Book Review God of the Oppressed Essay examples

Book Review: â€Å"God of the Oppressed† James H. Cone â€Å"God of the Oppressed† is a history of the African American Struggle through the complex account of its author, James H. Cone. Written in 1975, â€Å"God of the Oppressed† is the continuation of Cone’s theological position, which was introduced in his earlier writings of, â€Å"Black Theology and Black Power,† (1969) and â€Å"A Black Theology of Liberation† (1975). This final account was put together and published as a response to the continuous dismissal of Black Theology. This response shows Cone’s use of personal experiences, knowledge, and faith to explain the actual God of the oppressed found in Black Theology. The importance of the chosen title is maintained through all ten of Cone’s chapters†¦show more content†¦Ethics is theology and white theology is blind, therefore it directly affects white ethics, â€Å"because white theologians have not interpreted God as the Liberator of the oppressed, it fol lows that white ethicists would not make liberation the central motif of ethical analysis.† (185) A poem by Joseph Cotter ends the book because it is Black Theology’s thought on reconciliation with the white community. In 1975, Cone’s answer was this reconciliation is not going to happen because blacks were still being oppressed. Today, Cone may feel that enough progress has been made in liberating the blacks to reconcile with whites. Clearly the learning process Cone puts his readers through is based on â€Å"building blocks.† He begins at a certain point and builds on it till Black Theology is understood. This creates for many reoccurring themes that cannot go unnoticed. The themes of liberation, suffering and scripture are the themes that seem to cover all that Cone has discussed in his literary teaching. The three continuously overlap so discussing the three together is only logical. To Christianity scripture is obviously crucial, but for Black Theolo gy it is everything. The Old Testament book of Exodus is crucial in understanding Black Theology, because it gives a historical account of God helping a special oppressed group survive and liberate. Blacks in America were oppressed just as the Israelites, so they believe that God will liberate them. WhileShow MoreRelatedBook Review: My Forbidden Face: Growing up Under the Taliban675 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿In the book, My Forbidden Face: Growing Up Under the Taliban: A Young Womans Story, Latifa explains how her oppressed society made her take stand against them by reaching for freedom. When her society became oppressed, she was force to live her life as a prisoner, which included covering up her face with a hijab. In some Islamic countries, the hijab is forced on women due to religious beliefs and the state believes that women will be protected from sexual harassment and rape if they wear it.Read MoreReview of James H. Cones Martin Malcolm America: A Dream or A Nightmare1310 Words   |  6 PagesReview of James H. Cones Martin Malcolm America: A Dream or A Nightmare Martin Malcolm America: A Dream or a Nightmare written by James H. Cone is a book that takes an in depth look at Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, their ties to each other and what they meant to American society. Before the reader can understand why Martin and Malcolm developed such varying views on civil rights, he first discusses the details of the social and economic lifestyles that each Read MoreReview on the Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State. ------------------ Frederick Engels |1281 Words   |  6 PagesReview on The origin of the Family, Private Property and the State. ------------------ Frederick Engels | Submitted by Md. Hafizur Rahman Sikder 8th semester; Sec: B; Roll no: 418 Curse no: 801 | Submitted to Kazi Mohammad Mahbobor Rahman Lecturer , dept. of Political Science University of Dhaka | Review outlineRead More Frankenstein: The Impact of God-like Sciences Stemming from Modern Technology1317 Words   |  6 Pages Frankenstein: The Impact of God-like Sciences Stemming from Modern Technology In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein’s life story is the heart of the tale. As a young Swiss boy, he grew up in Geneva reading the works of the ancient and outdated alchemists, a background that serves him ill when he attends university at Ingolstadt. There he learns about modern science and, within a few years, masters all that his professors have to teach him. He becomes fascinated with the â€Å"secretRead MoreJames Baldwin s Religious Writings1408 Words   |  6 Pagescritique certain religious practices, and James Baldwin, an author in the 1950s, served as a major contributor to this group of works. He wrote several books, plays, and essays that served as major pieces of religious commentary during the 1950s. His writing explored topics that criticized strict religion, opening up a new outlook on relationships with God. Baldwin experienced many facets of religion in his life, creating autobiographical tendencies in his writing that filled his works with his own opinionsRead MoreJesus Christ And The Holy Spirit1159 Words   |  5 Pagesand of the Holy Spirit† (28:19). This commission turns the church’s attention to the Gentiles mission without excluding the Jews. The Great Commission challenges the church of the twenty first century still, to bring others into a relationship with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit while remaining the mission of the church, and molding our call to mission and ministry in our contemporary world. Our task, as a church, is just as crucial today to teach and embody Jesus’ teaching, life, and attitudeRead MoreThe Influence Of Gothic Literature On The Human Condition1283 Words   |  6 Pagesbelieved he was far beyond the rest of society. After leaving his home in Geneva, he began to study galvanism at a college in Ingolstadt. But studying the creation of life wasn’t good enough for young Frankenstein. Victor wanted to replicate the powers of God by bringing life into this world. He thought that he would successfully be able to resurrect a human being. He told Robert Walton â€Å"Life and death appeared to me ideal bounds, which I should first break through and pour light into our dark world. A newRead MoreThe Role Of Women In The Middle East919 Words   |  4 PagesUpon review of Western opinion regarding the Middle East, there seems to be a number of inconsistencies. The United States during the Bush administration seemed to be invested in women’s rights in Iraq and Afghanistan right up until it was decided that the invasion of Iraq was more beneficial to the United States’ own agenda. During the invasion, violence and even death, but never emancipation, was the new fate of the women in those countries. Following the invasion of Iraq, the economy and politicalRead MoreThe Synoptic Relationship : The Four Source Hypothesis1472 Words   |  6 PagesMark 1:15 reads, â€Å"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.† The most important thing that these two scriptures have in common from the start is that Jesus is the speaker, due to it being written in â€Å"red.† This is the first agreement that both share in characterize of Jesus. Before viewing Matthew 4:17, let review back to Chapter 1, 2, and 3, in these three chapters, there is the ‘The Book of Generation, the Birth of the Messiah, and John the BaptistRead MoreMary Shelley s Frankenstein And The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner1634 Words   |  7 Pagessituation. Mary Shelley’s writing career took place almost a century before an early feminist movement called the feminist phase. Beginning around 1880, and continuing to roughly 1920, this feminist movement â€Å"produced women writers who developed oppressed female characters in their stories in order to display their own oppression in an overt way† (Brackett). By emphasizing female struggles in what people read, light began to shine on the unfair burdens placed on women. While Frankenstein was written

Six Sigma Class Intro and Ppt Free Essays

INTRODUCTION TO SIX SIGMA CONTENT FLOW†¦ ? Understanding Six Sigma ? Definition ? World at Six Sigma examples ? Six Sigma Scale ? Why Six Sigma ? Six Sigma Methodologies Tools ? Define ? Measure ? Analyze ? Improve ? Control WHAT’S IN A NAME? Sigma is the Greek letter representing the standard deviation of a population of data. ? Sigma is a measure of standard deviation (the data spread) ? ? ? SIX SIGMA IS †¦ ? A statistical concept that measures a process in terms of defects – at the six sigma level, there 3. 4 defects per million opportunities ? A defect is anything that results in customer dissatisfaction Six Sigma is a methodology and a symbol of quality ? HOW OFTEN ARE WE DELIVERING ON TIME? ? If the target time is 30 Mins, the graphs below show two curves with average at 25 Mins 30 mins 30 mins s s 0 10 x 30 2 sigma 20 40 50 0 10 20 x 30 4 sigma 40 50 ? ? How many standard deviations can you â€Å"fit† within customer expectations? Managing by the average doesn’t tell the whole story. We will write a custom essay sample on Six Sigma Class Intro and Ppt or any similar topic only for you Order Now The average and the variation together show what’s happening. MANAGING UP THE SIGMA SCALE Sigma 1 2 3 4 5 6 % Good % Bad 30. 9% 69. % 93. 3% DPMO 691,462 308,538 66,807 69. 1% 30. 9% 6. 7% 99. 38% 99. 977% 0. 62% 0. 023% 6,210 233 3. 4 99. 9997% 0. 00034% EXAMPLES OF THE SIGMA SCALE In a world at 3 sigma. . . ? In a world at 6 sigma. . . ? There are 964 U. S. flight cancellations per day. The police make 7 false arrests every 4 minutes. 1 U. S. flight is cancelled every 3 weeks. There are fewer than 4 false arrests per month. ? ? ? In one hour, 47,283 international long distance calls are accidentally disconnected. ? It would take more than 2 years to see the same number of dropped international calls. WHY SIX SIGMA? †¢ At GE, Six Sigma added more than $ 2 billion to the bottom line in 1999 alone †¢ Motorola saved more than $ 15 billion in the first 10 years of its Six Sigma effort AlliedSignal reports saving $ 1,5 billion through Six Sigma. †¢ †¢ Six Sigma is about practices that help you eliminate defects and always deliver products and services that meet customer specifications How are these savings realized? cost of scrap? cost of rework? cost of excessive cycle times and delays? Benefits of added capacity and man-hours DMAIC – THE IMPROVEMENT METHODOLOGY Define Objective: DEFINE the opportunity Measure Analyze Improve Control Objective: Objective: Objective: MEASURE current ANALYZE the root IMPROVE the performance causes of problems process to eliminate root causes Key Measure Tools: †¢ Critical to Quality Requirements (CTQs) †¢ Sample Plan †¢ Capability Analysis †¢ Failure Modes and Effect Analysis (FMEA) Key Analyze Tools: †¢ Histograms, Boxplots, MultiVari Charts, etc. †¢ Hypothesis Tests †¢ Regression Analysis Objective: CONTROL the process to sustain the gains. Key Define Tools: †¢ Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) †¢ Voice of the Stakeholder (VOS) †¢ Project Charter †¢ As-Is Process Map(s) †¢ Primary Metric (Y) Key Improve Key Control Tools: Tools: †¢ Solution Selection †¢ Control Charts Matrix †¢ Contingency †¢ To-Be Process and/or Action Map(s) Plan(s) DEFINE – DMAIC PROJECT WHAT IS THE PROJECT? $ Project Charter Cost of Poor Quality Stakeholders Voice of the Stakeholde r Six Sigma What is the problem? The â€Å"problem† is the Output ? What is the cost of this problem ? Who are the stake holders / decision makers ? Align resources and expectations ? DEFINE – CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS WHAT ARE THE CTQS? WHAT MOTIVATES CUSTOMER? SECONDARY RESEARCH Market Data THE Voice of the Customer Key Customer Issue Critical to Quality Listening Posts Industry Intel Industry Benchmarking Customer Service Customer Correspondence PRIMARY RESEARCH Survey s OTM Observations Focus Groups MEASURE – BASELINES AND CAPABILITY WHAT IS OUR CURRENT LEVEL Sample some data / not all data Current Process actuals measured against the Customer expectation OF PERFORMANCE? Descriptive Statistics Variable: 2003 Output Anderson-Darling Normality Test A-Squared: P-Value: Mean StDev Variance Skewness Kurtosis N Minimum 1st Quartile Median 3rd Quartile Maximum 0. 211 0. 854 23. 1692 10. 2152 104. 349 0. 238483 0. 240771 100 0. 2156 16. 4134 23. 1475 29. 6100 55. 2907 ? ? ? What is the chance that we will succeed at this level every time? 0 10 20 30 40 50 95% Confidence Interval for Mu 95% Confidence Interval for Mu 21. 1423 19. 5 20. 5 21. 5 22. 5 23. 5 24. 5 25. 5 26. 5 25. 1961 95% Confidence Interval for Sigma 8. 690 11. 8667 95% Confidence Interval for Median 95% Confidence Interval for Median 19. 7313 26. 0572 ANALYZE – VALIDATED ROOT CAUSES WHAT ARE THE KEY ROOT CAUSES? Experimental Design Data Stratification Regression Analysis Process Simulatio n Six Sigma y = f (x1, x2, x3 . . . xn) Critical Xs IMPROVE – POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS HOW CAN WE ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES IDENTIFIED? ? WE Address the causes, not the symptoms. Generate Evaluate Clar ify Decision y = f (x1, x2, x3 . . . xn) Critical Xs Divergent | Convergent IMPROVE – SOLUTION SELECTION HOW DO WE CHOOSE THE BEST SOLUTION? Solution Selection Matrix Qualit y Solution Sigma Time CBA Other Score Time Cost Six Sigma Solution Right Wrong Implementation Good Bad O Nice Idea Nice Try X Solution Implementatio n Plan CONTROL – SUSTAINABLE BENEFITS HOW DO WE †HOLD THE GAINS† OF OUR NEW PROCESS? ? ? Some variation is normal and OK How High and Low can an â€Å"X† go yet not materially impact the â€Å"Y† Pre-plan approach for control exceptions Direct Process Customer: CCR: Date: Measuring and Monitoring Loan Service Manager ? Process Owner: Process Description: Process Control System (Business Process Framework) Flowchart Customer Sales Processing Branch Manager Key Measure ments P1 – activity duration, min. Specs /or Targets Measures (Tools) Responsibility Contingency Where (Who) (Quick Fix) Frequency 35 Remarks UCL=33. 48 Review appliation for completeness P2 – # of incomplete loan applications Individual Value Apply for loan 1. 1 Application Review 25 Complete meeting information Mean=24. 35 No Application Complete? 1. 2 Processing 1. 3 Credit review 15 0 10 20 30 LCL=15. 21 1. 5 Disclosure 1. 4 Review Observation Number How to cite Six Sigma Class Intro and Ppt, Essay examples

Kate Chopin and Her Writing free essay sample

Many authors of different generations draw their inspiration from different things. In writing, one draws their inspiration from various events in his life. This could be a past life experience, an ideology, a religious belief, a personal history or life experience, traits in the society, and many other reasons that people find important to write about. The most important thing in writing that distinguishes authors from the common people is their inspiration. One’s source of inspiration can easily influence the way the author writes. It is the compass of both the authors and the readers. Authors do base their works on inspirations, either consciously or sub-consciously. As it is well known, literature is the image of the society, hence the author’s work seeks to be a reflection of who the people in this society are.That is to mean their personality, beliefs, ideology and upbringing. All these factors do contribute to one being a particular kind of an author. We will write a custom essay sample on Kate Chopin and Her Writing or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A perfect example is Kate Chopin who grew up in a Louisiana family in the nineteenth century. In those times there lived many male chauvinists, and women oppression was rather common. In that society, it was a prerogative of the men to determine how far a woman could go in any sphere of life. It is therefore correct to say that women empowerment was only a dream during those times that Kate Chopin was born and brought up in. This particular environment and upbringing that surrounded K. Chopin influenced her writing in many ways. This research paper will seek to illuminate the ways mentioned by explaining K. Chopin’s life history in relation to her writing. Her books have a massive ideological view of feminism and women empowerment in consequence to the fact that she grew up in male chauvinist environment. This trait is evident in some of her short stories like â€Å"The Storm† and â€Å"The Story of an Hour†. KATE CHOPIN’S LIFE HISTORY IN RELATION TO HER WRITING Katherine O’Flaherty, who later came to be known as Kate Chopin, was born on February 8th 1851 in the state St. Louis Missouri. Her parents, Eliza and Thomas O’Flaherty, were well-known and respected individuals in that time and in the neighborhood where Kate lived. Her mother Eliza was of a French Creole descent while her father Thomas was originally from Ireland. Unfortunately, when Kate was only 5 years old, her father was involved in a grisly train accident and lost his life. As a result, Kate was left with her mother and spent her preteen years in the woman-centered environment. This can attributed to the fact that she lived with her mother, grandmother and great grandmother who were all widows. Her great grandmother, Victoria Chardone Charleville, was substantially involved in the upbringing of Kate. She natured her artistic and mental capacity growth, and indoctrinated in Kate the talent of storytelling (Davis 3). The great grandmother cultivated the mentioned talent through the stories she told Kate. They were about the early settled unabashed settlers in Louisiana.Chopin’s education life, which started at the Sacred Heart Louisiana Academy, was an interesting one. Her father admitted her to that school at the age of five, and she went there sporadically for a couple of years. The academic program in that institution was similar to what her great grandmother had taught her. Due to the fact that school was Catholic, Kate was taught Catholic teachings and the French academic and intellectual vigor. As a result, Kate became very inquisitive in her observations (Seryester 15). Kate was taught to think independently and make her own decisions but also to be respectful and submissive to the opposite sex. However, the fact that Chopin was brought up in a house full of women and was taught by nuns in her school did not prepare her psychologically to acknowledge the limitation that came with the woman’s autonomy. Therefore, despite the fact that Kate was taught to think independently, she acknowledged the fact that she might end up being a housewife after all.Kate was accustomed to seeing women exercising authority, both at home and in school. Moreover, this indoctrination of training and upbringing contributed to the irony of her writing in which most women felt like prisoners and trapped in their marriage. This was ironically said because as it will be discussed in this paper later, Kate lived her happy marriage. Despite Kate’s controversial and unusual upbringing, she got married at the age of 25 to man named Oscar Chopin in June 1970. Her husband worked as a financial broker. During her marriage, Kate fulfilled a great deal of the wife’s social responsibility. She, however, did not conform to the rules and norms of society pertaining women. For instance, she could go on long walks alone and even smoke in public in the society where women were not allowed to smoke at all. After her husband’s business failed, they moved to Cloutierville where she continued with her defiant behavioral traits. For example, people talked about her mode of dressing which they said was seductive in nature, since she wore short skirts. They also criticized her for not doing her house chores and choosing to loiter up and down in the streets. In other words, the people wanted her to be a normal wife like others in society.Amusingly, her husband did not complain about Kate being as she was. Instead, he was even happy that his wife was different. Unfortunately, years later Oscar contracted swamp fever and died on 8th December 1882. K. Chopin became not only the sole parent to her children, she also inherited her husbands’ business and debts. She was running the business successfully for one year. It is not surprising that K. Chopin was able to run her husband’s business and at the same time be a parent to her children. This is solely attributed to the fact that she grew up in a female-centered environment which was not dependent on men’s input. Moreover, a family had many widows, and Kate had grown up in that life since she was five years old (Skaggs 9).The losses K. Chopin suffered had a serious consequence on her writer’s career. For example, the death of her father inspired her to write â€Å"The Story of an Hour† which was her imagination of what she thought about her father’s death. Moreover, K. Chopin had to endure the loss of her great grandmother and her half-brother George O’Floherty who died the next month after the great grandmother. As if this was not enough, she had to endure the death of her husband Oscar. It, in turn, made K. Chopin to be depressed, and influenced her writings on solace. In the midst of her grief and solace, Kate had an affair with a man called Joseph Albert Sampite who was commonly known as Albert. He was married to a woman named Marie Lodoiska (â€Å"Loca†), and together they had two children. Around the neighbor and the town as whole, Albert was known to be a womanizer, and everyone knew that he was pursuing Kate. They more often referred to Kate as â€Å"the beautiful Widow†. An interesting point to note is that Kate and Albert shared a lot of similarities. For example, they both loved horses, drinking beer, gambling and riding out at night. Albert and Kate became close as times went by. However, this affair was short-lived as sources close to the two stated that Albert was in love with the pretty widow while she was not. Others, however, said that she was in love with Albert as well but the reason as to why she left her business and returned to St. Louis is not known to date.The story â€Å"The Storm† by Chopin was a story that she wrote years after her affair with Albert. As seen in many of her novels, she named most characters after Albert, only making a few changes. This made some people think that she might have been actually in love with Albert. For example, when K. Chopin wrote about men who have an insatiable sexual behavior, she named them Alcee, a short form of Albert Sampite. In â€Å"At the Canadian Ball† and â€Å"The Storm†, Alcee Laberrielle was a very handsome young man who was a seed planter and loved to talk about politics, women and did a little mischief when intoxicated. Just like Alcee, Albert was an alcoholic who drank so much and came home to abuse his wife. This trait as said by some people could have been the reason why K. Chopin ended the affair. However, the most prominent use of Albert’s name by K. Chopin was in â€Å"The Awakening† when she named Ednas’ jilted lovers Alcee and Robert. The story â€Å"The Storm† by K. Chopin is seen to be a reflection of her beliefs and experiences above all of her other works. The story here is basically about two married couples, Calixta and Bolibot, and Alcee and Clarisse. In this story, Alcee and Calixta were both married. In a certain day there was a storm that had come over the town. While Calixta’s husband and son Bibi took shelter at a local store, Calixta and Alcee were busy consenting to each other’s sexual desires. The two were not strangers one to another. They had known each other for some time and had even flirted before. They, however, had not met since they both got married. Similar to the name of the story , there was a physical storm; ironically, there was also an emotional and a sexual ones at the same time. As the rain poured, it was so heavy and threatened to pull off the roof they were in. Calixta was worried about her son, and she moved close to the window to inspect the situation at hand. She expressed her fears about her son’s safety, and as she fell back she fell into the arms of Alcee who assured her that her son was fine. They started conversing about their sexual desires As the storm raged on, they had no regard for their safety or for their marital status. After the storm, the sun came out, and everything went back to normal.The imagery that K. Chopin used in this particular story is interesting because it is seen as beginning with discomfort, then sexual satisfaction, and then a happy ending which clearly reflects Kate’s affair with Albert. In the story, after the storm, Bolibot and his son came back home and were welcome by kisses and hugs instead of arguments. More so, Bibi had come home dirty. However, none of them suspected anybody as they were not used to such a behavior. As they sat down to take dinner at the dining table, they laughed a lot, and enjoyed each other’s company. Alcee, on the other hand, wrote a very romantic and strongly-worded letter to his wife encouraging her to make her vacation even longer. In the end, the affair helped make both their life in marriage better. In reflection to K. Chopin’s life, it was quite clear why she used Albert’s name in all her characters in â€Å"The Awakening† and â€Å"The Storm† to depict an individual who awakened woman’s sexual desire that she had never known before. After examining Kate’s life, it is quite clear that even though she ended her affair with Albert, she carried on the memories about him, and wrote memoirs about their sexual escapades.â€Å"The Story of an Hour† also explores the sophistication of the married state. Just as the title of the work depicts, this is a story about an hour in the life of a protagonist, Mrs. Gillard. She is fragile in nature and has a weak heart. Thus, when her husband died in a train accident, her sister Josephine and her husband Richard had to be very careful in the way they broke the sad news to her. Even though they thought that the sad news would make Mrs. Gillard’s health deteriorate, it was quite the opposite as she found liberation and independence in her huband’s death. Initially, when Josephine and Richard broke the news Mrs. Gillard, she was overwhelmed with grief and mourned her husband for a few days. However, after the time passed, and she started to notice things she had not noticed before. Unfortunately, her freedom was short-lived as her husband came back without a single slightest idea about the accident. She died immediately after seeing him. Ironically, the ending phrase is that â€Å"she died of Joy that kills.† CONCLUSION Throughout the works of Kate Chopin, it is evident that her inspiration in writing her stories was largely influenced by her life experiences. From such stories as â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, â€Å"The Awakening† and â€Å"The Storm†, an image of her experiences can be clearly seen, even including some persons that she met in her lifetime. Works Cited Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Storm.† Lives Through Literature: A Thematic Anthology. Ed. Helane Levine Keating and Walter Levy. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2001.Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Story of an Hour.† The Complete Works of Kate Chopin, 2006.Davis, Sara DE Saussure. â€Å"Kate Chopin†. Dictionary of Literary Biography. Volume 12., 1982. Hicks, Jennifer. An overview of â€Å"The Story of an Hour†. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Pace Univ. Mortola Library. Seyersted. Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press, 1969.Skaggs, Peggy. Kate Chopin. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1985.

Survey Of Wireless Computing Essays - Wireless Networking

Survey of Wireless Computing Survey of Wireless Computing School Of Computer Science Florida International University Abstract Wireless technology can provide many benefits to computing including faster response to queries, reduced time spent on paperwork, increased online time for users, just-in-time and real time control, tighter communications between clients and hosts. Wireless Computing is governed by two general forces: Technology, which provides a set of basic building blocks and User Applications, which determine a set of operations that must be carried out efficiently on demand. This paper summarizes technological changes that are underway and describes their impact on wireless computing development and implementation. It also describes the applications that influence the development and implementation of wireless computing and shows what current systems offer. 1 Introduction Wireless computing is the topic of much conversation today. The concept has been around for some time now but has been mainly utilizing communication protocols that exist for voice based communication. It is not intended to replace wired data communication but instead to be utilized in areas that it would be otherwise impossible to communicate using wires. Only recently has the industry been taking steps to formulate a standard that is more suitable to data transmission. Some the problems to be overcome are: (1) Data Integrity - relatively error free transmission, (2) Speed - as close as possible to the speed of current wired networks, (3) Protection - making sure that the data now airborne is encoded and cannot be tapped by unwelcome receivers, (4) Compatibility - ensuring that the many protocols that sure to be created subscribe to a standard to allow inter-operability, (5) Environmentally safe - strengths of electromagnetic radiation must be kept within normal levels. In our study of the theories and implementation concerns of wireless computing, we found that it is being treated in an object oriented fashion. Scientists and development crews, including the IEEE, are doing their best to implement wireless connectivity without changing the existing computer hardware. As a result, a lot of focus is on using existing computer hardware and software to convert data to a format compatible with the new hardware which will be added to the computer using ports or PCMCIA connections that already exist. This means that wireless communication will be transparent to the user if and when wireless computing is utilized on a wide scale. Wireless computing applications covers three broad areas of computing today. Replacement of normal wired LAN's need to retain the speed and reliability found in wired LAN's. Creation of semipermanent LAN's for quick and easy setup without the need for running wires. This would be necessary for events such as earthquakes. The last category is that of mobile computing. With advent of PCMCIA cards, notebook computers are being substituted for regular desktop machines with complete connectivity of the desktop machine. However, you lose the connectivity when out of the office unless you have a wireless means of communicating. On the compatibility issue, the ability to mix wireless brands on a single network is not likely to come soon. The IEEE Standards Committee is working on a wireless LAN standard -- 802.11, which is an extension of the Ethernet protocol. Because the field of wireless communication is so broad, the IEEE was not able to set a standard by the time private researchers were ready to test their theories hoping to set the standard for others to follow. 2 Methods There are a few methods of wireless communication being theorized and tested. (1) Radio: This is the method that makes use of standard radio waves in the 902 MHz to 928 MHz frequency range. Although these frequencies are well used, methods have been developed to ensure data integrity. Spread spectrum transmission of data is a method where the transmitter will send information simultaneously out over many frequencies in the range increasing the change that all data will eventually reach the receiver. Frequency hopping is an additional measure that also enables data security. The 26 MHz range of frequencies is further divided in to channels. The transmitter then sends out data hopping from one channel to the next in a certain pattern known to the receiver. Within each channel, spread spectrum transmission can be used

Product Design and Modernism

Product Design and Modernism The principles of modernism affected many areas of human activities, including product design. It is necessary to focus on the following important distinctions of this style, namely:Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Product Design and Modernism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More the absence of ornamental elements and minimalism; pure geometrical forms; the use of new materials; the suitability of the modernist designs for mass production (Greenhalph 1990). At the beginning of the twentieth century, these features were very innovative and only few designers were willing to adopt this approach. This is why they can be called modern, at least if one speaks about the design which existed at that time. Yet, nowadays there techniques are viewed as something conventional and very widespread. This is one of the main issues that should not be overlooked. Overall, it is possible to argue that the principles of modernism are of great relevance to contemporary designers who attach importance to such criteria as utility, aestheticism, and cost-effectiveness. These are the main questions that should be examined in this essay. They are vital for describing the principles of modernism. In order to discuss the innovative aspects of modernist product design, one should first mention that the aesthetics of this movement which mostly rejected those elements which did not serve any practical purposes. This approach is described as minimalism or functionalism which means that every element of design should perform a certain function (Bertens 1997, p. 92).Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In contrast, purely decorative components are considered to be redundant by the supporters of the modernist movement (Bertens 1997, p. 92). These principles were particularly applicable to architecture and interior design . Yet, this idea also appealed to many manufacturers of that period because they wanted to make the products available to a great number of clients (Bertens 1997, p. 92). This background information can throw light on the influence of modernism on product design. This is one of the main aspects that should be taken into account. Overall, the absence of ornamental elements can be best illustrated by looking at the piece of furniture that was created during this period. For example, the following photograph exemplifies the principles of minimalism and functionalism: Figure 1: The armchair designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (Raizman, 2003, p. 189) On the whole, this armchair highlights the way in the idea of functionality influenced the work of designers who tried to combine utility with aestheticism. In their view, these elements could be reconciled with one another. There are virtually no decorative components.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Product Desi gn and Modernism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is one of the main distinctions that explain the principles of modernism and its influence on design. One should mention that this approach to design differed dramatically from the techniques that were used during the earlier periods. For example, the furniture, made by the supporters of the Art Nouveau Movement, could contain tracery, carvings or the use of acrylic painting. In most cases, these components did not play any functional goal and their utility was usually minimal. In contrast, modernist designers did not want to include these components because in their opinion, decorations were superfluous. This is one of the main points that should be considered. The design of furniture was not the only area that was transformed by modernism. There are many other fields of product design that were changed by this aesthetic movement. For example, one can speak about the design of dinnerwar e created in the early fifties Figure 2: Dinnerware designed by Trude Petri (Raizman, 2003, p. 189)Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Again, it is important to remember dinnerware created in the pre-modernist period usually created a great number of decorative elements. Furthermore, one should focus on the use of pure geometric forms such triangles, spheres, or squares. On the whole, this technique enabled the designers to emphasize the minimalism or austerity of their products. Moreover, in this way, the designers could illustrate the novelty of their work and its difference from previous artistic styles and movements. As it has been said before, many critics and buyers could not readily accept this style because these forms were deemed to be very unconventional (Bertens 1997). This is main peculiarity that should not be disregarded when examining the forms that are associated with modernism. It is possible to look at the photograph taken in 1930. To a great extent, this picture was aimed at popularizing the new approach to the product design. Figure 2: A Model for the New Living Style (Greenhalph 1990, p. 98) T his picture indicates that that modern designers preferred clear surfaces and pure geometric forms that have no irregularities. One should take into account that in the first half of the twentieth century, this technique was perceived as something very innovative because the majority of architects and designers avoided the use of pure geometric forms. In their opinion, this technique was too simplistic or even crude (Greenhalph 1990). Moreover, this form was not readily accepted by buyers who were accustomed to the presence of decorative elements. However, the development of modernist design popularized the new methods of production and aesthetic styles. Therefore, it is possible to say that the principles of modernism are no longer regarded as something very innovative. This is one of the main peculiarities which should be taken into account by people who study the role of modernism. Additionally, it is important to pay close attention to the use of materials that became very popul ar during the age of modernist design. Among the most popular materials that were applied in the pre-modernist era, one can distinguish wood, glass, and metal (Raizman 2003). However, the situation began to change at the beginning of the twentieth century when scientific changes widened the opportunities that were available to designers. One should focus on such materials as polyester, stainless steel, polypropylene, heat-resistant glass, aluminum, and even silicon (Raizman 2003; Ross 2008, p. 132). They could be employed for the production of furniture, home appliances, vehicles, and many other products. One can also say that they greatly contributed to the rise of mass production (Cresswell Lambert 2003, p. 122). It should be kept in mind that the development of modernism reflected the increasing industrializations of the society. The materials that have been mentioned facilitated the work of manufacturers that were oriented to the needs of mass consumer market. Thus, this aspect of modernist turned out to be very useful to them. Moreover, at that time, this approach was perceived as something very innovative because people preferred to buy products made of glass, metal, or wood. This is one of the main details that should be identified since it is vital for examining the effects of modernism on product design. Furthermore, there is another detail which suggests that modernism revolutionized the principles of product design. Such principles as minimalism, the reliance on geometric forms, and the use of innovative material enabled businesses to launch mass production of products (Raizman 2009, p. 189). To some degree, the adoption of the modernist principles helped companies increase the volume of production. Moreover, modernist approach to product design facilitated the standardization of items that had to be manufactured (Raizman 2009, p. 189). This peculiarity was of great use to many manufacturers that were producing large quantities goods at the beginni ng of the twentieth century (Raizman 2003, p. 189; Parsons 2009, p. 110). One can say that these techniques are now widely used by many companies which rely on assembly line. This aspect is also critical for understanding the novelty of modernism and its role in the course of history. Overall, these cases suggest modernism played an important role in the product design. In this case, one can speak about minimalist aesthetics, functionalism, pure geometric forms, the use of innovative materials, and orientation toward mass production. Nowadays, the innovation brought by modernism are now taken for granted, but at the modernism emerged these changes were regarded as a breakthrough. To a great extent, the principles of the modernist movement opened a new era in product design and their effects are palpable nowadays. This aesthetic movement increased the availability of many goods. Finally, it is possible to say that product design is one of those areas in which modernist principles con tinue to play a vital role. This is one of the main arguments that can be put forward. References Bertens, H 1997, International Postmodernism: Theory and Literary Practice, John Benjamins Publishing, Boston. Cresswell, L Lambert, B 2003 Product design: resistant materials technology, Heinemanin, New York. Greenhalph, P 1990, Modernism in design, Reaktion Books, Boston. Parsons, T 2009, Thinking: Objects: Contemporary Approaches to Product Design, AVA Publishing, London. Raizman, D 2003, History of Modern Design: Graphics and Products Since the Industrial Revolution, Laurence King Publishing, New York. Ross, S 2008, Modernism and Theory: A Critical Debate, Routledge, New York.

Analytical Essay of The Castle

The film, ‘The Castle’, directed by Rob Sitch, is an Australian satirical movie about the triumphs of an ordinary working class family. It is a comedy, and foregrounds the importance of family and loyalty, which are considered important in today’s Australian society. Although the audience is positioned to feel sympathy for the Kerrigan family because of their unfortunate situation, their story is told in such a comical manner that the audience can’t help but find it funny. The story is told through the perspective of Darryl Kerrigan’s son, Dale, but so much emphasis is put on Darryl that it is clear that he is the star of the story. The film uses techniques like camera shots, language and the use of narration to develop conflict between a decent, old fashioned suburban family, the Kerrigans and seemingly evil corporation called Airlink. Feature films like ‘The Castle’ are cultural products because they use attitudes, values and stereotypes about what it means to be Australian. In this film, an Australian family living in their beloved home, situated at the end of an airport runway, are faced with a touch challenge as the faceless company Airlink threaten to take away their house, and the houses of their neighbours. Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton), the head of the house, is outraged, and hires a pathetic lawyer, Dennis Denuto, to help defend his and his friends’ homes. After a feeble attempt in court to convince the judge that the taking of their houses was, â€Å"against the constitution†, that it was the â€Å"vibe of the thing† their case was turned down, and all hope seemed lost. This caused great sadness within the Kerrigan home, and Darryl had fallen silent. After the Kerrigan family had completely given up, they got a knock at the door from Lawrence Hammill, QC who had met Darryl at the court house and felt empathy for his case. He told Darryl he would defend his case, free of charge, and they set their sights on High Court. This film was set in Melbourne, near the Melbourne Airport. The fact that the Kerrigan household is located so close to the airport positions the audience to think that the house is cheap and invaluable, which is emphasized when the audience is shown the huge power lines situated almost in the Kerrigans’ backyard, as well as the â€Å"dodgy† extensions on the house Darryl has done himself. This being said, Darryl loves his house, and couldn’t bring himself to leave it. ‘The Castle’ puts heavy emphasis on gender construction. The male roles in the movie are stereotypical. Darryl Kerrigan is a family man, which is shown when the audience sees the extensions on the house, and also when he stands up for himself and his family’s rights in court. Darryl is typically always thinking about projects he can begin, which is very stereotypical in today’s Australian society. Dale Kerrigan likes to go fishing with his Dad, which is considered a stereotypical male activity. The males in the film generally do the work and protect for the women of the family. The females are positioned to look as if they need to be taken care of. This film is full of stereotypes. Some of these are challenged, so as to avoid ‘The Castle’ becoming another clichà ©. One stereotype that is challenged is that of a wife; that she should stay at home, while her husband works. This is challenged by Tracey Kerrigan. She has her TAFE certificate of hairdressing, and works as a full time hairdresser. Although this stereotype is challenged by Tracey, it is perpetuated by Sal Kerrigan. She is the stereotypical housewife, and stays at home doing housework, cooking, and craftwork. Another stereotype perpetuated is the typical Lebanese man, represented by Farouk, the Kerrigans’ neighbour. His stereotype consists of talk about bombs and cash being carried at all times. This is perpetuated when Darryl and Farouk are talking about the aeroplanes flying overhead and lowering the value of their houses, and Farouk says, ‘Plane fly overhead, drop value. I dont care. In Beirut, plane fly over, drop bomb. I like these planes’ and also when he mentions, ‘You have friend, I have friend. My friend go to your house, put bomb under your car and blow you to sky!’ Darryl Kerrigan is seen as a stereotype from when he first appears on screen in a midshot, with a hose in his hand, wearing a flannelette shirt and jeans, and looking up at the powerlines situated behind his house. Throughout the movie he is shown as a strong and silent type, as is the stereotypical Australian man. The whole Kerrigan family, for the most part, perpetuate the stereotype of the typical Australian Family. This is shown in their closeness, their loyalty, and their willingness to help each other. Many people and issues are silenced and foregrounded in this film. Airlink and its opinions are silenced, so as to position the audience to view the company as faceless and evil. All the audience sees of Airlink are a few lawyers intent on taking the Kerrigans’ home away from them. In contrast, the Kerrigans opinions are heavily foregrounded. The audience sees all their emotions and arguments as they fight for their precious house, which encourages the viewers to feel empathy. Wayne Kerrigan’s opinions are also silenced. All the audience sees of him which may influence their empathy is the medium long shot of him lying in bed looking up at the photo of his family stuck to the wall. Class and power is shown in different ways throughout the film. Airlink’s power is shown through professional lawyers, in contrast to Dennis Denuto and his incompetence. This contrast is shown when one of Airlink’s lawyers walks into Dennis’ office, while Dennis is struggling with a broken copying machine, swearing, on his knees. Darryl Kerrigan’s power (within his family) is demonstrated in the way that Dale Kerrigan admires him, and focuses his story so much on Darryl instead of telling the story more from his perspective. Darryl is, as Dale says, â€Å"the backbone of the family† and this is shown as Darryl compliments his wife on her cooking each night, and encourages his family to do their best. Different class power discourses are shown throughout the film. The Kerrigans’ class discourse is shown in many ways. Speech is a main part of the discourse. While in High Court, Darryl’s outburst of â€Å"suffer in your jocks!† shows that he doesn’t know how to act in court, as higher class and more educated people would. Again this is shown when he is in court being represented by Dennis Denuto, and yells in excitement when he thinks he’s won the case. Even in the way he speaks, his thick Australian accent, and the way he uses colloquial terms shows the audience his class. Lawrence Hammill’s class is almost immediately known, though it isn’t directly shown when he is first shown in the movie. The audience realizes that he is of higher class than Darryl, because of his language, and by the fact that he doesn’t use colloquial terms. Throughout the film, different camera angles and shots are used to position the audience in different ways. For example, when shown Darryl’s Pool Room, close up shots of items on the walls and in cabinets (Tracy’s TAFE certificate, pictures and trophies) make it obvious to the audience what possessions Darryl treasures most. When Darryl, Dennis and Lawrence are standing in front of the High Court, before they go inside, the camera is angled upwards, in a medium close up, from the ground. This positions the audience to believe the three look ready, powerful and prepared. Another shot that positions the audience is the long shot of Darryl is admiring the power lines behind his house. This makes the power lines look bigger, greater, and more significant. The ideologies foregrounded in this film are those of the underdogs. If the directors were to show the ideologies and opinions of Airlink the audience may not have felt such empathy for the Kerrigans and their neighbours. The Kerrigan’s values are dominant in this film. They value family, loyalty, and justice. This is made clear by the way that the whole family sits down together to eat dinner each night, which is becoming more uncommon in today’s society. It is also made clear by how much time they spend together, talking, telling stories, and going on family holidays. Loyalty is shown by the way that Darryl unites with his neighbours, and cares about how they feel. An example of this is when Darryl tells them they need to get money together to pay to go to court, and how he offers to pay for Jack, because he is old and cannot afford it. Overall, this is a funny classic for all the family to enjoy. The use of foregrounding and silencing of opinions and ideologies positions the audience to feel strong empathy for the Kerrigan family, and encourages them to be on side with the family. The movie is a triumph of human spirit.

Application questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Application questions - Essay Example I used the experience to make new friends, learn all about their culture, language, and environment. More importantly, living in Togo humbled me as a human being. You might said that I had an epiphany while I was there. This was how it unfolded: It was one more day with surge of Sub Saharan heat, when Simon, one of the orphans, brought me noodles with a sprinkle of chicken pieces, saying that he earned some money and bought noodles with it. I asked, â€Å"Where is yours?† The boy replied, â€Å"I have more in the kitchen, don’t worry.† I was stupid to believe him. I ate everything at the speed of light and then brought the bowl to the kitchen to be washed. I saw Simon there and stopped to say thank you once again for the hearty snack. Then I saw what he was eating, a mere bowl of porridge. I never felt more ashamed of myself in my whole life. I should have known better. I should have known that being the stranger in town, they would give me the shirt off their backs in a show of hospitality. That was when I vowed to make a difference in their lives pf those living in the Third World countries as soon as I was able to. A. I worked in the regional public hospital as an assistant to the doctors, nurses, and other medical practitioners who needed an extra hand. Sometimes, I even found myself working in the ER. While I was there, I experienced the problems that their kind of hospital often encountered and I had a chance to speak to their patients, doctors, and nurses regarding their ill effective national health systems which did nothing to help their society prevent even the most common illnesses from becoming epidemics in their area. B. I will never forget the poverty that I witnessed in this hospital. Having come from a better off country, I was aghast to see that the African health care system was so destitute that they could not even provide the most basic medical supplies, equipment, and even slightly competent doctors

Key Change Management Issues related to Organizational Structure Essay

Key Change Management Issues related to Organizational Structure - Essay Example Large Builder plc is an organization that has performed consistently in the highly competitive construction sector in the United Kingdom even during the years of low economic growth.   It has survived and profited as a result of its ability to make quick and farsighted decisions related to investment, market positioning and cost-cutting. In order to take advantage of the upturn in the housing market, Large Builder plc has decided to acquire a small, regional housing developer, Small Firm Ltd. This acquisition is however expected to be performed with retaining most of the current employees of the Small Firm Ltd. and by using their existing market base. While this decision is expected to bring in an expansion in the revenue base, the merger and integration of Small Firm Ltd. with Large Builder plc would require considerations over and above the financial investments and legal deals that would go in the acquisition.   There are several important and distinct differences in the two o rganizations, owing to their different sizes and structures that need to be taken into account while ensuring that Small Firm Ltd. is able to perform the functions and adopt the business processes as envisioned by the Large Builder plc. Further, the two organizations have been managed in an entirely different cultural environment – Large Builder plc having a professional and corporate culture and Small Firm Ltd. practicing a small family-like culture. The above differences in structure and culture need to be understood at the onset as well as pre-empted with a strategy of integration to facilitate a smooth collaborative organizational environment post the proposed acquisition. The following sections will therefore contain a discussion on   the key change management issues that need to be taken into account when integrating Small Firm Ltd. into Large Builder plc.

Curriculum and instruction Essay Example for Free

Curriculum and instruction Essay The definition of curriculum transcends the conception of it as a mere document and ushers it into the realms of instruction itself. Certain researchers consider the curriculum to be a dynamic instrument that is vital to the way students and educators interact with the materials of education â€Å"in a free-wheeling setting† (Weade, 1987, p. 15). Much of the current trends in curriculum and instruction involve the constructivist practice of hands-on training (Ediger, 2001). This dictates that the curriculum takes the form of the drafting and implementation of practical methods in the planning of instruction. Depth of instruction is at the heart of current reformatory curriculum drafting, as it has been theorized by several educational researchers that the improper articulation of the intricacies of certain concepts has led to current educational problems (AAAS, 2000). The fact is that curricula, which serve as a guide for teachers, also have the ability to restrict their freedom in the classroom. The cursory way in which some curricula deal with concepts often has the effect of curtailing teachers’ tendency toward depth and breadth within a lesson, and this in turn has an adverse effect on the understanding of the students. In mathematics, for instance, a student may be having trouble understanding the application of an algebraic concept in the real world. The student may not be able to visualize the transformation of a perfect algebraic square such as (a + b)2 into the expression a2 + ab +b2. The student might not be aware of how the ab portion of the equation comes into play. Visualization of the problem might be aided through the labelling of the sides of a square with the measurements a + b and then dividing the square into bits to demonstrate the areas that correspond to a2, b2 and ab. The visual and practical demonstration of this would work in conjunction with the theoretical aspect of the algebraic problem to aid understanding and consequently memorization. In that way, freedom in the curriculum allowing for a greater depth in the instruction of the concept would lead to a better understanding for the student (AAAS, 2000). References American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Project 2061. (2000). Algebra for all — not with today’s textbooks, says AAAS. Press Release. Retrieved on October 2, 2007 from http://www. project2061. org/newsinfo/press/rl000426. htm. Ediger, M. (2001). â€Å"What makes for a quality science curriculum? † Journal of Instructional Psychology. 28(4): 241-243. Weade, R. â€Å"Curriculu ‘n’Instruction: the construction of meaning. † Theory into Practice, 26(1): 15-25.

Troops should NOT be Withdrawn from Iraq :: War Military

Iraq is not stable enough to risk the United States withdrawing their troops, security is too weak and it will show in the near future. It is evident that Iraq cannot hold a steady government that can support the people and maintain a state of armistice throughout these hard times that the country is going through. This statement is clear seeing that there have been about one hundred and sixty three insurgent attacks daily since May of 2007. The United States is currently controlling the country due to Iraq housing terrorist groups that withhold weapons of mass destruction. Like Al Qaeda for example, their leader, Osama Bin Laden has been on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s â€Å"Most Wanted† list since the year of 2003. Ever since March 19th of 2003 many people have died because of this evil, ruthless man. That is why the United States Defense Department has kept our troops stable in Iraq to prevent some outrageous outbreak of violence. David Patraeus is a General in the United States Army and has written several reports on the war in Iraq and the progress the United States has made. He states that are still enormous difficulties that Iraq has to deal with. A lot of that may come from the many terror groups that inhabit the country. General Patraeus also says, â€Å"the addition of troops will enable the growth of Iraqi security†. (Patraeus 12) He, and many of the other brave men serving in the military completely understand that they have made substantial progress but know for a fact that the situation is still fragile and very reversible. Why would we pull our troops out of something that could be reversed? Would that not be a waste of taxpayer time and money? The General was actually asked why the troops are still in the country, he replied that the only way to secure the population of Iraq is by living with them. The last thing he noted is that he noticed that as force levels grew, the security s ituation improved. The better the security, the more likeliness that the soldiers can come home sooner. Troops should NOT be Withdrawn from Iraq :: War Military Iraq is not stable enough to risk the United States withdrawing their troops, security is too weak and it will show in the near future. It is evident that Iraq cannot hold a steady government that can support the people and maintain a state of armistice throughout these hard times that the country is going through. This statement is clear seeing that there have been about one hundred and sixty three insurgent attacks daily since May of 2007. The United States is currently controlling the country due to Iraq housing terrorist groups that withhold weapons of mass destruction. Like Al Qaeda for example, their leader, Osama Bin Laden has been on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s â€Å"Most Wanted† list since the year of 2003. Ever since March 19th of 2003 many people have died because of this evil, ruthless man. That is why the United States Defense Department has kept our troops stable in Iraq to prevent some outrageous outbreak of violence. David Patraeus is a General in the United States Army and has written several reports on the war in Iraq and the progress the United States has made. He states that are still enormous difficulties that Iraq has to deal with. A lot of that may come from the many terror groups that inhabit the country. General Patraeus also says, â€Å"the addition of troops will enable the growth of Iraqi security†. (Patraeus 12) He, and many of the other brave men serving in the military completely understand that they have made substantial progress but know for a fact that the situation is still fragile and very reversible. Why would we pull our troops out of something that could be reversed? Would that not be a waste of taxpayer time and money? The General was actually asked why the troops are still in the country, he replied that the only way to secure the population of Iraq is by living with them. The last thing he noted is that he noticed that as force levels grew, the security s ituation improved. The better the security, the more likeliness that the soldiers can come home sooner.

Understanding of Poverty in Ireland Today

What is your understanding of poverty in Ireland today? What would you identify as possible responces? My understanding of poverty in Ireland today is that it is multifaceted and covers a range of social issues such as lack of education, social exclusion and marginalisation. In the main body of this essay I will discuss my understanding of poverty and put forward sever al responses to these issues. I will examine how people with physical disabilities and mental health problems, one parent families, the unemployed and members of the travelling community are more susceptible to poverty.Firstly I’d like to define the two main types of poverty in Ireland today which are as follows. Consistent poverty and secondly Relative poverty/at risk of poverty. People in consistent poverty have a combination of relative income poverty with relative deprivation. This means having an income below 60% of the median and also experiencing enforced deprivation. This means being on a low income and not being able to aff ord basic necessities such as new clothes, not having the money to buy food such as meat or fish, not being able to heat your home, or having to go into debt to pay ordinary household bills.Approximately 5% of people in Ireland fit into this category. People in Relative poverty. This means having an income that is below 60% of the median income (the median is the mid-point on the scale of incomes in Ireland). In 2010, that was an income of below â‚ ¬207. 57 a week for an adult. Whilst people who fall into this category may be able to pay their rent they may not be able to cover the costs of utility bills or perhaps not be able to afford to go out for a meal once a month or to participate socially.Approximately 15% of people in Ireland fall into this category. According to the Combat Poverty Agency the people most at risk from poverty in the following order are lone parents, the unemployed, people with disabilities or mental health problems, children and the elderly. The effects of poverty in Ireland include social exclusion from normal activities leading to alienation preventing them from developing their skills and talents , lack of access to mainstream financial services which in some cases will lead to people using illegal mone y lenders who charge igher interest rates which in turn puts them in more debt, long term effects on their mental health leading in some cases to depression due to their lack of a sense of self worth or belonging and physical health problems due to bad nutrition, inability to gain well paid jobs, and in the case of children, bullying at school which in turn may cause depression or suicide or that they may drop out of school early. Lone parents are 3 times more likely to be in poverty than the rest of society as a result of expensive childcare and lower levels of education which leads in turn to low paid work.They find it extremely difficult to access adequate childcare which in turn means they are unable to f urther their education. Also the financial cost of transition from social welfare to employment inhibits them. They would lose their medical card which is a big issue for any parent who then cannot afford private healthcare on a low wage. They are thus socially excluded. People with physical disabilities have no way to improve the quality of their lives. They may not be able to work at all and must exist on a small sum given to them by the social welfare department. They also require home help just to do menial tasks.In many cases they rely on a parent or other family member for this support which also puts the carer in a position where they can not work enough hours if any at all to earn a wage that would be considered adequate. This in turn leads to the carer becoming at risk of falling into poverty. These people are among the most vulnerable people in society and are stuck in a poverty trap. They are excluded socially not only because of their physical limitations but also becaus e they cannot afford to do many things other people take for grante d. I personally believe that cutting the payments they receive is a cruel and inhumane thing to do.If we do not stand up for the weakest people in our society then what does that say about us. People with mental health problems are also stuck in a similar situation to people with physical disabilities. They survive on a meagre social welfare payment with no chance of employment or improving the quality of their lives. Again these people are stuck in a poverty trap and are among the most vulnerable people in society. These people are also socially excluded from many activities other people take for granted which in turn can lead to exacerbation of their mental health problems.People who are unemployed live on social welfare payments. Unlike people with disabilities or mental health problems they do have the ability to work and would much prefer to be working where possible. There are some government funded initiative s to help people in this category to up skill but unfortunately there are still not enough jobs to go around. People in this category may have a mortgage and/or children to support therefore they are at greater risk of falling into poverty. Members of the travelling community suffer from poverty in a few ways.Firstly they are stigmatized by the rest of society and find it difficult to secure employment because of bias and also because of the fact that they are moving from place to place. Many of the children in this community leave school early thus leaving them with a lack of education and furthering their risk of poverty. They also suffer from a higher rate of mortality than members of the settled community. The children are often bullied in school because they are seen as different and therefore find it harder to settle into life at school.My responses to the above mentioned issues would be as follows: Tackling any problem involves finding the root of the problem and working from that point forwards therefore I believe that early intervention would be a key strategy to alleviate some of these problems. The children today will become the parents of tomorrow so I think that targeting children in schools with programmes designed to raise awareness of the social issues involved in poverty and to try and educate them to think in a more sociological way would benefit not only them as individuals but society as a whole.Putting in place more effective support networks with more government funding for people who are struggling may help to stop people moving from relative poverty to consistent poverty. For people in consistent poverty I think that they need to be helped by directly giving them as much aid as we can give and more importantly try to give them opportunities to help themselves. Nobody wants to have to beg , most would prefer to be g iven an opportunity to make their situation better. Raising awareness in the general community would help also.Realising th at there are many complicated reasons why people end up in poverty and that they are not just a bunch of lazy drop outs would help us to empatise with them more. Also I believe that government policy should be studied in a manner that makes sure that it does not contribute to the creation of poverty. Conclusion: I have discussed in the above paragraphs my understanding of poverty in Ireland today. In the previous paragraphs I have talked about some of the different groups of people who are affected by poverty and also the effects it has upon them.I have also outlined a few responses to these problems. Overall my understanding of poverty leads me to conclude that poverty has been around and will continue to be an issue into the future despite the good work that government and many other agencies do as it is a complex issue with no easy solutions. Furthermore in my understanding it is the way our society is organised under the capitalist framework that also contributes to this problem . We are living in a society today where the gap between the rich and poor is increasing. This is in part caused by the mechanisms of the Capitalist economy.Capitalism tends to push people towards poverty through seeking to pay the lowest possible wage to an employee in return for a higher profit margin. They will also close a factory and relocate it to a different country where the labour rates are even l ower as it is more profitable to do so rather than keep the workers in Ireland employed. In a capitalist system property rights take priority over human needs. For example there are many empty houses in the so called ghost estates in Ireland and also many homeless people but the people who own these buildings have no intention of letting the homeless make use of the buildings.This is perfectly legal in our society. Poverty also benefits capitalism because it means that there will be many who in desperation will settle for any job no matter how little the wage. Therefore poverty st ems from the way that capitalism works. I believe that we need to look at changing the system of government to share more equally the benefits of our labours. We must ask ourselves is this acceptable in our modern society with the high moral standards we expect of each other.

Entrepreneurs Personality for Being Successful in Business

Entrepreneurs Personality for Being Successful in Business Miss. Sarita Ghanshyam Tiwari, (M. Com. M. Phil. ) e-mail: [email  protected] com Abstract Business success may causes due to many factors, but the greatest determinant of the business success is the entrepreneur himself / herself. Therefore, the question of what makes a successful entrepreneur is very important. There have been many answers to this question. Some people think entrepreneurs are born, others that they are made. Some see entrepreneurs as passionate leaders with a vision that is totally focused on one objective, while others describe them as compulsive controller. Some says entrepreneurs are risk takers while others say they are risk averse. All of these words may describe some entrepreneurs but they do not describe all successful entrepreneurs. There is no doubt that entrepreneur’s diploma’s, business knowledge and skills play an important role in business growth and success, but the personality of the entrepreneur is even more important. Recent researches in the field of psychology suggest that personality has a great deal to do with being a successful entrepreneur. This paper highlights the personality traits and essential factors of personality determinant of a successful entrepreneur and how does an entrepreneur’s personality can influence a business. The paper also reviews some notable Indian entrepreneur’s and their entrepreneurial work for justification of the topic. Introduction: Why certain people successfully starting and growing a business and others are not? Is it just luck or being in the right place at the right time? Someone can say it is just luck while others can say it is timing. But it also involves other factors too. Recent research in the field of psychology suggests that personality has a great deal to do with being a successful entrepreneur. This may raise many questions in one’s mind such as what is meant by personality? Can it be developed or is it inborn? Which aspects does it carry? Is it really necessary for an entrepreneur? Does it have any impact on the business growth? etc. Personality Meaning: Many people mistake the meaning of personality. They take the physical appearance and various external characteristics of an individual as his or her personality. As they talk about a marvelous personality they may refer to the height, weight, stature and complexion. Well, if you think that it is just the appearance of the physique of a person that determines the personality, then it is time to have a rethink. It is true that physical appearance does matter. However, since most of them are beyond our power and control. Physical appearance is just 10% of the total personality of an individual and not having a long lasting impact on others. There are many other aspects that contribute greatly to one’s personality, which are 90% of the total personality. These aspects involve character, behavior and attitude. Basically, personality development is the improvement of behavior, communication skills, interpersonal relationships, attitude towards life and ethics. Character can be considered the basic factor in determining an individual’s personality. It is the fact that all other factors behind a powerful personality will become useless if the person lacks a good character and behavior. Personality is like a building. Just a building can exist only when it has a strong foundation, a personality can impress others only when it has a formidable basis. And the strong foundation is supplied by character and behavior. If personality is developed on the solid base of values and ethics, it will last forever. Fake smiles and mannerisms may attract others for a comparatively short period. However, they are short-lived and do not help in improving one’s personality. In order to pinpoint this exactly take a look to a simple example. A book with decorative cover page may attract a person’s attention towards it but after looking inner contents of that book a person can predict his opinion regarding it i. e. whether is it a nice book or not? Here a decorative cover page does not carry a long lasting impact on that persons mind. Therefore, personality includes both factors i. e. physical appearance and formidable foundation of good behavior and character. Physical appearance is that personality which creates first impression in front of others that’s why it can be taken as the ‘primary or outer’ personality of an individual, while foundation is considered as ‘secondary or inner’ personality because it has second impact on others. It is not necessary that one should possess physical appearance because it is sometimes depends on the heredity factors of that person. It is inborn type of personality and sometimes depends on the luck factor too. If a person got good looks then it adds to his plus point. We should remember that a person’s height, weight and complexion are not in his hand but he can take care to keep himself neat and clean to impress others. Thus, working on primary personality is necessary but only putting concentration on it is not sufficient. The best personality is based on the solid foundation of character. Good behavior and co-operation makes a man popular. But this strong foundation is not an inborn quality of a person. It can be developed from one’s childhood and has impact of family, family background, friends, working area, society, regions and experience etc. These factors also contribute in developing one’s character and behavior. Does it require Certain Personality Traits to be a Successful Entrepreneur? Business may succeed due to many factors, but the greatest determinant of the business’s success is the entrepreneur himself/herself. Every year thousands of people start a business with the hope of being a successful entrepreneur. But many more business either fails or discontinues and others transfer ownership or control. Unfortunately only 20% of those businesses will survive long enough to celebrate their 5th anniversary and only 20% of those will survive long enough to celebrate their 10th anniversary. To save you doing the math, only 4% of all new businesses formed will survive at least 10 years. Therefore, for anyone who are starting a new business or already running a business the question of what makes a successful entrepreneur is very important. Because if business fails, it may not only cause for a loss with your personal savings and other assets, but it could give your ego a tremendous blow. So that, before making an extraordinary investment of time, energy and money to start a business, an entrepreneur needs to engage himself in some personal soul-searching. He needs to develop some personality traits in himself so that he can successfully handle his business affairs. Without it the business can fail as quickly as it started. An entrepreneur is a business owner, a franchise owner, or CEO of the company. And entrepreneur’s duties include managing employees, acquiring resources, seeking venture capitalism, handling finances, planning, time management, human resources, and more. Thus, being an entrepreneur requires special skills. There is no doubt that entrepreneur’s diploma’s, business knowledge and skills play an important role in business growth and success, but the personality of the entrepreneur is even more important. â€Å"How strongly does the businessman believe in himself and the success of his business? † â€Å"How decisive can the entrepreneur be in changing threats into business opportunities? † These are just a few of the situations that businessman must deal with, and not everyone can cope with these situations. So people who start up and run business need to know their own pluses and minuses, strengths and weaknesses, because self-knowledge through self-analysis is very important. However, self–analysis demands an understanding of one’s own personality in relation to one’s behavior. There is no ‘ideal’ entrepreneurial personality- successful entrepreneurs can be analytical, creative, fearless, flexible and focused. However, psychologists and other business people describe that successful business entrepreneur; whether male or female have some common traits. Personality traits determines the behavior of an entrepreneur in certain ways i. . how he perceive situations, solve problems, interact with people and carry out the job responsibility. Factors Determining Personality Of A Successful Entrepreneur: According to Webster’s dictionary, an entrepreneur is one who organizes, manages and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise. Entrepreneurs live i n the future. They have creative personalities, are innovative, and succeed on change. Starting and growing own business requires many skills to be successful. The traits and characteristics of an entrepreneur’s personality can blend with the needs of the business. If one better understand his/her business personality, then he/she can give a company the best part of them. An entrepreneur is determined by the following few outer personality factors, which are only 10% of his/her total personality: 1. Physical Appearance: It’s having a 50/50 born/made ratio and includes sound health, endurance, living style etc. 2. Good Health: An entrepreneur has to put in hard work. This requires tremendous physical stamina to work long hours for extended periods of time. 3. Family Background: It’s an environmental factor and determines environmental heritage. 4. Age and Education: It’s a functional matter . Work Experience: Most entrepreneurs first gain some work experience in the line of business and then start up. In spite of the above outer personality an entrepreneur must have inner personality factors, which are the formidable basis of his/her personality and contributes 90% of his/her total personality. Thus, all successful entrepren eurs will have the following personality traits in common. ? Never stop learning and growing ? Self confident ? Intelligence ? Respect to Others ? Motivating Others ? Communication Skills ? Looking for opportunities everywhere ? Seeking advice from qualified people ? Invests in their future Supports their own business ? Problem solving skills ? Always desire to work hard ? Competitive and have attraction towards Challenges ? Strong management skills ? Willing to pay a price ? Sense of Urgency ? Comprehensive Awareness ? Conceptual Ability ? Emotional Stability ? Always developing people’s skills ? A blessing to their community ? Takes responsibility ? Realistic Outlook and Possess Long term thinking ? Objective Approach ? Set goals and works towards those goals ? Organisational skills ? Decision making skills ? Optimism (Live by the philosophy that this is the best of times and that anything is possible) ? Orientation to excellence (often desire to achieve something outstanding that they can be proud of. ) ? Profit oriented ? Devotion towards his work ? Humanism ? Never quit tendency This is the most concise collection of the characteristics of an entrepreneur and is truly the heartbeat of what characteristics are necessary to truly succeed as a business owner. These traits can be learnt through study, practice and experience. An Entrepreneurs Personality can really influence a Business: We are in a more entrepreneurial period than we were in before the Second World War. With the close of the Second World War, a number of changes with far-flung effect on business world took place. Establishment of World Trade Organisation (WTO) obliged many countries to open up their boundaries and welcome industries, trade and service companies. This added complex dimensions to the intensity to competition. While these changes were taking place in organizational environment, customers attitude were also changed. Customers started demanding more value from the product and services that they bought in the market. Naturally customer satisfaction and delight become the goal to be achieved by organizations. This emerges the need for developing entrepreneurial personality in business owners. Therefore today an entrepreneurship is more than the mere creation of business. An entrepreneur has to do more than just fight hard to win their market share. They must ‘live in the world of action’ and often ‘need thinking several steps ahead’. Entrepreneur’s sense of opportunity, their drive to innovate, and their capacity for accomplishment have become the standard by which an enterprise is now measured. The presence of entrepreneurs in an economy is a sign of economic growth. Entrepreneurs with their personality traits will continue to be critical contributors to economic growth through their leadership, management, innovation, research and development effectiveness, job creation, competitiveness, productivity and formation of new industry. Some Notable Indian Entrepreneurs and their Entrepreneurial work: Dhirubhai Ambani : Born: December 28, 1932 Died: July 6, 2002 Achievements: Dhirubhai Ambani built India's largest private sector company. Dhirubhai Ambani was the most enterprising Indian entrepreneur. His life journey is reminiscent of the rags to riches story. He is remembered as the one who rewrote Indian corporate history and built a truly global corporate group. Dhirubhai Ambani alias Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani was born on December 28, 1932, at Chorwad, Gujarat, into a Modh family. His father was a school teacher. Dhirubhai Ambani started his entrepreneurial career by selling â€Å"bhajias† to pilgrims in Mount Girnar over the weekends. After doing his matriculation at the age of 16, Dhirubhai moved to Aden, Yemen. He worked there as a gas-station attendant, and as a clerk in an oil company. He returned to India in 1958 with Rs 50,000 and set up a textile trading company. Assisted by his two sons, Mukesh and Anil, Dhiru Bhai Ambani built India's argest private sector company, Reliance India Limited, from a scratch. Over time his business has diversified into a core specialisation in petrochemicals with additional interests in elecommunications, information technology, energy, power, retail, textiles, infrastructure services, capital markets, and logistics. Dhirubhai Ambani is credited with shaping India's equity culture, attracting millions of retail investors in a market till then dominated by financial institutions. Dhirubhai revolutionised capital markets. From nothing, he generated billions of rupees in wealth for those who put their trust in his companies. His efforts helped create an ‘equity cult' in the Indian capital market. With innovative instruments like the convertible debenture, Reliance quickly became a favorite of the stock market in the 1980's. In 1992, Reliance became the first Indian company to raise money in global markets, its high credit taking in international markets limited only by India's sovereign rating. Reliance also became the first Indian company to feature in Forbes 500 list. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) named Dhirubhai Ambani the Indian Entrepreneur of the 20th Century. A poll conducted by The Times of India in 2000 voted him â€Å"greatest creator of wealth in the century†. Ekta Kapoor: Born: June 7, 1975 Achievement: Creative Director of Balaji Telefilms. Ekta Kapoor can be aptly called as the reigning queen of Indian television industry. The serials produced by her company Balaji Telefilms are a great hit with the masses and are dominating all the major T. V. channels in India. Born on June 7, 1975, Ekta Kapoor is daughter of former Bollywood uperstar Jeetendra and sister of current Bollywood hero Tusshar Kapoor. Ekta Kapoor did her schooling from Bombay Scottish School and later on joined Mithibai College. She was not interested in academics and on the advice of her father ventured into TV-serial production at the age of 19. And soon she changed the face of Indian television industry and completely dominat ed it. Today, Ekta Kapoor is the creative director of Balaji Telefilms. Her company has produced more than 25 serials and each one is being shown, on an average, four times a week on different television channels. Ekta Kapoor's serials have captured the imagination of masses. She has broken all previous records of TV serial production and popularity in India. Her most famous television venture has been â€Å"Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi† which began in 2000 and has leaded the TRP ratings in India. Her other famous serials include â€Å"Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki†, â€Å"Kahiin To Hoga†, â€Å"Kavyanjali†, â€Å"Kyaa Hoga Nimmo Kaa†, â€Å"Kasamh Se†, â€Å"Kahin Kisii Roz†, â€Å"Kasautii Zindagi Kay†, â€Å"Kkusum†, â€Å"Kutumb†, â€Å"Kalash†, â€Å"Kundali†, â€Å"Bandini†, â€Å"Kitni Mohabat Hai†. For her entrepreneurial skills and achievements Ekta Kapoor was awarded with Ernst & Young (E&Y) Startup Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2001. Conclusions: Today an entrepreneurship is more than the mere creation of business. An entrepreneur has to do more than just fight hard to win their market share. This emerges the need for developing entrepreneurial person ality in business owners. †¢ An entrepreneurs personality includes two factors: 1) Outer Personality Factors i. e. Physical Appearance, Work Experience, Family Background, Age and Education, Good Health etc. 2) Inner Personality Factors i. e. Personality Traits Personality traits can be learnt through study and practice, they are the formidable basis for building inner personality of an entrepreneur. While physical appearances, age, education, work experience are environmental factors, which are just outer part of an entrepreneur’s personality. †¢ It is not necessary that one should possess physical appearance, family background, age, education and work experience but he should possess the personality traits to tackle business operations successfully, because an entrepreneur is not determined by age, gender, race, religion, intelligence or education but successful entrepreneur do have some common personality traits. Personality traits determines the behavior of an entrepreneur in certain ways i. e. how he perceive situations, solve problems, interact with people and carry out the job responsibility. †¢ Entrepreneurs with their personality traits will continue to be critical contributors to economic growth through their leadership, management, innovation, research and development effectiveness, job creation, competitiveness, productivity and formation of new indus try. Bibliography: 1) Entrepreneur Characteristics: Personal Qualities of an Entrepreneur http://www. orebusiness. com/getting_started/primer/d943458887. brc 2) Bill Bither's Insights 5 Personality Traits of an Entrepreneur http://www. atalasoft. com/cs/blogs/billbither/archive/2006/01/03/inception-of-a. aspx 3) The 9 Personality Types of Entrepreneurs By Darrell Zahorsky, About. com Guidehttp://sbinformation. about. com/cs/development/a/personality_2. htm 4) What Are the Characteristics of a Successful Entrepreneur? http://www. aw-wrdsmth. com/FAQ/characteristics_successful_entre. tml 5) Entrepreneurship is More Than Just Being Your Own Boss Article by nicolelamarco (8,967 pts ) Edited & published by Ronda Levine (24,269 pts ) on Dec 23, 2009 http://www. brighthub. com/office/entrepreneurs/articles/60059. aspx 6) The Four Types of Entrepreneurs Article by R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen (12,490 pts ) Edited & published by JScheid (23,995 pts ) on Dec 26, 2009 http://www. brighthub. com/off ice/entrepreneurs/articles/60187. aspx 7) Entrepreneurial Stress and its Causes Article by William Busse (729 pts ) Edited & published by Ronda Levine (24,269 pts ) on Dec 23, 2009 http://www. brighthub. com/office/entrepreneurs/articles/60057. aspx 8) Successful Entrepreneurs – Those Who Have Made It Big http://blog. franchiseindia. com/events/2009/11/successful-entrepreneurs-those- who-have-made-it-big/ 9) Dhirubhai Ambani Biography http://www. iloveindia. com/indian-heroes/dhirubhai-ambani. html 10) Ekta Kapoor http://www. iloveindia. com/indian-heroes/ekta-kapoor. html

Important Quotes From Anne Franks Diary

Important Quotes From Anne Frank's Diary When Anne Frank turned 13 on June 12, 1942, she received a red-and-white checkered diary as a birthday present. For the next two years, Anne wrote in her diary, chronicling her move into the Secret Annex, her troubles with her mother, and her blossoming love for Peter (a boy also hiding in the annex). Her writing is extraordinary for many reasons. Certainly, it is one of the very few diaries salvaged from a young girl in hiding, but it also a very honest and revealing account of a young girl coming of age despite her surrounding circumstances. Ultimately, Anne Frank and her family were discovered by the Nazis and sent to concentration camps. Anne Frank died in Bergen-Belsen in March 1945 of typhus. Insightful Quotes From Anne Frank's Diary Writing in a diary is a really strange experience for someone like me. Not only because Ive never written anything before, but also because it seems to me that later on neither I nor anyone else will be interested in the musings of a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl. (June 20, 1942)Ive learned one thing: you only really get to know a person after a fight. Only then can you judge their true character! (September 28, 1942)Sometimes I think God is trying to test me, both now and in the future. Ill have to become a good person on my own, without anyone to serve as a model or advise me, but itll make me stronger in the end. (October 30, 1943)I long to ride a bike, dance, whistle, look at the world, feel young and know that Im free, and yet I cant let it show. Just imagine what would happen if all eight of us were to feel sorry for ourselves or walk around with the discontent clearly visible on our faces. Where would that get us? (December 24, 1943)Mother has said that she sees us more as frie nds than as daughters. Thats all very nice, of course, except that a friend cant take the place of a mother. I need my mother to set a good example and be a person I can respect, but in most matters, shes an example of what not to do. (January 6, 1944) Peter added, The Jews have been and always will be the chosen people! I answered, Just this once, I hope theyll be chosen for something good! (February 16, 1944)Riches, prestige, everything can be lost. But the happiness in your own heart can only be dimmed; it will always be there, as long as you live, to make you happy again. (February 23, 1944)I want friends, not admirers. People who respect me for my character and my deeds, not my flattering smile. The circle around me would be much smaller, but what does that matter, as long as theyre sincere? (March 7, 1944)Have my parents forgotten that they were young once? Apparently, they have. At any rate, they laugh at us when were serious, and theyre serious when were joking. (March 24, 1944)Im honest and tell people right to their faces what I think, even when its not very flattering. I want to be honest; I think it gets you further and also makes you feel better about yourself. (March 25, 1944)I dont want to live in vain like most peop le. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to all people, even those Ive never met. I want to go on living even after my death! (April 5, 1944) Ive asked myself again and again whether it wouldnt have been better if we hadnt gone into hiding; if we were dead now and didnt have to go through this misery, especially so that the others could be spared the burden. But we all shrink from this thought. We still love life, we havent yet forgotten the voice of nature, and we keep hoping, hoping for . . . everything. (May 26, 1944)To be honest, I cant imagine how anyone could say Im weak and then stay that way. If you know that about yourself, why not fight it, why not develop your character? (July 6, 1944)We have many reasons to hope for great happiness, but . . . we have to earn it. And thats something you cant achieve by taking the easy way out. Earning happiness means doing good and working, not speculating and being lazy. Laziness may look inviting, but only work gives you true satisfaction. (July 6, 1944)Its a wonder I havent abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still belie ve, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart. (July 15, 1944)

Minimum Efficient Scale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Minimum Efficient Scale - Essay Example The MES is hardly ever a solitary output - more likely it is a range of production levels where standard cost is minimized where the firm achieves regular returns to scale. It varies from industry to industry depending on the type of the cost structure in a particular segment of the market. When the proportion of fixed to variable costs is very elevated, there is huge potential for dropping the average cost of production. The minimum efficient scale may be expressed as a variety of production standards, but its connection with the whole market size or demand will conclude how many competitors can successfully function in the market. If the minimum efficient scale is comparatively diminutive compared to total market size many companies can survive in the same space for example computer software companies. In other industries where the minimum efficient scale is quite large due to high fixed costs, only a few major players dominate the market place for example telecom and other basic materials. There is also likely to be enormous potential to take advantage of technical economies of scale. As a consequence the MES may be a high quantity of entire market demand. There may be an opportunity merely for single business to completely exploit the economies of scale obtainable in the industry. It is presumed for a natural monopoly that the long-run average cost curve falls constantly over a very great range of output. This is illustrated in the diagram below. Companies are able to exploit the market when the range of their minimum efficiency scale is high as this applies a barrier to entry. The higher the barriers to entry, the greater the ability of established firms to raise price above the long run average costs without letting the new firms enter the market this includes foreign competition too. Although production cost barriers are faced by both local and foreign companies, the foreigners face an additional barrier of tariffs levied by the government. As the manufacturers expand their scale of production, average costs decrease to minimum efficient scale that is to the optimal point. As they expand further than that, they become incompetently large, and face increasing average costs. Hence if we assume they increased too far, and finally settled at the minimum efficient scales they have oppressed all Economies of Scale, and Diseconomies of Scale, in manufacturing. Big firms can have lesser per-unit costs due to purchasing at bulk discounts example parts, indemnity, real estate, marketing, etc. and can also bound competition by buying out competitors, setting proprietary industry values. Looking at further examples, an automobile maker can buy millions of tons of steel at one point for use in forming engine blocks and store it for an indefinite period, if this will get a superior price. On the other hand, a florist can't buy millions of tons of matured flowers to put up for sale as they will shrivel before they are sold. This results in disparate interpretations of economies of scales for diverse types of companies. The size of a business may also alter over time, as industry and marketplace circumstances change. If a dealer finds a way to produce