Monday, September 30, 2019

Exploring the Mind of Internet Addicts Essay

Addiction is a commonly used word that is mostly associated with a substance(drug or alcohol) and sometimes thought of as an illness. We often hear the word addiction thrown around in conversations. I’ve often used the word addiction when referring to my love of chocolate, but in this case it’s just an expression of speech. For a long time now, though, a lot of controversy has been going on about adding other activities, other than substance use to the word addiction. In this case excessive use of the Internet, Internet Addiction(IA). Many people are wanting to take addiction to a whole new level, by adding Internet Addiction to the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition; in other words the â€Å"psychiatric bible†) but is our need, love, desire, and excessive use of the internet just a compulsion or an addiction? Addiction is when a person is dependent on a behavior or specific substance in order to cope with life. The dependence is so important to the individual that even when it becomes harmful to themselves, their family, work, and other important areas of their life they will persist in using the substance, or engaging in the behavior. Also, â€Å"There are actual changes that occur in the brains of addicts and treatments for addiction must address the biology behind the behavior.† So far addictions have focused on highs that are caused from the use of drugs or other substances that affect the brain’s chemical responses. However it has recently been discovered that a person can receive a similar â€Å"high† from using the Internet. The research for this disorder is scarce and fairly new, but the results leave something to argue about for the supporting side. Overly excessive use of the Internet affects everyone involved with the â€Å"user.† There have been con fessions from individuals who claim to suffer from IAD (Internet Addiction Disorder). A case was, reported in the New York Times, A woman who had been divorced by her husband because of her excessive use of the Internet. Still the woman did not come to her senses and continued to use the internet so much that she forgot to buy food for her children, to take them to doctor appointments, and to buy enough oil to warm her home.(Maria Garcia Duran) Sounds like an addiction, but this still doesn’t fit the whole criteria. Remember you have to experience a chemical effect in the brain when your considering an obsessive need for something to be a diagnose as an addiction. There may be some alternative chemical change in her brain, such as the internet use is causing her to be happy, which means endorphins are being released to the brain. But this article isn’t clear on whether the internet use really makes her happy, or helps her hide from reality which may still leave her with the same mood set, but just in hiding. Most people who think they are addicted may just be suffering from the desire to not want to deal with other problems going on in their lives. Those problems may in fact be a mental disorder like anxiety or depression. It may be a a relationship problem, serious disability or health problem. The internet use is no different than TV use, so you won’t have to â€Å"go out with the boys† for drinks or talking to your spouse. Others who spend to much time online with out any other problems present may just be suffering from compulsive over-use.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Juvenile Crime Statistics Essay

â€Å"In 2008, about one in ten murder victims were a juvenile,† (ncjrs.gov, 2009). When a child is harmed or obtain physical pain or injury, it is something that produces a reverberating sound with the community and it is something that is of growing concern. A juvenile that becomes a delinquent is considered to be a child and treated as such in a juvenile court until their habits goes beyond a level that is unacceptable and they are treated as adults. When this happens a juvenile child can be lost forever and sent into an adult system. In this paper we will look at some statistics as they relate to delinquency prevention and juvenile justice. It will talk about the total decrease in juvenile arrests. It will talk about the increase in simple assaults as well as drug offenses. This paper will mention the conclusion that can be drawn for juvenile females and members of racial and ethnic minorities. I will also discuss the low numbers of arrest in male juveniles for violent crimes as well as the increase in arrests of juvenile females. This paper will give an estimation of tracking juvenile arrests as a way of measuring the amount of and trends in juvenile crime. Between the year 2007 to 2008 the statistics show that there was a decrease of 3% in the amount of juveniles arrested. The statistic that is most astounding is how over the past decade how much the percent of juveniles that are arrested as dropped. Since 1999 to 2008 the amount of juveniles arrested per year has decreased 16%. That number is amazing if we consider that the 16% is based on the 2.1 million of juveniles that were arrested in 2008. The number of juveniles that are being arrested continues to decrease and this is something that the juvenile justice system should be happy with and we as a community should be as well (ncjrs.gov, 2009). In 2008 the amount of simple assaults in males decreased 6% however it increased an amazing 12% in females. This is a stark comparison to a more serious crime of aggravated assault, which decreased 22% for males, and 17% for females. What does this imply about society? Potentially two things: juveniles are not being charged with serious crimes or juveniles are choosing not to commit serious crimes. This is a good thing. 2008 also showed another decline in another serious and dangerous crime. It showed a 7% decrease in the amount of juveniles arrested for drug violations. It has been a common thread that the juvenile and criminal justice system is one that is biased toward people of ethnic and minority decent. The statistics would seem to imply this as well based on the larger and skewed amounts of ethnic and minorities that are arrested in comparison to non-minorities. What this does not take into account is that the minorities that are generally arrested come from heavily populated areas that are occupied by minorities. The numbers are larger based on this but in an area that is occupied by one specific ethnic group or people they will be the ones that are arrested most regardless of their race. It is a matter of population. Another statistic that is alarming is the amount of female juveniles that are being arrested. The number has increased dramatically since 1999 and it would appear that female juveniles are becoming increasingly more violent. In 2008 females accounted for 30% of the arrests of juveniles. This is startling because the number for juvenile females arrested has increased and the number of male juveniles has decreased (ojjdp.gov). Is it possible to measure trends in juvenile crimes based on the statistics of their arrests? It is possible to observe what is taking place and because we are able to see who is getting arrested and for what then we can most definitely observe trends. A trend that is taking place now is that female juveniles are becoming increasingly more violent and are being arrested for their actions. This may be a cause for the decrease in male juvenile arrests or it is a side effect of the juvenile female behavior. Is old data and statistics a good measure to locate these trends? No. Old data is not a way to predict trends it is just a means that allows us to measure and compare to what is changing within the system and the juvenile that have been arrested and have been in the juvenile justice system. Reference: Champion, D. J. (2010). The juvenile justice system: Delinquency, processing, and the law. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Internet Reference, http://www.lawyershop.com/practice-areas/criminal-law/juvenile-law/crimes, retrieved on November 26, 2012 Internet Reference, https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/228479.pdf, retrieved on November 23, 2012. Internet Reference, http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/default.asp, retrieved on November 26, 2012

Friday, September 27, 2019

Wealth management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Wealth management - Essay Example There is no standard definition for wealth management that will be generally accepted, though according to Maude â€Å"a basic definition for wealth management would be financial services provided to wealthy clients, mainly individuals and their families† (Maude, 2006). â€Å"a type of financial service that combines personal investments, tax planning strategies, estate planning and legal counsel. It is designed to provide a broad array of services within the confines of one office† Detailing the key elements that differentiate their services from other forms of retail financial institutions, wealth managers draw attention to the exclusiveness of their client relationships, which are extensive in that they cover all aspects of a client’s financial life, and with great respect to the adviser’s devoted knowledge of a client’s priorities and values. Likewise, this breadth and depth of the manager-client relationship allows the wealth manager to form and apply specially designed solutions that meet all key elements of a client’s financial welfare. The following three criteria distinguish a firm as a wealth manager: - The relationship between wealth managers and their clients, in regard to both terms of breadth (such as â€Å"holistic†, â€Å"comprehensive†, and â€Å"all-inclusive†) and depth (â€Å"intimate† and â€Å"individualised†). Since wealth management has scored the fastest growing in late 1990, all of the financial services industry sector and even through the recession after that wealth management still attracts investors. In term of the population growth the number of millionaires till 2006 the number increased which is more than 7% a year referring to the devolved in the economy in Europe and North America. â€Å"Given that financial markets and economic growth in 2008 has been far worse so far than 2007, I expect flat growth or a contraction in the millionaire population in 2008.

Chemistry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Chemistry - Essay Example The particular orbital and electron configuration for potassium may be represented in this manner: K1s2 2s2 2p6 33s2 3p6 4s1 4) Covalent Bonding-Covalent bonds are among the strongest of the bonds because it actually engages in sharing electrons between 2 atoms, thus allowing their bond to be much more stable. Ionic bonds are characterized by the fact that they are bonds which form between two metal or non metal ions. It is essentially the attraction between these two ions which allows for the ionic bond to form. 5). When going down group ! On the periodic tables, name how ionic radius and hydrated radius change. Ionic radius goes up as the one scrolls down the group but the hydration radius however, lowers as one scrolls down the group. 5). When referring to proteins, it can be said that proteins are either primary, secondary, tertiary or quaternary. This is simply referring to their structure. Proteins are composed of amino acids. The first protein structure to discuss is primary proteins which are the simplest of the protein structures. One may look this this: A secondary protein is found when observing along chain polypeptide and then suddenly, the appearance of alpha helices and beta pleated sheets appear. These more complex protein structures are known as secondary proteins. Tertiary proteins are simply the long chain of polypeptides as a whole. This long chain, consisting of primary and secondary proteins, folds in and around itself forming a 3 dimensional structure. The final and specific protein shape is known as quaternary protein configurations. This is often a case of many polypeptide chains all wound together, equipped with primary structures, alpha helices and beta pleated sheets of the secondary proteins and so on. 10). Structural isomer- The structural isomer for hexane is C6H12 with 5 structural isomers. Structural isomers exists fro the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Should I vote for a second fiscal stimulus bill Essay

Should I vote for a second fiscal stimulus bill - Essay Example l investments by performing two things: cutting taxes levied on households and firms, thus increasing disposable income, the money that consumers can spend on goods and services and increasing the incentives of creating new businesses; or it may itself spend more to increase the level of demand. Since a fiscal stimulus translates to an increase in government purchases, our focus is on the latter policy. Now consider an increase in government purchases: An increase in government purchases increases planned expenditure, which then in turn stimulates the production of goods and services and thus increases income. In a pragmatist fashion, when the government spends to create livelihood projects, the number of jobs increases and so does the production of goods and services. This however has ramifications because as people have more income, their demand for products increase, thus they would want to spend more and save less. This in turn increases the interest rate to give people more incentive to save in banks. However, this interest rate however is the same interest rate that firms consider before borrowing money from the bank and investing in a business venture. And this is where the trade-off stems from because the higher the interest rate, the less likely firms will build new businesses and contribute to the increase in output of goods and services and, of course, to economic output or income. Hence, just by simple deduction, a fiscal stimulus really swings both ways in affecting our gross domestic product. To put things in perspective, according to the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the unemployment rate decreased from 10.2 percent last October to 10.00 percent this November. Productivity increased from 6.9 percent during the 2nd quarter of 2009, to 8.1 percent during the 3rd quarter of the same year. Also, the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics also reports a projection of total employment to increase by 15.3 million, or 10.1

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Owner Controlled Insurance Programs versus Traditional Insurance Term Paper

Owner Controlled Insurance Programs versus Traditional Insurance Programs - Term Paper Example It is purchased by construction owner for the benefit of builders or contractors engaged with the project, which includes compensation of workers, general liability, pollution liability, builders risk and professional liability among others. OCIP is a comparatively new vehicle in insurance sector for residential projects. Due to rapid growth of defective constructive designs, these policies are becoming highly popular among the builders and the contractors (Grenier, 2001). The study is mainly based on the analysis of OCIP versus Traditional insurance programs. Both the insurance policies play vital roles in the construction sector but OCIP provides advanced reliability than traditional insurance policies, as OCIP wraps up multiple policies provided by the owner to the contractors or the developers in a project including the facilities which are not supported in traditional insurance policies. Risks Associated with OCIP OCIP is commonly known as Wrap-Up Policy in United States. Both the OCIP and traditional policies were developed in 1950’s. The difference between the owner controlled insurance program and traditional insurance program lies with those who procure the policy. In OCIP, an individual party purchases insurance policies for all contractors involved in the project but in case of traditional insurance program, it is not applicable (Olson, 2006).... Although OCIP provides numerous benefits, there are various risks associated with it both for owners as well as contractors which are stated below: Risk of Owners The risk can be identified through various factors including administrative burden which signifies that if OCIP is not managed accurately, it can provide huge administrative load on the contractors. Subsequently, the liability of the construction owners is also likely to increase. OCIPs are useful mainly in large projects, small construction owners are deprived from the facilities of this policy. The small contractors of United States have been witnessed at times to prefer acquiring higher limits of insurances than that provided by owners which can place a negative impact on the contractors (Gibson, 2006). There is always a market risk associated with every program. The market risk signifies that if the market of insurance hardens, there is a possibility of financial risk which can result in increase of premium cost. Bid Pr eparation aspect signifies that there are certain additional costs involved in it, such as retention of a risk consultant, a complete study of advantages and disadvantages of OCIP, submission of proposals and detail interviews (Taylor, 2011). Risk of Contractors The risk of the contractors can also be observed by certain significant factors. For example, limited insurance coverage is one of the vital aspects which focuses on the limitations in the insurance policies provided through OCIP to contractors. This acts as a barrier which the contractors have to face in this policy. Further, is the complicated bidding which highlights on the view that if bidding is done with the contractors of the United States, the insurance also gets included. The contractors would not be able to recover

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Sociol Pedagogy and the Public Intellectual Essay - 1

Sociol Pedagogy and the Public Intellectual - Essay Example This was an issue was brought up by the rapid rural urban migration in those years. The immigration led to increased population that put a lot of pressure on the existing resource such water and sanitation, housing, and office-space among others. Hence, Industrialism, urbanization, and the simple upsurge in the figures involved convoluted all human relationships. This further led to the breakdown of the inbred structures of social control. However, progressive reform measures were quickly put in place to solve some of these problems, but the equally created new ones. As such, social organizations such as, the family, church, and other community organizations had to adjust excruciatingly, and not always effectively, to the ever-changing needs of their constituents. One of the constituent that was greatly affected was in the education sector. Some of its practitioners decipher social pedagogy as ‘community education’ and have constantly defined it around three key pillars/traditions. Accordingly, the first tradition is The Continental tradition; that reflects on the nature of man which acts on the notion that individuals can fully develop only if they are part of that society. This institution of social pedagogy emphasizes upon social integration and socialization. The second tradition is Social conditions and social problems ‘the American tradition’. Further, in this element of the tradition the focus is on working with individuals, casework in addition to providing care. Unlike in the others, this tradition has more interest in and minimizes the impact of social disparities. Lastly, the pedagogy tradition of social pedagogy has its origins in the work of educational thinkers and philosophers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi and John Dewey. Moreover, Paulo Freire has in the recent past been outspoken and advancing theories aimed at helping people to structure their

Monday, September 23, 2019

Economics development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economics development - Assignment Example I will carry out a randomized control trial among 482 rural Guatemalan households, split into 38 neighborhoods clusters, for twelve weeks. The target population in this randomized control trial will mainly consist of infants aged below one year. Each cluster randomly assigned to water treatment with the disinfectant will be compared with the ones that continue to use their normal water treatment practices. Only households that had not previously taken part in any prior studies shall be eligible for this study. The participating households will be grouped four neighborhoods within every village. Using a spreadsheet with a random number generator, half of the neighborhoods in each village will be assigned to the intervention group while the remaining will be assigned to the control group. Households in the intervention group will use the disinfectant which is manufactured from chemicals used in commercial water treatment plants but has been specifically designed to work fast in small q uantities of water. Field workers will administer the treatment to participating households. Participants in the control group continued their normal water collection, treatment and storage practices. A standardized questionnaire on water use will be filled weekly by each participating household to record whether each household will have had a case of diarrhea. Samples of drinking water stored by every household will also be collected by each household and measured to determine the chlorine concentration. The longitudinal prevalence of diarrhea among the 482 households will be computed as the fraction of total days with diarrhea divided by the overall number of days of observation. The prevalence of diarrhea will then be compared using a rank sum test. I will use data gathered from the randomized control trial to determine the existence of any adequate power to detect a variation in the prevalence of diarrhea between control children and intervention children aged below one

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Cultural Competency Assessment Essay Example for Free

Cultural Competency Assessment Essay The Long Island Adolescent and Family Services or LIAFS is a social service organization that assists the young population in their needs and concerns. LIAFS first started as a support group for young people who were victims of crime and a haven for children who do not have anywhere to go. LIAFS does not operate for the purpose of generating profit. The organization is headstrong in providing support and assistance to adolescents or families who are experiencing difficulties and challenges in whatever aspect of their lives. (LIAFS, 2008) LIAFS obtains its resources to accomplish its goals and objectives from donations and contributions. People who want to help LIAFS further their aims are able to send their monetary assistance to the LIAFS’ office. As of now, the organization is publishing a wish list that contains what they need, such as computers, sports equipments, vehicles, and gifts that the organization will be able to give out to children during their birthdays. (LIAFS, 2008b) The organization is also in need of employees that are willing to work for the said cause, such as cooks, therapists, drivers, counselors, and psychologists. (LIAFS, 2008c) The involvement of the community or the neighborhood is much needed in running programs of the LIAFS. This is highly recommended, especially for non-profit organizations, if LIAFS wishes to sustain resources and take one step higher than what the organization has been attaining or has attained. This concept builds on cultural competency. Cultural competency means that a non-profit organization is able to become culturally aware and through it gain help from diverse groups in society in order to assist the organization is realizing its goals and objectives. (Alliance for Non-Profit Management, 2004) In general, cultural competency assists the organization in providing much-needed quality services to the youth and their families. The need for cultural competency requires LIAFS to employ the help of the community or the neighborhood in understanding a multitude of cultures in order to provide suitable and comprehensive services to cover for the needs and concerns of youth and families. Employing the help of community members requires the need to train them in cultural issues so they too can help in providing needs and concerns that the LIAFS originally provides the youth and their families. Involvement of the community or neighborhood should be on a regular basis because its members need to understand that the welfare of the youth and their families influence the conditions of the community and the neighborhood. Aside from cultural awareness to deal with people belonging to diverse cultural backgrounds and other groups or organizations that operate on a different cultural environment or situation, people from the community or the neighborhood should be able to be informed about the situations that the youth and their families are experiencing. It is important for them to discern that the adolescent population and their families who are experiencing difficulties and challenges need the help of other people for them to be able to improve their situation and way of life. Part of the contribution of communities and neighborhoods include being observant or vigilant about their surroundings. It is important to supervise events or situations in the neighborhood in order to perceive potential risks or harmful environments that might endanger children and their families. Keeping a watchful eye prevents difficult situations such as child abuse, for instance. It is also the role of the community and the neighborhood to protect the rights of the citizens. Once an incident happens, it is their responsibility to act against crime and other events that lead to difficulties and challenges. Another role that the community or neighborhood should play is to be involved in the fund-raising process most especially because LIAFS is a non-profit organization. Members of the community or neighborhood should be able to contribute to LIAFS’ programs and activities with whatever assistance they can extend to the organization, the children, and their families. Community volunteerism is something that should be practiced by members of the community or neighborhood. References Alliance for Non-Profit Management. (2004). â€Å"Cultural Competency Initiative. † Retrieved August 30, 2008, from Alliance for Non-Profit Management. Website: http://www. allianceonline. org/cci. ipage LIAFS. (2008). â€Å"About LIAFS. † Retrieved August 30, 2008, from LIAFS. Website: http://www. liafs. org/about. html LIAFS. (2008b). â€Å"Support and Donations. † Retrieved August 30, 2008, from LIAFS. Website: http://www. liafs. org/donation. html LIAFS. (2008c). â€Å"Employment Opportunities. † Retrieved August 30, 2008, from LIAFS. Website: http://www. liafs. org/employment. html

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Getting into Shape Essay Example for Free

Getting into Shape Essay Fitness is the quality or state of being fit. (Merriam-Webster, 2011) On September 26th, 2011 I took a physical fitness test. The fitness test measured four areas of my wellbeing, cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility, and body composition. After taking the test I was really interested in how I scored related to the standard set by other Men of my age. Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the heart, lungs and circulatory system to supply oxygen and nutrients to working muscles efficiently. Having good cardio fitness allows you to enjoy life to the fullest. Cardio fitness reduces your risk of heart disease, lowers blood pressure, reduces cholesterol and helps you look and feel better. On the fitness test I scored a Maximum oxygen consumption of 58. This score placed me in the 95th percentile of males between the ages of 14-19 and at the low end of the very good category. Scoring high in this area did not surprise me since I do cardio for 3 hours a week. Yet, to improve my fitness and get in to the elite category I am going to incorporate more interval training in my cardio workouts. Strength is the second area that was tested during my fitness test. Muscular strength is the amount of force that your muscles can exert against resistance. (Healthy Flesh, 2011) To measure strength I was asked to bicep curl a bar for twenty seconds. At the end of the twenty seconds I scored 99 pounds and was in the upper end of the good category. If I would have curled 1 more pound I would have been in the excellent category. To get into that excellent category I am going to incorporate a new bicep regimen. The third test was the flexibility test. I knew going into the test that I wouldn’t do well since I do not stretch often. On the test I score 12. 4 inches. Compared with other males aged 14-19 I scored fair. To increase my flexibility I plan on stretching, by stretching after my warm-up, holding each stretch for 10-60 seconds and doing 2-6 repetitions per muscle group. (Liguori Carroll-Cobb, 2012) If I incorporate this stretching plan into my workout routine I should be able to get my flexibility level up to average for my age. The fourth and final test of my fitness was a body composition test. A three site skin fold test was used to determine my body composition for the test. The measurements were chest 3. 5mm, abdomen 12mm, and thigh 11mm. My body weight at the time of the test was 189 pounds. This combined with the skin fold measurements resulted in giving me a body fat percentage of 6. 5. The level of body fat I am at is low for men ages 14-19; it is also the optimal body weight for athletes. I plan on keeping my body fat percentage low by keeping up with my exercise routine and incorporating more cardio. The fitness test measured four areas of my wellbeing, cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility, and body composition. In the cardiovascular portion I scored very well. For strength I scored well, while in flexibility I scored fair. My body composition was 6. 5%. Overall, according to the fitness test, I am in excellent physical condition. I plan on continuing to work out, while improving on areas of flexibility and cardiovascular fitness. If I improve on those two areas while maintaining my strength and body composition, I shall live a long healthy life.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Statements from the novel soucouyant

Statements from the novel soucouyant These are statements from the novel Soucouyant by David Chariandy (2007) that condenses the message of the novel. In general, the novel illustrates forgetting not just as a illness in the form of dementia but it also shows the cultural meaning of forgetting in the lives of the narrator, his mother and the other characters in the story. In a cultural context, forgetting in the novel means leaving behind ones history and tradition; erasing from memory ones dark past experiences; not remembering the hurts and sufferings one has experienced; and turning back on ones mistakes and sins in the past as depicted by the characters in the novel. At the outset, the story focuses on the life of the narrators mother named Adele who is suffering from early onset or pre-senile dementia. The narrator here is considered a prodigal son who has run away from his home but who longed for her as any son would for his mother, even so a frightening a mother as she had become (33). However, after two years, he went back to stay with Mother though I havent been invited to stay (9). It seemed, as the story progresses, that the narrator wants to understand her mothers past so he can also understand his own origins. So, he tried to ask questions from his mother who never deliberately explained to me her past, but I learned anyway (23). She told him over and over again of her encounter with the creature [a soucouyant] (136). A soucouyant according to what is written in the back cover of the book is an evil spirit in Caribbean folklore. The narrator wishes to confirm this encounter but Mother never explained any of this to me (136). The narratio n is interspersed with bits and pieces of the mothers past as fragments of her memory come and go. Some of the stories about Adele are also narrated by Meera, the nurse. The characters who are Adele, the narrators mother and the narrator who has remained nameless throughout the story have engaged in episodes of forgetting and remembering which has something to do with their cultural heritage. The cultural meaning of forgetting in Soucouyant is first of all, significant to Adele who is a Trinidadian immigrant who experienced the worst things in her past. On her part, forgetting includes leaving behind her history and her traditions as she leaves behind her birthplace, Trinidad. It also means erasing from her memory her dark past. The narrator tells of her, she saw sadness and anxiety. She saw violence. She saw war. (161). There was also a time when she experienced being dragged like a doll toward the gates of the base, back toward the village and the life that awaits (192). She has suffered a lot, not to mention the discrimination during those times because she is dark or a colored woman. In these instances, forgetting seems to be the most creative and life-sustaining thing (32) she could do with her dark past. The phrase a path so old that none could remember its origins (45, 136, 173 190) has been repeatedly mentioned in the novel. This path may very well symbolize what Adele has gone through. She tried to forget the heaviness of a history that couldnt leave. She resolved within herself not to remember those dark events in her life again. She has become so good at forgetting that this could have probably affected her own memory which turned out to develop into dementia. The narrator is not sure what really caused her early onset dementia but what the narrator remembers is that: Long ago, she began to forget. It started with ordinary things. Shopping lists and recipes, bus change and savings cards, pens for jotting down those household tasks that always manage to slip away. But then Mother began to forget in more creative ways. She began to forget names and places, goals and meanings. She began to forget the laws of language and the routes to salvation and the proper things to do with ones body. She began to excuse herself from the world we knew (12). Similarly, the narrator asks these questions about her mother: Was this a turning point in her life? The moment when she first realized that something was wrong with her? That something more serious than cutlery or bangles had gone missing? That so many other things were getting lost? This man beside her, for instance. Her husband. She knows his name, of course. Its Roger. But what else does she know? (78). Likewise, forgetting, for Adele means no longer remembering the hurts and painful experiences she had in the past. With her dementia, she would surely not remember those pains and hurts in her secret past again. She has erased memories in her mind and the narrator says: She tells me now that she doesnt understand that thing called memory. She doesnt understand its essence or dynamic (166). It is just ironical that in the past and even in the present, there are things that Adele can still remember. This is evident in what the narrator has said that: She never forget. But I dont remember it. Not even a little bit. I remember something else from that trip, though (196). This shows that Adeles memory is even better than the authors. This also goes to show that Adele somehow uses selective remembering and forgetting. Pleasant and good things are remembered while unpleasant, traumatic experiences are better left forgotten in obscurity. Aside from Adele, the narrator himself has tried forgetting his past. He tries to forget what happened to his mother and his father by running away from his home to another place. His mother staggered into forgetfulness. She wandered the streets of our neighbourhood and upturned peoples garbage bins (18). While his father became increasingly quiet and withdrawn, [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] He stopped communicating to anyone, including Mother and me (28). The narrator describes the place where he stayed: The city was for me a good place of forgetting. I found my anonymity in a series of rent-by-the-week rooms, in under-the-counter jobs as a dishwasher and holiday flower-seller (30). Yes, he was able to forget those things that happened to his family but only for a little while. This is because, he later forgot to forget and he remembered everything again which leads him back to his mother and to his hometown. For the narrator, forgetting means repenting of his mistakes and making amends by livi ng his life anew and by taking care of his mother. When he goes back to his home he tried to understand his roots, his history. He tries to prove that: Your history is your blood and flesh (137). Though his mother is someone so entirely unwilling to admit that she has forgotten me (8). He tries to imagine his mothers life before it all slips away into darkness. Thus, he attempts to draw his mother to a conversation to help him know the truth about his mothers childhood and what could have caused her dementia. He asks her questions such as: You mean you dont remember, Mother? (12); Dont you remember, Mother? (15); Do you remember, Mother? (92); Can you remember it now, Mother? Can you tell me this last thing? Today, before I go? (194). However, with his series of questions, his Mother doesnt explain anything to him. This is because She told, but she never explained or deciphered. She never put the stories together. She never could or wanted to do so. It is only through the help of Miss that he is able to understand the details of his mothers life. And he is able to confirm of his mothers life when he said that it is possible to live with almost no memories (54). In addition to Adele and the narrator, Meera, the nurse is also trying to hide something and to forget her past. Although, it is not quite obvious in the story, her feelings became transparent upon seeing her mother. Meera unbelievably asks the narrator You fetched my mother? (124) while her mother keeps on calling her name. She was neither enthusiastic nor happy to see her own mother. The narrator also tells her: I dont care, Meera. It doesnt matter to me. I just wanted to know more about you. I thought we could talk about things (125). This leads to the conclusion that Meera is not sharing about her life. She is probably hiding something and is trying to forget the memories altogether. It was later found out that Meera used to crank call the wandering lady (159). Many times, Meeras calls were stupidly banal. Giggling requests to speak to Oliver Clothesoff [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] (160). For Meera, forgetting means turning back on past mistakes and sins and correcting her mistakes. Eventua lly, she becomes the nurse of the wandering lady who used to be the subject of her crank calls. For Adele, the narrator and Meera, forgetting gives them a way of escaping from their repulsive past. It has its advantages but it also has its disadvantages. The narrator confirms this through a quote: During our lives, we struggle to forget. And its foolish to assume that forgetting is altogether a bad thing. Memory is a bruise still tender (32). Human beings sometimes need to forget especially those unpleasant, traumatic experiences that happened in ones life. But it should not keep one from moving on to the future like what happened to the narrator and to Meera. The novels title which is Soucouyant refers to an evil spirit in the form of a vampire-like old woman who sucks blood from her victims. A soucouyant is a monster worth forgetting because it symbolizes something disagreeable or horrible. In addition, Adeles encounter of a soucouyant symbolizes everything in her life that is horrid, distasteful, horrible, hostile and unkind which are worth forgetting. Indeed, Soucouyant is aptly described as a novel of forgetting. However, contrary to the title, the novel Soucouyant is worth reading and remembering.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Female Characters in William Shakespeares Othello Essay -- William Sh

Female Characters in William Shakespeare's Othello Throughout history, women’s place and role in society has vastly changed, as well as their sexuality. In the Victorian era, it was considered abnormal for women to masturbate or feel pleasure from sexual intercourse with her husband. They were led to believe that they were sick, and thus went to their doctor who would â€Å"rid† them of their â€Å"fever† through vaginal stimulation. The patriarchal society did not want women to know or understand their sexuality because that would give them power and control over their bodies. Additionally, in many African tribes, when a girl reaches womanhood, it is custom to mutilate her genitals in order to keep them chaste until they are married. During the Elizabethan era, women were considered second-class citizens. They lived in a society in which a woman was either a whore, or a good, angelic wife. The three female characters in Othello, Emilia, Desdemona, and Bianca, all vary in their personalities and roles, yet they all share one common trait, in that they are all women living in a patriarchal society and thus by suffering together, their female bonds become stronger. Emilia is a very outspoken, strong, independent women who believes her husband Iago, to be a mischievous, deceitful, idiot. Although Iago treats Emilia rather badly, she still stands up to him. In Act 3, scene 3, Emilia has discovered Desdemona’s handkerchief and brings it to Iago in which Iago call his wife â€Å"foolish† and a â€Å"wench.† Emilia stands up to Iago by defending Desdemona’s keepsake by questioning Iago why he wanted her to steal it in the first place, and then finding out his cruel intentions, â€Å"What will you do with’t, that you have been so earnest t... ...owever, after looking at Iago’s harsh portrayal of Bianca, he clearly does not understand the situation Bianca is in, and thus Bianca shares the secret life of a female as does Desdemona and Emilia and therefore indirectly, establishes the female bond. The women of Othello have different characteristics, yet all share one common bond. Desdemona is submissive, but loyal and true to the men in her life. Emilia thinks quite low of her husband and is a strong, smart, assertive woman. Bianca knows her place in society and was unfortunate to succumb to a life of prostitution. However, all these women share the same knowledge, which brings them together as females. They all live under a harsh patriarchal society that does not allow them to think and act freely and naturally as men do, even though unlike the men, they know they are of equal human qualities.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Use of the Dramatic Monologue in Porphyrias Lover and My Last Duchess

In 'Porphyria's Lover' and 'My Last Duchess', Browning uses several features of dramatic monologue in order to engage and sustain the interest of the audience. This style of monologue is spoken by a character, which is not the poet, and is usually projected at a critical moment, as in the case of 'My Last Duchess' and 'Porphyria's Lover'. The speakers unintentionally reveal their insanity, in both poems, through their separate accounts. By making a comparison of the two poems, it becomes clear that Browning has used similar disturbing themes to illustrate what an individual is capable of doing. Browning's work is known to be an example of dramatic monologue, with this being the way in which he is able to portray the insanity of his characters. By using the technique of dramatic monologue in 'Porphyria's Lover' and 'My Last Duchess', the reader is immediately given an image of both of the narrators' subjects. The opening line is vital to any poem, as it has the potential to instantly interest the reader. "That's my last Duchess painted on the wall" begins 'My Last Duchess' halfway through the conversation, leaving the audience eager to determine to whom the speaker is talking to. This statement also hints that the story of his "last duchess" will follow, thus sustaining the interest of the audience. By using dramatic monologue in 'My Last Duchess', the reader feels personally involved in the scene, as if the Duke is directly talking to him. In fact the Duke is speaking to an emissary, who has been sent by a Count to see whether the Duke is an appropriate suitor for his daughter. The lack of response from this envoy however gives the... ...g more of a passionate poem. The poem also uses iamic tetrameter, in order to stress the importance of different syllables of words in the poem. 'Porphyria's Lover' concludes with a rhyming couplet in order to tidy up and close the piece. In conclusion, Browning uses dramatic monologue in 'Porphyria's Lover' and 'My Last Duchess' in order to engage and sustain the interest of the audience. Various factors, such as the state of mind of both characters, use of language (particularly imagery) and the lay out of the poem contributed to the effectiveness of the poems. When studying comparisons and contrasts in the poems, it becomes clear that Browning has used the same methods of aiming to disturb the reader in both 'Porphyria's Lover' and 'My Last Duchess', although different ways in which to alarm the audience are used.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Persepolis Essay

Persepolis was a very insightful movie about the lives of Iranian people at a very important time in the country’s history. Two topics that stuck out to me the most were the effects of the war on the everyday lives of the citizens of Iran and secondly the not-so-patriarchal lifestyle of people at the household level. Once the revolution to bring down the Shah began, which was followed by the Iran-Iraq war, the lives of Iranians were never the same again. Before these events, Iran appeared to be what we can easily call ‘a modern society’. Women were treated equally, men and women openly socialized together without any restrictions and westernization was apparent with the dressing styles of women, parties and the children indulging in pop culture. All of this drastically changed after the elections and once the war began. Under the new repressive government, religious extremists in power imposed several laws that undermined the freedom of all citizens of Iran. Everybody was told how to dress whereby women were required to veil in public, parties and consumption of alcohol became illegal, children were taught in school that the new government was very good, young boys were influenced into joining the army and fighting in the war. In addition to all these social impacts there were economic downturns as well. The stores are shown to have empty shelves, the country’s infrastructure destroyed, healthcare deteriorated, the excessive restrictions on almost everything pushed for the need for black-markets and illegal operations. Even with all the restrictions from the people in power and the policing of everybody, there were still a large number of people who were very modern, even men. One example would be Marjane’s father telling her and Reza to be more careful about meeting in public. Another example would be when Marjane’s uncle Anoush is released from prison and visits them, everybody ate dinner at the same table, both men and women. One of the topics that relate to our class readings is war and bereavement. The war that lasted so long did not occur without expensing lives of millions of innocent people. During the war period, countless lives were lost and most of these were men. Men fought in wars and died and the women were left to deal with the loss. When a missile lands in Marjane’s neighborhood, the fear of losing her family takes over her and she is still a little girl at the time. The same incident cost the lives of her friends in the neighborhood. Of all the characters in the movie, to me, Marjane’s grandmother was the most compelling character. She was a wise old woman who was inspirational, understanding and very realistic. She was a symbol of independence and a great role model for Marjane. Most importantly, she practiced what she preached. She placed a great emphasis on protecting the innocent as this was an issue close to her since her husband and family members had been victims. When Marjane tells her that in order to save herself from the police, she lied and got an innocent man in trouble, Grandmother reacts in a way that I didn’t expect. She believed in being true to your own self and certainly did not tolerate any unfaithfulness, even from her beloved Marjane. The character that had the most impact on Marjane would have to be her uncle Anoush. He came into Marjane’s life when she was still very young and definitely made an enormous impression on her. As if his life story wasn’t enough, uncle Anoush’s death left an even bigger impact on Marjane’s life. She wouldn’t tolerate people talking about war and death lightly after his death. Several times in her life when she was feeling confused, the words of her uncle Anoush helped her get through.

Monday, September 16, 2019

DuBois and Washington: Realism in Fiction Essay

In both DuBois’ work, The Souls of Black Folk, and Washington’s work, Up from Slavery, the reader is presented with viewpoints of emancipation from the oppressive slavery of being controlled under the harmful influences of the white elite. The stories of rising above one’s personal struggle and finding freedom during a time corrupt with racism and classism are illustrated by both authors. In reading these tales, one is presented with a picture of the importance of the black person, with the spiritual journey in finding personal meaning and pride in an environment of hatred and misunderstanding. While DuBois presents the black situation somewhat like a folktale, with more instances of fiction being woven throughout the realism of the work, Washington presents a work more related to nonfiction, with stronger elements of realism which strengthens the truth of his writing. The way Dubois crafts his tale is one of passion and imagery, beautiful prose with aims to serve the senses as much as the intellect. However, in this way, he is prone to flights of fancy and wandering from realism and the important points of social justice. Although he describes his own personal situation quite well and in colorful detail, one is sometimes left wondering about his point, whether he is aiming to make a strong contribution to a cause or a simply a strong contribution to the love of painting with words. He writes that the social walls were â€Å"straight and stubborn to the whitest, but relentlessly tall, narrow, and unscalable to sons of night who must plod darkly on in resignation† (8). Although there’s beauty here, one notes an element of self pity and ignorance of the true social movement of his time, the flight into fantasy and rejection of realism. Washington is more apt to speak plainly, with a somewhat determined sense of realism in his aim to produce a nonfictional autobiography. Facts are given out in abundance, objective truths which the reader can surely hold and place in a sense of assured reality. He describes his own life and pursuits in fairly stark detail, promoting a sense of uprising and a simple yet eloquent narrative of his own personal journey. In a quote about his father, Washington states that he â€Å"was an unfortunate victim of the institution which the nation unhappily had grafted upon it at that time† (3). While the reader can ascertain a sense of reality in his picture of his father and the national social situation, one is still left somewhat disturbed by the lack of a true sense of outrage in the governmental situation, the lack of social justice, and the contribution of his own father to the oppressive regime. While Washington presents his tale more realistically than DuBois, both men could have presented their tales with more assured sense of the ethical dilemma of their time, sparked with a true sense of urgency in aiming for social justice. Works Cited DuBois, W. (2007). The Souls of Black Folk. Oxford University Press. Washington, B. (1986). Up from slavery. Penguin Classics.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Business Policy

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, DUBLIN MASTER OF SCIENCE (SINGAPORE) Business Policy BMGT 4025S STUDY GUIDE MSc14/15 FT / Singapore Copyright October 2012 1 Author: Dr Yousef Eiadat and Dr Richard Tan (2012) This manual was prepared for University College Dublin as a comprehensive support for students completing the above mentioned Degree programme.  © This publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part without permission in from University College Dublin. Module Co-ordinator: Dr Yousef Eiadat & Dr Richard Tan Contact details Mobile: TBA Office: TBA Email: [email  protected] om. sg 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Welcome message 1. INTRODUCTION a. Background details b. Module aims 2. MODULE OUTLINE a. Module learning outcomes b. Themes and topics c. Learning supports 3. MODULE DELIVERY SCHEDULE a. Session arrangements b. Student engagement c. Office hours arrangements 4. ASSESSMENT DETAILS a. Assignments b. Module assessment components i. Pre module ass ignment ii. Group project iii. Examination 5. GRADING a. University grading policy b. Grade descriptors for assessment components 6. CONCLUDING COMMENTS APPENDICES 5 6 10 12 16 19 21 3Welcome message Welcome to this unit on Business Policy. Dr Yousef Eiadat will be joining me in teaching this course. In this unit we aim to build skills in Strategic planning – the analysis behind strategic decisions, the crafting of strategies and the implementation of them to ensure organisational success. Strategy involves managing the interface between an organization and its external environment. To this end, the first three topics develop skills in strategic analysis, leading to consideration of the positioning of an organisation in its strategic environment.These cover internal and external analysis, and the options in setting strategic direction. This analysis is critical to successful strategy because success depends upon finding the right fit between the strengths and weaknesses of th e internal workings of the organisation and the opportunities and threats in the external environment. We will spend time ensuring that you can apply the main tools and techniques to the real world situation outlined cases. Should you require clarification on any matter pertaining to the module, please do not hesitate to contact me.Dr Yousef Eiadat Dr. Richard Tan Module coordinator, BMGT4008S 4 PART 1: INTRODUCTION This Study Guide is designed to provide you with details of the module (Business Policy, BMGT4025S), the learning outcomes, delivery and assessment arrangements. The Study Guide consists of 6 parts Part 1 gives background details to the subject area are provided and the broad aims of the module are set out. Part 2 consists of the module outline. In this part the (a) module learning outcomes, (b) the themes and topics to be explored are explained along with the (c) learning supports to be used.Part 3 gives details of the module delivery arrangements. It sets out the sessi on arrangements and the expectations in relation to your prior preparation and student engagement. Part 4 provides details of the assessment techniques used in this module explaining the assessment components, their rationale. Part 5 explains the UCD grading policy and grade descriptors drawing on the university document are given for each assessment component (i) Pre-module assignment, (ii) Main Assignment and (iii) Examination (closed book). Part 6 presents the concluding comments. a.Background to the Topic Strategic management is predominantly focused on creating effectiveness – it is concerned with the long-term compatibility between an organisation and its relevant external environment. Good strategies also create organizational flexibility. Managing the interface between the external environment and the organisation requires it to become flexible enough to respond to environmental changes. Strategic mistakes come from misinterpreting environmental trends or not reacting rapidly enough to changed industry conditions. The knowledge has a dramatic impact on a firm’s success. b.Module Aims The aim of this module is to provide students with an overview of the theory and practice of strategic management. The module is designed to deepen your awareness and 5 understanding of the factors that contribute to effective management of enterprises – large and small. The theory underpinning the firm and MNE is assessed and students are encouraged to develop an ability to critically evaluate its applicability in today's world. Among the topics covered on this course include: Theory and practice of business management. Theoretical developments are also evaluated for their relevance for the international manager.Key management issues and techniques related to business competitiveness. This includes varies variables that influence a firm’s competitiveness, role of culture, sourcing, doing business in specific regions in Pacific Rim etc. The modu le draws on the student’s prior learning and work experience, and combines insights from IB, Human Resource Management and other areas. The assessments have been designed with this in mind as detailed later in the study guide. PART 2: MODULE OUTLINE Module Title: Business Policy Module Code: BMGT 4025S No. of ECTS: 10 ECTS Learning Outcomes I.Undertake environment scanning processes and critically assess the impact on the organisation and their strategy. II. Identify and critically assess the significance of cultural issues on business and to critical evaluate the appropriate strategies to gain maximum competitive advantage. III. Critically assess the theoretical underpinnings of principal concepts, frameworks, and techniques of strategic management and describe the variety of factors that influence a firm's success. IV. Explain the strategic options available to firms in growth strategies and analyse the forces that affecting this decision.V. Identify emerging issues in mana gement. On completing the Business Policy module, students will be expected to be able to: i. Assess the potential of different strategies in the context of different cultures, risks and uncertainties. 6 ii. iii. iv. Expand on the complexities of Business. Identify business issues confronting companies planning to expand internationally. Illustrate how companies compete in markets. Module Text: Jones, G. R. , Hill, C. W. L. (2011), â€Å"Theory of Strategic Management with Cases†, International Edition, 10th Edn. Cengage.Learning Materials For this module, please read the assigned chapters in the prescribed text and the additional readings assigned (see list below). I. Hanson, D. , Dowling, P. , Hitt, M. , Ireland, D. , and Hoskisson R. , (2011), â€Å"The Management of Strategy Concepts†, 9th edn, Thomson Learning. II. Brooks, J. Weatherston and G. Wilkinson, (2011), The International Business Environment: Challenges and Changes, 2e Other useful sources: I. Academy of Management Journal II. Strategic Management Journal III. Journal of Marketing IV. European Journal of Marketing V. The Wall Street Journal VI.The Financial Times Students completing the International Business module are expected to participate in session discussions and learning activities and be familiar with recent developments in the business world. To facilitate this, the following source material is useful 1. The Economist 2. The South China Morning Post 3. The Straits Times 4. The Financial Times 5. Business Week 7 6. Fortune PART 3: MODULE DELIVERY SCHEDULE The module delivery relies on students’ ability to engage in prior preparation, to seek confirmation and clarification as appropriate and to be actively engaged during the sessions.Session Arrangements Each student is expected to attend and be prepared for all sessions. Table 1 below outlines the structure for the sessions. Table 1: Module Delivery Schedule – themes, readings, cases No. Theme /Topic title Te xt chapters articles/ Readings* Case / exercise TBA in lecture 1 1 Strategic Leadership: Managing the Strategy-Making Process for Competitive Advantage. Chap. 1 Dr Yousef Eiadat 2 External Analysis: The Identification of Opportunities and Threats. Chap. 2 Dr Yousef Eiadat 3 Internal Analysis: Distinctive Competencies, Competitive Advantage, and Profitability.Chap. 3 Dr Yousef Eiadat 4 Building Competitive Advantage Through Functional-Level Strategy. Chap. 4 Dr Yousef Eiadat 5 Building Competitive Advantage Through Business-Level Strategy. Chap. 5 Dr Yousef Eiadat 6 Business-Level Strategy and the Industry Environment. Chap. 6 Dr Yousef Eiadat 8 7 Strategy and Technology. Chap. 7 Dr Richard Tan 8 Strategy in the Global Environment. Chap. 8 Dr Richard Tan 9 Corporate-Level Strategy: Horizontal Integration, Vertical Integration, and Strategic Outsourcing. Chap. 9 Dr Richard Tan 10 Case Presentation/discussionTBA Dr Richard Tan 11 Corporate-Level Strategy: Formulating and Implementing R elated and Unrelated Diversification. Chap. 10 Dr Richard Tan 12 Corporate Performance, Governance, and Business Ethics. Chap. 11 Dr Richard Tan 13 Implementing Strategy in Companies that Compete in a Single Industry. Chap. 12 Dr Richard Tan 14 Implementing Strategy in Companies that Compete Across Industries and Countries. Chap. 13 Dr Richard Tan 15 Exam revision Dr Richard Tan 16 * Some chapters in the text are assigned for more than one theme. 9Preparation Required in Advance of Sessions / Seminars In addition to the pre-course assignment, you are expected to have read the following topics in advance of meeting the module coordinator / course lecturer at the seminars. Student Engagement During the sessions, students are expected to be able to discuss issues arising from the assigned chapters and readings for the topics as scheduled above. Session participation is a vital element in the design of this module. Therefore, all students are expected to engage in class discussion and d ebate in order to facilitate the formation of their critical judgements.To support your learning, Power-Point slides will be available which (on certain occasions) may need to be upgraded / modified during or following the sessions depending on the issues raised. Office Hours We will be available before and after each class session, should you wish to meet us individually to discuss any aspect of this module. PART 4: ASSESSMENT DETAILS Assessment is undertaken to establish the extent of student learning on completing a module and according to Biggs and Tang1 (2009) it is the senior partner of teaching and learning.This module has three assessment components with specific weightings and marks awarded totalling 1002. The purpose of each assessment is as follows: †¢ Assessment 1 (the Pre-Course Assignment) aims to introduce and appraise International marketing in the world setting. It is also designed to focus your learning in preparation for the face to face sessions. †¢ Ass essment 2 (Assignment) is designed to critically appraise issues in Business policy, International strategy and formulate strategies. Biggs, J. and Tang, C. 2009, Teaching for Quality Learning at University, Maidenhead: Open University/McGraw Hill. As the Overseas Programme modules are worth 10 ECTS they should be graded out of 200 marks. 1 10 †¢ Assessment 3 (Examination) is the formal examination, which aims to get insights on your understanding of issues (theory and practice) addressed in the module. Students are expected to complete all assignments ensuring that they are submitted by the specified date. All submissions must be typed, be well laid out, written in an academic style with appropriate headings (introduction, main part and concluding comments) and sections.Please ensure that all submissions are entirely your own work – for UCD’s policy on plagiarism click on the link below (please see Appendix 2 for further information on Plagiarism and the policy o n the Late Submission of Coursework): http://www. ucd. ie/registry/academicsecretariat/plag_pol_proc. pdf The weighting assigned for each component is shown in Table 2a below. (* I = Individual; G = Group) Table 2a – Assessment Components Assessment components 1. Pre-module Assignment 2. Assignment 3. Examination Weighting 10% 40% 50% I / G* I I I Table 2b – Assessment datelines Assignment Deadlines Pre Course Assignment (PCA) Main Assignment (MA)Date Assignment Due 29 Oct 2012 30 Nov 2012 11 Module Assessment Components In the following pages, further details of each assessment component are presented along with expectations in relation to prior preparation and completion. 1. Pre-Module Assignment Assignment: Case analysis This assignment is a case analysis. Students are to answer the following case questions. Case 1: Wynn Resorts (Print) Q1: What are Wynn Resorts’ distinctive resources and competencies? Q2: What is the industry structure in which in which Wynn Resorts operates? Case 2: APPLE in 2008 (Print) Q1: Historically, what were Apple’s major competitive advantages?Q2: Using Porter’s five forces model how has the structure of the personal computer industry changed over the last 20 years? Assignments Guidelines: This is an individual assignment. The aims is to introduce and appraise International business in the world setting This is an essay discussion paper. As an essay, your work must not contain any headings (other than the question itself), graphs or illustrations. The report should have a cover and its main discussion shall not exceed six (6) pages. The cover page shall contain the student’s number and full name, and the title of this course.The report shall be in plain white paper and stapled on the top lefthand corner, no file is required. Font – Times New Roman or Ariel 12 pts and line spacing is 1. 5. A good quality work will requires: o o o o o Evidence of wide & relevant (and correctly referen ced) reading and research; Presentation of a balanced and well considered argument; Originality; Knowledge and understanding of key concepts; Analysis and level of argument, Good use of appropriate frameworks, theory or models; Good understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of models used; 2 o o A logical conclusion fitting the arguments presented and, Demonstration of a clear and concise writing style. Please see page 18 for assessment and grading standards. Students should familiarize themselves with the University’s policy on the late submission of coursework. This Pre Course Assignment (PCA) must be submitted in hard copy. See the PCA deadline in table 2B above. Please read the Grade Descriptors in the PCA Grade Descriptor table. 2.Main Assignment: Case analysis Assignment: Case analysis This assignment is a case analysis. Students are to answer the following case questions. Case 16 – Alarm Ringing: Nokia in 2010 (in textbook). 1. Describe Nokia’s vi sion and mission for its organization and how was it implemented? What suggestions can you provide (if any) that would or would have strategically positioned them in a competitive market? 2. Using the competitive forces model, what alarms should Nokia have identified in their strategic pursuits? 3.In Nokia’s current situation, what strategy and techniques do you suggest to better position them for future growth? 4. What should Nokia have done to compete technologically? 5. What generic business level strategy should Nokia pursues today? What actions the company have to take at the functional level to support this strategy? 6. Nokia when into a strategic alliance with Microsoft, explain what possible competitive advantages could Nokia gain from this relationship. What is Nokia’s new competitive positioning. 13Assignments Guidelines: This is an individual assignment. The aim is to critically appraise issues in Business and corporate level strategies formulation for the f irm. The report should have a cover, content and its main discussion shall not exceed twenty (20) pages. The cover page shall contain the student’s number and full name, and the title of this course. The report shall be in plain white paper and stapled on the top left-hand corner, no file is required. Font – Times New Roman or Ariel 12 pts and line spacing is 1. 5.A good quality work will requires: o o o o o o o Evidence of wide & relevant (and correctly referenced) reading and research; Presentation of a balanced and well considered argument; Originality; Knowledge and understanding of key concepts; Analysis and level of argument, Good use of appropriate frameworks, theory or models; Good understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of models used; A logical conclusion fitting the arguments presented and, Demonstration of a clear and concise writing style. Please see page 18 for assessment and grading standards.Students should familiarize themselves with the Univ ersity’s policy on the late submission of coursework. This Main Assignment must be submitted to your Programme Manager in hard copy. See the deadline in table 2B. Please read the Grade Descriptors in the Main Assignment Grade Descriptor table. 14 4. Examination: 5. The examination (3 hours) will focus on module themes and the material covered in the text, cases, assigned readings, videos and class discussions. For this, students are expected to demonstrate their understanding of theory and practice addressed throughout the module.The examination question format will be designed to allow you show your understanding of the topics discussed and also reveal your learning (new and prior). More specific guidelines regarding the examination paper format and questions will be provided during the final session. 6. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions about its design and style and be advised the type of answers expected. 7. A recent past examination paper is included in Appendix 3 of this Study Guide, please be prepared for slightly different style of question PART 5: GRADINGThis section of the Study Guide provides students with details of the UCD grading system and also explains criterion referenced grading (UCD Policy). Under criterion referenced grading, students are graded on the quality of their work without reference to other students (norm referenced). For instance, the submission that meets the required guidelines in terms of writing style, analysis, description and / or summary will be awarded according to the standards set out. All students’ work is graded to indicate the standard attained using the criterion referenced approach.Table 3: UCD Grading System Grade A+ A AB+ B BC+ Very good Excellent Description Grade Point 4. 2 4. 0 3. 8 3. 6 3. 4 3. 2 3. 0 15 C CD+ D DE F G Good 2. 8 2. 6 2. 4 Acceptable 2. 2 2. 0 Marginal Fail (unacceptable, no compensation) Fail (Wholly unacceptable; no compensation) 1. 6 1. 0 0. 4 NG Fail (Wholly unacceptable; no relevant attempt) 0. 0 More specific grade descriptors are set out for your assessment components in the following pages. Table 4 below provides descriptors for the Pre-Module Assignment – please read them prior to submitting your work.Table 4: Grade Descriptors – Pre-Module Assignment Grade Criteria Paper is exceptionally well searched. Extremely detailed and accurate with critical evidence A3 from a wide variety of sources that is all properly cited. Strong evidences of wide & relevant originality, knowledge and understanding of key concepts, analysis and level of argument. Exceptionally critical, relevant and consistent connections made between arguments, evidence, subtopics, showing excellent analysis. Presentation of a balanced and well considered argument.Demonstration of a clear and concise writing style. Paper is well researched in detail with accurate & critical evidence from a variety of sources B that is properly cited. Evidences of wide & relevant originality, knowledge and understanding of key concepts, analysis and level of argument. Consistent connections made between While the criteria detailed above refer to A – D grades (inclusive) only, please note that all bands will be used (A+, A and A-; B+, B and B- etc) for grading assignments. 3 16 vidence, subtopics, arguments & thesis / topic showing good analysis Some aspects of paper is researched with some accurate evidence from limited sources with C some citations. Some connections made between evidence, subtopics, arguments & thesis / topic showing analysis. -limited information on topic with lack of research, details or accurate evidence D -limited connections made between evidence, subtopics, counterarguments & thesis / topic -lack of analysis Table 5: Grade Descriptors – Main assignment Grade Criteria Paper is exceptionally well searched.Extremely detailed and accurate with critical evidence A4 from a wide variety of sources that is all properly cited. Strong evidences of wide & relevant originality, knowledge and understanding of key concepts, analysis and level of argument. Exceptionally critical, relevant and consistent connections made between arguments, evidence, subtopics, showing excellent analysis. Presentation of a balanced and well considered argument. Demonstration of a clear and concise writing style. Paper is well researched in detail with accurate & critical evidence from a variety of sourcesB that is properly cited. Evidences of wide & relevant originality, knowledge and understanding of key concepts, analysis and level of argument. Consistent connections made between evidence, subtopics, arguments & thesis / topic showing good analysis Some aspects of paper is researched with some accurate evidence from limited sources with C some citations. Some connections made between evidence, subtopics, arguments & thesis / topic showing analysis. -limited information on topic with lack of research, details or accurate evidence D limited connections made between evidence, subtopics, counterarguments & thesis / topic -lack of analysis While the criteria detailed above refer to A – D grades (inclusive) only, please note that all bands will be used (A+, A and A-; B+, B and B- etc) for grading assignments. 4 17 NB All students are advised to read the UCD Business School Code of Practice for Group work – see Appendix 1. TABLE 6: Grade Descriptors – Formal Closed Book Examination Grade Characteristics Answers are extremely detailed and accurate with critical evidence from a wide variety of sources.Strong evidences of wide & relevant knowledge and understanding of key A concepts, analysis and level of argument. Exceptionally critical, relevant and consistent in addressing the question and made between arguments, evidence, subtopics, showing excellent analysis. Presentation of a balanced and well considered argument. Demonstration of a clear and concise writing style. Answers have goo d detail with accurate & critical evidence from a variety of sources. Evidences of wide & relevant originality, knowledge and understanding of key concepts, B nalysis and level of argument. Consistent in addressing the question and made between arguments, evidence, subtopics, showing good analysis. Demonstration of a clear and concise writing style. C Some aspects of answers have good detail with some accurate evidence from limited sources. Address some aspect of the question and made between arguments, evidence, subtopics, showing good analysis. -limited information on topic with lack of details or accurate evidence. D -limited connections made between evidence, subtopics, counterarguments & thesis / topic. lack of coherent analysis. PART 6: CONCLUDING COMMENTS This Study Guide is designed to assist and guide your learning for this module. It is important that you read it regularly and do so in conjunction with the core text, the assigned readings and session materials. Should you need clarification on issues covered, please let me know during the seminar sessions. I hope you enjoy the module and wish you good luck with the rest of your study and for the future. 18 Name of Module Co-ordinator, Dr. Richard Tan Date: Oct 2012 19 APPENDIX 1:You are advised to read the following important documents before you commence your studies on this module: 1. Guidelines for the Late Submission of Coursework This document provides a detailed outline of the rules and regulations surrounding the presentation, submission and marking of assignments. The guidelines provided must be adhered at all times to avoid an unnecessary loss of marks. Further details on www. ucd. ie/registry/academicsecretariat/late_sub. pdf 2. A Briefing Document for Students on Academic Integrity and Plagiarism.The University understands plagiarism to be the inclusion of another person’s writings or ideas or works, in any formally presented work (including essays, theses, examinations, projects, l aboratory reports, oral, poster or slide presentations) which form part of the assessment requirements for a module or programme of study, without due acknowledgement either wholly or in part of the original source of the material through appropriate citation. Further details please go to www. ucd. ie/registry/academicsecretariat/plag_pol_proc. pdf Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty.In any assignment, plagiarism means that you have presented information or ideas belonging to someone else falsely as being your own original thoughts on a subject. All assessments/projects submitted must be the result of your own work. The following statement must be included on the cover page of all assignments submitted: I declare that all materials included in this essay/report/project/dissertation is the end result of my own work and that due acknowledgement have been given in the bibliography and references to ALL sources be they printed, electronic or personal. Signed: Student name/s, stu dent number Date: 0 APPENDIX 2: Note to Students: Providing a copy of this paper does not signify that future papers will follow the exact same format. SEMESTER I EXAMINATION 210 Academic Year – 2009/10 MASTER OF SCIENCE (Singapore) MSc9/10 Full-Time BMGT 4025S Business Policy Professor John Benson Professor Brian Fynes Dr. Paul McGrath Professor Pat Gibbons* Mr. Richard Tan* Time Allowed: 2 Hours Instructions for Candidates Answer any TWO (2) questions. All questions carry equal marks. 21 Question 1 Write an essay explaining the concept of the Resource-based view in strategic planning and formulation.In your discussion explain and emphasise how resources and capabilities can lead to a competitive advantage. Also illustrate the five-steps describing the linkages between resource identification and strategic decisions that will lead to above-average returns. Illustrate your answer with reference to the Apple case study or from your group project. Question 2 In September 2001, two leading players in the global computer industry – Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) and Compaq Computer Corporation (Compaq) – announced their merger.HP bought Compaq for US$ 24 billion in stocks and it was the biggest deal in the history of the computer industry. However, the acquisition strategy to achieve strategic advantage and competitiveness did not succeed and the performance of the merged firms suffered. Identify and explain the reasons for HP’s decision to acquire Compaq. In your discussion provide insights as to the likely reasons for the poor performance after the firms merged. Question 3 When Apple launched its iPhone into the mobile phone market, many competitors responded and attacked. Describe and discuss why Apple was attacked by competitors.In your discussion you should consider and explain the concept of market commonality and resource similarity that increases the likelihood of an attack. Also offer insights into Apple’s competitor aware ness, motivation and ability that increases the likelihood of strategic action against others. Question 4 Strategic alliance is a primary type of cooperative strategy. This is an alternative strategy a firm could use to grow, develop value-creating competitive advantages, and create differences between them and competitors. Write an essay and explain in detail the 3 main types of strategic alliances.In addition, offer insights into the benefits for a firm entering into an alliance in the slow, fast and standard-cycle markets. Illustrate your discussion with any other examples you feel to be relevant. Question 5 Write an essay that explains in detail the concept of cost leadership strategy as a competitive strategy. In your discussion, explain and provide insights into the cost reduction strategies a company can adopt in order to achieve cost leadership within a strategic group. 22 Illustrate your answer with reference to competitive strategies in the Personal computer industry (Acer , Dell, etc) oOo 23

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Qualities of a Good Book Essay

Personally, I think the qualities of a good book are many, and diverse. To be good, I think a book should relate to life experiences, give the audience something they can relate to and empathize with, to help them learn something that will help them in their life. Yet, the book should do this in such a way that not only does it act as a window into the human world, yet also offer escapism. It should have a character that the readers can identify with, in a way that they imagine what it is like to be the character themselves. Though, the character should be normal enough to identify with, yet special enough to go on adventures (in fictional books) and unique in their own ways. Another factor that comes into play in the qualities of a good book is the fact that it should captivate the reader; should be wholly absorbing and keep the readers not only reading the first few pages but reading till the very end. I myself have left many books through the middle, seeing as they had lost my interest. A good book should have a very unique original plot and story line. The readers should be able to enjoy what they are reading; and to do that the story must be original, since I (and presumably many others) find no pleasure in reading books with similar or identical plots of situations. Not only that, but the plot must have twists and tensions to make the book more appealing to the human minds analyzing it. A good plot never comes without tensions in my point of view- it should be a whole package. The book should keep the readers on edge, reading and turning page after page wanting to know what will happen next. That, for me, is the post important quality a book should have. It is quite easy to get the interest of many people into reading a book, but to have the readers finish it anxiously till the very last page is something that takes skill, talent and quality, and not all have those critical traits. Thus, tensions to say the least, are a must, since the book should give you something to think about. A good book is unpredictable. What’s the point in reading a book where one can easily predict the ending, or the future events that were to happen? The book should keep your mind flooded with options, keep the reader pondering, yet at the same time throw the reader completely off guard when the time comes. It should be exciting, surprising, flabbergasting and memorable; the reader should absentmindedly be able to causally cross a situation and remember and think of the book. A great book is inexhaustible, so no reading of it is a final reading, and no discussion ever runs it dry. You can never say you’re done with it except in a provisional sense. If you take a break and come back to it, you’ll find more in it. Good grammar and style are also very important- A great book is well crafted. For me, I like to read the best which has been thought and said. For us, the two have to go together. It needs to be clear and straight to the point- the reader must understand it with undying clarity. What if somebody had a great idea but wrote about it badly? We need to be able to lean on every sentence, and not have it suddenly give way and crumble beneath the weight of our analysis. The style is also important, as well as the meaning behind the words. I should be clear, yet with a twinge of mysterious in it, yet not confuse and baffle the reader with bad grammar or sequencing. â€Å"Well, he said this, but maybe he meant something else. † Last but not least, I think a good book should always have romance and drama. If not, even a little romantic twist always fills in the empty gaps, don’t you think?

Friday, September 13, 2019

Recognizing and Minimizing Tort and Regulatory Risk Paper Essay

Recognizing and Minimizing Tort and Regulatory Risk Paper - Essay Example Thus large aspects of toxic torts, negligence torts, application of strict liability rules may form a substantial part of its legal milieu and needs to be addressed to, from time to time. The need to abide by environmental protection norms and guidelines and to evolve a suitable mechanism to tackle ostensible environmental violations, including water pollution management caused by discharge of effluents into the lake is pre-eminent. It is seen that tort occurs outside the ambit of contract. In other words, it is not necessary that contractual liability needs to be present in order to file a suit for tort damages. Thus if a person is walking down the road and a slab of concrete falls on his leg, he could bring a suit for Tort of negligence on the perpetrator. There need be no contractual obligation between the parties, unlike Law of Contract, to enforce claim for damages on the wrongful parties. Besides seeking access for compensation and penal damages for past environmentally harmful conduct, plaintiffs may seek injunctive relief to prevent potential health detriments. Manufacturing plants that, inter alia, empty â€Å"chemicals that poison the water† which may be used for human satiation, create risks of health hazards. (Tort Law: Damages, 2008). Thus under tort laws, if the Courts are of the opinion that the harm, or nuisance value outweighs its benefits, it may order restraint or prevention of such acts, by such plants on the environment. In the past the Company had to face legal action for not following safe toxic chemicals and effluents management systems.(Business regulation, 2008). Again, it has also been seen that Alumina Inc had been found liable for unsafe environmental and effluent treatment practices when a routine water sampling showed lower levels of less than acceptable standard 5 milligrams/liter of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PHA).

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Balanced Score Card Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Balanced Score Card - Article Example Learning and Growth perspective 12 6.1 Objectives 13 Increase the skills and knowledge of the employees 13 Satisfaction amongst the employees 13 Reduce the attrition rate of the employees 13 6.2 Measures 13 7. Initiative 14 REFERENCES 18 1. Balanced Scorecard The balanced scorecard is a tactical arrangement and management system that is extensively used in industry, government, business and non-profit organization all over the world in order to align the activities of the business to the strategy and vision of the of the organization, enhance the external and internal communication and monitor the performance of the organization against the predetermined strategic goals. This has been created by Professors David Norton and Robert Kaplan as a framework for performance measurement that adds traditional financial metrics with the non-financial performance measures that provides the executives and the managers with a balanced view of the performance of the organization. The balanced scor ecard model is used by the organization to get a clear perspective about what the organization should measure in order to balance the financial perspective in operation with the organization of strategic plans. The balance scorecard changes the strategic plan of the organization from a striking but passive document into an active one for the daily basis. It is a framework that not only provides the executives of the company with performance measures but also helps them in identifying and planning what can be done. It makes the executives capable of framing strategies. The balanced scorecard claims to consider an organization from four perspectives and look for developing metrics, collecting the data and analyzing them. The four perspectives are financial perspective that looks at the return on equity, cash flow, sales and income growth. Second is the customer’s satisfaction perspective that measures on time delivery, product development, defect levels and warranty support. Th ird is the business process perspective that measures the efficiency of the internal business processes that is measured via cycle time, quality, productivity and downtime. Lastly learning and growth perspective that measure organizational and innovation learning measured performance on the dimensions like product development cycle, technological leadership, operational improvement etc. This study focuses on the measuring the performance of marketing unit of McDonalds through balanced scorecard approach. Figure 1: Four perspectives of Balance Score Card (Source: Kaplan & Norton, 1996, p. 76) 2. McDonald’s McDonald’s started their journey in the year 1955 and since then they have been proudly serving some of the world’s most favorite food (McDonald’s, 2013a). They have not just managed history but have created it. Currently McDonald’s is operating as the world’s biggest retailer in foodservices with over 34,000 local restaurants offering food to about 69 million people in around 118 countries per day. The company has employee strength of 1.8 million. About 80% of all the existing restaurants of McDonald’s are run by franchisee (McDonald’s, 2013b). They started â€Å"from drive-thru restaurants to Chicken McNuggets to college credits from Hamburger U and much more.† Ray Kroc dreamt of starting a restaurant chain that will be famous for its food which provides uniform

Juvenile Delinquent after Care Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Juvenile Delinquent after Care Program - Essay Example Such programs also help in making the youth productive and socially responsible citizens of the society. Purpose of Juvenile Delinquent Program: The sole purpose of juvenile delinquent program is to support and guide the delinquent youth with the best guidance and resources available. This will help them play a better role in the society and to become a more productive citizen. Intervention programs have to be innovative and effective in their nature. It has been observed that early and on-time intervention helps in reducing the rate of juvenile delinquency. The more a program is community and family based, the more effective it becomes in its application. Vision: This program is designed to help and support the morally and socially degraded youngsters who want to transform and re-shape their lives and want to get rid of their self-defeating attitudes. This program is focused towards bringing the change in their lives by empowering them with education, skills, counseling and unlimite d support. Mission: The mission of this juvenile delinquent program is to help the young offenders in becoming responsible citizens of the society. The duration of the program depends on the nature and the seriousness of the offense committed by the young offenders which can vary from few months to a year. ... Structure of the Program: Many aftercare programs have turned unsuccessful due to many reasons. Effectiveness of a program lies in drawing the perfect alignment between the program, the offender and the available sources. The program has especially focused on those young kids who are at high risk of becoming repeated young offenders due to various factors such as close association with negative peer groups, broken family and those have found out having a disruptive behavior at school. This program is especially designed to focus and address the problems of the young kids and works effectively on the factors that contribute together and give rise to delinquent offenders. This program requires offenders to stay at the aftercare facility during their probation period and every individual is monitored by a specially trained officers, counselors and psychotherapists. The program provides counseling and medical services. The program helps the young offenders to make their smooth transition back into their communities. This program bridges the gap between the community and the offenders. This also helps the young offenders to heal themselves spiritually through their religion. The program focuses on basic education along with providing training on different skills as preferred by the individual. This program is also focused on addressing different issues that might be the cause of an individual’s disruptive behavior such as family issues, broken link with community or religion. Our program coordinators have emphasized on developing sound and smooth communication flow among offenders and their parents as well as other social networks are also included. Target Population: It has

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Rise of Civilizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Rise of Civilizations - Essay Example The old world began to flourish with the Nile culture. It was around this time that the Egyptian began building sophisticated technologies and interactions with other cultures through trade important new techniques to Egypt. It is from this background that this paper seeks to inquire into the role of women in the rise of civilization in the old world in the Eastern and African civilization. An explosion of knowledge and the curiosity of adventure facilitated the revolution from the old world to the new world of civilization. In the pre-history of civilization, the role of women cannot be ignored. The first section of this paper inquires into the pre-historical times of North Africa and Europe and tracks the rise of civilization among the primitive humans. Egyptian civilization dominates discourse in early civilization as early as in the 4th century. The spread of this civilization to other parts of Africa, Asia and Europe through human contact saw the rapid increase in knowledge and sophisticated architectural advancement. The second part inquires into the emergence of new world characterized by a rampant technological advancement. Focus is narrowed to North America, Central America, the Caribbean and the South American. The Pre-European age and the role of women in the age is discussed in detail. ... 1). It is evident that political unification was a key played in shaping the cultural patterns of Egypt in the old kingdom. The entire period of Egyptian civilization was a systematic continuum of socio-cultural changes. A civilization is the starting point of any society. This has been the foundation of great societies like the Greeks and Romans. The rise of cities in North Africa as a feature of civilization is traced to cultivation activities along the Nile. The production of surplus food energized the people and expanded the population. Massive population growth led to the expansion of villages into cities along the villages of Tigris and Euphrates in the Middle East. The fertile land between the two rivers led to the development of powerful dynasties to control and protect this treasurer from intruders. Archaeological evidence shows piles of ruins in the valleys of Nile as the remains of opulent cities, well-organized social structures and political organization. From this archaeological evidence, it is clear that ancient civilization never began in the West. It originated in Africa, Southern Europe and Eastern Asia, as John G. Jackson writes. "Those piles of ruins which you see in that narrow valley watered by the Nile, are the remains of opulent cities the pride of the ancient kingdom of Ethiopia They are a people now forgotten. A race of men now rejected from society for their supple skin and frizzled hair" (Jackson, 1939). The position of women in ancient civilization varies in Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, Levant, Greek, Romans and Anatolia civilizations. The Egyptians are said to have treated their women better than any other civilization and this was prompted

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

The World Is More Depressed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The World Is More Depressed - Essay Example The major argument of the article is that the process of urbanization and the advancement in technology are major causes of increased depression globally. This is because, with urbanization, comes fractured families, increased use of drugs and alcohol, as well as poverty, all of which are risk factors for depression (Luhrmann, n.p.). On the other hand, technological advancement has increased access to information about other people especially through social media, causing people to compare their lives with those of others, and thus becoming depressed. The author has a bias for India as the country she has visited frequently and understands its situation more than elsewhere globally. Thus she uses it as the predominant example of increased depression, while the situation could be even worse elsewhere. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the article? The strength of the article is that it has applied the backing of various scientific studies from different parts of the world to ba ck the argument. The weakness is that the author has less exposure to the conditions of the rest of the world in relation to depression, thus paints India as the most affected country. The first-hand experience and scientific data of depression from the rest of the world, other than India, Japan, Britain, and the USA, is missing. The article is effective since it has been able to deliver the message in a more comprehensive and scientifically backed manner, through the application of data from different scientific studies.

Monday, September 9, 2019

Nelson Mandela's leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Nelson Mandela's leadership - Essay Example According to Connor and Mackenzie-Smith (2003: 59), â€Å"leadership is an active interaction with the world and involves bringing into being new possibilities from within real constraints†. Mandela’s leadership was based on his philosophy and way of thinking. His cause and persuasive methods were able to win him many followers and ultimately, adversaries also became his friends. In his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela states that â€Å"South Africa will be free only after it achieves the freedom to be free†. He believed that by achieving physical freedom alone, liberty was not possible. It was also essential to support the freedom of others, and live the right life which gives self-respect and confidence (Mandela, 1994: 685). An outline of Nelson Mandela’s life story: Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela’s father was a Xhosa chief of a small village near the capital Transkei in South Africa, where he was born in 1918. Africans living in their own country were discriminated against by the white minority rulers. As a leader of the African resistance that struggled for freedom from apartheid, Mandela was imprisoned for several years. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle against apartheid and was elected as the first black president of South Africa (Mandela, 1994). Nelson Mandela set up law practice in Johannesburg in 1952. Earlier, in 1944, he joined the African National Congress (ANC) which included non-Africans. They tried for resolution in the conflict by a peaceful struggle against aparthed, using non-violent means. The state responded with violence against the Africans. Mandela was elected president of the African National Congress in 1951 and worked for the elimination of discriminatory laws. He led the ANC resistance movement in 1951-1952, was banned and jailed several times (Mandela, 1994). From 1961, the non-violent resistance was given up for violent methods. Mandela was jailed for five years because he illegally