Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Strategic Options For The Australian Market Focus On...

3 Strategic options As a result of the analysis of Toyota Australia, three options have been identified for the company to pursue. †¢ Option 1 – Continue with existing 3-pronged strategy and expand operations within the Australian market focus on hybrid/autonomous technologies †¢ Option 2 – Maintain 3-pronged strategy, seeking to leverage government support †¢ Option 3 – Remove two prongs, greater focus on the existing importing global model. Along with reducing the local manufacturing presence, and expanding the existing dealer network. 3.1 Option 1: Continue with existing 3-pronged strategy and expand operations within the Australian market focus on hybrid/autonomous technologies The first strategic option proposed is. Expand operations†¦show more content†¦The addition of a technology and RD strategy by expanding Australian operations to focus on hybrid and autonomous technologies provides opportunities to develop competitive advantage in the Australian market by providing Australian made vehicles. In addition, this aligns with the Federal Government’s National Innovation and Science Agenda (NISA). This option is not without it’s risks such as the higher production costs in Australia over other Toyota plants in developing economies. In addition, the geographical remoteness of increasing shipping fees. Equipment and parts availability not to mention the overall market acceptance of Hybrid technology thus this option is very much a long term approach. A SWOT analysis for this option is outlined below in figure six. Figure 6 – Option one SWOT analysis 3.2 Option 2: Maintain 3-pronged strategy, seeking to leverage government support Option 2 maintains the current three pronged approach, stepping up lobbying of the Federal government and Victorian government. To support the automotive manufacturing industry in Victoria. Since the release of the Productivity Commissions (2013) report into government support for the automotive industry, the situation has changed. †¢ There has been a decrease in the Australian dollar making exports more viable †¢ With the exit of GMH, Ford, and Mitsubishi. Toyota is the last remaining automotive manufacturer operating locally. †¢ The mining downturn and loss of

Monday, December 23, 2019

Jeremy Bentham, Kant, And John Stuart Mill - 903 Words

Mena Boyah Philosophy Final 1.The ship’s cook has asked us whether or not it is morally ok to kill and cook up some of the local life to sustain ourselves while we shelter on this planet. I would like to pull up the philosophers from our holographic archive that would argue that it is morally ok to do so. The three philosophers that will aid me in my decision are Jeremy Bentham, Kant, and John Stuart Mill. First let us start with Jeremy Bentham his philosophies are centered around the pain and pleasure theory. Bentham would argue as long as the total amount of pain for the organisms is out weighed by the total number of pleasure units gained by our crew than it would be morally acceptable to pursue some lifeforms as food. However on the other hand if the organism in questions pain outweighs our total pleasure than the opposite would be true. The next philosopher I would like to call to the stage is John Stuart Mill, Mill s philosophy is centered around the Utility or the Greatest Happiness Principle. This principle argues that we as humans never desire anything but pleasure. With that being said if we are to argue that we need to acquire food for the pleasure of our existence than it make moral sense to be able to harvest some life on this planet to keep our existence going. However on the other side of the argument we shouldn t kill more life than we need to survive, if we were to do this than it would void our moral principles of pleasure and move into the realm ofShow MoreRelatedComparing Aristotle And John Stuart Mill1130 Words   |  5 Pagesimportant topic, however I intend to concentrate of the famous works of Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, and John Stuart Mill. After meticulously analyzing each of the above philosophers’ texts, I personally prefer the position of utilitarian and Benthamite, John Stuart Mill. After comparing and contrasting the positions and reasonings of these philosophers, I will demonstrate my own reasons why I have chosen John Stuart Mill as the most established in his theory of the role of pleasure in morality. AristotleRead MoreAn Analysis Of Mill s Utilitarianism And The Impossibility Of The Purely Selfless910 Words   |  4 PagesPurely Selfless† Act in Kant’s Categorical Imperative John Stuart Mill’s utilitarian philosophy defines the importance of maintaining the greater good of society through collective and individual actions. This type of consensus defines the social contract between the larger social order and the flexibility of these institutions to allow individual actors to amalgamate their opinions and viewpoints as part of healthy interaction in society. Mill defines the greater good of society as the primary goalRead MoreAssiginment 1 Ethical1713 Words   |  7 PagesAlso, the theory of Utilitarianism an ethical philosophy meaning ‘actions is morally right if consequences of the actions lead to happiness’ (Stuart, 2009). These two important theories will be analyzed and discuss in the relevance to Mikes options, for his situation. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory; by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill who were the first to develop this theory in detail. It is a consequentialist theory because ethical decisions should be made on the expectedRead MoreWho Is The Categorical Imperative?882 Words   |  4 Pages† that asks why humans make the decisions they make and the philosophy behind it. Zimmer explains that Kant believed that pure reason alone could lead us to moral truths. He declared that it was wrong to use someone for your own ends and that it was right to act only according to principles that everyone could follow. For the sake of understanding who Kant is and his views, the philosopher Kant was a German philosopher and a deontologist; he believed that consequences don’t matter because moral judgmentRead MoreUtilitarianism And Utilitarianism1066 Words   |  5 Pageshad been studied by and branched from two English philosophers by the names of, Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mil l. Utilitarianism can even be linked back to as far as 341-270 BC with the Epicurates. â€Å"What is utilitarianism?†, one might ask. Utilitarianism is an idea that can be simply grounded on the belief of human reasoning. When referring to Utilitarianism, John Stuart Mill is the name that is often brought up. Mill came up with a belief known as â€Å"the principle of utility† or â€Å"the greatest happyRead MoreA Decent Job At Separating Religion From Morality1405 Words   |  6 Pagesconsequentialism Mills and Bentham use. Morals can be dependent of an individual’s preferences depending on the individual’s motives behind their actions. If one is religiously motivated to be moral, and fears the consequences if they are not moral, then they are not going off of their individual preferences. Those who decide what they want to do based off of their own pleasures, make moral decisions based on their own interests and preferences. Mill and Bentham, Aristotle, and Kant all have differentRead MoreImmanuel Kant And John Stuart Mill948 Words   |  4 Pagesdo it? Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill would give you strongly contrasting opinions. A person should not kill another to benefit five others. It would be a wrong thing to do, but Mill would disagree. Kant believed that good intentions count and that the morality of an action is determined by the intentions behind it rather than its consequences. Kant says that the consequences are irrelevant to assessments of moral worth, which contrasts sharply with Mill’s utilitarianism. Kant believed that theRead MoreArgument For Criticizing Utilitarianism And Deontology1138 Words   |  5 PagesMutoni Ethics Society Instructor: Joseph John Argument for criticizing utilitarianism and deontology In this paper, I will discuss various ethical courses of action during ethical dilemmas. I will be examining how utilitarians and deontologists use different approaches to solve ethical dilemmas, by citing the text â€Å"Doing Ethics: Moral Reasoning and Contemporary Issues† and views of philosophers such as John Stuart Mill, Immanuel Kant and Jeremy Bentham. Using these, I will develop an argumentRead MoreCompare Utilitarian and Deontological Theory1821 Words   |  8 PagesImmanuel Kant (1724-1804). According to Kant, it is the only way of making moral decisions. Another definition for deontology is that it is an approach to the justification in which priority is given to the fundamental principles (Thompson et.al 2000;364) Utilitarianism is an act which is right when it promotes happiness and is wrong when it promotes unhappiness. Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) was the founder of this theory and John Mill (1706-1873) became the advocate. John Bentham (1748-1832)Read MoreThe Case Of Frank Van Den Bleeken1471 Words   |  6 PagesDen Bleeken was living his psychologically unbearable sentence in Belgium, physician assisted suicide was an impending option, as it had been made legal in the country back in 2002 (Krugel, 2016). Through ethical analysis, Immanuel Kant, Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill’s would reach an agreement in which Van Den Bleeken should be restricted from his right to physician assisted suicide. The three philosophers have varying epistemological thought processes on determining what is ethical and moral

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Brief Analysis Of Historical Inaccuracy In Literature Free Essays

Brief Analysis of Historical Inaccuracy in Literature Literature is among the most important sources of historical and cultural education; it is arguably much more essential to the public before the prevalence of motion pictures. Hence, the core idea, the depiction of background and even the most trivial details in literature can somehow shape the readers’ understandings of a person, an ethnicity group, a nation and a form of culture. Therefore, literature has the burden of being historically accurate. We will write a custom essay sample on Brief Analysis Of Historical Inaccuracy In Literature or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the case of many German tales about anti-Semitism, cultural intolerance and ethnically discrimination against Jews are explicit. The tales depict Jews as blasphemers, murderers and liars, but the more interesting phenomenon is the fate of all these Jews in the tales, where they are labeled, expelled and executed. If we review the history of Jews during WI, in which they were first forced to wear the Star of David as symbol, then expelled from normal activities and driven to ghettos, and finally persecuted in concentration amps, we can find the strong similarity between the tales and the reality. Perhaps, part of the motivations behind the Holocaust is the negative understandings or hostility cultivated with these anti-Semitic tales. In my childhood, watched the movie of Cleopatra and started to consider Octavia as a negative image, despite that Augustus was the greatest emperor of Rome. Similarly, many German children’s understandings of Jews as villains from the tales would have profound impact on their future. Furthermore, tragic and catastrophic events tend to create a deeper negation, which is why literature referring to tragic events should be more cautious regarding historical accuracy. For example, children’s sympathy of the girl in The Girl Who Was Killed by Jews can create considerable hatred against Jews. Likewise, when I saw a review to a book about Battle of Outburst saying that Germans are all murderers because their ancestors were all butchers, know another hatred against Germans is being cultivated with inaccurate or biased literature of Vowel. How to cite Brief Analysis Of Historical Inaccuracy In Literature, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Republic Act free essay sample

Section 3. Authority of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue to Inquire into Bank Deposit Accounts and Related Information Held by Financial Institutions. Section 6(F) of Republic Act No. 8424, as amended, otherwise known as the National Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows: SEC. 6. Power of the Commissioner to Make Assessments and Prescribe Additional Requirements for Tax Administration and Enforcement. xxx (F) Authority of the Commissioner to Inquire into Bank Deposit Accounts and Other Related Information Held by Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of Republic Act No. 1405, Republic Act No. 6426, otherwise known as the Foreign Currency Deposit Act of the Philippines, and other general and special laws, the Commissioner is hereby authorized to inquire into the bank deposits and other related information held by financial institutions of: (1) A decedent to determine his gross estate. (2) Any taxpayer who has filed an application for compromise of his tax liability under Sec. We will write a custom essay sample on Republic Act or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 204 (A)(2) reason of financial incapacity to pay his tax liability. In case a taxpayer files an application to compromise the payment of his tax liabilities on his claim that his financial position demonstrates a clear inability to pay the tax assessed, his application shall not be considered unless and until he waives in writing his privilege under Republic Act No. 1405, Republic Act No. 6426, otherwise known as the Foreign Currency Deposit Act of the Philippines, or under other general or special laws, and such waiver shall constitute the authority of the Commissioner to inquire into  the bank deposits of the taxpayer. (3) A specific taxpayer or taxpayers subject of a request for the supply of tax information from a foreign tax authority pursuant to an international convention or agreement on tax matters to which the Philippines is a signatory or a party of: Provided, That the information obtained from the banks and other financial institutions may be used by the Bureau of Internal Revenue for tax assessment, verification, audit and enforcement purposes. In case of request from a foreign tax authority for tax information held by banks and financial institutions, the exchange of information shall be done in a secure manner to ensure confidentiality thereof under such rules and regulations as may be promulgated by the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Commissioner.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Why Athletes are Role Models Essay Example

Why Athletes are Role Models Essay A role model is a person who is admired and emulated by many. The term role model was for the first time used by Robert Merton after he noted that people compared themselves with others. In sports, those athletes who perform to the expectations of the fans are taken as role models and are emulated by their fans. Role models are often under heavy scrutiny of the media and so the chances that their negative aspects of life are brought to the light are very high but despite this, they still shine as role models. Because of their outstanding skills and uniqueness when it comes to sports, they are admired by people of all ages, the young and the old. This research paper will try to bring an understanding to the question, why athletes are role models despite the fact that they are highly scrutinized by the media.Most athletes shine in areas where they are even not expected to shine. For example, when a certain popular athlete is involved in scandal he/she tends to become more popular becau se of the publicity he/she receives. People focus on what they have achieved in the past but not on that one single bad event. It is not by choice that athletes become role models but it is their status, wealth and determination that makes them admirable by the public and a case in hand is of Marion Jones who despite the fact that she tested positive to performance drugs and sentenced for six months, she still is a role model to many. People cannot forget the achievements and good things that have been by the said athlete in the past but this is only different when it comes to sports where achievements are based on ones extra ordinary character traits but in other fields it is different. (Lensky, 2008, 78-80)Most of the things that are done by athletes outside the field are not publicized as much as those done in the field but the fact is that, although they are not reported people cannot fail to recognize them. It is their virtues and character in general that make them who they ar e for example their diligence, sportsmanship, perseverance and the value of training that make them to be taken as role models by many people but according to Julian Morrow, some of the character traits that make them shine such as high temperedness and dare daring behaviors make up somebody who you cannot like to stay the next door. (Schaller, T. 2004)According to Putnam, (87) athletes occupy a unique position in the pantheon of celebrities and it is for this reason that they become famous. Unlike comedians, television presenters and actors who spend much of their time on stage and televisions to be popular, the case is different when it becomes to sports because here it is their sheer ability and hard work that counts. When people realize their uniqueness, they become attracted to them and even begin to emulate what they do or what they say.The mass media plays a very vital role in informing the public on what is happening in the sports’ field. According to various surveys that have been done in the past, (Lensky, 2008, 78) the number of people who rely on the media (television and internet) to know what is going on in sports are more than those that attend the live shows. Even some people who seem to know much about sports as if they attend these shows get that information from the media. For this reason the role that media plays cannot be down played for if it does not keep us posted, then we would know very little about sports.Many athletes who are successful have admirable and extra ordinary lifestyles because they have a lot of money and this makes them to be highly envied by their fans. Due to the scrutiny that they are given by the media they are forced to act in a more responsible manner rather than how they would have behaved behind the scenes. Some people even expect athletes to become role models in matters that do not pertain what they do in the field and this gives them a hard time to meet such expectations. Some people think that this is expecting too much. â€Å"†¦It is unfair to ask athletes to serve as role models because they live their lives in a kind of moral vacuum, created by years of pampered treatment from parents, friends, fans, coaches, team officials and agents. They are ill prepared for the task.†(Putnam, 80)The irony with the media’s close scrutiny of the athletes is that it can give a person who might not have gotten a chance to become role model to become one. Not all that the media airs is taken by the public no matter how positive or negative it is, in fact the final judgment as to who should become a role model or not lies with them. According to Putnam (80), Charles Berkley became a role model not because of his outstanding skills in sports but because of the simple reason that he initiated the public debate that was featured in the media many times. He was opposed to the role that athletes are given by the public as role models.In short, though athletes are heavily scrutiniz ed by the media, they are still seen as role models. It is true that almost everything that we come to know comes from the media but it is the people who know who their role model is. Media may try to paint dark the name of an athlete but still remain a role model again; this negative publicity might work to their advantage. Another thing that favors athletes despite the fact that they are always under the eyes of the media is that they too realize that they are being watched and thus they behave more responsibly than they would do in normal circumstances.

Why Athletes are Role Models Essay Example

Why Athletes are Role Models Essay A role model is a person who is admired and emulated by many. The term role model was for the first time used by Robert Merton after he noted that people compared themselves with others. In sports, those athletes who perform to the expectations of the fans are taken as role models and are emulated by their fans. Role models are often under heavy scrutiny of the media and so the chances that their negative aspects of life are brought to the light are very high but despite this, they still shine as role models. Because of their outstanding skills and uniqueness when it comes to sports, they are admired by people of all ages, the young and the old. This research paper will try to bring an understanding to the question, why athletes are role models despite the fact that they are highly scrutinized by the media.Most athletes shine in areas where they are even not expected to shine. For example, when a certain popular athlete is involved in scandal he/she tends to become more popular becau se of the publicity he/she receives. People focus on what they have achieved in the past but not on that one single bad event. It is not by choice that athletes become role models but it is their status, wealth and determination that makes them admirable by the public and a case in hand is of Marion Jones who despite the fact that she tested positive to performance drugs and sentenced for six months, she still is a role model to many. People cannot forget the achievements and good things that have been by the said athlete in the past but this is only different when it comes to sports where achievements are based on ones extra ordinary character traits but in other fields it is different. (Lensky, 2008, 78-80)Most of the things that are done by athletes outside the field are not publicized as much as those done in the field but the fact is that, although they are not reported people cannot fail to recognize them. It is their virtues and character in general that make them who they ar e for example their diligence, sportsmanship, perseverance and the value of training that make them to be taken as role models by many people but according to Julian Morrow, some of the character traits that make them shine such as high temperedness and dare daring behaviors make up somebody who you cannot like to stay the next door. (Schaller, T. 2004)According to Putnam, (87) athletes occupy a unique position in the pantheon of celebrities and it is for this reason that they become famous. Unlike comedians, television presenters and actors who spend much of their time on stage and televisions to be popular, the case is different when it becomes to sports because here it is their sheer ability and hard work that counts. When people realize their uniqueness, they become attracted to them and even begin to emulate what they do or what they say.The mass media plays a very vital role in informing the public on what is happening in the sports’ field. According to various surveys that have been done in the past, (Lensky, 2008, 78) the number of people who rely on the media (television and internet) to know what is going on in sports are more than those that attend the live shows. Even some people who seem to know much about sports as if they attend these shows get that information from the media. For this reason the role that media plays cannot be down played for if it does not keep us posted, then we would know very little about sports.Many athletes who are successful have admirable and extra ordinary lifestyles because they have a lot of money and this makes them to be highly envied by their fans. Due to the scrutiny that they are given by the media they are forced to act in a more responsible manner rather than how they would have behaved behind the scenes. Some people even expect athletes to become role models in matters that do not pertain what they do in the field and this gives them a hard time to meet such expectations. Some people think that this is expecting too much. â€Å"†¦It is unfair to ask athletes to serve as role models because they live their lives in a kind of moral vacuum, created by years of pampered treatment from parents, friends, fans, coaches, team officials and agents. They are ill prepared for the task.†(Putnam, 80)The irony with the media’s close scrutiny of the athletes is that it can give a person who might not have gotten a chance to become role model to become one. Not all that the media airs is taken by the public no matter how positive or negative it is, in fact the final judgment as to who should become a role model or not lies with them. According to Putnam (80), Charles Berkley became a role model not because of his outstanding skills in sports but because of the simple reason that he initiated the public debate that was featured in the media many times. He was opposed to the role that athletes are given by the public as role models.In short, though athletes are heavily scrutiniz ed by the media, they are still seen as role models. It is true that almost everything that we come to know comes from the media but it is the people who know who their role model is. Media may try to paint dark the name of an athlete but still remain a role model again; this negative publicity might work to their advantage. Another thing that favors athletes despite the fact that they are always under the eyes of the media is that they too realize that they are being watched and thus they behave more responsibly than they would do in normal circumstances.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Surveillance

Privacy is a privilege that most people take for granted, it’s simply thought of as a sort of God-given right that we, as human beings, are entitled to, the right to have our own space, to be safe, and to be left alone. As technology advances at an alarming rate people began to worry about what adverse effects these new technologies will have on them. Are their concerns justified or just wrought from a fear of change? David Brin’s vision of city life in the near future is almost one of complete paranoia and exaggeration. The cities he outlines seem too horrible to be real, from some sci-fi movie, a city on a far off planet ruled by an evil dictator. An existence without privacy is scary to think about, always looking over our shoulders wondering who is watching and why. Brin’s theories of the future, some will argue, may not be too far off the mark, but is it realistic to think that on this vast planet we inhabit, all cities, towns, and populous areas will be under the watchful eye of the men upstairs, of course not. In the future we will have to deal with surveillance and privacy rights, there is no question, but not to the extent that Brin suggests. Technology will be instituted all over the world as an ally in crime prevention, taking the form of, cameras, microphones, satellites, and unfathomable high-tech tracking systems and devices. We are seeing the beginning of this already, but Brin takes the implementation of these technologies to extremes, which are incredibly unlikely scenarios for our own future. With so many cities and so many buildings in the U.S. alone, it’s silly to assume that everyone will have access to the happenings everywhere all at once. Some cameras positioned on street lamps in downtown New York with citizens safety in mind is one thing, but to have camera like devices capable of being everywhere and seeing everything isn’t likely ever and certainly not within the next 10 to 20 years. Yes,... Free Essays on Surveillance Free Essays on Surveillance Privacy is a privilege that most people take for granted, it’s simply thought of as a sort of God-given right that we, as human beings, are entitled to, the right to have our own space, to be safe, and to be left alone. As technology advances at an alarming rate people began to worry about what adverse effects these new technologies will have on them. Are their concerns justified or just wrought from a fear of change? David Brin’s vision of city life in the near future is almost one of complete paranoia and exaggeration. The cities he outlines seem too horrible to be real, from some sci-fi movie, a city on a far off planet ruled by an evil dictator. An existence without privacy is scary to think about, always looking over our shoulders wondering who is watching and why. Brin’s theories of the future, some will argue, may not be too far off the mark, but is it realistic to think that on this vast planet we inhabit, all cities, towns, and populous areas will be under the watchful eye of the men upstairs, of course not. In the future we will have to deal with surveillance and privacy rights, there is no question, but not to the extent that Brin suggests. Technology will be instituted all over the world as an ally in crime prevention, taking the form of, cameras, microphones, satellites, and unfathomable high-tech tracking systems and devices. We are seeing the beginning of this already, but Brin takes the implementation of these technologies to extremes, which are incredibly unlikely scenarios for our own future. With so many cities and so many buildings in the U.S. alone, it’s silly to assume that everyone will have access to the happenings everywhere all at once. Some cameras positioned on street lamps in downtown New York with citizens safety in mind is one thing, but to have camera like devices capable of being everywhere and seeing everything isn’t likely ever and certainly not within the next 10 to 20 years. Yes,...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Behavioral Finance Heuristic and Judgment, a literature review Essay

Behavioral Finance Heuristic and Judgment, a literature review - Essay Example In subsequent studies, Fama (1998; with French 1992/1993/1996) and Malkiel (1995) showed empirical evidence proving these conclusions and the observation that in efficient markets, only those that arrive first can earn above average returns. This logic that consistently beating the market is impossible (returns are so low that most will go to trading fees and commissions) led to the creation of index funds that mimic market performance. On the other side are the behavioral finance academics who claim that capital markets are inefficient, citing observable market anomalies showing that stock price behavior is predictable, that investors are irrational, and that many can earn above average returns or beat the market (Shiller 1981/1990/2000). Barberis, Shleifer and Vishny (1998) claim that in the ongoing battle between rational and irrational traders in the market the irrational ones are dominating. The systematic errors that irrational investors make when they use public information to form expectations of future cash flows overwhelm the efforts of rational traders to undo the former's market dislocating effects. Daniel, Hirshleifer, and Subrahmanyam (1998) state that irrational traders' overconfidence in interpreting private information pushes up prices above rational fundamentals and increases market inefficiency. Behavioural finance studies are backed by empirical evidence showing market inefficiency caused by limits to arbitrage (Shleifer and Vishny 1997) and behavioral psychology, both individual (Shleifer 2000) and collective (Hirshleifer and Teoh 2003), as factors that explain inefficient market behaviour. One stock anomaly cited as proof of market inefficiency is the so-called January effect that can be stated simply as "stock prices tend to go up in January" (Gultekin and Gultekin 1983). Thaler (1987) and Shiller (1997) attributed this to psychological factors as investors are influenced by their own mental compartments. Fama (1998) claims that conclusions based on market anomalies discovered by behavioral finance are due to poorly done statistical work and amateurish techniques. He cited above average returns as the result of chance, that behavioral finance models are loaded with judgmental biases making it predictably easy to justify any hypothesis proposed, and that the efficient market hypothesis can explain all forms of market behaviour to date. Nevertheless, despite the voluminous literature on the topic, both efficient markets and behavioral finance proponents agree that their models have not managed to fully explain capital markets behavior. Sharpe, a 1990 Nobel Prize winner who supports both theories said that "as a practical matter it is prudent to assume the market is pretty close to efficient in terms of pricing and risk and return On the other hand, we have learned from cognitive psychology that ordinary human beings needalternatives

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

History and politics of primary education Essay

History and politics of primary education - Essay Example The Butler Act, also known as the 1944 Education Act, aimed at providing education for all school going children between the ages of 5 and 14. The Act stipulated that secondary education start at 11-years-old. In addition, it created a framework by which a ministry managed school affairs but the schools themselves were managed by Local Education Authorities (LEAs). However, the duration of school days, term dates, and the syllabus stayed under local management (Freedman, Lipson & Hargreaves, 2008:29). The Butler Act also included requirements for Church Schools. The schools were to be incorporated into the state system using various arrangements, and the operating expenses of the Church Schools were to be borne by LEAs but remaining responsible for religious education in the syllabus. Although not stipulated by the Act, the consensus was that grammar schools were to be retained by the creation of a Tripartite framework in which students were to be enrolled in three variants of school s. Besides the grammar schools, there were to be secondary contemporary schools and technical schools. Grammar schools were to admit the most capable 20 percent of the students (determined using the 11-plus tests) and were better financed compared to other schools. In addition, most of the teachers held degrees (Gorard, 2009:105). Various LEAs employed different admission criteria, but majority implemented types of intelligence assessments – supposing that intelligence was uniform and estimable to the extent where an individual’s ability was known by the age of 11. However, numerous injustices soon became common. Grammar school slots were mainly fixed, implying that the challenges of admission to a grammar school deviated based on how many students were in a specific category. Comprehensive schools intended to offer education opportunities to children from all

Monday, November 18, 2019

Proposal Argument Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Proposal Argument - Research Paper Example However, the war in Iraq has resulted into suffering and distraction of lives of the citizens. Furthermore, the incarceration of Saddam Hussein meant that terrorist threats from Iraq were no longer looming. Finally, no weapons of mass destruction were found in the country as earlier stated by the US. I propose the millennial solution in ending the war in Iraq. To start with, the millennials are the individuals that have grown up in the face of war in Iraq. They grew up experiencing their peers being shipped to fight in wars and also watching ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’ on the various media platforms (Schwartz 65). Millenials have been known to put up vibrant battles against the war. By the time the war finally came to an end in 2011, the millennials that were middle school when the war began has come of age to watch the US soldiers set up the war operations and understand what was going on. Iraq is back in the news again as a militia organization referred to as the Islamic State of Iraq, ISIS, al-Sham among other names has spread across the southern and northern regions of the country. Unfortunately, with all the damage that has been going on, TV interviews and the debate on the internet has been missing the important contribution of millennials who are the individuals that grew up in the face of the war (Billitteri 34). The best solution that has been proposed is by getting the millenials more involved in the peace-keeping and finding a lasting solution for the war in Iraq. It has been observed that this generation did not vote for the war that started in 2003 or even plan for it. Nevertheless, they have paid a dear price for it. To start with, the war has taken the lives of approximately 4,500 millenials and cost the nation a figure estimated between $4 to $6 trillion (Billitteri 15). The war has also taken away the lives of more than 100,000 innocent civilians. Regrettably, there are global political leaders that have served as champions for the

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Social Media and Internet Marketing Essay Example for Free

Social Media and Internet Marketing Essay Social media, although a relatively recent phenomenon, is becoming an Increasingly important part of any business’s marketing and client base development platform. According to Dragon, â€Å"The perception of social media marketing has shifted quickly no longer viewed as a trendy or passing fad, having a flexible and well-managed presence in each of the â€Å"big three† (Facebook, Twitter, and Google+) has become a must for any business seeking to secure a place in both the traditional and digital marketplace† (pg. 103). What could once be accomplished by a traditional website now needs to be supplemented by a robust and responsive utilization of the tools social media offers. Finding ways in this strange new world can be quite confusing at first but these are lessons most of today’s marketing businesses have to learn. Social media is changing the ways of traditional network marketing, to increase sales, marketing businesses have to connect with customers and join their conversations on social media sites. So even though social media marketing takes time to learn and use, social media has changed the way business is done today. Social media is changing the ways of network marketing Social media is not just a powerful tool that lets friends and family communicate, it also can be used to help market a business or product. Social media marketing as it is referred to is helping and fuelling the growing online platform of buying and selling. Many network-marketing businesses think they know what their customers want, but until they do a bit of research and discover what they want, it is just guess work. The power of social media can help network marketing businesses keep in touch with their customers and determine exactly what they want, simply by reading, capturing, and using the comments the customers make on social media sites. This new approach to marketing can help to expand and explode the marketing of products to target what customers want, and exactly when they want it. Chase and Knebl (2011) opined, â€Å"The Internet is the greatest communication tool of all time. For sales people, it is also the ultimate game changer. Past technological changes have all been improvements like voice mail, which were easily adaptable to the existing landscape, whereas the Internet is not. Over the past 15 years, it has completely taken over the way in which people get and exchange information. Over the past 5 years, it has completely taken over in which people socialize with one another. And now – right now, social networking is taking over B2B communication. Like it or not, social networking sites are completely, and permanently, redefining the way sales people find new customers† (p.p. 3 4). How marketing was managed and operated for businesses before has changed with the advent of the Internet. Traditional network marketing methods versus today’s social media marketing The traditional selling (marketing) use of the telephone is increasingly becoming obsolete as a business communication tool. The majority of business- to-business (B2B) correspondence now occurs through e-mail, simply because online communication is vastly superior to telephone as a means of sharing information. According to Chase and Knebl (2011), â€Å"The Internet has created fundamental shifts in the B2B marketplace that are driving the future of the selling profession. They require all of us who wish to sell successfully in the new marketplace to accept these changes, recognize the inherent opportunities that they offer, and become educated in the new skills needed to acquire new customers† (p. 4). In order to be efficient in marketing, it is important to realize what will work and what marketing methods are not working any more. For example, if the target market is a senior market, a yellow page ad may very well still bring in customers, but if the customers are under the age of 60, it is best to put marketing resources elsewhere. We have seen many changes to the trends and methods of marketing just over the last few years and these changes are continuing. Some of the trends and methods to watch closely according to Lake (2012) are Mobile Marketing In a report done by CTIA Wireless Association it was reported that 250+ million Americans carry mobile phones thats over 80% of the nation’s population. Mobile applications will continue to be developed and smart phones and tablet PCs will remain a part of our daily lives. Social Marketing Integration In 2011 companies began to take social media marketing seriously and because of that we saw social media explode as a marketing tool. This year we will begin to see companies heavily integrate social media into their overall marketing plan, which is how it should have been done in the first place, but better late than never. We will see social media expand from a tool used primarily for customer service and brand management to being used to collect customer data and enable better target marketing of products and services that those customers are interested. Traditional Marketing Continues to Diminishes This is always a touchy subject, because there are so many that dont want to say goodbye to the traditional marketing. Interactive or real-time marketing is easy to measure, engage and gain real time statistics that allows us to change a marketing message quickly. Customers are continuing to go online to search for information and in return making their purchases online. Its important that marketers move their marketing dollars to where the consumers are and right now thats making a gigantic shift to online. Internet marketing enables us to reach targeted audiences online, advertising costs are lower and they are easier to measure. Whats not to love about interactive marketing? Overall marketing budgets will continue to shift to a higher spend online and the traditional marketing spend will continue to diminish. Relationships will Drive Loyalty and Sales Customers want to know they matter to you and your staff. They evaluate now more than ever how they are treated, whether or not your business cares about their satisfaction. Gone are the days that they just purchase out of convenience. If you can give the best customer care, you will find that you will create consumers that are loyal to you, regardless of whether or not you have the least expensive price. They realize that in tough economic times their loyalty to you could be the life or death of your business and thats often why they will go out of their way to spend their hard-earned dollars in your place of business if you have helped in creating loyalty by giving them extraordinary care. Social media helping to promote and market businesses and products Millions of people uses social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter each day to stay up-to-date with their favorite brands and businesses. More than ever, it is important for business owners to ensure that their marketing strategies include some social media activities. Social media offers new ways to connect with current and potential customers, build online presence and also help develop long-lasting relationships with other business professionals and future contacts, Lovett (2011) made some interesting findings in his book: Social media has unquestionably entered the mainstream as consumers flock to jump on every social bandwagon, buggy, and freight train that drives past. This frenzied enthusiasm has helped the largest social networks to amass hundreds of thousands of users that rival the world’s most populous countries, while new platforms and channels emerge unabated. The early sparks of social media innovations have flourished into a raging inferno of opportunity for consumers and businesses alike. These businesses include everyone from the largest global fortune 100 to the smallest mom-and-pop shop, who are winning and losing everyday with social media. The losers are detached from their customers because they are unable to hear the outpouring of ideas and feedback over the drone of their antiquated toiling. Conversely, the winners are tapping into consumers’ needs and wants and suing social media as a method to: * Increase brand exposure * Initiate dialogue with customer * Generate interaction with their own media * Facilitate customer support * Assemble legions of loyal advocates * Spur corporate innovation * Do much, much more. (p.p. 3 4) In closing, for marketing businesses in the next decade, it will become increasingly important to monitor their brands and reputations online and to be aware of what is being said as well as do any damage control and address any issues that arise in a timely if not immediate fashion. Businesses can no longer hide behind the four walls; it is not enough to broadcast anymore. To succeed with marketing, it will be necessary to interact, engage, and create relationships to grow marketing businesses and create an effective marketing strategy in the next decade. We have seen millions attracted to social media. People are interacting and engaging daily with other individuals as well as with businesses. This will not slow down. It is believed that over the next decade one will see changes in the social media marketing platforms as well as the social media networking sites that are used. It is important to realize that when using social media in your marketing strategy, it must be remembered that it is about interaction, and not just about broadcasting. You need to create a social media marketing strategy that engages and cultivates relationships as well as solves any problems or issues that come up. Reference Lake, L. (2012). MoneyMarketingMarketing MethodsMarketing Methods and Trends Whats New for 2012. Retrieved from http://marketing.about.com/od/marketingmethods/a/marketing-methods-and-trends-whats-new-for-2012 Chase, L., Knebl, K. (2011). The Social Media Sales Revolution (1st ed.). Washington, DC: McGraw-Hill. Dragon, R. (2012). Social Marketology (1st ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Lovett, J. (2011). Social Media Metrics Secrets (1st ed.).Indianapolis, IN: Wiley Publishing, Inc..

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Critical Review of Article on Financial Statements Essay example -- Ac

A Critical Review of Georgiou, G. (2010) â€Å"The IASB standard-setting process: Participation and perceptions of financial statement users†, British Accounting Review, 42 (2), pp.103-118. Dr George Georgiou is a senior lecturer in Accountancy and the director of the MSc International Accounting & Finance course at the Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham. He has the following qualifications: BA, MAcc, PhD & CPA. Georgiou is also a PhD supervisor in his research interest topics which lie in accounting regulation, accounting theory, government accounting and market-based accounting. (University of Birmingham, 2010). As stated by Bruce (2010), financial statement users are often described as the primary users of financial statements. Yet, few financial statement users have the time or the preference to get involved in the IASB standard setting process. Georgiou's article sets out to show the gap in the literature of the involvement of financial statement users and the amount of control they have in the accounting standard-setting process. The author states that it is important to financial statement users to believe that their perception and participation is vital in the standard setting process. Introduction Georgiou puts forward an argument for financial statement users in that their involvement is material and frequently accounting standard-setters give an explanation for the approval of their standards by appealing to the interest of financial statement users. The author verifies the importance of the problem area by referencing Young (2003), who also puts their argument across in support of financial statement users. Young (2003) expresses that financial statement users are used in a nutshell to prov... ...or outreach. Available: http://www.ifrs.org/News/Features/Spotlight+on+investor+outreach.htm. Last accessed 9 November 2010. Duff, A, Ferguson, J & Gilmore, K. (2007). Issues concerning the employment and employability of disabled people in UK accounting firms: An analysis of the views of human resources managers as employment gatekeepers. The British Accounting Review, 39(1), 15-38. Sutton, T. G. (1984). Lobbying of accounting standard-setting bodies in the U.K. and the U.S.A: a downsian analysis. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 9(1), 81–95. University of Birmingham. (2010). Profile: Dr George Georgiou. Available: http://www.business.bham.ac.uk/staff/georgioug.shtml. Last accessed 5 Dec 2010. Young, J. J. (2003). Constructing, persuading and silencing: the rhetoric of accounting standards. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 28(6), 621–638.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Over Coming Fear

General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: To inform my audience of the five characteristics that enable Marines to overcome fear. Central Idea: There are five characteristics of the Marine Corps that help Marines overcome fears. Introduction: Many Marines do not like to admit when they are scared. Some don’t ever show emotion. But everyone gets scared at some point in their life. It could be something as simple as getting a passing grade on a test or assignment. It could be as extreme as being part of an elite squad of ground pounding Marines who are getting ready to kick in doors or go in to rescue a sniper squad that has been pinned down by enemy fire. How do you think you would feel? Scared? Maybe a little intimidated? Heart racing maybe? Today I am going to inform you about the Marine Corps Principles for overcoming fear. I will describe and identify for you, the five characteristics that enable Marines to overcome fear every day. Those virtues are discipline, motivation, Esprit de Corps, morale, and proficiency. Discipline over the years has acquired at least three different meanings: punishment, obedience, and self-control. 1 Have you ever been in a situation that you knew you were doing something wrong, but you decided to do it anyway? Did you ever hear that little voice in the back of your head asking you â€Å"What if you get caught? What will this do for your future if you do get caught? † Military discipline is no different than that of any major sport, or at a university academically. If you do something that disrupts the good order of the system, there will be repercussions. There are several forms of punishment in the U. S. Marine Corps, ranging from an informal counseling to being dishonorably discharged for your actions. Obedience among military personnel is a result of the training that they have received throughout their careers. You do not want to become blindly obedient and closed minded in the Marine Corps. Doing such may result in the carrying out of improper or illegal orders. 2 True obedience implies exercising discipline as an active thinking participant and using proper judgment to determine if a situation is justified. Self-control is doing what is right even when no one is watching. You need to be able to control your emotions in situations that may cause a normal individual to panic. Fear is the enemy of discipline. 3 Using self-control will allow you to harness your fear and channel that emotion towards accomplishing the mission at hand. * Transition: Along with discipline, proficiency as a Marine is required for any member of the Marine Corps to accomplish their specific tasks. Proficiency is defined as the technical, tactical and physical ability of the individuals in a unit to accomplish a given mission. Being proficient in your MOS is to know what to do; how to do it the right way; and knowing how to solve a situation should a problem arise. Being proficient as a Marine, involves showing that you can accomplish the basic operating procedures required. Transition: Being proficient in your job as a Marine rifleman as well as your MOS, can give you the motivation to go above and beyond what is expected of you. Motivation can be described as wanting to set and achieve the highest goals possible. Wanting to get a perfect score on a PFT is an example of wanting to uphold the high standards set by the Marine Corps. Using fear as motivation to accomplish your task is a perfect example of self-control. Transition: â€Å"They are faced with impossible odds, and I have no valid reason to substantiate it, but I have a feeling they will halt the enemy. I realize my expression of hope is unsound, but these Marines have the swagger, confidence, and hardness that must have been in Stonewall Jackson's Army of the Shenandoah. 4 Esprit de Corps is present when units show a degree of pride, vigor, and gumption. Have a strong competitive spirit with other Marines. Training with other Marines to better one another, shows competitiveness, cohesion, and helps you become more proficient as a Marine; enabling you to overcome your fear of any task or situation. Show pride in the history of the Corps and observe its many traditions. 1. Taking a walk through the National Museum of the Marine Corps and mmersing yourself in our history and learning about those that came before you can strengthen the esprit de corps within yourself. 2. Observation of traditions such as the Marine Corps birthday shows your recognition of the important role Marines have played in forming the United States of America into the country it is today. Transition: While esprit de corps shows the enthusiasm the unit expresses for the Marine Corps, morale depends on a Marines attitude towards everything that affects them. Morale is an individual’s state of mind. High morale gives the Marine a feeling of confidence and well-being that enables them to face hardship with courage, endurance, and determination. 6 Indicators of morale can be either positive or negative Personal appearance and hygiene. Motivation during training. A request for transfer. The usage and abuse of drugs and alcohol. 7 Summary: By demonstrating these five aspects which are; discipline, motivation, esprit de corps, morale, and proficiency, you are showing yourself and others how to overcome the obstacle of fear. As a Marine you need to be able to lead others while being able to control your fear. By channeling your emotions, you will find it easier to accomplish the mission at hand. Fear is not an option; it is a crutch the weak use to lean upon. We as Marines are not weak. References: 1. MCRP 6-11b W_CH 1 Marine Corps Values A User's Guide for discussion leaders. Apendix E page 15-45 Foundations of leadership. paragraph one. 2. MCRP 6-11b W_CH 1 Marine Corps Values A User's Guide for discussion leaders. Apendix E page 15-45 Foundations of leadership. paragraph two 3. MCRP 6-11b W_CH 1 Marine Corps Values A User's Guide for discussion leaders. Apendix E page 15-46 Foundations of leadership. paragraph one 4. MCRP 6-11b W_CH 1 Marine Corps Values A User's Guide for discussion leaders. this kind of war, t. r. Fehrenback page 12-37 5. MCRP 6-11b W_CH 1 Marine Corps Values A User's Guide for discussion leaders. page 21-36 paragraph two 6. MCRP 6-11b W_CH 1 Marine Corps Values A User's Guide for discussion leaders. page 15-8 subparagraph A 7. MCRP 6-11b W_CH 1 Marine Corps Values A User's Guide for discussion leaders. page 15-8 paragraph 2

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Jazz Concert Reflection Essay

Jazz is a musical style that began in African American communities in the southern United States around the beginning of the twentieth century. It was a new style of music that brought together music traditions from West Africa and Europe. Some of its West African musical influences give jazz its unique sound. Jazz has many different elements, which are improvisations, swinging, using blue notes, and combining different rhythms. I attended The Bill and Helen Murray Jazz Residency Program featured Ellery Eskelin on the Saxophone with Susan Acorn on the pedal steel guitar and Michael Formanek on the acoustic bass and The Towson University Jazz Faculty Ensemble Featuring Dave Balloy on the trumpet, flugelhorn, and piccolo trumpet, Jim Mc falls on the trombone and baritone, Tim Murphy on the piano, Jeff Reed on the bass and last but not least, Frank Russo on the drums and cymbals. At each concert about four songs were performed. The musical elements in both performances that classify the music I heard as jazz were the swing rhythms and improvisations. The Jazz Residency Program was based on improvisations. Each player at this concert; had the ability to instantaneously compose, revise and perform their parts amazingly. As Ellery played the Sax, Susan and Michael played their instrument spontaneously creating fresh melodies. At the Jazz Faculty ensemble, the musicians played songs that were previously written. Their musical styles were mostly bebop and swing with lots of call and respond. Jim Mc falls would play his trombone and all group members would follow after him. The song â€Å"Moodly† sounded like bebop, because there were a lot of bass drum bombs and tonal clashes. â€Å"Marsch der freien Sound Fur Funf Instrumente† was also a bebop song that was played with extended harmonies and tonal clashes. Some of the non-traditional jazz elements that I heard were played at both of the Jazz Concerts. Susan Acorn played the pedal steel  guitar, which I found to be a non-traditional element. The sound was completely different from what I had ever heard before. At the Jazz Faculty Ensemble, Dave Ballou played the Piccolo Trumpet for the last piece â€Å"Conversion†. The high-pitched sound made the song slur and blend with soft melodies. Listening to each concert, gave me two totally different experiences. The Jazz Residency concert was all improvisations, so it didn’t remind me of any of the music I had heard before. The Jazz Faculty ensemble was a reminder of music styles like Art Tatum, John Coltrane, and Duke Ellington. When they played Hamster in a bucket it’s reminded me of â€Å"In a Mellotone† by Duke Ellinton. Then Dave Ballou played the trumpet in the song â€Å"Cry Baby† like Miles Davis played the trumpet in the song â€Å"So What†. In conclusion, the quality of both performances was outstanding. Each performance was completely different and that’s what I loved. The jazz residency program was completely improvised, leaving me opened and surprised at every note each player chose to play. The Jazz Faculty Ensemble’s songs had a distinctive vibe. They made the sounds of their music come together and I felt the rhythm. I would defiantly pay to see each performance again. I left the concerts smiling, because I felt as if I knew exactly what they were trying to accomplish with their music. The two ensembles I attended featured some of the most talented musicians I ever heard performing at Towson University.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

s Wine Indusrty

AMERICA’S WINE INDUSTRY: A GLOBAL SUCCESS J. EDWIN DIETEL After scarcely a generation, the US wine industry is challenging centuries-old European wineries America’s winemakers, most of whom are relative newcomers to the industry, are making superior wines and reaping global acclaim. In a single generation, and at a time when many US industries can no longer claim to be world leaders, the US wine industry’s global success is a fascinating story of entrepreneurial vision and savvy marketing. It remains to be seen whether the American industry has reached its peak, or if new innovations, new competition, and new markets will make the future rosy for US vintners. In terms of worldwide recognition and success, individual American wineries have made their mark only in the last 50-odd years. American experiments with wine-making for the past 200 years- including considerable efforts by Thomas Jefferson to replicate French grape-growing techniques at Monticello- had proved commercially unsuccessful. Not until the end of Prohibition in 1933 did the American wine industry take off on a large scale. America has now become the fourth largest producer in the world behind Italy, France, and Spain. US wine exports in 1999 were up almost threefold over 1990 levels, totaling 74 million gallons ($540 million). Quantity of production is but one measure of success of the industry. American wine producers also have become widely known for the quality of their products. The single event that brought global recognition to the American wine industry occurred in Paris in 1976. There, in a celebrated blind tasting by nine French wine experts, American Chardonnays were compared to their celebrated French counterparts, white Burgundies, while American Cabernet Sauvignons were compared to the prestigious French first-growth red Bordeaux. The American wi... 's Wine Indusrty Free Essays on America\'s Wine Indusrty AMERICA’S WINE INDUSTRY: A GLOBAL SUCCESS J. EDWIN DIETEL After scarcely a generation, the US wine industry is challenging centuries-old European wineries America’s winemakers, most of whom are relative newcomers to the industry, are making superior wines and reaping global acclaim. In a single generation, and at a time when many US industries can no longer claim to be world leaders, the US wine industry’s global success is a fascinating story of entrepreneurial vision and savvy marketing. It remains to be seen whether the American industry has reached its peak, or if new innovations, new competition, and new markets will make the future rosy for US vintners. In terms of worldwide recognition and success, individual American wineries have made their mark only in the last 50-odd years. American experiments with wine-making for the past 200 years- including considerable efforts by Thomas Jefferson to replicate French grape-growing techniques at Monticello- had proved commercially unsuccessful. Not until the end of Prohibition in 1933 did the American wine industry take off on a large scale. America has now become the fourth largest producer in the world behind Italy, France, and Spain. US wine exports in 1999 were up almost threefold over 1990 levels, totaling 74 million gallons ($540 million). Quantity of production is but one measure of success of the industry. American wine producers also have become widely known for the quality of their products. The single event that brought global recognition to the American wine industry occurred in Paris in 1976. There, in a celebrated blind tasting by nine French wine experts, American Chardonnays were compared to their celebrated French counterparts, white Burgundies, while American Cabernet Sauvignons were compared to the prestigious French first-growth red Bordeaux. The American wi...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Human Resources in Business Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Resources in Business - Case Study Example Other rewards might be social gatherings for different departments, free access to sports clubs or events, and gift packages for vacations or weekend getaways. Both controlling costs and promoting fairness are equally important in designing a reward system. I believe the key to a successful organization is to try and balance between the controlling costs and promoting fairness. The above mentioned company for which I worked 5 years and in two different countries, the reward system, the bonuses in particular were adjusted several times. This, though, was not as a result of the modifying organizational strategies, but a change made in order to respond adequately to the extra money that employees were earning. The statistics showed that some employees are earning the same bonus as the amount of their salary and senior managers decided to change the bonus system, so that greater revenues stays with the company. Therefore, on the various new reward systems that were introduced, hard-working employees who reached their target each month received fewer bonuses. I had experience in job evaluation schemes and I think I was lucky to have a great team leader, who encouraged me to develop the skills that I lacked and gave me the confidence to relate to the job position. The positive aspects might be that although you know that you are performing well, you still need another point of view of your achievements. Employees are not able to look their work from aside so job evaluation is a good way to adjust the barometer of the performed job. A negative aspect might be that everyone has been evaluated under the same criteria, which is very general, and sometimes subjective. Therefore, people, who have different attitude, abilities, predispositions are evaluated under the same common denominator, which destroys the individuality and divides employees into already set

Saturday, November 2, 2019

International Business - Intergration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Business - Intergration - Essay Example Primarily, a struggle between socialist and capitalist countries was over. the "Fall of the Wall" which was closely connected with: "the expansion into the previously closed-off countries of Eastern Europe has once again demonstrated that the company which enters a market first, achieves what are called "first mover advantages" and becomes a synonym for a whole range of products, which makes it possible for long-term market leadership to be achieved". (Lange, 2004). Another driven force was the end of the Cold War. The demise of communism as an economic and political system can be explained in a straightforward manner. Communism was not an effective economic system. The overwhelmingly superior performance of the world's market economies has given leaders in socialist countries little choice but to renounce their ideology. A key policy change in such countries has been the abandonment of futile attempts to manage national economies with a single central plan. This policy change frequently goes hand in hand with governmental efforts to foster increased public participation in matters of state by introducing democratic reforms (Dunning, 1993). From the economic perspective, the global economy becomes a dominant one while individual countries do not play a significant role in global market. If a production function exhibits increasing returns to scale then higher growth rate should generate rising real living standards for the community as a whole. The principle of territorial integrity retreats before a principle of the right of nations on self-determination ever more. The large multi-national states will be interfered by a rising problem of separatism. The small countries need to join a powerful union to protect themselves. That is why the process of division is closely connected with international business. After political recession, capital movements become possible and desirable by many third world countries. Foreign owner assets are an extensive part of the manufacturing sector and over half of mining production (Hophe, Woolf, 2003). The state control of production remained binding and governments began to see that there might be certain advantages in foreign investment and it began to be accepted that limited investment could help with some of the problems of relative underdevelopment. International trade theories place geographical factors at the heart of the development of trade flows). Impact of geographical factors on the direct foreign investment (DPI) of motional corporations has also been subject to investigation. Investments are growing more rapidly than world production and international trade, but are largely confined to investment flows within and between the triad countries. Multinational firms have traditionally preferred full ownership and control, as offered by wholly owned subsidiaries, to other forms of market entry, including equity stakes in joint ventures (Tayeb, 2000). Internet became the main technological driven force. Internet rationalizes the expensive and cumbersome proposition of large-scale customer service. Second, the system serves to reduce at least the appearance of risk associated with time-space distanciation and the opacity of the expert system. In summary, all of the websites appear to be aiming at the same goal -replacing face-to-face customer service with systemised service that

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Leadership and battle strategy in the Persian War Essay

Leadership and battle strategy in the Persian War - Essay Example The thesis statement encompassing this paper is the "leadership and battle strategies in Persian Wars". The Persian wars started with a series of battles within the Greek states, predominantly on the part of Persia against several Greek cities in view of the Persian King's strategy of expanding his kingdom and rule. The Persians waged a war against the Athens and Erectia because of the support these states provided to Ionians and other Greek cities in their fight against Persia. The Persian leader at that time was King Darius I, the Great King of Persia who succeeded in seizing control of almost all the Greek states other than the Athens and Strata (Pomeroy 187-188). The preeminent of all the battles fought in the Persian war was the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC that shaped the destiny of Greek empire. This war not only determined the extent of influence exerted by Persia or Athens politically, but also the prevalence of democracy in Greece. The history of Greece would certainly have been different had the Persians won the battle of Marathon against the Athenians. The Athenians were not as strong as Persians with regard to the infantry, war resources and weapons. The Persians were great in number as compared to the Persians, but were endowed with war discipline and an effective military system along with an efficient leadership. Weir propounds that the strategy Greeks employed in their war with Persians was to evoke insurgency among the people who were inside the Persian Empire so as to subvert their strength. The Athenian commander, Miltiades, had also once remained a Persian commander who betrayed the King of Persia. The Greeks, at that time, also excogitated an effective military system that enabled their soldiers to move about the narrow mountains swiftly. They had also developed in terms of weapons, shields and armors that were used by the fighters in the course of war. The primary weapons that the Greek army mostly carried were spears while short swords were also kept as secondary weapons of war (11). The use of traitors in a battle against the enemy seems to be the most eminent strategy engaged by leaders even in the ancient Greece. Miltiades who once happened to be a tyrant in Greek states and also a commander of Persian army, joined hands with Athenians after his partition with the King of Persia. He proved to be one of the prominent leaders in the series of Persian wars who played an effective role in motivating the Athenians to drive the Persians out of the state. When faced with the dilemma of attacking the powerful Persian army, the Athenian leaders had different opinions as to risk a fight or not. Some leaders were in favor of fighting the Persians in an open attack while others were reluctant of taking the risk. The thing that was at stake was not only the lives of Athenians, but also more importantly, the emerging democracy that had the ability to free the Greek world from the claws of tyranny. Miltiades, who was strongly against the Persians, incited the commanders to attack the Persian infantry so as to defend the democracy of Athens (Weir 10). Miltiades also persuaded the other Athenian leaders to go in the favor of attack in order to save Athens from the tyrannical rule of the King Darius as in Persia. Persians had to confront the two strongest opponents of all the Greek States viz. Athens and Strata as a consequence of attacking Athens. Darius, the Great

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Sukhoi Superjet Essay Example for Free

The Sukhoi Superjet Essay The Sukhoi Superjet 100 is fly-by-wire regional jet with 75 up to 95 seats[1]. Since the jet industry faces many competitors, it is an important action to design an effective marketing strategy, which includes a SWOT analysis. Strengths: *Equipped with two Saturn/SNECMA PowerJet SaM146 turbofans1 *has   10-15% lower operation costs than its competitors, which areEmbraer E-Jets and   the Bombardier CSeries programs1. This will enable Sukhoi Superjet 100 to sell at a lower price and hence making it more affordable. As a result higher sales, profits and market share occurs. *has a wider cabin and thus offers more comfort1. Not only is it cheaper but also more comfortable, hence establishing a competitive advantage for the Superjet 100. *The Superjet 100 airliner family is being developed based on the principle of maximum standardization of frame assemblies and systems1. This will enable Superjet 100 to perform more economically while keeping expenditures at a rational level. *The aerodynamics and design of the aircraft of the family are based on proven advanced technology to minimize technical risks at the stage of design, testing and operation1. A higher security attracts more satisfied customers, which could lead to positive publicity and thus higher demand and value of its shares. Weaknesses: *Completion of the deal to order 25 Sukhoi Superjet 100 with Dalivia was delayed2. Dalivia could consider to buy from its competitors, hence this would provide Superjet’s 100 competitors with a competitive advantage, sales, profits and market share. Opportunities: *Air France3, Lufthansa4, SAS5, Iberia6, UTair Aviation, MDLR Airlines and Merpati Nusantara Airlines7 are potential customers. *Malev Hungarian Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines System are reported to finalize their orders and an Indonesian airline is reported to be the airliner1. *Alliance Air of India has also showed interest in the Sukhoi Superjet 1008. *Armavia signed a multimillion-dollar agreement to buy four Sukhoi Superjet 100 planes for regional flights1. These orders will offer Superjet 100 to reach more customers, since if passengers feel satisfied; hence it could lead to repeat sales an word-of-mouth advertising, which then creates higher demand, sales and profits; hence airlines will then purchase more of the Sukhoi Superjet 100. Threats: *Its competitors Embraer and Bombardier offer much more comprehensive after-sales and maintenance network9. After-sales service is important for maximizing customer satisfaction and it can also lead to having a competitive advantage. In fact a research showed that 1 dissatisfied customer tells 11 others who then 5 others10, which would worsen the image of the product quickly, and thus lower sales, profits and market share occurs. [1]Sukhoi Superjet 100.[online].http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhoi_Superjet_100, cited as ’19.5.2008’ 2 Airliner World, January 2007 3 [online].http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRNews1/FRNews03/FR030323.htm#RRJ, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 4 Suchoi wants to sell 40 SuperJets-100 and negotiated with Lufthansa.[online]. http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=donett=urlintl=1fr=bf-hometrurl=http%3A%2F%2Fde.rian.ru%2Fbusiness%2F20070517%2F65659192.htmllp=de_enbtnTrUrl=%C3%9Cbersetzen, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 5Scandinavian Airlines seriously mulls Sukhoi RRJ for SAS regional affiliates.[online]. http://www.sukhoi.org/eng/news/company/?id=606, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 6 Sukhoi Chief on RRJ program.[online]. http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2005/russia-050405-rianovosti08.htm, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 7   [online].http://lenta.ru/news/2007/10/24/ssj/, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 8 Paris Air Show: Sukhoi Civil-Alliance Air talks for SuperJet 100 at an advanced stagenews.[online]. http://www.domain-b.com/aero/june/2007/20070622_sukhoi_civil.htm, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 9 Export driven: The Sukhoi Superjet.[online]. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/02/06/211879/export-driven-the-sukhoi-superjet.htm, ‘cited as 19.5.2008’ 10 2005. Stephen Chapman, Cassy Norris, Natalie Devenish, Llian Merritt. Business Studies in Action, chapter 9

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Types of nonverbal Communication

Types of nonverbal Communication Nonverbal Communication The definition of nonverbal communication can be as short or as elaborate and specific as one wants to make it. In general the nonverbal communication describes any and all communication that occurs outside the realm of written or spoken words and is expressed by generation of either intentional or subconscious cues and their recognition. Commonly, nonverbal communication is divided into subcategories describing individual areas that transmit communication cues. These areas, among others, include kinesics, paralanguage, proxemics, haptics, oculesics, and physical appearance. Understanding and effective application of nonverbal communication skills is becoming increasingly important in the modern world. Also, do these nonverbal cues have the same meaning all over the world? Are these nonverbal cues just modified to fit cultural ideals? I will be explaining the different types of nonverbal communication, the importance of them, and how its used throughout different parts of the world. There are different types of nonverbal communication. The first is kinesics which is the study of body language, facial expression, and gestures. Movement is strongly connected to communication style. For example, Knapp Hall notice that movement is related to interaction synchrony, the matching and meshing behaviors that accompany conversations and discussions between two or more people. Matching and meshing usually connote a sense of pleasure with the conversation and can indicate feelings of rapport. Matching can occur through postural congruence and mirroring the persons body language. Also, motor mimicry is a form of matching, such as when a person places her hand on her heart to connote sympathy during another persons sad story. Knapp Hall state that emotional contagion usually occurs in conjunction with mimicry in conversations, meaning that the conversation partners are sharing their feelings and interacting in empathetic ways. Knapp Hall describe two fundamental types of p hysical gestures, those that accompany speech and those that do not. Gestures in general are movements made by the body or some part of it. Speech-independent gestures can include anything from a shake of the head to the finger to wrinkling the nose. These non-verbal gestures often mean different things in different contexts or in different cultures. No gesture is absolutely universal although many are commonly recognized, at least throughout the same cultural context. Some personal examples of speech-independent gestures include the thumbs-up that means everything is good†. For example, in Brazil and in Denmark the American Ok hand sign is a gesture of vulgarity, and in France the same sign signifies zero and in Japan that sign means money. Cultural differences in kinesic behaviors are as significant and complex as cultural differences in verbal language. Factors like attractiveness, appearance, gesture, movement, face, eye, and vocal behaviors differ from place to place. An understanding of cultural differences and basic awareness of those differences when communicating with persons from other cultures can enormously improve cross-cultural relationships and eliminate misunderstandings. Another among these is paralanguage. This is the study of the nonverbal cues of the voice. Various acoustic properties such as tone, pitch, and accent, collectively known as prosody, can all give off nonverbal cues. George L. Trager developed different classifications in paralanguage. The first is voice set, which is the context in which the speaker is speaking. This can include the situation, mood, age and persons culture. Another is voice qualities. These are the volumes of your tone, pitch, tempo, rhythm, and accent. This is very important in getting certain points across in conversation. Vocalization consists of three subsections: characterizers, qualifiers and segregates. Characterizers are emotions expressed while speaking, such as laughing, crying, and yawning. A voice qualifier is the style of delivering a message for example, yelling Hey stop that!, as opposed to whispering Hey stop that. Vocal segregates such as uh-huh notify the speaker that the listener is listening. The se cues define in general the point you are trying to get across in conversations. Study of space as a part of nonverbal communication referred to as proxemics further analyses physical and psychological space between individuals in the interaction. Proxemics could be divided into the elements of territory and personal space. Territory refers to the general area in which the interaction occurs, while personal space is just that a space immediately around a person. One of the most important elements of proxemics is the study of haptics or in more conventional terms, touch. According to various researches, touch â€Å"enhances ones interpersonal involvement, positive affect, social attachment, intimacy, and overall liking†. The persuasive power of touch is further evident in the findings of Patterson et al, stating that people tend to associate positive characteristics with the individual who touched them. That is either speaking in terms of being friendly or intimate. For example, friendliness would be more described with handshakes. A more intimate example w ould be a kiss. But in some cultures, greeting with touch can be disrespectful in some ways. For example, in parts of Africa, trying to shake ones hand with your left is considered disrespectful. For the most part, touch of one another shows comfort and respect in America. Sign language is another aspect of nonverbal communication. The written history of sign language began in the 17th century in Spain. In 1620, Juan Pablo Bonet published Reduccià ³n de las letras y arte para enseà ±ar a hablar a los mudos ‘Reduction of letters and art for teaching mute people to speak in Madrid. It is considered the first modern treatise of Phonetics and Logopedia, setting out a method of oral education for the deaf people by means of the use of manual signs, in form of a manual alphabet to improve the communication of the mute or deaf people. Sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns such as manual communication, body language and lip patterns to convey meaning, simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speakers thoughts. The last aspect of nonverbal communication discussed in this research is physical appearance. Although, in the greater sense, attractiveness describes characteristics that go beyond the physical appearance alone, physically attractive people are perceived as â€Å"more persuasive, successful in changing attitudes, and are perceived to be warmer, more poised, and more socially skilled than less attractive people. According to Peterson and argyle, the way one dresses is also an important element of physical appearance as a source of nonverbal cues, in big part because a person has much more control over his or her clothes, as opposed to the features of the face or the body size. An example of this is the casual business clothing. It is considered distinguishing and positive status. But if you see someone in rags on the streets, you can presume that one is of lower and poorer status. Even though you cant always judge a book by its cover, physical appearance can sometimes depict who som eone is. In addition to the benefits of nonverbal communication, some problems exist as well. As the research suggests, little correlation exists between ones self-rated accuracy of decoding of the nonverbal cues and the actual performance. Some individuals also tend to concentrate more on their strongest areas of nonverbal communication while neglecting the other aspects. As in the example presented by Diane Arthur, the kinesic cues, contradictory to other verbal and nonverbal behavior, significantly undermined the credibility and effectiveness of the presenter. Another problem area within the realm of nonverbal communication is the ambiguity of generated and transmitted cues. Since the appropriate meaning and interpretation of nonverbal cues are highly contextual in nature, the same gestures, facial expressions or posture can and do mean different things in different interaction environment and settings. Often, perceivers tend to venture farther than available context allows and interpret t he signals according to their mental map, or to put it in other word their previous knowledge, experience, stereotypes and others perceptual filters. Problem is further escalated due to the natural tendency of humans to be overly confident of the purely subjective judgments reached according personally-relevant information. This idea develops into yet another obstacle in the interpretation of body language. Differences in cultural backgrounds of those involved in the interaction may interfere with correct decoding the encoded message. Most common cultural differences would probably be in kinesics. For example, a nod in the United States, as well as in many other cultures, signifies understanding or agreement. However, in the Middle East, a single nod represents disagreement or rejection. Similarly, other commonly used gestures or other aspects of nonverbal communication may have completely different meanings in various cultures. With this said, one must realize that the term cultur e does not refer to the various ethnic and geographical groups exclusively. Culture can describe anything from sex to interorganizational culture. Therefore, in order to correctly decode the nonverbal cues one must not only analyze the ones that are relative to the context of what is being communicated, but also to attempt to interpret them in light of the decoders cultural background. The task of understanding nonverbal cues clearly is extremely complex and misunderstandings are common. In conclusion, nonverbal communication is very important in depicting the message you are trying to deliver. The different kinds of communication are effective in so many ways. Some gestures are universal in meaning and some are not. But they do give a message. Without this, verbal language would show no meaning and be dull. Ones gestures and movements do bring life to conversation. Types Of Nonverbal Communication Types Of Nonverbal Communication Non-verbal communication or most commonly known as body language is the unspoken language of the body which is shown through our bodies to show our true intentions and hints of our feelings to the people whom we are conversing with. When we are conversing with others verbally our bodies simultaneously give out and receive signals which are transmitted by our bodies. This signals consists of the gestures we make, how we sit, the intonation and speed of how we talk, the distance we stand when talking and the amount of eye-contact we make while conversing. All this transmits vital non-verbal messages of oneself to another. These non-verbal messages still get across to the people around even when we are silent. The verbal message and body language very frequently contradicts which leaves the listener to choose which one to believe. Usually they will choose the body language. This is the reason why our body language should send a message which is congruent to what we are saying verbally. It is one of the biggest misconceptions to think that what is being said is more important than how it is being said. In reality only 7% of information is sent through words, the remaining 93% of communication is non-verbal. If you fail to read and de-code non-verbal messages, you set yourself up for constant misunderstandings and various communication problems. (Arina Nikitina, 2009) Sometimes the amount of attention we give towards the person who is talking can also be portrayed by our body language. The listener will increase their trust when our body language matches what we are saying but if it doesnt, the listeners will begin to develop tension, mistrust and be confused. In order to enhance what we are saying verbally, we have to be conscious of our body language to prevent sending out a wrong non-verbal message which might misinterpret what we are saying. For example, I had a classmate in secondary school which had problems catching up with his lessons in class. This was because he was suffering from some sort of mental retardation which affects his academic performance. When teacher questions him, he would apologize but the teacher would get even more furious with him and will not accept his apology. At first I thought the teacher was insensitive but then I realized that my classmate was at fault too. This is because he did not apologize in the proper mann er. His arms will be folded and while looking somewhere else he would apologize. In this case, the boy was apologizing but because of his improper body language the message he wanted to send across to the teacher was misinterpreted and the teacher thought that my classmate was being arrogant. In this scenario, the most appropriate way for my classmate to express his apology to the teacher is by looking into the teachers eyes with his arms down and saying sorry with a tone full of remorse. This real life example which happened in front of my eyes clearly demonstrates the importance of body language. This also clearly demonstrates the importance of nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication can play five roles in speech: -Repetition -Contradiction -Substitution -Complementing -Accenting Source: The Importance of Effective Communication, Edward G. Wertheim, Ph.D. The Seven Known Types of Nonverbal Communication Facial expressions Although people come from different parts of the world with different cultures, they all still have the same facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust. These expressions are almost universal. For instance, if one was to attend a wedding ceremony with a sulky face, this clearly shows that he or she is unhappy with the ceremony or simply just had a bad day. Body movements and posture The perceptions of us from others are affected by how we sit, talk, stand or even by shaking or holding their hand. For example, when a person is in an interview with the human resource executive and starts fidgeting with his or her fingers or an object, this clearly sends a body language to the human resource executive showing that the candidate is feeling restless and in secured with his or her given credentials. This will make the human resource executive think twice before hiring this candidate. Gestures Gestures are practically incorporated into our daily lives. Some gestures occur during our subconscious state of thought. However gestures vary from each culture to another. We must heed to the listeners cultural norms to avoid misinterpretation. In some cultures, the gesture of pointing the finger at a person is disrespectful but to another culture is perfectly fine. Eye contact The human eyes can portray someones interest, affection, hostility or attraction towards the opposite sex. Eye contact is also another tool to show clarity of the speaker. Touch An example of touch as a form of nonverbal communication is a handshake. A handshake is used to convey a mutual agreement or when someone meets a new person. Besides that a warm hug is used to convey affection toward the particular person is being hugged. A pat on the back or shoulder is used for encouragement or to acknowledge someones presence. Space The distance the speaker is standing or seating towards the listener can be used to indicate the type of relationship they are having. According to Wikipedia there are four different levels of distance: intimate distance, personal distance, social distance and public distance. Intimate distance is the space for embracing each other, touching and whispering. Whereas, personal distance is the space for interactions among friends and family. On the other hand, social distance is the space for acquaintances or people whom you meet randomly or even mutual friends. The public distance is for public speakers who deliver their message to the masses to convey their thoughts and ideology. For example, politicians and professor who is giving a lecture in front of a huge number of students in an auditorium. Voice Saying something doesnt really make a great impact but instead the way you say something really has the potential to captivate your audiences. For example pauses can be used to show power and superiority. On the other hand, the intonation n rate of speech and enhance the understanding of the listener. For example, if one was to speak really fast I am sure that the listener would only manage to understand the gist of what the speaker was saying. This is the reason one should say what he intends to say by saying it with the proper intonation, pauses and tone to deliver his message clearly to the listener in order for him or her to understand what the speaker is saying. The Common Misconception Some people feel assume that they can fake body language to hide their feelings. This is a total failure; this is because the more a person tries to fake their body language the more obvious it will look completely unnatural. This will definitely portray a sense of insecurity towards the person whom he or she is conversing with. The truth, body language is the bodily reaction towards a feeling felt by the body of a person and its completely natural. This is why one cannot successfully fake his or her body language. What is said by the person runs congruently with the body language of the person. This is another well-known reason behind why nonverbal communication is just as equally important as verbal communication. The Basic Importance of Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication can be used to gain trust from the people whom you converse with. This is because, through the body language projected, one can simply read it and if you are lying or saying the truth. Instead, if you manage to portray a confident body language, this will automatically tell the person whom you are conversing with that you are a trustworthy and honest person telling the truth. When you have gained their trust, the message which you would like to send across would be successful. Businessmen who are well of this are very successful in their courier simply because they have gained the trust of the buyer. Relationships sometimes fail because the partner is able to read the body language of his or her other half. When a person cheats on his or her partner they tend to lack eye contact frequently and appear tense and agitated as in always fidgeting with their hands. But if one wasnt cheating but its simply his or her character to act in such a way then it will send a wrong message across to the partner. This is another importance of the knowledge of nonverbal communication in daily live. Conclusion Nonverbal communication is clearly as important as verbal communication. Basically, if everyone had more knowledge about the importance or simply just the context of nonverbal communication I am sure that the world we live in would be a more understanding and peaceful place to live in. This is the reason why institutions should promote the importance of nonverbal communication to their student to create some sort of awareness among the students and to understand the importance of nonverbal communication.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Ginny’s as a Barren Whore in Jane Smileys A Thousand Acres :: Smiley Thousand Acres Essays

Ginny’s as a Barren Whore in A Thousand Acres Into her womb convey sterility, Dry up in her the organs of increase, And from her derogate body never spring A babe to honor her. (King Lear, I.iv. 285-288) Within the logic of the novel, it is soon established that Ginny understands and feels external reality through her body, and the most important instance of this is her bodily urge to have children. The sight of Rose's daughters, contrasted with her own miscarriages, Ginny says, "affected me like a poison. All my tissues hurt when I saw them, when I saw Rose with them, as if my capillaries were carrying acid into the furthest reaches of my system"(8). The body of any subject, it can be argued, is also a social body, not only a site of signification for the subject her- or himself, but for other people and society in general. In her despair and jealousy after losing Jess to Rose, Ginny expresses the problematic belief that having children somehow is a universal marker of human worth. This view of her own body as a failure both biologically and socially; that her body "had failed to sustain Jess Clark's interest, to sustain a pregnancy"(307), signals that she is still within the confines of a patriarchal system that sees women as property on a line with animals and the earth. The system, of which Larry Cook is the King, is able to criticize a childless woman, especially when she is "old for a breeder"(13). It is no wonder, then, that Ginny goes on trying to have children even after Ty egotistically wants to stop trying because he can't take the disappointment. It becomes a way for Ginny to reclaim control over her body, a secret project through which she can live a second life that is free from social imperatives that ultimately originate with the transcendental signifier, the great "I AM"(211) of Larry Cook. It is telling that her reflections upon her "secret world", full of "secret, passionate wishes" are interrupted by a sudden reminder that her past and present life is dominated by her father's world and her father's wishes (26-27). This secret world and these secret wishes are thwarted, in fact it turns out that they have always been illusions because nitrates in the water have caused her infertility. A Thousand Acres continually makes connections between patriarchy and capitalism, critiquing exploitation of women and nature in industrial farming alike. Ginny’s as a Barren Whore in Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres :: Smiley Thousand Acres Essays Ginny’s as a Barren Whore in A Thousand Acres Into her womb convey sterility, Dry up in her the organs of increase, And from her derogate body never spring A babe to honor her. (King Lear, I.iv. 285-288) Within the logic of the novel, it is soon established that Ginny understands and feels external reality through her body, and the most important instance of this is her bodily urge to have children. The sight of Rose's daughters, contrasted with her own miscarriages, Ginny says, "affected me like a poison. All my tissues hurt when I saw them, when I saw Rose with them, as if my capillaries were carrying acid into the furthest reaches of my system"(8). The body of any subject, it can be argued, is also a social body, not only a site of signification for the subject her- or himself, but for other people and society in general. In her despair and jealousy after losing Jess to Rose, Ginny expresses the problematic belief that having children somehow is a universal marker of human worth. This view of her own body as a failure both biologically and socially; that her body "had failed to sustain Jess Clark's interest, to sustain a pregnancy"(307), signals that she is still within the confines of a patriarchal system that sees women as property on a line with animals and the earth. The system, of which Larry Cook is the King, is able to criticize a childless woman, especially when she is "old for a breeder"(13). It is no wonder, then, that Ginny goes on trying to have children even after Ty egotistically wants to stop trying because he can't take the disappointment. It becomes a way for Ginny to reclaim control over her body, a secret project through which she can live a second life that is free from social imperatives that ultimately originate with the transcendental signifier, the great "I AM"(211) of Larry Cook. It is telling that her reflections upon her "secret world", full of "secret, passionate wishes" are interrupted by a sudden reminder that her past and present life is dominated by her father's world and her father's wishes (26-27). This secret world and these secret wishes are thwarted, in fact it turns out that they have always been illusions because nitrates in the water have caused her infertility. A Thousand Acres continually makes connections between patriarchy and capitalism, critiquing exploitation of women and nature in industrial farming alike.