Racial Ideology of Americas Essay

In the period from 1500 to 1830, racial stereotypes were prominent in the regions of Latin America/Caribbean and North America and they had a tremendous effect on society, especially societies with multiple ethnicities. The racial ideologies of these regions can be seen through the treatment of native peoples and the treatment of slaves. However, because of the strong influence of differing European nations,and their differing standards, contrasting societal effects can be seen. When the Europeans discovered and settled the â€Å"New World† and Latin America their ideology of European dominance and superiority had a direct effect on the natives of these regions. In North America, the Native Americans were often oppressed or forced to live on a confined piece of land. The Europeans would often devise treaties with the Native Americans on where there territorial boundaries were and where the settlers were not allowed to intrude. The European governments did not enforce this, so eventually all of these treaties were broken. This shows that the Europeans did not regard the natives claims to the land as legitimate and that they did not have any rights to the land. In Latin America and the Caribbean, the natives were enslaved and forced into servitude and labor. The dominant European racial ideology also fueled the slave trade in both North America and Latin America. The slave trade revolved around slave ships that would transport masses of Africans to the colonies to increase productions. The slave trade grew in the periods from 1500 to 1830 because slaves became cheaper to buy then hiring indentured servants who would work only a certain amount of years and then be free when their debt was paid off where as a slave is kept for life, unless they are sold. The slaves were bought, sold, and treated like property, not human beings. The colonists, were those who traveled from Europe to the Americas or those born in America who had come from European descent implemented the total colonization of North America and Latin America and the Caribbean. The colonies in North America were predominantly British and had a desire to become like their mother country. This united the colonists and so they did not discriminate against each other like they discriminated against the Native Americans and African slaves. This contrasts the predominantly Spanish dominated colonies because they had no sense of unity. The Spanish racial ideology prompted those in power, the royal sangres azules, and the commoners, translated into discrimination within the colonist populations. The colonists born in Spain were considered better than those who born in Americas, even if you came two fully Spanish parents. Those who were of â€Å"mixed blood† , who were children of native and Spanish parents were even lower.

Of Mice and Men Coursework Rough Essay

Introduction. ‘Of Mice and Men’ is written by John Steinbeck, published in 1937. The novel is set in the 1930s during the great depression in California. The two prominent characters, George and Lennie are farm workers who have a dream of one-day owning their own ranch. They find work in a ranch near Soledad, after escaping from Weed because of George’s incident. They are met by different characters on the farm that all have a dream. Lots of farm workers would share the dream of all one day owning some land of their own. This dream became very popular and was named the ‘American Dream.’ Its people came from every country and background with the one belief that America would bring them wealth and happiness. For very many others, America offered escape from poverty and starvation. It was a new country, an undiscovered one. In Europe land had always been the key to money and status. Only in America could the poor of Europe hope to own their own land. The country became more and more heavily populated as the word got around of gold mines, and new homes and villages developed creating communities. At its simplest the American Dream was the popular idea that America was a country that allowed men and women to make a clean start. Like all dreams the reality did not always match the dream. However the destruction of the Indians, the American civil war and the creation of city slums were all growing pains of a great country. Yet the dream survived. That is this dream survived until the late 1920s. By then there was no more land to be claimed and America had built up its own rules and laws. This marked the start of the great depression. Farming was badly effected, as over farming had caused huge areas of land to just dry up. This was the creation of the famous ‘dust bowl.’ Poor crops meant that many of the farmers were unable to pay back the debts they had taken out in the first place to buy the land. This meant that the way of life of men such as George, Lennie and slim was coming to an end when ‘of mice and men’ was written. All the events above occurred during the writing of the novel and perhaps suggests that the story is about the end of the American Dream, the social changes and the new reality of living a full American life. The Setting. The book opens with a description of the country around the Salinas river, south of Soledad in California. When describing this landscape Steinbeck uses a very wide variety of different colours and animal descriptions in only the first short paragraph. He has a very powerful descriptive style. ‘Lower leaf junctures,’ that are green, then he notes that the deer’s tracks are ‘split wedge.’ This description is used when the author used direct speech. As the two characters give us information about what they think and their personalities by how they talk. This landscape is the appropriate backdrop to the introduction of the two characters George and Lennie because it shows a typical background for migrant workers. Who would travel great distances, either walking, using cheap bus services, hitch hiking or traveling by train. We know that this particular novel strictly focuses on the life of these men from a few short quotes on the first couple of pages. â €˜The path beaten hard by boys.’ This line suggests that George and Lennie are following in the footsteps of hundreds of other men. The path had been used to walk to and from work many times which symbolizes the employment and unemployment of men. Walking the road and trying to achieve the all ‘American Dream’ by making a fortune and living the high life. ‘ The tree worn smooth by men,’ this shows how often migrant workers had collapsed and sat on that log suggesting how tired and utterly exhausted the men were after traveling miles and miles. This proves determination that those men had, to actually make something of their lives. ‘Ash pile made by many fires.’ This conveys the notion of starving men who had set up camp in that area. By lighting fires that kept them warm and fed. The fact that so many fires had been lit before just proves the amount of people who had been in that baron area. George and Lennie’s previous job in Weed was probably something to do with farming as they were itinerant farmers. They are drifters who move from ranch to ranch. This means that they are very skilled in various aspects of farm work and labour. The only security these men live on is the hope of more or new work. ‘Murray and Ready’s’ was like an employment agency which was set up as a result of President Roosevelt’s new deal which directed migrant workers into agricultural work. From this place George and Lennie had both collected ‘work cards’ which secured their working position and acted as evidence and identity. They had no permanent home and solely relied on the rough farm accommodation. They carried all their belongings around in a bindle of clothing and cooking utensils which were made portable by wrapping blankets aroun d the outside. When migrant workers arrive at their work place after traveling and sleeping rough. They often find they have to stay in very simple, poor accommodation. The conditions in which the migrant workers lived were primitive. Bunkhouse walls were whitewashed, the floor unpainted. There were eight bunks in the bunkhouse, which showed that there was a lack of privacy for the men. Even their few personal belongings were on public display â€Å"†¦over each bunk there was nailed an apple-box with the opening forward so that it made two shelves†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The only places for the men to sit were boxes. George saw that the conditions were also unhygienic when he found a can in his apple-box which said â€Å"†¦positively kills lice, roaches and other scourges†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Even the stable buck, who is not permitted to sleep with the other men in the bunkhouse and has his own room, also has to live in primitive and unhygienic conditions. For example â€Å"†¦a manure pile under the window†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . One characteristic that the migrant workers share is that they all long for a better life. Loneliness. Loneliness is a very key part of the migrant workers life. They have no time for meaningful friendships or long relationships. Little trust is shared and the men work solely for themselves. Many of the characters are lonely and this motivates them to look for an alternative way of life. This is one of the reasons why there are drifters; they are continually searching often not knowing what they are looking for. Characters are also lonely because of something within themselves, something which seems to make their loneliness inevitable. Different characters seek comfort and solace in different things. For Candy it is his dog, for George and Lennie it’s each other, for Crooks it’s his pride and his skill at pitching horseshoes. In the novel George and Lennie find themselves a ‘Few miles of Soledad.’ This is a real place in California and its name, which is Spanish can mean loneliness or lonely place. George describes himself and Lennie as the sort of people wh o ‘are the loneliness guys in the world.’ Although the boss of the ranch thinks that George exploits Lennie, all the ranch workers come to see that the reason for their relationship is mutual loneliness. Candy’s relationship with his dog is much like the relationship between George and Lennie. Candy has a parental role towards his dog, just as George has a parental role towards Lennie. Lennie can be compared with the dog in the sense that he listens, but does not talk; this provides comfort for those who talk to him about their feelings. ‘He ain’t no good to you Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n’t you shoot him Candy?’ Carlson is unsentimental about Candy’s dog as he can see no further practical use for it. Although his suggestion is perhaps reasonable, he seems oblivious to the strong bond between Candy and his pet. Lennie turns to petting animals for comfort. He means no harm to the creatures and sees them as on a similar level to himself. Lennie is unaware of the feelings of the pups as he heavily touches and plays with them, this causes the ranch workers to become concerned. ‘Well you ain’t bein’ kind to him..’ With these words Carlson is ironically ‘sentencing’ Lennie who will later suffer the same fate as the dog. Carlson assumes that Candy can soon get another pet, just as at the end of the novel he seems to assume that George can easily get another friend. From this we can see that Carlson, like some of the other characters does not appreciate the bonds that occur. Candy and his dog are obviously very alike to George and Lennie, even to the way the dog follows Candy around in the same way as Lennie follows George. Just as Candy feels tied down by his relationship with his dog, so George feels trapped by his sense of responsibility for Lennie. Curley’s wife is one of the loneliest characters in the novel; she has no identity, she is seen as an object, a possession of Curley’s. Curley’s wife is seen as a flirtatious ‘tart’ by the other ranch-hands, true, Curley’s wife does flirt, she is very conscious of the effect this has on men, but she is not a tart. She wants attention and by gaining that attention, she act the way people think. ‘She had full rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red.’ She likes to dress up and wear a lot of make up, to attract the men. The men on the other hand do not flirt with her, as they are afraid of what Curly might do. This leads to the loneliness of many characters. Although the men think it is wrong of her to flaunt herself sexually and give everyone the ‘eye’, the men all visit a ########## for sexual gratification and momentary companionship. Those like George and Whit contradict themselves when they talk about Curley’s wife as being ‘jail-bait’. ‘She’s gonna make a mess. They’s gonna be a bad mess about her. She’s a jail-bait all set on a trigger,’ George senses danger coming his way, but he chooses to ignore it, as he needs the money. During the 1930s, women were seen as possessions of their husbands who were to stay at home. George’s view of women, seem to be very basic and biased, he sees them as instruments to relieve physical urges. All the ranch-hands one evening go off to ‘Susie’s place.’ This Brothel is a place were the men can enjoy the company of women and sexual pleasure. As the men have no need for a relationship it means they can still have fun without all the strings attached to love and friendship. ‘She never talks dirty, neither. Got five girls there.’ George does not express the need for any female companionship mainly because he is too busy keeping Lennie out of trouble. All these things link up to suggest clues behind the real reasons as to why the ranch workers are so lonely. They try to shy away from commitment and responsibility. Violence. The lives of the men in the novel is filled with unnecessary violence. The boss is a good example of this in the way he treats the men and permits fighting. Curley is another good example with all his completely irrational aggressiveness. Carlson is another character who seems to thrive on violence either when he is arguing with others or when he is erring them on. The guns’ easy availability causes inevitable trouble throughout the book. From the text it is simple to separate the more frustrated characters who resort to uncivilized behavior from those who are not quite so uptight. In a world of such mistrust it is not hard to see why violence is a constant issue. When George and Lennie first enter the bunkhouse they discover how bad the accommodation is. Suspecting his bed contains vermin George inspects it cautiously. As he does so Candy chatters on about the boss. We learn that he vents his anger on the black stable hand, provides the men with whisky and allows a fight betw een the stable buck and ‘Smitty,’ one of the Skinners. The boss could be worse: Candy insists he’s ‘a pretty nice fella’ and, after all, he keeps two of the cripples on payroll. The atmosphere of later violence has the potential to create trouble for Lennie. Finally friction builds up between Curley and Lennie. ‘Let the big guy talk.’ This harsh confrontation is caused by Lennie’s attempts to obey George’s instructions to say nothing. Curley’s presence is not good for Lennie and George’s safety. This is emphasized by Candy’s comments ‘he’s alla time picking scraps with big guys.’ Since Lennie is a giant man it seemed certain that a violent assault would come from Curley. As Candy explains, Curley is a small man and feels that he cannot loose this kind of situation. This seems very dangerous as Lennie ‘don’t know no rules’ when it come to fighting. It is typical that Curley should pick on Lennie for his display of violence. In picki ng on the large but apparently harmless man, Curley demonstrates his own cowardice. There is an irony in the fact that it is Lennie’s happy thoughts about the farm which leave a smile on his face, which is misinterpreted by Curley. Despite his size Lennie has two distinct disadvantages, he will not act unless told to do so by George and he is terrified by aggression. Because of this he does not make any attempt to defend himself. Curley is a vicious fighter and is out to inflict damage on Lennie. Animal imagery is used towards Lennie as he stands like a ‘bear’ with ‘paws’ covering his face but Curley is the ‘dirty little rat.’ Lennie’s strength and grip crushes Curley’s hand . This is not aggression but more of a reflex action, it is a defensive move. Carlson is not a cowboy, but does possess a handgun. There is a conversation about Carlson’s gun in the bunkhouse this lets George know where it is kept. The sensitive slim points out that when Candy’s dog is killed there will need to be a decent burial so a shovel would be needed. This compares the shooting of the dog with the shooting of Lennie later on. John Steinbeck emphasizes the long wait at this period in time in the novel by using sounds like ‘shuffle,’ ‘rippled,’ and ‘gnawing,’ which contrast the eventual ‘shot.’ After Lennie is accused of killing Curley’s wife the ranch workers all go searching for the criminal. The prospect of a manhunt and the opportunity to use his luger excites Carlson, who seems to want to solve all his problems with his gun. His keenness to use his luger on Lennie reminds us of his former enthusiasm to use it on Candy’s dog. The hunt for Lennie continues and the consequences for Lennie are that as George has just been saying that there ‘Ain’t gonna be no more trouble. Nobody gonna hurt nor steal from ’em.’ These things would have been the rewards they were hoping from their dream farm. There is heavy irony in Lennie’s urgings to George to ‘do it now.’ Earlier on in the novel Candy said that he ‘ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog.’ This is probably the main reason as to why George decides that he should be the one to shoot Lennie, but he may also be protecting him from the treatment he would receive at Curley’s hands if he were to find him first. Prejudice. In Of Mice And Men there are several different levels of prejudice shown, all contributing to the failure of the American dream. The main types of prejudice shown in this novel are racial, sexual and age related. Racism is very prominent. There is much racial prejudice shown in Of Mice And Men towards Crooks the black crippled stable buck. Crooks is more permanent than the other ranch hands and has his own room off the stables with many more possessions than them. This room is made out to be a privilege and also because it means he is nearer to the horses but in fact it is really because the other ranch hands do not want him in the bunk house with them. As a result of this prejudice Crooks has become bitter and very lonely. When Lennie comes to pet the puppies, not even realizing that Crooks’ room is ‘out of bounds’, Crooks instantly becomes defensive â€Å"I ain’t wanted in the bunk room and you ain’t wanted in my room† but Lennie is childish and is completely without prejudice † Why ain’t you wanted† he asks. Crooks replies to this ,†Cause I’m black, they play cards in there but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well I tell you, all of you stink to me† This line showing that Crooks desperately wants to join in, be accepted, but because of his colour he can’t and so he feels the only way he can make himself feel better is to cut himself off further, it is a vicious circle. When Crooks realizes that Lennie means no harm he invites him to † Come on in and set a while† Lennie begins to talk about George and his dream, it makes Crooks remember his childhood which he looks on as a kind of paradise. â€Å"The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them and some of them were pretty nice. My ol’ man didn’t like that. I never knew till long later why he didn’t like that. But I know now†. Crooks’ didn’t experience racism in his childhood, making his current situation even worse. Crooks is fascinated by the strength of the friendship of Lennie and George, especially how close they are. Crooks said, â€Å"Well, s’pose, jus’ s’pose he don’t come back. What’ll you do then?† Crooks asks these questions because he does not have any friends, and wouldn’t know how losing them unexpectedly would feel. He was curious and envious, about the friendship of Lennie and George, noticing that Lennie is retarded, he takes advantage of this situation to â€Å"torture† him mentally, to make him feel better and ease the pain of having other reject him â€Å"Crooks’ face lighted with pleasure at his torture† he also does this to ease his jealousy towards the friendship Lennie has, but that he, Crooks, will probably never have. He wants the people to feel the way that he does, completely alone. Crooks goes on to talk about his loneliness † ‘A guy needs somebody-to be near him’ He whined:â€⠄¢ A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you’ he cried ‘I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick'† Crooks is looking for sympathy, he is so incredibly lonely even to the point to saying that loneliness can make you ill. Curley’s wife is shown a lot of sexism over the course of the novel. Living on a ranch where the large majority of the people are male she is very lonely. George says â€Å"Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl† Perhaps to prove the fact she is insignificant, she is always referred to as ‘Curley’s wife’, never given a name. She experiences sexual prejudice in that none of the ranch hands will talk to her. This is partly because she can make up things about those she dislikes who will subsequently get ‘the can’ and also because she is a ‘looloo’ who flirts alots. â€Å"She got the eye goin’ all the time on everybody. I bet she even gives the stable buck they eye. I don’t know what the hell she wants† says Whit. The ranch hands don’t trust her or understand her. George says â€Å"Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl, specially like her† An old lover told her that she â€Å"coulda went with the shows, not jus one neither† He promised her that he would write â€Å"Soon’s he got back to Hollywood† but he never did and so she married Curley. Because of this she’s upset and feels she’s been deprived by life. In fact she doesn’t even like Curley â€Å"He ain’t a nice fella†. Because she has nothing to do but sit at home she goes out on the ranch under the reason of looking for Curley. Some of the sexism she experiences is her fault, she scares the ranch hands with her womanly actions but she isn’t really a tart, she just craves attention which she doesn’t get from Curley. Ignored by both the ranch workers and Curley she has ended up very lonely, the one thing she most wanted to escape. Throughout the novel there is a small protest for the weak. Steinbeck sees an opportunity to emphasise on how strong men had more authority over weaker or disabled onees. Candy, the old swamper is prejudiced against because of his age and his disability. Because of his hand he is unable to do a lot of the jobs that the other ranch hands do making him instantly an outsider. Also because he thinks that he is old he puts himself in a state of mind which handicaps him far more than his missing hand ever will. His life echoes that of his dog, he was once â€Å"the best damn sheep-dog I ever seen† but now is next to useless, Candy’s life has gone somewhat the same way. The novel shows the amount of predjudice at the time of the 1930s. At the time of the novel blacks in America had no rights, they were seen as nobodies. Because of this prejudice many of them, like Crooks â€Å"retired into the terrible protective dignity of the negro†. Women also had very few rights. There are many different levels of prejudice shown in Of Mice And Men. Through these prejudices the characters such as Crooks and Curley’s wife have become lonely but they are in hopeless position which they can do nothing about. Dreams. Many ranch workers would share George and Lennie’s dream of a small farm. Such a dream would allow men such as George to be their own master, to make a decent living from their own hard work. This dream forms part of the much larger phenomenon known as the American dream. The American Dream has its roots from when American first became populated. Many of the characters in the novel have dreams, in the sense that they have hopes or ambitions. These dreams are often kept secret to begin with. George is displeased when he discovers that Lennie and Candy have told Crooks about their secret ‘dream farm.’ George always talks wistfully about his mental picture of the farm. He sits ‘entranced with his own picture.’ Georges dream like description slows down the pace of the novel and provides a period of almost calm before all of Lennie’s destruction. George’s life and Lennie’s would be more closely related to nature on his dream farm as he says, ‘when we put in a crop, why we’d be there to take the crop up’, so the cycle of nature would be complete. Since George and Lennie’s ambition in life is much like all those around him he believes it to be pretty impossible to come true. But suddenly George realizes that what had been until a certain point a distant dream was then a real possibility. ‘S’pose I went in with you guys.’ Candy’s involvement and contribution made the dream make more sense. It offers George and Lennie the prospect of companionship and self-living. The characters dream is a sharp contrast to that of their current surroundings. Crooks is rather scornful of the dream as Lennie explains it to him ‘you’re nuts’, he says. Crooks compares human hopes with religious belief and says that the search for ‘a little piece of land’ is like the search for heaven. His comments create tension as Candy, George’s and Lennie’s dream seems so close to them. Crooks thinks that the chances of them successfully achieving their dream farm are remote. Few ha ve achieved it before. Despite Crooks negativity he seems drawn into the same dream of a better life and of companionship. During the discussion with the ranch workers his attitude changed from sheer disbelieve to almost excitement. Unlike most of the characters in contrast, Curley’s wife seems almost desperate to tell Lennie about her dreams. It is ironic that she confides in someone who appears to have no interest or little understanding of what she is saying. Curley’s wife reveals her own dreams of a better life. Her dream is parallel to that of Candy, Crooks and George. Curley’s wife seems to be starstuck to have taken all the flattering comments she received from the men she met. She finds her dream in the glittery world of show business, the cinema and glossy magazines. This is a sharp contrast to that of the three men. Her interest in the world of cinema and film stars suggest that her dress sense is there to make her stand out from all the other ‘ordinary’ girls. Eventually though in one way or another all the peoples dreams die out because of Lennie. Candy, George and Lennie’s dream is destroyed because of Curley’s wife. Lennie sinned and the heaven of the small farm became a dream again. George realizes that his own prospects are now no better than those other ranch workers, with their limited ambitions of cheap sex and gambling. Georges vision is an example of the second kind of unhappy vision. When he sees his future aimlessly drifting.’ I’ll take my fifty bucks an’ I’ll stay in some lousy cat house. Or I’ll set in some pool-room till ever’body goes home.’ Lennie’s dream is shattered. He starts to have visions after killing Curley’s wife. The appearance of a giant rabbit is to do with Lennie’s fear for the future. The rabbit is a symbol of a time of peace in quite and natural surroundings. Lennie tells himself that his dream has been destroyed by what he has done. Steinbeck again creates a sort of parallel not only between the shooting of Candy’s dog and of Lennie, but also between the emotions which motivate the killings. George ends up by killing Lennie, Lennie has killed Curley’s wife, and Carlson killed Candy’s dog. All killers are motivated by passion. Many of the workers have dreams of one kind or a another, and sometimes they share the same dream. Generally though the characters have one choices of an almost realistic dream. This is the dream that includes companionship, honesty and love or the ‘dream farm.’ Which represents the ambition and the possibility of escape from the workers loneliness and poverty. These factors eventually stimulated the violent deaths and therefore the abrupt ending of dreams.

Of Power and Time Essay

Time The article by Mary Oliver is very deep and passionate in a way you can’t help but relate to, in a way you almost understand where the writer is coming from. Through out this article the writer explains through out a poem of how it is to be a writer. The article fails to revolve around any specific thing but does so with descriptive elegance. Oliver is talking through her poetry and saying that she is her own self, and she will write down what she intends to. Through her article she throws around the words â€Å"ordinary† and â€Å"regular†, she doesn’t appear to be referring to herself in anyway, perhaps it is her idea or memory she is indeed referencing. The start of the article begins with the author just walking up on a crisp morning. Someone calls on her and she is forced to abandon the thought she had on her mind. She continues to talk about the things that drive you away from your concentration, like privacy, pencils, paper, and erasers. She describes how you can have an idea or thought on the very edge of your mind and just the slightest thing can drive it away, even if it’s the thought itself. She ponders upon the idea that a thought can drive away the same thought, then simultaneously switches to memories of her as a child ad how she is really still the same. â€Å"most of my education was intended to make me feel comfortable within it† (Mary Oliver). Mary Oliver then suggests that all of her education was not merely for her life use but just for comfort, which her education and views her discomfort as a benefit. She seems to have a backwards view on things most wouldn’t look at. She says that â€Å"The extraordinary is what art is really about†, (Mary Oliver) suggests that she herself does not wish to be ordinary? In her thinking, you have to be a risk-taker type of person to be extraordinary. She is recklessly working away at 6 a. m. in the morning regardless of any social calls. She’s trying to say that no matter what happens, it is up to her to get the poem written like as if she is completely devoted to it. She describes her attachment as loyalty towards the poem. When Oliver says to rejoice if she does not turn up for a meeting or event, she is trying to say; be happy for me, because I will be writing poetry. In Mary’s eyes, the most regretful people are those who felt the call to be great but didn’t act upon it. Mary Oliver is a difficult writer to understand but through it all, one could see what she is truly trying to say. Bibliography Oliver, Mary. â€Å"Of Power and Time. † Blue Pastures (1995).

Pricing Strategy - LiveFace Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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Trend letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Trend letter - Essay Example JUNK UNDERJEANS: After having a primary research about the company, I have discovered some relevant data. You company is producing a unique line of men’s undergarments with the latest and hottest trends made from highest quality fabrics and materials (â€Å"About Junk underjeans†). The distribution method is wholesaling with a selling capacity of 500+ pieces as a business apprentice. I have also discovered that Junk underjeans designs are credited to Mr. Sean Gregg as the fashion designer (â€Å"Junk†). The different styles and collections such as the rebel, urban and sleek have captured the interest and excitement of straight and gay guys as your target market. Your promotional strategies such as tradeshow, fashion show, magazine, online blogs, and company website are very helpful in delivering the product to the market. The most in-demand business today according to American Apparel and Footwear Association is the apparel manufacturing in which â€Å"sales for 2000 reached $315 billion, representing a 90% growth from its 1990 levels† (qtd. in Fulbright). Junk underjeans had made a good choice of business. OPPORTUNITY/TRENDS: Starting up a new business nowadays is not for seasonality alone, but it goes with passion and on what the person really believes. There is nothing wrong if the business gives more focus and priority on one product line especially if that product is doing well in the market. However, opportunities/trends should also be given consideration as it comes. The industry will only appreciate and understand the essence of the opportunity/trend if it has an open mind with a positive outlook (Khoo). It does not entails that because Junk underjeans is producing undergarments for men only, then it should be heading that way in the future. Definitely not, because change is a typical respond for every business which is either a desire or a necessity. Junk underjeans has proven its success in capturing the attention of

Hypercholesterolemia in the Secondary Prevention of Coronary Heart Essay

Hypercholesterolemia in the Secondary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease - Essay Example In the developed world, it is one of the leading causes of death both in men and women. Around 94,000 deaths each year in the UK are attributed to this condition and the prevalence of this condition is about 2.6 million. The most common symptom associated with coronary heart disease (CHD) is angina and about 2 million people are affected with it each year. With age the prevalence and severity of CHD would only increase (NHS 2009). The two most notable conditions that are associated with CHD are angina and myocardial infarction. Myocardial infarction arises when coronary arteries are completely blocked and angina arises when the coronary arteries are partially blocked. Some of the common symptoms that are associated with CHD include breathlessness, chest pain, palpitations, a feeling of heaviness or tightness over the chest, sweating, confusions, anxiety, light-headedness, breathlessness, and dyspnea. Some of the common complications that can arise with the progression of CHD include heart attack, angina, heart failure, and arrhythmia (Mayo Clinic 2012). The main pathophysiology associated with CHD is the build-up of plaque in the coronary artery. As the plaque builds up, the lumen of the vessel becomes narrower, and so does the heart receive reduced supply of blood, resulting in the development of several symptoms of CHD including chest pain, breathlessness, and light-headedness. ... Following the process of atherosclerosis, there may be breakage or rupture of the plaques resulting in deposition of platelets at the site of repair. This platelet clump may block the lumen resulting in partial or complete arterial blockage causing angina or myocardial infarction (Mayo Clinic 2012). Figure 2: Complications of CHD In the UK, the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia is high. About 1 in every 500 individuals is affected with familial hypercholesterolemia (an autosomal dominant condition characterised by high levels of Low Density lipoproteins (LDL) in the blood resulting in the development of atherosclerosis at a very rapid rate). Further the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia due to sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercises and diet has resulted in very high prevalence of CHD in the population. About 10 to 15% of the 110,000 population that have familial hypercholesterolemia are unaware of their condition, due to which they may be at a very high risk to suffer from angina o r myocardial infarction (Wadwa 2007). Almost every patient with coronary artery disease has a minimum of one modifiable cardiovascular risk factor, and that most of the risk factors remain insufficiently controlled even after patients are diagnosed for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). â€Å"Hypercholesterolemia is a condition characterized by very high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is produced in the body and obtained from foods that come from animals (particularly egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products). The body needs this substance to build cell membranes, make certain hormones, and produce compounds that aid in fat

Marine Liability Insurance and Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marine Liability Insurance and Law - Essay Example On the other hand, oil is leaking from the bunker tank of MV Othership, but it is proceeding to Singapore under own power. The collision occurred at 0613 Hrs, local time, when visibility was good and there was a wind variable force of 2. This may imply that one of the ship’s navigation equipment might have been faulty. From the records, both ships, MV Puffin and MV Othership have Hull and Machinery insurance, under standard Institute Clauses-Hull terms. It is also probable that these vessels do not have Liability Insurance and Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurance. Hull and machinery insurance covers the ship itself, the equipment on board, including propulsion and auxiliary machinery, cargo handling and navigation equipment (NEPIA, 2013). It also provides cover for the ship’s contribution to general average and salvage and part of the liability for damage to another ship in collision. On the other hand, Protection and Indemnity (P& I) insurance covers third party li abilities (NEPIA, 2013). The situation requires that the owners of the entered ships should take necessary steps to mitigate the hazards and prevent further losses from occurring. For instance, damage of MV Puffin’s bow and MV Othership’s bunker tank and hull amidships may pose great risks, if mitigation steps are not taken. Secondly, two MV Puffin crew members have been slightly injured while three crew members of MV Othership have been injured. Also, second-hand cars and trucks in forward spaces of MV Puffin have been damaged while pallets of canned foods in number 3’ tween deck of MV Othership have been damaged. This means that each of the two vessels has caused injury to people, and damage to property involving third parties. Therefore, there is third party liability involved in this situation. b) Initial Advice to the Owner of the Entered Ships MV Puffin in Relation to ensuring that Safety Obligations have been carried out The owner of the entered ships, MV Puffin has to take necessary steps to ensure that safety obligations have been carried out. The fact that crew members of the two vessels have been injured, and that MV Puffin’s bow has been damaged and that oil is leaking from the bunker tank of MV Othership, may imply that there are health and safety risks exist. The following advice and recommendations on how to ensure compliance with safety obligations may be helpful. First, the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, section one, requires that the ship operator should provide for safe practices in ship operation and safe working environment (NEPIA, 2013). Therefore, the ship operator should establish safeguards against all identified risks, after correctly identifying the risks associated with this situation. This can be done by observing loss prevention through good practices and procedures, which should be applied to prevent occurrence of incidents that may lead to further loss (NEPIA, 2013).The operators should a lso seek to minimise the severity of the consequences when incidents occur. Secondly, this accident and all associated hazardous situations should be reported to the company. The ISM Code, section 9, requires that all non-conformities, hazardous situations and accidents should be reported to the company (NEPIA, 2013). This collision involving MV Puffin and MV Othership should be analysed. The accident should also be investigations so as to improve safety and prevent pollution. This

The learning organization can never be achieved in reality Essay

The learning organization can never be achieved in reality - Essay Example Management theorists including Smith recognize that although there has been considerable debate about learning organizations ever since the emergence of the concept in the early 1990s,it has not been easy to cite examples of such organizations in real life. Smith (2001a) therefore is of the opinion that the concept of the learning organization may be too idealistic to be translated into reality; similarly, theorists such as Jashapara (1993) have metaphorically equated the struggle to become a learning organization with 'a quest for the Holy Grail'. This paper first reviews, summarizes and explains available literature on the subject of learning organizations and further attempts to determine whether such an organization is in reality achievable or not.The concept of the learning organization was pioneered and popularized during the 1990s by Peter Senge through his book The Fifth Discipline which was first published in the year 1990 (Smith, 2001b). The premise behind the theory of lea rning organizations is that in the rapidly changing world; where today's new discovery may be obsolete tomorrow, only those succeed who are 'adaptive' and 'flexible' (Smith, 2001) and Senge (1990a, p. 4) believes that this could only happen when organizations 'discover how to tap people's commitment and capacity to learn at all levels'. Senge (1990a, p. 3) views learning organizations as those where people continually strive to broaden the horizons of their capacity for the achievement of desired results, where innovative and out of the box thinking is encouraged and cultivated, where team work and collectivism is valued and 'where people are continually learning to see the whole together'. Senge believes that true learning enables both organizations and individuals to re-invent themselves and thus argues that survival alone is not the objective for learning organizations. He goes on to distinguish between 'adaptive' or single-loop learning and 'generative' or double-loop learning, and explains that where 'adaptive learning' is that which is necessary for mere survival, learning organizations are those which combine adaptive learning with 'generative learning', i.e. learning which enriches the ability to create (1990a, p. 14). Evolution of the Concept of the Learning Organization Rowden (2001), in an effort to trace the learning organization to its founding disciplines recognizes that the concept of the learning organization is not new and can trace its roots in organizational learning (Argyris & Schon, 1978) as well as being derived from action learning (Revans, 1983). Further, the learning organization concept is found to be rooted in organizational development specifically in 'action research methodology' and organic organizational theory. The concept is based most specifically on systems theory (Senge, 1990a) whereas its application to business has been more of an evolutionary outcome of strategic management (Fiol & Lyles 1985; Hosley et al. 1994), which in turn has over the years realized that the fundamental source of strategic change is in fact organizational learning (DeGeus 1988; Jashapara 1993). Rowden (2001) further notes the opinions of thinkers Senge (1990b) and Stata (1989) that the practical application of the notion of the learning organizatio n began with the increased emphasis on continual quality improvement in the recent past. Characteristics of Learning Organizations Senge (1990a) identifies the five building blocks of the learning organization and calls them its 'component technologies', which are systems thinking, personal mastery, mental models, building shared vision and team learning. Similar thinking is echoed by Watkins & Marsick (1993) and Rowden (2001), who agree that learning organizations share certain key characteristics. They provide learning opportunities to

Was the Roman Imperial system,particularly its form of government, Research Paper - 1

Was the Roman Imperial system,particularly its form of government, more closely related to the Spartan or Athenian model - Research Paper Example erialism for instance, was often hegemonies rather than annexationists, and there were times when the roman militaries were inactive during the republic. This paper will therefore compare the roman imperial system to the Spartan governing. Ancient Greece for instance, it had four forms of governments namely: Aristocracy, Monarchy, Oligarchy and Direct Democracy. Direct democracy government was exercised in ancient Athens; here citizens of the state were allowed to participate in politically in making decision that seems to be standard to all citizens. While in Ancient Sparta they had an oligarchy form of government, here the state was ruled by citizens who were classified in small groups, the small groups were in charge of the military as well. Sparta had mixed government, as a result of the mixed government state, it had both Oligarchy and democracy; the state of Sparta was hereditary and it was ruled by two kings from the Eurypontid and Agiad families. They were both Heracles descendants and had same authority. This equal authority prevented them from acting against each other. This form of government acted as a model to other poleis, it had three ruling classes, the assembly, council of elders and the Ephorate. In spite of having the mixed government, Sparta was well organized in its rulings. On the other hand, kings were rulers of the Roman city state. The king acted as a supreme ruler and the power he had over his subjects was consolidated by his own negotiation with his gods. In addition as a King, he often ensured that he maintains both his title of supremacy in the military as well as religious authority. However, the ancient government was later broken by the Roman citizens after they expelled their last king; this led to the kingdom of Roman to become a republic, and later processed to be an empire. At this point, the government and religion became one; this came to pass because of Emperor Augustus as well as his successors. Moreover, kings

Lexus Rx Essay Example for Free

Lexus Rx Essay In 2008, Toyota was ranked the world’s number one in motor vehicle production volume with more plants opening in Canada, USA and Mexico. Due to the worldwide recession, Toyota sales dropped tremendously, thereafter. Beginning in early 2010 Toyota’s sales, and stock price dropped again due to accelerator and brake problems with a number of their cars. People were afraid to drive and purchase the 2010 Prius as the brake problems occurred mainly in this line of car. Toyota was no longer ranked number one in motor vehicle production due to the problems the company faced in 2010. Currently in 2011, Toyota is concerned about how well the Lexus RX 330/350 has done in the North American market? Due to this matter, the operation management team has produced a report that concerns the Toyota Motor Company’s North American Lexus production decision made a few years ago and the production of Toyota’s strategy for North America. This report includes a critical assessment of the Toyota Production System (TPS), which will be used to demonstrate the basic understanding of the TPS and describe the TPS as a total entity. This report also includes a grid analysis which will be used to help make the North American plant location decision for the Lexus RX 330 Line by listing the key factors as either exogenous or endogenous, stating any relevant assumptions or constraints, and assigning two scores to each factor: one for production of the Lexus RX 330 at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Canada (TMMC), and one for production at a Toyota factory in the USA. Lastly, this report will recommend an appropriate production capacity to be built at TMMC, and it will assess Toyota’s current regional production strategy in North America. The operation management team will do a thorough assessment of Toyota production in North America. This report will mention the purposes and advantages of the TPS. It will show the profit earned from the Lexus RX 330 line over the five years period from 2003 – 2007, and how well it is currently doing in 2011. This report will evaluate the current distribution of Toyota production in North America and suggest why Toyota has chosen to produce its cars for the North American market in the current manner.

Leadership Style Development

Leadership Style Development LEADERSHIP A process that influences other people to achieve an objective and guides the company in a way to make it more coherent and cohesive is called leadership. You can also define leadership as a process of leading people in the right direction in order to achieve goals. LEADERSHIP STYLES Leadership style is the manner and approach of providing direction, implementing plans, and motivating people. Whether you are managing a team at work, captaining your sports team or leading a major corporation, your leadership style is crucial to your success. Consciously, or subconsciously, you will no doubt use some of the leadership styles. The style that individuals use will be based on a combination of their beliefs and values and preferences , as well as the organizational culture and norms. The leadership styles we look at here are: Autocratic leadership Bureaucratic leadership Charismatic leadership Democratic leadership Laissez faire leadership people oriented leadership Servant leadership Task-oriented leadership Transactional leadership Transformational leadership Situational Leadership 1. Autocratic Leadership: This is often considered the classical approach. It is one in which the manager retains as much power and decision-making authority as possible. The manager does not consult employees, nor are they allowed to give any input. Employees are expected to obey orders without receiving any explanations. The motivation environment is produced by creating a structured set of rewards and punishments. 2. Bureaucratic Leadership: Bureaucratic leadership is where the manager manages by the book ¨ everything must be done according to procedure or policy. If it isnt covered by the book, the manager refers to the next level above him or her. This manager is really more of a police officer than a leader. He or she enforces the rules. This is a very appropriate style for work involving serious safety risks (such as working with machinery, with toxic substances or at heights) or where large sums of money are involved (such as cash-handling). 3. Charismatic Leadership: A charismatic leadership style can appear similar to a transformational leadership style, in that the leader injects huge doses of enthusiasm into his or her team, and is very energetic in driving others forward. The Charismatic Leader gathers followers through dint of personality and charm, rather than any form of external power or authority. It is interesting to watch a Charismatic Leader working the room as they move from person to person. They pay much attention to the person they are talking to at any one moment, making that person feel like they are, for that time, the most important person in the world. 4. Democratic Leadership Style: The democratic leadership style is also called the participative style as it encourages employees to be a part of the decision making. The democratic manager keeps his or her employees informed about everything that affects their work and shares decision making and problem solving responsibilities. This style requires the leader to be a coach who has the final say, but gathers information from staff members before making a decision. Democratic leadership can produce high quality and high quantity work for long periods of time. 5. Laissez-Faire Leadership Style: This French phrase means leave it be and is used to describe a leader who leaves his or her colleagues to get on with their work. It can be effective if the leader monitors what is being achieved and communicates this back to his or her team regularly. The laissez-faire leadership style is also known as the hands-off ¨ style. It is one in which the manager provides little or no direction and gives employees as much freedom as possible. All authority or power is given to the employees and they must determine goals, make decisions, and resolve problems on their own. Most often, laissez-faire leadership works for teams in which the individuals are very experienced and skilled self-starters. 6. People-Oriented Leadership or Relations-Oriented Leadership: This style of leadership is the opposite of task-oriented leadership: the leader is totally focused on organizing, supporting and developing the people in the leaders team. A participative style, it tends to lead to good teamwork and creative collaboration. However, taken to extremes, it can lead to failure to achieve the teams goals. 7. Servant Leadership: The servant leader serves others, rather than others serving the leader. Serving others thus comes by helping them to achieve and improve. When someone, at any level within an organization, leads simply by virtue of meeting the needs of his or her team, he or she is described as a leader. In many ways, servant leadership is a form of democratic leadership, as the whole team tends to be involved in decision-making. The leader has responsibility for the followers. Leaders have a responsibility towards society and those who are disadvantaged. People who want to help others best do this by leading them. 8. Task-Oriented Leadership: A highly task-oriented leader focuses only on getting the job done, and can be quite autocratic. He or she will actively define the work and the roles required, put structures in place, plan, organize and monitor. However, as task-oriented leaders spare little thought for the well-being of their teams, this approach can suffer many of the flaws of autocratic leadership, with difficulties in motivating and retaining staff. Task-oriented leaders can benefit from an understanding of the Blake-Mouton Managerial Grid, which can help them identify specific areas for development that will help them involve people more. 9. Transactional Leadership: The transactional leader works through creating clear structures whereby it is clear what is required of their subordinates, and the rewards that they get for following orders. Punishments are not always mentioned, but they are also well-understood and formal systems of discipline are usually in place. 10. Transformational Leadership: A person with this leadership style is a true leader who inspires his or her team with a shared vision of the future. Transformational leaders are highly visible, and spend a lot of time communicating. They dont necessarily lead from the front, as they tend to delegate responsibility amongst their teams. While their enthusiasm is often infectious, they can need to be supported by detail people. Working for a Transformational Leader can be a wonderful and uplifting experience. They put passion and energy into everything. They care about you and want you to succeed. 11. Using the Right Style-Situational Leadership: While the Transformation Leadership approach is often a highly effective style to use in business, there is no one right way to lead or manage that suits all situations. When a decision is needed, an effective leader does not just fall into a single preferred style, such as using transactional or transformational methods. In practice, as they say, things are not that simple. Appropriate Style of Leadership for 21st Century: A good leader will find him or herself switching instinctively between styles according to the people and work they are dealing with. This is often referred to as situational leadership. For example, the manager of an Avalon Aviation Academy trains new candidates using a bureaucratic style to ensure operatives know the procedures that achieve the right standards of product quality and workplace safety. The same manager may adopt a more participative style of leadership when working on production line improvement with his or her team of supervisors. There are some forces that influence the style to be used after assessing the questions: How much time is available? Are relationships based on respect and trust or on disrespect? Who has the information you, your employees, or both? How well your employees are trained and how well you know the task. Internal conflicts. Stress levels. Type of task. Is it structured, unstructured, complicated, or simple? As the new era has been started with the advancement in the technology field and there is no single style is better in 21st century. The best leadership style of 21st century would be the mix of all or some of the above stated styles as per the scenario of the organization. Even selecting the appropriate style for leadership these qualities should be in the leader to manage the organization. A good leader uses all the above styles, depending on what forces are involved between the followers, the leader, and the situation. Some examples include: Using an authoritarian style on a new employee who is just learning the job. The leader is competent and a good coach. The employee is motivated to learn a new skill. The situation is a new environment for the employee. Using a participative style with a team of workers who know their job. The leader knows the problem, but does not have all the information. The employees know their jobs and want to become part of the team. Using a delegative style with a worker who knows more about the job than you. You cannot do everything! The employee needs to take ownership of her job. Also, the situation might call for you to be at other places, doing other things. Using all three: Telling your employees that a procedure is not working correctly and a new one must be established (authoritarian). Asking for their ideas and input on creating a new procedure (participative). Delegating tasks in order to implement the new procedure (delegative). The most appropriate mix of leadership styles is Democratic, Servant and Transformational Leadership. The most using style in all the organization of the world. But there are also some situations where the leadership style is successful in each situation. These are followings: In some situations, an autocratic or authoritarian style is appropriate: In critical situations, where one leader is required When the leader has specific knowledge that others do not In some situations, a delegative style is appropriate: If a team member knows more than you do about a task When work loads and deadlines are pressing (shared success builds team cohesion) In most situations, a participative style is appropriate: Especially when team members understand the objectives and their role in the task To gain engagement and buy-in from all team members (it is noted that participative decision making is different to participative leadership and not always possible) Question: How come a leader can be effective in one organization move to another and seems to fail miserably discuss? A good leader is one who does not simply control his team members. Instead he sets himself as a role model. The task of the leader is to take the people from where they are to where they have not been. A leader need not be a superman. These are the following situation in which different style of leadership fail. The reasons behind these are Autocratic Leadership Style: It is the most effective style to use in these situations:- New, untrained employees who do not know which tasks to perform or which procedures to follow Effective supervision can be provided only through detailed orders and instructions Employees do not respond to any other leadership style There are high-volume production needs on a daily basis There is limited time in which to make a decision A managers power is challenged by an employee The area was poorly managed Work needs to be coordinated with another department or organization But is it will be miserably failed in these situations in the same organization or in the different organization Employees become tense, fearful, or resentful Employees expect to have their opinions heard Employees begin depending on their manager to make all their decisions There is low employee morale, high turnover and absenteeism and work stoppage Democratic Leadership Style: The democratic leadership style is most effective when The leader wants to keep employees informed about matters that affect them. The leader wants employees to share in decision-making and problem-solving duties. The leader wants to provide opportunities for employees to develop a high sense of personal growth and job satisfaction. There is a large or complex problem that requires lots of input to solve. Changes must be made or problems solved that affect employees or groups of employees. You want to encourage team building and participation. Democratic leadership style should be failed badly in these circumstances where There is not enough time to get everyones input. Its easier and more cost-effective for the manager to make the decision. The business cant afford mistakes. The manager feels threatened by this type of leadership. Employee safety is a critical concern. Bureaucratic Leadership: This style can be effective when the organization of this type. Employees are performing routine tasks over and over. Employees need to understand certain standards or procedures. Employees are working with dangerous or delicate equipment that requires a definite set of procedures to operate. Safety or security training is being conducted. Employees are performing tasks that require handling cash. This style is ineffective in organizational environments where Work habits form that is hard to break, especially if they are no longer useful. Employees lose their interest in their jobs and in their fellow workers. Employees do only what is expected of them and no more. Laissez-Faire Leadership Style: This is an effective style where behavior of employees in an organization is like these Employees are highly skilled, experienced, and educated. Employees have pride in their work and the drive to do it successfully on their own. Outside experts, such as staff specialists or consultants are being used Employees are trustworthy and experienced. This style should seem failed when the following situations falls. It makes employees feel insecure at the unavailability of a manager. The manager cannot provide regular feedback to let employees know how well they are doing. Managers are unable to thank employees for their good work. The manager doesnt understand his or her responsibilities and is hoping the employees can cover for him or her. Situational Leadership: These are the most effective approach for you in a situation where; The skill levels and experience of the members of your team. The work involved (routine or new and creative). The organizational environment (stable or radically changing, conservative or adventurous). You own preferred or natural style. Question: Compare and contrast the leadership of Tony Blair and Pervaiz Musharraf.Use relevant course module in your discussion. Do you think these leaders can continue their success? Give reasons. Tony Blair as a Democratic Leader Tony Blair (Anthony Charles Lynton Blair) was born in May 6, 1953, Edinburgh, Scotland but spent much of his childhood in Durham, England. He studied law at Oxford and then practiced law until 1983. Blair was soon a rising Leader of what became known as the new Labour movement, with positions more centrist on fiscal affairs and social issues like crime. He became leader of the Labour Party in 1994, and three years later Blair was 44, making him the youngest British prime minister since Lord Liverpool in 1812. Blair was re-elected in Parliamentary elections in 2001 and 2005. He has always described himself as a social democrat and no doubt.he is a democratic leader of Labour Party. He led the party to victories in the 1997, 2001, and 2005 elections. He made several decisions with the mutual consulting of his party and with the coordination of opposition party. Blairs government implemented a number decision in his regime as listed below 1997 manifesto pledges, Introducing the minimum wage, Human Rights Act Freedom of Information Act Regional devolution, Establishing the Scottish Parliament, The National Assembly for Wales, The Northern Ireland Assembly. Control of interest rates to the Bank of England, Good Friday Agreement. War on Terror in 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and 2003 invasion of Iraq. In his first six years, Blair had British troops ordered into battle five times Rights for gay people in the Civil Partnership Act 2004 Tony Blair as Prime Minister has played a significant role in †¢ Foreign Policy Blair argued that the relation with US is in Britains interest to protect and strengthen the bond regardless of who is in the White House. However, one-sided compromising personal and political closeness tends to serious discussion of the term Poodle-ism in the media. †¢ Security policy Blair introduced anti-terrorism and ID card legislation.Under Blairs government the amount of new legislation increased which attracted criticism. Blair increased police powers by adding to the number of arrestable offences, compulsory DNA recording and the use of dispersal orders. Relationship as a Democratic Leader : Tony Blair made relation with the UK parliament and other world role as a democratic leader Relationship with Parliament As a diplomatic leader,he replaced the then twice-weekly 15-minute sessions of Prime Ministers Questions held on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a single 30-minute session on Wednesdays. In addition to PMQs, Blair held monthly press conferences at which he fielded questions from journalists. Relation with other leaders of World Blair had a deep feeling for Israel as he born in part from his faith. Blair met Michael Levy a pop music mogul and fundraiser. He had been cool towards the right-wing Netanyahu governmenta and Ehud Barak, with whom Blair forged a close relationship. He also responded positively to Arafat, whom he had met thirteen times since becoming prime minister, regarding him as essential to future negotiations. Blair forged friendships with several conservative European leaders, including Silvio Berlusconi of Italy, Angela Merkel of Germany and more recently Nicolas Sarkozy of France. Post-Prime Ministerial career Diplomacy After resignation from his post of Prim minister he also served as a leader in the diplomatic envoy in Middle East for the United Nations, European Union, United States, and Russia. In May 2008, Tony Blair announced a new plan for peace and for Palestinian rights, based heavily on the ideas of the Peace Valley plan. Private sector In January 2008, it was confirmed that Blair would be joining investment bank JPMorgan Chase in a senior advisory capacity and that he would advise Zurich Financial Services on climate change. Blair also gives lectures for a 90-minute speech. Yale University announced on 7 March 2008 that Blair will teach a course on issues of faith and globalisation at the Yale Schools of Management and Divinity as a Howland distinguished fellow during the 2008-09 academic year Charity On 14 November 2007, Blair launched the Tony Blair Sports Foundation, which aims to increase childhood participation in sports activities, especially in the North East of England, where a larger proportion of children are socially excluded, and to promote overall health and prevent childhood obesity. Honours Blair is presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush. On 22 May 2008, Blair received an honorary law doctorate from Queens University Belfast for distinction in public service and roles in the Northern Ireland peace process. On 13 January 2009, Blair was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in recognition of exemplary achievement and to convey the utmost esteem of the American people, War on Terror and his role in achieving peace in Northern Ireland. Downfall of Blair Leadership Blair has no doubut a good leader ship qualities as a democratic leader but due to some decesion made in his tenur of Prime minister,the graph of his popularity go down. 1. Relation with US Government As the United Kingdom has its own place in the world but due to one sided relation with US government the, Blair was criticized by the public as well as other (Media Foreign leader). Nelson Mandela said that Blair as the U.S. foreign minister. Blair has also often openly been referred to as Bushs poodle. Kendall Myers, a senior analyst at the State Department, reportedly said that he felt a little ashamed of Bushs treatment of the Prime Minister and that his attempts to influence U.S. policy were typically ignored: Anthony Seldon revealing conversation between Bush and Blair, with the former addressing the latter as Yo, Blair was recorded when they did not know. Blair was sometimes paying insufficient attention both to the views of his own Cabinet colleagues and to those of the House of Commons.Due to this,he was criticised as not that of a prime minister and head of government, which he was, but of a president and head of state-which he was not. Nobel prizewinning playwright Harold Pinter and former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, have accused Blair of war crimes. 2. Invasion of Iraq The participation in the invasion on Iraq in 2003 due to the reason the weapons of mass destruction.Blair strongly supported United States foreign policy rarding invasion of Iraq. As a result, he faced criticism over the policy itself and the circumstances in which it was decided upon-especially his claims that Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction, which have not been discovered. 3. Israel-Lebanon Conflict Blair was criticized for his failure to immediately call for a ceasefire in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, with members of his cabinet openly criticizing Israel. Jack Straw, the Leader of the House of Commons and former Foreign Secretary stated that Israels actions risked destabilizing all of Lebanon. Significant number of ministers pressured Blair to publicly criticize Israel over the scale of deaths and destruction in Lebanon. Yes, of course this leader can continue their success by using these; Keep communication open: If the marketplace of ideas is going to be open for business, everyone needs to feel comfortable enough to put their ideas on the table. The democratic leadership style thrives when all the considerations are laid out for everyone to examine. Focus the discussion: Its hard to keep unstructured discussion productive. Its the leaders job to balance being open to ideas and keeping everything on-topic. If the conversation begins to stray, remind everyone of the goal on hand and then steer it back. Make sure to take note of off-topic comments and try to return to them when they are pertinent. Be ready to commit: In the democratic leadership style, you get presented with so many possibilities and suggestions that it can be overwhelming and difficult to commit. But as the leader, when the time comes, you have to choose and do so with conviction. The team depends on the clear and unambiguous mandates to be committed. Respect the ideas: You and your team might not agree with every idea, and thats ok. It is important, however, that you create a healthy environment where those ideas are entertained and considered not maligned or the flow of ideas will slow to a trickle. Explain, but dont apologize: You want the advocates of the solutions that were not selected to understand that their thoughts were considered and had validity, but that ultimately you had strong reasons to go a different direction. Its important that the decision be communicated, but you should not apologize for deciding on what you think. Pervaiz Mascara as an Autocratic Leader General (ret) Pervez Musharraf, born 11 August 1943 in Nehar Wali Haveli meaning House Next to the Canal, situated in Kacha Saad Ullah Mohallah, Daryaganj in Delhi, British India, is a Pakistani politician and military figure who served as the tenth President of Pakistan (2001-2008) and the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army (1998-2007).He took power on 12 October 1999, following a nonviolent military coup and subsequent ouster of the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political, economic and electoral systems. On May 12, 2000, Pakistans 12 member Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted Musharraf executive and legislative authority for 3 years from the coup date endorsing his governance. In 1961, he entered the Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul, graduating 11th in his class. He was commissioned on April 19, 1964 in the Artillery Regiment. Later he joined the Special Services Group and was posted to Field Artillery Regiments. A graduate of the Command and Staff College, Quetta, and the National Defence College, Rawalpindi, Musharraf is also a graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies of the United Kingdom.During his tenure has done several deceision as an Autocratic Leader. Economy of Pakistan come out of the list of Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Improvement of fiscal policies and macro-economic achievements. Space Program, which was last frozen in 1996 unfreezed in his tenure as well as new established a separated fund for SUPARCO to developed its high-powered HRLV, SLV, PSLV projects. War on Terror in 2001 invasion of Afghanistan Enlightened Moderation as an alternative to Islamic Poverty alleviation, the poverty level dropped from 34% to 24% and the overall living standard improves dramatically. Exceptional setup of 47 universities, including Virtual University Womens Protection Bill on 15 November 2006 Ethnic Minorities Rights, appointed a Christian, Derick Cyprian, as a federal minister.In August 2005, Justice Rana Bhagwandas (a Hindu) was sworn in as acting Chief Justice of Pakistan. Corruption in country decreases, as per Transparency International, from 11th most corrupt country to fall down to 41st. and In 2007, according to Transparency International, Pakistan is clearly ranked 138th out of 179 countries. Relationship as a Democratic Leader : India Musharraf was Chief of Army Staff at the time of Mujahideen incursions into India from Pakistan-administered Kashmir in the summer of 1999. Although Pakistan claimed that these were Kashmiri freedom fighters based in Indian-controlled Kashmir, later developments showed that they were Pakistani paramilitary soldiers backing up the separatists on the mountain top. Kashmir dispute The issue of Baglihar Dam at river chenab Disput of Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch, Siachin glacier, issues of Gurdaspur and Ferozepurs status, China Musharraf accused Western leaders and media of politicizing the 2008 Summer Olympics by criticizing Chinas human rights record and its policy in Tibet. He also said he would cooperate with China, which is a historical ally to Pakistan, in the fight against terrorism. During President Musharrafs government, China for the first time allowed a pakistani president access to one of its most advanced and secret military research facilities. Saudi Arabia Pakistans relationship with Saudi Arabia continues to grow. After his coup in October 1999, Riyadh was the first foreign capital General Pervez Musharraf visited, to signify the importance he gave to PAK-Saudi relations. Both countries has common view on international issues such as Kashmir, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iraq, Irans nuclear program, Afghanistan and reform of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). President Musharraf honored King Abdullah by conferring upon him Pakistans highest civil award, Nishan-e-Pakistan, in a colorful investiture ceremony at the presidential palace. Honor In 2004, the President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf was nominated in the final list of hopefuls for that years prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. It is not the very first time that a suggestion of awarding the Noble Peace Prize to President Musharraf has been made. Pakistani President in fighting terrorism against Al Qaeda and other extremist groups within Pakistan, several important figures and organisations have also begun supporting General Musharraf as the strongest entrant for the Noble Peace Prize. Downfall of Musharraf Leadership as a President Some of the issues cause the downfall of Musharrafs government are listed below. Suspension and reinstatement of the Chief Justice: On 9 March 2007, Musharraf suspended the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, pressing corruption charges against him and filed a reference against the Chief Justice, in the Supreme Judicial Council Musharrafs moves sparked protests among Pakistani lawyers. On 12 March 2007, lawyers started Judicial Activism across Pakistan Lal Masjid siege The Musharraf government was forced to act against the Lal Masjid militants, after they formally announced the establishment of a parallel judicial system. The pro-Taliban Lal Masjid administration vowed to enforce Islamic laws in the federal capital and threatened to unleash a wave of suicide bombers if the government took any action to counter it. Emergency declared in Pakistan On 3 November 2007 Musharraf declared emergency rule across Pakistan. He suspended the Constitution, imposed State of Emergency, and fired the chief justice of the Supreme Court. Murder of Benazir Bhutto On 28 December,2007, suicide attack on Benazir Bhutto also creates hurdles to Musharraf and pakistani people becomes against his governement. Resignation from the Army On 2 Octo

Financial Ratio And Operating Indicator Analysis Case Study

Financial Ratio And Operating Indicator Analysis Case Study Riverview Community Hospital operates as a not for profit facility with 210 inpatient beds. The financial ratio and operating indicator analysis of Riverview Community Hospital will attempt to determine their performance within their market. The further assessment of the cash flows, Du Pont equation, and economic value added (EVA) will offer insight to their financial performance. The assessment of the hospitals cash flows will allow the evaluator to determine if the companys core operations were profitable, how capital was raised, and how the institutions financial strategies effected their cash position. The ending cash and investments for 2009 were reduced by almost forty-five percent from the previous year. This downward trend may become an area of concern, because it could create an inability for the hospital to pay its daily operating commitments. The fixed asset acquisitions have continued to exceed the depreciation indicating a possible area of investigation for budget development to control costs. This was a decrease of forty-six percent from the previous year and may require further financial strategies to justify their expenditure. The most significant factor affecting the change in the cash flow was the payment of long term debt ($1.4 million) as compared to the previous year when more than $3.5 million was incurred to cover for their capital purchases. The Du Pont analysis offers the management an overall understanding of the profitability of the institution. Riverviews total margin of 6.75% falls within the upper quartile of the industry data for hospitals with 200-299 beds (Table 2). This higher profit margin indicates that Riverview has attained better control over its total expenses than the majority of similar size hospitals. The asset turnover of 0.67 falls within the lowest quartile of comparable hospitals. This asset utilization indicates that the hospital is not very efficient in generating revenues for every dollar of asset. The equity multiplier of 1.69 falls below the median data group. This indicates that the institution possesses lower debt financing and lower risk than the average hospital but this results in reducing its financial leverage. Riverviews return on equity (ROE) falls just above the median of similar size hospitals at 7.66% which translates to 7.6 cents profit for every dollar of revenue. This is signifi cantly lower than the top quartile of comparable facilities that had more than double Riverviews ROE. The analysis of the income statement and the balance sheet requires the calculations of financial ratios to obtain meaningful data that can be compared to industry values. There are numerous ratios that can be utilized to assess the financial status of a business. The profitability ratios of Riverview fall within the median range, except their total profit margin of 6.75% (Table 3). This level places it within the upper quartile of comparable hospitals. This would indicate that Riverview manages to control expenses well. Riverviews current ratio and days cash on hand fall within the top twenty-five percent of the industry data. These liquidity ratios indicate that Riverviews current assets would provide $2.67 for every dollar of current liabilities, and they have 32.72 days of cash on hand. These ratios indicate to their creditors that they are in position to meet their financial obligations. The debt management ratios all fall within the median range. The asset management ratios fal l within the median range except the fixed and total asset turnover. Riverviews utilization of assets falls within the lowest quartile. The fixed asset turnover of 0.86 times may be an indication of their inability to offer specific services. The total asset turnover of 0.67 times is not as low as its fixed asset indicating they are utilizing current assets better than fixed assets. Inflation or age of the hospital may adversely affect these ratios; however, Riverview has an estimated fixed asset age of 6.12 years. Riverview falls within lower quartile to indicate that their hospital offers more recently purchased acquisitions. The operating indicator analysis examines internal data to determine the factors that contribute to the financial status of the company. These indicators are used by managers to identify and guide financial strategies for the future. Riverviews profit indicators are within the median range of the industry; however, the significant downward trend for profit per inpatient discharge should be followed closely (Table 4). The profit per outpatient visit has improved but is still negative. The net price per visit and revenue percent of outpatient services are both within the upper quartile. The outpatient services are still not producing a profit with the increased price per visit. Riverviews occupancy rate is within the median range, but their average daily census is within the lower quartile. This would further indicate their need to utilize fixed assets more effectively. The hospitals adjusted length of stay is within the lowest quartile indicating a good management of discharging patie nts. The intensity of service indicators show that the cost per discharge and visit are within the lowest quartile but their case mix is in the upper quartile. They are providing more intense service to their patients at a lower cost. The outpatient labor hours per visit are within the upper quartile at 9.24 hours. The outpatient service would require further investigation of these higher labor hours to increase efficiency. The economic value added (EVA) measures the managements ability to create or destroy wealth for their company. Stern Stewart Co. (Stern, 2010) developed this metric to offer a more effective evaluation of managements ability to provide stockholders value. The EVA analysis of profitability takes into account all costs including: capital, equity, and its financing. The higher the EVA measure, the more effective management is at creating value for their shareholders. The EVA measurement for Riverview has trended negatively over the two previous years but has improved twenty-five percent this past last year to -1.2 million (Figure 1). The factors contributing to this negative change were shrinking profits and an increasing accumulation of capital. The EVA dollar amount in 2009 improved due to decreased capital purchases and reduction in long term debt. The limitation of the EVA calculation; does not offer an allowance for the social value provided to the community by the not-for-profit facility. The assessment of the financial performance of Riverview Community Hospital reveals several areas of concern. The further analysis of fixed asset acquisitions should be justified by the hospitals financial strategies. These capital purchases significantly outpace the yearly depreciation allowance. Riverviews REO analysis reveals a significant decrease in total margin that remains in the upper quartile of their industry. The hospital should assess the viability of improving both total asset turnover and equity multiplier to bring their ROE in line with their level of total margin performance. They should determine if improved fixed asset utilization will better leverage them within the market. The profit of their outpatient services is an area that should be targeted for effective cost reduction strategies. The financial ratio and operating indicator analysis may have several limitations that need to be addressed. The income from non-operating revenue for not-for-profit hospitals can be unpredictable and inconsistent. This outside source of revenue can be a significant portion of their income. This could distort the calculations based on that highly unreliable income. The many financial ratios may not fully account for the not-for-profit status of the hospital and may need further analysis to determine their validity. The unaccounted equity provided to the community is not factored into the equations. The additional healthcare benefits provided to the shareholders of the community may out weight the decrease in effective asset utilization by the facility.

JFK Essay -- essays research papers

Evaluation Of JFK   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Through out the course of history, America has seen great Presidents. These men all exhibited characteristics which helped them to be successful in their endeavor to become the nations leader. Among those characteristics are traits such as being a good spokesperson or leader and being fair towards all which makes for a good President.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As President, one must make numerous speeches. Someone who has a phobia of making speeches in front of a large group of people, may find this job difficult. Remaining composed and in control of the situation may be crucial in gaining your viewers support. The President also must be able to convey his thoughts clearly so his nation knows where he stands on issues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Being President is being the leader of a great nation. If the President is afraid to step up, make the decisions and take action, then the nation as a whole may suffer. This would take confidence and some skill in sweet talking to those who are relevant, into uniting behind him. Rising to the occasion and shining when looked upon would be expected from a man with leadership.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A good President is one that is fair. The duty of making sure the Constitution is followed and obeyed is up to the President. This document should be the foundation on which our government is shaped. So he should be able to put himself in the place of those his decision will be...

Art and Aesthetics Essay -- Art

Art and Aesthetics Art is usually referred to as the visual arts, where a piece of work is judged through the aesthetics in which it creates. However, art refers to all human endeavors, including the product of oneÂ’s creative impulse. In other words, art does not have to be innovative to be good. I believe art is the communication of an idea, be it visual, musical, communicative or other. Art is the interplay between the conscious and unconscious part of our being, between what is real and what is an illusion; it is the voice of our soul through color and form in a constant search for connection with something beyond. I think of art as the bridge between our souls and the physical world. I see art as both an interaction between our psychological existence and our cultural expression of that existence. Thus, this can include challenging and sometimes disturbing imagery as well as the aesthetically pleasing. The artist's conceptual vision and a personÂ’s ability to translate this to an audience is what transforms the ordinary experience to a historically and culturally significant event. Moreover, art has a purpose. It is a way of reaching out and sending out a message, of opening a different way of communicating something with others, in ways otherwise would not be possible to achieve. Culture definitely plays a big role on the different varieties of art we have in our world today. For example, Japanese adolescents can be seen spending hours of their spare time trying to create animated art, otherwise known as Ââ€Å"manga†. This form of art may not be acceptable to every culture, as it may be seen as being unrealistic childish nonsense. However, to these Japanese adolescents, Ââ€Å"manga† is a valuable work of art. Contemporaries like Andy Warhol may have a different definition of what art is. However, traditionalists may sneer upon WarholÂ’s creation of the CampbellÂ’s soup can as a work of art. Generally, an artistÂ’s surroundings and culture plays a big influence in the type of art he or she creates. Personally, my culture did not play a big role when I was in the midst of working on my artwork. Although I consider myself as an amateur when it comes to art, I believe that if you let your emotions and inspirations guide you, you would be able to produce a fine piece of art. This will make your piece of art original, as it would have come from deep within yours... ...of something to the person who tries to interpret it. Every piece of art is created through the knowledge of something, be it objective or subjective. For example, in an artistic way, a skilled craftsman would have a purpose and message in mind and he adapts and molds materials to fulfill this end. If he is to succeed in conveying his message, he needs to develop his expertise. There is a kind of craftsmanship and intelligence at work in the practice of his art. Whether a ship builder or weaver, he applies his practical knowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Ëœhow, virtuosity, and talent in fashioning objects that he is creating, and he draws upon general principles which he applies to concrete cases. Moreover, art can help a person develop their critical senses. It could give a person an intuition for forming judgments and trying to decipher what the artwork is trying to portray. Knowledge provided by art is very distinct, as it deals with having a good sense of judgment and interpretation. In conclusion, there is no one true definition of art. Art is valued differently, depending on the individual. Different individuals have different views as to what art is; and as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

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To what extent does the representation of past events and recollections lead us to a boundless consciousness of the complexity of human attitudes and behavior? In exploring the Inherent tensions between history and memory and by acknowledging the specific authorial choices, we are lead to a heightened consciousness of the complexity of human attitudes and behavior. Mark Baker holds a tight reign of control over his work by deciding what to keep and omit throughout his non-fiction prose text, the Fiftieth Gate.While Rugged juxtaposes our knowledge about the Vietnam War with a very personal and poignant recount in their song and video ‘l was only nineteen'. Baker identifies selectivity, tensions and similarities between past events and recollections that are revealed through the blend of different text types and features in addition to characters emotions and actions. Whilst Rugged utilizes first person and film techniques in order to achieve identical effects. Baker adheres to h is objectives by making specific authorial choices which initiate partial views.These views originate a boundless consciousness of the complexity of human attitudes and behaviors. ‘It always begins In blackness, until the first light illuminates a hidden fragment of memory. ‘ Baker uses the Imagery and motif of light to portray memory as fragmented and subject to fulfillment by history. In the first and last line of the fiftieth gate history Is perceived as merely an artificial construct, providing only one version of the past. Baker's specialized decisions allow him to develop a broader understanding and through growth, the complexity of his human attitudes and behaviors become apparent. L realist how deeply buried is his pain. I eave always pitied myself for the grandparents I do not have, rarely considering my father's own orphaned state† (pop). Bloodcurdling is evident through Bakers own statement, his attitudes begin to change as a result of his one sided view s to history, which allow baker to focus on specific aspects of his parents memory. ‘I would prefer to leave the Idea of me rather than bits and pieces' p. 304 Baker's decision to study his parents memories, by fulfilling them with history, causes his own bloodcurdling.Baker realizes memories are more valuable since history Is bits and pieces' of the whole story. Bakers change and development of attitudes and behaviors Is consequent to his authorial editing with regards to his methodology and objectives within the Fiftieth Gate. In contrast to Baker's partiality when examining history, Rugged accentuates memory's partiality, in reference to war stories from the song ‘l was only nineteen'. And the Anza legends didn't mention mud and blood and tears/ and the stories that my father told me never seemed quite real. These lines refer to the Juxtaposition between memories retold by the persona's father about war and the experiences of the persona himself. Rugged uses dual scen es running simultaneously during these lines to enhance the disparity between the calm music and the harshness of the Vietnam War. Which contrasts Bakers bloodcurdling due to specific authorial choices of the way history Is analyses In the fiftieth gate. Through comparison of Baker's bloodcurdling and Residuum's emotive language It becomes obvious that history Is multi-faceted and cannot be taken on face value. O his dual role as Historian and Son and his validation of his parent's memories by history, therefore expanding the awareness of the complexity of human attitudes and behaviors. Genie: ‘Stop interrogating me. Because I don't have a number means I didn't survive? (p. 194) gate 32. This recording of Genie, portrayed through italics, expresses her depressed and reluctant attitude toward reciting memories to her son due to the lack of historical Justification. The tension between history and Genie's memory evokes a change in her attitudes and behaviors, causing Genie to be against Bakers exploration in to his parent's memories.In contrast Yogis accepted Bakers leadership since his memories are confirmed as a result Yokel's collective memory ND varied historic evidence. Yokel's was a past written on a page of history shared by other survivors. My mother could not point to any one†¦ ‘ (p. 136). Bakers Juxtaposition between his fathers authenticated memories and his mother's lack of, represents the contrasting tension between history and memory and its effect on different people. Yokel's attitudes and behaviors were changed to accept Bakers questions since his memories were supported largely by past events.Rugged, similarly to Baker, examines the ever surmounting tension between history and Emory to increase our acknowledgement of the complexity of human attitudes and behaviors. ‘Frankie kicked a mine the day that mankind kicked the moon, God help me, he was going home in June. ‘ Rugged with the use of rhyme trivialities a histori cal event,' kicked the moon', to increase the impact of the persona's memory of a friend's death. ‘he was going home in June' emphasizes the tension and neglecting of history since Franker's leave in June was 11 months after the moon landing, focusing of the significance of the memory rather than the historical event.The complexity of the reasons attitudes and behaviors, like Genie and YOGIS, have been further analyses through his reaction to the labyrinthine relationship between history and memory. In exploring the inherent tensions between history and memory and by acknowledging the specific authorial choices, we are lead to a greater awareness of the complexity of human attitudes and behavior. Mark Baker and Rugged, with in the texts fiftieth Gate and ‘l was only nineteen', Juxtaposes and agree on how the perception of the complexity of human attitudes and behavior is heightened do to the directions and tensions of history and memory.