Listening Log Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Listening Log - Essay Example Furthermore, it is beautiful to hear a single unaccompanied instrument, which really brings the focus down to the skill of the individual musician and the abilities of the instrument. The second piece is a piano piece entitled Adagio Sostenuto performed by Daniel Barenboim It is by enlarge soft and delicate. The perpetual melody of only three notes bring all of the other elements of the composition into incredibly sharp focus. This piece is also almost entirely in a minor key, underscoring a sad or somewhat mournful attitude. This is an amazing piece that I like quite a lot. One of the things I like about it is its huge amount and variety of textures, and rolling mini climaxes without that show that you can create a peak in music without going overly-loud or increasing tempo overly much. I also like that it is soft and delicate without being in any way tentative, every stroke is done with precision and determination, and even after a moment of hesitancy the stroke comes down in a pow erful way. The next song is the classic â€Å"Smooth Criminal† by the ever-famous (even posthumously) Michael Jackson. Its genre is, strictly speaking, pop. It is incredibly danceable, in a strict and somewhat predictable four-four time. It also has an incredibly catchy and single-able chorus. It incorporates a wide variety of influences, however. There are touches of proto industrial music in the percussion, which sound like they may be clanging on metal pans or the sides of a building. Furthermore, rap has a significant influence on the song, with its tersely spoken-word style narrative, as does funk through a wide use of synth and base. So while this is a pop song through and through, it has a wide variety of influences. This song is a really enjoyable one to listen to for a wide variety of reasons. Firstly, Michael Jackson has an incredibly interesting voice, which he layers and uses to great effect in this song. It also is a great representative of 1980s pop, almost over using synth while somehow being able to pull it off effectively at the last minute. This is a song by Cold Play. It is definitely a pop-rock song, falling into four-four time with emphasis on the two and four, though it interestingly has a base drum on every beat. Unlike many pop-rock songs, this forgoes traditional insturemenation, choosing to augment the classical base-guitar-vocalist-drummer set-up with at least a quartet of string instruments (the cello carries the melody for much of the song, but there are places one can definitely hear a viola and or a violin as well), along with a wide range of non-traditional (for the genre). I am indifferent to this song, because it does some things well but some things poorly. I think the choice of instrumentation is very interesting to listen to, and carry the song very well. The problem, however, is that I do not feel that the lyrics are very evocative, and fail to carry the song properly. The final song is â€Å"Back to Black† b y the gone-all-to-early Amy Winehouse. This is an incredibly interesting songs. By far the most important instrument in this composition is vocals, with Amy Winehouse providing a powerhouse performance. It also has a string section, a drum kit and possibly some horns kicking in the back, which all lead to a very layered and rich sound. This song harkens back to Motown Era R&B, with a heavy influence from soul.

Courtroom Group Essay Example for Free

Courtroom Group Essay In the following essay will talk about the participants in a courtroom. How do they work on a daily basis and what changes would I recommend. Also what is the role of the prosecutor? How does a prosecutor determine which cases to pursue? Also what are some solutions to backlog of cases? According to Schmallager (2011), criminal trial participants are dividing in two categories that are professionals and outsiders. The professional are the people who work in the courtroom. They are well trained to conduct the business of the court; for example; prosecuting attorneys, judges, defense attorneys and others who work in the courtroom falls into this category. They are also known as courtroom work group. The outsiders are those who temporarily are involved with the court, but they are not familiar with the court organization and procedures. Outsiders include jurors and witnesses, also defendants and victims. Judges has primary duty. It is describe as follows: the judge is responsible for the right of the individual and the interest of the administration of criminal justice. The purpose of the criminal trial is to be sure the prosecution has established the law as required. Judges holds the ultimate authority and ruling in law. The defense is the attorney that specialized in criminal law. He is responsible of representing the accused after being arrested and make sure his or her rights are not violated during the process. As a good reader I would recommend the courtroom group to lower the work load. What I mean is to try to hear less case a day, but I understand that criminal cases have increased tremendously. According to Schmallager (2011), the prosecutor is called the district attorney, state’s attorney, and commonwealth attorney, county attorney or solicitor. The prosecutor’s role is to protect the right of the public. The prosecutor represents the entire community, attempting to ensure their safety from the wrongful actions of criminal. The goal protective responsibility plays out in the context of the criminal trial, from the contemplation of initial changes before the trial, the activities during the trial, and through post-trial sentencing recommendations. Prosecutors are elected to serve during four years with the possibility of continuing. Prosecutors supervise a group of assistants who are district attorneys and does most in-court work. The prosecutor role is to advise the local police departments. Prosecutors are sensitive when it comes to the kind of information they need to conviction, they help with the police investigation and help detective identify witnesses and evidence. This role is limited. At the time of the trial the prosecutor presents the state’s case against the defendant. They introduce the evidence against the accused and argue in favor of the conviction. The defendant is innocent until proven guilty. Before a case comes to trial, the prosecutor has to decide if accept a plea bargain, for example; divert the accused to a private or public social service, ask the suspect to look for counseling or dismiss the case for lack of evidence. Prosecutor play significant role before grand jury. Some states use the grand jury depend on the evidence the prosecutor brings before them. The prosecutor decides which witness to call. The prosecutor does not end with the finding guilt or innocence. They are allowed to make sentencing recommendations to the judge. They can argue the accused criminal record. The prosecutor responsibility of a minister of justice and not simply that an advocate; the prosecutor duty is to look for justice, not merely to convict. The responsibility has specific obligations, is to see if defendant is accorded procedural justice and guilty is decided upon sufficient evidence. Usually a prosecutor tries to prove that the accused is guilty of an offense to determine based on beyond the reasonable doubt is the case pursued. According to Smith (2010), the criminal justice funnel refers to a number of cases that still haven’t being resolved until a percentage has to be through trials. The criminal justice funnel is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. Some cases might be dismissed while others are required to go for counseling. Another way of explaining the criminal funnel is to say that there are more crimes than inmates. This process has its limitation of amount of offenders incarcerated and in court. The result of the funnel justice is a small numbers of criminal researching for trial. The decreased of people incarcerated and trials the criminal justice system would save money and man hours. The less serious crime offenders are given probation, where they are incarcerated for another violation or committing another crime. Many of the cases are dismissed due to the lack of evidence or pleas are bargained. In conclusion the criminal funnel backlog is not just to setback of the judiciary. The backlog cases obstruct the access of justice which is considered the basic human rights. The backlog in a court means a heavy case which is not able to hear or try cases in a certain time manner because the cases docked is over the court capacity. References Schmalleger, F. (2011). Criminal Justice today: An Introductory text for the 21 century (11th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix e-Books Collection database. Smith, A. (2010) what is Criminal Justice Funnel? Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/facts_6870601_criminal-justice-funnel_.html

Environmental attitude and environmental behaviour

Environmental attitude and environmental behaviour Hypothesis In existing literature, environmental attitude is commonly understood as a cognitive judgment towards the value of environmental protection. Contrasting results have been found between environmental attitude and behaviour. While some researchers have claimed a positive correlation between environmental attitude and environmental behaviour (Kotchen and Reiling, 2000), others have concluded that the relationship is either moderate or tenuous (Davis, 1995). The contradictory results in studies of the relationship between environmental attitude and behaviour suggest that further studies are needed to confirm the relationship between environmental attitude and behaviour. Thus, based on the view in majority of the literature reviewed, our hypothesis is: H1: Eco friendly attitude positively impacts eco friendly behaviour. Though it has been debated whether awareness affects attitude or attitude affects awareness. But it is important to note that after developing an attitude, the awareness in terms of recognizing and observing different things about the topic comes into picture. This is especially valid for a country like India where these things are increasingly gaining understanding. Let us understand the impact of attitude on awareness through this simple example. A student has a class on environmental issues. To be specific, the teacher discusses an example of how pesticides enter the human body through food consumption and organic foods can help in reducing these toxic levels and lead to a healthy living. The student develops a positive attitude towards organic foods because of this knowledge. This positive attitude will lead to him subconsciously noting organic foods when in the superstore. This is what awareness is. Eco friendly attitude has an impact on the level of environmental awareness. Thus, based on the literature, our hypothesis is: H2: A positive attitude towards the environment will positively impact the level of environmental awareness. Eco friendly behaviour is defined to the consumption of products that are beneficial to the environment (Mostafa, 2007). Past studies have examined what factors affect environmental behaviour in general (Johnson et al., 2004). According to these studies, environmental awareness can be an important factor towards determining eco friendly behaviour. (Chan, 2001). Thus, based on the literature, our hypothesis is: H3: Environmental awareness positively impacts eco friendly behaviour. In this study we intend to explore the relationship between eco friendly attitude and behaviour. It has been generally seen that though environmental attitude is fairly high now, eco friendly behaviour does not show such high levels. This has been referred to as the attitude behaviour gap. (Alwitt and Pitts, 1996). Many studies have been conducted to explore this gap and what variables can be used to explain this. Environmental awareness is one of those variables. (Chan, 2001) This study explores the concept of environmental awareness as a factor that mediates the impact of attitude on behaviour. Thus, based on the literature, our hypothesis is: H4:Environmental Awareness mediates the relationship between eco friendly attitude and eco friendly behaviour. Certain literary works have evidenced that women reported significantly more participation in general environmental behaviour and specific green consumption than men (Maineri, 1997). Certain sample studies of western countries have shown that females express more positive attitudes towards the environment than males do (Tikka, 2007). Additional evidence also provides that women report stronger environmental attitudes than men across age and across 14 countries (Argentina, Canada, Columbia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, the United States and Venezuela) (Zelezny, 2000). A recent research conducted also claimed that female adolescent consumers scored significantly higher in environmental attitude (Lee, 2009). Equal numbers of males and females expressed a positive attitude towards organic foods according to study by (Dahm, Samonte and Shows, 2009). This finding varies somewhat from the literature, which identifies female s as being more aware and having stronger attitudes about organic foods. Thus, based on the literature, our hypothesis is: We have stated the hypothesis by breaking it into three sub-hypotheses. H5/A: The impact of eco friendly attitude on environmental awareness is more in case of Indian female consumers than their male counterparts. H5/B: The impact of environmental awareness on eco friendly behaviour is more in case of Indian female consumers than their male counterparts. H5/C: The impact of eco friendly attitude on eco friendly behaviour is more in case of Indian female consumers than their male counterparts. Research Design Methods Operationalization of Constructs and Variables The figure shows a diagrammatic representation of our research model. The definition of each of the constructs according to our interpretation is mentioned below. Eco-Friendly Attitude (EFA) Eco-friendly attitude (EFA) aims to measure the cognitive judgment of the respondent towards the value of environmental protection. It is the prerequisite to eco-friendly behavior (EFB). This is because the person should exhibit some environment friendly attitude before he takes definite steps towards improving the environment thus is considered as the independent construct in the model. Eco-Friendly Behavior (EFB) Eco-friendly behavior (EFB) measures respondents readiness to take specific actions for environmental protection. These include consumers willingness to buy organic products, products which are certified ‘environmentally-safe. High eco-friendly attitude may or may not lead to eco-friendly behavior and hence latter forms the dependent construct under study. Environmental Awareness (EA) Environmental awareness/consciousness (EA) measures the awareness level of the respondent about environment and current environmental problems. A person with high environmental awareness realizes that an effort is required, both at an individual level and organization level, to improve general environmental conditions. Gender The variable gender has been obviously taken into two categories male and female. Sample A sample of 180 students in the age group 20-30 years, doing a post graduate course in Business management or equivalent participated in a questionnaire which inquired about their attitude towards the environment, awareness and purchasing behavior regarding eco-friendly products. The sample consisted of 102 male and 78 female respondents. The questionnaire was administered through the Internet and responses were directly received. Measures The above mentioned constructs were measured by a five point Likert scale wherein respondents were asked to mark their responses from 1 (‘‘Strongly Disagree or ‘‘Not at all ) to 5 (‘‘Strong Agree or ‘‘definitely). Eco-friendly attitude (EFA): Respondents eco-friendly attitude was measured with a five-point Likert scale (1 indicates ‘‘Strongly Disagree 5 ‘‘Strong Agree) developed by Sweeney et al. (2001). The scale had 7 items. A sample item is ‘‘It is very important to raise environmental awareness among Indians. Eco-friendly behavior (EFB): Respondents eco-friendly behavior was measured with a five-point likert scale (1 indicates ‘‘Strongly Disagree 5 ‘‘Strong Agree) developed by Sweeney et al. (2001). The scale had 6 items. A sample item is ‘‘I often buy products which are labeled environmentally safe. Environmental awareness/consciousness (EA): Respondents environmental awareness was measured with a five-point Likert scale (1 indicates ‘‘Not at all 5 ‘‘definitely) developed by Vlosky et al. (1999). The scale had 5 items. A sample item is ‘‘I believe that environmental information on packaging is important. Gender was directly measured from a single question. The entire questionnaire is presented in Appendix A. Analysis We have first of all conducted a reliability test for each of the three scales. Then for the purpose of our mediation analysis we have used a four step method that was developed by Kenny et al. (1998) and Baron and Kenny (1986) for the purpose of mediation analysis. This consists of four steps. In the first step we have used Eco Friendly Attitude as the independent variable to predict the dependent variable Eco Friendly Behaviour using linear regression. In the second step we have used Eco Friendly Attitude as the independent variable and used it to regress Environmental Awareness. The third step comprises of regressing Eco Friendly Behaviour using Environmental Awareness as the predictor variable. The final step comprises of regressing Eco Friendly Behaviour using both Eco Friendly Attitude and Environmental Awareness to determine the mediating effect of Environmental Awareness. Results Reported in Table1 are the means, SD, correlations and internal consistency measure (Cronbachs ÃŽ ±). From the table we can clearly see that EA and EFB are very strongly correlated with each other. Even both of these are correlated with EFA but the extent of correlation of EFA is comparatively lower with EA and even lower with EFB hinting at a possible mediation of the EFA and EFB relation by EA. But a conclusive decision regarding the mediation can only be taken after we perform regression analysis for the same. Table 1: Means, SDs, correlations and Cronbachs ÃŽ ±. S. No. Variables Mean SD 1 2 3 Alpha (ÃŽ ±) 1 Eco Friendly Attitude 27.19 3.77 0.752 2 Environmental Awareness 19.52 3.7 0.606 0.797 3 Eco Friendly behaviour 18.89 4.47 0.457 0.738 0.847 Going forward, the regression analysis is presented in Table 2. In the first step we regress for EFB using EFA as a predictor or independent variable. The results show that the impact of EFA on EFB is significant (since p In the second step we regressed for EA using EFA as a predictor or independent variable. The results show that EFA significantly impacted EA (since p In the third step we regressed for EFB using the mediating variable EA as a predictor variable. The results again show a significant relation between the two which shows that the mediating variable here is significantly related to the criterion variable. Thus Hypothesis 3 is supported. In the final step we regressed for EFB using both EA and EFA as predictor variables to comment on mediation effect. EFA significantly affected EFB and EA as seen in step 1 and 2 but became non-significantly related to EFB in this step (p=0.795>>0.01). The same is emphasized by the fact that the significance of the impact of EA on EFB is still significant (p=0.000). Hence this shows complete mediation of the relation between EFA and EFB by EA. The mediation effect comes to 0.440 for EFA for its relationship with EFB. The Z-score using the Sobel calculator turns out to be 7.63 which is much greater than 1.96. Hence the mediation is significant at 1% level of significance (two-tailed). Hence hypothesis 4 is supported. Table 2: Regression Analysis Results for measuring the mediation effect. RÂ ² Unstandardized Î’ Standardized Î’ Significance Change in ÃŽ ² Step 1 0.209 0.542 0.457 0.000 Step 2 0.367 0.594 0.606 0.000 Step 3 0.545 0.893 0.738 0.000 Step 4 0.545 0.88 0.728 0.000 Step 4 0.545 0.02 0.017 0.795 0.44 Once the mediation analysis is completed we now move to analysis of another important part of our model which is moderation of the relationships between EFA, EA and EFB by gender. Table 3 shows the regression re-performed separately for the male and the female samples. The mediation analysis again is shown to be significant in both the cases taken separately as seen from the fact that the first three relations are significant and in the step 4, the relation between EA and EFB is still significant showing that full mediation exists. The mediation effect turns out to be 0.62 in case of females and 0.322 in case of males. The Z-score comes to 6.38 in case of females and 4.57 in case of males. This shows that the mediation is significant in both the cases. Table 3: Regression Analysis Results for measuring the mediation effect (Female/Male). RÂ ² Unstandardized ÃŽ ² Standardized Î’ Significance Change in ÃŽ ² Step 1 0.315/0.144 0.719/0.424 0.561/0.379 0.000/0.000 Step 2 0.519/0.262 0.839/0.427 0.720/0.512 0.000/0.000 Step 3 0.670/0.433 0.900/0.883 0.818/0.657 0.000/0.000 Step 4 0.671/0.435 0.947/0.844 0.861/0.628 0.000/0.000 Step 4 0.671/0.436 (-)0.076/0.064 (-)0.059/0.057 0.537/0.516 0.62/0.322 The standardized ÃŽ ² coefficient is shown for all the relationships in our model in the Figure 1 for both the male and the female set of respondents. The standardized coefficient clearly shows that for female respondents the impact of EFA on EFB is substantially higher than in the case of male respondents. The same is observed in case of the relationship between EFA and EA as well as between EA and EFB. Hence Hypothesis 5(a), 5(b) and 5(c) are supported. the Male/ Female set of respondents. Discussions and Implications The study conducted above analyzed the impact of Eco Friendly Attitude on Eco Friendly Behaviour and mediation of the relationship by Environmental Awareness in the context of the Indian youth studying in the post graduate schools of the country. Very little study, if any, has been conducted on this topic in the Indian Context so much so that only in 2009 has research started in Asia-Pacific by Kaman Lee (2009) on the same. This report provides a valuable insight into the topic for marketers as well as for future studies conducted in India. As can been seen from the analysis conducted above Eco Friendly Attitude seems to have a positive impact on Eco Friendly Behaviour which is consistent with the study conducted by Kotchen and Reiling (2000). This is very logical in the sense that people with a favourable attitude towards eco friendly products can be expected to have eco friendly behaviour even in spite of the extra price may be monetary or opportunistic that they have to pay for such behaviour. To have a better understanding of the topic we introduced Environmental Awareness as another construct and tried to find its role as a mediator. The first conclusion that came out of the same was that an Eco Friendly Attitude would imply a higher Environmental Awareness. This is in direct agreement to the study conducted by Mittal (1989). The logic behind the same is that an attitude would act as a motivation for them to learn more about these products hence increasing their awareness. The next conclusion that comes directly from the results is that Environmental Awareness leads to Eco Friendly Behaviour. This is again consistent with the study conducted by Chan (2001). This makes sense because people with more awareness about eco friendly products can be expected to have favourable purchasing behaviour towards the same. The results also establish the mediation of the relation between Eco Friendly Attitude and Eco Friendly Behaviour is being mediated by Environmental Awareness which is consistent with the studies conducted by Alwitt and Pitts (1996). This stresses on the importance of bringing about awareness about Eco Friendly Products among consumers. The conclusion that can be drawn here is that awareness about these products is more important than only an attitude towards the same. The results also show gender specific implications for each of these relationships. From the analysis for female consumers impact of attitude on behaviour seems to be higher which is in direct accordance with the study conducted by various authors like Maineri (1997) etc. mentioned in the literature review. The same is true to the other two relationships between Eco Friendly Attitude Environmental Awareness and between Environmental Awareness and Eco Friendly Behaviour. This makes sense because prominently household purchasing is done by females and hence there is a higher probability of attitude being converted to purchasing behaviour. Again females have been seen to exhibit more seriousness towards such issues as expressed in the literature review and hence the case. India is set to see a substantial increase in the market for eco friendly products. The study has great relevance for Indian marketers because this study emphasizes on the fact that awareness plays a key role in behaviour. This is a positive boost to the importance of environment awareness campaigns in bringing about eco friendly behaviour. This justifies the use of such campaigns in the drive for to create a host of environment friendly consumers. The fact that the impact of such awareness on behaviour is more in case of female consumers hints to the marketers about the possible benefit of targeting that segment of the consumers. The obvious conclusion from the above research is that the benefit from conversion of awareness and attitude to behaviour would be more in case of female consumers and marketing campaigns should be made to influence this particular market segment. Limitations, Scope for Future Research and Conclusion Firstly the primary data collection was done among a restricted age group (20-30 years) and hence the same cannot be generalized for all the other age groups. Similar studies need to be conducted among other age groups as well. Secondly the same is valid for the educational background. As for the purpose of this study we had only approached students from B-Schools or other equivalent post graduate schools. Hence this result cannot be generalized for other sections of the society. Thirdly there might be an influence of cultural behaviour on survey results as the same is restricted to Indian cities. Hence for generalizability of the results, future studies should take into account the cultural influence on different variables. Fourthly The media used for the dissemination of the questionnaire in our case is internet because of the scarcity of time. Hence this might have restricted a few of the respondents from our target group. A parallel on-paper questionnaire could have provided a more comprehensive sample from the target group. But for the restricted category of people from which our sample was taken and which forms a substantial market for eco friendly products the results hold true. Thus for this section Eco Friendly Attitude positively impacts Eco Friendly Behaviour and the same is moderated by Environmental Awareness. The impacts are much higher in female consumers compared to male consumers. Hence female consumers should ideally be the target of marketers to eco friendly products who try to drive in awareness about eco friendly products to people having positive attitude towards the same.

Duke Players in NBA :: essays research papers

Mike Krzyzweski has sent the most players to the NBA in the past 15 years. As a matter of fact he has 15 ex-Blue Devils in the NBA. Danny Ferry was the first his players to graduate to the NBA. In 1989 he was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers, and in 2003 helped the San Antonio Spurs win a NBA title. Christian Laettner was second in line, he was drafted 3rd overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1992, and recently retired in 2005 with the Miami Heat. Laettner wasn?t the only player from the 1992 championship team to branch off into the NBA Grant Hill came right behind him in 1994, when he became the 3rd overall pick in the NBA draft, after being drafted by the Detroit Pistons he was traded to the Orlando Magic, and still plays with them. In 1999 Coach K sent out his 1st, number one overall pick, when Elton Brand was drafted by the Chicago Bulls. Brand was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2001, and is considered one of the NBA?s best players. In 2001 Shane Battier won the C ollege Player of the Year award, he also earned the 6th overall pick in the draft by the Memphis Grizzlies, he now plays for the Houston Rockets. Carlos Boozer is the first 2nd round selection of Coach K?s 15 NBA players. He was chosen 35th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers, he now plays for the Utah Jazz, and is one of the leagues top international players. Mike Dunleavy is one of three players from Duke to be chosen 3rd overall. In 2002 the Golden State Warriors selected, he currently plays with the Indiana Pacers. Dunleavy wasn?t the only player to depart from Duke in 2002, Jay Williams was his partner, going right before Dunleavy, and being the 2nd overall pick, for the Chicago Bulls. Chris Duhon became the second player to join Boozer in being a 2nd round selection in 2004 by the Chicago Bulls. Dahntay Jones is the only player who made it to the NBA that didn?t play his entire collegiate career with Duke. His childhood friend Jay Williams encouraged him to join the team after he had already been playing at Rutgers University. He was selected 20th overall in 2003 by the Boston Celtics, he presently plays with the Memphis Grizzlies. Along with teammate Elton Brand, Corey Maggette is also notable as one of the first Duke players under Coach K to leave before the end of his athletic eligibility.

Muted Group Theory

Pant set us this assignment she told us that we could choose any topic at all that she has touched upon in class and we have to note our response to it. It does not need to be a theory only. I read the theories and had Initially thought that I would Like to comment on how men are forced to conform to certain stereotypes and at times have to bottle up their emotions to ensure they are accepted by the people around them. However, 2 days before the submission date, I was casually browsing the internet when I came across the below advertisement.It aught my attention, forcing me research and reflect on it thus completely changing my topic. The ad for a Jewelry brand shows high carat diamonds and other precious stones which along with the kind of clothes that the models are wearing and the usage of English language shows that it is aimed at affluent and educated families. The ad shows the woman echoing the thought that ‘l did not choose my husband but I can choose my Jewelry. This to me dispels the notion that some of us have, which Is that only certain rural and attacked' classes actually have limitations put on their redeem of choice.That educated people In urban areas have the luxury of being able to make the decision of the magnitude of choosing one's life partner. Yes, It Is a luxury. No, even many of the financially rich cannot afford it at times. In my experience this luxury has little to do with finances. In fact most of the financially well-off families that I know or have heard off, have more restrictions than those that belong to middle class ‘service' families.Most of my friends that come from high income ‘business' families have been conditioned to do whatever they want in life, hey have the best of facilities and freedom to do whatever they want, Except choose a life partner belonging to a significantly different economic background than themselves. For some of them even the person Is chosen by the parents, not on the merits of the per son, rather on his/her formally business and finances. The concept of using marriage for forming stronger business or political alliances Is not new.The marriage between McHugh emperor Kafka with the Ragout princess Soda was a marriage of alliance. My wife and I have picked out the perfect spouse for my son. They have developed a wonderful relationship together over the years, with great chemistry and warmth. She comes from a family that has identical values and priorities to ours and would make wonderful in-laws. They are both 9 years old. I (Bussing, 2011) Jeff Bussing was uses this real life incident that he came across to further talk about arranged marriages in business and specifically in entrepreneurship.Movies like Kabuki Sushi Kabul Sham (2001), Arthur (1981 and 2011), Dialed Outlandish El Cayenne (1995) etc. Have highlighted this practice over the years. Kabuki Slush Kabuki Sham showed a very wealthy family's patriarch who was educated, well mannered, generous and a loving family man, but when the decision of his son's marriage comes up his sentiments are that his son does not need to be Involved In the decision of his marriage. When his wife tries to suggest that the son should be consulted in this She is finally silenced with a ‘Eke day an†¦ Bas eke day' which translates to ‘Vie said so†¦That's it'. No further discussion required. Arthur, the drunk heir to his family's fortunes has every conceivable luxury available, as long as he agrees to marry a wealthy heiress of his family's choosing. He falls in love with a ‘common working class girl' which is unacceptable to his grandmother. She threatens to disown him from the family fortune if he does not marry the wealthy heiress she chose. Dialed Outlandish El Cayenne has the family patriarch who had fixed his daughters marriage to his friend's son in the infancy of both the children itself.The family since moved to a different continent and the children have grown up in envir onments that are poles apart with no contact with each other. But when the girl finishes her higher education she is expected to accept marrying the man without even meeting him first. This is not to say the parents don't care about their children, they care deeply. They Just assume that they know better than their children. Here the parents hold the power and act out the role of the Dominant group as per the Muted Group theory and the children form the Muted group.The Muted Group Theory (MGM) was put forward by anthropologists Shirley and Edwin Arden and was further elaborated by Cherish Kramer and others like Robe, Herring, Radii Copra etc. The dominant group does not intentionally silence the muted group; they may not even realist they are doing so till it is explicitly pointed out to them. Most Muted groups tend to try to speak, but their words fall on deaf ears. When this happens continually over a period of time, they ‘lose their voice'. Losing their voice means not Just the ability to spell out opinions.It goes deeper; they accept things as they are and to them will always be and stop thinking about it altogether. The Just quietly do what they are told to do. Another interpretation of the Muted Group Theory was put forward by Emily Hartley in her research paper titled ‘Muted Group Theory Application in the Indiana Wesleyan University Theatre Program'. (Hartley, 2012) She applied the MGM to her the universities theatre program and found that the theatre students were being ‘muted' by the conservative institute which had strict rules about censorship.Since most plays contained some or the other ‘bad' language they were not allowed to stage those productions. There were also several other factors that were contributing to the silencing process such as the Theatre advisory board, the faculty, the administrative and financial policies. All of this was curtailing the artistic expression of the students which can demoralize and limit in tellectual growth. This is not to say that things cannot be changed. There are many ways to unmet a muted group. Some strategies that have been found to be effective are: 1.Calling out and attaching nomenclature to the methods used for silencing the muted groups. Making the dominant groups realizes that they are silencing the others. 2. Celebrating the things that others use to suppress the muted groups with. Egg: LIGHT community taking pride in their sexuality and holding parades. 3. Creating a new language that is more suitable to the muted group capable of reflecting the opinions they want to express. Egg: movies, painting, an actual language, computer mediated communication etc.

List of Copper Alloys and Their Composition

List of Copper Alloys and Their Composition This is a list of copper alloys or alloys in which copper is usually the base metal. Arsenical copperBeryllium copper (beryllium)Billon (silver)Brass (zinc)Calamine brass (zinc)Chinese silver (zinc)Dutch metal (zinc)Gilding metal (zinc)Muntz metal (zinc)Pinchbeck (zinc)Princes metal (zinc)Tombac (zinc)Bronze (tin, aluminum or any other element)Aluminum bronze (aluminum)Arsenical bronzeBell metal (tin)Florentine bronze (aluminum or tin)GlucydurGuani ­nGunmetal (tin, zinc)Phosphor bronze (tin and phosphorus)Ormolu (Gilt Bronze) (zinc)Speculum metal (tin)Constantan (nickel)Copper-tungsten (tungsten)Corinthian bronze (gold, silver)Cunife (nickel, iron)Cupronickel (nickel)Cymbal alloys (Bell metal) (tin)Devardas alloy (aluminum, zinc)Electrum (gold, silver)Hepatizon (gold, silver)Heusler alloy (manganese, tin)Manganin (manganese, nickel)Nickel silver (nickel)Nordic gold (aluminum, zinc, tin)Shakudo (gold)Tumbaga (gold) What Is Latten? Through the 18th and 19th century, a copper alloy was called latten. Usually, latten referred to brass or bronze. However, sometimes latten referred to a lead alloy, tin plating on iron, or any metal prepared as a thin sheet. For this reason, copper alloys are known by more specific names today. Sources Edge, David, Paddock, John Miles (1996) [1988].  Arms and Armour of the Medieval Knight. London: Saturn Books.Erik Oberg, Franklin D. Jones and Holbrook L. Horton (1992).  Machinerys Handbook. New York: Industrial Press Inc. p.  501.

Gary Gikmores Letter to Nicole Essays

Gary Gikmores Letter to Nicole Essays Gary Gikmores Letter to Nicole Paper Gary Gikmores Letter to Nicole Paper The Executioners song Is about a letter that Gary Gilmore wrote to his girlfriend Nicole. He wrote the letter when he was in Jail, for killing two persons. He wrote the letter after he had spent 22 years of his life in prison. The letter Is from August the third, 1979. The letter starts with Gary telling about Nicole and her love and how he was not prepared for the kind of honest open love she gave him. Then he talks about his experience with bullwhip and hostility In his life and how It has shaped him. He Is also telling about how all these bad and negative stuff he has been trough has become natural to him and how he has accepted them He Is describing his cell In the prison. In the letter, he expressed that he is lonely with his thoughts and his feelings. He Is telling Nicole something about some old memories and nightmares and something about how this dreams make sense now and how that was a turning point in his life. He starts to talk about God and the devil. He is starting to realize how prison actually matches with him. He do not know what to do, in somehow he hopes to be executed, because e do not want to rotten up in prison. : He says that he has spent his life in prison to find God who he is has wanted to know for a long time. He means that he is just a victim of societys bullwhip. In the end of the letter he asks some rhetorical questions and then he says that she is always welcome to comment and suggest things. -God, I Love you, Nicole. The themes in Gary Gilmore letter to Nicole: I think that the theme is something about right and wrong and do not have a special reason why, it was Just the first thing that came to my head. But if I should explain why, it would be something about morality and ethics. It could also be good versus evil. What Is Justice for me? Justice for me is Justice is served. I think that If you have done something wrong, you have to take the consequence of It. If you had asked the same question 2 years ago, my answer would be; an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I realized that revenge is a bit for a childish solution. But sometimes I still get the revenge feeling. Gary Signores Letter to Nicole By Deterministic The extract from Norman Mailers documentary novel, The Executioners song is ears of his life in prison. The letter is from August the third, 1979. The letter starts and hostility in his life and how it has shaped him. He is also telling about how all he has accepted them He is describing his cell in the prison. In the letter, he expressed that he is lonely with his thoughts and his feelings. He is telling Nicole find God who he is has wanted to know for a long time. He means that he is Just a What is Justice for me? Justice for me is Justice is served. I think that if you have done something wrong, you have to take the consequence of it. If you had asked the same question 2 years

13 Reasons Why You Should Write a Book This Year

13 Reasons Why You Should Write a Book This Year 13 Reasons Why You Should Write a Book This Year Deciding to write a book is analogous to the decision to become a parent. You can weigh the pros and cons and read all the expert books on parenting.You’ll try to decide whether you’re emotionally, financially, and physically ready to take the plunge. But until you become a parent, you’ll never know how amazing, enriching, and challenging your life could be.Once you become a parent, you know that your life will never be the same. These same concepts apply to becoming an author. Until you’ve ushered new creative life into the world you have no idea the incredible, myriad of ways writing a book can better your life and even your business.You’ll ask yourself why you waited so long to make it happen. We’re here to tell you that you should write a book, and you should do it this year. If not now, then when?Here are 12 reasons why this is the year you’ll write your book.NOTE: We cover everything in this blog post and much more about the wri ting, marketing, and publishing process in our VIP Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it here#1 You are a writer (you just need to write)Listen, everyone can be a writer. Each one of us has a story to share. In fact, most of us have more than one story to share.he simple truth is that in order to be a writer, you just need to write. And to become an author, you just need to publish what you write.At Self-Publishing School, we’re here to tell you that both of these worthy goals are within your reach. You just need to start- today.#2 You’ll discover who you are.By it’s very nature, writing is an introspective, thoughtful activity. The process of writing a book will force you to turn your thoughts inward. Through writing, you’ll gain perspective about what really matters to you. Writing a book will also teach you about the unique value of your own willpower.The simple act of committing to a writing project, and seeing it through, will measure the de pths of your discipline. Writing a book can be a powerful way to get in touch with your thoughts, values, and motivations.Plus, writing is cheaper than therapy!#3 You’ll have created a professional-quality, ready-to-sell book.It used to be that only writers with a publishing deal or those who paid for vanity publication ever got to see their books in print. Those days have changed.Thanks to the rise of self-publishing, any person with a story to tell can become a published author and sell their book. Self-publishing is now affordable, easy to implement, and requires only basic computer skills.If you can type your book on your keyboard, you can figure out how to self-publish. As your own publisher, you call the shots. You’re the CEO of your own destiny.Even better, you get to retain more of the royalties if you self-publish. What’s not to like? Even better, you get to retain more of the royalties if you self-publish. What’s not to like?#4 You’ll p ocket a healthy chunk of change. The brilliant ideas you have kicking around in your head aren’t earning you any money. Only once you commit those ideas to paper and hit publish will you earn income from your thoughts.Your book can earn you a stream of passive income simply by existing. And then there’s the future- audiobooks, courses based on your book, and speaking gigs! And, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You can make money off your self-published book- but you need to write it first.#5 You’ll let Amazon do the heavy lifting. Amazon self-publishing is easier than ever. Amazon makes it intuitive and straightforward for authors to upload and sell their books.They’ve also made it easy for readers to find and buy your book. It’s a win-win.That’s not to say that you can set up an Amazon page and let it flap in the breeze untended. In order to sell your book, you’ll need to do some marketing and PR.The good news is that Amaz on gives you the tools and resources you need to succeed.#6 You’ll embrace the mantra, â€Å"nobody lives forever.†Nobody’s getting out of this life alive. Our time here is finite. It’s our choice how we want to spend our time. If you’ve ever wanted to write a book, don’t wait for a life crisis to force your hand.The time is now.You have a chance to share your words, thoughts, and passions with the world. Don’t let that chance slip through your fingers.#7 You’ll reignite a passion.Each one of us has a passion for something- whether that’s rock-climbing, organic cooking, or comedic storytelling.What’s your passion? You already know the answer to that question.Here’s our next question: When’s the last time you stoked that passion? If that answer is, â€Å"you can’t remember† or, â€Å"it’s been years,† then youve got some work to do.You owe it to yourself to explore your passion and write a book. We promise that when you’re writing about something you love, it won’t feel like work.#8 You’ll be a pro author. Only 1% of the world’s population ever publishes a book.That’s a heady statistic. By writing a book, you set yourself apart from the masses. Even if your book is fiction or a memoir, the fact that you’re now an author lends an air of authority to your professional endeavors.You can now add â€Å"author† to your CV, LinkedIn, and professional website. In short: No matter what you write a book about, becoming a published author boosts your professional authority.You’ll have accomplished something few other people have. Our preemptive greeting: Welcome to the Author Club!We guarantee you’ll like the rarified air up here.#9 You’ll tackle a new challenge. Life has so many obligations- taxes, school pick-up, miles on the treadmill- it can be easy to fall into a daily rut. Writing a book is leaving your comfort zone.Trying something unfamiliar can be scary- we get it. But, that’s precisely why it’s exciting. The only way you grow as a person is by forcing yourself to leave your comfort zone. Time to jump off the cliff- write a book and become an author this year.You’ll be amazed at how much you’ll gain by pushing the limits of your own self-imposed boundaries.#10 You’ll become smarter.Writing a book requires research. No matter what topic you’re writing about, you’re going to have to research new concepts and topics.By opening the door to new ideas, you’ll educate yourself on a broad array of ideas. You’ll be invigorated by how much you learn while youre writing, and emerge much brighter for having done so.And when you’re done, you can assert yourself as an expert in your field. Your book can then open the door for speaking engagements, conference presentations, and other professional netwo rking opportunities.#11 You’ll stop making excuses and just do it.We know, we know, you’ve been mulling over the idea of writing a book for months (years?) now. Otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this article.How long are you going to give yourself permission to keep quashing your dreams?It’s time to commit and just do it.#12 Because you can!And you will! No more excuses. You can’t afford to put off writing a book any longer. All that counts is that you get your first word on paper, and then a word after that.Before you know it, you’ll have a completed first draft. Think about how amazing you’ll feel? Don’t put it off another day. Write your book today. This is the year for you to finally become an author. Are you FINALLY ready to take action?The only difference between an author and anyone else is the fact that they wrote the book. They started.And you can start TODAY.

What caused a hurricane, tornado, or other natural disaster Essay

What caused a hurricane, tornado, or other natural disaster - Essay Example Two of the most dreadful natural disasters on earth is Hurricane and Tornado. Both are abnormal weather occurrences that humans have little or no control of. Hurricanes are experienced when warm, saturated air from the surface of the ocean is heated and rises due to its reduced weight. The warm air is then condensed by cold air above and form rain, but as warmer air rises, more condensation takes place. This creates a very powerful and rigid wind pattern. The strong wind forces water to the earth’s surface at a high speed from a single point to another (Langley 33). A tornado is a spinning air, which is destructive and is usually in contact with earth surface and a cumulonimbus cloud developing from heavy rain and high speeding winds of different pressures. Hurricanes and tornadoes can be said to the most destructive, powerful, and awful natural disasters to mankind. For example, hurricane Katrina killed about 1,800 people and destroyed property of over $100 billion in the sta tes of Mississippi and Louisiana (Langley 35). Earthquakes are among the natural disasters experienced by man. An earthquake occurs when the tectonic plates of the earths crust move away from or towards each other. This movement of the plate causes them to collide, resulting in pressure, which in turn releases energy. When the pressure is high, it is impacted on the adjacent plates which end up shaking the earth (Langley 7-12). According to Langley (16-17), there are other natural causes of earthquakes, such as volcanic activities and landslides. Human activities such as mining, which involves crashing hard rocks, using powerful nuclear bombs can also trigger earthquakes. Flooding is another disaster that is controlled by forces of nature. Floods occur when a river or a lake bursts its banks causing water to spread in dry surfaces that are not normally occupied by water. Heavy, prolonged rains and the fast melting of ice are the main causes of floods. Lack of vegetation cover speed up

The affirmative action policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The affirmative action policy - Essay Example In the year 1961 however, President John F. Kennedy signed an important executive order which established what was called the President's Commission on Equal employment opportunities. The order therefore charged all contractors who were working for the government or on government projects, to ensure all those who apply to be employed by them are given equal treatment and that they should try as much as possible to eradicate any form of discrimination against any one belonging to any minority during their hiring procedures. The order did not,however,task the contractors to give those applicants belonging to the minority group any special preferences but rather to just eliminate discriminatory practices from their procedures.The Affirmative action became legally backed when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. The act however did not state any criminal penalties to be given to any employer found guilty of practising any form of discriminatory practice but rather helped established a condition were the affected person will be given what he/she would have been given or would have acquired in the absence of discrimination. For the past decades discrimination against minority groups like women in certain communities, minority races and immigrants from other countries have caused a lot of problems in the society as a whole and has called for proper attention mostly from human rights activists. Unfortunately, this canker of discrimination although been practised in the present is being propagated into the future also since the younger generations who witness these acts of discrimination from the elderly get influenced by it and see it to be some thing worth doing. In the area of business however this act of discrimination especially during recruitment and even when one is on the job has caused a lot of havoc either in the productivity, efficiency and proper running of a particular business where this is practiced. These problems will be highlighted upon later in th e paper. The main motive behind the this policy of affirmative action however is to manifest the creation of equal opportunities for all , that is to say all persons have the right to equal access and treatment. It is therefore important to note that all persons with equal abilities , should be given equal opportunities and a fair play ground or field when it comes to their self development and in the field of work. Affirmative actions however differ in distinct ways depending on the methods or procedures it employs in the elimination of discrimination in the business and general society. Some affirmative actions principles have a priority of only reviewing existing or old hiring or recruitment procedures being practised by some organisations and make the necessary recommendations and corrections on this old procedures in order to ensure no form of discriminatory condition is involved during the hiring of employees most especially when it comes to persons found in any of the minority groups either due to their sex, race, religious believe e.t.c. Other affirmative actions aside these also try to rather give some sort of preference to persons found in these minority groups. In the public sector however, affirmative action plays very important roles in the elimination of discriminatory practices in their recruitment processes. These discriminatory procedures are rarely seen or practised in the public sector due to the strictly laid down rules in the procedures involved in recruitment of employees. These rules are very effective since they are made with very high priority given to the constitution of the country. This is because the public sector is

Environmental science Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Environmental science - Movie Review Example d solutions for environmental issues are depicted through aerial shots of natural and urban landscapes across several countries.  The documentary argues  that the more the earth develops the more natural resources it consumes. Building and population boom in urban China, industrial production in the U.S., the lack of potable water in India, and deforestation in Borneo are some of the issues covered. In South Korea, New York, and Costa Rica, forest management programs are being implemented. In addition, Mumbai, New Zealand, and Austria among other countries have agreed to develop renewable energy sources like windmill and solar panels. This documentary makes us aware of  the environments problems and the different solutions offered by environment science.  We are shown that water, soil, wind, and sun work together to create life. Environmental scientists are encouraged to  improve existing technologies  in renewable energy sources and develop new ways of harnessing energy from the  earth. As whats stated in the documentary - "Whats important is what remains [on earth]."  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This documentary depicts different scenarios that could result from increases in world temperature. The documentary was filled with weather footages and special effects that illustrate the harmful effects of global warming. Alec Baldwin guides the audience through his narration of the changes in temperature and the accompanying effect in oceans, disasters, and everyday climate. Environmental events believed to have resulted from global warming are also presented.    The documentary used real-world examples of environmental changes to portray how changes in earth’s temperature affect the environment. A place in England now grows wine-quality grapes which were not possible a few years back. The metal-protected houses in Paris led to several thousands dead when a heat wave occurred. All these real-world examples show the harmful effects of increasing earth temperature. The documentary

A plausible scientific explanation accounting for the development of Essay

A plausible scientific explanation accounting for the development of diverse sexual orientations in humans - Essay Example It is therefore a subject that has elicited a lot of debate and controversies, especially with the numerous scientific researches that has been done by the different scientists. Scholars have also attempted to come up with theories all in an effort to justify their ideas and explanations. So at the end of the paper we should be in a position to appreciate whether â€Å"Gay, straight and the reason why† by LeVay, S. (2010) offer answers to the origin and existence of homosexuality. LeVay did a study of the brain to ascertain the cause and the differences in the sexual orientation of the different people and had some interesting reports and facts to present (LeVay &Valente, 2006). The main focus of his study was the brain of the males who were gay and the men who were straight. His study was based on the fact that a part of the hypothalamus section of the brain of the males and the females is always different in size due to their differences in sex (LeVay &Valente, 2006). He therefore wanted to see if this part of the brain had any differences for the men who were straight and the men who were gay. He therefore studied several samples of the brain tissue collected from the men who had passed on and used this to do his studies (LeVay &Valente, 2006). Although his conclusion proved that there was quite a significant amount of difference, other people against his line of through felt that this was because his study was purely focused on the men who had died of the AIDS complications among other sexually transmitted diseases (LeVay &Valente, 2006). However, this was not entirely true as he used also the tissues of the people whose death was from other causes while others who died but in perfectly good health. This is why he later on noted that other research done after he also proved that he was right that there was a difference in the brain, especially the particular section of

Gay marriage (equal rights for everyone) Research Paper

Gay marriage (equal rights for everyone) - Research Paper Example The third point to be considered is the negative attitude toward legalization of gay marriage, because very often these relationships are considered only with regards to sexual and intimate relations among gay couples. The fourth point to be taken into account is positive attitudes to gay marriage, because gays as a rule are devoted partners and contribute much not only to their families, but also to the community and the society. The fifth point, which should be taken into account, is that homosexuality is not a kind of deviance and these people have the same rights as all of the rest of the members of the society. Analysis and Evaluation Jullian Rayfield in her online review "New York State Senate Passes Marriage Equality Bill" (24 June, 2011) is focused on gay marriage legalization in New York. The author generalizes her main concerns and introduces the supportive arguments for the introduction of gay marriage. A centennial struggle happened in the society, where gays wanted to pr otect their rights and have an opportunity to live together with their sexual partners. Nowadays this struggle has borne some fruits and led to the legalization of gay marriage in the New York State Senate. The author of the article provides her main argument referring to the answers of Republicans and other representatives of political parties, providing supporting and counterarguments to the discussion of gay rights marriage. Social participation of gays and their restriction from heterosexual individual rights is the most controversial claim. Nowadays we have a perfect opportunity to raise our voices in order to protect gay community. Moreover, the author of the article provides positive answers of the members of the Senate, who are much concerned an opportunity of all people to behave equally and have a chance to provide gay couples with a right to get married. The processes of globalization underline the necessity of limits blurring and there is no need to save worn out stereot ypes and social norms. Republicans underline that inability to pass this law would mean to hide the democratic principles of their policy. To have a right for marriage means to have an ability to live with a beloved person. So, if gays have their beloved persons, why do not they have a chance to spend their lifetime together? The development of the community and the society depends on all members of the society. Gay couples have the same rights as all other members of the society. Unfortunately, very often these people are prevented from children upbringing or even being married. Still, we have a hope that there is an essential shift towards the gay rights for marriage acknowledgement throughout the country. If to consider the second point of the paper, which is based on Laura Kipnis appeal for the society to provide all human beings with an opportunity to get married, it is the only way to hold beloved hearts together and to establish a kind of a societal bound between them. Gays s hould be treated equally and there is no need to focus our attention on their sexual or intimate preferences. Kipnis underlines that contemporaries should focus their attention on the

Kevin's Dismissal Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Kevin's Dismissal - Case Study Example Davis' company rules define such conduct as gross misconduct with the result that the employee in question is subject to summary dismissal. This kind of conduct is considered gross conduct since the employer considers that machinery should be operated by a specific number of employees. The first issue is therefore whether or not such a standard and rule by Davis is fair and reasonable. Having regard to onerous duty placed upon the employee by virtue of Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, such a standard and rule is fair and reasonable in the circumstances. Section 2(2) provides as follows: "...the matters to which that duty extends include, in particular - the provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health; the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so employees that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe, without risks to health, and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare at work."1 This statutory duty on the part of the employer was preceded by a common law duty to provide for the health and safety of all employees.2 The House of Lords held in Wilsons & Clyde Coal Co. Ltd v English [1937] 3 All ER 628 that the duty was "personal to the employer."3 The duty to provide a safe place of work is for the safety of all employees and the nature of both the statutory and common law duty is such that it gives rise to what might be a strict liability. Having regard to the consequences of a breach of such duty it is not unfair nor is it unreasonable for Davis to have in place rules that require a designated number of employees to operate its machinery. It is assumed that should the machinery be under operated it could render the machinery unsafe with the result that Davis is liable for any resulting harm to its employees. Moreover in 1993 the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 were implemented and fortified the nature of the employer's duty to provide a safe and healthy workplace. Upon a broad interpretation of the 1992 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations that duty is unquestionably a strict duty. The 1992 regulations imposes upon the employer a continuing duty to ensure that all health risks are eliminated or at the very least minimized. This continuing duty is necessary: "...for the purpose of identifying the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed on him by or under the relevant statutory provisions."4 It therefore follows that the rule implemented by Davis to ensure that a specific number of employees operate machinery is fair and reasonable having regard to the statutory and common law duty to guard against risks to its employee's safety. Certainly Davis is entitled to take steps to ensure that the risk of harm associated with under manning the machinery is alleviated. In Walker v Northumberland County Council [1995] IRLR 35 it was held that once an employer becomes aware of the risk to employees' health, the employer is duty bound to take steps to alleviate that risk.5 Obviously, Davis has decided to alleviate the risk of harm by designating wilful failure to report to the

A plausible scientific explanation accounting for the development of Essay

A plausible scientific explanation accounting for the development of diverse sexual orientations in humans - Essay Example It is therefore a subject that has elicited a lot of debate and controversies, especially with the numerous scientific researches that has been done by the different scientists. Scholars have also attempted to come up with theories all in an effort to justify their ideas and explanations. So at the end of the paper we should be in a position to appreciate whether â€Å"Gay, straight and the reason why† by LeVay, S. (2010) offer answers to the origin and existence of homosexuality. LeVay did a study of the brain to ascertain the cause and the differences in the sexual orientation of the different people and had some interesting reports and facts to present (LeVay &Valente, 2006). The main focus of his study was the brain of the males who were gay and the men who were straight. His study was based on the fact that a part of the hypothalamus section of the brain of the males and the females is always different in size due to their differences in sex (LeVay &Valente, 2006). He therefore wanted to see if this part of the brain had any differences for the men who were straight and the men who were gay. He therefore studied several samples of the brain tissue collected from the men who had passed on and used this to do his studies (LeVay &Valente, 2006). Although his conclusion proved that there was quite a significant amount of difference, other people against his line of through felt that this was because his study was purely focused on the men who had died of the AIDS complications among other sexually transmitted diseases (LeVay &Valente, 2006). However, this was not entirely true as he used also the tissues of the people whose death was from other causes while others who died but in perfectly good health. This is why he later on noted that other research done after he also proved that he was right that there was a difference in the brain, especially the particular section of

Kevin's Dismissal Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Kevin's Dismissal - Case Study Example Davis' company rules define such conduct as gross misconduct with the result that the employee in question is subject to summary dismissal. This kind of conduct is considered gross conduct since the employer considers that machinery should be operated by a specific number of employees. The first issue is therefore whether or not such a standard and rule by Davis is fair and reasonable. Having regard to onerous duty placed upon the employee by virtue of Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, such a standard and rule is fair and reasonable in the circumstances. Section 2(2) provides as follows: "...the matters to which that duty extends include, in particular - the provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health; the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so employees that is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe, without risks to health, and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare at work."1 This statutory duty on the part of the employer was preceded by a common law duty to provide for the health and safety of all employees.2 The House of Lords held in Wilsons & Clyde Coal Co. Ltd v English [1937] 3 All ER 628 that the duty was "personal to the employer."3 The duty to provide a safe place of work is for the safety of all employees and the nature of both the statutory and common law duty is such that it gives rise to what might be a strict liability. Having regard to the consequences of a breach of such duty it is not unfair nor is it unreasonable for Davis to have in place rules that require a designated number of employees to operate its machinery. It is assumed that should the machinery be under operated it could render the machinery unsafe with the result that Davis is liable for any resulting harm to its employees. Moreover in 1993 the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 were implemented and fortified the nature of the employer's duty to provide a safe and healthy workplace. Upon a broad interpretation of the 1992 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations that duty is unquestionably a strict duty. The 1992 regulations imposes upon the employer a continuing duty to ensure that all health risks are eliminated or at the very least minimized. This continuing duty is necessary: "...for the purpose of identifying the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed on him by or under the relevant statutory provisions."4 It therefore follows that the rule implemented by Davis to ensure that a specific number of employees operate machinery is fair and reasonable having regard to the statutory and common law duty to guard against risks to its employee's safety. Certainly Davis is entitled to take steps to ensure that the risk of harm associated with under manning the machinery is alleviated. In Walker v Northumberland County Council [1995] IRLR 35 it was held that once an employer becomes aware of the risk to employees' health, the employer is duty bound to take steps to alleviate that risk.5 Obviously, Davis has decided to alleviate the risk of harm by designating wilful failure to report to the

Cat in the Rain Essay Example for Free

Cat in the Rain Essay Cat in the Rain is a short story about an American couple on vacation to Italy. They are in their first year of marriage. The husband has a dismissive attitude towards the wife and the wife always wants more. In the story the couple has a lot of selfishness going on in their relationship. The husband ignores his wife’s needs and the wife and the wife is not satisfied with her husband. The theme of this story has a lot to do with loneliness in the couples’ relationship. In this story the American couple is trapped in their hotel room with nothing to do because of the raining weather. The husband wants to read and ignore his wife. So the wife is looking out the window and sees a cat crouched from the rain. She wants to go downstairs and get the cat. She tells her husband about it and he shrugs it off. The wife goes down herself and the story talks a lot about how she likes the inn keeper. I find that this part of the story most affected me when the husband ignored his wife’s wants and needs. She really wanted that cat because it was something for her to do and feel good about. Her husband obviously doesn’t satisfy her which makes her feel lonely and the cat would keep her company. The wife in this story wants to feel appreciated and loved like any other woman would. Being married for their first year is beginning to be hard for them. Hemingway tries to tell about a first marriage of a couple he once knew and how hard it is for some to always keep that happiness. Couples always have disagreements but should never feel alone. A husband should not ignore his wife’s needs and in this story that is what he does instead of trying to satisfy his wife. Close to the ending of this story the wife was not able to find the cat. She came back in the hotel room very sad. She tries to tell her husband but he does not listen. She starts complaining about what she wants to change about herself. She wants â€Å"her hair to be long so she can brush it† and she wants a cat. The husband can only say that he likes things the way they are. He tells her to shut up. He does not care what the wife’s needs are or what she wants. He does not want to listen and he just wants to read which is what he wishes she would do. This part of the story really interested me because I could not get as to why the husband doesn’t respond to what she asks for. The wife desperately wants attention and he is not giving it to her. The story of the American couple explains a lot about how the wife tries to get attention from the husband. Hemingway talks about a cat but behind that cat this story means more. The lack of attention her husband gives her may make her feel that she is restricted on expressing herself and keeps most of her feelings inside. The cat stays compact to stay dry outside, which is how the wife feels she has to be with her husband to make him happy. She hides herself constantly from him. In this story it relates to her as American wife and never tells her name. This kind of says that she is nothing but an American wife which is exactly how she feels. Hemingway had a unique way of telling the story but the way he told it had a lot of meaning to it. He showed the couples loneliness in a different way.

Research Paper on Dowry System in India

Research Paper on Dowry System in India In todays world, we are surrounded by media. Our lives are saturated by newspapers, radio, books, television, movies, the Internet, and many other aspects of media. These can be broadly classified into two types: news media and popular media. In India, both these types provide an insight into Indian life, which is filled with romance, tradition, and all the other day-to-day experiences and situations one might come across. But, even though they might seem the same, they both play very different roles in society. Popular media represents and recounts a vast number of real life stories, and portrays them in a manner enjoyable for the audience. News media on the other hand, provides more facts and raw information for the audience to understand, with or without a firm opinion of its own on the matter. Popular media reaches out to a much larger audience, as both literate and illiterate people are able to access it, while news media only reaches out to the literate and wealthy people. This difference can become a problem in certain situations. Both these parts of media reflect society constantly, as they are shaped from and around experiences and stories of the people in the society. Usually, both these types concur with each other in the content and representation of society, but there are specific cases in which this ceases to be true. An example of this is the portrayal of the prominence and effects of the dowry system in India today. For a long time, both popular and news media reflected the a spects of the dowry system in the Indian society very vividly and comprehensively, and shared the same view on the topic. But over time, it was noticed that popular media deviated from this pattern and no longer reflected the prominence of the dowry system in society, while the news media continued to do so, thus creating an ideological difference between the two. The problem of the dowry system is still prominent, and the news media continues to reflect this. But since popular media does not reflect society anymore, a majority of the society comes under the impression that there is nothing wrong in what they are doing. This can cause the dowry system to be persistent in the everyday lives of Indian families. The dowry system is a cultural system in India in which the parents of the bride pay a large sum of money, and give expensive jewelry and other gifts such as car or other household items, to the parents of the groom during marriage (Borah 2). Traditionally, there were many reasons for the establishment of this system. It was a form of inheritance for the bride, since all the family property was inherited by men. It was supposed to be the security for the bride in case any misfortune befell her husbands house. It was also a system of honoring the groom for his willingness to accept the bride as his wife in marriage, and the gifts given could range from anything significant to even a small token of good wishes (Borah 2). However, the greed for dowry has affected almost all ordinary families in India. Nowadays, in marriages between or amongst all hierarchal levels of society, dowry is generally an unspoken requirement. And due to the exposure to mass media, the gifts given in dowry have transformed into a large transfer of wealth, making it an important factor in marriage. The social and cultural effects of the dowry system are devastating to the society as a whole. The system reduced women to a commodity and a source of wealth. Even if the dowry is paid, in most cases, the bride is tortured by her in-laws, mentally and physically as their demand for more dowry becomes endless (Chirmade 1992). This torture generally leads to suicide or murder of the bride. The reason why dowry is still persistent in India is not only because it is difficult to enforce the law against it or because the grooms family is very demanding, but also because the brides family continues to bear with it. Despite the widespread awareness of the negative consequences of dowry and the problems cause by it, it is still seen as a way of buying happiness for the bride (Stone and James, 1995). Many families believe that giving a large dowry would result in better treatment of the daughter by the grooms family. This has only aggravated the problem as the standard for dowry became high and marriage was made dependent on whether the brides family could meet that standard of dowry or not. A study was done in 1980 which examined students expectations of dowry for people with various education backgrounds. Even though majority of the students viewed the dowry system as an evil in society and considered it unimportant for marriage, most of the brothers of the respondents gave or received dowry for their sisters marriages (Rao and Rao, 1980). Also, depending on the social status and affluence of the family, and the education qualifications of the bride and the groom, the amount of dowry needed to be given varies significantly. There is a positive correlation between a mans education and status to the dowry his family demands. As a grooms educational experience increases, the dowry demanded for the marriage also increases. In 1961, the payment of dowry was prohibited under the Indian Civil Law, and also under sections 304B and 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Despite this, this system of dowry has been a continuous and never ending menace in Indian society. These laws were made in order to make it easier for women to seek redress from the harassment she is under by the mans family. But these laws have been of little help to brides, who are harassed even today by their in-laws. Instances of such situations have constantly been shown to the public by the media. The power of media in todays world is surprising. The media has the freedom to form opinions, and through this they can change the opinions of people. But, people forget that in the end, all media is doing is reflecting society. The stories the media covers, and the plots of the movies that are made (except fantasy fiction of course), all are based on situations which may occur in day to day life, or real life situations. Same was the case with the dowry system. The media clearly depicted the agonies and pain of Indian women as they were suffering from the cruelties of the dowry system. This can be seen from very far back in popular as well as news media. Dowry-inspired murder cases received immense coverage by news media in the late 1970s and 1980s due to the active role played by womens organizations. The womens organizations played a very important role in increasing awareness and coverage of dowry related cases. A study done on the coverage of dowry related cases from 1979-1984 concludes that there was a noticeable improvement in the coverage of dowry in the national papers due to the womens organizations, although the coverage in regional papers remained the same. By 1979, one dowry related death received serious press coverage. A 24 year old bride from New Delhi, Tarvinder Kaur, was set on fire by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law due to an insufficient dowry paid by her parents. Another significant dowry-related murder case was that of Tripti Sharma, who worked at the Ministry of Defense. She was burned to death by her husband and his family in 1986. A more optimistic and recent case is that of Nisha Sharma. In May 2003, she handed over her future husband to the police on the day of the wedding itself as he was demanding more dowry from her. This example shows what women need to do in cases of dowry abuse. Nisha refused to come under the pressures of the grooms family, and decided that she was not going to sustain it. These examples from news media are clearly reflective of the state of affairs in India at that time, and the case with popular media was similar. In 1992, the movie City of Joy depicted a family which had really high dowry demands. In the movie, the grooms father clearly states, I am firm in requiring for my exceptional son the bicycle, 1000 rupees, and one ounce of gold. The brides father responds by saying, The child of a king might be worth that, and Im not even sure of that! (City of Joy) Another 2001 movie, Lajja, clearly displayed the consequences of the dowry system, its working, and how it may be a big burden on the brides family. In the movie, Maithili (Mahima Chaudhary) is about to be married to a wealthy man of a family with a high social status. Maithilis parents give away everything they have in the dowry, including their land and saved money. Upon still falling short, they take loans from their friends, but they are still not able to gather the full amount. Maithili requests her future husband to convince his dad to let the rest of the money be, but he is too scared to do so. Seeing this, and seeing her dad beg i n front of the grooms father to accept the money he has, she rebels, and calls off the wedding. She was not able to bear to see her father being humiliated in such a manner by the grooms father. Both these movies showed that the brides family has to struggle a lot in order to gather the dowry for the grooms family, and thus is a big burden on them. This depiction of the dowry system by popular media was in concurrence with its reflection in the news media, but as we move ahead on the timeline, this concurrence slowly fades away. The movie Lajja was the last movie to clearly depict the pain inflicted due to the dowry system. The 2006 movie Lage Raho Munna Bhai also had the concept of dowry, but it did not demonstrate the consequences of the dowry system, and only showed that the concept of dowry existed. Since then, popular media has not depicted any case of dowry related abuse or murder. This would have been perfectly fine if the society had transformed to this effect and there were no more dowry related crimes taking place, but this was not true, as news media still continued to report about such crimes taking place. Number of dowry cases goes up (The Hindu, January 2008); Dowry death after love marriage (The Times of India, April 2008); Harassed for dowry, teacher ends life (The Indian Express, November 2007). These are just three headlines from three of Indias popular newspapers that show the persistence of the dowry system and its consequences in modern India. Dowry is still prevalent in modern India, in not only the illiterate section of the population, but also the educated elites in Indias major metropolitan cities. Surprisingly in the past decade, the number of dowry related crime cases has actually gone up, despite dowry being banned since 1961 by Indian law. According to the statistics released by the National Crime Records Bureau, a total of 8391 dowry deaths were reported in 2010 itself, which means that a bride was killed every 90 minutes due to dowry related reasons. In 1988, this number was 2209; in 1990 it rose to 4835; in 2000 (a decade earlier), this number was 6995, and in 2007 it climbed up to an astounding 8093 (Bedi 2012). According to other government records, Delhi itself records a few hundred dowry deaths every year, while womens rights groups estimate this number to be at 900 per year. This is a phenomenal increase compared to the numbers for the 1990s, which were about 300 per year (Bedi 2012). It is important to note that these are just official records, and are thus immensely under-reported. 90% of the cases in which women are burnt are recorded as accidents, 5% as suicides, and only the remaining 5% of the cases are shown as murder. These shockingly high numbers clearly reflect the continuous increase in dowry related crimes and deaths in India. This is due to the continued commercialization of marriages in the modern Indian society. Indias economic liberalization has seen a proportionate rise in the levels of greed as compared to 1990, and a bride is now perceived by her future in-laws as a source of potential cash flow. A famous quote from former Justice Markandey Katju reads, On one hand, people regard women as goddesses, and on the other hand they burn them alive. This is against the norms of civilized society. Its barbaric (Bedi 2012). This is in response to an appeal filed by a husband who had just been sentenced to imprisonment for life by a Sessions court for burning his wife due to dowry related reasons. The effects of the dowry system are so far and wide ranging, that they can even be traced back to the womb. This system is the primary cause for female feticide and infanticide as poorer parents get to avoid the lifelong burden of saving up for the dowry for their daughters marriage (Krishnamurthy, 1981). The commercialization of marriage and female infanticide is clearly reflected in the movie Matrubhoomi, in which a reverse dowry system is depicted. The movie shows a society in which there are no women left due to excessive female infanticide, and the men have grown to be so sexually frustrated, that they are ready to pay large amounts of money to get a wife for themselves or their sons. So as soon as the head of the family finds Kalki, they literally buy her from her father, by giving him five lakh rupees and five cows, and marry her to all five of his sons. Kalki simply becomes a source of money for her father, and a sex object for her husbands (Matrubhoomi). Nowadays, there are famous advertisements which have been put up in many of the rural villages, which read, Spend 500 rupees today, save 5000 rupees later. This is a reference to the cost of abortion compared to the cost of the dowry which they might have to give. It basically encourages the families to get an abortion if their child is a girl, so that they dont have the burden of paying the dowry while getting her married in the future. This is the primary reason why India has a distorted sex ratio of 933 girls for every 1,000 boys. As is evident, the problems due to the dowry system have only been rising over the past decade. Despite this, popular media has failed to reflect these problems. News media has continued to keep up with these updates, and report about them, but popular media has deviated into its own path. Since popular media has a much larger audience compared to news media, this results in the society getting a skewed viewpoint of what is happening in their world: an incorrect portrayal of society in which what they are doing is not wrong. Also, since popular media has a much larger international audience as compared to news media, people from other countries get a totally different view of India: a world in which the dowry system does not exist and is not causing any problems at all. Thus, an untrue version of the society is shown to the world outside, which is not good, as when these people actually come to India and read about the truth, it is a shocking revelation for them. A shift in Indias attitude towards the dowry systems is urgently due. In simple words, dowry is equal to a family paying a man to accept their daughter as his wife, while the man along with his family, tries to get the maximum price out of the womans family. This association of economic gain with women in marriage is something which has long been persistent in India, and needs to stop. Simply making anti-dowry laws has proved to be inefficient. We need to make the society see their mistakes and realize what they are doing wrong, and this can only be done if popular media continues to reflect society as it did before. India must come together to end this practice. This could see couples channel their funds to provide education to their daughters, instead of saving money for years and years for dowry. The days of the persistence of the dowry system in India must be numbered, or Indian societys claim to be progressive is disingenuous.

Cellular Phreaking :: essays research papers

Cellular Phreaking The cellular/mobile phone system is one that is perfectly set up to be exploited by phreaks with the proper knowledge and equipment. Thanks to deregulation, the regional BOC's (Bell Operating Companies) are scattered and do not communicate much with each other. Phreaks can take advantage of this by pretending to be mobile phone customers whose "home base" is a city served by a different BOC, known as a "roamer". Since it is impractical for each BOC to keep track of the customers of all the other BOC's, they will usually allow the customer to make the calls he wishes, often with a surcharge of some sort. The bill is then forwarded to the roamer's home BOC for collection. However, it is fairly simple (with the correct tools) to create a bogus ID number for your mobile phone, and pretend to be a roamer from some other city and state, that's "just visiting". When your BOC tries to collect for the calls from your alleged "home BOC", they will discover you are not a real customer; but by then, you can create an entirely new electronic identity, and use that instead. How does the cellular system know who is calling, and where they are? When a mobile phone enters a cell's area of transmission, it transmits its phone number and its 8 digit ID number to that cell, who will keep track of it until it gets far enough away that the sound quality is sufficiently diminished, and then the phone is "handed off" to the cell that the customer has walked or driven into. This process continues as long as the phone has power and is turned on. If the phone is turned off (or the car is), someone attempting to call the mobile phone will receive a recording along the lines of "The mobile phone customer you have dialed has left the vehicle or driven out of the service area." When a call is made to a mobile phone, the switching equipment will check to see if the mobile phone being called is "logged in", so to speak, or present in one of the cells. If it is, the call will then act (to the speaking parties) just like a normal call - the caller may hear a busy tone, the phone may just ring, or the call may be answered. How does the switching equipment know whether or not a particular phone is authorized to use the network? Many times, it doesn't. When a dealer installs a mobile phone, he gives the phone's ID number (an 8 digit hexadecimal number)

Research Paper -- essays papers

Research Paper Inclusion is a type of teaching that is being researched by many school districts across the country. It is the act of combining special education students in a regular classroom environment. Inclusion is a very controversial topic when it comes to the education of children, both regular and special education students. There are many beliefs in the welfare of all students and their ability to learn and function together. This belief has put a damper on school districts adopting the program of full inclusion. People feel that this will cause problems in the classroom for both general education and special education students. They feel that it will be a distraction for all students and that it will harm both their education and their emotional development. The articles that follow show that inclusion is extremely beneficial for all students and that the popular belief and the stereo-types given for full inclusion are not entirely right. The first article, â€Å"Full Inclusion, Dream or Reality,† (1995) focused on the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Act which has had a major impact on the educational rights of all children, specifically children with disabilities. This act ensures that all children have equal rights to education, where these children can expand their knowledge and become educated with the least restriction. Special Education students will be able to be in a classroom with students their age regardless of their skill level or type of disability. This full inclusive setting will allow students to develop socially as well. The students are now able to associate with many different groups of people then if they were segregated in their classroom. These social interactions will p... ...ver, or many people might turn to full inclusion as more research comes out. Bibliography Biklen, D. (2000 November). Constructing inclusion: lessons from critical, disability narratives. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 4 (4). Retrieved 20 April2003 from www.ebsco.com Cavallaro, C & Haney, M. (2002 April). Early Childhood and Inclusion. The ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education. Retrieves 21 April 2003 from http://ericec.org/faq/ec-inclu.html Gibb, G., & Young, J. (1997 July/August). A team-based junior high inclusion program. Remedial and Special Education, 18 (4), 243. Retrieved 20 April 2003 from www.ebsco.com. Morse, T., & Santos, K. (1995 October). Full inclusion: dream or reality? Journal for a Just and Caring Education, 1 (4) 449. Retrieved 20 April 2003 from www.ebsco.com

The Main Arguments of Evolution Theory

International Management Prof. dr. Niels Noorderhaven Lecture 1 Agenda †¢ †¢ †¢ 1. 2. 3. Introduction and organizational matters Does â€Å"international† still matter? Conceptual foundations of international business strategy (1) †¢ †¢ Case: Honda in the USA Literature: Textbook chapter 1 (pp 13-33 + 59-62) Team Lectures Niels Noorderhaven Cases Fons Naus Ana Aranda Gutierrez Zhengyu Li Teaching strategy Complementarity of lectures – readings †¢ Individual case participation †¢ Each lecture, one or several cases from the book will be expanded to put the theory into practice †¢ Importance of research articles Grading †¢ 70% MC exam – See Study manual for correction formula †¢ Exam dates December 13, 2012 and April 12, 2013 †¢ 30% 2 Interactive lectures – individual participation †¢ Interactive lectures grades of 2010 and 2011 can be transferred Book †¢ http://www. cambridge. rg/features/manag ement/verbeke/ Does â€Å"international† still matter? 7 Transportation & communication costs fall 17 September 2012 8 Tariffs fall, anti-dumping measures rise anti- 17 September 2012 9 Globalization Theory: †¢ Linguistic, trade and cultural barriers become less important †¢ ‘Stateless’ MNCs †¢ Within MNCs worldwide diffusion of technologies, knowledge and information Convergence of world economies 17 September 2012 10 Why is nationality important to people? Individual identity and social identity †¢ Three processes of social identity formation: †¢ social categorization †¢ social comparison †¢ social identification †¢ (Self-)categorization: what is the salient category? 17 September 2012 11 Why is nationality important to people? †¢ Positive stereotyping of â€Å"in-group†, negative stereotyping of â€Å"out-group† †¢ Nationality differences are particularly salient when people have no common history †¢ Nationality then becomes a source for one’s own identity and for the ascribed identity of the other 7 September 2012 12 Does â€Å"international† still matter? Yes, because †¦. †¢ Cultural , institutional and language differences persist †¢ Leading to differences in (business) decision making †¢ Nationality forms an important basis for social categorization processes †¢ Leading to shortcuts like cultural attribution and stereotyping With the effect that doing business across borders is different than domestic business 13 Conceptual foundations of international business strategy 4 Definition of international business strategy International business strategy means effectively and efficiently matching a multinational enterprise’s (MNE’s) internal strengths (relative to competitors) with the opportunities and challenges found in geographically dispersed environments that cross international borders. Such matching is a precond ition to creating value and satisfying stakeholder goals, both domestically and internationally. 15 TABLE OF CONTENTS (1) Introduction and overview of the book’s framework †¢ Part one: Core concepts (1) Conceptual foundations of international business strategy (2) The critical role of firm-specific advantages (3) The nature of home country location advantages (4) The problem with host country location advantages (5) Combining firm-specific advantages and location advantages in an MNE network 16 TABLE OF CONTENTS (2) †¢ Part two: Functional issues (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) International innovation International sourcing and production International finance International marketing Managing managers in the multinational enterprise 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS (3) †¢ Part three: Dynamics of global strategy (11) Entry mode dynamics 1: foreign distributors (12) Entry mode dynamics 2: strategic alliance partners (13) Entry mode dynamics 3: mergers and acquisitions (14) The role of emerging economies (15a) International strategies of corporate social responsibility (15b) International strategies of environmental sustainability 18 The seven concepts of the unifying framework †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Internationally transferable (or non-location bound) firmspecific advantages (FSAs) Non-transferable (or location-bound) FSAs Location advantages Investment in – and value creation through – recombination Complementary resources of external actors Bounded rationality Bounded reliability The MNE’s unique resource base †¢ Physical resources (natural resources, buildings, plant equipment). †¢ Financial resources (equity and loan capital) †¢ Human resources (individuals and teams, entrepreneurial and operational skills). Upstream knowledge (sourcing knowledge, product and process-related technological knowledge). †¢ Downstream knowledge (marketing, sales, distribution and after sales service). †¢ Admin istrative knowledge (organizational structure, culture and systems). †¢ Reputational resources (brand names, reputation for honest business dealings). International transferability of FSAs? †¢ Paradox: If the FSA consists of easily codifiable knowledge (i. e. , if it can be articulated explicitly, as in a handbook or blueprint), then it can be cheaply transferred abroad, but it can also be easily imitated by other firms.Though expensive and time-consuming to transfer tacit knowledge across borders, the benefit to the MNE is that this knowledge is also difficult to imitate. It is often a key source of competitive advantage when doing business abroad. Some FSAs are not transferable abroad: location-bound locationFSAs (1) Four main types: †¢ Stand-alone resources linked to location advantages (privileged retail locations). †¢ Local marketing knowledge and reputational resources, such as brand names (may not be applicable to a host country context, or valued to the s ame extent). Local best practices (i. e. routines), such as incentive systems or buyer-supplier relations (may not work abroad). †¢ Domestic recombination capability (may not work in foreign markets – e. g. , because co-location of resources is needed). Some FSAs are not transferable abroad: location-bound locationFSAs (2) †¢ Even if transferability of the relevant resources were technically possible, this does not mean potential for profitable deployment, i. e. the resource bundles that may be transferable from a technical perspective (e. g. , the way n which a product is marketed at home), do not constitute an FSA abroad. Location advantages †¢ Entire set of strengths of a location, and accessible by firms in that location. †¢ Should always be assessed relative to the strengths of other locations. †¢ Instrumental to FSAs Motivations for foreign expansion †¢ Natural resource seeking – Verbeke: physical, financial or human resources †¢ Market seeking †¢ Strategic resource seeking – e. g. , knowledge, finance †¢ Efficiency seeking – E. g. , low labor cost Case: Honda in the USA Background Prior to 1970s exports of motorcycles and cars †¢ Drivers of foreign production: – Rising value of the yen against US$ – Fear of import restrictions – The Clean Air Act in the US – First oil crisis †¢ Motivation for expansion (natural resource, market, strategic resource, efficiency seeking? ) Honda’s approach †¢ After four-year decision process Honda of America Manufacturing established in Marysville, Ohio, in 1978 †¢ Top priority: attain Japanese-level quality and efficiency – – – – – Selection of employees Training program Fly in managers and workers from Japan Develop lean supplier network Upgrade supplier quality level 1980: start production of cars †¢ Present: 9 production plants in USA Honda’s FSAs †¢ Non-location bound FSAs: – – – – – – – Know-how four-strike engines with optimal power-to-weight ratio Management principles Quality systems Employee selection processes Training and knowledge transfer routines Manufacturing expertise Supplier management approach †¢ †¢ Location-bound FSAs in the host country: – High demand for specific products Resource recombination: – – – Use four-strike engines in many products (motorcycles, small cars, generators, †¦) Design and manufacturing skills + knowledge of consumer preferences in USA Melding existing and new resources through management exchange program Exploit new capabilities worldwide Complementary resources of external actors †¢ Opportunity to study American way of production at Ford †¢ Extensive use of American experts and consultants (especially for selecting location) †¢ Critical role of suppliers Bounded rationality issues lack of knowledge local conditions †¢ Suppliers’ lack of familiarity with Honda †¢ New employees lack of familiarity with â€Å"The Honda Way† Bounded reliability issues †¢ Moral hazard/adverse selection employees †¢ American managers have local priorities Deliberate strategy? Agenda for next lecture 1. 2. 3. 4. Four types of MNEs Recombination Bounded rationality & reliability Firm-specific advantages (FSAs) †¢ Cases: 3M & IKEA †¢ Literature: Textbook chapter 1 (pp 33-76) + chapter 2 NB: Class will be in SZ 31