PR theory Essay

The article Power Over, Power With, and Power to Relations: Critical Reflections on Public Relations, the Dominant Coalition, and Activism by Bruce K. Berger (2005) talks about the â€Å"Dominant Coalition† in the Public Relations (PR) world. It focuses on a theory that the dominant coalition is a major influence in making organisational decisions, but not much is known about the things that go on inside the dominant coalition’s tight and limited â€Å"inner circle† (Berger 2005: 6). With a total of 21 interviews from PR men and women, Berger (2005) got an insider’s point of view of the dominant coalition in the PR world, showing the intertwined relationships and problems encountered in it. Some of the problems prevent PR practitioners from doing the â€Å"right† thing despite knowing the right thing to do (Berger 2005: 6). The author argues that in order for PR to have a significant use for the population at large, those involved in the business have to accept that activism could be the best means to achieve this (Berger 2005). The main point of this article is the dominant coalition and its role in public relations. A public relations practitioner’s decision making is thought to be geared towards the right thing once he or she has become a member of the dominant. However, the author argues that the complex happenings inside the dominant coalition make it difficult for practitioners to really do the right thing even if they want to (Berger 2005: 6). Berger (2005) provides six propositions based on interviews with 21 public relations executives. To recapitulate his first section, the author provides a summary at the end. This is an important feature of every article. In the summary, Berger reiterates the role of the dominant coalition in PR theory and the reason why PR managers should be part of the dominant coalition. As managers, they should have an influence over what goes on in their organisation, and when or if they do get inside, it has always been thought that they always do the right thing for everyone concerned with the organisation. The rest of the paper is therefore an attempt to confirm whether this assumption is true or not, and more importantly, the article aims to draw a picture of the complex world of the dominant coalition (Berger 2005). In trying to open up the dominant coalition, Berger (2005) has come up with 6 Propositions based on interviews . Proposition 1 breaks the myth about the existence of one coalition per organisation. Berger’s (2005) interviews reveal that there is almost certainly more than one dominant coalition per company. Proposition 2 reveals that venues constantly change from formal to informal. Proposition 3 shows that the absence of the leader poses a lot of trouble. Proposition 4 answers whether decisions by the dominant coalition are always final—they are not. Proposition 5 suggests that the coalition may value the opinion of public relations but almost always demand some kind of press release. Lastly, Berger’s (2005) sixth proposition states that PR professionals are also subject to the pressures of organisational compliance. All of these propositions are of course relative to Berger’s interpretation of the interviews he has gathered. The author has merely expressed his answers and opinions regarding the dominant coalition in Public Relations. However, being an expert in the field of PR, he has every right to publish his work because the people he has interviewed are or were from the world of Public Relations. The article serves its intended purpose—to open the dominant coalition in PR theory to the readers. The author has provided six propositions that give a glimpse of what really goes on inside the closed doors of the dominant coalition. Sources are numerous and credible, which may be interpreted as overkill by some critics but nevertheless effective. List of Reference Berger, B. K. (2005) ‘Power Over, Power With, and Power to Relations: Critical Reflections on Public Relations, the Dominant Coalition, and Activism. ’ Journal of Public Relations Research [online] 17, (1) 5–28. Informaworld. [4 May 2009]

Hills Like White Elephants Essay

Hills Like White Elephants tells the story of a woman, Jig, and a man known only as the American, sitting in a train station. Though the story is brief, it has much to say. When reading the story for the first time its full effect doesn’t set in. By taking a closer look and rereading the story, a bigger situation is revealed other than what seems to be a dull conversation. Jig is pregnant and the American man is pressuring her into having an abortion. The little details in the story, some which may slip by you, symbolize the man and woman’s situation. The story takes place in a train station in Spain. The whole story is set around Jig and the American man waiting on the train to arrive. But it isn’t really the train they are waiting on, its answers. They are stuck at a crossroad like a train. Which direction to go? Which train tracks to go down? In other words which path do they choose for their future? Should she keep the baby or should she give in to the man’s pressuring. At the end of the story the American man â€Å"looked up the tracks but could not see the train. † That could be interpreted as the man not seeing what his future holds. It also means that he doesn’t know when the couple’s answers will come and be solved if they ever are. Although the train symbolizes the choice in a path it also symbolizes time. â€Å"the express from Barcelona would come in forty minutes†. Time moves quickly through the story because what seems to be a short conversation takes up most of the time they had before the train was to arrive. By the end of the story there is only 5 minutes until the train comes. The train like Jig and the man’s life is moving rather quickly. The train suggests that they don’t have much time to decide on what they’re going to do about the baby. Jig compares the hills that surround the train station to white elephants. â€Å"They look like white elephants she said. † In response the man says â€Å"I’ve never seen one. † In which she replies â€Å"No, you wouldn’t have. † In this case white elephants symbolize a situation that is unavoidable. Like in the phrase â€Å"the elephant in the room†, the elephant is big and almost impossible to avoid. Jig and the man’s situation is an elephant in the room. No matter how hard they try to dodge their problem, it’s always going to be there. The lines quoted above also suggest that Jig feels that the man never had to deal with something as substantial as this life changing decision. When reading a piece of literature some things may seem to slip by us. For example when reading Hills Like White Elephants the waitress puts the drinks down on felt pads. When reading it’s for the first time, the felt pads are just coasters and the drink is just a drink. But when rereading the short story the felt pads represent more, they symbolize an intake of feelings, thoughts and personal opinions. And what seems to be a simple alcoholic drink can be interpreted as bottled up emotions. â€Å"The woman brought out two glasses of beer and two felt pads. She put the felt pads and the beer glasses on the table and looked at the man and the girl. † A coasters purpose is to catch the drips of water that condensates from cold beverages. In this case the drips that came from the cold beer can represent all the emotions that Jig and the man were feeling about their situation that were finally released during their conversation. All those emotions and thought were captured and soaked up by the felt pad. By the end â€Å"the woman came out through the curtains with two glasses of beer and put them down on the damp felt pads. † The felt pad represents how Jig and the American man intake each others feelings. The felt pads are damp in the end because so many emotions were taken in. The bead curtains separate the man and Jig from the bar and its main purpose is â€Å"to keep out flies. † The bead curtains are transparent meaning that both Jig and the man are able to see through them. The bead curtain symbolizes a problem that both Jig and the American man can see but are unable to reach a solution to. They can’t reach a solution because of a barrier which is also represented by the curtains. The barrier separates Jig and the man. â€Å"The girl looked at the bead curtain, put her hand out and took hold of two of the strings of beads. † This seems to be Jigs way of trying to understand the man view; she takes hold of the barrier but doesn’t quite go through. Although Hills Like White Elephants seems like a shorts story with not much to it, when reread numerous times, the story becomes much more. The little details that aren’t very noticeable when read the first time become the backbone of what the story is truly about. The symbols in the story suggest meanings that are larger than itself. The story of what’s thought to be a mundane conversation between a man and woman turns out to be a conversation about a life changing situation.

Labor Unions and Their Impact on the Economy Essay - 1

Labor Unions and Their Impact on the Economy - Essay Example As the report declares the state employees are not happy with the proposal of the governor that they would have to make a contribution of 5.8 % of their salary towards schemes of pension along with the payment of 12.6 % of their insurance premiums for health. In this report of the research paper, various arguments in support of the union’s protest will be presented.This paper highlights that on  February 15, 2011, the public employees, community supporters and union activists in a number of more than 15,000 jammed at the Capitol Square in Madison for protesting the governor’s plan to band the rights of the workers and demolish jobs of middle class community of the society. The governor denied making any changes in his plans and has mentioned that if the bill is not passed by the state legislature, he would compel massive layoffs along with hampering of state services and thus would cost several jobs.  The move of the governor has been demonstrated as a way of politi cal business that is interested in taking the rights away from the people. The appeal of a few protestors is such that they are in complete support to the governor’s activities for balancing the budget but not at the sake of the worker’s rights, as evident from the views of a retired Communications Workers of America member.  The protestors mentioned that the governor was imparting the bad effects of a budget bill by setting up such a policy that would take away the general rights of the people.

Employee Relations Management Style adopted by ACME Engineering Essay

Employee Relations Management Style adopted by ACME Engineering - Essay Example This management style reflects the personality and the perspectives of the manager. In this style of management, the subordinates become dependent over the leaders and they require more supervision from the leaders. These autocratic managers give orders to the subordinates and the subordinates are less trusted by these managers. This management style follows the McGregor’s X theory related to motivation towards workers. The autocratic management style also can be divided into two categories i.e. directive autocrat and permissive autocrat (Williams & Smith, 2010). Paternalistic The nature of the paternalistic management style is also dictatorial and the managers take decisions considering the benefits of the business as well as of the employees. In this form of management, the communication among the subordinates and the superiors is descending, but certain feedbacks related to the management, motivates and encourages for the better performance in the workplace. In this style o f management, the managers pay more concentration to the need of the society. These are the managers who consider the employee opinion and they get influenced with the employee feedback for the management. In spite of the employee participation, the paternalistic managers feel that the employees need directions from the superiors to perform. This management style is related to the Maslow’s motivation theory (Lussier, 2011). Democratic In the democratic management style, the employees are allowed by the managers to participate in the decision making process. In this style of management the decision are taken based on the majority of the opinion of the... The researcher states that management style is one of the most important and vital aspects of an organisation. Management style is the process of interaction in between the superiors and the subordinates of any organisation. Management styles are the featured ways to take necessary decisions and to relate to the managers, and the subordinates of an organisation. Management styles involve various formal as well as informal practices regarding open communication and close supervision with the subordinates. Management style assists in taking decisions by incorporating the views and opinions of the members and the people of an organization. Different types of management styles can be implied in an organisation based on task, business culture and personality, characteristics of workforce and leadership skills among others. Almost every management style has certain nature, methods, deficiencies and strengths. There are certain basic forms of management styles such as autocratic, paternalis tic and democratic. These different types of management styles have different characteristics. In relation to the case study, it can be stated that ACME Engineering is an organisation which has also focused on an effective employee relationship, by providing several facilities and cultivating positive attitudes within the employees. The company, founded in the 1980s, has also faced the reformation related to the employee relation. ACME Engineering has involved their employees to take part in various decision making activities

Biometrics are increasingly used to control access, critically Essay

Biometrics are increasingly used to control access, critically evaluate the benefits of two biometric technologies for a given s - Essay Example On the side of the policy, laws of environment that are new, targets, and regulations have been set at all governmental levels. Nanotechnology is one such significant technology that has gained popularity following the many advantages associated with its use. This paper seeks to outline the advantages, as well as disadvantages of nanotechnology with a focus on the overriding benefits of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology as used scientifically refers to the engineering of the functional systems at a level of molecular scale (Berube, 2006). Fundamentally, it entails the manipulation of matter at molecular and atomic level. It covers the current concepts, as well as works that are somewhat more advanced. Accordingly to Wade and Baughman (2005) the term nanotechnology was originally used to refer to a projected ability of constructing items from nothing using tools and techniques that are commonly used to come up with complete and high performance products (Murray, 2000). A somewhat more ge neralized definition of the term nanotechnology was put forward by the National nanotechnology Initiative that defines it as the process of manipulating matter whose dimensional size ranges from 1 to 100 nanometers (Kahn, 2006). As widely cited, nanotechnology is the key for today and the future. It is certainly pivotal in not only in the field of medicine but in various other fields (Kahn, 2006). Nanotechnology is quite diverse and ranges from extensions of certain conventional devices physics to new approaches basing on molecular self assembly, from developing of new materials with dimensions on a nano-scale to direct control of matter on an atomic scale. As widely cited, nanotechnology deals with application in the fields of science at a level of surface science, molecular biology, organic chemistry, micro fabrication, and semiconductor (Prasad, 2008). Nanotechnology just like any other technology, may be used to create new devices and materials with a range of applications such as electronics, energy production, medicine and biomaterials (Prasad, 2008). On a general perspective, nanotechnology has numerous advantages. First, nanotechnology can be useful in revolutionalizing many electronic procedures, products, and applications (Binnig & Rohrer, 1999). There are fields that have benefits from the use of nanotechnology. Among these areas that have benefited from the continued nanotechnology in terms of the electronic products include the nani-diodes, nano-transistors, plasma displays, OLED, and quantum computers among others (Binnig & Rohrer, 1999). Secondly, nanotechnology has contributed heavily towards the development of the sector of energy. The establishment of increased energy absorbing, energy producing, as well as the storage of energy in efficient and smaller devices is possible with the application of this technology (Wade & Baughman, 2005).

Opportunity identification and selection in australia Research Paper

Opportunity identification and selection in australia - Research Paper Example years, with rising incomes in Asian and African countries, export opportunities have opened up and despite the low unit values of bread, innovations in processing and preservation of these products have made it worthwhile for companies involved in biscuit production to look into export markets. This report examines various external factors that are playing a significant role in the biscuit industry, especially in the context of recent developments. The baking sector in Australia is comprised of three primary sectors: (a) bread (b) biscuits and (c) cakes and pastries (www.daff.gov.au). Domestic consumption of biscuits is higher than exports and the sales of biscuit products contribute about a third of manufacturing turnover in the baking industry. According to the report on the baking industry which was published in 2001, 75% of the retail trade in biscuits occurs through supermarkets, with the market being concentrated and dominated by the major corporate entities, Arnotts and George Weston Foods; while exports had jumped to 63 million dollars with over 50% of these exports being directed towards New Zealand (www.daff.gov.au). These trends appear to be continuing because according to an industry upgrade report in 2006-7, the trends in the biscuit industry still show a preponderance of sales through giant supermarket chains. The biscuit industry has changed somewhat in the past decade. In Australia, the biscuit industry has traditionally been restricted to the domestic markets, but exports have been increasing. The major changes in the external environment which are necessitating changes in the operation of biscuit companies are (a) increasing automation of biscuit manufacture (b) the need to comply with Government regulation (c) changes in patterns of consumer nutrition (d) rationalisation and consolidation and (e) use of toll or contract manufacturing. All of these aspects are discussed further below, because they are the major external mandates which have

Which Are The Effects Of Political Marketing In The Parliamentary Essay

Which Are The Effects Of Political Marketing In The Parliamentary Elections Of 2004 In Greece - Essay Example Opinion polls for the last year have given the right-of-center opposition New Democracy party (ND) a commanding lead, while Costas Simitis, the reformist prime minister and PASOK leader who steered Greece into the euro zone, has lost ground to Costas Karamanlis, his younger conservative rival. True, the ND party came out ahead of PASOK, winning mayoral races in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece's two biggest cities. Furthermore, the conservatives exploited farmers' dissatisfaction with declining European Union subsidies to win thirty out of fifty-two provincial governor's posts. But PASOK held on to the high-profile post of Attica governor--won comfortably by Fofi Gennimata, a rising star and one of only a handful of women in the party's upper echelons. Overall, barely two percentage points separated the two big parties. While ND is still the favorite to win the next general election--not due until spring 2004 but likely to be held earlier--PASOK has shown remarkable powers of resilience. A feel-good factor is certainly at work, with Greece's economy projected to expand this year by 3.8 percent, more than twice the EU average, and by 4.1 percent in 2003. Growth is being driven by high levels of public and private investment, backed by a five-year, $24.6-billion package of EU structural aid. A massive program of infrastructure improvements is aimed at giving the Greek capital world-class sports facilities and a modern transportation system in time for the 2004 Olympic Games. While unemployment is the second highest in the euro zone, this year it has declined to single digits (just less than 10 percent) for the first time since the mid-1990s. PASOK has expanded job creation programs targeting women and young people and has launched tax cuts for lower income workers. But they face criticism for postponing urgently needed pension system reforms and for failing to cut corporation taxes--among the highest in the euro zone at 35 percent--to boost inward investment. Foreign direct investment, averaging only around $1 billion yearly, is much lower than in the Central European countries that will join the EU in 2004. "When the EU funds start to decline after 2006, Greece will need a sharp increase in foreign investment to maintain reasonable rates of growth," says George Alogoskoufis, ND's spokesman on the economy. The Simitis government has earned praise from the US for arresting eighteen alleged members of the November 17 (N17) terrorist organization over the summer. Since its emergence in 1975, the left-wing group had claimed responsibility for more than twenty assassinations, including US diplomats and servicemen and, most recently, Stephen Saunders the UK defense attach in Athens, as well as dozens of bomb and rocket attacks. The arrests came after two years of close cooperation between Greek police and Scotland Yard over the Saunders killing. Trials are due to start early next year and are likely to last for months. The apparent dismantling of N17, together with plans to work closely with the US on security for the Athens Olympics, has brought a significant improvement in relations with Washington. In response to concerns that other members of the group were still at large, Simitis said: "We will deal thoroughly with the terrorism problem. There may be some pieces of N17 left, but we intend to expose them." This month EU leaders are due to approve the accession of Cyprus--even if it is still divided into separate Greek and Turkish Cypriot sectors--at their Copenhagen summit along with another nine enlargement candidates. Accession for the island will mark a milestone in Greek

English - Tablet vs. Laptop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

English - Tablet vs. Laptop - Essay Example The latest in this competition is the laptop and the smaller more stylish tablet. Will the tablet drive the laptop into oblivion? Many variables come into place in that debate. This article views the debate from the standpoint of a tablet; a stylish, portable media device replacing a laptop, a portable computer. In the process of doing so we will initially examine the difference between the two based on the below factors. Price Portability Features From this evaluation, the essay hopes to provide (to also provide) a reasonable explanation as to why a tablet is not a computer. Competitiveness of Laptop and Tablet in Pricing Price is a very important factor for any product from a consumer point of view. It is dependent on many factors and is relative to usage. When we examine price based from the standpoint of functionality alone and we can see that laptops have an edge over tablets on this aspect. Pricing details of the Laptops: Laptops vary in prices and can be customized accordingly . Laptops are definitely cheaper than tablets due to a few reasons. One of the main reasons for this is that Laptops have been in the market for a long time and have been evolving to meet consumer demands. Today, the commercial side of laptop making is not only restricted to original design makers, thus, the need for competitive pricing has risen. You can get a net book with all the basic computing needs for as low as $350. The price range varies depending on features and this can be tailored according to usage needs and consumer needs. When tailoring a laptop to meet the usage demands based on memory and features, the price paid for one laptop can sometimes buy two tablets. However, when we get to this price point from the standpoint of a computer versus a portable media device, Laptops win. The Cost Front of Tablet: Tablets are costlier than laptops but it is worth the price as it provides impeccable facilities. The technology of a tablet has been under experimentation for a reall y long time. The tablet as we know came in 2010 when Apple Inc. released the Ipad, which was more media centric than PC centric. One of the main reasons for this has been to justify the price with the functions. The difference between the two is explained below. Since 2000, Microsoft has been experimenting along the lines of a tablet PC that works on a different Operating System (OS) as compared to a regular laptop. A tablet uses a lot of specialized technology in its venture to offer sophisticated features and increase portability while not reducing the PC experience. However, it has not been possible so far to create a PC tablet that can justify the price. The current tablets do not justify the price when looked at from the standpoint of the limitations in that particular functionality. Which Comes Best in Portability The need for portability is probably one of the driving factors for technological innovations. Here again the focus is on functionality and we can see that while tab lets are definitely more portable that even the smallest laptops they do not have all the functionality that a laptop as a computer can offer. What are laptops in Portability factor? Laptops are meant to be portable but are not that great when compared with tablets’ portability. With the fight to make things as pocket sized as possible, there are now new laptops that are small and lightweight, without too much compromise on screen resolution. When looking at portability we also have to look at it from the standpo

E-Logistics and International supply Chain Management Essay

E-Logistics and International supply Chain Management - Essay Example The international supply chain is a medium which initiates the global trade. The information technology relies heavily on the use of internet. Integrating the technological advancements will lead to the development of e-logistics (Stank, Keller, & Daugherty, 2001). The activities which describe the key logistic functions includes the following The chart shown above explains that logistics deals with the order processing, inventory management, transportation, facilitation networks and warehousing which includes material handling and packaging. The management of all the components and elements for supporting logistics and supply chain function is essential for smooth running of the system (Flint et al., 2005). The details of the elements are shown below. The logistic management is the connection between the suppliers and customers. This includes management of raw materials, in-process inventory and management of the finished goods. The management is responsible for planning, implementing and controlling which include customer satisfaction, demand forecasting, inventory management, procurement, packaging and warehousing etc. The inputs into the logistics include natural resources, human resources, financial resources and information resources (Flint et al., 2005). The outputs of logistics include the competitive advantage, time utility, efficient supply or movement to the customers and inclusion of the proprietary assets. The overall goals associated with logistics management are ensuring that the customers are satisfied and cost can be minimized. Managing the quantities, goods, places, time, condition and cost are the features why logistics is managed (Fugate, Mentzer, and Stank, 2010). Information flow within the system is the tool which makes it dynamic. This requires that the information, communication, cooperation and trust of the individuals are synchronized. With the application of the internet and

Being on Time Essay Example for Free

Being on Time Essay Being on time is very important. It is a sign of respect to the person you are meeting. If you are always late, youre creating a bad reputation for yourself. People feel they cant trust you or rely on you, so it impacts relationships. It also impacts self-esteem. Being late is upsetting to others and stressful for the one who is late. Peoples stress level is very high when theyre late. Theyre racing, worried, and anxious. They spend the first few minutes apologizing. And that’s not the best way to making a good impression. So if you want to be on time you must first figure out why you are always late. The reason can usually be classified as either technical or psychological. For example if youre always late by a different amount of time 5 minutes sometimes, 15, or even 40 minutes other times it is likely that the cause is technical. Its a case of bad planning, of thinking you need less time than you actually do. Another technical difficulty for some people is the inability to say no to additional commitments when theyre short on time. But if you are literally always 10 minutes late, its psychological. Youre arriving exactly when you want. The question is why? For some people, its a resistance thing. They dont want to do what other people expect them to. Another category is the â€Å"crisis-maker†. These are people who cannot get themselves together until they get an adrenaline rush. They need to be under the gun to get them selves moving. There are also people who are late because they worry they won’t have nothing to do while waiting. This problem can be solved easily. Always carry a book or magazine. So you aren’t feeling bored and you don’t have the feeling of â€Å"excess† time when you are waiting. And that’s not the only thing that can help you to deal with lateness. You can also†¦ †¢ Clean out your purse or briefcase each evening so it’s ready to go the next morning. †¢ Know how much money is in your wallet so you won’t run out of cash at an awkward time. †¢ Give up that â€Å"one last thing† before walking out the door. †¢ Think about what you could do with an extra five minutes for every place where you arrive early. †¢ Review your plans for the rest of the day and make note of things that have changed. †¢ Keep a clock in a prominent location so you can check it quickly when you have to leave your activities. †¢ Always keep keys, purse and backpack on hooks and a shelf by the exit door. †¢ Set your clocks 5 to 10 minutes ahead. Although remember that at dinner party its rude to arrive early; you might surprise the host and find him in his bathrobe vacuuming. In Japan, China, Germany and the United States being on time is the rule. In other places, such as Latin America punctuality is rare. Punctuality exhibits respect for the time of others; you do not waste their time while they wait for you. But it makes it difficult for Germans to act spontaneously. You cant really call someone and say, Lets go for a coffee. Many Germans will want that date in their diaries for at least a week. Back in the technological dark ages, you couldnt contact people so easily, so you made an effort to meet them on time. Nowadays if you are running late you simply call the person and delay or cancel the meeting. However that should not become a habit, because you may delay, but time will not. I used to be late all the time. But I’ve got tired of running down the street to catch the bus and bored of explaining to everyone why I’m late again. So I decided to deal with the problem. First step was setting my clocks 5 min ahead and it really works for me. But I realized that everything is in my head. I just have to decide that the meeting or event is just too important for me to be late. I won’t say I’m always on time, but I’m trying. As someone else said: Better late than never, but better never late! [pic].

Philosophical Implications Of Artificial Intelligence

Philosophical Implications Of Artificial Intelligence INTRODUCTION: For a long period of time philosophers are trying to resolve the questions related to artificial intelligence. Like, how minds are working? Can machines act intelligently like humans do?, if its so would they really have brain? What would be the ethical implications in that? The philosophers view about AI is that machines act intelligent and do to actually thinking are in strong AI categories. They never worried until program works properly, no questions like its working under simulation of intelligence or real intelligence. My stand on this is almost followed by the same instances. Do you think really robots act intelligent? Perhaps, it depends on how it is defined. In other words, it depends upon how one defining intelligence or consciousness with machines exactly involved. Yes, robots are intelligent with the system in-built or good simulations, but we deal with not practical, only theory. By comparing two architectures say human and machine, its not fair ask questions like robots really think?. But, consider the questions like, Machines fly? Machines can swim? For first question yes is the answer. Because aeroplane will fly. So technically machines can fly. For second question no is the answer. Though ships or submarines move in water, but we dont call it swimming. Neither of question does not have any impact on lives or its nature. It has to do with their capabilities and meaning how we take. Consider Mr.Alan Turing quotes,Instead of raising question machines think,we should ask it can past test on a behavioural intelligence. For example, the program ELIZA and the MGONZ internet chatbot fooled humans who didnt realize they are taking to a program and the ALICE program fooled one judge in 2001 competition named Loebner Prize. He also exercised on same facts which leads to the objection to the possibility of intelligent machines. According to the proposals given by Darthmouth ,all aspects which features of intelligence truly tells that machine can be made to stimulate it. I also agree to the following quote if a machine acts as intelligently as human, then it is as intelligent as a human. Consider the facts how artificial brain and heart is working, which can satisfy the law of nature, demands. So we can say machines are intelligent? We now analyze the facts in two dimensions. From Disability point of perspective, I should say,Robots can never do X. Mr.Alan Turing lists X as being kind, using proper words, doing something new, analyzing this from right from wrong, to the subject of tits own thought. Alan try to predict what would be possible in future years, though we have classical records of what computers or super computers already done. And its true that computers performs may well that what humans doing alone. It will play games like chess, cricket, spell check in documents and in medical theraphies like diagonising the diseases and it do hundreds of multiple task as well as human or better than humans. Computers requires performance at each fields in science say no chemistry, biology, computer science, astronomy, maths at level of a human expert. The educational testing service has used an automated program to grade millions of essays, the program agree with human graders 97% of the time, about the same level of two graders agree. [1]. And its also clear that computers do work better than humans, but it does not mean that computer excel everything. Of course, it use insight and understanding in task performances, not a part of behaviour. The objection from mathematics perspective for any formal axiomatic system F powerful enough to do arithmetic, to construct a Godel Sentence G(F) with the following properties, G(F) is a sentence of F,but cannot be proved within F. If F is consistent then G(F) is true [2]. Philosophers as mentioned this theorem shows that machines are mentally inferior to humans, because machines are formal systems that are limited by the incompleteness theorem, but human minds are operate by quantum gravity. No human brain could compute the sum of 100 billions of 100 digit number in their lifetime, but computer do it in seconds, before invention of mathematics itself human started to behave intelligent, so its not fair to say that mathematical reason plays more than important role in what it means to be smart or intelligent. Computers have binded to limitation on what they can prove but there is no evidence for human, that they are immune from those limitations. And its easy to claim that normal system cannot do X, then claims humans can do X using their informal method without evidence, like wise its too tough to say that humans are not subject to Godels incompleteness theorem, because any rigour proof contain a formalization of a claimed unformalizable humans talent. So I planned to left with an appeal to intuition that humans perform superhuman feats of maths insights. From informality point of view, the most persistent critics of artificial intelligence was ; argument from informality of behaviour; by Turing. Like humans, system cannot generate behaviour intelligent as human they can only follow set of rules. This inability to capture all in a set of logical rules is called the qualification problem in artificial intelligence. Its correct what Dreyfus pointed that, logical agents are vulnerable to the qualification problems. From his view, human includes knowledge of rules but as a background within which they exercise. Various problems have been addressed when Dreyfus and Dreyfus making proposal moving from being artificial intelligence critics to artificial intelligence theorists. i.e, Neural network architecture. It includes, Unless having proper background you wont get good serialization such that incorporating background knowledge with the neural network learning process. My concern about this is, the good reason for a serious redesign of current models of neural processing, then it can take the advantage of previously learning knowledge in the way that other algorithms proceed. Neural networks are supervised which requires guidance say it needs proper input and outputs. But unsupervised or reinforcement learning never looks for trainer (human). In many issues Dreyfus made impact on the commonsense knowledge, uncertainity importance of considering situated agents. But for me, these are all the evidences of intelligence progress,not its impossibilities. Let us consider this question can machines really think? According to myself, the machines which passes Turing test would still not be actually thinking. Its quite simulation of thinking. From his point of view,the machines has to be aware of its own mental states of action say consciousness, which is most important. Its almost false question, according to philosopher Mr.Karl Popper the term falsiable does not mean something is false, instead that if it is false, then this can be shown by experiment. [3] From my study of direct experience I personally feel that machines has a not actually feel emotion, whether the machine purpoted beliefs, desires of other representations are actually about something in the real world. Analysing Turings point,why should we want to insist on higher standard for machines that we do for humans? After all, in our life we dont have any direct evidence about the internal mental states of any other humans. Instead of arguing continually over the point ,it is usual to have the polite convention that everyone thinks. And questioning machines act on consciousness is difficult, but it got nothing to do with practice of artificial intelligence. I agree to the fact that, we are interested in created programs that behave intelligently, not in whether someone else pronounces them to be real or simulated. To understand this fact, we should consider the question of whether artifacts are considered real. Frederick Wohler synthesized artificial urea in 1848 and why its so important means, it proved that organic and inorganic chemistry could be united. Like the artificial Chateau Labour wine would not be the Chateau Labour wine, even if it was chemically indistinguishable, simply because it was not made in the right place in the right way. We conclude this topic by saying the philosophers John Searles lines, no one supposes that a computer simulation of a storm will leave us all wet. Why on earth would anyone in his right mind suppose a computer simulation of mental process?'[4] The behaviour of an artifact is important while in others it is the artifacts pedigree matters. For artificial minds, there is no convention just we are left to rely on intuitions. From the above quotes, its easy to agree that computer simulations of storms do not make us wet, instead its not clear how to make this analogy over to computer simulation of mental processes. Are mental processes more like storm or chess? like Chateau Labour or like Urea? This all depends on your theory of mental process and what it states. Under the theory of Functionalism any intermediate caused condition between input and output gives state of mind. In other words, two systems with isomorphic causual process would have the similar mental state. Therefore, computer program might have same mental state as a person. But in contrast, the theory of biological naturalism states that, the mental states are higher level emergent features which are caused by low-level neurological processes in the neurons and properties of the neurons that matters. To analyse these two view points, let we look at one of the oldest problem in the philosophy of mind. The mind-body problem: This problem questioning the mental states and processes related to the brain (bodily) state and processes. By analysing the problem of mind-architecture problem, it allow us to talk about the possibility of machines have minds. Mr.Rene Descartes, who considered how an immortal soul interacts with the body and concluded with the soul and body are two distinct type of things-a dualist theory. The monist theory called materialism, tells there is no such thing like immortal souls; only material objects. Consequently, mental states such as pain, knowing that one is riding in a horse or believing that Delhi is capital of India are brain states. Mr. John Searle pithily sums up the idea with the slogan, Brains cause minds. The materialist must face the two serious obstacles. The first problem is freewill: how can it be that a purely physical mind, where every transformation is governed strictly by the laws of physics, still retains any freedom of choice? Many philosophers agreed that this problem requires a careful reconstitution of our naÃÆ'Â ¯ve notion of free will, rather than presenting any threat to materialism. Then the next problem concerns the issues of consciousness but not identical, questions of understanding and self-awareness. So simply, why is it feel like anything to have certain brain states, whereas presumably does not feel like anything to have other physical states, for example being a rock. To start to answer such questions, we need ways to talk about brain states at levels more abstract than specific configurations of all atoms of the brain of a particular person at a particular time. For example, as I think about the capital of India,my brain undergoes myriad tiny changes from one picosecond o the next, but these never brings the qualitative changes in brain state. To account this, we need a notion of a brain state types, under which we can able to judge whether two brain states belongs to the same or different types. Though different opinions are existed, almost everyone believes that if one takes a brain and replaces some of the carbon atoms by a new set of carbon atoms (perhaps even atoms of a different isotope of carbon, as is sometimes done in brain-scanning experiments) the mental will not be affected. This is a good thing because real brains are continually replacing their atoms through metabolic process, and yet this in itself does not seem to cause major mental upheavals. Let us consider a particular kind of mental state: the propositional attitudes which are also known as intentional states. These are the states such as believing, desiring, fearing, knowing which refers to some aspect of the external world. Consider the examples, the belief that Delhi is the capital of India is a belief about a particular city and its status. We will be asking whether it is possible for computers to have intentional states, then it helps to understand how to characterize such states. Hence the identity or non-identity of mental states should be determined by staying completely inside the head, without the reference to the real world. To analyse this dilemma we turn to the thought experiment that attempts to separate intentional states from their external objects. From these several theories we conclude that mental states cannot be duplicated just in the basis of some program having same functional behaviour with similar inputs and outputs. The Ethics and Risks of developing artificial intelligence pose some problems beyond that of, to say, We might loose our jobs to automation. Humans might have too much leisure time. Peoples might lose their sense of being unique. We might feel like loosing some privacy rights. The use of artificial intelligence systems might result in a loss of accountability. The success of AI might mean the end of the human race. CONCLUSION: I conclude the machines are intelligent but often dependable on others intelligence. The intelligence explosion has also been called the technological singularity by maths professor Mr. Venor Vinge who writes that within 30 years ,we will have the technological means to creates super human intelligence. After human era will be ended. Considering the curve of technical progress Venor and Good said the progress growth is exponentially at present. However, it is quite a step to explorate that the curve will continue on to the singularity of near- infinite growth. The potential threats to society posed by Artificial Intelligence and relative technology some are unlikely and two basic thing which needs serious handling. The ultra intelligent machines might lead to a future that is very different from today and we may not like it. Next one is that the robotics technology may enable weapons of mass destruction to be deployed by psychopathic individuals. And I conclude that this is more of a threat from biotechnology and nano technology than from robotics.

Managing Diversity Essays -- Business Diverse Management Essays

Managing Diversity Introduction Thirty years ago discrimination was a part of normal business activity. Work place diversity meant hire outside of your family not outside of your race. As a result, the federal government felt impelled to create employment laws. These new laws were implemented to eliminate discrimination and provide the means for advancement. As a consequence of this implementation, these laws have created possible barriers to maximizing the potential of every employee (Chan, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Recently, the concept of diversity has completely changed from before. It was predicted that by the year 2005, women, minorities, and the disabled would dominate the workforce ("Managing Diversity", 1999). Organizations that are viewed as biased against these groups will not attract the competent workforce. Today, it is vital that organizations prove its impartiality in order to be successful in a constantly changing business environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The previous process of handling diversity entailed expecting people to assimilate to the new cultures. They were forced to adapt to fit the mold of company's dominant culture. The new process treats diversity as an asset. Actually, good diversity management does not require employees to assimilate. It encourages them to develop their strengths and present innovative ideas ("Managing Diversity", 1999). What is managing diversity? "Workforce diversity management has become one of the pressing issues that managers must address" ("Managing Diversity†, 1999). In my opinion, the most general definition of managing diversity is: Diversity management is a long-term process. It means extensively analyzing a company's current culture and changing those parts that limit cultural diversity. Also, it means recruiting new employees for the skills they can bring to the company rather than their cultural homogeneity. Lastly, it means working with a management team to help them understand that cultural diversity is a business issue, and their own careers will benefit from enabling their employees to reach their full potential ("Managing Diversity†, 1999). According to Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., author of Beyond Race and Gender (1997), the problem of diversity is not limited to questions of race, gender, ethnicity, disabilities and sexual orientation. Differences that replenish energy and undermine productivi... ...ty (1999, July). Black Enterprise, 23(12), 79-86.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  14. Nelton, Sharon (2000, September). Winning with diversity. Nation's Business, 80(9), 18-24. 15. Overman, Stephanie (1997, April). Managing the diverse workforce. HR Magazine, 36(4), 32-36. 16. Rice Jr., Booker (2000, May-June). Putting diversity to work: Playing on a level field. LIMRA's MarketFacts, 11(3), 38-39. 17. Schwartz, Robert H. & Sullivan, Dale B. (1999, Spring). Managing diversity in hospitals. Health Care Management Review, (2), 51-56. 18. Scott III, Samuel C. (1999, November-December). Vive La Differerce. Financial Executive pp. 44-48. 19. Thomas Jr., R. Roosevelt R. (2000, Winter). The concept of managing diversity. Bureaucrat, 20(4), 19-22. 20. Tung, Rosalie L. (1999, Winter). Managing cross-national and International Diversity. Human Resource Management, 32(4) 46-53. 21. Wagner, Mary (1997, September). Managing diversity Modern Healthcare, 21(39), 24-29. 22. Wilkinson, Brad (1999, October) Managing diversity: Buzz word or business strategy? HR Atlanta, 8. 23 Williams, Mary V. (1997, January). Managing Workplace Diversity. The wave of the 90's. Communication World, 7(1) 16-19.

Understanding Thomas Weiskels The Romantic Sublime :: Essays Papers

Understanding Thomas Weiskel's The Romantic Sublime In order to understand Weiskel's argument on the sublime, it would be helpful to briefly review the influential treatises on the sublime by Longinus, Immanuel Kant and Edmund. Longinus understands the sublime as intrinsically related to linguistics, as being achieved mainly through language and literature. The "linguistic sublime" causes one to transcend oneself. When one perceives an experience as producing ecstasy, he asserts, that experience can be considered sublime. According to Longinus, this effect can be achieved through powerful rhetoric; he then examines the sublime nature of the rhetoric of many great writers, including Homer and Sappho. He also considers the sublime to exist in political oration, theorizing "those personages, presenting themselves to us and inflaming our ardor and as it were illumining our path, will carry our minds in a mysterious way to the high standards of subliminity which are within us" (84). Longinus cautions, however, that writers who strive to achieve sublimity often fail, instead creating "expressions . . . which are not sublime but high-flown" (77). He further elaborates that it is nearly impossible for the common writer to achieve sublimity through rhetoric, stating that, "While tumidity desires to transcend the limits of the sublime, the defect which is termed puerility is the direct antithesis of elevation." Writers easily fall prey to this error, Longinus explains: "[W]hile they aim at the uncommon and elaborate and most of all at the attractive, they drift unawares into the tawdry and affected" (77). Longinus' theory focuses mainly on a sublime that results from a thing or event that possesses some type of positive literary effect. For Longinus, one is "uplifted by the true sublime [ . . . ] filled with joy and vaunting, as though it had itself produced what it has heard" (78). Edmund Burke, alternatively, makes a distinction between what is beautiful (and pleasant) and the sublime, concluding that an experience that might be considered terrible may instead inspire a peculiar sense of pleasure, a delight derived from terror. It is Burke's opinion that human experience with a negative connotation tends to stimulate the sublime. Burke proposes that the sublime is "[w]hatever is fitted in any sort to excite the ideas of pain, and danger . . . any sort terrible, or is conversant about terrible objects, or operates in a manner analogous to terror" (36). Burke's sublime is achieved through a type of indirect or derived terror, in which one experiences pleasure in the face of pain or terror.

Hamlet views Essay

The essential component to any Elizabethan tragedy is a protagonist with a fatal flaw. In Elizabethan tragedy this is called hamartia. This Latin term translates directly into the word â€Å"flaw† but is usually used to describe an excess of a personality trait – virtue or vice. The protagonist’s fatal flaw pushes the the plot and action of the tragedy forward. It is this tragic flaw, which leads to the eventual downfall of the character, his circumstances, and the denouement of the drama. In examining the bulk of the literature’s protagonists, no other character embodies the essential role of the flawed protagonist like Hamlet. Hamlet’s fatal flaw is his idealism. Only once Hamlet overcomes his idealism is he able to seek his revenge. The climax of the play occurs with Hamlet’s realization that the world is not as it seems and that he must shrug off his idealistic values and avenge his father’s murder Act 3, scene 4. It is within Act 4, that Hamlet carries out his revenge. The issues of love, hate, jealous, incest, power struggle, revenge, and most importantly maturation of the protagonist. These themes are all present in Hamlet, and were theater elements there were not just enjoyed by Elizabethan audiences but also expected. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, act 4 scene 4, are pivotal within the play. The scene centers around Hamlet’s speech (lines x-x). Hamlet is left alone on stage and reviews the events that occurred to this point in the play and what he must now do. Hamlet begins â€Å"How all occasions do inform against me, / And spur my dull revenge! † He clearly knows that he must, now, take his revenge. He asks himself, and the audience, â€Å"What is a man† and continues that a man should be â€Å"a beast, no more† and exhibit â€Å"god-like reason†. Hamlet holds on to his idealism much of the play but in the end, being born and raised as an Elizabethan, he knows he must not be â€Å" one part wisdom / And ever three parts coward. â€Å" It is honor that is most important to him. He continues â€Å"When honour’s at the stake. How stand I then, / That have a father kill’d, a mother stain’d, / Excitements of my reason and my blood, / And let all sleep? † Hamlet understands that to be a man he must seek carry out his revenge and he does. Act 3 centers around Hamlet speaking like a jealous lover chastising his girlfriend for sleeping with a different man and making their bed â€Å"enseamed†. The Queen is extremely upset and actually asks Hamlet to help her figure out what to do. At this point when Hamlet should have told her to confess, he urges her to stop her relationship with Claudius, â€Å"Not this, by no means, that I bid you do: Let the bloat king tempt you again to bed† (Act III, sc iv). It is in the moment that Hamlet allows his emotion to dominate over his intellect that Claudius was killed. He is consumed by the thoughts of his father’s demise and is haunted by the knowledge that his father’s soul will not be able to rest until his death is avenged. Hamlet willfully concludes, â€Å"My thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth† (Act IV sc iv). It is then that Hamlet finally had the ability to suppress his idealistic nature, and do what is right. The murder is not a well planned scheme and occurs in the heat of the moment. Hamlet, after the murder of Claudius never once wavers in his decision. He has done what is right and believes that â€Å"There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow† (Act V sc ii). Hamlet is able to do anything but take vengeance upon the man who did away with his father and has taken his father’s place with his mother. The pain which should have caused him to take immediate revenge was replaced by pity for himself. It is Hamlet’s idealistic nature that creates the ultimate theme and driving force behind all the rising action, falling action, and resolution of this tragedy as well as the death of his mother. The way in which Hamlet views his mother, father, and Claudius is finally revealed in Act IV. Once Hamlet is able to be honest about his feelings, he is able to finally seek revenge for his father’s murder. This scene is pivotal to denouement of the play and essential to Hamlet’s transformation from a boy to man who embodies the important qualities which were cherished and expect by an Elizabethan audiences. In Shakespearean tragedies, the protagonist must die and on the way to his death many people die with him. It is the ultimate act of revenge which appeals to the Elizabethan audience and has made Hamlet a timeless classic.

Biag ni Lam-ang

Biag ni Lam-ang (The Life of Lam-ang) is an epic poem of the Ilokano people from the Ilocos region of the Philippines. Recited and written in the original Iloko, the poem is believed to be a composite work of various poets who passed it on through the generations, and was first transcribed around 1640 by a blind Ilokano bard named Pedro Bucaneg. Lam-ang is an extraordinary being, manifesting when he begins to speak in his early years, thus enabling him to choose his own name.His adventures begin when his father, Don Juan, set out for a battle but never returned. At barely nine months, Lam-ang goes to search for Don Juan in the highlands where the latter was said to have gone. Aware that her child was a blessed, exceptional creature, his mother Namongan allows him to go. Lam-ang then goes off in search of his father, leaving his grieving mother behind. When Lam-ang arrives at the place where Don Juan had disappeared, he is enraged to see his father’s severed head atop a bamboo pole; a scene he dreamt beforehand.Lam-ang demands to the local people why that had happened to his father, but does not receive an answer. Instead, the chieftain of the village tells him to leave under pain of suffering the same fate as his father. Lam-ang defies the caveat and bravely fights the chieftain and his tribesmen. The hero emerges victorious from the battle with little effort, avenging his murdered father. Fom this story, we can realize how the love of a son to his father and

Develop Systems Essay

Unit 501 – use and develop systems that promote communication Learning outcome 1. Be able to address the range of communication requirements in own role. 1.1 Review the range of groups and individuals whose communication needs must be addressed in own job role. Individuals who have communication problems need support to enable them to express themselves effectively. Therefore it is vitally important in a managerial or senior role to both be aware of the individuals preferred method of communication and also to support this method effectively. Communication is a basic human right highlighted in the human rights act 1998 where it states that all individuals have the right to ‘freedom of expression’ therefore it is each person’s right to communicate their needs and preferences using their chosen method. If an individual were unable to communicate effectively or were denied the support to do so then they would essentially be denied their freedom of expression and would be withholding a basic human need and right. In residential child care there are a number of groups of people which communication may present challenges. Although they are presented as groups for the purpose of this learning outcome, each person should be treated as an individual and their communication needs assessed and addressed accordingly. As communication is a reciprocal process around 80% of communication is non-verbal which includes facial expression, posture and eye contact as well as the spoken word. Read more:  Use and Develop Systems That Promote Communication Essay Autism Individuals with autism have communication disorders which can make it difficult to communicate and interact with their environment. For example echolalia, which is repeating words spoken to them without knowing or understanding them, using phrases out of context and misreading others non-verbal cues. Also, lack of eye contact and limited ability to initiate and sustain interactions due to a limited concentration span. Learning disabilities A vast percentage of individuals with a learning disability have some form of specific communication need and can be affected on a scale from mild to severe. Emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) People who have EBD may not present with any noticeable communication difficulties per se but certain tones, volume or non-verbal actions may act as a barrier to communication and should be noted as a particular action could act as a trigger and potentially cause emotional distress. 1.2 Explain how to support effective communication within own job role In a managerial or senior role it is imperative to support and promote effective communication within the workplace both with the service users and the staff. This is established through firstly assessing the needs and then providing the appropriate support which would meet those needs and overcome any potential barriers to effective communication, thus promoting the individuals rights to freedom of expression. Before one can offer support an assessment would be made regarding their preference and choice and their baseline by observing the ways in which the individual communicates and the methods used. Everyone involved in the individuals care is made aware of the individual’s baseline and needs and preferences regarding communication and any changes are recognised during reviews and team meetings to ensure the individual’s needs are met. Key people involved with the individual may need to work using a joined up process to access information and support to ensure you get the best out of an individual’s communication abilities. These would include family, friends, therapists, school staff as well as the care and management staff. Effective communication improves the quality of life of people. It is essential that every effort is made to enhance communication, make time to listen and to understand empathically the individual’s perspective. To ensure this is adopted and promoted on an organisational level, adequate training and supervision must be undertaken. From an individual level, positive role modelling and an open culture are to be used to enable effective communication and minimise potential barriers. 1.3 Analyse the barriers and challenges to communication within own job role Communication is a fundamental relationship building skill in the workplace. If people don’t communicate well they limit their ability to connect on any meaningful level and therefore potentially cause conflict. Also with a senior or managerial role in the workplace people will have expectations of how they should communicate with others. The general social care council’s code of practice states that communications should be conducted in an appropriate, open, accurate and s traightforward way. By  communicating in this way others will have trust and confidence in you and your abilities. Workplace relationships become a lot stronger when people can clearly and effectively communicate what they need and allow others to do the same. There are many potential barriers to effective communication. Anything which blocks the meaning of a communication is a barrier and they are as follows: Language difference – this could be the choice of words used such as professional jargon or a report or explanation which is worded in a way in which the meaning is lost. Physical barriers – these are due to the physical environment such as noise level or distraction, inappropriate temperature, inappropriate lighting or also your positioning while communicating for example standing too close and invading personal space. Equally, positioned too far away would also act as a barrier. Psychological barriers – personal problems or issues can lead to a lack of concentration or engagement. Stereotyping – when on individual had a preconception about another individual, it makes it difficult for one to view the others communication without prejudice. 1.4 Implement a strategy to overcome communication barriers Regarding the young people I work with it was deemed appropriate to promote an effective communication platform for them to share their views and opinions on the running of the home, any changes they would like to make and to play an active role in planning the week ahead. This meeting agenda was a direct result of poor engagement from the young people and therefore not fully embracing their own personal preferences and choice in their lives. The new agenda format gives the young people the opportunity to have significant input via an informal platform as the formal approach was seen as a significant barrier to participation in the past. Also the opportunity to confidentially highlight concerns through their own personal agenda (placed in their draw each Monday morning) breaks down the physical barrier of having to raise it amongst their peers without feeling embarrassment or uncomfortable. While engaging in this meeting it is the responsibility of the staff to ensure the lighting is of an adequate level and the temperature is comfortable. More importantly it is their responsibility to ensure the young people have their say and open and honest communication is adopted and supported in an appropriate manor. 1.5 Use different means of communication  to meet different needs There are many different means of communication which may include one or more of the following: Verbal – communication is a two way process and it is important when communicating to listen as well as speak. In a senior or managerial role it is vitally important to adapt communications depending on who you are communicating with. For example you would communicate differently with a service user, a psychologist and a member of care staff. These would differ in the formality of the conversation and in the language or professional terminology used. Non – verbal – more than 90% of what we communicate is through non-verbal communication. This is demonstrated through our body language – our posture, how we stand, hand movements, facial expression and eye contact. Body language plays such an important role in communicating effectively as things like smiling and nodding seem like insignificant gestures but in reality they play such an important role in communicating by highlighting the interest in what is being said. Sign – this is commonly the use of sign and symbols. It requires training to effectively communicate with the intended audience. BSL is the use of signs and symbols as a communication aid to those with hearing loss. Makaton is used as an aid to support speech but not to replace it.

Opposing Viewpoints: Jefferson and the Lousiana Purchase

Jefferson Goes Against His Own Philosophy: Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America in 1803 of 828,000 square miles of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana. The Louisiana territory encompassed all or part of 15 current U. S. states and two Canadian provinces. At the time, the purchase faced domestic opposition because it was thought to be unconstitutional. Although Thomas Jefferson agreed that the U. S.Constitution did not contain provisions for acquiring territory, he decided to go right ahead with the purchase anyway in order to remove France's presence in the region and to protect both U. S. trade access to the port of New Orleans and free passage on the Mississippi River. Thomas Jefferson was strongly anti-federalist. While he might have written the Declaration of Independence, he definitely did not author the Constitution. Instead, that document was mainly written by James Madison. Jefferson spoke against a strong fede ral government and instead advocated states' rights.He feared tyranny of any kind and only recognized the need for a strong, central government in terms of foreign affairs. He felt that all powers given to the National Government were enumerated. If they were not expressly mentioned in the Constitution then they were reserved to the states. By completing this purchase, Jefferson had to put aside his principles because the allowance for this type of transaction was not expressly listed in the Constitution. Jefferson's philosophical consistency was in question because of his strict interpretation of the Constitution.Many people believed Jefferson were being hypocritical by doing something they surely would have argued against with Alexander Hamilton. There were several effects of Jefferson's decision to go against his own philosophy. It can be argued that his taking liberties with the Constitution in the name of need would lead to future Presidents feeling justified with a continual i ncrease in the elasticity of the Constitution. Jefferson should rightly be remembered for the great deed of purchasing this enormous tract of land, but one wonders if he might regret the means in which he earned this fameNecessary and Beneficial Westward Expansion: Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase was one of the largest land deals in history. In 1803, the United States paid approximately $15 million dollars for over 800,000 square miles of land. The purchase spurred along the beginning of America's fascination with exploring the west. With the purchase of this new territory, the land area of America nearly doubled. This land deal was arguably the greatest achievement of Thomas Jefferson's presidency, but also posed a major philosophical problem for Jefferson.As a strong Republican, Jefferson did not believe in straying from the exact words of the Constitution. With the Louisiana Purchase, Jefferson had clearly not followed his own strict interpretation of the Constitution. Federalist critics howled that the Constitution nowhere permitted the federal government to purchase new land. Jefferson was troubled by the inconsistency, but in the end decided that the Constitution's treaty-making provisions allowed him room to act. As a president, he wisely allowed for his own views to bend in order to better the nation as a whole.Although Jefferson’s view of strict-interpretation did not allow for the purchase, Jefferson’s actions were justified. Waiting for a Constitutional amendment might cause the deal to fall through. In 1801, Spain and France signed a secret treaty ceding Louisiana to France. France suddenly posed a potential threat to America. There was a fear that if America did not purchase New Orleans from France, it could lead to war. The change of ownership of this key port resulted in its closing to Americans. Therefore, Jefferson sent envoys to France to try and secure its purchase.With increased pressure, Jefferson decided to go thro ugh with the purchase. Luckily, the people of the United States basically agreed that this was an excellent move. The Louisiana Purchase demonstrates Jefferson's ability to make pragmatic political decisions. Although contrary to some of his central principles, guaranteeing western expansion was so important to Jefferson's overall vision that he took bold action. Increased resources, westward expansion, and a growing sense of national pride all resulted from the purchase. The gains were dramatic, as the territory acquired would in time add 13 new states to the union.

Functionalism Conflict Theory Essay

â€Å"Knowledge is shaped by the social world.† (Karl Mannheim.) Though trying to understand the social world may seem difficult, sociologists managed to create three theories on how different areas of the world fit with one another as well as working hand in hand with each other. The three theories are known as Symbolic Interactionism, Functionalism and Conflict Theory. Each theory serves as a significant perspective on how individuals view social life and how it effects society as a whole. The first perspective would have to be the simplest of all and is categorized as a micro level since it is focused on smaller scale than the remaining perspectives. Symbolic Interactionism was founded by Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929), William I. Thomas (1863-1947) and George Herbert Mead (18-63-1931). According to the textbook, symbolic interactionism means a theoretical perspective in which society is viewed as composed of symbols that people use to establish meaning, develop their views of the world and communicate with one another. In other words, it means symbols have an attached meaning that effect the way we view the world and communicate with individuals. Examples of symbols are family members, relationships, language, co-workers, etc. If there were no symbols in our life, we wouldn’t know who we are related to or who to give authority to. For example, at your job you are required to respect the person of high authority which may be your manager or your boss, (depending on your symbol at your facility). In your family, the symbols would be your mother, father, brother, sister, aunts, uncles, etc. No matter what area, each symbol has a different behavior and interacts differently unlike the rest. To narrow this down, let’s compare the relationship with a boyfriend to a brother. A brother would be loving and caring but would not be as intimate as the boyfriend would be. If we didn’t have symbols, we wouldn’t be able to differentiate how to act with those two. The only positive side about not having symbols would be the fact that there would be no war since we wouldn’t be able to understand who our enemy is let alone knowing what an enemy is. The next perspective is focused on a macro level since it is aimed at the large scale of society. Functionalism was founded by Robert Merton (1910-2003), â€Å"The accomplishments of functional analysis are sufficient to suggest that its large promise will progressively be fulfilled, just as its current deficiencies testify to the need for periodically overhauling the past to build for the future† (Social Theory and Social Structure Page 74). According to the textbook, functionalism means a theoretical framework in which society is viewed as composed of various parts, each with a function that when fulfilled, contributes to society’s equilibrium. In other words, various parts work together as a whole to maintain society’s balance. Robert Merton defined functions as positive consequences based on human’s actions that benefit the society. Functions that are intended to help a system are known as manifest function. Followed by this would be the unintended consequence to adjust the system which is known as latent functions. The textbook breaks these two down using an example of giving married couples an extra $10,000 for child bearing (this is the manifest function). Unknowingly, this increases the products used to care for a baby which is known at the latent functions. Though manifest and latent functions are used to balance a system, there are also some dysfunctions that can actually break down the system. These consequences are unusually unintended and because of that, it’s referred to as latent dysfunctions. Referring back to the example stated in the textbook; a latent dysfunction about giving $10,000 to each married couple that bears a child would be the rise in taxes which the couples may not be able to afford since they will be living off of the bonus. Another example that many individuals can relate to is our family. Every family member plays a significant role in their household. Examining the financial state of the family, it’s the bread winner that holds the financial issues together. Without the bread winner, the family would struggle and even turn for help towards the government. If the function of the bread winner begins to take a turn for the negative, the family weakens and loses their ability to prosper as a whole. This is an important factor on how functions can either make or break society. The smaller units affect the larger units in both negative and p ositive ways. Last but not least, the next perspective would be conflict theory. References Cooley, Charles H. â€Å"The Roots of Social Knowledge.† American Journal of Sociology 32.1 (1926): 59-79. Print. Merton, Robert K. Social Theory and Social Structure. New York: Division of Macmillian Co &, 1968. The Free Press. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. . Coser, Lewis. â€Å"Chapter IX.† The Functions of Social Conflict. Glenoe, IL: Free, 1956. 151-57. The Functions of Social Conflict. Web. 18 Nov. 2012. .

International Business Communication Paper Essay

International Business Communication Paper - Essay Example Bureaucracy is the other major obstacle as there are endless procedures and forms to fill, resulting in waste of time and money, which are the most important resources for a business. It is therefore, crucial for an investor to note that though the country does not have specific cultural practices to be followed, they should not forget that it is a foreign country. For instance, there are people who have to be pleased in order for an investor to succeed, mostly from the ruling class. It is hard for foreign investors to procure funding since the country is in debts and there is a lot of external pressure for reform implementation. A person of either gender can own a business in the country but the people are leaning towards women leaders. However, a foreign company can only own between 40% and 70% of a business depending on the sector. The law prohibits import of labor for locally available skills, and limits inputs import by imposing heavy import duty. Table of Contents Table of Cont ents ii International Business Communication Paper Before investing in a foreign country, a citizen of the United States needs to familiarize with such a country to ensure a smooth transition from one business environment to another. Therefore, background research is necessary to ensure success of the investment once the investor knows the rules by which to play. Factors about the country that should be of interest to an investor in any sector include, but are not limited to business norms and cultural considerations. Business norms include all the requirements of the business world that the investor must follow in order to be in line with government policies, clients’ preferences, competitive landscape and possible business partners. Cultural considerations encompass the social expectations on the investor from the various stakeholders in this foreign land. Countries have different definitions of what they consider as the ethical or the unethical and any investor keen on suc ceeding in a foreign land should familiarize himself with these values. On keen observation though, it is clear that even if the country has a favorable environment for foreign investments, there is still a lot of room for improvement. For instance, the process of obtaining trade licenses is tedious though the country is currently undergoing reforms in all sectors due to the recent adoption of what politicians and the media claim to be one of the best constitutions in the world. If Kenyan leaders do not do what they are famous for i.e. corrupting systems, the country is ready and is a prime location for new investments. The country’s economy is driven mainly by agriculture and service industries. Its economy does not experience exponential growth because unprocessed goods always fetch low prices in the international market. The service industry, on the other hand, has been deteriorating as tourists shun the country due to civil unrests and terrorism threats especially in the period following the 2007/08 post election violence. Business Norms For one to invest in Kenya, there are numerous licenses to be obtained. However, since the country always sends delegations here in the US to talk to investors encouraging them to do business, it is safe to assume that the country’

Discussion Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Discussion - Movie Review Example He resorts to painting one of the most sarcastic pieces of work he ever did, presenting himself in the painting as the villain of peace thereby suggesting a guilty plea. His youthful life existed during the time of religious dilemma in Italy attributed to artistic symbols used by the Catholic Faithfuls in Italy (Schama 1). The fact that Catholic Faithfuls successfully shot back idolatry accusations leveled against them by the Protestants from Northern Europe offered even better environment for Caravaggio to thrive in his yet to be painting career. Caravaggio’s artistic work majorly revolved around slavish copying of surrounding phenomenon while presenting them in exactly opposite and unexpected form. For instance, he painted himself as Bacchus, the god of wine who was also a symbol of beauty and youthfulness in an opposite but similar way. His nature-twist form of art did catch attentions. He got a special invitation from Maria Del Monte, a Cardinal in Rome to move into the palazzo. However, despite the struggles, recognition and fame, Caravaggio’s life remained more or less the same. He committed murder, ended up in the wrong side of the law. Born in Spain in 1599, Velazquez grew up a talented man in painting. Humbled, relatively peaceful, and benign paintings dominated his artistic choice throughout his pieces of work. His painting reflected the ancient ways of livelihood in Southern Europe. He painted taverns cum pubs, kitchens, and contrasting family pictures showing innocent faces of both old and young alike. The paintings appeared distinct than painting could be, presenting the household picture the way it ought to appear explicit (ZCZFilms 1). Velazquez’s appreciation for the role of the family and religion in social livelihood became a major theme dominant in his paintings. The theme ranged from painting of a pub, kitchen, humbled family members, and a portrait similar to that of Virgin Mary. He valued his wife so much

Leonardo Da Vinci Contribution To Aviation History Research Paper - 2

Leonardo Da Vinci Contribution To Aviation History - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that one of the great achievement made by Leonardo Da Vinci was his most significant contribution to the industry of Aviation. Leonardo Da Vinci was fascinated by the concept of flying human beings and this promoted him to develop thousands of words as well as hundreds of sketches that focused on the subject of aviation. His ideas regarding the aviation have been presented in the form of several codexes and one of the codes that specifically focuses on the aviation industry is recognized as the Codex on the Flight of Birds. His interest in the concept of aviation seems to be guided by the huge amount of in-depth work he has performed on the subject of militia and technology for military purposes. Due to his focus on military based technological advancements, he was able to develop the concept of aerial reconnaissance. He was the one who came up with the idea that there should be a machine that can fly and help in attaining the objective of ae rial reconnaissance. Most of Leonardo Da Vinci’s ideas were based on nature and he applied the same basis to the idea of developing an airplane or an aircraft that can fly with the assistance of flapping wings. This idea led him to design an aircraft which is recognized as ornithopters. While developing this design he did not take into consideration that fact the human beings have limited amount of capacity to move their muscles. But the design of two arms or wings flapping can be said to have provided a direction to aircraft developers in realizing that an aircraft needs wings to fly. A much realistic design and thought provided by Leonardo Da Vinci was on various concepts of aviation in his Codex on the Flight Birds. In Codex on the Flight Birds, he focused on the importance of center of gravity and its use in lifting the weight.

British American Tobacco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

British American Tobacco - Essay Example This is not required under generally accepted accounting standards in United Kingdom. As of December 2004, this resulted to additional deferred tax liability of 49 million pounds ( January 1, 2004 and 40 million pounds ) And for the year ended Dec 31, 2005 an additional charge of 7 million pounds. Under IFRS, it is necessary to provide deferred tax on the difference between the carrying values and tax base of assets in operations which use inflation accounting, and also all differences between the carrying values and tax base for land and buildings. As of December 2004, these resulted to an additional deferred tax liability of 16 million pounds. Under United Kingdom GAAP, the final dividend for the year is provided but on page 84 in accounting policy 15, under International financial accounting standards, it is should be provided in the year it is declared. Under United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting principles, certain of the group’s share based compensation plans did not result in a charge as they had no value or were finance thru issue of new shares of stocks. However the schemes financed by the purchase of shares did have value and were charged to operating profit over the vesting period based on the share price at the date of grant. Under International financial accounting standards, all share schemes will result in a charge based on fair market value of the grant as described on page 82 in accounting policy no. 7. e) Under the United Kingdom generally accepted accounting principles and international financial reporting standards, basic earnings per share are based on the profit attributable to ordinary earnings per share as based on the profit attributable to ordinary shareholders during this period. (This excludes shares held by the group's two employee share ownership trusts.) The difference between United kingdom Generally accepted accounting principles and international financial reporting standards figures is the due to the result of different treatment of the profit and amortisation of goodwill. For the United Kingdom generally accepted accounting principles, the adjusted diluted earnings per share uses same shares, investment costs written off, profit on disposal of subsidiaries and fixed asset investments, goodwill amortisation/impairment of brands and the exceptional credits arising from tax recoveries in Reynolds America in 2004. e) Under the International Financial Reporting Standards, the group will report regional business segments regional business as for United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. But Group costs, which are corporate costs that are not directly attributable to a particular segment of reporting will now be shown as a separate line in the segmental analysis. f) On page 83 in accounting policy 15, International Accounting Standards no 32 and International Accounting standards no 39 on the financial instruments will be used prospectively effectively starting January 1, 2005." REFERENCE: Director's report and account 2004.British American Tobacco. COMMENT: We have to follow the international fin

Paul of tarsus life, career, writings, and teaching Term Paper

Paul of tarsus life, career, writings, and teaching - Term Paper Example This work will also touch on the methodology of preaching the gospel and how he was able to get followers and his ways of establishing churches through his missionary journeys to various towns in Asia. In this analysis, I will use information contained in history about the political atmosphere and how it fostered his work. The other part of this work will be a description of his death and what the church today can learn from his life. The Bible speaks little on Paul’s family. Philippians 3.5 records him as a Hebrew from the tribe of Judah in Israel. However, in Acts 23.3, Paul implies ancestral connections to the Pharisees. His was born in Tarsus, in the province of Cilicia. Nevertheless, his upbringing is recorded to have been in Jerusalem and was trained in the law by Gamaliel through whom he became perfect in Jewish laws. Paul records in (Acts 26.4-11) that he used to persecute the church. This was true of his early life and many could attest to. Little is known about the e ntire life except of his involvement in persecution of early believers of Christ, which he calls the new way (Acts 22:4). This can be evidenced through his active participation in killing of Stephen. He was not among the disciples of Jesus and he is portrayed to come after Jesus was crucified. However, one time as he journeyed from Jerusalem to Damascus for the very works of persecution, a bright light met him and as a result he lost his sight. It was after three days that Ananias who was sent by God to him prayed for him and he regained his sight. This encounter formed the basis of Paul’s conversion from his former way of life as an anti-Christian into an apostle to the very gospel he persecuted. Jason, in a study named Saul’s Recruitment on the Road to Damascus, argues that it is not an easy task for one to change from one group to another or simply changing identities. In changing from one lifestyle of a Judean non believer to another lifestyle of believing in Jesus was painful as it involved separation and aggregation. Jason in fact argues that the conversion is best referred to as â€Å"recruitment†. The conversion of Saul to Paul, now a believer in Jesus, is legitimized by the Jewish ritual of baptism. This symbolized the recruitment into another group and a change of identity (Lamoreaux 122,132). Paul transformed from his earlier lifestyle of persecuting the church to active participation in evangelism and is in fact accorded the honor of taking the gospel to the gentiles and having them counted among the believers of Christ. The book of acts cites with emphasis the struggles that Paul underwent through in the transformation; first because of his prior state as a persecutor of the gospel and later as a witness to the same gospel and more so because of his struggles for acceptance in the society. Earlier on, Paul had a legacy of terrorizing and killing the Christian Jews who argued that Jesus was the savior and the king of the Jews. Among the many issues that supported his persecution was that the Jews saw Christ’s death as a curse and not an honor. He therefore used the synagogue punishment system to inflict sufferings to all those who were followers of Christ. This was the main reason why Saul, now Paul, experienced a lot of resistance while he came back in support of the same faith he was persecuting. He suffers a lot in the Mediterranean

The Euro Debt Crisis and Consequences for the Developing Nations Essay

The Euro Debt Crisis and Consequences for the Developing Nations - Essay Example As an important trading block, there is no doubt that effects have already been spread elsewhere, with the developing nations having a share of the crisis. Accordingly, the global growth momentum is projected to slow down by more than one percent between the year 2010 and 2012 (IMF 8). Unemployment within the Euro zone is degenerating and surging upwards. In fact, the UK has registered a new level high in 17 years. Growth prospects are not any better in the United States with the Senate blocking Obama’s jobs bill. The euro has lost substantial ground against the dollar, whereas the Chinese Yuan has been gaining ground, a fact that has prompted the US to threaten China with trade sanctions, unless they devalue their currency. Do the less developed nations have anything to worry concerning the Euro crisis? Through what transmission mechanism could the developing nations experience the Euro zone debt crisis effects? While Germany and the UK are taking the lead in steering the Eur o zone towards a complete makeover with seemingly harsh austerity measures, especially to countries believed to be the architects of the crisis, developing countries are yet to feel the pinch of the crisis. As witnessed in the degenerative effects of the global financial crisis, the less developed nations were not hit hard mostly due to their limited financial integration with the world economy. Even though the effects delayed mostly in African countries, trade ties, capital flows, tourism, remittances from abroad, and foreign aid among other channels eventually led to a significant slowdown in these economies. Just as it was with the global financial crisis, the euro debt crisis is likely to affect the less developed nation through three main transmis ­sion channels: financial networks, fiscal consolidation within the European nations currently struggling to overcome the crisis, and through the exchange rate. While the austerity measures as well the rescue package released that h as seen a combined effort of the IMF to that of the EU are timely and may be effective, it is very unlikely that the measures will offset the impact of the crisis on European economies within a record time frame as may be envisioned by many economists (Mhango par 1). From the fiscal measures that are already being adopted in unison, the possibility that the Europe nations are headed for a slow growth phase is very likely. The immediate and direct impacts of such measure are set to become more pronounced in trade links (Kandiero and Ndikumana par 4). As shown in the diagram below, it is evident that many developing nations, mostly Africans, are dependent on the European markets. The effects of European debt crisis could also reach the developing nations through sovereign risks, arising from the declines in tax revenues. This would potentially increase the costs of borrowing due to changes in risk premiums. In particular, those countries with high fiscal deficits are relatively expose d to the risk of re-pricing of risk premiums. Already the effects are being felt in certain countries that utterly depend on exports as income generating component of their economies. The crisis is slowly cutting down demand for exports from Africa. The effect that this has will translate in difficulties of these countries in maintaining planned levels off public expenditures including infrastructural

Corporate governance approaches Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Corporate governance approaches - Essay Example Due to the many reported business failures, combined with the low profits generated, the credibility and efficiency of corporate structures has been doubted thus the need to assess the accountability and responsibility of such leadership. This kind of system is based on the assumption that the holders of wealth or those who have exclusively invested capital in the business own it. That means the owners are entitled to the profits accruing from the enterprise since they have put their money at risk. In the case, the shareholders manage and control the activities and values in the organization at sometimes the expense of workers, customers and the public interests for instance, in the case of job outsourcing and the tax evasion experienced by the firms. This system of governance puts together all the parties that contribute to the success of the enterprise by recognizing and empowering such parties. It includes not only the owners but also other players such as the managers, suppliers, customers, distributors, employees and the public (Appleyard, Alfred and Steven 261). The system is actually consumer, suppliers and employees oriented. The stakeholders are included in the board of governors and play an active role in the policy making process The main distinguishing figure between the two systems of capitalism is in the approach to the type of environment in which firms develop including the labor and capital. Under stakeholder capitalism, the total reward system of remuneration is used and support towards productivity through education, training and research is accorded. Labor is secured through promotion of employer relationship thus low turnover rates at work making the labor market to be less flexible. Shareholder capitalism, on the other hand, puts a lot of weight and priority to shareholders interests. This cause labor mismanagement and also reduces the return to labor. There is too much external and internal

Education Essay Example for Free

Education Essay Maraming Pilipino ay nananatiling †walang pakialam, walang interes, at walang komitment. † May pagkamanhid na nagaganap kaugnay ng mga usapin sa moralidad kaya madalas inuunawa na lamang yaong mga bagay na di dapat palagpasin;ang kasamaan ay hindi nasusugpo dahil lubhang abala ang mga tao sa pagkayod ng ikabubuhay. Kung gusto nating tayo’y umunlad, hindi ito dapat magpatuloy. Express your agreement or disagreement to the statement above. Give concrete examples. In what ways have colonial education developed this apathy or lack of interest? In what ways can the present system of education help solve this problem. To a certain extent, I agree and disagree with the statement, I do not wish to appear not  to have a stand on this so allow me to explain: If I were to be realistic, I would have to admit that the statement is true. An example is an ordinary teacher working in a public school who handles three subjects and an advisory class with 30-50 students per class. She has a family of her own with 2-3 children and a husband who is a government employee. She rents a house with a fee of 5 thousand a month, exclusive of utilities. All children are in school. Monthly expenses on food, transportation, school fees etc. exceed her and her husband’s salaries combined. To augment their monthly earnings both husband and wife take on additional jobs, the teacher has private tutorials after school and the husband drives for a family on the weekends and holidays. No one can question her integrity as a teacher; she does her work well and with sincerity. But with the bulk of her responsibilities not only with her own family but with her students, do you think she has the time to debate on issues such as corruption in government? An issue that she was born in and with already. An issue that she has no immediate solution for. An issue that continues even after the post has â€Å"changed hands†. That no matter who sits in government, same problem on corruption occurs but on different levels, depth and facets. For this ordinary teacher, she would rather focus her time on the daily problems she encounters and can provide immediate solutions for – like her students failing grades or, frequent absences. Or misunderstandings with a colleagues, or school projects of her kids. Can we fault her for simply focusing on solutions she has control over? Does that make her insensitive, numb, does not care or uninterested with the issues around her? Will her joining street rallies, taking a day off her from her responsibilities and a day’s pay from her salary, to denounce the government that seemingly disregards her problems address the corruption issue and solve it within the day she can afford to spare? I do not believe so. She does what she can, at times that she can. This attitude is  not  even colonial. It’s an innate Filipino and human value that we all take on when necessary. And the teacher’s attitude of providing solutions at her level no matter how mundane helps the community. Small things like inculcating honest values, and upgrading human respect for others to students under her care would make a difference, so when they grow up and they take on the leadership of the country, she hopes they would be a different brand of leaders. She is but one teacher, but even a small pebble when thrown creates a ripple in any body of water.