Psy 200 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Psy 200 - Essay Example In this experiment, a majority of the participants would conform to a social norm or any norm such as in the control experiment. Participants were so irritated especially in the second condition in which they faced a violation of a social norm. they felt like their privacy was being violated when the social was violated with someone standing too close, especially people of the same gender. They emotionally felt so angry and disgusted when asked to violate the norm-standing too close when talking to someone. It is worth noting that, it was especially different for people who somehow knew each other, they tend to enjoy the violation. In the case of condition 1, there were emotional reactions displayed when participants were asked to conform. Not all the participants were comfortable doing norm violation especially for the second condition; but in condition one, the participants asked to violate the norm had no problems. As far as condition one is concerned, on thing was very clear, the participants willingness to go along with social pressures was much stronger than their beliefs to stand up for what their individually know or believe as true. On the other hand, participants in the second condition believed in going along with social norms and were not prepared to go against it. For the first condition, it is apparent that people were willing not willing to violate the social norm because they did not want to feel different from the rest; they were more concerned with what the others might think, and believed that, majority rules. However, in the second condition, people did not want to violate the social norm because they felt it was not the right thing to since it was violating on people’s privacy or making the conversion difficult. It was very easy to approach males than it was to approach ladies who felt enthusiastic to participate. Most men

How Literature Displays Positive Character Trait Through Characters Essay Example for Free

How Literature Displays Positive Character Trait Through Characters Essay Traits Through Its Characters It is known that a piece of writing can do more than tell a story, but can also portray indirect ideas to the reader. A narrative piece is able to show positive traits, presented through its characters. Literature can display a variety of positive attributes, through different characters, and situations. This is demonstrated in the story, â€Å"The Blue Bead,† through Sibia’s acts of selflessness, and again in the text â€Å"Long, Long, After School,† through Miss Tretheway’s acts of kind-heartedness. In the story â€Å"The Blue Bead,† an example of how literature shows positive raits through its characters, is composed by Sibia’s displays of selflessness when saving a woman from an attacking crocodile. In the text, the narrator states, â€Å"Sometimes it had seemed difficult to cross these stones, especially with the big gap†¦ But now she came on wings†¦ and in a moment, she was beside the shrieking woman (pg. 61). † This shows selflessness because Sibia, usually hesitant on the slippery stones, flies across them making rapid footing decisions, throwing herself towards to woman being attacked, aware of the fact that if she falls, she could harm herself severely. Another piece of evidence is shown when the narrator states, â€Å"Its eyes rolled on to Sibia. One slap of the tail could kill her. (pg. 61). † This shows selflessness because the young girl willingly put her life at risk, to save one that was not her own. Through the young girl’s displays of selflessness, one can see how the text, â€Å"The Blue Bead† portrays a positive trait through Sibia. Throughout the text, â€Å"Long, Long After School,† Miss Tretheway shows kind- heartedness through acts presented in the story. An illustration of this is when a flashback occurs, back to when Miss Tretheway states, â€Å"Why, Marilyn, Wes’s hands re much cleaner than yours. Maybe Wes doesn’t like to get his hands dirty†¦ (pg. 114). † This shows kind-heartedness because though Miss Tretheway is Wes’ teacher, she stood up for him when his classmate insulted him in front of his peers. Another illustration of how Miss Tretheway shows ki nd-heartedness is when a character states, â€Å"She gave me a whole quart, just as soon as she found out that hers would match. † This shows kind-heartedness because one was willing to give up blood, an element that signifies life, almost immediately to save someone who with the woman shared a student-teacher relationship. Through the acts of kind- heartedness displayed through the story, â€Å"Long, Long, After School† shows that literature shows positive attributes through its characters. A piece of writing can portray positive traits through its developed characters. Sibia shows selflessness through her acts of saving the woman being attacked by the crocodile, putting one’s own life at risk. Miss Tretheway displays kind-heartedness by standing up for a student, and giving the aforementioned student a much needed blood transfusion. These examples show that positive traits can be demonstrated through characters presented in literature.

Secrets in Conjugal Relationships Essay -- Literary Analysis

â€Å"Is it always a betrayal to talk about your husband with another man? What about girlfriends or astrologists?† (Dormen). In modern society, people’s feelings and desires are limited by rules of law and morality, especially when they relate to marriage and conjugal relationships. In The Storm, Kate Chopin raised a moral issue of adultery between characters of the short novel-Calixta and Alcee. She discussed the questions based on the metaphor of storm and the lack of passion in Calixta and Bobinot’s marriage. Similarly, in A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen scrutinized an issue of a marriage lacking love. He depicted relationships between Nora and Torvald and showed how imperious attitude and misunderstandings ruined conjugal relationships eventually. Both stories are connected by a common problem of secrets that arose from misunderstandings between the spouses. They solved the problem of misunderstanding in different ways, depending on cultural and personal distinctions of the characters. Therefore, the stories ended differently. Chopin concluded that the adulterous act made positive short-term changes in the marriage depicted in The Storm. In contrast, Ibsen ended his play A Doll’s House by stating that lack of understanding and communication led to the marriage collapse. In her short novel The Storm, Chopin explained how an extramarital affair between Calixta and Alcee became a factor benefiting the marriage. Chopin ended the story with the words, â€Å"So the storm passed, and everyone was happy† (123). The story is interesting not only because of the conclusion that infidelity had a beneficial short-term outcome to the family relationships, but also by intricacies that resulted in the happy end. In the middle of the novel, Chopin utiliz... ...pt unrevealed because of her naivety, passionate and pure love to the husband, did not contain any vicious deeds or intentions. However, upon revealing the secret, the true attitude of the couple to each other uncovered and Nora preferred to live alone to life with the husband who called her a criminal and decided to part with her for a formal mistake that saved him love. Works Cited Bartee, Johanna. The Storm: More Than Just a Story. Virginia Wesleyan College , n. d. Web. 09 May 2012. Chopin, Kate. The Storm. Freewebs Com, n.d. Web. 09 May 2012. Goldman, Emma. The Social Significance of the Modern Drama. Berkeley. Edu, n.d. Web. 09 May 2012. Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll's House. Ed. Jim Manis. The Pennsylvania State University, 2010. Web. 09 May 2012. Dormen, Lesley. Secrets and Lies: The Truth About Conjugal Discretion. Hearst Communications. 26 July 2010.

Anna and the King :: essays research papers fc

On the day on of September 6, 1831, the baby Anna Leonowens was born. When she was born she already had lost her father. When Anna was about 3 months her mom had married again. She only married cause she was so poor that they couldn't pay enough to pay food and so they didn't die. Her mother was so poor she and her sister had to sleep under her moms bed in straw mats in a corner. At the age of 15 Anna was forced to marry a soldier or else they would be forced out. She didn't like this soldier and she had been secretly in love with a man named Thomas Owens. Her father wouldn't let him marry Thomas cause they had an arranged marriage already for her. She didn't like it so she solved the problem by running off with a 30 year old man named George Percy Badger. After she ran off she waited until her 18 birthday when Thomas and she got married. They had a good life and the life style fit her perfectly. Then Anna had four children in rapid order. The first two died but the other two lived. She had a son and a daughter. The daughters name was Avis. And the boys name was Louis. The daughter was born in 1854 and the son was born on 1855. And then at the age of 27 Thomas died and she had no money. Unlike her mother she was not going to marry a man the she didn't love because she could have money and survive. So she changed her name and started tell people that she was the daughter of a British officer. By that time she found a job as a school teacher. I think that Anna did the right thing that she went with her love not with what her assigned marriage. I think that it was very good of her to find love not money cause most people back then would do anything to get stuff they want and had money to get it with and she didn't want to do that.

Etrade Baby Essay

A Talking Infant, Financial Systems, & Golf What do a talking baby, stock markets, and golf all have in common? Nothing, right? Wrong. E*Trade – a popular public online financial services group – uses all three of these entities to create a commercial that has had people talking for years. When the commercial is over, you are left in shock at what you just saw, a baby in a high-chair talking about the stock market. But will the ad’s weirdness produce sales of the company’s program for years to come as well? Or just make it a highly talked about YouTube video? To the contrary, E*Trade does a professional job in conveying its message of simplicity to â€Å"average Joes† who are looking to either become day traders, start a retirement fund, or even banking. E*Trade’s main audience is not a person with a net worth or five million dollars. E*Trade is looking to sell their product to â€Å"average joe† type clients. It can be assumed this because E*Trade uses the financial term â€Å"401k† in their commercial; this is the most popular tax investment form everyone has. The main character of the commercial is â€Å"The E*Trade Baby,† but there’s a catch, the baby speaks with a mature older man’s voice. This adds a sense of weirdness to the commercial right off the bat. One may question the validity of a company whose commercials star a talking baby, but this is a clever marketing approach because if people see a talking baby, something they don’t see every day, they will immediately become engaged in the commercial. E*Trade uses a baby as a symbol for inexperience, simplicity and an older man’s voice for knowledge. E*Trade wants to show the audience that if a baby can you use the program, so can the audience. They also want to show knowledge, that E*Trade is a reliable and trusted company, so they use the voice of an older man to portray legitimacy. E*Trade wants to declare that â€Å"Yes, this is a legit company and yes, we’re simple to use,† so a talking baby fits in perfectly to both categories. Just like the Old Spice commercials talked about in class, the E*Trade Baby ads have many spinoffs with numerous situations the baby is in. The commercial I am focusing on is set in a golf country club locker room. The ad starts off with the baby talking to a man named Frank. The baby says â€Å"Ah, this is weak, man. Frank’s trying to not pay me my winnings for the skins beat down I just issued him. † The baby has now caught the attention of the audience with this opening line because people are drawn into the weirdness of a talking baby in the commercial. Now when he starts to talk about finance and what the company actually does, viewers will be already engaged. Not only does the talking baby raise questions that attract us to this ad, but there are many other. For instance, why is a baby playing golf with old man? And why is there a computer in the locker room of a country golf club? All All these questions have no answers but it draws us into the commercial and makes us connected to it, hopefully throughout the commercial we will find answers to these questions, but in this case we do not. E*Trade’s goal is to get a lot of publicity and attention with their commercials while providing us with the smallest amount of information. This is because E*Trade wants people to inquire about the company and have them visit E*Trade’s website us. etrade. com. Once on the website, people will be impressed by the fancy website that proves it is a legitimate company, and lured into signing up for an account The baby says â€Å"His (Frank) 401k’s tankin. Ya gotta grab the reins man. Get E*Trade, do some analytics, do some research (into the stock market), and take charge so I don’t have to subsidize your lack of skills. † There’s actually a lot of information about the company and its message all in that little saying. The E*Trade baby uses a clever balance a financial terms and jokes to put the viewer in an informal setting while talking about a big decision a person must make. E*Trade is not an elite company for only the â€Å"one-percenters† to use. E*Trade’s goal is to get skilled and novice users with just a little amount of money to open an accountant. Using the term 401k is strategically brilliant because everyone who works for a company most likely has one. E*Trade could have used any tax form number, but chose the most popular one to relate to the most people and with the current economy, it’s probably on the minds of most people right now. When the baby says, â€Å"Do some analytics, do some research, and take charge,† he is describing the job of the novice investor. The baby is now describing that when using the E*Trade software, you are able to look at analytical charts and graphs, read news articles and research about potential stock purchases and basically to take charge of your life. E*Trade does not buy and sell stock for you; you have to do it yourself. You are in control of the future and E*Trade presents the question â€Å"What are you going to do to prepare yourself for it? † It’s hard to tell whom is the exact audience E*Trade is trying to promote itself to, but assumptions can be made. Since it is a golf setting in a country club, they are focusing on males anywhere from 20s to 60s (the general range of persons with a 401k). E*Trade did a good job picking a wide range of ages with this advertisement, which is what makes it such a good ad! Since the ad is set in a country club locker room, E*Trade is also advertising to a certain class of people I believe: well educated men who know a think about finance and who play golf. Golf is an expensive sport. I think if you have money to play golf you would be interested and would know the benefits of investing. But are they also advertising to a whole inclusive audience with a cute baby to grab the attentions of mothers and grandmothers? Only the directions and producers know that answer. You can have a good commercial, the best commercial ever known to man. But if you don’t have the right exposure no one will see it. E*Trade played this commercial before and after Superbowl XLII on February 1, 2009. Back to what was said before on the age of the audience, 20s to 60s. That basically sums up the audience of the Superbowl as well; perfect. E*Trade picked the most opportune time to run this commercial and not only reaches its projected audience, but all 90 some odd million people that tune in each year to watch the game, and the commercials. Another part of the commercial that is important to take into consideration is the point of view in which we view the commercial. Since the program E*Trade is used on a computer, the great minds behind this commercial put the camera where a usually webcam should be. This is to provide a visual of where the user of E*Trade’s product will be using the product. This is brilliant because now we see the baby sitting in a chair in front of the computer using a keyboard and a mouse, in the same spot where we would use the program was well. The E*Trade Baby Commercial is trying to sell to their audience a financial services program available to download on the computer. E*Trade does a good job in getting the attention of its viewer and making a hard subject of finance fun and entertaining. E*Trade describes everything that their company’s mission statement says that they are, â€Å"A financial services ompany that is simple to use. Designed with the user in mind. † There is no doubt in my mind that this commercial will go down as a classic and will have people talking about the â€Å"E*Trade baby† for years to come. To respond to the question previously stated in the beginning of this paper. Even though this commercial will be popular for years to come, will the ad produce sales of the company’s program for years to c ome as well? It turns out, no. When a person is looking to invest in money, they normally look for a company that is well-reputable and well-respected. Humor is no doubt, un-debatable, a marketing tool to grab the attention of a viewer, but humor in advertising is very hard to pull off because you simply never know what people will laugh out. Some think it funny, others think it’s not. In order for a commercial to use humor, the company should be trying to sell humor. Clearly E*Trade does not sell humor.. Instead of a talking baby to grab the audience’s attention and provide a laugh, E*Trade should create a well-informative commercial that captures the audience’s attention and show how one can benefit from using E*Trade.

Capital Punishment Essays (2840 words) - Sentencing, Free Essays

Capital Punishment Essays (2840 words) - Sentencing, Free Essays Capital Punishment Putting to death people who have been judge to commit certain extremely heinous crimes is a practice of ancient standing. But in the United States, in the latter half of the twentieth century, it has become a very controversial issue. Changing views on this difficult issue led the Supreme Court to abolish capital punishment in 1972 but later turned to uphold it again in 1977, with certain conditions. Indeed, restoring capital punishment is the will of the people, yet many voices have been raised against it. Heated public debate has centered on questions of deterrence, public safety, sentencing equality, and the execution of innocents, among others. One argument states that the death penalty does not deter murder. Dismissing capital punishment on that basis would require us to eliminate all prisons as well because they do not seem to be any more effective in the deterrence of crime. Others say that states, which have the death penalty, have higher crime rates than those that do not. A nd that a more sever punishment only inspires more sever crimes. But every state in the union is different. These differences include population, the number of cities, and the crime rate. Urbanized states are more likely to have higher crime rates than states that are more rural. The states that have capital punishment have it because of their high crime rate, not the other way around. In 1985, a study was published by economist Stephen K. Layson, at the University of North Carolina, that showed that every execution of a murderer deters, on average of 18 murders. The study also showed that raising the number of death sentences by only one percent would prevent 105 murders. However, only 38 percent of all murder cases result in a death sentence, and of those, only 0.1 percent are actually executed. During the temporary suspension on capital punishment from 1972 - 1976, researchers gathered murder statistics across the country. Researcher Karl Spence of Texas A&M University came up wi th these statistics, in 1960, there were 56 executions in the United States and 9,140 murders. By 1964, when there were only 15 executions, the number of murders had risen to 9,250. In 1969, there were no executions and 14,590 murders, and 1975, after six years without executions, 20,510 murders occurred. So the number of murders grew as the number of executions shrank. Spence said: While some [death penalty] abolitionists try to face down the results of their disastrous experiment and still argue to the contrary, the...[data] concludes that a substantial deterrent effect has been observed...In six months, more Americans are murdered than have been killed by execution in this entire century...Until we begin to fight crime in earnest [by using the death penalty], every person who dies at a criminal's hands is a victim of our inaction. And in Texas, the highest murder rate in Houston (Harris County) occurred in 1981 with 701 murders. Since Texas reinstated the death penalty in 1982, H arris County has executed more murderers than any other city or state in the union and has seen the greatest reduction in murder from 701 in 1981 down to 261 in 1996 - a 63% reduction, representing a 270% differential. Also, in the 1920s and 30s, death penalty advocates were known to refer to England as a means of proving capital punishment's deterrent effect. Back then, at least 120 murderers were executed every year in the United States and sometimes the number reached 200. Even then, England used the death penalty far more consistently than we did and their overall murder rate was smaller than any one of our major cities at the time. Now, since England abolished capital punishment about released killers have murdered thirty years ago, the murder rate has subsequently doubled there and 75 English citizens. Abolitionists will claim that most studies show that the death penalty has no effect on the murder rate at all. But that's only because those studies have been focused on incons istent executions. Capital punishment, like all other applications, must be used consistently in the United States for decades, so abolitionists have been able to establish the delusion that it does not deter at all to rationalize their fallacious

Strategic Planning Theories Essays

Strategic Planning Theories Essays Strategic Planning Theories Paper Strategic Planning Theories Paper Essay Topic: Citizen Kane DBA 822 Seminars in Strategy and International Business Strategic Planning Theories A Literature Review By; Benjamin J. Shuford III 8/24/10 Introduction: Strategic planning is a broad concept that has been introduced into the main stream practices of today’s corporations. Strategic planning can be defined as an organization’s process of defining goals, direction, and decision making processes that effect the allocation of resources that include capital and people. The term â€Å"strategy† is derived from the Greek word of â€Å"strategos,† which means literally, â€Å"general of the army. (Hart, 1965). The Greek tribes of ancient civilizations would elect a strategos to head their regiments during battles. These political rulers would follow the strategic advice from the council members about managing troops to win battles. From its early military roots on winning battles to becoming a pattern of purposes and policies that define a company and its busines s, strategic planning has become the primary focus of today’s diverse organizations. There are many theories that are used to describe how organizations view the strategic planning process. These processes are framed as models that are consistently being revised to fit the needs of an organization. This literature review will focus on some of these models and the theorists who developed them. This literature review will review theories from Igor Ansoff, Henry Mintzberg, Michael Porter, and Kenichi Ohmae. The purpose will be to gain a better understanding of how these theories shape organizational performance. An analysis will be conducted to evaluate the practice of and the future direction of these theories. The choice to review these four theorists over all of the others is because of their legacy and robust contributions to the field of strategic management. Ansoff was one of the earliest writers on strategy as a management discipline, and laid strong foundations for several later writers to build upon, including Michael Porter, Gary Hamel and C K Prahalad. He invented the modern approach to strategy and his work pulled together various ideas and disparate strands of thought, giving a new coherence and discipline to the concept he described as strategic planning. A debate between Ansoff and Henry Mintzberg over their differing views of strategy was reflected in print over many years, particularly in the Harvard Business Review. Ansoff has often been criticized by Mintzberg, who disliked the idea of strategy being built from planning which is supported by analytical techniques. This criticism was based on the belief that Ansoffs reliance on planning suffered from three fallacies: that events can be predicted, that strategic thinking can be separated from operational management, and that hard data, analysis and techniques can produce novel strategies. The strategic planning/management theories of Porter and Ohmae were derived from both Ansoff and Mentzberg. Ansoff was the originator of the strategic management concept, and was responsible for establishing strategic planning as a management activity. The Strategic Planning Process: Because of high competitive business environments, organizations must engage in strategic planning processes that clearly define and state the objectives of the organization. They must assess both external and internal factors to develop and implement a strategy to stay competitive. They need to evaluate the process and make needed adjustments to stay on track. In their search for sources of sustainable competitive advantage, researchers have come to realize that business performance depends not only on the formulation and successful implementation of a given strategy but also on the process by which competitive positions are created or maintained. Mintzberg was one of the first to point out that the realized strategy of an organization can strongly differ from the intended strategy and that the extent to which an intended strategy can be realized is closely related to the strategic process that exist within the organization (Mintzberg, 1987). In his early work, he identified three main types of strategy processes: planning, entrepreneurial and learning-by-experience. He described planning as a philosophical approach when he classifies strategic business thinking in ten schools of thought, which he describes in their historical and ideological context. Early theorist, such as Igor Ansoff, focused on the analytical aspects of strategy formation. The first three schools in Mintzberg’s taxonomy are therefore prescriptive and focus on how strategy ought to be formulated. One of the major premises of the prescriptive schools if the performance claim, which states that the more an organization engages in systematic strategic planning, the more likely it will result in above average returns. The prescriptive schools have been influential in the discourse of strategy formulation, but have failed to explain the process of strategy execution (Mintzberg, 1990). Mintzbergs School of Strategic Thought (Mintzberg and Lampel, 1990). | | | | | | | | School| Category| Foundation| | | | Design| Prescriptive| Engineering| | | | Planning| Prescriptive| Systems Theory| | | | Positioning| Prescriptive| Economics| | | | Entrepreneurial| Descriptive| Economics| | | | Cognitive| Descriptive| Psychology| | | | Learning| Descriptive| Psychology| | | | Power| Descriptive| Political Science| | | | Cultural| Descriptive| Anthropology| | | | Environmental| Descriptive| Biology| | | | Configuration| Both| History| | | | | | | | | | The Design school defines strategy formation as a process of conception. It began during the late 1950s and mid-1960s. This school puts emphasis on an appraisal of external environment and the internal situation using the classic SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). Also shaping strategy formulation are the values of the organization’s management and an assessment of the organization’s social responsibilities (Selznick, 1957). The Planning school identified strategy formation as a formal process. It emerged in the mid 1960. It has resulted in a plethora of strategic planning models. The underlying foundation of all of these models is straightforward: divide the SWOT model into neatly delineated steps. Step1 – Set objectives – Establish and qualify goals or objective of the organization. Step 2- External Audits – Assess the external environment, using the SWOT analysis, and create a set of forecasts about the future. Step 3 – Internal audits – Typically this process is assisted by checklists and tables of topic to consider. Step 4 – Strategy evaluation – Organizations can use a variety of techniques ranging from return on nvestment (ROI), to risk analysis, to calculating shareholder value. Step 5 – Strategy implementation – This step creates a very detailed and formalized action plan. Objectives, strategies, budgets, and programs are all brought together into a master plan. The Positioning School defines strategy formation as an analytical process. This school began in the 1980s and was popular due to the notion of competitive strategy frameworks that were identified as five forces on an organization’s environment by Michael Porter. The significance of this school is that it emphasized the importance of strategies to any given industry. The Entrepreneurial school looks at strategy formation as a visionary process. This school of thought developed in the 1990s and using vision as a central starting point. Vision establishes the broad sense of direction while preserving flexibility to adapt to changing conditions. One of the advocates of the entrepreneurial school is Peter Drucker, who identifies entrepreneurship with management itself: â€Å"Central to business enterprise is†¦ the entrepreneurial act, an act of economic risk taking. And business enterprise is an entrepreneurial institution† (Drucker, 1970). The Cognitive school defined strategy formation as a mental process and started in the early 1990s. This school focuses on the mind of the strategist, drawing from the field of cognitive psychology. There is a large body of research that suggests that individuals encounter a variety of problems in making decisions that influence many situations in the management process because they are difficult to change and form once implemented. Individuals who practice this school find that they each have different cognitive styles that can distort decision making processes. The Learning school defines strategy formation as an emergent process. It started in the mid 1990s and follows the perspective that people within an organization learn how to use the organization’s abilities to change and adapt in a positive manner in order to respond to a changing environment (Quinn, 1980). This school is less concerned with the actual strategy that was formulated than with what it took to get a strategy implemented. The Power school, which began in the late 1980s, defines strategy formation as a process of negotiation and is based on the notion that the influence of power from the external environment will affect any organization, and in many cases politics will infuse an organization. This school views strategy as a political process that focuses on alliance building, empire building, budgeting, expertise, insurgency, counterinsurgency, lording, rival camps, whistle-blowing, and line versus staff. The importance of this school is that it has identified the political process as a reality that must be acknowledged and managed but that is not the sole means for making strategies within an organization. The Cultural school defines strategy formation as a collective process. The cultural school began in the early 1990s and can be thought of as a system of shared values, beliefs, and meanings held by staff members that distinguish the organization from other organizations. The dimensions making up this school include teamwork, honesty, control, decision making processes, rewards, and conflict. The Environmental school started in the mid-1990s and defines strategy formation as a reactive process. It views the forces operating outside the organization as active, while the organization itself merely reacts to these outside forces. The primary contribution of this school is that it attempts to bring the overall view of strategy formation into balance. This school emphasizes that the outside environment, the leadership, and the organization itself are actually responsible for strategy making. The Configuration school defines strategy formation as a process of transformation. This school began in the mid-1990s and attempts to integrate strategy by showing how different dimensions of an organization band together under particular conditions to define states, models, or ideas types. The premise of this school is that periods of stability and transformation can best be understood as life cycles of an organization. The key to strategic management is to recognize the need for transformation and manage the process of change without having a negative impact on the organization. Later developments in strategic management literature moved away from the prescriptive approach modeled on quantitative exact sciences and their inherent presumptions of a controlled world. The descriptive schools of thought are inspired on the qualitative social and cultural sciences and study what businesses actually did to be successful for other organizations to learn from their approaches. The descriptive schools move from a focus on a-priori strategic planning to a-posteriori dynamic strategy formulation and execution. For practitioners, the prescriptive schools of thought are very attractive. However, the descriptive schools are somewhat problematic to practitioners of strategic management because they do not provide straightforward recipes for success. The question raised by Mintzberg’s taxonomy of strategic thought and other similar taxonomies is how average practitioners can determine what strategy they should employ (Sokol, 1992). Fuller (1996) suggests that traditional strategic planning is under fire. Strategic planning in the classical model was developed in an era when the external environment was relatively simple, stable, and predictable, and when the behavior of a firm was viewed as being cybernetic. Strategic plans were primarily used as a control mechanism to reduce uncertainty and risk and to allocate power. They were internally focused because many of the company’s transactions were internal. As a result of slow or negligible environmental change, managers were able to consider their strategic options once a year through a process that is detached from the ordinary workings of the company. Consequently, the plans that are produced are used in litigation between a corporation and its business units, or among business units, for control of the decision-making processes. Hamel and Prahalad (1995) ask why it is that in so many companies strategic planning departments are being disbanded or dramatically downsized. This change in emphasis was driven by thinkers such as Hammer and Champy (1993) with their concept â€Å"business process re-engineering†. Hamel and Prahalad (1995) continue to make the claim that the problem is not with strategy but with the particular notion of strategy that predominates in most companies. What is being rejected is not strategy itself, but strategy setting as a pedantic planning ritual on one hand or as a speculative and open-ended investment commitment on the other. The academic scholars of the Planning School had determined a formal process for strategic planning and, in 1985; a study by Ginter (1985) was undertaken in the UK to determine whether this academic model had practical applicability. The 4,000 members of the Planning Executive Institute were asked a range of questions to provide a forum for assessing the perceptions of planning and strategic managers in practice. In excess of 1,000 members responded, and the researchers concluded that the model was a good framework for the way strategic planning takes place in the corporate environment. The Ginter (1985) paper described the strategic process as containing eight elements: (1) Vision and mission; (2) Objective setting; (3) External environmental scanning; (4) Internal environmental scanning; (5) Strategic alternatives (crafting strategy); (6) Strategy selection; (7) Implementation; and (8) Control. These elements are found consistently in the literature and taught in university business schools and undergraduate programs Thompson and Strickland (1998), Hill and Jones (1998), Stahl and Grigsby (1992). Viljoen (1994), and Hubbard (1996), all propound similar models in their educational texts. The central message of the Planning School is â€Å"formal procedure, formal training, formal analysis, lots of numbers† (Mintzberg, 1998). Many corporations adopted formal strategic planning as the fundamental driving concept for their business. Differentiation strategy When using a differentiation strategy, a company focuses effort on providing a unique Product or service, setting their offerings apart from competitors. Product differentiation fulfills a customer need and involves uniquely tailoring the product or service to the customer. This strategy allows organizations to charge a premium price to capture market share. The differentiation strategy is effectively implemented when the business provides unique or superior value to the customer through product quality, features, or after-sale support and service. Firms following a differentiation strategy can charge a higher price for their products based on the product characteristics, the delivery system, the quality of service, or the distribution channels. The quality may be real or perceived, based on fashion, brand name, or image. The differentiation strategy appeals to a sophisticated or knowledgeable consumer interested in a unique quality product or service and willing to pay a higher price for these non-standardized products. Customers value the differentiated products more than they value low costs. Our research identified three tactics which were significantly related to organizational performance in the companies we surveyed following the differentiation strategy. These critical practices included: 1. Innovation in marketing technology and methods. 2. Fostering innovation and creativity. 3. Focus on building high market share. Cost leadership strategy Porter’s generic strategy of cost leadership focuses on gaining competitive advantage by having the lowest costs and cost structure in the industry. In order to achieve a low-cost advantage, an organization must have a low-cost leadership mindset, low-cost manufacturing with rapid distribution and replenishment, and a workforce committed to the low-cost strategy. The organization must be willing to discontinue any activities in which they do not have a cost advantage and may outsource activities to other organizations that have a cost advantage. There are many ways to achieve cost leadership such as mass production, mass distribution, economies of scale, technology, product design, input cost, capacity utilization of resources, and access to raw materials. Cost leaders work to have the lowest product or service unit costs and can withstand competition with their lower cost structure. Cost leaders may take a number of cost saving actions, including building efficient scale facilities, tightly controlling overhead and production costs, and monitoring costs to build their relatively standardized products that offer features acceptable to many customers at the lowest competitive price. But the tactic that proved to be most critical to this strategy is the minimization of distribution costs. Focus strategy In a focus generic strategy, a firm targets a specific, often narrow, segment of the market. The firm can choose to concentrate on a select customer group (youths or senior citizens, for example), product range, segment of a market (professional craft persons versus do-it-yourselfers), geographical areas (East coast versus West coast), or service line. For example, many European firms focus solely on the European market. Focus also is based on adopting a narrow competitive scope within an industry that large firms may have overlooked. The focus strategy aims at growing market share through operating in a narrow market or niche segment more effectively than larger competitors. A successful focus strategy depends upon an industry segment large enough to have good growth potential but small enough not to be important to other major competitors. Focusing allows the firm to direct its resources to certain value chain activities to build its advantage. An organization may also choose a combination strategy by mixing one of the generic strategies of low-cost or differentiation with the focus strategy. For example, a firm may choose to have a focus differentiation strategy or a focus/cost leadership strategy. Based on our research, four tactics appear to be critical for organizations attempting a focus/low cost strategy: 1. Providing outstanding customer service. 2. Improving operational efficiency. 3. Controlling the quality of products or services. 4. Extensive training of front-line personnel. Focus/differentiation Another combination focus strategy is a focus/differentiation strategy where the organization has a unique quality product offered to a targeted market segment or niche. The significantly important tactics include: * Producing specialty products and services. * Producing products or services for high price market segments. In addition to generic strategies, Porter (1985) developed several other modular concepts. The five forces model is shown in Figure 2. Porter (1980) suggested that the task facing managers is to analyze competitive forces in an industry’s environment. He claimed that only five forces needed consideration. Porter (1980) argued that the stronger the manifestation of each of the forces, the more limited the ability of established companies to raise prices and to earn greater profits. This is pure Modernist, Neo-economic thinking. The simplifying and â€Å"blinding† role of externalities in economics, blinds Porter (1980) who is unable to postulate the role of government, or de-regulation, in his five factor, positioning model at the very time he was proselytizing the case of the US Airline industry under severe conditions of Reaganite, ideological deregulation of that industry (Kouzmin, 2007). Porter (1997) preaches that many of these intangible forces are measurable and that, in addition, there is a â€Å"chain of causality that runs from competitive environment to position to activities to employee skills and organization†. This causal argument is further pursued with Porter’s (1985) concepts of the value chain (see Figure 3). The value chain analysis is based on the simple linear idea that every activity performed in an organization will add some value to the final products or services produced. The final product is simply the aggregate of values contributed. The 3Cs model of Kenichi Ohmae Ohmae (1982) has much to discuss about competitive position, particularly the competitive positioning of successful Japanese companies. It is his view that the theories abounding in economic and economic policy circles concerning the importance of position have not been the drivers of Japanese success. He believes that strategy is not about beating the competition but about satisfying customer needs. Still further, Deming (1986) expounds a fundamental concept when exhorting his audience to consider the concept of competition. It is his argument that people must learn to cooperate with others and to compete with themselves. In the context of strategy, the ideas of Ohmae and Deming, regarding the importance of customers is most important. Concepts of competition and market share are of little use to the business principal and as a consequence there is very little that the philosophies of the Positioning School can add to their strategy knowledge base. As with Ohmae’s Japanese corporations, competitive advantage is driven by the ability to serve the needs of customers better. The 3Cs Model is a strategic look at the factors needed for success. The 3C’s model points out that a strategist should focus on three key factors for success. In the construction of a business strategy, three main players must be taken into account: 1. The Corporation 2. The Customer 3. The Competitors Only by integrating these three C’s (Corporation, Customer, Competitors) in a strategic triangle, a sustained competitive advantage can exist. Ohmae refers to these key factors as the three C’s or strategic triangle. Hito-Kane-Mono A favorite phrase of Japanese business planners is hito-kane-mono, standing for people, money and things. They believe that streamlined corporate management is achieved when these three critical resources are in balance without surplus or waste. For example: Cash over and beyond what competent people can intelligently expend is wasted. Of the three critical resources, funds should be allocated last. The corporation should firstly allocate management talent, based on the available mono (things): plant, machinery, technology, process know-how and functional strength. Once these hito (people) have developed creative and imaginative ideas to capture the business’s upward potential, the kane (money) should be given to the specific ideas and programs generated by the individual managers. The Ansoff Growth Matrix Strategy Tool Igor Ansoff (1965) was the originator of the strategic management concept, and was responsible for establishing strategic planning as a management activity in its own right. His landmark book, Corporate Strategy (1965), was the first text to concentrate entirely on strategy, and although the ideas outlined are complex, it remains one of the classics of management literature. Ansoff was one of the earliest writers on strategy as a management discipline, and laid strong foundations for several later writers to build upon, including Michael Porter, Gary Hamel and C K Prahalad. He invented the modern approach to strategy and his work pulled together various ideas and disparate strands of thought, giving a new coherence and discipline to the concept he described as strategic planning. During the 1970s and 1980s, this concept shaped more ideas about management as other writers took up Ansoffs ideas, such as core competence or sticking to the knitting. A debate between Ansoff and Henry Mintzberg over their differing views of strategy was reflected in print over many years, particularly in the Harvard Business Review. Ansoff has often been criticized by Mintzberg, who disliked the idea of strategy being built from planning which is supported by analytical techniques. This criticism was based on the belief that Ansoffs reliance on planning suffered from three fallacies: that events can be predicted, that strategic thinking can be separated from operational management, and that hard data, analysis and techniques can produce novel strategies. Ansoff argued that within a companys activities there should be an element of core capability, an idea later adopted and expanded by Hamel and Prahalad. To establish a link between past and future corporate activities (the first time such an approach was undertaken) The Ansoff Growth matrix is a tool that helps businesses decide their product and market growth strategy. This Ansoff Matrix considers the existing and new markets as well as the existing and new products and services as a potential for business growth and development. Ansoff identified four key strategy components that interact with each other causing various effects on both new and existing products and markets. Figure four below is followed with a brief description of each component of the matrix. The Ansoff Growth Matrix Grid Source: (Proctor, 1997, p. 146). Market penetration Market penetration is the name given to a growth strategy where the business focuses on selling existing products into existing markets. Market penetration seeks to achieve four main objectives: Maintain or increase the market share of current products – this can be achieved by a combination of competitive pricing strategies, advertising, sales promotion and perhaps more resources dedicated to personal selling Secure dominance of growth markets Restructure a mature market by driving out competitors; this would require a much more aggressive promotional campaign, supported by a pricing strategy designed to make the market unattractive for competitors Increase usage by existing customers – for example by introducing loyalty schemes a market penetration marketing strategy is very much about â€Å"business as usual†. The business is focusing on markets and products it knows well. It is likely to have good information on competitors and on customer needs. It is unlikely, therefore, that this strategy will require much investment in new market research. Market development Market development is the name given to a growth strategy where the business seeks to sell its existing products into new markets. There are many possible ways of approaching this strategy, including: New geographical markets; for example exporting the product to a new country New product dimensions or packaging: for example New distribution channels Different pricing policies to attract different customers or create new market segments Product development Product development is the name given to a growth strategy where a business aims to introduce new products into existing markets. This strategy may require the development of new competencies and requires the business to develop modified products which can appeal to existing markets. Diversification Diversification is the name given to the growth strategy where a business markets new products in new markets. This is an inherently more risk strategy because the business is moving into markets in which it has little or no experience. For a business to adopt a diversification strategy, therefore, it must have a clear idea about what it expects to gain from the strategy and an honest assessment of the risks. Future Direction of Strategic Planning Strategic planning has come a long since its humble earlier works that were defined in the early 1960s. Many of these earlier concepts are still valid today or are reflected in the basic assumptions being used by leaders in our ever diverse organizations. Today, the goal of the organization is to achieve a competitive advantage by positioning itself in such a way that it has the ability to succeed all competition by enhancing performance. Competitive advantage is a concept that business organizations will continue to strive for. Michael Porter has been credited with introducing the five forces concept into business strategies. His theory has served as a back board for IO Theory (industrial Organization) theory. The traditional Bain/Mason paradigm of industrial organization offered strategic management a systematic model for assessing competition within an industry and was never really inducted into business policy by top decision makers. Many economists today have learned that introducing business policies into strategic planning and managing the economic impact of this union offers a positive influence on how organizations match up against each other on a microeconomic scale (Porter, 1981). From an IO economic perspective, mobility barriers or market positions are critical sources of competitive advantages that lead to superior performance. Organizational economics is more concerned with devising appropriate governance mechanisms or contracts to help reduce transaction or agency costs. The RBV (Resource Based View) of the firm has refocused the field of strategic management on all internal characteristics and views firms these characteristics as the source of competitive advantage. These characteristics have been identified as operational efficiencies, mergers, acquisitions, level of diversification, types of diversification, organizational structures, team management style, human resources management, and the manipulation of the political and social influences intruding upon the market that impacts organizations (Teece, 1982). The resource based view of the firm will be continue to be of significant importance to any organization because it provides leaders with specific tools needed to sustain a competitive position in a market place by providing management needed insights into examining the resource attributes and the their relationships towards other related variables in the market place as a means to gain the edge in the dynamic market (Barney, 2001). Conclusion Strategic planning has developed into a vital practice that must be approached with careful consideration to allow for through investigation into how an organization is structured. From both an internal and external perspective, managers need to recognize the need to evaluate value, mission, core competencies, history, and past, current, and future situations in order to gain and sustain competitive advantage in a market place. The need to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, has been addressed as a main basic goal that must be used by leaders to empower the organization. Various models and theorists have been identified and explained as a means to gain a better understanding on how to define strategic planning. Since the 1960s, there have been many different points of view concerning the strategic planning concept. Various schools of thought have been developed by infamous theorists who have engraved a foot print into the development of modern corporate practices. Many of these concepts have paved the way for common approaches utilized by corporations as building blocks for surviving in such dynamic and competitive environments. Many of the strategies that are in use today are variations from the past and will continue to be adopted and manipulated to fit the needs of leaders seeking to find solutions to new and emerging issues that are relevant and applicable to the real business needs of organizations. Leaders today will need to continue finding new ways to plan for the future and adjust to the pace of environmental change with confidence, knowledge, skill, and ability. References Ansoff, H. I. (1965). An Analytic Approach to Business Policy for Growth and Expansion. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. Barney, J. B. (1991). â€Å"Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage†, Journal of Management, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 99-120. Deming, W. E. (1986). Quality, Productivity and Competitive Position. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. Drucker, P. (1970), Technology Management and Society, Harper Collins Books, NY. Fuller, M. (1996), â€Å"Strategic planning in an era of total competition†, Planning Review, Vol. 24 No. 3, pp. 22-7. Ginter, M. (1985). Planners’ Perceptions of the Strategic Management Process Journal of Management Studies, Vol. 22 No. 6, pp. 581-96. Hammer, M. and Champy, J. (1993). Re-engineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for a Business Revolution, Harper, New York, NY. Hamel, G. and Prahalad, K. (1995), â€Å"Thinking differently†, Business Quarterly, Vol. 59 No. 4, pp. 22-35. Hart, L. (1965). The Memoirs of Captain Hill. Volume 1 and II. Gassell, London, 1965. Hill, L. and Jones, R. (1998), Strategic Management Theory: An Integrated Approach, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA. Hubbard, G. and Taylor, G. (1996), Practical Australian Strategy, Prentice-Hall, Sydney. Kouzmin, A. (2007). â€Å"Economic rationalism, risk and institutional vulnerability†, Risk Decision and Policy, Vol. 1 No. 2, pp. 229-57. Mintzberg, H. (1987). The Strategy Concept 1: Five Ps for strategy. California Management Review, Vol. 30, pp. 11-24. Mintzberg, H. (1990). Strategy Formation: Schools of Thought. Perspectives on Strategic Management, J. W. Fredrickson. Frand Rapids, Philadelphia, Harper Business: 105-236. Mintzberg, H. and Lampel, J. 1998), Strategy Safari: A Guided Tour through the Wilds of Strategic Management, Prentice-Hall, New York, NY. Mintzberg, H. (1998). Five Ps For Strategy: The Strategy Process. Revised European Ed. Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Ohmae, K. (1982). The Mind of the Strategist: The Art of Japanese Business, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY. Porter, M. E. (1979), â€Å"How competitive forces shape strategy†, Harvard Business Review, March-April, pp. 137-45. Porter, M. E. (1980), Competitive Strategy, Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors, Free Press, New York, NY. Porter, M. E. (1985), Competitive Advantage, Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance, Free Press, New York, NY. Porter, M. E. (1991), â€Å"Toward a dynamic theory of strategy†, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 12, Winter, pp. 95-117. Porter, M. E. (1997), â€Å"Response to letters to the editor†, Harvard Business Review, March-April, pp. 162-3. Proctor, T. (1997). A Conceptual Synergy Model of Strategy Formulation for Manufactoring. Quarterly Journal of Operations and Production Management. Vol. 24, ISS: 9. pp. 140-149. Quinn, B. (1980). Strategies for Change: Logical Incrementalism, Home, IL: Irwin. Sokol, R. (1992). Simplifying Strategic Planning. Management Decision. Vol. 30 No7. Pp. 11- 17. Teece, J. (1982). Towards an Economic Theory of the Multi-Product Firm. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization 3, pp. 39-63. Viljoen, J. (1994), Strategic Management – Planning and Implementing Successful Corporate Strategies, Longman, Melbourne. Viljoen, J. and Dann, S. (2000), Strategic Management – Planning and Implementing Successful Corporate Strategies, Longman, Melbourne.

Ask Questions in English Class to Help You Learn

Ask Questions in English Class to Help You Learn Here is a list of some of the most common phrases used for asking questions in the classroom. Learn the phrases and use them often! Asking to Ask a Question Can I ask a question?May I ask a question? Asking for Something  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Can I have a pen, please?Do you have a pen for me?May I have a pen, please? Asking about Words  Ã‚     Whats (the word) in English?What does (the word) mean?How do you spell (the word)?How do you use (the word) in a sentence?Can you use (the word or phrase) in a sentence? Asking about Pronunciation How do you say (the word in your language) in English?Can you pronounce (the word)?How do you pronounce (the word)?Wheres the stress in (the word)? Asking about Idioms Is there an idiom for (your explanation)?Is (an idiom) an idioms? Asking to Repeat Could / Can you repeat that, please?Could / can you say that again, please?Pardon me? Apologizing  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚      Excuse me, please.Im sorry.Sorry about that.Sorry Im late for class. Saying Hello and Goodbye Good morning / afternoon / evening!Hello / HiHow are you?GoodbyeHave a good weekend / day / evening / time! Asking for Opinions What do you think about (topic)?Whats your opinion about (topic)? Practice Classroom Dialogues Arriving Late for Class Teacher: Good morning class.Students: Good morning. Teacher: How are you today?Students: Fine. How about you? Teacher: Im fine, thanks. Where is Hans?Student 1: Hes late. I think he missed the bus. Teacher: OK. Thank you for letting me know. Lets get started.Hans (arriving late): Sorry Im late. Teacher: Thats OK. Im glad youre here!Hans: Thank you. May I ask a question? Teacher: Certainly!  Hans: How do you spell complicated? Teacher: Complicated is complicated! C - O - M - P - L - I - C - A - T - E - DHans: Could you repeat that, please? Teacher: Of course. C - O - M - P - L - I - C - A - T - E - DHans: Thank you.   Understanding Words in Class Teacher: ... please complete page 35 as follow-up to this lesson.Student: Could you say that again, please? Teacher: Sure. Please do page 35 to make sure you understand.Student: Excuse me, please. What does follow-up mean? Teacher: Follow-up is something you do to repeat or continue something youre working on.Student: Is follow-up an idiom? Teacher: No, its an expression. An idiom is a full sentence expressing an idea.Student: Can you give me an example of an idiom? Teacher: Certainly. Its raining cats and dogs is an idiom.Student: Oh, I understand now.   Teacher: Great! Are there any other questions?Student 2: Yes. Could you use follow-up in a sentence? Teacher: Good question. Let me think ... Id like to do some follow-up to our discussion last week. Does that make sense?Student 2: Yes, I think I understand. Thank you. Teacher: My pleasure. Asking about a Topic Teacher: Lets talk about the weekend. What did you do this weekend?Student: I went to a concert. Teacher: Oh, interesting! What kind of music did they play?Student: Im not sure. It was in a bar. It wasnt pop, but it was nice. Teacher: Maybe it was hip-hop?Student: No, I dont think so. There was a piano, drums and a saxophone. Teacher: Oh, was it jazz?Student: Yes, thats it!   Teacher: Whats your opinion of jazz?Student: I like it, but its kind of crazy. Teacher: Why do you think that?Student: It didnt have a song. Teacher: Im not sure what you mean by song. Do you mean that no one was singing?Student: No, but it was crazy, you know, up and down. Teacher: Maybe it didnt have a melody?Student: Yes, I think thats it. Whats melody mean? Teacher: Thats hard. Its the main tune. You can think of the melody as the song you would sing along with the radio.Student: I understand. Wheres the stress in melody? Teacher: Its on the first syllable. ME - lo - dy.Student: Thank you.

The Relationship between Culture and Technology Research Paper

The Relationship between Culture and Technology - Research Paper Example The topic is based on the development and forms of old media which indicates the technological development in the old era. This will be compared with the temporary social network technologies such as the Facebook. This will be developed with the intention to observe the technological development along the time and the cultural change relied on the technological development. Furthermore, this paper will provide the understanding of cultural changes such as what individual’s daily life changes along with the technological development. This will examine the individual’s lifestyle in today’s world and what has changed and their relations with technologies. Thus, this current study will summarize the media development and the relationship between technological and cultural change. Overall, this present study is based on the relationship between old and new media technologies and their associated cultural practices. According to Mesch (2009), new media shapes many ways to communicate and interact with each other. It is identified that interactivity is considered as central to new media which include letters to the editor, radio and television talk shows, computer and technological programme and listener participation in such programs. In accordance of Pinchot, Paullet, and Rota (2010), it is identified that old media interactivity was less as radios, television and newspapers did not measure the preferences and opinions of people as communication was considered as conversation. Grossman (2008) argues that people were provided what the media idea and thought is right for them but in today’s world, the interactivity degree has enhanced that does not necessarily mean. This means that every media has few interactivity components or elements which mostly do as it is examined by computers which can converse back these days.

PSYCHOLOGY 7.27.13 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PSYCHOLOGY 7.27.13 - Essay Example Erikson’s Developmental Model qualifies Emerson and Hardaway for â€Å"young adulthood and middle adulthood†. The age interval for young adulthood ranges is from 19 - 40 years whereas middle adulthood is from 40 - 65 (McLeod, 2013). Supported by relationships, Young adulthood is classified as â€Å"intimacy vs. isolation†. At this stage warm meaningful relationships are shaped along with the increasing possibility of failure (McLeod, 2013). However, middle adulthood is classified as â€Å"generativity vs. stagnation† supported on parenthood and work. It is the time for transferring legacies and success to the next generation supported by significant accomplishments to help others (McLeod, 2013). The study involved college level students conducted for Adult Development (Vaillant,Soldz & Cui,1938) where college level students’ average age for freshmen is 18-19 whereas some unusual cases of non-traditional students ages 30 years & above. Given that, th is declaration fits Mr. Hardaway and Mr. Emerson for the study. The main focus of study is on the elements such as mental health, adaption to stress, alcohol abuse, physical disorders and morality. Daniel Levinson focused on positive facets that give a new turn to â€Å"Adult Development† perspective. Among the others there were four central sections according to his model such as directionless change, stasis, and decline (Boundless). Applying this model, Mr. Emerson falls in â€Å"decline stage† and Mr. Hardaway in the â€Å"positive adult development stage†. The category of positive adult development is subdivided into experience, hierarchical complexity, expertise, knowledge, spirituality and wisdom. Peck’s model concerning adult development is so far the shortest among other psychologists. His model comprises of: â€Å"Ego-differentiation vs. work-role preoccupation, body-transcendence vs. body-preoccupation, and finally ego-transcendence vs. ego-pre occupation† (Quizlet, 2013). Careful analysis ranks Mr. Emerson under body-transcendence vs. body-preoccupation while Mr. Hardaway under ego-transcendence vs. ego-preoccupation. Mr. Emerson suffers from a physical disability that limits him from being hopeful for the future. On the contrary, Mr. Hardaway has upholstered to make a lasting significant contribution to society even after his death. Mr. Emerson is a physically disabled ex-engineer who got injured in supervising project. His best friend Baily saved him from being killed. Mr. Emerson spoke of his great connection with parents while he was young and also a quality relationship with his best friend Baily. They motivated him to always do the best of his efforts. However, Mr. Emerson feels loneliness as he doesn’t have any children or siblings and his parents died 10 years ago. Mr. Emerson still feels loneliness even though Baily comes to see him often. He confessed his un-fulfillment of not becoming an engineer d ue to the accident that made him physically disabled. He hesitated in answering the question of grabbing the opportunity of becoming a consultant or the like; however his answer was on the negative end. Mr. Emerson evaded and drifted away from the subject based on the last part of his life. He drank as a minimum of three beers per day to cope up with

Hedge accounting under IAS 39 and IFRS 9 - A critical comparison Research Proposal

Hedge accounting under IAS 39 and IFRS 9 - A critical comparison - Research Proposal Example The second section  reviews  the literature related to IAS 39 and IFRS 9 as financial instruments used in hedge accounting. The next section outlines the methodology used in this study, including a conceptual framework of research variables, data sources, data collection and data analysis methods. The last section of this study discusses the ethical issues ethical issues arising from the proposed research and techniques to address these issues. Introduction Hedge accounting is a technique utilized in accounting where entries for the rights of a security and the opposing hedge are treated simultaneously. Hedge accounting endeavors to ease the volatility generated by the repetitive adjustment of the value of a financial instrument. This reduced volatility is done by combining the hedge and the instrument as one entry, which balances the opposing movements (GUPTA, 2008). IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement are a global accounting standard for financial instrume nts released by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) which summarizes the requirements for the recognition and measurement of financial liabilities, financial assets, and some contracts to buy or sell non-financial items. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is a complete, internationally recognized set of accounting standards using an  approach  based on principles  with a bigger emphasis on elucidation and relevance of those principles, intending at best replicating the economic substance of transactions. IFRS 9 Financial Instruments outlines the recognition and measurement requirements for fiscal  instruments and contracts to buy or sell non-financial items set to eventually form a comprehensive substitution for IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement. It was initially published in November 2009, reissued in October 2010 with requirements for financial liabilities, and pertains to annual periods commencing on or after 1st Jan uary 2015 (MIRZA & NANDAKUMAR, 2013). What makes IFRS 9 to be the most preferred than IAS 39 is its top preference of financial information which is a prerequisite for the evolution of capital markets as it has been argued that the structure informational environment plays a principal role in helping investors come up with decisions. Regulators will also have a lot of power with them to order a financial body to act whenever an instance is deemed to not be adequate (DICK & MISSIONIER-PIERA, 2010). In conclusion therefore, this is a complex issue that will need to be tackled carefully by experts in this field. In as much as the IAS 39 was greatly deemed unreliable and IASB went to great lengths to come up with a better standard that they thought would be suitable, these efforts may have not paid as it is not yet clear if most companies are going to readily adopt this new standard (IFRS 9). Although it has been termed as better than the previous one, still concerns have been raised th at more amendments should be done on the yet not completed IFRS 9. The major complaint launched being that financial reporting be carried out in a specific context before any standard is imposed. This is actually hard to achieve and may continue to delay the completion of the IFRS 9 which is in fact still underway and has already suffered great delays. IFRS 9 is a 'work in progress' and will eventually replace IAS 39 in its entirety and is subject to

Canadian education system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Canadian education system - Essay Example The "Whig interpretation" viewed "much of history, through British Whig eyes," as the best way to progress, "away from savagery and ignorance towards peace, prosperity, and science" (Hayes, 2002). This is view self-limiting, and is inherently, thus, incapable of presenting a true and balanced picture. The social perspective of history, influenced mainly by Bailyn (1960), stands apart from 'Whig history' and analyzes the system of informal education, prevalent earlier to the advent of public schooling, as provided by the family, community and the Church. With more emphasis on the importance of informal education, this interpretation recognizes that "schools are but one aspect" of the ever-changing "society", which "is a complex web" (Mazurek, 1986, p. 25). However, there is one shortcoming in this perspective; the main objective of this interpretation, it appears, was to impress upon the educational historians that, education must be viewed beyond mere professional and instructional dimensions of schooling (Carney, 1990, p 10). Ethnographic interpretation of history has some advantages, in the sense that, one gets to view different angles reported and recorded. Since this form of interpretation admits that human reactions are varied, it recognizes as valid, subjective interpretations of "what actually happens", as perceived by teachers, parents and students (Mazurek, 1986: 28). In recent times, the use of 'hypermedia' for ethnographic studies has increased "the potential to offer a form of ethnographic representation which is highly reflexive, collaborative, and multi-vocal" (Anderson, 1999). Revisionism - for ideological, political and economic analysis The inherent complexities of the various issues affecting education, makes it extremely hard, to arrive at a consensus theory, regarding the history of the system's evolution. Revisionist history came into being, in the process of trying to explain the various conflicting social forces, driving the nascent development of educative reforms, then. Under the guise of a so-called movement, some sections of the society, actively promoted and established public schooling, as progressive development. Arguments and counter-arguments fill the revisionist literature with abundance of details. From this quagmire of conflicting views, two major alternative interpretations emerged, - The Radical revisionism and Moderate revisionism. They are similar to each other, and yet differ in the emphasis placed on the links between the past events and, the present context. At the center of the revisionist historian's perspective is that "Schooling seeks to make selves" with its goal as moral regulation to facilitate "self-rule" or "self-government" (Corrigan, Curtis & Lanning, 1987, p.23). As Mazurek (1986, p.26) puts it, "schools are perceived as one weapon in the arsenal of privileged groups in the society as they attempt to perpetuate status

Discrimination and the Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discrimination and the Law - Essay Example The Race Relations Act 1968 extended the scope of the 1965 law by making it applicable to housing, employment and other matters. An improved Race Relations Act was framed in 1976 mostly in accordance with the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975. The three main types of racial discrimination which were to be made unlawful under this act were direct discrimination, indirect discrimination and victimisation. The primary objective of theRace Relations Act of 1976 was to form the legal foundation for protection from racial discrimination in the fields of employment, education, training, housing and the provision of goods, facilities and services. Under this law, 'racial discrimination' means treating a person less favourably than others on racial grounds - meaning race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins. Although this law protects one against people's actions, it cannot change their opinions or beliefs. (Home Office, n.d.) This Act resulted in the setting up of a Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) as a statutory enforcement and implementation body to eliminate racial discrimination and to promote equal opportunities and harmonious race relations between people of difference races. The CRE has the power to undertake formal investigations into discrimination charges and to represent victims of discrimination. The Crime and Disorder Act of 199... The Public Order Act,1986 On 9 June 2005, the Government published the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill which makes incitement to religious and racial hatred an offense under the The Public Order Act of 1986. Thereby, this Act makes it illegal to incite racial hatred, whether through words or action, such as distributing racist leaflets. Penalties are severe for anyone convicted of a racially motivated crime. (BBC, 2003) The race relation and racial hatred legislations have always protected Sikhs and Jews as the Courts have identified them as 'ethnic groups' according to their interpretation of the Act. Muslims, however, are not protected as they are not considered to be an ethnic group under the law. Since hate crimes against Muslims have increased during the post 9/11 period and as Muslims are not considered to be an ethnic group, it poses a serious problem. The Racial and Religious Hatred Bill tries to amend this situation The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations, 2003 The Employment Equality regulations makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate, harrass or victimise an employee on the basis of any religion, religious belief, or similar philosophical belief. Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 The Race Relations (Amendment) Act provides new powers to tackle racism in public authorities by eliminating unlawful discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity. This Act makes it statutory for public authorities like all government and local government services including the Police to promote race equality. Public authorities should ensure that racial equality considerations are part of everything they do. This Act gives the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE)

Canadian education system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Canadian education system - Essay Example The "Whig interpretation" viewed "much of history, through British Whig eyes," as the best way to progress, "away from savagery and ignorance towards peace, prosperity, and science" (Hayes, 2002). This is view self-limiting, and is inherently, thus, incapable of presenting a true and balanced picture. The social perspective of history, influenced mainly by Bailyn (1960), stands apart from 'Whig history' and analyzes the system of informal education, prevalent earlier to the advent of public schooling, as provided by the family, community and the Church. With more emphasis on the importance of informal education, this interpretation recognizes that "schools are but one aspect" of the ever-changing "society", which "is a complex web" (Mazurek, 1986, p. 25). However, there is one shortcoming in this perspective; the main objective of this interpretation, it appears, was to impress upon the educational historians that, education must be viewed beyond mere professional and instructional dimensions of schooling (Carney, 1990, p 10). Ethnographic interpretation of history has some advantages, in the sense that, one gets to view different angles reported and recorded. Since this form of interpretation admits that human reactions are varied, it recognizes as valid, subjective interpretations of "what actually happens", as perceived by teachers, parents and students (Mazurek, 1986: 28). In recent times, the use of 'hypermedia' for ethnographic studies has increased "the potential to offer a form of ethnographic representation which is highly reflexive, collaborative, and multi-vocal" (Anderson, 1999). Revisionism - for ideological, political and economic analysis The inherent complexities of the various issues affecting education, makes it extremely hard, to arrive at a consensus theory, regarding the history of the system's evolution. Revisionist history came into being, in the process of trying to explain the various conflicting social forces, driving the nascent development of educative reforms, then. Under the guise of a so-called movement, some sections of the society, actively promoted and established public schooling, as progressive development. Arguments and counter-arguments fill the revisionist literature with abundance of details. From this quagmire of conflicting views, two major alternative interpretations emerged, - The Radical revisionism and Moderate revisionism. They are similar to each other, and yet differ in the emphasis placed on the links between the past events and, the present context. At the center of the revisionist historian's perspective is that "Schooling seeks to make selves" with its goal as moral regulation to facilitate "self-rule" or "self-government" (Corrigan, Curtis & Lanning, 1987, p.23). As Mazurek (1986, p.26) puts it, "schools are perceived as one weapon in the arsenal of privileged groups in the society as they attempt to perpetuate status

Strategic Management Case Analysis section on how to prepare a Research Paper

Strategic Management Case Analysis section on how to prepare a strategic case analysis. (IP 4) - Research Paper Example It has been subject to serious design level issues wherein product recalls were traced back to the to the faults in design and manufacturing processes of Toyota. This suggests that its operational weaknesses may be on the rise during the recent past. Ford as a part of automobile industry is facing stiff social challenge of improving its image. There is a general perception within the general public that car automakers are thriving on tax payers’ money. Overall market demand is emerging from US market. Ford’s primary demographics is in North American market besides it serves EU market also. Its overall product range serve both high end and low end market. In order to overcome the weakness of low consumer demand, Ford can enter into small car manufacturing. It needs to improve its R&D efforts to produce more cost effective vehicles which can serve the mass market at the global market (Nilsson-Witell, Antoni, & Dahlgaard, 2005). It needs to increase its R&D budget and engage into further improving its fuel efficient cars. In order to overcome it dependence on two markets, Toyota need to establish its manufacturing and distribution facilities in other emerging markets specially in India and other growing markets where demand for low cost fuel efficient cars can be enormous. It can expand into these markets through effective quality management. (Taddese & Osada, 2011) It needs to enter into market development process in a way which can ensure its presence in optimal market locations across the whole globe. Nilsson-Witell, L., Antoni, M., & Dahlgaard, J. (2005). Continuous improvement in product development: Improvement programs and quality principles". International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management,, 22(8),

Conform Essay Example for Free

Conform Essay In other cases being beautiful is very important to many people and some are willing to change to conform to everyone else’s perspectives to beauty. Others find themselves comfortable with just the way they are. Some people decide to go into painful plastic surgeries to fit in with the rest of the so-called beautiful people; others rebel against pleasing others and don’t put so much importance to it. They focus on being on what they really are. In â€Å"Barbie Doll† by Marge Piercy and â€Å"Lost Sister† by Cathy Song Girlchild and Sister struggle with their decision on whether to rebel or conform to what society expects. Girlchild from â€Å"Barbie Doll† chooses to conform to society’s expectations. Girlchild does not consider herself beautiful because she has large nose and chubby legs. Even though she is described as smart and in good conditions, the people around her only care of how she looks physically. The requirements to be beautiful are so limited and her good features are not one of them. Physically, Girlchild does not believe herself as beautiful. Barbie dolls are the ideal form of beauty, with the perfect body, big eyes, and perfect nose. Girlchild does not carry any features of a Barbie doll but that does not mean she is ugly. Instead of finding her own way of beauty Girlchild decides to fit in. So Girlchild loses weight, changes her look, and attitude to please others. Even like that people criticize her of being imperfect all they still see is â€Å"a fat nose on thick legs† (Piercy 11). She fails to find acceptance, even after all the hard work she puts into it. To conform to everyone else she finally decides to cut her nose and legs off. This decision to fit in causes her life to end. After that the undertaker fixes her up putting on a fake nose and fixing other imperfections. At her uneral now that she carries a different nose, the so-called perfect nose, everyone finally asks â€Å"Doesn’t she look pretty? † (Piercy 23). At last she succeeds to be accepted but now it doesn’t really matter, because she is dead. In the other hand sister from the poem â€Å"Lost Sister† did not conform instead she decides to rebel. Her culture expects women to be loyal, obedient, and t o stay at home and care for their family throughout all their lives. Sister is compared to a jade stone, because like the stone women are able to do so much, but are not able â€Å"to move freely† (Song 13). In Sister’s culture women are destined to take care of their family and are not capable to achieve anything else. They also have to go through a painful process of foot binding that didn’t allow them to walk comfortably. This foot binding procedure is for women to have small cute feet. It also enables them to move fast and far. Sister does not conform to this lifestyle unlike Girchild, Sister decides to seek opportunities and equality in America. Sister leaves to another country to find freedom. In America she does not have to go through painful procedures to be accepted. She now has the opportunity to â€Å"stride along with men† (Song 36). While this is what she wants, she is still not satisfied. In America she has no family. By rebelling she gets what she wants but she is unable to share this with her family. She is unable to understand the new language. The city is nothing like where she was born; in the city there is always light and the air is not the cleanest. She starts to miss China. She realizes it wasn’t so easy after all. Even though one decides to rebel and the other to conform at the end, ironically, they are both unhappy. Girlchild is lifeless unable to enjoy her accomplishment and Sister was unable to share her freedom with her family.

Role of a Mentor within Pre-registration Midwifery Education

Role of a Mentor within Pre-registration Midwifery Education The aim of this assignment is to critically analyse the theoretical principles involved in teaching and learning for personal and professional practice. I will critically evaluate the role of a mentor within pre-registration midwifery education through personal reflection. I have attached details in appendix one which explores the experience and my feelings. To maintain confidentiality and to act in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Councils professional standards (NMC, 2015) all names have been changed. The role of a mentor has been enshrined in midwifery practice and pre-registration education for a number of years now with the NMC (2008) defining the role as making judgments about whether a student has achieved the required standards of proficiency for safe and effective practice for entry to the NMC register. The role is seen as critical in helping facilitate development of future generations of midwives as well as preparing students for life as a professional and enabling students to register as competent practitioners and become mentors themselves (Lawson Bunyan, 2013). Mckimm, Jollie and Hatter (2007) further identifies benefits to organisations such as increased staff morale and job satisfaction, increased inter-professional working and co-operation while for the mentor this can improve leadership and communication skills while raising profile in the organisation. To undertake the role existing midwives must work within a defined framework meeting outcomes inÂÂ   eight domains (appendix two) and for this assignment I am going to reflect on my experience relating to these (NMC, 2008). Bloom, Engelhart, Furst, Hill and Krathwohl (1956) divide learning into three domains: cognitive (mental skills), affective (feelings and emotions) and psychomotor (physical skills). Within each there is a taxonomy associated with the overarching aim of moving to higher levels through learning (appendix three). Learning can be defined as acquiring knowledge, skills and attitude by study, experience or teaching (Jarvis, 1983). It can be argued that Blooms taxonomy is too simplistic and outdated for adult learners on clinical placement and mentors need to consider many other factors that lead to effective learning such as student perception, sociological influences and personal motivation (Hinchliff, 2009). Kolb (1984) developed a learning theory that works on two levels. First a four stage cycle (appendix four) for a learner to progress through. A learner can enter the cycle at any stage as each is mutually supportive of and feeding into the next, Kolb concludes effective learning only occurs when a learner is able to execute all four stages of the cycle; no one stage is effective as a learning tool on its own. It can be argued that this cycle is simplistic as some learners may flit around the cycle instead of naturally feeding to the next (Dyke, 2006). Secondly, Kolb describes learning styles (appendix five) which are influenced by a variety of factors, for example social environment or previous educational experiences. By mentors knowing a students preferred learning style this enables learning to be orientated to individual needs or circumstances. Learning styles were further developed by Honey and Mumford (1982) who identified four distinct styles which learners naturally prefer. To maximise potential learners need to understand their own learning style and seek out opportunities using that style. As mentor, if you teach according to preferred learning style, you are creating tailored learning experiences and meet outcomes of domain two (NMC, 2008). Mentors and students should also take opportunities to improve learning skills and processes where there are known weaknesses so one should always strive to develop ability to teach and learn in other styles too (Stuart, 2013). Honey and Mumfords (1982) learning styles can be used alongside Kolbs cycle of learning (appendix six). However, some students may get stuck in one part of the cycle so mentors need awareness of this to help move students forward. During placement my mentor and I did not know if I would have the opportunity to perform an episiotomy so Suzanne worked through Kolbs cycle. We simulated this on a model using my existing knowledge. I was able to identify dexterity problems (being left-handed) and weakness in my rational knowledge; from this I knew I needed to practice more and do more research. Suzanne also reflected on her own experiences and we agreed for me to research the evidence base so I could demonstrate improved knowledge and understanding of rationale, outcomes and implications for recovery. A week later we simulated the process again and because I had had time to analyse this I was much more confident, explaining rationale and what I would do in a real life situation. It was interesting to see the change in my own confidence as my knowledge increased. I know in future I will take more opportunities to use similar formats of learning as it works well for me and by repeating quickly I know my confidence wi ll grow. Simulation has roots in behaviourist theory; it allows practice in a safe environment so there is a degree of familiarity (Hinchliff, 2009). Gibbs (1988) believes simulation is invaluable while Quinn Hughes (2013) debate validity of transferrable skills so students need to assess the value of this method for themselves. Suzanne successfully demonstrated meeting outcomes of domain two (NMC, 2008).ÂÂ   When the opportunity presented in real practice, I was confident in infiltration and performance, Suzanne was supportive throughout and despite me being nervous inside I completed it safely and effectively and we were able to reflect again afterwards. I am a dual pragmatist/theorist (appendix seven) but I think I would have been happy to get stuck in and do this with someone talking me through it but I can now see benefits from this method. As a learner if I were to just do things, I could become competent but without feeling, watching and thinking so when matched togethe r, one can see how some types of learners may get stuck in one part of the cycle and a good mentor can recognise this, and help to move the student on. In contrast, if mentors do not move through the cycle then this can be frustrating for the student. I had completed the cycle in a similar way as above for applying a fetal scalp electrode and was ready for the active phase. However, when opportunities arose with Helen she did not offer me the opportunity to demonstrate the clinical skill and failed to meet outcomes in domains five, six and eight (NMC 2008).ÂÂ   Under the pre-registration standard for midwifery education (NMC, 2009) students should have a range of clinical experiences and in practice Stuart (2013) identifies that mentors may be influenced by personal bias for, or against the student. I think this can also be a problem for students having personal bias for, or against a mentor so in future will consider critical thinking in relationship problems. At the time, I was concerned I was unable to build experience but can now see that I should have been more active in discussing concerns and looking at how to overcome t hese together.

Colgate-Palmolive :: Business, Competitive Prices, Innovation

Companies are not able to succeed without having a strong branding and pricing strategy. Colgate-Palmolive has managed to build a strong brand name and offer competitive prices. Innovation is a key factor in the Colgate strategy. This paper will take a look at Colgate-Palmolive’s product positioning and life cycle. This paper will also discuss the branding relationships and pricing methods. Positioning and Life Cycle According to Keller and Kotler (2009) â€Å"positioning is the act of designing the company’s offering and image to occupy a distinctive place in the minds of the target market.† Colgate-Palmolive has remained a leader in the oral health care industry. The company has remained a leader by focusing on innovation. According to Sekar and Thomas (2008) throughout the past two decades, the development of new products has been a popular marketing strategy for many firms.† The company hires marketers and consumer insight professionals to focus on market trends and customer insights (Drug Store News, 2008). The company uses the information found to develop new products to attract new customers. Innovation and communication has been at the heart of the company’s growth strategy (Economic Times, 2011). Colgate-Palmolive offers a variety of products. They offer a line of oral health care products for any need. According to Checkout (2011) â€Å"in difficult economic times Colgate has continued to offer the consumer the reassurance of a market leading brand at competitive prices and attractive promotions.† The brand is one of the most trusted names in the oral health care industry. Having a large variety of recognized brands and products provide the company with a competitive advantage (Yahoo Finance, 2011). Since the company has a strong focus on innovation the company may see lower growth in sales when they release a new product. The company as a whole is in the maturity stage. The company has remained strong and steady so there has not been much fluctuation. Product and Branding Relationships The company focuses on what consumer trends and needs are. The company does extensive research to develop new products that customers will want. The company’s focus on the consumer has helped the company become a familiar and trusted name. According to Chain Drug Review (2010) â€Å"brand is an influential part of the shopping equation.

Four Dead in Ohio :: essays papers

"Four Dead in Ohio" On Thursday, April 30, 1970, President Richard Nixon told the American people that we were sending troops into Cambodia. This upset many Americans because Nixon was brought into office due to his promise to end the war. In his first year of presidency it looked like the end of the war was near, but with this announcement the end of the war was not evident. This pro-war decision by Nixon upset many people and led to riots all over the country. How could the President make the decision to continue war when he promised to end it? Among the riots caused by Nixon’s decision were revolts at many universities, such as Kent State. Young students were upset because they were the ones being drafted and the sooner the war ended the less chance they had of seeing war. On Friday, May 1,1970 anti-war rallies began to take place at Kent State University. Students gathered and burned a copy of the constitution. Also many riots broke out in downtown Kent. The extent of the damage done in Kent was estimated at fifteen thousand dollars. Upon learning about these problems the mayor, Leroy Satrom, called a state of emergency and contacted Governor James Rhodes for assistance. On May second, the ROTC building at Kent State was burnt down during a protest. The next step was calling in the National Gaurd as ordered by the Governor. The national guard helped on campus by seeing that the new eleven o’clock p.m. curfew was followed by all students. This caused more anger among the students, and added more peopl e to the rebellion that would otherwise not have become involved. On May 4th 1970, when rallies surfaced again in the commons area, tear gas was used to disperse the crowd. The conflict between students and the National Guard had begun to expand, and the cursing and rock throwing were increasing the tension in the air. The Guard ordered the students to retreat and as the crowds began to break up, it appeared the Guard was also retreating. Then shots were heard. The Guard for reasons unknown had to turn back and open fire at a crowd of students. Within thirteen seconds, four students were dead and nine wounded. One student who was killed was Allison Krause, who had been the only one of the four killed that was actually involved in the demonstrations.

Reactions to Imprisonment Essay

When an individual is subjected to being incarcerated for a significant amount of their life, that person once released has had a life experience, which impacts them greatly. Whether that impact is prosperous or not depends on the individual. While imprisoned some allow themselves to take advantage of their time by learning form their mistakes, while others utilize their time by becoming more mischievous. A prime example of someone who received a positive impact form being imprisoned is Socrates Fortlow of Walter Mosley’s Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned, this specific individual learned to be zealous, compassionate and resourceful throughout his twenty-seven year sentence in jail. From Socrates release from jail he has displayed an extremely zealous outlook on life. As a man seeking employment, Socrates zealous personality is the key factor in him receiving a job at Bounty Supermarket for boxing and delivering groceries. â€Å"I been down there ev’ry day for five days, an ev’ry day I go in there I ask ’em if they got my okay from the head office yet†, is how Socrates explained his persistent attempt to his friend Stony Wile. As a lower class, African American, ex-convict, Socrates is not the ideal candidate for employment. One would believe that without his zealous attitude he would not have been able to obtain the job he took such pride in executing. Socrates also made a zealous attempt to modify his violent behavior. â€Å"For years he gave himself a grade everyday. Anytime he wrote down failure somebody had been hurt by those big rock-breaking hands.† Socrates found himself in physical confrontations only when he felt it was necessary. He even attempted to apply physical intimidation to beneficial use. Socrates â€Å"†¦swore to himself that he’d never hurt another person – except if he had to for self-preservation.† Therefore Socrates’ zealous attitude served as an aid for him throughout numerous aspects of his life. Compassionate is the descriptive word that comes to mind when contemplating the acts of this â€Å"†¦convicted murderer†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Socrates compassion is especially demonstrated when he saves a stray dog and nursed him back to health after an uncaring driver hit the dog. In contrast of what many may think about ex-convicts, this one in particular has a caring heart and reached is out not only to Bruno, the stray canine but also his friend Right Burke. Right Burke was suffering from cancer and his days were limited. Mr. Fortlow did his best to make this suffering mans last days as comfortable and enjoyable as he could. Although not a wealthy man, Socrates used his heart and his mind to initiate his goals. He not only reached his heart out to Right but also to a troubled adolescent named Darryl. â€Å"He wanted to reach out to the blubbering child and tell him that it was okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Socrates was the only father Darryl had in his life, so Socrates did his best to show Darryl how to be a man. He looked out for Darryl’s interest the best way he knew how. Although it’s been said in order for a person to be able to murder they have to have a lack of compassion, Socrates incarceration rehabilitated him into a man full of compassion. Being resourceful is a personality attribute that at person with limited finances and an incarcerated individual will quickly obtain. Socrates showed his resourceful nature by actions such as cooking a whole meal on only a hot plate and restoring â€Å"†¦ round dinette table, with three broken legs, lying in the street† into new condition. Mr. Fortlow also tended to himself when he was cut with a broken bottle by cleansing out the wound and sewing up his ripped up coat. Socrates resourcefulness has been a prosperous effect of his imprisonment. This effect enabled Socrates to conserve his funds on things that were not necessities. â€Å"He took a bag of leftovers home at the end of every week from the store.† These were items that a financially stable person would turn their nose up at, but for someone less fortunate such as Socrates they were gourmet foods. One would tend to believe without Socrates resourceful nature, survival would’ve been made much more of a nuisance. A man attempting to survive in a lower class neighborhood needs certain characteristics in order to survive. One would infer that Socrates was able to obtain these attributes through his twenty-seven year imprisonment. Socrates Fortlow was zealous, compassionate and resourceful and without these characteristics he would not have been able to survive.