Monday, September 30, 2019

Characterization of Christabel

The Characterization of Christabel Critics from around the world have put insight into the many ways that â€Å"[t]he lovely lady, Christabel† can be characterized (Coleridge 23). Samuel Taylor Coleridge uses many words to describe Christabel, but with literary analysis of â€Å"Christabel,† provided by scholars, she can be characterized at a deeper level than the way she is described in the text of the poem. Her description plays role in allowing the reader to relate with her quickly and be able to learn more about Christabel as the poem continues.Deeper meaning to her characterization is portrayed throughout the plot of the poem as she is entranced and deceived by Geraldine. Even though the poem is incomplete, a thorough understanding of Christabel’s character can be derived from what Coleridge has completed essay writer for you. The characterization of Christabel is explained through Christianity, â€Å"the fall of innocence† and purity (Radley 69), and â€Å"the transition from â€Å"innocence† to â€Å"experience† (Harding 40). † Christianity plays a major role throughout the poem to characterize Christabel. â€Å"Christabel herself personifies moral innocence. She â€Å"appears well-intentioned, virginal, and naive† (Ulmer 378). These qualities go along with those of a Christian who has not been exposed to sin and still has purity. â€Å"Christabel is repeatedly characterized â€Å"as a sinless child†¦ â€Å"Christabel suffers innocently, like Christ [;]† her â€Å"beauty has a particular innocence about it, being associated with the beauty of Christ† (qtd. in Ulmer 378). Christabel is seen as pure and sinless on the surface, but as the poem continues the perception of her innocence shifts toward her permitting sin to come into her life. Cooper contends that â€Å"physical evil, no matter how supernatural its source, cannot touch Christabel’s soul unless she consents to it†Ã¢â‚¬  (qtd. in Ulmer 379). At the oak tree Geraldine deceives Christabel and causes her to question her faith and give in to sin. Ulmer reports that â€Å"Christabel’s encounter with Geraldine thus reenacts the Fall, with the complicities of that encounter signifying the girl’s subjection to Original Sin† (381). After Christabel’s night time encounter with Geraldine, she â€Å"finds Geraldine even more beautiful than the night before.Convinced that her evening with Geraldine was sinful, Christabel prays for redemption† (Overview: â€Å"Christabel†). Like the serpent in The Garden of Eden, Geraldine tricks Christabel into sin and starts the downfall of Christabel’s perceived innocence and purity, but her guilt eventually overcomes sin. The Christian character upheld by Christabel prevails and Geraldine’s spell is overcome. In Addition to Christianity and the introduction to sin playing a role in the characterization o f Christabel, â€Å"the fall of [her] innocence† adds emphasis as well (Radley 69).According to Radley, â€Å"Christabel† lines 279-331, â€Å"the bedchamber scene, begins by presenting a picture of Christabel, in all her innocence, praying in the wood. This image is recapitulated for the reader to [emphasize her] innocence before the fall† (71). Christabel has a hold on her sexual innocence up to this point in the poem. Geraldine has been able to quickly expose her to sexual evil and Christabel has not contested participation. The morning after the bedchamber encounter â€Å"Geraldine appears more beautiful and more voluptuous† (Radley 71). Christabel quickly realizes her sin saying â€Å"Sure I have sinned! (Coleridge 381). She has now been awakened to sexual knowledge and has been directly â€Å"affected by her contact with evil† (Radley 72). Radley explains â€Å"a kind of allegory of the bed chamber is here enacted† out of Bracyâ€℠¢s dream of a snake strangling a dove, the story of Adam and Eve (73-74). Christabel is exposed to sexual knowledge, similarly to how Adam and Eve notice their nudity once they eat the forbidden fruit. â€Å"The fall of [Christabel’s] innocence† is due to an attraction and entrancement of Geraldine leading to the exposure to â€Å"a world of sin† (Coleridge 673).The loss of Christabel’s purity and exposure to sin builds up to â€Å"the transition from â€Å"innocence† to â€Å"experience†Ã¢â‚¬  (Harding 40). The poem explains Christabel has beautiful and innocent when she is introduced, but she is quickly corrupted by evil resulting in a completely different person. According to Mulvihill, â€Å"Christabel has been abandoned to possible danger by virtue of a number of circumstances, including her own naively sympathetic nature† (260). This dangerous characteristic is easily recognized by Geraldine and taken advantage of.Christabelâ €™s sympathetic nature attracts Geraldine, allowing the seduction of Christabel to take place (Mulvihill 260,264). Christabel’s failure â€Å"to read the warning signs—Geraldine’s refusal to pray, the tongue of light in the dying fire (Coleridge 142,159)—Christabel permits herself to accept Geraldine† (Harding 49). The warning signs never occur to Christabel because she has never been exposed to such evil in her life. â€Å"She is orphaned by the departure of a certain kind of spirituality that is associated with womanhood and motherhood.This deprivation leaves her vulnerable to the irruption of the tyrannous Geraldine† (Harding 47). Harding Explains, She finds a mother figure in Geraldine â€Å"following Christabel’s seduction by Geraldine and the fever-like crisis of the mysterious spell, Geraldine and Christabel are described â€Å"As a mother with her child† (Coleridge 301). † The void of a mother figure feels as if it may have been filled until the morning she realizes the deceit and understands the sin committed. â€Å"The fact that Christabel’s imputation of sin is self-implicating suggests the latter possibility† (Mulvihill 266).She has realized her own sin has us fully aware of Geraldine’s evil. Her innocence has become experience and she is no longer able to have her purity. The character of Christabel is explained throughout the poem with the use of literary analysis. Christianity, â€Å"the fall of innocence† (Radley 69), and â€Å"the transition from â€Å"innocence† to â€Å"experience† (Harding 40) are portrayed from analysis to show how Christabel is characterized. † Her innocence is ultimately the cause of her downfall in becoming exposed to the world and the sin held within. Her white robe is part of her imitation of innocence and purity, so that initially she seems â€Å"holy† in the same way that she later declares Chri stabel to be. But white is also the color of death: of the shroud and the life-drained complexion† (Chambers 26). Christabel is â€Å"holy† until death tries to take over and take the purity out of her white complexion (Chambers 26). Works Cited Chambers, Jane. â€Å"Coleridge’s CHRISTABEL, Lines48-52. † Explicator 41. 3 (1983): 25. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Feb. 2013.Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. â€Å"Christabel. † English Literature. New York: Norton & Company Inc. , 2006. 1634-1649. Print. Harding, Anthony John. â€Å"Mythopoeic Elements In â€Å"Christabel. † Modern Language Quarterly 44. 1 (198): 39-50. Academic Search Premier. Web. 13 Feb. 2013 Mulvihill, James. â€Å"Like A Lady Of A Far Countree†: Coleridge’s â€Å"Christabel† And Fear Of Invasion. † Papers On Language & Literature 44. 3 (2008): 250-275. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Feb. 2013 â€Å"Overview: â€Å"christabel†. Gale Online En cyclopedia. Detroit. : Gale, 2013. Literature Resource Center. Web. 17 Feb 2013. Radley, Virginia L. Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Boston: Twayne Publishers, Inc. , 1966. 66-75. Print. Ulmer, William A. â€Å"Christabel And The Origin Of Evil. †Ã‚  Studies In Philology  104. 3 (2007): 376- 407. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Feb. 2013. Ulmer, William A. â€Å"Christabel And The Origin Of Evil. †Ã‚  Studies In Philology  104. 3 (2007): 376- 407. Academic Search Premier. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Competitive Advantage by Human Resource Management Essay

In today’s climate of global competition, the source of motivation varies–some are driven by money, some by a yearning to build relationships (Hollyforde et al, 2002). Yet, with the development of technology and global competition, new ways of working -these changes have had significant implications for the majority of the full-time workforce within the industrialized world, there are some issues, such as leadership, teamwork, empowerment etc, which are vitally important and need to be managed carefully, each of these concepts merits deeper analysis as we enter the 21st Century. Therefore, it is important to explore how contemporary human resource management (HRM) develops to highly skilled, loyalty employees and affect organisation’s performance, thus resulting in significant competitive advantages. This assignment will discuss and present some arguments regarding this statement from the following two areas: How contemporary HRM affects organisations’ performance based on the cases of Xerox and Microsoft, and recommendations for organisations how to gain competitive advantages through implementation of good HRM for a better 21st Century.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 13

Business - Essay Example The movie profiles the cases of seven employees who have acquired injuries in the course of their employment. One of the victims is Marcos Lopez. He has worked in the company since high school. Marcos suffers serious back injuries from working form long hours sometimes up to sixteen hours in a day. The company Tyler pipe has a record of violating the safety rules. A former engineer with the company, Ron Howard describes the company’s policies that safety is sacrificed to increase productivity and make profits at the expense of humans. In a scene on the movie, a man dies when moving iron parts. The corporation responds by saying that he was a good man who made a very big mistake. Other actors featured are Kennedy Valve and Frank Wagner. They are ordered to dispose of toxic paint into an incinerator. Frank Wagner dies from an explosion in the oven. The company also does not provide adequate training for the job. Mc Wane Company also requires employees to sign a contract that they should never sue it and therefore benefiting from the compensation. The movie also features a single director for the entire plant known as Clyde Doran. The director does not have authority to stop production. He is also ordered to withhold information from officials. After the death of Frank Wagner, criminal charges were forwarded against the company. They were charged with criminal negligence. Consequently, Mc Wane threatened a massive loss of jobs if forced to change its policies. Other late discoveries were made. Delaware River had an eight-mile oil stick that came from a Mc Wane pipe plants holding tank. The companies holding tanks were not big enough for toxic waste that the company produced. In response, Mc Wane defended itself by saying that with competition from all over the world mainly China and Latin America, it is hard to maintain the environmental

Friday, September 27, 2019

Annotated Bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Annotated Bibliography - Essay Example But she does not remain happy with him because of his insulting behavior and instead runs away with Joe who becomes mayor of the town they run to using his wife as a source. Later, he starts insulting her and dies, causing Janie to marry Tea Cake who is very young for her age. One day, Tea Cake is shot dead by Janie because he was infected with Rabies. Every time Janie got married, she gave herself in the hands of her husband who decided her fortune. Janie is attracted to nature and looked for natural love in her relationships which she rarely discovered except for once when she was saved by Tea Cake as he fought the dog that gave him Rabies. To her misfortune, she had to kill Tea Cake for it was God’s decision. She feels guilty that she did not realize the sign when God warned her through the Indians about the hurricane that left Tea Cake into Rabies. Upon its initial publication in 1937, the book was quite less appreciated. The black community thought that the cruelty and insult they were offered by the white lot was quite misrepresented in the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Porter's five forces models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Porter's five forces models - Essay Example Porter`s five competitive forces include the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, potential substitute products and the level or extent of rivalry among the competitors. The model of five forces can also be used to analyze the bread making industry of the UK (Daft, R. et al 1991). The bread making industry of UK is one of the largest markets of the entire food industry and is worth approximately ?3.4 billion. The UK baking industry is divided into three sectors, large plant bakers which control 78% of the market, the in-store bakeries produce around 17% of bread and the master bakers or the craft bakers produce the remaining which is 7% of the bread produces in UK. These three sectors of the industry are competitive and there is competition within each of these sectors as well which results in a high level of competition in the entire bread making industry of UK. The large plant bakers, for example, include three large plant manufactu res and the largest of these is the Warburtons and together all of these control almost 3/4th of the large plant bakery sector. ... The three main manufactures of bread in UK are Premier foods (Hovis), Allied Bakeries (Kingsmill) and the largest producer, Warburtons. These companies produce 80% of the bread sold in UK and therefore, the level of competition between these industries is also high as they compete to cater to the larger portion of bread market in UK. Another force is threat of substitute products which is also high in this industry. According to the Federation of Bakers, everyday almost 11 million loaves of bread are sold in UK with a total volume of fewer than 4 billion units with a variety of almost 200 different bread products available for the consumers. Therefore, there are a lot of substitute products available for the consumers of this market. As far as the bargaining power of suppliers is concerned, most of the bread sold in this market of UK is produced by local or domestic companies. As there are a number of dominant suppliers in the market (Premier foods, Allied Bakeries, Warburtons), they have a certain level of power over the market as together they control more than half of the market. They can exercise this power by collaborating and dividing the market amongst themselves. As a result, they could even stop new companies to enter the market and could even set prices to earn high profits. Therefore, it is quite difficult for new companies to enter this industry as the market share of the industry has already controlled by the three dominant suppliers. As a result, new entrants would have a limited margin for expansion. Also that they might not be able to compete with these dominant suppliers as they already have positioned themselves

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Evaluate the empirical evidence on the predictability of excess stock Coursework - 2

Evaluate the empirical evidence on the predictability of excess stock returns using technical analysis - Coursework Example There exist two means of evaluating a stock to make investment decisions. These include fundamental analysis and technical analysis. Fundamental analysis deals with studying the company in details and making the characteristics that make its value identified for decision-making. Technical analysis on the other hand looks at the factors of supply and demand. Technical analysis considers the application of the study on the market factors of the company, their effects on the price and factors of demand and supply. Technicians pay attention to the prices of the market and make predictions based on their understanding of the effect that information may have on the stock. They depend on the market efficiency hypothesis in making their decisions. To obtain a full view of market inefficiency, one needs to obtain returns over a long span to evaluate a company’s performance since stock prices changes slowly as per information provided (Fama, 1997, p.284). The changes sometimes close to zero providing no effect unless huge funds are invested in the counter to provide the power of quantity. The market of technical analysis depends on the market anomalies though may not provide a good picture of the actual market position. The use of information to determine the ability of the stock to provide massive returns to the investors is tricky and may at times provide misleading information to the investors. The use of a different approach to technical analysis that considers the studying of the model that describes the cash flows of the firm discounted by pricing aspects may deliver a positive correlation between the current returns expected and the past returns that the firm made (Johnson, 2002, p.585). Understanding this and applying it in the analysis to top up on the market and price study of the technical analysts would provide confident answers to predicting a stock’s

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

No Topic Necessary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

No Topic Necessary - Essay Example Apparently, the story of Buddha in the myth is intertwined with other deities, especially Christianity (Campbell, 30). These other deities are seen as being weak and temporary as opposed to Buddhism which remains immovable even in the future. Actually, the writer emphasizes the superiority of Buddhism in Oriental antiquity as compared to other deities. In today’s society, comparisons between religious deities and implications of ancient spiritual narratives remain influential. More often, these comparisons are divisive in nature. In the Hero’s story, the hero asserts that Buddha is immovable and superior in the presence of other deities (Campbell, 35). In today’s society, the spiritual heroism of Moses in the Old Testament remains the central narrative in the Jewish religion. Personally, I agree that Moses transformed into a heavenly level when he encountered God around the burning bush at Mont Sinai. Prescription of the Ten Commandments sealed God’s covenant with the Israelites in a similar manner that Gautama linked Buddhists with Buddha. In this context, the spiritual experience of Moses in the Old Testament, which is influential in today’s Jewish and Christian religions, is synonymous to the spiritual adventure of Gautama Sakyamuni in the

Monday, September 23, 2019

What academic class has been your favorite and why Essay

What academic class has been your favorite and why - Essay Example In art, I try to conceptualize what to draw; to analyze why this method would be most preferred given the forms, structures, materials that are contemporarily available. There is this anticipation and waiting to determine the outcome of one’s strategies; of the combined details that produce a unique and aesthetic form – materializing before one’s eyes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consistent with the Columbia University’s mission of focusing on intellectual mobility, social mobility and career mobility, my personal and professional goals include gaining the theoretical framework in arts and enable me to excel in this field of endeavor. I am aware that although I have manifested interests in arts and mathematics in my high school years, there is much to gain in pursuing higher education in terms of developing the skills, knowledge, and abilities that would make me a connoisseur. There is much to appreciate in the field of arts and I plan to pursue even higher education to delve into the Master of Fine Arts program if and when allowed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The evolution of arts have undergone significant changes and contemporary art continues to be transformed through the multidimensional skills gained by students from Columbia University. I am confident that what initially began as favorite subjects in math and art would be transformed to productive applications that would benefit future generations.   

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Behavioral risk factors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Behavioral risk factors - Essay Example Academy of Sciences cites some specific behaviors that influence health such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, physical exercise and food intake, sexual practices, and disease diagnosis. Despite the availability of data on the direct effects of these behaviors on a person’s health and his contraction of potentially chronic diseases, they remain at a staggering level. Primary prevention with early screening and detection, together with an overall change in attitude are important to address illnesses prevention and obviate disease transmission (2001). The importance of community engagement in wholesome activities cannot be stressed enough. In this regard, the companies together with local health personnel should work together in implementing activities that promote a healthy lifestyle. Sports activities that initiate larger group participation are ideal and convenient. Information drives through a wider audience employing the mass media will also be vital to update people of the most recent health hazards and various studies. In addition, the different companies should encourage their employees to avail of provided for medical consults at the onset of their health concerns to ensure early

Saturday, September 21, 2019

South Africa’s Peaceful Social Change Essay Example for Free

South Africa’s Peaceful Social Change Essay An integrated society or methodological system on resolving certain conflicts is perhaps one of the key factors in buoying up peace within the post-settlement environment. The ideological milieu to such a coherent series of statements leading from a premise to a conclusion is divulged by traversing over the key figures and conceptual entities such as the merging of distinct technologies, industries, or devices into a unified whole and post-settlement context. Moreover, notions with regard to civilizations, community concepts, resolving conflicts, and building peace and order are also acknowledged in contributing essential benefits to these key figures. Given the explication above, vestiges that are relying on experience and/or observation alone often without due regard for system and theory, are shown through an excerpt from Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy. Such contemporary issues concerning methodological systems of community development and/or resolving certain conflicts have led the people, particularly South Africa’s communities, into struggling to address the needs of every citizen, motivating the entire community to fight for their rights and privileges, and acknowledging the importance of democracy to the whole country. Hence, this paper unfolds how social change takes place in a successful manner along the way where a nation struggles against the end of racial segregation—a former policy of segregation and political and economic discrimination against non-European groups in the Republic of South Africa. Contemporary Issues and Challenges in South Africa Various countries around the world have admired South Africa’s strong transition to democracy. Many of them believed that the nation would gain its victory upon observing the number of African people struggling over apartheid. Therefore, numerous countries from across the world learned that the nation’s previous form of government would have led the entire country to a certain revolution. Susan Collin Marks, one of the thousands of South Africans, has committed herself to making the strategic system of obtaining the real freedom peacefully (â€Å"Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy†). Many of her compatriots believed that if they aim to create a peaceful world, which was free from unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power (which has been marked by cynicism and rancor, prejudiced hostility or animosity, battles and impending wars), they need to find ways to resolve the conflicts in democratic means. Therefore, South Africa has garnered invaluable insights toward the course of democracy. Apartheid, which has been the mode or form of government in South Africa, unleashed a state or period of time that was marked by violence often committed by those in power that produces widespread terror. Such a royal authority prolonged for over forty years and put the number of people to imprisonment. Hence, numerous countries have considered such event as cruel and merciless regime that the entire world has ever seen subsequently to the time of Hitler in Germany (â€Å"Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy†). Indeed, it has been an extremely outstanding or unusual event that South Africa was still able to obtain a peaceful transition to democracy despite the fact that the nation has suffered such ruthless circumstances. Marks’s Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy is truly a more compelling and inspiring book that unfolds the systematic ways, which have been used by Africans in order to obtain a peaceful change in their society—from apartheid to democracy. The history of such a racial discrimination against the native inhabitants of South Africa has begun when the first Europeans from Holland arrived in the country. A former policy of segregation and political and economic discrimination against non-European groups in the Republic of South Africa has become outrageous during the rule of Dutch and British (â€Å"Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy†). A number of laws and acts have been passed, which undermined the position of non-white population; however, rampant discrimination has been acknowledged in the entire country. In the midst of 1980s, the United States of America and other democratic nations in Europe have merged their authorities in order to impose approbation against South Africa’s government leaders (Marks). Thus, the president was convinced to eradicate such a form of government in the country. When Frederik Willem de Klerk, the last State President of apartheid-era South Africa, too over the position of the late president, he continued working on a high-level overall plan embracing the general goals and acceptable procedures especially of a governmental body to end the apartheid. In addition, he ended a 30-year ban of the African National Congress (ANC) members who have tried leading the Africans into a non-racial democracy and to the propagation of the black South Africans’ rights and privileges in the country. Moreover, he has not just freed the ANC members but also given their leader, Nelson Mandela, of freedom to be one of the key figures in the new South African government and negotiate with the United Nations for the peaceful implementation of democracy. Conflict Resolution during South Africas Transition to Democracy Marks’s book Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy is considered as the key figure, which has been used by the author in order to represent a vigorous effort to attain an end of the apartheid and begin living under democratic government and non-racial discrimination society. As an analysis of the entire conceptualization of her book, contemporary issues were dealing with a methodological system of obtaining the liberty or freedom without racial discrimination in South Africa. A number of African citizens have suffered the first heartless and ruthless government, which has seen by numerous countries from across the world. Marks, based on her book, experienced a variety of circumstances that have led her to gathering different stories concerning the upper levels of South African society’s movements on the implementation of 1991 National Peace Accord. Her book written with just the right mix of empathy and sensitivity, she then represented every life and work of the key people attempting to obtain the peace in which they put themselves in risk only to achieve South Africa’s change of society in a peaceful manner. They have made this happened through their courage and hope of peace. Activists have sat in line of the negotiating table of their torturers. They have made the negotiation in such a way in order for them to show their trust and hope for the liberty or freedom without attempting to declare the civil war. Most of their compatriots have put themselves in intermediate relation to wrathful group of people and police officers who were too eager to fight or contend. Moreover, every group of people attempting to end the apartheid and freedom has worked desperately for the change of their society. Therefore, as an analysis of the entire conceptualization and view of Marks’s Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy, it becomes quite easy for every individual to learn the fact from such stories, which have been unfolded by the author. For a better comprehension, it explicates and shows the world about the methodological and/or strategic ways that South African society used in order to end apartheid and give birth to the real democracy. Such a systematic process of resolving the conflict represents the great promise of John Burton’s view of the Basic Human Needs Theory in which he believes that such a theory will stipulate material basis that determines the sources of conflict and working on the process of resolving the conflict. Works Cited Marks, Susan. Watching the Wind: Conflict Resolution During South Africa’s Transition to Democracy. New York: United States Institute of Peace Press, 2000. 256pp. Rubenstein, Richard. â€Å"Basic Human Needs: The Next Steps in Theory Development. † The International Journal of Peace Studies. Published by George Mason University Press, 2009. 1-2

Friday, September 20, 2019

Advantages Of Outsourcing To Multiple Providers Information Technology Essay

Advantages Of Outsourcing To Multiple Providers Information Technology Essay Globalisation involves higher competition resulting in companies looking for gaining competitive advantages over others. The globalisation vs. localisation discussion is linked to the question of outsourcing vs. insourcing (appendix A.1). Outsourcing consists of nearshore outsourcing and offshore outsourcing. The latter will be applied in this paper. For some companies, outsourcing may be a possibility to achieve competitive advantages. For other companies insourcing could be the better solution. Furthermore, companies, when coming to the decision to outsource, have to face the paradox whether to outsource to a single service provider or to multiple. Firstly, outsourcing and insourcing are presented generally in order to facilitate important information about outsourcing to a single supplier. Then outsourcing to multiple suppliers is explained with advantages, disadvantages as well as governance and finally IT outsourcing is demonstrated. This is shown in a practical example, a case study: Shell Outsourcing Deal 2008. Shell outsourced its IT to three service providers. This example merges outsourcing to multiple suppliers with IT outsourcing and reveals the theoretically explained aspects in practice and why Shell decided to outsource its IT to multiple suppliers. Outsourcing generally describes the transfer of goods and services, which were performed with own means by the company, to a third party (Online Lehrbuch S. 2). The service provider , generally one, takes over the complete responsibility for the outsourced field. Offshore outsourcing is linked to the transfer of companys activities to wholly owned subsidiaries or service providers to other countries from the customers location (Oshri et al., 2009, p.15). These countries have enormous and easily accessible resources which offer competitive advantages to the outsourcing company (Offshore Outsourcing, 2011). Are the companys activities transferred to a neighboring country, this is called nearshoring. Benefits of nearshoring are e.g. the connection in regard to the geographical, temporal, cultural, linguistic, economic, political, and historical (Oshri et al., 2009, p.46) situation. Outsourcing to a single provider offers companies several advantages in a globalising world to obtain the increasing competition. Advantages of outsourcing Disadvantages of outsourcing Cost advantages as special knowledge saves time, costs for personnel and investments are broken up on several companies and fixed capital can be utilised elsewhere as well as the the liquidity of the company can be increased In reality costs often rise when outsourcing potentials are not used sufficiently or specific outsourcing costs were not considered in the planning, fixed costs are insufficiently reduced, costs for the service provider can be higher than own costs as many companies miscalculate own costs Higher strategic flexibility in regard to market changes Performance risks as knowledge and know-how wander off Investments undertaken by supplier Additional entrepreneurial load as higher security is necessary Access to external know-how Possible resistance in the workforce Increase of possibilities for innovation due to collaboration Dependence on the service provider and excessive demands Smaller companies can adapt to current standards and achieve requirements Suffering of quality due to weak communication, shortage in resource or capacity and capability of service provider Discharge for companies in areas, which do not belong to their core competencies Langauge and culture barrier risk to communication Fig.1: Advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing (Expertscolumn, 2009; OnlineLehrbuch, 2011). By managing and minimising the above mentioned risks due diligence plays an important role (Reed, 2011). Moreover, it is important to understand the risks companies face when outsourcing as those can also enhance due to the geographical distance between the company and the service provider. To avoid the emergence of any of the mentioned risks the partners should keep a risk register which distinguishes and lists all possible risks connected to the outsourced service. This should be then maintained over the whole period of operations. 2.1.2 Insourcing in general Insourcing describes the reintegration of processes, belonging to the core competencies of a company, which possibly have been outsourced before (Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon, 2011). Advantages of insourcing Disadvantages of insourcing Transparency and comparability of costs for particular goods and services Higher costs due to initial costs, labour costs and costs for materials Decrease of dependence on suppliers Training period for employees Increase in scope for actions Foundation of a new department (potentially) Integration of goods and services in the company processes Creation and determination of tools for controlling the work flow Encouragement of internal competencies Arising of synergy effects Consistency in the data Fig.2: Advantages and disadvantages of insourcing (Active Sourcing AG, 2011; Leads Stà ¼rmer, 2011) 2.2 Outsourcing to multiple suppliers Today, many companies outsource not only to one service provider but to multiple as this offers them even more competitive advantages (Siemens, 2011). The main point for the success of outsourcing is to outsource the correct task to the correct supplier using the correct contracts and a powerful governance process. Various business conditions favour using multiple suppliers than just one. Firstly, business complexity: Companies have different levels of business complexity. Generally, industries which change slower have easier manageable environments, constant processes and accountable needs. For these companies long-term outsourcing to one service provider offers great options. However, many companies do not have the environment mentioned above. For these organisations long-term outsourcing to a single service provider is risky as they have varying support needs and dynamic operations and generally no single service provider can offer the technical and geographical expertise to fulfill their needs. For these companies, which show a higher level of business complexity, outsourcing to multiple suppliers might be a more effective approach considering that they have the internal abilities and governance structures to manage this approach. The independence of separate business units in a company can vary in regard to budgets and decisions about service providers and support. Separate business units often work out individual business applications. The higher the level of independence of business units, the greater the challenge of creating controlled and managed support. Therefore many companies, having a high level of independence, prefer outsourcing to multiple suppliers as their business units have the liberty to choose individually according their needs. Nevertheless, the central departments can keep control. 2.2.1 Advantages of outsourcing to multiple providers Outsourcing to multiple providers exists in various kinds (Siemens, 2011). Diverse suppliers can be chosen to support e.g. diverse business units or business lines. Companies can also choose suppliers by reason of their expertise or geographic location and coverage. Fig. 3: Overview of outsourcing to multiple providers (Practical Law Company, 2007) Advantages of outsourcing to multiple suppliers Disadvantages of outsourcing to multiple suppliers Better levels of control and management Management of several suppliers Flexibility to decide on providers which meet particular needs (e.g. shorter durations for companies rethinking and reorganising promptly) Ensurement of a good level of cooperation amongst suppliers responsiibility is doubled (organisation and suppliers) Improvement of service delivery Interdependencies can complicate and obstruct activites Stimulation of competition between the suppliers, e.g. dependence Service providers working in alike sectors may be careful regarding sharing information when cooperating Reduction of risks generated when outsourcing to a single provider Fig.4: Advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing to multiple suppliers (Siemens, 2011) These aspects show that single service providers are generally not able to solve all outsourcing and service needs. The skills necessary to support distributed infrastructure are most likely distinctive to those supporting particular business applications. 2.2.2 Governance of outsourcing to multiple service providers Being successful in any outsourcing involvement is based on various points (Oshri, et al., 2009, p.112). Setting up an outsourcing governance in the company can enhance a possible success. Therewith companies introduce a higher complexity of the outsourcing relationships, an internal team, best practices and instruments to assure an advantageous management. Most companies use a three-tier structure when designing the governance (Oshri, et al., 2009, p.113). This includes executive-to-executive relationships concentrated on relationship management and on joined goals. An outsourcing management operates between executives, business units as well as outsourcing project teams. The operational management is concerned with day-to-day issues. Important is that companies do not reduce the management concentrating on the actions. To achieve the benefits, outsourcing offers, governance plays an important role. 2.3 IT outsourcing Reasons to introduce outsourcing in the area of IT vary from one company to another (Dibbern et al., 2004). However, a few reasons explain the decision to outsource in general: The managers interest in reducing costs or outsourcing as a possibility to establish a new department, when the former failed. Some companies, which main competence is not IT outsource its IT department to assign time-consuming issues to other companies. This can be especially advantageous for companies whose actions can change significantly from one period to another. 2.3.1 IT outsourcing lifecycle Fig.5: IT outsourcing lifecycle (Oshri et al., 2009). The IT outsourcing lifecycle, established in 2005, consists of four phases: architect, engage, operate and regenerate (Oshri et al., 2009, p.94). These phases are subdivided in 9 blocks. Each phase and the attached blocks design the way for the next phase. This means that the success of each block depends on the previous ones. The architect phase incorporates four blocks and builds the basis for outsourcing ventures (Oshri et al., 2009, p.96). The first block is named investigation and aims to replace ideological beliefs with goals. Therefore the company gathers information. The second block target is set out to identify in which areas outsourcing would be advantageous. For that reason goals are matched to an appropriate outsourcing model. Moreover, criteria for possible service providers and the scope of outsourcing are determined. Strategy is geared towards the planning to ensure effective decision making for the rest of the lifecycle (Oshri, et al., p.97). Thats why a decision about the rollout approach takes place .The last block in this phase design concludes the architect phase with a definition of the planned configuration. The engage phase consists of two blocks. Firstly select, here the best vendor for the company is supposed to be found. In this block the content of the outsourced work is planned, the most appropriate evaluation team is identified along with the evaluating criteria and interactive evaluation techniques (Oshri et al, 2009. p.98). Negotiate aims to conclude a good contract. Therefore an appropriate negotiation strategy is set and a negotiation team is put together. The operate phase includes two blocks, transition and manage. In the transition block the aim is to ensure an effective and smooth hand over of the IT services to the provider. Therefore, plans are finalised, the impact on the staff and the staff transfer is managed as well as knowledge retention and transfer as well as governance structures are set up (Oshri et al., 2009, p.99). Manage is set out to manage the outsourcing relationship properly. Key activities are investing in the relationship and continuous examination of the relationship. The last phase, regenerate phase, consists of the block refresh and aims to support the client on deciding whether to reappoint in further contracts with the service provider. Outcomes and future requirements are assessed. In the last phase the outsourcing starts again, depending on the decision whether to re-tender, re-negotiate or back-source (Oshri et al., 2009, p.100). 2.3.2 Critique The IT lifecycle offers companies an accurate plan for their outsourcing concerns. It is a relatively new model, which on the one hand ensures up-to-dateness, but on the other hand does not offer a long-term view. However, I would critique that all blocks are arranged consecutively, meaning if something goes wrong in one block that might involve issues in following blocks. Also, I think, problems may arise in defining in which phase and block the outsourcing operations are at a particular moment or if the operations are ready to move to the next phase or block. There is no set duration as this varies from one company to another. Additionally, I would like to mention, that the IT outsourcing lifecycle is a model, which means that certain aspects are left out. Every company should examine this and consider additional aspects. I would suggest that companies, considering to use the IT outsourcing lifecycle walk-through the lifecycle before going on. This could e.g. take place in the arch itect phase, then the persons responsible would be aware of the complete lifecycle. Nevertheless, I evaluate outsourcing as more successful when it is proceeded as a lifecycle than in a one-off transaction. 3 Shell Outsourcing Deal 2008 3.1 Background In 2008 the mineral oil group Shell signed a five-year outsourcing contract with three suppliers responsible for the IT infrastructure (see appendix A.2 for a company description). These were T-Systems, EDS and ATT (Computerwoche, 2008) (see appendix A.3 for more background information). Shell kept strategic control and some specialist services. This is called Outtasking/Managed Services (Appendix A.4 for information on IT outsourcing models) (TPI, 2009). This was one of the largest and most complex business transformations. 3.2 Reasons for Shell to outsource to multiple service providers As times get more and more turbulent and companies face a highly competitive environment Shell decided to outsource to multiple service providers as they believe that competition leads to a successful future and wanted to carry on developing its strategy More Upstream, Profitable Downstream (TPI, 2009). That means to expand companys hydrocarbon reserves as well as production along with the ensurement of manufaction, marketing and distribution in a cost-effective and efficient manner. Additionally, Shell aims for innovation, which they believe the three service provider can offer when collaborating well to develop new goods for them and therefore also for Shell (Rosenthal, 2009). According to Rosenthal (2009) Shell wanted to reduce the risk in case one service provider is not able to perform. Lastly, an important reason for Shell to outsource its IT to multiple suppliers is the ability of working with foreign markets. Here, T-Systems, a German company, can ensure a working relationshi p with countries, which do not favour American workmen. Shells general aim was to encourage higher efficiency and performance, however no detailed aims were announced. Originally, Rosenthal (2009) explains, Shell made the decision to outsource IT as the company missed a commercial accuracy and operational discipline. The IT department could not meet the companys overall requirement. When making the outsourcing decision Shell had in mind to focus on strategic issues, the skill to respond quickly and being agile as well as sustainable, meaning the ability to serve in 20 countries (TPI, 2009). Moreover, Shell wanted to: Pay attention to companys needs and IT opportunities Expand the value from suppliers involved in the IT infrastructure Be more flexibel in service capacity to manage peaks as well as troughs Manage expanding costs of maintaining existing IT infrastructue and developing new Shell decided to outsource the greatest part of its IT infrastructure as the company itself had difficulties managing this (Rosenthal, 2009). When facing the paradox of outsourcing to a single supplier or to multiple suppliers, Shell aimed for outsourcing to multiple suppliers as this approach offered the company competitive advantages in regard to being able to serve in 20 countries, to keep better control as the company kept the strategic control as well as the belief that competition leads to success. 3.3 The IT lifecycle at Shell Architect phase: Investigate: Shell gathered insights and rephrased ideological beliefs into goals (TPI, 2009): Seperate responsibilities for business needs and strategic control Expand service reliability as well as performance Assure access top talents and innovation Decrease costs and turn fixed into variable costs. Target: Shell decided to outsource most of its IT, but to hold strategic control and few specialist services. Strategise: Shell determined to outsource not only to one service providers but to multiple. Design: Shell considered the following when designing the programme: Agree on the mission statement and business targets Create and spread the plan Establish a high-performance team Organise governance Develop diversity in the team Prioritise change and communication management Engage phase: Select: Shell selected appropriate suppliers for their outsourcing programme. Negotiate: With these suppliers Shell negotiated contracts and could conclude efficient contracts with EDS, ATT and T-Systems. The service providers signed a so-called Operating Level Agreement to guarantee a high level of collaboration. Operate phase: Transition: Shell handed over the IT infrastructure in a sensible manner (Rosenthal, 2009). All in all, 3,500 IT employees were transfered from Shell. This gave employees the better career possibilities and knowledge transfer opportunities. A detailed investigation of six months gave the service providers the possibility to develop the necessary solutions for the implementation. Manage: As Shell still keeps the strategic control, the company helds good relationships to their suppliers and monitors them regularly. Regenerate phase: Refresh: As the contracts are laid out for five years no information about the regenerate phase are available yet. 3.4 Governance Shell delegated governance and therefore several roles emerged, e.g. a Shell executive commitee, an executive tender board or commercial deal teams (TPI, 2009). The most important one is the programme management office to develop and maintain the implementation plan as well as to monitor and report the progress and deliverables. 3.5 Early benefits Shells IT infrastructure costs dropped by double digits (Rosenthal, 2009) and the service increased clearly and became more reliable. Rosenthal (2009) views that outsourcing made Shell more efficient and the team concentrates on up-to-date IT solutions to meet Shells needs. Rosenthal (2009) mentions that the three solutions providers convey projects and run systems better than Shell did formerly. 3.6 Problems In the beginning the approach with three suppliers was not working out well (Rosenthal, 2009). They firstly had to get to know each other and to learn working together effectively. Today however, the collaboration between the companies occurs in a flawless mannner. Generally, it has to be mentioned; according to Rosenthal (2009) that the service providers underestimated Shells complexity as Shell is a globally acting company and their approach was more regional. Eventhough early benefits of the outsourcing deal could be identified problems arose. T-Systems, one of the suppliers, had many problems when handling the IT of Shell (Inside-IT, 2010). This was due to the insufficient experience with deals of this size. Moreover, T-Systems also has not achieved the savings it was supposed to manage (Louven and Hofer, 2010). Louven and Hofer (2010) explain this with T-Systems being an affiliate of the German telecommunication company Telekom and therefore stuck in their complex structures. 3.7 Critique on Shells approach Due to the extensive research I found out that Shell did not perform the lT lifecycle in a preferable manner, as Shell did not extensively prepare for the lifecycle and also did not name additional aspects. This could have led to the above explained problems, eventhough these were more on service providers side. However, Shell managed the transition phase extremely well and set up an extensive governance structure. Also, only 3 of the planned 5 years passed, therefore no final evaluation can occur. 4 Overall conclusion Various advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing and its opposite insourcing were recognised. Nowadays more companies choose outsourcing to multiple suppliers instead of its paradox, outsourcing to a single supplier, when deciding to outsource. Therefore outsourcing to multiple suppliers was presented with advantages and disadvantages as well as the necessary governance, The explained IT lifecycle made the connection to the case study: Shell Outsourcing Deal 2008. A background offered important information about the companies Shell, EDS, ATT and T-Systems in regard to the outsourcing deal. Several reasons were explained why Shell outsourced its IT in 2008 and why the company decided to use a multiple suppliers approach. Moreover, the IT lifecycle in connection to this particular outsourcing deal was analysed and the governance was pointed out. Finally, early benefits of the outsourcing deal for Shell alongside problems which occured, were pointed out and a critique on Shells appro ach was undertaken. 5 Reference List Active Sourcing AG (2011) Outsourcing Vorteile aus der Sicht des CFO. [online]. Available from: http://www.active-sourcing.com/pdf_files/AS_Publication_Nr_2004-02.pdf [Accessed 15 March 2011]. Computerwoche (2008) Shell beschert Outsourcern Riesenauftrà ¤ge. [online]. Available from: http://www.computerwoche.de/management/it-services/1859663/ [Accessed 5 March 2011]. De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (2005) Strategy Synthesis Resolving Strategy Paradoxes to Create Competitive Advantage. London: Thompson. Dibbern, J., Goles, T., Hirschheim, R. and Jayatilaka, B. (2004) Information system outsourcing: a survey and analysis of the literature. [online]. Available from: http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1035236 [Accessed 12 March 2011]. Expertscolumn (2009) Outsourcing Criticism And Risk Factors. [online]. Available from: http://expertscolumn.com/content/outsourcing-%E2%80%93-criticism-and-risk-factors [Accessed 9 March 2011]. Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon (2011) Insourcing. [online]. Available from: http://wirtschaftslexikon.gabler.de/Definition/insourcing.html [Accessed 14 March 2011]. Gala (2011) What is localization? [online]. Available from: http://www.gala-global.org/what-localization [Accessed 14 March 2011]. Hines, C. (2003) Time to Replace Globalization with Localization. Global Environmental Politics, 3 (3), pp.1-7. Inside-IT (2010) T-Systems Probleme beim Outsourcing Megadeal. [online]. Available from: http://www.inside-it.ch/frontend/insideit?_d=_articlesite=iinews .id=23569 [Accessed 25 March 2011]. Johnson, D. and Turner, C. (2004) International Business: Themes and issues in the modern global economy. London: Routledge. Leads Stà ¼rmer (2011) Insourcing vs. Outsourcing. [online]. Available from: http://www.leads-stuermer.de/index.php?id=36 [Accessed 15 March 2011]. Offshore Outsourcing (2011) Enhancing your business with offshore outsourcing. [online]. Available from: http://www.offshoreoutsourcing.org/ [Accessed 8 March 2011]. Oshri, I., Kotlarsky, J., Willcocks, L. P. (2009) The handbook of global outsourcing and offshoring. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Louven, S. and Hofer, J. (2010) T-Systems verà ¤rgert die Großkunden. [online]. Available from: http://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/it-medien/t-systems-veraergert-die-grosskunden/3744382.html?p3744382=all [Accessed 25 March 2011]. Online Lehrbuch (2011) Eigenherstellung/Fremdbezug Insourcing/Outsourcing Betreibermodelle. [online]. Available from: www.economics.phil.uni-erlangen.de/bwl//outsour.pdf. [Accessed 5 March 2011]. Practical Law Company (2007) Single and multi-sourcing models. [online]. Available from: http://www.mofo.com/docs/pdf/PLCCrossBorderOutsourcing_2008SourcingMo dels.pdf [Accessed 20 March 2011]. Reed, S. (2011) Managing Risk in Outsourcing The Basics. [online]. Available from: http://www.sourcingmag.com/content/c051017a.asp [Accessed 14 March 2011]. Rosenthal, B. E. (2009) Why Shell created an ecosystem of three suppliers when it outsourced its IT infrastructure. [online]. Available from: http://www.outsourcing-center.com/2009-10-why-shell-created-an-ecosystem-of-three-suppliers-when-it-outsourced-its-it-infrastructure-article-37440.html [Accessed 6 March 2011]. Rosmanitz, K. (2011) Globalization Advantages and Disadvantages. [online]. Available from: http://ezinearticles.com/?GlobalizationAdvantages-and-Disadvantagesid=4451556. [Accessed 4 March 2011]. Siemens (2011) Selective Outsourcing with Multiple Providers: A Growing Trend. [online]. Available from: www.it-solutions.siemens.com/b2b/it/en/us//Selective-Outsourcing-WP.pdf [Accessed 10 March 2011]. TPI (2009) Shell Case Study. [online]. Available from: http://www.tpi.net/pdf/success/Shell-Case-Study.pdf. [Accessed 23 March 2011].

Thursday, September 19, 2019

nations of dreams :: essays research papers

I have a dream. These are the infamous words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the day that he voiced his vision of America. It was his dream that was deferred for so many generations that finally exploded in the Civil Rights Movement of the 50’s and 60’s. The beginning of this nation was started as a dream and on dreams it has grown. For without a vision, the people shall parish. Nevertheless, there have been dreams that have fallen to the wayside of other dreams. These dreams may be left behind, but they have not been forgotten. To defer a dream, is to cause an explosion of mass proprieties. The American dream was first put on paper in what is call today the ‘Declaration of Independence.’ The dream was that all men are created equal. Before this dream America was ruled by a hierarchy system, that constables, dukes and kings ruled not by choice of the people, but because they were born into it. It was the dream that men had the right to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness that at first festered like a sore and finally exploded in the Revolutionary War. In Russia the dream of the turfs was to have food, clothing, and shelter while the czars lived in castles wearing ermine cloaks and velvet dress clothing, eating feasts of swan, sweets and caviar. In their Communist Manifesto of 1848, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels printed the dream of a socialist system. It was a dream that exploded 70 years later. On March 8 of 1917 a severe food shortage cause riots in Petrograd. The crowds demanded food and the step down of Tsar. When the troops were called in to disperse the crowds, they refused to fire their weapons and joined in the rioting. From the smallest child to the oldest man, dreams are an integral part of us.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Hitchcocks North By Northwest: The Birth of the Modern Action Film Essa

1959 was an exciting year in the history of filmmaking. An extraordinary conjunction of talent throughout the globe existed. In France, Truffaut, Godard, Chabrol, Rohmer, Rivette, and Resnais all directed their first films, thus establishing the French New Wave. In Italy, Fellini created the elegant La Dolce Vita, and Antonioni gave us L’avventura. Most importantly, though, in America, famed British director Alfred Hitchcock gave us the classic thriller North by Northwest, the father of the modern action film. Throughout the history of filmmaking, many different genres have thrived such as the romantic comedy, giving us such classics as Bringing up Baby and His Girl Friday. The war film gave us All Quiet on the Western Front and Paths of Glory. The western gave us Stagecoach and The Searchers. Film Noir gave us such films as Sunset Boulevard and Chinatown. The one modern film genre not existing prior to 1959 was that of the modern action film whose entrance as a genre was inaugurated with the release of Hitchcock’s psychopolitical thriller North by Northwest, starring Cary Grant. North by Northwest is your basic espionage thriller involving mistaken identity and a government conspiracy. Cary Grant plays advertising executive Roger Thornhill, who, one evening at his usual club calls over the page boy when his is paging a Mr. George Kaplan. Two mysterious men observing Grant get the idea that Mr. Thornhill is Mr. Kaplan, not simply a man talking to a boy who is paging him. Believing him to be Mr. Kaplan, the two men kidnap Thornhill at gunpoint and whisk him away to a beautiful mansion somewhere outside the city. An important discussion point is that as to which type of hero Roger Thornhill is. The action hero created through North by Northwest is that of the everyman, only man attractive and witty. He is a reluctant, yet brave, hero. Thornhill is unafraid to make an attempted escape while he is in the captive of these two men. Thornhill is confronted at the house by a vaguely European fellow who demands answers from him. This usage of the seemingly upper class Eurotrash villain will permeate throughout the action film genre from the Die Hard movies to The Fifth Element. Thornhill, of course, has no answers for the man. While being held captive in a library, Cary quips, â€Å"I’ll catch up on my reading.† When they believe his as simply being uncooperative, the... ...ty directly onto the bed of a private room on a train. Lacking the ability to end the picture with a sex scene, Hitchcock cheekily ends the picture with a shot of a train going into a tunnel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What marks North by Northwest as the father of the modern action film is that of its hero. He is a contemporary man, with a decent and respectful job (here an advertising executive). As opposed to the heroes of Westerns, who are dark and mysterious characters with shady pasts, in the action film the hero is likeable, attractive, and witty. What made Cary Grant so perfect for the role of Thornhill is that he is attractive to both men and women. â€Å"Cary Grant is the male love object,† said Pauline Kael. â€Å"Men want to be as lucky and enviable as he is—they want to be like him. And women imagine landing him.† The influence of North by Northwest on the action and spy film is immeasurable. It influenced the James Bond series, the Die Hard movies, and even science fiction films such as Total Recall. What Hitchcock did, basically, was create an action film of such quality that directors ever since have been trying to equal its success in story, action, and characterization.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

How Games Makes a Better World

How games can make a better world A few months ago I saw a talk by Jane McGonigal on TED. com. She has been a game designer for about 10 years now and she had some really interesting ideas about how we spend way to little time playing videogames. We are currently spending 3 billion hours a week playing online games. That might sound like an awful lot of playing games and not so much solving problems like hunger, poverty and climate change. But according to her research, we have to increase that playtime to 21 billion hours a week to survive the next century. Have you ever heard about an â€Å"epic win†?That’s when you succeed with something and the outcome is so extremely positive that you didn’t even know that it was possible. What we need is to transfer epic wins into the real world. But that’s not an easy task. In game we become the best version of our self. When we are playing games we get much better confidence and we are much more likely to stand up and try again after failure, as opposed to when we try to tackle real life problems. In game the missions and problems that you have to solve are always match to the level you’re currently at. That means that before you even start, you know it’s possible.You have to work hard to succeed, but you know it’s possible. When we face a problem in real life we often don’t feel the same way. We often feel overvalued by the problem, depressed or frustrated. In game you rarely feel that way. So what is it in games that make us feel like we can achieve everything? What is it that games have that the real world doesn’t? When you’re first showing up in a cooperative online game, like Guild Wars, World of Worldcraft or Little Big Planet, there are people that are willing to support you with a world saving mission right away.All these collaborators that are willing to help you achieve your epic mission is nothing that exist in real world situations. Thereà ¢â‚¬â„¢s also a lot more positive feedback in games than it is in the real world. Games like Guitar Hero always boost your confidence by giving bonus point when you for instance managing to play all the notes right at a really difficult part of a song. Or when you make an awesome slide in the middle of the solo. You don’t get that kind of positive feedback in real life. When I’m done cleaning my room, I wont get â€Å"+1 cleaning†. Or when I’ve finished this homework I wont get â€Å"+25 school†.The problem is that it’s so rewarding to play computer games that many people decide to spend almost all of their time in this virtual world. Just because they think the virtual world is better than the real one. So far, gamers have spent 5,93 million years solving the problems in World of Worldcraft. Imagine if we somehow could transfer all that problem solving in to the real world! How we could do this has been a mystery for me ever since I heard h er speech. Until now that is. Just a few days ago I read a really interesting article in the news magazine â€Å"Ny Teknik†.The article was written by Helen Ahlbom and she gave some very good examples on how we are already making the world better with games. Nissan and Fiat has developed new cars models that save your fuel efficiency in an onboard computer. You later upload your statistics to their website and compete with each other on who can drive most eco friendly. I got so interested by these new ideas that I just had to visit Fiats website to see it for myself. It appeared that the transferring of all the good stuff from games to the reality had already begun.The game gives you a lot of positive feedback on your driving, much like the feedback I earlier said you didn’t get for real world accomplishments. I’ve already started making my own computer games. I always thought that computer games was just something silly you played when you where bored. But now I see how games can make the real world a better place. These new ideas has really got me thinking and I think that this is something that I actually would like to have as a job in the future. ———————– A portrait taken by the photographer Phil Toledano of a gamer on the verge of an epic win This is a screenshot from Fiats website

Monday, September 16, 2019

Renaissance Patronage

Renaissance Patronage This paper explores different motivations for art patronage throughout the Renaissance. Art in the renaissance was often commissioned by a patron who wanted to use it as a way to communicate something to the intended viewer. Art was usually commissioned for religious and political reasons or used as proof of wealth or power. The corruption of the church allowed for wealthy patrons to make a donation in order to buy his or her way into heaven. This is called a sale of indulgence, and it is the motivation behind countless works of renaissance art.The entire Arena Chapel painted by the artist Giotto was commissioned by Enrico Scrovegni to atone for his sin of usury. The Chapel was completed 1305 and is located in Padua, Italy. As was a common practice at the time, Enrico himself is depicted in on the wall of the chapel. â€Å"On the wall of The Last Judgment, Enrico kneels to offer a model of his church to three figures. It is commonly accepted that Enrico saw his church and its paintings as a votive gift made as a partial atonement for his father’s mortal sin of usury and to strengthen his own hope of salvation. By having his image painted into the scene, Enrico assures that his intended audience knows it was his money that paid for the art. This is both politically and religiously motivated. Masaccio’s Pisa Altarpiece commissioned in 1426 Pisa is another example of religiously motivated art patronage. This altarpiece was commissioned by â€Å"Ser Giuliano di Colino di Pietro degli Scarsi and the Carmelite church of S. Maria del Carmine† The intention behind this altarpiece was simply to give churchgoers a piece of relevant art to view during church and to attract more members.An example of politically motivated art can be found in Sienna’s Palazzo Pubblico. Allegory of Good and Bad Government by Ambrogio Lorenzetti was commissioned by the Sienese government. The frescos of Allegory span the walls of the building depicting life in the city under good government versus bad government. The intended audience for this commission was the citizens of Siena. The paintings were propaganda meant to show the viewers how successful and prosperous the city was under the current leadership of the Council of the Nine. Another politically motivated piece is the well known portrait by Jan Van Eyck, Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife.This portrait was commissioned in 1434 by Giovanni Arnolfini and is meant to be a physical documentation or witness to him giving his wife leave to conduct household affairs in his absence. This portrait would have been displayed in the Arnolfini household to be seen by visitors and servants and served as proof that Giovanna was in charge of Giovanni’s affairs while he was traveling. Tres Riches Heures by the Limbourg Brothers was commissioned by the Duke of Berry in 1412 France. This book is an example of royal patronage. It is meant to depict and glorify daily life in the court while simultaneously belittling those of the lower class.Tres Riches Heures is personalized for the Duke and includes his likeness and some scholars believe that because the faces in the book are so diverse, that they must be portraits of individual members of the court. This fact and the use of the rare pigment lapis lazuli, the intricacy of the book, and the heavy use of hidden symbolism are all meant to illustrate the wealth of the duke. The court was the intended audience of this commission. Patronage was a defining element of renaissance art. There were many motivations to purchase art such as religion, proof of power or wealth, or political reasons.Commissions varied depending on the motivation and the intended audience. Works Cited Carroll, Margaret D. â€Å"†In the Name of God and Profit†: Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait. † Representations 44. 1 (1993): 96-132. http://www. jstor. org/stable/2928641 Web. 26 Feb. 2013 James, Sara Nair. â€Å"Masacc io: St. Andrew And â€Å"The Pisa Altarpiece.. † Sixteenth Century Journal 35. 4 (2004): 1178. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. Perkinson, Stephen. â€Å"Likeness, Loyalty, And The Life Of The Court Artist: Portraiture In The Calendar Scenes Of The Tres Riches Heures. † Quaerendo 38. /3 (2008): 142-174. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. Polzer, Joseph. Ambrogio Lorenzetti's â€Å"War and Peace† Murals Revisited: Contributions to the Meaning of the â€Å"Good Government Allegory† Artibus et Historiae. Vol. 23, No. 45 (2002), pp. 63-105 http://www. jstor. org. ezproxy2. drake. brockport. edu/stable/1483682 Web. 24 Feb. 2013 Rough, Robert H. â€Å"Enrico Scrovegni, The Cavalieri Gaudenti, And The Arena Chapel In Padua. † Art Bulletin 62. 1 (1980): 24. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Feb. 2013. ——————————————– [ 2 ].Robert H Rough, Enrico Scrovegni, the Cavalieri Gaudenti, and the Arena Chapel in Padua, pg. 26. [ 3 ]. Sara Nair James, Masaccio: St. Andrew and â€Å"The Pisa Altarpiece. † Pg. 1178 [ 4 ]. Joseph Polzer, Ambrogio Lorenzetti's â€Å"War and Peace† Murals Revisited: Contributions to the Meaning of the â€Å"Good Government Allegory† Pg. 64 [ 5 ]. Margaret D. Carroll, â€Å"In the Name of God and Profit†: Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait. Pg. 99 [ 6 ]. Steven, Perkinson, Likeness, Loyalty, and the Life of the Court Artist: Portraiture in the Calendar Scenes of the Tres Riches Heures Pg. 144

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Children Act 1989 Essay

Task 1 links to learning outcome 1, assessment criteria 1.1. Produce an information sheet which outlines the following:  · the current legislation for home based childcare †¢ the role of regulatory bodies. The two most important pieces of legislation covering home-based childcare are the Children Act (2004) and the Childcare Act (2006(. Children Act (2004) This influential piece of legislation which arose from ‘Every Child Matters’ and identifies five outcomes for all children: * Be healthy * Stay safe * Enjoy and achieve * Make a positive contribution * Achieve economic well-being These outcomes should underpin all practice of a childminder. Childcare Act (2006) This Act introduced the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum into England and Wales, and place a statutory duty on the local authority to work towards ensuring the five outcomes set out in the Children Act (2004) are being met. Other relevant legislation of importance is: Equality Act (2010) The intention of this Act is to combine the fragmented discrimination legislation, bringing together the Sex Discrimination Act (1975), Race Relations Act (1976), and DDA (1995). Promotion of equal opportunities in all settings is essential, and relevant policies and procedures should be developed, monitored and assessed. Education Act (1997) This Act incorporates all previous Acts since 1944. It recognise the rights of parents regarding their children’s education and set a time frame on the legal process for identifying and assessing a child’s needs as set out in the Code of Practice. Public Health (Control of Disease) Act (1984), RIDDOR (1995) and Health Protection Agency Act (2004) All these legislations are focused on protecting people’s health, covering notification and exclusion periods for certain infectious diseases and reporting of certain accidents and incidents. OFSTED is the regulating body for England & Wales. Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. They report directly to Parliament and are independent and impartial. They inspect and regulate services which care for children and young people, and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages. Their aim is to promote improvement and value for money in the childcare services they inspect and regulate, so that all children and young people, parents and carers, adult learners and employers benefit. OFSTEDs job is to check places where children and young peopleare looked after the people who look after children and young people schools and colleges adult learning and training how teachers are trained

Saturday, September 14, 2019

A Room of One’s Own: the Context of Women’s Existence in Society Essay

Even though the texts were composed in different times and different literary forms, both composers sought to criticise the way that their context operated. In Virginia Woolf’s ‘A Room of One’s Own’ (1928) and Edward Albee’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’(1962), both composer’s purpose is to bring both men and women into a clearer understanding of the ways in which women have been held back in western society and the role that illusions about gender roles have played in social interactions. We learn through comparing both texts that in order to obtain truth, both genders’ perspectives must be taken into account Woolf, a constitutional suffragette, empowers women writers by first exploring the nature of women in fiction, and then by incorporating ideas of the androgynous mind and individuality as it exists in a women’s experience as a writer. †they had been written in the red light of emotion and not in the white light of truth† Woolf writes in a way which we call stream of consciousness style to write this inclusive and conciliatory lecture. Her language and style is witty, and non-confrontational and makes her points in a meandering way. She does this to charm her audience into agreeing with her through her graceful style as a writer. Albee, contrastingly, uses a confrontational and visceral stage play to make his point about the destructiveness that results from trying to conform to expected gender roles. His language, characterisation, rhythm and tension are aggressive and shocking. He makes use of elements of Absurdism in order to comment upon the illogical and often bewildering nature of trying to negotiate gender relationships within his time. The American Dream was the illusion in his play, where the characters try to hide behind the illusions and felt that this would help them feel joy in attaining this AD. Albee’s purpose was to look behind the ‘Perfections’ of the AD â€Å"All imbalances will be sifted out†¦ Everyone will tend to be rather the same† and show the way it was destru ctive as a model for relationships because it denies equality for men and women, which is what Virginia Woolf is searching for. In both texts there is a struggle for women to maintain their identity in a patriarchal society. Woolf presents the challenging idea that women could be as effective as men as writers of fiction if they were given the same means and tools to be able to compose, â€Å"A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.† This idea challenges the gender relationships established in her Victorian and early modernist context. In ‘Room’, Woolf blames the patriarchal society for oppressing women and subjugating individual’s identities, â€Å"and that, as you will see, leaves the great problem of the true nature of women. . .and fiction unresolved†. She feels that the freedom of women to write is restrained by the expectations men have of what a woman should be. In other words, being a wife and the daily, culturally defined expectations of a female made it difficult for creativity and in particular the writing of fiction to be expressed in the Victorian era. Furthermore, Woolf states that even if a woman in such circumstances manages to write, using Charlotte Bronte as the example, â€Å"she will write in a rage where she should write calmly â€Å". Woolf shows here, using juxtaposition that a women writing out of frustration with the repression of her everyday life, will be an ineffective writer as she will write without an androgynous perspective. Woolf’s message, it seems, is that women must strive against the resistance of the patriarchal culture and attain some degree of independence and freedom from the restraints placed upon them by gender stereotypes. Similarly, Albee’s context, during the Cold war, has affected the way he has written ‘Who’s Afraid’ with the adjustment in tempo and style. This play shows the way that relationships, such as marriages, have become a battlefield in his post ww2 context, because of the tensions in gender relationships in the conservative era of America in the 1950s, where the AD outlined perceived ways that women and men should relate to one another. Martha is the older and the more dominant character between the two women in the text and is a model of women who have the money and ‘a room of their own.’ She has gained a measure of the independence that Woolf sought for women in her lecture. She is not ruled by her husband, George, their marriage is in fact quite the opposite. Martha does not live up to the societal expectations for a woman in her time as she is a bold and rebellious figure, using crass and unfeminine language, and telling anecdotes from hers and George’s personal life. This includes the story of her schoolgirl marriage to a man who ‘mowed the lawn†¦sitting up there, all naked,..theorietically you can’t get an annulment if there’s entrance.’ Contrastingly, Honey represents the vulnerable and withheld typical 1950s housewife, someone who does not have the voice and independence that Woolf hoped for. Her name symbolises to the responder that she isn’t an independent woman, she is reliant on the way that she is viewed by men, as sweet and gentle. This vulnerability and reliance shown in the anaphora, â€Å"I’ve never been so frightened in my life! Never!†. This play is a battlefield because women in both relationships are thwarted and oppressed, therefore Virigina Woolf’s hopes for independent, self-motivated women are not achieved in the female characters represented by Albee. The male characters in Albee’s play also show the illusory nature of the American Dream and the way that gender roles in the Cold War period were increasingly complex for members of both sexes. George’s character swings through moments of rage, frustration and cynicism as he watches his wife behave in a way that reflects badly upon him as a husband within his context. He alternately belittles lectures and reacts sarcastically to the woman that, at some points, the responder can see he still cares for. Nick, on the other hand, represents the ‘future’ – a biologist who lacks the empathy and emotion that George displays. Nick’s patronising treatment of Honey shows that he does not feel any respect or equality with her, and that he is consciously afraid that she has tricked him into a loveless and uneven marriage.

Hawaiian weddings Essay

For many the nuclear family has always been viewed as the proper way to bring up children and to live life. However, the subject of families is much deeper than many think. But is the family beneficial to society? Different groups have different views on how beneficial the family is to society. Functionalists, who traditionally dominated the sociology of the family, feel that the family is necessary for the running and continuation of an integrated society. It is ssumed by functionalists that if there is the existence of a social institution, then it must have a purpose or a function. Functionalists therefore see the family as beneficial for society. beneficial for society. Families are crucially important to society without doubt. Most British people are born into families and then raised by a family. Most of these very same people grow up to form families of their own and take the responsibility of being a parent. Many people see the family as the normal way of life and watch television programs which revolve around family life. For many the nuclear family has always been viewed as the proper way to bring up children and to live life. However, the subject of families is much deeper than many think. But is the family beneficial to society? assumed by tunctionalists tn t it there is the existence ot a social institution, then it British people are born into tamilies and then raised by a tamily. Most ot these very

Friday, September 13, 2019

Week 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Week 5 - Assignment Example Next, evaluate which changes will lead to direct improvement and which among those changes could be chosen for implementation. Once this is established the cycle that will henceforth surround the improvement procedure will be; act, do, plan, and study. These steps define the earlier identified baselines. Team formation requires inclusion of the people vital to realize the improvement though they may vary in size or composition built for specific needs. Setting aims must be time specific and relevant to the desired improvement which in this case is my semester projects. The measures established will be quantitative determining defining whether a certain change will lead to improvement. Change selection is born from the insights of creative thinking of the involved persons in the project. One can also borrow from experience of those who have succeeded prior to this. These changes will be tested by the cycle identified to study their viability using the four steps; act, do, plan and study cycle. From here, I will be in a position to learn from each test whilst refining the changes as the team assists in broader scale implementation. Once is successfully implement all this in my semester project, I will be in a better position to polish all the entities that define success to the

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Not for Profit and For Profit Companies Under the same Leadership (why Essay

Not for Profit and For Profit Companies Under the same Leadership (why it can happen) - Essay Example The authors’ results indicate that the risk propensity of entrepreneurs/not-for-profits companies are greater than that of managers. However, both are successful. Moreover, there are larger differences between entrepreneurs/not-for-profits companies whose primary goal is venture growth versus those whose focus is on producing family income. Results also underscore the importance of precise construct definitions and rigorous measurement. The research question of the journal was clearly defined. MacMillan, Siegal, and Narshimha (1994) examined the methods that venture capitalist use to assess the senior managers of new ventures prior to making an investment decision. The lack of theory and empirical research in this area has led scholars to call for studies which examine the process of management team assessment in venture capital due diligence, as cited by Siegel, Siegel and MacMillan, 1993. This research article assessed that more research is needed on this subject matter, how ever the research question of the journal article was clearly defined: there is a correlation between entrepreneurship behaviors and success. . ... The articles offer insight into the complex balancing act that thriving entrepreneurism must execute to generate support form distinct stakeholder markets. The value this research provides is insight on thriving entrepreneurs/not-for-profits companies and financial success. The correlation between successful entrepreneurs/not-for- profits companies depicts the behavior pattern of the individuals’ capacity to build relationships with private investors, foundations, venture capitalist or Angels instead of with the stakeholder’s monies. In turn, the literature suggests that a thriving entrepreneur’s financial success is in how they treat the people who fund their cause. This reflects a dominant logic of causation; taking a particular effect as giving and focusing on selection between means to cause this effect (Sarasvathy, 2001). The network theory, which is a social network approach, views organizations in society as a system of objects joined by a variety of relat ions. The goal of this empirical research analysis is to show that the behavior trait of being a builder of relationships is the cause of a thriving entrepreneur’s financial success. This example is seen through the transition towards defining strategy as a perspective rather than a position, meaning that strategy is seen in wide terms, as the â€Å"theory of the business† (Drucker, 1994). However, the element of entrepreneurial leadership is not clearly present in the empirical evidence. Entrepreneurial leadership is defined by Coven and Slevin (1991) as consisting of the following: the nourishment of an entrepreneurial capability, protection of innovations that threaten

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Why the Saudi Government has implemented banning exports of cement and Article

Why the Saudi Government has implemented banning exports of cement and explain the answer in terms of monopoly strategy - Article Example This ban in led to a 58 percent slump in the cement index and reduced profits for most cement producing companies. The decision by the Saudi government to stop and ban the exportation of cement was prompted by the soaring domestic prices of building and construction materials. In the subsequent discussion, we will attempt to identify and explain the cause(s) of such a shortage, and factor(s) leading to the imposition of the ban. In addition, we will assess the reasons for its partial uplift and subsequent reinstatement, how the government’s actions translate to monopolistic behavior. Finally, we will analyze the impact, and effectiveness of the monopolistic strategy on the economy and in particular in relation to the country’s projected economic growth. Despite being the highest producer of cement among GCC countries, Saudi Arabia has recently been experiencing cement shortages. This is because the manufacturing companies export most of their products to international market to fetch higher prices. The exportation of cements has grown steadily between 2004 and 2007. In 2006, the cement export volume was quoted as 2.26 million tones. Total production over the same period was estimated at 33.1 million tones against a local consumption level of 31.2 million tones. This translates to a shortage of approximately 0.36 million tones locally. These statistics show the total production of cement in Saudi Arabia was 33.1 million tons in 2006. However, the total consumption of cement in the same year was about 31.2 million tones (El-Quqa, Hasa, Desai, Rout & Gupta 2007, p. 9). Comparing the above statistics, it is evident that there has been a shortage of cement in the local market. Since this trend has continued, the government responded by banning exports of cement to alleviate the shortage in the local market. In 2009, the ban was partially lifted following an upsurge in demand in the Middle Eastern countries.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Germany 1866-1945 by Gordon A. Craig Book Analysis Essay

Germany 1866-1945 by Gordon A. Craig Book Analysis - Essay Example One of main obstacles that stood against the Nazi agenda was the conservative-militaristic order that prevailed during the Wilhelmine era. So Hitler was hell bent on destroying this institutional resistance. Adopting means that were not entirely ethical Hitler was able to wrest power in 1933. The six years that followed was devoted to elaborate social engineering whereby, Hitler’s policies moulded Germany into a perpetual war-ready state. This aggressive military posturing was not lost on major neighbouring powers. It was only a matter of time for the inevitable expansion to commence, and it promptly did with the invasion of Poland in September 1939. The unfolding of the Second World Wars saw the worst human casualties in human history. The most painful episode is that of the Holocaust, where 6 million innocent Jews were systematically exterminated as part of the Nazi party’s Final Solution program. Gordon Craig handles the subject with sensitivity and factual accuracy. Gordon Craig presents in detail the portraits of two major political leaders of the period. The fist is Otto van Bismarck and the second is Adolf Hitler. He describes the former as a ‘great star’, duly acknowledging the tremendous impact his personality had on German nationalism. But Craig is not shy of highlighting the failings of this great character as well. For example, he notes how the stubborn trait in the Iron Chancellor held back Republican values in the polity.

Monday, September 9, 2019

Assignment1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Assignment1 - Essay Example The political opinion of different aeronautical projects is presented in depth under this section. The website has fact sheets, which reveal the company’s mission, facilities, resources, and projects. The fact sheets belong to different centers of the NASA Company (Sorby and Bulleit 56). The content of each fact sheet depends on its relevance to the specific centers in which it is placed. For example, there are documents depicting different aeronautics fact sheets and Dryden Flight Research Center. Each of the 11 centers has fact sheets, which describe its activities and projects. Moreover, the website has press kits, which contain different sets of packaged promotional materials used by the company. Administrators’ speeches are also featured in this section. Finally, the website features its budgetary plans and the reports of its achievements. Evidently, the writing style of the documents depends on the target audience as well as the subject. Documents that focus on activities and projects are written in accordance with scholarly regulations that define writing in engineering. On the other hand, documents that target the public are written in plain language to enhance understanding. Illustrations are used in some of the documents in an effort to enhance the content covered (76). Notably, the purpose of adopting a technical communication style in the documents available in the NASA website is to ensure that scientific concepts are conveyed to the public effectively. Specialists in engineering may also benefit from the technical communication from the company. Since I have learned several tips on technical communication, I can make efforts of writing documents that meet the exhibited standard. However, there is a need for further training and experiential learning before I can gain the expertise required to write such

Sunday, September 8, 2019

The Financial Cooperation of Seoul-Beijing-Tokyo Triangle after 2008 Essay

The Financial Cooperation of Seoul-Beijing-Tokyo Triangle after 2008 Financial Crisis - Essay Example Prompted by a domino effect, the crisis eventually led to damaging consequences for the labor market and initiated a subsequent disintegration of the banking system. This severe decline in economic progress was experienced on a global scale and spanned across North America to Asia. According to Plummer, the premise of regional cooperation amongst Asian economies as a result of the global financial crisis is primarily associated with the factor of competitiveness in order to enhance the opportunity to achieve integration within the global economy and combat the effect of external forces (32). The assessment of this concept entails examining how each of the economic motivators for increasing cooperation has been impacted by the global financial crisis and how the extent of this regional cooperation can be promoted owing to the influence of external factors and the changing economic scenario. Movements and frameworks to advance the potential of regional financial cooperation amongst Asian nations namely Japan, China and Korea have been characterized by the emergence of specific challenges which must be resolved in order to attain the desired objectives of trilateral economic agreements. However, Madhur asserts that launching any potential financial and economic cooperation agreement between these Asian economies has traditionally posed several challenges and hurdles which have even led certain bilateral agreements and FTAs including the CJK FTA in failing to materialize successfully (377). The key difficulty in advancing the scope of financial cooperation between the three nations is linked with the inherent concept of preferential trade agreements and the criticism which is raised by trade analysts regarding such type of agreements. As noted by Madhur, a comparison of PTAs with the value and worth of potential multilateral free trade suggests that the former does not ho ld the several benefits

Saturday, September 7, 2019

17- Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

17- - Coursework Example To explain the former, this decision gives House the hope to prove his innocence in the lights of the new evidance, that is if he is innocent in the first place. Unlike as in an appeal, in habeas corpus federal court, DNA samples can be produced in this case as a new evidence which can greatly influence the decision of the Judges if the evidence goes in Houses’ favor. Now to see the effect of this decision on the society as a whole, a common citizen would have more confidence in the Judicial System and would know that he has a great chance of proving his innocence if convicted wrongly. The Judicial System over the years has been adversely affected by the cold war between the conservative and liberal governments. This trend has not allowed consistency to prevail in the Judicial System. This new decision gives a hope that the judgments made by the judiciary would neither be conservative nor liberal, but rather would be just. This decision by Justice Kennedy would be referred to by legal experts while solving cases of such nature. To those convicted wrongly, this decision would appear to them as a ray of light leading to a free life. Whether House makes his way out or not because of this decision, it certainly would give convicted people a chance to prove their innocence presenting new evidences in the future. In my personal view, the less-conservative decision made by the conservative judge is the right one, as it might not be possible in certain cases to gather and produce all or the vital evidence during the trial period. Giving the convicted a second chance for producing new evidence and arguing his way out constitutionally, cannot be termed a lenient decision on part of the convicted, but rather a fair one. Though this would lead to additional burden on the courts, but it would ensure that justice is served. Provisions have been made in the law to give a

Friday, September 6, 2019

North Korea Essay Example for Free

North Korea Essay Institutions and businesses require legal documents to describe the securities they offer to both the participants and buyers. This legal document is referred to as a prospectus which normally contains promotional and informational materials. This means that the prospectus is a formal legal document that gives the details of cooperation and may also include the facts about a company which are vital to the perceived investors. In this paper we will focus on the development of a prospect us in North Korea. We will first focus on the promotional and informational materials relevant to the investors, traders, foreign government’s tourists and the general public. We will then highlight the country’s (North Korea) assets, attractions, and economy trends. Investors North Korea encourages international foreign direct investment. This is done through the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). The DPRK encourages export and manufacturing which is controlled by state organized companies. These state organized trading companies are actually responsible for the distribution of goods onto the local market. Food and fuel are most vital need the country requires. At present, the country is still suffering due to food shortages. This implies that one can bring in back up generators and fuel since all imports of fuel, food or materials should be kept operational and they are also duty free(Flake Snyder 36). Investors should also note that there are no minimum levels of investment required. This means that negotiation, agreement of a feasibility report and provision with a committee which is a branch of the Ministry of Foreign. Trade is what one requires to accomplish. It has also been discovered that most of the foreign investors tend to process operations, handle imported materials and even add value then re-export the goods with some domestic sales through the trading companies. This is because they are capitalizing on the lower labour costs, proper dedication to the work as well as the low tax situation. Traders The trading pattern of North Korea reflects the nature of its local economy. The country is well known for the availability of raw materials namely iron ore, non ferrous metals as well as minerals. However, North Korea suffers from inadequate capital stock, crude oil and sophisticated technology. Most businesses in DPRK are controlled by the government. This is done through state trading companies and businesses of by Armed Forces since they are usually having a marked business interest hence involved in almost everything. The outside companies do develop project which can bring revenue (Cornell 64). These projects may include running hotels, restaurants and even bars. When people travel to big cities, they will stay in these foreign hotels or restaurants and pay very high prices. Therefore, foreign companies can bring luxury goods for instance liquor, cosmetics and other items such as American goods for use in the stores. Although we have put a stress on the goods having an impact on the visitors, they are also utilized by the local population and the number may increase in future. Traders should also realize that a private business such as fruit seller and other intra village trade is usually overlooked. If these small businesses are properly tapped and nurtured, they are likely to develop to the real businesses. As traders, we need at this point to ask ourselves what the North Koreans need? Clearly, on a large scale, everything is needed but only lots of micro opportunities are needed on small scale. For instance, second hand Japanese and America automobiles form China have been imported. Again, we note that consumer goods in small packs such as chocolates, cookies peanuts and even almonds are needed. This demand may increase in future due to the expected political change. Industries North Korea’s priories the development of agricultural and light industries. This policy is made possible by the fact that the preferential allocation of the investment funds by the state to the heavy industry. A substancial economy entirely depends on the quantity of the extraction of its main mineral resources. These mineral resources are mainly used as fuels, raw materials in the industry, metal processing and export (Hughes 74). North Korea wholly depends on coal as its main energy source since it lacks reserves of oil or gas. However, the production of coal has not been able to adequately rising demands and hence the persistent shortage of energy in the country. Tourist Attraction North Korea has much to offer tourists. These include the beautiful nature of the Miohang Mountains; Museums of Pyongyang, parks and monuments; the socialist society that preserves its own way of living the old heritage as well as the traditional of Korean culture. It is therefore important to realize the excellent tourist opportunities available in this rapidly developing country. The beautiful monuments such as palace of culture, national ark (which encloses the Diamond Mountains) and the ancient buildings form good scenery that attracts tourists. However, it is worth nothing that the main demerit in the tourist industry is the difficult in gaining entry to North Korea which is a closed country. Turning on the climate, it is established that North Korea has a moderate climate with four distinct seasons. These include the hotter summer season which also comprises of the monsoon season which runs form July to August; although quite sever in the northern parts of the country, the winter is generally chilly. The autumn and spring are usually considered as the best time to visit since the weather is dry and mild. The outstanding site of the country lies on the border with China which displays an enormous extinct volcano. This unique beautiful natural landmark is taken to be a sacred site to both North Koreans and South Koreans. This is because they believe that this site was where the son of the Lord of Heaven descended and established the first Korean Kingdom. Local traveling (inside North Korea) is strictly controlled by the government. Although some domestic flights are scheduled, they are only provided to foreigners. Again, trains do serve the major tourist destination but tickets are usually arranged through a tour operator since the timetables are not usually published. Buses are rare in the county and therefore the only way a tourist will get around to see the various sceneries is by oar. This implies that the tourist(s) will have to be in the accompaniment of an official driver and a guide. It is only unfortunate that one may not choose his or her accommodation while in North Korea. This means that the foreigner must stay in the specified tourist hotel since this is a strict rule of the country. The hotels are of reasonable standards although they come in four types; deluxe, first class, second and third classes. The tour operators usually organize accommodation for the tourists and therefore the visitors are not given a choice. In North Korea (even in Pyongyang) the healthcare standards are markedly lower than West Europe. This implies that all invasive procedures need to be prevented and especially ones travel insurance should be sufficient to cover any costs. For instance cholera is a risk in the country and therefore vaccination prior to travel is a must. Polio and Typhoid vaccinations should be considered. Again, it is vital to consider all water as a possible health risk and this means only bottled water is recommended for both washing and consumption. Tap water should only be used if it is boiled or properly sterilized. All dirty products should be avoided and if one has to eat meat then it should be thoroughly cooked. This will ensure that as a tourist, one stay healthy in North Korea. Infrastructure The domestic network of rail roads in North Korea operates on the axes of the Kaesung – Sariwon – Pyongyang – Shinuiju line along the West coast, the wonisan – Haungnam – Chongi in –Rajin line along the east coast, and the Pyongyang – Wonsan line linking the east and west. North Korea has also six lines linking with China and a line with Russia and this forms the international network of railroads. Currently, only four lines are in operation. These include the Shinuifu – Tandong (China) line, the Tumen River – Hassan (Russia) line, the Namyang – Tumen (China) line and the Manpo – jian (china). In North Korea, roads do play a secondary role in joining major harbors and railroads stations or even by places. However, roads also serve as major means of transportation where there marine and railroad transport is unavailable. Transportation of bulk cargo between regions faces a lot of difficult due to the mountainous terrain as well as the country’s industrial structure. This has been made more difficult due to the government’s transportation. This is because the government wants to control the people’s free movements as well as the use of oil. Also, trunk roads have been well constructed along the railroads. Economy Korea had once has timber resources. In the North conservation and reforestation programs assisted in the curbing of the impact of excessive cutting that was evident during the Japanese occupation. As mentioned earlier, North Korea has a great mineral wealth, which includes gold, iron ore, coal tungsten and graphite modern mining methods has therefore been instituted in the country. The minerals and metals therefore account for a substancial portion of the country’s export revenue. North Korea is specifically rich in iron and coal and other minerals such as copper, lead, zinc uranium, manganese, Gold and Silver which are of high economic value. The country comprises of the mountainous and rocky terrain which makes the Koreans land arable. This means that rice is the chief crop. We note that before dividing Korea, the colder and less fertile north primarily depended upon the South for food. This meant that Agricultural self – sufficient became the key focus of North Korean government and mechanized methods has to be introduced. However, North Korea has still suffered severe good shortages. In North Korea, livestock plays a minor role in agriculture because of the unsuitable for large-scale grazing. North Korea has drastically changed from a mainly agricultural society to an industrial one due to the availability of mineral resources as well as hydropower. This implies that majority of the national products is currently derived form mining and manufacturing. However, development in the North Korea has been impeded by the rigid economic system as well as the loss of trading partners after the collapse of the communist world. The government has again instituted a chain of economic reforms which are aimed at reviving the economy. As stated earlier, the major North Korea products include iron, steel, machinery, military products; textiles (synthetics, wool, cotton silk); and even chemicals. Industrialization of North Korea has been accompanied by improved infrastructure. We note that by the end of the Korean War, the railroad and paved highways were almost non-existent. The railroads have therefore been extensively reconstructed to pave way for industrialization. The Military economy in North Korea gives an unusually large share of national output. This means that the planners or designers have primarily focused on the heavy industry. North Korea is therefore a substantially urban economy therefore a giant portion of its total output comes form the cities. The urban assets in North Korea are therefore accepted to form the key component of DPRK national wealth. When importing raw materials and then processing them to produce products such as shoes or even soap, one should be aware of the process through which the products will be supplied to North Korea. This implies that a proper supply process should be known. If for instance, North Korea wishes to provide with less processed raw and intermediate materials, then such provisions should be available. This means that technical cooperation is very vital and this should be known by investors, traders, foreign governments, tourists, and even the general public. Again, to utilize the supplied materials adequately, production abilities plus technical levels need to be enhanced. The economic collapse in North Korea has led to the biggest crisis ever since the country was founded. However, North Korea authorities have held strong claims that natural disasters are responsible for the deteriorated economy. The rapid decline in foreign aid might have even worsened the economic development (An 95). This means that all of the sectors no longer function properly. Shortages of foreign exchange food, energy, daily necessities and raw materials seem to be a permanent problem in North Korea. A detailed analysis of the economic and living conditions in North Korea points out that most of citizens currently depend on the farmers’ markets and any other market transactions for basic needs. This may be one of the reasons as to why the authorities in North Korea have been unable to execute a detailed economic planning and hence weakening the country’s socialist planning system (Scalapino Lee 20). This economic difficulty in the country automatically limits its policy options. This point out that North Korea needs foreign assistance to remedy its current economic difficulties. The North Korea government has therefore recognized that it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain its policy of self-reliance and thus changed towards foreign investment. However, prospect for the North Korean economy seem to remain clouded by much uncertainty. The future prospects of the North Korean economy may be shaped through South Korean policy towards North Korea, the North’s intention to open and reform its ailing economy and the response of the United State and Japan. North Korea is currently showing an increasing tendency to embrace diplomatic relations with non –socialist countries a move some consider to be due to its need for foreign assistance. Promotion of foreign investment into its domestic market and an increase in North Korea’s exports could also boost the falling level of the foreign reserves. This implies that North Korea continues to become dependent on foreign assistance and trade (Lee Yoo 73). North Korea’s economic activities have remained under state control. This means collective agriculture and state –owned companied account for the majority of all economic activities. Apart from the political changes in China and Russia which adversely affected much of the financial support form these countries, floods and famine also led to serious disruption of the industrial structure (Suh Lee 33). North Korea’s coastline has a mixture of warm and cold ocean currents. It also has many rivers, lakes and streams hence the development of fisheries. Therefore, the major fishing grounds are in the coastal areas. Most large-scale storage and canning facilities are also located on the east coast. Smaller fishery cooperatives are also located along both coasts in traditional fishing centers besides the fisheries station. These aquaculture and fresh water fishing entirely takes place on regular cooperative farms. Modernization of fishing industry is necessary for North Korea to expand marine products. The government has therefore called for introduction of modern fishing implements and rationalizing the fishery labor system. This will also involve the expansion and modernization of the cold – storage and processing facilities in order to facilitate faster processing of catches. However, the slow progress in state investment and shortage of oil are the limiting factors in the marine output.