Chapter 4 exercises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chapter 4 exercises - Essay Example Internet connected the world and thus made the communication process more effective. In the early days a base phone and a dial up modem was used to connect the internet, but after that cable connection was invented and it increased the speed of internet. Soon after that, wireless connections were also introduced and it offered a speed of 20 Mbps. Another advantage of wireless connection is the wider area of coverage, which is not possible in cable connections. With the passage of time, the hardware section also got tremendously modified. There were enhanced and modern versions of computers were invented. The new forms came forward in the form of laptops, notebooks, tablets, Smartphone etc. Similarly other peripherals also got invented, such as printers, webcams etc. However, all the aforementioned computing devices have different uses and different functions. The software market is also the same, there have been large developments. Software such as SPSS and Office suite has changed the business world. Also there were introduction of open source software, which offered free software to the customers. Advancement of technology has also allowed the manufacturers to come up with large number of variants for a product. A user therefore gets the opportunity to choose from various technical specifications. One of the most important digital inventions came in the form of digital cameras. In simple words it revolutionized the world of photography. It not only got technologically advanced but succeeded in making ‘unlimited photography’. With the help of memory cards, users can now click as much pictures as they want. Now whether it is a digital camera or a computing device, users chooses to buy it depending upon the purpose of the user. Once the purpose gets decided the next step is to compare the technical specifications and price of the items. Most of the users consider the present trends of market in deciding the

Product Offering Essay Example for Free

Product Offering Essay BMW, the Ultimate Driving Machine, is developed from an independent company. This company was able to focus on turning great ideas into great cars. The company exhibits one of the most recognizable logos in the world, the blue and white BMW insignia which is known as the Roundel. This emblem depicts motion as it portrays the movement of an airplane propeller against a clear blue Bavarian sky. One of the most visible BMW design elements is the twin-kidney grill, introduced in 1933, the distinctive shape of the kidneys first emerged from an effort to reduce aerodynamic drag. BMW is manufactured in the Leipzig Plant in Germany, which has been called one of the ten most important buildings of the 21st century. The building was designed by the renowned architect Zaha Hadid. The BMW company has remained relatively small and very independent for over 90 years. Market needs The BMW Company indicated that it is not enough to build great cars, but also to strive to create lasting relationships. The BMW ownership experience is said to be a partnership with the drivers, this experience continues to drive the market for these vehicles. The experience also shows the excellence in performance and how committed the company is to the vehicles that bear their name. The BMW Performance Driving School was built to create better drivers and to attract customers. They build these facilities because of their need to remain competitive in the market, with the idea of fine tuning their vehicles. The need for BMW motor vehicles continue to grow because of their performance as compared to vehicles in the same class. Customers are seeking quality craftsmanship, well thought out design, and excellent customer service so as to build a loyal customer base. Market  growth With the present economy, where unemployment rate is at an alarming 9.5%, and the prices of motor vehicles going down due to competition by so many vehicle manufacturers, the BMW market has had slight growth throughout the world. Consumers are discovering the fun of driving a BMW. SWOT analysis BMW Motor Company is independent; therefore, they can do things differently in terms of developing their vehicles. They do not have to cut corners or costs to satisfy a parent company. This is one of the reasons for their strength in the market. BMW has an important racing heritage. All BMW vehicles feature near perfect front/rear weight distribution. This balance in the product is for high performance handling. BMW continues to gain more opportunities both locally and abroad, because of their attention to details and their innovative efforts. BMW weaknesses lies with cost of the vehicles, most of their vehicles are above the $30,000 mark, which is not affordable by the average consumer. BMW is a motor vehicle company, and like other motor vehicle manufacturing company, is under threat. Other companies have manufactured and produce great automobiles which are competitive and comparable to the BMW. Companies such as Ford Motor Company, Toyota Motor Corporation, Daimler Chrysler AG, Volkswagen AG, Nissan Motor Corporation, Ltd., and Honda Motor Corporation have also produced top of the line motor vehicles with competitive prices and therefore, pose a threat to the BMW. The slump in the economy is also a threat to BMW, since less people will be able to afford the vehicles. Competition Since BMW is an independent motor company, it has relatively few major competitors, however, as an automobile company it still has a stiff competition. With today’s economy, consumers are not able to afford higher priced vehicles made by BMW, and are buying more affordable domestic and international cars. Companies like Toyota, Hyundai, or Ford may have more customers, but BMW is not for the average customer. In fact, most of these companies advertise and run promotions so much, that it can devalue the product offering in buyers’ minds, which is why BMW carefully promotes its products. The type of consumer that typically buys a BMW will not buy  lower-end cars, but will consider other cars made in Germany, like Porsche, Audi and Mercedes, which are the closest competitors for BMW. Mercedes focuses more on luxury, whereas Porsche is more of a sports-car line. This is why BMW has created the Ultimate Driving Machine, since it can offer what all of these other German aut omobile companies offer, at a reasonable price when compared to them respectively. Product Offering/ Product Definition BMW is an international automotive company that designs middle and high-end cars for consumers. The main product lines offered by BMW are the 3 series, 5 series, 7 series, and M series. The 3 series car is a smaller, faster car, whereas the 5 and 7 series are the higher end luxury sports car. The M series is the ultimate sports car with handling like that of a Porsche. The reason BMW makes these higher priced, higher end sports cars, is because this is what the consumer wants. When offering products, companies like BMW â€Å"make sure that the quality of the product offerings is in fact the quality that consumers really want†(Kotler, 2006). BMW’s product offerings give the company its product definition, which allows the company to stand apart from other companies. If a consumer wants a regular car that gets them from point a, to point b, they buy a Honda Civic. However, if a consumer wants a car that gets them to and from the same place, but with an extra kick of sport and luxury, they buy a BMW. Product Identification Product recognition, preference, and insistence are the goal of product identification. This can be achieved through the creation of logos, symbols, slogans, colors, and brand names. The BMW brand carries a rich history of quality engines, brakes, aircrafts, and automobiles. Land, air and seagoing vehicles, automobiles, bicycles, accessories for automobiles and bicycles, vehicle components, stationary engines for solid, liquid and gaseous fuels and their components and accessories(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_BMW). The brand is symbolic due to its early 1900’s association with World War I /II development of aircraft engines and flight schools. During the 1920’s BMW began manufacturing motorcycles and re-designed the original logo. The new logo incorporated portions of the original logo to maintain recognition with existing consumers as well as build value around the automobile side of the  business. †The inner area of the Rapp logo was decorated with the head of a black horse – Rappe in German. By analogy with this, the blue and white panels of the Bavarian national flag were placed at the center of the BMW logo. Not until the late 1920s was the logo lent a new interpretation as representing a rotating propeller. The BMW Trademark, called a roundel, was submitted for registration on the rolls of the Imperial Patent Office, and registered there with no. 221388 on December 10, 1917†( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_BMW). BMW has achieved its strong product recognition through effective international marketing of quality, value, prestige, and class. The company has done an excellent job maintaining brand value, while working to target several variations of segmented consumers. BMW has established preference and insistence through effective marketing of high quality, service guarantee, and luxury. Product Justification The BMW product earns justification through its ability to meet market needs and wants. BMW meets consumer demand from a want perspective. Consumer’s long for the experience to own, lease, or drive a luxury BMW machine. The BMW product serves a need from a service guarantee perspective. â€Å"We design extraordinary cars. It only seems right to offer a service plan to match. No other premium automaker provides such comprehensive benefits for absolutely no cost. So while other car owners will incur from several hundred to over one thousand dollars of maintenance or repair costs during the first 4 years they own their vehicles, you pay nothing for the first 4 years or 50,000 miles†(bmwusa.com). Conclusion BMW is the ultimate driving machine, and as the company offers additional products, consumers are willing to pay a little bit extra for the quality that BMW can provide. The competition is fierce, and the economy is always fluctuating, but BMW has always created the greatest products, backed up by German precision engineering. References (2009). BMW Ultimate Service. BMWUSA.COM. Retrieved on July 12, 2009 from http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Owner/BMWUltimateService/Default.aspx (2008). History of BMW. Wikipedia.Org. Retrieved on July 12, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_BMW Kotler Keller. (2007). A Framework for Marketing Management (3rd Ed.). New Jersey: Pearson – Prentice Hall.

The Combray Section of Marcel Prousts Swanns Way Essay -- Swanns Wa

The Combray Section of Marcel Proust's Swann's Way      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The "Combray" section of Marcel Proust's Swann's Way is an extended meditation on an idyllic past. The book begins, though, not with recollections of Combray, but with a description of the narrator's half-asleep state, a state of consciousness where he does not know where, or even who, he is. The expanded memories of his past, then, seem an attempt to establish a stable sense of self, a sense that continually eludes him. In this exploration, which constitutes the entirety of the "Combray" section, we find the narrator, a young man with literary aspirations, struggling to understand the characters of his childhood in a way that captures their contradictions, only to find that each person seems more like a spectrum of singular, varying selves than a single delimited identity.    When we encounter the narrator addressing the problems faced by the artist, he notes that "the ingenuity of the first novelist" lay in the realization that a simplification of characters that corresponds to the "suppression" of "'real' people" inevitably makes novels stronger, more effective in conjuring a sympathetic response from a sensitive reader. "A 'real' person," he begins, profoundly as we may sympathize with him, is in a great measure perceptible only through our senses, that is to say, he remains opaque, offers a dead weight which our sensibilities have not the strength to lift. If some misfortune comes to him, it is only in one small section of the complete idea we have of him that we are capable of feeling any emotion; indeed it is only in one small section of the complete idea he has of himself that he is capable of feeling any emotion either. (83) ... ... key to inner life. As everyone is guarded, influenced by the conditions that surround them, the social conditions, it seems that only when alone may they be truthful.    But instead of confirming this, instead of giving us insight into the "core" essence of his characters, the "truth" that all their masks conceal, Proust confounds us by making the confessions imparted in solitude as constructed as any others. In fact, perhaps the only distinguishing factor, is that in solitude, his characters are free to feel and admit guilt, something they would be reluctant to admit in public. But even in private, their lives are organized as a sort of public confession, as they struggle to maintain the illusion of a stable self.    Work Cited Proust, Marcel. Swann's Way. Trans. C. K. Scott Moncrieff and Terence Kilmartin. NY: Random House, 1981.   

India Superpower Essay

It has been more than 60 years since India got its independence and a lot has changed. Radios have been replaced by LCDs, tongas have been replaced by autos and busses and matkas have been replaced by refrigerators. Indian Companies have made it to the word stage. Companies like TATA own few of the most premium brands of the world such as Jaguar on one hand while the world’s cheapest car ‘Nano’ on the other. Indians hold very high posts all over the world be it Obama’s cabinet, United Nations or the World Bank. India has highest youth population. Our India also has one of the largest army in the world which is capable of facing any other superpower in the world. There is a growth in the infrastructure too. Metro has made short distance travelling comfortable and easier. But is it really a superpower? We have second largest population in the world, but there are very few companies having interaction presence. There is deep-rooted corruption. Most of the politicians are involved in scams like Common Wealth Games scam, 2G scam, Coal scam and even fodder scam. The people of India have got used to corruption. We also have highest youth population, but what is the use when there is no proper social infrastructure to provide them with the skills? There is no proper system to retain the cream brains in our country. The top brains are handpicked by western countries. Who is at a loss? Its India. We also have a huge army but due to lack of focus on research and development we are dependent on Israel, Russia and France for our weaponries. There is no proper policy framework to stop the growth of population. It is no brainer whether India is a superpower or not . If there is corruption in India, India cannot have a good future. Only a strong policy framework and long sited vision can make it possible and India will again be called the golden bird.

Exam 1 human resource management

1. | | | According to the right of privacy, employers can conceal the nature of the job before hiring an employee. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| False | False| | | | 2. | | | The concept of â€Å"human resource management† implies that employees are interchangeable, easily replaced assets that must be managed like any other physical asset. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| False | False| | | | 3. | | | Currently, no federal laws outline how to use employee databases in order to protect employees' privacy while also meeting employers' and society's concerns for security. | |Student Response| Correct Answer| True | True| | | | 4. | | | The role of HR generalist is limited to recruitment and selection. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| False | False| | | | 5. | | | Which of the following is NOT a necessary quality of human resources? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Human resources are valuable. |    | B. | Human resources are not imitable. |    | C. | Human resources are easily retainable. |    | D. | Human resources have no good substitute. |    | | | | 6. | | | Why has the job trend shifted to broadly defined jobs? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer|A. | Emphasis on innovation and quality|    | B. | Demand for low skilled workers|    | C. | Increased focus on simplifying jobs|    | D. | Lack of competition|    | | | | 7. | | | Job design is: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | the process of defining the way work will be performed and the tasks that a given job requires. |    | B. | the process of getting detailed information about jobs. |    | C. | the process by which the organization attempts to identify suitable employees. |    | D. | the planned effort to enable employees to learn job-related knowledge, skills, and behavior. |    | | | 8. | | | Organizational development and change are areas where HR professionals generally play only a supporting role. | | Student Response| Correct Ans wer| False | False| | | | 9. | | | As a type of resource, human capital refers to: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | the wages, benefits, and other costs incurred in support of HR functions within an organization. |    | B. | executive talent within an organization. |    | C. | the tax-deferred value of an employee's 401(k) plan. |    | D. | employee characteristics that add economic value to the organization. |    | | | | 10. | | According to the Gallup survey, which aspect of their jobs are most workers largely satisfied with? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Health insurance benefits|    | B. | Retirement plans|    | C. | Relations with coworkers|    | D. | Amount of money earned|    | | | | 11. | | | The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that about one-tenth of employed individuals work in alternative employment arrangements. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| True | True| | | | 12. | | | The U. S. workforce is predicted to become mor e diverse in terms of ethnicity and racial background. | |Student Response| Correct Answer| True | True| | | | 13. | | | An HRIS can be used to perform primarily all of the following EXCEPT: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | support strategic decision-making. |    | B. | avoid litigation. |    | C. | evaluate programs and policies. |    | D. | motivate employees. |    | | | | 14. | | | When an organization undertakes a complete review of its critical work processes to make them more efficient and to be able to deliver higher quality, it is engaging in: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | outsourcing. |    | B. | high-performance work system design. |    |C. | total quality management. |    | D. | reengineering. |    | | | | 15. | | | What effect has the use of employee empowerment had upon recruiting? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | It has created an international labor market. |    | B. | It has substantially enhanced employment op portunities for women and minorities. |    | C. | It has shifted the focus away from technical skills to general cognitive and interpersonal skills. |    | D. | It has significantly reduced recruiting costs. |    | | | | 16. | | | How does e-HRM affect analysis and design of work? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. Online simulations, including tests and e-mail, can measure job candidates' ability to deal with real-life business challenges. |    | B. | Employees can review salary and bonus information and seek information about and enroll in benefit plans. |    | C. | Employees in geographically dispersed locations can work together in virtual teams using video, e-mail, and the Internet. |    | D. | Online learning can bring training to employees anywhere, anytime. |    | | | | 17. | | | Privacy, as an important issue in e-HRM, might best be addressed by which one of the following technologies? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer|A. | A website|    | B. | An intranet|    | C. | A high-performance work system|    | D. | A shared service center|    | | | | 18. | | | When two companies join forces and become one entity, it is termed a: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | partnership. |    | B. | consolidation. |    | C. | merger. |    | D. | joint venture. |    | | | | 19. | | | Independent contractors are: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | persons who work for an organization only when they are needed. |    | B. | self-employed individuals with multiple clients. |    | C. | employed by a temporary agency. |    | D. employed directly by a company for a specific time. |    | | | | 20. | | | Which one of the following technologies lets a company rent space on a remote computer system and use the system's software to manage its HR activities, including security and upgrades? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Application service providers|    | B. | Internet portals|    | C. | Shared service centers|    | D. | Business intelligence|    | | | | 21. | | | Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies to all organizations that employ 20 or more persons working 20 or more weeks a year and that are involved in interstate commerce. | Student Response| Correct Answer| False | False| | | | 22. | | | The Civil Rights Act of 1991: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | limits damage claims to lost benefits and attorney's fees and costs. |    | B. | requires violators to pay punitive damages that cover emotional pain and suffering. |    | C. | requires violators to pay compensatory damages, an amount beyond actual loss. |    | D. | limits the maximum punitive damages allowed, depending on the size of the organization. |    | | | | 23. | | | The EEOC is NOT the enforcement agency for the: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. |    | B. | Rehabilitation Act of 1973. |    | C. | Equal Pay Act of 1963 . |    | D. | Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. |    | | | | 24. | | | Which legislative/regulatory actions are under the direct control of the President? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Constitutional amendments|    | B. | Judicial decisions|    | C. | Legislation|    | D. | Executive orders|    | | | | 25. | | | Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals based on all of the following EXCEPT: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer|A. | age. |    | B. | race. |    | C. | religion. |    | D. | national origin. |    | | | | 26. | | | Under disparate impact, the plaintiff must prove that the employer intended to discriminate. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| True | False| | | | 27. | | | Which of the following cases would most likely be subject to a lawsuit filed under the disparate treatment theory of discrimination? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | A group of females ar e laid off due to a downturn in business. |    | B. | Black applicants are being disproportionately rejected on the basis of a psychological test. |    | C. A black applicant is turned down for a job based on a handwriting analysis. |    | D. | A woman with school-aged children is rejected on the assumption that she will frequently be absent from work. |    | | | | 28. | | | An individual wishing to file a complaint with the EEOC or a similar state agency must file the complaint within _____ days of the incident. | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | 30|    | B. | 60|    | C. | 90|    | D. | 180|    | | | | 29. | | | The three basic components of an affirmative action plan include all of the following EXCEPT: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. utilization analysis. |    | B. | measurement tools. |    | C. | goals and timetables. |    | D. | action steps. |    | | | | 30. | | | When an individual is promised a positive outcome for submission to sex, or threatened with a negative outcome for failure to submit to sex, this is referred to as: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | disparate treatment. |    | B. | disparate impact. |    | C. | reverse discrimination. |    | D. | quid pro quo harassment. |    | | | | 31. | | | In terms of the Job Characteristics Model, the degree to which a job requires completing a â€Å"whole† piece of work from beginning to end is: | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | autonomy. |    | B. | skill variety. |    | C. | task significance. |    | D. | task identity. |    | | | | 32. | | | For which of the following occupations is it easiest to implement telework? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Production technician|    | B. | Quality management|    | C. | Machine operator|    | D. | Graphic designer|    | | | | 33. | | | In contrast to tasks, duties, and responsibilities, KSAOs are characteristics about people and are not directly observabl e. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| True | True| | | | 34. | | What is the SBAR method? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Standardizing information at handoff points by describing the situation, giving the context, evaluation of the condition, and recommending action. |    | B. | Reducing the complexity of the work, making it so simple that almost anyone can be trained quickly and easily to perform the job. |    | C. | The study of the interface between individuals' physiology and the characteristics of the physical work environment. |    | D. | Enlarging jobs by combining several relatively simple jobs to form a job with a wider range of tasks.    | | | | 35. | | | In which of the following scenarios will workers be less motivated to perform the job? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | When the job requires a variety of skills to be performed. |    | B. | When the job requires completing the whole piece of work from beginning to end. |    | C. | When the job has minor impact on the lives of other people. |    | D. | When the job allows individuals to make decisions about the job. |    | | | | 36. | | | Which of the following would qualify as a compressed workweek? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. Employees are required to be at work from 10:00 a. m. to 3:00 p. m. and can choose additional hours before/after this period. |    | B. | Two part-time employees work in different shifts and share the tasks of a specific job. |    | C. | Employees are permitted to work 10 hours a day, Monday through Thursday. |    | D. | Employees can choose to work away from a centrally located work area. |    | | | | 37. | | | When job analysis information is used to judge the relative worth of different jobs within an organization, the HR activity is termed: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. performance evaluation. |    | B. | training and development. |    | C. | job evaluation. |    | D. | work redesign. |    | | | | 38. | | | Which of the following arrangements would qualify as job rotation? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | A receptionist is required to perform the jobs of file clerk and typist. |    | B. | Team members assemble components and also pack products into cases. |    | C. | Team members make decisions regarding how to resolve problems with customers. |    | D. | A manager participating in a meeting while on vacation with his family. |    | | | | 39. | | Which one of the following would be most appropriate when gathering information about clerical and technical job duties? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | A job analyst visits the workplace and watches/videotapes an employee performing the job. |    | B. | A manager/supervisor imagines what a well-done job would look like. |    | C. | A job analyst questions the peers about a particular job. |    | D. | A job analyst visits the workplace and asks employees to show what the job entail s. |    | | | | 40. | | | The Fleishman Job Analysis System provides an accurate picture of the ability requirements of a job. | Student Response| Correct Answer| True | True| | | | 41. | | | Which of the following is NOT true of outsourcing? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Outsourcing is a logical choice when firms lack experience in an area. |    | B. | Outsourcing often involves ventures with foreign companies. |    | C. | Outsourcing is currently restricted to manufacturing and low-skilled jobs. |    | D. | Outsourcing is driven by economies of scale. |    | | | | 42. | | | Several forces are drawing out older workers' careers. Which of the following is NOT one of them? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. The improved health of older people, combined with the decreased physical labor required by many jobs, makes working longer a viable option. |    | B. | The acute shortage of qualified younger workers has resulted in employers offering increased incentives to older workers to remain on the job. |    | C. | Age discrimination laws and the outlawing of mandatory retirement ages have limited organizations' ability to induce older workers to retire. |    | D. | Many workers fear Social Security will be cut, and they do not have adequate employer-sponsored pensions to cover anticipated costs. |    | | | | 43. | | How do organizations determine labor supply? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Analyzing where the need for people with the necessary skills and experience will increase or decrease. |    | B. | Analyzing job categories held in one period and the proportion of employees in each of those job categories in a future period. |    | C. | Indicating a specific figure about what should happen with the job category or skill area and a specific timetable for when the results should be achieved. |    | D. | Planning elimination of large numbers of personnel with the goal of enhancing the organization's comp etitiveness.    | | | | 44. | | | According to research on recruitment, it is clear that recruiting sources are more important than characteristics of the vacancy for predicting job choice. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| True | False| | | | 45. | | | Job applicants find companies with employment-at-will practices more attractive than companies with due-process policies. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| True | False| | | | 46. | | | The largest share of new employees hired come from which external source? | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | Career fairs|    | B. | Referrals|    |C. | College recruiting|    | D. | Advertisements|    | | | | 47. | | | In a survey of large well-known businesses, about one-third of open job positions were filled by: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | insiders. |    | B. | referrals. |    | C. | on campus recruitment. |    | D. | direct applicants. |    | | | | 48. | | | Overtime is most suited for short-te rm labor shortages. | | Student Response| Correct Answer| False | True| | | | 49. | | | Research demonstrates that realistic job previews significantly reduce employee turnover. | | Student Response| Correct Answer|True | False| | | | 50. | | | An organization's core competency is: | | | Student Response| Correct Answer| A. | a clear analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization's existing internal labor force. |    | B. | decisions about how an organization will carry out human resource management, including how it will fill job vacancies. |    | C. | a set of knowledge and skills that make the organization superior to competitors and create value for customers. |    | D. | a forecast of the proportion of employees who are members of various protected groups. |    | | | |

Dionysos

Dionysos was the most widely worshipped and popular god in ancient Greece. In Greek mythology Dionysos had two sides. On one side he was the god of nature, vegetation, abundance, and growth. On the other he was the god of wine and ecstatic drunkenness. Dionysos was also known as a lawgiver and a god of emotionally intense tragic art. Dionysos wore a grape or ivy wreathe, and in most cases he is seen holding the Kantheros, a two-handled wine cup, and the Thyrsus, his wand.1 The Thyrsus has a pine- cone on top of it, which represents Dionysoss naturalistic and wild side. A leopard also accompanies him in most Greek mythology, and also represents the wild and dangerous side of Dionysos. Dionysos is wild and scraggly at first, with long hair and a beard; later he became young and clean-shaven .In later Roman myth and art Dionysos is again bearded, but now is an older figure, calm and collected. Also he has no kantheros, no thrysus, and no leopard by his side. Although Roman art presents Dionysos this calm way, Roman Mythology does not describe him as th! The reason this discrepancy between Roman and Greek myths is accepted is because the worship of Roman Gods was much different than that of ancient Greece. Since the object of Roman worship was to secure the cooperation of the deities, an elaborate system of rites and customs grew up. This Roman worship was based on a diversity of original cults. Rome was also outstanding for tolerating different religions and beliefs- so long as they did not threaten state control.1 This allowed for much change to take place through out all of Rome, especially in worship of controversial religious ideas. Roman art was closely modeled on Hellenistic Greek art. Many great works of Greek sculpture representing the Gods have survived only as Roman copies. Early Roman representations of the gods tended to stress the fact that they were super- humans with the best of human phys

The Prevalence of School Violence

The Prevalence of School Violence As teachers, parents, and students prepare for school each day, we hope that fears of school violence is not their major concern. Sadly, violence of one sort or another is part of many schools today. In a study of the class of 2000, CBS News found that, while 96 percent of students felt safe in school, 53 percent said that a shooting was possible in their school. 22 percent of students knew classmates who regularly carried weapons to campus. Are student perceptions accurate? How common is school violence? Are children safe at school? How can parents and teachers ensure safety for everyone? Rates of School Violence According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there was an average of 47 violent deaths at schools from the 1992/1993 school year through 2015/2016. Thats over a thousand deaths in under 25 years. The following information comes from the NCES commissioned a survey of Principals in 1,234 regular public elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia for the 1996/1997 school year. The good news is that 43 percent of public schools reported no crime, and 90 percent reported no serious violent crimes. Still they found violence and crime to be far too common in the school setting. 57 percent of public elementary and secondary school principals stated that one or more incidents of crime or violence were reported to the police.10 percent of all public schools had one or more serious violent crimes (murder, rape, sexual battery, suicide, physical attack or fight with a weapon, or robbery).The most reported crime was physical attacks or fights without a weapon.Most of the serious violent crimes occurred in middle and high schools.A greater percentage of violent crimes occurred in city schools and in large schools with over 1000 students. When asked about their personal experiences, a quarter of students surveyed in 1999s Metropolitan Life Survey of the American Teacher reported having been a victim of a violent crime in or around the school. Scarier still, one in eight students had at some time carried a weapon to school. These statistics indicated increases from the previous 1993 survey. Even so, teachers, students, and law enforcement officials all revealed that their overall perceptions were that violence was decreasing. How do we address this complacency and make our schools safer in fact as well as in feeling? Combating School Violence School violence is everyones problem to solve. The community, administrators, teachers, parents, and students must come together and make schools safe. What forms of prevention and punishment are schools relying on? Some schools have a low security system in place, meaning that they have no guards or metal detectors, but they do control access to school buildings. Others rely on moderate security, which means either employing a full-time guard with no metal detectors or controlled access to the buildings, or a part-time guard with controlled access to the buildings. Still others have stringent security which means they have a full-time guard, use metal detectors, and control who has access to the campus. Almost no schools have no security measures at all. One correlation is that the schools with the highest security are the ones that have the highest instances of crime. But what about the other schools? Neither Columbine, Sandy Hook, or Stoneman-Douglas were considered high risk schools. Schools across the country have instituted violence prevention programs and zero tolerance policies. One step schools take to increase security levels is issuing name badges which must be worn at all times. This may not stop students from causing violence, but it allows teachers and administrators have to more easily identify the students who cause disruptions. Furthermore, badges could prevent outsiders from invading a campus. What Can Parents Do? They can pay attention to subtle and overt changes in their children. Many times there are warning signs well in advance of violence. They can watch for these and report them to guidance counselors. Some examples include: Sudden lack of interestObsessions with violent or hateful games or videosDepression and mood swingsWriting that shows despair and isolationLack of anger management skillsTalking about death or bringing weapons to schoolViolence towards animals What Can Teachers Do? Worries about school violence should not hamper the job educators must perform. Remain aware of the possibility that violence could erupt anywhere. Strive to work together to create a safe academic environment. Teachers are in a tough situation, because if they step in physically to address violence or fights, they may themselves be targeted by defensive or abusive students or parents. Still, teachers are often in the best position to prevent classroom violence. Similar to parents, watch for the above warnings signsTalk to parents about concerns they might haveRemember to keep the lines of communication open with students and parentsBring concerns to guidance counselors and administrationBe consistent in enforcing classroom and school policiesCreate a prejudice-free classroom policy from the first day, and enforce itTeach anger management skills as the need arisesModel healthy behavior and responsesCreate a plan to handle emergency situations with your students What Can Students Do? Look out for and take care of each otherRespect others and their feelingsRefuse to succumb to negative peer pressure, especially when violence is involvedReport any knowledge of weapons on campusTell your teachers about suspicious behaviors of other studentsWalk away from confrontations Resources and Further Reading Binns, Katherine, and Dana Markow. â€Å"The Metropolitan Life Survey of the American Teacher, 1999: Violence in Americas Public Schools- Five Years Later.† Institute of Education Sciences, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 30 Apr. 1999.Center for the Study and Prevention of ViolenceNational Center for Education StatisticsNational Crime Prevention CouncilNational School Safety CenterOffice of Safe and Healthy StudentsSafe Supportive Learning

How to Use Footnotes and Endnotes

How to Use Footnotes and Endnotes How to Use Footnotes and Endnotes Footnotes and endnotes both let you add extra information in an essay or college paper. But what should you include in these notes? And when should you use them? In this post, we run through everything you need to know about using footnotes and endnotes in academic writing. What Are Footnotes and Endnotes? Footnotes appear at the bottom or â€Å"foot† of the page. You can therefore put extra information in a footnote, such as source details for a citation, without interrupting the flow of the main text. To indicate a footnote, you can add a superscript number to the text, such as at the end of this sentence.1 These numbers then correspond to numbered notes at the bottom of the page. A footnote or three. Endnotes are like footnotes, but they appear together at the end of the document rather than at the bottom of each page. Endnotes are thus less immediately accessible for the reader than footnotes, but they can help ensure that pages with multiple notes don’t become cluttered. If you are not sure which to use, check your style guide for advice. Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word To insert a footnote or endnote in a Microsoft Word document, you need to: Go to References Footnotes on the main ribbon Select either Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote as required Type your note in the newly created footnote/endnote Footnote tools in MS Word. You can also customize the style of footnotes and endnotes by clicking on the arrow in the bottom right of the Footnotes section of the References tab (or by going to Insert Footnotes in Word for Mac). This will open a new window where you can select your preferred formatting options. When to Use Footnotes and Endnotes The main uses of footnotes and endnotes are as follows: To add a footnote citation in referencing systems such as MHRA and Chicago, with full source information also given in a bibliography at the end of the document. Endnotes are also used for citations in some systems, such as in IEEE or Vancouver referencing, where numbers in the text point to an entry in a reference list at the end of the document. To add non-essential commentary on something in the main text of your document. For example, if your research has raised an interesting question that is not directly relevant to your current work, you could mention it in a footnote or endnote. This lets you acknowledge the question – showing the reader that you haven’t simply ignored or failed to notice it – but without interrupting the flow of prose in the main document. Keep in mind, too, that some referencing systems use in-text parenthetical citations. As such, you should only reference a source in a footnote or endnote if your school has asked you to do it this way. Do Notes Count Towards the Word Limit? We’re often asked whether to include footnotes and endnotes in the word count for papers. Different schools have different rules about this, so you will have to check your style guide. However, you should never use these supplementary notes to cheat the word count. The key here is that essential information should never go in a footnote or endnote. If you do move vital evidence or analysis to a note, the person marking your work may ignore it. And reducing the word count is never more important than putting forward a full, coherent argument. If you do need to reduce the word count in an essay, you have other options, such as rewriting wordy sentences or cutting repetition. Having your work proofread is a great way to ensure that your writing is always clear and concise, too, so let us know if you’d like any help.

Assignment 9(775) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assignment 9(775) - Essay Example This has come out clearly, and the author has been able to show some of the possible weaknesses that mine emerge as a result of an academic writer using passive voice. In the book, there has been a well illustration on the use of APA format, the guidelines and how it can help an academic drive his point to the reader at ease. The guidelines have been clearly stated and expressed in a manner that any academician who may be a pioneer or new to this type of formatting can easily follow and understand. The author has come out clearly in his explanation concerning these particular formatting styles by giving empirical findings on its usage as well as providing the websites for this format. There are a number of weaknesses that have emerged in the book the author needs to improve on in future when doing other writings of the same. He has overemphasized on the usage and relevant of APA writing format without necessarily appreciating other writing styles such as MLA, HAVARD and CHICAGO writing formats. It could look greater if the author appreciated the existence of other writing forms, despite focusing his work on APA format. Doing this would have shown the reader that the author has an extensive of the idea in other writing forms and have realized that this is most relevant for academicians. The author has emphasized on the relevance of APA writing format among other issues that academicians need to keep in mind when making an academic report. In the book, we have not been given the methods used in data collection in identifying how these concepts have worked for those writers who have followed all these. Therefore, the readers may doubt using these methods since there is no empirical evidence for those who have applied the same in the past. In future, the author needs to mention about those who have ever used these particular ideas he is emphasizing

Marketing and advertising essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing and advertising - Essay Example several options available to them – the internet, the newspaper, buzz marketing or viral marketing, events, public relations or even through direct mail. Today even the human body is used as a bill board (Newman, 2009). Media planning would again differ for established brands and for new product launches. The entire strategy can be different depending on that target market and the product positioning. Reliance on traditional media is decreasing because marketers want a direct relationship with the consumers. This is the reason that Proctor & Gamble (P&G) has been experimenting with viral marketing. P&G is an established brand and can afford to take such risks. When they found selling coffee to the youth was difficult through the traditional media, they place video clips on Web sites like adcritic.com, boardsmag.com, buzzpatrol.com, and YouTube.com (Vollmer and Precourt, 2008: 52). After the ads are placed agents are employed to spread the buzz about the product through their own social network (SD, 208). The process is not costly but requires creativity and innovation. While this media is very quick at spreading the good word, adverse publicity is spread equally fast. A new product would first try to penetrate the market but established brands like P&G seek long-term relationship with the customers. For a new product launch, if the negative publicity marks the beginning, they sta nd to lose the market share. An established product has mush less at risk in using this media. An established brand is as concerned about which media the competitors use as the new product launchers would be. For instance, Levi decides on its media and the budget with rival expenditure in mind. In advanced countries TV is the dominant advertising media and is heavily used by Lee Cooper and Wrangler and hence Levi’s too has to follow suit (Vrontis & Vronti, 2004). However, Zara, the Spanish clothing company, since inception, has not spent on advertising and the media. No billboards

Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Change Management - Essay Example Secondly, the tem will start to design and develop applications for a new smart phone, a challenge that will require new skills and experience that some of the team members do not possess in the first place. These reorganizations will affect the team in a number of ways but most importantly, the team will be limited by the lack of skills and experience of some of its members since the designing and development of applications for the smart phone will require new skills and experience. Additionally, since the administration has requested for a reduced timeline, the team will have to put in substantial extra hours to meet the timelines in the design and development of apps for the smart phone. Change Management Strategies Communication of change will be a crucial aspect of the change process, particularly because it facilitates change receptivity (Frahm and Brown, 2007); the first way to communicate the reorganization plans with the team is through staff forums, where team members rais e and address all the real issues and concerns related with their work. The second way of communicating change is through site visitation, to interact with the team to find out the particular projects they are working on, and to invite them to suggest innovative ways of doing things differently. Buy-in from the team will facilitate the change process since it will align the team to the reorganization changes; the first way of gaining buy-in from the team is through clarity and consistency of the change message i.e. by offering a solid rationale for the change and passing the key message of change to all team members consistently. The second way of gaining buy-in from the team will be through invitation of dialogue, drawing the team members together in a forum for open discussions to urge their engagement and participation in the reorganization changes; participative management reduces resistance to change because it encourages members to feel valued and their opinions count (Pardo-d el-Val, Martinez-Fuentes and Roig-Dobon, 2012). The first way of dealing with resistance from the team will be though fostering openness and two-way communication by asking for suggestions on how change can occur since when team members feel in control of the process, they are more likely to accept change. The second way of dealing with resistance will be through transparency, by providing all the details of the reorganization changes without holding back information from the team. The first way of leading and motivating the team through the change will be by coaching and empowering the members to be part of the change by engaging them in decision-making processes, and to encouraging them to come up with innovative solutions to challenges by giving them responsibility. The second way of leading and motivating the team through the change is through provision of feedback that creates positive reinforcement to team members, and suggesting areas that need enhancement; coaching and feedb ack are powerful tools for maximizing performance efficiency while minimizing weaknesses (Gilley, Gilley and Heather, 2009). Two specific ways that will be used to inform the supervisor of plans and progress will be face-to-face communications and regular progress reports, which will provide details of progress including quick wins already gained in the course of change implementation. Face to face are the most effective and preferred mode of communication, especially because they allow

Social origins of evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social origins of evil - Essay Example Without showing what environments will inevitably lead to evil acts, however, the experiments retained very little external validity, outside of showing that given the right set of powers and responsibilities, â€Å"normal† human beings will commit evil acts. In trying to determine the nature and origins of evil acts, sociologists try to explain and determine the social prerequisites for evil acts, rather than trying to utilize the individual characteristics (with its environmental interaction) in its explanation. Based on research in sociology, the most explanatorily useful theory of the origin of evil acts is tied to the theory of bureaucracy, along with concepts like â€Å"authorization† and â€Å"McDonaldization†. Together, these observations into contemporary Western life may help explain the social origins of evil for the past half-century. Ritzer (2007) introduces Max Weber’s theory of rationality as a primer to his talk on bureaucracy and the conce pt of McDonaldization. To Weber, rationality meant â€Å"that the search by people for the optimum means to a given end is shaped by rules, regulations, and larger social structures† (p. 23). The rise of institutions, and institutional power, represented the crux of formal rationality and, as it continues today, bureaucracy is designed to have many advantages over other mechanisms of power. For Weber at least, bureaucracy is the most efficient structure for handling a vast number of tasks. Additionally, bureaucracy relies on the quantification of facts as much as possible to inject objectivity into issues of process and, for that reason, bureaucracies and bureaucratic policies are highly predictable due to the rigidity of the procedures they put into place. Because of all these facts, bureaucracies by definition remove as much power as possible for individuals and place that power within the hands of the organization, such that individuals are not left to make subjective deci sions. In this way, individuals are removed from the actual moral consequences of their decision-making. This fact is significant when looking at the role of bureaucracies in the origins of evil. Ritzer goes on to define a number of dimensions of McDonaldization. â€Å"McDonaldization† is Ritzer’s neologism for the formalization of structures and procedures in modern life. More specifically, a number of advantages to society define McDonaldization: efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control, which coincide with the advantages that Weber defined as belonging to bureaucracy. Efficiency, for Ritzer, is the optimum method for achieving a goal. McDonald’s cuts the number of steps in a process of food production down to an optimum point, such that its customers enjoy the convenience of its products and the price at which they are provided. McDonald’s offers calculability, or the emphasis on the quantitative aspects of products and services provided to customers (Ritzer, 2007, p. 12). Because sizes are universal between McDonald’s locations, customers who have a favorite meal at one location can travel to any other location, order the same meal, and be guaranteed that the meal will be roughly the same size. McDonald’s offers predictability: a set of policies and procedures that all of its restaurants follow closely. Lastly, McDonald’s removes the power from individuals by transferring control to nonhuman technology. Like on the Ford assembly line, individual

In this assignment you will draw two primary sources and two secondary Research Paper

In this assignment you will draw two primary sources and two secondary sources written after 1990 to explore a topic addressed i - Research Paper Example There are several factors that played a key role in the collapse of one of the greatest empires in the world. According to Bauer (84), several factors that occurred within a span of approximately 500 years were instrumental in the collapse of a strong empire, the Roman Empire. Expansion of the Rome Empire can be referred to as one of the major causes of its collapse. Rome kept conquering many nations and therefore there was rapid growth in the land they owned. Consequently, there was great need to defend the borders and the territories of Rome. As they struggle to keep this under their control, emperors increased taxes on non-Romans and these created more enmity where frequent rebellions arose. Lack of enough solders to safeguard their territories forced them to employ foreigners who were against them resulting in the collapse of the empire. Since the empire was growing at a rapid rate, it needed more soldiers for it to remain a great conqueror. As such, militarism was adopted as a m ean of the emperor and his compatriots remaining in full control. In this case, constant fighting needed heavy military spending. This demand for the military was high since the Roman Empire became over stretched, and the need for more solders was proportional to its needs for expansion and protection of their overstretched territories. Due to this, there was overspending in the military body, hence other fundamental activities were left with few resources. Vital issues such as provision of houses to the public, quality roads and channel were left untouched. This also resulted in emperors raising taxes repeatedly resulting in increased levels of inflation. Roman Empire faced a failing economy and increased levels of inflation. Inflation is a state where prices increase and the purchasing power of currency declines. The Rome Empire was in this situation and the government was threatened of impoverishment as it did not have sufficient cash to cater for its needs. Overexpansion and eff orts to protect their territories resulted in this. For instance, the increased population required more militaries and the demand forced them to recruit and train more people. This process was demanding and more money was used in paying the large numbers of military personnel .The other factor is that after they diminished new lands conquering, the flow of gold to their economy decreased. This resulted to less use of coins and the coin become less valuable. Due to over-expansion of the territories, there were more merchants from the conquered places who raised the prices of the goods that they sold. Several persons changed their way of trading and butter trade erupted eventually. People stopped using coins and they began to undertake barter trade in order to get what they wanted from others. This went to as far as paying salaries in the form of food and clothing while tax collection also changed and vegetables and fruits were used to pay taxes. In this case, the expansion of territ ories shows how the economy was affected resulting to its decline. According to Goldsworthy(72) Over expanded Roman Empire territory had people from different ethnic groups and was over populated. As a result, the labor force was composed of slavery resulting in unemployment. Plebs in

Social origins of evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social origins of evil - Essay Example Without showing what environments will inevitably lead to evil acts, however, the experiments retained very little external validity, outside of showing that given the right set of powers and responsibilities, â€Å"normal† human beings will commit evil acts. In trying to determine the nature and origins of evil acts, sociologists try to explain and determine the social prerequisites for evil acts, rather than trying to utilize the individual characteristics (with its environmental interaction) in its explanation. Based on research in sociology, the most explanatorily useful theory of the origin of evil acts is tied to the theory of bureaucracy, along with concepts like â€Å"authorization† and â€Å"McDonaldization†. Together, these observations into contemporary Western life may help explain the social origins of evil for the past half-century. Ritzer (2007) introduces Max Weber’s theory of rationality as a primer to his talk on bureaucracy and the conce pt of McDonaldization. To Weber, rationality meant â€Å"that the search by people for the optimum means to a given end is shaped by rules, regulations, and larger social structures† (p. 23). The rise of institutions, and institutional power, represented the crux of formal rationality and, as it continues today, bureaucracy is designed to have many advantages over other mechanisms of power. For Weber at least, bureaucracy is the most efficient structure for handling a vast number of tasks. Additionally, bureaucracy relies on the quantification of facts as much as possible to inject objectivity into issues of process and, for that reason, bureaucracies and bureaucratic policies are highly predictable due to the rigidity of the procedures they put into place. Because of all these facts, bureaucracies by definition remove as much power as possible for individuals and place that power within the hands of the organization, such that individuals are not left to make subjective deci sions. In this way, individuals are removed from the actual moral consequences of their decision-making. This fact is significant when looking at the role of bureaucracies in the origins of evil. Ritzer goes on to define a number of dimensions of McDonaldization. â€Å"McDonaldization† is Ritzer’s neologism for the formalization of structures and procedures in modern life. More specifically, a number of advantages to society define McDonaldization: efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control, which coincide with the advantages that Weber defined as belonging to bureaucracy. Efficiency, for Ritzer, is the optimum method for achieving a goal. McDonald’s cuts the number of steps in a process of food production down to an optimum point, such that its customers enjoy the convenience of its products and the price at which they are provided. McDonald’s offers calculability, or the emphasis on the quantitative aspects of products and services provided to customers (Ritzer, 2007, p. 12). Because sizes are universal between McDonald’s locations, customers who have a favorite meal at one location can travel to any other location, order the same meal, and be guaranteed that the meal will be roughly the same size. McDonald’s offers predictability: a set of policies and procedures that all of its restaurants follow closely. Lastly, McDonald’s removes the power from individuals by transferring control to nonhuman technology. Like on the Ford assembly line, individual

Science Times Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Science Times - Article Example icipants or the subject get exposed to fear inducing environment, then they get neutralized and later retested for fear factor through a laboratory experiments are conducted Monfils, Kirina and other scientist in an experiment on reconsolidation boundaries using mice reported that a certain period of time might be necessary for memory trace to be destabilized. The inducement of fear took place at the lab using shock electrodes. The subjects later would be exposed to that stimulating environment and the record kept on different time intervals. This was again repeated after a year. The destabilization of fear memory takes longer time but with familiarizing the subject with such environment, it takes relatively shorter time. Normally, trauma is hard to overcome but with time it fades away In the results, the subject shows differing capability on memory recovery depending on the set time frame. Those that took longer time show a greater fear recovery unlike the others who timeframe set is relatively

Price Guarantee Essay Example for Free

Price Guarantee Essay Introduction Price guarantees have become a popular promotional tool for attracting new customers or selling new products to existing customers. Many business organizations are now adopting the price guarantee concept in their pricing policies. Most notable among them is Walmart. General implications of price guarantees Price guarantees can take two forms. One is price matching in which lower prices are immediately matched. The other is price beating in which lower prices are undercut by a certain percentage of the difference. Both forms of price guarantees however have immense implications as far as market expansion and market retention are concerned. Obviously the assurance that they are getting the lowest possible prices will have a major impact on how the customers do business with the organization offering price guarantees. The effect of price guarantees is especially pronounced nowadays because of the extensive use of the internet that customers make in arriving at their purchase decisions. Because of the widespread availability of information on the internet, consumers can easily compare prices and find out which company is offering the lowest prices. However it takes time-consuming research on the part of the consumer especially if the product in question has intense competition. All businesses these days having products and services to sell are advertising their existence online, so the consumer looking for a particular product widely available in varying prices will have to go through all those dozens of websites in order to make a worthwhile price comparison and arrive at the lowest possible price available to him or her. However if there is a company out like Walmart which guarantees that the price it is offering is lowest available now and that even if market prices should go down in the future, the consumer will get refunds, then consumers will just fall in love with that offer because of all the time and energy saved. As a result of the assurance on the part of Walmart that the product is selling at the lowest possible price now or even in the future, consumers will rush to spend all their money on Walmart offerings. According to the above, offering price matching or price beating seems to have an extremely positive impact on the mindset of the consumers. However not all consumers are looking for the lowest possible price and this is especially true if the product in question is a status symbol, that is, the product is an issue of image with the consumer. In that case, quality rather than price will be the prime consideration. Consumers putting quality before price will be asking themselves why a certain company is offering such low prices. The suspicion that these consumers would be harbouring is that the quality of the product is in question. Quality defects make products difficult to sell, however an assurance of the lowest possible price will tend to make most consumers blind to minor defects that are not readily apparent. Some consumers will suspect that a particular company is adopting the policy of price guarantee in order to allay suspicions of product quality. Benefits of price guarantees Price guarantees can create customer goodwill as the customers are sure that they are getting the best deal possible. Price guarantees are especially applicable in the retail industry as price is the only differentiating factor in this case. The nature of the service involved in the retail industry is such that quality hardly varies from one company to another. Therefore the only way for retail companies to make themselves stand out from the crowd is to differentiate themselves through price. This is the reason that price guarantees have become so popular in the retail industry and the customers are not complaining. They have no reason to because, as mentioned before, they no longer have to surf for hours and hours or walk miles and miles of aisles for the best deal. They will just buy whatever they need from Walmart because whatever they are buying, Walmart’s prices are the best possible they can get. There is no possibility of post-purchase regrets. This is the best of all possible worlds. As will be elaborated upon later on, price matching or price beating make it pointless for sellers to lower their prices as any benefits to be gained from the lower prices will be cancelled by the competing seller who is offering price guarantees. Thus price guarantees are a means of price signaling. It is this price signaling which assures the customers that they are getting the best possible deals. Price guarantees have become so prevalent these days that customers expect companies to offer price guarantees. As a result, offering price guarantees has become the very act of survival for companies particularly in the retail industry. While this may be greatly beneficial for the consumers, the situation is somewhat different for the suppliers. If there is one retailer for example who buys a television set for â‚ ¤150 and offers it to the market for â‚ ¤250 with price guarantee, then another retailer who happens not to have the buying power of the other retailer and buys the same set for â‚ ¤170 will have to set the price also at â‚ ¤250. The second retailer might want to undercut the first by setting a lower price, â‚ ¤240 for example, but the second retailer would have little to gain from this as price guarantee offered by the first retailer means that the first retailer would only either match the lower price or beat the lower price. This price cutting can go on all the way down to the purchase price of the second retailer beyond which it cannot go. This is a discounting game which the first retailer will always win because of the price guarantee it offers. In this way price guarantees ensure that there is no price cutting going on in the market and that customers always get the best possible deal. Legal implications of price guarantee Price collusion has become a greater threat than ever now that the internet is facilitating connectivity at an unprecedented level not only between buyers and sellers but also between sellers. So it has become easier than ever for the sellers to reach some sort of an agreement online and raise their prices simultaneously. Occurrences have been noted whereby sellers have been known to discuss their prices online and raise their prices the next day. Such price collusion is obviously anti-competitive and so illegal. Price matching can also raise issues of price collusion in a roundabout way. What might happen is that sellers might already be selling their products at a heightened price level and one seller might offer a price guarantee in one product category while another seller might offer a price guarantee in another product category. Thus sellers might be colluding to create their own niches in specific product categories. This impairs the market forces of supply and demand as the price setting mechanism and should become the focus of regulatory agencies to identify and regulate. Ethical implication of price guarantee According to the invisible hand theory, consumers demand for a lower price while suppliers ask for a higher price and accordingly adjustments take place and in the process an agreement is reached between consumers and suppliers whereby both the buyers and the sellers are buying and selling respectively at the same price. This is the underlying structure of the free market economy. However the element of price guarantees can strike at this very foundation of the free market economy. What happens is that price matching, for example, discourages the other sellers from lowering their prices as the seller offering the price guarantee will only lower its own prices accordingly. Thus the phenomenon of price guarantees can perpetuate high prices at the expense of product quality and manufacturing efficiency. Manufacturing efficiency results from the learning curve. As companies gain experience in manufacturing their products, there is a learning curve which makes their manufacturing operations more efficient. As a result, products become cheaper to produce. According to the laws of supply and demand, this would allow suppliers to lower their prices and sell more. Not so however when there is one seller in the market practicing price matching. That seller has a pact with the buyer that the buyer will never find a lower price elsewhere and that if the buyer does find a lower price, the seller will immediately either match the new lower price or beat it. As a result of this pact, all the buyers in the market will be rushing to that seller offering price guarantees rather than to the other sellers who are offering lower prices. Inasmuch as offering price guarantees implicitly chips away at the very foundations of demand and supply as the price-setting mechanisms, the act is clearly unethical. The use of price guarantees can be put to other unethical means as well. There have been several news items where shops offering price guarantees have been known to lure customers to their geographical sites where these same customers are then set upon by sale executives in order to make them purchase expensive items. Conclusion Whether or not buyers suspect price guarantees encouraging tacit price collusions, buyers prefer sellers who are offering price guarantees. This is especially so with the advent of the internet where price information is available at the click of a mouse. Inasmuch as price guarantees turn heads in the buyer community, price guarantees hold great benefits for the seller. By using price guarantees sellers no longer have to resort to online discounters to offer lower prices and can reach the customer directly. In spite of the anti-competitive issues that arise as a result of the implementation of price guarantees, these guarantees, ethically and legally practiced, can strengthen the flow of trade and commerce. BIBILIOGRAPHY Pindyck, Robert S., and Daniel L Rubinfeld. Microeconomics. South western college pub. 2007. Varian, Hal R. Microeconomic Theory. McGraw Hill/Irwin. 2005. Mankiw, N Gregory. Principles of Microeconomics. McGraw Hill/Irwin. 2005. Colander, David C. Microeconomics. McGraw Hill/Irwin. 2005. Nagle, Thomas T., and John Hogan. The Strategy Tactics of Pricing: A Guide to Growing More Profitably . South western college pub. 2007. Baker, Ronald J. Pricing on Purpose: Creating Capturing Value. McGraw Hill/Irwin. 2005. McConnell, Campbell R., and Stanley L Brue. Economics. South western college pub. 2007.

History of Communism Containment

History of Communism Containment After the Second World War, the United States began seeing an expansion of communism into Eastern Europe and sought to stop the spread of communism by adopting a policy of containment. The U.S and President Truman saw the Soviet Union to be a serious threat to the free world and as a result, they were about to enter a new kind of war: the Cold War. After defeating Germany during World War II, most of Europe and Asia lay in ruins, and on the horizon a new threat appeared, communism. Even though the U.S. and the Soviet Union were allies during World War II, they both emerged from the war as global powers, with differences on their perspectives of the world. Both nations were competing with each other economically and militarily and where in at an impasse. The U.S. was the richest country in the world and it promoted democracy and capitalism, while the Soviets thought communism was a better (political system because it transformed their economy and status in the world from nothing but a declining empire to a super power once again) (StudyWorld). By 1947, relations between the two countries had broken down completely. President Truman took decisive steps to contain Soviet expansion in regions in which the U.S. had vital interests. With the takeover of Greece and Turkey by a Soviet backed guerilla movement, this was the first sign of communist aggression that forced the U.S. to react. In March 1947, Truman decided to (draw a line in the sand)(US History)by asking Congress to appropriate $400 million for these two nations to help them in the form of military and economic assistance. The Truman Doctrine came about as direct result of the Soviet aggression and was basically an (open pact to any group willing to stand against communism, guaranteeing them military and financial aid)(US Dept of State). This is also the beginning of an embarrassing an unprecedented series of foreign policy blunders on the part of the U.S. The Truman Doctrine would later be used to justify shady actions in Korea, Vietnam, and Cuba. The second step in containment was the Marshall Plan, which provided economic relief to the rebuilding of Western European nations such as Great Britain, France, Belgium and even Germany. By boosting these economies, the U.S. ensured that (communism would not rise in any of these countries from a weak economy)(Studynotes). Four years later, not only were the Western European industries producing twice the amount that they had before war broke out, but the U.S. saw a postwar economic boom with record levels of trade. At first the U.S. Congress wasnt in favor of the proposed plan, but following a coup by communist in Czechoslovakia, they approved it. An official alliance with other nations that opposed communism came to be after the coup in Czechoslovakia. In April 1949, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was founded. The countries agreed that they would (stand by each other as one, and any attack on a member of the alliance is an attack on all)(US Dept of State). At the time, this was a great idea; trying to prevent communism from taking over the world. But as time went by, we have come to realize that as a part of NATO, the U.S. is the majority partner, and is becoming the worlds police and major contributor of the funds for these efforts. I think that the U.S. needs to withdraw from NATO and try and get the U.S. back to status of the worlds super power. We dont have the funds to bail out the rest of the world, when our own economy is in such dire straits. Being a member of NATO, provides a presidential loophole for military intervention by America in any foreign struggle without Congress declaring war, which is a bad idea. All this did was force the Soviet Union to flex its muscles and in 1955, it formed an alliance, known as the Warsaw Pact, with other Eastern European nations, such as Poland, Bulgaria, E. Germany, and Romania. Now, these countries are (no more than puppet nations held by the Grand Puppeteer, Russia)(Pieper). In one fell swoop the Soviet Union (gained almost as much land as Napoleon or Hitler; but without a war)(US History). Americas idea of a united effort at the containment of Communism had exponential grown into a united expansion of communism, just the opposite effect the U.S. was trying to accomplish. After World War II, redrawing of boundaries all over the world came about. Korea, who was conquered by Japan during the war, was divided at the 38th parallel, and the northern part of the country was given to the Soviet Union and the southern half to the U.S. In 1950, the Soviets left N. Korea leaving a communist regime behind. That regime, funded and equipped by China, invaded S. Korea. The United Nations, led, of course, by the United States, (raised an army to restore peace and expel the aggressors)(Pieper). The U.S. established a cease-fire zone, but not before the victory changed hands twice and lasted three years. Some might say that (communism in this case was successfully contained but with the loss of 53,000 American lives in a fruitless attempt to topple a regime is hardly a victory)(US Dept of State). Another failure of containment by the United States would be in Vietnam. After the fighting with France ended in 1954, Vietnam was split in two like Korea, North Vietnam being Communist and South Vietnam led by the Vietnamese who supported the French. In 1963, the South Vietnamese leader was assassinated, and the U.S. sent over American troops to support the non-Communist regime, while in accordance with the Truman Doctrine. The resulting struggle would prove to be (the most agonizing and long defeat of the American military in history)(StudyWorld). Two elements of the U.Ss failure of Vietnam were trying to win a traditional war in a guerrilla setting and not having full support of the U.S. people. This resulted in a loss of 68,000 U.S. soldiers and over 400,000 South Vietnamese. The U.S. started withdrawing troops in 1973, but by 1976, all of Vietnam came under communist rule, proving once again that containment didnt work. Even after the Korean War and the creation of the Warsaw Pact, the expansion of communism was not over. In 1959, a rag-tag band of guerillas overtook the government of Cuba and it fell under Fidel Castros regime. The U.S. was unwilling or unprepared to stop this, either for fear of judgment from the international community or of the (shortsightedness caused by a general distaste for Cubas previous government)(Nuclearfiles). This would later come back to haunt them, in both the Bay of Pigs fiasco and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Realizing the problem that Castro could cause, the U.S. planned a literal exertion of the Truman Doctrine. President Kennedy ordered the execution of The Bay of Pigs operation and in April 1961, 1500 Cuban exiles landed in the Bay of Pigs. American air support never arrived and the plan backfired and all of the exiles were gunned down mercilessly. Again containment was once again dashed. A year later was probably the scariest moment of the Cold War. The Soviet Union made a deal with Castro to place nuclear missiles on Cuba and those missiles gave the Soviets a chance to hit U.S. soil without an air offensive. The range of those missiles was 3000 miles, which could demolish the whole eastern seaboard. After a U2 flight over Cuba, President Kennedy ordered a blockade of Cuba and stated that any further attempts to arm Cuba would result in an act of war. The Soviets backed down and removed the silos from Cuba. It was found later, that Russias president made a secret deal with the U.S. agreeing to remove the missiles from Cuba if the U.S. would remove missiles from Turkey. The Cuban Missile Crisis was a (propaganda victory for the U.S. and an undisclosed blow to containment)(Nuclearfiles). Even though 1989 marked the end of the Cold War, some say that since the Soviet Union ultimately fell, the policy of containment was successful. I think this is wrong. The Soviet Union fell under its own weight; the countries expenditures were huge. They had a very large army to support and the cost of such a large country could not be sustained, leaving them no choose but to declare bankruptcy. Another symbol of the U.S. failures to contain communism, is that the nations under the Soviet bloc remain to this day; Vietnam, North Korea, Cuba, and China are still completely Communist nations. Not only was American (containment in the height of the Cold War a failure)(US History), those failures can still be seen to this day. And if the U.S. isnt careful, we too could come under communist rule due to our astronomical debt in which China holds the note. Works Citied Containment of Communism Nuclearfiles.org. Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. 1998-2012. Web. 5 Nov 12 Pieper, Moritz. Containment and the Cold War: Reexaming the Doctrine of Containment as a Grand Strategy Driving US Cold War Interventions. Student Pulse. 2012. Web. 5 Nov 12. Studynotes.org. 2008. Web. 5 Nov 12. Studyworld.com. Oakwood Mgt. 1996-2012. Web. 5 Nov 12. U.S. Department of State. Office of the Historian. US Department of State. Web. 6 Nov 12. USHistory.org. Containment and the Marshall Plan. Hall Assoc. 2008-2012. Web. 5 Nov 12

The Authentic Mexican Restaurant :: Observation Essays, Descriptive Essays

If there is one place in Naples that I never get tired of going to, and where I can have fun just by basking in the ambiance of its atmosphere, it’s the authentic Mexican restaurant, Cilantro Tamales. At first glance the restaurant seems to be in an inconspicuous spot, lying in a strip mall containing a no-name music store and consignment shop. However, despite the location, Cilantro Tamales stands out from all other restaurants or gathering places. Cilantro Tamales isn’t a typical Mexican restaurant. Upon entering you are immediately greeted with warm smiles, and are led to a bamboo chaired table with all sorts of hot sauces and other sizzling toppings to greet you. The air is filled with spices. The cinnamon and jalapeà ±o aromas mingle and make the mood rich. Every dish on the menu seems delicious and it is always difficult to decide what to order. I always think that any dish which I don’t try gives me the excuse to come back again. Everyone who eats at Cilantro Tamales gets to have an unlimited amount of their fresh, homemade salsa with warm, salty tortilla chips. The thick chunks of tomatoes and onions with hot peppers and cilantro make a perfect combination for anyone’s taste buds. The waiters and waitresses carry immense trays burdened by the weight of great tasting meals, and each dish has enough on it to make mountains jealous. The delicious food is not the only reason Cilantro Tamales stands out. The restaurant itself is rich with culture and flavor. All the walls are a shade of bright yellow or sun burnt orange and red, which add to the Mexican feel. On the walls are historical black and white pictures of Mexico and its people which act as cultural memories of times past. The Latin and Mexican dance music can always be heard in the restaurant. I sometimes can’t help but move to its invigorating rhythm. An interesting facet to the restaurant is the hand crafted pottery.

How Did the Australian Government Respond to the Threat of Communism After WWII?

Australia faced the threat of communism after WWII ended in 1945. The threat was known as the Red Menace which was caused by all the conflicts in Asia and also things that were going on in Australia at the time. The Australian government responded to the Red Menace in many ways. They took military action, made alliances, gave economoc aid and tried banning the Communist Party in Australia. Communism is a social organisation where everyone in the country/community all have common property and money is shared equally. Australia didn't see communism as a threat until China was taken into control and turned into a communist country. Australia then began to fear that it would only be a matter of time ‘before the reds were on our doorsteps. ‘ Australia responded to the threat of communism in Asia by joining the Korean War in 1950. We joined it because we had a belief that it would be better to fight communism overseas rather than wait for it to reach Australia and fight it here. The Korean War was a part of our government's ‘Forward Defense Policy'. Military action was sent to Korea to help our allies to fight communism overseas. Another response to communism in Asia was the ANZUS Treaty which was one of the most important steps that Australia took to protect Australia from the threat of communism. The treaty was an agreement signed by Australia, New Zealand and the United States; it meant that each of the three nations involved would be obliged to help the other if one was attacked. It was an agreement of aid in common defense. The reason why it was signed by Australia was because we believed that a strong ally was needed to keep Australia safe from communism. There was also another agreement that Australia got involved with called the SEATO alliance. The SEATO alliance was signed by Britain, Thailand, Pakistan, the Phillipines, France, New Zealand, Australia and the United States, in 1954. The alliance was started by the United States becasue of the increasing communist activity in South-east Asia from 1945. The Korean War had just ended and communist activity was spreading to France and communist guerillas were currently active in Malaya. This made the United States feel vulnerable, so they proposed an alliance with the East- Asian countries to fight ‘communist aggression'. Australia was very happy to sign this alliance because it confirmes to the Unites States that we had their back and it supported our ‘Forward Defense Policy'. Australia later joined the Vietnam war to support their role of an ally and to maintain a close tie with the United States. In 1962, Prime Minister Robert Menzies began sending 30 Australian military instructors to South Vietnam where Vietcong were trying to overthrow non-communist South Vietnam. The reason why Australia felt that it was vital to help the United States fight in this war was because of the advice we received from Washington telling us that if we help the United States fight North Vietnam, then when Australia need military assisstance, USA would help us. Fear of communism was also another reason which lead to Australia fighting in the Vietnam war. We believed that if one more Asian country fell into communism, other countries as well as Australia would follow. This was called the ‘Domino Theory'. As well as responding to the threat of communism overseas, Australia also took precautions within the country. In 1949, Robert Menzies promised that he would ban the Communist Party Dissolution Bill which outlawed the Communist Party. The Bill was ruled as unconstitutional by the High Court and was narrowly defeated after a referendum was held. Many Australians feared that communism was getting closer and they were quite worried. It was time for an elction and the Labor Party was confident that they were going to win thhe next elecion. Just shortly before the election, there was a huge ‘spy scare'. This was the Petrov affair. It was about Petrov and his wife Evdokia who provided detailed documents about a Soviet Spy Ring operating in Australia. Robert Menzies used this case and used the fear of communism for his own political ends, which made him win the election. This was how the Australian government responded to the threat of communism after WWII ended.

Potential Market Segmentation

Since the raw materials are very much available in our country, I have decided to give the product an indigenous image. Sandwood is a kind of talcum powder that provides the consumers with processed sandal mixed talcum powder in bottles. For the marketing purpose of the product I have decided to launch three product lines. The Sandwood would be launched in the market at 150 gms. 100 gms. and 50 gms bottle. I have set a reasonable price for the product so that all kinds of people can afford to buy this talcum powder. I have targeted a huge market segment for the product.Bangladesh s a large populated country. Lots of people are looking for such a product. Sandal mixed Talcum Powder are not available all the time. My target market includes health conscious people, women, children & many other consumers, which I have segmented from the Demographical, Geographical, Psychographical & Behavioral point of view. Product Potrayal: I am a Brand managers of a consumer product in a domestic comp any. The top management asked me to choose a product to segment the potential market and we choose Talcum Powder. The description of the product is given below.Product: Talcum Powder Brand Name: Sandwood Plastic Bottle Container: Size: Price: 1 50 Grams Taka 100. Product Features: It's Total skin comfort. Feel better than regular talcum powder. Keep the body fresh for a long time. It has a classic scent. Product Ingredients: Natural sandal, Talc, hydrated magnesium silicate, Scent We choose this very product because normally there are much talcum powder produced for women and many of them have been produced for both male and female but there are very few company that produce women talcum powder and most of them are produced outside Bangladesh.

African American Vernacular Essay

According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, the definition of vernacular is â€Å"of, relating to, or being a nonstandard language or dialect of a place, region, or country. † In terms of African American history, the evolution of vernacular is very important and a very unique part of the culture. The African American vernacular has aided the development of a distinct culture in terms of what African Americans were subjected to from the installation of slavery. The African American vernacular was used as a way to expose the atrocities that African Americans were imperiled to through songs and language. â€Å"Go down Moses ,† a spiritual and â€Å"Strange Fruit,† performed by Billie Holiday are two songs that represent the vernacular of African American culture. â€Å"Go down Moses,† was a song that had a Christian religious theme that spoke of the Israelites being enslaved by Pharaoh in Egypt’s land. Spirituals had ambiguous meanings that included a reverence for Christianity and a desire to be free from the bondages of slavery. â€Å"Strange Fruit† was a song originally written as a poem that exposed racism against African American and called for a social change. Although they bear some similarities, the differences between â€Å"Go down Moses† and â€Å"Strange Fruit† include setting, meaning and cultural impact. According to The Norton Anthology of African American Literature by Henry Louis-Gates Jr, Spirituals were a very important part of African American culture during the time of slavery. And still are today, although they are widely known as gospels. Spirituals have a Christian religious theme and are usually performed a cappella with a single melody. (Gates Jr, 2003) African American Spirituals are the predecessor to the blues, gospels, jazz and rap/hip-hop. Spirituals are also referred to as Negro spirituals, Black spirituals, folk songs and jubilees. Spirituals were sung to provide comfort and ease the pain of the harsh daily tasks that slaves were submitted to. They were also seen as an expression of spiritual devotion and a yearning for freedom from the bondages of slavery. (Gates Jr, 2003) They were also a means of releasing pent up emotions and expressing sorrow. More importantly, they served a subversive purpose. Songs like â€Å"Steal away to Jesus,† â€Å"Swing low,† â€Å"Sweet Chariot,† â€Å"Didn’t my Lord Deliver Daniel? † and â€Å"Go down Moses†served a dual purpose during the times of slavery. Spirituals were used as a code between the slaves to aide with the task of attempting to escape slavery or the thought of escaping from bondage. â€Å"Go down Moses† first recorded by Paul Robeson, is a song riddled with ambiguous tones. On the surface, this song tells the story of the Israelites as slaves, which is found in the books of Genesis and Exodus. Moses was called by God to instruct Pharaoh to free the Israelites from the bondages of slavery. â€Å"Go down Moses, way down in Egypt’s land, tell old Pharaoh to let my people go† is one line from the song. African slaves forcefully bought to the Americas were converted to Christianity and although they weren’t taught to read or write, they were taught the teachings of the bible. White slave owners used the stories of the sufferings of the Israelites and the affirmation of â€Å"life after death† which is seen throughout the bible, to justify slavery. (Gates Jr. 2003) In the song, â€Å"Go down Moses,† Pharaoh represented the White Slave owners, Israel represented the African American Slaves and Egypt represented the Americas or the United States. â€Å"Strange Fruit† is a song most famously recorded and performed in 1939 by Billie Holiday. The song was written as a poem by Abel Meerpol, a teacher. According to The Norton Anthology of African American Literature, the poem exposed racism in the United States. It shed light on the lynching of African American men in the South. Lynching’s occurred in other regions of the United States, but mainly in the South. â€Å"Strange Fruit† is commonly known as a song of social change. As mentioned before, this poem helped to expose racism in the U. S. During this time, many people were fighting for the civil rights of African American that had been stymied by institutionalized racism. Jim Crow laws of the South are an example of institutionalized racism. Jim Crow laws limited the civil rights of African American and deemed them second class citizens. Even during the days of slavery, there were many efforts made that helped to expose the atrocities that occurred against African Americans. This included photographs and written works such as books and newspaper articles. During the early 20th century, racism against African Americans was exposed via songs that called for a change of societal practices and views. â€Å"Southern trees bear a strange fruit, blood on the leaves and blood at the root, black bodies swinging in the southern breeze†¦Ã¢â‚¬  are some of the lyrics of the song â€Å"Strange Fruit. † â€Å"Here is fruit for the crows to pluck, for the rain togather, for the wind to suck, for the sun to rot, for the trees to drop, here is a strange and bitter crop† are more lyrics to the same song. Imagining a black body swinging from a tree, it can be viewed as a strange fruit or a bitter crop. Hearing the song performed, makes the lyrics and the meaning more ominous. As mentioned before, Billie Holiday recorded the song in 1939 but almost 25 years later, Nina Simone also recorded the song. Concerning the sub-genre social change music, there are many songs written and performed that exposes the way of life for African Americans. This includes â€Å"The Revolution will not be televised† recorded by Gil Scott-Heron in 1970 and â€Å"The Message† recorded by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five in 1982. Both these songs are considered important to the evolution of African American vernacular because just like â€Å"Strange Fruit† it exposed the racism, prejudices and discrimination that African Americans were subjected to and how it affected their lives. Both the songs â€Å"Go down Moses† and â€Å"Strange Fruit† have an abundance of differences as was mentioned. However they differ in setting or time, meaning and cultural impact. Spirituals were originally sung during the times of slavery, during the 18th and 19th century. They were seen as a reverence to the Christian religion while at the same time, they were also seen as a yearning for freedom from the bondages of slavery. Spirituals developed into gospel songs which are a main staple of the black church in the United States. â€Å"Strange Fruit† was written, recorded and performed during the 19th century. And although slavery had been abolished for maybe 80 years, African Americans still dealt with prejudices, racism and discrimination. These social change songs were developed to expose those prejudices. The lyrics of â€Å"Strange Fruit† mention the â€Å"black bodies swinging†¦ from the poplar trees. † Unlike spirituals, social change had no ambiguous meaning. It meant to directly display the ugliness of what was going on at the time. One more similarity that should be mentioned which highlight the uniqueness concerning African American vernacular in the way in which both these songs were sung. The tone in which Paul Robeson performs â€Å"Go down Moses’ is similar to the way Billie Holiday and Nina Simone performed â€Å"Strange Fruit. † You can see, hear, and feel the soul, essence, pain, and significance of both songs when they were performed. That sense of soul is the one unique component of African American vernacular that sets us apart from all the others.

Individualism and collectivism paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Individualism and collectivism paper - Essay Example Individualism represents a society in which individual relations are not strong and in which people are expected to fend for themselves. Individualism is the opposite of collectivism and taken together they form one of the dimensions of national cultures. Collectivism on the other hand connotes a form of society in which people from their childhood itself are integrated into strong cohesive groups; that protect them for the rest of their life in return for their unquestioning loyalty. Individualistic cultures like those obtaining in the USA and France exhibit a greater emphasis on individual goals and people mainly on themselves as individuals. People in individualistic cultures emphasize their successes and achievements in their career or in the acquisition of wealth. In the USA the spirit of competitiveness is at its zenith. Collectivistic cultures lay a greater emphasis on groups. In such cultures harmony and loyalty are deemed to be paramount (Individualism versus Collectivism). "Collectivism requires self - sacrifice, the subordination of one's interests to those of others" (Letters of Ayn Rand). The main consequence of individualism on self identity is the engendering of independence and individual achievement; promotion of self expression, individual thinking and personal choice.