How well does Zara’s advantage travel globally? Essay

Zara has several advantages when it expands its operation in global markets. Firstly, Zara has always promoted its products via its stores and it had its own centralized distribution center which will translate to low advertising and logistics costs when it enters new markets. As opposed to its competitors who would invest heavily on advertising and organize a distribution system. Secondly, apparel retailing was witnessing increasing concentration which would benefit Zara when it entered new markets. Thirdly, there was more homogeneity in fashion which supported Zara’s brand of clothing since its target market is consumers receptive to fashion. Moreover Zara has an adequate system of knowing local trends and tastes which it would reflect in its designs. The strategy of opening one store for information gathering in the initial phase of entering new markets is one of its key strengths. Lastly, economies of scale were another advantage for Zara when entering a new market. The International strategy of Zara. After opening its first store in La Coruna in 1975, ZARA expanded within the domestic market during the 1980s. International expansion started with the opening of a store in Oporto, Portugal in 1988 (Carmen & Ying 2009). Currently, ZARA is already operating over the five continents with over 1,700 stores. International sales accounted close to 70% of its total turnover, with Europe being its largest market by far. ZARA has been identified as a trans-national retailer (Alexander & Myers 2000). On the surface, this may appear as a peculiar classification since they appear committed to a highly standardized operating formula which provides little opportunity for market responsiveness. Analysis of ZARA’s internationalization strategy would indicate otherwise (Bruce, Moore & Birtwistle 2004). While the brand image is highly standardized, its product development and merchandising strategy are very flexible and allows for the integration of pan-national fashion trends as soon as it emerges. This is evident by its approach to trading in the British market. ZARA recognizes the appeal that their Spanish origin provided for its brand and clearly  understood the distinctive positioning they had within the United Kingdom as a fashion forward retailer. The company therefore focused upon the more fashionable lines within their British stores. Pricing policy within the United Kingdom has been more upscale than their home market in order to exploit their advantages within the British market. Best way to grow for Zara Zara is the meaning of â€Å"instant fashion†. Instead of creating demand for new trends and using fashion shows, Zara uses another method. They study the demands of the actual customers in their stores and then deliver that design at very high speeds. They save tons of money on their delivery methods. I would say they are very much ahead of the fashion market in terms of production and sales. Zara is the number 1 most profitable out of 8 other companies in the Inditex Group. Their production cycles are much faster than H&M. In 1 year Zara launches 11,000 new items compared to 2,000-4,000 from H&M. Over the next 4 years the brand plans to double in size opening over 4,000 new shops. They plan this expansion to mostly start out in Europe before pushing anywhere else.

Traumatic Shoulder Injury Rugby Union Health And Social Care Essay

Classified as a hit athletics by many athleticss sawboness the nature of Rugby Union consequences in comparatively high rates of traumatic hurts compared to other athleticss ( Sundaram et. al 2010 ) . Epidemiologic Injury Incidence Rates ( IIR ) demonstrate that participants who miss at least 24hrs of athletics scope from 69-218 incidences per 1000hrs of drama, with more serious IIRs being recorded every bit frequently as 13.26-13.95/1000hrs ( McManus et al. 2004, Garraway et Al. 1995 ) . New Australian epidemiological research of a big cohort of 1475 rugger participants across all degrees of competition ( School boy, amateur, academy, professional ) have found that 14-28 % of entire rugger hurts involve the upper limb ( McManus et al 2008, Usman 2012 ) , specifically 66 % or an IIR of 13.12/1000hrs happening to the shoulder articulation with hurts such as ; Anterior Dislocations and breaks ( Usman et al 2012 ) .These upper limb hurts have been associated with the longest clip out of drama, quantified as more than 4 matches/28days or more, in the Australian survey ( Usman et al 2012 ) . All of this information indicates that upper limb hurts have a really high prevalence in the athletics and are besides rather enfeebling. In comparing to IIRs associated with rugger participants, the general population rates of Anterior disruption are every bit low as 1.7 % ( Boone 2010 ) .Considering this disparity in statistical happening between the 2 populations, the debilitating nature of this hurt to rugby participants and the fact that it is extremely likely to show in a injury puting I have chosen to concentrate the balance of this essay on Anterior Dislocations of the shoulder.Anatomy and MechanismsPrior to discoursing the mechanism of hurt involved with this rugger associated pathology, it is of import to foremost specify what constitutes the normal anatomical constructions of the shoulder articulation.Normal AnatomyThe shoulder articulation allows for the most extende d scopes of motions ( ROM ) in the full organic structure, due chiefly to the building of the GlenoHumeral Joint ( GHJ ) composite. This big freedom of motion depends on stableness of the joint to stay active and is achieved by the inactive and dynamic stabilizers: Inactive stabilizers include ; the glenoid labrum which increases the otic contact country by up to 50 % , the extrinsic coracoacromial arch and intrinsic ligaments linking the humeral caput and the shoulder blade. Dynamic stabilizers include ; the rotator turnup musculuss known jointly as SITS. Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor and Subscapularis. The GHJ and its associated constructions are innervated by the suprascapular, sidelong pecs and alar nervousnesss. The two groups mentioned above work in concurrence to maintain the humeral caput in close articulation with the glenoid pit and supply important stableness in order to supply a usually functioning articulation. ( Moore et al. 2009 )Mechanism of InjuryAs rugger is a hit athletics with several participants at high speed typically involved in any one incident, it is really difficult to determine one definite mechanism of hurt. When questioned participants are frequently obscure on the inside informations of the mechanism, but it is reported that contact ( e.g. tackle state of affairss ) is responsible for 70 % of GHJ hurts ( Usman et al 2012 ) with foul drama merely being responsible for 6 % ( Crichton et al. 2012 ) .This is no surprise as tackling has been shown to be a major portion of the game with about 330 incidents per game ( Sundaram et al 2010 ) . Queerly neverthele ss undertaking when measured with the usage of force tablets does non exercise a high plenty force to do hurt to the constructions in the shoulder. Usman et Al ( 2011 ) measured proper technique tackle forces utilizing dominant and non-dominant shoulders both in the lab and on the field. The findings demonstrated that undertaking merely produced half the sum of force necessary to do traumatic harm to the shoulder. Therefore there is more elements to the mechanism of GHJ hurt than merely force via undertaking entirely. Subsequently surveies have made usage of picture analysis to reexamine a big base of GHJ hurts in order to set up a mechanism of hurt. It was found that there are three classical places ( c. f. appendix I ) in which GHJ occurs in rugger ; The try-scorer: diving and making with the arm flexed above 90A ° Tackler: Abducted arm driven behind the participant with a ensuing posterior force Direct Impact: Impact to shoulder from hit or land. Slightly flexed or impersonal with some internal rotary motion ( Crichton et al 2012 ) The Try-scorer and tackler were the most common groups for labral and humeral caput hurts happening in Antereoinferior GHJ disruptions, as the caput of the humerus is affected by a lever action from force transmitted through the arm in the wrong place ( Crichton et al 2012 ) . This illustrates that it is non undertaking that is the cause of hurt but more so wrong technique during a tackle or in contact with the land. The beginning of this improper technique is likely to be due to tire happening during the game. Tackling was shown to be a fatiguing activity as less force was produced with each tackle repeat when measured ( Usman et al. 2011 ) Fatigue has besides been shown to hold a negative consequence on an jock ‘s propioception or joint place sense ( JPS ) . As fatigue addition mechanoreceptors around the GHJ musculuss can non accurately describe JPS. Consequently during contact the jock will non hold their GHJ in the optimum place to absorb the force ensuing in hurt such as those described above from less effectual tackling ( Herrington 2008 and 2010, Sundaram et al 2010, Usman et al 2011 ) .Repetitive overloading of the inactive stabilizers through wrong undertaking technique can besides do incompetency of the GHJ taking to micro injury over clip and finally sprain/dislocation of the joint ( Goldberg et al 2003 ) .Other hazard factors that have besides been shown to be lending factors include ; accomplishment, playing experience, equipment, old hurts, playing place and degree of competition ( Usman et al 2011 )PathoanatomyIn Antereoinferior GHJ dislocations the humeral caput is forced down through the deficient inferior capsule and anteriorly due to the boney blocks of the acromial process, coracoid procedure and its tie ining ligament ensuing in a complete tear and rupture of the capsule in most instances. Equally good as the ligamentous capsule hurt there is besides associated harm to both soft tissue and bone ( Thomas et al 2007 ) . With respects t o soft tissue injury the most common pathoanatomy of soft tissue is a Bankart lesion ( Boone et al 2010 ) . This is a withdrawal of the anteroinferior Labrum and Inferior GH ligament with a farther 50 % of these showing with associated break of the Anterior rim of the glenoid pit ( Boone et al 2010 ) . Both of these occur when the humeral caput is forced out of the pit during disruption. If non treated decently, these lesions will take to a chronic instability in the accomplished shoulder, taking to recurrent disruptions as is seen in 21.5 % of incidences during the first lucifer after return to play ( Usman et al 2012 ) . Perennial disruptions are common in rugger due to a figure of factors such as early return to play, non-surgical intervention with stableness and other factors mentioned above in mechanisms. Recurrence causes the figure of constructions involved and the badness to increase dramatically.The figure of Anterioinferior labral lesions addition ( Doo-sup et al. , 2010 ) , Osseous Bankart lesions besides increase up to 56-86 % with perennial dislocators combined with a 67-100 % likeliness of besides holding a Hill-Sachs break ( Boone et al. , 2010, Beran et al. , 2010 ) . Hills-Sachs lesions occur on the postereo-lateral caput of the humerus as it impacts on the glenoid pit.PresentationHistoryOn showing to A & A ; E the patient will more than probably describe one of the three scenarios above, saying that their arm was abducted and externally rotated at the clip of contact. They will besides describe to holding felt a faux pas and â€Å" dead † shoulder after the incident ( Goldberg et al. , 2003 ) . The other chief symptom showing with a disjointed shoulder are terrible hurting and reduced scope of gesture. The patient will besides keep their arm guarded in little abduction and external rotary motion.ExaminationExpression: The patient will look to hold really small ROM when discasing. The shoulder will look â€Å" squared off † with loss of deltoid contour. Feel: The humeral caput is tangible anteriorly in the subcoracoid part. It is besides of import to compare bilateral radial pulsations to govern out vascular hurt and to prove the alar nervus in the ‘regimental badge mark ‘ over the deltoid bilaterally. Move: Active motion ; the patient is unable to finish Apley ‘s abrasion trial, i.e. touch opposite shoulder, opposite shoulder blade, back of the cervix. In Passive motion the patient will defy abduction and internal rotary motion. Imagination: This must be done to govern out differential diagnosings of clavicular or humeral breaks. A shoulder injury series should besides be ordered Pre and Post decrease. An AP or alar X raies are the most suitable for Anterior disruptions. Post decrease movies are highly of import as 37.5 % of breaks such Hills-Sachs are seeable that would hold been missed Pre-reduction. ( Thomas et al. 2007 )Treatment and RecoverySuitable analgesia and musculus relaxants should be selected, nevertheless intra-articular injections of lignocaine have been associated with fewer complications and decreased corsets than traditional IV opiate analgesia ( Wakai et al 2011 ) . The following measure is to instantly cut down the shoulder, as a successful decrease is normally associated with a pronounced decrease in hurting. A ‘clunk ‘ may be observed either palpably or audibly as the humeral caput re-enters the glenoid pit. Nerve map should be assessed anterior to and post-reduction over th e regimental spot country of the shoulder. This is done to measure if the alar nervus was damaged during decrease of the joint. Afterwards the shoulder should so be immobilised ( Thomas et al 2007 ) . Post-reduction tends to mean the terminal of the A & A ; E staff ‘s engagement with the disruption before discharge nevertheless it must be considered if the patient needs an orthopedic referral. In the presence of Bankart and Hills-Sachs lesions surgical intercession is frequently warranted as it is a cause of GHJ instability and a major hazard factor for return. In the bomber group of immature hit participants careful consideration is needed when taking the right process. Open processs are frequently favoured due to a high return rate of 89 % with some arthroscopic operations in contact athletics jocks ( Boone et al 2010, Golberg et al 2003 ) .The unfastened Latarjet-Pette process demonstrates good consequences in some tests with no return and a full return to rugby in 65 % of patients ( Neyton et al 2012 ) . Recovery clip so consists of 4 hebdomads of immobilization in a sling with 0 grades external rotary motion, after which beef uping exercisings can be introduced ( Jolles et al 2004, Auffarth et al 2008, Boone et al 2010 ) .New inventionsRecent research in the orthopedic field has led to the usage of thrombocyte rich plasma ( PRP ) in the intervention of sinew, ligament and bone pathologies. The intervention involves utilizing an autologous blood dressed ore injected straight into the damaged tissue. The hypothesis is that the increased thrombocyte derived growing factors from the dressed ore will rush up the healing procedure. Presently there is non adequate grounds to back up this technique as there are really few RCTs with PRP usage on shoulders. Consequences are inconclusive as different concentrations of thrombocytes and different protocols have been used across different surveies. However as the grounds base grows it may be a valuable clinical tool in the hereafter ( Ujash et al 2012, Hall et al 2009 ) The usage of shoulder tablets in rugger has besides been investigated. When tackle forces with and without tablets were measured merely a non-significant decrease in force was observed. This leads to them exposing similar rates of hurt with lone superficial tissues being protected ( Usman et al 2011 ) .Future research could hence be aimed at doing more effectual shoulder pads/straps that do non alter the authorization of the game as set by the IRB. CAT osteoabsorptiometry has besides been used to measure the chronic effects rugby imposes on the GHJ. This technique tracks mineral denseness measured in Haunsfield units over the glenoid fossa country. Rugby participants compared to the controls, have a Posteroinferior displacement in mineralisation which was observed with 40 % of rugby topics exhibiting an inferior boney glenoid lesion ( Kawasaki et al 2012 ) . These findings may be utile in testing persons to supply trim intervention in order to forestall chronic instability later in life every bit good as decelerating the patterned advance of degenerative arthritis.DecisionsIn drumhead ague anterior disruptions of the shoulder are rather common in rugby participants with rates greatly transcending those of the general population. The mechanism is besides really variable as surveies have demonstrated at least three common ways it can happen. Dislocation is besides seldom unsophisticated with both soft tissues and bone constructio ns involved as in the instance of Bankart and Hills-Sachs lesions, or even damage to the alar nervus doing deltoid palsy and loss of abduction. These factors combined with the particular consideration necessary for the sub-population of immature hit jocks, can greatly act upon intervention and must be taken into history for successful intervention of this traumatic event.Appendix( Crichton et al 2012 )

Modern Relevance of “The Birthmark”

Modern Relevance of â€Å"The Birthmark† â€Å"The Birthmark† is a fable created by Hawthorne that conveys his viewpoint towards the use of science to contradict the laws of nature. The fable also includes commentary on the depiction of men and women in society, along with their presumed roles. Both of these themes in my opinion are even more relevant today than when the story was written. Hawthorne disapproves of science used as a tool to tamper with living beings, for they are not meant to be perfect.This is illustrated in Georgiana’s death after Aylmer attempts to experiment on her: â€Å"As the last crimson tint of the birthmark–that sole token of human imperfection–faded from her cheek, the parting breath of the now perfect woman passed into the atmosphere†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The implied moral is that attempting to contradict what is originally intended is unethical and will lead to disastrous results. Hawthorne uses the character Aylmer to exempli fy the people who abuse science as a means to control nature.In modern sciences, â€Å"controlling nature† has become the essence of the medical field, progressing to the extreme of cheating death. Hawthorne’s opinion is echoed in the controversies today regarding methods such as stem cell research or cloning, as common arguments point to its immorality and the eventual disaster. The story is an exaggeration that was intended to be almost humorous, although I believe Hawthorne must have had the notion that his fear would someday become commonly practiced and even encouraged. The Birthmark† at a glance might appear to be supporting the stereotypical gender roles of the era. Hawthorne portrays Aylmer as the pragmatic husband and leader, while Georgiana is his complement as the obedient wife. However I believe Hawthorne is using satire to imply just the opposite. Georgiana is deemed to be Aylmer’s intellectual equal; as she was able to read through his experi ments and understand his successes and failures.She also understands Aylmer’s greatest flaw, which he himself can never comprehend, and that is his doomed strive for perfection: â€Å"With her whole spirit she prayed that, for a single moment, she might satisfy his highest and deepest conception. Longer than one moment she well knew it could not be; for his spirit was ever on the march, ever ascending†¦ requiring something that was beyond the scope of the instant before. † Georgiana’s death in the end is the result of her choice to obey Aylmer, even though she knew of his insane obsession and faulty judgement.I believe Hawthorne is making a statement on the folly of intelligent women bending to the ridiculous whims of their husbands, while they’re perfectly capapble of making decisions themselves. This theme translates easily for many modern readers who continue to resist the residual expectation of women being subordinate to men. The rigid role of a woman that Georgiana fits into is still recognizable to us, but it is the intelligence and the small streak of independence she possesses that we can relate to. In the end we lament that she did not take a greater stand for herself, as many would have done today.

Do men or women have more uncomitted, heterosexual sexual intercourse Research Proposal

Do men or women have more uncomitted, heterosexual sexual intercourse - Research Proposal Example Social learning theory explains the double standard on uncommitted sexual intercourse on the basis of the cultural norm that punished or isolated women for behaving in a sexually permissive manner while men gain admiration and popularity for similar behaviors. On the basis of sexual learning theory, the pattern of sexual behavior is explained by sexual script theory. A 1982 research points out that women were more probable to label sexual behavior of other women as immoral to suggest that women support the double standard that they should have less sex or no sex in uncommitted relationships (Milhausen, R.R. & Herold, E.S. 1999 pp.361-368). Uncommitted sexual intercourse is a topic of interest in recent times due to the evolution of sex differences and their relationship to sexual attraction. A research led by Michael Bailey found that men in the past enhanced their mating opportunities by indulging in uncommitted, casual sexual encounters. With respect to this supposition, men have more frequent yearning for sex with new partners when compared to women. Further, men are more willing than women to indulge in impersonal and casual sex. On the basis of this argument, it is considered that women commit more resources for reproduction and they gain very less advantage from casual frequent sexual action unless it is an extra effort taken for occasional copulation with a superior male to improve reproductive success. The researcher points out that heterosexual man has a high desire for sexual activity with a number of sexual partners. While comparing the frequent sexual activity of women, Bailey and colleagues consider the f requent sexual activity of heterosexual women as accommodating to the demands of male partners rather than the women’s true yearning for frequent intercourse. Another explanation indicates that women generally are socialized in a way that they are assertive in prompting sexual

Lloyds Bank Building and the Northern Rock Building Essay

Lloyds Bank Building and the Northern Rock Building - Essay Example The pillars have connotations of classical antiquity, while the carvings are reminiscent of an age when craftsmanship was valued and used as a demonstration of wealth and success. Ordinary buildings like homes and shops did not have these features, and they were reserved for the aristocracy and for civic buildings, imparting an air of authority and â€Å"establishment†. This is the origin of the rather conservative cultural meaning that the building conveys (Rotenberg, 1993).   Quite apart from these historic features of the Lloyds bank building, there are also distinctive visual elements which convey meanings to the observer. The building is taller than it is broad, which suggests a towering presence that dwarfs the viewer. The implication is that the bank is both strong and dominant, providing a stable, if somewhat stern, or even forbidding presence on the high street. The rather narrow door is brought slightly forward of the main building and set to the left, with a series of steps leading up to it. This suggests that entry to the bank is a privilege granted only to those who are worthy to climb the steps and enter its narrow frame. The entrance is dark and reveals nothing of the interior. This increases the mystery of the institution for the uninitiated, and the feeling of privilege for insiders, and this illustrates the contested nature of meaning when it comes to architectural spaces (Gieryn, 2000).   The bank’s name is positioned in modestly proportioned uppercase letters above the door as if to emphasize the act of entering this special portal. There is no distraction or adornment to the name, which is allowed to stand as the main advertising feature of the whole building.

Choosing first topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Choosing first topic - Essay Example 295). Forest lands, adjacent to small scale farming fields, fall victim to deforestation, during the course of expansion of agriculture. As such, deforestation has principally been the outcome of small scale agricultural activity that had been undertaken along the edges of the forest. Moreover, infrastructure development, such as the construction of roads, has resulted in the widespread felling of trees, in the areas abutting forest land . At present, a few of the smaller countries of Southeast Asia, like Malaysia, have been left with negligible forest area. This dismal state of affairs is on account of the unabated deforestation conducted in these countries (Carr, 2004, p. 296). In addition to the expansion of small scale agriculture, infrastructure development, like the construction of roads and other activities, leads to deforestation. The 1990s were witness to the unprecedented clearing of forests in Asia. This was occasioned by enhanced demand for timber and the continual migrat ion of rice farmers, into what had previously been remote regions. These regions became accessible, due to the increased felling of trees .Latin America, with its abundance of closed tropical forests, has been host to most of the research that has been conducted on tropical deforestation. ... Furthermore, deforestation is also the outcome of economic considerations, like low domestic costs, increase in the price of products and the influence on ecology by industrial and urban centers in remote locations. The latter has been seen to be the cause behind deforestation, in a third of the cases (Geist & Lambin, 2002, p. 146). Hence, Market forces have a tangible effect on furthering deforestation. Moreover, deforestation is the outcome of a necessity to generate foreign exchange earnings at the national level, and this has been seen to be prevalent in 25% of the cases. On the whole, there is scant variation in the elements that pertain to economic development in a burgeoning cash economy. As a consequence, these features promote deforestation, in a very powerful manner (Geist & Lambin, 2002, p. 146). As such, economic reasons also contribute to deforestation in tropical regions. Consequently, expansion of agriculture has been deemed to be the most important cause of deforestat ion, and this has been estimated at 96% of the instances. Some of the facets of such expansion are the conversion of forests, on a permanent basis, to land on which cattle graze, shifting cultivation is practiced and agriculture is colonized. In addition, the tropical rainforests of Asia are subjected to considerable commercial wood extraction (Geist & Lambin, 2002, p. 145). In Asia, commercial wood extraction has also been identified as a major element, in bringing about deforestation. The World Bank’s 1989 World Development Report disclosed that deforestation was rampant in fourteen developing countries of South America, Africa, and South-East Asia. This report also revealed that more than 250,000 hectares of tropical forests were being destroyed annually, in these

Thr Gate Gourmet service company study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Thr Gate Gourmet service company study - Essay Example However incorporation of a foreign program in the operations scenario gives rise to different challenges and problems in place that need to be effectively administered to contribute to the overall gains. Herein this paper focuses on properly evaluating the parameter of utility of such software in rightly helping the company management and the stakeholders gain potential information relating to external environment changes and also in addressing the problems emerging thereof. The paper divided along potential sections would contribute in getting useful recommendations along several facets thus helping in the holistic development of the service enterprise, Gate Gourmet in effectively serving airline passengers. Contents Contents 3 Introduction 5 Discussion 5 Critical Determination of the Systems that Enable the Efficient use of Input Resources 5 The Input-Output Related Transformation Process 5 Process of Optimally Using the Available Resources 6 The Case of Gate Gourmet 7 Trade-Off an d Challenges Faced by Gate Gourmet during the Process 8 Benefits and Challenges Faced by Gate Gourmet in integrating Information Technology in Supply Chain 9 Benefits 9 Challenges 11 Recommendations for Enhanced Performance of Information Technology Driven Supply Chains 12 ERP Implementation and Challenges 13 Challenges Faced by Gate Gourmet in the Implementation Phase of Organisation Wide Information Systems (ERP) 13 Addressing ERP Implementation Problems in Gate Gourmet 14 Tacit and Implicit Knowledge Use in Gate Gourmet 15 Case of Gate Gourmet 15 Conclusions and Recommendations 16 References 17 Introduction Gate Gourmet is a firm that works in the rendering of effective operations and services to airline passengers in the mode of rendering quality food and catering products. The company in the unison with other employee groups also renders other value addition services relating to cleansing, baggage checking, loading and unloading and other flight crew services. Gate Gourmet has effectively incorporated information technology to enhance the level of integration and competency involved in its functions and collaboration with other stakeholders like suppliers supplementing them with information relating to market and demand changes. The paper in this connection tends to evaluate the effectiveness of the information technology component rightly integrated and incorporated by the company in its service delivery network. Discussion Critical Determination of the Systems that Enable the Efficient use of Input Resources The Input-Output Related Transformation Process The Transformation Process related to the input-output system relates to the effective integration of different type of resources pertaining to human, financial and technological capital for the production of goods and services as needed outputs. The model for the Transformation Process used in Operations for effectively transforming inputs into effective outputs can be rendered as follows. Figure 1 Th e inputs segment of the Transformation Process tends to incorporate two types of resources like Transformed and the Transforming. Transformed resources are as such that get readily transformed to serve as outputs in the process while Transforming Resources are such that aid in the effective transformation of inputs into proper outputs. Herein the Transformation

People for Ethical Treatment of Animals Term Paper

People for Ethical Treatment of Animals - Term Paper Example It carries out various campaigns around the world to stop cruelty and ill treatment towards animals. They believe that animals deserve the rights to have their best interests taken into great consideration. Its slogan is â€Å"animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment.† The organization has three hundred employees and more than two million followers and supporters. PETA focuses on the four major areas where animals are subjected to suffer: In Research Laboratories In Garment Industry/Clothing Trade Entertainment Industry Factory Farms In addition, it deals with issues of killing animals in a cruel manner, the suffering of domestic animals, and the killing of birds and pests. Ingrid Newkirk states, â€Å"When it comes to feelings like hunger, pain, and thirst, a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy† (p. 4). In general, animal rights demands that all the animals should be used and treated humanely. Animals can be used for various types of purpos e, but the humane treatment and duty of care lies mainly with the human being. Like the animal rights theory, it upholds that we have no ethical explanation for using nonhuman animals for human purposes. The main aim of animal rights is to get rid of the use of animals. PETA encourages veganism, a philosophy of rights of animals far more fundamental than vegetarianism. Veganism is a strict vegetarian that does not eat any animal or dairy products at all. PETA also protests in opposition to animal testing of various types of cosmetics that apply to animals’ skin or eyes to test for protection and toxicity. Many companies such as, Johnson and Johnson, Proctor & Gamble, and L’Oreal all use animal testing for their products. Through PETA’s ongoing protests, many companies have stopped the use of animals for experimentation. Method: This organization has helped diminish the cruelty of animals through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns. PETA also uses various celebrities for most of their assertive promotion and campaign activity with the intention to grab their audiences’ attention. Such celebrities are, Drew Barrymore, Pamela Anderson, Stella McCartney, Alicia Silverstone, Khloe Kardashian, and Alec Baldwin. PETA activists work hard for the rights of the animals. They educate the people about the sufferings of the animals. They make sure that people know how animals are treated in research laboratories, farming enterprises, and other areas where they are used. If they find any animal being subjected to cruelty, they figure out a plan to rescue it or grab attention. PETA adapts different schemes for its publicity. One could say that its publicity pattern has played a major role in getting such a huge response from people all around the world. Their slogans are thought provoking. â€Å"Meat is murder,† â€Å"I’d rather go naked than wear fur† are some of the slogan that have grabbed a lot of public attention. The organization aims at the eradication of cruelty to animals. They known all the tactics needed in pulling the crowd, some of which include the use of short phrases, eye-catching images, and banners. They would discuss some issues related to animals in their chat show, organize debates and also try to involve as many people as possible. PETA

The Puzzled CEO, The Number Crunching CFO, The Curious HR Director, Essay

The Puzzled CEO, The Number Crunching CFO, The Curious HR Director, The Frustrated R & D Director - Essay Example In some instances, as in Level II or III attacks, they have the potential to be catastrophic. Bearing this in mind, I will now restate what I discussed in the executive meeting regarding the three generation of IA technologies but shall better clarify their relevancy to our company. The first generation of IA technologies is exclusively focused upon the prevention of intrusion. As may be deduced from Liu, Yu and Jing's (2005) definition and analysis of the first generation of IA Technologies, it is imperative that any corporate entity, not just ours, have such a system in place. It involves the implementation of multiple levels of data securitization, seeking to protect information from both unauthorized physical and network access and attack. It is, thus, that our data is encrypted, for example. Encryption functions to maximize the security of data by rendering the deciphering of data retrieved through unauthorized access, difficult. The second generation of IA technologies is founded upon an acknowledgement of the fact that the first generation of IA technologies cannot preve... The IT department was effectively able to identify the intrusion attempts and to offset them precisely because the company has second generation IA technologies in place, whether firewalls or intrusion detectors. As you may recall from our meeting, I did not spend too much time discussing the first and second generations outlined in the above but focused on the importance, indeed, imperatives, of implementing third generation IA technologies. Even while conceding to the fact that the implementation of such a system of technologies is expensive, I would argue that not doing so can prove even more costly. To clarify this, I will define and discuss third generation IA technologies in specific relation to our company. The third generation of IA technologies withstands categorization into two groups, as Liu, Yu and Jing (2005) explain. These are intrusion making and defense in depth. Within the context of the first, the primary aim is to maximize the survivability of a system, even when it has been subjected to attack. It necessitates the redesigning of our current system around the following principles: "(a) redundancy and replication, (b) diversity, (c) randomization, (d) fragmentation and threshold cryptography and (e) increased layers of indirection" (Liu, Yu, and Jing, 2005, p. 112). This system will maximize, not only the company's ability to prevent and detect intrusions but, of greater importance, it will protect our data, hence the company, if violated. The second category of third generation IA technologies I mentioned at the meeting is defense in depth. It would involve our implementing technologies as "(a) boundary controllers, such as firewalls and access control, (b) intrusion detection and (c)

Improve management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Improve management - Essay Example To me, it is also a chance to get to realize my full potential, get in touch with personal self and lastly, to focus on what I want to attain in the long-term or in short-term period. In this report, I will focus on my personal strengths and weaknesses, as well as how I can make full use of my strengths towards attaining my objectives, addition to improving my weaknesses and making them my strengths. 1. Evaluation of Skills and Knowledge Personal evaluation is a key stage in the self-improvement cycle that enables one to rediscover himself. The four areas I would like to concentrate on include decision-making, communication skills and time management. i) Decision-making According to McKee (2012), decision-making is an integral part of management that should be based on logical choice of available alternatives. In essence, the process of making a decision should be backed up by critical thought process. I have been slow in making decisions as I prefer to assemble as much information a s possible rather than rush into a decision. Most of thise decisions have however tended to be dependable and less disappointing. I always tend to weigh between alternatives before coming up to a decision. Overall For example, while working at my father’s firm, I always tended to research and choose between alternatives. In some instances, I had to confer with expert opinion from the more experienced staff. The result is that the decisions were always welcome among the senior management and my supervisors. However, some of my decisions have been regrettable, which means that I still need to focus on improving my decision-making skills. In making decisions, an individual must weigh the alternative options, including the negatives and positives. One must also be able to have a foresight on the outcome of the alternatives taken (McKee, 2012). ii) Time-management Time management comprises processes or activities that involve scheduling and implementing conscious organization of t he amount of time spent performing different activities to increase one’s productivity or effectiveness (McKee, 2012). Working at my father’s business, I could always get overwhelmed with task. I also had to avoid more difficult tasks and go for simpler ones. I have also faced issues with tardiness as I’m always late for meetings. I also have trouble meeting deadlines for my assignments. This has resulted in instances where I had lost businesses after having been late in completion of a customer’s order. I also fall behind projects and sometimes work longer in my projects than necessary which has caused me to be stressed or feel fatigued. I’m also always unprepared, for instance, although I may always have sufficient information for my presentation in a meeting, poor preparation often renders my presentation ineffective (Avolio, 2005). iii) Communication Skills Great communication skills implies one has the ability to convey information effectively through exchanging messages, information or thoughts effectively, while stimulating feedback at the same time. Communication is judged to be effective when it is complete, meaning; the receiver has understood the message and acted responsively (McKee, 2012). Able to talk confidently regardless of whom I'm talking to or the situation. While working at my

W.E Dubois Essay Example for Free

W.E Dubois Essay William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, known as W.E.B. Du Bois, was born on February 23, 1868, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. In 1885, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to attend Fisk University. It was there that he first encountered Jim Crow laws. For the first time, he began analyzing the deep troubles of American racism. After earning his bachelors degree at Fisk, Du Bois entered Harvard University. After completing his masters degree, he was selected for a study-abroad program at the University of Berlin. While in Germany, he studied with some of the most prominent social scientists of his day and was exposed to political perspectives that he remembered for the remainder of his life. In 1895, he became the first African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard University. A year later, Du Bois published The Philadelphia Negro, marking the beginning of his writing career. In 1903, he published The Souls of Black Folk, a collection of 14 essays. In the years following, he adamantly opposed the idea of biological white superiority and vocally supported womens rights. In 1909, he co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and served as the editor of the associations monthly magazine, The Crisis. Du Bois was a proponent of Pan Africanism and helped organize several Pan African Congresses to free African colonies from European powers. He died on August 27, 1963, at the age of 95 in Accra, Ghana, while working on an encyclopedia of the African Diaspora.

Constructivist Style of Design Essay Example for Free

Constructivist Style of Design Essay Constructivism is a Russian art movement that flourished during the early part of the 20th century. This style of design had an impact on future schools of art. The constructivist style of design was founded by Vladimir Tatlin, a Russian sculptor and painter (Microsoft Encarta 2008). The name of this design style was derived from the â€Å"construction† of abstract sculptures from various industrial materials like wire, metal, and plastic pieces. The relief construction works of Tatlin from 1913 to 1917 were the first for the movement. Other notable constructivists include Aleksandr Rodchenko, Antoine Pevsner, Naum Gabo, among others (Microsoft Encarta 2008). Constructivism is a style of art characterized by an optimistic, non-representational relief construction, painting, kinetics, and sculpture. Rather than focusing on abstract ideas, the artist connects art with concrete and tangible ideas. Characteristic of artistic movements after World War I, constructivists were idealists aiming for the establishment of a new order in the field of arts and architecture (Huntfor. om n. d). For constructivists, they believe that the highest form of art does not focus on the â€Å"fine art† but rather on the â€Å"practical art. † Constructivist style of design is centered on the three-dimensional and could be connected with Proletarianism. Aside from Russia, the constructivist was likewise prominent in Germany, with Walter Gropius as the main representative (Huntfor. com n. d). Despite being split into several groups during the 1920s, constructivism generally stood for the ideals of functionalism, utilitarianism, and abstraction. Tatlin combined constructivism with utilitarianism, the dominant style of art during the emergence of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) (Microsoft Encarta 2008). Prior to Constructivism, there were previous experimental artistic groups such as Cubo-Futurism, Rayonnism, and Suprematism. During this time, Russia was experiencing turbulent times as World War I and the Russian Revolution had been concluded by the 1920s. In 1921, the Constructivists turned their attention to instructional design. Tatlin and Rodchenko veered away from sculpture and painting and switched to stove design, graphic design, and photojournalism (Anneser n. ). Most of the Constructivists like Rodchenko focused on doing posters for theatres and cinemas. Rodchencko did the design for a magazine called LEF. He made his mark in the field of photomontage and printing with overprinting and kiss registration (Anneser n. d). In architecture, constructivist style is marked by a combination of straight lines and a wide-range of forms such as squares, cylinders, cubes, rectangles, and so on. A common example of a Constructivist building is the mausoleum of Lenin located in Red Square that was constructed by Alexei Shchusev in 1924 (Johns n. ). Constructivism is characterized by the exploitation of the difference between various forms and models and also focuses on the contrast of various surfaces like rough walls and windows, which could be strictly rectangular or square. Likewise, they can be horizontal like giant ribbons which envelope the whole building. At the top portion of the building, there are rounded windows (Johns n. d). The Constructivist movement was only short lived as it lasted only until 1933. At present, there are about 600 Constructivist-inspired buildings in Moscow. The earliest structures emerged in 1925 when Russia was just recovering from World War I and had no funds for new construction projects (Johns n. d). Other famous Constructivist buildings are the PRAVDA editorial offices and the department store located at 1905 Goda found on the edge of Krasnaya Presnya and Presnenskaya Zastava Street where the Benetton sign is located. The building takes up a small parcel of land and is triangular in shape with an open top. A huge window extends from the first to the third floors (Johns n. d). From 1930 to 1933, Constructivists buildings experienced a major renovation in order to cope up with the demands of the political situation pervading that time. Eventually, constructivism gave way for the Stalin Empire style. The 1940s and 1950s was a trying time for Constructivists, as they were not given the chance to work forcing some of them to quit their profession or went to teaching (Johns n. d). In 1958, however, the Constructivist style was revived as architects began to construct public buildings such as hotels like the Yunost and Orlyonok as well as the post-graduate student center located at Silvernik Street (Johns n. ). Throughout the world, the influence of Constructivism was evident in modern architecture. In Russia, the cities of St. Petersburg, Ivanovo, and Kizhma have undergone major changes and have become industrialized because of Constructivist architects. Similar industrialized cities can be seen in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan (Johns n. d). Conclusion Constructivism is a Russian art movement that flourished during the early part of the 20th century. This style of design had an impact on future schools of art. Vladimir Tatlin, a Russian sculptor and painter, founded the constructivist style of design. Constructivism is a style of art characterized by an optimistic, non-representational relief construction, painting, kinetics, and sculpture. Rather than focusing on abstract ideas, the artist connects art with concrete and tangible ideas. Characteristic of artistic movements after World War I, constructivists were idealists aiming for the establishment of a new order in the field of arts and architecture.

Managing The Development Of Small Business Ventures

Managing The Development Of Small Business Ventures Nowadays, businesses are growing day by day. But inflation is becoming challenges in front of small and large types of businesses like there are many countries which are facing this problem. There are lots of countries which are increasing the price of their products day by day because of inflation. Inflation: There are negative and positive effects of inflation on small and large type of businesses. Some of businesses want to earn more money that is why they grow the prices of their products and it is also a part of inflation like in New Zealand the burger king (BK) raised the price of a double cheeseburger from $1 to $1.19 and they removed one slice of cheese from double cheeseburger on its dollar menu (they now call it the BK dollar double) due to the inflation dilemma that business ventures are dealing within the current economic environment. Sometimes some restaurant changes their prices on bases on national pay rate of labour like last year the pay rate of labour or minimum pay rate was $13.75. But now government has changed it from $13.75 to $14.25 and that is why BK’S costs are going up on the producer level because of higher commodity prices. Burger king (BK) cut the quantity and raise the price and they launched this burger with new name because they want to attract more a nd more customers and also want to earn more money by giving it new name like double cheeseburger to BK dollar burger. On the other hand, BK also have another reason to raise the price like in a healthy economy, BK would have simply raised the price of the burger. However with demand weak, BK is forced to cut its offering by giving its customers only 1 instead of 2 slices of cheese if they order from the dollar menu. Interest rate: An interest rate is the rate at which interest is paid by a borrower (debtor) for the use of money that they borrow from lender (creditor) like banks. Specifically, the interest rate is a percentage of principal paid a certain no. of times per period for example a company borrow a big/small amount of money/capital from bank to buy new assets for their businesses. There are some conditions are apply on loan like if any company borrow small amount of capital then they have to pay high interest rate on that money and there are less chances to expand the business as well. The chances of profit will goes down like Sak Strand bag Company. This company is a highly successful wholesaler of handbags since 1989. The company’s forte is fabricating high-quality handbags from distinctive, richly textured textiles. In 1999, after 10 very successful years in the handbags business, SS decided it was time to expand their products line. They expanded their products lines such as footwear, belts and jewellery. Mr. Falucci, CEO of this company played spin the wheel of growth and considered getting additional loan from the ANZID bank, the same bank who provided them the company its capital during its first year of operation. After getting loan they have to burden the interest rate of 10% of the amount loaned per month. Unemployment: Unemployment occurs when people are without work. There are positive and negative effects of unemployment like if people are unemployed then there are lot of negative effects. The profits will goes down because of unemployment in a business and the sales become less. Unemployment has negative effects on tax system like the tax will goes to high because of unemployment. On the other hand, due to unemployment there cheaper labour will be available and we can find more and more people who has good qualification or not for work. Maxx started the big business around of 85 restaurants in Sweden, compared to 40 jut five years earlier. From 2005 to 2010, max expanded extensively to the western parts of Sweden. Plans have been announced to expand to New Zealand in 2013/14. In their research of New Zealand employment market, the following information was gathered.in January 2011 OECD figured reported youth unemployment in New Zealand at 19.4% the highest since the early 1990s and above the OCED average. The youth unemployment rate reported in September 2010 by the household labour force survey (HLFZ) was 16.2%, two and half times higher than the rate for all people. Young men and women have been disproportionately affected by the recession. Indeed youth unemployment has increased significantly since 2008 and is two and a half times more than adult rate. After getting this report, the New Zealand government provided the job assistance to the unemployed people and also organised the many programs by which they could start their own businesses means the government provided the knowledge to the people about the small and large type of business and how they can start these businesses. Investment spending: Money spent on capital goods used in production of capital, goods or services. Investment spending may include purchase such as machinery, land, production input or infrastructure. Investment spending should not be confused with investment means we have to have whole knowledge about that thing where we are going to spend our investment or money. In this condition we have to spend our money on right place or on right time. If we spend money on right place but the time is not perfect to spend money on business like high labour cost, high interest rate, high transport cost and so on at that time. In these conditions our company will goes to in loss before staring a whole business. Like a 31-year-old Chinese started a restaurant in Auckland, a business born of true opportunity. In, 2004 the team cobbled together $100000 in investment money and additional $500000 for investment spending and started a new company, Salvador’s kiwi food and beverage Ltd. This allowed them to open a co ffee house in central Auckland. After several hard times, the business started. After few years from start-up the business has been wonderfully successful. They invested their money at right time or at right place that’s why they got success and they also did hard work as team. Business confidence: In this, any person can start his own new business with fully confident. It means he has whole information about his business what he wants to do. Sometimes people feel very uncomfortable to start a new business with confidence because of lack of knowledge and confidence. Experience about business is important factor for business confidence like Boos and Goud used their experience at right time on a magazine prototype with $50000 capital from family and friends. They called the magazine Pink, to suggest that women can be both powerful and feminine. An ad recession time for under way and working women magazine had gone out of business in 2001, after 25 year run. When they launched the Pink magazine, there were not too much magazines because of recession. It was positive point for their business. They also used their experience like they started the meeting with big companies for their marketing and promotions and so on like coco-cola and Home Depot. With 300000 coaxed from advertisers over a one- year period, the first 98- page issue was produced in mid-2005. They earn $5 million in income from ads, conference, and syndication, they claim margin of 16%. They earn this large amount of money because they used their previous experience, time and they were fully confident. Share market: The share market is always depending on fluctuations of market prices or rates. When the company needs more money, they produce their shares in market. Sometimes the prices goes to high sometimes it goes to down because of fluctuation but when the prices of shares goes to very low then people (who bought the shares) complaint to the CEO of company about this. We have an example of share market fluctuation like JRV Company and it is NZ’s fastest growing company, the company has sustained a remarkable growth rate through a superior product, a very effective sales system and intensive marketing. The business selling construction supplies like cement, ceramic, tiles metal and structural beam and etc. these are coming from different companies in Europe. This franchise is still in its early stages in terms of market penetration, so the potential to grow revenues is enormous. Since the business is imported based, they monitor the flow of the share market. 1.5) (a) Increase in business: business confidence increase will increase the investment which will help to increase in the business. (b) Increase in jobs: due to the increase in business Pink will need more people which will increase the jobs in market. 1.6) sudden changes either up or down on the share market can affect the value of the New Zealand dollar on the international money market. If dollar will falls, import cost move which means importers have to cut margins or increase prices. 1.7) 1.7.1) Credit availability: lack of capital history may affect applications for capital investment expansions however a strong presentation highlighting the company’s rapid growth and success to date should go some way to offsetting that negative factor. 1.7.2) gross domestic product: wing zones target make is the highly mobile student sectors that traditionally service on fast food and have little consideration for long term financial matters and are not likely to be affected by GDP. All people have to eat even hard time so GDP factors may not have a major affection on wing zone. 1.7.3) national income: decreasing business profit and wages and salaries may cause reduced consumer spending in non- essential market sectors but generally food supplies and sales will maintained. 1.7.4 Money supply: reserve bank restriction on May supply may restrict or slow down the availability of funds for business expansion. 1.7.5 International trade: McDonald and burger king but they have an international business. They have their franchise almost in all country. Fast internet connection will develop their business and social media network that is best way to develop the business. 1.7.6 International Market Fluctuation International market fluctuation effect the stock market. They also affect a small business. 1.7.7Currency Fluctuation Fluctuation risk on the foreign Exchange their price will low and high they most effect on the small business. 1.7.8Balance of Payment Balance of payments accounts are an accounting record of all monetary transactions between a country and the rest of the world. These transactions include payments for the countrys exports and imports of goods, services, financial capital, and financial transfers Task 2 2.1 Disposable Income: -Disposable income is total personal income minus personal current taxes. In national accounts definitions, personal income, minus personal current taxes equals disposable personal income. They started a small business it is very hard to save amount because they need a best employers to work and best product goes to market and they also need a promotion like advertisement on TV, Newspaper, Magazines, Etc. 2.2 Population Trends: In population Trend How many people drink beers and how many people drink a wine in their life. Youth Generation not drink a wine 18-24 aged represent only 6% of wine consumed. But there is different choice in the market to buy a wine and beers choice available. 2.3 Building Permits: Building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance with national, regional, and local building codes. Failure to obtain a permit can result in significant fines and penalties, and even demolition of unauthorized construction if it cannot be made to meet code. 1.7.6 International Market Fluctuation International market fluctuation effect the stock market. They also affect a small business. 1.7.7Currency Fluctuation Fluctuation risk on the foreign Exchange their price will low and high they most effect on the small business. 1.7.8Balance of Payment Balance of payments accounts are an accounting record of all monetary transactions between a country and the rest of the world. These transactions include payments for the countrys exports and imports of goods, services, financial capital, and financial transfers Task 2 2.1 Disposable Income: -Disposable income is total personal income minus personal current taxes. In national accounts definitions, personal income, minus personal current taxes equals disposable personal income. They started a small business it is very hard to save amount because they need a best employers to work and best product goes to market and they also need a promotion like advertisement on TV, Newspaper, Magazines, Etc. 2.2 Population Trends: In population Trend How many people drink beers and how many people drink a wine in their life. Youth Generation not drink a wine 18-24 aged represent only 6% of wine consumed. But there is different choice in the market to buy a wine and beers choice available. 2.3 Building Permits: Building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance with national, regional, and local building codes. Failure to obtain a permit can result in significant fines and penalties, and even demolition of unauthorized construction if it cannot be made to meet code. Task 5 5.1 Internal Evaluation: Can have the meeting with the staff to find out the reason of the problem, give them the instructions to follow and perform the work in the correct way. External Evaluation: Have to identify the reason of sales which are going down at that stage and need to look for on the market position, Can take a professional assistance to find the reason of the problem and can take advice from professional finance advisor to find out the reason. 5.2 Decision making technique helps alot to choose the option to solve problem because while doing decision many factors come to be naked and we will get many option to solve a particular and we can also select most suitable solution for the problem. 5.2.1 Breakeven: The break-even is the point at which cost or expenses and revenue are equal: there is no net loss or gain, and one has broken even. A profit or a loss has not been made, although opportunity costs have been paid, and capital has received the risk-adjusted, expected return. 5.2.2 Decision tree: A decision tree is a decision support tool that uses a tree-like graph or model of decisions and their possible consequences, including chance event outcomes, resource costs, and utility. It is one way to display an algorithm. 5.2.3 Payoffs approach: In this technique we use cash flow scenarios to model the future. We can use that data which is already available in the company. 5.2.4 Professional assistance: In this we ask help for a professional who is not a member of our business he is expert assistance. 5.2.5 Group decision making: Conduct a meeting with all member of organization. Solve the problem on this meeting. Every member names and priority issues and ranks it’s according to the work. 5.2.6 Cultural consensus methods: Cultural knowledge is shared and systematically distributed. A good decision is one which has taken into the different culture of all the member of the group. 5.3 5.3.1 Maori- owned and operated business Cultural consensus method: In this method we can share their knowledge. A good decision is one which has taken into the different culture of all the member of the group. Group decision making: They conduct a meeting with all member of organization. Solve the problem on this meeting. Every member names and priority issues and ranks it’s according to the work. 5.4.1 Owners who cannot get out of their own way. They may be stubborn, risk adverse, conflict adverse meaning they need to be liked by everyone (even employees and vendors who cant do their jobs). They may be perfectionist, greedy, self-righteous, paranoid, indignant, or insecure. You know the problems but continue to make the same mistakes over and over. 5.4.2 Out-of-control growth. A successful business is ruined by over-expansion. This would include moving into markets that are not as profitable, experiencing growing pains that damage the business, or borrowing too much money in an attempt to keep growth at a particular rate. 5.4.3 Operational inefficiencies. Paying too much rent, labour, and materials. Not having the tenacity or stomach to negotiate terms that are reflective of todays economy may leave a company uncompetitive. 5.4.4 Dysfunctional management. Lack of focus, vision, planning, standards and everything are that goes in good management. Throw fighting partners or unhappy relatives into the mix, and the business is a disaster. 5.4.5 A declining market. The annual industry revenues are steadily declining because of the saturation of the market, the decrease in the market size, or the due to the introduction of a service, product or a technology from huge companies with more buying power and advertising dollars.

Art and Nature in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale Essay -- Shakespeare

Art and Nature in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale In Shakespeare’s â€Å"The Winter’s Tale†, we see a jealous king convinced he is search of the truth. He will expose his wife and her alleged philandering, but his determination to prove this actually changes this search from one for truth to one for myths—creations, false truths. In essence. Leontes runs into the conflict of defining art versus nature, where art is the view of the world he constructs to prove his paranoia true. Nature itself can exist without art, but the art here is the mangled perception through which Leontes will seek to define Nature. In summation, â€Å"The Winter’s Tale† investigates the conflict between art and nature—creation versus enhancement—and seeks to find out if art can exist without any consideration to nature. The idea of altering perception is a fundamental one in â€Å"The Winter’s Tale†, and art is seen as the way to make this alteration occur. While it is clear to the reader from the very beginning that Hermione is in fact innocent, Shakespeare introduces the reader to Leontes’s persistence to clearly show the beginnings of the conflict brewing. Despite Hermione’s clear innocence, Leontes has been written as a character so belligerent to ever see what is universally accepted as true in nature. The result is a conflict clear to the reader—a conflict of nature on its own merit, a question of truth, versus art, where perception is inherently flawed. Shakespeare creates a truly paranoid, conflicted character in Leontes, which works to make his objectivity, his desire to make truths out of falsities, even more apparent. Leontes speaks to the audience passionately upon his discovery, but his passion sounds so melodramatic, especially when we as readers a.. . ...years later, it becomes clear that for all the emphasis put on art, on creation, and on mass production—nature is central to our human experience. We can symbolize this natural connection with art—but the art itself always harkens back to something that elicits an emotional response from the viewer. For Leontes, a statue of his presumably deceased wife, Hermione triggers a sorrowful reaction. Art indeed embellishes life as it does with flowers, but we are always working from some perspective, some emotion, before we are merely creating art. â€Å"The Winter’s Tale† takes on the challenge of investigating whether or not art can in fact breathe outside the womb of nature, and as we witness art break down, and nature hold the characters together, it becomes resoundingly clear that art seeks to react to nature, but that it cannot work without maintaining nature at its core. Art and Nature in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale Essay -- Shakespeare Art and Nature in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale In Shakespeare’s â€Å"The Winter’s Tale†, we see a jealous king convinced he is search of the truth. He will expose his wife and her alleged philandering, but his determination to prove this actually changes this search from one for truth to one for myths—creations, false truths. In essence. Leontes runs into the conflict of defining art versus nature, where art is the view of the world he constructs to prove his paranoia true. Nature itself can exist without art, but the art here is the mangled perception through which Leontes will seek to define Nature. In summation, â€Å"The Winter’s Tale† investigates the conflict between art and nature—creation versus enhancement—and seeks to find out if art can exist without any consideration to nature. The idea of altering perception is a fundamental one in â€Å"The Winter’s Tale†, and art is seen as the way to make this alteration occur. While it is clear to the reader from the very beginning that Hermione is in fact innocent, Shakespeare introduces the reader to Leontes’s persistence to clearly show the beginnings of the conflict brewing. Despite Hermione’s clear innocence, Leontes has been written as a character so belligerent to ever see what is universally accepted as true in nature. The result is a conflict clear to the reader—a conflict of nature on its own merit, a question of truth, versus art, where perception is inherently flawed. Shakespeare creates a truly paranoid, conflicted character in Leontes, which works to make his objectivity, his desire to make truths out of falsities, even more apparent. Leontes speaks to the audience passionately upon his discovery, but his passion sounds so melodramatic, especially when we as readers a.. . ...years later, it becomes clear that for all the emphasis put on art, on creation, and on mass production—nature is central to our human experience. We can symbolize this natural connection with art—but the art itself always harkens back to something that elicits an emotional response from the viewer. For Leontes, a statue of his presumably deceased wife, Hermione triggers a sorrowful reaction. Art indeed embellishes life as it does with flowers, but we are always working from some perspective, some emotion, before we are merely creating art. â€Å"The Winter’s Tale† takes on the challenge of investigating whether or not art can in fact breathe outside the womb of nature, and as we witness art break down, and nature hold the characters together, it becomes resoundingly clear that art seeks to react to nature, but that it cannot work without maintaining nature at its core.

Genetic Engineering a Double Helix :: Science Medical Essays

As we move on into the 21st century we can look back at all the wonderful achievements we have made in the field of medicine. While nearly all of those advancements have been good, we are sometimes left to wonder about the ethics behind it all. No one will say that helping another person with a disease is wrong; but, they might say that the technique you are using is wrong. There is a moral dilemma involved with issuing placebo’s to patients undergoing a study. While granted they sign up for the study and know that they might well get a placebo they do so in the hope that they get the real treatment. Sometimes it can seem cruel when the patients with the placebo get worse or die while the ones who actually got treated do better. This is a necessary part of advancing medicine. Now that we know that there is at least one medical practice that can be considered wrong, others could be as well. One up and coming method entails altering ourselves at the very genetic level, the most fundamental part of our being. It entails altering our DNA to eliminate or alleviate a plethora of disorders permanently. Is this a good thing? We have a saying, Pride goeth before a fall. This means that those who are arrogant are very likely to fail miserably. Are we going too far in attempts to change our genetic structure? Or are we not doing enough? Robert L. Sinsheimer, chancellor at UCSC describes the power possibilities of genetics as follows, â€Å"In Homo Sapiens something new appeared on this small globe. The next step of evolution is ours. We must devise that once again on this sweet planet a fairer species will arise.† (1) (Moraczewski, 101) Is it even our place to decide this? And who will make such evolutionary decisions? To understand how this powerful new field of medicine works you must first understand how a few related things function. In 1943 Oswald Avery proved that Deoxyribonucleic Acid not protein carried genetic information. (5) The Double Helix structure of DNA wasn’t discovered until 1953 by the combined efforts of James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin. (5) Eventually enough data was collected from each other‘s work that they were finally able to deduce the correct structure. They knew that the phosphates were on the outside of the molecule, and that certain nitrogen bases always occurred in a 1:1 ratio.

Milan Kunderas The Unbearable Lightness of Being Essay -- Milan Kunde

Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being The themes of dominance and dehumanization are inextricably entwined throughout history and, therefore, literature. Milan Kundera addresses this concept in his novel, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by describing the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia and its communistic influence on his characters, the interrelations of these characters, as well as its implications in a small excerpt on man's presumed dominance over other creatures. This last passage ties together the mechanization of people with that of animals, showing that the citizens of communist Czechoslovakia are expected to become no more than chattel. The physical invasion of Czechoslovakia by Russia is manifested within the novel by the affect its communist regime has on the native inhabitants of, in this case, Prague. Czech citizens were told that, for their benefit, they must assume solidarity and remove distinctiveness from among them. Czech beliefs were dominated by Russian idealism and individuals were mechanized by a desire for uniformity. This theme is woven throughout the novel, depicted in forms inseparable from the characters and Kundera's sporadic autobiographical insights. Throughout the novel, Kundera uses the concepts of people being mechanized by communism and animals being mechanized by people. ?Mechanical? is a term that refers to that which is automatic, involuntary, emotionless, and unthinking. The actual application of communism, as opposed to its theoretical intentions, lends itself to this unconscious acceptance and conformity. The men and women of Prague will be forced to take an apathetic approach to individuality, career, society, religion and especially politics. Like machi... ...? (289). Ideally, man would show mercy to his fellow human being instead of constantly trying to gain power over him. Russia?s invasion of Czechoslovakia is an exertion of power, a claim of dominance over the will of another country. Its dehumanization of the inhabitants of Czechoslovakia directly correlates to man?s assumption of power over animals. Superiority is a presumed right, justified less by truth than by man?s will to justify. The images Kundera uses to illustrate the invasion of Czechoslovakia are both stark and revealing. They are images of concentration camps, naked uniformity, dominance over dependent creatures, and mechanical humans and animals alike. Tomas?s conquests and Tereza?s dreams are manifestations of a country in a struggle for its independence. With these characters, Kundera humanizes the essentially inhumane concept of communism.

Ethics in Our Everyday Lives Essay

This paper will discuss how ethics relate in our everyday lives and more specifically how ethics are used in our workplace also how ethics are used by companies. This paper will also cover how businesses have implemented ethical procedures, standards and how these businesses flourished because of the effective use of ethical standards. â€Å"I consider ethics, as well as religion, as supplements to law in the government of man.† Thomas Jefferson Ethics in our Everyday Lives. As a society we are faced with ethical problems every day, and how we handle these situations shape our culture and lives. However, what are ethics? The meaning of â€Å"ethics† is hard to pin down, and the views many people have about them are shaky. People tend to associate ethics with their feelings. But being ethical is clearly not a matter of following one’s feelings, nor should one identify ethics with religion, the law or â€Å"whatever society accepts.† Ethics refers to the constant effort of studying our moral conduct, and our own moral beliefs, and striving to ensure that we, and the institutions we help to shape, live up to standards that are reasonable and concrete. It is not enough to be able to do the right thing when we ourselves have nothing to lose. We must be willing to fulfill our ethical obligations at the expense of our self-centered desires and vested interests. (Dr. Richard Paul & Dr. Linda Elder, 2003) In short, ethics is doing what is right even when no one is looking. Well-founded standards of right and wrong that advocate what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, benefits to society, obligations, fairness, or specific virtues stem directly from having ethics. Ethical standards also impose the judicious obligations to refrain from rape, stealing, murder, assault, and fraud, therefore a society with a strong code of ethics tends to run smoothly. A society with no code of ethics could very well develop into anarchy. Although arguments have been made, to the contrary, ethics are just as vital in the workplace. Ethics are essential in the workplace because a tough ethical code provides a non-threatening environment with high employee morale, a company that exhibits clear-cut ethics tends to show higher profits, and simply because it is the right thing to do. Perhaps most important, attention to ethics in the workplaces helps ensure that when leaders and managers are strugg ling in times of crises and confusion, they retain a strong moral compass, and this goes for the workers as well. The Ethics Resource Center, a non-profit, non-partisan organization devoted to business ethics, released the results of its 2005 National Business Ethics Survey, polling more than 3000 workers across America. The results were disheartening; 21% observed abusive or intimidating behavior toward employees. 19% observed lying to customers, employees, vendors or the public. 18% observed situations that placed employee interests over company interests. 16% observed violations of safety regulations and misreporting of time worked (Verschoor, 2000, pp. 19-20) Environments that accommodate these low ethical standards tend to feel hostile to the average employee. When this behavior is witnessed repeatedly over time, it lowers morale. And low moral easily leads the employee feels no loyalty towards the company and in turn the company feels no loyalty towards its employees. A workplace that encourages the effective ethical administration, however, is a workplace that breeds strong morale. Patricia Harned, ERC president, states â€Å"Creating a strong ethical environment should be a top priority of all companies.† (Verschoor, 2000, pp. 19-20) According to â€Å"Workplace Ethics†, a company with strong ethical guidelines has a few commonalities. Companies watch encouraged communication; the staff feels open and unthreatened about reporting and discussing ethical concerns. They also clarify rewards and punishments, which provides a meaningful context to what otherwise seems arbitrary. Businesses that encourage trust between management and employs well tend to have a much easier time enforcing their ethical standards. Also businesses found out that by promoting this strategy that it was much less expensive and more effective than legally defining and enforcing their ethical standards. These organizations also build corporate values, which improves the corporate image. (Compilation, 1999) This creates an environment that employees find a joy to work in. Furthermore, from a corporate perspective it is just as significant to note that an ethical company tends to be a profitable company. Can a company have ethical practices, and still show a profit? Yes, according to Business Ethics magazine. By concentrating on the effects of business decisions made and how they enhance or diminish the well being of others, benefits can be seen for the company, the employee, the stockholder, and the consumer. Many of the corporations that show up on the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Business magazine also show up on Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and Working Mother magazine’s Best Companies to Work For. (Do Good, Do Well, 2001, p. 28) Starbucks is one of these companies and has been a regular on these lists. Starbucks is working to empower farmers in East Timor, where coffee provides the livelihood of 25% of the population. The company also participates in various external programs to help benefit the envir onment and provide relief efforts after disasters. Internally, Starbucks offers many benefits to its employees-including tuition reimbursement, partner benefits, a wellness program and a 25 to 150% match in its 401(k) plan. (Examining the benefits of corporate social responsibility, May1 2006) These factors are just some that contribute to the success of Starbucks and provide the company with the foundation to build a coffeehouse on every street corner. Another company that is perennially honored for its ethical conduct is Southwest Airlines. Although the airline industry has been through what some may characterize as catastrophic circumstances over the last several years Southwest has never cut employee pay. In fact, the organization’s employees took a voluntary pay cut after Sept. 11, 2001, rather than allow surging costs to force Southwest to reduce its flight schedule. â€Å"I’ve been here 28 years,† states Donna Conover, Southwest’s executive vice president of customer service, â€Å"and from the beg inning, we’ve felt that employees are our greatest assets.† (Examining the benefits of corporate social responsibility, May1 2006) An unethical company, however, can expect none of these benefits, and it may actually be part of the reason for failing. A perfect example of an unethical fallout would be that of the oil giant Enron. Former Enron chairman Kenneth Lay, discussing his company’s collapse due to fraud, and insider trading and tax evasion, recently insisted that his once great and honest company adhered to prevailing business practices. â€Å"The Enron task force investigation is largely a case about normal business activities typically engaged in on a daily basis by corporate officers of publicly held companies throughout the country,† Lay insisted in a December 2005 speech. Lay went on to say that the Enron task force was â€Å"attempting to criminalize† what he characterized as common business practices. Under Lay’s perverted ethics code, transactions meant to deceive are not wrong if these transactions, legal or not, are commonly practiced by corporate America. Stockholder s often paid the price of such as moral relativism. (Zamansky, 02/01/2006, p. 11a) This points out what should be the overriding reason for expecting high ethical standards in the workplace-it’s the right thing to do. A recent survey by The Society for Human Resource Management found that 54% of human-resource professionals surveyed had witnessed conduct in the workplace which violated either the law or common practices of their organizations. Some of the violations witnessed ware, Fair Labor Standards Act, violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, employees engaging in fraud, falsifying records, altering the results of product tests, and misusing insider information. (Schumann, Spring/Summer 2001, p. 93) The survey found that 47% of those surveyed felt pressured to compromise ethical standards to achieve business objectives. They stated that they did not report observed conduct due to factors such as fear of retribution, lack of trust in the organization’s procedures, the desire to be part of the team, or a feeling that ethics were unimportant to the organizations. (Schumann, Spring/Summer 2001, p. 93) The main culprit for this pervading ethical dilemma is moral relativism. Moral relativism is the belief that because different people have different moral principles, there is no way to pass judgment on these principles as to their validity or lack thereof. Taken to its extreme, this belief would allow any action, from lying to murder, if the perpetrator simply believes his moral framework does not preclude that action. An excellent example of this new moral relativism is recounted by Rhonda Gibbs. â€Å"About three years ago,† she recalls, â€Å"My daughter’s high school basketball coach, (also a teacher), was having a relationship with a minor.† The relationship, she details, was very obvious to those who had daily contact with the pair. Staff, faculty, and students watched the relationship develop over a period of nine months to a year; however, not a single person spoke up about the impropriety of this relationship or the seriousness of this crime. Whether for reasons of not wanting to upset the coach, not wanting to look like a whistle blower, or simply to maintain the status quo, this teacher’s colleagues, the very people charged with protection of the young girl, allowed him to violate her for at least nine months. The school was only forced to deal with the issue when outside parties informed the police. Although the landscape sometimes looks bleak for the proponents of a strong ethical society, ethics do get used in a moral fashion, as this next example illustrates. Some surplus land adjacent to a shopping center was donated to a city by the developers who owned the mall. The land was earmarked by the builders to be used for community soccer fields. They then spent large sums of their own money to develop the fields. The donated land was adjacent to a river, and after many years of spring floods swamping the fields, the city abandoned them. The developers, realizing that the land was no longer being used for their intended purpose, contacted the city. Developers are notorious for taking otherwise useless land and turning it into acres of parking lots. These individuals, however, decided to transform the property, at their own expense, into a community wetland park. This transformation took over two years and several hundred thousand dollars. These businessmen, who were well within their rights to demand the land back since it wasn’t being utilized for its donated purpose, instead did the ethical thing at great cost to themselves. As I can be seen, ethics are important in the workplace and our every day life as well because they provide higher profits, higher morale, and ethical behavior is the proper course of action. Whether decisions made affect the operation of a home, small business, large corporation, or a nation, a clear ethical foundation will always serve to improve our society. References Compilation. (1999). Bulletpoint. Retrieved May 6, 2006, from Workplace Ethics Web site: http://web107.epnet.com Examining the benefits of corporate social responsibility. (May1 2006). Employee Benefit News, pITEM0612100B. Retrieved May 5, 2006, from http://find.galegroup.com. Do Good, Do Well. (2001, January). Workforce, 80, 28. Retrieved May 5, 2006, from http://find.galegroup.com. Dr. Richard Paul & Dr. Linda Elder. (2003). The Miniature Guide to Understanding the Foundations of Ethical Reasoning. The Foundation for Critical Thinking. Guest, E. (n.d.). SoFinesJoyfulMoments. Retrieved May 8, 2006, from Mary (Garren) Morand Web site: http://sofinesjoyfulmoments.com/quotes/sermon.htm Schumann, P.L. (Spring/Summer 2001). A moral principles framework for human resource management ethics. Human Resource Management Review, 11 (1/2), 93. Retrieved May 6, 2006, from http://web102.epnet.com. Verschoor, C. (2000, December). Ethical Culture: Most Important Barrier to Ethical Misconduct. Strategic Finance, 87, 19-20. Retrieved May 6, 2006, from http://web107.epnet.com. Zamansky, J. (02/01/2006). At the least, former Enron chiefs are guilty of moral bankruptcy. USAToday, 0734-7456, p. 11a. Retrieved from http://web102.epnet.com.

Achievements and Complaints of India Today Group Essay

Operating for 36 years now, the company has consistently maintained incomparable goodwill and rapport in the market. The India Today Group continues to be the best and has steadily bagged major awards and notched up achievements over the years, some of which are: * Its news channel Aaj Tak won the Indian Telly Award for Best Hindi News Channel for the 10th consecutive year in 2010. * The Editor-in-Chief of Aaj Tak, Prabhu Chawla, won the Best News and Current Affairs Anchor Award at the Indian Telly Awards 2009. * The India Today Group publishes the Cosmopolitan magazine in India and has been featuring awards for Fun and Fearless Male and Female of the Year since 2002. * Cosmopolitan also showcases awards for the Best Bachelor of the Year. * Cosmopolitan further promoted the Practice Safe Sun campaign that fights against skin cancer * The India Today Group organizes several events like the India Today Conclave and ACUMEN, which deals with some of the major issues and businesses in the country. * The Vasant Valley School was started by the India Today Group to encourage education for all in the country. CONTROVERSIES AND COMPLAINTS In the recorded conversations between Nira Radia and prominent figures, referred to as the Radia Tapes, several prominent figures are heard in conversation with Radia amongst them were Prabhu Chawla, editor of India Today magazine and Shankar Aiyar, then with India Today Group . ONLINE CHEATING AND SCAM BY BAGITTODAY an INDIA TODAY Group: The company, bagittoday,an india today group company,known in ecommrce as living media india ltd cheated many people by not giving them promised service, gifts and evn asking the people for account nos with passwords . They realise payments through credit card/Online banking and do not send the material. October 14 was a sad day for Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid and the India Today group, which owns a number of print journals and TV channels, says B Raman A non-governmental humanitarian trust for assisting physically disadvantaged people with which Khurshid’s wife Louise is reportedly associated has been the target of allegations of wrongful use of funds amounting to approximately Rs 80 lakh sanctioned by the government for humanitarian relief. A Hindi TV channel of the India Today group and the India Against Corruption group headed by Arvind Kejriwal, a non-governmental activist, have been spearheading the campaign against Khurshid on these allegations against the humanitarian trust. The two campaigns have been trying to project themselves as separate from each other without any orchestrated co-ordination, but an undeclared, but evident convergence of objective between the two is discernible to any objective observer. That objective is to exploit the suspected misuse of the funds to cause public discomfiture to Khurshid.

Philosophy Final Essay

Throughout the semester, our class has read a great variety of pieces of literature. With each reading, came a flurry of thoughts and discussions. These questions are what help us to become better philosophers. Someone who is on a quest to become a good philosopher must always think critically about all arguments and follow a logical conclusion to wherever it may lead. With Oedipus and â€Å"Forgiven†, I was able to dig deep into the meanings of the readings and come up with philosophical ideas for both. Another quality a philosopher must possess is the ability to compare and contrast different works of art. Using more class readings such as Socrates’ Apology, I found similarities and differences that explained my thoughts. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus kills his father and marries his mother. He also must determine who the murderer of King Laius is. Ultimately, his decisions in the play cause him to find out that it was him who killed Laius. Oedipus clearly believed that was he was doing at the time, was good. Although in the end, he most likely regrets his decisions. From his point of view, Oedipus would most likely think that his move from Corinth to Thebes was a bad decision. When he heard the news that he was going to kill his father and marry his mother, Oedipus moved far away from his home, Corinth. This is something that he probably regrets because remaining in Corinth would have prevented him from meeting King Laius in the road and killing him. Another bad decision from Oedipus’ point of view would be that he didn’t listen to anyone close to him. Oedipus demonstrates three tragic flaws, intolerance, stubbornness, and a short temper, each of which lead into his downfall. For instance, Oedipus’ stubbornness’ is unmistakably shown when he demands on finding the murderer of Laius and proving that the prophecy hasn’t come true. However, Jocasta, Oedipus’ queen and mother already is aware of the fact that all of this chaos is true and chooses to hide the truth. â€Å"That man, why ask? Old shepherds, talk, empty nonsense, don’t give it another thought; don’t even think† Oedipus replies with, â€Å"What- give up now, with a clue like this? Fail to solve the mystery of my birth? Not for all the world! †(Oedipus). Oedipus made these decisions because he thought he was saving his parents by moving away. He obviously did not want to marry his mother and kill his father, so he figured by leaving Corinth he would avoid the prophecy becoming true. Oedipus is a very stubborn man and he won’t stop until he gets the answers. In this case, he wants to figure out who murdered Laius. The reasoning behind Oedipus’ bad decision to not listen to anyone was mainly due to his stubbornness. I think that if he had not been so dead set on finding out who killed Laius; asking questions and trying to figure it all out, he would not have realized it was himself who was the murdered. Oedipus certainly was not the only character we read about that made some un-smart decisions. In the article â€Å"Forgiven†, the Grosmaires’ daughter Ann is killed by her boyfriend Conor. They end up choosing to forgive Conor, even though he took their daughter’s life. From the Grosmaires’ point of view, a bad decision would have been to not forgive Conor because then, their daughter would have been just another victim in a murder case. Also, in their point of view, not considering what Ann would have wanted if she had still been alive would’ve been a bad decision. If they had not kept their daughter in mind while choosing to forgive Conor, the Grosmaires would definitely have been dissatisfied. Ann’s mother, Kate announced, â€Å"I knew that if I defined Conor by that one moment-as a murderer-I was defining my daughter as a murder victim and I couldn’t allow that to happen† (2 Tullis). The Grosmaires’ believed that if they did not forgive Conor, then all of the attention would have been on him rather than Ann. Another major factor that came in to play when they decided to forgive Conor was their religious background. They tried very hard to base their lives on the lives of Jesus and St. Augustine. In fact, the father said, â€Å"I realized it was not just Ann asking me to forgive Conor, it was Jesus Christ† (2 Tullis). To the Grosmaires, Conor was a part of the family because he had been dating their daughter for years. He even stayed in their home for a period of time. They knew that Ann would have wanted them to forgive Conor because she loved him. By respecting their daughter and what she would have wanted, the Grosmaires felt as if they were doing the right thing. There are a few other options that they could have chosen instead of forgiving Conor. For instance, they shouldn’t have changed their minds about Conor’s jail time. They did not stick to their word and it seemed as if they almost forgot about the whole concept of forgiveness. After hearing Conor describe how he killed their daughter, they let their emotions take a toll and they changed their minds. Not forgiving Conor at all could have been another alternative choice for the Grosmaires. If this were the case, Conor would have gotten the proper justice that all other criminals get. If they did not forgive Conor, there is the possibility he would have either gotten the death penalty or lifetime in prison. Either way, it’s a far more severe punishment than what he ends up getting. Conor would be forced to suffer in prison for the rest of his life, knowing how much pain he caused the Grosmaires family. Usually, this is the case for most murder trials in the United States. It is very out of the norm for a murderer to be forgiven in today’s society. In the state of Florida where the death penalty is still used, it is especially strange for the act of killing to be forgiven. If you dig deep into Socrates’ The Apology and â€Å"Forgiven†, the two can easily be seen as comparable. First, the Grosmaires’ made the decision to forgive Conor in order to satisfy them. Despite the slack they received for forgiving a clearly guilty man, they still chose to remain close with Conor and keep him in their lives. The family was extremely religious and they felt as if it was unjust to not forgive him. Like the Grosmaires, Socrates did not allow other people to affect his decision-making. He continually chose the path less taken as was seen in The Apology. While he is being tried by the city of Athens, Socrates confidently accepts the fact that most of the city’s citizens are against him and continues teaching his ideas to others because it was simply the right thing to do. In an instance where Socrates stands up for himself, he says,â€Å" I realized, to my sorrow and alarm that I was getting unpopular, but I thought that I must attach the greatest importance to god’s oracle†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (loc 616 Apology). He truly believes in doing what morally feels acceptable, not what is socially acceptable and that is a great characteristic about him. Socrates lived his life with the philosophy of â€Å"How can you live a good life if you don’t truly understand what it is? † The Grosmaires’ followed this philosophy also because they did not fully know what the outcome of their decision was going to be, but all they knew was that it made them feel at peace and that is what mattered. Likewise, in The Apology, Socrates says that â€Å"he who is able to recognize his limitations is wisest. † It is nearly impossible for one single person to contain all knowledge of the world. Socrates knew what he did not know which is called Socratic ignorance. He claimed to be the wisest person because he welcomed the fact that he did not know everything in the world. In connecting Socrates to the Grosmaires, they were able to recognize that things could not be simply handled by sending Conor to prison for life. Sure, it would get him out of their sight, but never out of their minds. They could admit to their weaknesses and power through them with Conor and his family. If the Grosmaires ended up not forgiving him, then they would have actually been ignorant about the entire situation because they knew Conor and they knew that he truly did not mean to hurt their family. He was a good kid who had a mental breakdown that resulted in a murder. It was impossible for the Grosmaires to stop thinking of Conor as a son and to stop loving him. In addition, Socrates makes it known in The Apology that he is not afraid of death. Death was talked about a lot in this reading because it was the punishment Socrates was to face if he was found guilty. He says, â€Å" To fear death, gentlemen, is no other than to think oneself wise when one is not, to think one knows what one does not know. No one knows whether death may be the greatest of all blessings for a man, yet men fear it as if they knew that it is the greatest of evils† (loc 748 Apology). This was one of my favorite quotes from The Apology simply because it is so true. The Grosmaires clearly did not fear death either. For if they were afraid, they would not have accepted Ann’s death the way they did. Instead, they tried to turn Ann’s story into something heroic rather than tragic. Never once did they allow the death of their daughter to overcome them. Ann was a great person in their hearts and they believed that she was in a better place. There is no way the Grossmaires are ever going to achieve the life they had before their daughter passed away because it’s impossible to bring her back. But, by forgiving Conor they are trying to make peace with the idea of their Ann being gone. They are trying to make everything as normal as possible again, keeping Conor and his family in their lives. This is helping them to achieve the good life because they were happiest with their daughter and they don’t want to lose both their daughter and Conor at the same time. He was practically another son. Since the Grossmaires are also very religious people, I think they chose to forgive Conor so they could still consider themselves good Christians. To them, these aspects contribute to the â€Å"good life†. These are similar qualities that I consider to be the good life. In the beginning of the semester, I said that the good life is as stress free as possible. I want to avoid conflict as much as I can because conflict with family members and friends would only bring stress into my life. I think the Grossmaires family wanted to bring peace into their hearts and their lives, and forgiving Conor was the first step in achieving that goal. If I am able to look back and be proud of my choices, that is the â€Å"good life†. The Grossmaires probably had the same mentality when they were figuring out how to treat the Conor situation. They concluded that by forgiving him, they would be able to continue on with their lives and try to make the most of it. Reading â€Å"Forgiven† did not seem to change my views on what the good life was. I think from now until forever, my views on that topic will remain the same. The three readings that were discussed, Oedipus, The Apology, and â€Å"Forgiven† required much philosophical thinking on my part. With comparing and contrasting, I was able to dig deep into the meanings of each reading and come up with ideas for both.