Domestic Architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Domestic Architecture - Essay Example The general plan of the houses, is very similar to the buildings of the Tudor period One of the distinguishing features of this style is that the second story projects out slightly over the first. The corners of the house are decorated with little suspended pendant-like ornaments. Both these features are typical of the medieval fashion, where the second floor would project out, and a little into the street. The website also says that it would appear that buildings so fashioned were considered more 'formal' and 'fancier'. Yet another distinguishing feature of this style is the asymmetry of the house As the article, 'Colonial Architecture' points out the Parson Capen House, was among the more modest dwellings of that time. The front door of the Parson Capen house is not quite in the center of the wall, but slightly to the right, thus asymmetrical. Also like other colonial structures, the second floor projects out. As the article states the house, "is typical of the two-story New England house of overlapping weatherboards. Northern Arizona University tells us that it was in France: that Jefferson learned of Roman architecture and its symbolic association with Greek democracy. With this inspiration, he began reworking the house he had begun in 1769, upon a small mountain, and continued to tear down and re-build it till 1809. The Wikipedia free encyclopedia mentions that Monticello in French means 'little mountain' Jefferson was inspired by the works of Andrea Palladio particularly the Villa Rotunda says the article, 'Classic(al) Revival / Jeffersonian Classicism / Roman Classicism'. Prof Paradis says that the identifying features of this style include a dentil cornice emphasized with wide band of trim, porches, temple-front entryway, and square or rounded columns, usually Doric. Another interesting feature at Monticello is the dome. This style of architecture competed with the Federal style, which was more prevalent and dominant at the time, and which drew its origins from the 'Adamesque' (Georgian) style of architecture. states the article 'Federal Style.' Another feature of this style and period is that windows have a number of small panes of glass because it was difficult to make large pieces of glass. There might be 12, 8, or 6 panes in both the top and bottom window sashes. These features can all be seen in Monticello. Another website with information on Jefferson titled '1768 to 1782 Thomas Jefferson, architect Near Charlottesville, Virginia, USA' says that, "he combined the great European traditions of Palladio with American domesticity." The difference from Palladio, the article says, lay in aspects he introduced to the Monticello like the "long horizontal wings, underground service rooms, and all sorts of "modern" gadgets. " William Low House, Charlottesville, Virginia. (1887) Frank Lloyd Wright 428 Oak Park, Illinois (1889) Shingle style. "A shingled home does not stand on ceremony. It

Types of Advertising Media Essay Example for Free

Types of Advertising Media Essay There are various types of advertising media through which companies can advertise products, brand and services, in order to promote their businesses. Ogilvy (1987) who is considered to be one of the pioneers of advertising and marketing concepts once stated in his book entitled Ogilvy on advertising that advertising is the promotion of companys or personal products, brands and services carried out primarily to boost sales and is extremely pervasive in todays society. Advertising has become an essential element of the corporate world and hence many companies allot a considerable amount of resources towards advertising their products either by the print media, outdoor media and the broadcasting media advertising. Firstly, the print media advertising, in an research by Manohar (2011) entitled types of advertising media he noted that, the print media is achieve by promoting products through the use of newspapers and magazines, in which the media offers options such as promotional brochures and fliers to achieve their advertising purposes. Often, this type of advertising medium impacts a large portion of the advertising world through its daily publication that goes directly to the targeted customers. In addition to that, many local businesses use the print media to ensure that they capitalize on the advertising market, knowing that people read magazines and daily newspapers and are likely to come across advertisement that are strategically place there to capture their interest. The outdoor media advertising is also an important and very popular form for promoting products. Mentioned in an article by advertising- suite (2009) entitled types of advertising media the outdoor media makes use of several tools and techniques to targets the general public, but is achieved by way of placing advertisements on billboards, kiosks, moving transportation as well as events and trade shows. Terse and catchy phrases are implemented in this type of advertising media to grab the attention of the general public and effectively leave a lasting effects on them. Moreover, the outdoor advertising media is a fantastic medium businesses used to communicate their information strategies between themselves and intended audiences. Finally, another form of advertising is through the broadcasting media. The book entitled Broadcasting and Cable by Warner (1986) views broadcasting media as advertising that is electronically transmitted to people, it constitute several branches such as television, radio and the Internet. When companies advertise on television or radio they often rely on repetition of ads in order to gain consumers interest in their products. According to Hassam (2011) in an article entitled types of advertising media people spend considerable amount of their time watching television, browsing the Internet and listening to the radio and as such the broadcasting advertising media reaches a wider audience both nationally and globally. Moreover, it also gives marketing agencies the opportunity to be creative in effectively conveying their marketing messages through sight, sound and motion. Conclusion: The use of advertising media for many companies has been seen as an important component for their marketing tactics to promote businesses as well as to communicate their information efficiently. Advertising through the print, outdoor and broadcasting media have improve product sales, popularize companys name and brand value, if a product is advertised well and its information reaches to the masses, then the chances of more people getting to know about it spread. Thus, making advertising beneficial for the consumers, manufacturers and the advertising agencies within the local or the global market.

John Adams Essays -- essays research papers

David McCullough. John Adams. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001. 656 pp. David McCullough was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1933, and educated at Yale where he graduated with honors in English literature. McCullough lives in West Tisbury, Massachusetts with his wife, Rosalee Barnes McCullough. They have five children and fifteen grandchildren. He is the author of Truman, Brave Companions, Mornings on Horseback, The Path Between the Seas, The Great Bridge, and the Johnstown Flood. He has received the Pulitzer Prize (in 1993, for Truman), the Francis Parkman Prize, (this award promotes literary distinction in historical writing, and is presented annually for the best book in American history). He has also won the Los Angeles Times Book Award, and is twice winner of the National Book award, for history and biography. McCullough has lectured in all parts of the country and abroad, as well as at the White House, as part of the White House presidential lecture series. He is also one of few private citizens to be asked to speak before a joint session of C ongress. David McCullough has been an editor, essayist, teacher, lecturer, and familiar presence on public television- as host of Smithsonian World, The American Experience, and numerous documentaries including The Civil War and Napoleon. John Adams is a biography about the second president of the United States. McCullough originally set out to write a dual biography of Adams and Jefferson. David McCullough has successfully incorporated the life of Thomas Jefferson into this biography. The idea was to explore their interlocking lives and careers. The two men first met as fellow patriots united in the cause of independence in the mid-1770s. As fellow diplomats in Europe in the 1780s they became close friends. In the 1790s they became political rivals and didn’t speak to each other for more than ten years. They reconciled in their retirement years, and then launched into one of the great exchanges of letters in American history. They died on the same day- July 4th, 1826, fifty years after the Declaration of Independence. Though this began as a dual biography it quickly became an Adams biography. McCullough realized that after a year and one half of research that Adams was in every respect a more fully developed, three-dimensional, warm-blooded, and compelling character than Jefferson. McCullough wants his ... ...ams’s. I learned so much about the relationship between Abigail and John Adams. Their life together was a true love story. I also learned the contrasts between Adams and Jefferson. Jefferson was tall, lean, and youthful. Adams was short, stout, and eight years Jefferson’s senior. Adams kept no record of accounts, Jefferson, on the other hand, kept meticulous records, but the greatest difference between them was that Jefferson avoided conflict. He could not bring himself to argue with anyone, ever. In contrast, Adams embraced difficulty, conflict, and struggle. After reading this book I came away with a better understanding of the civil war, slavery, and other crucial issues facing America at that time. John Adams has given me an insatiable appetite to learn more about our founding fathers, I feel that I can never know enough about them. This was an absolutely fascinating book to read. I loved it! For me this was the history lesson that I needed. I enjoyed this book from a plain readers point of view; moreover I enjoyed the history lesson in rare form. David McCullough’s John Adams was, by far, the best written and most interesting book that I have ever read. (word count 1543)

Obesity Crisis Speech

Thesis/Central Idea: Obesity Crisis Introduction: Obesity has become a controversial and great medical issue within today’s society. It is defined as a disease in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that health may be negatively affected. In other word, an increase of body fatty tissue mass. It can also be defined as a body mass index of around 30 or above (Mathur, 2007). Many studies show an association between excessive body weight and various diseases, particularly cancers and heart problems which directly relate to increased mortality and lower life expectancy.Body I. Main Point: In many countries, obesity has become a major problem. Obesity is rapidly rising especially in developing countries. A. Subpoint: Statistics indicate that obesity is a high-risk national malaise. 1. According to the World Health Organization, in year 2005, 400 million adults were obese. 2. And predicts that there will be more than 700 million adults will be obese in the world b y 2015. B. Subpoint: Childhood obesity is also at an all time high 1. According to the U. S.Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of obese children has increased by 54 percent in 6 to 11 year olds and 39 percent among 12 to 17 year olds. 2. That is to say that 16 to 33 percent of Americans within the ages of 6 to 17 are considered obese. 3. Unfortunately for children of the age of 7 who are obese, 40 percent of them will struggle obesity throughout their adulthood and be faced with many health complications. As for the obese adolescents, 70 percent of them will remain obese throughout their adult life. . Another statistic figures children between the ages 10 and 13 have an 80 percent chance of battling through the torments of an obese life as an adult. Transition: What causes obesity?II. Main Point: Genes, eating habits and a slow metabolism rate may all play a part. A. Subpoint: Most often, obesity tend to run in family which leads to genetic cause (Myers, 2004) 1. In one study, adults who were adopted as children were found to have weights closer to their biological parents than to their adoptive parents. . In this case, the person's genetic makeup has more influence on the development of obesity than the environment in the adoptive family home. B. Subpoint: Apart from hereditary factors, obesity also occurs when there is a combination of unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. 1. According to the American Academy of Child ;amp; Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), unhealthy weight gain due to poor dieting and lack of exercise is responsible for over an incredible 300,000 deaths a year. 2.Nowadays, most people indulge in static mental exercise such as surfing the internet, watching television and reading rather than physical activities. 3. This would lead to an increase in the rate of obesity as more and more people become lazier (Myers, 2004) C. Subpoint: Eating habits are essential in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preven ting the degenerate diseases in which are hand and hand with obesity. 1. The fast-food revolution and the carbohydrate-laden two-minute noodles as convenient substitutes for wholesome food also contribute to weight gain. .This is especially to those who have the eating habits of consuming a big portion of oily and fatty foods all at once. 3. Besides that, too much alcohol may also cause obesity because most alcoholic drinks are high in calories and this can lead to consuming more calories than we should. D. Subpoint: Obesity could also be caused by the slow metabolism rate of a person (Mathur, 2007) 1. Researchers found more metabolic and digestive disorders resulting from over consumption of trans-fats and refined white flour carbohydrates, combined with low fiber intake. 2.These eating patterns are known to interfere with food and energy metabolism in the body, and cause excessive fat storage. Transition: The effect of obesity is that people are getting fatter III. Main Point: Gro wing evidence shows that if you are overweight you are more likely to develop health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, gout and gallbladder disease. A. Subpoint: Being overweight can also cause problems such as sleep apnoea (interrupted breathing during sleep) and osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints) B.Subpoint: Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes which reduces our body's ability to control blood sugar. 1. Therefore, a person’s blood glucose level will increase and later become obese 2. It is also a major cause of early death, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and blindness. C. Subpoint: Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability for both men and women. 1. This is because overweight people are more likely to have high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, than people who are not overweight 2.Very high blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides (blo od fats) can also lead to heart disease and often are linked to obesity. 3. Being overweight also contributes to angina (chest pain) and sudden death from heart disease or stroke without any signs or symptoms (Mathur, 2007) Transition: There are many things we can do to control obesity IV. Main Point: Becoming more active is the best way to burn more calories and lose weight. A. Subpoint: As a citizen, we could help by walking or running at least 20 minutes a day. This will ensure that our heart stays healthy. . Also, if we know someone who is overweight, we should always try to support and encourage them to exercise. Quite often, people who are overweight will shy away from society, so any support we can give them will be greatly appreciated.2. We should be a role model for the younger generations to follow on how a healthy lifestyle is like. Also, a child could develop a healthier eating habit when they are still young as that’s their best learning time. B. Subpoint: It is imperative that the Government prioritize disease prevention and health promotion. . The government could organize health talks on obesity and publish advertisements through the media to show the damaging effects of obesity. 2. Measures have already been taken thanks to The Health Ministry’s Healthy Lifestyle campaign for promoting physical activity since factors such as environment, sports and recreational amenities influenced people’s inclination in this direction (Crawford, 2004) Conclusion: Obesity has a strong negative effect on the society and therefore, it is harmful.If society can take steps to solve the challenges faced, obesity will decline and people would have a healthier lifestyle. If obesity gets bad, then problems that come with it may be irreversible. Problems such as diabetes and heart conditions are common illnesses suffered by people who are obese. Therefore, there is a need to stop it from becoming a serious threat.Bibliography Crawford, Lester M. à ¢â‚¬Å"Government's role in combating the nation's obesity epidemic. Health & Human Services, June 2004 Mathur, R. â€Å"Obesity†, http://www. medicinenet. com/obesity_weight_loss/article. htm Myers, M. D. â€Å"Causes of obesity†, http://www. Weight. com. World Health Organization http://www. who. int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/index. html U. S. Center of Disease Control and Prevention http://www. cdc. gov/obesity/index. html American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry http://www. aacap. org/cs/root/facts_for_families/obesity_in_children_and_teens

Tragedy in Waco Texas

Many people in this world tend to belong to a religious group. People feel that religion is a way to fill an emptiness they may be feeling inside. It is a way to comfort those who may have lost loved ones knowing that they are now in a â€Å"better place† and we too will join them there once it is our time. However, some people belong to either a religious sect or cult. These groups are not considered meet the standards of what it means to be a religion or they simply do not have enough people following them. In the early 90s, many people had a narrow-minded vision of what exactly the Branch Davidians were in Waco Texas.Stuart A. Wright presented an unbiased opinion in his book Armageddon in Waco so everyone could question what really happened and whether or not the government was justified in their actions. There are several differences between a religion, a sect, and a cult. According to our notes worldly religions meet a certain criteria to be known mainstream. Each religio n has a long history of existence and ancient texts. The religion has many people who follow it and elites that adhere and accept it (i. e. Emperor Constantine).The religion is normalized an influential; no one questions the faith. Finally, there is a cultural/social integration of the religion; for example, when someone new is being initiated into the presidency they must swear on the Bible. Some major religions are Christianity containing 2. 1 billion followers, Islam containing 1. 5 billion followers, and Judaism containing 14 million followers (class slide show dated 11/18). A religious sect has similar qualities of a religion, but they feel they have made improvements to older established religious.According to our notes, sects are a branch of previously existing religions; the group uses old ancient texts (like the Bible or the Qur’an) and mix new interpretations of that text. An example of this would be the book of Mormon. These sects are not fully accepted in mainstre am society and are considered to be â€Å"weird† by major religions. The sect usually contained a small number of followers who have a disdain for mainstream religions. Elites are not usually members of religious sects, but rather choose to attack them claiming they are blasphemers. Finally, many sects started to reform a much larger church.Some examples of religious sects would be the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Scientologists (class slide show dated 11/18). Although, I would argue that Scientology has more cult like qualities than sect like qualities; it is only labeled a sect because its members are people like Tom Cruise and John Travolta. A group that is considered a cult usually does not have many members all of which are not dependent on orthodox religious beliefs. According to our notes, cults usually have many different ideas, a lot of which are about the end of the world.These groups are often hostile, but at the same time provide members with everythin g the group needs. Outsiders often view these groups as threats; this is why they are labeled a cult. Cults have deviant beliefs about sex, drug use, and other acceptable behavior (class slide show dated 11/18). Myths are also associated with cults and the media plays on these myths to present these cults as a threat to society. According to our notes from the slideshow, some cult myths are that members are brainwashed, they are sexual deviants, there is abuse among members, and there are strange acts like sacrificing animals etc.An example of a cult would be Jim Jones and the People’s Temple mass suicide. Jim Jones managed to create one of the largest mass suicides in history convincing 900 people to kill themselves by drinking poisonous Kool-Aid. In my opinion, the Branch Davidians in Waco Texas could be classified as a sect with cult-like characteristics. According to the documentary, â€Å"The Final Report: Waco Tragedy,† the Branch Davidian group is a branch of th e Seven Day Adventist Church. Their leader, David Koresh, taught his follows of many end time prophecies.Koresh was following the teachings of the founding Davidian named Victor Tasho Houteff. According to Stuart A. Wright, who edited the book Armageddon in Waco, â€Å"Houteff interpreted the Bible in terms of prophecy fulfillment†¦he reconstructed a history on the basis of mysterious and arcane passages recorded in Daniel, and interpreted signs in current events which suggested fulfillment of end times† (pg. 23). Many myths circling cults are about end times and the end of the world itself. Since that is the basis of the Branch Davidian group it is obvious why they were view as â€Å"different† or â€Å"crazy† when thinking the world will end.During the early 1990’s, the Davidians were a very closed off group living in their compound called Mt. Carmel; this played right into cult like myths presented by the media. It brought about questions like â⠂¬Å"What are they doing it there? † or â€Å"Why is everything secretive? It must be illegal. † It didn’t help that the Davidians had their own money system and educational system in order to design the culture for future generations (Wright pg. 27). According to the documentary â€Å"Waco: Rules of Engagement,† David Koresh had several children with various different â€Å"wives. All of said â€Å"wives† were in actuality the legal wives of his followers. This played right into another cult myth; the myth that the Branch Davidians had deviant beliefs toward sex. Although the Davidians have many cult-like myths circling them, the fact remains they are just myths not proof. The group did not meet any other of the criteria for being considered a cult. It was obvious that the government wanted to pose this little branch of the Seven Day Adventist Church as a threat because they did not meet social norms.Cults are said to be their own group entirely wi th new thoughts, beliefs, and ideas. The Branch Davidians share the beliefs of the Seven Day Adventists since that is the religion they stem from. This makes the groups more of a sect with some cult-like characteristics. David Koresh was also look upon as a threat because he was housing illegal firearms. According to the documentary â€Å"Waco: The Rules of Engagement,† Koresh was presented to the people as an insane cult leader who was in possession of illegal weapons.The media, BTAF, and FBI construed people into believing Koresh would use these weapons on people thus making Koresh a threat to the public. The ATF warrants against Koresh accused him of holding these illegal weapons as well as sexually abusing children (which still cannot be proven). To make the Waco group more of a threat to the public the media, former Davidians, and the government all make certain claims about the group and play into people’s fears. â€Å"Claims-making is more effective if the part icular issues target problems that reflect pre-existing or widespread social fears and apprehensions† (Wright 79).Claims making allows a small window for what they consider to be outside of the social norm; in other words you can be â€Å"weird,† but not â€Å"too weird. † The media presented David Koresh with the nickname â€Å"The Sinful Messiah. † The name itself sends out an alert in people’s minds; anyone who hears this derogatory name is now well aware this man must be a â€Å"weirdo. † On March 3, 1993, Mark England and Darlene McCormick released an article in the Waco Tribune-Herald Series called â€Å"The Sinful Messiah,† calling David Koresh by his birth name (Vernon Howell) and spreading rumors about various things he was accused of in the Mt.Carmel compound. England and McCormick claim they have interviewed several former Davidian members who said Koresh was guilty of abusing children physically and psychologically, having sex with underage girls, and had at least 15 â€Å"wives. † England and McCormick also make claims that Koresh (or Howell as they refer to him) fathered many children from his various â€Å"wives† while living in the compound. It says in the article, â€Å"County records show no birth certificates for many children whom former cult members said have been born to Branch Davidian women since the late 1980's.A former cult member once registered as a midwife in McLennan County said she delivered twin girls in 1991 to a young Branch Davidian woman living at Mount Carmel. The midwife said Howell ordered her not to register the babies with local officials, a violation of state law. † The problem with these accusations however, is that they are all from â€Å"anonymous† sources. It is almost like reading a tabloid magazine. If a tabloid is trying to make it seem like two people in Hollywood are dating they will write in the article quotes from these â€Å"anonym ous† sources that are proven false majority of the time.When I read this article I had the same feeling as if I were reading a bogus article in Star Magazine. I also feel the way England and McCormick refused to call him David Koresh seemed derogatory. The fact that the writers purposely called him Vernon Howell gave the article an air of sarcasm. It was as if they were saying, â€Å"Look at this crazy guy who thinks he’s the messiah; his name is Vernon Howell. † However, the article fails to mention Vernon Howell did in fact change his name legally to David Koresh. I do not think by any means that David Koresh was the messiah, but I think it was wrong to mock the fact that he changed his name.The media wanted to present him as some crazy man from Texas; the writers were clearly mocking him and wanted to let the public know it was allowed and encouraged to look at David Koresh as if he were insane. The only real source in the article seemed to be from a girl by t he name of Kiri Jewell. Kiri’s father and mother were divorced and had joint custody of her. However, her father rarely saw her when Kiri and her mother went to live in the compound. However, the child abuse thing was blown completely out of proportion.After the massacre occurred and the hearings were going on in congress in 1995, Kiri Jewell testified against David Koresh claiming he sexually abused her. According to footage shown in the documentary â€Å"Waco: Rules of Engagement,† Kiri went on record saying that when she was just 10 years old she was sexually assaulted by Koresh. However, Kiri Jewell is not a reliable source as well. In the documentary, after Kiri makes her statement, the Davidians defense attorneys show that Jewell has made several contradictory statements in the past. The documentary then flashes to an interview with the Sherriff of Waco.He explains that they are yet to charge Koresh of any form of abuse, but if there was anything like that going on with girls that were at least fourteen and had parental consent then it is not illegal. It may be morally wrong to outsiders looking in, but to them it was perfectly natural and acceptable (not saying I agree with that, but I’m not a Branch Davidian). However, I do think the media took one girl’s accusations and made a mountain out of a molehill. They knew people would respond poorly after hearing any form of abuse toward children, thus justifying the military actions towards the Waco group.In class we watched two documentaries; one was titled â€Å"The Final Report: Tragedy at Waco† the other titled â€Å"Waco: Rules of Engagement. † Both documentaries gave viewers extremely different feelings toward them same event in Waco, Texas. When watching â€Å"The Final Report: Tragedy at Waco,† the producers of the documentary purposely make the Branch Davidian group seem alien and obviously cannot be trusted since they were so closed off from everyone else. The documentary starts off by asking a series of questions like â€Å"Who are the Branch Davidians? and â€Å"Who is David Koresh? † There is music playing in the background almost comparable to that someone would hear in a horror movie. It is clear from the start the purpose of this documentary is to make the Branch Davidians seem like a menacing crazy cult from the Boondocks of Texas. This documentary also only seemed to present one side of the story. The made it seem like it was the most obvious thing in the world that the Davidians wanted to kill themselves in a mass suicide and therefore, when under attack by the FBI, started a fire.This documentary was shorter and did not present a fair amount of details from both sides of the story. This documentary even has the world â€Å"tragedy† in the title; right away people will play into the idea that the fire was just another mass suicide by some insane religious â€Å"cult† in the middle of no where Texa s. It played right into what the media stereotyped the group to look like. The second documentary we watched was titled â€Å"Waco: Rules of Engagement. † In my opinion this documentary was much more fair and presented both sides as best as it could.This documentary was done with a more unbiased eye, unlike the first one. However, this documentary did do a successful job of making the FBI look like screw-ups and this whole thing was just a big government cover-up. Maybe it just showed the incident at Mount Carmel for exactly what it was. Technically in the documentary the FBI did a good job of making themselves look like screw-ups because the documentary simply showed footage of thing various agents said. On some level this documentary did manipulate viewers; for example when they showed the dead bodies that were burned it gave the Davidians a sympathy vote.However, this documentary did not alter anything, but rather presented it as it was. I felt it allowed the people to get a clearer look at what happen and maybe see the media altered people’s perception of what really happened. It is difficult to say who started the fire. In my opinion this whole raid was a complete screw up. In the book Armageddon in Waco it says, â€Å"The BATF raid was a monumental failure. Subsequently, the April 19, 1993, FBI CS gas assault on the compound and the ensuing fire (whatever its cause) fulfilled only one stated objective—that of suppressing an armed group.The children who were to be saved from abuse died instead† (Wright pg. 229). There is no accurate cause of what started the fire. However, according to the documentary â€Å"Waco: Rules of Engagement† I have reason to believe it was started by accident from the FBI tanks. After the FBI released the gas that was supposed to be harmless and â€Å"nonflammable† into the compound it was shown by the person who invented infrared cameras and readings that several shots were fired from FB I tanks even though they went on record saying no shots were fired that day.During the trials they tried to present it like those flashes were light being reflected, however, these cameras only pick up heat so it would be virtually impossible to pick up a reflection; needless to say Congress and everyone in the courtroom were obviously stunned. In my own personal opinion I feel the shots from the FBI tanks mixed with the gas released into the compound were the cause of the fire. After seeing interviews with various Branch Davidian members who died on that day it was obvious they had no intention of this mass suicide.It doesn’t even coincide with their beliefs; they believed that there would be a final battle, which they would come out victorious. Although on some levels this was a battle I do not believe they would have given up and killed themselves. If there who belief system was based on this battle wouldn’t they fight back? When the fire started it looked like seve ral explosions were going off. That could only have occurred when the shots mixed with the gas that was spread throughout the building. The FBI did not want to admit they messed up big time so they formed an alliance with the media presenting a completely different story.If someone were to see a headline about the Branch Davidians they would see words like â€Å"cult† and â€Å"mass suicide. † The media presented the story as if the group started the fire themselves. Media groups claimed to have phone conversations indicating they had planned these actions; however, the phone conversations so no indication that the Branch Davidians had any intention of starting a fire to kill all its members. Most people even tried to escape the compound when it was in flames. If a mass suicide were really the planned course of action why would people be trying to escape?Although the media presents that the fire was entirely the Branch Davidians’ fault, other evidence can prove otherwise. We discussed in class that this incident at Waco was indirectly to the Oklahoma City bombing. Timothy McVeigh felt it would send a clear message to attack the groups involved in the trials of the Branch Davidians because of their greatest mistake and cover-up. McVeigh was so angered by this government cover up that he felt he should bomb the federal buildings where people like FBI and ATF agents worked.He realized after it was wrong to kill innocent people and said he should have only gone after those involved in the incident at Waco. Although very different, religions, sects, cults have lots in common. They each have a group of lost souls who are looking beyond this life in hopes of a better afterlife. The Davidian’s beliefs may have been questionable, but it is what they believed. This is America where in our first amendment we have freedom of religion. The Davidians were nice people and did not deserve they fate they were delt.

Gothic Barock Essays

Gothic Barock Essays Gothic Barock Essay Gothic Barock Essay Due to the different timeperiods this styles where developed, they give a totally different impression to the viewer. In the time when the gothic style was developed, the whole of europe was dominated by the ideas and influence of the church. So most of the gothic buildings are churches, or cathedrals The cathedrals had outsatnding hights and often dominated the whole skyline of a city which was also a sign of the power that the church had. Especially the early- and middle-Gothic buildings where build of big grey stones blocks which made them appear dark and mystik In the late gothic the architects became more advanced in the use of decorations and glasswindows, which made the buildings appear a bit more friendly. The Barock style of architecture started it s dvelopment in the 16th century. The only ones which could really afford this kind of architecture where certain rich families, the church and the monarchs. The style of Barock architecture always appears a bit exagerrated. The Barock style of architecture is also much more advanced and developed then the Gothic style of architecture The Barock stlye consits of much more movements and motion. While the Gothic has it s special heavy-dark appearance, the Brock style looks much lighter and full of shapes and variety. Inside the buildings it is pretty much the same contrast. While the Gothic buidings were kept more basic inside. The first thing you normally recognize when you enter a gothic building, is the hight of the sealing. The inside s are decorated with woodwork and paintings which where hanging at the wall. The whole impression is more pure and basic but still facinating. The Barock buildings where filled with wallpaintings, stucco and other decoratinons. Parts of the walls and doors where often painted with patterns and shapes, most often this was done with gold colour. The Barock buildings even look too much deorated and too exagerrated. They seem to drown in colours and shapes. : In general we always have to keep in mind that these styles of architecture developed under totally different circumstances. Both styles were strongly an expression of superiorty, domination and power of the rich, the monarchs and the church.  Both styles where enourmous achievements for their time, and even if the Gothic lookes more plain and simple to us, it must have been an a totally new dimension for the people at that time.  I think that the Barock style of architecture is really a bit too exagerrated. I think it just looks too much.

Double O Heaven review of ;The World Is Not Enough; Essays

Double O Heaven review of ;The World Is Not Enough; Essays Double O Heaven review of ;The World Is Not Enough; Essay Double O Heaven review of ;The World Is Not Enough; Essay Well kids the latest Bond movie is out at a cinema near you and is set for the top of the charts. The World Is Not Enough contains all the typical Bond assets: guns, gadgets, getaways and of course the Bond girls! Throughout this article I will take you through all the ingredients to make a classic Bond, The World Is Not Enough is no exception to this. The World Is Not Enough is a formula film, as is every James Bond film. The formula must contain, lots of action, gadgets, the Bond girl, chase sequences and a load of explosions and stunts. The Hollywood high concept film contains fast-paced editing so dont blink or youll miss the action! As far as the mise en scene is concerned, the gadgets are surely the most noticeable props. I guess the first one to notice are the glasses with the button that Bond uses to trigger off a small explosive device disguised as a gun. From this diversion Bond can make his getaway from the Swiss bankers. Further into the movie, Bond chases an assassin who turns to the water in a speed-boat as an escape route. So Bond takes out a small, prototype powerboat from the MI6 Head Quarters and pursues the assassin down the River Thames. Now, Bonds boat is equipped with everything, from satellite maps of London to rockets. Naturally the film displays more gadgets which just seem to have gotten better as the years have passed. I believe the reason why there are so many new gadgets in the films is because all James Bond films have a very similar plot, an evil genius plans to take over the world, and Bond stops him, thus saving the world! The gadgets are what people go to see Bond for. They bring sus pense to the film, and the audience to the edge of their seats. Gadgets are used to make the viewer think I wonder what else he has up his sleeve? Famous landmarks such as The Tower of London, The Houses of Parliament and The MI6 Head Quarters symbolise the safety of the realm and the British establishment. As always the British are admirably defended by the unruffled Bond in his conservative suit. As usual in a Bond film there is no lack of sexist character/gender representation. Of course, Bond being male is represented as the strongest of all the characters and no woman could match him. This is also seen in the boat chase sequence. Bond gets the smaller, more versatile, faster and ultimately better boat. The woman gets the leisure cruiser/ speedboat, although she handles it well and is the victor throughout much of the race. Bond women are seen as weaker, and whether theyre on Bonds side or not they always seem to give in to his devilishly, irritating charm. And of course he wouldnt be James Bond if he didnt sleep with at least one woman, so that was always guaranteed. There is no sign of stopping those corny, sexist comments made by the man himself. For examples when a receptionist asks Bond How are my figures? he replies Oh, Im sure theyre perfectly rounded. Referring to her figure rather than her numbers. The Bond girls, look as if they have been created on a virtual real ity program, perfect in every way. The latest model sports a figure-hugging red catsuit but uses a variety of weapons adeptly proving herself to be a worthy adversary. There is a wide range of use of different camera angles to suit the action or surroundings. The best shot scene in the whole movie, must be the boat chase sequence. This scene uses just about all the camera shots possible. It has many panning and tracking shots, to set the momentum of the chase and also to show the setting is London as these camera angles show The Tower of London, Westminister and other famous landmarks. There are also many points of view and close up shots to emphasise emotions and feelings and extreme close ups for the effectiveness of Bonds gadgets. Low angle shots force us to see Bond as unusually vulnerable as he ends up on the edge of the balloon rope booking up at his powerful competitor. This creates tension until she conveniently blows herself up. The editing in The World Is Not Enough is superb. The chase sequence is excellent; it contains an important variety of camera shots. This variety of changing camera shots has made for an interesting hook that keeps the audience enthralled in the rest of the movie. It is very important that the scene is fast and exciting, many cuts to different camera angles ensure this. Editing is so important in the movie industry, and the editors of The World Is Not Enough have really hit the nail on the head. The constantly changing camera from Bond to the assassin helps increase the sense of competition. It also creates suspense, confusion and chaos, which keeps the audience riveted to the edge of their seats. The majority of cuts in a section where Bonds boat miraculously transforms itself into a road vehicle and drives through a cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. Humour and tension are retained through the chaos through effective editing. Lighting is important because it is used to lighten up the atmosphere and relieve the tension. Darkness and shadows represents a lurking evil for example when the power (lights) goes out in the MI6 Head Quarters there seems to be a phantom menace. So the lighting is important and works in The World Is Not Enough. The more open combat between Bond and his femme fatale is by contrast in broad daylight. There are two parts of the sound I look at. First being diagetic sound, without this then the movie would be like a silent movie from the 1920s. Which is not necessarily a bad thing the comic genius Charlie Chaplin is considered one on cinemas legends and is far more popular than Pierce Brosnan, however silent movies would not appeal to modern audience. Diagetic sound includes; explosions, gunfire and engine noise, the sound-track is the non-diagetic sound, the classic James Bond theme music for example. This also includes suspense music, which is used to make the atmosphere more intense. I think on the overall basis, the hook of the opening scene of The World Is Not Enough is fantastic. Put together by the editing, sound, and mise en scene. It is this combination that sets for such an effective opening to the rest of this marvellous Bond flick. This has stayed within the limits of the classic Bond genre with modern technological additions Double O Heaven indeed. Race to a cinema near you now!

Impervious and Impenetrable

Impervious and Impenetrable Impervious and Impenetrable Impervious and Impenetrable By Maeve Maddox The synonyms impervious and impenetrable have similar meanings, but, depending on context, one is preferable to the other. The words are used both literally and figuratively. Here are their literal meanings: impervious: Through which there is no way; not affording passage (to); not to be passed through or penetrated; impenetrable, impermeable, impassable. impenetrable: That cannot be penetrated, pierced, or entered; impossible to get into or through. Both words are negatives. Impervious is formed from the negative prefix im- and the adjective pervious. Impenetrable combines the same prefix, im-, with the adjective penetrable, which in turn comes from the verb penetrate. pervious: adjective. Allowing the passage of water, air, etc., through its substance; permeable. Freq. with to. penetrate: transitive verb. To get into or through, gain entrance or access to, especially with force, effort, or difficulty; to pierce. For example, using the words literally, one might say that cheesecloth is pervious to air and water, while a raincoat is impervious to water. The words are used frequently in a figurative sense. If something is impervious, things wash over it without entering. It remains sealed from outside influences. Something impenetrable is not only impervious, it resists efforts to pierce it, either literally, with a pointed object, or figuratively, with the mind. Compare the uses of both words in the following quotations from the web: Such a standard was originally developed to ensure that governments and other organizations could maintain electronic archives that would be relatively impervious to changes in technology. Recruits become fanatics on the subject, impervious to argument, quick to cut themselves off from doubters. After listening to the debate people made up their minds and were fairly impervious to new information. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt. Sun Tzu, The Art of War. After 9,000 emendations to James Joyces notoriously impenetrable novel, a smoother new edition is promised. The Guardian Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Passed vs PastLatin Plural EndingsOne "L" or Two?

Radio Frequency Identification Technology Essay

Radio Frequency Identification Technology - Essay Example But there is a big difference in both the technologies; the bar code identification technology uses line of sight reading for scanning. Whereas, the RFID technology does not depend on this line of sight reading. RFID can read the tags that are some meters away and also can read the tags that are not in the line of sight of the reader. RFID has made significant improvements in the inventory tracking and management processes. The RFID is a technology that is needed and is being used in almost every field that needs a unique identification and tracking system. The RFID tags can hold any kind of information whether simple or complex one. The RFID tags can hold almost 2000 bytes of data. RFID technology has no doubt replaced the bar code detection system and is considered to be the enhanced technology. The RFID is capable of tracking and identifying a great number of items simultaneously. This feature definitely saves a great amount of time and money that is spent on monitoring individual items. Due to many enhancements this technology is being widely used in almost every field. (Discover RFID, 1, n.d) Generally, the technology of Radio Frequency Identification evolved from the roots of the radar systems which have now become one of the hottest supply chain technologies. Most of the Europeans were at that time using radar systems which came into existence in 1935 by a physicist from Scotland, Sir Robert Alexander Watson Watt, which helped them caution against planes which were approaching them even when they are miles away. The problem which the countries faced due to radar system was that they could not identify the planes approaching them, whether it was an enemy's plane or country's own pilot. At that time Germans invented a method following which the base could alert them which aircraft is a German one and which is the Allied aircraft, which was that the German pilots if roll their planes while returning to base that would enable the base and ground crew that the approaching aircraft is a German plane. We can say that this was crude method was the first RFID system. After this method the Scottish physicist helped British developed an IFF system, known as Identify Friend or Foe. The British installed a transmitter on each of their aircrafts, which when received signals from the radar systems from the ground would send the signal back enabling the base to identify their aircrafts. This concept then became the evolution of the RFID systems and was just the same as RFID, which sent signals to a transponder which then reflects the signal back to where it received the signals or even broadcast an active system back to its source. Different advancements were made in radar and RF systems through 1950's and 1960's. (The History of RFID Technology, 1, n.d) Functionality of RFID RFID works has three different parts of the system which includes a scanning antenna, a transceiver which is used to interpret the data by the help of a decoder and a transponder which has been programmed with all the information. Scanning antenna is used to transmit signals at a short range by sending radio frequency signals.

Pg 194 Case Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pg 194 Case - Assignment Example The band remained true to their calling in offering the best to the public as far as advertising is taken into consideration. In this they remain constant to their intended purpose (Sandra, 2008). From the case in question it’s evident that Black Eyed Peas band had moved forward in their work ‘without missing a beat’ as this chapter reckons. Source credibility is another dimension to look at since many sponsors have the trust that this band will always deliver the very best together with the message they relay in the market .This therefore builds on the persuasiveness of the information to the benefit of the company that own the product seeking endorsement. Consumers will therefore agree with any message that is passed to them as the gospel truth following the credibility of the band. Source attractiveness, on another hand, makes the recipient of the advertising message to identify and gain confidence with the band (Miles, 2011). The source of the message is duly identified by the intended receiver who synthesizes the same to come up with the ultimate decision to purchase a good or a service. Potential buyers tend to feel happy about the advert such that they are even persuaded to try the product on offer. Everyone seems elated to be associated with this band thus any brand that they endorse is likely to find its way into the basket of consumers due to high level of persuasiveness exhibited. The Black Eyed Peas band is best suited to endorse electronic brands and automobiles like Apple, television sets and vehicles. This is so because of the high expertise levels bestowed in them. For example the band had successfully endorsed Samsung’s 3D televisions in Times Square. They can therefore develop ads that suit to endorse an electronic product. On one hand, rock bands can generally be suited to endorse consumer goods like drinks and food. With this therefore they can successfully endorse a brand into the

What are the negative effects of accounting scandals on the government Essay - 1

What are the negative effects of accounting scandals on the government - Essay Example Many governments have lost a lot of money on unscrupulous individuals; a fact that calls for a need for developing stringent control procedures that do not put the state employees in positions of committing fraud (Byun & Roland-Luttecke, 2014). According to Ball (2009), financial reporting is one of the root causes of accounting scandal. The rationale for financial reporting is to give financial information about entities that may be of use to the potential lenders, investors, creditors, and the government to guide it in decision-making. The state decisions may include buying or holding equity or providing guidance on whether to borrow money for development. Many cases exist where organizations and government officials exhibit discredited behavioral patterns. Primarily, there are three categories of people in an organization who engage in financial scandals. The dishonest individuals range from chief financial officers who always conceal their true picture and the performance of the government department to maintain their status and to keep aside personal income for their benefits. The middle and lower level of management always falsify information related to their area of work or responsibility (Enofe, 2010). The main aim of engaging in this form of financial accounting is to hide their poor performance abilities or to gain undeserving bonuses, which incurs losses to the government. At the organizational level, the institution can give false financial statements for getting access to credit facilities or inflating the prices of properties that the government is planning to sell. Whereas many governments have reviewed their financial auditing systems to tame accounting fraud, many frauds that have arisen from manipulated audit results are great indicators that financial auditing cannot be solely relied on as a fraud detection strategy. Fraudulent reporting, which is the major form of financial scandal can have negative consequences that may hurt not

Reliability and Fault Tolerance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reliability and Fault Tolerance - Essay Example Report also indicates that several patients suffered serious injuries during the accident. In fact, the Therac-25 accident has been described as the worst ever series of radiation accidents in more than three decades of accelerator medical history (Leveson 1995, p. 18). This paper seeks to present a detailed analysis of the Therac-25 radiation overdose accident in light of technologies and equipments involved, what caused the accident and its consequences. The essay will also explore measures that ought to have been taken to prevent the accident. The Therac-25 radiation overdose accident of between June 1985 and January 1987 has been described as the worst ever radiation accident in the history of medical accelerators. The accidents resulted from the radiation overdose caused by the Therac-25 therapy machine. Report indicates that at least six patients were overdosed in a span of about 2 years due to faults of the machine. Report indicates that the radiation overdose was several time s the normal therapeutic dose resulting in severe burns and death, in some cases (Leveson 1995, p. 18). The first complaint of an accident was reported on June 3, 1985, when a female patient was placed on a 10-MeV electron treatment to clavicle area. However, few minutes after turning on of the Therac-25 machine, the patient complained of extreme force of heat on the body. It is then that the patient complained of having been burned by the machine. ... Nevertheless, the company still failed to investigate whether Therac-25 burned the patients or not. Shortly afterwards, the patient developed reddening and swelling at the area treated by the machine. The pain increased to a level that shoulder began freezing as spasms continued to appear. The patient’s condition continued to worsen, clearly indicating that the patient had suffered from radiation (Nancy and Clark 1993, p.19). A second series of the accident occurred at Ontario Cancer Foundation in 1985 just a week after the first patient had been overdosed at Kennestone. Report indicates that the Therac-25 at the Hamilton clinic had been in use for about six months (Leveson, Turner and Sarin 1993). However, on July 26, 1985, a patient aged 40 years old visited the hospital for the treatment of carcinoma of the cervix. Leveson, Turner, and Sarin (1993) indicate that the Therac-25 machine shut down barely five minutes after activation. This time around, the machine indicated an â€Å"H-tilt† error message. It also displayed a â€Å"no dose† and ‘treatment pause† (Nancy and Clark 1993, p.19). Despite these warnings, the operator went ahead to press the proceed button expecting the Therac-25 machine to deliver the right does this time around. Despite this being, a normal procedure since the machine had shown such faults before the machine still failed to operate. The procedure was repeated several time, but the machine showed suspend. The operator continued with the treatment after which the patient began complaining of a burning sensation on the treatment area, which she described as an â€Å"electric tingling shock† (Leveson, Turner and Sarin 1993). Other patients were successfully treated that day without accidents. The

Final Case Study Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final Case Study Analysis - Assignment Example The case of â€Å"You’ve Got Mail†¦And You’re Fired! The Case of RadioShack† can be regarded as an important case linked with the aspect of human resource (HR) which concerns about firing or terminating huge figure of employees from their respective jobs (Thinkstock, n.d.). With this concern, this paper intends to evaluate as well as to explain the issues or problems that pertained in the aforesaid case relating to RadioShack. Moreover, a set of proposed solutions would also be provided to the management of RadioShack for the purpose of dealing with the identified issues in future. Evaluation and Explanation of the Issue Relating to the Case In the year 2006, the management team of RadioShack took the decision of terminating a certain portion of its employees owing to the reason of its extreme financial turmoil condition. In this regard, it has been apparently observed that a figure of 400 personnel attached with the company received an ultimate message thro ugh e-mail which was "The work force reduction notification is currently in progress. Unfortunately, your position is one that has been eliminated." The unofficial translation: "You're fired." (Forbes.com LLC., 2013). The major issue of the case can be viewed to be the procedure which the management of RadioShack followed to terminate or to lay off its employees. ... Once viewed to be a giant in the electronic market, RadioShack was experiencing tough competitions from its chief business market contenders like Best Buy and CompUSA among others. Majority of the stores of RadioShack that were located in Canada have been viewed to shut down due to heavy net loss faced by the company. It is worth mentioning that changes in the economy can also affected RadioShack vastly resulting in low consumer spending on electronic products. Failure to adopt as well as to execute effectual business strategies in complying with customers’ demand also contributed in financial loss that suffered by the company. It has been viewed that the company was experiencing from turmoil condition and thus failed to compete with its major competitors by a considerable level (RadioShack Corporation, 2006). Thus, it can be affirmed that the aforementioned aspects were the main causes that eventually made the company to lay off or terminate its employees by a considerable le vel. In order to conclude the issue of the case concerning the process of terminating employees, it has been apparently observed that the management of the company adopted as well as executed the method of e-mail for terminating its employees. In this similar concern, 400 personnel belonging to RadioShack have been viewed to receive an e-mail in which the following message had been portrayed. The message was "The work force reduction notification is currently in progress. Unfortunately, your position is one that has been eliminated." The unofficial translation: "You're fired." (Forbes.com LLC., 2013). This particular message via e-mail relating to the procedure of terminating the employees can be regarded as the major issue of the case. The termination procedure which

Reliability and Fault Tolerance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reliability and Fault Tolerance - Essay Example Report also indicates that several patients suffered serious injuries during the accident. In fact, the Therac-25 accident has been described as the worst ever series of radiation accidents in more than three decades of accelerator medical history (Leveson 1995, p. 18). This paper seeks to present a detailed analysis of the Therac-25 radiation overdose accident in light of technologies and equipments involved, what caused the accident and its consequences. The essay will also explore measures that ought to have been taken to prevent the accident. The Therac-25 radiation overdose accident of between June 1985 and January 1987 has been described as the worst ever radiation accident in the history of medical accelerators. The accidents resulted from the radiation overdose caused by the Therac-25 therapy machine. Report indicates that at least six patients were overdosed in a span of about 2 years due to faults of the machine. Report indicates that the radiation overdose was several time s the normal therapeutic dose resulting in severe burns and death, in some cases (Leveson 1995, p. 18). The first complaint of an accident was reported on June 3, 1985, when a female patient was placed on a 10-MeV electron treatment to clavicle area. However, few minutes after turning on of the Therac-25 machine, the patient complained of extreme force of heat on the body. It is then that the patient complained of having been burned by the machine. ... Nevertheless, the company still failed to investigate whether Therac-25 burned the patients or not. Shortly afterwards, the patient developed reddening and swelling at the area treated by the machine. The pain increased to a level that shoulder began freezing as spasms continued to appear. The patient’s condition continued to worsen, clearly indicating that the patient had suffered from radiation (Nancy and Clark 1993, p.19). A second series of the accident occurred at Ontario Cancer Foundation in 1985 just a week after the first patient had been overdosed at Kennestone. Report indicates that the Therac-25 at the Hamilton clinic had been in use for about six months (Leveson, Turner and Sarin 1993). However, on July 26, 1985, a patient aged 40 years old visited the hospital for the treatment of carcinoma of the cervix. Leveson, Turner, and Sarin (1993) indicate that the Therac-25 machine shut down barely five minutes after activation. This time around, the machine indicated an â€Å"H-tilt† error message. It also displayed a â€Å"no dose† and ‘treatment pause† (Nancy and Clark 1993, p.19). Despite these warnings, the operator went ahead to press the proceed button expecting the Therac-25 machine to deliver the right does this time around. Despite this being, a normal procedure since the machine had shown such faults before the machine still failed to operate. The procedure was repeated several time, but the machine showed suspend. The operator continued with the treatment after which the patient began complaining of a burning sensation on the treatment area, which she described as an â€Å"electric tingling shock† (Leveson, Turner and Sarin 1993). Other patients were successfully treated that day without accidents. The

Business strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business strategy - Assignment Example Indian restaurant owners would already have a solid customer base from which to work from, and there is also the possibility of picking up some other ethnicities too. Cheap Indian food could be offered by encouraging Indian to be spoken within the restaurant, thus attracting the target market. c) The video rental firm market segment is not as attractive as it used to be. This is because more and more young people are using other means to watch their favorite movies. This type of business could possibly work if it was attached to some other kind of product, most likely televisions or DVD players. Special promotions could even be used to encourage people to rent a video along with another kind of purchase. 2) I do not agree that the appropriate positioning is obvious once you have identified the right segment. This is because once the right segment has been discovered further research must be done to narrow down the target customer market. This could be done through surveys of focus groups. Also, the market is always evolving and changing, so it is impossible to automatically know where to position a product in the market. 3) An organization’s competitive stance is the segment of the target market that a company chooses to pursue: low-cost supplier, differentiation, or niche marketing. The functional strategy of marketing activity depends on what the competitive stance is. For example, a company that chooses a low-cost strategy must produce its products for as cheaply as possible in order to offer low prices. Also, this company would need to produce far more products than its competitors in order to make any kind of profit. In a well-designed strategy, an organization’s competitive stance and marketing activity can work well together as long as when one changes, the other one changes to reflect that change. 6) Apple has a competitive advantage over its competitors

Improvement of standard living contributes to damage to environment Essay Example for Free

Improvement of standard living contributes to damage to environment Essay In the last decade, many countries over the world have to experience the inevitable consequences of damage to environment. The environment has been sacrificed as the people’s standard living has been improved, which is including the rising of new technology. Sometimes, the new technology that has been invented can cause environment’s devastation enhancement and also harms the ecosystem on it. Many forests and parks have disappeared so that animal extinction for some species cannot be avoided. Nowadays, many developer company compete each other to build residences, apartments, hotels, malls, entertainment centers, such as cafes, cinemas as the enhancement of our standard living. People need a living place more than just a place to sleep and take a rest. The more facilities that one residence area or apartment has, such as swimming pool, golf area, gym, supermarket; the more benefit they can offer to attract customer. It means, one developer company needs bigger areas to construct a residence or apartment. Besides that, we can see the increasing amount of skyscraper buildings in big cities. Along with many constructions, it means that many green areas has to be cut off to be changed into a commercial area and people do not contemplate the consequences of not having enough trees and green areas. In addition to this, many constructions also are not built with a good drainage system. Due to this matter, flood happens everywhere. For instance, in Jakarta, Indonesia, flood happens at least once per year during peak rainy season as the result of constructing park and forest to be a commercial building. Industrial companies also contribute to environment’s devastation. High technology system is developed to support the industrial business. Some of new technology system that has been invented are not eco-friendly. For instance, in Agriculture industry, pesticide is used for controlling the pest that can harm the plant. The consequences of using pesticide that can contaminate the soil, the plants, and harm the ecosystem surrounding it are being ignored and also it can harm the people who consume the fruits or vegetables of those plants. In addition to this, many wastes are produced every year and most of the waste cannot be recycled. Some of the waste fills the river and harm the ecosystem that live in the river, such as fishes. Later on, consuming fish from contaminated river can jeopardize human’s health. In the end, we have to realize that along with standard living improvement, often we neglect our environment and abandon the balancing of ecosystem in our planet. Besides environment devastation, we also harm our lives and our next generation lives. It is suppose that now is the perfect time for us as human being to look after our planet; maintain, protect and nourish our environment surrounding us to build a better health life in the future.

Examining Motivational Strategies in Multinational Organisations

Examining Motivational Strategies in Multinational Organisations Motivation is next to directing/leading. Managers can motivate their subordinates while guiding them. Motivating means encouraging people to take more initiative and interest in the work assigned. It is an art of getting things done willingly from others. Motivation avoids clashes and non-cooperation and brings harmony, unity and co-operative outlook among employees. Managers have to work as motivators of their subordinates. For this, effective communication, proper appreciation of work done and positive encouragement are necessary and useful. Motivation is inspiring and encouraging people to work more and contribute for achieving the objectives of the company The creation of the desire and willingness to perform the job efficiently is known as motivation Motivation is a psychological and sociological concept as it relates to human behavior and human relations. It is the most fundamental and all pervasive concept of psychology. For motivation, sweet words are useful but are certainly not adequate. Motivation basically relates to human needs, desires and expectations. In other words, these factors suggest the measures which can be used for the motivation of employees. In motivation, efforts should be made to satisfy the different needs of employees so that they will be satisfied, happy and away from tensions. This creates favorable environment because of which employees take more interest and initiative in the work and perform their jobs efficiently. Motivation is a technique of creating attraction for the job. It is encouraging employees for better performance in order to achieve the goals of an Organization. The process of motivation is a continuous one (circular one) and is beneficial to both employer and employees. It is a key to improve work performance of employees. The term motive is derived from the Latin word emovere which means to move or to activate. Motivation is the act of making someone to act in the desired manner through positive encouragement. It is through motivation that employees can be induced to work more, to earn more and to give better results to the Organization. 2. Definitions of Motivation. According to W. G. Scot, Motivation means a process of stimulating people to action to accomplish the desired goals. According to Michael J. jucius, Motivation is the act of stimulating someone or oneself to get a desired course of action, to push the right button to get a desired results. 3. Features or Characteristics of Motivation. Psychological Process: Motivation is a psychological process useful for encouraging employees to take more interest in the work assigned. It relates to human relations. Initiative by Manager: The initiative for motivation is by the manager by offering guidance and also by other methods like appreciation of good work or offering incentives. Management has to adopt special measures for motivating employees. They include monetary as well as non-monetary. Continuous activity: It is a continuous and circular process. Subordinates need motivation in a continuous manner as their needs and expectations change from time to time. A manager has to study the needs of workers and use the technique of motivation accordingly. The process of motivation must be made a regular and continuous one. Goal-oriented and action-oriented: Motivation diverts human behavior towards certain goals. Attainment of organizational and individual goals depends on the motivational plans. Broad concept: Motivation covers needs, human relations and satisfaction of employees. For employee motivation, monetary and other incentives need to be offered. Job satisfaction is one such need and is useful for their motivation. Essence of management process: Motivation is an essential function of a manager. He has to motivate his subordinates for achieving organizational objectives. Motivated labour force is an asset of a business unit. Motivated employees bring prosperity to a business unit. Beneficial to employees and management: Motivation offers benefits to employees and Organisation. It avoids crashes and encourages cooperative outlook among employees. Motivation leads to cordial labour-management relations. It provides more profit to management and better welfare to employees. Varied measures available for motivation: For motivation, various monetary and non monetary incentives can be offered to employees by the management. Attractive wages, welfare facilities, job satisfaction, appreciation of good work, encouragement to self-development, job security and fair treatment are some measures of motivating employees. Motivation is different from satisfaction: Motivation implies a drive towards a result while satisfaction involves result already experienced and achieved. When desire is satisfied, employee is motivated. Related to a person in totality: An employee is motivated in totality and not in part. Employees basic needs are interrelated. Management must fulfill all the needs through monetary and non-monetary incentives. 4. Importance of Motivation. Motivation occupies an important place and position in the whole management process. This technique can be used fruitfully for encouraging workers to make positive contribution for achieving organizational objectives. Motivation is necessary as human nature needs some sort of inducement, encouragement or incentive in order to get better performance. Motivation of employees offers may benefits to the Organisation and also to the employees. This suggests the importance of motivating employees. Motivation acts as a technique for improving the performance of employees working at different levels. Motivation of employees is one function which every manager has to perform along with other managerial functions. A manager has to function as a friend and motivator of his subordinates. Motivation is useful in all aspects of life and even our family life. The same is the case with business. This dearly suggests that motivation is extremely important. It is an integral part of management process itself. 5. Advantages of Motivation. (A) Advantages to Management or Organization: Increase in the efficiency and productivity of employees. Motivation ensures a high level performance of employees. Better co-operation from employees and cordial labour-management relations. Reduction in the rate of labour absenteeism and turnover. Reduction in the wastages and industrial accidents. Improvement in the morale of employees. Quick achievement of business/corporate objectives and favorable corporate image. (B) Advantages to Employees or Workers: Employees get various monetary and non-monetary facilities/benefits which provide better life and welfare to them. Security of employment and other benefits due to cordial relations with the management. Job attraction and job satisfaction. Higher status and opportunities of participation in management. Positive approach and outlook of employees towards company, management and superiors. Reduction in the rate of labour turnover which is harmful to employees and management. Better scope for improvement in knowledge and skills of employees. 6. Motivational Factors or Motivational Incentives. (A) Monetary or Financial Incentives: Monetary incentives are offered in terms of money. Such incentives provide more cash or purchasing power to employees. Monetary incentives are extremely attractive to employees (particularly those working at lower levels) as they get the benefit quickly and in concrete terms. At the higher levels of management, non-monetary incentives are more important than monetary incentives. Workers prefer monetary incentives as compared to non-monetary incentives. Managements also offer liberal monetary incentives to all categories of workers. Monetary incentives may be further classified as following:- Individual Monetary Incentives: The benefit of individual monetary incentive is available to concerned worker only. For example, F. W. Taylor suggested differential piece rate system which offers different wage rates to different workers as per their production efficiency. Different incentive wage plans are the examples of individual monetary incentives as the benefit is offered individually to every worker. Here, a worker is paid as per his efficiency, productivity or as per the production given by him. Efficient/sincere workers give more production and get higher reward in terms of wage payment. Group Monetary Incentives: In the group monetary incentives, the monetary benefit is not given individually but to a group of workers or to all workers in the Organisation. Workers have to work jointly/collectively as a team in order to secure the benefits of group monetary incentives. Bonus payment, pension, P.F, production/productivity bonus, profit sharing, etc. are the examples of group monetary incentives. For the employer/management, group incentives are more important as they offer many benefits to the management. (B) Non-monetary Incentives for Employee Motivation: Job security and job enrichment: Job security is useful for the motivation of employees. Such security keeps the employee away from the tension of becoming unemployed. Job enrichment provides an opportunity for greater recognition and advancement. Job enrichment refers to redesign of jobs. Fair treatment to employees: Employer should give attention to the needs, difficulties and grievances of employees. Small work groups and effective communication are useful for solving the problems of workers. Employees must be given decent treatment. They will be co-operative only when they are treated with sympathy and love, affection and dignity. Employees should also be given help in personal matters. Recognition of good work: Recognition of good work at an appropriate time gives encouragement to employees to show better performance in future. As an appreciation of good work, prizes, rewards, promotions, etc. should be given. Encouragement to self-development and career development: Employees should be given varied training facilities. Training facilitates self-development and also provides opportunities for career development. Every employee has a desire to grow, develop and rise higher. This desire should be exploited fully for motivating employees. For this, training as well as management development programmes should be introduced. Delegation of authority: Due to delegation of authority, a subordinate employee feels that superior has faith in him and also in his ability to use authority in a proper manner. Employees get mental satisfaction when authority is given to them. They take interest and initiative in the work and try to prove that they are competent to work at the higher levels. Thus, delegation of authority becomes a motivating factor. Congenial working conditions: It is a non financial incentive for motivation. Employees should be given various facilities and conveniences at the work place. The work environment should be pleasant and safe. This creates desire to work efficiently. Helpful attitude of management: The helpful attitude of management towards its employees creates a sense of affinity for the Organisation. Fair treatment to workers creates better understanding among workers. Cordial industrial relations also motivate employees. Thus, enlightened and pro-employee attitude of management acts as a motivating factor. Fair opportunity of promotion: Fair opportunity of promotion to all eligible workers is one more method useful for motivating employees. They take interest in the work as they feet that they will be rewarded in the form of promotions. Training facility should be provided to employees in order to make them eligible for promotion. Labour participation in management: Labour participation in management is useful for the motivation of employees. Workers get higher status and better scope for expressing their views through such participation. Even the formation of quality circles or joint management councils is useful for motivating employees. Designation and status: When an employee is provided with a better designation, it adds to his status. Employees are proud to reveal their attractive and high-sounding designations. 7. Theories of Motivation. A. H. Maslows Need Hierarchy Theory. Hertzbergs Motivation Hygiene Theory (Two Factor Theory). Douglas McGregors Theory X and Theory Y. McClellands Achievement Motivation Theory. 8. Elton Mayos Hawthorne Experiments 1927-1936. The most famous of all human relations movement and research were Hawthorne Experiments. So named because they were carried on in Hawthorne plant of western Electric Company of Chicago in USA. Dr. Elton Mayo led a team from Harward University which cooperated with western electric co. in the period 1927-1936 to carry out Hawthorne Experiments. They identified following details. Recognized the importance of employee attitudes such as understanding voluntary co-operations and willing dedication in accomplishment of organizational goals. Found that employee performance is very much influenced by his attitude towards his job, associates and management. Proved that organizational firm can gain only when its employees are satisfied contented in their jobs. Pointed out that any change to be should be made should be explained and its meaning should be clear to employees. The fact that change is logical is not enough because employees may not appreciate the logic. Explored much of information on group behavior. Thus have provided the basis for much of what we know about getting along with all, problem employees in particular. Employee Motivation: Theory and practice The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this the manager should be able to motivate employees. But thats easier said than done! Motivation practice and theory are difficult subjects, touching on several disciplines. In spite of enormous research, basic as well as applied, the subject of motivation is not clearly understood and more often than not poorly practiced. To understand motivation one must understand human nature itself. And there lies the problem! Human nature can be very simple, yet very complex too. An understanding and appreciation of this is a prerequisite to effective employee motivation in the workplace and therefore effective management and leadership. These articles on motivation theory and practice concentrate on various theories regarding human nature in general and motivation in particular. Included are articles on the practical aspects of motivation in the workplace and the research that has been undertaken in this field, notably by Douglas McGregor (theory y), Frederick Herzberg (two factor motivation hygiene theory,) Abraham Maslow (theory z, hierarchy of needs), Elton Mayo (Hawthorne Experiments) Chris Argyris Rensis Likert and David McClelland (achievement motivation.) Why study and apply employee motivation principles? Quite apart from the benefit and moral value of an altruistic approach to treating colleagues as human beings and respecting human dignity in all its forms, research and observations show that well motivated employees are more productive and creative. The inverse also holds true. The schematic below indicates the potential contribution the practical application of the principles this paper has on reducing work content in the organization. Motivation is the key to performance improvement There is an old saying you can take a horse to the water but you cannot force it to drink; it will drink only if its thirsty so with people. They will do what they want to do or otherwise motivated to do. Whether it is to excel on the workshop floor or in the ivory tower they must be motivated or driven to it, either by themselves or through external stimulus. Are they born with the self-motivation or drive? Yes and no. If no, they can be motivated, for motivation is a skill which can and must be learnt. This is essential for any business to survive and succeed. Performance is considered to be a function of ability and motivation, thus: Job performance =f(ability)(motivation) Ability in turn depends on education, experience and training and its improvement is a slow and long process. On the other hand motivation can be improved quickly. There are many options and an uninitiated manager may not even know where to start. As a guideline, there are broadly seven strategies for motivation. Positive reinforcement / high expectations Effective discipline and punishment Treating people fairly Satisfying employees needs Setting work related goals Restructuring jobs Base rewards on job performance These are the basic strategies, though the mix in the final recipe will vary from workplace situation to situation. Essentially, there is a gap between an individuals actual state and some desired state and the manager tries to reduce this gap. Motivation is, in effect, a means to reduce and manipulate this gap. It is inducing others in a specific way towards goals specifically stated by the motivator. Naturally, these goals as also the motivation system must conform to the corporate policy of the organization. The motivational system must be tailored to the situation and to the organization. In one of the most elaborate studies on employee motivation, involving 31,000 men and 13,000 women, the Minneapolis Gas Company sought to determine what their potential employees desire most from a job. This study was carried out during a 20 year period from 1945 to 1965 and was quite revealing. The ratings for the various factors differed only slightly between men and women, but both groups considered security as the highest rated factor. The next three factors were; advancement type of work company proud to work for Surprisingly, factors such as pay, benefits and working conditions were given a low rating by both groups. So after all, and contrary to common belief, money is not the prime motivator. (Though this should not be regarded as a signal to reward employees poorly or unfairly.) Motivation theorists and their theories (1 of 2) Although the process of management is as old as history, scientific management as we know it today is basically a twentieth century phenomenon. Also, as in some other fields, practice has been far ahead of theory. This is still true in the field of management, contrary to the situation in some of the pure sciences. For instance, Albert Einstein, formulates a theory, which is later proved by decades of intensive research and experimentation. Not so in the field of management. In fact this field has been so devoid of real fundamental work so far, that Herbert A. Simon is the first management theoretician to win the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1978. His contribution itself gives a clue to the difficulty, bordering on impossibility, of real fundamental work in this field concerned with people. In order to arrive at a correct decision, the manager must have all the information necessary relevant to the various factors and all the time in the world to analyze the same. This is seldom, if ever, the case. Both the information available and the time at the managers disposal are limited, but he or she must make a decision. And the decision is, therefore, not the optimum one but a satisficing one in effect, a satisfactory compromise under the real conditions prevailing in the management arena. Traditional theory X This can best be ascribed to Sigmund Freud who was no lover of people, and was far from being optimistic. Theory X assumes that people are lazy; they hate work to the extent that they avoid it; they have no ambition, take no initiative and avoid taking any responsibility; all they want is security, and to get them to do any work, they must be rewarded, coerced, intimidated and punished. This is the so-called stick and carrot philosophy of management. If this theory were valid, managers will have to constantly police their staff, whom they cannot trust and who will refuse to cooperate. In such an oppressive and frustrating atmosphere, both for the manager and the managed, there is no possibility of any achievement or any creative work. But fortunately, as we know, this is not the case. Theory Y Douglas McGregor This is in sharp contrast to theory X. McGregor believed that people want to learn and that work is their natural activity to the extent that they develop self-discipline and self-development. They see their reward not so much in cash payments as in the freedom to do difficult and challenging work by themselves. The managers job is to dovetail the human wish for self-development into the organizations need for maximum productive efficiency. The basic objectives of both are therefore met and with imagination and sincerity, the enormous potential can be tapped. Does it sound too good to be true? It could be construed, by some, that Theory Y management is soft and slack. This is not true and the proof is in the pudding, for it has already proved its worth in the USA and elsewhere. For best results, the persons must be carefully selected to form a homogeneous group. A good leader of such a group may conveniently absent from group meetings so they can discuss the matters freely and help select and groom a new leader. The leader does no longer hanker after power, lets people develop freely, and may even (it is hoped) enjoy watching the development and actualization of people, as if, by themselves. Everyone, and most of all the organization, gains as a result. Theory Z Abraham Maslow This is a refreshing change from the theory X of Freud, by a fellow psychologist, Abraham Maslow. Maslow totally rejects the dark and dingy Freudian basement and takes us out into the fresh, open, sunny and cheerful atmosphere. He is the main founder of the humanistic school or the third force which holds that all the good qualities are inherent in people, at least, at birth, although later they are gradually lost. Maslows central theme revolves around the meaning and significance of human work and seems to epitomize Voltaires observation in Candide, work banishes the three great evils -boredom, vice and poverty. The great sage Yajnavalkya explains in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad that by good works a man becomes holy, by evil works evil. A mans personality is the sum total of his works and that only his works survive a man at death. This is perhaps the essence of Maslows hierarchy of needs theory, as it is more commonly know. Maslows major works include the standard textbook (in collaboration with Mittlemann), Principles of Abnormal Psychology (1941), a seminal paper, A Theory of Human Motivation (1943) and the book, Eupsychian Management (pronounced yew-sigh-keyan) published in 1965. Maslows theory of human motivation is, in fact, the basis of McGregors theory Y briefly described above. The basic human needs, according to Maslow, are: physiological needs (Lowest) safety needs; love needs; esteem needs; and self-actualization needs (Highest) Mans behavior is seen as dominated by his unsatisfied needs and he is a perpetually wanting animal, for when one need is satisfied he aspires for the next higher one. This is, therefore, seen as an ongoing activity, in which the man is totally absorbed in order to attain perfection through self-development. The highest state of self-actualization is characterized by integrity, responsibility, magnanimity, simplicity and naturalness. Self-actualizers focus on problems external to themselves. His prescription for human salvation is simple, but not easy: Hard work and total commitment to doing well the job that fate or personal destiny calls you to do, or any important job that calls for doing. Maslow has had his share of critics, but he has been able to achieve a refreshing synthesis of divergent and influential philosophies of: Marx economic and physical needs; Freud physical and love needs; Adler esteem needs; Goldstein self-actualization. Frederick Herzberg Hygiene / Motivation Theory This is based on analysis of the interviews of 200 engineers and accountants in the Pittsburgh area in the USA. According to this theory, people work first and foremost in their own self-enlightened interest, for they are truly happy and mentally healthy through work accomplishment. Peoples needs are of two types: Animal Needs (hygiene factors) Supervision Interpersonal relations Working conditions Salary Human Needs (motivators) Recognition Work Responsibility Advancement Unsatisfactory hygiene factors can act as de-motivators, but if satisfactory, their motivational effect is limited. The psychology of motivation is quite complex and Herzberg has exploded several myths about motivators such as: shorter working week; increasing wages; fringe benefits; sensitivity / human relations training; communication. As typical examples, saying please to shop-floor workers does not motivate them to work hard, and telling them about the performance of the company may even antagonize them more. Herzberg regards these also as hygiene factors, which, if satisfactory, satisfy animal needs but not human needs. Chris Argyris According to Argyris, organization needs to be redesigned for a fuller utilization of the most precious resource, the workers, in particular their psychological energy. The pyramidal structure will be relegated to the background, and decisions will be taken by small groups rather than by a single boss. Satisfaction in work will be more valued than material rewards. Work should be restructured in order to enable individuals to develop to the fullest extent. At the same time work will become more meaningful and challenging through self-motivation. Rensis Likert Likert identified four different styles of management: exploitative-authoritative; benevolent-authoritative; consultative; participative. The participative system was found to be the most effective in that it satisfies the whole range of human needs. Major decisions are taken by groups themselves and this results in achieving high targets and excellent productivity. There is complete trust within the group and the sense of participation leads to a high degree of motivation. Fred Luthans Luthans advocates the so-called contingency approach on the basis that certain practices work better than others for certain people and certain jobs. As an example, rigid, clearly defined jobs, authoritative leadership and tight controls lead in some cases to high productivity and satisfaction among workers. In some other cases just the opposite seems to work. It is necessary, therefore, to adapt the leadership style to the particular group of workers and the specific job in hand. Victor Vroom Vrooms expectancy theory is an extension of the contingency approach. The leadership style should be tailored to the particular situation and to the particular group. In some cases it appears best for the boss to decide and in others the group arrives at a consensus. An individual should also be rewarded with what he or she perceives as important rather than what the manager perceives. For example, one individual may value a salary increase, whereas another may, instead, value promotion. This theory contributes an insight into the study of employee motivation by explaining how individual goals influence individual performance. We have discussed above only a selection of the motivation theories and thoughts of the various proponents of the human behavior school of management. Not included here are, among others, the thoughts of: Seebohm Rowntree labor participation in management; Elton Mayo the Hawthorne Experiments; Kurt Lewin group dynamics; force field theory; David McClelland achievement motivation; George Humans the human group; William Whyte the organization man. What does it all add up to? Back to square one? Yes, indeed, the overall picture is certainly confusing. This is not surprising, for the human nature and human mind defy a clear-cut model, mathematical or otherwise. In some of the theories and thoughts presented, however, one can see some glimpses of the person and how, perhaps, he or she could be motivated. This is rewarding in itself. But, as noted earlier, practice has been ahead of theory in this field, so let us now move to the practical side of management of human behavior and motivation in the workplace. Application of employee motivation theory to the workplace Management literature is replete with actual case histories of what does and what does not motivate people. Presented here is a tentative initial broad selection of the various practices that have been tried in order to draw lessons for the future. Stick or carrot approach? The traditional Victorian style of strict discipline and punishment has not only failed to deliver the goods, but it has also left a mood of discontent amongst the working class. Punishment appears to have produced negative rather than positive results and has increased the hostility between them (the management) and us (the workers). In contrast to this, the carrot approach, involving approval, praise and recognition of effort has markedly improved the work atmosphere, leading to more productive work places and giving workers greater job satisfaction. Managers motivation toolkit The managers main task is to develop a productive work place, with and through those he or she is in charge of. The manager should motivate his or her team, both individually and collectively so that a productive work place is maintained and developed and at the same time employees derive satisfaction from their jobs. This may appear somewhat contradictory, but it seems to work. The main tools in the managers kitbag for motivating the team are: approval, praise and recognition trust, respect and high expectations loyalty, given that it may be received removing organizational barriers that stand in the way of individual and group performance (smooth business processes, systems, methods and resources see outline team building program) job enrichment good communications financial incentives These are arranged in order of importance and it is interesting to note that cash is way down the ladder of motivators. Lets look at a couple of examples taken from real life situations. The Swedish shipbuilding company, Kockums, turned a 15 million dollar loss into a 100 million dollar profit in the course of ten years due entirely to a changed perception of the workforce brought about by better motivation. At Western Electric there was a dr