Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Impact of 360 Feedback on Job Performance Essay
Impact of 360 Feedback on Job Performance - Essay Example The paper tells that the 360à ° feedback approach gathers behavioral observations from many sources within the organization and includes employee self-assessment. The individual completes the same structured evaluation process that superiors, project team members, peers, and, in many cases, external customers use to evaluate performance. Survey questionnaires, augmented by a few open-ended questions, typically are used to gather information. Then, the summary results are compared against organizational strategies, values, and business objectives. The feedback is communicated to the individual with the assistance of the companyââ¬â¢s human resources department or an outside consultant. The present research has identified that at present, this technique is used by a growing number of firms including General Electric, AT&T, Mobil Oil, Nabisco, Hewlett-Packard, and Warner-Lambert. Usually, multisource feedback is collected for managers or supervisors, but it could be collected for an y employee, with the raters depending on the employee's role in the organization. Multisource ratings are not always collected from all possible sources. For instance, sometimes only upward ratings are collected (i.e., subordinates are asked to rate their supervisor). Multisource ratings are collected through surveys using the computer, telephone, in-person interviews, or paper-and-pencil questionnaires. The survey may be administered annually or more often.
Monday, 28 October 2019
Organising Learning Essay Example for Free
Organising Learning Essay Furthermore, another area of concern for me is managing behaviour in the classroom. In my opinion, managing behaviour is a partnership between the teacher and the children. The teacher must be the authority figure in the classroom. I feel this is achieved once trust and respect is formed. Once routine is learned and the children know what is expected from them, a lot of pressure is taken off the teacher. In school, the children were constantly encouraged to put their hands up. If they called out the teacher would respond quickly and ask them to put their hand up. Therefore, I have found that unwanted behaviour should either be ignored or dealt with rapidly to reduce further problems. It is they teachers responsibility to decide how to handle a situation. The school has a behaviour policy which the whole school follows. I feel this is a valuable document and offers guidelines to handling challenging behaviour. The teacher uses smiley or sad faces on the board as a management strategy. In my whole school experience only saw three sad faces which was amazing. The Overall behaviour of the children was very good as the teacher used praise, smiley faces, well done points and stickers on a regular basis to encourage good behaviour. The children thought very highly of the teacher and tried hard to please her. I tried to use the teachers classroom management strategies as the children were familiar with them and the children responded to the in a positive wing the very lucky teaching the class as they showed a genuine interest in my lesson and behaved extremely well for me. I feel this was because I tried to make it interesting. I tried to pitch the lesson to their level so they could relate it to their experiences. Meeting the needs of individual children is a constant challenge. Some children may need individual help all the time and there are some children who have special educational needs. Therefore, there needs must be planned for and a lot of praise and encouragement is needed to reward their progress, so they dont feel excluded from the rest of the class. I believe this is extremely important; an effective teacher must be able to meet the individual needs of every child in the classroom. At university I particularly enjoy science and English lectures. The tutors are friendly and approachable which I feel is because they make sure we all understand the lesson. They quickly recognise if any students are struggling with their work and offer different methods of learning. I feel comfortable participating in these lessons as I feel quite confident in the subject. These tutors also give us the opportunity to discuss our thoughts and ideas with each other which I also think is an effective method of learning. I have also found that assessment is a vital part of teaching and this is an area of concern for me. It is especially vital to assess children at the end of each key stage to provide an individual report they can take with them, which highlight their strengths and possible growth points. Although a teacher will know what level their pupils are at, it is now important to have evidence to support their judgmentsDuring my school placement I observed the teacher assessing the children on a regular basis. Questioning the children is an effective method to establish what level the children are at, this is accomplished in an informal manner and the children are not pressured. The teacher built on the results of the assessment during teaching and addressed any misconceptions which the children may have. Another method of testing was seen at the end of each topic, the children answered questions on a worksheet which provided physical evidence to support the teachers judgment. Sometimes check-lists can be used for smaller groups during some activities which have been planned for assessment. I observed year one and year three and upper key stage two. I saw the same behaviour management in all the classes. Year six children were given more responsibility over their time management and behaviour as the expectations were shared with them from the beginning. Year six did not sit on the carpet, all teaching took place at their tables. It helped to see how the children progress and the NNS and NLS is a valuable document which tells teachers how to develop the childrens learning. I am concerned about becoming an effective teacher, and it is vital that all teachers should recognize their strengths and weaknesses. They should reflect on previous lessons and be able to set targets. I feel that teaching is an occupation where the teachers are also learning alongside the children. Sometimes lessons may not go as well as we anticipate or sometimes they may be better than previously thought. All this should be recorded by evaluating our progress after each day and building on our professional development. It is crucial to act upon areas which need improvement. In conclusion, I have highlighted my concerns of becoming an effective teacher. I have included possible ways to improve areas such as classroom management and behaviour. I have also included my school observations for examples of the teacher giving and receiving respect from the children. I have also included forms of assessment and self reflection which are crucial aspects of teaching. In my opinion, teaching is not simply a career, it becomes part of your life. A creative and stimulating teacher would gain great personal satisfaction from this profession and my school placement has confirmed my desires of becoming an effective classroom teacher. It is important for a teacher to be happy, organised and enthusiastic in school, knowing that they are making a difference to a childs future. Bibliography Collis, M. Lacey, P. (1996), Interactive Approaches To Teaching, London, David Fulton.Ã Dean, J. (2001), Organising Learning in the Primary Classroom, Third Edition, London, RoutledgeFalmer.Ã Edwards, D. Mercer, N. (1987), Common Knowledge, London, Methuen
Saturday, 26 October 2019
The Summary Of The Costs Of Unemployment :: Economics, Unemployment Essays
Some people believe that recessions are neither good nor bad but simply part of the natural survival of the fittest in the business world. Actually, it is not true. In The Costs of Unemployment, the authors tell us both the good and bad influences of recessions. Recessions will cause unemployment because of the loss of output and GNP. Some people may argue that unemployment is à ¡Ã °a part of the functioning of the economyà ¡Ã ±. They are partly right, for the unemployment is inevitable because of the dynamic economy. This kind of unemployment is called natural rate of unemploymentà ©Ã ¤the sum of frictional and structural unemployment. However, this is only a part of unemployment. Because the firms à ¡Ã °cut back and produce lessà ¡Ã ± when they experience recessions, they will employ fewer workers. Therefore, the unemployment rate rises. This increase in unemployment caused by recessions and depressions is called cyclical unemployment. Recessions cause social consequences. During the recessions, the unemployed suffers a lot. The authors say that many people lost their savings as the stock market crashed and thousands of banks failed. What they can depend on is only the meager relief distributed by the government. In addition, à ¡Ã °prolonged unemployment may also bring with it a number of social and person ills: anxiety, depression, a deterioration of physical and psychological health, drug abuse, and suicideà ¡Ã ±. Thirdly, à ¡Ã °recessions may lead to lost output in the futureà ¡Ã ±. When the companies experience recessions, they will reduce their investment and produce fewer products. As we all know, the investment is very important to à ¡Ã °future economic growth and progressà ¡Ã ±. The more the investment is reduced, the longer we will spend on the growth of economy. On the other hand, recessions also have some benefits. First of all, recessions may reduce the rate of inflation. Secondly, in order to get survival in the recessions, companies must take some measures, such as trimming waste, managing resources better, and so on.
Thursday, 24 October 2019
Adidas strategy Essay
Adidas AG is one of the world leaders in sportswear, equipment and accessories. In 2011, the company recorded a net income of $934.3 million, an increase of 18.3% over fiscal year 2010. Adidasââ¬â¢ excellence stems from its strong focused differentiation strategy. Focus on research and development has facilitated continuous development of new products and it plans to leverage its strong brand portfolio to create profits from its innovative products and by establishing robust retail operations. adidasââ¬â¢ goal is to be the leading sports brand in the world. One major lever to achieve this is the brandââ¬â¢s broad and unique product portfolio spanning from apparel and footwear for professional athletes to premium fashion. The companyââ¬â¢s leading market position is built on its portfolio of strong brands like adidas, reebok, and TaylorMade. It allows adidas to address multiple consumer needs, exploit market opportunities from various angles as well as be less affected by one-dimensional market risks. adidasââ¬â¢ commitment to product innovation by focusing on research and development differentiates the brand from competitors and provides a solid platform for future growth. 1) Distribution: Strong brand portfolio to establish a strong retail presence and increase profit margins by increasing retail sales as a percentage of total sales. Adidas currently operates 2,041 stores for the adidas and Reebok brands worldwide. Adidasââ¬â¢ strong brand and enhanced retail presence generates brand loyalty, which enables easier customer recall and gives adidas a competitive advantage. Revenue: $18,580.2 million; 11.3% Operating profit: $1,407.7 million; 13.1% 170 subsidiaries in Europe, the Americas and Asia Wholesale, retail and other businesses 2) Research and development: $160.1 million in R&D
Wednesday, 23 October 2019
Finding the Right Apartment Essay
So you are ready to take a leap of faith and branch out on your own, into the world and embrace your new found freedom by renting an apartment. That is fantastic, but first you may need help with choosing the apartment that best suits you, your lifestyle and most importantly, your budget. This is all a fairly easy project to accomplish if you know what you are doing, but it can also be very time consuming and stressful if you do not know what you are doing while also juggling a full time job. First, you have to locate a few different apartments to be able to choose the one you love. Start by doing some research on the internet. Also, ask around your community if you plan on staying in the current area you are in now. Make sure to read the local newspapers as well. If you have children, research apartment communities closet to their school. If you have pets, find apartments that will accommodate them. Research the area to see if you are near a bus line, a taxi service or within close proximity to your family and friends, should you ever need a ride to and from work due to car troubles. After that, try your best to narrow your list down to three or four apartments. Next, meet with the leasing agents for each of the apartments you want to view. Make sure you take a good look around and see everything they have to offer. Ask what type of amenities the complex has to offer. For example, do they have a gated entrance, 24 hour gym, a pool, a spa or sauna, playground area, garages for rent and/or laundry mat services on site? When inside the actual apartment, check to make sure how many bedrooms will be beneficial to you. Make sure there is enough closet and cabinet space for all of your belongings. Ask any and all questions. Be sure to ask about alarm services if you notice an alarm system built in. Ask if everything is gas or electric powered and if it has central heating and air. Ask what utility companies they use. You may be able to transfer over your previous services if they use the same ones. If you do not like the current color of the walls, ask if you can paint over them, as long as you paint them back or prime them upon move out. Also, decide if you want a bottom or top floor and ask if your preference is available. Of course, problems and hurdles may arise, but with honesty and careful consideration of the initial problem, you can overcome the problems. Some problems that may arise are bad information on your background check that will stall the rental process. Be honest with them and they may be willing to work with you under the circumstances. Another hurdle could be unexpected problems with your finances. In this case, you will need to sit down. Go over your finances and make cuts on what you do not need and factor in what you do need. Play around with the numbers until you have comfortably figured out your living expenses. You may end up being one of the lucky ones and have a ââ¬Å"smooth sailingâ⬠through the entire rental process, but if you do not, take it one step at a time until you have overcome any and all obstacles. Once you have decided upon the right apartment complex for you, you will need to sign a lease. Before your sign the lease and pay all your deposit and application fees, ask if your deposit is refundable. Also ask if they give application fee discounts if you are a college student. Decide the lease length you need and ask if they offer month to month, a 3 month, 6 month, 12 month or 18 month lease. Ask if the lease is a done locked deal or if you can break the lease say you should have to move away. Remember that no question is a wrong question, so ask anything that comes to mind. After you sign that lease, congratulations, you are now an adult with your very own place. Living on your own can be difficult at times but it is very rewarding and empowering and it helps to boost your confidence and self esteem. Knowing you have truly stepped into your own skin and into true adulthood is one of the greatest satisfactions you may experience in your young life. Taste it, savor it and enjoy it. You deserve it!
Tuesday, 22 October 2019
Apple Function and Form
Apple Function and Form Introduction Apple Inc. is a publicly listed American company specializing in the production of high technological electronic products, computer hardware, and software. The company sells software, Smartphone, e-Book readers, Electronic music, Computers, and other consumer electronics. An entrepreneur named Steve Jobs started up the corporation in the fiscal 1977 (Rich, 2012).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apple Function and Form specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Even though many products urbanized under his watch including PowerBook G3 and iMac online store, the company continues to rely on electronics and box computer to prevail in the market and make sales. The company has been bringing out cut-price versions of its Smartphone. Looking even further, the company is staking its future on new products that could take electronics and computing power even deeper into everyday lives of consumers (Antrs Helpman, 2004). The marketing aim of Apple Inc is to achieve a 20 percent market share in the next five years while the financial aim is to increase profitability by 15 percent through increased sales. This is anticipated to occur through a marketing plan as well as opportunities and problems that the company has researched on and identified. The marketing model involves five forces analysis that an organization uses in positioning the product. The functions of Apple are steered by specific organizational structure comprising of experienced marketing and sales officers. The success is measured through measurement controls and close monitoring of the implementation process. Nevertheless, Apple Inc anticipates changes in the market trends to come up with effective contingency plans (Mallin Finkle, 2011). The Apple business level strategy Marketing strategy is referred to as the process that allows firms to focus on limited resources and greatest opportunities to reach a sustainable competitive adva ntage that would augment sales or profitability. Apple marketing strategy is based on the positioning of Smartphone through differentiation.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The major consumer targets are professionals and students who need a state-of-art, convenient, secure, and internet-enabled Smartphone. The secondary consumer target entails the rural population who need quality but state-of-art Smartphone (Schonfeld, 2010). The Competitive advantage The growing technology in manufacturing and price threats has made Apple Inc to add new features and lower prices of Smartphone. The earlier establishment of strong brands and cheap cell phones by competitors such as Chinese Mobile is a factor to consider. Major competitors include Nokia, Samsung, HTC Corporation, LG, Motorola, and Sony Erickson. Though the market is highly competitive with new models entering the market, Apple Company is venturing into newly exploited market and innovative products that increase its competitive advantage (Apple Inc, 2010). The Model used at Apple Inc The Five force analysis The buyersââ¬â¢ power When the company opened its doors into the Smartphone industry, it offered the consumers innovative technology that disrupted the electronic industry. The products changed the platform requiring competitors to change their marketing strategies in order to remain relevant in the industry. The Smartphone industry presents the company with competitive forces (Debajani, 2012). Threat from new entrants The entrants present a threat to the existing market. It requires Apple to invest huge amounts of money to gain economies of scale that would enable it to make the entry of new firms almost impossible. This helps the company to maintain its domination of the market through new Smartphone. Any new company has to integrate technological advancements in the software markets (Ashcroft, 2011). Threat of Substitution The threat of substitute products is a challenge that Apple faces. All the competitors have a huge range of computing designs developed for different types of users. This requires the company to be continually innovative and be conscious of the prices. The users have the choice to decide whether their Smartphone are handheld computers or not (Barrios, Gà ¶rg Strobl, 2005). The purchasersââ¬â¢ power The company focuses on developing differentiated products. This makes the products to be outstanding and customers are offered products that suit individual tastes (Biswas, Fraser Mahajan, 2007). This makes customers to be less price-sensitive when buying products such as iPod, iPhone, and Macintosh as it is difficult to find a product with same features and style.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apple Function and Form specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Apple uses a variety of suppliers in the manufacturing of Smartphone and portable music players. This translates to less bargaining power by suppliers since it is not limited to a single supply of computer components. Competitive rivalry Regardless of the intense competition, Apple Inc has won substantial market share and strengthens its brand image among the targeted market segments. The 3-G network system and touch interface are the important point of differentiation in the competition. Offering a variety of Smartphone models is also a strong competitive edge to win a wide customer base. Besides, the entire world recognizes Apple brands thus it can exploit this position to compete (Linzmayer, 2006). The Marketing Strategies at Apple The only business target Apple Inc has is the entrepreneur or small business owners. These persons need to convey and store information frequently through cost effective means. Their taste for phones is Smartphone that can allow internet access and other small functions ak in to calculations. These consumers also use the phone for other purposes other than for business. The phone is also the family phone and ease of use is particularly important to this market segment. The authors have a good say on several strategies put in place by the corporation (Ruckman, 2004). Positioning Through Smartphone differentiation, the iPhone Xi is placed as the most suitable, cost efficient, value-increased, and technological phone for proficient and personal use. The marketing strategy underlines the ease of use, integrating touch interface, internet enabling, Linux operating system, and GPRS differentiating the Apple Smartphone. Product strategy The Smartphone models include all the characteristics described in the product review part and differentiated according to the differing needs of the target markets. The Smartphone iPhone Xi is offered with a one-year warranty.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More All the models are produced with an emphasis on Apple quality mark. An important part in the product strategy is to strengthen Apple brand image. The brand and logo are displayed in all Smartphone models and reinforced in the marketing campaign. Pricing strategy The Smartphone iPhone Xi ranges between 200 and 800 dollars as the estimated price per unit phone depending on the model. This price is lowered from the earlier price of 1,000 dollars since the product introduction in 2010. As Apple expands the product line, it is expected to reduce the price per unit phone. The pricing strategy aims at attracting emerging consumers due to economic boom and increased market share from major competitors. The combinations of pricing strategy and mark of quality have a contribution in winning customer loyalty (Dziri, 2011). Place strategy The distribution strategy is to open various distribution subsidiaries in the market and vend products directly to consumers. The new channel of distribution is enhanced through continued mini-campaigns across the market. The firm continues to uses agents when the implementation process rises. Subramanian observes how the world population is becoming more sensitive to IT. The company has opened an online store to exploit the opportunity created by online shoppers (Blonigen, 2001). Promotion strategy For Smartphone promotion, the corporation implements two different strategies. The Company appointed DDB Mudra Group and used print media aggressively to advertise new Smartphone models. This has helped in building brand awareness by focusing on the greatest and latest advertising campaigns meant for Smartphone, iPhone Xi, and implementing a communication adaptation strategy.Through the integrated marketing strategy, Apple expects to create much anticipation about the iPhone Xi and increase brand awareness in the marketplace. Marketing Research Through extensive market research, Apple identifies the needs, specific features, and expectations that market segments value. The primary research is through surveys, market tests, and focus groups that are carried out in all the potential market areas. The company also determines and analyzes customersââ¬â¢ perception towards other competing brands. The secondary market research involves brand awareness research and customer satisfaction studies. Feedback from the primary research helps Apple in developing Smartphone models (Arregle, Hebert Beamish, 2006). Through brand awareness research, it is possible to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization marketing campaign. The strategy strengths Apple Inc has grounded its strategies based on three important strengths as discussed below. Strong brand portfolio Apple Inc has a wide range of cell phones that are recognized and respected across the world. The iPhone Xi in particular comprises of a variety of models designed according to the varying needs of the customer (Apple Inc, 2012). Robust production capab ilities Being the largest manufacturer of Smartphone in the world, the firm suggests its powerful production capabilities. This is important in ensuring the balance of demand and supply of the company product (Gormley, 2010). Strong focus on RD The active involvement in research and development ensures that Apple Inc. differentiates its product through innovation. This strength is also imperative for enhanced quality as the Unique Selling Propositions. The advantages Apple Inc draws several advantages from the applied marketing strategies. However, the firm faces a number of disadvantages. Hasten demand for Smartphone Apple economic explosion has resulted in increased changes in consumer behavior. The low-income earners who could not have afforded to buy a Smartphone have enough to do it presently (Marco, 2013). Mounting use of the internet Apple can exploit these strategies to combine the production capabilities with research and development. Thus, demand is increasing with very fe w manufacturers responding to it (Chen Mujtaba, 2007). Continued economic growth Apple economy keeps growing hence increased incomes and job opportunities. This enables new consumers to enter the Smartphone market and expand prospects (Henry, 2008). The disadvantages Listless performance Apple Inc suffers from slow performance in some marketplaces compared to other competitors. The focus of Apple has been on large cities, which denies the firm the opportunity of exploiting the upcoming rural populace. Frail brand image The latest brand image of Apple is extremely weak among consumers like Indians. The weakness is highly effective since the brand image is decisive in a competitive milieu (Blomstermo, Sharma Sallis, 2006). Meager cash flows All through the growth stage of the product lifecycle, Apple Inc invests in an enormous awareness campaign. The funding therefore causes imbalance between the expenses and returns achieved from rummage sales (Bernard Jensen, 2007). Recommendatio n The changing consumer trends and market shifts require corporate strategies that will respond to these dynamics and ensure that the firm achieves competitive advantages. Among the trickiest industry is the electronic industry that is characterized by big firms that are swift in responding to the marketing changes. In this industry, Apple Inc. can only adopt the best-cost strategy to increase its competitive advantages since consumers are increasingly becoming price sensitive and many competitors are pursuing low-cost strategies. The firm should also integrate the developmental and marketing plans in order to focus on the best value while reducing the prices of products. Within this strategy, the firm should retool its products to attract a wider range of consumer segments as it maintains low prices for the majority low-income earners. Avoidance of the unexpected risks from natural calamities is also important. Therefore, Apple ought to include stakeholders like OEM partners to dis tribute the impacts caused by such calamities (Mallin Finkle, 2011). Conclusion Apple Inc. has been competing with the other marketing players for dominant shares. In order to increase its market shares, Apple uses diverse marketing strategies including advertising, public relations, and sales promotions. The company is using innovative advertising to attract and inform the customers about products both in mass and digital media. The firm uses corporate social responsibility to appeal to many people as a method of maintaining public reputation. The success of Apple Inc. in marketing improves its goodwill and attracts public attention. Apple Inc thus provides special offers as a good way to stimulate and retain customersââ¬â¢ loyalty. References Antrs, P, Helpman, E, 2004, ââ¬Å"Global sourcing,â⬠Journal of Political Economy, vol.112 no.2, pp.552-580. Apple Inc 2012, The new, faster MacBook air, https://www.apple.com/. Apple Inc. 2010, 2010 annual report, United States Se curities and Exchange Commission, Washington, DC. Arregle, J, Hebert, L Beamish, P 2006, ââ¬Å"Mode of international entry: the advantages of multilevel methods,â⬠Management International Review, vol.46 no.5, pp.597-611. Ashcroft, J 2011, Apple Inc. the case study 2000-2010. Web. Barrios, S, Gà ¶rg, H Strobl, E 2005, ââ¬Å"Foreign direct investment, competition and industrial development in the host country,â⬠European Economic Review, vol.49 no.1, pp.1761-1784. Bernard, A Jensen, B 2007, ââ¬Å"Firm structure, multinationals, and manufacturing plant deaths,â⬠Review of Economic and Statistics, vol.89 no.1, pp.103-204. Biswas, R, Fraser, D Mahajan, A 2007, The international market for corporate control: evidence from acquisitions of financial firms, Global Finance Journal, vol.8 no.1, pp.33-54. Blomstermo, A, Sharma, D Sallis, J 2006, ââ¬Å"Choice of foreign market entry mode in service firms,â⬠International Marketing Review, vol.23 no.2, pp.211-213. B lonigen, B 2001, ââ¬Å"In search of substitution between foreign production and exports,â⬠Journal of International Economics, vol.53 no.2, pp.81-104. Chen, L Mujtaba, B 2007, ââ¬Å"The choice of entry mode strategies and decisions for international market expansion,â⬠Journal of American Academy of Business, vol.10 no.2, pp.322-344. Debajani, S 2012, ââ¬Å"Strategic change of campaign at Apple Inc,â⬠The Indian Journal of Management, vol.5 no.2.), pp.38-48. Dziri, R 2011, Avoiding strategic drifts in a hypercompetitive market: analysis of appleââ¬â¢s position in the mobile phone industry and suggestions, GRIN Verlag, Munich. Gormley, T 2010, The impact of foreign bank entry in emerging markets: evidence from India, Journal of Financial Intermediation, vol.19 no.1, pp.26-51. Henry, A 2008, Understanding strategic management, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UKt. Linzmayer, O 2006, Legend of Apple, Qinghua University Press, Beijing, China. Mallin, M Finkle, T 2 011, ââ¬Å"Apple Inc: product portfolio analysis,â⬠Journal of the International Academy for Case Studies, vol.17 no.7, pp.63-74. Marco, T 2013, How Apple stretched its wings with the iPhone 5s, Macworld, vol.30 no.12, pp.24-25. Rich, K 2012, ââ¬Å"Apple without jobs first trillion-dollar company,â⬠Forbes, vol.190 no.8, pp. 34-34. Ruckman, K 2004, Mode of entry mode into a foreign market: the case of U.S. mutual funds in Canada, Journal of International Economics, vol.62 no.2, pp.417-432. Schonfeld, E. (2010). SmartPhone sales up 24 percent, iPhoneââ¬â¢s share nearly doubled last year, https://techcrunch.com/.
Monday, 21 October 2019
5 Ways To Avoid Interview Panic
5 Ways To Avoid Interview Panic So much work goes into the job search process that by the interview phase, emotions can run tense. Youââ¬â¢ve worked so hard to get in the door and now the stakes are high, your palms are sweating, and youââ¬â¢re a bundle of nerves. Here are five things you can do to keep your cool and rock your interview.1. Prepare before you goThe best way to not panic in the interview is to be super well-prepared. If you know everything there is to know about the company and the position, if you have answers to all the usual questions, plus a few unusual ones, if youââ¬â¢re ready with thoughtful, constructive questions for your interviewer when promptedâ⬠¦ if youââ¬â¢ve done all of this, then you wonââ¬â¢t be nervous about whatââ¬â¢s to come. Youââ¬â¢ll look confident, driven, and smart, and theyââ¬â¢ll know without a doubt you wanted the job enough to do your homework. Who knows, the interview could even turn out to be enjoyable for both of you.2. Get some sleepYouâ⠬â¢re nervous. You canââ¬â¢t imagine calming down enough to go to sleep before the big day. But rather than staying up all night pacing (or watching Netflix, or surfing Facebook on your phone) in your darkened bedroom, make yourself a cup of tea and go to bed. Youââ¬â¢ll be much fresher and sharper tomorrow, and infinitely less stressed.3. Practice makes perfectGet everything ready the night before. Try on and lay out what you plan to wear. Make sure your shoes are polished and your documents are in order. Then see if you canââ¬â¢t get a friend or roommate to practice asking you questions and assessing your answers. Saying things out loud the night before can make you sound more put together when youââ¬â¢re in the interview.4. Pump upListen to music that either soothes you or motivates you on your way to the interview. Studies show it can have a measurable effect. At very least, itââ¬â¢ll put a bit of bounce into your step and allow you to walk in relaxed and confide nt.5. Show up earlyBeing late is a big strike against you. But being a little early never hurt- especially if youââ¬â¢ve never been to that particular part of town or office before. Youââ¬â¢ll be glad you have a few minutes of leeway in case your GPS messes up or you run into unexpected traffic.
Sunday, 20 October 2019
Story of the Comfort Women of World War II
Story of the Comfort Women of World War II During World War II, the Japanese established military brothels in the countries they occupied. The women in these comfort stations were forced into sexual slavery and moved around the region as Japanese aggression increased. Known as comfort women, theirà story is an often understated tragedy of the war that continues to strike debate. The Story of the "Comfort Women" According to reports, the Japanese military began with volunteer prostitutes in occupied parts of China around 1931. The comfort stations were set up near military camps as a way to keep the troops occupied. As the military expanded its territory, they turned to enslaving women of the occupied areas. Many of the women were from countries like Korea, China, and the Philippines. Survivors have reported that they were originally promised jobs like cooking, laundry, and nursing for theà Japanese Imperial Army. Instead, many were forced to provide sexual services. The women were detained next to military barracks, sometimes in walled camps. Soldiers would repeatedly rape, beat, and torture the sex slaves, often multiple times a day. As the military moved throughout the region during the war, women were taken along, often moved far from their homeland. Reports go further to say that as the Japanese war efforts began to fail, the comfort women were left behind with no regard. The claims of how many were sexual slaves and how many were simply recruited as prostitutes are disputed. Estimates of the number of comfort women range from 80,000 to 200,000.à Continuing Tensions Over "Comfort Women" The operation of the comfort stations during World War II has been one that the Japanese government has been reluctant to admit. The accounts are not well detailed and it has only been since the late 20th century that the women themselves have told their stories. The personal consequences on the women are clear. Some never made it back to their home country and others returned as late as the 1990s. Those that made it home either kept their secret or lived a life marked by the shame of what theyd endured. Many of the women could not have children or suffered greatly from health problems.à A number of former comfort women filed lawsuits against the Japanese government. The issue has also been raised with the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The Japanese government initially claimed no military responsibility for the centers. It was not until papers were discovered in 1992 showing direct links that the larger issue came to light. Yet, the military still maintained that recruitment tactics by middlemen were not the responsibility of the military. They long refused to offer official apologies. In 1993, the Kono Statement was written by then-chief cabinet secretary of Japan, Yohei Kono. In it, he said that the military was ââ¬Å"directly or indirectly, involved in the establishment and management of the comfort stations and the transfer of comfort women.â⬠Still, many in the Japanese government continued to dispute the claims as over exaggerated. It was not until 2015 that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe issued a formal apology. It was in accord with an agreement with the South Korean government. Along with the much-awaited official apology, Japan contributed 1 billion yen to a foundation formed to help the surviving women. Some people believe that these reparations are still not enough. The "Peace Monument" In the 2010s, a number of Peace Monument statues have appeared in strategic locations to commemorate Koreas comfort women. The statue is often a young girl dressed in traditional Korean clothing sitting serenely in a chair next to an empty chair to signify the women who did not survive. Comfort Woman Statue in Seoul, South Korea. Chung Sung-Jun / Getty Images In 2011, one Peace Monument appeared in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul. Several others have been installed in equally poignant locations, often with the intent of getting the Japanese government to acknowledge the suffering caused. Comfort Women Statue In San Francisco, California. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images One of the most recent appeared in January 2017 in front of the Japanese consulate in Busan, South Korea. This locations significance cannot be understated. Every Wednesday since 1992, it has seen a rally of supporters for the comfort women. Comfort Woman statue on Seoul public transit bus. Chung Sung-Jun / Getty Images
Saturday, 19 October 2019
Write about play Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Write about play - Essay Example Mama is scheduled to get the pension amount, and every member of the family has their own dreams, of what to make of it. As the play progresses, Ruth discovers she is pregnant, but decides upon aborting the baby, because of their financial condition. Beneatha is inclined towards Joseph Asagai, her African friend and rejects the proposal of George Murchison. Walter loses $6,500 that he gave his friend to start the liquor shop business. Mama zeroes in on the house to buy and pays the down payment. However, the family receives a threat from the all-white neighbours, as they do not want them to move in. The end of the play sees the family all set to move in and Beneatha accepting Asagai's proposal. 2. Structure, using Remembrance. Page 157 (bottom) Follow the exercise as written for A Raisin in the Sun.Reread at least one of the scenes we have presented, noting moments when the characters are engaged basically in remembrance. Then write a paragraph in which you make and support a claim about the extent to which the scene is concerned with the past rather than with the present or future. When Mama talks about her dream, she slips into the past, wherein she painfully recounts the dream her husband and she shared---to move into a beautiful house of their dreams. This is one instance where she moves to the past. She describes her husband's dream of owning a house, and asserts that it is her dream now----to fulfill her husband's. This dream of hers is more concerned with the past than of the present and the future, because of the sheer feasibility factor. Towards the end of the play, we do see the family sticking to their decision to move into the new house, however, amid threat and scathing hatred and hear. 3. Character Development. Page 159 Follow the exercise as written except choose a scene from A Raisin in the Sun. This paragraph will probably be longer than others, but you do not have to write an informal essay as indicated by the writing prompt. Choose one of the scenes we have excerpted, and write a brief, informal essay in which you examine the scene for signs that either or both of the characters will eventually change. In my opinion, the scene that involves Walter Lee talking about investing money in business and convincing his family about giving him a part of the pension money t get into liquor business with his friend is one that shows some signs that the character of Walter Lee is a round character. His character is one that exhibits signs of change, though the play does not go on into the future, to prove that part. In the beginning, Walter is shown as a person who is a defiant husband and a belittling brother. He is someone who harbours dreams of making it as a businessman, though he is presently not too productive. He takes the step and invests part of the pension money in the liquor business his friend and he propose to begin. However his friend runs off with the money and Walter loses the amount. Towards the end of the play, Walter transforms in a man, by refusing to quit moving into the all-white neighbourhood and thereby, shattering his Mama's dreams. He stands up for what the family believes in and refuses to give in. This reveals his strong mind-set and
Friday, 18 October 2019
Occupy Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Occupy Movement - Essay Example This shift, according to the report, amounts to the movement waging a war against consumers, and therefore against the American masses (Lerman and Kachersky). In London, meanwhile, the movement is being portrayed as one that disrupts preparations for the Olympics by an online media outfit catering to London residents. On balance this coverage likewise portrays the movement as carrying the message of negative disruption of something that is good, namely, the Olympics. Moreover, the title of the news article clearly labels the movement as being ââ¬Å"anticapitalistâ⬠(sic) (Bartholomew). Elsewhere, the influential The Washington Post portrays the movement in somewhat more positive terms. Going against popular media portraying the movement as without purpose, the article notes that in fact the movement has purpose, even if it is not well-articulated. Moreover, the movement has grassroots support from many sectors in society (Glantz). Moving over to TV coverage, as exemplified by CNN coverage of the movement, the overall impression one gets is that of a group that is militant and aggressive in going against established authority. Recent CNN coverage is about the movement and the police in violent confrontations (Kastenbaum; Verello). For the average citizen, of course media is a primary source of inputs on the movement, and of course as such the current media coverage shapes the message of the movement. As can be gleaned from the coverage examples above, the message seems to be lost in the more prominent portrayal of the movement as being violent, unruly, against ordinary consumers, and against such good things as the Olympics. Seemingly more intelligent coverage and opinion, meanwhile, is not as prominent, and reaches only an intelligent few. The overall impact of the media coverage seems to be a blurring of the movements real
Ethics On Pharmaceutical Marketing A Review Of Literature Dissertation
Ethics On Pharmaceutical Marketing A Review Of Literature - Dissertation Example Pharmaceutical marketing has been defined as any activity in the pharmaceutical industry that includes advertising, detailing, freebies and sponsoring of conferences and symposia by a drug company that is intended to promote the sales of is products. (medical dictionary). Pharmaceutical marketing is governed by ethics code that sets ââ¬Å"standard for the ethical marketing and promotion of prescription products directed to the healthcare professionsâ⬠. (Kintanar and Teehankee) Ethos of pharmaceutical marketing should subscribe to the independence of healthcare professionals that means they should exercise impartiality in medical judgment. This means absence of conflict of interest, whether potential, actual or apparent. Marketing practices. Cousinââ¬â¢s study that used interviews highlighted three marketing practices that are influential on the prescribing behavior of physicians. First, physicians were found to be influenced by marketing representatives through their direct marketing and detailing. By example, physicians are influenced by sales representatives who visit them to promote their product. Second, is by the sponsorship or training as a form of continued medical events as earlier discussed. Third, is the effect of the direct-to ââ¬âcustomer advertising having on patients.... Accordingly, 28% of marketers used distribution of samples, 36% practices detailing, direct to customer approach (DTCA) 7%, holding of meetings, 3%, journals, unmonitored 25%, and e-commerce 0%. Chart 1. Segmentation of marketing practices Hashley detailed in his study that samples constitute a large expense in pharmaceutical marketing. Samples go hand in hand with detailing as these are used by the sales force when they visit their clients. Chart 1 shows the segmentation of marketing practices in the industry and its corresponding activities as prepared by Hashley. These practices continue to be the norms in pharmaceutical groups and are called traditional marketing. Braun Group stated that the traditional strategies in promoting products are giving drugs as free samples to doctors, providing details of their products through journal articles or opinion leaders. It is also customary upon pharmaceutical companies to give gifts with company logo or details of its products. Pharmaceuti cal companies also spend on continued medical education by sponsoring seminars. Braun in his assessment saw the need for new pharmaceutical strategies because of change of lifestyle and consumer behavior such as use of internet and digital media Holding of meetings Holding meetings, or in pharmaceutical parlance, the ââ¬Å"continuing medical educationâ⬠has been discussed in the study of Cousins (2003) wherein he described the forum as unethical procedure. Cousins argued that CME is one of the contested marketing strategies because when the pharmaceutical company sponsors an event, it serves like a commercial endorsement of their products rather than support to medical education. In this, he commented that what is supposed to be an educational forum becomes a pharmaceutical
Thursday, 17 October 2019
Home Work Assigment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Home Work Assigment - Assignment Example Therefore, the employers do not look at the ability that the disabled person may offer to their firms. There are several reasons that, usually, prompts employers to disqualify any disabled person as a candidate for a specific job. One of the reason is that the employers, usually, seek for candidates who are attractive and hence will appeal to their customers. Since disabled persons may not be attractive, they automatically get disqualified. The disabled people may not be able to move fast from one location to another. Their lack of mobility is seen as a hindrance to act quickly (Mandel, 1990). The condition is mostly suffered by people who are either lame or have suffered a disease that may resist their mobility. They are, therefore, not considered as appropriate for the job. Another reason that is mostly considered as a major reason for disqualification is that most of the employees are not ready to give some facilities required by the disabled. Some special facilities such as office chair for the disabled and many others see seen as an extra cost to the employees (DeLeire, 2000). T hey, therefore, reject them so as to maintain their profit levels. The fact that some people are disabled does not mean that they have absolutely nothing they can give to the firm. Some of them may be very talented in some jobs that only need mental skills to carry them out. The discrimination towards the disabled has prompted many non-governmental organisations in many countries to push for equal rights of opportunities regardless of their ability. The push have prompted many states to change this attitude and have amended their constitution to involve the rights of the disabled. In the United States of America, the American with Disability Act (ADA), have been implemented to ensure that the disabled or people who have become disabled in their job continues to enjoy their jobs. The act has been amended to ADAAA so that
FISH TRANSPORT DESIGN Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
FISH TRANSPORT DESIGN - Assignment Example This investigation is aimed at delineating criteria to transport fish followed by three concept level models. These models will be evaluated against the delineated criteria and the most suitable model will be chosen to transport fish over long distances. The business viability of the chosen model will be evaluated in terms of investment and operational costs to help fish owners and transporters decide if they wish to install such a system. NUMBERS OF FISH AND TIME FOR TRANSPORT The current problem clearly states that fish will have to be transported in numbers between 5 and 200 and that the fish can stay on the road for up to 2 days. The most expensive fish in the lot is the Koi Carp. The Koi Carp is potentially a very sensitive fish and needs to be cared for excessively. For the purpose of this investigation, the baseline of water quality will be taken as that for the Koi Carp. If the water quality for the Koi Carp falls below certain constrained levels, then a major loss or failure will be assumed. Constraint 1 maximum transportation time will be 2 days (48 hours) As mentioned before, the baseline will be taken for Koi Carp. Thus aeration constraints will be developed along the lines for the Koi Carp. The density of Koi Carps should be kept at 80 cm length of fish for every 1 m3 volume. (Koi Carps, 2009) The average size of the Koi Carp is between 24 and 36 inches. If these values are averaged, the size of an average Koi Carp comes out to be 30 inches (76.2 cm). (Davis, 2011) Constraint 2 ? fish density based on average size 76.2 cm Water Quality The largest problem in maintaining healthy fish is the dissolved oxygen level. Any variations in the oxygen level can spell disaster for fish especially if the oxygen levels are not replenished after half an hour to acceptable levels. (FAO, 2011) Any and all factors that affect dissolved oxygen levels in water must be considered and dealt with accordingly. Generally the aeration system is constrained by: efficiency of the aeration system; transport duration; temperature of water; fish size; fish speci es. It is essential that the water used to house fish is kept clear. Any turbidity should be avoided and filters should be installed in the system to remove any particulate matter. Constraint 3 ? turbidity clarity Moreover, the pH level must be checked regularly to ensure that it keeps around 7. The acceptable pH levels for housing fish are 6 to 8.5. Constraint 4 ? pH level average at 7 Water temperature has a direct bearing on the amount of oxygen dissolved in water. Oxygen solubility in water decreases exponentially as the temperature of water increases. Therefore, if the water temperature rises significantly as the fish are being transported, the oxygen levels in water will suffer significantly. (Engineering Toolbox, 2011a) The variations of oxygen levels with water temperature are graphed in Appendix A. Constraint 5 ? water temperature should not vary significantly Moreover, the oxygen content of the water needs to be checked regularly to ensure that it does not fall below the d esignated threshold of 5 mg / litre. The variation in oxygen levels is between 8 and 9 mg / litre. Constraint 6 ? oxygen levels in water averaged at 5 mg / litre Moreover, the water quality should be maintained within the constraints listed above and no value should be allowed
Wednesday, 16 October 2019
Home Work Assigment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Home Work Assigment - Assignment Example Therefore, the employers do not look at the ability that the disabled person may offer to their firms. There are several reasons that, usually, prompts employers to disqualify any disabled person as a candidate for a specific job. One of the reason is that the employers, usually, seek for candidates who are attractive and hence will appeal to their customers. Since disabled persons may not be attractive, they automatically get disqualified. The disabled people may not be able to move fast from one location to another. Their lack of mobility is seen as a hindrance to act quickly (Mandel, 1990). The condition is mostly suffered by people who are either lame or have suffered a disease that may resist their mobility. They are, therefore, not considered as appropriate for the job. Another reason that is mostly considered as a major reason for disqualification is that most of the employees are not ready to give some facilities required by the disabled. Some special facilities such as office chair for the disabled and many others see seen as an extra cost to the employees (DeLeire, 2000). T hey, therefore, reject them so as to maintain their profit levels. The fact that some people are disabled does not mean that they have absolutely nothing they can give to the firm. Some of them may be very talented in some jobs that only need mental skills to carry them out. The discrimination towards the disabled has prompted many non-governmental organisations in many countries to push for equal rights of opportunities regardless of their ability. The push have prompted many states to change this attitude and have amended their constitution to involve the rights of the disabled. In the United States of America, the American with Disability Act (ADA), have been implemented to ensure that the disabled or people who have become disabled in their job continues to enjoy their jobs. The act has been amended to ADAAA so that
Tuesday, 15 October 2019
Physiology Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Physiology - Case Study Example This condition is known to cause nerve problems which may be responsible for her numbness and weakness on the lower limb. Since she might be suffering from inflammation in his pelvic or cervical region, this may result to elevated body temperature referred to as fever. Fever causes disruption in the body thermal balance causing chills which is responsible for shivering in patients. In addition, the presence of inflammation results to generation of neutrophil from the bone marrow with reduced maturation time. Toxic granulation in the body therefore occurs due to the accelerated maturation of neutrophils in response to cases of acute inflammation (Crowley 72). This will help the medical practitioner figure out if it is a recurrence case, how developed it is or if it is genetically linked (Fogel & Nancy 610). Past medical and drug history will help determine if it is an allergic reaction and any know the form of treatment previously done on the patient. This involves checking for vitamin deficiencies, abnormal immune response or presence of toxic elements. Vitamin deficiency can cause general body weakness, anemia, loss of appetite and neurological problems e.g. lack of vitamin B12 and vitamin D (Fogel & Nancy 209). Elevated levels of white blood cells signifies the presence of an infection or inflammation while toxic elements from pesticides are known to cause neurological problems. The blood test would help rule out certain conditions that are known to cause some of the symptoms depicted seen on the girl. 3. The pelvic exam revealed a foul-smelling discharge. What might this indicate? Might this condition be related to the loss of lower motor control? What might the sedimentation rate and the WBCââ¬â¢s indicate? A foul smelling discharge detected by pelvic examination is an indication of presence of infection in the pelvic region. The infection can
Monday, 14 October 2019
Greek and Roman Mythology Essay Example for Free
Greek and Roman Mythology Essay In the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans, there were many things that held similarities as well as things that were not as similar, wondrous trading and agriculture skills, great warriors, architecture, and mythology just to name a few. However, their life values were opposing, the Romans were more apt to take what they wanted without regard for life, whereas the Greeks were more in tune with Nature. The Mythology that they shared was similar but different in the aspects as how they saw their deities. Their Gods and Goddesses were not worshipped as that of the Christian God of today. The Greeks were more focused on life here on earth and the ideas and thought that a manââ¬â¢s worth was judged here in this life and his good deeds and services would follow him onto the afterlife. Whereas, the Romans believed that good deeds done on Earth would follow them to heaven, if they were done properly and enough of the good deeds were done, then they themselves would become Gods. The Romans deities were not gender specific because they did not have characteristics that were associated with their actions, unlike the Greeks Godââ¬â¢s and Goddesses. When you read about the Mythologies of the Greeks and Romans, you will hear the similarities in the stories of their deities. One of the famous Goddess names you may remember is Venus, the Roman Goddess of love and Aphrodite, the Greek Goddess of love, they both share the same aspects of being the Goddess of love. There has been little to no influence of these cultures religions on todayââ¬â¢s society, however, one cannot help but wonder, what would the world be like if they had progressedâ⬠¦ References Noriega. B., (February 24, 2006.) Greek vs Roman Mythology, Associated Content, Retrieved July 20, 2010 from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/19648/greek_vs_roman_ mythology_pg2.html?cat=9
Sunday, 13 October 2019
CSR For Nestle And MTN
CSR For Nestle And MTN Nestle (a high-income company) and MTN (a low-income company) have different approaches regarding CSR. This report will describe and evaluate those approaches. Introduction This is a brief description of each company highlighting some facts concerning their development. Section one Identifies the different types of stakeholders that the company should consider while mapping its local/global activities. Using the Stakeholder Saliency Model, allocates those stakeholders for both companies, taking into account two things: who has the most/least power in steering the companys decisions and whether or not this stakeholder is interested in CSR initiatives. Two differences have been identified: Nestle: firstly, host governments in developing countries are Dangerous Stakeholders and do not show much interest in CSR; secondly, social organizations, NGOs and the media are Dangerous Stakeholders and in favour of CSR. MTN: firstly, host governments in developing countries are Dominant and show interest in CSR; secondly, social organizations such as NGOs and the media are Demanding and in favour of CSR. The reasons behind this include: Host government in developing countries: corrupt government may find the high-income corporation (Nestle) an enticing opportunity to seize unlike MTN. Moreover, MTN which originated in a developing country, has a great deal of experience with such governments. Social Organization: MTN does not have a negative direct impact on peoples lives, unlike Nestle. Also MTN is not recognized globally while Nestle is since MTN operates only in developing countries while Nestle operates globally. Section two In this section the report answers the following: whether CSR initiatives adopted by both companies increased/decreased over time, and also who was behind the changes and why they occurred. It was found that both companies have increased their CSR initiatives especially in the globalization era for Nestle, and particularly since the 1970s as many social organizations emerged and FDI occurred in that period. Section three The report shows how authors classify the stakeholders perspective in different ways: some classify them according to the local economic situation; others in a developing countrys context; others classify the social and environmental issues depending on regions. A Ponte et al typology using four approaches (engaged/disengaged, proximate/distant) is applied to the above classifications. An analysis was made with the following results: There are many perspectives which support CSR initiatives and argue that those initiatives are good for business, especially the engaged approaches, and they support their argument with evidence. They are also good for society whether the approaches are engaged or disengaged. At the other end of the spectrum, there are many who do not agree with the benefits brought by CSR initiatives and believe it is bad for business and useless for society. II. Introduction The purpose of this report is to analyse, compare and contrast the socially responsible approach of two multinational companies (Nestle and MTN). This will be approached in the following order: firstly, a brief description for each company will be provided; secondly, the report will allocate the stakeholders using the stakeholder saliency model for each company showing the similarities and differences. This will be followed by a brief description regarding the changes of CSR approach for both companies and the reasons for these changes. The third section includes a critical analysis of both approaches using Ponte et al typology and two contrasting viewpoints. Finally, a conclusion sums up the findings showing the future of CSR for both companies. III. Brief History with some facts regarding CSR, Nestleà [1]à , It was in the 1860s when a pharmacist Henri Nestle developed a food formula for those infants who experienced problems in breastfeeding. This welcome innovation from Nestle is now sold all over the world (Nestle History, 2009). Some facts about the company include: 1905-to date: Healthy growth in general with some periods of struggle with a lot of mergers and acquisitions, one of the most important being with Movenpick Ice Cream. 1970s-1980s: Heavy attacks from social organizations and individuals for the unethical marketing activities encouraging mothers in the developing world to use its products instead of breastfeeding. (Douglas,1986) 1998 Nestlà © Corporate Business Principles was produced and updated to include the principles of the UN Secretary Generals Global Compact: Labour Standard, Human rights, the Environment (Nestle report, 2001) Creating the Shared Value scheme for a healthier world in the 21st century. (CSV mission, 2009) MTN Groupà [2]à , Founded in 1994, MTN Group is a telecommunication company; it services in 21 countries across Africa and the Middle East. (MTN Report 1 and 2, 2009). 2007: MTN was the best tax payer for the year ending 2005/2006 in many African countries.(MTN History, 2007) 2007: Established the Corporate Social Responsibility Foundation. .(MTN History, 2007) 2009: According to management consulting firm Oliver Waymans annual State of the Industry report, MTN achieved the fourth place among the top 60 global performers in terms of its shareholder performance index (SPI) at the end of 2008 with total revenue of 102,526 million randà [3]à , (MTN Report 1and 2, 2009 ). IV. Section one: Corporate social responsibility: CSR is the commitment by the company to behave ethically with its stakeholders and to fulfil all obligations of minimizing any harm and maximizing the benefits for society, humanity and the environment and that includes commitments by companies to contribute to social development and enhance the standard of peoples livesà [4]à . Stake holder Identification: According to many authors Mercier (1999), Freeman (1984), Donaldson and Preston (1995), stakeholders are usually all those groups or individuals that may affect or be affected by the organizations daily working process, and also include all those who could have shares or interests in the same organization (Cited in Perqueux, 2004.P:6). From the definition given above it could be interpreted that organizations should classify their stakeholders interests and power in a way that brings satisfaction because they will be assessed and evaluated by them in the future, and that what Rossouw and Sison (2006, p41) argued for when they described the corporations as a nation state is that they must be honest with its citizens otherwise they will be overthrown. From the two definitions mentioned above and by using the Stakeholder Saliency Model, this report will now show two things at the same time. The first is to show who stakeholder has the most or least effect in mapping the business activities, and second to what extent this allocated stakeholder is CSR driver for both companies showing the similarities and differences. An explanation for these will be provided. Nestle Power Discretionary Stakeholder: other inter-national institutions e.g. IMF, World Bank Dominant Stakeholder. Dangerous Stakeholder: Governments in developing countries, social organizations, NGOs, media. Demanding Stakeholder: people Definitive Stakeholder: Main Shareholders Dormant Stakeholder: Shareholders (Minority interest) Depending Stakeholder Legitimacy Urgency MTN Power Discretionary Stakeholder: other Inter-national Institutions such as IMF, World Bank Dominant Stakeholder: Government in developing countries Dormant Stakeholder: Shareholders (Minority interest) Demanding Stakeholder: Social organizations, NGOs, media. Dangerous Stakeholder Definitive Stakeholder: Main Shareholders Depending Stakeholder Legitimacy Urgency . The main similarities: Main Shareholders (Definitive Stakeholders with fake CSR ): As they supply the organization with the funds needed to build up capital, thus they have the right to vote, control and change the corporate structure if required, Mantyssari (2005), and that would have a substantial influence in mapping the companys business activities and other activities related to CSR. The following example shows how Nestles first priority is its shareholders and how Nestle manipulates the CSR approach. This happened when it announced the intention to transform Nestle into the worlds leading wellness organization to promote healthy eating by people through providing functional food instead of its ordinary range, spending SFr 2 billion on research and development in 2008. However, many experts point out that there is no substantial evidence that eating functional food makes people healthier. Lausanne and Vevey (The Economist, 2009. p39-95) indicate also to the reasons behind that by showing that in America the growth of functional foods between 2002-2007 was 15.8% a year while ordinary foods was only 2.9% suggesting profit was the main driver nothing else. The same is applicable in MTN regarding definitive shareholders, especially when looking closely at their annual report (2008 p172), showing the percentage of share capital, equal to 25%, was owned only by 8 shareholders, so this group of 8 has the majority portion of power to direct the company activities in the way they prefer, which is making profits. Minority interest Shareholders (Dormant Stakeholders with no effects on CSR): they do not have the enough power to steer the company in the responsible direction nether on its policy IMF, World Bank, WTO (Discretionary Stakeholders with a neutral position regarding CSR): through their regulation and requirements and conditionality they open new routes for investing. However, that does not oblige the MNCs to invest nor to participate in social responsibility initiatives. The main differences: Host governments in developing countries are Dangerous Stakeholders and do not show too much interest in CSR for Nestle, while they are Dominant and show interest in CSR for MTN) Jones (2005, p:9) pointed out that host governments use a lot of subsidies to attract foreign organizations, such as low custom tariffs or free capital movement in order to overcome difficulties (poverty, diseases, deathà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦) Applying this to the selected companies: Nestle: this type of stakeholder should be allocated under Dangerous for many reasons. Nestle lacks experience in dealing with developing governments policies. Another reason is that kleptocratic government may find the high-income corporation (Nestle) an enticing opportunity to seize. For example: the BBC announced in December 2002 that Nestle was trying to persuade the Ethiopian government to pay USD 6 million instead of 1.5 million as compensation for nationalizing one of its subsidiaries in Ethiopia. This example shows how the Ethiopian government took possession of Nestlà ©s subsidiary without any previous notice or consultation. MTN: originally from SA, and all of its investments are located in Africa and the ME (developing countries). It has a great deal of experience with such governments so do not need to put it under Dangerous stakeholders unlike Nestle. But even though MTN has put governments under the Dominant category MTN has to comply with the King codes in South Africaà [5]à which include very strict rules regarding CSR initiatives in order be listed in JSE securities exchange and to be accepted by the government and society. (Institute of Directors in South Africa, 2009) Social organizations, NGOs, Media are Dangerous Stakeholders and in favour of CSR for Nestle, while Demanding and in favour of CSR for MTN: Nestle: Because of the nature of the business of Nestle (covering world-wide and working in the field of nutrition), it may be found that a lot of social organizations along with the media always attack it aggressively, especially if they discover the unethical approach of its social responsibility, pushing it to make more and more effort in the field of CSR. For example: the General Synod of the Church of England called for a ban on Nestle and asked Church commissioners to disinvest their GBP 1.1 million in it. Moreover in 1974 the British charity War on Want released a leaflet The Baby Killer criticising Nestle for the bad effects of its marketing strategies in Africa. (Kotler et al. 2009) MTN: However, there are many examples showing MTN has a good reputation among those organizations who praise its efforts to serve the people and bring prosperity to society. For example, South Africa media (South Africa info, 2008) praised MTN when it declared its intention, along with other operators, to establish a fibre network across the Sub Saharan centres in an effort to meet the soaring needs of their subscribers and connect the African continent with the rest of the world. The reason for this approval is because MTN does not have a negative direct impact on peoples lives, unlike Nestle. Also MTN is not recognized globally as Nestle is since it operates only in developing countries. V. Section two: This report will now answer the following question which way is the CSR changing and what are the main causes for this? In 1869 Henri Nestle said: During the first few months, the mothers milk will always be the most natural nutriment, put promoted Nestle products as a substitute. However, in 2007 Nestle stated that Nothing is a substitute for or equivalent or superior to breast milk Kotler et al. (2009). These two statements raise two questions: the first one is Did Nestle admit the guiltiness about its previous promotion?; secondly, If yes, then who was behind it? Actually to answer these questions, we have to consider that through Nestle growth, a lot of pressure and outside forces have pushed the company to change its attitude towards satisfying its stakeholders and make responsible efforts rather than only profit. Blowfield and Murray (2008, p:41-66) claim that the relationship between business and society changed through three eras: the industrial revolution, the mid-twentieth-century welfare state and globalization. Furthermore, through these eras there was a shift in corporate social responsibility, from a theoretical concerned with normative behaviour of the organization, to CSR as management practice, especially in the 1970s. Ackerman and Bauers (1976 cited in Blowfield et al, 2008) argue also that what a company can do to respond to social expectation rather than theoretical ideas of what it should do is what matters. This is reflected in public confidence over the years (see Appendix 1) which suggests public confidence began to incre ase in the late 1970s with a slight decrease in 1991. (Source: Frederick 2006) In relation to the two companies in this study, it may be that Nestle actually took into consideration social responsibility after the harsh boycott in the 1970s when it learnt a lot from that lesson and started to increase its commitment to society and allocated social organizations and media as dangerous stakeholders. MTN is a relatively new company established only in the 1990s, which could be viewed as the globalization era so has a high standard of CSR knowledge (King I, II, III code). Thus, it could be concluded that there was an increase in CSR initiatives owing to greater awareness among stakeholders, especially over the last three decades, and that increase was related directly to globalization and its characteristics such as free trade, rises in FDI in developing countries, soaring demands of the media and the NGOs. VI. Section Three: This section will be divided into three parts: Analysis of the different stakeholders perspective approaches, Depending on the outcome of the first part, the report will use Ponte et al typology to allocate the approach of both companies. A further analysis of these approaches will be conducted using two contrasting viewpoints. Many authors classify the stakeholders perspective in different ways. Some classify them according to the local economic situation such as Cannon (1994) by giving five types of societies which need different reactions from the business to help the economy out of the crisis: the high-stress environment (suffering from long time economic downturn), structurally disadvantaged areas (business in remote areas), the crisis zone, the transitional zone (change of the importance of industry in same area), and the powerhouse industry that used to drive the main local growth and now facing high competition from others. Other authors such as Hamann et al (2005) explore the stakeholders perspective in a developing countrys context when they pointed out some realities to be considered in achieving a successful CSR in South Africa: first, a long history of poverty and inequality: second, the need for effective CSR to destroy the bad image of exploitation and racism created by companies over a long period in those countries; third, the suppression of black economic empowerment which mostly comes from corruption: fourth, the need to enhance social aspects such as human rights and democracy. Others classify the social and environmental issues depending on the regions, showing the different CSR requirements among countries and they emphasise that each region needs its own CSR initiatives. For example, the USA needs to address renewed calls for nuclear power and to deal with air pollution, while some African countries need more concentration in improving the infrastructure and solving the conflicts between tribes and governments (PWC, 2006; Ethical Corporation, 2006 cited in Blowfield Murray,2008) (see appendix 2 for more details). Using the above mentioned methods, now Ponte et al typology can be used to allocate initiative approaches used by Nestle and MTN: Company Engaged CSR activities the factory and farmer scheme in China which has direct impact on company operations since it eliminates the suppliers and at the same time gives the farmers technical support. (Nestle China, 2009) Disengaged CSR initiatives: Nestle Nigeria along with the Red Cross started an initiative, an educational programme in 2003 to increase the awareness of HIV among people in Nigeria (Nestle Nigeria, 2009) Distant CSR activities the factory and farmer example in China, because the farmers are not one of Nestlà ©s workforces they are a separate entity and might be paid low prices for their milk supply. (Nestle China, 2009) Proximate CSR activities: Nestle creates job opportunities. It has now more than 265,000 employees worldwide from 100 different countries. (Nestle, 2009) Engaged and Proximate: the EcoShape bottle produced by Nestle North America in 2007. This example could be regarded as an engaged activity since it reduces the bad effects on the environment (will reduce the CO2 emission by 356,000 tons within three years) and at the same time it is proximate because it is closely related to the company operations (since it impacts on the environment in the same location as its operations). (Nestle America, 2009) -Engaged CSR activities: the Environmental Management System is one of MTNs policies to reduce the production waste by recycling and encouraging the employees to act socially responsible. (MTN Environmental Policy, 2009) Disengaged CSR initiatives: Arts and Aids awareness educational program for communities, conducted by the MTN foundation and regarded as a totally disengaged scheme carried out by MTN. (MTN SA foundation, 2009) Distant CSR activities: No distant CSR initiatives found. -Proximate CSR activities: the Arts and Aids awareness educational program could be regarded as a proximate CSR scheme since MTN originally operated in Africa and the Middle East. (MTN SA foundation, 2009) Engaged and Proximate: the 21 days of Yello care started in 2007. This scheme of 21 days gives the opportunity for MTNs employees to directly engage with the CSR initiatives programme with a prize as a reward at the end of this scheme for the best team. One team was rewarded for building a small pedestrian bridge. (MTN Yello, 2009) Now, the report will analyse the Ponte et al typology mentioned above showing two contrasting viewpoints: In favour of CSR: Good for business when (Engaged whether Proximate or Distant): Porter and Kramer (2006, p:83) indicate that working in a healthy society will keep the company healthy (health care for the workforce) and also supply it with a competitive advantage (efficient use of resources: water, land) and all of these will be achieved by Integrating Business and Society through CSR activities. Other authors praise the role of CSR in marketing and this could be applied in bringing a bright image to the company and to some extent increase its sales Hardeep and Sharma (2006). For example, Ogrizek (2002) said: There are clear and concrete market-driven benefits and competitive advantages for companies, which integrate their business policies with CSR. In respect of the two companies in question there are a lot of initiative approaches for both companies from their websites which all could be regarded as marketing tools and green sheen attempts (the new brand of Nestle: Nescafe Green blend). Good for society when (Engaged whether Proximate or Distant): advocators of this model argue that governments in the developing countries on their own cannot meet the increasing demands of the society and development requirements and this is actually what Samuel et al (2009.p394) found when they conducted research in Nigeria showing how CSR initiatives being carried out by 22 organizations complement government efforts to build up a stable economy. Furthermore, this perspective is also supported by the neo-liberalism theory in which many authors stress that only business and free markets can sustain the individual rights, society and the environment (Burchell, 1996, Barry et al 1996, Peter and Olssen 2002 cited in Zajda, 2009 p:15). No one could deny that Nestle creates job opportunities for 265,000 employees worldwide from 100 different countries and also that MTN donated about 1.5 Rand million to buy clothes with the help of the Red Cross in South Africa in response to attacks by f oreign nationals in 2008 (MTN SA foundation, 2009). At the economy level, The Economist (1999) emphasized the contribution of MTN as a mobile company in bringing the poor and isolated into the global economy. Opposed to CSR: Bad for business when (Disengaged): advocators for this approach are usually those who argue in favour of shareholder interests and indicate that the main objective of any company is only to maximize the shareholders value and minimize any kind of expense. That becomes very clear when Lawrence (1999) describes how the company should create a value management system in five steps in order to achieve the shareholder value, neglecting any component related to non-profit activities because it just an expense. Also, as mentioned earlier in this report, Mantyssari (2005) describes the shareholders as the heart of the business who supply it with the funds needed for the daily operations, so managers have to keep them satisfied by a high level of yield. Furthermore, some say that CSR is not only waste of money but also it distracts the managers from focusing on their real duties since effective CSR, which is not only a charity cheque, needs special talent and efforts, and that is also emphasized by Porter and Kramer (2006, p:91) when they argue that organizational adjustment that matches good CSR initiatives is what matters more than kind intentions. Useless for society and development (Criticizing all Ponte et al approaches): many protestors criticise the effects caused by MNCs activities all over the world since their negative effects outweigh their CSR initiatives. They think whatever the companies do for the societies is only a green sheen. For instance, Nestle is proud of itself, saying it always provides work opportunities for people, indicated that 97% of their workforces are distributed all over the world The Economist (1997.p153). However, for Corpwatch (2005) the truth is it exploits the workers in an awful manner and Corpwatch complained that 286,000 children work as slaves in the Ivory Coasts cocoa farms (90 hours a week with very low wages) and point out that Nestle is the third largest importer of cocoa from the Ivory Coast. Also it could be argued from bad for business angle as there is general agreement that if CSR is not focused and organized it will often come to nothing or may sometimes have harmful results. VII. Conclusion: From this report, a lot of findings can be drawn by analysing the corporate social responsibility approaches for Nestle and MTN. This report started by showing the importance of the different types of stakeholders that try to steer the companys activities in the way they desire, whether in a business or CSR approach. Using the Stakeholders Saliency Model these stakeholders have been allocated and two major differences were found. The first one is, Governments in developing countries where Nestle operate should be put under Dangerous stakeholder since they lack experience in dealing with such governments and the high-income corporation could also be seen an enticing opportunity to be seized. However, MTN (a low-income company) is the opposite case since it originated in such an environment. The other main difference between them is the danger of social organizations for Nestle such as NGOs and the media since it works globally and works in the field of nutrition, hiring people from po or countries, so may be targeted by such institutions. In contrast, MTN does not have a direct impact on peoples lives and is not recognized globally like Nestle since it operates only in developing countries. The report then analysed and evaluated the CSR approaches for both companies using Ponte et al typology to allocate them in four dimensions, engaged/disengaged, distant/proximate. It was found Nestle and MTN use all of them except for MTN which did not use distant CSR initiatives. The report attempted to answer the question which stakeholders were satisfied and which were not, no matter what type of approach was adopted, by contrasting two points of view (with and against CSR) and arguing them in four different aspects. Through the analysis of the aspect Useless for society, it was found some organizations and institutions are still not satisfied by the CSR initiatives and need deeper indicators, going beyond the basics and taking into account the real influences on the surroundings. Regarding the future of CSR, some authors such as Murray and Blowfield (2008, p:365-369) emphasised that the context analysis such as the mega trends (climate change, demographic change, poverty) will be no less important than simply examining the CSR approaches taken by the company.
Saturday, 12 October 2019
The Society for Latin American Anthropology :: SLAA Human Rights Latin America Essays
The Society for Latin American Anthropology Changes in the SLAA's definition of "Latin America" have gone hand in hand with changes in the intellectual, social and political goals of the Society. As then president Michael Kearney wrote in an open letter to the membership published in the Society's April 1997 column in the Anthropology Newsletter:" (Until recently the society's membership) was centered in North America while its objects of study were primarily to the South of the United States. The prevalent pattern in the production and consumption of knowledge by North American anthropologists was one in which "we" used to "go down to" Latin America to study the "Latin Americans", and then publish most of our work in English...In recent years, in dialogue with the membership, the Board has sought to redefine "Latin America" as an object of anthropological inquiry from a region defined in geopolitical terms to a sociocultural definition based on the de facto presence of Latinos." The term "Latin America" has been expanded t o include the Anglophone, and Francophone Caribbean and Diasporic Latino communities. This push towards a more inclusive anthropology evident in their definition of "Latin America" is reflected in the Society's current goals and programs. Creating a truly international community of scholars of Latin America is the most important goal of the Society. Current president Joanne Rappaport in a statement published on the SLAA webpage writes, reaffirming Michael Kearney's vision, that the mission of the Society is to create "a space for dialogue across boundaries, particularly national and ethnic ones, in an effort to view Latin America, not as a geopolitical reality upon which we as North Americans have an "impact", but as a place from which to speak, write, and to theorize." The most important step in this mission to promote a dialogue between the different national Latin American anthropological traditions that constitute the field has been the creation of the Journal of Latin American Anthropology (JLAA). The Journal started in 1995 under the editorship of Wendy Weiss seeks to publish articles on anthropological research in Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean and the Latin Diaspora. So far, issues have been devoted to the state of current Latin American anthropology, the concept of Mestizaje, and the Zapatista movement for indigenous autonomy in Mexico. Articles have been published in both Spanish and English.
Friday, 11 October 2019
Reflection Paper – Wagner Self Concept
What is Self-concept? According to Wagner, self-concept is that image or mental picture of our invisible self, a feeling of being a person, sense of somebody or of being nobody (p. 5). There are three functional aspects of self concept: appearance, performance and status. It is noteworthy that our feeling of identity of being somebody is derived from feelings when rated by others (p. 13). I could identify with these three aspects of self-concept. Several years ago, when I left my job to be a stay home mum, I struggled with redefining my self-concept.What am I? Why is Self-concept important? While I subsequently found my significance in Christ, I am further enlightened by Wagnerââ¬â¢s discussion on of self-concept and its importance. An adequate self-concept is a precious possession that enable one live a useful and productive life, he is emotionally secure and functions from inner resources in a crisis. He accepts his appearance and views his shortcomings as problems to be overcom e and not judge himself as a bad person. He functions because he knows he is and not always trying to become.A person with inadequate self-concept tends to focus his energy and efforts to establish his self-identity, to measure up, his mind is divided into coping with his rectifying this inadequacy and normal living (p. x, 15) What Make Up Self-concept? Wagner paints a picture depicting the cycle of how inadequate self-concept is developed. The feelings of belonging, worthiness and competence form the essential elements of self-concept, they blended together like musical chords (p. 17). When oneââ¬â¢s sense of being somebody is threatened, he reacts negatively with hostility, guilt or fear.When he tries to force the situation to change through his hostility, he loses his sense of belonging. When he forces himself to change because he is feeling guilty, he compromises his worthiness. In fear or anxiety tries to protect himself from the threat, his competence is lost. The elements of self-concept are all weakened and emotional insecurity increases and these negatives reactions block empathy and he cannot sense love or show love. Therefore in attempting to correct the threat, his hostility, guilt and fears interfere with the remedy (p. 28).This is very illuminating to me, it enables me to have a good understanding of the causes and effects of emotions in self-concept, which is so crucial if I will be a counselor in future. How did Self-concept come from? Wagner believed that oneââ¬â¢s self-concept is accumulated from memories from the day he is born, from basic need of feeding, teething and toilet training and later discipline. The needs and emotions of these growing up activities all affected his emotions of belonging, worthiness, and competence and ultimately his sense of being somebody or nobody.If he is raised with love and correct discipline, these beneficial influences will develop in good self-concept. However if his critical emotional needs are not met, the child is often angry and manipulative of his parents and parental love is given conditional on his performance, the child will develop an inadequate self-concept. While I am no expert in this area, I had some reservations about this. Childhood experiences while important cannot be the sole contributory factor in development of self-concept. Too much blame is apportioned to ineffective parenting.Many of our parentsââ¬â¢ love are not ideal and somewhat lacking. In the sixties where I grew up, economies were bad, families were large. Parents spend much of their time stressed out trying to put food on the table. Love if existent was non expressive and unfelt. Disciplines were strict and severe. But a whole generation has grown into adults; many are well adjusted individuals with adequate self concept and functioning properly. My personal opinion is that, what is past is passed; there is no point in examining too much what happened during childhood.We should instead focus on remedy and healing and what can be done. Having said that, I would agree with Wagner that love for our children must not be conditional upon his performance or behavior. As far as possible we must love our children with an unrelenting and voluntary love (p. 47). In disciplining our children, care must be taken not to do so in anger or humiliate him. We must not be overly strict but allow the child space to explore and experiment (p. 63). What Self-concept is not ââ¬â False Security and Self Verification False security is caused by repression of unwanted feelings and keeping hese out of awareness, when hostility, guilt and fear is repressed, insecurities developed. When the nobody is repressed, the person proves to himself through his appearance, performance or status that he is not a nobody. This process is called self-verification and relate to three basic desires: being wanted (belonging), being good (worthiness) and being adequate (competence) (pp. 95- 96). Self verification gives temporary feelings of being somebody, but the need for this process keep recurring, therefore it is self-perpetuating.I felt that this is good insight why insecure people worked so hard to look good, and to succeed. Unfortunately self verifications do not work, as evidenced by King Solomonââ¬â¢s conclusion in Ecclesiastes 1:2 ââ¬Å"Meaningless! Meaningless! . . . Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaninglessâ⬠Many people climb those ladders to success, only to discover when they reach the top that they are leaning against the wrong wall! The only identity equation that works is me +GOD = ME. What is secure self-concept? Secure self-concept must be based on unconditional love which is found only in Godââ¬â¢s love.God is the only reliable source of true love as God is love (1 John4:8). God loves us because we are somebody to Him. We have intrinsic value. He did not love us because we love Him, His love cannot be manipulated, He is someone in authority who is always honest and fair and does not hide the truth about us (p. 104). When we come to God in faith we come into a relationship with him, we are firstly justified and healed with a restored sense of being somebody, a sense of awareness as a whole person which in turn give have hope in God and incite obedience to God (pp. 10-113). However, we still need to grow in our ability to move from relatives to absolutes are as God is Holy and good (absolutes) and overcome self-verification. This means that we can accept ourselves as being bad, a nobody because God can accept us in so doing, we are free to move towards being godly, applying ourselves to do Godââ¬â¢s will (p. 129). This is so liberating and refreshing. Wagner said that in relating to God as a Father who accepts us as we are, validates our sense of belonging. God is pleased to acknowledge us as sons (Rom 8:15-17).In relating to Jesus, our sins are forgiven, there is no more guilt and condemnations, our worthiness are validated. In r elating to the Holy Spirit, we are comforted and enabled therefore competent. These thoughts are indeed very re-affirming and reassuring. What next? In coming to faith, our self concept is settled, this allows us to love God and others as commanded in Matthew 22:37-39. We may be faced with antagonistic situations that threaten our sense of being somebody. We therefore need to grow in our Christian life through reading Godââ¬â¢s Word, prayer and fellowship with other Christians.
Thursday, 10 October 2019
A Comparative Girl Jamaica Kincaid Analysis of Two Short Stories
The short stories The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Gilman and Girl by Jamaica Kincaid share the common theme of women who are portrayed as frail beings.à In both literary selections, women are depicted as dependent on men and other family members, and who must deal with so many restrictions.Their limitations are deliberately foisted on them by their immediate kin or spouse. On the other hand, the women portrayed in the short stories also hurdle challenges they themselves have created or brought upon themselves.In The Yellow Wallpaper, for example, the author presents the protagonist as weak or on the brink of a nervous breakdown. In the beginning of the story, when the protagonist is brought to a country home, she appears in control of her mental faculties.She even opines, ââ¬Å"Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me goodâ⬠(Gilman, 2008, p. 2).à Her husband, however, confines her to the upper story of the house and prohibits, albeit in his loving and gentle manner, anything that may tax her mentally. The womanââ¬â¢s craving for social interaction and stimulus becomes more pronounced as the days pass, yet she allows her husband to direct all her actions.The womanââ¬â¢sà dismal future is reflected in the way she sees the wallpaper in the house where she is confined to recuperate: ââ¬Å"It is a dull yet lurid orange in some places, a sickly sulphur tint in otherâ⬠(Gilman, 2008, p. 5).The woman then begins to imagine things and becomes neurotic. This emphasizes how, when placed under repressive circumstances, the fairer gender may fall apart. In an ironic twist at the end of the story, though, the husbandââ¬â¢s fainting spell and the womanââ¬â¢s movement of creeping over him denotes that women can have the upper hand over her male counterpart if she wills it.The other literary selection, Girl, Jamaica Kincaid, likewise illustrates how women are expected to follow so many rules and confo rm to what tradition and society dictate. Just like in The Yellow Wallpaper where the main character indicates a feeling of tiredness at being manipulated and repressed, à the protagonist in Girl who is a young girl receiving countless reminders answers back her mother for berating her every move, but ends up being castigated more.In The Yellow Wallpaper, the husband-wife relation is amiable. In fact, the husband has the best intention for his wife, but the worst harm results from it unknowingly sends her spiraling out of control by confining her. In contrast, Girl uses the mother-daughter tandem to illustrate the common practice adopted by most cultures of ingraining good manners, blind obedience, and prescribed roles to female members of the family.In Kincaidââ¬â¢s Girl, the daughter is admonished by her mother to move and behave in ladylike manner. Her movements ââ¬â from the way she walks and carries herself, to the household chores she is expected to perform, to how to smile to certain people, to reacting to a manââ¬â¢s bullying and evenà loving a man ââ¬â are all dictated to her.Offhand, it is a typical scene of a mother giving numerous pieces of advice to her daughter, but the story presents the parent treating the young girl with a condescending attitude.à The mother keeps interjecting that the girl is bound to become the slut she is ââ¬Å"so bent on becomingâ⬠(Kincaid, 2005, p. 257) if the proper rules of conduct and self-control are not followed.In a sense, the mother portrayed in the story is depicted as the judgmental type who does not allow her daughter free creative expression. Kincaid dwells on the singular theme of just how powerless women were centuries ago.Women back then had no voice of their own and were confined to doing traditional tasks like keeping the home neat and orderly and being prim and proper or acting in a refined manner. à In both Girl and The Yellow Wallpaper, the suppressive societal attitude to wards women of a bygone era ââ¬â who are seen as meek and subservient individuals unable to chart their own destinies ââ¬â is clearly presented.Upon closer analysis of two different selections, readers find authors employing a variety of creative techniques that help them dissect different perspectives and gain much clearer understanding of the theme and otherà key messages.ReferencesGilman, C. (2008). The yellow wallpaper. Forgotten Books. Retrieved May 3, 2010, from http://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Wallpaper-Forgotten-Books/dp/1606802380.Kincaid, J. (2005). Girl. à In à X.J. Kennedy & D. Gioia (Eds.), Backpack literature: an introduction to fiction, poetry & drama (p. 257). Pennsylvania: Pearson/Longman. Ã
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)