Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Nation of Islam Essay

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in Omaha, Nebraska in 1925. He was born to a minister father that was a supporter of Black Nationalist Movement leader Marcus Garvey, which resulted in Malcolm experiencing discrimination and racial hatred from an early age. His father was killed and his home burned when Malcolm was young, and Malcolm was jailed in his early twenties after several run-ins with the law following his father’s death. He joined the Nation of Islam in while in prison, and when he was paroled in 1952 he was named the national spokesman for the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X was an outspoken, articulate, charismatic man that used television, radio, and every other form of media available to convey the Nation’s message. He preached for militant stance in the black community and for equal rights for African Americans, â€Å"by any means necessary†. This unwavering stance and militant attitude made some see Malcolm as a threat and he was followed under FBI surveillance until he was assassinated in 1965. He used his charisma and his steadfast beliefs to make the message of the Nation of Islam well known in America and to bring the issue of African American rights to the forefront of American consciousness. His mission later transformed from fighting for African American rights to fighting for equal human rights for every race, and he enforced the same militant stance with his new message. Mahatma Gandhi was a human rights leader like Malcolm X but he delivered his message in a very different way. Born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, he was given the name Mahatma because it means, â€Å"great soul†. He was born in British-ruled India and practiced law in South Africa which was also ruled by Britain. While in South Africa he began a twenty-year campaign for Indian freedom. Instead of X’s militant, unmoving approach, Gandhi practiced and taught the principles of non-violent resistance. He believed it was more honourable to be jailed for one’s cause than to create violence. He also practiced fasting as a way of conveying his message of peace and non-violence. He returned to India after twenty years and became the leader of the Indian Nationalist Movement. After India was declared independent in 1947, it was divided into India and Pakistan and the two countries rioted against one another. Gandhi began a fast to encourage the leaders to stop fighting. After he fasted for five days, the fighting stopped and the countries were at peace until Gandhi was assassinated shortly after. Until his death, Gandhi epitomized his message to, â€Å"Be the change you want to see in the world†. He saw no value in violence, and thought that the message of non-violence as a way of protest could bring tolerance, peace and unity more effectively than any violent act could. Despite the change in his place of residence and the political climate of his country he stayed true to his message of peace and unity.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Explore the theme of danger with reference to the extracts from ‘Heart of Darkness’ and ‘Blood River’

Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’ and Tim Butcher’s ‘Blood River’ both explore the theme of danger throughout. This is achieved through Conrad and Butcher’s choice of lexis. The extract from ‘Heart of Darkness’ is taken from chapter eleven. In this extract, Marlow and the rest of the crew of the steamboat are being attacked by the natives of the Congo. The extract from ‘Blood River’ is taken from chapter ten (Bend in the River).In this extract, Butcher describes how a child pickpocket is being attacked by an African mob. Both novels are written in 1st person, but ‘Heart of Darkness’ is fiction, whereas ‘Blood River’ is non-fiction. ‘Heart of Darkness’ was published in 1899 and ‘Blood River’ was published in 2007. The characterisation and narrative methods of the extracts are quite similar. In ‘Heart of Darkness’, Joseph Conrad gives a vivid image of how brutal the natives in the Congo might of been: â€Å"†¦Ã‚  the arrows came in swarms. They might have been poisoned†¦ †This suggests to the reader that in the Congo, nobody is fully aware of the harm they cause to others or cares about the consequences of their actions as long as it does not affect them and highlights the dangerous nature of the Congo environment. In ‘Blood River’, Tim Butcher gives a vivid image of violent life in the Congo: â€Å"†¦ the mob parted and there was the boy, with his arms twisted behind his back†.This implies to the reader of how punishment is taken very seriously in the Congo, even when it is a small child being involved and shows just how danger is so common, it comes naturally to the natives of the Congo. The contexts of the extracts are very different to each other. In ‘Heart of Darkness’, Conrad expresses to the reader that when the novel was published in 1899, life in the Congo was qu ite dangerous, so when Marlow is attacked by the natives, while on the steamboat, it came as a surprise for him, although the danger was known to him: â€Å"Arrows by Jove!  We were being shot at! †The use of the word ‘Jove’ emphasises to the reader that the attack came as a shock for Marlow and highlights the natives and their reaction to foreigners. In ‘Blood River’, Butcher expresses to the reader that at the moment, life in the Congo is different to what it was half a century ago, in the sense that people know more because of travel, news, etc, but the Congo itself has become more brutal and dangerous: â€Å"†¦ I had witnesses numerous times during my stint covering Africa†¦African mob justice was a terrifying thing. † This implies to the reader that the Congo has changed dramatically over time and that violence is now a common thing to occur. The contextual factors of the two texts are very different as they were written in di fferent times and so the historical backgrounds behind them are different. For example, when ‘Heart of Darkness’ was written, black men were called ‘niggers’ and it was thought to be normal to do so back then, but nowadays it would be an offence.In ‘Blood river’, Bucher mentions how violent mobs is a thing he has â€Å"witnessed numerous times†, but half a century ago was a very rare thing to find in the Congo. The genres of the texts are slightly different. ‘Heart of Darkness’ has a sense of danger and adventure throughout most of the novel: â€Å"The side of his head hit the wheel twice, and the end of what appeared a long cane clattered round and knocked over a little camp-stool. † This suggests to the reader that the novel has elements of danger in it and highlights the dangerous environment of the Congo.‘Blood River’ also has the same elements of danger imprinted in the novel, but is presented in an informational manner: â€Å"In Swahili, toleka means ‘let’s go’, so shouting ‘toleka, toleka’, I urged my peddler to find the Cohydro offices. †This suggests to the reader that the genre of Butcher’s novel is adventurous, but is laid out in a factual manner that might not be received in the same way as Conrad’s exciting manner of expressing danger in the Congo. The social, moral and political agendas of both texts are very different in the sense that the authors treat certain situations different morally.In ‘Heart of Darkness’, Marlow shows that he has morals when he navigates the steamboat to safety and tries to help his fellow crew members: â€Å"He stood before the wide opening, glaring, and I yelled at him to come back, while I straightened the sudden twist out of that steamboat. † This suggests to the reader that Marlow is heroic as he saves many lives during the attack on the steamboat. In ‘Blood R iver’, however, Tim Bucher seems to abandon his moral standards even though to help people in the Congo is considered pointless: â€Å"I was too preoccupied by my own emergency to worry about the boy’s plight.†This too emphasises the futility of the crisis in the Congo and highlights the dangerous nature of the Congo environment. The features of language change in the extracts are only slight. In ‘Heart of Darkness’, when Marlow and the steamboat crew are attacked by the natives, the language seems archaic to a modern reader in the sense that the language used is no longer in everyday use, but sometimes used to impart an old-fashioned flavour: â€Å"Arrows by Jove!†The use of the word ‘Jove’ shows the reader that the novel is very old-fashioned as nowadays we would use the expression ‘Oh my God! ’ instead. In ‘Blood River’, Butcher frequently uses modern language when explaining the dangers of the Congo: â€Å"The boy’s mouth was bleeding and the side of his face was squashed flat on the uneven concrete of the forecourt. It was a scene I had witnessed numerous times during my stint covering Africa.†The use of the contemporary word ‘stint’, which means ‘job’, suggests to the reader that Butcher is trying to sound more modern when explaining the brutality of the Congo and the dangerous nature of the Congo environment, and the casualness of the word highlights that violence is quite commonplace in the Congo. It could also suggest that Butcher is at ease when discussing African violence as he has come across so much of it in the past. In conclusion, both extracts of ‘Heart of Darkness’ and ‘Blood River’ explore the theme of danger in similar ways, but have different effects on the readers.For example, Conrad fictional writing, although based on true events, could be seen by the reader as just fiction and dangerous aspect s of the novel might not be as taken across as important as Butcher’s real expedition of the Congo and the dangers it contains. Both Conrad and Butcher have shown their own views of the Congo very carefully within the texts, to an extent where the reader can see the views of both authors as their own, and allowing them to see how dangerous the Congo environment really is.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Learning Styles and Personality Types in a Group Dynamic

Learning Styles and Personality Types in a Group Dynamic When working in a group environment, one will encounter different people who think, learn and act in different ways. In order to succeed, we must understand these differences and how to use them to our advantage while working with others. Multiple Intelligences When Gardner developed his Multiple Intelligence theory, it gave people a new insight to the way we learn. This breakthrough also helped us to work more effectively with one another as well as how to better communicate with each other. Verbal-Linguistic Someone who is Verbal-Linguistic is very simply good with language. A Verbal-Linguistic person will excel with writing, talking or listening. Therefore, to better work with this type of an individual, one should either write notes or have a face-to-face conversation. This way the Verbal-Linguistic person can best understand and contribute to the group. Intrapersonal Intrapersonal individuals excel at being alone and their own thoughts and feelings. They may at first seem to be a detriment to a group because of their tendency to want to be quiet and observe. This behavior may be seen by others as someone who does not want to work together or contribute, which can lead to conflict. To work with someone who is intrapersonal, one should be aware that they might not express their ideas openly. Any tasks that need to be done that don’t involve the group as a whole could be delegated to this individual. Visual-Spatial Artwork, design and formatting are all things Visual-Spatial people do best. When working with someone who is Visual-Spatial, it will help to not give long speeches. Visual-Spatial learners best learn and contribute through the use of pictures, maps and diagrams. To effectively make use of these individuals, any tasks that relate to this would be best. Personality Types According to the Myers-Briggs Personality Test, there are four types of personalities: thinker, organizer, giver and adventurer. When working in a group, it is beneficial and essential to understand what types of personalities lie within your group. Organizer If someone is an organizer, they tend to be focused on details. This is good for a group because they will be very thorough in each task making sure everything is complete and accurate. To best work with organizers, make sure each requirement is clear and defined and everything is understood and laid out in a clear manner. Adventurer Adventurers seek to do things in a non-conventional way. They may want to take a more active approach to the project as opposed to standard discussions and writing. In some groups this may be seen as a waste of time or unwillingness to complete the task up to the group standard. Allowing adventurers to take a different approach, even if it is not used in the final product, will not only allow them to understand the material better, but it could also add different elements into the group project that might not have been thought of that could raise the quality of the project as a whole. Thinker When working with thinkers, it is important to understand the need to work alone. Like individuals who are intrapersonal, thinkers work best by themselves. To help make them feel more at ease in a group environment, allow them to complete tasks that do not require the entire group. While working with the group at large, thinkers will be useful to solve problems the group may be facing during a task. Conclusion Assessing the learning styles and personality types of the members in your group is essential to the group’s ultimate success. Failure to use member’s strengths could result in conflicts and not achieving the goals the group has set. When each member is utilized in a way that they are strong in and in a way they are comfortable in, they will not only be productive and active within a group, but also achieve a higher quality of work which will only help the whole group succeed.

PR FINAL PROJECT Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

PR FINAL PROJECT - Research Paper Example The industry further requires PR executives to work for long hours, including weekends, and even standing in the rain or snow to check in invitees while earning diminutive salaries that are not convenient (Brown 1). Given the intertwined nature of the entertainment industry and other industries, PR executives must be updated on what is taking place in the world generally. Intrinsically, it requires one to have passion for such a job to endure the shortcomings thereof and not just being interested in the glamour (Walker 1). PR Agencies hire staff to execute their various obligations to their clients, depending on the area of interest. One can be hired as an account representative in either a movie theatre, a film production company or by an entertainer as publicists. Publicists are engaged in managing and representing entertainer’s image before the eyes of the public. This is done by ensuring that Web sites, TV shows, newspapers, and magazines contain good press about the entertainer (Kennedy 1). An account manager for a film production company is responsible for the exploration and lurching of novel film coverage opportunities, the establishment and maintenance of a potent relationship with the media, and the creation of exciting campaigns that are integrated digitally (SAR 1). Movie theatre’s account representatives establish and uphold membership schemes and formulate initiatives that will urge people to visit the movie theatre habitually (The National Advisory Public Body for Theatres 1). PR departments for an entertainment company that does not outsource its public relations tasks may hire a candidate, who fulfills the criteria set out, to help answer journalists when they inquire about the company, represent the company in public appearances and interviews (Media 1). Having garnered sufficient experience in the field of PR, it is a lucrative job

Sunday, July 28, 2019

A 300 words evaluation of the recommendations for American airlines Essay

A 300 words evaluation of the recommendations for American airlines - Essay Example We have found that acquiring Jet Blue is a good strategic option for American Airlines because cost of the project is $787 whereas; discounted cash flow is $848. The payback period is only 2.76 years and after this period; American Airlines will cover its costs and will incur positive cash flows. Moreover, ROCE is 0.3830 which means that after acquiring Jet Blue, the company may earn significant return on its total capital employed. Second, American Airlines should give more focus on hedging fuel prices because if fuel prices increase, it will incur a profit of $836 million and if fuel prices decline then it may incur a loss of $836 million. However, in consideration to previous fuel prices trend, a 10 percent increase in fuel prices is expected. Third, hiring a training company is a very good recommendation because company may improve its teamwork performance, crew coordinator, customer services and ultimately the revenues. Acquiring Jet Blue should be the first, hedging of fuel prices should be second and hiring a consultant should be third on priority list because company is already hedging prices and it needs to be get more aggressive in it and hiring a consultant does not incur that much efforts therefore, they are on second and third. We have assumed that Net worth of JetBlue is 12 percent3 of its assets which means that if its assets in 2009 were $6554 million then its net worth is $787 million. This will be the cost of the project for American Airlines. To project the net revenue, the growth rate of 1.68 has been used. It has been calculated by subtracting the net revenue of 2008 from net revenue of 2009 and dividing it by the net revenue of 2008. I have assumed that average revenue generate per year will be about $285 million, which has been calculated by (155+416)/2. In 2008 and 2009 the cost of fuel has increased by 10 percent. The current hedging fuel price of American Airlines is $2.48 per gallon

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Carbon dioxide emissions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Carbon dioxide emissions - Essay Example During the process of burning fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and gas, carbon dioxide is released. Deforestation can be also a cause of carbon emissions, since the carbon sequestered in trees is released to the atmosphere, as there is shortage of trees to counter balance the gas. Nevertheless, transportation accounts for a high level of carbon emissions since vehicles, trains, planes, boats and trucks are involved in the production of carbon dioxide fumes. In addition, human beings greatly contribute to the emissions of carbon dioxide, through use of electricity in lighting, heating, and air conditioning service. This is because the generation of electricity leads to a high level of carbon dioxide emissions. The industry sector also plays a major role in the emission of carbon gasses; this is due to the processes involved in production and manufacturing of goods. According to Smith (2007), in the past 25 years, emissions of carbon dioxide in Australia have risen dramatically, due to a large number of fossil fuels being burnt in the country. In addition, despite Australia having a population of 0.32% of the world’s population, it produces a very high level of carbon emissions, which is 1.43%, meaning that each person pollution levels are 4.5 times the global average (Smith 2007). In addition, â€Å"over the past 25 years, the growth of carbon emissions in Australia, was twice the growth rate for the world as a whole, twice the growth rate for USA and Japan, and five times the growth rate for Europe† (Raupach, 2007).

Friday, July 26, 2019

Porter Novelli or Southern Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Porter Novelli or Southern Company - Case Study Example This essay demonstrates that the CTO felt this was fundamentally appropriate for specific and full performance definition roles. Performance management and selection applications would be built on the foundation of work results definitions (Goldsmith and Carter, 2010). Drotter requires the same explicit definitions of management and leadership results by level as financial and customer results, making these accountabilities far more specific, examinable, and therefore, understandable to employees. The down - to - earth, application - based approach demystifies leaders and supports the introduction of basic designs to explain both activities. Corporate leaders have traditionally relinquished talent strategy to market forces or left it to their human resources departments to oversee (Aguirre et al 2010). Any company that aspires to maintain competitiveness in the world must use strategic implementation methods on talent (Aguirre, Hewlett & Post 2010). In return, regarding their appropr iate reward, leaders are presented with many expectations. They are required to be strategic thinkers, joining dynamic vision to the chutzpah in order to produce significant change. They also need to be on the sensitive side, on look to the intricacies of political arguments, and able to persuade egos, soothe workers and court widely known acclaim in the media. It is a demanding order and one vexes the thoughts of many as it orients how effective to portray the concept of Porter Novelli without irrelevancy.

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Book smarts with intellectualism and street smarts with Essay

Book smarts with intellectualism and street smarts with anti-intellectualism - Essay Example By agreeing with his premise, this student will retrace Graff’s logic and provide a level of external analysis that will provide the reader with a more informed understanding and logical progression with respect to how Graff’s transformation took place. Firstly, before delving directly subject matter, it must be understood that scholars and societal stakeholders alike oftentimes to distance intellectualism from anti-intellectualism. It is without question that there is tension and strife between these two points of view; with both intellectuals and anti-intellectuals being distrustful, spiteful, and downright cruel to one another. Lunch has with regards the way in which individuals of different classes have separated themselves, lunch in the same way that individual races have been sidelined within American society, Graff argues the fact that intellectualism has separated itself from anti-intellectualism, and vice versa, to such a degree that these two distinct groups have come to an even further level of conflict within the current world. However, these social constraints aside, it is clear and apparent that the similarity that exists between these two groups is greater than the dissimilarity that they purport to espouse (Fridlan 890). For instance, Graff represents the early childhood disagreements, arguments, and disputes that he had with fellow adolescents in his youth. Instead of serving as mindless and un-intellectual banter, as many might assume, these levels of argumentation encouraged and coaxed the stakeholders into providing a level of substantiation, facts, and representative understanding with respect to the position that they espouse. Although they most certainly did not understand it at the time, the need to substantiate their beliefs and promote a level of understanding concerning their points of view was

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Nucor Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Nucor Corporation - Case Study Example Generically, a value strategy is the pattern of decisions and actions that constitute the firm's overall approach toward providing realizable net value to customers. A value strategy inherently involves all parts of a firm's functional and organizational strategies that provide value realized by customers or require sacrifices by customers (see Appendix Table 1) Nucor follows a four-part growth strategy to increase its production capacities and quality that improve product quality. This strategy: "involves new acquisitions, new plant construction, continued plant upgrades and cost reduction efforts, and joint ventures" (Thompson et al 2008 p. C 115). Despite the use of strategic management process and content models, many managers fail to maintain or improve their firm's competitive position. The new globally competitive context requires that top management alter its current predispositions toward certain stakeholders and financial performance measures and refocus on continuously improving net customer value. "By 1985, Nucor had become the seventh largest steel company in Alnerica, with revenues of $758 million. With 18 plants having the capacity to produce 25 million tons of steel annually, 2006 revenues of$14.8 billion, and net profits of$I.8 billion" Thompson et al 2008 p. C-113). These changes suggest new strategic management processes and new strategy content paralleling those in current models. All firms have a value strategy, but few have completely conceptualized and clearly articulated value as the basis for competing. In fact, many firms are more competitor-oriented than customer-oriented. As a result, many managers are more familiar with their firm's competitive strategy than its strategy for improving customer value. Some inadvertently compromise net customer value either by producing products/services perceived to be of low quality or by requiring excessively high sacrifices of customers. Ironically, the most competitive firms are the customer-oriented, not the competitor-oriented firms. In financial terms, "new plant construction and boosting tons sold from 11.2 million in 2000 to 22.1 million in 2006" (Thompson 2008, p. C114). The uniqueness of Nucor is the synergistic combination of low cost and differentiation that may come with a value-based strategy is a direct result of managing critical systems that contribute to value. For Nucor, the acquisition process is limited to broadening the product line is erroneous (Nucor Corporation 2008). Many other business goals can be fulfilled by acquisition. These include strengthening the company's financial position, procuring the services of one or more key personnel or new executive talent, obtaining land, buildings, and equipment for expansion, stabilizing cyclical or seasonal types of business, avoiding concentration in a government-regulated area of industry, acquiring the technical skills of highly trained scientists, and many other critical elements in business which determine growth and success. The process of acquisition, then, is one that ought to be considered by the management of any enterprise as its plans for growth are executed (see Appendix Table 3, 4). Acquisition is one way to be considered in achieving the complete set of defined objectives. And many companies have found it a very satisfactory way. Annual report shows that acquisition strategy allows the company to achieve a steady growth and increase its

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Hitler's Pope Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Hitler's Pope - Essay Example John Cornwell made one of the first attempts to look deeper into the role which Catholic religious leaders played in the development and expansion of Nazism in Europe. His book about Eugenio Pacelli, the Catholic Pope during the World War II, was too sensational to be untrue. The author relied on the primary documents, to reveal the astonishing truth about the Pope, his attitudes toward Jews, and his role in the development of diplomatic ties between Nazi Germany and other European allies. Despite a wealth of historic information provided by Cornwell, his personal â€Å"negative† attitudes toward the Pope were too obvious to conceal and often compromised the need to be historically objective and unbiased. That the topic of Catholic religion during the times of Nazism had always been underresearched pushed John Cornwell to explore the subject in greater detail. His book was the product of his own analysis and the growing interest toward the issues of papacy in Nazi Germany. Cornwell acknowledged that in his book, he wanted to resolve the eternal conflict of beliefs about the Pope: â€Å"some historians were confident that Eugenio Pacelli shamed the Catholic Church by failing to denounce the Final Solution; others believed that the issue lacked historical evidence and proofs†.1 The topic was increasingly interesting to everyone who sought to feel the information void in the contemporary research about religion during the times of Nazism. Pope Eugenio Pacelli was an exemplary object of historical research, due to the significant role he played in church during the World War II and the number of mysteries that surrounded his personality during and after his religious triumph. The popularity of the Pope’s figure was difficult to underestimate – Cornwell wrote that his picture had been looking at him at every wall of every classroom.2 What else could a professional historian need to produce a sensation? – only an access to the secret documents

Public Law - Parliamentary Sovereignty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Public Law - Parliamentary Sovereignty - Essay Example Public Law - Parliamentary Sovereignty Notwithstanding the symbolic importance of Parliament within the separation of powers doctrine, in practice commentators have suggested that within the contemporary socio-political framework the reality is that the separation of powers doctrine is intrinsically limited. Academic discourse has suggested that the lack of clarity in the unwritten UK constitution as compared to other democracies has further compounded the lack of defined boundaries between various institutional functions under the separation of powers doctrine within the UK. However, whilst there may be no absolute doctrine of separation of powers, it has been acknowledged that the principle underlines day to day functions of the executive, legislature and judiciary. This paper critically reviews the extent to which Parliamentary sovereignty is qualified. In doing so, this paper will firstly refer to parliamentary procedure and undertake a contextual analysis of how EC law and the Human Rights Act 1998 exemplify the real ity that Parliamentary sovereignty is inherently qualified in practice. It is proposed at the outset that there is no clear separation of powers within the theoretical ideal and in practice there is a fusion of powers, which is arguably necessary to ensure effective channels of communication in the socio-political infrastructure. Whilst the Law Commission’s legislative authority asserts its independence ; the internal governance of the Commission with appointments being made by the Lord Chancellor enables executive influence in legislative functions.10. Furthermore, the extent of judicial powers derives directly from the Crown and therefore the operation of the socio-political infrastructure is clearly dependent on the overlap of functions between the theoretical separate powers11. This blurring of the separation of powers has significant implications for Parliamentary procedure. The central function of Parliament is as legislative arm of the British political system12. However, Parliament effectively operates within a party political system and t o a degree is used as medium for sanctioning executive sovereignty as it relies on the executive for policy initiatives13. Whilst Parliament can subject executive

Monday, July 22, 2019

The Great Gatsby Essay Example for Free

The Great Gatsby Essay If The Great Gatsby had taken place in Sri Lanka, the hype surrounding F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel would have been non-existent. The enthralling love affairs between the characters that are the foundation of the story would have been absent from the plot because Sri Lankan culture is grounded on Buddhism. Buddhist guidelines emphasize the thought that attachment leads to suffering, a theme that appears habitually throughout the novel. Most characters in the novel face this attachment, but at such a degree that they are unable to detach themselves from the thing they desire. The collective inabilities of Wilson, Gatsby and Tom to let go of the people they love are key contributors to Gatsby’s murder. Wilson’s ineptitude to admit that Myrtle, his wife of 12 years, no longer loves him causes emotional suffering and plays a role in Gatsby’s murder. Wilson discovers that â€Å"Myrtle had some sort of life apart from him,† (111) that she shared with Tom. Wilson, in an attempt not to lose Myrtle forever, locks her in her room so that she can’t run away. His plan is to keep her closed off from the world for a few days and then â€Å"she is going whether she wants to or not† (111). Wilson plans on moving away with her so that the two can start a new life, with no one to get in between them. Although Wilson thinks that this will save his relationship, he is inept to acknowledge that he can’t do anything for them. Myrtle, trying to escape from Wilson, runs into the street and is hit by a car, Gatsby’s car. This causes Wilson to mistakenly believe that Gatsby is the one who killed Myrtle. Using an â€Å"eye for an eye† mentality Wilson wants the same consequences to be inflicted on Gatsby and seeks revenge by murdering him. Had Wilson been able to let go of Myrtle, he most likely wouldn’t have felt anger towards Gatsby. But his ineptitude to let go causes him to feel anger towards Gatsby because he has problems imagining a life without Myrtle. Wilson’s incapacity to acknowledge Myrtle’s lack of feelings for him is among components leading to Gatsby’s death. The inability of Gatsby and Daisy to let go of their past together ultimately contributes to Gatsby’s demise. The couple’s passionate history is rekindled because their houses are in close enough proximity to resume their connection. Even though Daisy has been married to Tom for the past five years, she maintains clandestine feelings for Gatsby. â€Å"Both of us loved each other all of that time,† (111) states Daisy in an emotional moment. This drawn out love holds true for Gatsby who faces difficulties letting go of Daisy. For example, right after Daisy marries Tom, Gatsby has problems accepting the realization that she is out of his reach forever. In desperation Gatsby crashes their wedding. Gatsby, a. k. a. Biloxi, ends up making an excuse to sleep at Daisy’s house for a few weeks after her marriage. Daisy is unaware that it is Gatsby, not Biloxi the box maker from Tennessee, who has been sleeping in her house all of that time. Even though Daisy is married to Tom, Gatsby has such an attachment to her that he hasn’t moved on. Gatsby’s inability to forget about Daisy leads him to persuade Nick to invite Daisy over for dinner. Gatsby plans on trying to reconnect an old fire within Daisy that used to burn for him. This attempt to reignite his love with Daisy ultimately results in his own death. Tom, Daisy’s husband, still loves her and like Wilson is distraught by the fact that another man is taking away his love. Tom wants a way to get rid of Gatsby so that Daisy will only have one man in her life. Tom sees his opportunity to rid Gatsby from Daisy’s’ â€Å"picture† by telling Wilson, who is seeking revenge for his wife’s murder, it was Gatsby’s car that killed Myrtle. In a way Gatsby contributed to his own death by not being able to put his past with Daisy behind him. This incapacity to move on is the spark that ignites people’s revenge towards him, and ultimately is the main cause of his death. Tom’s inability to admit that Daisy has become unfaithful, results in him seeking revenge on Gatsby. Tom is aware of the fact that Daisy and Gatsby have an on going clandestine affair, but still thinks that Daisy has loved him during that time. â€Å"Daisy loved me when she married me and she loves me now,† (117) yells Tom at Gatsby. This shows how Tom is incapable of admitting that Daisy has moved on from him. Even though Daisy is having an affair, Tom still thinks that the two of them share a passionate love for one another. Tom is so confident that Daisy still loves him that he states, â€Å"She’s not leaving me† (118). He falsely thinks that Daisy is as in love with him as he is with her. His inability to let go has made him think that Daisy also doesn’t want to loose him. Like all of the other characters in the book, Tom’s inability to let go of Daisy contributes to Gatsby’s murder. Tom still loves Daisy even though she has moved on from him, and will do anything to still be with her. Tom understands that the only way to be with Daisy is for Gatsby to disappear. Therefore, Tom tells Wilson that Gatsby’s car responsible for killing Myrtle, and as previously stated, allows for Wilson to get revenge on Gatsby. By refusing to admit that Daisy still doesn’t have feelings for him, Tom contributes to Gatsby death. Have you ever gone to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and seen one of those Pointillism paintings made up of small dots of paint? The murder of Gatsby is like a pointillist painting titled â€Å"Just Let Go†. Gatsby’s inability to let go of Daisy is the purple, Tom’s inability to let go of Daisy is the green, and Wilson’s inability to let go of Myrtle is the blue. The important thing is that all of these â€Å"colors† come together to form one image. Like the paintings up close, you only see the different colors and are unaware of the bigger picture being painted. When you look closely at The Great Gatsby you are also unaware how Wilson’s love for Myrtle could lead to Gatsby’s death. But when you step back it becomes apparent how each event leads to Gatsby’s unfortunate death. All of the little actions of Tom, Wilson and Gatsby are small dots in a bigger image. If these three men were able to let go of the people they loved at one time, Gatsby most likely wouldn’t have died. Like the Beatles sang, â€Å"Let if be, let it be, let it be, let it be. Speaking words of wisdom let it be. † If only the Beatles were founded 40 years earlier to pass their message onto the main characters in The Great Gatsby.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

The Past And Present Of Immigration

The Past And Present Of Immigration Everyday news outlets report on topics and trends that correlate to our history. Following these news outlets gives a better understanding of these trends in todays America. This paper will look at these trends from our past and compare is to the present condition. It will analyze differing viewpoints on the topic, and it will explain the change over time. The world hears of America as the land of opportunity. Because of this, millions of people flock to the US each year. Some come through our borders legally, eventually becoming neutralized citizens. Some come here as tourists or students and decide to stay when their visas expire. Others are so desperate to better their lives they paddle onto our shores in bathtubs and homemade rafts. People want to get here in any way they can. This paper will specifically analyze two major migrations of people: the Irish from the 19th century and the current Mexican migration. In 1845 Ireland experienced the greatest potato famine up to that date. The source of food wiped away from the population, this event catalyzed a mass migration. Five weary years of undependable crops plighted the country, throwing the lowly peasant class into starvation. All hope gone, survivors only wished to flee. The only way out was emigration. Starving families could not pay landlords and had nowhere else to turn except for America. America, the land of opportunity. Irish immigration into America was already a rising trend. However, in the 1940s the number of immigrants skyrocketed. Nearly 2 million Irish came into the country in that decade. The flow increased for five years. Slowly, the first immigrants saved the money to bring family over the Atlantic, increasing the number of immigrants exponentially. There began a slight decline for ten years after 1855 until 1865. Nonetheless, small groups of families still continued to arrive after the Civil War. Between 1820 and 1880 nearly 3.5 Irish men immigrated to the United States. Emigrating to the United States was not an easy feet, and it was not the easy life some had expected. However, it did offer a better environment than the barren old country. Poor refugees arrived with nothing. They had little to no resources to start a farm or business and had a grueling time providing for the family at all. Very few immigrants were put into a position that allowed them to make their own decisions on their way of living at all. Fortunately for them, the expansion of the American economy created heavy demands for muscle grunt. The great canals, which were the first links in the national transportation system were still being dug in the 1820s and 1830s, and in the time between 1830 and 1880, thousands of miles of rail were being laid. With no bulldozers existing at the time, the pick and the shovel were the only earth-moving equipment at the time. And the Irish laborers were the mainstay of the construction gangs that did this grueling work. In towns along the sites of work, groups of Irish formed their small communities to live in. By the middle of the nineteenth century, American cities began to rapidly expand and began to develop an infrastructure and needed personnel to run these cities. This is the Irishs first break in America. Irish men filled the ranks of citys police force and firemen. The Irish all almost monopolized these jobs as soon as they were created. Irish workmen not only began laying the horse car and streetcar tracks, but were some of the first drivers and conductors. The first generations worked largely at unskilled and semiskilled occupations, but their children found themselves working at increasingly skilled trades. By the turn of the century, Irish made up nearly a third of plumbers, steamfitters, and boilermakers. Irishmen soon found themselves being given positions as managers as unskilled laborers began coming from other areas of Europe. While immigrants can change the shape of a culture, as seen with the Irish migration, those same immigrants are benificial to industrial growth. That same idea also holds true for Mexican immigrants. Now this research paper will take a look into the Mexican migration that this country is witnessing now. It will begin with a historical background. Fifty-five thousand Mexican workers immigrated to the United States between the years 1850 and 1880 to become field hands in newly won regions of the US that had been Mexico a few years previous. This is the time period in which commercial agriculture, the mining industry, light industry and the railroad all became dependant on the Mexican laborer. Needless to say, working conditions and salaries of the Mexicans were poor. After the Mexican Revolution of 1910, the new Mexican government was not able to improve the lives of its citizens. Soon after this event became a crisis, the fields of Mexico harvested increasingly smaller bounties and employment soon became hard to come by. Much like his Irish counterpart, Mexicans had to move to survive. World War I also stoked the fire of Mexican immigration. Mexican workers worked well in industry and service professions, working as machinists, mechanics, painters and plumbers. These years fostered employment opportunities for Mexicans because much of the existing U.S. labor force was across the Atlantic fighting in France for the Allies. Entrepreneurs came to Mexico searching for workers who could fill jobs in the railway and agriculture industries of the United States. Mexican workers complaints about the abuse of their labor rights eventually led the Mexican government to action. Led by Venustiano Carranza in 1920, the Mexican government composed a model contract that guaranteed Mexican workers certain rights named in the Mexican Political Constitution. The contract demanded that U.S. ranchers allow workers to bring their families along during the period of the contract. No worker was allowed to leave for the United States without a contract, signed by an immigration official, which stated the rate of pay, work schedule, place of employment and other similar conditions. Thus, this became the first de facto Bracero Program between the two countries. In 1924, the U.S. Border Patrol was created, an event which would have a significant impact on the lives of Mexican workers. Though the public did not immediately view Mexicans as illegal aliens, the law now stated that undocumented workers were fugitives. With the advent of the Border Patrol, the definition illegal alien is born, and many Mexican citizens north of the border were subject to much suspicion. The Mexican work force was critical in developing the economy and prosperity of the United States. The Mexican workers in numerous accounts were regarded as strong and efficient. As well, they were willing to work for low wages, in working conditions that were questionably humane. Another measure of control was imposed on the Mexican immigrant workers during the depression: visas were denied to all Mexicans who failed to prove they had secure employment in the United States. The Mexicans who were deported under this act were warned that if they came back to the United States, they would be considered outlaws. It seemed whenever the United States found a reason to close the door on Mexican immigration, a historic event would force them to reopen that door. Such was the case when the United States entered World War II. In 1942, the United States was heading to war with the fascist powers of Europe. Labor was siphoned from all areas of United States industry and poured into those which supported the war efforts. Also in that year, the United States signed the Bracero Treaty which reopened the floodgates for legal immigration of Mexican laborers. Between the period of 1942 and 1964, millions of Mexicans were imported into the U.S. as braceros under the Bracero Program to work temporarily on contract to United States growers and ranchers. Under the Bracero Program, more than 4 million Mexican farm workers came to work the fields of the United States. Impoverished Mexicans fled their rural communities and traveled north to work as braceros. It was mainly by the Mexican hand that America became the most lush agricultural center in the world. The braceros were principally experienced farm workers who hailed from regions such as Coahuila, la Comarca Lagunera, and other crucial agricultural regions in Mexico. They left their own lands and families chasing a rumor of economic boom in the United States. The Bracero Program contracts were controlled by independent farmer associations and the Farm Bureau, and were written in English, and many braceros would sign them without understanding the rights they were giving away nor the terms of the employment. The braceros were allowed to return to their native lands only in case of emergency, and required written permission from their employer. When the contracts expired, the braceros were mandated to hand over their permits and return to Mexico. The braceros in the United States were busy thinning sugar beets, picking cucumbers and tomatoes and weeding and picking cotton. At the end of World War II, Mexican workers were ousted from their jobs by workers coming out of wartime industries and by returning servicemen. By 1947, the Emergency Farm Labor Service was working on decreasing the amount of Mexican labor imported. By the 1960s, an overflow of illegal agricultural workers along with the invention of the mechanical cotton harvester, diminished the practicality and appeal of the bracero program. These events, added to the gross humanitarian violations of bracero employers, brought the program to an end in 1964. Once we step back from our emotional opinions, we should see that the Mexican migration is much like the Irish migration. We can choose to embrace that, or we can choose to fight it. Either way it will be very hard to stop if it can be stopped at all. But we must ask ourselves a simple question. Why stop it? America was founded on people like these, struggling to survive. They came and made America what it is. The Irish came and transformed America. Why shouldnt we allow these immigrants to do the same (if they enter legally of course)? Is our pride getting in the way of progress?

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Biography of Primo Levi: Vanadium

Biography of Primo Levi: Vanadium ‘Vanadium’ – The Periodic Table (Primo Levi) Annerita Ng Primo Levi was a Jewish chemist and author born in Italy. The majority of his writings revolved around his experience surviving the Holocaust of World War II, some with a heavy subtext of chemistry. One of his books entitled ‘The Periodic Table’ is a memoir of his life collated in 21 chapters, each of which is given the title of an element that is somehow woven intrinsically into the story. In chapter 20, called ‘Vanadium’, Levi does a seamless job of tying in the chemistry he learns with past personal experiences that plague his mind. In 1941, after Italy had entered World War II as an ally of Germany, Levi accepted a job at a mine in which he was to extract nickel to aid the production of weaponry for the Germans2. He then worked in Milan with a former acquaintance from university, before returning to Turin in 1943. He became involved with an Italian partisan group when he returned to Turin after Italy became occupied by the Germans. Levi was captured and sent to a transit camp before being deported to a Monowitz-Auschwitz camp. The Buna Werke plant nearby the camp, run by German chemical industry corporation I.G. Farben, focused on the production of synthetic rubber and made use of slave labour from the concentration camp. Thanks to his professional abilities, Levi secured a position in the Buna Werke laboratory, which ultimately led to his survival in the camp. He was freed in 1945, eleven months after he was deported to the concentration camp. He began working different chemistry related jobs not long after his liberation and eventually obtained a job in a paint business as a chemist and technical director2. It was in this job that Levi based his short story ‘Vanadium’ from his book ‘The Periodic Table’. While working for the company a shipment of resin for varnishes is received, which Levi then learns does not dry properly when mixed with the required chemical agent. He then discovered that the supplier is a descendant of I.G. Farben, who operated the Buna Werke plant during his stay at the concentration camp. After a series of letters sent to their representative, Levi realizes that the representative, Doctor Muller, was an acquaintance of his from the Buna Werke laboratory. This connection was set off after a misspelling of the name of a chemical, the same word which Muller often mispronounced while working at the Burna Werke laboratory. Memories of his experience working in the laboratory were triggered. Levi explains that Muller, along with other men, would often visit the laboratory he worked at to give himself and two other prisoners strict instructions. Muller only spoke to him a few times, but during one of those times he had continuously mispronounced ‘naphthenate’ as ‘naptenate’. Levi also remembered Muller giving him permission to shave twice a week (as opposed to the rule of prisoners shaving once a week), and also provided him with a pair of leather shoes. He also noted that Muller was rather ignorant to the events occurring at the concentration camp nearby the laboratory, as he asked Levi why he looked so anxious working at the factory. As Levi sent letters to Muller regarding the flawed shipment, he had also sent him a private letter in order to confirm if he was the same Muller he met at the Buna Werke Laboratory. While he waited for Muller’s confirmation he begun testing the instructions given to him in order to cure the shipment of resin. Levi had been directed by Muller to add 0.1% of vanadium naphthenate to the resin in order for it to dry properly. Vanadium naphthenate acts to accelerate the drying process of the resin3,4. It is able to protect the inner material and keep it undamaged from oxidation by forming oxide layers. This occurs as the hydrocarbon ring of the vanadium compound reacts with the oxygen in air3. He discovered that the Italian version of the vanadium naphthenate was not as effective as the German kind, and accordingly he requested for a shipment of German naphthenate. Muller had replied to his private letter a while later, confirming that he was the ‘Muller of Buna’ and requested to meet with Levi in order to rise above the past between them. Levi, however, was not so keen for this meeting, stating that he had no past that needed resolving. He avoided this topic altogether and, instead, Muller spoke of their ‘friendship’ as they worked together in the laboratory of the camp. Levi recalled no friendship between the two men, but realised that the other had saved his life by selecting him in to work at the laboratory. He assumed that Muller had perchance fabricated a convenient past for himself. In a sense, the variable effectiveness of the Italian and German versions of the vanadium naphthenate can be associated with the different versions of Levi and Muller’s memories of the camp. A few days later, Levi had received a letter from the supplier apologising for the inconvenience he, and the company he worked for, had suffered. However from this disruption they had realised it would be more appropriate and convenient if they themselves integrated the vanadium naphthenate into the resin before delivering them. Here, we see the success that prevails from the deductive processes of chemists and the elements of small-scale industrial chemistry. After the problem was encountered with the shipment of resin, Levi’s immediate action was to contact the source/supplier. The buyer-supplier connection is necessary for the industrial chemistry department, especially in when issues arise. These connections can be somewhat difficult when the buyer and supplier are located for apart, such as in Levi’s case. He was then given instructions in which he would test the effect of a required chemical and observe and confirm if it was the solution to the problem. In other words, trials were to be conducted to narrow down the cause of the issue. In this instance, materials monitoring is helpful for quality control and to review the materials and the processes they endure. In Levi’s case, a positive outcome was reached as the supplying company recognised a more convenient route to take with th eir resin product in order to avoid future issues. At first, Levi refused to forgive Muller despite his high respect for the man. He could not fathom the idea of meeting Muller with open arms after all he had to suffer through. He did not hate Muller, rather he harboured an abhorrence toward the Germans in general, and assumed Muller a substitute for those who harmed the Jews. But after further contemplation he became sympathetic to Muller’s plight as he tried to clear his conscience of any wrong doing. Levi then began drafting a letter to thank Muller for selecting him and even mentioned a readiness for forgiveness. On the same evening he received a phone call from Muller asking to meet with him in the near future. The language barrier helps prevent him from making his feelings of distaste known. He carelessly agreed to the meeting as he was caught off guard. However, the meeting would not occur as only a week later Levi discovered that Muller has passed away unexpectedly. This chapter provided an insight of the relationship between his chemical career and other aspects of his life, such as his writing career. Chemistry seems to be quintessential to his life. Levi finds a brilliant way of linking his chemical profession to his personal and social experiences, showing that he was deeply invested in his profession. Even in the Auschwitz concentration camp, he couldn’t escape it, and it most probably saved his life. He continued working as a chemical professional after he was freed from Auschwitz despite the obvious psychological trauma he suffered. From this chapter of his book, it is seen that Levi correlates the characteristics of vanadium naphthenate to the important features of his story. And although this unique chapter is mainly about his personal experience and his reflection on the injustices handed to him, it does contain factual information on the chemical it is named after. Levi also provides an understanding of the logical manner in which chemists must think within the industry and the elements involved in the processes of industrial chemistry – proving how communication is key within the world of industrial chemistry. Without a doubt Levi has a very powerful way with words, intertwining his personal tale with scientific principles. References Levi, P., (1986). Vanadium. In: The Periodic Table, 1st ed. Abacus: Sphere Books Ltd, pp.211 223. Patruno, N. (n.d.). Primo Levi: Surviving the Haulocast. [online] Bryn Mawr College. Available at: http://www.brynmawr.edu/italian/holoc/essays/surv_hol.htm [Accessed 12 Dec. 2014]. Chemical Land 21, (n.d.). Vanadyl Naphthenate. [online] Available at: http://www.chemicalland21.com/industrialchem/organic/VANADYL NAPHTHENATE.htm [Accessed 15 Dec. 2014]. Kemi Swedish Chemicals Agency, (n.d.). Metal Naphthenates. [online] Available at: http://apps.kemi.se/flodessok/floden/kemamne_eng/metallnaftenater_eng.htm [Accessed 15 Dec. 2014]. Sumatran Orangutan: Threats and Rehabilitation Strategies Sumatran Orangutan: Threats and Rehabilitation Strategies The Sumatran orangutan is widely considered as the most threatened species of great ape Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust 2006. It is estimated that there are approximately 6,500 individuals remaining in Sumatra (Wich et al, 2008), and the species is listed as Critically Endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List (Singleton et al, 2008). This is due not only to the small remaining population, but to the fact that the population has declined by over 80% in the last 75 years (3 generations) (Wich et al, 2008). The Sumatran orangutan is endemic to Sumatra (considered a separate species from the Bornean orangutan (Mittermeier et al, 2009)), with its range restricted to a small area of fragmented habitat in the North of the island. Historically, the species had a much larger range across Sumatra, but the majority of the population is now constrained to the province of Aceh (Singleton et al, 2008). This condensed population means that we can expec t the population to show more intense competition within the species for food and resources, causing an increase in mortality over time (Marshall et al, 2009). The orangutan is an arboreal species, it is highly adapted to spend all of its time above the ground, and primarily inhabits lowland tropical forest and peat-swamp forest ecosystems (DWCT, 2006). These traits have left them extremely vulnerable to habitat destruction, the major threat to orangutans in Sumatra. Heavy logging of the orangutans natural habitat means that only less suitable habitat remains for them (Wich et al 2008). In addition, the majority of the orangutan population in Sumatra were found outside of protected areas, and many within potential logging areas (Singleton et al, 2008). It is clear that the Sumatran orangutan is under severe pressure, and many threats need to be addressed in order to attempt to restore the population. Threats Deforestation and fragmentation Both legal and illegal logging are a major threat to the Sumatran orangutan. The species main habitat, primary lowland forest, has been devastated in the last 30 years due to large scale forest conversion to agricultural land and oil palm plantations (Singleton et al, 2008). One study between 1990 and 2000 recorded a 13% loss of orangutan habitat forest (Gaveau et al, 2007). Another study by van Schaik et al (2001) found that during the late 1990s habitat supporting 100 orangutans was lost each year in the Leuser Ecosystem in Sumatra. This habitat loss was largely due to legal logging concessions from the Indonesian government for oil palm conversion (van Schaik et al, 2001). The orangutans habitat of lowland forest has been targeted due to the fact that it is easily and cheaply accessible for logging (Campbell-Smith et al, 2011). The forest is being destroyed in order to provide hardwood to developed nations, providing income to boost Indonesias economy, as well as to clear land for agricultural conversion and expanding human populations (DWCT, 2006). Within the last decade the scale of logging in Sumatra has continued to expand. This was partly due to the surge in demand for timber since the 2004 tsunami (Singleton et al, 2008), as well as a peace agreement in the Aceh province. A moratorium on logging during the conflict meant a lower rate of forest loss, however a peace accord in 2005 led to a lift of the moratorium and re-issuing of logging permits in Aceh (Singleton et al, 2008). In addition, the history of political unrest in the province has greatly impacted past conservation efforts (Marshall et al, 2009). This recorded habitat loss is the main contributor to the species declining population. orangutans are particularly vulnerable due to the fact that they are an arboreal species. They spend the majority of their lives in the canopy to avoid the threat of tigers, meaning the species is restricted to areas untouched by deforestation. However, the spread of human settlements and development of new road systems has caused severe fragmentation of their remaining habitat. In addition, a proposal for the Ladia Galaska road network in Aceh has been put forward, and if allowed will quickly fragment the last remnants of habitat (Singleton et al, 2008). The remaining forest within the orangutans range cannot support its prior ecosystems, and further deforestation and fragmentation could lead to multiple extinctions. Indonesia has converted over 3 million hectares of land to oil palm plantations, with plans to convert a further 4 million (Brown and Jacobson, 2005). However areas of oil palm monoculture only supports 20% of its previous diversity (Marchal and Hill, 2009). Even small scale selective logging can reduce local orangutan densities by as much as 60% (Rao and van Schaik, 1997), which shows how sensitive the species are to the destruction of habitat. The threats to orangutans from deforestation are made greater by the fact that the Indonesian government supports development (orangutan National Action Plan, 2007), and are therefore willing to issue large numbers of logging permits. Furthermore, the decentralisation of forest management in 2001 has aided the rise in forest destruction, as it means that regional land use plans are made without any though for conservation (The Ministry of Forestry, 2009). The increase in human population also increases pressure, as greater resource degradation occurs to meet an ever increasing demand for timber and agricultural land. A paper by Robertson and van Schaik (2001) suggests that ultimate causal factor of deforestation is corruption, as well as feeble compliance with legislation and poor law enforcement. Corrupti on is the most difficult threat to overcome, but law enforcement and compliance need to be improved in order to have a chance of protecting the remaining orangutan population. Other threats As well as being severely threatened by habitat destruction, orangutans are also in high demand for the pet trade across Indonesia. The central demand is for infant orangutans, considered as good pets as they do not reach full size until the age of 7, and are known for their trait of human imitation. Currently around 200-500 infants are taken from the wild for the pet trade each year in Kalimantan (Nijman, 2005). No data is available for the Sumatran orangutan, but demand for pets is high in both Borneo and Sumatra, and the number of infants being removed from the wild is unsustainable. Wild orangutans are also threatened by their conflict with humans, and they are at times killed as pests. They are forced to encroach upon agricultural land as a result of habitat destruction, but are considered pests by farmers and often killed when found raiding crops at forest edges. In a study interviewing farmers in northern Sumatra, 28% of those interviewed feared orangutans. They also on averag e believed orangutans to be the third most frequent, and the fourth most destructive pest (Campbell-Smith et al, 2010). This shows that a high proportion of orangutans are being forced to raid crops due to destruction of habitat and food sources, but also that the human-orangutan conflict may not easily be reconciled as it is largely driven by fear. Finally, the current small nature of the remaining orangutan population means it is highly vulnerable to stochastic events such as natural disasters, random genetic fluctuations and disease outbreak (Caughley, 1994). The species relatively slow reproductive rate (25 years per generation) and the ongoing vulnerability to habitat reduction means it is at constant risk of extinction. Past and current recovery strategies Rehabilitation centres During the 1970s the Indonesian government began to establish reserves for orangutans, which are now seen across Sumatra. The reserves act as rehabilitation centres where orphans are taught how to live in the wild and then returned, but also as sanctuaries for individuals unable to be reintroduced. Individuals found in logging areas, as well as orphans and orangutans confiscated by the forestry department, are moved to these sanctuaries (DWCT, 2006). It is estimates that around 63-97% of intakes by orangutan centres are under 7 years old (Russon, 2009). The orangutans are treated medically until their health is regained, as they are often in bad condition. For example many have gunshot and machete wounds, scars from tight chains, and internal damage, as well as behavioural and psychological damage as a result of prolonged isolation, abuse, and abnormal associations with humans (Russon, 2009). In addition many orangutans arrive carrying human diseases such as Tuberculosis, as well as significantly high parasite loads (Russon, 2009) after living in close proximity with humans. Once treated, the orangutans are taught ecological and social skills, and gradually weaned from human contact in order for them to be able to live independently in the wild once released (Beck et al, 2007). When the rehabilitation centres were initially established, uncertainty over orangutan numbers meant that rehabilitation programmes concentrated on releasing individuals into areas with existing wild populations to supplement those that were too small (Russon, 2009). Between 1973 and 2000, 218 orangutans were released at Bohorok in Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra, to supplement the rapidly declining population. The Sumatran orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP) is one of the orangutan rehabilitation centres in Sumatra, but it also concentrates on other aspects of orangutan conservation. The SOCP rehabilitation centre and quarantine site is in the Medan region, and individuals are released in Bukit Tigapuluh National Park. Over ten years, 190 orangutans have been through quarantine, with 125 individuals released into Bukit Tigapuluh, and 3 wild births by reintroduced females (DWCT, 2006). In addition the programme is helping to improve law enforcement through providing facilities for confiscated or unwanted orangutans. The availability of sanctuaries means that illegally kept individuals are more readily reported (DWCT, 2006). A mobile education unit from SOCP is used as an educational tool to teach conservation and the importance of orangutan tolerance, particularly in human-orangutan conflict areas. This provides a vital part of the orangutan conservation effort, as building understanding within local communities will help to reduce threats. Additionally, the programmes links with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust means they also have access to the latest research in orangutan medicine, husbandry and captive care (DWCT, 2006). Protected Areas There are many protected areas across Sumatra, however illegal logging still occurs within the majority of them. The Leuser Ecosystem Conservation area, established in 1998, is considered a conservation stronghold for orangutan populations (Singleton et al, 2008). It is a 2.6 million hectare area consisting of two National parks and containing around 5,800 (over 85%) of the remaining Sumatran orangutan population (Mittermeier et al 2009). It is the only conservation area within Sumatra with viable populations of the Sumatran orangutan, Sumatran tiger, Sumatran Rhinoceros and the Sumatran elephant. This shows that the Leuser Ecosystem Conservation area is highly important in the conservation and protection of the Sumatran orangutan. However, the national park is predominantly a mountainous region, which is highly unsuitable for the lowland orangutan species. This means that most of the orangutan population is found outside of park boundaries, leaving them even more vulnerable to habit at destruction. It is estimated that only around 30% of the orangutan population in Sumatra are found within park boundaries (Mittermeier et al, 2009), causing more problems and difficulties for their conservation. Legislation The Sumatran orangutan was listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) in 1975 (DWCT, 2006). This means that no trade is allowed in live orangutans or orangutan products. The ban was put in place due to the expanding pet trade in Indonesia, and by 1980 over 30,000 orangutans had been killed as result of this trade across Sumatra and Borneo (DWCT, 2006). In addition the species has been protected under Indonesian domestic law (Singleton et al, 2008). Act no.5, which was made law in 1990, legally protects the orangutan from hunting throughout its range. The Act also aims to protect environmental support structures and preserve biodiversity in Indonesia. However, a ban on hunting is extremely difficult to enforce, and current law enforcement of legislation appears to be very weak. Foreign support Many foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have invested an interest in the future survival of the Sumatran orangutan. For example, the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust based in Jersey joined the effort to conserve Sumatran orangutans in 1968. Durrell has contributed greatly to the survival of the species, breeding 7 babies in Jersey for the international Sumatran orangutan breeding programme (DWCT, 2006). The trust also helps by sharing information with orangutan rehabilitation centres, as well as sending experts to the field in Sumatra to help in the rehabilitation process. Some governmental support for the protection of the Sumatran orangutan has also been shown. Through the United Nations Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD), the Norwegian government pledged US$1 billion to Indonesia to reduce deforestation rates (Butler et al, 2009). Success of species recovery to date The Sumatran orangutan has been listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN since 2000 when it was first categorised (Singleton et al, 2008). The species data was re-examined in both 2007 and 2008, and in both cases it was found to still be Critically Endangered (Singleton et al, 2008). The population in Sumatra has been decreasing since the 1900s, with the most recent decline from 7,300 individuals in 2004 (Singleton et al, 2004), to around 6,500 in 2008 (Wich et al, 2008). It appears that, despite efforts to restore orangutan populations over the last 40 years, the species recovery has been unsuccessful to date. The predominant reason behind the continued decline of orangutan populations is the sustained level of deforestation, allowed by legal logging permits, illegal logging, poor law enforcement and ultimately corruption. Legislation is ineffective and reserves are not sufficiently policed, allowing commercial forestry to continue to occur even within protected areas. The rate o f illegal logging to legal logging is 4:1 (DWCT, 2006), meaning that without drastic improvements in law enforcement orangutans will remain at constant threat of extinction. Furthermore, despite the illegalisation of trade in orangutans, the pet trade for the species is still booming throughout Indonesia. Although the forestry department are responsible for confiscating many illegally owned orangutans for reintroduction, a huge proportion of individuals remain in human possession. The current level of protection for orangutans is not enough to combat the threats to the species. The most successful recovery attempt has been through the rehabilitation centres, but even they have a limited capacity. The rehabilitation process is only able to reintroduce a relatively small number of individuals, with one centre returning 125 orangutans to the wild over a ten years period. Over the same 10 year period only 3 wild births from ex-captive mothers occurred, and a high infant mortality was found at many release sites (Russon, 2009). Several observations of released orangutans at Bohorok release site showed individuals returning ill, underweight or wounded by wild counterparts (Dellatore, 2009). It is clear that there are still some problems with the rehabilitation and reintroduction process, and room to expand projects to a larger scale. However, it is also evident that these projects are the most successful aspect of the species recovery to date. The centres carry out highly important medical and genetic screening of individuals. orangutans are susceptible to human diseases, and the risk of spreading disease is great, so medical screenings help prevent disease from entering wild populations. Genetic screening is also highly valuable, as it helps monitor genetic diversity and maintain a healthy population. Rehabilitation centres also play an important role in orangutan welfare, allowing the confiscation of poorly kept individuals and providing safe places to go (Russon, 2009). In this aspect, they are an important part of the limited law enforcement available. Finally, the centres provide vital infrastructure and logistical support in the translocation of wild orangutans away from deforested areas (Beck et al, 2007). Recommendations for future management practices It is estimated that if the current rate of orangutan decline is sustained, we could see a further 50% loss of the population within ten years (Mittermeier et al, 2009). In order to ensure the Sumatran orangutans future, drastic action needs to be taken. Conservation of the species relies on immediate improvement of forest and wildlife laws, an increase in consideration for biodiversity in land use planning, and greater law enforcement effectiveness. The implementation of patrols to prevent illegal activity is vital as the first step to stopping illegal logging (Mittermeier et al 2009). In order to do this regular funding is required to put operations in place, and a forum for monitoring the enforcement of current legislation needs to be established. It is also important to implement anti-hunting patrols, as even very low hunting levels have strong deleterious effects (1% annual hunting rate sustainable) (Marshall et al, 2009). Patrols will also stem some of the supply to the pet trade, and attempt to reduce levels of illegal logging. In addition it is advised to temporarily halt legal logging and forest conversion, as well as road development plans (Mittermeier et al, 2009) in order to establish a more viable orangutan population. However, it is unlikely that the Indonesian government would halt development plans as it is essential for the countrys economic growth. A final step in the improvement of law enforcement would be the establishment of more patrols to confiscate illegally owned and poorly kept individuals to be taken to rehabilitation centres. This means that it is also vital to ensure the future expansion of rehabilitation centres across Sumatra. It is important to build capacity within current centres, as well as establishing new release sites across the island to restore populations in areas outside the Aceh province. Funding and volunteers would be required to expand the reintroduction projects across Sumatra. The future of orangutans also relies on the provision of protected areas and reserves with strict controls to prevent illegal activity from still occurring. Again, this would involve the supply of regular reserve patrols and stringent regulation. National park perimeters should also be increased to enhance the conservation areas. It is important to include large areas of forest below 1000 metres above sea level within the protected areas (Singleton et al, 2008), as this is the orangutans primary habitat. Habitat restoration is also needed within the protected areas in order to make it suitable for orangutan reintroduction. In addition, the re-establishment of habitat corridors is greatly needed (Robertson and van Schaik, 2001) to improve genetic flow between fragmented populations. Improving habitat connectivity will increase genetic diversity and therefore make the species more adaptable to its constantly changing environment. The conversion of any remaining orangutan habitat to oth er uses should be strictly prohibited immediately, as only a very small fraction remains. In order to do this, alternative livelihoods will need to be provided to many local communities which may have relied on the land. This should be done by employing locals in orangutan conservation projects, helping with rehabilitation, habitat restoration and law enforcement. Not only will this provide an income for communities, it will provide an economic incentive to protect orangutans, and may potentially start to change local opinion of the species. Building tolerance of the species and changing attitudes towards them is an important part of their conservation. It is important to address the human-orangutan conflict, especially as in the future more orangutans are likely to be living in close proximity to humans. In Batang Serangan in Northern Sumatra, a small group of orangutans were found to live in peaceful co-existence with farmers. The landscape is made up of degraded natural forest, s mallholder farms and oil palm monoculture plantations (Campbell-Smith et al, 2011). Although not an ideal habitat for orangutans, the mixed landscape was still suitable for the small group to live. Once tolerance of the species has grown, it would be possible to begin establishing small populations in these mixed agro-forest systems which occur across Sumatra. The ultimate aim is to create a landscape of primary lowland forest within protected areas, joined by corridors through major agricultural land. With the addition of further release sites, a connected habitat and better law enforcement, it is possible to establish viable populations across the island of Sumatra. Conclusion In order to reduce the current threats to the Sumatran orangutan immediate action needs to be taken. The species critically endangered status and its vulnerability to habitat destruction mean it is at great risk of extinction if further protection measures are not put in place. By following some of the recommendations laid out above, and increasing the level of support for orangutan projects, the species may yet have a future.

Thompson Valley Towne Center :: case study Towne Center Essays, solution

Thompson Valley Towne Center INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Thompson Valley Towne Center case study exemplifies how complicated a development project can get, especially with the presentation of a highly involved property rights litigation. Many issues arise in this particular project involving multiple parties. All these issues must be closely analyzed and continually monitored by the partnership developing the mixed-use project. Holsapple and Marostica begin to contemplate the continuance on the project as they see many bumps in its road to completion. The initial idea sounded so great, and now the partnership is debating whether to scrap the entire project at a substantial loss. LOOKING FOR THE LAND   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is my contention that finding and acquiring a property is the most important step in the development process. This decision will determine the involvement of a project as well as its success. The preliminary goal set forth by the partnership was to locate a property in Loveland, Colorado. They initially set out to complete three residential subdivision and any additional opportunities they found to develop for commercial use. So they went out and researched potential sites to develop. Form here, they would make a selection as to which properties they thought were best fit for development. One property they came across was at the north west corner of First and Taft. After viewing ownership and encumbrance information, they discovered that the property was being reviewed for a commercial center called Centennial Village. This land was obviously out of question for the partnership to develop, and could raise a possible competitive situation between the two complet ed projects. So the search continued on until the partners came across an 80-acre piece of property.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  80 acres is a lot of land and could be home to more than just a shopping center. The access to this parcel could be made with much more ease, and it was just down the street from the previously mentioned parcel. A mixed-use development was definitely obtainable with 80 acres to wok with. Mixed-use projects are further complicated when dealing with the government as far as easements and zoning concern. Other considerations for this location involve a huge gulch and irrigation ditch lining the boundary on the southeast corner of the property. These are just a few issues that Holsapple and Marostica must have in mind when deciding to acquire such this large property. Although this project looks promising, the conveyance of the land would be extremely complex, as the partnership would soon discover through the O & E on this land. Thompson Valley Towne Center :: case study Towne Center Essays, solution Thompson Valley Towne Center INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Thompson Valley Towne Center case study exemplifies how complicated a development project can get, especially with the presentation of a highly involved property rights litigation. Many issues arise in this particular project involving multiple parties. All these issues must be closely analyzed and continually monitored by the partnership developing the mixed-use project. Holsapple and Marostica begin to contemplate the continuance on the project as they see many bumps in its road to completion. The initial idea sounded so great, and now the partnership is debating whether to scrap the entire project at a substantial loss. LOOKING FOR THE LAND   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is my contention that finding and acquiring a property is the most important step in the development process. This decision will determine the involvement of a project as well as its success. The preliminary goal set forth by the partnership was to locate a property in Loveland, Colorado. They initially set out to complete three residential subdivision and any additional opportunities they found to develop for commercial use. So they went out and researched potential sites to develop. Form here, they would make a selection as to which properties they thought were best fit for development. One property they came across was at the north west corner of First and Taft. After viewing ownership and encumbrance information, they discovered that the property was being reviewed for a commercial center called Centennial Village. This land was obviously out of question for the partnership to develop, and could raise a possible competitive situation between the two complet ed projects. So the search continued on until the partners came across an 80-acre piece of property.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  80 acres is a lot of land and could be home to more than just a shopping center. The access to this parcel could be made with much more ease, and it was just down the street from the previously mentioned parcel. A mixed-use development was definitely obtainable with 80 acres to wok with. Mixed-use projects are further complicated when dealing with the government as far as easements and zoning concern. Other considerations for this location involve a huge gulch and irrigation ditch lining the boundary on the southeast corner of the property. These are just a few issues that Holsapple and Marostica must have in mind when deciding to acquire such this large property. Although this project looks promising, the conveyance of the land would be extremely complex, as the partnership would soon discover through the O & E on this land.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Dramatica Theory and James Washington Square :: James Washington Square

Dramatica Theory and James' Washington Square In this essay I will review a critique of James' Washington Square. I found the critique to be dry and rather clinical in its approach to this fine work by Henry James. From the beginning the article presents a cold psychological approach to the characters that James' has made live for me in the short novel. The article covers the character's name, gender, a short description of him or her, the role that character plays in the piece and then goes on to list the basic characteristics of him or her. Motivation, methodology, evaluation and purpose are the four characteristics that are used to describe a character. The analysis does refer to the original work in many places. I found this to be helpful. For example when it describes Catherine Sloper it takes a quote from the novel to list her as, "a dull, plain girl she was called by rigorous critics" (James 11). This did help redeem the article somewhat. But the basic problem I found with the analysis kept leaping up. It's too scientific an approach for any literary work. The main problem with "Dramatica," for me, seems to be in that the theory looks at a story in relation to, "the mind's problem solving process" ("What is Dramatica?"). This area of the website goes on to explain that an author must examine all possible solutions to an issue in the story. In an effort to prove that the author's solutions are the best. The Dramatica theory of critique states that if, "you have covered every angle in your argument, you've mapped all the ways an audience might look at the problem and, therefore, all the ways anyone might look at that problem" ("What is Dramatica?"). This mapping turns any piece into a psychological pseudo study and relieves it of any beauty that it may contain.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Essay and Art Essay

In the essay Pablo Picasso: Living in His Own Shadow, author Ellen Goodman uses fact, emotion and personal experience to illustrate the cycles of creating and aging, living in the limelight and passing on the torch. Goodman captures the sadness and the beauty of being replaced or falling out of fame while using Picasso and his works as an example of how even the most talented of persons must succumb to limitation. Goodman makes a point that some artists graciously recognize when it is time to cease their works but others persist despite the fact that their prime has passed. According to Goodman, Pablo Picasso represents the limitations in which we all must recognize but also the beauty in rebellion and persistence. Goodman juxtaposes Picasso against many famous people who like Picasso grew old and eventually had to admit that they could no longer perform at peak performance. â€Å"It is said that when Picasso was a teenager, his artist-father gave the boy his own palette, brushers and colors, and never painted again, (LoRocco & Coughlin, 1995, p. 198).† This actually seems to be factual. When Picasso was 13-years-old his father gave up painting admitting that his son had surpassed him in skill, (Pablo Picasso, n.d.). It is interesting that Goodman introduced the essay using this example considering the entire essay is about artists and well known figures who did not step out of the spotlight when their time was due.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"We feel sad that Joe DiMaggio sells coffee makers and uncomfortable that Willie Mays ‘stayed too long.’ Few of us know how to deal with the man or woman who ‘used to be’ somebody, (LoRocco & Coughlin, p. 199).† Goodman describes her personal feelings when reviewing Picasso’s work at an art exhibit. She states that although Picasso was an exceptional artist at every age his later work is lacking in many ways. Goodman uses her observations to express sympathy toward Picasso as opposed to disdain for his later works. â€Å"Yet as we wandered through the last thirty years of his life, you could see it all slip. The exhibit kindly excludes the commercial peace doves and greeting card poster art of the last few years. But still, it is easy to see the versatility turning frenetic – the search turning downhill. There is even a sense that perhaps he began to imitate himself – not just create but to create ‘Picasso,’ (LoRocco & Coughlin, p. 198).† In essence Goodman shows contempt for Joe DiMaggio and Willie Mays yet for Picasso Goodman expresses a sense of being perplexed and full of wonder, similar to her response to other artists including Frank Sinatra and Tennessee Williams. â€Å"It is something I have thought before. I’ve though of it whenever Tennessee Williams turns up in the news, alive but rarely well, writing poorly in comparison to his own brilliant retrospectives. I’ve thought of it when Frank Sinatra goes on stage, all blue eyes and strained vocal cords. They are pale versions of themselves, (LoRocco & Coughlin, p. 198).† But was Picasso a â€Å"pale version† of himself? According to Goodman there was a sense of grace and rebellion in the fact that Picasso worked until his death. â€Å"There is something, not sad but remarkable, in this refusal to ‘act his age,’ or retire gracefully. Surrounded by his own collection of his favorite cubist work, he must have known his limits. But out of compulsion or conviction he kept working.† It is true that Picasso worked rigorously until his death. â€Å"Death holds no fear for me,’ Picasso recently told a friend. ‘It holds a kind of beauty. What I am afraid of is falling ill and not being able to work. That’s lost time, (Time, 1973,  ¶ 1).† Picasso, as opposed to Mays and DiMaggio, did not work to make extra funds doing something which reminds us of their failing talents, like sell coffeemakers, Picasso worked to work. He created for the enjoyment of creating. His final work may have been pale in comparison to the masterpieces of his youth but as Goodman points out everything in life pales in comparison with youth. â€Å"Living in your own shadow is a problem of aging athletes and beautiful women and artists and actors and, to an extent, all of us, (LoRocco & Coughlin, 1995, p. 198).† Goodman’s experience at the exhibit for Picasso’s art left her contemplating what it would be like to find oneself living in a world where the past constantly haunts the present. She expresses the sadness of this by using examples of other artists and athletes who have made history and then faced limitations. But living with ones past is part of life and the limitations associated with aging do not have to be stifling. â€Å"Creation,’ Picasso said. ‘Is the only thing that interests me, (LoRocco & Coughlin, 1995, p. 199).† This statement must have been true for Picasso, who spent his entire life creating despite the fact that his later years are not defined as his most influencial in terms of artistic expression. References LoRocco, C., & Coughlin, J. (1995). The Art of Work: An Anthology of Workplace Literature (1st Edition ed.). : Glencoe/McGraw Hill. Pablo Picasso. (n.d.). Retrieved Jan. 4, 2009, from Wikipedia: www.wikipedia.com Time, H. (1973, April 23, 1973). Pablo Picasso’s Last Days and Final Journey. Time Magazine, .

Competitive Strategy Essay

Successful and und mavin strategies shape a conjunctions destiny R.A. Burgelman, outline is Destiny rivalrous dodging is the eminent- take schema apply by the steady to realize its transmission line goals, and in break danceicular, profit magnate, in the face of competition. We battleground warring schema indoors the over wholly context of engineering unswervings, which operate deep down a supposed diligence, e.g., the computing machine intentness, the consumer electronic exertion, the cellular ph iodine labor. Each patience, ide eachy, responds a mart, which denotes the purchasers or customers of the point of intersections and services offered by the fabrication. The dish out of outline, which has a time persuasion of years, is, in general, to set the long- terminal computeion or rate of the debauched, for example define the engineering, intersection, or service that the hard intends to develop, and determine the intend grocery for the grow thion or service. The black merchandise of preparation, which, in general, has a time horizon of several months to years, is to ingeminate long-term system into medium-term activities, e.g., the portfolio of projects that the steady should execute the time-phased cooking of these projects, and imaginativeness allocation. The function of operations, which has the time-horizon of days to months, is, in general, to translate medium-term planning activities into short-term growth design, development, and words activities much(prenominal) as prototyping, manufacturing, product release, and shipment. No ships lodge dismiss fol pocket- size of itly only whizz dodge. For example, Johnson & Johnson uses iodin merchandising system for its common product such(prenominal) as BAND-AID & Johnsons baby products and disparate trade dodging for its High Tech healthc be products such as Vicryl Plus, antibacterial running(a) sutures or NeuFlex finger joint implants. in that no te argon several different types of schema, including agonistic scheme, engineering science outline, product food market outline, m hotshottary scheme, and supply-chain of mountains scheme. For a applied science political party to be flourishing all these strategies quest to be coordinateed with apiece wee(a), and with the avocation goals of the firm. agonistical dodge, is the highest level of dodging in the firm, and is comfortably think to the mission and vision of the firm and also to setting the direction for all the separate strategies in the firm. thither are several tames of strategy desexualiseup design, planning, stead (Mintzberg, 1998). We center on ii beta schools or examples for strategy- mental hospital or strategy-making that are particularly great for high-technologycompanies.The first temporal is the so-called short lettering start due to doorkeeper ( porter, 1980), In this approach strategy is viewed as taking a generic ge t in a war-ridden market and which views strategy-making as an analytic cognitive operation performed at the industry-market morphologic level (Porter, 1980) and the resulting dynamics amongst operable groups of players (e.g., competitors, suppliers) in the industry. The second framework analyzes strategy-making at the industry-level, corporation level, and intra- telephoner level utilise growthary organization theory (Burgelman 2002). In this evolutionary organizational theory approach, apiece guild is an organizational ecology at heart which strategy emerges through devil staple fibre mechanisms, external cream and inner selection. When companies start, because they are brand-new and small the external selection mechanism dominates. As a ac union grows in size and becomes more established, internal selection plays an grave role. Based on evolutionary organization theory, views strategy-making as an evolutionary operation performed at tether levels industry- bon ton level, order-level, and intra-company level. When these ii frameworks are intermingled, an integrated approach to militant strategy emerges from industry-market level all the appearance to intra-company level. A unique aspect of creating combative strategy for a company, and in particular, a high-technology company, is that the time-scales for the evolution of markets, industries, and technologies are, in general, much shorter ( sudden) compared to otherwise industries. Therefore, the strategy frameworks of the patching school postulate to be augmented with utilitarian single-valued functions (Clark and Wheelwright, 1993), which capture the evolution of the market, industry, and technology relevant to the company, and which can whence be utilise to create strategy. The objectives of this chapter are as fol poors1. puff the military capabilitying framework for the mental home of free- go-ahead(a) strategy. 2. Provide an integrated belligerent strategy turn wh ich is multipurpose in growth warring strategy in a technology company. 3. Demonstrate the application of the process of agonistical strategy The objective of technology strategy (Clark and Wheelwright, 1993) is to guide the technology company in exploitation, acquiring, and applying technology for competitory advantage. An important part of technologystrategy is the definition of technical capabilities (e.g., travel device design, rapid prototyping, automated assembly) that allow for warlike advantage. The objective of product/market strategy is to clearly establish the by-line define what differentiates the product from its competitors identify market segments for the product, the customer needs of these segments, and the inter miscellanyable products (i.e., product lines) that forget be offered to these segments etc. An important outcome of product/market strategy is to define the product road subroutine, including sales good deal and price, necessary to realize the disdain goals.However, in the rapidly evolving industry and market embellish of high-technology, hawkish strategy, in turn, depends on three levels of strategy-making as follows (Burgelman, 2002) 1. application-company level. At this level the firm must determine its strategicalal position, its loading postulatencies, and its strategic action. 2. Company level At this level strategy-making involves induced strategy and free strategy. 3. Intra-company level At this the internal level free strategy is created. In prospered companies, it is the tight coupling of strategy these three levels of strategy-making with the highest-level (i.e., industry-market level) competitive strategy that, results in successful strategic action where what the company actually does, e.g., the product lines it develops and markets, results in the realization of its seam goals. It is also useful to mention two other strategies that are closely associate to competitive strategy. Financial str ategy allow ins issues such as with child(p) budgeting and portfolio management, i.e., deciding on which technology and product development projects to caudex in raise to maximize the cumulative expected profit. some other important and bear ond strategy is supply chain strategy (Chopra), which specifies the service, distri depictdion, and operations functions, performed either in-house or outsourced, that the company should do soundly in collection to successfully realize its intended competitive strategy.The Positioning frameworkWe first submit a historical overview of the positioning or analytic school of strategy. Then, we develop the tail fin impels framework (Porter, 1980) andthe approach to first appearance of competitive strategy that is closely related to the flipper deplumes framework. We ordain use the personal calculating machine industry to illustrate the approach. The positioning school of strategy which emerges from the competitive school is establi sh on the followers preconditions (Mintzberg, 1998) the marketplace is competitive strategy is a generic position in the marketplace strategy formation is the selection of a generic position found on synopsis. The underlying assumption is that industry or market organize drives position which drives the organizational complex body part of the firm. Matrices wish intumesce the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) introduced two techniques the growth-share intercellular substance, and the realise curve.The growth-share matrix for a firm, developed in the early 1970s, is a 22 matrix with growth along one dimension, and market share along the other dimension. Each of these variables can take two encourage, high or low resulting in a 22 matrix. Therefore, the product portfolio of a firm can be decomposed into four combinations of growth and market share, all(prenominal) with a well(p) defined center (High growth, high market share) or stars, (high growth, low share) or question mar ks, (slow growth, high share) or silver cows, and (slow growth, low share) or dogs. The approach to strategy apply this matrix would be to bear a portfolio balanced mainly betwixt cash cows (the s put over line of argumentation of the firm, e.g., mac estimators in the parapraxis of apple) and stars (e.g., the iPod, in the case of Apple). The mystify it away curve, developed in 1965-66, is based on the idea that accumulated experience by a firm influences be and prices. The claim for the experience curve was that for to for each one one cumulative doubling of experience, total be would decline roughly 20% to 30% because of economies of scale, organizational learning, and technical innovation (Ghemawat, 1999). In 1971, the consulting firm McKinsey came up with the GE/McKinsey nine-block matrix called the Industry Attractiveness- backup Strength matrix (Ghemawat, 1999), which plan rail line strength High, specialty, disordered along one axis, and industry magnet Hi gh, Medium, Low along the other axis. The basic idea was to divide the company into strategic personal credit line units (SBUs), and whence make the appropriate strategic recommendations for each SBU depending on its location in the matrix.TheFive withdraws Framework and agonistical dodgeIn this framework there are two high-ranking stages in the foot of competitive strategy, each stage corresponding to a high-ranking determinant of favourableness mentioned in the antecedent section. The first stage is the assessment of the move inion of the industry in which a stipulation company is embedded based on a geomorphological abstract of the industry. In this stage, called the basketball team forces framework, louvre forces that influence industry attractiveness are identified, as well as the factors (e.g., number of competitors, size of competitors, capital requirements) that determine the intensity of each force and therefore the cumulative intensity of the 5 forces. The purpose of the louver forces framework is to relate the degree (or intensity) of competition in a given industry, as qualitatively mensural by the combined strength (or intensity) of vanadium forces, to the attractiveness of the industry, defined as its ability to sustain profitability. Based on the structural analysis, a particular company whitethorn be in a very(prenominal) attractive industry (e.g., pharmaceuticals) or in an unattractive industry (e.g., steel). However, though a firm exists in an unattractive industry, it can still be highly lucrative by choosing the proper competitive position within the industry, for example, e.g., a mini-mill such as Nucor in the steel industry in the nineteen-eighties (Ghemawat). The second stage of strategy creation addresses the competitive strategy available to the firm in order to achieve a strong competitive position. Ideally, a firm would want to be in a very attractive industry (e.g., pharmaceuticals) and have a strong competitiv e position (e.g., large pharmaceutical firms such as Smith Klein or Glaxo) within the industry. The fivesome forces framework for the structural analysis of an industry is as follows. First, we define the following foothold used in the structural analysis of the industry industry, market, competitors, new entrants, substitutes, buyers, and sellers. The term industry denotes (1) the manufacturers (or producers) and (2) the suppliers of a elemental product or service, as well as (3) the manufacturers of alternate(a) products and services that could serve as a substitute.For example, the (conventional) personal computer (PC) industry would include PC manufacturers like dingle and Apple, suppliers of semiconducting material chips like Intel and Micron, suppliers ofdisc drives like Seagate, suppliers of package package such as Microsoft, etc. Substitute products could be pen-based tablet PCs or small hand-held personal digital assistants (PDAs). In the five forces framework desc ribed below, manufacturers and producers will designated as (1) competitors in the industry if they already have established products, or (2) new-entrants if they are onerous to enter the industry, or (3) substitutes, if they can choice (substitute) products. The term market denotes the buyers (or customers) of the product or service. For example, the market for PCs would include go-aheads and individual consumers. The analytical process of strategy analysis and creation can be decomposed into the following five steps. 1. Create a affair of the industry in which the technology company is embedded. There are five advert sets of players that shit the business landscape competitors, new entrants, substitutes, suppliers, and buyers. delineate bring up players (companies) for each industry. 2. set a five forces analysis of the industry structure. The five forces that influence the intensity of competition in a particular industry, and therefore the profitability of the firms wit hin the industry Force 1 the degree of contestation (or competition) between the competitors Force 2 the affright of new entrants (or the rearward of this force, the barrier to opening) Force 3 the threat of substitutes Force 4 emptor reason (to demand lower prices) Force 5 provider Power (to increase material prices). For each force, determine the key structural determinants which affect the intensity of the force. Porter and Ghemawat provide a detailed set of the determinants for each force, some of which are given in the table below. In the last editorial of this table we indicate plausible values of each force for the PC industry in the nineteen nineties.Table 1 Force Key Determinants Strength of the force Rivalry between competitors Concentration (number) and size of Medium to high competitors Fixed be/value added cross off indentity Barrier to approach Economies of scale Medium to high Brand identity Capital requirements Threat of substitutes scathe /Performance of substitutes Low to medium faulting be Buyer Power Buyer concentration Buyer size (volume) Medium to high fault costs Supplier Power Supplier concentration Low to medium Supplier size (volume) Switching costs In theory, one would, qualitatively determine the strength of each force, as indicated in the third column of the to a higher place table, and then determine the cumulative or combined intensity of the five forces. The incarnate intensity or strength of the forces will determine the structural strength of the industry, as characterized by attractiveness, or the profit capableness of the industry. The profit say-so is measured by the long term return on invested capital (ROIC). If the collective strength of the forces is high, as in the steel industry, then the corresponding profit potential or attractiveness is low, and vice-versa. At one extreme of this analysis is the perfectly competitive free market, where there are numerous firms all whirl very correspondent products that cannot be differentiated (therefore, the force of rivalry is high), entry is free (therefore, the threat of twain new entrants and substitutes is high), and bargaining power of both suppliers and buyers is low.Using the PC industry of the 1990s as an example, the qualitative values of the forces shown in the last column of the above table would lead one to conclude that the cumulative strength of the five forces was medium to high, and therefore the attractiveness of the industry, i.e., its profitability, was medium to low. The PC industry in the nineteen-nineties would therefore not be attractive to new entrants, and in fact, in the early 2000s, HPs computer business was unprofitable, and IBM sold its computer business to Lenovo. (It is important to note that HPs unprofitability in computer business in the early 2000s cannot be attributed unaccompanied to industry attractiveness being low, but is also due to issues associated with its acqui sition of the computer company Compaq.) 3. Select a competitive positioning strategy The basic present of Porter and Hall was that for a firm to be successful (in a market) it had to compete based on one of two sources of competitive advantage cost, i.e., by providing low cost products, or differentiation, i.e., by differentiating its products from its competitors with respect to quality and performance.Porter also proposed that a firm needs to select its strategic target either crack a product to the entire market (market-wide), or offering a product for a particular market segment. Using these two dimensions (source of competitive advantage, and strategic target), Porter proposed the following three generic competitive strategies 1. make up Leadership offering the lowest costs products to the entire market 2. Differentiated offering highly unique products (as perceived by the customer) to the entire market 3. Focus offering products which serve the needs of a respite segment o f the market Porters claim is that for a company to be successful in the industry in which it operates it must choose between one of the three generic strategies cost leadership, differentiated, and focus. If one uses the personal computer industry in the US during the 1990s as an example, then the competitive strategies of the major players was as follows Dell was the low-cost leader HP had a differentiated strategy with high-quality products Apple had a focus strategy, targeting a narrow marketsegment of users who whom the user-experience (look, feel, and graphic user interfaces) were extremely important and IBM had a mixed strategy. 4. Link competitive strategy to strategic planning (Ghemawat 1999) In order for a company to derive competitive advantage (or position) within its industry, the company needs to maximize, relative to it competitors, the difference between the buyers willingness to render and the costs incurred in delivering the product to the buyer. Therefore, the n ext step in the competitive analysis is for the company to bond competitive strategy to strategic planning by analyzing all the activities involved in differentiation and cost, and, to this end, a value chain (Porter, 1985) is an extremely important tool.According to Porter, the value chain disaggregates a firm into its strategically relevant activities in order to rede the behavior of costs and the existing and potential sources of differentiation. A three step process for exploitation these activities, first to analyze costs, then to analyze buyers willingness to pay, and lastly to explore different strategic planning options to maximize the difference between willingness to pay and cost, is developed in (Ghemawat, 1999). 5. Competitive strategy needs to evolve, especially in a high-technology company where markets, industries, and technologies, are changing comparatively rapidly. A good example of the evolution of competitive strategy is IBMs strategic decisions to evolve from a product-based company in the early nineties to a services-led company at the present time. In the early nineties, when the company was in trouble, IBM closely examined its business model and strategic direction, and decided to extend whole by moving its focus from products and hardware to solutions. One result of this strategic breach was the creation of IBM Global service in the mid-nineties. By the late-nineties the company locomote into e-business solutions, and extended this model in the 2000s to business-on-demand. One result of these shifts in strategy was IBMs decision to exit the face-to-face Computer Market by merchandising its PC business to Lenovo.Functional MapsA available map essentially is a time-based evolutionary map of a key metric for an important organizational function, e.g., a product performance metric map for the engineering function in a technology firm, e.g., the well-known Moores natural law in the semiconductor industry. Since the time-scales for t he evolution of markets, industries and technologies for technology companies, especially high-tech companies, is short compared to other industries, the creation of the appropriate available maps is vituperative to strategy formation in a technology company. As an example, in the relatively short span of four decades, randomness technology evolved from mainframes through workstations, servers and personal computers to internet-based and fluent computing. An important feature of our approach to developing competitive strategy in a technology firm is the integrated approach to strategy for a technology company, which relates company strategy to the companys business goals, business strategy, technology strategy, and product marketing strategy. Since, markets, industries, technologies, and products for a technology company are continually evolving, an important concept that plays a vital role in the creation of strategy, and, in particular, competitive strategy, is the functional map (Clark and Wheelwright, 1993).Here are some useful dimensions along which to create functional maps for strategy creation a) ontogeny of the industry in which the enterprise operates (changes in technology, customer needs, competitive landscape, etc.) b) Evolution of strategy business, technology, and market of the enterprise c) Evolution of technology (including manufacturing), product platforms, and product lines of the enterprise. The processes used for technology, product, and process development within the enterprise. d) Growth (or decline) of the enterprise with respect to of market share, revenues, costs, profits, etc. e) Organizational structure of the enterprisef) Key decisions made at different stages in the life of enterprise, and the drivers for these decisions g) The interconnections and relationships between all the above dimensions A multi-dimensional functional map for Intel is given in the next section. A very simple example of how functionalmaps can shape s trategy is in the information technology industry. A functional map of the Information Technology Industry from the 1990s to the 2000s would reveal a shift from products to services. The Services business in 2007-08 is approximately $750 billion, with IBM, whose share of this market is $54 billion, being the leader. HP, whose own share in the market is $17 billion visual perception this shift in the industry and the need to build competitive strength, acquired EDS, whose share of the market is $21 billion. The combined share of HP and EDS would then be $38 billion, allowing it to compete more strongly with IBM. Another simple example of the use of a functional map in creating strategy is in the software industry. In the 2000s the software market is moving from a encase product to online software, where individuals can get software that is mostly free, supported by advertize. Google is using its leadership on the Web to provide online software that competes with Microsofts packaged software. soul this shift from packaged to online, and the corresponding change in the revenue model from direct sales (of product) to advertising, Microsoft is aggressively entering the online advertising business. attend for developing competitive strategy in a companyIf we combine the positioning framework for competitive strategy due to Porter, the evolutionary organization conjectural framework due to Burgelman, and augment these with the creation of relevant functional maps, then the resulting process of developing competitive strategy in a company can be decomposed into four stages, as follows. coiffure 1 Company Analysis1. Establish the business goals and objectives (ROI, %market share, revenue, and growth aspirations). 2. Determine the technology strategy and product market strategy for the company. 3. Define the overall development goals and objectives to align business goals, technology, and market strategies. 4. Develop the functional evolutionary maps of the market s and industry in which the company is embedded. Create functional maps (time-based evolutionary maps) for technology, product market, and manufacturingstrategy of the firm. These maps will be useful in the process of assessing and creating competitive strategy. Stage 2 Industry Analysis1. Perform the structural analysis of the industry in which the company is either an active competitor, or a new entrant, or a substitute. 2. Determine the existing competitive strategy of the company within the industry. 3. Determine the relationships between the company and the other players in the industry Stage 3 Assessment and Evolution of the companys strategy within the relevant markets and industries 1. Using the functional maps of the overall markets and industry in which the company is embedded, as well as the company particular proposition functional maps, assess the evolution of the companys competitive strategy. 2. Decide on what the companys future competitive strategy should be, and th e corresponding technology strategy, product market strategy, and manufacturing strategy. GlossaryAutonomous system (also see induced strategy). Autonomous strategy refers to actions of individuals or small groups within the company that are outside the scope of trustworthy high-level corporate strategy. While autonomous strategy is constrained by the companys distinctive ( marrow squash) competencies, it normally (1) involves new competencies that are not the focus of the firm, and (2) results in so-called disruptive technologies that could change the strategic direction of the firm (Burgelman, 2002). Company twist ( steep vs. even). A vertical company is one which uses only its own proprietary technologies. A horizontal company is one which ( usually because of the being of open-standards) which does not solely rely on its own proprietary technologies, but usually uses technologies and products from other suppliers. In the computer industry, traditionally, Apple is an example of a vertical company, plot Dell is an example of a horizontal company. The computer industry, itself, moved from a vertical structure to a horizontal structure in the 1980s (Ghemawhat, 1999). Corporate Strategy (official corporate strategy). Corporate strategy is superlative degree managements view of the radix of the companys success.It includes distinctive (core) competencies, product-market domains, and core values (Burgelman, 2002) Industry. The term industry, e.g., the consumer electronics industry,denotes (1) the manufacturers (or producers) and (2) the suppliers of a primary product or service, as well as (3) the manufacturers of alternative products and services that could serve as a substitute (Porter, 1980). Market. The term market denotes the buyers (or customers) of the product or service. typically markets are segmented, for example, a two-dimensional partition based on the types of product (product segmentation) along one axis, and the types of customers (custome r segmentation) along the other axis. The market, as represented by Buyers is an important part of the industry analysis in Porters framework. Once youve established the key assets and skills necessary to succeed in this business and have defined your distinct competitive advantage, you need to communicate them in a strategic form that will attract market share as well as defend it. Competitive strategies usually fall into these five areas1. Product2. dissemination3. Pricing4. Promotion5. Advertisingmany of the factors leading to the formation of a strategy should already have been highlighted in earlier sections, specifically in marketing strategies. Strategies in the first place revolve around establishing the point of entry in the product life turn and an endurable competitive advantage. As weve already discussed, this involves defining the elements that will set your product or service apart from your competitors or strategic groups. You need to establish this competitive adv antage clearly so the proofreader understands not only how you will run your goals, but why your strategy will work.picReferencesBurgelman, R.A., Strategy is Destiny, The Free Press, wise York, 2002. Chopra, Sunil, and Peter Meindl, Supply Chain Management, Strategy,Planning, and trading operations, Third Edition, Pearson Prentice-Hall, 2007. Clark, K. B., and S.C. Wheelwright, Managing red-hot Product and Process Development, schoolbook and Cases, The Free Press, New York, 1993. Edwards, Cliff, Intel, Business Week, March 8, 2004, Pages 56-64. Ghemawat, Pankaj, Strategy and the Business Landscape, Text and Cases, Addison Wesley, 1999. Mintzberg, Henry and Bruce Ahlstrand, and Joseph Lampel, Strategy Safari, The Free Press, New York, 1998 Porter, Michael, Competitive Strategy, New York, The Free Press, 1980 Porter, Michael, Competitive Advantage, The Free Press, New York, 1985Figure 1 A strategic view of the technology firm, showing different types of strategy revenue enhancem ent ($),Growth (%),Etc.Purpose of the companyFinancial StrategyCompetitiveStrategyMarketStrategyTechnologyStrategyBusiness Goals Vision Mission