Give examples to support your views Essay

Develop the above points and also explain why you think science fiction films are commercial successful? Give examples to support your views. Science fiction films are commercially successful because they have a high production value. This allows Sci-Fi’s to follow the uses and gratifications theory through creating an escapist environment using cgi, props, costumes and Special FX. The high production value enables the codes and conventions of a sci-fi to remain consistent (lasers, futuristic outfits, bright light) in the environments and costumes of the Mise en scene. Furthermore, The cliche’s in the mise en scene allow the target audiences to quickly recognise with sci-fi films because they are familiar to the various references of brought through the advanced cgi, costumes, special FX and props in the Mise En Scene that would be used in a typical sci-fi. Star wars: the force awakening has used familiar cliche’s within their narrative to provide escapist entertainment of which target audience can recognize. Star wars: the force awakened has used high budget of $300 million to create the different Alien species, props, costumes and environment transferring the audience into a realistic work of the protagonists. Because of this, the force awakens was able to achieve a box office of 2 billion dollars to be one of the most successful science fiction films till date. Science fictions films hybridise with other genres. This means that Science fiction films can reach a larger demographic of audiences which would enable more box office revenue to be generated from a science fiction films. Sci-Fi’s often hybridise with the family, crime or comedy genres as these genres attract the largest amount of different demographics. For example, Mars Attacks! Hybridised with the family and comedy genre. This enabled the target demographic to expand further form the stereotypical sci-fi intelligent and intellectual enthusiasts. It enabled ‘Mars Attacks! ’ to generate a revenue of 100 million dollars as parents could now experience a sci-fi with comedic value with their children. Similarly Sci-Fi’s hybridising enable a change in the iconography which would allow the visuals of a sci-fi to furthermore attract a larger audience. An example of this is in Chappie where the relationship between Chappie and the female protagonist is a representation of a mother figure targeting a female demographic. Science fictions film have an existing loyal fan base. A science fiction’s film fan base consumes Sci-Fi’s on mobile phones, laptops, consoles, PC and webpage these allow Sci-Fi’s to be commercially successful as a sci-fi film would now have a variety of methods to inform their target audience whether it be by making games (e. g. Star wars battlefront), posters or webpages that may promote a Sci-Fi’s narrative. ‘Monster’s vs aliens’ have used viral marketing, a website and teaser trailers in order to reach their fan base. Through this they were able to inform their target audience (children age 7-14) by creating interactive webpages that information of the protagonists and sharing links to their website and teaser trailers on social media platforms. Sci-fi films who have used this are successful as the intuitions were able to reach their target demographics by the how much the target audience uses each platform. Science fiction films are commercially successful because they hybridise with other genres, have high production values and have an existing fan base that consume sci-fi on various media. This is because the hybridisation allows science fictions films to target a larger demographic whilst the high production value engrosses the audience into the narrative. Additionally, the existing fan base that consume on various media enables Science fiction films to advertise to various devices ensuring that the target audience would be informed about the Sci-fi film. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Audience and Production Analysis section.

Consumer Behaviour †Product Line Extension Essay

Created by two avid surfers, Billabong is a brand designed by surfers, for surfers. In 1973, Billabong offered little more than a small range of surf wear: mainly surfboards and board shorts. But today, Billabong is a brand that encompasses the Australian surf culture by offering products that cater not only for the surfer inside many of us, but for fashion and lifestyle needs. 1.2 CURRENT TARGET MARKET Billabong is a brand that offers numerous products designed to accommodate numerous lifestyles. Included in their extensive range are products designed for surfers, general beach goers, skateboarders and the fashion conscious. Comprehensive characteristics of this market are difficult to pinpoint, however, it is the assumption that the majority of consumers are males and females aged between 12 and 35 years of age. Consumer Need: Social Image Need – the most important need satisfied by Billabong 1.3 CURRENTLY SOLD In the mid 1980’s, just over ten years since the birth of Billabong, the successes of the small Australian brand were being recognised world wide and Billabong products were in high demand. This led to the export of Billabong products to the global market with countries such as the USA, Japan, New Zealand and Europe first in line. Today, the product range available extends as far as 2200 lines in Australia, 1300 lines in the US and many more in over 60 other countries. It is not unusual that the greatest distribution of Billabong products is to coastal destinations. However, countries locked by land are given the opportunity to live the Billabong experience with products available on-line and in assorted stores around the world. 1.4 PRICE RANGE Billabong products appear at the higher end of the price spectrum for the overall market, and are moderately to high priced as compared to their surf brand competitors. Some examples of how Billabong measure in the market are illustrated below: Girls Thongs: Billabong – $17.95 Mermaid Sister – $19.95 Target $4.00 Men’s Jeans: Billabong – $120.00 Quiksilver $139.95 Jeanswest $65.00 Beach Towel: Billabong – $69.95 Aztec Rose – $39.95 Bonds $29.95 1.5 MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLE The single most important environmental variable affecting Billabong is ‘Culture’; defined as † a set of values, ideas, artefacts and other meaningful symbols that help individuals communicate, interpret and evaluate as members of society† (Blackwell et al. 2001). Products are largely designed, as outlined in section 1.2 and Appendix A, for a surf/sun/style culture which is seemingly ubiquitous in Australian living. 1.6 PRODUCT EXTENSION Billabong Skinwear: a Skin-care range including sunscreen, lip-balm and after sun-gel. This range meets the highest Australian standards in sun protection whilst also providing the essential style that Australians have come to know and expect from Billabong products. 2.0 SECTION B The target audience for any given product or service is the group of people that advertisers wish to attract through their marketing activities. The process of identifying and defining an audience leads to assessing priorities. For instance, a firm may identify a sizably large group or market to be potential consumers. However, it is likely to be financially unsound to attempt to target all consumers within the group. A target audience may be established by asking questions such as: Which audience is large enough to be a significant target? Which audience is a priority in terms of the brand’s product? Which audience is the target of the product’s attributes and benefits? A target audience may be defined by their age, gender, family status, lifestyle, interests or a combination of these characteristics. It is noteworthy that a target audience invariably differs from the overall target market and is generally only a segment of a given market. For example, Billabong would target consumers (both male and female) between the ages of around 12 – 35; but different segments of this broad market are more likely to purchase than others. It is desirable to develop demographic and psychographic profiles of these likely consumers (the target audience). Accurate details of a target audience can only be obtained by means of credible market research practices. However, inferences and assumptions can be made beforehand to aid any research. Some of the demographic characteristics of the Billabong target audience are, as mentioned previously, males and females between the ages of around 12 – 35 (although  advertising is usually specific to one particular gender as seen in the example of Appendix A). Such individuals are predominantly situated in coastal regions where the beach/surf/sun culture thrives (as clearly demonstrated in Appendix A), although there are significant deviations from this trend especially in recent times with such a broad, climate and geographically unbiased product range spanning some 2200 lines in Australia alone (Billabong International 2004). Economic factors can sometimes play a role in defining a target but in this case the audience is not necessarily limited to any specific economic traits; for example, income brackets are not easily defined for consumers as Billabong International offers such a variety of products satisfying both functional lifestyle needs and fashion influenced desires, hence the user’s likelihood of purchasing is expected to be more dependant on the psychographic factors of consumer motivation, motivational intensity and consumer knowledge. Consumer motivation represents the drive to meet physiological and psychological needs via purchase and consumption of products (Blackwell et al. 2001, p.233). Billabong customers are likely to be driven to satisfy their social image needs and needs for pleasure. They are expected to have a high motivational intensity to fulfil these needs so as to willingly overcome the price barrier associated with doing so. The target consumers for Billabong have a relatively high level of consumer knowledge regarding their chosen product. The concept of consumer knowledge involves individuals pre-existing knowledge and perceptions related to product purchase and consumption. These consumers have a high awareness of the products attributes and associations, such as the famous waves symbol, the obvious ties with surfing and pro surfing and the companies Australian origins. They have a familiarity with the products image within the marketplace. They associate the brand with high quality, high fashion and are prepared to bear the comparatively high price. This target audience is aided by the purchase knowledge they hold regarding Billabong’s price positioning; that is, the company is in the high price range compared to the overall market but is moderate to high in price when evaluating surf brands (see Section 1.4). These consumers are also equipped with knowledge on when  and where to buy – aware that the products are available in specialty surf-specific stores and can rely on a least two sales each year at the end of summer and winter. Although expensive research is often the most accurate way of developing a targeted marketing approach, it is always beneficial to attempt to identify expected consumers as early as possible in a marketing plan. Whether you utilize extensive demographic and psychographic research or just use common-sense, â€Å"the key is to identify a group or groups of potential customers that offer the best opportunities for business potential† (Defining Your Target 2004). 3.0 SECTION C 3.1 THE BILLABONG COMMUNICATION MIX A successful communication mix is essential in the marketing of any brand or product to consumers. This ties in with the familiar four P’s of marketing which are price, place, promotion and product. The most important factor relating to the concept of the communications mix is promotion. Examples of promotion include: personal selling, sales promotion, public relations, publicity, direct mail, advertising, sponsorship, branding and distribution of samples. A good communication mix ensures that the brand receives adequate exposure whilst also targeting the appropriate audiences (see Section B). For many large corporations, their logo is an integral part of their marketing activities. This unique identifier will be present throughout all forms of visual marketing communication and is a powerful statement in itself. An obvious example of such would be Nike with its ‘swoosh’ symbol. Similarly, the famous Billabong ‘waves’ are present throughout the Billabong communication mix. 3.2 PRINT ADVERTISING Currently there are a number of communication methods that are used by Billabong. Products are featured in a number of magazines such as Dolly,  Girlfriend, Chik and Cosmopolitan, who predominately market to the female segment of Billabong’s target audience. Print advertisements also feature in more male oriented publications such as Ralph and FHM and can be seen in specific surfing magazines such as Surfing. The combination of these promotional activities effectively reaches the specific audience that Billabong targets. 3.3 BROADCAST ADVERTISING Broadcast advertising is very limited and is likely to only be featured for events such as special surfing related events such as the Billabong Pro surf championships. 3.4 INTERNET PROMOTIONS Internet promotions are one of the most extensive ways in which Billabong advertises. On almost every Billabong advertisement featured in the aforementioned media, the Billabong web address is present; ‘billabong.com’. The website shows the entire product list, which are available for purchase online. The website is not just limited to the Australian audience. It also caters for different products and prices suitable for different regions around the world, including: North America, South America, Asia and Europe – representative of Billabongs growing international presence and successful utilisation of the internet in market places around the world. 3.5 PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL Associated to Billabong is a highly influential reference group who effectively act as a promotional tool. These are pro surfers such as Layne Beachley, Alana Brennan and Andy Irons. This reference group gains credibility for the brand by using Billabong products. Billabong promotions use these public faces to give testimonials as the attention gained by having expert’s approval is invaluable in the fight for consumer preference. 3.6 POINT OF PURCHASE DISPLAYS Point of purchase displays are frequently used by Billabong. In surf shops such as City Beach Surf (Garden City, Whitfords City), Billabong products are grouped together in the store whereas in Brothers Nielsen (Garden City, Perth, Whitfords City), the Billabong are grouped alongside competing brands by category. From the marketing perspective of a reputable manufacturer, it is more desirable to have the clothes grouped by brand rather than by category as this allows consumers to search for the specific brand they wish to purchase. 3.7 IS THIS COMMUNICATION MIX APPROPRIATE? Print advertising utilised by Billabong is appropriate and effective as the magazines that they feature in are targeting similar or overlapping audiences. Promotions and promotional material aid in increasing public familiarity with the brand. This has been achieved by attaching the Billabong name and logo with events such as the Billabong Pro and other surfing events worldwide. Celebrities, especially movie stars, television actors, entertainers, and sports figures, can be very powerful assets to any marketing and advertising campaign (Blackwell et al. 2001). Billabong uses famous surfers Layne Beachley, Alana Brennan and Andy Irons to achieve higher credibility within the surfing world. Another powerful promotional tool is the brands website. Generation â€Å"X† and â€Å"Y† are very likely to search the internet for products that they wish to purchase, as it allows them to shop in the comfort of their homes without the effort of searching different stores to find certain products or information. Internet Promotions are seen to be effective because of the increasing frequency and effectiveness of e-commerce in today’s globalised market place. The website is easy to use, easy to find and is prevalent in all the advertising material; increasing consumer knowledge of the website. Broadcast advertising for Billabong is likely to have a limited effectiveness. It has been shown that only 19% of television viewers actually watch the advertisements shown during a show (Lach, cited in  Blackwell 2001, p. 438). Bearing this in mind, and realising that the target audience is a relatively specific one, it is doubtful that the audience will be reached on a frequent basis via this medium. 3.8 CHANGES TO COMMUNICATION MIX We believe that Billabong should implement a number of various changes to the current communications mix in order to launch the Skinwear range. Procedures such as distributing free samples would be effective in increasing: awareness of the product, its function of reducing the effects of sun exposure and the positive associations of the brand. An increase in Billabong sponsored events will lead to increased exposure of the Billabong name and will provide an excellent opportunity to introduce consumers to the product extension line. The Skinwear range can be officially launched by specifically attaching the name of the new product (Skinwear) to a Billabong sponsored event. On its launch, the previously mentioned method of sample distribution can be used to full effect. The launch of Skinwear will coincide with the increased marketing activities surrounding the entire Billabong range during the summer holiday season. An effective way of maximising the benefits of this situation would be to utilise POP displays, perhaps combined with promotional gift packs. 4.0 SECTION D 4.1 PRODUCT CONCEPT As a well recognised and trusted surf brand, Billabong is endeavouring to branch out into the skin-care market, in particular: sun-care to further cater to its customers lifestyle needs. Like the rest of the world, Australia as a society has become heavily health and image conscious; as demonstrated from the many articles, advertisements, new products and spending increases based in the Health and Cosmetic Industries. Billabong has made the decision to extend their existing product range in an attempt  to take advantage of this new demand for health and beauty products. In doing so, Billabong has created its ‘Skinwear’ range which includes a Sunscreen, Lip balm and After-Sun Gel all of which meet the high standards set by the Australian Government and Australian Cancer Council. Included in the Billabong Skinwear range is a Sunscreen boasting an SPF or Sun Protection Factor of 30, shielding the skin from harmful UV rays 30 times longer than our skins natural defences are able to. Through the introduction of past innovative products, Billabong has become known for its dedication to meet and exceed the needs demanded by their surfing clientele; hence incorporating an 8 hour water protection attribute into this product. This feature allows surfers and beach goers the chance to enjoy their lifestyle without the concerns of having to frequently reapply sunscreen. The combination of 30 SPF and 8hrs of water resistance will instantly place the product at least equally, in terms of functional attributes, at the top of the market. Billabongs new Skinwear range also includes a Lipbalm featuring an SPF of 15. As a means to widen the target audience, Billabong’s new Lipbalm is free of colour and taste, removing added hesitation in the male demographic. For easy application, the Lipbalm is packaged in a squeezable tube, making for easy and mess-free application; all of which is very handy when applying at the beach. Incorporated into the After-Sun Gel is an aloe extract. According to Steve Herman (2004, p.54) â€Å"aloe remains a genuinely useful healing agent widely accepted by the public†. In order to meet consumer requirements, aloe is a feature in the After-Sun Gel product. It is merely a last resort that consumers would ultimately require a product to soothe the effects the sunburn; however, as Plato quite accurately stated â€Å"The most we can teach people is what they already know†. This statement defines the need for a product such as After-Sun Gel, as it is expected that even with the existence of a Sunscreen as provided by Billabong; consumers are likely to use the product ineffectively every now and then. Pat Thomas (2004, p.16) declares â€Å"the sun is now officially the enemy – against which sun creams are our weapon of choice†. According to figures given on the Australian Cancer website (http://www.cancer.org.au) 374,000 Australian’s are treated for non-melanoma skin cancer every year. This figure accounts for 1.9% of Australia’s entire population. More alarming is that an additional 8,500 Australians are diagnosed with a melanoma, of which 1300 will die as a result. Such frightening statistics generate the question; are members of Australia’s beach and surf culture taking appropriate steps to protect their skin from such devastating consequences? Pioneers in serving this beach/surf culture, Billabong attempt to make their consumers aware of the harmful dangers associated with long term exposure to the sun and its effects. In doing so, Billabong offers such products as available in their new Skinwear range to protect the physiological needs of their consumers as well as removing the quite apparent social negativity involved in wearing and applying sunscreen. 4.2 TARGET MARKET REVISITED It would be unwise for a brand such as Billabong to extend an already successful product range if there was any reason to believe that it would not be as successful as the collective existing products. In accordance, Billabong has created a Skinwear range that not only extends the well recognised image of the brand but also the values and attributes that a consumer would associate with any of its other products. For instance, Billabong is renowned for its high quality surf-related products, innovative style and up-to-date fashion. A marketing approach to increase the popularity of Billabong products is to promote consumption as more than an experience, but rather a statement of image and self-expression. It is for this reason that the slogan for the new Skinwear range reads: â€Å"Wear Billabong, even when you’re naked†. As identified in Section B, Billabong’s key target audience extends between males and females aged between 12 and 35. At these ages, it would not be inaccurate to suggest that a major factor in the purchase and consumption of  surf brands and their related products is whether the product links consumers with the desire to fit certain image and style demands. The surf and beach culture is dominant in the lifestyles and images of Australian people. This, in effect, further intensifies the need for many consumers to conform. Australians are becoming more obsessed with their health and appearance. Appearing on Australian networks week by week are television shows that promote cosmetic surgery, crash diets, new health risks, advanced pharmaceuticals and much more. It is not surprising that consumers in the demographic of 12-35 years of age are identifying a need to improve and maintain beauty and health. The links between sun exposure and skin damage have been extensively researched in Australia, as it appears that compared to other geographical locations, Australian people are more susceptible and at risk of suffering, due to the consequences of living in such a sun exposed location. When taking into consideration the various issues relating to sun exposure and skin damage, Billabong decided to create their Skinwear range. It is expected that with an informative and effective marketing campaign, existing Billabong consumers will see the need to execute a diligent skin protection regime, in turn utilising the products that are now offered by Billabong. 4.3 ATTITUDES In order for this product extension to be successful, Billabong has attempted to seize the large target audience that already purchases and consumes their existing product range. It is suggested by Blackwell et al. (2001, p. 289) that â€Å"holding a favourable attitude toward a product is almost always an essential prerequisite in order for consumers to hold a favourable purchase of consumption intention†. In saying this, it is not expected that the consumer will automatically purchase the product, but that they will hold a favourable intention which may assist in their decision. Several models are used to aid marketers of company’s such as Billabong to analyse consumer attitudes and their associated effects on product evaluation and choice.  Better known as the Fishbien Model and Ideal-Point Model, marketers of brands such as Billabong are given important information from consumer’s responses. In many cases, this leads to new product developments as is the case of Billabong, where certain needs not catered for are alerted to designers. In order for Billabong to avoid consumer’ attitudes becoming impartial between brands, it is essential to do whatever it takes to achieve â€Å"Attitude persistence†¦ [where] an attitude’s immune to such corrosion† (Blackwell et al. p. 300). It is likely that the need for products such as that offered in Billabongs Skinwear range will never be made redundant, purely because the risks associated with having lives revolved around the sun are not diminishing in number and neither are the risks associated. The greatest obstacle faced when introducing Billabongs new Skinwear range is changing consumer’s preferences, in effect, â€Å"recruiting competitor’s customers† (Blackwell et al. 2001, p. 301). A strong feature of the Skinwear range is its SPF rating and Water Resistance. In order to â€Å"recruit competitor’s customers† Billabong must be effective in changing consumers attitudes, drawing on favourable attitudes held about their existing product range, as well as emphasising comparisons between their new product extension and other existing brands – hopefully in favour of their products. 4.4 CONCLUSION Billabong recognises the importance of consumers needs to ‘be protected in the sun’. After all, it is the expectation that having consumers who exude a lifestyle surrounded by surf and beach that these needs will as some point require satisfying. As a highly regarded surf brand, Billabong places importance on fulfilling consumer’s needs for safety and health. In recognising the gap in its product range, Billabongs new product extension, boasting a highly protective Sunscreen, Lipbalm and After-Sun Gel, continues their commitment to meet the demands of its consumers for the coming summer season. 5.0 SECTION E To examine the decision making processes experienced by a consumer it is practical to use the Consumer Decision Process (CDP) Model which defines seven likely stages involved in any purchase. The CDP model â€Å"†¦represents a roadmap of consumers’ minds that marketers and managers can use to help guide product mix, communication and sales strategies† (Blackwell et al. 2001, p.71). All consumers are not strictly bound by this model in making their decisions, but are likely to undergo at least some of the following stages: The Consumer Decision Process Model In the case of Billabong, to ensure the success of their product line extension and the associated marketing activities; it would be beneficial to hypothesise the probable processes of their target audience in becoming loyal users of the new product. Such predictions may be made by examining the stages of the CDP model. The first stage of the model, need recognition, involves the consumer sensing the difference between their ideal and actual state of affairs. Billabong will aim, through straight-forward advertising and other marketing communications (as outlined in Section C), to undermine the user’s perceptions about the adequacy of their existing state and will hence create a problem that must be solved. Advertising will include the contrasting negative consequences of not using the product (such as skin damage and/or cancer) with the altogether positives outcomes associated with using the new product. Such benefits include a high level of skin care and also positive social image. With so many choices and more and more variables affecting consumer decisions, especially for low-involvement products such as sunscreen, it is expected that previous loyal followers of the Billabong trademark will factor their positive experiences and high levels of satisfaction into their decision to use Billabong Skinwear. The second stage involves searching the marketplace for information on  products and alternatives. The loyal Billabong consumer will find themselves undergoing components of both an internal and external search and will then move on to assess evaluative criteria as outlined by the third stage; pre-purchase evaluation. It is in this stage that these particular consumers are likely to conclude Billabong as the better alternative. The target audience, whether undergoing an external or internal search will find Billabong to be at least equal (see Section 4.1) to its competitors in terms of its products attributes whilst the positive associations with the Billabong brand will ensure that Billabong Skinwear is seen as the superior alternative. It is the intention of Billabong to extend its dominance into the new market and it is hoped that consumers eliminate the need for extensive searching in order to simply transfer loyalty into this new market. There are two paths that will lead a consumer to the fourth stage of the purchase decision. They may either systematically travel through the previous three stages leading to an obvious choice to purchase, or they may avoid the first three stages altogether and simply purchase the product based on an instantaneous decision influenced by prior ties to the Billabong brand. An example of such may be seen in impulse purchasing, where point-of-purchase (POP) displays may play a significant role. The fifth stage; consumption, is likely to occur seasonally as sun protection is demanded mainly in summer. However, loyal consumers such as those outlined in section B are perhaps the more likely of any one in the market to use the product as suggested by Billabong and its experts – all year round. Stages five and six; consumption and post-consumption evaluations are likely to have a positive, satisfied response from consumers when taking into consideration Billabongs efforts to transfer loyalty from past experiences into the new products evaluation. The last stage, divestment, holds no definitive expectations from those marketing the new product. The only aim is for the target consumers to consume the product completely and not discard it in preference for a competing brand before the end of its useful life The transition of loyal users to the new product (as summarized in this section) demonstrates how varying influential factors will alter the processes outlined in the Consumer Decision Process (CDP) Model. Whether it be the testimony of industry experts or the word of mouth (WOM) distribution of the positive brand image, it is clear that it will be more than possible to transmit the loyalty of the brand into the new product extension line. 6.0 REFERENCES Billabong International 2004. Retrieved: September 30, 2004, from http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/ 06/12/1086749947661.html?from=storylhs. Blackwell, D.R., Miniard, P.W. & Engel, J.F. 2001, Consumer Behaviour 9ED, Harcourt Inc., Florida. Defining Your Target 2004. Retrieved: October 4, 2004, from http://www.usg.com/contractors/defining_your_target.asp. Herman, S. 2004, ‘A day at the beach’, Global Cosmetic Industry, vol. 172, no. 8, pp. 53-54. Retrieved: October 13, 2004, from Proquest. Thomas, P. 2004, ‘Behind the Label: Suncream’, The Ecologist, vol. 34, no.6, Retrieved: October 13, 2004, from Proquest.

From Boy to a Man: Soucouyant

Living in the past is a challenge, especially when your past is racing in front of your future. The narrator from Souycouyant written by world famous author, David Chariandy, seems to have taken the role from child to caretaker when his mother, Adele, had been diagnosed with dementia. Upon facing reality, the narrator chased and followed his dreams in the begginging of the novel, but in the end, learned that you can never escape where you came from. The narrator had foreseen the future when he had left Adele along with his brother and father, but then returned feeling regret and guilt. By doing so, the narrator turned from a boy to a man when taking on the responsibilities a child should never have to bear. At the age of seven, the narrator found it hard to cope with, let alone, understand what dementia even was. â€Å"I don’t know what scientists called it; it was hard to understand, some sort of memory loss syndrome† (Chariandy 18). During the beginning of the novel, the young boy had been going through many struggles and was seen as a target for racism and discrimination. â€Å"Get off the bus; you don’t deserve to be here† (Chariandy 12). (EXPLAINATION, WHO SAID THIS, AND WHAT SITUATION? Coming to Canada was meant for a brighter future, FOR WHO? as the family had planned out there lives. But, in the hindsight of these terrible events, reality had taken over their dreams. The narrator did not have the chance of going to TO WHERE? because his father and brother both left the family in their own ways. â€Å" Father had died not long af ter being laid off at work, and my brother left quietly because it was who he was† (Chariandy 16). Adele and her son were both alone and it was up to the boy to take care of her. It seemed as if the opposite of everything that was planned for the family had turned up. Instead of the mother taking care of the son, the son was taking care of the mother. In addition, it was hard for a seven year old to do this when her mother did not even know her own name. â€Å"Adida, Adida is me† (Chariandy 31). Moving to Canada was done in hopes of more prosperous chances, but instead, the narrator and Adele are facing the exact opposite and seeing their dreams come to an end. As the years passed by, the narrator had grown old and tired of Adele. He wanted to move on in search of becoming an engineer and repairing vehicles. â€Å"Mother, I can’t stay with you for long. I am going to become and engineer you know† (Chariandy 89). The narrator had left, leaving Adele all alone. It was as if this related to the title of the story. A Soucouyant is a vampire who sucks the blood out of humans. Comparing this to the novel, Adele has had all of her loved ones â€Å"sucked† away from her, including her own memory. From being trapped in a house with nowhere to go, the young boy had escaped the shadow placed around him by his mother and instead, left her, showing how the protagonist was persistent in his journey to moving forward. After leaving, he lived in a city called Scarborough in a small apartment. Becoming an engineer was impossible, as he had no education or money to get started. He worked at the local restaurant cleaning dishes and unloading the delivery truck CHANGE TO DELIVERY TRUCK(S). â€Å"Inside I was dead, and on the outside, I was hurt from all the work I’ve bin doing just to pay for rent† (Chariandy 129). The narrator felt regret by leaving his mother. Knowing that she cannot take care of herself, the narrator, now a teen, made a plan to work until he got enough money to return back to Adele and get her the aid she really needs. Leaving Adele perceived the narrator to be moving on forward, but returning back to her shows the real growth from a boy to man. Now a fully grown man, the narrator had retuned back to Adele but felt weary and out of place. â€Å"I don’t know if mother has been hurt by my absence, or if she’s even noticed it. I don’t know what meaning there can be between us now† (Chariandy, 144). By coming back home to his mother, the narrator had taken a huge step forward into his growth because he had left his mother because he felt that he was not growing, but returned back because he is now grown. With the money he had received from the countless hours of work he had done, the narrator hired a nurse to look after Adele. â€Å" Mother, I have found a nurse named Meera who will be taking care of you when I’m off at work† (Chariandy 156). Taking on the responsibilities of a Father, the protagonist is now able to help Adele while moving on with his own life. â€Å"With the scrapes of money left over, I will be able to go to school and get a degree in engineering† (Chariandy 171). Furthermore, it seems that the tragic events that happened to the narrator all made up at the end of the novel. He enrolled in an engineering class while Meera was doing her job of taking care of Adele. The opposite had happened from dreams verse reality to reality facing their dreams. Without a father, the narrator took on the role of one and took care of his mother and had taken the steps towards getting the job he had dreamt of. In the beginning, the protagonist was immature and knew little, but as he got older and learned more, he grew as a man by taking on the huge obstacles that were in his way. The growth of the narrator is evident throughout the novel. From coping with his mother’s dementia, leaving, and then coming back to help her, the protagonist dealt with responsibilities that he should never have to face. Not only did the narrator grow to help his mother, throughout his journey he had learned that the tragic events of his fathers and brothers passing were not meant to be disappointments, rather to be an alarm to start growing. As David Brinkley once said, â€Å"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him†.

The Development of Humanity in Imago Dei Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Development of Humanity in Imago Dei - Essay Example Human-Kind's knowledge of God or the theorization of Imago Dei ultimately brought about the concept of humanity, as was hinted at in the initial phase of this research (Meta Press 2006). When God created man kind, following Imago Dei, humanity was undoubtedly born but man-kinds ability to hold onto that form of humanity has been sorely tested throughout history. Furthermore, this ideology of humanity was conceptualized by the fact that human beings are the more vulnerable of God's creations and therefore there is a need to try and be humane to one another due to this fact. Also, there is a view that human beings are considered to be the well-being and fate of nature so this is another philosophical reasoning that was born through the concept of Imago Dei and of which stretched into the philosophy of humanity (Fern 2002). This makes perfect sense as the true meaning of "Imago Dei" is actually an interpretation of a mirror image of God. In fact, the terminology in itself is uniquely meant for the human race, as history has shown through biblical times up to present day even. The way in which humanity did actually form has been already stated to be from man-kind's religious perspective and their creation but there is a direct relation to this theory from a passage in the bible which states, "God created man in his own image" (Meta Press 2006). It was of course this pertinent passage which had an incredible influence on man-kind's interpretation of what goodness and humanity should be and they oftened turned to God to guide them and help them in making the right choice to stay on the correct path. Because man-kind developed the rationalization that they were created in God's image they realized that all that they had been endowed with had a form of goodness and humanity about it. For example their freedoms of "self-centeredness, creative freedom, and the option of self-actualization" led them to come to an understanding that having good qualities within their being and expressing a sincere sense of humanity to one another was important in order to stay in God's image (Meta Press 2006). However, human beings can not be equal to God because they are not wholly perfect, although they try to overcome those tendencies that bring in the adverse elements into the human race which affects the idea of humanity (Fern 2002). Karl Barth was an existentialist who believed that humanity developed by man-kinds way of trying to exhibit an idea of goodness in order to be one with God. However, the human race already had an idea of humanity due to the fact that they were created through the theology of Imago Dei. This has been emphasized in this literature and found to hold factual truth throughout periods of history. Furthermore, this is pointed out because Barth taught that man-kind developed a responsibility towards God, again through the ideology of Imago Dei. Also, the freedoms born for man were directly from the idea that God granted them these various freedoms due to the human goodness that they exhibited (Cochrane 1956).However, when man sinned they lost some of the ability to be good due to the fact that the concept of religious belief and the essence of God does not contain the idea of sin, and therefore it was and is an

Helicopter vs Planes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Helicopter vs Planes - Essay Example Research indicates that a person on the helicopter has high chances of making it safely to the ground than one on an airplane. Survival on a helicopter is possible because of autorotation of the rotor blade. The rotor blades of a helicopter go on rotating when engine fails. Helicopter pilots are well aware of this phenomenon because they practice a lot during training. They are thought to switch off the engine and land a helicopter (Hiskey, 2012). A significant number of accidents happen as a result of human error. If one travels using a helicopter on bad weather or flying onto wires he or she is likely to cause accident. Someone might argue that planes are much safer because it always fly at high altitude than a helicopter making it much safer. However, as mentioned above, accidents only happen due to pilot error. An airplane could be more dangerous than helicopter in case engines fails. It will fall at high speed than a helicopter; helicopter utilizes autorotation as mentioned earlier (Hiskey, 2012). In conclusion, it is much safer to travel on a helicopter than an airplane. It is easy to control helicopter when engine fails. Hiskey, D. (2012). Helicopters Won’t Just Drop Like a Rock if the Engine Dies, They are Actually Designed to Be Able to Land Safely This Way. Retrieved from

State Aid developments in 2013 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

State Aid developments in 2013 - Research Paper Example ings on issues are to be the preserve of the European Commission whilst the European Court is called upon as the court of last resort in these issues. Article 107(1) was interpreted significantly in the Doux Elevage case where it was found that in cases where government agencies and units are independent from government, their directives which seemingly favors some organizations cannot be classified as state aid. A ruling on the state aid claims and disbursement in France concerning the France Telecom and the French Government showed that in cases where the donation and/or investment into a given entity is seen as some kind of reorganization or a long-term change in the structures of the entity, it could be seen as something done outside the scope of the state aid restriction. And this could be permitted. Also, Article 107(3) (a) has been interpreted to be compatible with state aid allowances if they cover areas that are considered to be areas that need accelerated development and change. And this is typically allowed where the activity is within the scope and context of relevant rules and relevant limits set in the law of the com munity. The deminimis regulation was also reviewed in the current year under review. The ceiling remained at â‚ ¬200,000 for most aspects of the state aid system in spite of calls for an increase. The GBER and other frameworks are introduced, whilst the overall plans and objectives of the European Union has been moved to focus on the aviation industry. Numerous benefits and advantages are put in place to encourage the aviation industry. There are numerous rulings that occurred in the past year that has significance in the interpretation of European Union State Aid laws and regulations. Some of these cases provide further interpretation of the existing laws whilst others provided an insight into new circumstances and situations that were not expressly defined and stated in the European legal systems. The fundamentals of European law

The straightforward claim 'I broke the law but there would have been Essay

The straightforward claim 'I broke the law but there would have been worse consequences had I obeyed the law will not in itself lead to an acquittal(Quayle [2 - Essay Example ce (1) the Court of Appeal held that, a persons consent is irrelevant and cannot prevent criminal liability for an offence if actual bodily harm was intended and/or caused, subject to some exceptions. This strict rule was based on the view that it is not in the public interest that people should try to cause, or should cause, each other actual bodily harm for no good reason. The Court of Appeals views were applied the House of Lords in R v Brown and Others (2). There are some exceptions to this defense like reasonable surgical interference, a properly conducted game or sport, and tattooing and ear-piercing. A person can validly consent to the risk of being unintentionally harmed. In R v Aitkin and Others (3) the victims participation in practical jokes played on RAF companions was accepted as evidence suggesting that he too could become a victim and consented to this. The definition of the Duress well mentioned in the case Attorney-General v Whelan (4) that the threats of immediate death or serious personal violence so great as to overbear the ordinary powers of human resistance should be accepted as a justification for acts which would otherwise be criminal. The defense must be based on threats to kill or do serious bodily harm. If the threats are less terrible they should be matters of mitigation only . In DPP for N. Ireland v Lynch (5), it was held that the law would not regard threats to a persons property as a sufficient basis for the defense. Here the immediate threat should be in such a nature that it is to be operated upon the accused at the time that the crime was committed. In R v Hudson and Taylor (6), it was held that it was always open to the crown to shown that the defendants had not availed themselves of some opportunity to neutralize the threats, and that this might negate the immediacy of the threat, regard had to be had to the age and circumstances of the accused. But it is to be remembered that a defendant who joins a criminal

Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 23

Sociology - Essay Example This concept is what Wright Mills called â€Å"Sociological Imagination.† Mills (1956) contends that sociological imagination enables the person to look into himself as a part of a larger whole, and failed to â€Å"grasp the interplay of man and society† (as cited in Henslin, 2005). Poverty is not an isolated case pointing out to a particular country. Nations considered being the best in the world when it comes to financial capability, also having cases of families in poverty line. In the United States, though it is the source of the world’s â€Å"American dream,† was also devastated by disasters such as the memorable Hurricane Katrina, which turned the progressive New Orleans into a ghost town. Jobs were scarce after the disaster because of the damages caused by the hurricane to several business industries in both macro and micro levels (Kornblum, 2008). The problem was heightened by the recession of 2009 brought about by the foreclosure of the Lehman Brothers. Banks, real estates, and the marketing industry fell resulting to the retrenchment of jobs to save profit. The fall of the company delivered a domino effect to other businesses most especially in the real estate. Prices of mortgage have gone higher than usual; a price where the jobless and middle class Americans are unable to afford. Ling (2009) reported that families were desperate in search of job, food and shelter. The effect of the recession was clearly seen in certain places in Sacramento where people are forced to build â€Å"tent cities.† Life’s little rewards such as hot meal, hot shower, and accessibility to potable water are not the main issues; the people in the tent cities are more concerned of where to get a meal, shower and water. Living in the tent cities is like â€Å"starting to live all over again.† Poverty and homelessness may come from two significant and nondetachable things: personal and societal factors. The impact of the recession, the struggling budget

NATIONAL RESPONSE FRAMEWORK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

NATIONAL RESPONSE FRAMEWORK - Essay Example The organizational structure of the agencies which function during disasters is one main issue; those with much disciplined personnel and structure are likely to function properly than those which are not as disciplined. Exchange of information between agencies is another issue. It is essential that information is relayed in a proper manner, since overloading a particular agency with information is likely to cripple the agency in functional terms. Additionally, inter and intra-agency flow of information should be tightly controlled, as false information may misdirect the relief efforts and in some cases may become a cause of panic during working for relief during disasters. Coordination between agencies is not only important in post-disaster scenarios, but also in situations where a disaster is expected to hit a community. In scenarios where a disaster e.g. a hurricane is expected to strike a city, coordination between different agencies is extremely important. In situations like this, it is extremely important that the agency which determines the magnitude of an expected disaster provides the correct information to allow the other agencies react accordingly. Misinformation in this context is likely to result in over or under-preparation by the other involved agencies, which may ultimate result in loss of lives or a wastage of resources. Perry, M. (2007). Natural disaster management planning: a study of logistics managers responding to the tsunami.  International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management,  37(5),

Scheduling and Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Scheduling and Project Management - Essay Example (Duncan, 1996, pp.4-5) Project Management involves balancing a number of competing demands on time, cost, and quality, and meeting the expectations of various stakeholders. Although several aspects of project management such as PERT/CPM planning are unique to it, there are other areas that overlap with other functional areas of management such as organizational behaviour, financial forecasting, and contracting. (Duncan, 1996, p.8) In order to take care of these activities, project management needs an organization structure. The commonly employed organizational structures are functional, project, and matrix structures. Under functional structure, all similar functional activities such as finance or HR are grouped together under one common head. In a project specific structure, the project manager has different functional experts under her. Matrix structures are those in which there is dual control. Wal-Mart, being primarily a retail giant, is unlikely to have a purely project specific management structure. This means that the project manager will have to get things done through functional heads.

Hamlet Act I Essay Example for Free

Hamlet Act I Essay The first time that we are introduced to Hamlet is in Act I Scene II. It is apparent that the predominant thought in the atmosphere is the death of King Hamlet, Hamlets father. Claudius says; Though yet of Hamlet our dear brothers death the memory be green. This first introduces the Hamlet as mourning for his fathers death, setting the scene for Hamlets mood. The first time that that hamlet speaks is just after Claudius has called him his cousin and son, where Hamlet replies; A little more than kin, and less than kind. Here he is making a pun on the words kin and kind, saying how feels now too closely related to Claudius. He also says; Not so my lord, I am too much Ithsun. Here he is saying that he feels too much like Claudiuss son. Both of these show that Hamlet is quite witty, and also that he is a good listener, and picks up on other things that maybe other people dont. Hamlet feels that the wedding of his mother and Claudius is too soon after the death of his father, and he planned to go back to school, however when his mother asks him not to he says; I shall in all my best obey you madam. This shows that although he does not want to stay he will to please his mother. His displeasure at the wedding is also shown in his soliloquy at the end of the scene, where he says; She married. Oh most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets. Here he is saying how he thought she remarried too quickly and that it is like incest to marry her dead husbands brother. Although the end of the scene, as Horatio is telling Hamlet that he saw the ghost of his father, Hamlets speech becomes quite fast and abrupt, unlike the dialogue before. This shows that he has strong feelings for anything to do with his father, and wishes to see him again, even though he must be a ghost. In scene III Ophelia is talking to her brother Laertes about the move that she thinks her and hamlet share. However, Laertes thinks that it is just a whim and that Hamlet does not really love her; Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting. He is saying that although it may seem to Ophelia to be real, it is not and Ophelia should not believe Hamlet when he says he loves her. Polonius also reflects this view, and tells his daughter to ignore Hamlet. The entire of Act IV seems to reflect Hamlet character and mood. He has come to see the ghost, and even though this is most unnatural he has come any way. This could be because he misses his father, but also because he feels that something is rotten in the state of Denmark. He is unhappy at his mothers speedy marriage, especially to his satyr uncle. Perhaps he feels that the ghost of his father can in some way help him with this. Also he threatens to kill his friends if they do not let him go when the ghost beckons him, even though there is risk; By heaven Ill make a ghost of him that lets me. He seems to want to speak to the ghost of his father, even more than the risks of following a ghost which may be evil. In Act V, when the ghost tells Hamlet that he was murdered, yet not by whom yet, Hamlet says: I with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love may sweep to my revenge. This shows that already he believes that this apparition is his father, and immediately at the thought that his was murder he says that he will exact revenge. This shows how upset he is at his fathers leaving, reflecting that he thought all along that something strange was going on. Hamlets reaction to what the ghost tells him seems to be full of emotion; Hold, hold, my heart, and you my sinews grow not instant old. This how bad he is feeling not only for the spirit of his father but also for the fact that he has just learned that his father was murdered, by his uncle, who is now king. He calls his uncle; O villain, villain, smiling damni d villain! This is because in old plays the villain was usually described as being evil but smiling pretending to be good as is Claudius. After he has spoken with the Ghost, Hamlet tells his friends not to speak of the ghost, and also to ignore him if he starts acting strangely; Nay but sweart. He makes them swear on his sword that they will not say anything. This could be because he wants to sort out the thoughts in his head first because this has been quite a big thing he has learned. Also, it may be a way in which he can plan to exact his revenge on Claudius for he cannot stand to be made to act a son to him. In conclusion, in Act I, Shakespeare sets up the introduction of the story, but also with hints as what is to come later on in the play he plays on Hamlet use of words to show his distaste for the marriage and his uncle, but also by using the ghost to tell hamlet of its fate and also hamlet pretending to be mad it implies that the rest of the play will be much centred on this, and also make us question as to whether hamlet is still pretending to be mad or whether he has actually crossed over the line to madness. Certainly there are things he does that other people consider madness, but he can also be normal. However, like where he sees Ophelia and is not properly dressed, if he loves her as he says he does it seems that he would not do these things event o her.

An Examination of Power and Politics in Organizations Essay Example for Free

An Examination of Power and Politics in Organizations Essay Abstract Many studies have examined the affects power and politics have on organizations. In researching The University of Phoenixs Online Library and current web sites information shows that power and politics dominates the work place and organizations more than any other personal skill. In order to lead one must have power to influence, set and enforce rules. Politics are found in the majority of organizations, therefore it is crucial for employees to recognize the political game in their own organization and decide rather to participate and benefit from the positives of politics or not. An Examination of Power and Politics in Organizations Power and politics are dominating forces with in organizations. Organizations are lead by people with power. Power can be awarded by management to a person by title, legitimate power which is more formal and recognizable. Many leaders assume power through such things as knowledge, information or seniority. Through research located online and knowledge obtained from personal experiences a comparison was conducted on power and politics in organizations. The structure of a team is important in determining how the team will perform. Each team member should contribute skills to enhance the teams overall performance. Individual work habits and leadership styles will determine if the team has the ability to join together and complete their common goals. Teams create environments that bring out the best in each team member. A commitment to effectively communicating information and ideas is a characteristic of an effective team. That is why the usage of coercion and politics to gain advantage over team members can be very destructive to team dynamics. Coercion is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary is to force one to act or think in a certain manner, to dominate, restrain, or control by force. Often at work or in a group environment one might utilize this form of power to control dominance  over the group. This usage of power can often make other team members conform. In a successful team conformity is not a useful tactic. The usage of politics and coercion to gain advantage over team members is a danger to the success of the project. Once team members realize that their input is not wanted more than likely they will withdraw from the process altogether. The USA today states, offices dynamics often change from the usage of intimidation. (2004) For example a team must work together to process information for the desired results. Once a member takes advantage of a situation and use coercion to gain advantage it often leads to disaster. An example of such disaster happened recently within our team. A couple classes ago we had a member that was an extremely dominant person. The person was very smart and well educated but had a problem understanding the syllabus. Everybody in the team would understand the group assignments one way but she would always play devil advocate on the simplest details. She would use coercion to gain advantage over the other team members when we would meet to complete group assignments. The entire team was guilty of just going with the flow, not wanting to cause any problem. She was so convincing we felt she had to be correct! The result was a low grade, because the content was not correct. So the team from that moment on did not allow that dominant personality use politics and power to manipulate the group any more. Organizational Behavior Ch. 15 pg. 3 defines power through information as; Information power is the access to and/or the control of information. It is one of the most important aspects of legitimacy. In the majority organization the person with the information controls the manner in which the company operates. Expert power is the ability to control through the possession of knowledge, experience, or judgment that the other person does not have but needs. This source of power is often used by subordinates. Judson, P. stated in Worldwide Energy although there are several directors and managers to organizations the experts of the business actually controls progress. In the public works and engineering department there are several directors and managers. Hierarchical authority has put several rules, guide lines and manuals together through information they obtain for employees to  follow when completing tasks and goals. Supervisors and employees who actually work in the field have the knowledge and experience; therefore tasks are completed in a different manner than the manuals implement. The knowledge subordinates obtain through actually doing the work gives them more power and control in decision made about the organization. Politics are in all organizations and employees are affected in some way by politics. As stated in by Schermerhorn, Hunt and Osborn, any study of power and influence inevitably leads to the subject of politics. For many, this word may conjure up thoughts of illicit deals, favors and special personal relationships. Although these actions are considered negative by the observer, the organization and the recipients view politics as positive. Organizations use politics to influence employees through promotions and rewards. The City of Houston Public Works and Engineering Department mainly promotes from with in the organization. This is a positive showing by management, because employees feel effort are rewarded. When you think of power and politics rarely are these images positive or inspiring. Corporate American today has fallen far from the one time logic that rewards are based simply on individual performance. Today more rewards are based on the managements need for power. This ability, power, to have someone else do something in the way you want it done and the precise time you need it done is an overwhelming and influential force. There are several types of ruling powers that are used in todays businesses. Perhaps, the most preferred by employees is known as the Reward Power. The Reward Power enables a manager to express their appreciation to an individual or group for a job well done by offering the employee or team members a bonus. Such pleasantries can be in the form of a pay increase, personal praise, or advancement within the company. Unlike the Coercive Reward, probably the most disliked by associates, is a system in which the person in charge uses punishment to rule. Examples of such authority could be the withholding of merit increases, denying a promotion, or even termination. Powers such as these are key elements to leadership success. Unfortunately, they seem to represent the seamy side of management (Schermerhorn, 2003). There are other powers used in organizational structures, such as legitimate, process,  informational and representative. These power all vary in pattern, however, none are as contrasting as the Reward versus Coercive Power. How do these managers gain this power? Some might believe that office politics and networking are major components. The saying its not what you know, but who, does not stand truer than in todays corporate environments. An example of networking took place a couple of years ago in our department. At the time of this occurrence, Sam was a Financial Administrator for the West Region. He held a reputation for one of the best managed financial divisions. It seems that Sam had built a special friendship with the Sales manager for that region and he would do allow special payments or exceptions for his market without proper documentation to help his numbers increase. These favors were soon shared with other salespeople from other markets, and Sam immediately became best of buddies with everyone. A few months later a position for a supervisor was opened and Sam immediately recruited his comrades to assist him in assuring this new position. His use of political power and networking is a prime example of the self absorbed need for dominance in todays managers. Ethical Persuasion and Legitimate Power can have a strong impact on teams, management and others alike. First, lets look at the definition of ethical persuasion and legitimate power. Ethical persuasion is behavior that is morally accepted as good and right (Schermerhorn, gloss, pg. 6). Legitimate power is the extent to which a manager can use the right of command to control other people (Schermerhorn, gloss, pg.12). Ethical Persuasion is very different from legitimate power because when a manger is demanding that you complete a task, the task may not always be ethical. Each one of these behaviors can affect a team in many ways. For example, a management team is assigned a task that involves investigating an employees work history to locate any negative infractions or practices in order to terminate the employee. In the investigating process you learn that this person is a single-mother barely able to feed her two children. However, the company cannot afford to keep her for financial reasons and needs to lay her off. There are five members in the management team that are working on this case and three of them are females, these ladies do not feel that they are  displaying ethical behavior and refuse to have anything to do with dismissing this single mother. In reality this woman has done nothing wrong, she was just the last one hired. In the meantime the CEO hears about the moral conflict and he gets very upset with the team members disobedience. Consequently, the CEO calls a meeting to let the management team know that he is the head of the company and team will do as he says whether they like it or not. If the team do not do as they are told, then they can give the single mother their positions because they will no longer be needed. In this situation the CEO is clearly using legitimate power, which is definitely not ethical; however, it is a job that still has to be done. Therefore, ethical behavior and legitimate power can and will eventually affect a management team. More often than not legitimate power will overrule ethical behavior. In conclusion research has proven sources of position and personal power, such as expert, information, reward, coercion and legitimate are used by employees to control, persuade and influence people and organizations. Politics are more commonly used by management to control and influence organizational behavior. Both politics and power have positive and negative affects on employees, organizations and communities. References Lindsey, L. B. (2004, July 14) Office Dynamic; Retrieved August 26, 2004 from University of Phoenix, EDSCO Host database, Website http://phoenix.edu//libraryresource Stum, D.L. Strategy and Leadership. Maslow Revisited. Building the Employee Commitment Pyramid Volume 29. University of Phoenix Custom Edition. Retrieved August 25, 2004, from ProQuest database. Judson, P. (2004) Advantages of Experts; Worldwide Energy. Vol. 15 Issue 8 p3. abstract retrieved August 28, 2004, from EBSCOhost data base Schermerhorn, J.R., Hunt, J.G. Osburn, R.N. (2003) Organizational Behavior New York: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Ch. 15 Power and Politics Pg 2-3

An Overview Of Teenage Pregnancy Sociology Essay

An Overview Of Teenage Pregnancy Sociology Essay In the U.S, about one million teenage girls get pregnant every year and this greatly affects the lives of the teenagers, the children they bare and the society at large. The social behavior and attitude towards sex has greatly contributed to the increase of teenage pregnancy since sex is publicly glorified and is even used as a marketing tool. Teenagers are engaging in sexual activities at an early age since they are exposed to it even before they are mature. It is the role of parents to try and bring up their children in a morally upright manner and advice them on the effects of early pregnancies in their lives. The causes and effects of teenage pregnancy are more of the same. They include poverty, unemployment, and lack of education, low self esteem and in some cases, abuse. Factors leading to teenage pregnancy The causes of teenage pregnancy are both social an also economical. The lack of knowledge on the consequences of teenage pregnancy among the teenagers is the primary factor that leads to teenagers to engage in irresponsible sexual practices. Another contributing factor is the up bringing of the children. The way parents bring up their children as well as the kind of environment they are brought up in contributes realty to the sexual behavior of a child. Parents who do not communicate openly to with their children on social issues such as sex are putting their children at the risk of being teenage parents. The lack of open communication between the children and the parents encourages the children to find other sources of information and in most cases, they go to their fellow students or older friends who may end giving them the wrong or misleading information. On the other hand, children who are brought in an environment that consists of many cases of teenage pregnancies or even in situations where the parents are single mothers or were victims of teenage pregnancy are more likely to follow the same course since it is something normal in their ‘world. The way a child is brought up defines who they are in terms of emotional maturity as well as their communication skills. When children are not taught how to communicate and air their views openly and boldly, they end up suffering from low self esteem and this makes them easy targets and increases their chances of being vulnerable to peer pressure which is also responsible for teenage pregnancy. This lack of communication and guidance from parents also contributes to the childs irresponsible behavior. Poverty is another major factor that contributes to teenage pregnancy. In most low income earning areas, the are no facilities that are used to educate children on the effects of engaging in sexual activities at an early age. In some cases, the children are forced to engage in sexual activities as a way of getting money to support themselves and their families. The wealthier people in these areas take advantage of the young children and promise them a better life in exchange for sex. Ignorance is also another aspect that is come in these areas and is usually brought about by the lack of education. When parents are not well educated, they do not see the importance of educating or discussing sex and other issues that affect the teenagers and the children end up messing up since they were not advised. The kind of messages that are sent to teenagers about sex are also contributing factors to the early engagement in sex which leads to teenage pregnancy. Todays culture glorifies sex and does not put into consideration nor is it accountable for its consequences. The social attitudes on the other hand do not provide a conducive environment for open discussions on sex and resources are not also available for the same. From studies, there are some factors such as poor performance in school that force the children to drop out and when they do, the chances o them engaging in sexual activities are very high and they end up getting pregnant. There are many children who are victims of sexual abuse and this completely messes up with their views and attitude towards sex. These children end up perceiving themselves as sexual objects from an early age and this increases the cases of teenage pregnancy. Effects of teenage pregnancy The effects of teenage pregnancy are felt by the individual victims and also the society. When school going teenagers get pregnant, most of them opt to drop out of school due to shame and also so that they can prepare themselves for the coming baby and motherhood in general. On the other hand, teenage fathers are not in a position to support their families financially so they also end up dropping out of school so that they can work and provide for their family. Since getting a job without education is hard, the students find themselves engaging in criminal activities and drug abuse as they try to find solutions to their state. Most teenage mothers do not have any support from their families so they and up becoming a part of the lower society whereby they are not able to access basic needs such as health care and well balanced diets. This affects their health and the health of their children and sometimes may lead to complications during child birth. Teenage parents pose a great economic and social risk to the society since they are not financially stable. Dropping out of school, doing drug and also engaging in criminal activities by teenage fathers affect the community in terms of the level of security. Dropping out of school means that one is not well educated and therefore, they cannot secure good jobs and this increases the cases of joblessness and this pull down the economic status of the society. When one is not educated, their level of productivity socially and economically goes down and this affects the community at large. Ways of preventing teenage pregnancy. Teenagers should be encouraged not to engage in sexual activities at an early age and they should also be well informed on early pregnancy and its effects. The students should be well educated on the topic of sex as a whole should be discussed in schools and this will help in the reduction of cases of teenage pregnancy. The teenagers should also be educated on the ways of preventing pregnancy and also ways of ensuring safe sex. They should be allowed to access contraceptives as well as family planning services without age being an issue and confidentiality should be assured. Parents on the other hand have a great role to play in ensuring that their children are brought up morally upright and that they should instill confidence and a sense of responsibility in their children so that they can be able to make wise choices and not be pulled away by peer pressure. Motivating children on positive life options and also enhancing the skills of the children I other ways apart from education is also very important since children know that they have a future despite their performance in school and this reduces the cases of school drop outs who would have otherwise ended up getting pregnant.

Did Temperament Shape Catharine Parr Traill and Susanna Moodie Attitude

Back in the 1830’s when it was unimaginable to journey for months to a foreign country so uncultivated; two naà ¯ve sisters did just that. The Backwoods of Canada is a straightforward, realistic account complied of letters written back home of Catharine Parr Traill’s first years in Canada. Roughing It in the Bush is a witty, autobiographical tale written by her younger sister, Susanna Moodie. Both sisters came to Canada with the similar expectations to improve their opportunity in the social ladder in society. My goal in this paper is to show how [t]heir attitude to becoming pioneers was shaped by their temperaments. Catharine’s attitude is one quiet acceptance and is reflected in her no-nonsense writing, whereas Susanna’s attitude first appears to have an edgier, less optimistic outlook on her new homeland, but she covers it up with a dry sense of humour in style and dialogue when reflecting on her Canadian experience. I will compare the sisters background briefly to show their temperament before coming to Canada. I will discuss how choices made shaped both the sisters initial success and failure to Upper Canada. Finally, I will compare the differences in the sisters attitudes and how it is reflected in both their books. Upon examination, we first must look at the sisters’ temperament and attitude towards life. Their attitude on life comes out in their writing and we can sense how they would perceive their new homeland, Canada in the 1832. Catharine, the elder by 23 months was considered to be the â€Å"sweet-tempered and placid, was her father’s favourite child,† and Susanna, the youngest, â€Å"was the impulsive and defiant [one], with a wicked sense of humour† (Gray, 17, 18). Both sisters’ traits are clearly exposed in their approach t... ...that was uncensored and realistic of her experiences as a rural pioneer with a farm. Catharine definitely had the easier time and it shows in her language with her matter-of-fact account that was written to help other women become successful pioneers (reference). After researching these two sisters, I realize that they both had fortitude beyond what I would be able to endure if I were in either of their shoes. Works Cited Parr Traill, Catharine. â€Å"The Backwoods of Canada.† An Anthology of Canadian Literature in English. 3rd ed. Ed.Donna Bennett, and Russell Brown. Don Mills, ON:Oxford, 2010, 102-108, Print. Moodie, Susanna. â€Å"Roughing It in the Bush.† An Anthology of Canadian Literature in English. 3rd ed. Ed.Donna Bennett, and Russell Brown. Don Mills, ON:Oxford, 2010, 102-108, Print. Gray, Charlotte. Sisters In The Wilderness. Toronto: Penguin, 1999. Print

Essay --

The growth of agriculture and railroads in Texas and in the United States helped form our economy today. Railroads today pass through a lot of Texas, and even in big cities like Houston or Dallas. Since there are so many farms and open farmland (especially in south and west Texas), railroads can carry the produce and livestock to their destination. James Watt invented the first steam engine in about 1769, and from then on, railroads were a must for transportation, since cars had yet to be invented. Railroads began to be built before the Civil War. It originally took about 6 months to get from the west of the US to the east, but now it only took 7 days. With railroads expanding all across the country, agriculture was affected in a mostly positive way. Now, crops and other goods could be transported by train anywhere in the US, and fast. When Stephen F. Austin brought the â€Å"Old 300† to Texas, they got about 4,338 acres for grazing, and 177 acres for farmland and labor. This is where the first slave-based cotton plantation came into being. The Texas’ farms were starting to be a commercial business. Small family farms were becoming more frequent, and the livestock business became popular, all between 1836 and the Civil War in 1861. Cotton production generated most of the state’s agriculture production and sales. 58,000 bales were produced in 1850, but in 1860, there were 431,000! The number of slaves grew to more than triple as well, from about 58,200 to about 182,500. The whole population of Texas tripled too. It was kind of like a ‘Texas Cotton Rush’! There were many immigrants who settled in Texas. Some of those towns are still here today, such as New Braunfels, Brenham, and Boerne. Those are German towns. Also, immigrants from... ... could easily and (more importantly) quickly move from farms to cities to be sold. Even livestock could be carried by freight to reach markets across the country. The expansion of agriculture and railroads helped form Texas’s present economy. The invention of the steam engine not only allowed people to move across the country in 7 days, instead of 6 months, but it also allowed crops and livestock to be carried to markets and places where they would be sold anywhere in the country. They could be moved to another farm in Texas as well. Since it’s such a large state, railroads were a necessity for travel, and general transportation. The railroad-building boom lasted 40 years. The production of cotton in Texas introduced some of the first slave-based cotton farms, and was the dominant crop for a very long time. After this event, Texas’s economy was forever changed.

Free Hamlet Essays: Importance of Minor Characters :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Importance of Minor Characters in Hamlet  Ã‚   A now-dead philosopher once said that people need three relationships in life—confidant, lover, mentor. Horatio acts as Hamlet’s confidant, fulfilling that relationship for Hamlet. As a result, we can contrast Hamlet’s dialogue with Horatio to Hamlet’s soliloquies. In Act III, Scene 2, lines 65-70 Hamlet tells Horatio about his idea: to use the players to prove Cladius’s guilt. There is a play to-night before the king; 65 One scene of it comes near the circumstance Which I have told thee of my father's death: I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot, Even with the very comment of thy soul Observe mine uncle†¦ 70 Hamlet isn’t commanding Horatio to do this—the relationship isn’t based on Hamlet’s princehood. Hamlet has fully told Horatio what he suspects. He has confided in Horatio. From our perspective as readers, this relationship gives us insight into Hamlet’s state of mind. One great question about Hamlet is whether Hamlet is mad. The things Hamlet tells Horatio indicate that Hamlet is perfectly sane. Hamlet declares (alone) in Act II, Scene 2, line 535-538, "Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,/ That I, the son of the dear murderà ¨d,/ Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell,/ Must like a whore unpack my heart with words." These lines alone don’t point toward or away from madness. But look at it with III, 2, 65-70 in mind. We see him resolve to prove Cladius’s guilt; understand the situation as it really is; and talk with Horatio, telling him how he feels. All these things show Hamlet as rational, calculating, perceptive—sane. And we know this because Horatio is there. In Act V, Scene 2, Hamlet stabbed Laertes, watched his mother die, and poured poison down his uncle’s throat. How can we possibly know what Hamlet is thinking, especially because he will soon be dead himself? Horatio the Confidant is there, the good friend who will listen to Hamlet, who would kill himself to follow Hamlet, who vows to devote his life to Hamlet’s message. Another big question about Hamlet: Did Hamlet’s revenge come at too great a price? It’s a judgment call: the evidence can be interpreted either way. That there is evidence at all is due to Horatio. In lines 321-328, Hamlet tells Horatio this: As thou'rt a man, Give me the cup: let go; by heaven, I'll have't. O good Horatio, what a wounded name,

The Nile River, Sahara Desert and Islam

The Nile River has always been the backbone of Egypt. The mighty river flows for some 4,000 miles from the mountains of Equatorial Africa and Lake Victoria before it empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Without the Nile River and its annual inundation Ancient Egypt would never have come into being. Its fertile valley was renewed every year with rich silt deposits laid down during the flooding. As the agriculture of Egypt revolved around the Nile, so did the social life of the ancient Egyptians. During inundation when there was less to do, people had more time for recreational activities, they played games, held sporting tournaments and regularly feasted. When the River Nile receded the appearance of the land had radically changed and there was a great rush to restore boundaries. There were many disputes as markers had moved, banks had collapsed, and distinguishable features had disappeared. The river was also the chief means of transport. It was their highway, making unnecessary roads, except between close villages. Virtually everything moved by boat. The Nile, for the most part, is a gently flowing river and in the time of the ancients, was crammed with fish. It’s easy flow made fishing very popular. Everyone enjoyed fishing, from the young to old, peasant to noble. The Egyptians believed that the Nile was the centre of the world. And the place from which it originated was, ‘the beginning of the world’. In Lower Egypt, in the area of the Nile Delta, the river splits into two great arms. The area between the two was densely populated from the earliest times. Many of the major religious group centers developed in this region. Even the soul of a deceased had to cross the Nile before he could enter the kingdom of the dead. The Sahara desert covers around 9,000,000 square kilometers and the overall area is as large as the continental United States. The Sahara desert also has the reputation of being the world’s largest hot desert. The landforms in this desert often undergo constant change. These landforms are shaped as per the direction of the wind and the occasional rainfalls. Although being a desert area, one can notice annual rainfall in many regions of this vast land area. There are different climates witnessed in different regions such as the subtropical climate in the northern land where as a tropical climate in the southern area. Over the years, the climate of the Sahara desert has undergone humungous changes. This desert therefore, is known for its harsh climates so typical of all deserts. This hot desert has annual temperatures that can exceed 30 degrees C. Some of the hottest months have temperatures exceeding 50 degrees C. In the winters, the temperatures drop below freezing points. This it explains the diverse climates of this hot desert. Studies have revealed the changing size of the Sahara desert! Observations made with the help of satellite photographs have proven this desert can shrink or even grow in size. The Sahara desert is home to quite a few species of animals. Camels and goats are the only ones amongst the domesticated animals one may see out here. Apart from these, the Saharan cheetah, the sand vipers, scorpions and monitor lizards can be found out here. This desert has some of the tallest sand dunes and these can reach 189 meters in height. The land area also has stone plateaus, large gravel plains, dry valleys and even sand flats. The Sahara desert has around 500 species of flora. These consist of mainly ephemeral plants known locally as Acheb. At some oases, close to the Nile Valley, one can find olive trees growing out here. Vegetation is found in areas where the ground water reaches the surface of the land. This place has mainly nomadic groups of people that move from place to place. Nomads wear a particular headdress known as Howli. These people are mainly engaged in trading and hunting. The low population is due to the rather difficult conditions seen in the Sahara desert. The Sahara desert stretches over areas of Northern Africa, from the Red Sea to the areas close to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean. This desert shares it boundaries with the Atlas Mountains, the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt, Sudan and valley of the Niger River. Islam is a religion that has existed for millions of years. The followers believed that there is one God and Muhammad is his messenger. Muhammad was deeply troubled by the idols worship of Arabs and the moral ills of society. When he was about 40, he was meditating and heard a voice. According to Muslim the belief the voice was that of the angel Gabriel it said, â€Å"Proclaim. † When Muhammad asked what should I proclaim the voice responded with proclaim in the name of God. Muhammad was a young man born in Mecca about the year 570. Orphaned at an early age, Muhammad was cared for by his uncle. In his youth he worked as a shepherd among the Bedouins. Later he led caravans across the desert for merchants. When he was 25, Muhammad married Khadija. It was at age 40 when he had his first vision. Islam has a book similar to that of the Holy Bible. It is called the Quran. To Muslims, the Quran contains the sacred text as spoken to Muhammad from god. The Quran not only teaches about God, but about how to lead a good, faithful, life. It sets harsh penalties for stealing or murdering.

Accountants’ Position

Accountants are in a position to provide advice to business owners to determine which organization structure is best for their particular business venture. Imagine that you were approached by a friend or relative interested in starting a specialty business to design men and women clothing. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of at least two (2) forms of business structures. Make a recommendation regarding the structure your friend or relative should use based on this particular venture. Explain your rationale.Based on your recommendation regarding the appropriate business structure, explain the major advantages and disadvantages of the business owner with minimal accounting experience maintaining the company's books instead of hiring an accountant. Discuss the major impact to the users of accounting statements if the statements are prepared in error. Provide support for your position. The first business structure that I would recommend, would be a partnership I would inform them that general partnerships consist of two or more partners who are both responsible for the business.They share the assets and profits, as well as the liabilities and management responsibilities for running the business. Some benefits of general partnerships is their simplicity and flexibility. General partnerships are usually less expensive to form and require less paperwork and formalities than corporations, limited partnerships or limited liability partnerships. General partnerships can choose a centralized management structure, like a corporation, or a completely decentralized structure, where every partner is actively involved in the management of the business.Other advantages of a general partnership are that the partners can combine resources and share the financial commitment. Some disadvantages to general partnerships, principally liability. General partners are personally liable for the business debts and liabilities. Each partner is also liable for the debts incurred by t he actions of other partners. Because of this potential personal liability, general partnerships are limited in their ability to raise money and attract investors.The second business structure that I would recommend and I think would be most beneficial to both parties would be an LLC (Limited Liability Company). A limited liability company, is a new form of business organization that is certainly worth consideration. It has several features that create favorable tax treatments, as well as protection from personal liability. Since the status of the LLC form of organization varies somewhat from state to state, be certain to find out how your state's law applies.Some of the advantages of an LLC are, LLC allows for an unlimited number of members however, if the LLC has just one owner, it will be taxed as a sole proprietorship. The LLC allows for the special allocation of profits the disproportionate splitting of member profits and losses in different percentages than their respective pe rcentages of ownership. This means that members can enjoy the benefits of receiving profits and writing off losses in excess of their individual ownership percentage.The members enjoy limited liability, which means they are personally protected from any liability of the LLC and successful judgments, as well as from the LLC itself. And just with all advantages there are always disadvantages. Each member's pro-rata share of profits represents taxable income–whether or not a member's share of profits is distributed to him or her. The managing member's share of the bottom-line profit of the LLC is considered earned income, and therefore is subject to self-employment tax.The member’s share of bottom-line profit is not considered earned income because the members are considered to be inactive owners therefore, the members do not qualify for special tax-favored â€Å"fringe benefit† treatment. As a member of an LLC, you are not allowed to pay yourself wages. I would st rongly recommend going with an LLC simple because there is a lot less risk involved. There is a large percentage that businesses fail in the first year, and with that being said you don’t want to lose your business and you personal property too.

A Treasure of a Lifetime essay

A Treasure of a Lifetime There are many great gifts that I have received in my life blessed and beyond words. The foremost greatest gift that stands out to me the most is my son. I don’t just look at this gift as just a gift; I look at it as a blessing and a true gift from God. Each and every day I wake up I am thankful for my son. I try my best to enjoy and cherish every moment that we have together every day. Not everyone that wants children can have them so not only do I cherish every moment with my son I take advantage of this great opportunity of bringing a child as great as mine into this world.My child is the greatest gift that I have received because he is smart in so many ways, he brings nothing but joy and happiness into my life, and he is my biggest inspiration for why I strive for the best in life. One reason why I think my child is such a great gift to me is because, sometimes in life people don’t get to enjoy the special moments with their children. I can only speak for myself and the wonderful moments that I have enjoyed with my son. Ever since he was a baby, I have enjoyed just watching him grow up to be a smart kid. My son knows how to sing his alphabets as well as saying them and he knows how to count his numbers.He knows all his shapes and colors he even knows how to spell and recognize the letter of his name. I’m not trying to brag but it’s just a thrill and an amazing feeling to just sit and watch your child grow and learn new things each day. It makes me a proud parent of a wonderful child with such great potential. Another reason why I say he’s smart is because he can go to the bathroom on his own I don’t have to tell him to go he just get up and go to the bathroom. He sometimes gets himself dressed, even though he might not match, but it makes me a proud to know that my son is trying.I award my child for everything he does right, I don’t criticize him about the things he does wrong. I try to help him as well as showing him all of his mistakes, my son knows I love and care about him and I’m here to help him every step of the way. Another reason why my child is the greatest gift that I have received is because he brings so much joy and happiness into my life. Just knowing our struggle from the time he was born until now, I tried to raise him all by myself, yes it was hard but it just made me stronger and happier to be his mother.I take advantage of being a part of my son’s life because I love him so much and I know another day is not promised to me and him or anyone else. So I enjoy our time together each day. I know my child loves me unconditionally and I know he knows I love him the same way. My son looks up to me as a positive role model in his life and as a provider, teacher, and friend. I’m here for all of those reasons, but when it comes down to discipline I want him to know there are rules and regulations that he has to follow. It’s j ust a selfless act of love, because my life is not my own and it’s not just about me.In addition, to my son bringing so much joy into my life he is also a big inspiration in my life as well. He is what keeps this smile on my face from day to day. My son is the reason why I strive for the best in life. My child is the reason why I wake up and go to school and work, there are plenty of day that I wake up and don’t want to go to work or go to school. I just think about my son and I ask God to give me the strength to make it through the day, because I know this is something that I want and I don’t want to give up on.I want my son to feel proud of me to know where we came from and to see how far we’ve made it through. I truly don’t believe I would have made it this far without him. But I still say all things happen for a reason. God knew exactly what he was doing. I am more than glad to have this child a part of my life he has helped me to motivate myse lf to achieve many goals and accomplish many things in life. This is still a learning experience for me when I first had my son I wasn’t concerned about being a mother.I was mostly concerned about would I make a good mother because God knows it was hard to raise a child and still go to school and try to work, it’s not something that is easy but as these years have gone by I’ve learned to be a good mother to my child and except the challenges of motherhood. Today, I am a proud mother of a three year old little boy that bring so much joy and happiness in to my life I couldn’t ask for anything else greater than this gift God granted me with. Sometimes in life things are thrown at you from every open door and it just makes you want to give up.These things that are thrown at you are called obstacles, these obstacles are thrown at you to make your way hard and to make you think you’re worthless but it’s up to you to continue to fight your way thro ugh these obstacles. Sometimes you need a little push and a little motivation. This is the reason why I consider my son a reason to why I kept going because I knew there was some work for me to do. God saw nothing but great opportunities in my life and I’m making it each day to have faith in myself and to believe that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.I highly would like to recommend this to all the young girls that had children at a young age and wanted to finish school and didn’t and had obstacles thrown their way that knocked them down and they couldn’t find their way back up. I’m here to tell you there is no such thing as â€Å"I can’t† because â€Å"I did†, I kept going. I got pregnant when I was fifteen years old I had my son when I was sixteen I didn’t stop I graduated from high school and I made it to college. But I’m not giving up on my goals and my future that I can see before me, I am going to continue to stroll down that road called success.