Emerging From The Restrictive Culture Of The 1950 S Essay

Emerging from the restrictive culture of the 1950’s, the counterculture of the 1960s challenged the prescribed norms, roles and expectations of the previous generations that outcasted youth found restrictive and alienating. Baby Boomers retained the abstract goals of mainstream society; they sought individual freedom and opportunities for self-determination. But their vision of the American dream widened the traditional definitions of freedom to include bodily, psychological, and political freedoms. 60’s counterculture disagreed with the capitalist, patriarchal, white supremacist foundation of American life and turned against the traditional ideas of american identity in rebellion, seeking freedom and coexistence in an increasingly confined and competitive society. The generation that originated the counterculture of the 60’s, the Baby Boomers, grew up in a highly restrictive culture of uniformity and strict, Anglo-Christian morality. 1950’s America was thriving off of a post-war economic boom, and American exceptionalist mentality permeated social narratives, ever juxtaposing the US against the faceless enemy of communism and fascism. Still grappling with societal changes of WWII. Work in war industries had offered higher quality jobs, once inhabited by men, to working women. This created expectations of continued equal opportunities for women in the workforce. Women did continue to work when soldiers returned, but in lower wage non union service positions as they hadShow MoreRelatedHeights Is Good For The Jews By George J. Sanchez975 Words   |  4 Pagesview of the new suburban life emerging in California during the postwar years of the 1940s and 1950s. During this time, California was becoming heavily populated and was experiencing an increased demand for housing. In Holy Land, D.J. Waldie discussed the rise of the suburbs in Southern California, the creation of tract housing and shopping centers, and the 1950s illusion that everyone could be middle class (Waldie, 4-85). As suburban areas were developing and emerging within Southern California, aRead MoreImpact of Rhythm and Blues on African-American Culture Essay905 Words   |  4 Pagesinfluential genres of music within the African American Culture, and has evolved over many decades in style and sound. Emerging in the late 1940s rhythm and blues, sometimes called jump blues, became dominant black popular music during and after WWII. Rhythm and blues artists often sung about love, relationships, life troubles, and sometimes focused on segregation and race struggles. Rhythm and blues helped embody what was unique about black American culture and validate it as something distinctive and valuableRead MoreThe Beat Movement1122 Words   |  5 Pagesthe postwar economic boom of the mid-1950s nourished American idealism, a new generation began to question the dominant materialism of American society. Although the Beat generation began on paper, through the artistry of poets addressing the issues of capitalism, sexual identity, and the human condition, the bohemian ideals trended throughout America and consequently had a[ permanent impact on American culture.] Several nonconformist American writers of the 1950s gave birth to the Beat GenerationRead MoreSuperman And Batman And The Great Depression2174 Words   |  9 Pagesof World War II. Their names became legend Superman and Batman or as he was then known, the Bat-Man), Wonder Woman, Captain America and they re still with us today. A new exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles celebrates these icons from the Golden Age of Comic Books. Through a collection of rare original artwork and comics, the exhibit explores how a group of mostly Jewish artists created the costumed heroes who came to symbolize the hopes of a beleaguered nation.ln the 1930s, theRead MoreAmerican Fashion Influenced By The First Two Waves Of Feminism3820 Words   |  16 Pageslate 19th century and early 20th century, women fought for the right to vote, through protests, and eventually achieved this goal. Fashion was influenced during this time- going from conservative Victorian-style ways of dressing to more free ones. During the second wave of feminism, taking place in between the 1960’s and 1980’s, women fought for social and sexual freedom, through protests as well, and even going to Supreme Court, to lobby laws that encouraged women’s reproductive rights. The emergenceRead MoreInternational Business5797 Words   |  24 PagesUnited Nations most changes between 1992 and 2005 to laws governing FDI have resulted in a less favorable environment for FDI. FALSE 14. (p. 12) According to WTO data, the volume of world merchandise trade has grown faster than the world economy since 1950. TRUE 15. (p. 12) The expansion of world trade implies that nations are becoming less dependent on each other for important goods and services. FALSE 16. (p. 14) Moores Law predicts that the power of microprocessor technology doubles and its costRead More The World of Commercial Art and the International Art Market3310 Words   |  14 Pagesdevelopment of the arts. Therefore, the market limits the supply of art and antiques studying the consumer economic preference. Hence, market segmentation, division of labour and specialisation caused a division between high and low culture, and separate good art from junk art. In this way, the art market should select the talented artists in a free and wealthy society that allows a very large number of artists to have more opportunities becoming financially independent and to acquire artistic freedomRead MoreCritical Analysis of New Indian Economic Policy5290 Words   |  22 Pageslargest economy in the world and by purchasing power parity the fourth largest. Following strong economic reforms from the socialist inspired economy of Indian nation before the time of independence, the country began to develop a fast-paced economic growth, as free market principles were initiated in 1990 for international competition and foreign investment. India is an emerging economic power with a very large amount resources both natural and human resource and a growing large pool of skilledRead MoreMarketing Strategy Of Nissan Leaf2607 Words   |  11 Pagesdesigners, engineers, and leaders which transform the company mission and product to deliver a quality product and gain competitive advantage in the automotive industry. Nevertheless Nissan was also faced with critique in the late 1980’s and throughout majority of the 90’s for failure to meet certain r eliability and safety standards, which competitors such as Toyota and Honda excelled in. The organization transformed by focusing on the utilization of all available resources, implementing automation andRead MoreHonda Marketing Plan3660 Words   |  15 PagesPrimary Target Market Demographics Secondary Target markets 2.2 SWOT Analysis: 2.2.1 Strengths 2.2.2 Weaknesses 2.2.3 Opportunities 2.2.4 Threats 2.3 Competition Analysis 2.4 Keys to success 2.5 Macro Environment Analysis 2.5.1 Economy 2.5.2 Culture 2.5.3 Politics, Rules and Regulations 2.5.4 Technology 3.1 Mission Statement 3.2 Marketing Objectives 3.3 Financial objectives 3.4 Positioning strategy 3.5 Marketing Mix Strategies 3.5.1 Product Strategy 3.5.2 Price Strategy 3.5.3 Promotion

America s Post Racial Racism Essay - 2072 Words

Adolf Hitler, often touted a psychopath for his vile hatred and extermination of Jewish and other non-Aryan persons, possessed an incredible genius for rallying his German compatriots to war, nationalism, and acquiescence of mass murders. Rallying Germans to action required conditioning via propaganda. Propaganda in all forms of media helped radically shift the German perspective, not only to identifying themselves as superior to all other races, but also to viewing non-Germans and non-Eastern Europeans in subhuman ways with devastating results. While America has done away with distinct, polarizing forms of racial propaganda in its seedy history of racial oppression, more subtle yet equally damaging forms of propaganda have taken its place. American media is complicit in continuing the ideology of race-based â€Å"goodness,† intelligence, criminality, and superiority, even though many experts say otherwise, in what they currently term as America’s post-racial era. Despi te the election of President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, a post-racial America has never existed due to the fundamental and persistent criminalization of non-whites in media and utilization of propaganda in media to perpetuate white supremacy. A post-racial America has never existed due to the fundamental and persistent criminalization of non-whites in media. Accordingly, just as Nazi film propaganda success relied on repetitive messaging, visual images, appeals to emotional states and simple word usage (HerfShow MoreRelatedWhat Has Barack Obama s Election Victory? An Article Written By Paul Adjei And Jagjeet Gill947 Words   |  4 Pageskey features of What Has Barack Obama s Election Victory Got To Do With Race, an article written by Paul Adjei and Jagjeet Gill which debates the supposed post racial rhetoric that has unfolded in North America, through the inauguration of the first African American President in the United States of America. Although various theorists have characterized this time as a ‘post racial era,’ Adjei and Gill put forth the notion that while President Obama s election is a milestone in American historyRead MoreLetter From A Birmingham Jail And Barack Obama s A More Perfect Union 1304 Words   |  6 PagesIn Martin Luther King Jr. s Letter from a Birmingham Jail and Barack Obama s A More Perfect Union, both leaders discussed many of the same issues. The big theme in both was about race in the United States and becoming a much more unified nation despite our race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc. Both of these leaders also touched on the fact that in order to solve the problems in this country, we must be unified and work together. One quote that really stood out to me in Letter ofRead MoreEssence Of Post Racial America1476 Words   |  6 PagesFeb 2015 Essence of post-racial America Racialism is not merely an English words as simply as it look like. Racialism is complex social problem which excise since the establishing of United States. About 6 years ago, after Barack Obama win the presidential election, most Americans raise the theory of â€Å"post-racial† America. According to urban-dictionary s definition: post-racial is â€Å"a term used to describe a society or time period in which discussions around race and racism have been deemed no longerRead MoreEssay On Racism In America1326 Words   |  6 PagesRacism in America Since President Barack Obama In 2009 the first African America president was elected. Barack Obama, an American politician who served as our United States president from 2009 until 2017. During his time there has been a controversial discussion about how racism has begun its last mile. Many question, if racism now is worse now than it was in the 1960’s and has America entered a post-racial era? If so where does America stand on the race issue and what challenges have occurred inRead MoreRacism : Racial Discrimination And Injustice1257 Words   |  6 Pagescreated what people now know of as racism. For centuries, racism has been a part of society, shaping the way humans view each other, but with the aid of Young Women s Christian Association (YWCA) - Stand Against Racism, racial discrimination and injustice can be eliminated. All across the United States, African Americans are faced with racial prejudice, a negative attitude towards a group of people based on race — not on direct knowledge or experience. This kind of racial prejudice began in the 17thRead MoreRacism Is The Belief That Characteristics And Abilities Can Be Attributed1130 Words   |  5 PagesProfessor Falloon ENGWR 101 July 2, 2015 Racism in America Today Racism is the belief that characteristics and abilities can be attributed to people simply on the basis of their race and that some racial groups are superior to others. Racism leads to discrimination and prejudice towards minorities which leads to a lot of hate crime. Many people that have not had any racist remarks told to them would argue racism doesn t exist anymore. Sadly, this is not true. Racism today might not be as bad as it wasRead MoreRacial Injustice Is A Major Social Problem Essay1701 Words   |  7 PagesRacial Injustice Without any doubt, issues of racial injustice is a major social problem in our society. It not only affects how people view each other, but also how people interact and cooperate with each other. A lot of people are not aware of the racial issues that are still occurring in the United States, and even worldwide. It is an immense economic and social problem that is faced in communities. There are different forms of racism that is still seen currently in the judicial system, schoolRead MorePublic Perception On Police Profiling Essay1699 Words   |  7 PagesThe presidential election of Barak Obama has led many to believe that we live in a post-racial society. If an African-American candidate has been elected in a predominantly white nation, this must signify that the U.S. does not have barriers that hinder African-Americans and other people of color from accessing opportunities or that we live in a color-blind society – in which race is not an issue. However, public perception on police profiling and the fairness of our justice system, public supportRead MoreAddress Racial Inequalities : Past And Present1247 Words   |  5 Pagesaddress Racial Inequalities: Past and Present Introduction It is no secret that racial inequalities exist today and have for many years now. They have existed at many levels including institutional, collective, and personal. In this paper, I plan to show how previous policies created these inequalities, and explain how we can address these issues at all levels. I will also show which policies have had an impact on minorities in contributing to greater equality. For racial inequalityRead MoreDiscrimination : Discrimination And Discrimination1161 Words   |  5 Pagesinstitutions are reluctant to give important and commanding posts to women†¦ †¢ Gender discrimination is also evident in social life of America†¦ 2. Religious Discrimination †¢ Treating or Valuing group or person differently because of what they believe in is religious discrimination†¦ †¢ Most Americans see beliefs of Native American as superstitious†¦ †¢ Catholics of Irish background were thought to be heavy drinkers and lazy . . . 3. Racial Discrimination †¢ Poverty is a big source of discrimination in

My Adventure free essay sample

As I walked into the building I felt my heart pulsating in my chest. My body temperature rose until my face was flushed and my hands were cold. My whole body shook as in an earthquake. I could feel my heartbeat travel all the way down to my feet. I told myself to pull it together. In five hours this would all be over. As I walked I seemed to draw the attention of strange people. They sized me up and down and led me down a long hallway, up some old wooden stairs and into a room. They told me to wait there until someone came to get me. I looked around. There were barren walls and tables covered with papers. Chairs were stacked against the wall and I noticed another doorway. Afraid of what I might find, I quietly sat down. I waited 20 minutes until a frazzled women came running up the stairs. We will write a custom essay sample on My Adventure or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page She smiled and said she was very excited to see me. I smiled back and felt a sigh of relief. All the pressures and tension that had built up in my body seemed to float away. She was extremely nice and told me I would fit right in. She told me to go downstairs and start right away. With the confidence she gave me, I felt I could conquer the world. I knew I had the skills and the personality to do a good job. As I rounded the comer to see where I would be, I stared in awe. Shiny glass objects and all the candies in the world were placed neatly on the counter. Naive, I didnt realize people were laughing at my excitement. They knew exactly what I was getting into. Just then I heard a high screaming voice. I looked around and saw a little red-haired boy crying and pointing at me. The whole store turned and stared at me. I was scared and confused, and wondered why such a small boy was even screaming at me. I never did anything to him; I didnt even know him. I tried to figure out what the boy was saying by reading his lips. They quivered as they spoke in a shaky voice. Finally I figured out what he was saying Lollipop. That was the first of many adventures as I sold candy at the Marlborough Country Barn. I was excited because it was my very first job, but that excitement was quickly replaced with the screams and cries of little children begging their parents to buy them candy, or the mad rush of cleats running over to my small counter to decide what candy they wanted as a reward for winning that afternoons soccer game. No matter what I faced with little children, I still went to work and put up with them. Now I quietly snicker every time I see a new candy girl at the Barn. My Adventure free essay sample Beep, Beep, Beep. Ugh stupid alarm. I wake up and my room is black and silent. All I want to do is pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep. The breeze prevents me from getting out of bed. Then I think to myself, I’m going fishing. Yes. Sprinting around my room to find some warm clothes, I dress in layers for when the sun comes up. Out of my room, to the kitchen, I tip toe as my mother is still sound asleep. I grab the food I prepared the night before. I made sure to pack some Ginger Snaps in case someone gets sick. Once everything and everyone is packed up in the car the adventure begins. No cars on the road, it seems as if you shouldn’t be out at 4:00 a.m. Pit stop. Everyone out. It’s my turn to treat to coffee. We will write a custom essay sample on My Adventure or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page After a lengthy car ride we arrive at Port Washington. Captain Bill has the boat all ready to go for us. As we board â€Å"The Office† the engines are starting. My heart is rumbling. As we are leaving the dock I’m called up top to cover the most important job?I am now the captain. Steer right, Steer left. My duty is to not tangle the lines. When you have 12 lines trailing behind the boat that means you have to pay attention at all times, while doing so you can’t hit any boats in front of you. (Captain Bill says â€Å"you can only hit the other boats if they are white so it doesn’t leave a mark.†) Now we wait. FISH ON, FISH ON. My brother grabs the rod. I grab the book to record all of the information like the type of lure, and the water depth the fish was at. â€Å"Oh no, I think I lost it,† says Alex. He isn’t very gentle. But I love my brother. Now we wait. FISH ON, FISH ON. It’s my turn. I grab the rod and start cranking. Nice and easy keeping the rod tip up. It just keeps taking out line and I’m thinking, who is going to win this fight? The fish or me? It’s getting worn out. Closer, closer, closer. Finally it’s in the net. I hold the king salmon up to take a picture and then it’s time to weigh it. 15lbs. That is pretty big for a king salmon. It is getting late in the afternoon and my stomach is growling, so we pack up and head for land. Now that we all have our land legs back it is time to clean the fish. My name may mean princess but I defiantly am not. I jump right in the action and clean my fish. Captain Bill says, â€Å"Great job today Kailey.†

Female colonial Poetry Essay Example

Female colonial Poetry Paper Read the quotation from To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty. Great God, direct, and guard him from on high, And from his head let evry evil fly! How does the couplet form support the meaning of the lines? by completing the speakers thought Read the excerpt from To My Dear Loving Husband. If ever two were one, then surely we. If ever man were lovd by wife, then thee; If ever wife was happy in a man, Compare with me ye women if you can. What is the rhyme scheme in these line A,A,B,B Read the quotation from To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty. We will write a custom essay sample on Female colonial Poetry specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Female colonial Poetry specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Female colonial Poetry specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer And may each clime with equal gladness see A monarchs smile can set his subjects free! Wheatley uses the word free in these lines to suggest that the king has the potential to make his subjects happy What is the effect of the couplets in To My Dear Loving Husband and To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty? They allow a poet a link lines of poetry together using sound A theme expressed in both To My Dear Loving Husband and To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty is . gratitude and loyalty The theme best expressed in To My Dear Loving Husband and To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty is . respect and adoration How does Bradstreet use figurative language throughout To My Dear Loving Husband to develop the theme? Her comparisons emphasize her undying love for her husband Read the quotation from To My Dear Loving Husband. I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold, Or all the riches that the East doth hold. These lines contain an example of hyperbole Which statement best describes how Wheatleys word choice in To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty expresses her colonial values Using hyperbole, it stresses admiration and praise for the king How does each poets use of figurative language contribute to the overall meaning of To My Dear Loving Husband and To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty? Wheatleys use of hyperbole accentuates her respect for the king; Bradstreet use of hyperbole shows how greatly the speaker values her husbands love

Arab-American essays

Arab-American essays Writing a self-reflective tirade is perhaps one of the most difficult tasks to perform. The part of my life that I am going to make known to you, is a subject that I myself have been wondering about. I have found myself pondering this topic for an unusually long time; I decided to write about my culture the one thing about myself which I understand the least. This question which is so easy for others to answer often leads me into a series of complicated explanations, "I was born in the U.S., to an American mother and an Arabic father. I am now nearly twenty-six, which means I have spent half of my life being Arabic, and the other half trying to be American, or is it the other way around? I do not consider myself Arab-American. I am too "Americanized" to be Arabic, (although by birthright, I am American). So what does all this have to do with my culture, what does a label really matter to cultural identity? It matters much. I believe that this seemingly trivial confusion over labels reveals the even greater confusion that surrounds my cultural identity: Am I a bridge between these two multifaceted cultures, or have I become a mosaic displaying colors from here and there, and elsewhere too? Perhaps both, and I could be a colorful bridge, or perhaps neither. Whatever the case, I cannot seem to separate these absolutely disparate realities within me. Their forces are still clashing, coming together within me, creating an extraordinary mystery out of me. I believe that to truly analyze my culture, the roots of this confusion must be explored. I must try to encompass the widths of two worlds, their unique interactions within me...which I hope constitute what is called cu lture. I am an alien of sorts. I am an alien in my own country... but what is my own country? I am an alien wherever I go. In the Middle East, my lack of Arabic reveals my American leanings. In the U.S., my appearance has marked me as a "minority." Being bi-cultu ...

Dark Quotes About Life from Oscar Winner American Beauty

Dark Quotes About Life from Oscar Winner 'American Beauty' In the cult film American Beauty, no one is who they seem. The movie touches upon dysfunctional families, which may look picture-perfect on the outside.  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹American Beauty is a dark satire- a profoundly complex, yet brilliantly executed movie that tells you a tale you didnt want to hear.  It is a thought-provoking, incisive movie with a message that each family is special in its own way.​ Review the main characters and read a compilation of some of the best lines from this classic 90s movie. The Main Characters Lester Burnham  is a middle-aged non-achiever- a father with a boring career. His deadpan voiceover as the narrator communicates his lack of enthusiasm. For him, life is nothing but a series of repetitive, boring menial tasks. Beneath his patient and subservient exterior lies a frustrated man, hungry for love and recognition.Carolyn Burnham is  Lester Burnhams obnoxious and overbearing wife. Carolyn is also a character with many colors. She obsesses over every detail, often overriding her familys views to suit her whims. She is driven and capable of going to extremes to achieve her ends, but beneath her abrasive surface lies a person who is frustrated, fearful and sexually bored.  Jane Burnham,  the teenage daughter of Lester and Carolyn, suffers from an inferiority complex. She is frustrated, insecure, and depressed. She is ashamed of her parents  and is disturbed by their incessant quarrels and selfish pursuits. Jane can’t stand it when her dad lusts after her best friend Angela.Angela Hayes, who visits the Burnham family, is not without flaws. Beneath her gorgeous looks and mellifluous voice, she is a narcissist, obsessed with her looks and her desirability quotient with men. She has no qualms about the fact that her best friends father is lusting for her, and she seduces him further. Her overtly sexual aura is a facade to hide the deeply cracked insecure disaster within. Lester Quotes My name is Lester Burnham. This is my neighborhood; this is my street; this is my life. I am 42 years old; in less than a year I will be dead.   Our marriage is just for show. A commercial for how normal we are when were anything but. Both my wife and daughter think Im this gigantic loser. I didnt lose my job. Its not like Whoops! Where did my job go? I quit. Remember those posters that said, Today is the first day of the rest of your life? Well, thats true with every day except one: the day that you die. I feel like Ive been in a coma for the past twenty years. And Im just now waking up. This isnt life, its just stuff. And its become more important to you than living. Well, honey, thats just nuts. Carolyn Quotes Dont you mess with me, mister, or Ill divorce you so fast itll make your head spin! There happens to be a lot about me that you dont know, Mr. Smarty Man. Theres plenty of joy in my life. Well, I see youre smoking pot now. I think using psychotropic drugs is a very positive example to set for our daughter. Oh, you dont complain? Then I must be psychotic, then! What is this? Yeah, lets bring in the laugh-meter and see how loud it gets. Jane Quotes And well always be freaks and well never be like other people, and youll never be a freak because youre just too... perfect! I know you think my dads harmless, but youre wrong. Angela Quotes I dont think that theres anything worse than being ordinary. Everything thats meant to happen does. You want to have, like, ten thousand of his babies. Quotes by Other Characters My dad thinks I paid for all this with catering jobs. Never underestimate the power of denial. – Rocky Fitts Shes not your friend. Shes just someone you use to feel better about yourself. – Ricky Fitts But it helps me remember... I need to remember... Sometimes theres so much beauty in the world, I feel like I cant take it, and my heart is just going to cave in. – Ricky Fitts In order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all times. – Buddy Kane

Discuss the role of game theory and the problems faced by the managers Essay

Discuss the role of game theory and the problems faced by the managers in decision making of a firm operating in an oligopoly market - Essay Example The common characteristics of an oligopolistic market are product differentiation, barriers to entry, inter-reliant decision making amongst the organizations and non-price rivalry between the organizations1. Each organization in the oligopolistic market generally produces differentiated or branded products. The entry barriers to the oligopolistic form of market are very high which averts the weakening of the competition in the market. The few dominant organizations in the oligopoly market hence earn the maximum profits. However, these organizations are interdependent and have to consider the reaction of their competitors prior to making any decision regarding price change, production level or choice of non-price rivalry. The non-price rivalry amongst the oligopolistic organizations could be in various forms. A few of the non-price rivalry strategies are product diversification, brand development, and widespread after-sales services among others2. Owing to the interdependent nature of the organizations operating in an oligopolistic market structure, the manager of such organizations has to implement strategic decision-making so that the business decisions made by them are the most beneficial one for their organization. Strategic decision-making requires the managers of a particular organization to make presumptions about how the competing organizations would respond to any choice they make. Such kinds of business decisions are very complicated in nature and the results of these decisions are also very indecisive owing to the inter-reliance amongst the organizations. The game theory is considered to be one of the imperative tools utilized by the managers of oligopolistic organizations in the process of strategic decision-making. The concept of game theory is the analysis of models of disagreement and cooperation amongst rational as well as smart decision makers3. This study reviews the function of game theory in the decision making

The Dragonfly Film Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Dragonfly Film Analysis - Essay Example This "The Dragonfly Film Analysis" describes the general characteristic of the short movies and "The Dragonfly" movie. The film begins with the young boy seen running through a long hallway and down a series of stairs, through a parking garage and into a darkened park. There is then a sudden flashback to this same boy lying on his stomach on his bed and drawing. The film then begins to jump back and forth between the boy running in the present and moving about his room in the very recent past. In this past, he is seen several times looking out at the night and the full moon that seems to float just outside his reach, most often from the outside ground perspective. This has the effect of reducing the boy to a tiny lonely face peering out of a single lit window among a bank of darkened windows. As the boy reaches the safety of the playground, the flashbacks illustrate the boy’s caretakers coming home, obviously drunk and stumbling, and beginning to argue as they push their way u p the narrow stairs. This is what caused the boy to run. The film ends as the boy swings on a swing to try to touch the moon and magically transforms himself into a glittering green dragonfly that flutters away into the night. The pace of the film is deliberate and quick. With only a five minute duration, it is necessary for the story to be told quickly and there is not a lot of time for excess dialogue. The boy is seen running through much of the film, giving it a stronger sense of urgency in its approach in addition its short duration.

Water Parks Essay Example for Free

Water Parks Essay Journal of Hospitality Marketing Management. 2011, Vol. 20 Issue 3/4, p407-424. 18p. 1 Diagram, 3 Charts. Document Type: Article Subject Terms: *TOURISM *TOURIST attractions *TRAVEL *AMUSEMENT parks *FAMILIES Author-Supplied Keywords: fun grounded theory push-pull theme park Tourism motivation travel ladder NAICS/Industry Codes: 713110 713110 Abstract: This study revealed the motivation constructs for visiting Legoland Windsor tourist attraction. Data was collected from visiting families using semistructured interviews and nonparticipant observations. Grounded theory was employed and the construct of fun that emerged as the main motivator for families to visit was deconstructed into its push-pull parts using traditional and revised push-pull frameworks, and contrasted to the travel career ladder model. The study offered an insight into the notion of fun as a motivator for families to visit a theme park. More importantly, by deconstructing the notion of fun associated with family theme park, a touristic setting, this study offered a significant contribution to knowledge; it provided a theorization of the concept, touristic fun, previously undertheorized. It also contributed to the literature on motivation, particularly, to visiting family theme parks. The study has also several implications for the development, management, and marketing of attractions of this type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]. Copyright of Journal of Hospitality Marketing Management is the property of Taylor Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holders express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. Copyright applies to all Abstracts. Author Affiliations: 1Faculty of Design, Media and Management, Bucks New University, High Wycombe Campus, Buckinghamshire, England ISSN: 19368623 DOI: 10. 1080/19368623. 2011. 562431 Accession Number: 60294239 Database: Academic Search Premier Source: Arabia 2000, 01/30/2013 Document Type: Article Abstract: Doha, January 30 (QNA) Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) is encouraging all families in Qatar to ‘Reach Out By Having Fun at the 6th Wheels ‘n Heels Family Fun Day, taking place on Friday 8th February at the Museum of Islamic Art Park on the Doha Corniche. Accession Number: 6FI3145240364 Database: Newspaper Source Translate Full Text: HTML Full Text Reach Out by Having Fun at 6th Wheels ‘n Heels Family Fun Day Doha, January 30 (QNA) Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) is encouraging all families in Qatar to ‘Reach Out By Having Fun at the 6th Wheels ‘n Heels Family Fun Day, taking place on Friday 8th February at the Museum of Islamic Art Park on the Doha Corniche. Launching Qatars premier community event of the year during a press conference at the Qatar Foundation Recreation Center, Board Member H. E Dr. Sheikha Aisha bint Falah Al Thani was joined by representatives from Wheels ‘n Heels 2013 Flagship Sponsor Maersk Oil Qatar and Leadership Sponsor Commercial Bank Qatar to launch the annual event which encourages Qatar to live a healthy lifestyle. Launching Wheels ‘n Heels 2013 HE Sheikha Aisha bint Falah Al Thani said: â€Å"It is with great excitement that we announce the 6th Wheels n Heels Family Fun Day. For this years event at the Museum of Islamic Art Park, a long list of celebrities, entertainers and sports stars are joining and helping ROTA promote the health benefits of regular exercise, healthy diet and enjoying life. † On the day that families across Qatar comes out to enjoy and play, Wheels ‘n Heels 2013 partners with the final stage of the Tour of Qatar to give families the opportunity to cycle the same circuit used by the professional cyclists, as well as take part in fitness activities and watch celebrities perform on The Stage. All family members are invited to climb aboard a bike, jump on a skateboard or lace up a pair of trainers to complete The Circuit as adults, children and celebrities jog, walk, cycle or wheelchair three kilometres along the Doha Corniche to help ROTA raise fund to provide quality education to 48 million children in need across Asia. In partnership with Flagship Sponsor Maersk Oil Qatar, Wheels ‘n Heels 2013 is making a special effort to promote Action on Diabetes, an initiative supported by Maersk Oil Qatar which is designed to deliver the Emir H. H Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thanis vision of a healthier and prosperous Qatar by 2030. Speaking at the press conference, Maersk Oil Qatars, Mr. Faisal Al Medehkah Head of Social Investment said: â€Å"Maersk Oil Qatar is very proud to support Wheels ‘n Heels as a flagship sponsor. With our partners from ‘Action on Diabetes, we will also be setting up our diabetes awareness village to compliment the event activities. Healthy lifestyles are a very important factor in preventing Type 2 diabetes, and we are pleased to join with ROTA at this important event†. The Action on Diabetes village has already proved very successful – attracting more than 15,000 thousand visitors during a 4-day Katara event in November 2012. Specialists from Supreme Health Council, Qatar Diabetes Association, Hamad Medical Corporation, the Primary Health Care Corporation, and Novo Nordisk, partners with Maersk Oil in the Action on Diabetes project will be at hand to offer diabetes testing and provide advice on preventing and managing diabetes. â€Å"We have a strong corporate social responsibility programme that proactively makes a sustainable and positive impact on the Qatari society. Our social investment activities are largely focused in the areas of health, education, capacity building, and the environment – where we believe we can make a positive contribution that supports development in the State of Qatar† added Mr. Faisal. Kids Zone is guaranteed to keep the kids occupied for hours with non-stop live entertainment, bouncy castles, face painting and a whole lot of fun games, interactive sports and performances by well-known singers and dancers. The Childhood Cultural Centre, founded under the initiative of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser to encourage, support and develop social growth in Qatar, will be providing books and arts and crafts materials to Wheels ‘nHeels 2013. Reach Out To Asia is thrilled to announce a top-class collection of singers, dancers and musicians will be keeping the crowds entertained on the Wheels ‘n Heels Stage. Meanwhile, childrens entertainers will ensure the kids enjoy themselves while a host of local and international celebrities and sports stars take part in the Wheels ‘n Heels Autograph Signing session. ‘Stay Active and Healthy will be the message in the Active Health Zone as kids and adults learn more about first aid, how to prevent accidents. even get a free health checkups. Civil Defense staff will also be on hand to teach young ones the importance of road safety, traffic rules, fire safety and how to use a fire extinguisher. If you have the energy, join Aspire, the Qatar Cycling Federation and the Girls on the Go who promise hours of fun sports and fitness activities for the whole family. Commenting on behalf of Commercial bank, Abdulla Saleh Al Raisi, Deputy CEO, said: â€Å"We are proud to be †Leadership Sponsorsâ€Å" of ROTA Wheels ‘n Heels 2013 because we firmly believe in doing our part to support initiatives that benefit society as a whole, especially initiatives that promote the values of education and healthier lifestyles two values that are particularly close to our heart. ROTA Wheels ‘n Heels fundraising plans also inspire with the spirit of reaching out to people less fortunate in need of support, and encourage with its sense of the possible, and at Commercial bank we believe ‘everything is possible. We look forward to supporting ROTA to achieve its plans, and enjoying a fun-filled family day next month. † The Big Screen, a large outdoor screen showing Wheels ‘n Heels activities, sponsor information, entertainment from The Stage and inspirational ROTA videos, to ensure everyone can follow all the Wheels ‘n Heels action. Ensuring everyone has enough energy to enjoy the entire six hours of Wheels ‘n Heels excitement, the Wheels ‘n Heels Food Zone provides a selection of tasty, healthy snacks and drinks throughout the day. As well as the invaluable support of Flagship Sponsors Maersk Oil Qatar and Leadership Sponsor Commercial Bank Qatar, ROTA Strategic Partner Qatar Cycling Federation and a number of Qatari organisations will be demonstrating their corporate social responsibility by participating in the event as Wheels ‘n Heels Partners: Civil Defense, Qtel, Qatar National Cancer Society, Qatar Institute for the Elderly and National Programs. â€Å"ROTA encourages the families of Qatar to say yes to a healthy lifestyle by taking part in a community day of celebration on the 8th February. Come along to the Museum of Islamic Art and enjoy the entertainment, take part in the fun activities and donate to ROTA projects which support children and communities in Qatar and across Asia, also I would like to address special invitation to all schools in Qatar to join us at the circuit† says ROTA Executive Director, Mr. Essa Al Mannai. (QNA) ? ?,f l QNA 1329 GMT 2013/01/30 Copyright 2013 by Qatar News Agency Distributed by UPI Copyright of Arabia 2000 is the property of Arabia 2000. The copyright in an individual article may be maintained by the author in certain cases. Content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holders express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. Source: Arabia 2000, Jan 30, 2013 Item: 6FI3145240364.

Benedict Arnolds Treason Essay -- essays research papers

After defeating British troops in Saratoga, Congress made Benedict Arnold a major general in the Continental Army. Washington wrote a commendation saying that Arnold was a brave officer. Despite the promotion, Arnold remained at the bottom of the list. There were four other major generals superior to him. Arnold was soon off once again to help the northern army. Ticonderoga had fallen back into enemy hands. British General John Burgoyne and his troops were moving rapidly down from Canada toward Albany. Arnold fell under the leadership of General Horatio Gates. Arnold and Gates were complete opposites. Gates appeared cautious and calculating while Benedict was persistent and hasty. Gates held position on an area overlooking the Hudson River. His plan was to wait for an attack. He knew that the British were low on supplies from their long march from Canada and planned on using that to his advantage. Arnold disagreed, urging Gates to attack General Burgoyne during his progress. However, Gates didn’t trust Benedict or believe in his tactics. Once the battle begun there was no holding back. Disobeying Gates orders, Arnold led a furious attack. Upon the barrage of bullets swarming the battlefield, Arnold was shot in the leg. Ironically this was the same leg that had been wounded in t he battle at Montreal. Thanks to Arnold’s valiant effort General Burgoyne and his men were faced with retreating. Over six hundred British soldiers were killed. On October 16, General Burgoyne surrendered his sword to General Gates, instead of Arnold. This had disgruntled Arnold greatly, given that it was his brilliant, tactical assessment that forced the British army to surrender. This had made the victory bittersweet threw his perspective. Following the battle, Arnold lay in an Albany hospital for three months. Arnold left the hospital with a â€Å"fracture box† around his bad leg. Gates distort over Arnold’s disobedience stripped him of his rank. However, the Continental Congress restored his rank as a reward for Arnold’s spirited efforts. After Ticonderoga, Arnold was having problems getting reimbursements from Congress for his expenses. Unfortunately, Arnold lacked receipts for those purchases. Arnold felt his loyalty and honor were in question given that Congress was slow to react to Arnold’s claim. Soon after Washington requested that Arnold come to Valley Forge to converse his ... ...d to the point. He remitted Arnold a draft of 6,000 pounds. Generous as the British were to Arnold, they never completely trusted him as an officer in their service. Though he conducted a raid into Virginia and led the tragic expedition to New London, the British declined to give him a high command. After Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown, Arnold took his family to London, where he received both respect and admiration, but no employment. Later, he moved to Canada- to St. John, New Brunswick and entered the shipping business. Eventually, Arnold moved his family back to London and tried to secure command when the war with revolutionary France broke out. Denied an opportunity to return to military, he traded with the West Indies, where he was greatly appreciated. Rejected once more in an effort to help the military, Arnold died in 1801, forlorn and almost forgotten in Britain. His wife out lived him by three years, but had the satisfaction of seeing her children have respectable careers and attain mild fame. If none has achieved such military importance as their ancestor, the tireless â€Å"Dark Eagle† as the Indians called him, none has put self-interest or injured pride before honor.

René Descartes Essay

Philosophy begins as an art of wondering. This art of wondering, leads man into asking a number of questions about himself and the world around him. Variations in philosophical thoughts as result questions posed by man, help in modification of philosophy. The purpose of this essay therefore, is to do a comparative analysis of Sophie’s World by Josteen Gaarder with three philosophical texts: George Berkeley’s Treatise on Human Knowledge, John Locke’s Essay on Human Understanding and Rene Descartes’ Passions of the Soul. We shall also show the roles of authors and texts in Philosophy. TREATISE ON HUMAN KNOWLEDGE VERSUS SOPHIE’S WORLD One of the outstanding efforts of Berkeley in this work was to show that the world exists as it does because of the ideas perceived by the mind of God and as such, existence of things depends on their perception through the senses. Likewise in Sophie’s World, Aristotle through his belief showed a similarity with Berkeley’s stance in this text Treatise of Human Understanding. For Aristotle, highest degree of reality is what we perceive with our senses. Berkeley also said that existence is the state of being perceived by a perceiver, but on the contrary, Descartes in Sophie’s World believed that he exists because he thinks. It furthermore means that his existence depends on his ability to think. He used such words like cogito ergo sum (latin) and je pense, donc je suis (French) all meaning `I think therefore I am` to illuminate his thesis on this. Plato while stressing the sovereignty of reason in Sophie’s World said that the reason can only give us the true reality of things and as such contradicted the empiricist approach of Berkeley. ESSAY ON HUMAN UNDERSTANDING VERSUS SOPHIE’S WORLD John Locke illuminated in this work that idea is derived from experience of sensation or reflection, just like it reflected in Sophie’s World in which his fellow empiricists likewise stressed the inevitability of experience as the source of true knowledge. David Hume in particular established that man has two types of perceptions, namely: impressions and ideas. By `impressions` he means the external sensations of reality. By `ideas` he means the recollections of such impressions. Aristotle the trail blazer of empiricism, in alignment with the empiricists believed our reason to be completely empty until we have sensed something. John Locke in this book made an attempt to refute the notion of `innate ideas` by proving that it does not exist, whereas in Sophie’s World, philosopher like Plato believed in an innate idea, an external world of ideas outside of the natural world. Descartes even believed that the idea of God is innate. PASSIONS OF THE SOUL VERSUS SOPHIE’S WORLD Descartes defined passions of the soul as a mental state or thought that arises as a direct result of brain activity and such passions can move us to action. He also suggested that one needs to learn to control one’s passions, for they can move one to perform vicious acts. Benedict Spinosa in Sophie’s World, suggested that we must free ourselves from our feelings and passions only then shall we find happiness. Conversely, also in Sophie’s World, the Epicureans through the teachings of Aristippus believed that the aim of life is to attain the highest possible pleasure or passions and by so doing, they contradict Descartes belief. AN EYE ON THE ROLES OF AUTHORS AND TEXTS IN PHILOSOPHY Authors in philosophy play incredible roles in modification of philosophy through their texts. There various attempts to answer the underlying questions of nature and man have led to the developments of dialectical methods like thesis, antithesis and synthesis used in philosophy today. An eye on the three authors and philosophers: Descartes, Berkeley and Locke whose works where compared with Sophie’s World above showed the vital role they played in philosophy. While Descartes was a rationalist, Berkeley and Locke were empiricists, but through their texts, they contributed in `epistemology` or theory of knowledge. CONCLUSION Having done these comparisons, we can see the successful deduction of similarities and differences between the Sophie’s World and three aforementioned philosophical texts. I attest that Sophie’s World is necessary philosophical paraphernalia needed by a neophyte in Philosophy as seen from its versatility in the course of this comparison done, and also how it covered aspects of history of Philosophy in such a sublime manner. POPE JOHN PAUL II MAJOR SEMINARY OKPUNO, AWKA NAME: UMENABA BENJAMIN C COURSE: INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY COURSE CODE: PHIL 101 REG NO: PJPS/NAU/013/O69 LECTURER: REV. FR DR. AUGUSTINE OBUROTA TOPIC: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SOPHIE’S WORLD WITH THREE PHILOSOPHY TEXTS WITH AN EYE ON ROLES OF AUTHORS AND TEXTS IN PHILOSOPHY DATE: 28TH NOVEMBER, 2012 OUTLINES INTRODUCTION TREATISE ON HUMAN KNOWLEDGE VERSUS SOPHIE’S WORLD ESSAY ON HUMAN UNDERSTANDING VERSUS SOPHIE’S WORLD PASSIONS OF THE SOUL VERSUS SOPHIE’S WORLD AN EYE ON THE ROLES OF AUTHORS AND TEXTS IN PHILOSOPHY CONCLUSION.

Psychology †Pretty Little Liars Style Essay

Psychology The science of behavior and mental processes Nature vs. Nurture The controversy over the impact which genes and experiences have on psychological behaviors. Just like in the Bad Seed (performed at Rosewood High,) psychologists wonder if evil is something inherited or learned. Basic Research Science whose main goal is to increase the scientific knowledge base. Applied Research Scientific studies which aim to solve practical problems, like forensics being used to determine if the Liars’ evidence is real. Clinical Psychology A branch of Psychology which studies psychological disorders. Mona would have to have seen a clinical psychologist†¦ that chick cray. Psychiatry A branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders, with physicians who often give medicine to their patients. Empiricism The concept that knowledge comes from experience via the senses, while science comes from observation and experimentation. Jenna had lost the sense of sight, so in a strange, empirical sense, she could be less knowledgeable than the Liars†¦ if not, she certainly is more crazy. Hindsight Bias The tendency to believe that after a known outcome a person had known it all along. Reminiscent of people claiming they had known Toby is part of the A team†¦ It can’t be true!! False Consensus Effect The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors. Similar to how Spencer completely opened up to Toby, assuming that there was no way he was involved with A. Illusory Correlation Surely connected to the phrase â€Å"correlation is not causation,† this is the perception of a relationship where none exists. Similar to how Noel kept imagining a relationship between himself and Aria. Independent Variable The experimental factor which is being manipulated and whose effect is being studied†¦ ust like how A manipulates the Liars to watch them crack. Dependent Variable The experimental factor which is being measured. A manipulates the Liars to see how far she can get them to crack. Evolutionary Approach The study of psychology using the principles of natural selection. A seems to follow Darwin’s theories, eliminating the weakest of the NAT club one by one. Biological Approach The study of Psychology linking psychological progresses and biology, such as genetics. This is similar to A’s belief that Aria would have an affair with Ezra simply because her father had also had a student-teacher relationship. Behavior Genetics Approach A theory which determines how our environment influences our individual differences. The Liars all had secrets similar to the ones their parents had kept, be it lying, cheating, or stealing. Psychoanalytic Approach Studies using Freud’s theories on how the unconscious drives our behavior. Humanistic Approach Emphasize the growth potential of healthy people†¦. such as the ever beautiful Keegan Allen. Structuralism An early school of psychology which used introspection to explore the structure of the human mind. Similar to how Dr. Sullivan asked Hanna to think back about her relationship with Alison to help her move past her death. Functionalism A school of psychology which focused on how mental process allow an organism to adapt, survive, and flourish. In the movie Psycho (scenes from which were replicated in the episode â€Å"unmAsked†) Bates had become his mother in order to cope with his life and adapt to his condition. Human Factors Psychology The study of how people and machines interact. For instance, how the Liars are so reliant on their cellphones, even though that’s what brings them misery. Bottoms-Up Processing Perception, or analysis of sensory information, which begins with the sense receptor and works up to the brains integration of sensory information. Aria and Emily had first seen Caleb talking on the phone, and after listening to him talk, they then interpreted his conversation to mean that he was lying to Hanna. Top-Down Processing A form of higher level mental process which constructs perceptions based on experience and expectation, more similar to how Spencer learns information. Sensory Adaptation Diminished sensitivity in consequence of constant stimulation. Similar to Paige’s concern over the fact that Emily has become so used to â€Å"A† that she no longer realizes the danger she constantly is in. Associative Learning Learning that two events occur together, typically stimuli and a consequence. Similar to the Liars becoming convinced that every ad thing that happens to them is linked to â€Å"A†. Behaviorism The view that Psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Many people had believed that Mona was not truly sick because of her mental state, but merely because of her objective behavior. Classical Conditioning A learning style where an organism associates stimuli. Pavlov’s study of dogs salivating was a large factor. The Liars had received texts from â€Å"A† and got scared, now simply hearing their phone go off is enough to scare them. Unconditioned Response The unlearned response in classical conditioning, in this case, the fear behind the texts. Unconditioned Stimulus The stimulus which naturally triggers a response. In this case, â€Å"A†. Conditioned Response The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus. The Liars learned to fear their cellphones. Stimulus An irrelevant stimulus which eventually becomes a stimulus in classical conditioning. In this case the Liars’ cell phones. Conditioned Generalization The tendency once a response is conditioned, for similar stimuli to issue the same response. For instance, if the Liars were to then fear their computers and other technology as well. Acquisition The initial stage in classical conditioning where the stimulus first elicits a response. Like when the Liars first jumped after hearing Aria’s cell phone ring at Alison’s funeral. Extinction The diminishing of a conditioned response, such as after Mona was found to be â€Å"A. † Operant Conditioning A learning style where behavior is strengthened following reinforcement or diminished by punishment. Like â€Å"A† terrorizing the Liars to punish them for how they acted around Alison. Law of Effect Thordike’s principles that behavior followed by favorable consequences become more likely and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely. For instance, Byron stopped having affairs after Alison blackmailed him in punishment for his actions. Operant Chamber The â€Å"Skinner Box† used to teach rats to hit a bar in order to obtain food or water. Shaping An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of a desired goal, like guiding mice to a specific area of a cage. â€Å"A† does this to lure Spencer into the fun house at the founders day festival. Fixed-Interval Schedule In operant conditioning, a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response only after a specific amount of time. Similar to having a paycheck and a specified pay day, which Ashley did have, but it just didn’t seem to be enough. Variable-Ratio Schedule A schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response at an unpredictable amount of responses. Similar to Lucas and his gambling problem. Latent Learning Subject matter which is learned but not demonstrated, such as Mona pretending to be less intelligent then she really is. Overjustification Act When you reward someone for doing something they already like to do, such as Emily winning anchor. They won’t see it as a reward, but that doesn’t mean former psychopaths like Paige won’t see it that way. Neuron A nerve cell, the basic building block of the nervous system. Just like how Alison was the main building block of the Liars. Dendrites The branching extensions of a neuron that receive impulses, such as the Liars receiving information from A. Axon The extension of a neuron through which messages are sent to other neurons or to muscles or glands. Toby was an extension of Spencer who sent out messages as A. Myelin Sheath A layer of tissue that encases neurons. It enables faster transmission of neural impulses. The Liars’ families and their secrets protect the Liars, yet A uses them to get across their message more clearly. Threshold The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural response. After finding Toby was A, Spencer’s threshold for tolerating Mona sunk to an all-time low. Acetylcholine A neurotransmitter that triggers muscle contraction. Such as the neurotransmitter that makes Pretty Little Liars fans twitch every time Toby comes on screen. Central Nervous System The brain and the spinal cord, which are linked to survival†¦ something Alison was terrible at. Autonomic Nervous System The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the internal organs. Such as the gorgeous boys of the show who control the hearts of the Liars. Sympathetic Nervous System The part of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body. Parasympathetic Nervous System The part of the autonomic nervous system which calms the body. Medulla The area of the brain that controls breathing and heart beats. Sensation The process of sensory receptors receiving stimulant energies from the environment. This can be analogous with the Liars gaining clues to A’s identity. Perception The process of interpreting sensory information to recognize objects and events. Analogous with interpreting clues to determine who A is. Psychophysics The study of the relationship between physical characteristics of stimuli, such as intensity, and the psychological experience of them. Absolute Threshold The minimum stimulation needed to detect a stimulus half of the time. The absolute threshold for Pretty Little Liars fans is low considering the intensity of their cliffhangers. Subliminal Something below the absolute threshold for conscious awareness. The clues that are in the show are subliminal while being watched, but only make sense when considered with hindsight bias. Weber’s Law The principal that two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage to be able to tell the difference. Apparently the difference between Alison and her twin are too minimal to pass the Liars’ threshold. Sensory Adaptation Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation. After the blow of finding out Toby was A, it really shouldn’t surprise me that Spencer would join the A team as well. Optic Nerve The nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain. Something Jenna lacks. Sensory Interaction The concept that senses influence each other. While Jenna was blind, her lack of vision altered her taste for food. Selective Attention Focusing attention on one stimulus, such as Spencer ignoring Alex at Homecoming to pay attention to Emily and Toby. Perspectives/Approaches Methods of Research Social Psychology Biological Bases of Behavior Development Learning, Cognition, Language, Intelligence Sensation/Perception Motivation/Emotion States of Consciousness Personality Theories Abnormal Psychology People Foot-In-The-Door Theory The tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request. This would make it easy for the A-Team to attract followers. As soon as they agree to send one taunting text to the Liars as revenge on Alison, the next thing you know they’re running over Hanna with a car. Social Facilitation Improved performance of tasks in the presence of others, often occurs with simple or well-learned tasks, but not with difficult or unmastered ones. When Toby and Spencer ran together, they probably ran faster and longer than if they had been alone.

Trap-Ease America Essays

Trap-Ease America Essays Trap-Ease America Paper Trap-Ease America Paper Has Martha identified the best target market for Trap-Ease? In other to ascertain whether Martha has identified the best target market for Trap-Ease we will look at what is a market and what does target markets involves. A market is the set of actual and possible buyers of a product or services and marketing involves the process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and values with each other. Before targeting a market segmentation has to take place. The division of a market into different homogeneous groups of consumers is known as market segmentation. Rather than offer the same marketing mix to vastly different customers, market segmentation makes it possible for firms to tailor the marketing mix for specific market, thus better satisfying customer needs. A market segment should be: -measurable -accessibly by communication and distribution channels -different in its response to a marketing mix -durable -substantial enough to be profitable The four primary bases on which markets are segmented are: geographic – this is based on regional variables such as region, climate, population density, and population growth rate -demographic – is based on variables such as age, gender, ethnicity, education, occupation, income and family status -psychographic – based on variables such as values, attitudes, and lifestyle -behavioral – based on variables such as usage rate and patterns, price sensitivity, brand loyal ty and benefits sought When the market has been segmented the firm now has to choose its target market. A target market is a set of buyers who share a common need or characteristic that the company decides to serve. The firm does that by evaluating the attractiveness of the segment and the fit between the segment and the firm’s objectives, resources, and capabilities. Martha has chosen women as its target market but Martha has to consider whether the woman is the decision maker when it comes to home improvement items like mousetraps. Martha could try targeting males. The men who see it as their role/duty to deal with pest control in the home thus protecting the women from the gruesome nature that is usually involves in the process. In the case of Trap-Ease the mouse maybe trap alive in the trap and women may not want to deal with that aspect but the man may have no problem of disposing the trap with a live mouse. Businesses such as offices and warehouses are another option Martha may wish to consider. Business owners who need to safeguard their supplies and equipment can well be served by the Trap-Ease. Martha should appeal to these people showing them the benefit of using the Trap-Ease instead of poison or the traditional mousetrap. One of the benefit is when poison is used the mice may end up dead anywhere and stink up the office environment before it is found whereas the Trap-Ease you would know exactly where you place it and can dispose of it in a timely manner. The food service industry such as restaurant, canteens is yet another market Martha can target. The food service industry has to maintain certain health standards one of which is maintaining a pest free environment. Martha can show them the benefit of using the Trap-Ease to achieve these standards thus better serving their customers and at the same time protect their food supplies, ingredients and their business from being infected by mice. Pest control companies would make a great target market for Martha. These companies specialize in finding solutions for their customers and Martha needs to convince them that Trap-Ease would be a great product for their clients. Since a rancher invented the Trap-Ease, ranchers could be a target market because it seems that the inventor was having a problem with mice and other ancher like him can be experiencing the same problem. Martha could use the retired rancher to reach this target market. Describe the current marketing mix for Trap-ease. Do you see any problems with this mix? Marketing mix are the variables that mangers can control in order to best satisfy customers in the target market. A typical marketing mix includes the product offered at price, with some promotion to tell customers about the product and a way to reach the customers’ place. This is often referred to as the 4P’s: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. The product is the physical product or service offered to the consumer. Price is the amount of money the customers have to pay obtain the product. Promotion represents the various aspects of communicating information about he product with the goal of generating a positive customer response. Place is about getting the products to the target customers. The following table summaries the marketing mix, including a list of the aspect of each of the 4Ps. ProductPricePlacePromotion FunctionalityAppearanceQualityPackagingBrandWarrantService/SupportList PriceDiscountAllowancesFinancingLeasing optionsChannel membersChannel motivationMarket coverageLocationsLogisticsService levelsAdvertisingPersonal sellingPublic relationsMessageMediaBudget The marketing mix for Trap-Ease is: Product:Trap-Ease innovative mousetrap Price:Retail = $2. 49 Place: Large Retailers, Safeway, Kmart, Hechingers CB Drugs Promotion:Trade shows, Home-and-Shelter style magazines, Publicity. The Trap-Ease is an above average product that provides a much needed customer solution. There is no variety in the packaging therefore customers do not have a choice as whether they want a package with one or two. There is no mechanism to ascertain whether customers are satisfied with the product. The price is very high when compared to its closest competitors and from the customer’s point of view that may not be worth the added value in the product itself. The retailers are given no motivation to sell the product in their stores and no incentive is offered to entice consumer to purchase. Promotion is one in a medium that is not communicating the message to the correct targeted market. Women are a small segment of the total â€Å"hardware† customers. Good housekeeping and other home and shelter magazines may not appeal to many persons in the targeted market. As it stands right now the product has to sell itself because limited advertising is being as a result the public may not be aware of the product. There is not sufficient communication between Martha and customer or potential customers. Trap-Ease is located in the top hardware, grocery and drug chains; this is not offering enough market coverage. Transportation of orders to retailers is not being done in a timely manner. The Trap-Ease is not sufficiently expose to the customer. The proximity of the stores where the product is sold in relation to where the customers are maybe impacting on the availability of the product to consumers. How would you change Trap-Ease’s marketing strategy? What kind of control procedures would you establish for this strategy? I would use the product innovative aspect to promote it to a larger potential clientele. I would change the fact the design just a little to ensure that once the mouse is trap it dies instantly or offer the customer a choice of purchasing one where the mouse dies instantly or it is caught alive. I would also look into the possibility of packaging the Trap-Ease with the bait as part of the package. Customer may only need one Trap therefore I would offer packages of one and packages of two. I would lower the price for the initial market penetration. This will help to increase sales by attracting new customers or attract them from the traditional product. Once

Profile of Serial Rapist and Torturer David Parker Ray

Profile of Serial Rapist and Torturer David Parker Ray David Parker Ray, also known as the Toy-Box Killer, was a serial rapist and torturer and suspected serial killer. Police in Arizona and New Mexico suspect that Ray was responsible for the murders of at least 60 people, based on accusations by his accomplices. Ray earned the moniker the Toy-Box Killer because he spent $100,000 sound-proofing and stocking a truck trailer with devices used to torture his victims. He referred to the trailer as the toy box. Early Years Ray was born in Belen, New Mexico, on November 6, 1939. His parents, Cecil and Nettie Ray, were poor and lived with Netties parents on a small ranch where they raised David and his younger sister Peggy. Cecil was an abusive drunk who lashed out at his wife and children. He eventually left Nettie and the children when David was 10 years old. After Cecil divorced Nettie, the decision was made to send David and Peggy to live with their grandparents on their rural ranch in Mountainair, New Mexico. Life for David and Peggy took a dramatic turn. Their grandfather, Ethan Ray, was nearing 70 years old and lived with strict standards which he expected the grandchildren to follow. Failure to follow his rules would often result in the children being physically disciplined. At school David, who was tall, shy and awkward, had a hard time fitting in and was often bullied by his classmates. Much of his spare time was spent alone drinking and using drugs. It was during this time that David Ray began to develop his secret fascination of sadomasochism. David Rays sister discovered his collection of erotic photographs of acts of bondage and sadomasochistic drawings. After high school, he worked as an auto mechanic before joining the Army, where he again worked as a mechanic. He received an honorable discharge from the Army. Years later, he told his fiancà © that his first victim was a woman he tied to a tree and tortured and murdered when he had just become a teenager. Whether this was true or materialized out of his constant fantasies of bondage and torture is unknown. The Escape On March 22, 1999, in Elephant Butte, New Mexico, 22-year-old Cynthia Vigil, covered in blood, naked and with a metal choker collar padlocked around her neck, was running for her life. She had no idea where she was and desperate to find help before her captors caught up with her, she spotted a mobile home with the front door opened. Cynthia ran inside, pleading for help from the shocked homeowner. The police arrived shortly afterward and listened as Cynthia told her terrifying story of kidnap and torture. Held as a Sex Slave She told them that a man and a woman had kidnapped her and held her as a sex slave for three days. There she was raped and tortured with whips, medical instruments, electric shock, and other sexual instruments until she managed to escape. The bruises, burns and puncture wounds that covered her body backed up her story. According to Cynthia, she met her captors in  Albuquerque  while working as a prostitute. The man had offered her $20 in exchange for oral sex and they went to his RV. Inside there was a woman who helped the man tie and gag her, along with placing a metal collar around her neck. They drove for over an hour before stopping and dragged Cynthia inside a trailer where she was chained to a bedpost. She then listened to an audiotape describing what would be happening to her while she was there. On the tape, a man she assumed was David Ray, explained that she was now a sex slave and she was to refer to him only as master and the woman with him as mistress and never to speak unless spoken to first. She would be naked and chained up, fed, and cared for like a dog. She would be tortured, raped, perform for friends while having sex with animals, subjected to anal penetration with large dildos and placed in various positions which exposed the private areas of her body. She was also warned that she was one of many slaves that had been held captive and many of those who did not cooperate, died. Fighting For Her Life A FBI team investigates the toy box trailer. Joe Raedle / Getty Images By the third day of her captivity, Cynthia had been exposed to electric shocks, endured being cattle prodded, whipped, and had medical instruments and large dildos inserted into her vagina and rectum. She was hung up and raped repeatedly by David Ray. Cynthia was certain that soon she was going to be killed. She managed to escape after Ray left the trailer and she got a hold of the keys and unlocked herself from the chain. She tried to call 9-1-1 but was interrupted by her female captor. The two fought and Cynthia managed to grab an ice pick and stab the woman in the neck. She then ran from the house and kept running until she found the mobile home. Cynthia provided the police with the location of the trailer, but they were already at the home after the 9-1-1 call abruptly ended. Inside The Toy Box David Parker Ray and his girlfriend, Cindy Lea Hendy were apprehended. During questioning the two stuck to the same story - that Cynthia was a heroin addict and they were trying to help her detoxify. A search of Rays property told another story. Inside Rays mobile home the police found evidence that backed up Cynthias story, including the audiotape. Inside another trailer that sat next to the mobile home was what detectives assumed was the Toy Box as Ray called it. Inside were various instruments of torture, drawn pictures of how Ray would torture his victims and various restraints, pulleys, whips, and sexual devices. However, the most shocking piece of evidence was a videotape of a woman being tortured by the couple. Ray and Hendy were arrested and charged with multiple counts including kidnapping. As the investigation continued, additional evidence revealed that there had been many more victims and more than just Ray and Hendy involved in the crimes. Investigators also suspected that along with Ray being a serial rapist, he was also likely a serial killer. Angelica Montano The problem that the authorities faced was Cynthias credibility. She was an admitted prostitute and there was no way to prove that she was not there willingly. But then, after the newspapers ran the story about the couples arrest, another victim came forward. Angelica Montano told police that she had also been kidnapped, raped and tortured by Ray and Hendy for three days, then drugged and left by a highway out in the desert. She was found by the police, but for unknown reasons, her complaint against the couple was never followed up. She decided to pursue it again after she saw that the two had been arrested. Kelly Garrett Investigators also found the woman that was on the videotape after they identified a tattoo on her ankle. Kelly Garrett, who was found in Colorado, had been married just a few days before she was held captive by Ray and his daughter, Jesse Ray. Jesse Ray, who was friends with Garrett, took her to a bar and drugged the beer that she was drinking. As Garrett struggled to leave the bar, Ray hit her on the head from behind. She was subjected to torture and rape for three days, then drugged and left on the side of the road near her in-laws home. Garretts in-laws assumed she had been on a drug binge, and she was still too confused to recall exactly what had happened. As a result, she was asked to leave and she returned to Colorado. As time went on she remembered more about her ordeal, but she still suffered from amnesia. Cindy Hendy: A Quick Turnaround Once in custody, Cindy Hendy was quick to turn on Ray in a plea deal that included a reduced sentence. She told investigators that Ray told her about 14 murders that he had committed and where some of the bodies had been dumped. She also told of some of the different ways Ray would torture his victims which included using a mirror which was mounted in the ceiling, above the gynecologist-type  table  he used to strap his victims to so that they would have to watch was being done to them. Ray would also put his victims in wooden contraptions that bent them over and immobilized them while he had his dogs rape them and sometimes other friends.   She also gave the names of other accomplices, which included Rays daughter, Glenda Jesse Ray and Dennis Roy Yancy. According to Hendy, Jesse and Dennis had participated in the murder of Dennis ex-girlfriend, 22-year-old Marie Parker. Dennis Roy Yancy: The Fear Factor Yancy was brought in for questioning and eventually admitted to being present when Ray and his daughter Jesse kidnapped Parker and took her to the Toy Box. After three days of torture, Ray and Jesse told Yancy to kill her, which he did by strangling her with a rope. Yancy said Ray threatened to kill him if he ever told anyone about it. Glenda Jean Jesse Ray: Complete Denial Jesse Ray denied having anything to do with her father, the abductions, or with the murder of Marie Parker. Sentencing Joe Raedle / Getty Images Cindy Hendy was sentenced to 36 years as agreed to in the plea bargain. She also testified against Ray during his trials. Dennis Roy Yancy received two 15-year sentences for second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. He was released after serving 11 years, but returned to custody until 2021, after violating his parole. Jesse Ray was found guilty of kidnapping women for sexual torture and was sentenced to nine years in prison, six of which could be served out of prison and on parole. It was decided that David Parker Ray would be tried separately for each victim - Cynthia Vigil, Angelica Montano, and Kelly Garrett. He later agreed to a plea deal and he was sentenced to 224 years. Death On May 28, 2002, Ray died of a heart attack while on his way to an interrogation by state police at Lea County Correctional Facility.

Small business management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Small business management - Assignment Example I am the owner of a small business that focuses on baking cakes for events such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and for other customers on request. In the recent past, the sales have not hit the expected percentage a factor that has made me brainstorm some of the most effective bootstrapped marketing strategies that I can rely on to boost my sales. This paper will discuss some of the marketing strategies identified (Schaupp & BÃ ©langer, 2014). I realize the potential of using social media in an era where digital marketing is becoming very common. Utilizing the social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and starting a blog page for my products can serve to boost my sales. Through Facebook and Twitter, I can create awareness of the products of specialization. Most importantly, using social media can help me connect with my clients who can refer me to other people especially if they were satisfied. Facebook and Twitter pages can prove to be highly interactive factors that will help me recognize the emerging needs of my clients and be able to meet them. Social media offers numerous opportunities for me to identify opportunities such as weddings, birthdays, as well as anniversaries. With such knowledge, it can be easier for approach potential clients and market my products. Using social media can also help me tell my brand story so that potential customers can recognize what is unique with my products and what inspires me (Geho & Dangelo, 2012). Additionally, the use of the social media can help me design events of reaching out to the community while marketing my baked products. Social media can open up opportunities for client testimonials and does not require huge costs. Therefore, social media is one of the effective marketing strategies that I can adopt. Adopting a customer relationship management strategy can also serve as an effective marketing strategy. Modern businesses rely on existing relationships with different stakeholders. Customers form

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Organic enterprise repor - Assignment Example The farmers in this region of Australia have invested heavily in organic farming, as opposed to the popular practice of using chemicals. The north Queensland, Australia region has an abundance of fertile soil that is rich in nutrients and a forest-free environment with a favourable climate that supports the growth of Aloe Vera all year long. The leaves are tested on a daily basis, a process which facilitates monitoring the health of the plant and ensures a bumper harvest at maturity. The Proposed Schedule for the Research Report ACTIVITY IMPORTANCE IMPORTANCE Making contact to the relevant authority Define the physical location of the farm the telephone numbers obtained and make appointments with a farm representative Week one +week two ACTIVITY IMPORTANCE IMPORTANCE Conducting a literature review Based on the research findings and theoretical knowledge regarding organic agriculture, the report can effectively prepare a conclusive literature review. Week three+ week four ACTIVITY IMP ORTANCE IMPORTANCE Visiting the enterprise Collecting data, information and observations. Week five ACTIVITY IMPORTANCE IMPORTANCE Preparing a draft report A draft report will be written after every visit to the farm to produce a final conclusion and identify the key notes from each visit; analysing reports to extract the main drawbacks and suggested solutions to such drawbacks Week six ACTIVITY IMPORTANCE IMPORTANCE Time for the need for possible follow-up visits or phone calls Discuss the feasibility of applying suggested solutions and evaluate their applicability; examine the progress the farm achieved after implementing the suggested solutions; obtain feedback from sellers and consumers. Week seven The study will take a total of seven weeks during which time the activities will be appropriately spaced out. There are certain key activities that must begin before other activities can begin (such as seeking permission from the farm owners before the study resumes). The other activi ties (i.e. the literature review and visiting the farm) may be done concurrently. The visit is expected to affirm the research that has already been conducted. The schedule may be altered depending on unforseen constraints that might emerge during the course of the study. Introduction This report examines organic Aloe Vera farming in north Queensland, Australia. It gives a detailed account of the factors that have led to the success of organic farming in north Queensland, Australia, and also explores the reasons behind this choice of farming. The research investigates the organic methods that the farmers use in their farming practices. There is a detailed account of the benefits of these practices and the returns that the farmers obtain from practicing organic farming. The examination goes on further to discuss different products processed from organic Aloe Vera and the health benefits associated with these products. There is a detailed review of the different farming associations t hat aide the farmers with the expertise and financial loans that

Organizational controls and structure in business

Organizational controls and structure in business Introduction Organizational structure can be defined as the formal system of task and authority relationships that control how people coordinate their actions and use resources to achieve organizational goals. (Jones, et al, 2010)  [i]   Organizational structure specifies: The firms formal reporting relationships, procedures, controls, and authority and decision-making processes; and, The work to be done and how to do it, given the firms strategy or strategies Developing an organizational structure that effectively supports the firms strategy is difficult, especially because of the uncertainty about the cause-effect relationship in the global economys rapidly changing and dynamic competitive environments.  [ii]   Organizational Controls Organization Control includes any process designed to assure that organization plans are carried out the way they were designed. Control in the organizational context can be classified as: 1. Strategic controls 2. Financial controls Strategic controls are largely subjective criteria intended to verify that the firm is using appropriate strategies for conditions in external environment and the companys competitive advantage.  [iii]  Strategic controls are concerned with examining the fit between: What the firm might do (opportunities in its external environment) What the firm can do (competitive advantages) Financial controls, on the other hand, are largely objective criteria used to measure the firms performance against previously established quantitative standards.iii Financial controls have two criteria: Accounting-based measures include: Return on investment Return on assets Market-based measures include: Economic Value Added (EVA) Relative use of controls varies by type of strategy. Large diversified firms using a cost leadership strategy emphasize financial controls. Companies and business units using a differentiation strategy emphasize strategic controls. In relation with organizational structure, organizational controls are important to measure the effect caused by a change in the structure. Relationships between Strategy and Structure Strategy and structure have a reciprocal relationship. Structure flows from or follows the selection of the firms strategy but once in place, structure can influence current strategic actions as well as choices about future strategies. Evolutionary Patterns of Strategy and Organizational Structure The relationship between organizations strategy and structure was studied extensively by Alfred D. Chandler in his legendary book Strategy and Structure: Chapters in the History of the American Industrial Enterprise. According to Chandler (1962), firms grow in predictable patterns: First by volume Then by geography Then integration (vertical, horizontal) And finally through product/business diversification Chandler also says that a firms growth patterns determine its structural form. All organizations require some form of organizational structure to implement and manage their strategies. Firms frequently alter their structure as they grow in size and complexity. The three basic structure types are: Simple structure Functional structure Multidivisional structure (M-form) Global expansion structure The following figure explains the change in organizational structure with growth and strategy. D:Chap11graphicsMultidiv_fig 11.1.jpgD:Chap11graphicsFunctional_fig 11.1.jpgD:Chap11graphicsSimple_fig 11.1.jpg Efficient implementation of formulated strategy Efficient implementation of formulated strategy D:Chap11graphicsSalesHigher_fig 11.1.jpgD:Chap11graphicsSalesLower_fig 11.1.jpg Simple Structure A simple structure is where the owner-manager makes all the major decisions and monitors all activities while the staff serves as an extension of the managers supervisory authority. (C. Levicki, 1999). This type of a structure is matched with focus strategies and business-level strategies where firms commonly compete by offering a single product line in a single geographic market. Functional Structure A functional structure is a design that groups people together on the basis of their common expertise and experiences or because they use the same resources. (Jones, et al, 2010) Functional structure supports use of business-level strategies and some corporate-level strategies single or dominant business with low levels of diversification. Multi-divisional Structure The multi-divisional structure (M-form) consists of operating divsions, each representing a separate business or profit center in which the top corporate officer delegates responsibilities for day-to-day operations and business-unit strategy to division managers. Multi-divisional structure has three major benefits: Corporate officers are able to more accurately monitor the performance of each business, which simplifies the problem of control Facilitates comparisons between divisions, which improves the resource allocation process Stimulates managers of poorly performing divisions to look for ways of improving performance International Strategies and Worldwide Structures International strategies are becoming increasingly important for long-term competitive success in what continues to become a global economy. The following framework explains how organizations proper in a global economy: Global expansion strategies Global expansion strategies can be understood in terms of local responsiveness and geographical integration within the company. On the basis of these two parameters, four strategies of global expansion have been arrived at. These are: International strategy Multi-domestic strategy Global strategy Transnational strategy International Strategy In case of international strategy, firms decentralize all value-creation functions except for RD and marketing. Multi-domestic Strategy Multi-domestic strategy is oriented towards local responsiveness by decentralizing control to subsidiaries and divisions in each country. Global expansion Strategy Global expansion strategy is oriented towards cost reduction, with all the principal value-creation functions centralized at the lowest cost global location. Transnational Strategy In a transnational strategy some functions are centralized, while others are decentralized at the global location best suited to achieving these objectives. Transnational Global Expansion International integration Multi-domestic Strategy International Strategy Local Responsiveness An observation on structure and strategy The theory developed above is only a guideline to how organizations might structure themselves in their pursuit of growth and global expansion. However, these are not universal rules and many organizations have prospered in spite of structures completely out of sync with those discussed above. Organizations can also use structures which are a hybrid of those detailed above. This study analyses the cases of two organizations, ABB and Semco, which have used contrastingly different structures to implement their strategies. ABB File:ABB logo.svg Asea Brown Boveri (ABB) is seen by more and more global business leaders as the model of the way that organizations will have to operate to thrive in the 21st century-that is, streamlined in structure, rapid in transferring information, having employees who are highly empowered, committed to continuous learning, running world-class HRD programs, and team working and networking globally.  [1]   ABB became one of the most widely admired companies in the world, not because of its products, or its innovative technology, but because of its organizational structure. ABB prided itself on being an organization that its former CEO, Percy Barnevik, saw as being simultaneously global and local, big and small, centralized and decentralized. Formation of ABB: Merger of Asea Brown Boveri ABB was created by the merger in 1987-88 of two companies whose roots lie in the nineteenth century: Asea, founded in Sweden in 1890, and Brown Boveri, established in Switzerland in 1891. The two companies were among the surge of industrial enterprises established towards the end of the 19th century to provide equipment for the rapidly expanding electrical power industry, which involved generating, transmitting, and distributing power, and using it in industrial motors. The strategic commitment to the power industry and to a global strategy was demonstrated in a rapid series of alliances and acquisitions. These moves rapidly extended ABBs international reach into North America and Eastern Europe. The speed with which these acquisitions were integrated into ABB was attributed to the flexibility of its new organization design. Strategic Context ABBs largest business is producing and servicing the equipment for generating, transmitting, and distributing electrical power. The customers in this business are electric utilities around the world, many of which are state-owned or strongly state-regulated. Because national or local governments either directly own or indirectly control the utilities, they had a strong tendency to favor suppliers with a local manufacturing presence, both because local companies are contributing to the local economy and because they can be relied upon for servicing and replacement parts for the complex power systems, any breakdown of which can have enormous costs for local business and for the reputation of the utility. But they have also pressed suppliers to lower their prices and increase the lifetime of equipment, cutting profit margins for suppliers that are unable to achieve greater efficiency in production. ABB is also a world leader in rail transportation systems, such as locomotives, light rail vehicles, and signaling. Again, this is a business in which rail networks are state-owned or state-regulated and subject to the same somewhat contradictory pressures to manufacture locally and to be locally responsive to customers, while achieving efficiency through scale economies and cost savings. A third set of products in ABB is directed to a very different type of customer. Its building systems and industrial production systems are sold to industrial companies, whose concerns are much more focused on price. ABBs businesses require the company to be locally responsive and to maintain a credible local presence in each of its major markets, and simultaneously to be efficient and cost-competitive. Moreover, operating in 140 countries in a wide variety of product lines, many of which are closely related in the eyes of the customer, the company needs to have a high degree of intra-product and cross-product coordination if the company is to capture fully the benefits of its product diversity. However, it also needs to be able to respond quickly to customers and local problems, and to encourage its managers to take responsibility for their units. Organizational Design of ABB One of the first steps taken after the merger of Asea and Brown Boveri was announced in August 1987 was the creation of a task force of five top managers from each of the two companies to generate an organizational architecture for ABB. The task force had agreed on the principal features of the new organization. The structure was to be an international matrix of business and geography. The basic organizing principle was to create highly focused local companies reporting both to a worldwide business manager, who would be responsible for achieving efficiency in that product line and growing the business on a global scale, and to a country manager responsible for coordinating the various businesses within a particular country. In drawing up the shortlists for the high level managers, emphasis was placed on identifying flexible individuals who could cooperate in multi-cultural environments and for whom innovation, risk-taking and the ability to motivate others were almost second nature. One of the goals of the new design was to push accountability, decision-making, and the responsibility for action far down the organizational hierarchy. One of the first steps taken by the new top management was the radical reduction of the company headquarters. Within a few months, the headcount at corporate HQ in Zurich went from over 1,300 professional staff to just over 100. Another crucial step in the process was the design of a company-wide information system, called ABACUS (Asea Brown Boveri Accounting and Communication System).ABACUS collected monthly performance data from each unit, put it into a standard currency (US dollars), and transmitted the information to its main data processing center in Sweden, which compiled the data and passed it to the top managers at the Swiss headquarters and to the designated managers at each level of the company. The basic unit on which performance data are collected for ABACUS is the profit center, the smallest organizational unit in the new organization. Each month they report their performance data to the next highest level of the organization, the local operating company/Business Unit (BU) , which in turn put the data into the ABACUS system. The local operating company composed of two or more profit centers and focused on single business and market. ABBs strategy was to concentrate on radically reducing costs in each site, reducing throughput times, maximizing design and production flexibility, and focusing on local customer needs. The local operating company president had CEO responsibilities for his operations. However, the heads of the local operating companies report to two bosses one was the Business Area manager; the other was the country manager for the country in which the operating company was located. The Business Side of the Matrix: The Business Area The Business Area (BA) manager was responsible for the worldwide strategy and performance of a business.BA management tasks include coordinating technology development, deciding on transfer prices among local operating companies in the BA, transferring expertise within the BA, capturing economies of scale in purchasing, and, perhaps most important, allocation of markets and production to local operating companies. The fact that the BA manager was also the head of a local operating company increased his or her motivation to push responsibility and decision-making down to the local operating companies, on the basis of time pressure, if not personal management philosophy. In addition, they were supported by a BA Board, which assisted the BA manager in setting strategy, reviewing performance, and identifying and addressing key problem areas. The BA Manager selected the members of the Board, and membership varied considerably depending on the nature of the business. The BA Board was an international group, and usually met in a different location for each of its meetings over the course of a year. In addition to the BA Board, the BA had a number of functional councils that brought together key managers in a function for quarterly meetings to assess and exchange internal best practices and to identify and propose solutions for key problems in their area of expertise. For particular problems, the BA Board also formed task forces from among the high-potential younger managers in the BA. The BA manager received monthly reports through ABACUS on the performance of each of the profit centers and operating companies in the BA. The BA manager decided how to disseminate this kind of information across the local operating companies. One of the most important roles of the BA was the dissemination of best practice. Sharing information about performance and exposing managers to different ways of operating, through transfers and through travel help in achieving this. The combination of strict performance requirements with the resources for performance improvement was a powerful driver of change in ABB. The Business Segment The BA managers in turn reported to Business Segment Managers. Business segments were groupings of related BAs. Each segment was headed by a member of the Executive Committee, the highest-level organizational unit in the company. The Country Level The local operating company managers also reported to the country manager of the nation in which it is located. The country manager had profit-and-loss responsibilities for all ABB activities within that country. The country managers task was to realize the potential synergies across the various ABB local operating companies, to present a local face for major projects within that country, to provide the legal and political infrastructure for operations, to coordinate certain personnel development programs, and to make sure that the local political and social environment was understood and considered appropriately in business decisions. The country manager received monthly reports through ABACUS on the performance of each of the local operating companies in the country, and could use these data to identify common problems they faced. The heads of the local operating companies were supported in their contrasting duties to the country manager and the BA manager by a Steering Committee, with representatives from the national company, the BA, and other closely-related local operating companies in the same company. Performance evaluations of the president of the local operating companies were conducted by both the BA head and the country manager. Each share the same basic performance metrics, but each has somewhat different expectations. Managing the Matrix: The Top Management At the top of the company the two dimensions of the matrix met at the level of the Executive Committee, which was chaired by the CEO. The CEO chaired the Committee, and each of the ten Executive VPs had responsibility for one or more of the segments and countries. The extent of their individual responsibilities varied by the scope of their tasks. Each BA manager and each country manager reported directly to a member of the Executive Committee. With ABBs acquisitions, the individual responsibilities assigned to Executive Committee members changed over time, especially in terms of geographies. The major change was on geography: instead of having different members responsible for a portfolio of different national companies, geographic responsibilities were clustered into three regions: Europe, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. Each member was assigned either one of the four industrial segments or one of three geographical regions.The move to make the geography side of the matrix report to Committee members with regional rather than individual country responsibilities also reflected ABBs global strategy. Each Executive Committee member was involved in the annual planning process of each of the BAs and geographic units reporting to him. But as important were their collective responsibilities in charting the overall strategic direction for the company. Extensive communication in a company that operates in 140 countries required a common language, which in ABBs case was English. Communication also took place on a more individual level, between the Executive Committee and their direct reports, and even between the Executive Committee and the heads of the local operating companies. Executive Committee members had access to monthly performance data for all the operating companies, national companies, and business areas for which they were responsible. The ABACUS system provided rapid feedback on changes in the performance of any of these units, and the monthly data were routinely scrutinized carefully at the top of the company. Alignment: Developing the Global Manager One of the key challenges which faced ABB was developing managers who could work effectively in the demanding system. The development of the global managers who could occupy key positions in the Business Areas and at the top of the company on the Executive Committee was the most important task. The global managers should be capable of balancing the often contradictory pulls of being locally responsive and globally efficient, pushing decision-making and responsibility for action down while enforcing accountability and control, and simultaneously encouraging local operating companies to be entrepreneurial while making sure that ABB does not lose the competitive advantage of being a multi-business global company. Keeping this philosophy in mind, such people were developed through the training programs, experience on cross-national teams, and rotation across locations. One of the hallmarks of the cadre of global managers was that they spent a lot of their time travelling internationally. Region Business SegmentExecutive Committee Region Local Operating Company Profit Centers Ce Business Segment Figure 1. ABBs Organizational Structure from 1988-1998 (note: ABB has now moved on from a matrix organizational structure to a more customer-centric organizational structure). Learning from the ABB organizational structure and its impact on its strategy and performance ABBs example clearly shows the example of an organization which can successfully compete on a global level by being both locally responsive as well as paying attention to its global integration strategy. Each local operating company head was given the freedom to operate as the CEO of his business and was free to make his own decisions. By fixing dual responsibility, both to the country manager as well as to the product manager on a global level, ABB was successful in achieving its strategic aim of becoming the leader in the electrical systems and the power generation and distribution business. ABB successfully demonstrated how successful matrix organizations can be. Matrix organizations always had been an important theoretical concept but even other very large organizations with a global presence had failed in implementing it. Matrix organizations were widely touted to be as the organizations of the future in the 1970s and organizations such as Citibank and IBM tried to model their organizations around the matrix structures, but failed, as they found the model too complicated. In fact, ABB was the first company on a global level to implement the matrix organizational model so efficiently. Seeing the success of ABB, many organizations around the world also adopted the matrix structure successfully. The various performance indicators of ABB during the 1988-1996 period clearly showed that when the organizational structure is in sync with strategy of the organization and vice-versa, it results in achieving great results. ABB achieved the co-ordination of 210,000 employees, 310 business units and 5000 profit centers in 140 countries through the matrix structure. This demonstrated the crucial role of linking mechanisms in turning a complex kaleidoscope of grouping patterns into a smoothly functioning organization. ABB simultaneously achieved the goal of acting as a global powerhouse amassing resources know-how on a global scale and responding swiftly to meet the demand of local markets and customers. ABBs net income rose to $1.3 billion in 1996 and its stock price doubled between 1992 and 1996, reinforcing the choice of its organization structure. The SEMCO Model What makes the SEMCO model so interesting is that it for the first 20years it was in operation its structure and culture were autocratic and relied heavily on command and control management styles. However, for the last 20years it has been run democratically. SEMCO is a mode lf how companies who have not yet evolved into democratic cultures can make the transition with credible success. What is also unique about the SEMCO model of democratic organization is how effectively it works in Brazil-a country that is still developing, often unstable and known for economic boons and busts. One could reason that in highly unpredictable environment, command and control corporate structures are even more inadequate for dealing with a dynamic socio-economic climate. Perhaps this is why the SEMCOs adaptive model has been a highly effective model of company Introduction Semco a Brazilian company which manufactures over two thousand different products including industrial pumps, cooling towers etc. and also provides environmental and internet services, saw its revenues growing from $32 million in 1990 to $212 million in 2003.It achieved this growth rate in an economic environment characterized by staggering inflation, and chaotic national economic policy in Brazil. Between 1982 and 1998, Semcos productivity increased nearly sevenfold and profits rose fivefold. Semco was also one of the most sought after Brazilian companies as far as employment was concerned. Turnover among its 3,000 employees was about 1% during the period 1994 to 2004. Repeat customers accounted for around 80% of Semcos 2003 annual revenues. The culture at Semco was unique in the sense that there were no power-packed job titles; employees including top managers themselves did the photocopying, sent faxes, typed letters, and made and received phone calls. There were no executive din ing rooms, and parking was strictly first-come, first-served. Organizational profits were shared with the employees and the salaries were set by the employees themselves. Behind this maverick organization was Ricardo Semler (Semler), the CEO of the company who referred to himself as the Chief Enzyme Officer Wrote Semler, If you ask me to describe it in conventional business terms, Id have to admit I have no idea what business Semco is in. For years, I have resisted defining Semco for a simple reason: once you say what business youre in, you create boundaries for your employees, you restrict their thinking and give them a reason to ignore new opportunities. Semlers way of thinking resulted in an organisation which had no conventional structure, no organisational chart; no fixed CEO, no VPs, CFOs, COOs or CIOs. There was no long term strategic business plans, no career plans, no job descriptions or dress codes for the employees. Some of the important organisational decisions like relocating a unit or acquiring a company were taken on the basis of employees votes. History Semlers father, Antionio Curt Semler, an Austrian-born engineer, migrated to Argentina in1937. A visit to Brazil in 1952 prompted him to think about the prospects a vast, undeveloped country like Brazil presented. During this time, he was working on a centrifuge technology capable of separating oil from vegetables. With an urge to start his own business, he selected the city of Sao Paulo to start his venture, Semco, a contraction of Semler Co, in 1953. Soon after, he obtained a patent for his technology. Through the 1960s and 1970s, Semco was mainly a manufacturer of marine pumps. In the late1960s, ninety percent of the sales of Semco were to the Brazilian shipbuilding industry. Semco was a hierarchical organization with twelve layers of management. According to a Fortune article, Fear was the governing principle. Guards patrolled the factory floor, timed peoples trips to the bathroom, and frisked workers as they left the plant. Anyone unlucky enough to break a piece of equipment wo uld replace it out of his own pocket.According to Semler it was a company with a pyramidal structure and a rule for every contingency. Enter Semler In 1980, at the age of 21, Semler took over as the CEO of Semco. Semlers views on running the company were completely different from those of his father. He felt that the company in its existing form was too rigid. He wanted to replace the old way of doing business and planning with a participatory style of management. But the old guard at Semco was not open to this, with the result that Semler fired two thirds of the top management. Semler started out with a functional organizational structure at Semco. Under this structure, decision-making took a long time and each department took independent decisions that sometimes were not in the interests of other departments. Then, the company shifted to a matrix structure. But, unhappy with its effectiveness, Semler changed the structure of the organization once again. New Organization Structure: From Pyramid to circle Though the company worked on the principle of no Organization structure but it actually had was a very flexible organization structure in the form of 3 concentric circles and few triangles floated in it. The smaller innermost circle would include team of a dozen people the eqivalent of VPs and above Second circle would include the 7- 1o leaders of SEMCOs business units and be called partners. Last immense circles would hold virtually everyone else at Semco machine operators, cafeteria workers, janitors, salesman, security guards and so on. They will be called associates The triangles- They will be distributed around the big circle each enclosing a single person we would call a coordinator. These people would comprise the first crucial level of Management A the marketing,sales and production supervisors, the engineering and assembly area foreman, anyone who had a basic leadership role in our old system. Organizational Culture The replication of business units into smaller units as and when the need arose created units small enough to operate with a commonly shared set of values, philosophy and culture. The organization was bound together by the three interdependent core values: Employee Participation, Profit Sharing and Free Flow of Information. These three values stemmed from the belief that participation in design and implementation of work procedures would give employees control over their work; profit sharing would bring in a sense of ownership; and the availability of information as and when needed would help the employees understand to improve their work practices continuously Leadership and Change Management Semler can be credited with sustaining the radical changes at Semco. He nurtured changes that might have been viewed as taking away his power and authority. He created an empowered environment where employees could innovate continuously. An idea he generated would later permeate to the whole work force. For example, after seeing a company order file cabinets worth $50,000, which were meant only to keep documents which were hardly ever referred to, Semler said that every person in the company should clear his own file cabinets of documen