Essay on Abstinence Teen Sexual Activity

Essay on Abstinence Teen Sexual Activity Essay on Abstinence: Teen Sexual Activity Killing Abstinence In Killing Abstinence by Robert Rector Robert Abstinence programs are questioned. Robert states that the media had recently stated that Abstinence programs had dramatically reduced teen sexual activity, and this surprised many people. According to Robert anyone who was at all knowledgably wouldn’t have been surprised by this fact at all. Robert also talks about the positive effects being abstinent can have on teens, besides the obvious lack of STDS or ability to become pregnant. Some of the other many benefits Robert talks about include happiness, better grades, and that teens are more academically inclined. According to Robert this is simply because teens who choose to be abstinent are â€Å"somewhat smarter and more mature, and have greater self-control†. Robert also mentions that sex is an â€Å"overpowering psychological that can cause youth to loose future orientation and work focus.† Robert believes that the main problem behind teen pregnancy is the progra ms that have replaced abstinence programs today. Where abstinence programs warned teens about the dangers of sex, the Sex Ed programs that remain are sub-par. Robert says that the curriculum in these sex ed courses shows students that society expects and accepts teen sexual activity and he thinks the abstinence programs worked better to protect teens. However, Sex Ed programs today do not promote sexual activity, and they are a very effective way of helping teens. Sex Ed programs are more effective than abstinence programs By telling teens not to have sex it only makes them want to do it more. Abstinence programs scare teens into thinking they are doing something ‘bad’ if they have sex. Human sexuality is a wonderful thing and we shouldn’t place negative connotations in our teen’s minds. Hormones are at a peak during the teenage years. Teen’s bodies are telling them to have sex, and we shouldn’t make them feel bad about it. Teenage desire to explore sexuality, combined with a desire to rebel doesn’t match up to abstinence programs. Sex programs do not ‘accept and promote’ but they instead protect. For example, Sex Ed programs focus

Science Terms and Definitions You Should Know

Science Terms and Definitions You Should Know Scientific experiments involve variables, controls, a hypothesis, and a host of other concepts and terms that may be confusing. This is a glossary of important science experiment terms and definitions. Glossary of Science Terms Central Limit Theorem: states that with a large enough sample, the sample mean will be normally distributed. A normally distributed sample mean is necessary to apply the t test, so if you are planning to perform a statistical analysis of experimental data, its important to have a sufficiently large sample. Conclusion: determination of whether the hypothesis should be accepted or rejected. Control Group: test subjects randomly assigned to not receive the experimental treatment. Control Variable: any variable that does not change during an experiment. Also known as constant variable Data:  (singular: datum) facts, numbers, or values obtained in an experiment. Dependent Variable: the variable that responds to the independent variable. The dependent variable is the one being measured in the experiment. Also known as the dependent measure, responding variable double-blind: neither the researcher nor the subject knows whether the subject is receiving the treatment or a placebo. Blinding helps reduce biased results. Empty Control Group: a type of control group which does not receive any treatment, including a placebo. Experimental Group: test subjects randomly assigned to receive the experimental treatment. Extraneous Variable: extra variables (not the independent, dependent, or control variable) that may influence an experiment, but are not accounted for or measured or are beyond control. Examples may include factors you consider unimportant at the time of  an experiment, such as the manufacturer of the glassware in a reaction or the color of paper used to make a paper airplane. Hypothesis: a prediction of whether the independent variable will have an effect on the dependent variable or a prediction of the nature of the effect.   Independence  or  Independently:  means one factor does not exert influence on another. For example, what one study participant does should not influence what another participant does. They make decisions independently. Independence is critical for a meaningful statistical analysis. Independent Random Assignment: randomly selecting whether a test subject will be in a treatment or control group. Independent Variable: the variable that is manipulated or changed by the researcher. Independent Variable Levels: refers to changing the independent variable from one value to another (e.g., different drug doses, different amounts of time). The different values are called levels. Inferential Statistics: applying statistics (math) to infer characteristics of a population based on a representative sample from the population. Internal Validity: an experiment is said to have internal validity if it can accurately determine whether the independent variable produces an effect. Mean: the average calculated by adding up all the scores and then dividing by the number of scores.   Null Hypothesis: the no difference or no effect hypothesis, which predicts the treatment will not have an effect on the subject. The null hypothesis is useful because it is easier to assess with a statistical analysis than other forms of a hypothesis. Null Results (Nonsignificant Results): results that do not disprove the null hypothesis. Null results dont prove the null hypothesis, because the results may have resulted from a lack of power. Some null results are type 2 errors. p 0.05: This is an indication of how often chance alone could account for the effect of the experimental treatment. A value p 0.05 means that 5 times out of a hundred, you could expect this difference between the two groups, purely by chance. Since the chance of the effect occurring by chance is so small, the researcher may conclude the experimental treatment did indeed have an effect. Note other p or probability values are possible. The 0.05 or 5% limit simply is a common benchmark of statistical significance. Placebo (Placebo Treatment):  a  fake treatment that should have no effect, outside of the power of suggestion. Example: In drug trials, test patients may be given a pill containing the drug or a placebo, which resembles the drug (pill, injection, liquid) but doesnt contain the active ingredient. Population: the entire group the researcher is studying. If the researcher cannot gather data from the population, studying large random samples taken from the population may be used to estimate how the population would respond. Power: the ability to observe differences or avoid making Type 2 errors. Random or Randomness: selected or performed without following any pattern or method. To avoid unintentional bias, researchers often use random number generators or flip coins  to make selections. (learn more) Results: the explanation or interpretation of experimental data. Statistical Significance: observation, based on the application of a statistical test, that a relationship probably is not due to pure chance. The probability is stated (e.g., p 0.05) and the results are said to be statistically significant. Simple Experiment: basic experiment designed to assess whether there are a cause and effect relationship or test a prediction. A fundamental simple experiment may have only one test subject, compared with a controlled experiment, which has at least two groups. Single-blind: when either the experimenter or subject is unaware whether the subject is getting the treatment or a placebo. Blinding the researcher helps prevent bias when the results are analyzed. Blinding the subject prevents the participant from having a biased reaction. T-test: common statistical data analysis applied to experimental data to test a hypothesis. The t-test computes the ratio between the difference between the group means and the standard error of the difference (a measure of the likelihood the group means could differ purely by chance). A rule of thumb is that the results are statistically significant if you observe a difference between the values that are three times larger than the standard error of the difference, but its best to look up the ratio required for significance on a t table. Type I Error (Type 1 error): occurs when you reject the null hypothesis, but it was actually true. If you perform the t-test and set p 0.05, there is less than a 5% chance you could make a Type I error by rejecting the hypothesis based on random fluctuations in the data. Type II Error (Type 2 error): occurs when you accept the null hypothesis, but it was actually false. The experimental conditions had an effect, but the researcher failed to find it statistically significant.

Obesity and its effect on Insurers and Insurance costs Research Paper

Obesity and its effect on Insurers and Insurance costs - Research Paper Example It was also interesting to note that 4 of them were men while the rest were women. My observation of the obese persons pointed to the reality of the epidemic. Whereas more Americans stand to be obese, this condition has a negative impact on their health, social wellbeing, work, and on their insurance costs. In the United States, researchers have found out that obesity is associated with an array of health complication such as depression. Strine et al. carried out a study of obese persons and they found out that people who have obesity are more likely to be depressed as compared to those who drink of smoke (p. 127). This research pointed to the fact that obesity creates a favorable environment where obese individuals are predisposed to other diseases. As a result of this finding, it is correct to postulate that many Americans are likely to have depression as majorities have a body mass index of 30 and above. Prevalence of obesity can cause cancer in individuals. Research on the prevalence of cancer indicates that a significant number of people with cancer are obese (Berger 129). According to Berger, research reveals that there is a strong correlation between obesity and a number of malignancies such as cancer of the breast (p. 129). Given these findings, there is no doubt that obesity in the United States can pave way for variants of cancer in individuals. This impact is extensive and can affect all age groups because obesity spans a across all the age structures. Obesity can also cause diabetes, especially the type II diabetes. Tsai, Asch and Wadden argued that obesity is strong determination of type II diabetes in children and adults (p. 1651). The study trio carried out a research where they found out that obesity increased body resistance to insulin. This condition was prevalent in adults and children as well. From this research, there seem to be a relation between obesity and

Human Nature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Nature - Essay Example Maslow’s hierarchy of need theory, which associate motivation with people’s needs, informs my view of human nature. The theory identifies different levels of needs that expand to the macro social environment, but with the aim of meeting an individual’s needs. Self-actualization needs, for example, may lead to macro social achievement such as establishing and managing a social center for the benefit of needy members of a society, but the key drive is an individual’s need for self-actualization (Griffin and Moorhead 86). My view on human’s desire is consistent with Hobbes’ view that factors such as fear and curiosity motivate humans. The view is however contrary to Locke’s view that some aspects in life are unattainable and people should stop striving towards them. This is because Locke’s view undermines motivation (Rosen 8, 9). Based on my conception that people are self centered and may therefore undermine others’ interest, a set of rules that provide for strict and significant penalties for non compliance, is necessary for governing people. Without such a set of rules, however, people may exercise their arbitrary power and undermine other’s rights and

Strategic management Essay Example for Free

Strategic management Essay Introduction Preparing an effective case analysis In most strategic management courses, cases are used extensively as a teaching tool. 1 A key reason is that cases provide active learners with opportunities to use the strategic management process to identify and solve organisational problems. Thus, by analysing situations that are described in cases and presenting the results, active learners (that is, students) become skilled at effectively using the tools, techniques and concepts that combine to form the strategic management process. The cases that follow are concerned with actual companies. Presented within the cases are problems and situations that managers and those with whom they work must analyse and resolve. As you will see, a strategic management case can focus on an entire industry, a single organisation or a business unit of a large, diversified firm. The strategic management issues facing not-for-profit organisations also can be examined using the case analysis method. Basically, the case analysis method calls for a careful diagnosis of an organization’s current conditions (as manifested by its external and internal environments) so that appropriate strategic actions can be recommended in light of the firm’s strategic intent and strategic mission. Strategic actions are taken to develop and then use a firm’s core competencies to select and implement different strategies, including business-level, corporatelevel, acquisition and restructuring, international and cooperative strategies. Thus, appropriate strategic actions help the firm to survive in the long run as it creates and uses competitive advantages as the foundation for achieving strategic competitiveness and earning above-average returns. The case method that we are recommending to you has a rich heritage as a pedagogical approach to the study and understanding of managerial effectiveness. 2 As an active learner, your preparation is critical to successful use of the case analysis method. Without careful study and analysis, active learners lack the insights required to participate fully in the discussion of a firm’s situation and the strategic actions that are appropriate. Instructors adopt different approaches in their application of the case analysis method. Some require active learners/students to use a specific analytical procedure to examine an organisation; others provide less structure, expecting students to learn by developing their own unique analytical method. Still other instructors believe that a moderately structured framework should be used to analyse a firm’s situation and make appropriate recommendations. Your lecturer or tutor will determine the specific approach you take. The approach we are presenting to you is a moderately structured framework. We divide our discussion of a moderately structured case analysis method framework into four sections. First, we describe the importance of understanding the skills active learners can acquire through effective use of the case analysis method. In the second section, we provide you with a process-oriented framework. This framework can be of value in your efforts to analyse cases and then present the results of your work. Using this framework in a classroom setting yields valuable experiences that can, in turn, help you to successfully complete assignments that you will receive from your employer. The third section is where we describe briefly what you can expect to occur during in-class case discussions. As this description shows, the relationship and interactions between instructors and active learners/students during case discussions are different than they are during lectures. In the final section, we Introduction Preparing an effective case analysis present a moderately structured framework that we believe can help you to prepare effective oral and written presentations. Written and oral communication skills also are valued highly in many organisational settings; hence, their development today can serve you well in the future. Skills gained through use of the case analysis method. The case analysis method is based on a philosophy that combines knowledge acquisition with significant involvement from students as active learners. In the words of Alfred North Whitehead, this philosophy ‘rejects the doctrine that students had first learned passively, and then, having learned should apply knowledge’. 3 In contrast to this philosophy, the case analysis method is based on principles that were elaborated upon by John Dewey: Only by wrestling with the conditions of this problem at hand, seeking and finding his own way out, does [the student] think If he cannot devise his own solution (not, of course, in isolation, but in correspondence with the teacher and other pupils) and find his own way out he will not learn, not even if he can recite some correct answer with a hundred percent accuracy. 4 The case analysis method brings reality into the classroom. When developed and presented effectively, with rich and interesting detail, cases keep conceptual discussions grounded in reality. Experience shows that simple fictional accounts of situations and collections of actual organisational data and articles from public sources are not as effective for learning as fully developed cases. A comprehensive case presents you with a partial clinical study of a real-life situation that faced managers as well as other stakeholders, including employees. A case presented in narrative form provides motivation for involvement with and analysis of a specific situation. By framing alternative strategic actions and by confronting the complexity and ambiguity of the practical world, case analysis provides extraordinary power for your involvement with a personal learning experience. Some of the potential consequences of using the case method are summarised in Exhibit 1. As Exhibit 1 suggests, the case analysis method can assist active learners in the development of their analytical and judgement skills. Case analysis also helps you learn how to ask the right questions. By this we mean questions that focus on the core strategic issues that are included in a case. Active learners/students with managerial aspirations can improve their ability to identify underlying problems rather than focusing on superficial symptoms as they develop skills at asking probing yet appropriate questions. The collection of cases your instructor chooses to assign can expose you to a wide variety of organisations and decision situations. This approach vicariously broadens your experience base and provides insights into many types of managerial situations, tasks and responsibilities. Such indirect experience can help you to make a more informed career decision about the industry and managerial situation you believe will prove to be challenging and satisfying. Finally, experience in analysing cases definitely enhances your problemsolving skills, and research indicates that the case method for this class is better than the lecture method. 5 Furthermore, when your instructor requires oral and written presentations, your communication skills will be honed through use of the case method. Of course, these added skills depend on your preparation as C-4 Exhibit 1 | Consequences of student involvement with the case method 1 Case analysis requires students to practise important managerial skills—diagnosing, making decisions, observing, listening and persuading—while preparing for a case discussion. 2 Cases require students to relate analysis and action, to develop realistic and concrete actions despite the complexity and partial knowledge characterising the situation being studied. 3 Students must confront the intractability of reality—complete with absence of needed information, an imbalance between needs and available resources, and conflicts among competing objectives. 4 Students develop a general managerial point of view—where responsibility is sensitive to action in a diverse environmental context. Source: C. C. Lundberg and C. Enz, 1993, ‘A framework for student case preparation’, Case Research Journal, 13 (Summer), p. 134. Introduction Preparing an effective case analysis well as your instructor’s facilitation of learning. However, the primary responsibility for learning is yours. The quality of case discussion is generally acknowledged to require, at a minimum, a thorough mastery of case facts and some independent analysis of them. The case method therefore first requires that you read and think carefully about each case. Additional comments about the preparation you should complete to successfully discuss a case appear in the next section. Student preparation for case discussion If you are inexperienced with the case method, you may need to alter your study habits. A lecture-oriented course may not require you to do intensive preparation for each class period. In such a course, you have the latitude to work through assigned readings and review lecture notes according to your own schedule. However, an assigned case requires significant and conscientious preparation before class. Without it, you will be unable to contribute meaningfully to in-class discussion. Therefore, careful reading and thinking about case facts, as well as reasoned analyses and the development of alternative solutions to case problems, are essential. Recommended alternatives should flow logically from core problems identified through study of the case. Exhibit 2 shows a set of steps that can help you to familiarise yourself with a case, identify problems and propose strategic actions that increase the probability that a firm will achieve strategic competitiveness and earn above-average returns. C-5 Exhibit 2 | An effective case analysis process Step 1: Gaining familiarity a. In general – determine who, what, how, where and when (the critical facts of the case). b. In detail – identify the places, persons, activities and contexts of the situation. c. Step 2: Recognising symptoms Recognise the degree of certainty/uncertainty of acquired information. a. List all indicators (including stated ‘problems’) that something is not as expected or as desired. b. Ensure that symptoms are not assumed to be the problem (symptoms should lead to identification of the problem). Step 3: Identifying goals a. Identify critical statements by major parties (e. g. people, groups, the work unit, etc. ). b. List all goals of the major parties that exist or can be reasonably inferred. Step 4: Conducting the analysis a. Decide which ideas, models and theories seem useful. b. Apply these conceptual tools to the situation. c. Step 5: Making the diagnosis As new information is revealed, cycle back to sub-steps (a) and (b). a. Identify predicaments (goal inconsistencies). b. Identify c. Step 6: Doing the action planning c. problems (discrepancies between goals and performance). Prioritise predicaments/problems regarding timing, importance, etc. a. Specify and prioritise the criteria used to choose action alternatives. b. Discover or invent feasible action alternatives. Examine the probable consequences of action alternatives. d. Select a course of action. e. Design an implementation plan/schedule. f. Create a plan for assessing the action to be implemented. Source: C. C. Lundberg and C. Enz, 1993, ‘A framework for student case preparation’, Case Research Journal, 13 (Summer), p. 144. Introduction Preparing an effective case analysis Gaining familiarity Identifying goals The third step of effective case analysis calls for you to identify the goals of the major organisations, business units and/or individuals in a case. As appropriate, you should also identify each firm’s strategic intent and strategic mission. Typically, these direction-setting statements (goals, strategic intents and strategic missions) are derived from comments made by central characters in the organisation, business unit or top management team as described in the case and/or from public documents (for example, an annual report). Completing this step successfully can sometimes be difficult. Nonetheless, the outcomes you attain from this step are essential to an effective case analysis because identifying goals, intent and mission helps you to clarify the major problems featured in a case and to evaluate alternative solutions to those problems. Directionsetting statements are not always stated publicly or prepared in written format. When this occurs, you must infer goals from other available factual data and information. C-6 The first step of an effective case analysis process calls for you to become familiar with the facts featured in the case and the focal firm’s situation. Initially, you should become familiar with the focal firm’s general situation (for example, who, what, how, where and when). Thorough familiarisation demands appreciation of the nuances, as well as the major issues, in the case. Gaining familiarity with a situation requires you to study several situational levels, including interactions between and among individuals within groups, business units, the corporate office, the local community and the society at large. Recognising relationships within and among levels facilitates a more thorough understanding of the specific case situation. It is also important that you evaluate information on a continuum of certainty. Information that is verifiable by several sources and judged along similar dimensions can be classified as a fact. Information representing someone’s perceptual judgement of a particular situation is referred to as an inference. Information gleaned from a situation that is not verifiable is classified as speculation. Finally, information that is independent of verifiable sources and arises through individual or group discussion is an assumption. Obviously, case analysts and organisational decision makers prefer having access to facts over inferences, speculations and assumptions. Personal feelings, judgements and opinions evolve when you  are analysing a case. It is important to be aware of your own feelings about the case and to evaluate the accuracy of perceived ‘facts’ to ensure that the objectivity of your work is maximised. Conducting the analysis The fourth step of effective case analysis is concerned with acquiring a systematic understanding of a situation. Occasionally cases are analysed in a less-thanthorough manner. Such analyses may be a product of a busy schedule or of the difficulty and complexity of the issues described in a particular case. Sometimes you will face pressures on your limited amounts of time and may believe that you can understand the situation described in a case without systematic analysis of all the facts. However, experience shows that familiarity with a case’s facts is a necessary, but insufficient, step in the development of effective solutions – solutions that can enhance a firm’s strategic competitiveness. In fact, a lessthan-thorough analysis typically results in an emphasis on symptoms, rather than on problems and their causes. To analyse a case effectively, you should be sceptical of quick or easy approaches and answers. A systematic analysis helps you to understand a situation and determine what can work and probably what will not work. Key linkages and underlying causal networks based on the history of the firm become apparent. In this way, you can separate causal networks from symptoms. Also, because the quality of a case analysis depends on applying appropriate tools, it is important that you use the ideas, models and theories that seem to be useful for evaluating and solving individual and unique situations. As you consider facts and symptoms, a useful Recognising symptoms. Recognition of symptoms is the second step of an effective case analysis process. A symptom is an indication that something is not as you or someone else thinks it should be. You may be tempted to correct the symptoms instead of searching for true problems. True problems are the conditions or situations requiring solution before the performance of an organisation, business unit or individual can improve. Identifying and listing symptoms early in the case analysis process tends to reduce the temptation to label symptoms as problems. The focus of your analysis should be on the actual  causes of a problem, rather than on its symptoms. Thus, it is important to remember that symptoms are indicators of problems; subsequent work facilitates discovery of critical causes of problems that your case recommendations must address. Introduction Preparing an effective case analysis theory may become apparent. Of course, having familiarity with conceptual models may be important in the effective analysis of a situation. Successful students and successful organisational strategists add to their intellectual tool kits on a continual basis. What to expect from in-class case discussions Classroom discussions of cases differ significantly from lectures. The case method calls for instructors to guide the discussion, encourage student participation and solicit alternative views. When alternative views are not forthcoming, instructors typically adopt one view so that students can be challenged to respond to it thoughtfully. Often students’ work is evaluated in terms of both the quantity and the quality of their contributions to in-class case discussions. Students benefit by having their views judged against those of their peers and by responding to challenges by other class members and/or the instructor. During case discussions, instructors listen, question and probe to extend the analysis of case issues. In the course of these actions, peers or the instructor may challenge an individual’s views and the validity of alternative perspectives that have been expressed. These challenges are offered in a constructive manner; their intent is to help students develop their analytical and communication skills. Instructors should encourage students to be innovative and original in the development and presentation of their ideas. Over the course of an individual discussion, students can develop a more complex view of the case, benefiting from the diverse inputs of their peers and instructor. Among other benefits, experience with multiple-case discussions should help students to increase their knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of group decision-making processes. Student peers as well as the instructor value comments that contribute to the discussion. To offer relevant contributions, you are  encouraged to use independent thought and, through discussions with your peers outside of class, to refine your thinking. We also encourage you to avoid using ‘I think’, ‘I believe’ and ‘I feel’ to discuss your inputs to a case analysis process. Instead, consider using a less emotion-laden phrase, such as ‘My analysis shows’. This highlights the logical nature of the approach you have taken to complete the six steps of an effective case analysis process. When preparing for an in-class case discussion, you should plan to use the case data to explain your assessment of the situation. Assume that your peers and instructor know the case facts. In addition, it is good practice to prepare notes before class discussions and use them as you explain your view. Effective notes signal to classmates and the instructor that you are prepared to engage in a thorough discussion of a case. Moreover, C-7 Making the diagnosis The fifth step of effective case analysis – diagnosis – is the process of identifying and clarifying the roots of the problems by comparing goals with facts. In this step, it is useful to search for predicaments. Predicaments are situations in which goals do not fit with known facts. When you evaluate the actual performance of an organisation, business unit or individual, you may identify over- or underachievement (relative to established goals). Of course, single-problem situations are rare. Accordingly, you should recognise that the case situations you study probably will be complex in nature. Effective diagnosis requires you to determine the problems affecting longer-term performance and those requiring immediate handling. Understanding these issues will aid your efforts to prioritise problems and predicaments, given available resources and existing constraints. Doing the action planning The final step of an effective case analysis process is called action planning. Action planning is the process of identifying appropriate alternative actions. In the action planning step, you select the criteria you will use to evaluate the identified alternatives. You may derive these criteria from the analyses; typically, they are related to key strategic situations facing the focal organisation. Furthermore, it is important that you prioritise these criteria to ensure a rational and effective evaluation of alternative courses of action. Typically, managers ‘satisfice’ when selecting courses of action; that is, they find acceptable courses of action that meet most of the chosen evaluation criteria. A rule of thumb that has proved valuable to strategic decision makers is to select an alternative that leaves other plausible alternatives available if the one selected fails. Once you have selected the best alternative, you must specify an implementation plan. Developing an implementation plan serves as a reality check on the feasibility of your alternatives. Thus, it is important that you give thoughtful consideration to all issues associated with the implementation of the selected alternatives. Introduction Preparing an effective case analysis Exhibit 3 | Types of thinking in case preparation: Analysis and synthesis C-8 125 000 Sources: Income figures are approximate and based on A. Chatterjee, 1998, ‘Marketing to the superrich’, Business Today (Living Media India Ltd), 22 April; W. Berryman and J. McManus, 1998, ‘India: Turning the elephant economy’, Independent Business Weekly, 24 June. offered spicier sauces, such as McMasala and McImli (made from tamarind). Other elements of the menu, such as chicken nuggets, fillet fish sandwiches, fries, sodas and milkshakes, were in common with the rest of the McDonald’s system. In 1998, McDonald’s India set up a menu development team to collect consumer feedback. Subsequently, the team came up with its menu vision, and new products since then have been based on this vision. The adaptation of the strategy went well beyond the menu, encompassing many aspects of the restaurant management system. Two different menu boards were displayed in  each restaurant – green for vegetarian products and purple for non-vegetarian products. Behind the counter, restaurant kitchens had separate, dedicated preparation areas for the meat and non-meat products. The kitchen crew (in charge of cooking) had different uniforms to distinguish their roles and did not work at the vegetarian and non-vegetarian stations on the same day, thus ensuring clear segregation. The wrapping of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food took place separately. These extra steps were taken to assure Indian customers of the wholesomeness of both products and their preparation. To convince Indian customers that the company would not serve beef and would respect the culinary habits of its clientele, McDonald’s printed brochures explaining all these steps and took customers on kitchen tours. McDonald’s positioned itself as a family restaurant. The average price of a ‘Combo’ meal, which included burger, fries and Coke, varied from Rs 76 for a vegetarian meal to Rs 88 for a Maharaja Mac meal. This could be compared with KFC meal prices at Rs 59 (Crispy Burger, regular fries and large Pepsi) and Rs 79 (KFC Chicken, Colonel Burger and regular Pepsi). McDonald’s Happy Meal, which included a complimentary toy, was priced at Rs 46. The prices in India were lower than in Sri Lanka or Pakistan, and even the price of the Maharaja Mac was 50 per cent less than an equivalent product in the United States. To fight its premium image among the public, the company undertook selective price cutting and ran some periodic promotions. In February 1999, the company was offering ‘economeals’ for as low as Rs 29. The company reduced the price of vegetable nuggets from Rs 29 to Rs 19 and that of its soft-serve ice-cream cone from Rs 16 to Rs 7. Apparently, this still afforded McDonald’s a healthy margin (40 per cent for cones). As Vikram Bakshi, explained, ‘I will never become unaffordable, as I will not then be able to build up volumes. ’ The lower price could be attributed to two factors: the pricing strategies of MNC rivals as well as mid-range local restaurants, and the development of a local (low-cost) supply chain. McDonald’s pricing strategies, as well as special promotions, were influenced by rivals. In February 1999, several competitors were running special promotions, with KFC offering a meal inclusive of chicken, rice and gravy for Rs 39. For Rs 350, Pizza Hut was offering a whole family meal, including two medium pizzas, bread and Pepsi. Wimpy’s was offering Case 8 McDonald’s expansion strategies in India mega meals at Rs 35. A typical vegetarian ‘set meal’, or ‘thali’ (which included Indian breads, rice, vegetables and yogurt) at a mid-range restaurant cost around Rs 50, which was considerably lower than a McDonald’s meal. Some analysts believed that that by introducing loss leaders (for example, cones), McDonald’s wanted to highlight good value for all its products. Whether customers attracted by special promotions pay repeat visits to McDonald’s remains to be seen. In October 2000, the company introduced two new Indianised products to its menu – the Chicken McGrill and the Veg Pizza McPuff. At that point in time, 75 per cent of the menu in India was unique – that is, different from the rest of the McDonald’s system. The Chicken McGrill had a grilled chicken patty topped with onions and mint sauce, to give it an Indian flavour. The Veg Pizza was a takeoff on the popular Indian samosa (potato-based curry puff) with differences in shape (rectangular) and stuffing (capsicum, onions and Mozarella cheese with tomato sauce). In keeping with the low pricing strategy in India, these items were priced at Rs 25 and Rs 16, respectively. With its value pricing and localised menu, McDonald’s had attracted some loyal customers. One such customer said, ‘A normal kebab, with all the trimmings, at a regular restaurant would cost more than Rs 25 and if the new McGrill is giving us a similar satisfaction with its mint chutney (sauce), then we’d rather eat in a lively McDonald’s outlet than sitting in a cramped car on the road. ’ Some elements of the promotional strategy remained the same as in other parts of the world. One instance of this included the emphasis on attracting children. A Happy Meal film was consistently shown on the Cartoon Network and the Zee (a local channel) Disney Hour. McDonald’s also teamed up with Delhi Traffic Police and the Delhi Fire Service to highlight safety issues, again trying to create goodwill among schoolchildren. In October 1999, in conjunction with The Walt Disney Company and UNESCO, McDonald’s launched a search for Millennium Dreamers. The program would bring together 2 000 young people from around the globe who had made a positive and significant impact on their communities. Based on the number of its outlets, India was allocated two representatives. By June 2000, the company had started rolling out its first national campaign, as it was expanding beyond Mumbai and New Delhi. The campaign, budgeted at Rs 100 million, was expected to highlight (in phased order) the brand (the experience that there is something special about McDonald’s), food quality and variety. The company also ran special promotions during festivals, and ‘vegetarian’ days, and was even developing garlicfree sauces to bring in ‘hard-core’ vegetarian traffic. In terms of the selection of cities, McDonald’s followed the same strategy in India as in the rest of the world. Its initial focus on Mumbai and Delhi was driven by the following factors: they were the two largest cities in India; their citizens enjoyed relatively high income levels compared to the rest of the country; and they were exposed to foreign food and culture. After establishing a presence in the leading cities, McDonald’s then moved to smaller satellite towns near the metropolitan cities (for example, from Delhi to Gurgaon and Noida, both suburbs of Delhi, and from Mumbai to Pune). McDonald’s often found that there were positive spillover effects, in terms of its reputation, from the metropolitan cities to the satellite towns. In Jaipur, the company was hoping to attract foreign tourists. C-125 Developing the supply chain McDonald’s search for Indian suppliers started as early as 1991. Its initial challenge was to develop local suppliers who could deliver quality raw materials, regularly and on schedule. In the five-and-a-half years until start-up, McDonald’s spent as much as Rs 500 million (US$12. 8 million) to set up a supply network, distribution centres and logistics support. By mid-2000, some estimates placed the total investment in the supply chain at almost Rs 3 billion. Local suppliers, Exhibit 6 | McDonald’s supply chain in India Phillaur (sauces) Dehradun (lettuce) Nainital (lettuce) Taloja (veg. nuggets) Thane Pune (lettuce) Oo’ty (lettuce) Baramati (cheese) Hyderabad (mutton patties) Venkatapur (pickles) Cochin Supplier locations Distribution centres Case 8 McDonald’s expansion strategies in India distributors and joint venture partners and employees had to match the restaurant chain’s quality and hygiene standards before they became part of its system. McDonald’s experience in identifying and cultivating the supplier of lettuce provided an excellent illustration of the difficulties involved. In 1991, hardly any iceberg lettuce was grown in India, except for a small quantity grown around Delhi during the winter months. McDonald’s identified a lettuce supplier (Mangesh Kumar from Ootacamund in Tamilnadu, a southern state) and helped him in a broad range of activities, from seed selection to advice on farming practices. In the case of several other suppliers, such as Cremica Industries which supplied the sesame seed buns, McDonald’s helped them to gain access to foreign technology. In another instance, it encouraged Dynamix, the supplier of cheese, to establish a program for milk procurement by investing in bulk milk collection and chilling centres. This, in turn, led to higher milk yields and overall collections, as well as to an improvement in milk quality. McDonald’s ended up with a geographically diverse sourcing network, with buns coming from northern India, chicken and cheese from western India, and lettuce and pickles from southern India. There were as many as 40 suppliers in the company’s supply chain. (See Exhibit 6 for McDonald’s supply chain. ) A dedicated distribution system was established to match the suppliers’ production and delivery schedules with the restaurant’s needs. The first two centralised distribution centres were set up near Mumbai and at Cochin (in the southernmost part of India) in joint ventures with two local retailers, both of whom had to learn from international distributors of McDonald’s products how the restaurant chain handled distribution worldwide and, especially, how to enhance the quality of storage operations. The company estimated that each distribution centre could service about 25 outlets. McDonald’s strove to keep the storage volumes of products high in order to exploit all possible economies of scale. The distribution centres were also expected to maintain inventory records and to interact with suppliers and the logistics firm to ensure that their freezers were well stocked. Said Amit Jatia, ‘The most important part of our operations was the development of a cold chain [the process of procurement, warehousing, transportation and retailing of food products under controlled temperatures]. There is practically no need for a knife in any restaurant. All the chopping and food processing is done in the plants. Only the actual cooking takes place in the restaurants. ’ Even with the suppliers and distribution system in place, McDonald’s needed a distribution link to move raw materials to its restaurants. Logistics management was contracted out to AFL Logistics – itself a 50:50 joint venture between Air Freight (a Mumbai-based firm) and FX Coughlin of the United States, McDonald’s international logistics provider. AFL logistics was responsible for the temperature-controlled movement of all products (by rail, road or air, as appropriate) from individ.

Satire and the Deployment of Irony in A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swi

Satire and the Deployment of Irony in A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift Therefore let no man talk to me of other expedients: of taxing our absentees at 5s. a pound: of using neither clothes, nor household furniture, except what is of our own growth and manufacture: of utterly rejecting the materials and instruments that promote foreign luxury: of curing the expensiveness of pride, vanity, idleness, and gaming in our women: of introducing a vein of parsimony, prudence and temperance: of learning to love our country, wherein we differ even from Laplanders, and the inhabitants of Topinamboo: of quitting our animosities and factions, nor acting any longer like the Jews, who were murdering one another at the very moment their city was taken: of being a little cautious not to sell our country and consciences for nothing: of teaching landlords to have at least one degree of mercy towards their tenants. Lastly, of putting a spirit of honesty, industry, and skill into our shop-keepers, who, if a resolution could now be taken to buy only our native goods, wou ld immediately unite to cheat and exact upon us in the price, the measure, and the goodness, nor could ever yet be brought to make one fair proposal of just dealing, though often and earnestly invited to it. Therefore I repeat, let no man talk to me of these and the like expedients, till he has at least some glimpse of hope that there will ever be some hearty and sincere attempt to put them into practice. (Swift 57-58) "A Modest Proposal" has been hailed by literary critics as one of Jonathan Swift's greatest satirical works. The essay takes the form of a proposal that sets out to offer a solution to the problems of overpopulation and poverty in 18th century Ireland, a... ...ff. Hypertext Rhetoric Lesson for Swift's "A Modest Proposal". Updated date unknown. <http://www.du.edu/~jegoldst/html/a_modest_proposal.htm>. Cited 27 March 2004. Hutcheon, Linda. Irony's Edge: The Theory and Politics of Irony. London: Routledge, 1994. Montgomery, Martin et. al. "Irony." Ways of Reading. Advanced Reading Skills for Students of English Literature. London: Routledge, 2000. 161-171. Rose, Margaret A. Parody: Ancient, Modern, and Post-Modern. Cambridge: CUP, 1993. Swift, Jonathan. "A Modest Proposal--For preventing the children of poor people in Ireland from being a burden to their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the public." "A Modest Proposal" and Other Satirical Works. New York: Dover. Wilson, Deirde & Dan Sperber. "On Verbal Irony." The Stylistics Reader. Ed. Jean Jacques Weber. London: Arnold, 1996. 260-279.

Linux Security Technologies Essay

In a world so largely dependent on computer systems, inadequate security measures could lead to anything from having a single person’s financial information compromised to an electronic 9/11 against some of our country’s most secure federal computer networks. In the modern computer based society we live in, security is essential to protecting everything from personal desktops all the way up to the most secure federal databases. And many corporate and government level computers are based on the Linux kernel. SELinux has 3 states it can be in if on a system: Enabled, Disabled, and Permissive. Enforcing means SELinux security policy is active, Disabled means SELinux security policy is not active, and Permissive is a diagnostic state commonly used for troubleshooting. To better understand what improvements Mandatory Access Control (MAC) can provide for security, one needs to know about the standard Linux security provision called Discretionary Access Control (DAC). DAC, though it is still a form of security, only provides minimal protection to a Linux file system. With DAC, access to files merely requires needed permissions from the owner of the file to access (commonly referred to as file permissions), often requiring a password to open. A basic weakness of DAC is not being able to fundamentally differentiate between human users and computer programs. And with so many systems often having such large numbers of users, it only takes hackers accessing a single user’s account to have access to any and all of the files they have permissions for. If the compromised user account were to have super-user (root) access, the hacker could then gain access to an entire file system. This became the basis for coming up with a more secure way of protecting wrongful access into standard Linux based systems. SELinux utilizing MAC, on the other hand, was created to address this very weakness that DAC has as the standard Linux security. The way MAC helps improve overall security of SELinux is by providing what is called granular permissions for every subject (user, program, process) and object (file, device). In other words, through MAC, you only grant any subject the specific object or objects required to perform a specific function, and no more. Compared to DAC, security is more compartmentalized and has more layers of protection. Hence, SELinux provides a much more secure environment than the original Linux security features alone can. Another feature providing further security for a network is TCP Wrappers. TCP Wrappers work by controlling access through the utilization of IP addresses. In Linux, this is accomplished through 2 specific files that need to be created. The first file, hosts. deny, is a file listing names of hosts that are to be denied access to the network. The second file, hosts. allow is a file listing the names of hosts that are allowed access to the same network. The absence of theses 2 files, would allow the entire Internet access to network services, severely lowering the security of a host. This lowers a system being compromised through a sort of â€Å"gate guard with an access list† policy. If your name appears on the list, you gain access; if it’s not, you don’t. Creating an artificial root directory is yet another way to provide security for Linux systems, and is commonly referred to as a chroot jail. This prevents accessing or modifying, possibly maliciously, any file outside the directory hierarchy. The command required to create a chroot jail is /usr/sbin/chroot. Note, you must be working as root inside the Linux shell to do this. By creating a chroot jail, it prevents users from navigating up the hierarchy as high as possibly â€Å"/† (root). Even if the user did not have permissions required to edit higher directories, they may still be able to see files they don’t have any reason to have any access to. Chroot can be useful for providing basic preventative security by making it more difficult to exploit information on a server. But, by limiting user access in this way, if a user account were ever hacked, it still provides yet another layer of security by limiting the amount of access each user account has to begin with. It is important to understand that you must run a program in chroot jail as a user other than root (/). This is because root can break out of jail, making the chroot jail not provide the security it is intended to against unwanted access. Setting up iptables is another form of network security in Linux. They allow for setting up a firewall on the network. Iptables allow for network packet filtering rules. The use of iptables function allows rules to be set up that can reject inbound packets opening new connections and accept inbound packets that are responses to locally initiated connections. This basic feature therefore acts as a firewall to the system, preventing unwanted outside attempts to hack into a host network. In conclusion, with the technological direction of our future apparent, security technologies will be a continuing issue that will never stop making further advances. After all, the financial, physical, and ideological future of our country, and people as a whole, cannot afford to do otherwise. As our children, and children’s children, begin to take the reins of this electronically motivated world, computer security technologies will continue to be an important issue as long as we continue as a society. References: * http://www. omnisecu. om/gnu-linux/redhat-certified-engineer-rhce/what-is-security-enhanced-linux-selinux. htm * http://fedoraproject. org/wiki/SELinux_FAQ * http://www. nsa. gov/research/_files/selinux/papers/x/img3. shtml * http://docs. redhat. com/docs/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/4/html/SELinux_Guide/selg-preface-0011. html * http://docs. fedoraproject. org/en-US/Fedora/13/html/SELinux_FAQ/ * http://www. bu. edu/tech/security/firewalls/host/tcpwrappers_macos x/ * http://www. serverschool. com/dedicated-servers/what-is-a-chroot-jail/ * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Chroot

Hit and Run Sports and Lesiure Company Essay

* The company provides wide range of sports and leisure facilities to members and non-members. The facilities include golf courses, football pitch, basketball court and swimming pool. Members have to book to use facilities and bill is charged to their account. * The leisure club’s shop provide to customers wide range of sports goods such as clothing, golf clubs and tennis racquets. For members there is 10 % discount. * The club provides qualified coaches for different sports that can be booked to give lessons to individuals or groups. The fee is charged for each lesson and the company receives half of the fee. Types of members Type of membership Description Individual They are any one of the ages from 16 to 60, who are not students, under corporate or affiliated team member. Student This membership is available to anyone over 16 and under 25 years of age who is in full time education. Senior For elderly people who are over the age of 60. Corporate For nominated employees from a company who has account with the leisure centre. Family This is available up to 2 adults and 4 children. Children who are under the age of 12 can only join the club as part of a family membership. Affiliated team Available to local sports teams. It allows them for priority bookings and discount rates for regular bookings. Functions of each department within the clubs The club shop The primary function of the shop is to sell sports equipment. However the sales assistants are also responsible for replenishing the stock on display from the stockroom. Also the shop can take bookings for the facilities. They hold all their stock item’s details and quantities on the database. When a member purchase an item, the item code is typed in and the description and the price is displayed on the screen. Also the member’s number is entered from their membership card. This allows them to identify the member and available discount is automatically calculated. The shop also allows members to pay through their account, cash, cheque or credit card. If credit card is used, the Sales assistant has to contact the credit card Company, usually by telephone, to check the credit availability. Receipt is issued when the sale is complete and the appropriate stock item quantities are decreased. The Sales manager is responsible for regulating the stock of all equipment. The sales manager has to make sure that the quantities are up to the required levels. If there is a shortage of any equipment, the database automatically produces a report. This operates at the end of each working day. The following day, the Sales manager telephones the appropriate equipment suppliers and orders the equipment required. The confirmed purchase orders are printed and sent by post. The shop also has specially printed carrier bags for customer’s purchases. The design of the bag changes every year however it always includes the Hit and Run name and logo. Every year the Sales and Marketing Director negotiates a new order for bags for all clubs. Administration The administration manager handles all applications for membership with the help of assistant. The administration assistants are responsible for all office procedures within a club. They produce and post out all correspondence from the club such as letters to members. They also produces invoices for goods and services. One of the administration assistants is responsible for updating the member’s details on database and also ordering membership cards. The summary of all membership transactions which include new members, bookings and membership renewals, is sent to Head office on a floppy disk. The floppy disk also contains information about financial summaries for shop sales, membership and booking fees and lastly a summary of all purchase orders raised. Administration assistant sends all the invoices received by suppliers on the goods received or service done, to head office. This is done at the end of each week. Head office then deals with the payment. Most important function of Administration department is keeping records of the hours worked by each member of the club’s staff along with any coaching fees received. The information is sent to the Human Resource department in head office. The human resource department deals with the information so that wages due can be calculated and paid. Reception Reception department deals with bookings. When a member books facilities, receptionist take member number on a booking login screen together with expiry date on the card. The member’s details are displayed on the screen. Receptionist asks for member’s address and name. When it is confirmed booking screen is displayed. The member’s number is copied onto the booking screen. Also code for facility, the date and the start time is required. The booking system then checks the availability of the facility and if it is the booking is confirmed. Then a booking card is produced containing the information to the member. Reception also deals with members checking in. The member provides the receptionist with the booking number. The details of the booking are displayed on the computer when the booking number is typed in on a check in screen. The receptionist checks and allocation of the facility is confirmed. Then another card is printed for the member. This confirms that the facility has been booked. Facilities maintenance The facilities manager deals with maintenance of all the buildings and facilities in the club. Outdoor facilities such as pitches and the golf course are maintained b a team of green keepers. A team of maintenance staff maintains the indoor facilities and the structure of the buildings. The facilities manager must schedule regular maintenance. This will reduce the chance of member’s disruption on using facilities and also to make efficient use of available staff. The manager also contacts contractors from outside the club for tasks such as the servicing or repair of mowers, rowing machines and other equipment. Once a month the manager contacts suppliers for cleaning materials. Coaching Qualified coaches provide lessons for each of sports. They provide this service to groups or individuals. They also supervise the use of club facilities. The head coach is responsible for ordering sports equipment needed such as tennis balls, shuttlecocks, nets or racquets. This is sent off to the suppliers by fax. Suppliers to the club and relationship between these suppliers and the department/individuals within the company * Sports equipment retailers – They provide stocks for the shop in the clubs. The sales manager phones the suppliers when there are shortage of equipment. They also provide equipment for the coaching department. * Card Company – They provide membership cards for the administration department. The administration assistant sends the details of the membership card. * Cleaning material suppliers – They provide cleaning materials to the facilities maintenance department. The facilities manager places the order. * Maintenance equipment service – The service is provided for repairing or servicing mowers, rowing machines and other equipment for facilities maintenance department. Facilities manager also places the order. * Carrier bag suppliers – They provide carrier bags for the sport shop. The sales manager and marketing manager change the design every year. The supplier provides yearly allocation. * ICT service and suppliers – The club uses ICT facilities. There are computer workstations at the main desk, in the sports shop, administration office and the General Manger’s office. They need software, which hold data for all sports equipment in sports shop. Also for membership database and booking data. The ICT suppliers along with ICT department in head office supply this.

Contemporary legends

Contemporary legends Introduction In the contemporary literary world, there are stories that can be considered as legends. These are stories that depict several features making them qualify as urban legends. Contemporary legends refer to the stories that are said to be true. These stories are carried on from one individual to another.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Contemporary legends specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In most instances, the contemporary legends are passed through word or mouth or mass media. In the present times, electronic media may also be used to pass down the legends. It has been observed that contemporary legends mirror the modern themes. The contemporary legends have been in existence for quite some time. However, they were neglected as the focus was on other forms of literature. Nonetheless, the contemporary legends became prominent in the second half of the 20th century following the publication of various works in this genre (Clarke, para 2). The legend of the Fir-tree is a good example of an urban legend. The story was told by Lonely Shell and it goes as follows: The legend of the Fir-tree They both knew, from the start, that their love was impossible; that a day would come when they would have to say Good-bye. On Christmas Eve, they decided that their relationship, as beautiful as an angels love story, should end with the dying year. He would have liked to have spent all of their days together, but she decided it was better to leave. The New Year should find us in our new lives, where we will miss each other she said. There were tears in her eyes, as she kissed him good-bye and he could still hear her words, as he looked through the window of the house, at the traces of her steps, far away, at the edge of the forest. He had wanted to accompany her until they reached the base of the mountain, where the town began, so that he would know she was safe, but she didnt want him to. She wanted to leave, without looking behind, remembering him there, in the house of their love. The memory she was always going to keep in her heart.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The snowfall was getting heavier and, as all trace of her was slowly disappearing, covered by the snow, his fears and worries were growing. He should not have let her leave! At least, not before it had stopped snowing! How is she going to reach the town alone, through all this snow. It grows thicker with each moment? The days are so short; soon the evening will fall, she might lose her way and remain alone in that desert of snow, where nobody will hear her if she screams, or the wolves may attack her, before she can get out of the forest! He decided that he should find her, at any cost, and bring her back, or at least go with her to the town. He grabbed a hatchet, for defense against the wild an imals, and started running through the snow, following the traces of her steps that were barely visible. He could hardly walk by now, and the evening was getting darker and darker. He hoped that she had found shelter, inside the ruins of the old hut, in the clearing, on the top of the hill, but nobody was there. All traces of her had been completely erased! He fell to his knees, screaming desperately Dont go! Please come back! I love you! His voice woke-up the dry fir-trees from their slumber and, furious at being disturbed, they scattered the burden of their branches upon him, covering him in a huge pile of snow. Good-bye, I love you, he thought.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Contemporary legends specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He woke up late, without understanding where he was but then he recognized the clearing. The snowfall had stopped, and his footsteps in the snow clearly marked the way that he had come. H e remembered the snow that had fallen upon him, taking his breath away. He could not understand how it was that he was still alive, where had all that snow had disappeared to, why his clothes were dry, and, moreover, why it was that even the snow under his body had melted away. Most of all though, he could not understand where the fir-tree fragrance was coming from. Had he entered the delirium of those who die by freezing? Its impossible for a green fir-tree to be there, in the middle of the winter! Yet, in the middle of the clearing, just next to the place where he had fallen, a green fir-tree had grown from that warm patch of land. He touched it to see if it was real, and the soft whisper of its branches brought, from far away, the echo of her laughter. He then realized that her love had made the fir-tree grow there; to protect him from the winter frost that would have killed him. Feeling that the fir-tree was the last memory he would ever have of her, he decided to take it home a nd replant it in his garden, right in front of the window. He knew that every morning when he saw it, it would be like her saying Good morning. With that fir-tree, kept evergreen by the same miracle of love that had made it turn green in the middle of winter, he would never be alone again! As he was walking through the snow, the fir-tree on his shoulder, all the dry fir- trees that he passed by started turning green, filling the forest with their fragrance. Since then, the fir-tree has become the symbolic tree of Christmas, and it stays evergreen, so that nobody will ever be alone during the cold Christmas nights (Shell, para 1). The legend of the Fir-tree as a contemporary legend This story qualifies as an urban legend considering that it has several features of an urban legend. This legend offers an explanation to the origin of the fir-tree. It also explains why the fir-tree is used during Christmas time. Just as the case in most contemporary legends, the woman in the legend is po rtrayed as weak, whereas the man is portrayed as a hero.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The man sets out to rescue the vulnerable woman. In addition, the truthfulness of this story cannot be verified. It can also be noted that the location and details of the contents of this story are not clear. The story emphasizes on the culture of togetherness during Christmas time indicating that the presence of the fir-tree in the house means that there is no room for loneliness. These are some of the aspects that make this story qualify as a contemporary legend (Barnes and Smith, 169). In this legend, the man in the story was not willing to let his lover leave him alone. Although the lover was determined to leave without the man, the man decided to follow her. However, this was an afterthought as the woman had already left. His pursuit led to the discovery of the fir-tree. The fir-tree reminded him of his lover who had left him. Indeed, he took the fir-tree back home where it reminded him of his love. With respect to the group in which the story was performed, it can be noted tha t the legend was meant to offer an explanation to the origin of the fir-tree that is common during the Christmas time. In my interpretation, I can observe that the story serves as a contemporary legend in that it depicts various characteristics associated with urban legends. Other Versions of The legend of the Fir-tree There are other versions of the story regarding the origin of the fir tree. Some of them have been noted as shown below: According to a legend, Saint Boniface, an English monk who organized the Christian Church in France and Germany, came upon a group of pagans around a great oak tree, about to sacrifice a child to the god Thor. To stop the sacrifice and save the childs life Boniface felled the tree with one mighty blow of his fist. In its place grew a small fir tree. The saint told the pagan worshipers that the Fir was the Tree of Life (Emerson, para 4). Another legend is told as follows: Another legend tells us that Martin Luther, founder of the Protestant faith, wa lking through the forest one Christmas Eve, was awed by the beauty of the stars shining through the branches of the evergreen trees. He cut a small tree and took it home. To recreate the same starlight beauty, he placed candles on all its branches (Emerson, para 5). There is yet another legend that goes: Yet another legend tells of a poor woodsman who met a lost and hungry child on Christmas Eve. He gave the child food and shelter for the night. The next morning he found a beautiful glittering tree outside his door. The hungry child was really the Christ Child in disguise. He created the tree to reward the good man for his charity (Emerson, para 6). These legends have a common element in that they try to explain the origin of the fir-tree. They also try to explain how the fir-tree became associated with the Christmas festive season. According to these legends, the fir-tree did not exist before, but only came up after something happened. However, it has to be mentioned that each lege nd has a different explanation on how the fir-tree came into existence. In addition, the legends seem to converge as they all associate the fir-tree with the Christmas season. This is a common cultural practice that is widespread in the contemporary society. Conclusion In all these legends, there is a common motif. All legends discussed focus on the origin of the fir-tree and its association with Christmas festivities. As I was looking for parallels, the motif of the fir-tree stood out. All versions of the legend can qualify as urban legends as the details are not clear and that they cannot be verified to be true. However, they all offer an explanation to the origin of the fir-tree. Barnes, Daniel and P. Smith. â€Å"The Contemporary Legend in Literature – Towards an Annotated Checklist, Part 2.† Contemporary Legend, 2 (1992): 167-79. Print. Clarke, David. Urban Legends are contemporary stories, told as true but incorporating ancient and modern elements from folklore. 2008. Web. https://www.shu.ac.uk/ Emerson, Ralph Waldo. The wonder is that we can see these trees and not wonder more. n.d. Web. angelfire.com/journal2/flowers/pcd40.html Shell, Lonely. The Legend of the Fir-tree. n.d. Web.

All About the Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall

All About the Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall Erected in the dead of night on August 13, 1961, the Berlin Wall (known as Berliner Mauer in German) was a physical division between West Berlin and East Germany. Its purpose was to keep disaffected East Germans from fleeing to the West. When the Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, its destruction was nearly as instantaneous as its creation. For 28 years, the Berlin Wall had been a symbol of the Cold War and the Iron Curtain between Soviet-led Communism and the democracies of the West. When it fell, it was celebrated around the world. A Divided Germany and Berlin At the end of World War II, the Allied powers divided conquered Germany into four zones. As agreed at the  Potsdam Conference, each was occupied by either the United States, Great Britain, France, or the Soviet Union. The same was done in Germanys capital city, Berlin.   The relationship between the Soviet Union and the other three Allied powers quickly disintegrated. As a result, the cooperative atmosphere of the occupation of Germany turned competitive and aggressive. One of the best-known incidents was the Berlin Blockade in June of 1948  during which the Soviet Union stopped all supplies from reaching West Berlin. Although an eventual reunification of Germany had been intended, the new relationship between the Allied powers turned Germany into West versus East and democracy versus Communism. In 1949, this new organization of Germany became official when the three zones occupied by the United States, Great Britain, and France combined to form West Germany (the Federal Republic of Germany, or FRG). The zone occupied by the Soviet Union quickly followed by forming East Germany (the German Democratic Republic, or GDR). This same division into West and East occurred in Berlin.  Since the city of Berlin had been situated entirely within the Soviet Zone of Occupation, West Berlin became an island of democracy within Communist East Germany. The Economic Differences Within a short period of time after the war, living conditions in West Germany and East Germany became distinctly different. With the help and support of its occupying powers, West Germany set up a capitalist society. The economy experienced such a rapid growth that it became known as the economic miracle. With hard work, individuals living in West Germany were able to live well, buy gadgets and appliances, and travel as they wished. Nearly the opposite was true in East Germany. The Soviet Union had viewed their zone as a spoil of war. They had pilfered factory equipment and other valuable assets from their zone and shipped them back to the Soviet Union. When East Germany became its own country in 1949, it was under the direct influence of the Soviet Union and a Communist society was established. The economy of East Germany dragged and individual freedoms were severely restricted. Mass EmigrationFrom the East Outside of Berlin, East Germany had been fortified in 1952. By the late 1950s, many people living in East Germany wanted out. No longer able to stand the repressive living conditions, they would head to West Berlin. Although some of them would be stopped on their way, hundreds of thousands made it across the border. Once across, these refugees were housed in warehouses and then flown to West Germany. Many of those who escaped were young, trained professionals. By the early 1960s, East Germany was rapidly losing both its labor force and its population. Between 1949 and 1961, its estimated that nearly 2.7 million people fled East Germany. The government was desperate to stop this mass exodus. The obvious leak was the easy access East Germans had to West Berlin. With the support of the Soviet Union, there had been several attempts to simply take over West Berlin. Although the Soviet Union even threatened the United States with the use of nuclear weapons over this issue, the United States and other Western countries were committed to defending West Berlin. Desperate to keep its citizens, East Germany knew that something needed to be done. Famously, two months before the Berlin Wall appeared, Walter Ulbricht, Head of the State Council of the GDR (1960–1973) said, Niemand hat die Absicht, eine Mauer zu errichten. These iconic words mean, No one intended to build a wall. After this statement, the exodus of East Germans only increased. Over those next two months of 1961, nearly 20,000 people fled to the West. The Berlin Wall Goes Up Rumors had spread that something might happen to tighten the border of East and West Berlin. No one was expecting the speed nor the absoluteness of the Berlin Wall. Just past midnight on the night of August 12-13, 1961, trucks with soldiers and construction workers rumbled through East Berlin. While most Berliners were sleeping, these crews began tearing up streets that entered into West Berlin. They dug holes to put up concrete posts and strung barbed wire all across the border between East and West Berlin. Telephone wires between East and West Berlin were also cut and railroad lines were blocked. Soldiers closing off East Berlin with barbed wire fences. Keystone / Getty Images Berliners were shocked when they woke up that morning. What had once been a very fluid border was now rigid. No longer could East Berliners cross the border for operas, plays, soccer games, or any other activity. No longer could the approximately 60,000 commuters head to West Berlin for well-paying jobs. No longer could families, friends, and lovers cross the border to meet their loved ones.   Whichever side of the border one went to sleep on during the night of August 12, they were stuck on that side for decades. The Size and Scope of the Berlin Wall The total length of the Berlin Wall was 91 miles (155 kilometers). It can not only through the center of Berlin, but also wrapped around West Berlin, entirely cutting it off from the rest of East Germany. The wall itself went through four major transformations during its 28-year history. It started out as a barbed-wire fence with concrete posts. Just days later, on August 15, it was quickly replaced with a sturdier, more permanent structure. This one was made out of concrete blocks and topped with barbed wire. The first two versions of the wall were replaced by the third version in 1965. This consisted of a concrete wall supported by steel girders. The fourth version of the Berlin Wall, constructed from 1975 to 1980, was the most complicated and thorough. It consisted of concrete slabs reaching nearly 12-feet high (3.6 meters) and 4-feet wide (1.2 meters). It also had a smooth pipe running across the top to hinder people from scaling it. Bettmann Archive / Getty Images By the time the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, there was a 300-foot No Mans Land and  an additional inner wall. Soldiers patrolled with dogs and a raked ground showed footprints. The East Germans also installed anti-vehicle trenches, electric fences, massive light systems, 302 watchtowers, 20 bunkers, and even minefields. Over the years, propaganda from the East German government would say that the people of East Germany welcomed the Wall. In reality, the oppression they suffered and the potential consequences they faced kept many from speaking out to the contrary. The Checkpoints of the Wall Although most of the border between East and West consisted of layers of preventative measures, there were little more than a handful of official openings along the Berlin Wall. These checkpoints were for the infrequent use of officials and others with special permission to cross the border. Checkpoint Charlie. Express / Getty Images The most famous of these was Checkpoint Charlie, located on the border between East and West Berlin at Friedrichstrasse. Checkpoint Charlie was the main access point for Allied personnel and Westerners to cross the border. Soon after the Berlin Wall was built, Checkpoint Charlie became an icon of the Cold War. It has frequently been featured in movies and books set during this time period. Escape Attempts and the Death Line The Berlin Wall did prevent the majority of East Germans from emigrating to the West, but it did not deter everyone. During the history of the Berlin Wall, it is estimated that about 5,000 people made it safely across. Soldiers investigating a tunnel dug beneath the Berlin wall. Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images Some early successful attempts were simple, like throwing a rope over the Berlin Wall and climbing up. Others were brash, like ramming a truck or bus into the Berlin Wall and making a run for it. Still, others were suicidal as some people jumped from the upper-story windows of apartment buildings that bordered the Berlin Wall.   Soldiers patrolling the Death Strip. KEENPRESS / Getty Images In September 1961, the windows of these buildings were boarded up and the sewers connecting East and West were shut off. Other buildings were torn down to clear space for what would become known as the Todeslinie, the Death Line or Death Strip. This open area allowed a direct line of fire so East German soldiers could carry out  Shiessbefehl, a 1960 order that they were to shoot anyone trying escape. Twenty-nine people were killed within the first year. As the Berlin Wall became stronger and larger, the escape attempts became more elaborately planned. Some people dug tunnels from the basements of buildings in East Berlin, under the Berlin Wall, and into West Berlin. Another group saved scraps of cloth and built a hot air balloon and flew over the Wall. Unfortunately, not all escape attempts were successful. Since the East German guards were allowed to shoot anyone nearing the eastern side without warning, there was always a chance of death in any and all escape plots. It is estimated that somewhere between 192 and 239 people died at the Berlin Wall. The 50th Victim of the Berlin Wall One of the most infamous cases of a failed attempt occurred on August 17, 1962. In the early afternoon, two 18-year-old men ran toward the Wall with the intention of scaling it. The first of the young men to reach it was successful. The second one, Peter Fechter, was not. West Berliners Protesting at Berlin Wall with pictures of Peter Fechters body. Corbis / Getty Images As he was about to scale the Wall, a border guard opened fire. Fechter continued to climb but ran out of energy just as he reached the top. He then tumbled back onto the East German side. To the shock of the world, Fechter was just left there. The East German guards did not shoot him again nor did they go to his aid. Fechter shouted in agony for nearly an hour. Once he had bled to death, East German guards carried off his body. He became the 50th person to die at the Berlin Wall and a permanent symbol of the struggle for freedom. Communism Is Dismantled The fall of the Berlin Wall happened nearly as suddenly as its rise. There had been signs that the Communist bloc was weakening, but the East German Communist leaders insisted that East Germany just needed a moderate change rather than a drastic revolution. East German citizens did not agree. Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev (1985–1991) was attempting to save his country and decided to break off from many of its satellites. As Communism began to falter in Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia in 1988 and 1989, new exodus points were opened to East Germans who wanted to flee to the West.   In East Germany, protests against the government were countered by threats of violence from its leader, Erich Honecker. In October 1989, Honecker was forced to resign after losing support from Gorbachev. He was replaced by Egon Krenz who decided that violence was not going to solve the countrys problems. Krenz also loosened travel restrictions from East Germany. The Fall of the Berlin Wall Suddenly, on the evening of November 9, 1989, East German government official Gà ¼nter Schabowski blundered by stating in an announcement, Permanent relocations can be done through all border checkpoints between the GDR [East Germany] into the FRG [West Germany] or West Berlin. People were in shock. Were the borders really open? East Germans tentatively approached the border and indeed found that the border guards were letting people cross. Corbis  / Getty Images Very quickly, the Berlin Wall was inundated with people from both sides. Some began chipping at the Berlin Wall with hammers and chisels. There was an impromptu and massive celebration along the Berlin Wall, with people hugging, kissing, singing, cheering, and crying. Corbis  / Getty Images The Berlin Wall was eventually chipped away into smaller pieces (some the size of a coin and others in big slabs). The pieces have become collectibles and are stored in both homes and museums. There is also now a Berlin Wall Memorial at the site on Bernauer Strasse. Luis Davilla / Getty Images After the Berlin Wall came down, East and West Germany reunified into a single German state on October 3, 1990.

Communication for Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communication for Management - Assignment Example First of all, I would allow all my team members to express their individual views regarding a particular topic. Each of the member’s view would be properly listened. Contribution of each of them would be given enough importance. It is crucial to note that differences among group member’s beliefs, values and attitudes are the main source of conflict (Team Building Directory, n.d.). Hence, it is very important to apply this above mentioned strategy. The main objective of doing these would be to make the members feel that their involvements are very much significant in the way of achieving the group’s main target. Secondly, team members would be made involved in the decision making processes. This is likely to make sure that the decisions are not in favor of any particular individual rather they are taken for the overall betterment of the group and its performance. Communication is a crucial aspect which greatly impacts the aspects like ‘conflict’. As a manager of the team I would make sure that all the channels through which communication among the team members including me takes place are working properly. In simple words, there should not be any communication gap between me and my group

People and Organisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

People and Organisation - Essay Example It is important for any organization to cater to the needs of its employees and ensure they are motivated, competent, and knowledgeable enough to align their personal goals with the organization's goals. This in turn helps in achieving customer satisfaction. In today's every changing dynamic world where the corporate environment is changing every moment, it is mandatory to realize the employees as an organization's most important asset as it is them who make or break an organization. They are competent to handle and properly use critical information and are motivated to handle the responsibilities bestowed upon them. For this purpose, a separate department is designated usually named as the 'human resource' department and this is present in almost every contemporary organization. These departments are responsible to attract the proficient work force present to work in their organization. Human Resource management relates to the activities that are undertaken to attract, develop and maintain an effective workforce within an organization. Over the past decade, human resource management has gotten rid of the 'personnel' image and has gained recognition as a vital player in corporate strategy. To achieve this purpose, managements try to ensure that they inculcate such a corporate culture in the organization that fosters the growth of employees as an individual. It is very important to maintain employee satisfaction because if employees are not comfortable in the workplace and they don't find the space that they need to work effectively, they might not be motivated adequately to work in the cause of the organization. The corporate culture prevailing in an organization indicates how the employees of the organization might react to the changes that are taking or are allowed to react to the changes. ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS Declining sales might be a symptom of a problem that is prevailing in an organization. The real dilemma is not understanding the root of the problem. Organizational analysis helps in the root of the problem that exists in a certain company. Incorrect assessment of the problem might lead to further imperfections. Therefore, correct diagnosis of problem is equally important. There are many tools that are used to analyze and evaluate organizations. The most common ones are SWOT analysis, Scoping, Questionnaires and systematic constellations. These methods mainly use information from the employees and evaluate it to understand the underlying problem that an organization is facing and helps to then map out a strategy for the organization to follow. The real world out there is more complex and intricate then mentioned in the books that we study or come across. It is very difficult to then comprehend the real life situations and evaluate them on the basis of the concepts that have been studied. MANAGING CHANGES IN AN ORGANIZATION Change is a phenomenon that always accompanies major disapprovals by everyone who is being affected by the process. In large organizations, managing a change is gigantic task that is bestowed upon the management for the betterment of the organizati