A Study On Virtual Marketing Assistant - 836 Words

Virtual Marketing Assistantthe unimportant articulation of these words can make a little entrepreneur joyful or immobile — all relying upon their involvement with this inexorably mainstream administrative assistant. I won t exhaust you with the subtle elements, however, my first attack into the universe of VAs was loaded with each oversight you can make and left me firearm modest about connecting for such help until the end of time. Fortunately, I was tenderly persuaded by some kindred business people to attempt once more. This time, I got my work done, persevered and settled on more brilliant decisions, and I ve joyfully been utilizing VAs from that point onward. Truth be told, I ve had such great results that I m of the outlook that verging on each little business could profit by employing one. Here are only a couple of things to examine on the off chance that you are pondering whether a VA may be a profitability enhancer for your little business. You ve blown a business opportunity since you missed a due date to follow-up. You re not on top of business advancement since you have no up and coming customer and prospect database. You have energizing work ventures you might want to go up against yet dependable appear to be excessively tied up with the day, making it impossible to day running of your business to get to them. You fill in for late shifts and weekends to stay aware of routine managerial assignments. You have general errands on your scheduleShow MoreRelatedThe Ins and Outs of Internships998 Words   |  4 Pagesexperience in their field of study. The gained experience will be helpful to finish the final year of study. †¢ Research internship (graduation) or dissertation internship: This is mostly done by students who are in their final year. With this kind of internship a student does research for a particular company. The company can have something that they feel like they need to improve, or the student can choose a topic within the company themselves. The results of the research study will be put in a reportRead MoreApples Siri Analysis1028 Words   |  5 PagesApple’s Siri is eating Google’s lunch By Nigam Arora Student: John Huang Service marketing article paper MARK 361 Sarah Holding Nov 14 th 2011 Introduction Siri is a personal assistant application for iOS. The application uses natural language processing to answer questions, make recommendations, and perform actions by delegating requests to an expanding set of web services. Siri claims that the software adapts to the user s individual preferences over time and personalizesRead MoreCost Benefit Analysis Of Spotsylvania County Public Schools1518 Words   |  7 Pagesfunds is imperative. SCPS is currently investigating many ways to recapture lost funds due to homeschooling. One option being proposed is the implementation of a pilot Virtual Learning Program (VLP) for grades K-8 during the 2016-2017 school year. The VLP would offer required classes in reading, mathematics, science, social studies, and physical education (PE) to ten potential homeschoolers in each of the grade levels, 90 participants. As participants, the students will be enrolled in the division’sRead MoreEssay on Managing the Workplace Ethics of Social Media1474 Words   |  6 Pagesother ethics and compliance topic, social media can and must be proactively managed for a company to keep its reputation while providing its employees with the knowledge to manage their personal and business activities separately. In a qualitative study conducted by Corporate Compliance Insights, it was found that young workers are embracing the new wired world that we live in; always wired, always communicating, and always multitasking. This is what is changing the business world. Businesses needRead MoreTaran Swan Nichelodeon823 Words   |  4 PagesCase study Taran Swan at Nickelodeon Latin America 1. Describe the culture at Nickelodeon Latin America. Be specific How did Swan go about building that culture? Swan formed an entrepreneurial culture that strives for competition, encourages to take risk and values for new ideas. The strong Nickelodeon identity (â€Å"orange blood†) and Swan’s business plan assisted building a clear vision and defining a key business strategy. In order to build the strong brand and culture Swan had to findRead MoreThe Invention Of The Telephone837 Words   |  4 Pagestimes the telephone has potential to influence mankind for generations to come. The unique necessity communicating with clarity gives rise to man’s request becoming proficient at expanding technology coupled with world-wide fascination to experience, study and contribute. â€Å"Faithful messengers are as refreshing as snow in the heat of summer. They revive the spirit of their employer.† Proverbs 25:13 Bible Autumn Zavala Page 2 Many individuals struggled inventing the telephone. The telephoneRead MoreInteractive And Engagement Has Impacted Marketing Management1551 Words   |  7 Pagesapplications expanding the experiences, knowledge and market power of the users as participants in business and social processes (Constantinides and Fountain, 2008) This report is based on how the web 2.0, interactive and engagement has impacted marketing management through the supply chain, distribution and customer date facilitating. The supply and distribution is focused on the use of advance technology such as GPS tracking and searching engines, which enables customers to locate firms. AlsoRead MoreStarbucks2570 Words   |  11 PagesProjects4Technology’s transition as a virtual business company requires a great deal of understanding and in depth analysis. While I was going to complete my assignment I have gone through a complex research which has involved me to study more about the topic and also gave me a first-hand knowledge of how to plan for a company. I have gone through many articles and journals on the google, I have searched especially for the virtual company, what is the difference between the virtual organization and the traditionalRead MoreSocial Medi Statistics And Trends Essay1877 Words   |  8 Pagessanction individuals to vocalize their peace in a virtual space. Social media is responsible for greater communication and a wider range of relationships. Shea Bennet also stated that eighty-five percent of the 7.1 billion people in the world utilize the internet every day. Seventy-four percent of those people become addicted to social media. Those numbers are humongous. 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The Holocaust Of Schindler And Francisca Nee Luser

Oskar Schindler saved thousands of Jewish people from the horrible tragedy that was the Holocaust. Some would say, at one point in Schindler s life, he was an aryan man with no financial problems whatsoever. Schindler was truly a brave man that sacrificed his life for many others. Schindler simply saved others out of the goodness from his heart. â€Å"Oskar Schindler (1908-1974) was born on April 28, 1908, in Svitavy (Zwittau), Moravia, at that time a province of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy† (Holocaust Encyclopedia). â€Å"Schindler grew up with all the privileges money could buy. He was born Catholic†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Jewish Virtual Library). â€Å"Oscar’s parents Johann Schindler and Francisca nee Luser were both Germans from Silesia, who had settled in Svitavy,†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"He married Emilie Schindler at nineteen, but was never without a mistress or two. Hard drinking and feckless, he had the soul of a gambler, winning big and losing bigger . He had presided over the demise of his family business and become a salesman when opportunity came knocking in the guise of the war† (Jewish Virtual Library). Oskar Schindler had an education, money, a wife, and many different jobs. Some would say he had a good life. Schindler was a businessman that was set on making a great deal of money. He had many connections and an abundance of friends in the illicit business. â€Å"Never one to miss a chance to make money, he marched into Poland on the heels of the SS. He dived headfirst into the black-market and the underworld and soon made friends with the local Gestapo bigwigs, softening them up with women, money and illicit booze. His newfound connections helped him acquire a factory which he ran with the cheapest labor around: Jewish† (Jewish Virtual Library). â€Å"At first he seemed like every other usurping German industrialist, driven by profit and unmoved by the means of his profiteering. But somewhere along the line, something changed.† â€Å"In February 1939, five months after the German annexation of the Sudetenland, he joined the Nazi Party† (Holocaust Encyclopedia). â€Å"In December 1939, as occupied Poland was being torn apart by the savagery of the Holocaust, Schindler took his first faltering steps from

The Proper Way of Managing your Money Free Essays

Money Management is where the proper handling of money is applied. Proper management of money is important in our daily lives. Success in life is based on how you manage it. We will write a custom essay sample on The Proper Way of Managing your Money or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is really a great challenge to manage your money. As we all know that we all live in a society where all of our neighbors are flooded with lots of products and you are there wanting to have also what they have. It doesn’t work that way. You need to budget, save and invest your hard earned cash to be productive and become a millionaire as well (King 36). Set-up your own goal and develop it to have an organized system. What should be your goal? For instance, your goal is to gain more money in 5 years time. The question now is what can you do to attain your goal? One possible way is through budgeting.   You must know where your money goes, how much comes in and how much goes out so you will know if you really save. In budgeting, you need to know your purchases which include your basic necessities and the payments for your bills. Furthermore, a 20% of your salary or income must be included to your budget. It is a smart decision. If you save 20% of your salary per month, you will be astonished for the money earned in five years time. That is a lot of savings on your part. Even though, you have a small income monthly, you can still save money. So, don’t be discouraged if your salary or income generated for the whole month is small. (King 35) Also read: No Money, No Honey Saving practically also means a wise spending. In this case, we must avoid inflation. It only happens when more money is needed as against the total supply of money available. To site an example, you buy more foods than you actually eat. You help increase the price of goods because the higher the demands of a certain product in which its supply is few, the price of the product becomes higher (King 36). When you shop, you need to have a comparison to distinguish which is the lowest price.   Furthermore, plan to shop when there is a sale or discounts. It is really a great help on saving your money. Don’t avail credit cards. It’s so tempting and almost 70% of people who use credit cards are actually indebt (King 39). Saving and budgeting are more on practicing self-discipline. Acquiring this attitude means you have the potential of managing your money properly. After budgeting and saving your money, you have to find the right kind of investments for your hard earned money comes from your salary or profit from your business. An investment is something to purchase in which has potentials in getting your money back more than you spent for a certain purchase. You need to invest to have more gains like in mutual funds. A mutual fund is a regulated investment company with a pool of assets that regularly sells and redeems its shares.   However, this opportunity is risky. There are times that the shares are decreasing after a long period of time. There are many to invest, like in lots, after long years, the price increases. It is hard to become a millionaire. It will take you years to be one, but if you know the proper management of your money and acquire the winning attitudes, you are not far to become one. Bibliography King, David. You Can Be Rich. Worldlink Marketing Corporation, 2002.       How to cite The Proper Way of Managing your Money, Essay examples

Disguise Is Often Presented as a Cruel and Painful Practice. to What Extent Do You Agree That Disguise Is Used to Create Comic Moments in Twelfth Night free essay sample

To what extent do you agree that disguise is used to create comic moments in twelfth night? Shakespeare incorporates the technique of disguise in the twelfth night to create comedic elements in the play; however some may argue that the concept of disguise is often cruel as it creates confusion and misconceptions that could lead to serious consequences. In Shakespearian times the role of women was restricted to usually their own homes and this was the case on the stage in Shakespeare’s plays. All of the actors were men even in the women roles. This could be one of the first techniques of disguise that Shakespeare used that could portray comedy as a man in a feminine role is comedic however, it also puts across confusion especially in plays like the twelfth night where characters like Viola plays a role as a male persona. Viola is the main and obvious element of disguise in the twelfth night. She creates the comic aspect of the play as dramatic irony is depicted because none of the characters know that Cesario, the person who she has created through her disguise, is really a woman. Her character creates a sort of love triangle between her, Olivia and Orsino but she can reveal nothing in fear of exposing her identity, â€Å"whoe’er I woo, myself would be his wife† (Act 1 Scene 4). The cruel and painful practice is uncovered through this as Olivia doesn’t know that the person she is falling for is in fact a women and Viola can do nothing to let her know this, leading Olivia on into something that can’t happen. This is also the case with Viola as she can’t proclaim her love for Orsino. Shakespeare creates torment mainly in the mind of Viola as the fate is ultimately in her hands but the disguise has restricted her. The constraint of her identity is a problem or arguably the comedic side of the twelfth night. In act 3 scene 4 Sir Toby create a duel between Sir Andrew and Viola against both their wills, â€Å"Sir Andrew and Viola draw their swords†. The disguise has gone against her as all the on looking characters believe that Sir Andrew is fighting a man when it is actually a woman which no one would consider fair, another example of where the hidden identity leads to a cruel practice. The idea of Viola dressing up as a man in the first place could also be considered a cruel practice as it shows that she is aware that her being a women she may be disregarded socially which is why she takes on the disguise in the first place, this highlights the patriarchal society in Shakespearian times that reflects on the play. Malvolio is another character who takes on some sort of disguise in the hope of pleasing the supposed wishes of his lady Olivia, â€Å"I thank my stars, I am happy! I will be strange, stout, in yellow stockings, and cross gartered, even with the swiftness of putting on. Jove and my stars be praised! † (Act 2 Scene 5). Maria, Sir Toby, Sir Andrew and Feste all trick Malvolio into wearing the clothes that lady Olivia hates and Malvolio being naive and arrogant falls for this. The outcome was meant to be comedic for Maria and her friends and the audience also share the laughs simply because of foolishness of Malvolio and the new dress sense he takes. The way in which this comedy came about however, came from a very malicious plan orchestrated by Maria as the idea of trickery was involved which caused Malvolio to believe that Lady Olivia loves him. The audience who also share the comedy can’t help but feel some sort of remorse for Malvolio. Malvolio putting on the cross gartered yellow socks lead him to being put away in the so called prison. Feste takes the role of Sir Topas the priest in order to trick Malvolio into thinking that he has gone insane, â€Å"Sir Topas the curate, who comes to visit Malvolio the lunatic† (Act 4 Scene 2). The room in which Malvolio is locked into is dark so he couldn’t see if it were actually Sir Topas even though we know it isn’t. Feste didn’t have to take the disguise of Sir Topas but rather just sound like him, this shows the effect of a disguise as he chooses to dress like the priest to possibly get into character to portray the character more clearly. This is very cruel as Feste uses trickery and confusion to show Malvolio to be something he’s not and also make him believe that a Priest is consulting him. Ultimately the technique of disguise is often used to create a hidden identity and confusion between characters, Shakespeare however, uses this technique to create comic elements as well. As brought up before we find that the sexual confusion love triangle between Olivia, Orsino and the Viola/Cesario character creates comedy. Olivia as we know falls for Cesario who’s a women, but we also find that Orsino may be attracted to Cesario in a way, in plain terms this is acceptable as she’s a women but he addresses her as a male which raises the question of what Shakespeare is trying to outline. This is shown â€Å"That say thou art a man: Dianas lip Is not more smooth and rubious; thy small pipe Is as the maidens organ, shrill and sound, And all is semblative a womans part† (Act 1 Scene 4). Shakespeare may be trying to achieve something more than comedy by saying that disguise may bring out other elements. The other aspect of comedy was explored when Malvolio was tricked by the letter into wearing the disguise which consequently caused the imprisonment of him, which could then be argued is a painful practice. The disguise of Viola also causes the cruel treating of Antonio as he claims to have been with Viola/Cesario for 3 months and that they were together when they came to the town and Orsino and Viola clearly know that she has been working with Orsino, the confusion between Viola and Sebastian because of the disguise is evident; â€Å"Today, my lord and for three months before no int’rim, not a minute’s vacancy, both day and night did we keep company† (Act 5 Scene 1). When all disguises from Viola’s to Feste’s and the reason behind Malvolio’s disguise is all revealed Shakespeare once again brings order after all had gone astray. There is no comic factor when all is exposed but there is in fact a sense of sorrow for Malvolio as everyone is happy apart from him. This could show that there is no positives in disguise and eventually it will lead to a cruel ending in this case Malvolio suffered the consequences.

Trip to Coorg Essay Example

Trip to Coorg Essay A refreshing trip to COORG- Scotland of India Last month I planned for a 3 day trip to Coorg in Karnataka, which is also known as KODAGU. I collected all related information about trip from friends and internet. I was very excited as it was my first trip in South India amp; it was my birthday too, but sudden heavy rain and bad weather forecast ruined all plans. Due to nonstop rain for more than 30 hours in Bangalore, we were forced to postpone the trip which resulted in many trip members backing out. By the time weather became clear I was left with only one friend to accompany me. With everything to reschedule and only 2 days of holidays left we decided to travel by KSRCT Bus till the city headquarter of Coorg amp; later hire any private transport. We booked our ticket for the last bus of the day which starts from Bangalore at 23. 55. KSRTC bus service is quite impressive and gives you variety of options according to your budget and is runs between all major destinations in Karnataka amp; bordering states. We boarded our bus from Satellite Station, Bangalore to Kushalnagar. Hardly one hour of journey had passed and it again started raining. With God’s grace there was no rain as we proceeded further. Morning exactly at 5 a. m. we reached Kushalnagar. The sky was quite dark; showing the clear sign of heavy rain. With no option to wait till Sun makes it appearance, we headed to a tea stall opposite to Bus stand; there we met a local guy Hasan who gave us good information about the transport facility and exact distance information of the area. As we ordered the tea rain drops started to touch the ground. After around 20 minutes of rain finally when it stopped I saw the first glimpse of gift of Mother Nature to this place. We will write a custom essay sample on Trip to Coorg specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Trip to Coorg specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Trip to Coorg specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Soon the place was covered with a very thin layer of fog and I felt like home (my village in Uttarakand). We waited for sun to show its first rays and then took an auto to Bylakuppe which is around 5-6 km from Kushalnagar bus stand. Bylakuppe is the Tibetian resettlement location with well maintained fine-looking amp; calm surrounding and many monastery and temples. The way to Bylakuppe was full of greenery amp; environment was very peaceful. In 10-15 minutes we reached Namdroling monastery and started clicking few photographs amp; took a round of nearby places. Monastery is open for visitors from 8 a. m. 5 pm. In the meantime we got opportunity to talk to few monks amp; local canteen owner inside monastery and we got to know that there are few more monasteries nearby. Inside Namdroling Monastery we saw Golden temple, with colorful paintings and three huge golden statues, well maintained gardens with beautiful plants, trees and birds. We clicked many pictures there, met few monks, students and then took our breakfast. After spending around one and half hours in monastery we decided to skip other monastery and took auto back to Kushalnagar. But if you have sufficient time and your own vehicle, spend more time there and cover all places. From kushanagar we took bus for our next destination Nisargadhama which is hardly 2 km away from kushalnagar. Nisargadhama is an island formed by river Cauvery; it is a kind of picnic spot. It has a deer park, Elephant Park, cottages amp; off course river Cauvery. Although the island is not well maintained according to its potential of prospective tourist spot, one won’t be let down after capturing the astonishing flow of river and its surroundings. With some more time you can also enjoy river rafting and elephant ride at Dubare elephant camp 10-15 km away from Nisargadhama. From there we boarded bus to Madekeri, the City Headquarter of Coorg, which is around 32 km away from Nisargadhama. The journey to Madekeri became more exciting with beautiful landscape, curved roads, green hills amp; small villages on the way. Someone has rightly said the soul of India exists in our villages, geographically I was around 2500 km away from home but it all felt like home. The 45 minute long journey got over in Madekeri town, which looked much commercialized from the time I got down the bus. We were neither tired nor hungry so we decided to catch up the main attraction of madekeri, the Abbi falls. We bargained with an auto driver George for to and fro visit to Abbi falls with 45 minutes and hired the auto for Rs 150. Abbi falls is around 8 km away from town and way to falls is full of flourishing greenery and narrow curved road. I was so fascinated by the beauty of the nature that I was forced to stop amp; capture it. You can clearly hear the sound of water falling even from a km away. The splendid view of Abbi falls was the best part of this whole journey; surrounded by giant trees, water running down on black rocks and creating froth was just amazing. After a long photography session and admiring the beauty of falls we moved back to town. On the way to town comes Raja’s tomb, I had read a lot about it many articles while collecting information. It was quite disappointment to see lack of maintenance of tomb and its surrounding. Without wasting time we moved to Madekeri fort cum museum where again we didn’t find anything special except elephant statue to click a few snaps. Now the Sun was also shining hard and we were hungry also, so we decided to have a lunch break and we decided to try out food at nearby restaurant. After finishing the lunch and taking rest we moved to Omkareshwar Temple which again has nothing great to offer. We decided to move to Raja’s seat which is very popular for amazing view of the madekeri, sunrise amp; sunset. Few meters before Raja’s Seat the climate again changed its mood and heavy rain started. The weather became so pleasant with clouds all around complimenting to the lush green hills of madekeri. Raja’s Seat has a well maintained beautiful garden and sunset point with ample space for visitors to capture the nature’s beauty. One can see the awesome view of clouds playing with the mountains on any rainy day. After spending hours amp; clicking many snaps at raja’s seat, we moved to Bus stand to our joy one Volvo bus was ready to depart. Thus this amazing trip came to its end; I still regret missing the opportunity of house stay and local food in Coorg. If any of you plan for trip to Coorg, I would recommend go with a group, plan for minimum 2-3 days and enjoy the stay in Coorg.

Free Essays on Mental Health

Mental Health, a psychological state of well-being, characterized by continuing personal growth, a sense of purpose in life, self-acceptance, and positive relations with others. Some people define mental health as the absence of mental illness, but many psychologists consider this definition too narrow. Mental health can also refer to a field of study encompassing both mental health and mental illness. II Elements of Mental Health print section Psychologists have identified a number of distinct dimensions of mental health . These include self-acceptance, or self-esteem, characterized by a positive evaluation of oneself and one’s past experiences; personal growth reflected in one’s sense of continued psychological growth and development; a sense that one’s life has purpose and meaning; positive relations with others; environmental mastery, the capacity to manage effectively in the surrounding world; and autonomy, a sense of self-determination and the ability to control one’s own life. Self-acceptance, relations with others, environmental mastery, and autonomy usually improve as a person ages and gains life experience. However, many people find that their personal growth and sense of purpose in life begin to decline in midlife. Some psychologists regard mental health as the ability to maintain a balance between positive and negative emotions, such as elation and sadness. In this view, a person who displays emotional extremes in either direction is less well-adjusted. Other psychologists emphasize the role of one’s environment in influencing well-being. This perspective sees mental health reflected in a person’s overall happiness with various domains of life, such as social relationships, work, and community life. III Factors that Influence Mental Health print section A number of different aspects of life can influence mental health. In a mid-1970s study of people living in the United States, researcher... Free Essays on Mental Health Free Essays on Mental Health Mental Health, a psychological state of well-being, characterized by continuing personal growth, a sense of purpose in life, self-acceptance, and positive relations with others. Some people define mental health as the absence of mental illness, but many psychologists consider this definition too narrow. Mental health can also refer to a field of study encompassing both mental health and mental illness. II Elements of Mental Health print section Psychologists have identified a number of distinct dimensions of mental health . These include self-acceptance, or self-esteem, characterized by a positive evaluation of oneself and one’s past experiences; personal growth reflected in one’s sense of continued psychological growth and development; a sense that one’s life has purpose and meaning; positive relations with others; environmental mastery, the capacity to manage effectively in the surrounding world; and autonomy, a sense of self-determination and the ability to control one’s own life. Self-acceptance, relations with others, environmental mastery, and autonomy usually improve as a person ages and gains life experience. However, many people find that their personal growth and sense of purpose in life begin to decline in midlife. Some psychologists regard mental health as the ability to maintain a balance between positive and negative emotions, such as elation and sadness. In this view, a person who displays emotional extremes in either direction is less well-adjusted. Other psychologists emphasize the role of one’s environment in influencing well-being. This perspective sees mental health reflected in a person’s overall happiness with various domains of life, such as social relationships, work, and community life. III Factors that Influence Mental Health print section A number of different aspects of life can influence mental health. In a mid-1970s study of people living in the United States, researcher...

Human Resource Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Human Resource Managment - Essay Example This paper approves that several writers have stated that the stereotypical view of diversity is limited to one of racial-ethnic diversity. This fact needs to be considered while building a multicultural team. The implementers of policy may view diversity in this fashion, or the organization itself might restrict its definition to such a narrow understanding. If organizations are to realize the full commercial advantage advantage of promoting diversity, they should have a wider understanding of the term, and more importantly, should examine what kind of diversity would help their organization most. This essay makes a conclusion that in building such a team the organization needs to show awareness to a number of factors. The organization should appreciate the fact that inherent prejudices that cannot be wiped out but can be overcome to allow smooth operation of the company. Training is one of the major inputs that will have to be employed for this purpose. The organization should also foster a conducive atmosphere that promotes mutual respect and accommodation among various groups. The experience of American Airlines in promoting a multicultural team was briefly reviewed to understand how this organization has achieved a good measure of success in this area. Apart from American’s commitment to the concept, its actions such as the promotion of Employee Resource Groups and Diversity Advisory Council have helped it to leverage the benefits arising from a multicultural team to provide better customer orientation, and help achieve business objectives more effectively.

Every Child Matters and Educational Outcomes Essay

Every Child Matters and Educational Outcomes - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that changing the school setting from traditional methods of teaching to newer implementation is based on several dimensions.   The environment, agenda, and curriculum for teaching are all considered for teachers, administrators and children receiving an education. The need to offer more to students and to monitor learning activities is currently being implemented through the Every Child Matters agenda, also known as ECM. The implications of this program are based on providing more opportunities for children of diverse backgrounds. The main policies and trends in this policy are being furthered by changing school settings and community values for education. Understanding the provisions and benefits of teaching under this agenda also provides a deeper understanding of how teachers and administrators can alter teaching styles according to the newer methods and requirements. The ability to incorporate the Every Child Matters agenda will alte r the way in which teachers focus on enhancing education among children. The Every Child Matters initiative began with the governmental decision to change educational programs and attention for children in 2003. In 2004, the Children Act became a law of the government, which focused on a formal approach to assisting children. The main act resulted from the death of Victoria Climbie, a child who was not able to receive proper care because of her socioeconomic status.  

Women in the Workplace A Positive Perspective Essay

Women in the Workplace A Positive Perspective - Essay Example " (Shakespeare's Hamlet, 1603) Whatever be the saying, it is a fact that women are the best creation of God or Mother Nature. Majority of the world's population do not release this and they treat women like slaves; be it at home or at work place. Men believe that women should not be independent and they want their household women (wife, daughter, sister or even mother) to be under the control of a man. In the olden days when the bread winner of the family (man) used to go out for business he would entrust the female of the house in the hands of a boy no matter if he is a kid who can not take care of even himself. This was their plight, then. The goals of human development are deeply interlaced with the development and authorization of women as they comprise a significant proportion of the total population. Women not only represent the precious human resources of a country but their socio economic development sets the velocity for the growth of the rest of the economy. Women in general were not allowed to be independent when growing up. The parents enforced different regulations on a girl which just hindered the girl from maturing enough. Girls were either protected by their parents or the primitive laws and they are never permitted to excel intellectually. The barbaric act of Sati practiced in India is worth to mention here. The practice was when the husband dies the wife has to jump into the pyre and sacrifice her life. If she fails to do so, others will throw her into the burning pyre, forcefully. Sat was a funeral practice among some Hindu communities in which a recently-widowed woman would either voluntarily or by use of force and coercion immolate herself on her husband's funeral pyre. This practice is now very rare and outlawed in modern India.( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_(practice). Thanks to Mr. Rajaram Mohan Roy, who was social reformer and Lord William Bentinck, the British governor, the practice of Sati was put to an end by the British government in the year 1832. But times have changed since then. The society reached new realms of progress in all aspects of human life. Civilization and culture prospered. General awareness of the rights of people and impartment of education to women has put women in a more or less equal status with men. Rules and regulations are formed in each and every country and internal and international laws are developed and implemented that guarantee safety of women and her right to live as a human being Let us analyze the topic: 'Women at Work Place - a Positive Perspective', in this context. Introduction: Manu smriti (a Sanskrit word) which is also known as Manava-Dharmasastra (Sanskrit) is the most significant and originally written code of custom of Hinduism. This text has discriminated women in a most atrocious way. According to Manu,"In childhood a female must be subject to her father, in youth to her husband, and then to her sons; a woman must never be independent. There is no God on earth for a woman than her husband.....She must, on the death of her husband allow herself to be burnt alive on the same funeral pyre. That everyone will praise her virtue." This verse from Manu smriti has portrayed woman as the one who is dependent entirely on man right from her birth till her death. Now nobody considers Manu smriti as the final word now, and human society has grown to such a level to discard every law and code of conduct during the passage of time. The world is

Merger And Acquisitions Of Multinational Enterprises Economics Essay

Merger And Acquisitions Of Multinational Enterprises Economics Essay Growing through MA is one of the main ways in which MNEs seek to expand globally. Often, however, expectations outrun reality and the difficulties of merging two companies are underestimated. Examine a cross-border takeover or MA of your two cases choices discussing the balance between the benefits it has generated and difficulties that had to be overcome. Introduction: Globalisation has influenced by major changes in the business world over the past decade. Companies have been searching for competitive advantage in a worldwide scale. Companies are forced to follow their customers- who are going global- as they respond to the competition that is worldwide in scale. Globalisation in combination with other trends such as deregulation, privatisation and corporate restructuring has spurred an unprecedented surge in cross-border merger and acquisition activity. The recent figures in business clearly indicate that cross border mergers and acquisitions have become a fundamental characteristic of the global business landscape. Within the globalisation context, that has opened up a new world of corporate opportunities, accompanied by increasing risks and challenges, rapid changes and volatility, M and A has been an accelerating phenomenon- a business mantra- for companies driven by the urge to survive, evolve and grow. But the big question is whether these business mergers and acquisitions are pulling off as well as expected or intended, through the realizations of goals, there by achieving projected/desired levels of synergy. Background of the study: The mere process of M and A cannot guarantee success. It is only a facilitator and post merger operating performances depend largely on how well post merger opportunities are capitalized and resources are utilized. In the early 90s there was a significant awakening in this sector to become more competitive and exploit opportunities on a global playing field through M and As and other strategic alliances. As a result of the liberalization measures that lessened governmental control, regulations and trade restrictions, there has been a spurt of M and A activity in the recent past a manifestation of the corporate response to the greater freedom to modernize , expand and diversify. A liberal economic policy provided the stimulus and favorable atmosphere for companies to upgrade their technological and production capabilities (economies of scale)and improve their cost effectiveness and competency by merging with related or subsidiary units. During this period, M and As were also a significant method of foreign investment. The services sector, mainly the financial (including the banking sector) and communications services, leads this trend, with the chemical industry being the leader in the manufact uring sector. M and As are poised to rapidly increase in the near future as they provide acquiring companies the cutting edge amidst global competition. Beena (2004) says that the new industrial policy also brought about a shift in corporate strategies, in terms of share holding patterns, adoption of product differentiation, etc. Studies by Khanna (1998) show that, as a consequence of withdrawing all monopoly restraints in acquisitions, several markets have become oligopolistic and reduced competition. Many of these Mergers and Acquisitions involved companies of the same business groups, aimed at increasing control levels to safeguard against possibilities of takeover. Merger and Acquisition trends and patterns can be theoretically linked to studies of market power and reactions, access to markets or technologies, managerial ego etc(Cantwell and Santangelo,2002) There are many theories on mergers and acquisitions emerging from the studies of international business, industrial organization and financial economics, that include the category on synergy which assumes that the merger creates a total value that is greater than the sum of the values of individual firms where as the hubris theory proposes that value resulting from the merger is zero. Economic theory provides two contrasting perspectives regarding the efficiency and performance of mergers and acquisitions as corporate restructuring strategies- The value maximizing theory which proposes that corporate mergers as value -enhancing activities where managers work for shareholders wealth maximization goal of the firm(Franks and Hariss,1989) second is the managerial theory which proposes merger activities as an extension of managers own personal interests and wealth maximization prestige of managing a bigger post-merger business entity(Roll,1986) and as a platform of corporate control where managerial teams compete for the rights to manage resources(Jensen and Ruback,1983). Drivers and motives of M and As are to gain market power, reducing new product development risks, gaining access to innovative capabilities, maximizing efficiency and reshaping competitive scope.(Hitt et al.,2007) Other reasons include overcoming finance issues, that firms face due to information asymmetry (Fluck and Lynch,1999) Kumar(2009) argues that the post-merger profitability, solvency and assets turnover of acquiring companies show no improvement when compared with pre-merger figures, and hence mergers do not usually lead to improvement in the financial performance of the acquirer. The results of his study show that mergers are not aimed at maximizing wealth of owners and suggest that managers should focus on post-merger integration issues to generate synergy rather than achieving bigger corporate size, in the pursuit of hidden agendas. Beena(2004) emphasizes that one of the main objectives of M and A is to increase equity, which could be further leveraged to borrow resources for modernization and up gradation. According to Vardhana (2001) the population of all firms, in a finite sample, would change since there would be new entry through merger of an established firm with an incumbent and likewise, the merger of an incumbent would lead to its exit from the industry. This firm restructuring, a process taking place primarily through mergers, makes it difficult to choose a sample of firms that can be analysed with long-run data to isolate the effect of a merger. Therefore the short-run data for a merging firm would be more appropriate, which at the same time is long enough for pre- and post-merger period, so as to capture the merger effects. One bottleneck in assessing post merger performance is that the target company ceases to exist. Hence, for a more accurate measure of the merger effect, some post merger performance studies have isolated it by adopting the model that compares performance of the merged entity with that of control groups consisting of acquirer and target before merger and matching sample of units that did not involve in merger but have similar size and belong to the same industry. Also, to isolate the impacts of mergers and acquisitions which are influenced by several factors existing that are dynamic, a better model would have been the regression to norm frame work developed by Mueller (1986), by which analysis of regression of profits and regression of persistence of profits to norm can be carried out comparing to the industry standard as well or the control group. This would help to capture the impacts of M and As, with respect to size, pre-deal profitability, size, competition etc. Other variables like Market power/Market share, Inventory turnover, export intensity, capacity utilization, price -cost margin; etc could also have been included in the study. Kumar(2009) argues that the post-merger profitability, solvency and assets turnover of acquiring companies show no improvement when compared with pre-merger figures, and hence mergers do not usually lead to improvement in the financial performance of the acquirer. Overall, my opinion is that the authors have been rather vague in their conclusion and failed to establish convincingly that mergers and acquisitions have any significant positive impact on corporate performance, to a large extent because of the sample limitations as well as the limitations of financial data and their interpretations. But the research paper contributes to the understanding of M and As in India and their relative performances, although in a limited way. It also emphasizes that synergy can be generated in the long run; by optimizing resources and that the success of M and A deals depend on proper deal valuation, futuristic planning and effective management. Research similar to the one being reviewed has been conducted on mergers and that occurred almost in the same time frame, during the post liberalization period in India. But the results do not corroborate with each other. The term merger has been broadly used beyond its technical implications, to discuss the merging between the acquirer and the target in some acquisition cases too. However I have noticed that the samples of firms or cases of mergers taken for most of these researches were quite different as there were very few companies that were common to all the samples (of studies conducted by different researchers on the topic), within almost the same time frame. This disparity would inevitably yield different results, that cannot be co-measured and only a trend relating to the respective samples or cases can be analysed. The possibility of self-selection bias arising cannot be ruled out, because of the selection of samples comprising survivor firms that are existing during the p re-merger and post merger period under study. Also as pointed out earlier, results obtained using the operating performance approach, can be influenced by the limitations of financial measures to capture the impacts of mergers and acquisitions as a whole , as well as the intrinsic limitations of the financial ratios themselves. Some of these ratios do not have a benchmark to fit all industries, capturing only quantitative factors and not the qualitative factors. Also these ratios might vary and have varying significance across different industry types. This would give a limited perspective of the impacts of mergers and acquisitions. The more number of parameters used, the better the perspective and the conclusion. However this brings up the issue of comparability and co-measurability between results of researches on this topic, unless all studies use the same parameters. Falkner and Pitkethly (2001) say that there is an increasingly positive approach to mergers and acquisitions than before. Earlier MA was seen as a false activity but now they are welcomed by the government as well. Cosh and Hughes (1996) are skeptical about the merger activities and talks about the need for governments regulations over the merger and acquisitions in the light of U.K. economy. They argue that everything should come under legal scrutiny. Kang and Johanson(2001) talks about the role of globalization in promoting mergers and acquisitions and how mergers and acquisitions help companies to survive in the competitive environment. They see merger and acquisition as a positive business tactic in the competitive world. Ahmed and Glaister(2008) have done an extensive research on the topic and have pointed out the recent trends in CBMA in the U.K. They have identified the various driving forces behind the cross border merger and acquisitions in the companies in UK. Benefits: The driving forces underlying the trend of CBMAs are complex and vary by sector. One of the most significant driving forces is technological change. In addition, changes to government policies influence CBMAs by opening up opportunities and increasing the availability of favourable targets for mergers and acquisitions (MAs). Other forces are market drivers, industry-level drivers and firm-level drivers. The scale of CBMAs involving UK companies has increased rapidly in recent years. The area analysis shows that European Union (EU) companies are the most significant target for UK companies followed by the USA and Canada. In terms of distribution within sectors, UK companies tend to acquire more manufacturing companies in the EU, the USA and Canada than in the Asia-Pacific region. In contrast, UK companies tend to acquire more service sector companies in the Asia-Pacific region than in the EU, the USA and Canada. Example: On January 30, 2007, Tata Steel, part of Indias Tata Group, has purchased 100% stake in the Corus Group at 608 p. per share. Acquisition Type : Indian Company acquiring a foreign company. Tatas overtake the Mukesh Ambani- Reliance Group to become Indias largest business house by this takeover. Tatas, who have staked their century old reputation, will certainly leave no stone unturned in making this acquisition a success. Benefits: Triples Tata Steels capacity to almost 28m tonnes from 8.7 million. Gives it access to high- value European market. Corus has highly developed RD capabilities. Dangers: Tatas have paid a heavy price. It now needs to service a very large debt burden Integration can be a problem in such acquisitions because of both distance and culture Challenges ached: Financials will hinge on the future and the behavior of the steel prices Muthuraman is confident about more consumption from India and China over the next 50 years Labor is another issue as British Union, which represents 80% of UK based workers, warned against trimming down the labor force Post merger integration of human resources would be a Herculean task as acquisition of this scale in a developed country by an Indian company has not been seen before Cultural integration is another issue- retaining key talent and imbibing confidence in the workforce The merger may take 5-6 years to realize its full potentials. But these will certainly a trend-setter as to what will happen, not just in the Indian steel industry, but across all sectors. Discussion: The evidence can be found from many sources like journals and articles that point out the recent trends in Cross border merger and acquisitions. A sneak peek into the business world also reveals the relevance and importance of CBMA s in the new global economy. There are many examples that can be analysed to show the recent trends in CBMA s. An in depth study into the recent trends in CBMA reveal that presently, companies in UK are in the forefront of CBMA s both in the case of value of Mergers and Acquisitions and the numbers. CBMA s occurred between manufacturing companies in the US and EU, while in the Asia pacific region, the service sector companies merged with the UK companies. These are all evidences for recent trends in cross border merger and acquisitions. Conclusion: Companies are expanding beyond their domestic markets to be a part of the global market place. In doing so, companies can choose to export, establish new operations or acquire existing companies. CBMAs are now a common activity among the companies. UK companies are in the forefront of CBMA s in both the numbers of MA s and their values. Between 1996 and 2005, UK companies acquired 7,026 foreign companies. In terms of value, UK companies acquired  £520 billion worth of foreign companies over the period. The area wise analysis reveals that EU companies are the most significant target for UK companies followed by the USA and Canada while Asia pacific region also showing an increase in CBMAs. In terms of sector distribution, UK companies tend to acquire more manufacturing companies in EU, USA and Canada and more service sector companies in the Asia pacific region. High technology and Industrials are the most active industrial sector groupings in the EU, USA and Canada while financial s ector was the most active industrial sector in the Asia-pacific region. In short, we can say that while UK companies acquired EU and USA technology over the last decade, financial services were also acquired by UK companies in the Asia pacific region. The driving forces behind CBMAs can be grouped into factors at the macro-economic, market, industry and firm-level as well as technological and government-related factors. Technological change acts both as a pull and push factor; it promotes international expansion by reducing communication and transport costs; it creates new business and markets by rapidly changing market conditions or by increasing the costs of RD. The speed of technological development along with the technical competence and market knowledge, flexibility and ability to innovate are increasingly promoting the CBMAs. Companies are searching for partners from whom these tangible assets can be obtained. Government policies including liberalization, privatization and regulatory reforms influence CBMA s by opening up opportunities and increasing the availability of favourable MA targets. Economic fluctuations like recession or boom can also affect the level of global MA activity and its regional focus. Growth prospects, market structure and competition in the market promote CBMA. Slow growth, over-capacity and increased competition in global markets typically drive industrial restructuring and often make MAs preferable to Greenfield investments. This report tried to analyze the recent trends in CBMAs in U.K. To conclude, it can be said that CBMAs by UK companies are increasing by time and more and more companies are becoming aware of the benefits of CBMA. There is a need for a well planned strategy among these companies and that can lead to cost effective CBMA s leading to the benefit of the economy.

Marcus Brutus as the Protagonist of William Shakespeares Julius Caesar

Marcus Brutus as the Protagonist of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar      Ã‚   All men have the power to reason.   Some men can reason better than others, nonetheless, all men can reason.   In order to reason, one must clear his mind, be completely impartial, and understand the situation to the best of his ability.   The play Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, is the story of a man trying his best to make reasonable, rational decisions.   Marcus Brutus is this struggling character who evades constant pressure from all sides to gloriously pull through, yet dies at play's end.   Undoubtedly, Brutus is the main character, and driving force of the play, despite the misleading title of Julius Caesar.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Three separate, critical aspects help to show the reader how unimportant Julius Caesar is to the play.   Caesar appears, in dreams, and thoughts of multiple people, giving warnings and special messages.   Nobody seems to pay attention to him. Anotherexample is illustrated by the way that Brutus seems to dominate his own actions, whatever he is thinking.   Also, Antony declares war on Brutus, but not out of love for Caesar, but anger toward the conspirators.   As these aspects are explained in further detail one will be sure of the fact that Brutus, without question, clearly dominates the play as a whole.    Caesar warns numerous people of ensuing tragedies multiple times, and not once is he listened to.   Calpurnia cries out terrified three times during the night, "Help ho - they murder Caesar!"   The reader soon learns of a dream in which Caesar's wife visualizes her husband's death.   She begs and pleads Caesar to stay home that day, ... ...ad.   In every aspect of the play earlier mentioned, Brutus is the driving force of nearly everything that occurs.   Caesar is but an after-thought of the reader, and is realized as the inciting action, and nothing more.   Brutus is, by all means, the dominating force in the play.    "He who will not reason is a bigot; he who cannot is a fool; and he who dares not, is a slave." - Sir William Drumman      Works Cited and Consulted: Hunter, G.K. "Shakespeare and the Traditions of Tragedy." Wells, Stanley, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare Studies. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1994. Shakespeare, William. "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar." Houghton Mifflin Company. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston, 1974. Palmer, D. J. "Tragic Error in Julius Caesar." Shakespeare Quarterly. 21-22 (1970): 399.

Cost Management:a Strategic Emphasis

Syllabus Course number: Course(in English): Management Accounting Credit hour:3 Pre-course: Instructing language: Chinese Courseware: English Semester: Fall Course kind: Required course Objects: Master The Course Objectives After the study of this course, students should gain full knowledge of the key conceptual framework and generally used methods of management accounting as an important decision making tool for management of businesses and organizations of other types. Consequently, they would be capable of taking medium and advanced management accounting courses in the future.Course book and references Course book(CB): Ronald W. Hilton, Michael W. Maher, Frank H. Selto,Cost Management strategies for Business Decisions,Second edition, McGraw Hill Companies Inc. 2006. References: 1. Charles T. Horngren, Gary L. Sundem, William O. Stratton, Introduction to Managerial Accounting, Chaptpers1-19, 2002 edition, Prentice Hall Publishing. 2. Jerold L. Zimmerman, Accounting for Decision Mak ing and Control, 4th edition, McGraw-Hill, 2003. 3. Anthony A. Atkinson, Rajav D. Banker, Robert S. Kaplan, and S. Mark Young, Management Accounting, 3rd edition, Prentice-Hall , 2001 . 4.He yingqi Chen jiajun,Management Accounting,Shanghai Financial and Economic Press,2003. 5. Harvard Business Review on Managing the Value Chain, HBS Press 1999 The Final Result of Study At the end of the semester, students will be required to submit a semester paper as final examination. After that each student’s final result of study will be computed with 10% participation in the lesson and 20% of the average mark of his/her homework done and 20% of case studies and 50% of his/her mark of the final examination(semester paper). The satisfactory weighted average mark should be at least 60. Instructing plansTeaching plans and the content to see the table as following: DateContentReadingsAssignments 12008. 9. 19Topic 1 Cost management and value chainCB-Chapter 1 and its PPTE1. 26; P1. 33; C1. 41 ; 22008. 9. 26- 2008. 10. 10Topic 2 I. Product costing system: concept and design II. Cost accumulation for job and batch production operationCB-Chapter 2; chapter 3 and their PPTE2. 36; P2. 64; C2. 80; P3. 55; 32008. 10. 17- 2008. 10. 24Topic 3 I. Activity-based costing II. Activity-based managementCB-Chapter 4 ;Chapter5;and their PPTE4. 39; P4. 52; C4. 63; P5. 42; 4Topic 4 Managing quality and time to create valuechapter6;chapter 7 and their PPTC6. 3; C7. 76; 52008. 10. 31- 2008. 11. 7Topic 5 Process costing and cost alloationCB-Chapter 8, chapter9,chapter10 and its PPTP8. 36; P9. 46; E10. 24; 62008. 11. 14Topic 6 Cost estimationCB-Chapter 11, and their PPTP11. 53; C 11. 57; 7Topic 7 Financial and CVP modelsCB-Chapter 12 and its PPTP12. 50;C12. 63; 82008. 11. 21Topic 8 Cost management and decision makingCB-Chapter 12, chapter 13 and their PPTP13. 49;P13. 50; P13. 54; 9Topic 9 Strategic issues in long term capital investment decisionCB-Chapter 14, and its PPTC14. 52 102008. 11. 28T opic 10 Budgeting and financial planingCB-Chapter 15, and itsr PPTC 15. 55 112008. 2. 5Topic 11 Standard costing system and variance analysisCB-Chapter 16, and its PPTC16. 48 122008. 12. 12Topic 12 Flexible budget and overhead cost managementCB-Chapter 17, and its PPTC17. 68 132008. 12. 19Topic 13 Organizational design, responsibility accounting, and evaluation of division performanceCB-Chapter 18, andits PPTP18. 38;P18. 46; 142008. 12. 26Topic 14 Transfer pricingCB-Chapter 19, and its PPTP19. 36;P19. 40;C19. 42; 15Topic 15 Incentive system, performance evaluation, and balanced-scord card CB-Chapter 20, chapter 21 and their PPTC21. 57 162009. 1. 9Final examination (Semester paper)——–

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Reaction Paper

My Reaction to I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou once proclaimed in an interview, â€Å"All my work is meant to say, ‘You may encounter many defeats but you must not be defeated’† (Anthology). This statement holds especially true in her autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Her inspirational coming of age story is filled with many defeats that shaped her into the independent and compassionate woman she became. After reading this book, I found there to be many meaningful areas that opened up my eyes and made me think again about my own personal and professional development.In addition, it allowed me to inquire more questions and wanted me to learn more about Maya Angelou’s path to greatness. There were many significant parts in Angelou’s autobiography that dealt with the issues of racism, sexism, violence, and loneliness. In my opinion, the parts that dealt with these various issues were most meaningful because they are controversi al issues that Angelou was courageous enough to write about. From the start of the book, Angelou expresses her racist views when she is in church and fantasizes that one day she will wake up out of her â€Å"black ugly dream. This part of the book foreshadows the rest of the racist events that will occur throughout the novel. For instance, the time when Angelou goes to the dentist with her Momma, the dentist says he would rather stick his hand in the mouth of a dog than in her mouth. Later in the book, Angelou discusses how she is raped by her mother’s boyfriend. She does not speak for five years because of this sexual assault. Later on, when her silence is broken, Angelou is involved with a violent attack. This time it is her father’s girlfriend who stabs her with scissors out of pure jealousy.Throughout the book Angelou feels alone because she has insecurities about the way that she looks and the color of her skin. Her loneliness is drawn out more after she is raped because she puts the blame on herself. All these monumental parts of the book are most meaningful because it shows Angelou’s endurance and how her life is not frayed by the unfortunate events that took place in her life. Throughout her childhood, Angelou experienced things that she should have never had to experience. It is admirable to think that with so many negatives in ones life Angelou was able to become such a successful person.Reading about Angelou’s experiences led me to think about my development as a person. Maya Angelou turned out to be successful even through her harsh childhood. I then question myself about what is stopping myself from developing in such way with a normal childhood. Upon finishing I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, I took away many reasons why this book will help my personal and professional development. I never experienced a traumatic childhood quite the way Angelou did. Therefore, I should be more thankful for the loving family I have, th e non-prejudice community I live in, my safety, and my college education.If Angelou was as victorious as she was all while enduring major hardships, then there is no excuse for me not to be. This book has also taught me, even though I may not see it, that people do go through hardships. For example, when Angelou took a vow of silence after her rape, no one understood why she was doing it. There is always a reason for why a person acts in the way that they do. As a professional, I will do my best not to judge anyone on the outside because I have no idea what goes on in their personal life. As a future occupational therapist, I will try to have my clients open up to me.Therefore, I can find out what is going on in their personal life and not judge them, but help them instead. I may have an impact on a clients life just by giving them an equal opportunity. There are many questions I raised and areas that I would like to learn more about upon finishing the autobiography of Maya Angelou. The novel ends in a positive picture of Maya with her newborn son. I question how much did Angelou’s life change with her newborn son and how she was able to accomplish so many things while taking care of her child?She, after all, was involved with the civil rights movement of the 1960s, and published many famous works of literature. Was it hard for her as an African American woman to achieve so much while facing racism and sexism? Lastly, how does her story end? Does Angelou end up with a loving husband whom she could’ve celebrated all her achievements with? My response to this novel is a positive one. The most meaningful part of this book is the way that Angelou was able to find herself while enduring major conflicts such as racism, sexism, violence, and loneliness. In her wn words she did encounter many defeats, but that did not stop her from being the best that she could be. For that reason Maya Angelou is an inspiration and a role model. From reading this book I know now that I am capable of developing myself more personally and professionally. I have not encountered many defeats in my life but if I were I know that I can brave the storm and not be defeated, just like Angelou was not. References Angelou, M. (1997). I know why the caged bird sings. New York, NY: Ballantine Books. Douglass, F. (2004). The norton anthology of african american literature. (2 ed. ). New York New York: W. W. Norton and company.

Essence Essay Example

Essence Essay Example Essence Essay Essence Essay The materials and design we chose before construction consisted of eight or more large pieces of wood, small and large nails, a hammer, screws, drill, bungee cords and screw hooks in order to create a large scale catapult. The design process included a rectangular base made from the large pieces of wood with more weight in the back to hold it down. Two medium size pieces of wood will be drilled into the the top of the triangles to hold the release. The release will be hooked to the PCP pipe so that it can swing freely. A second piece of PCP pipe will be placed Just so that the release stops at a 45 degree angle. The release will be held back tight with a bungee cord that will be pulled in order to create the tension that will allow the release to go and throw the egg. After some hard work and long discussion or design plan has changed. Time was of the essence and a large scale catapult Just wasnt feasible. We decided to create a small scale catapult instead. This small scale one still had the same idea as the large one but Just cut down. We created a 72 inch base with a height of 7 % inches. Two triangles were created on each side with a piece in the middle for the release to be ttached to so it could swing freely. There will be another piece on the back of the base that will hold the tension for the release. Because we switched to small scale, the materials changed. For the base we used a 72 inch piece of plywood. Then, in order to make the triangles, we used four Popsicle sticks that were super glued to the base. Then we broke a piece of barbeque stick in half, and glued it to the middle of the two triangles. Before we glued it we cut a piece of straw and placed it around the stick so that the release could move. We then used bottle cap and glued it to another Popsicle and glued that Popsicle stick to the straw piece of the catapult. Next we placed 2 paper holders on the back of the base holding a rubber band. We then super glued a paper clip to the bottom of the release stick that will connect to the rubber band creating the tension. Then we glued another piece of barbeque stick lower on the triangle so that the release would stop at 45 degrees. We placed a cell phone on the base to hold it down and the placed the ammunition in the bottle cap, pulled back and let it fly.

How you would apply a semiological and ideological analysis to a Essay

How you would apply a semiological and ideological analysis to a television advert for a consumer product - Essay Example According to Gillian Dyer advertising is the "official art" in which beliefs and values through the brand are reminded to the people (Reschke, 1998). To understand the real meaning of advertisement its analysis are done to learn the techniques that are employed in designing the content of an advertisement. Media analysts have used different parameters of analysis to gain understanding of concepts interrelated with advertisements. This paper aims to analyze an advertisement through the most commonly used analysis methods called semiotic and ideological analysis. The advertisement selected for this paper is projecting a perfume named 1 million which is the new male fragrance by the Spanish leading colognes and perfume company named Paco Rabbane. Perfumes are considered as both essential and luxurious part of everybody’s life. When worn in daily life they are a necessity, when worn for formal occasions they depict a luxurious life style, elegant personality for women and sheer masculinity for the men. Perfume advertisements are always based on a sophisticated and sensational theme which is directly relating to physiological aspects of humans. The advertisement of perfume 1 million Paco Rabbane had been analyzed during the broadcast of 24th July 2010 by American TV channel namely AsiaVision. I have analyzed it semiotically to understand the hidden meanings prevailing within the text. Semiotic are basically the symbols and signs used within the text to create meaning. The signifier in this particular advert is no doubt the perfume 1 million where it signifies a young sexy looking man that uses the perfume to achieve all his dreams. Several iconic signs the moving objects have been used in the ad to convey the message to the user. To give the add a realistic touch they have made the use of many conventional codes set by our society such as firstly the color of the

Critical Issues Module 2 Paper Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical Issues Module 2 Paper - Coursework Example Though these activities may be short-term, activity based cost reduction activities should provide a better alternative for cost management of the ongoing activities. To implement cost reduction activities in the organization, the top senior managers should be committed. The board should be willing and ready to provide the necessary resources needed. Performance management and activity-based cost reduction models is the key to success of every organization. In non profits organizations such as the Innovations theatre, Reginald Foster Dance Troupe, Century Child Care, and Center Neighborhood Settlement, performance management and activity-based cost reductions models have been applied to achieve the success of the organizations (Walsh, 2002). In the Innovations Theatre the board and the staff members perform the activities with the sole purpose of achieving organizational success. The board is clearly aware of their duties and hence seeks development for the theatre. They also articulate the vision of the theatre and work towards achieving their vision by incorporating the other workers. Duties are assigned to different groups of people. The board has also engaged in activity-based cost reductions such paying a membership fee and other annual membership dues. These will go a long way in facilitating the company’s activities. They have also expanded the theatre by establishing new home theatre. The organization also recruits new members to the board who have financial ability and other professional talents that would be helpful to the organization (Firstenberg, 2009). The member is also expected to have a high social civic standing a factor that will make the organization gain some social status. There is a free flow of communication between the workers and the board members and the workers decisions are highly valued during the meetings. This

Is there a need for reform in Albany Term Paper

Is there a need for reform in Albany - Term Paper Example and corruption matters that occurred in the State legislature in the past two years and the kind of reforms that the Governor and the legislature has put in place to address the matter. The paper then describes the legal and policy structure of the adopted reforms and the public criticism that this has generated. The paper then concludes by giving recommendations to the Governor and to the State Legislature to restore the public trust (Katz). Although there are numerous cases of corruption in Albany, the most pointed cases have been in the legislature. In a recent scandal, the senators from Buffalo state George Maziarz as well as Patrick Gallivan purportedly spent $ 140,000 and $ 80,000 respectively in time they were in office. In this particular case, the problem was not in the spending of the money itself but the fact that they did not find it fit to report their expenditures. Apart from Senators’ George Maziarz and Patrick Gallivan being investigated, the now defunct Moreland Commission was also investigating state Sen. Diane Savino of Staten Island for alleged mismanaging of campaign funds. These two cases are a clear indication of the rot in the state’s Legislature (Frisch). In light of the corruption allegations within the state, Governor Cuomo set up the Moreland Commission (now defunct) to address the allegations. The power to form this commission comes from the Moreland Act, a legislation that gives the Governor the authority to set up a panel to look at waste in the government and to come up with recommendations for reforms. Upon setting up the committee, Attorney General Schneiderman offered to deputize the commission something that bolstered its powers. This was because his presence had accorded the commission a wider legal reach than the current powers that were contained in the Moreland Act (Medina). For Governor Cuomo, there is need to develop a campaign finance system that incorporates the option of public financing. The call for this reform

Leadership Principles Essay Example for Free

Leadership Principles Essay Abstract This paper explores the definition of leadership, and how applying the principles of leadership can yield more success for teams in the workplace. It also serves to further explore personality self-evaluation and how personality traits help to define an individual’s leadership likely traits and strengths. Reference will be made to personality assessments such as the â€Å"Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator† (MBTI) and the â€Å"Big-Five Approach to Personality Assessment†, and what those assessments imply about an individual. While individuals tend to demonstrate particular trends and traits in relation to the personality assessments, the results are not absolute, and in no way offer definitive information about an individual’s specific characteristics (Scholl 2002). Detailed exploration of particular aspects and principles will yield a more refined working knowledge of leadership and practical applications in the workplace, specifically self-awareness and personal recognition of individual characteristics and learning styles. A summary with findings and conclusions will conclude the paper. Leadership Leadership is the ability to get a group to achieve greater accomplishments and achievements than the sum of individuals’ actions. Leadership means taking advantage of opportunities and finding ways to improve upon a situation, whether or not someone else gave you the empowerment to accomplish those goals (Blanchard, Fowler, and Hawkins, 2005, p. 15). Leaders have the innate ability to observe a scenario, realize what needs to happen to realize results, seize the moment and guide others to work together to accomplish a common goal. Ultimately, â€Å"a leader is anyone who can give you the support and direction you need to achieve your goal.† (Blanchard et al, 2005, 133). Self-Evaluation Every person is an individual, and as individuals they naturally have unique personality traits that affect how they interact and interact with others in the world. Personal assessment is a valuable tool that allows an individual to realize their own unique traits and tendencies, allowing them to be aware of precognitive tendencies that they might demonstrate in given situations. For me personally, I was assessed using the MBTI method to be an introvert, who tends to be slightly sensing, somewhat thinking, and strongly judging (https://www.typefocus.com). At first, I took some offence to being categorized in this method, but after researching the general description of my personality, as well as specific definitions of the preference categories, I came to realize that this information would ultimately empower me to become a stronger and more capable leader in the future. A summary of careers suggest that I could become a strong manager that would enjoy a workplace where I could use m y knowledge and organizational skills. I am likely to enjoy occupations that involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. (https://www.typefocus.com). I am able to ascertain that my personality traits suggest I am a person who is capable of teaching others my knowledge and other applicable skills. I am a leader who possesses both information power as well as expert power (Yukl, 2011, p. 193) Another assessment that helped me to understand about my character was the Big-Five Approach to Personality Assessment (Scholl, 2002). The Big-Five assessment provided five factors, along with several more specific traits and facets that help individuals understand and recognize concerning their personality. The five factors, or domains, are neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. My low scoring on the neuroticism portion suggests that I am a confident, optimistic individual who is even tempered and relaxed; able to face stressful situations without becoming upset (Scholl, 2002). I had a low extraversion score, suggesting that I am reserved and interpersonally formal; an independent thinker rather than a follower (Scholl, 2002). In the domain of openness, my score was almost dead center, suggesting that I do not have strong tendencies one way or the other (Scholl, 2002). I believe that this suggests that my reaction depends on the situation and the environment surrounding it. I can be curious and imaginative about certain situations, but cautious and conservative for others. Personal morals and ethics strongly influence my openness, whereas I am open to new ideas and thinking about scenarios, as long as they do not violate my personal ethical standards. For agreeableness, my slightly higher than center score suggests that I am for the most part a generous, trusting person who is sympathetic to others. At the same time, I can be suspicious and impatient with those who have disappointed me in the past. This is one aspect that I need to be aware of my past, and how it influences my present and future. I once had an assistant who I trusted complicity attempt to stage a mutiny to attempt to remove me from my position. Thankfully, my employees had enough ethical standards to make me aware of the decision, so that I could deal with the situation through the proper channels. However, as a result of that situation I have found it much more difficult to trust subordinates, and I tend to be suspicious of actions that could be viewed as disloyal and insubordinate to me as a manager and leader. For the final domain, conscientiousness, my score was again dead center, but the results for this particular section made me think more deeply about myself. I had always thought that I demonstrated the traits associated with someone who scores high for conscientiousness, but I must accept the fact that I may have tendencies that are normally for those scoring low. For me to be successful, I must constantly be aware of these traits, and be able to recognize and adjust my actions when I act in a way that is not conscientious. The guidelines representing how to promote emotional intelligence in the workplace (https://www.eiconsortium.org) suggested twenty-two steps to assess the situation, instigate change, then transfer power and evaluate how everything worked. The company I formerly worked for must have been influenced by these guidelines, as I had been introduced to the process years ago, and was a continual body of work for me as a retail manager. For every employee that was hired, whether full or part time, I had to assess them as an employee, and implement a training program that would yield the best results for the company. Teaching has always been a passion of mine, and I enjoyed showing how every employee had an impact on our store, and their effort and personal pride could have far reaching impact on our daily success, both for sales and customer satisfaction. The process of encouraging transfer and maintenance of  change was mainly designated for the management team, but that was an essential process for our team. I simply could not do it alone: I needed every member of the management to perform to their potential, so that we could function as a team, and each member of management would learn and better their skills for the next advancement opportunity that might come along. It was through this process that I was able to train and advance several members of management, many of whom are now store managers with their own stores to run. Leadership Style My personal leadership style is supportive leadership. I will always try to empower others around me to be aware of their potential, and support them when they need assistance. As Yukl suggests, I use my interpersonal skills to be supportive and compassionate with others as they try to get their work done (Yukl, 2011, p. 64). I attempt to learn more about an individual’s personality, so that I can find a way to best assist them in their own growth and leadership potential. That requires a being a coach who is sometimes there to boost their confidence, and at other times kick them in the rear when they are not putting forth their best effort. At the same time, I realize that it is not possible to provide the motivation for everyone. Every individual has different motivations, and ultimately must take responsibility for creating their own work environment (Blanchard et al, 2005, p.29). I am aware that to be a successful leader, I need to be able to not only empower others, but to show them how to be leaders unto themselves. Every individual needs to be aware of their own strengths and powers before they can lead themselves (Blanchard et al, 2005, p.62), and I plan help others find their way to lead themselves, and ultimately lead others to success. References Blanchard, K., Fowler, S., Hawkins, L. (2005). Self Leadership and the One Minute Manager: Increasing Effectiveness Through Situational Self Leadership. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishing, Inc. Buckingham, Marcus (2005). The One Thing You Need to Know†¦About Great Managing, Great Leading, and Sustained Individual Success. New York, NY: Free Press. Lencioni, Patrick (2002). The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Scholl, Richard (2002). Dispositions: The Big 5 Personality Assessment. Retrieved from University of Rhode Island, Labor Research Center Web site: http://www.uri.edu/research/lrc/scholl/webnotes/Dispositions_Big_5.htm Yukl, Gary (2011). Leadership In Organizations, Eighth Edition. San Francisco, CA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Brokeback Mountain And The Western

Brokeback Mountain And The Western Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee, 2005) integrates traditional western motifs and iconography, and follows a common plot structure of the genre, but at the same time overlooks certain aspects and introduces new concepts and motifs, mixing western with melodrama to create a contemporary Western. Brokeback Mountains queerness challenges us to question the usefulness of boundaries and categories, not just between straight and gay masculinities, but mainly between the films genre leanings as both melodrama and western. The western represents American culture, explaining its present in terms of its past and virtually redefining the past to accommodate the present. Thomas Schatz (1981) The westerns various cultural forms indicate the central role that it continues to play in conceptions of national identity. If the western genre represents American culture, as Schatz implies, then can the film Brokeback Mountain be considered a western? On the one hand, if Brokeback Mountain is to be considered a western this would imply that homosexuality has always been part of the narrative and logic of the western. However, to reject the film as a western would also overlook the ways in which it rewords the genre through contemporary political concerns. Brokeback Mountain is made in such a way as to be considered both a revision of and an extension of the western genre. It integrates traditional western motifs and iconography, and follows a common plot structure of the genre, but at the same time overlooks certain aspects and introduces new concepts and motifs, mixing western with melodrama to create a contemporary western. In most films, a true western is set in a particular historical moment approximately between 1836 and the Mexican Revolution in 1913 (Kitses, 1969). Brokeback Mountain is set between 1963 and 1983, which seems to come too late by historical definition. The impression given by the film, however, is of an American setting that represents a continuum with the old ways of western life. This western life, though drastically altered by twentieth-century capitalism is seemingly unchanged by twentieth-century ideology. Although Brokeback Mountain is not set in the distant past, it clearly conjures up the mythology of the West; the lonesome cowboy figure: the cowboy attire; the solitary lifestyle; the restriction of the homestead on mens freedom; working with animals; rodeo culture; the power of the wilderness; and melancholy produced through country music. Since Brokeback Mountain begins in 1963, it might not represent the west as an epic moment and Ennis and Jack might not be considered rea l cowboys but it portrays a west that exists through the ideologies and practices of specific American regions associated with western mythology. Set between Wyoming and Texas, Brokeback Mountain still presents the West as a mythic, imagined fantasy, a concept of a way of life that remains intact with the west of the past. Brokeback Mountain presents the contrasting relationship between wilderness and civilisation through its aesthetic conflict between freedom and restriction, namely between the mountain and the town. The film characterises the western through its structuring of life in the wilderness, symbolised through Ennis and Jacks freedom to express their love there. In contrast there is the reality of rural town life with their respective wives and children, which forces them to conform to a failed normal life. As Gary Needham states, Brokeback Mountain claims the landscape and the frontier for its symbolic meaning to express freedom and the cowboys affiliation and closeness to nature, the land, and of course to the other cowboys who might be out there too. The wilderness is fabricated by the title Brokeback Mountain. Created by Annie Proulx, it not only represents isolation and secrecy, but also empowerment. The mountain symbolises the only place where Jack and Ennis are able to express themsel ves unrestricted and free from fear, shame or paranoia. The place comes to symbolise a temporary escape from the closet, an almost-freedom, and this is shown through the landscape in the film. The landscape is juxtaposed against the bleak suffocating small town. Masculinity and the western landscape are the two most symbolic elements in the western because of their power to be translated into epic mythologies and concepts of freedom. The traditional western is, more than anything else, about the conflict between civilization and savagery on the frontier. In the genre, the western man has a duty to uphold justice and honour all that is good in civilisation. He is characterised as brave, honourable, rugged and a loner. Tompkins (2004) argues that the west functions as a symbol of freedom, and the opportunity for conquest. It seems to offer escape from the conditions of life in modern industrial society; from mechanized existence, economic dead end, social entanglements, unhappy personal relations, political injustice. The desire to change place also signals a powerful need for self-transformation. With his tall masculine frame, quiet reserve and deep voice, Ennis looks and sounds like the typical western hero traditionally seen in the genre. E nnis is forced to deal with the pull of the wilderness while at the same time remaining true to civilisation by quitting his job to attend his daughters wedding rather than quitting to see his unorthodox lover Jack. In Brokeback Mountain, every main character suffers because of the masculine western myth, with Ennis suffering the most. The antihero Jack meets his antihero end at the hands of the unsympathetic civilisation which cannot accept his true identity. But the hero (Ennis), the frontier cowboy who stays close to the land but resists natures temptations, and who attempts to do right by his daughters has a more painful fate. He is left ultimately alone in his trailer forever knowing that what might have been can never be. And this is all because he is the man of the west, the lonely hero forever doomed to tread alone. The most obvious change introduced to the western genre in Brokeback Mountain is the issue of homosexuality. The lead characters Ennis and Jack share a homosexual love interest, a concept very rarely explored in western texts. Chris Packard (2006) states, If there is something national about the cowboy, and if there is something homoerotic about the partnerships he forms in the wilderness, then there is something homoerotic about American national identity as the literary West conceives it. Because of this, homosexuality is not an issue that is readily explored in western literature or cinema, especially within the western genre. The romantic interest in the traditional western is the femme fatale, desired for her feminine charm and allure. Brokeback Mountain twists this concept by placing another male (Jack) as the heros love interest. However, in doing so, Jack merely takes the place of the femme fatale and is therefore attached with the same ideologies of femininity. It is Jack wh o seduces Ennis, tempting Ennis when he calls him into the tent. So while exploring the relationship between the two men, Brokeback Mountain aims to put a twist on the traditional western, but ultimately adheres to the motif of the femme fatale. Although many of the motifs and structures used in Brokeback Mountain follow the western genre, the ultimate powerlessness and emotional involvement produced in the film fall into the melodrama genre. The power of melodrama to create intense feelings is contrasted with the serious genre of the western in which masculine identity is of greater importance than any romantic connection. The film creates overly emotional responses and attachments through portrayal of tears, separation and loss, thus removing all seriousness, reason and propriety. our experiential investment in the narrative of Jack and Ennis relationship is primarily emotional; for Needham, then, Brokeback Mountain mobilises melodrama as a tactical way of provoking feeling and sentiment that are politically efficacious. It exhibits an excess of confusion, suffering and restlessness and it expands on two key motifs of melodrama in order to express and to some extent work through this excess. By utilising a version of the maximised type David Lusted has argued, the Western emerged in the earliest days of Hollywood as a generic form of melodrama, dependent on the melodrama stage for its dominant narratives, themes and performance styles (Lusted, 1992: 13). [1] These melodramatic themes, Lusted suggests, include love sacrificed and reunited; suffering, misunderstanding and reconciliation; victimhood, emotionalism and pathos (Lusted, 1992: 17ff). The films melodramatic mode and form are constructed through narrative situations of separation and loss. Suffering and failure, and helplessness and pathos. Brokeback Mountain is places as a melodrama to narrate to great affect the ongoing problems of the closet and homophobia. Brokeback Mountain uses several structures which fall under the melodrama genre. These include and expressive use of music to produce heightened emotion; discrepancies in point of view and the timing of narrative events that are mobilised to induce tears. It is Brokeback Mountains melodramatic form that allows it to express a history of unjury, backward feeling and affectivity thought the conventions of melodrama that work so well in dealing with themes of secrecy, passivity, paranoia, shame and temporal irreversibility. though many western films traditionally use long shots, Brokeback Mountain makes use of close-up shots to key the audience into the main characters relationship. This heightens the sense of intimacy between the two characters. Nearly all of the love scenes between Jack and Ennis are close-ups, bringing the audience into their relationship. The Western genre is ultimately one which incorporates other genres, including romance, war, melodrama and action. As Kitses (1969) puts it, Experiment seems always to have been varied and development dynamic, the pendulum swinging back and forth between opposing poles of emphasis on drama and history, plots and spectacle, romance and realism, seriousness and comedy. Brokeback Mountain utilises this flexibility to successfully introduce new ideas into its plot, while still retaining traditional structures of the Western. Not only does the film follow the genre specific framework and incorporate classical Western motifs (cowboy costumes, alcohol, and a landscape which represents paradise), it also builds on the theme, creating a new and contemporary version of the genre and demonstrates the detrimental impact to identity brought about by social ideologies of what is normal. Brokeback Mountains queerness challenges us to question the usefulness of boundaries and categories, not just between straight and gay masculinities, but mainly between the films genre leanings as both melodrama and Western.

Essays --

After the abolition of slavery, many African Americans became extremely optimistic about their future in the United States. They figured there would be more equality, more opportunities, and overall more respect. They were given empty promises, false hopes, and sugar-coated lies, because, in all actuality, it was the exact opposite of what they imagined. Racism became even more prevalent, and it was just as hard, if not harder for African Americans. The abolition of slavery did not mean blacks were free. It did not mean we were equal. All it meant was that they had different ways to do the same thing, and they made sure that regardless of the freedom of slaves, African Americans would still be controlled in some way. On January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves. The Emancipation Proclamation was issued as the country entered the third year of the Civil War. It declared that â€Å"all persons held as slaves †¦ shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.† The Emancipation Proclamation was, and continues to be a symbol of equality and social justice. As a result, he was assassinated. After his death, Andrew Jackson became President of the United States. Jackson was an extreme racist, and made this very clear during his term of presidency. On July 9, 1886, the 14th Amendment was put into place. This law recognizes anyone born in the United States of America as a legal US citizen. It also forbids states from denying any person his life, liberty or property, without the correct means of the law. It was meant to protect the civil rights of all Americans regardless of their race or gender. The Fifteenth Amendment was established on February 26, 1869. It was the third in the Reconstruction Amendments. This amendment prohibits an... ...the Reconstruction, is that no matter what legally was done in an effort to help, there were always loopholes and other laws that would counter us from being totally free. We may not have been in slavery, but we were still enslaved, not only because of our mindsets, but because of our surroundings. The system was meant for us to fail, be dependent, and continue being submissive to the white man because no matter what laws were passed, or what changes were made, that is where they wanted us to be. Black codes, Jim Crow laws, segregation, and everything else that was legal after slavery was abolished, were all forms of slavery in a subtle way. They were meant to get in the heads of the blacks, and if you can get in a person’s head, you can control them. The reconstruction era was the beginning of a downward spiral between blacks and whites that branched after slavery.

The basque conflict

THE BASQUE CONFLICTUndertaking FrameworkThe Basque struggle, rendered more acute by the constitution of a terrorist administration in the 2nd half of the twentieth century, illustrates the modern-day hinderances of an invigorated Europe, concerned with theories of integrating and societal consensus. This undertaking intends to consist a descriptive and theoretical attack, instead than a quantitative analysis based on the materialization of the struggle by the violent incursions of the nationalist group Euskadi Ta Askatasuna ( ETA ) . On the one manus, the first portion compares and contrasts the sui generis Spanish state-building procedure to the thriving & A ; lsquo ; imagined community ‘ of Sabino Arana, raised through the patriotism of the nineteenth century, and articulated in relevant facts and figures. On the other manus, the 2nd portion brings the struggle to a modern province of personal businesss, i.e. a scenario of diverse efforts to decrease force and extremism. It considers micro and macro positions and reactions of exogenic histrions to this aggiornamento, and despite the diverse readings of ethnicity, the paper considers the present context of globalization, in which individualities are no longer guaranteed through provinces and boundary lines.IntroductionThe failings in the procedure of Spanish state-building – to which Basque patriotism is inextricably linked – constitute an simple foundation to understand the rules of ETA ( 1959 ) , as a terrorist administration, and the natur e of the nationalist individualities involved in the struggle. In conformity with Linz: & A ; lsquo ; Spain [ & A ; hellip ; ] is a instance of early state-building, where the political, societal and cultural integrating of its territorial constituents was non to the full accomplished ‘ ( 1973: 33 ) , and as a consequence, its development differs from other European instance surveies in important ways, chiefly due to its dramatic prostration as a colonial power ( Mees 2003 ) . Throughout clip, Spain was downplayed from being the most dominant European colonial power to a insolvent, weakened province with & A ; lsquo ; internal jobs of legitimacy, individuality, incursion and engagement ‘ ( Mees 2003: 6 ) . Within this unstable context, the fusion of the disparate districts in Spain resulted in a state missing the instruments of integrating and coherence. Therefore, Spanish patriotism in the nineteenth century remained weak and ne'er became a motion ( Seixas 1993 ) .The Post-Colonial State-BuildingThis procedure involved no common external enemy or national symbols that would advance the thought of an & A ; lsquo ; imagined community ‘ ( Anderson 1999 ) : it was non the aggressive nature of Spanish patriotism that fuelled the & A ; lsquo ; lastingness of regional and local particularisms ‘ , but its failing ( Mees 2003: 7 ) . The Spanish were ne'er to the full submitted to the thought of state, and remained loyal to their local parts, such as the Basque Provinces, consisting a peculiar and differential civilization, i.e. an cultural community that would subsequently go mobilised as a political state ( Smith 1986 ) . In historical footings, the appropriation of Navarre in the sixteenth century represents the constitution of modern Spain and the domination of Castile over uninfringeable civilizations. Furthermore, the Crown recognised the importance of gestating particular rights to certain parts that became exempt from naming soldiers to the cardinal forces, and were granted a system of Torahs and patterns called fueros – that represented a major right of the Basque population, as they conferred ( since its codification in the seventeenth century ) conditions for decision-making in most political and economic personal businesss, with no intercession from the cardinal authorities ( Osma 1996: 34 ) . However, the development of the Carlist political orientation ( in the nineteenth century ) , desecrated the firm dealingss with Castile ( Flynn 2000: 100 ) , and following its triumph in the 3rd war ( 1872-1876 ) , the Broad Government declared the abolishment of privileges to the Basque Country, inciting a strong opposition. Hence, the struggle in the Basque Country can be interpreted as a reaction to the abolishment of rights and grants granted throughout history, and harmonizing to the patriots: the indignant reaction to the withdrawing of the fueros represented a & A ; lsquo ; national waking up ‘ among the Basque people ( Mees 2003 ) . Early on Basque nationalist feeling in the nineteenth century created an hostile political and societal attitude towards the cardinal authorities, with a developing anti-Spanish and breakaway civilization ( Mees 2003: 8 ) . Furthermore, urban industrialization and the inflow of Spanish-speaking laborers were seen to present a menace to Basque civilization, which is highly conservative and based about purely Catholic values, promoting a nationalist feeling ( Woodworth 2001:3 ) . As Basque industrialization occurred chiefly in Biscay, with & A ; lsquo ; production of steel, modern shipyards and excavation ‘ ( Conversi 1997: 48 ) , these activities increased the demand for unskilled labor and society decomposition. As an illustration of this phenomenon, the population in Bilbao increased from 35,505 dwellers in 1877 to 83,306 in 1900 ( Atienza 1979: 73 ) – out of the 80 % of immigrants, 50 % were non Basques ( Atienza 1979: 74 ) .The Establishment of an & A ; lsquo ; Imagin ed Community ‘The nationalist political orientation expanded by Sabino Arana, laminitis of the Partido Nacionalista Vasco ( PNV ) in 1895 ( Mees 2003: 5 ) , followed his perceptual experience of industrialization – and the attendant in-migration to the part – as a menace to Basque civilization. Arana published his book For the Independence of Biscay ( 1892 ) and assisted the formation of the first Batzoki – subsequently the Bizkai Buru Batzar – i.e. an ideological group that worked as a precursor of the PNV ( Elorza 1978: 113 ) . However, after the intercession of Spanish Authorities, Arana was arrested and the party rose as an organized construction, adhering to its pronunciamento ( PNV Manifesto 1906: Volume II ) . Returned to Biscay, after a class of Law in Barcelona – where he was impressed by the Catalan Language and the development of Catalonia after the Renaixen & A ; ccedil ; a- Arana ( a cardinal participant of patriotism in the nineteenth century ) was motivated to analyze Euskerab and contribute to the Basque civilization ( Conversi 1997: 74 ) . He took the position that merely absolute independency from the Spanish province would procure lasting felicity and freedom for the Basque people as civilization, history and race needed to be reaffirmed in order to work out the frozen jobs. As a effect, anything Spanish ( or non-Basque ) would hold to be expelled ( Mees 2003: 803 ) , as following the nationalist feeling, the lone manner to win would be through the creative activity of a & A ; lsquo ; nationalist history with deep fabulous deductions, every bit good as nationalist symbols and purification of the Basque linguistic communication ‘ ( Payne 1971: 23 ) . Therefore, in a primary effort to happen the nationalist political orientation, Arana created symbols that included: the name, Euskadi ; the anthem, Gora Ta Gora ; and the flag Ikurri & A ; ntilde ; a, adopted by the PNV in 1933. Unlike Spanish fusion, Arana succeeded in making an & A ; lsquo ; imagined community ‘ , with history, traditions and civilization unique to the Basque part ( Anderson 1999 ) .Violent Incursions and Peace AttemptsSince the early 1990s, the resistance within Basque society to the continuance of the struggle has been steadily increasing: groups of citizens became efficaciously mobilised in an attempt to distribute their pacificist positions throughout the Basque community and construct a new anti-violence consensus ( Funes 1998: 493 ) . Beyond Basque society, they aim at act uponing political leaders, Spanish and Basque authoritiess and at decreasing the power of ETA. As they believe that the people of the Basque Provinces has a duty for the being and th e continuity of force, they intend to go a vehicle for peace. These pacificist groups have increased the conditions – both socially and politically – for declaration, though ETA retains the support of a & A ; lsquo ; qualitatively important sector of Basque society ‘ ( Funes 1998 ) . On a micro position of external intercession, Gesto por la Paz is composed of 160 subgroups throughout the Basque state and Navarre and organises street presentations that on a regular basis attract 15-20,000 followings ; and Elkarri, with up to 107 subgroups, was founded by members of the patriot left, close to ETA and aims to act upon those who would fall in the terrorist administration or transport out violent onslaughts. The latter attempts to spread out duologue on both sides through conferences, addresss and publications, as both groups look at the Basque people for support in denouncing force and cut downing breakaway extremist motions ( Funes 1998 ) . While groups such as these have done much over the old ages to make conditions for peace, every bit long as there is a minority who sees force as the lone solution, grass-root degree protests have merely a limited impact. There is grounds that Basque society is less and less inclined towards back uping the force of ETA, giving room for optimism, but peace will merely come when the leading of the group comes to see diplomatic negotiations as the manner frontward. There are three of import minutes in the history of ETA as a terrorist group, which halted its activities and brought together the two sides of the struggle. The first minute follows the most intense onslaught against civilians in 1987, when the political parties decided to come in into negotiations with one another, actuating ETA and the authorities to discourse the jobs of the Basque Country, such as: the Pact of Madrid ( 1987 ) , the Pact of Ajuria Enea ( 1988 ) , the Pact of Ardanza ( 1988 ) , and the Pact of Navarra ( 1988 ) . In add-on, the Plan Ardanza ( 1998 ) , created by the President of the Spanish Government, Jos & A ; eacute ; Antonio Ardanza Garro, in an effort to work out the state of affairs in the Basque Country, led to a proposal by the PNV and ETA to prosecute a general understanding, in which the parties were committed to convey together the six districts of the Basque Country whereas ETA would declare ceasefire. Second, and sing the incapacity of the Partido Popular ( PP ) and the Partido Socialista Obrero Espa & A ; ntilde ; ol ( PSOE ) in deciding the Basque struggle, parties and ideological administrations signed a treaty in Estella, Navarre ( 1998 ) , harmonizing to which they would analyze the acceptance of the same political declarations applied to the Northern Ireland instance. The elections in the Autonomous Basque Community declared triumph of the PNV, and there were many understandings between this party and the PP Government until the secret meeting of 1999 between the two parties, which represented strong contact between ETA and the cardinal authorities. However, for PP, this was a manner to understand whether the terrorist group would be favorable to a definite ceasefire. Therefore, the meeting proved unfruitful and the terrorist onslaughts restarted. ETA declared the terminal of ceasefire in 1999 and following this, the PNV accused the terrorist administration of representing a bad influence on Basque patriotism. On the other manus, ETA published the dialogues with the PNV and confessed the false ceasefire of 1998. The Euskal Herritarrok was favoured by the PNV but decided to abandon the Basque Parliament, go forthing the latter in a political minority. Finally, the 3rd of import arrest in force was the proclamation of a lasting ceasefire from the 24th March 2006 onwards, in order to transport on the dialogues with the cardinal authorities of Jos & A ; eacute ; Luis Zapatero ( PSOE ) , who informed the media on the 29th June 2006 that the conditions for an institutional duologue had been met.Chemical reactions of Exogenous ActorsIn footings of international cooperation by external histrions, the reaction of France to this struggle has been simple, as although in the yesteryear, the Basque leading has chosen to run from that state – due to fewer constabulary pressure- since the 1990 ‘s, it has made an attempt to grok the ETA leading ( Telegraph 2nd March 2002 ) . About all high-level members of the administration have been seized in France, including the suspected leader, Jurden Martitegi, arrested in April of this twelvemonth. However, the significance of the Catholic religion in Basque nationalist look led to another cardinal reaction, as it preceded the intercession of Pope John XXIII, in the Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris ( 1963 ) . In conformity with this papers, minority groups became widespread throughout the universe but due to some solid grounds in the international province of personal businesss, & A ; lsquo ; [ †¦ ] minority peoples are frequently obliged to populate within the districts of a state of a different cultural beginning ‘ ( Pope John XXIII 1963 & A ; religious order ; 94 ) . Consequently: This state of affairs gives rise to serious jobs [ and ] so, the best involvements of justness are served by those public governments who do all they can to better the human conditions of the members of these minority groups, particularly in what concerns their linguistic communication, civilization, ancient traditions, and their economic activity and endeavor ( Pope John XXIII 1963 & A ; religious order ; 96 ) . This engagement – complemented by the reference of Pope John Paul II to the United Nations ( 1995 ) , where it is stated that the phenomenon of ethnicity & A ; lsquo ; must non be underestimated or regarded as a simple left-over of the past ‘ but conversely & A ; lsquo ; [ †¦ ] demands serious reading, and a closer scrutiny on the degrees of anthropology, moralss and jurisprudence ( John Paul II 1995 & A ; religious order ; 7 ) – entreaties to the sense of regard of established states and constitutes an illustration of international intercessions that protect the involvements of cultural minorities. Although many writers portion these same positions, apostolic intercessions were peculiarly relevant in the spiritual position quo of that part. Furthermore, every bit far as EU declarations are concerned, and sing the terrorist onslaught of 11th March 2004, the European Council carried out a & A ; lsquo ; Declaration on Combating Terrorism ‘ ( 2004 ) mentioning to the commissariats of the Charter of the United Nations ( Security Council 1373 of 2001 ) , which states that allowing support to the victims is paramount in the battle against terrorist act. In this model, the EU revised its strategic rules, which included: beef uping a response against terrorist act and its effects ; keeping the entree of terrorists to economic resources ; and maximizing the capacity within the EU organic structures to look into and prosecute terrorists. Furthermore, all Member States would be obliged to move in solidarity in the instance of a terrorist onslaught, call uping all their resources. This step complements the List of Terrorist Organisations – that includes ideological groups of ETA – created by the European Council in 2003. Similarly, the United States of America, following a recommendation to better international coaction by the President of the Spanish Government, Jos & A ; eacute ; Mar & A ; iacute ; a Aznar, included this administration in their list of terrorist menaces.DecisionAs an illustration of an cultural struggle, the saving of patriotism and racial individuality in the Basque Country has been guaranteed through force – in the name of its tradition, history and national symbols – by those who perceive ancient heritage as an entitlement to self-government, and see their ethnicity as racially different from the remainder of Spain. Violent incursions were justified on these evidences. In conformity with old considerations, Sabino Arana realised that in order to salvage Basque cultural individuality ( including moral and spiritual values ) , patriotism would necessitate an exclusivist individuality. Therefore, one of the nucleus rules of Basque patriotism became & A ; lsquo ; integrity of race ‘ , maintained through extinguishing Spanish influence and migration ( Payne 1971:36-37 ) . In the Catalan and Galician Nationalist motions, rank can be gained through larning the linguistic communication and assimilative civilization. However, those wishing to fall in the PNV had to turn out that their first four family names ( subsequently merely one ) were & A ; lsquo ; etymologically ‘ Basque. Therefore, in pattern, Basque national individuality can non be acquired through acquisition of the linguistic communication or practicing of Basque traditions. There is no possibility of non-natives fall ining and as such, it is a really exclusivist motion ( Mees 2003: 12 ) . The Basque patriots encouraged a sense of a alone Basque racial pureness, different from the one of the maketos ( Conversi 1997: 60 ) , there is disapprobation of matrimony between Basques and non-Basques due to the proliferation of Spanish values instead than Basque values ( Flynn 2000: 154 ) and the belief that & amp ; lsquo ; compared to the Basques, the Spanish did non even represent a race of their ain, being a mix of many peoples ‘ ( Flynn 2000: 154 ) . There is non merely a strong racial component, but besides a strong spiritual one, with Basque patriots believing that there should be absolute subordination of the political domain to the spiritual one and of the province to the church ( Payne 1971: 38 ) . This racial stance has deductions for immigrants wishing to come and work in the Basque part. Radicalisation has happened at times of mass in-migration by non-Basques into the country, making an anti-migrant civilization within the community and a hatred for any thing non-Basque. Race and faith are the nucleus values of Basque Nationalism, non civilization, giving it an highly sole individuality.