THE CORE

The same pole always ended up pointing north. All magnets have a north and a south pole, no matter what shape they might have been bent into, or even if you break it apart into pieces. The magnetic field is the strongest at these poles. As magnets are brought near one another, they exert a force on each other. The force can be either attractive or repulsive and can be felt even when the magnets don't touch (force at a distance). This leads us to the Law of Magnetism which says â€Å"Like poles repel and unlike poles attract†. This is like the force between electric charges, but not exactly the same.Electrical charges and magnetic poles are different Many people wrongly assume that magnets can stick to any metal. In fact only a few elements on the periodic table actually have any magnetic properties strong enough to be worth mentioning. These elements are known as a group as ferromagnetic elements. The name comes from the Latin name for iron, ferrule. The ferromagnetic elements are: 1. Iron 2. Cobalt 3. Nickel 4. Gadolinium As time passed, more and more people tried to explain magnetism. William Gilbert, wrote a book called De Magnet on the subject.He was able to spores some old superstitions about magnets, while at the same time presenting his own scientific ideas. He even proposed the idea of an â€Å"orb of virtue† surrounding every magnet, basically he was describing a magnetic field. The Effects of MME An electromagnetic pulse (MME), also sometimes called a transient electromagnetic disturbance, is a short burst of electromagnetic energy. At a higher level an MME can induce a spark, for example when fuelling a gasoline- engine vehicle. Such sparks have been known to cause fuel-air explosions and precautions must be taken to prevent them.A large MME can induce high rents and voltages in the victim, damaging electrical equipment or disrupting its function. A very large MME event such as a lightning strike is also capable of damaging objects such as trees, buildings and aircraft directly, either through heating effects or the disruptive effects of the very large magnetic field generated by the current. An indirect effect can be electrical fires caused by heating. These damaging effects have led to the introduction of MME weapons. Most engineered structures and systems require some form of protection against lightning to be designed in.The Animals that Navigate sing Magnetism Abominations is the phenomenon of magnetic fields produced by living organisms; it is a subset of blameworthiness's. In contrast, organisms' use of magnetism in navigation is misconception and the study of the magnetic fields' effects on organisms is negotiability. Researchers believe some migratory birds can sense the magnetic field through their upper beak because there is a magnetite receptor there, which is made up of iron-based magnetic crystals. This senses the strength of the magnetic field, which is strongest at the poles, and it measures the an gle of the field compared to the round.The beak is similar to a compass. According to the experiment done by Max Plank Institute in Germany, they found that when they re-magnetized the iron particles in the beaks of migratory birds like robins and red warblers, it suggested that the beaks do act as a type of compass or navigational device. It partially allowed the birds to decide in what direction to go in. Re- magnification is similar to when you rub a magnet with a piece of metal allowing for the metal to become magnetized, by doing this you can change the direction of magnetism by rubbing it in the other direction.The research shows that migratory birds may have sensory systems linked to their beaks that use iron to detect the Earth's magnetic field. How are the Aurora Borealis and Australia formed? The aurora Borealis (northern lights) form when charged particles emitted from the sun during a solar flare penetrate the earth's magnetic shield and collide with atoms and molecules in our atmosphere. These collisions result in countless little bursts of light, called photons, which make up the aurora. Collisions with oxygen produce red and green auroras, while nitrogen produces the pink and purple colors.This reaction encircles the polar regions of the earth and occurs at an altitude of 40-400 miles (65-650 km) in a zone called the ‘Aurorally Oval The aurora Borealis most commonly occur between 600-750 latitude, but during great geomagnetic storms the aurorally oval expands equatorial and can reach 300 latitude or further. In the northern hemisphere they are called the aurora Borealis (northern lights) and in the southern hemisphere aurora Australia (southern lights). How Magnetism is created by moving charges? When an electrical charge is moving or an electric current passes through a ire, a circular magnetic field is created.Magnetism is seen whenever electrically charged particles are in motion for example, from movement of electrons in an electric cu rrent, or in certain cases from the orbital motion of electrons around an atom's nucleus. They also arise from â€Å"intrinsic† magnetic dipoles arising from quantum-mechanical spin. The same situations that create magnetic fields, charge moving in a current or in an atom, and intrinsic magnetic dipoles, are also the situations in which a magnetic field has an effect, creating a force. QUESTIONS/EXPLANATIONS What was the cause of death of 32 civilians within the 10 mile block radius in the film?The reason why 32 people died in that movie is because when the core of the Earth stopped moving, the NEFF or Electro Magnetic Field of the Earth deteriorated causing massive problems on people with pacemakers. Pacemaker is a device that helps control the heart of people that have abnormal heart beats. Why did the wrist watch stopped ticking? Because of the MME, a pulse of electromagnetic energy, this induces a very high current thousands of volts in parts of the watch, and since many electrical items, such as microchips, are very sensitive to high voltages, it causes them to break.Explain the Erratic Behavior of the Pigeons in the Film Because the Pigeons are affected by the change of the Earth's Magnetic Why did the Borealis appear in Washington DC? When super charged particles enter the earth's atmosphere from the solar wind they tend to be channeled toward the poles by magnetic forces causing them to spiral around the magnetic field lines of the earth. They are energetic enough to unionize air molecules, so a considerable number of atoms and molecules are elevated to excited states.When they make the transition back to their ground states they emit light characteristic of the atoms and molecules. Red and green light emitted from oxygen atoms is a constituent of the light seen at the poles. Atmospheric nitrogen also plays a role. How is the Earth's Magnetic Field created according to the film? The magnetic field is generated by the rotation Of the dense, iron, liquid outer core and that this field extends about 126,000 meters (proxy. 78 miles) out into space.As the outer core fluid is driven by convection currents, a dynamo effect of circulating electric current is produced inside Earth. The Space Shuttle in the film was 12 miles off course. Explain what happened. The Space Shuttle, returning from space, suddenly turns up far off course and headed for impact in Los Angels due to a momentary glitch in its navigation, positioning systems (GAPS on overdrive), and a faulty ground transponder which resulted in the shuttle being off-course by 12 miles.Enumerate the effects of losing the earth's Magnetic Field according to the film. People with pacemakers, all within a 10-block radius, will be dead. The Golden Gate Bridge collapses, sending hundreds of people plunging to their deaths. Flocks of pigeons lose their ability to navigate, flying into panicked crowds, slamming into windshields and causing drivers to lose control of their cars. And an electrical superstore. Give the scientific explanation how the terra shuttle was found under the ocean at the end of the film.Keyes and Child's realize they can use the unobtainable shell to convert the heat and pressure from the waveforms to power the Virgil, and they are able to escape the core. They break through the crust underwater, leaving them on the ocean floor without power and communications. They believe themselves lost but use the remaining power o activate a weak sonar beacon. The beacon attracts a nearby whale pod, and Finch is able to trace their whale songs to locate the Virgil.

Overpopulation destroying the environment Essay

â€Å"The destruction of the natural world we see across the globe today is ‘fallout’ from the human population explosion that has occurred over the course of the last 50 years. The world is at a critical juncture. While birth rates have fallen in many countries and regions, demographic momentum means we are now adding a record number of people to the world’s population every year. At current birth rates the population of the world will double in the next 50 years. If that happens, countless creatures already pushed to the edge, may pass into extinction. † The new century is marked by alarming environmental threats such water shortages, soil exhaustion, loss of forests, air and water pollution in many parts of the world. The challenge to developed countries is to raise the people’s standard of living without sacrificing the environment. Most developed economies currently consume resources much faster than they can regenerate. This is caused by rapid population growth. The bigger the population is, the bigger the demand for food and water. It was also noted that the more populous the place is, the more waste is produced. The exponential growth in the earth’s population as well as the associated developments resulted in the overcrowding of vulnerable areas thus the occurrence of extreme natural disasters. In many countries the number of births is more than the number of deaths causing overpopulation. Environment is getting worse in the last decade over 12 million people each year were killed due to unclean water and nearly 3 million were killed due to air pollution. Heavy metals and other contaminants also cause widespread health problems. According to studies conducted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the food supplies produced are no longer enough to meet the need in 64 countries. Population pressures have degraded some 2 billion hectares of arable land — an area the size of Canada and the U. S. The supply of freshwater is finite, but demand is soaring as population grows. By 2025, when world population is projected to be 8 billion, 48 countries containing 3 billion people will face shortages. Currently, 434 million people face either water stress or scarcity. Depending on future rates of population growth, between 2. 6 billion and 3. billion people may be living in either water-scarce or water-stressed conditions by 2025. For tens of millions of people in the Middle East and in much of Africa today, the lack of available fresh water is a chronic concern that is growing more acute and more widespread. The problem is worse than it often appears on the ground, because much of the fresh water now used in water-scarce regions comes from deep aquifers that are not being refreshed by the natural water cycle. In most of the countries where water shortage is severe and worsening, high rates of population growth exacerbate the declining availability of renewable fresh water. While 25 countries currently experience either water stress or scarcity, between 36 and 40 countries are projected to face similar conditions by 2025 Ocean fisheries are being overexploited, and fish catches are down due to high population densities and urban development. Nearly half of the world’s original forest cover has been lost, and each year another 16 million hectares are cut, bulldozed, or burned. Forests provide over US$400 billion to the world economy annually and are vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems. Yet, current demand for forest products may exceed the limit of sustainable consumption by 25%. Human activities are pushing many thousands of plant and animal species into extinction. Two of every three species is estimated to be in decline. The earth’s surface is warming due to greenhouse gas emissions, largely from burning fossil fuels. If the global temperature rises as projected, sea levels would rise by several meters, causing widespread flooding as seen in the last few years in different parts of the world especially Asia. Global warming also could cause droughts and disrupt agriculture. How people preserve or abuse the environment could largely determine whether living standards improve or deteriorate. Growing human numbers, urban expansion, and resource exploitation do not bode well for the future. Without practicing sustainable development, humanity faces a deteriorating environment and may even invite ecological disaster. Many steps toward sustainability can be taken today. These include: using energy more efficiently, managing cities better, phasing out subsidies that encourage waste but the best way to sustainability is to stabilize the population. Environmentalists and economists increasingly agree that efforts to protect the environment and to achieve better living standards can be closely linked and are mutually reinforcing. Slowing the increase in population, especially in the face of rising per capita demand for natural resources, can take pressure off the environment and buy time to improve living standards on a sustainable basis. Changes in population size, age, and distribution affect issues ranging from food security to climate change. Population variables interact with consumption patterns, technologies, and political and economic structures to influence environmental change. This interaction helps explain why environmental conditions can deteriorate even as the growth of population slows. Despite slowing growth, world population still gains nearly 80 million people each year, parceling land, fresh water, and other finite resources among more people. A new Germany is added annually, a new Los Angeles monthly. How this increase in population size affects specific environmental problems is impossible to say precisely. Too many factors interact, and much depends on the time frame under consideration. Obviously, trends such as the loss of half of the planet’s forests, the depletion of most of its major fisheries, and the alteration of its atmosphere and climate are closely related to the fact that human population expanded from mere millions in prehistoric times to nearly 6 billion today. There is an urgent call today to stabilize population in order to make sure that the generation after us will have enough to sustain them. We need to do everything in our power to conserve energy and resources. Overpopulation has a tremendous environmental impact caused by high consumption levels, environmental destruction, and poverty.

Assignment 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Assignment 3 - Essay Example Garstein et al. studied the development of temperament across four cultures and found different temperaments in infants and adults in every culture (55). They found that Japanese and Russian infants were known to have â€Å"the highest and the second highest levels of fearfulness, respectively†; while, U.S. and Polish infants received â€Å"relatively lower ratings from their caregivers† (55). Super et al. (136) also studied cross-cultural differences in temperament in children belonging to seven western cultures and found that the participants â€Å"showed both general tendencies and culture-speciï ¬ c patterns† in their behavior. McCrae et al. studied the nature versus nurture debate and agreed with the fact that, along with biological factors that are responsible for the makeup of personality, â€Å"the intrinsic maturation of personality is complemented by the culturally conditioned development of characteristic adaptations† (173). Similarly, Wood an d Eagly studied cross-cultural difference of men and women in non-industrial societies, and found that they showed different attitudes towards â€Å"the economic and social structural aspects of societies† (699). These studies strengthen the idea that culture differences are equally important to study if we want to understand the variations in temperament globally. I have personally experienced that my friends belonging to different cultures have different temperaments which includes the level of happiness and sorrow they express; fright or boldness they show; and, anger or patience with which they handle things. For example, three of my friends who belong to Europe get panicked over little things; while, two of my friends belonging to Asia laugh over even big problems. My European friends are way too liberal about their lifestyle, like coming back home late in the nights and staying in apartments other than their parents’. On the

The Golden Age of Byzantine Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Golden Age of Byzantine Empire - Essay Example The very issue indeed of Justinian I's ruling is the ruling of him in this period. For the traits and characteristics of this ruler opposed of those great rulers. The author of The Secret History added his descriptions to him as "deceitful, devious, false, hypocritical, two-faced, cruel, skilled in dissembling his thought, never moved to tears by either joy or pain, though he could summon them artfully at will when the occasion demanded, a liar always, not only offhand, but in writing, and when he swore sacred oaths to his subjects in their very hearing. Then he would immediately break his agreements and pledges, like the vilest of slaves, whom indeed only the fear of torture drives to confess their perjury. A faithless friend, he was a treacherous enemy, insane for murder and plunder, quarrelsome and revolutionary, easily led to anything evil, but never willing to listen to good counsel, quick to plan mischief and carry it out, but finding even the hearing of anything good distastef ul to his ears". One issue is the changing of the law in the Emperor's own favor. A definite instance is to permit him to marry a courtesan, in which the former law forbids him to. The ignorance in state of affairs of the Empress Euphemia permitted him to perversed the law especially after her death. Justinian's choice of wife put him in shame as Theodora is known and condemned for several abortions, but blinded by his own preference. Procopius put this marriage this way "I need hardly mention any other proof of the character of this man: for all the perversity of his soul was completely displayed in this union; which alone was ample interpreter, witness, and historian of his shamelessness". In an independent minded citizen during that period like Procopius, having someone like Theodora in the monarchial power is a disgrace that is yielded and majestically honored by many. Their marital affair affected christianity, as it was split in two, siding one side to the Emperor and the other to Theodora every time they were having disagreement. Each party stands as an opposition to one another. Theodora supported the Blues, and encouraged them to make the most of the heinous violence against the opposing party; while Justinian, lead the opposition pretentiously not opposing her orders. The Blues being punished and compensated whenever she was being defeated by her husband. Both were in guile to serve their own selfish intentions, even reached to the point of dropping their parties and stripping off the properties of the members once they were not in used anymore. Procopius clearly stated that "as soon as Justinian came into power he turned everything upside down" pertaining the perversion he made within the previous laws just to serve his intentions. As the Romans were in peace to the world before his term, he managed his way to set battle between the barbarians unfortunately for no logical reason. This proves his lust for slaughtering leveling him as a mass murderer indirectly. The slavery of the Roman empires under the Huns was through the will of the Emperor himself, even paying the Huns' chieftains to proceed on their barbaric domination. This condition of Romans invited others to robbed them off their own wealth, and after these

Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Annotated Bibliography Example Teams become effective and productive, whenever working on a similar task, since such groups can leverage off one another’s strong point and compensate weaknesses of other colleagues. Project team leadership explains individual roles. Leadership gets dispersed among the members of the team. Team leader leads members to lead themselves. Leaders can generate thought patterns, which are motivating and positive. Project team leadership embraces personal goal setting through self evaluation and observation. Goals can be attained through enhancing illuminating roles among team members. The book, Field Guide to Project Management has the importance of measuring and monitoring individual and team performance (Cleland, 2004, p. 398). Project team leadership should develop motivation using extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. Developing skills among team members requires team training and coaching. Global project management entails a framework which tackles the combined challenges in the virtual and distributed projects internationally. Global project management includes leading by exception. The book, Field Guide to Project Management, find many leaders or managers in different time zones, and locations to have detrimental meetings to initiate activities. It is recommendable to plan a vast project management tool for tracking that gives accurate information, right metrics, and maintains the status of the work efforts of everyone appraised. Create team synergies through strategic gatherings (Cleland, 2004, p. 12). A social on line application can be made to allow the team members recognize one another. Respect the numerous cultures, activities and holidays the team members take part in without allowing work boundaries sorting the home. Virtual project team gives a virtual growth of assets. Virtual project team requires core elements. Leadership provided should be robust and

Kudler Fine Foods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Kudler Fine Foods - Essay Example Although Kathy’s store concept is great and she has no direct competition- her overwhelming responsibilities are hindering her efforts as the general manager of her store. In order for Kudler Fine Foods to expand into new geographical areas, Kathy Kudler must redefine her organization and utilize effective time management to increase her personal time efficiency as well as her staffs. In order for the Kudler store to expand and allow for great overall efficiency and time management a number of factors must be corrected. Right now Kathy is in charge of all ordering and product control, this will be cumbersome as the product line increases along with consumer demand. Kathy must develop a centralized management and control of the products, assortments, and pricing. Secondly, she must delegate the task of supply management to one manager to include product buys and invoice matching. There are several software companies such as Aldata that offer a complete software interface to int egrate the inventory controls. (www.aldata-solution.com) Thirdly, Kathy must optimize inventory levels by utilizing demand forecasting, and take account of the products expiry dates and ensure that her perishable items are being purchased instead of wasted away.

Measured Building Areas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Measured Building Areas - Essay Example Demolish and remove existing buildings Refer also to Internal Demolition & Preparation Site clearance and demolition Site levelling, aligning, excavation and fill Excavation and Fill Termite treatment, barriers, etc. Allowance for fill, backfill, crushed rock, etc. Rock and poor site ground condition etc. Retention and protection to adjacent properties Excavation for rock Blinding concrete & excavation – allowance BUILDING WORKS Allowances plus Provisional Sums Concrete Work Insitu slabs, footings, walls etc. Concrete slab, piles & footings, reinforcement works, sand bed works & membrane Strip footings Pad footings, allowance for posts, columns, etc. Precast concrete works Minor personnels works, framings, fixures, ties, supports, linkins and propping. Samples & testing; hobs; access, temporary work; curing; work for services, other trades; shop drawings; inspections, etc Brickwork, Blockwork And Other Solid Walls Work in existing areas Masonry work in wall infillingg patching , making good; scaffold, etc Subfloor masonry & retaining walls Subfloor single skin walls with piers Subfloor cavity walls Brickworks 110mm brickwork skin of : External masonry veneer, wall cavity, solid or other commons Internal wallworks, commons Brickwork for fireplace & smoke/chimney - not needed Additional for facebrickwork - not needed Joints, links, scaffold, cleanings, etc - accomodated in above.

Southem Star Corporation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Southem Star Corporation - Term Paper Example The cultural analysis undertaken includes a comparison of both cultures based on Hofstede’s four dimensions and Trompenaars’ universalism-particularism dimension. In addition, the communication styles are also compared and further peculiar cultural aspects are also discussed. It is found that power distance shows the greatest contrast between the two countries, which probably explains much of the miscommunication. In addition, the Moroccans are found to be more collectivistic, have stronger uncertainty avoidance, and in communication, are more indirect, implicit, affective and contextual. The consequences and implications are also discussed and recommendations are made based on these. Furthermore, there is a need for SSC to adapt to the Moroccan custom of hospitality and establishing close relationships, and most of all, to win the respect and trust of the Moroccan people. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 5 1.1 Outline and rationale 5 1.2 Purpose of the report 5 1.3 Th eoretical basis 6 1.4 Scope of the report 6 2. Problems being faced 7 2.1 First problem: alleged intimidation of locals 7 2.2 Second problem: opposition from NGOs 8 2.3 Third problem: legal tensions 9 3. ... 1.1 Outline and rationale This report compares the organizational culture of Southern Star Corporation and its New Zealand management style with the culture of Morocco. It uses the MBI (Map-Bridge-Integrate) model and primarily Hofstede’s model of cultural dimensions supplemented with appropriate dimensions from Trompenaar’s cultural model and other relevant aspects. Understanding the effect of culture on people’s behaviour is important because it helps to better manage them within a global context. It helps to know the norms of the target culture, the organisational climate and the suitable philosophy for relating with employees and customers. 1.2 Purpose of the report This report has been prepared as a direct response to the negative media reports on foreign companies mining in Morocco, and the subsequent decision by SSCs executive body to address the situation. As a cross-cultural management consultant for SSC, the main objective is to try to diffuse the situa tion through informing the company of the cultural aspects involved. Moreover, the aim is to help to create a socially responsible approach for the company to take with respect to its mining operation in the region with the involvement of the local population. 1.3 Theoretical basis The models used to explain the cultural differences highlighted in this report are grounded in international research on managers and workers. For example, Hofstede’s research is based on 116,000 IBM workers across 70 countries since the 1980s. The cultural profiles of nations are reflected in their management styles and practices. Trompenaars’ findings are also based on thorough research, on a survey of 15,000 managers across 28 countries and spanning a period of 10 years. 1.4 Scope of the report This report is focused on

Toyota's strategy for production efficiency Essay

Toyota's strategy for production efficiency - Essay Example ler’s end worked hand in hand to develop the sienna minivan so that in return Toyota could provide the much needed production values and techniques as far as automobile manufacturing was concerned, to Chrysler. This was seen as a one-off exercise, aimed at bridging the gap between Chrysler and Toyota, since each one of these companies was willing to learn a thing or two from the other’s realms. Chrysler was ready to share the information because it sought the help of Toyota in manufacturing the automobiles when it came to state of the art production techniques (Clifford 1998). Chrysler wanted to touch the benchmark in the industry and for that it was ready to go in an all-out fashion and work with the key automobile manufacturer, so that the benefits were mutual in the end. This was a very important merger for the two automobile manufacturers as the link provided for understanding each other’s strengths in their meticulous areas of expertise. Chrysler was willing to share its minivan know-how as it wanted to acquire the best of manufacturing skills and techniques, which is a very good initiative by the Chrysler make. In the end, the result was a win-win situation for everyone as quality was improved at both sides. 2. Many companies seek to cut costs and improve quality by introducing techniques such as just-in-time and quality circles. The results, however, often fall short of those achieved at Toyota. Why do you think this is the case? The results are usually lesser than expected. This is because the estimates are always based on the best practices but the on ground realities are usually different. The just-in-time and related quality mechanisms bank on the provision of quality at all costs, however what these processes forget is the fact that this is not always possible to reach new height and break fresh grounds. The companies thus have a hard time dealing with the improvement in quality and these techniques are not given much room to be exploited in the

Attitude Towards Women Essay Example for Free

Attitude Towards Women Essay One of the most prominent themes in the Canterbury Tales is the attitudes of the pilgrims towards women. There are two distinct sides in the dispute: that women are simply objects of lust that must never be trusted, and that women are highly respectable and loving. The Shipmans Tale starts off this debate with his depiction of women, which was less than favorable. The woman who is depicted in this tale is the wife of a merchant. She is not treated well by her husband, but certainly is not trustworthy or honorable herself. She sells her body to the best friend of her husband for a measly 100 francs. Her faithfulness to her husband was worth only a few extravagant garments for her to wear. It is her greed for these material goods that drives her into cuckolding her unsuspecting husband. Her worldly desires are more important than her marriage, and in the end she is hardly punished at all. She does manage to keep her husband from finding out, by saying that the Monk was simply repaying his debt and she used the money to buy some clothes. So, she gets away with a crime that would have dealt her a far greater punishment. This outcome, while it certainly wasnt perfect for the wife, was much less than she deserved (Rossignol). The Prioress steps in with the next tale, and takes a much different view. The Prioress herself is a very humble and well-mannered woman, as she is described in the General Prologue. She is also extremely compassionate towards all of Gods creatures. Her tale is a tribute to the greatest woman of all, the Virgin Mary. While it is a tribute to the Virgin, the focus of the story is more on the little boy and his widowed mother. The mother is greatly distressed at her sons disappearance, and is eventually led by Jesus himself to the place where her son has been tossed. The idea that Jesus himself was consorting with this woman and answering her prayers makes a strong statement. Jesus certainly would not aid an evil person, so this widow must have been virtuous and humble (Rossignol). And upon her finding of the little boy, the miracle of the Virgin Mary is presented. The boy, who had praised her and loved her throughout his short life, now sang because of the grain placed on his tongue by Mary herself. The story praises a woman who is unmatched in virtue by any mortal man, and shows a widowed mother to be humble and virtuous herself. Certainly a different view than was displayed in the Shipmans Tale. The tales of Chaucer himself followed the Prioress Tale. The first of which, the Tale of Sir Thopas, didnt take as strong stance on any attitude towards women as did the two tales that preceded it. It did, however, portray women to be objects of lust and affection which could put a man in grave danger. This is what the reader might expect from Chaucer, since he does place himself among some of the other rascals of the group in the General Prologue. The other rascals (the Reeve and Miller especially) had already told stories that depicted women as objects of male desire. Sir Thopas, the knight, left his hometown of Flanders because he had become bored with the local maidens. On his adventure, he dreamt of a beautiful Elf Queen, with whom he fell desperately in love (Ruud). He searched the forest in search of her, and vowed to never stop until her found her. When he met the three-headed giant who stood in his way, he went back home to prepare to fight. He was ready to risk his life to gain the love of the Elf Queen. The Elf Queen in this story is an object of lust and desire, much like the merchants wife in the Shipmans Tale. Since the story is cut short, though, the reader never gets a chance to see what this Queen is really like. All that is seen is that she has captured the heart of this young and noble knight, which has him risking his life in search of her. After Chaucers first sorry tale is cut short, he moves on to the Tale of Melibee. In this story some different attitudes towards woman are actually discussed verbally amongst the characters. Melibee talks of how all women are evil and none are good. But, his wife Prudence responds to that by saying that Jesus would never have been born to an evil woman, nor would he have appeared to a woman afte r his resurrection. So, not all women could be evil. This point is accepted by Melibee, as her point has been clearly made. Also, she points out women who have saved the lives of their husbands and who were truthful to them. As this argument continues, Prudence continues to sway Melibee to accept her argument. She does this with good intentions as well. She does not want her husband to go to war with these enemies of his which certainly could put them all in danger. By the end of the story, she has convinced him so thoroughly that he ignores the advice of his counsel, and follows her advice almost to the letter (Ruud). He does, however, give his enemies a bit of a verbal chiding against her wishes. It is quite possible that he did this simply to maintain himself as the sovereign lord of his estate, and to show Prudence that she has not gained complete mastery over him. This story takes an opposite approach towards women than Chaucer did in the Tale of Sir Thopas. But, since Chaucer does portray himself in the tales as a dunce, it is possible that this character is simply to doltish to make up his mind and take a solid stance on the issue. The Nuns Priest has the final say in the matter. The Priest is traveling with the Prioress, so before reading this tale one might think that he will be afraid to offend her. This story deals extensively on this issue, and has to main points which reveal the Priests attitude towards women. Chauntecleer quotes a Latin phrase that he says means that women are the bliss of men. However, the phrase actually said that women are mens ruin. So why did Chauntecleer lie to Pertelote when he told her this false translation? Well, quite possibly because he didnt want to upset her any further, and because he was about to spend the whole morning having sex with her. If he had upset her further, she may have turned him away. Chauntecleer also began to compliment her looks along with changing the meaning of the Latin phrase because he loved her and he wanted to make love to her. So, this is in fact showing that women are the bliss of men, since Chauntecleer is going out of his way to please Pertelote (Scala). By afternoon of the same day, the story takes quite a turn. Pertelote had criticized Chauntecleer for being so cowardly after his dream, and he flew down from his safe perch because of her insults. Because of this, his vision soon came true, and he was captured by the fox. If it had not been for Pertelote berating him because of his cowardice, he would have stayed in his perch in safety. Now, the true meaning of the Latin phrase is also shown as true, as Pertelote has caused the ruin of the great Chauntecleer. There is one substantial difference in this story, however. When Chauntecleer is taken away by the fox, Pertelote shrieks and is quite distressed, as the story emphasizes. She expresses genuine concern for Chauntecleer, unlike the wife in the Shipmans Tale and Dalilah in the Monks Tale. So, the Nuns Priests point on the matter is quite simple. Women are the bliss of men, but, whether intentionally or not, also bring about the ruin of the men they love. Works Cited Rossignol, Rosalyn. The Shipmans Tale. Critical Companion to Chaucer: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007.Blooms Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. Rossignol, Rosalyn. The Prioress Tale. Critical Companion to Chaucer: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007.Blooms Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. Scala, Elizabeth, and Michelle M. Sauer.The Nuns Priests Tale. In Sauer, Michelle M. The Facts On File Companion to British Poetry before 1600. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Blooms Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web. Ruud, Jay. The Tale of Sir Thopas. Encyclopedia of Medieval Literature. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Blooms Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Web.

Women and Gender in the Surrealist Movement

Women and Gender in the Surrealist Movement Surrealism refers to a kind of an abstract art. Surrealism is a product of Dada movement at the onset of the twentieth century. There several kinds of this form of art but the two distinct or major ones are the Veristic Surrealism and Automatism. Automatism is the kind of Surrealism, which received acceptance from the postwar art critics. Others consider surrealism a type of action painting. Artists do not consider surrealism a traditional form of art. Surrealism tends to deal with the inner thinking of the artist than the external visual reality. The Dada movement greatly influenced development surrealism as a twentieth century form art. The works of surrealists have elements of surprise and juxtapositions although the surrealists writers and artists consider their work as a means of expressing the philosophical nature of their movement .They also regard their work as artifacts. Andrà © Breton, the leader of the surrealist movement holds that Surrealism is a revolutionary movement. Surrealism emerged from the activities of Dada movement during the First World War. Surrealist movement had Paris as its most important center of operations. During the 1920s, surrealists spread their activities worldwide hence influencing literature, visual arts, music and film of many languages and countries, political thoughts and practices social theory and philosophy. The response by the women of the Surrealist movement to the refusal by their male counterparts to acknowledge the urgency and independence of women is quite evident in the artistic work of the women of surrealist movement. These women use animal imageries to resist and counter male control that is associated with the machine imagery. The use of wild animals as imageries expresses the essentially uncontrollable and wild nature of the female artists. Using nature and wild animals, the female surreal artists hope to counter the force of their male counterparts who prefer the use of controlling machines. Restricting the images and actions of women characterized surrealism especially the hesitation to acknowledge the female artists as independent. The male surrealists did not want to embrace the independent work of their female counterparts. The male surrealists expected the women to be their muse .the male surrealist artists regarded their female counterparts as a muse who is a child, insane or an erotic object and not one that represents an equally creative and capable artist. This woman forced to find ways of expressing their art beyond the confines of male expectations (Kelley, pgs 56). The women of surrealism were imaginative, bold and quite remarkable in different ways. These women were very active in surrealism even before the1924 in Paris appearance of the first manifesto of surrealism continues to illuminate and expand their artistic influence to date. This research paper highlights the quality, diversity, vitality and range of the female participants in the surrealist movement. The surrealists acknowledge the contribution of women to the surrealist movement and at times celebrate them but the women do not receive such recognition outside the Surrealist movement for their significant contribution. For example, there are very few books within the United States of America devoted to the subject of women and surrealism .the books tend to capture the contribution of individuals whose paintings and photography work still stand out in the art market posthumously. There is serious neglect on the work and contribution of the surrealist women who expressed their work mostly through written work. This kind of neglect results in the misapprehension of the surrealist movement and the maintenance of old stereotypes. Generalizing Surrealism based on painting alone is quite misleading and is a perfect recipe for misrepresentation of the roles played by the women in the surreal movement. Surrealism as a movement has never been composed of painters only but also includes ind ividuals engaged in other forms of art such as writing. There is glaring evidence of the many women poets, and thinkers who work is yet to receive proper recognition. These women contributed immensely to surrealism through ideas, which is a stimulus to imagination .Their ideas were like a liberating force and a source of inspiration to political, moral and poetic insurgency. The surrealist movement opposed de facto or overt segregation along ethnic, gender and political currents unlike many of the political and cultural currents of the twentieth century. The writings of women involved in surreal movement featured along the writings of their male counterparts. The writings by women for example featured during the issue of La Rà ©volution surrà ©aliste and their work formed part of the exhibitions by the surrealists. The surreal movement therefore benefitted greatly from the services of the women even more than some feminist organization due to their active participation in the move ment. Varo, 1955 .Figure 1(Kelley, pgs 56) The challenge, success and achievements of the women of the Surrealism movement are of great importance not only to the movement but also to the genuine seekers of inspiration, knowledge and a better world. Some of the writing by the women of the Surrealist movement is striking due to their contemporary nature and the anticipation of the present day cultural and radical preoccupations. The texts written by the Surrealist movement women thirty to sixty five years ago surpass the present day debates. Nancy Cunard made practical attempts to express her anti-racism convictions by engaging in African Jazz and African art rather than join in whiteness critique. This way, Nancy made her contribution to the liberation of blacks. The green thinking and environmental consciousness that characterize the activities of the surreal movement is quite amazing. The environmental consciousness and desire to live harmoniously with the wild is something to cherish. It is equally important to realize tha t the women in the surreal movement stressed and emphasized the relevance of incorporating ecological concerns into the work of the movement. Wildlife, wilderness and nature form an integral part of the compelling and inspiring themes in the activities of the surreal women. Leonora 1917 Figure 2(Gale, pgs 40). Through their work, the women of surreal movement highlight the relation between man and other animals. The women in the surreal movement drew attention to the threats facing the endangered species and expressing their solidarity with the endangered species. Through their work, the women of surreal moment advocates for sustainable lifestyles and non-exploitation of the planet .The women championed for ecological consciousness and dreamt of the realization of a healthy planet. In the dance, plastic arts and films writings and poetry by the women of surreal movement one gets the feel of the natural world as depicted in the new lights. Their caution of a planet in peril is consistent with most of their works highlighting their plight for environmental conservation and protection of the natural world. It is important to note the environmental concerns raised by the women of the surreal movement are manifesting themselves in the present day in form of climate change, which threatens the e xistence of many plants, animals and the livelihood of humankind. Carrington, Agar, Senard, Rahon and many others represent eco-feminism and forerunners of ecology (Gale, pgs 40). The women in the surrealist movement reoriented certain aspects of surrealism such the obsession with ones sexuality to interrogating femininity and highlighting the interplay between sexuality and gender. The women of surrealist movement managed to rewrite the metaphor of the violent disjunction that characterized surrealism into a positive narration of visionary transformation. The necessity and importance of surrealism to the generation of artists before the world is very significant. This group included Frida Kahlo, Leonora Carrington, Toyen, Dorothea Tanning and Rammedios Varo. Dorothea, 1984 Figure 3 (Dawn, pgs 30). The contribution of women artists to furthering surrealism goals include liberating consciousness from the western thought full of polarities, from positivism and rationalism to the poetry of transformation, accident, ambiguity and the erotic metamorphosis are evident in their works. This group of women became the initial female adherents of this radical and vanguard movement of the twentieth century to explore sexuality as well as gender issues and to contribute towards the self-structured new narratives through visionary thinking. It is important to note that other women who joined the surrealist movement later after the year 1929-experienced marginalization by from their male counterparts. These women neither were of French decent nor were they present during the Surrealist movements formative years. This group of women who did not consider themselves contributed a lot to the activities and works of the surrealist movement but their participation and contribution is yet to earn re cognition. They actively participated in the activities and the exhibitions of the surrealists. Their work continues to circulate in the public domain especially in venues such as the museums, art galleries and exhibitions. The diversity and scope of the work of the surrealist women is evident in their artistic work thus highlighting the various kinds of interactions they had with the surrealists. Leonor Fini did not consider herself as a surrealist despite her close friendship and ties with the surrealists. She is close to several members of surreal movement such as Leonora Garrington and Max Ernst. She also had her work formed part of surrealist exhibitions of the 1930s. The work of Leonor Fini is rooted in the traditions of metaphysics ,symbolism ,German and Italian romanticism. Her work evolved from her earlier figurative paintings to highly evocative symbolic and personal figurations. The probing and complex portraits from her work reveal powerful draughtsman-ship. Her work vei led romanticism in an n evocative and rich manner. The work was often theatrical, characterized by a visual universe in which women and animals acted as carriers of psychic forces (Dawn, pgs 30). Leonoras mother introduced Leonora to the Surrealist movement while she was still a young girl after her mother gave a book on surrealism. She later took up residence among the surrealists .Leonora produced paintings and writings anchored on the belief in transformations, spiritual and psychic journeys. Stella Snead had paintings that bore the imprint of Surrealism even though she joined the surrealists formally. This became evident during the 1936 surrealists exhibition in London. The work had the features synonymous with the work of the surrealists such the startling juxtapositions of real and unreal, logical and illogical, reality and dream, conscious and the unconscious. The younger generation of this group of artists includes Kaye Sage and Dorothea Tanning. She used the metallic colors and abstract forms to relate the paintings to hallucinatory mental landscapes associated with Yves Tanguy and the psychological inscapes by Matta (Breton, pgs 67). Tanning 1944,Figure 4 (Breton, pgs 67) It is important to acknowledge that most of the women associated with the surrealist movement remain individual and diverse group. Their great contributions to the Surrealism by incorporating new perspective to the work of the surreal movement remain a legacy to behoove. In conclusion, it is important to note that women played a critical role in development of all the genres of writings and arts. The women were instrumental in shaping the radical and critical outlook of surrealism. Thus, ignoring or overlooking the contribution of women to surrealism is a deception, which amounts to failing to acknowledge the best aspect of surrealist movement.

Thank You for Smoking? Essay -- Peter Brimelow Tobacco Essays

â€Å"Thank You for Smoking†¦?† Peter Brimelow brings to light an interesting idea in his essay â€Å"Thank You for Smoking†¦?† Brimelow’s purpose of his essay is to defend smoking. He provides the audience with information that is worthy of their consideration and valid enough to make them think twice about how they stand on the issue of smoking. Unfortunately, some flaws in Brimelow’s technique distract the audience from his message that smoking is not as unhealthy as it appears. A few mistakes transform his work from a well-written argumentative essay to an unsuccessful attempt to spread his beliefs. What started as an essay to rouse new views on the issue of smoking swiftly lost all merit and became a means to assail the people in opposition of the author’s views. Brimelow makes a gallant effort to prove his major claim, or main idea (McFadden). He wants to get the audience to concur with him that smoking is not an altogether unhealthy habit (Brimelow 141). However, mistakes in his essay begin with his major claim statement. When Brimelow writes that â€Å"smoking might be, in some ways, good for you† (141), he already puts doubts in the minds of the audience. Instead of feeling that the author is confident about his position on the subject, the audience picks up on the skepticism hidden in the words â€Å"might† and â€Å"some small ways.† Those qualifiers, or words and phrases that exclude some situations from his major claim (McFadden), leave the audience questioning who it is beneficial for and in what situations. Brimelow uses warrants, or peoples’ values (McFadden), to get them to coincide with his beliefs. Because Brimelow’s main claim is very disputable, he needs to find some way to catch the attention of the audience a... ... the mistakes he has made. When his audience looks back on the essay they have just read, his examples and facts about smoking that have been so keenly expressed will be unseen, because the focus will be on the unprofessional fallacies present in his work. In future works, it would be advantageous for Brimelow to be aware of these fallacies and to find a different means of approaching his rebuttal so that another strenuous effort will not be diminished into an unsuccessful attempt to disperse his beliefs. Works Cited Brimelow, Peter. â€Å"Thank You for Smoking†¦?† The Genre of Argument. Ed. Irene L. Clark. Boston: Thomson Heinle, 1998. 141-143. Clark, Irene L. The Genre of Argument. Boston: Thomson Heinle, 1998. McFadden, James. Introduction to Toulmin Method. Lecture. Sept. 13 & 14, 2003. Buena Vista University. Storm Lake, IA.

Scientific Developments During the Renaissance Essays -- European Hist

Scientific Developments During the Renaissance Historians often refer to the renaissance as a Scientific Revolution. It was during this period that Nicolas Copernicus first suggested the revolution of the Earth around the Sun. This was groundbreaking, as previous to this it was generally thought that the Earth was stationary, and all the planets, including the Sun, orbited the Earth. It was also Copernicus' theory that directly led to the discoveries of Kepler, Galileo and Newton. It could therefore be argued that Copernicus' discovery was the most important of the Renaissance. However, the huge advances in the field of astronomy often overshadow many of the developments in other scientific fields, where the scientists Vesalius, Harvey and Boyle also made an impact. Copernicus' theory, outlined in De Revolutionibus orbium coelestium (`On the Revolutions of Heavenly Bodies,' 1543) is often cited as the greatest discovery of the renaissance. However, at the time of its publication, in the year of Copernicus' death, the theory was widely disregarded. The historian Arthur Koestler comments that `it does not seem to have generated heated discussion.' Moreover, the theory wasn't wholly invented by Copernicus; it was merely revived from ancient texts, and the publication was postponed until the year of Copernicus' death, for fear of public reaction. The astronomer Galileo comments on this: Our teacher Copernicus, who though he will be of immortal fame to some, is yet by an infinite number (for such is the multitude of fools) laughed at and rejected. This evidence throws a somewhat uncertainty onto whether Copernican theory is as important as previously suggested. It would appear that the hypothesis made little or ... ... universe today. Kepler used mathematics to support and strengthen Copernican theory as well as hypothesising the laws of planetary motion. Galileo became well known, due to his findings with his telescope, whereas Copernicus' and Kepler's ideas were largely ignored. Galileo again proved Copernican theory by discovering sunspots and the infinity of the universe. I therefore suggest, in response to the question, that there was not one discovery in the renaissance that was more significant than the others, but that the work of these three scientists was equally significant, in that they provided evidence for an astronomical theory, that is still believed today. The discoveries in other fields such as medicine and chemistry were undoubtedly important, but I feel that the discoveries made by Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo were the most significant of the renaissance.

Humorous Wedding Speech †Two Best Men -- Wedding Toasts Roasts Speech

Humorous Wedding Speech – Two Best Men Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen. For those of you that are wondering why there are two best men standing up here, it’s perfectly simple. Arthur wanted to appoint a best man for the occasion, but sadly couldn’t find one, so he got two barely competent ones instead. So before I start, let me clarify the ‘role’ situation. Dennis, Arthur’s university friend and very trustworthy, was responsible for carrying the rings in church. I am Steve, Arthur’s childhood friend and very good with lager (beer). I was responsible for organizing the stag weekend (bachelor’s party). We both had the responsibility of getting him to the church on time, smartly dressed and sober†¦ but neither of us could achieve that last part. And, regrettably, we have both been asked to give a short speech. So why does it take two of us to describe the bridegroom? Well, as the man in Moss Bros said, 'There's a lot to fit in'. But you can rest assured that I’ll be keeping my part brief†¦ as I know the other bloke (guy) can drone on for hours! So what can I tell you about Arthur Wilson? He is my oldest friend and I’m convinced that without his guiding hand while we were growing up I would have been half the man I am today†¦ and certainly twice as popular. From an early age we lived a few doors away from each other, so not only did we become great friends we also became great rivals, and obviously ... ...y became trapped in the sticky beer socked carpet, the music was too loud for a conversation and it was pretty dark as well. Everything was in Arthur's favour! Playing hard to get though, Linda tells me it was months before she fell for Arthur. But having witnessed how quickly they progressed to a cat and five kittens, I'm not so sure. Ladies and gentlemen, thanks for listening to Steve and myself. If you’re having a fantastic time today - which I’m sure you all are - that’s a direct result of the months of hard work and meticulous planning by Arthur and Linda. They have done an incredible job to make this a truly wonderful wedding, so please all stand as I propose this toast – to the bride and groom.

Josephine Baker: Racial Refugee Comes Home

One hundred years ago a star was born, but its light, like that of real stars, took many years to reach us. Josephine Baker, dancer, actress and singer, shone on the stages of France long before she was accepted here in her native country. Having escaped from the poverty of her early childhood, Baker became a legendary performer in France only to be dismissed by American audiences of the 30s. Her story, fortunately, does not end there, as the changing social climate led to Baker’s eventual return and her efforts in the civil rights movement.Though it took decades, the â€Å"Black Venus† finally claimed her place in the history of American entertainers. Baker’s early family life was a world away from the life of glamour she was to later lead in France. Born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis, Missouri in 1906, Baker was subjected to the racial prejudices of the times as a result of her mixed Native American and African-American origin. Sources vary on the ident ity of Baker’s father, but the official version lists Eddie Carson, a vaudeville drummer, and Carrie McDonald, a â€Å"washerwoman,† as Baker’s parents.As an infant, Josephine was taken by her mother to winerooms and vaudeville houses where her father performed (Haney 1981, p. 6). St. Louis had an important music scene at the time, and this certainly had quite an impact on the young Freda. Carson soon abandoned mother and child, and Baker’s mother married another man, Arthur Martin, with whom she bore a son and two more daughters. Martin, often unemployed, could not support the household, and so Baker’s childhood was spent cleaning, babysitting and waitressing.Baker describes working for the â€Å"Mistress,† a wealthy white woman, in her autobiography, where she was required to get up at five in the morning (Baker and Bouillon 1977, p. 3): â€Å"There was coal to fetch, the stove to stoke, chamber pots and spittoons to empty, bed to make wo od to cut, the kitchen clean. † She did manage to go to school, but then worked after school as well, sleeping in the Mistress’s cellar at night. Baker was only seven years old. Haney (1981, p.10) suggests that Josephine’s mother harbored resentment against her daughter, blaming her for the loss of Carson; perhaps this, along with the family’s poverty, explains why Carrie McDonald sent her daughter to the Mistress. Josephine finally returned home after the Mistress was arrested for physically abusing her, but Josephine wound up living much of the time with her grandmother and aunt as her relationship with her mother deteriorated even further. Baker’s feelings for the country of her birth were always to be influenced by the experiences of her youth in Missouri.In her autobiography, she recounts the story of seeing her neighborhood go up in flames and seeing a black man beaten when whites decided to avenge the alleged rape of a white woman in July of 1917. Upon leaving her house to find the conflagration, Baker said she thought she was looking at the Apocalypse (1977, p. 2). Jean-Claude Baker and Chase (1993, p. 30) reject Baker’s claim to have witnessed the St. Louis race riots, arguing that she only learned the story later from others. In any case, such an event was to leave a lasting impression on Josephine.Not surprisingly, she was to leave St. Louis at a young age in search of a more promising future. In Josephine’s youth, a brighter future was not available to her through education – she could only escape through marriage. At the age of only 13, Josephine married Willie Wells, a man more than twice her age (Baker and Chase 1993, p. 36). The marriage was illegal and short-lived (to be followed by five more marriages over the years), and Josephine was destined to return to her mother’s house. Her true escape came when she joined the St. Louis Chorus line, where she was an instant hit.Baker was soo n touring with vaudeville troops, performing skits. Though audiences loved Josephine, she faced racism in town after town, where she faced the Ku Klux Klan and segregation (Haney 1981, p. 29). Baker continued her rise to stardom, though, when in 1921 she landed a role in the Broadway production of Shuffle Along, despite original concerns that she was too dark for the part. As the show became a hit, Josephine made an enormous salary for the time. When the production came to St. Louis, Josephine performed before a mixed audience, but the blacks were restricted to the balcony seating.Josephine’s biological father, Eddie Carson, reportedly showed up to ask to be hired for the show, only to be rejected (Haney (1981, p. 39). Baker followed up her success with a role in The Chocolate Dandies in 1924 and became a legend in connection with the Harlem Renaissance in 1925 at The Plantation Club. The real turning point came later in 1925, though, when Baker made her debut in Paris with J oe Alex and the Danse Sauvage in La Revue Negre at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees. The audience loved Baker, who danced wearing only a feather skirt.From there, she went on to tour Europe and eventually star in La Follie du Jour at the Follies-Begere, often appearing with her pet leopard and dancing in a skirt made of bananas. She was to star in two movies, ZouZou and Princess Tam-Tam in the mid-thirties, by which time she was one of the highest paid entertainers in Europe (Official Site). In 1936, though, Baker was to be forcefully reminded of the barriers African-Americans were facing in her native country when she returned to the United States to star in the Ziegfield Follies.Unpopular with American audiences and critics, Baker was eventually replaced by Gypsy Rose Lee. In fact, Josephine met the realities of American racism as soon as she got off the boat from France, as she was refused a room in several New York hotels because of her color. Miki Sawada, Baker’s maid at t he time, was with her and described what happened (Baker and Chase 1993, p. 191): â€Å"I could not believe this could be the same woman I had seen in Europe, standing triumphant on the stage, showered with flowers.Here she was huddled before me on the floor, weeping. † In publicity photos for the production, Baker was lit so that she would appear lighter. She wrote to a friend, â€Å"†¦be assured, if I want to make a telephone call in the street, I’m still a negresse† (Baker and Chase 1993, p. 196). After the newspaper critics panned her performances, the show closed and Baker returned to France. Despite her experience in the thirties, Baker returned to America in the fifties and sixties to work to advance civil rights for people of color.The most famous instance occurred when Baker worked with the NAACP to protest segregation at The Stork Club. Animosity brewed as a result between Baker and gossip columnist Walter Winchell, which led to Baker’s nam e being tainted in the Red Scare of the McCarthy era. Baker found other ways to combat racism as well, adopting twelve multiethnic children who came to be known as the â€Å"Rainbow Tribe. † The first of her children, a son, was an â€Å"occupation† baby, a baby of mixed Japanese and Western race from Tokyo.Other adoptees hailed from Finland, Columbia, Canada and Israel (Baker and Bouillon 1977, p. 192-196). By the time of her death in 1975, Josephine Baker had accomplished more in her lifetime than anyone could possibly have imagined was possible for an African-American woman born at the beginning of the century. Not only did Baker manage to overcome the poverty and social limitations of her youth, she emerged as legendary entertainer, a champion of civil rights and a mother to so many who came from homes and situations as bleak as her own had been.Despite the many occasions on which her fellow Americans rejected her, Baker never gave up on her homeland and used her e xperiences as motivation to work toward a better society. The spate of biographies and the documentary of her life that have sprung up in the last two decades are a sign of the changing social climate and racial relations in America, as well as a sign of the longevity of Baker’s legacy. Bibliography Baker, J.and Bouillon, J. (1977) Jospehine. New York, Harper & Row Publishers. Baker, J. C. and Chase, C. (1993) Josephine: The Hungry Heart New York. Random House. Biography. Available from: The Official Site of Josephine Baker, Josephine Baker Estate c/o CMG Worldwide [Accessed 19 October 2006]. Haney, L. (1981) Naked at the Feast: A Biography of Josephine Baker. New York, Dodd, Mead & Company.

Describe the Factors to Take Into Account When Planning Healthy and Safe Indoor and Out Door Environments and Services

Support Children And Young People’s Health And Safety 1. 1 The Factors To Take Into Account When Planning Healthy And Safe Indoor And Outdoor Environments And Services There are a number of factors that must be taken into account when planning for health and safety. *The individual needs of the child – These must be considered along with the age and ability so when planning for the children make sure the resources used are age and stage appropriate and they carry the safety marks. There must be specialist equipment for children with specific needs Specific risks – For a child who has a hearing impairment you would need to provide visual aids for them or sign language so they are aware of the health and safety for example if the child was running indoors you could show them a visual aid of a picture where it’s made clear that you walk not run. Placing pictures of hands being washed near the toilets also teaches them to wash their hands when they have been t o the toilet. Make sure you are always within sight of the child whist also allowing them to enjoy their environment. Parent and carers – You need to take into account the needs of parents and carers so give them information on health and safety or if they can’t read, hold meetings. For those where English is not their first language give out information written in their home language. *Function and purpose of the environment – When planning an activity make sure it’s the right environment for the activity. If you were using bikes and scooters you would ensure they were used in the correctly and with plenty of space so in my setting we would not use them indoors as there is not enough space, they would only be used outside. When using the environment its important the children have the space that is required for the planned activity. When using outdoor environments make sure the plants and garden furniture do not pose a threat. Also make sure there is no dog or cat mess in the garden and that rubbish is removed on a daily basis. A varied environment supports children learning and development, it gives them confidence to explore and learn in safe and secure yet challenging indoor or outdoor space. Duty of care – The children’s health and welfare is always paramount when doing any planning and we have a legal obligation to ensure they are safe at all times. Risk assessments should be carried out for all activities and regular checks should be carried out around the setting daily. The toilet area should also be checked to make sure it is clean and has toilet paper and soap available for the children to wash their hands. Support Children And Young People’s Health And Safety 1. 1 The Fac tors To Take Into Account When Planning Healthy And Safe Indoor And Outdoor Environments And Services Outcomes for children and young people – It is important that the activities we provide have clear aims and objectives and that whilst the children and young people enjoy the activity they also feel safe and secure and that no unnecessary risks have been taken. *Lines of responsibility and accountability – Everyone working in a setting should be aware of the health and safety policies and that they have a responsibility for the safety of the children and staff. Risk assessment must be carried out and the risks assessed and introduce measures to manage the risks. Any equipment must be removed if it’s broken or has sharp edges. All staff must take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others when undertaking their work, they should check all areas are safe, check equipment and ensure safe working procedures are followed. *Comfort of the children – Make sure you have enough space for the children to carry out activities safely. The temperature of the setting needs to be comfortable and sufficient lighting and air, there must always be fresh drinking water.

Body Shop

Anita Roddick, OBE, and The body Shop International Plc FEDBACK FOR QUESTION WEEK 3 for week commencing 19. 03. 12 1. Evaluate the Financial Position of the Company (at the time of the case study) and comment upon the apparent success or otherwise of its strategy, based on your findings. Introduction We may consider a company’s strategy from a number of aspects, but generally we are interested in answering the question: How well is the company’s present strategy working? To understand and analyse success in terms of strategy, we must begin by understanding what the strategy is.From Thompson, Strickland and Gamble (2012) we might examine the following areas * Identify competitive approach * Low-cost leadership? * Differentiation? * Best-cost provider? * Focus on a particular market niche? * Determine competitive scope * Broad or narrow geographic market coverage? * In how many stages of industry’s production/distribution chain does the company operate? * Examine r ecent strategic moves * Identify functional strategies We can also assess performance in terms of both quantitative measures (financial and strategic achievements against budget, plans, etc. and look to see if its performance is above or below the industry average. We can also look at qualitative measures (such as brand awareness /status, consumer attitudes to the company, and so on). There is only limited information in the case regarding some of these areas, but I will attempt to look first at the strategy followed by Body Shop, then at the financial ratios based on its figures, non-financial measures and then finally draw conclusions that attempt to answer the question.Strategy being followed by Body Shop Porter’s Generic strategies, as amended by Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson (2002) are shown below. If we consider first, their competitive approach, there is no evidence in the case study that Body Shop has any concern about Cost Leadership, and in fact we know from the Tradi ng Charter and Mission (case, page 539) that the firm pays above market rates for goods it buys from suppliers in poorer countries, where it can, which is not something a cost-leadership company would normally do.We also have plentiful evidence from the case that Body Shop occupies a unique position in the cosmetics retailing industry, as it takes a highly principled stance on many issues, as indicated in my earlier answer to question 2, and shown in the firm’s mission statement, which mentions many areas of Corporate Social Responsibility – ecological and ‘green’ issues, human and civil rights, against animal testing of cosmetics, and so on. The company must therefore be following a Differentiation strategy.The question then is whether this is broad or narrow in focus, as suggested by Thompson, Strickland and Gamble, as mentioned earlier – their competitive scope. The decision here rests on how one defines the market: Body Shop is a retailer that a lso manufactures, within the cosmetics industry. It is a specialist retailer, not selling anything apart from its own products and is not configured and structured like bigger retailers such as – in the UK – House of Fraser, Debenhams, Boots, Marks and Spencer or Tesco, all of whom retail cosmetics amongst many other product ranges.I therefore conclude that Body Shop is a Focused Differentiator. Firms that seek differentiation, according to Porter, seek higher profit margins through finding something unique about themselves, which consumers value more than the offerings of competitors. In the case of Body Shop we might see this as being their highly visible and principled ethical stance, and the range of products which they sell, being organic, fair trade and ethically produced and traded, so their competitive approach and scope is Focus Differentiation, as such a stance is not likely to appeal to all shoppers.Similarly, some, at least would be indifferent to the organ ic/fair trade/human rights etc appeal of the stores and others might consider the range of products to be relatively limited and not of sufficiently high brand status, as the products in Body Shop stores fit in price and value terms between the low-cost products offered in stores like Sainsbury and Tesco, and the high-end cosmetics of Helena Rubenstein, Elizabeth Arden etc, sold via stores such as House of Fraser and Debenhams.In terms of recent strategic moves, we can see from the case only that the firm has expanded reasonably quickly, via franchising mostly; from the case it seems that about 80% of stores are franchised out. In terms of functional strategies, we can see the small amount of vertical integration mentioned in the case, whereby the largest part of the business is involved in running the owned shops and franchise, and a small amount of manufacturing in terms of soap products, etc.It is important to note that for the next section, examining Body Shop’s finances, the franchising approach is important, as it has a major impact on revenues – however successful a store is, the majority of revenues will go to the franchisee, not the Body Shop. According to Cavusgil, Knight and Reisenberger (Called CKR in future – from p 246), the initial revenue to Body Shop will be from the franchising fee, but then they will get regular revenues from product sales to the stores and from the royalty fees. This is likely to amount to about 30% of revenue in total (25% from product charges and 5% royalty fee).Body Shop’s Financial Position We are asked to evaluate the firm’s financial position. Briefly, Body shop is a retailer that sells in around 45 countries and uses a mixed mode of Franchising and FDI though investing in owned retail stores. So far as I can tell, about 80% of the 1,208 stores are franchised. Franchising is a particular form of retail expansion, where, according to Cavusgil, Knight and Reisenberger, an entrepreneur buys into an established brand system. The best known franchise is probably McDonalds, but Body Shop is a medium-sized international franchise, given its range of countries and umber of stores (much smaller than McDonalds, which has over 33,000 restaurants worldwide, and annual revenues (2010) of about ? 15 billion. I will come back to this more modern data later in my answer. When examining the financial basis of a business, there are – according to Thompson Strickland and Gamble – five areas which can be studied – 1. Profitability (the profits made by the business on its activities), 2. Liquidity (the ability of a business to pay its debts [creditors] and collect money from customers [debtors]), 3.Leverage (the amount of money invested in the business by shareholder – v – the amounts borrowed from financial institutions, to fund the business and invest in its future), 4. Business Activities (amounts of stock held in the business, how quickly it t urns over, and so on), and 5. Stockholder Interests (the amount of money paid in dividends, value changes in share prices, etc. ) * According to the lecture notes in week 10, Ratio analysis can be used to: * Compare the performance of a company over a period of time. Compare the performance of your own company with that of one of your competitors or the industry sector. * Detect weaknesses in aspects of your operations, e. g. debt management, stock levels etc. which you can improve. * Assess a company's exposure to short term risk through its liquidity (ability to meet debts). * Determine a company's profitability. Much of this data is useful only when considered against the performance of other firms and we have no data from the case to illustrate any of this. However, I have approached the financial situation analysis in two ways.First I look at the basic ratios for the firm and comment on them; second, I have compared the latest data for Body shop, with a number of its contempora ries, both in retail and in franchising, in order to make some valid comparisons. Profitability the commonest ratios are Profit before Interest payments on loans, Taxation, Depreciation and other fixed costs like mortgage payments. Often referred to as operating profit or EBITDA; for Body Shop in 1995 I have calculated this as Profit for the year/turnover*100 (from figures, case pp553/4), this is 33. 5/219. 7*100 = 15. 24%.Calculated in the same way, net profit would be 21. 8/219. 7*100 = 9. 9%. Liquidity the commonest ratio here would be the Current Ratio, which measures balance of current assets against current liabilities, which for Body Shop yields a ratio of 2. 29:1. Similarly the Quick Ratio, which is a similar calculation but ignoring inventory or stock, would yield a ratio of 0. 83:1. This indicates that the business is not perfectly liquid and would struggle a little to pay off all of its debts (a ratio of 1:1 indicating perfection here) – but this is not seen as a p roblem when the ratio is over 0. . Without any share price data it is impossible to calculate meaningful ratios for stockholders, so we can only note that the dividend paid to shareholder appears high, at ? 11. 50 per share for 1995 (case, p. 554). A major measure for stockholders, however, might be Return on Shareholders equity, as this is the best comparison to the return that the investor might make if he or she had invested their money in a bank Savings account. For Body Shop I calculate this as: Net profit/Total Equity*100 or 21. /110. 6*100 = 19. 7%. However, these numbers by themselves, tell us only that the business is profitable and is a sound going concern, with a decent profit margin and a fair coverage against its debts. For shareholder it is making a very good return on invested amounts of nearly 20% – at a time when savings accounts would maybe have yielded 6%) and is paying a handsome dividend. We might conclude that the business is financially sound, therefore .Moreover, using Franchising as a way to expand internationally is a relatively low cost and low-risk method, according to CKR, as the franchisee pays for the initial setting up of the store; the stock; staff recruitment and training; and advertising and promotion. They also pay – in this case – to Body Shop PLC for the stock they must subsequently sell in their store and the franchise royalties on turnover. This is a very effective business model and allows a strategy of international expansion to take place reasonably quickly and at reasonably low risk. Conclusions General comments about the success of the strategy and body Shop’s financesBased on this evidence, it is possible to state that Body Shop’s financial position is clearly comfortable and they appear to have a sensible strategy for international expansion, which is sustainable, in that they have transferred the majority of risk for their expansion to the franchisee. The group should be able to comfortably expand its foreign operations in this manner, for a number of years. However, at the moment, as I indicated in my answer to question 1, the company at present has a very simple structure and this may have to change as the number of stores, and the number of countries in which they operate, continues to grow.We also know, from my answer to question 2, that in terms of what we might call non-financial measures, Body Shop is highly regarded as an excellent example of an Ethical and Corporately Responsible company. We might therefore conclude that both the financial and non-financial evidence as presented supports the view that B0dy Shop is a well-run business and has a sensible strategy that will allow it to expand. Comments updating Body Shop’s Position Without comparative data, however, it is impossible to make much more of an analysis or draw conclusions from the business.We know that the case ends in 1995/6 and that about ten years after this, the firm was sold t o L’Oreal, a very large, French-based cosmetics producer. This caused some controversy as it was not clear if L’Oreal still tested products on animals (they do) and if so, how such a principled owner as Anita Roddick could sell out to a large corporate that seemed to embody many of the things she had supposedly dedicated both her personal and professional life to fighting. However, the sale went ahead and the business has been part of the French company now for 7 years.Today (2011) it has expanded to 2,748 stores, of which 1,639 (59%) are franchised. This is interesting as it tells us that the proportion of franchised stores has fallen since 1995, even though the number of stores has more than doubled in 16 years. This would indicate a change in strategy, but it is not clear whether this was pre or post the L’Oreal takeover. Finally, in order to look at Body Shop in comparative terms, I prepared data for them and a number of rivals, which is presented below. | | Revenue ? billion| EBITDA ? million| EBITDA %| Net profit? million| Net Profit %| House of Fraser| | 0. 596| 36. 8| 6. 7| 8. 2| 1. 3| Debenhams| | 2. 112| 189. 7| 8. 98| 97. 0| 4. 6| Boots| | 23. 330| 1,444. 0| 6. 17| 221. 0| 0. 9| Marks and Spencer| | 9. 50| 852. 0| 9. 00| 523. 0| 5. 5| Tesco| | 60. 93| 3,810. 0| 6. 25| 2,670. 0| 4. 4| Body Shop| | 1. 01| 144. 4| 14. 2| 41. 2| 4. 1| McDonalds| | 15. 06| 4,670. 6| 31. 0| 3,093. 1| 20. 5| I chose data for several large retailers, like Tesco and M&S who sell at least comparative products to Body Shop, House of Fraser and Debenhams because they sell higher level products and McDonalds as the most obvious franchiser example.Regarding the large retailers, although Body Shop remains a small business, internationally speaking (just about ? 1 billion in turnover), its net profit margins are at the top end of those of its retailing rivals, but fall well short of its main franchise rival. My conclusion which I made at the end of question 2â €™s answer – that I am sure the impact of the ethical stance affects the performance of the company – is thus thrown into some doubt, but it would need much more research into the comparative financial data in order to prove or disprove this view.

Human development Essay

Life starts at conception. Immediately fertilization takes place changes and events occur that will determine the kind of person to be born. This research tries to find out the effect of early life on the later life of an individual. And if early life affects the later life of the individual, then do children who grow up in violent communities have a tendency to exhibit violent behaviors as adults? The research will apply the cross-sectional design. People who differ in age are studied at the same time. A comparison of age related changes and the social behavior is done. A hypothesis is put forward and a cross-sectional experiment is done to test it. One advantage of this design is that one can collect data from different ages of children over a short period of time. Stages of human development After fertilization takes place, the zygote is formed. The zygote undergoes cell division some hours after it is formed. It takes one week to reach the uterus. In the uterus there occurs implantation. The zygote makes connection to the blood vessels. This process takes about one week(Brian & Scott, 2005). After the zygote completely implant into the uterus, it becomes the embryo. This stage occurs between the 3rd week and the 9th week. During this stage the human body structure start to develop. The internal organs also start developing. The embryo consist of three layers: the ectoderm, the outer layer; the endoderm, the middle layer and the endoderm, inner layer. The ectoderm develops into the skin and hair; the mesoderm develops into bones , cartilages and the cardiovascular system ; the third layer develops into the internal organs . The heart start beating after four weeks. By 8 most body organs can be seen in although not well developed. Brian and Scott, 2005 ). The embryo rest in the amniotic sac which contains amniotic fluid. This fluid protects it. The embryo is connected to the mother via the placenta and the umbilical cord. The development of the embryo follows two principles: the cephalocaudal i. e it develops from head towards the legs and the proximodistal – the parts near the centre of the body develops first e. g the arm develops before the hands (Lichtenberg & Norton,1970). The third stage is the Fetus stage. This stars from the ninth week. At this stage, most body organs start to work. There is remarkable increase weight. During this period, the body systems like the respiratory system develop. The fetus can move and play in the uterus. It can hear the heart mother’s hear beat and the mother speak. It can detect flavor. The fetus’s senses are developed. The sensory influence can have a lifetime effect on the fetus. A research done by deCasper and Spence( cited in Lorraine ) shows that the last few months of prenatal developments can shape the life of the newborn infant. It can have either positive or negative effect on the infant. For instance extreme stress in the mother can have several effects: First, the stress tigress the production of hormones which reduces the level of oxygen consumption of the fetus. Second, stress may affect eating habits of the mother thus affecting the fetus in turn. Third, it may cause the mother not to take onto account resting, exercising and may influence her to drink. All these have negative effect on the fetus (Joseph , & Sandraw,1994). The mother’s age. The mother’s age seems to have an effect on the newborn baby. For instance teenage mothers mothers are likely to have problems during pregnancy and during birth. This is because they may not have the resources and skills to give them a good prenatal care. Again children born by teenage mothers may have problems. However a study ( Leavitt, 1993) revealed that it is the environmental and economic background that affect the child and not necessarily the age of the mother. Also the prenatal care given to the mother determines the behavior of the child. Nevertheless, older women, over 35 years experience more problems during pregnancy than younger women. They also record higher rates of miscarriage and Down ’s syndrome (Cited in Nelson). In general, for a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby, the age of the mother should be between 20 to 35 years. Teratogens. : Drugs, deseases and environmental harzards. Teratotegen is anything that affect a pregnancy. Some teratogens are: Drugs: Many drugs consumed by pregnant women pose great danger to the fetus and the mother. This was discovered after a drug called thalidomide caused women to bear children with malformed body organs. Thalidomide was being used by pregnant women to assist them sleep Other examples of teratogens are alcohol, cocaine, caffeine, nicotine and cigarettes. Joseph & Sandraw, 1994). Diseases: Some diseases do not have any serious effect on the pregnant women. However most viral and bacterial diseases have effect on the pregnancy. The most serious ones are AIDS, gonorrhea, syphilis and genital herpes. These may cause low immune system and various disorders in the unborn (Lichtenberg & Norton, 1970). Environmental hazards: The wastes from the industries contain chemicals. These chemicals may be absorbed into the mother’s body in small quantities through breathing and drinks. These cause great damage to the fetus since they are teratogens. Environmental teratogens are more serious because the mother may not be aware that she is taking it. Thus she may not have control over it. (Joseph &Sandraw, 1994). However some teratogens may be avoided especially those found in food as food additives. Freud(1954) suggested that life starts at birth. Most psychoanalysts of his time believed so. They believed that the brain developed at infancy. Winnicot(cited in Freud) did a research which found that the experience of the unborn is very important the infant. It could have emotional implications that could affect the person even as an adult. Winnicott observed children and saw that there very many differences. He noted that problems caused during labor could traumatize the baby who develops a lot of distress. He conclusively said that the experience gained in the womb remain in memory for a lifetime. In the womb, traumatized fetus even develops defensive mechanisms to face the expected trouble. Later research therapists conducted research and were able to conclude that early trauma created a lot of fear for the rest of the life of the infant. The feelings of anxiety, seeing being devoured by ogres, falling into a bottomless bit are as a result of early trauma. An example is given of an infant who was mistakenly exposed to cold in a very cold night (Lorraine). This child always dreamt lying in the refrigerator and this continued even after 30 years. This shows that early trauma caused the infant to expect disaster at any time. However the discovery of the effect of perinatal trauma on the life of an individual helped therapists to treat patients with problems related to early trauma (Freud, 1954). Recent research by perinatal psychologists, neurobiologists, experimental psychologists has shown great connection of fetal trauma to problems experienced later in life. Initially biologists used to think that the fetus had incomplete myelination of neurons and therefore it could not have memories. Research shows that the thinly myelinated nerves of fetus can transmit waves but at a lower rate. Joseph et al.. Thus the experience gained in the womb may make one to be aware of violence, disaster lack faith. With this in mind, parents have started to consider the unborn as part of the member of the family. A father who played a game with a baby and the mother found that the next baby easily learnt the game. These parents tried to avid any experiences that may cause fetal distress (Lichtenberg & Norton,1970). Fourteen independent studies have shown the relationship between antenatal maternal anxiety and emotional distress in the child. Prenatal stages are likely to be affected by antenatal stress. These reports have suggested that maternal distress affect the fetus as evidenced by increased fetal heart rate (FHR). This is done by use of ultrasound and monitoring FHR over long periods of time. Both the experimental and distress –induced study design have been employed to achieve this. For a normal case, at about the 15th week of the pregnancy fetal movements exhibit a certain pattern. As developments progress the fetal movements become dependent on specific heart rate pattern. These patterns finally develop into sleep-wake patterns which characterize stable temporal origination near term. There is a relationship between body movements and FHR accelerations. Fetal behavior is organized in rest – activity or sleep- wake cycle (Lichtenberg & Norton, 970). Effect war and social violence Family violence and trauma caused by war are passed through generations. Adults who were exposed to abuse and violence are more likely to show violence to their own offspring. They have difficulty forgetting their past and live normally. War and violence are everywhere in our societies. Many ethnic clashes continue for years and our children are being exposed to their effects. The children are being thought that disputes are being solved by use of violence. This violence is passed from generation to generation. Research and behavioral science has began to confront the problems of children exposed to violence. (Heidi, 2002). Over the last few decades, there has been an increase in the prevalence of domestic violence. Domestic violence has severe effect on families and society in general. Domestic violence can be in the form physical abuse, psychological abuse and sexual abuse. Exposure to violence creates traumatic stress. Traumatic stress can be either short term or long-term. Terr ( cited in Brian & Scott, 20005) describes short term trauma as â€Å"Type I† e. g a single event of rape or beating. He described repeated or prolonged trauma as â€Å"Type II†. Type II has more serious effects than type I. Individual exposed to this kind of trauma may develop Post Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD makes one to show routine withdrawal and oversensitivity. Many children from domestic violence homes show levels of (PTSD) (Leavitt, 1993). If untreated, the children exhibit violent behaviors, delinquency and other social and psychological problems. Since young child do have the ability to express themselves verbally, the emotional problems developed are behavioral such as lack of sleep, feeding problems, inability to concentrate, withdrawn and physical complaints. The pre-adolescents child may in addition to the above problems show loss of interest in peers, poor self concept violence,, defiant behavior and temper out bursts. Adolescents are likely to fail academically and start abusing drugs. Youth who exhibit violent behaviors can be traced to families experiencing domestic violence. An estimated 20% 30% of dating teenagers abuse or are being abused by their partners mentally, sexually, emotionally or physically. Between 30% and 50 % of adult relationships show the same cycle of violence (Leavitt, 1993) Nelson ( 2000), points out that community violence also has an impact on children who were victimized or who witnessed member of community or family members being victimized get affected. The effect of violence spread to even those children who are not directly affected by violence. Violence tampers with activities of the child which might make the child a better person. Impact of violence on the child depends on the level of development of the child. Early exposure to violence is more detrimental than later exposure( p. 266) In 1995 FBI report it reported that 27% of all violent crime involved domestic violence. All forms of violence affect the child’s mind. One study was done to show the connection between the brain and someone’s violence. Psychologists observed brain imaging data for a great number of people with violent behaviors. The research focused on specific brain regions. One was the orbital frontal cortex and the amyglada. The results showed that most of the cases, there was absence of normal activity in the orbital and anterior regions. While the shoed normal activity. The two regions will not counteract and this may explain some people are hyper aroused ( Lorraine).

Outsourcing And Project Valuation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Outsourcing And Project Valuation - Essay Example Typically the service that they share is not considered their core-business and the firms that are outsourced specialize in those specific types of work. The outsourced organizations are referred to as - centers for shared services – and are in charge of handling and executing of specific operational tasks, such as human resources, payroll, legal, compliance, security. Outsourcing could take the form of hiring service providers who handle the distinct business processes, for example, employee benefits management (Brown and Wilson 2005). Currently the management in the organization has not outsourced any service, but plan to use the shared services. The organization is a small computer store and has lately experience massive growth in revenues. This has brought the strain to meet the finance and administrative tasks to support the core program work. Management feels the need for a more professional touch to the operation of the organization since it is dissatisfied with the per formance of the in-house paid staff or pro bono professionals. The impact of not finding better solutions to the transactional and accounting service has been high staff turnover, inefficiency and burnout, cash flow crises, loss of funding, missed opportunities etc. At best, the negative impacts have posed as great distraction for the leaders and have stunted the growth and sustainability. The perceived benefits of using shared service centers have motivated the management to consider this outsourcing option. The decision to outsource has been put down by the strategic managers and they have arrived at that by brainstorming through the stages. First, they have developed the organization’s principal about the role of outsourcing activities by strategic thinking. Second, the evaluation and selection phase has led them to decide on the appropriate projects to consider outsourcing and the service providers to select. Third phase involved contract development, outlining the legal work and service level agreement terms. Finally management has considered refining the ongoing working relations between the clients and outsourced service providers. In the plan to use outsourcing the consideration has been the success index. This depends on three factors: timely and efficient communication to affected staff; client’s position to manage the service providers; and executive-level support in the outsourcing mission in the client organization. Management realizes that the service provider being outsourced needs a combination of skills in areas such as, communication, negotiation, project management and the ability to understand the terms and conditions of the contracts. Most importantly is the service providers’ willingness to change with the changing business needs. DQ2-Measuring return on investment (ROI) How does your company/organization measure returns on investments (ROI) in IT? What process is in place to approve  projects, and what weight, if a ny, is given to using financial metrics in the project approval process? The managing director of the computer store has established a performance measure to evaluate the efficiency of the investment in IT by the company. The ROI metric is popular in the company because of its simplicity and versatility and it can clearly show if the investment has a positive ROI or otherwise. Adopting the ROI measure was encouraged by the need to have a type of economic justification, specifically to provide the executive and strategic