Management Across Cultures free essay sample

What are some current issues facing Poland? What is the climate for doing business in Poland today? According to the Poland segment coined â€Å"In the International Spotlight†, Poland has been seeking economic liberation for an extensive number of years which could be a hindrance because they are considered a country with a transitioning economy. Government and legislation have held Poland back and thus are some of the current issues facing Poland. Poland is a positive climate however, for Poland is very attractive to MNCs. With Poland being centralized amongst the other European countries, MNCs have greater access to competitive nearby markets. In addition, productivity will need to increase in order for Poland to truly compete with Western European nations. Question #2: Is the Canadian manufacturing firm using an economic, political or quality imperative approach to strategy? I would say that the Canadian manufacturing firm is utilizing an economic strategy. They are making an attempt to take advantage of the economic situation in Poland via renovation at a plant near Warsaw so as to build power tools. We will write a custom essay sample on Management Across Cultures or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Question #3: How should the firm carry out the environmental scanning process? Would the process be of any practical value? All businesses are affected by external factors and therefore monitoring must be done in an effort to maintain heightened awareness of these factors; environmental scanning is a process where various relevant data is collected in order to make business decisions – these two go hand in hand. When entering a new market, like the Canadian firm plans to do in Poland, environmental scanning is essential and can contain practical value. They need to be focused on the external factors in addition to economic growth, income levels and/or employment rates as it relates to their market. Environmental scanning assists in making decisions related to expansion, innovation, and entering or leaving a market. Question #4: What are two key factors for success that will be important if this project is to be successful? The two key factors include the use of small power tools and the competitive nature of the industry. Poland needs to be able to be competitive and increase productivity. It is to the advantage of the Canadian firm that there is little to no competition since there is very low demand for power tools in the area. Hofstede  Dimension: Information I read in our textbook revealed that Poland is a hierarchical society where everyone seems to have a place in the order whereas in the United States hierarchy is established for convenience. The difference between the two in reference to the power distance revolves around the US being subordinate and recognizing their place in the hierarchy of Poland. Both Poland and the United States are defined as individualistic societies, but the Unites States exhibits a much stronger individualistic culture over Poland but because of the need for a hierarchy, a manager or business partner from the United States may have to utilize a second method of communication via a personal contact with everyone in the structure so as not to offend and stress the equality amongst the organization. Another factor to consider is the uncertainty of Poland per the Hofstede score. Poland seems to have very specific rules whereas the Unites States are a little more lax; therefore the need to follow the Poland based rules is essential to a successful business relationship.

Medical Marijuana Essay Essays

Medical Marijuana Essay Essays Medical Marijuana Essay Essay Medical Marijuana Essay Essay Introduction: â€Å"Cannabis isn’t for everybody. but patients are entitled to pick and take their ain medical specialty. † Michelle Rainey ( VanMusic. 2010. Pg. 1 )Thesis: The prescription drug companies dispense medical specialties that are harmful and that is what I am here to alter your heads about today. This will research what Medical Marijuana can be used for. the prevarications you’ve been told about Marijuana and how corrupt the Pharmaceutical drug companies are. Body: I. Why is Marijuana medical specialty? 1 ) What THC does in our organic structures ( Wikipedia Cannabinoid Receptor. n. d. . Pg. 1 ) * Cannabinoid receptors are activated by 3 major groups of: Ligands. Endocannabinoids ( found in the mammalian organic structure ) and Plant Cannabinoids ( found in THC in workss ) . 2 ) What can Marijuana handle? ( Wikipedia Medical Cannabis. n. d. . Pg. 3 ) * Crones Disease. Glaucoma. Anorexia Nervosa. Huntington’s Disease. Arthritis. Epilepsy. Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Distoria. A. I. D. S. . H. I. V. . Menstrual Cramps. Digestive Diseases. Cancer. Alzheimer’s Disease. Appetite Stimulant. Anxiety. P. M. S. . Pruritus. Leukemia. Methicillin- Resistant Disease. Tourette Syndrome. Multiple Syntosis. Multiple Sclerosis. Bi- Polar Disorder. Tics. Insomnia. Psoriasis. Fibromyalgia. Migraines. Hepatitis C. Painkiller. Parkinson’s Disease. Depression. Asthma. Nausea. 3 ) How do you devour it?* Vaporizers* Bongs* Joints* Pipes* Drinking fountains* FoodII. The prevarications around Marijuana usage.4 ) The Gateway Theory ( Harvey B. -The Union. 2007. Documentary )* Harry Anslinger’s â€Å"Stepping Stone Theory†* â€Å"If you step on this rock Marijuana. so you are bound and determined to travel onto the following rock. which would be one of the so called difficult drugs. † * For every 104 Marijuana users. 1 utilizations Cocaine and less than 1 usage Heroin. 5 ) Marijuana Kills Brain Cells ( Harvey B. -The Union. 2007. Documentary ) * The 1947 Dr. Heath/ Tulane Study* Monkeys were administered 30 Columbian strength Marijuana cigarettes mundane for 1 twelvemonth. Brain harm was determined by numbering the encephalon cells of the monkeys that were given the Marijuana and 1s that has non. 6 ) Marijuana will kill you ( Harvey B. -The Union. 2007. Documentary ) * There has neer been one recorded decease that was straight attributed to Marijuana usage. III. How Corrupt is the Pharmaceutical Companies? 7 ) Marinol ( DEAsucks. com. n. d. Pg. 1 ) ( Morrow A. . 2009. Pg. 1 )* THC that has been synthetically reproduced as a prescription drug.* Nauseated or purging people can non get down pills.* Less dose control/ Longer to let go of into system.* Costs $ 600- $ 1000 US per month. 8 ) Pharmaceutical Domination ( Goldacre B. . 2007. Pg. 1 ) ( Mercola. 2010. Pg. 1 ) * In the UK the pharmaceutical trade is the 3rd most profitable activity after finance. * In 2002. 10 US companies on the Fortune 500 list had combined international gross revenues of $ 217 Billion. * GlaxoSmithKline sued the South African authorities for seeking to provide A. I. D. S. victims with low-cost medical specialties. * Johnson A ; Johnson late pleaded guilty to illicitly advancing it’s epilepsy drug Topamax for psychiatric intents. Decision: Now that you know the truth about how corrupt the pharmaceutical companies are. the prevarications you’ve been told about Marijuana and how it can be used medically. Following clip you have an aching or hurting consider smoking a joint before heading out to see the physician. MentionsDEAsucks. com. ( n. d. ) . DEAsucks. com - Medical Marijuana – Myths V Facts.DEAsucks. com - The Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) sucks! . Retrieved March 7. 2012. from hypertext transfer protocol: //deasucks. com/essays/marimyths. htm Mercola. ( 2010. November 18 ) . The Top 6 Drug Companies – Thugs of the Medical World. Natural Health Articles – Latest and Current Health News and Information by Dr. Mercola. Retrieved March 5. 2012. from hypertext transfer protocol: //articles. mercola. com/sites/articles/archive/2010/11/18/drug-companies-are-ranked-in-the-top-100-corporate-criminals-of-the-1990s. aspx Goldacre. B. ( 2007. August 4 ) . Evil ways of the drug companies | Science | The Guardian. Latest US intelligence. universe intelligence. athletics and remark from the Guardian | guardiannews. com | The Guardian. Retrieved March 5. 2012. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. defender. co. uk/science/2007/aug/04/sciencenews Morrow. A. ( 2009. A pril 6 ) . Marinol V Marijuana – Marijuana and Marinol. About Palliative Care – Hospice and Palliative Care. Retrieved March 7. 2012. from hypertext transfer protocol: //dying. about. com/od/symptommanagement/f/marinol_vs_MJ. htm Harvey. B. ( Director ) . ( 2007 ) . The Union – The Business Behind Getting High [ Documentary ] . Canada: Eagle Entertainment. VanMusic. ( 2010. October 21 ) . Pot Activist Dies After A Brave Battle With Cancer. VanMusic. Retrieved March 7. 2012. from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. vanmusic. ca/news/michelle-rainey-dies-of-cancer Wikipedia. ( n. d. ) . Medical hemp – Wikipedia. the free encyclopaedia. Wikipedia. the free encyclopaedia. Retrieved March 7. 2012. from hypertext transfer protocol: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Medical_cannabis Wikipedia. ( n. d. ) . Cannabinoid receptor – Wikipedia. the free encyclopaedia. Wikipedia. the free encyclopaedia. Retrieved March 7. 2012. from hypertext transfer protocol: //en. wi kipedia. org/wiki/Cannabinoid_receptor

Identifying Success Factors Implementing ERP in Small Organisations Dissertation

Identifying Success Factors Implementing ERP in Small Organisations - Dissertation Example Center of discussion in this paper are Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. They are computer software packages that enable companies to manage all of their operations, such as sales, manufacturing, inventory, accounting, etc. using a single platform. ERP systems officially arrived in the early 1990s, though they evolved over the previous few decades as the separate programs of each functional area began to be integrated into one program. The intent of a single integrated software package was to reduce the direct costs associated with multiple packages (re-entering, reformatting, and reconciling redundant data) while aiding the communication between the functional areas of a business, such as sales and production. The market for ERP systems continues to grow faster than any other software market with significant number of companies worldwide have already implemented an ERP system. The vast scope of an ERP system magnifies the typical "risk-reward" relationship of any business initiative. Davenport described ERP systems as profoundly complex pieces of software that require large investments of money, time and expertise. Correspondingly, he stated that although implementing an ERP system could deliver great rewards for a company, implementation failure could be fatal. In fact, many well- known companies experienced significant challenges implementing their ERP systems. This led researchers to provide insight into what organisations could do to increase their chances of implementation success, resulting in the identification of ERP system implementation Critical Success Factors (CSFs) (Al-Fawaz, Al-Salti, & Eldabi, 2008). Various authors have developed lists of CSF's (Al-Fawaz et al., 2008, AI-Mashari et al., 2003, Stratman and Roth, 2002, Umble et al., 2003). These factors are not specific to any particular ERP software program as they are based on the organisational aspects of the implementation rather than the technical functionality of the program. Exam ples of such factors include strategic visioning/planning, management support, project management, and training. Proficiently addressing these CSFs should increase the chances of a successful implementation (Ehie, 2005; Thomas & Huq, 2007). However, with so many factors involved in an ERP system implementation project, there can be no guarantee of implementation success. ERP systems, like many other technological advances, were initially implemented only at large organisations. Over the years, software vendors began to provide ERP systems specifically targeted for midsize market price tolerance and functionality requirements, leading more and more small organisations to implement ERP systems. Small organisations have been shown to posses significantly different characteristics when compared to large organisations (McAdam, 2002, Ghobadian and Gallear, 1996, Lee and Oakes, 1995). Their organisational structures and culture are relatively informal, their leadership is intimately involv ed in daily operations and typically lack long-term strategic planning. Furthermore, they have limited human and financial resources, and often lack a dedicated full-time Information Technology (IT) person. All of these factors combine into a significantly different organisational environment for an ERP system implementation when compared to large organisations. The existing research on ERP CSFs is heavily based on experiences at large organisations. This is understandable, considering that only a few small organisations had previously implemented ERP systems, which limited the ability to conduct research that is small organisation specific. Thus, more research is needed to identify the CSFs of ERP implementations at small organisations and how they compare to the established list of CSFs that is based on large organisatio

International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

International Management - Essay Example Living for long in the same geography they share vast similarities. The challenges that this kind of complex countries present are both relevant to ongoing companies as well as for MNCs trying to enter these markets. When making a debut into one market, and preparing an entry strategy firms need to consider very much the national culture of the company, to evaluate whether the culture will help the business to flourish or whether the cultural norms will act as hindrance to the business and profitability. Any cultural theory is based on the assumption that there is no universal method of management theory. And in this global world, doing business in other countries require knowledge and empathy with the locals of the country, hence it is important to understand and be aware of the cultural differences when handling or dealing with cross cultural groups or individuals. Geert Hofstede has described five dimensions of differences in values between national cultures. The five dimensions of Geert Hofstede are Power Distance, Individualism versus Collectivism, Masculinity versus Femininity, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Long-term versus Short-term orientation. The dimension, Power Distance tries to suggest the degree of inequality amongst the different members in a given culture. On a scale the dimension ranges from small to large. In cultures where Power Distance is small, members of the society relate to each other on a more equal level regardless of the status or authority of the people in consideration. Whereas, in large Power Distance situations, there is more formality in interaction amongst people. According to Hofstede, Pakistan has a score of 55 on the cultural scale; which compared to other regional countries is relatively low. It shows that Pakistan is somewhat in the middle and does not have a very large gap between the wealthy and the poor people in the country. But, still it does not strongly believe in the

Tumor Immunology - The Role of Tumor-Associated Macrophages Research Paper

Tumor Immunology - The Role of Tumor-Associated Macrophages - Research Paper Example Macrophages are multipurpose cells act in response to the stimulus in diverse tumors they release various macromolecules encompassing growth factors, cytokines, chemokines, and enzymes that potentially control tumor augmentation, tumor angiogenesis, tumor invasion, and tumor metastasis. Tumor-Associated Macrophages (TAM) act upon the invasive area where TAMs sway cancer cell motility, they also act on stroma and perivascular areas where they encourage metastasis and play an imperative role in avascular and perinecrotic regions so that hypoxic TAMs accelerate angiogenesis. The present article deals with the role of TAMs in promoting tumor induction and its role as anti-tumor agent and also the role of TAMs in malignancies. It is now established that tumor cells potentially block or elude the actions of TAMs at the site of the tumor. Molecules derived from tumor cells also activate TAM elevate survival as well as the proliferation of tumor cells. On the other hand, TAMs induce tumor angiogenesis through the production of mitogens, growth factors, and enzymes. Monocyte-macrophage lineage cells get polarized activated into M1 and M2 cells. An M1 form of macrophage activation encompasses IFN-ÃŽ ³ based cytokines, GM-CSF (granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor), LPS and TNF. They are distinguished by IL-12, IL-23(both high), IL-10 (low) and profuse quantity of reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediary and inflammatory cytokines. Whereas M2 is a macrophage activation as a result of IL-4, IL13, IC (Immune complexes), IL-10 as well as glucocorticoid hormones. M2 are involved in Th2 response and perform immunoregulatory functions and plays role in tumor progression.

What Is Security Dilemma Politics Essay

What Is Security Dilemma Politics Essay There are a number of security dilemmas currently working in Asia. This security conflict is driven by the competitions between pairs of countries different in their capabilities. Here, Pakistan views India as its primary threat, which in turn views China as its principal security concern. China on the other hand regards the United States as a challenger to its dominance in Asia and the United States is trying its best to maintain its hegemony and the consequent status quo. The unequal relationships in Asia have the ability to thwart global arms control and non-proliferation efforts.  [1]  They also have the deadly potential to fuel a dramatic expansion of ballistic missile and nuclear proliferation throughout the region.  [2]  Scholars gathered at a Russian think tank known as Institute of World Economy and International Relations (Imemo), which advises Kremlin, talked about the threat of nuclear war in South Asia being greater than anywhere else in the world today.  [3]   What is Security? National security has figured prominently in academic and political discussions of foreign policy and international politics since the end of World War II. Richard Ullman defines threat to national security as an action or sequence of events that threatens drastically so as to degrade the quality of life for inhabitants of a state or threatens significantly to narrow the range of policy choices of a state. The term security in International Relations has conventionally been defined to mean protection of a state or nation to threats emanating from within as well as outside its boundaries. According to Walter Lippmann, a nation is secure to the extent to which it is not in danger of having to sacrifice core values, if it wishes to avoid war, and is able, if challenged, to maintain them by such victory in such a war.  [4]  The security of a nation rises and falls with its ability to deter such attacks on its sovereignty and territory. The Western nations and the Euro-centric view of International Relations has largely identified this position with the Realist school of thought that focuses mainly on acquiring more power in the anarchic system. Scholars from the Realist school of thought have always argued that states are self-interested, power-seeking rational actors, who seek to maximize their security and chances of survival. In their view even if there is cooperation between states it is only to maximize their own security and not for any idealistic reasons. The modern nation-state is the highest form of political order we have so far been able to develop and sustain. It evolved into its present form through the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, needed to secure itself from external threats and keep its territory intact. The history is testimony to the fact that the states in the international system are unable to coexist with each other in harmony and have made each other insecure by their mere existence. Their actions in pursuit of their national security have often resulted in frequent wars when combined with that of others. Thus the concept of security as developed in the early years of security studies post Second World War took State as a unit of analysis. What is Security Dilemma? The states in the international system through their actions try to enhance their security as much as possible. There interactions are primarily responses to what is known as Security Dilemma in the literature on International Relations. It is also known as the Spiral Model. John Herz was the first to coin the term security dilemma in his 1951 book Political Realism and Political Idealism. According to him the states are driven to acquire more and more power in order to escape the impact of the power of others. This, in turn, renders the others more insecure and compels them to prepare for the worst.  [5]  In contrast to other classical realists of the time who focused on human nature as the main difficulty, he based his concept on the anarchic structure of the international system. The security dilemma is the core assumption of Defensive Realism, which believes that due to the anarchic structure of the international system, states focus mainly on their survival through any means making them obsessed with security.  [6]  In International Relations, Defensive Realism is a variant of Structural Realism with famous international relations scholar Kenneth Waltz propagating this notion. Waltz argues that the security dilemma is escapable because the weaker states will try to balance against their rivals and bandwagon with the stronger state in order to gain security in event on an attack by the enemy state. In contrast to this Offensive Realism, another variant of Structural Realism believes that states want to accumulate more power rather than just secure themselves. It points out that if states are able to gain an advantage or an edge, they will readily do so. John Mearsheimer, the strongest proponent of Offensive Realism argues that no state can be sure of other states intentions, which can change over a course of time and use its offensive capabilities.  [7]  He is in agreement with Hans Morgenthau, one of the earliest proponents of Realism in Intern ational Politics, that there is not limit of states desire for power. For Mearsheimer the security dilemma is inescapable, as the anarchic nature of the international system will force states to maximize power and enhance their security because they cannot trust each other. Neorealists and Constructivist schools of thought have also used security dilemma as a concept. Neoliberal scholars argue that one of the functions of international institutions is to alleviate security dilemma.  [8]  Whereas Constructivists assert that alleviating the security dilemma is one of the channels through which reshaping identity can remake anarchy.  [9]   Robert Jervis explains this concept as the notion that increasing a states security causes other states to increase their own security, which in turn decreases the security of the first.  [10]  The system thus coerces the states into taking certain losses to cooperate in order to bring stability and relative security. Yet the inherent desire remains to dominate the political arena through cheating, bargaining and collaborating to hinder cooperation. A security dilemma arises out of the anarchic nature of the International System. Each state has to take responsibility for its own security in the system of self-help for its own survival. Without any government at the international level, the states are left to fend for themselves. This leads to states taking every possible step to expand their capabilities in every sphere, be it economy or military, to defend itself when the time comes. The states in order to secure themselves forget about the security apprehension of the neighbori ng states and compel them to take counter-measures to enhance their security. They begin to prepare for the worst, and this common search for security leaves them more insecure then they were before. A case in example talked about in our class on National Security would be India acquiring nuclear capabilities, which put pressure on Pakistan to get nuclear weapons. The process, which started in 1960s, and 70s has left India more insecure now then ever before as Pakistan has refused to agree with a no first-use policy on nuclear weapons like India. It purportedly has more nuclear warheads than India according to the estimates of many reputed think tanks internationally. Jervis identifies a number of the factors associated with security dilemma that impede states ability to work cooperatively towards a mutually desired goal of general security. He mentions intentions, capabilities, creation of buffer states, indications of aggressive intents and incorrect perception of weapons acquired for defensive purposes. The Security Dilemma in Sino-Indian Relations: The scholars of International Relations agree that there would be a geo-political shift from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean. And it can be forcefully argued that China and India will dominate the events of the region as rising powers in the international system. Considering the past shared by these two countries after coming to their own, the chances of a classic case of great power competition are numerous. It can be better understood by studying the first Sino-Indian border conflict and the series of skirmishes between them in 1962. The war was a result of tensions that arose during the 1959 Tibetan uprising and the subsequent asylum given to the Dalai Lama after the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) took control of the territory. India on its part can also be blamed for adopting a Forward Policy intended to demonstrate its control of the disputed areas. Fifty years have now been passed since the Sino-Indian conflict and the perceptions in both the countries about each other still remain highly suspicious. There has been constant tussle over various issues between these two countries ranging from Chinas security ties with countries in the South Asian-Indian Ocean region to Indias growing interest in the South China Sea and areas China considers as its sphere of influence. India with its Look East policy has been seeking for deeper engagements with the countries earlier known as Indochina. China on the other hand has long supported Pakistan, Indias archrival, with its nuclear program and infrastructure development. These two countries have left no stone unturned to rattle each other over their actions, which are skeptically viewed and enlarged by hostile media on both sides. It has become one of the most significant factors for the deep-rooted suspicion between the two Asian giants. In this classic Great Power rivalry, China is trying hard to win by keeping New Delhi occupied within the South Asian region. China considers itself as a global power while wants to keep India as only a regional power limited to South Asia. Indias recent ascent in the international scenario with its billion-plus population and growing economy has raised eyebrows in China. The strategy China has applied is to keep aiding Pakistan in its relations with India, which will keep it occupied in the South Asian region and China can expand in the Indo-Pacific till then. While China has slowly inched towards equidistance between India and Pakistan, it continues to have a pronounced tilt towards Pakistan, which casts an inevitable shadow over the Sino- Indian relationship. Chinas other major patron-client relationship in the region is with Myanmar. This is less threatening from Indias standpoint, since Chinas interest in the relationship is not India- centric, and India for its part is consciou sly seeking to upgrade its own ties with Myanmar with some limited success. The notion of security dilemma throws substantial light on the complex relationship between China and India since the past six decades. Conclusion: As the two powers become more economically interlinked war becomes a secondary or a last resort option for them. The decision-makers in both New Delhi and Beijing are conscious of this fact. A key question that remains is whether India and China will remain satisfied with relatively small strategic forces or whether they will seek to develop large, operationally deployed forces.  [11]  India and China are expected to further spread their Spheres of Influence in the Indo-Pacific region with the US willing to support New Delhi as part of its own forward policy in the region. India has to tackle one of the major problems faced in democratic countries that being more reactive than pro-active hampers the policymaking.  [12]  The reason behind this is that the political class in India is not much familiar to international relations and foreign policy receives very little emphasis in the course of day-to-day politics. Though Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is not a classic profess ional politician, and could even be considered more of a statesman, the tendency to look inward has prevented a more active engagement with the outside world.

Conflict and Generosity Within the Grapes of Wrath Essay

When a family becomes a victim to severe debt, attitudes change, the family tends to grow apart, and the members must cope. This was common during the Great Depression in the 1930’s after the collapse of the stock market, and a plethora of families flooded to California in search of a promising future. Home to Tom Joad and his family, the deteriorating economy of the Great Depression depicts the changing attitudes of many families and how they adapted to this difficult time period. The work captures how many families like the Joads have to change to accommodate the financial shortage of the 1930s, and how they grow with this struggle. With that, John Steinbeck constructs The Grapes of Wrath to include a family that is still generous in the midst of many trials and tribulations. The Grapes of Wrath depicts how great struggle is juxtaposed with an immense appetite for wealth, and how this conflict elicits generosity. John Steinbeck grew up around Salinas, California. Even though he was not raised by parents who were poor, he witnessed discrimination upon the many dust bowl migrant workers who came from states that were â€Å"less fortunate† like Oklahoma and Texas. Steinbeck channeled his anger and frustration from observing the heartbreak and struggle during the Great Depression into crafting The Grapes of Wrath. According to Carroll Britch and Cliff Lewis in their article â€Å"Growth of the Family in The Grapes of Wrath,† â€Å"Although it addresses issues of great sociological change, The Grapes of Wrath is at its core about the family and struggle of its members to assert their separate identities without breaking up the family. 1)† He utilized his aggravation for the people to illustrate the drastic changes that occur in the characters over a period of time, such as the way in which the community is altered when financial hardship is imminent. But for Tom Joad and his family, staying together as a whole is one aspect that has not yet been lost in the troubling times. Though the Joad family has had a great deal of troubling experiences, in a way this brings them closer holistically. The way that Steinbeck crafts the family to adapt to the varying conditions like when someone dies, or loses work, llustrates how the family becomes more resilient to variety. The Joads and many families like them must leave behind their felt notions of idealism and work towards an â€Å"I to We† relationship with the others if they are going to survive during this great struggle, especially with the way that nothing financial wise is stable during the depression. For a large percent of the population, the scarcity of funds leads to chaos within families and friends across America. The hedonistic views of the public drive people virtually insane, with car salesmen selling run-down vehicles for outrageous prices, to corrupted citizens stealing from stores who are going out of business. With money no longer an abundant commodity, banks and businesses began to shut down and fail, forcing many hard-working Americans to begin a life on the streets, which is not a welcoming new habitat by any stretch. This relates to the novel in that the Joads were forced out of their farm and had no choice but to flee to California in search of work and a brighter future, which appears to be a promising alternative. Though the trend to fall a victim to the circumstances is growing, there are still some people like Tom Joad and his family who do not seem to fit this statistic yet. When the family reaches the government camp Weedpatch, they to some extent â€Å"forget† about the troubles of the economy. Warren French in his article Chapter 6: From Naturalism to the Drama of Consciousness—The Education of the Heart in the Grapes of Wrath, states that, â€Å"The self- governing arrangement of the camp also makes the Joads feel like decent people again (4). This shows how despite the troubling situation, the Joads can still find remote happiness among a time of desperation. There is an apparent change in attitude once the Joads reach the Weedpatch camp. Warren French writes; â€Å"The easy atmosphere of the government camp, where—as one man observes—â€Å"We’re all a- workin’ together† (448), is in striking contrast to the tense atmosphere at the Hooper Ranch. There the prevailing attitudes are epitomized by a checker’s remark that putting holes in the bottom of buckets â€Å"keeps people from stealing them (4). This suggests that having others to work alongside of eases the tension of being forced to work for almost nothing. The atmosphere seems lighter at the Weedpatch camp due to the migrant workers having others with similar circumstances amongst them. This makes the thought of poverty less menacing because for the migrant workers at the camp, they are beginning to collaborate and become a unit. Another aspect of â€Å"working together† is shown after the miscarriage of Rosasharn’s baby. If the baby was not kin to Pa Joad and the family, he may never have been motivated to build a dike so his family can stay dry. Britch and Lewis quote Steinbeck in their article, â€Å"Well, we ain’t doin nothin’†¦. We can do her if ever’body helps. † Building the dike with Wainwright and the others replenishes Pa Joad’s spirit, and teaches him that there is way more to be achieved with the â€Å"We† attitude. A major turning point in The Grapes of Wrath transpires when Tom murders the man that killed Casy. Though Tom committed a crime, Ma Joad and the family suggest that hiding him from the authorities would be a decent idea. The family pleads for him to stay but quickly realizes he must leave to avoid getting arrested. This occurrence represents the growth of the family unit, the way they care for one of their own even though he is now a criminal shows the drastic change that has developed over the course of the Great Depression. This also depicts how the situation elicits generosity within the family. It is imperative that Tom leaves the family but aside that, Ma Joad and the others beg for Tom to stay. The difficult situation made them realize how quickly they can lose Tom, and with that the desire to help Tom is now apparent. The Joads have gone through a metamorphosis with their attitudes and thoughts towards one another. Due to the series of events the Joads have encountered, they have faced many obstacles and this brings them closer over all. A significant incident like this causes the family unit to become more protective over the other members, even after losing Tom, Noah, and Connie. All of the events that transpired along the course of the novel have affected the overall dynamic of the Joad family either positively or negatively, more so positively. With that, if nothing else, the experience of having to survive amongst one another in a time of great sociological downfall mends the family closer than one would think. The family traveled together, they slept together, and they even worked together. The Joads spent gratuitous amounts time as one unit just in completing those tasks, so even when bonding was not necessarily a part of the agenda, the way in which they became used to each other blossomed rather quickly into a stronger relationship for the family. Generosity amongst the Joad family was more or less noticeable in the beginning of the novel, and became more of a characteristic of the family as the story progressed. The hardships they faced along the way with searching for work subconsciously drew the family closer. The longer the Joads were among one another, and the more trials and tribulations they faced, generosity among the group developed into the norm. This transformed the Joads from the persona of an average family, into an inseparable unit of people who fought for one another.

Scholarship Letter Sample

Sample Scholarship Inquiry Letter This letter provides a sample format for inquiring about private student aid funds. Of course, you must first identify foundations and organizations which offer such assistance well in advance of any application deadlines. You can get help finding the names and addresses of private aid sources by conducting a scholarship search on the Internet or from a reference librarian in your public library or local school.Once you have obtained contact information you will need to customize this letter to reflect your own background and needs by replacing the bracketed boldface text below. [Your Street Address] [Your City, State and Zip] [Ms. Susan B. A. Dollar] [Director of Big Money Awards] [Lots of Money Organization] [P. O. Box 9999] [Moneytown, USA 99999-9999] Dear Ms. Dollar: I am writing to inquire about any student financial assistance that the [Lots of Money Organization] may offer to college-bound students. Enter a concise paragraph about your backgr ound and goals. Try to show how you meet the requirements of the organization’s financial assistance programs. If this is a letter to find out if the organization offers aid, write a short paragraph about how your background and ambitions coincide with the mission of the organization and might qualify you for assistance that may be offered. I would greatly appreciate information about any student financial assistance available through your organization, including how I may apply for this assistance. Information about application forms and deadlines for the [20XX-XX] academic year would also be appreciated. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone at [your area code and phone number] or via e-mail at [your e-mail address]. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Sincerely, [Your Name] Â © NASFAA 2008 1

The Handmaids Tale Essays

The Handmaids Tale Essays The Handmaids Tale Paper The Handmaids Tale Paper Essay Topic: Literature The Handmaids Tale is set in the near future in what was the United States but in Offreds time is known as Gilead. Gilead is in the hands of a power hungry elite who have used their own brand of Bible based religion as an excuse for the suppression of the majority of the population. Atwood takes aspects of our society today such as the decline of the Caucasian birth rate in North America, infertility and sexually transmitted diseases and makes a society within Gilead that combats these issues. Atwood states there is nothing in the novel which has not been done already by somebody, somewhere. The Handmaids Tale is Atwoods version of what if? in the most powerful democracy in the world. Atwood takes a common setting which is the United States known to us as the most powerful democracy in the world and takes issues which affect the world today and uses these aspects of life to create a horrifying dystopian novel. Gilead is frightening because it presents a mirror image of what is happening in the world around us. The first sentence in Chapter one is We slept in what had once been the gymnasium. When people have to sleep in a communal place after a natural disaster they are often relocated to a gymnasium or other such place. In this case the reader wonders what natural disaster has hit Gilead and why is it necessary to sleep in a gymnasium. We later on learn that a natural disaster has not struck and this is in fact the work of human beings. This effectively conveys the dystopian world. The people in the gymnasium have had their choice removed. The wall is a significant object in Gilead. It is not a person but it is the most powerful resource in the Gilead regime because it creates fear. The guards of the complex Offred is held in at the beginning of the novel arent even allowed inside it. With the men not allowed in the Red Center and the women now allowed outside of it, they are each isolated from each other. Even though women are isolated from men, they are also separated from each other. Women are segregated further into social classes, such as the Handmaid or the lowly Econowife. These women are separated by their function of society, and they are identified with the color they wear. Handmaids wear red, which Offred is opposed to because she never looked good in red (14). Her opposition to the color shows the limits of her decision-making (if it can be argued that she makes any at all). All women are separated according to their colors, whether it was red, the green that the Marthas wear, black, or the ugly stripes of the Econowives. While all women were separated into classes, identifiable by their color, this was not the end of Offreds removal from society. Even between women of the same class, Offred being a Handmaid, communication is still heavily regulated. Even before she is a Handmaid, when she is in the gymnasium, the other women and she are held with little sense of community. They can only reach out and touch one another when the Aunts werent looking (10) in the dark, showing the sense of separating between women and the enforcement of that separation from women of a different class, the Aunts. When Offred and another Handmaid are allowed to be together (allowed in the sense that it is an illusion that is really an attempt to keep them in line by preying on their fears that the other may be an Eye), they are almost afraid to talk to one another. Praise be (28) is Just one of the many examples of the automated responses that the Handmaids are able to give ach other and anyone else they come into contact with. The mistrust of Handmaids even between one another caused by the Eyes further separates Offred, and indeed all other women. composition of her thoughts is an act of rebellion against that isolation. She thrives on the idea that if she tells her story she is creating a community. Any story that is told must have an audience, so by narrating her story she is believing [the reader] into being (267) and creating a community of her own. Throughout the entire novel, Offred is trying to create a community. The Latin that is carved into the wood of her(? room gives her a sense of connection with someone, even if they had never met. She makes up a story for this person, how they may have actually escaped, and thinking up a story for her to believe makes the person who was there before her real, and she would feel some sort of connection with them. Offred wants to continue this trend when she wants to steal something (114). She wants to steal something, which she decides should be a flower, so she could leave it [under the mattress], for the next woman (115) to have. She uses these objects to symbolize the idea of connection and community within the Handmaids, the ones ho are all connected by that one room and the objects that are found in it. Though Offred looks for connection with the other Handmaids, perhaps the stronger community she feels, the one that dominates her mind for a good portion of the novel, is that with her own family. Luke and her daughter give Offred a sense of community, and she spends an excessive amount of time wondering about Luke and thinking about their past. She explains to the reader her connection with Luke and how the two had an affair before they were married. One night while she lies awake in bed, she thinks up all of the cenarios of what could have happened to Luke the night they were trying to escape into Canada. She dreams up three situations and thinks them all at once because one of them must be (122) true, though she hopes that Luke, their daughter, and herself will one day be all three of us together (122), and obvious longing for the idea of community in her own family as well as the other Handmaids. Resistance to the totalitarian regime and its oppressive nature is, for the large part, futile. This is made obvious by the percentage of women who are bound to their duties. Only one woman that Offred knows of, Moria, has ever escaped. Only one woman out of all of the Handmaids and Econowives and other women has ever escaped, but even that offers some hope for a little while. Even after Moira escapes, she is recaptured and ends up living her life as a prostitute, and hasnt really escaped to freedom. When Offred meets her against she notes that Moira is lacking the rebellious attitude that used to be so central to her (284), and it appears that even Moira, the lesbian symbol of feminism and rebellion against male oppression, has been broken down and now possesses a lack of volition (284). The evidence of he futility of resistance is abundant in the text. Perhaps the biggest, if not the most demoralizing of this evidence is the note that is left behind by the previous Handmaid, the nolite (174). ind, and she makes her a strong symbol of resistance to the Gilead regime. By knowing that the previous Handmaid scratched such a motivating line, not letting the bastards get you down (228), Offred is given a sense of resistance. It isnt until the Commander tells her that the previous Handmaid killed herself that Offred is struck by a demoralizing realization: the previous Handmaid let the bastards get her down. This is strong, upsetting evidence to Offred that perhaps there is no escape and that resistance is ultimately fruitless. When Offred mentions that she feels for the first time, their true power (286), she is basically giving into the regime and giving up all of the past hopes of resistance she had. She says that they can do whatever they like with me. I am abject (286) after Ofglens death, and she now feels compelled to stop resisting and succumb to the Gilead. When she is confronted by Serena Joy after she becomes abject (286), she is completely void of any type of resistance, even when threatened with ending up Just ike the other [Handmaid] (349). Though this does not occur toward the end of the novel, the idea of resistance being useless is drilled into their heads the entire novel. Even after Janine is raped and has to have an abortion, she is made to feel like she is the one who is guilty. She is called crybaby (86) by the rest of the Handmaids when she is recounting the events and cries because of them. The Handmaids are all coerced by Aunt Helena into blaming Janine for her own rape, and that it was her fault, her fault, her fault (85) and that God allowed such a terrible thing (86) to teach her a lesson, teach her a lesson, teach her a lesson (86). When the Handmaids all chant these responses in unison against Janine it seems to break down the resistance that each of the Handmaids has against Gilead. By hearing themselves chant it they are conditioned to think of themselves as second-class citizens and that they are to be blamed by things that may be out of their control. It even forces the Handmaids to despise [Janine] (86) after she begins crying because of how ugly she looks while she is crying, when in fact she is only crying because of he rest of the Handmaids blaming her for her abuse. When the Commander first asks Offred to play Scrabble with him, she is deeply puzzled and amused by it. The Commanders room was thought to be the forbidden room (1 38), and Scrabble was harmless compared to what Offred could imagine being in this room. However, upon considering it a bit longer, though she knew only old men and women played it when there was nothing good on television (1 38), Scrabble now interests Offred the way it hadnt before. Now that the game had been outlawed for he, it seemed dangerous and indecent (138), and the fact that it is onsidered enviable when it hadnt been before. When Offred mentions that context is all (144), she means it in the way that she does when she considers Scrabble indecent. Context is unique to the situation and the way it is perceived. When Scrabble was once boring, now that it is available in a situation where Offred would otherwise not be able to play, it seems enticing. reader, may seem menial and unimportant are now considered sexual or indecent because of the context they are put in. When Offred is reading a magazine, because Handmaids are not allowed to read, the Commander is watching her and Offred nows that he found pleasure in seeing [her read] (153). Offred knows that she should feel evil for reading and that the Commander gets some sort of sexual gratification out of Just watching her read. During the Ceremony, the Commander, as well as Offred, seems blank while they are attempting to get Offred pregnant. He is approaching it as if it is a duty and it should be pleasurable, and when he is done he leaves because he thinks it is impersonal (156). Context plays a large role in him unable to find pleasure in sex with Offred but he finds a large amount of pleasure in watching her read and do hings that are forbidden because of the idea that they are doing things that are considered illegal. Offred sees Gilead as a totalitarian regime that means to take away the ability for Offred as well as other Handmaids to own her own body. She is given freedom from as opposed to freedom to (24). Context is important to the novel because it is from the point of view of Offred. Because it is from her point of view, the entire novel makes Gilead seem oppressive and an evil totalitarian regime. The reader is made to become sympathetic to the plight of Offred and those like her because of the idea hat she is being repressed by a government that step in to power when the government of the United States was taken out. The idea of nolite te bastardes carborun-dorum (54), or not letting the bastards (Gilead) get you down, depicts Gilead as trying to get Handmaids down. The Salvaging, the bodies hanging on the wall, and the abundance of suicide in the novel all paint a portrait of Gilead as uncaring and unfeeling toward the plight of the women. The reader is meant to think this until the Historical Facts section, where Professor Pieixoto is giving a presentation n Gilead. When the point of reference is changed from the oppressed Offred to that of Professor Pieixoto, the readers understanding of Gilead changes radically as well. Pieixoto warns against passing moral Judgment upon the Gileadeans (292) because of the pressure the government was under and the extraordinary circumstances they faced. The presentation of Pieixoto starkly contradicts the portrayal of Gilead by Offreds section of the novel. Declining population numbers as a result of birth control and toxins led to the radical changes in the attitude towards women in Gilead, and women became vessels to try to sustain life. Gilead was strongly driven by religion and the Christian Bible, as was seen in the Ceremony where a man and his wife would use a Handmaid to produce a child to be taken by the Wife. Context as being the most important idea in interpreting a novel is only understood after reading the section with Professor Pieixoto. After the reader is conditioned to being sympathetic toward Offered because it is from her point of view, novel when the novel suddenly becomes understanding, if not sympathetic, to Gilead.

Overview of United States v. Susan B. Anthony

Overview of United States v. Susan B. Anthony The United States v. Susan B. Anthony is a milestone in womens history, a court case in 1873. Susan B. Anthony was tried in court for illegally voting. Her attorneys unsuccessfully claimed that citizenship of women gave to women the constitutional right to vote. Dates of Trial June 17-18, 1873 Background When women were not included in the constitutional amendment, the 15th, to extend suffrage to black men, some of those in the suffrage movement formed the National Woman Suffrage Association (the rival American Woman Suffrage Association supported the Fifteenth Amendment).  These included Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Some years after the 15th Amendment passed, Stanton, Anthony, and others developed a strategy of attempting to use the Fourteenth Amendments equal protection clause to claim that voting was a fundamental right and thus could not be denied to women.  Their plan: to challenge limits on women voting by registering to vote and attempting to vote, sometimes with the support of the local poll officials. Susan B. Anthony and Other Women Register and Vote Women in 10 states voted in 1871 and 1872, in defiance of state laws prohibiting women from voting. Most were prevented from voting. Some did cast ballots. In Rochester, New York, almost 50 women  attempted to register to vote in 1872. Susan B. Anthony and fourteen  other women were able, with the support of election inspectors, to register, but the others were turned back at that step.  These fifteen women then cast ballots in the presidential election on November 5, 1872, with the support of the local election officials in Rochester. Arrested and Charged With Illegal Voting On November 28, the registrars and the fifteen  women were arrested and charged with illegal voting. Only Anthony refused to pay bail; a judge released her anyway, and when another judge set new bail, the first judge paid the bail so that Anthony would not have to be jailed. While she was awaiting trial, Anthony used the incident to speak around Monroe County in New York, advocating for the position that the Fourteenth Amendment gave women the right to vote.  She said,  We no longer petition legislature or Congress to give us the right to vote, but appeal to women everywhere to exercise their too long neglected citizens right. Outcome The trial was held in U.S. District Court.  The jury found Anthony guilty, and the court fined Anthony $100. She refused to pay the fine and the judge did not require her to be jailed. A similar case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1875. In Minor v. Happersett,  On October 15, 1872,  Virginia Minor  applied to register to vote in Missouri.  She was turned down by the registrar and sued.  In this case, appeals took it to the Supreme Court, which ruled that the right of suffrage- the right to vote- is not a necessary privilege and immunity to which all citizens are entitled and that the Fourteenth Amendment did not add voting to basic citizenship rights. After this strategy failed, the National Woman Suffrage Association turned to promoting a national constitutional amendment to give women the vote.  This amendment did not pass until 1920, 14 years after Anthonys death and 18 years after Stantons death.

Consumer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example This leads to the question of what really determine what a person buys? When and how he disposes the product? The different characteristics by consumer are known as consumer behavior. In simple terms, one can define consumer behavior as the processes involved when a person purchases, use or dispose a product (Michael, Askegaard & Hogg 2006, p. 33) from the definition we can depict that before a consumer make a purchase, use or dispose a product, first there are stages which are involved. Secondly, there are factors that affects their behavior before making a choice on what to purchase when purchasing and those that affect them after purchasing. It is these factors that help the seller or the marketer to win the customer and lure them to buy their product. Hence marketer should have a clear understanding what products and brands means to consumers , it is also important that he or she understand what it takes for the customer to purchase the product and use it. (Paul & Olson 2010, p.7) There are many theories that explain the subject consumer behavior such as economic man theory, psychodynamic theory, behaviorist theory, perception theory among many others. In this paper we will be looking at how the marketers in different companies use the perception theory consumer behavior to persuade customers to make more sales. People are normally drawn by what they see, feel, smell and hear, if they are able to identify themselves with it and they are pleased. Any customer in the market will always buy what please his or her eyes; a supermarket only keep it goods on display and buyer pick them depending on how they are pleased by them. It is from this that the theory of perception was developed. Perception is not a single event but a series of events that a person goes through when selecting, organizing and interpreting stimuli into a meaningful and coherent Consumer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example According to Bouhlel, Mzoughi and Slimane (2011), success of a marketing strategy for a brand is based on proper assessment of the nature of the consumers and their purchasing behavior. Marketing strategies and methodologies must be objective and results oriented to enable companies to achieve higher sales and thus increased revenue. Because consumers usually pass through certain steps before they decide to purchase any given brand, a company should ensure that its marketing strategies are designed in a manner which ensures that the awareness of the consumer for the product is created first before the consumer is convinced to have an interest in the brand and thus purchase it. This paper gives a critical analysis and discussion of the marketing activities of Red Bull GmbH, in the promotion of their Red Bull energy drink to its consumers. Consumer behavior models and theories such as the Reasoned Action Theory, The Hierarchy of Effects Model and the Multi Attribute Attitude Model are used to illustrate how the Red Bull marketing strategies create a positive attitude of consumers towards the brand. Red Bull Red bull is an energy drink which was created in 1987 by an Austrian entrepreneur. It has become the most popular energy drink in the world. The energy drink, which is sold by Red Bull GmbH, has become an essential commodity and is used every day in many households across the world as described by Marketing Week (2006, p. 33). The marketing activities of the energy drink have been internationalized with aggressive promotional activities which aim at generating a positive attitude from the consumers of the energy drink as a way of having a competitive advantage over rival brands. Through sponsoring various sporting activities across the world, the marketing activities of the brand have influenced the behavior of the consumers which has resulted into the immense success of the company with ever increasing sales of the brand. Moreover, the appeal of the brand to the consumers has been made possible by the company’s hosting of various events in addition to the use of celebrities to capture the attention of the consumers and thus arousing their desire for the brand. The public image on Red Bull has been promoted by associating the product with the activities it sponsors or hosts and thus causing the consumers to be influenced by the power of the brand that is illustrated by its marketing images. Additionally, the company has also influenced the psychology of the consumers through the energy drink’s slender and well designed cans which are preferred more than those of its business rivals. Moses (2011, p. 23) says that the desire of the consumer for Red Bull is created by its slogan â€Å"it gives you wings† which is used in the energy drink’s marketing activities to influence the behavior of its consumers with an aim of making them to reach a decision of purchasing the product. Consumer Attitude Models Mazis, Ahtola and Klippel (1995, p. 38) say that it is through a positive attitude for a product that the interest of a consumer for that brand is created. To promote the attitudes of the consumers for Red Bull, the company has shifted the promotional activities of the brand from product branding to lifestyle branding. The consumers thus view the product as part of their lifestyle and thus the enhanced attitude for the brand. Khermouch (1998, p. 16) explains that the

Synergy between law and business ethics Dissertation

Synergy between law and business ethics - Dissertation Example men intent on trying to maximise profit in business present a disposition for resisting illegal or immoral conduct based only on a fear of sanction imposed by law. Ethics, morality, virtue and that which is good means little, if nothing, to bad men. Because profit is important for business, and laws are rules that emerge after compromise between conflicting ideologies and ethical points of view to present grey areas and loopholes, creative attempts at circumvention are always possible. However, business itself cannot remain aloof from ethical conduct to remain unconcerned about business ethic because to do this presents a risk of damage and loss arising out of a lack of harmony with stakeholders. Thus, it makes sense for business to emphasise on an ethical culture in addition to compliance with law, and it makes sense for a government to enact and to implement fair laws to regulate business while emphasising on the ethic in business to deliver for all stakeholders. History has demons trated that law alone cannot deliver good business, and business depends on those that are well versed in both business and ethics to make the right decisions. For Aristotle, virtue, and personal integrity mattered most and this is still significant in the present day and age. Thus, a need exists for a synergy between law and business ethic to deliver ethical business in a society, and this dissertation examines this synergy of law and business ethics. (This page intentionally left blank) CHAPTER 1: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES ______________________________________ Business ethics derive from a broader concept of ethics that attempts to examine what is right and wrong behaviour for the conduct of business under a set of impressed circumstances. 1 Ethics is a branch of philosophy that tries... The author of the dissertation "Synergy between law and business ethics" considers that business ethics derive from a broader concept of ethics that attempts to examine what is right and wrong behaviour for the conduct of business under a set of impressed circumstances. Ethics is a branch of philosophy that tries to understand better morality, the derivation of moral principles and the application of morality to conduct of business or individuals. Within the context of business, no special set of ethical principles applies only to the world of business, and immoral acts are wrong regardless of whether or not a businessperson has committed them. Business ethics helps decide about what is right and wrong within the context of business settings to understand better moral issues arising from business practice, decision-making and the working of institutions. The conduct of business presents many challenges to those involved in business and reports of insider trading, fraudulent earning s tatements, and manipulation of corporate statements. demonstrates ethical challenges associated with the conduct of business. Ethical conduct must prevail in employment relationships, in relationship between business and customers, product safety, compensation of workers, sustainability in business operations and commitment of business to the uplift of a society in which it operates, etc. Failure of a business to act in an ethical manner damages parties that deal with a business, the society in which a business operates and the business itself.