Monday, September 30, 2019

Technology and Culture

There is no denying to the fact that changes occur in life as the world develops in its technology. Traditions and customs, culture of each and every race in Malaysia get a setback in this case. An attempt to keep them alive is a controversial matter and become debatable as we are somehow ‘modernized’ by the West. It is somehow painful and sad to see traditions and customs dying as we all humans have intense emotional bond with cultures and traditions but the stark reality have to be accepted that the world is a stage of flux and change.There are several reasons to why our traditions and customs are abandoned. Firstly, the advancement in telecommunication has influenced our minds to choose between cultures to which one that are convenient. We tend to look for and turn to the way as well as the one that is more convenient and are accessible. It is human nature for youths especially to adapt to changes faster. For instance, the existence of the social network called Facebo ok that enables us to connect with people from all walks of life by just typing a person’s name without actually knowing the person well.On festive seasons, we, young people need not going around visiting relatives and friends as well as going back to our respective hometowns anymore, we just wish them and greet them through the social network and phone them. Somehow, the tradition of visiting relatives and friends during festive seasons soon will be a history of life. Furthermore, the technology has moved people’s interest to play traditional games to modern and virtual games. Many youths nowadays are often categorize as the visual people.They often spend their time going to cybercafà © or at home playing computer games to the wee hours. If you ask them about traditional games they would just stare blankly at you because they as well as children nowadays only know how to swipe on the gadgets that theirs parents have. Probably, they are somehow called ‘heliophob ia’ which means a person who is fear of sunlight as most of our traditional games are played outdoors. Traditional games have now been ruled over by virtual games and have now been an ‘old-fashioned’ in youngsters mind.Moreover, the technology has equipped us with more knowledge and we become more open-minded and more rational in thinking. If we would like to know more about more information on a certain thing or events, we could just click on the mouse and search information from the internet as search engines provides us with much information. Referring to books and newspaper have been sort of ‘out-dated’ thing. On the other hand, we can now learn cultural dance through the advance video technology, YouTube.We no longer take the first step to actually ask our mentor or the cultural dance performer or instructor to train us to dance correctly. Even now, the cultural dance is called cultural cum modern dance in the video website. The younger generati on eventually become more open-minded as they think what they are doing is ‘cool’ and fashion has overpowered traditional wears in certain ethnics. All in all, advancements in technology surely have caused traditions and culture to get a setback.The government as well as the responsible authorities should organize campaigns and take action so that the young will know the legacy that our ancestors have practiced and passed on to us. Perhaps, a cultural dance such as lion dance, fan dance, ‘bharatanatyam’ being performed on occasions will get younger generation to know their culture better. They will then pass on to the next generation. It is never too late to teach them on culture and traditions, which is a legacy to leave behind when we are gone leaving a great impact on the next generation.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

‘Fire and Ice’ by Robert Frost and ‘The Day They Came For Our House’ by Don Mattera Essay

â€Å"The possession of power over others is inherently destructive both to the possessor of the power and to those over whom it is exercised.† George D. HerronThe modern industrialist society, in which we live, has been shaped by people in the possession of power, and the power of passion. The 20th and 21st century’s have illustrated clearly the deadly potential of power, and not just to the possessor of the power but also to those over whom it is exercised. The poem’s ‘Fire and Ice’ and ‘The Day They Came For Our House’ by Robert Frost and Don Mattera respectively, perfectly convey the idea of the destructive nature of power, the poems are both concerned with Mortality of Age. The ideal readers of these poems are people old enough to understand how harsh and cruel this world can be. Furthermore, people who can appreciate the sense of grief portrayed in these poems, as both poets investigate deeply the potentially devastating capability of humans to destroy themselves and others. ‘Fire and Ice’, written by Robert Frost, is a carefully constructed poem, which carries a straightforward message that emotions become destructive when they are too extreme, destructive enough, even, to end the world. ‘Fire and Ice’ holds the theme of Mortality and Age, also the destructive power of passion, Robert Frost also describes humans as complacent, throughout the poem. Rather then telling a story or receiving an insight, Robert Frost simply expresses an opinion. While in the poem ‘The Day They Came For Our House’ Don Mattera is telling a story of a place called Sophiatown. This poem is a vivid retelling of the experience that Don Mattera went through, and thus is very personal. The main message delivered by this poem is that power can be very destructive, especially if it is used against people with little or no power themselves. Don Mattera illustrates the struggle of the Africans that lived in Sophiatown, when it was being demolished by white people to make a white settlement. The themes of this poem are Mortality and Age and some protest, which come under the main theme of alienation. Also just like Robert Frost he describe humans as being complacent. In the poem ‘Fire and Ice’, Robert Frost creates a speaker whose conjectures about the world’s ultimate destruction are designed to reveal the deadly potential of human passion. To address his theme, Frost cleverly manipulates  the imagery of the title, ‘Fire and Ice’. Frost requires the reader to think first about the destructive powers of fire and ice, and then relate this to desire and hate. In order to understand the poem’s warning about the equally ruinous potential of unbridled emotion. In the lines: ‘Some say the world will end in fire/Some say in ice’ (stanza 1, lines 1-2), Robert Frost shows two different ways that could lead to the World’s ultimate destruction. These lines relate to the theme of Mortality and Age, because there is an inevitability of death. He then follows on with, ‘From what I’ve tasted of desire/ I hold with those who favour fire’ (stanza 1, lines 3-4), Robert Frost describes the power of fire and its metaphoric companion, desire. In these lines, Frost, has his own opinion of how the world will end, this shows how personal this poem actually is. Robert Frost, thinks that the world will be destroyed from desire and greed. He goes as far as saying that greed itself most probably will end the world. From this we can take that he is writing this as the oppositional discourse, because surely the dominant discourse would deny greed as taking over the world. Without a doubt desire and greed are portrayed intensely in the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ but also in ‘The Day They Came For Our House’. Don Mattera who wrote the poem ‘The Day They Came For Our House’, had the intention to show how dangerous uncontrolled power can be, it can destroy peoples lives and cause serious pain. Don Mattera, just like Robert Frost is writing this poem as the oppositional discourse. This poem is deeply intertwined with that of a protest theme. Don Mattera protests about the arriving whites coming to demolish Sophiatown. He describes their arrival as, ‘Armed with bulldozers/they came/to do a job/nothing more/just hired killers/’ (stanza 2, lines 1-5). This quote represents how insignificant the Africans are perceived to be, by the white people coming to demolish their town. Don Mattera explains no emotion in this stanza. He has done this to show that the white people also had no emotion in what they were doing. In his eyes they didn’t care, it was just another job for them. The lines, ‘We gave way/there was nothing we could do/although the bitterness stung in us’ (stanza 3, lines 1-3). Clearly illustrates the African’s lack of power. They can’t do anything; this highlights the destructive nature of power, and relates to the theme of mortality and age. This is portrayed throughout this  poem, Don Mattera, explains how it is pointless for them to do anything because they have no power. The whites who demolished Sophiatown gave into ego and greed, and used their power against the black Africans. This is a perfect example of power being destructive to those over whom it is exercised. Don Mattera’s cultural background has influenced this poem drastically, because he grew up in Sophiatown, which at the time was a vibrant centre of South African culture. His poem is very personal; this makes it easier for the ideal reader to relate to. Fully understanding this poem requires the readers to understand the hardship and pain that the Africans went through. The lines, ‘We stood/Dust clouded our vision/We held back tears’ (Stanza 4, lines 1-3) exemplify’s some of the pain and suffering that the Africans of Sophiatown went through. The reader of this poem would feel sadness toward the Africans of Sophiatown, and most probably anger towards the white people who demolished their town. But unless they have been through something similar, will not be able to imagine the true extent of the emotions that Don Mattera and the other Africans would have experienced. Similar to ‘The Day They Came For Our House’, Robert Frost’s poem ‘Fire and Ice’ can only be fully understood when the reader can appreciate the grief portrayed in this poem. Although not as personal as Don Mattera’s poem, it is still a depressing poem to read. Robert Frost was born in San Francisco, California. Because he is American his poem varies in the way he has chose to write it, compared to Don Mattera’s poem. In ‘Fire and Ice’, Robert Frost describes a personal apocalypse. He writes about the power of emotions such as desire and hate to destroy the world. Robert Frost would have witnessed greed and hate and heard of wars and all the hate that fills the world while he lived in America. Thus he has made an opinion of his own explaining how he believes the world will end if these emotions are not kept under control. But unlike Don Mattera and the Africans of Sophiatown he would not have had hatred against him from an apartheid government that evicted 60,000 people from Sophiatown and he would not have been undervalued. Therefore he would not have felt what he was writing about, unlike Don Mattera. This also makes it easier to relate to Robert Frost’s poem, ‘Fire and Ice’ compared to ‘ The  Day They Came For Our House’. ‘Fire and Ice’, is also a text that has a very sophisticated style. The poem is written primarily in rhymed iambic tetrameter, although three of the nine lines are in iambic dimeter. The use of such rhythmic patterns makes this poem more musical and memorable. Robert Frost also uses alliteration in his poem, such as ‘favour fire’ (stanza 1, line 4), which shows that Robert Frost is privileging the oppositional discourse because he believes the world will end from desire. Furthermore, ‘Some say’ (stanza 1, lines 1&2), is another example of alliteration. Compared to ‘Fire and Ice’, ‘The Day They Came For Our House’ is a poem that is less sophisticated, it is more of a free verse poem. In a way this emphasises the poet’s case, because it shows the poem has being unbalanced and less structured, which is what Don Mattera would have felt when he was being evicted from Sopiatown. Don Mattera also uses personification in his poem. It is illustrated in the lines, ‘The sun stood still/ in the sullen wintry sky’ Don Mattera has used this to show how Sophiatown was intertwined with the environment. He loved the surroundings of Sophiatown just as much as the people who inhabited it. This makes it a much depressing poem for the readers as it shows his love for Sophiatown, a place that was demolished to make way for a white suburb called Triomf which means triumph in English. In the poem, ‘The Day They Came For Our House’, the last lines sum up the poem’s themes, but also sum up Robert Frost’s poem ‘Fire and Ice’. The lines, ‘The power of destroying/the pain of being destroyed’ is essential to both poems because it demonstrates the underlying discourse that underpins the text. That is, in our modern industrialist society we are all shaped by power whether it is by people in possession of power or the power of passion. I chose the poems ‘Fire and Ice’ and ‘The Day They Came For Our House’, because they reflected the themes of 20th and 21st century very well, themes which are Mortality and Age and protest. Also both were wonderfully constructed poems and both poems appeared simple to read through at first glance. However, upon further reflection, they both presented different facets, which made them more complex and elusive. When I examined both  poems, I could relate more to ‘Fire and Ice’ compared to ‘The Day They Came For Our House’. I do not think I was an ideal reader of the latter poem, mostly because the poet was of a completely different cultural background. I could relate to it in some ways, although I felt almost guilty when reading the poem. I felt like I could not understand the full extent of pain and sadness that the Africans of Sophiatown went through. As mentioned above ‘Fire and Ice’ is a poem that I could relate to much easier, because I understood Robert Frost’s opinion of how desire, greed and hate would be the downfall of mankind. Furthermore it was not as personal compared to Don Mattera’s poem. ‘Fire and Ice’ and ‘The Day They Came For Our House’ by Robert Frost and Don Mattera respectively, through their poems, show the notion of Mortality and Age, protest and essentially Alienation. Although both the poems express the same themes, the authors have chosen different ways to illustrate their feeling towards the subject. Robert Frost uses ‘Fire and Ice’ to simply express and opinion rather than tell a story, which is how Don Mattera illustrates his ideas. His poem is a vivid retelling of the experience that he went through. Both poets position the reader to identify with their ideas. They illustrate the fact that â€Å"The possession of power over others is inherently destructive both to the possessor of the power and to those over whom it is exercised† (George D. Herron). Bibliography Information Obtained From:’Robert Frost’, 2000, The literature Network, www.onlineliterature.com/frost/, viewed 21st May 2008. ‘Don Mattera’, 2001, Wikipedia the free encyclopaedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DonMattera, viewed 21st May 2008. ‘The day they came for our house’, 1999, Don Mattera, http://www.saep.org/Sinethemba/Poetry/studied/Mattera/Mattera.htm, viewed 21st May 2008.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Tougher laws and punishments for child molesters Research Paper

Tougher laws and punishments for child molesters - Research Paper Example Even these violent sex offenders have the right to request for their notification process to be blocked. They can change addresses without the community or the police being notified of such move. The Adams Walsh Act, signed by President George W. Bush, is Ohio’s current sex offender registry law. The law took effect on January 2008, and it allows Tier III sex offenders to request for a local judge to waive their notification process upon proving that the sex offender is no longer a threat to the community. The sex offender will still be listed as a sexual predator and be required to provide an updated address every 90 days to the local sheriff’s office. Lawmakers intended for the notification process waiver for sex offenders convicted of crimes to apply to offenders who did not commit another crime before the new law applied. However, in July 2008, Stephen James McConville from Lorain County was convicted of rape and gross sexual imposition. He pleaded guilty and was co nvicted under the new law. He was listed as a sexual offender under the Tier III offender level. After the conviction, McConville requested for the judge to waive the notification of his address to the community. The judge in Lorain County agreed based on McConville clearing the law’s 11 step criteria. ... According to the article, â€Å"The state was arguing anyone convicted after Jan. 1, 2008 was mandatorily and automatically subjected to notification and not subject to waiver. But the actual statute written by the legislature does not say that,† said McConville's attorney, John M. Prusak. â€Å"What the state was arguing is not in statute.† (Fields, n. pag.). The case was presented to the Supreme Court where there was a 7-0 ruling. The Supreme Court sided with the lower court and appeals court. The ruling was based on the court’s opinion on the strict reading of the law based on the legislator’s writing of the law. The ruling was based on the following argument, â€Å"The state's argument is not persuasive,† Justice Robert Cupp wrote for the court. â€Å"The language used in the statute pertains to those sexual offenders whose status is determined after the effective date" of the law.† (Fields, n. pag.). The case was argued for the State of Ohio by the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office. There was an attempt to reach the Assistant Prosecutor Billie Joe Belcher regarding the case, but he could not be reached. Cleveland Democrat, State Senator Shirley Smith introduced a bill to repeal the provision in the law that allows for sex offenders to have their notification process waived. Senator Smith’s decision to introduce a bill to repeal the provision was motivated by the case of Anthony Sowell. Sowell is an accused serial killer who is listed as a Tier III sexual predator. He would have been eligible to request for the judge to waive his notification process upon relocating from his Imperial Avenue home. Sex Offender Registration Laws In the case of Anthony Sowell vs. the State of Ohio, Anthony Sowell appeared in court, facing allegations of killing eleven women

Friday, September 27, 2019

Case Analysis (Marketing Planning and Management) Essay

Case Analysis (Marketing Planning and Management) - Essay Example The recommendations that has been provided is to create a complete workflow for the process and assign each job to every member and remove both sampling as well as the discounts and aim at marketing through other marketing techniques Variable cost per unit is not applicable, as the products were sponsored and there are no ‘cost of goods’ involved. The price per product on the first day is $15. Hence the entire $15 is contributed to cover the total fixed costs involved. The costs involved were very minimal and all the stocks were sold out. The liquidity position is also very strong with a turn over of $ 5,365 received in cash. Overall, the financial position of the company is very strong. Initially, the plan was to buy and promote seventy units every market day. However, the company sponsored for 100 units a day. Hence the marketing strategy was altered to include this factor. The demand was also estimated at 140 for the two days. The marketing strategy was very effective and entire 200 units were sold out in 2 days. The actual position turned out to be more optimistic than that was projected. Team performance and cooperation among all team members plays a very important role in this project. The team consisted of five members Stephanie Holland, Cassandra Hayes, Jean Kho, Nick Robinson and Brian Chow. The team performance and team dynamics as whole was very powerful and every individual in the team took up responsibilities and performed towards achieving a common goal of the team. There has been active participation from all members thereby making it possible for Sweet Adrenalin to achieve the success that it has achieved in the market day. The team structuring as a whole has been very strong and the allocation of the various positions in the team has been extremely good (Jobber, 2004). Communication flow within the organisation and in

Thursday, September 26, 2019

A Linear Programming Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Linear Programming - Math Problem Example In mathematics, linear programming (LP) problems involve the optimization of a linear objective function (i.e., maximize profit or minimize cost) subject to linear equality and inequality contraints. {"Linear Programming." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia}. Since the problem involves a production and distribution system, use of the Transportation Method in Linear Programming is the best way to solve this. {Heizer, Jay and Render, Render. "Production and Operations Management". pp. 373-399}. A dummy destination is required since the production capacity is greater than the demand. {Heizer, Jay and Render, Render. "Production and Operations Management". p381} .. FromTo Ashmum Branford Crackers Cookies Chips Crackers Cookies Chips Milford 20 50 30 Guilford 30 25 20 This recommendation will enable the company to minimize total operating cost at US$ 3,195,000 per month whilst efficiently supplying the requirement of each outlet. List of Cited Works {Heizer, Jay and Render, Render. "Production and Operations Management".4th Edition.p.240} {Heizer, Jay and Render, Render. "Production and Operations Management".4th Edition. Chapter 9. pp. 373-399} {Heizer, Jay and Render, Render. "Production and Operations Management".4th Edition. Chapter 9. p381} {"Linear Programming." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia}.

Strategic Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Strategic Marketing Plan - Essay Example The valley of Swat is known for its amazing natural beauty and therefore there is a huge attraction for domestic and international tourists. In order to resume tourism in the valley after the removal of terrorists hold, this report presents a three year long marketing strategy which is categorized into three phases. The first phase will focus on attracting domestic tourists; the second will focus on domestic and international tourists, while the third phase will concentrate only on attracting international tourists towards Swat valley. The marketing plan presents an overview of the financial aspects of the strategy. Strategic Marketing Plan Resuming Tourism in Swat Valley (Pakistan) Introduction This report covers a strategic marketing plan for resuming tourism in the Swat valley located in the South Asian state, Pakistan. The valley of Swat had been under the control of terrorists and extremists before a successful military operation conducted by the Pakistan Armed Forces in 2009 (K han 2010). The structure of the report is based on the marketing plan structure presented by McDonald (2008). The marketing plan is based on the following structure: Part 1: Goal Setting This part presents the goal set to be achieved from the marketing plan presented in this report. ... Moreover, the monitoring of the outcomes of the marketing plan after its implementation are also being discussed in this part. 1. Goal Setting The aim of this market plan is to resume tourism activities in Swat Valley in Pakistan by taking into consideration the competitive advantages of the place as against the tourist destinations in the region of South Asia. 1.1. Marketing Objectives In order to present a direction for the goal of this marketing plan based on SMART objectives (Doran 1981), following are the strategic marketing objectives which are planned to be attained: To resume tourism activities in Swat valley; To promote the soft image of Swat valley and its people by conducting various events and projecting them to the outside world; To resume tourism activities in Swat by following a step wise strategy which focuses on domestic tourists first and then international tourists; To generate positive cash flows from tourist activities in the second year of the implementation of the marketing plan; To increase cash inflows from domestic tourists visits by 60 percent as compared to the first year in comparison with the first year; To increase cash inflows from international tourists’ visits by 33.33 percent in the third year in comparison with the second year. 2. Situation Analysis Following is an analysis of the situation relating to tourism in Swat valley, which considers different aspects relevant in devising a tourism marketing strategy for Swat. 2.1. Swat Valley Swat is a famous tourist destination in the northern regions of Pakistan, administered under the government of â€Å"Khyber Pakhtunkhwa† Province of Pakistan. The valley of Swat lies in the upper parts

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Popular Culture (2-3) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Popular Culture (2-3) - Research Paper Example Myths continue to be told today and they are still part of the so called Modern world. The most important Myth that is currently on the minds is the 21st December 2012 Myth. No doubt that this topic is of huge interest to everybody and hence a huge amount of money is being generated by exploiting this interest. December 21st 2012 has been declared as a Doomsday in the Mayan calendar (â€Å"December† n.d. Para 1). Today we undoubtedly see wars, natural calamities, and destruction. Some say that these are the dark times and that these days were prophesied long ago in the Bible, the temples of Rome and the Pyramids of the ancient Maya. The newest version of the Doomsday prophecy comes from the Web.Bot project (â€Å"The web† n.d. Para 8 ). According to the Web.Bot the series of catastrophes reach their peak in the year 2010. What causes us to think more on this Myth or the Prophecy is the surprising similarities in the predictions. The Mayan Calendar: The Mayan calendar ceases to exist after December 21, 2012 (â€Å"2012† n.d. Para 5). The Mayans believed that history consisted of five ages and that each ends in a disaster before the world is reborn. And as per their calendar, we are living in the fifth and the final age which is due to end in December 2012. (D 2012: n.d.) Planet X or the Planet Nibiru: It is claimed that a certain planet Nibiru supposedly discovered by the Sumerians, is headed for the earth and that this will collide with the Earth in December 2012 (D 2012: n.d.). Planets align in a way that impacts Earth: According to the planetary alignment 2012, earth will be at the centre and sun will be present at the top (D 2012: n.d.). It is expected that the rising sun will come in a straight line with the black hole which is situated in the centre of the Milky Way (D 2012: n.d.). The rising sun will touch its lower orbit which can cause many changes in the position of the

Monday, September 23, 2019

How technology affects my life everyday Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

How technology affects my life everyday - Essay Example They have improved efficiency leading to increased productivity. Simultaneously, it has motivated people to be innovative in their application of technology, especially in education so that it can reach to still larger number of learners. Technology has become intrinsic part of contemporary society and therefore it becomes very difficult to envisage life without it. In case of emergencies like accident, mobile phones greatly facilitate in informing others about it and get timely help which would otherwise have become quite impossible. Another area is transport. Technology has considerably impacted transport system and made it easy for people to travel from one place to another. Regional and national boundaries have diminished and people can traverse great distance at very short time. In the absence of use of technology in transport system, development of societies and nations would have just remained a dream and not a reality. (words: 258)

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Economic degrowth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economic degrowth - Essay Example This is a good sign of economic degrowth. In terms of enhancing consumers’ health, the working condition of the workers, and preserving the available economic and natural resources for future generations, the transition stage from economic growth to degrowth is one of the most unique political breakthrough that took place in the United States (Latouche, 2007). In line with this, Kennedy (2010) explained that cities that is undergoing degrowth process is characterized by a limited population density and self-sufficient even though there was a shift from urbanization to rural way of living. In general, the population of cities that is undergoing degrowth process is usually below 10,000 residents per city (Bliss, 2011; Reinhardt, 2011). Depending on the size of geographic area, population size of degrowth cities can be less than 50,000 (Mathivet, 2009). Because of the limited production and consumption of goods, cities that are focused on degrowth are the ones that could preserve their existing natural resources and energy resources without sacrificing the standards of living of people living in these cities. Q.2 How may this area be influenced by degrowth? At the end of the document you will see a table with your name appearing alongside a particular theme (transport, housing, multifunctional urbanism, decision making processes, use of environmental technologies.) What area have you been invited to focus on: Housing Inflation rate in the United Kingdom has significantly increased from 3.0 up to 5.0 between January 2009 up to January 2011 respectively (National Statistics, 2011). Because of the increasing trend in the annual CPI inflation rate and interest rates in the US and UK market, the selling price of single detach houses has been significantly increasing over the past few years (Nordvik and Gulbrandsen, 2009). In 2001, there were as much as 215,000 companies building roughly 146,000 single-detached houses (Glaeser, 2004). As a consequence in the high market prices of single detached houses, there is a shift from the demand for expensive single detached houses to low-cost and more affordable multi-unit housing projects such as townhouses, apartment buildings, dormitories, or condominium units (Murray, 2011; Reference for Business, 2011; Johanisova, Crabtree, and Frankova, 2010; Glaeser, 2004). In line with this, there are some constructors who are already designing multi-unit housing projects using low-cost pre-fabricated housing materials (Reference for Business, 2011). There are socio-economic advantages associated with the shift from single-detached houses to multi-unit houses. First, it is possible to increase the supply of affordable housing units to meet the increasing population in US and UK (Glaeser, 2004). Aside from effectively protecting the environment from the adverse consequences of consuming too much electricity, degrowth in the housing industry is also more economical on the part of the consumers in terms of decr easing the cost of maintaining the quality of small-unit houses (Crawford and Heller, 2010; Register, 2010). Q.3 What has already been envisaged or put in practice that would be welcomed by a de-growth society? Give some examples and indicate the impact/ results of these 'alternatives' (e.g. from slow-cities to the setting up of autonomous communities and the recuperation of community; from

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Summary of Cooking Terms Essay Example for Free

Summary of Cooking Terms Essay The following is an alphabetical list of terms that describe ways of applying heat to foods. Basic cooking methods described earlier are included, as are more specific applications of these basic methods. BAKE To cook foods by surrounding them with hot, dry air. Similar to roast, but the term bake usually applies to breads, pastries, vegetables and fish. BARBECUE (1)To cook with dry heat created by the burning of hard wood or by the hot coals of this wood. (2) Loosely, to cook over hot coals, such as on grill or spit, often with a seasoned marinade or basting sauce. BLANCH. To cook an item partially and very briefly in boiling water or in hot fat. Usually a pre-preparation technique, as to loosen peels of vegetables, fruits, and nuts, to partially cook French fries or other foods before service, to prepare for freezing, or to remove undesirable flavors. BOIL To cook in water or other liquid that is bubbling rapidly, about 21. 2 degrees F (100 degrees C) at sea level and at normal pressure BRAISE (1)To cook covered in a small amount of liquid, usually after preliminary browning. (2) To cook certain vegetables slowly in a small amount of liquid without preliminary browning. BROIL To cook with radiant heat from above DEEP-FRY To cook submerged in hot fat. DEGLAZE To swirl a liquid in a saute pan, roast pan, or other pan to dissolve cooked particles of food remaining on the bottom. DRY-HEAT COOKING METHODS Methods in which heat is conducted to foods without the use of moisture. FRY To cook in hot fat GLAZE To give shine to the surface of a food by applying a sauce, aspic, sugar, or icing, and/or by browning or melting under a broiler or salamander or in an oven. GRIDDLE To cook on a flat, solid cooking surface called a griddle. GRILL To cook on an open grid over a heat source. MOIST-HEAT COOKING METHODS Methods in which heat is conducted to foods by water or other liquid (except fat) or by steam. PAN-BROIL To cook uncovered in a skillet or saute pan without fat. PAN-FRY To cook in a moderate amount of fat in an uncovered pan. (EN) PAPILLOTE Wrapped in paper (or sometimes foil) for cooking so the enclosed food is steamed in its own moisture. PARBOIL To cook partially in a boiling or simmering liquid. PARCOOK To cook partially by any method. POACH To cook gently in water or other liquid that is hot but not actually bubbling, 160 degrees to 180 degrees F (71 degrees to 82 degrees C). REDUCE. To cook by simmering or boiling until the quantity of liquid is decreased, often to concentrate flavors. ROAST To cook foods by surrounding them with hot, dry air in an oven or on a spit in front of an open fire. SAUTE To cook quickly in a small amount of fat, usually while mixing or tossing the foods by occasionally flipping the pan. SEAR To brown the surface of a food quickly at a high temperature. SIMMER To cook in water or other liquid that is bubbling gently, 185 degrees to 205 degrees F (85 degrees to 96 degrees C). SMOKE-ROAST To cook with dry heat in the presence of smoke, as on a rack over wood chips in a covered pan. SOUS VIDE Vacuum-packed. Refers to techniques for cooking foods that are packaged under vacuum in plastic bags. STEAM To cook by direct contact with steam. STEW To simmer or braise a food or foods in a small amount of liquid, which is usually served with the food as a sauce. STIR-FRY To cook quickly in a small amount of fat by tossing cut-up foods in a wok or pan with spatulas or similar implements. Similar to saute, except the pan is stationary. SWEAT To cook slowly in fat without browning, sometimes under a cover. FIVE-SPICE CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES Ingredients: †¢ 2 tbsp sesame oil †¢ 1 garlic clove, chopped. †¢ 3 spring onions, trimmed and sliced †¢ 1 tbsp corn flour †¢ 2 tbsp rice wine †¢ 4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips †¢ 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice powder †¢ 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger †¢ 125 ml/4 fl oz chicken stock †¢ 100 g/3 ? oz baby corn cobs, sliced †¢ 300 g/10 ? oz bean sprouts †¢ Finely chopped spring onions to garnish(optional) †¢ Freshly cooked jasmine rice, (to serve) Procedure 1. Heat the oil in a preheated wok or large frying pan. Add the garlic and spring onions and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 1 minute. 2. In a bowl, mix together the corn flour and rice wine, then add the mixture to the pan. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the chicken, five-spice powder, ginger and chicken stock and cook for another 4 minutes. Add the corn cobs and cook for 2 minutes, then add the bean sprouts and cook for another minute. 3. Remove from the heat, garnish with chopped spring onions, if using, and serve with freshly cooked jasmine rice. SHINJAGA Ingredients: †¢ 1 ? lb new potatoes †¢ 1 tbsp vegetable oil †¢ 4 tbsp Kikkoman †¢ 2 tbsp sugar †¢ 1 tbsp mirin Procedure: 1. Wash and scrub new potatoes 2. Put them in a deep pan and pour enough water to cover them. 3. Bring to a boil on high heat. 4. Turn down the heat to medium and cook about 10 minutes or until softened. 5. Drain potatoes in strainer. 6. Mix Kikkoman, mirin, and sugar in a small cup and set aside. 7. Heat oil in a large pan on medium heat and fry potatoes until lightly browned. 8. Pour the sauce mixture over the potatoes. 9. Shake the pan to let the sauce coat new potatoes over high heat. Stop the heat. CORDON BLEU Ingredients: †¢ chicken breast fillet (marinated seasoned with pepper salt) †¢ bread crumbs †¢ egg †¢ oil †¢ toothpicks †¢ cheese †¢ ham Procedure: 1. Put the chicken fillet in a flat surface. Then add cheese and ham on top of the chicken fillet. Roll it and use the toothpicks to hold it. 2. Dip the rolled chicken fillet in the egg and roll it in the bread crumbs. 3. Deep-fry until golden brown. 4. Remove the toothpick when serving. FISH FILLET Ingredients: †¢ fish(Dory) †¢ calamansi †¢ seasoning †¢ egg bread crumbs †¢ mayonnaise Procedure: 1. Slice the fish. 2. Mix the calamansi and the egg with the fish. 3. Add a little bit seasoning on it. 4. Dip the fish on the bread crumbs. 5. Deep-fry it until it becomes golden brown. 6. After cooking, place the mayonnaise on a small bowl for you to dip your fish on it. SQUASH MIX Ingredients: †¢ oil †¢ egg †¢ squash (grated) †¢ cornstarch. Procedure: 1. Mix the grated squash and the egg. 2. Add cornstarch to the mixture. 3. Fry it. CRUNCHY CHICKEN FINGERS Ingredients: FOR CHICKEN FINGERS †¢ ? kilo chicken breast fillet, sliced into 1 inch thick strips †¢ 1 8g MAGGI MAGIC SARAP †¢ 1 cup all purpose flour †¢ 2 cups finely crushed NESTLE cornflakes †¢ 2 eggs, beaten †¢ Cooking oil for frying FOR TROPICAL CHILI SAUCE †¢ ? cup sweet-chili †¢ 1 tsp MAGGI MAGIC SARAP †¢ ? cup water †¢ Pineapple tidbits †¢ Salt to taste Procedure: 1. Rub MAGGI MAGIC SARAP on chicken strips and let it sit for at least 15 minutes. 2. Coat chicken strips in flour. Dip in egg then roll in crushed cornflakes. 3. Fry chicken strips until golden brown. Drain using paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve with Tropical Chili Sauce on the side. SWEET AND SOUR FISH Ingredients: †¢ 2-3 lbs red snapper, whole fish †¢ 4 tbsp vegetable oil †¢ 1 tbsp salt †¢ ? tsp ground pepper †¢ 2 tbsp soy sauce †¢ ? cup apple cider vinegar or white vinegar †¢ ? water †¢ ? cup brown sugar †¢ 1 large chopped onion †¢ 6 tbsp minced garlic †¢ ? cup ginger, julienned †¢ ? cup carrot, julienned †¢ ? cup red bell pepper †¢ ? cup scallion, julienned (spring onions) †¢ 1 tbsp sifted flour Procedure: 1. Clean the fish and slit it open. Let it stand for few minutes and drain well. 2. Sprinkle fish with 1 tbsp salt 3. In a medium skillet, heat the oil and fry the fish until brown. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside. 4. In the same skillet, saute the garlic until light brown, then saute onion. 5. Add salt and white pepper. Stir in ginger, scallions, carrot and red bell pepper. 6. Add soy sauce, vinegar, water and sugar. Salt and pepper to taste. 7. When the mixture boils, add the flour to thicken. Then, add the fish. 8. Cover the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. PINAKBET Ingredients: †¢ okra †¢ eggplant †¢ squash †¢ MAGGI magic sarap †¢ Tomato †¢ Garlic †¢ Onion †¢ Salt †¢ Umami †¢ Oyster sauce. †¢ Cabbage Procedure: 1. Saute garlic and onion. 2. Add a little amount of water and put vegetables. 3. Add oyster sauce. 4. Season it with MAGGI magic sarap, salt umami. 5. Taste it and adjust flavors if needed. 6. Serve hot. RELLENONG TALONG Ingredients: †¢ egg †¢ eggplant †¢ ground pork †¢ garlic †¢ onion †¢ oil †¢ salt Procedure: 1. Fry the ground pork. 2. Slice the eggplant in the middle and get the inner part of the eggplant. 3. Mix the pork, garlic onion add salt to season it. 4. Then put the cooked pork in the middle of the sliced eggplant then, put the eggplant in the pan and put egg to close the eggplant.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Business and market analysis of Costco

Business and market analysis of Costco Costco wholesale corporation, is carry a membership of warehouses and sell high quality and national brands to resale and individual who have a membership in low prices, their first operated was on 1983 in Seattle, Washington. Now they have more than 570 warehouse around the world and 22 in United Kingdom. Of course every supermarket has to face a competitive environment but each one have their own strategy to deal with it by looking to their SWOT analysis and PESTEL analysis, also they should focus on their internal, micro macro environments. In this essay I will evaluate how Costco deal with these things. There is no companies can improve and get over if they do not focused on their internal strength and weakness and eternal opportunities and threats which is called SWOT analysis. Strength is looking to their internal capability of recourses and improves it to reach their objectives. According to Chatterjee Costco Annual revenue climbed 9.1 percent to $77.95 billion from $71.42 billion. In 2010 Costco were the 3th largest retailer in the USA and the 8th in the world. They offer a high quality of products with a big name, for example Sony, Microsoft, nestle and Kelloggs and numbers of co-brands such as Starbucks and Disney instead of their own brand which is called Kirkland in a low prices. They have over 60 million of cardholders also they are Goodwill with excellent employees. There were some advantages for Costco to their own brand; they can control their prices, packaging and the quality. Weakness is limitation that may prevent company to achieve their objectives, Costco weakness t hat you can find store in certain area and you cannot buy from the store if you are not a member in Costco club. Opportunity is an external positive factor that may bring advantages to the company, in UK Costco aims to open 40 warehouses around the country this will be good opportunity to them because they can reach large numbers of new loyal customers. Also they offer a Varity numbers of goods holding their own brand name, Costco noticed that most of their customer buys Toilet paper with annual sales of 375 millions. Every year to every two years, we try to upgrade the quality of this product, Rose explained. Make it softer, make it stronger, everything that we can do to just make it a better quality product and our members, you know, obviously the reward is with the sales on this item. (DONVAN and HERMAN, 2008). Threats is an external negative situation can face the company and break their performance and they should minimize it, when Costco decide to open their store in the UK an d get their approval to open their two stores and pay millions to develop their sits. The big three supermarkets Sainsbury, Tesco and Safeway tried to stop opening programs of Costco by going to the High Court and then to the Appeal Court to contest the councils decision. (KILBURN, 1992), they argued that Costco is retailers not wholesalers and the customer should pay fees to be members in Costco, so they should treat as retailers treated in UK. They were worried because Costco had succeeded in 17 years in USA and they sell everything from grocery to computers and pharmacy, also they sell up to 50% cheaper than other outlets in USA. Companies also will face an external environment that they cannot stop it or control it such as macroenvironment. There is also a microenvironment and both of them bring opportunities and threats to the company. Ecological/physical environmental forces is one of macroenvironment analysis is to protect the environment by producing products that not heart the natural. In Costco they produced their packaging from recycled polyester. The social forces give the company good image and predict the size and growth rates of marketing throughout charities and helping people go over in live by finding work and protect them from poverty. The plan of Costco to open 40 stores in UK which each store will employs 150 workers this will help to reduce unemployment also Costco and Highland Spring work together to support BBC children in need by selling a great pack for kid to keep them hydrated throughout the day, every 24 pack they sell 20p of it going to charity. Now technology become as lifeblood we cannot live without it, we can see the technology anywhere and everywhere, in the house, work, roadà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦etc. Costco start using internet shopping from few years ago operated and updated by Microsoft windows sever system, their revenue through website was under $100 million within three years and now their revenue through website is $640 million. The microenvironment consists of the actors in the firms immediate environment or business system that affect its capabilities to operate effectively in its chosen markets. (Jobber and Fahy, 2009) Its include four key actors are customer which company should satisfy their needs and wants by understanding their behavior, 90 percent of Costco customer are loyal and renew their membership year after year also the thing that keep the customer loyal that Costco offer them high quality products and low price with return policy with full refund if they are not happy with what they buy, looking to the important of customer satisfaction. Competition is study of customer behavior not enough to success, company should know their competitors because they affect the company plans, and for example if they offering a lower price or making promotion, this may lead your customers turn to their side. The company should study and know their competitors strength, weakness, opportunities and threats. Cos tco biggest competitors in UK Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury, and Safeway. Costco deal with competitors by offering high quality products in bulk with a low price, good treat from customer service these lead to build their brand name in UK and get customer loyalty. Distributors are to offer the products in right price, place and time to meet customer needs and wants, distributor lead to reduce supplier profitability. Costco introduce 4000 unique products in each store from groceries to the televisions and computers. Costco buy direct from the manufactures that allows warehouses not delay in receiving the products and give the customers the opportunity to purchase as quickly as possible. Suppliers who provide supply and material to the company to produce goods and services, suppliers can bring problems to the companies if they have shortage or delay of producing on time because this will damage the customer satisfaction, usually companies treat their suppliers as a partner, if the supplies w ere powerful and increasing the cost of supply this will lead to push the price up. Companies should monitor supply availability, such as shortages due to labour strikes or political factors, as these can cause customer dissatisfaction and lost sales. (Jobber, 2010). Costco and their suppliers gain maximum administrative efficiency, reduce shared expenses and improve system accountability. (Peters, 2003). Companies should focused on all of the four actors of microenvironment analysis because this will help them to explode their opportunities and reduce threats. Internal environment is performance and activities of a business to be assessed in the light of environmental developments.(Jobber and Fahy, 2009). It based on finance and accounting which is depending on budget that helps the marketing to achieve its objectives. Costco financial records of the fourth quarters of 2010 was net Property and Equipment $11,314(MMs).Research and development (RD) looking for products that bring customers attention and develop safe design. Costco every one or two years developed their products specially products on demand. Purchasing, companies looking for suppliers and good materials. As we mention above that Costco offers 4000 high quality items in each stores with a low price, up to 50% lower than their competitors. Production is producing products with good quality and materials. In conclusion, Costco became a worldwide wholesales in few years. They were focusing on their performance to reach their objectives, by improving their internal environment and strength, explode their opportunities and minimize threats by focusing on the macroenvironment and microenvironment.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

W.B. Yeats and the Importance of Imagination Essay -- Biography Biogra

W.B. Yeats and the Importance of Imagination The poetry of the Irish writer WB Yeats celebrates how the human imagination gives meaning to life's struggles. Yeats's vision of human creative power evolves with his writing, broadening from seeing the imagination as the embodiment of human desires to understanding the power of the imagination to inspire others and immortalize the creative spirit. Yeats's work, by embracing this power, embraces the human condition itself, giving dignity to hardships and suffering by transfiguring 'dread' into 'tragedy.' The inevitable suffering described in poems like "Adam's Curse," "The Wild Swans at Coole," and "The Circus Animals' Desertion," is transfigured into works of art which immortalize the human spirit, as in "The Lake Isle of Innisfree," "A Dialogue of Self and Soul," and "Lapis Lazuli." In Yeats' poems, human life is an experience wrought with sorrow and suffering. "Adam's Curse," for example, defines the human condition in terms of the twin hardships of labor and mortality. Just as the Biblical Adam was cursed with toil and death when he was exiled from Eden, all people in "Adam's Curse" must struggle to live, only to ultimately die. Like the "old pauper" who must "scrub a kitchen pavement, or break stones" to survive, all people labor in life, especially when making a work of beauty: the poet, for example, works "hours" at "stitching and unstitching" lines in order to create "sweet sounds," only to be called an "idler," and every woman is "born...to know" that she must "labour to be beautiful." The "curse" of labor is made more bearable when it informs the creation of beauty, as in a poem, a woman's "sweet and low" voice, or a "love...compounded of high courtesy," but the curs... ...g the inflexible realities of life, Yeats's works come to appreciate the greater powers of the creative soul to inspire others to embrace their own suffering, to see and balance all parts of the human experience and transfigure even hardship into art. The imagination thus empowers man to defy with his spirit what his body cannot- he finds spiritual timelessness, perfection, and immortality in a world where he will decay, fail, and perish. It is the imagination which allows this discovery, transfiguring the deepest anguish of bounded life into free and eternal "gaiety." Works Cited Finneran, Richard, ed. The Collected Works of W.B. Yeats. 2nd ed. New York: Scribner, 1997. Frye, Northrop. The Educated Imagination.Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1964. Parkinson, Thomas. W.B. Yeats: The Later Poetry. University of California Press: Berkeley, 1964.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Free Soliloquies Essay - Othello’s Soliloquy :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Othello

Analysis of Othello’s Soliloquy During Othello’s soliloquy in Scene 3, ll. 299-318, Shakespeare uses the literary devices of imagery, symbolism, and antithesis to develop the state of mind of Othello during this strenuous time in his life. Othello, who seems to intrinsically believe that as a public figure he is fated to be unsuccessful at marriage, is torn between his love for Desdemona and the possibility that she is having an affair with Michael Cassio. This particular passage comes at a juncture after he denies that this could be true, and before he is finally convinced of his wife's infidelity. The fact that Othello is wavering between believing Iago and trusting his wife is reflected in the imagery Shakespeare uses in the soliloquy. The first image that is used is that of a falcon. Lines 301-304 read: â€Å"If I do prove her haggard, / Though that her jesses were my dear heartstrings, / I’d whistle her off and let her down the wind to prey at fortune.† This shows that Othello is still unsure about Desdemona, and claims that though he is in love with Desdemona, he would drop her if he found out she was cheating. This is quite a strong willed statement, but it is diminished by lines 319-320, which follow the entrance of Desdemona and Emilia into the chamber. Othello says, â€Å"If she be false, heaven mocks itself! / I’ll not believe ‘t.† This is an example of how turbulent Othello’s state of mind is. The steadfast determination expressed using the falcon image sort of â€Å"melts† when he sees Desdemona, and he immediately pro fesses denial that she could be untrue to him. Yet, just ten lines earlier (l. 308), Othello says, â€Å"She’s gone! I am abused!† and proceeds to lament the very institution of marriage: â€Å"O cure of marriage, ? That we can call these delicate creatures ours / And not their appetites!† Shakespeare’s placing of these three different conclusions Othello has drawn in such close proximity is an example of antithesis, and a testament to the changing and chaotic state of mind of Othello. Additional symbols are used in the soliloquy which exemplify this as well. In lines 311-314, he says: â€Å"I had rather be a toad / And live upon the vapor of a dungeon / Than to keep in the corner the thing I love / For others’ uses.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Analysis of The Metamorphosis Essay -- Franz Kafka Magical Realism Lit

Analysis of The Metamorphosis This story "The Metamorphosis" is about Gregor, a workaholic, who is changed into an insect and must then deal with his present reality. The hardest part of being an insect for him was the alienation from his family, which eventually leads to his death. In reading the short story "The Metamorphosis," (1971),one can realize how small the difference is between Magical Realism and Fantastic. This literature written by the Austrian, Franz Kafka, is often debated over. The magical elements in this story are obvious like they should be in fantastic literature. It is not often that humans are turned into insects. Another magical element that is not as clear is the unconditional love that Gregor had for his parents and sister after they had long forgotten about him. The realist elements in this story include about everything else. A characteristic of fantasy is that there is only one magical element in a realistic world. The reaction to the metamorphosis by Gregor's family is probably the most realistic. This includes the way they alienated him and the conditional live they had for him. Most people, like this family, love someone only when it benefits themselves. In this fantastic story, the author Franz Kafka uses the metamorphosis to depict how he sees society. Throughout the story, he makes one see society through Gregor's eyes. Kafka portrays society as being fickle and a close-minded one. The purpose in this story, like all fantastic stories, is told at a deeper level. The purpose of "The Metamorphosis" is to show how people gradually change over time. Gregor, due to his situation with work and his family, was slowly changing into a monster and he did not even know it. People do cha... ...." Franz Kafka: The Complete Stories. Ed. Nahum N. Glatzer. N.Y.: Schocken Books Inc., 1971: 89-139. Leal, Luis. "Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham; N.C.: Duke UP, 1995: 119-124. Rabkin, Eric S. The Fantastic: A Structural Approach to a Literary Form. Cleveland: The Press of Case Western Reserve University, 1973. 8-19. Roh, Franz. "Magical Realism: Post-Expressionism." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham; N.C.: Duke UP, 1995: 15-32. Simpkins, Scott. "Sources of Magical Realism/ Supplements to Realism in Contemporary Latin American Literature." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham; N.C.: Duke UP, 1995: 145-159.

Former president of South Africa Essay

My friends and I had joined and have been a member of the African National Congress for a long time. Our non-stop mission is to remove apartheid. Since 1944, when I had just joined the antiapartheid organization ANC, we have been trying to talk with the government officials about the unfairness and the disadvantages of apartheid. Our non-violent mission to get rid of apartheid seems to go nowhere. The United Nations and the United States, too, is backing us up with our couple of hundred black colored folks. Since the government is mostly white dominated, they wouldn’t listen to our concerns because removing apartheid would be a great disadvantage for them. Most factory or company owners are white. Removing apartheid would mean that they would have to pay the blacks and the colored folks the same money since right now white people get more paid than us. This is just one of the many things the whites would suffer if an antiapartheid nation was formed. In the footsteps of Mohandas Gandhi we pursue a non-violent protest. â€Å"I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances.† Clearly, one could draw the point on how miserable our lives were and under these circumstances you suffer greatly or stand up for your culture, stand up for your country and the meaning of our tribes. A changing world demands redefinition of old concepts. Africa, first step where humans took on this planet and we follow the biblical rules. â€Å"I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man.† Dear Journal: November 1962 This is my first night in prison. I do not write to you in shame since I believe to be lucky enough to escape hanging. I am currently imprisoned at Robben Island with some of my colleagues for protesting against the true Africans not having any democratic rights, which wiped out the possibility of bringing peace to South Africa. We Africans do not even have any of the Basic Human Rights. We are born with these rights and unless we give them up  for a certain type of government they are ours to keep. Us not having any human rights was an unarguable point since at Sharpeville in March of 1960 the police fired at an African crowd and killing 67. Most of them were shot in the back. â€Å"No one in his right senses would choose such a life, but there comes a time when a man is denied the right to live a normal life, when he can only live the life of an outlaw because the government had so decreed to use the law.† I could have continued with my life with what I was taught to do in life; fight, and since I was almost considerably a professional boxer I could have made good money and have a high-social life. But I chose to fight for our Basic Human rights, bring peace and end apartheid. And is this what I get for trying to get equal rights? I have been sentenced for life in this forbidding, desolate place. â€Å"This was my home. It was so big at the time. I don’t know why it is so small now.† I am treated harshly in this place. We do not receive healthy food and we have to work in a lime quarry. I can only write letters no longer than 500 words every six months and eventually I was able to talk with Winnie my dearest wife. We were not allowed to read books nor newspapers so the only way I could get information about what is going outside was through Winnie and her letters. Dear Journal:December 27, 1988 You could say I’m getting used to my imprisonment. Since December, I was moved to a cottage at Victor Verster Prison. The reason I believe why the government moved me to this comfortable prison is because; back in August, when I became very ill the government was afraid that if I died there would be a massive revolt. Because of my enormous popular support, I was taken to one of the best medical centers in the country. When in October I felt better, I was moved here. I feel much safer and more comfortable. This was just a prison farm even with a swimming pool. At least I do not have to work on fixing roads and collecting seaweed on hot summer days. During the winter, back at Robben Island, we worked at Limestone Quarry and after 10 years of labor my doctor told me that I shouldn’t lift so hard. The South African Government published my photos to show how much comfort I was living in. After all the restrictions I have received, these were the first photos of myself since 1966. â€Å"In the name of the law, I found myself treated as a  criminal†¦not because of what I had done, but because of what I stood for, because of my conscience.† After all I did expect them to treat me harshly, I was the one of few man who stood up for my country and because of what I was trying to accomplish made it so unbearable towards the government. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal, which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.† The United Nations Article states that all men shall have the basic human right, independence and equal treatment. So I shall receive that right. Dear Journal:August 17, 1984 I have been telling you about in how horrible living conditions that black people live in. But maybe you don’t exactly know what they are. Well let me tell you a broad definition of apartheid. Apartheid was a law unfair to black people in South Africa and it was made even before I was born. It limited our civil rights. We couldn’t vote nor have proper jobs. We endured bad housing such as slums with no electricity or pluming. Black people were arrested most of the time for no major particular reason and put into really bad prisons. So now you know why it is so important for me to end apartheid. â€Å"A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness†¦.The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.† After 20 years at Robben Island, the state’s most guarded prison, my people were asking for my independence. In my isolation section, I was secretly able to keep track of what was going on at the outside world. According to the information I received, newspapers started writing headlines such as â€Å"FREE MANDELA† and â€Å"LET MANDELA GO.† I was so respected and recognized that the whole world started to notice how much the people wanted to free me. What I don’t understand is why they waited so long. It was hard to know what was going on but I made it my business to keep track of what was happening in my nation and in the world. The United States and Great Britain were naming streets and parks after me. I didn’t realize till today how people looked up to me  and considered me important, for what I have tried to do and will still try; end apartheid. Human rights groups and Universities gave me honors and awards but it was impossible for them to ever reach me. It’s not like they’re papers which could be sneaked in, well I will just have to wait till I receive my independence. Dear Journal:May 11, 1994 Yesterday was one the happiest days of my life. I was the president of South America. After 27 years if suffering in prisons. After the next 4 years of my release I had been involved in rebels against the government, beside my followers. These last 4 years chaotic and violent. My supporters fought viciously with the Inkatha Party of the Zulu chief Gatsha Buthelezi. Many were killed on their side but unfortunately so did many on our side. When in 1986 I started to make negotiations with Botha I had refused his deal to give me my freedom under such conditions where I had to live in Transkei, reject violence and many other things. If I accepted these conditions just for my freedom, it would be a violation of what I stand for in my spot at the ANC. I kept it a secret till when I had to tell my friends so they could help me get my freedom and I could do well for my nation. The new President of South Africa and leader of the National Party, F.W. de Klerk, in the end decided to release myself and the other political prisoners. He also made ANC legal so I when I asked him for my freedom he released me. On February, 1990 I was released. But my joyful days weren’t over yet. A general election was held in April, 1994. And about a year after the elections, yesterday I became the new and first black president of South America. â€Å"Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another†¦. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement. Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!† The people were dependant on me because they knew that I would spare a civil war and follow whatever the ANC says to do so. As the people saw me end apartheid along F.W. de Klerk back in 1993 and received the Nobel Peace price, they expected me to bring many other good reforms. I promise to change the whole perception towards black people.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Themes of “The Crucible”

Themes of The Crucible While reading The Crucible, two strong themes are guilt and hypocrisy. This play by Authur Miller takes place in during the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts. The people involved were called Puritans. they had very strong beliefs such as â€Å"predestination†, and intolerance. When the trials began to come about, it caused great havoc in the small, puritan community. Although this play seemed to be such a serious series of events, after reading it one will soon notice that it is almost crossing a fine line of mockery.The themes that showed these traits pretty well were guilt and hypocrisy, which when looked at deeper bring out the extent of insanity throughout the play. These themes will begin to show how obvious and absurd the true motives actually are. The first theme, which is guilt, is initially shown very subtly but then towards the end of the play, gets to an extreme. Mr. Hale is the first character we really notice effected by this. During act t hree, he begins to feel personally responsible for the people he condemned to hang, as they begin to look innocent.He exclaims, â€Å"I have signed 72 death warrants, I am a minister of the lord†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Miller, 1301). For the first time in the play, one of the characters actually says something to show their doubt, when everyone else is just constantly thinking and wondering if it could be true or not. Another character that show his guilt in this act is Danforth. He is the judge who have tried all of the suspects, and sentenced the majority of them to death. After two of the girls that were the basis for everyone's conviction skip town, Danforth begins to show his skepticism, but can not react. e understands clearly not that there is a strong possibility that the girls were lying, but still refuses to change his decision. After sentencing possibly innocent people to hang, his guilt can not empower him to do things to attempt to justify his previous actions. When Reverend Pa rris tries to postpone the rest of the hangings, Danforth tells him, â€Å"There will be no postponement† (miller, 128). Although one might take this as confidence in his past judgments, he really does this because he feels there is no other option after killing innocent people.The next theme there are some very interesting qualities to is hypocrisy. This theme also ranges from subtle to extreme throughout the play, but hypocrisy is shown a little differently. One example involves the general group of puritans as a whole, and their beliefs. It is made clear that they think its only right for a child to speak when spoken to, but during the entire play the puritans seems to hang on a group of children's words. they are not only listening to them, but killing innocent adults in result of it.During act II, one of the characters says, â€Å"The voice of heaven is speaking through the children. † (Miller, 1294) This sentence clearly states that what the children are telling them are extremely important, must be heard, and must be believed. Another character who shows hypocrisy throughout the play is Parris. He originally acts authoritative and powerful as he tries to pursued the court toward witch craft. Eventually he becomes weak and begs the court to reconsider for his own greed and name.Early in the play, Parris says to Dantforth, â€Å"He's come to over throw the court, your honor! † (Miller, 92), referring to Proctor when he brings a deposition to free innocent people. At the end of act three, the same man, Parris, goes back to the court and tells them, â€Å"Tonight, when i open my door to leave my house – a dagger clattered to the ground. you cannot hang this sort. there is danger for me†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (miller, 128). This statement shows how Parris now is trying to protect himself, and needs to try to justify the previous decisions.For a more general example of hypocrisy, there is one that involves the entire plot of the play. The g oals of the puritans are to keep their community together, but now after dragging out the trials, the have ripped Salem apart. After reading this play, it is clearly evident that there are always underlying motives to peoples' actions. this is shown not only through these examples but the entire dialog. This book was very interesting, and really held my interest compared to other pieces of literature previously read in english classes.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Wal Mart

What are the potential effects of computerized scheduling on employee morale? The first one is that this gives more flexibility to the store managers. They can now work more effectively because the system favours productivity and customer satisfaction. Therefore from a managerial point of view, managers are more satisfied with the new system. However, the system generates a schedule that gives more flexibility to workers but less pay checks. Indeed, the workers are no more stable because their working schedule can fluctuate at any time. Therefore, job insecurity increases and the worker cannot feel at ease because he cannot plan his week.Besides, the irregular working hours put the workers in more difficulty in their social life. Moreover, the system gives opportunities for the managers not to give overtime or full-time wages to the workers. These ones will be tensed because they will need more working hours in other to put bread on the table in their households. We can assume that W al-Mart, being the company that gives the lowest wage rate in the US, people that work for this company need money in order to survive in society. So this system turns out to be not at all beneficial morally for the employees.Finally, we can assert that this system gives more power to the managers to fire employees who do not fit into the computerized system. Therefore, the level of employee satisfaction goes down. What are the consequences of these effects for Wal-Mart? The first consequence of this effect is that it gives very bad publicity to Wal-Mart. Indeed, Wal-Mart was known to be the company that gives the lowest wage rate in the US. Moreover, from a social point a view, it was observed that the workers were mainly people from the low class and were from Hispanic origin.So before the new computerized system, Wal-Mart was not a renowned company for its social ways of doing. Now, people will know that the company has given even more insecurity to its cheap labour. The second c onsequence is that the company might have more difficulties to find workers because people will know that the job insecurity has increased. For instance, a company like Walt Disney also gives a low level of wages but the firm gives social benefits (medical aid and social security). This company will therefore be more attractive although it has a computerized system to schedule the workers’ hours.Therefore, Wal-Mart will have competitive disadvantages to find cheap labour because they do not consider the worker’s point of view The last consequence is that from a legal point of view, the company has been criticized. Indeed, the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 says that workers cannot be used as an article of commerce. Therefore, people are now saying that the company is using its workers as objects. This goes against Human rights and it gives an awful image to the firm. This gives a lack of credibility to the company and shame to its shareholders. Wal Mart What are the potential effects of computerized scheduling on employee morale? The first one is that this gives more flexibility to the store managers. They can now work more effectively because the system favours productivity and customer satisfaction. Therefore from a managerial point of view, managers are more satisfied with the new system. However, the system generates a schedule that gives more flexibility to workers but less pay checks. Indeed, the workers are no more stable because their working schedule can fluctuate at any time. Therefore, job insecurity increases and the worker cannot feel at ease because he cannot plan his week.Besides, the irregular working hours put the workers in more difficulty in their social life. Moreover, the system gives opportunities for the managers not to give overtime or full-time wages to the workers. These ones will be tensed because they will need more working hours in other to put bread on the table in their households. We can assume that W al-Mart, being the company that gives the lowest wage rate in the US, people that work for this company need money in order to survive in society. So this system turns out to be not at all beneficial morally for the employees.Finally, we can assert that this system gives more power to the managers to fire employees who do not fit into the computerized system. Therefore, the level of employee satisfaction goes down. What are the consequences of these effects for Wal-Mart? The first consequence of this effect is that it gives very bad publicity to Wal-Mart. Indeed, Wal-Mart was known to be the company that gives the lowest wage rate in the US. Moreover, from a social point a view, it was observed that the workers were mainly people from the low class and were from Hispanic origin.So before the new computerized system, Wal-Mart was not a renowned company for its social ways of doing. Now, people will know that the company has given even more insecurity to its cheap labour. The second c onsequence is that the company might have more difficulties to find workers because people will know that the job insecurity has increased. For instance, a company like Walt Disney also gives a low level of wages but the firm gives social benefits (medical aid and social security). This company will therefore be more attractive although it has a computerized system to schedule the workers’ hours.Therefore, Wal-Mart will have competitive disadvantages to find cheap labour because they do not consider the worker’s point of view The last consequence is that from a legal point of view, the company has been criticized. Indeed, the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 says that workers cannot be used as an article of commerce. Therefore, people are now saying that the company is using its workers as objects. This goes against Human rights and it gives an awful image to the firm. This gives a lack of credibility to the company and shame to its shareholders.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Obesity †Nutrition Essay

Fast food is something that every American knows about. Most likely you, the person reading this has had fast food before, and probably enjoyed it. Whether it may be Mcdonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, KFC, etc. There is nothing as cheap, quick to get, and tasty as fast food. With the ever-growing population of obese Americans, people are looking for a reason and for most that reason is fast food. Now according to the CDC (centers for disease control) the definition of overweight is having a BMI (body mass index) of 25-29. 9 and the BMI for an obese person is 30 or higher. Could it be that fast food is causing 78 million Americans 20 years or older to be obese, or that 17% of all children and teens in the US are over weight because of it? I think not. Sure, fast food may not be the healthiest choice for you, but seriously, no one is forcing you to eat that cheeseburger and no one is forcing you to drink that soda. You see fast food is not the problem, the decision making of the obese American population is. Now just so we’re clear I have nothing against obese people and there is a big difference between a little chunky, which is okay and obese. Now just so your aware of the obesity problem here in America, here’s some cold hard facts about obesity. Here in the US more than 35% of adults are considered obese, that’s more than 78 million people across the country that are obese. Seventeen percent of children and young adults are obese, which is triple the rate of a generation ago. Studies have shown that obesity gives you a greater chance of getting type2 diabetes and even cancer. If you are wondering why there are so many obese people in America today just ask your self a few simple questions. Would you rather go for a nice evening jog or stay home and watch your favorite TV show? Would you rather eat a salad or something not as healthy like a burger or pizza? And finally would you rather go to the gym or hang out with friends? If I had to guess I’d say most of you would rather hang out with friends, eat junk food, and watch your favorite TV show. You see most people have the time to work out and eat right they just choose not to and just like every choice made in life it comes with it’s benefits and consequences. You don’t have to pay for a gym member ship just walk up some steps or play catch with your kids or take a walk at the park, anything is obviously better than nothing. Now researchers will argue against my claims, and that’s understandable. They’ll mention that 33 percent of children and adolescents in the U. S. consume fast food on a typical day; they’ll also state that on average adolescents will visit a fast food restaurant twice a week. Well all I have to say to that is whose fault is that? How are these kids buying the fast food? With their parent’s money of course. Why can’t the parents make them something healthy and control what there kids eat instead of giving them money to eat fast food? It’s the parent’s fault that the kids are eating fast food so often. Fast food isn’t going to make you obese unless you eat it most of the time. If you eat it occasionally but you also eat your fruits and vegetables you’ll be fine. It is crazy to know that in the U. S. 49% of money spent on food is spent away from home. Which means people are choosing to buy food from restaurants and other places rather than go to the grocery store and cook at home. That percentage is always increasing due to the fact that people now a days are looking for more convenient ways of getting there food. If your wondering just how much money is being spent on quick service restaurants, in 2011 quick service restaurants were expected to gain 168 billion dollars, 3% more than 2010. If people would just spend half the amount of money that they usually spend on fast food and cook a nice healthy meal instead there would be no problem with fast food. Once again the decisions of the American people are to blame. Hit the gym and help yourself get slim. Studies have shown that physical activity plays a big role in loosing weight but of course you knew that, its common sense. But what many people don’t know is that according to the CDC (center for disease control) fewer than 2 out of 10 Americans and less than 30 percent of adults get the recommended level of exercise. Also that more than 25% of U. S. adults do not devote any time to physical activity, the worst states being Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. It is very intriguing that correlations have shown that those states with the least amount of exercise have the most health problems. Type2 diabetes is mostly triggered by obesity, and in 1980 5. 5 million adults had it; now approximately 25. 6 million adults have type2 diabetes. The ever so increasing percentage of obesity and decreasing percentage in physical activity is definitely to blame. An interesting fact is that by loosing weight and getting from overweight to normal you can save on average $1400 a year on medication. If you don’t have time to hit the gym, there are a few tips that can help you get fit. First don’t drink soda; on average if you drink a soda can a day you’ll gain 15 pounds in a year, that is if you don’t work out of course. Take the stairs or walk around the block, a few extra steps could be the difference in burning some extra calories, and finally anything is better than nothing, curl some soup cans or do some crunches while watching TV. Any of those things can help you with your obesity, then you wont have to blame it on fast food. Fast food companies are now making a bigger push to serve healthier items in their stores, but it is up to the customers to get them otherwise it is all for nothing. McDonalds is taking the biggest step with there new items like the all fruit smoothies, apple slices, salads, and there brochures that show you there below 400,300,200, and 100 calorie items. Jack in the box is jumping on board as well with their 3 choices of salads, and serving grilled chicken instead of fried in there sandwiches. These fast food chains are realizing that healthy is the new way to go but yet the majority of people in America aren’t. We need to watch what we eat, eat healthier brown rice or bread instead of white, more fruits and veggies and less burgers, next time you go to mcdonalds get a salad instead of a Big Mac it might change your life. In conclusion the fast food industry is not to blame for Obesity in the United States of America. They’re taking steps in the right direction and the people of America should too. We need to start exercising more and getting active because that is the true reason for the increasing obesity. Make better decisions in your life style, choose a healthy one and like I said get a salad next time you go to McDonalds. – http://www. getamericafit. org/statistics-obesity-in-america. html – http://www. huffingtonpost. com/2012/08/14/obesity-rate-by-state_n_1774356. html.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Domestic Violence Against Women in Malaysia Essay

Domestic Violence Against Women in Malaysia - Essay Example A domestic partner can be a married partner or unmarried partner staying together. After the introduction, the statement of the problem related to domestic violence is provided along with the research and scope of the study. In the second chapter, the Historical background of Malaysia has been mentioned. This section would help to understand the culture and values that exist in the country. Furthermore, it will allow the readers to gain an interest about the topic after knowing the historical values of the country. In this section different issue related to Malaysian society has also been discussed. Domestic Violence in Malaysia has been discussed in this section along with the regulations and support system that protect women from the abuses. In the third chapter some regulations that protect the women have been discussed thoroughly. In the fourth chapter the gaps in the regulations have been mentioned. The fourth chapter provides information about the limitations of the laws and regulations that have been incorporated in Malaysia against domestic violence. The fifth chapter is very important because it provides the literature review of the essay. In the fifth chapter the rights and positions of the Muslim women residing in Malaysia has been discussed. This section also mentions about the preaching of Islamic culture and information about the Sharia Law. In this chapter some theories about the causes of domestic violence has been provided along with the conceptual framework of domestic violence in Malaysia. The gaps in the literature has also been mentioned in the section due to which the issues related to domestic violence in Malaysia has not been in regular discussion by other nations. The sixth chapter provides inform ation about the different type of disturbances and injuries that females of Malaysia had to experience. Finally, some recommendations have been provided in the

Thursday, September 12, 2019

PROJECT ECONOMICS AND LAW Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

PROJECT ECONOMICS AND LAW - Coursework Example In the recent past, clients are increasingly looking for project managers that are able to deliver expected results. For this reason, it is vitally important for the managers to learn from past mistakes and strive to maintain a clean record with respect to successful project implementation and management. Among the projects that have been compounded by various challenges in the national history is the Scottish parliament project. This project belonged to the Scottish government and sought to construct a magnificent building to be used by the Scottish parliament. The project was initiated in 1998 and proposed to be completed by the dawn of the new century. However, budgetary concerns and other construction related complexities delayed its timely completion. Seemingly, the project failed dismally to meet the established project indices in light of duration and cost. This had various implications on all stakeholders. It underscored major contractual weaknesses that the country is grappling with. In order to ensure efficiency in the construction industry, these concerns need to be addressed accordingly. It is against this background that this paper provides an in depth report of the mode of failure of the contract, factors that contributed to the failure and the lessons learnt from this. To enhance a harmonic consideration, it begins by profiling the conditions of the project and appraising its effect on liability for failure. It then proceeds to detailing the nature of its failure and specific factors that contributed to this. It then concludes by discussing how the NEC contract could be used to address the experienced challenges. Relative recommendations would offer useful insights regarding how future failures would be avoided. This is at the core of the objectives of project management and thus recommendations would help in preventing future incidences of failure. The

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Business and Marketing Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business and Marketing Strategies - Essay Example There has been a recent increase in health-related issues because now people are concerned about their diet more than ever before. The number of diseases caused by unhealthy eating have increased due to the rise chemical additives and genetically modified foods. Therefore, the number of people choosing to opt for organic food is increasing all the time. Organic foods are produced naturally, without using chemical synthetics or fertilizers, and not processed by irradiations. This report analyses how to carry out marketing for a restaurant offering healthy meals for public consumption.  There has been a recent increase in health-related issues because now people are concerned about their diet more than ever before. The number of diseases caused by unhealthy eating have increased due to the rise chemical additives and genetically modified foods. Therefore, the number of people choosing to opt for organic food is increasing all the time. Organic foods are produced naturally, without us ing chemical synthetics or fertilizers, and not processed by irradiations. This report analyses how to carry out marketing for a restaurant offering healthy meals for public consumption.   Spud BAR is focused on the restaurant industry; more specifically, organic and healthy meals. Another component is delivery services to customers.These meals should be prepared using only natural foods such as vegetables, fruits, and meats.   This project will look at peoples’ need for healthy food and will try to educate society about decreasing the rate of diseases caused through bad eating habits. A. The Purpose of this Project Spud Bar is a Melbourne-based health-food restaurant that is planning to open up branches in Adelaide. Our project will give recommendations as to whether this move will be a success or not. We will base our recommendations on various conditions such as economic, cultural, and demographic factors. The major purpose for this move is to increase the company†™s profits while still offering good service to customers. Also, the report will provide the company with suitable business and marketing strategies to improve competitiveness and help the company become successful in the marketplace. B. Target Market 1. People who suffer from obesity The rates of obesity in Australia as a whole, and more specifically Adelaide, have risen over the last decade. The types of people who will benefit from this project are those who look to minimise the number of calories that they eat every day. This project will focus on these types of people by offering them a variety of foods that are suitable for them and can be arranged in advance. 2. Old people and patients Due to their health conditions, those who are either retired or ill are recommended to eat specific dietary meals. More specifically, these meals should have less fat in conjunction with being nutritious. It is very difficult to get this balance right, and this presents to us a target market that is relatively untapped. 3. Local universities students and employees The Adelaide Central Business District (Adelaide CBD) includes three universities (University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, and Flinders University) along with the Adelaide Royal Hospital and a large number of companies. Opening a branch in this location will help us to reach thousands of local students. 4. Preparing meals for events: The company can organise meals for events such as birthday parties, graduation ceremonies, and so on. Discounts can be given to such events, as the order will include large quantities of

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Talking Back Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Talking Back - Essay Example She describes how she was brought up in the Southern, which was dominated by male dominance. In her own words, Hooks narrates that she grew up in a father-dominated household. In addition, she attended a segregated high school. Nevertheless, she struggles to find herself. She narrates of her experiences while striding in California and Wisconsin in predominately-white universities. Whale there, she had to contend with a series of racism and sexism incidences. She however learnt to deal with such ordeals. The racism and sexism that characterized her schooling did not deter her from attaining her dream. She grew up to become a prominent writer. Deep in the book, Hooks dedicates some of the essay towards the general discussion of the plight of women in the United States, particularly black women. She narrates how the women’s movement and its role in the society. Hooks also talks about white supremacy and its impact on feminism. In addition, she narrates how black homophobia had dominated the United States and how it perpetrated racism. She also mentions number of racist feminists. Other general topics explored in the book include the politics at Yale as well as the significance of teaching women’s literature in schools. She also describes a series of intimate violence. The book is more of an autograph. She provides a detailed description of some of the experiences she went through in her own life. Hooks manages to blend her own personal experiences with the occurrences in the society at the time. Through this book, she focuses on the interconnectivity that exists with race, class and gender and their ability to enhance and perpetrate oppression and domination. Hooks provides a comprehensive definition and description of oppression and domination. She also suggests ways through which we can end or avert these vices. One quote that caught my attention is that in which Hooks states that â€Å"It is necessary for us to remember that as we

Monday, September 9, 2019

California is the nation's greatest state (sorry Texas) Essay

California is the nation's greatest state (sorry Texas) - Essay Example To measure the highly ranked stake between the two states, the variables under consideration include crime rate, employment rate, housing costs, access to employment, health insurance, education level and excellence, mortality rate, health, property tax, and pollution from industrialization, tourist attractions, income, and human activities. Overall, California stands a better chance of appealing to visitors and residents with the friendly socioeconomic environment. Less property tax influenced residents to invest in real estate that business owners can operate from their own premises other than renting working space. On the other hand, high property tax increases reduces the accessibility and acquisition of permanent housing or investment in some types of business such as those requiring the construction of complex premises. Between California and Texas, California stands a better chance of attracting investors and permanent property ownership. This is because as of 2013, California’s property tax was at an average of 0.80% against Texas average of 1.74%. By default, home buyers and other structure buyers are more likely to invest in a state where property tax is more accommodating (Wile, para. 6). The considerate property tax has also influenced better academic institution development leading to a higher graduation rate in California as compared to Texas. It is observed that nations with good and reliable education system attract higher graduation rates than nations that do not have the same quality if education systems. The US’s higher learning institutions are renowned for producing higher quality academic elites. However, general education system cannot tell a lot about specific states such as Texas and California. In its quest to support the national education quality, California has developed an education system that sees

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Kick-off Meetings Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Kick-off Meetings - Research Paper Example The team leader must assign different work to each of the members. A schedule of weekly meetings must be prepared. The team also has to set delivery dates to ensure the project is completed on time. â€Å"In any effective meeting, participants are better off when they have a clear understanding of how it will progress† (Sisco, 2002). Last semester I was involved in a project for school. During that project we had a kickoff meeting when it started. The kickoff meeting was a complete disaster. The members of the team did not communicate well. The members were constantly arguing with each other. Two people wanted the team leadership position. After the two hour meeting we did not accomplish anything. This experience taught me that kickoff meetings should be handled differently. In the future whenever I get a chance to participate in a kickoff meeting once again I will try to do things differently. The first thing that I will focus on during a kickoff meeting is to keep the lines of communication open. I will also act more proactively by performing research prior to the meeting in order to bring good ideas to the table from the start. Sisco, M. (2002). Follow these steps to conduct an effective project kickoff meeting. Retrieved February 27, 2013 from

Creativity report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Creativity report - Coursework Example Creativity and innovation have become valuable features of leading companies. Schirrmacher (1988) defines creativity as one’s ability to see things in novel ways; it is breaking boundaries and going beyond the known facts. It is also developing something new, different and original and combining things which do not seem to be related to each other but eventually makes sense when put together. This is closely related to innovation which is sparked by a new idea. The idea can be a new technology such as a gadget that can provide more convenience to consumers, a new service like an alternative form of relaxation, a new product, or even a new administrative procedure. Such ideas are driven by needs that are seen by the innovators. Innovation requires creativity. In organizations, innovation becomes the growth of a new idea from its initial state into its actualized form as a full-blown innovation (Roberts, 2006). Thus, creativity is at work when one innovates. The ongoing global recession has caused the shutdown of several companies, leading to massive unemployment. Epic Events Management Company is a small company that has likewise suffered the blow, with many of their clients opting to forgo their special events as a way of cutting down expenses. To keep the company afloat, they had to let go of a large part of their office space which occupied the whole floor of a prominent building downtown. The CEO decided to just keep his office for entertaining clients, the team room with a few office tables and the reception area. Because of this drastic move, they have significantly saved on rental expenses. The problem now lies on how they would rearrange the office so that all the staff can fit in and still be productive. On top of that, they need to think up of other alternative income-generating ideas that will augment the losses incurred from the lack of projects. For the problem of lack of office space for the

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Q Manual Essay Example for Free

Q Manual Essay After the lecture Tutorials and your learning Reading in your study 2. 8. 1 Reading to understand or comprehend 2. 8. 2 Reading for critical comment Checklist for studying faculty units and courses 13 14 14 15 16 16 Chapter 3 The research process: A basic guide 3. 1 The research process 3. 1. 1 Step 1: Understand the assignment topic/question(s) 3. 1. 2 Step 2: Decide what sort of information you need to complete the assignment 3. 1. 3 Step 3: Decide where to look for this information 3. 1. 4 Step 4: Develop and use a search strategy for database searching 3. 1. 5 Step 5: Evaluate the information found and revise the plan 3. 1. 6 Step 6: Presentation 3. 1. 7 Step 7: Final evaluation Using the Internet for research 3. 2. 1 Some further tips for productive Internet research 17 17 17 17 18 18 20 22 22 23 23 3. 2 Chapter 4 Academic writing skills 4. 1 4. 2 4. 3 4. 4 Characteristics of successful writing 4. 1. 1 Responding to the task Exam question, Accounting and Finance 4. 2. 1 Initial analysis, key terms and directions Structuring your writing clearly 4. 3. 1 Writing structure Forming and expressing your perspective on the task 4. 4. 1 â€Å"Crystallised response† 4. 4. 2 Plan the response Supporting your perspective 4. 5. 1 Paragraph structure 4. 5. 2 Use of references Presenting a consistent and logical response Expressing your ideas clearly 4. 7. 1 Formal academic language 4. 7. 2 Some other features of academic language Checklist for academic writing skills 25 25 25 27 27 27 28 29 29 30 31 31 32 33 33 34 34 36 4. 5 4. 6 4. 7 4. 8 Chapter 5 Writing essays 5. 1 5. 2 5. 3 5. 4 Analyse the task Synthesise your information Plan the essay Reference the sources of information 37 37 37 37 38 Chapter 6 Writing a literature review 6. 1 6. 2 6. 3 6. 4 The nature of a literature review Procedure for completing a literature review Writing the literature review Checklist for a literature review 39 39 40 40 41 Chapter 7 Report writing 7. 1 The process 7. 1. 1 Identify the purpose of the report 7. 1. 2 Identify the readers and their needs 7. 1. 3 Research the topic 7. 1. 4 Outline the report 7. 1. 5 Write the draft 7. 1. 6 Edit the draft 7. 1. 7 The finished product 7. 2 Report presentation and layout 7. 2. 1 Structure of a report 7. 3 Report writing checklist 42 42 42 42 42 43 43 43 44 44 44 46 Chapter 8 Case study method 8. 1 8. 2 Some general issues Problem solving case format. 49 49 49 Chapter 9 Academic integrity and honesty: avoiding plagiarism in written work 9. 1 9. 2 What is plagiarism? Monash University Statute 4. 1 and policy regarding plagiarism 9. 2. 1 What happens when plagiarism is suspected 9. 2. 2 Students’ responsibility Using references appropriately in your written work Use of references in writing 9. 4. 1 Unsuitable use of references Suitable integration of references 9. 5. 1 Techniques for using an author’s ideas 9. 5. 2 A summary 9. 5. 3 Paraphrasing, or writing in your own words Conclusion 51 51 52 53 53 54 54 54 55 55 56 56 57 9. 3 9. 4 9. 5 9. 6 Chapter 10 Referencing. 10. 1 10. 2 10. 3 10. 4 What is referencing? When should you reference? Why should you reference your work? Referencing using the APA style 10. 4. 1 Creating in-text citations 10. 4. 2 Creating a reference list Footnoting 10. 5. 1 In-text citations using footnotes 10. 5. 2 Creating the bibliography 58 58 58 59 59 59 62 69 70 74 10. 5 Chapter 11 Presentation skills 11. 1 11. 2 11. 3 What is a presentation? Planning and preparation 11. 2. 1 Analysing your audience Presentation design 11. 3. 1 Objective 11. 3. 2 Content 11. 3. 3 Structure Visual support 11. 4. 1 Handouts Delivery 11. 5. 1 Methods of delivery 11. 5. 2 Rehearsal Nerve control 11. 5. 3 11. 5. 4 Your voice 11. 5. 5 Non-verbal communication Group presentations 11. 6. 1 Team balance 11. 6. 2 Transitions 11. 6. 3 Support for the speaker 11. 6. 4 Your role as coach Evaluating the presentation Why do some presentations go wrong? 76 76 76 76 76 76 77 77 79 79 80 80 80 80 80 81 82 82 82 82 82 83 83 11. 4 11. 5 11. 6 11. 7 11. 8 Chapter 12 Exam strategies Preparing for exams 12. 1. 1 Establish the type of exam 12. 1. 2 Develop a broad understanding of the unit’s objectives 12. 1. 3 Develop summaries of topics 12. 1. 4 Review unit material and topics 12. 1. 5 Practise past exam questions 12. 1. 6 Multiple choice questions 12. 1. 7 Short answer and essay questions 12. 1. 8 Calculation questions 12. 2 Operating in the exam 12. 2. 1 Reading and noting time 12. 2. 2 Completing the exam Answering multiple choice questions 12. 2. 3 12. 2. 4 Completing written response questions 12. 3 Checklist for exams 12. 1 84 84 84 84 85 85 85 85 86 87 87 87 87 88 88 88 Q Manual Preface and Acknowledgements The purpose of the Q (for Quality) Manual is to provide new students with practical and easily accessible information regarding university-level study. As its name suggests, this publication is aimed at increasing your effectiveness as a student. For many of you who have not experienced university level study, the Q Manual will provide you with ideas, suggestions and guidelines to enable you to achieve academic success by producing quality work, and getting it submitted on time. We suggest you read the Q Manual thoroughly and refer to it often throughout your course of study. The Q Manual commences with an overview of the Faculty of Business and Economics, its goals, structure and expectations regarding student performance, as well as important policy information about student assessment. The next chapter provides useful advice in relation to approaches to study at the university level. Then follows the bulk of the Q Manual, which focuses on research skills, academic writing skills, and in particular, chapters devoted to commonly required academic assignments, such as essays, literature reviews, reports and case study method. The section relating to academic writing and assignment preparation is followed by chapters covering academic honesty and referencing techniques. The final sections of the Q Manual cover oral presentation skills and exam strategies. There are many people whose valuable contributions to this edition of the Q Manual must be acknowledged. They include (in no particular order): Andrew Dixon, Caulfield Campus Library David Horne, Caulfield Campus Library Owen Hughes, Faculty of Business and Economics Sally Joy, Faculty of Business and Economics Lynne Macdonald, Faculty of Business and Economics Michael Scorgie, Department of Accounting and Finance Claire Tanner, Faculty of Arts Our special thanks go to Lynne Macdonald and Claire Tanner for the many hours spent collating and editing the content and for coordinating production of the Q Manual. Without your efforts and patience, this edition could not have been published. Sincere thanks also go to my dear friend and colleague, Glenda Crosling, who has collaborated with me for many years on a number of significant educational projects for the faculty. A dedicated educator, Glenda works enthusiastically and tirelessly, keeping an open mind, and most importantly, always retaining her wonderful sense of humour! Glenda also thanks Nell for her collegiality, dedication, inspiration and hard work on this and other educational projects. Together, we have produced a publication that we hope will assist you in your studies. Finally, we wish you a stimulating, challenging and rewarding learning experience throughout your undergraduate and postgraduate studies with the Faculty of Business and Economics. Nell Kimberley Department of Management Faculty of Business and Economics January, 2008 Glenda Crosling Education Adviser Faculty of Business and Economics Chapter 1 Introduction 1. 1 Welcome Congratulations on your selection to study one of the courses offered by the Faculty of Business and Economics at Monash University. This manual is intended to provide you with information on how to produce quality work and achieve the best possible results in your examinations. The major goal of the university is to assist you to obtain an excellent education so that you may take your place in society as a well-qualified graduate. It is important to note that while the courses provide the teaching support and the necessary framework for your studies, success can be achieved only through your personal commitment and dedication to hard work throughout all the years of your course. The following information is aimed at familiarising you with the Monash University study environment and increasing your effectiveness as a Monash student, thereby enabling you to reach your potential. For those of you who are experiencing university level study for the first time, this manual will lay an important foundation and prepare you for a new world. 1. 2 Monash University Monash University was established in 1961 and named after General Sir John Monash (1865–1931). Sir John was a soldier, scholar and engineer, and the Commanding General of the Australian forces in France in World War 1. In addition, as the first Chairman of the State Electricity Commission, he took on the immense task of overseeing the development of the LaTrobe Valley’s brown coal resources. Sir John was a man of wide interests and vast intellectual range. He was this country’s first Doctor of Engineering and exemplifies the University’s motto – Ancora Imparo (I am still learning). The university now has a population of more than 50,000 students from over 100 countries, who speak 90 languages. There are eight Monash campuses and two centres, in Italy and London. The primary pursuits of teaching and research are carried out in the university’s ten faculties. The faculties, which each cover a specific body of knowledge, are: Art and Design; Arts; Business and Economics; Education; Engineering; Information Technology; Law; Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences; Pharmacy; and Science. 1. 3 1. 3. 1 Faculty of Business and Economics Goals The aim of the faculty is to use its scale, scope and unique internal diversity to become an international leader in the pursuit, dissemination and analysis of knowledge, particularly in the disciplines of accounting, banking, econometrics, economics, finance, management, marketing, and tourism. By the application of such knowledge, its staff and students will contribute to the economic, social and commercial development of Australia and other countries in an increasingly globalised environment. 1. 3. 2 Faculty structure The Faculty of Business and Economics is the largest faculty in the university, with more than 17,000 students enrolled over five Australian campuses at Berwick, Caulfield, Clayton, Gippsland and Peninsula, as well as in Malaysia and South Africa. In addition to a diverse range of undergraduate bachelors degrees, the faculty offers a comprehensive range of graduate courses including an executive certificate, graduate certificates and diplomas, masters degrees by coursework and research, the Master of Business Administration, the Doctor of Business Administration, the Master of Philosophy and the Doctor of Philosophy. Courses are delivered on campus, usually through lectures, tutorials and WebCT Vista, while offcampus students are catered for by distance education. 1 The Dean and the main faculty office are located on the Caulfield campus. In addition, there are faculty staff located at the other campuses. Go to http://www. buseco. monash. edu. au/student/contact/ for location and contact details. 1. 3. 3 Departments and centres The Business and Economics faculty is subdivided into organisations that are responsible for particular areas of knowledge. There are six departments and two research centres. The departments are: Accounting and Finance, Business Law and Taxation, Econometrics and Business Statistics, Economics, Management, and Marketing. The research centres are: Centre of Policy Studies, and Centre for Health Economics. They cover fields of study including accounting, banking, business law, business statistics, economics, econometrics, finance, international business, management, human resource management, marketing, taxation and tourism. Whatever your major or areas of study it is essential that you have an understanding of each of the disciplines and how they interact with each other in the overall operations of a business organisation. 1. 3. 4 Aims for learning at Monash University and in the Faculty of Business and Economics The university and the faculty recognise the needs of students for their lives following graduation. As a Monash graduate you will be operating in a globalised and rapidly-changing world, and the university and faculty aim to develop in students’ attributes beyond the ability to understand and operate competently with course and unit content. The aims are that students will develop in ways that will enable them to: †¢ Engage in an internationalised and increasingly globalised world; †¢ Engage in discovery, analysis, integration and application for problem solving and learning with knowledge; †¢ Communicate competently orally and in writing across cultures and settings, including their specific disciplines. As you undertake your studies, you will notice an emphasis on these attributes and you will be engaged in activities and tasks to help you develop them. In the following chapters of this guide, we explain the influences of these attributes on your approach to study. 1. 3. 5 Units Each department offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate units. In a three-year undergraduate degree, there are twenty-four units, with four units to be taken in each semester (parttime students would normally undertake two units each semester). The unit leader or coordinator is responsible for the administration of the particular unit. You can consult with your unit leader, and or coordinator in larger units you may also consult with the other lecturers and tutors. 1. 3. 6 Role of lecturers/tutors Lecturers and tutors have a key role as facilitators of your learning. They are able and most willing to help you with your studies and can be contacted using your student email account. Their email addresses are located in the unit outline. Alternatively, academic staff can be contacted during their consultation hours which are often posted on their door or outside the main administration office. 1. 3. 7 Role of on-line sources of information Monash has adopted a learning management system which provides you with access to on-line unit information. The web contains information that you need to know for the unit, both of an administrative nature as well as useful material for your studies. 2 1. 3. 8 Role of course directors/coordinators If you are encountering academic performance issues, course progression and similar problems you should initially discuss these with enrolment officers or course advisers. You may, occasionally, then be referred to course directors or course coordinators to help with these issues. Undergraduate students are referred to course directors or course coordinators by the faculty office and postgraduate students by departmental administration staff. If referred, course directors and coordinators are available during their consultation hours. 1. 3. 9 Additional important information The Undergraduate and Postgraduate Handbooks and the Student Resource Guide provide important information regarding various aspects of university life. The Student Resource Guide is distributed to all students at the time of initial enrolment and is available on-line at www. monash. edu. au/pubs. It contains details of the university’s code of practice for teaching and learning, as well as grievance and appeals procedures. Further copies can be obtained from Student Service Centres on all campuses. An excellent resource for students is also available on-line via the student link on the Business and Economics Faculty webpage at http://www. buseco. monash. edu. au/student/. The site contains links to important information regarding: courses and units, admissions and enrolments, schools and departments, exams and results, administration, study resources, calendars and timetables, IT and computing, support services, careers and employment, international students, and clubs and associations. 1. 4 Faculty expectations of student performance As students of the faculty, there are a number of units that you will study as part of your course. Although these units may have differing methods of assessment, the faculty has the following expectations of your behaviour and performance. 1. 4. 1. Attendance and participation at lectures and tutorials Lectures and tutorials are central to your performance in the university. Lectures provide the material you require in order to understand the overall nature and direction of the unit. Important concepts and analysis can be emphasised by the lecturer and put into context for the student. Tutorials are a vital part of your studies. They reinforce lecture material and provide you with an opportunity to discuss material presented in lectures, as well as to ask questions. Tutorials also provide you with the opportunity to develop your oral communication skills. The material presented is not designed to give you one view on a topic but to facilitate your understanding of the issue under discussion. Where there are alternative views on an issue, you should learn to articulate, critically approach and assess these differing positions. 1. 4. 2 Special consideration and extension of time for submission of an assessment task Students need to use a Special Consideration Application when applying for Special Consideration for overall assessment, end-of-semester examinations, or additional assessment for a unit (or units) studied during the current semester. Please refer to the following webpage for information on both faculty and university special consideration policy and procedures: http://www. buseco. monash. edu. au/secretariat/policies/spec-con. html Students who require more time to complete a piece of work should apply for an extension of time for submission of an assessment task. Reasons for special consideration include serious short term circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as illness, accident, personal trauma, family emergency or compassionate grounds. Applications should be discussed with the examiner/lecturer/tutor responsible for assessing the task. Please refer to the current student faculty webpage for forms and further information: http://www. buseco. monash. edu. au/student/exams/specconsemester. html 3 1. 4. 3 Workload You are expected to undertake private study in addition to attending lectures and tutorials. Preparation of work to be discussed in tutorials is essential. You will also be required to complete assignments and projects and submit them on the due dates. When taking into account the work carried out during mid-semester breaks and exam weeks, you would expect to study more than thirty hours each week. 1. 4. 4 Self-reliance Compared to your school experience, at the university you are expected to be more independent and self-reliant. In contrast to teachers at school, lecturers and tutors usually teach large numbers of students, sometimes as many as one thousand. They are happy to assist you, but you need to approach the staff member and be clear about what you wish to discuss. It is also your responsibility as a self-reliant student to attend lectures and tutorials, prepare your tutorial work and submit all written work on time. 1. 4. 5 Time management. The expectation at the university is that you learn to manage your own time. This applies to full-time students who have a great deal of time available outside of classes, as well as for part-time students who have to balance work and study. The following chapter on study techniques in this manual provides, among other things, some helpful hints on how to best manage your time and get the most out of your career as a student. 1. 5 Student assessment Assessment in a unit may be made up of several components: a formal examination, essays, tests, assignments, oral presentations and tutorial participation. Assessment details for each unit are provided in the unit guide that you will receive in the first week of each semester. The final mark that a student receives in a unit will be determined by the board of examiners on the recommendation of the chief examiner, taking into account all aspects of assessment. The rights of students to have assessed work re-marked are determined at the departmental level. A student can only be failed after the exam paper has been marked by two staff members. All results are reviewed by the unit leader. You can find further information relating to the university’s assessment in undergraduate units and the responsibilities of examiners using the main policy bank link at: http://www. buseco. monash. edu. au/secretariat /policies/ 1. 5. 1 Examinations For details of examination regulations, please refer to the Monash University Calendar: http://www. monash. edu. au/pubs/calendar/ 1. 5. 2 Use of English dictionaries and calculators As English is the language of instruction within Monash University, foreign language translation dictionaries are not permitted to be used by students sitting examinations. Calculators are permitted if specified on the examination paper, but some units may have a calculator restriction. Students are advised to familiarise themselves with any calculator restrictions applying in units they are studying. For permitted calculator(s) for examinations and units of study go to the faculty policy link at: http://www. buseco. monash. edu. au/secretariat/policies/calculator. html 4 1. 5. 3 Results At the end of each semester, following the completion of examinations, a board of examiners considers student performance as a whole before the results are published. All undergraduate and coursework graduate students who pass are graded into the categories of high distinction, distinction, credit and pass. Honours courses use a different grading system, classified into first class, second class division A, second class division B, third class and pass. 1. 5. 4 Marks and grades Following is a list of marks and grades used within the faculty: 0–49 40–49 45–49 50–59 60–69 70–79 80–100 N NS NP P C D HD NE WH Fail Fail, supplementary exam awarded by Board of Examiners only to graduate students and under special circumstances Near pass is only awarded to undergraduate students. It may be awarded for the last unit to complete a degree. Pass Credit Distinction High distinction Not examined. Used when a unit is taught over two semesters Withheld. Used, for example, when assessment is outstanding due to a special consideration application or incomplete assessment. DEF Deferred examination granted SFR Satisfied faculty requirements This grading system will be current until 2009. For amendments after this time go to: http://www. buseco. monash. edu. au/secretariat/policies/methods-assessment. html 1. 5. 5 Honours grading Honours units are graded as follows: Below 50 50–59 60–69 70–79 80–100 Fail HIII HIIB HIIA HI 5 1. 5. 6 Examples of grades and corresponding achievement levels HD High Distinction 80–100% D Distinction 70–79% A very high standard of work which demonstrates originality and insight C Credit 60–69% Demonstrates a high level of understanding and presentation and a degree of originality and insight Thorough understanding of core texts and materials P Pass 50–59% Satisfies the minimum requirements N Fail 0–49% Fails to satisfy the minimum requirements General description. Outstanding or exceptional work in terms of understanding, interpretation and presentation Strong evidence of independent reading beyond core texts and materials Demonstrates insight, awareness and understanding of deeper and more subtle aspects of the topic. Ability to consider topic in the broader context of the discipline Demonstrates imagination or flair. Demonstrates originality and independent thought Highly developed analytical and evaluative skills Ability to solve very challenging problems Reading Evidence of reading beyond core texts and materials Evidence of having read core texts and materials. Very little evidence of having read any of the core texts and materials Knowledge of topic Evidence of an awareness Sound knowledge of and understanding of principles and concepts deeper and more subtle aspects of the topic Knowledge of principles Scant knowledge of and concepts at least principles and concepts adequate to communicate intelligently in the topic and to serve as a basis for further study Articulation of argument Evidence of imagination or flair. Evidence of originality and independent thought Clear evidence of analytical and evaluative skills. Well-reasoned argument based on broad evidence Sound argument based on evidence Very little evidence of ability to construct coherent argument Analytical and evaluative skills Problem solving Evidence of analytical and evaluative skills Some evidence of analytical and evaluative skills Very little evidence of analytical and evaluative skills Ability to solve non-routine Ability to use and apply problems fundamental concepts and skills Well developed skills in expression and presentation Good skills in expression and presentation. Accurate and consistent acknowledgement of sources. Adequate problem-solving Very little evidence of skills problem-solving skills Expression and presentation appropriate to the discipline Highly developed skills in expression and presentation Adequate skills in expression and presentation Inadequate skills in expression and presentation. Inaccurate and inconsistent acknowledgement of sources Source: University of Adelaide 2005 6 Chapter 2 Approaching study in the Faculty of Business and Economics Introduction Study at university is like a full-time job that requires commitment, and cannot just be added on to a range of other interests. It differs in many ways from study in other educational settings. A major difference is the independence and self reliance expected of students in their study. This idea concerns: †¢ Managing your time, balancing your study with other commitments. †¢ Your approach to learning in your units. In this chapter, we discuss the implications of independence and self reliance for the way you approach your studies. Assistance with time management is also available from university learning and personal support services, go to http://www. monash.edu/pubs/handbooks/srg/srg-266. html for faculty and campus contacts. 2. 1 The study â€Å"mindset† The units that you study present information, concepts and theories. It is expected that you will understand these fully. In addition, you must think critically and analytically so that you can evaluate and apply the knowledge, concepts and theories to different situations. You also need to think about the information from international and global perspectives, and to communicate your thinking clearly and appropriately orally and in writing. This means that you must do more in your written work than merely describe the concepts and knowledge, which will not get you good marks. There are times when you do need to provide definitions and an overview of concepts and theories, but such information usually only functions as an introduction for your integration of ideas, critical analysis and application, in relation to the issue, topic and task. Integration of information and critical and analytical thinking are central to the idea of independence in study. It means that you take an objective approach to the knowledge, concepts and theories. Such an approach is necessary so that you can: †¢ Integrate sometimes contrasting ideas from a range of sources and develop your own perspective on an issue or topic in relation to these; †¢ ‘Pull apart’ the knowledge in your units and explain how the parts all work together (analysis); †¢ Evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages of knowledge, concepts and theories for particular situations (critical approach). This emphasis may differ from how you approached your study in other educational settings. For instance, you may have expected there to be one right answer, or two sides to an issue or topic. In your university studies, you need to understand that there are multiple views surrounding a topic or issue. The suitability of the view that you develop, often by synthesising several views, depends on the perspective from which you look at the issue. Such a concept of the relativity of knowledge applies to all the business and economics disciplines. In accounting, for instance, particular accounting situations are interpreted in terms of the Standard Accounting Concepts, and in econometrics and business statistics, a set of data is interpreted in relation to a particular purpose, or the needs of a particular user. Your ability to operate in the way explained above is based on you understanding the nature of academic enquiry and discovery, as we explain in the next section. 7 2. 2 Academic enquiry, discovery and independence in study Academic enquiry and discovery are concerned with the development or advancement of knowledge in a field of study, which occurs through research and investigation. Students engage in academic enquiry and discovery, to some degree, when they integrate and apply knowledge, concepts and theories to different situations. Thus, in university study, there are: †¢ No absolutes †¢ Knowledge evolves as researchers challenge, confirm or modify earlier understandings. When investigating an issue for an assignment task that is based on evidence from the literature, you need to overview and integrate the range of views surrounding the issue or topic. When you have formed your response and structured your written work to express this, you must indicate to your reader how you have arrived at that view. That is, the ideas and views that you read in the literature function as the ‘building blocks’ of your response. In your writing, if you do not explain to your reader the evidence or the building blocks for your view, you are only expressing opinions. These are ideas unsubstantiated by evidence and are not valued in university study. Another perspective The manager has a range of roles that are significant in the operations of an organisation, and decision making is one of these (Mintzberg, 1979) One perspective Decision making is an important aspect but only part of the manager’s role (Lee, 2000). Decision making in the manager’s role. Further perspective Decision making is the foundation of a manager’s role (Brown, 2002) Figure 1: Multiple views of a topic or issue Figure 1 depicts the situation in relation to a topic in a unit that relies on views in the literature. Note how decision-making in the manager’s role is seen from different perspectives by different authors. In a unit such as econometrics and business statistics, you may be required to analyse a set of data from a perspective of, for instance, a marketing manager, or a city council. Thus, the information in the data that would be relevant for the former would be on aspects such as sales, while for the city council which is concerned with providing services, the emphasis would be on the city’s population and its needs. Thus, in units that rely on data such as econometrics and business statistics, you need to analyse the data, form a perspective on the issue from the data analysis, and then select from your data to support the viewpoint you have developed. In a unit such as economics, it means being able to distinguish between facts and value statements. 8 2. 3 Approaching study in the faculty disciplines As you continue with your faculty study, you will realise that the approaches to knowledge in the disciplines of the faculty differ in some ways. Understanding such variation will help you adjust your thinking and approach across your units of study. This is particularly applicable if you are a double degree student and studying across two faculties. For instance, when you are studying a first year law unit in your Business and Economics degree, you will be presented with problem question assignments. You approach and think about these, and structure information differently, than you would for essays in a unit such as management, or, for example, reports in a marketing unit. You are using different forms of data and evidence, and applying critical analysis in ways that are particular to the unit and its discipline. The approach that the disciplines take to knowledge is reflected in the way information is put together in the texts and in lectures. These exemplify the characteristics of the particular discipline. To develop some understanding, you should think about your units in terms of: †¢ The type of data and info.