but after sometime he will be able to get back to his routine and live life normally. What we do not realize that we have defined happiness in our own way. Now, this short sightedness of scope lead the people to belief that inability to achieve something in the short run will make the discomfort to persist for longer period of time then would really happen. In between all this decision making the death factor holds an important place in peoples

Thursday, August 22, 2019

English Studies Reflection paper Essay Example for Free

English Studies Reflection paper Essay One should assume that in taking an Intro to English course that they would be formally and informally introduced to English. However, that assumption escaped me. I didn’t know that we would explore so many avenues for English as a major, but I’m pleased that we did. This journey through the various areas of English has both enlightened me and piqued my interest. While I entered into this course feeling very confident with the path that I wanted to travel, I am now a bit more open-minded about additional ways to reach my destination; which is English Education. As an English teacher I can see the roles that each area of study that we covered could potentially play in education for me as well as my future students. When I consider Publishing Studies and what it has to offer, I immediately think of projects I could assign my students. Publishing studies takes a book in its skeletal state and constructs all the layers until it becomes a live and fully functioning piece of art. Publishing studies in a sense is the production phase of the books we read. It is where the book goes to develop. It starts with the brains of the operation or the writer. Once the writer creates the manuscript it is then passed on to the heartbeat of the process. There are various organs within that cause the heart to function. Those organs include the designer of the cover, the designer of the layout and even the editors. The area of production studies is a well-oiled machine working to produce the fully developed body of the writers’ creation. However, without linguistics what words would the writer use to even create such a masterpiece?

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Integration versus generic approach Essay Example for Free

Integration versus generic approach Essay Integration versus Generic Approach Author Note This paper is being submitted on November 17, 2013, HS/100 Introduction to Human services course. Integration versus Generic Approach The integration concept is that which emphasis’s on the integrating of the various human services systems under one organizational or administrative system. In the most basic terms, an integrated service delivery approach serves people better, more efficiently and effectively. Integration calls for people within agencies to be involved and invested in the process of sustainable change. To achieve truly integrated services, organizations must overcome their own interests and look at clients’ needs. (Friedman and Pagan, 2011). Today technology allows human service agencies to have a comprehensive view of client need, giving caseworkers the best information to look at services across programs and to allocate available resources to assist customers. This enables agencies to deploy necessary services quickly in a well-coordinated fashion (Freidman and Pagen, 2011). The generic approach to human services, in part, has integration, but it is generally believed that the existing human services structure is most accurately described as an array of potentially related programs that deliver distinct benefits or services to narrowly defined target populations. These programs are usually separate and distinct, through which money, regulations, and professional norms, and expectations flow. While some overlapping across programs has always existed, each usually operates in a relatively self-contained manner (Corbett and Noyes, 2008). I believe that the integration approach serves our publics best interest. To have all systems and programs come together to see the big picture, to focus on all the problems together, instead of having to go place to place to work on separate issues Unfortunately, a  ready-made definition of service integration does not exist. We have not been able to find a magic threshold that marks the separation of unintegrated service systems from those we would characterize as integrated (Corbett and Noyes, 2008). (Ragan, 2003) states, â€Å"There is no single answer. Based on observations†¦service integration is a combination of strategies that simplifies and facilitates clients’ access to benefits and services. Each site has implemented a distinctive mix of strategies, processes, and partner agencies†.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Effectiveness of Hepatitis B Vaccination Programs

Effectiveness of Hepatitis B Vaccination Programs Hepatitis B incurs a significant impact and burden on society worldwide and adversely affects the lives of children, adolescents and their families (Zanetti, Van Damme Shouval, 2008, p. 6266; World Health Organization [WHO], 2013; National Centre for Immunisation Research Surveillance [NCIRS], 2012, p. 2). Extensive immunisation programs are recommended to reduce the rates of hepatitis B and its economic costs on the population (WHO, 2008; Williams, 2002, p. 458). This essay will analyse hepatitis B immunisation as a health intervention strategy and the impact of associated mortality and morbidity on Australian population (NCIRS, 2012, p. 1-2). This will be done by focussing on the needs for hepatitis B immunisation and the goals of immunisation program. This will be followed by analysing the implementation of the hepatitis B vaccination programs together with their effectiveness on population health for children and families. WHO (2013) defines hepatitis B as an infectious disease in which the â€Å"hepatitis B virus (HBV)† causes the inflammation of the liver by affecting its function. The morbidity of hepatitis B has a significant impact on infants, children and adolescents (NCIRS, 2012, p. 1-2; Ni, 2011, p.2; Levy, 2012, p. 206). Studies show that hepatitis B can have a negative effect on the liver function which may lead to chronic liver condition followed by the development of cirrhosis and liver cancer (Zanetti et al., 2008, p.6267; Ni, 2011, p.2; Rots, Wijmenga-Monsuur, Luytjes, Kaaijk, Graaf, Van Der Zeijst Boog, 2010, p. 893). NCIRS (2012) stated that the rate of death related to the hepatitis B was â€Å"the tenth leading cause† of mortality worldwide due to chronic liver infection. Statistics also show that the percentage of hepatitis B disease in Australia is much lower in comparison to the other countries; however, this rate may increase because of the contribution of infected immigrants to the country (Zanetti et al., 2008, p. 6266; NCIRS, 2012, p. 2; Gidding, Warlow, Maclntyre, Backhouse, Gilbert, Quinn Mclntyre, 2007, p. 8640; Levi, 2012, p. 206). The hepatitis B virus has been shown to be spread via blood and blood contaminated instruments and this impacted by different factors such as age, gender and the status of immune system (Ni, 2011, p. 1; Rots et al., 2010.p. 894, 897; Zanetti et al., 2008, p. 6266). It is stated that infants and children may be affected by hepatitis B disease by being exposed to the hepatitis B antigen carrier mother directly via blood particularly at times of birth (NCIRS, 2012, p. 3; Ni, 2011, p. 2; Rots et al., 2010, p. 894; Roznovsky, Pliskova, Orsagova, Kloudova, Tvrdik, Kabieszova, Lochman, Mrazek, Hozakova Zjevikova, 2010, p. 395). Statistics showed that boys were more susceptible to hepatitis B than girls and this was attributed to a correspondingly greater number of the chronic liver infection for males later in the ir life (Ni, 2011, p. 4). Also where the immune system is considered to be compromised by HBV, it may result in more complicated health related issues (Ni, 2011, p. 4). The transmission of HBV may readily spread indirectly via blood contaminated instruments during surgery and â€Å"needle stick injuries† in clinics as well as through contact with infectious person within the family (NCIRS, 2012, p. 3; Ni, 2011, p. 2; Zanetti et al., 2008, p. 6266). The hepatitis B immunisation programs sanctioned in Australia were aimed at reducing the impact and burden of hepatitis B disease on its population (Gidding et al., 2007, p. 8637). It is emphasised that the prevention of the development of hepatitis B disease is considered to be less expensive than its treatment (Levy, 2012, p. 206). Therefore, an implementation of a vaccination program could minimise the financial impact on the families as well as on the country as whole (Zanetti et al., 2008, p. 6268- 6269; Levy, 2012, p. 206). There have been two programs introduced in relation of minimising hepatitis B infection namely â€Å"universal vaccination† and â€Å"school-based program† (Gidding et al., 2007, p. 8640; Rots et al., 2010, p. 897). The universal hepatitis B vaccination program was targeted at new born babies who are susceptible to infection from mothers who may carry positive antigens (Rots et al., 2010, p. 894; Levy, 2012, p. 206; Gidding et al., 2007, p. 863 7). They are considered to be the most vulnerable of all children’s age groups and the majority of them have a greater risk of having health related issues including chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer (Ni, 2011, p. 2, 5; Rots et al., 2010, p. 894; Levy, 2012, p. 206). The other program assists in improving adolescents’ health owing to the fact that approximately two thirds of adolescents may be identified as a â€Å"high risk group† due to their unprotected sexual contacts which could result in development of hepatitis B infection (Gidding et al., 2007, p. 8638; 8640; Rots et al., 2010, p. 894; Van Herck Van Damme, 2008, p. 861). It is considered that these strategies may protect the health of children and adolescents by controlling the spread of hepatitis B from person to the person (Zanetti et al., 2008, p. 6268; Ni, 2011, p. 5- 6). It has been highlighted that a number of scheduled hepatitis B vaccinations are required to be administered to children (NCIRS, 2012, p. 4- 5; Rots et al., 2010, p. 894; Zanetti et al., 2008, p. 6267). It is a requirement that the first hepatitis B vaccination is essential to be provided to infants immediately â€Å"within twenty four hours after their birth† followed by a further three doses that are given every couple months till six months of their age (Rots et al., 2008, p. 894; WHO, 2013; NCIRS, 2012, p.1, 4). This schedule of vaccinations has dramatically decreased the predisposition for hepatitis B infection from their mother (Rots et al., 2008, p. 894; NCIRS, 2012, p.1, 4). However, with regards to adolescents aged between 11 and 15, the vaccination against hepatitis B is scheduled in two doses with an interval of six months between them (NCIRS, 2012, p. 5; Rots et al., 2010, p. 894). In cases where a child’s immune system is severely compromised by serious heal th diseases such as obesity or HIV, it is recommended that the administered dose of hepatitis B vaccine should be doubled (NCIRS, 2012, p. 4- 5; Zanetti et al., 2008, p. 6267). To achieve maximum benefit from the vaccination the injections are to be administered in the thigh for the children up to 12 months of age, while those older than that age are required to be administered in deltoid muscle (Zanetti et al., 2008, p. 6267). As the hepatitis B immunisation is usually not contraindicated with the other vaccinations it could be given to children together with the other scheduled vaccinations including diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (Rots et al., 2010, p. 894). Nevertheless, observation of the children is required due to the possible development of adverse negative reactions of the vaccines (Zanetti et al., 2008, p. 6267). The effectiveness of hepatitis B vaccination programs is crucial in order to reduce the morbidity of hepatitis B disease together with related liver complications (Rots et al., 2010, p. 897). By measuring the effect of immunisation, it can be determined whether benefits are being achieved or other strategies need to be considered (Ni, 2011, p. 5). The WHO analysis of hepatitis B disease shows that the implementation of hepatitis B immunisation does have a positive effect on the future health of children and adolescents (WHO, 2013). Studies have been conducted to examine the effectivity of implemented vaccination programs along with their financial cost (Gidding et al., 2007, p. 8640; Zanetti et al., 2008, p. 6268). It was found that the â€Å"universal vaccination† was highly effective when administering it to children from birth (Roznovsky et al., 2010, p. 398).However, after 10-15 years it offered little protection to the immunised children (Rots et al., 2010, p. 898; Roznov sky et al., 2010, p. 396, 398; Zanetti et al., 2008, p. 6267). Studies showed that the antibodies produced in response to the hepatitis B immunisation are diminished as the adolescents age and this may lead to the development of chronic liver infection (Zanetti et al., 2008, p. 6267). In this case the â€Å"school-based programs† are necessary in terms of administering additional doses of hepatitis B vaccination that may assist in protecting child’s health in the long-term, but may be costly for society (Gidding et al., 2007, p. 8640; Rots et al., 2010, p. 898). Additionally, a financial burden may also be associated with the failure of detecting HBV either in mothers or their babies due to insufficient screening (Gidding et al., 2007, p. 8637). Unfortunately, hepatitis immunisation programs which have shown to be very effective for many decades are now in danger of being removed from government agenda (Van Herck Van Damme, 2008, p. 861). In summation, the hepatitis B vaccination programs have been very effective as reducing the incidence of disease in society. The corresponding reduction in the burden and impact on families together with reduced costs has been very beneficial. However, because of the success of the vaccination programs they no longer hold the same governmental priorities and may be reduced over time.

stock market crash :: essays research papers

Sexual discrimination has been around for many years and is present in many circumstances, however, that does not justify the unethical and immoral views against lesbians or gays There is info in the play â€Å"the children’s hour† that proves lesbianism was looked down upon for the wrong reasons. a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  They lost their jobs – all of the parent’s of the children attending the school checked their kids out. b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People would stare at them – Even Martha went to check the mail people driving by would stare. c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Loved ones left them – Karen’s future husband left her d.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lost any reason to live because no one loved them – they only had each other as friends. e.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  e. All of this shows the immorality people have towards someone’s sexual background and this needs to be stopped f.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  II. There are also obvious examples of how society today is filled with unfair judgment towards lesbians and gays today. g.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While people in the novel lose their jobs, people lose their jobs today as well because of their sexuality. h.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People still stare at these people and often mock them i.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This shows immorality and intolerance towards lesbians and needs to be stopped before the problem gets worse. j.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Call to action: Because of the evidence I have provided, it is very clear that something should be done. k.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A. I feel that a very logical solution would be to have unions create stronger enforcement against discrimination towards people concerning their sexual background by not allowing this personal information given out to their employers. If this is done, then less people will lose their jobs because of an issue they cannot control. l.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Another logical solution would be to look at ourselves and see if we are hurting any of these people either directly or indirectly.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Hedge Fund Policy Essay -- Economics Wealth Papers

Hedge Fund Policy What makes a hedge fund such a unique investment? And why is it so controversial? Many feel the risks of a hedge fund strongly outweigh its benefits. And with some funds, it does. But when a hedge fund strives, it has impeccable potential. It is arguable that the regulation on hedge funds, or lack there of, is what allows for so many to falter. However, despite various suggestions for policy changes, a few lemons still remain. Would changes in policy and regulation of a Hedge Fund allow it to be a more attractive investment opportunity? Although some alterations could make the hedge fund a safer investment, some risks are completely unavoidable. Ultimately, these changes may not only create more problems, but also take away from the uniqueness of this remarkable form of investment. A hedge fund is typically a private partnership invested primarily in publicly traded securities or futures. They are limited to 99 investors and require large minimum investments, which can range from $25,000 to several million dollars. Sixty five percent of the investors must have a net worth of at least $1 million. A general partner, who uses sophisticated strategies to make bets on the fund?s direction, and generally receives 20% of the profits, leads the fund. Hedge fund strategies fall into four open categories: absolute return, long/short equity, event driven, and global asset allocation. Absolute driven strategies are known as "market-neutral" funds, which seek to moderate the effects of overall market forces. Long/Short hedge funds, which represent about half of the assets in the hedge fund industry, seek to profit from underpricings by buying long, and overpricing through short selling. Event driven hedge funds ... ... able to grow and have the leverage it had, if it had not been lent the money," said Bert Ely. Though many may argue that hedge funds do more harm than good, they are still extremely popular investments and have proven to be very successful. Many have benefited with the current hedge fund policy and see no need for regulatory changes. Various proposed changes may not, in fact, be entirely beneficial. Once implemented, the suggested solutions could create more problems for the hedge fund world. And such changes would alter the characteristics that attract so many to such incredible investment opportunities. In the end, a better hedge fund policy is neither plausible nor desirable. Sources: http://library.hbs.edu/hedgefunds.htm http://www-personal.umd.umich.edu/~mtwomey/newspapers/100198he.html http://www.bernstein.com/perfstrat/products/ts_020401.htm

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Symbols of Feminine Power in Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay

Symbols of Feminine Power in Their Eyes Were Watching God  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Much evidence supports Saturday Review writer Doris Grumbach's opinion that Their Eyes Were Watching God is "the finest black novel of its time" and "one of the finest of all time" (Washington, 4). Zora Neale Hurston's text is highly regarded because of the meaning and purpose it conveys using poetic language and folkloric imagery. It is the heroic story of Janie Crawford's search for individuality, self-realization, and independence from the patriarchal forces of her time. Because the novel is mainly concerned with Janie's many relationships within a male-dominated context, it is only logical to take feminist view of Their Eyes Were Watching God. Throughout my reading of this particular novel I have identified the images of porches, trees, and the horizon as symbols of power in favor of Janie Crawford's search for a feminist identity. To support this opinion, I have chosen to utilize the feminist / reader response theories formulated by Judith Fetterley in Introduction to the Resisting Reader: A Feminist Approach to American Fiction. Fetterley's writing is useful for the study of Their Eyes Were Watching God because of her discussion of power and its relation to women. In her introduction she explains the relationship between the two classifications of gender (male versus female) and the ideology of America. According to Fetterley, "American literature is male," and "to be American is male" (991). Unfortunately, this type of philosophy has existed for many years and still exists today. In order for a change to occurs, Fetterley says that readers must "examine American fictions in light of how attitudes toward women shape their form and content" because it... ...independence.    Works Cited Donlon, Jocelyn Hazelwood. "Porches: Stories: Power: Spatial and Racial Intersections in Faulkner and Hurston."Journal of American Culture (1996): 95-110. Online. Internet. 8 December 1999. Available: http:vweb.hwwilsonweb.com/cgi-bi†¦GT.&SP.URL.P=(H5Z7)J(0000121600)&. Fetterley, Judith. "Introduction to the Resisting Reader: a Feminist Approach to American Fiction." The Critical Tradition: Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends. Ed. David H. Richter. Boston: Bedford books, 1998. 991-998. Hurston, Zora Neale. Their Eyes Were Watching God. New York: Perennial Classics, 1990. Jacobs, Karen. "From 'Spy-glass' to Horizon: Tracking the Anthropological Gaze in Zora Neale Hurston." Novel (1997): 329-60. Online. Internet. 8 December 1999. Available: http:vweb.hwwilsonweb.com/cgi-bi†¦GT.&SP.URL.P=(H5Z7)J(00000121600)&.      

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Research Essay

Quantitative research – is a formal, objective, systematic research which bases on precise figures. While conducting such kind of research, an investigator collects and analyzes data and statistics. The main purposes of applying quantitative method of research are: description of variables; examination of relationship among variables; determination of cause-and-effect interactions between variables (Burns & Grove,2005). Qualitative research – in contrast to quantitative, is a kind of research which mainly concentrates on observations, questionnaires, reports and other ways of subjective investigations. The key features of qualitative research are: focus on meanings, perspectives and understandings; emphasis on process; inductive analysis, and grounded theory (Woods, 2006). The basic differences between quantitative and qualitative research lie in methods and instruments they apply, types of data they collect and generate, in their main perspectives. The instruments used in quantitative research are strict about extracting information and dividing it into categories. Quantitative methods are highly structured and include various surveys, questionnaires, and structured observations. In qualitative research, more flexible and frequentative instruments are applied. Qualitative methods, unlike quantitative ones, are semi-structured. To these methods belong interview, focus group, questionnaire, and participant observation. Quantitative research, in contrast to qualitative, operates with numerical data. Qualitative research, as a rule, uses textual data (Mack, Woodsong, et al., 2005). The most important feature which differentiates one research from another is flexibility. Usually, the procedure of quantitative research is prescribed in advance. Therefore, it excludes any unforeseen changes during the process of research. For instance, the questions in quantitative research are well thought-out, concrete, and closed. Moreover, the order of questions is also fixed. In such a way, quantitative research, due to its inflexibility, makes meaningful contribution to common investigation. The stages of qualitative research may be changed during the research procedure. The questions in qualitative research are mostly open. It enables the participants to give more reasonable answers and sometimes, even to go into detail. Therefore, spontaneity became a distinctive feature of qualitative research, which made the process of research less formal (Mack, Woodsong, et al., 2005). References Burns, N., Grove, S.K. (2005). The practice of nursing research: conduct, critique, and utilization (5th Ed.). St. Louis, Elsevier Saunders. Retrieved from http://www.researchproposalsforhealthprofessionals.com/definition_of_quantitative_resea.htm Mack, N., Woodsong, C., MacQueen, M. K., Guest, G., Namey, E. (2005). Qualitative research methods: A data collector’s field guide. Retrieved from http://www.fhi360.org/nr/rdonlyres/emgox4xpcoyrysqspsgy5ww6mq7v4e44etd6toiejyxalhbmk5sdnef7fqlr3q6hlwa2ttj5524xbn/datacollectorguideenrh.pdf Woods, P. (2006). Qualitative research. Retrieved from http://www.edu.plymouth.ac.uk/resined/qualitative%20methods%202/qualrshm.htm

Friday, August 16, 2019

About My Childhood Essay

My name is Rouda Mohammed Al-Suaidi. I started kindergarten at the age of 4 in one of the finest schools in Abu Dhabi, which is Al-Worood Private School. I felt so scared on my first day of school and I didn’t go to school alone. My mother used to stay with me in class which made some of my classmates laugh at me. I remember they used to call me â€Å"A baby† and â€Å"Mommy’s little girl†. I used to cry a lot when they call me this. I spent my whole childhood there from kindergarten until High School. Throughout my childhood, I faced several successes and challenges. One of my successes in my childhood is being a famous basketball player in school. It first started at home, where I used to have a small basketball hall to practice and play with my family and friends especially in the weekends. At first, I didn’t have any idea on how to play this sport, but with the help of my precious father and uncle, they taught me all the ways and techniques to be an excellent basketball player. After being taught by my father and uncle, I started implementing the techniques and ways in mini basketball competitions, which were just amongst the students from grade 6-12. Although I was a fat, chubby young basketball player in school, my P.E teacher wanted me to compete with other international schools in Dubai and Sharjah. In the beginning, I was anxious and worried to compete with the schools in Dubai and Sharjah. Moreover, I was terrified because I had an image in my mind that the students their will make fun of me and laugh because I was fat. See more: Social process essay My P.E teacher motivated me and started training me after school time. After a lot of training and support from both my P.E teacher and family, I competed with the other schools and our school was ranked the 2nd best school in playing basketball. I was so happy about it but I wished to be ranked the first, but it never de-motivated me in practicing more and more. My father always told me: â€Å"be optimistic and never be pessimistic† and since then, I’ve been following my father’s quote until my recent life. Another success in my life was helping my cousin in raising two of her only children, a boy (Ali) and a girl (Sarah). At that time, Ali was just 18 months and Sarah was only 3 months. Ali and Sarah were everything to me. They were staying with me most of the time from the afternoon after I directly come back home from school till the evening around 10. However, in the weekends, they used to sleepover in our house. When I come back home, I used to eat lunch quickly and finish my school work quickly just to spend time with them. After I finished all my studies, I used to play with them, feed them lunch and dinner, bathe them at night before they leave in the weekdays and create a time for their naps during the day. The reason behind me helping my cousin in doing the mother duties is because my cousin was going through a process of having a divorce. After the divorce, my cousin went through depression and when I saw her like that, I offered to help her in her duties towards her children. So, she showed me how to do several things like: changing their diapers, play gently with them and taking turns while playing, share toys with each other, how to make them sleep, feed them and many other things. Although it is a very hard job raising a child, it didn’t prevent me from learning to be a successful mother in the future when I have my own children. Also, it didn’t stop my studies in sch ool. Moreover, it made me more focused in class and become a better student. Being a make-up artist is my third success through my childhood. In order to reach that success, I had to watch a lot of people putting make-up, ask them to teach me the techniques on how to put make-up and arrange the colors of the make-up when drawing the eyes, understanding and knowing the differences of all skin types for the make-up. Also, I used to watch people putting make up through T.V programs, watch the whole program and write down my questions on a piece of paper and send them an email in order to ask my questions and wait for their reply. Being a make-up artist was my childhood dream and after learning the basics and imitating it on the people, I became more confident and would want to expand my dream into opening my new make-up beauty center in the short term time. Although there were some successes in my childhood, I also faced many challenges. One of my greatest challenges was feeling embarrassed and lonely. During my childhood, I was always embarrassed of myself because I was very fat. The students in school used to make fun of me and call me different names: like â€Å"you look like pumba†, â€Å"you look like an old cow†, and many other names. I used to cry a lot to my mother when I go back home. Because I stood quiet and listen to students for years making fun of me, I turned to be a lonely person in my childhood. I used to be alone in the music lessons, art lessons and in the break times. I used to like walking alone, not playing with other children like all other normal children do. The reason behind this was my worry of the children making more fun of me because I was fat. This issue affected me a lot as a child but as I grew up, I started to be more sociable with the people. Another challenge is to know and understand the quality of time. As a child, I always wanted to play and have fun. I never organized my time and never valued the quality of time. I always wanted to lose time when I was assigned for any job for my mother or finish my school work very quickly and not caring about my work at all. All I wanted is time for playing only. As I grew older, I had many commitments to do in life like studying to become an excellent student and get high grades that would allow me to enroll in one of the best universities in Abu Dhabi, being with my family by visiting them, living my personal and social life and others. Unfortunately, I realized that I couldn’t mange my time at all and I was eager for help. My family was very supportive. They got me books on time management and I started reading those books, learning the techniques on how to organize your time. After a period of time, I started organizing my time, appreciate and value the quality of time. Finally, meeting my family’s expectation was also one of my challenges in life. The reason behind it is that parents expect a lot from their children. They expect to be successful, talented, hard working, enthusiastic and many other things. You wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself in front of your parents, because they always think that they’ve raised a perfect child whereas no one is perfect and everyone has negative and positive side effects. In my childhood, my parents expectations to me was being an excellent students, getting high grades in my exams and quizzes. I felt overwhelmed, pressured and exhausted because I didn’t want embarrass myself with my parents and I didn’t want them to get angry and mad at me for not at least trying to reach their expectation. I was trying very hard to meet their expectations in any of the issues and expectations and eventually I did.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Pros and Cons of Fast Food Essay

The fast food industry has come a long way from its humble beginnings nearly a century ago. The first restaurant considered a fast food restaurant was called White Castle. White Castle was opened in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas by Billy Ingram. He opened it so that he could sell his slider-style burgers at a price of 5 cents per patty. White castle is in business today and its belief of selling cheap affordable food for all became the foundation for all the fast food places that were founded soon after. Places that include, Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1930, McDonalds in 1940, In-n-Out in 1948, Burger King in 1954, and Wendy’s in 1969 along with others became the well known cheap eateries that we have here today. All this fast food although cheap, they have clearly had a well documented negative effects of it as well. As more and more fast food appears and gets advertised in our lives it drives people to want to go and get some but causes the average weight of people to go up because of it and also leads to the fast food industry to make money off of it too. The fast food industry has its goods and consequences but ultimately it comes down to what position you are looking at the industry from to really identify your viewpoint. For example if you were a person looking for a job and all you could get was a job at McDonalds, you would think that the industry is good because you make money off of it. But if you were a person who has become obese as a result of eating too much fast food, you might not be a big fan of the fast food industry. There are many arguments that can be made for the fast food industry because of all the good that it provides to people. The first benefit that it has is that it provides cheap food to people since back when it first started it cost 5 cents at White Castle per burger and nowadays basically every place has a dollar menu like McDonalds or a value menu like Burger King. I’m not sure how long that the dollar menu will last with how the price of everything in the world is getting more expensive as time goes on, but I’m sure that it’ll stay at around a dollar or two so that it’ll be a lot cheaper then anything else for a long time. Another benefit of the fast food industry is that the food that it provides is quite convenient because it is so quick to make for us to be able to eat unlike restaurants so that it is a lot better for those who are on the go and need to eat very quickly at the place or even order through the drive-thrus available at most if not all fast food places if they want to save even more time to eat in the car. Another benefit of the fast food industry that some people may overlook is the employment opportunities it creates for people. According to howstuffworks. com, as of today there are about 2. 4 million workers that work in the fast food industry which his quite a large number. These jobs, although small, provide a steady source for those who work there to support their families, and I’m not too sure that all of the people employed within the fast food industry could find other jobs. A last minor benefit of the fast food industry is how they are adapting because of all the criticism they receive about fast food being unhealthy, places like McDonalds started serving things like fruits, salads and milk to stop a bit of the negative opinions. The main argument against the fast food industry is the health issues that result from eating the fast food. All the fast food is and has been for a while assembly line made. We don’t always know what the fast food is made of; it could be filled with random meats that we might not quite like if we ever find out. Fast food is usually higher in things like fat, oil, calories and sugar. All the nutrients get fried out of the food and eating a lot will result in many problems, like obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and joint problems. According to Buzzle, people who live within walking distance of a fast food restaurant are 13% more likely of suffering a stroke then those who don’t. According to Ehow. com 33% of Americans are obese and a lot of it stems from the doubling of fast food restaurants since 1970. Simply put, if you eat a lot of fast food bad things will likely happen to you. Fast food also has a negative effect on our environment as well because the factory produced fast food is said to have a big impact on our environment causing a lot of damage and a lot of people consider it a major contributor to global warming. And according to EHow, they quote the EatingWell Magazine that worldwide meat production is said to emit more greenhouse gases then all the transportation and industrial processes combined. Another argument against the fast food industry would be that fast food industries are also being considered as a factor for making families spend less time together because people just want to eat quick and leave thus reducing the amount of family time that people get together. All in all just like everything else in the world, the fast food industry has its pros and cons. The pros of it would be that the food is cheap, the food is convenient to get and eat, and that it provides a lot of jobs for people. The cons would be that it’s bad for your health to eat, its bad for the environment to make and may likely decrease the amount of family time that families can get. I believe that these really balance each other out, but it really depends on the point of view of the individual as to whether they like or dislike the fast food industry. In the end opinions may differ, but it’s really up to you to decide. Reference Page: 1. Bose, D. (2012, March 9). Advantages and Disadvantages of Fast Food. Buzzle. Retrieved September 18, 2013, from http://www. buzzle. com/articles/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-fast-food.html 2. Maire, L. (n. d. ). Pros & Cons of Fast Foods | eHow. eHow | How to Videos, Articles & More – Discover the expert in you.. Retrieved September 18, 2013, from http://www. ehow. com/info_8006832_fast-foods-pros-cons. html 3. Tannebaum, K. (n. d. ). Fast Food History – Original Fast Food Locations – Delish. com. Recipes, Party Food, Cooking Guides, Dinner Ideas, and Grocery Coupons – Delish. com. Retrieved September 18, 2013, from http://www. delish. com/food-fun/fast-food-history#slide-3 4. Wilson, T. V. (n. d. ). HowStuffWorks â€Å"The History of Fast Food†. HowStuffWorks â€Å"Science†.

Hamlet: Context of the Original Version Essay

Shakespeare uses words in his plays that are often confusing to modern readers. His wordplays, however, are what make his works worth reading. That is why there are available resources that attempt to explain at least some of the context of Shakespeare’s words in his plays. One of these resources is a website that offers a translation of the original work into the modern language. The service is called No Fear Shakespeare. The translations, however, does not provide the experience that is brought to the audience that using Shakespeare’s words does. One of the plays that No Fear Shakespeare translates into the modern version is Hamlet. We shall examine and compare how the original version differs in context and complexity from the modern version using Act III scene 4. This is where Hamlet met Gertrude in her room and had killed Polonius. First, we examine that Shakespeare’s words, while may be used in its literal sense, is also used to refer to something else. In fact, the English language is full of connotations and metaphorical usage that it is often easy to undermine the context of Shakespeare’s words by modern readers. Hamlet and Gertrude’s exchange of words in the beginning of the scene, for example, use words that, when translated into modern version, lose their symbolic meaning. The word â€Å"offended† was translated into the word â€Å"insulted† which is not as effective or powerful in use as the original term. â€Å"Idle tongue† was translated simply into â€Å"foolish† and â€Å"wicked tongue† simply into â€Å"evil. † â€Å"Tongue† in the original context is used to refer to the characters’ manner of speaking. Thus, an â€Å"idle tongue† means that Hamlet was speaking without meaning, purpose or basis and â€Å"wicked tongue† while may mean to be literally evil, may also refer to something with mischief. One must remember that Hamlet is very critical about those around him, treating the other characters with suspicion. He knew that there are those who contrive against him and his mother does not escape his doubts. Thus, Hamlet’s use of â€Å"wicked† is more closely applicable to â€Å"mischief† than to â€Å"evil. † Fact is the term â€Å"question† may actually mean â€Å"doubt† in the original context. It is important to note that while the translations closely resemble the meaning of the original, it loses the power of the original. Hamlet also referred to Polonius, although he was unaware that it was Polonius who was behind the tapestry, as a â€Å"rat. † One might be easily led in the modern translation that Hamlet simply means to regard the person literally as a rat which justifies killing it. Those aware of the English language know that the term rat could refer to someone who is despicable, or an informer of sort, a spy perhaps. This meaning is reinforced when Hamlet regarded Polonius as an â€Å"intruding fool† later on. Hamlet also regarded Polonius as â€Å"wretched† and was translated into simply â€Å"low-life,† which hardly compares to the power of the original term that means someone who is in a very unhappy or unfortunate state. The term is also used to express anger, hatred or annoyance. Gertrude’s expression confronting Hamlet stating that he dared to â€Å"wag thy tongue in a noise so rude† was simply translated to â€Å"talk to me so rudely.† One could immediately see the richness of the original passage as compared to the translation. While the meaning of the phrase was preserved, the power and drama of the original was not. The use of figurative speech was also disregarded in the modern translation. For example, when Hamlet cried â€Å"Rebellious hell,† the apostrophe was omitted from the modern translation. The lines were translated not as if Hamlet was calling out to hell, hence, does not retain the richness and complexity of the original. It must be noted that the use of figurative speech makes a literary work an art, and the failure of the translated version to maintain its use in the original passage is a failure to meet the excellence exemplified by the original. The problem that exists in the modern translation of Shakespeare’s plays lies in the context of the meaning of the words, the mystery of its use, and the application of figurative speech. Shakespeare’s words are often richer in context and complex in meaning that it is also the reason of the difficulty to understand some concepts and messages in the play. The meaning, context and complexity of the words as used in the original version disappear when translated into the modern version. Modern versions of the text are usually taken in its literal sense, thus, the author’s real purpose in using the words disappear. Furthermore, the art of using words by applying figurative speech was not preserved in the modern version. Modern translations of the text, while easier to understand, fail to meet the complexities of Shakespeare’s words and come short in the richness of its context.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

A Philosophical Approach To Animal Rights Philosophy Essay

A Philosophical Approach To Animal Rights Philosophy Essay Rights are certain codes of freedom or some sort of allowed medians based on certain legal system or ethical theories. Every organism born with some rights, it is the society or the system which understands and allocates these norms to that particular individual and also does the grading among the living beings. This paper is mainly concern with the animal’s rights, their legal position in our society and also their autonomy. Human being is by nature a selfish being and if we look through the window of history, man has been using animals for their benefits without caring about their rights and freedom. From very beginning human and animals are in close interactions with each other, human use them as food, make them to do their work, use them for decoration purpose, use them as watch man, use their lather and also use them for experimentation. In spite of hundreds of benefits which animals provide to human, human do no or less care about their rights and legal position and is busy in harming animals and violating legal norms which should be given to these animals. Non-human animals should be given rights and protection in the society and there should be a governing body which should govern and implements these rights and norms. It is a fact that animals are an important component of a country economy, the use of animals is a bit compulsory nowadays. Many industries such as lather industries, diary industries, pharmaceutical industries, food industries, and textile industries all rest on animals and their products. I have no objection regarding the use of animals but this use should be justified and limited and if the use is experimentation then the 3Rs Principlesshould be followed, which are Reduction, Refinement and Replacement. By reduction he means that reduce the number of animals used, if you are using 100, use 50. Similarly by refinement he means that refine your method so that less or no harm is given, by replacement he means that replace higher a nimals by lower animals or animals by computer models. There is a difference between use and cruelty, use and harm, it is clear that their use cannot be avoided but what can be done is to follow certain rules and guidelines regarding their use. These rules should be provided by an ethical committee and implemented by government. This paper will give you an idea about the thinking of various philosophers and great persons regarding animal rights from the very beginning till date. Ancient world and Animals: Human dominancy has been reported in â€Å"Genesis† which quotes that Adam was told to be dominated over fishes, creatures of winds and all creeping creatures, keeping this in mind man had violated animal rights for centuries and centuries. But in fact the quote does not mean that human should be cruel to animals; it only represents supremacy of humans over other creatures. On the other hand certain people believe that they are inferior to human because they lack rationality and language. These two reasons were considered as a right to use animals as food, clothing, for entertainment and as research subject.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

The Capitalist System and Human Greed in Wall Street (1987) Essay

The Capitalist System and Human Greed in Wall Street (1987) - Essay Example Bud becomes an insider trader and involves himself in illegal activities, so that he could give vital information to Gekko. This essay analyzes the elements that Stone used to depict the film's theme. Stone used plot, character development, and editing style to depict the theme that the capitalist system has its excesses, but individual greed is still to be predominantly blamed for the system's immoralities. The capitalist system has a propensity for greed, because of its focus on material wealth as an end itself. The capitalist focuses on material wealth as an end itself, thereby treating other human beings as means to an end. Stone's plot started with the capitalist system's external features, such as buildings and workers. He used establishing shots too in Gekko's office to demonstrate his power and wealth. His office is filled with computers and expensive furniture and painting to underline his amassed wealth as a Wall Street player. Later on, the plot builds to the climax throug h depicting the showdown between Gekko and Bud. Bud ensures that Gekko loses Bluestar to his rival Sir Lawrence Wildman (Terence Stamp). Gekko takes revenge and whistles to the police about Bud's insider trading activities. The resolution of the story says that it does not help to treat people as means to an end only. To highlight the composition and implications of the capitalist system, Stone employed both standard and non-standard editing styles. He used standard editing to show the continuity of human greed. Stone employed dissolves to establish the setting of the film, where workers are shown first and then the skyscrapers. The dissolve transitions illustrate the illusion of material wealth and how it affects workers, the main developer of capital growth. Stone also employed a long shot to establish the setting of stockbrokers in Jackson Steinem & Co., a local Wall Street stock and trading firm. Young and old stockbrokers are talking about companies and hinting on their long-st anding careers that may or may lead to financial success or not. In addition, the capitalist system teaches people to pursue materialistic goals, but they still have a choice, if they want to change the system from within. Stone uses cut-in and cut-away to demonstrate that despite people who are jam-packed in the elevator, as they are also packed into the capitalist system, they remain isolated from each other. They are isolated because of their individual goals. In addition, Stone also used deviations in editing to emphasize the theme of human greed. For instance, he used a montage to depict the differences in how Gekko treats Bud. In his office, cut-in, cut-away editing emphasized their differences in personality and social status. After investing in Bluestar and profiting for it, they meet in the restaurant and Stone uses the shot to both show them together. This time, they are â€Å"equals,† because of their parallels in human greed. The film also showed that the individu al can reinforce the excesses of the capitalist systems, in terms of pursuing relentless profit growth. The individual becomes a product and creator of the capitalist system. People like Bud become products of greed. Bud idolizes Gekko, because the latter makes tens of millions in his deals. He tells his father that there is no â€Å"

Monday, August 12, 2019

Information System Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Information System Development - Essay Example   Ã‚  The third stage is system design, which specifies the functions and operations of the new system. The fourth stage is system acquisition, where an organization purchases the necessary components of the system. The fifth stage is system implementation, where the responsible personnel installs and tests the new system to make it operational (Papadopoulos, 2008). The final stage is system maintenance, where there are regular adjustments to maintain its operational status until the system’s life elapses.   The approaches to system development have their differences. The System Development Life Cycle uses stages of system development, and therefore requires a lot of time to implement. The other approach is prototyping, which involves the creation of an experimental model in a quicker and cheaper manner. The other approach is use of packages, where an organization purchases fully developed programs. The other approach is the End-user development, where an organization buil ds a system with less technical assistance, using the end-users. Finally, outsourcing is the other approach, where an organization uses external vendors for the development and operation of its information system (Davies, 2011).   In the conception activities of system development, there is the creation of a feasibility report and formulation of recommendations regarding a system. System analysis involves data collection, analysis, and documentation. For instance, the data collection occurs through interviews or observations, for the determination and documentation.

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Area of family gerontology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Area of family gerontology - Research Paper Example They are also not in a position to communicate the abuse and thus suffer in silence (IQ Nursing Homes.com, 2008). According to the reports from the U.S. General Accounting Office, 43% of elderly population will live in a nursing home during a lifetime and of these atleast 3 million will be subjected to abuse and atleast 300,000 will die following abuse and neglect at nursing homes (cited in Roberts, 2004). Abuse and negligence leads to violation of human rights of the elderly people who deserve to be respected and have the right to live with dignity and comfort. Infact, the very purpose of admitting then to nursing homes is to make them feel comfortable and get assistance round the clock. Exploitation of their physical and mental vulnerability by means of abuse and neglect needs to be condemned and prevented. Many organizations, groups, laws and reports have devised methods of prevention of abuse and neglect in nursing homes. This article explores some of the measures which help prev ent abuse and neglect. Focus and research statement Is abuse and neglect of elderly common in the nursing homes of United States? Background information Types of abuse in nursing homes Abuse in the elderly can be physical, sexual, emotional or even wrongful death. Financial exploitation and abuse can also occur. Most of the times, abuse occurs by the staff of the nursing home. However, abuse can occur from other residents of the nursing home too. This article mainly concentrates on abuse from the staff. Abuse of the residents can lead to many consequences which vary in intensity ranging from mild discomfort to serious consequences like dehydration, starvation, serious injuries, bedsores and even death. The most common forms of abuse are neglect and caretaking mistreatment (Griffore et al, 2009). Indicators of abuse and negligence in nursing homes In majority of cases, abuse is not obvious and may be missed easily if a family member or a loved person is not watching intentionally. Si nce most of the times, the elderly person is not in a position to address and communicate abuse and neglect which he or she is subjected to, the family member or the loved person must make effort to identify abuse and neglect through various signs and symptoms of abuse (IQ Nursing Homes.com, 2008). When the elderly person becomes withdrawn or non-communicative, emotional abuse must be suspected. Other signs and symptoms of emotional abuse are anxiety, agitation, involuntary seclusion, mood swings, feeling of low self esteem, depression and strange behaviour like sucking, rocking and biting. Since many elderly people develop these features as part of their disease and old age, presence of symptoms and signs of emotional abuse can be attributed to old age mental conditions (IQ Nursing Homes.com, 2008). One clue to the fact that these symptoms actually are due to abuse and neglect is the fact that the onset of symptoms has occurred after admission to the nursing home. Signs and symptom s of physical abuse are unexplained injuries or accidents leading to bruises, abrasions, cuts, damage to the skin, fractures, welts, burns, broken eye glasses, lacerations and