Can obesity explain personality Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Can obesity explain personality - Research Paper Example This essay will discuss obesity as one of the health disorders and its relation to personality. Stress is a sense of depression that a majority of individuals encounter on a daily basis based on disappointment or pressure. Stress can neither be avoided nor prevented; instead it can be controlled. On the other hand, health refers to a state of physiological well-being. Therefore, unhealthiness is caused by weak immune systems triggered by poor body maintenance (Mayer, 2004). Stress is experienced by everyone, from children to adults. It can either be helpful or harmful depending on its management. It is also beneficial in the sense that it can enable an individual to develop skills needed to cope with in dangerous situations. However, when stress goes beyond these limits, it becomes a tragedy, and its consequences are unpredictably hazardous. Getting medical care and support can significantly assist in minimizing the effects of the stress, which is a significant cause of obesity in the society (Stellmann, 2002). According to research, majority of the obese individuals react strongly by exhibiting strong emotions such as anger, sadness, misery, disappointment and hopelessness. When the symptoms of stress are prolonged, it can lead to pervasion and inability to cope with obesity. As stipulated above, health refers to a state of social, mental and physical well-being. Mental health refers to being in the right spiritual mood, which is extremely vital for survival. Mental health is tricky to manage since it cannot be diagnosed physically. It also plays a crucial role in the fitness and well-being of an individual. On the other hand, obesity affects the mental health of a person. Mental health is extremely significant as it can be felt by the entire body of a human. People have to maintain mental health in order to survive. Such a case applies to obese individuals as a poor personality will reduce their survival chances. The personality of

Attitudes Towards Women In World War II Essay Example for Free

Attitudes Towards Women In World War II Essay 1. Source C is written by a Historian, this means that she will have had a long time to gather together her facts, and write using a variety of sources. This will give the source more depth, and it could also include information from more than one source. However, it is written by a woman, who is commenting on the history of women, so it could therefore be slightly bias. This woman could be writing to prove a point, or get recognition for women (i. e. for a feminist movement). On the other hand, source D was a speech made by the Deputy Prime minister of Britain in 1942. It is highly likely that this speech would have been used as a form of propaganda in Britain to keep the moral of women up during the war. They needed to do this to encourage the women to sign up to work in the factories, as the men were away fighting on the battlefields. It is evident in the tone of the source that the government were falsely praising the women to keep them happy. It was a very dull job, and they were trying to make the work they did sound positive, preformed with dead accuracy by girls.. It is evident that in source C the author is analysing the source, and giving her opinion. Such derogatory remarks. It seems that she is giving a very opposed opinion to the magazine article she is commenting on, and all the information that this gives the reader is her opinion of they way women were portrayed at that time. Despite the fact that we do get some quotes from the source she is analysing, we are only given the selection she chooses, and she has chosen those particular parts to back up her opinion. It does appear that women were depicted during the Second World War as empty-headed frivolous creatures. However, this is only part of the source, and we cannot get the full picture, as the author has picked out certain parts to back up her opinion. The original might depict a different opinion, but we are unable to find that, as we are not given that here in source C. Source D gives us the impression that women were viewed as very skilled, and they could pick up things very quickly, precise engineering jobs would have made a skilled turners hair stand on end are preformed with dead accuracy by girls who had no industrial experience. However this seems very strange, because the general opinion by men during the Second World War was that women were un-skilled and should stay in the home, so it appears that the government were lying to women (i.e. propaganda) so that they could fill in the jobs for men when they were away. The speech was made at the peak of the war, and it would have been crucial that they had enough women to work in the factories. To summarise, I think that source C is more useful as evidence about attitudes towards women in the First World War, as it depicts a more realistic view of what people thought at the time. Women were viewed as insignificant, and more concerned about how they looked. Although it is a bias opinion from a female historian trying to back up her views, it does seem a more historically accurate. Source D could not be used as an accurate view, as it is government propaganda, purposely being used to keep the moral of women high. 2. Source G is being used as an advertisement for Female wardens, and Mrs Peeks pudding. It also seems to be being used to make men more comfortable with their wifes going into service. It appears to be a form of propaganda; therefore, it is less reliable as a source of information. The first window in the cartoon strip shows a man sitting at the table with his wife eating a meal. In most situations this would not be the case, as men were usually sent away to fight. This does appear to make the advert less accurate. This source shows that men only thought women were useful for putting the meal on the table, or at least it was their duty to do so. The husband in the first caption states cold dinner again! as if it was his wifes duty to provide him with a hot meal every night. The following caption quotes the wife saying oh dear, Ill have to resign from the post, I just cant get Jim a hot meal at night. Here we see that the woman is hanging on by every word that the man tells her, as if he was superior to her. This very much depicts the attitude that men had to their wives at that time. The last box on the cartoon strip quotes the man saying I guess youve resigned your job? here we find the man expecting the woman to drop everything that she does, so that she may be of service to him. The woman replies, Mrs Peek is looking after your dinner. Again we find the man being superior to the woman. I think that overall this source depicts well the attitude of men towards women in the Second World War. The man expects the woman to drop everything so that she may be of service to him, and that her job does not mean any thing, and the woman seems to agree with it as she knows no other. The only thing that makes the source less reliable is that it seems to be a form of propaganda. 3. When World War II came around, every man In Britain was encouraged to sign up to the forces, and fight for their country, or join some line of service. Originally only men had been asked to sign up, and it was out of the question to ask women to, as they had no skills in work, they were just useful around the home. However, it had not occurred to them that there was going to be a shortage of people to work on the farms, and in the factories when the men had left to go and fight. The government were left with no other option than get the women to fill in the spaces; the women were conductors on the buses taking over until the men came home again (source F) Before the war women had fought hard for equal rites, and when the war started it seemed like a great opportunity had opened up. Most women were happy to start with, but then they were treat badly, and they were most definitely not treat with the same respect men were. The people in the country were very resentful, they didnt make it easy for you, we werent really welcome. It was hard work for the women, they had been put into hard jobs with no training, but they seemed to manage it, preformed with dead accuracy by girls who had no industrial training. It was a new experience for women, and they had been launched straight into it unexpectedly. Before the war a lot of women were happy not to work, but due to the war, they were forced to sign up. This came as a shock to a lot of women. Source J is evidence of this, it shows a copy of an official government announcement to women stating: there must no longer be any doubt in anybodys mind that every available woman in Britain will have to serve to win this war. It wasnt a decision they could make themselves any more, it was a duty to their country. Despite all of the new opportunities that had been given to women, after the war the men started coming back, and they took back their jobs too. The end o this war brought many unheard and undreamt changes. All of the opportunities they had been given had been taken away from them, and it became clear to women that they had only been there to fill in the gaps when the men were away fighting. At first, the war seemed a great opportunity for women to get recognition, and they thought that they had eventually earned what they were fighting for. However they soon realised that they were just there to fill in the space of the men, and when the men got back, they were pushed out of the jobs. It did bring about changes for them at first, but only during the war. When the war was over, everything went back as it had originally been, however, it had made people realise that women were actually capable of doing the work that the men did, and it opened a lot of paths for the future.

Paul Laurence Dunbar :: essays research papers fc

Paul Laurence Dunbar Outline Thesis: The major accomplishments of Paul Laurence Dunbar's life during 1872 to 1938 label him as being an American poet, short story writer, and novelist. I. Introduction II. American poet A. Literary English B. Dialect poet 1. "Oak and Ivy" 2. "Majors and Minors" 3. "Lyrics of Lowly Life" 4. "Lyrics of the Hearthside" 5. "Sympathy" III. Short story writer A. Folks from Dixie (1898) B. The Strength of Gideon and Other Stories (1900) C. The Heart of Happy Hollow (1904) IV. Novelist A. The Uncalled (1898) B. The Love of Landry (1900) C. The Fanatics (1901) D. The Sport of the Gods (1902) V. Conclusion Paul Laurence Dunbar attended grade schools and Central High School in Dayton, Ohio. He was editor of the High School Times and president of Philomathean Literary Society in his senior year. Despite Dunbar's growing reputation in the then small town of Dayton, writing jobs were closed to black applicants and the money to further his education was scarce. In 1891, Dunbar graduated from Central High School and was unable to find a decent job. Desperate for employment, he settled for a job as an elevator operator in the Callahan Building in Dayton. The major accomplishments of Paul Laurence Dunbar's life during 1872 to 1938 labeled him as an American poet. Dunbar had two poetic identities. He was first a Victorian poet writing in a comparatively formal style of literary English. Dunbar's other identity was that of the dialect poet, writing lighter, usually humorous or sentimental work not merely in the Negro dialect but in other varieties as well: Irish, once in German, but very frequently in the hoosier dialect of Indiana. There is good reason to assert, however, that the sources of Dunbar's dialect verse were in the real language of the people. The basic charge of this criticism can be stated in the words of a recent critic, Jean Wagner. Dunbar's dialect is, he says, "at best a secondhand instrument, irredeemably blemished by the degrading things imposed upon it by the enemies of the Black people" (Revell, Paul Laurence Dunbar, pg. 84). One of the most popular of Dunbar's dialect poems was and is "When Malindy Sings" which builds upon the natural ability of the race in song and is acknowledged to be Dunbar's tribute to his mother's spontaneous outbursts of singing as she worked in the kitchen. The message of the poem is of praise for simplicity of spirit and the love of God. Another of Dunbar's superb poems is entitled "Sympathy", written in 1895: I know what the caged bird feels, alas! When the sun is bright on the upland slopes; When the wind stirs soft through

PSY 301, Introductory Psychology, Fall 2005, Exam 4 A :: UTEXAS Texas Psychology

Form A Name: __________________________ Date: _____________ Introductory Psychology, Fall 2005 (Hawkins) Exam 4 Instructions: Write your name and the date on the top of this exam. Your must turn in this exam along with your answer sheet. On the answer sheet, print your EID, blacken the letters of your EID and provide the other information requested. (Don't forget to put which form of the exam you took!) Remember to blacken your choice for each item on the answer sheet (A, B, C, or D) and completely erase your questions. Good luck! 1. The discovery that psychologically disordered behavior could result from syphilis infections facilitated the credibility and acceptance of: A) trait theory. B) psychoanalytic theory. C) the medical model. D) DSM-IV. E) the social-cognitive perspective. 2. Electroconvulsive therapy has proven to be effective in the treatment of: A) phobias. B) dissociative disorders. C) schizophrenia. D) depression. 3. Dr. Genscher believes that most psychological disorders result from chemical abnormalities. In her work as a therapist, Dr. Genscher is most likely to make use of: A) psychosurgery. B) EMDR. C) systematic desensitization. D) drug therapies. E) transference. 4. Psychotherapy is likely to be most effective when a client's problem is: A) clear-cut. B) the result of unconscious conflicts. C) long-standing and habitual. D) a response to a stressful life situation. E) self-inflicted. 5. Attitudes are ________ that guide behavior. A) norms and roles B) superordinate goals C) beliefs and feelings D) dispositional attributions 6. Which form of therapy is most likely to emphasize the importance of examining a person's role within a social system? A) systematic desensitization B) cognitive therapy C) psychoanalysis D) family therapy E) client-centered therapy 7. Expert pool players were observed to make 71 percent of their shots when alone. When four people watched them, they made 80 percent of their shots. This best illustrates: A) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon. B) social facilitation. C) group polarization. D) the bystander effect. E) the mere exposure effect. 8. Ksana insists that her boyfriend's car accident resulted from his carelessness. Her explanation for the accident provides an example of: A) the bystander effect. B) deindividuation. C) ingroup bias. D) the foot-in-the-door phenomenon. E) a dispositional attribution. 9. Which form of therapy has most directly contributed to the sharp reduction in the number of residents in U.S. mental hospitals? A) psychosurgery B) cognitive therapy C) electroconvulsive therapy D) drug therapy E) behavior therapy 10. The bystander effect refers to the tendency for an observer of an emergency to withhold aid if the: A) emergency takes place in a large city. B) observer has just endured a frustrating experience. C) emergency victim is a member of a different racial group than the observer.

Gay Marriage Persuasive Essay

When taken at face value, many Americans would not think that forbidding gay couples to marry affects them. What many fail to recognize is that these kinds of discriminatory laws reach out and touch every life in this country. For a nation to intentionally and blatantly tell one group of people that they are not entitled to the same rights and protections as other groups of people sheds a dark shadow on the rest of the nation. If the government can interfere so wholeheartedly into the lives of those it is supposed to serve, then none of us are safe.Very few people actually understand why gay marriage is an issue. The overwhelming trends of â€Å"changing values†, abandoning religion, and the adaptation of new lifestyles have brought this issue to the forefront. So, if everyone is so against gay â€Å"marriage†, the nation needs to extend the rights of marriage to gays, even if it means that it needs to be done under a different title. The Legislative Branch is responsib le for making the laws which govern the country. It is never possible to please all of the people, but fairness is always an option.While the traditionalists and religious majority are claiming that â€Å"Marriage is a holy union between a man and a women with vows taken before god† (â€Å"Same Sex Marriage? â€Å"); the government needs to find a position somewhere in the middle of protecting the traditional marriage, and allowing for equal rights and protections for all of its citizens. When the government stepped in and became a part of â€Å"marriage†, they essentially needed to remove the religious aspects of it in order to adhere to the long standing policy of â€Å"separation of church and state†.This was never done, and because it was never a problem, it has remained a government/religious union that many felt the need to protect because of the religious attachments. Well, it is a problem now. There are hundreds of thousands of American citizens being denied rights and protections because while they are a strong and powerful part of our population, they are still heavily outnumbered by the religious majority seeking to protect the institution of marriage.To see what must be done by the legislature to right the wrongs done by anti-gay legislation, one must understand the history of this battle and the causes for the recent influx of gay marriage supporters. This battle has been raging since the 1970’s when gay individuals first started questioning why they were not allowed to get married. At that time, most reasoned that they (gays) would just go away, that they were just looking to have the wedding, but cared little about actually being married.No one could have guessed that forty years later, the â€Å"gay† population would be doubled in size, the American idea of the â€Å"traditional family† would be drastically changed, the religious majority would be experience a major power shift, and that our supreme c ourt would be hearing these cases on a regular basis. If one were to ask the opponents of gay marriage how we got to where we are today, they would likely respond with some kind of comment regarding the demise of the traditional family, or how integrative teaching has changed the expectations of marriage (Sharp 71).Those with a more liberal view may state that, throughout the years, science has opened the eyes of many to be more understanding of homosexuality and may therefore link it to a better tolerance for progressive ideas towards gay marriage (Bornman 30-33). The increase in the size of the â€Å"gay community† has made this an issue that must be addressed. In the 1970’s when the gay marriage debate began, it was fueled mainly by gay males, and lesbian females only. Since then, the â€Å"gay community† has increased to include gay men, lesbian women, bisexual men and women, and the transgendered community.The additions of these groups to the supporters of gay marriage, has called for a numbers increase of great magnitude. An example of this increase can be shown based on statistical data (still widely viewed as an estimate only) obtained by the Williams Institute at the UCLA school of law; in 2011 there 9 million (3. 5% of the population) that identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender. When this number is broken down, it is reported that only 1. 7% of this 3. 5% are identified as gay men or lesbian women (Gates 1). That is less than half of the people.This increase has led to stronger lobbying and more strength in numbers. The legislature cannot simply ignore the needs and wants of 3. 5% of the American population. Another significant cause of this increase in support for gay marriage can only be described in â€Å"the changing times†. (Sharp 71) History has shown that conservative attitudes have changed dramatically throughout the years. Just looking at the basic ways of life for example can attest to the change in a ttitudes. In the 1950’s life was centered around the family.The wife stayed home, cooked, cleaned, and tended to the children. There were various images of the â€Å"perfect housewife† plastered all over the media- a smiling perfectly kept woman waiting at the door wearing an apron and holding a steaming hot turkey on a platter all while kissing her husband as he walks through the door from a hard day’s work. That was the image of the family that was portrayed and lived. Divorce was rare and those leading any lifestyle other than the mainstream norm, were frowned upon and shunned from communities. Obviously this is not the picture of life today.More mothers are working outside of the home. The term â€Å"latchkey kids† is now the norm. Divorce rates are at an all-time high, with single mothers never having been married to their children’s fathers being considered normal. Obviously the American opinion of family and normal has changed, thus changing the opinions of who can be a normal family as well. A very concerning concept is that a vast majority of the groups that are fighting to keep the ban on gay marriage, are traditionalists and religious based groups. (â€Å"Same Sex Marriage?†)As a country founded to escape religious persecution, it is highly concerning that in 2011, the opinions of the religious majority are still governing our nation. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the percentage of the population identifying as â€Å"Christian, Catholic, Baptist, or Protestant† (the four largest religious groups in the nation) has declined from 86% in 1990, to 76% in 2008 (U. S. Census 2011 61). In addition to this, the percentages identifying as â€Å"No religion, Atheist, or Agnostic† increased from 8% in 1990, to 15% in 2008 (U. S. Census 2011 61).It can be speculated that based on the above mentioned â€Å"rule by the religious majority†, that the decline in religious individuals in America, coupled with the rise of those claiming to carry no religious beliefs, has helped the trend of supporters for gay marriage increase. An important fact that needs to be established is that gay marriage is not illegal. Each individual state has the right to create laws to govern their people. Throughout the years as couples attempted to secure marriage licenses that would recognize their same sex partnerships, states began passing statutes that define marriage as a union between man and woman.Some states determined long ago that it was wrong to discriminate and therefore, they should allow gays to be married. (â€Å"National Conference of State Legislatures†) Other states have given the title â€Å"domestic partnership† or â€Å"civil union† to the union between same sex couples. This will allow them to be placed on the same insurance policies and even in some cases file state taxes together, but little other benefits are afforded to these types of unions, and the big question is â€Å"why are these unions allowed but only under a different title? †. This calls to question the obvious. Why are the gays fighting for marriage?Some states recognize it, so they can just go there and get married (or participate in a civil union ceremony) then go home to their states and live their lives. It makes sense in theory but the big problem is that while these states have taken the steps to allow equal protections to all of their citizens, the federal government refuses to recognize these marriages- essentially rendering them invalid. It is because of this, that the solution must lie in the hands of the Federal Government, if they do not make the change, then any change made will be insignificant and superficial at best.In 1993 the Hawaiian Supreme Court ruled that denying marriage to same sex couples was unconstitutional. Uproar spread throughout the country as fear grew that this ruling would open the floodgates allowing gay marriage to be legal everywhere. As a precautionary move, in 1996 President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act into legislation. This put a federal ban on gay marriage, and is really where the battle begins. (â€Å"National Conference of State Legislatures†) In 2009 at the 111th congress, a bill was entered as a proposal to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.This act was called the Respect for Marriage Act. After some bureaucratic push and pull, in March 2011, this act was signed into legislation- officially ending the government’s long standing ban on state recognized same sex marriage. (â€Å"National Conference of State Legislatures†) While this act does not directly legalize or recognize gay marriage at the federal level, it does take away the only standing legal defense that federal courts were able to use in the many cases waged to allow gay couples to have the same rights as heterosexual couples.It is a move in the right direction for lawmakers to finally end the decades long discrimination of gay individuals and couples. While the apparent causes for the influx in gay marriage support is obvious, those not involved in the battle should understand why it is an issue that needs to be solved. Marriage is not only a union made between two people, but it comes with several rights and â€Å"rewards† that are afforded only to married couples. There is the obvious tax break that is available to those filing â€Å"Married† on their federal income tax returns.The amount of money varies greatly depending on income, but it is a financial break nonetheless. There is also the issue of insurance, both health and life. While most states allow those in â€Å"domestic partnerships† to be placed on each other’s insurance, this is not guaranteed by all states and in all circumstances. This means that a gay couple cannot be on each other’s insurance. There are also issues of parenting and adoption. Each state has a different variety of laws, though some do not allow those not married to become adoptive parents.A very large and concerning issue is that of Social Security Survivor Benefits. If a man or woman works all of their lives and pays into the Social Security system and then dies, the money is left to no one because the Federal Government refuses to accept the legal marriages performed in individual states. (â€Å"Center For American Progress†) According to the Center for American Progress, there is a total of â€Å"1,138 federal statutory provisions classified to the United States Code in which marital status is a factor in determining or receiving benefits, rights, and privileges.† (â€Å"Center For American Progress†)That is a total of 1,138 rights and benefits that require a legal marriage to be considered; which is also a total of 1,138 rights and benefits currently being denied to American citizens. The effects are obviously endless, and the solution should be obvious. To properly come up with a solution to this problem, the government must look at the opinions of the majority, coupled with the rights of the minority and find a happy medium.If the government removed all ties to the term â€Å"marriage†, it would then be enabling the religious majority to continue protecting the â€Å"holy union† they so desperately feel the need to protect. This solution would require very little funding, or extreme measures, rather would just take some tricky new wording of the laws to cast a new shadow of fairness upon the nation. This idea makes plenty of sense when you break it down. In order for any man and women to legally be married, they must go to the clerk of court for their locality, and obtain a marriage license.This marriage license is a legal document signed by an employee of a government agency, therefore making marriage a government institution instead of a religious one. There is no currently no requirement that makes it mandatory to g et married in a church, or by a member of a church, which goes to reason that a couple can be married without their union being religious. So the government must then decide, do we strip the traditionalists and religious groups of their â€Å"holy union† and create an uproar which will no doubt further clog the courts with cases seeking a repeal?Or should we remove our ties to this union and create our own union that is available to all citizens and would therefore afford them all of the protections and benefits of being â€Å"married†. When it is put this way, the answer is obvious. The federal government can rearrange the terminology of the laws in place today and replace all of the use of the term â€Å"marriage† with a new term. It could be â€Å"civil union† for example. This would, in turn, allow all men and women in the United States to enter into this type of union, and be protected by all laws that â€Å"marriage† currently affords to thos e married.The traditionalists and religious individuals that want to desperately protect the â€Å"sanctity of marriage† can still do so without having any infringement on their religious beliefs. They can still participate in marriage ceremonies but instead of picking up a â€Å"marriage license† they would need to also obtain a â€Å"civil union license† in order to have their marriage protected by the government. While this idea may put most of the opposition at bay by allowing them to keep their â€Å"marriage†, others who were not previously opposed to gay marriage might consider it too much of a change.For a country that has been â€Å"getting married† for hundreds of years, it is unreasonable to expect all of the people to suddenly change their way of thinking. To start having â€Å"civil union planners† instead of â€Å"wedding planners†, for example, is just asking too much of the people. The government must then ask the peop le, â€Å"is asking the American people to change their normal ways of thinking to allow for their fellow men and women to be treated fairly under the law really asking too much? † When it is a matter of something being too hard, or too much change; individual rights and freedoms should always come first.Our constitution was drafted in such a way to allow for future leaders to change or amend it as the changing needs of the nation are being met. There was a time when women were not allowed to vote. It had to be a big change for the people to suddenly change everything into such a way that would allow women to vote. There were times when whites were allowed to keep segregated from blacks and to deny blacks the use of public institutions. Laws were written to change these practices as well. People fought and died over the implementation of this new legislation, but it was put in place nonetheless.The government has asked a lot more of the people in regards to changing popular w ays of thinking, and all was done in the name of equality. In 2011 this should be an easy task to accomplish. As stated earlier in this essay, times have changed, views are more liberal. Yes it will be an adjustment, but it will be one that will benefit all people eventually. The ideas as to why gay marriage has now become an issue in the forefront of American politics are endless. The effects of the constant denial of rights to American citizen are obvious and in devastating numbers.There is a plausible solution to the problem that will protect not only the wants, but the needs of several different groups of citizens. The resolution of those against it is so strong, as is that of those that carry favorable beliefs. The government has taken steps- both large and small to afford more protections to more people, but it hasn’t been enough. There needs to be new laws written, ones that can allow for all people to feel as though they are American and deserve American freedom. Stud ies have been done, research compiled, statistics published, and only one answer has been derived. Gay marriage is an issue, and it will not go away.

Federal Reserve Bank

Federal Reserve Bank In this essay I would like to discuss why the Fed changes interest rates, what economic mechanism uses interest rates to affect the economy, if the Fed's announcements really make a difference, and what the Fed's most affective monetary policy is.The first question to be answered is why does the Fed change interest rates. The Fed cannot control inflation or influence employment directly so instead, it affects them indirectly, by raising or lowering interest rates. Interest rates play an important role in the general business cycle and financial markets. When rates rise, consumers spend less, corporate profits are reduced, the stock market declines, and unemployment goes up. The Fed uses monetary policy as the economic policy to change interest rates and try to regulate consumer spending, the stock market, and unemployment.Do the Fed's announcements really make a difference? Yes, when the Fed makes an announcement it has an effect on people.English: Interest rates as set by the Bank o f Engl...When the interest rates go up, consumers will buy less and when rates go down consumers will usually buy more. When rates go up it is usually good news, and people will go get new mortgages on their houses, or maybe even buy a new house or car thus helping the economy.In conclusion the Fed's only way to control inflation or influence employment is by affecting them indirectly with monetary policy by raising or lowering of interest rates. The federal-funds rate is the main monetary policy instrument of the Fed and it does not directly impact the economy but when the news of lower or higher interest rates is spread, consumers react and therefore the economy reacts to their changed spending habits.

Cross Cultural Business Negotiations Essays

Cross Cultural Business Negotiations Essays Cross Cultural Business Negotiations Paper Cross Cultural Business Negotiations Paper Business negotiation Is a lengthy, difficult process In Itself, and becomes extremely Intricate when cultural aspects are Involved. However, cross cultural business negotiation is an unavoidable part of international business today, so learning more about the process is an important undertaking. When two negotiating parties from different cultural backgrounds attempt to communicate, the potential for disagreement and misunderstanding is great. The Chinese are generally recognized to have a tough negotiating style. People from other cultural backgrounds, especially from the West, often find the behavior of Chinese negotiators strange and unintelligible. This Is why much attention has been given to studying the Chinese negotiation style. So far, most research on the topic has focused on successful negotiations and very little has been done to examine the barriers to negotiation. Literature Review This literature review seeks to highlight specific Chinese cultural traits that characterize Chinese negotiation behavior and to Identify possible barriers to negotiating with the Chinese. It begins with a brief outline of negotiations and stagnation theories followed by an examination of cross cultural dimensions. Three important Chinese cultural traits: Confucianism, face and Guiana are then discussed in detail to complement the universal dimensions. Negotiation and the Negotiation Process Negotiation has been a topic of research for several decades and, as a result, many defenseless are available. Grammar understands negotiation as a process of two or more parties combining their conflicting points of view into a single decision of mutual interest. Ferreira defines negotiation as a process between propel who share mom common interests, people who stand to benefit from bringing the process to a successful conclusion. The difference between these two definitions exemplifies the development of negotiation studies : Grammar emphasis that negotiation Is mainly used to resolve conflicts, while Ferreira believes negotiation Is an approach to better cooperation. At the present, although no definition of negotiation is universal, most authors hold the view that any negotiation involves two or more parties who have both common and conflicting interest, and who interacts with one another for the purpose of reaching a mutually beneficial agreement. The negotiation process is also divided differently by individual theorists. McCall and Harrington use three-stage model which Involves pre negotiation, fee to face Interaction and post negotiation. Graham and Sans Develop a four step negotiation process: Non task sounding: negotiating parties get to know each other. Task related exchange of information: parties subjective needs and preferences open to discussion. Persuasion: parties attempt to influence the other sides needs and preferences by using persuasive tactics. Concessions and agreement: parties accomplish an agreement which often is the summation of a series of concessions. The above process is referred in the negotiations. Behavior Theory Behavior theory focuses on human behaviors during negotiation. Rene, Mamba and Jug note that behavior theory attempts to analyses the negotiation processes in which negotiators influence each others expectations, perceptions, assessments, and decisions during the search for an outcome, thereby affecting the outcome. They also note three approaches to the study of behavior. The psychological approach focuses on analyzing negotiators personalities, perceptions, expectations and their persuasive techniques. The learning approach views negotiation as a earning process in which each party is largely dependent on its experience of the results of past actions by the two parties. Last, but not least, the dual responsiveness model shows that a negotiators response is a function of his own previous pattern of making concessions as well as the opponents concession rate. The physiological approach can be relevant to our analysis since we focus on examining behaviors of people from different cultures. Cross Cultural Negotiation Chaney and Martin define cross cultural negotiation as discussions of common and conflicting interests between persons of different cultural backgrounds who work to each an agreement of mutual benefits. Cross cultural negotiation is more challenging than mono cultural negotiation. In a cross cultural environment, the negotiation process increases in complexity with the need to consider the factors of different languages and cultures, which are not relevant in a mono cultural environment. Ferreira states that when negotiating within our own culture, it is possible to operate effectively at the intuitive and unconscious level. However, when we leave our familiar cultural context and enter into international negotiations, the scene changes dramatically. There are no longer shared values, interests, goals, ethnically principles, or cultural assumptions between negotiating parties. Different values, attitudes, interests, behaviors, and languages may produce different negotiation styles, which, if not managed well, can lead to misunderstanding and disagreement and can even break up business relationships. Confucianism Confucianism emphasis the responsibilities of individuals toward one another within five important human relationships; those between ruler and subject, husband and wife, father and son, brother and brother, and friend and friend. Confucianism also advocates a social order that values duty, loyalty, honor, filial piety, respect for age seniority, and sincerity. Confucianism has implications for negotiating with the Chinese. According to Fang, Confucianism is more concerned with righteousness and humanenesss than profit. This explains why Chinese negotiators do not rush into formal contract discussions, but take considerable time to build up trust with their negotiation partners. From the perspective of Western business people, an initial meeting with China individuals is seldom a successful one, as the Chinese tend to heir partners. In addition, because Confucianism holds that business is governed by a moralistic notion of sincerity and trust more than by a legalistic concept of contract, Chinese business sis largely build on trust rather than law. Chinese negotiate deals with their partners most effectively when sufficient trust has been established between the parties. A verbal agreement with Chinese business people is as effective as a written contract. Finally, Confucianism advocates the relative importance of knowing others and the relative unimportance of beige known. This is the reason why Chinese negotiators are so attentive to discern the interests and personalities of their negotiation partners and defensive about freely disseminating information about themselves. Face Face is described as a projected social image in a diverse range of communicative situations. More specifically, face implies status and prestige and is a mark of personal dignity. The Chinese are invariably characterized by Western business people as being tough negotiators. The factor of face can be important reason for this tendency. Here, two Chinese faced related terms can be crucial for understanding Chinese negotiation: giving face and losing face. Giving face during negotiations can be understood as showing respect to negotiators on the other side of the table and recognizing the status and moral reputation of the negotiators in society. It is important for Western business people to protect their Chinese counterparts face, but it is perhaps even more important to give face to the,. Losing faces takes place when one negotiator denounces the status and reputation of another. In negotiations, a Chinese negotiator will lose face if someone is critical of him in front of others. Treating Chinese negotiators as a Junior in rank when their official status is an organization is higher can also cause them to lose face, therefore, Brahms believes that it is important to give your Chinese counterpart face at the negotiation table without losing it yourself. Guiana Guiana,the Chinese term for relationship, is one of the most important Chinese cultural traits. It is also translated as personal contacts or personal connections. The concept of Guiana is not unique to China, but it is closely related to the five relations of Confucianism as part of the socio cultural tradition in China. The Chinese give considerable effort to developing Guiana, which is usually established among people who share a commonality of certain identities, for example, schoolmates, fellow villagers or old friends. Recommendations for Successful Negotiation with Chinese Negotiations are the talks that take place before a contract, deal or covenant is reached. Negotiations represent the process by which two or more parties are able to meet mutually agreement. The process may or monotony incorporate mechanisms for building trust so that two parties can work together for the benefit for both. Negotiation is called tan pan in Chinese and literally means to Judge and discuss years to perfect. Others believe that successful negotiations can stem from natural talent that is inherent to the makeup of some personalities. The Chinese concept of negotiation rests on creating a framework for long term cooperation and problem solving. The American negotiation concept is to create a onetime agreement between two parties (Lee, Yang, Graham,2006) Preparing Americans need to take more time than usual in preparing for negotiations (Needed, 2010). Americans should also try to gain as much knowledge about the partners tuition, intent and capabilities. As mentioned above, they need to study the fundamental differences in culture and expectations before negotiating (Ford, Layout, Vital, French,1996) It is customary that the foreigners shows his hand or proposal first when visiting the Chinese (Pee, 1992). Letters of intent are necessary to open the doors to more fruitful negotiations. These letters have no binding ability according to the Chinese. After the letters of intent, the negotiation start with the general principles and then move to the details. In high context culture such as Chinas, Americans should be careful not to rush the transition from general to specific. Context of the deal Knowing the context of the deal is very important. A westerner who has a lot of knowledge about local government involvement in local business is very credible. It is also very helpful if the westerner knows the regulations and policies that pertain to the industry that it is doing business with in China (Needed,2010) Your negotiating partner You should do a background check and know whom are you doing business with in China (Ghana,2008). In addition, the Chinese government owns or directs all state owned enterprises. That makes it critical that you nonoccurrence peoples Republic policy plan and priorities (Needed, 2010). American firms need to pay close attention to the direction the Chinese communist party is taking in regards to social and economic development. They should verify credibility by looking at past dealings in the Chinese company has made with other companies. Know yourself Knowing the big picture of your own company and how the deals will affect your company will help you look mode credible to the Chinese (Needed, 2010). Being aware of how government regulations in your own country may influence your company is ere important to the Chinese. This is because the Chinese are used to having government involved in all parts of business in their country (Ghana,2008) Strengths and Weakness of each company Be ready to show how each side will benefit from the deal in both social and economic value. Show the weaknesses in the local context of the proposal deal. It is worth nothing that businesses which have gone through internal and external analysis have a much better advantage when it comes to closing the deal (Needed, 2010) Operational Readiness The American company needs to be aligned to work with Chinese Style negotiations. The negotiation terms need to be cohesive and disciplined (Needed,2010). They must never disagree with each other openly, or in off the record talks that take place away from the main meeting. There should be one designated speaker, and if anyone else talks they should read from a script so that it shows company consensus. Saying too questions, rather than processing what they may consider useless information. Having a cultural interpreter can help give insights to non verbal communications and body language that is not familiar. The company should also have its own interpreter in addition to any official interpreter that has been assigned. Never ending negotiations Negotiations in china are never final (Ghana,2008). The Chinese use negotiations as a watt to build relationship over long extended periods of time. The signing of a contract in China signifies the beginning of a long term relationship with the Chinese. The Chinese believe that any written piece of paper. A contact starts a long run commitment and they assume that it will be revisited every now and then (Ghana, 2008) Places The Chinese like to conduct business negotiations in their offices and this is often the venue that is chosen by both parties. However, to start negotiations, take the Chinese out of to expensive restaurant, and later send them expensive gifts (Chaos,2000). After the restaurant and gifts, some preambles and proposals should be sent in the pre negotiations stage. All of these steps are required when building the trust that is needed in the Chinese style negotiations. Reputation The Chinese are advocates of sincerity (Lee et al. , 2006). They believe that all communication should be kind and well intentioned with lots of complements. Saying no directly is very taboo in the Chinese culture and almost of the time the subtle no hat the Chinese give is only recognizable by a Chinese cultural interpreter. The Chinese will give concessions sometimes Just to avoid any embarrassment and save their reputation or face (Lee et al. 2006). Communication Americans need to make sure that communications between the parties are understood and clear. Miscommunication in negotiations cause distrust, emotional turmoil and poor outcomes (Chaos,2000). The nonverbal and personal relations are far more important than any signed contact because Chinese contract law allows contracts to be in written, oral or other forms. Due to Chinese companies being owned by a state, negotiations may take longer than expected and instant answers may not be available. The government may have to review contracts several times before they allow the business to sign then or make any formal agreements. Americans contract law is very stringent while Chinas is more flexible. Contracts depend more on the relationships than the writing of the contract. The Chinese also like to keep their options open and they will be abandon a deal if a sweeter one opens up. It is critical to have a predetermined method for resolving any disputes hat arise. This is usually done through the use of clauses at the end of contract. The clauses satisfy the Chinese need to practice Confucian aversion to law and may involve arbitration (Ghana, 2008). A number of barriers in this business meeting led to a failure in collaboration. Identifying these communication barriers can also be relevant to diplomacy since meetings and negotiations are essential for international relations. We therefore make the following recommendations for both business and diplomacy in order to help overcome these barriers. Make an effort to learn Chinese culture and behavior. Be parent during the non task sounding process. Chinese usually need time to build trust and create Guiana with their counterparts before deciding to move ahead with the negotiation. Make sure that trust has been successfully built into the task related exchange of information process, because Chinese individuals will provide adequate and useful information only to people they trust. This will eventually make the persuasion process easier. Remember that entry to the concessions and agreement process is not the sign of a successful negotiation. Developing good Guiana with Chinese negotiators and respecting Chinese cultural traits is the basis for moving forward in this process. Successful Negotiations Negotiations are usually more successful when the two parties involved are cooperative with each other (Chaos, 2000). Using the cooperative Confusion tactics instead of the warrior like Sun Thus stratagems will have better results. When problem solving strategies are used by both firms there is a higher chance of success. It helps if the western company can show that they have government support, this is shows that they are stable, reliable and credible. Talking to your counterpart instead of threatening legal action always result in a better solution given the Confucian aversion to law. Also keeping things as local as possible should pacify the Chinese wariness of foreigners which has great weight in their culture. You should maintain the same team that you start with A successor will not inherit your Guiana, or friends. The Chinese do not do business with your company they do business with you. Always add a cushion to your price. The Chinese are accustomed to haggling over every purchase and expect everyone else to be the same way, especially if you are sitting their country. Be careful too high of a price could insult your Chinese counterpart, so pad your price wisely and in a culturally appropriate manner. If you can, you should help your counterparts around any bureaucratic obstacles that mat get in their way. Inviting the Chinese to go aboard to your country can add tremendously to your success. Failures Failures can come from a variety of unexpected sources. The most reason for failure is that the Chinese firm lacks the funds to go through with a deal (Fan,2006). Sometimes the cultural interpreter may not realize that the Chinese firm was insincere in their offer. If the tone of the negotiations becomes one of fluctuation and lack of cooperation, then the failure is almost certain. Showing anger, raising your voice or changing your tone could be seen as uncooperative behavior. Also if you send a low ranking employee, the Chinese will consider you impolite, be insulted and doubt your sincerity. They will send a matching low ranking employee of their own just to match you, but he will not be allowed to negotiate with you. The Chinese have regional areas Just like the United States and there are very different cultures, radiations, and sometimes languages in these regions. Not acknowledging these regions can cause you to have limited success in one area and a complete failure to Conclusion Culture can have a large impact on the success of international business and negotiations between companies doing business across borders, in particular. The chasm between Chinese culture, business and negotiating practices and that of Americans is vast. The cultures differ in the basic philosophies and deep level assumption, as well as strategies and operational styles. When the two culture engage, the opportunities of major misunderstanding are rife. If westerns follow their typical manner of doing business and the Chinese followed theirs, there would likely be few deals and two cultures would clash terribly. An understanding of cultural influences and a willingness to bridge and accommodate differences is therefore central to successful business partnerships. This paper explored barriers in negotiating with Chinese business representatives and analyses authentic business meetings across cultures using theoretical framework based on negotiation behavior, discourse analysis and intercultural dimensions. Confucianism, face and Unix were so incorporated in the framework. Specific barriers relating to different cultural values were identified in each of the process of negotiation. The analysis showed that the major barrier was related to the first process of non task sounding and a series of recommendations were made based on this paper. Since it is a mutual responsibility for both negotiation parties to understand the cultural realities of their negotiation partners, it is worthwhile for Western diplomats and business people to disseminate their cultural values to their Chinese counterparts as well.

Forgo vs. Forego

Forgo vs. Forego Forgo vs. Forego Forgo vs. Forego By Mark Nichol What’s the difference between forgo and forego? It’s a foregone conclusion that there’ll be some confusion, but I’ll forgo further digression to get to the discussion. To forgo is to do without, or relinquish: â€Å"He will forgo the pleasure of her company†; â€Å"I’ll forgo the formality of requiring a co-signer.† The present participle is forgoing (â€Å"She is forgoing the procedure†), the past-tense form can be forwent (â€Å"She forwent the procedure†) or forgone (â€Å"She had forgone the procedure†), and one who forgoes is a forgoer. Only the basic verb form, however, is common. To forego, by contrast, is to go before, to precede. Forego is much less common in usage than forgo, and it generally has a figurative sense, often used in such statements as â€Å"Her reputation will forego her† or â€Å"Her reputation foregoes her,† meaning that others will have heard about the subject before they meet her. However, although the past-tense form forewent is rare, the form foregone, and the present participle foregoing are more common than the root word. A phrase I used in the first paragraph, â€Å"foregone conclusion,† is applied frequently to indicate that something is implicitly understood to be true; foregoing refers to something that has previously been encountered, as a passage in a document: â€Å"The foregoing statement should not be construed as an endorsement.† To maintain the distinction between the words forgo and forego in your mind, remember these basics: Use forgo or forgoing in the sense of â€Å"doing without†; past-tense usage is rare. And though use of forego is unlikely, foregone and foregoing are common terms for reference to something already done. Or, most simply, think of -fore in before to remind yourself that forego and its variants refer to sequence and that forgo resembles forget, which is often the reason something is left undone. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?10 Types of TransitionsMay Have vs. Might Have

Stock Prices Change And Earnings Changes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Stock Prices Change And Earnings Changes - Essay Example Forecasted free cash flows (operating profit + depreciation + amortization of goodwill - capital expenditures - cash taxes - change in working capital) are discounted to a present value using the company's weighted average costs of capital. DCF analysis shows that changes in long-term growth rates have the greatest impact on share valuation. Investors can also use the DCF model as a reality check. Instead of trying to come up with a target share price, they can plug in the current share price and, be working backward, calculate how fast the company would need to grow to justify the valuation. The lower the implied growth rate, the better - less growth has therefore already been "priced into" the stock The dividend discount model is a more conservative variation of discounted cash flows, that says a share of stock is worth the present value of its future dividends, rather than its earnings. The dividend discount model can be applied effectively only when a company is already distributing a significant amount of earnings as dividends. But in theory, it applies to all cases since even retained earnings should eventually turn into dividends. That's because once a company reaches its "mature" stage it won't need to reinvest in its growth, so management can begin distributing cash to the shareholders. (Plan "B" would be for the CEO to pursue some insane acquisition, just to gratify his bloated ego.) As Williams puts it, If earnings not paid out in dividends are all successfully reinvested... then these earnings should produce dividends later; if not, then they are money lost... In short, a stock is worth only what you can get out of it. We generally find earnings developed in three Anglo-Saxon countries—where capital is traditionally raised in public markets and reporting rules are unencumbered by taxation requirements—to have greater explanatory power for stock returns than cash flow metrics.

What have been the costs and benefits of Hong Kongs Currency Board Essay

What have been the costs and benefits of Hong Kongs Currency Board System since 1983 - Essay Example As a result, confidence in the HK dollar and economy began to diminish’ (Hanson). Also that year, the business scenario was not good – the stock market down by 50 percent, property market experiencing downturn and there were runs on the small banks. ‘The value of the HK dollar continued to decrease throughout the year and on September 24, 1983, reached an all-time low of HK$9.55 per US dollar’ (Hanson). ‘In less than a month, following a proposal made by Hong Kong business economist John Greenwood, the government announced that it would return to a currency board system, which would pursue an anti-inflationary policy and promote currency stability’ (Schuler). The CBA is an ‘idiosyncratic system since there is actually no currency board, and bank notes are issued by a few designated commercial banks, which alone deal directly with the monetary authority at the fixed exchange rate of HK$7.80 to the US dollar’ (Shu-ki Tsang). The CBA which was ‘also known as the â€Å"linked exchange rate system† or the â€Å"link† has revolved through several stages. From October 1983 – 1987, the Hong Kong government could not even define the monetary base and the theoretical forces of bank note arbitrage and competition did not seem to work’ (Shu-ki Tsang). The exchange rate was strengthened by the government interference in the foreign exchange market and interest rate handling. ‘To provide the Exchange fund with the necessary instruments to conduct â€Å"open market operations†, the Hong Kong government embarked on a series of programs to introduce Exchange Fund Bills (from March 1990) and notes (from May 1993). On the other hand, the LAF, set up in June 1992, allowed the Exchange... This study will critically analyze the costs and benefits of Hong Kong’s currency board system since 1983. The analysis of the essay is achieved in three main sections. First, currency board arrangement is defined. Moreover, the costs and benefits of Hong Kong’s currency board system since 1983 is investigated before finally concluding. ‘Currency board arrangement is a special case of a rules-based monetary system. It is a system based on rules rather than discretion that serves to establish credibility and avoid losses resulting from decisions that can sometimes be undertaken within a myopic timescale’ (Balino 1997). Hong Kong operated a ‘sterling exchange system from 1935 – 1973, excluding the years of Japanese occupation. The sterling exchange system is a currency board with note issue back by holdings of Sterling assets’ (Crosby 2000). Then, ‘between 1972 and 1974, the HK dollar was set at a fixed rate to the US dollar. From No vember of 1974 until the return of the currency board in 1983, the HK dollar floated freely against the US dollar’ (Hanson). Hong Kong being a Special Administrative Region of China is dependent on mainland demand but its monetary system is still attached to the U.S. If ever China retaliates against pressure for the trade protectionism in the United States, then Hong Kong would be caught in between. As for its disadvantages, people may doubt the willingness and competence of the government to continue ‘perfect convertibility at the specified rate’

Social Organized Crime Perspective Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Organized Crime Perspective Paper - Essay Example These criminals socialize their group members in their own criminal way to engage them in unlawful activities for earning money. (Taylor, 2005) The type of social organization depends upon the social context. In the context of organized crime it may be a cohesive and highly centralized group of individuals perusing a common role of a single or a composite crime. They are socialized within a group about their roles and co-ordination process for committing the particular crime. Such organized groups engage in offenses such as robbery, fraud, kidnapping and gambling for money. They are allotted different hierarchical ranks with different responsibilities. Their duties include the coordinated tricks among sub-groups in their group area with a pledge to keep full secrecy. They are even socialized and trained to use the violence against law enforcement agencies, opponent associations and informers etc. When criminal organization is detected by police, it is obvious that an individual belonging to that particular organization will be punished and not that he/she committed the crime individually. (Cressey, 1992) Nowadays Online organized crime is also being practiced in which the criminals obtain money by threat from the people who use internet for E-commerce. E-commerce was started with the hope that a gap between small and large business would be filled, but due to organized crime the hope is lost. The organized crime on internet cannot be traced down easily because the police and other law enforcement agencies perform their duties within the boundaries of their own countries. The criminal organizations perform their criminal tasks across such boundaries without any fear of being caught or traced. Similarly another type of criminal organization is busy against humanity polluting the residential environment. Some people install the factories in prohibited areas by giving bribery to the concerned

Film Critique on the movie Gladiator (Russell Crow) Essay

Film Critique on the movie Gladiator (Russell Crow) - Essay Example The film Gladiator was a hit at the box office fetching largely positive reviews. However, Elvis Mitchell from The New York Times did see the movie in a negative light and commented eloquently about the film as â€Å"grandiose and silly† (Mitchell, 2000). Nevertheless, the audiences and the fraternity completely disagreed with the cynical critic, and the picture won five Academy Awards at the 73rd Academy Awards including the Best Actor award for Russell Crowe in the leading role and Best Picture award, which was definitely a note of acceptance and accrediting for the entire crew and cast. Apart from captivating an adventurous life of a historical hero, for which the American audience have always shown a special fascination, the film had stolen the show for its â€Å"appealing plot, with distinctive characters, inspired acting, breathtaking cinematography, and a haunting musical score,† as Emily Albu very rightly commented in her epoch making essay â€Å"Gladiator at t he Millennium† (Albu, 2008, p. 185). ... The Final Critique: Gladiator Story Line Plot structure, narrative framework or the screenplay of a film, by whatever name it is called, mostly forms the basic ingredients enabling the success of a film. The narrative framework of a film therefore cannot be undermined at all. The film Gladiator is the brain child of David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson. The film Gladiator is conceived keeping in mind the 180 AD Rome; the film tries to admit historical personages. The presence of the historical figure such as Marcus Aurelius, who was an emperor-philosopher, and his son Commodus indicates much of the sources drawn from the history. However, it is evident that when the plot of the film Gladiator is judged on a comprehensive scale, it is inferred very easily that the film is a loose adaptation of the history and cannot be treated as a direct conversion of chronicle into drama. The plot of the film is tremendously fictional. Moreover, as the history of Rome or, on the contrar y, any ancient history bases upon the quest for power and throne, the elements of politics, romance, drama, emotion, and action become quite inherent in the stories developed keeping the ancient empires and their stories in the backdrop. The story of the Gladiator revolves around the protagonist of the story, Maximus Decimus Berilius, played by Russell Crowe. Maximus is one of the finest generals of the emperor and is the deserving candidate for the throne. Nevertheless, before the official succession, Commodus played by Joaquin Phoenix brutally murders his father and takes the position of his father and complete control over his throne ordering

Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example Nevertheless, over the past ten years, healthcare industry has experienced tremendous growth which has promoted and created an environment for entrepreneurship to occur in the industry (Christopher & Kaur, 2011). The entire healthcare field has therefore been affected by entrepreneurship both in positive and negative ways. The level of health care delivered in healthcare organizations have been affected by entrepreneurship in the field. New creative and innovative thoughts have been formulated in the health care industry as a result of entrepreneurial activities. On the other hand freedom of choice plus intellection freedom for both physicians and patients have been greatly hampered with due to entrepreneurship. The main focus of this paper is to describe the manner in which entrepreneurship has affected health care in the organization. It also address the positive and negative ways that entrepreneurship has affected the health care field including an example of a current entrepreneu rial business and how it has affected the way staff do their jobs or the way patients receive services. Ways in which entrepreneurship has affected health care The process of entrepreneurship has greatly affected and influenced the level of health care delivered in healthcare organizations. ... This therefore means that generally, entrepreneurship has positively affected health care field. Entrepreneurial activities have also created networks of access, social relationships and given both patients and physicians good experience in the field (Christopher & Kaur, 2011). A great transformational change in health care industry has been experienced as a result of entrepreneurship. Reduced costs of operation have been experienced in health care industry as a result of entrepreneurship. This is due to new arrivals of entrepreneurs in the field who takes over the market thus creates competition while eliminating inefficiencies such as high costs and poor services (Christopher & Kaur, 2011). Entrepreneurship has made it possible for people to shop for healthcare in the United States and other developed nations across the world. Entrepreneurs have offered consumers with information regarding medical conditions, insurance options and drug information. This information has made it easy for patients across the world to order and arrange for medication in advance. Positive and Negative Ways that Entrepreneurship has affected the health care field Positive Entrepreneurship has created more opportunities in health care rather than exploitation. This is as a result of innovation which has done away with inefficiencies in the field of healthcare. Entrepreneurship has also lead to creation of more opportunities and enabled mobilization of resources (Christopher & Kaur, 2011). Entrepreneurs are people who visualized patterns thus end up creating more opportunities beyond human thoughts. Cultural and behavioral patterns have been created by physicians while investing in them. This has created more opportunities in health care industry that no one

Film Critique on the movie Gladiator (Russell Crow) Essay

Film Critique on the movie Gladiator (Russell Crow) - Essay Example The film Gladiator was a hit at the box office fetching largely positive reviews. However, Elvis Mitchell from The New York Times did see the movie in a negative light and commented eloquently about the film as â€Å"grandiose and silly† (Mitchell, 2000). Nevertheless, the audiences and the fraternity completely disagreed with the cynical critic, and the picture won five Academy Awards at the 73rd Academy Awards including the Best Actor award for Russell Crowe in the leading role and Best Picture award, which was definitely a note of acceptance and accrediting for the entire crew and cast. Apart from captivating an adventurous life of a historical hero, for which the American audience have always shown a special fascination, the film had stolen the show for its â€Å"appealing plot, with distinctive characters, inspired acting, breathtaking cinematography, and a haunting musical score,† as Emily Albu very rightly commented in her epoch making essay â€Å"Gladiator at t he Millennium† (Albu, 2008, p. 185). ... The Final Critique: Gladiator Story Line Plot structure, narrative framework or the screenplay of a film, by whatever name it is called, mostly forms the basic ingredients enabling the success of a film. The narrative framework of a film therefore cannot be undermined at all. The film Gladiator is the brain child of David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson. The film Gladiator is conceived keeping in mind the 180 AD Rome; the film tries to admit historical personages. The presence of the historical figure such as Marcus Aurelius, who was an emperor-philosopher, and his son Commodus indicates much of the sources drawn from the history. However, it is evident that when the plot of the film Gladiator is judged on a comprehensive scale, it is inferred very easily that the film is a loose adaptation of the history and cannot be treated as a direct conversion of chronicle into drama. The plot of the film is tremendously fictional. Moreover, as the history of Rome or, on the contrar y, any ancient history bases upon the quest for power and throne, the elements of politics, romance, drama, emotion, and action become quite inherent in the stories developed keeping the ancient empires and their stories in the backdrop. The story of the Gladiator revolves around the protagonist of the story, Maximus Decimus Berilius, played by Russell Crowe. Maximus is one of the finest generals of the emperor and is the deserving candidate for the throne. Nevertheless, before the official succession, Commodus played by Joaquin Phoenix brutally murders his father and takes the position of his father and complete control over his throne ordering

Managing and Leading Strategic Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Managing and Leading Strategic Change - Essay Example However, the increase of the market share of Microsoft, the major competitor of IBM, led to the limitation of the power of IBM in the global market. Accenture plc and Hewlett Packard are other important competitors of IBM (Yahoo Finance 2011). The strategic plans of IBM have changed many times in order to support the increase of the firm’s competitiveness towards its rivals. In 2003-2004 a major restructuring of the firm’s supply chain management framework took place, aiming to enforce the firm’s competitiveness the support the increase of its profits. The above plan is analytically reviewed in this paper, as explained above, aiming to show the ability of the firm to monitor its operations and identify its weaknesses. Also, the willingness of the firm’s employees to support radical organizational changes – in order for the firm’s performance to be stabilized, is critically evaluated. 2. Strategic change in IBM 2.1 Key change plans in IBM As n oted above, the strategic plans of IBM have been periodically changed in order to align the organizational practices with the market trends and the customer needs. The last effort of such type has been developed in 2009 – when the firm established ‘the Business Analytics and Optimization (BAO) consulting service line’ (Soejarto 2009). ... 2005) aiming to keep its market share – against the industry’s major competitors, especially Microsoft. However, the above initiative did not led to the expected benefits – in 1993, the losses of the firm were estimated to $8 billion (Meyer et al. 2005). In 2003 the firm’s strategic planners identified important failures in the organization’s supply chain management strategies; efforts were made for updating existing supply chain management practices. The Integrated supply chain (ISC) has been a scheme introduced for helping towards the elimination of delays in the firm’s operations – as these delays were related to failures in the existing supply chain management framework (Paton et al. 2006). The update of the particular sector of the organization lasted for 2 years, 2003 and 2004 and led to the introduction of an integrated plan for managing the supply chain relations in all their aspects. The above change plan contributed in the im provement of the firm’s supply chain management. However, certain implications were not avoided, a fact that led to the limitation of the plan’s benefits – as planned by the initiators of the particular project. 2.2 Implications of change initiated in IBM Despite the fact that change, as part of IBM’s strategic planning process, has been traditionally aligned with the organizational needs and the market conditions, still, the effectiveness of the relevant plans is rather limited – at least compared to the resources engaged and the preparation made for the particular initiatives. The reasons for the delays in the development of the organization’s performance need to be identified and evaluated; also, the potential failures in the plans of change, as promoted in the

Thesis Statement Essay Example for Free

Thesis Statement Essay This essay is based on three films. One, â€Å" All that heaven allows†, which was directed by Douglas Sirk and made in 1955 in the USA. The Second is an animation film â€Å" Neighbours†, directed by Norman Mclauren and made in Canada in 1952 and the third is â€Å" Bicycle thieves†, directed by Victorio De Sica, and made in Italy in 1948. These films primarily deal with the human behaviour towards his own fellow humans. In different styles and settings, they unanimously point towards the animal instincts lying within each one of us. The human race, though pretending to be so civilized, learned and developed, is still no better than the animals of the jungle. Something is primarily wrong with the human race. The essay that follows will derive from the plots of each film, and try to justify that in each case, that each one of us, always wants to snatch away or attack on the freedom and facilities of our own fellow human beings. In this race, the might and the power wins. The polished world of today is still an uncivilized jungle, where the likes of Nigeria, Peru and Chilie are helpless cows and buffaloes, and USA and Britain are the Lions and Tigers. It will, derive from individual cases and argue that the same scenario exists in the international politics of today. Can USA live without poking its nose into the internal affairs of each and every other country of the so called third world? True independence of any nation or any individual simply does not exist, and that is what these films try to prove. On a broader scale, the discussion would also stretch to the loop holes of the two major faiths of this world, Christianity and Islam. When the religion itself promotes violence, how can ‘peaceful co-existence’ exist ? The cinematic brilliance of the three films will also be discussed.

Past Present And Future Of Mcdonalds Marketing Essay

Past Present And Future Of Mcdonalds Marketing Essay McDonalds is the largest chain of fast food restaurant that specializes in making quality hamburgers worldwide. This fast food chain restaurant has over 62 restaurants worldwide with its presence in over 41 countries. McDonalds is engaged in different initiatives all over the world that define its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CSR calls for companies to behave in a responsible manner socially while carrying their mandate to the public. Moreover, CSR also encompasses the companys social behavior while dealing with other companies and business partners who do business with it. McDonalds therefore owes lots of responsibility in its operations socially to the public as well as its strategic business partners. The chain restaurant also runs several franchises which imply that it deals with several strategic business partners. The increase in public awareness has brought CSR into the limelight as companies seek to incorporate this social responsibility it its plans. McDonalds has a number of CSR driven activities and strategies that shall be considered in this paper The aim of this research paper is to consider the past, present as well as the future Corporate Social Responsibility and business ethics that McDonalds has towards the environment. McDonalds has opened many different outlets and franchised several fast food restaurant outlets as well. This therefore implies that it must consider its social responsibility towards the environment as it seeks to expand into the new market. Corporate Social Responsibility often gives the company an edge against its competitors. In conclusion, the paper will consider some of the CSR and business ethic strategies currently employed by McDonalds while conducting its business. McDonalds has also initiated various programs aimed at developing its CSR way beyond the near future. Thus, the company is committed towards delivering its social responsibility to the market and the immediate environs. It is thus recommended that McDonalds should partners with other likeminded fast food restaurants in order to deliver its CSR in the future. McDonalds should also compare its business ethics with those of other companies and ensure that it is in unison with other companys business ethics. This will aid in delivering an effective CSR. Contents Executive Summary 1 Introduction 3 Aim and Purpose 3 Situation Analysis 4 Factors and Discussion 4 Values 4 Sustainable supply chain 5 Nutrition and wellbeing 6 Environmental responsibility 7 Employment experience 8 Community responsibility 9 Conclusion 10 Recommendation 11 Works Cited 12 Introduction This report will aid McDonalds in identifying its core CSR strategies that will propel its business goals into the future. The report also identifies the business ethics that McDonalds has practiced over time and the impact of these business ethics to its strategic partners and customers. This report is thus an indicator of how well McDonalds is delivering its CSR and business ethics. McDonalds being the worlds largest hamburger chain fast food restaurant owes the environment a lot in terms of its Corporate Social Responsibility. The environment in this case implies its customers, business partners as well as the public at large. The firm has played a large role in the past towards conserving the environment. In addition, McDonalds continues to develop a sustainable supply chain for the benefit of its suppliers and distributors thus ensuring that there is continuous flow of business. McDonalds CSR revolves around sustainability. This is because the firm identifies that through sustainability, it will be able to get constant products that it uses to make the hamburgers as well as other fast food products. Sustainability also helps McDonalds in the sense that it will be able to sustain its distribution networks, thus benefiting a whole chain of distributors and suppliers. Aim and Purpose This report on the CSR and business ethics for McDonalds will aid the management and executives in the board of McDonalds to better deliver their CSR to their strategic business partners and the public in general. The report also illuminates areas that perhaps McDonalds should consider incorporating into its CSR plan for the next operating year. This report shall assume certain factors. Firstly, that McDonalds CSR is uniform throughout all the countries that it operates fast food restaurants in. secondly, the report shall also assume that the CSR and business ethics that McDonalds has implemented and will implement have gained general acceptance amongst its business partners, customers and the public in general. The limitations to this study include the fact that some of the CSR strategies that McDonalds has implemented are hard to measure. Most of the business ethics can only be explained but cannot be measured in definite terms. In fact, McDonalds cannot establish the extent of success that it has achieved in the past in regard to the CSR strategies. Situation Analysis In each and every country, McDonalds has thrives to develop a menu that fits the tastes and culture of the people in those countries. This has made McDonalds unique in its delivery of fine and quality fast food products. Its CSR strategies have helped it to identify the needs of the people within these destinations and develop fast food solutions that best fits their needs. McDonalds is thus mindful of its customers diverse needs. In addition, McDonalds strives to promote healthy diets that benefit its customer. Research reveals that fast food products are not good for the health, especially for the heart as well as the liver. However, McDonalds disputes this by developing and making fast food products that are free from cholesterol, fat that causes cardiac diseases. The firm has also won several awards in environment conservation and employment sensitivity. McDonalds has no gender inequality whilst employing its staff from the regions where it has expanded. The company hopes to have trained and retrained all its employees in their respective fields by the end of 2012 (May, Cheney and Roper, p.32). According to an employee at the fast food restaurant in Europe, McDonalds is perhaps the best employer and always listens to the needs and demands of the staff; the employment environment is one to die for. Factors and Discussion This section will identify the various CSR strategies that McDonalds has implemented in the past, present and the future of these strategies. The factors are identifies in the ensuing paragraphs. Values McDonalds core values are all aimed at promoting the Corporate Social Responsibility of the firm. This is achieved through giving value to the customers, the supply chain as well as the other business partners with whom McDonalds does business. McDonalds indeed acknowledges the fact that its customers are the reason behind its success and existence. Therefore, the customers are very much valued within the company. The company thus strives to create a warm and welcoming environment for its customers. Secondly, McDonalds values its employees and states that it is committed towards the career growth and development of its employees through a comprehensive training plan. This is perhaps the greatest CSR that McDonalds has. McDonalds believes in empowering and valuing the employees for increased commitment from them and their continued success. McDonalds also maintains high business ethics and thus conducts its business with high ethical standards (Fisher and Lovell, p.33). The company conducts its business with high integrity, honesty and fairness for all its customers and suppliers. McDonalds also values the community in which it operates and strives to give back to the society through sponsoring various community initiatives such as education. McDonalds believes in making the world a better place (Johnson and Turner, p.112). McDonalds being a public company values doing profitable business with all its stakeholders. The company therefore lays much emphasis on profitable business while enforcing its business ethics across all its subsidiaries. This is achieved through maintaining high ethical standards. McDonalds always strives to excel in whatever field it undertakes to operate in. constant improvement is achieved within the company through continued training and innovation. Thus, McDonalds has grown to become the worlds largest fast food chain of restaurants through its commitment towards achieving its CSR as well as maintaining good business ethics. According to Richardson (p.16), McDonalds has achieved much success through its good will initiatives worldwide, hence many customers identify with the positive side of the company. Sustainable supply chain McDonalds suppliers are required to adhere to the strict Code of Conduct which enhances the supply chain ensuring that the fast food giant gets the best quality products as raw material for preparing the fast food restaurants. The firm values its supply chain in such a manner that there is no way a poor quality product can access the firms production unit. In addition, there are checks and balances to ensure that only the best raw materials are used to prepare fast food products. These checks and balances often involve empowering the suppliers to supply quality products through training programs. In 2007, McDonalds established a strong supply chain department which ensures that the quality standards for its suppliers are continuously met by the suppliers (Hanekamp, p.14). The complexity of the supply chain requires that McDonalds maintains an effective communication amongst its suppliers in order to solve and avert problems at an early stage. McDonalds always purchases its products from suppliers who only comply with the established code of conduct thus ensuring continued quality standards adherence (Gitman and McDaniel, p.34). Furthermore, McDonalds always strives to promote a supply chain that is positively supporting the environment. Thus, the supply chain of the fast food giant usually has no adverse effect on the environment. McDonalds therefore supports an environment-friendly supply chain. The supply chain also aims at promoting a positive economic impact on the suppliers and the immediate beneficiaries. According to Crowther and Rayman-Bacchus (p.42), an effective supply chain is one where suppliers receive timely information that will enable them be able to succeed in supplying the best products for the fast food giant. Andersen (p.24) suggests that McDonalds requires improving efficiency of its supply chain and reducing the bottleneck so that the Small and Medium Enterprises within countries where McDonalds operates may be able to benefit from the existence of McDonalds. Nutrition and wellbeing McDonalds is always committed to the wellbeing of its customers through producing fast food products that have no adverse health effects on the customers. The company follows the strict advice of its nutrition experts. There have been concerns about obesity that McDonalds has taken seriously and strived to avoid producing fast food products that may lead to obesity among its customers. Moreover, McDonalds also promoted doing exercises as part of the health promotion program that it started in 1998 (Ferrel, Ferrell and Fraedrich, p.18). Exercising is an imperative activity that McDonalds acknowledges could reduce the health effects of fast foods. Nutrition experts also advice that eating fast food products is not harmful to ones health for as long as they do enough exercises. McDonalds encourages customer to make quality choices regarding its fast food products that will benefit their health. The firm discourages eating for the sake of it and insists on supporting healthy living (Rendtorff, p.142). McDonalds continues to develop high quality and a well balanced diet that serves the needs of its customers comprehensively. The firm has also developed a wide range of choices to enable its customers to choose from, thus increase customer satisfaction. The firm through its nutritionist has developed consumer-friendly nutrition information that enable the customers to gain useful knowledge regarding the fast food products that the firm sells across all its restaurants. This helps the consumers to make an independent choice regarding which fast food product to purchase. Today, a lot of the consumer choices are driven by the nutrition that McDonalds provides its consumers with. McDonalds has strived to improve the communication that it has with its customers, especially children thus encouraging them to make wise nutrition choices. According to Hartman and DesJardins (p.76), McDonalds established the Global Advisory Council (GAC) which works in collaboration with the international teams to source for expert advice regarding nutrition and wellbeing. Environmental responsibility According to Kotler and Lee (p.19), McDonalds has won the Energy Star Partner of the Year award which is usually awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). McDonalds has been recognized for its massive efforts in reducing greenhouse emissions. The firm is sensitive to the environment and concerned more about the global warming. This has promoted the firm to save on energy and thus avert carbon emissions. McDonalds takes its social responsibility concerning the environment seriously. The firm established its very own Global Environment Commitment (Houk and Williams, p.134). The company has continued to focus on improving its commitment towards the environment. As far as McDonalds CSR regarding the environment is concerned, the fast food giant has in the past and present focused on three main areas namely; energy efficiency, sustainable packaging and waste management as well as green restaurant design. McDonalds has sort to use more energy efficient strategies such as the use of natural gas in the fast food restaurants. McDonalds continues to seek ways of increasing energy efficiency. Furthermore, the fast food giant also seeks to reduce the impact of its operations on the environmental impact. In addition, McDonalds continues to explore ways in which it can package the consumers product in packages that are easy to recycle and reuse. Malachowski (p.27) reveals that the company banned the use of plastics in packaging the fast food products. The firm continues to use paper-based packages though it is in a bid to look for an environmental friendly package. The firm has been criticized for using paper-based packages in the wake of the global warming panic. Paper comes from trees and thus by using the paper-based packages, McDonalds may have been going against the environmental preservation requirements. Trevino and Nelson (p.47) reveal that McDonalds has an environmental department which attends the green house conferences in Geneva annually. These officials are in charge of ensuring that McDonalds continues to comply with the environmental laws of various countries where it is established. Most of the restaurants belonging to McDonalds have adopted the green restaurant design which helps in saving energy. This has given McDonalds the opportunity to participate in the reduction of carbon emission through investing in energy efficient buildings. Most of the restaurants belonging to McDonalds have an open space which allows plenty of light to enter into the building thus saving the use of electricity during the day. McDonalds CSR supports the conservation of the environment through reduction of carbon emission as well as the green restaurant designs. Employment experience McDonalds has a policy within all its subsidiaries and fast food restaurants worldwide of giving its employees a priority over all other things. The firm indeed identifies that employees are core in the companys success. McDonalds has in the past devised training programs aimed at employee development. Moreover, the firm empowers its employees to take up new challenges in the fast food market. Furthermore, McDonalds supports human rights which forms part of it global business conduct. Respect to life and the preservation of human dignity has enabled the company to excel in its core relationship with its employees as well as customers and business partners. This has enabled McDonalds to grow through its appreciation of human life and dignity, an area where many other companies have failed. Employees rights are a priority at McDonalds. McDonalds has developed a strategy that allows the employees relative freedom in working with the firm. There are three aspects of the employee priority virtues that McDonalds has identifies namely respect, commitment growth and talent enhancement (Hoffman, p.114). McDonalds has created a culture where every employee is respected and valued globally. In addition, McDonalds is committed towards realizing quality employees through comprehensive training programs and staff development strategies. McDonalds identifies young talented graduates and employees then as graduate trainees thus ensuring that it acquires the right caliber of future employees. These young graduates are drawn from various hospitality colleges and universities across the globe. According to Mullerat and Brennan (p.22), McDonalds always strives to deliver quality employee training to its employees. Moreover, its employment policy is not biased against one kind of gender. There is an open approach towards those employed at McDonalds. Every employee is thus a priority at McDonalds since the firm realized that its workforce holds the key to its valued success. This CSR involving valuing and respecting employees has enabled McDonalds to improve its service provision to its clientele. Community responsibility For ages, McDonalds has been supporting the Olympic Games through feeding program aimed at feeding the athletics. McDonalds is also involved in various charities and also supports education in the developing countries where it has its franchises and fast food restaurants. As part of its bid to return back to the society, McDonalds has sponsored several children programs involving eradication of illiteracy and poverty. McDonalds also sponsors a number of events worldwide including the Olympic Games and walks. Over the past calamities, McDonalds has been involved in disaster response where it has supported the victims of such disasters. Just recently during the Haiti disaster, McDonalds moved in to donate a handsome amount towards the rebuilding of the destroyed country. According to Morris, Willey and Sachdev (p.54), McDonalds has also supported various community based programs such as sponsoring the education of poor children in India and Asia. Conclusion McDonalds has been able to achieve high success through its identification of the elements that make it succeed most. These elements include its employees, customers and the suppliers. McDonalds values its employees and has various training programs to support their bid towards an excellent service provision. The company draws its success mostly from its employees. McDonalds also hires quality and highly valuable employees thus ensuring continued success for the company. McDonalds also draws its success from its highly valued customers. The company provides the customers with nutrition information thus ensuring that the customer makes informed decision. Moreover, the firm develops well balanced diets that meet the dynamic requirements of each fast food market. Indeed, customers have enabled the firm to develop strongly with most customers referring others to the fast food giant. The customers also benefit from the advice of the international nutritionists as well as the nutrition experts that are dissipated to McDonalds on a regular basis (Daft and Marcic, p.11). McDonalds support for the environment has ensured that its CSR continues to grow. The firm has many ways of giving back to the community. McDonalds supports various sponsorship programs, the most profound being that which supports the education of children (Carter and Clegg, p.48). McDonalds also feeds the athletes at the Olympic Games. Poverty eradication has also been a priority for the company as it seeks to improve the standards of living. McDonalds continues to support CSR and good business conducts and ethic across its operations, now and in the future to come through enhanced quality programs. Suppliers also form part of the core business that McDonalds supports. The suppliers are organized in supply chains to ensure that they continue to abide by the quality standards. Recommendation McDonalds should make us of solar energy, which is a renewable form of energy. This will go a long way towards ensuring that there is less carbon emission. The EPA would thus be pleased with the efforts propagated by McDonalds. McDonalds should also run advertisements in the media to promote its balanced healthy diet. The advertisements should also contain nutrition advice on various ways of eating healthy fast food diets. The firm should also diversify its diets to ensure that it meets the requirements of different ages.