Thursday, October 31, 2019

Did the antebellum reformers succeed in their efforts to better Essay

Did the antebellum reformers succeed in their efforts to better America between 1820 and 1860 - Essay Example Yet, without the period of spirited public debate the reform movements may have been locked into silence. The reformers, while not being able to avert political problems, were able to bring reform into the public debate in the areas of race, gender, and class. It would appear that the antebellum reformers were a failure on race, but the results would come after this period. The Missouri Compromise, the Compromise of 1850 (and its subsequent overturning), and the Fugitive Slave Act were the product of this period that showed no promise for the race equality that reformers called for. Yet, the backlash against the movement and the hope that was contained in the reformers' message precipitated the Civil War and the end of slavery. According to Epps, the reform would go far beyond the mere releasing of slaves and would "...require far-reaching changes in the state-federal balance, the federal separation of powers, and the internal political systems of the individual Southern states" (180). This restructuring of the Union, though no yet realized in 1860, had gained momentum and was a successful reform movement. The movement towards reform also affected women's rights and by 1860 had formed coalitions that were working for the rights of women and minorities.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

On the Free

On the Free Choice of the Will Essay This book by St Augustine contains many philosophical arguments. St Augustine was a Latin speaking philosopher born in what is now modern day Algeria. He was one of the most prolific philosophers with hundreds of surviving works attributed to him (having survived the passage of time). The book On Free choice of the will contains may divine references with the central argument concerning free will as a gift from god, a gift which leads to humans becoming evil due their own inherent flaws. Free will is a large theme in the book. I will be critically analyzing Augustine’s argument that ‘†¦ a mind that is in control, one that possesses virtue, cannot be made a slave to inordinate desire by anything equal or superior to it, because such a thing would be just, or by anything inferior to it, because such a thing would be too weak’1 . I will be looking at the weaknesses and strengths of this argument and conclude how convincing his argument is. Augustine’s first argument about the mind being made a slave to inordinate desire contains many flaws its states â€Å"Each mind possesses the same degree of excellence and any thing that would attempt such a thing will have fallen from justice and become weaker† 2(originally said by Evodius but Augustine agrees to it) in this he is essentially saying that any mind attempting to enslave another mind to an inordinate desire will have become unjust and in the process weaker meaning it cannot control the superior mind. The first problem with this argument is the premise that all minds posses the same degree of excellence, this notion is completely wrong as it would be illogical to assume that all humans are intellectually equal. The fact that the foundation of the argument is wrong could serve to debase the entire argument as it is a paramount (and erroneous) notion upon which the argument is built. Augustine’s argument states â€Å"a Mind cannot be enslaved by something equal or superior to it because that thing would be just† 3 Not only does this statement destroy his previous notion that all minds are equal it also contains many faults on its own. Firstly its assumes that a mind that is superior would be just this assumption contains many problems. Firstly it assumes that the smarter you are the more just you would be, this statement is quite the contrary the smarter you are the more likely you are to be able to manipulate and scheme making you unjust, one can only look at politicians to see that the more intelligent you are the more susceptible you would be to carrying out unjust acts, so in my opinion this statement can be easily refuted. It is quite logical to assume that the superior mind will be more likely to try and enslave another mind for some purpose or another. One can only look at the peace among intellectual inferior animals which do not commit a multitude of nefarious acts in order to further themselves, contrast this with the chaos amongst humans and one can begin to see that the superior mind is truly less just than the inferior mind, humans have pride and ambition which engenders greed and other destructive traits, these are not seen in animals and babies (both of whom have inferior minds) and galvanizes the notion that a superior mind is less just than a weaker one. The next part of his argument that an inferior mind cannot enslave a superior mind because it will be weaker, contains much more logic than his previous arguments. I would not say this statement is wholly correct but the notion that a weak mind cannot enslave a superior mind is mostly correct in my opinion as it is logical to assume that weak cannot overcome the strong. On the other hand to completely write off a weak minds chances of enslaving a superior mind would be foolish as many other factors are involved in this process including emotions and circumstance, for example if a man with a superior mind is in love with a woman who possesses an inferior mind he could still be enslaved to inordinate desire by virtue of his love for her which will have warped his reason. Hence under some circumstances a weak mind can over come a superior mind yet it would be prudent to assume that a superior mind will always have the upper hand barring external factors. Finally in my opinion there is a huge inherent flaw in the entire argument of Augustine, I believe that pride, ambition, gluttony and all other various inordinate desires are inherent in humans in general, I do not believe it is necessary for a mind to sway another into these desires as they already exist within the human being, it is environmental factors which sway a human being into experiencing these inordinate desires not people and as a result I believe that Augustine’s arguments are fundamentally flawed. He takes a very idealistic view on humans believing them to only corruptible due to other unjust people corrupting them. In truth I believe (unfortunately) that humans are more inclined to feel inordinate desires due to extenuating factors that catalyze their latent emotions that lead to the dire consequences that are engendered by inordinate desires. In conclusion I believe Augustine’s arguments are mediocre. Their strengths are far and few and hugely outweighed by the flaws In them. His arguments while appearing logical and reasonable contain many imperceptible cracks which can be exploited greatly (and at times can debase his entire argument) in the case of a debate. On the basis of this I would have to say that his arguments are mediocre at best and while they are somewhat convincing a wise man would see through them easily.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The Verbal and Physical Comic Devices

The Verbal and Physical Comic Devices MacDonald employs both verbal and physical comic devices in this scene. The two verbal devices she has used are sexual innuendo and parody and the two physical devices which have been used are the rise of friendly brutality and persistence of Romeo and Juliet in getting physical with Constance and her constant struggle to avoid them. Use of sexual innuendo is seen throughout the scene: Id quench myself at thy Priapic font, O that I were a fountain pen within thy hand à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (3. 4. P63), For years Ive sought to penetrate your source (3.4. P64). The following conversation shows the use of parody: JULIET for with each new lust, thou creepeth close unto the aged day when soft moist lip and dewy eye convert to senile rheum. ROMEO Thinkst thou to leave a lovely corpse my dear, when even now the crows have footed it in merry measure all about thine eyes? (3. 4. P66) Both these types of verbal comic devices add to the effect of lightening the mood and help to change the monotonicity in progression of the drama. They also help in making the audience feel witty for catching the main intent in the use of these devices. The use of physical device is seen when Romeo places his hand on Tybalts bottom (3. 4. P60), and Tybalt smacks Romeos butt in return [Tybalt gives ROMEO a macho slap on the ass and laughs] (3. 4. P60). Another use of this device is seen when Romeo constantly tries to kiss Constance, and [Juliet takes Constances hand and does not release it] (3. 4. P63). Thus, we see that both the verbal and the physical comic devices serve to lighten the mood and engage the attention of the audience. Part B Drama (relates to Othello and/or Goodnight Desdemona) How does Constance use Desdemona and Juliet for the alchemical process of turning base metals into gold? Discuss with specific references to the play. Effect of Desdemona and Juliet on Constance The concept of Alchemy literally refers to the theory of turning a base metal into gold. Thus, if this same concept is applied to the very essence of human existence, it can be interrelated in the form that a human can attain the zenith of perfection and become divine and flawless. Constance Ledbelly, the central character of this play, does not believe in this concept of a human perfection, and bases her entire thesis on her lack of belief on the academic fact that Shakespeare was the original author of his work. Instead she considers that Romeo and Juliet and Othello were originally written by an unknown author and that her judgment can be proved by deciphering a manuscript written by a character named Gustav. The original Shakespeares tragedy Othello projects Desdemona as a victim of love and trust, and she is shown being devoted to her husband and obeying his commands. Constance however perceives her as a strong-headed, gullible and violent (3. 9. P86) character, and finds her similar to the original Othello character, who although, was valiant and respectful, he was also responsible for his own downfall, due to the lack of trust he had for his wife [Desdemona]. Desdemonas explosiveness is also projected when she declares that the allegations made by academia about her being a helpless victim, is baseless, and calls this Bullshit!! (2. 2. P38). Constance respects Desdemona for her truthfulness and hails her magnificent (2. 2. P38), and being capable of greatness (2. 2. P38). One of the bad qualities Constance finds in Desdemona is her inclination towards tragedy. The other bad quality she has is her being easily exploited, because of her angry and jealous nature. In the end, however, Des demona promises Constance that she would amend herself and change her ways. This acknowledgement also affects Constance and inspires her to discover her own confidence and strength. In a similar way, Shakespeares original Romeo and Juliet, projects Juliet as the embodiment of love, and this is even reflected by Constance who initially calls Juliet the essence of first love / of beauty that will never fade, / of passion that will never die (3. 4. P64). As we get further into the play, we find Juliet obsessed with sexual love. Her attitude also reflects her being immature Ill tell my father! (3. 2. P56). Juliets strong love for Constance and her views about love at first-sight inspire Constance to love her, but at the same time, she feels skeptical about her, due to her [Juliets] obsession with killing herself. In the end of the play, however, Constance makes Juliet promise her that she would reform herself and look at life in a more positive way. Thus, Juliet also inspires Constance to discover her maturity. After the warp, Connie finds herself back in her office at Queens. She tentatively touches herself as if to confirm her reality (3. 9. P88). On removing the feathered pen from behind her ear she notices that it has turned to solid gold (3. 9. P88). This can be directly interrelated to how she discovered her own confidence with the help of Desdemona and Juliet. Thus, even though we see that Constance had low self-esteem initially, by the end of the play we see her as a totally different person. Hence her life has surely undergone an alchemical transformation.

Friday, October 25, 2019

How Does Othello Rate? Essay -- GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Othello

How Does Othello Rate?  Ã‚        Ã‚   Is this the best, the second-best, the worst of William Shakespeare’s tragedies? Where does it place in the lineup? Let’s consider where it deserves to be and why in this essay.    The play is so quotable; consider Desdemona’s opening lines before the Council of Venice: â€Å"My noble father, / I do perceive here a divided duty,† or Othello’s last words: â€Å"Killing myself, to die upon a kiss.† Could the continuing reputation of Othello be attributed to the quotable â€Å"ultimate form† in which the Bard of Avon expressed his ideas? Robert B. Heilman says in â€Å"The Role We Give Shakespeare†:    If we use the word â€Å"support,† however, we do name a way in which Shakespeare serves. It is the way of venerable texts whose authenticity has impressed itself on the human imagination: he has said many things in what seems an ultimate form, and he is a fountainhead of quotation and universal center of allusion. â€Å"A rose by any other name† comes to the mouth as readily as â€Å"Pride goeth before a fall,† and seems no less wise. A quotable line is one that has shed its context and taken on independent life. Very significantly, Shakespeare scenes and character relationships have also taken on independent life and have provided basic formulations upon which other writers rely. (24-25).    Francis Ferguson in â€Å"Two Worldviews Echo Each Other† ranks the play Othello quite high among the Bard’s tragedies:    Othello, written in 1604, is one of the masterpieces of Shakespeare’s â€Å"tragic period.† In splendor of language, and in the sheer power of the story, it belongs with the greatest. But some of its admirers find it too savage. . . .(131)    The Bard’s presentation of emotions, character, of good a... ...othing.† Essays on Shakespeare. Ed. Gerald Chapman. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1965.    Heilman, Robert B. â€Å"The Role We Give Shakespeare.† Essays on Shakespeare. Ed. Gerald Chapman. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1965.    Levin, Harry. General Introduction. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othello.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Introduction to The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. N. p.: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957.      

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Large classes Essay

When students are in large classes it is very hard for the teacher to give every student individual attention. What can educational authorities do about this? It is quite obvious that when the students are in very large numbers in a class, the teacher can’t pay individual attention. I think as far as students are attentive in the class, teachers attention to individual hardly matters. Not all students in a class need personal attention, because they are smart and grasp the lessons quickly by themselves. However some of the students who are a little weak can surely get personal attention of the teachers. Nevertheless for the teacher to be able to monitor progress of all students of a class, it is necessary that proper student teacher ratio is adhered to. Student-Teacher ratio refers to the number of teachers in a school or university with respect to the number of students who attend the school or university. For example, a student teacher ratio of 10:1 means that there are 10 students for every one teacher available. The term can also be reversed to be teacher-student ratio. If one classroom has a 30:1 ratio and the other has a 10:1 ratio, the school could claim to have a 20:1 ratio overall. But if the ratio is 50:1, the school needs to hire more teachers. In a way 40:1 is the ideal ratio where all students can get proper attention of the teacher. Summarizing, this is the responsibility of the educational authorities to inspect schools and universities periodically to ensure a right student-teacher ratio and in the event of this ratio changing due to greater number of students, educational authorities must strictly advice schools to hire more teachers and maintain appropriate student – teacher ratio. This shall help all students get better attention of the teachers if not individual attention.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

A Taste Of Death – Original Writing

This story is about a young boy who lived with his divorced mother in an old house. He used to lead a ordinary life until one day; the young boy heard a creaking sound. What he did not know was that that sound would change his life it was around 12:15 am when he heard that creaking sound, a dawdling poignant profound tread. His body was quivering as he ran with fright to shut his window. The wind blaring against his body, as if attempting to push his back, blew up his sleeve making the hair on his hand elevate as if they had seen a ghost and gravity was no longer effective on his. Unnerved, he jumped back into his bed, snuggling up as hard as possible persistently looking around trying to see if he could conceive anything, or anyone. He began falling into a daze, feeling sleepier by the second. As the complete silence conquered the whole house, the only sound he could hear was the loud tick-tock of his clock echoing around his room. As time went forth the sound grew stronger, until he heard a footstep, which automatically pulled his back into reality from the hypnotising sound of his clock. The sound was a footstep. His heartbeat intensified as he began to panic ascetically, imagining his fate with this thing and what it had in intrigue for his. He came to yell, yet before he yelled, he realised that that wasn't the malicious tread that he had been keeping an eye out for but another kind of footstep, a lighter, more familiar stride. It was his mothers. Instantaneously, he leapt out of his bed like a lion hiding beneath straw and hay adapting to his camouflage about to attack his prey. Yet when he got to the corridor all he saw was a small shadow going into the bathroom and as he went one-step closer, the bathroom door slammed shut. Eager to know who it was that had entered his bathroom; he managed to gather enough courage to step up to the door and knock. What was behind this door was either his mother or his regrettable doom. Awaiting a reply he knocked again. Suddenly, the door handle began to shake. Some one was going to come out of that bathroom. Petrified, yet too shook up from the intensity, he was motionless. As he felt his heart fall into the pocket of his nightgown, the door suddenly opened. Yet a monster wasn't this to fulfil his evil scheme, but an innocent mother's shimmering, bright, angelic face saying: â€Å"Are you alright honey?† In her peaceful, comforting, calm rhythm. â€Å"Yes I'm fine mum† The boy replied with a sigh as his mother strode away out the bathroom and back to his room. Before he got into his room he said, â€Å"You'd better get some sleep, you do have school tomorrow you know!† The boy replied with a yawn and decided that he had had enough a thrill for one day. As he gazed at his clock, he saw that he had been up for two hours and that he really did need some sleep for tomorrow. So, he bravely put his fears under his pillow for that night for the nightingale had begun its merry chirping. â€Å"Honey, I'm going now. Don't be late to school† were the words that would have normally woken the boy up, but not today and not ever again. For today he lay by his mother's corpse as the tears trickled down his heart-breaking, shining, diamond-like eyes. His eyes began leaking and before he knew it, his iris was afloat a lost boat chasing reality, twirling from side to side with his confusion. Whilst the tears rolled down his cheeks, he replayed the depressing moment when, his mother was killed. He remembered it clearly and what hurt his most was that he could have done nothing against this vile, sickening monstrosity. He remembered how his mother was screaming for him to run away and save him self. How he didn't listen to his mother. How he declined his mother's final demand. How the voice of the monster brought terror to his heart, when it said, â€Å"I cannot be killed†. How he repeatedly stabbed the monster with the kitchen knife with no effect. How the monster crushed his mother in front of his very eyes. How the monster came to kill and torment his. How, instead of killing his he threw the knife right above his head as he stood there with his eyes closed. How he could almost taste death: a bitter, resentful flavour stirring in his mouth. He remembered it all perfectly. Suddenly a flashback of all the good memories he had with his mother when he was a young boy; how every time he was sad his mother made his smile. How every time he was scared his mother comforted his. How every time he had a problem he could talk to his mother about it and his mother would always find a solution to that problem. How on the first day of school he held his mothers hand tightly because he was scared he wouldn't fit in. But what hurt his most was that he remembered his father who he had also lost; he remembered in particular when he used to call his mother a Glamazon and he would ask his father over and over again what a Glamazon meant. Yet he would never tell his. But now he knew. It meant ‘strong lady'. Yet he found that his father wasn't lying. His mother really was strong. But now, now he has lost both his father and mother. And all that night he drowned in his sorrow, wishing there was something that he could have done to save his mother. Unable to believe the events that happened he felt he could not live without the mother he was overly attached to. He couldn't accept that she had gone. All that day, he cried on his mother's chest calling her name until his voice disappeared. He still silently called for his mother and forever will. Later that night he made a decision. He was going to reunite with his beloved mother. As he took the same kitchen knife he incessantly stabbed his mother's assassin with he cried: â€Å"Oh dagger! Show me no mercy! Rip through my heart and liberate my soul to reunite with my mother†¦Ã¢â‚¬  And so, he lay motionless on his mother's yieldingly curvaceous body; blood staining his white night gown. Once again, silence conquered their home with a nightingale chirping merrily as mother and son lay in a pool of united blood.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Strategy Context Report For Bang & Olufsen

Strategy Context Report For Bang & Olufsen Strategy Context Report For Bang Olufsen Introduction Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen founded Bang Olufsen A/S in 1925 in Jutland (Karjalainen 2011). Initially, Bang Olufsen (BO) was based in a manor that belonged to the parents of Svend Olufsen; at the time, the company benefited from the hardworking nature of the local community. The culture in which the two men grew up was one of the lasting factors that assisted the company to go through various crises. The company launched BO Eliminator as its first product. It could connect the battery receiver to the mains. Later, BO had a big break through when they launched the Five Lamper, which was a mains radio in an elegant cabinet of walnut. Presently, the company still focuses on the audio industry and it has engaged in the manufacture of visual devices (Alessandri Alessandri 2004). This makes BO one of the most successful audio/visual companies in the world. Their present main product line includes televisions, audio devices, loudspeakers, audio devices, home integration, and digital medi a. In addition, BO equips exclusive projects with audio/visual devices via their enterprise departments and develops Car-Hi-Fi for such companies as Aston Martin, Audi, Mercedes, etc. The company also benefits from patents in certain technology it developed. One example of such technologies is the compact digital amplifiers managed in the ICEpower subsidiary. This analysis will focus on the audiovisual part of the business of BO. Industry Overview According to Altshuler and Tarnovskaya (2010), the consumer electronics industry has undergone considerable changes and it is still highly turbulent. The implementation of Common Market due to the Rome Treaty, to begin with, forecasted the decline of Bang Olufsen due to the competing German companies. The entry of Asian technology into the worldwide market increased the pressure on all the electronic firms in North America and Europe. Small European companies like Bang Olufsen, with their main consumer base in Denmark, were not obvious survivors in the turbulent environment. Nevertheless, Bang Olufsen maintained their focus on quality production, which was their prerogative from the very establishment of the company. In addition, European electronic companies, including BO, placed more emphasis on modern technology. For instance, BO deployed a wide use of modern technology in manufacturing of its products due to the rising criticism of their traditional wooden design (Balmer Gray 2003). During the few recent years, the financial crisis affected the business worldwide (Bang Olufsen Group 2008). Various industries were experiencing recession. Private investors as well as companies and consumers had to deal with adverse economic conditions. Hence, various world markets were overheated in the recent years. In addition, industries also experienced growth rates that were far beyond the normal levels. According to Bloom and Williamson (1999), consumers had a large disposable income and were willing to spend it. However, this abruptly ended as the financial crisis began. The financial crisis crippled the manufacturing and production of goods. One the major markets affected was the electronics market (Bloom Williamson 1999). The electronics market has been experiencing sky-scraping rates of growth in the previous decade. According to Gabrielsson (2005), the consumer electronics market has faced growth rates of about 10 per cent in the last few years. Bang Olufsen, among other electronics companies, has also been experiencing success in the recent past and has had its share of growth stemming from the growth of the consumer electronics market. Nevertheless, the effect of financial crisis was substantial for the company. Given that Bang Olufsen is selling what can be categorized as luxury electronic commodities, the impact of financial crisis was very significant because consumers shunned away from luxury products as the crisis aggravated. The figure below shows the trend in growth of the electronics consumer industry. As Kalafaties, Tsogas, and Blankson (2000) pointed out, one outstanding aspect determining the consumer behaviour is an ever-declining trend in prices of electronic products. This has been driven by lower costs of labour, manufacturing efficiency, and automations. This is, perhaps, because manufacturing has shifted to lower-wage countries and there has been an improvement in semiconductor design. Despite consumer electronics market facing upward trends, consumers of electronics continue showing diverse buying decisions. According to Karjalainen (2011), there is a constant need to maintain the product information updated and comparable for electronics consumers to make informed decisions. Price, style, performance, and other specifications seem relevant in the audio/visual industry. Macro Environmental Analysis (PESTEL) When evaluating the external environment, there are various aspects to consider. This makes it problematic to reduce the focus of the analysis to the external environment evaluation that is actually affecting the Bang Olufsen. In order to solve this problem, PESTEL analysis can be deployed, which will help to focus attention on political, economic, socio-cultural, technological, environmental and legal (PESTEL) characteristics of the B Os macro environment (Knight Cavusgil 2004). Nevertheless, PESTEL analysis needs only to be viewed as a checklist; therefore, there might be other factors to consider in the analysis. In addition, some of the aspects of the macro environments might have insignificant effects on the company in question. For Bang Olufsen, this study concentrated on the political, economic, socio-cultural, and technological aspects of the macro environment. Political Environment International and national political decisions frequently influence companies because the results of these decisions control the laws and conditions under which companies must operate. According to VanRiel and Balmer (1997), such effects are evident in the signing of the Rome Treaty and the introduction of Common Market, which led to a decline of Bang Olufsen. Additionally, the works and policies of the World Trade Organization (WTO) focused on reducing trade barriers have created a more laissez-faire trade environment, which has increased competition to Bang Olufsen. According to Tuckwell (2007), the political decisions which will affect Bang Olufsen considerably in the near future would be economic rescue plans, which policy makers worldwide are providing. The rescue plans Bank package 1 and 2, as Simes and Dibb (2001) noted, will influence the ease with which Bang Olufsen can receive funding. It is most likely that Bang Olufsen require funds in the near future, particularly i f the financial crisis proves very difficult to avert. Rescue plans can also affect Bang Olufsen on a general level. This is because the overall reason of devising these plans is to turn around the economy of world. The US policies will significantly affect BO since the US and other key players in the international market are an integral component of the world economy. This implies that the rates of success of these Danish rescue plans will have a direct impact on the BO as the improvement of the world economy will lead to an increase in the sales of the company. Economic Environment As it was mentioned above, the economic crisis affected Bang Olufsen negatively. A significant portion of the effect of economic crisis stems from the decline in consumers purchasing ability because of the economic downturn. Most affected countries are those selling high-end commodities. Due to the fact that about 88 per cent of Bang Olufsens turnover comes from foreign trade, the present economic trends have considerably affected the companys cash flows via fluctuations in the exchange rates. BO deals with the Euro as its foreign currency. Nevertheless, since the Danish Krone is attached to the Euro, fluctuations of the Danish Krone have little effect on the Euro (Porter 2008). Other important currencies include the Swiss Franc and British Pound, which have a net cash inflow, and the US dollar, which has a net cash outflow. The decline in the value of the British Pound affects the Cash inflow of Bang Olufsen. On the contrary, the fall in the value of the US Dollar has assisted BO by increasing the cash outflow. In general, the fluctuations in the currency value have negatively affected the BOs turnover. The British Pound is continuing to fall in its value in relation to the Danish currency and the US dollar is becoming stronger (Porter 2008). Socio-Cultural Environment The boom experienced in the world market prior to the economic crisis increased consumers purchasing ability and increased the focus on the status symbol and luxury design. According to Alessandri and Alessandri (2004), this ensured a favourable environment for the company. Nevertheless, this also compelled many competitors of BO to concentrate on design, as exemplified by Samsungs flat Televisions and Apples iPod. The styles adopted by these competitors are progressively communicating the status symbol of style consumers have been demanding, though at a fraction of the price of Bang Olufsens commodities (Balmer Gray 2003). Increased environmental awareness and green production is another social-cultural factor that affects the company in a positive manner. With regard to this factor, the company has continuously been channelling efforts towards enhancing the performance of the products. It attempts to achieve this by changing the packaging, reducing the stand-by electric consumption, and working on their corporate social responsibility (Knight Cavusgil 2004). The problem is whether the company is conveying this clearly to consumers to make them see that it is an environment friendly company. Technological Environment As it was mentioned, the electronics industry is an extremely volatile industry with fast developments. During the days of radio, Bang Olufsen was among the companies using the most recent technologies in production. Nevertheless, today, Asian electronic companies are way ahead in the development of technologies. For instance, the fact that the company has not developed its Full HD TV shows that it lags behind. Bang Olufsen has never been capable of launching this new technology. On the contrary, the company owns profitable patents and is still one of the frontrunners (Al-Rousan Qawasmeh 2009). Evaluation of Resources, Capabilities Sustainability of Competitive Advantage According to Al-Rousan and Qawasmeh (2009), core competencies have three different characteristics. The first characteristic is that they are a source of competitive advantage, which contributes to perceived consumer benefits. The second characteristic is that they are applicable in various markets. Thirdly, competencies are extremely difficult for competitors to copy. As such, companies need core competencies in order to have a competitive advantage over its competitors. According to Kalafaties, Tsogas, and Blankson (2000), the core competencies of Bang Olufsen are directed towards improving the experience of users of their electronic products. This statement suitably matches with their focus on design and quality that provides the consumers of their products with unique experience when their products are turned off and on. The first core competency of BO is the unmatched quality of their products, which as mentioned above, offer consumers superior experience. According to Gabrielsson (2005), quality has been an important aspect since the establishment of Bang Olufsen. It is a necessity for the company in order to be capable of charging high prices as they do. In addition, quality provides consumers with an extra value by increasing the lifespan of their products. Special design has also been one of the strengths of BO. In fact, the classical aluminium design introduced by Jacob Jensen emerged as a clear differentiator of BOs products. For some time, this simple design distinguished BO from Asian electronic companies. Nevertheless, companies such as Samsung, Sony and Apple are presently challenging this core competency. As Alessandri and Alessandri (2004) noted, the strength lying in their design might to be their market qualifier. Another competency of BO lies in their value of brand. By manufacturing well designed electronic products of high quality and at a high price, the company has established a brand that functions as a status symbol. VanRiel and Balmer (1997) considered this competency as an immaterial asset that might enable the company to charge still considerably higher prices than other key players in the market.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Ethnicity and Self

Ethnicity and Self With the advent of the social media and the increase of the information availability, as well as the rapid growth of the intercultural communication, the significance of cultural peculiarities has become surprisingly obvious. Because of the number of ethnicities involved into the intercultural relationships, the necessity to preserve the cultural; features has become as evident as the tendency for these features to merge into each other.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Ethnicity and Self-Representation in Social Media: When Cultures Merge specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Analyzing the ways in which and the means with the help of which people manifest their ethnicities in the social media, one can comment on the tendencies in the intercultural communication and the changes which are currently happening to the ethnical specifics in the world media. Thus, the object of the given research is the way in which people re present their ethnicity in the social media, while the question is whether the ethnical features of various nationalities are preserved and can be traced easily in online communication or whether the interaction within any social media dulls the national features, making them merge into a single cosmopolitan style. In addition, the question whether any national stereotypes are enhanced or, on the contrary, blurred in the course of online communication, is worth researching. The paper is going to embrace five sources on the issue of ethnicity and its manifestation in the course of social interactions, both online and in reality. For the theoretical background, the work by Yong-Chan Kim, Joo-Young Jung and Sandra J. Ball-Rockeach is going to be used. Erin Kaufman and Deborah L. Welse’s paper will help to understand the mechanics of relating to a certain ethical group during the conversation, while Koen Lerus, Eva Midden and Sandra Ponzanesi’s work will help to understand the way in which several cultures fuse during the communication. With the help of Mainsah’s work, the problem of losing cultural features is going to be touched upon, while Maxwell and Buck will provide an accurate account of the issue history. As for the theoretical framework for the given research, the ideas offered by Yong-Chan Kim, Joo-Young Jung and Sandra J. Ball-Rockeach are going to be used as the basis for the paper. As the researchers claimed, they examine ethnicity in social media â€Å"as a dynamic and unique factor influencing individuals’ adoption and uses of communication technologies† (283), which presupposes a new prospect on the online social interactions.Advertising Looking for proposal on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More To achieve the top results in the given research, the choice of the method is extremely essential. Taking into the account the fact that the paper is going to use statistics and identify the current state of affairs in the use of social media, the paper is going to be constructive and combine a quantitative and a qualitative approach. It is important to mention that the research is going to touch upon certain ethical issues. Since the paper is supposed to deal with the features of various nationalities, the subject of national stereotypes in the social media and the way in which these stereotypes are manifested is unavoidable. Thus, the ethical limitations are also expected. Admittedly, the given research has its limitations. Among the issues, the most obvious one is the subject of scale. Since it is impossible to encompass the entire number of nationalities and check every single instance of social interaction, the results of the research will be approximate. Due to the growing popularity of the social media and the increase of the online communication as opposed to the live conversation, the given research is going to offer rather significant results which are going to determine the course for the future development of the online interactions between different cultures and the way in which people are going to relate to their culture in online relationships. Once understanding the way in which online relationships differ from the real-life ones, people will be able to avoid a number of complexities and misunderstandings. Kaufman, Erin and Deborah L. Welse. â€Å"Skin-Tone Preferences and Self-Representation in Hispanic Children.† Early Child Development and Care, 182.2 (2012): 277-290. OnlineLibrary. Web. Kim, Yong-Chan, Joo-Young Jung and Sandra J. Ball-Rockeach. â€Å"Ethnicity, Place and Communication Technology: Effects of Ethnicity on Multi-Dimensional Internet Correctness.† Information technology and People, 20.3 (2007): 282-303. Emerald. Web.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Ethnicity and Self-Representation in Social Media: When Cultures Merge spe cifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lerus, Koen, Eva Midden and Sandra Ponzanesi. â€Å"Digital Multiculturalism in the Netherlands: Religious, Ethnic and Gender Positioning by Moroccan-Dutch Youth.† Religion and Gender, 2.1 (2012): 150-175. Religion and Gender. Web. Mainsah, Henry. â€Å"I could Well Have Said I Was Norwegian but Nobody Would Believe Me.† European Journal of Cultural Studies, 14.2 (2011): 179-193. SAGE. Web. Maxwell, Andrew H. and Pem Davidson Buck. â€Å"Decolonizing Media Representations of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in the New World of Order.† Transforming Anthropology, 3.1 (1992): 1-5. Wiley Online Library. Web.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

A Skate Lesson Essay Research Paper A

A Skate Lesson Essay, Research Paper A Skate Lesson Have you of all time sat down in the park during the summer? Opportunities are you will see small kids, adolescents and grownups in-line skating. If you have no experience in-line skating, you may believe to your ego # 8220 ; I wish I could make that! # 8221 ; Well, don # 8217 ; t merely wish, do! After reading Alfie # 8217 ; s # 8220 ; A Skate Lesson # 8221 ; anybody may bask in-line skating. Safety is the most of import consideration when larning how to skate. Safe skating is gratifying skating. Get downing skaters should buy proper cushioning, as the hazard of hurt is rather high. Investing in quality cushioning will guarantee that your first experience will concentrate on skating, non trouble. Proper embroidering equipment includes: helmet, carpus guards, kneepads, and elbow tablets. Quality embroidering cost about 15-30 dollars per tablet, so budget 60-120 dollars for the whole bundle. It is really of import that you slip on your cushioning before you strap on the skates. Kneepads and elbow tablets have elastic sets that hug closely against your organic structure. Since these tablets need to be slipped on, they can # 8217 ; t be put on after your skates. Now it is clip to take a brace of skates. Even though you are a novice, it is of import to buy a quality brace because hapless quality skates do non offer a great trade of comfort and flexibleness. I recommend skates by Rollerblade or Roces. Rollerblade has good skates for novices because the boot has a flexible mortise joint. Besides, it is equipped with a particular easy to utilize braking system called the ATB brake. The ATB brake plants when you are in gesture and want to halt. To halt, merely unbend your articulatio genus and leg to go perpendicular to the land and the brake will come in contact with the land. To set on the skate: do certain that the lingua is inside the boot, wear long socks plus Don # 8217 ; t bury to set the tablets on first. Learning how to skate can be a fantastic experience if it is done with a friend. The benefit of skating with friends will do the experience more interesting and exciting. If you or your friend were to fall you know that there will ever be person at that place to express joy at you. They will ever be helpful and cry out gags and encouragement when needed. The mere presence of a friend will do larning a batch more merriment so if you were by your ego. Besides, in the event of exigencies, it is good to hold person with you for safety interests. Now that all of your skates and all of your tablets have been acquired, it is clip to larn how to skate. An easy manner to larn to skate is to get down on a level surface. A level surface will assist you to larn how to keep your balance and prevent you from turn overing backwards. Since it is about inevitable that you will fall, do certain you have something sturdy to catch on to. When you stand up you might experience imbalanced. Keeping on to a wall or another individual will assist you better your opportunities of returning to the unsloped place safely. The best manner to acquire started is to angle your pess like a pigeon. This will fix you to travel frontward. Indicating your toes off from each other will help in keeping your balance and assist forestall you from falling over. Traveling frontward is best accomplished by taking your natural lead pes, allow # 8217 ; s say your left pes. Push off with your left pes and utilize your right to take towards the way you want to travel. When you begin to decelerate down, force off with your right pes and lead with your left, this will convey your organic structure to the left. Since this gesture is done with an jumping form, it will maintain traveling in a forward way and let you to see the basic gesture of in-line skating. Once the forward gesture has been mastered, turning is following. A good method for larning how to turn is the side measure. Get down by traveling frontward utilizing the above stairss to steer you. As you want to do a bend, Lashkar-e-Taibas say left bend, lead with your left pes and force off with you right-except this clip wear # 8217 ; t to the full extend the leg to acquire the full gesture. Just take the small stairss good plenty to acquire you around the corner. Once these basic stairss have been mastered, here are a few advanced stairss for disputing your ego. An betterment to our basic forward gesture is the velocity crouch. The velocity crouch is an extension to the forward gesture of in-line skating. To make the velocity crouch, you must get down with the forward gesture. When get downing with your left pes, force off with your left and lead with right widening you left foot all the manner out supplying the most momentum. During this gesture, flex your organic structure frontward to diminish air current opposition, while singing your left manus all about parallel to your thorax with your right manus behind your dorsum. Alternating this gesture will let you to do usage of all of your impulse and impel up to maximum velocity. The crossing over move is an tickle pinking version of the side measure. The cross over can be accomplished if you have proper balance and a tolerance to falls. Falling during the crossing over is really common, minimized merely by pattern and finding. To make the cross over you need to pick up some velocity. Once you have gathered adequate velocity, and desire to turn left, put your right pes in forepart of your left pes. This will let you to pick up your left pes and convey in forepart of your right pes doing your organic structure to tilt into the bend. Making the crossing over will let you to turn with more velocity and efficiency so turning with the side measure. Practicing these stairss will enable you to bask skating entirely and with others. Now that you are equipped with this desirable accomplishment, you can pattern it all the clip and even venture into different subdivisions of the athletics such as off-road skating, aggressive skating and velocity skating, possibly the subject of my following essay.

Friday, October 18, 2019

The Affordable care act negatively impacts small businesses' tax Essay

The Affordable care act negatively impacts small businesses' tax liability and their ability to expand and hire new employees - Essay Example The act intends to offer all citizens of America a health insurance policy that can be easily affordable. This is in line with the main goal of achieving better health care in the United States. Employer is required to sign and implement the new act. This is supposed to affect companies with 50 or more staff members. The staffs are supposed to be given the health insurance. Failure to adhere to the new rules will see companies getting stiffer penalties. The act comes as a reprieve to the employees but serious issues still arise on the side of employers (Tammy, 2013). These challenges that have led to the delayed implementation of the act include:- 2. Tax Liability. Employers with the threshold of 50 or more staff are legally required to give health coverage to their staff. Failure to adhere to this they are to pay tax penalty which will increase annually. Estimates indicate that in 2014, the penalty will amount to $47.50 per child and $95 per adult or 1 percent of the household income that is taxable. In 2015, the penalty will be $ 162.50 per child and $ 325 per adult or 2 percent of household income that is taxable. In 2016, the penalty will amount to $347.50 per child and $695per adult or 2.5 percent of household income that is taxable. In each case, whichever option is highest will be considered. After 2016, there will be an increase annually in the penalty centered on the increase in living cost (Tammy, 2013). The penalties impacts negatively on small business that might be forced to go through severe losses and even shutdown. 3. Hiring. Research indicate that there will be a less of approximately two million people employed on full time basis in 2017 as compared to the number working in the nonexistence of the new law. Big and small companies are likely to reduce the rate of hiring, the small companies being the most affected. ACA can hasten the deterioration in employment in small business by reducing both the need of

Depositions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Depositions - Essay Example Through evaluation of witness, conflicting testimonies can be compared with each other where the most credible testimony can be determined. Also, through evaluation of testimony, the extent of a testimony’s usefulness can be determined by the court such making relevant only those where the witness has practical experience and direct knowledge of the event that is material to the court. Through evaluation, the court can disregard second hand information or hearsays which are not material in the litigation of a case. This method of evaluation of witness and his or her testimony is not perfect but it is the best that has been tried so far. Establishing the credibility of the witness enables the court to know if the witness is truthful. Second, the testimony of the witness is cross examined and only limited to those that are relevant to the case removing all second hand information, hearsay or opinion which will defeat the impartiality of the

Preventing Re-Hospitalization - Research Paper

Preventing Re-Hospitalization - - Research Paper Example The only solution is improving chronic disease management which yields savings on a predictable basis. Though there has been much advancement in the curing of chronic diseases and in this case heart failure (HF), it still remains the core cause of hospitalizations in many nations and is linked with high mortality and morbidity, high medical care costs, and particularly in impaired quality of life. The different new approaches to heart failure care that have been investigated in clinical trials have raised the complexity of the treatment (Stromberg, 2002). The latest meta analyses indicates that, in addition to optimal pharmacological treatment or curing, the care of heart failure patients by a multidisciplinary team lowers rehospitalization and mortality rates and improves the quality of life of patients.(Van der Wal & Van Veldhuisen, 2005). A North-American survey of an intervention that involved telephoned contact and home visits by an HF specialized nurse after hospital discharge revealed that the intervention effectively reduced mortality and morbidity rates (The Lewin Group, 2008). During all visits, care givers of the patients were invited to listen to the instructions. After being discharged, patients were randomized to receive, systematic telephone contact for a three month investigational time or to receive the common care that comprised of the follow-up of the patient at the return appointment at the outpatient clinic without any telephone contact (GESICA, 2005). A single telephone contact per week was done in the first month, accompanied by one every 15 days in the second month and a single every 15 days in third month summing up to eight calls per patient. Telephone calls had to begin seven days after the release from the hospital, aiming and reinforcing and emphasizing instructions that were received during hospitalization and monitoring symptoms and signs of de-compensation and investigating probable visits to rehospitilizations and the emergency unit. Studied Outcomes The scores for the levels of heart failure knowledge and awareness of self-care were considered as primary results. The frequency of visits to the emergency care unit, deaths at the end of the three month duration and re-hospitalizations were considered as secondary results (Whellan, & Hasselblad, 2005). Study Limitations Some of the study limitations were: some of the patients could not be located at the start of the intervention and after the three month duration due to blocked telephone numbers or wrong telephone numbers. Another limitation of the study was the patient's economic and social statuses and cultural norms. On the other hand, the three-month duration of the study was perhaps too short for the patients to change the health behaviors and habits to the extent that could lower the rate of visits to the emergency care unit, death and re-hospitalizations (Folz, Friedenzohn , DeFrancesco et al., 2003). Performance Measures related to Discharge Educatio n to Patients with Heart Failure Performance measures are used to determine whether a firm or an organization is meeting its patient focused goals and

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Multiplier-accelerator models Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Multiplier-accelerator models - Essay Example Keynes argued that level of output will increase due to multiplier relationship between output and autonomous consumption. (Hartley, J. et al. 1998). Change in output due to change in investment can be described in following manner: The Accelerator model is based upon the assumption if current economic activity increases, it will allow entrepreneurs to expand productive capacity by investing into additional capital stock . The Acceleration principle also outlines that there will be an increase in the output level with the increase in investment and there will be an additional investment when output increases. The above relationship suggests that consumption comprises of overall autonomous consumption and the propensity to consume with respect to the past income of an individual. Samuelson’s model therefore outlines different parametric conditions under which economy can move and as such economic cycles can occur. Samuelsson’s model is considered as incomplete as a theory of regular cycles because of its inability to predict regular business cycles however, it is still considered as one of the key advances in macroeconomic theory. Lloyd Metzler’s model was based upon his famous Inventory Cycle principle and suggested that the precise inventory policy as chosen by the producers might have an impact on the economic cycles. This model outlines that the change in output is a relationship between the consumption and investment and investment comprises of the investments made in inventory considering capital stock as constant. (SÃ ¸rensen, and Whitta-Jacobsen, 2010). Hicksian Model was also another attempt to understand the business cycles and how consumption and investment actually have an impact on the income level. Hicks assumed that the consumption is the function of past income while investor attempts to maintain a stock of capital in relation with the income. The combination of income and consumption therefore can generate oscillation in income or

Natural Science short answers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Natural Science short answers - Essay Example So, corking in this case will not result in longer hits, but it may allow a batter to have more solid hits on the ball. 2. Suppose in a restaurant your coffee is served about 5 or 10 minutes before you are ready for it. In order that it be as hot as possible when you drink it, should you pour in the room-temperature cream right away or when you are ready to drink the coffee? Explain You should pour the room temperature cream right away. Black coffee is a better radiation and will cool faster. When you add the room temperature cream, you lighten the coffee minimizing the chances of losing heat. Using Boltzmann’s law that says hotter surfaces radiate heat faster on adding the cream you also reduce the rate at which it will lose heat. Finally, when you add cream the coffee becomes more viscous resulting in a slower heat loss 3. Read the last question at the end of this article- Why Do We Still Have Big Questions: http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/15.02/bigquestions.html?pg=3 and then ask your own question about physics or chemistry. Photos from space attest that the earth is round. But there are other conflicting theories that suggest otherwise. Greek scholars suggested that the earth was round; however, Isaac Newton first suggested that the earth was not really round. Earth’s shape also changes over time due menagerie of other vibrant factors. So, is the Earth round or flat? The stars and the universe keep going on and on and they look such a spectacular sight to behold. But man considers himself a big deal, but then he has to stay inside with his all of his appliances. It’s funny because if man was a big deal as he considers himself will also be out there with his appliances instead of staying

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Preventing Re-Hospitalization - Research Paper

Preventing Re-Hospitalization - - Research Paper Example The only solution is improving chronic disease management which yields savings on a predictable basis. Though there has been much advancement in the curing of chronic diseases and in this case heart failure (HF), it still remains the core cause of hospitalizations in many nations and is linked with high mortality and morbidity, high medical care costs, and particularly in impaired quality of life. The different new approaches to heart failure care that have been investigated in clinical trials have raised the complexity of the treatment (Stromberg, 2002). The latest meta analyses indicates that, in addition to optimal pharmacological treatment or curing, the care of heart failure patients by a multidisciplinary team lowers rehospitalization and mortality rates and improves the quality of life of patients.(Van der Wal & Van Veldhuisen, 2005). A North-American survey of an intervention that involved telephoned contact and home visits by an HF specialized nurse after hospital discharge revealed that the intervention effectively reduced mortality and morbidity rates (The Lewin Group, 2008). During all visits, care givers of the patients were invited to listen to the instructions. After being discharged, patients were randomized to receive, systematic telephone contact for a three month investigational time or to receive the common care that comprised of the follow-up of the patient at the return appointment at the outpatient clinic without any telephone contact (GESICA, 2005). A single telephone contact per week was done in the first month, accompanied by one every 15 days in the second month and a single every 15 days in third month summing up to eight calls per patient. Telephone calls had to begin seven days after the release from the hospital, aiming and reinforcing and emphasizing instructions that were received during hospitalization and monitoring symptoms and signs of de-compensation and investigating probable visits to rehospitilizations and the emergency unit. Studied Outcomes The scores for the levels of heart failure knowledge and awareness of self-care were considered as primary results. The frequency of visits to the emergency care unit, deaths at the end of the three month duration and re-hospitalizations were considered as secondary results (Whellan, & Hasselblad, 2005). Study Limitations Some of the study limitations were: some of the patients could not be located at the start of the intervention and after the three month duration due to blocked telephone numbers or wrong telephone numbers. Another limitation of the study was the patient's economic and social statuses and cultural norms. On the other hand, the three-month duration of the study was perhaps too short for the patients to change the health behaviors and habits to the extent that could lower the rate of visits to the emergency care unit, death and re-hospitalizations (Folz, Friedenzohn , DeFrancesco et al., 2003). Performance Measures related to Discharge Educatio n to Patients with Heart Failure Performance measures are used to determine whether a firm or an organization is meeting its patient focused goals and

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Natural Science short answers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Natural Science short answers - Essay Example So, corking in this case will not result in longer hits, but it may allow a batter to have more solid hits on the ball. 2. Suppose in a restaurant your coffee is served about 5 or 10 minutes before you are ready for it. In order that it be as hot as possible when you drink it, should you pour in the room-temperature cream right away or when you are ready to drink the coffee? Explain You should pour the room temperature cream right away. Black coffee is a better radiation and will cool faster. When you add the room temperature cream, you lighten the coffee minimizing the chances of losing heat. Using Boltzmann’s law that says hotter surfaces radiate heat faster on adding the cream you also reduce the rate at which it will lose heat. Finally, when you add cream the coffee becomes more viscous resulting in a slower heat loss 3. Read the last question at the end of this article- Why Do We Still Have Big Questions: http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/15.02/bigquestions.html?pg=3 and then ask your own question about physics or chemistry. Photos from space attest that the earth is round. But there are other conflicting theories that suggest otherwise. Greek scholars suggested that the earth was round; however, Isaac Newton first suggested that the earth was not really round. Earth’s shape also changes over time due menagerie of other vibrant factors. So, is the Earth round or flat? The stars and the universe keep going on and on and they look such a spectacular sight to behold. But man considers himself a big deal, but then he has to stay inside with his all of his appliances. It’s funny because if man was a big deal as he considers himself will also be out there with his appliances instead of staying

Disadvantages of Nuclear Power Essay Example for Free

Disadvantages of Nuclear Power Essay High-level radioactive waste is very dangerous, and can remain so for tens of thousands of years before decaying to safe levels. It is highly radioactive and is a major barrier to the expansion of nuclear power. If there is to be a nuclear renaissance, a sophisticated method of dealing with this waste must be refined. This point itself has sparked a surprising number of debates. For example, how do you write danger on a concrete box, when in 5,000 years the word danger may no longer exist? What symbols could we use to let people know to leave it well alone? As you can see from the graph below, the radioactivity of nuclear waste takes about 10 000 years to return to that of the original ore. The black line, indicating the total waste products, is the important one. Accidents Consider the words Chernobyl, Three Mile Island or, more recently, Fukushima. What do you think when think of them? Some people were (are) so terrified of the threat of radiation and various other scary things from previous accidents that even the idea of such things happening again makes them completely averse to nuclear power as a whole. In terms of disadvantages of nuclear power, this is a big one. Whatever improvements in safety the nuclear industry has developed, public opinion may very well rest in these events. Theres no right or wrong answer here. Technically speaking, nuclear power remains one of the safer energy sources, but Fukushima has reminded the world what can happen when something goes wrong. Proliferation Some forms of nuclear reactor, known as breeder reactors produce plutonium, which can, conceivably, be used to make nuclear weapons, most likely in the orm of a dirty bomb. This is a conventional explosive mixed with radioactive material with the intention of spreading the material across a wide area to do even more damage. There are other reactors which do not have this problem, but it is another issue that must be addressed before the possibility of a nuclear future can be taken seriously. In fact, there are reactor designs, and fuels for them, which would also significantly reduce the amount of waste produced. Fuel Nuclear fuels are, physically, even rarer than fossil fuels. Fossil fuels at least are made on Earth, albeit over millions of years. Heavy elements like Uranium are only made as stars die, in supernovas. Our solar system actually formed from the remains of another star, at which point heavier elements were made. Essentially, once theyre gone, theyre gone. Only in particle accelerators can heavier elements be made.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Egyptians and Olmec Civilizations

Egyptians and Olmec Civilizations Egypt civilization will be the old world that I would be talking about. The Egyptian civilization had many ages which are early Bronze Age, middle bronze age, and late Bronze Age. The Egyptian civilization dates from the 4th millennium BC. It has a lot of arts and monuments that makes Egypt a unique place to visit. Many achievements were made by the Egyptians like the pyramids, temples, and obelisks. In the predynastic period Egyptian climate was much less dry than it is today. Most regions of Egypt were covered by savanna trees. In the early dynastic period the Egyptians had a long line of pharaohs from Menes. It has been said that the Egyptians had two kingdoms of upper and Lower Egypt. The first dynastic pharaohs solidified their control over Lower Egypt by making a capital at Memphis. Old kingdom and new kingdom will be talked about also. The Olmec civilization was started between 1200 and 400 b.c. The Olmec civilization was developed at San Lorenzo and the Olmec power moved to la venta. The Olmec was Mesoamerica`s first complex culture. The Olmec used the sacred 260 day calendar and a form of kingship that were later Mesoamerican cultures. The Olmec dated from 1400 BCE to about 400 BCE. The first major civilization in Mexico is the Olmec and they were known for the artwork. Monuments were also an important characteristic of Olmec centers. The culture of the Olmec was best known for sharing customs, history, beliefs, and other traits. Egypt Old World Civilization The Egypt civilization is known for the beautiful pyramids. Most people who think of Egypt think of the impressive Great Pyramids, Sphinx, Temples and ancient sites, but Egypt offers much more. It is romantic cruises down the Nile, the culture of Cairo, a night at the grand opera, a trek up Mt Sinai, the ancient monastery at St. Catherines, the popular diving and scuba diving Red Sea resorts, Alexandria and its surrounding beautiful beaches and Mediterranean resorts. Egypt also offers nature and desert treks, great scuba diving, fishing, golf, and birding expeditions. It is part of the Holy Land, and tours to Christian and other religious monuments are popular. Egypt is a land bustling with life, sound, visual beauty and excitement. For thousands of years, it has been the playground of emperors and kings, and now from tradition to modernity, Egypt is a country which has succeeded in creating a present that is as fascinating as its past. Egypt was one of the greatest civilizations tha t have ever existed with memorable monuments (Allen, 2009). Ancient Egyptian had a well-defined, deeply conservative ideology which was firmly based on doctrines of conformity, continuity, and precedent. Each pharaoh ruled not according to written law, but on the basis of precedents set by the gods and by earlier rulers. Egyptian ideology fitted the kings of the past and their great monuments into a majestic, linear scene. The early Egypt civilization developed a formalized style of painting and sculpture and was very spiritual and believed in life after death (Sayyid-Marsot, 2007). Early Egyptians participated in war dancing, gymnastic games, swimming and even wrestling. Children had toys which were dolls, tops, hoops, jumping jacks, skin or leather balls, marbles, and dice, the balls were mainly for ball games which were used by tossing and juggling. Religion The Egyptians as a race were profoundly religious. They recognized divinity in everything around them; the whole universe breathed of God. Birds reptiles, animals and trees were permeated with the divine essence; they saw God as a plurality in unity. The spirit of God was infused into everything, so the powers of Nature, the elements, were also divine, and was personified as the Elementals of earth, sky, air and water. Attributes and functions were also personified, sometimes in human, sometimes in animal form, which became, for the time being, the manifestation of a special attribute of deity, the abode of the God, the symbol of a power divine. Thus a multiplicity of gods is presented, which is at first confusing (britannica, unknown).To understand the subject, comparison must be made with the beliefs and religions of other lands, not only of the past but of the present Man of the inferior gods are seen to be parallel to angels and archangels, to spirits that assist mankind in his p rogress through this world and through the next, and are by no means to be confused with the great gods. Many of the deities are only aspects, forms, of God. The official religion of Egypt is Islam and most of the Egyptians adhere to its Sunni branch (britannica, unknown). Gods were worshiped in temples that were brought by priests that act on the king`s behalf. Also, Priests had a system of oracles to communicate the will of god to the people. The Egyptians did have a somewhat currency. There was a system that was used as a currency which was weights of gold, silver and copper. However, around 500BC there were coins as a currency (Sayyid-Marsot, 2007). Hedj which means money was close to what is called to be a currency that was used for exchange of money. The writing of the Egyptians was composed of many symbols which same symbols can serve different purposes. The Hieroglyphic writing was a formal script used on stone monuments and in tombs. The Olmec New World Civilization The Olmec is considered to be one of the greatest civilizations in Mesoamerica. The Olmec was traced to the area of San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan city. The first city for San Lorenzo was The Olmecs and it was an important civilization for around 500 years (Encyclopedia).Prior to the Olmecs, the Indians of Mexico were hunters and gathers. They were nomadic, spending very little time in one location. As soon as the animals they hunted became scarce in one area, they gathered the few belongings they had and moved to a new location with the hope of more plentiful game. When the Olmecs settled in southeastern Mexico, they established agricultural staples such as corn, squash and beans. They also constructed large cities, religious centers, and trade routes. They developed a distinct culture, characterized by highly developed art and religion (Rosenswig, 2010). The Olmec had a great run in history between 1200 B.C. and 400 B.C. Back in those days, they were the record setters in this part of the world. For example, they were the first in the Americas to develop a written language. And they were the first in the Americas to build pyramids. But sadly, many of their accomplishments have disappeared over time. Today, we know almost nothing about the Olmec and their amazing culture. As a matter of fact, we do not even know what they called themselves! The Aztec Indians gave the tribe the name Olmec. It means rubber people. The Aztecs called them this because the Olmec supplied them with sap from rubber trees. Apart from being known as the rubber people, the Olmec were equally famous for their colossal heads. Each colossal head was a sculpture carved out of a single block of stone. The stone was quarried in the Tuxtla Mountains. To date, we do not know for sure how the Olmec transported the stone and who the colossal heads were supposed to repres ent. Many researchers believe that the Olmec used rafts to carry the stone. And they made the colossal heads to portray their famous rulers. Thus far, scientists have unearthed more than a dozen colossal heads. They all had slanted eyes and large lips. The biggest one is about 3.4 meters tall. It weighs over 20 tons. The Olmec created several monuments which are colossal heads, Small Feline, Feline-Jaguar, cross legged pose, and many more. One of the similarities of the Egyptians and the Olmec is the monuments. The Olmec Center at San Lorenzo, Honduras, contains several huge carved heads. Some of them are 9 feet high and weigh about 40 tons. The heads may be portraits of Olmec leaders or of players in a sacred ball game. The stone used for the sculptures came from a site more than 250 miles away. The Olmec transported this stone over mountain ranges, rivers, and swamps. The Olmec altar has a carved figure at the base situated at the mouth of a cave. This figures elaborate headdress shows that he is a ruler. The ruler holds a rope that winds around the base of the altar and binds a carved figure at the back. Scholars believe that the altar was used as a throne (Encyclopedia). Differences between Egypt and Olmec The belief systems of the Egyptians and Olmec civilizations also had similarities and differences. Most of the people of Egypt practiced polytheism. Although this religion had many gods, it recognized one supreme god or life force. Like polytheism, the Olmec religion also had several gods. A rain god shown as half-human and half-jaguar dominated their religion. But unlike the Egyptians, the Olmec probably did not view this rain god as a supreme god. Both the Egyptians and Olmec built great temples for worship. Egyptian builders constructed many types of temples. One type had a square shape with a pillared front porch and a flat roof. The other type also had a square structure, but its roof had a pyramid shape. The Olmec constructed entire buildings that were pyramids and probably used them as temples. So two civilizations, thousands of miles apart with no direct connection, both used the pyramid shape for their houses of worship (Olmec Meso).

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Hamlet- The Role Of Women Essay -- essays research papers

Today women have many rights. We can vote, work, and even voice our own opinions. In the past women were seen as mothers and housekeepers, always taught to respect, listen, and serve there husbands or the man of the house. In those days this was considered normal, therefore women had no choice but to obey and do as they were told. In Hamlet, Shakespeare portrays a similar relationship between women and men. He allows men to hold the higher position in the causing, them to treat women as lesser people and believed that women should listen to them and do as they were told. Ophelia a young women in Hamlet, she represents how women are treated. Ophelia obeys several different men in the play. One of the men is Hamlet. Ophelia is sixteen much younger than Hamlet, Hamlet is twenty one and in college. The Maturity of each persons mind depends on there age. Ophelia is a woman who has been taught to believe and listen to men such as her father. When she is now faced with wether to believe Hamlet or doubt his love for she once again she disregards her feelings and trusts Hamlet. Hamlet pursued Ophelia, he saw a young women whome he could satisfy him self with. In the play Hamlet does not court ophelia the only place they are together is in Ophelia’s bedroom "He hath, my lord, of late made tenders Of his affection to me"(pg 17 line 99). Hamlet visits her bedroom at night and makes love to her. Ophelia believes this a relationship but is too young to know what a real relationship is. Hamlet writes her letters to make her believe that letters are a representation of Love. Ophelia did not refuse Hamlet everything that Hamlet wanted from Ophelia he got. She stops thinking for herself and allows men to think for her. Ophelia allows Hamlet to "make love to her" because Hamlet wants to. Men in those days had a great deal of power. Women were not thought of being much more than lovers and house keepers, there minds belonged to there men. Ophelia does not know wether the relationship was ever real. Hamlet is another man controlling her to make her believe that he really loved her. like her father, he can control her mind and make her believe what he wants her to. Another man she obeys is her father, Polonius, Lord Chamberlain. In the play she believes her father has her life in his hands, she will never d... ...ow her how wrong it is but it is a s though she can not see through her own eyes she agrees with Claudius and repeat whatever his oppinions are. Queen. I doubt it is no other but the main, His father’s death and our o’erhasty marriage (pg 39 line 56). Here the queen does not care whether her own son is hurt by her marriage. She seems to be heartless when she should be full of heart warming feelings. As a women in the play she allowed Claudius to instill his views in her. And just like Ophelia she subdues her feelings and allows a man-Claudius- to make his opinion an feelings hers. In making Hamlet I believed that Shakespear gave men the higher position in the play. Such as the title of the book Hamlet who is also the prince in the play. Most of the main characters in the play are men. The role of the women in the play existed in all the characters in the play. Women were portrayed as slow, weak, neurotic characters who were easily led astray and were easily controlled. Maybe Shakespear did not believe in women as strong characters due to the age he lived in but, now in the year 2000 this is un heard of.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Vietnam After the Vietnam War :: Vietnam War Essays

The new unified Vietnam became the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV). With the Americans gone, however, Vietnam's military problems were not over. In neighboring Kampuchea (previously named Cambodia), Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge began a reign of terror in hopes of creating a pre-industrial utopia, murdering around 2 million people in so-called "killing fields." In 1978, the SRV invaded Kampuchea to stop the Khmer Rouge, in what became known as "Vietnam's Vietnam." While the invasion put an end to the "killing fields," China became upset by the SRV's extension of influence in the region and began a border war with Vietnam. After decades of war, Vietnam found itself with the world's fourth largest army but one of the poorest economies. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, it began to turn more and more to capitalism and a liberal economy. By 1975, Vietnam was off the Gallup Poll list of top issues in the US. Outside of concern for remaining POWs still in Vietnam, Americans became less and less concerned with events in the country. Nonetheless, the war had lasting impacts. It inspired a public distrust of the US government and made the military less popular, at least in the short term. The draft has not been used since. President Reagan tried to follow the Weinberger Doctrine, "No More Vietnams." In 1982, Yale student Maya Ying Lin's design for the Vietnam War Memorial was built in Washington DC, a permanent monument to the American casualties of the war. Another monument to the Vietnam War is the role it continues to play in American popular culture. Angels from Hell (1968), Satan's Sadists (1969), Chrome and Hot Leather (1971), The Losers (1971), and Taxi Driver (1976) deal with Vietnam veterans' difficulties with life after returning to the US. Tracks (1976), Who'll Stop the Rain (1978), Between Heaven and Earth (1994), and The War (1994) deal also deal with veterans scarred by the war. Other films such as Coming Home (1978), The Deer Hunter (1978), and Born on the Fourth of July(1989) depict veterans' mostly successful struggles to cope with life after the war. Apocalypse Now (1979) made officers villains, but An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Lords of Discipline (1983), Taps(1981), and Private Benjamin (1980) portrayed the military involved in Vietnam more positively. From Rambo (1982) to Platoon (1986) to Full Metal Jacket (1987), movie depictions of the Vietnam experience have varied a great deal.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Cult of Thinness

The author talks about the different ways in which the American popular culture, families, schools, peer groups, and the health and fitness industry undermine women’s self-confidence as they instill the notions that thinness is beauty and that a woman's body is more important than her mind. She makes it known that there are many different factors as to why there is such a need to be thin these days and why there are so many eating disorders in our society. She blames the media as one of the leading contributing factors as to why our society is consumed with dieting, being thin, and body image and I agree with this.I believe that the media system is corrupt and it influences most of our perceptions, especially women. For example on magazine covers, there are usually pictures of women in bikinis, or even topless showing off their skinny bodies. And in beauty commercials, its usually skinny, tall women used to advertise beauty products. This images and frames are what is branded by media and society as â€Å"looking good† or â€Å"being sexy†; as a result of this, women especially adolescents and young adults compare themselves to these models and feel inadequate.They feel like that is how they are meant to look and may end up dieting or starving themselves or even in more tragic consequences undergo surgery. A 12 year old girl stated, â€Å"When I see those twigs of people in the magazines and on TV, I say, â€Å"I’m going to go on a diet. † You almost want to get thin just so you can wear the right clothes. I watch all my junior high friends – they look like something out of a magazine†. However, the author also talks about some cultures that think that voluptuous, curvy women are a sign of prosperity and also an indicator of their ability to cook and take care of their family

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Diverse Leadership Wealth of Our Nation Essay

Diversity is the mosaic of people who bring a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, styles, perspectives, values and belief to a group with which they are to interact. Diversity is a variation in ideas, opinion, cultural and ethnical background, style, values, and beliefs. Diversity is very essential in the portfolio of any organization or team that seeks optimum performance. The best form of learning is by learning from people with diverse ideas and methods of reasoning. Diversity is important in a team, because there will be more than enough idea and skill pool, which the team can benefit from when carrying out assignments and activities. Most people think of it simply as differences in race, nationality, or gender, but true diversity encompasses these attributes along with differences in opinions, ideologies, and interests, among other things. People tend to reflect on diversity as simply demographic, a matter of race, gender or age. However, groups can be disparate in many ways. Diversity also is based on informational differences, reflecting a person’s education and experience, and on values or goals that can influence what one perceives to be the mission of something as small as a single meeting or as large as a whole company. Diversity among employees can create better performance when it comes to creative tasks such as product development or cracking new markets. Managers have been trying to increase diversity to achieve the benefits of innovation and fresh ideas. Over the years, corporations and fortune 500 companies embraced diversity. They pushed diversity to the fore-front and embarked on campaigns to recruit, train and retain a diversified work force. The essential ingredients of performance in the workplace in the United States have always been teams and team-work. Companies built their teams in such a way that it always included people with diverse backgrounds, opinions and culture. Diversity within these teams brought about higher success rates in activities and projects because the team were able to pull ideas, strengths, knowledge and resources from a wider range of intellectual capital. The study of diversity in the workplace has taken on new importance as changing economics prompt many companies to restructure themselves into flatter, more decentralized entities. The result is that today’s corporations are built around groups that must find answers to novel and complicated business issues. These teams bring together diverse groups of people who incorporate a variety of backgrounds, ideas and personalities. Large corporations like JPMorgan Chase, Exxon-Mobil, General Electric, Ford Motor Company, American Express Company, Wells Fargo & Company, Washington Mutual Inc. , Bank of America, and Goldman Sachs were often honored for distinguishing themselves with first in class diversity initiatives in the Financial Services Industry. First the housing market collapsed; which impacted the financial markets; which impacted the stock market. On September 14, 2008, the financial industry held its breath as it watched the fall and death of Wall Street. Lehman Brothers collapsed; Merrill Lynch was sold to bank Of America. What followed was a veritable redrawing of the industrial map: Former cornerstones of the nation’s economy filed for bankruptcy or merged with larger companies to stay afloat. As the mergers are finalized, the new fear within the industry is not so much whether the companies will survive, but will the employees? â€Å"Regarding hiring, everybody will be affected,† said Carlos Orta, president and CEO of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility. Carlos Orta knew everybody will be hurt, but his fears were the impact the freeze and layoffs will have on Hispanics. In all, the financial industry is thought to have lost more than 3000,000 jobs since the crisis started. Mr. Orta predicts that the restructuring of the financial industry will force it to focus more on diversity, because its customers will hold them accountable. He said that JPMorgan, which is now essentially a bank, will have to deal with banking issues. This will be a shock to their system because they don’t subscribe to diversity and never have, he said. The impact the financial crises will have on diversity in the workplace has been the subject of several discus and forums in the last couple of months. The discussion was part of Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. ’s 12th Annual Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project Economic Summit. The panel â€Å"The Economic Crisis on Diversity and Diversity Initiatives† explored the economy’s impact on women and people of color in the cooperate world. Many of the panelists weighed whether women and people of color have been disproportionately affected by downsizing due to the weak economy. Diversity in large corporations is definitely hard hit by the financial crisis. In recent years advocacy groups have pushed up the number of blacks and other traditionally underrepresented minorities being hired and promoted by financial firms. This current economic crisis has impacted every sector of the U. S. economy . During tough economic times; organizations are forced to focus on their â€Å"core business†. Projects and Initiatives such as diversity that reside in their support area may be delayed or cut often with trepidation about the potential impact delay will have on efforts to build an inclusive culture. Now, as financial firms and other companies downsize or disappear, many of those hired through diversity initiatives have been losing their jobs. As companies trim their workforce and cut costs to weather a faltering economy, women and minorities brace as they bare the possible brunt of the layoffs. Subha Barry, managing director of global diversity and inclusion at Merrill Lynch said that most of her firms’ diversity initiatives were tied to increasing revenue. In the words of Barbara Thomas, president and CEO of the National Black MBA â€Å" As we all know, when anything goes wrong in this country, black employees are hit harder than most other races† . She also stated that, When America gets a cold, black America gets pneumonia. Diversity hiring in the finance and insurance industries has been on the upswing in recent years. Some people opine that the actual effect on diversity when companies merge or downsize will likely vary according to the companies’ layoff and retention policies. Thomas said the Black MBA organization has been trying to refocus on industries less affected by the financial crisis: health care and biotech, global media and entertainment, energy, and food and beverages. The association she says, has been encouraging its members to pursue these industries. Yvonne Hart, associate director of MBA student programming at the Robert Toigo Foundation, which awards fellowships to minority students at business schools, said her organization has been keeping a close eye on how the financial crisis is affecting minority students. â€Å"We always have concerns about that, and definitely those concerns have intensified over the past 12 months† Hart said her organization has changed its programming in response to the recent turmoil of the past two weeks, adding six sector-focused Web seminars on navigating industries other than investment banking and intensified interview and mentorship guidance. The group also held a town hall-style conference call meeting last week, in which four professionals from the investment banking industry spoke to 130 minority business school students considering careers in finance, giving them insights and career tips on how to move forward in the new financial landscape. It’s not just racial minorities who are concerned. When word broke of Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy filing, the Forte Foundation, which encourages female MBA candidacies, sent out an e-mail to all the women in their database, reminding them of the career resources the group offers. Apart from the direct impact of layoffs, diversity advocates fear many financial firms will eliminate or cut back human resources or diversity programs. Most industries are already seeing the departure of some top diversity advocates and there are worries that there will be more to come in the next few months. It’s more that the people that are leaving are the ones who were around for years and knew the corporationa and really got what diversity was about. There’s going to be a lot more scrutiny at these companies. If they keep pulling staff, they can’t always justify keeping the programs and partnerships they are supporting. Also at stake is continued corporate sponsorship of diversity organizations. For instance, Management Leadership for Tomorrow, an organization that trains black, Hispanic, and Native American young people for business leadership positions, lists insurance giant American International Group and investment banks Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, and Goldman Sachs as among their corporate sponsors. It is pertinent to note that two of their sponsors have ceased to be in existence. In conclusion, it is evident the concept of diversity will continue to be an intricate aspect of the business environments of today and in the future. Organizations must embrace and understand the importance of diversity in order to remain competitive, respond to globalization and promote innovation and productivity within its organization. Strong commitment and leadership will provide the necessary cultural atmosphere that promotes an inclusive environment. Training, education and effective communication will help execute strong change management practices. The rationale for understanding and managing diversity has never been stronger. As new possibilities and opportunities in the business environment arise, the need for diversity programs will be the key to successful organizations of the future. The world today is more diverse than ever before. Our ethnicity, religion, life experiences and all other personal attributes make us unique individuals. We all need to learn to accept what is different from us and more importantly respect it. In this environment, companies are going to have to be very, very savvy and very smart in terms of maintaining talent in their pipeline that is not just white males and even white females. They need to continually maintain a diversified workforce. There has been no report or research that has proved that diversity initiatives in large corporations is in part responsible for the current financial turmoil the economy is in If you want to really be ahead of the curve in your workforce, you have to pay attention to demographics. The pessimist in me says that diversity will slip down the agenda, for most firms, because in tough times business executives could be tempted to fall back on old, familiar practices rather than introducing innovative new ones. But there was also an optimistic way of looking at things, if companies were going to have to shed staff to cope with the crisis, what better time to restructure their operations so that workforces are more diverse. Since the financial crisis is forcing companies to reassess their core values and part of this process would involve a greater commitment to diversity. With a more diverse mix, companies will become a more wholesome organization which will herald new ways of doing business, post-financial crises era. Companies should embark on mundane diversity initiatives, with programs which will help recruit and retain minorities. Once hired, promotion policies that encourage diversity will ensure the best people get to top management positions, and these will stir these companies to paths of success and profitability. Despite all of the economic turmoil facing the workforce or even because of the turmoil there is a need for large corporations to maintain a strong focus on diversity. There has been no time better that now to invest smartly in diversity.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Benefits and challenges of labour migration

The countries in question can be classified according to their status as sending or receiving country in correspondence to their level of social and economic development. Workers move between them, cascading from poorer to richer countries. In each of the countries, they mainly take jobs in labour-intensive sectors with low skill requirements and low pay. These are most of all construction, agriculture, hotel and catering as well as domestic services. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Migrants defines a migrant worker as a â€Å"person who is to be engaged, is engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a state of which he or she is not a resident†. But there is considerable conceptual difficulty in defining a migrant. Migration of labourer takes different forms. In one end, the place of working and residence of the labourer may be different, and the distance covered by daily commuting. At the other end, the worker’s may move permanently from their places of birth or usual place of residence, maintaining little or no contact with their places of origin. Between these two ends, people move away for differing periods of time. Based on how long they are away from their place of origin, the migrants are distinguished as ‘permanent’, ‘semi-permanent’ and ‘temporary’. Labour migration belongs to temporary migration, which is likely to stay away from their places of origin for more than a few months in a year. The temporary migrants are also known as ‘short duration’ migrants, ‘seasonal’ migrants or ‘circulatory’ migrants. The decision to migrate for economic reasons can have both positive and negative consequences. Migrants may secure a better income, have access to better social services, and be able to provide a better education for their children or benefit from the enrichment of becoming a member of a transnational community at ease in different cultures. However, migration may also cause family disruption when family members have to stay behind, and may involve sacrificing a familiar lifestyle and becoming a â€Å"stranger† in a new country. The complexity of the present day migration stream has intensified with distinctions between migrant workers, trainees, tourists, refugees and displaced persons becoming increasingly blurred. The term â€Å"migrants† appears to be broader than the term ‘migrant workers’ and is increasingly used in international discussions of human rights. The traditional explanation of migration as a movement from poor to rich nations is too simplified. There are both economic and non-economic factors affecting these flows. International migration has contributed to growth and prosperity in both host and source countries. Migrant worker remittances represent the second largest international monetary trade flow, exceeded only by petroleum. Migrants also provide a valuable source of semi-skilled and unskilled labour to many industrialising countries and provide a source of highly skilled labour to advanced countries, thereby assisting the latter in maintaining economic competitiveness. Labour migration policies differ from other migration policies directed at migration flows that may also have an impact on labour markets, for example refugee and family reunification, in the sense that they do not have humanitarian objectives but apply economic criteria with a view to responding to labour market needs. Governments at all points on the migration spectrum increasingly recognize the potential of regulatory mechanisms to maximize the positive impact of labour migration. Many sending and receiving countries are developing their regulatory capacities to manage labour mobility by considering the interests of respective governments, societies, and the migrant. Positive tensions for receiving countries: raise total output and incomes in the rich, host countries; increase efficiency in the use of the world’s resources all around, in rich and poor countries; increase the supply of entrepreneurship and stimulate the creation of small business; increase savings, investment, and human capital formation in the rich countries; accelerate the pace of innovation; increase the flow of remittances to poor countries; alleviate the economic problems associated with the aging population in rich countries. Globalization is a major driving force of international labour migration. Globalization has made migration much easier through better communications, dissemination of information through mass media and improved transport. Countries are at different stages of demographic transition, with developing countries typically having younger populations than developed countries. One of the most frequently cited costs of migration is so-called ‘brain drain’ — the loss of educated workers with valuable skills, which can impose large losses on governments that bear the costs of education and training. Brain drain is potentially a concern for all economies, both developing and developed, with some developed economies experiencing significant rates of skilled emigration. The greatest global concern in the area of international labour migration is the unprecedented rise in irregular forms of migration that has occurred in recent years. The numbers of unauthorized migrant workers are increasing in virtually every part of the world. A large proportion of labour migration occurs illegally, aided and abetted by a clandestine and often criminal industry. Increasingly, governments of both sending and receiving countries are developing regulatory mechanisms to manage labour migration. These include selective recruitment policies by countries needing labour, and strong marketing and overseas employment strategies by countries supplying labour. Migrant workers benefit host countries in a number of ways. The overall economic impact of all migrant workers to the UK for example suggests that they make a positive net contribution of around  £2.5 billion to the public accounts. There are huge implications for sending countries as a result of out-migration, the most crucial of which are the loss of expertise and skills. This brain drain is particularly acute in developing countries, especially where the move abroad is permanent. Public services, such as health, education and social services, are losing large numbers of skilled workers to migration. Structural changes and decreasing investment in the public sector has increased the pressure on public sector workers to migrate, as shown by trends in the health and education sectors. Although many economic migrants work in relatively low-paid jobs they regularly send money home to their families and relatives. However, it is difficult to estimate the scale of these remittances to sending countries because of the often informal manner in which they are returned, but there is little doubt that they contribute to the national income of the countries involved, and act as a stimulus to longer-term economic growth. Migrant workers who return home bring experience and knowledge from working in another country. This benefits the home country as a whole by adding to its pool of talented workers, particularly where the skills are relevant to the needs of the home economy and the migrant workers are willing to use them upon return. It also benefits the individual worker who will have developed through contact with people possessing a range of human, intellectual and professional skills. Access to educational and language courses in the host country should open up opportunities for career promotion at home and assist the personal development of each worker. Bibliography International Organisation for Migration. 2005. World Migration 2005. Costs and Benefits of International Migration. Kothari, U. (2002). Migration and chronic poverty. Chronic Poverty Research Centre. Institute for Development Policy and Management. University of Manchester. Working Paper No. 16. Linard, Andre. (1998). Migration and globalization: The new slaves. Brussels: ICFTU, July. Stalker, Peter. (2000). Workers without frontiers: The impact of globalization on international migration. International Labour Office, Geneva. World Economic and Social Survey. (2004). International migration trends Chapter11. World Health Organisation. Health and Human Rights Publications Series. Issue No.4 (December 2003). International Migration, Health and Human Rights. Benefits and challenges of labour migration The countries in question can be classified according to their status as sending or receiving country in correspondence to their level of social and economic development. Workers move between them, cascading from poorer to richer countries. In each of the countries, they mainly take jobs in labour-intensive sectors with low skill requirements and low pay. These are most of all construction, agriculture, hotel and catering as well as domestic services. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Migrants defines a migrant worker as a â€Å"person who is to be engaged, is engaged or has been engaged in a remunerated activity in a state of which he or she is not a resident†. But there is considerable conceptual difficulty in defining a migrant. Migration of labourer takes different forms. In one end, the place of working and residence of the labourer may be different, and the distance covered by daily commuting. At the other end, the worker’s may move permanently from their places of birth or usual place of residence, maintaining little or no contact with their places of origin. Between these two ends, people move away for differing periods of time. Based on how long they are away from their place of origin, the migrants are distinguished as ‘permanent’, ‘semi-permanent’ and ‘temporary’. Labour migration belongs to temporary migration, which is likely to stay away from their places of origin for more than a few months in a year. The temporary migrants are also known as ‘short duration’ migrants, ‘seasonal’ migrants or ‘circulatory’ migrants. The decision to migrate for economic reasons can have both positive and negative consequences. Migrants may secure a better income, have access to better social services, and be able to provide a better education for their children or benefit from the enrichment of becoming a member of a transnational community at ease in different cultures. However, migration may also cause family disruption when family members have to stay behind, and may involve sacrificing a familiar lifestyle and becoming a â€Å"stranger† in a new country. The complexity of the present day migration stream has intensified with distinctions between migrant workers, trainees, tourists, refugees and displaced persons becoming increasingly blurred. The term â€Å"migrants† appears to be broader than the term ‘migrant workers’ and is increasingly used in international discussions of human rights. The traditional explanation of migration as a movement from poor to rich nations is too simplified. There are both economic and non-economic factors affecting these flows. International migration has contributed to growth and prosperity in both host and source countries. Migrant worker remittances represent the second largest international monetary trade flow, exceeded only by petroleum. Migrants also provide a valuable source of semi-skilled and unskilled labour to many industrialising countries and provide a source of highly skilled labour to advanced countries, thereby assisting the latter in maintaining economic competitiveness. Labour migration policies differ from other migration policies directed at migration flows that may also have an impact on labour markets, for example refugee and family reunification, in the sense that they do not have humanitarian objectives but apply economic criteria with a view to responding to labour market needs. Governments at all points on the migration spectrum increasingly recognize the potential of regulatory mechanisms to maximize the positive impact of labour migration. Many sending and receiving countries are developing their regulatory capacities to manage labour mobility by considering the interests of respective governments, societies, and the migrant. Positive tensions for receiving countries: raise total output and incomes in the rich, host countries; increase efficiency in the use of the world’s resources all around, in rich and poor countries; increase the supply of entrepreneurship and stimulate the creation of small business; increase savings, investment, and human capital formation in the rich countries; accelerate the pace of innovation; increase the flow of remittances to poor countries; alleviate the economic problems associated with the aging population in rich countries. Globalization is a major driving force of international labour migration. Globalization has made migration much easier through better communications, dissemination of information through mass media and improved transport. Countries are at different stages of demographic transition, with developing countries typically having younger populations than developed countries. One of the most frequently cited costs of migration is so-called ‘brain drain’ — the loss of educated workers with valuable skills, which can impose large losses on governments that bear the costs of education and training. Brain drain is potentially a concern for all economies, both developing and developed, with some developed economies experiencing significant rates of skilled emigration. The greatest global concern in the area of international labour migration is the unprecedented rise in irregular forms of migration that has occurred in recent years. The numbers of unauthorized migrant workers are increasing in virtually every part of the world. A large proportion of labour migration occurs illegally, aided and abetted by a clandestine and often criminal industry. Increasingly, governments of both sending and receiving countries are developing regulatory mechanisms to manage labour migration. These include selective recruitment policies by countries needing labour, and strong marketing and overseas employment strategies by countries supplying labour. Migrant workers benefit host countries in a number of ways. The overall economic impact of all migrant workers to the UK for example suggests that they make a positive net contribution of around  £2.5 billion to the public accounts. There are huge implications for sending countries as a result of out-migration, the most crucial of which are the loss of expertise and skills. This brain drain is particularly acute in developing countries, especially where the move abroad is permanent. Public services, such as health, education and social services, are losing large numbers of skilled workers to migration. Structural changes and decreasing investment in the public sector has increased the pressure on public sector workers to migrate, as shown by trends in the health and education sectors. Although many economic migrants work in relatively low-paid jobs they regularly send money home to their families and relatives. However, it is difficult to estimate the scale of these remittances to sending countries because of the often informal manner in which they are returned, but there is little doubt that they contribute to the national income of the countries involved, and act as a stimulus to longer-term economic growth. Migrant workers who return home bring experience and knowledge from working in another country. This benefits the home country as a whole by adding to its pool of talented workers, particularly where the skills are relevant to the needs of the home economy and the migrant workers are willing to use them upon return. It also benefits the individual worker who will have developed through contact with people possessing a range of human, intellectual and professional skills. Access to educational and language courses in the host country should open up opportunities for career promotion at home and assist the personal development of each worker. Bibliography International Organisation for Migration. 2005. World Migration 2005. Costs and Benefits of International Migration. Kothari, U. (2002). Migration and chronic poverty. Chronic Poverty Research Centre. Institute for Development Policy and Management. University of Manchester. Working Paper No. 16. Linard, Andre. (1998). Migration and globalization: The new slaves. Brussels: ICFTU, July. Stalker, Peter. (2000). Workers without frontiers: The impact of globalization on international migration. International Labour Office, Geneva. World Economic and Social Survey. (2004). International migration trends Chapter11. World Health Organisation. Health and Human Rights Publications Series. Issue No.4 (December 2003). International Migration, Health and Human Rights.