Saturday, August 31, 2019

Beowulf and Hercules

Beowulf and Hercules Beowulf and Hercules are both extremely heroic characters with tons of characteristics that make them that seem that way. Both Hercules and Beowulf are very well known heroes that have had stories told about them for hundreds and hundreds of years. They both have similarities and differences but the similarities definitely outweigh the differences.Beowulf and Hercules similarities are so much alike they are pretty much the same character in different stories. Both Beowulf and Hercules are great warriors that wanted nothing more than to help and protect the people they knew, one example that shows this is how Beowulf was called â€Å"the mighty protector of men† (Part one, section two). They both killed the same type of mythical creatures in their stories. â€Å"I give thanks that I behold all of this treasure in front of me. (Part two, section nine)- This shows how generous of a person the character is and Hercules is just the same. â€Å"A word so massi ve no ordinary man could lift, he drew it from its scabbard† (Part one, section two) shows the similarities between both Hercules and Beowulf in that they used the same basic weapon and not anything fancy, just their hands and sword. There are very few differences between these characters. One is that Hercules is known as a God and Beowulf is only just a king.Another difference between the two is that Beowulf is a mortal that can possibly die in battle and Hercules is an immortal that is pretty much impossible to kill. As you can see both Hercules and Beowulf are two great heroes that are very protective over the people. They are so powerful they can kill magnificent creatures with just their bare hand or a sword. To are both two of the greatest heroes known to literature today.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Analyzation of Emily Dickinson’s Poetry

Succeeding in life, or achieving one’s own goals, seems to be the central theme in everyone’s life as is in Emily Dickinson’s poetry. Dickinson expresses the lessons learned in life throughout her poems. There can be many hardships and obstacles preventing one from their own succession. The prevailing of these obstacles leads to one’s success is life. In the poem â€Å"’Hope’ is the thing with feathers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dickinson uses a bird metaphorically as hope. The feathers as she tells are the hope in a person.The feathers create the wing and let the bird fly so in a sense it’s as if hope is lost in one place and can be found in another, as if flying to a new hope. In another sense somebody’s wings, or hopes, can be broken down by life’s hardships which can lead to a sense of hopelessness. Hope perches in the soul which Dickinson uses as the home of the bird, perch, and the soul metaphorically. The bird lives from suppo rt of its perch; one’s hope is within one’s soul.Without the support of the perch the bird’s nest will fall. Without the soul, one loses hope in everything that means something to them. And sings the tune without the words; and never stops-at all†. Dickinson continues to use a bird as a metaphor for hope, but in this stanza she speaks of the bird’s singing. The bird’s song is also used for hope. The bird â€Å"never stops-at all† is referring to the song and one’s never ending hope. â€Å"And sore must be the storm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is used to refer to the guilt and pain somebody or something that crushes the hope that others will feel. â€Å"I’ve heard it on the chillest land; And on the strangest Sea; yet, never, in extremity; it asked a crumb of me† (Dickinson 9-12).Rad also  We grow accustomed to the darkIn the last stanzas of the poem, Dickinson, refers to hope as being able to be found everywhere, or in the ch illest land or on the strangest sea. Hope will be there for you and won’t ask anything from you. There should be hope in everyone who has a soul. This hope that is felt is for the continuance of one’s life because without hope, one does not succeed in what is to be accomplished; life. Success is the goal and key to life. Success can differ from person to person based on what they want to achieve. â€Å"Success is counted sweetest; by those who ne’er succeed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Dickinson 1-4). This can also be made as a reference to envy.People want what they do not have. To feel success at its sweetest, â€Å"to comprehend a nectar† one must feel the â€Å"sorest need† or great hardship either through failure or with obstacles. Overcoming these obstacles will lead to one’s success and to some, success is the sweetest to those who cherish the opportunity. The â€Å"Purple Host† who took the enemy flag does not know victory better than the defeated enemies. â€Å"As he defeated-dying; on whose forbidden ear; the distant strains †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dickinson explains in the last stanzas of her poem that the defeated army understands the success of victory better than the victors.The reasoning behind this is that in order to understand the feeling of succeeding one must feel failure first to truly understand triumph. The victors do not know failure, which in this case is death, which Dickinson states will prevent them from understanding triumph or success. Succeeding in life to some is to become recognized and to be known by the public or achieving fame. â€Å"I’m nobody! Who are you,† Dickinson was not known by the public through her lifetime and she dreaded her infamous life. â€Å"Don’t tell!They’d banish us-you know† refers to not being accepted by society and being out cast for being different than others. â€Å"How dreary-to be-Somebody; how public-like a frog; to tell your name-the livelong day; to an admiring bog! † (Dickinson 5-8) is a reference implying that her private secretive life is of her preference. Being secluded is better than being in the mess of things. â€Å"How public like a frog to tell your name the livelong day†, so she’d rather not have to worry about keeping a good name if it’s going to be a nuisance to her, â€Å"To an admiring bog†, which she refers to as the judging public.The success she wishes to achieve is for her and not for anybody else. Achieving life’s goals should be for one’s own satisfaction. Emily Dickinson’s poetry can be referenced to many things in life. Succeeding in life, to one’s preference, seems to be the central theme in her poetry. Whether it’s hope in succeeding, failing to learn to succeed, or achieving fame from your success, everyone has goals to achieve. These goals will lead the succession in life.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Wal-mart, Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wal-mart, Inc - Essay Example lton, the founder of Walmart had created a unique culture at Walmart by involving all the employees of Walmart, including those belonging to the managerial as well as non managerial positions. Mr. Sam Walton once said that individuals do not win, but teams do. Therefore if someone is working for Walmart then Sam Walton is a partner not the boss. Mr. Walton used the unique organizational culture to gain long term competitive advantage. The whole idea or concept behind the incorporation of such an organizational culture is to do things the Walmart way. Probably that is the reason people working at Walmart calls it a ‘cult-like’ atmosphere. One of the key ingredients to do business the Walmart way is to treat employees as business partners. Mr. Walmart believes in the value of creating employee partnership. It was believed that an employee has the ability to be business leader if provided the right platform. The best way to do so is to let the employees take major decisions (Wilton, 2010, p.292). The employees at Walmart are not ‘employees’; rather they are ‘associates’ encourages acting as entrepreneurs. In order to take employee empowerment process Mr. Walton even introduced the concept of profit sharing. In Walmart there are no HR division, there exists people division as Mr. Walton understood the importance of employee and manager interaction. Another key aspect of Walmart employee empowerment is controlling expenses. According to Mr. Walton, employees should manage company expenses just like the personal expenses. Therefore by sharing the profit and loss, the employees truly understand the strong relation between profitability of the company and the potential to receive some percentage of profit sharing. That is not all. Add to the innovative concept of profit sharing Mr. Walton wanted to add something extra to motivate the employees. It was once said by him that money and ownership may not be enough to motivate people. It was believed that the

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Personal Computers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Personal Computers - Essay Example Worldwide, PC sales totalled about 100 million in 2002 (Samuelson, Nordhaus 2003). In the wake of falling prices, PC industry has experienced a continuous boom. Today, PC has become an indispensable product. This paper will discuss the factors that have had an impact on the price pattern of this indispensable product. To do so, some basic concepts of economics will be introduced. A market is a mechanism through which buys and sellers interact to determine prices and exchange goods and services. Prices direct the decisions of consumers and producers in the market. Higher prices tend to reduce consumer purchases and encourage production. Contrariwise, lower prices encourage consumption and dampen production. Therefore, prices are the balance wheel of the market mechanism (Samuelson, Nordhaus 2003). The following graph justifies this concept: It is imperative that an accurate interpretation regarding changes in price and quantity of a particular product is done. This is because the change in quantity as a result of a change in price could be instigated from either the demand side or the supply side (McCain 1981). For example, if fewer airline tickets are sold, it could either mean that the airfares have surged or demand for travel has plummeted. Studying the price behaviour in conjunction with the quantity can sometimes lead to meaningful conclusions. This can be substantiated with a change in the price of bread leading to a change in quantity demanded. Rising price of bread leading to reduced sales suggests a decrease in supply and therefore, a change in the supply curve to the left. On the other hand, rising price of bread leading to a surge in sales indicates that demand has outweighed supply. In relation to demand and supply, it is important to introduce the concept of elasticity. Elasticity refers to the degree of responsiveness in supply or demand in relation to changes in price (McCain 1981). If demand is elastic, it means a small change in price will cause a significant change in demand. An inelastic demand, on the other hand, does not reveal the same characteristics. Following is a graphical representation of elasticity of demand: (http://www.sparknotes.com/economics/micro/elasticity/section1.html) Goods that have ready substitutes tend to have more elastic demand than those without any substitutes. Food, for example, is demand-inelastic as there is no substitute for it. So even if the prices do increase, there will be no effect on the quantity consumed. On the other hand, if price of coffee goes up, consumers have substitutes to choose from, like tea or cola and this may cause a drop in demand. Economic history indicates that the total output in the United States has increased tenfold over the last century. Much of this increase in output stems from the technological change which has improved productivity. An example of a technological change is when a firm adjusts its production process to reduce waste and increase output. This is termed as process innovation and it differs from product innovation whereby innovative products are introduced in the marketplace (Russell, Wilkinson 1979). Process

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Learned Values Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Learned Values - Research Paper Example Giving each employee responsibilities also creates accountability. It ensures that each employee increases or maintains productivity to avoid being held accountable (Hotho, 2008). Proper leadership ensures appropriate execution of the desired changes. Leaders should have diverse change management roles. The leaders employed in the management of change should include executives, senior managers, a middle management team, change management resource team and a project team. Their roles should overlap to ensure a smooth transition to the new systems. Having proper leadership also ensures employment fears are addressed, and expectations managed (Beerel, 2009). In addition, it ensures equal allocation of resources in all stages of change. This is because successful leaders deal with tangible processes. They ensure the organization prepares for the change, the right mix of skills is available, and the implementation process is successful. Change is essential in an organization, whether it is downsizing, layoffs, or expansion. This is because of the dynamic changes in the world, such as the economy, that changes the dynamics of an organization. According to Andrews & Margaret (2008), it is vital to impose change to ensure an organization maintains productivity and relevance. The concepts ensure one is aware that change is necessary to benefit the organization. They enable me ascertain whether I can effectively influence and perceive change. The concept of effective leadership gives a clear view on the significant role that leaders play to ensure successful implementation of change. Andrews, Jane. Cameron, Helen. Harris, Margaret, (2008), All change? Managers’ experience of organizational change in theory and practice. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 21(3), 300-314. Retrieved from Emerald March 8,

Monday, August 26, 2019

The search for authenticity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The search for authenticity - Essay Example In this respect, humans have the capacity to make sense out of the world and out of situations, and through making such sense, they are able to act on their own in different circumstances and situations, if they refuse to be drawn to the usual cultural and social standards and norms that the society has established as the standardized ways of responding to circumstances. Authenticity presents the sense of being practical in addressing matters that are likely to arouse great anxiety, within the abilities of humans, and without having to depend on the spirituality or on the help that might come from outside of the man (Heidegger, 3). The social norms and cultural standards that have been established by the society have made everything in life like just a cycle of regurgitating what others have done in the past. In this sense, there lacks the difference between the current man and the ancient men, because the current man just follows some standardized norms that the society established culturally centuries ago, a concept that Martin Heidegger refers to as unauthenticity (Heidegger, 7). This has been the essence of the reference of human beings as ‘Dasein’, which has just to do with being there (Heidegger, 14). According to Martin Heidegger, humans have existed in the world more or less as a matter of being there, without doing things differently according to their own human capacities, and without depending on external forces (Polt, 54). Humans are born in the world of conformity, where everything that we say, think, believe or act has been done before by the generations that were before us (Heidegger, 22). Human beings pursue the issues they perceive to be worth of their time and effort in a manner that has already been done before, such that the life of one human can be likened to that of the other, since the past

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Traveling Canadians in Britain and the USA Research Paper

Traveling Canadians in Britain and the USA - Research Paper Example As part of the British Commonwealth, Canada followed the passport regulations introduced by Britain and has enjoyed many of the privileges of British international connections throughout the twentieth century. As part of the network of Commonwealth countries, Canadians have been able to visit most countries throughout the world with no problems. Canada’s own decision to include both French and English languages means also that the passport is easily understood throughout Africa and other areas where both English and French are commonly spoken.  From the middle of the twentieth century onwards there has been a greater emphasis on security between different countries. The two world wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 created mistrust between nations, and a renewed concern to be aware of possible harm that can come from people outside each sovereign nation. In the post-war period, Canada stayed largely outside major conflicts like the Vietnam War in South East Asia from 1955-1975. This meant that Canada has avoided the criticisms that were leveled against imperialist countries like the United States: â€Å"Anti Americanism increased tenfold by 1969 as a result of the war in Vietnam.†Ã‚  Canadians have a similar culture, language and general outlook to American, but the reputation of the two countries is very different. Canada promotes an image of peace and contentment within its own vast boundaries and does not seek a dominant presence on the world stage. This cannot be said of the likes of the United States, which repeatedly gets involved in contentious world events.   In the latter half of the twentieth century and again in the  new millennium, international criticism of American, and to a lesser extent also British and European, involvement in hostilities in the Middle East and Afghanistan has increased still further. In Arab countries, there is an understandable suspicion of American and British passports because of a long history of invasions and military actions. However justified these actions may seem to Western countries, they will still cause a negative reaction in the places where they occur. When terrorist capture westerners, for example, they are much more likely to focus on American or British passport holders for acts of retribution because they hold such resentment about past actions undertaken by these countries. An objective measure for checking how welcome a Canadian passport is can be found in the Henley Visa restrictions index, which measures how many countries a person with a particular passport can enter, without having to apply for a special visa: â€Å"This is the first time that a global ranking shows the international travel freedom of citizens of the various countries as well as the international relations and status of individual countries relative to others.†3 In a list of 98 countries, Canada is ranked in 9th place, allowing access to 157 countries, and this is the same as Australia and N ew Zealand. The United Kingdom and some Scandinavian countries have higher scores around 162-166, and the United States has a slightly higher score of 159. This compares very favorably with countries such as South Africa (88), India (57) China (38) and Afghanistan (26).

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Men and masculinity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Men and masculinity - Research Paper Example Rationale of Research This research project hopes to assess the relationship between men and masculinity in the context of their significance to media and social context. For example, the aggression of men is feasible for media projects such as the television, newspapers and radio among others. Similarly, men can use masculinity in the shaping of news through modeling and fashion shows that attract the young clientele. In other words, there is the direct impact on the social context through interaction with men who walk with a masculine persona. Additionally, this is paramount in the advertisement world where the essence of pictures and body images translates to profits for companies (Ayers, 2008). In the same prospect, there is also the use of male power in reaching the female audience who get attracted to the masculine nature in their marriages. This is influential in defining social interactions such as marriage and relationships that looks up to men as the role models of their fa milies. On the other hand, in the media world, men use masculinity to set standards of excellence and moral good in helping young people to emulate the career as a profession of serious people. In the same view, men have the ability to manipulate the power of masculinity to win admiration in terms of upping the moral bar of society. Annotated bibliography Ayers, D. (2008). Bodies, bullets, and bad guys: Elements of the hardbody film. Film Criticism, 32(3), 41-58. According to Ayers in the above article, there are several connotations of male image in the film industry through the symbol of sex image. In the author’s view, the film industry banks on the masculinity of men in the depiction of bad boys who misuse girls, kill people, and do drugs among other vices in the community (Ayers, 2008). Additionally, there is also the relationship between high film ratings for the exposure of hard boy image to represent the alluring effect of masculinity and male power. Lee, T. (2002). V irtual violence in Fight Club: This is what transformation of masculine ego feels like. Journal of American and Comparative Cultures, 25(3-4), 418-423. DOI:10.1111/1542-734X.00059. However, in the perspective of Lee, masculinity according to most men is starting fights and stoking violence in clubs. This is mostly done as proof of bloated egos and pride that only demeans the maturity of men. Similarly, there is also a promotion of the wrong culture that violence is something noble especially if it is done by men to boost their egos (Lee, 2002). Alternatively, there is also the use of violence to gain sexual domination. Rosenburg, J. (2009). Circles in the surf: Australian masculinity, morality and grief. Critical Public health, vol. 19 issue 3-4 page 417-426. However, according to Rosenburg, there are several negative consequences of the promotion of masculinity among men in the moral sphere. For example, the display of masculinity erodes the moral standards of young people who assu me that physical power is the same as brain power. It also leads to misrepresentation that the use of masculinity among men is a direct symbol of domination in society over others (Rosenburg, 2009). This has hence resulted to broken morals and peer pressure among young Australians. Alilunas, P. (2009). "Male masculinity as the celebration of failure: The frat pack, women and the trauma of victimization in the "dude flick." Mediascape. On the other hand, according to

Friday, August 23, 2019

Ethnics studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Ethnics studies - Essay Example To start with, smoke signals does not have an elaborate theme as it keeps on shifting from the niche of poverty to richness or urban to rural as the acting environment. In addition, it has not provided adequate illustration of the characters because one can see victor and his friend engaged in much of Indian type of culture while their parents are of English origin. The only bold part of this movie is the racial theme aspect. This is more pronounced from the beginning of the movie when Victor’s speaks like an Indian in persuasion for a lift. It is also clear on ethnic disparity between the Indians and English speakers. Such incidents have also featured in the Mclintock movie when Mr. Douglas saves an Indian racial leader from an assassination attempt after been mistaken to have kidnapped one of the girls who later turned out to have been lost on her way back home. Moreover, the two films above indicate racial ethnicity dated as far as 1950s, but none has a clear chronological analysis of specific duration in which it existed. This makes it very difficult for the audience to draw appropriate analysis and may be mistaken that it was meant to brainwash members of the society (Alexie 4:00). In the Mclintock movie, Americans have also demonstrated the theme of ethnicity against Indian immigrants without proper arguments supporting the racial disparity between these two communities. For instance, in Mclintock movie, we have only been showed the grounds of assassination of the Indian leader on the counts of ethnicity with no proper backings. This kind of theme is also cultivated in the smoke signals where Indians are treated as poor, weak and heavy drinkers who do not even form part of their culture (Alexie 2:00). Both movies demonstrate the themes of violence that has no foundation throughout the whole play. At the initial stages of the smoke signals, Victor’s parents are engaged in violence that may be assumed to be domestic in nature. In addition, Victor and his

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Case Study Example (Troy 2007 pg 158-172). The purpose of conducting such a form of analysis is to assist meet the informational needs of the investors, creditors and management so that they are in the position of making appropriate decisions. The ratios analysis conducted herein is done with the objective of comparing the all the measurements of financial data to aid or facilitate wise investment decision, as well as credit decisions and managerial. A Cross-sectional Analysis will be conducted where- ratios are used and compared between two firms (Goofy’s & Pluto’s) of the same industry(the sporting goods business) in order to draw conclusions about an entitys profitability and financial performance hence the ability to invest in this sector. Inter-firm Analysis will be categorized under Cross-sectional, as the analysis is done by using some basic ratios of the Industry in which the firm under analysis belongs (and specifically, the average of all the firms of the industry) as benchmarks or the basis for our firms overall performance evaluation as compared to the whole industry (Troy 2007 pg 113-17). In the analysis, we will use the return ratios, financial leverage ratios, activity ratios, profitability ratios and liquidity ratios to make our decision on whether to invest in the sporting goods business. The decision to invest the $5,000 will be on the criteria of the company that shows good financial shape and hence able to provide the investor with a return on investment. My analysis and decision will be based on the ratios from the table above which can be grouped into return ratios (rates of return on assets and Rate of return on equity); financial leverage ratios (debt ratio, debt to equity ratio). In addition, Activity ratios (Inventory turnover, receivable turnover and asset turnover ratios); profitability ratios (Gross profit margin, net profit margin

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Gender role Essay Example for Free

Gender role Essay â€Å"Bros before hos, The guy code, is a piece by Michael Kimmel, published on the Anthology portable legacies on 2009; On this piece Kimmel explains what The guy code is and how these code defines guys masculinity in todays society and how society expects guys to behave. Kimmel also explains that young boys are taught these rules by a male figure in their lives at a very young age and they grow up with the pressure of having to follow these rules no matter what. The guy code is a collection of rules, traits and values that make a man. â€Å"What is a man?† was the question asked to teenagers in their late teens and early 20s. Where their answers were things like: â€Å"Boys don’t cry†, â€Å"Don’t get mad – Get even†, â€Å"Take it like a man†, and many more. Kimmel then proceeds and gives the four rules that have been summarized by Robert Brannon, a social psychologist of the 1970s. Some of these rules are: â€Å"No sissy stuff!†, â€Å"Be a Big Wheel†, â€Å"Be a Sturdy Oak†, â€Å"Give em Hell†. (655) These rules supposedly define masculinity and that one a man disobeys those rules, the risk is being bullied with words like â€Å"fagot† and â€Å"gay† that are used as an insult to describe a mans weakness. The guy code also creates competition between most men, from playing the best sports, better jobs, pretties girl, nicer cars, etc. and it has been like this from a long time ago due to men wanting the power, respect, and that image of being better than the other man. Creating the image that all men are supposed to be unemotional, powerful and successful beings. Kimmel also claims that in the future, the guy code causes social and psychological problems for boys and young men. Renteria 2 Men have been taught this guy code ever since they were young boys; their uncles, grandpas, dad, coaches, peers or any male figure in a mans life are the ones that start tell little boys to â€Å"man up† or â€Å"dont cry† and is no longer able to cry or show emotion, leading to their behavior in the future. The little kids learn to always hold in their emotion and to never show weakness. Kimmel then gives an example of how boys are introduced to the guy code: A three year old boy that was crying at the barbershop because he was burnt by hot chemicals. The barber said to the boys dad, he was a wimp for crying and he needed to stay away from his mom and the boys dad decided after that, his child was spending more time with him and less time with his mother because he was scared of his son  being a mamas boy. (659) As a child grows up and parents push them to be strong and tough by keeping them away from their mothers nurturing. Kimmel also talks about the Gender Police that is basically other guys around them who watch and judge how they act , what they wear and say even how they walk because with a little natural swing on their hips they could be called a fag making homosexuality seems as a weakness. The gender police makes them feel like they are ust waiting for someone else to screw up, for someone to wear something pink or acting a little bit feminine. and just putting standards for each other, forcing themselves and guys around them to create a fake cover where they act rough and manly around each other. This judgments make man feel like they are being watched because of the fear of being ridiculed and humiliated by their peers. Kimmel said that men are more about what other men think about them; however the judgment from girls because as a girl the social media taught us to be attracted to tough guys,for example in any Disney movie where the superhero is the dependable, rich, handsome, muscular guy wh o takes care and provides everything for the girl, creating an idea that masculinity is success, wealth and power. Renteria 3 Peers are another big influence and problem of this guy code. Another example from the article is about Don,a former Lehigh College football player, who discuses the effects of always having to put up a front and act tough in front of his teammates and his coaches. He says that his coach would always make fun of or humiliate any one of his players for showing any sign of weakness or fatigue. Don says Im sure he thought he was building up our strength and ability to play, but it wore me out trying to pretend all the time, to suck it up and just take it.(656) If a guy doesnt follow the rules in the guy code he will be criticized by other man, often times bullied, and lose friends which leads to low self-stem. Men are scared of what other men will say or think about them regardless of the situation. While the Guy Code may have been meant to make men stronger it causes more harm than good turning out more self destructive in the end It causes them to grow up thinking that showing emotion is never an option, which leads them to depression, and emotion issues, aggression towards themselves and the ones around them. Kimmels article is really good, since it talks about a topic that need to be discussed more; it gives examples and  even talks about of where the problem begins; but it still seems quite limited to me since as Kimmel explains what the guy code is, it still does not apply to all man, for the reasons that for some guys, the guy code is just a challenge or a phase where they learn how to express their emotions, also the question that were being asked only cover white middle class man that live in a certain area, In America theres a great variety of immigrants coming from places all around the world, also if Kimmel had questioned people from a less homophobic part of the c ountry, then there would be a better chance of getting a more gender equal survey. Work cited Kimmel, Michael. â€Å"Bros before hos, The guy code.† Anthology Portable Legacies 2nd edition. Ed. Jan Zlotnik Schmidt and Lynne Crockett. Boston, MA, 2009. 654 – 669. Print.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Reviewing Biological And Psychological Crime Theories Criminology Essay

Reviewing Biological And Psychological Crime Theories Criminology Essay Mans attempt to understand the causes of crime and deviance predates written history. Prehistoric skeletal remains show evidence of primitive cranial surgical procedures. This appears to indicate that, during these more primitive times, people thought spiritual evils in the mind caused crime and deviance. Cranial surgery was the effort to open the mind and allow the unwanted spiritual influences to escape. Since these early times, many theoretical perspectives concerning crime and deviance have emerged. Biological, psychological, and sociological theories are the most widely known. This paper will focus on Cesare Lombrosos biological theory of anthropological criminology (atavism) and Gabriel Tardes psychological modeling theory of imitation. Biological crime theories began in the 16th century with the ideas of J. Babtiste della Porte (1535 1615). He was the founder of human physiognomy. Human physiognomy is the study of physical features to determine an individuals characteristics. Early biological theorists studied physical features to make assessments about a persons criminal propensity (Kroeber, 2006). Fundamentally, if criminality is inherited, then an offender can be distinguished by physical atavistic stigmata. The physical appearance, they believed, distinguishes criminal types and the positivist method was the biological approach these scholars chose. These ideas differed from the ideas of contemporary scholars in that they also believed in lower forms of life, anecdotes, and folk wisdom as explanations of crime (Farrington, D., 1996). The biological explanations of crime available today include abnormalities of the brain, brain damage, head trauma, genetic predispositions, vitamin deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), lack of serotonin (neurotransmitters) in the brain, and blood abnormalities. Since many criminologists academically center on the social sciences, theories of deviant behavior based on biology are not widely accepted in the field of criminology. Society tends to reject biological explanations of crime because of the belief that biological equals hopelessness. Schmalleger (2006) states that some biological theories simply show abnormalities to be facilitators of crime, rather than determinants of criminal behavior. Biological crime theories involve various fundamental assumptions. These assumptions are the brain is the center of behavior and personalities, the manifestations of behaviors, to include criminal propensities, are in some form gene tically predisposed, differences in crime rates among races and gender are a result of biological differences but will only show in certain environments, biological crime facilitators and determinants may be passed to succeeding generations, and human behavior is instinctive and characteristic of all organisms (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 144). One of the most renowned scientific biological theorists was Cesare Lombroso (1836-1909). Lombroso coined the term atavism to suggest that criminal behaviors were the result of primitive impulses that successfully survived the evolutionary process. Lombroso and his students used the ideas of Charles Darwins theory of evolution and discredited the classical ideas of Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham. Lombroso believed in determinism rather than the ideas of free will. Free will is the idea that all individuals have an equal opportunity to make choices and to act criminal. Lombrosos class of thought is known as the Italian School. Lombroso theorized physical characteristics would represent primitive impulses. The characteristics that he found to be common among criminals, he labeled, atavistic (Ellwood, 2000). Atavism is a real or supposed evolutionary throwback. Atavists possess an unexpected appearance resembling the primitive traits of man or the reversion of such a trait that was present in the lineage of the past. This representative trait is not seen often in intervening generations after primitive creatures. Atavisms can occur when the previous genes for such phenotypical features are preserved in DNA and are dominantly shown. These genes may be present in organisms but not expressed in dominate features (Farrington, D. 1996). Social Darwinists frequently used the ideas of atavism. This class of thinkers claimed that inferior races would display atavistic traits and those individuals expressing atavistic characteristics are an inferior form of their primitive race. The notion of atavism is saturated with the ideas of evolution as a progress towards a greater complexity and superior ability of man (Farrington, D. 1996). Statistical evidence and the idea that physical traits indicate criminality has not been substantiated. However, the concept that physical traits can indicate the likelihood of criminal behavior is still popular in some circles. Lombrosos work was the result of studying postmortem bodies of executed offenders and deceased criminals. He measured the body in many different ways. He took measurements from 65 executed criminals and 832 living offenders and compared them with the measurements taken from 390 soldiers. Lombroso used this data to identify consistencies between traits and characterized his findings as criminal features. Among the traits he found to be predictive of criminal behavior, were index finger length, fleshy cheeks, close eyes, large teeth, lobe-less ears, high defined cheek bones, crooked nose, large lips, abnormal number of ribs, and different eye colors. Lombroso hypothesized that possession of certain combinations of traits could be used to identify a specific type of offender. For example, the classification for habitual homicide is cold, glassy eyes, a large nose, a strong jaw; large cheekbones, thin lips; and dark, curly hair (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 147). Psychological crime theories available today include Frustration-Aggression Theory, Modeling Theory, Behavior Theory, and Self-Control Theory. Gabriel  Tarde (1843-1904) first introduced the psychological modeling theory of imitation. This psychological perspective states that people learn how to behave by modeling themselves like others whom they have observed. The suppositions that provide the basis for his theory, as with most early theories, are analysis of the individual, personality is the major motivational element, criminal behavior is purposeful for the individual, normality is defined by social consensus, and crime results from inappropriate mental processes. Furthermore, inappropriate mental processes have many causes to include diseases of the mind, inappropriate learning or improper conditioning, and poor role models (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 183). Psychocriminologists generally focus on personality disorders that include psychopaths, sociopaths, and antisocial personalit ies to explain criminal behavior.   Gabriel Tarde believed that the laws of imitation were the basis of any society. He rejected the biological theories of crime proposed by Cesare Lombroso and other criminologists of his time, stating that certain inferences of law or regularities govern the social world. Tarde developed a behavior theory based on three laws of imitation. Tardes first law of imitation states that individuals that regularly and closely interact with each other behave similarly. The application of this law can be seen in groups such as white supremacists. These individuals focus most of their time and attention on ideas of white superiority and actively promote these ideas. Due to their close interaction with one another, they tend to exhibit the same behavior. The second law rests on the premise that imitation follows a hierarchical pattern. In the United States Marine Corps, Marines of junior rank often emulate their leaders. This idea of hierarchical imitation is positively reinforced through educati on and training. Tardes third law is that of insertion. This law conveys the notion that new ideas, modus operandi, or methods reinforce prior successful patterns or replace failed or less efficient methods. In the Marine Corps, leadership ideas that have been used for over 230 years are reinforced everyday because they are successful. At the same time, new methods for implementing those ideas are replacing outdated, less efficient methods (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 194). There are presumed advantages and disadvantages to both biological and psychological crime theories. In the criminology field, biological theories are advantageous because they provide a basis for the hypothesis that criminal behavior can be predicted by physical traits, chemical make-up, and genetic factors. In theory, once identified, criminal behavior can be treated through various medical therapies to include behavior modification, hormonal therapy, and gene therapy. The disadvantages of biological crime causation theories generally lie with methodological problems and the types of analysis employed to gather statistical data. Schmalleger (2006) states that biological studies often fail to include proper testing groups resulting in flawed forms of analysis. Glenn D. Walters and Thomas W. White, critics of biological perspectives, note the shortcomings of biological crime theories. They assert that the degree of criminality is improperly established, often based on one arrest, sam ple groups are not varied or realistically selected, results are left open for interpretation thus detracting from the integrity of the research, and findings from outside of the United States may not be applicable (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 172). Another disadvantageous aspect of biological crime theories is the potential impact on public policy. If biological studies are conducted that show credible information to the public regarding a certain biological trait for criminality, the outcry for legislation would be great. For example, if all criminals have gene-x, the people would demand laws be put in place that protected society from gene-x carriers. However, data obtained from biological crime studies is not consistent but can be interpreted. Furthering the x-gene example, while all criminals have the x-gene not all carriers of the x-gene are criminals. This could result in unfair practices against some innocent carriers. Psychological crime theories are beneficial to investigations today because they provide the framework used in developing typologies of psychological profiles utilized to identify personality characteristics of criminal individuals. Psychological explanations assist the investigator in understanding the criminal mind thereby increasing the chances of apprehension. Additionally, if crime causation factors are identified, offenders may be treated more efficiently, possibly reducing recidivism. Psychological crime causation theories also pose disadvantages to the field of criminology. D.A. Andrews and James Bonta (1994) discredit contemporary psychological theories stating that psychological and sociological criminology findings are not obtained through objective and empirical means therefore representing weak psychology in mainstream society. Another disadvantage of psychological theories is that they are more often applicable to sexual and violent crimes, include untestable postulations, and fail to account for situational factors (OConnor, T. 2004). In conclusion, it can be inferred that no one theory definitively explains crime. Biological and psychological crime theories address crime and deviance explanations from different, but equally feasible perspectives. The early biological ideas of Cesare Lombroso stimulated the emergence of more contemporary theories. Although his crime explanations are not widely used today, they provided a foundation for further thought in the criminology field. Similarly, Gabriel Tarde proposed an alternate crime explanation with his theory of imitation. Tardes thoughts encouraged social thinkers to expound on his ideas and develop more contemporary crime theories that are in practice today. Both biological and psychological explanations for criminality and deviance present advantages and disadvantages but it must be noted that each provide practical value to criminologists today.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Communication Is The Essence Of Life English Language Essay

Communication Is The Essence Of Life English Language Essay Introduction: Any act by which one person gives to or receives from other person information about that persons needs, desires, perceptions, knowledge, or affective states. Communication may be intentional or unintentional, may involve conventional or unconventional signals, may take linguistic or nonlinguistic forms, and may occur through spoken or other modes.   Communication is the intercourse by words, letters or messages- Fred G. Meyer. Imagine a world without communication!  You have a brilliant plan with you but dont possess the power of communication. You have a strong wish for something, but cannot communicate your desires. Life would be dull, blank and the world would not be worth living. Such is the authority of communication. Communication is the essence of life: It is necessary to convey themselves, human beings need to communicate .An human being has to communicate to express his feelings, pass on information to the other human being and share his opinion and feelings. Types of Communication: There are four types of communication. Verbal Communication. Non Verbal communication Written commutation Visual Commutation Verbal Communication: Verbal communication which involves sound, words, languages and speaking. There are many languages spoken in the world such as Urdu, English, and French etc. The basic language arrangements are gender, class, profession, geographical, area age group and supplementary social fundamentals. Non Verbal Commutation: Non verbal communication involves physical behavior of communications such as tone of the voice , touch, smell and body motions. Creatives and visual non verbal communication such as singing, music, dancing and sculpturing Written Communication: Written communication is writing the words which you want to communicate .Good written communication is compulsory for businesses purpose .Written communication is practices in many different languages like E-mails, reports, articles and memos are some of the conduct of using written communication in business. Visual Communication: This is the last type of communication is the visual communication. Visual communication is visual demonstrate of information such as topography, Photography, sign, symbols, and designs. Television and videos clips are the electronic form of visual communication. Managerial Communication: Managerial communication is a function which helps managers communicate with each other as well as with employees within the organization Communication helps in the relocate of information from one party also called the sender to the other party is called receiver. Managerial Communication helps in the smooth flow of information between managers operational towards a common objective. The message has to be clear and well understood in helpful communication. The group members should recognize what their manager or team leader intends to communicate. Effective managerial communication enables the information to flow in its desired form among managers, team leaders and their respective teams. Managerial communication is of the following two types: Interpersonal Communication   Interpersonal communication normally takes place between two or more persons at the workplace. Organizational Communication   Communication taking place at all levels in the organization refers to managerial communication. behavior of Managerial Communication A successful manager is one who communicates successfully with his subordinates. It is really necessary for managers to converse their views undoubtedly for the group members to understand what exactly is likely out of them. Usually there are two ways managers communicate between themselves and with their subordinates: Verbal Communication: Communication done with the facilitate of the words is called verbal communication. No record is available in verbal communication. Managers must know how to communicate with the employees. He much select the right words while talking with group members. He tone of the voice should be polite and when manager is talking to the employees .They can understand easily what manager is say either they are confuse what manager is saying. Written Communications: Communications is done by emails, letters, reports, etc. Manager much knows how to write the letter or email to the employees. etc not to use color forts and also the size of the forts are same. Body Language: Manager must take care of their body language their appearance should b excellent. Manager should be friendly with the group member but not joking all the time. Managers have to maintain the standard. When the manager talk voice should be clear that everybody can hear and understand easily and most important thing is while he is talking or addressing the employees selection of words must be good. Organizational Communications: There are two types of organizational communication. Formal communication In formal communication Formal Communications: Commutation which fellow hierarchy at the work place. Employees much talk formally in the work place regarding the work done on time or not. Informal Communications: Mostly employees used to talk informally while they are having lunch or dinner or sitting together .E.g. planning for picnic or movie etc. Direction of Communications Flow: There are two types of direction of communication flow Upward communication Down ward communication. Upward Communications: Flow of the information from the employees towards managers .When employees share the view of the work nature, job, responsibilities and what they feel about the organization. Down ward communication: Down ward communication take place when the flow of the information from managers to workers. When manager give work to the employees is called down ward communication. Communications Barriers: There are a wide number of sources of noise or interference that can enter into the communication process which prevent the achievement of the desired result. There are five types of barriers. Language: Language is a big barrier in the communication like I speak Urdu and you speak Malaysian we cant talk to each other with a common language. We need translator or we can talk in common language like English Information Overload. If you are a manager of a company and you are taking to the workers which are not educated and you are telling them in good and selective word which they cant understand also communication barrier. Time pressure: You are manager of the company and you are addressing to the workers and you have only 15mins to say but you have to share the plane of the company and you are speaking fast .Few things are understand by the worker and they are confuse in few things is also the communication barrier. Emotions: You are sitting in the meeting and you gave work to the employees and they have to give output of the work but they are not able to give the result and you became angry and start shouting on him is also the communication barrier. Distraction / Noise: You are attending the formal meeting in the meeting room and discussing a serious issue and party is going on next to the meeting room and you also hear the noise of the cars and horn from the road and you are not concert at in the meeting is also the communication barrier. Recommendation: If you are on the manager post and you want to get more high post or you want to improve yourself to be a batter manager of the company so you have to learn at least 3 ways of communication skill which are as fellows. Clear communication: As a manager you must have to do clear management that everybody can understand easily and also when you are writing the letter to the employees you must know the art of writing the letter. Dont use color forts and different types of forts. Listen: As a manager you have to listen the employees .what they are saying is they are complaining or they want to share the information which is very important for the company .It is also your duty to listen the media and your competitors. This is important to improve your communication skills. Respect: As a manager you have to give respect to every employee in the organization either you are giving order to the employees. If a tense satiation is there you must be polite and dont disrespect the employees. This is also important for communication skills. Conclusion: Communication is very important in your life .Without communication we cant express your feelings. Sometimes communication barrier occurs so we cannot communicate with each other .Specially if your are working in the organization you much have to finish the communication barrier it is the betterment of the company .And for the manager s point of view they much improve their communication skills and body language of the manager should be excellent .Manager should be a role model he have the potential to work in the stress with patience.

Monday, August 19, 2019

A Study of Winter Poetry Essay -- Environment, Winter, Spring

I chose to study winter poetry because I often focus on the cold and harsh conditions, rather than the beauty present. These poems are excellent in making one see past the bleakness, and toward the magnificence of the dazzling light. The beginnings of both â€Å"Winter† and â€Å"The Winter’s Spring† mention the loneliness and coldness of winter. This helps the audience find common ground with the poet, since it is easier to see winter as ugly rather than beautiful. In â€Å"The Winter’s Spring†, â€Å"The winter comes; I walk alone† (1), asks the audience to follow as no one, but the author believes the in the beauty of winter. â€Å"I want no bird to sing† (2) sounds hostile and reclusive, and is reinforced as the author claims to keep his heart his own. Already, the audience views the author as a cold and unloved being. Instead, the following stanzas contrast with the first, and winter is compared to spring. Nature imagery, like â€Å"the foliage of the woods† (25) and a white dove’s caring wing are likened to winter. In the poem, the foliage covering the bare trees is the snow, as is the white dove’s wing gently covering everything.  "The Winter’s Spring† also uses words that create a heavenly image, like the â€Å"Christmas rose† (also known as the Lenten rose), â€Å"white†, â€Å"piercing light†, â€Å"dazzled†, and â€Å"white dove† (7,16, 17,22). This contrasts with the audience’s initials views of a lonely and hostile winter, instead suggesting winter emulates the look of heaven. Likewise, the poem â€Å"Winter† starts with a violent mood, filled with negative connotations: â€Å"Clouded with snow/ The cold winds blow,/ and shrill on leafless bough/ The robin with its burning breast/ Alone sings now† (1-5). There is sensory and sound imagery of a cold snowstorm, and of a bird singing... ...ly to â€Å"Winter†, except that the negative connotations are confined to the first three lines out of thirty, rather than over a third of the poem. Thus, a far greater amount of the poem is used in praise of winter and the remainder is the author gushing over the beauty of winter, by using it as a metaphor to spring. He never wants spring to come, because the winter’s spring is better. Examples include the â€Å"snow-white meadows† and the â€Å"White Easter of the year in bud† (18,27), with meadows, Easter and flower buds all commonly associated with spring and rebirth, not winter. The recurring and repetitive comparisons in this poem effectively assert the magnificence of winter. Both of these poems effectively persuade the audience, by first acknowledging the ugliness of winter, but then using common and varied devices like contrast and imagery to praise winter’s beauty.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King :: Jesse Jackson Martin Luther King

Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King It is early months of 1963 in the southern city of Birmingham Alabama. A city that lies in civil unrest and bitterly divided. A city to which African Americans march, hold protests and sit-ins in an effort to gain equal rights. They are met with brutal opposition in the form of police officers, attack dogs and water hoses. During this time of utter chaos two separate civil rights leaders speak out on their beliefs. Reverend Jesse Jackson and Martin Luther King both speak on the issues of violence, the media and the will of the Negro people as a whole in a effort to win support for the African American Community. â€Å"I saw the system naked. I saw it without pose. I saw it face to face for all of its brutality and its ugliness, and the depth of its venom†¦ I made a commitment to fight for the rest of my life. (Jackson 344)† Jesse Jackson saw fighting as â€Å"the only way they would listen (Jackson 2)†. Violence was something that Jackson felt came with the territory. For the people that were there to stop the marchers as Jackson felt â€Å"could not have cared less† for the lives of the African American marchers (Jackson 2). Martin Luther King on the other hand felt rather differently on the subject of violence. King felt that it was wrong to fight back for it was â€Å"wrong to use immoral acts to attain moral ends (King 9)† King felt that the opposition, those trying to oppress the black man were evil in their manner. He felt that by allowing his protestors to fight back against the dogs, water hoses and police officers he was allowing them to â€Å"stoo p to their level of ignorance† something that he did not want to see happen (King 8). King felt that â€Å"there [was] no greater treason than to do the wrong deed for the right reason (King 8)† The media is a point on to which both Jackson and King agree on. Jackson seemed to put it best in the lines â€Å" You see the media has more power than the politicians who make laws, or the bankers who make money or the police who carry weapons. Because the media has the appraisal power and it determines the worth of things.† Jackson also felt that the media was important because it â€Å"embarrassed† white people to see the beating of a black man to the point of unconsciousness all because he was trying to obtain a seat at a white restaurant (Jackson 333).

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Geography of Cuba Essay -- Essays Papers

Geography of Cuba The geography of Cuba is very diverse, with large mountain ranges spanning the western and south central regions, and a beautiful 2,320 mile coastline that boasts white, sandy beaches to the north. The semitropical climate of Cuba supports lush, agricultural fields in which many species of plants and animals thrive. The main island of Cuba is about 40,543 sq. miles, and Cuba's Isla de la Juventud (Island of Youth) covers about 1,180 sq. miles. Also part of the Republic are four sets of small archipelagos: the Sabana, the Colorados, the Canarreos and the Jardines de la Reina. The main type of soil found in Cuba is red clay, along with some sand and limestone hills. A surprising three quarters of Cuba's land is fertile countryside and is readily accessible to many harbors. Cuba has a unique advantage over the other Carribean islands because of its accessibility to harbors, which allows for the transport of agricultural goods easily and efficiently to foreign markets. ...

Belonging – Short Story

Screaming in pain, Rebecca was about to give birth to her first baby. She was forced to have a homebirth as there were no hospitals around for miles. Her shrieks of pain had woken everyone in the neighbourhood, many came up to the house to get a glimpse of the situation. One of Rebecca’s friends, Rick, had rushed into the house in a matter of minutes after he heard the screaming. Rick stayed with Rebecca for several hours that followed to comfort her as best he could. His best attempts to calm her down, it seemed, were not good enough. At last, the ordeal was over. After ten hours of labour she had finally given birth to a baby boy. As Rick turned to face Rebecca, he saw an expression of sadness in her eyes. He knew that she didn’t want the baby, that she wasn’t capable of providing for it with her waitressing job at a cafe. In the months that followed, Rebecca had a tough time trying to earn money to feed herself, let alone her son. She turned to drugs to fight her depression, but she found that they had no effect. When her son, who she named William (Billy), was six years old, he started school. There, he was a social outcast; no one wanted talk to him. Five more years passed before he decided to quit school and stay at home, he felt that he didn’t belong anywhere else. Billy started experimenting with cocaine when he saw his mother using it, but she had been sober for a few years now. It seemed that for every year she got sober, her son’s heart simultaneously grew colder. He joined gangs, Billy had built a reputation that he could hustle and steal, but he got caught once and was sent to jail for three years. During his time at prison, he was working as an informant for the guards on staff in exchange for protection from all the rapists and paedophiles that roamed the prison. When Billy had gotten out of jail, the reputation that he had built up had been crumbled; he was kicked out of the gang because the other members were too suspicious of him. He once again dropped to the rank of social outcast. In a vain attempt to get back into the gang, he tried to act tough, fighting people over little things, his attempts went unnoticed. He had turned to selling crack to the people on the streets for money. He sold crack until he had enough money to move up to cocaine, trying to fulfil the fantasy stuck in his brain. Tired of trying to get back into the gang, he pursued a path to be with the hardcore gangs, with the cutthroats and the thugs. But when he stepped up to the gang, they turned him down saying â€Å"any coward can sell drugs, anyone with a gun can kill a man. But only a real thug has stabbed someone till they die, standing in front of them staring straight into their eyes†. Feature Article –  The Plane of the Sleeping Beauty Analysis Billy knew these men were well guarded, that they wanted to test him before business started. They proposed that he kill a woman to show he was cold hearted. Now Billy had a choice between going back to his life or making money with ‘made men’ in the higher ranks. His dreams about cars and drugs made him agree, a hardcore gangster is all he ever wanted to be. He met them the next week, at night on a lonely street. They drove around the town, slow while it was raining, smoking and drinking for entertainment. Late at night they saw a woman walking alone, coming back on her way home. They quietly got out of the car and followed her, one of the people wrapped a shirt around her face and pushed her onto the floor. Billy picked her up and took her into an empty building, forcing her to go up onto the roof. They were yelling at her and telling her to stop moving and screaming, when she wouldn’t listen, Billy hit the woman on the face until he had broken her jaw. Blood leaking through her clothes, she cried silently, praying to god. They proceeded to abuse her for the next few hours. At the end, one of the people next to Billy pulled out a handgun and gave it to him. They told him that if he killed her, he was guaranteed a spot in the gang. Right before he killed her, he thought about the drugs, women and respect he would get and felt strong standing next to his new gang. He put the gun right to her head and pulled back the shirt from her face. What he saw made him cringe and stutter because he was staring into the eyes of his own mother. Rebecca started crying harder than when they were beating her up, broken inside that her own son was going to kill her. His whole world stopped, he couldn’t contemplate what had just happened. His need to belong to a group he barely knew had ripped him apart from the one person he had the strongest bond with, his mother. He turned away from the woman who had once given him birth. As Billy dropped the gun, one of the other men picked it up and shot her in the head. Billy screamed out to the sky because he was lonely and scared; right then he knew what it meant to be empty and cold and jumped off the roof and died with no soul. After that, the gang members hid their bodies and never spoke about it, as if they never existed. His death was much like his birth, painful, shrieking and a mistake.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Differential Association Theory Essay

1. Differential Association theory would explain the burglar’s behavior by first looking at their social structure. Their social structure can affect everything; it can influence their close relationships, open them up to objective opportunities and could be seen as the main attribute that affects their learning process in behavior. A. Most of the people in these interviews are poor, young males with similar social structures. Growing up on the streets and in bad neighborhoods can influence the interactions that each of these people will have. These interactions can result in definitions favorable to crime because these people are beginning to surround themselves and interact with people who are already doing illegal actions. (Hagan, p.89). In the article it gave an example of how a group of friends may be doing coke and once it runs out someone in the group, that has developed their own belief in what’s right and what’s wrong, suggests doing burglary in order to get some money for more coke. A new person within the group may feel pressure in continuing in order to maintain their status and relationship with the members in the group. Here they are learning new attitudes and accepting new values that are favorable to crime (Hagan, p. 89). The behavior being learned is that burglary can help with any immediate needs and together they rebel against the law. The new member may now start to change what they believe is right and wrong and could begin acting in more frequent illegal actions. These burglars have the belief that burglary is okay because it is a matter of â€Å"day to day survival†. This shows that they have their own interpretation on what they think is right and wrong which is a learned definition favorable to crime. In the interview Wild Will proved this theory by describing that when he is in need of money he thinks to himself, â€Å"How do I know how to get money quick and easy?† He at one point had to have learned that an immediate fix to a bump in the road, which is justified in his mind, is to perform a burglary. Larry Harris would agree when he says that it is just something you have to do to get by. Neither of these men views burglary as something wrong but as something you do in order to survive. B. When it comes to the techniques that people learn in committing crime several burglars said that it is something that you just get better at over time. Wild Will stated that when he goes to rob a house he likes to stake out the house and call it in order to see if someone is home. This may have been a technique he had picked up from  someone else that he went and did a burglary with. Several participants in the interview confessed that if they had a friend that had a burglary set up that they would be willing to do it with them if given the offer. This is an incident where you could say that a person may have the opportunity to learned new strategies and techniques that have worked for someone else in the past. Another technique that gets learned on the streets is the ability to maintain and develop status. One of the participants shared that it is mandatory to be perceived as â€Å"hip†. People on the streets learn through interactions with each other what it takes to be hip and be seen as someone with high status. 95% of the participants confessed that they spend the money that they steal on things that give them the image of â€Å"high-living†. During the interview several things were revealed as things to do in order to gain that high status. These burglars can learn these techniques such as doing drugs, having sexual partners, the right styles and brands, and a car and car accessories, as things to pursue in order to gain that respected status in the street culture. C. It is already made clear that these burglars live in poor neighborhoods and are living on the streets which give them more objective opportunity than someone that is in a nicer well off neighborhood. Due to their neighborhood, it exposes these burglars to people that are promoters to committing crime (Hagan, p.90). Most of these men have also admitted that they are â€Å"too lazy† to maintain a real job so sources of income are limited within the household. Because of this most of these participants say that they are acting on illegal action, like burglaries, in order to gain money for food and clothing for their family. As for subjective opportunities not everyone would look at something as an opportunity to commit a crime but Larry William says it best in his interview when he is describing what he does when he is in need for money, â€Å"There it is! There’s the house†. He automatically looks for a target and sees it as an opportunity to immediately fix his problem whereas another person wouldn’t think of that as an option. Another subjective opportunity that these burglars have is the fact that their social bonds are also partaking in these acts and so they have multiple opportunities in performing a burglary when they are present with more opportunities given by their friends.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Diversity Organization

It is visible to see that women have come a long way in our nation to now from the beginning of our construction. It was not easy, and many issues are still not completely solved, because of stereotypes and discrimination against women. Stereotypes such as â€Å"women are bad drivers† and â€Å"women should not be paid as much as men†. However, there are many organizations that have been founded and used to help in fighting against such discrimination, and help in supporting women in equal rights, in places, such as the workplace and society in general. When our country was first forming, women were unable to vote for a very long time after it was decided they could not. They also had were expected to play certain roles, such as staying at home to do the housework, take care of the children, clean, and cook. The strength of women â€Å"shined† through in the most visible way during WWII. Many women were obligated to maintain their usual roles, and do a lot of the work the men would be doing, because the men were away at war. Women were also not offered the educational benefits men were in our history also. It was pretty set in stone that the men were â€Å"the thinkers†, and that there was no need to educate women. It is much different now. Women are able to receive education just as easy as a man can, not to mention the laws that have been made to protect the equality rights of women and men. The roles in women have changed drastically. It is now â€Å"the norm† to see a woman with a career, and many that have families too. Many households now share all of the household responsibilities, and often time the finances too. However, not everyone agrees that this has been a positive step in our nation since the Civil Rights Act. Many people still believe a woman should stay home and continue the role that was planned for them in the first place. A major issue that raises these opinions is the amount of crime and problems our nation has with our youth. Many believe that this has increased because of the amount of time that is taken from parents and their children because of both parents working. The â€Å"male vs. female† concept is seen in today’s society has equal in most parts, but there will always be the differences in both. They are each different in anatomy and many mental factors. Our society and media base many things on sexuality and gender. For example, the body washes and bathroom line designed for men, called Axe shows images that â€Å"prove† to attract women to them because of their smell and good looks. People have been used as sex idols, both male and female, but the disrespect and objections that have been formed around women are at a higher risk. This type of advertisement promotes sexuality and creates more issues in equality and respect of both genders. Socially GLBT people have faced much discrimination throughout time. Much of this has to do with religion, and the belief that homosexuality is wrong. I believe historically it was not to be spoken of, and even homosexuals themselves would never â€Å"come out† about their sexuality, because of how negative society was about the issue. With this being said there were no studies or research being done about it for society to gain knowledge about the topic. Today GLBT people face discrimination, but have been given more rights. Many scientists and psychologists have also done a tremendous amount of studies and research on the topic, giving society more knowledge about them and their reason and choice of lifestyle. Religion is the main barrier now between society and GLBT people. Even though there have been laws that reserve the rights of GLBT people, many people will not â€Å"budge† in their opinion on the topic, because in most religions it is considered a sin. This makes it hard for society to want to reserve certain rights for them, such as marriage. However, throughout time there has been much change in many people’s opinions, because of knowledge in diversity, science, and psychology. They have more welcoming atmospheres than they did in the past. For example, in Chicago there is an annual â€Å"Gay Pride Parade† that invites people to support the rights of homosexuals. Workplaces have been more acceptable also, not only because of laws, but also, because they are more familiar with the topic due to the knowledge provided today through media, school, and our communities. It is a more open topic, and even though it is not approved of by many people, it is being more accepted. The main issue that GLBT people are dealing with and fighting for today is the right to be married to another person of the same sex. For laws to be passed, citizens must vote for them, and many people still do not believe it should be allowed. However, there are some states that have made it legal. With diversity and knowledge our country can improve these attitudes and opinions about equality in women and GLBT people of our nation. Our nation has come a long way, especially for how young we are. Our human service organizations and law can be of the most aid in solving these issues. There has been a lot of damage in equality throughout our history, and unfortunately some will never be solved because of the believes that have been taught and practiced for many years. However, our Constitution and many laws give society the chance to fight against non-equal acts and rights as an American citizen.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Beard vs Graff

As an ex-marine and a supporter for increased personal independence, you take pride in offering customers a variety of helmets and accessories that allow the consumer to express themselves confidently.Without your creative vision, this company would not have the sales growth that it has had over the ears due to your persistent work ethic. I am eager to continue to learn from you how to operate a profitable independent business, as I wish to accomplish similar successes in the long run. The number of U. S. traffic deaths has been on decreasing over the years; however, more people are dying in motorcycle crashes. 4,612 motorcyclists died in 2011, more than two times the amount in 1997.Out of the 4,612 lives taken from motorcycle accidents, around 750 could have been saved had the rider been wearing a â€Å"DOT† certified helmet. As you know, we have sold many novelty helmets over the years that o not meet â€Å"DOT† safety requirements, and these helmets provide no protec tion in a crash. Research has concluded that there is a â€Å"100-percent probability of brain injuries and skull fractures,† indicating that these helmets are worn more for style rather than safety. As this issue becomes more prevalent in the media, customers will begin to question whether price and style trump a lifesaving protective â€Å"DOT† helmet.As you have served in the military, you know how important each person's life is. With 800,000 novelty helmets being sold per year, imagine how many lives you ould save by excluding novelty helmets from our product line. Although this would be a large change in our business strategy, this change can increase profits, limit motorcycle fatalities, and positively portray the morals of our fear that I can see you having with only selling â€Å"DOT† helmets is that profit margins would diminish.Yet, we can increase our bottom-line if we inform our customer base of the extreme differences in protection that both helmet s provide. Once our consumers understand the importance of â€Å"DOT† helmets through statistics and estimonials of current customers whose lives were saved, we can incrementally increase these prices. It's also vital to note that with possible legislation being enacted that would ban novelty helmets and require all riders to wear â€Å"DOT† certified helmets, your company would be far more prepared for these changes than anyone else.Not to mention, in this litigation intense environment that we currently live in, banning novelty helmets from our product line would lower the probability of law suits exponentially. This is an opportune time to make a decision that will allow your company to grow for any years to come, and banning novelty helmets from your product line will be the right choice. You have always been extremely innovative, and with your leadership, we will continue to provide our customers with products that exceed our competitors' efforts.I would like to s et up a meeting with you on Friday, November 1 5th so that we can go forward with this project, and discuss the changes that must be made to expand our profits. I am confident that you recognize the benefits of going forward with this idea, and I will see you on Friday to resolve any other concerns that you may have. Sincerely, Sales, Marketing Department

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Poetry analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Poetry analysis - Essay Example The use of repetition of words all through the poem such as "civil", bring in alliteration to the following or next. Shakespeare chooses to use the repetition of a certain sound in the subsequent line, generating alliteration. Alliteration in the line 5 is not just the repetition of the letter f sound but of bold words. A line filled with harsh sounding fs as well as words of rivalry are pushed up alongside line 6 and appear to be more unhappy than harsh which inform the audience of the expected death of the lovers that were at first believed to be enemy. Lastly, enjambment in the poem embraces the character of the play being clash and the violence paralleling with love as well as predictable disaster. Form as well as content is important aspects in any text as the combination of all inevitably produce the last meaning of the content. Meaning cannot be consequential if there is no substance in which to support a story on and a sequence of literary method for instance those present in the poem of Romeo and Juliet, place a prominence on this content for it to convey the basic idea that Shakespeare is giving out to the

Monday, August 12, 2019

Comparing & Contrasting Authorities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparing & Contrasting Authorities - Essay Example The "Boy with a Pipe" has been one of the most 'talked about' & heavily debated works of art between late 2004 & 2005. This has been the case owing to the fact that this particular painting holds the world record of being the most expensive painting ever to have been sold through an auction at a staggering price of $104.2 million (US dollars). The authors of these three articles have expressed their opinion on the pricing of this specific piece of art and have done so by citing & comparing the painting with other pieces of art that command similar attention in the art world. My argument on this particular discussion is that the price of an art piece is not in direct relation to the quality and fame attached to it. I have chosen the first article because I find it to be a fair report of the incident. It simply reports the price of the painting (Boy with a Pipe) and provides an insight into the brief history of artwork being sold through auctions. In the second article, the author strongly concludes that the society is spending money crazily in an effort to buy these pieces of artwork and investing money into this domain right from the beginning. In fact, the author for this second article has included as many as twelve quotes from professionals of artwork in an effort to provide support to his point of view. It is evident that the author is obviously trying hard to influence his audiences in an effort to make them agree with his point of view that stresses that there is a major trend that the society is now investing in arts for money. I have found myself to have a sense of understanding with the author of the third article and in fact, this is what my argument has really been about. My opinion is that the price of an artwork is very dependent on the nature of the buyer. After all, a piece of art will remain a piece of art no matter whether a person likes a piece of art and would like to keep it to him/herself. If a person is rich and can afford to pay millions of dollars in order to buy it, then one could say that's how much it's worth. The hard truth is that a person who really appreciates art would not consider as an avenue of investment. In Sotheby's, the author compares the price of the Picasso painting with the most expensive piece of artwork by Van Gogh. He has simply reported this as a piece of fact. The story from Investment News has mentioned about the staggering price of the Picasso painting. The author has an opinion that it seems to be a trend among people, especially the rich, who regard works of

Re replay the example Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Re replay the example - Essay Example New York: Sterling." , which I started reading, and as I proceeded a number of points became clear in my mind. But as I started knowing more about the subject, a number of questions came to my mind. To resolve those questions, I started looking for more stuff in the library. I wanted to know about the economic impact of global warming and how it affects agriculture, and while doing my search with the keyword "economic impact of global warming" I found this article; " Mendelsohn, R., Nordhaus, W. D., & Shaw, D. (January 01, 1994). The impact of global warming on agriculture: A Ricardian analysis.  American Economic Review. ,  844,  753-771." which opened new horizons of thought for me. A very clear account of the impact of global warming on agriculture is given in this article. Now I started to think how after all is it possible to stay prepared for global warming as it is a growing concern these days, and one should know the consequence of this phenomenon, in order to stay prepared. So I searched the library with the keywords "preparing for global warming". This time I found this very interesting article " Sanders, S. (January 01, 2008). Preparing for a warmer world.  Western City,  84,  1, 7-10." After reading this I have come to know that improving our environment is a collective effort of a society as a whole and everyone among us should play his/her role to accomplish the task of preparing for global warming. In my opinion, writing a report of the research that I conducted using library is very rewarding. I was of the idea that there is no need to learn more about how to use a library, but after writing this report I feel to emphasize the need to learn more about how libraries are built, and how to effectively use them for our own benefits. Libraries have a complete system of their own, and one needs to know the basics of using them. This not only improves our efficiency, but also increases the yield of our research

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Negotiations in Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Negotiations in Management - Assignment Example Tax payers would disagree with the lengthening of the school day and year for fear of more taxes to cover the expense. Students would miss the free time of summer. Parents opposed to this idea would complain it is their job to raise their children, not the schools. It would be a breakdown of the family structure. Some Republicans might even suggest socialism. Possible Solutions: One solution would be more after school programs. Instead of teaching music, art, gym, and other extra activity curriculum in hours after school. This would allow more teaching time in the day, a lengthening of the school day, and a safe enviornment for children after school. This would be done during the school year without cutting out summer break. The second solution would be lengthen the year and day, but make parents volunteer or pay for the extra hours during the day. This would allay costs and allow parents to interact with their children at school. The last solution would be to not lengthen the school year or day, but make available more after school activities that are federally funded and parent involved. The last solution would probably work out the best for all parties. If schools could be opened after hours as a safe haven for children, with a learning environment, the individuals wanting to lengthen the school year might be happy. By having parents involved, costs could be cut down on hiring professional teachers for this time period. Of course, background checks would be completed by any volunteer. Children would not be stressed by too much education, but stimulated by school and after school

Saturday, August 10, 2019

Family Business Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Family Business - Research Proposal Example But it is very normal for governance issues to arise in a family business every now and then because a family business, like all other non-family businesses, involve more or less the same issues like personalities, passions, power, deadlines, resources, supervisors and subordinates. Conflicts can be avoided and resolved if arise because of good governance strategies that govern not only the business but also the family that runs that business. Many large and medium sized family businesses are running in the Middle East today that contribute a great percentage of GDP to the region. But most businesses survive only until the third generation and very few pass on to the fourth generation because of generational conflicts and difference of opinions and perspectives between the elders and the youngsters of the coming generations. Hypothesis: Governance issues bring bad reputation to the organization and are the main cause of splitting up or failure of a business that was running smoothly and earning large profits before the dispute.

Friday, August 9, 2019

Social networking sites help students do better at school Research Paper

Social networking sites help students do better at school - Research Paper Example There are some students who find physical-social contribution and interaction difficult. Engaging these students through an online platform can make studying easy for them (Osborne). Dialogue and collaboration are hampered by the introduction of social networking on the learning environment. Collaboration and dialogue are critical to the one-to-many and one-to-one models. In the many-to-many model which is used in social networking, the point of attention shifts from the collaborative to cooperative learning and from the group level to an individual. While collaboration seeks that the group moves together, cooperation seeks individual affinity and flexibility in a learning environment. George Middle School, in Portland developed a program that encompassed social networking and school routine. Through the program, they discovered that grades increased by 50 percent. 20 percent of the students completed extra assignments at will. Through the program, they discovered that integrating social networking with the education system lowered absences by 33 percent. An article in The New York Times explains that, Erin Olson  a teacher uses social media to improve class participation. The students use a website where they post their feelings and thoughts about the classroom discussion. Olson appreciates the arrangement because students become more engaged in learning and participate when they others post their views than when done in class (Sang). Students and other individuals join social networks to associate and engage with others who are like minded and in need of learning similar things. Some schools impose learning management systems on their students. Many students are of habit of avoiding using the school-managed learning environments and systems because they are either difficult to use or irrelevant to the basic daily learning needs. Such a response from students shows that a loose network of composed of willing participants guarantees

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Informational Interview Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Informational Interview - Research Paper Example Upon graduating, she began her current role with her current employer after completing her internship with them as a web designer for company clients. Her current role involves the development of the company’s website and sub-sites. For this, she uses a combination of software including Drupla, Editplus, phpBB and Photoshop. She usually works independently but liaises with the company CEO and sales and marketing departments for website information regarding new content, information, customer information, target audiences and news. The interviewee believes that her educational programme helped greatly in preparation for her current role. She administers that attention to detail, creativity and technical proficiency are important skills for web designers. She is concerned by the current climate of the profession regarding the popularity and availability of accessible web-design software, however, she admits that effective web design of larger or complex sites can only be achieved by trained and skilled web designers. The following are some examples of the questions and answers given during the interview. â€Å"No, I wasn’t always interested in Web Design. I was always interested in the web itself and computers in general. I first became interested in web design when I took the web design module in my first year in college.† â€Å"I created a substantial web site for my third year project and again for my final year project......My project work definitely helped me with my career in web design. I also had an internship called INTRA during my third year of college. This also helped a lot with gaining experience in web design, and also gave me my job today.† â€Å"A typical day for me would be to come in at 9 o clock. Check emails. Email the CEO of the company and ask for any news and updates for the website†¦ Check that the website is working correctly and make any necessary changes†¦Add in any news or updates. Make changes†¦ Only yesterday I

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Agency Theory and Corporate Governance Research Paper

Agency Theory and Corporate Governance - Research Paper Example The objective of this paper is to evaluate the definition of corporation as a ‘nexus of contracts’ for interpreting its compatibility in the present modern business and thus to examine the importance of corporate governance. For verifying the assumption of the agency theory, the insights of the definition towards the theorists have been researched. It was discovered that there are various critics to this notion of the agency theorists in the modern world. The critics determined that the factor of morality has been ignored by the definition of the agency theorists. Moreover, for measuring the characterization of the definition towards importance of corporate governance, research was done and its was found that the definition has been termed as ‘misleading’ by various critics because of the fact that it incurs legal enforcement of the shareholders while at the same time shareholders hold the least power of legality among all the stakeholders. Introduction The agency theory in relation to the corporate governance represents a two-stage mode of controlling the firm. The two levels are those of the managers and the owners. This research paper is aimed towards discussing the various significant issues related to the existence of agency theory in a corporation. The paper will focus on the interpretation of ‘nexus of contracts’ in relation to the agency theory and corporate governance. ... The use of the phrase, ‘nexus of contracts’ provides a new dimension to the corporation definition. Under this term, the problem of conflicts within a firm is observed as a unit of the contract enforcement. Agency costs are determined as the contract enforcement costs on the basis of the assumption that corporation often acts as ‘nexus of contracts’. Under this definition, the structure of the corporation is defined to be adapting to an attempt aimed towards profit maximization by way of trading among the different parties of contract that meets within the corporation (Maloney, 2003). Relationship between Nexus of Contracts and Agency Theory The definition of the firm ‘nexus of contracts’ has been provided by the agency theory. The nexus of contracts has been defined among various suppliers of a firm’s resource. The nexus of contracts presume two central parties to the agency theory. These are the principals and the agents. Principals are those who supply the capital to the firm and agents are those who manage the operational functions of a firm. Agency costs are encountered by the organization because of the reason that the interests of the two parties do not coincide. The costs of contract enforcement under this presumption consists of the cost of observing the agents’ behavior inclusive of the practices of compensation, restrictions of budget allocation and also the profit and loss because of the rules of operations and that of management restrictions (Proffitt, 2000). Insights of ‘Nexus of Contracts’ for Agency Theorists Under the assumption of the agency theory that defines a firm as a nexus of contracts, it is taken for granted that it is the self-interest of the parties which acts as a

Cognition domains Essay Example for Free

Cognition domains Essay Events that happen in an adolescent’s life can affect one of three domains; these three domains are known as ‘psychosocial’ ‘cognitive’ and ‘biophysical’. This essay will focus on the area of the cognition domain now this domain will be discussed in relation to an event that has affected my perception of the world around me, the way I feel in relation to blame and judgment and lastly the ability to learn how to be more reflective. My perception on life changed rapidly when I was informed of a tragic accident concerning the suicide of a family friend. This caused a rapid change in the way I thought about death, grief and sadness. â€Å"David Elkind proposed that formal operational thought also leads to adolescent egocentrism (difficulty differentiating one’s own thoughts and feelings)† (Sigelman, Rider, De George-Walker, Pg 173, 2013) This has impacted the way that I look at the world having gone through this experience I now see that people’s perception can change no matter what. I guess what’s trying to be said is that everyone’s perception is different and it is changing due to the experiences that we all encountering in our everyday lives. The judgment that came after the tragedy was phenomenal. Greg Newham will always be loved and greatly missed but never will he be forgotten. Was it my fault that he died? Greg Newham was a teacher. If I had visited him when the bell rang after school would he still be here today? I did not understand his wife’s decision to not let me go to the funeral. And because of this, because I never got to say my final goodbye it is hard to let go. Hard to move on. A book written by Temple University in the USA about seeking closure states â€Å"closure typically implies that something is finished, ended, closed. Finally you can move on† (2014). Without closure I feel that I am always judging myself. Always questioning my motives, wondering if I could have done more. The last aspect of cognitive development that was affected by this experience was learning. It is hard to live with the knowledge that someone’s death was your fault, even if rationally you know it wasn’t. Those left behind never usually learn the reasons as to why they harm themselves and those around them. Bronfenbrenner’s view of a developing person, with his or her  biological and psychological characteristics are embedded in a series of environmental systems which interact with each other and with the individual over time to influenced development. (Sigelman, Et.al, 2013), with all the developmental events that we all go through it is fair to say that the learning side of our cognitive development is always changing. This essay was written to explain the affects of our everyday lives and how it affects our cognitive domain. With what was said from Bronfenbrenner and David Elkind it is clear to say that the choices we make today do mostly change our lives in some way/s. I never completely understood the affects from my life could change the way I see and think about everything that I do today. References; Sigelman, Rider and De George-Walker, 2013, Life Span Human Development. Temple University, USA, 2014, http://www.temple.edu/tempress/chapters_1800/2136_ch1.pdf

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Economic Analysis of Linda’s Bakery Limited

Economic Analysis of Linda’s Bakery Limited Introduction Lindas was established in 1959 by Mr. Lionel Chin Fatt who saw the need for quality baked goods at an affordable price. They currently have 12 locations in Trinidad with plans to add 10 more by 2017. Their product line today includes bakery items such as bread, savoury pastries, sweet treats, cakes and their Lindas Fresh line consisting of salads, sandwiches, wraps, subs, bagels and coconut bakes. Macroeconomic Analysis GDP The Trinidad Tobago (TT) economy is predicted to continue sustainable growth (1.8-2.1%) over the short to medium term (see Figure 1.1), but less than in 2014 (2.3%). This will be driven by robust growth in the non-energy sector (2.0-2.5%) (IMF 2014). The main risk to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the energy sector – which contributes 40% of national GDP – will be a sustained decline in energy prices. At the current price of $45 for West Texas Intermediate crude oil (WTI), we anticipate a further downward revision of 2015 projected growth in the sector. We are of the opinion that both Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and WTI will remain at or around current prices, at least for 2015. This is in line with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecast for LNG but not for WTI (see Figure 1.2); however we agree that crude oil prices will not go into further decline given current circumstances. Interest Rates The Repo Rate was increased to 3.25% for three main reasons, to keep in line with expected increases in U.S. interest rates, the headline inflation rate – driven mainly by double digit food inflation, and continued steady performance in non-energy output (Kissoon 2014). We expect as the U.S. rates increase, so will the Repo Rate. The Federal Reserve is basing changes in its rate on economic performance however current indicators show mixed results. We expect that the rate of increase for both rates will be slower than originally anticipated. Unemployment Rate With an unemployment rate of 3.5%, there is extremely limited excess capacity in the labour market. Lindas has a staff turnover of 8% monthly in stores. This may be attributed to government make work programmes. Reforms that will help diversify the economic base and reduce the fiscal deficit will be difficult to implement, especially in an election year. As such we do not anticipate significant changes to the makeup of the labour force in the short to medium term. Wheat The major ingredient in Lindas products is flour. Although the flour is produced locally, wheat is imported mainly from the USA; the worlds largest wheat exporter. Wheat exports from the USA are at its lowest over the past three years and are expected to decrease because of reduced demand and a surging dollar. In the short term prices are predicted to move lower then recover in 2016, depending on demand for wheat as feed and a recovery in corn prices (Wilson and Mulvany 2015). When coupled with increased production worldwide, we anticipate continuing fluctuations in the price of wheat in the short term but not to the extent of 2010-2011 which triggered the last local price increase. Consumer Confidence In Quarter 3 of 2014 Central Bank conducted its first Consumer Confidence survey measuring at -4. This can be an indicator that consumers will spend less and save more as they are mildly pessimistic about the economy. If consumers spend less, suppliers may decrease their production output which can affect national productivity and wages. (News.gov.tt, 2015) Porters Five Forces Supplier Power Flour Lindas purchases its flour exclusively from the National Flour Mills (NFM); a state controlled Public Limited Company, and is their second largest customer. NFM recently adopted a more proactive relationship with its major stakeholders, including Lindas and the Seamen Waterfront Workers Trade Union (SWWTU), such as including them in its strategic planning. This bore positive results like a collective bargaining agreement for wages in place for 2013 to 2016 (Trinidad Express 2015). We would expect this proactive mindset to continue with the importation of wheat, if US wheat becomes too expensive. NFM can easily import wheat from Canada and Uruguay, two politically stable countries that NFM previously or currently imports other grains from. We don’t expect the fluctuations in the world wheat price to affect the price of NFM flour locally, as it is set by the government – NFM’s majority shareholder. Historically government is averse to increasing the price of flour, regardless of who is in power. This can be seen in flour – and bread – maintaining Value Added Tax (VAT) exempt status, the discounts offered on flour by the current administration, and other price fluctuations being absorbed except in 2011. Buyer Power Linda’s recently increased the prices on some products and, according to their CEO, this has had no effect on their sales. Lindas believes that once they have a quality product, their customers will pay the price for it. As such we are of the opinion that buyer power is not a major factor at this point in time. Competitive Rivalry Lindas is second in the bread market to Kiss Company Limited and they state that they are number one in the pastry business in the country. Whilst Kiss sells the same product bread we are of the opinion that they have different target markets. Kiss is available from groceries to sidewalk shops throughout the country, whereas Lindas products are only available in their stores. Lindas products have little or no preservatives and they believe that this is to their advantage since some customers will choose their products over for this reason. Threat of Substitution Gluten Free â€Å"The number of consumers who think gluten-free is generally healthier fell from 46% in 2010 to 35% in 2012, and the number who thinks it is effective in managing weight fell from 30% to 27%.† (IFT 2014) Based on the premium in product costs, we do not foresee gluten-free entering the mainstream in TT. Threat of New Entry There are some significant barriers to entry for this type of business. Capital Requirements: The CEO of Lindas stated that the minimum investment required to enter this business is approximately $50 to $70 million. Two of their major investors are Prestige Holdings and Trent Restaurant Group. Economies of Scale: In order to produce bread and pastries for multiple geographic locations, capacity must be significant and utilization maximized. Lindas expanded its factory in El Socorro, where they prepare all the products to be distributed to all locations. Product Differentiation: Lindas has recently rolled out their Fresh line which is an attempt at differentiating their product line from other bakeries. Sector of the Economy Lindas is catergorised under the food and beverage manufacturing sector of the local economy. According to the Food and Beverage Industry Development Company, with the continued expansion of the local economy, the domestic food and beverage sector is expected to continue along its progressive track. In addition, expansion of the regional economy, renewed efforts for research and further product development, and strategic niche marketing will also support sustained growth over the longer term. (FoodAndBeverageTT.com 2015) Competition Trinidad and Tobago has a free market economy with Lindas Bakery operating in as an oligopoly. The bread market is dominated by the leader Kiss Baking Company followed by Lindas Bakery. There are other competitors but they are small in comparison. In order to compete at the same level as Lindas you would need to have at least $50-$70 million TTD in startup costs. Their products however are differentiated. They are price makers utilizing product differentiation by offering a wider range of high quality products some of which may not found in other bakeries. They have also added a new line called Lindas Fresh to accommodate changing customer demands and to stay one step away from the competitor. Customer Analysis Analysis of Demand and Supply There is limited statistical data on demand and supply within the industry. Therefore we made assumptions using the theoretical concepts and behavioural changes in wheat imports and consumer purchasing. Wheat imports steadily declined from 2011 to 2014 from 140 to 135. It is projected at 135,000 MT in 2014/2015MY in the Trade report and current USDA World Markets (USDA 2015). The wheat import forecast fell by -2 (1.45%) thd. mt in the 2014/2015 in comparison to 2013/2014 season. The opening stock for 2014/2015 was 5 thd. mt (indexmundi.com 2015). Using this trend we can assume that the consumption of flour based products (such as bread) has decreased over the years. We can assume that this may be due to lifestyle changes considering â€Å"There is an explosion of diabetes in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean and it is now the second leading cause of death in TT.† (Baboolal 2015) With a prevalence rate of 14.2% and an undiagnosed rate of 37.6%, it is possible that 1 out of 2 adults (20-79) in TT are diabetic (IDF 2015). We anticipate a surge of diabetic related issues over the medium to long term. According to the World Health Organization the life expectancy for Trinbagonians has increased from an average of 70.85 to 72.5 years. This can lead to suppliers producing less. Price Elasticity Lindas Bakery product is price inelastic. Their bread prices are lower when compared to Kiss Bakery; however Kiss is the market leader. Bread is considered to be a necessary commodity used in everyday life and is highly consumed in Trinidad. If there is an increase in price, then ceteris parabus, the quantity demanded will not decrease. The percentage of income spent is relatively low; there is a wide availability of substitutes, a high degree of necessity and no switching costs. Complementary and Substitute Products On a very basic level Lindas complemented their goods with drinks for sale, a common practice for most food outlets. For example the sale of a sandwich or Lindas fresh might increase the demand for drinks. However with a substitute the buyer might buy something other than the intended good in store but if the substitute is outside the business then the company will not maximise profit. Externalities (Positive and Negative) Positive externality in consumption is Lindas Bakery training their staff resulting in an increase of human capital. They are therefore able to educate other people who benefit from them. Positive externality in production is the tax break in manufacturing that will encourage entrepreneurship to lead to diversification, employment and economic growth. Free markets allow the negative externality in consumption is the increase rate of diabetes and obesity in Trinidad and Tobago. Conclusion There are major opportunities and challenges for Lindas within the current economic environment. Lindas Bakery has plans for expansion nationally and potentially regionally. Based on the expense to expand production capacity, Linda’s must continue on its current expansion path to effectively utilize this increase in production capacity. They can accomplish this expansion by utilizing their current resources and revenue to accomplish the task. As such they currently do not need to go for financing and are not affected by the increase in interest rate. This is another reason why we recommend Linda’s continue on its current expansion path. They can gain a competitive advantage through the application of technology. For example the introduction of an app can boost the companys visibility and brand awareness, generate sales and capture customer data to make projections. However, a major challenge for the company is the limited supply of labour in the country. Even though persons can seek employment at Lindas with limited experience, there exist easier options through government programmes. The application of technology above may also mitigate some of the burdens of in store staff by shifting the effort needed to the customer. Appendix Figure 1.1 Figure 1.2 Works cited Baboolal, Yvonne. 2015. Diabetes In TT Ranked No 2 Killer. Trinidad Tobago Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2012-03-12/diabetes-tt-ranked-no-2-killer. FoodAndBeverageTT.com,. 2015. Industry Profile | Food And Beverage Industry Development Committee |. http://www.foodandbeveragett.com/industry-profile/. Government of Trinidad Tobago. 2014. Budget Presentation 2015. Port of Spain. IDF, International Diabetes Federation. 2015. Trinidad And Tobago. http://www.idf.org/membership/nac/trinidad-and-tobago. IMF, International Monetary Fund,. 2015. Trinidad And Tobago And The IMF. http://www.imf.org/external/country/tto/. Indexmundi.com,. 2015. Trinidad And Tobago Wheat Imports By Year (1000 MT). http://www.indexmundi.com/agriculture/?country=ttcommodity=wheatgraph=imports. Kissoon, Carolyn. 2014. Repo Rate Increases To 3.25 Per Cent. Trinidad Express. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Repo-rate-increases-to-325-per-cent-284545331.html. News.gov.tt,. 2015. Central Bank: Local Consumers â€Å"Pessimistic†. http://www.news.gov.tt/content/central-bank-local-consumers-pessimistic#.VRYEofnF_xV. Sloan, Elizabeth. 2014. The Top Ten Functional Food Trends.Food Technology.http://www.ift.org/food-technology/past-issues/2014/april/features/toptentrends.aspx. USDA, United States Department of Agriculture. 2015. ‘Data Analysis’. http://www.fas.usda.gov/data Wilson, Jeff, and Lydia Mulvany. 2015. Russians, Argentines, Cows Are Squeezing U.S. Wheat Price. Bloomberg.Com. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-29/russians-europeans-cows-are-squeezing-u-s-wheat-price.