Bus plan Essay

David Maggie Dave’s will sell quality sporting goods equipment for the entire family, primarily focused on and specializing in baseball and softball equipment, apparel and accessories from major manufacturers such as Easton, Louisville Slugger, Wilson, Worth, Mizuno, Miken, and under Armour This business will be operated by Owner David Maggio who will act as President and CEO. Mr. MaggloS High technology and sports background mixed with his entrepreneurial experience makes him the ideal leader to drive this sporting goods retail/internet endeavor. Realize an annual sales growth rate of 20% in years 2-5, reaching over $5 million in ales by the end of year 5. Improve gross margins from 25% to 35% by the end of year 5. Improve net margins by the end of year 5. Redesign and upgrade the Internet e-commerce store by the end of the first year. Increase website site traffic 50% and sales 20% in years 1-5 by investing in aggressive Web search optimization and marketing. Enhance the retail store location in the second half of year 1 by relocating the current store from its current location toa more prime location in the metropolitan area. Establish relationships with local nonprofit organizations, to help underprivileged children build confidence and self- stem through youth sports programs. Run the business as a family-run and – oriented business with emphasis on truth, integrity, quality relationships, fun, and giving back to the community. Mission Statement To become the sports equipment supplier of choice based on product expertise, price, quality, and level of service, by developing a long term relationship with our customers. Become the â€Å"family expert† for sporting goods equipment by treating customers like friends and family and by maintaining an experienced, knowledgeable, and caring staff that can help the customer make the right purchase or them, whether they are individuals outfitting their family, or coaches, athletic directors and league representatives supplying their teams. Keys to Success Negotiate optimal agreements with the major suppliers that allow us to improve margins, hold down costs, and maximize the control and turnover of our inventory. Implement a state-of-the-art, computerized inventory management system to improve inventory turnover and tracking. Create an outside sales team that calls on schools, leagues, and associations and is known for product expertise and top service. Train employees on product features and on how to provide family-oriented ales and customer support. Train an existing employee, or hire from outside, a store manager to cover for and be the backup for the Owner/President. Advertise and market in areas where our target customer base can learn about our retail and internet stores. Be an active member of the community by participating in nonprofit activities and by sponsoring local sports teams, leagues, and tournaments. Company Summary Dave’s will sells quality sporting goods equipment for the entire family, primarily accessories although we do sell a small amount of volleyball, basketball and football equipment. We will be starting off in a 7,400 square foot facility which houses the combined retail store, call center, office, and product warehouse. The retail store itself will be open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and is closed on Sunday. Orders are retrieved four to six times daily except on Sunday and the 800 call center number is staffed during retail store hours. The startup expenses include Legal Fees for services in regards to the purchase of the business such as the Letter of Intent, the Asset Purchase Agreement, due diligence activities, and the business organization. The Accounting fees are for services regarding the business evaluation and due diligence activities. Rent and insurance for the retail facility must be prepaid before the business takeover. Also listed are expenses related to the creation and production of this business plan. Start-up Requirements Start-up Expenses Rent $6,000 Insurance $2,000 Legal Fees $10,000 Business Plan production $100 Accounting Fees $1,000 Business Plan Software $200 Loan Closing Costs $20,000 other$l, Total Start-up Expenses $40,300 Products At Dave’s we will sell the latest and most popular brand sporting goods, accessories and apparel. The consumers will be properly educated when it comes to sizes, style, fit and what is designed for their particular use. The sporting goods of the sports that we will be carrying to start will be for Baseball, Softball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, and Lacrosse. The Products will be purchased from the top manufactures in the world such as Easton, Nike, Under Armour, and Bauer. All of our inventory will be in our computerized tracking system and that will allow us to monitor sales and stock daily from not only the store but the online website as well. The General list of products that initially will be sold are: Baseball and Softball Baseball Bats, Baseball Gloves, Batting Helmets, Batting Tees, Bases, Catcher’s Equipment, Bat Hangouts, Batting Gloves, Easy Toss Machine, Instant Screens/Nets, Hit-N-Stik, Equipment Bags, Hats, Training Aides, Sunglasses, Baseballs, Softballs, Shoes/Cleats, Umpire Equipment, Ball Buckets, Eye Black, Scorebooks, Pitching Machines, Backstop/Batting Cages, Ball Feeders, Protective Screens, Field Maintenance Equipment, Ankle/Knee Braces, Athletic Supporters, Sliding Shorts, Coaches’ Shorts, Coaching/Training Aids ; Videos, Wraps, Ice Packs, First Aid, Mouth/ Lip Guards, and Protective Aids. Uniform Pants, socks and belts. Basketball Basketballs, Basketball Systems/Hoops, Basketball Courts, Basketball Fencing, Scoreboards, The Latest Shoe models, Coaching/Training Aids ; Videos, Wraps, Ice Packs, First Aid, Mouth/Lip Guards, and Protective Aids. Football Footballs, Shoulder Pads, Knee Pads, Thigh Pads, Helmets, Gloves, and WristCoach, Coaching/Training Aids ; Videos, Wraps, Ice Packs, First Aid, Mouth/Lip Guards, and Protective Aids. Street/lce Hockey

Dorothy and the Tree

Gonzalez, Sophie Period 6 December 3, 2012 Dorothy and the Tree: A Lesson in Epistemology Stanley Fish discusses how we in society base our lives off of assumptions. Using the example of Dorothy and the tree, Fish is able to show how with our assumptions, we as people categorize others and things into what we believe to be correct. Whether or not we have actually taken the time to figure out if we are right is irrelevant.He notes that we should just â€Å"keep trying to expand our sense of ‘us’ as far as we can†, so we can avoid judgments and isolating ourselves from the rest of society. Even though Dorothy realizes her mistake, she doesn’t realize that it is not a failure, but her consciousness assuming the classification of things in the world. Fish later on defines thought as the â€Å"structure that at once enables perception†, meaning that within categories things emerge, limiting perception and nothing can allow one to see everything because th at is God’s job.Fish uses many Bible allusions to create justification for his assertions. He uses Genesis 1:26, and Paul’s road to Damascus to show that people can be persuaded to change their placement of things in society. Despite all of his valid points, Fish states that it is nearly impossible for one to change just on realizations. He believes it takes practice to accept the fact that there are things that we cannot comprehend because there is no limit on the conceptual trappings of society.

Imagery in Prose Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Imagery in Prose - Essay Example He wasn’t a rock star in a traditional meaning either (well, everybody knows those adored handsome guys following the sex, drugs and rock-n-roll motto); he didn’t earn a fortune of money and never grew vain. His fans found something disarming about his kind and easy-going manners, and everyone would sense something so familiar in his songs. He didn’t want to be famous worldwide and wasn’t obsessed with fame, he knew that it was a delusive thing. Now, hurrying to meet his fans (who were certainly the best fans in the world, he thought) at a charity concert, he thought about the legacy he wanted to leave: not because he was going to die, not at all. It was in his nature, this desire to be useful to the society, and he had so many plans and so many purposes. Miles wanted to communicate his message to people. â€Å"The legacy and the message,† he thought. â€Å"That’s what makes artists live forever in the minds of people. But is it enough? Is it enough to write a couple of mediocre songs? Guys like me are not starry enough to get themselves listened to.† If he shared these thoughts with his wife, she would surely say that he was too modest and underestimated his significance. Well, he did. The cellphone rang – it was Steve, the concert manager (he always communicated with all the staff himself). Miles picked up the call with his right hand, holding the driving wheel with the left one. The car lost traction on the icy turn and ran against the truck. The collision set the Range Rover afire. Everything was blurred in his eyes, and the last thing he saw before he fell into darkness was the strange fiery bird of red and gold hovering above him. Miles found himself standing near the cathedral of his hometown amidst the overwhelming crowd of grieving people dressed in black. The weather was lousy, cold rain falling from the leaden clouds; however,

Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 16

Research Paper Example .it was established that international students are not receiving adequate support from the institution with regard to several issues such as physical and electronic barriers to accessing support services. This report explores the level of satisfaction and experiences of international students at QUTIC, with regards to insurance and banking support services offered at the campus. It is important that the management of QUT International College have this information so that they can better support international students concerning their financial issues. The data is obtained through 20 questionnaires, including 11 closed and one open question. The major findings are that students require more support from the institution as far as financial issues are concerned. Recommendations have also been suggested on how to overcome the barriers, including initiating financial assistance talks and making support services more accessible for international students. Students were asked to choose between four banking and insurance services that they would prefer to have as a mobile application if QUT were to develop one. As evident from the chart above, 8 out of 20 respondents would prefer to have a mobile application that enabled them to make claims on Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).â€Æ' 4 It can be concluded that making claims on the health cover is a difficult experience hence international students would appreciate having it on their mobile phones to make such transactions easier. Making the claims is a common practice since it is mandatory to have OSHC (Department of Immigration and Border Protection 2014, para 1). Students would prefer the convenience of making the transaction through their mobile phones as compared to the already established procedures. 4 Figure 2: Extent to which international students would want establishment of a finance assistance talk†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.5 QUT

2500 word essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

2500 word - Essay Example In his Things Fall Apart, Achebe demonstrates that the African writer carries recognizing and celebrating the culture as his or her biggest job in order to make people from Africa start salvaging their dignity. King Solomon’s mine is a classical Victorian rendition of the unexplored Africa at the start of the 18th century. From the book, the realization that Africa was just like other continents comes out clearly. Throughout the narration in the book, imperialism comes out in many instances. For instance, the title of the book symbolically infers to the biblical times of King Solomon. From the biblical perspective, the King is known to be so wise. Other than being wise, the biblical conquests for wealth are something which are akin to the modern day imperialism. In the times of King Solomon, there were fights over territories, mines included. For instance, the book is a quest to show proof of the existence of the mines that were owned by the King. In the course of doing this, the mines that were causes of war with the Edomites, for instance, get unearthed. The revelation from this narration is that forms of leadership which border on autocracy and imperialism have been in existence from the olden days. The book only goes ahead to make the reader have a different perspective of the happenings at the time. The perception by Westerners over Africa is a clear example of imperialism. For instance, the description of the Zulu tribe in the narration when the author meets them is a clear bias which is influenced by imperialist thoughts. For instance, the author’s description of the Zulu was that of a tribe which were primitive even in their language. Based on the fcat that the Zulus are normal people and their culture differs from the Author’s, it is wrong to classify their culture as primitive. In fact, such a perception is what leads to the imperialism that was later to

U.S. Demographics to the Year 2050 and the Outlook for Social Security Essay

U.S. Demographics to the Year 2050 and the Outlook for Social Security - Essay Example Using predictions that assume a low birth rate, at one time, its expenditure will have been outrun by the income generated. Consequently, in the absence of a suitable alternative source of income, the system will fail (Bergmann 2). It is, therefore, quite essential to make correct and accurate predictions, especially the ones that assume the worst-case scenarios. This prepares the system managers for the worst, and the necessary arrangements made to avoid the situation. Assuming the worst does not happen would give a moral boost for the system but will leave it unprepared for any drastic future changes (Boskin 2). The two segments that most influence the social security system are the people that fall between ages 18 and 64, and 65 years and above, representing the working class and the retired respectively. For clear analysis of the effect of the number of people in these two groups, it is essential to find the ratio of the numbers in both groups. One advantage of using this measure of comparing groups in a population is that it gives a general overview of the situation by elimination method. Consequently, the next merit of this technique i.e. simplicity is seen. It enables one to analyze complex ideas albeit with some simplicity. The major weaknesses of this method arise from the assumptions it makes. Though the official age to start working is 18 years, there are people as young as 15 and 16 who are working and thus contribute to the social secur ity kitty. On the other hand, others reach the age of 65 and continue working, and they too contribute to the social security system. This reality compromises accuracy of this estimation method. It also ignores the contribution made by these two groups in the population (U.S. Population Projections 2020-2050 1). In cases where fertility and immigration remain low, the dependency ratio of the working class reduces against the retired citizens. This means that the number of retired people per every employed person increases. This scenario would mean disaster for the social security system as less and less people would be funding it while the number of dependents would increase exponentially (See table 1). This is the least favorable alternative to the social security system; it would mean less money would be available to fund the increased expenditure (Lee, Anderson and Tuljapurka 4). Current trends aggravate the situation as improved medical care, and higher standards of living have resulted in increased life expectancy. This, however, does not mean that the paper advocates for low life expectancy. Within the 50-year forecast, the workforce population to age ratio changes depending on the availability of new labor force to replace the retiring one (See figure 1). Based on the measure that predicts an increase in the dependency ratio caused by low population growth due to low fertility, reduced immigration and increased life expectancy, the rate of employment does not match that of retirement. This exerts undue pressure on the working population, and the balance has to be reestablished somehow, either by reducing benefits (expenditure), or by increasing income. The most likely scenario is whereby the population will increase but at a rate that would not keep up with the increasing retirees. The dependency ratio is expected to change from 4.88 in 2000 and will reach nearly 2.7 by 2050. This means that each dependent will be taken care of by taxes

Unemployment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Unemployment - Research Paper Example In a country where the economy is continuously growing, the standards of living keep on improving, infrastructural development is experienced and the level of crime is low.In this report, the researcher will attempt to analyze and explain the reasons and effects of unemployment and inflation, advantages and disadvantages of the current fiscal and monetary policy, effectiveness of various economic reforms and effects of the balance of payments on exchange rates with respect to the Nigerian economy. Rural urban migration- This happens when people in the rural areas move to urban areas in search of employment.Henryexplains the rural-urban migration in terms of push - pull factors (34). The push factors include the pressure resulting from a rising man-land ratio in the rural areas and the existence of underemployment from seasonal cycle of the lack of infrastructure activities that make the rural life unattractive. He links rural-urban migration to the unattractiveness of rural life because of lack of basic amenities. When youths move to the urban areas in search of lucrative employment, there is concentration of social amenities that leads to neglecting of rural areas in the allocation of social and economic opportunities. Rapid population growth- The 2006 census in Nigeria put the populationat 140,431,791 people making it the most populous country in Africa. According to the CIA Worldfact book, the population growth rate of Nigeria was 2.54% in 2013. If the current growth rate continues, the population could reach 170million by year 2020. Rapid population growth leads to rapid growth of labor, increase in supply of jobs which the economy is not able to absorb.Bernice supports that excessive supply of laboris associated with the rate of growth of the population in that size and growth rate of labor force depends on the size and

Hilton Embraces Collaboration with Information Technology Partners Assignment

Hilton Embraces Collaboration with Information Technology Partners - Assignment Example It was also crucial to embrace collaboration with technology leaders because then, it would be possible to focus more on the company’s core competencies. It is much easier for them to do so without having to worry about things such as systems implementation, research and development practices, and also technological solutions (Webb 1). One of the major problems associated with collaborating with five IT leaders might be their lack of cooperation. It may be hard trying to get these companies to work together and share ideas, and also work through their interdependence (Webb 3). For example; If AT&T and IBM refused to identify each other’s importance, it would be impossible for them to work together for the greater good of the company. Furthermore, it would be a major problem if the IT companies fail to adhere to the governance process that exists in the company. What this means is that, if there is a failure to follow the governance procedures that exist prior to the commencing of the contracts, there might be a loss of contract

People's management of stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

People's management of stress - Essay Example As it is, stress was reported not to be classified as an illness. However, when people are persistently and constantly challenged by mental or emotional pressures over a long term, the effects could actually lead to serious illnesses (NHS 2012). The article by Allen (2011) published in The Guardian reveales that from a survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), stress has been identified to be the commonest cause of long-term sick leave in organizations. In this regard, the aim of the current study is to present the results of a survey conducted at the Sheffield City Centre where 100 adult people, both male and female, were asked five (5) questions related to stress. The method used was a questionnaire-survey through interview. The results would hereby be presented and appropriate recommendations in the concluding portion would be suggested. The purpose of the questionnaire was to determine the major responses to concerns such as frequency of stress, causes, ways of managing stress through relaxation, taking time off work due to stress, and who to confide in when in stressful situations. They were asked five questions and their responses were tabulated and percentage results were revealed. The five questions asked are as follows: When asked how often do they feel stressed, the following pie chart shows that 45% of the respondents indicated occasionally (a few time a week), followed by sometimes (about half the time) at 20%. The least percentage was 5%, both answered by the 5 respondents as all the time and also 5 respondents as never. For those who responded that they are stressed, the major cause of stress was dominantly exhibited as relationships with family and friends at 25%, followed by money at 20%, fast pace of modern life and others, both at 10%, and only 5% indicated work. As such, the findings indicate that majority or 35 of the 100 people surveyed indicated that watching TV is their means of

Cezannes Apple Notes and Quotes Essay Example for Free

Cezannes Apple Notes and Quotes Essay Schapiro’s psychoanalytic approach, that is, his search for the underlying meaning and relevance to the painting, * Thesis: While Schapiro’s argument shows a well-considered analysis of the artist’s life as a source of interpretation of Cezanne’s work, much of it is based on suggestion and fantasy. As in all historical interpretation, Cezanne’s work should be viewed within the context of the artist’s historical and biographical framework, but with a formalist analysis of the works that enables the viewer to interpreted not only their personal value, but their intended communication. riticism of Cezannes art cannot and, I believe, should not be limited by critical schools of thought. Also, though perhaps it has been the nature of critics to make vastly differentiating interpretations of Cezanne’s work, both forms of analysis add to the richness of the dialogue that can expand one’s preconceived notions of the work and widen the scope of understanding and perspective. Contrary to views of critics such as Roger Fry whose formalist analysis deduces Cezanne’s works as only a problem of form and color, Schapiro seeks more symbolist meaning within the subject matter chosen by the artist. * Schapiro argues that the objects placed within the still-life display â€Å"a game of an introverted personality who has found for his art of representation an objective sphere in which he feels self-sufficient, masterful, free from disturbing other spheres. Schapiro believes that fruit is never the theme, rather, they are a symbol of his emotion and personal concerns. * Schapiro makes the case against a purely formal interpretation: â€Å"It might be supposed that in still-life painting the meaning of the work is merely the sum of the denotation of the separate parts, yet there may be connotations and a comprehensive quality arising from the combined objects and made more visible and moving through the artistic conception. (i. e. black clock 1870, still w. compotier 79-82, blue vase 83-85, still w. cupid 95, or pples and oranges 95) There is in still like a unity of things like the unity of a scene of action, one must recognize the context of the objects in reality, their connection with a mood or interest or type of occasion. (24) * Cannot look at these as purely sexual, an element in a painting serves more than one function. Apples could be chosen means of emotional detachment and self-control, the fruit providing an objective field of colors, and sensuous richness lacking in his earlier passionate art and not fully realized in his later nude pa intings. Sexual displacement could be an unconscious factor. Certainly, Cezanne has a strange relationship with the human figure in his earlier works. In his early works, sexual gratification is directly displayed or implied. A modern Olympia (1873), Bacchanal, and his other pictures of the nudes show that he could not convey his feeling for women without anxiety. In his painting of the nude woman, where he does not produce an old work, he is most often constrained or violent. there is no middle ground of simple enjoyment. In Leda and the Swan, the writer argues that it is a striking instance of the defusing of a sexual theme through replacement of a figure by still-life objects. Cezannes fruit is not yet fully part of human life. Suspended between nature and use, it exists as if for contemplation alone. (25) In Cezannes painting of landscape, too, and sometimes of the human being, we recognize the same distinctive distance from action and desire. He seems to realize a philosophers concept of aesthetic perception as a pure will-less knowing. * The still-life objects bring to awareness the complexity of the phenomenal and the subtle interplay of perception and artifice in representation. (19) Still-life engages the painter in a st eady looking that discloses new and elusive aspects of the stable object. At first commonplace, it may becomes in the course of that contemplation a mystery, a source of metaphysical wonder. (20) Still-life calls out a response to an implied human presence. The represented objects, in their relation to us, acquire meanings from the desires they satisfy as well as from their analogies and relations to the human body They are a symbol or heraldry of a way of life. (23) * Yet, though the nature of the Apples seems to deserve far richer analysis of simple line and form, the use of apples as a restraint of Cezanne’s â€Å"morbid fantasies† (29), seems to evoke some fantastical properties of its own. * Apple as a displaced erotic interest? Apple has erotic sensesymbol of love, an attribute of Venus and a ritual object in marriage ceremonies. The apple is a natural analogue of ripe human beauty (6). Philostatus, Greek writer of 200 AD, describes a painting of Cupids gathering apples in a garden of Venus, which serve as the source of Titians painting of the cult of Venus, and indirectly Rubens picture of putti carrying a parland of the fruit. * Apples (1875) For Cezanne, the apple is equivalent to the human figure. He could project typical relations of human beings as well as qualities of the larger visible worldsolitude, contact, accord, conflict, serenity, abundance and luxuryand even states of elation and enjoyment. * In passing from the painting of fantasies to the discipline of observation, Cezanne made of colorthe principle of art allied to sensuality and pathos in romantic painting but underdeveloped in his own early pictures of passionthe beautiful substance of stable, solid object-forms and a deeply coherent structure of the composition. It is extremely doubtful that he could have reached his goal had he followed Delacroix in his choice of subjects. But in the self-chastening process, the painting of still-lifeas latent symbol and intimate tangible realitywas, perhaps more than his other themes, a bridge between his earlier and his later art. (33)

Impact Of Louis Vuitton On International Business

Impact Of Louis Vuitton On International Business International Business, due to significant features of its international context, was empowered by global competition which focused on both national and world economic development. Decision was the foremost approaches to be think of in the entry and retention of the business once entrepreneurs figured to denote the business in the international scene. Hence, strategies for the future of the business were influenced by the core managerial skills of the persons in-charged in integrating the core issues in the company. Company existed due to its aim and it should be retained utilizing the specific objectives that the company bounded to assure along the way of the operations. Since there was a competition scheme in all areas of business industry worldwide, success relied to planning, coordination, control and monitoring. Strategies used in the company should not be limited only to the concept of local industry. To assure the success in the company, the management should also revise the strategies which only fitted to local industry but to the international scene also. Every business was challenged by conflicts either internal or external. Some of the features of the conflicts for international marketing were the cultures, norms and national policies which the chosen country where the business will be reestablished had. In this regards, the company should used parameters in generating fast entry to the international business. It should seem like passing new era that the business was starting anew. Decisions should focus on the four core areas. These areas included the marketing programs, operations, organizational and financial viability. Thus, decisions are done massively to incorporate the changes on ways to be adjusted on the new environment. Style of management in the international business is an open-ended sequence of decisive powers. Managers should be open to development empowering the organization with new technologies, complex challenges and reflection to more precise processes. It should be ended with predefined objectives of setting new values to integrate, beliefs to reinforce and attitudes to work out. The leadership style in this should be incorporated with the principles of having a purpose, structure, relationship, rewards and other mechanisms of progress. Specifics of  financial planning  is determined by the following problems: volatility in exchange rates, revaluation of currencies, particularly the national taxation, possible difficulties with the export of funds from abroad, problems with in-house transfer pricing, problems in terms of estimating performance of foreign subsidiaries, etc. Hence to highly intensify the key understanding in the international business, this study was made to ensure that context of international business was raised for better understanding of the readers. Thus, the researcher presented the status of Louis Vuitton in the international scene. http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQQCGPmTVvkv4sbrmHGVl88xdAehJMnSuf9VOr0Lt5PKZXhmRMiqw This photo was a screenshot of one of the Louis Vuitton Channel Distributor. Historical Background of Louis VuittonLouis Vuitton becomes a partner of Damat Louis Vuitton was established in 1854 with massive designs of bags which introduced other forms of luggage made from canvas. The LV logo patterned with the canvass with knowledge notifying the prestige and wealth during the 19th century. The business began its career from the first designs which was similarly to flat-bottom trunks with Trianon canvas. http://64.19.142.13/2.bp.blogspot.com/_2CVCjbOaCZ4/SLtFJMK8K-I/AAAAAAAAApA/hi-LdB3eBik/s400/Louis+Vuitton.jpg The business altered the designs from Trianon to beige and brown designs. This was done not to be imitated and to avoid redundant designs. The successor of Louis Vuitton continued the business after his death on 1892. In 1893, it entered the U.S market and, in 1896, the company launched its signature Monogram Canvas and secured worldwide patents for it. It has since become the classic symbol of the Louis Vuitton brand. Under new management, Georges Vuitton altered some of the company policies and heightened the operations through new designs using monogram-canvas design. During the new millennium, Louis Vuitton celebrated its 150th founding anniversary. Impact of Louis Vuitton on International Business Louis Vuitton has great impact on the economic environment aspect of the country. Louis Vuitton was known to be producers of luxurious, socialite and expensive products that elite class citizens used to dreamt of having one of the items provided by the company. Most of the celebrity and public figures worldwide often denote their current status in the wealthy class through exposing their collections of Louis Vuitton products. Thus, the company claimed their popularity in the international market. It can be observed that Louis Vuitton had massive impact to the international business industry. One observable impact of Louis Vuitton is on the economic aspect, for those developed countries there is the fast approach of the economic growth of their country. Some of the researchers viewed Louis Vuitton as a linkage to communication, access to resources, and diverse ways of thinking. Viewing it as a student, I would have to say that Louis Vuitton is two-faced. While it has provided access to employment, it has also encouraged exploitation of labor. While it has opened the door to opportunities in other countries, it has also encouraged exporting of our human resources. While it has invited international communication, it also becomes apparent that this kind of communication benefits only those who have access. I have yet to continue examining the impact of Louis Vuitton on the life of other country. http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSXgRbvQKqwwLBe9JRkxvtoup5WOBfTsAnpdOIdU_A-lWTPCzD9IHwgoOMbRw This figure shows the SWOT Analysis of Louis Vuitton in the International Market. While Louis Vuitton offers a world of possibilities, it also opens issues that relate to social justice, particularly to those who are not advantaged by the system. Hence, people must be shed with light on this matter for further knowledge and opinion. If you think about it and look around problems of Louis Vuitton in other country, you will notice that one of the main reasons there were less possibilities of improvement is because of the weakness of laws. Just as politics is ruled by personality so too are laws, courts and regulatory bodies fall before this. There are studies after studies confirming this weakness, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with Louis Vuitton, and everything to do with political and legal culture. And still, we might think that Louis Vuitton has a dramatic acceleration in the empowerment of territorial shifts. Structure of Louis Vuitton in International Business Before expanding into a foreign market, careful consideration must be made regarding type of business entity with which the firm will enter that market.  Each organization type has specific strengths and weaknesses that should be carefully weighed according to the business and legal climate of the country we are entering and our business strategy.   The three types of business organizations were used by Louis Vuitton in their entry to the international scene: Louis Vuitton utilized the joint venture to partner with other business in different countries. Most of the country prohibited the foreign company to operate to their country unless being partnered with local business in the said countries. This was one of the strategic decisions that Louis Vuitton incorporated in order to select the more capable and competent business in the country where they prefer to sell their products. Louis Vuitton becomes a partner of Damat This was a joint venture of Louis Vuitton and Damat from Orka Group company in Turket for the operation of the company in the Turkish Region. A joint venture of Louis Vuitton with Damat in the Turkey would allow the business to enter that foreign market of Turkey capitalizing on the pre-existing business reputation of that Damat.  In addition to deferring part of the risk involved, Louis Vuittons market entry allowed minimal entry costs as the Damats pre-existing presence can be exploited.  The customer base, reputation and distribution network of Damat allowed Louis Vuittons rapid market penetration with a minimum of supply chain and marketing problems.  Additionally, partnership of Louis Vuitton and Damat accessed to suppliers and local financing easing potential problems associated with a foreign business operating in Turkey. Thus, the two make the contracts verifying the risks and sharing of loss and profit through the generation of business concerns like profitability, ethics, and situations that could potentially lead to litigation.   The second pre-operation of Louis Vuitton in the international market was through channel of distribution. Typically, the distributor is responsible for carrying inventory for the market and is the local service provider for warranty claims.  As far as the buyer is concerned, the distributor is the face behind our products. Seemingly in the Philippines, Michelle Trading Company was the chosen distributor of Louis Vuitton. Through the license of the Michelle Trading Company in the Philippines, the said company acquired sample products of Louis Vuitton and resold the products to the residents in the Philippines who craved to have Louis Vuitton products. The buyers would no longer travel abroad to buy the expensive product plus allocated cost of transportation but instead, the products came available through the channel distributors. This type of relationship allows market entry with yet lower entry costs, and offers the added benefit of deferring direct costs of doing business in the foreign country to the distributor.  As a result, start up costs are nearly non-existent; the distributors existing business operations are used exclusively.  Because of this, this arrangement allows immediate market penetration. The last operational transaction of the Louis Vuitton to have successful entry to the international business was through the wholly-owned subsidiary. Louis Vuitton had many subsidiaries in different countries in North America and across Asia. The manner of organization of the new business entity would be determined by the needs of Louis Vuitton and the laws and regulations of the foreign country. As explained, a wholly-owned subsidiary presents the best option for greatest control over market entry.  It also allows for greater profitability as profits will not be disbursed between business partners or consumed by a distributor.  Our firm will have direct contact with customers, the distribution chain, creditors and the local industry. As a result, this presents the best opportunity for long term growth in the foreign country and will allow for easier future expansion in the region. Each form of business structure has strengths and weaknesses which empowered the Louis Vuitton operation very visible to public and a success in their orientated operations. In deciding which structure to utilize in entering a foreign market, careful consideration should be made regarding both our firms strategy and the legal risks and ramifications associated with that strategy.  It is imperative that competent, experienced legal counsel be consulted to examine that strategy prior to committing to any action. Findings An evaluation of the companys internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats served as the foundation for this strategic analysis and marketing plan. The plan focuses on the companys growth strategy, suggesting ways in which it can build on existing customer relationships, and on the development of new products and/or services targeted to specific customer niches. International Business should establish an objective to achieve cumulative growth in net profit. To accomplish its marketing objectives, International Business should develop benchmarks to measure progress. Regular reviews of these objectives will provide feedback and possible corrective actions on a timely basis. The major marketing objective is to gain a better understanding of the needs and satisfaction of current customers. Since International Business is benefiting from reorder rate, it must be satisfying its current customers. International Business could use the knowledge of its successes with current clients to market to new customers. To capitalize on its success with current clients, benchmarks should be established to learn how International Business can improve the products it now offers through knowledge of its clients needs and specific opportunities for new product offerings. These benchmarks should be determined through marketing research and International Business ma rketing information system. Another objective should be to analyze the billing cycle International Business now uses to determine if there are ways to bill accounts receivable in a more evenly distributed manner throughout the year. Alternatively, repeat customers might be willing to place orders at off-peak cycles in return for discounts or added customer services. International Business also should create new products that can utilize its current equipment, technology, and knowledge base. It should conduct simple research and analyses of similar products or product lines with an eye toward developing specialty advertising products that are software based but not necessarily calendar related. http://www.legacytrunks.com/images/Louis%20Vuitton%20Trunk%206.jpg This study is focused on gaining knowledge of reality through the study of social construction of International Business which gives us an interpretive and explorative view of the interaction and relationship among dynamic capability, continuous innovation, and entrepreneurship. For a complete view of the interrelationship of these three components, we have selected case organizations of a similar size and operating in the same industry to be able to clearly contrast their organizational capabilities and the linked innovative results. Business innovation is facilitated by the leaders foresights and insights of the business opportunities as well as the internal and external resources. The dynamic capabilities in the model enable entrepreneurship and foster the process of innovation. The arrows indicate that any of the three components in the model are interlinked. Through the cyclical processes of entrepreneurship, dynamic capabilities and innovation, entrepreneurs can accumulate their capabilities to further capture opportunities and generate innovation continuously. Apart from the data gathered from annual reports and published articles on the companies, interviews were also conducted with business managers of the companies. Several interview guidelines were developed for the interview, such as what is the most critical challenge the company faces in the textile industry? How does the company decide its expansion strategy? What are the most distinctive features in companys management of human resources, products and external resources? How does company facilitate organization learning and how does company manage knowledge? What is the relationship between companys decision making process and leadership? How does company manage its brand and innovation? How does company capture innovation and new investment opportunities? The interview data were transcribed and consolidated with secondary data into analysis tables. Iterative verifications and finding analysis were performed until several key points were developed. In order to accept that the role of entrepreneurship has increasingly important role in corporate innovation, it becomes critical to identify the abilities which enable entrepreneurs to facilitate innovation. Dynamic capabilities create strategic advantages by integrating and recombining the external and internal resources. The capabilities of managing resources affect the performance that they can reduce costs and improve product/service quality to fit the firms strategy and technology to accomplish the task of continuous innovation.http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQCycX7-aDJBvI_3uQLHu1yxHWXtj3kAdHnsXMyEnAiJAB4fsNG1Q Concluding Statements International businesses  face some serious challenges issues and solutions about what products or services should be attractive for various foreign markets, possible problems with the transfer of currency, the uncertainties associated with predicting the costs and profitability, creating significant management problems, the impact of different cultures, the complexity of choosing the optimal structure for international business, taxation and pricing, high political risks, etc. Series of development varies the effects of the structure, technology and people in the socio-technical system in such organization. It always depends on the existence of such organizations deriving change due to environments, kinds of people working and the community for acceptance. Along with the structure, skills and abilities of the particular hired in the organizational structure will affect the decisions about what the organization can do and how it will be done. For the technology, its effect is seen from the analysis of the rapid influx in modernization and how it dominate the social standards of the organization varying from the kind of processes integrated in the organization whether it is continuous, large scale or small scale. For the people, such participation is regarded with the control of the people governing and hired by the organization. People in this sense are also reflected as the receivers of the purpose of organizations. Their perception and acceptance is highl y needed in the changes in the quality of life, workplace and in uplifting the socio-economic status of the organization.

Common Themes of Three Songs Essay -- Music Comparison

The Postal Service released three hits; The District Sleeps Alone Tonight, Such Great Heights, and Clark Gable. These songs all share a common theme; teenage self-loathing love songs. I will be analyzing these three songs and the common themes between them. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight is about the singer gaining an understanding of why he is not with the one he loves. He sings â€Å"I’ll wear my badge†¦a vinyl sticker with big block letters adherent to my chest that tells your new friends I am a visitor here.† This is expressing that to her it always seemed it was never going to last. It means he was always there only when he wanted to be, and would never stay for long. In this song, he realizes why he was left and why he is so alone. Such Great Heights is someone knowing he or she was meant to be with another person. You think you are perfect for each other and you fit together like a puzzle. In reality, he is realizing he is the only one who still feels that way, and the one he loves, does not. He wants her to be guided home by his music, by fate, and by love. â€Å"The windows down when this is guiding you home† expresses his wishes. He wants her to take a long drive to him and to stay with him, forever. Clark Gable is about him wishing their love could be like a movie. In the song he pretends to be in a movie with her, acting as though they are still in love. He sings â€Å"I want so badly to believe that there is truth, that love is real† and in this ...

The Meaning of Life Essay example -- essays research papers

The Meaning of Life The most difficult thing in life is finding something worth living for. The second most difficult thing is knowing when you've found it...... by Jamie Andreas Okay, let's be light hearted for once. Let's not talk about some heavy subject. Let's pick something more down to earth and fun. How about the meaning of life? Yes, the meaning of life, and the purpose of our lives. Teen-agers (that group of people who are most likely to begin to play the guitar) love to think about this. Since they are about to embark on that part of life called "being an adult", they like to question whether there is anything about it that makes it worth the bother. A 17 year old student once put it to me very poignantly. He said, â€Å"When I look at the world, and I see what most of the adults I know are doing with their lives, and how they feel about their jobs, it is not very inspiring. I listen to people tell me I should play the game, and work hard to get good grades, so I can get a good job and all that. It all seems to have about as much meaning as going in to the library and memorizing the entire card catalog! What for? What's the point?" And I said to him â€Å"You are exactly right. There is no point. There is no meaning to life." And I firmly believe that. I am going to make two points now. One, there is no meaning to life; you must create the meaning of life, and most especially, your life. And two, there most definitely is a purpose to life, and especially to your life, but you must discover it. These two ideas work together. Once you find your purpose, you will be able to see the "meaning" of your life. What does the word "meaning" mean? People are always asking what is the meaning of life, what is the meaning of death, what is the meaning of me losing my job, losing my hair, etc, etc. Well, you see the point is, there is no answer to the question because it is the wrong question. Only a person who doesn't know what the word meaning means will ask that question. Meaning means "to recognize a significance beyond the thing itself, or in other words, "to point to something beyond itself" And the recognition of that significance, seeing how anything you look at points to something beyond itself, is a creative act on the part of every individual, and it is also the responsibility of every individual. When ... ...ur purpose. Move toward what feels good. B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, all have used nothing but the five notes of a minor pentatonic scale their whole lives! It is all they need for what they want to say. Maybe you need to learn to read music, maybe you don't. Maybe you need to know many chord inversions and scales, maybe you don't. It depends on what you want to say with your music. And what you want to say depends on how you feel. How do you feel? Maybe you are frustrated and confused when you think about this. That is good. Frustration is a push on the back, to get you moving, so you will look around and make discoveries. Make sure you use it that way. Don't stay in one place, or the push on the back will knock you over! The rule for the artist, for the musician, must be "if it feels good, do it". Following your feeling is how that feeling becomes "solidified" into a piece of music, so that it can be communicated and felt by someone else. Bad music is made by people who don't actually feel their feelings. They may not know it, but their music has no meaning, and no purpose. Have you found something worth living for? Is it waiting to be recognized?

The Cause of Aggression is Social Structure and Child Rearing :: Parenting Raising Children Society Social Status

The focus of this paper is to determine why certain societies are violent, judging from the way their society is structured to the psychological aspects of the individuals. The structural roots of internal and external conflict differ by most factors that were researched. Internal violence derives from weak cross-cutting ties, strong localized male groups (in uncentralized societies) and polygyny, whereas external conflict is seen in societies that are high on socioeconomic complexity, and low in polygyny and as cross-cutting ties. From the 186 societies, only a handful of them fell into the category of the variables this paper is centered upon high ext. vs. int. war were the Yanomamo, Comanche, Maori, Jivaro, and Somali. In Ross's article about conflict and violence, a measurement of internal and external violence was done using 44 variables for the 90 societies. The areas of interest for the table are those measuring internal and external violence. The factor loading is determined by the sum of the scores of each society for each variable and is weighted individually for each society. The six variables in the internal violence and conflict scale, in descending order of importance, are/:/./ The severity of conflict between different communities of the same society (v767), the acceptability of violence when directed against members of the same society outside the local community (v782), frequency of internal warfare (v773), the same severity of conflict within the local community (v764), the extent to which physical force is used as a mechanism for the dispute settlement (v770), the acceptability of violence when directed against members of the local community(v781) and degree of compliance wit h community norms and decisions by members of local communities(v775). Societies that scored high on this end of the scale, for example Jivaro or Somali, frequently engaged in violence and internal warfare both within and between communities of the same society. Societies that fell into the middle of the scale engaged in regular conflict, but internal warfare and violence in local disputes occur less frequently than the previous category of societies. The 3 variables that compose the external warfare and conflict scale are frequency of external warfare(v774), degreee of hostility(v780), and the acceptability of violence directed to people in other societies(v783). The Maori, Comanche and Jivaro are societies of the high end of the scale. From the large amount of research done on violence and conflict, there exist 3 characteristics of societies that are agreed upon by the majority.

Organising a Discursive Essay about Car Use Essay

An argumentative essay opens with a boldly expressed point of view and then the rest of the essay presents arguments (examples, proof or logic) to support that point of view. Normally, it refers to opposing arguments but demonstrates that these are weak or even false. (Look at this essay about zoos for an example.) A discursive essay presents both sides of the issue in a more balanced way. In the end, however, it normally reaches a conclusion; in other words, the writer states what s/he thinks. The following is an example of how a discursive essay on handguns might be structured: Introduction : The issue of handgun ownership A. Some people believe individuals should not own handguns B. Others believe ownership is an important personal right Disadvantages of handgun ownership – Both adults and children can have accidents – People can use guns for crimes Advantages of handgun ownership + People can protect themselves from intruders + People can use guns for recreational purposes (e.g. target practice at gun clubs) Conclusion (a summary & evaluation of arguments above) = Problems of accidents and crime make gun ownership difficult to accept = Gun ownership should not be allowed in the interest of a better society Your task in this assignment is to write a discursive essay about the advantages and disadvantages of car use. You will be given the various arguments both in favour of, and against, car use. Your first task will be to organise these arguments. TASK 1 Read the following notes. Identify all the points in favour of car use and mark them with the symbol à ¼ . Identify all the points against car use and mark them with the symbol à » . Not restricted by schedules as you are with public transport Comfortable (spacious, cool, radio/CD etc.) They cause air pollution (e.g. exhaust emissions contribute to global warming) Roads deface the natural landscape and destroy/disturb wildlife habitats Fast, less time-consuming than public transport Car parks take up valuable space in city centres (could be used for public gardens instead?) Fairly cheap to run? Car accidents result in many deaths and injuries Modern fuels are lead-free and getting â€Å"cleaner† Traffic jams lead to stress and â€Å"road rage† (angry drivers attacking others) Car use contributes to a faster, less natural pace of life that often results in high blood pressure and heart disease TASK 2 Now that you have sorted your points into two groups, you will be able to divide the body of your essay into two sections: advantages and disadvantages (or possibly the other way round). However, each of these two sections still needs to be divided further – into topics. Each topic will then become a paragraph in the essay. Take the advantages above and arrange them under the topic headings of â€Å"Convenient† and â€Å"Efficient†. Take the disadvantages and arrange them under the topic headings of â€Å"Bad for the environment†, â€Å"Dangerous† and â€Å"Stressful†. TASK 3 A well-made paragraph usually starts with a topic sentence. This contains the main idea or argument of the paragraph. It is followed by a few illustrations or examples that support it. In the case of your essay on car use, the topic sentences in the body of the essay will cover the points in TASK 2 (above). Write topic sentences based on each of the headings in Task 2 (i.e. â€Å"Convenient†, â€Å"Efficient† etc.). Here is an example: Cars are extremely popular because they are so convenient. Do not be satisfied with the first thing you write. Rewrite it; share it with a classmate or your teacher; aim for a more effective sentence. TASK 4 The structure of your essay is going to be as follows: Paragraph 1 (INTRODUCTION) Paragraph 2 (Convenient †¦) à ¼ Paragraph 3 (Efficient †¦) à ¼ Paragraph 4 (Bad for the environment †¦) à » Paragraph 5 (Dangerous †¦) à » Paragraph 6 (Stressful †¦) à » Paragraph 7 (CONCLUSION) Unless, of course, you decide to deal with the disadvantages first †¦ You still need to plan an introduction. Basically, this will state that there are both advantages and disadvantages to car use. However, it will sound rather weak if you simply write: â€Å"There are both advantages and disadvantages to car use†. It will make a stronger impact if you start with a bold or surprising statement, or perhaps a striking statistic. For example: We have become extremely dependent on cars: there were 580 million worldwide in 1990 and it is estimated that this figure will grow to 816 million by 2010. You can follow this with a summary of the main arguments contained in the body of the essay. You should present these in the order they will appear later. Continue this opening paragraph by adding sentences from the jumbled list below. Present them in the same order as the plan above. We have become extremely dependent on cars: there were 580 million worldwide in 1990 and it  is estimated that this figure will grow to 816 million by 2010. Thirdly, some people argue that they contribute to the frantic, unhealthy pace of modern life. On the other hand, there are powerful arguments against car use. Firstly, they damage the environment. Clearly cars are so popular because they are both convenient and efficient. Secondly, they kill and maim large numbers of people. TASK 5 Let us save the conclusion for later. (Basically, it will sum up the main arguments again and evaluate them – in other words, you will say whether you think car use should be limited or even banned.) First, you will try to write the body paragraphs – paragraphs 2-6 in the plan above. Each paragraph already has a topic sentence. The challenge now is to support it with illustrations or examples. For example (paragraph 2): Cars are extremely popular because they are so convenient. They allow us far more freedom than public transport which is often unreliable, slow or even unavailable. Given a choice between walking in the rain to join a bus queue or stepping straight into a car and driving directly to one’s destination, who would prefer the latter? Furthermore, cars are more comfortable than buses or trains since they are less cramped and have luxuries such as an air-conditioner and a sound system. Now use the points below to complete paragraphs 3-6. (Start each sentence with your topic sentence from TASK 3.) Fast, less time-consuming than public transport  Fairly cheap to run, especially if you use a small model  Modern fuels are lead-free and do not cause a lot of pollution They cause air pollution (exhaust emissions contribute to global warming and health problems such as asthma) Roads spoil the natural landscape and disturb wildlife habitats Car parks take up valuable space in cities that could otherwise be used for recreation Car accidents result in many deaths and injuries (e.g. approx. 125,000 people were killed in road crashes in the  OECD’s 29 member countries in 1999, enough to fill 300 jumbo jets) Traffic jams lead to stress and â€Å"road rage† (angry drivers attacking others) Car use contributes to a faster, less natural pace of life that often results in high blood pressure and heart disease You do not need to change the language much. However, you certainly will need to use some linking words/phrases, such as the following: For example, †¦ For instance, †¦ †¦ also †¦ In addition, †¦ Furthermore, †¦ What is more, †¦ Another argument against car use is that †¦ Another disadvantage of car use is that †¦ Similarly, †¦ TASK 6 Finally, you need a conclusion. Avoid a weak â€Å"sitting on the fence† conclusion such as this: â€Å"There are some strong points both for and against car use and it all depends on what your opinion is.† Instead you should sum up the arguments you have already covered and state whether, on balance, you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages or vice-versa. It may be effective to present the arguments in reverse order this time. For example: In conclusion, car ownership has several negative effects, including stress, road accidents and destruction of the natural environment. Nevertheless, we have become very dependent on cars because of the comfort and freedom they offer. A total ban seems out of the question, but for the sake of our own health and the health of the planet, we must aim to reduce car use – for example, by improving public transport systems and introducing car pooling schemes. TASK 7 Now try a discursive essay on a different topic. You could try the one about handguns (see notes above). Other possible topics include: Computer use by children Television viewing School uniforms You may have a better idea yourself, but please check it first with your teacher. Whichever topic you choose, you will need to do some research first and then draw up an essay plan. Without a plan, you will almost certainly produce a disorganised, ineffective essay!

Scholasticism in Religious Architecture

Matt Pearson Professor Ansell Humanities 201 5 August 2013 Scholasticism in Religious Architecture â€Å"Sacred architecture is not, a ‘free' art, developed from ‘feelings' and ‘sentiment', but it is an art strictly tied by and developed from the laws of geometry† (Schneider). This is a governing principle behind the architecture and stained-glass images in Chartres Cathedral: the building wasn't Just built without a plan or the art didn't Just happen, it is a systematic creation using geometry (Crossly 232). Scholasticism is the main contributor to the use of geometry to organize how the Cathedral was built.Briefly described, scholasticism is taking events, concepts, or miracles, that we can't understand, and organizing a structured argument to provide an explanation. In the Chartres Cathedral, the architecture and art not only display sacred religious events and scenes from the Bible, but also secular events, such as everyday chores like farming or cleaning . There is clearly a union trying to be made here between things of this earthly world – science, philosophy, reason – and things that go beyond the earthly world – faith, theology, revelation.This is where scholasticism is found, cause it organizes events and understanding to find God in the secular and sacred. In Chartres Cathedral, the building as a whole is meant to take us from the corruption of this world and into the presence of God, which embodies light. There is great detail in each stained-glass window, specifically in the exactness of the geometry and also in the Biblical stories they portray, which again point us to God, and also show how scholasticism has helped shape the organized design behind many things in the Cathedral. Scholasticism is a â€Å"term used to designate both a method and a system.It is applied to theology as well as to philosophy' (Turner). Historically, it came from early Christian institutions. They would have someone as the he ad of the school that would act as the philosopher or theologian to help carry out the method of dialectical teaching to the students. This is done in an attempt to put understanding and reason to mysteries like science and faith or reason and revelation, and how these conflicting pairs can exist together. Not only can these opposites exist, but they â€Å"must harmonize† together to form greater understanding (Turner). SST. ThomasAquinas was one of the greatest Scholastics of his time. He was monumental in bridging the gap between theology and philosophy by his reasoning that â€Å"God is the author of all truth, and it is impossible to think that He would teach in the natural order anything that contradicts what He teaches in the supernatural order† (Turner). A structure, as grand as the Chartres Cathedral, introduces an interesting paradox for religious and secular views, because the architects â€Å"however much directed towards the glory of God, still turned man' s eyes elsewhere and diverted elsewhere he wealth he could have put to better purpose† (Affair 55).This meaner that the architects were trying to turn people's hearts and minds to God, but, in an attempt to do so, they were expending vast amounts of resources on secular architecture. They wanted to build a place that would mentally take you from this world and into God's world. This concept is easily seen as people enter the doors of the Cathedral and see all the light that is coming in through the stained-glass windows at all times of the day. These windows truly illuminate the building and allow the participants to feel God or light.The Cathedral also was a place for people to make their religious pilgrimages and would aid them in their search for God. Many of the stained-glass windows show events of Chrism's ministry, but for the sake of exploring scholasticism and its relation to Chartres Cathedral, we are going to focus on Just two windows: The Tree of Jesse and the Rose Window. The Tree of Jesse shows â€Å"Chrism's royal genealogy [rising] up from Jesse, who lies at the bottom of the window, to Christ, who sits enthroned at the summit† (Preach 42). The window is a column of squares made up of smaller rectangles.In each square is figure and a continuation of the tree stemming from Jesses frame, which represents the continued line from Jesse to Christ and how Christ is born an heir to the king because of the unbroken chain. At Chrism's feet sits Mary, and around both of them are seven doves, which represent the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, â€Å"the gift of wisdom†¦ The gift of understanding†¦ The gift of counsel†¦ The gift of fortitude†¦ The gift of knowledge†¦ The gift of fear of the Lord†¦ The gift of Reverence† (Aquinas).Having Christ, Mary, and the doves all together at the top also represents something else, the double personality of Christ, human through His lineage, divine through His union with the Holy Spirit† (Preach 44). The miracle of Chrism's birth can't be explained through science, because of Mary and the Immaculate Conception, but some understanding is given to Chrism's lineage through the structure of the window. It shows Christ is connected to being a King through Mary, or God, and through Jesse, who was an earthly king. The organized structure shows the use of scholasticism, because of its push for organization to explain miraculous events.A main contributor to scholasticism is SST. Thomas Aquinas and his text Sum Theological. One argument he presented was â€Å"The Life of God† and â€Å"Whether all things in God are life? † (Aquinas). He takes all the objections he can find to the question he has asked. He will then make a â€Å"response† or an explanation to every objection to explain the initial question being asked. This is a very structured procedure, but it is seen in â€Å"The Tree of Jesse† window, because it addresses the concern, is Christ really God and is He an earthly and heavenly king.It then takes each objection and finds a response: Christ is an earthly king because of his genealogical connection to Jesse, ND Christ is a heavenly king, because of his miraculous or immaculate conception by the Holy Ghost, through his virgin mother, Mary. The Rose Window is actually in two places in Chartres Cathedral on the south and north walls. The Rose on the south transept has Christ at the center, surrounded by apostles. Below the Rose Window are five â€Å"lancet† windows, which have, from left to right, Isaiah, Daniel, Virgin Mary holding Christ as an infant, Ezekiel, Jeremiah (Affair 90).This is to surround Mary with the â€Å"four great prophets† (Preach 89). On their shoulders sit the â€Å"Evangelists,† Matthew, Mark, John, and Luke, which symbolizes their role in proclaiming Chrism's birth and divinity. The Rose itself symbolized beauty and perfection, which represents Mary as a fair virgin and also Christ as the only perfect human. The Rose symbolism is only strengthened by the presence of these stained glass windows that surround the rose. To give an example, in one of the medallion windows that surround the center of the rose, â€Å"Mary, is exalted as Queen of Heaven†¦ He is seated on a throne and holds a scepter† (Preach 93). The Rose on the north transept has SST. Anne holding Mary at the center. This is a unique image, because now it isn't Christ who is the infant, but it is Mary and she is â€Å"in the arms of her mother Anne, the person who establishes the genealogical link with the Old Testament† (Preach 93). This shows us the importance of Mary in all of Christianity. Below the Rose are five more â€Å"lancet† windows, like on the south side, except these stained-glass windows have different images, which are, from left to right, Milkweed, David, SST.Anne holding Mary as an infant, Solomon, and Aaron (Affair 91). A nne is â€Å"surrounded by the most famous of the ancient kings† which show how important Anne is and the oracle that came from her (Preach 93). All of this detail and organization in both Rose Windows shows scholastic thought, because, as mentioned before, Chrism's birth and conception is an unexplainable miracle, but guiding our train of thought with these images helps to explain the miracle. There is one more detail in the Rose that really cements scholasticism in the Cathedral, it is the process to create the Rose.First, a process is carried out to find twelve evenly spaced spaces around a circle. Second, a star with twelve points is drawn in the middle, every line being exactly the name length. At the base of each point, close to the center, twelve equal circles are made. Another star with twelve points is then drawn inside the bigger star, once again each line being the same length. A circle is made around the inner star and in the center of this circle is where Christ is placed in one window and Anne and Mary are placed in the other window.The precision that is used reflects the scholastic procedure Thomas Aquinas uses. Great care and concern are taken to create the desired result and to give an explanation too miracle. Thomas Aquinas used this teeth in writing to explain the miracle of God and the Rose Windows use this method in imagery and biblical symbolism to explain the miracle of Christ and Mary. Thus, we can see that Chartres Cathedral has Biblical symbolism in the stained-glass windows and scholasticism is used within these windows as the organization.Chartres Cathedral is built in great geometric precision to take people's thoughts from this world into God's world (Crossly 233). Through the geometric precision, scholasticism is very present. Scholasticism is found in the Stem of Jesse by the organizational structure used to present the explanation of Chrism's divine birth. This is a miracle that can't simply be explained, but the Stem of Jesse window systematically takes us from Jesse to Mary and then to Christ to explain the miracle.Scholasticism is also found in the Rose Windows in the precise geometric construction and also in the images that are shown. The conception of Christ is a miracle, but the different images show how it can be explained. In all of these Biblical events and miracles, scholasticism creates an organized way to understanding them. Works Cited Aquinas, Thomas. Sum Theological. Kevin Knight, 2008. New Advent. Web. 6 August 2013. Crossly, Paul. Rhetoric Beyond Words. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010.

Electronic books verses paper book Essay

Reading is a big part of our lives, whether you are reading for work, school or pleasure, books, newspapers or magazines, it is something that most people do on a daily basis. Today, there are different ways you can read: either electronically or by paper. Electronic devices are starting to run our lives, by getting an e-book or e-reader (kindle, nook, iPad, etc†¦) reading could change for the average reader. Electronic readers are better than paper books. Having an electronic reader can be very convenient. You can rent or buy books, magazines, and newspapers for free from virtual libraries similar to the way you would from your local public library. There are a lot more books available through the virtual library. Since it is a virtual library, you are using Wi-Fi and you can instantly receive your reading material electronically. Usually when you rent a book from the virtual library, you can have it for as long as you like, but are limited to one book month. However, it is quicker than getting in your car and driving to the library or store to get a book. â€Å"The convenience of downloads saves transportation costs and reduces carbon emissions from book distribution and consumer travel to and from bookstores. † (Maxwell & Miller, 2013, para. 4). Loaning books to family or friends is a bit easier with having the psychical book to give. Yet, some devices may allow you to share downloaded books with others. All things are faulty in life. â€Å"As convenient as the use of different e-readers can be, technology isn’t always reliable. † (Taylor, 2013, para.4). Since e-readers are an electronic device, you have to charge the battery; however, it can last for a month or two. The screen can break on e-readers just as easy as a page can tear out of a book. You can change the font size if you have difficulty reading small print and you can also adjust the screen brightness so you can read in the sunlight or in the dark. Paper books do not need to hold a charge for you to enjoy and the screen will not ever break, but pages can tear. The font size is what you get and it cannot be altered on what is already printed. It is nice to have a collection of books and you can do that with either an e-reader or paper books. With your e-reader you can carry all of your books at once and your paper books can be on display in your home. E-readers are pretty slim and light-weight, some books can almost double the weight and be bulky. For the average college student, e-readers may be better so they are not carrying a few different heavy books around campus. Electronic readers are much more diverse than paper books. There are a dictionaries built into e-readers, so you can look up a word just by highlighting it. A great feature to e-readers is it has a bookmark to save your place. Turning the page is as simple as a tap or swipe along the screen of the e-reader, whereas with a paper book or newspaper you physically flip the pages. Reading with children may be better with paper books, but tablets can be used as an e-reader and games and learning applications can be downloaded for children. â€Å"Many e-readers also offer Web browsing, games, music, movies and an endless array of apps such as The Weather Channel or Microsoft Office to enhance the user experience† (Cancio, 2011, para. 3). Children growing up today will probably be reading more things electronically at school, so getting them use to the electronic devices young can be a good thing. With technology advancing so rapidly, it can be hard to keep up with the advancements. Paper books are great if you are a book collector who wants to show off those books and if you do not mind carrying them around. In the long run, e-readers can be more convenient and cost efficient because of the discount on the books being electronic instead of printed. If you enjoy reading while traveling, lying in bed, and want to have a large selection of books to choose from and receive them quickly, e-readers are the better option for you. References Brown, Taylor. (2013, October 3). The best of both worlds: E-readers vs. traditional books. Cal Times. Retrieved from http://sai. calu. edu/caltimes/index. php/2013/10/03/the-best-of-both-worlds-e-readers-vs-traditional-books/ Cancio, C. (2011, March 7). Are e-readers making books obsolete? Retrieved from http://electronics. howstuffworks. com/gadgets/other-gadgets/e-readers-making-books-obsolete. htm Maxwell, R. , Miller, T. (2013, September 5). Greening the media. Psychology Today. Retrieved from http://www. psychologytoday. com/blog/greening-the-media/201309/don-t-be-misled-about-paper-versus-electronic-books

Blood Diamond Movie Summary

It is 1999 and the troubled West African nation of Sierra Leone is ravaged by major political unrest. Rebel factions such as the Revolutionary United Front frequently terrorize the open countryside, intimidating Mende locals and enslaving many to harvest diamonds, which fund their increasingly successful war effort. One such unfortunate is fisherman Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), from Shenge, who has been assigned to a workforce overseen by a ruthless warlord, Captain Poison (David Harewood).On a particularly tense morning, Vandy discovers an enormous pink diamond in the riverbank and buries it in the soft earth. Captain Poison learns of the stone, but before he can act on this knowledge the area is raided by government security forces. Both men are subsequently incarcerated in Freetown along with Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), a white Rhodesian gunrunner jailed while attempting to smuggle diamonds into Liberia for corrupt South African mining executive Rudolph van de Kaap (Mariu s Weyers). Having managed to learn of the pink diamond's existence, Archer arranges to have Vandy freed from detention.He then travels to Cape Town, meeting with his former military contacts, including Colonel Coetzee (Arnold Vosloo) – an Afrikaner late of the apartheid-era South African Defence Force now freelancing with a private military firm. Archer remarks that he hopes to abscond with Vandy's stone and leave the Dark Continent forever, but Coetzee indicates that his lost stake in Archer's botched Liberian operation entitles him to the diamond as compensation. The former returns to Sierra Leone, locates Vandy, and offers to help him find his family if he will recover his prize.Meanwhile, RUF insurgents initiate an escalation of hostilities. Freetown falls to their advance while Vandy's son Dia (Kagiso Kuypers) is among those rounded up to serve as a child soldier under a liberated Captain Poison. Archer and Vandy narrowly escape to Guinea, where they plan to infiltrate K ono with an American journalist, Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), in exchange for giving her inside information on the illicit diamond trade. Coetzee and his private army also turn up in the region, having been contracted by local authorities to repulse the renewed rebel offensive.While Bowen is evacuated with her story, the two men set out for Captain Poison's former encampment on their own. Dia, now stationed with the RUF garrison there, is confronted – although he refuses to acknowledge his father. Archer radios the site's coordinates to Coetzee, who directs an air strike via an Mi-24 helicopter gunship. Vandy locates Captain Poison and beats him to death with a shovel while attacking mercenaries rout the warlord's surviving men. Coeztee then forces a reluctant Vandy to produce the diamond, but is shot by Archer, who has deduced that he will have them both eliminated once their usefulness has expired.Dia holds them both at gunpoint, although Vandy convinces him of his own retained innocence and the two consummate their previous bond. Archer discloses he has been mortally wounded and cannot proceed as anticipated. He entrusts the stone to Vandy, ordering him to take it for his family. Vandy and his son rendezvous with a charter pilot, Nabil (Jimi Mistry), who flies them to safety while Archer makes a final phone call to Maddy Bowen, charging her to assist Vandy, as well as giving her consent to publish his revelations of the diamond trade, telling her â€Å"It's a real story now†.Gazing across the landscape, he grasps a handful of bloodstained earth and dies peacefully, fulfilling Coetzee's prediction that the smuggler would never leave his African home. Shortly afterwards, Vandy, who is now living in England, meets with representatives of van de Kaap, who wishes to acquire his jewel. Bowen photographs the deal for publication in her article detailing the trade in conflict gems and exposes van de Kaap's criminal actions. Meanwhile, Vandy's gues t appearance at a conference on â€Å"blood diamonds† in Kimberley is met with a standing ovation. Blood Diamond Movie Summary It is 1999 and the troubled West African nation of Sierra Leone is ravaged by major political unrest. Rebel factions such as the Revolutionary United Front frequently terrorize the open countryside, intimidating Mende locals and enslaving many to harvest diamonds, which fund their increasingly successful war effort. One such unfortunate is fisherman Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), from Shenge, who has been assigned to a workforce overseen by a ruthless warlord, Captain Poison (David Harewood).On a particularly tense morning, Vandy discovers an enormous pink diamond in the riverbank and buries it in the soft earth. Captain Poison learns of the stone, but before he can act on this knowledge the area is raided by government security forces. Both men are subsequently incarcerated in Freetown along with Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), a white Rhodesian gunrunner jailed while attempting to smuggle diamonds into Liberia for corrupt South African mining executive Rudolph van de Kaap (Mariu s Weyers). Having managed to learn of the pink diamond's existence, Archer arranges to have Vandy freed from detention.He then travels to Cape Town, meeting with his former military contacts, including Colonel Coetzee (Arnold Vosloo) – an Afrikaner late of the apartheid-era South African Defence Force now freelancing with a private military firm. Archer remarks that he hopes to abscond with Vandy's stone and leave the Dark Continent forever, but Coetzee indicates that his lost stake in Archer's botched Liberian operation entitles him to the diamond as compensation. The former returns to Sierra Leone, locates Vandy, and offers to help him find his family if he will recover his prize.Meanwhile, RUF insurgents initiate an escalation of hostilities. Freetown falls to their advance while Vandy's son Dia (Kagiso Kuypers) is among those rounded up to serve as a child soldier under a liberated Captain Poison. Archer and Vandy narrowly escape to Guinea, where they plan to infiltrate K ono with an American journalist, Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly), in exchange for giving her inside information on the illicit diamond trade. Coetzee and his private army also turn up in the region, having been contracted by local authorities to repulse the renewed rebel offensive.While Bowen is evacuated with her story, the two men set out for Captain Poison's former encampment on their own. Dia, now stationed with the RUF garrison there, is confronted – although he refuses to acknowledge his father. Archer radios the site's coordinates to Coetzee, who directs an air strike via an Mi-24 helicopter gunship. Vandy locates Captain Poison and beats him to death with a shovel while attacking mercenaries rout the warlord's surviving men. Coeztee then forces a reluctant Vandy to produce the diamond, but is shot by Archer, who has deduced that he will have them both eliminated once their usefulness has expired.Dia holds them both at gunpoint, although Vandy convinces him of his own retained innocence and the two consummate their previous bond. Archer discloses he has been mortally wounded and cannot proceed as anticipated. He entrusts the stone to Vandy, ordering him to take it for his family. Vandy and his son rendezvous with a charter pilot, Nabil (Jimi Mistry), who flies them to safety while Archer makes a final phone call to Maddy Bowen, charging her to assist Vandy, as well as giving her consent to publish his revelations of the diamond trade, telling her â€Å"It's a real story now†.Gazing across the landscape, he grasps a handful of bloodstained earth and dies peacefully, fulfilling Coetzee's prediction that the smuggler would never leave his African home. Shortly afterwards, Vandy, who is now living in England, meets with representatives of van de Kaap, who wishes to acquire his jewel. Bowen photographs the deal for publication in her article detailing the trade in conflict gems and exposes van de Kaap's criminal actions. Meanwhile, Vandy's gues t appearance at a conference on â€Å"blood diamonds† in Kimberley is met with a standing ovation.

America's Age of Imperialism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

America's Age of Imperialism - Assignment Example This policy was for their benefit. The Philippines –American war happened after American shoot down in the Spanish –American war of 1898, Spain surrendered its longstanding colony of Philippines to the united states in the treaty of paris.it reached a time when the US forces were serious in rejecting on enforcing American colonial control over issues such as islands, the first collides as an â€Å"insurrection† instead than accept the Filipinosargument that they were fighting to guard off any strange intruder. The solutions to these issues came when the United States started in the Philippines in 1900 leader being a future president William Howard Taft started a pacification movement that became popular as policy of attraction. This policy was designed to preside over the main elites and other Filipinos included who did not embrace Aguinaldo’s plans for the philipines,this policy allowed a kind of freedom of self-governance, started reforms for economic progress and in addition some social reforms. America opened Panama Canal which joined the two big oceans. This acted as a sign that America had emerged as a global power. America also wanted an easier route to their colonies. This was made possible by Bunau-Varilla who negotiated the Hay-Bunau-Varilla treaty of 1903 which provided the US with a 10 mile piece of land which they built a canal .they did this through payment of 10$million and paid to Panama. Roosevelt Corollary to Monroe doctrine was a policy by President Theodore Roosevelt self-assertive to Latin America approach. The army was the most influential in this period because it had full training on how tackle any war that

Music Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Music Theory - Essay Example The song tells us a heart-wrenching tale about a father who refuses to spend quality time with the son he had with his wife whom he claimed to love. His son is persistently trying to unite with his father but, unfortunately, the father is always too busy or gone (Grayeb 1). As the piece goes on, the boy starts turning in to a grownup and when his father wants finally to start spending time with him the son refuses. The child has grown up and furthermore has a family, which he can call his own. The song is narrated from the first-person’s viewpoint by a father who can never find time to bide with his child. Even though the child requests his father to join him in childhood actions, he responds with more than fuzzy guarantees of spending quality time together in 'future' (Grayeb 1). Whereas hoping to spend time with his father, the child begins to shape himself into his father's attitudes, thus the stanza hoping to turn out "just like him." The last two stanzas are an overturn o f the duties, whereby the father requests his adult son to pay him a visit, but the matured son says that he is at the moment too occupied to find the time for his once "too busy" father (Grayeb 1). The father then considers that he and his are both alike, uttering "my boy has turned out to be just like his dad." The song's chorus utilizes imagery and metaphors related to childhood songs such as Cat's in the Cradle, Little Boy Blue, Silver Spoon, and Man in the Moon. Four Parameters Analysis Whereas the relation between motion and tempo might be self-evident, the connection between verticality and pitch is less simple (Grayeb 1). The sound wave of the song was basically slow, which gave the song a low pitch. The artist gave a sense song of a sad feeling in the song, which also complimented the law. Harry Chapin’s song was more rhythmically complex as the artist used odd meters, as well as ways, such as additive rhythm and phasing. The artist also wrote the song in a way which lacked a sense of a regular beat as the song consisted only of long sustained tones also referred to as drones (Grayeb 1). The song also had a liner progression of tunes whereby the singer, at times, hummed or used a guitar only to give the tone. The song incorporated mixed and simply discernible frequency patterns. This was due to the fact that the artist wanted to make the message clear for everyone to understand. The song incorporated low dynamics due to its tune. Also, song had pianissimos and fortissimos, which gave the song the low dynamics. The story was about a sad child; hence, the low dynamics complimented the story in way that the listener could easily understand (Grayeb 1). Line-Graph The song had a series of plateaus characterized by notes. The artist did the work of a lab specialist to achieve the desired effects (Grayeb 1). Chaplin made the song the way it is by working with graphs due to the uniformity that could be adapted from the song. A majority of the more rest rained variations of time and pitch might have to be disregarded prior to the fixing of the relative durations of these notes. Bar-lines should also be placed upon a traditional music staff. The points in the piece could, at that stage, be replaced by notes, as well as the lines through note values (Grayeb 1). The complete pitch of every line for a non-percussive stave was confirmed by the

Frederick Douglass Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Frederick Douglass - Research Paper Example Some others are of the view that his autobiographies and speeches were like his audacious attempts to publicly declare his renegade status. Regarding his personal life, one can see that he was born in a slave cabin, in February, 1818, near the town of Easton, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland (A Short Biography of Frederick Douglass). He was separated from his mother from the very tender age itself and was under the care of his grandparents. Like many other slaves during his time, he was also taken to a plantation master by his grandmother who left him to work there. Though he was betrayed, unlike the other slave children, he was lucky enough to learn the alphabet with the help of his mistress. This kindled his life that he sharpened his knowledge in every possible ways and used his words as the powerful weapon to retaliate against the forces that suppressed the black community for a long time. Reading through Douglass’ chronology, it is understood that as a slave, during his life-time, he had to undergo various kind of physical and mental torture. Those bitter experiences and certain other factors like the ‘horrifying conditions that plagued slaves during the 270 years of legalized slavery in America’ (A Short Biography of Frederick Douglass), provided him the energy to pursue his studies earnestly and secretly. He conducted classes secretly for slaves which in turn caused for the displeasure of plantation owners and were often severely punished. Some of the notable occurrences of his life include his escape to New York in 1838, publishing of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass in 1841, meeting with Lincoln to discuss the treatment of the black soldiers during civil war in 1863, becoming of U.S. Marshall in 1877 and the posting to the position of American consul-general to Haiti (Chronology). Douglass passed away on 20th February 1895 in

From Kyoto to Doha, the international community has consistently Essay - 1

From Kyoto to Doha, the international community has consistently failed to reach any meaningful agreement on reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. Discuss - Essay Example change, the role and efficiencies of such agreements have been criticised in often instances being influenced by the uncontrollably rising green house gas emissions. One of the most debated international treaties towards climate change can be identified as the Kyoto Protocol which is also attributed as one of the initial coalitions established concerning sustainable development (Karp & Zhao, 2008). The subsequent international coalitions such as 18th Conference of the Parties (COP 18), better known as â€Å"Doha Climate Gateway†, the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer among others have been under deep scrutiny on the basis of its failure to reduce the emissions and thus ensure minimisation of the rate of climate changes (Boyle, 2012; United Nations Environment Programme, 2001; United Nations Environment Programme, 2000). Undoubtedly, it has become a matter of significant concern to identify the fundamental reasons due to which the international treaties have had no apparent influence on the rising emission rates and climate change (Boyle, 2012). Taking these aspects into concern, the study will aim at identifying the background of the International Environmental Agreements (IEAs) with the intention to recognise the influences which have hampered the functional competencies of the treaties. The ultimate objective of the study will therefore be concentrated on rationalising the causes of failure of the IEAs, initiated till date, in the context of climate changes. With this concern, the study will initially attempt to identify the trends concerning the measures adopted to combat climate change from international, European Union (EU) and UK perspectives taking onto account the various institutions which tend to regulate such coalitions or IEAs. The discussion will further proceed to critically analyse the procedures and

HEALTHY PEOPLE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

HEALTHY PEOPLE - Essay Example Their subpopulations are culturally distinctive, diverse, and complex; live on nearly 300 locations in the lower 48 states, speaking more than 300 different languages (National Archives 2011). Top issue or problem: Alcohol takes a substantial toll among American Indians. They have a higher rate of alcohol-related death than the general U.S. population (May 1989). In every 100000 population covering both genders of American Indians in the age group of 25-34 years, 62.5 die from accident, 13.7 from homicide, 7.2 from heart disease and 6.4 from liver diseases (Healthy People 2011). A general observation is that alcohol abuse plays a significant role in these problems as it is a major factor in five of the 10 leading causes of mortality for American Indians (IHS, 1992). It is further corroborate by the fact that American Indian men die 2.8 times more frequently than non-Indian men from motor vehicle crashes, 2.7 times more from other accidents, 2.0 times more from suicide, 1.9 times more from homicide, and 6.8 times more frequently from alcoholism (alcohol dependence syndrome, alcoholic psychosis, and chronic liver disease and alcoholic cirrhosis) (May, 1996). For 19, 86 ­1,988, motor vehicle crashes, other accidents, suicide, homicide, and alcoholism caused a total of 5,781 American Indian deaths. 3,656 of these deaths are estimated to have involved alcohol (May 1989).There is the common view that Leland (1976) described in her book  Firewater Myths, that American Indians have an excessive craving for alcohol and to lose control of their behavior when they drink. Interventions that address the social and physical factors that influence alcohol abuse have the potential to prevent unintentional injuries and violence. Although, public health interventions are quite different in scope and application, however, most interventions share a similar path to succes

The Vigilance Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Vigilance Project - Essay Example Being in a group, an individual feels as integral part of a team which enhances his or her self-worth. 4. Realistic is conflict â€Å"based on scarce resources†; symbolic conflict is conflict â€Å"based on values and beliefs†. Realist conflicts take place between groups over scarce resources in a competitive environment. Symbolic conflicts occur due to different perspectives regarding values and ideas which give rise to conflicts in goal persuasion. 5. The leadership paradox is best stated as â€Å"The fact that teams usually need leaders, but the very presence of a leader threatens the autonomy of a team†. Instead of making a team more productive, a leader may end up being a hindrance if he overuses his power (Thomson, 2004, p.309). 6. The three types of team coaching include â€Å"ability, coordination, motivation†. Motivation enhances team commitment, coordination helps people to work together, and educational coaching increases skills and abilities of team members (Levi, 2010, p.178). 7. Teams that are underbounded â€Å"Have many external ties, but cannot bring its members together†; in contrast, teams that are overbounded â€Å"have high loyalty but an inability to integrate with others†. Overbounded teams are highly cohesive and so members can work in more coordinated manner than underbounded teams (Hackman, 2011, p.79). 11. According to the empirical research on convergent and divergent thinking, â€Å"Groups are better than individuals at divergent thinking; individuals are better than groups at convergent thinking†. This is because in the latter effort is to find single solution to a problem while in the former effort is to find multiple solutions to a problems which can be more effective in a group (Salkind, 2005, p.309). 12. The key threats to creativity do not include â€Å"social striving†. Social striving means individuals can exhibit maximum performance when working as part of a group, and this can enhance creativity (Shiraev & Levy,