Business Management, Organizational Learning Essay

Business Management, Organizational Learning - Essay Example Learning has been considered to be the life blood of IBM, fundamental to its heritage and the success key to the future. Individual learning is the traditional domain of human resources as it includes training, work experience and formal education. Learning by individual in an organization is a prerequisite of the organizational learning. But, an organization with organizational learning should actively create, capture, transfer and mobilize knowledge in order to enable it to adapt it to a changing environment. The need for organizations to continuously learn and adapt to a changing market has been central concern to organizational learning theorists. According to Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), organizational learning refers to the ways firms acquire, create, supplement and organize knowledge and routines around their competencies and adapt and develop organizational efficiency through improving the use of their core capabilities (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, p.302) IBM management has well promoted productive learning by instituting organizational learning mechanisms buy fostering structural, cultural, and psychological, leadership and policy facets of the multi facet norms of the learning structure. The management has enhanced organizational commitment and psychological safety among the subordinates. IBM has transformed individual learning in to organizational learning looking at its advantages over the business performance and effectiveness. The IBM executives have high expectations and confidence on how the learning strategy should be done within the organization so as to enable IBM to develop the workforce and organizational capabilities that would produce innovative solutions for its customers. IBM has considered organizational learning as the most effective learning strategy mainly because it can enable the company adapt

Hermes watches-segmentation targeting and positioning Research Paper

Hermes watches-segmentation targeting and positioning - Research Paper Example Markets are made up of numerous segments. Consumers portray different preference, characteristics and buying behaviour. The varying mindset of consumers is determined by many market-based factors. Marketers refer to the heterogeneous market characterised by customer behaviour to divide markets into segments; a process referred to as market segmentation. Therefore, market segmentation can be defined as the division of market into homogenous groups of consumers, in reference to the variables reflected in the marketing mix (West, Ford and Ibrahim, 2006). Marketing strategies are determined by product, price, place, promotion, people, processes and physical evidence. The difference between customers belonging to different market segments is minute. Individual segments should be evaluated through reference to a targeted marketing mix. Market segmentation helps in taking care of the homogenous groups of buyers. The key variables used in segmenting the watch markets include demographic segm entation, geographic segmentation, psychological segmentation, and psychographic segmentation (Dibb and Simkin, 2001). Geographic segmentation involves dividing the market into geographic units such as neighbourhoods, cities, regions and counties. Geographical segmentation factor is crucial in the marketing of the luxurious Hermes watches as customers are located in distant locations. The most strategic location for the marketing stalls for Hermes watches is urban areas. The immense population density creates the required marketing potential. Geographical segmentation of customers will involve the consideration of factors such as region i.e. district, state and city; size of the area; population density that considers various segments depending on population size e.g. urban versus rural neighbourhoods; and climate that considers the weather of the segment. Involves evaluation of factors such as age e.g. the watches have been designed to

Marketing Mix of Coca-Cola Company Research Paper

Marketing Mix of Coca-Cola Company - Research Paper Example A brief description of each of the elements of marketing is as follows: Â  1. Product – The product is defined as the decision made about the attributes of service or product that will be marketed by the company such as safety, brand name, quality, features, durability, style, design, functionality and etc. Â  2. Price – Price is the cost that a buyer will pay for purchasing the product or service of the company. The pricing decision comprises of elements such as seasonal pricing, full pricing, bundle pricing, discounts for cash payments, Retail price, Pricing strategy and etc. Â  3. Place – The place is described as the decision about the distribution of the products or services that is where the customer will access the company’s offerings. The key areas to consider are distribution channels, warehousing, transportation, logistics and etc. Â  4. Promotion – Promotion is the way by which a company conveys the desired message to the customers and it comprises of various marketing activities such as Advertising on Television, Public Relations, Internet advertising, posters, billboards, personal selling and etc. Â  

Cosmetic Surgery Is Moving Toward Multiethnic Beauty Ideals Essay Example for Free

Cosmetic Surgery Is Moving Toward Multiethnic Beauty Ideals Essay The increasing number of nonwhites getting cosmetic surgery is helping society accelerate from a crawl to a full-bore sprint toward one truly melted, fusion community. In the following viewpoint, Anupreeta Das questions whether minorities go under the knife to look more Caucasian. She suggests that as ethnically ambiguous beauties emerge in entertainment and the media, many African American, Asian, and Latino cosmetic-surgery patients want changes that harmonize with their ethnic features. In fact, Das states more surgeons today are specializing in race-specific procedures. This blending and reducing of racial characteristics through cosmetic surgery allow minorities to fit in with beauty standards that are moving away from a Caucasian ideal, she claims. Das is a journalist based in Boston. As you read, consider the following questions: 1.As stated by Das, how do rhinoplasty procedures differ among Caucasians, African Americans, and Asian Americans? 2.Why did Jewish people embrace cosmetic surgery, according to the viewpoint? 3.According to Das, what do critics say about the increase of ethnic models in the fashion industry? For almost a century, the women who have turned to cosmetic surgery to achieve beauty—or some Hollywood-meets-Madison Avenue version of it—were of all ages, shapes, and sizes but almost always of one hue: white. But now, when there seems to be nothing that a few thousand dollars cant fix, women of color are clamoring in skyrocketing numbers to have their faces and bodies nipped, snipped, lifted, pulled, and tucked. This is a step forward, right? In the land of opportunity, we applaud when barriers break down and more people get to partake in the good life, as it were. There are many explanations for the new willingness of minorities to go under the knife: their swelling numbers and disposable income, the popularization of cosmetic surgery and its growing acceptance as a normal beauty routine,  and its relative affordability. Whats significant are the procedures minorities are choosing. More often than not, theyre electing to surgically narrow the span of their nostrils and perk up their noses or suture their eyelids to create an extra fold. Or theyre sucking out the fat from buttocks and hips that, for their race or ethnicity, are typically plump. It all could lead to one presumption: These women are making themselves look more white—or at least less ethnic. But perhaps not to the extent some suppose. People want to keep their ethnic identity, says Dr. Arthur Shektman, a Wellesley-based plastic surgeon. They want some change, but they dont really want a white nose on a black face. Shektman says not one of his minority patients—they make up about 30 percent of his practice, up from about 5 percent 10 years ago—has said, I want to look white. He believes this is evidence that the dominant Caucasian-centered idea of blond, blue-eyed beauty is giving way to multiple ethnic standards of beauty, with the likes of Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, and Lucy Liu as poster girls. No way is the answer Tamar Williams of Dorchester gives when asked if her desire to surgically reduce the width of her nose and get a perkier tip was influenced by a Caucasian standard. Why would I want to look white? Growing up, the 24-year-old African-American bank teller says, she longed for a nose that wasnt quite so wide or flat or big for her face. It wasnt that I didnt like it, Williams says. I just wanted to change it. Hoping to become a model, she thinks the nose job she got in November [2007] will bring her a lifetime of happiness and opportunity. I was always confident. But now I can show off my nose. Yet others are less convinced that the centuries-old fixation on Caucasian beauty—from the Mona Lisa to Pamela Anderson—has slackened. Im not ready to put to rest the idea that the white ideal has not permeated our psyches, says Janie Ward, a professor of Africana Studies at Simmons College. It is still shaping our expectations of what is beautiful. A Peculiar Fusion Whether or not the surging number of minority patients is influenced by a white standard, one point comes with little doubt: The $12.4 billion-a-year plastic surgery industry is adapting its techniques to meet this demand. The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), for example, has in recent months held meetings on subjects ranging from Asian upper-eyelid surgery to so-called ethnic rhinoplasty. The discussion will come to Boston this summer [2007] when the academy will host a five-day event that will include sessions on nose reshaping techniques tailored to racial groups. And increasingly, plastic surgeons are wooing minorities—who make up one-third of the US population—by advertising specializations in race-specific surgeries and using a greater number of nonwhite faces on their Web sites. It could be that these new patients are not trying to erase the more obvious markers of their ethnic heritage or race, but simply to reduce them. In the process, theyre pursuing ethnic and racial ambiguity. Take Williams. With her new smaller nose and long, straight hair, the African-American woman seems to be toying with the idea of ambiguity. And maybe we shouldnt be surprised. The intermingling of ethnicities and races—via marriages, friendships, and other interactions—has created a peculiar fusion in this country. Its the great mishmash where Christmas and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are celebrated in one long festive spirit, where weddings mix Hindi vows with a chuppah, where California-Vietnamese is a cuisine, where Eminem can be black and Beyonce can go blond. And the increasing number of nonwhites getting cosmetic surgery is helping society accelerate from a crawl to a full-bore sprint toward one truly melted, fusion community. There were 11.5 million cosmetic procedures done in 2005, including surgical ones such as face lifts and rhinoplasties and nonsurgical ones such as Botox shots and collagen injections. One out of every five patients was of African, Asian, or Hispanic descent (separate statistics arent available for white versus nonwhite Hispanics). According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the number of minority patients undergoing cosmetic procedures increased from 300,000 in 1997 to 2 million in 2005.  Although the total demand for cosmetic procedures also increased—from 2 million in 1997 to 11.5 million in 2005—the rate of increase for minorities is higher than the overall rate. (Women account for more than nine-tenths of all cosmetic procedures.) Different ethnic and racial groups favor different procedures. Statistics compiled by the AAFPRS show that in 2005, more than six out of every 10 African-Americans getting cosmetic surgery had nose jobs. Unlike rhinoplasties performed on Caucasians, which may fix a crooked bridge or shave off a hump, doctors say African-American and Asian-American nose reshaping usually leads to narrower nostrils, a higher bridge, and a pointier tip. For Asian-Americans, eyelid surgery—either the procedure to create an eyelid fold, often giving the eye a more wide-open appearance, or a regular eye lift to reduce signs of aging—is popular. According to the AAFPRS, 50 percent of Asian patients get eyelid surgery. Dr. Min Ahn, a Westborough-based plastic surgeon who performs Asian eyelid surgery, says only about half of the Asian population is born with some semblance of an eyelid crease. Even if Asians have a preexisting eyelid crease, it is lower and the eyelid is fuller. For those born without the crease, he says, creating the double eyelid is so much a part of the Asian culture right now. Its probable that this procedure is driving the Asian demand for eyelid surgeries. Breast augmentation and rhinoplasty top the list of preferred procedures for patients of Hispanic origin, followed by liposuction. Asian-Americans also choose breast implants, while breast reduction—the one procedure eligible for insurance coverage—is the third most preferred choice for African-American women after nose reshaping and liposuction. Doctors say African-American women typically use liposuction to remove excess fat from their buttocks and hips—two areas in which a disproportionate number of women of this race store fat. The Culture of Self-Improvement Of course, the assimilative nature of society in general has always demanded a certain degree of conformity and adaptation of every group that landed on American shores. People have adjusted in ways small and large—such as by changing their names and learning new social mores. Elizabeth Haiken, a San Francisco Bay area historian and the author of the 1997 book Venus Envy: A History of Cosmetic Surgery, says ethnic minorities may use plastic surgery as a way to fit in to the mainstream, just as another group used it in the early 20th century. The first group to really embrace cosmetic surgery was the Jews, says Haiken. Her research indicates that during the 1920s, when cosmetic surgery first became popular in the United States, being Jewish was equated with being ugly and un-American, and the Jewish nose was the first line of attack. Most rhinoplasties therefore sought to reduce its distinct characteristics and bring it more in line with the preferred straighter shape of the An glo-Saxon nose. That people would go to such extremes to change their appearance should come as no surprise. Going back to early 20th-century culture, there is a deep-seated conviction that you are what you look like, Haiken says. Its not your family, your birth, or your heritage, its all about you. And your looks and appearance and the way you present yourself will determine who you are. In the initial sizing-up, the face is the fortune. Physical beauty becomes enmeshed with success and happiness. Plastic surgeons commonly say that minorities today choose surgery for the same reasons as whites—to empower, better, and preserve themselves. Its the universal desire to maintain youthfulness, and it doesnt change from group to group, says Dr. Frank Fechner, a Worcester-based plastic surgeon. The culture of self-improvement that surrounds Americans has also made plastic surgery more permissible in recent years. Making oneself over—ones home, ones car, ones breasts—is now a part of the American life cycle, writes New York Times columnist Alex Kuczynski in her 2006 book, Beauty Junkies: Inside Our $15 Billion Obsession With Cosmetic Surgery. Doctors have sold us on the notion that surgery is merely part of the journey  toward enhancement, the beauty outside ultimately reflecting the beauty within. Nothing captures this journey better than the swarm of plastic surgery TV shows such as ABCs Extreme Makeover, Foxs The Swan, and FXs Nip/Tuck. These prime-time televised narratives of desperation and triumph, with the scalpel in the starring role of savior, have also helped make plastic surgery more widely accepted. Through sanitized, pain-free, 60-minute capsules showcasing the transformation of ordinary folks, reality TV has sold people on the notion that the C inderella story is a purchasable, everyday experience that everyone deserves. Mei-Ling Hester, a 43-year-old Taiwanese-American hairdresser on Newbury Street, believes in plastic surgery as a routine part of personal upkeep. So when her eyelids started to droop and lose their crease, she rushed to Ahn, the plastic surgeon. He sucked the excess fat out while maintaining, he says, the Asian characteristic of her eyelids. Hester also regularly gets Botox injected into her forehead and is considering liposuction. I feel great inside, she says. With hair tinted a rich brown and eyes without lines or puffiness, her beauty is groomed and serene. I work out, I eat right, I use good products on my face. It was worth it, she says of her surgery. Although Hester says she pursues plastic surgery for betterment and self-fulfillment, she recognizes her privileged status as someone born with the double eyelids and sharper nose so prized in much of the Asian community. I just got lucky, because if you look at my sister, shes got a flat nose. Another sister was born without th e eyelid crease and had it surgically created, says Hester. The concept of the double eyelid as beautiful comes from the West. For many, many years, the standards for beauty have been Western standards that say you have to have a certain shape to the eye, and the eyelid has to have a fold, says Dr. Ioannis Glavas, a facial plastic surgeon specializing in eyelid surgery, with practices in Cambridge, New York City, and Athens. Sometimes, the demand for bigger eyes can be extreme. Glavas recalls one young Asian-American woman he saw who, in addition to wanting a double eyelid procedure, asked him to snip off some of the bottom lid to expose more of the white. I had to say no to her, he says. Glavas says both Asian women and men demand the double eyelid surgery because it is a way of looking less different by reducing an obvious ethnic feature. Presumably, Asian patients arent aiming to look white by getting double eyelids (after all, African-Americans and other minorities have double eyelids), but the goal is social and cultural assimilation, or identification with some dominant aesthetic standard. Across-the-Board Appeal In recent years, the dominant aesthetic standard in American society has moved away from the blond, blue-eyed Caucasian woman to a more ethnically ambiguous type. Glossy magazines are devoting more pages to this melting-pot aesthetic, designed (like the new Barbies) for across-the-board appeal. Todays beautiful woman comes in many colors, from ivory to cappuccino to ebony. Her hair can be dark and kinky, and she might even show off a decidedly curvy derriere—a feature that has actually started to prompt some white women to get gluteal augmentation, or butt implants. However, critics say these are superficial changes to what is essentially a Caucasian-inspired ideal—the big-eyed, narrow-nosed, pillow-lipped, large-breasted, boyishly thin apparition. There has been a subtle change in the kind of models you see in Victorias Secret catalogs or Vogue, says Dr. Fred Stucker, the head of facial plastic surgery at Louisiana State University, Shreveport. But they take the black girl who has the high cheekbones, narrow nose, and pouty lips. Its not uncommon, he says, to find a white face with dark skin. Going by the recent surge of minorities demanding plastic surgery, it is plausible that this attempt by canny marketers and media types to promote a darker-skinned but still relatively uniform ideal is working. After all, they are simply following the money. According to the University of Georgias Selig Center for Economic Growth, which compiles an annual report on the multicultural economy in the United States, minorities had a combined buying power of several trillion dollars in 2006. In 2007, the  disposable income of Hispanics is expected to rise to $863 billion, while African-Americans will collectively have $847 billion to spend. By 2010, Asians are expected to have buying power totaling $579 billion. And all of these groups are showing a greater willingness to spend it on themselves and the things they covet, including cosmetic surgery. Katie Marcial represents exactly this kind of person. The 50-year-old African-American is newly single, holds a well-paying job in Boston, and has no qualms about spending between $10,000 and $20,000 on a tummy tuck and breast surgery. Im doing this mainly because Im economically able to do so, says Marcial, a Dorchester resident whose clear skin and youthful attire belie her age. With her three children all grown, her money is hers to spend. I can indulge in a little vanity, she says. Marcial says she chose a young, Asian-American doctor to perform her surgery because I thought she would know the latest techniques and be sensitive to ethnic skin. Historically, plastic surgery has been tailored to Caucasian women. Glavas says that in medical texts, the measurements of symmetry and balance—two widely recognized preconditions of beauty—were made with Caucasian faces in mind. Such practices led to a general sense among minorities that plastic surgery was for whites and kept them away from tinkering with their faces and bodies. But even as the industry now adapts to its new customers, plastic surgeons are divided over whether surgical specialization in various ethnicities and races necessarily caters better to the needs of minority patients. Dr. Julius Few, a plastic surgeon at Northwestern Universitys Feinberg School of Medicine, hails the fact that plastic surgeons are customizing their procedures to focus on minorities, so its not just the one-size-fits-all mentality of saying, well, if somebodys coming in, regardless, theyre going to look Northern European coming out. He even sees a sort of subspecialty emerging in various ethnic procedures. Meanwhile, Dr. Jeffrey Spiegel, who is chief of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Boston University Medical Center and has a large number of nonwhite patients, is skeptical of the notion of specialization in ethnic and racial cosmetic surgery. It strikes me more as a marketing tool  than a real specialization, he says. In 1991, Michael Jackson crooned It dont matter if youre black or white. Jacksons message about transcending race may have won singalong supporters, but his plastic surgeries did not. His repeated nose jobs and lightened skin color (he has maintained he is not bleaching but is using makeup to cover up the signs of vitiligo, a skin condition) were perceived by minorities—especially African-Americans—as an attempt to look white. Doctors say that Dont make me look like Michael Jackson is a popular refrain among patients. People were put off by dramatic surgeries and preferred subtle changes, says Shektman, the Wellesley-based plastic surgeon. The New Melting-Pot Aesthetic Choices have expanded since then. Minorities can now hold themselves up against more ethnically and racially ambiguous role models that may still trace their roots to the once-dominant Caucasian standard but are becoming more composite and blended. The concept of ideal beauty is moving toward a mix of ethnic features, says plastic surgeon Ahn, a Korean-American who is married to a Caucasian. And I think its better. The push toward ethnic and racial ambiguity should perhaps be expected, because the cultural churn in American society is producing it anyway. Sure, promoting ambiguous beauty is a strategic move on the part of marketing gurus to cover their bases and appeal to all groups. But its also a reflection of reality. Not only are minorities expected to make up about half the American population by 2050, but the number of racially mixed people is increasing tremendously. The number of mixed-race children has been growing enough since the 1970s that in 2000 the Census Bureau created a new section in which respondents could self-identify their race; nearly 7 million people (2.4 percent of the population) identified themselves as belonging to more than one race. For minorities, this new melting-pot beauty aesthetic—perhaps the only kind of aesthetic standard that befits a multiethnic and multicultural society—is  an achievable and justifiable goal. Increasingly, advertisements use models whose blue eyes and dreadlocked hair or almond-shaped eyes and strong cheekbones leave you wondering about their ethnic origins. The ambiguous model might have been dreamed up on a computer or picked from the street. But advertisers value her because she is a blended product—someone everyone can identify with because she cannot be immediately defined by race or ethnicity. By surgically blending or erasing the most telling ethnic or racial characteristics, cosmetic surgery makes ambiguity possible and allows people of various ethnicities and races to fit in. For the Jewish community in the 1920s, fitting in may have had to do with imitating a Caucasian beauty ideal. For minorities today, its a melting-pot beauty ideal that is uniquely A merican. How appropriate this ambiguity is, in a culture that expects conformity even as it celebrates diversity. Das, Anupreeta. Cosmetic Surgery Is Moving Toward Multiethnic Beauty Ideals. The Culture of Beauty. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from The Search for Beautiful. Boston Globe 21 Jan. 2007. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 18 Feb. 2014. Document URL http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/ViewpointsDetailsPage/ViewpointsDetailsWindow?failOverType=query=prodId=OVICwindowstate=normalcontentModules=mode=viewdisplayGroupName=ViewpointsdviSelectedPage=limiter=currPage=disableHighlighting=displayGroups=sortBy=zid=search_within_results=p=OVICaction=ecatId=activityType=scanId=documentId=GALE%7CEJ3010659218source=Bookmarku=lawr16325jsid=8af464626ea9692fea0cb02ef9c121a3 Gale Document Number: GALE|EJ3010659218

Diversifying Education for the Better America Essay -- Learning Divers

Diversifying Education for the Better America America has been known to be a melting pot of different people from all kinds of cultures, ethnicities and backgrounds. No matter where you go, you are always surrounded by all walks of life and from those people, we have learned a lot. They have helped to shape who we are as Americans and what we stand for. Which is, that we strive and thrive on the cultural differences that are all around us. When the canon fails to include their points of view into our educational system, we suffer greatly. With out being exposed to other cultures and backgrounds, we are depriving ourselves of a richer education, from learning about other cultures and backgrounds. It is a shame that people from other cultures and backgrounds arent able to receive in the education that they would like because they are looked at as people who arent capable of doing so. Many colleges and universities just see immigrants as just that and nothing more. Colleges fail to truely see the desire and passion that is in the immigrants eyes to want to learn. Many of the immigrants that come to America are in search of a better life and a good education, because they cant get those in their homeland. The immigrants, in turn have to struggle through our educational system, that doesnt even acknowledge their points of view. Our educational system is based on the great books, books most of the immigrants who have migrated here know little or nothing about because they werent educated in those great books in the countries where they came from. They are being misjudged on their ability just because of their different cultural background, and in a way, punished for not knowing the great books. In the article: Lives on the Boundar... ... of the fact that everyone in this world deserves the best education that they can get. We also need to realize that everyone has the potential to be who they want to be in life, and to push them away because of social and cutlural differences is very wrong. We are depriving them, but mostly ourselves from learning from other people and becoming more culturally diversified. We should learn to look past these difference and realize that we are all one in the same when it comes to education. We all want the best education possible. Works Cited Hooks, bell. Keeping Close to Home: Class and Education. The Presence of Others. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2000. 95-103. Rose, Mike. Lives on the Boundary. The Presence of Others. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2000. 111-116.

Overcoming: Human and Fate Essay

As human beings, we are made imperfect, and do not have total control over events that affect our lives, thoughts and emotions. We may be implied to feel anger and do things we never thought we were capable of. We may enter into sadness, and experience a kind of sadness that couldn’t be cured. The beauty of life is learning how to overcome these emotions, these thoughts, and emotions. To be able to pull through from the worst times is the most rewarding experience of life. Every day, we as human beings experience how life can easily be influenced by changes that cannot be controlled. The Assault and Paradise of the Blind are novels in which these changes or events can unleash the worst characteristics of people, and a battle for control ensues, between the mind and the forces of nature. Ultimately, all the realities of misfortune and tragedy combine with the emotions of inner will power to overcome everything and move on to the future and forget the past. In The Assault, Anton Steenwijk selfishly believes that it he can change what Fate has regrettably bestowed upon him. However, no matter how much he tries to forget the events of his past and move on fate will not allow it. He does not realize that the only way to ever rid himself of the past is to accept it what has happened. Try he does, but one thing fate does not allow is the truth. Not until Anton has lived a whole life does he ever really find the truth of how his whole family was mercilessly slaughtered. Fate is what the world has planned for you, fate is everything you can’t change, the actions of people around you, and the events that affect everything around you. For Anton fate was just an element of the past, to him nothing but Anton himself could affect the events of his future. The battle between Anton and the past, was eventually won by Anton as he stands in the crowd realizing, â€Å"Everything is forgotten in the end. (185)† Yet, the battle was lost easily. Fate never allows Anton to forget, when he runs into Fake Jr, unexpectedly meets Takes, and lastly bumps into Karin Korteweg. Fate will always come with unexpected events, â€Å"It’s no coincidence†¦ (89),† its fate. In the end Anton proves to be the larger power, with the help of the realization of the past and the ability to accept everything as it is Anton moves on from the fate of the past, Anton lives his own life. Paradise of the Blind is a tale about a young woman overwhelmed by her misfortune. The novel tells a story of Hang, who from the very beginning in plagued with bad luck, when she first receives news of her ill uncle. Hang’s fate was not written by herself, but by the hand of her parents, who first encountered the area of misfortune. Fate chose the ____ family to bestow so much misfortune upon. With the reoccurrence of parental losses, sickness and poverty, fate does its best to set up a eventual fail for Hang’s life. Throughout the novel Aunt Tam also is a target of fates’ misfortune, but she is also the only example for Hang of overcoming such bad luck. Aunt Tam has such natural will power; she is such a hard worker that luck no longer becomes an issue. Aunt Tam learns to make her own luck, she fights the hard times, and wrestles with failure to become a wealthy renowned woman of her village. In going against the status quo she becomes an example to Hang, an example of overcoming the bad, to take matters into your own hands when everything is lost. Hang’s last bit of misfortune occurs as Aunt Tam passes away. With the realization that Aunt Tam built a life up from the ground with nothing and from where she was to how she died, Hang realizes that she also has those same characteristics. The novel does not go into detail on how she reached her potential, but the reader is led to believe she overcame the bad to finally reach a life led by her own self, opposed to all of fates’ misfortune. In both novels the characters attempt to combat fate, emotions and destiny; ultimately overcoming them all too become someone far better than they thought they could be. Hang and Anton can very easily be compared, as both relive their past and do their best to change or forget it. Hang similarly to Anton loses her father, and this impacts her life almost as much as Anton’s life was affected by the loss of both his parents. An influential character takes the place of the lost parental, Anton his Uncle and Aunt, Hang her Aunt Tam. The fight for the win over destiny ensues throughout the novel and as both Hang and Anton fight to rid their past they find out more about themselves than they ever knew possible. The battle of emotions is finally won by the two unfortunate souls, and the journey to the finish proves to pay off. Anton gets to live free from the wonders of his past, and Hang begins her life as herself not being held back by anything or anyone. Mankind has tried to conquer its hidden demons because it is afraid of them. But despite all of the technological advances that have been made, they are still being undermined by fates emotions like jealousy, hatred, and arrogance. The human race fears fate for it unleashes the worst qualities in people, and can not be conquered by the machines that are revered so much. It is naà ¯ve of humans to believe that they can ever vanquish the bad events of time, but they are intent on driving out any memories of times of imperfect. Yet they do not realize that imperfection is humanity’s greatest trait and weakness at the same time, and that these fate exist to make this fact obvious to all.

Japanese economic history

In the history of Japanese economy is for 17 years from 1920 to 1937. Japanese economy will be hit by three big depressions, reactionary depression (1920 depression), ? Financial crisis, and ? Shows Depression, after the war [ ? ], and will experience long-term depression in this period. The one-eyed postwar reactionary depression which occurred for 1920 (Taoist 9) years Is the depression which made the cause the economical gap of during the war and the postwar period.As for the Japanese economy of the ass, a protracted economic slump will continue starting with this depression. The global supply shortage of 1920 previous World War I (1914 o 18 years) made Japan's export expand, and It led It to prosperity. Expansion of demand changed Japan from the agricultural country of prewar days to the Industrialized country. Moreover, the labor shortage by expanding demand moved the farmer to the city, and supported city development greatly.However, when World War I held the end of the war and It entered In the ass, Western countries reorganized domestic production and It reduced the demand to Japan. In Dalton to the reduced demand from Western countries, an excess of imports by resumption of import decreased the Japanese specie, and caused the fall of a money order and outstations on commodities. In this way, Japanese economy will fall into a protracted economic slump. Moreover, this depression will deal a blow to many companies, and will drive them in to a breakdown.Moreover, although a return of the gold standard by the lifting of the gold embargo was desired as a measure against reactionary depression, a ban was not removed on the bank or foreign trade business which were faced with the dormant capital at this time. (After World War l, the countries of many including the united States returned to the gold standard one after another, and formed the axis of new international finance. Then, the Great Kant Earthquake occurred for 1923 (Taoist 12) years, and an excess of imports became increasingly large so that this might be attacked.The government proclaimed the Bank of Japan earthquake bill discount-lost â€Å"the government compensates a loss of the Bank of Japan for less than 100 million yen at the same time the Bank of Japan does rediscover influence of the note (earthquake bill) whose earthquake disaster victim is an obligator and it postpones collection† as a measure to the company which suffered the serious damage caused by an earthquake disaster. However, the earthquake bill recessing problem arose by this Imperial edict.In the note processed as this earthquake note, many notes of the company and the manager who became bad loans under the influence of reactionary depression were Intermingled. It Is [ In / In order to prevent the breakdown of the company by this, or a bank / an every place considered as 2 million yen or more In the case of the bank which has a head office In a big city these standards It cannot fill, either a duty of a bank was Imposed so that capital Increase and a merger might be performed wealth five years and the standard might be reached † It went Into effect and Inland banks were cut down.However, by Improper language disturbance of Finance Minister Kate after the Tokyo Waterman bank is actually closed, the bank commission by the depositor banks were obliged to closure and also had the bank which results even in a breakdown. This depression that occurred for 1927 (Shows 2) years is the second financial crisis. It was continuously hit by two depressions after the war with reactionary depression and a financial crisis, and in order to reorganize the Japanese economy which the foreign outflow of the specie was aggravating, Minister-of-FinanceJunketed Onion of the Coach's Humanistic civil administration intermarry big building pushed the lifting of the gold embargo. It is ordered in the basis of Junketed Onion who performs a tight financing policy, and 1929 in the lifting of the gold em bargo (â€Å"Finance Ministry Ordinance of the purport that a ban is removed on gold export from January [ next year ] 1 1 and Japan also makes the gold standard return at last after the war.However, the business of the United States which began to lead the world instead of Britain retreated, and when the New York Stock Exchange slumped n connection with it, the global Great Depression occurred after the war. In this way, Japan will be involved in the global Great Depression simultaneously with the lifting of the gold embargo. This is Shows Depression which occurred for the third 1930 (Shows 5) year. Moreover, in industry, the silk industry in which the demand from the United States occupied most suffered the damage caused by this Shows Depression most.Then, social problems, such as unemployment, selling themselves, and an undernourished schoolchild, also occurred, and the Japanese held economical / social uneasiness and were troubled with poverty. Aiming at escape from this Great Depression, Minister-of-Finance Kookier Dashiki of the Toughs Incubi Friends of Constitutional Government Party Cabinet starts an expansionist fiscal policy. First, Dashiki re-forbade export of gold in 1931, after Britain stopped the gold standard.The managed currency system and red-ink bond which were newly introduced instead of the gold standard and which are not bound by the quantity possessed of a specie enabled reservation of the source of revenue stabilized for performing an expansionist fiscal policy. Dashiki performs the â€Å"spending policy† which plans economic recovery by expanding annual expenditure based on these goods. The war expenditure expanded by the Manchuria Incident which broke out in Shows Depression in 1931 made the annual expenditure by the government increase.This annual expenditure that increased, I. E. , an effective demand, increased the demand for fund of private enterprises, and it led Japanese economy to inflation. The demand for fund of privat e enterprises is connected to the employment to Jobless people, and Japanese economy began to incline to prosperity. However, superfluous circulation of the inconvertible paper money by the red-ink bond and managed currency system which continue increasing will depreciate the exchange rate of the yen, and we will be anxious about a vicious inflation.To this, although Dashiki aimed at reduction of a red-ink bond and a war expenditure, he was assassinated. Although Minister-of-Finance riding ground ? 1 of the successor Koki Horror new Cabinet performed reduction of the public loan, expansion of the war expenditure was continued. Although the demand to heavy and chemical industries also increases with war expenditure expansion, since it did not catch up with it, the controlled economy (â€Å"direct intervention to a governmental economic process†) will start.In this way, the Japanese economy in accomplished high including a spending policy, though the blow was received in three big depressions.

5 Helpful Study Tips for Visual Learners

5 Helpful Study Tips for Visual Learners All of us have a preferred learning style. This just means that your mind is specifically suited to one mode of informational input – hearing things (auditory learners), experiencing things (kinesthetic learners), or seeing things (visual learners) – more than another. No one is only suited to one mode of input, but most people have a clear preference and one of the inputs will be stronger than others. If you prefer being shown something to simply being told, you might be a visual learner. The problem with studying for visual learners is that most (bad) teachers will only use one style – its most likely to be the one they prefer themselves. And if youre in the latter years of your education, auditory input – lectures – is what youre mostly going to get. Try not to be discouraged, however. All types of learners face their own unique challenges. Instead, understand that you should simply adapt your study habits to suit your learning style. Heres how you do it: Use Video Lessons Use resources like Khan Academy that have created videos specifically with visual learners in mind. Everything is written down before your eyes by the instructor, and explained in-depth with lots and lots of examples. They utilize pictures and slides to explain everything from algebra to art history, and a visual learner will do well by watching them. If your professors teaching is not suited to your preferred learning style, use these visual lessons to catch up on any material you might have missed. Flashcards Flashcards are absolutely essential for visual learners. Use them in tandem with another visual learner and you can pick up on things at the same pace. These will be put to use when youre preparing for multiple-choice tests or when you have to memorize lots of facts rapidly. When making flashcards, try and aim for succinct descriptions and answers – those work best. Visual learners should try using different pens and markers to color-code prompts from different categories. Try adding a picture, so that you can associate an answer with a visual. Flowcharts, Graphs and Infographics Visual learners need a visual input to associate with a fact, and flowcharts, graphs and infographics are the best ways to do that. If youre reading your notes and cant make sense of them or youre getting lost, look up an inforgraphic to learn it more quickly and retain more information. Chances are, someone on the Internet has made one for whatever subject or topic you need. Slideshare.net and reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful are great resources to use if you havent found one through your preferred search engine. Use Diagrams and Drawings to Visualize Your Notes In class, when youre trying to retain lots of information, it might be easier for you to draw a quick graph or diagram for future reference – for visual learners, this might be the part of the notes they will remember best. So, in history class, if there is a timeline of events, draw a line with branches coming from it and write short notes on the date and what happened for maximum retention. Start doing this, and youll find that most information can be broken down and systematized into a list or chart. If the instructor is using any drawings or diagrams in the PowerPoint, make sure to copy them down. Use Highlighters Lots of visual learners, interestingly, struggle with reading information from a book. If youre reading something and come to find that you havent been paying attention, try and read with a highlighter in your hand, noting important information. Firstly, this will force you to read more carefully. Secondly, you will retain more information by creating a visual marker for it. However, try to highlight as little as possible – if youre highlighting everything, its as if youre not highlighting anything at all. Hopefully, youll be putting these tips to good use. Most importantly, a blanket rule for visual learners should be to try to visualize all the information they receive. Train your mind to create an image to match what youre hearing – for instance, if someone is giving you directions, try and create a map in your mind. This will train your brain to retain information from other inputs better and become the best learner you can be.

Learning to Be Depressed Essays

Learning to Be Depressed Essays Learning to Be Depressed Paper Learning to Be Depressed Paper Learning to be Depressed Sarah Robertson General Psychology Dr. Melissa Gebbia 12/10/10 Throughout life we all have different experiences whether they be positive or negative. Our hope is that if an experience is negatively affecting us we ourselves have an ability to change it. Generally, most people expect that the outcome of an event is dependent on their actions and that if they behave a certain way, a certain desirable outcome will be produced. This leads us to believe that we have control over what happens to us. This idea is all based on our beliefs of control and power in previous experiences and using them in our everyday life. If we lack personal power or experienced a lack of control in the past, we are then more likely to feel helplessness when approaching new experiences. Martin Seligman, a behavioral psychologist, theorized that our perceptions of power and control are learned from experience (Seligman, 1975). Seligman believed that if someone continually tries to exert force on a situation and fails repeatedly, the individual will stop attempting to exert control all together and may generalize the perception of lack of control to all future situations. He studied this behavioral pattern with dogs as subjects at the University of Pennsylvania (Seligman, 1975). While conducting an experiment on learning, Seligman noticed a surprising conclusion with his dogs. In his original experiment, he exposed the dogs to electrical shocks that they could not control nor escape from. It was demonstrated later on that when there is an escape easily accessed they still failed to escape the shock. This test consisted of a shuttle box which was split in half by a divider. The electricity was only run through one side of the box forcing the dog to escape the shock by jumping over the divider. This behavior is normally learned quickly because it would help the dogs adapt in a real situation. This escape-avoidance behavior should occur even more rapidly when there is a signal to warn the animals of the impending shock so that they can avoid it completely. However, this assumption was proven wrong when Seligman’s dogs who were shocked initially and couldn’t escape, could not escape in the shuttle box (Hock, 1995). His hypothesis now was that the dogs had learned that they were able to control the unwanted stimulus and that control or lack thereof, determined their future experiences. To further research this belief, Seligman and Maier (1995) studied the effect of controllable versus uncontrollable shock on later ability to learn to avoid shock (p. 244). They used 24 dogs, 15-19 inches high at the shoulder and weighting between 25 and 29 pounds. These animals were then separated into three groups of eight dogs, one an escape group, one a no-escape group and one a control group. The dogs were initially placed in harnesses that kept them restrained but not completely unable to move. The dog’s head was held in place with a panel on each side. To move the panel all the dog would have to do is move his head and the same applied for when the electrical shock was administered. As the shocks continued all the dog would have to do is move his head to eliminate them, and learn this behavior for the future (Hock, 1995). The no-escape dogs however, where not as lucky. When the shock was administered to them, no matter what they did the shock continued, teaching them that they had no control over the shocks. The control group of dogs received no shocks at this point. The groups receiving shocks received a total of 64 in a 90-second interval. After one day, all the dogs were placed in shuttle boxes, with lights as 10-second indicators of the impending 60-second shock. The dog could escape the shock completely if he learned to jump over the barrier in those 10 seconds (Hock, 1995). Seligman found that the dogs who were given an escape, easily did so and their times decreased over the 64 shocks. Whereas, the no-escape dogs stopped pressing the panel completely after 30 shocks. This proved that the dogs did learn from their previous experience in the harnesses. Although there were a few dogs from the no-escape group that did jump over the divider, they gave up when they were shocked again. Seligman believed that the dogs reverted to helplessness because their previous learning that their behavior is ineffective prevented the formation of new behaviors, even after successful experience. Likewise for the escape group, their previous learned behavior was tested when they were switched into a no-escape situation. With this, the dogs who were taught to escape would continue and fight even after continuously failing. This demonstrates that there is growth after being subjected to a traumatic event (D’Andrea et al. , 2008). This supports Seligman’s belief that if you are successful in controlling aspects of your life, then in new situations you will try again to have power and that failure is just a temporary setback. Whereas, no-escape dogs view failure as a long-lasting issue and this leads them to undermine anything and everything they do (Seligman, 1975). A recent study that was very similar to Seligman’s was conducted by Elizabeth McLaughlin, Marie-josee Lefaivre and Elizabeth Cummings. They wanted to test the idea of learned helplessness with adolescents with type 1 diabetes. McLaughlin, Lefaivre and Cummings questioned if adolescents with type 1 diabetes would be more at risk for learned helplessness than their healthier peers (p. 405-414). They had 70 participants, 40 females and 30 males all who were in-between the ages of 13-17. The experiment was tested with self-reports of personality along with Behavior Assessment System for Children. They spilt the participants in to three groups like Seligman, one group completed a solvable formation task while the other had an unsolvable task and then there was the control group. On the first test, the individuals with diabetes in the unsolvable task group proved to be no less helpless than the control group. This experiment-induced helplessness was then tested by initially completing pre and post-task performance and attribution ratings. They were then given two sets of anagrams-solving tasks to determine if perceived helplessness on the first task would negatively have an impact on performance on the second, which it did not (Cummings et al. , 2010). Though their study was similar to Seligman’s, it had its distinct differences as well. First, their subjects were human and not canine. Second and most importantly was that their   study was based on induced helplessness, not learned helplessness. Martin Seligman’s experiment was an integral step in behavior psychology because when dealing with depression it was thought that things would not change. With his findings he realized not only that helplessness was learned, but that with enough reinforcement and preventive action it can be avoided. So now all those people in our lives who we sit and think about; â€Å"Gosh, why are they still in that situation? † or â€Å"why is she still with him? †, demonstrate a lack of control and power. Our perceptions of power and control over situations can either strengthen our own character or send us into a downward spiral, and I know for myself that I won’t land in the latter half. References Bjarehed, J. , Sarkohi, A. , Andersson, G. (2010). Less positive or more negative? Future-directed thinking in mild to moderate depression. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 39(1), 37-45. Clark, R. (2004). The Classical Origins of Pavlovs Conditioning. Integrative Physiological Behavioral Science, 39(4), 279-294. Hock, R. R. (1995). Forty studies that changed psychology: exploration into the history of psychological research. Englewood Cliffs (N. J. ): Prentice Hall. McLaughlin, E. , Lefaivre, M. , Cummings, E. (2010). Experimentally-induced learned helplessness in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 35(4), 405-414. Peterson, C. , Park, N. , Pole, N. , DAndrea, W. , Seligman, M. (2008). Strengths of character and posttraumatic growth. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 21(2), 214-217. Rothbaum, F. , Morling, B. , Rusk, N. (2009). How goals and beliefs lead people into and out of depression. Review of General Psychology, 13(4), 302-314. Seligman, M. (1975) Helplessness: on depression, development, and death. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman.

Measuring and Understanding Wood Volumes

Measuring and Understanding Wood Volumes Measuring wood is part science, part art; you use many different units, you face many potential problems. The below  quote from  Converting Factors for Southern Pine Products, Williams and Hopkins, USDA, 1968 illustrates how confusing measuring and converting wood volumes can be. Measuring and estimating wood volume is not for the faint of heart. Theoretically, one cubic foot (of wood volume) contains 12 board feet. For average values 6 should be used, though 10 is a conventional figure for approximations. When the conversion applies to trees, ratios of 3 to 8 should be applied. When marketing your timber you must either know how to measure forest products or get someone to do it for you. At best you can be very confused when talking to a wood buyer; at worst you can lose a significant portion of the value of your wood. To make the situation even more problematic, some buyers use this ignorance of volumes to trick  the seller. They have every opportunity to do so and a few use this to their financial advantage. Knowing tree measuring units is very complicated and even foresters have a hard time when talking volumes. Three hundred dollar per thousand logs using Doyle log rule is not the same as three hundred dollars per thousand logs using Scribner log rule. Most mensurationists and foresters would agree that there is an advantage to weighing wood and weight is the measurement of choice. In the real world, however, it is impractical to totally convert to weight. A history of wrestling with the problem  of measuring logs  to determine how much usable product might be manufactured from them created numerous measuring units. These units are self-perpetuating because of many factors including foreign trade, standing timber volume, accepted taxing units, regional custom, buying and selling advantages. The Pulpwood Measurement The standard measurement unit for wood used for paper and fuel is the  cord. This is a stack of wood 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. containing approximately 128 cubic feet of bark,  wood  and air space. Air space can actually be as high as 40 percent but usually averages 25 percent. You can see where weight can be advantageous here. Pulpwood purchases by weight are very common and weight per cord varies widely with species and geography. A hardwood pulpwood cord generally weighs between 5,400 pounds and 6,075 pounds. A pine pulpwood cord weighs between 4,700 pounds and 5,550 pounds. You really need to determine your local average weight by species when measuring cordwood. Purchasing mills or men who harvest pulpwood can give you wood weights for your area. The U.S. Forest Service or your  State Forester  also has a wealth of information on regional average weights. Pulpwood bought in the form of chips are  separate  issue and for another discussion. The Sawtimber Measurement A round log, generally, must be made into square or rectangular pieces to be able to determine wood volume and value. Three systems, or  log rules  and scales, have been developed to do just this. They are called the  Doyle rule, Scribner rule, and International rule. They were developed to estimate board foot mill tally, usually quoted as thousand board feet or MBF. Our problem when using these log rules or scales is that they will give you three different volumes for the same pile of logs. Measuring average sized logs - Doyle, Scribner, and International rules - will give volumes that may vary as much as 50%. This overrun is greatest using Doyle and the least using International. Buyers like to purchase using Doyle log rule while sellers like to sell using Scribner or International. There will always be a difference in volumes estimated from scaler to scaler. They get into trouble when decreasing  actual number  of measurements and start estimating; they measure at inappropriate points on the log, miss estimate roundness, and dont deduct for  defect. Accurate scaling of trees and logs requires skill and experience. The Conversion Factor Mensurationists cringe at the word conversion factor. They correctly feel that conversion from one unit of measure to another unit of measure of wood is too imprecise to depend on. Their job is to be precise. But you have to have some way to estimate volumes and be able to cross over to differing units. You now have an idea of how complicated this volume issue can become. To add a conversion factor to volumes may distort actual volumes even more. Related Links Approximate Conversions of the Most Common Units of Wood Measure

Compare and contrast the Buddhist view of self with that of Assignment

Compare and contrast the Buddhist view of self with that of Christianity - Assignment Example In Christianity, God is the omnipotent and He is the creator of world, humans and life. He is entitled to shower his love and blessings on his folks and devotees. Buddhism on the other hand follows a different perception as regards to the concept of self. Here, man is more prominent than the presence of God. God is inevidently the creator of the universe but never does it mentions about the presence of that omnipotent power to take care or shower its blessing on its folk. Man in Buddhist philosophy is the creator of his own destiny and it is the self, responsible for suffering too. It is the â€Å"karma† of a man that makes him responsible for his suffering. Buddhism and Christianity, both of the religions, could not excel their limitations of eternity and laying down the exact role of human on earth and the role of God. These two facets sometimes overlap with many other regimes that noteworthy in both the religion. All About Religion, â€Å"Comparison Christianity and Buddhism - What are the differences?†, July 24, 2010. Religion. 2010.

Analyse a Firm in the UK or EU Country with Micro and Macro Economics Essay

Analyse a Firm in the UK or EU Country with Micro and Macro Economics and a Recommendations of its Possible Strategies - Essay Example Contrary to wholesale firms, retail companies are required to cater to the needs of a local segment of the population. Accordingly, Tesco has concentrated on strengthening its local operations in the various markets. The company has designated a separate management team for its operations in the different markets. The core retail service business has been adequately supported by financial and information technology services. The firm has utilized its technical expertise and human skill resources from across the word to gain a strong foothold in the respective local markets. This has helped it to emerge as a successful international retail company. (Tesco Plc, 2011). The sales and profit growth of Tesco Plc during 2008-2011 can be observed from the table below: Table: Tesco Plc’s Sales and Profit Growth 2008 2009 2010 2011 Sales Growth of Tesco Group (including VAT) 11.1% 15.1% 6.8% 8.1% Sales Growth of Tesco UK (including VAT) 6.7% 9.5% 4.2% 5.5% International sales Growth (in cluding VAT) 25.3% 30.6% 8.8% 13.7% Profit Before tax 5.7% 4.1% 8.9% 11.3% Underlying Profit Before Tax 11.8% 9.8%s 8.7% 12.3% (Tesco Plc, 2011) Demand, Supply and Price Elasticity of the Retail Business The retail industry faces a strong market demand across the world. Though, consumers can buy necessary commodities at wholesale markets at a much cheaper price, they get ready access to these goods at the nearby stores. Wholesale markets in a particular city are few and far between. On the other hand, retail stores have been established in almost every neighborhood. Citizens get the daily provisions of their necessary commodities from the retail shops. Buoyed by the steady demand, their retail companies have established their retail chains across their markets. They maintain a steady supply of the retail products to their stores, so that the retail shops are never in dearth of the essential products which are in such high demand among the citizens. All tyhese factors have played a s ignificant part in Tesco Plc’s business. The price elasticity of the retail products and the retail industry in general can be said to be moderate. The various retail products are moderately sensitive to the changes in their respective prices. When one retail company increases the price of its retail products, the consumers always have the option of buying the products from another retail chain store. However, the necessary commodities like the food items sold through the retail stores have low prices elasticities. Customers will continue to buy them, even if their prices are increased. Since the retail companies offer a diverse portfolio of products through their stores, different products are endowed with different price elasticities. Thus, Tesco Plc remains very careful in devising its pricing strategies. Other International Businesses The company has forayed into online retailing services and financial services after evaluating that there was a strong demand for these new services in the international market. Tesco’s international businesses are characterized by a competitive outlook and a continuous endeavor to expand their scale of operations. This strategy has ensured a sound growth in worldwide sales, market shares, revenues and return on capital employed (Tesco Plc, 2011). Adopting Technology to suit Growth Requirements Tesco Plc is focused on expanding its scale of operations in all the aspects related to its businesses. It has

Strategic management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic management - Coursework Example The idea involves detailed analysis as well as analytical actions in order to facilitate the organisations to attain their expected business objectives. In strategic management, the analysis of internal as well as external factors of an organisation is considered to be the primary factors (Amason, 2010). Once the internal as well as external factors are determined, then the management of an organisation has to make strong decisions on proper implementation of those factors for sustainable growth of the business (Gregory & et. al., 2005). McDonald’s has been proudly serving to deliver its different products to the customers since the year 1955. Today, McDonald’s is regarded as one of the world’s best fast food retail chain (McDonald’s, 2012). In recent times, the company established its restaurants in around 100 nations. Consequently, it generates huge amount of revenue by performing in the international market with increased expansion of restaurants. It ha s been observed that McDonald’s is operating 33,510 restaurants throughout the world till the end of the year 2011 (McDonald’s Corporation, 2011). The company has been committed to provide the best services to its customers. McDonald’s execute certain significant policies as well as relevant strategies that enable it to expand the size of the business at large (McDonald’s, 2012). The vision statement of the company is to become the world’s top fast food retail chain as well as the best service provider in the similar industry (Scribd Inc., 2012). McDonald’s has proved itself as an integral part of the communities through its social involvement such as organising youth sports, inspiring the society by organising events as well as conducting local charities (McDonald’s, 2012). Moreover, its effective as well as powerful distribution channel enables it to serve quality product to its customers (McDonald’s, 2009). In this paper, Mc Donald’s resources as well as capabilities and its assessment based on the theory of strategic management will be taken into concern. Moreover, the competitive advantage aligning with the company’s core resources and competencies will also be portrayed in the paper. Resources and Capabilities of McDonald’s Organisational resources as well as capabilities are often viewed to be the main factors that are responsible for assisting the organisations to raise their competitive advantages. The core resources of an organisation can be identified as tangible as well as intangible resources. These resources are the major components that develop the organisational strategies. In this similar context, tangible resources represent financial assets, technological means as well as organisational infrastructure. On the other hand, intangible resources signify the aspects relating to human resource, innovation as well as goodwill (Fogleman, n.d.). McDonald’s serves signi ficant portion of customers on regular basis through its several high demand products. The different products of the company are served to near about 119 countries throughout the globe by engaging substantial number of employees. It has been viewed that the company has been preparing effective business strategies for expanding its business in certain parts of South-Asian region. McDonald’

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Applied Business 8-1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Applied Business 8-1 - Essay Example SOX aims to Act improved corporate control and gave strength to corporate accountability. It applies that by: Legalizing and strengthening the internal checks and balances inside public corporations establishing a variety of levels of control to guarantee that financial reporting practices revealing corporate governance is managed with full transparency. The SOX Act introduced new penalties for acts of wrong doing and standards for corporate liability as well. It changes how corporate boards and executives must communicate with each other and with corporate auditors. Investigation found that law eradicates the cover of "financial issues were not in my knowledge" from directors and management, holds them answerable for the accuracy of financial statements. As law specifies financial reporting obligations, including attachment to new controls and processes designed to assure the legality of their financial records. Directors and Officers should be personally kept responsible for violating the law and showed negligence in

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PM vs HRM - Essay Example The classical management perspective relied heavily on the placing of tasks and activities on the middle and lower tiers within the organization’s echelon. It focused more on carrying out the tasks at the lower levels and as such there was less accountability and answering when it came to the top management hierarchy present within the organization and indeed running the whole show. The same has changed and that too for the better so to speak. The classical management theory has completely faded out and the contemporary management perspective has superseded it on all counts. At the present, the work is supposed to be carried out by a basis of sharing and caring within the organization’s regimes which was not the case say two decades down the road. The changing market structure might call for changing strategies and lines of action that would all target the people for whom the product is actually designed as well as the competitors with whom the clutter is being broken i n the environs of the marketplace. Thus competition brings in more and more quality at the end of the company with regards to its products as well as more sales in the form of its varied and changed stance on focusing towards the customers rather than the product itself. Every big business or multinational that is existent in present times credits itself on to the vision of an exemplary personality which started it all when the going was tough and when there was a huge competition in the related market. Thus to withstand pressure and competition is the hallmark of any successful and long lasting business, company or enterprise, whichever term we might quote it as. Thus personnel management is more person-centric and focused on the positions that are being filled with employees. These employees have the related strengths and the zest to deliver the goods when it matters the most and hence the reason that they are being given the related opportunities to display their vigor on the

Human Nature in Macbeth Essay Example for Free

Human Nature in Macbeth Essay Macbeth is a play that examines human nature. During the play there is a significant amount of emphasis on the different attributes and sides of human nature. The play demonstrates that everyone has the ability to do good or evil by what choices they make and what the ramifications of these actions are, decisions are made that affect the outcome of a person’s future. Macbeth is a prime example of the human nature in its very worst form. Throughout the play, Macbeth experience somewhat of a fall from grace. Macbeth’s greed and poor decision making caused him to lose everything he had worked so hard for. He became engulfed in greed and would stop at nothing to gain what he believed was rightly his. He went from somebody who was a strong courageous and well respected man who was an honourable warrior for Scotland. To someone who was so blinded by his hunger for power it drove him to incredible lengths such as killing his own cousin and best friend, to receive what was promised him by the witches. Macbeth’s disloyalty is a huge flaw in his character and part of his human nature. He murdered his long-time friend and king, Duncan. He had no remorse for his actions, he was only concerned for his own safety that he wouldn’t get caught. â€Å"The bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan, for it is a knell that summons thee to heaven or hell. † (act 2, scene 1) Shakespeare uses the character of Macbeth to demonstrate to his audience that the decisions we make and the actions we take can easily be affected by simple aspects of human nature such as greed, this hunger for power that some people seem to possess and that we can so easily be manipulated by others to do wrong. Lady Macbeth is very manipulative towards her husband, by questioning his manhood, emotionally blackmailing him she brings out his pride to do as she desires. â€Å"When you durst do it, then you were a man; And, to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man. † (act 1, scene 7) She plays on the weakest parts of Macbeth’s character to manipulate him. â€Å"We will proceed no further in this business. † (act 1, scene 7) This shows that Macbeth was set to not kill Duncan but Lady Macbeth manipulated him to change this mindset. So if were not for Lady Macbeth’s toying and manipulation of Macbeth he would still be the honourable man he once was. Throughout Macbeth, Shakespeare uses his main Characters, particularly Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to show the very worst of human nature and tried to show his audience and anyone to read the play in the years to come that our choices and actions can be easily influenced by others and that everything we do, particularly bad things have serious ramifications, in Macbeths case, The total destruction of himself, his wife and his country.

Food and Nutrition for Young Children

Food and Nutrition for Young Children Chelsea Bailey Health promotion and development Types of foods which should be avoided by young children Salt even in small quantities can prove dangerous for babies because at their young age their kidneys are unable to process the salt in the way that an adult’s kidneys can. Salt is one of the United Kingdom’s most overly consumed. The importance of home cooking for babies and children is highlighted by the guidelines. Pre-packaged convenience foods contain high levels of salt and fat and should not be given to children they are potentially harmful to a baby’s or young child’s developing internal organs. The guidelines provided by the Food Standards Agency for salt consumption for children are as follows: Age Guideline salt intake (g/d) 0-6 months Less than 1 7-12 months 1 1-3 years 2 4-6 years 3 7-10 years 5 11 years + 6 Sugar should not be given to young children such as sugary drinks give them juice or milk as a treat but try to give them lots of water. This will give them more energy rather than a sugar rush it is a healthier choice which they will learn to love. By doing so this will reduce the risk of obesity and tooth decay. Nuts particularly whole nuts should not be given to children under the age of 5, as they can be a potentially fatal choking hazard. Peanuts are included in this category however if there is no history of peanut allergy in the family, they can be given to young children in the form of peanut butter or crushed and added to yoghurts or cereals. According to information released by the NHS the percentage of the population affected by peanut allergy is 1%. Children that have a sibling affected by a peanut allergy are at a greater risk of suffering from it themselves, and unlike other allergies, such as milk and egg allergies, which children usually grow out of, peanut allergy seems to persist in eighty per cent of people into adulthood. Low fat foods Children derive essential nutrients and energy from foods containing fat and this is something which is not present in the low fat variety of foods. Until the age of 2 years children should be given whole milk, cheese, yoghurt and oily fish. After the age of 2 years, the amount of fat in a child’s diet can be gradually decreased. Eggs should not be given to babies up to the age of 6 months especially if a sibling or family member has an egg allergy. Babies delicate intestinal system can react to the protein found in eggs up until the age of 6 months, but after this time well cooked eggs can be given. Yolks and whites should be well cooked to reduce the risk of salmonella infection in eggs, which can be dangerous for young children. The main symptoms of salmonella are diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea. In children, this can usually be treated at home with frequent fluids and rehydration but should be checked with a GP if any worrying symptoms persist. Fish is an excellent source of protein for growing babies and children, swordfish, shark and marlin contain levels of mercury which can have a detrimental effect on the development of a baby’s nervous system. These fish contain higher levels of mercury in their systems as they tend to be larger in size than other fish, and have fewer predators. This increases their lifespan, and allows the toxic mercury to accumulate within their bodies over a greater period of time. Mercury is cleared and eliminated through the body, but regular consumption above the recommended limits allows a toxic build up to occur, and in children, more so than adults, this can have a devastating effect on the central nervous system and can cause impairments in movements and cognitive brain function by displacement of essential neurons. Shellfish, as with nuts and eggs, are considered to be potentially allergenic foods along with harbourers of the salmonella bacteria, which causes food poisoning. Therefore this food group should be avoided in young children and delayed until they are older. Special dietary requirements should be put in place for children who have allergies to certain foods to ensure their correct needs are fully met. Food allergy Food allergy is a true allergic response to a food once noticed by the body’s immune system. It usually results in a profound reaction, such as a swelling to the throat or mouth and in some cases can actually produce a topical burn on the skin. An example of this is in some children with a cows’ milk allergy drinking a few sips of milk can result in swelling of the airways that can prove fatal if adrenaline is not administered swiftly. Food intolerance Food intolerance is caused by a reaction to a type of food which displays less severe symptoms in the sufferer. For example, many people suffer from food intolerances to wheat, dairy and yeast which can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as cramping, vomiting, diarrhoea, and constipation. These symptoms are very uncomfortable but are rarely life threatening and usually improve when the offending food item is withdrawn from the diet. In the child care setting, it is therefore important to consider not only the particular food that the child is allergic to, but also the food consumed by other children, as this could potentially prove to be hazardous. Also cultural requirements should be in place such as Muslim children may not be able to eat meat so at dinner time a vegetarian option should be available for them. Also with having different cultures it will be good for the other children to try the different foods which they eat. When working in a child care setting you must ensure documentation is carried out correctly if anything was to happen but before a child comes into the setting a form must be filled out by the parent/guardian to inform the staff is their child is allergic to anything. When recording special dietary requirements, there are various types of information that should be documented. Child’s name, dietary requirements, consequence of the dietary requirement not being followed, emergency instructions should ingestion of an allergic food occur, necessary medications, emergency contact information and parental and child care provider signature. This information should be documented safely and correctly encase anything was to happen to the child they would be able to access this information straight away. There are various chronic diseases which children suffer from that have an effect on their physical and mental development. Some chronic diseases are more disabling than others but all can have similar effects on children and their families depending on the severity of the disease. Asthma Asthma is a chronic common respiratory condition which affects the airways. Asthma typically appears in childhood with approximately 1 in 10 children being affected. During an asthma attack the airways become inflamed and narrow which constricts the child’s breathing making them wheezy. There are not always reasons for an asthma flare up but with some children there are food and environmental triggers or allergies, such as pet hair and pollen. Asthma is treated with various medications the most common being a preventer and reliever inhale, and steroid medication. Asthma may also affect a child emotionally as the attacks may be frightening, especially in young children who may become distressed if they cannot breathe properly. This may lead to undue anxiety and distress and may impact upon a child’s life emotionally as they grow up. Diabetes Diabetes is caused by having too much glucose in the blood and comes in two types which are. Type 1 is usually diagnosed in adolescence and is controlled by insulin injections and type 2 is usually diagnosed in adulthood and is controlled through diet and tablets. Developing diabetes in children there are complications that can change their development such as damage can occur to the blood vessels in the retina which can impair a child’s vision this may have a knock-on effect on their development both physically and intellectually, as a result of sight loss or damage. Cystic Fibrosis Cystic fibrosis is inherited and a life-threatening condition. The effects of cystic fibrosis are that a child’s internal organs particularly the lungs, become congested with sticky mucus which makes the digestion of food and breathing problematic. Children with cystic fibrosis often suffer with pancreatic problems, which in turn cause poor digestion of food. When looking at developmental consequences of chronic diseases poor digestion may lead to inadequate growth as a result of malnutrition. Cerebral Palsy Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a group of neurological conditions, muscle problems, speech impairment and stiffness on one side of the body. This is caused by brain damage that can occur just after birth or in the womb. The severity of cerebral palsy varies from child to child with some children encountering mobility problems others requiring lifelong care. Cerebral palsy affects development in a number of ways and many children are affected physically and may suffer visual and hearing impairment, whereas others may have learning difficulties and delayed growth. Government guidelines on food and nutrition The UK government sets out guidelines for babies and children’s food consumption to ensure the required vitamins and minerals are given to keep them healthy and develop at the correct rate. In the first 6 months of life the only food that a child needs is breast milk or an infant formula. After the 6 month milestone has passed than solid foods can offered in the form of specialist baby cereals and pureed fruits and vegetables. If you have a hungry baby it may be necessary to start the weaning process earlier and there are various types of foods that should be avoided such as, shellfish, eggs, fish, liver, nuts, wheat and gluten based foods, seeds, nuts, unpasteurised and soft cheese. At 6-9 months of age when weaning is started a baby’s diet should include, milk and dairy products, fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, beans, pasta, rice, bread, potatoes and starchy foods. There are prepared baby foods and cereals available to buy that have been specially made for a young baby’s consumption but these foods can easily be prepared and pureed at home with the use of a food blender or potato ricer. They also can be frozen if large meals are made. For a baby over the age of 9 months the recommended amount to be given is, 2 servings per day of meat, fish, eggs or pulses, 3 to 4 servings per day of fruit and vegetables, 3 to 4 servings per day of potatoes, bread and rice. Also formula or breast milk can still be given along with healthy fruit and cereal snacks. Vitamins can also be given as children tend to lack in vitamins A, C and D, which can be supplemented in the form of vitamin drops. Vitamin A helps children to see in dim light supports and strengthens the immune system and ensures healthy skin is maintained. Vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron and supports the immune system. Vitamin D helps to strengthen bones and assists with the absorption of calcium.

Humorous and Casual Wedding Speech by the Groom -- Wedding Toasts Roas

Humorous and Casual Wedding Speech by the Groom They say marriage is an institution and therefore, it seems proper that I am about to be married since some of you have been saying I should have been institutionalized for years. Some of you may be concerned as to whether I am actually prepared marriage, but I want to assure you that I am fully aware of the changes that marriage will bring and to this end I have prepared a small list. 1. I understand that my rights to have a say in matters pertaining to decorating are revoked. Although I am still entitled to an opinion on such matters, my wife has no obligation to reward my ideas with anything other than a pat on the head and a giggle. 2. I am aware that shopping, as a married man will differ somewhat from what I am used ...

Socialolgy

Sociology is a liberal perspective that explores the influences of social forces on individual behaviors. Course Objectives Students should be able to use a variety of thinking and reasoning skills, apply these skills as appropriate in various situations, and move among them depending on purpose. Upon completion of this course students should be able to: Define and gain a better understanding of sociology, critical thinking, and critical sociology. Define and differentiate between the three major sociological perspectives. Identify significant historical contributions to the discipline.Define and apply the sociological imagination as it pertains to a wide spectrum of real-world situations, cultures, and social problems. Understand the functions and social problems created and maintained by social institutions. Explain how age, race, ethnicity, gender and social class are socially constructed and how such constructs contribute to existing social problems. Witt, Jon (2013). SOC 2013 (3 rd Deed. ). McGraw-Hill companies Inc. ISBN: 07-802674-4 Finiteness's, Kurt (2013). Annual Editions (41st Deed. ). McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.ISBN: 978-0-07-813601-6 Office Hours o have any questions, problems, or concerns, please feel free to visit me during my office hours Tuesdays or by appointment. Email Etiquette The best way to contact me is via email at Ashley. [email  protected] Email. Deed. However please keep in mind that FREER does not allow me to discuss any matters concerning personal grades. Additionally, I teach several classes each semester at two different universities. I will not respond to emails unless you provide me your NAME and CLASS so that I know who you are. Please refer to me as Ashley.Attendance, Absences, & Make-Up Work In this class there is a strong correlation between attendance and test performance, assignment scores, and your final grade. Material presented in class will NOT be made available to those who do not attend. Lecture notes will NOT be po sted on Blackboard. If you are going to miss an exam, you must contact me in ADVANCED notice PRIOR to the exam, as well as provide documented evidence of your excuse. Late work in labs will not be accepted. If you anticipate being absent, you must contact your TA prior to missing lab and schedule a different lab session to attend.Make-up work will only be allowed in the rare occasion that you are severely ill, experience an emergency, or are required to attend a university event and you must provide documentation of your absence. Course Organization & Grading ** This course is weighted. Therefore, your total points on Blackboard will not be representative of your final grade unless you calculate those points in accordance with the weight. ** Lecture Material presented in lecture will NOT be made available to those who do not attend class and will NOT be posted on Blackboard. Grades are NOT curved, emailed, or given over the phone.Extra credit is NOT an option. Labs A separate lab sy llabus will be provided by your GTAG. Lab times are NOT interchangeable. If you cannot attend your lab session, you must contact Tom or Keenan prior to your absence. Students are required to make-up their missed lab session during another lab session. This section is worth 30% of your final semester grade. It is your responsibility to keep a copy of all your work. Once assignments have been returned it is in your best interest to check Model right away to make sure your score is posted correctly AND to hold on to them until the class ends and final grades re posted.Quizzes There will be a total of 11 quizzes offered this semester. Each quiz is worth 10 points. Your lowest quiz score will be dropped; hence 10 quizzes will count towards your final grade. The quiz schedule is listed below. The quiz will become available the Friday prior to the date due. On the due date, the quiz must be submitted by 11:59 p. M. Quizzes that are not submitted by the corresponding date and time will resu lt in a failing score. You CANNOT make up a missed quiz (you can drop the lowest score). Quizzes are not timed.You may access the quiz as many times as needed, however once the quiz is submitted, the score is final. All quiz questions will be derived from your textbook. Quizzes will be worth 10% of your final semester grade. Exams This section is comprised of 3 multiple choice exams (which are NOT comprehensive). The majority of exam questions are derived from mass lecture. The remaining questions are from the textbook. Excused make-up exams are granted if you contact Tom or Keenan PRIOR to the exam date and provide documented evidence of your excuse. The instructor reserves the right to change the exam dates.Final Grades Exams, quizzes and lab assignments are calculated as follows: 0-100% = A 80-89% 70-79% 00-59% Blackboard Class announcements, quizzes, study guides and other supplemental course material will be posted on Blackboard. To access course material (study guides, quizzes ), be sure to click on the Content link located in the left hand column. You will find the material in the associated folder. Additionally, all grades (unofficial) will be posted on Blackboard. Classroom Conduct Attending the University of North Dakota is a privilege, not a right.The classroom is a special environment in which students and faculty come together to promote learning. Examples of improper behavior in the classroom may include, but are not limited to: disrespect for the professional status of the instructor and/or GTAG (refrain from contacting us through social media), persistent late arrival to or early departure from class, distractive talking, the use of cell phones and laptops to text, chat, or surf the web, refusal to comply with reasonable directions, employing insulting language or gestures and verbal, psychological, or physical threats and harassment.The Department of Sociology supports classrooms that are positive learning environments, where people are respect ful and supportive of one another. You may have strong opinions, but everyone is expected to listen respectfully to alternative viewpoints and to communicate ideas in a non-confrontational way without monopolizing classroom discussion. Course materials prepared by the instructor including the content of all lectures, are the property of the instructor. Reproduction of materials, including video and audio recording of lectures without the consent of the instructor is prohibited.Unless permission is obtained from me, copies of materials and recordings of lectures may not be modified and must not be transferred or transmitted to any other person, whether or not that individual is enrolled in the course. Academic Misconduct classroom behavior, will be reported to the Sociology Department and the Dean of Students. Subsequently, the behavior will become part of your permanent university record. The penalty for academic misconduct is a failing grade for the assignment/ exam in question or a failing grade for the course, depending upon the severity of the misconduct.

American Revolution or Evolution

Saroosh . H. Khan American Evolution or Revolution? The theme has been subject to excessive discussion over the course of more than two centuries encompassing the existence of the United States. Although it has been taught for as long in our schools and classrooms and all other educational institutions that the year 1776 Anno Domini marks the year of American Revolution, but amidst historians and intellectuals the dilemma to whether to call it a revolution or an evolution has never been out of question. Reader! Doesn’t it enthrall one that a single word could bifurcate scholars and create factions amongst the erudite. ?Por que (why? ) there must be a reason and there is! The answer is simple yet rational: Perspective. Albert Einstein, (the famous physicist) most remembered by his theory of relativity, concluded that distance and time were not absolute. History resides in the same niche. It is more than a chronological account of past events of a period or a livelihood or development of a people, an institution, or a place. But what it is not is absolute. It is always left upon interpretation, scrutiny, analysis, probing and pondering. The perception or perspective gained through such rigorous processes is also subject to the base of a historian. It is very uncommon to find historians sharing their bases of initial learning and therefore the effect of their own era, age, surroundings and upbringing must also be taken account of. A revolution, defined by Encyclopedia Britannica is: a major, sudden, and hence typically a violent alteration in government and in related associations and structures. On the other hand Oxford dictionary defines an evolution as: the gradual development of something, especially from a simple to a more complex form. Let us decide upon the usage of the word Revolution, which one can venture out to say, could be dated from the year 1775 with its ignition being the battle of Lexington and Concord and culmination being the ratification of the constitution of the States in 1782. Seemingly easy doesn’t it? It doesn’t really respond to how fundamentally did the thoughts, ideals, ideology and mindset of a 2. 5 million inhabitants change and led to he chain of events that became known as the American Revolution. What I believe is that no people in the course of history have ever rebelled against a certain state, condition or ideology without a buildup of grievances, resentment or a gradual shift of attitude towards accepting a better socio-dogma. Let’s go back to the early 17th century when immigrations began to take place into the New Wo rld. Herds of folks comprising of German, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Jewish descent and not to mention the French Huguenots, began pouring into the lands in order to escape from the fetters of the Old World. They did not have any more an appetite for its rituals, its doctrines, its curbing of civil liberties, and mostly the cost of living in it. One can even say at this particular time, that they were revolting as a denouement of the evolution of the aforementioned causes. So it would be appropriate to say that a 17th century Europe was in revolution. Let’s go further with this theory and say that the immigrants reaching the New World were revolutionaries. Almost 150 years of Pax Americana (used strictly in context with the time period and not according to current usage) so to say was enjoyed by the colonists. During this time, some changes irrevocably did take place. This is evident from the fact that the language that the majority of the immigrants originally spoke had evolved into a different dialect. So from this we can also entrust upon the belief that alongside linguistics political and socio-economic changes did also take place. A political change that actually began with the migrations was the rise of a political ideology known as Republicanism. Technically ruled by Great Britain or more accurately looked over, the colonies practiced the policy through their town halls and city councils. Very famous examples of such republican instruments were the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Massachusetts Assembly. These were regulated by either representative or direct democracy. The symbol of democracy at the time was looked upon as the House of Commons in England, however it did seem a bit more than contradicting to have the Buckingham Palace towering high in the very country. The colonists did give their allegiances to the monarch but because of the fact that it was kind of conditional. Although they did not realize it nor was it formally declared but they remained docile because they were never tampered by British legislations. They had during this time, created their own principles, created their own system of jurisprudence, law, justice, methods of trade, commerce, education, agriculture etc. When after the French and Indian war, the British began actively participating in the earlier enumerated colonial components of society; it would’ve obviously been not received glad handedly by the Colonists as it did not. Let’s now examine the economic evolution that took place to ensure America’s Independence. The 150 year old period was in terms of trade and commerce coined as a period of salutary neglect. For the colonists it brought economic prosperity and industrialization. For the British it was shooting themselves in the foot. Intentional lax in order to show the appreciation for economic freedom while regulating the policy of mercantilism. Does it make any sense? One would question Robert Walpole’s sanity between all of this; however he is not our subject of concern. What you shall so sow so shall you reap; a very old and passed around saying isn’t it? But it does make sense in the context. The British for a very long period of time followed the policy and the colonist enjoyed its benefits. Smuggling was nothing out of the blue, very common. Other European nations also benefitted from it, the Colonial agriculture products such as hay, wheat, barley, maize and cotton were valued highly in foreign markets. When the British annoyed at Colonial stubbornness to pay taxes, passed the writs of assistance; there was an outrage. There had to be one, like it did, smuggling was not put up with anymore and a flow of revenue generation created as a result of foreign trade stagnated. How were the merchants to run their businesses without the freedom of trading being allowed to them as it had always been? Hence there was an outcry by the merchants who went bankrupt as a result of such legislation. Ah! One cannot expect the theme to be talked about without the mentioning of taxes somewhere or another. The country was not at all familiar with taxes; once again it is necessary to mention that when we talk about being not being tampered for almost 150 years it is meant more than it sounds. Citizens in Britain were obliged to pay taxes, however their brethren in the New World were not. I do at times believe that absolute freedom corrupts absolutely, there should be some harnesses or bridles put on in order to let ivility root in or in this case for rule to sustain. When suddenly exposed to direct taxes such as Stamp Act and Sugar Acts why would it not cause havoc with in the colonists? It would lead to acrimony towards the crown like it did, it would lead to mass protests like it did and would lead to severing of ties like it did. In the beginning I wrote about how a historical event is su bject to independent interpretation. How historians may or may not agree on something because of the different elements molding the shape of the basis for their knowledge. I must confess that it is not arbitrary and applies to myself as it does to any other individual. I believe that evolution without revolution is lame and revolution without evolution blind, very similar to what Einstein said about religion and science. One thing is for certain though, nothing is by nature revolutionary. There has to be friction to beget fire. During the 150 year period evolutionary changes in political beliefs, social policies and economic mechanisms did take place otherwise the colonists would’ve never armed themselves to teeth and hoisted the flag of revolution.