Monday, December 23, 2019

What Does it Mean to Be a Mohawk Girl - 949 Words

The Kahnawake Native reserve lies on the outskirts of Montreal, connected only by the Mercier Bridge over St Lawrence River. Kahnawake is the hometown of three Mohawk teens – Amy, Lauren and Felicia, whose trails and trivialities of their teenage years are reflected upon and documented in the film Mohawk Girls. In this essay I will analyse Tracey Deer’s film Mohawk Girls (2006) to critically explore what it means to be a Mohawk Girl in Canada today. Following the years of three teenage girls navigating through high school, I will observe how this is largely influenced by the concept of identity across vastly diverse geographies. Then, I argue that by analysing Mohawk Girls in the context of identity and place we can understand racialization to further deconstruct the power geometries that exist within and between the people of the Kahnawake Reserve. Throughout history, identity is often viewed as a something inherently stable. However, I argue that identity should be viewed as something far more complicated than this – particularly if one articulates the modern notion of a fluid conception of identity. Identity is something that is constantly in flux. Then, identity is constructed of the vastly diverse geographies, histories, and the spaces and places that one inhabits throughout their life. To put it simply, identity defines who we are. Therefore, it is inextricably bound to notions of difference , where representations of people can change depending on theShow MoreRelatedAmerican History : The Colonial Present1203 Words   |  5 PagesTechnologies of Modernity in Tracey Deer’s Mohawk Girls Modernity plays an intricate role in Canadian society and the way in which it was built. One aspect of modernity that is particularly important to Canada’s colonial history would be with respect to the First Nations population of Canada. 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Despite the differences of gender, upbringing creates gender behavior, including aggression and gentility; societal stereotypes of gender, and most importantly, gender-based discrimination. Throughout history and in all cultures the roles of males and females vary. Relating to the article Girl written by Jamaica Kincaid at a time when womens roles were to work in the home. By examining gender roles, thenRead MoreIroquois Confederacy9092 Words   |  37 Pagesreservations. The people are not averse to adopting new technology when it is beneficial, but they want to maintain their own traditional identity. HISTORY The Five Tribes that first joined to form the Iroquois Confederacy, or League, were the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca (listed in order from east to west according to where they lived in an area that roughly corresponds to central New York state). 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Gender roles are a result of constant exposure to gender socialization. From birth forward, we become susceptible to society’s opinion on what a male or female should consist of. 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Today, the fashion industry is multi-faceted, and while climate and religion are still some factors in how we dress, there are many more influences in what we choose to wear. Time and time again, designers reference historical styles and push them into modern trends. Subcultures illustrate how a particular way of dressing can transform into a lifestyle. Ethnic fashion ties in with a specific culture’sRead MoreCherokee Language1835 Words   |  8 Pagesother languages within the country in extinction. In reality, there are many other spoken languages in the United Sates, like those spoken by Native Americans, that are becoming endangered because of the immensity of more used languages. One may ask, what is an endangered language? According to Michael Cahill (Bonvillain), who has studied and researched many different endangered languages around the world, a language is endangered when it is in fairly eminent danger of dying out. Cahill states twoRead MoreCherokee Language1864 Words   |  8 Pagesother languages within the country in extinction. In reality, there are many other spoken languages in the United Sates, like those spoken by Native Americans, that are becoming endangered because of the immensity of more used languages. One may ask, what is an endangered language? According to Michael Cahill (Bonvillain), who has studied and researched many different endangered languages around the world, a language is endangered when it is in fairly eminent danger of dying out. Cahill states two

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Language and Logic Behind the Last Word Free Essays

There has been a lot of misconception whether the true nature of the language hides behind the context of every letter it has. But since the systematic arrangement of the letters give the essence to what it will mean, the notion of having a naturalistic view wherein we are settled to believe that everything exists as they are is not a god point in defining the social phenomenon that later make it useful. As defined by the writer, those who successfully undergone the challenges that was set by the fast changing environment wherein the substance of the spoken literature and the unheard story of the language emerged as the primary tool of examining the precise condition of certain issue in the society. We will write a custom essay sample on Language and Logic: Behind the Last Word or any similar topic only for you Order Now As we are aware of what is happening around us, it is equally important to visualize the significance of taking some actions in accordance to what we see as fit and right. Moving on from the tradition of generations, the awareness of having these things behind the power of language had settled the misconceptions of breaking the odds that was produced by the conflicting ideas of the members of the community. Because of these, the struggle to fight the increasing prejudice and the social problem arises from the bottom line of the issue. Since then, the power to develop certain criteria and use of the language as a tool of communicating with others had been undermined by some technological advancement which does not promote any metaphysical understanding. It is important that we use the development of our language in developing our relation to the cosmic being. With the use of the language as a powerful tool, we can not only use this as a communicating skill but the ultimate tool in discovering the facts behind the fallacies and the truths behind the fake notion. At any case, those who obtained the pure understanding of how the language works will be able to understand how different language perceived stimuli from sources and attached meaning to it as it try to develop the utmost understanding of the issue. It also provides the venue for rationalization of everything that has been incorporated with such idea in developing behind the context of the situation. Since it has been needed to aspire the success and the continuous growth of a certain language for the achievement of the goals being set by the majority of the society where in effect, the introduction of the new system of communication will lead to a better development of communicational skills. Since what matters most in our daily communication with other people is the meaning attached to every letters and words that came from our mouth, the internal realization of the thoughts that had been made is the primary important point in determining the validity of a statement. Although we do not have an objective basis in pin pointing the deviation of the truth from the lie, but the greater discovery behind that is that, whenever there are sudden outburst of emotion, it is a sudden manifestation of the inner desire where the language capability of the human had been surpassed and the language he or she knows does not offer a venue or even a meaning for the said emotion. In setting this development, we had conquered the primary barrier where people had been fighting for recognition of certain important points but failed to adhere to the basic rule of language sensitivity where all the words that we used has some implications on the social status that we have been gone through. But in the end, the language itself is a complete tool of undermining the meaning imposed by the society itself in conquering the true nature of the real world, where the language has a great effect and no one bothered to listen when you know that there have been more things to be said than to be left unspoken. Provided that all the premises had been satisfied, logically speaking, it can give explanations to many uncertainties in life. By continuously analyzing the causality and the effects of certain situation, logically, we can arrive to a better explanation of the phenomenon that we’ve been going through. Many believed that such idea had falsely equated the truth to the absolute truth and to the ways of finding the truth. The well supported proposition of having a logical manifestation of our daily encounters in life had been sufficiently proven by the facts and the literal explanation he mentioned. He showed that in able to define one’s position in the place where he assumed any position, it will only be put into a realization where the complete arguments and the representation of all the abstract concepts will be materialized. In this sense, all that we can give reasons and prove by any mathematical or logical explanation can be regarded as the truth and branded as the last word. The search for this had tried to invade the human civilization as it occurred in different places across time. But the quick impact and the history left by this notion had made us developed the consciousness of having a more concise and logical views in the society as it shows the true side of the society. Since then, the analysis of the context based on its logical composition will not only yield us in discovering the truth but also finding the way to the truth. For searching the exact definition of the experience he or she encountered, an individual can now freely assess his r her environment as it gives impact to his or her behaviors. In doing so, the subjective part of the human development will help the objective part, which is the logical and other first order knowledge, in discovering the truth behind the life scenic view of every day’s interaction with each other. By looking into the capacity of humans to decode and understand the meaning attached to every symbols he or she is seeing in the society, by extracting the logical element of it and transforming into some useful information that can be used as the front runner of having a established notion for the people to freely assess the developmental change that might occur in the group of people as well. In this case, the logic of dealing and having a more precise view whether it is something that needs the intervention of the cosmic side of the world or stay at least in the radical minds of the people is still important in looking forward into the impact it has in the society and the questions it forged. From the time being of realization and finding the truth behind all the questions and through scientific investigations, we can narrow down our limitations and make us more aware of the external environment that we’ve been going through. In effect, the perspective of the world as a two-dimensional stage will be transformed into an object presented in many dimensions, each dimensions represents a part of it which may be small, but highly essential for it to exist. As we try to rediscover the known knowledge given to us by the generation that came before us, the power of discovering something and merging it as our own is the power that we can have as we go through with the challenges of life. This book by Thomas Nagel had opened many philosophical queries and questions that until now, looks like unfamiliar to most of the people. Many still does not understand the different concepts of looking into the elements of life as Nagel tries to point out. Although we have many cultural background, we are bounded by the universality of the reaction we could made in order to secure the relationship not only with our close group but with the environment we have in our system. Thus, language and logic is the two important tools in dealing with the search for the explanation of the existence and finding the truth hidden behind the context of certain social phenomena. As it is equally important of finding yourselves in the diversified society, this elemental component should be integrated for you to function better. How to cite Language and Logic: Behind the Last Word, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

The Kin of Ata Are Waiting For You by Dorothy Bryant free essay sample

An analysis of the literary work of Bryant illustrating a world different to the world we know. This paper describes a society different from ours by examining elements known to us education, religion, economy, politics. It portrays this other world as almost perfect. The writer questions this utopian existence. In Ata, the education of the society is communal. There is no television or commercialized entertainment to purvey standardized messages of how an individual should live his or her life. In our world education is relegated to certain individuals and institutions. As a result, education is imparted in an intellectually homogenous fashion, for better or for worse. Individuals from poorer economic circumstances usually receive a poorer education. Education for all individuals is not tailored to the specific academic needs of every child. When an individual goes home, he or she receives all of the prejudices of his or her family in totality, with little contrasting moral values, except from popular culture. We will write a custom essay sample on The Kin of Ata Are Waiting For You by Dorothy Bryant or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In Ata, because education takes place communally, an individuals wealth or poverty does not play into his or her learning. Also, different people can teach children different things. The parents and teachers are not solely responsible for the child. The childs uniqueness as an individual and a learner is respected. This is also true of adults, who have much to learn from children in Ata. Learning is mutual, rather than hierarchical.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Midsummer Nights Dream Essays (255 words) - Fiction, Theatre, Hermia

Midsummer Nights Dream Love is something that will never be defined. No one knows what love is. When Egeus describes it as being "feign", and "cunning", he is, for the most part, corredt. Love can sneak on a person, or a person can sneak up on it. I can back the former from personal experience. Love can be truly cunning, and when it is, it hurts. For example, Hermia and Lysander have to make plans to elope because otherwise they cannot be together because of her father, Theseus. Theseus wants her to marry Demetrius because Theseus likes him better. This makes the love that Lysander and Hermia have for each other hurt more than love already should, and then puts them in danger when they decide to elope. Thus, love can be a problem. One solution to this would be for Lysander to challenge Demetrius to a duel, as was a custom in Shakespeare's days. If Lysander won, then he and Hermia would no longer have to worry about him, and they could be wed. In this however, there is a problem in the solution. Love is one of those things where there is no real "Gray Area". Many people know if they are or if they aren't. It's something that just comes. Often at the wrong times, like when it is not returned. Love can be a blessing, though, when it is returned, and can lead to many years of joy and prosperity, as long as the love is respected. Often times though, love is deceitful, and can stop on a dime. There is no solution for that.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Arguments against cannabis legalization essays

Arguments against cannabis legalization essays THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SOFT DRUG When it comes to discuss the problem of decriminalize or not cannabis, it is natu-ral that the interest is focused on whether or not we should classify cannabis to the same hard drugs category among other substances such as heroin. And this dilemma comes from the fact that for most people cannabis is considered as a benign substance com-pared to other drugs such as heroin or LSD. But recent studies and incidents from all over the world came to prove this allegation wrong. The separation of marijuana from the, so called, hard drugs is generally based in four arguments: 1. Marijuana is not an addictive drug. The UK Department of Health summed it up neatly: "Cannabis is a weakly addic-tive drug but does induce dependence in a significant minority of regular users." Around 9% of users become addicted, although some studies estimate that over 50% of users have "impaired control" over their use of cannabis. Of the 70 million Americas es-timated to have tried the drug, around two million uses it daily which means that 180.000 people are addicted only in the U.S. besides, if you are a regular cannabis smoker (every day) and you stop smoking, you will experience some of the following withdrawal symptoms: restlessness, irritability, mild agitation, insomnia, nausea, sleep disturbance, sweats, and intense dreams. These symptoms although mild and short-lived, lasting 2 to 4 days are vary similar to those one experiences when one stops using other drugs such as heroin. 2. You cannot die from cannabis use. The first death to be registered as having been caused by cannabis toxicity was reported in The Daily Telegraph in 01/18/2004. "The inquest in Haverfordwest, Wales, heard that Lee Maisey had smoked six cannabis cigarettes a day for eleven years. On August 22nd last year he complained of a headache, and was found dead the next morning. ...

Friday, November 22, 2019

A Study Of The Indigenous People Of The Masai And Samburu Rite Of Passage And How The National Government Can Play A Role In Preserving The Culture Of The Two Communities

A Study Of The Indigenous People Of The Masai And Samburu Rite Of Passage And How The National Government Can Play A Role In Preserving The Culture Of The Two Communities Traditions practiced by the Indigenous people, like the Samburu and Maasai, can be very questionable to us foreigners. After this week’s readings and videos, I feel that I can relate and understand them more though. What I found most intriguing were the rites of passages between the Samburu and Maasai. Although I cannot emphasize with the men and women of the tribes, I understand their devotion to the community’s traditions and culture. I also want to discuss throughout this essay is national governments involvement in the indigenous culture and community. There are different sides as to whether or not the government should encourage pastoralist to be more sedentary and I hope to come to my own conclusive thoughts by the end of the essay. The rites of passages for boys and girls of both indigenous tribes that we’ve read about are cruel and harmful, but they also come with a much greater reward. Maasai boys who go through circumcisions are taught that it is the only way to become a man and a full member of the indigenous society. Girls are treated much differently in the Maasai culture. Maasai girls think that they have no choice and no power when it comes to their family and tradition. In the circumcise traditions we can blatantly see the gendered divisions. I understand the traditional sense of circumcision for males and females, but I never knew about female circumcision. In America male circumcision is much more common therefore it makes sense why I understand it more. The one aspect I do not agree with in the tradition of circumcision is the pain that both boys and girls have to go through. While the actually process is only a couple of minutes, post procedure seems unbearable and disturbing. I don’t think a tradition should be followed if death is possible, but maybe that is what makes it worth it in the indigenous culture. The indigenous communities hold a lot of spiritual beliefs and follow what we might believe are myths, but does that make it wrong? One big sense I developed this week is how black and white our cultures can be. When one individual does not follow the same path as their community then they are outcast and that seems to be true in the indigenous culture and American culture. Girls who decide against their family and societal traditions are treated unfairly, but boys are treated somewhat differently. Boys who are educated, for example, or gone at school during the rites of passages still have the option to become a man and be accepted in their community. These initiations come with many privileges as well such as marriage. Another gendered difference is the processes for illiterate women. Illiterate women must go through a complete circumcision while educated men can wait. I also noticed the portrayed female stereotype in the indigenous society. Women are seen as sexual objects that must be contained and treated. Circumcision is supposed to heal girls to become mature, clean, and acceptable for marriage. This procedure, for women, is supposed to maintain their sexual appetites and unwanted pregnancies, but why not for the men? Some women would rather go to extremes like unsafe abortions than tell their family and be treated like outcast. In many of the traditional initiations, animals are involved. I have a soft spot for animals and so I understand government influences but it is difficult to ignore the indigenous culture and practices. I think a sedentary lifestyle is much more preferred in our American culture, but we don’t always think about how it will effect their lifestyle and social lives in the indigenous culture. By killing lions, for example, it expresses a boys transition to manhood, but also decides his role in the community. If a boy is unable to kill, hunt, or drink the blood of an animal they are basically worthless to the society. If government were to restrict their practices and traditions they could destroy the indigenous social life. I do not think the government should be able to control a community’s traditions or religious beliefs, but simply advocate. I don’t think we should mandate an entire culture because it does not comply with the majority. Pastoralists of Africa rely heavily on their agriculture for mobility, trades, and mass productivity of their herds as well. Livestock is the main cause for poverty in Africa. For a while, pastoralists were unable to out insurance, but now there is a way for both pastoralist and financial institutions to. The solution can only be passed and initiated through the government though. It should be the government’s duty to provide communal grazing land and water resources. These should be rights to the indigenous people and engrained in the law. I think if the government were to provide these resources then the indigenous communities can pursue a nomadic daily life. As much as I think the government should not be allowed to dictate traditional and religious practices, I also think it might be necessary for a solution. I respect the indigenous traditions because they rely solely on their community and family to reproduce these traditions with intense emotions. Unfortunately these undeveloped countries also need government assistance to pursue and reciprocate their traditions. I think if the indigenous people had the resources and education they would also comprehend the agriculture dilemmas they face and the positive reinforcements that the government can provide.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Analyis of financial objectives. financials projecttions and Essay

Analyis of financial objectives. financials projecttions and investment decisions - Essay Example Being employed in the finance department at Aztec Catering, this report analyses the tasks that Ms. Field, the Chief Financial Officer at Aztec Catering, has given and this report is aimed to review the three current objectives of the company, prepare and analyse the three year financial plan of Aztec Catering as well as evaluate the capital investment decision that the company can take and how this decision can add the value to the company. The report has been divided into three sections and each section aims to accomplish the three tasks that have been provided. The first section of the report critically evaluates the suitability of the current objectives of Aztec Catering. Moreover, this section analyses and compares the objective of the competing firm, Compass with the Aztec’s objectives. The second part of the report analyses and predicts whether the company would face any financing problem in the next three years. Moreover, this section also justifies the solution that t he company can implement in order to help itself from such problems. The third section of the report analyses and evaluates the capital investment decision that the company can take. This section analyses how this investment decision can be helpful in increasing the wealth of the shareholders of the firm and different investment appraisal techniques have been used in order to analyse whether investment should be made or not. Some of the techniques that have been used in order to analyse the investment decisions are: Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Accounting Rate of Return (ARR), and Economic Value Analysis (SVA). Section 1: Critical Analysis of the objectives of Aztec Catering and Compass Group The first section of the report cortically analyses the objectives of Aztec Catering and its competitor Compass Group. It is important to know that Compass Group is an international brand and it is not only operating and serving the clients of United Kingdom but it ha s presence in different parts of the world. Therefore the objectives of Compass Group should be considered as the benchmark and the company should and can use the objectives of Compass Group to achieve more success in United Kingdom and even then expand its offerings to other parts of the world. The current objectives of Aztec Catering that have been decided at the end of 2012 board meeting are as follows: a. To maintain a profit margin of around 24% b. To ensure the current strong financial position is maintained c. To satisfy the shareholders by maintaining a dividend payout ratio of 50% It can be found that all the three objectives of Aztec Catering have been focusing and emphasizing on profitability and financial position of the company. The first objective of the company focuses on maintaining a minimum profit margin (Tucker, and Lean, 2003). Profit margin of the company is the ratio of net profit after to sales. Or it is the ratio that the company earns after deducting all the expenses and paying of interest expense as well as taxes to the revenue (Cravens, and Piercy, 2008).. Therefore, the first objective encourages the management to focus on achieving higher profitability regardless of how it has to be done. In order to meet the first objectiv

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Conflict and Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conflict and Change - Essay Example   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the themes that the author uses is controlling the mind. He says the government changes news and books contents. It does this to change the history that blackmails it as bad. The government monitors its citizens in all their daily activities. It banned the citizens from indulging in any forms of rebellious thinking, speaking, or activities. What results is a society of stooges and zombies who have no rights over themselves (Orwell & Fromm 2010). People are forced to control and suppress their sexual desires. The government makes children spies to seek for those who violate the orders. The act is unethical as the children will grow with conflicting thoughts and feelings to their families. The society marks the children as betrayers (Orwell & Fromm 2010). The author further develops his work with the theme of oppression. The government uses unethical and immoral tactics to quell the activities of Winston Smith the Protagonist. It takes his girlfriend away and forces him to give her up. Winston finally gives up and joins the government. It also forces its citizens to engage in strenuous jobs in the morning. They had to love what it was doing for them to be free (Orwell & Fromm 2010). Forcing anyone to love and adopt indecent activities is inhumane. The author uses the novel and its themes to show and warn the consequences of a totalitarianism government. The society and people become ethically and morally

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Natural Environment and Early Human Development Essay Example for Free

Natural Environment and Early Human Development Essay In order to support the idea of nurture influences on early human development, psychologists have done some researches on several factors of early human development. One of these factors is motor development. All children go through the same stages which begin with rolling over and end by walking. However, it seems that motor behaviours can be improved by practice or encouragement. This belief is supported by Zelazo and Kolb (1972) who did an experiment where infants, who were given stepping practice during the first two months, began walking five to seven weeks earlier than babies who had no practice. Such a result can be considered as an environmental influence. Another factor, which has been researched, is speech development. Speech can be improved by more talking with babies or rewarding them for making speech sounds. Kagan (1979) claimed that children, who were reared in middle-class American homes, begin to speak one year earlier than children reared in some villages such as San Marcos due to the fact that these children, culturally, have little â€Å"verbal interaction† with adults. This research assures the importance of the environments, nurture, in early human development. In conclusion, psychologists and scientist have been arguing as to whether nature or nurture has more influence on early human development. As a result both heredity or the nature and environment or nurture are important factors in shaping human personality, but environment is the more important one. Because nature only goes so far whereas further growth and development is formed by the environments influence on early human development.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Teacher Who Changed My Life :: College Admissions Essays

Mr. Geis- the tall, bike-riding Calculus teacher who truly made me realize the value of education. As far as academics were concerned, I believed I had always tried my best in reaching my full potential. That is, until I met Mr. "G." He made me understand that I was not going as far as I was capable of Mr. Geis offered to help me out on a couple of problems I had been experiencing with Pre-Calculus, and after a short while he became not only a tutor, but a true friend. I cannot even begin to imagine how many hours I spent in his classroom after the last school bell had rung. Posters of music legends and helpful math mnemonics covered his walls. It was a very spirited room for the lively man he stood to be. He went over the math in great detail while also informing me of how eminently important it was for academics to be my top priority. As an avid swimmer and loyal friend, I was greatly dedicated to the sport and my social surroundings, but Mr. Geis would always be there to tell me to slow down and repeat his key phrase, "Studying always comes first." Although Mr. Geis's main purpose was to perfect my Pre-Cal, he did so much more that he was unaware of doing. He convinced me into believing that anything was possible if I put my mind to it and had a brain-full of determination. If I wanted to be the first woman President, he would say "Hey, the sky's the limit." After the year ended, my goals had unconsciously changed for the better. I believed in myself, my capability, and accomplishing anything as though the world was an open door to endless possibilities. I did not just want to be a newspaper reporter, my desire was to be sports editor of the

Monday, November 11, 2019

Development in a Country Cause Significant Damage to the Environment? Essay

In this essay I am going to examine whether development in a country causes significant damage to the environment. Firstly, when a country becomes developed, they have to become industrialised first. This means that the country changes from being mainly an agricultural production and people living in the countryside, to the people flocking to the newly increasing cities, in search of more money and work from the factories that have been put there. With lots of people living in one area, things and places start to become contaminated, such as rivers as many cities are based around them. Fish that would once have lived in the river would be extinct due to the boats driving up the river to take or deliver supplies to the city. This is a serious issue for the world as for humans to wipe out an entire specie can have serious consequences, for example people further up the river might depend on the fish to eat, and just because the city being there, could threaten the existence of the community. Secondly, TNC’s will move their factories to developing countries due to lower tax laws which will boost their overall profits. When they build these factories the amount of pollution that is produced will be incredible that it is visible when you look at them. This causes the air that people breathe when they are at work and for the people are living in the surrounding areas to be very dangerous and contaminated, with some cases of people becoming very ill. In a country such as china for example, lung cancer is more common here than anywhere else in the world; and this is caused by the amount off pollution produced by the factories. Also, whole cities in china have been built in china where practically no one lives in, so people can go and live their to work in the factories, however, as no one lives there the raw materials have been wasted and caused pollution being made, but being useless. Finally, in developing countries, their natural resources are usually drained by western countries or TNC’s who exploit the developing countries for the materials that they desperately need. However when the resources have run out, if the world doesn’t have another energy resource other than oil, then the world will go backwards in time and technology, because we won’t be able to run simple things like radiators for example. In conclusion, I feel TNC’s are a major part to blame in the damage to environments, especially in certain areas like Asia, as they the exploit the easy law on pollution ect. to maximise their profits, but however don’t think of the effects and consequences. Natural resources – going to run out soon – be moving backwards instead of forwards

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Bidvest Corporate strategy Essay

1. Executive Summary Bidvest is a South Africa-based distribution services and trading business and the largest foodservice business outside North America. The group is active in freight management, outsourced services, industrial and commercial products and services, printing, packaging closures, stationery, office products, corporate travel and automotive retailing. Bidvest is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, with over 105,000 employees on four continents. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidvest_Group .The group is also highly debt-averse – a position it is able to maintain through its ability to generate cash. This assignment firstly provides an introduction into who is Bidvest and provides a broad and critical evaluation of Bidvest strategy. The group used approach that evaluated Bidvest started with highlighting the key success factors of Bidvest. Secondly we used the two competitiveness models, firstly the generic business strategies which are also supported by Porter for possible use in adoption to gain competitive advantage model and Porter’s diamond model. From investor perspective Bidvest shares are very appealing for their stability and or growth and for anyone who is in the market for a job, they will not go wrong with Bidvest. Lastly any small innovative struggling company out there who would like to will like to be on the shoulders of a giant they should not look elsewhere. 2. Introduction The Bidvest Group started as an idea to raise capital to acquire, fix and develop underperforming services business by Brian Joffe. Joffe consolidated what was a highly fragmented support services sector and created the enabling working conditions for people to enjoy their work and flourish. It started with the acquisition of Chipkins Catering Supplies in 1988 Bidvest was founded by Mervyn Chipkin and Brian Joffe in 1988 via an R8 million cash shell (a little over US$1 million in 2011 rands). The shell was a fast-track to a 1989 stock exchange listing. The next acquisition was the purchase of Sea World frozen foods. Bidvest listed on the JSE and its appetite for acquisitions has been insatiable ever since. Since then, Bidvest acquired a range of companies in diverse sectors from hygiene services to sports marketing to logistics to stationery. The group’s international expansion began in 1995 when it acquired 50.1% of Australian Stock exchange listed Manettas. This business was renamed to Bidvest Australia. Bidvest has a small corporate office to give strategic direction, pursue strategic growth opportunities, support divisions, monitor performance, and maintain the entrepreneurial spirit and a red-tape free environment. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidvest_Group#Business_model 8 August 2013 Bidvest currently operates four divisions – Bidvest South Africa, Bidvest Foodservice, Bidvest Namibia, and Bidvest Corporate. Its businesses span four continents namely Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. In South Africa Bidvest has a footprint in a variety of about ten industries and focus on food services in the international market. The group is active in freight management, outsourced services, industrial and commercial products and services, printing, packaging closures, stationery, office products, corporate travel and automotive retailing. 3. Bidvest Key Success Factors To critically evaluate Bidvest Corporate Strategy we will highlight some of their key success factors: a) Leadership of original creator Leadership of the original creator, Brian Joffe is one of the key contributors to the success of Bidvest. His dreams are inherited the way Bidvest operates. b) Decentralised corporate management approach Bidvest pursues a decentralized business model where local businesses are autonomous and local management stay close to their businesses, industries and customers. It is people-driven and talent retention is one of its key strategic objectives. Despite its decentralization business model, it has a common culture of information and experience sharing across its divisions. It thrives on locally focused businesses and their empowered manager’s approach and its businesses are often industry leaders. In the South Africa market, the support for local small businesses is a priority. The Bidvest’s corporate centre adds value by identifying opportunities and implementing Bidvest’s decentralised entrepreneurial business model. Bidvest firmly believe in non-interference with individual business expertise/management. Others may think decentralisation is not always a good thing but Bidvest is an international organization with no standardized product/service for global market s. The following are advantages of decentralisation: Distribution of burden of top executive – Decentralisation enables its executives to share his burden with others at lower levels because here authority is delegated. The top executive is relieved of some burden and concentrates his activities to think for the future of the organization. This is definitely applicable to Bidvest Corporate where the Top Management focuses on the company strategy and not get burden down with the day to day management of activities. Increased motivation and morale – The moralities of the employees are increased because of delegation of authority. Decentralisation helps to increase employees’ morale because it involves delegation. The employees are motivated to work. Greater efficiency and output – Decentralisation gives emphasis on care, caution and enthusiastic approach to the work which in turn results in increased efficiency and output. This is possible because it involves delegation of authority and responsibility. Diversification of Activities – Decentralisation helps in diversification of activities. It crests more employment opportunities because new managers are to be entrusted with new assignments. Better Co-ordination – The various operations and activities are coordinated in a decentralised set up. Maintenance of Secrecy – Decentralisation enables to maintain secrecy without much cost and unnecessary trouble. Facilitate effective control and quick decision – Decentralisation enables to measure the work according to standard easily and quickly. This facilitate taking up quick decision. http://www.preservearticles.com/201101143290/decentralization-and-explain-its-advantages-and-disadvantages.html/ 8th August 2013 c) Business acquisition model It is argued that at the time when corporate giants were unbundling to focus on their â€Å"core competencies†, Bidvest took the opposite direction by acquiring different businesses in diverse markets under its fold, albeit with a lean central corporate structure supporting all its divisions. www.moneyweb.co.za/ 8th August 2013 One of the tactics Bidvest applies is to ensure that it owns 100% of almost all its underlying companies and keeping the original entrepreneur in charge of the purchased business/entity. This allows Bidvest to provide business, financing and strategic support to grow these firms’ to levels they could not have achieved on their own. Bidvest is a highly diverse and equally highly focused group – intense focus by managers steeped in their industries, drives Bidvest performance every year. d) Flair for entrepreneurship According to business dictionary, entrepreneurship can be defined as the capacity and willingness to develop, organize and manage a business venture along with any of its risk in order to make a profit. www.businesdictonary.com/ 8th August 2013. Because of the strong entrepreneurial flair in Bidvest, it has been a driving force that has fostered growth in a variety of sectors, creating the Group as we know it today. Clear vision about the way forward has become essential. e) Healthy organizational culture; a diversified product/service offerings Bidvest with its diverse businesses, have the advantage of collective diverse resources, capabilities and alliances, respectively, which it uses to leverage its overall performance as a group. f) Adding value by building a reputation for quality reliability and innovation In a price-sensitive environment the challenge, common to all Bidvest’s businesses, is to add value by building a reputation for quality, reliability and innovation. Market share growth and margin management were fostered by range extension, range differentiation and new product introductions that anticipated the lifestyle needs of the consumer. g) Quality of Bidvest brand The biggest factor that leads to the success of Bidvest is the quality of its brand and slogan ‘Proudly Bidvest’. This brand has penetrated so many industries and as well as the global arena. h) Bidvest’s philosophy is one of transparency, accountability, integrity, excellence and innovation Bidvest is consistently searching for newer and better innovations to satisfy consumer needs. i) Product innovation Sales growth at Bidvest’s is underpinned by organic growth, acquisitions, and product innovation and range extensions. j) Strategic Innovation To capture economies of scale, a centralised sourcing operation was established, Bidvest Procurement Company (BPC). Early experience at BPC was highly encouraging. The new business is centred in Hong Kong and Shanghai, but will ultimately be responsible for procurement across Asia. A new smartphone application was rolled out in Australia, New Zealand and the UK that enables customers to place an order via a handheld device. Close watch is maintained on handheld scanning technology for new business. 4. Corporate and Business strategy Grant (Grant 2011:19) see strategy in two dimensions by making a distinction between corporate strategy and business strategy. He defines corporate strategy as the scope of the firm in relation to the markets and industries in which it competes (where to compete). In this area the firm can make five fundamental strategic choices – diversification, vertical integration, acquisitions, new ventures, and allocation of resources between the different businesses of the company. He further defines business strategy as the function of how the firm competes within a particular industry and market (how to compete) – this is where the firm’s competitive advantage over rivals comes in. The above two strategy dimensions, are usually reflected in most organisations’ organizational structure – where the executive level focus on the scope, where to compete and divisional managers focus on the how to compete within particular industries. (Grant 2011:19). 5. Porter’s Diamond of National Competitive advantage Further to the key success factors above we will also incorporate Porter’s diamond shaped diagram as a basis of a framework to illustrate the determinants of national advantage. The diamond represents the national playing field that the countries establish for their industries. As a system the diamond system, the effect of one point depends on the others and it is a self-reinforcing system. http://www.smartstudentsok.com/porters-diamond-model 8th August 2013 According to Michael Porter on his work on firm-level factors (1986) and clusters of firms (1990) competitive advantage is created and not inherited. His view differs from the traditional economic thinking which focuses comparative advantage. Comparative advantage refers to things like availability of basic factors of production, like cheap labour or energy, or natural resources. On the other hand competitive advantage is created. Sustained industrial growth has hardly ever been built on inherited factors. Sustained industrial growth has been the outcome of interlinked factors and activities. The following are Porter’s four interlinked factors: i. Business / Company strategies, structures and rivalry According to Porter despite all differences and national peculiarities one characteristic shared by competitive economies is that there is sharp competition among national firms. In a static perspective, national champions may enjoy advantages of scale; but the real world is dominated by dynamic conditions, and here it is direct competition that impels firms to work for increases in productivity and innovation; here, anonymous competition often turns into concrete rivalries and feuds, in particular when competitors are spatially concentrated. â€Å"The more localized the rivalry, the more intense. (Porter 1990, 83) This is all the more true, as its effect is to cancel out static locational advantages and compel firms to develop dynamic advantages. Bidvest has achieved this by going global and maintaining the decentralised approach, as well as performing to stretch targets despite economic downturn. Competitive advantage Michael Porter identified two basic sources of competitive advantage – cost advantage and differentiation advantage. A company has cost advantage when it is able to deliver the same product/service benefits as competitors but at a lower cost. On the other hand a company has differentiation advantage when it delivers benefits that exceed those of its competitors’ products. Essentially a competitive advantage enables the company to create superior value for its customers and superior profits for itself. Cost and differentiation advantages are known as potential advantages since they describe the organizations position in the industry as a leader in either cost of differentiation. A competitive advantage is achieved by offering consumers greater value, benefits and service, which justifies premium or higher prices. Porter further recognises four generic business strategies for possible adoption to gain competitive advantage – these strategies relate to (1) scope (the extent to which business’ activities are narrow versus broad and (2) the extent to which a business seeks to differentiate its products. The four strategies are illustrated in Figure 1.1 below. Figure 1.1 – Source of competitive advantage (www.tutor2u.net/ 8 August 2013) Differentiation leadership and cost leadership strategies – seek competitive advantage in a broad range of markets/industries, Differentiation focus and cost focus strategies – applies in a narrow market or industry. Bidvest seeks competitive advantage in a broad range of markets / industries, operates in diverse industries/markets, and targets developing economies, both nationally and internationally. Based on this is it clear to us that Bidvest pursues the differentiation leadership and cost leadership strategies. Bidvest is differentiating itself from their competitors by being strong in their respective markets having sufficient market share to gain. As a group they achieved their growth target irrespective of the prevailing economic downturn. They further need to multi-currency earnings; and sharing of resources and best practices across all businesses in the group. ii. Existence or lack of related and supporting industries Spatial proximity of upstream or downstream industries facilitates the exchange of information and promotes a continuous exchange of ideas and innovations. On the one hand, he points out that even upstream industry should in no case be sheltered from international competition; and he notes on the other hand that when certain upstream industries are lacking, recourse can be had to the supply available in the world market. http://www.meso-nrw.de/toolkit/tools/tools-diamond-2.html 8 August 2013 iii. Analysis of Bidvest international/global business approach The Bidvest global strategy is driven by its foodservice operations and its objective criteria for full entry into any foreign/national market is based on the following three main pillars namely, (1) acceptable levels of infrastructure development, (2) existence of a strong corporate sector and (3) The potential for outsourced services. Bidvest is not fixated on a particular geography. Bidvest argues that it uses its African heritage with a strong focus on respect for diversity, as leverage in its global business approach to appreciate local conditions for its products, services and customers. The following are Bidvest’s uniqueness: a) It is an international organization with no standardized product/service for global markets; b) Does not have centralized business processes for its entities; c) Due to its diverse focus it operates in multiple national markets rather than in a single global space. Bidvest mainly focuses on providing necessities to developing economies and whilst its revenue is earned in multiple currencies, none it of it is denominated in U.S. dollars. It is our view that Bidvest should consider that their earnings be in US dollars in foreign countries. Internationally, foodservice has been the focus and Bidvest has developed globally competitive skills in this area to the extent that one-third of its trading profits are generated from foreign operations. Bidvest does not show specific interest to any geographic region or type of business. Its foodservice offerings and focus on developing economies, takes advantage of the urbanization paths of these economies . It however, remains alert to other support services opportunities on a case by case basis. Bidvest has an impressive international presence which is highlighted in brief as follows: Western Europe, – The Eurozone is facing many challenges which according to Bidvest leadership it is greatly attributed to poor decision making and policy considerations. Despite these challenges Bidvest finds Europe an attractive region for selective investments. Its rationale is that Europe has a well-educated workforce, infrastructure is generally well developed and the population is sizeable. Therefore, policy environment is a critical consideration for Bidvest in its international business strategy. Eastern Europe – Bidvest has recently acquired foodservice operations in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia creating a platform for further growth in central and Eastern Europe and its entrepreneurship is flourishing in Eastern Europe and a business-friendly environment has developed. www.bidve st.co.za/ 8 August 2013). South America – Bidvest entered this market by the acquisition of a controlling interest in a small Chilean foodservice operation with exciting growth prospects. According to widely published reports at the end of 2011 South America’s largest economy (Brazil) has overtaken the UK as the world’s sixth largest economy and this is an indication of growing momentum in this region that Bidvest can benefit from. Bidvest is set to benefit from this growing economy. Southern African – the creation of Bidvest Namibia and its successful recent listing further enhances its presence in the region. iv. Managing global organisations Managing an international business is different from managing a domestic business for at least four reasons (Hill 2011:65): 1. Countries are different 2. An international business manager faces more complex challenges than a domestic business manager 3. Manager is an international business manager operates within limitations and constraints imposed by government’s intervention in the international trade and investment systems. 4. International business transactions involve multiple currency conversions. In view of the above research shows that Bidvest has found a solid recipe to overcome the above challenges. It is our view that Bidvest’s ability to succeed is its diversity in business locations and rich South African history and make up of national diversity often referred to as rainbow nation. Using Diversification as a strategy Diversification refers to a firm’s strategic choice to enter into other products and/or markets by through internal or external development. Hill describes diversification as a conundrum/challenge or puzzle, because a strategic choice/quest to enter new markets has more potential value destruction yet, it also offers growth options and the potential for expansion and to free itself of the restriction of a single industry (Hill 2011:403). There are basically two broad forms of diversification, first is related diversification which occurs when a company develops beyond its present product and market but remaining in the same sector and use its current capability/strengths and expertise to develop new interests in same sector. Secondly, unrelated diversification occurs when an organisation move its present interests into unrelated markets or products / services. Basic reasons for diversification may be summarised as follows: a. Efficiency gains, in the situation where a company has underutilized resources and competences that it cannot effectively close or sell, it makes business sense to use the resources and competences by diversifying into a new product or service activity. b. Increasing market power, a company can decide to cross-subsidize one business from the surpluses or proceeds earned by another in such a way that its competitors may not be able to. c. Stretching corporate parenting capabilities into markets and products d. Responding to challenging market declines e. Spreading risk Advantages of diversification as a strategic choice in relation to Bidvest: a. Take advantage of existing expertise, knowledge and resources in the company when expanding into new activities. This may result in transfer of skills, such as research and development knowledge and sharing of resources. b. Bidvest does not rely on single market which provides better risk control for their existence. c. Bidvest is doing well is avoiding risk by avoiding the syndrome of having all eggs in one basket d. Control of inputs, leading to continuity and improved quality. e. Control markets by guaranteeing sales and distribution. This can arise through a combination of linkages in the value chain. f. Provide movement away from declining activities Disadvantages of diversification strategy in relation to Bidvest i. Adding bureaucratic complexity. In addition to direct financial costs, there may additional bureaucratic complexities necessitated by the need to coordinate and control core activities with additional activities. ii. Cross subsidizing of loss business may take too long to be turned around while canabalising the revenue stream. iii. May result in slowing growth in its core business due to additional management cost incurred. iv. Losses may be incurred during market consolidation process resulting in some business units being subsidized by other profit making units. v. May result in negative synergies. Negative synergies should be avoided at all times. vi. Diversification through acquisition across national boundaries may result in the organization having to deal with varying intricacies of the political and legal requirements of the different countries where the company is operating. Political and legal requirements and or changes are nasty beasts to contend with mainly because in other countries they can be implemented over night. In a case like this a company like Bidvest may at times face closure where there is political turmoil. vii. Diversification through acquisition may result in failure where there is a mismatch between core competencies or experiences of the acquirer and acquired businesses http://www.scribd.com/doc/12376024/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-of-Diversification 8th August 2013 iv. Factor conditions Governments control provision of roads and airports, electricity, telecommunication infrastructure including cables and wireless; and education and healthcare. Leading to 2010 Soccer World cup South Africa provided a lot of capital infrastructure which is our view Bidvest benefited from. These provisions can in turn help or hinder industries dependent on these infrastructures and utilities for sustainable growth. Further, governments also create laws and regulations which affect the ability of firms to compete nationally and globally. Governments can provide subsidies to farmers as the US government does, or restrict foreign companies from doing business within their borders, as India did to Coca-Cola in the seventies. In South Africa we saw Government stop the involvement of Korea Telecoms in Telkom SA. South African encourages an environment which is conducive to innovation to stimulate growth in industries by skilled resources and technological base. These factors are upgraded / deployed over time to meet the demand. Local disadvantages force innovations and new methods and hence comparative advantage. http://www.franteractive.net/Porter-Diamond.html: 8 March 2013 Here, disadvantages in general factor endowments need not necessarily prove disadvantageous, and they can even stimulate the development of competitiveness. If cheap raw materials or labor are available in abundance, firms will often yield to the temptation to rely solely on these advantages, and even to put them to inefficient uses. Conversely, certain disadvantages (high real estate prices, scarce labor and raw materials) can force firms to behave innovatively. This of course presupposes that positive impulses are generated by the other factors. http://www.smartstudentsok.com/porters-diamond-model: 8 March 2013 v. Demand conditions The more demanding the customers in an economy, the greater the pressure facing firms to constantly improve their competitiveness via innovative products, through high quality, and so on. And the more localized the competition, the more directly firms feel it, and the better their performance has to be. 6. Conclusion on Evaluation Bidvest’s corporate culture and managerial competence are also the envy of many. This was illustrated during a recent restructuring exercise, in which all the new senior appointments were recruited from within the business. Thanks to Bidvest Academy designed to instill the culture of problem solving and implementation. We agree that success behind Bidvest is driven by autonomy, entrepreneurship, decentralised businesses and management. Local teams optimise opportunities in their own markets. It is our view that Bidvest is still under geared and we recommend that they further acquire more companies in the global space for further growth. Secondly, the fact that Bidvest’s earnings are in multi-currency and none of the currencies is dollars we find this as yet another opportunity for Bidvest to pursue for further global growth. Even though the barriers to entry in many of the businesses in which Bidvest operates are low, it has established such dominance and efficiency in operation that it is difficult to challenge. The group is also highly debt-averse. It is because of this position that Bidvesst is able to maintain through its ability to generate cash. The biggest challenges facing Bidvest are the current world economy, regulatory and legislative changes imperatives in the countries where it operates, the fact that technology lifecycle is forever getting shorter and shorter and the emerging economic giants from and in China and India. The challenge we faced in our evaluation of Bidvest is that research does not provide much on the company that operates unique business model like Bidvest. This unique business model can also be regarded key to their success and therefore its strengths. In our evaluation we found that because Bidvest is such a complex company which does not fit into the traditional business model and corporate / business strategy capsule for analysis. It has an organizational structure which is so complex and pursues business on a non-standard approach. It offers diversified products and or services to the market. On the other hand the size of Bidvest classifies it as a conglomerate and may need to be looked. Business analysts are increasingly questioning the size of the operation. Many feel that Bidvest needs to consider shedding some of its bulk in order to realize more value for shareholders. In conclusion Bidvest seems to have a solid corporate governance and integrated financial, social, governance and environmental culture. Even though the barriers to entry in many of the businesses in which Bidvest operates are low, it has established such dominance and efficiency in operation that it is difficult to challenge. Despite challenges being posed by China and India, the fact remains that Bidvest were early starters and a will continue to lead for some time. 7. REFERENCE 1. Robert M Grant. 2010. 7th edition A John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Publication Contemporary Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases West Sussex, United Kingdom 2. Hill C.W.L. 2012. 7th Edition. Global Business Today, McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 3. www.bidvest.co.za 2. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/decentralization.html/ 8th August 2013 3. http://www.preservearticles.com/201101143290/decentralization-and-explain-its-advantages-and-disadvantages.html/ 8th August 2013 4. http://www.smartstudentsok.com/porters-diamond-model 8th August 2013 5. Bidvest Annual Integrated Report, 2012 6. www.tutor2u.net 7. http://www.meso-nrw.de/toolkit/tools/tools-diamond-2.html 8 August 2013 8. www.moneyweb.co.za 9. http://www.scribd.com/doc/12376024/Advantages-and-Disadvantages-of-Diversification 8th March 2013 10. http://www.franteractive.net/Porter-Diamond.html

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on Accounting Articles

I recently read an article out of the Dayton Business Journal, entitled â€Å"Accounting Office goes Paperless.† Brady Ware, an accounting office in Dayton, has eliminated paper and pencil accounting in their office and has switched to a totally computer based accounting office system. This transformation is expected to substantially decrease the amount of money spent on paper, as well as lessen the time used for handling paper and searching for files, so that accountants may focus on the customers’ needs instead. I think that this is a great revolution for accounting firms as well as for other businesses; more companies should follow Brady Ware’s lead. There are only a few businesses ready to jump into computer technology, at this magnitude, at this point in time, but those businesses that have, are seeing the positive affects that this technology has on a business. One great example is the cost of paper. In a field where ultimately everything is done on paper, the costs can become excruciating. In this article one expert says, â€Å"Paper is a huge cost to businesses and an unnecessary burden.† Utilizing computers can change this burden. Rather than writing everything out and then having to store it in file cabinets, with a computer you simply type in all your information and then store it right there, no paper necessary. Businesses will spend less money on paper and storage units, which (in a perfect world) would be great from employees because Businesses could use the extra money on better employee benefits and pay raises. People may not realize it, but I think that computerized systems make work less stressful. You would never lose files, because they are in the computer; never have to go digging through file cabinets; no more filing, you would have everything at the tips of your fingers. It would be great! In this article they also discussed how most of the employees at Brady Ware were having negative attitudes towards ... Free Essays on Accounting Articles Free Essays on Accounting Articles I recently read an article out of the Dayton Business Journal, entitled â€Å"Accounting Office goes Paperless.† Brady Ware, an accounting office in Dayton, has eliminated paper and pencil accounting in their office and has switched to a totally computer based accounting office system. This transformation is expected to substantially decrease the amount of money spent on paper, as well as lessen the time used for handling paper and searching for files, so that accountants may focus on the customers’ needs instead. I think that this is a great revolution for accounting firms as well as for other businesses; more companies should follow Brady Ware’s lead. There are only a few businesses ready to jump into computer technology, at this magnitude, at this point in time, but those businesses that have, are seeing the positive affects that this technology has on a business. One great example is the cost of paper. In a field where ultimately everything is done on paper, the costs can become excruciating. In this article one expert says, â€Å"Paper is a huge cost to businesses and an unnecessary burden.† Utilizing computers can change this burden. Rather than writing everything out and then having to store it in file cabinets, with a computer you simply type in all your information and then store it right there, no paper necessary. Businesses will spend less money on paper and storage units, which (in a perfect world) would be great from employees because Businesses could use the extra money on better employee benefits and pay raises. People may not realize it, but I think that computerized systems make work less stressful. You would never lose files, because they are in the computer; never have to go digging through file cabinets; no more filing, you would have everything at the tips of your fingers. It would be great! In this article they also discussed how most of the employees at Brady Ware were having negative attitudes towards ...

Monday, November 4, 2019

The Differences between Genders in Expressing Verbal Emotions Annotated Bibliography

The Differences between Genders in Expressing Verbal Emotions - Annotated Bibliography Example The key communicative styles mostly observed to be used by boys include businesslike, formal, diplomatic, energetic, externally oriented etc. while the common communicative styles of the girls were observed to be more emotional, sociable, expressive, emotional-difficult, and complaisant. In this book, the author discusses the various differences in communication styles of men and women. The chapter on "Gendered differences in language and aggressive / augmentative communication" in particular offers interesting insights the stereotypical verbal communication attributed to both the genders, that confines women to use a more ladylike language while the males are expected to more intense and authoritative. In this book discusses the various differences in between the two genders with regard the language used, including the manner in which the genders use grammar, gossip, what it means to talk like a lady etc. The key aim of this book is to communicate the manner in which society and culture affects the use of language between the genders. The author uses a range of data to explore the differences between the genders in spoken and written English. In this book the author discusses the stereotypes, myths, realities and similarities and differences surrounding the communication styles, both verbal as well as non-verbal among the two genders. the chapter on "Gender and verbal and non-verbal communication" (p. 133 - 154) by Marianne LaFrance & Jennifer L. Harris, is of key significance since it highlights the key differences between the genders with regard to verbal communication. In this study the authors aimed to examine the patterns in expression of verbal emotions between the two genders during their conversation with their parents. The key emotions observed during the study include sadness, anger and happiness. It was observed that the gender stereotypes in verbal expressions of emotions were true. The girls were found

Saturday, November 2, 2019

U.S. Airline Industry Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

U.S. Airline Industry Analysis - Essay Example The US airlines industry again returned to profitability track by 1995 and continued this growth until the close of the 20th century. However, the 2001 terror attack together with a depressed world economy further worsened the growth status of the US airlines industry. This paper will critically analyse the US airlines industry using international business theories and other strategic frameworks. A critical analysis During the beginning stages of the US airline industry, three airlines namely United Airlines, American Airlines, and TWA were in charge of transcontinental routes. In 1938, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) was established with intent to manage the structure of the industry (Dempsey, 1979-80). The CAB set flight fares on the ground of cost plus a fixed margin and hence aircraft operators could pass cost increases to customers. In 1970, rampant increase in fuel costs and political shifts towards economic liberalization created the impetus for a total reform of the airlines industry. The development of contestable market theory also contributed to this strategic shift. According to this theory, â€Å"industries did not need to be competitive structured in order to result in competitive outcomes† (Grant, 2002). ... Hence, this strategic shift might assist them to operate more number of aircrafts using the same amount of resources. As regulators argued, the deregulation resulted in new entries and price competition. In the words of Grant (2003, p. 31), although the deregulation strategy was potential enough to improve the declining industry growth, some unexpected contingencies like oil shock of 1979 and the air traffic controllers’ strike of 1981 caused severe difficulties to the US aviation industry. In order to overcome these troubles, aircraft operators across the US widely adopted mergers and acquisitions approach as they believed that combined operations would trim down operating costs. As Heimlich (2011) argues, M&A approach significantly assisted the US airline industry to overcome several cultural barriers. The ‘hub and spoke’ system introduced in 1980 greatly benefited the US airlines industry to increase its operational efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, establi sh dominance in specific regional markets, and to place barriers to new entrants. The development of this new system can be linked to the strategic management theory, which argues that a â€Å"change creates novel combinations of circumstances requiring unstructured non-repetitive responses† (Kahn, 2010). Introduction of low cost carriers became a potential threat to the industry by the beginning of 1990s and hence the country’s major airlines extremely struggled to confront with such budget airlines. As discussed earlier, the deregulation Act directly led to the evolution of a competition era and the major aircraft operators offered almost similar facilities to their customers. As a result, travellers could not easily distinguish between the offerings of

Thursday, October 31, 2019

'Trading Places'Film Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

'Trading Places'Film Review - Essay Example They take things for granted that the homeless people do not. The upper class citizens have no idea what it is like to be homeless. The upper-class-level of wealth is glorified simply because two powerful brokers have taken power that they have and have used two people as pawns in their social experiment. The characters have a class consciousness because they both know that neither of them belong in the class that they have ‘accidentally’ been led to. The whole concept of nature versus nurture comes into consideration. When they trade places, they become different people. It would be difficult for a white man to go to a lower lifestyle than he is used to though it would be quite compelling for a poor homeless man to all of a sudden have access to money and luxury. A sociological environment certainly comes into consideration when it affects who the person is and how they identify in class

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

PROSTITUTION -this is for health ethics and law in Canada class Essay

PROSTITUTION -this is for health ethics and law in Canada class - Essay Example This theory fits very well with the argument supporting it, as it teaches that individuals have a duty and a responsibility of acting accordingly regardless of the consequences that will precede their actions (Longworth, 2010). The utilitarian ethical theory states that the choice that yields the greatest benefit to a majority of persons is the choice that is ethically correct. It places the locus of what is wrong and right solely on the outcome of choosing ones interest actions taking into account other peoples interest. The theory is against prostitution law in an effort of reducing suffering or negatives outcomes to the society. The principle based theory focuses on main principles of ethics such as respecting the person’s autonomy, justice, beneficence, and non-maleficence practice. Thus, it calls for unethical stoppage of prostitution to protect human dignity (Irvine, Osborne, Shariff & Sneiderman, 2013). The ethics of care theory, on the contrary, is in support of prostitution. From the theory, it is important to understand the various degrees of dependence of each individual, as it is essential to consider different situations in an effort to safeguarding and promoting the specific interest of the victims involved. Many individuals see sex work as unethical yet for them; it is a source of live food, and they cannot survive without. This has been supported by moral relativism source of morality that is concerned with the moral judgment’s differences across different cultures. It acknowledges that individuals in one way will disagree about what is ethically moral, but nobody emerges objectively wrong or right (Fisher, 2013). According to subjectivism source of morality, subjectivism is according to the truth condition of utterance that â€Å"prostitution is wrong† from the moral human standard. Thus, it disapproves of the act subjecting it to be morally unethical practicing it. From objectivism based on authority source of

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Environmental Impacts and the Hospitality Industry

Environmental Impacts and the Hospitality Industry ABSTRACT: The hospitality sector presents a variety of environmental aspects that, depending on the activity, may have a significant impact on the environment. Its users are consuming  resources such as energy and water on a daily basis and generating a great deal of solid waste and effluents. The hotel industry, banking sector and hospitals are examples of some of  the sectors that provide us with more information on this issue. This work discusses the  main environmental impacts generated by the hospitality sector and highlights the possible  environmental strategies that can lead to improvements in environmental management in  this particular activity. INTRODUCTION: Most people are aware that there is a need for all of us to take care of the environment, if we are not to threaten the ability of the earth to support future generation. Some aspects of the environment are very obvious from our day to day lives, such as increasing traffic levels, together with the associated air pollution and loss of green belt. Environmental issues, particularly the relationship between our actions and the environmental impacts in terms of primary, secondary and tertiary effects. ( Kirk 1996). Environmental impacts is a study of all the factors which a land development or construction project would have on the environment in the area, including population, traffic, schools, fire protection, endangered species, archaeological artefacts and community beauty. In another way possible adverse effect caused by a development, industrial, or infrastructural project or by the release of a substance in the environment. This also increases the need of sustainability development. It is a development that meets present needs without endangering the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable development is contrasted with other modes of development that lead to social and ecological damage, at both the local and global levels (Harris et al 2002). According to Jan Peter Bergkvist, Director of Environmental Sustainability, Scandic xix. There are three prime reasons for putting effort into sustainability: first, it preserves our environment for future generations; s econd, it adds that extra dimension to guest satisfaction, which in turn makes us a more attractive company; and third, it saves costs and improves profitability. AIM: The aim of the position paper is to critically analyse and discuss the environmental impacts and its effects on the hospitality industry. This position paper will also explain the various positive and negative effects of environmental impacts of the hospitality industry and the methods, strategies adopted to control them. MAIN BODY: TOURISM, HOSPITALITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT- To say, an environmental impact is the negative aspect of human activity on the biophysical environment. Increasingly consumer attitudes are favouring environmentally responsible businesses. This has extended to travelling where consumers are considering environmental issues when making travel plans and purchases. A reflection of this is seen in the growth of ecotourism, which has grown by 30% worldwide in recent years compared to 8% for traditional tourism. The Conference Board of Canadas long term forecast shows that the accommodation industry will experience an annual growth of approximately 3% between now and 2015 (Eco efficiency centre). This arises sustainability development in the hospitality industry also. The concept of sustainable development has been expanded to cover seven key aspects. They are futurity, inter-generation equality, participation, the balancing of economic and environmental factors, environmental capacities, emphasis on quality as well as quantity and compa tibility (David kirk). Environmental pressures have affected a much wider range of industries. Initially the concern was related only to the industries which caused direct pollution of the environment. But now it has become a wider issue and relates not only to the outputs but also to the whole operation. The hospitality industry also becomes a core industry to be discussed in this issue of environmental factors, as it exposes many of the conflicts which arise in implementing environmental policies. Many hotels and restaurants are situated in the areas of outstanding natural beauty, in historic cities and in regions with a delicate ecological balance. So there might be a question whether this addition of new facilities will destroy the uniqueness or its habitat which is already suffering from too much of development and tourism. But the hospitality industry is linked with various other industry which cooperates together to bring in a successful business which is mainly focused on pr ofit. The hospitality industry is also a major customer oriented industry. So we must also consider customers, many of whom seek as part of the hospitality experience to be pampered with lashing of hot water, high pressure showers, freshly laundered linen, an ample supply of towels, copious supplies of food and drink, the availability of swimming pools and saunas and the limousine to take them to the airport. Whatever we do to reduce the environmental impact of hotels can only be either with the consent of customers or taking the main consideration as customer satisfaction. Many hospitality organisations are situated on a location were that is suitable for the customer or according to the customer needs. And it is therefore not situated in a place where there will be minimal effects from traffic, cooking smells and the noise of the disco and other adverse outputs. This kind of local pollution is not considered to be a big issue, but it does affect peoples attitudes towards the indus try (David kirk). The hospitality industry does not cause gross environmental pollution nor it consume vast amounts of non-renewable resources and therefore it may not be in the front line of environmental concern. The industry is made of relatively large number of small operations, each of which consumes relatively small amounts of energy, water, food, paper and other resources, and which add only a small amount of pollution to the environment in terms of smoke, smell, noise and chemical pollutants. The industry employs 10% of the population and can have a major impact in developing awareness and good practice (David kirk). According to Goodno the push of legislation and the pull of consumer pressure groups, compounded by the cost savings which can result from reducing waste, many companies are now taking environmental management seriously. The main environmental impacts due to the hospitality industry are CO2 emissions, CFC emissions, noise, smoke, smells, health of staff, waste energy, waste water, waste food, waste disposal, agricultural ecology, purchasing policies, transportation policies, sale of souvenirs made from endangered species, location of hotels in fragile locations. According to the Annual report of the world travel and tourism environmental review there is a recognition that environmental issues will become much more prominent as a factor which influences consumers, regulators, pressure groups and destinations and that the tourism industry will need to show increasing concern for these issues. The WTTC have developed a strategy, known as the GREEN GLOBE, in order to promote environmental management among hotel and travel environment. These vary from waste management to the development of eco-hotels and the classification of hotels on the basis of environmental impact (David kirk). Environmental impacts of the hospitality industries- Positive impacts It sometimes educates the public about the local environment and the importance of protecting the environment, eg the Great Barrier Reef. The tourism and hospitality industries often create employment and business opportunities in an area, contributing to the local economy. Hospitality and tourism buildings and venues are being designed and/or redesigned so that their impact on the environment is reduced and they merge in with the local environment better. Many enterprises are now employing more sustainable practices in order to promote a green image that appeals to consumers, eg using organic products, recycling, using less toxic chemicals and using more energy and water efficient fittings. Negative impacts The presence of buildings and tourists may destroy the local environment and habitat of native animals. The hospitality industry contribute to waste issues, eg food scraps, oil and chemical disposal. Many hospitality venues are noisy. The hospitality and tourism industries consume a lot of energy and water, eg electricity for air conditioning, refrigeration (www.hsc.csu.edu.au). The environmental impact is broadly classified as: ASETHETIC IMPACT CULTURAL IMPACT ECOLOGICAL IMPACT SOCIAL IMPACT POLITICAL IMPACT Aesthetic impact means causing destructive image of a surrounding by various factors such as development etc. The image of a destination possesses importance from a practical marketing perspective for many reasons. Often hospitality industry fails to integrate its structures with the natural features and indigenous architectural of the destination. Large, dominating resorts of different design can look out of place in any natural environment and may clash with the indigenous structural design. A lack of land-use planning and building regulations in many destinations has facilitated sprawling developments along coastlines, valleys and scenic routes. The sprawl includes tourism facilities themselves and supporting infrastructure such as roads, employee housing, parking, service areas, and waste disposal (www.gdrc.org). Examples include lakes around Rotorua, New Zealand, that have suffered from blue-green algae and, on occasion, have been closed for recreational activities (Journal of sustainable tourism).

Friday, October 25, 2019

Letters Home :: Creative Writing Essays

Letters Home The vid screen is dark and ominous, as if it holds secrets that is not for the likes of men to know. John Poldeck, a middle aged, balding man of forty-eight steps forward toward screen and console to activate the beast, this oracle of silicon, plastic, and glass. Today John is hoping for word of his son Kirk, of whom nothing had been heard of since he left for UNDF Marine Corps training at Camp Lejune, South Carolina, a beacon for the phony tough and crazy brave looking for ill conceived adventure and glory. At least that was John’s opinion on the matter. As a mid level market analyst for the transnational ABSCOM John was used to battles fought with market shares, balance sheets, and stock options. For the forty years since the birth of the revamped United Nations war and the conductors of war, the military, had been a dying business. John could still remember the eager look on Kirk’s face when his son had uttered words like, duty, honor, patriotism, words which seemed as alien to John as the worlds the UN exploratory fleet claimed to have found. â€Å"For Christ’s sake John will you turn on the damn console? What the hell is wrong with you today?† John glanced at June, his wife of twenty years and counting. Her dark skinned face was a sharp contrast to his pale complexion, and anger, tinged with concern for her son, clouded and darkened her visage even more. He looked at his wife without comprehension. â€Å"What?† June sighed, and then in a kinder tone, â€Å"The console John. I know you’ve been angry ever since Kirk left for the Marines, hell you’ve been mad ever since he first brought up enlisting. A fool’s errand you called it. Perhaps you’re right. All I know is that he might have sent us a letter today.† A fool’s errand. I remember when I said that John thought. That had been a nasty episode, one of many that had occurred during one of the endless fights he had had with Kirk over this business of enlisting. Try how he might he could never convince his son that business was where the opportunities were. Kirk had then coldly informed his father of his contempt for the Transnationals that now ran everything on Earth, including the UN, and his contempt for anybody connected to them.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Two friends

Present, has been efurbished quite a lot but this place still retains the characteristics of the cross- cultural Vietnamese – French The Hanoi Opera House is an architectural work is incomparable with the price outstanding value of history, culture, architecture and art. Can see the Opera House as an integral part of urban and architectural capital, contributing to the establishment of our country faces today in the cultural field. For over 100 years old and works in Hanoi Opera House exists as a symbol of architectural space, cultural and political capital 1,000 years old.Long Bi ©n Bridge Long Bien Bridge is the first steel bridge across the Red River in Hanoi, a length of 1862 built by the French. At that time, Long Bien Bridge is the largest bridge in Indochina and is one of four huge bridges in the world. But do not take pride that the long term, such a tool is built primarily by the purpose of colonization, the bridge soon to bear the buckling his war wounds. Old bridg e is an important transportation hub, became the meeting place between urban and rural, one the banks still appear the floral field bowls, one side of ife with urbanization.Today, trains, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians are still crossing the bridge. Some parts of the bridge is intact, but most have been repaired Dy tne damage. But tne or10ge Is stlll tnere as a slgnlTlcant evlaence 0T war ana history. After more than a century of existence, the Long Bien Bridge has a familiar image for many, many generations and became a cultural icon, the history of Hanoi. For Hanoi, almost everyone kept a memory of this bridge Temple of Literature Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam is a monument rich diversity and contains many recious human values of Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general.Covering an area of 54,331 square meters, including: Lake Van, the Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam and park Glam. The value of history and culture of the Temple of Literature was confirmed during thousands of years. Quoc Tu Giam is where the examinations held important national stature and train talented people for the country and 82 preserved in Temple of Literature. It depicts of the traditional hospitality of the people It is also the encouragement and rged the next generation of today and tomorrow is always to preserve and retain traditional hospitality of the people.Many times repairing the Temple of Literature 9 March 2010, UNESCO officially recognized 82 steles at Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Glam, the legacy of the material world. It is also a lot of domestic and foreign delegations have been visiting the Temple of Literature. With the ancient architecture and the unique human values, Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam is a hyphen history of Hanoi's past and present, contributing to enrich the cultural treasure of the nation.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Determination of the formula unit of a compound Essay

1)The crucible is weighed and the exact mass is recorded. 2)Approximately 0.2g of zinc is placed into the crucible and the crucible with its contain is weighed. The exact mass of zinc is determined. 3)10 ml of 6M HCl solution is poured into a measuring cylinder. 4)The 10 ml of 6M HCl solution is carefully added into the crucible containing zinc powder and the contents is stirred gently using a glass rod. A vigorous chemical reaction occurred and hydrogen gas is released. (This step is carried out in a fume cupboard.) 5)If the zinc powder has not dissolved completely, acid was added, 5 ml at a time, until the zinc is completely dissolved. The amount of acid used did not exceed 20 ml. 6)The crucible is placed on a hot plate in the fume cupboard and the contents are heated slowly so that the compound does not splatter during the heating process. 7)The compound is heated gently until it is completely dry. The compound is made sure not to melt. 8)The crucible is allowed to cool to room temperature. Then, it is weighed. 9)The crucible is reheated. It is let to cool to room temperature and then is weighed again. The procedure is repeated until the difference in mass does not exceed 0.02g. 10)The mass of zinc chloride is determined from the final weight of the sample. The mass of chloride in the zinc chloride is calculated. 11)The formula unit of zinc chloride is calculated. Introduction Chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements which can be separated into simpler  substances by chemical reaction chemical compound has a unique chemical structure and defined. They consist of the fixed ratio of atoms are held together in a room setting is defined by chemical bonds. Chemical compound molecule compounds that can be held together by covalent bonds, salt is held together by ionic bonds, intermetallic compounds are held together by metal ties, or a complex held together by a coordinate covalent bond. Another main property of a compound is its chemical composition, which identified only by determining the elements present in the compound. The molecular weight of the empirical formula weight divided by the number of atoms of each element to produce a percentage of each element. This is done for each element in the empirical formula and tabulated as chemical composition. Please note the order is based on electro-nega tive elements. When zinc metal is reacted with hydrochloric acid, hydrogen gas is released and an aqueous solution of zinc chloride is produced. The zinc chloride solution when evaporated to dryness leaves a pure salt product. In order to calculate the simplest whole number ratio of chlorine to zinc or empirical formula for zinc chloride, we need to use the initial mass of zinc and the solid product formed. It is important that all of the zinc used be reacted and that large excess amounts of hydrochloric acid not be used. Then, from the mass of zinc consumed and the total mass of product formed, the masses of both zinc and chlorine may be determined. Converting these to number of moles and then calculating the simplest whole number ratio, by dividing by both by the smaller of the two numbers, gives the empirical formula. If either of the numbers is non-integral, then multiply by the smallest number required to give two whole numbers as subscripts in the formula unit: ZnxCly.