Literary Devices in “The Woman at the Store” Essay

There are many different literary devices used in Katherine Mansfields The Woman at the Store, they are used effectively. Regularly Mansfield uses personification, characterization and irony. This short essay will show what the main literary devices are in this story. Irony has a significant literary device in this story; the storys plot is enormously ironic. The reader expects that the womans husband will be coming back soon, but he is dead already, which is ironic. The reader does not expect that the child knows that her mother killed her father. And that this is shown in something as pure as a drawingAnother key literary device in this story is her characterization. She characterizes the characters in this story so realistically that the reader has the idea that he has known the characters for all long time already, and he can visualize them perfectly. For example, when Mansfield writes about Jo: Not once that day he had sung I dont care, for dont you see, my wifes mother was in front of me! It was the first that we had been without it for a month, and now there seemed something uncanny in his silence. With this sentence the reader knows that Jo normally is a happy man, that he likes to sing, that he does not like mother-in-laws and that he now knows that something special is going to happen. Another important literary device is the use of personification. One good example is: the sun pushed through the pale clouds and shed a vivid light over the scene. This describes how the sun found a hole to shine through.  There are many different literary devices used in The Woman at the Store but irony, characterization and personification are some key devices and Katherine Mansfield uses them well but that is what she is famous for.

Andrew Grove

Intel Corporation is one of the world leaders in terms of microchip and microprocessor production. They embark on a mission of staying in the top and even formulated a strategy on exploring other forms of markets like that of digital health and wireless applications. They have also been known to forge tie-ups with leaders of the prospective markets they are exploring. They have tied up with search engine Google for the wireless application as an example. Basically, Intel operations are divided into two sections: the communications group, known as ICG or Intel Communications Group; and the other section consists of the Intel Architectural business. The architectural section is responsible for the production of â€Å"platform† boards that consists of chipsets and microchips, which are used in desktop processors; including the Intel Pentium 4 processor and the Celeron. On the other hand, the communications section deal mostly with the production and development of wireless technology. They are mostly concerned with flash memory and cellular base-band technology. Intel is also known for large-scale tie-ups with other firms. Example of such is their tie-up with search engine Google for development of wireless technologies. They are also know to be connected with other firms like Microsoft and Dell. However, competition has been seen to catch up on the leadership oh Intel. Recently, a lot of clamors have been heard in the recent decision of present CEO Paul Otellini unveiled his plan to ship the micro-chip corporation to another industry. While the rest had their problems with it, former CEO Andrew Grove is all praises for it. The present CEO’s vision is to generally change the image of Intel starting from what Andrew Grove practically built. Starting from the scrapping of the famous â€Å"e† trademark of the logo, the company motto and even the brand, the company has been envisioned to undergo a transformation. A lot of managers seem to be against the changing of such things that made Intel a household name. Even the logo has been widely known in all parts of the globe. Meanwhile, Andrew Grove has been vocal about his approval of the said changes. In his opinion, they are of the same line of thinking that the present CEO has, that the company really has to undergo these changes in order for the to tell the world that even Intel is adjusting to the fast-paced growth of the industry and that they, as a company, should be at equal footing with the rest of the companies in the same industry.   He further stresses that it is a imperative for the company to show that the company exhibits a show of risk-taking and result orientation, accompanied also by the value of discipline. Before, under Grove’s supervision and Craig Barrett (Grove’s successor), the company focused on the production of microprocessors and took the lead in that industry for years. They helped give birth to the Information Age by producing more microchips and therefore, producing faster computers and ending in the development of micro processing. However, what Otellini had in mind is far from the former image of Intel, considering that he even wanted to change the logo and company symbol. He wanted to venture into uncharted regions of digital health industry and that of â€Å"platform† inventions. Despite the negative views about Otellini’s decision, Analysts from outside the company have cited other views about the subject, stating the fact that sometimes, change is needed for a big company to maintain solid advantage. They also added that other companies that survived the changes maintained industry leadership, just like what happened to Texas Instruments. However, the other side notes that it is not really that advisable to change their target industry and find a niche in other markets, although they have leadership in the industry they would leave. Adding firepower to the firepower of the critics, Intel’s competitor, AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) Inc., have scored a major point against Intel as it topped the company in terms of consumption as AMD Inc rose to a higher percentage in 2003 and analysts view that it would continue to rise against Intel unless Intel releases a new competitive line of processors in the future.. In the wireless communications field, Texas Instruments and Qualcomm Inc are still standing their own ground against Intel’s advances. Also, the two companies are planning to release their own versions of the platform that they assured, would gain more shares of the market than the new Intel is trying to build a niche on. On the other hand, many people are applauding Otellini’s vision of the new Intel, stating that they have never seen so much innovation in technology with respect to their fields, especially that of medicine. Also, people have actually seen the growth of the company, showing promise for a whole variety of new plans that are underway. Not only did the plans boost company ties with other companies, but also made their partner companies believe in the new flexibility of Intel. They promoted closer ties with cellular phone conglomerates Nokia and Samsung; had present tie-ups with Google; ties with Sony and Philips; and with those ties, Intel was able to produce and release different types of innovative products. There different developments have different market reactions. Some producing great results, others not. However, analysts are right in pointing out that other companies that are industry leaders also experienced changes that looked like they are headed nowhere, although in the end, they have proven that their change would actually pay off. And now, Intel took their lead and eventually took some changes in themselves as well. The problem would be, if they can maintain the positive effects and eliminate the negative effects of the changes. As for their decision of making the company over, It is. The industry’s reaction to it seemed to treat the decision as a smart move as well. Rival AMD Inc made some deals with ATI, and this showed that Intel produced a bigger threat than before. Also, the result of other marketing strategies in the release of the new products proved that Intel can really hold its own against the rivals in the industries that they have entered. They also showed that they can maintain the leadership in their industry, and even remodeled themselves into a more serious threat than that of before. However, not all decisions solely produce good effects. The negative effects therefore should be dealt with accordingly. Otellini did not make a bad move and he assured that he would produce good results which he did, although in the process nearly humiliating the company as he suffered near losses and continue to be behind Texas Instrument in the other fields. Intel not only made a good decision externally but also made breakthrough decisions internally, taking care of their employees better and giving chances to other fields like medicine to be at the same level as that of the engineers, the firepower of Intel before. May be this was a factor in Otellini’s equation that he devised for company growth. All in all, Intel has made a remarkable shift from the way it was thirty seven years ago. It also departed from the household figure that we recognized. Although this a bold move in there part and a rather risky one considering the old model is one of the main reasons why Intel made it to the top. In Otellini’s, and now Intel’s belief, It is one risky move that was designed to maintain leadership and gain advantages in other fields that they would pursue in the future. The market and business world would have to look out as Intel’s new look is bound to stay, and so is their new outlook in the business battles. BIBLIOGRAPHIES Intel Corp. Company Profile. Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved October 26, 2006. (http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/13/13787.html) Intel Corporation. Computer Business Review Online. Retrieved October 26, 2006. (http://www.cbronline.com/companyprofile.asp?guid=E82C088A-0488-4DB5-8953-9E316C2B44D1&CType=Background)

The price of Everything Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The price of Everything - Term Paper Example The conclusion of research is that there is an economic order, which exists, run the world markets, and controls it through variation in prices of everything. There is a lesser possibility that one force may control this activity however existence of loose understanding between a group of firms or pressure groups cannot be denied. Keywords : Price, economics, crisis, people, manufacturing, markets, order. The Price of Everything-A Parable of Possibility and Prosperity. Introduction. The Price of Everything-A Parable of Possibility and Prosperity, is a tale of spontaneous, natural, automatic, emergent order and the role prices and markets play in organizing economic activity irrespective of geographical boundaries. The author, Russell Roberts who himself is an economist tells the story of a boy, Ramon Fernandez, a Cuban immigrant tennis player raised in capitalism. The novel is set in the San Francisco Bay area after an earthquake. Ramon, who has since grown into a young man and has b ecome a star tennis player at Stanford, and his girlfriend Amy, a Stanford volleyball player, are trying to buy a flashlight. They visit two large retailers: Home Depot and the fictional Big Box in Hayward. Home Depot is out of flashlights. Big Box, on the other hand, has plenty of flashlights. However, unlike Home Depot, Big Box has announced that they have raised the prices on all of their items because of the earthquake. Is this price gouging? How dare a retailer profit from an emergency and squeeze their customers when they most need the supplies?. This, understandably, has upset many people who think it is unfair that Big Box acted opportunistically by raising its prices, taking advantage of the disaster for personal profit. The other main character in the book is a woman, Professor Ruth Lieber, the provost of Stanford University and Amy's economics teacher. Lieber takes on the role of teacher outside the classroom in order to help Ramon understand the role that markets and pri ces play in people's lives. In the course of the book, she teaches Ramon to see that prices help coordinate economic activity and they help steer resources to their most-valued use. She also teaches Ramon that much of the economic order we see is of the unplanned variety. At the beginning of the appendix to his new novel, Russell Roberts writes: â€Å"This book is my attempt to give the beginner and the expert a better understanding of the role prices play in our lives — how they create harmony between the competing desires of consumers and entrepreneurs, and how they steer resources and knowledge to transform and sustain our standard of living.† The economic lessons that Ruth Lieber tried to pass on to Ramon and Amy The novel discusses at length the role prices play in the life of people. Three most important lessons given in the novel are :- 1. Why raising prices during a crisis (Price gouging) is not a damaging and objectionable matter. 2. How prosperity is created and sustained. 3. Existence of unseen economic order and harmony that shape our daily lives. Price gouging refers to artificially inflated prices on necessities after a disaster, natural or otherwise. Missouri has seen price gouging after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and other severe storms in the state. In Missouri-USA, it is against law to take advantage of a desperate situation by drastically increasing prices on merchandise, whether it's gasoline,

Exam on the book Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Exam on the book - Essay Example The thesis statement comes out strongly and is the point where the reader starts out on a long journey with Craig. However, from the start a weakness in the work is evident; it narrates political activities more like any other. It lacks the uniqueness and distinctiveness in the field of politics. Craig successfully introduces every part with determinations from German verses that catch the topic of the period. The creator sets the tone of his story by portraying Germany, not as the regular Faust, but instead as Hamlet, who symbolizes the lethally hesitant nature of German seeking to progress the nation. The nature of this political and social radicalism ended up being controlled by the rulers, dreadful of the masses, meek and isolated. Craig has used symbols all along his document; In 1866 Hamlet offers approach to Fortinbras, who symbolizes the egotism and inflexibility of Bismarckian and Wilhelmina Germany (Gordon). Craig successfully draws the attention of the book on political, individual, and social topics against scenery of social and monetary powers that places Craig in the extraordinary convention of liberal German historiography. The deeper understanding evoked here helps learners to understand clearly and is more convincing because it is well articulated. At the beginning of his excitingly composed story, Craig feels legitimately obliged to restore the antiquated accentuation on the part of identities from its close blankness because of social and financial students of history. Craig starts the story with the Prussian triumph over Austria in 1866 using a language full of war activities and introduces the concept of victory catching the attention of the reader. It made conceivable Otto von Bismarcks remarkable achievement of saving the tyrant structure of Prussia-Germany in an advanced world that was developing towards a more libertarian structures (Gordon). It is from the insufficiency of Bismarcks answers that

News Corporation Near Collapse (1990) & Recovery Essay

News Corporation Near Collapse (1990) & Recovery - Essay Example This may have been partly due to the fact that, at the time there was a sharp advertising recession, the worst in two decades (Roger Cohan 1990). The situation was that News Corporation was saddled with massive debts. Alex Burns (2002) reported that Murdoch's News Corp, which remains precariously afloat, had a colossal $11 billion in debt worldwide, nearly four times the annual turnover of the entire newspaper industry in Australia. In an effort to save the business a refinancing plan was put in place, but at the last minute, one small bank in Pittsburgh refused to go along with the scheme, demanding repayment of a $10 million loan. (Stephen Galloway and Paula Parisi, 2005) The task we have set ourselves within this document is to look at four key areas. Firstly to ascertain where the origins of responsibility for the crisis lay. Secondly to investigate how the crisis position was resolved without resorting to the irretrievable act of bankruptcy, and thirdly we will endeavour to examine how, when other notable media giants have failed, Murdoch was able to escape. Finally we shall discover how Murdoch has been able to revitalise the fortunes of News Corporation, successfully transforming itself into one of the top five hundred global TNC's2 Behind every corporate disaster, there is inevitably an attempt to apportion blame. With the News Corporation situation, the majority of financial media and other experts tended to place most of the blame at the feet of the management. But others were just as culpable. Management's role Rupert Murdoch is that inveterate breed, a corporate gambler. He thrives on risks and the bigger the stakes, the bigger the buzz and the bigger the payout. (Stuart Crainer.1999). In the 1980's he spent considerable amounts on acquisitions for his empire. Whilst the risks he took at that time are reaping benefit now, at the time they would, to any conservative financier, have seemed unacceptable. Perhaps a better example of how Murdoch chooses to live and do business comes in the events, which led up to the great credit crunch of 1990. These began in Murdoch's American acquisition spree of the middle 1980s. He bought the 20th Century Fox network in the US in 1985, the Metromedia chain of television stations the same year, and then in 1986 launched Fox, the first national TV network since 1959. He didn't have the money to pay for all of this, so he raised it by revaluing his company under Australian accounting3 rules, raising its worth from $166 million to $1.6 billion (Lanchester) The most costly corporate move Murdoch made in the late eighties was the investment in Sky. At that stage it was an enormous drain on the businesses cash resources. At the time the satellite subsidiary was posting substantial year on year losses. Despite Murdoch's somewhat dubious adeptness at moving funds around the various and numerous group subsidiaries to cover overextended cash flow positions, Sky had a cash thirst which could not be quenched without dramatically impacting on News Corporations liquidity, seriously reducing its ability to cover other commitments. Thus when the time came to repay $2 billion of bank debt, there were insufficient resources available to meet these contracted commitments. It is apparent from all the researches

Disability as a Social Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Disability as a Social Issue - Essay Example As the report declares the social model of disability is one of incredible importance and significance, particularly so now, when the war in Iraq is still taking place, as the issue of disability has never before been put so much into the spotlight. The media, not only in Britain but across the world as well, has truly pulled the matter of disability into being a major one in the media universally, and thus this explains why the term disability as well as the social model of disability itself is presently in so much question and controversy. This social model of disability sees the issue in general as being mainly and primarily as being a result of a socially created problem, and basically thus as well a matter of the full integration of individuals into society. â€Å"Disability is not an attribute of an individual, but rather a complex collection of conditions, many of which are created by the social environment. According to the discussion findings the social model of disability basically distinguishes between the matters of impairment and disability, impairment referring to the concrete mental or physical state, and disability referring to the socio-cultural construct. This goes to say then that impairments are in fact not considered as being inherently disabling, but rather that disability is caused by a society which fails to provide for those people who do have impairments, and that there are obstacles which are unnecessarily and wrongly put in their way. The ways in which disability is viewed socially is not only incredibly significant in itself as an issue but as well has

Challenges and benefits for community health nurses Essay

Challenges and benefits for community health nurses - Essay Example In addition, community nurses educate the general community regarding various diseases, how to prevent them and how to live healthy while suffering from certain diseases. According to Savage et al. (2006) this is because, most people in the community lack the information on how to address the various diseases that affect them. However, community nurses often have various challenges with regards to how they carry basic operations in the job description. One of the main challenges that community nurses face is the exposure to infectious diseases in the course of their work. Community nurses provide healthcare in all social settings including the community, churches, schools and even the homeless. In addition, community nurses address complex health problems including delivering healthcare to people living with HIV/AIDS. Under such circumstances, there is no guarantee as to whether the nurses will be infected with infectious diseases. In addition, various protective measures to prevent such an occurrence are not adequate to address the health safety of community nurses. Community nurses also face the challenge of an unresponsive society. Some communities have strong cultural and religious beliefs that affect their attitude and perceptions regarding the healthcare services. Convincing such people in the commu nity on the importance of accessing healthcare services is a huge challenge for community nurses. Savage, C. L., Xu, Y., Lee, R., Rose, B. L., Kappesser, M., & Anthony, J. S. (2006). A Case Study in the Use of Community†Based Participatory Research in Public Health Nursing. Public Health Nursing, 23(5),

Many authors and commentators argue that income inequality is among Essay

Many authors and commentators argue that income inequality is among the most pressing current problems of our era. The received - Essay Example Income inequality has become the preferred measure in determining the quality of life in a country. At some point, per capita income was considered a preferable way, but further studies have indicated that this is not as clear in determining poverty levels. For instance, two countries may have a comparable per capita level, but the incidence of poverty in these countries may differ significantly. For this reason, income inequality is considered more precise in indicating the incidence of poverty which is a pointer to the quality of life in a country. To measure and compare income inequality among countries, economists use Lorenz curves and Gini indexes. However, leading institutions and organizations such as the World Bank and the OECD have shown a preference towards Gini indexes, which is considered more convenient when comparing inequality among many countries (Ghanei, 2013 [class notes]). One of the constant enquiries in the subject of income inequality is whether a less equal dis tribution of income is good for a country. In this regard, most studies advance different views about the best patterns of distribution they are split as to whether the Gini coefficient should be around 25 percent as in Sweden or around 40 percent as is the case in the United States. The most quoted arguments are detailed below (OECD 2012). The first argument cites that an excessively equal income distribution can be bad for economic efficiency. An example of this would be in a socialist country, where deliberately low inequality characterized by the absence of private profits and salaries and wages are harmonized depriving the citizens the incentives required for their active participation in economic activities. It is considered that socialist equalization of salaries and wages translates to poor discipline and lack of initiative among workers. Other effects include reduced quality and restricted variety of goods and services, marginal technical growth which eventually slows econo mic growth and compounds poverty. The alternate argument indicates that excessive inequality adversely affects people’s quality of life translating to widespread poverty, therefore, affecting progress in health and education. This leads to other social problems such as crime. Other effects of high income inequality include a threat on a country’s political stability and increases in business risks. A consideration of these effects explains why some international experts look at decreasing income inequality as the most effective way of accelerating economic and human development. Shigehiro, Kesebir and Diener highlight the development of this social problem in United States for the past four decades (2011). The scholars note that the growing income inequality is the most profound social change in the period considered. Using the Gini coefficient they indicate that, during the 1960s and 1970s, United States had a much lower coefficient than that of France and were at the same level with a host of other European nations (Oishi, Kesebir & Diener, 2011.p.1095). In contrast, by 2008, the Gini coefficient was much higher for United States as compared to most European nations and Canada (Oishi, Kesebir & Diener, 2011.p.1095). This trend is best indicated by a Gini coefficient graph covering the past six decades. This graph makes it so clear that income inequality in the United States has been on the rise over the past seven decades. A look at the European countries also

College Life Essay Example for Free

College Life Essay Wow! The first week of college was a breeze. All my professors seemed so nice. Class never lasted longer than thirty minutes. I did not have to carry any books to class for that whole week. Finding classes was some what tough, even though my classes are around the same area. I did not have any homework to do. I did not see my friends as much but we hung out as much as we could. I went to a different party each night of the week and still attended all of my classes. I do not need a bed time. I know how to get up, but now things have changed. College life is going to be a difficult transition for me. Having to move away from my family is going to take some time to get used to. Waking myself up everyday will be a chore in itself. Now I will have a roommate to be considerate of. I will decide if I should attend a party or go to a club without someones approval. I can go to the club with out my mom having the final verdict. I will hang out with my friends anytime I want to. I will have to learn how to manage my own money and time. At the end of the day college is all of what I make it. May it be hard for some and easy for others it is up to me to decide how I will adjust to college life; will I go to class; study for my test; waste my money; like my roommate? The distance between Greensboro, North Carolina and Washington, DC is greater than what I thought. I thought the number of miles apart would be a good thing but once again time has proven me wrong. I find myself calling home and cherishing every conversation I have with my family more and more. I send them emails when they do not answer the phone. Sometimes call to check on my younger brothers and sisters which I could not stand when I was at home. I miss my mom the most. She is the person who I thought that I would miss the least. Being home sickness has really set in. Also I miss driving my car anywhere I want to go. I miss just sitting on my front porch talking to my neighbors and their children. I miss going to work and making my own money to spend on whatever I want to. I miss going to the high school football game to see my brother play and my sister cheer. I really miss a home cooked meal and enjoying it with my family on a Sunday night after church. I miss getting my hair done every two to three weeks. It is hard to wake myself up everyday. It is hard to get up everyday to go to class because I go to sleep so late at night from talking to my friends or doing homework. It is also, hard because I do not get enough sleep at night. I have an eight oclock a. m. class that I struggle to get up for almost everyday of the week. Also I struggle to stay up for my six oclock p. m. classes. I knew it was going to get hard but I did not think it would get hard this fast. I have to do my homework in between classes so I will have enough time to go to sleep each night. Getting to know my roommate, Ebony, is the second hardest thing to do. It is hard because she is so different from me. She is from Elizabeth City, North Carolina and I am from Washington, DC. She listens to different music, wears different clothes, and acts different from me because she is from a different geographical region from me. During the first week at school we did not talk much. She does not to appreciate our dorm room because it is smaller than her room at home. She always slept and if she was not sleep then she was hanging out with her friends. She did not talk to anyone from our suites. Now, she is not afraid talk to us. She has friends over now and introduces them to us. She went to a club with us for the first time and that has been the only club that she has been to since she has been here. Before I came to college I thought I would always go to parties or the club. That thought has proven to be just a thought, not reality. I can party all the time if I want to but that would be wasting all of my parents money. I have to think about my classes before I go to a club. I know that the best days for me to go to the club are on Wednesday and Friday nights, because I do not have class on Thursday mornings or on Saturdays. So I just do not go to the clubs with my friends all of the time. I learned quick how to say no to going out. Eventually I will not have any money if I keep going to the clubs or parties. I enjoy hanging out with my friends, but I know that is not always possible. They always try to get me to do things when I need to study. They get upset at me when I tell them no. I guess that is because they have not adjusted to the fact that we will not always be able to hang out. I still try to eat lunch and dinner with them almost everyday. It is not possible to hang out with my friends anymore because of the difference in our class schedules. We also do not hang out anymore because of the activities that we all take part in. Sometimes my friends go home on the weekend so we do not get to hang out on the weekends either. Managing my own money and time is a hard task. Usually my mom tells me what to buy and what not to. Now that she is not here who will help me? It is up to me to make the right choice. Do I buy the Jordan sneakers that come out on the seventeenth or do I save that money for a better investment? Since that choice is up to me I will probably buy the Jordan sneakers. My mom would want me to save the money and spend it on something that I really need; like school books and food. It is not her responsibility to manage my money anymore. Time management is equally important. I will have to know how to spend the appropriate amount of time per day studying for my classes. I must not procrastinate on my assignments. I find it that I am always waiting until the last minute to do the work for my classes, because I work best under pressure. In summary the transition from high school to college has been an interesting one. I will learn more in-depth into all subjects that I learned in high school especially business. Making the decision to buy the Jordans sneakers will always be a decision that I look back on in the future. Going to the club on Thursday and waking up for my eight oclock a. m. class is going to be a big choice to make. It will be hard to know how much time I need to study for test or quizzes in any of my classes. I am still learning how to interact with my roommate. In order to make her fell comfortable around me and my friends. I have managed to wake myself up for class ever since I started to attend North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

International Law Essay Example for Free

International Law Essay International law refers to an agreement signed between nation-states binding them to conform to well structured principles and acceptable standards. It primarily concerns relations between nations on specific legal fields such as treaty, humanitarian and criminal laws rather than on issues of individual citizens. The formation of international law came about due to view by legal activists that consented signing of defined principles by sovereign states could limit their power to interfere with other nations internal affairs. This led to the finding of the international criminal court in early 20th century to safeguard states sovereignty and respect for human rights. The international law is based on the customary law, treaty law and other naturally acceptable cords of conducts. To enforce these laws, there exist many international organizations. The United Nations has been charged with the duty to keep and maintain peace and security. This is because since its formation in 1945, its charter has been adhered to by many nations and even the remaining few nations agree with the principles that form it. This makes UN the most influential enforcer of international law. It works towards developing and maintaining friendly relations between states and overseeing the harmonious resolution of conflicts among states. To achieve this, the UN has many departments each charged with a particular function. The international criminal court is one of its mechanisms of dealing with interstate and humanitarian matters (http://www. ohchr. org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/InternationalLaw. spx). The establishment of UN general assembly was made to undertake study and recommend on ways of progressively developing and safeguarding the international law. To uphold human rights, methods like sending peace keeping troops and initiating peace negotiations have been employed. Guaranteed human peace and harmonious inter-states existence is the best gift this world needs. This shows the importance of these enforcing bodies of the international law and there affiliates.

Primark as a Subsidiary of ABF: Expansion Strategy

Primark as a Subsidiary of ABF: Expansion Strategy Primark is a subsidiary company within the Associated British Foods group. ABFs core values are shared taking care of our people, being good neighbours and fostering ethical business relationships along with the groups overriding principles in relation to human rights, employment conditions, business practices, suppliers and other stakeholders. Primarks success is led by a unique combination of fast fashion and lean operations with most based in India and Bangladesh. The first Penneys store opened in Mary Street, Dublin in June 1969 and within a year four more stores were added in the Greater Dublin area. Within a year, four more stores were added all in the Greater Dublin area. In 1971, the first large store outside Dublin was opened in Cork and by the end of that year there were 11 more stores in Ireland and one in Northern Ireland and the numbers of stores increasing to 18 by the end of 1973. In 1984, 5 more stores were added after acquisition from Woolworth. From 1984 to 1994 a further 13 stores were added in the UK and 12 in Ireland, bringing the total to 66 stores 32 in the UK and 34 in Ireland. Primark had a milestone year in 1995 with the development of the UK business following the acquisition of the BHS One-Up discount chain. This led to adding of 16 stores to the UK business in London area. The next major development occurred in 1999 with the acquisition of 11 stores from the Co-Op, including Reading. The Reading property, after much refurbishment, also facilitated the much-needed relocation of the UK buying offices. In 2000, C A retreated from the UK. Primark acquired 11 of their stores which brought store numbers to 108, consisting of 75 in UK and 33 in Ireland (Primark, 2010). A new store opened in Blanchard town, Dublin in 2001 and the numbers of stores was reached a figure of 108. It was followed by two new stores in Glasgow and Birmingham. At the end of 2001, the number of stores had grown to 109 (75 in UK and 34 in Ireland). In 2002, two major stores were opened in Glasgow and Birmingham. In the period of 2004-2005, 14 new stores were opened, and in 2005, six stores were acquired from Allders, three of which opened in 2006. In July 2005, the acquisition of Littlewoods stores by ABF plc which comprised an estate of 120 premises was completed, of which 41 stores were transferred to Primark. With an eye on global markets, Primark decided to go few step further by expanding its stores in Spain in 2006. After successful expansion in Spain, Primark decided to develop its market by entering Netherlands (Rotterdam) in December 2008, May 2009 in Germany (Bremen and Frankfurt) and December 2009 Belgium (Lià ¨ge). Despite the great expansions, internal capabilities to maintain healthy profits and lean operations, Primark, a cut-price clothes retailer, have had some ongoing bad press about their suppliers over the last couple of years including news about the use of child labour to produce their goods (Corporate EYE, 2009). The discount clothing chain beloved of bargain hunters, has been rated the least ethical place to buy clothes in Britain in 2005. Primark scores just 2.5 out of 20 on an ethical index that ranks the leading clothing chains on criteria such as workers rights and whether they do business with oppressive regimes. Mk One and Marks Spencer were ranked second and third worst for ethics by Ethical Consumer magazine (The Independent, 2005) PP protested outside stores in six cities drawing shoppers attention to the true cost of their clothes, collecting hundreds of signatures from shoppers and reaching an even wider audience through the press coverage they generated in 2005. Ethical Consumers criticised the company for not having a code of conduct, selling leather goods and environmentally-damaging PVC products and for operating in an oppressive regime China. According to Ethical Consumer, those people shopping in Primark because the prices are low, they must be aware that they are low for a reason (Ethical Consumer, 2010) Also Panorama puts Primarks claims that it can deliver cheap, fast fashion without breaking ethical guidelines to the test. Posing as industry buyers in India, the programmes reporter Tom Heap and his team find some of Indias poorest people working long, gruelling hours on Primark clothes in slum workshops and refugee camps far away from the Primark approved and inspected factories; breaking promises on child labour, working hours and wages. When presented with the results of the investigation Primark sacked a number of its suppliers and announced it was setting up a childrens foundation. Primark said it was unaware of the actions of its suppliers. They say they represent a tiny proportion of their supply chain and that its reinforcing its stringent ethical standards in meetings with suppliers (BBC, 2005) Companies often say that they are responsible but failing to recognize the real meaning and need of being ethical can affect a business in many ways. It is very important for businesses to operate in such a manner that if wont affects their reputation. This was the case with Primark who clearly failed to tackle the ethical issues well and ended up in the position of being the least ethical. Its ignorance of the interests of society led to many unsatisfied customers protesting against them. As corporate social responsibility refers to the moral obligations placed on organisations to act in ways which protect and improve the interests of the communities with which they interact and this may be in respect of local, regional, national or international communities, and relates both to social institutions and culture, and the physical environment, Watkinson Report (1973) has summed the essence of social responsibility as followed: A company should behave like a good citizen in business. The law does not (and cannot) contain or prescribe the whole duty of a citizen. A good citizen takes account of the interests of others besides him and tries to exercise an informal and imaginative ethical judgment in deciding what he should or should not do. This, it is suggested, is how companies should seek to behave. (Watkinson, 1973) Although the above statement seems quite reasonable, there is considerable debate about the extent to which organisations should respond and take on, to some extent, these kinds of responsibility. We can say that most organisations have accepted that they should, where resources permit, acknowledge at least some degree of responsibility above and beyond the law in respect of the concerns of society. Companies are, therefore, increasingly developing strategies to put this into effect, and in parallel, also developing strategies to enhance their reputation and using their socially responsible actions to build their image. Some of the main strategies for implementing social responsibility by companies are: Environmentally-Conscious Green Working Practices and Outputs with putting concern about the environment into practice means adopting policy and procedures that conserve and replenish resources, through such actions as: Ethical purchasing policies, Recycling waste products and using recycled products, Reducing the amount of physical resources used where they are not directly connected to the production process, or necessary within that (e.g. avoiding excessive packaging) and Energy conservation policies (GreenWorking, 2010) Social Accounting and Social Audit in order to assess how well an organisation is meeting its obligations to the society in which it operates, it has been suggested that it should compile a social balance sheet. This interesting idea reverses many of the points of classical accounting: for example, in terms of profit and loss, taxes paid by the organisation are treated as revenue (because they accrue to society) whereas fees and payments to the organisation are treated as costs (because they are paid by society). Society is seen as evaluating what it puts into the company and what it gets out of it. Social audit draws attention to the fact that a firms gain can sometimes be a loss to society (ASAN, 2009). Support for Community Projects using the term community to refer to the constituency served by the organisation: local, regional, national, international. Organisations support a wide variety of non-profit-making projects, such as theatre groups, concerts, sporting events. Ethical Outsourcing refers to the way in which operations are outsourced and the commitments made, and action taken, about the treatment of workers in outsourced operations. Is this particular case, Primark struggled as it failed to show the commitment made towards their suppliers. As in recent years the subject of corporate social responsibility has widened into what is generally referred to as business ethics. Ethics can be defined as moral philosophy which teaches people their duty and the reasons for it. Therefore, it can be said that ethics are principles concerned with interpersonal behaviour. If they are such principles, then: They should be universally applicable; they should provide the standards by means of which the conduct of people can be compared and they can be taught, and thus help to establish generally acceptable standards of conduct. Many business and professional groups, for example in the legal and medical fields, have adopted codes of conduct for their membership which help to establish a standard of acceptable behaviour and these in turn help to further ethical practices. After many draw backs, this is the case with Primark. Primark has developed strong code of conduct and started putting strong focused on ethical trading as they find out soon that the way in which organisations perform their activities within society has an effect both on society in general and on individuals and their values. The question how we can offer good quality fashion at low prices is now answered highlighting their success basing on big volumes, low mark-ups, and minimal advertising. The business responds quickly in the marketplace, and has short lines of management, good buying and excellent distribution. Being firm but fair with their suppliers, and offer terms that compare favourably with those of our competitors is key to their success. In fact, more than 95% of their factories are shared with other brands. Learning from the past, Primark is firmly committed to improving the ethical performance of their business and that of their suppliers and their factories. Primark recognises that as with other retailers, the key challenges in terms of endemic non-compliances remain control of working hours, unauthorised sub-contracting, minimum wages and the definition of a living wage. Working conditions are the most common cause of non-compliance but typically the easiest and quickest to address. The root causes of such poor practice in the supply chain are complex and Primark has a four-fold strategy for supporting compliance with the Code and live up to our ethical standards: supplier selection, auditing, remediation and training (Primark, 2010). Primark also supports many local charitable organisations, community projects, families and individuals across the UK and Ireland throughout the year.    Strategies that firm can Implement Primark has internal capabilities to for growth and analysing its external environment, it is suggested that Primark can invest in growth and further expansion with the focus on market development. The difficulty here lies in deciding which financial aspect to measure, since a companys financial situation represents different things to different people. For example: Shareholders in the company are mainly interested in the returns they receive for the money they have invested in terms of dividends paid and increases in share values. On the other hand, financiers, who have provided funds through loans to the company, are more interested in the risks which these represent as shown by its gearing ratio of debt/equity. Those who are suppliers of goods, services or materials to the company are mostly concerned about its liquidity and its ability to pay for such items in the short term. The companys employees are also interested in its liquidity, as this affects its ability to pay salaries. The Porters Generic Strategy Model including three strategies; cost leader, differentiator or focus/niche where Primark has placed clearly them as cost leader in the market. It has been a success adopting this strategy and therefore to maintain the position as a cost leader is beneficial for Primark. Direction of a strategy can take several different forms such as withdrawal from the market, either full or partial; can be the correct direction to take. Consolidation within a growing market is another strategic option. Market penetration is the third option which means taking advantage of opportunities to increase market share. The ease with which this can be done will depend, as with consolidation, on the current state of the market. If it is a growing market then penetration may be relatively easy, if the market is static it will be much more difficult due to the activities of larger market shareholders. In declining markets the scope for penetration will depend to a large extent on whether or not others are leaving it. Product development is another option and is often carried out by companies in order to cater for changes in consumer demands. Market development is often carried out by companies developing new markets whilst trying to maintain their position in their current market(s). One of the ways market development can be achieved is by companies starting to expanding or engaging in international trade. Diversification is an other direction which companies can take and enter into other products and/or markets, by means of internal or external development. When a company develops beyond its present product and market whilst remaining in the same area, this is described as related diversification. By developing products internally rather than using outside agencies, the company can have the advantage of using skills and knowledge acquired during the development in order to market the product more effectively. Similarly, developing new markets through the use of internal staff helps the sales force to better understand the market. Acquisition is another option. One of the advantages of acquisition as a method of carrying out a strategy is that it enables the company to obtain new products or markets very quickly. In order to test the effectiveness of acquisition Drucker has suggested five simple rules: (i) The acquiring business must consider what value it can add to the acquired business. This may include management, technology, distribution, etc. Finance is necessary but unlikely to be sufficient on its own. (ii) A common core of unity must exist between the businesses in terms of markets, products, technology, etc. This helps to create a common culture or at least sympathy between the two separate ones. (iii) The acquiring companys management must understand the business being acquired. (iv) The acquiring company must put a quality management team quickly into the acquired business. (v) The acquiring business must be able to retain the best management from both businesses. One of the ways that businesses develop is through franchises, where the franchiser is Responsible for setting up an outlet (such as Spudulike or Kwik Print) and for marketing, training, etc., and the franchise holder undertakes specific activities such as selling. Joint ventures are arrangements between organisations which remain independent but have an equal share in the new organisation. In these arrangements the assets are jointly managed but can be separated. These are organisations which are innovative and regularly the first to bring new products into the marketplace. Such a company is likely to be powerful, with a large share in the market and having high resources. It will gain a competitive advantage from being first into the market. However, leaders have to have the necessary strategies to: protect their current market share; encourage existing customers to increase their demand; attract and retain new customers; update the product design/service for its customers; introduce new products to new markets. In order to carry out these strategies, the company needs to adopt a policy of: innovation by always being ahead of its competitors; and fortification by pursuing activities which are aimed at keeping the competition down (ABE/CSP, 2004) It is best suggested that Primark should take more advantage of globalisation and utilise the opportunity to develop new markets for the growth. It can be done by entering more international trading blocks such as European countries or expansion of market through new marketing mix such as improving product distribution by use of internet order and deliver system for customers. Diversification could be a option for the investment and add a sub strategic unit depending on the internal capabilities and external opportunities. However, as Primark has been performing strong in its existing operating business, it would be beneficial to choose a strategy related to market development and keeping the same product. Globalisation and technology As it would be hard to set one definition for globalisation, in generally globalization can be defined as the interdependence, connectivity and integration on a global level with respect to the social, cultural, political, technological, economic and ecological levels. Globalisation came to be seen as more than simply a way of doing business, or running financial markets it became a process. From then on the word took on a life of its own. Centuries earlier, in a similar manner, the techniques of industrial manufacturing led to the changes associated with the process of industrialisation, as former country dwellers migrated to the cramped but booming industrial cities to tend the new machines (Guardians, 2010). As the main advantage of can be seen as globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. It also enhances the civil liberties and there is a more efficient use of resources. All the countries involved in the free trade are at a profit which results in lower prices, more employment and a better standard of life in these developing nations. It is feared that some developing regions progress at the expense of other developed regions. However, such doubts are futile as globalization is a positive-sum chance in which the skills and technologies enable to increase the living standards throughout the world. Liberals look at globalization as an efficient tool to eliminate penury and allow the poor people a firm foothold in the global economy. In two decades from 1981 to 2001, the number of people surviving on $1 or less per day decreased from 1.5 billion to 1.1 billion. Simultaneously, the world population also increased. Thus, the percentage of such p eople decreased from 40% to 20% in such developing countries (The World Bank, 2009). Globalisation has benefits in such a way that more economies and societies can take advantage. It has major effect on world market and it has resulted in many advantages. As the efforts of WTO have been paying hard to reduce barriers between the countries to promote international trade, it has been a major aspect of global economy. Goods and people can be now transferred with more ease and speed rather ten those traditional ways involving heavy documentation. One of the major points to be noted for the developing countries is the settlement of their own countries. It also increases the trade opportunities between the two countries that have dispute and by doing so it leads to avoidance of unnecessary disputes or wars. It also increases free trade between other countries and builds new or stronger relationship between nations. One of the biggest advantages is to be observed in the media sector. Global media connects all the people in the world. Not only the trade but also cultures and traditions have been transferred by people in ti all other countries leading to better understanding of cultures, religions and beliefs of each other. The society is more becoming like a global village. It also increases the interdependence of the nation states. Investment of developed countries in developing ones increases which has resulted from increased liquidity of capital. It also results in more flexibility of corporation of corporations to operate across borders increases. Effects of globalisation includes enhancement in the information flow between geographically locations. It will lead to more competition as well as new product development as the global market will be competing with new innovation which can be animated across the globe. The global common market has a freedom of exchange of goods and capital. It is more likely that companies successful in home countries will expand and take advantage of global market. From consumers point of view, it increases the choice, style and quality of same products as companies compete for the market share which will lead to reduction of prices. It has increased foreign investment, including import/export, joint ventures and foreign direct investment. Production options are also increased for the companies to produce worldwide depending on the suitability for the organisation. Free circulation of people of different nations leads to social benefits. Global environmental problems like cross-boundary pollution, over fishing on oceans, climate changes are solved by discussions easier than before. Globalisation has also led to more innovations for the solution of telecommunication by use of communication satellites, the Internet, and wireless telephones. It has also resulted in the launch of criminal courts and international justice movements. The standards applied globally like patents, copyright laws and world trade agreements are increased to protect the rights of the inventor over the whole world. Corporate, national and sub-national borrowers have a better access to external finance and therefore, worldwide financial markets have emerged. International travel and tourism has increased and this has led to more cultural diversity. Worldwide sporting events like the Olympic Games, Cricket Wold Cup and the FIFA World Cup are held globally in selected countries and it has been easier for spectators to follow the games whether through media or attending the event including music and film indu stries. Cross cultural contact increases and there is cultural diffusion all leading to increasing the desire to use foreign ideas and products. This will result in increased immigration between the countries and also give opportunities to local consumer products to be exported to other countries. Due to development of containerization for ocean shipping, the transportation costs are reduced. Technological developments are conceived as the main facilitator and driving force of most of the globalization processes. In simple definition, technology can be seen as the socialized knowledge of producing goods and services by the use of technological resources. Technology has five important elements: production, knowledge, instruments, possession and change. Technology improves our capacity to produce effective and efficient. Technology can also be defined as Know-How to produce products or services better then the competitors using resources in such a manner to gain a competitive advantage over your competitor. Technology is a result of intellectual activities and therefore, technology is type of intellectual property. Today technology is developed through research and development institutions as integral parts of the universities. Instruments are mostly physical such as computers, vacuum cleaners or pencils, but sometimes there are immaterial instruments too, such as databases or algorithms in computer programming. Those people who possess technology also control it. Controlling technology has usually something to do with economics and politics. Therefore we can speak of technologically rich and poor countries and the struggle among them usually in the forms of patents, transfers and protection of intellectual rights. Technological factors also include ecological and environmental aspects, such as RHYPE RLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RDHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RDD activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate of technological change. They can determine barriers to entry, minimum efficient production level and influence outsourcing decisions. Furthermore, technological shifts can affect costs, quality, and lead to innovation. (ABE/OB, 2005) Globalisation can be seen as market expansion, concerned with extending the area in which a business operates, so that more potential customers are aware of the products or services you are providing. It also includes extending your operation in different countries. Very often organisations cannot operate at full efficiency unless they take advantage of technological factors that help them to operate globally. The need to compete has continued to grow, so that, having covered a country, the next step is to move over a continent, and then finally to sell your products/services worldwide. Most capital goods companies have moved into overseas markets as their home markets become saturated. As more and more companies become multinational corporations, so more and more service organisations such as insurance companies, have been forced to follow because these multinationals are their clients. Exporting is a method of market expansion and is usually the first step towards international tra ding. This is often followed by the business setting up locations in other countries, where its products are manufactured as well as marketed, in order to take advantage of the local availability of raw materials, or of cheap labour, thus reducing transport costs. Technology factors such as transportation and telecommunication are vital. In the case of overseas investment, it is important to have Know-How to operate effectively and efficient in the new selected market. Apart from transportations technologies, telecommunication will play a major part as overseas department or productions points will be controlled from the head office using telecommunications such as internet and phones. This next stage in development towards global trading is for the organisation to locate some of its manufacturing, distribution or marketing operations overseas will involve all major technological factors. An international business applies marketing operations across national frontiers and will usual ly have subsidiaries established in its major markets. It may even export from these subsidiaries using the technology available to them including transfer of information. Multinational companies operate in a large number of different countries. They differ mainly from international companies in terms of scale and of attitude. National identities almost disappear and managers see the world as a whole, although having local differences. Technology aspects such as research and development and innovations are key factors for those organisations. On the other hand, the technology has supported globalisation heavily and it rapidly increases the efficiency to operate effective in global markets through telecommunications, navigation, satellite, transportations and RD. (ABE, MIO) Conclusion Primark is a subsidiary company within the Associated British Foods group. ABFs core values are shared taking care of our people, being good neighbours and fostering ethical business relationships along with the groups overriding principles in relation to human rights, employment conditions, business practices, suppliers and other stakeholders. Primarks success is led by a unique combination of fast fashion and lean operations with most based in India and Bangladesh. After much criticism, Primark recognises that as with other retailers, the key challenges in terms of endemic non-compliances remain control of working hours, unauthorised sub-contracting, minimum wages and the definition of a living wage. Working conditions are the most common cause of non-compliance but typically the easiest and quickest to address. As the main advantage of can be seen as globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. It also enhances the civil liberties and t here is a more efficient use of resources. Technological factors also include ecological and environmental aspects, such as RHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RDHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RDD activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate of technological change. They can determine barriers to entry, minimum efficient production level and influence outsourcing decisions. Furthermore, technological shifts can affect costs, quality, and lead to innovation. Sources Used Managing in Organisation, 2004, Association of Business Executives Organisation Behaviour, 2004, Association of Business Executives Corporate Strategy and Planning, 2004, Association of Business Executives Examples of how Technology Affects Processes in Global Business and e-Business:: http://www.securebusinessresource.com/Examples%20of%20how%20Technology%20Affects%20Processes%20in%20Global%20Business%20and%20e-Business.htm ASAN Social accounting and social audit http://www.asan.org.uk/page.php?identity=social_accounting_and_audit Green working (2010) www.eastsussex.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/working/ Bbc king of no frills fashion http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4466986.stm Primark (2010) www.primark.co.uk/ethical/trading Corporate Eye (2009) http://www.corporate-eye.com/blog/2008/06/handling-a-crisis-at-primark/ Primark is named as least ethical clothes shop By Martin Hickman Consumer Affairs Correspondent Thursday, 8 December 2005 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/primark-is-named-as-least-ethical-clothes-shop-518600.html Ethical consumer, Panorma puts Primark on the rach http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/EthicalConsumerBlogs/tabid/62/EntryId/201/Panorama-puts-Primark-On-The-Rack.aspx Business Social responsibility (1973), Watkinson Report www.submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id Guardians What is globalisation? http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/oct/31/globalisation.simonjeffery The World Bank (2009) Globalisation http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTDECINEQ/Resources/1149208-1169141694589/GlobalisationandConvergence.pdf

Alice Walkers Everyday Use Essay examples -- Alice Walker Everyday Us

Alice Walker's "Everyday Use" In the short story â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker, the author portrays opposing ideas about one’s heritage. Through the eyes of two daughters, Dee and Maggie, who have chosen to live their lives in very different manners, the reader can choose which character to identify most with by judging what is really important in one’s life. In Dee’s case, she goes out to make all that can of herself while leaving her past behind, in comparison to Maggie, who stays back with her roots and makes the most out of the surroundings that she has been placed in. Through the use of symbolism, the tangible object of a family heirloom quilt brings out these issues relating to heritage to Mama, and she is able to reasonably decide which of her daughters has a real appreciation for the quilt, and can pass it on to her. Dee and Maggie shed a new light on the actual meaning of heritage through their personality traits, lifestyle decisions, and relationships with specific fam ily members.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although all of the character’s views on heritage are expressed, Dee’s character is given the more detailed description of ways she strays from her heritage. From the beginning, Dee despises the home that they live in. When it is destroyed in a fire, her mother wants to ask her, â€Å"Why don’t you do a dance around the ashes?,† expressing Dee’s utter aversion towards the home (Walker 409). Most people take pride in their home and cherish it for all of the memories that it holds for them, but Dee is insensitive to the family’s loss. After becoming of age, Dee decides to go to college, where she begins to hold her newly found knowledge against her family because of their lack of it. This opportunity to go out of her town and see the world gives Dee a taste of a better lifestyle that she wants to become apart of, and leaves her family behind. While Dee is away at college, she denies the quilts that her mother has offered her saying that â€Å"they were old-fashioned, and out of style† because she is still longing to separate herself from her family as much as possible (Walker 413). One of the main things that Dee does to distance herself from her family, and tarnish part of her family’s tradition is the changing of her name Dee Johnson, to Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo, because she feels that it comes from â€Å"the people that oppressed me† (Walker 411). This act comes to Mama... ...and Mama are indifferent to her rude remark. Maggie smiles though, in a way that lets the reader know that she has finally found a place in her mother’s heart. She does not feel as though she has lost out to Dee, but rather that Dee is the one missing out, because she has no concept of what really matters in life. Maggie and Mama do not have to go out and try to prove to the world how far they have come and cover up for their past like Dee. A sense of heritage is the best gift that anyone could ever be given. Unfortunately for Dee, she is looking for material objects to fill that space in her that she has more than once denied. The story makes it apparent that their are different ways to interpret one’s heritage. For those people who are more secure with who they are, heritage is something that they can pride themselves on and not be ashamed of because of where they came from. Heritage is a person’s undeniable past that they carry around with them everyday, i t cannot be found in a mere tangible object. Work Cited Walker, Alice. â€Å"Everyday Use.† Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay. 4th ed. Robert DiYanni, Ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 1998. 408-413.

social layering of victorian society :: essays research papers

Social classes have been around since the dawn of civilization where you were classified by the survival skills that you possess and your ability to use them. Unfortunately also since the dawn of civilization there has been the conflict between the upper classes looking down upon the people below them. The Victorian era was no different lifestyles were most commonly meager and those who had a more luxurious lifestyle avoided contact with the other class.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main difference between these classes is their dress. During the day men usually wear a lounge suit. This suit resembles what is now the three-piece suit. The lounge suit first became popular in the 1850s, it was very large and baggy but developed in the 1860s to the more tailored version. This suit was most common because of its economical price. Most often men wore this suit in plaid with just the top one of the four buttoned. Though other suits of the time had buttons covered with fabric, collectively silk, the lounge suit buttons were not. These lounge suit were daily wear for the wealthier groups and those with a job did not require manual labor, for the lower class this suit was most likely their best. Evening wear, however, consisted of a black tail coat black pants and white vest or black vest. The shirt and bow tie were also white and heavily starched. A gentleman would also were white gloves coming in contact with a lady's bare hands was considered c rude not to mention the fact that the seat from a man's hands could stain a woman's dress. Another thing that separated the classes is the behavior when in the ballroom and in the company of a woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When in the ballroom men and women where to be as well behaved as possible, as is today. Men had more controlling positions than ladies and were required to escort a lady anywhere in the ballroom. It was considered taboo to be seen wandering without an escort. Other rules include the ejection of loud talking and/or laughing and also a married couple should not dance together but if they do this is a display of a husband's abundance of care for his wife. A lady furthermore, cannot refuse to dance with one gentleman and then accept another gentleman in the same dance. Men would often help a lady over a bad crossing or down from a difficult coach without even know them and continue on like nothing had happened.

Brain Cell Transplants

For decades the wonders of science have miraculously improved and given hope to the unfortunate individuals of the world. From stem cell research to cloning, there is not a day that goes by that there is not a lab that is not full of eager scientists working hard in effort to find a cure for some of the millions of illnesses that are present today. There are many disabled children living throughout the world today. In fact, they make up quite a large portion of the world.From mental illnesses, to physical disabilities, there are thousands  of different types of diseases that strike newborns and children every day. Causes attributed to such illnesses can be anything from hereditary reasons to environmental. Fortunately, we have our magnificent scientists striving to help these children. In August of 2000, scientists began developing brain cell transplants to treat the damage caused by a stroke. The procedure appeared to benefit some patients. What this means is that their is, in fac t hope for children with mental disabilities, because a stroke causes mild to sever brain damage.Rehabilitation plays an important role once the brain cell transplants have taken place. And, not all patients will show signs of improvements. This is an ongoing study that is still being worked on and has much room for improvement. In the laboratory, scientists have actually developed a process which uses several to transform cells called LBS-neurons into mature brain cells or neurons. The regular LBS-neurons originate from human tumor tissue composed of embryonic like cells. This is a long way from looking through a magnifying glass!

A Hugo Boss Essay

The print advertisement that I chose for this paper, is a Hugo Boss advertisement for the sale of its men’s perfume line particularly the men’s gift set. Hugo Boss is a company that was started in Metzingen Germany and was founded by Hugo Ferdinand Boss after whom the brand was named. Hugo Boss is known for specializing in high-end menswear apparel, and has expanded like most other brands to include shoes, accessories and fragrances. I chose this particular print advertisement because after viewing several other print advertisements, this one attracted my attention the most. I was drawn to it because it was colorful and had many images that not only caught my eye, but also seemed to be very dynamic and at the same time able to catch my attention. When you first look at the advertisement, the images seem to jump from the page; at first, it actually looks like a messy piece of artwork or a picture that someone doodled on while they were bored. But when you take a closer look at the advertisement and dissect its different components, the underlying message that it gives to its viewers is actually very interesting and quite alluring. The advertisement is composed of three main images, a young man, standing with his finger to his lips, a Hugo boss perfume bottle with images coming out from the lip of the bottle and at the bottom of the advertisement an image of a sample Hugo Boss Men’s Gift Set. Aside from the images, there are printed words, one is a stamped text of â€Å"HUGO† the perfumes brand and the other is the tagline, which says,   â€Å"it’s just a fragrance. The rest is up to you.† I think that this particular print advertisement appeals to a young market. You have only to look at the images used and the words uttered to see that this is geared towards a younger age group. This particular advertisement targets both men and women ages twenty five to thirty five years old, who are young and excited because they are either just beginning their lives or beginning to rise up in their respective endeavors. I say this because of the composition of the print advertisement. First of all, the man used for the advertisement is a man who looks like he is in his mid to late twenties. Admittedly, when advertisers portray their products they get models that will most appeal to the age group they are targeting and usually they get their models from that precise group. The appearance of the man in the advertisement evokes a feeling of casualness that makes you think of fresh graduates, young, hot and out to get the world. This assessment is based not only on the male image model but the images that can be found beside him, which is the Hugo Boss perfume bottle that seems to be overflowing with other images. The images that are coming out of the bottle make me think of the circus coming into town. I am not sure why that particular image popped into my head, but I suppose it is because as a child, the circus represented a child’s dreams in life and this particular advertisement seems to sell that very image to the public. The bottle spewing these images reminds me of the time when the circus would come into town and as the main tent would unfold you would suddenly see a swarm of animals, animal trainers and performers going about. These animals, animal trainers and performers at first seem to have no direction, but as the unfolding of the main tent continues you begin to realize that they all have a purpose and they are not just randomly moving about. This is what seems to be happening with the Boss advertisement. Upon first glance, the image seems not to make any sense but if you take the time to look at it, the images coming out of the bottle are actually images that correspond to the different aspects of a person’s life. Among the images that can be seen are buildings, people, apartments, and a vinyl record among others. These images as I earlier mentioned correspond to the different parts of a person’s life. How is this you might ask? The answer is actually very simple. If you take a look at all of the images that are placed in the advertisement, you see that the buildings could correspond to the business aspect of a person’s life, their careers or work, while the throngs of people could be interpreted as those people that they interact with every day at work, or out on the streets or even while on a gimmick or night out with friends. In addition to these images, what strengthens my belief that this advertisement was made to target a young group is the tagline that the advertisers used. It’s simple, witty and straight to the point, â€Å"it’s just a perfume. The rest is up to you.† I love that the company used this tagline because it makes you think that anything is within your reach. I feel like the advertisement is telling me that all you need is Hugo Boss, a spray of this is like putting one foot in the door and the rest to quote the advertisement â€Å"is up to you.† The purpose of the advertisers in using this particular tagline in my opinion is to give that ego boost that men and women generally need in order to keep moving forward. We all should be honest enough to admit that we do not want change if we are not sure that we are headed in the right direction. Very few people are actually willing to take uncalculated risks when it comes to their future. This advertisement makes you feel that if you use the product advertised, all the confidence that you need in order to do the things that you want to do will magically appear. It makes you feel that one whiff of this and things will go your way. Your work life will improve because your presence seems to be more pleasing, and this may give you that opportunity to make that sales pitch that you need, or get on the good side of your boss who you have been dying to corner in order to give your ideas on the latest project that you are working on. What is so great about this advertisement is that in spite of the fact that it is actually geared more towards men, the advertisers have found a way of drawing in the women as well. If you think about it, although men are obviously being targeted, not all men will purchase this scent for themselves. This advertisement and its packaging is also perfect for the woman in a man’s life. This advertisement is like candy to a baby. Although women generally know what to give their man, this particular advertisement is something that will attract women who have given the men in their lives practically everything.

Black Friday Descriptive Essay

There are experiences in life that create an everlasting impact on our character. Seeing first hand what kind of intestinal fortitude one possesses can be both rewarding and humbling. Black Friday is the 1st day used by Special Forces Assessment and Selection to test the individuals who volunteer to serve in the elite Army Special Forces Green Berets. Just as many people before me pushed themselves to the absolute limit; I was about to experience my own test of will. Camp Mackall airfield is located a mile or so from the main training area.The airfield is surrounded on all sides by the thickest pine forest, one that you would think wasn't by accident. The thick summer humidity sucked the oxygen from the air. Amazingly the dew and fog never quite leave the airfield, as if to create a more somber atmosphere. The landing strip itself looks dilapidated and left more as a reminder of a different time. WWII era trucks, rusted and worn, are locked behind a fence as a constant reminder of th e pain that will come week three. The smell is almost pleasant, like a candle, creating a false sense of comfort that will soon be shattered.The trainig begins before dawn, the time wasn't known since watches weren't allowed. The rustling of 400 eager souls, ready for the pain we all knew was coming, filled the air. Loud bullhorns and exploding ordnance coming from every direction drowned out all attempts to organize the mass of candidates. The jog to the airfield was slow but purposeful, and didn't take very long. Once gathered on the airfield some final instructions were given, groups were made and dispersed evenly throughout the field.Like gathering for a little game, Green Berets from all over Fort Bragg position themselves with fold out chairs awaiting the excitement of other peoples torment. Some even have food, which adds to the misery of not having normal food for seven days. A local fire truck comes screaming by horns blazing and lights flashing, and parks just to the right of the mass of candidates. I find myself, rifle in hand, closest to the fire truck wondering what is next. The fun begins with an instructor briefly explaining the first â€Å"exercise.†The simple task soon felt like a mountain that never seemed to stop rising. Shortly after I hit the dirt, face first the fire truck begins to point the high pressure hose at me forcing me to either endure the sting or move faster. I crawl for what seemed like forever until I heard a horn signaling this station was done, for now. I stand up and move to the next station, simple rifle exercise was the task. With the rifle only weighing five pounds the movement seemed easy; lift over the head, then down to the midsection, then back up again.By the hundredth repetition the rifle might as well have weighed a hundred pounds. Next was logs, four hundred pound logs smooth and smelling of past candidates sweat. The task was to lift the log up, as a team, and then lower to the opposite shoulder. This is the first event that tested everyone’s determination and reason for attending the course, sadly candidates began to quit. The weight of the log, and frustration with fellow candidates, contributed to grown men saying they couldn't take it.The beautiful pine forest backdrop was replaced with bright simulated machine gun fire, exploding ordnance and instructors gawking at every sign of weakness. It was somewhere between burpee long jumps and kettle bell swings that I caught a glimpse of a sight that I can still picture today. The fire hose was spraying into the air creating a mist, the muzzle flashes from the machine guns flashed brightly. The three hundred candidates continued moving with such vigor reminding me of why I was there,which gave me the boost I needed to endure several more hours of pure pain.The jog home was quiet and quick, grown men eager for good meals ready to eat (MREs). The pure joy of being pushed to the point of total discomfort and breaking thru a mental barrier radiated from every man there. As abruptly as it began the day simply just ended. Nothing else about Balck Friday is special except the good ole fashioned gut check. The pain, distractions and ridicule were meant to weed out the weak and retain the strong. Realizing this made me appreciate making it thru and now possessing the tools needed to overcome life’s obstacles. Black Friday Descriptive Essay There are experiences in life that create an everlasting impact on our character. Seeing first hand what kind of intestinal fortitude one possesses can be both rewarding and humbling. Black Friday is the 1st day used by Special Forces Assessment and Selection to test the individuals who volunteer to serve in the elite Army Special Forces Green Berets. Just as many people before me pushed themselves to the absolute limit; I was about to experience my own test of will. Camp Mackall airfield is located a mile or so from the main training area.The airfield is surrounded on all sides by the thickest pine forest, one that you would think wasn't by accident. The thick summer humidity sucked the oxygen from the air. Amazingly the dew and fog never quite leave the airfield, as if to create a more somber atmosphere. The landing strip itself looks dilapidated and left more as a reminder of a different time. WWII era trucks, rusted and worn, are locked behind a fence as a constant reminder of th e pain that will come week three. The smell is almost pleasant, like a candle, creating a false sense of comfort that will soon be shattered.The trainig begins before dawn, the time wasn't known since watches weren't allowed. The rustling of 400 eager souls, ready for the pain we all knew was coming, filled the air. Loud bullhorns and exploding ordnance coming from every direction drowned out all attempts to organize the mass of candidates. The jog to the airfield was slow but purposeful, and didn't take very long. Once gathered on the airfield some final instructions were given, groups were made and dispersed evenly throughout the field.Like gathering for a little game, Green Berets from all over Fort Bragg position themselves with fold out chairs awaiting the excitement of other peoples torment. Some even have food, which adds to the misery of not having normal food for seven days. A local fire truck comes screaming by horns blazing and lights flashing, and parks just to the right of the mass of candidates. I find myself, rifle in hand, closest to the fire truck wondering what is next. The fun begins with an instructor briefly explaining the first â€Å"exercise.†The simple task soon felt like a mountain that never seemed to stop rising. Shortly after I hit the dirt, face first the fire truck begins to point the high pressure hose at me forcing me to either endure the sting or move faster. I crawl for what seemed like forever until I heard a horn signaling this station was done, for now. I stand up and move to the next station, simple rifle exercise was the task. With the rifle only weighing five pounds the movement seemed easy; lift over the head, then down to the midsection, then back up again.By the hundredth repetition the rifle might as well have weighed a hundred pounds. Next was logs, four hundred pound logs smooth and smelling of past candidates sweat. The task was to lift the log up, as a team, and then lower to the opposite shoulder. This is the first event that tested everyone’s determination and reason for attending the course, sadly candidates began to quit. The weight of the log, and frustration with fellow candidates, contributed to grown men saying they couldn't take it.The beautiful pine forest backdrop was replaced with bright simulated machine gun fire, exploding ordnance and instructors gawking at every sign of weakness. It was somewhere between burpee long jumps and kettle bell swings that I caught a glimpse of a sight that I can still picture today. The fire hose was spraying into the air creating a mist, the muzzle flashes from the machine guns flashed brightly. The three hundred candidates continued moving with such vigor reminding me of why I was there,which gave me the boost I needed to endure several more hours of pure pain.The jog home was quiet and quick, grown men eager for good meals ready to eat (MREs). The pure joy of being pushed to the point of total discomfort and breaking thru a mental barrier radiated from every man there. As abruptly as it began the day simply just ended. Nothing else about Balck Friday is special except the good ole fashioned gut check. The pain, distractions and ridicule were meant to weed out the weak and retain the strong. Realizing this made me appreciate making it thru and now possessing the tools needed to overcome life’s obstacles.

The Cause and Effect of Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a cause that haves numerous effects on people in the United States today. It’s defined as a condition that resulted in the continued consumptions of alcoholic’s beverages, despite health problems and negative social consequences. The symptoms of alcoholism vary from person to person, but the most common symptoms seen are changes in emotional state, behavior, or personality. Alcoholics may become angry and argumentative, and withdrawn or depressed. They may also feel more anxious, sad, tense, and confused. Alcoholism is a treatable disease and many treatment programs and approaches are available to support alcoholics who have decided to get help, but no medical cure is available. Regardless of how someone is diagnosed as alcohol dependent or how they came to realize they have a serious drinking problem, the first step to treatment is a sincere desire to get help. Alcoholics who are pressured into treatment by social pressure or forced to quit by circumstances rarely succeed in the long run. Next, I will like to discuss the causes, effects and consequences of Alcoholics. There are several possible causes of alcoholism and risk factors for the disease. Alcoholic liver disease usually occurs after years of excessive drinking. The longer you use alcohol and the more alcohol consumed, the greater the likelihood of developing liver disease. Acute alcoholic hepatitis can result from binge drinking. It may be life-threatening if severe. People who drink excessively can become malnourished because of the empty calories from alcohol, reduced appetite, and poor absorption of nutrients in the intestines. Malnutrition contributes to liver disease. These are many causes that come from drinking a constant amount of Alcohol. The effects that alcohol has on the human body range from short to long term symptoms. As a person consumes alcoholic drinks the stomach immediately absorbs the alcohol and it enters into the bloodstream. Depending on the features such as the age, weight, sex, and body size of an individual the alcohol will affect people in many different ways. Some of the lighter effects of the intake of alcohol comprise lightheadedness, while other effects with an increased amount of alcohol consumed include queasiness, vomiting, slurred speech and vision, and an increased amount of dizziness. There are many consequences of drinking that can lead to an addiction commonly known as alcoholism. Permanent long term effects of consumption can lead to severe damage to essential organs as the liver and brain. If a sustained period of no consumption happens, many effects such as anxiety, delusion, and shuddering may occur. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy may lead to birth defects in infants commonly known as fetal alcohol syndrome. Retardation and permanent physical deformities are common in many cases, and investigative studies have shown that offspring of alcoholic parents are at a great deal higher possibility of becoming alcoholics themselves. In conclusion, there are several causes, effects, and consequences of Alcoholism that I have mentioned. Many people that use alcohol do not understand how harmful it is to their body. After reading my essay I hope you have a better understanding of why drinking to much alcohol is bad for you.

Analysis of the Swamp in Psycho

Analysis of the Swamp in Psycho Adrian Secter Murder, Candy and Chains: An Analysis of the Swamp in Psycho â€Å" Show me a sane man and I will cure him for you.† — Carl Jung Understanding a swamp is to understand what exists in shadow. Not the shadow of night or shroud, but that of the mute. The marginal. To know the scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho where Marion Crane’s corpse-filled car is disposed of, is to know the film. Bogs have always been a place in flux, the last remainder of a primordial ooze. They serve as a place where strange organisms, many of which cannot survive elsewhere, can breed and grow. The same holds true for ideas. For a man such as Norman Bates, the swamp affords him (and his mother) the luxury of anonymity. Removed from the scrutiny of dry land, the rigors of reality, Bates’ imagination does as swamp creatures do. It experiments, it mutates and most importantly, it uses its natural habitat to dispose of any outsiders who threaten it. Given that t he absorptive nature of the swamp scene is both literal and metaphorical, Michael Fried’s â€Å"Absorption and Theatricality† readily lends itself to this analysis. While Fried ostensibly concerns himself with Denis Diderot and 18 th century French paintings, the case he presents all but begs to be deftly applied to film. A plea heard anachronistically by Psycho . This 1960 film is replete with striking scenes, and indeed it could be argued that the movie is comprised entirely of such scenes. It is however, the alluded to â€Å"swamp scene† that is most pertinent. In this scene, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) hides the car that his most recent victim, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh). After murdering Crane in her motel room and disposing of all the evidence thereof, Crane’s body and 1957 Ford remain. Cleverly vanishing both corpse and car, Bates wraps Crane in a shower curtain, dumps her in the trunk and rolls the car into a nearby swamp. All of this expositi on appears fairly straightforward, and would be, were the film not directed by Alfred Hitchcock. With Hitchcock behind the camera, the scene is elevated beyond mere plot and into a realm worthy of Fried and analysis. The crucial point of this scene is that the only remaining proof of Crane’s murder, the car, does not go quietly into the swamp. In filming this descent of woman, Hitchcock positions the car on a controllable platform, allowing him to adjust the speed with which the car is lowered into the murky gloom. The car is swallowed up, but only piecemeal. At first it proceeds smoothly, as the muddy waters seep into the front of the car. Then it stops. Half of a bone-white car still sticks out of the darkness. The trunk, with Crane inside, stares back at a watchful Bates. He stares back, munching on candy corn. The water finds its strength again and consumes more of the car. Then it stops. The trunk lies like a Nile crocodile, its back above the water. On the shore, Bates continues watching. At last, the water covers the trunk and its morbid contents. The camera lingers on the last bubbles, expiring as they flee towards the shore.

Boethius Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Boethius - Essay Example In this case, the infallible providence of God is privy to all future events and whatever actions a rational creature sets out to do have actually been predetermined. However, this is going against the concept of freedom of choice, this is because the premise for legitimate free will would comprise of a non-predetermined course of things since freedom can be loosely defined as a the will by a rational creature to determine its own life and destiny independently. Thus, concisely if God is all knowing, cannot be wrong, and he knows of the human destiny and future action, then it translates that man’s future is predetermined in Gods knowledge of its occurrence and in these premise the concept of free will is fallacious. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius is one of the sages who have had significant impact on this debate; he posited a solution for this problem which he claims was shown to him in a vision by lady philosophy while he was locked up in prison. On free will he says the fact that humans are capable of reasoning means they possess free will, reason enables them to make logical judgments which translate to decisions (Flew, 175). Therefore, they have the ability and capacity to decide what should be included or excluded from their lives. He further classifies freedom thus; humans are freest when contemplating philosophically and least free when engaged in addictive behavior and bound in earthly fetters. However lady philosophy tells him that, God can foresee our future and puts everyone in the situations that are best fitted for their present needs in his infinite and infallible wisdom. However, this begs the question which had been earlier discussed before that, if the infallible God knows our actions and it is impossible that he is wrong, how then can we claim to have free will, this is because to justify perfect foresight, either what is going to happen must be foresees by him or what he sees must invariably come to pass, nevertheless in either ca se, human freedom is nullified. The solution offered by lady philosophy and which Boethius proposes is that God does not â€Å"know† or see things in the same way as man, he is eternal and the past present and future are simultaneous to him. He does not exist in the same temporal dimensions as humans thus despite the fact that tomorrow is yet to be, he sees it as we do the present, therefore he knows what will happen without directing it to happen (Flew 176).   Therefore, the knowledge of God transcends all that is in the temporal and spatial realms as perceived by man and it exists in the simplicity of a simple present, thus Gods knowledge is not future knowledge but awareness of a consistent present. In other words, one should not think of providence as the causative agent in the cause of things, they happen independently and providence only foresees them because they will happen not to make them happen. In my opinion, Boethius’ reasoning is not tenable, his argume nts go round in circles and coming back to the same point, because he wants to justify two diametrically opposed ideas and makes it appear that both are logical. At the end of the day, if we agree God all knows, his transcendence of time will not change the fact that humans are immersed in it, thus events in his continuous present are occur to humans in different times. Thus, the fact that thing happen as they do, and God presumably is aware of them means free will remains and illusion. However, to borrow from a biblical reasoning, God knows an individual even when they are in

Argentinas Foreign Debt Restructuring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Argentinas Foreign Debt Restructuring - Essay Example Conversely, the "legal" definition of foreign debt is debt issued according to foreign (New York, UK, et cetera) law, regardless of whether it is in local or foreign currency and regardless of who, foreign or domestic resident, is holding these claims." Debt Renegotiation - a Background: Argentina bogged down by its mounting external debts decided to settle all the foreign currency public debt by replacing the debts with new securities calculating at the rate of 35 cents per every dollar of debt. The government also decided to repudiate all the past interest due on those debts. The government also announced that those bondholders who do accept the government's proposal by the deadline will not be paid anything. Though the announcement of the settlement of the debts in this way is criticized vehemently by the bondholders the government announced that by the deadline more than 75 percent of the country's creditors accepted the proposal. However the Institute of International Finance observed that such an aggressive conduct by the government of Argentina was sure to affect its long term economic growth and stability. The Institute also commented on the lack of progress on the implementation of the structural reforms to boost the economic development. Debt Management of the Governments: It so happens in most of the countries the government becomes the largest single borrower of the country. The effectiveness of the debt management largely influences the development of the domestic capital market. The debt management also reflects on the fiscal policies of the country and the spread of the respective countries government bonds in the US and other treasuries world over by affecting the market prices and tradability of the bonds. The... The government also announced that those bondholders who do accept the government’s proposal by the deadline will not be paid anything. Though the announcement of the settlement of the debts in this way is criticized vehemently by the bondholders the government announced that by the deadline more than 75 percent of the country’s creditors accepted the proposal. However the Institute of International Finance observed that such an aggressive conduct by the government of Argentina was sure to affect its long term economic growth and stability. The Institute also commented on the lack of progress on the implementation of the structural reforms to boost the economic development. Debt Management of the Governments: It so happens in most of the countries the government becomes the largest single borrower of the country. The effectiveness of the debt management largely influences the development of the domestic capital market. The debt management also reflects on the fiscal policies of the country and the spread of the respective countries government bonds in the US and other treasuries world over by affecting the market prices and tradability of the bonds. The debt management policies of the government will have a strategic implication on the growth and development of the economy as a whole. A good debt management of any country should reflect in the reduction of the borrowing costs, greater access to the capital markets of international standing.