Monday, September 30, 2019

Life Cycle Analysis of the Fashion Industry

Life Cycle Analysis of the Fashion Industry BY caracal Industrial Ecology Practices in the Fashion Industry Introduction The industrial revolution in the sass brought a paradigm shift to the way humans interacted with the environment. The increased capability of producing and manufacturing on a large scale, the rise of multiple industries, growing demand and proliferation of hedonistic consumption patterns, has created a culture of surplus, want and waste. (Fallacy-Companion, 2012) From an environmental point of view, this resource hungry trend is unsustainable and has detrimental ecological impacts, such as pollution and climate change.These problems have highlighted the consequence of our insatiable demand for resources and the need to rethink current practices and thoughts in order to maintain current living standards and ensure future growth. The ideas of environmental management, industrial ecology and ecological footprint have been proposed to allow for a meticulous look to the products that we manufacture and use, with emphasis on measuring the ecological impacts in hopes of reducing them.A multitude of tools have since been created to measure efficiency in hopes to highlight areas for improvement, of which the ISO standard and Life cycle assessment are part of. Undoubtedly, many companies have adopted life cycle analysis (LLC) in order to assess and reduce their product's impact on the environment. The fashion industry, at its core, is based on the notion of continual consumption of the ‘new and the discard of the ‘old', especially with new seasonal lines coming out every 3 months.The industry celebrates creativity with the continuous turnover of trends, leading to the â€Å"premature product replacement and fashion obsolescence†. This constant change has major negative environmental and social impacts, particularly on those at the bottom of the supply chain. Ellwood et al, 2006; Whether and Leastwise, 2008) Moreover, delicates produc tion, often all over the world, is commonly practiced in line with the competitive advantages of different locales (such as low-cost labor, less stringent standards/regulations, strength in technology etc).Studies of Ellwood et al (2006), Madsen et al (2007) and Fletcher (2008) have highlighted issues of apparel waste as the majority of textile waste are not recycled or reuse but usually ends up in landfills. In this report, Nikkei Inc. And Levi Strauss & Co. Are chosen as case studies of the fashion industry for their efforts o apply LLC to their products. Life Cycle Assessment and IS014040 The International Organization for Standardization (SO) is an organization that aims to promote worldwide standards for proprietary, industrial and commercial purposes. ‘SO, 2013) The ISO 14000 series is a family of standards that related to environmental management, which aims to help organizations measure and minimize operations that will negatively affect the environment and comply with environmental regulations and audits required in the country of operation. For example, the ISO 14001 is integral to the European Union's CEO-Management and Audit Scheme (AMASS). AMASS, 2011) Before the development of the ISO 14000 series, most organizations had to rely on internal environmental management systems that made comparisons between companies difficult.The ISO 14040 standard focuses on Life Cycle Assessment. LLC is a technique to assess environment impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life from its raw material extraction to its processing, manufacture, distribution, use, repair, recycle and disposal. It is believed to encompass a larger scope of environmental concerns as the compiled inventory of relevant energy and material inputs and environmental releases includes the attention impacts associated with the identified inputs and releases, which can then be interpreted to help make informed decisions and build corporate environmental strategies. EPA, 20 13) The method is most often used for the pinpointing potential for process improvements by assessing environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product's life. (Securing & Mueller, 2008) ISO 14040 standards shows how the LLC is to be carried out in four distinct phases as seen in Figure 1 before. Before any LLC can be carried out, an explicit goal and scope of the study, inclusive of technical details, has to be defined. This can then serve as a reference to guide the subsequent work.The functional unit, system boundaries, assumptions and limitations as well as the impact categories are identified and set in this first phase. The life cycle inventory analysis will then carry on from phase one by creating an inventory of all flows (input and output) between the stages of a product system, inclusive of all activities in the relevant supply chain and gives a clear picture of the system boundaries. Only when this is complete can the life cycle impact assessment be carried ou t.This is the most complex stage of the process as it aims to evaluate he significance of potential environmental impacts and calculate the input and output from the inventory. At the end of the assessment, the information gathered is evaluated and the assessment is objectively assessed before the identification of significant issues and problems, its evaluation and limitations are put forth. Figure 1 : The 4 phases of LLC (http://en. Wisped. Org/wick/ File:PhasesOfLifeCycleAnalysis. Eng) Current Context and Trends Environmental Management has progressed significantly over the years with regulations becoming more stringent and accountability expectations higher. Figure taken from Penman's (1999) report shows a simple evolution of environmental policies and their primary characteristics from the sass to present, whereby attitudes towards the environment have changes from merely managing the problem in the early days to one that is more actively involved in trying to prevent problems. Figure 2: Evolution of environmental management (Seaman, 1999) Within the industry and companies, Lamming ; Hampton (1996) stresses the need for companies to engage in environmental management as public pressure is and will continue to be a major factor. In their study, 75% of customers state that they would consider a Meany's environmental reputation when purchasing and 80% of those would be willing to pay a premium for an environmentally friendlier product.Although there are limitations to their study, in that the sentiment may only be shared by the European community of consumers, there is a trend whereby consumers are becoming more green conscious. Hawked et al (1999) in the book ‘Natural Capitalism' also calls for companies to embrace a new industrialism that will create profits and jobs while saving the environment, through the creation of a closed-loop supply chain that will generate more value and profit. By aggressive recycling, there is the potential of reducing up t o 90% of energy and materials consumption.Although individual organizations are recognizing the need and their responsibility to address environmental and sustainability issues, there remains a lack of systematic and coordinated effort across the board. At a larger and general scale, there has been an increase of government level interest and engagement to transition sustainability at the firm and facility level, to one that is more holistic and encompasses production sustainability throughout the value chain. Golden et al, 2011) President Obama issued Executive Order 13514 in 2009 that requires â€Å"the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, obtain 50% diversion rates of solid waste, pursue opportunities with vendors to reduce greenhouse gas (GOGH) emissions, ensure procurement preferences for energy-efficient products, and reduce consumption of paper with low recycled content†. Likewise the Securities Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission are driving the use of sustainable product design and supply chains by the issuance of directives and interpretive guidance. Golden et al, 2011) Since the fiasco of â€Å"sweatshop† labor in the sass, leading to public outcry and clash on the fashion industry, there has been unison of calls for greater accountability. (Whether and Leastwise, 2008; Clownish et al, 2012) Especially in an industry where the consumers are the largest stakeholders; public opinion is crucial and highly influential. This helps the environmental cause when more consumers become green conscious and demand for a smaller ecological footprint. There is a need to cater to these consumers and for companies to set themselves apart from their competitors. Kumar & Amalgamate, 2006) Environmental consciousness has been worked into the corporate social responsibility (CAR) of many companies and increasingly, in the fashion industry, CEO-fashion is trying to capture a larger share of the mainstream market with fashionable and envi ronmental apparel. Regions, 2006) There is also the emergence of industry consortia such as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), the Sustainability Consortium (TTS) and the Outdoor Industry Association (IA), all of which are multi-stakeholder organizations that are suited for establishing standardized metrics for regulation.Nikkei and Levies are both part of the SAC. Case study: LEVI STRAUSS & CO. Company Background The company, Levi Strauss & Co. Was founded by its namesake, Levi Strauss onetime in the mid-sass. It started off as a dry goods wholesaler before collaboration between Levi and Jacob Davis, a tailor, in 1872 saw the filing for its patented rivet pants- the start of the denim company that it is known for today. Over the years, the company have grown tremendously and has expanded its brands carried.Its current brands include Levi'†, [email  protected], Signature by Levi Strauss & Co. And [email  protected] The company has a vision to be â€Å"the embodiment of the energy and events of our times, inspiring people with a pioneering spirit† (Levi, 2013) and is committed to a variety of issues in its public policy approach that includes read, worker rights, equality and the environment. Since the sass, with the rise of global environmental concerns and problems, Levies have been working on reducing the environmental impact of its products.This was done by complying with environmental regulations, implementing a Code of Conduct for its suppliers- ensuring a reduction of water consumption and ending the use of harmful chemicals on its Restricted Substances List, switching to organic cotton when possible and increasing the amount of recycled materials in their end product. In 2007, as part of an attempt at a consolidated look at the company's environmental impact, a LLC was one on 2 products- a pair of Levi'† 5018 stonewashed Sears and the [email  protected] original khakis.This enabled the company to develop strategies that wi ll address the greatest impacts on the environment to ensure longevity in the industry. (Levi, 2013) Levies introduced its water;less Sears in 2011 and its waste;Less Sears in 2013. Waste;Less Sears has a minimum of 20% post-consumer recycled content (from PET bottles) instead of cotton. Ferries, 2013) Levies Life Cycle Assessment Levies product lifestyle assessment focuses on a quantitative method that looks at ass and energy balance using direct and indirect data over the â€Å"cradle to grave† lifespan of the product.A disclaimer on their website states that this LLC does not include social or economic impacts. In the input/output inventory aspect of the LLC, indirect data of mass and energy inputs are taken from extensive industry-average data sets. Together with the system analysis of the lifestyle assessment, in accordance with ISO 14040 requirements, the data is then translated to calculate the environmental impacts of the system. Figure 3 below shows the 6 stage syste m analysis of the 5018 Sears taken from the Levies website, that starts from the cotton production till the end of life after consumer use.Figure 3: LLC of a pair of Levies 501 Sears (http://alleviators. Com/sites/default/files/ liberationists/2012/4/ca-summary-2012-update. PDF) Phase 1: Goals and Scope Levies wanted their LLC to be done on a high volume product, produced for the U. S. Market during the 2006 production year. The Levi'† 5018, medium stonewashed Jean was chosen. The data compiled from Levi Strauss and Co. ‘s suppliers is processed via Gab 4 software datasets, following the ISO 14040 series standards. The LLC was conducted by PEP Americas from Boston, MA.The results were intended for internal use and with the option to share selected data publicly after addition reviews. Phase 2: Inventory Analysis Figure 4 shows the system boundary of the Levies 501 Jean, from the different places where cotton is sources, the different production plants, distribution chann els to its end. Figure 4: Levies 501 Jean System Boundary (Levi, 2013) Phase 3: Impact assessment After gathering information and data, Levies was able to measure the climate change, energy and water use of their best-selling Sears, with interesting results.A pair of original Levies has a global warming potential of 15 keg CA equivalent, consumes MAIM] of energy in its production process and only has 1% of its ingredients that are recycled. (Gaskin, 2012) Figures 5-7 show a breakdown of the weight of different factors and their impacts. Unsurprisingly, the growth of cotton was the most water intensive stage in the LLC, with the usage of the Jean being the next highest. Usage however was by far, the biggest contributor of energy use and climate change.This is due to the long lifespan of the Jean (denim as a material can be quite hardy) and the instant wash cycles can add up significantly over time. Figure 5: Impacts on energy use (Levi, 2013) Figure 6: Impacts on water use (Levi, 201 3) Figure 7: Impacts on climate change (Levi, 2013) Phase 4: Interpretation From the LLC, Levies realized that the majority of environmental impacts occur in the lifestyle phases that are outside their direct control. Reducing the overall environmental impact requires a two-pronged approach of focusing on internal operations whilst engaging consumers.Internally, Levi started looking at cotton production at the farmer's level, switching to organic cotton when possible and articulating in projects such as the â€Å"Better Cotton Initiative†, as cotton growing is water intensive. They also reduced product packaging and tweaked product design and manufacturing to reduce their water and energy use- the water

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Peter Paul Rubens

Peter Paul Rubens was the painter of the first part of the Seventeenth Century in Catholic Europe. How he became so is an interesting story. Rubens was educated to be a humanist but like all great artists choose his profession for himself. The combination of first rate classical education with innate visual genius made for an unprecedented combination in an artist, which is what made him so great. It has been said that no artist has ever been as well educated as Rubens. After training with three minor artists in Antwerp.Rubens set off for Italy to complete his education; a position at the court of the Duke of Mantua was quickly accepted and he stayed in Italy for eight years. His job was to travel to all the major artistic collections, especially Rome and Venice painting copies of famous works of art, especially paintings of beautiful women, for the Duke's collection. He was also sent to Spain where he had an opportunity to study the enormous collection of Titian masterworks in the R oyal Collection in Madrid.Copying the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance especially and the recently unearthed sculptures of classical antiquity, Rubens sketched and painted and encompassed all that was best in Italian and Classical art. Rubens combined the lessons of Antique Sculpture with the vaunting ambition of the High Renaissance giants in an unprecedented way. He used the lessons of sculpture as a composition model but insisted that flesh should look like flesh in a painting thus developing his breakthrough approach to the naked body.In this he never forgot the earthy luminous realism of the old Netherlandish tradition of the fifteenth and sixteenth century used by Van Eyck, Van Weyden, and Breughel. You won't appreciate Rubens, the master of the female nude, until you consider that he was the greatest influence on French painting from the eighteenth to the twentieth century. The fact that Watteau, Fragonard, Delacroix, and Renoir were among Rubens’ loyal follower s attests to his great influence.Rubens was to develop a phenomenal ability to analyze the different styles of painting and sculpture and then synthesize them into whatever his clients and patrons wanted. His clients included just about every Catholic monarch, as well as Catholic leaning Protestants like King Charles I of England, and every major religious order in Western Europe. Not to mention every wealthy connoisseur of painting in Europe at the time. To satisfy an ever growing demand, Rubens opened the largest art workshop Europe has ever seen.He would paint an small initial oil sketch which, when approved and contracted, would be given over to one or more of his students to paint the full length canvas. Finally, Rubens would add the finishing touches to the works and sign them. Thus he became both a teacher and a hugely successful businessman. Fame was for Rubens something that went beyond material worldly success; he sought above all to bring the blessings of humanistic reaso n to bear on the Europe riven by religious and dynastic wars.In 1609, because he spoke several languages and was so well educated, Rubens was appointed court painter to the Archduke Albert and his wife the Infanta of Spain named Isabella, the Spanish Viceroys in the Netherlands. Isabella later became his close confidant and sent him on important diplomatic missions to Spain, Holland, and England. Rubens went to England to negotiate a peace treaty with the King of England and Spain and while he was there he became a favorite of the court of King Charles I, as did his most brilliant student, Anthony Van Dyck, in the next decade.When Rubens retired from public life he wrote about ripping off the golden chain that had bound him to the courts of Europe. In his last years he remarried to a young beautiful wife, retired to his estate, and he painted some of the most astonishing paintings he had ever painted. Peace, harmony, abundance, and love these are the great themes of Rubens and his a ge. His works exhibit and illustrate these qualities so well. I have not begun to express to you the brilliance of Peter Paul Rubens; he is just such a great artist that there is too much to say about him.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

SEE THE ATTACHMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SEE THE ATTACHMENT - Essay Example I was not an exception. When I read my first short story about our cat and his adventures, all the family was amused. They cited my ‘masterpiece’ for a long time after its ‘first publication.’ I was angry at myself for letting my draft paper to appear on ‘broad public.’ I thought I could never write any more, I could never let anyone into my world, I could never be so open. I viewed writing as opening myself to the world, sending some personal messages, letting others view very intimate moments of my life. However, afterwards I felt like sending personal messages and being open, despite overall amusement, my sloping lines and failing grammar, despite the mocks of my sister and my mother’s allusions to my famous trilogy. The adventures were in three parts. Despite all these I felt like being a part of this world and merging with it through sharing my intimate thoughts. At school I was a desperate writer. Well, I was not the best to write accomplished compositions but I tried over and over again to get my A. Sometimes, it looked funny when I submitted several tasks instead of one to my English teacher. Oh, my English teacher!!! I have completely forgotten about her. It is very strange how many hurdles a person has to meet on his path when at last getting an understanding that he is going the right way. My English teacher was not quite happy with my numerous assignments but she valued my efforts. She used to say that I think out of the box but write not to the point. I could not understand what she is talking about – ‘what point’, why ‘not’. Later I realized how hard she was trying to make me stick to the assignments. However, my line of thinking did not coincide with her scheduled assignments and I was writing whatever came to my mind. Looking back at some of my writing attempts I wonder how a child imagination could embrace the issues which some adults fail to notice during their whole life. â€Å"How to make my mother

Friday, September 27, 2019

Sociology - PowerElite Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sociology - PowerElite - Essay Example There is a huge gap between the public and the political will as represented by the elected officials. The truth of the matter is that information is so controlled and the political will so organized that the public actually do not have a say in what goes on when it comes to policy matters. As Mills rightly points out, often the information comes to the public after a policy matter has been long decided by those in power – those our public has elected to represent their interests are quite removed from what the public actually needs. This idea is quite strange to us as we believe that it is only in the politically subversive states that policies are made without considering the public opinion. However, upon closer inspection it becomes quite clear that even in a country like ours, which holds high democratic values, public opinion is not only disregarded in a lot of policy matters, but is often influenced and tampered with by a host of ways. We have only to look at the War on Terror that America has waged as an instance of this. Mass hysteria was created using myriads of methods: mass media was constantly being fed stories of constant and ever present threats by the terrorists, and a nationalistic fervor was created by feeding the public the idea that the terrorists were against the American Way of Life. The public, therefore, wholeheartedly supported the invasion of Afghanistan (we were told Al-Qaeda was responsible for the attacks on the Twin Towers, and Al-Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden, operated from Afghanistan). However, what makes the episode take a totalitarian twist is when our own President lied to us about there being Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq – we were told that that the FBI had confirmed this – and the wily dictator of Iraq was just short of using them against us, so we had no choice but to invade Iraq as well. It was much

Thursday, September 26, 2019

The period of time when most egyptians came to u.s Essay

The period of time when most egyptians came to u.s - Essay Example Ten years after the war, a high population of Egyptian professionals of educated elites left their country. A great number of the immigrants who left Egypt between 1967 and 1977 settled in countries with positive legislations that could support supported them. Skilled employees also went to America during this period. Currently the number of Egyptians staying in America is an approximate number ranging from one to two million. One of the factors that favored the migration of the Egyptians to the U.S was the Immigration and Nationality act, passed in 1965. The legislation privileged the migration of professionals and skilled employees to the country, with emphasis on scientists. Most of the immigrants from Egypt settled in various places including New Jersey, Florida and Texas among other southern states mainly occupied by blacks. The southern states were favorable for the Egyptians to occupy because of the temperatures. It is noteworthy that most Egyptians would like to gain permanent residence in America. The role of resolution 242 in creating stability in Egypt, presided by the UN (Cortas, 2009) and Lord Caradon, Britain was

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Business Ethics and Virtue Ethics 3 SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Ethics and Virtue Ethics 3 SLP - Essay Example It is also seen in the fair representation of divergent views by respecting both merits and demerits. It encompasses such aspects as impartiality, fidelity and equity. Justice can always be viewed in various dimensions. In the context of harmony, justice refers to receiving an equivalent share depending on the efforts we place on an undertaking. In this respect justice is seen as a way of mitigating any misunderstanding that might arise out of inappropriate allocations. In another respect, justice emerges as a divine command that drives the conduct of humanity (Jost & Wuerth, 2011). For instance, killing somebody is wrong and should therefore be punished. It is therefore one of the moral principles that is normally intended to enhance peace and coexistence in the world. In virtue ethics, justice in this respect is quite important as a way of promoting the highest morals and principles (Gavai, 2010). In essence all the theories of justice advocate the fact that everyone should actuall y receive what they deserve in life. For instance things like wealth and social status should always be distributed in a way that matches the respective merits of individuals. More importantly, the distribution of wealth should always match the overall contribution of an individual to the social good (Hooft, 2006). The concept of justice is normally closely associated with an element of fairness in dealings. It connotes the impartial distribution of resources in a way that limits any cases of dissatisfaction. In this regard, everyone should have the liberty to enjoy all the basic rights accorded to humanity. Kindness is also one of the most important aspects in virtue ethics and refers to the condition of being kind and characterized by charitable and good behavior (Michalos, 2011). It is also seen as a way of showing concern and disposition for others. While kindness is essentially a virtue, it is normally recognized as a value in the context of religions and cultures. In any case, acts of kindness normally benefit both the receivers and the givers. To the giver, it is more about feeling a sense of contentment and relaxation out of doing well to others (Hendry, 2004). In most cases kindness is seen as the ability and willingness of helping someone in need not in return for anything. The basic concept here is the need to help the other person. Kindness as a virtue is certainly very important in all aspects of life. The element of being kind can greatly enable somebody to achieve a lot of respect and mileage in many situations. In this case, kindness is always encouraged in most cultures and religions as a ways of enhancing peace, harmony and coexistence among the various societies and communities in the world (Crisp & Slote, 2004). Honesty is also part of the moral character that is normally encouraged and highly regarded in life. The aspect of being honest connotes the attributes of integrity and truthfulness as opposed to deceit and telling lies. In this cas e, honesty encompasses straightforwardness without such aspects like theft or cheating. It is a way of encouraging people to always tell the truth since it is one of the ways of avoiding many vices in life. In an organizational setup, the element of virtue ethics is certainly very important in promoting business ethics and enhancing the proper coordination of

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Efficient Markets Theory and Behavioural Finance Essay

Efficient Markets Theory and Behavioural Finance - Essay Example In this theory, therefore, assumptions are done perpetuating that the information organisation and the behaviour of market participants systematically control individuals’ decisions in investment and the outcomes of the market. According to (Malkiel, 2003) the efficient market theory, has implications of theoretical perspectives to the market trends, while it ignores or underestimates the practical perception of the market. On the other hand, the behavioural finance theory has been thought of being more practical based and focused on people’s behaviour (Ashta & Patil, 2007). Following the event of the financial crises in 2007 to 2010, contention has developed amongst various authors on its implication to the popularity of the already criticised efficient markets theory and its contribution to the upsurge of the prevailing interest in behavioural finance theory. This paper compares and contrasts the explanations of efficient market theory and behavioural finance with reg ard to the financial crisis 2007 to 2010 and identifies the explanation considered to be strongest. The efficient market theory upholds the notion of the randomness in stock prices, based on short-run serial relationships amid successive changes in stock prices (Malkiel, 2003). Such was the case in the year 2001 when the US economy experienced a recession, followed by a boom that led to the dotcom bubble, and accounting scandals. The behavioural market theory regarded such occurrences in a different way from that of the efficient market theory, in that, the fears in individuals’ mind of a recession were considerable. Therefore, in regard to the recession in 2001 being disregarded, the stock market was thought of as not having a memory of the way the price of a stock behaved in the past, so as to determine its future behaviour. The randomness inefficient market theory is questionable, due to the high frequencies with which successive moves towards the same direction occurred in the period of 2001 and 2003 when subprime mortgage grew from 2001 to 2005.  Ã‚  

Monday, September 23, 2019

Discuss Freud's theory of the unconscious and give all the examples of Essay

Discuss Freud's theory of the unconscious and give all the examples of Freudian psychodynamic techniques that aim to make the unconscious conscious - Essay Example These unconscious forces represent primitive instinctual drives and ideal person that a person wishes to be. However, human conscious plays a balancing role in the personality. To explain id, one can say that it represents the natural inborn instinctual drives of food, sex and shelter. Id encourages one’s self to go about fulfilling these drives. It is these primitive drives that id encourages person to fulfill these desires. On the other hand, we have another conscious force known as super ego. Super ego represents the ideal person we wish to be in the eyes of other. It therefore encourages a person to be become perfectionist and to always do the socially correct thing. However, this again is not always possible and person needs to balance the id and the super ego. This balancing is provided by the presence of ego. Ego is one’s conscious personality which balances the desires of id and super ego. It is necessary because we can neither fulfill our instinctual drives and needs to look at the time and space and we cannot be perfectionists because we have to make a lot of compromises if to live a successful life. All of the above discussion was about the unconscious personality in humans which Sigmund Freud talked about. In fact he was the founder and was the first one to promulgate this concept. There was no such concept before that and his definition and introduction of human conscious opened the doors for various future psychological research. He believed that actions and behaviors of every human are linked to unconscious and this is linked to development. To further elaborate the concept he introduced new concepts of ego, superego and id which are discussed above. He named his approach as psychoanalytic approach. The major problem for the psychologists following this approach and for Sigmund Freud himself was how to unearth this unconscious of human beings. According to Freud, since human beings themselves are not aware about

Sunday, September 22, 2019

History 113 - Group project - A Tale of Two Cities - Ideas gathering Assignment

History 113 - Group project - A Tale of Two Cities - Ideas gathering - Assignment Example What factors led to the success of French Revolution? How did London contribute to this change? How did people, both of royal and lay descent, feel about the Revolution? By looking at the lives of Charles Darnay, Lucie Manette and Sydney Carton, Dickens tries to provide readers with a more personal understanding of the French Revolution and how it affected individuals from different backgrounds. A Tale of Two Cities is considered as one of the Dickensian of all Charles Dickens’ work. Gone are the main characters with exaggerated mannerisms, idiosyncratic speech of his earlier work. This time, Dickens has dealt with social issues head-on, minus the comedy. Many critics say that as the Tale is about love, violence and transformation, it is a representation of the the major events and changes happening in Dickens’ life during the period. On the outside, Dickens was faced with a rapidly industrializing society. At the time, England was considered as one of the wealthiest nations in the world, but its political and social stability was in danger as the French Revolution planned to expand their territory. Meanwhile, as turmoil in the English society increases, turmoil in Dickens’ life was also increasing. For one, his 23-year marriage with Catherine Hogart was coming to a close. He has also discovered a new zest for writing and acting when he fell in love wit h the younger Ellen Ternan. A Tale of Two Cities embodied the irony of Dickens’ life and contradiction in society – a life of hope and despair, of joy and sadness, of love and hate, of prosperity and poverty – a theme which can be seen immediately from the beginning of the book, â€Å"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Calculator API Essay Example for Free

Calculator API Essay 4Price Calculator API Updates 4.1RateV3 Response 4.1.1Modified CLASSID and MailService response values 4.1.1.1See Appendix A 4.2RateV4 Request 4.2.1New enumerations: â€Å"Priority Express†, â€Å"Priority Express Commercial†, â€Å"Priority Express CPP†, â€Å"Priority Express SH†, â€Å"Priority Express SH Commercial†, â€Å"Priority Express HFP†, â€Å"Priority Express HFP Commercial†, â€Å"Priority Express HFP CPP† 4.2.2 added to allow for specification of the expected time when providing the package to USPS 4.2.2.1Schema location: Between and 4.2.2.2Optional tag, optional value 4.2.2.3Format: HH:MM 4.3RateV4 Response 4.3.1Modified CLASSID and MailService response values 4.3.1.1See Appendix A 4.3.2 returns availability of extra service for CPP pricing when a CPP service has been requested, e.g. Priority CPP 4.3.3 returns the extra service commercial plus price when a CPP service has been requested, e.g. Priority CPP 4.3.4 response node returned for Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail variants when provided in the request 4.3.4.1 contains the service standard (e.g. â€Å"1-Day†) and is returned for Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail variants when provided in the request 4.3.4.1.1Enumerations: â€Å"1-Day†, â€Å"2-Day†, â€Å"3-Day†, â€Å"Military†, â€Å"DPO†, â€Å" † 4.3.4.2 contains the scheduled delivery date (format: yyyy-mm-dd) and is returned for Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail variants when provided in the request 4.4IntlRate and IntlRateV2 Response 4.4.1Modified Service ID and SvcDescription response values as follows: 4.4.1.1See Appendix B 5Domestic Service Standard API Updates 5.1ExpressMailCommitments 5.1.1 tag added to allow for specification of the expected time when providing the package to USPS 5.1.1.1Schema location: Between and 5.1.1.2Optional tag, optional value 5.1.1.3Format: HH:MM 6Domestic Label API Updates 6.1ExpressMailLabel Request 6.1.1 tag added and will trigger the node in the response when the value = â€Å"true† 6.1.1.1Schema location: After 6.1.1.2Optional tag, optional value 6.1.1.3Emumerations: â€Å"true†,†false† 6.1.2 tag added to reflect acceptance time at post office 6.1.2.1Schema location: Between and 6.1.2.2Optional tag, optional value 6.1.2.3HH:MM 6.1.3 tag added to allow the user to specify if the destination address is a PO box. 6.1.3.1Schema location: Between and 6.1.3.2Optional tag, optional value 6.1.3.3Emumerations: â€Å"true†, †false† 6.2ExpressMailLabel Response 6.2.1 node returned when true provided in the request 6.2.1.1 contains the service standard message (e.g. â€Å"1-Day†) when true provided in the request 6.2.1.1.1Enumerations: â€Å"1-Day†, â€Å"2-Day†, â€Å"Military†, â€Å"DPO†, â€Å" † 6.2.1.2 contains the scheduled delivery date (format: yyyy-mm-dd) and is returned when true provided in the request 6.2.2Label image updates: 6.2.2.1Service banner updates reflecting the name change from Express Mail to Priority Mail Express. For further details, please see: https://www.usps.com/making-priority-mail-better.htm 6.2.2.2Addition of information to the right side below the service banner text: Ship Date, Packaging or Weight, Reference Number, Sender Phone Number, Carrier Route (for USPS use) 6.2.2.2.1See Appendix C for label samples 6.2.2.3New USPS logos will be present on the existing label images 6.2.3Email notification updates to reflect the name change from Express Mail to Priority Mail Express 6.3DeliveryConfirmationV4 Request 6.3.1 tag added and will trigger the Carrier Release endorsement on the label image when the value = â€Å"true†; this endorsement cannot be applied to items requiring a signature at delivery 6.3.1.1Schema location: After 6.3.1.2Optional tag, optional value 6.3.1.3Enumerations = â€Å"true†, â€Å"false† 6.3.1.4Default = â€Å"false† 6.3.2 tag added and will trigger the node in the response when the value = †true†.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Zara Marketing Mix and Strategy Analysis

Zara Marketing Mix and Strategy Analysis Pardeep Singh Sangwan Introduction Zara is a Spanish clothing and accessories retailer located in arteixo, Galicia. The company was founded in 1975 by amancio Ortega and rosalia mera. It is the main brand of the inditex group, the worlds largest clothing retailer. The fashion groups also have some popular brands like oysho, Massimo dutti, oysho, etc. Their first store features products which are popular and high end clothing fashions at very low prices. In 1980 they opened other stores throughout Spain. In 1988 they started their international expansion by opening store at Porto, Portugal. Zara opened their store in Australia in 2011.ÂÂ   Now in 2016 they have 2,100stores located in 88countries. Zara has remarkable logistics and they produce new products in 2-4 week. Zara is known for their fast fashion, which means latest products may disappear off the shelf within days, forcing customers to come back constantly to check for new designs. Zara has very unique marketing. Zara spends only 0.3% of their revenue on d oing promotion thats why they do not appears on television or any other advertisements. Instead of promotion Zara focuses more on their product, place and pricing. Zara rarely advertises any store sales or have sales promotions other than sale items unlike other retailers. They have very unique thing that they do not put their brand or logo on their products. In contrast to other local retailers Zaras sales associates do not focus on personal selling. Their customer service within the store is rather weak but their products and affordable prices make customer to come back to stores to do shopping. Their product quality, price own advertises it. Zaras Vision Zara through its one of a kind plans of action and stores has demonstrated business can be effective with next to zero promoting. This business is conceivable just through unrivaled client benefit encouraged by proceeded with capacity to restock and react to client needs inside days. This gives Zara the aggressive edge. Thus, keeping in the mind the mission, they generally inventive their items to upgrade shopping knowledge and give new plans at moderate costs produced using quality materials which take after most recent patterns. Zaras Strategy for Growth and Positioning Zara has confidence in zero promoting. It would preferably spend on store development than to publicize. In any case, the insignificantly promote in design magazines. The method of reasoning behind this is the brisk turnaround of store show, which is around 4 weeks, which renders publicizing a superfluous cost. Likewise, Zara focuses on productive outline to market cycle and concentrate on displaying vast number of plans every year. The workforce in Zara is fundamental to its prosperity appropriate from the creation to the store level as to put the input produced about mold execution at store is permeated to the architect and generation and inventory network puts the most recent styles in 2 weeks time. Segments Market segmentation is a marketing strategy which involves dividing a broad target market into subsets of consumers, businesses, or countries that have, or are perceived to have, common needs, interests, and priorities, and then designing and implementing strategies to target them. Demographic Segment- Zara is focusing on youthful purchasers with extra cash. This will be fundamentally in creating nations and created nations. This presents them with a sizeable populace. As indicated statistical surveying, the clients in these nations will attempt new brands however in the meantime are cost and quality cognizant. Economic Segment- Because of low currency, low work expenses and chance to be nearer to clients, Zara need to consider techniques to take profits by other area. Since the opposition has as of now entered the more up to date showcase and is always attempting to use the advantages related with these business sectors. Legal Segment- Owning to increasing work costs and stringent work laws, the production forms in the present nations dont paramount as they will build the generation costs. In the event that, Zara does not have any desire to decentralize these capacities, there are no laws administering their choices as mold industry is not under controls. Technological Segment Zara uses unique technology know as IT to manage their supply chain which gets to low cost in operating. Zara can use IT to extend their distributing and manufacturing activities outside Spain. Global Segment Owing globalization and fast progression in advancements, a few minimal effort generation focuses have come up. With a specific end goal to lessen the expenses significantly further and look after quality, Zara can have seaward generation offices to minimal effort area keeping in mind the end goal to bring down the expenses. Zara being in center form industry with quick cycles have a novel where it provides food just on the main edge of the item cycle which empowers it to convey the guarantee of Moment Fashion. Opportunities Expansion plans- The gathering contributed more than 2.8 billion to open new stores universally in nations it as of now has a nearness and couple of new markets too. The rate of development of stores has been high as 640 stores for each yr. Zara mold will be made accessible in Korea, Ukraine, Egypt .A very much characterized development plan is basic to the corporate goal of worldwide extension with maintained income development later on. Growing Online Sale- Online retailing has been growing at a singing pace in the most recent decade and considering UK showcase, more than 14 billion has been spent online shopping. Zara ought to attempt to open online retail shops oblige the gathering of people who need to look for institutionalized adaptation items. This additionally introduces a chance to show the whole product offerings from Zara and can be effectively sought. Threats Internal Analysis- Zara attempt the asset view and study the inward investigation. Zaras principle resources are the planners, the coordinations procedure, in store sales individuals and the store feeling. These designers are responsible for producing new outlines in a limited capacity to focus time. In the wake of getting the input, they have roughly 2 weeks to convey the article of clothing to the store. Each of the creators is a significant and expensive asset and this speedy turnaround time is not imitable subsequently misused by Zara without limitations. Competitor Analysis- Zara main competitors are HM, GAP, UNIQLO, etc. boasts of large network of stores and has a strong financial leverage as it aims to tap into growing online retail segment and into franchising to expand into new market. On the other hand, HM are matching Zara in terms of designing and also have strong procurement practices. Unlike Zara, they collaborate with designs and have much wider presence as compared to Zara. Products Zara stores have mens clothing and womens clothing, each of these subdivided in Lower Garment, Upper Garment, Shoes, Cosmetics and Complements, as well as childrens clothing. Toxic Free Production- In 2011, Greenpeace began an exchange with Zara to prohibit hurtful poisons from the dress creation. In November 2012, Greenpeace distributed the Harmful strings: the huge mold line up report, in which Zara was distinguished as the most exceedingly awful. In 6 of the 10 garments that were inspected, nonylphenol ethoxylates were found, and in 2 cases malignancy initiating amines from azo colors were found. After this distribution, Zara was picked for instance as greatest retailer on the planet to bring issues to light. Different dissents were held at Zara shops everywhere throughout the world, requesting Zara to think of an aggressive arrangement to detox its garments and esteem .Some of the most harming poisons will be abstained of before, for instance PFCs will be prohibited by 2015. Zara additionally guaranteed to make data about its providers releasing of poisons freely accessible for no less than 100 providers (no less than 40 of which are situated in China) before the finish of 2013. Controversial Products- Zara pulled back a purse from their racks after a client saw a swastika on the sacks plan. The pack originated from an outside provider and Zara said the image was not unmistakable when the tote was picked. Zara representative Susan Suett said had they saw the satchel highlighted the image; they would not have sourced it. When educated of the swastika image, they quickly pulled back the thing from their racks. Zara got feedback for offering a little child T-shirt for nearly looking like garbs worn by Jewish death camp prisoners. The T-shirt was striped and included a yellow star fundamentally the same as the Star of David. Zara said that the plan of the shirt was propelled by the sheriffs stars from the great western movies. After being on sale for a couple short hours, Zara quickly expelled the shirt and apologized. The shirt was sewed in Turkey and sold in Zaras Albanian, French, Israeli, and Swedish online stores. Zara got substantial feedback for offering the T-shirt in Israel si nce Israel does not have sheriffs. Furthermore, Sheriff is sketched out in straightforward letters on the brilliant yellow star. Hana Levi Julian wrote in the Jewish Press that the outline of the word makes it hard to see. The organization said that the sales got from the T-shirts were peripheral and any outstanding T-shirts would be devastated. The Anti-Defamation League reaction to the shirt was The shirt embellished with the yellow star is in poor taste and is profoundly hostile to Jews and Holocaust survivors. To any individual who knows their history, this sort of symbolism ought to be beyond reach. We respect Zaras acknowledgment of the shirts possibly hostile symbolism and expulsion from sale. Strategies Corporate Level Strategies- The Corporate level techniques of Zara can be like that of its parent, Inditex Group. Its procedures can be grouped in view of three structures -Ansoffs Matrix, BCG Matrix and GE-Directional Policy Matrix. In view of the Ansoffs Matrix, Zara takes after the accompanying vital Directions: Market Consolidation and Product Development by getting the most recent in vogue outlines from the plan stage to the dissemination inside 2-3 weeks, much shorter than the business normal. Zara is working in an industry of high development of around 405 while having a high piece of the pie in the vast majority of the nations. This puts Zara as a star for Inditex Group in the Growth-Share BCG Matrix. Likewise the quality of its business is high, hence placing it in the Investment and Growth course of the Directional Policy Matrix. Business Level Strategies- Zara characterizes its objective market as Youthful, instructed one that preferences design and is delicate to mold. This objective is extremely expansive on the grounds that it is not portioned by ages and ways of life. In this way the extent of Zaras business is expansive. Zara likewise takes after both the cost initiative and Differentiation techniques. Functional Level Strategies- Zara changes their designs every week and it is easy for them because of their manufacturing systems. Their technology helps to reduce the time for equipments, increases utilization of machines within the scheduling time and improves quality of products at every stage of processing. Global Strategy- Zara did not follow nay localization in the counties where it was available and given just institutionalized items. Additionally it put stock in giving the most recent design at low expenses. Along these the Global Strategy Grid it can be seen that Zara follows a Global Standardization Strategy. By doing as such it wanted to expand its benefit by lessening costs and accomplishing economies of scale. Conclusion In conclusion, Zara has maintained an upper hand over its competitors by the response to the changing market trends and fashion and by vertical integration. Zara is a successful international retailer which, in less than 30 years, has transformed itself from a Spanish local brand into truly global brand. Zara, with its present IT infrastructure has been effective and able to be consistent with its core business. However, depending on an unreliable change from the supplier side, obsolete OS will not be compatible for future improvements or growth. Although, there no immediate need to change the current system, Zara should not invest more in the current obsolete IT infrastructure. It should adopt the change to the new OS eventually. Making a gradual change to the new system will increase Zaras efficiency, without facing the sudden setback of implementing the change at once.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

If real world markets can be made to resemble more closely the model :: Economics

If real world markets can be made to resemble more closely the model of perfect competition, economic efficiency will improve. Explain why Perfect competition is generally regarded as economically more efficient? Chris Simons ============ "If real world markets can be made to resemble more closely the model of perfect competition, economic efficiency will improve." a) Explain why Perfect competition is generally regarded as economically more efficient? (20 marks) The model of perfect competition describes market where there is a high degree of competition. The word "perfect" does not mean that this form of competition produces ideal results or maximises economic welfare in other words, the word "perfect" should not have any normative overtones. A perfectly competitive market must possess four characteristics. Firstly, there must be many buyers and sellers in the market, none of whom is large enough to influence price. Buyers and sellers are said to be price takers. This type of market has many relatively small firms that supply goods to a large number of small buyers. There must be freedom of entry and exit from the industry. Firms must be able to establish themselves in the industry easily and quickly. Barriers to entry must therefore be low. If a firm wishes to cease production and leave the market, it must be free to do so. Buyers and sellers possess perfect knowledge of prices. If one firm charges a higher price than the market price, the demand for its product will be zero as buyers buy elsewhere in the market. Hence the firm has to accept the market price if it wishes to sell into the market (i.e. it must be a price taker). All firms must produce a homogenous product. There is no branding of products and products are identical. There are very few industries in the world that approximate to this kind of market structure. One that might is agriculture. In agriculture there is a large number of farmers supplying the market, none of whom is large enough to influence price. It is easy to buy a farm and set up in business. It is equally easy to sell a farm and leave the industry. Farmers on the whole possess perfect knowledge. They know what prices prevail in the market, for instance from the farming press. Finally farmers produce a range of homogenous products. King Edwards's potatoes from one farm are indistinguishable from King Edwards's potatoes from another. In Europe and in many countries around the world, farming is in certain instances not a perfectly competitive market. This is because governments may interfere in the market, buying and selling to fix a price. Perfect competition is generally regarded as economically more

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Sals Enlightenment in Mexico in Jack Kerouacs, On the Road Essays

In A Mexico Fellaheen from Lonesome Traveler, Jack Kerouac describes crossing the border between America and Mexico: "It's a great feeling of entering the Pure Land, especially because it's so close to dry faced Arizona and Texas and all over the Southwest B but you can find it, this feeling, this fellaheen feeling about life, that timeless gayety of people not involved in great cultural and civilization issues" (22). Mexico is at once "close to" America and yet distinct from it, a "Pure Land" removed from the fallout of Spengler's crumbling Western civilization. By acknowledging its primitive innocence, Kerouac calls attention to the difference between the ideal of freedom and pastoral harmony represented by Mexico and the reality of contemporary America. But more significantly, Kerouac describes later in the article the inherent contradictions of Mexico: in his experience with easily-accessible drugs, corrupt police, and fumbling novice bull-fighting, he also finds a profoundly rel igious people, and he is able to accept them without judgement as a complex mix of good and bad. As he says in that article, "I saw how everybody dies and nobody's going to care, I felt how awful it is to live just so you can die like a bull trapped in a screaming human ring" (33), but he ends with the understanding that "the world is permeated with roses of happiness all the time, but none of us know it. The happiness consists in realizing that it is all a great strange dream" (36). This vision of Mexico as a "Pure Land" with innate contradictions and complexity also appears in Kerouac's On the Road. In the final sections, Sal and Dean travel to Mexico City, but while Dean goes for kicks and to obtain a quick divorce, Sal goes for a different reas... ...na Baym. New York: Norton, 1998. 1072-1101 & 1126-43. Hunt, Tim. Kerouac's Crooked Road: Development of a Fiction. Hamden, Conn.: Archon, 1981. Kerouac, Jack. "Mexico Fellaheen" from Lonesome Traveler. 1960. New York: Grove, 1988. ---. On the Road. 1957. New York: Penguin, 1991. ---. Visions of Cody. 1960. New York: Penguin, 1993. Lardas, John. The Bop Apocalypse: The Religious Visions of Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Burroughs. Urbana: U of Illinois Press, 2001. Niebuhr, Rienhold. The Irony of American History. New York: Scribner's, 1952. Schaub, Thomas Hill. American Fiction in the Cold War. Madison: U of Wisconsin Press, 1991. Tytell, John. "The Beat Generation and the Continuing American Revolution." in Ed. Holly George-Warren. The Rolling Stone Book of the Beats: The Beat Generation and American Culture. New York: Hyperion, 1999. 55-67.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Susan Cains Quiet

In the introduction of Susan Cain’s Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking it told a story of Rosa Parks. She is the lady that would not change her seat on the public bus so a white passenger could take it. She simply said â€Å"No. † Many think Rosa Parks was an extrovert personality but in fact she was an introvert personality. Martin Luther King Jr. was a great orator and with an extrovert personality so he was able to help Rosa Parks since she was timid and shy. Rosa still had â€Å"courage of a lion. † Some ask how could she be quiet and courageous. Or how can quiet be strong? Today, we here, in the United States think we are a bunch of extroverts but in fact a study showed that one third to one half of Americans are introverts. We are told that to be a great person we have to be bold, or to be happy, we surly must be social. Americans pretend to be extroverts until their true colors come out when some life altering event changes them and makes them step back and look at their true natures. Truly we really like people who can put them self out there, someone who is comfortable in the spot light of life. But this is not the case with many successful people. Many wealthy, smart, and gifted people are not extroverts. Extroverts tend to tackle assignments quickly, make rash decisions, do multitasking, are risk takers, like money and status. They are the people who are the life of the party and love to laugh and talk. Introverts work more slowly and deliberately, focus on one task at a time, can concentrate well, they don’t really care to much for wealth or fame. They have social skills but after a while would just prefer to be at home with family or close friends. They are good listeners, they think before speaking and they express better in writing it than saying it. The introduction left us with a question if we can shape ourselves and make what we will of our lives. Can We? Chapter 5 Summary Susan Cain opened chapter 5 about her experience going to visit Dr. Carl Schwartz and seeing a multimillion-dollar fMRI (functional resonance magnetic imaging) machine. The fMRI can measure which parts of the brain are active when you’re thinking a particular thought or performing a specific task. They are really interested in activity in the amygdale the powerful organ inside the brain that Kagan found played such an important role is shaping some introverts and extroverts personalities. They test infants through their late teens. They have a theory that people are of high or low reactive temperaments and that our inborn temperaments influence us regardless of the lives we lead. Who we are is ordained by our genes, our brains and our nervous systems. We can stretch ourselves-within limits. We can even reach for the outer limits of our temperaments. We can get out of our comfort zones. We can even project artificial enthusiasm but there is no one more courageous than the person who speaks with the courage of his convictions. I do not think that our inborn temperaments do remain the same throughout our entire life. The events we face in life change us, such as marriage and parenting can make us more patient or less patient. Birth and death can change our temperaments as well as so could sickness and health. I believe that each thing we face in life teaches us lessons and with lessons we change our very being. I think that we stretch our personalities with each different circumstance in life because we just have to, we have to be able to live in harmony with ourselves as well as others at home, work, with our friends and extended family. And to that we must adapt and stretch ourselves. I had to stretch my introvert personality when I started playing the piano. I wanted to learn to play for myself but soon realized I had to play in front of my teacher, my parents (whom was paying the teacher). Then came the recitals. Then came the church music solos of playing the piano and singing at the same time! It was difficult for me to let people just sit and watch me perform. But you know what, I adapted my personality to do this talent. I recently played and sang at my high school graduation and was chosen to make a speech of what I was thankful for in life and about my future plans for my career. So I did overcome my quiet, shy temperament. I smiled, spoke loud, fast and clear and tired to act as if I was an extrovert.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Delta Air Lines

Thus every passenger traveling with the airline should discover the† Stubble Experience † which combines value, excellent service, style and innovations. By offering branded snacks, dunking donuts, coffee, more legroom, wider seats and satellite television etc. The customers benefit from a high quality service. Innovations such as tickles flying, one-way fares, touchstones check-in, free live television and flying with the latest aircrafts such as the Embracer 190 regional Jet reflect the airline's aim to create a hip image that differentiates them from their competitors.Melanin reduces distance within the company by talking to passengers about their experiences and by visiting the employees at their workplace. Supervisors need to attend the†Jet Blue University', where they are trained by Melanin or Dave Barge, the chief operating officer. All employees are seen as â€Å"Creamers† and are highly involved in all business aspects to cultivate a strong team spir it and enthusiasm for the airline. Based on these aspects the†Stubble Experience† is strongly embedded in the company's overall business strategy.Question 2 When Stubble got bigger, the company faced new challenges in 2005, by dealing with more complex operations and scalability issues. Labor and maintenance costs for older aircrafts increased and with the introduction of the new plane Embracer 190 the airline faced operational problems. Escalated costs for the implementation of the new aircraft-type, delays because of the installation of the in-flight entertainment system and trainings for mechanics and pilots ended in significant operational problems within the company.Additionally Hurricane Rata, Wilma and Strain led to a decreased demand in their eye revenue regions, petroleum refineries were closed and the fuel costs rose 52 percent, the airline lost $20 million in that year. As a response to the losses of 2005, Melanin and Barge formulated a recovery plan, which co ntained a raise of the average fares, a more efficient usage of capacities and extending their services to small and medium cities, where they had less competition. Furthermore they stressed their principle to fly with a delay rather than canceling a flight.The airline also stated to improve their workforce productivity wrought better trainings, smatter business processes and more extensive use of automation. To control the rising fuel prices the company wanted to implement financial hedging strategies. As a reaction to the operation loss the managers refused bonuses and delayed the purchase of 36 new planes. Enjoyed three successive profitable quarters, with only $1 million in the red. Question 3 Stubble suffered their worst crisis on February 14, 2007, when a heavy snow storm reached New York City although the weather forecast stated that the city would not be affected.Due to the company's principle to avoid cancellations, they kept six airplanes in the gate waiting for better wea ther and four more arriving aircrafts stuck on the tarmac for up to 10 hours. This led to frustrated passengers, complaining about Stubble in the media. The actual problem besides the storm and the wrong weather forecast was the internal way of handling the operational part within this situation. The communication and coordination between the employees struggled and Stable's service system was completely overloaded.The staff on board were not aware of hat was happening outside and as they had never handled such a problem before, they didn't know how to handle it. Also the company's principle of not canceling any flights if possible and instead keeping the passengers on the airplanes led to criticism, bad media and unsatisfied customers. Stubble reacted to the happening with a public apology and announced that every passenger who was stuck on the plane for more than three hours would get a full refund and a free roundup ticket and to those whose flight has been cancelled a full refun d.They also published a Customer's Bill of Rights which specified the imposition terms. The company could have published a Customer Bill of Rights before the storm happening since such an issue had happened earlier with Northwest airlines and it had led to a lot of bad press and clearly from the way employees reacted it shows that they were not trained to handle such difficult situations which could have been pre-meditated.Even if the way Stable's management took action, (like when Dave Barge went to JIFF on the day of the storm to take a look at the situation and speak to passengers and creamers, or the fact that David Melanin became the public ace of the crisis to give interviews, was a good way of dealing with the situation) the company would have needed someone in the management who was more experienced with handling such circumstances or been in similar situations before.To better overcome such crisis the staff should have been trained by experienced coaches, that give instruct ions how to act in such cases. The management should also have clarified the responsibilities of each department to avoid irritations in critical situations. And in order to not get into an emergency situation the company

Sunday, September 15, 2019

U of P / Eth 316 / Ethics Essay

ETH 316 August 22, 2011 Ethics Essay Utilitarianism Utilitarianism ethics emphasize that action should be morally beneficial to a group. This course of ethics is often known as â€Å"the greatest good for the greatest number† or simply put, â€Å"the greater good† (Boylan, 2009). In other words, the consequence of any ethical action should be beneficial for all by mass appeal. This is a common underlying theme for ethics in capitalist economies and business as well as in democratic governments (Boylan, 2009). Virtue Theory Virtue theory, also known as virtue ethics, focuses more so on the character of a person rather than the rules and consequences of specific acts. What this essentially means is that the primary focus is whether or not the person acting ethically is a person who upholds high morals and virtues, in turn expressing â€Å"good character† (Garrett, 2005). Rules, intent, consequences and outcome are not necessarily irrelevant; however, the emphasis of virtue theory is primarily on a person’s character, their virtues, and their expression of good intentions (Garrett, 2005). Deontology Unlike virtue theory, deontology has a heavy emphasis on duty in action, in adherence to rules. The right action is important here, where upon completion, should bring about the greatest good for all involved. This is somewhat similar to utilitarianism, which does focus on the consequence of the greatest good. However, deontology does not lean on the consequence itself, but more so the principle behind committing the right action. (Boylan, 2009). In turn, the ethics behind deontology is about principle and following rules. Similarity Between Theories All three of these ethical practices have tangible similarities. The primary similarity is consequence of action. Even though consequence is not always the primary focus of the action, it is expected in all three theories that the consequence should have a beneficial result as an outcome of the action. Whether the action is based on principle, values or virtues, the end should justify the means. Difference Between Theories The best way to express the differences between virtue theory, utilitarianism and deontological ethics is to take a common scenario and analyze from these three different perspectives. A good example to use would be a person having car trouble and has pulled their car on the side of the road. They are in obvious need of help. In committing the action of helping the person, an individual is acting on a moral or ethical duty. An individual who practices virtue theory ethics would point out that by helping the person, doing so would be a charitable act and would express good character of the person assisting the one in need. One who practices utilitarianism would say that by helping the person, doing so would be good for both the person in need and the person helping. A deontologist would say that by helping, it would be so in accordance to a moral rule, such as karma, or what you do to others will come back to you. (Hursthouse, 2010). As the example shows, virtue theory focuses on a person’s moral ethics, and not on any specific outcome or rule. Utilitarianism has an emphasis on the greater good, focusing on a beneficial outcome for all persons involved, where the consequences of acting are beneficial to a community. Finally, deontology emphasizes duty as specific action being done in completion of following a specific moral code, rule or command. In a previous job position, I had an ethical dilemma that required making a fair decision for all parties involved. It involved a quality assurance process for outbound marketing in a call center. There was a Spanish speaking division where the manager wanted a special call monitoring process just for the Spanish speakers. I decided against the process for the simple fact that the Spanish speakers did not say anything different or offer anything different than the non-Spanish speakers. The reason I chose to do this was to make the quality assurance process fair for all the call agents. If I had done the opposite, the non-Spanish speakers would have sought similar treatment. I consider this to be a utilitarian action for my ethical dilemma. References: Boylan, M. 2009. Basic Ethics. 2nd Edition. Pp. 153, 171 Garrett, J. (2005, November 28). Virtue ethics. Retrieved fromhttp://www. wku. edu/~jan. garrett/ethics/virtthry. htm Hursthouse, Rosalind, â€Å"Virtue Ethics†, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta  (ed. ),http://plato. stanford. edu/archives/win2010/entries/ethics-virtue

Saturday, September 14, 2019

SWOT and 4 P’s analysis

Fort Jesus is a company incorporated to manage and run Fort Jesus tourist attraction facility in a tourist attraction centre. The company has been in business for over years and it attracts customers from al over the world. The target market of the customers includes historians, holiday makers and other people who want to learn about slave trade and Arab-Portugal war. The company has much strength and weaknesses which make the company exist.   Fort Jesus at the time of incorporation was a viable concept in an industry that was growing in all sectors. The target customers want an actively engaged in exploration, learning, discovering, entertaining, and holiday making. Fort Jesus has an advantage as the only company with a vision of exploring history about the Arab and the Portugal war in the coastal towns of Africa. The industry they operate in ha very few competitors and growth has been observed in every company that is operating to the industry. The company has cashed in since it is infancy on the expanding and high growth of market to accumulate huge financial resources that enables them to collect traditional artifacts from various parts of the continent and other continents. The company offers services such as traditional dances including the Brazil samba dance, the Mijikenda dance, the Hindu dance and the Chinese acrobatics. This has assisted the company to move to greater heights in terms of market share. They have also contracted international media companies like CNN to market them as the best museum to visit to get what you cannot get somewhere else. Fort Jesus objectives are to consider what works and what does not work. Through this, they have carried out research about various museums and attractions to museum and discover that the best concept is to bring majority of collections from various parts of the world. The company has employed the best human resources in marketing and customer care who receives customers and markets the services of the company to various groups in various parts of the world. The company also has participated in various trade fairs, marketing, tourism attraction centers including the Chinese 2008 Olympic trade fair which was to market some tourist attraction centers in China. The services of Fort Jesus are well priced to attract customers of various categories. However, the market of the company is segmented into foreign and locals. The company is well positioned in an area that attracts tourists of all walks of life. It is also nearer to a university that specializes in Art and Museum education. It is at the center of an international airport and the second deepest port in the world. The road networks of the area where the museum is situated is well maintained thus any visitor thus any visitor will have no problem of accessing the facility. The company’s biggest challenge is competition from other facilities from similar companies operating in various parts of the world who are also collecting traditional artifacts from various parts of the world to create a niche of products. The growth in the industry is encouraging although there is a pattern that protects some of the artifacts from being accessed. REFERENCES Armstrong G. & Kotler P. (2007). Consumer Markets: Influences on consumer behavior, Principles of Marketing. ICMR Case Studies and Management Resources. (2007). Consumer Behavior. Retrieved January 20, 2008 from http://www.icmrindia.org/courseware/Consumer%20Behavior/CBC03.htlm      Kotler, P. (2005) Principles of Marketing. New York.Melbourne Press Schaik J.L., (2002); The Task of Marketing Management; J.L. van Schaik (Pity) ltd Winer, R.S. (2007). Marketing Management, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.                                          

Answering questions

2-A. Recently, a comedian on a television show remarked that he thought it was funny that people turn the car radio off when they are looking for a house number in a strange neighborhood. What theory of attention is this comedian adhering to? The comedian based his remarks on the theory of divided attention. This theory states that attention can be divided into two separate states, wherein one can attend to two things or stimuli at the same time, without sacrificing the quality of attention given to either of the two stimuli (Reisberg, 2001). Thus to the comedian, one can continue listening to the radio and at the same time look for the house number, and it perfectly makes sense to him that a person can do both of it since it does not really require an intense concentration. However, a case in point is that looking for a house number in a long row of houses may be quite a challenging task, one that requires concentration and selective attention. Yes, it can be said that keeping the radio on would not make any difference but to those who prefer to look closely and to be able to do so safely would naturally turn their radios off. Just imagine yourself driving slowly in a street you are unfamiliar with and keeping the radio on would mask the noise of incoming traffic or even pedestrians. Besides, when a person is involved in one task, like looking for a house, then one instinctively attends to it and disregards the other sounds, sights and disturbances in the immediate environment. Divided attention is very real, we engage it once in a while especially if we multi-task but we could do so in a limited period, for example think of how you can possibly manage to entertain questions from an officemate at your table and at the same time talk to someone on the phone, you could do both for a maximum of 2 minutes, but eventually one stimuli takes greater attention and we must give our full attention to it. On the other hand, with training, anybody can make use of divided attention, but its contributions and benefits in engaging in it remains to be seen since much research has to be done in this area. 2-B. Based on what you have learned about perception and attention, do you think it’s safe for people to talk on cellular phones while they are driving? Learning about how we perceive the world around us gives us a better way of understanding how intricate the human mind is and how even a faculty that we often take for granted can have a profound impact in our daily lives. Perception refers to a complex process of how we receive a stimuli, how our brain process the stimuli, and how our mind tells us what to do and how to react to the stimuli (Reisberg, 2001). It can be said that a disruption of any of the lines of our perception may have adverse consequences; sometimes it can be bizarre, like when a person cannot recognize the face of love one but instead are able to say that they look like a family member. Taking our study of perception into our daily activities, a debated issue like â€Å"is it safe to talk on the cell phone while driving† is better explained. I still believe that it is not safe to talk on the cellular phones while driving. Driving already entails a number of processes and is quite demanding of our attention, like when you are in the freeway, one has to be conscious of incoming traffic, cars at you back, the speed limit of the highway, and even looking out for possible mishaps in the road, on top of which, the driver must be conscious of the cars fuel level, brake fluid and tire conditions. So how could anybody be able to talk on the phone while driving? Talking on the phone also demands attention; we have to perceive and process what the other person is saying, and to even think of the appropriate response to what they are saying. Theories on perception have stated that our mind works overtime just to process and be able to respond to external stimuli, and that each part of the brain is involve in different ways just to come up with the correct processing of information (Reisberg, 2001), like being able to recognize faces of family members. Perceptual illusions demonstrate that what we see may not be true or real, hence while driving we may not be able to accurately tell how far we are from the car ahead of us or how near we are to the railings without our full concentration. Reports have shown that many people die on the road or in car accidents than any disease. Perceptual overload occurs when we drive and talk on the phone, based on previous researches (Reisberg, 2001), perceptual overload makes us incorrectly perceive our surroundings and hence we may see what is not there, or we may not see what is really there. When we overload our senses it would mean that one part of the brain or our faculties might be sacrificed to compensate for the attention we give to another stimulus. And in an activity like driving which in itself is a high-risk behavior, we need complete control of our faculties, thus talking on the cell phone is not advisable. 2-C. Write a 200 word summary and critical analysis on Rayner’s article. Discuss what the article is basically about, its strong and weak points, how convincing (or unconvincing) you find its arguments, and how it might be followed up (e.g., if you think the article suggests any promising, new ideas for future research, describe what they are and how they might best be pursued.) The article â€Å"Eye Movements in Reading: Recent Developments† by Keith Rayner (1993) presents the latest development in the study of eye movement in the reading process. The strength of the article is that it gives a background of what has been discovered so far in the field of study, the article argues that studying eye movement is important for it help build theory and also used to infer perceptual and cognitive processes during reading thus the objective of the article. It also presents a number of theories that have used new methods in studying eye movement. What was weak about the article was that it was not able to connect how the new methods of studying would contrite to a better understanding of the cognitive processes that occur during reading. The article basically was not convincing when the author says that much remains to be seen when researchers realize how interesting a research data eye movement can be. The article does not arouse this interest and simply goes on to say that eye movement is a natural consequence of reading, which contradicts his claims earlier in the introduction part. The article was also too technical for the average reader even if the reader is interested in eye movement. References Rayner, K. (1993). Eye movements in reading: Recent developments. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2 (3): 81-85 Reisberg, D. (2001). Cognition: Exploring the science of the Mind, 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.                  

Friday, September 13, 2019

Copyright, intellectual property and innovation Essay

Copyright, intellectual property and innovation - Essay Example It can be difficult for a developer to prove a new piece of software is theirs, especially when an unscrupulous competitor starts claiming they made it, and claiming huge amounts of money from the developer. Property rights are a complete nightmare for the small company or ordinary person who simply wants to develop software for its own sake and wishing to make a small profit while doing so. Copyright is one area of protection that should be straightforward, but it is not. Patenting software seems a good idea, but this can be difficult, time consuming and expensive. Intellectual property rights means’ software has to be proven to be unique, which is not always possible at the start of a project where such thinking may not even occur. For as the project begins, from the moment the first code is written and an idea aired, there is the danger of theft. For the public who want to use the software, there are problems not of their making in all the property rights, such as serious t ime delays in getting something up to date and useful for them. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) have only been in existence since 1967, and software has only been recognised as needing protection since the late 1970’s, before that it was not considered very important and was usually supplied by the company who built the hardware as a complete entity. Once it was realised that software could be a separate product with its own market value, and then it started to become important to protect it. Later the type of thing that could be protected was argued over by software companies unclear as to what was in the common domain and what was completely theirs. A few years ago there was a massive argument between Apple computers and Microsoft over the use of the Trash Can in their respective operating systems. Apple claiming their right to it as their invention and Microsoft saying it was something in the public domain, needed by any operating system. The argument went

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Not sure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Not sure - Essay Example This figure appears as a halo or ring around the head of the sanctified. Moreover, in many religious systems we can find some degree of syncretism. Islam and Confucianism are clearly the hardest to syncretize with each other. Indeed they do have certain similarities between them, but still it is more difficult to syncretize the two as compared to Judaism or Buddhism with Confucianism. Confucianism was brought about by K’ung Fu Tzu (Confucius). He travelled all over China and advised the rulers. He usually preached about morals and ethical values, and how political power should be exercised properly. According to Confucianism it is important for a person to have etiquette; he should be righteous; he should act benevolently with everyone and this, Tzu considered to be the most important virtue; there should be love among family members; and lastly, a person should show his loyalty toward his country. All these features are part and parcel of almost every religion, although in varying importance. Every religion teaches one to be good and treat others well too. However, Confucianism focuses only on this aspect of life. Confucianism is not an actual religion with God to pray to. It is basically more of an ethical system that has clarified certain traditions and rituals to be followed at the important periods of one’s life; for instance, birth, maturity, marriage and death. Islam, on the other hand, is a monotheist religion. This means there is one God that the followers of Islam pray and worship. The Muslims believe that He created the universe and He is omnipotent. Islam is, comparatively, a very young religion. Muslims also believe in the previous prophets, Abraham, David, Moses and Jesus, and consider Muhammad to be the last of the prophets of God. However, they do not consider Jesus to be the son of God as it is their belief that God

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Forecast of the Nature of Training 20 Years Hence Essay

Forecast of the Nature of Training 20 Years Hence - Essay Example The next step is to make augmented reality systems mobile (Macchiarella, 2005). In 1995, Gordon Moore, Chairman Emeritus of Intel predicted that computational power will double every 18-24 months. This would mean that in 20 years, computers would be able to handle data and processes at least 10 times of what it can do today. Having said that, we can let imagination run wild with the kinds of computer-based training systems that will be available 20 years from now. This author predicts that in 20 years time computing power would have multiplied ten times over, the physical size of devices would have shrunk 10 times its original size, and mobile facilities would have increased an unimaginable number. This means that limitless training can be had conveniently using a conveniently small computing device which can be carted around anywhere. Palm-sized computers equipped with electronic writing device, earpiece, internet access, and interactivity can replace conventional devices used for web-based training. Such devices can even be taken to the work area and can be used to provide a readily accessible reference "material" in case problems are encountered on the job. Macchiarella's prediction of making augmented reality training systems mobile could well be achieved in 20 years. Learning booths for various AR training would have been mass-produced and installed in convenient locations such as community centers, malls, airports or other places where p eople go to when they have spare time or where have to wait and needlessly waste time. Access cards to the training booths may be equipped with a payment facility for pay-per-use training or to logon to an organization’s training program. ... Access cards to the training booths may be equipped with a payment facility for pay-per-use training or to logon to an organization's training program. Trainer-trainee interaction may have become readily available after 20 years. In much the same way that 24/7 operations are conducted, trainers on shift would be able to interact with trainees from any part of the world who has accessed a training material over the internet. Using a mobile device with instant messaging capabilities would make this possible. According to Wexler (2008), different training technology modalities are on the rise and this is expected to continue for the next decades. These are podcasts, blogs, communities of practice, Wikis, LMS, online references, online assessment and testing, synchronous and asynchronous e-Learning, learning content management and portals. Moreover, the training profession is also forecasted to diversify and specialize in new areas such as aggregators of content who will sell access to t heir content to organizations which need them, developers of generic courses who will sell their courses on a pay-per-use basis, or developers of specific courses targeted to specific industry requirements (Heathfield, 2008). With technology advancing by leaps and bounds, the applications for training may well be limitless. If it can be imagined, it will most probably be possible. Assignment 2: Statement of Work Abstract Due to increasing diversity in the workplace, there is a need to level the field in terms of English language communication. Effective communication among community members is essential for peaceful coexistence and for solving many day-to-day problems. The constant flow of information from country to country in a globalized world has created the need to

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Key Features Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Key Features - Assignment Example The literature Review conducted by the authors is exhaustive and in-depth. The sources that were used by the authors are reliable. However, the authors should not have used sources that are older than ten years. The reason is that approaches to conducting research have changed over the years. In addition, old sources might have outdated information. As a result, basing the conclusion on such sources might make the journal to be deemed as unreliable. Nevertheless, the fact that the authors used varying sources from different fields reduces the level of biases. In addition, the sources are from credible organizations and institutions of higher learning. All sources that were used in this study emanates from the relevant fields. As a result, the information in them can be used to make an in-depth conclusion. The authors are trying to find out different work health and safety issues that affect the young people and the most effective solutions. They were trying to determine whether these issues have an effect on young people’s performance in their workplaces. Nevertheless, other articles clearly state the research questions rather than include it in the objective. This is important in ensuring that the article is clear. Ethical Consideration The authors ought to have sought ethical approval from the organizations. The young respondents that were used in this study were working in the organizations. As a result, a credible study should seek permission to interview or use some of the employees in the study.

Monday, September 9, 2019

Consent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Consent - Essay Example In this sense it is meant that the review should be constructed in such a manner that the researcher/researchers can either use it as a stand-alone published material that can assist other researchers with similar topical considerations in their own research or the researcher/researchers can use the review exclusively as an assisting part of their own research on the topic. This brings out the importance of literature review that is possibly more important a part of the initial research strategy than any other part of such initial research. Choice of Topic - The first consideration that a researcher or group of researchers must take into account is the choice of topic. For this, they may first scrutinize the subject they are studying and thresh out a topical part that has scope for research the researchers themselves feel they are competent enough to carry out. It is notable that this is the very initial step to beginning an earnest literature review (Reed, Undated). The choice of a suitable topic may constitute the following steps - Brainstorming - This is process with which the researcher scans the subject he/she is studying currently to pinpoint a topic within that subject he/she may want to research upon. Within this process the subject is broken down into its topical components and basic keywords are derived from these. For example, as in this case, where the subject is taken to be 'information within the healthcare system', some of the topical interests that may get unearthed are as follows: Acquisition of such information; Storage of such information; Retrieval of such information; Ethics regarding retrieval; etc. Next, books, journal articles and other resources that have been recommended for these topics within the main study subject are next scrutinized and studied to ensure which of these topics may be the most suitable for research. Some of the criteria with which this is judged may be as follows: if there is any scope for further research within any of these topics; and whether such research can be easily carried out with the resources and facilities that are presently available with the researchers. In this manner a topic is settled upon on which the researchers decide they want to do research. The topic has scope for further research and the research type is suitable for being conducted by the researchers, who consider themselves capable of it. The topic settled upon in this case is 'Ethical issues regarding retrieval of healthcare information available from storage'. Consultation with the Instructor/Professor - Another adjacent step to brainstorming to settle upon the research topic is consultation with the instructor ort professor in charge of the discipline the researchers are incumbent upon. Often, these able persons are capable of making valuable suggestions that allow the research to proceed smoothly and efficiently. Researching Background Information - After a topic suitable for conducting research upon has been selected, the next logical step is to find background information on it from resources like

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Evolution Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Evolution - Term Paper Example Moreover, such explanation (Mayr, 2002) of the evolution has emphasized primarily the God, foremost and final cause of appearances of first organism in this world that is the cell. From this cause, there has been evolution involving millions of years that enabled the single cell to evolve and transform into a mammal, or more specifically, the humans. In this regard, the theistic interpretation of evolution has been a factual explanation of the human evolution while involving the role of supernatural dynamics in the form of God that commenced everything. On the other hand, there exists the theory of evolution by Darwin (Larson, 2004) that has been the most popular name in this area of study, and has been successful in influencing and convincing a huge number of world populations. Especially scientists that follow Darwin in the case of human evolution, and agree that all creatures in this world have come after evolving from organisms of one cell, and millions of years turned them into multiple-celled organisms. Another explanation of the human evolution exists in the story that points out the location of East Africa, a heavily forested region that was a home for primate inhabitants of varying kinds approximately ten million years ago. However, after five million years, the region began to experience radical climatic alterations that altered from wet to more dry and barren conditions, and subsequently, the forested region changed from wet jungle to a desolated land. Such alteration inclined the primates to change their habitat from tree to the land that brought together the most atrocious forces of marauders on the land area of the globe. Such stories then connect the different varieties of wild animals found in African forests these days. In addition, such transformation from tree dwelling to ground-inhabitants provided the opportunity of humans to

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Predicting Crime with the Uniform Crime Reporting System Assignment

Predicting Crime with the Uniform Crime Reporting System - Assignment Example It is also possible to tell which states and cities are the most dangerous in terms of prevalence of crime, in particular violent crimes like murder, robbery with violence and forced rape. It must be acknowledged that nowadays data is everything regardless of one’s profession or inclination. The most important attribute of UCR is its richness in terms of data; with this data prediction becomes a walk in the park for public safety officials and law enforcement organizations. UCR also facilitates the presentation of crime rates to the American public since public safety officials and law enforcement organizations have crime information at their fingertips. Whenever it is needed they can retrieve and present it (Lynch & Addington, 2006). Question 2 In this section, I will forecast criminal activity for the country, the state of California and the city of Los Angeles. The Country In order to forecast criminal activity for the nation, I examined tables 1 and 1A. ... This shows that there has been a marked reduction in both statistics. Between 2001 and 2010, for example, the percentage change in the volume of violent crime was -13.4, while the percentage change in the violent crime rate was -20.0. A look at other crimes also shows the same trend. My forecast for the nation is therefore that the volume and rate of criminal activity will continue to reduce in the coming years (U.S Department of Justice & the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2004). The State of California Data for criminal activity in California displays similar attributes to that of the country. Between 2009 and 2010, the percentage changes in criminal activity (ranging from violent crime to motor vehicle theft) were negative; this is a pointer to a reduction in criminal activity. As a result of this, I also forecast a continued decline in criminal activity in the state of California as years go by. The City of Los Angeles In 2010, the city of Los Angeles had high volumes and rates of criminal activity compared to other cities in California. The reason for this is that Los Angeles is the largest city in California both by area and population, and therefore statistics like these are expected. However, since the state is showing steady reduction in criminal activity, I predict that the criminal activity rates and volumes in Los Angeles will also keep reducing, even though they might still be considered high. It is worth noting that this is a common attribute in large and populous cities (New York, Chicago, Detroit, etc). Question 3 In 1950, the murder rate in the United States was 4.6 while the volume of murders was 6,932. In 2010, the murder rate was 4.8 while the volume of murders was

Friday, September 6, 2019

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Critical Lens Essay Example for Free

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Critical Lens Essay Antoine de Saint-Exupery stated, â€Å"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly†. He implies that humans understand and comprehend the world by different means and rely on different sources to provide the truth. People use their senses, reasoning, emotion, and what others have taught them. However, Antoine de Saint-Exupery expressed that in order to understand something for what it is truly, emotion is the most truthful and applicable source of knowledge. This source implies that what is true is equal to what is morally correct and just. Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s statement is true and this is represented by the thoughts and actions of the characters throughout Mark Twain’s novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In the beginning of the novel Huck Finn is not able to â€Å"see† with his heart because he is taught how to see every other way possible. Therefore he is conflicted and unable to see things for what they actually are. Miss Watson is Huck’s teacher and she symbolizes conventional education. She teaches Huck to view things based on societal norms, this is exemplified by her teachings of Christianity and etiquette. Christianity in its simplest form is a religion based on love, forgiveness, and purity. Overtime the religion was misrepresented and misinterpreted by many people. Heaven, or according to Huck, â€Å"the good place†, became some kind of a finish line to the competitive mindset of humans, and also sinning became a very shallow part of the religion. Not meeting the proper standards of society was considered a sin. Mark Twain uses satire to mock how people have changed an innocent sanctity into a competitive and shallow establishment. Miss Watson is reprimanding Huck and explains to him the â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad† places, and how if he always misbehaves then he will not be able to go to the good place. He thinks to himself, â€Å"Now she had got a start, and she went on and told me all about the good place. She said all a body would have to there was to go around all day long with a harp and sing, forever and ever. So I didn’t think much of it† (Twain 4). This shows how Huck was misled and he was not taught how to see with his heart, he was taught very simply, like Miss Watson when she was taught all of this information. Therefore he is not able to see Christianity for what it truly is, and not taught to see with his heart. When Huck became free from other influences and the conventional society that indoctrinated him before, he started to learn how to make decisions based upon emotion, and evidence shows that these actions he took were morally correct and right. Huck’s character completely changes when he gained the ability to act on his emotional connection to something as opposed to the societal mask that hides the truth. This character change is exemplified when Huck was faced with an internal conflict. When on the raft to freedom with Miss Watson’s runaway slave, Jim, he started to worry about whether or not he was doing the moral thing by helping Jim escape. He couldn’t decide if doing wrong by Miss Watson, who had never done anything to him, was worse than doing wrong by Jim, who, although had become his friend, was still a â€Å"nigger†. The conflict inside Huck’s head worsened when Jim expressed his gratitude, â€Å"’Pooty soon I’ll be a-shout’n for joy, en I’ll say, it’s all on account o’ Huck; I’s a free man, en I couldn’t ever ben free ef it hadn’t ben for Huck; Huck done it. Jim won’t ever forgit you, Huck; you’s de bes’ fren’ Jim’s ever had; en you’s de only fren’ ole Jim’s got now. ’ I was paddling off, all in sweat to tell on him; but when he says this, it seemed to kind of take the tuck all out of me† (Twain 83). Eventually when Huck was forced to decide whether or not to turn in Jim, he decided to not and to continue helping him to freedom. Huck therefore decided against the societal establishment of slavery, obviously an immoral practice, and chose to listen to his emotions, which allowed him to understand what was actually morally just. When Huck and Jim were not on the raft, and landed ashore, morals became unclear. Mark Twain made the land symbolize social injustices and immoral societal conventions, and when Huck and Jim went on shore, they were exposed to people that were meant to represent all inequalities and immorality that were present at that time. Huck met a family that had a family rivalry based on an issue that neither of the family remembered. Twain meant to signify these families as nonsensical and ridiculous, and within the family were â€Å"star-crossed lovers† of some sort. These characters are meant to contrast the stupidity of each of their families and symbolize that understanding the world through love and other emotions is the most truthful way of seeing. Also, ignoring social pretense in order to do what is morally right was represented towards the end of the novel, when Huck decided to once again help Jim escape from slavery. He expressed a conflict that he had between what he sees is right through society’s eyes, and what he sees is right through his own emotions. He couldn’t choose what to do, but finally decided on taking the risk of freeing Jim himself. When conflicted he thought, â€Å"I felt good and all washed clean of sin for the first time I had ever felt so in my life, and I knowed I could pray now. But I didnt do it straight off, but laid the paper down and set there thinking- thinking how good it was all this happened so, and how near I come to being lost and going to hell. And went on thinking. And got to thinking over our trip down the river; and I see Jim before me, all the time; in the day, and in the night-time, sometimes moonlight, sometimes storms, and we a floating along, talking, and singing, and laughing. But somehow I couldnt seem to strike no places to harden me against him, but only the other kind. Id see him standing my watch on top of hisn, stead of calling me, so I could go on sleeping; and see him how glad he was when I come back out of the fog; and when I come to him agin in the swamp, up there where the feud was; and such-like times; and would always call me honey, and pet me, and do everything he could think of for me, and how good he always was; and at last I struck the time I saved him by telling the men we had smallpox aboard, and he was so grateful, and said I was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one hes got now; and then I happened to look around, and see that paper. It was a close place. I took it up, and held it in my hand. I was a trembling, because Id got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ‘All right, then, Ill go to hell’- and tore it up† (Twain 193). Huck saw with his heart and was then able to make the most ethical assessment. He also understood the truth behind Christianity and morality itself; not simply the shallow and conventional representation that he was taught. Therefore, Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s statement, â€Å"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly† is true and is exemplified through Huckleberry Finn and his growth and maturity as he unveils what is truly moral. He ignored the influences of society that cause people to overlook emotion and discovered what was right.