Social And Emotional Development An Important Part Of...

Social and Emotional development is an important part of early childhood that schools, daycares, and even parents do not often address enough. The education system in America does not put an emphasis on social and emotional development, instead placing it on academic subjects. While academics are important, it is also critical that children learn how to regulate their emotions, and interact with other peers. All of these aspects of SED (Social and Emotional Development) can be learned throughout any stage of life, but if taught during early childhood, the process will go quicker and the effects will last longer. Halle and Darling-Churchill (2016) found that the Center on the Social Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) defines early social and emotional development as â€Å"the developing capacity of the child from birth through five years of age to form close and secure adult and peer relationships; experience, regulate, and express emotions in socially and culturally a ppropriate ways; and explore the environment and learn—all in the context of family, community, and culture† (p. 9). This means that children need to learn about their sense of self and how it relates to other people. If a child is not expressing their emotions in a healthy way, this will carry over into their adult life, possibly causing serious problems related. This paper is going to discuss, in-depth, three major topics related to early childhood SED. One is why social and emotional developmentShow MoreRelatedPersonal Human Growth And Development Timeline944 Words   |  4 PagesPersonal Human growth and development timeline Going through this class and learning about each of the different phases was interesting. To go through and see which ones I have personally experienced. When we started to get in late adulthood it was slightly depressing thinking about growing old and the factor of death. Each part of our development we go through will mater when we reach that point in our lives if you think about it in that context. That’s why it is important to know your family historyRead MoreThe National Quality Standard And Early Years Learning Framework Essay1671 Words   |  7 Pagesthe window looking out into the playground watching the other children play. If only Jimmy had the social and emotional skills to go outside and explore the playground. Early childhood is a time where children want to express themselves and explore their world independently. It is, therefore, imperative that early childhood settings foster autonomy and develop age-appropriate social and emotional skills. This incre asing independence must be fostered for children to grow, develop and become allowingRead MoreThe Importance of Friendship and Healthy Relationships in a Childs Development976 Words   |  4 PagesFriendships are so important. They have always been important; but it seems to be the most important in my opinion. We see how friendships play important roles throughout our life span. Friendships are defined and formed in each stage of life from infancy. These include early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle adulthood and late adulthood. Friendships grow from one stage to another. During this time friends become closer. Relationships start out as acquaintances andRead MoreEarly Childhood Education Is The Most Rapid Period Of Development960 Words   |  4 Pagesconclusion that Early Childhood Education is the most rapid period of development in a human brain. The years from conception through birth to eight years of age critical to the complete and healthy cognitive, emotional and physical growth of children. The brain is part of the central nervous system, and plays a decisive role in controlling many bodily functions, including both voluntary activities such as walking or speaking and involuntary ones. Babies with strong, positive emotional bonds to theirRead MoreChildhood Development : Child And Adolescent Psychology1265 Words   |  6 PagesPsychology Early Childhood Development Unit 9 Assignment Kenneth Peter Smith PS220 December 18, 2014 Professor Linda Smith So what goes on during Early Childhood - ages 3 to 6. Development is very crucial in every aspect of childhood but why is it important during early childhood? What goes on during this time frame in a child’s life that’s going to dictate every aspect of the child’s life for now and evermore? Is this stage of a child’s development even important to the outcomeRead MoreThe Importance Of A Healthy Development For Children s Development Essay1612 Words   |  7 Pages 1. Introduction Toddlerhood is an important stage in a child’s life for the development of skills needed throughout their lifetime. That is why it is very important to promote a healthy development for each of the development areas. This report presents information on toddlers and how they develop in each of the different development domains, cognitive, physical, language and social-emotional. It looks at the theories created by Jean Piaget, Arnold Gesell, Noam Chomsky and Erik EriksonRead MoreThe Importance Of Childhood Experiences Of Children And The Social And Economic Benefits Of Early Intervention1553 Words   |  7 Pagesessay discusses Importance of childhood experience to later life emotional, social and cognitive development into adulthood in the Uk, using the attachment and behaviorism theory to examine childhood experiences, as it forms parts of child’s development. I will be looking into the factors affecting social, emotional and cognitive development of children, strategies to improving service delivery of early intervention in children and the Social and economic benefits of early intervention. AttachmentRead MoreEarly Childhood Abuse and the Effects on Emotional Development1352 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Early childhood abuse and the effects on emotional development Abstract The present research is aimed at providing an account of early childhood abuse and its effects on further emotional development. A first focus falls on outlining the psychological stages of emotional development and the notion of emotional response, followed by a thorough analysis of the child abuse spectrum together with effects, both early and belated, of general and most notably socio-emotional nature. Firstly, the meaningRead MoreInfancy and Early Childhood1106 Words   |  5 PagesInfancy and Early Childhood Stages University of Phoenix Queanna Booth, Marilyn Lee, Virginia Ortega, Shniqua Smith, Linda Van Scholars note the important role that attachment plays in the development of an infant. Mary Ainsworth, a pioneer in the study of attachment describes attachment as an emotional bond between persons who binds them through space and time. Attachment is the basis for social skills. (As stated by Vaughn) According to Vaughn, through loving interactions betweenRead MoreEarly Childhood Development : Child Welfare1640 Words   |  7 Pages Early Childhood Development Rossy Sical SWK 346 Child Welfare Professor Carew February 3, 2015 Early Childhood Development Early childhood development is a fundamental key to a full and productive life. This stage of development is not only important because of its rapid development but also because it is the foundation of children’s future cognitive, behavioral and emotional well-being. Children during this stage require love and physical and verbal stimulation

Responsibilities of Business Organizations Free Essays

With the rate at which technology is currently growing and the number of competitors available in markets also increasing, responsibilities by firms is obligatory. With all this, it is of great importance to observe issues relating to business ethics with a very keen eye. For businesses to be valued in terms of ethics, they must observe principles related to ethics. We will write a custom essay sample on Responsibilities of Business Organizations or any similar topic only for you Order Now This value attached to business ethics can make a business boost its performance and achieve set objectives and goals (Donaldson Werhane 34). Customers, employees and employer satisfactions will dictate the type of ethics to be followed in a business. The responsibility of acting ethically lies on the hands of each single person in the organization. Acting ethically means more than adhering to company rules, policies or laws. Everything done counts and constitutes of visibility concerns that must be held high. Some of the business’ responsibilities expected to be practiced include the following. Legal Systems It is argued that the law binds the business to its ethics. Milton Friedman the view’s pioneer said that as long as businesses are faced with the obligation of making profits, all its activities should be inline with the country’s legal system. Friedman says that businesses should conform to core rules of both the country of operation and the ethics of the location where the business is located (Donaldson, Werhane123) The legal system of a country ensure that firms are regulated from engaging in activities that can prove detrimental to the broader perspective of social good including its citizens and environment. It’s the responsibility of the firm to ensure that all these regulations are complied with as far as running its activities. This is despite the inability of government laws being unable to cover all perspectives of business operations. Business Practices and Priorities Businesses are expected to be responsible in performing their activities. This is because the most crucial stakeholders of the firm dictate them to be. For instance it is the obligation of the business to carry out activities that are in agreement with their employees views. This is due to the benefits that accompany increased engagements and cooperation of employees. Other key stakeholders include customers, investors and consumers. The community of operation and regulators all require their needs to be satisfied by the corporations. It’s upon the organization to determine the degree of importance of each stakeholder and how to satisfy their different needs. Community Expectations It is the responsibility of the firm to work hand in hand with the local community. This in turn will prevent conflicts that are bound to take place when disagreements regarding some actions taken or not taken by one of the parties involved. The community will hold the corporation responsible for its actions. The community expects so much from the business and it’s of great importance if the firm fulfills this expectation. This can be in form of employment creation, participation in community activities and provision of better and improved living standard due to the other amenities attracted to the region. Education and Crisis Management It’s the responsibility of the organization to ensure that the society is educated regarding its operations. The society and the corporation should be able to work collectively with the society to tackle pressures that are taking place due to constant changes. If the company is involved in activities that can lead to crises, the duty of taking up cleaning measures lies on it. This is to avoid the effects that may result from the actions taken. The business has the responsibility of creating awareness to its customers and consumers regarding the side effects of their operations in the region and the products it’s selling. References Donaldson, Thomas Patricia, Werhane. Ethical Issues in Business: A Philosophical Approach. New Jersey: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2008. How to cite Responsibilities of Business Organizations, Papers

Hemmingway Essay Research Paper For Whom the free essay sample

Hemmingway Essay, Research Paper For Whom the Bell Tolls For Whom the Bell Tolls is a novel slackly based on Ernest Hemingway # 8217 ; s ain experiences in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930 # 8217 ; s. Before I delve into the book itself, I thought it would be best to give some background information on Ernest Hemingway and on the Spanish Civil war and the fortunes environing it. Hemingway was born July 21, 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois, and the second of six kids. His male parent, Clarence Hemingway, was a doctor and his female parent was a piously spiritual adult female with a endowment for music. When he was immature, Ernest acquired the moniker # 8220 ; title-holder, # 8221 ; which he relished and felt it showed his bully, hardheaded out-of-door sense of escapade. He had garnered his male parent # 8217 ; s passion for runing and fishing in the north forests of Michigan, a period of his childhood which left of import feelings subsequently reflected in several of his short narratives such as # 8220 ; Up in Michigan # 8221 ; and # 82 20 ; Big Two Hearted River. # 8221 ; In high school, Ernest edited the school newspaper, excelled in football and pugilism, and ran off from place twice. Upon his graduation, 17 twelvemonth old Hemingway headed to Kansas City to enlist in World War I, in straight-out rebelliousness of his parents expostulations. However the ground forces rejected Hemingway, despite his perennial attempts, due to lasting oculus harm incurred from his old ages of pugilism. Yielding eventually to the ground forces # 8217 ; s rejections, he added a twelvemonth to his age and was hired as a newsman for the Kansas City Star, a national newspaper. While working at the Star, Hemingway continued his attempts to take part in the war, and eventually succeeded when he joined a voluntary Red Cross ambulance unit as a driver. In 1918 he was really earnestly injured at Fossalta on the Piave River. Hemingway received 12 operations on his articulatio genus, an aluminium patella and two Italian Decorations. After a long period of painful conv alescence in Milan, Ernest Hemingway joined the Italian foot to contend once more. These graphic experiences provided the base for Hemingway # 8217 ; s womb-to-tomb captivation with war. Surviving World War I, he subsequently covered the Greek-Turkish War in 1920, World War II and the Spanish Civil War in 1937, the scene for For Whom the Bell Tolls. In 1928, Hemingway # 8217 ; s father committed self-destruction. He did non reflect on this event in his authorship until the ideas of Robert Jordan, the chief character in For Whom the Bell Tolls, in 1940. The Spanish Civil War ( 1936-1939 ) followed the failure of a military rebellion to subvert Spain # 8217 ; s democratically elective authorities. The war divided Spain both geographically and ideologically and it brought to power General Francisco Franco who ruled Spain from the terminal of the war until his decease in 1975. Following the Spanish American War ( 1898 ) , Spain lost the balance of its one time great imperium. This li cking greatly increased dissatisfaction and the demands for alteration grew. Peoples disagreed on the alterations needed, nevertheless and Spanish political relations became dominated by cabals. In 1936 the Republic was in power in Spain. A rebellion led by Francisco Franco and the Second Republic began and they received enormous sums of support from the people of Spain. They were known as the Rebels. Robert Jordan battles on the side of the Loyalists in this novel, as did many Americans and other foreign voluntaries, known as the International Brigades. Equally good as support from the people, the Second Republic had support from Germany and Italy. In the terminal these forces proved excessively much to manage for the weary Loyalists, and the war was lost to the Second Republic. For Whom the Bell Tolls is the narrative of Robert Jordan, an American college Spanish professor, contending for # 8220 ; the cause # 8221 ; with the stalwarts as an expert in destruction. It is written i n startlingly sharp, concise prose ( something which Hemingway was know for ) , and is meant to demo the horrors and inhuman treatment of war and the endurance which it requires. It is besides a love narrative. The fresh clears with a flashback of a conversation between Robert Jordan and General Golz, A Russian officer who is directing the extroverted onslaught. We learn that Jordan is transporting explosives and that his mission is to blow up a span. Golz is interested in the violative chiefly as a military manoeuvre and he needs Jordan to blow up a span to impede Rebel supports. He knows that Jordan will hold to enlist the aid of an antifascist guerilla unit in the mountains and he is misanthropic because he feels that the Spaniards will merely interfere. Ironically, this same cynicism is expressed when Jordan arrives at the guerilla # 8217 ; s hideaway in the mountains. Pablo, the guerilla leader, resents the fact that a alien has come to run the show for awhile. It puts Pablo i n an inferior place where he is no longer the spokesman of the group. Irony is a major subject in this novel and is illustrated often in the ideas and actions of its characters. Pablo is interested merely in the safety of himself and his set and Jordan # 8217 ; s military programs are of small importance to him. Anselmo is besides introduced in the first chapter. Anselmo is an of import character in that he is one of the few people that Robert Jordan trusts. He is an aged adult male, but wholly committed to the cause. He in bend topographic points his trust in Jordan. Robert Jordan has here-to-fore been shown as an first-class soldier. He is skilled in his work, dedicated, determined to transport out his orders, and he is willing to give himself and others for the good of the cause. However, in chapter 3, we see a inkling of bitterness come over his character when he comes to footings with the fact that the mode in which his mission is to be carried out is really irregular and so i s extremely unsafe. He begins to experience that possibly a cause International Relations and Security Network # 8217 ; t ever deserving giving people for but he brushes the thought aside, non desiring to # 8220 ; believe such ideas # 8221 ; ( p. 41 ) . In Chapter four, there is a confrontation between Jordan and Pablo and in it, Pablo announces that he doesn # 8217 ; t want to blow up the span. Pilar, Pablo # 8217 ; s married woman and one of the lone others that Jordan feels he can swear, sides with Jordan. Subsequently, the remainder of the set side with her, experiencing that Pablo has # 8220 ; gone bad # 8221 ; ( p. 56 ) . Pablo is homesick, tired of the war and scared of acquiring killed, by his ain work forces and at the conflict of the span. Jordan wrestles with the thought of whether or non he should hold killed Pablo in the confrontation but is reassured by Pilar that he was right non to. In malice of all efforts to keep a coldly professional attitude toward his wor k and to stay degage from any emotional engagement, Robert Jordan finds himself falling in love with Maria. Jordan # 8217 ; s Battle within himself has now passed the beginning stage. He talks to Pilar about his sense of duty but he acknowledges the fact that he cares very much for Maria. It begins to become obvious to all the characters that their enemy is better organized, has more support, is better equipped, and really cannot be defeated. It is becoming less obvious to them that the cause is worth all of their lives and the lives of others like them. Chapter 10 was the most impressive narration I have ever read. It serves the purpose of displaying how, in war, the â€Å"good guys† can be just as cruel as the â€Å"bad guys.† Hemingway, in masterful style, recounts the executions of several members of the Second Republic. â€Å"There were more than twenty (fascists). But none was shot† â€Å"What was done?† â€Å"Pablo had them all beaten to death with flails and thrown from the top of the cliff into the river.† â€Å"?in all my life never do I wish to see a scene such as the flailing to death in the plaza on the top of the cliff above the river.† â€Å"The fascists were all held in the Ayuntamiento, the city hall?† â€Å"There was a great crowd outside and there was some levity outside and some shouting of obscenities, but most of the people were very serious and respectful.† â€Å"? most had flails? and those who did not have flails had heavy herdsman’s clubs, and some had wooden pitchforks? Some had sickles and reaping hooks but these Pablo placed at far end where the lines reached the edge of the cliff.† (p.103-104) Pilar went on to describe the gruesome way in which the fascists were forced to run the gauntlet to the edge of the cliff, where they were then thrown off. Some of the men went screaming and crying, begging for mercy, some had to be dragged, near paralyzed with terror. It was absolutely the most heartbreaking, gut-wrenching thing I have ever read. I was as close to tears as I had ever been. The sympathy one feels for the fascists at this point is short lived though when, in chapter 11, the reader learns of the slaughter of Joaquin’s (part of Pablo’s band of guerrillas) family. It serves to acquaint the reader with the cruel practices of the fascists. In chapter 13 Jordan’s battle within himself has swollen massively. He wants to live out a normal life with Maria as his wife and he does not want to die for a cause. He argues bitterly with himself and he becomes disgusted with the politics of both sides. He admits to himself for the first time that he is in love with Maria, and his love has made him see things clearly. Here is another example of the theme of irony: he has finally met someone he truly loves and in less than four days he must blow up this bridge and probably die. The urgency of his desire for Maria shows his fear that they have little time left. That fear is shown again when Jordan wakes up one night and holds her tightly as if he were afraid of losing her. It soon comes to Robert Jordan’s attention that the plans for the attack have been leaked to the fascists. He sends a message to General Golz asking to call off the attack. Jordan’s longing to stay alive grows and, aware of this, he tries to make sure that the message he sends to Golz doesn’t sound like he wishes the attack to be called off for personal reasons. He entertains the idea that the offensive could be merely a diversionary tactic to draw enemy troops away from another front. If that were the case, then he had little hope that the attack would be canceled, for fascist knowledge of the attack would mean little to Golz. In chapter 30 we learn that Jordan’s father committed suicide- a shameful and cowardly act in Jordan’s mind. It is the first time Ernest Hemingway ever reflected on the suicide of his father in his writing. We learn that Maria’s father was the mayor of her town and that her mother was not a Republican, but was loyal to h er husband. Both were killed by a Falangist firing squad. We know also that Maria was a captive of a vicious group of fascists before she was rescued by Pablo’s band, and that she was raped repeatedly by her captors. The battle at the bridge has grown more and more hopeless up to this point (it has even snowed so that the fascists will be able to follow their tracks). Robert Jordan’s daydreams of taking Maria to vacation in Madrid are indicative of his little hope of surviving. Jordan awakes from his daydreams to Pilar shaking him. Quickly he returns to reality when he learns that Pablo has vanished, taking many of the explosives, and their means of escape, with him. He is terribly discouraged but assures Pilar that he can find another way to set of the explosives at the bridge. Jordan is furious with himself for forgetting that Pablo would only be friendly in order to betray him. He becomes furious with Spain and with both sides of the fight. He decides that they will be able to blow the bridge, but that they will die doing it, as Pablo and his horses were their only source of escape. Robert Jordan lay sleeping that night next to Maria: â€Å"He lay there holding her very lightly, feeling her breathe and feeling her heart beat, and keeping track of the time on his wrist watch.† Chapter 37 shows Jordan and Maria’s last intimate moments together. He feels as if he has spent his whole life at this cave, that the guerrillas are his brothers, and that Maria is his wife. The scene in the cave before the fight is one of nervous despair. The men are riddled with angst and are snapping at each other. Jordan’s plan which he had thought up the night before doesn’t seem like such a great one now that morning is near. The situation has become progressively worse. He doesn’t have enough men to overcome the enemy guard posts, and he has lost the equipment necessary to blow the bridge correctly. Suddenly, Pablo reappears, with additional men and horses in tow. Immediately things begin to look better and the task at hand doesn’t look quite so impossible. â€Å"Organized confusion,† (p 404) describes the pre-battle preparations. Jordan repeats several times that no one is to do anything until they hear the offensive begin. The time of the battle finally arrives. It is a bloody and complicated battle where the importance the individual is reintroduced. First, when Jordan looks at the sentry he must kill and sees him as a human being- a fact which makes him decide not to look at the man again until he has to. Then, when Anselmo cries over the fact that he just killed a sentry. Finally comes the ultimate irony of the novel. Robert Jordan has done everything he should have done and his mission has actually been successful. He is in the process of escaping with Maria and everyone else who is left alive, but he will die, not for the cause, but for the protection of Maria, for true love.

Vasquez 1 Essays - Political Philosophy, Law, Politics,

Vasquez 1 Keydy Vasquez Cerrato Mrs.Pimental U.S History 06 November 2015 How Did the Constitution Guard Against Tyranny? Tyranny can come in the form of many people taking control of other people. Also as king inheriting the throne but not following the laws that were previously proposed. In 1787 the rich white and powerful men of America came together to write the Constitution, in order to protect the people. How did the Constitution guard against one taking too much power over others? The Constitution guarded against tyranny in the following 4 ways federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances and the compromise between the highly populated states and the lesser populated states. Federalism is the idea of some power given to the federal government and some power to the states. But the central government and states able to borrow money, set up courts, enforce laws and tax. The federal government has the power to regulate trade and declare war. While the states have the power to establish schools and pass marriage laws (Doc A). Federalism guards against tyranny by distributing power between both central government and the states to keep tyranny away. Vasquez 2 The purpose of separation of powers is to create three separate branches to distribute power . The people have the power to vote for their representatives. The 3 branches are legislative, executive and judicial. The legislative branch makes laws. The executive enforces those laws. And the judicial branch interprets those laws made by the other branches (Doc B). The separation of powers guards against tyranny by allowing us to vote for our representatives to help us make our country better. But checks and balances guards one from taking too much power over the others by making sure that not one branch has more power than the other 2 branches. They do it by checking each others work. The legislative branch checks the chief executive by approving his nominations. While the president checks the Supreme Court by nominating the judges. Then the Supreme Court checks the Senate by being able to declare laws constitutional (Doc C). By having checks and balances available not one branch has more than the rest meaning it guards against tyranny. The Great Compromise guards against tyranny by preventing large states from outvoting small states because at least now each state has an equal amount or represen tatives in one house. The House of Representatives all depends o n the population of each state. But the Senate House has no more than 2 senators no matter the size of the state population. This compromise guards against tyranny allowing the states to have a fair amount of representatives that will give them a voice in their problems. Preventing tyranny from happening in their country. Vasquez 3 These four reasons guard against tyranny from taking over their country because they already fought a long war to get away from that place. Th e rich white men helped make our government better by adding federalism separation of powers, checks and balances, and the Great Compromise and allowing them to recreate our government for the greater good.

Quick Facts About Americas Mount Rushmore

Quick Facts About America's Mount Rushmore Mount Rushmore is located in the Black Hills of Keystone,  South Dakota. The sculpture of four famous presidents - George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln - was carved into the granite rock face over many decades. According to the National Park Service, approximately 2.5 million people visit the monument each year.   Fast Facts: Mount Rushmore Location: Near Rapid City, South DakotaArtist: Gutzon Borglum. Died seven months before it was finished; completed by son Lincoln.Size: The presidents faces are 60 feet high.Material: Granite rock faceYear Started: 1927Year Completed: 1941Cost: $989,992.32Notable: The artist was tagged for the project because of his work on the Confederate Memorial Carving at Stone Mountain, Georgia, which he began. His work was removed and another artist finished it, however. Also in the national park is the Avenue of Flags, representing the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.  In the summertime, the monument is also lit up at night. History of Mount Rushmore National Park   Gutzon Borglums model of Mt. Rushmore memorial, where you see the original plans. Library of Congresss Prints and Photographs Division/Public Domain/Wiki Commons   Mount Rushmore National Park was the brainchild of Doane Robinson, known as the â€Å"Father of Mount Rushmore.† His goal was to create an attraction that would draw people from all over the country to his state. Robinson contacted Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor who was working on the monument at Stone Mountain, Georgia. Borglum met with Robinson during 1924 and 1925. He was the one who identified Mount Rushmore as a perfect location for a grand monument. This was due to the cliffs height above the surrounding area; its composition of granite, which would be slow to erode; and the fact that it faced southeast, to take advantage of the rising sun each day. Robinson worked with John Boland, President Calvin Coolidge, Rep. William Williamson, and Sen. Peter Norbeck to gain support in Congress and the funding to proceed. Congress agreed to match up to $250,000 of funding for the project and created the Mount Rushmore National Memorial Commission. Work began, and by 1933 the Mount Rushmore project became part of the National Park Service. Borglum did not like having the NPS oversee the construction. However, he continued to work on the project until his death in 1941. The monument was deemed complete and ready for dedication on October 31, 1941. It eventually cost nearly $1 million. Why Each of the Four Presidents Was Chosen Tetra Images/Getty Images Borglum made the decision about which presidents to include on the mountain. According to the National Park Service, heres his reasoning: George Washington: He was the first president and represented the foundation of American democracy.Thomas Jefferson: With the Louisiana Purchase, he greatly expanded the nation. He was also the author of the hugely influential Declaration of Independence.  Theodore Roosevelt: He not only represented the industrial development of the nation but was also widely known for conservation efforts.  Abraham Lincoln: As the president during the U.S. Civil War, he represents the preservation of the nation above all costs.   Carving Done With Dynamite The powder monkey is holding dynamite and detonators.   Archive Photos/Getty Images With 450,000 tons of granite that needed to be removed, the sculptor found out early on that jackhammers were not going to take care of the job fast enough. He employed a munitions expert to insert charges of dynamite into drilled holes and blasted the rock off when the workers were off of the mountain. Eventually, 90 percent of the granite removed from the rock face was done with dynamite. Changes to the Design The unfinished hall of records behind Abraham Lincolns head, just as Gutzon Borglum left it. Rachel.Miller727/Creative Commons/Wiki Commons During production, the design went through nine changes. Entablature What appears isnt exactly how the sculpture was conceived by sculptor Borglum, who also had plans for wording to be etched into the rock face, called the Entablature. It was to contain a brief history of the United States, highlighting nine important events between 1776 and 1906, carved into an image of the Louisiana Purchase. Given issues over the wording and funding and the fact that people wouldnt be able to read it from a distance, that idea was scrapped. Hall of Records Another plan was to have a Hall of Records in a room behind Lincolns head that would be accessed by the public via a staircase from the base of the mountain. On display would be important documents in a room decorated with mosaics. It too was discontinued, in 1939, due to lack of funding. Congress told the artist to concentrate on the faces and just get it done. A tunnel is what remains. It does house some porcelain panels giving the background about the building of the monument, the artist, and the presidents, but its inaccessible to visitors due to the lack of a staircase. More Than Heads Mock-ups of the design include the four presidents from the waist up. Funding was ever an issue, and the directive was to just stick with the four faces. Jefferson Moved Over Thomas Jefferson was originally on the other side of George Washington. Carmen Martinez Torron/Getty Images Thomas Jefferson was originally started on George Washingtons right, and carving of Jeffersons face began in 1931. However, the granite there was full of quartz. Workers kept blasting off the quartz, but after 18 months they realized that the location was just not working. His face was dynamited off and carved on the other side. Carving Stone carvers on scaffolding and hoists carve the face of Thomas Jefferson into Mount Rushmore. George Rinhart/Getty Images Workers hung from a 3/8-inch steel cable in bosuns chairs as they worked with jackhammers, drills, and chisels and carried dynamite. To their credit, no one died during Mount Rushmores construction - or the mountains destruction, as the case may be. A crew of four hundred worked on the sculpture. Facts About Borglum American Sculptor Gutzon Borglum. George Rinhart/Getty Images Art Background Gutzon Borglum studied in Paris and became friends with Auguste Rodin, who heavily influenced the young artist.  Borglum was the first American sculptor to have his work purchased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.   Stone Mountain Although Borglum had begun the sculpture on Stone Mountain, Georgia, he never finished it. He left on bad terms, and his work was cleared away from the mountain face. Another sculptor, Augustus Lukeman, was called in to finish the work.   Tempestuous Boss Borglum  was often away during the sculpting of Mount Rushmore. While it was being completed, he also made a sculpture of Thomas Paine for Paris and Woodrow Wilson for Poland. His son supervised the work on the mountain during his absence.   When he was on site, he was known for his mood swings and was continuously firing and rehiring people. His energy for the project and persistence, through many years of trials and issues with funding, eventually led to the projects completion. Unfortunately, he died seven months before it was done. His son completed it. Origin of the Mountain Name The mountain took its name - incredibly - from a New York attorney there on business who asked the name of the location in 1884 or 1885. A local man with the group looking at the mountain informed him that it didnt have a name but said, We will name it now, and name it Rushmore Peak, according to a letter from Charles Rushmore, the lawyer who was in the area for a client researching a mine.

Aboriginal Residential Schooling

The Aboriginal people had their culture stripped away, without any consent but by force. They were forced to adapt their lifestyle to the normal, and children put into schools to learn how to behave like the Canadians. The Aboriginal residential schools implemented by the Canadian Government were a cause attempting to destroy their culture (Ravelli Webber, 2010, p.132). The Canadian Government wanted to get rid of all aboriginal culture with no trace of their lifestyle. There was a massive social problem due to the separation of the races. It also raised a huge racist confrontation between the Aboriginal`s and the rest of society. The Aboriginal`s were not treated with any respect or dignity, which caused them to loose respect with our Canadian Government, as they were treated like animals. The Canadian Government did not want any Aboriginal`s to grow up as they were, they did not like the way their lifestyle was, they wanted to destroy their culture. They attempted to destroy their culture in many ways, one of the most obvious methods they used were to put the young children in to residential schools (Ravelli Webber, 2010, p308). These schools taught young Aboriginal children how to live like the Canadian, they were not allowed to do anything that was related to their culture not even allowed to speak their language (Geraldine Marcuse, 1993). The children were punished if they did not follow the rules, these punishments were very abusive as well, but by doing so this enforced the children to follow the rules. These residential schools were very structured and strict. Eventually by staying in these schools, due to all the strict rules, abusive punishments, and them not being allowed to associate with their culture the Aboriginal children forgot their native language (Geraldine Marcuse, 1993). The Canadian Government obviously wanted to get rid of all Aboriginal culture. The residential schools brought up a major problems, it created an immense, massive social problem with in the Aboriginal community and the Canadian society. The young Aboriginal children were stripped away from their parents, probably never even saw them again, these children were discriminated by others and were not even allowed to speak a single word  from their native language (Ravelli Webber, 2010, p132) . As displayed in the video, the young girl that had her period out publicly was put to shame by the nuns and the other children, this caused her to be bullied and discriminated because of natural cause (Geraldine Marcuse, 1993). The video also prescribes the punishment received when the rules were broken, as the elder man describes his pain and the punishments received, he explains that these children were being separated entirely from the religion and culture, causing these children to view of their own nation as an abomination (Geraldine Marcuse, 1993). This problems cause a lot of discrimination, causing many social problems with in the community, the children did not have rights, and could not speak for themselves. This massive social issue with in the Aboriginals was created by the ongoing of the residential schools. Canadian Government might not have been too smart by creating the residential schools as they did not calculate the outcome, these residential schools brought up great vengeance to the Aboriginals they wanted their culture back, in doing so it created a racist confrontation later on. This was a huge relation with the conflict theory. The Aboriginals found a method to bring back their culture by using the method the Canadian`s did, they developed their own Aboriginal schools (Geraldine Marcuse, 1993). These schools would teach the total opposite of what the residential schools taught, these schools were teaching their young children their native language, and bits of their culture, or at least what was left of it (Ravelli Webber, 2010, p309). The difference between the Aboriginal schools and the residential schools were the rules and methods of punishment. The Aboriginals taught in a normal manner, with respect, but in the residential schools it was like prison everything was eventually forced upon. The residential schools also made the Aboriginals to grow this hate for the Canadian Government causing this huge racist dilemma between the two parties. No good really came out of residential schooling, just a very bad racist confrontation in the long run. The Canadian Government stripped all the rights of the Aboriginal people, they got their culture massacred, dealt with force and abusive power, they  practically tried to destroy the Aboriginal culture. The Canadian Government put a lot of effort in this project, they tried to change the Aboriginal people in every way, they wanted those people to behave and change their lifestyle to the modern Canadian lifestyle. The Canadian Government have attempted to destroy the Aboriginal culture by bringing up residential schooling to begin the process of elimination. The Government did not want anything that was Aboriginal culture related left, they wanted to get rid of every bit of their culture. The residential schools cause major discrimination cause a massive social problem within the Aboriginal people. These residential schools also raised a huge racist confrontation to the Aboriginals, it separated them from the rest of the society. These schools really have destroyed most of their culture, and was a very cruel method in doing so. The Aboriginals deserved to be heard and have their own rights and freedom.

Investment in Training Sales Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Investment in Training Sales - Essay Example In such a way, the responsiveness of the entity is exponentially increased; thereby impacting upon the overall bottom line that the firm might experience. 2) As with any complement of the business process, it is unreasonable to assume that the process of personal selling will not evolve with the changes in the market. One of the ways in which personal selling this change greatly within the past several years is with respect to the impact of the Internet and social media have had with regards to the traditional face to face personal selling that had previously been exhibited. However, it is likely to assume that as the Internet gains further access to the client base, personal selling will evolve even further and might necessarily encompass such nontraditional platforms as Skype, face time, or any other digital communication services. Whereas in-store communication between a sales associate and a prospective client, or cold calling has traditionally defined the role and extent that pe rsonal selling has exhibited in the past, it is unlikely that any level of a static definition will come to define personal selling within the very near future. 3) The sales manager should be intimately concerned with regards to the satisfaction of his/her respective salespeople. The reason for this is quite obvious. Due to the fact that the salesperson is the point person with which the client interacts, this is oftentimes the only chance that any firm or entity has to engage a sense of understanding and/or appreciation for their particular business model and/or brand. Within such an understanding, it becomes plainly obvious that the importance of a satisfied and happy sales staff is interval to reflecting a positive first impression to the consumer. One does not need to briefly reference the horror stories of past experiences that they might have had concerning a disgruntled are a thoroughly disgusted employee to reflect back on the way in which this experience tarnished the image of the brand/store and further discouraged integration with such a business in the future.

European Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

European Business Environment - Essay Example The UK became a member of the EC (now the EU) in 1973.) (McKean, 2005). The European Union (EU) refers to the 25 nations that have joined together to form an economic community (EC), with some monetary, political, and social aspirations. (Law, 2006). The European Union was created in 1993 from the EC, which itself emerged from the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Atomic Energy Community, and the European Economic Community (EEC). (Law, 2006). The 12 nations of the EC (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the UK) were joined by Austria, Sweden, and Finland in 1995 and by (Greek) Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia in May 2004. The Executive Body of the European Union is the European Commission, which was formed in 1967 with the Council of the European Communities. (Law, 2006). EU policy emerges from a dialogue between the Commission, which initiates and implements the policy, and the Council, which takes the major policy decisions. The European Parliament, formed in 1957, exercises democratic control over policy, and the European Court of Justice imposes the rule of law on the EU, as set out in its various treaties. Although a draft EU Constitution, proposing the creation of an EU president and foreign minister, was published in 2004, its future is now uncertain following rejection by the electorates of France and the Netherlands. (Law, 2006). The United Kingdom became a member of the EU on 1st January 1973. (http://www.eurofaq.freeuk.com/#130). According to section 2 of the enabling legislation, the European Communities Act, 1972, established the principle of the European Law would always prevail over British Law in the event of a clash, thereby overthrowing the supremacy of the British Parliament. (http://www.eurofaq.freeuk.com/#130). The issue as to whether The UK continues to be nothing but a hindrance to the process of European Integration, to the disadvantage of business throughout Europe is a controversial one. On the one hand it might be argued that the UK's continuous refusal to join the EMU's single currency the euro makes it difficult for the EU as a whole to eliminate foreign exchange risk in European firms given that the pound continues to fluctuate against the euro and other European currencies such as the Swedish Krona, the Norwegian Krona and the Danish Krona. On the other hand one can also argue that the UK's economy is significantly ahead of many economies in the euro zone, and therefore becoming a member of the EMU can have devastating effects on the UK's economy. In the final analysis, this paper will argue against the above claim that the UK is a hindrance to the progress of European Integration and to the disadvantages of business throughout Europe. The following points can be advanced to refut e these claims. The European Union established a single market, which refers to the concept of a single integrated market that underlies trading in the European Union, as codified in the Single European Act (1986), which was introduced in 1987 with a target date of 31 December 1992 for completion. (Law, 2006). According to Law (2006), The Single Market came into force on 1 January 1993 with between 90% and 95% of the necessary legislation enacted by all member countries. In practice, however, some of its terms

Diversity within Society Essay Example for Free

Diversity within Society Essay This essay will discuss some of the changes brought to Britain by immigration and new religious teachings. It will briefly analyse some of the benefits and how these still contribute to our society by improving this country. Furthermore, it will show that immigration has led to religious diversity making us a multicultural society. Britain nowadays is an extremely diverse country. There are people of different nationalities and religions all around us and we have learnt to adjust to their own ways and beliefs. With immigration we have embraced new changes: fashion, food, music and festivals. New religions have taught us to be a more tolerant society and become more accepting of other faiths. Some fashion is influenced through migrants, for instance the Hindu sari’s colours and style have helped shape the evening backless gowns. The burka however, still creates great controversy. Although there is a merging of fashion similarly fashion can also separate. It would seem people are judged by their sense of dress, whether they dress for cultural or religious reasons. Today there are even magazines in the media to help expand our knowledge of Islam. Most notably, the Emel is a British lifestyle magazine that reports on contemporary British Muslim culture. Launched in 2003, it was previously only available in Muslim bookshops. It has since become the most widely read British Muslim magazine in Britain and now attracts interest from non-Muslim readers too. As well as covering fashion it also informs on other aspects of life such as consumerism and politics, health and education. The whole aim of the magazine is to explain the positives aspects of Islam to non-Muslims and reduce fear and tension. (Emel, 20/05/2013) Another example of change in the fashion is that Indian people have brought with them their knowledge of threading, a method of facial hair removal, which is currently very popular amongst both women and men. One particularly striking aspect that affected Britain tremendously is new food. Immigration and religion have enriched Britain’s diet. These days there is a large variety of restaurants presenting foreign cuisines. We can have our pick of Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Indian, Italian, Spanish, Mexican and many  others to suit our tastes. Amazingly, there are even some restaurants that of fer a mix of cultural gastronomy allowing us the luxury of selection and variation on the same plate. For some people these days, the Indian dish, the curry especially, is a favourite meal and most popular in Britain. In particularly, some people also choose to adapt a Mediterranean diet for health reasons. The food we consume is also determined by our religious beliefs. In Christianity, fish is eaten on Good Friday as a way of celebrating Jesus whereas in Islam and Hinduism, pork is out of the menu as the pig is seen as a dirty animal. Also in Hinduism, beef is not consumed as Hindus believe the cow is holy. British popular music also shows many influences from immigration. Immigrants have brought new musical sounds like reggae, ska and calypso. Black music, most notably RnB has had a lasting impact on British popular culture. Pop music is another indicator of the multicultural nature of Britain today. In most UK towns and cities it is possible for worshippers of Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam and many other religions to find somewhere to celebrate their faith in a community safely with others. The most known religious festivals in Britain are Christmas and Easter as part of Christianity. Eid is the second most important festival in the Muslim calendar. In the same way Christians celebrate Jesus at Christmas, Muslims celebrate Raham at Eid. Both events are about sharing, music, party and simply good fun. In Hinduism, Diwali is perhaps the most well-known Hindu festival. It is known as the ‘festival of lights’ and this five day festival honours Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. The Notting Hill Carnival in London is the largest street festival in Europe. It originated in 1964 as a way for Afro-Caribbean communities to celebrate their own cultures and traditions. It celebrates the abolition of slavery and freedom. It takes place every August Bank Holiday weekend and since festivals invite participation, every year people get together to enjoy this amazing, lively event and savour the Caribbean food on offer. On the whole, it is obvious immigration has brought significant benefits to Britain. Immigrants have enriched our society by working hard and creating jobs. They have offered us all the beneficial changes previously mentioned and we could no longer live without them. As a result, Britain is now a far  stronger society. Immigration has educated us to be more aware the ‘other’ making us open, tolerant, diverse and welcoming and this is something Britain should be proud of. BIBLIOGRAPHY Emel, http://www.emel.com/, (2O/05/2013) BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/islam/eid_haj.shtml, (20/05/2013) BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/hinduism/diwali.shtml, (20/05/2013) http://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2013/03/25/david-cameron-immigration-speech-in-fullpolitics.co.uk, (20/05/2013)

The Representation of Masculinity and Violence in Henry V and The Rover

The Representation of Masculinity and Violence in Henry V and The Rover Representing violence as an essential tool to gaining control, Henry V is dominated by masculine power, in this case, with the control of France. The cast is mainly male, containing just four female characters, namely Mistress Quickly, Isabel Queen of France, Katherine her daughter and Alice, the attendant. The chorus sets the scene of war in the prologue, with ‘Then should the warlike Harry’ and ‘That did affright the air at Agincourt’. This image is further represented when the Archbishop of Canterbury is conferring with the Bishop of Ely about the King, ‘List his last discourse of war, and you shall hear / A fearful battle rendered you in music. (I.1. 43/44), and further on ‘His hours filled up with riots’, (I.1. 56). Henry lays responsibilities on others for his actions, justifying these actions by appealing to the church for answers, a Christian King, putting all his trust in God. In his speech to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Henry threatens the violence of war, as he appeals to him with ‘For God doth know how many now in health / Shall drop their blood in approbation / Of what your reverence shall incite us to. / Therefore take heed how you impawn our person, / How you awake our sleeping sword of war.’ (I.2.18-22), placing responsibility on Canterbury for the violence that will ensue from him usurping the French Sovereignty. Canterbury confirms Henry’s entitlement to France with his ancestors having held it, also stating that the Salic law is not upheld in France, this being that ‘No woman shall succeed in Salic land’ (I.2. 39). He states ‘T... ... horror at this sight, that tells thee, / Thou hast not long to boast thy shameful conquest?’ (P.235 The Rover). In conclusion, Henry V seems to maintain gender boundaries, with masculinity being active alongside violence. Whereas The Rover stands between the acceptance of masculine power and female dominance. Bibliography OWENS, W.R. and GOODMAN, Lizbeth, Ed. Shakespeare, Aphra Behn and the Canon (London: Routledge in association with the Open University, 1996). BEHN, Aphra. Oroonoko, The Rover and other works (London: Penguin, 1992). SHAKESPEARE, William. Henry v (London: Penguin, 1968, 1996). Audio / Visual TV 3: The Authentick & Ironicall Historie of Henry V VC 1: A210 Approaching Literature: The Rover Audio Cassette 6: Henry V AC2125 Audio Cassette 7: Henry V AC2126

Racism in the Adventure of Huckleberry Finn Essay

Introduction Huckleberry Finn is a wonderful book that captures the heart of the reader in its brilliance and innocence. Despite many critics have attacked its racist perspective;the piece merely represents a reality that occurred during antebellum America,the setting of the novel. Twain’s literary devices in capturing the focal of excitement,adventure,and human sympathy is a wonderful novel that should be recognized,not for bigotry, but that it is the candid viewpoint of a boy that grew up in that era. And even then,the protagonist does overcome some social prejudices of slavery because he is concerned with the well-being of his runaway slave friend Jim. That the mockery of the slave race in the end allowed by Huck is more about fulfilling the awes of Huck towards Tom. The novel is a success because it does not fail to capture the one singular point of growing up for Huck:boyhood. Mark Twain definitely characterizes the protagonist,the intelligent and sympathetic Huckleberry Finn,by the direct candid manner of writing as though through the actual voice of Huck. Every word,thought, and speech by Huck is so precise it reflects even the racism and black stereotypes typical of the era. And this has lead to many conflicting battles by various readers since the first print of the novel,though inspiring some. Says John H. Wallace,outraged by Twain’s constant use of the degrading and white supremacist word‘nigger’,†[The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is]the most grotesque example of racist trash ever written†(Mark Twain Journal by Thadious Davis,Fall 1984 and Spring 1985). Yet,again to counter that is a quote by the great American writer Ernest Hemingway,†All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn†¦it’s the best book we’ve had†¦There has been nothing as good since†(The Green Hills of Africa [Scribner’s. 1953]22). The controversy behind the novel has been and will always remain the crux of any readers is still truly racism. Twain surely does use the word‘nigger’often,both as a referral to the slave Jim and any African-American that Huck comes across and as the epitome of insult and inferiority. However,the reader must also not fail to recognize that this style of racism,this malicious treatment of African- Americans,this degrading attitude towards them is all stylized of the pre- Civil War tradition. Racism is only mentioned in the novel as an object of natural course and a precision to the actual views of the setting then. Huckleberry Finn still stands as a powerful portrayal of experience through the newfound eyes of an innocent boy. Huck only says and treats the African-American culture accordingly with the society that he was raised in. To say anything different would truly be out of place and setting of the era. Twain’s literary style in capturing the novel,Huck’s casual attitude and candid position,and Jim’s undoubted acceptance of the oppression by the names all signifies this. The thesis has three chapters. Chapter one is introduction of the whole work. Chapter two give some information about the criticism literature. Chapter three give a deep look at the research about the racial problems in the book Huck Finn. Chapter four is the conclusion part. 1 Literature Review Literary criticism is an attempt to evaluate and understand the creative writing,the literature of an author. Literature includes plays, essays,novels,poetry,and short stories. Literary criticism is a description,analysis,evaluation,or interpretation of a particular literary work or an author’s writings as a whole. Literary criticism is usually expressed in the form of a critical essay. In-depth book reviews are also sometimes viewed as literary criticism. Controversial in death as he was in life,Mark Twain has been seriously accused by some of being a†racist writer,†whose writing is offensive to black readers,perpetuates cheap slave-era stereotypes,and deserves no place on today’s bookshelves. To those of us who have drunk gratefully of Twain’s wisdom and humanity,such accusations are ludicrous. But for some people they clearly touch a raw nerve,and for that reason they deserve a serious answer. Let’s look at the book that is most commonly singled out for this criticism,the novel that Ernest Hemingway identified as the source of all American literature:The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. For Twain’s critics,the novel is racist on the face of it,and for the most obvious reason:many characters use the word†nigger†throughout. But since the action of the book takes place in the south twenty years before the Civil War,it would be amazing if they didn’t use that word. A closer reading also reveals Twain’s serious satiric intent. In one scene,for instance,Aunt Sally hears of a steamboat explosion. â€Å"Good gracious! anybody hurt? â€Å"she asks. â€Å"No’m,†comes the answer. â€Å"Killed a nigger. † But anyone who imagines that Mark Twain meant this literally is 580 SCIENCE&TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION2010 5? missing the point. Rather,Twain is using this casual dialogue ironically, as a way to underscore the chilling truth about the old south,that it was a society where perfectly†nice†people didn’t consider the death of a black person worth their notice. To drive the point home,Twain has the lady continue: â€Å"Well,it’s lucky,because sometimes people do get hurt. † That’s a small case in point. But what is the book really about? It’s about nothing less than freedom and the quest for freedom. It’s about a slave who breaks the law and risks his life to win his freedom and be reunited with his family,and a white boy who becomes his friend and helps him escape. Because of his upbringing,the boy starts out believing that slavery is part of the natural order;but as the story unfolds he wrestles with his conscience,and when the crucial moment comes he decides he will be damned to the flames of hell rather than betray his black friend. And Jim,as Twain presents him,is hardly a caricature. Rather,he is the moral center of the book,a man of courage and nobility,who risks his freedom–risks his life–for the sake of his friend Huck. Note,too,that it is not just white critics who make this point. Booker T. Washington noted how Twain†succeeded in making his  readers feel a genuine respect for’Jim,'†and pointed out that Twain,in creating Jim’s character,had†exhibited his sympathy and interest in the masses of the negro people. † The great black novelist Ralph Ellison,too,noted how Twain allows Jim’s†dignity and human capacity†to emerge in the novel. â€Å"Huckleberry Finn knew,as did Mark Twain[Ellison wrote],that Jim was not only a slave but a human being[and]a symbol of humanity†¦ and in freeing Jim,Huck makes a bid to free himself of the conventionalized evil taken for civilization by the town†Ã¢â‚¬â€œin other words,of the abomination of slavery itself. In fact,you can search through all of Twain’s writings,not just the thirty-plus volumes of novels,stories,essays,and letters,but also his private correspondence,his posthumous autobiography and his intimate journals,and you’ll be hard put to find a derogatory remark about the black race–and this at a time when crude racial stereotypes were the basic coin of popular fiction,stage comedy,and popular songs. What you find in Twain is the opposite:a lively affection and admiration for black Americans that began when he was still a boy and grew steadily through the years. In a widely praised post-Civil War sketch titled†A True Story,†for example,he wrenchingly evoked the pain of an ex-slave as she recalls being separated from her young son on the auction block, and her joy at discovering him in a black regiment at war’s end. And on those occasions when Twain does venture to compare blacks and whites,the comparison is not conspicuously flattering to the whites. Things like: ?†One of my theories is that the hearts of men are about alike,all over the world,whatever their skin-complexions may be. † ?†Nearly all black and brown skins are beautiful,but a beautiful white skin is rare. † ?†There are many humorous things in the world;among them is the white man’s notion that he is less savage than all the other savages. † 2 Methods/Research Design The null hypothesis for this research is that half of the university students study literature will think that there are racial discrimination in the book Huck Finn and others won’t. 1000 students in their third and forth years of university will be the subject. They must never see the book or the movie of Huck Finn. They come from both big cities and rural area. They are divided into four groups. The first two groups(each has 250 students)include the students from big cities,part of them students from rural areas. First,all of them will hear the story of Huck Finn. Then they wi answer relevant questions about the images of Huck Finn in th questionnaires and during the interviews. The questions are about th using method of language,the plot design and the thinking of Huck,et Finally,the movie of Huck Finn will be shown. Students will describe th image of Huck and their views about racial problems in this book According to their answers,different answers will be divided into differen groups. After these works,comes the analyses of the statistics and dat After comparing the answers of the four groups,gives the conclusio whether literary students from big cities and from rural areas have th same opinion of the racial discrimination in this book. As expected,half o them will have the same opinion and half of them won’t. 3 Anticipated Results 3. 1 Time-Table My studies will last more than two years. I decide to spend about 5 hours per month on my studies. I plan to spend the first six month developing my proposal and methodology and completing the literatur review. During this period,I will also attend some relevant courses abou reader’s response theory. Then I will spend about six months i questionnaires and interviews. After that,I plan to spend eight months i analyzing the statistics and data. Finally,four month will be used mainl on the thesis. February 2008–Aug. 2008 *Develop proposal and methodology and complete the literatur review *Attend some relevant courses about reader’s response theory Aug. 2008–Feb. 2009 *Design the questionnaires Collection of official and unofficia statistic Feb. 2009-October 2009. *INTERVIEWS October 2009–Feb. 2008 *Analysis the statistics and data *Mainly work on the thesis 3. 2 Anticipated result University students from different countries will have differen opinion on the same thing. As expected,half of them will have the sam opinion and half of them won’t. However,if the result doesn’t suppo my anticipated result,I will try to find the weakness of my researc design,and improve it. Then do the research again and again. If I als can not get the anticipated result,I will accept the result with a scientifi attitude. [1]David E. E. Sloane. Mark Twain’s Humor:Critical Essays. New York an London:Garland Publishing,Inc. ,1993. [2]Harold Bloom. Mark Twain(Bloom’s Modern Critical Views)(Hardcover Chelsea House Publications;Library Binding edition. July 1986. [3]... ,2001. [4]http://42explore. com/litcrit. htm. [5]http://www. dreamkidland. cn/cpgs/hkbl/001. htm. [6]www. classicreader. com/author. php/aut. [7]www. ucpress. edu/books/MTW. ser. html. ? ? Group number Students from big cities Students from rural areas questionnaire No. 1 No. 3 interview No. 2 No. 4 0 0

Assignment #1: Best Practices

January 4, 2013 BUS 5668: Cases in Applied Project Management Assignment #1: Best Practices From 1940 to present, Project Management has continuously advanced from line managers using a small set of processes that were considered nice to have to the formal assignment of one individual assigned as the Project Manager that utilized a formal methodology by which to manage the project. Often the term â€Å"best practices† is referenced within a defined methodology. Why must an organization capture best practices? What are the determining factors in base-lining a best practice? Can an organization have too many best practices?What are the impacts of establishing too many best practices that mandated by senior management for use on all projects? Provide one example of a Project Management best practice. (Video Lecture 2 and independent research) What are Best Practices? According to the Business Dictionary, And According to the Business Dictionary, â€Å"A Best Practice is a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means, and that is used as a benchmark (Business Dictionary). † Organizations that have had constant success have adapted a unique version of the best practice method that accommodates what they do.Many organizations use best practices to do the following (but not limited to): †¢ Develop an understanding of the necessary requirements †¢ Focusing on how to deliver the service / continue to deliver the service †¢ Improve the perception of the customer(s) †¢ Eliminate wasteful spending/investments †¢ Increase productivity and employee morale †¢ Improve Risk Management Using the best practices listed above along with other best practices the organization deem necessary, organizations can create a baseline to accommodate their organizations.A Base-line is defined as the current version of a project plan that guides project performance and against which the project m anager compares actual project performance. (Portny, el. ) When an organization is creating or enhancing a base-line, the organization has to take into consideration the following: †¢ How will the best practice benefit the organization †¢ Who will the best practice have the most impact on (customer, organization, stakeholders, etc. ) †¢ What is the return on investments for the organization by implementing the best practices.Although best practices is the ideal method to use when operating an organization, not using the best practices method as it is meant to be used is just as bad as not having a process in place to run the organization. Time and time again, many organizations lose site of what best practices really are because they set too many goals as best practices. As a result, the organization fails to improve and keep up with competitors due to losing sight because they have so many best practices they are trying to focus on. The idea behind the best ractices is to ensure the organization is operating on one accord throughout the organization. By implementing too many best practices may result in the disorganization within the organization. Everyone would not be on one accord which can lead to miscommunication and every department doing what they see fit. Having too many best practices is just as bad as not having any at all. By implementing too many best practices, the organization have a higher probability to failing due to no realistic opportunity of implementing all of the best practices.And the best practices implemented will not be fulfill 100% due to lack of resources because resources are spread thin due to the large amount of best practices. Also, every best practice may not be suitable for every department within the organization. By implementing best practices that will not be beneficial to department will become a waist of resources, spending, and as a result the project has a high probability of failing. An example of a Proj ect Management best practice would be the implementation of ITIL within the NASA organization.ITIL provides a practical, no-nonsense framework for identifying, planning, delivering and supporting IT services to the business. The NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) is ITIL aligned. As a member of the NASA Shared Services Center, I had the opportunity to work on the implementation of the Enterprise Service Desk (ESD). The ESD offers 24Ãâ€"7 technical support to the entire NASA Agency. This department was stood up on the premises of offering the best IT support at the lowest cost. The NSSC has been using this best practice since it’s start-up.I for one believe the ITIL best practice has brought much success to the NSSC. References: Last, F. M. (Year Published) Book. City, State: Publisher. Portny, Stanley E. (2008) Project Management: Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling Projects. New Jersey John wWley & Sons No author. (n. d. ) Business Dictionary. Retrieved on 01/09/2012. Ret rieved from http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/best-practice. html#ixzz2HuDx20hu No author. (05. 10. 2012) ITIL. Retrieved on 01/09/2012. Retrieved from http://www. itil-officialsite. com/AboutITIL/WhatisITIL. aspx

Free Essays on Think Environment Act Development

‘Think Environment, Act Development’ A proverb â€Å"Grasp all, lose all† seems to have some profundity in the feverish talks that has been heatedly going on around the globe. Between wavering decisions of development and environment, the humanities have made feverish efforts to keep both of the crucial assets in a complete balance. Yet, launching out the commitments of sustaining the two was nearly impossible. Lingering questions of the Earth Summit, held shortly after the end of the Cold War in Rio, June 1992, still persist as a result of discord and reluctance among nations. It now seems that people are expecting much from what will be the outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa in September this year. An establishment of an ultimate breakthrough, which will provide specific measures such as clear goals and timetables, is crucial according to many. Recent efforts have been conspicuously dominated by an economic development. A good number of people agreed to the fact that globalization and free market system help the establishment of a better environment. I personally agree to this opinion not only because the economic growth helps fight against poverty and ignorance, but also because it means progress for both developed and developing countries. In addition, the global warming theory is proven by many scientists to be highly exaggerated, supporting the fact that the humanity still owns an ample scope to continue with further development. There exists a highly pessimistic opinion that further development and globalization will only aggravate the existing environmental problems. However in my perspective, globalization is the only means to overcome the barriers of international conflict and to achieve â€Å"sustainable development.† To begin with, globalization with its trait of free trade must not be stopped for the sake of developing countries’ future as well as... Free Essays on Think Environment Act Development Free Essays on Think Environment Act Development ‘Think Environment, Act Development’ A proverb â€Å"Grasp all, lose all† seems to have some profundity in the feverish talks that has been heatedly going on around the globe. Between wavering decisions of development and environment, the humanities have made feverish efforts to keep both of the crucial assets in a complete balance. Yet, launching out the commitments of sustaining the two was nearly impossible. Lingering questions of the Earth Summit, held shortly after the end of the Cold War in Rio, June 1992, still persist as a result of discord and reluctance among nations. It now seems that people are expecting much from what will be the outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa in September this year. An establishment of an ultimate breakthrough, which will provide specific measures such as clear goals and timetables, is crucial according to many. Recent efforts have been conspicuously dominated by an economic development. A good number of people agreed to the fact that globalization and free market system help the establishment of a better environment. I personally agree to this opinion not only because the economic growth helps fight against poverty and ignorance, but also because it means progress for both developed and developing countries. In addition, the global warming theory is proven by many scientists to be highly exaggerated, supporting the fact that the humanity still owns an ample scope to continue with further development. There exists a highly pessimistic opinion that further development and globalization will only aggravate the existing environmental problems. However in my perspective, globalization is the only means to overcome the barriers of international conflict and to achieve â€Å"sustainable development.† To begin with, globalization with its trait of free trade must not be stopped for the sake of developing countries’ future as well as...

Assignment 4B Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignment 4B - Coursework Example Foundations enable community schools to establish a board of directors (BOD) with a particular focus on raising funds for the school rather than the operation of the college. The members can turn out to be crucial donors for the college. The foundations manage alumni relation, solicit gifts and also drive scholarship programs and special events. Foundations also maintain focus, market colleges, create donor choice, and invest endowment funds. The separate foundations also establish management structure for investment portfolio of college, brand the colleges and create a separate fund pool and limit liability. They also separate finances for community colleges (Bers, Head & Palmer, 2014). The approach used by philanthropy, particularly private foundations, to assess community college financial health is appropriate. Community college leaders must work towards ensuring fiscal viability for their colleges. As such, performance-based funding is a critical way of ensuring that the colleges remain sustainable and that they do not over rely on tuition fees. Colleges need financial advice to succeed (Barr & McClellan, 2011). It thus remains important to assess the effectiveness of colleges both on the dimension of education and fiscal performance. The approach by philanthropy and private foundations ensures accountability on part of the colleges amidst numerous financial challenges that they

Should it be a crime to download copyrighted music from the Internet Essay - 1

Should it be a crime to download copyrighted music from the Internet - Essay Example This has prompted the introduction of various laws and regulations in most parts of the world in regard to protection of copyrighted properties such as music and other downloadable files over the internet. In this light, the regulations regarding this protection restricts the general public and any other entity from freely accessing the files and only through seeking permission can an individual get access to them. This has been a source of public outpourings with a majority of the people seeking to stop the restrictions which come with illegality for anyone trying to break the set laws. In regard to my opinion, it is my assertion that personal properties such as music and other downloadable files should be protected and thus it should be illegal to download copyrighted music from the Internet. According to one of the surveys carried out by the popular website Debate.org regarding the issue of whether downloading copyrighted music should be made illegal, a majority of the public (54 percent) held their opinion that they did not really think that was justified (making downloading illegal). To most, downloading the music freely from the internet did affect the music owners or their labels in any big way since most of their money was generated through avenues such as concerts, promotions, brands and cloth lines among others (Debate.Org, 2015). In another study carried out as documented by Stein and Evans (100), downloading the copyrighted music from the Internet has been largely attributed to the young people who are convinced that the CDs that are sold with this music are overpriced and thus will find not guilty when downloading these music from these sources. In this cases, it is evident that most of the public harbour the opinion that they are justified to downloading copyrighted music from the Internet, and thus this practice should not be illegal at all. As seen in the earlier argument about the downloading of copyrighted

The impact of E-commerce on the auditing standards Dissertation

The impact of E-commerce on the auditing standards - Dissertation Example Continuous innovation in the information world has drastically changed the nature of works of business organization as well as of individuals. Substantial dependence on information system has also enhanced individuals’ innovative power. Today people can not only dream about some spectacular thing, but they can actually give a realistic shape to their dreams with the implementation of information system. For example, a few decades ago it was even beyond imagination that people can get the opportunities to enroll themselves in any foreign universities without making any physical presence. But continuous and spectacular innovations in the field of information technology have made people dream about distant learning where they can be in continuous touch with their tutors and college administration without making there physical presence in college campuses. Thus information system not only revolutionized they way people do their works, but also the way people think. In this age of highly improved information age ecommerce has become a very popular term. E-commerce can be defined as â€Å"the use of electronic transmission medium (telecommunication) to engage in the exchange, including buying and selling of products and services requiring transportation either physically or digitally from location to location. Introduction of ecommerce has been found to have produced some positive effects on economic performance of a country. It offers innovative ways of selling, delivering and receiving of goods and services and affects almost every industry and all aspects of business mechanisms and in this process dramatically contributes to productivity enhancement of the industries. In the field of auditing, ecommerce has been taking its place at very fast pace. However, it would be The proposed study will consider a particular set of widely used auditing standards in order to evaluate the effects of ecommerce on that set of auditing standards. For the purpose of the pro posed study, the impacts of ecommerce on US GAAS (US Generally Accepted Auditing Standards) will be studied. Thus the theme of the study can be written as follows: Effects of e-commerce on a particular set of auditing standards, i.e. US GAAS, in terms of the application of US GAAS and the outcomes. However, before proposing research questions and relevant research methods, it is very necessary to look into the findings of existing literatures in the relevant field of study. Given the research theme stated above, a number of research questions and corresponding hypotheses should be postulated in order to asses the impact of ecommerce. Now, one thing should be mentioned at this juncture in order to understand the next section that a number of factors are associates with the application of a particular set of auditing standards. The most vital factors are audit planning and implementation of audit plan. The research questions that should be presented later in this proposal should take into account all these facts. Apart form these, some parameters relating audit plan and implementation of audit plan should be taken into account in this research in order to measure the effect ecommerce on these variables. The literature review section should explain all the issue relating to impact of ecommerce on auditing, issues concerning audit planning and issues relating to proper implementation of audit plan. All these will provide required explanations of the research questions to be postulated after the literature revi

Gender stereotypes in the media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gender stereotypes in the media - Essay Example When analyzing several commercials from Gender Stereotype (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSIEXtDElOM), specific roles can be seen that are based on expectations of each gender. The first set of gender stereotypes presented in the first commercial show a distinct difference between the masculine and feminine roles. The male is seen working at a computer, which implies the function that men are supposed to have in society. When the woman comes into the room, she immediately begins undressing and getting into lingerie. Throughout the commercial, the woman represents the sex object that is able to entice men. Even though she walks in with a business suit, it becomes secondary to the lingerie. The masculine role is furthered by this when the sexual representation of the woman is able to interrupt the work that the man is doing in the commercial. More importantly, other men that see this on the webcam show the appeal to the sex object and the concept of men is based on the corporate and work figure. The second commercial that is used implies the same concepts about gender stereotype. The female figure is again seen as a sexual object through the lack of actions that she takes. She is seen bathing in the sun with a skimpy bikini and is unaware of what is occurring around her. The male is in the background with a fake lawn mower, which he is using to watch the woman. The gender role of the woman is based on creating a specific sexual object and figure, while the male looking at the female implies a working man that can easily be distracted or changed by watching the opposite sex. The third commercial holds to the same gender stereotypes that are incorporated in the media. There are several women that are seen throughout the commercial. Each are wearing shorter dresses, even with the work clothes that they are wearing. The size and figure of each of the women is a skinnier look, with

Cost Leadership Business Strategy

Cost Leadership Business Strategy Cost leadership is a business strategy developed by Michael Porter. It helps the organization create competitive advantage. Cost leadership refers to provide lowest cost of operation in the industry and it is different from price leadership. Its often driven by organization efficiency, size, scale, scope, technology and experience. A cost leadership strategy use to exploit scale of production, producing highly standardized products by using high technology. An organization could be the lowest cost producer, but not offer the lowest-priced products or services to customer. Therefore the organization would have a higher than average profitability. However, cost leader organization will compete on price and are very effective at such a form of competition, having a low cost structure and management.   The organizations can increase the market share by appealing price-sensitive customers. This is achieved by having the lowest prices in the target market segment to appealing price-sensitive customer while the organization still profitability and a high return on investment. The organization must be able to operate at a lower cost than its rivals. Organization can achieves this by achieving a high asset turnover, low direct and indirect operating costs, and control over the supply/procurement chain to ensure low costs. The company choose are London Biscuits Berhad Group, Oriental Food Industries Sdn Bhd and Apollo Food Industries Sdn Bhd. London Biscuits Berhad Group is a manufacturing and marketing cakes and snack food which score high in terms of product safety and quality based in Malaysia. It is listed in the main market of Bursa Malaysia. The reason our group chosen this company is in the annual report 2010 the company outlook and prospect mention about the cost effective. Besides, the company strategy for go also show they march toward cost leadership. It relate to assignment topic which is compete on a cost leadership strategy. Oriental Food Industries Sdn Bhd is the food manufacturing industry, today holding the leading position in the snack food and confectionery industry in Malaysia. It also listed in the main market of Bursa Malaysia. One of the aim for research and development team is to reduce cost and wastage while increasing productivity and maintaining standards. This strategy shows the company trying to achieve cost leadership. Apollo Food Industries Sdn Bhd is the manufacturing compound chocolate confectionery products and layer cakes based in Malaysia. The company also listed in the main market of Bursa Malaysia. One of the company strategies is implementing and maintains the quality management system and continually improves its effectiveness. This strategy shows the company is towards to cost leadership. Body London Biscuits Berhad The first company is London Biscuits Berhad. From annual report, they mention that the company is toward cost efficiency by few strategies. The first and foremost, London Biscuits Berhad have implement the low cost in the main raw material. The company bought Lay Hong Berhad to assure has a continuous and adequate supply of quality liquid eggs at reasonable price. Liquid egg is one of the main raw materials in manufacturing of cake product. After, the company have take up a controlling stake in TPC PLUS BERHAD( TPC) at a reasonably cheap entry cost. TPC is a company also listed in the main market of Bursa Malaysia, mainly involved in producing chicken eggs for industry, commercial and consumer use. TPC is also a supplier of London Biscuit Berhad. The action help the company have own supplier of egg with assured quality and cost-effective to the company. The second strategy they implement is mass production, it can help the company to reduce the average cost. The reason is that, mass production can reduce the wastage in raw material as well as achieve cost-effective at long range perspective. In the annual report, they mention they are commissioning of new cake production line which to be the single biggest production line in South East Asia. The line wills more than double of the company existing production capacity. The third strategy implement is upgrade technology to improve production efficiencies, reduce wastage and reduce manpower requirement. In annual report, the company mention about older machines and facilities in snack manufacturing division are upgrading to custom design and built machines. For long term, this will help the company save production cost and lead to cost leadership in the industry. The last strategy implement is directors training. In annual report, the company mentions certain directors have attended training and seminar whether in-house or external in various areas to enhance their skills to contribute more effectively to the company. This action will help the company running with more efficiency, implement useful strategy and reduce the mistake in decision making by director. Oriental Food Industries Sdn Bhd The Second Company is Oriental Food Industries Sdn Bhd. From the annual report, the groups pre-tax profit grew faster at 37.5%. Its driven principally by a better sales mix as well as a more efficient cost structure. From the statement, we can know the company is a cost leadership company. The first strategy the company use to achieve cost leadership is directors training, it can find in the group annual reports. This will improve the ability and efficiency of the director in making decision. This will reduce the wrong decision making, indirect reduce the loss in making a wrong decision. Besides, in the annual report mention the company provide on-job-training and external courses for relevant departments to ensure the sufficiently skilled to perform effectively and efficiently. This strategy can help the company reduce the manpower require and save cost pay for Over Time. The second strategy implement is reducing cost and wastage and increasing productivity. From the company websites, the RD team engages in various research methods in order to improve the production process to achieve the strategy. This will lead the company to cost leadership. The third strategy implement is technology. From the company website, they mention the company abreast with the latest technology developments. The company produces the products with modern machinery for increase the productivity and efficiency to achieve economic of scale. It also can help the company reduce the manpower using. The forth strategy implement is the relationship with suppliers and customer. In the annual report, the company mentions Mr. Son Chen Chuan as a Managing Director in the company, he had close relationship with the supplier and customer. With the relationship with supplier they can get the material with quality and lower price. This will reduce the cost for the company. Apollo Food Industries Sdn Bhd The third company is Apollo Food Industries Sdn Bhd. From the annual report, all the director have completed the Mandatory Accreditation Programmed (MAP). The aim of this training is to enhance their skills and knowledge. It can help the directors in decision making to reduce the error and risk. When wrong decision making, the risk and cost for the company is high, it can help the company save cost. The second strategy implement is training provide to employee. From the annual report, the company mention the employees are provided with necessary training in various job related organized by external parties to enhance the skill and knowledge. This will help the company reduce the manpower and pay for Over Time. The third strategy implement is reducing wastage. From the annual report, the company mention operation and office resources are been utilized without much wastage and recycling are being encourage at all time. This strategy will save the cost for the company and lead the company towards cost leadership. The forth strategy implement is continuous improve in production planning. From the annual report, the company invests on newer and modern production machineries to increase the production and reduce the cost. These companies have implemented several similar strategies such as mass production, upgrade the technology and director and employee training. These strategies will help the companies to achieve economic of scale, reduce the manpower and other expenses in order to achieve cost leadership in the industry. Besides, these companies also have implement different strategies to leads the industry. The London Biscuits buying their supplier to reduce the raw material cost and insure the quality of raw material. This strategy not implement by the two companies, it become superiority for London Biscuit Berhad. The Oriental Food Industries Sdn Bhd implement different strategies but the same aim is to get the material at reasonable price. This company achieves this by having a good relationship with the supplier to increase the bargaining power to supplier. 3.0 Conclusion The three companies uses to research are from the same industries that compete with each other in the same market. These three companies use their cost leadership strategies in the confection industry in order to reduce the cost and keep their price low to compete with others and increase the market share to survive. Most of the strategy are similar but implement in different ways to achieve cost leadership strategies. Besides, there are some different strategies use are different from others. These help company have superiority when compete with other.

The Devil And Tom Walker, by Washington Irving Essay -- The Devil And

The Devil And Tom Walker, by Washington Irving Washington Irving the author of The Devil and Tom Walker uses the setting of the story to convey that things with a good appearance can be deceiving and be putrid on the inside. He also creates the right atmosphere for the story, and gives precise details to the audience so they can predict the topic and how it will develop. In addition, he describes each character in a manner that the readers can infer who they are, their personal characteristics, and the decisions that they might make throughout the development of the story. Moreover, he provides a background for each character in order to understand their actions and their ending. This tall tale occurs near Boston, Massachusetts that as recorded in history was the place that held the witch hangings in 1692. Moreover he wrote â€Å"†¦there is a deep inlet, winding several miles into the interior of the country from Charles Bay, and terminating in a thickly wooded swamp or morass.† The mentioned description and information gives an overview that the tale may contain supernatural situations and smuggling – or related situations- because it provides the perfect sinister and gloomy environment. As equally important when Irving describes the swamp, where most of the story take place, he gives details such as â€Å"On one side of this inlet is a beautiful dark grove; on the opposite side the land rises abruptly from the waters’ edge into a high ridge†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He also says â€Å"It was full of pits...

Zappos-Amazon Acquisition

Amazon’s Acquisition of Zappos Acquisition regarding Amazon and Zappos Companies that want to be among the elite competitors in their particular fields have to be able to adapt and evolve in an always changing market place. In order to do so many large companies initiate mergers or acquisitions with smaller or similarly sized companies. They believe they can leverage and collaborate with each other in order to create more company value.The main difference between a merger and an acquisition is a merger is a situation in which two firms agree to unite as one single company rather than remain two separately operating firms owned by one company. The firms are usually the same size, and both companies’ stocks are surrendered creating new company stock issued in its’ place. An acquisition is when one company completely buys out the selling companies stock and makes itself the new owner of the company. Legally the selling company still exists as an independent legal en tity, but overall control is in the hands of the parent company.In July 2009 CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieht made the announcement of Amazon’s acquiring of Zappos. In a lengthy e-mail Tony eloquently explains the future of Zappos and what will take place in the near future at Zappos. Throughout Amazon’s reign as online shopping powerhouse, they have been consistent in one of the most important aspects–growing and developing as a long-term contender in the online shopping world. Amazon has adapted and involved in the always changing markets by expanding market share through acquisitions.In 1998 Amazon expanded itself into new markets with three key acquisitions. Two of the acquired companies, Bookpages and Telebook, were bought to expand Amazon’s market share into Europe; and the third acquisition, The Internet Movie Database (IMD), was bought to expand Amazon into a new developing market of online video sales. Amazon has always stressed customer service and cu stomer ease as a main objective throughout their development. Zappos is a company known to be a customer service company since its inception.In fact, Tony Hsieh stated in a Harvard business review article that he does not think of Zappos as a shoe company, but rather a customer service company. On the surface this acquisition seemed like a good fit for both parties, but the reality of high failure rates of acquisitions signifies there are many things to think about when considering acquiring a company. Our team will give a brief analysis on pre-acquisition activity within both companies, analysis of the acquisition itself, and give an overview of the success or failure of the acquisition.The key aspects to consider in this acquisition are as follows: the simplest and most underestimated factor is what are the specific goals of each company in regards to a possible acquisition, can the two separate companies effectively leverage each other’s strengths to create a greater compa ny value, and do these two companies align with one another in order to carry out their objectives and grow long-term. A History Of Zappos Zappos is an online selling shoe company founded in 1999 by Nick Swinmurn, Alfred Lin, and Tony Hsieh.The company’s key concept is that they are in the customer service business, not a shoe company. Customer service is Zappos’ main asset. They do everything a little bit differently than any other company. Tony Hsieh encourages company culture which is the core of the company allowing them to be so successful. Before the acquisition, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh had to make sure that the company will remain unchanged. Many people thought it would be end of Zappos and their culture after Amazon bought them. Amazon took over Zappos, but allowed them to run separately, keeping their company name and culture.Zappos’s goal for the future is to deliver happiness to their customers and acquisition by Amazon allowing them to leverage each ot her’s strengths. Now with the merger Zappos has much better cash flow than before. Now they can refund people’s credit cards much faster than they could before and improve their customer service even more. With the acquisition they also gained lot of experience from senior staff of Amazon and vice versa. Prior to the acquisition, Zappos had to discuss their independence with Amazon.Zappos tried to stay unchanged by the acquisition as much as possible while keeping all the benefits from the acquisition as long as they could. Zappos had big plans before the acquisition, and now with Amazon they are still focusing on their goals, but with resources from Amazon they can achieve them much faster. Zappos’ net sales in the first quarter of 2010 were almost 50% higher than the same quarter of the previous year. To ensure Zappos can grow at this fast pace they had to hire the right people. Zappos’s way to make sure that their employees really want to work at the f irm is quite nontraditional.After few weeks of training they offer their trainees money to leave. This price constantly raises and after the acquisition it was at $3000 not to take the job. Zappos didn’t change immediately after the acquisition, but now few years later we see some changes happening, but Zappos still keeps their culture untouched. The biggest change that happened in Zappos was handing over their Kentucky warehouse to Amazon. Tony Hsieh explained it as necessary move due to legal obligations. Zappos employees in Kentucky had to be transformed under Amazon with all their benefits changing.Usually during acquisition many people will get laid off due to efficiency for both firms. Zappos has actually grown since the acquisition and no one lost their job as a result of it. It was a risky move for Tony Hsieh, because in one interview he admitted that Amazon can technically sell Zappos at any time. Some of their agreement works on mutual trust and so far it works for both Amazon and Zappos. A History of Amazon Amazon. com Inc. sells just about everything, and lots of it. What drives Amazon is the desire to enhance the consumer experience, whether it's shipping or product availability or price.Over the past decade, Amazon has moved from strictly retail to both selling goods and then executing the orders, for itself and for third parties. Amazon, as much as people like to think of it as an e-commerce provider, is becoming a direct-to-consumer fulfillment company. How did Amazon become so successful so quickly? Strategy! Investing in the right plans at the right time and staying the course. Amazon embraced what is known as a â€Å"design school model† of strategy development. Despite the title, the model is simple to understand and can be highly effective.It is the one used most by professors and consulting organizations. Organizations often struggle in finding a compelling competitive position. Successful organization can begin to drift awa y and total fail at what it takes to be successful. This tool can begin to help an organization get into the game. The design school model calls for both external and internal appraisals. An external appraisal helps an organization to understand threats and opportunities that are out there in the market. The internal assessment helps the organization to understand its strengths and weaknesses. The â€Å"Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities andThreats† (SWOT) tool is one that most people are familiar with and stems from the design school model. Amazon conducted the external analysis using the following analysis frameworks: PESTEL Analysis, Industry and Competitor Analysis, Competitor Analysis, Global Internet Trends and GE Matrix. The â€Å"PESTEL† framework helped Amazon to identify trends that could impact them in six key areas: (P) Political factors: areas to focus on include political direction, taxes, trade restrictions. (E) Economic factors: includes GDP, inflatio n, interest rates, exchange rates and other macro and micro economic factors. S) Social factors: includes social trends, population growth rate, age distribution, career expectations, etc. (T) Technology factors: includes equipment, information technology, R;D. (E) Environmental factors: Includes weather and climate. (L) Legal factors: include health, safety, employment, discrimination, consumer and antitrust laws. Political, economic, social, technological progress indicates an increasing and attractive market? to be exploited by Amazon. com. The external appraisal includes Amazon looking at its competitive position to determine opportunities and risks and where it should focus.To do this, they used Porter’s 5-force tool that helped them to understand the strengths and weakness of its competitive position, and where they might consider moving forward. The competitive rivalry amongst the e-retailing industry is intense. From some of the largest to the smallest companies, dotc om businesses are abundant, making? competition intense. Amazon. com competes directly with big firms such as Barnes and? Noble and Ebay. In simplest terms, the model looks assumes there are five important forces that determine competitive power. Amazon has hundreds of competitors.The challenge is what ones to focus on. They focused on large-scale Internet retailers that offer a broad range of products. This exercise helped Amazon to better understand who their competition is. Ebay and Wal-Mart are examples. Global Internet Trends The Internet is Amazon’s key channel. The 20 top countries in Internet usage, and grow patterns were identified. A GE Matrix has been used to identify the attractiveness and competitive position of the? markets that Amazon. com operates in. GE Matrix: This is a matrix used to screen portfolios of business units.Both the attractiveness of the industry and the strength of each business unit within the industry are plotted. Industry attractiveness is d etermined by the following factors: Growth rate, Size, Demand, Competition, Profitability and Global opportunities. Business unit strength is determined by: Market share, Market share growth, Brand, Distribution channels, Production capacity and Profit margin comparisons. Knowing, constructing, and fully leveraging strengths in the best manner possible is an important key to creating long-term competitive advantage.Amazon is a great, leading-edge company that has successfully developed and implemented compelling strategies that we can learn from. Most large organizations conduct strategic planning, but in many cases real â€Å"strategy† and â€Å"planning† are missing. Instead too many strategic planning exercises are nothing more than budget positioning exercises. Not so with Amazon. Amazon has developed common sense as an organization. Becoming clear as to what will provide you a competitive advantage is paramount. We chase after the hot new industries where the risk is highest. The key is to sustained focus on smart strategies.There are three simple tools that Amazon focuses on as part of its internal appraisal process. They include: Value Chain, Resources Based View and Financial Analysis. Amazon developed a value chain of itself to internal it can operationally best add value and maintain a competitive advantage. The value chain analysis undertaken examines the operational effectiveness of activities that? enable Amazon. com to perform better than its competitors; i. e. the distinctive value chain activities that are difficult to imitate. This analysis focuses on ‘value creation’ and ‘transaction cost economies’; where Amazon. om? configures its value chain activities to create unique value for customers, reduce its costs of? carrying out these activities and reduce the cost of its customers’ transactions. Some of Amazon’s competitive advantages from a value chain perspective include: Strong technologi cal infrastructure with a single platform, High investments in technology development (e. g. , Kindle) to best leverage digital products, Great product forecasting system, Print on demand, Constantly soliciting suggestions on new products, Easy and fast payment system, 24 hour operations and Free returns within 30 days.The resource based view helps an organization to determine where to invest in critical resources to have a competitive advantage. The more valuable and rare the right resources are in the right places, the more likely the firm may have a long-term advantage over its competition. A firm utilizes its resources and capabilities to create a competitive advantage. The organization’s resources and capabilities combined together constitute its distinctive competencies. Amazon successfully identified the right resources and developed its capabilities in key target areas.These investments resulted in: Sophisticated online retailing technologies, Personalization features for customers on its websites, Reliable and easily scalable IT systems all one platform, New products (100 different products in seven major geographic markets), Top customer relationship system, State of the art warehousing, New products (100 different products in seven major geographic markets). Gearing, Debt and Capital Structure Amazon’s investments are paying off. Their net sales continue to grow, their cost of goods decreases as a % of sales and their net income continues to increase.And, they continue to invest in initiatives that provide them a longer-term competitive advantage. Goals: The acquisition of Zappos by Amazon is equally beneficial in the long run for the two companies. Zappos’ goals after the acquisition are mainly focused on its own growth internally and externally. As their own independent firm they want to pursue their vision of delivering happiness to customers, employees, and vendors; and now they will be able to get their much faster.Amazon h as the capacity to help them grow at a pace they would not be able to by themselves. Zappos is going to remain its own independent entity and it will be run by the same owners the way they see fit. This is beneficial because one of Zappos’ best qualities is its unique culture and brand. Financially, Zappos wanted a shareholder and partner that thinks long term and will also do what is best for their existing shareholders. Amazon’s goals for Zappos are very similar to what Zappos themselves want. They like Zappos because they have a lot of growth potential.Zappos is very popular, however they are not as large nor do they have the capacity for shipping, storage, or personnel that Amazon does and they want to leverage their capabilities to help Zappos grow. Amazon wants to leverage the intangible assets that Zappos possesses; the people and the culture of the company. The Culture of Zappos is one of its best qualities that no other company can easily replicate; working to gether the companies can share and learn from one another to improve the workplace culture in both companies.Customer service is what Zappos hangs its hat on and Amazon can learn from them about their policies and even help them to provide better service. Metrics: It will take some time for Amazon and Zappos to be able to measure the effectiveness of the acquisition mainly because both firms emphasize the long term. The main focus for both sides is to grow the Zappos brand and their effectiveness in their goal to help customers. Zappos should see increased sales, more efficient distribution, and faster response times when customers have issues. Methods: Aligning the two companies and leveraging each company’s strengths to better each other.Amazon has resources, technology, and operational experience that Zappos does not. Zappos can leverage all of these to make their own operations faster and more efficient by bringing people in from Amazon and learning from them. Amazons imp roved technology will help Zappos fill orders faster and improve logistics. Zappos has a very large distribution center in Kentucky fairly close to the UPS shipping hub. Amazon now has a very important strategic advantage with access. They can now move product faster and easier making their own distribution faster and less expensive.Post- Acquisition Turnout On Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009, Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos. com, emailed all of his employees to share the great news of their acquisition with Amazon. His board approved and signed a definitive agreement, in which all of the existing shareholders and investors of Zappos will be exchanging their Zappos stock for Amazon stock. After the exchange took place, Amazon became the sole shareholder of Zappos stock. Post-acquisition, Zappos continued to run their operations the same, doing what they believe is best for their brand, their culture, and their business.By leveraging each other’s strengths, Zappos reached their visio n even faster—delivering happiness to customers, employees, and vendors. By merging with Amazon, Zappos was able to accelerate the growth of their brand and culture. Amazon supports Zappos in continuing to grow their vision as an independent entity, under the Zappos brand with their unique culture. Hsieh also aligned his company with a shareholder and partner that think long term, just like Zappos. Zappos continued to run as an independent entity. In legal terminology, they became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amazon.Therefore, all of their jobs were as secure as they were pre-acquisition. The Zappos brand continued to be separate from the Amazon brand. Although they now have access to many of Amazon’s resources, they continued to build their brand and their culture just as they always have. Zappos has continued to grow their headquarters out of Las Vegas, attracting the right talent for each of their departments. After acquiring Zappos, Amazon has seen more profitabili ty, more market share, greater growth and revenue, and most importantly, a better brand image.By encompassing the unique customer service aspect of Zappos, Amazon has become one of, if not the biggest, online company. Amazon has seen substantial growth in net revenue since acquiring Zappos in 2009. Online business is a growing industry—the percentage of households with at least one computer has gone up from 64% in 2004 to 87% present day. In 2009, Amazon’s revenue was $24. 5 billion. This past year, they finished with total revenue of $61. 09 billion. In 2009, Amazon’s cost of goods sold was $18. 97 billion. This past year, it has grown to $45. 97 billion, a growth of $27 billion in just three years.In 2009, before the acquisition of Zappos, Amazon’s gross profit was $5. 5 billion. Three years later, it has escalated to a staggering $15. 1 billion. Although debt as a percent of total capital increased at Amazon. com Inc. over the last fiscal year to 34. 8 7%, it is still in-line with the Internet and Catalog Retail industry's norm. Additionally, even though there are not enough liquid assets to satisfy current obligations, operating profits are more than adequate to service the debt. Accounts Receivable is typical for the industry, with 17. 78 days worth of sales outstanding.Last, inventory levels, relative to its Cost of Goods Sold, are typical for the industry and have shown a consistent decrease during the last 4 years. This implies that management is becoming more efficient. Amazon’s acquisition of Zappos was clearly a smart move on both ends. Zappos and its employees were compensated fairly, and Amazon has seen a steady increase on the balance sheet and income statement. There is no limit to Amazon’s potential, now that they have acquired the amazing and unique company that is Zappos. Closing Remarks It is clear from our analysis that Amazon’s acquisition of Zappos is a good fit for both parties.Each company ’s goals of the acquisition were made clear through pre-acquisition negotiations. Zappos wanted to expand their operations through the use of Amazon’s large market share and also be able to use Amazon’s large array of assets to create a better costumer experience. Amazon wanted to learn the intangible and effective costumer service methods that have proven to be Zappos competitive edge. So far, each company has been able to effectively leverage each other’s strengths to achieve their goals. Furthermore, these companies align with each other in moving forward to achieve long-term growth.