Gender Differences Between Psychological Androgyny...

Abstract This study aimed to test the idea that there are gender differences in psychological androgyny masculinity and femininity scores. Two hundred and twenty nine first year undergraduates (175 females and 54 males), completed one questionnaire measuring masculinity and femininity - Bems sex role inventory (BSRI). Results were analysed using independent t-tests, which revealed that males scored higher than females on the masculinity scores, whereas females scored higher compared with males on the femininity scores. Results lend support for the idea that gender differences do exist in psychological androgyny. Knowing that males and females may differ on these constructs will hopefully lead to a greater appreciation and understanding within society. Introduction Research into gender differences in psychological androgyny has been an ongoing investigation throughout many years. One line of interest investigates whether gender identity is now being recognised as psychologically androgynous, as societies are perhaps now becoming less stereotyped. ‘Gender identity’ is an individual’s awareness of the extent to which they conform to their prescribed gender role (Burke, Stets and Pirog-Good 1988;Spence 1985). ‘Psychological Androgyny’ is an individual who has simultaneously or equally masculine or feminine traits (Bem, 1975). Considerable research has been conducted within this area and has found that psychological androgyny is constructiveShow MoreRelatedA Critique Of The New Policies On Elite Female Athletes1152 Words   |  5 Pagesfeminist ethics, gender/ sexuality, intersex Research Question/Problem: The policies concerning female athletics were unfair and targeted only women and not men. Method/Approach: Describing the IAAF and IOC policies and uses an example of a female athlete (Caster Semenya). 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What Writing a Research Paper Is - and What it Is Not

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Oligopoly Market In America Mobile’s Industry †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Oligopoly Market In America Mobiles Industry. Answer: Introduction Oligopoly is a market structure where only few firms dominate over entire market. When a market distributed or occupied by few firms, it is called highly concentrated. As in oligopoly only few companies control the market but still some small firms operate in market ( Lipsey Harbury, 2004, pp 340-400). Oligopoly is in existence over the world and seems to increase many folds over coming years. In oligopoly firms also bases their market policies on anticipated behaviour of its close rivals. America smartphone industry: The smart phone is dominated by very few companies, the most two popular are Google Android and Apple iOS. Apple (I phone) is one of the worldwide leading industry bringing overwhelming gadgets often. By continuous invention, Apple generated a very rare series of creative mobile design and style. Analysis of Apple on various market factors: Number of buyers and sellers: Oligopoly has few sellers and acquires a significant share in overall market. Over past few years Apple has occupied dominant market share due to its visionary and new way to do business (Natanson, 2016). It is preventing other small competitor to enter market. In oligopoly there are few sellers on supply side but large number of buyers on demand side. Each buyer makes a negligible contribution on market demand. A buyer will accept market condition as present but a seller will be guessing the change in behaviour to be expected from rival sellers. Type of product: Under Oligopoly market a firm also produces heterogeneous products as well. In this type of oligopoly producers supplying shopping good such as mobile, refrigerators, and so on are covered. One root cause for this influence is increasing returns to scale( Mazzeo, 2002, pp 21-42). This can be defined as rate in which rate of output is superior to rate on increase in input. It implies that large firms enjoy this benefit due to their long term presence and face lower cost at higher production as well. Mobile is less frequently purchased by a customer so before taking decision he will go for information available in market and alternatives. In case of Apple the customer will before purchasing mobile will analyse and compare with another brand as well. Entry and exit barrier: Entry barrier: If a market has major economies of scale which has been oppressed by present firms, then it is very difficult to enter market. In case of Apple Inc., as it already has achieved economies of scale so new entry are reluctant to enter (Vives, 2001, pp 240-280) Network effects: As in case of apple already it covers significant- users so new entrants will be failing to gain sufficient number of users to have a network effect. Copyright or patent: It gets difficult for a firm to enter in a market due to limited resources and if present firm gains copyright over that. In case of Apple, as it does not share its software in any form of contract to other firms so they have a greater control over market. High RD cost: Whenever a new firm enters it observes the spending on RD of existing firm. In order to compete new companies should exceed this limit and hence is treated as barrier to entry. In case of Apple, it is already spending huge amount on RD for its new launches. For a new firm to enter it is very difficult to compete Apple. Exit barriers: Exit cost: It can be defined as different cost paid by firm in advance to employees, suppliers and so on. So exiting the market is more difficult. Legal Procedure: Sometimes procedure for exit is compels a firm to remain in market even though incurring losses. It happen when government put some procedural steps to follow and firm present condition does not allows it to fulfil. Short run vs. long run profit: In short run: As the number of firm is limited, profit earning totally depends on its costs and revenue. In short run due to presence of less number of firm can earn large, small, no profit, no loss and so on and it may continue to do so. In case of Apple in short run it can earn profit according to its policies like high, low or no profit. It happens as no close rivalry is present in market and buyers are ready to buy the product at price determined by them. In long run: Due to various entry barriers like economies of scale, high RD cost and so on, allows branded firms to earn profit in long term (Hall, Lieberman, 2008, pp. 230-240). In case of Apple, profits rate expects to be higher as very few firms are in competition up to the level of Apple. Apple is treated as brand and no other firm will be having economies of scale for price so people in long run also will be diverted toward Apple only. Price determination by firms: If an industry comprising of little firm each selling homogeneous products and having a significant area of total market then the price policy of each is surely to be affect by action of other, and then firms try to promote collusion (Friedman, 1983, pp 170-200). Apple comes in context of heterogeneous product, so for heterogeneous product a firm can take price according to his policies. Apple can raise or lower its price as well without having fear of losing its customer to others. It will not affect its price due to actions of rivalry as well. But for oligopoly market their does not exist a perfect theory to determine price and output in market. Different models like Cournot Duopoly model, Bertrand duopoly model and so on also been developed on some assumptions about reaction of other firms. Price determination models of oligopoly: Kinked demand curve: It explains non-collusive oligopolistic industries in which there are rare frequent changes in prices of products. The curves assumption is that the kink in curve is compulsorily at ruling price. The reason being in case of Apple is that it supplies an important share of product and has a significant influence in prevailing price. Under oligopoly firms has two options: Increasing price of product: Each firm present is aware about fact that increasing price of product means losing customer to its rival. In that case upper part of curve is more elastic than the lower part of kink. Decreasing price of product: In that case, total sale of firm will definitely increase but cannot go to high level due to existence of rivalry firm. If rivalry firm make large price cut than the firm who initiated it, then the firm will suffer a huge dip in sale. In oligopoly firms rather than going for price cut prefer to compete over other factors like quality, product-design, discount, gifts, offers and so on (Bloch, 1995, pp. 16-29). Figure 1: kinked demand curve Source: (Johnston, 2015) Price leadership model: Under this model, one firm assumes the role of a price leader and determines the price of product for whole industry. The firms present other than deciding one simply follows the price decider and accepts the rate and output accordingly. It happens when price leadership is determined as a conclusion of price war between firms and one come out as leader. Figure 2: price leadership model Source: (Graham) Conclusion: Oligopoly would like to act as monopolies but their self-interest factor brings them closer to competition. Thus oligopolies can end up defining as monopolies or competitive market but some factors like number of firms, cooperation between them, market factor and so on distinguish them from other markets. In above case we can say that if Apple keeps on innovating new mobiles and technology then it hard for other firms to enter in oligopoly market of America. For surviving in Oligopoly, Apple should keep its product distinguished from another. The special software created by Apple makes it unique from all other mobile like Motorola, Samsung and so on. Apple policy to not to share its software with any one keeps customer more attracted towards its new launches. Every year people eagerly wait for the product manufactured by Apple. References: Bloch, P.H. (1995). Seeking the ideal form: product design and consumer response. Journal Of Marketing, 59(3), 16-29. Day,G.S. Shocker. A.D. Srivastava, R.K.(1979), Customer-Oriented Approaches to Identifying Product-Markets, Journal of Marketing, 43(4), 2-5. Friedman, J. (1983). Oligopoly Theory. New York: Syndicate of the University of Cambridge Graham, R.J. viewed on: 26 july 2017. Retrived from: https://www.dummies.com/education/economics/managerial-economics-price-leadership-in-an-oligopoly/. Hall, R. Lieberman, M. (2008). Microeconomics: Principles and Applications. Australia: Thompson learning inc. Johnston, M.(2015). Viewed on: 26 july 2017. Retrieved from: https://econfix.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/a2-revision-oligopoly-and-the-kinked-demand-curve-download/. Lipsey, R.G Harbury, C, 2004, First Principles Of Economics, (3rd), New York: Oxford University Press. Mazzeo, M.J. (2002), Product choice and Oligopoly market Structure. The Rand Journal Of Economics, 33(2), pp. 21-42. Natanson, E. (2016). 2016: A Pivotal Year For The Smartphone Industry. Viewed on: 25 july 2017. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/eladnatanson/2016/09/12/2016-a-pivotal-year-for-the-smartphone-industry/#4e79ca36386e Vives, X. (2001). Oligopoly Pricing: Old Ideas and New Too. USA: The MIT.

Qualities of a Leader free essay sample

Supervisor means a leader. So, you have to describe a qualities in a leader. Good leader is a strong-willed, have enough influence and respect to have people following him. Good leader is a team player. So think about  it and describe it. imagine you have a supervisor and think how would you wanted to be treated by him and write about it. 10Would you prefer to go on a long trip by car or by train? If i have to choose from car and train for long trip then i prefered to go by train only. first resone is that if i go by train then i do not have to drive. I simply use my this time in reading books or any other magazines. And after long driving may be i can not enjoye the place of my destination. And if i go by train then i feel like fresh so i enjoye my trip as well as the place of destination also. We will write a custom essay sample on Qualities of a Leader or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Second resone why i prefer train becouse, i meet with different peoples. And i talk with him and get involved in good discossion. And that way i improve my communication skills and mack new friend from different field. So in my oponoin for long trip i would go by train ruther then driving car. 15. Some students try to do moderate amounts of homework on a daily basis. Others prefer to get their homework done in one go over 1-2 days. Which do you prefer? Homework on a daily basis * can concentrate more on studies and easy to understand the lectures * less burden 33. Some people want to have specific instructions or directions when they try something new. Other people like to experiment and work things out for themselves. Which do you prefer? Experiment and work things out * easy to remember and long lasting * more satisfying and rewarding Hope this helps!! I think the person Id most like to travel overseas with would have to be my wife. (Uh) my wife and I have been married for about 6 years, and we have (uh) a family, with two young children. And (uh) the main probably the first main reason I would choose her is, I think shed really appreciate the chance to travel overseas; (uh) shes had limited travel experience,  (uh) for example, shes only  been really  to Australia and Thailand, outside her home country of Korea so, I think shed really appreciate the wider experience. (Um) and the second reason is I think itd be  great for our relationship. (Um) weve been so weighed  down with so many responsibilities, and (uh) I think itd be a chance to get some great new memories and experiences together.

Free Essays on Art History Essay

There were many difficulties and challenges dealt with in the seventeenth century, some which have many similarities to difficulties and challenges in today’s society. During the 17th Century; also known as the Baroque Period, many investigations and discoveries formed and changed the way society viewed the world. For example 2 philosophers of this time, and Rene Descartes’ established a â€Å"new scientific method of studying the world by insisting on scrupulous objectivity and logical reasoning.† Many scientists of the same time period agreed with their discoveries claiming that these philosophers â€Å"simply amplified human understanding of creation.† Although some viewed this as a glorious discovery there were also difficulties and challenges to still be faced. Many people of this time had trouble accepting new ideas and discoveries especially those who were highly religious. The church and many church authorities were not accepting of this disc overy and strongly disagree with these findings. In today’s society many discoveries and ideas are presented and rejected due to the churches rigid beliefs and beliefs of nonconformist. Abortion and abstinence is still a controversial topic today and not thoroughly accepted. Galileo an astronomer, mathematical and physicist discovered the telescope, which lead to the confirmation of the Copernican theory. This theory was previously banned by the church from being taught which Galileo was put under house arrest for and soon after sentenced to death by the church. Although people may believe that being sentenced to death by the church does not occur these days, recently in Africa a woman was sentenced to death for adultery because it is illegal by Muslim society still faces the same challenges and difficulties because people cannot accept new ideas and beliefs. The Role of Art in Contemporary Society has taken on a historical meaning. When people these days visit a well... Free Essays on Art History Essay Free Essays on Art History Essay There were many difficulties and challenges dealt with in the seventeenth century, some which have many similarities to difficulties and challenges in today’s society. During the 17th Century; also known as the Baroque Period, many investigations and discoveries formed and changed the way society viewed the world. For example 2 philosophers of this time, and Rene Descartes’ established a â€Å"new scientific method of studying the world by insisting on scrupulous objectivity and logical reasoning.† Many scientists of the same time period agreed with their discoveries claiming that these philosophers â€Å"simply amplified human understanding of creation.† Although some viewed this as a glorious discovery there were also difficulties and challenges to still be faced. Many people of this time had trouble accepting new ideas and discoveries especially those who were highly religious. The church and many church authorities were not accepting of this disc overy and strongly disagree with these findings. In today’s society many discoveries and ideas are presented and rejected due to the churches rigid beliefs and beliefs of nonconformist. Abortion and abstinence is still a controversial topic today and not thoroughly accepted. Galileo an astronomer, mathematical and physicist discovered the telescope, which lead to the confirmation of the Copernican theory. This theory was previously banned by the church from being taught which Galileo was put under house arrest for and soon after sentenced to death by the church. Although people may believe that being sentenced to death by the church does not occur these days, recently in Africa a woman was sentenced to death for adultery because it is illegal by Muslim society still faces the same challenges and difficulties because people cannot accept new ideas and beliefs. The Role of Art in Contemporary Society has taken on a historical meaning. When people these days visit a well...

Essay on Bipolar Disorder

Essay on Bipolar Disorder According to the National Institution of Mental Habits, bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood changes, from manic episodes of intense energy, followed by extreme lows of depression. Quite a few of the history’s best artists, entertainers and athletes and the like have or have had Bipolar Disorder – whether diagnosed or not. This includes crooner Frank Sinatra, 1960s icon Jimi Hendrix, ’90s rocker Curt Kobain, painter Vincent Van Gogh, tons of writers, and even actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, among too many others. Sometimes called â€Å"Manic Depression,† Bipolar Disorder affects 2.5 percent of the U.S. population. It is characterized by extreme mood changes, from manic episodes of intense energy, followed by extreme lows of depression, according to the National Institution of Mental Habits. Bipolar Disorder is difficult to diagnose, even to experts, because there are so many different varieties of Bipolar Disorder and Depression. Reasons of Bipolar Disorder Many factors can be attributed to the reason a person experiences Bipolar Disorder. It can be due to their genetics, as in how they may have inherited from their parents the gene for Bipolar Disorder. It could be brought on by drug and alcohol abuse and addiction; it is a much-known fact that substance abuse is very common among people with Bipolar Disorder, the reasons for which are unclear. However, it is speculated that people with Bipolar Disorder may treat their symptoms with alcohol or drugs. It is also known that substance abuse can trigger, or even prolong, mental illness, including mood disorders. Naturally, medications exist for Bipolar Disorder, and they have been known to help alter a person’s brain chemistry so that their mood is balanced and steady. After a person is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, they are most always given medication to combat the intense symptoms. RELIEVING STUDENTS SCHOOL-RELATED STRESS However, lifestyle choices can also potentially help a person manage their mental illness or mood disorder. This extends to drinking habits and drug-taking habits, as said before, but stress, diet, exercise habits and overall health play a crucial role, too. Moderation and self-discipline are always key. Exercise has a way of balancing the firing of neurotransmitters in the brain, which play a crucial role in mood, behavior and cognition and happiness. It is a proven fact that exercise and physical health are fundamental to good mental health, as well, in part because it helps relieve stress and tension and it also encourages the body to work properly and effectively. How to Deal with Mood  Disorder? One of the scariest things about any mood disorder is the way it becomes insurmountable to deal with and tackle. In other words, some people experience horrific Bipolar episodes and fear they will have to deal with the uncertainty and unpredictability of it for the rest of their lives. It affects every single aspect of one’s life. Unfortunately, this all too often tricks people into thinking they are better off committing suicide, ending their life, the pain, the depression. This is because the person with Bipolar Disorder experiences a high so high that they feel they can do anything, become a better person, be successful and happy and productive and wealthy. They get ideas and missions, create objectives, and they get powerfully motivated to do something. However, this high, the manic state, can directly follow a Depression so crippling that they feel the Manic state they just experienced was mostly just to tease them – that they could never be happy or at least not h appy for too long. To conclude, Bipolar Disorder exists and it’s an issue worth paying attention to. It is something that affects people from all walks of life, cultures, professions, philosophies – and it affects various – if not all – aspects of their life, as well, almost always in a detrimental way. It can keep a person from sleeping well at night, from eating and interacting with people, from doing things they enjoy, even things they have to do – like going to work and other responsibilities. Even simple things like doing laundry can be a struggle for people with Bipolar Disorder or with any variation of Depression. What is most tragic about Bipolar Disorder is the fact that it can occur suddenly and without any warning – it just happens. Nothing, in particular, may trigger it. Bipolar Disorder doesn’t discriminate by wealth, ethnicity, and religious creed. But it is a problem all over the world – and it is just as serious as cancer is.

Evolution of the 19th Century European Paintings Term Paper

Evolution of the 19th Century European Paintings - Term Paper Example Towards the age of enlightenment in the 18th century, perceptions have been changed. Art is then described as a pursuit or profession in which skill is geared towards the achievement of taste or creation of what is beautiful. And although the skill is there, art is further associated with taste, class, elegance, and beauty. An account has been made that Mme. de Pompadour contributed in the development of new standards for such taste and elegance, but also did so much to heighten the status of the artists in the society. During this century, artists and writers became frequent guests in aristocratic rendezvous.In the 19th century, artists already began to show more extensive emancipations with conventional ideas and techniques, interpretation, and appropriate subject matter. The manifestations of the artists' skills are greatly shown in their works. Their ideas of beauty and creativity coupled with their skills were radiated to superior works of art that have entertained spectators. W ith this, artists held special and sublime class, in some ways distinct from ordinary humans. Another noted consideration of the 19th-century perception of art and its relation to the present day is the ability of paintings to persuade and teach. At that time, it has been the most powerful visual image and the window of people to get information about the world around them. Thus, wealthy and powerful supporters used art for the purpose of education. This concept has transcended to the creation highly technological visual images used today. Somehow, the theories that apply to the use of art during the olden centuries have been handed down to current generations. It is a very important tool to facilitate learning and it continuously advances to graphic designs in cyber technology. Also during the 19th century is the spread of democracy and at this stage, avenues have been provided for artists that allowed them to present vast diversity of visions and messages. This was also because of the fact that there has been an increase in the middle class that already patronize their works; like today, exhibits are held to publicly display an artist' masterpieces. There were still convictions, as there have been in the past, in the supremacy of art to shape human minds. But now, these works of art became expressions of visions and the thus the artists were foreseen as prophets. They somehow provide moral and spiritual guidance and to project beauty and significance for the emergence of the industrial age; to reinvent and develop the visual arena to meet the changing times. As noted in the past, the later years of the 19th century gave rise to significant movements such as modernism, impressionism, expressionism, and symbolism. In many ways, these movements are clearly s een in today's concept of arts. The quest for innovation and updated-ness is inherent in the artist's goal of producing fine arts. Nonetheless, there are still many who remain to patronize the traditional, nostalgic techniques and endeavored to hinder the accelerating rate of change. The appearances of such arts are with intricate, elaborate, and decorative details, as opposed to modernist penchant to simplify forms and diminish decorative details. Similar to present setting, there is a diverse range of themes in modern paintings. There may a touch of contemporary inspiration or the traditional and melancholy mood. However these

The Determinants of Sustainable Competitive Advantage in International Research Paper

The Determinants of Sustainable Competitive Advantage in International Marketing - Research Paper Example Same way many other prominent companies failed to develop properly in international market because of their misinterpretations and wrong perceptions about the sustainable competitive strategies in international market. Knowledge management, cost leadership or differentiating, innovation or development of new products, timing of introduction of new products, customization of the product and technology, superior technology, ability to adapt with local cultures, commitment to demonstrates corporate social responsibility, geographic dispersion of activities etc are some areas in which international companies should focus more to sustain their competitive advantage in international market. This paper analyses various determinants of sustainable competitive advantage in International Marketing. A company that operates in a small number of countries or within in a restricted business sector may believe that its competitive advantage comes from low cost manufacturing, design capability and d istribution efficiency. However when exposed to global competition it may find that its own competitive advantages cannot be transported to new countries and discover, instead, that regional or global competitors have even greater competitive advantage in their own domestic markets as wells as in the target country market (Doole & Lowe, p.430). Knowledge management is one of the major determinants of competitive advantage in international market. As mentioned earlier, Parker Pen Company tried to sell its products in international market using same marketing strategies everywhere. Parker Pen was the market leader in the manufacturing of writing equipment once. But now same thing cannot be said about them because of the huge setbacks they received from international market during the initial period of globalization. â€Å"The idea of selling pens the same way everywhere did not sit well with many parker subsidiaries and distributors. Pens were indeed the same, but markets, were diffe rent† (Marketing across cultures, p.195). Parker thought that for the same product, same marketing strategy is enough everywhere. They failed to recognize the fact that the global market is different from domestic market and it needs customized marketing strategies for each market outside, United States. It should be noted that Tiger Woods could be a good brand Ambassador in American conditions whereas in Indian conditions, instead of Tiger Woods, Sachin Tendulkar or Shah Ruk Khan could be a better brand ambassador. In short, local knowledge is essential for international companies to formulate better business strategies for each global market in which they try to sell their products. â€Å"Traditional approaches to developing competitive advantage focus on developing a positional advantage relative to competition based either on cost leadership or differentiating the product /service offering† (Craig and Douglas). However, in international market, cost leadership or di fferentiation strategies alone may not help an organization much. For example, most of the Chinese products are believed to be the cheapest products available in the global market at present, compared to the products from competitors. China is focusing more on quantity rather than quality while producing goods. Cheaper price may help Chinese companies to sell their

Analysis of Durkheims The Elementary Forms of Religious Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Durkheims The Elementary Forms of Religious Essay As described in Durkheim’s The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, a totem is apparent in every society. A totem is a symbolic figure of some creature, being, or thing that represents the sanctity and principle of god. Essentially, a totem is a profane, ordinary object that has been deemed by society to have some holy, sacred characteristics. With this being said, the object itself does not have any holy or sacred qualities; rather it is merely the representation of the totem that holds these characteristics. For example, if a society’s totem is a turtle then an actual turtle would merely be a turtle, but when the turtle is presented as a totemic emblem then this symbolic representation of the turtle is sacred. Durkheim argues that, because the totem is a socially constructed representation of god then the totem itself represents society as well. Durkheim makes this assumption evidently clear by stating that â€Å"the god of the clan, the totemic principle, can therefore be nothing else than the clan itself, personified and represented to the imagination under the visible form of the animal or vegetable which serves as totem. From this, one can conclude that Durkheim viewed the worship of totem as worshipping society. Durkheim goes on to make the argument that god and society are â€Å"equivalent. † God is an outside, figurative force that holds the people worshiping it to certain manners and actions. The act of worshipping said god or totem is an indication that the follow ers, believers, or worshipers are dependent upon this force to determine the actions they partake in, the behaviors they exhibit and so on. God and religion exist in order to keep people â€Å"in line† via ritualized activities and setting moral and ethical guidelines that people abide by. Society, in and of itself, possesses the same qualities. The norms and values of a society, which for the most part have been incorporated into the moral and ethical guidelines laid out in the society’s religion, are followed whether or not they are in line with the individuals intrinsic nature. Because of this characteristic, society is itself an outside force that people are dependent on, whether or not they acknowledge it. Lastly, Durkheim acknowledges that these ritualized activities and shared moral values foster the social solidarity and cohesion of society. By partaking in shared activities, whether it be the Islamic ritual of praying to Allah multiple times a day, the American tradition of singing of the national anthem before the first pitch of a baseball game, or the Catholic ritual of aking communion, we are acknowledging that we belong to a group or society. Common activities help establish what Durkheim refers to as â€Å"collective consciousness†, that is a specified set of beliefs and values that are common to members of a given society or group. Praying to the same god or praising the same society, which according to Durkheim are one in the same, encourages the development and maintenance of a collectively held set of morals, values, ethics, and belief s.

Role of Espionage in American History Essay -- American History Spying

Role of Espionage in American History Knowledge is power. It is as simple as that. Espionage is the secret gathering of information, often referred to as "intelligence". Intelligence refers to the processed information needed to make any decision. This could be used for business, military, economic, or political decisions. More often than not, this term refers to domestic or foreign policy of a country. Espionage is illegal in all countries, yet all countries have some form of espionage organization. The first espionage act was recorded 2500 years ago. The first book on espionage, The Art of War was written by a Chinese emperor/general Sun Tzu in about 500 BC. There is another type of espionage, counter-espionage. This is the collection of information of any espionage (Ransom 1). American espionage is particularly important. It has got us where we are today. Without it, we wouldn’t have got passed the Revolutionary War, and our independence. From the Revolutionary War to the highly technical world of today, espionage in America has always played a role in shaping American history. The Revolutionary War was the war for American independence. The intelligence gathering ability of the Americans was not very good. Foley, the author of the book Famous American Spies, says that the Americans were very disorganized. They were not very secret either. They held open meetings in public taverns for the community to see. They relied mainly on the infiltration of enemy lines and by word of mouth (Foley 17-18). The most famous tavern was the Green Dragon tavern. Foley mentions that some of the members were Sam and John Adams, John Hancock, James Oti... ...stead the CIA power was limited to just the U.S. and its job was the war on drugs and national security (Ameringer 391). America and espionage, unfortunately, have become synonymous. Secrets are abound and conspiracy theories fly in our country. Espionage, one way or the other, has always played a major role in American History. Works Cited Foley, Rae. Famous American Spies. New York: Dodd, Meard, and Company. 1964. Ransom, Howe. â€Å"Espionage.† Encarta. CD-ROM. IBM ed.2000. Seattle, WA: Microsoft, 1987-2000 Jeffreys-Jones, Rhodrl. â€Å"CIA.† Encarta. CD-ROM. IBM ed.2000. Seattle, WA: Microsoft, 1987-2000 Ameringer, Charles D. U.S. Foreign Intelligence: The Secret Side of American History. Lexington: Lexington Books, 1990. Richelson, Jeffrey T. A Century of Spies: Intelligence in the Twentieth Century. New York: Oxford University Press, 1955. Role of Espionage in American History Essay -- American History Spying Role of Espionage in American History Knowledge is power. It is as simple as that. Espionage is the secret gathering of information, often referred to as "intelligence". Intelligence refers to the processed information needed to make any decision. This could be used for business, military, economic, or political decisions. More often than not, this term refers to domestic or foreign policy of a country. Espionage is illegal in all countries, yet all countries have some form of espionage organization. The first espionage act was recorded 2500 years ago. The first book on espionage, The Art of War was written by a Chinese emperor/general Sun Tzu in about 500 BC. There is another type of espionage, counter-espionage. This is the collection of information of any espionage (Ransom 1). American espionage is particularly important. It has got us where we are today. Without it, we wouldn’t have got passed the Revolutionary War, and our independence. From the Revolutionary War to the highly technical world of today, espionage in America has always played a role in shaping American history. The Revolutionary War was the war for American independence. The intelligence gathering ability of the Americans was not very good. Foley, the author of the book Famous American Spies, says that the Americans were very disorganized. They were not very secret either. They held open meetings in public taverns for the community to see. They relied mainly on the infiltration of enemy lines and by word of mouth (Foley 17-18). The most famous tavern was the Green Dragon tavern. Foley mentions that some of the members were Sam and John Adams, John Hancock, James Oti... ...stead the CIA power was limited to just the U.S. and its job was the war on drugs and national security (Ameringer 391). America and espionage, unfortunately, have become synonymous. Secrets are abound and conspiracy theories fly in our country. Espionage, one way or the other, has always played a major role in American History. Works Cited Foley, Rae. Famous American Spies. New York: Dodd, Meard, and Company. 1964. Ransom, Howe. â€Å"Espionage.† Encarta. CD-ROM. IBM ed.2000. Seattle, WA: Microsoft, 1987-2000 Jeffreys-Jones, Rhodrl. â€Å"CIA.† Encarta. CD-ROM. IBM ed.2000. Seattle, WA: Microsoft, 1987-2000 Ameringer, Charles D. U.S. Foreign Intelligence: The Secret Side of American History. Lexington: Lexington Books, 1990. Richelson, Jeffrey T. A Century of Spies: Intelligence in the Twentieth Century. New York: Oxford University Press, 1955.

Love in Shakespeare plays “Twelfth night †Romeo & Juliet” Essay

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England in1564 He has enduring fame because he dared to be different, though he is known mainly through his plays. One of the most famous plays he wrote is Romeo and Juliet, a well-known love story. Also, he wrote Hamlet and Macbeth, two other well known plays. He is famous because of his creativty and giftedness with writing plays as well as his acting abilities . Althought his play † twelfth night † is a romantic comedy while † Romeo & Juliet † is romatic tragedy , they both show that love can cause pain ; Many of the characters claim to suffer painfully from beying in love .. In the † twelfth night † we have more than one love story , Olivia describes love as a plague from which she suffers terribly ; Viola also seems unhappy † My state is desperate for my master’s love † ; Viola falls in love with Orsino but can not tell him , because he thinks she is a man , while Olivia , the object of Orsino’s affection , love Viola ‘ Cesario ‘ , Olivia wants to let Cesario know that she loves him by sending him a ring by way of Malvolio , it was her way of expressing her love . Love in this play is coming out of apure hearted people , who , loves for love . the characters in this play have a very deep sense of love , that they love each other spirtualy away from any phisical impact on their passion . In Romeo & Juliet passion and love spring up at the first sight between Romeo & Juliet , we can see the powerful nature of love in the way they described it from the first time they met † A like bewitched by the charm of looks † ( II.prologue ) Juliet , perhaps , most perfectly describes her love for Romeo by refusing to describe it : † But my true love is grown to such excess / i can not sum up some of half my wealth ( III.i.33-34 ) the events in this love story are always connected to passion , whether that passion is love or hate . The blind passion of love leads the lover to struggle against public and social institutions that either explicitly or implicitly oppose the existence of their love , the famelies of the lovers are enemies , which make their dream hard to come true Althought Romeo & Juliet is the most famous love story in english literary tradition , which end with a very tragedy ending when the couple sicide , theire suicides can be understood as the ultimate night , the ultimate privcy where thy don’t have to fac a new day and a new social struggle . From my own prespective i think love in the Twelfth night is strongr and deeper while in Romeo & Juliet we have eye love which is baced  on the physical appearance , what makes the story look so passionate is th impossibility of their marriage , As every body knows , human nature desired to struggle and face difficalties , such love will end as soon as they satisfy their desires , but love in the Twelfth night wont end easily because it was not easily given †¦ the emotions which can be easily given , they will disappear easily . These two plays are great to study and analyse , although they have different dramatic style of writing , but still have the same spirit that presents human emotions and feelings in agreat smooth way to understand .

Weimar Germany – The effects of the Depression

A-1) By 1928, the economies of the world had become very interdependent on each other. Through the Dawes and young plan, Germany greatly relied on American loans to keep their economy running smoothly. When the Wall Street crash took place in 1929, it had disastrous effects on Germany as their economy was so dependent on American loans. This intern also affected Germany politically. The impact on Germany was disastrous. The depression caused major unemployment; jobs were being lost due to all the factories and industries being shutdown. In 1930 there were two million people who were unemployed but day by day the numbers kept increasing, resulting in six million people being unemployed between 1931-1933. Apart from unemployment banks collapsed and were unwilling to give out loans, the Americans wanted their money back. The loans given to Germany by American were short termed and called in quick, quicker than they could manage to repay them. All the economic prosperity in Germany was dying out. The Americans along with asking for their money back withdrew all their investments from Germany, this affected trade and exports. Exports fell from 630 mil pounds to 280 mil pounds causing the economy to falter even further down. The drastic economic affects the depression had on Germany soon began to create wavering in the government of the Weimar. Due to the horrifying rates of unemployment, jobless men were turning towards more extremist political parties like the Nazis and the communists as they had immediate solutions to the problems the current government could not fix. 55% of all working class recruits who joined the Nazi party from 1930-33 were unemployed and there were 1300 Nazi Party demonstrations during 1930, The Nazi Party benefited most from this slump. Ultimately creating substantial revival of extremism. Austere measures taken by Bruning also resulted in the unemployed being driven towards extremist parties as he was focused on removing burdens of reparations and tackled Germany’s domestic problems with orthodox, deflationary economic tactics which reduced social service and unemployment benefits when they were needed the most. This was done to try and get the international community to cancel their debts. Germany’s economy was suffering though the USA introduced the ‘new deal policy’ to sort out the mess they had created but to do so put them selves into economic isolation for a period of time. Other than that, the depression led to dramatic growth of influence for those parties that offered extreme solutions to contemporary problems, while playing a very important role in Hitler becoming chancellor.

Elements of Marketing Mix

Elements of Marketing Mix The marketing mix is comprised of four core elements that enhance marketing of items and services. Without these elements, marketing would be irrelevant and that is why every business has to observe them. The elements include product, place, price and promotion. This paper will therefore focus on these four elements and their impact towards the growth of a business. In addition, the paper will include an example that elaborates the application of the four elements in real life situation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Elements of Marketing Mix specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Product is the first element of marketing mix, which refers to an item or a service. The features of an item are its strongholds because they lead the customer into buying it. This means that the items will literary market themselves. For instance, fresh vegetables attract customers while they are still on the shelf and thus, the attributes of an item must make the customer feel that his/her needs will be satisfied. Kotler Keller (2009) suggest that the features can be enhanced by improving the appearance of the item by focusing on areas like packaging, warranties and design. In marketing, what matters most is to capture the attention of the customer. Buyers prefer items that are packed in appealing designs. Moreover, items with warranties on them attract customers because it makes them feel safe when making the purchase because they are assured of getting back their money in case the item turns to be faulty. The second element in marketing mix is place, and it entails identifying the appropriate channel of reaching the potential customer. A business entity must then familiarize itself with the areas that are most frequented by customers. For instance, a florist is most likely to get customers if he/she is situated next to a hospital or a mortuary. This suggests that marketing is greatly influenced by place and thus, an enterprise must position itself in a strategic position. In other words, Kumar (2007) explains that the marketer must identify the areas where his/her services are most needed. This requires one to scan the environment, identify a loophole, and proceed to fill it. For instance, the services of a veterinary cannot be needed in an urban center because there is hardly any form of farming in the cities and thus it would be advisable for such a professional to market him/herself in the rural areas. Price is the third element and it refers to the cost of the item/service. Seller and his /her position in the distribution chain determine the cost of an item. In production chains, there are manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. Each of these parties engages in the trade for a profit. Retailers sell at a higher price because they have to cater for the expenses incurred by wholesalers.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your firs t paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, wholesalers trade at subsidized rates because they do not spend much to obtain the finished product. According to Bennett (2009), a businessperson should also remember to compare his/her prices with those of the competitors. If the items are of the same quality, then he/she should reduce his/her prices slightly as this will give him/her a cutting edge in the market. In the end, the business will be making less profit while increasing the sale volume, which amounts to higher returns. Promotion is the last element of marketing mix, and it involves informing the customers about a given item/service. In this approach, the customer is notified about the item/service through commercials that are aired on TV, radio, internet, newspapers and billboards among others. When choosing the medium of advertising it is important to analyze the possibilities of reaching the targeted audience. The option with the highest probability s hould thus be employed to increase chances of success. In this regard, Sony is the best example for a company that utilizes the elements of marketing mix. The company manufactures electronics such as TV sets, Hifi systems and computer accessories such as flash disks. The company has been able to market itself by improving the features of its products. For instance, the current Hifi systems can support flash disks besides being compatible with digital compact disks. The company is not the sole manufacturer of the above-mentioned products and thus, it reviews its prices to leverage itself with its competitors. This company advertises its items through the internet because it is the cheapest medium. However, the company still airs some of its commercials via TV adverts and billboards. In conclusion, an item must have the appropriate qualities because customers are induced by these attributes. The features must be aligned with the needs of the customers otherwise; the item will remain i n the shelves. The item should consider the interests of the buyers. If the buyers want comfort then the item should include this attribute in the item. The marketer should also concentrate on the people who are most likely to require his/her item/service. Targeting the wrong people would be a waste of time and resources. Every buyer is usually interested in a unique item that is less costly and thus, a business entity should address the issue of price. However, the price slash must be considerate for the business to remain stable. Marketers should consider advertising their items/services through the appropriate media. They should specifically take advantage of the Internet because it interconnects the world in real time. References Bennett, G. A. (2009). The Big Book of Marketing. New York: McGraw-Hill.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Elements of Marketing Mix specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Kotler, P. Keller, K . L. (2009). Marketing Management (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Kumar, S. R. (2007). Marketing and Branding: The Indian Scenario. New Delhi Dorling: Kindersly.

The Sociological Definition of Anomie

The Sociological Definition of Anomie Anomie is a social condition in which there is a disintegration or disappearance of the  norms and values that were previously common to the society. The concept, thought of as â€Å"normlessness,† was developed by the founding sociologist,  Ãƒâ€°mile Durkheim. He discovered, through research, that anomie occurs during and follows periods of drastic and rapid changes to the social, economic, or political structures of society. It is, per Durkheims view, a transition phase wherein the values and norms common during one period are no longer valid, but new ones have not yet evolved to take their place. A Feeling of Disconnection People who lived during periods of anomie typically feel disconnected from their society because they no longer see the norms and values that they hold dear reflected in society itself. This leads to the feeling that one does not belong and is not meaningfully connected to others. For some, this may mean that the role they play (or played) and their identity is no longer valued by society. Because of this, anomie can foster the feeling that one lacks purpose, engender hopelessness, and encourage deviance and crime. Anomie According to Émile Durkheim Though the concept of anomie is most closely associated with Durkheims study of suicide, in fact, he first wrote about it in his 1893 book  The Division of Labor in Society.  In this book, Durkheim  wrote about an anomic division of labor, a phrase he used to describe a disordered division of labor  in which some groups no longer fit in, though they did in the past. Durkheim saw that this occurred as European societies industrialized and the nature of work changed along with the development of a more complex division of labor. He framed this as a clash between the mechanical solidarity of homogeneous,  traditional societies and the organic solidarity that keeps more complex societies together. According to Durkheim, anomie could not occur in the context of organic solidarity because this heterogeneous form of solidarity allows for the division of labor to evolve as needed, such that none are left out and all play a meaningful role. Anomic Suicide A few years later, Durkheim further elaborated his concept of anomie in his 1897 book,  Suicide: A Study in Sociology. He identified anomic suicide as a form of taking ones life that is motivated by the experience of anomie.  Durkheim found, through a study of suicide rates of Protestants and Catholics in nineteenth-century Europe, that the suicide rate was higher among Protestants. Understanding the different values of the two forms of Christianity, Durkheim theorized that this occurred because Protestant culture placed a higher value on individualism. This made Protestants less likely to develop close communal ties that might sustain them during times of emotional distress, which in turn made them more susceptible to suicide. Conversely, he reasoned that belonging to the Catholic faith provided greater social control and cohesion to a community, which would decrease the risk of anomie and anomic suicide. The sociological implication is that strong social ties help people and gr oups survive periods of change and tumult in society. Breakdown of Ties That Bind People Together Considering the whole of  Durkheims writing on anomie, one can see that he saw it as a breakdown of the ties that bind people together to make a functional society, a state of social derangement. Periods of anomie are unstable, chaotic, and often rife with conflict because the social force of the norms and values that otherwise provide stability is weakened or missing. Mertons Theory of Anomie and Deviance Durkheims theory of anomie proved influential to American sociologist Robert K. Merton, who pioneered the sociology of deviance and is considered one of the most influential sociologists in the United States. Building on Durkheims theory that anomie is a social condition in which peoples norms and values no longer sync with those of society, Merton created the structural strain theory, which explains how anomie lead to deviance and crime. The theory states that when society does not provide the necessary legitimate and legal means that allow people to achieve culturally valued goals, people seek out alternative means that may simply break from the norm, or may violate norms and laws. For example, if society does not provide enough jobs that pay a living wage so that people can work to survive, many will turn to criminal methods of earning a living. So for Merton, deviance, and crime are, in large part, a result of anomie, a state of social disorder.

In the past half century, the developing countries have experienced Essay

In the past half century, the developing countries have experienced major compositional shifts from exports of primary products - Essay Example Over the past half century the shift in the export strategies of the developing countries have been noticeable. The shift in the composition of exports is mainly attributed to the developments and modification of the world’s production procedures. The dependence on land and food of the developing countries were gradually replaced by the advent of new technologies that redefined the production of industries in the economy (Dijck and  Linnemann, 1987, p.39). Gradually, the trend of exports of the developing economies shifted from the primary products and agriculture based items to industrial goods produced with the use of advanced technologies. Historical developments: Compositional shift of exports in the developing countries A look at the historical developments of the developing countries reveals that the developing countries in the early part of the twentieth century consisting of China, India, etc. were dependent on land and agriculture. The land was the major source of i ncome and value of land was very high to the state. The transitional of the stages of the development of the economies and the compositional shift in the exports of the countries over the last fifty years have been described below. Initial phase of exports by developing countries The economies of the developing countries in the initial phase of the historical development were highly dependent on agriculture. It would be correct to mention that developing countries before half a century were agriculture based economies. The land was the major source of livelihood and the income of the state and the people were highly dependent on agricultural produce of the land. The developing nations at that point of time used to produce high quantities of rice, wheat, pulses and other agricultural crops. The enhanced activities on farming and the activities of farmers all over the nation formed a considerable part of the gross domestic product. In international trade, the countries had primary pro ducts and raw materials, agricultural products available in large quantities for export. The foreign exchange earnings occurred majorly through the exports of primary goods, raw materials and agricultural goods produced by the countries. The singly dominant item in the developing economies at early stages of history was food products. This trend of exports underwent a radical change in the compositional shift as the developing countries started to open up their economies in the age of liberalization. Changing trend of compositional exports of the developing countries The composition of exports of the developing countries underwent radical shift in the last half a century as the developing countries like India and China opened up their economies in the era of globalization. The advent of new technological developments brought about changes in the production process and the composition of the products produced by the economies. The developing countries in the last fifty years underwen t economic reforms and adopted policies on liberalization. This was done by attracting foreign investments in the developing countries. Investments on development of infrastructure for supporting the growth of industries were the focus areas in the later stages of historical develo

Information Systems Governance Structure Research Paper

Information Systems Governance Structure - Research Paper Example the following principles; ensuring the smooth running of internal controls with a common objective set by the management, utilizing the resources of the company, making sure that the information systems are in compliance with the law, and ensuring that no existing structures are interfered with (Irani, & Love, 2008). Transaction processing functions include process transactions like making purchases, sales. IBM’s IMS system is used to process billions of transactions on a daily basis by 95% of the top Fortune 1000 companies. A record of direct transaction taking place, its report or an explanation coupled with a record for reference is imperative. The maintenance of master files is integral relating to storage of data pertaining to the organization coupled with production of reports. Management reporting is also a function that is used in the production of output for users. The output is commonly reports that are geared towards the planning, control and monitoring of the organization purposes. IBM continues to enhance its system manages an estimated 15 million GB of critical data. Decision support is based on programmable, semi-programmable and un-programmable decisions. Programmable decisions are repetitive and well defined while semi-programmable decisions are partially reliant on the manager. In addition, programmable decisions rely on the manager’s experience (Khosrowpour, 2006). Kallinikos, (2010), states that transaction processing systems automate the handling of data on business activities and transactions. They are the oldest type of business information system and record routine transactions. IBM in 1968 launched the world’s first commercial database management system later renamed Information Management System in 1968.The information system had a transaction processing software responsible for financial applications, inventory management and other high volume based transaction operations. Management reporting systems perform routine

The Bleakness and Humiliation of Our World Research Paper

The Bleakness and Humiliation of Our World - Research Paper Example Singer’s arguments in his article are that the suffering and death that are due to the lack of shelter, medical care, and food are damaging. That we ought, morally, to sacrifice anything that is of comparable moral importance when there is the power to prevent some things terrible from taking place, for instance, one might get wet in order that he or he saves a drowning a child. Singer also argues that it is the obligation of all to prevent the terrible thing. This is, in fact, to preventing people dying from starvation by trying to give food, money to famine relief than one does. The other argument is that by giving more money to famine relief that one do in normal circumstances, and then he or she is not sacrificing anything that is morally significant. The last argument Singer presents in his article is that we should give more to famine relief than we do. Therefore, the surest way to prevent lack of food and shelter without sacrificing anything that is of comparable moral importance is by giving maximally. That we ought to give maximally, or in other term, give at least much more than we currently do (Singer, 2005). The Singer’s concept of marginal utility states that one ought to give until a certain level (Marginal Utility), in which case one shall cause as much suffering to sell or the dependents as he or she would relieve by the gift. This implies that everyone obliged to give as much as possible, to at least some point of giving where one would begin to cause some serious suffering to others who depend on him or her or to oneself. Therefore, one ought to give until one become quite uncomfortable, even when one do not seem to encounter starving. Singer also proposes some ideas of duty and charity change in the world. He says duty is a duty in itself while charity is beyond the call of duty. He reiterates duty as wrong not to do it while, in charity, he reiterates that it is expedient to do it. However, it is not wrong to refrain from doing it. In addition, duty is doing the morally required while charity is doing what is charitable. He then reiterates that duty is refraining from murder and charity is giving to famine relief to the extent that one is sacrificing something morally significant. Therefore, according to Singer, one has to revise the way of thinking. That giving to famine relief should be thought of in terms of duty, as a wrong when one does not do it as morally required (Singer, 2005). Morality may be an object or its state of affair that can be invalid or wicked, an event that can be wrong or right, or it can be an agent that can be either blameworthy or praiseworthy. In the article, Singer suggests the agent that is praiseworthy because of giving to charity but not blameworthy because of not giving to charity is wrong. He stands out that the agent that does not provide to charity should be blameworthy, in which case Singer establishes charity as a duty. In his arguments, Singer is well direct, and henc e, we should be offering help to all those who are physically near to us. This is because of the close proximity. The only flaw that is there in many people is because they do not get the motivation to help someone that is far away, even though the person needs a lot of assistance. This, in essence, demonstrates that there are suffering and challenges in the world. (Singer, 2005, p.633). Singer also

Comparison of Subculture and Countercultures

Comparison of Subculture and Countercultures In any society there are not only cultures, but also a variety of subculture and countercultures that develop within society. Subcultures and countercultures are formed by generalizations, occupation, class, lifestyle, likes, dislikes, etc. [1] Basically subculture is a group of people that differentiate from the larger culture that they belong to. In earlier 1950s, there has been a distinction between an accepted majority style and a subculture as an active minority style. Dick Hebdige argued that a subculture is subversion to normality. Subcultures tend to be perceived as negative and have a nature of criticism. Subcultures bring together individuals who feel neglected and allow them to develop a sense of identity. [2] Counterculture is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group. Counterculture can also be described as a group whose behavior deviates from the societal norm. Although distinct countercultural undercurrents have existed in many societies, here the term refers to a more significant, visible phenomenon that reaches critical mass and persists for a period of time. It is important to distinguish between counterculture, and subculture. [3] Subculture A subculture is a group of individuals that do share some qualities that the majority of society share, but the group has its own values, beliefs, norms, behavior, etc. Subcultures tend to be created when society endures problems or enjoys common privileges. Most individuals within a subculture have common interests and beliefs.   Types of subculture   Following are the major types of subculture. Organizational Culture A type of subculture that allows members to have solidarity, community, and social relationships that influence individual behavior. It is the way an organization deals with the environment.   Counterculture It is a type of subculture that completely disregards societys norms and values and creates new ones.   They tend to develop when people will not conform to the mainstream.   They have their own beliefs, problems with cultural integration, and have their own material culture. [1] Racial or nationality subcultures These subcultures tend to vary in their values, ambition and beliefs which get reflected in their consumption priorities, spend save patterns, purchase behavior, use of credit, social traditions and customs etc.Nowadays multiracial societies like America comprised of citizens who come from different nationalities or belong to different races. Religious subcultures: Most societies of the world today consist of people subscribing to different religions, which may differ in their beliefs, values and customs. The religious subgroups may follow different custom, have important rites of passage (like birth, marriage and death) performed in different ways and have different festivals. [4] Counter culture vs. Sub culture Counterculture can be defined as a group whose behavior deviates from the societal norm. It is different to the mainstream culture in their politics, norms, social beliefs, and way of dress and social structures. (or) A counter culture is one that reacts against the prevailing culture in place. Example: Throughout the last century examples of counterculture might be the suffragettes, the green movement, polygamists and feminists, punk movement and the infamous hippie counterculture movement of the 1960s, are formed and exist to oppose the dominant culture. All of these counter cultures have specific beliefs and values that cause social change. Counter cultures are large movements that cause social change. Counter cultures are against mainstream culture.[5] Members of a counterculture come together around their desire to reject movements within the larger, dominant culture. While members have this opposition in common, they may not share religious or political affiliations, similar socioeconomic situations, or values. Countercultures can be both negative and positive. They can also become larger when more people are involved and assimilate into the mainstream just as subcultures in general have this potential.[6] Biker Gangs, drug users, career criminals, prisoners, and terrorists have in common that they all have negative perceptions from society and are countercultures. [7] Subculture A sub culture can have its own beliefs, norms and values, but they are generally able to exist within mainstream culture. Their beliefs or manner of being may be different enough to make them stand out, but they are not at odds with society. Subculture is a culture shared and actively participated in by a minority of people within a broader culture. Examples: sub cultures might be Goths, emos, surfies, homies etc. Jews and Tea Party members are both examples of subcultures in the U.S. While the Jewish subculture is based around shared religious values, the Tea Party movement was primarily founded around dissatisfaction with the political status. Sub cultures tend to also share common interests and experience. Sub cultures can exist within mainstream culture.[5] Sub cultures are united by common aesthetics, interests and experience. Subcultures are distinctive segments of the larger culture of a region or society that are marked by shared interests in music or cultural phenomena, membership in a specific ethnic or religious group, or shared socioeconomic status. While some subcultures exist in contradistinction to the societys dominant culture, others exist harmoniously within it. Subcultures incorporate large parts of the broader cultures of which they are part, but in specifics they may differ radically. Subcultures bring together like-minded individuals who feel neglected by societal standards and allow them to develop a sense of identity. Subcultures can be distinctive because of the age, ethnicity, class, location, and/or gender of the members. [6] The qualities that determine a subculture as distinct may be linguistic, aesthetic, religious, political, sexual, geographical or a combination of factors. They certainly play an important role in any individual life and help to explain how each person develops a frame of reference. [7] Everybody has their own perceptions on society, values, and life in general. Values, attitudes, gestures, and sanctions tend to stem from the dominant culture in ones life. Throughout the dominant culture that a person spends his or her time in learning and changing through different experiences many subcultures have developed. Subcultures allow people, who share similar interests to assimilate, socialize, gives them a sense of belonging and fellowship among peers.  [8] Similarities Countercultures and subcultures both identify themselves in juxtaposition to the dominant culture of a society. Members usually dress and behave in different ways than average citizens of a society and are usually identifiable by their different appearances. Differences Culture is made up of an amalgamation of subcultures. So, a single subculture is a small segment of the larger culture, which is usually defined by shared socioeconomic status or a common cultural interest. A counterculture, on the other hand, is defined by their opposition to the dominant culture. A member of a counterculture may oppose the prevailing cultures values. Or, it could just oppose certain segments of the culture, or certain subcultures. A subculture is differs slightly from the dominant culture in a society, while a counterculture opposes the culture or subculture itself.[6] Literature review Dick Hebdige argued that a subculture is subversion to normality. Subcultures tend to be perceived as negative and have a nature of criticism. [9] According to Hebdige, subcultures are actually an alternative and reconfiguration of the dominant cultures. As his all very brief references to black and West Indian cultures suggest that he considers these cultures to be transplanted dominant cultures within British society. This misrepresentation raises the question of whether ethnic groups or minorities fit into Hebdiges notion of what constitutes either a parent culture or subculture. [10] According to Wolfgang Ferracuti, subculture is a normative system of some group or groups smaller than the whole society .This implies that there are value judgments or a social value system which is apart from and a part of a central value system. But a subculture is only partly different from the larger culture, and cannot be totally different from the culture of which it is a part; otherwise it is what Wolfgang called contra culture. This implies that the subculture has some major values in common with the dominant parent culture. The transmission of sub cultural values involves a learning process that establishes a dynamic lasting linkage between the values and the individuals .But also important to Wolfgangs subculture of violence theory is the notion that people may be born into a subculture. They argue that the black subculture actually values violence and that it is an integral component of the subculture which experiences high rates of homicide. Just as the dominant society punishes those who deviate from its norms, deviance by the comparatively non-violent individual from the norms of the violent subculture is likewise punished, either by being ostracized, or treated with disdain or indifference. Also, the more a person is integrated into this subculture, the more intensely he embraces its prescriptions of behavior, its conduct norms, and integrates them into his personality. The subculture of violence theory might be even more relevant today than it was when it was first published, especially with regard to juvenile crime. It seems to be a common fear that adolescents today are more violent and lacking in empathy than those of only a generation or two ago. Parker (1989) criticisms of the black subculture of violence model are many: First, the use of global indicators describing an entire class of people, southerners or blacks, assumes that these communities are homogeneous in values and lifestyle, an assumption that is clearly false for any group as large as these groups. Second, particularly in the case of blacks, it entails an implicit pejorative indictment of urban minority residents and communities, which is unfair and racist in nature. Finally this approach ignores the role of institutionalized racism itself in producing a link between violence and racial composition. Wolfgangs subculture of violence theory has had its share of critics. Erlanger (1974), Parker (1989), Shihadeh and Steffensmeier (1994), are just a few of the investigators who have failed to find the theory useful in explaining sub cultural violence. Other authors have found that the sub-culture of violence theory is a useful model, particularly when it is used along with other theories Benedict and Baron. Kennedy and Baron call for such an integrative approach, and assert that often, different theories may complement one another. Finally, still other researchers continue to rely upon the model. 11] Scholars differ in the characteristics and specificity they attribute to counterculture. Counterculture might oppose mass culture,  or middle-class culture and values. Counterculture is sometimes conceptualized in terms of generational conflict and rejection of older or adult values. It typically involves criticism or rejection of currently powerful institutions, with accompanying hope for a better life or a new society. Countercultures tend to peak, and then go into decline, leaving a lasting impact on mainstream cultural values. Their life cycles include phases of rejection, growth, partial acceptance and absorption into the mainstream. According to Sheila Whiteley, recent developments in sociological theory complicate and problematize theories developed in the 1960s, with digital technology, for example, providing an impetus for new understandings of counterculture. Andy Bennett writes that despite the theoretical arguments that can be raised against the sociological value of counterculture as a meaningful term for categorizing social action, like  subculture, the term lives on as a concept in social and  cultural theory to become part of a received, mediated memory.[12] Conclusion The term counter-culture is not entirely an adequate way of describing all of the changes that took place for several reasons: some changes were a progression of events throughout the century, other changes were due to scientific discoveries which have always produced new ideas and ways of looking at the world, and many changes can be better described as movements or ideologies.[14] Subcultures allow people, who share similar interests to assimilate, socialize, gives them a sense of belonging and fellowship among peers.   Sub cultural studies often involve participant-observation, and may variously emphasize sociological, anthropological, or semiotic analysis in order to address the organization and production of relational, material, and symbolic structures and systems. [15] Suggestion Healthy sub-cultures share leaderships conceptualizations of how tasks should be accomplished; how employees can advance and take on greater responsibility; how employees interact with each other; the ways in which change is accepted and accomplished; and how new knowledge is acquired and perpetuated. Distinct, healthy sub-cultures are organizationally aligned in their understanding of how they must perform to produce successful and acceptable results and outcomes. Leaders actively seeking to influence their organizations culture must consider sub-cultures. The major point here is to make sure that you are integrating and linking your sub-cultures into the broader, intended cultural objectives. Accept and foster productive sub-cultures while consistently communicating how employees must perform in order for the organization to be successful.[13]

Scary Story Essay -- Short Stories Fiction Essays

Scary Story I looked up at the black sky. I hadn't intended to be out this late. The sun had set, and the empty road ahead had no streetlights. I knew I was in for a dark journey home. I had decided that by traveling through the forest would be the quickest way home. Minutes passed, yet it seemed like hours and days. The farther I traveled into the forest, the darker it seemed to get. I was very had to even take a breath due to the stifling air. The only sound familiar to me was the quickening beat of my own heart, which felt as though it was about to come through my chest. I began to whistled to take my mind off the eerie noises I was hearing. In this kind of darkness I was in, it was hard for me to believe that I could be seeing these long finger shaped shadows that stretched out to me. I had this gut feeling as though something was following me, but I assured myself that I was the only one in the forest. At least I had hoped that I was. As the bushes and brush grew more solid I began to ponder. Will I make it through this forest tonight or will I be taken in by the thick of the mystery? Sounds from sluggish foot steps caused a vibration around me that lead me to stop in my place and listen closely. Could this forest be haunted or was I just over exaggerating? I started to get very nervous by this time. â€Å"It will be just fine,† I told myself. I am just imagining things. I continued my journey through the forest but negative thoughts were running through my l... Scary Story Essay -- Short Stories Fiction Essays Scary Story I looked up at the black sky. I hadn't intended to be out this late. The sun had set, and the empty road ahead had no streetlights. I knew I was in for a dark journey home. I had decided that by traveling through the forest would be the quickest way home. Minutes passed, yet it seemed like hours and days. The farther I traveled into the forest, the darker it seemed to get. I was very had to even take a breath due to the stifling air. The only sound familiar to me was the quickening beat of my own heart, which felt as though it was about to come through my chest. I began to whistled to take my mind off the eerie noises I was hearing. In this kind of darkness I was in, it was hard for me to believe that I could be seeing these long finger shaped shadows that stretched out to me. I had this gut feeling as though something was following me, but I assured myself that I was the only one in the forest. At least I had hoped that I was. As the bushes and brush grew more solid I began to ponder. Will I make it through this forest tonight or will I be taken in by the thick of the mystery? Sounds from sluggish foot steps caused a vibration around me that lead me to stop in my place and listen closely. Could this forest be haunted or was I just over exaggerating? I started to get very nervous by this time. â€Å"It will be just fine,† I told myself. I am just imagining things. I continued my journey through the forest but negative thoughts were running through my l...

Citibank: Performance Evaluation Essay

The California Division of Citibank has introduced a new performance scorecard to highlight the importance of a diverse set of measures in achieving the strategic goals of the division. Among the new measures introduced was a customer satisfaction indicator. Unfortunately, James McGaran, the manager of the most important branch and who consistently delivers impressive financial results scored â€Å"below par† on customer satisfaction. Frits Seeger, President of Citibank California and Lisa Johnson, area manager supervising James, are pondering what overall performance rating are they going to give to James. Areas of ConsiderationCitibank’s strategy in California was to build a profitable franchise providing relationship banking combined with ah high level of service to its customers. Financial measures had dominated Citibank’s performance in the past but management felt that these measures were poor vehicles to communicate the high service strategy of the bank. Other areas to consider in this case are: †¢To reflect the importance of non-financial measures as leading indicators of strategy implementation, the California Division developed a Performance Scorecard which complemented existing financial measures with new measures reflecting important competitive dimensions in the bank’s strategy. †¢James’ customers in his branch are sophisticated- they require high service quality and knowledgeable employees who could satisfy their financial needs and his performance exceeded expectations every single year by delivering impressive financial results for four years in a row. †¢But when the division expanded its performance indicators to include non-financial measures, it became apparent that his branch’s customer satisfaction ratings are not as good as his financial performance. His customer satisfaction was â€Å"below par† for 2 consecutive quarters. †¢James discussed concerns regarding the (in)adequacy of the survey: customers rated not only their branch but also other Citibank’s services such as ATMs that were out of the control of branch managers. †¢Even so, he worked hard to improve the customer satisfaction rating by designating a staff to greet customers and held meetings and coached branch employees to focus their attention on improving customer satisfaction. †¢James felt very disappointed when for two quarters, his rating had been only par. He thought that his efforts deserved an above par rating considering that he’s able to successfully run the hardest branch in the division. †¢Frits is considering to give James an â€Å"above par† rating given his excellent performance in other dimensions, but if the performance evaluation team gave James an â€Å"above par,† the other managers could think that the division was not serious about its non-financial measures. Alternate Courses of Action†¢Set aside the performance evaluation guidelines and give James an overall â€Å"above par† rating thus entitling him to as much as 30% bonus. †¢Observe and uphold the performance guidelines and give James an overall â€Å"par† rating and get a bonus of up to 15% of basic salary. RecommendationsI recommend that the evaluating team follow the guidelines they set forth and give James the following ratings: †¢Financials – Above par†¢Strategy implementation – Above par†¢Customer satisfaction – Below par†¢Control – Above par †¢People – Above par †¢Standards – Above ParJames’ average in customer satisfaction for the four quarters was a dismal 64.75 – a far cry from the required market average of 77 to get â€Å"above par† and about 10 points shy from the 74-79 score to get a â€Å"par† rating. Based on the guidelines, with a â€Å"below par† rating, James is no longer qualified to get an overall â€Å"above par† rating and thus settle for a â€Å"par† rating. This is to give credibility to the intent of the management in implementing a balanced scorecard and in giving other factors equal weight and importance as that of financials. Having said that, some important issues need to be addressed in Citibank’ performance evaluation. First, Lisa should have provided support to James as  early as the 2nd quarter when his customer satisfaction scores began to slip from 66 to 63 (then further down to 54 during the 3rd quarter). Performance evaluation should not be a static document- it should be a reference for the employee and superior to identify deficiencies and gaps during the rating period. It should be revisited regularly, identify areas of improvement and see how management can intervene and improve the performance of the manager. A regular performance feedback is crucial so that the managers can align their activities with what is expected of them. Second, it would be worthwhile for Frits and Lisa to review the scores of the other managers focusing on customer satisfaction- this is to find out how all the managers are faring with the new performance indicator and to determine James’ performance vis-à  -vis his colleagues. If the general results of the customer satisfaction are similar with that of James, then his concerns are not unfounded- it may be that while the branches are doing their best in extending excellent customer service, the centralized services might be the one that’s pulling down everyone’s performance. Third, it would be excellent if Frits can benchmark their performance evaluation with the rest of the industry and see if their parameters in especially on customer satisfaction are within industry standards. Fourth, a reorientation or training on the proper administration and use of the performance evaluation is in order. Based on the scores and comments that Lisa gives to James, it appears that she is lenient with him. She overemphasizes James’ financial achievements but mentions too little on his deficiency on customer satisfaction. There also seems to be a halo error in the way Lisa evaluates James- where his financial prowess seems to unduly influence the other evaluation dimensions. Imons, R. Citibank: Performance Evaluation. 1997. Harvard Business School

Porter’s 5 Forces of Age Advantage

1. Bargaining power of supplier – HIGH As it has been mentioned before in the external analysis, staffing difficulties is one of the issues threatening the aged care service company. The issue of labor shortages then limits the ability of Age Advantage to recruit key people and add up the bargaining power of suppliers who provide workers for aged care service. As labor costs represent the largest fixed costs for aged care service providers, this can be considered as a threat for the business. 2. Bargaining power of buyer – MEDIUMBased on our research, there is a fair level of choice and options regarding age care service providers in Malaysia resulting in medium level of bargaining power of buyer. However, it is assumed not to be a significant problem for Age Advantage. As with our unique age in place service, we believe that we have a higher degree of competitive advantage compared to other aged care service providers existing in Malaysia. 3. Threat of substitutes â₠¬â€œ LOW The threat of the development of robotics for assisting with health care and aged care can be said as embryonic at the moment as it faces cost and price barriers as well as low social acceptance.Also, the existence of aged home can be said as not hazardous with the trend of ageing people preferring to receive service at home rather than residing in aged care facilities. Hence, the threat of substitutes for this business can be considered as low. 4. Threat of new entrants – LOW The low threat of new entrants is a result of high start-up costs for this kind of business as well as the length of the franchise agreement which could reach up to 10 years as people tend to avoid this kind of too-long-term contract.Besides, adequate training and well-trained labor force is essential for aged care service as this business deals with the life of people. Not forgetting as well the requirement of license approval from the government in order to enter the aged care service industr y. As a result, it results in a high degree of entry barriers causing a low degree of threat of new entrants. 5. Intensity of rivalry – LOW As it has been stated previously, there is only a fair level of choice and options regarding aged care service providers in Malaysia.Derived from the research we have done, age in place service is still rare in Malaysia as most aged care facilities have not provided a service of aged care at clients’ own homes. With the competitive advantage we own, it is believed that intensity of rivalry surrounding our business is low as the kind of service we provide is still considered one of a kind in Malaysia. 6. Complementary product We also add up a complementary product like insurance that when released pays the cost of aged care. Therefore, the insurer and their products become the complementor and the consumer gains additional value.

Spans of control and scalar chain Essay Example

Spans of control and scalar chain Essay Example Spans of control and scalar chain Paper Spans of control and scalar chain Paper Flour Daniels opted to implement a decentralised structure largely due to them being forced by the changing environment, and as a result of this they merged and became much larger in size. In order to assess this new structure Flour Daniels would have considered the nature of the product and service being offered, policy making, day-to-day management and standardisation of procedures and contract terms for employees. This would have meant that senior management still needed to maintain effective control and co-ordination of all the activities of the organisation. Ideally, organisations thinking of moving to decentralisation need to blend the benefits for customer orientation and increased responsiveness, taking into account the advantages of size, common resources and economies of scales.  Mercy Hospital adopted a completely team based approach which involved a participative style of managerial behaviour, which encouraged supportive relationships between superiors and subordinates. Group methods of organisation, decision making and supervision led to a sustained improvement in work performance reacting positively to the change in the organisations structure. Both companies changed their organisation structure, as this was clearly essential for continued economic performance and competitiveness. In adopting these changes it is apparent that due to their current success they took into account a similar framework as Christensen and Overdorf suggest, in their management styles and approaches. This framework helps managers understand what types of change the organisation is capable and incapable of handling by considering the following:  Resources access to abundant, high quality resources increases and organisations chances of coping with change. Processes the patterns of interaction, co-ordination, communication and decision making employees use to transform resources into products or services.  Values the standards by which employees set priorities that enable them to judge whether an order is attractive, of if a customer is more or less important or an idea for a new product is attractive or marginal. Analysis of Mercy Hospital and Fluor Daniels  Before the re-organisation of structure design within Mercy Hospital and Fluor Daniels both companies reflected a tall hierarchical structure. This is normally associated with bureaucratic organisations such as these where they were working within specialisation of tasks, hierarchy of authority and decision making with systems of rules and regulations, with many layers. This resulted in simple tasks being dealt with inefficiently due to the number of levels of authority in order for a decision to be made. As Tom Peters suggests there are three key things that must happen to an organisational structure if they are to change quickly to different circumstances.   Layers of management must be radically reduced. No more than five layers are necessary, regardless of the size.   Most support staff must be assigned to the operations of the business, reporting to line managers. They should be encouraged to be business team members rather than narrow functional specialists. A radically increased ratio of non-supervisors to supervisors must be established so that there is a wide span of control. The minimum being one supervisor to every 25-75 non-supervisors.  Although adopting different approaches as a reaction of change both companies reflect the above suggestions of Tom Peters.  Before the reorganisation employees had little or no say on how they wish to see the organisation going, with no delegated power of decision making which leads to frustration due to the beauracacy involved. Today, both companies enable empowerment of individuals allowing them greater freedom, autonomy, and self control over their work as well as responsibility for decision making. This results in the decision making process being speeded up, the release of creative innovative capacities, greater job satisfaction, motivation and commitment as well as their employees gaining a greater sense of achievement from their work. The movement of tighter and leaner organisations has increased emphasis on the demand of a flexible firm; this is highlighted by economic pressures and rapid developments in information technology. One particular approach to flexible structural design is the concept of a shamrock model. Charles Handy describes this as an organisation which possesses several parts which are nevertheless attached to a whole. This could be described as the approach taken by Fluor Daniels. Mercy Hospital and Fluor Daniels were aware that they needed to improve their efficiency and competitiveness, whilst appreciating the demand for more participative styles of management and greater involvement of staff. This drew their attention to the consideration of looking at their spans of control and scalar chains. Flatter structures, not only has benefits to both companies due to a reduction and savings on managerial costs but also by the image perceived by customers by reducing unnecessary layers of the scalar chain, with fewer levels between the top and base of the hierarchical pyramid. Mercy Hospital and Fluor Daniels observed the conclusion made by Meredith Belbin the pre-eminence of team working in current and future scenarios will inevitably lead to trapezium organisations where autonomous work groups or teams are supported by a small number of operational managers, and where strategic decisions are taken by a small group of separate managers in a balanced team.  They both incorporated the classic structure recommended for empowering, whereby their separate organisations are an inverted triangle, drawn to illustrate the role of the board of directors and facilitators in supporting positions rather than authoritative positions. Both these organisation which are team based do not require managing, it merely requires their managers and supervisors to become skilled people in facilitating, communicating good and bad news, breaking down barriers and providing expert information and knowledge.  Drucker stated There are only organisations, each of which has distinct strengths, distinct limitations and specific applications. It has become clear that organisation is not an absolute. It is a tool for making people productive in working together. As such, a given organisation structure fits certain tasks in certain conditions and at certain times.