China

In my opinion theses terms would be ‘national' and ;corporate' culture, along with cross-cultural differences. Even within a culture there are many groupings and levels that are present within each Individuals mental outlook. These include cultural layers such as, national culture, regional culture, gender, generation, social as well as corporate culture. I will touch on these all very briefly In the main body of my essay but concentrate mainly on the national and corporate layers of culture. (www. Tama. Du) National Culture can be described as, † The result from one nation attributing characteristics to another, which can exult In stereotyping and prejudice. National culture needs to take account of differences In the groups and communities which all contribute to national culture. † (www. Pearson. Co. UK) If stereotyping and prejudice are occurring in the workplace this can have many detrimental effects on employees and their motivation or ability to work as part of the organization. Will pay more attention to how this could possibly affect business success later on In the essay.Corporate culture can be described, † The basic assumptions and beliefs held by employees about the organization they work for. (www. USC. Com) Corporate culture will affect the Interaction between diverse groupings within the workplace and like national culture, is very likely to have and effect on how the workforce perform. I am going to start the main body of my essay providing an outline of the concept of national culture and move on to the concepts of corporate culture, before comparing all firms are going to view success in the same way and ways can vary differently from firm to firm.For clarity I will touch on how different firms could view the term ‘being successful' and measuring their own success. I will then look at what those aspects that may be considered as a cross-cultural difference and how these factors are going to impede the organizatio n's success. Finishing with a few basic ideas on how to avoid the problems brought about by cross-cultural differences and how to manage these to become a potentially more successful organization. Finally I am going to conclude on any findings from my research and in a short summary, link those findings back to the essay title.A national culture attributes certain specific characteristics from one nation to another. This can be in the from of stereotyping and grouping all members of a action together in the same way. An example of national culture could be that the British drink far too much and have a tendency to become violent, giving rise to hooliganism especially in the context of football. To tarnish all football fans with this presentment would be incorrect as only a small minority are responsible for causing the trouble.On the other hand corporate culture refers to an individuals own personal views concerning the organization they are working for. These views and ideas are li kely to be brought about from the employees own experiences in the workplace and are robbery going to vary and change over time as they work for the organization. The difference between national and organizational or corporate culture would be that national culture is more associated with the nation as a whole and less about the individuals ideas.Where as corporate culture deals more with the individuals personal outlook on things concerning the work environment. The prejudice that comes with national culture may be forced upon the individual which is not the case for corporate culture, which allows the individual to build up beliefs through their past experiences. (wry. Tama. Du) With globalization becoming a much more common factor to consider for many businesses, this poses the problem of cross-cultural differences as barriers that have to be overcome if the firm is to stand the best chance of being successful.Globalization can have huge benefits for a firm's success if it is car ried out in the right way and attention is paid to details such as cultural differences. However the firm could end up paying heavily if they over look the importance and significance of cross-cultural differences for the employees they are working with. Cross-cultural differences may include such issues as the communication used and ethos of transferring information between cultures and departments, the of solving the same problem, also the area within the organization over which any information is dispersed. Www. Tapping. Com) The problem if communication between cultures is a tough one, as the same gestures is likely to have different meanings in different areas and cultures. A good example of this would be the fact that in Bulgaria shaking your head up and down means no rather the side to side in many other places. Along with gestures, words and phrases can have different meanings which could cause confusion when carrying out business across cultural lines. Also different cultur es make different assumptions when faced with the same situation.In international projects these differences could make or break the outcome from the start if processes and agreements are not clear to both cultural sides. Miscommunication is thought of as the largest cross-cultural barrier that has to be overcome by an organization, to achieve potential success. (www. Tapping. Com) The above problems would be made more aware at the national culture level but it is important not to forget the cross-cultural differences will still be occurring at the organizational or corporate level.These differences are mentioned below. An organization is unlikely to be structured in exactly the same way if set up in more than one country and this is going to affect the way in which day to day tasks are carried out in different places. Such things as distributing power and information throughout departments in the workplace are very varied in different countries. An example of this would be the way in which information is passed through a firm in Germany compared to that of an American firm.The German firm is likely to keep information within set departments and only inform those who need to know. Whereas as an American firm is likely to move information across departments more freely. (www. Tapping. Com) When talking about success in business there can be many interpretations and people will view success differently. Especially in different cultures when looking at the emphasis that is put on financial success it is clear to see it varies greatly. A good example of this would be the different outlooks between the Chinese and American culture.America places business as it's main priority with success being seen as achieving wealth. Economics are put first in the American outlook and the culture is very individual based. This places large emphasis on financial gain as being the measurement success. (www. Venturesome. Com) This differs from the Chinese outlook with China placing emphasis on building relationships and respect is given for wisdom and ability. This is not to say that China view no success in financial gain, as this is the baseline for business activity. (www. Venturesome. Mom) Schneider and Barbour state how, â€Å"each country has its unique institutional and point, only to become liabilities when the environment changes. Managers therefore need to evaluate the extent to which national culture can interfere with their many†¦ † (Mullions '07) This shows that if national culture is nurtured in the correct fashion by management then it can most certainly be advantageous to a business' success. However the flip side to this could be that if nurtured incorrectly projects undertaken are likely to be unsuccessful.It is proving to be a very important issue that has to be looked at and approached with care by managed as in the United States the Department of Labor released statistics showing how between 1985 and 2000 only around 15% of ne w entrants into the workforce in the USA were white males. This obviously shows Just how diverse he workforce is becoming and how much of an important factor culture in the workplace is for management. For all businesses success is determined by reaching corporate goals and objectives.Those goals and objectives are very likely to vary between different organizations and could be anything from breaking into a new market and merely surviving at first, to reaching set profits or targets in their current market. Avoiding the problem of cross-cultural differences can greatly help the organization to achieve success. For this to be done attention to those details mentioned above must be taken (communication etc. The main problem for firms may be confusion in communication methods, by paying fine attention to this any confusion can be reduced.Removing confusion can be done by, clarifying what is expected, removing general details, summarizing information and decisions as well as simplifyin g any language used. (www. Tapping. Com) In summary, when looking at the differences between national and corporate culture, it is easy to see that national culture refers to a much larger and impersonal outlook towards a nation, where as corporate culture is more about the individuals feelings towards their employer based on experience. Cross-cultural differences can include such things as communication and information sharing within an organization and how these are carried out.

Marine pollution

Introduction of man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the marine environment (including estuaries) resulting in such deleterious effects as harm to living resources, hazard to human health, hindrance to marine activities including fishing, impairment of quality for use of sea-water, and reduction of amenities. Marine pollution occurs when harmful, or potentially harmful, effects result from the entry into the ocean of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, noise, or the spread of invasive organisms. Most sources of marine ollution are land based. In the past many substances were recklessly dumped in the ocean and it was assumed that they could be easily absorbed without any damage to the marine environment. Ocean dumping includes such materials as sewage sludge, industrial waste, explosives, and particularly huge quantities of dredge spoils.Marine pollution includes a range of threats including from land-based sources, oil spills, un treated sewage, heavy siltation, eutrophication (nutrient enrichment), Invasive species, persistent organic pollutants (POPS), heavy metals from mine tailings and other sources, cidification, radioactive substances, marine litter, overfishing and destruction of coastal and marine habitats There are three main types of inputs of pollution into the ocean: Direct discharge of waste into the oceans, =>Pollutants enter rivers and the sea directly from urban sewerage and industrial waste discharges, sometimes in the form of hazardous and toxic wastes. ining for copper, gold. etc. , is another source of marine pollution. Most of the pollution is simply soil, which ends up in rivers flowing to the sea. Runoff into the waters due to rain, Surface runoff from farming, as well as urban runoff and runoff from the construction of roads, buildings, ports, channels, and harbours, can carry soil and particles laden with carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and minerals.This nutrient-rich water can cause f leshy algae and phytoplankton to thrive in coastal areas, known as algal blooms, which nave the potential to create hypoxic conditions by using all available oxygen Pollutants that are released from the atmosphere =>Wind blown dust and debris, including plastic bags, are blown seaward from landfills and other areas. >Climate change is raising ocean temperatures and raising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. These rising levels of carbon dioxide are acidifying the oceans.This, in turn, is altering aquatic ecosystems and modifying fish distributions, with impacts on the sustainability of fisheries and the livelihoods of the communities that depend on them Ship's pollution Ships can pollute waterways and oceans in many ways. Oil spills can have devastating effects. While being toxic to marine life, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the components in crude oil, are very difficult to clean p, and last for years in the sediment and marine environment. Major effect- Impairm ent of marine life.Plankton, esp. neuston at highest risk – exposed to water soluble components leaching from oil. In Mangroves – lenticels clogged with oil oxygen level in sediments drops – death. Discharge of cargo residues from bulk carriers can pollute ports, waterways and oceans. In many instances vessels intentionally discharge illegal wastes despite foreign and domestic regulation prohibiting such actions. It has been estimated that container ships lose over 10,000 containers at sea each year (usually during storms).Ships also create noise pollution that disturbs natural wildlife Ballast water taken up at sea and released in port is a major source of unwanted exotic marine life. The invasive freshwater zebra mussels, native to the Black, Caspian and Azov seas, were probably transported to the Great Lakes via ballast water from a transoceanic vessel Invasive species can take over once occupied areas, facilitate the spread of new diseases, introduce new gen etic material, alter underwater seascapes and Jeopardize the ability of native species to obtain food.

A Good Man Is Hard To Find 2

A Good Man Is Hard To Find 2 Essay A Good Man is Hard to Find; In the short story, A Good Man is Hard to Find;, the main character is the grandmother. Flannery OConnor, the author, lets the reader find out who the grandmother is by her conversations and reactions to the other characters in the story. The grandmother is the most important character in the story because she has a main role in the stories principal action. This little old lady is the protagonist in this piece. We learn more about her from her direct conversation with the son, Bailey, her grandchildren, June Star and John Wesley, and the Misfit killer. Through these conversations, we know that she is a lady raised from a traditional background. In the story, her attitude changes more than once to accommodate the surroundings that she is in. With the data provided, we can tell that the grandmother goes from not wanting to go to Florida, to anxious to go, and in the end, I felt as if she went off the deep end. All of the sudden, the only thing she really concentrates on is Jesus and her not being killed. The action in the entire story surrounds and normally begins with something the grandmother has said or done. At the very beginning of the story, she starts off by stating that she does not want to go to Florida. She would rather go to east Tennessee and tried anything she could to change Baileys mind (Page 426). Later in the story, as they began the trip to Florida, the grandmother talked the entire time. She would tell stories of her youth to the grandchildren and lecture them about being more respectful to their native state, and to their parents. Although the grandmother is the protagonist, it is her fault that the trip ended in the devastating way that it did. She, unknowingly, led her entire family to their fate. She is even more responsible for the deaths because of what she brought on the trip with her. If there had been no cat, there would have not been an accident. If the accident would not have happened, the family had an extremely good chance to survive their vacation. There are many things that happen in the story that gives more information about the grandmother. The reader can tell that the woman is paranoid by her conversations at the start of this story. She reads about the Misfit killer and assumes it would be dangerous to travel to Florida with a man like that on the loose. She is also a lonely person because she sneaks her cat, Pitty Sing, along for the ride. The author states that the woman did not want to leave the cat because it would miss her too much or would rub against a burner and asphyxiate itself (Page 427). I believe that the cat was the only thing that showed her love and attention. Her only son, had a family of his own, her grandchildren were older now, and she felt like she was not important to them anymore, and the childrens mother was involved with the baby. By bringing the cat, she felt like she would not be lonely. The reader can also tell that the woman is extremely prejudice. She refers to the black child as a cute little pickaninny; and a nigger. You can also tell a lot about the old woman by what she is wearing. In the car, she wears white gloves, a sailor hat, and a navy blue dress. She states that the prominent clothes are worn so that if anything happens, the people that find her body will know that she was a lady (Page 427). I think she wore this outfit so that she could think she was something she was not. It is clearly seen that in her youth, she lived in prosperity. She had everything from youthfulness to money and to love. One of the most important scenes in the story .

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

Leadership - Assignment Example Dell envisioned a great opportunity in the computing technology and decided to provide customers with computers at affordable prices and efficiently. He started off with a thousand dollars and saw technology as a means of increasing people’s potential. Dell’s vision was to design, manufacture and sell great computers that were affordable to every individual. He wanted to enhance the process of purchasing computers and through his vision he was able to redefine the manner in which personal computers were sold. In 1994, Dell became the youngest Chief Executive Officer of a Fortune 500 company by keeping to his vision and leading his company to great heights (Krivda 22). Alan Sugar was able to build Amstrad, a company that dealt with consumer electronics by establishing authority and giving clear goals and objectives to his employees. Sugar is a commanding leader who indicates the direction that the company should take and does not consult his subordinates on any issue concerning the company’s dealings. While at the age of twenty one, Alan Sugar saw various opportunities in the electronics’ business (Sugar 3). He grew up in an impoverished part of Britain and envisioned being rich, thus focusing on a successful path by taking the lead role and focusing the company in the direction that he wanted. His vision also encompasses the value of customers as he notes that the customers are always right and therefore, seeks to provide quality products and services. He directs his employees in a way that will ensure profitability for his business as he seeks to reward the employees that meet their goals and punishes those that do not. He steers t he business to success by asserting authority on the employees and setting goals that the employee must meet. Sugar’s vision is not limited to a certain business field as he also likes to diversify by starting

The United States Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The United States Civil War - Essay Example Cultural and social historians felt that it was due to the differences between the civilizations and values. While revisionist historians believed that the issue was slavery.1 Historians do agree that the North wanted to embrace modernity thereby ending slavery while the South efforts were to preserve slavery and its agrarian way of life. Davis, the first president of the Confederate States and Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States; the Union emphasizing strict compliance to the United States Constitution and support for the Union; the Democratic Party was divided into two parties, one representing the North and the other representing the South. Both believing that slavery ought to continue, however, the North thought the federal government had the right to prohibit slavery in territories. Although the Republican Party was anti-slavery, they did not advocate putting an end to slavery but wanted to prevent its expansion into territories that had not yet become states. And the Southern states seceded from the Union and established the Confederate of America when the federal government prohibited the expansion of slavery.2 In the midst of such chaos, why did the South lose the United States Civil War Ned Harrison, a writer in Greensboro, North Carolina, who specializes in military history, thinks the fundamental economic superiority of the North; a basic lack of a military strategy in the way the South fought the war; the Southerners unskilled performance in foreign affairs; the South's lack of a dominating civilian leader; the Confederate Constitution's over-emphasis on individuals' and states' rights and failure to stress the responsibilities of the individual or the state to the federal government and Abraham Lincoln were the reasons why the South lost the Civil war.3 Abraham Lincoln's role as president of the United States during the Civil War was that of a conservative revolutionary. His goal was to conserve the Union as the revolutionary heritage of the founding fathers. Lincoln, a strategist and war leader, was responsible for the Union victory. Lincoln, a superb leadership as president, commander-in-chief and head of the Republican Party, knew and understood the meaning of freedom, the limits of government power and individual liberty in time of crisis and the problems of wartime leadership. Determined, he liberated four million slaves, and overthrew the social and political order of the South.4 James M. McPerson, professor of history at Princeton University, including the Pulitzer Prize-winner of Battle Cry of Freedom, says the Union's extraordinary leadership was the reason why the South lost the Civil War. As the war progressed, Northern military leadership developed a rational strategy for victory which destroyed the Confederate armies and their resource of slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation. The Union's military strategies on the battlefield completely demolished the Confederacy's ability to wage war. And the combined strategic leadership at the political level with Lincoln and the military level with Ulysses Grant, William Sherman, and Philip H. Sheridan resulted in Northern victory. William C. Davis, former editor of Civil War Times Illustrated and author A Government of Our Own: The Making of the Confederacy, says the South lost because

The Art of Storytelling from Chopin to Barth Essay

The Art of Storytelling from Chopin to Barth - Essay Example In these loosely connected fourteen stories that form the collection, Barth explores the predicament of man's stark and almost bare reality, and a sense of being under constant observation perforates the work. Barth experiments with different styles in this work, being contemporary and realistic in a few of the early stories, whereas adopting a more innovative and fantastical approach towards the later half. Through this paper I want to establish the fact that the literature of a period reflects the social, economic, cultural and literary trends of that age. The narrative, structure, language, portrayal of characters, themes and literary styles all represent the relation of the individual with the society that has conditioned him. The portrait of twenty-eight-year-old Edna Pontellier in The Awakening is a milestone in American fiction, which depicts a woman in search of her own identity. Even in the perception of her husband, Mr. Pontellier, Edna is not a quintessential "mother-woman" (p. 8) naturally given to strong maternal instincts and selfless nurturing. In this quest she turns away from convention and society, and rather takes a turn towards the primal, irresistibly attracted to nature and the senses. "A certain light was beginning to dawn dimly within her,-the light which, showing the way, forbids it." (p. 13) For me, The Awakening vividly depicts the socio-cultural transition that marked the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century-a transition from Victorian outlook to the seminal steps towards modernism as reflected few decades later in the works of Virginia Woolf and James Joyce. It depicts a period in history when women were regarded as the property of their spouses and mostly taken for granted. Lost in the Funhouse for me also typifies certain assumptions of the age it was written in. Post-modernist fiction has a predominant theme of self-consciousness which I feel this work reflects in immense measures. Moreover, the contemporary theoretical problems of fiction writing, that Barth was preoccupied with during the 1960s is strongly embedded in the text. A sense of loss, of frustration also comes across through the stories which the age was preoccupied with. The Awakening traces predominantly an inward journey of self. Edna Pontellier, the protagonist of the novel, is the wife of a successful New Orleans businessman. On the exterior she reflects happy domesticity-a mother of two children with a husband who provides adequately for the family. Her husband is no villain as is clear by the following lines: "And the ladiesall declared that Mr. Pontellier was the best husband in the world. Mrs Pontellier was forced to admit that she knew none better." (p.7) She is more or less content with this state of existence till she vacations with her family at a seaside resort in Louisiana where she spends much of her time with Robert Lebrun, a romantic young man. This interaction sparks or rather awakens a new side of her personality which had since been dormant. She starts thinking about herself as an individual rather than being defined by the roles she plays in the society. Soon, after many intimate

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY - Essay Example ntroversies emerging between European states, Britain decisively worked on expansion of its international authority, adhering to the policy of splendid isolation at the same time. However, since the turn of the twentieth century, when other states began building up their military might, the situation had undergone certain changes, and the World War I became a dramatic turning point in the world’s history. As the war ended with the victory of the allies, Russia, Britain and France, the world was left shocked and devastated to certain extent: empires like Austro-Hungarian and German were defeated and eventually seized top exist, and economies of many countries were seriously impaired. As the war led to increase in independence of dominions and rise of nationalist movements in colonies, the British Empire, through one of the victorious states, got its might undermined; moreover, its economy had also suffered certain damage caused by the war. Therefore, it could be assumed that Br itain was still rather powerful in the interwar period, yet its capacities and authority were considerably harmed by the effects of the war. In the current paper, the major aspects of interwar period will be considered in order to confirm our statement. After the war changed the world order, Britain – as many other states – sought to recover from the devastating outcomes of it and restore destabilized economies. Due to the shift in power balance, Japan and the United States grew as influential naval powers threatening Britain’s interests, which became the reason for reconsideration of Britain’s imperial policy (Goldstein, 2002, p.40). â€Å"Britain saw the greatest threats to her interests as coming from the Far East as a result of aggressive Japanese commercial expansion† (International Relations and Colonial Defence in West Africa in the Interwar Years, 2002, p.15). Reluctant to restore the alliance with Japan, Great Britain signed an agreement with the United States in 1922

Managinh across cultures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managinh across cultures - Essay Example Corporations are currently enjoying the benefits of globalisation. Companies now have a large consumer base and a wide supply of labour. However, globalisation has resulted in a series of new challenges. Cultural conflict is one of the major challenges facing managers today. The issue of culture is a relatively modern problem arising from the rapid globalisation of societies. Therefore, managers are required to adopt effective cross cultural management style so as to reduce cultural conflicts and enhance business success. Cross cultural management is detrimental to the success of a business. As a management style, this new method enables managers to develop innovative means of handling intercultural communication. Moreover, cross cultural management enables companies to enhance their capacity to establish, develop and maintain their businesses in the constantly changing business environment (Velo 2011:3). Companies that effectively utilise cross cultural management enhance their position to profit in the business field. The complexity and challenges resulting from globalisation, managers need to comprehend how to work with other people and organisations around the world. Cultural competence is detrimental to the success of the business in the globalised world. There are various definitions of culture. Sigmund Feud defined culture as â€Å"The construction that hides the pulsional and libido-oriented reality governing a society (Velo 2011:3).† Herder defined culture as a way of being that members of a nation identify with. Kardurer contributed to the description by stating that â€Å"Culture is the psycho-characteristic configuration of the basis of personality (Velo 2013:3).† Hofstede’s definition of culture states that â€Å"Culture involves the mental programming of the human spirit that prohibits distinguishing of members of one category in comparison with members of another category† (Velo

Compare and contrast of two artworks (art history) Essay

Compare and contrast of two artworks (art history) - Essay Example The general term ‘artwork’ is used in comparing and contrasting since Durer’s work is an engraving and not a painting like Titian’s. Durer, in his depiction of Adam and Eve, is meticulous with balance and proportion in such a way that Adam is almost like Eve’s female counterpart. Both characters have curly hair, and both are nude with covered private parts. Durer’s engraving gives the magical illusion that the characters are somewhat standing out from its dark background (Silver and Smith 49). His work is like a three dimensional image. He uses ink as a medium to darken the background (Silver and Smith 49). His style is what is known as Northern Renaissance in European Art. Like Durer, Titian likes to portray subjects in nude or semi-nude. By contrast, Titian’s Concert Champà ªtre painting is oil on canvas. His love for nature is shown by his vibrant display of the natural colors of an outdoor environment, as opposed to black and white. In effect, his style is more realistic, especially the women’s bodies whose skin texture is quite realistic. His style is considered Italian High Renaissance, Venetian School. The similarities involved are their fondness for the outdoors and how their subjects seem to be interacting with each other in harmony. Also, each of the human subject’s hand is busy holding something. Concert Champà ªtre involves musical instruments, while Adam and Eve shows the biblical ‘forbidden fruit.’ During this time, central Europe had been the ‘seat of religious upheaval,’ which might have played a role in the artist’s choice for a subject. At first glance, there are no traces of writing in Titian’s artwork compared to Durer’s branding, which translates to â€Å"Albrecht Durer of Nuremberg† (Johnson 124). In Concert Champà ªtre, the man carrying a lute and wearing silk looks out of place (Graham-Dixon 251).

Patterns of Dominance Essay Example for Free

Patterns of Dominance Essay The Jews have experienced a number of atrocities in their history. Yet, they are still bound together by their Jewish identity. Although religion plays a crucial role in the lives of Jews, they are best characterized as an ethnic group facing discrimination in a lot of ways in different places. The most extreme form of anti-Semitism had been the expulsion of the Jews from various countries such as England, Spain and Portugal in previous centuries; as well as the execution of the Jews in Germany, more commonly known as the Holocaust. Although religion plays a very important role in the lives and the culture of Jews, they can still be collectively looked at as an ethnic group experiencing discrimination and outright hatred all over the world. Because For one, they still strongly adhere to a common ancestry and lineage. Jews have also managed to protect their collective identity through the years. Other religions embrace a multiplicity of ethnicity and race while the religion of Jews seems to be an extension of their ethnicity. Converts tend to be embraced by the Jewish and integrated into their ethnicity. Patterns of anti-Semitism have changed over time. Gone are the days when governments would enable rules and legislations expressly banning Jews certain rights and privileges in society. Yet, covert discrimination is still felt by Jews, especially in Europe where graffiti and verbal attacks against them proliferate. These forms of â€Å"unofficial† discrimination are more difficult to deal with than the kind which is officially sanctioned by governments (Morris, 2001). Jewish Identity in the United States In the United States, Jews have relatively more freedom as a group of people than in New York. This perception led them to migrate in waves from European countries to the United States since the early nineteenth century. Ironically, there is roughly the same number of Jews in the United States and in Israel. While the Jews represent 80 percent of the population of Israel, in the United States, they only hold two percent of the total population. In addition to this, American society is greatly diverse and Jews have a tendency to be subsumed in the mainstream culture. The American society has welcomed Jews but they are not very interested with their heritage (Langman, 1999). Due in part to the secular nature of American society, more and more Jews are de-emphasizing their Jewish roots and heritage. The American society is also highly individualistic in contrast to the emphasis of Jews on the importance of community and family. As Jews are assimilated more and more by the American society, they tend to rely less on their Jewish tradition and identity. There is less observance of religious activities and less loyalty to the concept of Jewish identity. This is further confounded by an attitude of pluralism and multiculturalism in the United States. Because of these processes, the importance of family in Jewish life cannot be underestimated. As the larger society seeks to integrate and assimilate the Jewish identity, the family remains the bastion of ethnicity socializing young Jews into their identity and enables them to look at who they are and what make them unique as Jews. As they grow up, traditions and Jewish practices are drilled into young Jews so that they understand who they are in the context of a multicultural and highly pluralistic American society. If such influence of the family weakens, then the Jewish identity also weakens. Women’s Position and Oppressed Racial and Ethnic Groups Women have been one of the oppressed and marginalized groups through history. Only recently have they been granted suffrage and equal footing with men in terms of opportunities and privileges in the society. Their situation is different from other marginalized groups in society because women oppression transcends cultures and societies all over the world. In a number of cultures and societies all over the world, women have been considered as second class citizens who cannot enjoy the same level of privileges and rights as men. These rights included access to education, freedom to choose their own lifestyle and directions in life. In addition to these, they have been subject to oppression and assault including sexual harassment and rape, pornography, illicit sex trade, and physical abuse. Women’s experience is different from racial and ethnic minorities because they are oppressed for something that is fundamental to their identity and their sex. In earlier times, they have been considered as the property of men. This experience is similar to the Black slaves who did not have rights in the American society. They were sold and treated like machinery. African Americans have been granted emancipation and their rights as citizens of the United States. Women have been granted suffrage at a later time. Women’s rights is a worldwide phenomenon and most governments have recognized the need to grant women equal rights with men. The difference with ethnic oppression is that they are confined to individual countries. Both of these oppressed minorities, however, still suffer from covert racism brought about by the social systems that favor one group over another. Women’s Rights Movements in the Twentieth Century In the twentieth century, women in the English speaking world have become more active in fighting for equal rights. From issues of suffrage and equal opportunities for work, the women’s rights movement or feminist movement has come to embrace added issues that affect the situation of women in society. Such issues include access to employment opportunities, promotion at work and access to various services at work to accommodate their situation. The issue of abortion and the choice of women in keeping their babies or not is another hotly debated issue in women’s civil rights in the twenty first century. Women’s situation at work is different from men because women go through different life stages and processes that may appear to disrupt their work. They get pregnant and have to file maternity leaves. After that, they also have to nurse their babies and make sure that they grow up. Because of this reason and other systems of overt and covert discrimination, men tend to be promoted to higher positions more than women. In the United States, more women tend to work and this has also affected the American family. For one, women have to look after their work as much as men, yet they also have to be mothers and look after the babies as they grow up. With increasing work demands, it becomes more difficult for women to balance their time with their families. In addition to this, highly driven women may even put their career over their family. Such attitude clashes with the traditional view that women should be at home looking after the kids and how they grow up. In the long run, if the husband will become dissatisfied, then divorce and separation may ensue. Stereotyping of the Aged, People with Disabilities and Gays and Lesbians The tendency for the dominant group in the society is to stereotype marginalized groups in the society. Age people tend to be seen as weak and bordering on being obsolete and anachronistic. This is because they lack the usual energy and technological savvy of younger workers. As a result of this stereotype, they are being replaced by younger employees. People with disabilities on the other hand, tend to generate sympathy but at the same time discrimination. Through the special treatment that shown to them, they are in effect being told that they cannot do the activities and the things that people without disabilities could do. Gays and lesbians, on the other hand, tend to be seen from the dominant moral code in the society. As such, they are judged too often as immoral persons in the society and should therefore be despised. When people despise them, their good side is often disregarded completely. To combat unfair practices at work and in the society, the aged, people with disabilities and gays and lesbians should be mobilized so that they can protect their rights. Of these groups, however, gays and lesbians tend to be the most empowered because they are relatively braver in banding together and fighting for their rights. The aged and the persons with disabilities tend to be silent about their experiences. As such, they cannot effectively fight for their rights. Furthermore, gays and lesbians tend to be more educated in regards to their rights so they have better leverage than the aged and the persons with disabilities in fighting for their rights. The dominant group in the society can make it harder for these people to band together so that they can effectively fight for their rights.

Does Prison Work For Offenders?

Does Prison Work For Offenders? Introduction Prisons, most commonly known as correctional institutions, have been an integral part of Criminal Justice System along with Police and the Courts (Griffiths, 2007: 3). Even though prisons and sentencing varies from country to country, they all operate in same manner i.e. to sentence criminals and prevent further damage to the society. Offenders are usually sent to a prison when a legal penalty is imposed on them. Prison is considered to be as the last resort. In past few decades, prisons have been a controversial topic. Recent trends have shown disapproval of prison system by public (Griffiths, 2007: 64). There has been lots of debate on whether prisons are effective or whether they are ineffective in making criminals law-abiding citizens. This essay opens with a discourse of what prisons are in general, looks at analysis and evaluation made by scholars, criminologists, and sociologists on potency of prisons in Canada as well as provides insights into possible reforms to enhance pris ons effectiveness. According to Christianson (2002: 1168), A prison is any institution or device that holds a captive in custody. Prisons have been in existence since ancient times. They didnt serve as a form of punishment back then but rather were just used to hold individuals until they receive their punishment which included beheading, death penalty and public shaming. Crime and punishment are both public acts. Ancient punishments were cruel and harsh but today punishment is used as a form to make all offenders or criminals law-abiding citizens including prisoners. In modern prisons, criminals are deprived of their freedom and they must follow all the protocols, rules and regulations set by the correctional institutions. Jails and closed structures are also considered as part of prison but they just hold individuals for a day or two while they await their trail (ibid: 1168). Slavery was another form of imprisonment where a slave must abide by his/her master (ibid: 1168).International Prisoner Trade and Convict Transportation during seventeenth century which was selling criminals to America, Australia as slaves marked criticism, which leads to enlightenment along with American Revolution and finally put a stop on International Prisoner Trade in eighteenth century (ibid: 1169). Jails, what we call prison today, were first modern structure ever built in Colonial America (ibid: 1169) and early eighteenth century marked modern foundation of prisons. Contemporary institutions came into existence in nineteenth century. They first originated in United States of America (Goff, 2004: 278). Prisons hold convicted offenders who have been sanctioned to be there by the judges. In Canada, there are two levels of prisons Federal Level and Provincial/Territorial Level. People serving two years or less go to provincial or territorial prisons whereas inmates serving more then two years go to federal prisons (Griffiths, 2007: 294-297). Correctional System in various countries operates in same manner but the incarceration rate between all countries is very dissimilar. According to Statistics Canada (Internet), about 158,000 people were serving some sort of sentence in 2008 in Canada compared to other countries which is comparatively low. Canada holds 116 per 100,000 populations compared 702 of United States of America (Griffiths, 2007: 289). Compared to size of country and rate of incarceration, why is the prison population going up despite the best effort made to rehabilitate offenders? Does prison work? Is correctional system effective? Prisons have gone fundamental changes since they first came into existence. Punishment has become very essential for law thats broken. People are always given some sort of punishment if they break any law. There have been lots of issues with prison recently. Criminologists, Sociologists and various scholars have debated both on success and failures of prison. Lots of scholars argue that prisons doesnt rehabilitate offenders, it rather makes them bad. Other scholars argue that prisons are really effective and they are an essential component of criminal justice system along with society and helps in improving all those who have committed crimes. This paper is going to discuss which opinion is more valid and true. Canadian Correctional System Canadas prison system first originated in early 1800s. Kingston Penitentiary was first prison ever to open in Canada. Canadas prison has vastly grown since then. Today Canada has about 215 facilities all over Canada ranging from federal prisons to provincial/territorial prison (Goff, 2004: 259). Correctional System plays a significant role in keeping the community safe. There are three general models laid out the foundations of Canadian Correctional System: The Custodial Model, The Rehabilitation Model, and The Reintegration/Risk Reduction Model (ibid: 265-266). All the models emphasize on prisoners incarceration for purpose of deterrence, ideal treatment of all offenders and reintegration into the society. According to Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics Profile Series, there are few very common and general themes among the population in custody. Most of the prisoners are either black or aboriginal and are substance addict. Most of them are men and many of them suffer some sort o f psychological disablement (Griffiths, 2007: 292-293). People who have committed property offences, addicted to drug/alcohol, failed to pay a fine go to provincial/territorial prison whereas people convicted of serious offences such as murder go to federal prisons. There are various security levels of prison in Canada including maximum security, medium security and minimum security (Goff, 2004: 267). Factors such as severeness of offence, level of danger to society, prior criminal record, substance abuse, and psychological impairdness determines level of security and type of prison an offender is going to (Mathews, 2003). Regardless of best efforts made by Correctional institutions to reform the prisoners, there has been constant debate both in favour and effectiveness of prison. Next part of this paper will discuss arguments and counter-arguments regarding success of prisons. Prison Does Work Based on research done by many authors, scholars, criminologists, sociologists, various survey agencies, some evidence has been presented on success of prisons. They argue that prisons are effective. According to Goodman (2006), who was former diocesan director of education as well as former chair of Independent Monitoring Board, prisons are effective and help prisoners changing from criminals to law-abiding citizens. Public can play a big role in make their life better. Prisons offer very special courses such as anger management courses to rehabilitate them. Intensive courses are also offered to help prisoners overcoming their drug problems. According to the Economic Theory of Crime, developed by Becker, offenders are different and each of them offends due to different reasons. Theory has been tested in various countries and has indeed provided positive results. Punishment does exercise substantial influence on conduct. (Saunders et al, 2002-03: 4). Prison well wishers also argue th at the courses that are being provided to the inmates have changed their thinking from criminal side to a law-abiding citizen. These courses include educational and treatment programs, adult basic education, skills development program which helps in shaping their behaviour. Rehabilitation programs have been really effective as they focus on targeting specific problem areas. Rehabilitation programs include pro-criminal attitudes, problem solving deficit, creating educational and employment opportunities (Ore et al, 2003: 62). Prisons are effective as they rehabilitate prisoners along with deterrence. Also it has been suggested that police arrest rather than reported crime to police should be used in minimizing bias in comparative studies across countries regarding success of prisons (ibid: 62). In addition, what varies from country to country is which crimes are considered for incarceration. Saunders and Billante further defended this point by arguing that prisons deterrence effect d oes reduce crime. Co-relation between crimes rates and incarceration doesnt prelude success of prisons (Saunders et al, 2002-03: 8). For example, in Canada, criminal law is same throughout the country but dispensed differently on provincial levels. Charles Murray mentioned in his work that prisons do work and are effective. He used USA as an example and described how high incarceration rates in USA led to low crimes between 1980s and 1990s (ibid: 5). He further added that even if crime is low, incarceration must be kept high and prison can definitely put halt on crime, thats the main reason why crime rates in United Kingdom were up the roof. Dulilio further expanded Murrays point by saying that prison is an answer to question of how to deter crime (ibid: 5). Crimes in Australia and New Zealand have escalated because of an ease on imprisonment. The New Generation correctional facilities have been praiseworthy. They have dramatically reduced the escapes and violent acts in prison. The direct supervision model has also been considered really valuable. There are six different objectives attached to it along with seven behavioural dimensions that supervise the inmates in pods (Goff, 2004: 268-269). Other custody options or alternatives to imprisonment have had mixed reviews. No accurate numbers have been released whether they have been considered to be far more successful than incarceration, especially treatment approaches and community-based programs (Griffiths, 2007: 278-279). Restorative justices have high review rates. According to Goff (2004: 345), Restorative Justice refers to activities within the criminal justice system that are directed at repairing the injury to the victim and the community. Its one of the central features in Canadian criminal justice (Griffiths, 2007: 272). Believers of our system hold the fact that sanction must be proportionate to the crime. Its different from Utilitarian Goals and Retributive Goals (ibid: 237). Offender must realize what he/she has done and how he/she has disturbed society as whole and should apologize to the victim for his/her actions. One of the main goals of this type of sanction is to avoid the offender from going thorough the criminal justice process and then be sent to prison. Circumstances, intentions and motives of offender are always taken into consideration. This type is totally based on restitution. According to Zehr (1990) this process rebuilds relationships and restores peace. Prisons Dont Work Counter-argument for potency of prisons is failure of prisons, that is, prisons dont work. Criminologists have argued that a prison doesnt alter criminal behaviour and theres a very high likelihood that inmates will re-offend once they finish their term and leave prison. People have encountered brutality and unfairness in prisons. According to Frank, Beirie and Mackenzie (2010: 93) prisons dont alter criminal behaviour, but they rather often promote criminality. They are generally delegitimizing. Prisons are considered schools of crime. Emotions play crucial role in phase of incarceration. Some researchers have indicated that criminals dont cope well in prisons whereas critics have argued prisons do cope criminals (Frank et al, 2010: 93). According to research conducted by Hurd (2005: 26-27), prisons dont work at all. Increase in imprisonment doesnt reduce crime. He used England and Wales as an example. Number of prisoners increased from 44,000 to 60,000 from 1986 to 1997, but no red uction in crime was recorded. Offenders were being numbered up into jails but crime was still going up. Other scholars have argued the same thing. Sinead Hanks have argued the same point. The author used England and Wales as an example. In February 2008, there were about 82,000 people in prison, highest ever in the country. But crimes were still up as more than half of offenders were reoffending within two years after being released from prison (Hurd, 2005: 26-27). Many prisoners have indicated that they have learned more on how to commit crimes during their imprisonment. Hanks (2008: 95-96) argued that prison has been considered as dumping ground, that is, people who have mental health issues, drug addiction problems, are homeless and illiterate are offenders. The author also argued that since imprisonment rates have gone up, overcrowding is a big concern in prisons. This problem further leads to problem of less rehabilitation and higher reconviction rates. The cycle perpetuates it self. It was also discussed that its really expensive to keep the offenders in prison and more than half of the offenders are back within two years or so, thus putting extra burden on the budget (Hanks, 2008: 95-96). Penal Policy is an important weapon in fighting crime. Article written by Mathews (2003), former inmate, suggests that maximum security prison doesnt rehabilitate prisoners, it rather makes them worse. He further added that inmates spend twenty hours a day in their cell in total isolation and its hard for them to function properly in society after spending that amount of time in total isolation, without any human contact. Most prisoners have developed some sort of psychological illness and those who had it before, their situation is even worse. Prisoners are abused most of the time. Criminologists argue that this type of incarceration is inflicting punishment rather then rehabilitating those individuals. Individuals also face administrative separatism (Mathews, 2003: 41 ). This article has received a lot of attention from various scholars, researchers, criminologists, sociologists and more research is being done on maximum security aspect of prison. Some of them even say it that its totally inhumane and degrading. Roger Matthews, Professor at London South Bank University, mentioned that looking at recidivism figures, it certainly looks like that prison isnt totally effective. Instead of rehabilitating prisoners, it adds up to governments budget (Matthews, 2005). People learn more about crime in prisons. Studies have revealed that prison time can help offenders in enhancing their criminal skills, described as prisonization effect (Tremblay, 2009). Other research studies have revealed that incarceration is not meeting up the expectations. According Griffiths (2007: 279-280), incarceration is not an effectual restraint but being caught and punished is a deterrent. It has also been argued that people who have spent more time in prison feel more comfortable in prison rather then being out in community. Longer prisons are totally ineffective because sometimes low- risk offenders are exposed to high-risk offenders, and likelihood of learning other ways to commit crimes is very high. Further studies have revealed that even most offenders prefer probation over incarceration. Studies further revealed that prisons dont always carry out through its provisions and some of them have even failed to meet their performance targets (The Economist, 2003). There are bunch of other challenges faced by prisons. Prison Violence is still prevalent. It can be between inmates or between inmates and staff members (Goff, 2004: 275). No body knows what happens inside the walls but official data disclosed that prison violence has gone up since 1989-90. Prison suicide is another challenge faced by correction facilities. No particular details are available why prisoners commit suicide but it has been said that mostly white males commit suicide in prison (ibid: 275-276). Rising cost of prisons is viewed as another trend in institutional corrections (Griffiths, 2007: 323). As per the statistics, in 2003-04, average cost of inmate housing was approximately $ 87,000 in federal prisons, and approximately $ 51,000 for provincial/territorial prisons. This further raises question on effectiveness and rehabilitation of prisoners (ibid: 324). Overcrowding is another issue and has been considered as a leading cause of violence. In federal prisons, about 25 p ercent of inmates share their room with another inmate (ibid: 324). Over-representation of black and aboriginal people has definitely raised concerns. It has been said that criminal justice system is biased against them and systematic discrimination against aboriginals prevails (ibid: 292-293). Comparison/Conclusion Effectiveness of prisons is a hot debate topic but its not easy to say whether prisons are effective or not. Studies have definitely revealed that high incarceration have lead to low crimes in countries like Australia, England, New Zealand and United states but at the same time critics have argued that high incarceration rate have inflicted upon high crime rates in England and United States. It has also been argued that abuse of power by prison staff is degrading and inhumane and makes them even less collectible, that is, they dont use their authority legitimately but at the same point it has been argued that their legitimate authority have promoted people to follow the rules and be of good behavior. Media has also affected our thinking as prisons are predominantly represented as bad place. Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides limited rights to prisoners but their rights are being violated (Goff, 2004: 276-277). Overcrowding of prisons and high costs have forced government to impl ement reforms. Provincial/territorial governments have debated earlier about privatization of prisons as private companies can provide better and cost effective service. This can definitely take off some burden from the budget but at the same time private companies try to maximize their profits by using less staff and paying them low wages (Klassen, 2009). Restorative justice has proven to be successful in recidivism and restitution (Klassen, 2009). Restorative system saves an offender from further damage and helps him/her in reintegration into society. Incarceration rate and its success is a topic that will never have a proper ending. Every time arguments have been presented regarding success of prison, they have been criticized using counter-arguments and more evidence is presented focusing on failure of correctional systems. Appropriate reforms should be implemented to make prisons more effective. Social programs should be provided, both inside and outside of prison, to strengthe n public safety. Penal Crisis and Justice System reforms should be addressed and modified as per the needs. Theres no need of new prisons, or to rise up incarceration rates. Democratic values of any given country are reflected through prisons and therefore, prisons continue to be an integral part of our justice system and society. Careful analysis needs to be done to evaluate the effectiveness of prisons as presentation of incorrect information can be misleading to the society and public.

Tale Of Two Cities :: essays research papers

Noble or Suicidal People often give up their life to save another as an act of courage or valiancy. In the novel Tale of Two Cities, Sidney Carton’s death saved Charles Darnay. However, when Carton gave his life it was not a noble act nor did he die merely to save Darnay. Carton committed suicide to immortalize himself in the eyes of Lucie Manette, Charles Darnay’s wife and Sidney Carton’s obsession. The fact that this event saved Charles Darnay’s life was just a fortunate coincidence. Ever since Carton was first introduced in the novel the author established that he was a drunk and a failure. Mr. Striver pointed out to Sidney Carton that his alcohol problem was interfering with his success as a lawyer. One time while with Lucie, Sidney Carton said that he would give his life to make her happy. He was dedicated to Lucie even though he could not have her for his wife. The main reason Carton committed suicide was because his life was going nowhere. In fact, if his life was moving in any direction it was down. He was a sad excuse for a lawyer. Lucie was married and had a child. The woman he loved pitied him. Yet Carton had a pathetic need to be around Lucie. For example, he swore that he would come visit Lucie and her kids frequently. The major reasons for Sidney Carton’s death revolved around Lucie Manette. Chances are Sidney would have given up alcohol if he could have married Lucie. He most likely would have become a prosperous lawyer if he needed to support a family. Carton would not have been the â€Å"jackal† anymore, as described by his law partner Mr. Striver. One might think that if Carton cleaned up his act he could have convinced Lucie to be his wife. The opinion Lucie had towards Carton may have been different if he was a successful lawyer and not an alcoholic. The reader is unaware if Carton was ever a successful lawyer. The novel starts off too late in Sidney Carton’s life to determine if his alcoholism was caused by the rejection of Lucie.

Epic of Beowulf Essay - Lindisfarne and Christian Influences in Beowulf :: Epic of Beowulf Essay

Lindisfarne and Christian Influences in Beowulf      Ã‚  Ã‚   The Beowulf manuscript, written around the year 1000 and containing approximately 70 Christian references/allusions, could owe part of its Christianization to the Catholic bishops, priests, monks and laity who made The Lindisfarne Gospels a reality about 300 years prior.    â€Å". . . the poem is the product of a great age, the age of Bede, an age which knew artistic achievements of the kind buried at Sutton Hoo, an age in which art and learning were united to produce great gospel books like the Lindisfarne Gospels, now in the British Museum,   . . . (Stanley 3). The Lindisfarne Gospels was written and artistically decorated about the year 700. About the middle of the tenth century a Catholic priest named Aldred, after translating The Lindisfarne Gospels from Latin into Anglo-Saxon, wrote on the last leaf of the manuscript a colophon naming the four Catholic religious responsible for making The Lindisfarne Gospels:    Eadfrith, Bishop of the Lindisfarne Church, originally wrote this book, for God and for Saint Cuthbert and – jointly – for all the saints whose relics are in the Island. And Ethelwald, Bishop of the Lindisfarne islanders, impressed it on the outside and adorned it with gold and with gems and also with gilded-over silver – pure metal. And Aldred, unworthy and most miserable priest, glossed it in English between the lines with the help of God and Saint Cuthbert†¦.(Backhouse 7).    Janet Backhouse in her book The Lindisfarne Gospels, says that these gospels were made in north-east England â€Å"less than a century after the introduction there of Christianity† (Backhouse 7). This statement is quesstionable. Consider that the conversion of Britain to Christianity began quite early. The Catholic priest Venerable Bede, born in Bernicia, Northumbria, around 673, states in Bk 1, Ch 4 of his Ecclesiastical History of the English People that while Eleutherius was Bishop of Rome (175-189AD), a king of Britain named Lucius requested of the Pope that the king be baptized a Catholic by papal decree:    In the year of our Lord 156 Marcus Antoninus Verus was made emperor together with his brother Aurelius Commodus. He was the fourteenth after Augustus. In their time, while a holy man called Eleutherius was bishop of the church at Rome, Lucius, a king of Britain, sent him a letter praying him that he might be made a

The Depths of Fear: Peter Benchley Essay examples -- Authors

The world’s oceans, they cover a great majority of our planet. According to scientists, we know more about the surface of the moon than we do about what’s in the waters of our own planet. Even with advancing science we still don’t know very much about them. So imagine what it was like back around the 1970’s, it was already a time of great fear, and to some extent, paranoia in the United States with the threat of nuclear war and multiple other new threats emerging. Surprisingly, although it was known that there were dangerous things in the sea, nobody seemed to pay that much mind to it. All that changed when a man named Peter Benchley wrote a book called Jaws. This book, the resulting movie, and his literary works to follow opened up a new aspect that no one had ever thought of. It was a new breed of terror that came from the last place anyone ever had expected, the ocean itself. It is because of this book that Peter Benchley really became a household name. Born May 8th, 1940 in New York, NY he was raised in a family of writers. His father Nathaniel Benchley was a known writer of children’s books and his grandfather was a well-known humorist named Robert Benchley. He spent his childhood writing and even got paid in his teens to write during his vacations. He got a very formal writer’s education studying at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and attaining his major in English from Harvard. He wrote a sort of autobiography of himself as his very first published book entitled Time and a Ticket in 1964. Before he even got to the ideas for the books he’s now famous for, he spent time in several other writing positions including some for the Washington Post, Newsweek, and he even served as a speech writer for President Lyndon B. ... ... over the course of his life, Peter Benchley passed away in February 2006, the legacy ending of the man who made generations afraid to get in the water. Works Cited Swann, Christopher. "Peter Benchley: Overview." Contemporary Popular Writers. Ed. Dave Mote. Detroit: St. James Press, 1997. Literature Resource Center. Web. 29 Mar. 2012 The Wilson Quarterly. 30.2 (Spring 2006) p120. Word Count: 155. From Literature Resource Center. "Peter Benchley." (2007): n. page. Web. 4 Apr. 2012. http://www.notablebiographies.com/newsmakers2/2007-A-Co/Benchley-Peter.html Benchley, Peter. The Beast. Random House, 1991. Print. Benchley, Peter. Shark Trouble. Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2003. Print. Benchley, Peter. White Shark. Random House, 1994. Print. "Biography for Peter Benchley." n.pag. Web. 5 Apr 2012. .

Kudler Fine Foods Innovations Essay

We wish to identify the internal and external drivers of innovation for Kudler Fine Foods. We also wish to describe how innovation design and creative thinking might benefit the Kudler Fin foods in terms of meeting the organizational objectives Kudler Fine Foods is a special experience everyone should have. Kudler Fine Foods is an upscale specialty store. Their Mission statement says that our selections with the experienced, helpful, and knowledgeable staff merge to offer each customer a delightful and pleasing shopping experience. Kudler Fine Foods has to be continually innovative in order to differentiate themselves from other stores. They are known for their very extensive domestic and imported wine list along with other spirits, home baked breads in the old style European bakery, specialty meats and seafood are organic, and gourmet cheeses, irish butter and organic milk and finally the produce of over 350 vegetable, fruits and herb and spices. Kudler Fine Foods is founded by Kathy Kudler and the tone of the organization is based on her personality and dedication of gourmet foods. The attitude of the organization is friendly and open. Many employees know each other because of there are only 3 stores in the San Diego area. They interact on a more personal and friendly level. Kudler not only offers a commitment to the customers but also with the organization itself. They do this through their strategic objective, expanding services and improving operations of efficiency. Kudler appears to be an informal organization by offering parties in the store to show customers how to prepare specialty foods. The culture is upscale and chic as is evident by their gourmet products which draws a high margin. They emphasize social networking with their gourmet products. Kudler strives to differentiate themselves from other markets by offering points for high end gifts, first class airline upgrades and specialty products. Technology at Kudler Fine Foods is known because of the implementation of the frequent shopper program. Information is easily gathered by this program about customer purchasing habits. This allows the company to give special attention to customers such as coupons and discounts. This also allows the company to determine what products should be ordered more often, where they should place the product in the store and how to mark the product better. Self checkout lanes allow the customer to bag and checkout their products without a cashier which cuts down on the labor cost saving the company some money. Kudler’s Managers have  motivation, desire, and responsibility in their employees. The majority of employee’s at Kudler are satisfied and committed. Employee’s at Kudler like recognition of their progress by receiving rewards and raises. Each employee meets with his or her management team on a daily basis to discuss goals and strengthen operations in their areas. This gives the employees a sense of contribution to the organization. Kudlers has maintained an atmosphere where employees feel comfortable and appreciated. In comparison of other companies Kudler is doing quite well financially. Kudler’s net revenues are showing tremendous growth. Kudler maintains a strong presence in the global marketplace.

Fave Ford Case Study Analysis

External logistic suppliers are used to manage inbound supply chain. Customers are encouraged to use computers to balance supply and demand. Both companies are focused on strategic partnership with Its suppliers. There might be some escalates between Dell and Ford there are some difference In the operation of the companies. B) Dell forecast its demand with short term forecast and any change in instantly shared within the company and its suppliers. Ford relies on long term forecasting. C) Ford supply chain is more complex then dell.Following are the alternatives and options ford can apply Alternative 1 Design a mixture of online and offline operations and form procedures to enable customization and ordering by customers over the internet but maintain physical dealerships as well. Advantages: a) Customization to customers, start a supply chain vertical integration business model. B) Open new market segment and attract clients who like online shopping. C) Reduction in overhead and inven tory carrying costs. D) Direct control on customer service experience.Disadvantages: a) Costly, time consuming that requires internal and external changes which are not easy to handle and integrate with other operations. B) Independent dealers will complain due to internal competition. ) Suppliers' inability to keep up to speed with Fords modern IT technology. Alternative 2 Create a virtually integrated supply chain based on Dell's model. Ford and all its suppliers would share information between their systems and the Internet to coordinate the flow of materials and production. All customer orders would be taken Page 2 either via Ford's web site or by phone and then build.A pull system would be implemented completely. A) Customization to clients, start of vertical integration in the supply chain. B) Customers' needs are met faster at higher profits due the elimination of reseller's ark-ups. C) Directly control customer service. D) Minimal inventory carrying costs and higher order le ad time. E) The ability to forecast demand is significantly better. F) Improved relationships with both customers and suppliers. Disadvantages: a) Ford's traditional processes and production methods would have to be changed to take advantage of this new form of supply-chain management.Since it is a Very costly and time consuming activity, the difference in the two industries makes it a risky option. C) Change management h as to take off etc w hi chi I s costs y and emotional y sensitive. Recommendation and Implementation: Keeping the existing supply chain would continue to deliver the same dismal results and declining profits for the company. After careful examination and review of the alternatives, we came to conclude that the long term implication of the second alternative is the company going out of business, which eliminates option 2.This option seems illogical when we take into account the fact that Ford is an automobile manufacturing company and Dell assembles customized compu ters for its customers via the internet, eliminating dealerships all across and relying only on their website or its sales will put it at a great disadvantage with competitors. So we would recommend Ford to extend its Virtual-business strategy by partially implementing the Dell's model of supply chain (Alternative 1).The part of the Dell's model which does not fit with Ford need to be discarded. The dealers would still play a role in the distribution since the buying experience of a car from a dealer cannot be substituted by something virtual like a ad model on a computer or images and description online. Implementation In order for Ford to implement option 1, their IT systems should be centralized and hared with suppliers since its Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers might not be able to update their IT infrastructure as often as Ford.Suppliers can have access to central design database while Ford controls the access and functionality as per Management Information System-Ford Case Study An alysis Page 3 the operational requirements. The whole coordinated system would ensure a smooth flow of materials and reduced bottlenecks and enhance the efficiency of the supply chain giving a competitive edge to Ford. And lastly, we feel that dealerships can play a more involved role in forecasting customer demand and Ford should explore the option of outsourcing it to a firm which specializes in forecasting demand and can work with each dealer or network of dealers.Monitoring and Control In order for the new system to function appropriately as intended, Ford must perform the following functions: 1 . Appoint an IT specialist as a liaison to coordinate all IT activities with all suppliers in order to insure a smooth flow of information among the supply chain partners and immediately resolve issues as they arise. 2. Moon tort customers' only I nee orders by revive ewe Eng all order I dead times. The it me f mom the customer order initiation to delivery must not exceed a standard peri od of 3.Initiate an online customer satisfaction program in which customers will evaluate and rate their customer experience with Ford. 4. After every 6-8 month, review the performance and make recommendations on improvements to the appropriate authority. 5. Annual executive meetings should be held to review the progress of the business model. As well, review the shareholder value to check whether it's increasing or decreasing. Conclusion: Dell has focused on entrepreneurial and flexible approach; any chance can be embedded instantly across the organization.Ford is much bigger organization as compared to dell and has developed its operation capabilities over the period of time. Virtual integration should be implemented by ford more efficiently. It will help ford to be more efficient in term of production and quick to respond for any change in the real time. By virtual integration ford can look forward for more profitability as their overhead and inventory carrying cost will decrease . Furthermore, the over all success of this business model will depend mainly on the performance of their shareholder value. Page 4

Discussing Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet

This movie is about Romeo and Juliet. Leonardo DiCaprio Is playing the Romeo part in this movie. And Claire Danes is play Juliet part. The movie is directed by Baz Luhrmann. He is a modern day version director. He directed this movie in 1996 and he only used 10% of Shakespeare language. Because we don't speak same language as Shakespeare. Baz Luhrmann uses guns instead of swords and uses cars instead of horses. In the beginning of Romeo and Juliet we see a news reporter talking about the two households. Than the camera start zooming in and in. Then very quickly you see fair Verona. The narrator says about two households both alike in dignity, In fair Verona where we lay our scene. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star-cross's lovers take their life. When the narrator says those things the background music is very loud and the music is trying to tell us about the movie. By listening this music you could say that something bad will happen in this movie. Which will be very emotional and sad? Then you see a newspaper article where it says Montague's v Capulet's. And than you see helicopters, cars and people. When that happens the background music become louder and louder and you see two buildings with the names at the top Capulet and Montague and Jesus Christ statue in the middle. The reason why the director put this statue in the middle to show that people in fair Verona want peace between these two families. We than see the shots of the city and the police. Than we see some of the main characters in the movie their, with and a description of who they are. The reason why the director shows us this is because he wants to tell us that these people and they will come in the movie latter on. The scene changes and you hear a different music where three Montague's are sitting in the yellow open car with the special plate at the front saying Mon 005 and listening to the music the boys the boys. Than you hear them insulting the Capulet's. One of the guy in Montague is bald, with tattoo of Montague on his head . The music they hear is very cool and they wear sunglasses, and open Hawaiian shirts. The reason why the director put this music to show their personality. In other word to show how cool they are. The Montagu's than go to the Gas station. Benvolio get out from the car and goes to the toilet. He is Romeo's cousin . Than we see a Capulet get out of his car, only you can see his feet he chucks his cigarette down. He is wearing cowboy shoes, and the background music is western music. By hearing that music you could say that person is not a good person and he is a very important person in the movie and he wants to fight. When he goes in the gas station some girls come out and one of Montague shows off by doing some nasty things. Than one of the Capulet come out of the car. The car is blue and scary and on the number plate it says Cap 005. The person who comes from the car is very strong and when he removes his jacket you could see his gun saying Cap and the Montagues get scared because on their gun it says Mon and the both of the gangs hate eachother. Abra shows his silver teeth saying SIN and the Montagues fall back in shock into the car. Abra shouts Boo laughing at them. At first Montagues just stay there but after a little while he comes from behind and does bite my thumb Abra doesn't reverse his car very fast. Montague gets scared and panic they start to fill up with petrol. But Abra comes out his car and say do you mind your thumb at me sir one of Montague says I do mind my thumb sir. Montagues look at Benvolio is coming. The reason why they have icons on there cars,and guns to show the differences between these two families like to show that they are different from eachother. When Benvolio comes he takes his gun. And that's were the fights start. One of the Montagues hides next to the car where the lady keeps hitting him. And than Tybalt comes out and the western music starts as a background to set the mood. Tybalt is the cousin of Juliet. First Benvolio tries to avoid fights and keep peace between the families. Benvolio says drop your guns and have peace. But Tybalt says I hate the word peace as I hate hell like all Montague's. When he says that the director keeps his camera on his eyes to shows the evil. He closes the camera on both the eyes of Tybalt and benvolio and on his mouth because he says the line from there. Than the little boy comes from behind and Tybalt takes his gun out and scared that little kid. And than both gangs started to shot at eachother than the Montague who was getting hit by the women he scares her and start shooting but unfortunately he doesn't know where he is shooting because he is keeping shooting at a sign saying Fuel Your fire he is keeping shooting at this sign. The sign is here to tell you that hold your fire. Then Tybalt who is showoff person he wears a black trouser and bullet proof red jacket with Jesus icons on them. He is keep diving and shooting one of his bullet hits Benvolios hand and his gun go straight under the car. Than two of the Montague's put petrol in the car they drop some of it on Benvolio. They both sit in the car and start driving it . Tybalt than bends down takes his jacket off. Takes another gun out and shots at montagues. Than Tybalt drop his cigarette and the fire starts Benvolio gets scared because some of the petrol is on his shirt. Benvolio than picks his gun and runs over cars and shooting at Tybalt. And the fire blasts all the gas station. Here the directors have to be fast because he has to keep zooming the camera. And note every thing happening in the scene. And than you could hear traffic and shooting noise. Then you see helicopters in the air. And Benvlio and Tybalt looking at eachother in anger. The director focus o their eyes because you could see the anger in the eyes between them. In the background you could see people running and the cars are stopped. Than the prince who is sitting in the helicopter says to them that drop your guns. Than you see two cars in one car Capulet's are sitting and in the other Montague's . Montague's says that give me my sword but his wife stops him. Than they both sit inside the building where the prince says two civil wars and says you both disturbed our streets and if one more time you disturbed our streets than you will pay the fine. This part is to show that both families hate really hate eachother and the prince is trying to warn both of these. Than the director focus on Montague's after that. All the Montague's go to the beach where Romeo is sitting the background music is a very sad music. Romeo is sitting writing his diary and thinking about his Girlfriend Rosaline. You could tell that by looking at his face that he doesn't like what's happening between these two families. He likes to spend much time alone because of the violence. Romeos mother talk to her husband about Romeo. You also could see the link between Benvolio and his shirt. Because on his shirt there are flowers and its all about the beach. And now they are on beach as well you could say that he spends most of his time on the beach. He than gets out of the car and says good morrow to his cousin they both walk and in the TV Romeo see's what Benvolio did he tries to tell him that not to this because that way there won't be any piece. As an audience I would say that this movie is great. There are some really good unbelievable actions fight's. The music is a sum and it really suits the movie. And it would make good money. Baz Luhrmann directed this movie superbly. The camera angles were perfect. The other actors are superb, and acted wonderfully in the movie. What Luhrmann did was both bold and brilliant, and he succeeded wonderfully. First people thought that Luhrmann destroyed the play's beauty and power by setting it in modern times. In short words I would say love in first sight.

Girls and poverty Essay

The gap between the world’s rich and poor keeps widening. Over the last 20 years, the market share of the least-developed countries (700 million inhabitants) has decreased from 1 percent to 0. 6 percent of the world’s total commerce. â€Å"The majority of the population in black Africa is poorer today than a generation ago,† writes French economist Philippe Jurgensen in Challenges magazine. In Ethiopia, for example, 67 million people live on one third the wealth of Luxembourg’s 400,000 inhabitants. Jurgensen notes that European farmers are entitled to receive a daily subsidy of 2. 5 euros per cow, whereas some 2. 5 billion people live on less than that each day. Thus, in many parts of the world, â€Å"a poor person is worth less than a cow,† says Jurgensen. (Bowler, 1983, 15) The present society today is composed of a vast population that is so much divided by the economic status of each individual. There are those who have strived and attained the wealth that they wanted, and there are those who remained in their state and stayed poor all their lives. This is the situation that social Darwinism suggests. (IRN Zimbabwe, 2003, 19) The vast income divide between rich and poor segregates people and even countries from one another. Not long ago the fortune of the richest man in the United States surpassed the combined net worth of more than 100 million of his fellow Americans. Globalization has also favored the growth of rich multinational companies that have practically taken over the world market for certain products. In 1998, for example, just ten companies controlled 86 percent of the $262-billion telecommunications business (Gelb, 1986, 17). The economic clout of these multinationals often exceeds that of governments and, as Amnesty International points out, â€Å"human rights and labour rights are not a priority on their agenda. (Gelb, 1986, 10) Because of this fact, economic prejudice and oppression of the poor is very eminent within the communities of any nation. At so many situations, it could be noted that the poor are the ones discriminated from receiving the needed provisions that they ought to receive from the governments. Their rights are duly suppressed simply because of the fact that they have not much financial source to support their need or even their rights. Sadly, the situation of the poor becomes even poorer every second that the society advances ahead through technology, while the rich ones become richer because of their capability to use capitalism as a source of business, which would give them even more financial freedom. At this point, the existence of social Darwinism already becomes clear. Yes, Social Darwinism clearly portrays the psychological distraction that the poor ones get from their situation in life. Being poor have naturally made people commit the biggest mistake of simply accepting what they are. Their blinded mind that focuses on their misery has dragged them to the dreadful situation of helplessness that they are dealing with right now. Certainly, in relating the said theory to the actual situations of the humanity, it could be observed that the idea of Darwinism is indeed true and is obvious. Because of the fact that there are those who have power, mainly because they have the capability to gain the said authority due to their accumulation of wealth, the oppression of those who do not have the sources to attain power continues to rise. How is this proven? The following paragraphs that would pertain to the actual current issues shall clearly state the situation of the society regarding social Darwinism. With the existence of Social Darwinism as it is, it could be noted that most of the victims of poverty around the world [particularly in America and Africa] are young children and teenage girls as well. Obviously, the main attack of poverty directly affects the lives of the young ones as they stand as the most vulnerable elements of the society during these particular events and social dilemma. To understand better, the situational elements that contribute to poverty both in America and Africa are to be identified herein. Elements of Poverty Poverty is indeed wide spread in the whole world. Because of the lack of ability of the world governments to accurately provide people with what they need due to the fast-growing population, many among the human society are set aside and pushed towards poverty. Hence, as a result, their offspring and the generation that follows their line then remain in the said economic status. There are only a few among the many who are able to succeed in running away or struggling hard to change their status in the community. (Korten, 2001, 17) As a result, those people steadied in their situation of being poor already loose hope in coping up with their needs. The fact that they are suppressed in having the things that they need because of their incapability to pay, they then develop the idea that there are no ways for them to survive from their miseries in life except for the fact that they need to live by and accept their life as it is. It might then raise curiosity among readers on â€Å"what are the real causes of poverty among people in the society? † In the diagram that follows, a summarized presentation of the said issue shall be addressed showing what is actually driving the poor sector of the society remains the way that they are. Analysis of Diagram: In the diagram presented above, it could be observed that there are three major reasons why the poor remain poor. The said reasons are as follows: †¢ Economic Imbalance This factor pertains to the fact that that world’s wealth is not evenly distributed to every person making up the population of the society. Because of the fact that there are those capitalists that aim to put up their own businesses to be able to gain more profit from their original amount of money invested on the said business entity. It is through this that they are able to gain power over the others who are struggling for survival from being poor. †¢ Population Growth It is an irony that those who are poor are the ones bearing many children, children of which they are not able to support. This is because of the idea that they believe in that their children would be the ones who would struggle for better life for them. The more children they have, the faster they would be able to recover from their misery in poverty. However, this idealism has been proven a fallacy. For a fact, as the children of the poor sector add up, the more they feel the terrifying experience of their situation. †¢ Psychological Disposition Based on psychological findings, poor people tend to ease their burden by telling themselves that they are already contented in the lifestyle that they are living in, and that they have nowhere else to go. As a result, the capitalists feed on this thought by contributing to the idea that without ample finances to support their needs, they are not going to get what they actually ought to have for a living. Basing from these three reasons, it could be observed that poor people simply tend to remain the way they are and the rich ones try to support the said situation by gaining more and not sharing what they have to those who are actually needy. As a result, people who are poor gain three major reactions to the situation. The said reactions include contentment on being poor, lack of self-trust and subjection to social discrimination; these are the things that the poor sector of the society needs to deal with everyday. Hence, America, being surrounded by capitalists and investors, has the rich and the poor sectors which are widely separated from each other. The fact that these capitalist know what to do with the money that they have, they are able to come up with ways by which they can still increase the wealth that they already posses. On the other hand, those who are poor have lesser ideas as well as courage in creating new ways to find a way of living. Certainly, the rich ones who have greater education have greater chances of creating possibilities for themselves to attain financial success in their lives. More often than not, the rich ones who are already settled in their situation are the ones who have greater chances of increasing their authority and power in the society through the use of their finances (Gelb, 1986, 22). Meanwhile, the poor one who are receiving lesser than needed are focusing on the things that they could only attain. They have lesser time spent on thinking how to increase their finances since they are already only trying to live by with what they have, and they do not have enough hopes of spending their time in planning, since they are already so consumed with their present situation. The Teenage Girls and their Reactions to Poverty There are likely three major results of poverty among young girls both in America and Africa. The said three major results are as follows: Diagram 2: The effects of Poverty on Young Teenage Girls in America and Africa Explanation: From the diagram presented herein, it could be observed that girls from both Africa and America who for some reasons are afflicted by poverty react in almost the same way to the level of being directly affected by the situation (Tanenbaum, 2000, 13). Most likely, their health and their safety becomes the most vulnerable element that needs some attention from the governing authorities who have concern over the situation (Riordan, 2004, 18). Undeniably, although the said societies are separately identified as somewhat different in terms of economic standing in the world trade, the reasons behind their poverty levels are somewhat identical that brings the results of the said situation in the society towards the teenage girl-population of the said communities somewhat common and identical as well. (Vendela, 2004, 18) Conclusion The belief behind the existence of the poor and the reasons behind the said situation is naturally noted as something that needs to be closely identified to be able to help solve the issues that bind poverty with that of human society today. The young ones, being the main target of the situation [teenage girls in particular] are facing a great challenge of remaining strong in facing the said issues of lacking the needed strength. Psychologists and other government authorities could help much in defining the different solutions that are made available for the ones affected by the afflictions brought about by poverty in both industrialized and still-developing countries such as that of Africa. References: †¢ IRIN News South Africa: Land ownership remains racially skewed May 24, 2005 †¢ IRIN News Land reform in Southern Africa July, 2003. †¢ IRIN News Zimbabwe: Land reform omits farm workers Land reform in Southern Africa July, 2003. †¢ Bowler, Peter. The Eclipse of Darwinism: Anti-Darwinian Evolution Theories in the Decades around 1900. Baltimore, 1983. †¢ Gelb, S. A. â€Å"Henry H. Goddard and the Immigrants, 1910-1917: The Studies and their Social Context,† Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences 22 (1986): 324-332. †¢ Rosenberg, Charles E. â€Å"The Bitter Fruit: Heredity, Disease and Social Thought,† Perspectives in American History 8 (1974):189-235. †¢ David C Korten. When Corporations Rule the World. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. (2001): 345-346. †¢ Founou-Tchuigoua, Bernard Food self-sufficiency: Crisis of the collective ideology African agriculture: The critical choices. United Nations University Press (1990) ISBN 0-86232-798-9 †¢ Milich, Lenard (1997) Food security in Pre-Colonial Hausaland . World Commission on Protected Areas (1995-2006) WCPA West and Central Africa Region Key Issues The World Conservation Union National Academy of Sciences Lost Crops of Africa:Grains ISBN 0-309-04990-3 publication announcement March 4, 1996 †¢ Future Harvest With time running out, scientists attempt rescue of African vegetable crops. News Feature November 29, 2001 †¢ Gouse, Marnus et al. Three seasons of subsistence insect-resistant maize in South Africa: have smallholders benefited? AgBioForum Volume 9, No. 1 (2006) †¢ Singh, B. P. (2002) Nontraditional crop production in Africa for export. p. 86–92. In: J. Janick and A. Whipkey (eds. ), Trends in new crops and new uses. ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA. †¢ Leora Tanenbaum. (2000). Slut! Growing Up Female with a Bad Reputation. Harper Paperbacks; 1 edition. †¢ Teresa Riordan. (2004). Inventing Beauty: A History of the Innovations that Have Made Us Beautiful. Broadway Publishing. †¢ Vendela Vida. (2000). Girls on the Verge: Debutante Dips, Drive-bys, and Other Initiations. St. Martin’s Griffin; 5th edition.

Employee retention using lessons from motivation theories Essay

Employee retention using lessons from motivation theories - Essay Example The paper tells that as businesses face the challenge of operating in a tough global economy they have been forced to perform painful layoffs while at the same time seek to retain their high-impact performers. One would expect it to be easier to retain staff amidst this period of economic recovery however the paradox is that there is a shortage of people with the requisite talent that companies need to remain competitive in this tough business environment. This means that the few critical employees that each company seeks to retain are also the ones who are attractive to competitors. The challenge therefore remains in retaining these critical staff. The importance of retaining critical staff cannot be gainsaid. When an employee leaves an organisation the organization loses primarily on the knowledge, skill and experience that the individual had developed over time at his/her present occupation. To fully comprehend the importance of maintaining critical employees Ramlall raises three postulations of the human capital theory. To begin with human capital theory posits that people possess skills, experience and knowledge which represent capital to an organization because they enhance productivity. This means that employees are of economic value to organizations. Secondly, the theory posits that not all labour is equal. Some labour is more valuable than others by the mere fact that more resources have been invested in their training. It is therefore important for the organization to ensure that it retains those on whom it has invested more in developing. Thirdly, investment in building skills among employees would be more profitable and more likely to be undertaken the longer the period over which the returns from the investment can accrue (Ramlall, 2004). This implies that an organisation would derive more value out of its staff if it can train them and then retain them for a significant amount of time within which the staff can use their skills, experience and k nowledge to improve the organization’s processes. Employees possess skills, experience and knowledge, and therefore have economic value to organizations. Where employee turnover is high the company fails to realize a full return on its investment in hiring and training staff. This report reviews the classic motivation theories and uses them to explain how organizations could devise techniques that will enable them retain their high-impact employees. 2.0. Work motivation The heart of motivation is to give people what they really want most from work (Mullins, 2010). Motivation can be of