Cisco Case Study Essay

Cisco Systems is an industry leader in network technology. Their primary business is technology that is used to enable communication with people all over the world with multiple functions. Whether it be email, voice video or general applications these service are transported over Cisco Networks. The current CEO is John Chambers who has held the position since 1995. This case study focuses on his vision and strategy over the past 17 years. Cisco is a market leader in networking technology. Financial Information: www. Bloomberg.com (1) Sales 2012 Sales/Revenue/Turnover: Total Operating Revenues. $46,681,000,000 Gross Profit $28,558,000,00 Net income $ 8,356,000,000 Key Milestones in Cisco’s History (2) 1997 All in One: Data/Voice/Video 2000 Network of Networks 2006 Network as Platform 2008-Current Collaboration/ Web 2.0 SWOT ANALYSIS Cisco’s’ internal strengths are its people. They have a built a corporation with over 70,000 employees. 1/3 of those are Engineering people who develop Cisco’s solutions. (2). These solutions come from internal design or from acquisitions. There weakness is the size of the corporation compared to when they were in there early days. They challenges adapting to customer demands at the rapid pace the technology industry changes. The opportunities have come with the use of acquisitions. When they want to add a piece of technology to their portfolio they at times bypass the development process and acquire a company with the needed expertise. The major threats to the business are the number of employees who leave and go to competitors. Many of Cisco’s competitors are run by former Cisco employees. See Juniper.com(7) ANALYSIS VIA PORTER’S FIVE FORCES MODEL Analyze the competitive environment by listing the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of substitute products and services, and the intensity of rivalry among competitors in the industry (Chapter 2). Summarize your key points in a Figure. (25 points) Cisco’s’ threat of new entrants is limited due to Cisco’s market cap on network Switching: Modular/Fixed (2) . They currently hold a 69% market cap sue to their design and build of these devices. Their competitors have copied and duplicated these products and there are only handful that compete. The bargaining power as a buyer based on thre volume allows them to keep manufacturing costs low. There suppliers in turn have strong bargaining power with their silicon and chip manufactures. New Chipsets are developed rapidly and suppliers can gain a competitive advantage over the manufacturers. The threat of substitute products is a common theme with Cisco. An example was a Chinese company stole Cisco’s design and started producing replica hardware. Years of litigation was later settled however the cost to do so was a major impact. (3)This caused an intense rivalry with its competitor 3Com who partnered with the Chinese company (4). The other issue with its competitors is its talent pool. Many of Cisco’s engineers leave for competitor with hopes of creating the next generation of technology. STRATEGY USED Cisco’s competitive advantage in the switching market has led them into being market leaders in other sectors. Having the market share of the core network as the base layer of Infrastructure allows them to see the need of its customers. These sectors have all been supplicants that utilize the Cisco core networking products that today has brought them an industry market share in the following area. The core strategy used is there overall cost leadership to create this competitive advantage Performance Market share per sector Security 31% Digital Video: IPTV-64% Switching: Modular/Fixed- 69% Voice-37% Wireless: LAN-54% Storage: Area Networks-44% Routing: Edge/Core/Access-53% Networked Home-23% Web Conferencing-38% (2) One core strategy they used in the area of differentiation was the introduction of Voice over the network. Voice is a legacy technology created over 100 years ago and up until recently was run with the same original design concepts. Cisco changed that system buy running voice over the IP network. Today VOIP phone systems are a standard and the original POTS (plain old pots lines) are now considered legacy. They used acquisitions to buy phone providers and break down there core fundamental and produce them on IP networks., allowing today the use of voice over your PC Email Text. They were very successful in this space however not all companies can use this strategy for this particular technology. There install base is so strong the market is saturated and would not be cost effective. This strategy however is now in the maturity stage of the industry life cycle. They contain 69% of the voice market and they are continued to grow. The core installations will eventually decline however the service to maintain the phones systems will continue to remain in the maturity stage. Cisco’s strategy is based on catching market transitions—the market transitions that affect our customers. With the proliferation of video and collaborative Web 2.0 technologies, the network continues to evolve from the plumbing of the Internet—providing connectivity—to the platform that will change the way we work, live, play and learn.â€â€" John Chambers, Chairman and CEO, Cisco THE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES FACING THIS COMPANY Cisco’s’ competitive advantage in some sectors can be maintained. The overall progress should continue however weaker sectors where they have lost focus on have declined. In the example of the home Networked sector they maintain a low 23% market share. This has not been inline what the projections were when they entered these markets. Recently they have announced they are moving away from the home based market with a sale of their Linksys lien to Belkin (5) I believe the companies’ competitive advantage can be maintained if they focus on areas where they have control on market share. Shedding unprofitable business such as Linksys is a step in the right direction. This product is clearly on the decline side and Cisco should focus on growth areas such as storage area networks. The companies’ culture is changing from when they were a smaller enterprise they were able to maneuver with market needs more quickly. The fierce competition in the home market was one of the company problems. I believe that they are an enterprises corporation provider of services and do not understand the needs of home based users. COURSE OF ACTION RECOMMENDED I would advise Cisco to focus on server storage sectors. They are not a market leader in servers such as HP but have new products that are changing the way we companies utilize servers. This is a differentiation strategy that will change the industry if done correctly. They created a virtual server solution called UCS that if markets correctly could achieve future growth in the server storage sector. (6) I would use my market power and customer to base to provide these solutions at a low cost and this will expose a broad customer base to the product OPINION What do you think of this case study? Describe what you believe are the lessons learned from this case. (10 points) I think this case study showed me new concepts in strategic management. By studying Cisco’s market dominance based on 46 billion in revenues I now understand that having a competitive advantage must be maintained. Seeing Cisco now leaving markets is a new direction for them and these concepts have brought me to understand that. REFERENCES When you have completed the paper using the above sections, insert a page break and have a separate references page. The references should be listed in accordance with the APA guidelines as shown in the tutorial. (5 points) http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/CSCO:AR (1) http://newsroom.cisco.com/documents/10157/0/Corporate+Overview+-+Q2FY12.pdf (2) http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/07/29/cisco_huawei_case_ends/ (3) http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/07/09/3com_welcome_to_join_ciscohuawei/(4) http://www.dailytech.com/Belkin+Plans+to+Purchase+Ciscos+Linksys+Home+Networking+Business+Unit/article29747.htm(5) http://www.cisco.com/assets/global/europe/powerofu/ucs_vs_hp_deployment.pdf(6) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniper_Networks(7)

Preschool Observation Essay

On November 13, 2014 at Grossmont College’s Child Development Center, I observed Konnor who was born on March 11, 2011. At the center, there are roughly around 15 children between the ages of three and five; there is one adult for every six or so kids. The preschool center’s indoor environment is safely secured with a locked gate that separates the outside door which leads to the younger children centers and parking lot with the hallway to the learning and play area. There are two separate rooms, but they both have screen doors that lead to the same play area outside. The room on the left, which Konnor is placed in, was smaller than the room on the right but they both had similar types of equipment and activities that children could join in on together. Both rooms were decorated with the colorful artwork of the preschool children, several tables and chairs were surrounding the indoor area, and there was an activity awaiting for kids in every corner; not one child was le ft with nothing to do. The outdoor environment is secured with a tall fence surrounding the outside area, along with a locked gate. The outdoors have many activities that encourage the kids to interact with one another. There are bicycles, a painting station, a mini-garden, a playground equipped with slides, a playhouse, large plastic blocks, and even a small stage for children to perform in dramatic play. The indoor and outdoor environment is secure for the children and encourages the children to interact with each other and play as well as learn. Tantrums were thrown, children disobeyed orders, but, the adults handled every situation presented with a calm voice and they let the children know why their action was wrong and what they can do to fix it. For example, Konnor threw a fit because there was no bicycle available for him to use, a teacher came by his side and leaned down to his level, allowing eye-to-eye contact, and talked to him about it. Konnor explained the situation through sobs, but the teacher showed no look of frustration and stood with Konnor until a bicycle was available again. The center was decorated with photos of diverse kids in  ethnicity and culture which is a eye-appealing way to teach kids about the diversity amongst each other. The Child Observed: Konnor is a 3 year and 8 month old male preschooler born on March 11, 2011. Konnor is lean with a fair complexion, blue eyes, a button nose and short blonde hair. He was wearing army pants, a gray t-shirt with a red and blue jacket, and gray sneakers. Konnor is of average height for a 3.9 year old at around 38 inches and weighs roughly around 30 pounds. Towards the beginning, Konnor interacted with many of his peers, he threw a tantrum, and even began to suck his thumb. Observing Konnor from the beginning, he reminded me of almost every topic discussed in class for his age group which made me choose him for the preschool observation. Biosocial Domain: Konnor jumps on the wooden stage in front of his peers and teacher and throws his hands above his head and into the air. With his legs in a straight position and slightly parted, Konnor leans down and places his hands onto the platform beside his feet. Keeping a firm, balanced position, he bends his elbows, places his head down, and tumbles his body over, creating a somersault. Konnor shows a growth pattern and according to Kathleen Berger, growth patterns are obvious with a comparison between a toddler and a preschooler, â€Å"The center of gravity moves from the breast to the belly, enabling cartwheels, somersaults, and many other motor skills† (225). Konnor shows a growth pattern because he was balanced when he leaned his body over in preparation for the somersault, and his hands and feet were placed firmly on the ground; he did not tumble over or stumble once. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this growth pattern since it appears at 2 years old (Ch . 8 PowerPoint). Konnor begins to unstack the colorfully large, plastic Lego blocks. He grabs one blue block and places it to one side, and begins to do that with every other color presented to him. Konnor begins to stack up the Lego blocks separately according to the color; all the blue blocks were stacked neatly in a separate stack, as well as the red blocks and so on. Konnor shows maturation and according to Berger, maturation of the prefrontal cortex can be identified through observing children play certain games such as Simon  Says, and â€Å"the color game,† which was found that children were able to sort the cards out by their color. (234) Konnor shows maturation because he was able to unstack the uncoordinated colored blocks to color coordinate them, unlike a few children surrounding him who profusely stacked the blocks, regardless of the color order. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this development since it appears at 3 years old (Berger, 234). Konnor picks up a tree branch that has fallen beside a tree, he stares at it and looks up at the tree and back at the branch. With the branch still gripped firmly in his hand, Konnor begins to lift his body to wrap his arms and legs around the tree. Hugging the tree with his body, Konnor begins to ease his way up the tree by pushing his legs up first to scoot the lower half of his body up, and then lifting his arms up further to scoot up his upper body as well. Konnor shows gross motor skills and according to Berger, gross motor skills are defined as, â€Å"physical abilities involving large body movements, such as walking and jumping† (145). Konnor shows gross motor skills as he lifts his body to meet the tree as well as scooting his legs and arms up the tree to move up further which requires the use of his large muscles in both his lower and upper body. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for gross motor skills as it appears 8 to 10 months after birth (Berger, 145), but, Konnor is not within the norm for an activity, such as climbing a tree, since it appears at 5 years old (Berger, 238). Cognitive Development: Konnor picks up a tree branch that sits beside a tree and he begins to feel the leaves hanging from the branch and curves his lips upwards. Konnor takes a deep breath and says, â€Å"Hi, plant! How was your day?† as he begins to shake the plant for a response, Konnor responds to the tree branch that he, too, is having a good day. He sets the branch down back where he found it and says his goodbyes to the branch as he walks away. Konnor shows animism, which Kathleen Berger defines as, â€Å"the belief that natural objects and phenomena are alive† (259). Konnor showed animism because he began to have a minimal conversation with the tree branch and asking it how its day was as if it were animate. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this development as it appears at 2 years old (Berger, 257). The teacher gives Konnor a cup and spoon like hers and asks Konnor to wait for further instructions. Konnor begins to stir the brown sugar that the teacher placed in his cup until it is well mixed like her mixture. The teacher pours some vanilla extract into her cup and then hands over the vanilla to Konnor and asks him to pour it into his cup full of brown sugar. Konnor does what he is told and waits for the rest of his teacher’s instructions; the teacher tells Konnor to stir the mixture once again just as she does hers until the caramel is formed. Konnor shows guided participation, which Berger defines as, â€Å"the process by which people learn from others who guide their experiences and explorations† (262). Konnor was able to make the caramel by watching his teacher do every step in making the dip along with her explaining to him verbally as to what to do in each step. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this development since it appears at 3 years old (Berger, 262). Konnor holds the tree branch in front of his face while two of his peers surround him. He keeps a grasp onto the stem until the leaves on the branch begin to rustle against each other and Konnor opens his mouth in a form of an ‘O’ and raises his eyebrows up. Konnor turns to his friends and says, â€Å"Did you see the leaves move?! That means the plant is dancing and is happy to see me.† Konnor shows theory-theory, which Berger defines as, â€Å"the idea that children attempt to explain everything they see and hear by constructing theories† (266). Konnor must have seen leaves rustle in the trees previously and waited with his peers for something to occur with his branch. Konnor believes that when the leaves on a tree or a plant begin to move along with the wind, it means that the tree/plant is dancing because it is happy. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this development since it appears at 3 years old (Berger, 267). Language: Konnor stands across his peer on the wooden play stage and lifts his arms up and roars like an animal. His peer proceeds to do the same, but Konnor stops and says to his peer, â€Å"you have to be louder; throw your hands up and roar!† His peer does what Konnor suggests and Konnor nods his head at him. â€Å"Now get on the floor and roar!† Konnor says as he shifts his body down on the wooden  platform so his knees and hands are placed on the floor. Konnor continues to roar along with his peer on the play stage and tells his peer to follow him just as he begins to circle his body around the stage. Konnor shows social mediation, which Berger defines as, â€Å"human interaction that expands and advances understanding, often though words that one person uses to explain something to another† (264). Konnor had to stop to explain and show his peer how to roar loudly like him by telling him how through a minimal conversation as well as demonstration. Konnor then instru cts him what to do next such as to get on the floor and to follow him and continue to roar. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this development since it appears at age 3 (Berger, 264). Konnor picks up a tree branch that sits beside a tree and he begins to feel the leaves hanging from the branch and curves his lips upwards. Konnor takes a deep breath and says, â€Å"Hi, plant! How was your day?† Konnor waits for a response while the branch is held in front of his face, then continues to talk to the branch by saying â€Å"I’m having a good day too, plant!† Konnor shows fast-mapping, which Berger defines as, â€Å"the speedy and sometimes imprecise way in which children learn new words by tentatively placing them in mental categories according to their perceived meaning† (270). When talking to the tree branch, Konnor kept referring the branch to a â€Å"plant† because he believes that anything with wood and leaves is considered a plant. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this development since it appears at around 12 to 18 months (Berger, 270). Konnor stacks the plastic Lego blocks on top of one another with a peer until their desired height. His peer grabs a blue plastic Lego block and throws the plastic block at the stack which causes Konnor to gasp and raise his voice at his peer. A teacher comes over to the two boys to see what the problem was and Konnor says, â€Å"teacher, he throwed the block and ruined this.† while referring to the now tumbled over stack. Konnor shows overregulation which Berger defines as, â€Å"the application of rules of grammar even when expectations occur, making the language seem more â€Å"regular† than it actually is† (272). Konnor shows overregulation by saying â€Å"throwed† instead of the proper past tense term â€Å"threw†. He believes it is the proper  term because he shows that he knows that the letters â€Å"-ed† create a past tense word. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this development since it appears at 3 years old (Berger, 272). Psychosocial Domain: Konnor stacks the plastic Lego blocks on top of one another with a peer until their desired height. His peer grabs a blue plastic Lego block and throws the plastic block at the stack which causes Konnor to gasp and raise his voice at his peer, asking him why he did that. A teacher comes over to the two boys to see what the problem and Konnor explains. Konnor shows emotional regulation which Berger defines as, â€Å"the ability to control when and how emotions are expressed† (289). Konnor shows this behavior because even when he expressed his feelings toward his peer by raising his voice, he knew not to overreact verbally or physically and asked his peer why he did what he did instead. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this development since it appears between the ages 2 and 6 (Berger, 289). As Konnor finishes stirring his brown sugar and vanilla extract in the cup, he looks around the round table where a few of his peers surround them; he sees that they are still stirring their ingredients in their cups. Konnor curves his lips upwards, and raises his cup to his teacher and says, â€Å"look, teacher! I’m done!† the teacher responds with, â€Å"well done, Konnor! Wait for everyone else to finish their dip.† Konnor continues to curve his lips upwards and sits back in his chair while his peers finish mixing. Konnor shows pride which a very positive high concept and self esteem (Ch. 10 PowerPoint). Konnor shows pride once he realizes that he was the first to finish mixing the ingredients together and shows his teacher that he was already finished. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this development since it appears at age 3 (Berger, 290). Konnor stacks the plastic Lego blocks on top of one another with a peer until their desired height. His peer grabs a blue plastic Lego block and throws the plastic block at the stack which causes the stack to tumble over and the blocks scattering around the floor. Konnor gasps and furrows his brow at his peer and says, â€Å"You are mean! I don’t like you!† Konnor shows  antipathy which Berger defines as, â€Å"feelings of dislike or even hatred for another person† (305). Konnor shows antipathy toward his peer right after his peer knocked over their stack of Lego blocks, which required much of their time, by furrowing his brow and raising his voice at his peer. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is not within the norm for this behavior since it appears at age 4 (Berger, 306). Konnor stands beside the tree and watches his peers ride on the tricycles. Konnor furrows his brow and raises his voice saying, â€Å"I want to ride on one!† A teacher walks to Konnor, asking what’s wrong, and Konnor says, â€Å"I want to ride on a tricycle!† Konnor’s teacher explains to Konnor that they are all taken by his peers and that he would have to wait until one is available. Konnor stomps his foot on the ground, continuing to furrow his brow and says, â€Å"No, now!† Konnor walks over to one of his peers who is sitting on his parked tricycle and demands him to get off so he could ride it. His peer tells Konnor that he is riding it, which makes Konnor grasp onto one of the handles and pull it towards his body, causing his peer to raise his voice and call for a teacher’s help. Konnor shows instrumental aggression which Berger defines, â€Å"behavior that hurts someone else because the aggressor wants to get or keep a possession or a privilege† (306). Konnor shows this behavior because he kept raising his voice at his teacher and his peer in order to get what he wanted, which was to ride one of the occupied tricycles, as well as pulling a tricycle towards him from a peer who was already using it. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this behavior since it appears at age 2 (Berger, 306). Play!: Konnor and his peer get on their hands and knees in the sand and begin to shift their bodies to move around the play area. Konnor raises one hand in the air and sways it back and forth as he says, â€Å"roar!† His peer waits until Konnor finishes his ‘roar’ then proceeds to do the same and then continue to crawl around in the sand and raise their voices to, â€Å"roar† together. Konnor shows cooperative play which Berger defines as, â€Å"children play together, creating dramas or taking turns† (296). Konnor shows this behavior since he played with another individual in the act of being an animal and taking turns in roaring and swaying their arms around. At 3 years and 8 months old,  Konnor is within the norm for this behavior since it appears at 3 years old (Berger, 296). Konnor stands across from his peer and throws his hands in the air over his head, furrows his brow and says â€Å"roar! I’m a tiger and I’m going to eat you!† his peer jumps, turns around, and proceeds to run around the play area while his mouth is open and his lips are curved upwards, he says â€Å"you can’t get me!† Konnor runs right behind him, his arms still rose above his head and continues to say, â€Å"Roar!† Konnor shows rough-and-tumble play which Berger defines as, â€Å"play that mimics aggression through wrestling, chasing, or hitting, but in which there is no intent to harm† (296). Konnor shows this behavior by acting like a preying tiger and telling his peer that he will eat him while roaring and then chasing him around the play area. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this behavior since it appears at 3 years old (Berger, 297). Konnor stands across his peer on the wooden play stage and lifts his arms up and roars like an animal with his peer. Konnor throws his hands up above his head and lifts his knees up then stomps his feet across the platform and continues to roar and growl. Konnor stands across his peer and furrows his brow at him, which makes his peer do the same; Konnor then shakes his head from side to side, his arms still above his head and he roars once again. Konnor shows sociodramatic play which Berger defines as, â€Å"pretend play in which children act out various roles and themes in stories that they create† (297). Konnor shows this behavior since he and his peer began to pretend that they were animals on the wooden stage. He and his peer were roaring just as they have probably heard an animal do and also stomp their feet which mimics an animal pouncing. At 3 years and 8 months old, Konnor is within the norm for this behavior since it appears at 2 years old (Berger, 297). Though there was a painting station that gave children the opportunity to sit down and paint whatever they wanted to, Konnor did not take part in the activity during the time I observed him; thus, not showing the behavior of artistic expression. Artistic expression is defined as young children being  imaginative and creative and loving to show it in drawing, dancing and building without being self-critics (Berger, 242). Berger states that the norm for this behavior is 2 years old (242). Reflection: Significance and Application While observing Konnor, I had noticed that there were times that he was much like his peers in many behaviors, and also different than his peers in other behaviors. I believe the preschool has been a major influence on Konnor’s development because when there are acts of good behavior, he is praised and when there are acts of wrongdoing, he is informed of why that is and given time to reflect on his behavior. From the observation and from this assignment, what I’ve learned about child development is that no matter how any child is raised in their own home and environment, they all share many similar attributes behavior wise. Towards the beginning, I was overwhelmed when I saw all of the children running around freely; I didn’t think I could choose just one child, and if I did, I didn’t think that their behaviors and acts of play would suffice. Surprisingly, when observing Konnor and his peers that he would play with, I noticed that they are all much alike even if they show it just a little bit differently than another child. Kids will be kids, as they say.

A perspective on History- chapter 12 of Ruggiero's Ethical Issues Essay

A perspective on History- chapter 12 of Ruggiero's Ethical Issues Ninth edition - Essay Example The history of Ethics addresses transformations in ethical issues over periods with popular and normal beliefs, trends and presuppositions shaping the model of thought for each period. The ancient Greek ethics is the oldest ethical thinking model fronted by Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Philosophical thinking about ethical codes started with the Greek Sophists in the Western intellectual tradition. The Greek Sophists taught youths about the skills of public speaking in order to become successful in the political struggle of those days (Ruggiero, 2007). Moreover, earliest Sophists like Plato and Protagoras fronted the virtue of moral relativism. They underscored the fact that particular communities make their specific moral and ethical codes, setting them as customs and practices of the given community. The second stage in the history of ethics is the medieval ethics. Church fathers fronted the medieval ethical thinking. This was the trial to comprehend the Judeo-Christian scriptures in the view of the Greek philosophers (Ruggiero, 2007). St. Augustine was the major personality that fronted this ethical thinking era. He gave an ethical account of voluntarism and the will. Ethics in the twentieth century has been mainly analytical. It has been majorly concerning the nature and implication of ethical judgments. Modern ethical thinking has mainly focused on meta-ethics rather than normative ethics (Ruggiero, 2007). Modern ethics in the Western traditions draws its connection to the previous ethical thinking stages, that is, the ancient Greek ethics and the medieval ethical

Managerial Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

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Vulnerable Population Homeless Mothers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Vulnerable Population Homeless Mothers - Essay Example Because of mental disorders, homeless mothers are at increased disadvantage as they are less likely to utilize public support resources, are estranged from family and other support networks, have increased rates of imprisonment, and experience disproportionate health problems. Simultaneously, mental disorders among homeless mothers in conjunction with history of childhood sexual abuse, the experience of adult partner violence, and a PTSD diagnosis make this population group being extremely vulnerable to substance abuse. With the identification of two health related problems of homeless mothers, this paper analyses these problems from the public health perspective and from the perspective of national Healthy People 2010 program. Paper also indicates various intervention programs as well as national supporting strategies aiming to assist homeless mothers and increase their quality of life and health. Today, homelessness is everywhere and has many different faces. Social efforts addressing homelessness range from relief to rehabilitation with organizations aiming to provide support services to enhance the quality of life of homeless persons, provide services that alter the course of homelessness resulting in self-sufficiency and long-term independent living, or are intent on ending homelessness altogether (US Interagency Council on Homelessness, 2008). From the practical perspective, it is very difficult to develop generalizable statistical information regarding the prevalence and demographic characteristics of homelessness. Essentially, the only way to estimate the number of homeless individuals is to make a cross-sectional assessment in a specific location during a specific period of time. Thus information about who is homeless varies depending on the month of assessment, the geographic location assessed, and participant recruitment and data collection methodologies (Burt, 2001 ). Still, it is known that families constitute a dominant social group found among the temporarily homeless. Close to half a million families are estimated to be homeless each year making up approximately one-third of the homeless population (HUD, 2007). The vast majority of these families are African American or other minority group (Whaley, 2002). The vast majority of homeless families include a 20+ years old single mother with children typically younger than six years of age (HUD, 2007; Weinreb et al, 2006). Barrow & Zimmer (1999) refer to this as the "feminization of poverty" (p. 51) which is reflective of gendered disparities in employment, education, and family responsibilities. The women who find themselves homeless often have depleted their last lifeline, be it a family member, a friend, or a financial resource (Rog & Buckner, 2007). Focusing on homeless mothers is not a dismissal of the plight of homeless single fathers; however, the percentage of fathers raising children in shelters, transitional facilities, on the street, or other nonconventional housing situation is strikingly lower than that of homeless mothers (16% father-headed homeless families vs. 84% mother-headed (HUD, 2007; Schindler & Coley, 2007)). Therefore, while the experiences and needs of homeless fathers are important, the vast majority of families ex periencing homelessness are headed by single mothers, thus homeless mothers' health issues, challenges and educational strategies

Sexuality Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sexuality - Research Paper Example But, it is impossible to correctly draw the margin that divides poor from the privileged class. People below a given line of income may be called poor. Many analysts have argued that it is impossible to adjust the poverty threshold over long periods of time using the inflation rate (Consumer Price Index) but that the poverty measure must be reformulated from scratch every so often since what is a necessity’ changes from period to period, from society to society (Hobjin, 2002). According to G. Duncan â€Å"economic conditions in early childhood clearly matter the most and that income effects are nonlinear, with the largest impact associated with increments to very low incomes†. He further states that complete schooling and no marital childbearing are related to parental income during early and middle childhood. This disadvantage suffered by the children of the poor can be overcome if they are given a compulsory education by concerning authorities. Moreover, education should be job oriented. A person could study in an elementary school and still get the right kind of education to help him with his job. The child’s potential should be evaluated and given the kind of education that is suitable to him. If the children of the poor people get the right kind of career oriented education then it will help them in the long run. The poor may not be able to support their kids for higher education. They would need them to help support the family. Hence, t he children of the poor should be given basic education that encompasses trade knowledge. This would benefit the students into becoming a better grade laborer who earns more than his peers. Every human has the right to basic education. It helps get an honest job that produces a decent income necessary to run a family.

Stress Levels at Work in Canada Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Stress Levels at Work in Canada - Essay Example Their prime focus is to train the employees and contribute to their knowledge building process which makes them competent enough to handle the stress generated from incompetency and job insecurity amidst technological changes. Â  This is why the specific code of conduct and leadership opportunities are available at Ericsson Canada to develop their personality and assist them in their personal strategies to cope with stress. Employee empowerment is also a part of the initiative (Ericsson n.d). Â  Health Canada is a healthcare organization which puts greater emphasis on stress management of employees because they ultimately have to provide caregiving and health care services to other patients. Their prime objective in the stress management drive is to reduce the instances of non-healthy habits which employees resort to when stressed. As such, it involves cessation of smoking, programs for weight control and dietary habits and overall stress management techniques (Loo 1993). Â  Thus, its stress management and wellness program emphasizes more on physical fitness and developing capabilities to remain fit and fine. This will ultimately improve the caliber of employees to handle the work pressure and reduce the levels of stress. Â  Devon Energy is an energy company in Canada where employees face common instances of job insecurity and compensation concerns due to fluctuating oil prices and global turmoil. Being regulated more by political and economic pressures, the company has put in place stringent ethical and compliance rules which do not allow the employees to cross the acceptable behavior boundary (Ethics Point 2010). Â  Emergency health services and better perks and incentives are introduced to motivate the employees for better performance. This allows them to take a little amount of stress in a positive way and as a challenge to develop their abilities.

MBA - Economics - MicroEconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MBA - Economics - MicroEconomics - Essay Example They are characterized by a lack of economic competition for the good or service that they provide and lack of viable substitutes. Results would show that under the Perfect Competition scenario, attaining profit maximization equilibrium at the given equations for cost and pricing would result to a loss for the company. The output may be high and the price low as compared to the Monopoly scenario but the overall effect is that the company does not gain from the venture. It is not surprising that it turned out that the firm will profit more from the monopoly situation because consumers do not have any alternative. Monopolies are expected to produce less and set it a higher price because there is no substitute available on the market. Consumers need the product and so they will buy in at whatever price is set thereby resulting to a decline in social welfare. The lack of competition results to less concern for efficiency and innovation. Products would experience little or no improvement. Since there are no available substitutes the consumer is forced to use the product which further leads to decrease in consumer welfare. Nonetheless, there is a concept which states that the loss of efficiency of firms can raise a potential competitor's value enough to overcome market entry barriers or provide incentive for research and new alternatives. The government may even step in and break the monopoly. According to the theory of contestable markets, monopolies can be forced to behave as if there were competition because of the risk of losing their monopoly to new entrants especially when barriers to market entry are low. It might also be because of the availability in the longer term of substitutes in other markets. This is seldom the case however.Under the perfect competition, we were able to determine that the firm would be making a loss. Does it follow then we should stop production The answer lies on considerations of different total costs levels and whether the firm is operating in the short run or in the long run. Why do even question whether it should continue or not Common sense would tell us that if we are not gaining anything from a venture then we should withdraw from it. However, production entails fixed costs which the firm should account for whether they manufacture or not. It may turn out that continuing production would be enough to cover the fixed costs. When the firm is geared for short run perspectives but is registering losses, it is advisable that it should still continue production provided that the Total costs (TC) is greater than total revenue (TR) and that total revenue is equal to total variable cost (TVC). If it fails to achieve one of these conditions, then it would be advisable to shut down so that they will only pay for the fixed costs. Even if the firm stops producing, it will have to continue to meet the level of fixed costs. Since whether the firm produces or not, it will have to pay fixed costs, it is better for it to continue production in an attempt to decrease total costs and increase total revenue, thus making profits. In the long run scenario, the condition to continue producing requires the price P to be higher than the Average Total Cost. If P is equal to ATC, the firm is indifferent between shutting down and continuing to produce. This case is different from the short run shut down case because in long run there's no longer a fixed cost because everything

Transformation of Shell - 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Transformation of Shell - 4 - Essay Example From the results of a series of exercises conducted by several private management consultants, the company began to shift from their strict business attitude to social and environmental performance. As a result, the leadership attitude of the officials also changed; they geared up for taking more responsibilities. Similarly the Shell revised ‘General business Principles’ with regard to the results obtained from the integrity works. In addition to this, the company developed its own Web Site facilities in order to get timely feedback and suggestions from the public. Likewise, the shell international conducted ‘written and face to face’ conversations with stakeholders to remove their dissatisfaction. These changes were necessary for the Shell international since they had suffered a lot of internal as well as external problems such as Brent Spar issue, Nigerian human rights, and Shareholder campaigns. The resistance of Greenpeace to the disposal of Brent Spar at sea attained media coverage which reduced the company’s reputation among the public. The Shell also faced a consumer boycott which caused the decline of their sales volume to a large extent. Similarly â€Å"Shell’s return on average capital employed (ROACE), a common measure of performance in the petroleum industry, showed that the company lagged behind many of its competitors† (Lawrence, 2000, p.533). In addition to this the Shell executives had to compete with discount retailers at retail level which led them to reduce their efficiency in business operations. At the earlier stages the company had followed a matrix form of organization which resulted in red tapism and delayed decision making. The close analysis would make us think about the essential changes Shell required for taking advantage of maximum opportunities from the business. The Shell international had forgotten the basic principle that customers are the crucial part of a business without whom a business can

Logical fallacies in an editorial (editorial rebuttel) Essay

Logical fallacies in an editorial (editorial rebuttel) - Essay Example Since the authors name is not disclosed, the views expressed therein can be attributed to the Editorial Board of USA Today. In the immediate aftermath of the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Obama Adminstration issued a moratorium banning all drilling activity in the region for the next six months. This meant that all 33 oil rigs in the Gulf will remain idle, along with tens of thousands of oil-rig workers. The moratorium elicited mixed reactions from different sections of society and body politic. The republicans accuse President Obama of pandering to the insecurities and fears of the masses, whereas public opinion is fairly supportive of this decision. The editorials central argument is that the moratorium is too arbitrary a measure; and that the Obama Adminstration could have drawn up more specific set of criteria for the reopening of rigs. The author goes one step ahead and enlists three specific criterions for the eventual reopening of rigs. These are: â€Å"Is it safe to drill?, Is there a credible plan for plugging a blowout?, and Is the industry capable of cleaning up a catastrophic spill?†. He further explains the rationale behind these questions. To this extent there seems to be no editorial bias one way or the other. Major newspapers in the United States are classified as either liberal or conservative; and it appears that the author takes up neither position in the article. Hence it is easy to come to the conclusion that the editorial is not ideologically slanted, and that it espouses neither the right-wing nor the left-wing perspective. But a closer examination reveals more fundamental deficiencies. Beneath the veneer of being objective and critical, one could detect the soft stance toward major oil corporations. Given the sheer scale of the oil-spill catastrophe, one would expect a

Psychology Notes Essay Example for Free

Psychology Notes Essay 1) Four big ideas in psychology: a. Critical thinking is smart thinking b. Behavior is a bio psychosocial event c. We operate with a two-track mind (Dual processing) d. Psychology explores human strengths as well as challenges 2) Why do psychology? e. The limits of intuition and common sense i. Enough to bring forth answers regarding human nature. ii. May aid queries, but are not free of error. iii. Hindsight Bias: the â€Å"I-knew-it-all-along† phenomenon. 1. After learning the outcome of an event, many people believe they could have predicted that very outcome. iv. Overconfidence: thinking you know more than what you actually know. f. The scientific attitude v. Composed of curiosity, skepticism, and humility. vi. Curiosity: passion for exploration. vii. Skepticism: doubting and questioning. viii. Humility: ability to accept responsibility when wrong. g. The science of psychology helps make these examined conclusions, which leads to our understanding of how people feel, think, and act as they do. 3) How do psychologists ask and answer questions? h. The scientific method ix. Construct theories that organize, summarize and simplify observations. x. Theory: an explanation that integrates principles and organizes and predicts behavior or events. (Example: low self-esteem contributes to depression). xi. Hypothesis: a testable prediction, often promoted by a theory, to enable us to accept, reject or revise the theory. (Example: people with low self-esteem are apt to feel more depressed). xii. Research: to administer tests of self-esteem and depression. (Example: people who score low on a self-esteem test and high on a depression test would confirm the hypothesis). i. Description xiii. Basic purpose: to observe and record behavior. xiv. How conducted: do case studies, surveys, or naturalistic observations. xv. Weaknesses: No control of variables; single cases may be misleading. xvi. Case Study: a technique in which one person is studied in depth to reveal underlying behavioral principles. xvii. Survey: a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes, opinions or behaviors of people usually done by questioning a representative, random sample of people. xviii. Wording can change the results of a survey xix. Random Sampling: when each member of a population has an equal chance of inclusions into a sample (unbiased). 2. If the survey sample is biased, its results are not valid. xx. Naturalistic Observation: observing and recording the behavior of animals in the wild and recording self-seating patterns in a multiracial school lunchroom constitute naturalistic observation. j. Correlation xxi. Basic purpose: to detect naturally occurring relationships; to assess how well one variable predicts another. xxii. How conducted: compute statistical association, sometimes among survey responses. xxiii. Weaknesses: does not specify cause and effect. xxiv. When one trait or behavior accompanies another. xxv. Correlation Coefficient: a statistical measure of the relationship between two variables. 3. Example: R = + 0.37 a. R is the correlation coefficient b. + is the direction of relationship (either + or ) c. 0.37 indicates the strength of relationship xxvi. Correlation DOES NOT mean causation. 4. Examples: d. Low self-esteem could cause depression e. Depression could cause low self-esteem f. Distressing events or biological predisposition could cause low self-esteem and depression. xxvii. Illusory Correlation: the perception of a relationship where no relationship actually exists. (Example: parents conceive children after adoption). xxviii. Order in Random Events: 5. Given random data, we look for order and meaningful patterns. 6. Given large numbers of random outcomes, a few are likely to express order. k. Experimentation xxix. Basic purpose: to explore cause and effect. xxx. How conducted: manipulate one or more factors; use random assignment. xxxi. What is manipulated: the independent variable(s). xxxii. Weaknesses: sometimes not feasible; results may not generalize to other contexts; not ethical to manipulate certain variables. xxxiii. The backbone of psychological research 7. Effects generated by manipulated factors isolate cause and effect relationships. xxxiv. Double-blind Procedure: in evaluating drug therapies, patients and experimenter’s assistants should remain unaware of which patients had the real treatment and which patients had the placebo treatment. xxxv. Random Assignment: assigning participants to experimental and control conditions, by random assignment, minimizes pre-existing differences between the two groups. xxxvi. Independent Variable: a factor manipulated by the experimenter. 8. The effect of the independent variable is the focus of the study 9. Example: when examining the effects of breast-feeding upon intelligence, breast-feeding is the independent variable. xxxvii. Dependent Variable: a factor that may change in response to an independent variable. 10. Usually a behavior or a mental process. 11. Example: in the study of the effect of breast-feeding upon intelligence, intelligence is the dependent variable. 4) Aristotle l. 384-322 B.C. m. Naturalist and philosopher n. Theorized about psychology’s concepts o. Suggested that the soul and body are not separate and that knowledge grows from experience. p. â€Å"The soul is not separable from the body, and the same holds good of particular parts of the soul.† -Aristotle 5) Wundt q. 1832-1920 r. Studied the â€Å"atoms of the mind† s. Experiments at Leipzig, Germany, in 1879, which is considered the birth of psychology. 6) William James t. 1842-1910 u. American philosopher v. Wrote psychology textbook in 1890 w. James’s student, Mary Calkins, became the APA’s first female president xxxviii. She was not able to attain her PhD from Harvard. 7) Sigmund Freud x. 1856-1939 y. Austrian physician z. Emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind and its effects on human behavior. 8) Psychology {. Originated in many disciplines and countries |. Defined as the science of mental life until the 1920s. }. 1920-1960: psychology was heavily oriented towards behaviorism. ~. Psychology: the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. 9) Pavlov, Watson and Skinner . Watson: 1878-1958 . Skinner: 1904-1990 . Emphasized the study of overt behavior as the subject matter of scientific psychology instead of mind or mental thoughts. . â€Å"Anything seems commonplace, once explained.† -Watson 10) Maslow and Rogers . Maslow: 1908-1970 . Rogers: 1902-1987 . Emphasized current environmental influences on our growth potential and our need for love and acceptance. 11) The American Psychological Association (APA) . The largest organization of psychology . 160,000 members world-wide . Followed by the British Psychological Society with 34,000 members. 12) Current perspectives . Neuroscience: how the body and brain enables emotions xxxix. How are messages transmitted in the body? How is blood chemistry linked with moods and motives? . Evolutionary: how the natural selection of traits promotes the perpetuation on one’s genes. xl. How does evolution influence behavior tendencies? . Behavior genetics: how much our genes and our environments influence our individual differences xli. To what extent are psychological traits such as intelligence, personality, sexual orientation, and vulnerability to depression attributable to our genes? To our environment? . Psychodynamic: how behavior springs from unconscious drives and conflicts. xlii. How can someone’s personality traits and disorders be explained in terms of sexual and aggressive drives or as disguised effects of unfulfilled wishes and childhood traumas? . Behavioral: how we learn observable responses. xliii. How do we learn to fear particular objects or situations? What is the most effective way to alter our behavior, say to lose weight or quit smoking? . Cognitive: how we encode, process, store and retrieve information xliv. How do we use information in remembering? Reasoning? Problem solving? . Social-cultural: how behavior and thinking vary across situations and cultures. xlv. How are we- as Africans, Asians, Australians or north Americans- alike as members of human family? As products of different environmental contexts, how do we differ? 13) Psychology’s subfields . Biological: explore the links between brain and mind. . Developmental: study-changing abilities from womb to tomb. . Cognitive: study how we perceive, think, and solve problems. . Personality: investigate our persistent traits. . Social: explore how we view and affect one another . Clinical: studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders. . Counseling: helps people cope with academic, vocational, and marital challenges. . Educational: studies and helps individuals in school and educational settings. . Industrial/Organizational: studies and advises on behavior in the workplace. 14) Clinical vs. Psychiatry . Clinical Psychologist: (Ph.D.) studies, assesses, and treats troubled people with psychotherapy. . Psychiatrists: (M.D.) medical professionals who use treatments like drugs and psychotherapy to treat psychologically diseased patients. 15) Three main levels of analysis

Hamlet And The Theories Of Tragedy

Hamlet And The Theories Of Tragedy Shakespeares Hamlet includes various theories and elements of tragedy, of which two will be discussed in this essay. Shakespeare addresses Aristotles theory of tragedy, but he challenges the theory in many aspects through setting, plot, and character. Shakespeare seems to heavily incorporate the wheel of fortune theory of tragedy, mostly through the character Hamlet. Aristotle, who is concerned with formal presentation of tragic plays, defines tragedy as: a representation of an action that is worth serious attention, complete in itself, and of some amplitude; in language enriched by a variety of artistic devices appropriate to the several parts of the play; presented in the form of action, not narration; by means of pity and fear bringing about the purgation of such emotion. (Aristotle 38 9) Shakespeare employs character and plot in order to create an atmosphere that is unsettling and dark, which instead of conjuring fear and pity instead sets up an atmosphere rank with revenge. In this way, Hamlet does not follow Aristotles definition of tragedy. Another of the ways Aristotle characterizes tragedy is through The noble actions and the doings of noble persons (Aristotle 35). According to Aristotle, Hamlet should be a noble person committing noble actions. This is best represented in the scene where Hamlet refuses to kill Claudius during prayer. T his becomes the turning point for Hamlet, where he truly becomes an ignoble person, saying he wants Claudius Soul may be damned and black/ As hell, whereto it goes. Hamlet truly wants Claudius to suffer in the worst possible manner, and in doing so Hamlet falls from nobility. Aristotle also believed heroes are First and foremost good (Aristotle 51). Hamlet does contemplate good and evil frequently, but ultimately Hamlet fall from the path of goodness. Fortinbras may have been the kind of hero Aristotle characterizes, but Fortinbras is not a tragic character. The plot events with which Aristotle disagrees give meaning to Hamlets theme. Shakespeare intentionally portrays many characters unheroic. For example, Hamlet does not treat Ophelia well, but at the same time Ophelias unwavering loyalty to her father causes her to treat Hamlet badly. Both characters invoke disgust from the reader from their ignoble actions. The only characters who act somewhat heroic are Horatio and Fortinbras. Interestingly, these are the only two characters who survive, so Shakespeare may be making some kind of commentary on Aristotles tragic hero. Another theory of tragedy has to do with the wheel of fortune. This kind of Tragedy was perceived as a reversal of fortune, a fall from a high position. This view of tragedy derives from the Medieval concept of fortune, which was personified as Dame Fortune, a blindfolded woman who turned a wheel at whim; men were stationed at various places on the wheelthe top of the wheel represented the best fortune, being under the wheel the worst fortune. However, the wheel could turn suddenly and the man on top could suddenly be under the wheel, without warning. (Landmarks of Literature) There are many instances where Shakespeare incorporates these elements of tragedy into Hamlet. At the beginning of the play, Horatio cries out to the Ghost, Speak to me: If thou art privy to thy countrys fate, / Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid, / O, speak! Horatios outburst suggests that fate isnt inevitable, but earlier Horatio indicates that the Ghost is a bad omen, just like in Rome before the mightiest Julius fell and the graves stood tenantless and the sheeted dead/ Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets. Horatios conception of fate embodies the fate of the the entire country, not the individual. In response to a comment about how mens faults can ruin reputations, Hamlet responds by saying, Carrying, I say, the stamp of one defect/ Being natures livery or fortunes star/ Their virtues else- be they pure as grace/ As infinite as man may undergo/ Shall in the general censure take corruption/ From that particular fault. Hamlet establishes his view of fate and bad character with this claim; he thinks you are either born with bad qualities or you acquire them through the environment (through no device of your own), but its not something that a person is in control of; rather it is something that simply happens to a person, and there is no way to avoid it. Later in this scene Hamlet exclaims, My fate cries out, / And makes each petty artery in this body / As hardy as the Nemean lions nerve. Hamlet believes it is his fate to follow the ghost, and because it is his fate he is given the strength and vigor with which to do it. Hamlet asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern how they are, and Guildenstern answers, Happy, in that we are not over-happy, on fortunes cap we are not the very button. This is a joke that implies that Guildenstern and Rosencrantz live in Fortunes privates; This joke implies that Fortune is a whore. Later in the same scene, the idea that Fortune is a whore comes up again in a more serious tone. During a play, Hamlet asks the First Player to recite the piece of the death of Priam. Afterwards, the player comments: Out, out, thou strumpet, Fortune! All you gods, In general synod take away her power; Break all the spokes and fellies from her wheel, And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven, As low as to the fiends! (2.2.493-497) The player is asking the gods to break Fortunes wheel and roll her down to hell. The idea is that our destinies are merely random, when people try to climb on top of the wheel it may simply move and the person on top becomes the one being crushed by the wheel. The First Players speech calls for a fate ruled by something other than Fortune. Hamlets third soliloquy suggests that fortune is simply out to hurt you and questioning whether it is even worth it to challenge the wheel of fortune: To be, or not to be: that is the question: / Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer / The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, / And by opposing end them? Before the play The Murder of Gonzago, Hamlet stands alone with Horatio and commends him as A man that Fortunes buffets and rewards / Hast taen with equal thanks. Hamlet goes on to praise Horatio for not becoming a pipe for Fortunes finger to play; Hamlet appears envious of Horatio, praising him for a quality that Hamlet himself lacks. Hamlet sees himself as passions slave, a person who cannot maintain a stable identity or sense of self. In The Murder of Gonzago the Player King tells his wife that he hopes when he dies she will find a good man and remarry. The wife promises vehemently she will not find another husband after his death, to which the king responds: This world is not for aye, nor tis not strange / That even our loves should with our fortunes change. The king points out that a man who has been favored by fortune could just as easily lose his fortune, and with it his friends, money, wife, etc. The king doesnt address it as though it is something to be deplored, but simply the way of life and something that needs to be accepted, because Our wills and fates do so contrary run / That our devices still are overthrown; / Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own. In the end, the king is right, and the wife quickly remarries after the kings death. After Polonius has been stabbed, Hamlet says to the body, take thy fortune; / Thou findst to be too busy is some danger. Hamlet believes Polonius fortune was not simply bad luck; Hamlet believes Polonius brought his own bad luck upon himself and had earned his own death. Later in the same scene, Hamlet says, For this same lord, / I do repent: but heaven hath pleased it so, / To punish me with this and this with me, / That I must be their scourge and minister. According to this view of things, Polonius death is not an accident at all, but part of a divine plan. In the last scene of the play, Hamlet writes to Horatio about how he found his own death warrant. Hamlet said he was sneaking around and told Horatio, let us know, / Our indiscretion sometimes serves us well, / When our deep plots do pall: and that should teach us / Theres a divinity that shapes our ends, / Rough-hew them how we will. Hamlet suggests that even though something may look random it could be part of a plan that will turn out for the better. Then, later, Hamlet repeats the concept; Horatio asks how Hamlet could have possibly sealed a new warrant with the kings seal. Hamlet replies, Why, even in that was heaven ordinant and explains that Hamlet had his fathers signet by chance and used it to make the seal. Even later in the scene, right before the final fencing duel, Hamlet says that everything is ill in his heart. He doesnt hint that this feeling is prophetic of his own death in any way, but when Horatio offers to call off the fencing match, Hamlet speaks as though he kno ws hes about to die: Not a whit, we defy augury: theres a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all: since no man has aught of what he leaves, what ist to leave betimes? Let be. In another view of this revenge tragedy, Hamlet is the player of a Senecan tragedy. He is involved in a sensational murder scene, commanded by a Senecan ghost desiring revenge, and after hampered by court intrigue, resorts to feigned madness. Since apparitions are known to tell half-truths to deceive people, Hamlet is given instruction without a resolute plan. For majority of the play, he acts with passion and indecision and he proceeds with the ghosts wishes as his adversary allows. And, for the most part, only Claudius, Hamlet, and Horatio know the action of revenge. (Landmarks of Literature) Word Count: 1837

Change and Continuity in L’Oreal

Change and Continuity in L’Oreal Introduction There have been plenty of cosmetics that have been produced and released in the market by various companies in the previous five years. The reason behind this is that more and more people especially women are becoming more conscious of their physical appearance that they are prepared to spend their hard earned money even on expensive but high quality and effective cosmetics. While the cosmetics industry is comprised of many companies that offer unique cosmetics at varying prices, it remains clear the LOreal remains as one of the more dominant and successful organizations at present. Since its establishment in 1909, LOreal has since become a significant force to reckon with in the cosmetics industry (LOreal Official Website, 2010). The advent of globalization has enabled the company to diversify its products to cater to various target markets with distinct beauty needs. Because of the massive profits that LOreal consistently gets from its local markets, the company has been able to effectively allocate its financial resources towards its expansion activities that have helped solidify the companys dominant position in the cosmetics industry. Guided by the effective leadership headed by CEO Jean-Paul Argon, LOreal has amazingly continued to make strides even in the presence of the global economic crisis that has resulted in many of its competitors experiencing significant declines in productivity and profitability. It is clear that the deep wealth of financial and human resources of LOreal along with the effective strategies to take advantage of the benefits provided by globalization has helped sustain the productivity of the company and it is expected that LOreal would be able to maintain its strength in the next couple of years. Part A: Internal / External Analysis Internal Analysis: Strengths LOreal is very much a recognized and admired company in the field of cosmetics. The organization is actually the most dominant and productive cosmetics producer over the past decades. This dominance consistently allows LOreal to attract more followers and convert them as loyal customers by making them satisfied with the beauty products that they buy. The growing population of LOreal has always been the stable source of revenues for the organization which makes it easy for them to achieve financial strength. The effective leadership of LOreal is doing a great job in adjusting the organizations plans and initiatives based on the latest trends in the cosmetics industry. This signifies the dedication of the management to maintain the positive image of the organization by always offering the more reliable beauty products that people will really enjoy and love. LOreal functions under the principle that to maintain its top position in the cosmetics industry, the focus and emphasis of their activities have to be geared to what their customers really aim for in terms of being beautiful (Begoun 2004, p. 560). LOreal does not take chances and is noted for making smart moves to beat its competitors in launching the most innovative beauty products all the time. LOreals cosmetics do not really come at cheap rates but the huge number of loyal customers is a sufficient proof that these products really work. LOreal is also known for its remarkable capability to always be the first company to find the latest beauty ingredients that will work well. The organization possesses deep financial resources to use in extensive research efforts that will help them to check the typical beauty problems of people. Consistent assessments of the cosmetics of LOreal are also being undertaken so that the organization is assured of the sustained effectiveness of their products. Any moves done by its competitors are also being monitored by LOreal for the organization to be able to respond quickly with better products and initiatives. Internal Analysis: Weaknesses The major point of vulnerability of LOreal is the alarming truth that the organization seems to neglect the idea of selling its cosmetics to the people belonging to the lower classes. The inability of the organization to keep in touch with the lower classes is a huge obstacle that continuously denies them the opportunity to clearly separate itself from the rest of its rivals. Because the prices of LOreal products are not considered as budget friendly among the lower class families, they are consistently being beaten by their rivals in this market segment (Kapferer 2008, p. 379). This is absolutely where the rivals of LOreal are striking back in an effort to somehow catch the company The usual criticism that LOreal receives regarding its cosmetics is that they are only made for the wealthy people to enjoy. The advertisements of LOreal boast of the numerous celebrities that endorse their products, and these send the wrong signals especially to the people belonging to the lower classes that these beauty products were not intended for them to use. This has sparked rumors that LOreal is biased when selecting their target markets that will use their cosmetics (Turner 2005, p. 226). This negative publicity and the failure of the organization to clarify these nasty rumors have somehow cast doubts even on their loyal customers regarding the true intentions of the organization. Critics also always question the corporate social responsibility initiatives of LOreal. Since LOreal has diversified its operations in numerous locations involving more than 80 countries, an evident weakness is that handling and monitoring its global activities have truly turned into significant challenges for the company. It only becomes harder for the company on the areas where LOreal products are not really very much patronized by the public due to the expensive prices and lack of familiarity. If LOreal is not going to do anything to improve its poor status in these countries, their competitors will someday take advantage of these weaknesses and may displace them at the top of the cosmetics industry. External Analysis: Opportunities LOreal is always presented the opportunity to offer its loyal clients with the best cosmetics that are impossible for their competitors to imitate. Even though the company is criticized for its selective target marketing initiatives, it could always help to silence their critics by always coming up with high quality products that are reasonably priced. The company has to continue taking advantage of its excellent research and development team that has proven its capabilities time and time again. The chance to respond to the criticism that LOreal is afraid to deal with the consumers from the lower classes must be grabbed by the company to once and for all settle this issue. Perhaps an important move connected to this would be finding ways to make their products more affordable for the public (Capon 2008, p. 263). This way, the consumers from the lower classes can be able to start appreciating the cosmetics of LOreal and not simply dream of using them just like what they always see and hear in the advertisements. It is always important that the consumers feel that their needs are being addressed by the companies whose products they patronize. LOreal can still keep on searching for other struggling cosmetics organizations and perhaps make intensive moves to acquire them to further expand their operations and strengthen their grip at the top spot in the cosmetics industry. It is no secret that the ongoing financial crisis has affected most companies and minimized their effectiveness, but remarkably LOreal has stayed strong even through the tough circumstances (Tang 2008, p. 20). The deep resources of the company significantly helped them to coast along the difficult stretch of 2008 and 2009 when the financial crisis struck. By making efforts to acquire or strike partnership deals with other smaller cosmetics companies, manufacturers and suppliers, LOreal can be able to take advantage of the financial crisis to pull away from their competitors and pounce on the problems that continue to hound them. External Analysis: Threats Since LOreal is the most dominant cosmetics company at present, the rest of the field is always waiting for any potential mistakes that LOreal is going to make so they can take advantage and pull themselves closer to the top (Doz 2001, p. 44). The intense rivalry is very typical in the cosmetics industry, and if LOreal becomes complacent and starts underestimating the capabilities of their competitors to beat them in sales and profits, it could be a costly mistake and something that the company could regret later on. Whether LOreal admits it or not, the financial crisis sooner or later will become an imminent problem that they will have to deal with especially if the crisis extends for the next two to three years. It can become more problematic if LOreal fails to adjust the prices of its beauty products, as the financial crisis has made most people to hesitate spending their money on expensive beauty products. Therefore, LOreal cannot simply keep relying on its deep financial resources to save them from the impacts of the financial crisis because eventually they will get depleted if even their loyal customers decide to refrain from buying their cosmetics. It is a must for LOreal to be able to find other ways to sustain their financial stability and make contingency plans in case the number of their loyal customers begins to decrease. LOreals promotional activities have also been attacked by critics for being biased and providing statements about their products that are merely lies (Sandhusen 2008, p. 52). These are absolutely not good for the long term progress of the company, as these controversies will forever be remembered by the public which could prevent LOreal from stabling bigger and stronger customer bases. The image of the company may be that of a dominant organization in the cosmetics industry, but if the public would believe that they are involved in illegal and unfair practices, they would eventually be losing majority of their precious clients. Summary What LOreal has to focus on is guaranteeing that they continue to capitalize on their strengths while their vulnerabilities are identified and resolved immediately. The various strengths of LOreal are unique and have been obtained through the hard work and commitment of the company to excellence. It would only be logical for LOreal to keep utilizing their strengths to their advantage given that its competitors are still struggling to the impacts of the economic crisis. The company also has to be resilient to monitor any available opportunities that could emerge and should not hesitate to grab them. LOreal, though, must be extra careful because their competitors are always significant threats to their dominance in the cosmetics industry. They need to pay close attention to their activities especially their marketing programs that have been the subject of controversies and fix the issues immediately. Task 2: Globalization and LOreal How globalization influences policies and decision making in LOreal The advent of globalization has had significant impacts on the policies and decision making of LOreal. Globalization has enabled LOreal to formulate policies that are geared towards utilizing its distinct operational structures to produce cosmetics that can be well appreciated by the public consumers all over the globe (Floyd 2004, p. 77). The policies of LOreal have always been based on globalization, and these include addressing the beauty needs of clients all over the globe, utilizing its resources to produce the best cosmetics, advocating diversity in their workforce to obtain better capabilities, improving its knowledge of world trends in cosmetics as well as establishing effective partnerships with providers and manufacturers all over the world to enhance the outputs and minimize their expenses. Through creating policies and decisions that aim to sustain LOreals dedication in offering the best beauty products to its global clients, the company believes that it is able to use globalization to its advantage. LOreal is aware that establishing a global presence is important for them to achieve success, which is why their policies and decisions are geared toward being involved in the cosmetics industries all over the world. LOreal aims to help establish an excellent business environment all over the world while expanding its operations in various sectors (Haig 2006, p. 27). For LOreal, globalization signifies the necessity for them to broaden its operations to enable more individuals from different cultures to get to know and use their beauty products. This global expansion initiative, though, is being done by the company in an organized and effective manner. LOreal has effective guidelines that help safeguard the environment of the foreign countries where they have operations. T he company also offers employment opportunities that are loaded with excellent incentives. They also have policies in interacting effectively with their providers to advocate the maintenance of excellent guidelines in the production of cosmetics. Of course, LOreal does not forget to recognize the policies and traditions of their global partners for development. The advent of globalization has also heavily influenced the policies and decisions of LOreal with regard to workforce diversity. LOreals policies and decisions are geared towards improving its operations through harnessing the knowledge and skills of their workforces all over the global and getting their precious suggestions and contributions. The company understands that the presence of globalization implies the need for them to rely on their diverse workers and address their typical concerns. The policies of LOreal also include guidelines to coordinate with the leaders of foreign countries where they have operations in offering sources of livelihood for their people in exchange for the continued stay of LOreal. This way, the company is able to maintain good relations with more than 80 countries where they currently have production plants and offices. It has become very clear for LOreal that to achieve global dominance in the cosmetics industry of the world, they have to use the diversity of their workforces to their advantage (Finkelstein 2007, p. 132). While the company has successfully expanded its operations in various continents, it remains a challenge for LOreal to penetrate certain underdeveloped countries due to cultural and language barriers. This is the reason why the management is working to break these barriers through new policies that will enable the company to finally penetrate in these tough locations that will contribute to their long term success. LOreal also has policies that aim to build strong relationships with its global business partners, including material providers and manufacturers. This is based on the philosophy of the company that it cannot achieve success by relying only on its own efforts. The company understands that by encouraging the participation and support of other important business organizations, LOreals aim to succeed can have a better chance to happen (Khanna 2010, p. 101). This structure of operation also helps the company to delegate its responsibilities effectively and trust that their business partners will be able to accomplish the tasks and responsibilities given to them by the LOreal management. Another impact of globalization in the policies and decision making of LOreal is the obvious focus on recognizing the rights, traditions, beliefs and norms of every foreign country where they have operations. The company understands that they have to be careful not to violate any of these international laws and policies if it wants to remain productive in these foreign locations. The policies of LOreal in this regard require the constant communication of the corporate leaders and the government representatives to discuss effectively the guidelines and other agreements that need to be approved. This way, any unexpected problems or concerns that could happen in the international locations can be easily resolved and their potential negative impacts are significantly minimized. Part of the policies of LOreal in respecting the international laws of their global business partners is the policy of maintaining the cleanliness of the environment. As LOreals products involve chemical wastes, the company assures the governments of their global business partners that waste disposal is always done effectively to prevent environmental damage and other hazardous impacts. Critically evaluate the effectiveness of LOreals response to globalization In terms of addressing the beauty needs of clients all over the globe, LOreal has mostly been successful in this regard. LOreal views the existence of globalization as a force that makes the beauty needs of their global clients even more complicated. This is because the existence of globalization can easily change the mentalities of people through what they see, heat and read in the media (Mueller 2004, p. 180). This means that what the beauty products that they might like today may be irrelevant for them tomorrow. However, because of the competent and hard working research and development team of LOreal, the changes in the consumer trends and behavior are easily monitored and thoroughly evaluated by the company. The successful response of LOreal to globalization in terms of addressing the needs of their global customers can be attributed to the hard work of its research and development team. The advent of globalization has also challenged LOreal to utilize its resources effectively to produce the best cosmetics. This is because globalization has also been beneficial to the competitors of LOreal. Its competitors have also acquired the new technologies, information and expertise that have significantly improved their operations and their chances to topple LOreal at the top of the cosmetics industry (Kurtz 2009, p 45). However, LOreal has been able to prove time and time again why it would be hard for its competitors to displace them at the top. Under the guidance of effective leaders, LOreal has consistently been able to maximize the depth of its financial and technological resources to create unique, innovative and relevant beauty products that cater to the beauty needs of its global clients. LOreal has never shown any hesitation to spend significant amounts of money in order to always be the first company to launch cosmetics that can catch the attention of global consume rs. LOreal has also been effective at responding to the challenges of globalization through the presence of diversity in their workforce to obtain better capabilities. With its global operations anchored on the strong contributions of its more than 100 production sites with almost 60,000 workers coming from various cultural backgrounds, LOreal has been successful in maximizing the availability of the skills, knowledge and expertise of its diverse workforce to its advantage. It is quite evident that the presence of globalization has made it mandatory for companies to really use a diverse workforce to be able to cope up to the challenges that it presents (Morck 2005, p. 211). The success of the response of LOreal to globalization in this aspect can be directly attributed to the excellent work of the human resources department of the company. The department is able to effectively select the right combinations of people from various cultures to handle the responsibilities inside the company, and does a good job in making sure that the needs and concerns of the employees are always addressed. As a result, the employees of LOreal all over the world are able to contribute significantly to the overall success of the organization. Globalization has always been connected to modern technologies and mass media, and LOreal has successfully used them in improving its knowledge of world trends in cosmetics. The negative consequences of failing to know and understand the latest developments in any market or industry have always been costly and disastrous for companies, which is why LOreal has significantly invested in modern technologies and production equipment as a proof of their readiness and willingness to embrace the challenges brought about by globalization. LOreal does not really worry about the huge funds that it shells out to acquire these technologies and equipment, because it understands that eventually the advantages of their investments would eventually outweigh the expenses. Aside from expanding its operations globally, LOreal has also been successful at establishing effective partnerships with providers and manufacturers all over the world to enhance their outputs and minimize their expenses. Over the last three years, LOreal has engaged in various acquisitions in an effort to cope up to the expansion activities of its competitors as dictated by globalization. Because of globalization, the implementation of free trade has made it easier for the competitors of LOreal to also engage in expanding their operations especially in areas where LOreal has been having difficulties in penetrating. Nonetheless, the strength of the significant acquisitions of LOreal most notably its acquisition of the Body Shop and Sanofi-Aventis is still much better compared to the minor transactions being done by their competitors. Perhaps the only aspect where LOreal has not achieved any satisfactory results is with regard to the environment (Peng 2008, p. 92). It is a well known fact that globalization has been criticized for causing environmental degradation, and the complaints being received by LOreal with regard to waste management are proofs of this. The company has been blamed for polluting water systems due to the chemicals involved in its production wastes, and this has surely caught the attention of the public. Complaints also with regard to the company making use of live animals to test their products have been condemned by animal rights advocates, and numerous protests have been initiated all over the world to stop LOreal from continuing such initiatives. While the company has always denied being involved in these animal testing activities, animal rights groups have yet to be convinced that LOreal is not guilty of these violations. These negativities are definitely undesirable and need to be fixed b y the company before they get blown out of proportions and become more complicated. Areas for improvement in the response of LOreal An important area of improvement for LOreal is concerning its research and development department. This unit deserves to be given credit for its excellent outputs and performances that have enabled the company to maintain its dominant position in the cosmetics industry. It is safe to say that the challenges brought about by globalization in terms of addressing the unpredictable beauty needs of the people have all been shouldered and correctly identified by the tireless researchers of LOreal (Flapper 2005, p. 80). This does not mean though that there is no more room for improvement for this department. The management of the company can keep allocating funds to this department to make sure that the researchers are able to keep doing their studies and activities without any limitations. It is important to remember that the research team is doing its studies on consumer behavior on a global scale, so financial assistance will definitely be needed by the department. The management of cultural diversity among its employees is also an important area of improvement for LOreal. While the company has done a good job in taking advantage of the diverse skills, knowledge and expertise of its employees all over the world, it will be beneficial for the company if there would be clearer methods of conflict resolution especially as cultural diversity is also the usual culprit of frequent disagreements among the employees. It is impossible to think that the employees of LOreal will always agree to all aspects of their work so it will help that methods of conflict resolution are firmly in place. This is an important impact of globalization that LOreal cannot afford to neglect since it could really have negative consequences on the performance of the company. The company is already doing a great job addressing the needs of their global workforce, but ample focus has to also be given to ensure that the diverse employees of LOreal are all on the same page. The use of mass media for its marketing efforts can also be improved by LOreal in response to the challenges of globalization. LOreal has been criticized for unfair advertising practices which have been denied by the company. Nonetheless, to make sure that all these criticisms are answered effectively, perhaps it is now time for the company to step up their efforts in utilizing various types of media outlets to improve its marketing outputs and reach more consumers from faraway places (Rugman 2005, p. 167). The use of Internet as an effective marketing strategy can be an excellent move for LOreal to intensify its marketing efforts and take advantage of its extensive reach. The marketing team also has to monitor the contents of their advertisements to check if there are indeed signs or indications of racial discrimination to prevent unnecessary controversies and issues from emerging. Perhaps the most important area of improvement that LOreal has to focus on is concerning ethics and environmental issues connected to globalization. This has been the major cause of controversies and problems for the company and it is only a matter of time before lawsuits will be filed against LOreal for continuous violations on animal rights and environmental policies. The improvement necessary for this starts with the employees of the company learning to follow the policies especially since they are operating in foreign countries. The management and the employees of LOreal really need to make serious discussions regarding these matters because if they are left unresolved, they will really start pulling the company down. These controversies are not good for the image of LOreal, so the sooner they are able to provide remedies to these problems, the better it will be for the company as they can start concentrating on issues and concerns that are more important than dealing with the co nsequences of their inability to follow policies. Conclusion There is no doubt that LOreal is at present at the top of the cosmetics industry because of its effective strategies that are geared towards taking advantage of its strengths and opportunities as well as reducing the impacts of its weaknesses and the threats being imposed by its competitors. It has also helped the company in having excellent leaders and hardworking, diverse employees. LOreal firmly believes that cultural diversity is an asset for the company, which is why the skills, knowledge and expertise of its employees are always developed to maximize them and put them to good use. Globalization is perceived by LOreal as a challenge and an opportunity to keep improving its operations all over the world. LOreals policies and decisions have undoubtedly been influenced by the impacts of globalization, and the company does not see anything bad at it for as long as the activities that they do are always in accordance to their mission, vision and objectives. The policies of LOreal have always been based on globalization, and these include addressing the beauty needs of clients all over the globe, utilizing its resources to produce the best cosmetics, advocating diversity in their workforce to obtain better capabilities, improving its knowledge of world trends in cosmetics as well as establishing effective partnerships with providers and manufacturers all over the world to enhance the outputs and minimize their expenses. There have also been negative impacts of globalization that LOreal needs to resolve immediately to make sure that they are able to maintain at the top of the cosmetics industry for the long term.

A Desire To Escape Dreary Dublin :: Essays Papers

A Desire To Escape Dreary Dublin In James Joyce’s literary works, Dubliners he attempts to depict Ireland and the city of Dublin and the people living there in the early nineteen hundreds. His purpose in writing this book is to depict the people of Ireland in this time and show the troubles they faced. In the stories, â€Å"The Boarding House,† â€Å"A Little Cloud† and, â€Å"The Dead,† characters are dealing with similar problems: a need to escape their life’s responsibilities. The characters desire to be free by means of escape. In â€Å"The Boarding House,† Doran desires to remain free and escape any type of responsibility involving marriage. In â€Å"A Little Cloud,† Little Chandler is struggling with being a husband and a father and the responsibility that coincides with it. Finally, in â€Å"The Dead,† Gretta wishes to escape through thoughts to a past love, who is now is deceased. It is evident in all three stories that there are themes of responsibil ity and escape. The characters in the three stories share the same desire: freedom through escape of their life responsibilities. In the story â€Å"The Boarding House,† the theme of desire to escape is clearly seen. Bob is involved with a teenager Polly, daughter of the Mooney family. Bob Doran is very reluctant to accept any type of responsibility involved with a relationship with Polly, especially the idea of marriage. â€Å"Once you are married you are done for† (61). Doran wants to escape the problems in life that he has gotten himself into. He contemplates the responsibilities that would be in his hands if he were agree to marriage, he has also thought about what others may think of this. â€Å"His instinct urged him to remain free, not to marry† (61). When the time comes for Bob to discuss his future plans about marriage with Mrs. Mooney, he desires nothing more than to escape his own life: â€Å"He longed to ascend through the roof and to another country where he would never hear again of his trouble, and yet a force pushed him downstairs step by step† (63). In the â€Å"Boarding House,† the theme of responsibility is also very prevalent. Although Bob is very unsure of everything he still feels he needs to be responsible and keep his word. Bob is aware that he is partly responsible for the relationship that has been taking place with Polly. He weighs and measures the positives and negatives of going through with marriage.

Resturant Law Essay -- essays research papers

In the business world every business has its own set of laws and regulations to follow and adhere too. Some have very few laws and others have so many it is mind numbing but, each law is set up to protect every worker, customer or person associated with that business’s location. However, some of these laws are outdated or just plain unnecessary in today’s 21st century business environment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The business that I chose to examine is the restaurant industry. I chose it because I have a great love for cooking and I hope to someday open my own restaurant. It made great sense to learn some of the laws now while still in school that could impact my future business endeavors. First I will review the laws and regulations pertinent to the restaurant business and then I will explain the impact of those laws on the restaurant business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first laws that I found were the laws from OSHA. OSHA contains many laws that are designed to create a safe workplace and keep workers out of situations that can be potentially harmful. Without OSHA many workplaces would be a lot more unsafe than they are now. OSHA reduced the number of work place injuries and deaths, making it one of the most important sets of laws to govern all business and especially the restaurant business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  OSHA calls for two different types of fire prevention equipment to be placed in all restaurants. First it calls for automatic sprinklers to be installed per OSHA standards. These standards are that they have a certain spraying pattern, densities, water flow that can cover the whole area that it is above. After meeting those specs the business then has to get the system to meet water supply standards. Basically the standard is that the system has a water supply that can flow for thirty minutes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next statute that must be met is the piping needs to be protected from freezing and corrosion from the surrounding environment. This assures that if a fire occurs the piping will be able to take the water pressure that is flowing through to the sprinkler system. Also it calls for the system to have a proper drainage system that allows the system to drop the water from the sprinkler system and then have it drain back into a reservoir. The final statute from OSHA 1910.159 is that the sprinklers be space... ...and not even paid in a way that allows them to live in a normal way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is only one change that I feel the Department of Labor should enact. That is a raise in the minimum wage. Many friends I have work so hard for their $5.25 and never really have much to show for it. If the minimum wage was raised many people who are working two part time jobs to make ends meet would have a better chance of making those ends meet. Not to mention raising minimum wage could spur the economy by placing more spending power into the hands of the demographics that tend to spend the most, the youth of America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In this country we have seen the world of business change over and over. As the country has grown so has the need to keep our workers safe and happy. The laws I have discussed are meant to keep the restaurant industry a safe and happy place for the many people who work in them day in and day out. Without those laws the restaurant industry would not be a very healthy or safe place to frequent as much as American people do. So each of the laws are essential to making the industry profitable and safe.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚