Friday, December 27, 2019

The Heroic Code Expressed in Beowulf and Sir Gawin and the Green Knight Research Papers

There is a vivid description of a heroic character in the two literature works: Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The heroic protagonist is portrayed, in both cases, as a plain human being with imperfections in one way or the other. In this work, I have critically analyzed and given a comparison of the heroic qualities of both the characters. On the onset, Beowulf crosses the ocean to fight and the main reason for the fight is to attain fame and honour. In his society, one of the greatest achievements is fame, especially after death. This is the notion that drives Beowulf all through his lifetime. Responsibility, as a quality of a hero, is seen to be acquired by Beowulf. In his previous endeavors, he was a completely irresponsible man who always portrayed the ability to â€Å"quit† whenever he felt like in several battles. In the battle that involved Grendels mother, he carried himself in a way to suggest that he was prepared to complete his task: a job he started. This, he did after the threats from Grendels mother. Initially, he had made up his mind to save Herot, and at the same time, killed Grendel. Beowulf had a strong and mature response to the murder of Grendel, though at a given point the response may be seen to be insensitive. He says â€Å"let your sorrow end!†Ã‚   He continued encouraging her that they needed to avenge their friends rather than mourning them forever (67). The promise he gives is seen as the greatest bind. At later age when Beowulf is as an old king, his responsibility in the fight with Grendels mother is seen to reach the maturity stat e. In the poem, we are told that Beowulf, after the return from Herot, â€Å"took the throne hed refused (92). He was not old enough and mature enough to accept the throne previously, but currently he was. During his time as the king of Greatland, he had no alternative but to take care of his people in the adventure into foreign lands. He didn’t abandon them; instead, he defended them to the latter. During the Beowulfs battle with the dragon when the Greatland was threatened, he made no intensions of requesting for God’s help. The poem is open and does not mention God’s assistance. We are told that Beowulf managed to kill the dragon by the help of Wiglaf. This portrays him as a man who undertakes to go through dander whole heartedly at the expense of seeking divine intervention. In summary, Beowulf is presented as an almost unbeatable and very powerful hero. He is also portrayed as lacking self-character. In the book Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Sir Gawain can be said to be Bold, Brave, Heroic and chivalrous. This is seen by virtue of being knighted by King Arthur. In the poem, he is described as â€Å"faithful† and as â€Å"pure as gold†, without any villainy, and with all qualities, as represented on his shield by the pentangle. On the onset, Gawain is in perfect agreement with the chivalric code and in the first scene; he rises and defends the honor of King Arthur, his liege lord. He says â€Å"I beseech ye, my lord, let this venture be mine†. He goes ahead and confirms that he is the weakest and the feeblest of wit and it would be the loss of his life â€Å"if ye seek sooth†. In Gawain’s society, the â€Å"self-effacement† is very conflicting with the â€Å"self-aggrandizement† which is so much valued in the Beowulfs society. However, these two traits, self-effacement and self-aggrandizement, are so much ideal for the respective heroes, and they manage to pursue the traits throughout their lifetime. King Arthurs knights are seen to be beardless children† according to the Green Knight. It is said that he would only spot with them, and never to fight them. As a real servant and believer of the supernatural being, there is a real strife tainting of the Green Knight, whereas, the world of a medieval Knight is portrayed physical with societal jousting for the perfect harmony with loyalty. In spite of all these, King Arthur bear no mischievousness that no one could conclude that his main aim was to sustain the innocence of Sir Gawain. From the last lines of the poem, there is a clear signal that by a virtue like that of Sir Gawains, an individual is brought closer to Jesus, the Christ. He went through series of temptation including that of the Green Knight. Of the tests of Sir Gawain, the first part wanted him to decline the advancements of Lady Bertilak and at the same time avoiding un-chivalry. He manages to get through this test with very courteous words. The second part wanted him to authentically play the exchange of the winning game and give the entire that he got at the castle to his host. However, he failed this test by deciding not to get back to Lord Bertilak and by complying with the magically protecting green girdle from Bertilak. We are told that after the cutting of Sir Gawain with an ax, Green Knight told him not to make confessions of his wrongful deeds. The poet tries to make it clear that a good quality is safeguarded through tests, both passed and failed. At the same time, the author says that a failed test comes along with divine punishment, which enables the sinner to realize and confess his/her sins. We can see this in the Green Knight encouragement to Sir Gawain to maintain the green girdle which he had committed a sin. This was to act as a reminder of his failure and would keep him away from sin. In summary, Sir Gawain can be said to be a semi-perfect hero. He always minces his words. In very rare occasions does he live up to his words. His loyalty to the lord makes him surrender everything that he won for that day. The virtues of Gawain can be said to be five. They include: Generosity Love for the fellow men Cleanness Courtesy beyond failure Pity In the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, we expect to meet Gawain as the most noble of the knights. On the contrary, Gawain is not perfect. He is very much susceptible to fear and conflict. All these resulted into dishonesty. The conflict is most seen in Gawain’s failure of the tests posed by Morgan le Fay, the wicked. The tests of temptation and courage that Gawain is taken through, allows for the ridicule of his knightly ideals as he fails. The inner conflicts of Gawain are revealed by satire. From this, we learn that no man is perfect and even the best still have some selfishness. The best of men are also subjected to some crafty thoughts that are completely not in line with the morals that are expected from them. His disloyalty is evident when he refused to hand over the green girdle that his wife gave him to Sir Bercilak. (384). Gawain’s courtesy is beyond any failure. This is seen when he failed to offend the fail lady. When he played the winning game, we all see Gawain’s generosity at a glance. In this game, he always gave the Lord his fair winnings. Conclusion In the Christian context, both the two stories portray their heroes as catastrophic in their own ways. The two heroes, Beowulf and Sir Gawain, possess similar traits which are paradoxically different in their individual styles of heroism. The similarity between these two characters is that they are tragic heroes. However, the difference is seen in the way the characters are formed and developed. Beowulf remains a very tragic hero because, his legacy and character lives through various hearts within the story, even though his physical life was eliminated. In the case of Sir Gawain, he does not actually die physically. This makes him a tragic hero. However, Sir Gawain’s self-esteem and internal pride dies. This leads to a summary that life not only ends when the physical being dies, but also when the self-esteem and internal is destroyed. Work Cited Benson, Larry. Art and Tradition in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. New Brunswick, N. J.: Rutgers University Press. 1965. Bloomfield, Morton. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: an appraisal. PMLA. 56, 7‑19, 1961. Borroff, Marie. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, A Stylistic and Metrical Study. New Haven: Yale University Press. 1962. Brewer, Elizabeth. From Cuchulainn to Gawain: Sources and Analogues of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Totowa, N.J.: Rowman and Littlefield. 1973. Burrow, John Anthony. A Reading of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. 1965. Kittredge, George Lyman. A Study of Gawain and the Green Knight. Gloucester, Mass.: P. Smith. 1916. Raffel, Burton, trans. Beowulf. New York: Penguin Books USA, 1963 Tolkien, J.R.R., and E.D. Gordon, eds. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1925.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Essay on Non Welcoming Stance for Latin American Immigrants

Though the statue of liberty was finished in August of 1885, immigrants from many nations came to the United States even before the green lady was standing in the New York Harbor. The poem, The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus, was later added in 1903, to signify the â€Å"golden door† that to many immigrants who were escaping strife or looking for a better life thought would await them in America. Though the poem suggested that America was a land of flowing milk and honey, immigrants did not find such a warm welcome that was suggested by the torch holding lady. In Mario Puzo short story, Choosing a Dream, he describes America as a place where immigrants or anyone can achieve â€Å"some economic dignity and freedom†, however, this is not the case for†¦show more content†¦When they first started to enter, many joined the agricultural workforce due to the Chinese Exclusion Act and later the Immigration Act of 1924 limiting the number of cheap laborers available. B ut in many places there was exclusion in basic activities such as shopping or attending school. In towns, they were only to go out shopping one day a week. Their children put in segregated schools with the African American children. During the 1860s political restrictions were put in place not only to limit to claim rights given to them via citizenship but also to protect their land. The government claimed millions of acres of what was once Mexican-owned land for themselves. Unfamiliar to the law or language there was nothing the immigrants could do against the Americans. Once slavery was abolished,Latin Americans took the place of African Americans becoming farm hands in the South and across the Midwest. Soon they migrated into other fields of hard labor such as mining or railroad, jobs that Americans did not want. Under the foothold of the â€Å"white man† regardless if it was a southern plantation owner, Texas cattle farmer or machine operators a system was forming that pl aced Latin immigrants at the bottom. Moving into the 1900s, Latin Americans continued to come into America. Moving away from agricultural work, many families moved to urban areas like other immigrants to find work. As the Mexican revolution beganShow MoreRelatedLatino Communities : Structural And Social Issues And How They Thrive2094 Words   |  9 PagesAmanda Tran Professor Alexandro Gradilla CHIC 305 13 January 2015 Latino Communities: Structural and Social Issues and How They Thrive For many Latino families, their image is misunderstood. The majority of Americans analyze Latino communities focusing on the individual. Asking individual questions such as what did that person do wrong to be poor? Why is that individual immigrating into the US? The real question we should be asking is what factors made them immigrate to a different country in theRead MoreGp Essay Mainpoints24643 Words   |  99 Pagessuch as YouTube and Hulu, showing surging demand for mainstream shows †¢ Recent nielson index shows that â€Å"American Idol† over 50 million viewers in U.S. alone †¢ Ryan Seacrest, host of show, frequently urged viewers to log on to fox.americanidol.com, official site of the show, for â€Å"never-before-seen exclusive content, including behind-the-scenes coverage of contestants† †¢ American Idol even has a Twitter and YouTube account, post updates and jey performances Book vs. Internet Intro: Read MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 Pagesservice purchase, he or she tells six other potential buyers. In contrast, a dissatisfied consumer informs 25 other potential buyers. That is the leverage of quality in shaping consumer sentiment, which is vital in powering the two-thirds of the American economy that is consumer-driven. Therefore, as companies again go back to the business basics, this is a reminder of the most fundamental of those basics: Company managers need to recognize that a business’s income comes from its customers, not fromRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 PagesTraining and Development 41 Compensation and Benefits 42 Employee Relations 42 vi Contents Top Management Commitment 43 Effective Upward Communication 43 Determining What to Communicate 44 Allowing for Feedback 44 Information Sources 44 The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 62 The Civil Rights Act of 1991 63 The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 63 Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 64 Relevant Executive Orders 64 vii WORKPLACE ISSUES: HRM Certification

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Description of Current ICT Service Management

Question: Discuss about the Description of Current ICT Service Management . Answer: Introduction Nowadays change is needed to be implied in every organization for more development and improvement of the organization. Implications are analyzed by those modification technique which acts as business strategy in the organization (www.free-management-ebooks.com, 2016). Strategy is the direction and scope of an organization over the long term, which achieves advantage in a changing environment through its configuration of resources and competences. -------------------Johnson (2009) There are various schemes and techniques through which changes can be brought in by identifying the problem. Strategic decisions in an organization can be brought by different planning system which is mentioned in the figure below: Source: www.free-management-ebooks.com A. Among all the strategies SWOT analysis of Charles Sturt University is described to develop positive changes in the organization. SWOT analysis is a technique of business analysis which can be performed by any organization for markets, services, products and for improvement of the future growth of the product (Overton, 2007). Identification of strengths and weakness and understanding the opportunities and threats of an organization is the main function of SWOT analysis. It is the responsibility of a manager to think about the development of the organization and bring profitable growth in the organization. SWOT analysis template of Charles Stuart University is described below: Organization: Charles Stuart University (CSU) Date:23.9.16 Description of current or new ICT Service As CSU is a university, so proper learning environment is needed to be described here with proper application. An integration of Interact online learning environment is administered with collaboration and delivery systems which is used for learning and teaching in single fundamental space. Its source of learning is Sakai Open Learning Management System (LMS). Generally this source is used for professional improvement in research about learning and teaching (Dolphin, 2011). Especially this is made for distance education students. The interaction based on academic principal which is related with technology development in the organization. Strengths The universitys system and service of the work process modernize the resources and facilities of the work progress of students and teachers in the university by eliminating the problems of the staffs and the students in the university. The research collaborators and the students are facilitated with remote access technique. This helped the students to learn fast and teachers to make them understand properly. Cost effectiveness is less as the open-source Sakai LMS is used as the software in the organization. The innovations and training materials are also shared by other organizations and universities (Kumar and Lin, 2013). The code are accessed by IT staffs and customized with the changing circumstances in the university. The sharing and repurposing of content can be readily done with activity which is related to various researches. They are explained by templates and materials and by this reduction of duplicate work have done. Operational errors, redundant training costs, automation process for downtime with centralized functions costs are reduced by LMS. Weakness No support service available because of use of LMS. It is necessary that the service management should be hosted by the university. Direction in deal of IT infrastructure is found which is inconsistence and cannot be handled properly by other several browsers and this causes trouble for the IT staffs. Teachers are not provided adequate time, so it is tough for the teachers to give feedbacks after checking the online forums. For that reason coping up with the studies are tough for the students and they are unable to self motivate themselves with proper direction. Online applications cannot be filled up by the students properly because the level varies on IT. Issues arise because web accessibility problems are not designed by the content and activities. Training is not provided by open-source vendor. Driving teaching styles by innovative method cannot be provided by LMS (Kats, 2010). Update of Sakai software has not been done for a long time period is the university. The accessibility standards with conformity of the rival products are limited and it is hard to be operated outside the tools. For software update there were no plans for apps and mobile interface. Opportunities There are many students who are studying by distance, for them increase of diversity with flexible study arrangements and development for distance learning can be given as an opportunity. Undulating mobile ownership on smart phones, tablets among students and teachers with desire to complete work on technology. Broadband internet has been started to be used in large number in Australia. National Broadband Network is developed and used in large amount in residences and offices of Australia. Other technologies are also introduced in large amount and they are needed to be developed with high speed. Threats Inflexibility, instability and clumsiness have been increased because of lack of competition among the LMS companies which are proprietary. The choice several companies have been commonly developed with personal contribution and other source. From Sakai LMS, the organizations and universities are moving and its community will shrink (Overton, 2007). Online education has been made for the distance learning students and if update in information is not done then the reputation of CSU will be affected. Problem can be raised if the teaching styles are not innovative which can affect the future of the students. Is the service management is not developed then learning styles can be affected in the university. Summary and Recommendations Charles Stuart University (CSU) is one of the leaders in distance education and learning techniques which is flexible. Significant weaknesses and threats has been analysed by the recent system of the university. The strengths mentioned above should be developed more and positive position should be brought in the sector. Especially the remote access facility with streamlined experience with development in accessibility with interoperability in the online education system with competitive improved system. The market value of broadband has been increased because it has market force as NBN is commonly used in schools and homes. Various application of online learning is needed to be developed with LMS in CSU. Mobile version wit use of smart phones and tablets should be developed in latest version (Overton, 2007). The Enterprise Architecture and Liaison unit has some objectives which is fragment with integrated system which is scalable and sustainable. There are some goals which is achieved by ICT system which is needed to be diversified with sustainable and technological limits which is open sourced with LMS and these issued are resolved with update done in Sakai with un sustainability process in users community. The ongoing process of the system is secured by LMS vendor with scalability and functionality reducing the pressure which occurs because of lack of training and host management process. This report shows the choice, investigation method, implementation of LMS and adaptability (Belkin, Corbitt and Wickramasinghe, 2013). Short Term (now) The formation of working group will be done where LMS process is needed to be open sourced with the options adopted by proprietary company. Priority featured by LMS is needed to be surveyed for the students where prospective of the software is discussed. The open-source will be designed with LMS for conducting study. Mid Term (next 12 months) Representatives of vendor will be invited with group within 12 months. The criteria of the university are presented with formal tenders. The distance and online program of CSU is advantageous in negotiating phase with secured leveraged service arrangement which is frequently charged by the commercial vendors for better quality service (Belkin, Corbitt and Wickramasinghe, 2013). Long Term (next 3 to 5 years) In the introduction phase, for next 3 to 5 years programs of change management is projected and guided with piloting and transition guidance in the university. The channels of the communication will be kept open with frequent updates projected with students and staffs. Review is brought with ongoing consultation after educational research which is consulted with identification. E-Business E-Commerce Models and Strategies The importance of E-business is increasing day by day in todays generation. Internet has provided various technologies and business development advertises of several products which are spread in the form of advertisement sometimes (Shaw, 2003). Designs in interfacing ways with the application of internet with competitive business technology are driving the market recently. Business strategies are governed by calculative dissemination with the process of E-Business. E-business is playing role of portal in global market in unprecedented level. There are several examples drawn such as, EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), MRP (Material Requirements Planning), and ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). Email marketing and chain management is the necessary features of E-business. There are some strategies of E-Business: Supply chain management This is handled with the procedure of chain management. Coordination and retail of wholesale in various products are analysed here. Integration of supply with the source of chain right is observed in dissemination process of electronic technology and other supply of chain management. Customer service relationship management Effective strategies of E-business are involved in customer service development and it also ensures customer satisfaction. Customer friendly services are provided by e-business which satisfies the needs of the customer easily. Inventory and service management integration Strategies in inventory services and integration management are developed through this system. Purchasing machines and inventory accumulation with tax implications with high expenditure is justified in this strategy (Shaw, 2003). Operation alignment Through the short-term goal tactical alignment is proposed in strategy planning which is coordinated with long term goal with e-business strategy. Fast and swift process is developed by diverging style of e-business with channel integrity and other subscriptions (Shaw, 2003). Diversification is done in E-commerce from many years. Offering delivery in fast mode in time is the facility which the E-commerce gives. There are some E-commerce business models which are used now days. They are: B2B B2C C2B In the given figure the model of e-commerce is described below: Business-to-Business (B2B) model Order of purchasing is involved with electronic transactions which are used during goods trading. Subscription with manufacturing and dealings with professional services are followed by this model. An organization is guided by this model to improve the ICT system in the organization. For example amazon.com is an example of B2B model. Business to consumer (B2C) model In a business organization transaction method are followed by B2B model for customers help and development (Lee, 2008). Consumer to Business (C2B) model C2B is business model where customers profit is analysed by customer satisfaction process and revenue management way (Shaw, 2003). There are various strategies of revenue generation in E-commerce. They are purely online system; brick and click, auction, market place storing and bargaining. These methods are helpful which processes the implementation of e-commerce strategies. There are various elements of business models: Revenue model Value proposition Market opportunity Competitive advantages Competitive environment Organizational development Management team The main facility is E-business and E-commerce is that, it is easy to deal by the customers. The Information Communication technology is depicted properly with the adaptability of E-commerce (Lee, 2008). The e-commerce or online business is 24 hours opened for the consumers and with one click they can view the details about the advertisement of the product and the business models with various developed skills (Schneider, 2002). If the students in the university want to adopt knowledge about e commerce then, they have to give details description about E-commerce and E-business following all the models and strategies and techniques used by the technology which has made life easier now a days. In case of academy and education students can easily by the books and learning material; online through commercial transaction method. Thats what which can be adopted by students and teachers in school, colleges and universities and other customers are also facilitated by this service. Conclusion In this assignment various strategies of internet technology and programs of Charles Sturt University is described in the first part (Schneider, 2002). The SWOT analysis of the university is properly mentioned with long term, midterm and short term plan to analyse the process through which ICT development in the university is needed to be developed. In the second part the brief study about e- commerce and e-business is described with various models and strategies which have shown the advantages of technology and use of internet. References Belkin, M., Corbitt, B. and Wickramasinghe, N. (2013).Strategic ICT planning in pathology. New York, NY: Springer. Dolphin, I. (2011).Sakai CLE Courseware Management. Packt Publishing Ltd. Elliot, S. (2002).Electronic commerce. Chichester: John Wiley Sons. Kats, Y. (2010).Learning management system technologies and software solutions for online teaching. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. Kumar, V. and Lin, F. (2013).System and technology advancements in distance learning. Hershey, Pa.: IGI Global (701 E. Chocolate Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033, USA). Lee, I. (2008).E-business models, services, and communications. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. Overton, R. (2007).Business Strategy Made Simple. Murwillumbah: Martin Books. Schneider, G. (2002).Electronic commerce. Australia: Course Technology. Shaw, M. (2003).E-business management. Boston: Kluwer Academic. www.free-management-ebooks.com. (2016).Strategy skills. [online] Available at: https://www.free-management-ebooks.com/dldebk-pdf/fme-swot-analysis.pdf [Accessed 23 Sep. 2016].

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The Role Of Desdemona In Shakespeares Othello Essays - Othello, Iago

The Role Of Desdemona In Shakespeare's Othello The Role of Desdemona in Shakespeare's Othello The character of Desdemona represents a woman of the 17th century who surpassed the norms of sexual morality set for Venetian women of that time. When Desdemona left the house of her father, Brabantio, to wed the Moor, Othello, it was the first step in redefining her role as a woman. Desdemona, instead of asking her father's permission, decided on her own to marry Othello. It seems as though Desdemona was breaking away from the strictness imposed by Brabantio. She denied her father any right in choosing or granting allowance to Othello to marry her. Instead she chose the man who she wanted to marry and felt it unnecessary that her father intervene in their relationship. This act of independence by Desdemona tore away the gender barriers of the Venetian patriarchal society and posed a threat to male authority. The other aspect of Desdemona's mutiny was the miscegenation in Desdemona and Othello's marriage. 1The choice of mate made by Desdemona further deviated from the role in which V enetian society would cast her. The traditions of the Venetian society are discovered when Iago speaks to Brabantio and plants both the ideas of miscegeny and loss of power into Brabantio's mind. Iago cautions Brabantio: Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul; Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise! (Oth I. i. 88-90) These lines highlight the fact that in Elizabethan society, Brabantio, like other fathers, considered Desdemona's body to be his possession while also tapping into the fear of miscegenation that existed in Venice at that time. 2In his book ?Sex in History,? Rattray Taylor describes patriarchal societies in which the power was placed in the hands of men, to be based on father-identifier schemes (77). Taylor explains that children who are father-identifiers, model themselves after their fathers because of their interest in authority and in an attempt to acquire power as their fathers have (314). This can be applied to Desdemona's rebelliousness. Because Brabantio had such immense power over her, Desdemona may have wanted to gain this kind of power herself. Thus she decided to take her relationship into her own hands and ignored the tradition of receiving her father's approval. Desdemona was striving to play an equal role with the men in the Venetian society. The aspect of playing the same role as the men in the Venetian society also explains Desdemona's marriage to Othello. Instead of Brabantio taking the initiative in the marriage, Desdemona took the initiative in the courtship because she envied the power that her father had over her and the power of Othello's bravery and masculinity. 3She wished to be a man as brave and as noble as Othello (Holland 253). Desdemona's actions were not necessarily based on the desire to be a man, but more so a desire to have the equal powers of men. By marrying Othello, Desdemona was showing that she was strong enough and educated enough to break the societal confines of passivity for women (Walker 2). However, we must not assume that Desdemona did not love Othello or that she married him only to define herself as a liberated woman. Desdemona's concise statement about her love was revealed with balance and health when she said: I saw Othello's visage in his mind, And to his honours and his valiant parts Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate. (Oth. III. iii. 250-252) We can see that she loved Othello for his body and mind, for his reputation and actions, and she consecrated herself to him spiritually and practically and she continued to love him throughout all the events and accusations. Race was not an issue to Desdemona and this was a result of her intelligence and determination to become liberated. Othello, however, may have been frightened by Desdemona's aggressiveness as a woman. This, along with the misperceptions brought on by Iago, could have led to his changing views of Desdemona. When Othello and Desdemona are first married, Othello spoke nothing but love for Desdemona. Robert Burns' poem, ?A Red, Red Rose? best represents Othello's feelings toward Desdemona. The lines: ?As fair art thou, my bonnie lass, / So deep in luve am

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

The Infamous Jay Gould Essays - Erie Railroad, Gilded Age, Jay Gould

The Infamous Jay Gould Shortly after Gould left for Wall Street he made a modest profit by shorting railroad stocks in the panic of 1857.He had made a modest and profitable investment. He then went long in several railroads, shortly after the panic and his timing prooved to be extremely accurate. In 1867 Daniel Drew, treasurer and longtime director of the Erie Railroad, added Gould and James Fisk to the Erie board of directors. When Cornelius Vanderbilt, of the New York Central, sought to buy control of the Erie a spectacular battle ensued. Gould, Fisk, and Drew promptly issued thousands of shares of new, watered stock. The poison pill of the time, although Gould may hav been as Erie as the canal, he did revolutionize financial tactics. When the angry Vanderbilt obtained an arrest warrant for the three, they ferried company headquarters to Jersey City, and Gould rushed to Albany where a pliable New York legislature authorized the stock issue. Eventually peace was made with Vanderbilt, but that gentleman was reported to have muttered that his trouble with the Erie has learned me it never pays to kick a skunk. Later in the fall of 1869 Gould and Fisk conspired with the brother-in-law of President Ulysses S. Grant to corner the gold market, causing the panic of Black Friday, September 24, 1869, and a tremendous margin call for Gould. He was even reported as telling his partners to buy as he was selling tremendous volumes of gold. After the crash his partners were left with nothing as Gould went long the market at the lowest levels. Gould continued to loot the Erie until his departure in 1872. His role in the Erie War and the attempted gold corner gave him a reputation as the prime financial predator of the age. Possessing a fortune, Gould turned to western railroads. In the twenty years after 1872 he was a director of seventeen major lines and the president of five. He purchased much Union Pacific stock and controlled that road until 1878. At first Gould improved the management of the Union Pacific but later blackmailed the company by threatening to have the Gould-controlled Kansas Pacific build a nuisance line to Utah. During the 1880s Gould controlled about half the mileage southwest of St. Louis and Kansas City and tried unsuccessfully to expand his western holdings into a transcontinental rail empire to the Atlantic Coast. He also owned the New York World for a time and held major investments in New York City's elevated railways and several large telegraph companies, including Western Union. Gould was a man of many faults and virtues. He was cold and unscrupulous but courteous and unassuming, and in his private life, devoted to his family, flowers, and books. He could not be trusted but nonetheless helped build more efficient regional rail systems. He was a wrecker of values but a railway leader who helped achieve major rate reductions. Gould remains the prototype robber baron of the late nineteenth century, although his defects probably have been exaggerated because he was never comfortable with the press. History

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Willy Loman, in the book Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, and his quest for the American Dream.

Willy Loman, in the book Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, and his quest for the American Dream. A Death of the American DreamThe American Dream is forever being chased, and never caught. Willy Loman, the main character, in A Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller chose to follow the American dream and lead the life it gave him. The American dream is the belief that through sheer hard work alone, any man can gain professional success and thus receive personal gain. The major flaw in this 'dream' is that it produces selfish individuals who will go to any extent to receive personal gain. Willy's character is one of a common man; Miller portrays him not as an evil selfish person, but as a well meaning yet misguided person. Miller also adds other characters to show the different effects the American dream can have on people.For Willy and his wife Linda, life's accomplishments and sources of pleasure are simple. They focus their lives on the mortgage of their house.The American Dream, New Jersey 1991For twenty-five years Willy and Linda have been working to pay off their mortgage, and once they do that, they will attain a sense of freedom, or the 'American Dream.' Willy is a salesman, always traveling from state to state, staying in motels, away from home. This increases the importance of a house to him because it is not only a place where he lives, but it also represents stability in his life. He shows the same pride for his ownership of the house as he did for Biff, his son, during his football years.Biff's character is one of an admired nature. When he was at school he was always popular, athletic and full of potential. All this changed however when he went to see his father in Boston. This is when Biff found out about Willy's affair. Finding this out crushed Biff...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Spotlight on Obama's Foreign Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Spotlight on Obama's Foreign Policy - Essay Example However, the implementation and temperament of Obama's style will greatly impact the ways in which we negotiate with the global community. The policies of Barak Obama have fundamentally changed the ways in which we confront our adversaries in the Middle East and elsewhere around the globe. A key to Obama's strategy for engaging countries that are hostile towards the US, and present a threat to our national security, is the elimination of Bush's failed policy that mandated the need for preconditions during the negotiating process. Iran is an example where the Bush administration demanded that Tehran suspend its nuclear enrichment program before agreeing to any talks. This became a roadblock to negotiations, as the Iranians refused to give up what they perceived as a sovereign right (Anderson, 2008, p. A08). In addition, this policy has been blamed for the election of the right-wing reactionary Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2005, partially as a response to the US's hard line foreign policy (Zahedi and Memarian, 2007, M2). Obama's willingness to talk should bring about a thawing of relations and empower the more moderate Iranians that held power until the election of Bush (Iran moderate elected speaker, 2000). Barak Obama will further benefit from the goodwill that he has amassed from the governments and people around

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Correlation of how many student took the LSATs and how many students Essay

Correlation of how many student took the LSATs and how many students actually got accepted into law school - Essay Example In essence, Law Schools will try to place higher LSAT requirements for students so that they are protrayed as having higher standards and so that they compete effectively. LSAC implemented the requirement to ensure uniformity in the criteria that member schools used to admit students to their law programs. However, the validity of LSAT has come under controversy considering that there is a possibility that students who might be proficient could be left out by LSAT requirement. A study conducted by Domino & Domino established that 54% of those students who passed the LSAT actually proved that the test was valid. The study was conducted on first year students using their average scores in various Law Schools and involved 726 students (12). However, Domino & Domino also explain that the values were very different across schools. Controversies have also recently arisen over cheating where some students hire other people to take the tests for them. The general realization from these findings is that there are other factors that influence the LSAT other than the standardization requirement by the schools. For instance, Law Schools might make the tests extremely difficult so that they appear as having high quality students and therefore influence the admission of their graduates to the mainstream practising of the Law. The essence of tests is not to lock out candidates but to ensure that only those candidates with the correct qualifications are admitted. The following paper seeks to establish the nature of correlation between the number of students who take LSAT and the ones who actually get admitted in Law schools so as to determine whether most students who take the exams fail or pass. According to Burdette, â€Å"LSAT is usually administered by the Law School Admissions Council a non-profit organization†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (4) and the general realization is that Law Schools realized that they needed

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Color Matters Essay Example for Free

Color Matters Essay In the marketing arena, color plays a significant role in a company’s advertisement and packaging. According to research, the right color is worth a thousand words as well as it can increase sales and a company’s profit (Morton, 2010). Most importantly, a company’s color is closely related to the type of judgment and decisions consumers make regarding a specific product. Research also reveals that color increases brand recognition, memory, engages and increases participation, and attracts consumers attention (Morton, 2010). Overall, color is powerful in marketing. Therefore, this paper will discuss the importance of color with Coca-Cola Company’s advertising as it relates to the different meanings, cultures, and segment markets. The Importance Of Color With Coca-Cola Company’s Advertising Coca-Cola is one of the world’s most popular and recognized brand. Let’s discuss the company’s purpose for being in business. The mission of the Coca-Cola Company is â€Å"to refresh the world, inspire moments of optimism and happiness, create value, and make a difference† (The Coca-Cola Company, 2013). With that being said, the colors of the Coca-Cola Company in their advertising, which is red and white, are extremely important for a number of reasons. First, the company wants to send the right message to consumers. Second, the colors help identify the different brands (Kolter Keller, 2012). Third, the different colors also help the company to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Most of all, Coca-Cola’s distinctive colors conveys information and/or provides consumers with some other operational benefits (Morton, 2012). Overall, the colors main goal is to get consumers’ attention while making an impact on their buying decision. The Different Meanings According to the color wheel of branding and packaging, the Coca-Cola Company’s colors for their advertisement ensures different meanings. As stated earlier, the colors of the company’s advertisement are red and white. These colors have been used for more than a hundred years. Red promotes Coca-Cola friendly qualities such as energy, powerful, courage, excitement, and strength (Kolter Keller, 2012). Whereas white indicates that the company is all about creating products that are innovative and modern. As result, these colors have been a very successful color strategy and have helped the company become the world’s top companies in their industry (Pigford, 2013). In addition to, the great contrast of the colors also ensure readability, which is one of the important factors of product strategy in marketing (Pigford, 2013). The Culture The Coca-Cola Company has a winning culture, which defines the attitudes and behaviors of their employees (The Coca-Cola Company, 2013). In this case, the choices of the colors also inform consumers that the employees also have the same attributes regarding their work performance. Coca-Cola’s colors relates to their culture because the company and its employees demonstrates: (1) collaboration; (2) how they have courage to shape a better future; (3) integrity; (4) accountability; (5) passion; (6) diversity; and (7) quality. The Market Segments A marketing segment is referred to as aggregating prospective buyers into groups that have common needs and their response to a marketing action will be similar. Market segmentation stresses two things: (1) grouping individuals or organizations according to similarity of needs and the benefits desired; and (2) needs and benefits must be associated to specific tangible marketing actions (Identifying Market Segments Target, 2011). Coca-Cola’s market segment consists of consumers who are seeking different and great products that are. The company’s colors also target individuals who also want to make differences in the communities, which require them to demonstrate commitment, energy, strength, and excitement. In conclusion,it is imperative that companies consider their choice of color when advertising or completing packaging. Colors and marketing are connected to one another in so many ways. Colors can influence an individual’s thinking, actions, cause reactions (Morton, 2012). In fact, colors cannot be replaced because they are known as the most powerful forms of communication. More than so ever, colors are the visual component that consumers remember the most about a brand (Morton, 2012). Many companies who produce great brands rely on color as their key factor in immediate recognition. So, companies should utilize the color wheel of branding and packaging before launching their product. Reference Mortan, J. (2012). Color Matters. Retrieved from  http://www.colormatters.com/

Friday, November 15, 2019

Global Forces And Trends The Nestle Company Marketing Essay

Global Forces And Trends The Nestle Company Marketing Essay After we skimmed through the Fortune 500 list of the companies, there were a lot of choices of well known companies, however, we picked up Nestlà © Corporation. Since we grow up with Nestlà ©s products which are nutritional and healthy products, and at the same time very tasty, it seemed interesting for us to do the project about this well known Corporation. According to the official website of the Company, Nestlà © was formed by Henry Nestlà © in 1867. He was a pharmacist. In the beginning he started to produce milk food for newborn babies, which was the first milk cereal for children. The company was located in Switzerland, where the actual largest headquarter is located even today. Then, in short period the company started to grow and expand, and also offering a large variety of products. Nowadays, the company is a corporation which has multiple stockholders. Throughout its existence, Nestlà © has merged with some international companies. For example, in 1905 merged with a Anglo-Swiss milk company. (MARKETING PROCESS OF NESTLE CORPORATION) In 1998 Nestlà © purchased the UK largest chocolate factory, then it made some other agreements with some other companies. In 2002, Nestlà © made a partnership with Coca-Cola, then with General Mills, LOreal. These mergers helped Nestlà © expand their market shares on the global international market. (Nestlà ©.) The brand name of Nestlà © comes from Henries surname. It is a short name which can be easily remembered. It is a well known and everyone can identify its logo. The quality of Nestlà ©s products made the brand easily identified, including the slogan of the brand, Good Food, Good Life. Since Nestlà © is a company which operates in the global market, it means that its products are spread worldwide and they are available whenever consumers need them. Nestlà © over the time has developed and continues to maintain a strong reputation on the Food Industry. We consider that Nestlà © is on the stage of brand insistency. This means that costumers insist on getting Nestlà ©s products, and this is considered to be a big advantage for the company. (Nestlà ©) The legal status of Nestlà © is a corporation, which is a business that includes stockholders. The main headquarter of Nestlà © is in Switzerland; Peter Brabeck-Letmathe is the CEO. According to the Global 500, the stockholders equity is 46,006.2 million dollars. (Global 500) The board of directors represents the stockholder on managing the corporation. Nestlà © deals with manufacturing of products, thus, its type of business is manufacturing. Nestlà © produces a fairly similar group of individual products. Its products are produced on similar ways, they have fairly similar prices, which make up a great product line. They produce milk and chocolate products, water, baby food, coffee, and so on. Since Nestlà © is a huge corporate, they produce on large amounts. We know that when a product is being produced in large amount, its production costs are lower, comparing to products produced on small amounts, thus these lower production costs leads Nestlà © to bring its products on the market with reasonable prices, from which the consumers benefit directly. Furthermore, they use a production program which includes green technology (environmental friendly technology) that saves electricity, does not pollute the air which leads to consumers benefits. They sell different types of chocolates, ice creams, coffees, natural water, baby food, flavored milks, etc. Some of the products offered from Nestlà © are NESCAFÉ, NESQUIK, Hot Chocolate, Cocoa, Chocolates, AERO BAR ONE Chocolate Assortments CHOCOLATE LOG CLASSIC Slabs CRISP CRUNCH Baking Chocolate KIT KAT TEX MILKY BAR MILO Nestlà © GOLD ROLO SMARTIES SUCROSE FREE Powdered Milk, Nutren Shakes Convalescing Malnourishment Diabetes Supplements Critical Care Nestlà © Baby Foods, CERELAC Gold CERELAC NESTUM Infant Formula Nestlà © Waters, Still Sparkling Flavoured Water Dispensers Imports Ice Cream, Impulse Take Home Out of Home Nestlà © Cereals, and so on. Consumers may benefit in different ways from buying Nestlà ©s products. From the consumers point of view, when we decide to buy something to eat or drink, we want to get the most satisfaction from it. Thus, we look at its price first, then its ingredients, if it is nutritious, if it is tasty, and healthy. Since Nestlà ©s company objective is to produce healthy, tasty, nutritious food, and they offer them at reasonable prices, we conclude that consumers benefit by buying Nestlà © products. Nestlà ©s products are considered as high quality products. Furthermore the raw material for example for chocolate, milk is purchased only from the milk producers who grow and give food to their cows in natural ways. All Nestlà © products are demanded, because Nestlà © first makes research and market analysis then starts to produce its products. But still chocolate products are the most demanded products from Nestlà ©. In order for Nestlà © to grow and expand its market share is to follow up and to adapt to the current trends that are affecting the food industry. For example, the trend of customers demanding low and no fat products is increasing, and if Nestlà © develops a strategy to adapt and expand production of low and no fat products, this would be a growth opportunity. Franchising is perceived as a way for companies to expand on other markets. In our case, this also would be a growth opportunity, however, they should supervise and control and see if the franchisee is maintaining the quality standards that the Nestlà © Company sets to them. Also Nestlà © officials should make sure that the franchisees are maintaining the prestige and the reputation of the brand. The corporate goals and objectives are to maximize their profits. They tend to achieve this by meeting consumers demand, by offering nutritional products which taste good, coping up with trends. There are many resources for producing products related to food industry. Nestlà ©s success is reliant on fresh milk, cocoa, sugar, water, power supply, materials related packaging, technology, transportation modes. Suppliers define success when there is a huge demand for their products, while the stakeholders define success if they achieve to increase the market shares, having enough resources to meet the demand, and maximizing profits by increasing sales. Market Analysis Nestlà ©s primary target is considered to be people of all ages. In this range there are included infants, children, teenagers, adults, and elderly people. If we take age into consideration, we conclude that it is a factor that distinguishes the consumers, since Nestlà ©s has products made especially for infants, while on the other hand we have other products which are targeted to athletes, or to adults, such as coffee. Despite of the age, gender, income, and education level are not factors to be included in targeting Nestlà © consumers. There is not a special product of Nestlà © which is dedicated to males or females, or to people with different levels of education, while when it comes to income, since our products are not expensive, we dont consider income a factor to target Nestlà ©s products. From the consumers point of view, we define Nestlà © as a successful company if they meet our demands, they always supply us with new products, we find Nestlà ©s products easily and with a fair price. Also, a factor of Nestlà ©s success would be seen if they are aware of social responsibility meaning that they should care more for the benefits of the society as a whole and not only for companies profits. In general, the food industry is in the level of steady market that does not necessarily grow since people always use food products because they are necessity goods which no one can substitute them with something else. Furthermore, even if Nestlà © is always bringing new products on the market, since the population is still growing, we cannot say that it is being placed on the growing level. SWOT analysis Strengths Nestlà © has a very organized structure, it manages to lead in an effective way more than 276 000 employees and that requires great organizational skills. Thus, one of the strengths of the company is considered to be the organizational structure, Nestlà © is divided in sectors and each sector has their CEOs, then it has the executive board and in the top is the CEO. The hierarchy on Nestlà © works perfectly. Efficient chain of supply, it delivers its products in a good condition in a fast way. Furthermore, it is a Socially Responsibility and innovative company. It has skilled and educated employees. Weaknesses Since Nestlà © develops many products, it is impossible to promote each of them. Another weakness is that Nestlà ©s products are dependable on milk, any global disease on cows may impact directly on Nestlà ©s production. Opportunities Nestlà © has many growth opportunities which are considered to be current trends that allow the company to extend its market. If Nestlà © catches up with some of the trends that are affecting food industry then it may be an opportunity to increase their profits. Threats As a threat that intimidates the company may be the current global economic crises. Nestlà © has to react fast with a strategy in order to pass the world recession without many losses. It may overturn into a disaster for the company if they ignore what is happening in the global economy. Another threat is competitions operations. PEST analysis Political The government plays a role on Nestle in terms of the rules that the government makes related to the food industry in general. For example failing to meet any standard of quality, hygiene or other set by the government may result in some sanction or fee for the company. Economic When it is about economics, companies always fear any recession that may occur. So if any recession occurs Nestle will be affected, and result in possible losses. Another way of economic involvement is the tax rises which also interrelated to the Political (government regulations). However if the economy is doing well it means that also Nestle expectations are to do well on the market too, because it has the necessary conditions. Social Change of life styles, income level, place of residence, education level are some social factors, which might have an influence in a company. But when it comes to food industry they doesnt make a huge difference, because food is a necessity and whether you live in urban or rural areas, or whether you are educated or not, you need to eat unless it is a luxury, and most of the Nestle products are for everyday use or necessity. Technological Technological advancements always shape the industries; change the way they are produced, and makes industries much more productive, but also the need for employees is lower. With the new technologies productivity has increased, the delivery of products is easier; products are being safer with the new packaging. Another segment related to technology is that the advertisement of Nestle products is much easier with internet, other media channels. Nestlà © uses market segmentation in order to develop a suitable market mixes for different consumers. For example, they segment market for only water consumers or products which are dedicated only for athletes. First step of market segmentation is to name broad product markets, for example, in the case of Nestlà © would be beverage and then as stated earlier segment this market on only a relatively homogeneous group of consumers, such as athletes. According to Fortune 500 the five most influential competitors of Nestlà © are considered to be Unilever, PepsiCo, Sara Lee, Groupe Danone, ConAgra Foods. However, Nestlà © has advantages over these particular competitors since it is a larger company and can produce with lower cost, thus the products can be offered with lower price, this can be seen as a weakness of these companies over Nestlà ©. They, offer fairly similar products as Nestlà © does. They also use many advertisement tools such as, TV, radio, news paper and so forth, some of them also use direct advertisement against Nestlà ©, for example PepsiCo. According to the research that we have done Nestlà © maintains to be ahead of these companies, so they are not taking market shares from Nestlà ©. In order to increase its market shares, Nestlà © Corporation must continue to develop new products, to spread even more on the countries that do not have factories. It must cope up with trends and forces that are affecting food industry today. The promotional budget of Nestlà © is set every year. Nestlà © for its products uses all known promotional tools. Nestlà ©s logo placed in a product makes Nestlà © responsible for the quality of the product. Advertising plan has an important role on promoting Nestlà ©s products therefore, advertising a product in an effective way increases chances for that product to be successful. They use many advertisement techniques to promote their products such as TV, Radio, Internet, Newspapers, and Magazines. (MARKETING PROCESS OF NESTLE CORPORATION) Beside advertisement, Nestlà © pays a lot of attention on the Public Relations field. They have a 24 hours media helpline so that journalists can contact them and inquire information whenever they want. Also, Nestlà © has developed a reputation and maintains that reputation through a variety of public relations strategy. The department of PR in Nestlà © tends to maintain a good relationship among employees and develop goodwill. They have developed or branded their CEO in a very professional matter and made him well known also developed its reputation worldwide. Because of their reputation when they can easily contact media to make announcements or Press Releases. According to Nestlà © pricing strategy, Nestlà © has its own set of techniques for setting the prices of the product. It does not primarily focus on the competitors pricing strategies. It emphasizes on the market demand of the product. Nowadays market is going through tough recession, so they set their prices keeping in view the purchasing power of the customers. Moreover the prices of the products are also subjected to the type of consumer product. If the product is a daily use then it can have a minimum price to attract the customer towards your product. Thus the company cannot influence much on the prices. (MARKETING PROCESS OF NESTLE CORPORATION) Trend 1: Step 1: State the focal issue or decision facing the enterprise. When a customer want to buy a product he goes through a decision process in order to choose between so many offers from different producers for the same product. Now when it comes to the food industry products, there are so many indicators that affect a persons decision. If it is farm friendly than it is an important factor that affects the decision of the buyers. Buyers will always choose the products that are consistent of organic and natural ingredients. In our case Nestlà ©s most important materials that purchases are milk and cocoa. And it is very important that Nestlà © purchases organic and natural milk and cocoa for the production of its products. Step 2: List the key factors that influence this decision. Certainly success will be considered that all of our raw materials (milk and cocoa) to be purchased from the farm-friendly sources. When we sell our products we also put the farm-friendly sign on it than customers will differentiate our products not only with our brand name, Nestlà ©, but also with its farm-friendly sign. Whereas failure would be considered if we fail to purchase organic and natural milk and cocoa. Whether it is because we cannot afford to buy them or nobody produces organic and natural milk, it still would be considered failure to us. In order to purchase the organic and natural sources, we need to know our suppliers. Where are their farms located, are there sufficient hygiene sources, check for possible diseases that cows may have and also some other issues that would affect the milk quality. Step 3: List the driving forces that influence these key factors Predictable: People will shift to the products that are farm-friendly (natural organic). Nestlà © will increase the profit. Nestlà ©s brand name will become stronger. Increase in the number of farmers who offer farm-friendly products Less predictable: Other food industries will use the same strategy. Higher competition. Highly uncertain: Customers will reject the farm-friendly products. The number of farm-friendly farmers will decrease. Step 4: Rank the key factors and driving forces by importance and by uncertainty. Step 5: Compose plots for alternate futures that could impact the decision. Best Case Scenario: The best case scenario would be if our customers like the products that produce by the organic and natural ingredients. And if this happens, customers shift their demand to these kinds of products, and certainly we will have to shift all of our sources in the production of these products. Furthermore we will grow our market because our brand name will be stronger and we expect a market growth for Nestlà ©. Worst Case Scenario: The worst case scenario would be if customers reject the farm-friendly products. And all of our production will be a loss for our company. Therefore we will lose our market shares not only for these kinds of products but also for other products produced by Nestlà ©. And this will lead to the weakening of our brand name. In-between case Scenario: The in-between case scenario would be if people will buy the organic and natural products but there wouldnt be any raise in the market shares or any change in the demand for Nestlà © products. Step 6: Evaluate the decision in each of the postulated scenarios. Best Case Scenario: We have to make the decision of producing our products with organic and natural ingredients because customers always tend to buy products that are natural and organic. And also products with natural and organic ingredients are much healthier and tastier too, so we will provide healthier and tastier products. By using this farm-friendly strategy of production we will affect also in the raise of the number of farmers in the rural areas. Worst Case Scenario: If the worst case scenario occurs than Nestlà © will for sure face losses in the market shares and in other sectors of the company too. In-between case Scenario: With the in-between case scenario occurrence Nestlà © will probably face some losses in some of its sectors, but it will be easier to rehab in a near future. Step 7: Select indicators and signposts for each scenario. Best Case Scenario: There will a huge demand for the products with organic and natural ingredients. Increase the market shares. Increase in profit. Worst Case Scenario: Rejection of farm-friendly products by customers. High production costs. Loose the market shares. In-between case Scenario: Competition. The market shares status: steady. Trend 2: Recently Nestlà © has merged with the Krafts Food Company so they will start to offer frozen pizzas. Since it is easy for people to prepare frozen products, it is considered that this trend will have positive effects on Nestlà ©s profits. Step 1.   State the focal issue or decision facing the enterprise. A lot of consumers are interested on frozen products because it is easy to prepare them. If a person can prepare a Pizza for 5 minutes by putting it on Microwave, then they will buy it. The focused target for this products will be people who work and do not have enough time for preparing food. Also, the fact that Nestlà ©s slogan is Good Food, Good Health, it is obvious that the frozen pizzas will be healthy, nutritious and they tasty, therefore, there will be a demand for them. Step 2.   List the key factors that influence this decision. In order to achieve this goal, which is to be successful in frozen food industry, we must get information from other food industries which deal with frozen products. We will obtain information which we will analyze, and according to them we will come up with our products. An important factor that influences us to this decision is the name of our company (Nestlà ©), which is a powerful name on the food and beverage industry. People will buy our products more when they realize that Nestlà © is the producer, thus they will increase the demand for the frozen pizzas There will be a success if with this trend we increase the production and the profit to Nestlà ©. There will be a failure if the target market will not accept our new products. If they do so, we have to start developing a new trend. Conditions/Events determining the success/failure: Success If the trend increases the profit and bring success of Nestlà © If consumers accept our products and get satisfaction from it If the demand of our frozen products will be higher than the demand for our competitors products. Failure If this trend will bring losses to our company If frozen products will not be demanded by our target market Critical assumptions defining the logic of these responses The competition on the food and drink industries nowadays is very large. In order to keep our clients and gain new ones, we must develop the frozen products on the market. Therefore, Nestlà © will be differentiated from other companies and will gain success by this trend. Step 3.   List the driving forces that influence these key factors. Highly Predetermined/Predictable An increase of people who consume frozen products Increase companies profit New production technology Less Predictable A decrease of unemployment rate on rural areas Market Size Increase of employees income Competitive advantage of Nestlà © Higher production costs Step 4.   Rank the key factors and driving forces by importance and by uncertainty.  Ã‚   Step 5.   Compose plots for alternate futures that could impact the decision. Best Case Scenario If we will be concentrated on frozen products, the demand for our frozen products and the profit of Nestlà © will be higher. In-Between Outcomes The trend of frozen products will keep things going almost on the same direction, but with a lower profit and production. Worst Case Scenario If we will not go through the strategy of our trend, our market size would be decreased and we will no more have competitive advantage. No one would buy frozen products with a high price if they find almost the same product with a lower price. Step 6.   Evaluate the decision in each of the postulated scenarios. Best Case Scenario We should make this decision because it is a reasonable decision. First of all, the demand for frozen products is higher. Nowadays, most of the people are working and they need products which they can prepare quickly. By informing people about our trend which is Nestlà ©s Frozen Products, we will change the peoples behavior so the demand for our frozen products will increase even more. In Between On this case, the things will diverge a little from the best case, but we are sure that they will not get very bad. This is not a decision which brings us high profits, but it will help us to avoid failure. Worst Case Scenario If we take this scenario, we will face loses for sure. This is obvious that by having a high production cost, the price will increase, which would keep us away from clients. Step 7.   Select indicators and signposts for each scenario. Best Case Scenario Demand for our products Number of clients is high Profit is high In Between The demand for frozen pizzas only (not necessarily other frozen products) Worst Case Scenario High production costs Small number of clients Many competitors Summary During the completion of the project we have done a lot of research to find proper information for each sector of the project assigned to us. We tried to work together on each sector in order to make the project more cohesive. We found very interesting information about Nestlà © and how a big company should operate. We used the terminology and concepts learned through the quarter in the Global Forces and Trends course. During the completion of the project we found out that Nestlà © is a very serious company, each department of Nestlà © has its own responsibilities and it is very well organized. It is important for Nestlà © to observe forces and trends that are affecting the food industry nowadays. It is essential for the company to maintain its market shares and its position in the global market through following the current trends such as: low and no fat products, use of green technology, farm friendly (use of organic and natural sources), healthy and tasty drinks, frozen produc ts and so on. We could expand our knowledge if continue to do more research and explore the company even in more details. Bibliography Global 500. CNN Money. CNN, 01 Jan. 2009. Web. 8 Feb. 2010. . MARKETING PROCESS OF NESTLE CORPORATION. Http://www.scribd.com. Nestle Corporation, 29 May 2009. Web. 8 Feb. 2010. . Nestlà ©. Nestlà © Corporation, n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2010. . Nestlà © South Africa. Nestlà © Corporation, n.d. Web. 8 Feb. 2010. . Appendix Arianit Bllaca Kosova, Gjilan 044 399 364 [emailprotected] Education Cadet of Kosova Security Force, expected graduation 2011. Expected to graduate with the rank of Lieutenant Student in American University in Kosova, expected graduation 2011. Bachelor of Science in Applied Arts and Science Major Management Media and Graphic Communication Minor Public Policy Gymnasium Zenel Hajdini Gjilan, Kosova 2004-2007 Related Coursework Management College Math for Business II Writing Seminar Microeconomics Statistics I Creative and Critical Thinking Macroeconomics Comparative Politics Ind. and Org. Psychology Small Business Manag. Advertising Principles Global Literature Marketing Written argument Managing Media Presentation General Skills Computer skills Operating Systems: Windows XP, Windows Vista. Software applications: Adobe Premiere Pro, Microsoft Office Packet, Photoshop CS4. Languages Albanian native English fluent Hobby: Photography, Basketball, Music. Work Experience Private in maintaining administration of the cadet corps. Years 2008- 2009 Shop assistant in a supermarket. Year 2008 References Available upon request. Gà «zim Osmani Gjilan 60000, Kosova [emailprotected] +377 (0)44 761 573 (Mobile) Objective An internship position with a consulting company. Education American University in Kosovo, AAS graduate 2009 Present-American University in Kosovo, expected graduation 2011 Bachelor of Science in Applied Arts and Science 1st Major: Management 2nd Major: Media Graphic Communications Minor: Public Policy Present-Cadet of Kosova Security Force, expected graduation 2011 Expected to graduate with the rank of Lieutenant 2004-2007 Gymnasium Zenel Hajdini Gjilan, Kosova Mathematics IT Related Coursework à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Photo Imaging with Computers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Design for Print and Web à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Managing Media Presentations à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Fine Arts: Visual Arts à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Advertising Principles à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Marketing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Communicating in Business à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ On Camera, On Mike à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ College Math for Business I II à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Microeconomics à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Industrial Organizational Psychology à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Macroeconomics à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Statistics I à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Research Techniques à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Small Business Management à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Stress Management Work Experiences 2002-2005 Grocery store, Cernicà «, Gjilan Responsible for keeping accounts cashier. 2006 (July December) Vision Computers, Gjilan Install the PC hardware and software, adjust hardware software problems. 2009 (January August) Non-Commissioned Officer for administrative issues in the Center for Universitary Studies, Kosova Security Force. (Cadet Corporal for administrative issues CUS, KSF) 2009 (August December) Drill Sergeant Squad Leader (Cadet. Sgt. Squad leader, CUS, KSF) 2009 Present Staff Sergeant (Cadet Staff Sgt. Platoon leader, CUS, KSF) General Skills Computer Operating Systems: Windows 98/2000/XP/Vista Software Applications: Adobe Photoshop CS3, Adobe Illustrator CS3, Microsoft Office Package (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio Drawing, Publisher, Access), Windows Movie Maker. Languages Albanian native English fluent German elementary Driving license B category (2007) Other Activities 2004-2007 Member of NGO Global Motion Social Theatre, Gjilan 2002-2006 Member of Scouts de France Gjilan Cernicà «

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Comparison of the poems Half-caste and Not My Business Essay

John Agard and Niyi Osundare have both written poems that protest about events or attitudes of people. Agard is From the Caribbean where the population is made up of people from lots of different races. Therefore he is used to being around people of mixed race and will know from first hand experience how horrible it can be to be called only half a person. Osundare has got a good point to make here which is that if people see something going on that is wrong but does not directly involve them, they should do what they can to stop the wrong doing rather than leave it as it may well be them someday and there could be no one to save them. You never know. The first poem is about the term ‘Half-Caste’ which the poet: John Agard, objects to as he thinks that it makes us think of people of mixed race as only half a person instead of a whole person or individual. The next poem ‘Not My Business’ is about the violence used by the state authorities against the people of Nigeria. The poet: Niyi Osundare believes that you should stand up for what is right, regardless of whether it bothers you at that specific time. ‘Not My Business’ is said to echo this statement: â€Å"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews and I did not speak because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me. † The statement is by ‘Pastor Martin Niemoller’ it is very much like the poem ‘Not My Business’ not only because of what is said, but also because of how it is structured. In the first three stanzas what is happening is happening to someone else, not the narrator. However in the last stanza what is happening is happening to the person in the story, either ‘I’ or the Narrator. In ‘Half-Caste’ The poet want us to realize that the term is such a stupid one and he wants the people who use it to realize this and change their attitudes towards people of mixed race. Also the structure of the poem is good as he uses humour at the beginning to catch the reader’s attention and then explains the stupidity of the term. Osundare believes that it is people’s indifference and detachment from what is going on around them that is allowing the terror to go on. The repeated phrase about what business of his is it is indented which shows a distance from what is going on or a detachment. Agard writes phonetically as to the way he would speak the poem, it is one of those poems that needs to be spoken to get the full meaning. He speaks in a patois and uses calypso rhythm and rhyme, which is an example of how English and African dialects have combined and are now a key feature of the poet’s Caribbean culture. ‘Not My Business’ uses a repeated phrase which is just saying ‘What business of mine is it’ etc. This is also indented and therefore shows distance from what is going on in the paragraph. This use of language is a good way to show this distance. This poem says a lot about people’s cultures, not only Nigeria, but people are like this all over the world, and it says a lot that people won’t stick up for what is right just so long as it does not bother them. Both of these poems had a lot to say and they have said it in a strong and down to earth kind of way. The first used humour to get people’s attention and then had a go about the term ‘Half-caste’. However the second just used three examples and then showed that a problem will get much worse if it is left and oppressive regimes are not nice things and people need to stick up and fight against them!

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Finance and Company Essay

So Wrigley has to make decisions on whether or not to borrow $ 3 billion for recapitalization. Question Based on the above situation, there are few questions that arise as seen below: ? Whether the recapitalization would be good for the company’s development in the long run? ?After borrowing $ 3 billion dollars what would the impact on the company’s debt rating be? ?What’s the impact on the company’s share value; would the recapitalization increase the company’s share value? ?What’s the impact on the company’s WACC, an increase or decrease? Would recapitalization increases the EPS of the company? Hypothesis Before capital restructuring due to not having any debt, return on capital and operating income as a percent of sales can be used based on exhibit 2(it is $513,356/$2,429,646= 21%) which is the A to AA range of investment grade. After recapitalization, the company’s debt rating will fall to a BB/B rating which reflects a higher risk and lower debt rating that will cause higher yields. According to Exhibit 7’s given information, the yield is between BB (12. 753) to B (14. 663) to obtain a cost of debt. Impact on share value If the company chooses to repurchase the stock, the WD will be 22. 89% (3,000,000/13,103,000), the WACC will be 10. 19% (22. 89% (1-40%)*13%+77. 1%*10. 9%). Both 10. 32% and 10. 19% are lower than the WACC before recapitalization, which indicates that after the recapitalization the company will have a lower minimum rate of return for the company that it needs to earn on its investments to maintain its wealth. Impact on Voting Control If the company is using the dividend plan to do capital restructuring, there will not be any impact on voting control. However, if the company is using the stock repurchase plan, it will have an influence on the voting control. The current Wrigley family ownership includes 21% of common shares and 58% of B shares. The total numbers of shares outstanding for Wrigley consists of the sum of the common shares of 189. 8 million and class B shares of 42. 641 million (10 votes each), a total of 232,441 million shares. So the company will have 46. 6% ((189. 8*21%+426. 41*58%)/616. 21=46. 6%)voting control before recapitalization. After the recapitalization the voting control will increase to 49% [(179. 22-42. 641)*21%+426. 41*58%]/ (136. 58+426. 41) =49Based on the above analysis, my suggestion is not to borrow $ 3 billion dollars, or if the company insists in doing a recapitalization I would suggest for them to not borrow as much and to make some investment on assets instead of it all in equity. For the Wrigley Company I think they should keep their debt below 50 percent. Because after recapitalization, it will have negative impacts on EPS, debt rating, share value and it has a slightly positive impact on WACC and voting control. The results of impact on EPS analysis shows that EPS will drop from $ 1. 61 to 0. 46 and, the debt/ assets ratio will be 169% which will increase the company’s risks. From a debt rating aspect, after borrowing $ 3 billion dollars, the debt rating of the company will decline from AA/A to BB/B which means that the company will have a higher interest rate, more interest expense and a lower credit rating in the future. This is not good for the company’s future development. From a long term prospective, I believe it’s important that the company be careful in determining whether they should pursue a dividend or stock repurchase strategy. If the company chooses to use the $ 3 billion to pay dividends now, it might increase the investor’s satisfaction in the short run but once the dividend has been paid, the investor will expect the same amount of dividend in the future and a lower dividend might disappoint investors and that might affect the company’s stock price in the future. The stock repurchase is temporary as well, so after the repurchase the ending stock price might drop and it may hurt a potential new investor who made a purchase during the repurchase period. All things considered as long as Wrigley keeps an eye on their long term goals and continues to look at the big picture whilst making good solid financial choices for their company they should be most successful.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Dorian Gray Summary essays

Dorian Gray Summary essays The plot of Oscar Wildes Dorian Gray carries the reader in several different and twisted directions. From the first chapter in which Dorian is a young man just beginning to understand adulthood to the gruesome murder of his friend Basil Hallward, the true ruthless attitude of Dorian Gray rises to the surface. A ruthless carefree attitude which resembles that of one whom he aspires to imitate, Lord Henry Wotton (Harry). However, Dorian soon becomes engulfed in a dramatic world of dissonance, ultimately showing that he in fact is much different and far more despicable than that of Lord Henry. As an audience, our first introduction to Dorians new wicked persona is brought about in chapter seven, just following his broken engagement of marriage with Sibyl Vane. From this point on all evil which Dorian partakes in becomes evident in Basils portrait of him. Dorian not only leads two people to suicide, corrupts the mind of Adrian Singleton, but also takes the life of one whom once held dear to his heart in Basil. The unique factor amongst all this wrong doing is that nobody suspects him of these acts. Dorians soul as he so wished, it brought about in the portrait, while his outer being stays the same. Though both Dorian and Harry live lives dedicated to self fulfillment and pleasure, Dorian has crossed lines which not even Harry could imagine. Lord Henrys preached theories and ideas are a deliberate attempt to bring down established norms and question conventional feelings of truth. But, that is where it stops. Even Basil Hallward notes that Lord Henry doesnt believe half of what he says. Furthermore, in regards to the mysterious yellow book, Harry unlike Dorian feels that As for being poisoned by a book, there is no such thing as that. Art has no influence upon action(161) Throughout the chapters Harry continuously lives his settled life of attending parties, going t ...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Five Ways to Ace Your Video Interview

Five Ways to Ace Your Video Interview An increase in job candidates willing to relocate for jobs, the high cost of shuttling them back and forth for interviews, and advancements in digital technology have resulted in a perfect storm of opportunity in the job hunting world: the video interview. While video interviews share the same ultimate goal as face-to-face interviews, there are some extra things to think about before getting ready for your close-up. Read on to learn five ways to make the very best impression during your video interview. 1. Set the SceneWhile you may be conducting the interview from your living room sofa, it’s essential to present yourself and your surroundings in the most professional way. Choose a bright, clean location, and be careful in rooms with lots of windows as these can cause backlighting and shadows.Eliminate clutter and annoying background noises, silence your phone, and close all irrelevant windows on your computer. Distractions not only disrupt your attention, but also the attenti on of your interviewer.Also, make sure you have access to a power source and charger: video is quick to drain computer batteries, and running out during an interview shows poor planning.2. Dress All Parts For the PartMany people assume that because interviewers only see them from the waist up, it’s acceptable to wear comfy clothing on the bottom along with your professional top. However, skip the inclination to dress down, and instead dress to impress with a top-to-bottom look. Not only will you feel more professional, but on the off chance you have to get up to retrieve a file or document, you won’t risk exposing your ratty old sweatpants.3. Do a â€Å"Test Run†Take time in advance to do a â€Å"test run† at the same location and time of day as your impending interview. Before the call, test your connection and voice/microphone. If possible, invest in a good pair of headphones: they can prevent connection problems as well as trim down on sound disruption .For best results, record a test call to see how you present on camera, and to determine any necessary adjustments or improvements.And don’t forget: you can even experiment with your camera positioning to present yourself in the most flattering way. Most people find that keeping the camera at eye level is the most attractive angle.4. Eye Contact is KeyWhile eye contact is important in any social or professional situation, it’s a particular challenge during the video interview. Why? Because the temptation is strong to watch yourself on the screen, instead of looking directly at the camera. This not only makes you look unfocused, but can be unsettling to the interviewer. Keep in mind that you’re not directly addressing the screen, but the camera above your screen. Practice this during your test run.5. Smile Early and OftenMeeting with a person face-to-face has a different â€Å"feel,† than conducting a video interview. While the connection can seem distant and disconnected, it is still extremely important to present yourself as a friendly, likable person. After all, most employers today are looking for soft skills, and failure to show off your personable side during a video interview can quickly remove you from the running.While participating in video interviews can feel strange or stressful, they’re increasingly part of the job hunt experience. Taking time to prepare yourself and become accustomed to the process can set you up for success. And remember: the ultimate goal is to enhance the hiring process and help you find the job of your dreams, so look at each video opportunity not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Technical Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Technical Writing - Essay Example Please consider my proposal. Observations and recommendations: Firstly, the design and output of the dog cages in regard to easy public access can be improved upon to increase successful adoptions. I have included a simple sketch to show you how best to optimize the shelter’s outdoor facility for dogs. By increasing the cage-size, it not only allows for multiple-dog living, but also improved social behavior in the animals. This in turn will shed the best light possible on the dogs when future-prospects enter the property. It also makes it easier to locate the shed in the rear of the area so a) it is out of the way from the public b) easier for employees to go to and from and c) lessens the chance of dogs escaping as it is within the fencing. Furthermore, to increase profits, this new design should be photographed and implemented on the No Kill website. The website should be updated weekly to avoid past-dates and appearing non-working to the possible donators. I also wish to no te that, although the descriptions of the dogs are â€Å"adorable and cheeky,† they lack complete honesty. Not every dog is going to be â€Å"friendly, family-loving companions.† The more honest you are the better. It not only sets you up for successful adoptions, but it builds more interest as the customers’ can trust you. ... Thank you. Sincerely, YOUR NAME "Proposals/[YOUR NAME]." The RFP described more than adequately meets the guidelines for implementing a mass understanding in how to create a proper proposal that will be accepted and considered by the team. Most businesses do not share this information to its employees. They expect them to already know how to do it. The author of the flextime proposal answered all of the questions employed by the RFP including funds, and incorporated everyone in the company, not just himself/herself. Although, Sally’s proposal suggests her selfishness in desiring a new space, it seems a bit excessive of the Board to believe that’s the only way she’s thinking before asking her. Perhaps, she misplaced her RFP or needed more help in understanding it, which is why her proposal fell short. Sally Twintree should have gone to another employee for aid if she did not understand how to properly put together a proposal or kindly asked the Directors for anoth er copy of the RFP to follow before she went ahead and gave it to

Friday, November 1, 2019

Compare Zara and Primarks operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Compare Zara and Primarks operations - Essay Example The company is a subsidiary company of the Associated British foods Company. Primark is in the business of selling readymade garments including women’s wear, children wear and menswear of stylish fashion and high variety at accessible and affordable prices. The company mainly operates in the market of the United Kingdom with its stores in different European countries like London, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, German, and Holland etc. The company has more than 150 stores located in different parts of the United Kingdom. The main competitors of Primark are Next, River Island, Guess, Gap, and Zara. The competition between these companies is based on achieving competitive advantage through the use of different business models and unique operational strategies. The report encompasses a study of the business models followed by Zara and Primark with an identification of the key similarities and differences in the two business models and a study of the key business objectives of these two companies and their impact on the competitive advantage creation for both the companies.  The report also includes a tradeoff analysis of the two companies on the basis of key operation factors like cost, quality etc. The report is suitably concluded with the recommendations given to the companies for achieving sustainable competitive advantage. The owner of Inditex, Amancio Ortega Gaona has been renowned for adapting innovative business models in all his fashion brands. The business model adopted in Zara is unique and one of a kind. The business model followed by Zara is a popular fast fashion retail model. On the other hand, the business model of Primark is aimed at providing low cost products to the consumers. The business model implemented by Primark is a ‘no whistles no bells’ business model in which redundant services are done away with to make the supply chain more efficient and to incur low operating

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Why do Juveniles Runaway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Why do Juveniles Runaway - Essay Example Juveniles are the persons not so old; simply they are the minor person included in crimes. The reason for their runway might be different but mainly these are due to lack of attention, abused, abandoned and most of all they are neglected by the family. Some authors stated the cause of runaway is integration problems holding many factor. The runaway of such youth causes great affect on the social and national environment. The family of such youth specially faces mantel torture, rude behavior and tough life a head in their social circle. The causes for such juveniles runaway might be as: Doctor Siegel1 in his books state that usually the youth belongs to broken family involve themselves in such act. The philosophers usually includes in the review that such youth are neglected and thus lack ethics, norms and values that can help in making their life successful. The reason for lacking in ethics is the attention they need while their grooming. The parents remain no more with each other and this cause more on their babies. The youth belongs to broken family fails to get enough training from their elders. Some time it is noticed that though they hold norms but usually these activities are taken by these youth in order to show their elders that they want attention. Have you ever noticed small child behaving differently in front of his/her parents You must noticed that the child want that every one should notice him/her. The same is the reason for such youth. Such teenagers use to behave differently in order to get enough attention, what they really want. Doctor Robert L. Buckwalter2 wrote that usually the community of such young child didn't hold nice friends and locality, simply the term is "peer pressure". The eastern countries usually hold such problems. In South East Asian countries the under ground crimes has many helpers, these are trying to spreading such crimes in the country, the only reason is to make the economy weak. These social circle matters a lot. When the youth use to move with such negative conduct people this causes great affect on the youth. Usually this may be due to the college or university gang. Such gangs attract many youth and trying to produce violence. Therefore, the legal issues of the university and of other community must be so strong that it should help in controlling such violence. Within other causes, the drug use is the major reason of this crime. The drug makes the person unconscious and causes many problems. Have you ever noticed many youth gangs producing violence at world cup game of football The only reason is that these youth gangs are drugged. Due to this the person becomes unconscious and become aggressive if the outcomes didn't come according to him/her. They are drugged due to many reason, either they took it as adventurous or get in habit due to bad community. Whatever the reason is, the drug is the major cause of juvenile's runaway especially in the western countries where most of the youth drugged due to their habit or took it mostly as an adventurous hobby. Juvenile's runaway is

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Life Plan After College Essay Example for Free

The Life Plan After College Essay The Life Plan will help you to achieve your short-term, mid-term, and long-term life goals. It allows you to visualize your future. Its focus is on three major life areas, academic, career, and personal. Individuals who have a clear vision of their future have a greater likelihood of realizing their dreams and goals than those who treat life as a stream of random unrelated events. A secondary outcome of this assignment is that it will allow you to demonstrate your written communication skills. Instructions: Respond to the following questions by answering in complete paragraphs. Be specific and detailed in your responses. Use examples to illustrate your points. Make sure that your responses are grammatically correct with no errors in punctuation or spelling. Proof your work and have others proof your work. Use the College writing lab if you need additional assistance with grammar, structure, or punctuation. Produce a document with no errors. Questions: 1. Now that you have entered college, what are the immediate short-term goals you expect to achieve this semester and the following two semesters? Address the goals that are relevant to you in the academic, personal, and career realm. What does it mean to you to achieve these goals? Why do want to major in __________? What opportunities will your completing this academic degree will be available to you? Who can help you make your career and or academic decisions? 2. Visualize yourself, as you grow older. What do you see your accomplishments to be ten years from now, twenty, and thirty? What advocational goals do you have? These could include hobbies, artistic, musical or other creative pursuits. What do you hope to be doing following your retirement? Where will you live and work? Do you see yourself contributing to others in your community as you achieve the goals you have set? If so, how? Will you volunteer in some way in your community? What things will be necessary to allow you to live your long-term vision of this future? Again, address the areas of academic, personal, and career, as you respond to this question. 3. Identify and write about your mid-term goals in the areas of academic, personal and career. These are things you hope to complete during the next two to five years. These might include transfer to another higher education institution, relocating, finding a job more closely related to your career interest area, starting a family etc.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Constructivism in the classroom Essay -- essays research papers

Constructivism represents a paradigm shift form education based on cognitive theories. This concept assumes that learners construct their own knowledge on the basis of interaction with their environment. (Gagnon & Collay, 200?) The role of the teacher as a constructor of the learning experience to ensure authentic curriculum and assessment which is responsive to the skills, needs and experiences of the learner, within established curriculum framework and with the reference to the achievement of literacy, numeracy, retention and attainment of outcomes. Krause, Bochner and Duchesne (p.157) comment that â€Å"as learners interact with their environment, they link information learned through experience to previous knowledge, and so construct new understandings and knowledge.† Constructivism then inturn encourages Teachers and Learning Managers to recognise the value of prior knowledge and experiences that each child brings with them into the classroom, and help them (the students ) build on their understandings of the world by providing appropriate learning experience plans. This practise of effective teaching and learning has relatively new in classrooms but has already made a great difference in the students’ abilities and interests both in and out of their studies. Constructivist teaching recognises and validates the student’s point of view rather then the necessity of a correct answer. The child is then able to reassess their knowledge and understandings, which in turn boosts self-esteem and confidence. It also encourages children to be involved in classroom activities by self-questioning, seeking answers, comparing situations and establishing links between different ideas. This is possible as constructive learning is transferable between different ideas. (Tutorial Notes, 28th July, 2004) Jean Piaget (1896 – 1980), a Swiss psychologist, portrayed the child as a ‘lone scientist’, creating their own sense of the world. Their knowledge of relationships among ideas, objects and events is constructed by the active processes of internal assimilation, accommodation and equilibration. (Hughes, 2001). He also believed that we must understand the child’s understandings of the world, and this should guide the teaching practises and evaluation. The fundamental basis of learning was discovery. To understand is reconstruct by discovery, and such conditions must be compiled... ...n essentials that teachers should undertake to help maintain a healthy constructivist classroom. It is important to hold a belief that learning is restructuring of thought rather than an increase in content, and reconstruction or recall will reflect that particular ‘schema’ of the child. They also believe that the use of cognitive conflict promotes the consolidation of concepts. The use of ‘wrong’ answers also helps students analyse their thinking in order to retain the correct elements and revise their misconceptions. Promoting social interaction, peer friendships and co-operation, also increases their interest and comprehension in learning, as well as improve the child’s conflict resolution skills. Teachers continually learn about ways people learn – the processes of learning and how individuals learn best. They learn about their students and individuals, and learn with as well as from their students when they seek knowledge together. (Principles of effective learning and teaching, 1994). Through continually discovering new and exciting ways to help mould a constructivist classroom, the students will be able to achieve their outcomes with great ease and learn to enjoy education.