St Patricks

One of Skrzynecki’s main focuses in ‘St Patrick’s College’ is the disconnections from the environment. The imagery of ‘Our Lady watched with outstretched arms’ conveys a sense on welcoming and inclusion. However, the ‘Lady’ image is ‘overshadowed by clouds’ and this is symbolises the persona’s insecurities and doubts for the institution. The persona’s disconnections are further reinforced by the irony of ‘I stuck pine needles into the motto. ’ The motto represents the core values of the school and the persona is desecrating these ideas. This highlights the persona’s disrespect for the school and his lack of immediate adoption of the school’s ideals. Thus, the persona is alienated and a sense of acceptance is not developed within the institution. Through the simile ‘like a foreign tourist’, Skrzynecki portrays the persona’s disaffection for the school. The diction ‘tourist’ suggests that the persona is an outsider and a connection to place has not yet been developed. This idea is further reinforced by the repetition of ‘8 years’ which emphasises the persona’s lack of acceptance. It indicates that his school time has appeared long to him, indicating a lack of interest due to his alienation. The personal pronoun of ‘I’ strengthens the idea of the personas alienation, illustrating his sense of loneliness. Consequently, through the stanza’s tone of disaffection it evokes within the responders empathy for the persona’s dislocation and alienation from the physical environment. The irony of ‘privileged to wear’ represents the impediment of the individual’s progress. The persona is carrying a burden of responsibilities and expectations set by his mum and the school itself. Although he did not feel accepted in the institution he tried to assimilate with the others around him as shown by ‘Could say The Lord’s Prayer In Latin, all in one breath’. This conveys his insincerity in the prayer and that his religious understanding is only superficial. Hence, the persona has no meaningful connection to the process of learning the values and the whole schooling experience.

Globe Telecom Paper Essay

Corporate History Globe Telecom has firmly imbibed itself into the hearts and minds of more than twenty six million subscribers. It has been there in every way for its customers, in building relationships, at work, communicating and reaching out. Inasmuch as Filipinos love to communicate, Globe has been a reliable partner, ready to provide the most convenient and affordable service as possible. For 83 years, Globe has lived up to its reputation of innovation leader – from the moment it introduced the first SMS or text messaging service in the country, and today’s introduction of the first personalized postpaid plans. Globe has been a pioneer in many ways; each new beginning is a testament of its commitment to serving its customers better. In 1928, Congress passed Act No. 3495 granting the Robert Dollar Company, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of California, a franchise to operate wireless long distance message services in the Philippines. Subsequently, Congress passed Act No. 4150 in 1934 to transfer the franchise and privileges of the Robert Dollar Company to Globe Wireless Limited which was incorporated in the Philippines on 15 January 1935. Globe Wireless Limited was later renamed as Globe-Mackay Cable and Radio Corporation (â€Å"Globe-Mackay†). Through Republic Act (â€Å"RA†) 4630 enacted in 1965 by Congress, its franchise was further expanded to allow it to operate international communications systems. Globe-Mackay was granted a new franchise in 1980 by Batasan Pambansa under Batas Pambansa 95. In 1974, Globe-Mackay sold 60% of its stock to Ayala Corporation, local investors and its employees. It offered its shares to the public on 11 August 1975. In 1992, Globe-Mackay merged with Clavecilla Radio Corporation, a domestic telecommunications pioneer, to form GMCR, Inc. (â€Å"GMCR†). The merger gave GMCR the capability to provide all forms of telecommunications to address the international and domestic requirements of its customers. GMCR was subsequently renamed Globe Telecom, Inc. (â€Å"Globe†). Fast Forward It was a monumental partnership in 1993, with then President Fidel V. Ramos as witness to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Ayala Corporation and Singapore Telecom, Inc. (STI), wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel), was formalized, that created a formidable Globe Telecom. During the year, Globe Telecom was catapulted to the status of a giant in the telecommunications industry, and awarded an initial US $30 million supply contract. Since then, Globe Telecom has revolutionized the way Filipinos connect and communicate with the launch of the Globe Handy phone, the country’s first fully digital CMTS (Cellular Mobile Telephone System) using the GSM (Global Systems for Mobile) communications network. It obtained its provisional authority (PA) for International Gateway Facility (IGF) operations and rolled out its fixed telephone service and international direct dial (IDD) services in designated areas. Within a couple of years, Gl obe launched its G-Net service in 1995 to become the first Philippine telecoms carrier to offer internet access. Thereafter, Globe went into acquisition (Islacom) and interconnection agreements with other telecom carriers to boost its network and services. In 2000, Globe joined C2C Cable Network, a fiber-optic submarine cable project in the Asia Pacific region. The following year, Globe inaugurated its first cable landing station and backhaul facility in Nasugbu, Batangas. By 2004, Globe launched the GCASH, a breakthrough in mobile commerce and e payments. In 2009, Globe inaugurated its second landing station in Ballesteros, Cagayan. It also reinforced its best network connectivity with the TGN-Intra Asia Cable System and the first in the country to launch worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX). A breakthrough in mobile and landline service for postpaid subscribers in Metro Manila and Cebu called DUO was introduced. This was later on offered to small and medium enterprise (SME) clients, fulfilling the need for additional business lines at a cheaper cost. Globe also introduced the BlackBerry ® lifestyle to the Philippine market with the BlackBerry ® Storm, powered by Globe Personal BlackBerry ® Plans. Globe was granted the preferential selling rights to the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. This partnership with Appleâ„ ¢ was reinforced in 2010 with the launch of the iPhone 4. Globe Telecom and Visa were recognized as the first two founding partners of the Mobile Money Exchange at the GSMA Annual Mobile Money Summit in Barcelona. Globe Data Center achieved an ISO 27001:2005 certification for having met the Information Security Management System (ISMS) standard. It also received an ISO 9001:2008 certification upgrade for meeting the Quality Management System standard. Boosting its network further, Globe participated in the new Southeast Asia Japan Cable (SJC) System, the highest capacity system in the world that links Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines and Japan. The company achieved another first by having its Globe Carrier Ethernet offerings certified by the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) according to MEF 9 service-provider specifications. Globe also rolled out its second fiber optic backbone network (FOBN2), a high capacity transmission system that spans over 1,900 kilometers of inland and submarine cable, covering most areas of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Overview Globe Telecom, Inc. is a major provider of telecommunications services in the Philippines, supported by over 5,700 employees and over 786,000 retailers, distributors, suppliers, and business partners nationwide. The Company operates one of the largest and most technologically-advanced mobile, fixed line and broadband networks in the country, providing reliable, superior communications services to individual customers, small and medium-sized businesses, and corporate and enterprise clients. Globe currently has over 29 million mobile subscribers, over 1,363,000 broadband customers, and over 666,000 landline subscribers. Globe is also one of the largest and most profitable companies in the country, and has been consistently recognized both locally and internationally for its corporate governance practices. It is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GLO and had a market capitalization of US$2.7 billion as of the end of September 2011. The Company’s principal shareholders are Ayala Corporation and Singapore Telecom, both industry leaders in their respective countries. Aside from providing financial support, this partnership has created various synergies and has enabled the sharing of best practices in the areas of purchasing, technical operations, and marketing, among others. Globe is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen. Globe BridgeCom, the company’s umbrella corporate social responsibility program, leads and supports various initiatives that (1) promote education and raise the level of computer literacy in the country, (2) support entrepreneurship and micro-enterprise development particularly in the countryside, and (3) ensures sustainable development through protection of the environment and excellence in operations. Since its inception in 2003, Globe BridgeCom has made a positive impact on the lives of thousands of public elementary and high school students, teachers, community leaders, and micro-entrepreneurs throughout the country. For its efforts, Globe BridgeCom has been recognized and conferred several awards and citations by various Philippine and international organizations. The Globe Group is composed of the following companies: †¢ Globe Telecom, Inc. (Globe) provides mobile telecommunications services; †¢ Innove Communications Inc. (Innove), a wholly-owned subsidiary, provides fixed line telecommunications and broadband services, high-speed internet and private data networks for enterprise clients, services for internal applications, internet protocol based solutions and multimedia content delivery; †¢ G-Xchange, Inc. (GXI), a wholly-owned subsidiary, provides mobile commerce services under the GCash brand; †¢ Entertainment Gateway Group Corp. and EGGstreme (Hong Kong) Limited (EHL) (collectively referred here as EGG Group), provide digital media content and applications; and †¢ GTI Business Holdings, Inc. (GTI), a wholly-owned subsidiary, is an investment company with authority to provide VOIP services. The Company is a grantee of various authorizations and licenses from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) as follows: (1) license to offer and operate facsimile, other traditional voice and data services and domestic line service using Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) technology; (2) license for inter-exchange services; and (3) Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for: (a) international digital gateway facility (IGF) in Metro Manila, (b) nationwide digital cellular mobile telephone system under the GSM standard (CMTS-GSM), (c) nationwide local exchange carrier (LEC) services after being granted a provisional authority in June 2005, and (d) international cable landing stations located in Nasugbu, Batangas and Ballesteros, Cagayan. Globe is organized along three key customer facing units (CFUs) tasked to focus on the integrated mobile and fixed line needs of specific market segments. The Company has a Consumer CFU with dedicated marketing and sales groups to address the needs of retail customers, and a Business CFU (Globe Business) focused on the needs of big and small businesses. Globe Business provides end-to-end mobile and fixed line solutions and is equipped with its own technical and customer relationship teams to serve the requirements of its client base. Beginning 2011, Globe organized an International Business Group to serve the voice and roaming needs of overseas Filipinos, whether transient or permanent. It also allows the Company to leverage product portfolio on regional and global opportunities. Business Segments Mobile Business Globe provides digital mobile communication services nationwide using a fully digital network based on the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) technology. It provides voice, data and value-added services to its mobile subscribers through three major brands: Globe Postpaid, Globe Prepaid and TM. Globe Postpaid includes all postpaid plans such as regular G-Plans, consumable G-Flex Plans, Load Allowance Plans, Load Tipid, Apple TM iPhone 3G plans and high-end Platinum Plans. In 2010, the Company further expanded its postpaid offerings to include MY SUPERPLAN and MY FULLY LOADED PLAN which allow subscribers to personalize their plans, choose and combine various unlimited call, text and web browsing service options. In addition to these personalized plans, Globe has made available various add-on roaming and mobile browsing plans to cater to the needs of its subscribers. In 2011, Globe consolidated its personalized and customizable plan service with the launch of the All New My Super Plan where subscribers are given the flexibility to create their own plans by either subscribing to an All-Unlimited Plan or an All-Consumable Plan. Subscribers also get the chance to design their plans based on their usage by selecting the freebies and add-on services that would come with their subscriptions. To further enhance their experience, subscribers are allowed to change the freebies and add-on services monthly. Globe Prepaid and TM are the prepaid brands of Globe. Globe Prepaid is targeted towards the adult, mainstream market. Its unique brand proposition revolves around its innovative product and service offerings, superior customer service, and Globe’s â€Å"world widest† services and global network reach. TM, on the other hand, caters to the value-conscious segment of the market. In addition to digital wireless communications, Globe also offers mobile payments and remittance services under the GCash brand. GCash is an internationally acclaimed micro payment service that transforms a mobile phone into a virtual wallet, enabling secure, fast, and convenient money transfers at the speed and cost of a text message. Since the launch of GCash, wholly-owned subsidiary GXI has established a wide network of local and international partners that includes government agencies, utility companies, cooperatives, insurance companies, remittance companies, universities, and commercial estab lishments which all accept GCash as a means of payment for products and services. Globe offers various top-up or reloading options and facilities for prepaid subscribers including prepaid call and text cards, bank channels such as ATMs, credit cards, and through internet banking. Subscribers can also top-up at over 786,000 AutoLoad Max retailers nationwide, all at affordable denominations and increments. A consumer-to-consumer top-up facility, Share-A-Load, is also available to enable subscribers to share prepaid load credits via SMS. Globe’s AutoLoad Max and Share-A-Load services are also available in selected OFW hubs all over the world. The Company has a loyalty and rewards program called My Rewards, My Globe for Globe Prepaid subscribers and TM Astig Rewards for TM subscribers. Under the program, and based on a defined scoring system, prepaid subscribers earn points based on tenure and reload. Subscribers can use their points to redeem rewards including Globe and TM products, travel mileage, and gift certificates from leading retail establishments. Globe Postpaid subscribers outside the lock-up period can also earn points based on their monthly billed amounts and length of stay with Globe. Rewards also include Globe products, as well as bill rebates, gadgets, gift certificates, and travel mileage. Subscribers have the option to redeem rewards instantly, or accumulate points to avail of higher-value rewards. Redeemed points in a form of telecom services is netted out against revenues whereas points redeemed in the form of non-telco services such as gift certificates and other products are reflected as marketing expense. At the end of each period, Globe estimates and records the amount of probable future liability for unredeemed points.

Narritive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Narritive - Essay Example Daisy wondered as to why the nurses were so nice to the patients when they were not even related to them and she used to think as to why they worked selflessly to take care of the people living in the nursing home. Daisy was highly inspired by these nurses and she made up her mind to follow a career in nursing. She kept on visiting the old age home and she started spending greater time there. As she spent more time at the nursing home, she realized that the picture of the nursing home that she had developed as a child was not totally a true reflection of the nursing home. The old people living in the nursing home still loved Daisy but she saw the sorrow and the sadness in the eyes of most of them. She did not understand the reason for their unhappiness as she felt that the nursing home was a very joyful place where all the needs of the people were fulfilled. She tried to think over and over again but she could not reach to any conclusion. One day while she was visiting the nursing ho me, she saw a man who had come to visit Jane who was a resident at the nursing home. The man was there with his wife and children and when Daisy questioned the other residents, she found out that he was Jane’s son. Daisy could see the happiness on Jane’s face. But the man and his family had a very stern expression. Daisy hid herself and started listening to them. â€Å"You are here to take me home this weekend with you, right?† The man maintained the same stern expression and said, â€Å"Mother we have guests coming over and we do not have enough space to accommodate you at the same time.† Jane felt helpless and started pleading to her son as she said that it had been months that she had not visited the family home where she had spent her entire life before being moved to the nursing home. Her son did not respond to her requests and finally he left without saying goodbye to Jane. This incident was an eye opener for me. Daisy was shocked and her image of t he nursing home as a beautiful house shattered at once. She understood that were greater depths behind these happy faces and there were many grief’s that they had no one to share with. Daisy became more observant and she started noticing several similar events at the nursing home. There were people, who were visited by their families and were brought gifts for, but there were many others who were not frequently visited and some did not have any guardians coming to see them at all. Daisy started noticing these occurrences and they worked towards maturing her thought process and making her understand the reality of life. Daisy was shocked to see the contrast that existed between the nurses who worked day and night for taking care of the people who were not related to them in any way. On the other hand, there were blood relatives who did not care about the people who brought them up and loved them the most when they were helpless little beings. The incidents at the nursing home taught Daisy the true meaning of good and bad. She understood that this world is a place where different kinds of people live. There are those who value and cherish their relationships whereas there are others who have their own selfish motives and care about themselves and no one else. Daisy remained committed to her career choice of nursing as she wanted to place herself amongst the good people of the society. She wanted to be a helper and a person who would

Compare contemporary advances in the biological sciences to victor Research Paper - 1

Compare contemporary advances in the biological sciences to victor Frankestein's creation and discuss the moral and ethical questions that both share - Research Paper Example Regenerating life using electricity becomes Victor’s obsession.(Storment 2). It is this discovery by Frankensteins of creating life that introduces the duality of science. Storment says, â€Å"Just as science can end up creating dual reactions, electricity holds this same power. Electricity holds the power of magnetism -- the negative and positive forces pulling away from each other.† This is a good example of many aspects of Frankenstein, with good versus evil also demonstrated. (Storment 2).Perceptions of science and the hazardous power it potentially holds are demonstrated in Mary Shelley’s novel. â€Å"Modern day science deals with the exact issues of which Shelley was apparently keenly aware.†(Storment 2) .Ethics is introduced to the knowledge of science, and science is even given a conscious. It seems Shelley acknowledged that â€Å"the future of science, if uncontrolled, could be disastrous.†(Storment 2).It is as if Mary Shelley lives in our current world, recognizing that the modern scientific discoveries of nuclear weapons and genetic engineering could in the end be our demise.(Storment 2) â€Å"What genetic engineering is to our day with such uncharted revolutionary avenues as cloning and the possibility for altering or eliminating defective genes, electrochemistry was to Mary Shelleys† says Stuart Curran. Genetics represents the cutting edge of the material sciences, promising and frightening in equal measure. The developing new science is challenging deep-rooted distinctions in our society. Between , â€Å"life and non-life, the natural and the artificial, the evolved and the designed, and even the material and the informational.†( Henk 2).Whenever such boundaries are breached, scientists are accused of playing a higher power, and perhaps treading in Frankeinstin’s footsteps.( Henk 3) Synthetic biology, which represents modern day science, puts heavy weight on many of the culturally well-established distinctions

Aging population Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Aging population - Essay Example Shakespeare has beautifully described the life of a man. He further describes it, in terms of ages and names it seven ages of a man's life. These are ages are: an infant, a child, the lover, the soldier, the justice, the old age and finally mental dementia and death. In short, they were considered as a useless part of the society and were thus isolated. This very idea had and probably has penetrated the business community as well. This fact was quite reflective in the marketing activities and campaigns launched until recently. However, the time is changing now; the old people are getting more prominence in the business society. They are now considered an important segment of the society. Business society is giving more attention the aging population, especially in the industrialized world. Their changing needs and behaviors are tried to be addressed by the marketers in more efficient manner than ever before. This matter is quite encouraging that the need has been realized; however, a s a matter of fact, what is really missing is the direction to cater their changing behaviors and needs. Thus this paper is aimed to address the fact that how the old population in the industrialized country does affects the business strategist seeking to respond their changing needs.In formulating this paper, we would start with the fact that who the aged ones are, in current scenario. Later, we would explore the key features of the aging population and what characteristics and features make them different from others After discussing this, our discussion will lead to the point that what are the corresponding marketing challenges faced by the marketers, furthermore, we will evaluate the efforts of the business community done so far to address these challenge. Lastly, we would like to know that what can be done further to address those issues. (Heibing and Cooper 2004) What is 'Old' Universally there is not any agreed upon age for being called the 'old'. However, usually those who have passed a considerable age of their life are now retired or about to retire are considered as old. Though the age for retirement also varies from country to country, however, in general that ranges between fifty to sixty years. Thus any person beyond the age of retirement is considered as old. If we accept this definition and start to look for the generation that is going to be the old or aging population, we find that our recent aging population is baby boomers. Before moving further, it is essential to know who are baby boomers are, since it would help in building this topic further. Those people who are born between 1946 and 1964 in United States are called baby boomers. (Hess and Markson 1991) Though this phenomenon is referred to US population only but the people who were born in the same period in other industrialized countries also share the same features. The baby boomers w ere born during the economic upsurge in those economies. As a result, they were fortunate to have best possible education, as compared to rest of the world. On account of the fortunate period in which they were, in general, they had a wonderful childhood leading to a promising career and prosperous youth and adult life. Now this generation that has made a lot of money is entering in to the old age. Obviously, the big sum of money that they have gathered in this period has the potential to make them one the greatest market for the marketers of the industrialized world to capture. Aging Population in Various Countries Moving further, we can

Pedagogy and Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pedagogy and Practice - Essay Example nt paramount views of a community, in that case it can be useful to have such standards to study the assumptions, ethics, and attitude of teaching, learning, and teacher education. The National Science Teachers Association Standards writers describe a model of pedagogy known to teachers and teacher educators. This model consists of: actions and plans of teaching, organization of classroom practices, providing for varied student requirements, appraisal and completion of learners past ideas, and conversion of thoughts into realistic bits. (National Science Teachers Association, 1998) These well-known concepts were evidently explained in Borko and Putnams (1996) review of literature on learning to teach (Watson, & Konicek, 1990). Shulman (1986) came up with a new agenda for teacher education by launching the notion of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Instead of viewing teacher education from the perspective of content or pedagogy, Shulman said that teacher education programs should merge these two knowledge bases to more efficiently organize teachers. Pedagogical content knowledge project researched how a beginner in teaching obtained new understandings of their content, and how these new understandings influenced their teaching. These scholars explained pedagogical content knowledge as the knowledge formed by the blend of subject matter knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and knowledge of background. Teachers differ from biologists, historians, writers, or educational researchers, not by their subject matter knowledge, but in how that information is planned and used. For instance, skilled science teachers’ knowledge of science is prepared from a teaching outlook and is used as a basis for helping s tudents whereas; scientist’s knowledge is structured from a research perspective. The use of PCK as an issue for research and debate about the nature of a proper knowledge base for developing future science teachers has progressively improved as its inception. (NRC,

VALUE CHAIN MANAGEMENT EXAM PAPER - 4 OUT OF 8 MINI CASE QUESTIONS Essay

VALUE CHAIN MANAGEMENT EXAM PAPER - 4 OUT OF 8 MINI CASE QUESTIONS - Essay Example In case of mergers and acquisitions the primary aspect with regards to value chain management involves an integration of two different value chains i.e., one of the acquirer and the other of the acquired company. There needs to be certain changes in the value chain that could help in undertaking an overall improvement in the value chain of the organization (Ray, 2010, p.46). In case of Bramble the primary motive behind the acquisition of CAPS is to undertake and utilise the primary and secondary aspects of CAPS’s value chain elements to generate an overall improvement in the value chain of Brambles that would enable it to move up in the value chain. This strategy of the firm is in tune with the popular theoretical belief that every organization has its own sets of key elements that includes internal as well as external factors. In the case of Bramble the company wants to acquire the knowledge and expertise of the primary and secondary elements of the value chain that includes its human resources, fixed assets as well as intellectual property that can help in improving the value proposition of the organization by helping its move up in the value chain (Bertoncelj, 2008, p.3). Figure 1: Value Chain in Mergers and Acquisitions for CGI (Source: CGI, 2009, p.2) The figure above shows how to improve the value chain by undertaking a merger and acquisition strategy. The figure above shows how a procurement based value chain can be used to generate an improvement in the entire value chain of the organization by using the expertise in the primary and secondary activities of the acquired organization. Brambles hope to leverage upon the existing expertise as well as client base of CAPS to generate long term profitability for the organization. Brambles hopes that with the acquisition of a company engaged in downstream activities it would be able to undertake a vertical integration of its business process. This would help in opening up business opportunities of the or ganization considering the vast and immense potential of the downstream activities. The company believes that with the acquisition of CAPS and the good client base of the organization the company would be able to provide better and augmented facilities both in terms of number as well as quality as the customers would find more facilities under a single roof. This would save the customers time as well as monetary resources that would have otherwise being incurred by taking the services of a different vendor for pellets and container services. This would motivate them to choose Brambles over its competitors as it would be offering greater value proposition to the customers. This would help in generating long term sustainable competitive advantage for the organization in the long run. The vertical integration would also help in generating more value in the value chain (Slide 31-35, Planning and performance in Value chain networks). The acquisition of CAPS would also boost the levels of customer service that would help in enhancing the value proposition in accordance with Holden’s value proposition theory that states customer service as one of the key areas that can be used by organizations to enhance their value propositions. Brambles

General Electric Medical Systems, 2002 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

General Electric Medical Systems, 2002 - Essay Example In 2002 when Joe Hogan took up the reins he faced a difficult situation of having to decide whether GEMS should continue its policy of being a Global Products Company (GPC) or modify the concept to ‘In China for China’. GPC required that the manufacturing activity of the entire range of products be concentrated in places, including China, where this could be done at the lowest cost while maintaining standards and supplies made to the entire global market. The alternative would mean that the production in China would be meant exclusively for the Chinese markets. GEMS also had to decide whether it would continue concentration on excellence in engineering or move to new areas of genomics and healthcare information which would bring it into competition with smaller software companies but has to be done if GEMS has to be part of the emerging technologies that might, one day, make its existing lines of business obsolete and redundant. Analysis of the market situation revealed that the population of advanced countries was increasingly becoming older needing higher spending on healthcare making double digit growth in healthcare related industry possible. However the low per capita spend on medicine and diagnostics in emerging economies like China and India opened doors for a huge opportunity for GEMS both for new equipment as well as for reconditioned equipment marketed under its Gold Seal program. Other countries in Eastern Europe and Latin America were also emerging as large markets with opening up of their economies and development of their soft infrastructure. China was predominantly a low-end equipment market and had allowed the use of used equipment also. The market segmentation was high-end products, sold mainly in the US, Japan and other developed countries contributing 45%, mid-tier products 35% and the low-end making up the balance 20%. However it was the cheaper products that had the maximum potential for growth due to

Organizational behavior Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizational behavior - Assignment Example In addition, goals provide a path which an organization can follow; this way, the managers can know whether they are on the right track and realize the changes they need to make (Montgomery Schools par. 3). Despite the fact that goals determine where one wants to be, there are various objections that are against this point of view. One of the arguments against this statement is that some goals are not easily achievable. Failure to achieve goals may demoralize a person and lead to stress, especially if one had put a lot of expectations in the goals they had set. In addition, goals may be unpredictable since there are some changes that one may encounter along the way, which minimize the chances of achieving goals. Time constraint is another argument against the role of goals in determining where one wants to be. Some goals are achievable only in the long-run and assuming that they will be achieved within a certain period is not realistic (Bratton et al

Chemistry 208 All QUIZ Essay Example for Free

Chemistry 208 All QUIZ Essay The Scientific Method Step 1: Performing Experiments Step 2: Making Observations Step 3: Proposing a Hypothesis Step 4: Confirming the Hypothesis Step 5: Proposing a Scientific Law Scientific Notation It is a mathematical expression in which a number is expressed as N x 10^n where N contains only one nonzero digit to the left of the decimal and n is an integer. Rules for Determining Significant Figures (digits) -All nonzero digits are significant figures -Counting begins from the left with the first nonzero number -Zeros between nonzero digits are counted as sig. Figures -Terminal zeros (zeros to the right of the right of a number) are always significant if the value contains a decimal point. Ex: 2. 3700 g: 5 significant figures 17. 50 mL: 4 significant figures Rule 1- In calculations involving measured values (with a certain # of sig. figs), the number of sig figs in the final answer depends on the operation performed. Rule 2- In multiplication and division of measured quantities, the final answer contains the same number of sig figs as are in the measurement with the least number of sig figs. Rule 3- In the final answer of a calculation involving exact numbers, unit conversion factors and constants, the number of significant figures is dictated by the measured quantity involved. Density = Mass/ Volume Matter: The term matter is used to describe things that occupy space and are perceivable by our senses. It can be classifies in terms of its physical state or chemical composition. Elements: composed of one type of atom. Classified as a metal, nonmetal or metalloid. Compound: a combination of elements in a definite proportion. Atoms of each individual elements are chemically combined to form the compound. A chemical change can break down a compound into its individual elements. Mixture: a non-pure substance made of 2 or more elements or compounds that can be separated by physical procedures. Protons have a positive charge, found in the nucleus. Neutrons have no charge, found in the nucleus. Electrons have a negative charge. The atomic number of an element is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus of its atoms. The mass number is equal to the number of protons and neutrons in the atom. To calculate the number of neutrons, subtract the atomic number from the mass number. Molecules are a combination of atoms in a definite proportion e. g. , molecule of water Ions are charged species formed by loss or gain of electron(s) from an atom. Loss of electron – cation (positively charged) Gain of electron – anion (negatively charged)

The Importance, Benefits and Issues of Budgeting

The Importance, Benefits and Issues of Budgeting Introduction This report is aimed to evaluate the importance of budgeting, analysis the benefits and problems that brought by budgeting and also discusses the behavioral aspects of budgeting. A budget is a comprehensive, formal, coordinated, detailed, quantitative plan that estimates the probable expenditures for acquiring and using financial and other resource for an organization over a specific time period (Margaret, George, 2011). Budgeting describes the overall process from preparing budget, using budgets during the business operation, and later performance evaluation. It provides us the valuable tools for planning and control of finances and affects nearly every type of organization-from governments and large corporations to small businesses-as well as families and individuals. A small business generally engages in budgeting to determine the most efficient and effective strategies for making money and expanding its asset base. Budgeting can help a company use its limited financial and human resources in a manner which best exploit existing business opportunities such production expansion and acquisition that might otherwise miss. A good and through understanding of how budgeting works is a must for ambitious business executive if he or she wants to run the business with flying colors. What is more, budgeting give access to business owners who intend to assess the managers performance during a specific time assigned. It is of great importance because the managers compensation is quite often tied with his or her performance during the time in charge. There are different kinds of budgets fall into various categories. The financial budget (Genrad, et al., 2002) includes the capital expenditure budget, which presents a companys plans for financing its operating and capital investment activities. The capital expenditure budget relates to purchases of plant, property, or equipment with a useful life of more than one year. On the other hand, the cash budget, the budgeted balance sheet, and the budgeted statement of cash flows deal with activities expected to end within the 12-month budget period. Last but not the least, companies sales departments are often responsible of making sales budget based mainly on their products selling experience last year and future economic conditions. The budget is developed within the framework of a sales forecast that shows potential sales for the industry and the companys expected sales. Benefits of Budgets With careful planning and good execution, a company can reap the benefits of having budgets in many ways, including: Communication of corporate goals Modern corporations consist of departments of different important functions. It is quite hard for the chief executive officer to convey the corporate goals to each employee very well. But on the other hand, in order for corporation to reach its best performance, it is indispensable for employees in different positions within a corporation to understand the corporate goals. The process of preparing budgets actually constructively bridges this communication gap because it engages everyone from managers to front-line staff. Quite often in practice, an CEO will hold a budgets discussion meeting that managers of various departments will come and discuss the companys whole budgets and make adjustments according to next years goal. In this way, budgeting comes a communication tool because the different departments get the chance to take part in future planning and discuss the priorities for where the money and resources should be most suitably spent and allocated. More importantly, the act of making estimates about future economic conditions and about the companys ability to respond to them, forces managers to synthesize the external economic environment with their internal goals and objectives. This whole communication process is extremely crucial given the consideration of the complexity of business in recent years. Warning of potential problems Keeping budgets and constantly comparing it with the running of the real operating acts as an early warning system of potential problems which the management people in charge can make changes before things get out of control which make the company suffer greatly in terms of money and resources. In this way, when a flag is raised, managers in charge can revise their immediate plans such as to change a product mix, revamp an advertising campaign, or borrow money to cover cash shortfalls. Coordination of different segments Having the different departments within the corporation to create budgeting together is the key to resolving the differences and conflicts between various departments when involves in money and resources handling. Often in practice, the chief executive officer asks departments of various functions to make their own department budgets first according to each departments needs and its specific goal next year. Throughout this process, each department correlates each segments goals with corporate objectives. Preparation of a budget assumes the inclusion and coordination of the activities of the various segments within a business. The budgeting process demonstrates to managers the inter-connectedness of their activities and offers them directions to follow. Evaluation of actual performance The budget provides definite objectives for evaluating performance at each level of responsibility assigned (Jan, et al., 2008). Managers in charge are able to have access to do quick and easy performance evaluations with previous established criteria. With the economic conditions rapidly changing, managers may increase activities in one area where results are well beyond their exceptions. In situation like this, budgeting maximizes the objectivity to a great extent and offers a helpful hand for managers in making sound judgments with some indicators to compare. In other situations, managers may need to refer some measurement to reorganize activities whose outcomes demonstrate a consistent pattern of inefficiency, so that they can make timely adjustments to minimize the loss that otherwise might incur. Problems of Budgets As one of the most important steps in running a successful business, there is also some problems that involves with the budgets, including: Overstating projections Companies with strong ambitious of achieving success usually tend to think that their business will do a huge amount of business in a short amount of time which sometimes could be not very realistic in practice. So in this case, they often inflate the budgeted sales figure with possibly wrong sales forecasts. The overstating sales projections resulted from over optimistic future sales predictions most of the time will lead to other financial budgets such as cash flow budget, income statement budget, and balance sheet budget not reflecting the reality. Lack of fairness in funds allocation When asked to their own budget, different departments often have a tendency to ask more than they need to provide buffer in case unforeseen things that might happen in the future, so that they will not be under budget. This tendency prevent the funds to be allocated to the companys best interest and distorts the real needs and makes the next year funds allocation somehow lack of the fairness it should have, especially for corporations which is at the growing stage when the funds is extremely precious and limited. What is worse, when it comes to the using the budgets, the majority of departments will tend to squeeze the use of the budget at the beginning of the period to save for the later use, while try everything they can to use up the rest of the budget by the end of the period. This lack of consistency in usage actually further wastes the companys resources and money, which is likely lead to inconsistency of the goods and services that the company provides. Lack of operation flexibility While sticking to the budgets provides a roadmap for the running of operation, it can hinder creativity and flexibility of the companys development (Eugene, Michael, 2010). This situation arise often enough the managers cautiously and strictly enforce the operation in accordance with the budgets and give up some opportunity that might open doors to developing innovative products and exploring new markets. This is particularly true for those giant corporations where the managers are more willing to play it safe than taste a new flavor and usually lead them to only look at an annual plan therefore may fail to take a longer term view into account. Behavioral aspects of Budgeting Budgetary control relies greatly on the individuals of a corporation. The human aspect in the budgetary system can be very complicated since the budgetary process involves relationships between different people within the corporation which includes the chief executive officer, managers and staff. Some times budgets affect peoples behaviors and vice versa. Thus the behavioral aspects of budgeting are of vital significance and consist of many different areas that high attention must be paid. First and foremost, we need to know the Factors affecting behavior of budgeting, including: Budgets perceived by employees as being too difficult In situations that lack full participation of all levels in preparing for the budgets, the employees will perceive the budgets as being too difficult to follow. In addition, the punishment that comes along from failing to meet what this budgeted has a tendency to encourage staffs attempts to beat the system. This greatly affects the employees enthusiasm for the job and can knock down their creativity and initiative which might lead to financial and nonfinancial loss for the corporation. In order to deal with this kind of situation, the managers in charge should maintain supportive and cooperative relationships with staff of all levels since it can leads to increase productivity and satisfaction which in turn can raise the working morale of staff. What is more, managers should try their best to make communication open without obstruction, which is extremely critical because the good communication in budgeting can act as a good delivery of corporate goals. Targets that do not provide any challenge In sharp contrast to the previous situation discussed just now, non-scientific and not reasonable budgeting could also result in having targets that do not provide any challenge which leads to no breakthroughs and developments. This happens more often than not when managers only emphasize on the financial goals which is quite detrimental to the realization of important non-financial goals. In order to fix this problem, managers should use the historical data as an important reference and try their best to gain a better understanding of the directions that the future economic conditions. Moreover, it is also of crucial importance for managers to identify the employees ability objectively and truly engage the staff in participation genuinely. Due to a tendency for individuals to become ego involved in decisions which they have contributed, only in this way, can the budgeted goal be set in a way that reflect the real conditions and performs guidance. Insufficient flexibility There are times when strong-minded managers strictly hold on to budgets and overlook the real actual operation performance. Confronted with this kind of situation, what a company should do is to adopt variance analysis in practice. It is encouraged for businesses regularly conduct variance analysis because this allows them to notice if financial plans are inaccurate and therefore make timely adjustments. On the other hand, if businesses fail to analyse variances on a regular basis they will not be aware of their financial performance compared to what is budgeted. Favorable variance is when revenues are greater than budgeted or costs are less than budgeted. In contrary, adverse variance is when revenues are less than budgeted or costs are greater than budgeted. By calculating variances through looking at costs and revenues, managers can make wise remedies to cope with the situation and keep the company running on the right track. Conclusion Budgeting is a very crucial process that can bring numerous benefits to the companies if be used wisely and correctly. These benefits includes: Communication of corporate goals, Warning of potential problems, Coordination of different segments, and Evaluation of actual performance. All of them will increase the managements ability to more efficiently and effectively deploy resources, and to introduce modifications to the plan in a timely manner. However, there are also problems of that might incur when the budgeting is not proper done. These problems includes: Overstating projections, Lack of fairness in funds allocation, and Lack of operation flexibility. In order to truly embrace the benefits of budgeting, managers really should study the behavioral aspects of budgeting.

Housing Authority Meeting :: Journalism Essays

Housing Authority Meeting Fine charged for questionable false alarms The city of Muncie is fining the Housing Authority of Delaware County for alleged false alarms. The announcement came at the Housing Authority’s monthly board meeting that they have been fined $100 for three false alarms in March and April. But the police may not have responded to these alarms. Executive Director Jennifer Edwards says the Muncie Police Department is making a claim of false alarms when the police are notified by the Housing Authority’s alarm company, ADT of a disturbance great enough to set off the alarms. These could be, she says, anything from a storm rattling the windows to people with mischievous intents. â€Å"But an alarm is an alarm, and they deserve the same response,† Edwards said. ADT calls the police and Edwards when an alarm is activated. Edwards claims that when she arrived, police had not responded to any of the alarms the department mentioned in the list of dates the Housing Authority is being fined for. An ordinance against false alarms says that three false alarms constitute a fine of $100, and more for each alarm afterwards. Amendments were made to this ordinance earlier this year to lessen fines for large buildings, such as those on Ball State’s campus, but are costly to the smaller, federal funded Housing Authority. â€Å"I vote we fight this,† said Commissioner Evan Terry. â€Å"I remember back in 1982 to 1986 when [false fire alarms were happening frequently] at Ball State. That’s what this ordinance is supposed to protect. False fire alarms,† Terry said. Commissioner Fred Fields said that if the police are going to charge the Housing Authority for protective services, they should at least show up. The board agreed to consult their attorney, Casey Cloyd on the matter, and take legal action if needed. Board members noted that this is a case of the city of Muncie fining a federal office in Delaware county jurisdiction, so they may not possess the ability to fine the organization. Housing Authority Meeting :: Journalism Essays Housing Authority Meeting Fine charged for questionable false alarms The city of Muncie is fining the Housing Authority of Delaware County for alleged false alarms. The announcement came at the Housing Authority’s monthly board meeting that they have been fined $100 for three false alarms in March and April. But the police may not have responded to these alarms. Executive Director Jennifer Edwards says the Muncie Police Department is making a claim of false alarms when the police are notified by the Housing Authority’s alarm company, ADT of a disturbance great enough to set off the alarms. These could be, she says, anything from a storm rattling the windows to people with mischievous intents. â€Å"But an alarm is an alarm, and they deserve the same response,† Edwards said. ADT calls the police and Edwards when an alarm is activated. Edwards claims that when she arrived, police had not responded to any of the alarms the department mentioned in the list of dates the Housing Authority is being fined for. An ordinance against false alarms says that three false alarms constitute a fine of $100, and more for each alarm afterwards. Amendments were made to this ordinance earlier this year to lessen fines for large buildings, such as those on Ball State’s campus, but are costly to the smaller, federal funded Housing Authority. â€Å"I vote we fight this,† said Commissioner Evan Terry. â€Å"I remember back in 1982 to 1986 when [false fire alarms were happening frequently] at Ball State. That’s what this ordinance is supposed to protect. False fire alarms,† Terry said. Commissioner Fred Fields said that if the police are going to charge the Housing Authority for protective services, they should at least show up. The board agreed to consult their attorney, Casey Cloyd on the matter, and take legal action if needed. Board members noted that this is a case of the city of Muncie fining a federal office in Delaware county jurisdiction, so they may not possess the ability to fine the organization.

Automated Sorting and Organizing Systems :: Robotics

Background Research Sorting and Organizing Since the birth of civilization, organization has played an essential role in all aspects of life. The seven wonders of the ancient world could not have been built without extensive organization. The Egyptians made an impressive use of organization when they built the Great Pyramids. They had to organize their workers into different groups, each doing a different job. The architects also had to sort the bricks in order to build the pyramids. They sorted the bricks depending upon size and shape in order to reduce the amount of work they had to do shaping the bricks.1 This effectiveness of sorting can be seen today in the modern world. In recent times, sorting systems are automated requiring little human involvement. One company that uses sorting to make its company run faster and more efficient is DHL in Belgium. They have put into practice an automated sorting system called Verastream.2 Verastream can do the whole process of sorting, including weighing, measuring, and shipping without much human interference. Another company named Compac has an extensive sorting system that sorts produce by weight, color, blemish, shape, and density. Compac’s color sorting system uses an InVision 5000 Color and Demension System to sort its produce. This machine can distinguish between up to sixteen user-defined colors. In addition, it can choose the average color of the type of produce. After determining the 1 â€Å"Seven Wonders of the World - Pyramids of Egypt† 2 â€Å"Verastream Helps Automate Package Sorting for DHL† color of the produce passing through the machine, the produce can then be sent down the correct path.3 Compac’s color sorting system is similar to the soda sorting system. The soda sorting system uses a light sensor to sort the soda by color. When the consumer makes a choice of soda by clicking the corresponding button, the light sensor will look for the color of the corresponding soda. Once the light sensor acquires the correct soda, it will then send the information to another RCX. The other RCX will then find the correct type of soda, pick it up, and transport the selected soda to a soda can opener. The major advantage of the sorting machine compared to industrial sorting machines is that the robot sorter is much smaller. It is small enough to fit into a cabinet. Also this product allows an average person to have a remotely operated way of choosing a type of soda and bringing it to him or her. This is useful because a person may not want or be able to get up and get a soda for him or herself without missing part of his or her

Anna and the King :: essays research papers fc

On the day on of September 6, 1831, the baby Anna Leonowens was born. When she was born she already had lost her father. When Anna was about 3 months her mom had married again. She only married cause she was so poor that they couldn't pay enough to pay food and so they didn't die. Her mother was so poor she and her sister had to sleep under her moms bed in straw mats in a corner. At the age of 15 Anna was forced to marry a soldier or else they would be forced out. She didn't like this soldier and she had been secretly in love with a man named Thomas Owens. Her father wouldn't let him marry Thomas cause they had an arranged marriage already for her. She didn't like it so she solved the problem by running off with a 30 year old man named George Percy Badger. After she ran off she waited until her 18 birthday when Thomas and she got married. They had a good life and the life style fit her perfectly. Then Anna had four children in rapid order. The first two died but the other two lived. She had a son and a daughter. The daughters name was Avis. And the boys name was Louis. The daughter was born in 1854 and the son was born on 1855. And then at the age of 27 Thomas died and she had no money. Unlike her mother she was not going to marry a man the she didn't love because she could have money and survive. So she changed her name and started tell people that she was the daughter of a British officer. By that time she found a job as a school teacher. I think that Anna did the right thing that she went with her love not with what her assigned marriage. I think that it was very good of her to find love not money cause most people back then would do anything to get stuff they want and had money to get it with and she didn't want to do that.

A disaster recovery plan (DRP) and a business continuity plan (BCP) Essay

1. What is the difference between a risk analysis (RA) and a business impact analysis (BIA)? Risk analysis is often identifying the potential threats and the associated vulnerabilities to the organizations. Risk analysis doesn’t view the organization from the mission critical Business Process point of view. More over BIA perceives the organization from the impact that is going to occur for an organization if the critical business processes are interrupted or tampered. 2. What is the difference between a disaster recovery plan (DRP) and a business continuity plan (BCP)? Disaster recovery planning is an essential part of business planning that – too often – gets neglected. Part of this has to do with the fact that making a Disaster Recovery plan requires a lot of time and attention from busy managers and executives from every functional department within the company. Business continuity is a newer term which was first popularized as a response to the Y2K bug. In order to stop your company from bleeding money in these situations, you need a plan that will allow the organization to continue generating revenue and providing services – although possibly with lower quality – on a temporary basis until the company has regained its bearings. 3. Typically, a business continuity plan is also a compilation or collection of other plans. What other plans might a BCP and all supporting documents include? Technical backup Plan, Communications Plan 4. Why is it important to have detailed backup and recovery steps within your disaster recovery plan (DRP)? When the plans work together no data is lost in the transition in the process. 5. What is the purpose of a risk analysis? What is the purpose of a business impact analysis? Why are these an important first step in defining a BCP and DRP? The purpose of risk analysis is to allow organizations to decide which risks require more attention than other do. The purpose of business impact analysis is to identify those business functions that are crucial to the organization and classify them as critical or noncritical. BIA section for each critical function receives additional information, including a description of recovery goals and requirements for each function. These are important first step because they are the building blocks for the organization. 6. How does risk analysis (RA) relate to a business impact analysis for an organization? Each element in an organization has a limited budget, the risk analysis help managers and CEOs decide how much they are willing to risk and using the business impact analysis which and how much will be spent on certain elements. 7. Given the list of identified mission critical business functions and processes, what kind of company would you say this organization is, and what do you think are its most important business processes and functions? I would think this company is an automotive company. I think it’s most important business process and functions are quality control mechanisms, research and development activities, and Manufacturing and production line. 8. Given the prioritization list provided for the organization’s identified business functions and processes, write an assessment of how this prioritization will impact the need for IT systems, applications, and data access. 9. For the top five identified business functions and processes, what recovery time objective (RTO) would you recommend for this organization and why? Priority 1 would need RTO of 5 minutes, without the server you have no website or e-commerce for payroll. Priority 2 RTO of 15 minutes because the domains can be down for a little while which will hamper communications but they would still be able to be productive. Priority 3 RTO is 5 minutes because it shouldn’t take long to get the phone lines back on line. Priority 4 RTO is 5 minutes because if the organization can’t help their customers then nobody would buy their product. Priority 5 RTO is 5 minutes because you need to send email and communication with other to make the organization’s product. 10. Why is payroll for employees and human resources also listed as a No. 1 business priority? If your employees don’t get paid then they won’t work and then the business loses money and also the company can violate laws and agreements.

Entrepreneurial Marketing: The Critical Difference Essay

Introductions usually have three parts: presentation of the problem or the research inquiry purpose and focus of the current paper summary or overview of the writer’s position or arguments As you can see, a thoughtfully written introduction can provide a blueprint for the entire research paper. In the first part of the introduction, the presentation of the problem, or the research inquiry, state the problem or express it so that the question is implied. Then, sketch the background on the problem and review the literature on it to give your readers a context to show them how your research inquiry fits into the conversation currently ongoing in your subject area. You may tell why this problem has been a problem, why previous attempts have failed to solve it, or why you think this particular slant or angle to the problem is important. You can also mention what benefits are to be gained from solving this problem or exploring this topic from your perspective. In the second part of the introduction, state your purpose and focus. Here, you may even present your actual thesis. Sometimes your purpose statement can take the place of the thesis by letting your reader know your intentions. Some writers like to delay presenting their thesis, especially if their readers may not be ready to accept it. The third part, the summary or overview of the paper, briefly leads readers through the discussion, forecasting the main ideas and giving readers a blueprint for the paper. This example of a well-organized introduction provides such a blueprint. Example of an Introduction Entrepreneurial Marketing: The Critical Difference In an article in the Harvard Business Review, John A. Welsh and Jerry F. White remind us that â€Å"a small business is not a little big business.† An entrepreneur is not a multinational conglomerate but a profit-seeking individual. To survive, he must have a different outlook and must apply different principles to his endeavors than does the president of a large or even medium-sized corporation. Not only does the scale of small and big businesses differ but small businesses also suffer from what the Harvard Business Review article calls â€Å"resource poverty.† This is a problem and opportunity that requires an entirely different approach to marketing. Where large ad budgets are not necessary or feasible, where expensive ad production squanders limited capital, where every marketing dollar must do the work of two dollars, if not five dollars or even ten, where a person’s company, capital, and material well-being are all on the line—that is, where guerrilla marketing can save the day and secure the bottom line. (Levinson, 1984, p. 9) In this example, the first sentence gives us the general academic conversation that this article will join. Sentence 2 narrows the discussion slightly to the entrepreneur. Sentence 3 explains why the entrepreneur and the small business are different and suggests the research question: How does the entrepreneur with his business principles differ from the corporate CEO and â€Å"big business† principles? Sentence 4 again places the discussion here within the academic conversation about entrepreneurs and slants the subject to â€Å"resource poverty.† Sentence 5 suggests why this issue is significant and even hints that perhaps it hasn’t been covered sufficiently. The author is defining his â€Å"research space,† where his research will fit in the conversation. The last and longest sentence succinctly summarizes the areas covered in this article and presents the thesis statement â€Å". . . that is, where guerrilla marketing can save the day and secure the bottom line.† As an aside, notice that the title of our example has two parts. Readers use such academic titles to select articles and to get a quick sense of what an article is about. Academic titles can state the research question, summarize the thesis or purpose, or be written as a two-part title with a colon. As in this example, the first part of the title gives the context of the article,  the academic discussion, and the second part gives the slant of the article, this writer’s special research space in the conversation. By reviewing the introductions to research articles in the discipline in which you are writing your research paper, you can get an idea of what is considered the norm for that discipline. Study several of these before you begin your paper so that you know what may be expected. If you are unsure of the kind of introduction your paper needs, ask your teacher for more information. As an added note, the introduction is usually written in present tense. The Methods Section The methods section of your research paper should describe in detail what methodology and special materials, if any, you used to think through or perform your research. You should include any materials you used or designed for yourself, such as questionnaires or interview questions, to generate data or information for your research paper. You want to include any methodologies that are specific to your particular field of study, such as lab procedures for a lab experiment or data-gathering instruments for field research. If you are writing a literary research paper, you would want to use the methodologies scholars use to examine texts and place the author and the literary piece into its literary and historical context. If you are writing a business management research paper, you would want to use the methodologies that place your discussion in the context of business and economics. Next to your own critical review of the scholarship in your discipline, your teacher is the best source of what methodologies are used in it. Many writers of research begin with this section because it is often the easiest to write. This section is usually written in past tense. The Results Section How you present the results of your research depends on what kind of research  you did, your subject matter, and your readers’ expectations. Quantitative information, data that can be measured, can be presented systematically and economically in tables, charts, and graphs. Quantitative information includes quantities and comparisons of sets of data. If you are unfamiliar with the conventions, you may find it challenging to present quantitative findings. You may include some commentary to explain to your reader what your findings are and how to read them. The distinction between the results section and the discussion section is not always so clear-cut. Although many writers think you should simply present and report your findings on the data you have collected, others believe some evaluation and commentary on your data may be appropriate and even necessary here. You and your teacher can decide how strict you want to be in this decision. Qualitative information, which includes brief descriptions, explanations, or instructions, can also be presented in prose tables. This kind of descriptive or explanatory information, however, is often presented in essay-like prose or even lists. There are specific conventions for creating tables, charts, and graphs and organizing the information they contain. In general, you should use these only when you are sure they will enlighten your readers rather than confuse them. In the accompanying explanation and your discussion, always refer to the graphic by number and explain specifically what you are referring to. Give your graphic element a descriptive caption as well. The rule of thumb for presenting a graphic is first to introduce it by name, show it, and then interpret it. You can consult a textbook, such as Lannon’s Technical Writing for more information and guidance. The results section is usually written in past tense. The Discussion Section Your discussion section should generalize on what you have learned from your research. One way to generalize is to explain the consequences or meaning of  your results and then make your points that support and refer back to the statements you made in your introduction. Your discussion should be organized so that it relates directly to your thesis. You want to avoid introducing new ideas here or discussing tangential issues not directly related to the exploration and discovery of your thesis. This section, along with the introduction, is usually written in present tense. The Conclusions and Recommendations Section Some academic research assignments might end with the discussion and not need a separate conclusions and recommendations section. Often, in shorter assignments, your conclusion is just a paragraph or two added to the discussion section. In many of your research assignments, however, you will be asked to provide your conclusions and recommendations in your research paper. Conclusions unify your research results and discussion and elaborate on their significance to your thesis. Your conclusion ties your research to your thesis, binding together all the main ideas in your thinking and writing. By presenting the logical outcome of your research and thinking, your conclusion answers your research inquiry for you and your readers. Your conclusions should relate directly to the ideas presented in your introduction section and not present any new ideas. You may be asked to present your recommendations separately in your research assignment. If so, you will want to add some elements to your conclusion section. For example, you may be asked to recommend a course of action, make a prediction, propose a solution to a problem, offer a judgment, or speculate on the implications and consequences of your ideas. The conclusions and recommendations section is usually written in present tense.

Home of the Underdogs: A Great Educational Website Essay

In a website called Home of the Underdogs (http://www. the-underdogs. info/genre. php? name=Education&subgen=Language), there is an education genre where Language is one of the subgenres apart from Advanced Education, Arts or Literature, Early Childhood, General Knowledge, Math or Logic, Music, Problem Solving, Science, Social Studies, Typing or Writing, and Various Subjects (Home of the Underdogs, 2004). The Language section has great stuffs to use, such as Alf’s World of Words, Letter-Go-Round, Lingua Match, Mind Castle: Spell of the Word Wizard, and Reader Rabbit among others. There are exactly 18 Language games to choose from. If we add the other games in the other subgenres under the genre ‘Education’, then we would come to approximately 250 games all in all, and that is very helpful when teaching kids that are at least 3 years of age. The contents of this could be used when preparing a lesson plan like, for example, when preparing games or activities that can be drawn on the blackboard during discussion. We can apply Reader Rabbit, for example, by drawing a picture at the center and then spelling out three easy-to-read words (only 3 letters) beside the picture. There would be a clue above the picture on which letter it starts from, and by that the initial sound of that one letter can be read out loud. It would be good to read the three words that are beside the picture as well, so as to train them on the skill of reading. This is the same with Reader Rabbit’s game called ‘picture labeler’. There are three others that can be used as well: word sorter, word train, and memory game (Home of the Underdogs, 2004). Reader Rabbit is great for kids who are from 3-7 years of age, since it teaches them the skill of reading and spelling words. The word train, on the other hand, can be used by drawing a picture and a train that carries with it a couple of words that are almost the same. There are just so many in that website that can be used for preparing specific lessons for the kids.

Interpersonal communications improvement plan Essay

Problem: I have developed a bad habit of not having confidence in myself at college, in my study habits, and expressing myself. Goal: To improve my self-confidence, I will keep a good self-image. I will imagine myself as a strong, confident and decisive person. I will think and act positively. I plan to learn new study habits. I will be able to speak with my teachers and advisors about my problems. Procedure: First, I will have the confidence to ask for help. Next, I will not waste time, energy and effort by worrying about my weakness and deficits. I will seek help and ask more questions to better myself. I will be more open about my problems. Finally, I will stop worrying about problems and work through them. Test of Achieving Goal: I will know I have achieved this goal, when I become more comfortable asking for help to develop better study habits. The proof will be seen in my test scores and research papers, which will show me that I can improve my grades in college through perseverance. Journal Entry 1 Date: Oct. 4, 2006 Results: I talked to my English teacher about my research paper that is due next week. She helped me with my mistakes. She said it was a good paper overall. Journal Entry 2 Date: Oct. 4, 2006 Results: I talked to my baseball coach and explained my problems with my grades. He wants to help me in any way possible. Journal Entry 3 Date: Oct. 5, 2006 Results: I talked with my advisor. I opened up to him by explaining that I can’t believe my tests scores, after doing so much studying. He led me in directions that should increase the effectiveness of my study habits. He knows that I can do it. Journal Entry 4 Date: Oct. 6, 2006 Results: I emailed all of my teachers. I asked them how to improve my grades. I also requested study tips from them. Journal Entry 5 Date: Oct 7, 2006 Results: I put to use the study tips from Dr. Bommarito. I didn’t get frustrated with all of the information that I needed to learn for my history test. I had to do it, so I did. Journal Entry 6 Date Oct. 8, 2006 Results: I asked my parents to see how my studying was coming along. They asked me questions from flash cards that I made. They were very supportive. They were very happy to see the new methods I have been using. They could see how I was not getting as frustrated while studying and writing research papers. Interpersonal Communications Improvement Summary My original intention was to use confident behavior to improve my study skills, so that I may get better grades. I feel that I accomplished this, even in such a short time. Emailing my teachers was a small step, but I believe it will pay off in the long run. Each time I talked to one of my teachers and coaches, it gave me more confidence to try again. They were all receptive to my needs, and gave me good advice to help improve my grades and my study habits. I would have to say that my biggest concern was asking for help from my parents. However, by the time I talked to my parents, my confidence level was up from my interactions with my teachers and coaches. I do not get as frustrated as I have in the past. I also felt concern over how my coach would view me after I opened up to him. His reaction was very supportive, as were my parents. I now feel a lot of encouragement from the people who are most important to me. It means so much to me that they were all willing to sit down and go over assignments with me and give me many good study tips. I am now more comfortable talking to them because I know they believe in me. I was surprised about how much easier studying has become since applying the tips I have received, especially from Dr. Bommarito. I am anxious to see the results in my improved test scores and research papers. My self-concept has greatly improved. I feel confident that I can get the help I need by just asking for it. I feel confident in my new study skills. I feel confident that I can continue to learn more study skills, and that I can improve my grades by applying what I have learned. This has been a good experience for me overall.

Simple rules Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Simple rules - Assignment Example nds metrics, eliminating differences, establishing formal alliance management systems and structures and managing external relationships with partners. The companies should also put more emphasis on;- developing the right working relationship, creating means metrics, embracing differences, enabling collaborative behavior and managing your own internal stake holders. Solving of differences in the company should be given the highest priority. Because spending a lot of time and retention on reaching agreement sends the message that differences are bad, tends to drive conflict underground. In the solving of the difference Hp exhibited the following strengths; - General expertise related to complex-solution selling to enterprise customers, tends to focus on long term objectives and opportunities, good at minimizing risk in complex situations through careful analysis, in difficult circumstances, it is likely to find the creative solution that others might miss and it is good at understanding and focusing on customer needs and building close durable relationships. On the other hand Microsoft’s strengths were; - technical and support knowledge about exchange, which is essential to successful enterprise solution sales, it has disciplined focus on short term objectives where the objectives could have taken much time to get accomplished, good at capitalizing on opportunities by making decisions quickly, it is unlikely to waste time and effort when the standard answer or solution provides the optimal balance of performance and value and lastly it was good at identifying and responding to competitive threats. From the above scenario we need to look critically at the advice that executives get in relation to their companies. It is the time that the executives realized that alliance management is facing a crisis. In the recent past, companies have been forming alliances and relying on them solely for their growth. What is discouraging is that more than half of them fail.

Comparing between google and yahoo companies Essay

Comparing between google and yahoo companies - Essay Example Furniture and fixtures 861,000 2,000 Leasehold improvements 290,000 3,000 2,671,000 244,000 Less: accumulated depreciation (448,000) (58,000) $2,223,000 $186,000 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities: Accrued vacation, wages, and other employee benefits $894,000 $110,000 Accrued professional service expenses 706,000 48,000 Accrued content costs 554,000 - Other 2,213,000 362,000 $4,367,000 $520,000 Analysis and Results Table 2:Yahoo! Inc: Financial Statement Financial data in U.S. Dollars Values in Millions (Except for per share items) 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 Period End Date 12/31/2007 12/31/2006 12/31/2005 12/31/2004 12/31/2003 Period Length 12 Months 12 Months 12 Months 12 Months 12 Months Stmt Source 10-K 10-K 10-K 10-K 10-K Stmt Source Date 02/27/2008 02/27/2008 02/27/2008 02/23/2007 03/03/2006 Stmt Update Type Updated Reclassified Reclassified Reclassified Reclassified Revenue 6,969.27 6,425.68 5,257.67 3,574.52 1,625.1 Total Revenue 6,969.27 6,425.68 5,257.67 3,574.52 1,625.1 Cost of Revenue, Total 2,838.76 2,675.72 2,096.2 1,342.34 370.09 Gross Profit 4,130.52 3,749.96 3,161.47 2,232.18 1,255.01 Selling/General/Administrative Expenses, Total 2,243.79 1,851.06 1,375.02 1,072.92 709.67 Research & Development 1,084.24 833.15 569.53 368.76 207.29 Depreciation/Amortization 107.08 124.79 109.2 101.92 42.39 Interest Expense (Income), Net Operating 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Unusual Expense (Income) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Other Operating Expenses, Total 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Operating Income 695.41 940.97 1,107.73 688.58 295.67 Interest Income (Expense), Net Non-Operating 131.27 139.78 1,092.45 475.96 45.98 Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets 14.24 15.16 337.97 0.0 0.0 Other,... Google generates income by delivering relevant, cost-effective online marketing. Businesses employ Google AdWords program to support their products and services by means of targeted advertising. On top, the thousands of third-party web sites that encompass Google Network use Google AdSense plan to deliver related ads that produce revenue and improve the user experience. (Lawrence, Joehnk, Krueger, 2008) Yahoo Company develops and upholds a branded Internet navigational service specifically along with the most widely used directs for information and finding on the World Wide Web. The corporation was integrated in California on March 5, 1995 and inaugurated operations on that date. The financial tables of google and yahoo are being given in this report. (Lawrence, Joehnk, Krueger, 2008) Yahoo's main purpose is to connect people to their enthusiasms, communities, and the world's knowledge and Google's main purpose is to organize the world's information and construct it across the world accessible and useful. (Bamber, Braun, Harrison, 2008)

Admission Acceptance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Admission Acceptance - Essay Example Everything was so different. I had left behind in my homeland, everything that seemed normal and natural to me and found myself in a completely alien culture. My proficiency in English was barely passable. Not only did I have difficulty expressing myself, I found it difficult, as well, to understand spoken English here. Since those first few trying months, I have gained a firm grasp of the language and, more importantly, the cultural and language nuances that were so foreign to me at first.Something as simple as school was very strange from what I was accustomed to; the schools in India are very different from those here in the US, and it was almost overwhelming initially, but I have since overcome those barriers. My school work did suffer to an extent during my transition, and therefore, my grades do not fully reflect my potential or intelligence. I had to work harder than most of my peers in order to keep up in my schoolwork, not because I was not smart enough, but because everythi ng was new and different and I had to become fluent in English. It did affect my grades, but it taught me much about myself and what I am capable of. I have gained valuable insight into what I can accomplish in my life and learned that at times the important lessons we learn cannot be measured by external standards.

Comparing any variable, between any two cultures (either ones weve Research Paper

Comparing any variable, between any two cultures (either ones weve discussed in class, or preferably other cultures not dealt with in class - Research Paper Example Since the symbol has to be understood by the public in order to carry meaning but is still used to reinforce or question understandings, there is an interactive cause and effect relationship involved in each symbol. Using semiotic analysis on a single cultural symbol, such as the apple, can reveal how different worldviews can be shaped in different cultures. Semiotics can be defined as an examination of symbols to discover its meaning at various levels. â€Å"Semiology therefore aims to take in any system of signs, whatever their substance and limits; images, gestures, musical sounds, objects, and the complex associations of all these, which form the content of ritual, convention or public entertainment: these constitute, if not languages, at least systems of signification† (Barthes, 1964). The concept of semiotics considers how symbols combine to target a specific group and to convey meaning to them. Analysis breaks images down into signifiers, signified and sign. David Chandler (2006) defines the signifier as â€Å"the form which the sign takes† and the signified as â€Å"the concept it represents.† The ‘sign’ is the meaning that emerges. This meaning provides clues, in the form of denotation and connotation, as to the culture’s dominant worldview. It has been determined that for every symbol, there is some further meaning and often the possibility for multiple interpretations. Denotation and connotation communicate about the ideological myth behind the message. These ideas are best explored by analyzing a symbol such as the apple. Within a Christian-dominated culture, including the modern-day Greek culture, the symbol of the apple has an instant connotation of temptation, evil and destruction. These ideas are conveyed early through stories such as popular children’s shows. As is discussed by Trish Carden (2005), Disney’s production of

Terrorism in the 21st century is very different than terrorism in the Research Paper

Terrorism in the 21st century is very different than terrorism in the 20th century - Research Paper Example In the course of this essay I will examine three aspects of terrorism then and now by looking at different groups with different aims. In the course of these examinations or comparisons, many of the salient differences between old terrorism and new terrorism will become evident. In the first case I will examine the Algerian-French conflict in the middle of the 20th century. In this conflict, the French fought an urban guerrilla war against Algerian nationalists who wished to liberate their country from French colonialism. The brutal reprisals of the French were responded to by acts of terrorism such as blowing up mailboxes in Paris. While the conflict elicited a cri du Coeur from other colonial subjects around the world and inspired a great many anti-colonialist thinkers, it did not, for example, draw in foreign fighters or radicalize a generation of extremists. Furthermore, terrorism was to some extent a last resort for Algerians who were consistently refused real political influenc e or power over their country. Their aim was clear and their methods—while highly objectionable—were coherent and connected to their aim. The Algerian terrorists of the time, while ruthless, could and did negotiate with the French. Indeed, the terrorist/freedom fighters were able to secure the independence of Algeria in 1962. In the second case I will examine the conflict in Afghanistan from 1979, what many analysts believe is the genesis of the new terrorism. While issues raised by this very long conflict began with the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, which provoked a somewhat traditional form of terrorism in the form of freedom fighters and guerrillas, as in the Algerian in the 1950s, the form of resistance morphed dramatically by the 1990s and into the 2000s. These years saw the rise of a new form of terrorism, funded and inspired in part by Saudi Wahhabism, and an ideology of global jihad (Coll 2004, 87). These new terrorists did not have clear or rational aims but instead

A textual Comparison Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

A textual Comparison - Term Paper Example This paper will attempt to compare and discuss O’Neill’s Mourning Becomes Electra and Sophocles’ Electra in order to ascertain the extent of the influence of classic literature to modern drama. When a writer provoked comparison with the ancient Greek tragedians, as O’Neill does so, he cannot quite protest if his dispute is recognised and he is evaluated rigidly by their standards. Certainly, what would be offensive and an act of intentional and insulting denigration, would be a thoughtful analysis of Mourning Becomes Electra as rather ‘well done’ for an American, but apparently not, a work to be evaluated by European standards. I will not replicate that mockery to O’Neill. Because he boldly tries to write on the level of the three ancient Greek tragedians (Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides), this paper will give him the privilege to evaluate him by the same standards applied to the ancient playwrights, particularly to Sophocles. The preliminary acts of Mourning Becomes Electra could have written only by a natural dramatist. Even though the play is lengthy, the acts are efficiently constructed, even in the final, scattered portion of the trilogy. The general of the Greek armies, and fortunate king and husband of the regal Clytemnestra, when he set forth on the expedition against Troy left behind him two smouldering fires of revenge. His father had been guilty of the blood of his own brother and nephews. One of the boys, Aegisthus had been spared and was now growing to manhood with but one purpose in life—to shed the blood of his more fortunate kinsman. But even more sinister was the pain he left in the heart of his wife, for before sailing, to insure the success of the enterprise, Agamemnon had been forced to slay his own daughter Iphigenia. During the long years of the war, the wife and the cousin can brood and plot, making common cause in behalf of justice. Justice—the call is as old as human nature. It’s a

Health poster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health poster - Essay Example As a result, more and more children find themselves confined to indoor play which does not give them the ability to exercise as much as they should. Even when playing outdoors is an option, many children choose to remain indoors, lured by the greater technology of video games which strongly encourage sedentary behaviour while engaging the mind (Graves et al, 2007). These problems are increased as fast food restaurants tempt children to poor food choices by adding toys and games into meals targeted for children. Recognising that childhood obesity has trebled over the last decade (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010), some cities such as San Francisco have made it illegal for fast food restaurants to add toys to unhealthy food options. The aim of the present research is to help reduce the rate of childhood obesity in the primary schools. This will be accomplished by directly addressing the changing interests of children today as well as by changing children’s self-efficacy by introducing them to the tools they need to change their lives. Targeted to overweight children in the final two years of primary school, the objective of this six-month intervention program is to reduce the overall weight of the children involved by increasing their physical activity and giving them better information about diet and nutrition. There is clear evidence that there is a growing problem of obesity among children in the developed world (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). National Health Services (2010) has tracked growing trends of obesity in both boys and girls and a tendency for children to become more engaged with sedentary activities to the degree to which they are obese – i.e., more obesity equates with greater time spent engaged in sedentary activity. Epstein et al (2008) points out that one of the

The Role of the Government on Tobacco Use Essay Example for Free

The Role of the Government on Tobacco Use Essay The article, â€Å"If It’s Good For Philip Morris, Can It Also Be Good for Public Health?,† which was written by business columnist Joe Nocera and published in the New York Times, basically explores the realities concerning the government, particularly the Food and Drug Administration, and the regulation of tobacco use. According to the article, although tobacco company executives themselves, notably Steve Parrish, senior vice-president of Philip Morris have openly supported the regulation of tobacco use, it appears that the move lacks a concerted effort from the government. Moreover, it is also apparent that tobacco executives like Parrish have their personal business agendas in advocating tobacco regulation. In general, it is safe to assume that the public is more than aware about the dangers and health risks associated with tobacco smoking such as lung cancer, emphysema, and various heart diseases, among others. However, it is interesting to note that despite the various campaigns against tobacco smoking and other educational advertisements about it, there are still millions of people around the world who smoke. In fact, based on the article, in 2005, Philip Morris USA alone hauled in $4.6 billion in profits. In this regard, it is quite obvious that the government’s main role is to somehow regulate tobacco use so that smokers will not suffer its deadly effects. However, this is easier said that done. According to the article, while there have been several initiatives to regulate tobacco use in the past, such as the ban on all cigarette advertisements, it seems to fall short when it comes to the actual implementation. The first plausible reason behind this is that the regulation would mean decrease in profits for tobacco companies, which in turn, would affect tobacco factory workers. And considering the global financial crisis, loss of jobs is not a logical option even though it’s for the benefit of the public’s health. In short, while the government’s duty in tobacco use is clear, it is virtually powerless to make any strong moves that would fulfill their role. The tobacco executives, on the other hand, may show that they support tobacco regulation, but their true motives are unclear. After all, they are still businessmen and it would not be surprising if their actions are simply meant to earn additional profits. References Nocera, J. (2006). If It’s Good For Philip Morris, Can It Also Be Good for Public Health? The New York Times. Retrieved April 17, 2009 from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/18/magazine/18tobacco.html?pagewanted=3_r=1.

The Role and Importance of the International Law in World Politics Essay Example for Free

The Role and Importance of the International Law in World Politics Essay International law has been of increasing interest to scholars in recent decades, following several incidents that have severely challenged the concepts of how international order, peace, harmony, and justice between nations and states are maintained through the application of an international system of rules and sanctions. (Huysmans, 2006; Slaughter, 1993,1995; Nijman, 2007; Stahn, 2007; Goddard Nexon, 2005) One of the most significant events was the 9-11 Twin Towers attack in the Unites States, which precluded renewed aggression on the Middle East, particularly Iraq and Afghanistan, and all other states considered to be aligned with the axis of evils or coddlers of religious and ideological extremism. The actions of the United States and its allies, particularly the attack on Afghanistan, deprived of international consensus, have understandably raised â€Å"questions about the relevance of international law, the legitimacy of torture, justification for pre-emptive use of military force, the rise of U.S. unilateralism, a crisis of the United Nations, etc.† (Huysmans, 2006:12) In the same manner, this has encouraged many scholars to study â€Å"how power constrains international law (or dooms it to irrelevance), how the powerful can harness international law to their ends, and how international law may reconfigure power in its own right.† (Steinberg Zasloff, 2006:64)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The increased concern over the importance of international law has likewise gained more impetus as the world entered the era of globalization. Indeed, in no other time has the need for laws with global scope become more paramount as in the information age, when the rise of transnational crime syndicates as the direct consequence of a better global information network and communications infrastructure, as well as the widely changing norms and perceptions of many cultures (Bentivegna, 2006: 341) has forced countries to work in untraditional ways to confront challenges and formulate solutions. It is therefore not surprising for the debates over the significance of international law be centred upon what an increasing number of scholars and critics have called â€Å"the politics of international insecurity,† which brings to the fore the problems on the conceptualization of the international legal infrastructure and the enforcement of its rules and sanctions. International Law, Politics, and Power The discourse of international law and its enforcement is necessarily a discourse of political power and its outcomes in the international terrain. In its inception and early stages, however, it was not recognized in its inception and early development that the two had a dialectical relationship, or indeed, that international law enforced and reinforced world politics in the same way that the latter affected the way the international system of policies and sanctions was structured.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Doubtless, there remains a strong consensus today that the very nature of international law is rooted on its dialectical relationship with the political motivations, behavioral patterns and concepts of identity of states. However, in order to determine the extent to which international law remains an important influence in the conduct of world politics, it would be beneficial to examine the development of the concept of international law with respect to its historical and sociological framework. While it may be conceded that there are diverging opinions on the role of international law—or of its consequence, if at all—on international relations, the fact remains that it is presently active today than any other time in history although the reason for its existence has been very much contested.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The classic notion of international law assumed that governing states was as easy as governing people, with its basic assumptions moored on the belief in the peoples’—and states’, for that matter—ability to comply with rules and regulations. Underlying this belief was a concept of people as being inherently conformist based on a fixed set of norms that were universally accepted, largely influenced by those who believed in the rationality of law in the governance of societies which stipulated that â€Å"legal rules and institutions did not arise out of the power of the coercive state but, rather, out of custom, consensus, and private ordering.† (Steinberg Zasloff, 2006:66) International law was therefore optimistic in the outset, with the notion of its power perceived to be a function more of self-regulation among states rather than a product of force or coercion. Another important assumption was of international law’s being a â€Å"neutral, apolitical avenue in which to settle international disputes† owing to its separation from the sphere of politics. (Steinberg Zasloff, 2006: 67) The rise of fascism, however, provided enough reason for a change in viewpoint. At the heart of this was the growing recognition that international law was useless if it had no power at all to stop the aggressive tendencies of some states—or if did not present itself as a threat enough to be able to effectively police nations. Hence, there was an increased popularization and acceptance of the argument that international law cannot be separated from the discourse of politics and of the multiplicity of political agendas within the international community. Scholars such as Morgenthau (1959:502), for instance, suggested that â€Å"universal moral principles, such as justice and equality, are capable of guiding political action only to the extent that they have been given concrete content and have been related to political situations by society.† This mirrored the general attitude of realists, who argued that â€Å"international law could ever play more than an epiphenomenal role in the ordering of international life.† (Slaughter-Burley, 1993:206) Such an assertion stemmed from the core belief of the realists that international law merely reflected the â€Å"interests of powerful states,† (Steinberg Zasloff, 2006: 67) which encouraged some scholars of the realist tradition to assert that international law was inconsequential as it was beholden to the powerful and could be bent to suit the interests of powerful nations. (Slaughter, 1995:1; Kocs, 1994) Morgenthau (1967), for instance, illustrated how the issue of intervention into sovereign states, which was declared unacceptable by the international law, was often violated by powerful entities acting for the preservation of their interests, which suggested that economic and political imbalances in the world—where the richer economies were able to influenc e the political and legal structure and framework of the developing world by dangling foreign aid—made the international law inutile in reflecting the interests of the poor and the rich on an equal scale. There have been departures to these beliefs, naturally, as new criticisms emerged from the constructivist camp which argued that interests and identities were inseparable from social groups and as such, â€Å"international law both reflects and reinforces identities and interests.† (Steinberg Zasloff, 2006: 82) Constructivists underlined the role of â€Å"norms, identities and other socio-cultural phenomena in international politics,† (Goddard Nexon, 2005: 29) which assert that like cultural symbols, norms and identities in international law and politics are constantly created and recreated by its actors. (Kocs, 1994) Therefore, the role of the international law and its influence on the behavior of sovereign states is mediated upon by the prevailing beliefs and concepts of order, justice and peace. The Dilemma of Hegemonic Power: Challenges to International Law Thus, the central role of international law in the world, today when violent conflicts and inequalities have sharply divided the world, has transformed into that of an equalizer of power, an expectation that is held by every individual and every society that ascribes to and believes in the tenets of democracy. The international law, through the international court, also functions as a last repository of justice for societies, and is instrumental in providing elusive justice to victims of human rights violations by despotic leaders and to victims of war atrocities that otherwise could not have sought redress from the domestic courts of their countries. (Stahn 2007) Whether the international law has been able to live up to these expectations is another matter, of course, and lately the power of the international law itself to maintain peace among states has been gravely challenged.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After the Second World War the United States emerged as the new superpower, which would give the realists their bases for attacking the role of international law other than in maintaining the interests of the status quo. Subsequent events that unfolded in history, from the Gulf War to the war on Afghanistan and the prolonged occupation of Iraq on the ground that it was harboring nuclear armaments have further highlighted the crises of the ability of international institutions such as the United Nations to enforce the international law. Another damning issue is the global climate change and the starkly bullheaded position of the United States and other developed countries on not signing the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gases emission which puts the whole world at more peril than the nuclear armaments supposedly kept by North Korea and Iran that the U.S. has been keen on decimating. These events have therefore raised the questions of whether the U.N. and the international law are, as suggested by the realist camp, prevailed upon by powerful states so that these states are able to enjoy an â€Å"exceptionality† when it comes to demanding compliance by the international community.    In the same manner, recent events such as the Iraq War which the U.S. has failed to justify based on the context of abating a â€Å"clear and present danger,† and despite the absence of consent from the international security council to launch the attack, have highlighted the gross imbalance of power that undermines the very existence of the international court as a mediating body in transnational conflicts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is unfortunate indeed not only for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan for all other peoples in the developing world as the current stance of the U.S. and other powerful countries not only tramples upon the very foundations of the international law but sets a dangerous precedent to ignore the rules set upon by the international community. Likewise, it presents a cause with which other countries may willfully violate the sovereignty of others regardless of international laws and based only on its perceptions of insecurity. It is in this context that the role of international law must be evaluated upon, on whether it has balanced out the capabilities of democratic societies to engage in fruitful relationships based on critical partnerships, or it has one-sidedly benefited the more powerful to the detriment of the weak, which it has, in recent years, appeared to be more and more inclined to do so. Works Cited: Bentivegna, S. (2006) Rethinking politics in the world of ICTs. European Journal of Communication, 21(3). Huysmans, J. (2006). International politics of insecurity: Normativity, inwardness, and the exception. Security Dialogue, 37(1):11-29. Goddard, S.E. D.H. Nexon (2005). Paradigm lost? Reassessing theory of international politics. European Journal of International Relations, 11(1):9-61. Kocs, S.A. (1994). Explaining the strategic behavior of states: International law as system structure. International Studies Quarterly, 38(4):535-556. Morgenthau, H.J. (1959). Dilemmas of Politics. International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1944-), 35(4):. 502. Morgenthau, H.J. (1967) To intervene or not to intervene. Foreign Affairs, 45(3): 425-36. Nijman, J.E. (2007). Paul Ricoeur and international law: Beyond ‘the end of the subject’ towards a reconceptualization of international legal personality. Leiden Journal of International Law, 20: 25-64. Stahn, C. (2007). The international criminal court and the shortcomings of domestic legislation: Introductory note. Leiden Journal of International Law, 20: 165-166. Slaughter-Burley, A.M. (1993). International law and international relations theory: A dual agenda. The American Journal of International Law, 87(2): 205-239. Slaughter, A.M. (1995). International law in a world of liberal states. EJIL, 6: 1-39. Steinberg, R.H. J.M. Zasloff (2006). Power and international law. The American Journal of International Law, 100(1):64-87.