Tuesday, December 31, 2019
The Social Performance Of Apple Incorporation And The...
In the recent years, most business organizations have adopted various strategies that have enhanced the social performance in the society. Corporate social responsibility plays a fundamental role in improving the relationship between a business and the local community (Taylor, 2010). Social performance of a business can ensure that it builds the good reputation among the customers thus improving the sales of the firm. This paper examines the social performance of Apple incorporation and the impact of corporate social responsibility on the multinational business organization. a) The nature, structure and types of products and services provided by Apple Since its inception in the late 1970s, Apple incorporation has brought a tremendous revolution in the field of technology. The multinational firm has received a worldwide acclaim as a consumer electronics provider. Apple incorporation design, develop and sell consumer electronics that includes personal computers, iPhones, and tablets. These electronic products are tailored towards customer needs and preferences thus resulting in high demand. According to Lashinsky (2015), the changing market structure and demands have made Apple produce highly sophisticated electronic products such as advanced iPhones that can compete favorably with other consumer electronics manufacturers such as Samsung and Microsoft. The products are designed to help the customers in communication as well asShow MoreRelatedRole Of An Employee And Manager Is Trust4543 Words à |à 19 PagesGreat Place to Work Criteria Great Place to Work Institute is an organization that has been around for over 25 years. During this time they have surveyed millions of employees and have studied thousands of businesses. Through their research they have established the definitive standard on what a great workplace is. The key factor in common the relationship between an employee and manager is trust. ââ¬Å"There are nine practice areas where leaders and managers create an environment of trust. Those areasRead MoreApple Inc. Business Model4927 Words à |à 20 PagesContents How apple was formed 2 Apple?s Business overview 2 Apple?s business model 3 The ideation phase 6 APPLE?S ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. 7 Feature of Apple?s organizational Structure. 8 Advantages of Apple?s organizational structure 9 Disadvantages 9 Apple?s organizational chart 10 Apple?s philosophy of innovation 11 Innovations implemented by Apple?s ownership/management team 14 Methods and strategies used to create sustainable competitive advantage 18 Methods and strategies that Apple used to createRead MoreStrategic Management Apple4831 Words à |à 20 PagesApple Inc. Company Summary: Apple Inc. is an American multinational electronic company. It designs, develops and sells mobile communication and media services, personal computing products, portable digital music players and wide range of software products worldwide. Appleââ¬â¢s iPhone, iPod, iPad, MacBook, Apple TV, IOS and OS X operating software are the major successful products and services of late. It also sells and delivers digital contents and application through iTunes store, App Store, iBookRead MoreOperational Strategy in Nestle24176 Words à |à 97 PagesThe University of Nottingham The School Business Studies OPERATIONAL STRATEGY OF NESTLE BEVERAGES IN PAKISTAN Submitted by: Saad Ahmad Khan The dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the completion of MSc Operations Management July 2007 2 Table of Contents Topic 1) Introduction What is strategy? Rationale Research objectives Research questions Company background and products of focus Structure of the Report 2) 3) Methodology Literature review ManufacturingRead MoreGrand Strategies6960 Words à |à 28 Pagesadditional business divisions - - Internal growth = can include development of new or changed products External growth = typically involves diversification ââ¬â businesses related to current product lines or into new areas Grand Strategy: Stability ï ® Stability, sometimes called a pause strategy, means that the organization wants ï ± ï ± to remain the same size or to grow slowly and in a controlled fashion Grand Strategy: Retrenchment ï ® Retrenchment = the organization goes throughRead MoreNokias Human Resources System144007 Words à |à 577 PagesSECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 Commission file number 1à 13202 Nokia Corporation (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) Republic of Finland (Jurisdiction of incorporation) Keilalahdentie 4, P.O. Box 226, FIà 00045 NOKIA GROUP, Espoo, Finland (Address of principal executive offices) ÃÅ¡ Kaarina Stahlberg, Vice President, Assistant General Counsel Telephone: +358 (0)7 1800à 8000, Facsimile: +358 (0) 7 1803à 8503 KeilalahdentieRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words à |à 1351 PagesOur thanks go to Janice Nunn for all the effort that she put in to the preparation of the manuscript. Strategic Marketing Management Planning, implementation and control Third edition Richard M.S. Wilson Emeritus Professor of Business Administration The Business School Loughborough University and Colin Gilligan Professor of Marketing Sheffield Hallam University and Visiting Professor, Northumbria University AMSTERDAM â⬠¢ BOSTON â⬠¢ HEIDELBERG â⬠¢ LONDON â⬠¢ NEW YORK â⬠¢ OXFORD PARIS â⬠¢ SAN DIEGORead MoreRetailing Characteristics of Fast Food Stores and Their Impact on Customer Sales and Satisfaction29639 Words à |à 119 Pagesââ¬Å"Retailing characteristics of fast food stores and their impact on customer sales and satisfactionâ⬠By:- Rajul Bhardwaj Lecturer, Faculty of Management Studies, Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar(Uttarakhand), India Table Of Contents:- ï ¶ Chap-1 Introduction 1.1 Global Retailing Industry..â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦ 1.2 The Far East Experience..â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦ 1.3 The Changing Food Retailing sector in Asia.. 1.4 Recognition of a Problemâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦ 1.5 Objectives ofRead MoreMarketing Strategy of Coca Cola15661 Words à |à 63 Pageslime light and many researchers such as Kaushik mukherjee, Bedi Prakash, Vaid dixit and M.Shasidhar has worked regarding cokeââ¬â¢s intensive and innovative strategies to capture the market. The main objective of this study lies in understanding the organization and its various marketing strategies and understanding the consumersââ¬â¢ perception about Coca-Cola as a brand . A consumer sampling involving 72 people was conducted. The methodology used in studying and understanding the perceived views of consumersRead MoreLibrary Management204752 Words à |à 820 PagesWilkinson and Linda K. Lewis Organization of Information, Second Edition Arlene G. Taylor The School Library Media Manager, Third Edition Blanche Woolls Basic Research Methods for Librarians Ronald R. Powell and Lynn Silipigni Connoway Library of Congress Subject Headings: Principles and Application, Fourth Edition Lois Mai Chan Developing Library and Information Center Collections, Fifth Edition G. Edward Evans and Margaret Zarnosky Saponaro Metadata and Its Impact on Libraries Sheila S. Intner
Monday, December 23, 2019
The Media and Political Campaigns Essay - 2354 Words
Brief Introductory Summary It has long been said that the media has the potential to make a candidate known as well as make a well known candidate become unpopular by giving either more media coverage or media blackout. It is interesting to see just how the media can play with peopleââ¬â¢s psychology and influence their decisions to a great length. In this issue paper, the learner investigates the contribution that the media has on political campaigns. The major issue under concern in this paper is the extent of media coverage that is accorded to particular candidates. Under this topic, there will be focus on issues like the contributions that technology in media broadcast has on political campaign candidates. For example, do YouTube and Highâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦For example, during the 2008 political campaigns, it was strongly believed that the occupant of the Oval Office in that general election would have to utilize YouTube as well as proper utilization of High Definition TV if they had to win t he election (Crupi, 12). True to the media predictions, the two media technologies, backed by stronger media coverage and in-depth analysis of each clip made it possible for some candidates to succeed in their political ambitions. During the political campaigns, Sarah Palinââ¬â¢s image was made to appear as being tiny and flickering showing some sort of intimidation and negative publicity that eventually worked to her disadvantage (Crupi, 12). Surprisingly, Sarah Palin outdid Sen. Joe Biden on their media debate yet she had poor media coverage and was being downplayed by big media houses like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal (Crupi 12). The question that arises at this point is: was Sarah Palin as weak as demonstrated by the media given that Palin surprisingly surpassed Sen. Joe Biden in the media debate? This shows that the media was in the effort t of making Sen. Joe Biden and destroying a potentially stronger leader. Based on the leadership potential, the media made people believe that Sen. Joe Biden was the strongerShow MoreRelatedEssay on Role of Media in Political Campaigns1933 Words à |à 8 PagesThis paper discusses the role of the media in political campaigns. The purpose of campaigns To understand the role of election campaigns towards the end result it is necessary to understand that two ideas exist. It is believed that the voters decide for their candidate before the campaigning starts, while the others believe that it through active campaigning that voters reach their decision. The purpose of political campaigns is to do one of three things to affect the voter: motivate, reinforceRead More The Influence of Mass Media on the Way Political Campaigns are Run4018 Words à |à 17 PagesThe Influence of Mass Media on the Way Political Campaigns are Run On the Monday when the United States Supreme Court issued its ruling on whether the deadline for certifying votes could be extended in Florida, there was an unsettling sight on TV. News correspondents came flying out of the court and stood, out of breath, before the cameras. Without having read the six-page ruling, reporters began to talk to millions of people about what the court had done. Some reporters got it flat wrong, sayingRead MorePolitical Campaign Is the Branding854 Words à |à 4 PagesHow much of political campaigns is about Branding ? Political Campaign is all about Branding. Before explaining how much of political campaign is about Branding we should know this what is the political campaigns? Political advertising is a form of campaigning used by political candidates to reach and influence voters .Political campaign is the use of an advertising campaign through newspapers, radio commercials, television commercials and Social media commercials etc. To influence the decision madeRead MoreThe Relationship Between Social Media Platforms And The Government1517 Words à |à 7 Pages This essay explores the different relationships between social media platforms and the government to provide insight into the different ways the government uses media masses to further their agendas and how its good business is used for political gain. This essay also discusses the different ideologies and fallacies individuals have of the mediaââ¬â¢s role in society. This essay wasnââ¬â¢t written to persuade one either way, but rather to bring the important relationship to light, so with better understandingRead MoreEssay on Mass Media Coverage of Presidential Election1460 Words à |à 6 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Mass media coverage of the U.S. presidential election involves two key elements- news reporting and paid advertising. Combined they make the media an important and influential factor in the election process. The media depends upon the campaigns for both news and revenues. The candidates then rely upon the media to get in touch with the largest number of voters possible. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Media has a ââ¬Å" very powerful and justifiableRead MoreHow Social Media Drives Politics1608 Words à |à 7 PagesHow Social Media Drives Politics I. Introduction a. Be wise in choosing what to believe on Social Media because politicians can manipulate you into thinking one thing when in fact what they mean is the opposite. b. Social media tools including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have dramatically changed the way political campaigns are run and how we interact with our elected officials. These websites have made politicians more accessible and allowing campaigns to carefully craft and customize their candidatesââ¬â¢Read MoreMedias Influence On The Political World1041 Words à |à 5 PagesThe media plays a considerable role in the political world. The media gives people access to be able to determine which political party they want to be a part of, develop outlooks on government parties and decisions, and manage their own personal interests. The newspaper, TV, radio, social media, and other online media, are one of the leading factors, if not thee leading factor in political communication and fund-raising. The mediaââ¬â¢s influence on the political world has shattered the mold in termsRead MoreThe And Of Public Broadcasting1287 Words à |à 6 Pagesinformation to make better decisions. Whether as a voter, consumer or investor, Americans believe they will be able to form their own idealistic views based on what they see in the media. However, that belief is just a fallacy. In my opinion, viewers that believe this false pretense are unaware that a portion of mass media in the Unites States is privately owned. In both public television and radio, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) funds a portion of their revenue (the CPB is a privateRead MoreHow Social Media Has Impacted Politics Essay1738 Words à |à 7 Pages1. Introduction and Background Social media has become a major part of communication today. It has changed the way people find each other, share interest and ideas, not to mention how it has changed how companies advertise and communicate with their customers. Based on this year alone, social media has impacted politics in a major way. The goal was to reach the young generation by engaging in social media platforms by simply posting, commenting and video sharing [10]. Social networking sites hasRead MoreHow Does Media Bias Affect Campaigns? Essay1654 Words à |à 7 PagesHow Does Media Bias Affect Campaigns? Political scientist, journalists, and politicians alike often discuss the role of the news mediaââ¬â¢s place in affecting campaigns, and voter perceptions. Claims of media bias in political news coverage have risen over the past two decades. Scholarly research has explored concerns that broadcast and print media shape voting decisions in democratic processes. The aim of my literature review is to investigate and study the hypothesis that the more a specific news
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Life Without Music Written by a 4th Grader Free Essays
ââ¬Å"Without music, life would be a mistake (Friedrich Nietzsche)â⬠. What is the function of music to life and to the society? By definition, music is the art or science of combining vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion. Music universal and without it, the world would be a totally different place, and in this essay I will discuss how. We will write a custom essay sample on Life Without Music Written by a 4th Grader or any similar topic only for you Order Now Firstly I will be discussing about how music is extremely important and then I will talk about a counter-argument on why this is not so. For my counter-argument, it will be based on the premise of modern music. ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s the music that you chooseâ⬠ââ¬â 19-2000 by Gorillaz in their debut album Why is music important? Music is a universal language, but what does this mean? Music, or at least good music, conveys a lot of emotion, ideas and notions that are inexpressible in English, or any other language. What does music do? Music breaks this language barrier and provides people with means of communication. It inspires common human feelings and bridges gaps between cultures that spoken languages cannot. It brings people together and creates universal community. ââ¬Å"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music. â⬠ââ¬â Aldous Huxley Music is one of the best ways to evoke emotions healthily. It touches our emotional being and evokes moods and feelings that are sometimes difficult to express. It can change a difficult mood and make it happy or excited; it can change a light mood and take it deeper and more profound. For people who are not good at expressing their emotions, music is a very good method to do so. It has been shows that people with Aspergerââ¬â¢s Syndrome ( high-functioning autism) benefit from music. Bottling up emotions is extremely unhealthy. If music be the food of love, play on. ââ¬â William Shakespeare One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain. -Bob Marley Music also generates an ambient atmosphere. You can use music in any environment to enhance and augment what is already there. For me, personally, music is my sanctuary. Music is my release of emotions and I love ââ¬Ëfeelingââ¬â¢ the music. I put everything I have into it so I can put the emotions the composer was feeling when they wrote the piece. Then when Iââ¬â¢ve finished playing/listening I feel like Iââ¬â¢ve accomplished something great. Music is something that I can control and change to fit whatever Iââ¬â¢m feeling. Religious people also claim that music heightens their spirituality. Every religion on the planet uses music in some form or the other to enhance the soul, whether it is the rhythmic chants from Buddhism or the devotional songs in Hinduism. Music is recreational; listening to soothing songs can be a way of relaxing and allowing your body and mind to take break from the monotony of life. Studies have proven that music can be a good way of helping your imagination develop There is nothing in the world so much like prayer as music is. ââ¬â William P. Merrill There are other various benefits from music such as enhanced brain function, helping develop the imagination, and making mundane and boring activities much, much more enjoyable ââ¬Å"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination. â⬠ââ¬â John Lennon There really is no objective answer to the question ââ¬Å"Why is music importantâ⬠. It inspires people and allows us to get in touch with our emotions in a way that is unique. For those amongst us who find it difficult to express ourselves, music can evoke reactions. Your mood can change from dark and depressed to elated and delirious happiness with just the selection of the right track and a hit of the play button. Music works wonders on creating a certain atmosphere. You can use music to liven up a boring party or to create a romantic ambiance. For my counter-argument I will modify Nietzscheââ¬â¢s quote by a little, ââ¬Å"Without Good music, life would be a mistake (Friedrich Nietzsche)â⬠. I completely agree with Nietzscheââ¬â¢s statement of how without music, oneââ¬â¢s life is incomplete. In modern music there is no depth and emotion in their music and this can be seen from artists like ââ¬Å"Lady GaGa, Justin bieber, Katy Perry and various othersâ⬠. I shall quote from the song ââ¬Å"poker faceâ⬠by Lady GaGa, she repeats ââ¬Å"Poker faceâ⬠till infinity. There is no emotion or feelings conveyed in this type of music, therefore, life is incomplete without Good Music. In conclusion, music is essential in the lives of people as it plays a significant part that no other such form of entertainment can replace and conveys emotions and feelings no language can convey. ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â [ 1 ]. https://www. google. com. sg/search? sourceid=chromeie=UTF-8q=what+is+music%2F#hl=enq=musictbs=dfn:1tbo=usa=Xei=7uiXT6i5N5GzrAeWoY2oAQved=0CCsQkQ4bav=on. 2,or. r_gc. r_pw. r_cp. r_qf. ,cf. osbfp How to cite Life Without Music Written by a 4th Grader, Essays
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Inventory Management LF Chemical Company
Question: Discuss about theInventory Managementfor LF Chemical Company. Answer: Introduction LF Chemical Company profiles his customers in four categories based on the customers sales volume and due to this, the company will experience different annual variable costs depending on the annual demand per the category of the customers. Listing the variables as given in consistent units: Annual Variable Cost per the Low customer category Demand (D) = 1,500 12 months = 18,000 units Unit Cost (UC) = $1 Reorder Cost (RC) = $ 500 Holding Cost (HC) = 30% of the product cost per annum. Holding Cost (HC) = 0.3 $1 = $ 0.3 Optimal order quantity: The optimal variable cost per unit time; VC0 = HC Q0 = 0.3 7,746 = $ 2,323.8 The optimal total cost per unit time; TC0 = UC D + VC0 = 1 18,000 + 2,323.8 = $ 20,323.8 Variable cost per unit time (VC); Annual Variable Cost per the Medium customer category; Demand (D) = $5,500 12 months = 66,000 units Optimal order quantity for this category of customers will be: Q0 = 14,832.4 and since the petrochemical products are in discrete units, the value becomes 14,832 units The corresponding annual Variable cost per unit time (VC) becomes; Annual Variable Cost per the High customer category; Demand (D) = $8,000 12 months = 96,000 units Optimal order quantity for this category of customers will be: Q0 = 17,888.5 The petrochemical products usually come in discrete units and therefore, the optimal quantity becomes 17,889 units. The categorys corresponding annual Variable cost per unit time (VC) becomes; Annual Variable Cost per the Ultra High customer category; Demand (D) = $11,000 12 months = 132,000 units Optimal order quantity for this category of customers will be: Q0 = 20,976.2 and this is also rounded off since the products are shipped in discrete units making the optimal quantity to be 20,976 units. This categorys corresponding annual Variable cost per unit time (VC) becomes; By adopting the use of independent demands for each category of the customers, the company will incur higher operational costs for the delivery of the petrochemical products since each consumer demand attracts a higher variable cost which eventually results in higher total costs. Moreover, as a result of the lack of in-house logistics expertise, the account managers adopt the use of a heuristic approach. This method results in excess supply of the petrochemical products as the total demand is less than the full capacity of the delivery track. The total capacity of the manufacturers delivery truck is 35,000 pounds while the sum of the demand volume for the 30 customers is 26,000 pounds (1,500+5,500+8,000+11,000) (Weng Cheon, 2013). This less demand, therefore, leads to an excess of 9,000 pounds increasing the company expenses. Since the current strategy adopted by LF Chemical Company does not result in the minimization of cost in the inventory management, it is regarded as imperfect and therefore the managers should consider adopting a new strategy that enhances efficient inventory management (Subramanian, Rawlings Maravelias, 2014). From this scenario, the best strategy to use will be the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) model. The EOQ provides a guideline that improves the inventory management for the company since it controls the rise of the variable costs. For this model to be appropriate in inventory management, it adopts the following assumptions as noted by Weng and Cheon (2013); There is a relatively constant annual demand rate and it is known with certainty. The ordering costs do not fluctuate The lead time remains at zero There is an order point system which indicates that inventories are received continuously The replenishment is done when the stock level is at zero The inventory is replenished instantaneously that is; the entire order is received as a single batch The order quantity is constant for each replenishment order There are no stock-outs By adopting the EOQ, LF Chemical uses the following formula to minimize its annual variable costs; Using this model, the sum of the demand becomes 26,000 pounds, Reorder cost remains at $ 500 and the Holding cost remains as $0.3 Q0 = 9,309 units The annual variable cost (VC) per unit time therefore becomes; As noted from the above calculations, it is evident that the EOQ model is the best strategy to minimize the costs. References Subramanian, K., Rawlings, J. B., Maravelias, C. T. (2014). Economic model predictive control for inventory management in supply chains. Computers Chemical Engineering, 64, 71-80. Weng, T.Y., Cheon, K.F. (2013). LOG203: Inventory Management Study Guide (5CU), Singapore, Educational Technology Production Team
Friday, November 29, 2019
Monologue of an Onion free essay sample
The poem ââ¬Å"Monologue for an onionâ⬠by Suji Kwock Kim begins with the peeling of an onion that could very well describe her and her agony, but further reading reveals that the majority of the poem is directed at the person doing the peeling. The reader cannot help but sympathize with the peeled onion, whether the emotions stem from the hurt state of the onion or from the aggressive peeler. Clearly the poetââ¬â¢s attack of the peeler grabs the attention of the reader and elevates the emotional connection with the poet. Kim uses the metaphor ââ¬Å"peeling away my body layer by layerâ⬠(line 3) to describe the unveiling of the layers of an onion. Although the metaphor describes the body of an onion, it is much deeper than that. The metaphor is about people; it is about trying to dig deep into someoneââ¬â¢s personality and exposing their vulnerability. Moreover, the deep search and digging referred to are of unhealthy nature. We will write a custom essay sample on Monologue of an Onion or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The person searching for the core of another has gone too far in this poem; too far to the extent of making the poet resent and dislike the seeker of the heart. This resentment is clear from the beginning of the poem where it starts with a negative tone, ââ¬Å"I mean nothing, but this has not kept you from peelingâ⬠(lines 2-3), towards a person who has gone too far trying to achieve clarity and depths that are not realistically discoverable. The negative tone prevails throughout the whole poem which makes the poem powerful and very interesting to read. Kim is describing many people in her poem, yet the poem suggests that she is directing her words towards one person; a person who did her wrong by hurting her while hurting himself as well. Yellow peels, my stinging shreds. You are the one in pieces. â⬠(lines 28-29) shows an almost destroyed person being interrogated by a fool who will never get enough and who will keep searching for something unattainable. Humans, unlike machines, will never be controlled nor dissected to extremes. The grander sadness is not in the person who is being dissected, it is the one who keeps peeling la yer after layer and never stops. This never-ending search can leave a person very unhappy and empty. When reading the poem, the first line, ââ¬Å"I dont mean to make you cryâ⬠, is not clearly understood until one reads further into the story. While this is one of many metaphors that may seem to be about the sadness of the one who is getting peeled, it is also describing the sadness of the one who is doing the peeling. Indeed the peeler is crying in the end. Even though that line is the very first line of the poem, it is referring to an ending relationship that left both sides in tears and despair. The focus is mainly on the deluded human who will never be happy in his search, ââ¬Å"Poor deluded human: you seek my heart. â⬠(line 6). Even though both parties are hurt and disappointed, the poet makes it clear that her hurt feelings and sadness have made her very upset with the one who is the reason for ruining the relationship. Nevertheless, the focus of the poem is not about the relationship, it identifies a personality that does not understand the reality of human nature and the imperfection of the poet. The poem tackles two main themes. The first theme is about a personality that does not understand the reality of human nature; a personality never satisfied no matter what goals it reaches, ââ¬Å"your mind a stopless knife, driven by your fantasy of truth. â⬠The ââ¬Å"stopless knifeâ⬠is a beautiful metaphor emphasizing the characteristics of a mind destructive in its unreasonable search. The ââ¬Å"fantasy of truthâ⬠ascertains that this human is delusional in attaining his goals. The second theme of the poem is the object of the delusional human, the poet herself. She is the one who is more realistic about life and human nature. She understands the imperfections of humans, hence addressing her interrogator with sadness and disappointment. She is fed up with the blindness of the person who has hurt her, ââ¬Å"Hunt all you want. Beneath each skin of mine lies another skinâ⬠(line 7). Apparently she has shown him who she is to the core of her heart, ââ¬Å"I am pure onionpure union of outside and in, surface and secret core. â⬠(lines 8-9), but he cannot accept that what he sees is enough. This poem has two main sets of metaphors running through it, both of which support the major metaphor of this paper, ââ¬Å"peeling away my body layer by ayerâ⬠. So far the first set about the peeling of layers has been discussed rigorously. The second set of metaphors, ââ¬Å"How will you rip away the veil of the eye,â⬠(line 18) is a universal description of how the world is viewed. Kim is objecting that human relationships can be viewed with perfect clarity. In a nice tone, ââ¬Å"You must not grieve t hat the world is glimpsed through veils. â⬠(lines 16-17), she is emphasizing her point with a little compassion towards someone who has hurt her. In fact, that metaphor is the only one in which the poet shows compassion towards her attacker, compared to her overall attitude of resentment. She even uses irony in her words, ââ¬Å"How else can it be seen? â⬠(line 17), when she refers to his inability to see the world with the veils on his eyes. Furthermore, her irony continues by accusing the person doing the peeling of being blind to what is right in front of his face, ââ¬Å"Taste what you hold in your hands: onion-juice,â⬠(line 21). His discontent with all his findings will leave him eternally unfulfilled. This dissatisfaction inside him keeps cutting at his mind and soul, ââ¬Å"Your soul cut moment to moment by a blade of fresh desireâ⬠(lines 25-26). In her few lines about the veil on his eyes, she was very successful in portraying a personality not very uncommon among us. It is the personality of an obsessive compulsive perfectionist who ruins any potentially good event in his life. To further insult the person doing the peeling, the poet delves deep into his own core and heart. She ends her poem by reversing the roles of whose core is to be revealed, ââ¬Å"And at your inmost circle, what? A core that is not oneâ⬠(lines 27-28). This change in focus is beautiful as she speaks the truth about this deluded humanââ¬â¢s heart. By now the reader is eager to see what the poet thinks of this core. Kim does not waste any time nor does she hesitate to describe the state of such a divided heart. ââ¬Å"Lost in its maze of chambers, blood, and love,â⬠(line 29) is beyond what one would expect a divided heart to be. She makes it clear that the heart is broken into more than just two parts, but indeed of three or more contradicting divisions. The strength in the final lines is amazing as the poet finishes her final punches towards the man who caused all the grief and sadness to everyone involved. In addition, she throws her last line out, ââ¬Å"A heart that will one day beat you to death. â⬠(line 29). One last true statement that contains a plethora of rich emotions; it is revengeful, sympathetic, degrading, satisfying, and freeing. Now she can walk away from the poison that she lived through! Not only does Kimââ¬â¢s poem target a large audience, the human race; it is very captivating because it also speaks of love and deep emotions! Even if some of us have never experienced what she describes, most of us can relate to her situation. While the beginning of the poem describes one person in a relationship who is questioning the other partner about his or her actions, the final lines become more of an attack towards that partner. The attack becomes the resolution that the poet needs to answer her own questions and reach the conclusion that her emotionally draining partner is not worth her commitment or love.
Monday, November 25, 2019
An Effective Teacher Evaluation Includes Questions
An Effective Teacher Evaluation Includes Questions The most effective method for evaluating a teacher effectively is dual, mutual involvement and ongoing collaboration in the evaluation process.Ã The teacher, being guided by the evaluator, is consulted and involved throughout the evaluation process. When this happens, the evaluation becomes a tool to springboard true growth and ongoing improvement.Ã Teachers and administrators find authentic value in this type of evaluation process. The biggest drawback is that it is a time-consuming process, but ultimately it proves worth the extra time for many teachers. Many teachers feel like there is often a disconnect in the process because they are not involved enough. A first step in actively involving teachers in the process is to have them answer questions about the teacher evaluation. Doing so before and after the evaluation gets them thinking about the process that naturally makes them more involved. This process also gives both sides some critical talking points when they meet face-to-face as some evaluation systems require the teacher and evaluator to meet before the evaluation takes place and after the completion of the evaluation. Administrators can utilize a short questionnaire designed to get the teacher thinking about their evaluation. The questionnaire can be completed in two parts.Ã The first part gives the evaluator some prior knowledge before they conduct the evaluation and helps the teacher in the planning process. The second part is reflective in nature for both the administrator and teacher. It serves as a catalyst for growth, improvement, and future planning. The following is an example of some questions you can ask to improve the teacher evaluation process. Pre-Evaluation Questions What steps did you take to prepare for this lesson?Briefly describe the students in this class, including those with special needs.What are your goals for the lesson? What do you want the student to learn?How do you plan to engage students in the content? What will you do? What will the students do?What instructional materials or other resources, if any, will you use?How do you plan to assess student achievement of the goals?How will you close or wrap up the lesson?How do you communicate with the families of your students? How often do you do this?Ã What types of things do you discuss with them?Discuss your plan for handling student behavior issues should they arise during the lesson.Are there any areas you would like for me to look for (i.e. calling on boys vs. girls) during the evaluation?Explain two areas that you believe are strengths going into this evaluation.Explain two areas that you believe are weaknesses going into this evaluation. Post-Evaluation Questions Did everything go according to plan during the lesson? If so, why do you think it went so smooth. If not, how did you adapt your lesson to handle the surprises?Did you get the learning outcomes you expected from the lesson? Explain.If you could change anything, what would you have done differently?Could you have done anything differently to boost student engagement throughout the lesson?Give me three key takeaways from conducting this lesson. Do these takeaways impact your approach moving forward?What opportunities did you give your students to extend their learning beyond the classroom with this particular lesson?Based on your daily interactions with your students, how do you think they perceive you?How did you assess student learning as you went through the lesson? What did this tell you? Is there anything that you need to spend some additional time on based on the feedback received from these assessments?What goals are you working towards for yourself and your students as you prog ress throughout the school year? How will you utilize what you taught today to make connections with previously taught content as well as future content?After I finished my evaluation and left the classroom, what immediately happened next?Do you feel that this process has made you a better teacher? Explain.
Friday, November 22, 2019
Business Plan For A Business
A well written business plan is recommended to begin any new business or new venture creation. The purpose of a business plan is to describe the business in detail for a variety of purposes. The plan can give direction and add vision to the company, such as growth and arket changes. A good business plan can attract new investors and potential partners or employees. It can also help manage the company as a whole. ââ¬Å"A business plan conveys the organizational structure of your business, including titlesâ⬠¦ A business plan is a written document or a statement that states the goals of the companies and the progress of how the goals are going to be accomplished. Plan of activities includes the why, what and when questions to come up with a solid plan that will turn into a business (Salman, 2008). Plan of activities serves the following purpose: (1) it acts a directive, plan of activities helps in identifying how far you want to take the business and you achievement at the end, (2) business plan givesâ⬠¦ .Analyzing a business that you are interesting in opening By analyzing a business that you are thinking about opening helps you in a number of ways (1) it will show you how to reduce your over all cost, how to better service your customers, It shows you how it works and how you can make improvements. It points out risk that you may encounter. It shows the input, output and activities in the company. It helps you to focus on operation process, management process, don 't forget about the S.W.O.T toolsâ⬠¦ Your business is unique. It requires a business plan that is tailored to achieve your company 's goals. It entails settling on the perfect blend of advertising, marketing, and public relations channels to adequately promote your goods or services. And it calls for strategies for pricing, funding, and expansion that are uniquely designed for its needs. So why acquire a merchant account that is not specific to your business? Today 's merchant services providers can furnish you with equipment, softwareâ⬠¦ In order for a business to be successful, that business has to have a clearly defined business model and plan. Regardless of the type of business, the purpose of a business model is to provide a clear level of insight of an organizationââ¬â¢s goals, mission, and strategy and framework of how the business will function to accomplish those goals. As a member-driven trade association, our focus is dedicated to communicating the value of community pharmacies as the face of neighborhood healthcare. Thisâ⬠¦ Business plan: Business plan is just like a written document of business future. This document generally projects business goals, issues may face your business and plans to solve them and outlines the route a company intends to take to grow revenues (Berry, n.d.). Generally a business plan will include components such as descriptions of the company, product or service, market, forecasts, management team, and financial analysis and containing a projected profit and loss statement (MCKEEVERâ⬠¦ Entrepreneurs looking to start-up a business need innovative ideas that translate into opportunity. Perpetuated by a vision of a product or service, entrepreneurs look to revolutionize an industry by satisfying unmet consumer demands in the market. Having an innovative product is what powers a business idea forward. Through careful market research and industry analysis, a solid and well-designed business plan is needed to define what your product is and how it will be profitable. The key to generatingâ⬠¦ have a business plan, no matter how small or how big. Running a business is very hard and requires a lot of details and having ideas, sort of a rough draft. A business plan serves as a road map and attracts capital through loans and investments. You will never know if your business will succeed or not but having a vision of what your business is going to be gives a good chance. The first step in a business plan is being able to write a business description for your business plan. Your business descriptionâ⬠¦ a new business requires a lot of planning, making vital financial decisions and conducting a number of legal activities. The demand of a person time may be much greater than anticipated. With careful planning, an individual would be able to work through some of those challenges they will be faced with. In starting a business, there are numerous steps/stages one must go through. Some of those steps includes (1) Business plan, (2) Choosing a business location, (3) Financing your business (4) Registeringâ⬠¦ you have a marketing and business plan. I believe no business can or will succeed without a Mission, Objective, Budget, and Marketing Plan. I have witness several businesses from a variety of people fail or not succeed because they fail to develop a Marketing and Business Plan. Without the proper preparation for any business or any product they will face higher chances of lacking its full potential. In addition, there are so many other contributing factors to a business not being successful whichâ⬠¦
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Has post war policy made education in England more meritocratic Essay
Has post war policy made education in England more meritocratic - Essay Example These social policies are important because they both aim to achieve meritocracy and they are interrelated. The BNA 1948, in the course of its implementation, exposed the limitations of EA 1944 in its purpose to making English education more meritocratic. Furthermore, the impact of the BNA 1948 to the effectiveness of the EA 1944 and the need of the latter to address the need of the former illustrates the central role education had played in Britainââ¬â¢s post-war reconstruction (Tomlinson 2001). Understanding Meritocracy Meritocracy can be simply understood as promotion and inclusion based on merit ââ¬â e.g., A meritocratic education system accepts, promotes, and rewards students based on ability, not on social status, ethnicity or gender (Llewellyn et al. 2008). However Sen (2000, p. 14) explains that it is actually the concept of ââ¬Ëmeritââ¬â¢, itself, which complicates the definition of meritocracy because ââ¬Å"the rewardingâ⬠¦ and the very concept of merit it self depend on the way we see a good society and the criteria weâ⬠¦ assess the success and failures of societies.â⬠It was after WWII that Britain started to walk the road of meritocracy. After Britain lost its world supremacy, it had no other recourse to survive international competition but to make better use of its human resources which for the past century were left wasted due to class discrimination. To do so, Young (1961) explains, Britain had to give up its century-old feudal principle of selection by family, and use instead the principle of selection by merit. Thus, Britain progressively opened its schools and industries to clever children and workers, giving equal opportunities for social mobility to those who have the ability and will to do so. Since meritocracy presupposes that boundless opportunities for success exist for all regardless of class, colour, ethnicity, and gender, many perceive meritocracy an ideal justice principle (Yuan 2013). On the contrary Youn g (1961, p.14) concludes that ââ¬Å"the rate of social progress depends upon the degree to which power is matched with intelligence.â⬠It is no different from the social class-based hierarchy of power, wherein power and wealth is distributed only to the few to the detriment of a wider group of ordinary people. The only difference is in meritocracy what matters is ability or intelligence. Eventually, elites of talents would be created, further justifying the socio-economic ladder more convincingly. Nonetheless, Allen (2011, p. 371) still asserts that meritocratic system is just on the basis that ââ¬Å"social status was a direct expression of their intellectual worth. The system was now ââ¬Å"justâ⬠because it was justly unequal.â⬠Policy Review 1: British Nationality Act 1948 Introduction. Post-war migration to Britain, to Hansenââ¬â¢s (2000) analysis, is actually an issue of British citizenship, which the BNA 1948 legally conferred on Britons and ââ¬Ëcolonial ââ¬â¢ British subjects, giving them equal rights to enter Britain and enjoy all the socio-economic-political benefits any Briton could legally enjoy. Although prior and subsequent to this Act were the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914 and BNA 1964, the BNA 1948, Hansen (2000) notes, was most influential because it had dramatically reoriented the British migration policy,
Monday, November 18, 2019
Avon Company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words
Avon Company - Research Paper Example The company has 43,000 employees, is on the New York Stock exchange with the ticker symbol AVP and the NAIC is 32562 Toilet Preparation Manufacturing and 45439 Other Direct Selling Establishments. The company has recently made efforts to go back to its originating sales model where sales representatives are given a career opportunity through selling their products (Reference for Business, 2011). A new sales Leadership Model, a formation of the Direct-Selling Model, however, has been put into place as the former pyramid model has been a cause for concern with a reputation of impossible goals. The company currently has over 650,000 sales representatives in the United States, however, 70-75% of the sales are still from international subsidiaries. There is a poor retention rate, however, so therefore the three level Leadership Model has provided for a structure of mentorship where each salesperson recruits others and mentors them towards the next level. In the Leadership Model, each sale s person must sell themselves, rather than living off of the sales of others as is done in the pyramid model. (Willet, 2010). According to Avon Company, Inc. (2011), ââ¬Å"Avon has a proven history of delivering first-to-market beauty technologies, making the company a perennial game-changerâ⬠. ... As the first product offered by the Avon company, perfume and fragrance products are a central part of the Avon line. Personal Care products are defined by the older, well-respected and popular line Skin-so Soft, as well as newer lines such as Avon Naturals, Liiv Botanicals, Moisture Therapy, and Foot Works. The Haircare lines are an important part of the company as well and are under the brand Advance Techniques, Color Protection, Daily Shine, Damage Repair, Frizz Control, Keep Clear, Volume, Toni Brattin, and Conair. The final division is under the heading Jewelry which has the brand Inspirational Treasures under the general Avon brand. Avon also sells clothing with the brands Curves and Slim Wear as two of the brands underneath the overall basic Avon heading. Avon also sells divisions of goods under the headings home, children, which includes bath and body, fashion, room decor, and toys, men, which highlights a line of skincare and fragrance under the celebrity name Patrick Dempse y (Avon Company, Inc., 2011). Avon also sponsors several lines of products that are associated with fundraising and dedicated to the betterment of the world. The products that are purchased through these divisions go towards contributions to individual organizations that have social relevance. Avon Walk Products are dedicated towards breast cancer awareness and research. Pink Ribbon Products are dedicated towards the same goals as the Avon Walk Products. The Empowerment Collection is dedicated towards womenââ¬â¢s empowerment issues and supports various causes that are relevant to the advancement of womenââ¬â¢s issues. Finally, Hello Green Tomorrow, which currently only includes an aluminum water bottle, is
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Coming to Terms Essay Example for Free
Coming to Terms Essay Her argument was based fully on fast food restaurants adopting ideas from fine dining restaurants . Falk inserts an inordinate amount of her own feelings on the topic and doesnââ¬â¢t analyze the subject as well as she should have. She focuses mainly on the fast food business while lacking in her analysis of fine dining. She also should have made the paper more about what caused the changes in the restaurant business instead of the changes themselves. In the essay Falk has many examples of foods and restaurants that have changed and became noticed for their modern style, such as Panera Bread and Chipotle. She appeals to a large audience by adding examples many people can relate too. On the other hand, her article is extremely biased in multiple ways. She makes too many generalizations that may not particularly be true in some cases. For example she states, ââ¬Å" the fact that people today hate to make choices, preferring to have the best of both worlds â⬠(Falk,33). This may not be exactly true for everyone. She uses the previous quote to support her argument in saying that since people are so indecisive quick casual would be a good alternative. Another instance is when she states, ââ¬Å"There are significantly more calories at table service restaurantsâ⬠(Falk, 35). The prior quote shows her bias towards dine-in restaurants because she only uses negative examples of fine dining. Furthermore, her essay is very restricted. She aims her essay towards adults and college students with her use of language and examples of certain restaurants; But a lot of her writing makes you think otherwise. The core of her essay is stating that quick casual is the new alternative to fine and fast food dining. Though she never takes into consideration the ideas of being a vegetarian or that college students have dining halls or even the fact that not all people eat out. She had good arguments but they did not affect the people they were meant to affect. One of her main argumentative statements is at the very end of her essay when she says, ââ¬Å"The country is focused on problems with obesity and poor eating habits .. until major changes are made, food prepared at home will almost always be healthier than food eaten away from homeâ⬠(Falk,36) . These type of statements should have been more prominent in the essay, she only brings up this type of conflict in the last paragraph and nowhere else. By tying in the eating at home or the obesity aspect more, she would have had a strong argument. As mention earlier, if she touched on all the aspects possible that would have made her essay more relevant Some of her most outstanding focuses were ââ¬Å"Trend Mappingâ⬠and the ââ¬Å"Trickle Down Theoryâ⬠. Trend mapping helps culinary experts predict which menu items will be popular in the future. The trickle down theory helps quick casual restaurants enhance their menu with more fine dining dishes. These ideas help customers make smart choices. I was impressed with her inclusion of these two innovations because they go right along with her topic and fit into the main idea . Even though her essay was poorly structured at some points, there were also some good points throughout. I feel that her style was very laid back and readable because she used places her target audience have been and can relate to, as examples. Brenda Falk creates this article with the objective of describing the many similarities between the food industry and that the in between ââ¬Å"quick casualâ⬠style is the most convenient. She successfully describes these similarities and elaborates on the new innovative style but never fully creates a legitimate argument. If she discussed more on the topic of eating at home or the factor of money or even brought in some positives of fine dining, that could have created a stronger argument. She has a great sense of organization and style but needs to focus more on her analysis of the topic.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Catcher In The Rye :: Essays Papers
Catcher In The Rye ââ¬Å"Oh literature, oh the glorious Art, how it preys upon the marrow in our bones. It scoops the stuffing out of us and chucks us asideâ⬠(David Herbert Lawrence). Well-written works of literature have the undeniable ability to kidnap readers, carry them away into the storyââ¬â¢s imaginary world, and hold the reader for ransom, away from a world where they may not be anticipating the return. This type of literary escape is scarce in todayââ¬â¢s fast-paced society. One is submitted into a fantasy, in which opinions and ideas about the characters and situations expand beyond all possibilities. Literature acts as a valuable aid for self-growth; it nourishes intellect, cheers one up, or relaxes mind and spirit. Nikki Giovanni asks the question, ââ¬Å"ever been kidnaped/by a poetâ⬠(Giovanni 346). If one has not yet been enriched by this feeling, the mystery must be unveiled. To say that I have experienced this feeling from only one piece of literature would prove a great injustice to my literary history. There have been countless moments in my life where I have left time and place to enter a world created by the author, but perfected by my own interpretations and impressions. The literary work that stands out most my mind is The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. This is one of the most absorbing novels I had the privilege to read. The plot of this story concerns a young man, Holden Caulfield, being expelled from one of a long list of schools. The intriguing part of this story is how he perceives and understands his own human condition. He experiences unexplained depression and erratic behavior, which leads to an eventual nervous breakdown in a world he views as invaded by ââ¬Å"phonyâ⬠adults who corrupt innocent children. The title is justified when Holden is talking to his little sister. She asks what he wants to be when he grows up. He asks her if sheââ¬â¢s ever heard the song ââ¬Å"If a body catch a body cominââ¬â¢ through the rye.â⬠He continues: I keep picturing these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobodyââ¬â¢s around-nobody big, I mean-except me. And Iââ¬â¢m standing on the edge of some crazy cliff.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Irish Literature Paper Essay
Olivia Barragree Mr. Green Irish Literature 3 17 February 2013 Irish Love In 20th Century Ireland, the practice of marriage remained very strict due to the religious standards of the time. The majority of the Irish population remained strictly Roman Catholic while a small population in the north remained Protestant. The Roman Catholic view on marriage remains to be that marriage should stay within the religion and be life-long, or until death due you part. With divorce removed as an option for the women of the time, and the expectation that a woman would get married earlier in life, it became no surprise that many women became unhappy with their love lives. James Joyceââ¬â¢s Dubliners, a collection of short stories, tells the sad love stories of man Irish women of the time. These stories prove that women, whose only goal becomes to get married like society told them to do so at the time, will end up ultimately stuck in a lifelong pursuit of happiness in religious love that drives them to desperation. One of the youngest love stories in the book presents itself in the story of ââ¬Å"Evelineâ⬠. In this story Eveline, a teenage girl, finds herself struggling to make her next move in life. She longs for the love of Frank, her sailor, but feels conflicted about what her relationship with him entails. Eveline does not have an easy home life, which makes her decision to leave with her lover all the more difficult. Eveline lives and breathes the poverty stricken life of many Dubliners, and for her this remains familiar and tradition. Running away with a sailor to a faraway land would not be approved of by anyone in the town of Dublin. Her longing to get married and have a normal life drives her to make plans to leave the country and elope. At first she believes that it will be a good thing when she says, ââ¬Å"Then she would be marriedââ¬âshe, Eveline. People would treat her with respect thenâ⬠(21). Eveline believes that getting married will be the answer to all of her problems because traditionally marriage would be the only thing that should matter to a woman in life. In this time, getting married meant sacrificing everything about your previous life in the pursuit of happiness within someone elseââ¬â¢s life. The difference in Evelineââ¬â¢s story becomes that she has so many others depending on her already, and to totally give up her previous life would be a gigantic sacrifice. Eveline has many younger siblings who rely on her as a stand in mother, due to the fact that her mother had passed a few years before. Eveline must help also to provide for the family because her father has little drive and spends most of his time drinking and abusing the children. With so many people counting on her the decision to leave and do what most women of her age would do becomes even harder. In her time of need Eveline, ââ¬Å"prayed to god to direct her, to show her what was her dutyâ⬠(23). Eveline holds faith in God, as most Irish did at the time, and her decision would be made by what she thinks God would most likely approve of. Although Evelineââ¬â¢s religion would approve of marriage, in this instance her marriage would take her away from the people who keep her within the religion. An elopement at the time would have been frowned upon, and although Eveline loved Frank she knew that God would not approve of what she was doing. Her pursuit of happiness was a desperate attempt to get married and escape the life she lived. Although Eveline did not follow the path that most women would have, it becomes clear that women of the time were pressured to marry and sacrifice everything for the man they chose. Evelineââ¬â¢s lover would not have been the ideal choice for typical happiness for the Dublin woman, and this restriction set up by the church drives Eveline to stay where her beliefs and heritage are deeply rooted. Eveline will spend her life pursuing a happiness that cannot exist with the restrictions set in place upon the people within Dublin. In the next story of young love, ââ¬Å"The Boarding Houseâ⬠, we come across a woman raising her two young adult children in a boarding house. Ms. Mooney, the woman, went through a horrible separation after being trapped in an abusive marriage with a drunkard for several years, and this very relationship has left her on her own to fend for her family with the profits from the boarding house. Ms. Mooney is ostracized by many in the society, and many believe she was wrong to leave her marriage and they criticize her attempt to run her own business. Ms. Mooneyââ¬â¢s young daughter remains young and generally happy in life, but she seems to be very flirtatious with most the men who live in the boarding house. Her mother at first tries to eliminate this problem by sending Polly to work in the city, but as time passes she slowly lets her move back into the boarding house. Ms. Mooney sees a relationship beginning to develop between Polly and a man who would lose his reputation if people were to find out about the affair, but instead of trying to put an end to the relationship she monitors as if she is waiting for something to happen between them. With the relationships before she had always drove Polly away from the men, but Ms. Mooney, ââ¬Å"knew that the young men were only passing the time away: none of them meant businessâ⬠(40). She knew that this man would feel responsible for his actions, and if he tried to run away from his problems, his employer would surely fire him because his boss of thirteen years was a great Catholic wine merchant. Due to the religion and social opinion of the time the man is forced into his decision of marrying Polly. Ms. Mooney believed that, ââ¬Å"For her, only one reparation could make up for the loss of her daughterââ¬â¢s honour: marriageâ⬠(40). Even after Ms. Mooney had to suffer through the worst possible marriage, she still wishes for the marriage of her daughter. This may seem surprising to modern views, but at the time it was better to be married and miserable than single. The religious dominance of the time forced many young couples like Polly and Mr. Dorian in to marriage that would most likely result in an unhappy life. When we come across the sad story of ââ¬Å"A Painful Caseâ⬠this is where the social pressures of the time really come in to play. The main character of this short story, Mr. Duffy, is a man who, ââ¬Å"wished to live as far as possible from the city of which he was a citizen and because he found all the other suburbs of Dublin mean, modern, and pretentiousâ⬠(70). This man hates all that was Dublin of the time because he believes that the people maintained certain ideas and were fairly mean about the way in which they judged others opinions. This man believed that, ââ¬Å"No social revolution would be likely to strike Dublin for some centuriesâ⬠(72). This statement of this one manââ¬â¢s opinions shows that many believed that Dublin would always have the same mindset about social issues even if modernism would come to the city life. Dubliners were people attempting to move forward, but who were held back by social and religious customs. This thinking becomes challenged when Mr. Duffy meets a woman who will soon become his intellectual companion, Mrs. Sinico, whom remains a married woman. When the relationship begins they talk about things such as philosophy or books, but as time goes on it becomes clear that some sort of intimacy will be involved. Mrs. Sinico lives a very sad life with her husband who works as a merchant. This man does not devote any time to his family or wife and no longer feels any sort of love to this woman. Their relationship has lost its purpose, but due to the standards of society of the time they must stay together even if she and Mr. Duffy were better suited for each other. When Mr. Duffy and Mrs. Sinicoââ¬â¢s relationship escalates to a touch of a hand to a cheek one night they realize that what they do will bring them social ostracism, so , ââ¬Å"They agreed to break off their intercourse: every bond, he said, is a bond to sorrowâ⬠(73). By breaking off the connection between the two, Mr. Duffy believes he will be doing the right thing because it will eliminate the futile longing they have for one another. The part that he neglects to see becomes the fact that sorrow will remain in Mrs. Sinicoââ¬â¢s relationship with her husband. Mr. Duffyââ¬â¢s speak immense truth in the life of Mrs. Sinico because every bond she tries to form with men leads her to immense sorrow. This sorrow becomes her ultimate demise as the pain becomes too much for her and she makes the choice to commit suicide by jumping in front of a newly built tram. Mr. Duffy reads about the suicide in the paper one night as he sits at the diner alone, and at this point he is stricken with immense distain for the woman who killed herself. Mr. Duffy, in an attempt to deal with the pain of loss begins to try to blame Mrs. Sinico and become angry at her for killing herself because she was no longer happy without him. Mr. Duffy becomes filled with immense guilt and must find a way to cope. The sorrow suddenly hits him though when he says, ââ¬Å"One human being had seemed to love him and he had denied her life and happinessâ⬠(77). He feels as though the death was his fault and that he should have saved her from suffering through her unhappy life, but due to the social attitude of the time he made the wrong decision. He left this woman to suffer in a life that was most likely chosen due to a younger womanââ¬â¢s desperation to get married and follow the practice of so many other women of the time. These social practices of marriage left her searching for a way to happiness that she could never have. Her marriage that she could not escape trapped her from the outside world which had the potential to make her happy. The story of ââ¬Å"The Deadâ⬠comes at the very end of Dubliners which represents a very sorrow filled ending for the book. This story begins with a very vibrant and exciting dinner party, but when the party ends and Gabriel, the main characters goes home with his wife, the sadness really settles in. At the party Gabriel had found his wife immensely attractive and wished greatly to rekindle the love he believed they once had for each other. At the party a guest sings a love song that leaves, Gretta, Gabrielââ¬â¢s wife frozen in thought which makes Gabriel believe that she too thinks of the two of them together once again. The truth sets in though when the couple returns to a hotel where they will be staying for the night. Gabriel, in an attempt to spark some love in their relationship asks his wife what she thought of the song, but to his surprise she tells a very sad story. Gretta tells the story of her deceased lover whom her family would not let her be with. She tells him of the great passion they shared and how the young man had died a month after she had gone off to study at a convent. At a loss for words, Gabriel thinks about how, ââ¬Å"It hardly pained him now to think how poor a part he, her husband had played in her lifeâ⬠(151). Gabriel gives up on finding love for his wife once again, and he now realizes that she does not love him either. These two people remain trapped by the bond of marriage and the fear of being socially unaccepted through divorce. This story of a love where a man had died for his love of Gretta makes Gabriel realize that, ââ¬Å"He had never felt like that himself towards any other woman, but he knew that such a feeling must be loveâ⬠(152). When young Gretta tells the story of her loverââ¬â¢s death she says that her leaving had killed him, and that he had died for sake of loving her. In response to her loss of her chance at happiness she had married Gabriel in an attempt to replace that love, but to also do the sensible thing of the time. Gabriel and Gretta were forced together, not by choice, but by the expectations people had placed on young people of the time. When they met they had felt a mutual longing for happiness in love, and this feeling had convinced them that they had love for one another. Deep inside, Gabriel realizes this fact and as he watches the snow fall outside he begins to feel a longing to escape Ireland and move westward. In the west ideas were new and people were not looked down upon for their sacrilegious actions or disbelief. At the very end of the story Gabriel talks about the snow that falls outside, and references a newspaper article that says, ââ¬Å"Snow was general all over Irelandâ⬠(152). He then says, ââ¬Å"It was falling, too upon every part of the lonely churchyard on the hill where Michael Furey lay buried. It lay thickly drifted on the crooked on the crooked crossesâ⬠(152). One of the most cold and lifeless things found in the story, the snow, represents the lack of life within the religious communities of Ireland. Too many people of the time had dedicated their lives to pleasing the church and the social standards it set for its followers. This dedication had made many of them unhappy or bereft of meaning in life. The people within this story look for a way to find love and happiness, but in the end they realize that they cannot obtain it where they remain. Throughout the many sad stories of Dubliners the reader can see that the institution of marriage plays a major role in the unhappiness of many of the characters within the short stories. The institution of marriage when ruled by a churchââ¬â¢s strict belief system can be very harmful to a healthy relationship. The characters who marry always seem to become trapped by their marriage because they know that they can never escape it in the future. This longing to escape the social standards set for these couples leaves them in a pursuit of something that will never be reached. Without a trapped feeling surrounding them, the pressure to have a perfect marriage would be diluted and prove much more effective than a marriage kept out of fear of religious persecution.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Essay
Lab 2.1 Exercise 2.1.1 All these elements are necessary because each allows the other to function and do its job. Without Media the signal cannot transmit. Without Interface the computer cannot access the Media. Without the signal the electricity or copper wires cannot transmit information. Without Pattern there would be no established format for the signals. And timing lets the devices know when the pattern starts and ends. Exercise 2.1.2 Almost all networks in use today are based in some fashion on the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) standard. The core of this standard is the OSI Reference Model, a set of seven layers that define the different stages that data must go through to travel from one device to another over a network. But the OSI is just a guideline. Exercise 2.1.3 The other networking services are: RIP Listener Simple TCP/IP Services UPnP User Interface Exercise 2.1.4 Wi-Fi wireless networks support ad hoc connections between devices. Ad hoc Wi-Fi networks are pure peer to peer compared to those utilizing wireless routers as an intermediate device. Exercise 2.1.5 Lab 2.1 Review 1) A peripheral device is an internal or external device that connects directly to a computer but does not contribute to the computerââ¬â¢s primary function. It helps access and use the functionalities of a computer. (ex. Mouse, flash drive, printer) Network devices are components used to connect computers or other electronic devices together so that they can share files or resources. (ex. Router, dsl filter, Ethernet cable) 2) The fewer amount of connections the fast the connection speed with the current connections. 3) A peer-to-peer (P2P) network is created when two or more PCs are connected and share resources without going through a separate server computer. Benefits: 1) It is easy to install and so is the configuration of computers on this network. 2) All the resources and contents are shared by all the peers, unlike server-client architecture where Server shares all the contents and resources. 3) P2P is more reliable as central dependency is eliminated. Failure of one peer doesnââ¬â¢t affect the functioning of other peers. In case of Client ââ¬âServer network, if server goes down whole network gets affected. 4) There is no need for full-time System Administrator. Every user is the administrator of his machine. User can control their shared resources.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Print Directly to Printer With JavaScript
Print Directly to Printer With JavaScript One query that turns up a lot in the various Javascript forums asks how to send the page directly to the printer without first displaying the print dialog box. Rather than just telling you that it cant be done perhaps an explanation of why such an option is not possible would be more useful. Which print dialog box displays when someone presses the print button in their browser or the Javascript window.print() method runs depends on the operating system and what printers are installed on the computer. As most people run Windows on their computer, lets first describe how the printing setup works on that operating system. The *nix and Mac operating systems differ slightly in the details but overall are set up similar. Print Dialog There are two parts to the print dialog box on Windows. The first of these is part of the Windows API (Application Programming Interface). The API is a set of common code pieces that are held in the various DLL (Dynamic Link Library) files that are part of the Windows operating system. Any Windows program can (and should) call the API to perform common functions such as displaying the Print Dialog box so that it will work the same way in all programs and not have different options in different places the way the print option did back in DOS program days. The Print Dialog API also provides a common interface allowing all programs access to the same set of printer drivers rather than printer manufacturers having to create driver software for their printer for each individual program that wanted to use it. The printer drivers are the other half of the print dialog. There are several different languages that different printers understand that they use to control how the page prints (eg. PCL5 and Postscript). The printer driver instructs the Print API as to how to translate the standard internal print format that the operating system understands into the custom markup language that the specific printer understands. It also adjusts the options that the Print dialog displays to reflect the options offered by the specific printer. Operating the Printer An individual computer may have no printers installed, it may have one local printer, it may have access to several printers over a network, it may even be set up to print to PDF or preformatted print file. Where more than one printer is defined one of them is designated the default printer which means that it is the one that displays its details in the print dialog when it first appears. The operating system keeps track of the default printer and identifies that printer to the various programs on the computer. This allows the programs to pass an extra parameter to the print API telling it to print directly to the default printer without displaying the print dialog first. Many programs have two different print options - a menu entry that displays the print dialog and a toolbar fast print button that sends directly to the default printer. When you have a web page on the internet that your visitors are going to print, you have next to no information about what printer(s) they have available. Most printers around the world are configured to print out on A4 paper but you cant guarantee that the printer is set up to that default. One North American country uses a non-standard paper size that is shorter and wider than A4. Most printers are set up to print out in portrait mode (where the narrower direction is the width but some may be set to the landscapeà where the longer dimension is the width. Ofà course, each and every printer also has different default margins at the top, bottom, and sides of the page even before the owners go in and change all of the settings to get the printer the way that they want. Given all of theseà factors, you have no way to tell whether the default printer with its default configuration will print out your web page on A3 with negligible margins or on A5 with huge margins (leaving little more than a postage stamp sized area in the middle of the page). You can probably assume that most will have a print area on the page of approximately 16cm x 25cm (plus or minus 80%). Printing Needs Since printers vary so much between your potential visitors (did someone mention laser printers, inkjet printers,à colorà or black and white only, photo quality, draft mode, and lots more) you have no way to tell what they will need to do to print out your page in a reasonable format. perhaps they have a separate printer or a second driver for the same printer providing totally different settings specifically for web pages. Next, comes the matter of what they may want to print. Do they want the whole page or have they selected just a part of the page that they want toà print?à If your site uses frames do they want to print all of the frames the way they appear on the page, do they want to print each frame separately, or do they just want to print a specific frame? The need to answer all of these questions makes it just about essential that the print dialogà appearsà whenever they want to print something so that they can make sure that the settings are all correct before they hit the print button. Most browsers also provide the ability to add a fast print button to one of the browser toolbars to allow the page to be printed to the default printer using default browser settings as to what is to be printed and how. Javascript Browsers do not make this multitude of browser and printer settings available to Javascript. Javascript is primarily concerned with modifying the currentà web pageà and so web browsers provide minimal information about the browser itself and next to no information about the operating system available toà Javascriptà because Javascript doesnt need to know those things to performà thoseà things that Javascript is intended to do. Basic security says that if something like Javascript doesnt need to know about the operating system and browser configuration in order to manipulate the web page then it should not be provided with that information. It is not like Javascript ought to be able to change the printer settings to appropriate values for printing the current page because that is not what Javascript is for - that is the job of the print dialog. Browsersà thereforeà only make available to Javascript those things that Javascript needs to know such as the size of the screen, theà available space in the browser windowà to display the page, and similar things which help Javascript work out how the page is laid out. The current web page isà Javascriptsà one and only concern. Intranets Intranets are of course an entirely different matter. With anà intranet,à you know that everyoneà accessing the pageà is using a specific browser (usually a recent version of Internet Explorer) and has a specific screen resolution and access to specific printers. This means that it makes sense on an intranet to be able to print directly to the printer without displaying the print dialog because the person writing the web page knows which printer it will be printed on. The Internet Explorer substitute for Javascript (called JScript) therefore has slightly more information about the browser and operating system that Javascript itself does. The individual computers on the network running the intranet may be able to be configured to allow the JScriptà window.print()à command write directly to the printer without displaying the print dialog. This configuration would need to be set up individually on each client computer and is well beyond the scope of an article on Javascript. When it comes to web pages on the internet there is absolutely no way that you can set up aà Javascript commandà to send directly to the default printer. If your visitors wish to do that they will have to set up their own fast print button on their browser toolbar.
Monday, November 4, 2019
Jesus as the Founder of Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Jesus as the Founder of Christianity - Essay Example In their work, there is a clear indication on the basics of Christianity, thus making it easier for students and scholars studying theology have a justified ground to base their arguments. From Sinclair & Bowmanââ¬â¢s (2006), work, it is evident the stand they take in regard to the foundation of Christianity. Their values conform to those of other scholars and analysts who believe that the Bible is the basis of Christianity, and Jesus take the upper hand. Just like indicated in the Holy book, Sinclair & Bowman (2006), indicate that the good news has come to the human race and will be continue to prevail in order to guide Christians on the right path in life. From this indication, therefore, it is evident that the Bible indicates that Jesus is the root of Christianity through His messages to the human race. From the view that Jesus died for the sins of human kind, it is apparent how much He had and still has love for the human race. Apart from that, we are justified to argue that J esus Christ existed in the world before and from his existence, Christianity found its way into the lives of human kind. The word ââ¬ËChristiansââ¬â¢ emanate from ââ¬ËChristââ¬â¢ to mean followers of Jesus. This is the more reason why Jesus Christ is referred to as the founder of Christianity. ... 1.1. Body 1.1.1. An analysis of textual sources In an attempt to understand the foundation of Christianity, the Holy Bible cannot be alienated from the picture. As discussed earlier, the Bible is the blue print and reference to Christianity, and in this study, therefore, constant reference has to be made to the book. Sinclair & Bowman (2006), undertake a study of the Bible in an attempt to prove the view that indeed Christianity has its basis on the Bible. Sinclair & Bowman (2006) indicate that the Bible consists of both the Old and New Testaments that relate to the foundations of Christianity on Jesus. They seek to emphasize on the New Testamentââ¬â¢s view on Christianity for its rich ideas on the theme. The books of Matthew, Luke, Mark and John emphasize on Jesusââ¬â¢ life while on earth. It is from these books that Christians borrow the aspect of a good life based on Christian virtues from the example of Jesus. It is justified to argue that the Bible leads to many Christians base their belief in Jesus as the founder of Christianity from the readings. It is these texts that parables are explained in broad detail. Jesus plays the role of a servant that was sent by God to save the human race. Jesus is seen more of a servant to the people that the king. According to the Christian values, humility is one of the virtues that all people must embrace. In line with this context, Jesus may be regarded as the founder of Christianity from the example that He set on the human race. In fact, studies indicate that it is from His mission on earth that many people learnt to emulate good virtues from him. Were it, not from Jesusââ¬â¢ mission on earth, Christianity would not have a strong foundation that it has today. At that
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Relationship Between Cultural Consumption, Identity And Holidays Essay
Relationship Between Cultural Consumption, Identity And Holidays - Essay Example The research and subsequent analysis of data clearly indicated that choice of holiday destinations depended largely on the cultural trend of the society under consideration. Members of a society made choices in accordance with the human values that were attributed to various destinations and it was further confirmed that human values played a much more decisive role in collectivist societies than in individualistic societies. Thus this study also brings to light the most pertinent fact that a proper analysis of subjective trends in a culture is absolutely imperative if one were to form clear predictive perceptions about how people transfer value to their environment and how they make their consumption choices. The commercial lesson that can be obtained from this study is that these findings must be kept in mind when formulating campaigns to attract tourists from various societies having various biases and any product or service that can be placed favourably with respect to the percep tions of that particular society will quite obviously get a very positive reception from large sections of the society. This report makes the conclusions drawn above apply for a large majority of members in different societies, there will always be individual members in every society who would defy the norms and set out their own agenda. Thus never be surprised if you see a Brazilian skiing down an especially tricky mountain slope in the Alps or hitch hiking along country roads of Cambodia.
Thursday, October 31, 2019
MPC Relationship With Its Large Global Customers Case Study
MPC Relationship With Its Large Global Customers - Case Study Example Moreover certain value-added services that were provided to the clients which helped in improving and bolstering its relationship with the clients. The relationship between the suppliers and the clients is guided by the bargaining power of the supplier/the buyer. The supplier dictates the shots if it has a higher bargaining power and conversely, the client has an upper hand when it has a higher bargaining power. In this case, there are only a few players I the market. Moreover, with high entry costs, the entry of new players is quite difficult. This gives MPC a higher bargaining power. The bargaining power also defines the value division. The bargaining of the supplier with the client the amount the supplier gets for providing its clients with the important resources. The figure above depicts the relationship between the client and the supplier using a line segment. The top level of the line represents the value that has been received by the buyer. This value is equal to the willingness of the buyer to pay for the goods or services minus the amount that has been paid by the organization. The middle segment represents the value that has been captured by the firm. The lowermost position of the segment defines the value that has been acquired by the supplier. (Brandenburger M, Stuart HW, n.d.). The figure above gives a model on how suppliers should rate its clients. MPC must use the model stated in the figure to analyze its relationship with the clients. It should divide its clients on the basis of relative value and its attractiveness. MPC can also use its rapport with its clients to set up bases in the low-cost destinations. This would allow the company to make its presence in those markets while creating entry barriers for the new players. This would also give MPC a foothold in a new and emerging market. The firm can employ the model of Brandenburger and Stuart for creating new value in their product offering. This model is based on the concepts of valueà creation and added value which represents the size of the profit to be shared and how to share that profit respectively.Ã
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Chinese Culture Essay Example for Free
Chinese Culture Essay The climate and temperature of China varies throughout the area of the country. Most of the country lies in the temperate belt, but the southern most part lies in the subtropical belt while the northern part is in the sub arctic belt. There is usually a lot of rain in the summer, and very little in the winter. China has the largest agricultural output in the world, while only cultivating 15% of its total area. Rice is Chinaââ¬â¢s most harvested crop, while wheat is second. China also produces potatoes, other vegetables, and some fruits. By the end of 2000, China had 633 different cities, while 13 of them had a population of two million or more. The three biggest Chinese cities are Shanghai, Beijing, and Chongqing, in that order. Hong Kong is inside China, but isnââ¬â¢t considered part of the country. Confucianism used to be the main religion in China and help shape its history. However, Buddhism has the most followers and biggest influence in China than any other religion, now. Some other major religions throughout China are Taoism, Islam, and Christianity. Most people in China, now, play sports just like us such as ping pong, soccer, and badminton. These types of sports are fairly new to China, while different types of martial arts have been around much longer than team sports. China is a communist state. This means that everything is ruled and owned by the government. There is no private ownership, and all goods are shared by the people, who are all equal. Chinese education is required and free for ages 6 ââ¬â 15, and can be continued longer if the person wants to and can afford it. Most of the jobs throughout China are related to agricultural businesses, or they do cheap labor for companies all around the world. The employment rules in China are much more relaxed than the U. S. so big corporation usually have Chinese factories make their goods for much cheaper. Stir fry is the most common cooking technique throughout China. It requires a small amount of oil in a heated pan, and the ingredients of the mea, usually vegetables and meat, are put into the pan and cooked until ready. The most used cooking tool is the wok. It is pretty much like a pan with rounded edges for stir frying. Chopsticks are by far the most used eating tools of the Chinese people, just like our forks and spoons. Chinese meals almost always have rice or noodles. The is usually vegetables in the meals, which could be many different types, such as broccoli, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, cabbage or eggplants. The meat is usually chicken, pork, or fish. Chinese meals are eaten pretty much at the same time as out meals. Breakfast is in the morning, lunch in the afternoon, and dinner is at night. There are much unusual eating etiquettes that must be followed in China. One is that your tea can never be empty. The host will always be refilling their guestsââ¬â¢ cups, and the guests must tap their cup on the table as a showing of thankfulness. Another eating etiquette is that, when out with a group of people, you must order an even number or plates, even if there is an odd number of people, because odd numbers symbolize death. Bibliography Climate http://www. chinatraveldepot. com/C149-China-Climate Major Cities http://www. china. org. cn/english/feature/38093. htm Recreation http://www. ajpanda. com/Articles. asp? ID=227 Types of Jobs http://factsanddetails. com/china. php? itemid=366catid Ingredients and equipment http://www. china-family-adventure. com/chinese-food-ingredients. html Bourbon Chicken recipe http://www. food.com/recipeprint. do? rid=45809 Chinese fried rice http://www. grouprecipes. com/25313/chinese-fried-rice. html/print Chinese Almond Cookies http://chinesefood. about. com/od/dessertcookies/r/almondcookies. htm Chinese Almond Cookies Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Ingredients: â⬠¢ 2 cups flour â⬠¢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder â⬠¢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda â⬠¢ 1/8 teaspoon salt â⬠¢ 1/2 cup butter â⬠¢ 1/2 cup shortening â⬠¢ 3/4 cup white sugar (can add up to 2 more tablespoons, if desired) â⬠¢ 1 egg â⬠¢ 2 1/2 teaspoons almond extract â⬠¢ 30 whole, blanched almonds (one for each cookie). â⬠¢ 1 egg, lightly beaten Preparation: 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (162. 5 degrees Celsius). 2. In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter or margarine, shortening, and sugar. Add the egg and almond extract and beat until well blended. Add to the flour mixture and mix well. Note: The dough will be crumbly at this point, but dont worry that is what its supposed to be like. 3. Use your fingers to form the mixture into a dough, and then form the dough into 2 rolls or logs that are 10 to 12 inches long. Wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours (this will make it easier to shape the dough into circles). 4. Take a log and lightly score the dough at 3/4 inch intervals so that you have 15 pieces and cut the dough. Roll each piece into a ball and place on a lightly greased cookie tray, approximately 1 1/2 inches apart. Place an almond in the center of each cookie and press down lightly. Repeat with the remaining dough. 5. Brush each cookie lightly with beaten egg before baking. Bake for 15 minutes to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and store in a sealed container.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
The Performance Of The Foxconn Business Commerce Essay
The Performance Of The Foxconn Business Commerce Essay Foxconn Technology Group, a subsidiary of the Hon Hai Precision Industries Ltd. and is one of the worlds largest electronics manufacturers. It ranks 112th among Global Fortune 500 Companies. Currently, Foxconn has a workforce of 900,000 workers all over China. The company plans to expand its workforce to 1.3 million people by the end of 2011 (Culpan, 2010). It manufactures hardware for a prominent list of clients, including Apple, HP, Dell, Nokia and Nintendo. Despite the fall of profit margins over past few years, Foxconns business has been growing. This implies that Foxconn will keep lowering labor costs to maintain its dominance in the industry. The recent uproar in media about Foxconn has not been because of its huge workforce or its profits. Rather, it is the 17 young Foxconn employees who committed suicides between January and August 2010 that has brought into light the dilemma of frontline employees at Foxconn and other such factories. The suicide rate for China stands at 12 for every 100,000 people per year. With a workforce of 420,000 and 13 suicides this year, the suicide rate at Foxconn is approximately one-quarter the national average (Mimi, 2009). This paper will elaborate on what the media have reported and relate the data to employment relations. Wages and Working Hours Foxconn claims that it is compliant with local laws. But, research studies conducted by SACOM (Students Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior) have found that Foxconn has been a regular violator of labor laws. Many hidden facts relating to employment relations are discussed below. Workers were kept uninformed about wage increase plan When the suicide cases reached a climax in May, Foxconn apparently increased wages twice, but there was no formal announcement. Also, details about the conditions under which workers can benefit from this pay rise, like seniority or type of contract were not discussed. Basic wage is just slightly more than minimum wage and far below living wage The basic wage of frontline workers at Foxconn is only CNY 100 more than the minimum wage (SACOM, 2010). According to Foxconn management, the purpose of the wage increase plan was to stabilize the workforce. But the fact is that the basic wage was insufficient for workers to maintain decent living standards in Shenzhen. Also, basic wages in Tianjin, Wuhan and Kunshan lag far behind the standard wage, which makes it extremely difficult for workers to live in such expensive cities on such small incomes. Excessive overtime Marxism came into existence through Marxs observation a known writer and theorist who opposed capitalism while capitalism was in its infancy, his theory was named the Marxist theory. To Marx employment relation was a major way of understanding capitalism. He was like an opposition force for the employers, he disputed the divisions that were created in the industrial society through competition between the two classes (employers and the employees). He was of the idea that since employees had to do meaningless jobs it created low esteem, morale and low motivation amongst the employees. His approach created the thought that conflict will persist in the employment relations and no solution will be able to resolve it completely, and the only basic changes in the economy, such as overthrowing capitalism, will help in creating a socialist economy, however, China is already a socialist economy and state. One could argue that because China is a communist state, it operates on socialist values and employs Marxist philosophies in order to improve the wellbeing of the Chinese people. However, from the Foxconn example, we can see that this was not the case and this raises the question of if the Marxist theory really has any relevance in improving self esteem, when Foxconn has violated several Labor Laws . In any working environment, overtime work should not be more than 36 hours per month (article 41) (SACOM, 2010). For example, engineers at Integrated Digital Product Business Group (IDPBG) of Foxconn in Shenzhen, who were involved in production of the first generation iPad, worked whole weeks, including Sundays and had only one rest day every 13 days plus they did not even receive any overtime premium for weekends. There are other departments where workers work overtime for about 140 hours a month and have no day off at all. Deduction of overtime premium According to workers at Foxconn, calculation of working hours is incorrect. Foxconn uses Comprehensive Calculation of Working Hours System, which does not recognize monthly overtime beyond 80 hours (quote) and hence, workers are not paid for those hours.Ã Also, workers complained that the newly introduced overtime control is actually misleading in the sense that overtime does take place, but it is not recorded or paid as such. Apart from all this Foxconn employees are made to attend morning assemblies, end-of-work-shift assemblies and weekly meetings during which the management talks about expected deliverables, work targets and discipline, but they do not receive compensation for the time spent in these compulsory meetings that may consume up to one hour a day. Time spent in training is not fully paid either. As a result, workers do not earn more than before the June 2010 wage increase. Management A close analysis of the management practices and workers criticisms about the management at Foxconn is indicative of the fact that a military-style, punishment focused working management followed at the company for its workers is another factor that might have contributed to suicides at Foxconn. A culture of obedience is forced on workers from the first day of their employment. They are badly treated during recruitment procedures; they are not allowed to questions during their orientation trainings; they are punished for all kinds of misconduct, ranging from as big as not meeting their daily deliverables to as minute as taking too much time in bathroom. Reward system Workers are deprived of production bonus, which is given twice a year, if they have declined overtime work or taken sick leave. It seems that there are no set terms for a bonus; it is exclusively at the discretion of the management. All these factors reflect the authoritative nature of Foxconns management. Foxconns military-style corporate philosophy is also reflected in one of the sayings of Foxconns billionaire CEO Terry Guo democracy is the most inefficient thing in the world (Chang, 2010). This explains why Foxconn regime excludes any say by workers and why it is so anti-democratic. Trade Unions Theories kept evolving as the size and scope of businesses expanded, taking into consideration technology and the nature of work of the employees. One of the theories that came about was the pluralist theory, which acknowledged the complex situations such as conflict of interest between the management and the employees. It suggested that these kinds of complex situations could only be resolved through the involvement of government. However, because China is a communist state, trade unions struggle to exist and therefore pluralism cannot and wont be adopted. Investigations at Foxconn reveal that workers have no confidence that the state-run trade unions will defend their rights for very obvious reasons. First, these unions are usually silent on working conditions of the company. Instead, at the companys morale-boosting rallies, the union officials glorify Guos image and Foxconns corporate image by displaying portraits of Guo and singing his praises. Second, these trade unions consist of few young members and majorly of senior management officers. Apparently, the union members tend to please the management in order to secure their jobs. Last, the trade union committee is not democratically elected. This is indicative of the political power exercised by Foxconn and its higher management. Health and Safety Most of the workers are not aware of the damaging effects of chemicals they use and of the precautionary measures they must follow before working with dangerous materials on the factory floor. Many of them suffer from threat of occupational diseases. Under the increased pressure, 12.7 percent of workers experienced fainting spells, 24.1 percent of female workers had irregularities in their menstrual cycle and 47.9 percent of workers complained of mental stress. This clearly shows the lack of training for workers on occupational health and safety. Moreover, denying protective equipments and health examinations to workers shows managements informed negligence in following safety standards for workers. Relocation Plans Currently, Foxconn has a huge workforce of around 420,000 in Shenzhen plant alone. In the result of series of suicides, Foxconn announced its plan of relocating its production to central, western, and northern China, where labor is plentiful and official minimum wages are lower than in other areas. Workers were again uninformed of the details but anyway, they had no choice but either relocate or resign. A serious implication of this move is that the announced wage increase for the Longhua workers in Shenzhen will become irrelevant. Social Factors Though Foxconn offers accommodation for workers, but it is more like a prison to them. As a result of their low pay, most workers are forced to live in crowded factory halls. On average, each worker has a space of about two square metres. There is no social interaction among roommates because of their different backgrounds and shift timings. Social isolation in Foxconn is regarded as one of the chief causes of the suicides. A prison-like safety mesh is installed in every hall building in many facilities to prevent workers from jumping. This indicates that management is aware of the potential intentions of the workers. All the factors discussed above help us realize the physical, social and psychological agony workers at Foxconn go through each day. These factors highlight the underlying causes of the dilemma of workers at Foxconn and at other such companies. Illegal and unethical labor practices followed by Foxconn, lack of basic democratic rights for workers, monopolistic capitalist mode of production by translational corporations in global supply chains, lack of auditing by the government of the employment terms and practices followed by companies, discriminatory characteristic of Chinas urban household system, lack of government support are some of them. Conclusion The essence of all these traditional theories of management styles is that there exists a single, best approach to management, and the research was aimed at finding this best approach. One of the recognized theorists was Fredrick W. Taylor. His purpose and idea was to maximise efficiency, he believed that the principal object of management should be to ensure maximum prosperity for the employer, coupled with the maximum prosperity for each employee. He considered that the best approach was for the employee to fulfil optimum goals, which would result in higher wages for them, and managements gain will be higher productivity. Therefore the employee himself will work harder and try his level best to produce more since he is getting financial benefits for doing so, this was his differential piece-rate system. This clearly was not the case with Foxconn, as demonstrated by the evidence highlighted throughout the body of the paper. In the past few years, manufacturing facilities or so called sweatshops have started following labor laws but at the same time to make up for the loss, they have developed strategies to speed up the production in factories. As a result, production targets keep soaring and labor exploitation does not stop. Thus far Foxconn and its high-profile customers including Apple, HP, and Dell have failed to effectively address underlying labor issues at the Foxconn production facilities. But, Foxconn is not the only one to be responsible; these other big electronic brands, which place orders with Foxconn, are equally responsible for the tragedies. By threatening to shift their orders, they force their suppliers in China to lower wages, prolong working hours and intensify workloads and thus directly pressure the workers. Clearly, all these brands are making huge profit at the cost of the workers miserable lives. It is apparent that the grievances of the workers cannot be addressed by Chinese labor laws alone. It is required to reveal the actual working and living conditions of workers at Foxconn to gather public support for their struggle against their plight. Pleading companies to abstain themselves from violating labor laws is futile; instead, people must urge concerned organizations, consumers, investors, and the government to join the workers to pressure electronic factories to improve working conditions and employment relations in the electronics industry. Also, to fight for workers rights, effective trade unions must be formed by holding democratic elections in accordance with the Trade Union Law in China. Foxconn needs to reform its structure. There is a need to meet the political requirements, which calls for better wages, recognition of workers rights and the development of hi-tech industries that will create better living standards for workers. Foxconn must address communication gap between management and the labor and focus on employee satisfaction, rather than solely company profits. Workers must be kept informed about their rights, about the relocation plans well in advance, about any wage increase plans and be provided with the details of the terms and conditions followed for giving bonuses. These are just basics principles of employment relations, which Foxconn have not come close to meeting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)