Globalisation and the International Business Environment Essay

Globalisation and the International Business Environment - Essay Example 64-65) as the opposite of localisation; it is the process of adapting products for use outside the home nation (think steering wheels in cars or Chinese versions of Windows). Firms must internationalise if they want to sell to markets outside their home country, because foreign markets have different cultures, needs and wants, demanding that firms make adjustments to products and services, organisational structures, leadership and people systems, and supply chains, amongst others. In a landmark paper on the topic, Whitley (1994) observed that the post-war internationalisation process of firms was primarily driven by increases in foreign direct investment by transnational (or multinational) enterprises. This led to increased interdependence of the industrialised economies and changes in the world economy with the following characteristics: (1) the establishment of a distinct global system of coordination and competition, (2) the denationalisation of leading firms, and (3) the international standardisation of managerial structures and practices. It can be said that the natural progression from internationalisation to interdependence and greater integration of the world economy resulted in the complex phenomenon that we now call "globalisation". Globalisation is a concept that is best described than defined because of its complexity. A simple definition, like "globalisation is the integration of the world economy, reshaping business, reordering lives, creating social classes, different jobs, unimaginable wealth, and wretched poverty" (Micklethwait and Wooldridge, 2000, p. xvi), would not do justice to the term because it focuses too much on the economic aspect. Globalisation is much more than just money, business, and wealth. As Stiglitz (2002, p. 9-10) described it, globalisation "integrates countries and peoples, their economies and politics, their cultures and fates. It breaks down artificial barriers to the flow of goods, services, capital, knowledge, ideas, and (to a lesser extent) peoples across borders. It creates new institutions that joined with existing ones to work across borders". There are then good and bad sides, so whilst many condemn environmental degradation, corruption of cultures, and the spread of squalor, poverty, misery, and greed, many also praise the improved access to cheaper medicines and food, better living conditions, gradual eradication of poverty, and increased opportunities for millions of people around the globe. Therefore, whilst many consider internationalisation and globalisation as synonymous terms, the former would refer to an outward process where firms adapt to and increase their presence in international markets, whilst the latter can be described simply as its natural integrating result. Globalisation is nothing new, but in its past incarnations, the inability of previous generations to manage its bad side has made it a factor that led to two of the bloodiest wars that mankind has ever experienced. Knowing this background reminds us of what the philosopher Santayana said about learning the lessons of history so that we would not be doomed to repeat it. Main Drivers of Globalisation Like success which has many fathers, globalisation (according to whoever is the author) has many drivers (Yip, 2003; Johnson et al., 2003; Stiglitz, 2002; Micklethwait et al., 2000; Porter, 1990) that we can summarily classify into five groups. These drivers are the key

Freud vs. Jung Theories Essay Example for Free

Freud vs. Jung Theories Essay Some debate over who is right over Freud and Jung’s theories are questionable. Freud’s theory believed our consciousness is a thin slice of the total mind and describes it in an imagine of an iceberg. Believed that our unconscious mind holds all of our experiences, memories, and repressed materials. Our unconscious motives often competed with our conscious and create internal conflict which is in neurotic symptoms (anxiety and depression). Also Freud believed personality consisted of three systems: The Id, Ego, and Superego. The Id contains a humans basic, instinctual drives including bodily needs, wants, desires, and impulses, particularly our sexual and aggressive drives. The ego comprises the organized part of the personality structure that includes defensive, perceptual, intellectual-cognitive, and executive functions. Lastly, the super-ego is the judicial branch of a persons personality and includes a persons moral code, the main concern being whether an action is good or bad. Sadly, these three aspects of personality also conflict resulting in neurotic behaviour. Carl Jung’s theory divides the psyche into three parts. The first is the ego, which he identifies with the conscious mind. Next is the personal unconscious, which includes anything which is not presently conscious, but could be. Lastly the personal unconscious is like most people’s understanding of the unconscious in that it includes both memories that are easily brought to mind and those that have been suppressed for any reason. There are some experiences that show the effects of the collective unconscious more clearly than others. An example would be the near-death experience. They speak of leaving their bodies, seeing their bodies and the events surrounding them clearly, of being pulled through a long tunnel towards a bright light, of seeing old relatives or religious figures waiting for them, and disappointed having to leave this happy scene to return to their bodies and return to reality. Some terms Jung created was Archetypes, which is naturally born instincts that we may have been presented by our long gone ancestors. Overall, Freud felt that sex was the single most important force that shaped and guided personality. Believed that your childhood greatly influenced your personality. Jung believed that both the future and the past are important in influencing ones personality. I greatly agree with Jung because not just only a specific time period could change your personality, your whole time period of experiencing everything  shapes yourself. Jung argued that the unconscious could also be a source of creativity rather than Freud’s idea. Jung was onto something with his idea of a collective unconscious, while we cannot define, analyze or see it, there is some thread in the world that somehow connects us all. As people we all have similar feelings, regardless of your cultural upbringing or where in the world you live, there is a commonality among us, that Jung’s theory of unconscious can help explain. According to my theory, the flow of knowledge into the collective unconscious stops at a person’s death. This addition is needed to balance the knowledge base of collective, otherwise if the flow of information did not stop at death, our collective unconscious would be able to answer some of our biggest questions such as â€Å"Is there an afterlife? †. Jung’s diagram I agree with greatly, describing which goes where in my perspective. My thoughts are closely related to Jung’s rather than Freud’s theory.

Frederic Chopin Essays -- Musicians

Chopin pioneered the idea of creating a true artistic form from technical exercises, making his etudes historically important. Each etude has its own musical story to tell even though they adhere to a basic principle as a means to train and refine the performer’s technique. They are not simply dry and repetitive exercises like etudes prior to Chopin. There’s emotion behind his etudes that transcends from technicality and mere note playing to a true virtuosic artistry that is executed with delicate finery. This new development of technical exercises is a feature of a persistent musical aspect in Romantic period repertoire. Not only were these exercises used to improve the performer, they influenced other composers and became substantial material. The Revolutionary Etude is a great example of this technique, for in this work of art, one kind find complete aesthetic materials centered on real historical events. Frederic Chopin was a child prodigy. He was a virtuoso pianist and a talented Polish composer. He was born the year 1810 and died 1849. He spent his early years in Warsaw where he received his music education. His compositions reached a mature stage in Warsaw before he left in 1830. Chopin mostly composed for solo piano, however he wrote two piano concertos, a few chamber pieces, and a couple of Polish texts that he set to music. Chopin made many major innovations to the piano sonata, mazurka, waltz, nocturne, polonaise, etude, impromptu, scherzo, and prelude, all of which are important pieces of work that highlight Chopin as a virtuosic composer. Frederic Chopin composed three sets of solo studies specifically for the piano. Overall these sets consisted of twenty seven total compositions known as etudes. Within these... ...ldinger, Jean-Jacques, ed. Chopin: Pianist and Teacher: As Seen by His Pupils Cambridge University Press, 1989. Israel Studies in Musicology Vol. IV (Volume 4). publication place: Jerusalem: Israel Musicological Society 1987. Kornel Michałowski and Jim Samson. "Chopin, Fryderyk Franciszek." In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2186/subscriber/article/grove/music/ 51099(accessed April 12, 2012) Yun, Fred. Analysis of Etudes Op. 10 and Op 25. Our Chopin.http://www.ourchopin.com/ analysis/etude.html (accessed May 3, 2012) Huneker, James. 2007. Chopin: The Man and His Music. publication place: Echo Library. Alan, Walker. 1973. The Chopin companion: profiles of the man and the musician. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, Inc. Jonson, George Charles Ashton. 2010. A Handbook to Chopin's Works. publication place: Nabu Press.

Assessment of Mathematical Understanding Especially as it Relates to CMP :: Education Educational Papers

Assessment of Mathematical Understanding Especially as it Relates to CMP Introduction Assessment has become a very â€Å"hot† topic in education circles lately. Or at least, it is talked about more often and with more passion. Teachers are being judged on their students’ performance, based on assessment scores. It is the assessment by which we are judged. The reauthorization of ESEA and the ‘No Child Left Behind’ act shows the public’s (or is it the politician’s?) faith in standardized tests as a school improvement instrument. But I also know that the once-a-year test can not provide continuous information about student achievement. The traditional assessments of computation exercises, short answer questions, and word problems will not suffice any more. Typically, standardized tests measure factual knowledge, not conceptual understanding. I believe that conceptual understanding is not only what students know, but what they can do with what they know. Assessments are varied from teacher to teacher, district to district, and state to state. I did an informal survey with some of my colleagues, asking them their reasons for assessing students, and the results varied greatly. I am interested in assessment and alternative assessments in order to help further my students’ understanding of mathematical concepts. I strongly believe that the purpose of assessment to inform my instruction, which in turn will further my students understanding. Background According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Principles and Standards 2000 Assessment Principle, â€Å"assessment should support the learning of important mathematics and furnish useful information to both teachers and students.† Assessment should be designed to â€Å"maximize student learning† and â€Å"support the learning of important mathematics and furnish useful information to both teachers and students.† The National Education Association suggests that assessment is a â€Å"continuous flow of evidence that can only be provided by classroom assessment.† (NEA, 2003) Balanced assessments can actually promote student learning and achievement. â€Å"To maximize student success, assessment must be seen as an instructional tool for use while learning is occurring, and as an accountability tool to determine if learning has occurred.† (NEA, 2003) The 1995 NCTM Standards acknowledged that assessment should: 1. Reflect the mathematics that students show they know and what they are able to do. 2. Enhance mathematics learning. 3. Promote equity. 4. Be an open process. 5. Promote valid inference. 6. Be a coherent process. The Assessment Model from NCTM (2000) includes four phases of the assessment process includes planning, gathering, interpreting, and using data. The table below shows how each phase influences the next.

Persephone falling

Notes on Rata Dove's Mother Love Persephone, Falling Based on the Greek myth of Demeter and her daughter Persephone (see Foreword), Dove creates a modern story of the event of Persephone capture by Hades. There is an overriding theme of danger and disobedience throughout the poem. The young girl's innocence, captured in the description of her as a beautiful narcissus is juxtaposed by her act of careless disobedience (she had strayed from the herd) when she refused to heed the warning of her parent.One cannot overlook the pun on the word â€Å"herd† at the end of the first stanza. There is an element of self- imposed danger versus the danger lurking around. In stanza one, the captor is conveyed as the devil lurking in the underworld waiting to take the unsuspecting victim â€Å"sprung out Of the earth†. Yet in stanza 2, the poem seems to apply some blame on the child who does not pay attention to the warnings of a parent â€Å"this is how easily the pit opens. This is h ow one foot sinks into the ground†.One the one hand the peril comes about by the ‘terrible† prey that springs upon the helpless by surprise just as it is said in the Holy Bible's reference to he devil roaming around the earth as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. This reading of the poem with biblical reference is underscored by the name Hades in the Greek myth itself, as well as, the biblical reference is also seen in the line â€Å"it is finished† the words quoted in the New Testament Gospel as Jesus final words after his crucifixion.On the other hand, in the last line of the poem, the child faces a demise brought about by her own failure to adhere to good advice (80 % of stanza 2). The victim puts herself in harm's way. The destruction came by choice â€Å"one foot sinks† Furthermore, Dove extends the threat to the vulnerable by showing various ways by which a youth can be lured away.In â€Å"go straight to school† she speaks to the haphazard, playful child who is easily distracted and lingers away from her course. In â€Å"don't answer to strangers† she implies a more unsuspecting, innocent whose naivety could get her ensnared but in â€Å"keep your eyes down† there appears the sexual connotation of the bold daring girl who abandons modesty with boldness and impudence. All of which can lead to an unfortunate circumstance.This poem is not a sonnet nor does it contain any particular rhyme scheme, however the sound and rhythm of the poetic is identified as one reads aloud the internal rhymes of â€Å"flowers† and â€Å"others†; â€Å"heard † and â€Å"herd† in stanza 1 ; and the end rhymes of â€Å"around†, â€Å"down† â€Å"ground† in stanza 2. There is a distinct difference of tone between the two stanzas when the story telling voice of the persona is superseded by the watchful parent who already sees in the child the tendency to be wayward.

Case Study Charles Schwab in 2008

Case Study Charles Schwab in 2008 Introduction Investor confidence is one of the major factors that determine the funds that investors are willing to invest in various sectors of the economy. The current economic conditions determine the confidence of the investors. In addition, the future economic outlook also determines the investor confidence. Favorable future economic outlook increases the confidence of investors.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study: Charles Schwab in 2008 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Prior to the global financial crisis, investor confidence was very high. Investors were willing to invest huge funds in the financial markets. This led to the growth of companies that specialized in the provision of financial services. These companies include stock brokerage firms, insurance companies, and banks. Charles Schwab is one of the companies that existed during this period. Charles Schwab was one of the most profitable comp anies that provided financial services. The company specialized in the provision of discount brokerage services. This helped in differentiating the company from other companies that provided financial services. However, the company also faced several problems. These problems necessitated the company to undertake several strategic decisions to improve its competitiveness. History, Development, and Growth of the Company One can trace the history of Charles Schwab to 1963. Charles R. â€Å"Chuck† Schwab was one of the founders of the company. In 1963, Chuck Schwab formed the Investor Indicator newsletter with the help of two other partners. They incorporated Investor Indicator on April 1971 as First Commander Corporation. First Commander was a subsidiary of the Commander Industries. The main business activity of First commander was to conduct a broker-dealer business and publish an investment magazine. Chuck Schwab and four others partners decided to buy back the stock of the co mpany from Commander. This facilitated the formation of Charles Schwab Co., Inc. The company has its headquarters in San Francisco. Brokerage transactions were the main services that the company offered. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) helps in the regulation of companies that engage in brokerage services. The SEC is one of the major bodies that determine the growth of brokerage firms. From time to time, the SEC implements various regulations that affect companies that provide financial services. Soon after the incorporation of Charles Schwab, the SEC implemented several changes that affected brokerage firms. In 1975, the SEC enacted regulation that that increased the flexibility of charges that companies that offered financial services charged its customers.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Several brokerage firms took advantage this directi ve to increase their commissions. However, Charles Schwab took advantage of this directive to increase its competitiveness. The company established discount brokerage. This was a new type of brokerage. This move enabled the company to attract more customers. In the financial services sector, service hours determine the number of customers that an organization may serve. Therefore, it is vital for companies to have long service hours. This would enable them to serve more customers. Throughout its history, Charles Schwab has used service hours to increase its competitiveness. The company has prolonged its service hours on several occasions. In 1978, Charles Schwab prolonged its service hours. This was the first time that a company in the industry had prolonged its service hours. This strategic move enabled the company to attract more customers. This strategic decision helped in increasing the number of customers of the company to more than 40,000. In 1980, Charles Schwab formed a 24-h our quotation service. This was the first time that a company had established a 24-hour quotation service in the industry. This strategic move enabled the company to increase its customers significantly. It enabled the company to increase its customers to approximately 150,000. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is one of the major stock exchanges in the world. Therefore, it was vital for Charles Schwab to become a member of this renowned stock exchange. Charles Schwab joined the NYSE in 1981. This enabled the company to trade on various stocks and securities in the stock market. When Charles Schwab became a member of the NYSE, its clients were more than 200,000. The company was on its way to becoming one of the most popular companies that offered financial services in the U.S. Technology enables companies that provide financial services to create a network that helps in supporting the activities of companies in this sector. Charles Schwab realized the importance of technology in it s growth. In 1979, the company made huge investments in a mainframe that used modern technology. This system enabled the company to automate its transactions.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Case Study: Charles Schwab in 2008 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, the system helped in improving the record keeping of the company. In the 1980s, the company launched several technological solutions that helped in improving the competitiveness of the company. In 1984, the company introduced the ‘Mutual Fund Marketplace.’ In addition, the company launched the ‘TeleBroker’ in 1989. Launching several technological products helped in establishing the company as a leader in the online investment revolution. Charles Schwab used mergers and acquisitions to maintain its growth. In 2000, the company merged with U.S. Trust. During the same year, the company acquired CyBerCorp, Inc. This enable d the company to improve the quality of services it offers to online traders. Training Americans on how to be financially fit is one of the most recent campaigns of the company. The company collaborated with the Boys Girls Clubs of America to teach young people about money management. This helped in improving the visibility of the company in the industry. In addition, it guarantees the future growth and profitability of the company. This is because the teens are the future customers of the company. Various strategic decisions have enabled Charles Schwab to become a leader in the provision of financial services. The company has more than 300 offices and 7 million client brokerage accounts. In addition, the assets of the company’s clients are approximately $1 trillion. Various subsidiaries of the company enable it to offer a wide range of financial services to its customers. Internal Strengths and Weaknesses Engaging is discount brokerage is one of the factors that has improve d the competitiveness of Charles Schwab. Charles Schwab was one of the first companies that offered discount brokerage. The company offered discount brokerage instead of increasing its commission fees due to the SEC regulations that facilitated the negotiation of commission rates. Other companies took advantage of this directive to increase their commission rates. Therefore, this move helped in improving the image and reputation of the company.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More People associate the company with discount brokerage. It is a fact that Charles Schwab is not one of the cheapest discount brokerage in the industry. However, being among the first companies that engaged in discount brokerage has improved the reputation of the company. It is vital for companies that provide financial services to focus all their efforts on their customers. They should strive to improve the welfare of the customer while making handsome profits. Availability of information determines the investment decisions of customers. It is vital for companies that offer financial services to provide customers with all the information they may need to make sound investment decisions. Charles Schwab strives to provide their customers with all the information that they may need to make investment decisions. In addition, the company offers its customers various technological tools that enable them to make sound financial decisions. Empowering customers helps in improving the image and reputation of the customers. It reduces the likelihood of customers making the wrong financial decisions. This improves customer loyalty. It is vital for companies to strive to form good relationships with their clients. Customer relationships determine the competitiveness of companies. Companies that provide services use several strategies to improve the relationships with their customers. Forming personal relationships enables these companies to gain the trust of the customers. Charles Schwab strives to form personal relationships with its customers. This enables the company to increase customer loyalty. Companies in various industries strive to reduce their operating costs. This helps in increasing the profitability of the companies. Companies may use several strategies to reduce their operating costs. Technology is one of the major tools that enable companies to reduce their operating costs. Charles Schwab is one of the companies that use technology to reduce their operational costs. Throughout its history, the company has implemented various technological tools that have reduced its operating costs. In addition, these technological tools improve the quality of services that the company offers. Using an online platform is one of the strategies that have enabled the company to reduce its operating costs. It enables customers to place orders without having to visit the company’s offices. Online processing reduces the costs of maintaining the staff of the company. The perception that people have on a certain company determines its competitiveness. Since its inception, people have perceived Charles Schwab as a discount brokerage firm. This has made it difficult for the company to attract the high-end customers. High-end customers usually prefer full brokerage firms. This is because they offer personalized services. Despite being a discount brokerage firm, Charles Schwab also offers services that resemble those in full brokerage firms. Therefore, it is vital for the company to use various strategies to attract the high-end customers. However, the company should ensure that it does not shed its image as a discount brokerage firm. This is because the low-end customers are the major clients of the company. Therefore, losing these customers may have devastating effects on the company. It is vital for companies that would like to guarantee their future growth and profitability to improve their presence in emerging markets. Saturation of companies and services in developed countries reduces the growth potential of companies in these countries. Charles Schwab does not have a good presence in emerging markets. The company concentrates its activities in developed countries. Saturation in these markets reduces the growth potential of the company. Therefore, it is vital for the company to improve its presence in emerging markets. Nature of the External Environment Online trading holds the key to the future growth of companies that offer fina ncial services. Charles Schwab was one of the first companies that realized the importance of online trading in financial services. However, the revenue that the company gets from online trading has been declining. Increased competition is one of the major factors that have reduced the revenue from online trading. Companies can easily open online trading platforms. This has increased the number of companies that offer online trading services. Retirement packages account for a sizeable percentage of the products of companies that offer financial services. The U.S. population is aging. This would increase the demand for various retirement services. Therefore, it is vital for companies that offer financial services to take advantage of the changing population patterns. This would improve the profitability of the companies. Companies should create several products that target people who are retired. The global and domestic economic conditions affect the profitability of companies that p rovide financial services. Slowing of the economy has a negative effect on the growth and profitability of companies that provide financial services. Slowdown of the economy necessitated Charles Schwab to undertake several strategic decisions to safeguard its position. Investor confidence also determines the profitability of companies that offer financial services. Reduced investor confidence reduces the amount of money that investors are willing to invest in financial markets. In 2008, there was a significant reduction in the investor confidence. People were not willing to invest in the financial markets due to the revelations of problems in the subprime market. Most people withdrew their investments in the financial markets. Reduced investor confidence had a negative effect on the financial markets. It led to the steady decline of market indicators in various regions. This reduced the profitability of Charles Schwab. Market volatility also determines the profitability of companies that offer financial services. During the global financial crisis, the financial markets were on a steady decline. Companies that offer financial services operate in a highly regulated environment. The SEC is one of the major bodies that regulate companies that provide financial services. Regulation helps in safeguarding the investments of customers. It ensures that companies do not engage in illegal activities. In addition, it ensures that companies do not exploit their customers. In 2008, the SEC implemented various regulations to help in safeguarding the investments of customers of companies that offer financial services. However, these measures did not increase the investor confidence. Increased regulation may jeopardize companies that offer certain financial services. Regulation may increase the bureaucracy of the companies. This may reduce the number of customers who are willing to invest in the companies. In addition, regulation may limit the ability of companies to venture into various markets. This is because companies that offer financial services have to meet stringent requirements to receive licenses to operate in various regions. These requirements prevent companies from engaging in illegal activities. SWOT Analysis Strengths The presence of Chuck Schwab in the management of Charles Schwab is one of the major strengths of the company. Schwab has undertaken several strategic decisions that have helped in developing the company. In addition, he has invaluable experience in the stock brokerage industry. Schwab offers visionary leadership that helps in improving the current and future growth of the company. Charles Schwab is one of the most popular discount brokerage companies. The company has a very strong brand name. Charles Schwab was one of the first companies that offered discount brokerage services. Charles Schwab empowers its customers by offering them all the information that they would need to make investment decisions. This helps in improvi ng the image and reputation of the company. Charles Schwab has very low operating costs. The company uses technological tools to reduce its operating costs. The technological tools also enable the company to improve the efficiency of its activities. Charles Schwab forms personal relationships with its customers. This enables the company to retain its customers. In addition, it helps in improving customer satisfaction. Charles Schwab has efficient marketing strategies. The company launches advertising campaigns regularly. These advertising campaigns help in improving the visibility of the company Weaknesses Charles Schwab has been unable to shed its image as a discount brokerage firm. This has reduced the ability of the company to attract customers who have a high net worth. Therefore, customers who have a low net worth form the bulk of the company’s customers. Charles Schwab does not have a large presence in emerging markets. Most of the company’s operations are in dev eloped markets. This limits the future growth and profitability of the company since the developed markets are already saturated. Charles Schwab engages in expensive advertising campaigns. These advertising campaigns increase the operating costs of the company. Opportunities The aging of the American population provides the company with many growth opportunities. This is because it would increase the amount of retirement services that the company offers. This would improve the profitability of the company. Charles Schwab is one of the largest companies that provide financial services. This is despite the fact that the company focuses on developed markets. Therefore, venturing into the emerging markets would help in improving the future growth and profitability of the company. Threats Slowdown of the global economy would reduce the growth and profitability of the company. Reduced investor confidence threatens to lead to the total collapse of the company. During the global financial c risis, few investors were willing to commit funds to the financial markets. Technology has revolutionized the provision of financial services. Therefore, it is vital for the company to undertake several changes that would incorporate new technology regularly. Failure to do so would make the company become irrelevant. There is increased competition in the financial services sector. Various companies provide online financial services. The ease of opening platforms that enable companies to provide online financial services have increased the number of companies that provide financial services. Corporate-Level Strategy Corporate-level strategy guides the strategic decisions of a company. Companies use their corporate-level strategies to create value in their activities. The corporate-level strategy helps in coordinating different activities of the company. Companies use the corporate-level strategy to determine the direction that the organization should follow in the long term. The corp orate-level strategy enables companies to gain a competitive advantage. The corporate-level strategy enables an organization to determine the businesses that the organization to concentrate on to improve its long-term profitability. A company may decide to concentrate on a single business to improve its long-term profitability. In addition, a company may use vertical integration or diversification to improve its long-term profitability. Charles Schwab uses vertical integration to improve its long-term profitability. Throughout its history, the company has used mergers and acquisitions of other companies in the industry to improve its long-term profitability. Charles Schwab acquired companies that provide online services to improve its ability to provide online financial services. In 2000, the company acquired CyBerCorp. CyBerCorp was a company that provided online financial services. In 2001, Charles Schwab renamed the company to Cyber Trader. In addition, Charles Schwab enhanced th e software of the company. This helped in improving the quality of services of the company. The inability to capture customers who have a high net worth was one of the major problems of the company. In addition, most customers of the company left the company after their assets reached $500,000. This reduced the profitability of the company. Charles Schwab used vertical integration to capture the high net worth customers. The company merged with the U.S. Trust. The U.S. Trust was a company that focused on managing the wealth of high-end customers. This strategy enabled the company to increase the number of high-end customers. In addition, it enabled the company to retain customers whose assets reached $500,000. This strategy enabled the company to shed its image as a discount brokerage firm that served low-end customers. Charles Schwab later sold the U.S. Trust to Bank of America. Advances in technology enabled the company to retain high-end customers. The company used various techno logical tools to generate model investment portfolios. These portfolios helped in personalizing the financial services of the company. Technological tools enabled the company to reduce the number of forms of advice. This helped in improving the quality of services that the company offered its customers. In addition, it enabled the company to offer sound financial advice to customers in various locations. Vertical integration enables Charles Schwab to take advantage of the capabilities of other companies. Retirement-plan services are some of the major products of the company. However, the company would not have been able to increase its retirement products if it had not acquired other smaller companies that provided retirement services. In 1995, Charles Schwab acquired Hampton Co. Hampton was a company that specialized in the provision of retirement-plan services. Charles Schwab uses diversification to increase its long-term stability. The company offers a wide range of financial ser vices. These include brokerage of securities, mutual funds, investment advisory services, and banking. In addition, the company also provides retirement services. The growth of online financial services has helped in the growth of the company. In 2003, the company launched the Charles Schwab Bank. The bank provided home mortgage loans. Schwab Retirement Plan Services, Inc. enables the company to provide retirement services. Subsidiaries of the company enable it to provide a wide range of financial services effectively. Business-Level Strategy Business-level strategy helps in identifying the methods that a company would use to compete in a certain industry. Therefore, the business-level strategy determines the competitive strategy of the organization. One of the major differences between business-level strategy and corporate-level strategy is that business-level strategy focuses on only one business. On the other hand, corporate-level strategy focuses on a wide range of businesses wi thin an organization. Therefore, the business-level strategy enables an organization to manage its business effectively. The business-level strategy ensures that the activities of the business units conform to the corporate-level strategies of the organization. In addition, business-level strategy enables an organization to develop capabilities that would help in improving the competitiveness of the organization. Business-level strategy also helps in monitoring the industry environment of the company. Some business-level strategies include cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. Cost leadership is one of the major business-level strategies of Charles Schwab. The company strives to organize its activities in a method that enables it to provide various services at a lower cost. This enables the company to offer various services at very low prices. This strategy enables the company to gain a competitive edge in the provision of financial services. Use of information technology is one of the major methods that the company uses to reduce its operating costs. Technological tools enable the company to automate various activities. In addition, technological tools enable the company to improve the quality and efficiency of its activities. Online trading platforms enable companies to reduce their operational costs. They eliminate the need to open branches in various locations. Customers only need an internet connection to access the financial services. E*Trade is one of the major competitors of Charles Schwab. It was one of the first companies to offer its services via the internet only. This strategy enabled the company to reduce its operating costs significantly. Reduced operating costs enabled the company to offer its services a lower price. The threat posed by the company necessitated Charles Schwab to launch an online trading platform. The company launched ‘eSchwab’ to counter the threat posed by E*Trade. This product enabled the company to provid e real-time personalized financial information to customers. It enabled customers of the company to undertake financial transactions via the internet. In addition, it enabled customers to access financial information via the internet. This strategy enabled the company to reduce its operating costs significantly. Therefore, it could afford to reduce the prices of its services. Charles Schwab strives to empower its customers. The company offers financial information that helps customers to make sound investment decisions. Offering financial help helps in increasing customer loyalty. In addition, offering financial help enables the company to increase its interaction with customers. The company uses various strategies to show that it is willing to offer financial advice to its customers. The ‘Talk to Chuck’ campaign is one of the recent advertisements that highlight the willingness of the company to offer financial advice to its customers. In addition, this advertising cam paign showed the transparency of the company. It enabled customers to access information about the company. Organizational Structure Charles Schwab specializes in the provision of financial services. The company has operations in the United States, Hong Kong, and various European countries. In addition, the company offers online financial services to people around the globe. The company manages financial assets that are worth more than $1 trillion. Charles Schwab offers a wide range of financial services. These services include banking, mutual funds, and retirement-plan products. Therefore, it is vital for the company to use an organizational structure that would help in managing its activities efficiently. Charles Schwab uses a matrix organizational structure. This organizational structure enables the organization to coordinate its activities. Charles Schwab has various managers that oversee various functions of the organization. These functions include networking, engineering, sal es and marketing, and communication. This organizational structure enables the organization to benefit from the talent of its employees in various functions. The size of Charles Schwab makes it difficult for the company to use only the functional organizational structure. In addition, the company offers various financial products. Charles Schwab employs a divisional organizational structure to help in the management of various products of the company. This organizational structure enables the company to manage its banking services, retirement-plan products, and online financial products effectively. In addition, this organizational structure enables the organization to fulfill the needs of various stakeholders quickly. Charles Schwab uses teams to accomplish various tasks within the organization. This helps in improving the quality of the products of the organization. In addition, the company empowers employees to develop various innovative products that would improve the competitiv eness of the company. Empowering employees helps in improving the quality of their services. Conclusion Charles Schwab is one of the most popular companies that offer financial services in the U.S. The company has more than 300 offices in various regions around the world. Investing in technology is one of the major factors that led to the success of the company. Investing in technology enabled the company to reduce its operating costs. This enabled the company to offer its services at very low costs. Charles Schwab is renowned for its discount brokerage services. This image limits the ability of the company to attract high-end customers. The company merged with U.S. Trust to shed this image. The growth of the internet poses several risks to the company. This is because it has increased the number of the companies that provide online financial services. These companies have very low operating costs. This enables the companies to offer various financial services at very low costs.

Roman Jakobson essays

Roman Jakobson essays Today I am going to talk about Roman Jakobson. First of all I would like to tell you the most important facts of his life. Roman Jakobson was born in Moscow in 1896. He grew up in pre-Revolutionary Russia and began his high school studies at the Lazarev Institute of Languages at the age of ten. He taught at the university of Moscow and it was there that he and six other students founded the Moscow Linguistics Circle. In 1920 he left the Soviet Union for Prague where he worked as a translator and helped to form the Prague Linguistics Circle in 1926. Jakobson was known for his anti-fascist feelings and with the fascist invasion he fled to Denmark and finally in 1941 to America where he lived until his death in 1982. He was professor at the Columbia University in Harvard and at the MIT. His teaching deeply influenced several trends in the evolution of 20th century structuralism and linguistics. Four epochs in the development of Jakobsons research can be distinguished. 1) In his formalist period from 1914 to 1920 he was both the founder of the Moscow Linguistics Circle and a member of the influential Opoyaz poetics group. 2) In his structuralist period from 1920 to 1939 he was a dominating figure of the Prague School of linguistics and Aesthetics. 3) In his semiotic period from 1939 to 1949 he was associated with the Copenhagen Linguistic Circle and was active in founding the Linguistic Circle of New York. 4) Jakobsons interdisciplinary period began in 1949 with his teaching at Harvard. Information and communication theory, mathematics, neurolinguistics, biology and even physics were among the fields to which Jakobson extended his interests. The central fields of his research were poetics and linguistics, especially phonology, morphology, dialectology and aphasiology. From his early years his interest went beyond language and the verbal arts to cover the larger semiotic fields of culture and aesthetics. Jakobson ...

Dealing With Mental Health In Social Work Social Work Essays

Dealing With Mental Health In Social Work Social Work Essays Dealing With Mental Health In Social Work Social Work Essay Dealing With Mental Health In Social Work Social Work Essay This research paper is traveling to look at the societal work profession and specifically cover with mental wellness societal work. In researching on the topic, I will utilize books and articles to acquire secondary information and at the same clip transport out an interview with two societal workers that are involved with mental wellness patients and clients. One of the societal workers has a unmarried man s grade in societal work while the other one holds a maestro s grade in societal work. Transporting out the interview will necessitate presenting a few inquiries which are listed below. Social work is a profession which is most suited for persons who have a strong impulse and desire to assist better the lives of other people. Therefore, societal workers are the professionals who help people in get bying with their twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours lives and work outing their personal, household and relationship jobs. In add-ons, there is another group of societal workers that helps the clients in covering with disablements and life threatening or fatal diseases every bit good as societal jobs such as drug maltreatment and unemployment. As a consequence, they besides end up being involved in the conducting of research, recommending for improved services and engagement in the planning and/or policy development. Basically, most of the societal workers concentrate in providing their services to a peculiar population or in operating in a specific background. Social workers are by and large involved in different countries of pattern harmonizing to one s penchant. The se classs are mental wellness, elderly, instruction, political, medical or slums inhabitants. If they have the right State mandated licence, these workers are referred to as accredited clinical societal workers in malice of whichever puting they are in. Mental wellness societal workers, who are frequently paired up with the substance abuse societal workers, are the 1s who treat people affected with mental unwellness or substance maltreatment jobs. The ground why mental and substance abuse societal workers are paired up is because more frequently than non, substance maltreatment leads to dependence and most experts concur that dependence is a encephalon disease. The services offered by these societal workers include single and group therapy, crisis intercession, outreach, societal rehabilitation and outreach plans. In add-on, they help in be aftering for supportive services so as to do it easier for the clients when they leave the in-patient installations to rejoin the community and besides supply services to assist the household members of their clients get by with the state of affairs. Although most mental wellness workers are flexible to work in whichever puting that they are comfy with, they normally spend most of their clip in an office or a residential installation. Some of them work in outpatient installations whereby the patients come for the intervention and medical specialty so leave while others work in inmate installations whereby the clients shack within the installation until they are good plenty to travel back place. In respect to the normal work environment, there are a few mental wellness workers who work in employee-assistance plans in which instance they help people cope with job-related force per unit areas or with personal jobs that may impact the quality of their work production. Several other workers are involved in private pattern where they get employed straight by a peculiar client. Workers may besides go locally to see their clients, meet with service suppliers and attend meetings. Even though most of the mental societal workers are greatly satisfied after offering their services, the occupation can sometimes be really ambitious. Social work, and particularly in the mental wellness forte, does non hold a batch of professionals. Due to this, there is a regular understaffing and construct up of big instance burden in some of the bureaus therefore taking to excessively much force per unit area on the available workers. Full clip societal work requires one to work a standard 40-hour hebdomad but due to the nature of the occupation, one is at times obligated to work during the eventides and weekends run intoing with clients, go toing community meetings and managing exigencies. Furthermore, in the working with some patients particularly in the mental wellness establishments can turn out to be ambitious and at times impossible. This is particularly when covering with a inveterate sick patient who is unwilling to co-operate and is hard to manage and pull off. In such a instance, external aid might be required to quiet down such a patient and Acts of the Apostless such as man-handling and shooting them with depressants have to be executed so as to return things back to normalcy. ( Golightley, 159 ) Merely like any other profession, societal workers besides have minimal demands so as to be permitted full entry into the business. Although some places necessitate one to hold an advanced grade, the most common minimal demand is on norm a unmarried man s grade in societal work ( BSW ) which is sufficient for entry into the field. However there are a few exclusions whereby a major in psychological science, sociology or related Fieldss can measure up one for some entry-level occupations in little community bureaus. On the other manus, a maestro s grade in societal work ( MSW ) is characteristically critical for one to acquire places in both the wellness and learning Fieldss every bit good as in clinical work. Furthermore, for learning place in colleges or universities, one would necessitate a doctors degree in societal work ( DSW or PhD ) . A certified unmarried man s degree plan requires a lower limit of 400 hours of supervised field experience while a maestro s degree plan includes a lower limit of 900 hours of supervised field direction. This prepares the alumnuss for employment in their chosen field of forte and helps them go on developing the accomplishments required to put to death clinical appraisals, grip and oversee big instance loads every bit good as explore new ways of utilizing societal services that are helpful to the clients. In add-on to the educational makings, all provinces have licensing, enfranchisement or enrollment demands sing the usage of professional rubrics. Most of the provinces call for 2 old ages of supervised clinical experience for any societal worker to be given a licence. However, one does non merely necessitate professional and educational makings to successfully pattern a socially and emotionally disputing calling of mental wellness societal work. One besides needs to hold certain personal accomplishments and traits. First and first, a mental wellness societal worker should be nonsubjective and at the same clip sensitive to other people and the jobs they are covering with. It is besides helpful to both the societal worker and the client to possess unagitated disposition, quiet temperament and be really patient. A societal worker should besides be emotionally mature, be able to pull off duties and to keep good working dealingss with both clients and coworkers. In footings of promotion, a mental wellness worker can come on to go a supervisor of other workers, a plan director or an executive manager of a mental wellness establishment. In the instance where 1 has reached a unassuming age or is unable to work in a wellness establishment, there are other calling options such as instruction, confer withing, researching or traveling into private pattern. In decision, despite the societal work profession and most particularly the country of mental wellness non being every bit popular as other callings such as medical specialty or jurisprudence, it is merely every bit of import in the community as the others. Mental wellness societal workers contribute greatly to the community in set abouting a undertaking that most people do non hold the bosom, temperament or bravery to make. If more people were to dig into the profession, the community and the households covering with mental unwellnesss would profit significantly. Name: Kerril Sommerville. Location: Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, New Jersey. Telephone: +1 800 732-922-7300 Electronic mail: jlomani @ yahoo.com

To Be Determined Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

To Be Determined - Essay Example She grew up within the ambit of various religious influences, but internally, Christ in the heart was more important to her, than cross on the neck! Even though it is not correct to say that the three religious figures she encountered in various stages of life, influenced her thought processes, the interaction of Mr. Brocklehurst, Helen Burns and St. John Rivers, helped her intellectual growth. But they failed to impact her deeply and crystallize her religious beliefs. They were offered to her as religious syllabus, which she rejected. She evolved her own ideas about faith and principle. She came to the conclusion, that which is not practical, can not be religious or spiritual either. Practical consequences of an idea were more important to her. Her different types of spiritual/religious inclinations could be observed right from her childhood. She observes, â€Å"Of these death-white realms I formed an idea of my own: like all the half-comprehended notions that float dim through children’s brains, but strangely impressive.†(Bronte, 1997, p.7) Religion! And what sins are committed in the name of religious practices! Is the hypocrite act of Mr. Brocklehurst subjecting his students to privations and humiliations in the name of purging their pride, a Christian Act? He instructs to trim the curly hair of one of Jane’s classmates to make it straight. These acts can be compared to the ragging practice among the modern college students, which all the right-thinking people condemn! He was not working for the glory of the Evangelical movement. On the other hand, Jane is disappointed with Helen Burn’s meek type of Christianity. The true surrender to God needs to be dynamic and not weak. Jane personally loves and admires Helen Burn but she will not adopt his passive type of Christianity. This is not the type of individual who can lead the Christian masses to the glory of true Kingdom of

Benefits of outsourcing outweigh disadvantages Essay

Benefits of outsourcing outweigh disadvantages - Essay Example There is an increase in the proportion and the type of work being sent. The phenomenon of globalization has made outsourcing inevitable for organizations all over the world (Wee et al 2010). There are several motives that work behind the decision of the company to outsource its work. But, with the advantages accrued by the company as a result of outsourcing their activities, there are several disadvantages as well associated with the process of outsourcing. Therefore, it is essential to identify whether the benefits of outsourcing and offshore outsourcing outweigh the disadvantages of outsourcing due to which every third organization in the world is engaged in the process of outsourcing as a means of improving their performance (Pounder et al 2011). The essay discusses and analyses the presence of evidences that show benefits of outsourcing outweighing the disadvantages of the process so as to gain useful insights on significance of outsourcing for today’s organizations. ... The primary non core functions have also been outsourced including marketing, logistics, manufacturing, information technology, etc. (Dhar and Balakrishnan 2006) In order to make the outsourcing work, setting up of a solid upfront effort is necessary so that it can identified that right functions are outsourced, thus ensuring the best returns. Making outsourcing a core competency is a real challenge for a business because it is necessary to achieve the potential benefits of the outsourcing process (Liou and Chuang 2010). Benefits of outsourcing project There are several direct and indirect benefits of outsourcing that are required to be discussed in order to understand and argue for the benefits outweighing the risks associated with the concerned business opportunity. The direct benefits of outsourcing includes focus on core competencies, reduction in management head counts and costs, improvement in accuracy and flexibility, access to superior technology and global networks, improved quality and reduction in capital investment. The indirect benefits include development of resources and contacts, conversion of sluggish personal areas into the success and dynamic areas, etc. (Kolmogorovs 2006) The motives that work behind the decision of taking the route for outsourcing for improvement of efficiency and performance are dominant over the risks associated and disadvantages with the process. The first and foremost motive of the company for taking the decision of outsourcing is reduction of cost. The cost reduction improves the short term performance of the firm and the cost of outsourcing can be balanced with the resources that could have been additionally acquired for doing the work in-house (Pouder et al 2011). Outsourcing also leads to

Research Proposal - about cosmetics Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

- about cosmetics - Research Proposal Example 2012). That is why, product managers and marketers have increasingly engaged in conducting market research in order to determine the demand that prevails in the market regarding a particular product and service and the factors that stimulate this demand (Bian & Forsythe, 2012). Academic scholars have suggested that a person’s culture is one such factor that has a statistically significant impact on the purchase decision of the individual (De Mooij, 2010). This is precisely because of the fact that a person’s culture serves as a standard that needs to be maintained when it comes to buying and availing any product and service. However, the extent to which culture influences the purchase behaviour of cosmetic consumers is still relatively unexplored (Lim & OCass, 2009). This forms the basic premise for this research as the researcher will be endeavouring to analyze the extent to which culture and cross culture is responsible for influencing the purchasing decisions of cosmetic consumers. The following sections will involve a brief review of researches conducted in this field and a description of the research methods that will be adopted. The researcher has prepared a time plan of seven months which will also be provided at the end of the proposal. According to Aaker, Kumar & Day (2004), the choice process of cosmetic customers is constructed in such a way that they are able to adapt to the immediate purchase surroundings. This conclusion was provided on the basis of a study the scholars conducted on the dimensions of choice process of cosmetic consumers by tracking down their eye fixations on supermarket shelves. Blackwell, Miniard & Engel (2001) gave a detailed explanation of shopping orientation. The author reported that Indian shoppers are more inclined towards seeking emotional value rather than functional value of buying products. It was observed that the orientation of shoppers was based more on entertainment quotient rather than the

Disability and rehabilitation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Disability and rehabilitation - Essay Example The primary parts of the research presented are the title and the abstract. These parts need to present a view on the main contents of the research undertaken. The title specifically is the part that can identify the main focus of the study and even the methods used to arrive at the results which are stated in a single statement. The title of the study presents the parameters that are included such as the quality of life and the oxygen consumption of the CHF patients. These are used for the determination of the effect of physical training. Additional information specifically the method of research used e.g. randomization is important in the title. Another pertinent part that needs to give and overview of the research process undertaken is the abstract. It is comparable to a summary of the study presented in a manner similar to the organization of the paper itself. The indication of the parts in a structured abstract can be considered ideal on the basis of the readers’ ease in finding information.The main aim is the assessment of the QoL and oxygen consumption to be able to gauge the effects of physical training to patients of CHF. The said parameters had been assessed through the study of a population of men with the condition referred to as ischaemic CHF which had been randomized into groups of different set ups with varying levels of physical training.

Advanced Project-Complete knowledge of Public Relations as it Relates Essay

Advanced Project-Complete knowledge of Public Relations as it Relates to Creating a PR Campaign - Essay Example This paper will explain the essentials of public relations and analyze the ingredients of effective public relations campaigns while putting more weight on television-oriented campaigns. On a professional perspective, public relations is a collection of exercises that the administration embraces to measure and assess the mentality, estimations and assumptions of the general population about the institution (Bernays 3). The readiness of an advertising arrangement is a vital piece of whoever decides courses of action, techniques, and policies regarding public interest, which the organization will abide by and implement (Wilcox 8). Public relations is used in conventional marketing to influence the buying habits of customers. Moreover, public relations is part of a comprehensive amalgam of marketing communications including sales promotion, advertising, and direct sales (Bernays 12). Effective utilization and practice of the theory of public relations results in the improvement of the organization’s public view, which often depicts an ethical and responsible company concerned with its customers’ welfare (Wilcox 3). The basic functions of public relations can be categorized into community relations, employee relations, financial relations, crisis communications, and political and government relations (Bernays 10). Any institution ought to be seen as a decent group part and ought to have the goodwill of that group in which it directs its operations. A powerful program for group relations ought to be far reaching and proceeding. Institutions can execute a scope of projects on a consistent or continuous premise meant for enhancing group relations. Subsequently, one of the center capacities of PR is to abbreviate the group-business gap (Bernays 10). At the point when institutions help projects and activities that better the life

Disability and rehabilitation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Disability and rehabilitation - Essay Example The primary parts of the research presented are the title and the abstract. These parts need to present a view on the main contents of the research undertaken. The title specifically is the part that can identify the main focus of the study and even the methods used to arrive at the results which are stated in a single statement. The title of the study presents the parameters that are included such as the quality of life and the oxygen consumption of the CHF patients. These are used for the determination of the effect of physical training. Additional information specifically the method of research used e.g. randomization is important in the title. Another pertinent part that needs to give and overview of the research process undertaken is the abstract. It is comparable to a summary of the study presented in a manner similar to the organization of the paper itself. The indication of the parts in a structured abstract can be considered ideal on the basis of the readers’ ease in finding information.The main aim is the assessment of the QoL and oxygen consumption to be able to gauge the effects of physical training to patients of CHF. The said parameters had been assessed through the study of a population of men with the condition referred to as ischaemic CHF which had been randomized into groups of different set ups with varying levels of physical training.

Economic Concepts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Economic Concepts - Assignment Example Eventually, the importance of trading with each other will be realized as both parties become better off as a result of such trade. Economic Concepts 1. What is Michelle’s opportunity cost of producing potatoes? 200 potatoes = 50 chickens --> 200/200 potatoes = 50/200 chickens --> 1 potato = ? chicken or 0.25 Opportunity cost of producing one potato is ? chicken or .25. 2. What is Michelle’s opportunity cost of producing chickens? 50 chickens = 200 potatoes --> 50/50 chickens = 200/50 potatoes --> 1 chicken = 4 potatoes Opportunity cost of producing one chicken is 4 potatoes. 3. What is James’ opportunity cost of producing potatoes? 80 potatoes = 40 chickens --> 80/80 potatoes = 40/80 chickens --> 1 potato = ? chicken Opportunity cost of producing one potato is ? chicken. 4. What is James’ opportunity cost of producing chickens? 40 chickens =80 potatoes --> 40/40 chickens = 80/40 potatoes --> 1 chicken = 2 potatoes Opportunity cost of producing one chicken is 2 potatoes. 5. Which person has an absolute advantage in which activities? For Michelle: Opportunity cost of producing one potato is ? chicken. And opportunity cost of producing one chicken is 4 potatoes. For James: Opportunity cost of producing one potato is ? chicken. And opportunity cost of producing one chicken is 2 potatoes. ... This means that Michelle has the comparative advantage in producing one potato because it is cheaper for her to do this. 7. Which person has comparative advantage in chicken? For Michelle: The opportunity cost of producing one chicken is 4 potatoes. For James opportunity cost of producing one chicken is 2 potatoes. Hence, James has the lower opportunity cost for producing one chicken. This means that James has the comparative advantage in producing one chicken because it is cheaper for him to do this. 8. Suppose that they are thinking of each specializing completely in the area in which they have a comparative advantage, and then trading at a rate of 2.5 pounds of potatoes for 1 chicken, would they each be better off? Explain. Yes, both Michelle and James will be better off if they specialize in the area in which they have a comparative advantage and trade at a rate of 2.5 pounds of potatoes for 1 chicken. Michelle will specialize in producing potatoes while James will specialize in raising chickens. If Michelle will specialize in producing potatoes, she will produce 200 potatoes which when traded at a rate of 2.5 pounds for 1 chicken will produce 80 chickens (as shown below) as opposed to 50 chickens she would have produced if she specialized on raising them. 200 pounds of potatoes/ 2.5 pounds = 80 chickens. If James will specialize in raising chickens, he will produce 40 chickens which when traded at a rate of one chicken for 2.5 pounds of potatoes will produce 100 potatoes (as shown below) as opposed to producing 80 potatoes he would have produced if he specialized on planting them. 40 chickens x 2.5 pounds of potatoes = 100 potatoes. 9. How would you extend the above narrative to businesses, society as a whole or nations?

Improving science literacy with hypermedia Essay Example for Free

Improving science literacy with hypermedia Essay Methods Learning Design Architecture The four cornerstones of this Science learning and teaching design are goal-based and constructivist learning, simulation, computer-based creative learning environment, computer-based creative assessment, as well as the traditional lectures and tutorials. In the present research, the Discovery Channel â€Å"Pompeii: The Last Day† site was used as the hypermedia environment for investigating the science topic of Plate Tectonic Theory, first, and the impact of natural processes on human history (Pompeii), second. A few words need to be said about the structure of this hypermedia resource and its value for the current research. It is organized as the complex system of thematic hypermedia audio/video-packages accompanied by informational texts in written form. The structure of the site appears to be complex, so far as on the macrolevel it consists of the hypermedia sections: â€Å"What Happened Here? ,† the â€Å"Virtual Volcano† simulation, Pompeii Quiz, and Eruption Videos. Each macrounit, meanwhile, is designed as another macroentity. For example, the section â€Å"What Happened Here? † provides learners with different types of information on the theme of volcanic activity having erased ancient cities from the earth surface. The â€Å"Step Back in Time† slide-show is organized as a series (7 parts or pages) of the typed texts (â€Å"The Long, Deathly Silence,† â€Å"Herculaneum,† â€Å"Two Days in August,† â€Å"The Story of Lupercus,† â€Å"Pompeii: Part I,† â€Å"Pompeii: Part II,† and â€Å"The Story of Caius Julius Polybius† by Rossella Lorenzi). The â€Å"Ongoing Excavations,† or â€Å"Ongoing Archaeology† slide-show comprising 6 parts or pages (â€Å"Uncovering Pompeii,† â€Å"Bringing the Oldest Pompeii to Light,† â€Å"A Unique Glimpse,† â€Å"Herculaneums Lost Papyri,† â€Å"Lost Plays of Sophocles,† and â€Å"Multi-Spectral Imaging†) is analogous in structure to the â€Å"Step Back in Time† macrounit. Besides, within the same â€Å"What Happened Here? † macrosection, there is a â€Å"Pompeiis Eyewitness Account† web documentary. The students listen to the text and watch the video accounting for Pliny the Younger’s story about the ancient Pompeii devastation. Whereas the aforedescribed macrounit explores the issues of human history in relating to natural catastrophes, the other macrosections concentrate on Plate Tectonics theory and scientific description of volcanoes as natural pressure valves. Under the umbrella of Volcanology, there are the hypermedia macrounits â€Å"Virtual Volcano† and of â€Å"Eruption Video. † The section â€Å"Virtual Volcano† consists in its turn of the Overview and the â€Å"Virtual volcano† simulation sections. The theme of the section is â€Å"Tectonic Plates and Volcanoes. † The Overview dwells on the Earth’s tectonic structure, volcano types (three subsections) and structure. The information is presented through both visual and textual form (typed text). In the macrounits of â€Å"Global Perspective† and â€Å"Virtual volcano† a specific type of hypermedia symbolic simulation or microworld – introduces students to the details of tectonic structure and volcanic activity. Simulation is â€Å"a computer-based simulation of a work or decision-making environment† as a system (Sauer, Wastell, Hockey, 2000, p. 46, qtd. in Gredler, 2004, p. 577). Whereas a â€Å"Global Perspective† is a genuine symbolic simulation of Earth with delineated plate boundaries and active volcanoes, the â€Å"Virtual volcano† section is an experiential simulation. This is an alliance of hypermedia and video images â€Å"to create a virtual experience for students who are fulfilling roles as researchers† (ibid. ). The macrounit seems to be designed to improve students’ comprehension of the theme by projecting the concepts from short-term to long-term memory, training topical vocabulary and operating knowledge in the goal-based settings. Six informational video packages within the section of â€Å"Eruption Video† train audition as well as visual comprehension. It also broadens students’ vocabulary with useful terms and present visual information on useful concepts (e. g. pyroclastic flow, lava flow, underwater volcano, etc. ). The informational section â€Å"Volcano news† provides learners with interesting facts on ancient and modern volcanic activity (as well as other scientific facts; there are 13 news pieces, 2 of which are corrupted). The hypermedia assessment tool is given in the form of the Pompeii Quiz. This is an interactive multiple-choice test â€Å"Would you survive after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius?. † To accomplish the test, a student must use knowledge having been gained during the research of the site. The Discovery Channel â€Å"Pompeii: The Last Day† site seems to be a useful hypermedia environment for investigating the topics of Plate Tectonic Theory and its impact on human history. First, students pick up useful concepts related to several branches of science (tectonics, Volcanology, history, archeology, etc. ). Second, they learn important vocabulary on the topics in the flow of constructivist and creative learning process. Due to the fact that the hypermedia environment is used for achieving the learning goals, the body of information is presented through various media (typed text, oral speech, graphics, videoimages, photographs, simulations) and organized flexibly. A learner is free to step from one macrounit to another being led by his/her personal background and motivation, return to the sections which are of most interest for him/her essentially and train comprehension skills in the Quiz as many times as (s)he needs. Finally, it refines students’ ICT skills while they use the World Wide Web to reach the site and proceed from page to page. Instruments To evaluate the effect of the hypermedia learning environment on students’ comprehension of Science (Plate Tectonics, Volcanology, History, Archeology), the researcher investigated each of the four â€Å"Pompeii: The Last Day† sections for the most significant scientific concepts to be utilized by students in the learning process. The search was done by qualitative linguistic analysis of the informational texts. The concepts were grouped into three main sections: geographical names, personal names and scientific terms and concepts (see Table 1 for the list). The students were assumed to learn those terms in the constructivist educational process through the hypermedia tools to incorporate them into their evaluation assignments as the evidence for their improved science reading and visual comprehension. Second, an end-of the week questionnaire was administered to the eight-graders in the Science Hypermedia class to find out feedback on their learning experience from using the hypermedia learning environment including time spent on independent research in the hypermedia environment (â€Å"Pompeii: The Last Day†) (see Tables 3, 4 and Figure 1). Third, Power Point presentations were used as creative evaluation instrument to check the learning outcomes of students’ comprehension. All the students were trained to create computer-based presentations by the given program. In an effort to guide and improve the learning of science concepts in the realms of Geology, History and Archeology with eight-graders in the middle school, a week study of the Topic â€Å"Plate Tectonic Theory and the Impact of Volcanic Activity on Human History† was designed as an action research experiment. From the point of view of settings and partly qualitative assessment of the outcomes of research on specific stages (e. g. students’ feedbacks), this study may also be called a case study, since only one science topic was investigated in regard to students’ comprehension and motivation. Two classes of eight-graders relatively equal in achievements and learning potential were invited to participate in educational experiment. However, there was no internal sampling conducted within each of the classes. All the students participated voluntarily and for no reward in grades or other. The goals of the present research were clarified to all the participants (N = 40). The total number of participants (N = 40) was invited to study the topic of Plate Tectonics and its impact on human history through different learning resources. The students of experiment group (n = 20) studied the topic in the hypermedia environment (a school computer laboratory equipped with Windows-based microcomputers and, optionally, at home), whereas the other group of students (control group, n = 20) did not use any hypermedia resources learning solely from printed textbooks and handouts as well as teacher’s oral instructions. To comment, the student of the experiment group received small portions of a teacher’s instruction while researching the hypermedia context. They were also assisted by a teacher in proceeding from one structural part of the site to the other in order to investigate the topic on each other’s individual pace. However, the general framework of scientific topic was introduced to a group of students. Thus, both group and individual types of instruction tool place in the research. One more thing to note, the studies in both the experiment and the control groups were conducted by one and the same teacher of a teaching style being familiar to the students from previous experience. After a week of studies, the students from both the groups designed Power Point presentations on the topic within the Hypermedia Evaluation Project in lieu of a formal examination. The assessment comprised: 45% on the subject comprehension (major concepts and direct conceptual links), 45% on utilizing Power Point hypermedia resources, and 10% on creativity. All the students (n = 40) were trained in using the Power Point program. Presentations were evaluated by three examiners. The point of degree between the evaluators was high (r = . 088).

Causes And Effects Of Food Insecurity Environmental Sciences Essay

Causes And Effects Of Food Insecurity Environmental Sciences Essay State reconstruction is primarily aimed at restoring peace and stability. One of the key factors that threaten peace and stability is food insecurity. This paper focuses on the key challenge of improving food security in protracted crises as well as during post conflict times. The goal of achieving  food security often becomes a daunting challenge, especially when emergencies persist for years or even decades as evidenced in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Somalia. The paper begins with a brief overview of what food security entails, structural factors hindering food security as well as the effects of food insecurity. This will be followed by a glimpse into the protracted situation in the DRC as well as suitable frameworks for analyzing and responding to protracted crises. It concludes with recommendations on how to improve food security in protracted crises. The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security to be existing when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to enough safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy lifestyle. Food security means that: Food is available The amount and quality of food available globally, nationally and locally can be affected temporarily or for long periods by many factors including climate, disasters, war, civil unrest, population size and growth, agricultural practices, environment, social status and trade. Food is affordable When there is a shortage of food prices increase and while richer people will likely still be able to feed themselves, poorer people may have difficulty obtaining sufficient safe and nutritious food without assistance. Food is utilised At the household level, sufficient and varied food needs to be prepared safely so that people can grow and develop normally, meet their energy needs and avoid disease. Food security is considered a complex sustainable development issue, linked to health through malnutrition, but also to sustainable economic development, environment, and trade. There is debate around food security with some arguing that: There is enough food in the world to feed everyone adequately; the problem is distribution. Future food needs can or cannot be met by current levels of production. National food security is essential or no longer necessary because of global trade. Globalization may or may not lead to the persistence of food insecurity and poverty in rural communities. Issues such as whether households get enough food, how it is distributed within the household and whether that food fulfils the nutrition needs of all members of the household show that food security is clearly linked to health. Agriculture remains the largest employment sector in most developing countries and international agriculture agreements are crucial to a countrys food security. Some critics argue that trade liberalization may reduce a countrys food security by reducing agricultural employment levels. 3. Structural Factors Institutional failure, non-existent or weak public and informal institutions are arguably the primary source of protracted crises and food insecurity. This is due to the fact that basic public services such as health, education and protection are inadequately and ineffectively provided if at all. Poor governance of land use and access fuels disputes over land in these crisis situations and impacts negatively on food security in that agricultural production is hampered and investments to increase food production decrease when access to land becomes insecure. Unequal access of land is common in protracted situations of the DRC, Somalia and Sudan and a typical example is when the powerful politico-military rewards their supporters with extra land in an effort to secure their support base. This results in the majority of land being the property of a small number of landowners and the rest of small farmers being marginalized. State reconstruction became hindered when the economy of the DR C collapsed due to the powerful elite exploiting the countrys economic resources. Informal and cultural institutions also play a role in easing the burden of conflicts and can prove to be more effective than weak or collapsed formal institutions. A perfect example in this regard is the local council in the DRC known as chambres de paix that comprised of community elders who investigated and settled land disputes between farmers on the basis of compromise. ¹ This form of justice system became the most trusted mechanism for providing protection to farmers and as a result, farmers no longer trusted the formal corrupt justice system and local courts which traditionally failed to afford them legal protection and justice. However, protracted crises have had a bad effect on informal institutions and thus deprived them of mitigating against the crises. For instance, in Sudan traditional elder authorities were eradicated by military forces. ² 4. Causes and Effects of Food Insecurity Poverty Poor people lack access to sufficient resources to produce or buy quality food. Poor farmers may have very small farms, use less effective farming techniques, and/or be unable to afford fertilisers and labour-saving equipment, all of which limit food production. They often find it difficult to grow enough food for themselves, let alone generate income by selling excess to others. Without economic resources and a political voice, poor farmers may be forced on to less productive land possibly causing further environmental deterioration. Addressing poverty is critical to ensuring that all people have sufficient food. Health Without sufficient calories and nutrients, the body slows down, making it difficult to undertake the work needed to produce food. Without good health, the body is also less able to make use of the food that is available. A hungry mother will give birth to an underweight baby, who then faces a future of stunted growth, frequent illness, learning disabilities and reduced resistance to disease. Contaminated food and water can cause illness, nutrient loss and often death in children. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has reduced food production in many affected countries as productive adults become ill or die. Lacking the labour, resources and know-how to grow staples and commercial crops, many households have shifted to cultivating survival foods or even leaving their fields, further reducing the food supply. Addressing health issues will improve utilisation and availability of food. Water and the environment Food production requires massive amounts of water. Producing sufficient food is directly related to having sufficient water. Irrigation can ensure an adequate and reliable supply of water which increases yields of most crops. Where water is scarce, achieving food security may depend on importing food from countries with an abundance of water. This may be a more efficient use of a scarce resource. Gender equity Women play a vital role in providing food and nutrition for their families through their roles as food producers, processors, traders and income earners. Yet womens lower social and economic status limits their access to education, training, land ownership, decision making and credit and their ability to improve their access to and use of food. Food utilisation can be enhanced by improving womens knowledge of nutrition and food safety and the prevention of illnesses. Increasing womens involvement in decision making and their access to land and credit will in turn improve food security as women invest in fertilisers and better seeds, labour-saving tools, irrigation and land care. Disasters and conflicts Droughts, floods, cyclones and pests can quickly wipe out large quantities of food as it grows or when it is in storage for later use. Seeds can also be destroyed by such environmental dangers. Conflict can also reduce or destroy food in production or storage as farmers flee to safety or become involved in the fighting. Previously productive land may be contaminated with explosive debris and need to be cleared before it can again be used for food production. Stored food, seeds and breeding livestock may be eaten or destroyed by soldiers, leading to long-term food shortages. Government spending needs to prioritise food security after conflicts. Population and urbanisation Population growth increases the demand for food. With most productive land already in use, there is pressure for this land to become more productive. Poor harvests and higher costs lead many poor farmers to migrate to cities to look for work. Expanding cities spread out across productive land, pushing food production further and further away from consumers. This increases the cost of all the activities associated with producing and transporting food, and decreases the food security of the poor in cities. Trade Many poor countries can produce staples more cheaply than rich nations but barriers to trade, such as distance from markets, regulations and tariffs make it difficult for them to compete in export markets against highly subsidised farmers in rich countries. This deprives poor farmers of income and entire countries of the agricultural base they need to develop other sectors of the economy. Trade imbalances prevent poor countries from importing agricultural products that could enhance their food security. The negative effects of food insecurity include impaired physical and cognitive abilities of children. Generally, food insecurity and hunger amounts to poor health status, making children sick more often, with higher rates of iron deficiency anemia, and also results in children being frequently hospitalized. In Somalia, for example, 20 percent of children die before the age of five. The nutritional status of women is also a major concern. They are mainly farmers and are usually carers of their families. It has been reported that two-thirds of women in the Horn of Africa suffer from anaemia, which is partly attributed to the high levels of maternal mortality. 5. Protracted Crises The term is defined as conflict situations characterized by the prolonged and often violent struggle by communal groups for such basic needs as security, recognition, acceptance, fair access to political institutions, and economic participation. ³ 5.1 DRC Democratic Republic of Congo is listed as one of the worst humanitarian crises. Its five-year war ended in 2003. The country is rich with gold, diamonds and minerals, yet millions of its people suffer from a lethal combination of disease and hunger caused by ongoing conflict and displacement. 5.4 million people were declared dead since 1998 from war-related violence, hunger and disease. The devastating effects of pre-war land policies on the rural people of DRC have intensified since the war. Land is at center stage of conflict, especially in the regions such as Ituri and Masisi. It has also become an important resource to warring factions because through their control over land, they have reinforced their political position to the disadvantage of small farmers. A study undertaken by FAO concluded that food insecurity in the DRC can be tackled through interventions that focus on land access and that possible interventions include the strengthening of the legal position of rural populations and the strengthening of the role of community representatives in land issues. The study also focused on the structural impact of the protracted crisis on local food systems and the effects and limits of food security interventions. 6. Frameworks for Analysis and Response In protracted crises, food security interventions tend to be based on a standardized set of responses that do not consider the dynamic nature of protracted crises. Such interventions usually focus on food production and neglect other dimensions of food security. Responses to these situations are of a humanitarian/emergency nature. They contribute to saving lives and to protecting livelihoods but are inadequate for addressing the complex root causes of these crises. Stated differently, traditional humanitarian and development approaches are often not suitable for guiding analysis and response. Organizations that intervene in these situations tend to concentrate on one side of the humanitarian/development divide and plan their response accordingly. The studies show that assistance is often externally driven and very few donors commit to longer term development once the acute phase of a crisis passes and thus disregard the root causes of the crisis unresolved. In the DRC and Sudan, analytical tools that were employed wrongly suggested that food insecurity in those countries were livelihoods crises at the household level caused by external factors. As a result, contextual analysis was not undertaken. Alinovi et al therefore suggest that a new operational framework for food security in protracted crises should: †¢ have an overarching livelihoods-based framework to represent various processes at the global level and the effects of those processes at the household level; †¢ highlight appropriate food security responses policies and programmes; †¢ identify institutions that play a positive (or negative) role in strengthening the resilience of food systems; and †¢ identify institutions that are necessary for implementing food security response. Conclusion It is necessary to address both the short and long term dimensions of protracted crises in order to have an impact on increasing food security and thus prevent and/or mitigate the adverse effects of food insecurity, especially in protracted crises. The current aid architecture also needs to be reformed so that it is flexible enough to link short and longer term response. Response must be based on adequate analysis, including institutional analysis of these complex situations. Acting without adequate analysis may reduce the effectiveness of response and, in the worst cases, make the situation even worse. The eradication of hunger and food insecurity must be considered a long-term development goal. Food insecurity cannot be addressed in isolation. Progress needs to be made also with relation to goals set in other pressing areas, including poverty alleviation; education and literacy; reductions in infant, child and maternal mortality; improved reproductive health; and environmental protection. The countries in protracted crises should establish their own regional and national targets as well as associated indicators. These goals should be achieved within the framework of human rights. This rights-based approach acknowledges the responsibility of national governments and their international partners in fulfilling peoples fundamental rights, including freedom from hunger. Community participation should also be encouraged to ensure that beneficiaries participate in all decisions affecting their lives. Women should also have an equal voice in decision-making.

Which Comes First: The Art or the Artist? Essays -- Art Artistic Artis

Which Comes First: The Art or the Artist? A Historical Perspective The approach of the year 2000 seems a good time to think about the way the role of art and the artist has changed through history, and how modern art is interpreted by a modern audience. Writing about modern art gives me the creeps. In other types of art, clear facts can be asserted with security, public reactions are clearly documented, skills can be appreciated, and art is clearly recognized as such. Modern art defys all of these conventions. Writing about modern art bothers me because after I've said everything that I feel about a piece, I'm not sure I could defend myself if someone walked up and told me I was an idiot who missed the artist's point altogether. Am I symbolic of the piss or the crucifix, the Lady or the tiger? Amoung the things the artist has been in history are: historian, architect, scientist, propagandist, and social commentator. Is the modern artist still the same, or is the role of the artist changing completely from all the old templates and metamorphasizing into something altogether different? The Artist as Historian? For vast majority of art history, the artist has been very unimportant. Cave paintings are considered a way to learn about the lives of prehistoric man. Cave paintings are of interest to the archieologist and the curious. No painting has any signatures, at least none have been interpreted as such. No none ever tries to "get into the mind" of a prehistoric artist. No one knows who the artist is until the egyptian artist Imhotep began putting his name on his work. Until then, no none was concerned with the artist as anything but a tool to express the culture of the time. Artists often are given the duty of re... ...ortfolio. The xyz portfolio was a collection of pictures of men engaged in brutal homosexual acts. While these pictures certainly make an impact on an audience, they don't change public opinon on the subject. They change public opinon of the artists. Modern art lacks much of the subtle touch of previous art. Its statements, although more powerful than ever in history, are not accepted by mainstream society. In order for an artists to be the pivot of public opinon and social change, they have to be more acceptable to mainstream, or else art has little function in society. During the Wats;on festival held at Carnegie Mellon University, Elaine King was asked to speak on the future of art. She asserted that art was being created for "artists, art critics, curators and collectors." Surely this must change if art is ever to be the fulcrum it has the potential to be.

Machiavellianism :: essays research papers

After months of routinely being metal detected and blindly handing over my bags to be searched, I finally stopped to think about it the other day. I realized that all the â€Å"security† cameras, metal detectors and guards were merely used to gain power over the people by oppressing them and forcing their submission; not to protect us. We are all blind to this. We think it’s for our own good, but it’s all part of a Machiavellianist Plot.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Niccolo Machiavelli lived in Italy in the early 1500’s. He thought that if one person, namely Lorenzo de’ Medici, could be the absolute ruler of all Italy, then order could be restored. In an effort to gain favor with the powerful Medice family, he wrote The Prince as an early blueprint of a New World Order justifying the use of any means, no matter how sinister, to gain and keep power. Machiavellianism envisages: the seizure, maintenance, and extension of absolute power by the nicely graduated use of fraud, force and terror; control by the ruler of all avenues of communication, thus facilitating the deliberate molding of public opinion; and the employment of surveillance and terrorist activities of subordinates who can be disowned and liquidated by the ruler, who thus escapes the blame for their atrocities. (In other words, the big political figureheads get their lackeys to do their dirty work and then use them as scapegoats.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Basically, what Machiavelli was trying to say was that if a prince conquered a city, the people would hate him, but if the prince secretly hired terrorists to create an insurrection, then marched into the city to put down the insurrection, the people would praise him. (He would hire his men to act like they were rebelling, and then the leader would act like he was stopping the rebellion and protecting the citizens, thus earning the community’s trust.) Either way, he would increase his domain, but it would be better for his popularity if the citizens loved him rather than hated him for doing it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I see the same things happening today with gun control, censorship and all the other so-called security the government has imposed upon us. These are not isolated incidents. This censorship has occurred throughout history, whether it was censorship of religion, freedom, books or individuality and self expression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first and most obvious is the case of Jesus and how he was oppressed and persecuted because he expressed his beliefs which didn’t agree with the political leaders of the day. These leaders did not want to be disputed or made to look bad, so if someone got in their way, they killed that