Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Analysis Of Eliezer Wiesels Novel Night - 920 Words

The Holocaust which took placed during the 1930s and the 1940s was a horrible time for millions of people because Jews and people are treated during their deportation. Many people were killed and burned...babies and adults.Some were threw in flames, All that was left was a shape that resembled me by reading it. In the barracks, the Jews are stripped and shaved, disinfected with gasoline, showered, and clothed in prison forms. They are lectured by a Nazi officer and told that they have two options: hard work or the crematorium. When Eliezer Wiesel’s father asks for the bathroom, he is beaten by the Kapo. A Kapo is a head prisoner: that is in charge of the other inmates. Eliezer is appalled at his own failure to defend his father from†¦show more content†¦Elie explores the theme of faith from the beginning to the end of the book. At the beginning of the book, his faith in God is absolute. When asked why he pray?...Why did I live? Why did I breathe?† His belief in an omnipotent, benevolent God is unconditional, and he cannot imagine living without faith in a divine power, but this faith is shaken by his experience during the Holocaust. In the Holocaust, Elie lost faith but him and his father was still together, but that that was the only positive thing about their new reality. The negative thing that they can’t live how they wanted. They had to see officers throw babies into the fire in the â€Å"Death Camp†. (Wiesel,36) This shows that Eliezer didn’t have much faith in the Holocaust but him and his father did stay together. Eliezer lose faith in God when things started to go wrong, like him and his father being sent to the death camp. â€Å"He struggles physically and mentally for life and no longer believes there is a god†. (Wiesel,32) Elie gives up when he lose faith in god because he thinks he can’t be helped by no one in life and believes there is no god because it don’t seem like it to him. Elie zer also loses faith in his family. He and his mother and sister were parted at the camp and he has no hope to see them ever again. For explanation, Elie lost faith in his family because him, his mother, and sister have been placed in differentShow MoreRelatedNight Trilogy By Elie Wiesel1075 Words   |  5 PagesLily Zheng Mrs. Cooper Advanced Honors English 2 Period 14 10 June 2015 Night Trilogy Criticism Elie Wiesel’s Night Trilogy is comprised of an autobiography about Wiesel’s experience during the Holocaust and the horrific struggle he faced while in concentration camps, and two other stories depicting the rise of Israel and an accident. The acclaimed Holocaust writer is most well-known for Night due to its effect across the globe. Dawn and Day are not autobiographies, yet they have lingering presencesRead MoreEliezer Wiesels Relationships1270 Words   |  6 PagesRomania. He was born to Shlomo and Sarah, which they had four children, Hilda, Bea, Tsiporah, and Eliezer. Wiesel and his family practiced the Jewish religion, before he was forced into the concentration camps. In the novel Night, Elie Wiesel had a strong belief in God. When Elie and his family were sent off to the concentration camps, he tested his belief in God. In the novel Night, â€Å"Wiesels childhood faith in the goodness and promise of God was forever shattered when as a young boy he wasRead MoreSummary Of Night Double Entry Journal 1329 Words   |  6 Pages Ms. Williams 9-2-14 English 11 Honors – 4 Night Double Entry Journal I. Write one important quote from each chapter with the page number and explain its significance to the plot of the novel. Think about why that quote was particularly significant within the plot and to the main characters. Text from Night My Response/Analysis Chapter 1: †As far as I’m concerned, this whole business of deportation is nothing but a big farce. Don’t laugh. They just want to steal our valuables and jewelry. They

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Oedipus a Tragic Hero Free Essays

Oedipus: A Tragic Hero Aristotle’s tragic hero is one of the most recognizable types of heroes among literature. A tragic hero combines five major points all of which have to do with the hero’s stature in society, his faults, how these faults effect him, the punishment his faults gets him, and how he reacts to this punishment. Aristotle explained that the story of Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, is a perfect example of a tragic hero. We will write a custom essay sample on Oedipus: a Tragic Hero or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the play, Oedipus is given a prophecy in which he is told that he will kill his father then marry his mother. As in many Greek plays, Oedipus tries to run from his prophecy and ends up fulfilling exactly what it is foretold. Through the play we see that Oedipus posses many of the characteristics of a tragic hero such as: he is of noble stature, his downfall was his own fault, and that his punishment was not wholly deserved. The first trait that Oedipus possesses that makes him a tragic hero is that he is a man of noble stature. Within the first lines of the play, Oedipus immediately supports this in saying, â€Å"Here I am myself-/you know me, the world knows my fame:/I am Oedipus† (7-8). This quote shows that Oedipus is so confident in people knowing who he is that he is willing to put this out there, though he is not being overly confident. This quote is later given reason to when we hear from other characters such as the Priest when he explains things that Oedipus has done such as, â€Å"You freed us from the Sphinx, you came to Thebes/and cut us loose from the bloody tribute we had paid/that harsh, brutal singer† (44-46). The Priest depicts when Oedipus defeated the Sphinx, which is the task that gains him the position of king of Thebes. The next characteristic that Oedipus possesses that makes him a tragic hero is that his downfall is of his own doing. The act that ultimately contributes to Oedipus’ downfall is that of when he kills his father and he explains to Jocasta that he killed everyone, â€Å"I killed them all-every mother’s son! † (898). Since he is talking about his father’s caravan it shows that he, indeed killed his father even though he was unaware that it was his father at the time. That is only the beginning of his downfall though as he earlier told the Chorus that anyone harboring the murderer would be cursed, even if it was himself, â€Å"†¦if by any chance/he proves to be an intimate of our house†¦may the curse I just called down strike me! † (284-287). This shows just how serious that Oedipus was about punishing this person and even though he doesn’t understand that it is himself, and takes awhile for him to realize, that he was responsible for what happened to him. The final discussed characteristic that Oedipus possesses is that his punishment was not wholly deserved. There are three main punishments that Oedipus has to go through because of his crime. Those punishments are his exile from Thebes, the suicide of Jocasta, and the loss of his sight. However, the punishment that pushes everything over the edge is when Oedipus strikes out his own eyes. When he appears to the Chorus he comes out and speaks of how horrid he feels for everything in saying, â€Å"The blackest things/a man can do, I have done them all! † (1541-1542). During this very scene the Chorus speaks, not to Oedipus directly, but to each other and the literally shrink away from him. It is obvious that they don’t believe he deserves this through their words, â€Å"O the terror–/the suffering, for all the world to see/the worst terror that ever met my eyes,/what madness swept over you? † (1432-1435). The Chorus continues to speak of how Oedipus cursed himself by the gods and that this is his punishment, but cannot understand what god would force such a punishment on any man. Works Cited Mifflin, Houghton. Language of Literature World Literature. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. Print. How to cite Oedipus: a Tragic Hero, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Twelfth Night Literature Analysis Essay Example For Students

Twelfth Night Literature Analysis Essay William Shakespeares Twelfth Night is set in a province called Illyria on the coast of Italy. The play is about a brother and sister, Sebastian and Viola, who are separated after a shipwreck, and both think the other has drowned. The play tells the tale of how they were eventually reunited. There are a wide range of characters in the play; ranging from Malvolio, Olivias steward, who is very self-centred with no sense of humour to Sir Toby who is always out enjoying himself and really just lives a life of pleasure. A caring character is Viola; she is not ne to upset other people. Olivia receives a lot of sympathy because she is mourning for her brother. Orsino has a comfortable but useless existence. He is rich but sits moping about love all day. All of these characters are different and each have their faults such as Sir Toby may be criticised for taking a lot of Sir Andrews money whereas Violas fault is that she is too nice, never wanting to cause anyone any harm. This is a fault because it may hold her back from doing a something that she should. I think that Shakespeare has given the characters faults to ake them more interesting and realistic. Malvolio tries to impress Olivia but it does not work. Although she respects him she does not favour him, as he thinks, for having a good job. He is good at his job but should enjoy himself instead of thinking himself all the time. This is one thing that makes him an unlikeable character also he considers himself to be superior to other characters but no one really likes him and he does not know what they really think of him. Although he mostly cares about himself some of his love goes to Olivia. I think that he wants to be romantic but has a hard time expressing his feelings or does not want people to know what hes really like. His character does not really develop throughout the play, and I disliked him as much at the end as I did at the start of the play. Sir Toby is a likeable character because he does not care what anyone thinks of him, if they do not like him, they will just have to put up with it. People think he should be a respectable gentleman and act his age but he finds acting like everyone else stuffy and claustrophobic. Sir Toby is certainly not a model gentleman but when he drinks his behaviour is even worse. He does not have a lot of money. He may have had more but living a life of pleasure has changed that. He is criticised for living a life of pleasure but at least, 1 unlike some other characters, he is genuine, he does not try to be anything he is not, and this is one of the reasons why Maria loves him. Although Sir Toby is a likeable Character his practical jokes do tend to get tiresome as the play wears on. Olivia, Sir Tobys niece, is not ike him at all. She is a well off countess who is respectable and acts the way she should. Olivia receives a lot of sympathy because she has lost her father and her brother, but Sir Toby does not think that her grieving is genuine. Olivia is quite a likeable character but I think that she is taking it a bit too far, saying she will never love another man again. It is likely that she enjoys all of the attention and sympathy that she is getting. Viola, the sister of Sebastian, has a lot going for her; she is intelligent, tactful, honest nd well educated and able to deal with people better than the other characters. She is a caring character who likes to get things done, she isnt one to just sit back and do nothing or let others do things for her. Being caring is one of Violas main features. She does not like to upset or hurt people and she would not mock people or make fun of them behind their backs. She carried out her commands and even though she was put in an awkward position she did not refuse for fear of upsetting someone. Some of Violas lines are he most poetic of the entire play and therefore, perhaps, are the ones which will be remembered the most. .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e , .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e .postImageUrl , .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e , .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e:hover , .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e:visited , .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e:active { border:0!important; } .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e:active , .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u097e272418133efbb3649434773e832e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Tell Tale Heart Analysis EssayDuke Orsino does not seem to have much character or personality. He seems not to do very much, he has an almost useless existence; he just sits about moping about love. He is rich and has a comfortable existence with lots of servants. He seems young and immature, and does not have the same wisdom or knowledge as Viola and Sir Toby do. He is not an imposing figure, but it is possible that there is more to him than meets the eye. Orsino has ried with Maria but has not succeeded because she is in love with Sir Toby. It is too hard to form an opinion of him because he isnt a very noticeable character. I think that Viola emerges with credit at the end of the play because her only fault is that she is too nice so she could not be criticised for anything. Two characters who I think come out of the play badly are Sir Toby and Malvolio. Both of these characters can be annoying at times, and although Toby may have started off well he does end up quite boring, whereas Malvolio, on the other hand, was never a likeable character.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Ten tips for perfectly pitched essays

Essays are an incredibly important part of the application process, says  Stacy Blackman, an MBA admissions consultant. Seemingly straightforward questions require a great deal of introspection. Make sure you budget time to draft and redraft, try new approaches and carefully edit so that each line packs the maximum punch   1  As soon as you know that you are going to apply to business school, you can start to prepare in a low-stress way. Keep a notebook and jot down anything interesting that comes to mind. An inspiring lecture, a disappointing performance review, an enlightening conversation with a friend, a travel experience, running a marathon, a stimulating book—all of these can be terrific material for your essays. Dont agonise over whether it will make a great topic, just jot it down. You will find that you quickly have a plethora of material to choose from. 2  As you begin to approach essay-writing time, consider putting together a â€Å"brag sheet†. Write down all of the things about you that would not necessarily appear on a rà ©sumà ©: languages you speak, all extracurricular involvements, family traditions and more. This can also be mined for essay content. 3  Once you have the essay questions in hand, there may still be a few stumpers. Even with lots of content, when you are faced with answering a question such as â€Å"What matters most to you?† it is difficult to decide. Here is an exercise that stops you from over-thinking: set your alarm clock for 3am. When you wake up, ask yourself the question. The first thing that comes to mind might surprise you. Do this for a couple of nights and you may come up with a few options or find that you are building a consensus around a certain topic. 4  Before you actually write the essays, take the final step of mapping out the general topics you will cover in each essay. As you map a topic to a question, check it off on a master list of stories you want to cover. This way, you can make sure that a given school is receiving all of your key stories, and that you are spreading out different stories across an application and not being repetitive. 5  Everyone works in different ways: some work best first thing in the morning, others are night owls. Some need to outline concepts on paper, others go straight to computer. So develop a plan that supports your individual style. Many find that the first application can take around 40 hours of work—brainstorming, drafting, editing, refining. As you approach this process, make sure you have the time. Tackle one application at a go. Do not take work leave or attempt it in a single week. Essays require time to gel. Therefore make sure that you have plenty of time to do it right. You may require six weeks, or you may even want 12. 6  Many applicants are inhibited by perfectionism. They can sit at the computer for hours, unable to generate that â€Å"perfect† essay, rewriting so furiously that they dont get past the first few sentences. It is often easier to edit than to write. So just type. A page full of so-so text is less intimidating than that blank page. 7  It is essential that you research your target schools and understand how to appeal to each of them. Each will have a slightly different ethos and look for something different in their students. But†¦ 8  Ã¢â‚¬ ¦you can also save yourself a bit of work. There are certain qualities that all business schools want to see in a successful applicant: leadership team skills ethics communication skills Just saying â€Å"I am a strong leader† is not enough. Every claim you make must have supporting stories that help the reader believe you. You do not need to check off every quality on the list. Select a few that apply to you and reinforce those in an honest and compelling way. 9  Nobody is perfect. The schools know this and you need to show them that you are realistic and self-aware. Revealing your humanity—in the form of quirks, weaknesses and flaws—can often help the admissions committee to like you. A story about how you learned from a failure, improved upon a weakness or struggled with challenges can be compelling. The other side of this is the ability to demonstrate that you can really benefit from the MBA degree. If you know everything already, an admissions committee may wonder why you want to return to school. 10  Get some help. Even the most meticulous writers benefit from a second or third set of eyes. Ask someone to review your essays, look for typos and tell you if you are hitting all of the points in the right way. Is your attempt at humour coming off correctly? Do you seem too humble, too cocky, too serious, not serious enough? After you have been buried with your essays for weeks, a fresh perspective can often help you see the application as an admissions-committee member does: for the first time. Enlist someone who knows about the application process and make sure they are not just reassuring you that all is well, but are actually giving you some quality feedback.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

20 Economics Research Paper Topics and Ideas

20 Economics Research Paper Topics and Ideas Nowadays, economics is one of the most developed social sciences that has a straightforward relation to almost all the spheres of modern life. This science studies statistics, different types of calculations, and various data types related to production and distribution of products and services, and their consumption by people from all over the world. Therefore, economics provides a significant number of topics to research, including a prediction of different economic processes, statistical observations, and generally developed analyses on the point. Because the economy is usually known as a system of manufacturing and distributing a great range of products and services, you may also discover the basic rules of production and chains of distribution, changes in production trends, basic requirements of the customers, business cycles, and even sophisticated business strategies. You should remember that the economic research paper must be written according to the requirements of the professor and provide valuable claims supported by facts and pieces of evidence. In order to develop a good paper, use only reliable sources that may be found in libraries, specialized books, and peer-reviewed articles on economics. Topic and Ideas for Economics Research Paper Below you can find examples of topics for economics research paper: 1. The History of Economics and Its Development Today The social science of economics has a long and rich history that dates back to the times of Ancient Greece, China, and India. At those times, people were interested in defining basic rules of economics and wrote numerous works on economic thoughts and principles. Therefore, the history of economics is a great topic to research, as it allows evaluating early economic policies and exploring their development to modern times. All the supporting materials on the point may be found in historical libraries and books on the history of economics. 2. Twentieth-Century Economic Methodology In this research paper, you may provide an overview of the methodology applied for economics, social sciences, and political economy, evaluate it thoroughly, and discuss the main representatives and significant economists of that time. In addition, you may discuss the hegemony of neoclassical economics, explore valuable suggestions of Paul Samuelson, and make valuable conclusions about the economic methodology of the last century. The information on the topic may be found in related books and scholarly articles on economic methodology. 3. Main Factors that Influence Consumer Behavior in Developing Countries Nowadays, there is a significant difference between consumer behavior in developed and developing countries as the residents of these countries are motivated by various factors that usually include prices and quality. Because the markets and manufacturing facilities in such countries like Albania, Argentina, and others develop rapidly, it is necessary to research main factors that influence consumer behavior in these countries and evaluate the perspectives of their domestic markets. The supporting material on the point may be found in official reports provided by the governments of the developing countries and previous research on consumer behavior. 4. Labor Markets in Developed Countries In this research paper, you may evaluate labor markets in such countries like the USA, Australia, Canada, and many other applying a theory of labor market allocation, research labor demand in different regions and their relation to economic development within these regions, define main labor supply trends, and explore difference in salaries across various occupations. The information on labor markets in developed countries may be found in official reports provided by the special departments of the developed countries and peer-reviewed articles about labor demand within the discussed regions. 5. The Influence of Labor Unions on Labor Markets in European Countries Researching this captivating topic, you may define the reasons for the formation of labor unions by employees and their main functions. Thus, because these unions help workers to obtain various compensations, provide them with benefits, and allow improving working conditions, in this way, protecting the interests of employees considerably. For that reason, the influence of Labor Unions on Labor markets in European countries is significant, as it helps to increase labor demand and protects the interests of ordinary workers. The supporting information on the point may be obtained from articles in specialized journals and books on Labor markets. 6. Macroeconomic Models, Their Advantages and Disadvantages In this research paper, you may discuss different macroeconomic models and their distinguishing features that distinguish them from the other models. You may start from the critique of traditional economic approaches by Keynes, evaluate Keynesian Economics, explore the development of Macroeconomics from the 1960s until the 2010s, and mention peculiarities of Monetarism, Real Business Cycle Theory, and other widespread models. The valuable information to support the provided claims may be obtained from specialized databases and journals on macroeconomics. 7. The Influence of Macroeconomic Policies on Economic Instability To research this topic properly, you may discuss different elements of the business cycle and evaluate the influence of inflation rates, changes in GDP, and unemployment rates on Economic Instability. Besides, you may research the great inflation in the 1970s, stagflation, recession in 2007, and possible future perspectives of macroeconomic policies. Finally, you may provide a valuable conclusion on the influence of macroeconomic policies on economic stability and define cyclical features of economic instability. The related information may be found in books on macroeconomic policies and peer-reviewed articles on economics. 8. International Trade and Its Main Restrictions International trade and its main restrictions may be researched from the point of economic theories and models as each of them may explain challenging economic and trading relations between world states. To discuss sophisticated trade relations, you may apply the Ricardian Model of Comparative Advantage, Ricardo-Viner Model, Heckscher-Ohlin Model, and others, in this way, explaining major patterns and rules of the international trade relations. The supporting facts and pieces of evidence may be found in books on international trade, articles on trade relations between particular world states, and official economic reports of these countries. 9. Monetary Union and Its Main Advantages A monetary union means the involvement of two or more countries in sharing the same currency. This approach is usually applied to obtain a range of particular advantages that include the reduction of transaction costs, the creation of a single developed market, the prevention of currency devaluation, and many others. The valuable information to support the claims on the point may be found in scholarly articles on monetary union and related books. 10. Racial Identity and Its Relation to Economics in the USA In this research paper, you may discuss some statistical facts on wages, level of education, occupation on white people and African Americans in the USA. To explain the significant differences between whites and people of color, you may apply theories of discrimination, evaluate recent research on discrimination of people of color, and provide a conclusion on how racial identity influences people of color and their economic status in the USA, explore their employment opportunities and analyze differences in wages. The paper may be grounded in previous research on the topic and peer-reviewed articles on racial and economic discrimination. 11. Peculiarities of East Asian Economies Recently, the economies of East Asian countries have developed significantly. Therefore, peculiarities of East Asian economies is a great topic to research, as it allows to define the most important features of economic development in China, South Korea, and other East Asian countries that include the reformation of production and labor markets. The information on the point may be found in scholarly articles on East Asian economies and books on the economic development in Asia. 12. Agricultural Economics in the USA Agricultural economics in the USA is another interesting topic to research. You may evaluate the economics in the food sector and discuss fiber manufacturing as well, providing theoretical explanations on the point and outlining quantitative tools applied. The information may be found in books and peer-reviewed articles on agricultural economics in the USA. 13. Migration and its Influence on Economics In this research paper, you may research the impact of migration on the economies of the USA, Canada, the UK, and other countries popular among immigrants. Here, you can apply various micro and macroeconomic models to define the impact of inner and international migration on the economies of these countries. The supporting information may be found in official reports provided by the International Organization of migration and in peer-reviewed articles on migration in developed and developing countries. 14. Ethics and Modern Economics Nowadays, market relations and market interactions between different countries usually cannot be distinguished as ethical. Because modern market approaches limit opportunities of customers to choose from a variety of goods and services and struggle to maintain a monopoly, it is important to discuss ethical decisions in modern economics, as well as ethical decisions of the customers in different countries. The information about ethics and its relation to modern economics may be found in numerous articles in scientific journals and books on modern economics. 15. The Importance of Neuroeconomics in Approaching International Markets Neuroeconomics deals with theoretical and methodological approaches to economics, customer behavior, and decision theory, having a straightforward relation to customer approaches. By researching neuroeconomics and its efficiency in approaching international markets, you may predict the decisions of the customers in different countries and define how they make their choices and decisions. The information on the point may be found in peer-reviewed articles on neuroeconomics and previous research on approaching international markets. 16. Experimental Economics Today In this research paper, you may evaluate new economic theories and examine their influence on scientific progress and economic development. Here, you can discuss game theory, new macroeconomic approaches, and other subjects. The supporting information on the point may be found in articles on experimental economics and previous research on game theory. 17. Purchasing Capacity and Its Influence on Prices Purchasing capacity of the average customer is one of the most important features for traders, as it allows defining the target audience, setting affordable prices, and attracting new customers. Therefore, purchasing capacity and its influence on prices is a great topic to research and evaluate modern markets and their basic principles. The information about prices and their relation to the purchasing capacity of customers may be found in official economic reports and strategies of different trading companies and articles on economics. 18. Globalization and Its Effects on the Development of International Economics Nowadays, globalization provides a range of opportunities for manufacturers, traders, and customers. To research this topic, it is necessary to define theadvantages and disadvantages of globalization, evaluate its positive features and their impact on the international economy, and provide a thorough examination of possible future trends. The information on the topic may be found in articles on international economics and previous research on globalization and its positive and negative features. 19. Level of Unemployment in the Different World States Unemployment rates have a significant influence on the economic development of particular countries and their certain regions. Therefore, this topic provides a great chance to conduct research on the level of unemployment in different world states and define the relation of employment rates to economic development in particular regions. 20. Recent Trends in Marketing and Sales This topic allows researching the recent trends in marketing and their influence on sales. The paper may be based on previous research on the latest trends and their comparison to the new approaches to the customers. The supporting information may be found in official reports of trading companies and articles on trends in marketing and sales. Conclusion Today, economics appears to be one of the most developed sciences that continues to introduce innovative approaches and has a significant impact on different spheres of human lives in different countries. It has a relation to statistics, various types of calculations, production, distribution, and other vast fields. Thus, a range of economic processes, numerous statistical observations, and analyses of markets and economic approaches are the inherent part of everyday life, allowing people to buy and sell different goods and provide various services. Therefore, you may choose from many different topics to research, exploring and evaluating challenging and captivating subjects on the point. However, ensure to focus on the requirements of the professor and arrange the researched information according to the provided instructions. All your claims should be supported with facts and pieces of evidence found in reliable sources and cited according to the required format of the paper. In this way, your paper will obtain the highest possible grade, providing the ground for numerous researches in the future.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Black Friday

Marketing strategies, paired with consumers’ need to locate the best deals on Christmas gifts has led to Black Friday being celebrated as a consumption ritual comparable in importance to Thanksgiving Day. (Thomas and Peters, 2011) How has Black Friday become the largest retail sales day of the year? What is it that drives people to artificially induced hyper consumption, almost like an annual ritual? Many scientist and psychologists have many different theories and conclusions of why Black Friday has become the biggest shopping day of the year. In this paper, I will take your through the research and conclusions that many psychologists have produced and the advantages and disadvantages of Black Friday. Dr. Stephanie Sarkis, Ph. D. explored the work of Jane Boyd Thomas and Cara Peters, professors at South Carolina’s Winthrop University, who spent two years in research trying to find common traits in Black Friday shoppers. They conducted thirty-eight extensive interviews with â€Å"experienced† Black Friday shoppers and found four recurring themes: 1. Familial bonding (multiple generations and close friends) 2. Strategic planning . The great race 4. Mission accomplished But how do the four themes they came up with relate to one another? Thomas and Peters figured that all the traits when analyzed together showed one commonality. They wrote, â€Å"the traits are coalesced around a military metaphor, and is a bonding activity Shoppers prepare for the ritual by scanning Black Friday ads, and they map out their stra tegy. † (Sarkis 2011) In essence, the family is a type of team that scans adds, plans their route and potential purchases, executes their plans by buying products, and rejoices in their accomplishments. When all of these traits are analyzed individually, they mean little to main the main outcome, bonding. But when all the traits are looked at collectively, they all contribute to the overall success and goal of bonding. Besides giving us a breakdown of bonding activities, the analysis also shows how the average consumer plan for Black Friday. Just as Sarkis found themes that make up this military metaphor, Byun, professor of consumer affairs at Auburn University came up with her own theory on why people react the way they do on Black Friday. Crowds create a sense of competition — such as when hundreds of shoppers are rushing to collect marked-down goods — they generate a different feeling entirely. Competition creates what’s called hedonic shopping value, or a sense of enjoyment from the mere process of buying goods. At certain levels, consumers enjoy arousal and challenges during the shopping process. † (Khazan 2011) In essence what Byun is saying is consu mers get more enjoyment because the crowds create an obstacle, which hinders the execution of the plans and preparations made. The crowds make getting what they want harder, which creates more value for the goods purchased. Just as Byun noted that crowds contribute to the Black Friday Craze, Kelly McGonigal, Ph. D. describes another factors that plays a big part in the â€Å"Black Friday frenzy†. Retailers, she notes, use innovative designs to lure customers into their stores and keep them there. McGonigal says â€Å"time pressure sales on limited products or scarce resources† triggers a negative physiological affect on the consumer. Scarcity for a certain commodity creates a sense of urgency to act now, a natural instinct to survive. This survival instinct can be related to hunting for some people. Black Friday is â€Å"hunting for women,† said Leisa Reinecke Flynn, professor of marketing and fashion merchandising at the University of Southern Mississippi. â€Å"It’s so much like deer hunting it’s hard to tell the two apart. † (Khazan 2011) Unfortunately, shopping on Black Friday is not motivated by survival instincts or a life in death situation. This paradox stimulates unusual behavior in consumers that creates disadvantages and potential dangers for those that are not necessarily into the hunt. The concept of Black Friday creates a â€Å"perfect storm† for consumer misbehavior. Misbehavior, as defined by Lennon, Johnson, and Lee is, â€Å"acts that violate accepted norms of conduct in consumption contexts. † (Lennon, Johnson, Lee, 2011) This compulsive behavior, or compulsive consumption, feeds off of the idea of scarcity. It induces people to act inappropriately harming others and often themselves. â€Å"For many, if not most compulsive purchasers, buying is a reaction to stress or unpleasant situations. Compulsive consumption is a type of consumer behavior which is inappropriate, typically excessive, and clearly disruptive to the lives of other individuals. (Ronald, Thomas, and Raymond 1987) Both hunting and shopping hinge on long-standing traditions and generally involve pursuing a goal as a group. Whether the group actually hits its target is secondary to the fun of the chase. Hunting and shopping as shown above are very closely linked and motivated by the idea of scarcity. Just like there are limited deer in the forest, there are limited goods in the stores. The result is paradoxical in nature. People are fraudulently deceived into acting compulsively. (Herpen, Pieters and Zeelenberg 2005) Just as Ronald, Thomas, and Raymond concluded that compulsive behavior negatively affects the lives of others, Peter McGraw, Ph. D. drew a similar connection. He focuses more on social trends and pressures being the root of the problem. In The Link between Thanksgiving Gluttony and Black Friday Insanity, McGraw makes a connection between Black Friday shopping and Thanksgiving Dinner. He explores the idea that once a year, people will consume more calories in one meal, than the average person consumes on a normal day. The next day they wake up, or sometimes not sleeping at all, and go shopping for hours on end. (McGraw and Warner 2011) Dr. McGraw’s research shows us that in a short period of forty eights hour there is over consumption of food on Thanksgiving and the hyper consumption or shopping on Black Friday. McGraw believes that the cause of this phenomenon is social influence and pressure. He writes, â€Å"One of the hallmarks of psychological science is that we are influenced by the actions of others—often more so than we’d like to admit. Sometimes we’re impelled to take positive actions, such as switching to reusable bags or cutting down on littering. Other times, social influence can be quite negative. When it comes to Thanksgiving and Black Friday, unfortunately, the influences skew more toward bad than good. † (McGraw and Warner 2011) In other words McGraw places responsibility of hyper consumption on social trends, pressures, and even perhaps familial rituals for the ever-popular Black Friday. Another concept of Black Friday is one of mutual benefit for both consumer and retailer. Consumers’ benefit from large discounts on all sorts of items including clothing, electronics, furniture, and literally any other commodity available on the market. Retailers’ benefit by getting out of the red zone, finally making a profit for the fiscal year. The opportunities available on Black Friday is what drove 212 million shoppers to stores during Black Friday weekend in 2011. (Wilson, 2010) Retailers experience surging sales during Black Friday and the days that follow. This monetary benefit is what drives their extensive promotion and deal offerings, further influencing the consumer’s willingness to partake in the shopping frenzy. In a society where a corporation or business’s main purpose is to grow profits for the benefit of its shareholders, a company’s number one purpose is to increase sales, in order to increase profits. According to a New York Times article written by Adam Davidson, approximately one fifth of retailer’s total annual sales are made during the holiday shopping season. (Davidson, 2011) In conclusion, we can see that shopping on Black Friday brings people together in one way or another. For some, it brings people together in a positive way. Families and friends are able to work as a team who plan, prepare and execute their plans to achieve their goals. For others, Black Friday shoppers experience the negative affects of other people’s behavior. There are also advantages and disadvantages for both the consumer and retailer. Consumers get amazingly cheap prices on products while retailers experience a massive surge in sales. However one may look at Black Friday, it is a day that cannot be ignored. It’s influence and popularity are ever growing and expanding. Reference Page Davidson, Adam. The Black Friday Effect: Let’s Stimulate the Economy with Inflation. † The New York Times, 16 Nov. 2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. Herpen, Erica van, Rik Pieters, and Marcel Zeelenberg (2005) ,†How Product Scarcity Impacts on Choice: Snob and Bandwagon Effects†, in Advances in Consumer Research Volume 32, eds. Geeta Menon and Akshay R. Rao, Advances in Consumer Research Volume 32 : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 623-624. Faber, J. Ronald, O’Guinn, C Thomas, and Krych, Raymond. (1987) â€Å"Compulsive Consumption†, in Advances in Consumer Research Volume 14, eds. Melanie Wallendorf and Paul Anderson, Advances in Consumer Research Volume 14: Association for Sonsumer Research, Pages: 132-135. McGonigal, Kelly, Ph. D. â€Å"The Science of Willpower. † Comments on â€Å"Black Friday Shopping: How Stores Use Psychology to Fill Your Cart† N. p. , 19 Nov. 2010. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. . McGraw, Peter, Ph. D. , and Warner, Joel. â€Å"The Humor Code. † The Link between Thanksgiving Gluttony and Black Friday Insanity. N. p. , 21 Nov. 2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. . Ridgwar, Nicole, â€Å"Black Friday Sales Hit Record. † CNNMoney. Cable News Netwrok, 26 Nov. 2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. Sarkis, Stephanie, Ph. D. â€Å"Here, There, and Everywhere. † Black Friday: A Collective Consumption Ritual. N. p. , 20 Nov. 2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. . Thomas, Jane Boyd, and Peters, Cara. (2011) â€Å"An exploratory investigation of Black Friday consumption rituals†, International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, Vol. 39 Iss: 7, pp. 522 – 537 Wallendorf, M. , Arnould, E. â€Å"We gather together: consumption rituals of Thanksgiving Day†, in Journal of Consumer Research, (1991) Vol. 18 No. 1, pp. 13-31. Wilson, April. â€Å"By the Numbers: Black Friday Shoppers and Their Impact on the Economy. † The Luckie ReTink Tank. 23 Nov. 2011. Web. 30 Oct 2012. . Black Friday Marketing strategies, paired with consumers’ need to locate the best deals on Christmas gifts has led to Black Friday being celebrated as a consumption ritual comparable in importance to Thanksgiving Day. (Thomas and Peters, 2011) How has Black Friday become the largest retail sales day of the year? What is it that drives people to artificially induced hyper consumption, almost like an annual ritual? Many scientist and psychologists have many different theories and conclusions of why Black Friday has become the biggest shopping day of the year. In this paper, I will take your through the research and conclusions that many psychologists have produced and the advantages and disadvantages of Black Friday. Dr. Stephanie Sarkis, Ph. D. explored the work of Jane Boyd Thomas and Cara Peters, professors at South Carolina’s Winthrop University, who spent two years in research trying to find common traits in Black Friday shoppers. They conducted thirty-eight extensive interviews with â€Å"experienced† Black Friday shoppers and found four recurring themes: 1. Familial bonding (multiple generations and close friends) 2. Strategic planning . The great race 4. Mission accomplished But how do the four themes they came up with relate to one another? Thomas and Peters figured that all the traits when analyzed together showed one commonality. They wrote, â€Å"the traits are coalesced around a military metaphor, and is a bonding activity Shoppers prepare for the ritual by scanning Black Friday ads, and they map out their stra tegy. † (Sarkis 2011) In essence, the family is a type of team that scans adds, plans their route and potential purchases, executes their plans by buying products, and rejoices in their accomplishments. When all of these traits are analyzed individually, they mean little to main the main outcome, bonding. But when all the traits are looked at collectively, they all contribute to the overall success and goal of bonding. Besides giving us a breakdown of bonding activities, the analysis also shows how the average consumer plan for Black Friday. Just as Sarkis found themes that make up this military metaphor, Byun, professor of consumer affairs at Auburn University came up with her own theory on why people react the way they do on Black Friday. Crowds create a sense of competition — such as when hundreds of shoppers are rushing to collect marked-down goods — they generate a different feeling entirely. Competition creates what’s called hedonic shopping value, or a sense of enjoyment from the mere process of buying goods. At certain levels, consumers enjoy arousal and challenges during the shopping process. † (Khazan 2011) In essence what Byun is saying is consu mers get more enjoyment because the crowds create an obstacle, which hinders the execution of the plans and preparations made. The crowds make getting what they want harder, which creates more value for the goods purchased. Just as Byun noted that crowds contribute to the Black Friday Craze, Kelly McGonigal, Ph. D. describes another factors that plays a big part in the â€Å"Black Friday frenzy†. Retailers, she notes, use innovative designs to lure customers into their stores and keep them there. McGonigal says â€Å"time pressure sales on limited products or scarce resources† triggers a negative physiological affect on the consumer. Scarcity for a certain commodity creates a sense of urgency to act now, a natural instinct to survive. This survival instinct can be related to hunting for some people. Black Friday is â€Å"hunting for women,† said Leisa Reinecke Flynn, professor of marketing and fashion merchandising at the University of Southern Mississippi. â€Å"It’s so much like deer hunting it’s hard to tell the two apart. † (Khazan 2011) Unfortunately, shopping on Black Friday is not motivated by survival instincts or a life in death situation. This paradox stimulates unusual behavior in consumers that creates disadvantages and potential dangers for those that are not necessarily into the hunt. The concept of Black Friday creates a â€Å"perfect storm† for consumer misbehavior. Misbehavior, as defined by Lennon, Johnson, and Lee is, â€Å"acts that violate accepted norms of conduct in consumption contexts. † (Lennon, Johnson, Lee, 2011) This compulsive behavior, or compulsive consumption, feeds off of the idea of scarcity. It induces people to act inappropriately harming others and often themselves. â€Å"For many, if not most compulsive purchasers, buying is a reaction to stress or unpleasant situations. Compulsive consumption is a type of consumer behavior which is inappropriate, typically excessive, and clearly disruptive to the lives of other individuals. (Ronald, Thomas, and Raymond 1987) Both hunting and shopping hinge on long-standing traditions and generally involve pursuing a goal as a group. Whether the group actually hits its target is secondary to the fun of the chase. Hunting and shopping as shown above are very closely linked and motivated by the idea of scarcity. Just like there are limited deer in the forest, there are limited goods in the stores. The result is paradoxical in nature. People are fraudulently deceived into acting compulsively. (Herpen, Pieters and Zeelenberg 2005) Just as Ronald, Thomas, and Raymond concluded that compulsive behavior negatively affects the lives of others, Peter McGraw, Ph. D. drew a similar connection. He focuses more on social trends and pressures being the root of the problem. In The Link between Thanksgiving Gluttony and Black Friday Insanity, McGraw makes a connection between Black Friday shopping and Thanksgiving Dinner. He explores the idea that once a year, people will consume more calories in one meal, than the average person consumes on a normal day. The next day they wake up, or sometimes not sleeping at all, and go shopping for hours on end. (McGraw and Warner 2011) Dr. McGraw’s research shows us that in a short period of forty eights hour there is over consumption of food on Thanksgiving and the hyper consumption or shopping on Black Friday. McGraw believes that the cause of this phenomenon is social influence and pressure. He writes, â€Å"One of the hallmarks of psychological science is that we are influenced by the actions of others—often more so than we’d like to admit. Sometimes we’re impelled to take positive actions, such as switching to reusable bags or cutting down on littering. Other times, social influence can be quite negative. When it comes to Thanksgiving and Black Friday, unfortunately, the influences skew more toward bad than good. † (McGraw and Warner 2011) In other words McGraw places responsibility of hyper consumption on social trends, pressures, and even perhaps familial rituals for the ever-popular Black Friday. Another concept of Black Friday is one of mutual benefit for both consumer and retailer. Consumers’ benefit from large discounts on all sorts of items including clothing, electronics, furniture, and literally any other commodity available on the market. Retailers’ benefit by getting out of the red zone, finally making a profit for the fiscal year. The opportunities available on Black Friday is what drove 212 million shoppers to stores during Black Friday weekend in 2011. (Wilson, 2010) Retailers experience surging sales during Black Friday and the days that follow. This monetary benefit is what drives their extensive promotion and deal offerings, further influencing the consumer’s willingness to partake in the shopping frenzy. In a society where a corporation or business’s main purpose is to grow profits for the benefit of its shareholders, a company’s number one purpose is to increase sales, in order to increase profits. According to a New York Times article written by Adam Davidson, approximately one fifth of retailer’s total annual sales are made during the holiday shopping season. (Davidson, 2011) In conclusion, we can see that shopping on Black Friday brings people together in one way or another. For some, it brings people together in a positive way. Families and friends are able to work as a team who plan, prepare and execute their plans to achieve their goals. For others, Black Friday shoppers experience the negative affects of other people’s behavior. There are also advantages and disadvantages for both the consumer and retailer. Consumers get amazingly cheap prices on products while retailers experience a massive surge in sales. However one may look at Black Friday, it is a day that cannot be ignored. It’s influence and popularity are ever growing and expanding. Reference Page Davidson, Adam. The Black Friday Effect: Let’s Stimulate the Economy with Inflation. † The New York Times, 16 Nov. 2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. Herpen, Erica van, Rik Pieters, and Marcel Zeelenberg (2005) ,†How Product Scarcity Impacts on Choice: Snob and Bandwagon Effects†, in Advances in Consumer Research Volume 32, eds. Geeta Menon and Akshay R. Rao, Advances in Consumer Research Volume 32 : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 623-624. Faber, J. Ronald, O’Guinn, C Thomas, and Krych, Raymond. (1987) â€Å"Compulsive Consumption†, in Advances in Consumer Research Volume 14, eds. Melanie Wallendorf and Paul Anderson, Advances in Consumer Research Volume 14: Association for Sonsumer Research, Pages: 132-135. McGonigal, Kelly, Ph. D. â€Å"The Science of Willpower. † Comments on â€Å"Black Friday Shopping: How Stores Use Psychology to Fill Your Cart† N. p. , 19 Nov. 2010. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. . McGraw, Peter, Ph. D. , and Warner, Joel. â€Å"The Humor Code. † The Link between Thanksgiving Gluttony and Black Friday Insanity. N. p. , 21 Nov. 2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. . Ridgwar, Nicole, â€Å"Black Friday Sales Hit Record. † CNNMoney. Cable News Netwrok, 26 Nov. 2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. Sarkis, Stephanie, Ph. D. â€Å"Here, There, and Everywhere. † Black Friday: A Collective Consumption Ritual. N. p. , 20 Nov. 2011. Web. 30 Oct. 2012. . Thomas, Jane Boyd, and Peters, Cara. (2011) â€Å"An exploratory investigation of Black Friday consumption rituals†, International Journal of Retail Distribution Management, Vol. 39 Iss: 7, pp. 522 – 537 Wallendorf, M. , Arnould, E. â€Å"We gather together: consumption rituals of Thanksgiving Day†, in Journal of Consumer Research, (1991) Vol. 18 No. 1, pp. 13-31. Wilson, April. â€Å"By the Numbers: Black Friday Shoppers and Their Impact on the Economy. † The Luckie ReTink Tank. 23 Nov. 2011. Web. 30 Oct 2012. . Black Friday

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

A paper for a play (Theatre appreciation) Essay

A paper for a play (Theatre appreciation) - Essay Example Produced in 1959, the play presaged the revolution in Black and women’s consciousness and the revolutionary torment in Africa that exploded in the years after Mrs. Hansberry’s death in 1965 to ineradicably change the consciousness and social fabric of the nation and the world. â€Å"As so many have commented lately, it did so in a manner and to an extent that few could have foreseen, for not only the restored material, but much else that passed unnoticed in the play at the time, speaks to issues that are now inescapable value systems of the black family; concepts of African American beauty and identity; class ad generational conflicts; the relationships of husbands and wives; black men and women; the outspoken feminism of the daughter; and in the penultimate scene between Beneatha and Asagai, the larger statement of the play and the ongoing struggle it portends† (Nerniroff, 1994) Although 1930 is the time Americans associate with the Great Depression, the Hansberry family remained economically stable and by 1930 standards of the Chicago blacks, they would have been considered â€Å"rich†. Hansberry was not comfortable with her â€Å"rich girl† status, but identified with the â€Å"children of the poor†. She imitated their maturity and independence. She decided to wear keys around her neck in imitation of the â€Å"latchkey† children of her day, so she too might be regarded as one of them. She never lived in a Younger household but observed such households closely in her childhood. In her plays as in â€Å"Raisin†, she has focused on the class of black people she cared most about. On the other hand, Lorraine’s father, Carl, remained politically active. He challenged a Supreme court decision against integration and won his right to purchase a house in an exclusive Chicago neighborhood where no other blacks lived. â€Å"Shortly afterward, Hansberry herself was nearly killed by a brick hurled through a window by angry whites. Hansberry

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Research paper - Essay Example They claim that consumers who have a traditional thanksgiving meal consisting of turkey increase the level of serotonin in their brain which reduces the chances of impulsive buying. In order to validate these claims 2 lab studies were conducted. The studies showed that participants who had had been given a tryptophan rich beverage preferred to buy the product through layaway financing than through credit card. Layaway financing allows the consumers’ time to actually consider whether the purchase is necessary and if they can afford it. The authors claim that this occurred due to increased amount of serotonin in the brain which is produced by a tryptophan rich diet. The authors claim that their research can make the consumers aware about the type of foods which should be consumed by them before going for shopping. This will reduce unnecessary purchases and reduce their credit card debts. The major critique of the article is the methodology which has been adopted by authors for their study. The study 1 was completely online and there was no way of verifying the authenticity of information. The participants were also asked whether they would like to by a DELL computer. The response provided online by the respondents may be completely different than how they actual react in the shop. Some of the participants may say they are very likely to buy the product as they didn’t have to actually spend the money at that time; others may have given guarded responses in the study. It has been well documented that answers given during a survey cannot be used to gauge the actual shopping responses. This puts a question mark over the validity of the study 1. Similar criticism can also be made regarding the leeway financing option which was given to consumers in the study 2.Although they may claim to go for leeway financing but consumers can behave differently on the shop floor under pressure from friends ,relatives ,shop owners, sales persons or even fellow

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Game Development Essay Example for Free

Game Development Essay Once upon a time, the peaceful Kingdom of Greenland was invaded by the unexplained monster ruled by a tyrannous Garviod who was famous for his black magic. The beautiful Kingdom fell into ruin and despair. The inhabitants become an unexplainable creature. Some are became plants, trees, animals and those who are unkind to the nature became stones, garbage and monsters. Unfortunately, one of the inhabitants that have been transformed by a black magic was the old Prophet living in a cage and he became an old Tree. According to his prophecy, there will be a simple gardener who will have the power to fight the monsters in the Kingdom. The old prophet Tree traveled to find the man on his prophecy. As he traveled, he found Seedy. Humble and loving nature gardener who was transform to a seed. The old Tree gives him a map to find the treasure of X-lost. Then he said, â€Å"That the only way to break the evil spell and return the inhabitants of Greenland into normal was the magical light hidden in the treasure of X-lost.† But the ruling monsters Garviod heard about the magical treasure of X-lost and he keeps the treasure in one if his castle. Seedy humbly vowed to rescue the Kingdom and he started his journey to find the treasure of X-lost in the Castle of Garviod. Could Seedy overcome the many obstacles facing him and became a true hero? Let’s find it in the â€Å"Adventure of Seedy†. 1.2 Statement of the Problem The following problems were identified: 1. In many computer games, others kids are rewarded for being more violent. The child practicing violence in his own like killing, stabbing and shooting. 2. Some computer games are teaching kids a wrong values. 3. Some of games are simply for entertainment. 1.3Objectives The aims of the study are: 1. To development a game that would not portray violence. Rather than using a objects that represents violence, the proponent will design an object that are simple yet related to the environment. 2. To design a game that will teach the kids/user the value of environment. 3. To develop a game that makes learning fun not only to entertain. The items, weapons and object in the game are design next to the concept of environment.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Katherine Anne Porter Essay -- Authors Writers Biography Essays

Katherine Anne Porter Katherine Anne Porter was born on May 15, 1890 in Indian Creek, Texas. Her mother died when she was two, and she was raised by her father and her paternal grandmother, who assumed the role of Katherine’s mother. Her formal education consisted of convent schools and ended after a year at the Thomas School in San Antonia when she was fifteen. A year later, only sixteen years old, Katherine ran away and married her first husband, John Henry Koontz. Lasting nine years, this was the longest of her three marriages. She left Texas and her husband in 1913 to become an actress in Chicago, and tow years later she contracted tuberculoses. It was upon her recovery that she decided to become a writer. She became a journalist for the Fort Worth Critic in 1917 and then, a year later, joined the staff of the Rocky Mountain New in Denver. It was her subsequent move to Greenwich Village, though, and the influence of its artistic environment, which led Porter to pursue serious fiction writing (w ww.lib.umb.edu/arcv/kapbio). What is commonly considered the first stage of Porter’s literary writing occurred from 1920-1931. During this time Katherine spent many years in Mexico and became involved in Mexican politics and culture. Although Katherine spent no more than a total of three years in Mexico, they provided important material for her writing, most significantly the three short stories â€Å"Maria Conception† (1922), â€Å"The Martyr† (1923), and â€Å"Virgin Violeta† (1924), all of which were published in Century magazine, and which comment on the Obregon Revolution and the theme of betrayal (Unrue, 22-23). These stories helped to further immerse Porter into literary and intellectual circles. In 1930 Flower... ...re self-motivated, without the author’s omnipresence. She has been called â€Å"a maker of darkish parables for her treatment of individuals who are impoverished by the modern environment and also for her use of the themes of guilt, isolation, and spiritual denial. Bibliography Brinkmeyer, Robert H. Katherine Anne Porter’s Artistic Development. Louisiana State University Press; Baton Rouge and London, 1993. Hendrick, George. Katherine Anner Porter. Twayne; New York, New York, 1965. Unrue, Darlene Harbour. Understanding Katherine Anne Porter. University of South Carolina Press; Columbia, South Carolina, 1988. www.kirjasto.sci.fi/kaporter.htm . 02/24/04 www.lib.umd.edu/arcv/kap/kapbio.html . 02/224/04 www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/porter_k.html . 2/23/04 www.csustan.edu/enligh/reuben/pal/chap7/porter.html . 2/22/04

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Foundations Of Roman Empire’s Success

During the ancient times, imperialism was not a very uncommon phenomenon. Those were the days wherein bloodsheds happened almost everyday—those were the days wherein land conquests were the emerging trend and helmets, shields and heavy armory are considered as distinct fashion statements. Although fear and anxiety crippled the lives of many individuals, it cannot be denied that imperialism is one of those unforgettable events that readily shaped and moved the face of history. Generally speaking, the word empire originated from the Latin expression â€Å"imperium (Howe 13). Imperium, in return, translates to exercising sovereignty and authority. In the meantime, emperor is the title given to empire rulers. However, it is important to note that emperors go beyond being a political figure. More often than not, an emperor is viewed as someone who has the skills and influence of a military person. One of the most celebrated empires that have ever existed on this planet is the Roma n Empire. It is known for its wide scope and reach. Long before sea explorers have circumnavigated the world, the Roman Empire has already conquered the Western horizon. For the founders of these regimes, the act of observing authority and sovereignty translates to two core concepts. First, to achieve authority, more lands should be conquered, thus waging or creating wars is a must. Second, in order to ensure sovereignty, laws should be established and fully implemented. The success of the Roman Empire is indeed a notable one. Its major accomplishments remained unmatched and it had certainly contributed to the creation of civilization’s main pillars. Despite of the fact that the empire suffered from an ill-fated decline, it cannot be denied that its victory came about because of successful law implementations, efficient leaders and of course, a complex and highly organized military system wherein defeat was close to being non-existent. Roman Empire A Brief Overview From 509 BC to 264 BC, it would be too hard to imagine that Rome was actually plagued by different threats and invasion attacks (Spielgovel 75). It never occurred to anyone that this great empire was once belittled by those who attempted to conquer it. However, instead of perishing into oblivion, the darkest times of the Roman Empire worked well to its advantage. The scourge that almost annihilated it, turned out to be its greatest blessing. Instead of accepting its ill fate, the Roman Empire decided to strengthen their military force. The empire knew that if it has the strength and the necessary skills, it would not only defend its territories, it can also conquer other domains and therefore exercise its power and authority. The Roman Republic played an important role in the empire’s growth. Once and for all, the institution permitted the fusion of the government and the military rule (Spielvogel 76). In this case, the military, since it has a political function can participate on how to embark on their missions rather than waiting for the rulers’ permission (Spielvogel 76). This set-up also allowed Rome to further develop their army’s strengths and skills. These efforts did not go in vain. By the time 266 BC came, Rome has finally taken over the whole Italian peninsula (â€Å"Roman Empire†). Yet, the empire’s strength was further highlighted when it was able to conquer Carthage (Spielvogel 79). Carthage is an important domain for the empire. Aside from the fact that it controlled trade in the Mediterranean, it was also a strategic location (Spielvogel 79). Even though Hannibal, a renowned Carthage general was popular for his military skill and prowess, he has no matched for the newly reformed Roman army (Spielvogel 79). Carthage’s unfortunate loss meant that Spain, Sicily and North Africa would soon become Rome’s provinces (â€Å"Roman Empire†). Soon, Rome’s territory extended to Asia Minor, Syria, Judea, Greece and modern France (â€Å"Roman Empire†). The Pillars of Success One of the main reasons behind the formidable success of the Roman Empire can be attributed to its seemingly invincible army (Whittock 14). More than anything else, it is the empire’s military that is responsible for its glory and prestige. Even in recent years, the elite Roman Army symbolizes the bastion of highly remarkable skills in combat and warfare. If Roman politics did contribute, this is simply secondary to what the army did. As Christopher Mackay described, the Roman Empire’s political triumph was primarily based on militarism (p. 59). In land conquests, it is the army that ensures the defeat of the empire’s enemy. This is something that cannot be readily accomplished by the ruling politicians of Rome. In addition to that, defending the empire from unexpected counter-attacks was also performed by the military. It is for this reason that the Roman army can be described as one of Rome’s main pillars and foundations. The Roman Army readily reflected its Greek influences (Whittock 14). However, one of the striking differences was that it was more organized and it continued to improve as the empire invaded more lands or territories. In the beginning, military men were ranked according to their respective social classes (Whittock 14). Those who have the means have the privilege of wearing armored suits that can protect them throughout the battle (Whittock 14). However, the lower classes had to purchase their own battle gears (Whittock 14). On a critical perspective, this situation was really unfair to those who are at the bottom of the economic hierarchy. To risk their lives in war wherein there is uncertainty of whether they will go home alive or not, cannot be really described as a noble activity. Therefore, loyalty in this case cannot be assured (â€Å"The Roman Army†). Later on, joining the military became a profitable source of income for those who wanted to take part in the group (Whittock 14). Basically, the discrepancies based on social class slowly disappeared. Being a military man became a profession (Whittock 14). Those who were enlisted were given gold coins and a piece of land upon there retirement (Whittock 14). This particular reform appealed to many. On a much closer examination, soldiers often have to worry not only about the injuries that they may suffer in the war. They are also worried about leaving their families behind. More than anyone else, they need security. The gold coins and the piece of land gave these individuals the assurance that they have something to come back for. In a sense, this also served as a motivational force for them to continue fighting and win wars (â€Å"The Roman Army†). It was also this reform that paved the way for the Roman Empire’s notable legion (Whittock 14). On the other hand, it was not only the benefits of being a military man that inspired the Roman Army to win. According to Whittock, the army was also very strict and highly disciplined when it comes to their training (p. 15). As a matter of fact, the group even built practice camps so that they can handle their opponents very well (Whittock 15). Relatively, as the army subdued more lands, the size of the army became bigger and bigger and as the old saying goes, there is indeed strength in numbers. There was an overflowing supply of soldiers needed to win the battle. There were also craftsmen, engineers and swordsmen, ready to build the necessary infrastructures to build the city of Rome and the weapons that they need in the war. Rome indeed suffered during the early years, but still they emerged as the victorious one in the end. As Roberts described it â€Å"Rome usually lost its first battle but always won the last (p. 306). † Aside from the military strength that the empire once possessed, another reason for its success can be attributed to the emperors’ efficient leadership. This is most especially true as for the case of Augustus (Potter xiii). Under his rule, Rome was still at the onset of recovering from the ravages of war and series of political upheaval (â€Å"Roman Empire†). It is also important to note that Augustus replaced Caesar who was then assassinated (â€Å"Roman Empire†). In this case, civil unrest was indeed, inevitable. However, the moment that he was put on power, he made various political reforms, which are primarily patterned on strengthening family relationships, thus making the empire more united (Potter xiii). As Sheffer mentioned, Augustus represents the â€Å"innovative leadership (p. 26). It was under his rule that Pax Romana was basically achieved, thus giving the empire a more stable and dependable government (â€Å"Roman Empire†). He reconstructed the Senate (â€Å"Roman Empire†) and it was also under his regime that land grants and retirement benefits were given to the military (Wells 18). Consequently, the foundations established by Augustus gave the succeeding emperors a framework wherein they can efficiently rule the government. Good leadership did not only bring stability, it also garnered the support and loyalty of the Roman public. Given this situation at hand, the next rulers of Rome simply needed to continue what Augustus started. Lastly it cannot be denied that the creation of a legal system (Saxonhouse) sustained the success of the Roman Empire. If there is a government, then it follows that a set of rules should be applied. This will ensure that the decisions made by politicians would be of service of the whole populace. In addition to that, the legal system assured that the people are systematically governed, thus preventing total anarchy. Conclusion Indeed, without the military, the Roman Empire would never be established. However, if not for its strong leader such as Augustus, for example, managing Rome and its colonies would soon turn into a disaster. Moreover, the legal system ensured that the interests of the majority shall overcome the interests of the few.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Academia and Text Matching Software Essay

Critically evaluate the use of text matching software as an aid to developing good scholarship practice Introduction Academic dishonesty such as plagiarism has been a major factor in education that has affected students’ success and academic achievements in recent years. Plagiarism according to Park (2003) is the act of appropriating or copying another person’s work and passing them on as one’s idea without acknowledging the original source. Park (2003) noted that plagiarism is a growing problem and has been a misuse of the writings of another author, their ideas, hypothesis, theories, research findings and interpretations. Furthermore studies by Chao, Wilhelm and Neureuther (2009) emphasised that the rising trend of plagiarism among students can be attributed to several factors such as academic literacy, language competence and the technological advancements in the world today in terms of high speed internet facility available in hostels and computer labs. These factors according to Chao, Wilhelm and Neureuther (2009) has enhanced the ability of students to plagiarise a whole assignment by obtaining papers on the internet relating to their assignments which is as easy as copying and pasting. Park (2003) stated that students have different perceptions towards plagiarism. He noted that students view plagiarism as a minor offence which is different from cheating in exams. He further discovered that plagiarism could be unintentional (ibid). This is because some students possess a mental illusion in which they believe they have produced something from their own perspective while infact they are reproducing something which they have read from another author. The purpose of this paper is to critically evaluate the effect of text matching software as an aid to developing good scholarship practice. This paper will begin by briefly describing what good scholarship practise is. In addition the use of text matching software for detecting good scholarship practice will be critically discussed and a conclusion will be made based on the evaluation. Good scholarship practice can be referred to as a formal study which involves academic learning and achievement. It involves acknowledging where information used to support ideas in a particular context is gotten and citing the sources (Locke and Latham, 2009). Britag and Mahmud (2009) pointed out that different strategies whichinclude the use of electronic software tools such as turnitin have been derived for detecting plagiarism with the intent of allowing students’ take responsibility of their learning and also work hand in hand with their tutors in the drafting stages of their assignments. According to Britag and Mahmud (2009) manual detection of plagiarism is difficult because it is time consuming and this is the reason why some tutors are reluctant in pursuing potential cases of plagiarism. However both the manual method of plagiarism detection and the electronic text matching method should be employed (Britag and Mahmud, 2009). Scaife (2007) argued that the electronic text matching software is not the solution to eliminating plagiarism because the software only focuses on text matching of paper under review with documents (journals, articles, e-books and conference papers) found on the internet or which has been previously submitted and this is a limitation because the only detection are focused on electronic materials without considering some non-electronic paper based documents which could still be plagiarised. Walker (2010) stated that with the development of text matching software such as the turnitin plagiarism detection was made easier, however he emphasised that the turnitin detection software is not 100 per cent efficient, it merely identifies and matches materials present in a document uploaded to turnitin website to materials available on the internet. Walker (2010) describes the electronic text matching software as a tool only suitable for detecting word for word or direct plagiarism in electronic form and the refined ones from the paper based sources are not easily detected. Moreover Carroll and Appleton (2001) argued that the turnitin is just an option for measuring plagiarism and that alone cannot be used as a basis for judging good scholarship practice. In addition Carroll and Appleton (2001) insist that the use of electronic software for detecting plagiarism requires human application and interpretation and that using turnitin alone as a medium for plagiarism detection is not proficient. According to Barrett and Malcolm (2006) the electronic text matching software (turnitin) only indicates possible plagiarism without any certainty, it is left to the tutor to determine the extent to which the writer has plagiarised or included some sources in the paper without acknowledging where they were acquired. In conclusion the concept of plagiarism cannot be overemphasised. It has become a factor that has affected good academic scholarship practice and has  created an avenue for educators to develop methods for detecting and dealing with plagiarism. The development of the electronic detection software such as the turnitin has enhanced the detection of plagiarism however it cannot be relied upon completely because it is not effective. In addition it is important to understand that the best way to detect plagiarism is to use both the manual method which involves educators and the use of electronic text matching software such as turnitin. Students could also be assisted in understanding the criteria for academic writing such as the code of conducts which requires them to acknowledge any source from where data is derived when writing academically. References Barrett, R. & Malcolm, J. (2006) ‘Embedding plagiarism education in the assessment process’, International Journal for Educational Integrity, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 38-45. Bretag, T. and Mahmud, S. (2009) ‘A model for determining student plagiarism: Electronic detection and academic judgement. ‘, Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 50-60. Chao, C. , Wilhelm, W. J. , Neureuther, B. D. (2009. ) ‘A Study of Electronic Detection and Pedagogical Approaches for Reducing Plagiarism’, The Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, Vol. 51, No. 1, pp. 31-42. Carroll, J. and Appleton, J. (2001), Plagiarism: A good practice guide, Oxford: Oxford Brookes University. Locke, E. A, Latham, G. P (2009) ‘Has Goal Setting Gone Wild, or Have Its Attackers Abandoned Good Scholarship? ‘, The Academy of Management Perspectives, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp.  17-23. Park, C. (2003). ‘In Other (People’s) Words: plagiarism by university students—literature and lessons’, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, Vol. 28, No. 5, pp. 472-488. Scaife, B (2007) IT Consultancy Plagiarism Detection Software Report for JISC Advisory Service. [Online]. Retrieved from:www. plagiarismadvice. org/documents/resources/PDReview-Reportv1_5. pdf [Accessed 24th October 2012]. Walker, J. (2010) ‘Measuring plagiarism: researching what students do, not what they say they do’, Studies in Higher Education, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 41-59.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

God Bless America! The 8 Weirdest College Majors in the US

God Bless America! The 8 Weirdest College Majors in the US God Bless America! The 8 Weirdest College Majors in the US America has a long tradition as the land of the free and home of the brave. Does this include the freedom to study whatever you darn well like? And the bravery to dedicate yourself to a college course that will confuse your friends and family? You bet it does! To prove it, we’ve found seven of the weirdest college majors currently available in the USA, as well as another that (sadly) is even more unique. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Booze Studies! If you want to make your own beer, you could always study for a degree in Fermentation Sciences from the Appalachian State University. More into wine than beer? Try Cornell University’s Viticulture and Enology degree instead! 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Masters of Packaging For more than sixty years, Michigan State University has â€Å"been a leader in teaching, research and outreach focused on packaging containers, materials, their functionality and improvement.† We never knew so much thought went into packaging, but we’ll definitely remember next time we can’t get a pickle jar open. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Decision Sciences Unable to pick your major? Why not try a course in Decision Sciences? It’s not actually designed to help you make decisions, but it does cover statistics, information systems and operation management, so it sounds quite useful. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Become a Professional Adventurer! Ok, so a degree in Adventure Education won’t make you an adventurer in the same way Indiana Jones is an adventurer, but it’s definitely a start. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Truth is Out There†¦ Meet my PhD project Do people look at you funny when you say you’ve dedicated your life to discovering aliens? They might take you more seriously if you introduce yourself as a qualified astrobiologist! 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shoeing Horses Horses across the country are glad that farriers are trained professionals, as no one would want to have strips of metal nailed to their feet by an amateur. 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mortuary Science If you find busy office environments a little stressful, you might enjoy the peace and solitude of the mortuary instead (as long as you don’t mind all the dead bodies). 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enigmatology According to its inventor, enigmatology is the study of puzzles. Why haven’t you heard of it until now? Because only one person has ever earned a degree in enigmatology: Will Shortz, who designed his own major program at Indiana University in 1974. This makes Will Shortz the world’s only college-accredited â€Å"puzzle master,† which sounds a bit like the name of a crossword-based superhero. For this reason alone, we salute him.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Cross-Cultural Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cross-Cultural Management - Assignment Example Mr. Keat also urged those who are interested in art and crafts and those who can write to engage the government for grants to fund their projects aimed at promoting the Chinese culture. He pointed out that art is one of the major avenues of promoting a culture (Zengkun, 2013). The Singaporean Chinese Teachers’ Union president, Madam Lian Hwee Eng, implored the stakeholders to lower the restrictions barring a huge number of students from pursuing Higher Chinese studies. She opined that it is chiefly through education that people can be able to fully understand their own culture and that of others and that teachers play a central role and should be lauded for their efforts (Zengkun, 2013). Looking back at the event, I cannot help but get puzzled by the sentiments of the leaders addressing that forum advocating for the promotion of a single culture without a show of neutrality. Singapore is a multi-cultured country which is in transition to develop a single national identity like the majority of other countries (Lee, 2010). This is largely due to the fact that most of the people occupying it are not the natives. The majority of the population had their ancestors immigrate to Singapore from elsewhere in the world. According toYoursingapore.com (2014), the Malays are the natives yet they comprise only 13.3% of the population. Typically, the Singaporean population is comprised of 74.2% Chinese, 13.3% Malays, 9.2% Indians and the rest 3.3% is made up of Eurasians (Lee, 2010). This cultural diversity is further compounded by the presence of many expatriates in the country, most of whom are workers. It is alleged that 42% of the current population is made up of expatriates ( Tamney, 1996). Given this complex cultural mix, in my opinion, it is only fair that nature be allowed to take its course. It is not right to promote one culture at the expense of others especially if the culture is a dominant one. Of

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Hazardous waste management #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hazardous waste management #2 - Essay Example There are agencies that are given the responsibility of handling such situations. The city councils are government departments that have the directive of having specialists cater to these situations. Marine life is affected in the sense that, any untreated water from the storm water system is transferred to lakes, rivers, stream, or coastal water (Debo & Reese, 2003). Challenges may arise to areas and people in these regions if they do get to use this polluted water sources. Swimming pools, fishing areas, and drinking water may be infected, and thus; all life sustained by such water may be potentially harmed. Material recovered from this site should be disposed of depending on its nature. Battery contents tend to have a high percentage of acidity. If this is exposed to the environment through the water system, there are bound to be dangerous results for all those involved (Debo & Reese, 2003). In this case, a basic solution that can counter the effects of the acidity in the water may be appropriate. There is no perfect way or technique of disposing of the acidity. This, however, may work to decrease its impact toward the immediate environment. A city landfill will not be an appropriate avenue to dispose of this waste. There are metals that are present in the landfill and this waste is likely to corrode any of the waste present. Sulphuric acid, present in car batteries, are likely to ignite and spatter which makes this a highly dangerous reactive material. Pouring the waste through absorbent material may not be a necessarily exceptional idea. These acids tend to react and produce fumes once in contact with different material. Specialists need to identify what is needed, and when it is needed (Debo & Reese, 2003). This may prevent further contamination of the surroundings, hence; protecting human and animal life. There are

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Buddhism - Essay Example Mahayana or the ‘lesser vehicle’ is the physical, mental and spiritual discipline to maintain the purity of mind and body. As stated in the Yoga Darshana Upanishad, â€Å"not to do any ill-being in the act, in a word, in thought, that is ahimsa according to the Veda, for the Atman is present everywhere, inaccessible to the senses, in all beings; recognizing atman in them, that is true ahimsa†. It teaches compassion, ascesis, and contentment. The Lotus Sutra explains the infinite possibilities open to man. People have an infinite capacity to be good or bad. Through the Lotus Sutra, man can realize that it is possible to change for the better. Second, it teaches that all things are manifestations of the great life-force of the universe. In short, all things are coexisting and necessary for existence. Hinayana or the ‘greater vehicle’ can be equated to Theravada. The teachings concentrate on the four Noble Truths as defined by Buddha. For all these, the first Noble Truth is to be comprehended; the second is to be abandoned; the third is to be realized while the fourth is to be developed. In order to do this, there is a need to reconcile the physical senses and desires to a person’s mental concept of the things ‘desired’ by man. It teaches the concept that nothing is permanent, thus there is nothing significant when it pertains to anything physical in nature. With the recognition that everything is an offset from desire, there is a need to purge the mind of desires by recognizing the Four Noble Truths. (De Bary, 1969). 3. The Four Noble Truths form the very heart of Buddha’s teaching. It consists of the ‘Dukkha’ or suffering, the origin of suffering, the end to suffering, and lastly, the path to the end of suffering. Firstly, it must be recognized by an individual that there is suffering (Dukkha). Second, one must realize the origin of one’s suffering and it is attached to three kinds of desire (tanha): desire for sense of pleasure (kama tanha); desire to become (bhava tanha); and desire to get rid of

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Discussion Forum Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Discussion Forum - Article Example Certain definite steps are required to be pursued for the purpose of successful implementation of the relevant process of EMR. It offers significant information related to diverse eruption of diseases and their treatment throughout the entire nation. Introduction In the past, physicians and medical staff used to record the details of patients in papers. Presently, maintaining particulars of patients through papers has been changed to electronic method of recording. This is commonly conducted through Electronic Medical Record (EMR). It is believed that automated or computerized way of medical documentation will prove to be an apposite method for synchronizing as well as enhancing the healthcare related services delivered to the patients. EMR has been observed to bring in a new technological revolution to the healthcare industry. It is considered to be a legal form of record about the details of patients (Boulus, n.d.). Overview of Electronic Medical Record An Electronic Medical Record (EMR) is a process of storing information of the patients with the assistance of computers. It comprises all the basic information that is supposed to be required for treating as well as nursing the patients. It stores information about the patients which entails both clinical as well as demographic information for future references (Garets & Davis, 2006). It is beneficial to have an EMR in a medical facility as it helps in accessing information from any computer. It involves less time as information can be updated and retrieved speedily rather than keeping records in papers. Therefore, it can be stated that it is a safe medium of storing information of the patients quickly. It provides valuable information about a patient to the doctor at any time for better decision-making as well as for the benefit of a patient. Thus, it creates prospect for doctors to gain a detailed comprehension about a patient through exchanging and sharing information (Shortliffe & Barnett, 2004). The effec tive execution of EMR includes eight steps which are as follows: Firstly, it needs to be ensured that the accurate form of EMR is chosen at the healthcare centre. It needs to be thoroughly checked that the right technology has been installed by the technicians who are trained and specialized in it and are willing to provide support after installing that software. The concerned EMR service provider should offer it with a guarantee which would assist in protecting the investment of the investor installing this technology (Sappington, 2009). Secondly, selecting and choosing a team leader who has a positive attitude is considered to be the following step. The team leader should be enthusiastic in reminding the staff regarding EMR implementation and its related efficiencies. The predetermined objectives related to the application of the system needs to be made apparent to provide a lucid comprehension of the related expectations to the staff (Sappington, 2009). Thirdly, for structuring a plan regarding the installation of an EMR, a conversation needs to be held with the service provider about the application of the mentioned system and the kind of training that needs to be offered to the staff. The installation of the system should be done in idle hours so that the regular operational process remains uninterrupted. Additionally, training should also be provided by the professionals in

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The Impact Of Global Media On Identity

The Impact Of Global Media On Identity Nowadays, major changes are taking place in the information and communications media as a result of new technological forms being delivered to us. Morley and Robins (1995) seem implicitly take this view when they write about our senses of space and place [] are being significantly reconfigured (Morley and Robins, 1995: 1). They are exemplifying the new communications geography constituted by global networks and information flow which result in proliferated crisis of the national sphere. The changes described are effects of an ongoing process called globalization which we are all aware of as nowadays it is one of the main buzzwords. Moreover awareness extends to the fact that we are living in times of growing cultural globalism where global media has a significant impact on our lives. Therefore the aim of this paper is to discuss the relationship between global media and its impact on national identity and culture. For some, through Western domination there is a homogenization and sameness forming across the world. Global culture is being shaped by international entertainment conglomerates and for that reason becomes standardized. A discussion in the first part of the paper as a result will be formed around this topic. In contrast, the second part of the analysis will focus on the works of other writers who believe that we are living in the age of hybridised cultures, which borrow elements from each other but irremediably remain distinct. For the purposes of this paper we must establish what is meant by terms identity and culture. Identity will refer to portrayal ones hold for them and with which they identify, while culture should refer to a variety of practices which generate meanings (Barker, 1999: 9). Creation of the Global Media The time after the 1980s led to major changes in terms of new communication technologies, digitalization of information and increase in deregulations and privatization in different sectors, including media. Privatization mostly affected United States what brought a direct impact upon the degree of exclusivity of the markets, allowing other players to improve their own standards and overall stamp economically (Morley Robins, 1995). The free market allowed other organizations to gain more dominance in the global arena. All of the changes resulted in other countries privatizing their telecoms (Thussu, 2006). The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) conducted a push toward creation of protected markets of World Trade Organization (WTO) which is holding up the structure of the free flow of information. WTO also led the way for penetration of Western markets to Asia and Latin America (Thussu, 2006). The crucial benefit of this was that key players were not more able to wholly dominate the markets to a significant degree as was the case prior to such legal regimes. The progress in technology and telecommunications made possible the transfer of extremely large data to any part of the world within seconds what unquestionably had a huge impact on economy and trade. Additionally, the growth of digitalization and new technologies like computers, mobiles or satellites allowed fast and cheap communication around the world. It had an impact on growing international businesses which could be now operate by electronic marketplace (Herman McChesney, 1997). Privatization and ongoing competition in satellites caused the domination of few nations within the market. USA and Britain being main controllers even of Intelsat which is an intergovernmental association providing international broadcast system created in order to run a global satellite system offering satellite capacity on a non discriminatory basis (Morley Robins, 1995). Once again, this proved that the countries with advanced technology have the ability to set and implement the policy agenda. As the global carriers enlarged in number, the United States run operators had to privatize their own satellite systems in order to make the market for satellite services more commercial. These changes made the Transnational Companies (TNC) the highest beneficiaries what resulted in drastic changes in the shape of the new world economy. As expected the biggest world media conglomerates started planning on how to get the highest profit which as a consequence, inspired debate about the deterioration of media plurality and democracy (Thussu, 2006). As a result of these changes a global media sector was formed which made individuals all over the world aware and able to gain knowledge about other countries. Media became a key and for many the only one medium to discover the world. Global Media and Homogenization of Culture The discourse of cultural homogenization presents globalization as synchronization to the demands of a standardized consumer culture, making everywhere seem more or less the same (Tomlinson, 1999: 6). This view sees the impact of global media in the cultural sphere in a very pessimistic manner. Frequently, many believe it to be a powerful tool with an aim to destroy cultural identities (Tomilson, 2003). The kernel of truth stems from the era before global media when there was a strong in form local connection between geographical place and cultural experience which were defining cultural identity. That was a time where individuals identity was just something which they simply had as an existential possession or heritage. Globalization therefore has swept like a flood tide through the worlds diverse cultures, destroying stable localities, displacing peoples [] homogenization of cultural experience (Tomilson, 2003: 269). This anecdote indicates therefore that globalization is some form of destruction for cultural identity and a threat to particular forms of national identity. Homogenization of cultures therefore in a stronger manner means, the appearance of one single culture embracing all people and replacing the variety of other cultural systems that have been present. In a broad sense, this pessimistic idea of the creation of one global culture is called cultural imperialism (Tomlinson, 1999). This theory also was one of the earliest based on cultural globalization which discussed the flow of American values, for example, consumer goods and lifestyles all around the world. Cultural imperialism hence focuses on American domination over Europe of the West over the rest for creation of global culture. There are two visions created out of this view about the global culture. The first is the focus around the Westernization of the world. And the second will be idea of global culture being dominated by capitalism (Tomlinson, 1999). Both of those will be now discussed. Westernization is seen as a drive toward standardization of lifestyle around the world. It is a global spread of a social and cultural totality (Tomlinson, 1999: 90). Europe produced a single world market integrating even the most savage communities into the one machine (Latouche, 1996: 19). One-way cultural currents flood from the countries of the Centre over the entire planet (Latouche, 1996: 20). From the ways how people dress and what they eat to the music that they listened to, culture flows from centers of creation into the Third World through the mass media (newspapers, radio television, films, books, video). All of it is produced and spread worldwide by monopolized, powerful transnational media groups as a result of changes in global media (previously discussed) after 1980s. This flood of cultural products therefore only indicates desires and needs of it recipients. Latouche is calling this process a propaganda as it strangles all cultural activity among the passive recipient s of this messages who read it as the way how they are supposed to live (Latouche, 1996: 21). For Latouche Westernization is thus anti-cultural and driven by desire to create a world of uniform culture. To succeed in their goal the destruction of all other ways of life (that is non-western) is necessary. However, there is a paradox situation in here. West by trying so hard to homogenize the world shall result in loss of its own socio-cultural advantage. Those who believe cultures to be directed towards the process of homogenization also consider it to follow capitalism and therefore the global economy which it defines. These views led phrases like McDonaldization, Coca-colonization or Disneyzation to be born. In particular mentioned concepts refer to the worldwide homogenization of societies throughout the impact of multinational corporations, where all of them are originally exported from America (Pieterse, 2004). In this matter, globalization is connected with market economy, where particular brand images are standardized and distributed all around the world. Many aspects of what one may describe as cultural, from food to global currency can be considered. These are the perfect examples of global capitalist monoculture and cultural synchronization. McDonald has come to occupy a central position in American not only in the business industry, but also in popular culture. It is one of the most powerful and influential developments in our society as it succeeded worldwide. The reason of its high achievements is connected with the fact that it offers consumers, workers, and managers efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control which is necessary in the business industry. As such a powerful institution, it has an impact on a wide range of undertakings and of course the way of life of many individuals in and around the world and its impact is still accelerating. Another irrational effect of McDonaldization is increased homogenization (Ritzer, 2000: 135) as any McDonald restaurant you go to, no matter where it is around the world you know what to expect. You know what kind of products will be offered to you and you can be certain that they will be prepared for you in the same way everywhere (Ritzer, 2000). On the other hand, there are many nations which invaded the McDonalds business model to develop indigenous versions. Therefore by some it is seen more as a global localization or hybridisation rather than homogenization. This will be discussed in the latter part of this paper. Globalization as hybridisation and deterritorialization Prior to understanding the concept of hybridisation it is wise to make clear that it does not refer to total deprivation of own national identity. Contrarily it emulates a potential of benefiting from other cultures and incorporating new knowledge with the old one side by side. We cannot discuss the aspect of hybridisation without analysing the deterritorialization of cultural heritage. By deterritorialization is meant not only the travel and transformation of culture but also everbroadening horizon of mundane experience (Tomilson, 1999, cited in Xue, 2008: 113). Therefore, this flow of deterritorialized cultures allows transforming other cultures more accurately producing new ones by hybridity (Xue, 2008). The deterritorializing character of the globalization process is its property of diminishing the significance of socialgeographical location to the mundane flow of cultural experience (Tomlinson, 2003: 273). What has to be understood from these definitions is that there was a transformation made in our usual model of cultural existence which now brings globalized influences into our locally situated in our countries lifeworld. For example, many different satellite channels broadcasts different genres which are likely to influence general perception of in dividuals taste. Fashion TV for instance demonstrates the mainstream transfer of whats hot, and whats not, signaling fashion trends from major fashion runway shows across the world and therefore influencing individuals style (Tomlinson, 2003). Pieterse (2004) sees hybridisation as the solvent between the polar perspectives (Pieterse, 2004: 57) as this concept gains the meaning from relationship between homogenization and polarization. Within society there is a group of people called cosmopolitans, who are open-minded to embrace some changes, are able to settle in other cultures or are willing to completely loose their personal identity (homogenization). On the other hand, there are fundamentalists who believe that the world should stay with traditions and cultures remaining unchanged. These beliefs can be called polarization. As a result people who believe in hybridization neither deny changes completely, nor absorb fully in new cultures they were introduced to. They essentially form a stance on the mid-point (Pieterse, 2004). Hybridisation brings transformations to cultures. It is the cut n mix of cultural forms in the process of globalization. It refers to the growth of culture which it occurs when a cultural product incorporates and combines different cultural practices (Pieterse, 2004). There is a lot of evidence strengthening the thesis which now will be analysed. As mentioned earlier, McDonalds, in terms of homogenisation of society, can also act as a good example of hybridization. Fusion cuisine means the creation of indigenous versions on terms of the choice of foods in order to adapt to local conditions. In Norway there is a sandwich called McLaks with grilled salmon, while in Japan you may order chicken Tatsuta with fried chicken, cabbage spiced with soy sauce and ginger. Italy provides pasta with their burgers, while in Germany you may order a beer with your meal (Ritzer, 2000). All of these are unique cultural adaptations which hence acknowledge that foods choices must be tailored to meet a variety of needs expected in specific cultures around the world. By the same token restaurants also adapt the way it operates to local social environment. As stands, in Hong Kong food chains are tailored around the need for teenagers to hang and socialize. Conversely in Taiwan it is a rare public space not dominated by men as it did not develop from traditional Chinese cultural structures where men have more rights than women (Ritzer, 2000). This blending of local features into global products has been called glocalisation as the global and local is reinforcing (Lull, 2000: 252). Another conglomerate which is dominating in the world is Viacom, the owners of MTV. The channel distributes in over 82 countries and actively promotes: think globally, act locally. In the different countries it is broadcasted, tailored versions of the channel are offered to meet the tastes of customers. For instance, through the aspect of localization MTV Asia came to existence as a result of joint venture between Rupert Murdochs Star television and Viacom in 1992. The language used by network is Hinglish which is a hybrid language of Hindu and English (Herman McChesney, 1997). Globalization as a process of hybridization gives rise to a global mlange (Pieterse, 1993: 1) where the cultures are mixing and borrowing some elements from each other. Conclusion For the past 20 years we were facing dramatic changes in our world being result of globalisation processes. Improvements in technology and telecommunications made free flow of information possible. The world market became dominated by USA and some of the Western countries. Privatization had an impact on more competition and the formation of strong TNCs. Western countries became powerful through investments in infrastructures. Developments in communication services paved the way for global media therefore open the door of the world for many people what resulted in either hybridization or homogenization of national identities and cultures. Some may see it as negative changes, others will disagree. There are also those who as Tomlinson believe that globalization produces a globalized culture rather than a global culture (Xue, 2008). However no matter what point of view one will chose there is no doubt that global media are affecting many nations and their identities and cultures. Words: 2,510