Globalization Essay

Globalization and technology moves the world of business forward. Globalization and technology are essential elements in providing new grounds for business transactions. Understanding how globalization and technology work to make negotiating across countries possible. This examination will discuss the various implications of globalization and technology in the negotiation process. Further, provide insight into the value of globalization and technology in business transactions. Globalization plays a substantial role in the everyday business processes. Globalization allows companies or businesses to expand and outsource jobs to maintain a low price for products. â€Å"Negotiations and contracts constitute one of the major issues in business†(). Expansion to other countries will bring in more revenue for the business and create jobs. In a domestic business transaction, globalization may also include the expansion from one state to another. The business process may vary from state to state; moreover, the needs and wants of the consumers vary as well. In negotiation, globalization takes the same business processes into consideration regarding whether to greet people in a specific way, a preference of gender at business meetings, or even the style of business cards. Another method of globalization may be from purchasing an ethnic item at the grocery store. The negotiation process to arrive at an agreement or contract to distribute this specific ethnic product took place to allow this product to exist in the store. Undoubtedly, globalization employs the use of technology to permit an ease of business transactions. For example, instead of hosting a teleconference with the advancement of technology, businesses may videoconference and have the face-to-face connection. In relation to negotiation, videoconferencing allows the negotiations to take place through globalization. Face-to-face situations compel a negotiator to be more honest and cooperative because of the personal and emotional consequences of being caught in a lie in the face-to-face context† (Thompson, 1998, p. 267). Therefore, technology may pose as a negative factor in the negotiation process. Nevertheless, the mix of globalization, technology, and negotiation may not necessarily work together to produce an ideal outcome. Ultimately, the effects of globalization and technology in the negotiation process may be beneficial. However, adapting to the new methods of business and negotiation is important. In addition, practicing effective negotiation strategies through globalization is significant to understanding the best method of arriving at a settlement or agreement. In negotiating globally, understanding the opposing side’s culture may benefit the contract at hand. Therefore, studying the business practices of the opposing side is important to not offend them and prolong the negotiation process.

The government of Australia economic policies is failing Australians

This has increased caused an increase in debt due to loss of employments. This has fur reaching effects in accounts of most institutions which those who are laid off have financial transactions with.Most of those who are laid off are servicing loans or paying for goods or services which they got on credit now they can’t afford to pay. The loans will accrue interest for the months they will not be serviced and most of them would be difficult to be repaid hence financial institutions will report high rate of loan default.Those who will manage to pay might pay it over a long period so they shall pay it with more interest. Companies which have sold goods of on services will have to involve debt collectors who they have to pay commission which would be more than they had budgeted.Companies which are lying of staff are being involved in calculations of benefits and other payments dues. They will also need to recalculate expenses to be incurred based on the staffs that are left such as office expenses.The Australia government will loss on income tax and companies dealing with pension funds will pay more this financial year which would affect their books of accounts.If the government will not put on measures to lower the unemployment rate it shall affect accounting records of different economic sectors. The effects will be realized in this financial year and subsequent years depending on how different sectors shall be able to adapt.ReferencesThe Editor, 2009, Govt policies costing jobs, Available at http://www.wabusinessnews.com.au/en-story/1/71103/Govt-policies-costing-jobs-Turnbull

Jet Aircrafts and Aerospace Defence Equipments Essay

Jet Aircrafts and Aerospace Defence Equipments - Essay Example The market for aerospace and defense is highly influenced by other factors such as product development, product differentiation, technological innovations as well as the overall competitive environment. The market for commercial airlines and defense equipment is highly dominated by three major players – Boeing, EADS and Dassault Aviation. The Boeing Company, founded by William E Boeing in 1916, is a pioneer in the field of aerospace and defense materials. It is the world’s largest global manufacturer and supplier of commercial jetliners and military aircraft, catering to a wide range of markets including the supply of its defense products to the U.S and other allied armed forces across the world and is the second largest1 aerospace and defense contractor in the world. This is the largest business unit of Boeing so far and is mainly engaged in the process of unit designing and development and manufacturing of commercial jetliners. It boasts of a robust portfolio comprising of a range of products such as the 737 series, which has a seating capacity of up to 150 passengers, 747 series, which accommodates up to 566 passengers, 767 series with a capacity of 325 passengers, and 757 series up to 230 passengers. The company frequently introduces latest models in this segment and is currently working on the Dreamliner, which boasts of an impressive state of the art technology with an aim to provide ultimate ease in traveling to its customers. Boeing’s commercial aircraft sales play a major role in enhancing its brand value and popularity ultimately translating into increased profitability. The sale of defense products is highly dependent on external factors such as government support – in the form of subsidies, military budgets as well as the political environment. Boeing saw a substantial rise in the demands for its defense and space-related services in the wake of the Iraq war.  

Financial Accounting theory and issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Accounting theory and issues - Essay Example Besides from this, there are other methods that can be adapted by the company to meet the expectations of the external environment and one of them is to increase external accountability. The idea behind the concept of increasing external accountability is that organizations can enjoy a continued or higher degree of confidence (i.e. becomes more legitimate) from its external environment when it is more open to the scrutiny of the concerned external agents such as stakeholders and the government (Meyer 1979). To achieve this, they institute reforms in the organization’s accounting practices. The logic between legitimacy and reforms in accounting practices that we have just discussed has been analyzed by scholars and some of them have expressed rather pressing and legitimate concerns. Di Maggio and Powell (1983) argue that the need to project a positive image to achieve legitimacy give rise to inefficient reforms because the external environment may require conformity to symbolic elements that entails sacrifices in addressing technical requirements. The adoption and use of accounting practices perceived to enhance the organization’s appearance of rationality and efficiency may even be symbolic, mythical or ceremonial. (Tolbert and Zucker, 1983: Covaleski, Dirsmith and Samuel, 1996). In the words of Meyer and Rowan (1977, p. 341), the accounting structure trying to satiate the external environment would â€Å"dramatically reflect the myths of their institutional environment instead of the demands of their work activities". Empirical evidence of this resulting inefficiency abound especially those in the public sector. The study of Carpenter and Feroz (1992) suggests that the modification of accounting practices of government regulators who were keen to achieve legitimacy had improving actuarial accounting performance as a minor concern. This claim

Negotiations in the Euro Crises (main negotiations and decisions from Research Paper

Negotiations in the Euro Crises (main negotiations and decisions from the beginning until today) - Research Paper Example Countries such as Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Spain popularly known as the PIGS enjoyed cheap credit in the international capital markets. Moreover, the EU supported these countries by offering structural funds. Additionally, the countries borrowed heavily from the international capital markets. Although investments increased in the PIGS, there was eventual increase in housing prices. Additionally, the economies became less competitive. Consequently, the countries experienced financial crisis resulting from excessive debts. This essay focuses on the negotiations in the Euro Crises and the decisions made from the beginning of the crisis until today. The 2007 financial crisis, which affected other regions of the world, resulted in collapse of the global financial markets. In 2009, the crisis intensified with the worsening of the Greece debt situation. The crisis spread to involve political as well as economic crisis in the entire Eurozone. This has threatened the permanence of the E uropean Union. The challenges facing the Eurozone include increased credits and public deficits in some of the Eurozone countries, the destabilized European banking system, economic downturn, and persistent imbalances in the trading systems in the Eurozone. Additionally, the employment declined gradually in most countries in the Eurozone, especially the PIGS. ... Following this crisis, several meetings, and discussions were held amongst politician, scholars, and businesspersons across the world and especially in the Eurozone. The discussion and meetings aimed at analyzing the crisis and ways to resolve it and prevent such occurrence in the future. The crisis started with deterioration of financial systems in some of the nation in the Euro zone. This resulted in bailouts for countries such as Greece, which was the first nation to receive aid from International Monetary fund and the European Union. This was followed by bailouts for other countries such as Ireland. Moreover, more countries especially the weaker economies in Eurozone have continued to demand for bailout. However, some countries such as Greece and Ireland are facing challenges related to European economic as well as the monetary union (Cooper Web; Bastasin 20-25). One of the major causes of the extension of the crisis is the lack of interest by most EU members on the decision-maki ng processes. Moreover, most economies made decisions based on assumption. Some assumed that the Greek bonds were similar to German bonds in terms of riskiness. The assumption was grounded on the fact that Greek and Germany have similar currency. The assumptions affected the participants in the bond market who failed to understand the difference in competitiveness and internal politic of the different Euro zone countries and effect of such factors on the economy. However, this has changed and negotiation within the Eurozone has resulted in establishment of different interest rate charges for the different countries in the Euro Zone (Nelson, Belkin and Mix 1-5). In June,

Womens Traditional Roles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Womens Traditional Roles - Essay Example Women have played a major role in shaping and developing the society. They have demonstrated that without their influence a society cannot reach anywhere. They are vital to the development of the family and have important roles and responsibilities to fulfil. In the essay â€Å"I want a Wife†, Judy Brady tries to analyse the role of the women of the 1970’s and the responsibilities towards their husbands. This essay shall give out a brief of that writing as well as the author’s own opinions on the role and the duties of women towards their husbands as well as their families. In the essay the writer talks about how important it is for the woman to satisfy the sexual needs of the husband. It is of extreme concern that woman should be able to satisfy the sensual as well as the sexual wants and needs of the husband. The man expects his wife to be ready for making love at any time of the day, as he expects his wife to make him happy through these things. While the husb and is busy earning for the family being the bread earner, the role of the woman is more confined to the house and towards her husband and her children. The importance of wife as a cook who feeds her husband has been played out in the essay. Wife is indeed the source through which the husband gets his daily meals, and therefore her inputs are considered to be very important. She is the one who makes tasty meals so that her husband can have a good time eating meals and enjoy his food. She tries to satisfy the hunger of her husband by cooking delicious meals in order to win his heart as well.

Change Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Change Paper - Essay Example changes its overall strategy for success, adds or removes a major section or practice, and/or wants to change the very nature by which it operates† (McNamara, 2009). This paper briefly explains an event in which the organization and the personnel experience change and various steps taken for reaching the goal. I worked in an advertising agency for about 10 years in Dubai as a Production Manager. We failed to meet the deadlines quite often even though we had enough employees and facilities. We have handled reputed brands like PepsiCo, Coca Cola, Unilever, Reckit & Colman like famous international brands and for them timely delivery of goods with highest possible quality was a must. Even though we had increased our manpower and other facilities, still we were unable to meet the deadlines because of the negative passive attitudes of the workers. We decided to implement a complete change in our organization after a top level meeting. We have achieved major breakthroughs in the volume of production after the change was implemented. Workers started work hard to increase their productivity. The quality was never compromised at the expense of quantity. We have started to deliver goods well before the schedules which increased the trust of our clients and business has risen in huge proposition as we forced to open two more production units in Dubai itself. As a Production Manager, even though my responsibilities have increased, I enjoyed the work a lot because of the rewards given to me by the company. My organization promoted me as the General Manager of productions and has given three production managers under by control in order to look after the production matters of the three units we had in Dubai. Change was visible everywhere inside my organization. Workers avoided taking unnecessary leaves and they started to punch their cards well before the start of production. The reputation of the organization has increased a lot so that we started to get several

Wicked Environmental Problems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wicked Environmental Problems - Research Paper Example This mixture of water, sand, and chemicals will hold the fractures open and let the gas trapped inside seep back through the drilled holes to the surface. This process has the problem of the quantity of water and chemicals used. The process has its benefits in the clean fuel and economic growth. This paper will explain the negative impacts of the process and why the negative impacts are difficult to manage. Negative Environmental Impact Drilling in Allegany county of Marcellus Shale seems like a brilliant idea and an excellent opportunity that many people seek to explore. There are many flaws, however, associated with this renowned energy source. This paper only discusses the proven and documented problems. First, the focus is on the many gallons of water that will be utilized in the process. In the drilling process, to retrieve the gas, approximately four million gallons of water are required (Campbell and Laherrere 79). This water is harnessed form the nearby rivers and streams and is used until the whole process is completed. Some may say that this volume of water is insignificant compared to the average water from the municipal council that is used on a daily basis (Campbell and Laherrere 83). The water from the municipal council is used in homes and institutions, whereas the water used in the drilling process is said to be a consumptive water loss; this water does not return to the water cycle, and most of it remains deep in the ground for many years. Regulation measures should be provided to ensure that the demand for water is not as high as to debilitate the local waterways (Olsthoorn and Anna 23). Water is just one of the many ingredients of the drilling process. The second alarming concern lies in the many chemicals that are used for the effective retrieval of the gas and to hold open the cracks in the earth. These chemicals include benzene, kerosene, hydraulic acid neurotoxins, and many other dangerous chemicals (Harvey 90). For each drilling process, more than 15,000 gallons of these harmful chemicals are used. The chemicals are transported via large trucks to the drilling site where they are mixed with water. The procedure of mixing the two is risky – if a spill occurs even in small scale, the great concentration of the chemicals will have many devastating effects on human health and the environment. Small scale spills are a common occurrence and collectively these small spills have a large cumulative impact (Harvey 96). Handling and treatment of the waste water that is generated is the other problem that is associated with the drilling process. The current municipal water treatment facilities are not equipped to handle the chemicals (Marion 44). Proper treatment of the waste water is an expensive process, and, in most cases, the water is left to sit in man-made ponds, which pose significant threat to the human population in the area due to potential leaks and the wild animals that may wander into the exposed chemical p onds. Such infractions have been witnessed in the drilling processes in Pennsylvania (Marion 28). Environmentalists have claimed that the process of hydro-fracking is an extremely detrimental to the water supply and natural habitat. The process has become controversial and has received a lot of debate in the recent years (Cunningham and Mary 34). A significant amount of forestland loss and surface damage should be available for an area to undergo the process of hydro-fracking. The effect is elevated when there are multiple drill sits and an increased number of access roads. The environmentalists have argued that the process causes earthquakes and many explosions above the ground and is responsible for draining stream water, which is a precious resource in many places (Cunningham and

Unit 10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unit 10 - Essay Example It is also possible for women to make it to the professional level of the game thus breaking the stereotype that being a woman you can only be a spectator. Through a broader focus as well as access to quality education, these stereotypes are being broken. Thus through focusing on higher education, significant stereotypes can be done away with. Stereotypes are not mutable and therefore stereotypes applied to particular groups do not alter over time. This therefore means that we rarely change our stereotypes frequently. This is so even in the wake of disconfirming information; people often tend to cling to their obviously-wrong convictions If at all people can change their stereotypes, then they do so in 3 ways; Bookkeeping model-as people learn more contradictory information, they incrementally change the stereotype to align with the new information. Thus individuals usually need a lot of information for every incremental change. Secondly is the conversion model whereby individuals throw away old stereotypes and start all over again, frequently used when there is important disconfirming evidence. Thirdly is sub typing model which creates a stereotype that is new, mostly a sub-classification of the current stereotype (Rupert, 2010). Yes I have had an experience where someone applied a stereotype due to their interpretation of my skin color. I was on a tour in Africa and someone thought I am a Mexican and therefore asked much about Mexico. I had to kindly explain myself before they finally understood me and apologized profusely. Some of the authors discuss areas of misconception such as being mistaken for a waitress or a whore, for instance, in The Myth of the Latin Woman/Just Met a Girl Named Maria by Judith Ortiz Cofer gives several instances where she has been taken to be a waitress simply because she is Puerto Rican. She recounts another incident where a man blocked their way

English Language Teaching in Gulf Essay Example for Free

English Language Teaching in Gulf Essay Zafar Syed’s assertions about the TESOL challenges in Gulf are subjective reflection over the issue and he is unable to provide any verified or verifiable data and findings. He places all responsibility on the structural constraints i. e. contextual framework, human resource development, system and standards, and research and knowledge and paid less heed to other relevant and important dimension f the TESOL i. e. the constraints on the art of the students. He relies too much on the secondary sources but those secondary sources are also related to education and teaching general and has taken into consideration English language teaching particularly. To some extent citation of these secondary resources is relevant e. g. citation of Mograby to provides facts and figures about the unprecedented quantitative growth in education in UAE . (338) He then generalizes that this unprecedented growth has adverse effect on the teaching of Language. He describes that this unchecked growth impacted the planning and implementation of English teaching patterns and policies. (338) In the following paragraph, he is unable to support he preposition by any solid line of arguments, research study or verifiable facts and figures. He is unable to demonstrate that how this rapid growth in education industry has affected the teaching of language. It is more important to provide a socio-cultural context as well that deter or propel the teaching and learning of a language. He describes that â€Å"local students see no concrete link between English ability and communicative requirements†. Mr. Syed is correct in saying this as communicative important of any language in general and English language in particular is related to exposure of the students to other medium of communications. If the socio-cultural context is conservative and does not allow a student to participate in activities involving other communities and people, he will be unable to use his acquired language capacity and thus will consider it meaning less and futile. This will restrict English language teaching to academic activity only. But Mr. Syed does not provide why such perception is created and this issue can be tackled. The next constraint that Mr. Syed takes into account is human resource development. This part of the study is most powerful and relevant as Mr. syed evaluates the role of English language faculty development and describes an array of issues related to it. He rightly point out the important of the local Arab English language teachers. The pool of English language teachers in the whole region are comprised of various expatriates groups that do not possess enough knowledge â€Å"about the local socio-cultural communities and languages† (339). Syed accurately concludes hat this lack of knowledge about local socio-cultural context breed problems like teacher-students gap and this gap endangers effect English Language teaching. Foreign teachers are not well-capacitated to anticipate and delve deep into the socio-problems of the learners and hence can suggest remedies to these. Grammar Translation Method also requires an understanding of the local language and context in order to effectively implement this methodology. (Chastain, 1971. p. 131) Mr. Syed concludes that this ad-hocism in the hiring of contractual foreign faculty hinders the way to implement a more effective and locally suitable system as these temporary teachers are less motivated to make an in-depth evaluation of the system. Here r. Syed has recognized the sole cause of the problem that triggers a cause and effect phenomenon leading to the deterioration of the English Language teaching system in Gulf. Only a motivated and well-informed teachers can recognize the contextual important and shortcomings of language teaching and hence can formulate policies to reduce or eradicate these contextual barriers. Mr Syed has further taken in to consideration the systems and standards but he is unable to realize that only senior and seasoned English language teachers and professors can help designing and executing a viable system and standard for English language teaching. It is not something independent in itself. He emphasizes on the importance of research but it must be noted that research only come through established systems and qualified academia. So first there is dire need to develop faculty and establish a contextually modified system of instructions. This will ultimately lead the faculty to conduct research on appropriate issues pertaining to every facets of English language teaching. Despite various defects in his theoretical framework, he provides some excellent insights into Gulf English language teaching. In addition to his content, he had certain serious flaws in the style of his expression. He only comments on a specific issue briefly and then goes on to comment on another challenges faced by the English Language Teaching without elaborating the first one. The very first sentence of the study indicates that it has nothing to do with primary research as conducting interview of the ESL teachers to locate the challenges faced by them. Further, Syed has limited his study to UAE with a little reference to Saudi Arabia here and there. So this not only limits the scope of the study but indicates that relying on a particular country in the region, generalizations have been made about the whole region. Chastain, Kenneth. The Development of Modern Language Skills: Theory to Practice. Philadelphia: Center for Curriculum Development, 1971.

Dance as a Strategy for Social Inclusion

Dance as a Strategy for Social Inclusion All societies have some sort of division amongst themselves, whether based on race, religion, socioeconomic status, or some other criteria. Typically, those in the dominant group control the opportunities of those in other groups, more so in some communities than others (Levitas 1998). In overly simplistic terms, the degree to which individuals or non-dominant groups may and choose to join in the opportunities of the dominant society is called inclusion. The degree to which they are prevented or decline from joining in these opportunities is called exclusion. The terms social inclusion and its opposite, social exclusion, came into use in the 1970s in France, and have since been adopted by many countries in the EU (Reeves 2002). This study seeks to first define social inclusion and identify effective evaluation of social inclusion policy and programming. Alook at the historic role of dance as a means of social inclusion and exclusion is examined, with discussion of the roles of professional dance, dance instruction and performance, and social dance ininclusion. The study defines the requirements of dance projects intended as social inclusion tools to offer access, provision, accommodation, and empowerment. The results from such a program should include enhanced personal development, increased self-determination,and improved social unity. It is important to also consider the costto individuals participating in social inclusion activities, particularly how their changing thoughts, attitudes and goals affecttheir relationships with family and friends. The study concludes with six examples of well-run social inclusiondance programmes, and a plan for implementing a dance programme with a goal of increased social inclusion. In the examination of social inclusion or the effectiveness of aspecific tool in social inclusion, it is necessary to further definethe term. There is variation in the academic and political communitiesas to the focus and scope, not to mention purpose, of socialinclusion. Many disagree on the exact definition of inclusion andexclusion and appropriate models to describe their effect onindividuals and the community. For example, the United Nations holds that social inclusion â€Å"must bebased on respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, cultural and religious diversity, social justice and the special needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups, democratic participation andthe rule of law† (Britton and Casebourne, 2005). The European Social Fund defines social inclusion as â€Å"the development of capacity andopportunity to play a full role, not only in economic terms, but also in social, psychological and political terms† (Britton and Casebourne,2005). â€Å"Social inclusion is achieved when individuals or areas do not sufferfrom the negative effects of unemployment, poor skills, low income,poor housing, crime, bad health, family problems, limited to access toservices and rurality, e.g. remoteness, sparsity, isolation and highcosts,† according to the UK government (CESI 2005). The Laidlaw Foundation of Canada states, â€Å"social inclusion is about making surethat all children and adults are able to participate as valued, respected and contributing members of society,† while T.H. Marshall, inCitizenship and Social Class, bases the idea of social inclusion onâ€Å"the right to share to the full in the social heritage and to live thelife of a civilized being according to the standards prevailing insociety (Donnelly and Coakley, 2002; Marshall, 1950). There are even more definitions of social inclusion not listed here.However, some common elements included in most definitions aresubjective elements, such as feeling part of the community, respectedand valued, and physical elements, such as services within a reasonableproximity, or a certain level of material resources (CESI 2005). This study contends that social inclusion requires: †¢ Access allowing all members of a society entrance to and full participation in its opportunities †¢ Provision providing a mechanism for removing barriers betweenpeople groups in a society, including economic, language, and proximitybarriers †¢ Accommodation respecting and valuing the differences of itsmembers, whether physical, racial, economic, cultural, or otherwise †¢ Empowerment encouraging individuals and people groups within asociety to reach their full potential, as they define it, and fosteringtheir participation at all power levels Peter Donnelley and Jay Coakley support the above, in their report tothe Laidlaw Foundation, identifying five â€Å"cornerstones† of socialinclusion. First, all members of society must be recognized as having value. Individual differences must be respected, and necessary services provided for the entire community. Second, everyone has aright to development opportunities. This is most clearly seen inchildren; for example, recreation programs must be handicappedaccessible to allow for full participation. Third, non-dominantindividuals and groups should be involved in decisions effectingsociety in general and themselves in particular. An application of this would be senior citizens who suggest or plan their own activities,rather than simply participate in those created by paid communitystaff. Fourth, proximity is necessary for successful inclusion overtime. If the dominant group lives, works and plays in a differentlocation or one removed from m arginalised groups, social inclus ionactivities will be short-lived at best. Finally, inclusion requires the material resources necessary to truly participate (Donnelly andCoakley, 2002). A teen football player that is unable to afford theproper shoes will never be completely part of the team. Accordingly, successful social inclusion activity results in: †¢Personal development including self-esteem issues, skill attainment,creativity, and increased likelihood to participate in otheropportunities. †¢ Self-Determination in both decision-making and self-expression,for individuals and the community as a whole, with participants takinggreater responsibility over time for both the inclusion project andtheir own personal needs. †¢ Social unity improving relationships between members of the community and uniting people groups around common goals. The effectiveness of social inclusion activities and the achievement ofthe above results are often controlled by the political or leadershipmindset prevalent in the programme. It is important to note,therefore, that the above differ from the definitions set forth by theUK government. The government’s aims include â€Å"improved educationalachievement, increased employment prospects, improved health, reduced crime, and improved physical environment† (CESI 2005). Note that theserelate directly to economic concerns, with little consideration forpersonal development beyond the development as a worker, no mention ofself-determination at all, and no mention of social unity or cohesionbeyond a reduction in crime. Some local governments also take a strong economic focus. The Lancashire County Council defined social inclusion as something thatâ€Å"is to be achieved by involving the poorest of citizens so that theyexperience a rise in living standards, from which they are excluded atpresent due to a host of interrelated problems† (CESI 2005). This research supports the argument that social inclusion, while having a significant economic component, also involves the personal actionsand attitudes of individuals and people groups in a society. It is the opinion of this study, supported by numerous others, that the outlookand ownership in society of marginalised groups must first change forany true inclusion to take place. Ruth Levitas, in her book The Inclusive Society? Social Exclusion and New Labour, encapsulates the three primary models for addressing social inclusion. The first and most politically left model is there distributionist discourse, or RED. This model holds lack of materialresources to be the primary cause of exclusion. This leads to a callfor forced redistribution of material resources to achieve social inclusion. The amount of redistribution required for inclusion,however, particularly within a democratic or socialist society, isusually too much for the dominant group to bear. This channels deprived individuals and groups to reliance on â€Å"government handouts† and, ultimately, poverty in comparison to the dominant group. Thesociety practicing redistribution attempts to balance the needs of itsmarginalised citizens with the desires of those in power. This is adangerous game, as the resulting incomplete redistribution can lead tosoc ial unrest and economic difficulties for so ciety as a whole(Levitas 1998). The second model, the social integrationist discourse (SID), is the most centrist given today’s political climate. This model of inclusion focuses on equal access, opportunity, andparticipation in the labour market. The idea is that if marginalised people are given equal access to and participate equally in jobs and job training, they will become part of the greater society. Paid employment raises the standard of living or material resources, which allows them to participate in a wider range of society’s activities.Over time they integrate into the established society. The model presents the concept of community participation, or unpaid work, forthose unable to hold a paying position. This might apply to personswith severe handicaps, substance abuse issues, mental illness, or whoare the primary caregivers of young children or elderly parents. These persons should be encouraged to undertake volunteer opportunities inthe community, and thereby partici pate in society (Lev itas 1998). There are also obvious difficulties with this model. First, it ignoresthe many barriers that marginalised people face when seeking paidemployment, including language and cultural issues, and childcare forsingle parents. These can take many years to overcome, if they areovercome at all (Cook, K. 2004). The model also assumes the availability of jobs and job training, not a reality in our presentlabour market. With the concept of community participation, it isunclear how or where such unpaid work would take place, given thatthese are people who are â€Å"unwanted† by the paid employment sector. The third model, the moral underclass discourse (MUD), is the most politically right model. This assumes that marginalised people are not included in society because they choose not to participate (Levitas1998). According to this model, a young person from a deprived neighbourhood chooses to be poor and to pass by the job training or educational opportunities afforded to him by society. For social inclusion to be successful, these individuals and people groups mustchoose to participate in society. Proponents of this model oftenencourage punishment of some type to individuals who do not comply with programmes aimed at helping them, and rewards to those who comply. The moral underclass discourse overlooks the complexity of manymarginalised people’s situations. It fails to consider the pressureindividuals face from their culture groups, lack of role models andself-esteem issues, and personal resources to overcome initial barriersto societal participation. The model further fails to identify causesof non-participation. Any social inclusion activity should identify and target deprivedcommunities or people groups. In addition, an effective long-termprogramme will seek to address the causes of this deprivation, not justthe results of it. Effective solutions will value the input of thosefrom the deprived community and look at the situation from a holisticperspective (Britton and Casebourne 2005). This addressing of causesand empowering of marginalised peoples is not provided for in the moralunderclass discourse. The government currently pursues policy based on the socialintegrationist model, focusing on providing educational opportunitiesto children to prepare them for later job training, and vocationalopportunities to adults (Reeves 2002). Despite its flaws, it seems themost feasible means of delivery of social inclusion. SID supports theidea that effective inclusion goes beyond simple access issues.Non-dominant groups must be allowed to strive for their full potentialwithin society, raising their standards of participation and acceptanceuntil holistic involvement is achieved. Inclusion, as seen throughthis model, is â€Å"about closing physical, social, and economic distancesseparating people, rather than only eliminating boundaries or barriersbetween us and them† (Donnelly and Coakley 2002). While it is possiblefor individuals or groups to be included in some arenas and excluded inothers, this research assumes that inclusion in any for m contributesto inclusion holistically. True inclusion, however, goes beyond allowing those in non-dominantgroups to simply participate in the activities of the dominantsociety. They must choose to fully engage with the dominant group, andhave opportunity grow and develop to their full potential, andultimately have equal input into the decisions and actions of thesociety as a whole. Both the dominant group and the marginalisedgroups or individuals must work together for social inclusion tooccur. There are three levels of participation in inclusive situations betweenthe dominant group in a society and marginalised individuals andgroups: assimilation, accommodation, and separation. The type ofinteraction occurring is determined by the amount of change anindividual will undergo to fit into the dominant group or groups in asociety, and the willingness of the society to accept individuals orgroups with characteristics, means, or culture different from their own. Assimilation occurs when the dominant society chooses to allownon-dominant individuals and groups to adopt its activities, values,and culture, and non-dominant participants choose to adopt suchthings. Groups immigrating to North America historically valuedassimilation, and often neglected teaching their children the culture,traditions, and language of their native land. There was a great valueplaced on these second-generation immigrant children consideringthemselves â€Å"Canadian† or â€Å"American.† This à ¢â‚¬Å"melting pot† culturalmelding allowed immigrant children to quickly assimilate into thebroader culture, although often at the cost of many of their own uniqueattributes and traditions (Gamble and Gamble 2005). A more current example would be an immigrant Muslim woman whoenrolled in university. If this woman chose to adopt the dominantuniversity culture, she might abandon traditional head covering for ahat or hooded jumper. While continuing to dress modestly, she wouldwear clothing that did not distinguish her from her peers. Herinteractions would be in English. She might join clubs and participatein activities, study groups, and the like in a manner similar tonon-Muslim students, perhaps even dating in a manner typical ofuniversity women. If the other students, in general, accepted heractions, she would assimilate to their culture. If the same woman sought accommodation, rather than assimilation, shewould participate in the academic portions of university, but not tryto be like the other students. She would continue to wear whateverclothing she had worn prior to entering school. While required to speak English in the classroom, she would use hernative language often. She would abide by her religious guidelines asfar as interactions and activities were concerned. In short, she wouldbe a Muslim woman in a non-Muslim, British institution of highereducation. The university community would choose to accept her,cultural differences and all, or separate from her. Sometimes, however, inclusion is not achieved because the marginalisedgroups choose not to participate in society. This is calledseparation, and in this case the Muslim woman would not attenduniversity at all, choosing instead to stay within a community ofothers from her native country who share her religious beliefs. Shewould not make any effort to learn English or interact with thedominant society around her. The dominant society rarely makes aneffort to include individuals or groups choosing to self-separate, andsometimes encourages separation (Gamble and Gamble 2005). Successful inclusion, therefore, r equires a desire or willingness onthe parts of both the dominant society and the marginalised individualor group to join together in community. Society must accept theactions of the assimilating or accommodating person, and the personmust accept the boundaries and norms of society. Further defining social inclusion assumes a desire on the part ofmarginalised groups to join with the dominant society in theircommunity through either assimilation or accommodation. It is important to consider that some persons or groups self-excludebecause of past exclusion, or because of pressure to conform to theculture of their non-dominant group. Not all individuals from deprivedcircumstances are able to take opportunities when presented. Cultural,self-esteem, economic and other issues come into play. Dance should be considered in its use as a tool for social inclusion byfirst studying existing programmes and their effectiveness. Evaluatingthe successfulness of social inclusion programmes, particularly danceprogrammes, is difficult. Although great strides have been made inrecent years, most documentation of social inclusion success has beenwith activities focusing on other areas of the arts. Dance, as aphysical medium, is more difficult to empirically examine over time.While studies of dance tend toward feel-good stories and individualnarratives, several works of credible research have been conducted inrecent years. Evaluators also need to consider the type of dance activity they arestudying. For example, a ballroom dance class aimed atcross-generational integration and appreciation has a far differentpurpose than a performance dance programme aimed at increasing theself-confidence and empowerment of disadvantaged youth. Three types ofdance activities are used in reaching social i nclusion aims,performance dance, instructional dance (classes designed for skillattainment, recreation, or health more than public performance), andsocial dance. Research has been done primarily on the effectiveness ofthe first two types of dance, as they occur in controlled environmentslending themselves to analysis. Performance dance gives groups in the local community theopportunity to work and present their art collectively. This not onlybrings together groups from varied ages, cultures, and socioeconomicbackgrounds for a common purpose, it allows the community to view theirefforts, further reinforcing the inclusive nature of their endeavours(Donnelly and Coakley 2002). Often, professional dancers or communitymembers employed in some form of dance perform with the programme group. Performance dance programmes are typically evaluated by reactions ofparticipants and audience, fiscal results (including support documentedfrom the local community, and quality of performance (Reeves 2002).Participants and audience members are given surveys, indicating theirreaction to the programme and results of their participation. Thosesurveyed are asked about their outlook, goals, and perceptions prior tothe performance dance activity, and after. The number of peopleindicating positive life outcomes and the degr ee to which they reportpositive life outcomes can then be calculated and compared with similarprogrammes (Matarasso 1997). An arts programme for youth in Portsmouth brought togetherprofessional artists and local children, from infant to sixth form.They would work together in a workshop setting, then perform locally.One group of children, for example, worked with the Kokum dancecompany. In this programme, data was collected from the children’steachers, rather than the children themselves. Teachers were asked toevaluate specific items regarding each child’s behaviour, attitude, andperformance in the classroom, providing reliable data regarding benefitthe children derived from participation (Matarasso 1997). As many of these performance projects are funded wholly or in part bypublic funds, fiscal considerations come into play. Were members ofthe community willing to support the project by purchasing tickets?Was the project able to recoup some of its costs, and if so, how much?Francois Matarasso’s 1999 groundbreaking research, Use or Ornament?The social impact of participation in the art s, deals with the growingemphasis on economic contributions of the arts community to the overallfinancial health of communities and the country, and the importance ofthe arts as an export for the British economy. This is sometimes atconflict with the purposes of those initiating and operating danceprojects. However, as funding is required for most inclusionactivities, it remains an evaluative consideration (Matarasso 1997). Quality evaluations of performance dance activities aimed at socialinclusion are as controversial as reviews of dance performances ingeneral (Reed 1998). Consensus between those familiar with danceperformance, however, can be a useful tool in evaluation (Reeves2002). Instructional dance is even more focused on the life impact on itsparticipants. These programmes are typically held in dance schoolenvironments, often in connection with the local schools or a communitycentre, and often focus on children. The dance projects undertaken bythe Merseyside Dance Initiative’s Out of Reach programme areinstructional activities leading to performance. Research conducted byMDI on their dance programmes included survey, interviews, videos,photos, and letters, providing both empirical and subjective resultsfor these activities (Peerbhoy, Smith, and Birchall 2002). It is important to take into consideration the native languages andages of those surveyed in this type of research. Young childr en andthose for whom English is an additional language can have difficultywith written surveys. For example, Out of Reach, a report of danceinclusion programmes by the Merseyside Dance Initiative, describes howparticipants were surveyed using a Face Scale, showing seven facesgoing from broadly smiling to frowning. They were then asked toidentify the face that expressed how they felt about their life ingeneral. MDI also used a Cantrils Ladder, where participants ratedtheir life satisfaction by choosing a rung on the ladder to representit (Peerbhoy, Smith, and Birchall 2002). By using this surveytechnique before and after participation, MDI was able to quantifyparticipants’ views on their experience in their programmes. Thisallowed them to use the same survey for children and adults, regardlessof language backgrou nd. The Merseyside Dance Initiative researchers followed the above surveyswith oral interviews, including a series of questions for allparticipants, an additional que stion set for senior members of thedance programme, and a third set of questions inclusive of the firsttwo for dance leaders. These were open-ended, subjective questions,such as â€Å"What impact do you think Out of Reach has had on your group?†and â€Å"Out of Reach is a community project what does that mean to you?†(Peerbhoy, Smith, and Birchall 2002). Skill attainment is an important item of evaluation, in addition toself-esteem and similar benefits from an instructional dance activity.Skills can be measured by observation on the part of the instructor orclass leader, with data collected at the beginning and end of the classor activity. Again, results can be compared with similar programmes todetermine effectiveness, or used to project the effects of a project tobe implemented. Instructional Dance is not immune from financial considerations or thepolitical emphasis on jobs and job training in social inclusionprogrammes. The Enterprise and Cultural Committee’s submission fromthe Aberdeen City Council in 2004 included a number of such goals orachievements, including â€Å"the training and development of artists,contributing to the cultural and economic vibrancy of an area,†improved economics, â€Å"enhancing the image of Scotland both at home andabroad,† and â€Å"training for play workers, youth workers, and c areworkers to broaden their understanding and experience in utilisingdance as part of their programmes and everyday work.† Instructionaldance programmes, without performance revenues, tend to face even morevolatile financial situations, and are often offered in directcorrelation to funding availability (Aberdeen 2004). The third type of dance, social dance, is difficult to quantitativelyresearch. Social dance activities are usually offered by localorganisations and governments as recreational opportunities, withsocial inclusion aims a secondary consideration. The Aberdeen CityCouncil’s report, mentioned above, cited 1402 community dance eventsheld in 2003 / 2004 by their citymoves initiative. These eventsincluded festivals and dance events (Aberdeen 2004). While participants in a formal dance programme can be surveyed beforeand after their activity or class, this is impractical and, for thatmatter, almost impossible at a festival or public social dance type ofevent. Data can be collected on the number of attendees, any acts ofviolence or physical altercations between people groups, and similarstatistics. General observations made also be made about people’sparticipation and recorded, although subjective. Comparisons betweencommunity situations before and after a series of such progra mmes arealso often used. For example, did the juvenile crime rate andincidences of vandalism drop after the inception of a weekly youthsocial dance? Children in the community are also affected by participants in socialdance activities. They are quick to notice who attends and observe whoparticipates in what activities at a festival. The participation orlack thereof by certain groups within the community reinforces thechild’s perceptions of appropriate community interaction, laying thegroundwork for either tolerance and acceptance or bigotry and mistrust(Hanna 1983). This is an important component almost impossible tomeasure through research. Overall, the need for empirical and fact-based research remains strongfor dance activities, particularly those focused on broader goals suchas improving community social cohesion. Additional studies should beencouraged. Dance has historically reinforced distinctions between people groupsand social classes, particularly social dance. After all, social danceis usually between friends or romantic interests. There is stronginclination at all levels of society to fraternize in such settingswith members of one’s own social group. In much of Europe, for example, those of the upper levels of societyparticipated in court dances, while those at lower levels of societyparticipated in country-dances. The types of dances one learned andthe way one carried oneself at the festival, dance hall, or ballroom,quickly communicated the social level or class of that individual. Itis hard to imagine, even a hundred years ago, a duke or duchess lopingaround a typical country-dance, or the typical commoner being acceptedat a royal ball. To some extent dance remains so today, where a dress worn at formalballs of the wealthy can cost in excess of a working persons wages forsix months. The galas and events reported in the newspapers andmagazines are intended for and attended by the wealthy and theirfriends. By the same token, the patrons at a typical hip-hop club in adisadvantaged neighbourhood would exclude a clean-cut, obviouslywealthy man in business attire. There remains hesitancy between groupsto attend social functions on another group’s turf, or in a communitysignificantly different from one’s own. Many ethnic communities retain dances from their native cultures,accommodating rather than assimilating to the society around them. Ifthese dances are performed or taught to others in the community, thiscultural sharing can have a strong inclusive effect. However, ifnative dances are reserved by their cultural group to only those withinthe group, the practice of such dances becomes exclusive. Another type of exclusionary dance programme remains popular today.A number of communities offer dance activities for disadvantaged youth,or those recently released from incarceration, or a similarmarginalised group. By offering services only to one specific group,geographical area, or income level, these programmes may actually detersocial inclusion (Reeves 2002). Deprived neighbourhoods often lack thephysical facilities or funding necessary for dance activities, andindividuals from outside the community may be reluctant to venture in,fearing crime or similar deterrents. Therefore, while these activitiesare obviously designed to serve a specific population and often are ofpositive benefit, they neither allow access to all members of societynor remove barriers between people groups, and therefore cannot beconsidered truly inclusive. Dance also experiences a higher rate of self-exclusion than some otherart activities. Men are often wary about participating in a danceactivity, as dance is still considered unmanly in some cultural sets.Also, the physical expression necessary in dance is considered immodestor inappropriate by some cultural groups (Reed 1998). Matarassodescribes an art panel activity, the Mughal Tent Project, where womencreate embroidered art panels for public display (Matarasso 1997). Theprogramme serves primarily Muslim women residing in the Leicesterarea. Although there was initial resistance from some husbands,eventually most became supportive of their wives efforts, even watchingthe children so their wives could complete their art. It is unlikelythese husbands would be equally supporting if their wives wereparticipating in a public dance performance (Matarasso 1997)). New Life and Hope, a community centre serving a deprived area with ahigh number of recent immigrants in the Bronx, NY, USA, noted a similardifficulty with performance dance. Many of the people moving into thecommunity were from Middle Eastern areas, predominantly Muslim withsome Hindu. The centre initially offered several art programmes forchildren and adults, including painting, sculpture, music, theatre, anddance. Very few men participated in these activities. Women andchildren were quick to sign up for spots in painting, sculpture, andmusic, somewhat slower to engage in theatre opportunities, and onlyyounger female children enrolled in any dance offerings (Ortiz 2005). Significant promotion of the adult dance programme and changes to makeit more culturally sensitive, including dropping dress requirements,were not able to increase enrolments. Women attending other coursesoffered, when questioned why they did not participate in danceactivities, often cited disapproval from their families. It is unclearwhether discontinuing the public performance portion of the danceprogramme (all participants put on a programme for the public at theend of the course) would have made it more palatable to thispopulation, as it was apparently not implemented. Dance wasdiscontinued from the centre’s offerings after two years due to lack ofinterest (Ortiz 2005). Dance also has historical significance as a means of inclusion within acommunity. From the earliest tribal communities, dance has been a waythe group comes together and reaffirms its unity. Primitive culturesoften use dance as a means to build social cohesion, including adoptingnon-native individuals into their group and marking rites of passage,such as children coming of age or entering into marriage-typerelationships (Kaeppler 1978). Certain dances themselves have aided in social inclusion at severaltimes in the past. For example, in the early 1900s in the UnitedStates, African Americans introduced a dance called the Shimmy to thelocal Chicago nightclub scene. The dance began to be p

Starbucks International - Foreign Market Entry Strategy Essay -- GCSE

Starbucks International - Foreign Market Entry Strategy Starbucks International has gone beyond the normal philosophy of Starbucks, to create a re-birth of their product line in foreign countries. Typically in the United States, Starbucks owns its entire line of coffee-bar stores outright with no franchise investments or partnerships. However, their international operations are quite the opposite. Starbucks International has adopted a strategy of partnerships to create its line of international coffee-bar stores. These joint ventures create an increased ease of entry into the foreign market. Starbucks International choose to be involved with partnerships for the benefits these relationships offered over their typical wholly owned subsidiary philosophy. However, choosing the right partner, poses a potential problem for the company. Although Starbucks uses multiple lines of distribution to saturate to US coffee market, its international operations consist only of coffee-bar restaurants. Therefore, they only have one channel of distribution internationally. Through this, Starbucks had to choose a partner that would facilitate their creation and expansion of coffee bars in the international arena, specifically Asia and Japan their primary target. Starbucks developed a series of criteria to which they evaluated different potential partnerships in Japan and other foreign countries. First, they sought to implement the idea of ?partnership first, county second,? as a means of developing partnerships that focuses on the companies goals, and not the countries goals. Second Starbucks noted six additional criteria they used to narrow and conclude their partnership search. (1) They looked for companies with similar ideas a... ...common ground. With a more casual atmosphere, Starbucks offer patrons ample seating areas and dine in or carry out services. However, there was originally some worry about the profitability and future growth of the Italian-style coffees in Japan. Japanese had never been exposed to this type of coffee before, so the taste of espresso drinks was as foreign to them as the name Starbucks. However, Starbucks? managers were confident that Japan was ready to indulge in the fine taste of Italian espresso. All in all, the partnership between Sazaby and Starbucks provided a moderately high benefit for local adaptation. Starbucks plan of a partnership is the best choice for an entry strategy into the international market. Their increased insight into the market, and the other benefits provided by this relationship, will propel Starbucks International into the future.

The Scope of Woolf’s Feminism in A Room of One’s Own Essay -- Woolf A

The Scope of Woolf’s Feminism in A Room of One’s Own Missing Works Cited A highly contested statement on women and fiction, Virginia Woolf’s extended essay A Room of One’s Own has been repeatedly reviewed, critiqued, and analyzed since its publication in 1929. Arnold Bennett, an early twentieth-century novelist, and David Daiches, a literary critic who wrote an analysis entitled Virginia Woolf in 1942 (Murphy 247), were among those to attempt to extricate the themes and implications of Woolf’s complex essay. The two critics deal with the often-discussed feminist aspect of Woolf’s essay in interestingly different ways. Bennett states that Woolf’s essay is not a feminist work, rejects the idea that Woolf’s discussion of women and fiction may lean towards the political, and reduces the essay’s scope to a collection of musings on women and fiction. Daiches responds to A Room of One’s Own in the opposite way: he claims that Woolf’s work is feminist, and Woolf’s feminism emphasizes not only women and their relationship to fiction, but all people of genius who have not had an opportunity to use it because of their lack of money and privacy. While Bennett restricts the scope of the essay to a non- feminist, completely apolitical ideology and Daiches enlarges the scope to a wide, universal feminism, Woolf’s own intention in writing A Room of One’s Own may have actually been to create a work that lay somewhere in between these two extremes. In one of the earliest reviews of A Room of One’s Own, British novelist Arnold Bennett addressed the question of feminism in the essay and concluded that Woolf was not writing from a feminist perspective. â€Å"It is a book a little about men and a great deal about women. But it is no... ...ments do point out important limits on Woolf’s feminism. As Arnold Bennett says, Woolf’s concerns are not political; although our modern definition of feminism is wider than Bennett’s was, Woolf’s lack of political interest does certainly limit the scope of her feminism. David Daiches’s critique of the essay points out another important characteristic of Woolf’s feminist thought. Her feminism is not, as Daiches believes based in a â€Å"larger democratic feeling.† Woolf’s feminism is in actuality quite limited in tha t she only applies it to British, upper middleclass women writers. Virginia Woolf’s essay-which to Bennett seemed non- feminist and to Daiches seemed feminist- universalist-is, by our modern definition, feminist; however, the borders of culture, class, and profession that composed her frame of reference drastically limit the scope of Woolf’s feminism.

Socrates Essay -- essays research papers

Socrates believes that the everyday world is an illusion compared to the world of knowledge. People are often too distracted by money and materialistic things to appreciate truth and reality. Socrates says, â€Å"the capacity for knowledge is innate in each man’s mind.† This exemplifies the point that man has the ability to look into the world of truth, but when one is caught up in superficiality then truth does not receive the attention and glory that it should. This is why Socrates feels that the arts, such as poetry, should be censored; it would help decrease the digression of society’s intellect. In today’s world television and movies are complications that only hinder the thought processes in society.When people are consumed in the shallow world, they see reality as mere shadows compared to truth. Many times, violent images seen in movies will remain in a person’s mind. This obsession with violence and action takes away from concentration on â€Å"the good† and does not benefit society. â€Å"The bad† does not change when one is exposed to it, â€Å"the bad† changes the person. So, by limiting this exposure to violence one can focus on finding â€Å"the good.† â€Å"The good†, according to Socrates is â€Å"the source not only of the intelligibility of the objects of knowledge, but also of their being and reality.† When the mind is preoccupied with the desultory world, it does not see truth; that which is important and real. Television today is geared towards brainless viewing. MTV shows display fast images that do not require any thinking, but only keep the eye entertained. This is a form of â€Å"eye candy† which is society’s form of entertainment, rather than looking for the meaning of life and the good in the world. Viewers are sucked into this and no longer care about anything other than instant pleasure. Not all pleasure is considered good, and this type of instant pleasure is not. Pleasure should not be taken to the extreme, because it will then be unhealthy for the mind and the body. Socrates explains that the mind, body, and soul must all be in unison in order to be healthy, then happiness will ensue. Moderation is a key element to contentment and should be practiced in today’s society. Many people search for happiness by engulfing themselves in life’s highest pleasures, others look for contentment by over-working themselves to try and be the richest. However, these extremes w... ...tural, which is found in everyday occurrences. Society is changing everyday and movies are becoming more and more violent, as well as the crimes that occur today. The outlook on happiness is transforming to an extreme emphasis on money, and instant pleasure is becoming the one importance in life. Values are being demoralized and negative influences are being idolized. This is all done by the arts, because it is the one thing that is never definite or exact. Other aspects of life are definite, such as mathematical solutions and so forth. However, the arts are never definite because they come from the creative aspect of man. It is not absolute and can be interpreted in many different ways. However, by exposing society to the good in life, or assisting in exhibiting the real and unmasking true reality, the arts will display this and censorship will no longer be needed. It can only happen in a perfect society because man’s thoughts cannot be controlled, and although man is a product of society, there will always be exceptions to the rule. So, censorship will always be needed in today’s world because true reality can only be seen with a lucid mind and unison with the body and soul.

Love, Death and the Changing of the Seasons Essay

The majority of poems and sonnets we have read, starting back from the first sonnet to today’s modern writers. They can be said to describe as a moment’s monument. As they describe a time of hurt, happiness or a memory in that was once enjoyed that has been put into words. I am going to discuss the meaning behind, what a moment’s monument is. I am also going to find out between two sonnets, The Forge and Love deaths and the changing of the season. Weather they answer the question â€Å"the sonnet has been described as a moment’s monument’. What is the meaning of a moment, it can mean so many things. Mainly it is described as a setting to a time in someone’s life. A moment in time that has been remembered, it could be happy, sad moment or an event that you have remember such a wedding day. Putting it into a sonnet, it can be a moment of a lost one someone is explaining. A monument is a statue, gravestone or a piece of history that can act as a record or memory for someone. For an example a gravestone is a record of a person’s death and the time they spent alive, it’s their record for people who loved them and also a way of saying â€Å"I was here. The sonnet Love deaths and the changing of the season by Marilyn Hacker can be described as a moment’s monument. The speaker of the sonnet is speaking about herself and about a moment in her life. The moment in her life that she is talking about is her loss of a lover. She is explaining the pain she has to face with letting go. The monument is the record of the tears she cried over her loss of this lover who was once there with her. This is shown in line thirteen and fourteen when she says â€Å"I drank our one year out in brine instead of honey. These lines mean she is describing the one year as drinking brine which is salt water which would cause dehydration and then sickness and eventually death, she has nothing left. When she compares brine to honey it is showing us, her life has gone from something sweet like honey, to something bitter like brine. The monument which can also be linked in this sonnet is that the death of the lover, will give them a gravestone as the record. The structure of the sonnet consists of fourteen line . The rhyme pattern can be debated of being either an Italian sonnet which the pattern the lines are divided into eight and six or English/Shakespearean which consists of the lines of three quatrains and two couplets. If it is an Italian version sonnet can be broken down the first eight lines. The first eight lines are her explaining her wanting him back. Then lines nine to fourteen is her accepting his gone and letting him go. If it is an English version sonnet it can be read as line one to four is her pain. Line five to eight is he realizing his not coming back and line nine to fourteen is her bitterness of crying over her loss. Hacker’s sonnet also allows the reader to get a language image. Some examples of this is, when she says â€Å"flood gates. † This is meaning that she is opening up her heart and letting the grief pouring out. She also says of a â€Å"gift† he left her behind, which is her way of saying bitterly he has left her with nothing but tears. Another language image is â€Å"season,† also mentioned as part of the title and mentioned in the sonnet. This can be used as she also mentions in the sonnet â€Å"winter,† which is a cold and comfortless and empty season, meaning this is how she feels with only have memories now. The metre of the poem is the standard iambic pentameter, but it is used to a good strong effect for the read as it emphasizes the main words such as in line three â€Å"stomach ache, headache and heartache, which is a good effect. As is emphasizes on the main word ache, which is another word for pain. The sonnet The Forge by Seamus Heaney can be described as a moment’s monument. The speaker in the sonnet is speaking from observation, watching the Black smith it could be someone who regularly passes by or an apprentice working with the blacksmith. The moment in time which the person watching is describing is the Blacksmith in the Forge and his every day routine of making horse shoes. This is shown in line nine when it is said â€Å"where he expends himself in shape and music†, we know this as he references to the guy as ‘he’ not ‘I’. The monument within this sonnet could also be considered a moment the lines twelve and thirteen shows a good example when it says â€Å"recalls a clatter of hoofs where traffic is flashing in rows. Demonstrating it’s a memory that a moment in time that he recorded of when the streets where once surrounded with horse and remembering the sound of their shoes clattering on the roads, but now it is taken over by car and traffic lights. The structure of the sonnet is a fourteen line sonnet. The rhyme pattern of this sonnet is an Italian sonnet. The Italian sonnets are in the pattern of lines that are divided into eight and six. It can be put lines one to eight is the person watching the daily routine completed by the Blacksmith and him going about his everyday activities. Then line nine to fourteen is the person watching the Blacksmith reminisce on the past and then getting upset and returning to his work. The poem is the normal iambic pentameter, but it is used responsively, for a good outcome. For example in the very first line we already get words like dark, which is a powerful word on its own Both The Forge and Love, Death and the changing of the seasons are sonnets that are a moment’s monument. The both describe a moment in time. Weather it is a loss of a lover or a working day. They both describe a monument a memory, traffic replacing horses or the way he use to take her in his arms.

Network

Objective: 1. Provide knowledge of computer communications from user point of view in the context of local area network. 2. Explain the basic concepts of communications within Local Area Network with emphasis on access techniques and basic protocol. 3. Providing user services Assignment Overview: * This is an individual assignment * The student must produce a written report and must be submitted on the dateline * The student expected to present the assignment Question:You are a network engineer at a private office. You are required to produce a proposal to the upper management. in order to install a new network infrastructure for a new detachment of the office. You need to obtain the information as accurate as possible to the specification released by our superior. your work include of identifying router, gateway, bridge and switches according to the minimum specification given. Specification according to the proposed network devices: device| specification| outer| * Able to support f lexible and adaptive infrastructure * Support for layer 2 and layer 3 * IP/MPLS traffic engineering support * 8 copper GbE(10/100/1000)interface * Support 3G/4G * Support PoE,10GbE| gateway| * Simplifies sparing strategy for operators even they use variety of backhaul * Technologies (DSL, Ethernet, T1/E1 and so on) across their network. * Allow operators to choose clocking strategy of their choice: T1/E1, line timing or BITS. Transport ATM,TDM * Packet traffic over IP/MPLS| bridge| * 24 to 48 10/100/1000BAsE-T ports * Fixed panel Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) to support high speed backbone or link aggregation| switch| * Support level2 and level 3 * Throughput capability is more than 1. 28 Tbps * Port able to support from 1GbE to 10GbE| 1. By referring to the specification above, suggest and identify the type of network device that fulfilled the requirements as stated. 2. The hosen device need to be identified with its feature and the interoperability with the specification stated above. 3. Each of the features of the devices needs to be explained in terms of user perspective and the jargon should be carefully breakdown into concise description. 4. Include the picture of the devices in the report. 5. Explain the reason why you choose the particular network device and compare it with the specification. If the chosen network device do not met the requirements, please provide the appropriate justification.

Macbeth the Play

Throughout the play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth together demonstrate how ambition can turn a loyal soldier into a bloodthirsty murderer with his scheming and devious wife turning weak and disturbed as ambition slowly destroys her. Macbeth’s ambition to become king of Scotland turn’s him independent and ruthless. â€Å"The dead butcher and fiend-like queen†, is an accurate description as this is all they amount to. At the start of the play Macbeth is a loyal soldier returning from the civil war. The witches tell Macbeth that he will become Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland.The witch’s prophecies make Macbeth ambitious and tap into pre-existing ambition. Macbeth believes these prophecies as the first of his prophecies has been fulfilled. Afterwards the second prophecy is carried out. Immediately Macbeth thinks of murdering King Duncan so the third of his prophecies will be fulfilled even though he is horrified by the idea. Lady Macbethâ€⠄¢s greed makes her determined the third prophecy will come true. But believes Macbeth is not capable of murdering Duncan but will provoke him. When Lady Macbeth hears the news that that Duncan is coming to visit she believes it is the ideal opportunity to kill Duncan.Lady Macbeth calls on the spirits of darkness and evil to replace her nurturing and feminine qualities with remorseless cruelty. Macbeth is appalled of the thought of killing his king and can think of many reasons for not going ahead with the murder. So Lady Macbeth manipulates him by accusing him of being a coward and unmanly, until he agrees to proceed with the murder. Lady Macbeth presents her plan that when Duncan’s servants are asleep, he will enter Duncan’s chamber and kill him. Macbeth carries out this murder so the third prophecies will be fulfilled.It is demonstrated that ambition and greed can influence Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to commit murder and therefore the description, â€Å"The dead butc her and fiend-like queen,† is accurate as this is all they amount to. Macbeth’s ambition to become king was a large sacrifice as he becomes a blood-thirsty murderer. After killing the king he begins to turn into the â€Å"dead butcher†. As Macbeth’s ambition leads Macbeth into committing these horrendous murders. After killing the king he also kills Duncan’s servants to make it seem as if they killed the king and so no one would suspect him. â€Å"O, yet I do repent me of my fury, that I did kill them.†Act 2, Scene 3 (page 95) Macbeth claiming he killed the servants in rage however he killed them as they would of suspected him. Macbeth continues his heartless murders by hiring murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance as Macbeth becomes obsessed with Banquo’s prophecies that he will be, â€Å"Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. † Macbeth convinces the murderers that Banquo is there enemy and deserves to be killed. Macbeth promises the murderers that he will remove them from the general list and place them on the special list to move them from a low class of society and put them in the high class.Macbeth’s ambition to become king was a large sacrifice as he becomes a blood-thirsty murderer. After killing the king he begins to turn into the â€Å"dead butcher†. As Macbeth’s ambition leads Macbeth into committing these horrendous murders. After killing the king he also kills Duncan’s servants to make it seem as if they killed the king and so no one would suspect him. â€Å"O, yet I do repent me of my fury, that I did kill them. † Act 2, Scene 3 (page 95) Macbeth claiming he killed the servants in rage however he killed them as they would of suspected him.Macbeth continues his heartless murders by hiring murderers to kill Banquo and Fleance as Macbeth becomes obsessed with Banquo’s prophecies that he will be, â€Å"Lesser than Macbeth, and greater. † Macbeth convinces the murderers that Banquo is there enemy and deserves to be killed. Machbeth promises the murderers that he will remove them from the general list and place them on the special list to move them from a low class of society and put them in the high class. Macbeth finally kills Macduffs family to get revenge as Macduff portrayed him by refusing to attend his banquet and leaving for England to seek military assistance to attack Macbeth.It is demonstrated that after killing the King Macbeth begins turning into a bloodthirsty murderer and therefore the description â€Å"the dead butcher† is an accurate description as this is all Macbeth amounts to. At the start of the play Lady Macbeth is devious and scheming, as she is determined Macbeth will become King but in the end Lady Macbeth is destroyed by ambition and greed as it turns her insane. Initiatly Lady Macbeth spurs Macbeth on as she believes Macbeth is not capable of murdering Duncan. Lady Macbeth plans Duncan’s murder and manipulates Macbeth into going ahead with it.However after the murder of Duncan Lady Macbeth becomes weak. Lady Macbeth is suffering from troubled sleep, nightmares, and loss of appetite. But hides the distress. But later on her guilt overpowers her and a doctor is employed to watch her. Lady Macbeth is hugely disturbed as she obsessed with washing her hands to clean the blood she sees and smells, speaks vivid recreations of the murders, sleepwalks and talks in her sleep. â€Å"This disease is beyond my practice. † Act 5, Scene 1 (page 213) The doctor cannot cure the mental disturbance and warns them he suspects she is suicidal.Lady Macbeth later on dies. It is demonstrated that ambition and greed turned Lady Macbeth from scheming and devious to weak and disturbed. The description â€Å"fiend-like queen,† is an accurate description as this is all Lady Macbeth amounts to. After the king’s murder Macbeth begins on the path to becoming the â€Å"dead butcherâ € . Ambition has turned him independent and ruthless. But this ambition destroys him as he becomes paranoid about anyone overthrowing him. Macbeth makes plans independently for Banquo and Fleance to be murdered and refuses to give Lady Macbeth any details.†Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, till thou appalled the deed.† Act 3, Scene 2 (page 129) Macbeth sends a third murderer to kill Banquo and Fleance as he no longer trusts anyone. Macbeth goes back to see the witches independently and demands that they answer his questions. The witches tell Macbeth to beware of Macduff; that he will not be killed of anyone born of woman; and he will be defeated only when the trees of Birnam wood move towards his castle. Macbeth decides to murder Macduff’s family to seek revenge as he has left for England.However soon after he becomes paranoid about anyone defeating him but the prophecies reassure him although everyone has deserted him. Macbeth’s arrogance con vinces him that he cannot be killed. However in the end Macduff explains that technically he was not born a woman as he was a caesarian. Macbeth realizes he is defeated but shows bravery as he refuses to surrender and will fight to his death. â€Å"Lay on, Macduff; And damn’d be him that first cries ‘Hold, enough! † Act 5, Scene 8 (page 249) It is demonstrated that Macbeth’s ambition to become king of Scotland turn’s him independent and ruthless.But this ambition destroys him as he becomes paranoid about anyone overthrowing him. â€Å"The dead butcher†, is an accurate description as this is all he amounts to. Together the Macbeth’s illustrate how ambition can a loyal soldier into a bloodthirsty murderer with his scheming and devious wife turning weak and disturbed as ambition slowly destroys her. Macbeth’s ambition to become king of Scotland turn’s him independent and ruthless. But in the end it is ambition destroys them both. â€Å"The dead butcher and fiend-like queen†, is an accurate description of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as this is all they ever amount to.

“A Peace to end All Peace”: The Treaty of Versailles Essay

Recently, historian David Fromkin wrote a book about the Treaty of Versailles, arguing that it was ‘A Peace to end All Peace,’ hence its title. This is so all the Treaty really offered was only an amicable, short-term, settlement between the warring powers that placed Germany in a disadvantageous position. Eventually, this resulted to a sentiment of retribution among the Germans, which backed the rise of Hitler and the start of another World War. How was the Treaty of Versailles flawed? Below are several aspects for discussion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First are the military aspects of the treaty. â€Å"Germany’s army was reduced to 100,000 men; the army was not allowed tanks. She was not allowed an air force. She was allowed only 6 capital naval ships† (Trueman, n.d.). However, this happened â€Å"only in paper† a Germany â€Å"side-stepped† the rule and signed her soldiers only for a short contract of service (ibid.). Once the contract is done, she put the soldiers in reserve, successfully carrying out the term of having no more than 100,000 soldiers at any one time, while still having a substantial amount of reserve troops that helped Hitler rise later (ibid.). Also, although Germany was not allowed an air force, she trained potential pilots, as well as submariners, abroad (ibid.). This did not break the treaty as there were no provisions regarding it in the first place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Second are the financial and territorial aspects of the treaty. Germany was demanded to cede all of its colonies, to pay financial penalties linked to war destruction, and to not unite with Austria all at the same time (Trueman, n.d.). The Treaty also â€Å"provided for the delivery of capital goods and raw materials to the Allies† (Sage, 2006). To the Germans, these terms offered them severe economic restrictions with possibly no chance of rehabilitation. Nonetheless, â€Å"Germany was still the strongest power in Europe economically, so that the unwise thing about Versailles was that it annoyed the Germans yet did not render them too weak to retaliate† (Lowe, 1982). Third and most importantly are the political aspects of the treaty. Germany was not even included, much more consulted, in its drafting. She was left all alone, with even the membership to the League of Nations banned against her. Most importantly, she was even made to admit â€Å"full responsibility for starting the war† – a term explicitly written in Clause 231 of the treaty, the War Guilt Clause (Trueman, n.d.). With her admitting full responsibility, she had to pay for reparations, which are well beyond her ability to pay. The Allies literally pushed Germany to the ground when they made her sign a blank cheque for the reparations, â€Å"which the Allies would cash when it suited them† (ibid.). Again and again, Germany’s opinion was never asked nor even heard of while the treaty was drafted until it was carried out. The most the Allies did was to convince her that she will be consulted after the Armistice in November 1918 (ibid.). The Germans did not like the treaty forced on them. But as the war had rendered them incapable of starting another war, they had no choice but to sign it, lest they be invaded by the Allies. At the end, Germany was the victim. The supposed victims, i.e. the Allies, emerged as victors as the terms of the Treaty worked greatly to their advantage, leaving Germany bruised and battered more than ever. However, some scholars would argue that the treaty was not that bad after all. For instance, Jaron Sandy (1999) believed that it was the â€Å"best compromise possible,† though it â€Å"was certainly not the best one could hope for.† He agrees that it was â€Å"comprehensively harsh† on Germany, but it did not fail as a solution for peace, because there was a â€Å"period of relative stability† in Europe from 1924 to 1931. But considering the discussions above, the Treaty of Versailles was proven to be a â€Å"Peace to end all Peace.† Some scholars would even say it â€Å"was no peace treaty† at all, but just â€Å"an indictment of Germany† (Sage, 2006). All it left was â€Å"a mood of anger throughout Germany as it was felt that as a nation Germany had been unfairly treated†(Trueman, n.d.). REFERENCES: Lowe, N. (1982). Mastering Modern World History (excerpt). Retrieved July 14, 2008 from http://www.johndclare.net/peace_treaties1_Answer.htm Sage, HJ. (2006). Versailles 1919. Retrieved July 14, 2008 from http://www.sagehistory.net/worldwar1/topics/versailles.htm Sandy, J. (1999). Personal Conclusions about the Treaty of Versailles and Its Effects (excerpt). Retrieved July 14, 2008 from http://www.johndclare.net/peace_treaties1_Answer.htm Trueman, C. (n.d.). The Treaty of Versailles. Retrieved July 14, 2008 from: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/treaty_of_versailles.htm

Lab report about metabolic syndrome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Lab report about metabolic syndrome - Essay Example They are catalase, Glutathione peroxidase I , superoxide dismutase and thioredoxin. These antioxidants play an important role in the reduction of the elevated fatty acid level and help the patients to maintain the cholesterol level. Many genes are responsible for the regulation of oxidation in the cells. Glutathione peroxidase I is one of the major antioxidant enzyme. S...... The individual components of Metabolic Syndrome cluster together and this clustering increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The main root cause for this disease is linked to the poor eating habit and the sedentary life style of the people. The presence of common genetic variants can increase the susceptibility to Metabolic Syndrome. Complex gene environment interactions are also found to be associated with the Metabolic Syndrome. (Bryne and Wild 2011). Family history is the main reason for the Metabolic Syndrome prevalence in the childhood. The genes responsible for the maintenance of many cell functions play an important role for the syndrome. Insulin resistance is found to be present in the children suffering from the Metabolic Syndrome. Lipid deposition in the insulin responsive tissues is the main reason for the metabolic effects of the insulin. The hepatic fat accumulation is strongly associated with the obesity and the hepatic resistance, thereby affecting t he glucose metabolism. Background and analysis Insulin resistance is nothing but the abnormal response shown for the normal level of insulin production. Insulin resistance is further classified based on the resistance to the metabolic effects of the insulin with suppressed effect of insulin on the endogenous glucose production and peripheral glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis. Before undergoing fasting the hyperinsulinemia condition develops. Along with the increasing plasma insulin concentration, the increase of the risk factors can be found. Insulin resistance is second to the insulin resistance for the Metabolic Syndrome next to obesity. The insulin resistance factors are free fatty acids, adipocytokines, pro- inflammatory mediators and genetic factors. Insulin resistance is a

Management Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management Questions - Essay Example Concentration is a unit of summary measures that connects proportion with numbers. Regardless of the knowledge on customer's risks of individuals with high accuracy degree or knowledge on the relationship between customers' risks a reduced concentration will lead to an overall reduction on the organizations credit risk exposure and its range of receivables thus increasing the firm's diversification The management should be deeply concerned in overcoming initial pitfalls and in provision of the finances required in the export process. These he can do by closely monitoring the efforts towards international marketing. The management should seek export guidance from qualified personnel which will assist them in developing a good marketing strategy prior to the start of the export business. The developed strategy should incorporate the export objectives plus expected 'negatives'. The management should be extra cautious when selecting distributors from overseas. Best distributors are those who are very independent in their work. However, the international distributors should be given the same treatment as the domestic counterparts with much emphasis on orderly growth and profitable ventures. The management should never hold assumptions that given product marketing techniques will obviously succeed in all countries i.e. what works in Israel may fail in Korea. It is therefore important for the management to treat each market separately in order to succeed. Since each country has a different culture and therefore a different cultural preference the management should have the willingness to modify their products so as to meet the said differences. The management should take advantage of economies of scale. This can be made possible through the enlargement of the overall sales base so as to spread the exports fixed costs. Question five The management might be required to divert its key personnel from the domestic responsibilities so as they can help in developing the company's export procedures. The initial procedures and start-up decisions might end up consuming most of the company's precious time a thing that will slow its operations. The whole excise might turn out to be very expensive since the sales promotion material, brochures and catalogues will be required to be translated in the many foreign languages involved in the exporting business. Together with these the company might need to add its plant facilities so as to cope with the now expanding market. Export will definitely require additional funds because it is known to be a very expensive exercise which involves regular product modifications so as to meet the varying specifications of the foreign markets. The management will be required to allow credit terms so as to keep pace with the highly competitive global market, the local customs authority and the travel arrangements. Question six Where transportation means are not available the company will make low sales. Also when the transportation costs are too high the company will be constrained on the amount to

Mann Ltd Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mann Ltd - Coursework Example This is supported by the above given ratios. Return on capital employed has dropped to 19.8% in 2010 as compared to 31% in 2009. This downward shift is attributed to a sharp descent in net profits. The rise in assets has failed to show an increase in income of the company. Sales of the company has shown an increase but factors associated with sales like operating profit margin and gross profit margin has shown an inverse trend. Operating profit margin has declined from 19.8% in 2010 to 13.9% in 2010. Adding to the misery is declining gross profit margins, a substantial decline from 42% in 2009 to 37.5% in 2010. Sales figure has shown an increase but the company has failed to maintain gross and operating profit margin due to increasing costs. Company’s liquidity position has shown a slight decline from 2009. Current asset ratio has dropped from 4.8 times in 2009 to 4.6 times in 2010. The company’s liquidity in terms of current asset ratio is appropriate and should do wel l in years to come. However, acid tests shows a sharp decline. It has dropped to 3.6 in 2010 in comparison to 4.2 in the previous year. This is due to a disproportionate increase in current asset and liabilities. Furthermore, inventory holds a major share in the current asset in 2010.Trade settlement period is of particular interest to a manager in Mann Ltd. The time period has deteriorated in the current year. High volumes of sales have been on credit in the recent year, which is evident figures that have grown from 306 in 2009 to 468 in 2010.

Bank regulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Bank regulation - Essay Example Additionally, there was a lack of appreciation of the magnitude and complexity of the workings relating to large financial institutions and trading banks with respect to those financial institutions that had more than one jurisdictions coupled with the difficult associated in dealing with the problem (Kawai 2013). There was also insufficient oversight of the derivative markets and a lack of clear visibility towards the magnitude of the linkages between the shadow and regulated banking sectors and the financial institutions. Banks are tasked with regulating money supply via the directive of the central bank. Some of the roles of banks include crating money, being the principle allocator of credit funds available to the public, they act as the managers of a country’s payment system and they are the depositories of the public in matters relating their financial savings (Connor 2005). The bank’s regulatory role is divided into three functions which include controlling the supply of money in the economy, meliorating matters regarding equity and efficiency of intermediation of finances and preventing systematic risk. The measures undertaken to regulate banks are because banks need to be streamlined in order to prevent them from using short term strategies to increase their returns and also to prevent firms from adopting bad behaviors that are against the moral code of conduct (Kolb 2011). The regulations also aid customers to develop a degree of confidence and comfort which can only be facilita ted by the institution of the regulatory measures. Three have been a wide variety of measures instituted globally in order to address regulatory reform to deal with the shortcomings highlighted by the effects of the global financial crisis. The main aim of the reform platform has been to find an optimum point where productive risks that are responsible for

Human Resource Law - Scenario Two Research Paper

Human Resource Law - Scenario Two - Research Paper Example Secondly, the dismissal process should be implemented as soon as possible, as delaying the process may lead to the development of resentment among the employees, which is not good for the business. It should also be noted that firing 3 out of 8 employees will be discharging 37.5 percent of the workforce. Based on the provisions of the US department of labor, discharging more than 33 percent of the employees should come after a 60 days’ on-paper notice to the affected employees. Therefore, this implies that the firm must meet this condition – so as to avoid legal action. From serving them with the notice, the firm will avoid suits for unemployment benefits (American Bar Association, 2006). The evaluation of the employees to be discharged should also involve a review of the personnel memoranda and the policy manual, to ensure that any vague assurances or promises are eliminated. In the area of defining specific cause for discharge, disclaimers should be placed to reaffirm that even if the expected standards are not met, continued employment will be ‘at will’ and termination can be done without cause (American Bar Association, 2006). ... The employees to be discharged The first one is Diane. Her cause for discharge will be her minor attendance problems – which she attributes to the sickness of children or other personal matters. However, it is expected that she may file a lawsuit seeking to get unemployment benefits and compensation after dismissal. Following the suit, the firm should present all information on prior warnings, applicable statements and witness statements. Through presenting this information, it will be proved that she violated the policies on lateness and that according to the employment agreement, she signed against the offense – especially in the case of repeat offenses (Barmby, Orme, & Treble, 1991). However, it should be noted that the grounds for firing her are not gross enough to warrant her refusal to unemployment benefits. What she would need to prove, so as to win the case of discrimination, would include that she served the company for more than five years, and that no other o ffense could be traced from her record. From proving that her actions did not amount to gross misconduct, which injures the interests of the company substantially, she can win the case. The company can increase its chances of winning the case, by offering her a 60-day notice before firing her; or offer her warnings, which if she defies, they can now prove that she violated the warnings (American Bar Association, 2006). The second employee to be fired is Greg. The grounds for firing him include that his absence at work on Saturdays and Sundays has caused a burden to the firm and other employees, which constitutes minimal burden over the business of the employer. Following his absence on weekends, the firm has had to make reasonable changes to the work environment, especially