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Essay Kurtz as Satan - 1663 Words

There was a reason that European colonizers were nick-named the white devils. They slithered their way in like serpents and turned the known world of the natives into a world of chaos. Every white settler was a Satan in his own way. Mr. Kurtz, a leading character in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness is the prime example of the white devils in Africa, following the pattern set out by John Milton for a perfect Prince of Darkness in Paradise Lost in his portrayal of Satan to a point. Their characteristics and motivations are paralleled in almost every sense, differing only in the backdrop and in the ends that these characters meet. Once the similarities between Satan and Mr. Kurtz start, they never seem to end. Its as though Conrad†¦show more content†¦Him the Almighty Power Hurled headlong flaming from the ethereal sky with hideous ruin and combustion down To bottomless perdition, there to dwell In adamantine chains and penal fire, Who durst defy the Omnipotent to arms. Satan f alls into Hell, where he festers with his hate and fallen angels. Kurtz is Africas Satan, whos forbidden fruit is ivory, drawing him away from the rules of civilization and creating a monster that feeds on fulfilling that one job, no matter the consequences. Kurtz has no restrain in his actions, having been consumed by the chaotic darkness that surrounds him and that he becomes a reflection of. His fall from grace comes in the form of the manager and all others on the rescue expedition despising him. They realize his flawed methods and his lost mind and are disgusted by him. Kurtz falls away from the rules of civilization into the darkness of the jungle and all of its chaos. He presents himself as a god to the natives, who are awed by Kurtzs magnificence and become his devoted followers, his own fallen angels. There, in the deepest pits of the jungle, those demonic and primitive people and their god partake in hellish rituals and orgies, taking all of the ivory they want without hes itation, living as they please. This is especially shown when we hear from the harlequin that Kurtz threatened to shoot him for his ivory, because he could do so, and had a fancy for it, and there was nothing on earth to prevent himShow MoreRelatedCapturing the Reality of the Vietnam War in The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now1615 Words   |  7 Pagesbreaking point†. Kurtz shows that he has almost reached his breaking point by going to live in the jungle with the primitive tribes. From this and from a voice recording of Kurtz, we can see that he is living in insanity. Kurtz goes against the ‘rules’ and decides to separate himself from the Americans as if he is questioning their power because he has his own beliefs about the war. Just like Satan questioned God’s rule, Kurtz has questioned America’s. When Satan chose to challengeRead More Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness and Carl Jungs Principle of Opposites2119 Words   |  9 Pagesits inner workings. In Heart of Darkness, both Marlow and Kurtz are representations of strong reoccurring archetypes within human myth, religion, and folklore. They work together to epitomize one of Jung’s Cores of Personality: the Principle of Opposites. The Principle of Opposites states that both sides of opposite pairs—good and bad, light and dark, joy and despair, et cetera—are present to complete the other. In this way, Marlow and Kurtz are opposite replications of each other in Conrad’s HeartRead More moralhod Morality in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay2832 Words   |  12 Pagesout of good still to find means of evil (Milton I: 162-165).   The word his refers to God and relates the word good with him, and relates Satan to the word evil.   The justifications for these labels are more implied t han anything else, based in the relationship of the Christian God, and thus the Bible and the actions and motivations displayed by Satan.   He becomes tied to ... deep malice to conceal, couched with revenge (Milton IV: 123) and ... ire envy and despair (Milton IV: 115).   ThusRead More A Freudian Perspective of Marlow in Conrads Heart of Darkness1975 Words   |  8 Pagesbelieve. As mentioned before, the journey is not only into the heart of Africa but a journey into the psyche also. Robert Ryf, a modern critic, describes the novel as, Marlow’s journey up the river to find and bring back the mysterious ivory trader Kurtz is also Marlow’s journey into himself, is also man’s archetypal quest for enlightenment (Ryf 17). Conrad illustrates Freud’s unconscious in Marlow’s journey into the darkness. As always, we need to start at the beginning of the story. Right awayRead MoreEssay on Jungian Psychology and Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness6193 Words   |  25 Pagesindividuation, a modern odyssey toward the center of the Self and the center of the Earth. Ego dissolves into soul as, in the interior, Marlow encounters his double in the powerful image of ivory-obsessed Kurtz, the dark shadow of European imperialism. The dark meditation is graced by personifications of anima in Kurtz’ black goddess, the savagely magnificent consort of the underworld, and in his porcelain -skinned Persephone, innocent intended of the upperworld. Though â€Å"Dr. Jung’s discoveries were not knownRead More Colonization and Wealth in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness and Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart1627 Words   |  7 Pagesby using the term â€Å"light.† Supporting the Manichean allegorical view, the term â€Å"sons of darkness† implies that the majority of bl ack people where not Christians. Also, since a term in the Christian religion for Satan is â€Å"Prince of Darkness,† this statement also equates the Africans with Satan and thus, evil. From these ideas one sees that the colonists want the Africans to convert to their religion and value the spread of Christianity as wealth. It has been established how the Europeans in AfricaRead More The Impact Sociological Theories Have on Religion Essay2086 Words   |  9 Pageswith experience and age. Thinking back to the era of the Salem witch trials, the colonial Massachusetts â€Å"society† relied heavily on the Christianity religion. They used Christianity to govern the laws of their society. They strongly believed that Satan could bless certain people with a powerful ability to do harm unto others. If it were not for the group on young adolescent female behaving weirdly for that era in time, it is possible that the belief in the devil may not have cause hysteria on aRead MoreChristianity and Secular Humanism 3648 Words   |  15 Pagessupernatural.† — Webster’s Dictionary A world view is set of ideas and beliefs through which an individual interpret and interacts with the world. Secular means Secular humanists â€Å"wish to encourage wherever possible the growth of moral awareness.† (Paul Kurtz - A Secular Humanist Declaration). They believe in human values without religion or a God, and that human values should be committed to the well being of humans and should be based on ethical reasoning rather than supernatural sources. They believe

OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Free Essays

string(151) " each market as unique and implements a different approach in order to leverage on customer intelligence on its clubcard \(Datamonitor Europe, 2004\)\." ABSTRACT The ultimate objective of most business to customer (B2C) organizations today is to increase on their productivity and revenues through system simplification, organizational potential and incremental improvements. Customer satisfaction is key to achieving this objective. With the continuously tighter global market competition, it has become a necessity for most organizations to focus on their operations in order to increase on their profitability and gain market leadership (Nice group, 2006). We will write a custom essay sample on OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION or any similar topic only for you Order Now Customer service has thus become the main priority for these organizations to retain their market share and increase on their profitability. Operational management plays a key role in ensuring this customer satisfaction. This analysis thus seeks to examine the effectiveness of operational management in ensuring customer satisfaction within a customer facing B2C organization. An in depth case study of Tesco will be used to obtain the relevant data for this analysis. A multi-method strategy will thus be employed involving a quantitative survey through mailed questionnaires to the subordinate employees and semi-structured interviewing of senior managers within Tesco PLC. The interview scripts and survey questionnaires will then be analysed using thematic coding. Finally, conclusion will be drawn based on the findings obtained. INTRODUCTION In the recent years, globalization, information technology, super highway communication and international trade have posed numerous challenges and opportunities to business to customer (B2C) organizations which have resulted in the enhancement of the manufacturing capabilities through the introduction of new facilities, materials, procedures and techniques (Krajewski Ritzman, 2002). Hence managing the production/service system has become a major challenge in the global competitive environment. In order for business organizations to keep abreast with rapid technological changes and globalization impact, these leading edge organizations, both public and private, must have the ability to deal with the dynamic changes. Operational management leads the way for these business organizations to achieve their goals with minimum efforts. Operation management is that aspect of business the handles the production and service systems (Johnston et al, 2003). It is concerned with activities producing goods or involved in the delivery of services required by customers (Johnston et al, 2003). These activities are at the core of any organization and involve management of a vast majority of the organization’s assets, expenditure and its employees (Krajewski Ritzman, 2002). A commonly held misconception is that operation management involves only the manufacturing activities. It should however be noted that services are increasingly important and their contribution to the national economy far outstrips that of the manufacturing. Additionally, the overwhelming employment majority is provided by the service industry (Krajewski Ritzman, 2002). Operations management can therefore be defined as the effective planning, organizing and controlling of an organization’s resources and activities necessary to provide the market with tangible goods and services (Johnston et al, 2003). It thus applies to manufacturing industries, nonprofit organizations and service industries. Often, the main activities of operations management are production, product development and distribution. Related activities include inventory control, managing purchases, logistics, supply chain management, quality control, storage and evaluation processes (Johnston et al, 2003). The focus is mainly on maximizing resources, increasing efficiency and most importantly, ensuring customer satisfaction. Therefore, OM often includes substantial measurement and analysis of the internal processes. With the continuously tighter global market competition, it has become a necessity for most organizations to focus on their operations in order to increase on their profitability and gain market leadership (Nice group, 2006). Customer service has thus become the main priority for these organizations to retain their market share and increase on their profitability. Ultimately, successful operations management is the key to ensuring customer satisfaction by creating more value than the competition. This proposal thus seeks to examine the effectiveness of operational management in achieving better customer satisfaction within a customer facing B2C organisation. PROBLEM STATEMENT The ultimate objective of most business to customer (B2C) organizations today is to increase on their productivity and revenues through system simplification, organizational potential and incremental improvements (Nice group, 2006). Customer satisfaction is thus key to achieving this objectivity. However, most B2C organizations are currently encountering a necessity to respond to the rapidly changing customer preference, needs, tastes and desires (Nice group, 2006). Stiff competition coupled with increasingly changing customer needs has proven to be the endless driver of organizational performance improvement (Nice group, 2006). For these organizations to remain competitive and retain a larger market share in the global market, efficient management of the operating systems, including both the human resources and material management, must be made a priority. RATIONALE FOR SELECTING TESCO AS CASE STUDY The main purpose of this analysis is to examine the efficiency of operational management in ensuring customer satisfaction within a customer facing a B2C organisation. For this purpose, we selected a case study of Tesco PLC to obtain the relevant data for this analysis. Tesco PLC belongs to the retail industry and their principal products mainly include groceries, Consumer goods, telecoms and financial services (Datamonitor Europe, 2004). Tesco is one of the largest British retailers in terms of the global sales and domestic market share. It has over 923 stores and employs more than 240, 000 people (Datamonitor Europe, 2004). Operational management plays a key role to attaining the primary objectives of Tesco. Whether the current operation objective is to increase on profitability or to improve on customer service, the way in which Tesco utilises its resources have significant impact. As a consequence, there have been an increasing number of innovative developments in operations management in Tesco. Tesco recognizes the human elements as a value adding factor; hence the company has heavily invested in continuous professional development of its workforce (Austin, 2004). The plausibility of its operation strategies is also evident through its localizing and multi-formatting efforts to reach the global market (Austin, 2004). The discounter approach has also been useful in establishing strong customer relationships (Nice group, 2006). For its inbound logistics, Tesco has maintained a healthy relationships with its suppliers by importing own and unique systems (Nice group, 2006). Also, for the outbound logistics, the company treats its each market as unique and implements a different approach in order to leverage on customer intelligence on its clubcard (Datamonitor Europe, 2004). You read "OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION" in category "Essay examples" The procurement and distribution of produce are closely monitored and deliveries made through truck fleets (Nice group, 2006). Further, the company keeps track on goods purchased and products likely to be bought in future hence making Tesco as one of the largest databases worldwide. For its supply chain management, Tesco introduced lean management solutions. The company adopted path breaking techniques and systems like point of sales data, continuous replenishment, primary distribution and the RFID technology in order to increase on the efficiency of its supply chain (Austin, 2004). Through its effective supply chain management, Tesco has emerged as a market leader in the retailing industry in UK (Austin, 2004). Clearly, Tesco represents a successful organisation with efficient operational management. It should however be noted that the current expansion of its retail market into Europe and Asian markets have direct implications on operational management (Nice group, 2006). Nonetheless, employing an in depth case study of Tesco, in examining the effectiveness of operational management in ensuring customer satisfaction, meets the objectives of this analysis. RESEARCH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The primary goal of this analysis is to examine the effectiveness of operational management in achieving better customer satisfaction within a customer facing B2C organization. Specifically, the research would like to accomplish the following objectives: To examine and analyze the operational management of Tesco PLC Understand the role of operational management in the retail industry To infer the correlation between operational management and better customer satisfaction LITERATURE REVIEW INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE Over the past decade the focus of most prior research has shifted significantly but has concentrated predominantly on operations management within B2C organizations. A number of key studies are cited repeatedly in extant literature. Reference to these studies shall be made in this section as most of their contributions still apply to organizational practices today. Also supporting literature review, information for this research will be drawn from various publications and academic journals such as Academy of Management Review and Journal of Operations Management. A REVIEW OF EXTANT LITERATURE Research into operational management has long been a subject of debate in the public discourse (Flynn et al, 1990). Scholars and practitioners have in the past decades complained about the inconsistencies between applications and research into operations management and stressed the need for a field based research (McCutcheon Meredith, 1993). While Cox Ledbetter (1977) found a vast majority of firms in the UK utilizing operations research in operation management, Robey Smith (1973) observed that application of the research findings to real world situations was constrained by the lack of an integrative research. Bufa (1980) noted that we had become experts at defining problems of narrow scope, evaluating the results using a single criterion and building models to represent them. He noted that attention was rarely given to the problems facing practitioners; hence Bufa (1980) called for an operation management research agenda related to the real world. He suggested that results from research into operations management be made understandable and acceptable to practitioners. Buffa further called for continued research in strategic issues such as planning and control, technology, and location analysis among others. Subsequently, Buffa identified capacity planning, positioning and quality control as critical issues that must be addressed by service systems. While surveying four periodicals namely: Management Science, Decision Sciences, International Journal of Production Research and AIIE Transactions; Chase (1980) developed a framework with two dimensions, research orientation and research emphasis, to classify operation management research. He observed that most research in operational management (OM) was not integrative and focused on micro problems. His survey of published articles on OM showed that among the most popular areas for research were work measurement and inventory control. Research in service systems dealt exclusively with micro issues of staff scheduling. Graham Miller (1981), proposed a comprehensive agenda for OM research. Unlike Buffa (1980), this agenda was based on opinions drawn from a panel of practitioners and researchers. Graham and Miller called for OM research in four main areas: service systems, operations control, operations policy and productivity and technology. Graham and Miller recommended the use of case studies and empirical methods to augment traditional methodologies of simulation and modeling. More recently, there has been an increased interest in process design, quality and strategy (Meredith Samson, 2001). The increase is due to improved frequency among journal articles. The current research in quality has taken a more organizational focus unlike the statistical focus noted by Chase (1980). Further, the concept of operational management has revolutionized beyond just the internal production and manufacturing. It now encompasses activities such as product and process design, purchasing, and distribution (Prasad Babbar, 2000). According to Nernesian (2000), operations management is a process that deals with the transformation of raw inputs- materials, labour or capital- into useful goods and services. While this may be true, there is a whole lot dimensions to the operation management arena. However, the main objective of operational management in any organization remains to maximize on resources and improve on customer satisfaction. Customer service is therefore, key to operational management. Slack et al (2004) defines operation strategy as the total pattern of decisions which shape the long term capabilities of any operation and their contribution to the overall strategy. Slack et al (2004) asserts that the objectives of operation management relate to stakeholders interest. In this regard, customer satisfaction is of particular importance to Tesco PLC. In order to ensure customer satisfaction through operational management, Tesco’s operation performance objectives mainly reflect on five aspects namely: quality, speed, cost, dependability and flexibility. As Slack et al (2004) points out, quality is vital for every operation within a B2C organization since it is an important aspect of customer satisfaction. Hence for a grocery retailer like Tesco, quality could mean that stores are clean and tidy, stores are in good condition, staff is friendly, courteous and helpful, and decor is appropriate and attractive. In this regard, Tesco hired staff to be placed into the stores and distribution centers so as to improve on availability and services hence increasing customer satisfaction (Austin, 2004). Additionally, Tesco launched a clubcard which contains customer information hence enabling it to better understand its customers (Austin, 2004). LITERATURE REVIEW SUMMARY There has been a proliferation of empirical research in the area of operations management. Renowned operation management scholars have attempted to focus and direct OM research towards areas of importance and relevance to industry (Wacker, 1998). Clearly, this review has identified that whilst there is an extensive body of publications into operational management, relatively few rigorous and systematic studies have examined the effect of operational management in customer satisfaction. RESEARCH QUESTIONS To develop an efficient operation management, emphasis should be placed on systems approach which stresses on the techniques, concepts and policies essential for effective and economical design, control of manpower, materials, facilities, capital and informational inputs of an organization (Johnston et al, 2003). To guide our research on operational management we will develop the following preposition: To identify the effectiveness of operational management, one should focus on productivity tools such as Manufacturing Resource Planning, Total Quality Control, Simulation and Animation of Production Operations, Just in Time Techniques, Optimized Production Techniques and Decision Support Systems (Johnston et al, 2003). Based on this proposition we develop three research questions: How do these productivity tools increase the efficiency of operational management in Tesco How can operational management be assessed with regard individual performance and productivity of Tesco PLC What is the potential effect of efficient operational management on customer satisfaction METHODOLOGY RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY The study will adapt an intepretivist research philosophy which is characterized by high degree of subjectivity. Intepretivism takes an ideographic approach to the study and requires a more detailed and rigorous analysis (Swamidass, 1991). This particular philosophical approach has been chosen as it allows the researcher to not only observe and learn, but to also actively engage in the discussion on the effectiveness of operational management in ensuring customer satisfaction. Hence the researcher’s knowledge will be closely aligned to that of the participants. Through this particular philosophical approach, the researcher will be able to explore on the subjective meanings that motivate people’s actions and how effective operational management can improve on customer satisfaction. RESEARCH APPROACHES There are generally two major research paradigms often employed in data collection and analysis namely: qualitative and quantitative approaches. Quantitative methods are formal and objective and they involve systematic processes that generate numerical data (Scudder Hill, 1998). Quantitative research is â€Å"used to answer questions about the complex nature of phenomena, often with the purpose of describing and understanding the phenomena from the participants’ point of view† (Scudder Hill, 1998). With quantitative methods the researcher is able to infer the conclusion through assessing participants’ perceptions and views. On the contrary, qualitative approaches are non-numerical and focus on gathering mainly verbal data (Stuart et al, 2002). The qualitative paradigm is based on a constructivist principle: the belief that reality is socially and subjectively constructed (Stuart et al, 2002). When looking at qualitative versus quantitative methods of data collection, it is obvious that there are advantages and disadvantages associated with each methodology. RESEARCH STRATEGY In order to capitalize on the strengths of both approaches and offset on their limitations, a multi method strategy will be employed by the researcher in collecting primary data. A multi-method strategy uses different data collection methods within a single research paradigm (Tashakkori Teddlie, 2003). It involves using more than one method but restricted to the methods selected from one world view. According to Tashakkori Teddlie (2003), a multi-method approach is important as it allows for the triangulation on an issue by employing different data sources in order to approach the research problem from the different viewpoints. A multi-method strategy will thus be employed involving a quantitative survey through mailed questionnaires to the subordinate employees and semi-structured interviewing of senior managers within Tesco PLC. DATA COLLECTION There is need for an integration of the original individual study through primary research with an existing knowledge and previous research. Therefore both primary and secondary data will be employed in data collection. Primary data will be based on questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviewing of retail managers at Tesco. Secondary research will be used alongside with primary research. Secondary data will be drawn from independent sources such as academic journals, published articles, textbooks, and internet sources. A review of the secondary publications will help in defining the agenda for subsequent primary research by suggesting the relevant questions to be asked. Secondary data will be useful in ascertaining, comparing and integrating with primary data for the purpose of comprehensive and logical analysis. DATA ANALYSIS Thematic analysis (Saunders et al, 2009) would be adopted in the analysis of data obtained through primary and secondary sources. The interview scripts and questionnaires will be analyzed using thematic coding. Contemporary research themes in operation management (such as the operation strategy, supply chain management, service operations, performance management and lean methods), which are based on the research objectives, will be adopted in analyzing the results obtained from the interview and questionnaires as well as the relevant data obtained from secondary publications. RELIABILITY, VALIDITY AND GENERALIZABILITY Due to the fact that semi structured interviews with one or several individuals would be involved in the data gathering process, the study may be prone to interview bias or error and respondent bias or error (Saunders et al, 2009). Moreover, Questionnaires are less likely to be valid as some respondents may answer superficially while others may not be willing to answer certain questions. Furthermore, survey as an instrument has been criticized with some researchers citing potential difficulties of survey administration. According to Meredith et al (1989), the efficient and effective implementation and administration of survey significantly influences the achievement of satisfactory responses and the overall success of data generation. In order to improve reliability, validity and generalizability, this study will adopt the following standards To increase the validity of the research findings and evaluation of responses the researcher will triangulate the responses with articles from independent sources such as published articles, academic journals, textbooks, and the internet and operation management reports. In order to improve on the response rate and content validity, the survey will be designed, formulated and implemented in a manner that follows recommendations from various authors. In particular, the recommendations on survey piloting, layout and questionnaire design by Churchill (1991), Dillman (1978) and Conant et al (1990) will be adopted. Questionnaires will also be issued on two separate occasions, and the two sets of responses compared statistically using spearman’s rank correlation for continuous data hence ensuring consistency of the responses. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS Some of the limitations that might be encountered by the researcher are discussed in this section and these include: Time constraints in conducting the research, analysis and interpreting results. Lack of enough resources for completing the research. CONCLUSION With the above taken into account, it can be concluded that this research proposal is of paramount importance. This research will contribute to the profound analysis on the effectiveness of operational management in achieving better customer satisfaction within a customer facing B2C organization. Conclusion will be drawn based on the findings obtained from the study. REFERENCE Amundson, S. D. (1998). Relationships between theory-driven empirical research in operations management and other disciplines. Journal of Operations Management, 16(4), 341-359. Austin.N. (2004), Exceeding expectations global retailer Tesco known for IT vision, http://epsfiles,internec.com/eps_files/eps_articles/Tesco_article_web_pdf, Updated 2005, accessed 25th July 2011 Buffa, E.S., (1980). Research in operations management. Journal of Operations Management 1, 1–8. Chase, R. B. (1980). A classification and evaluation of research in operations management. Journal of Operations Management, 1(1), 9-14. Churchill.G.A (1991), Marketing research: Methodological foundations, London, The Dryden press Conant.J.S, Mokwa.M.P, Varadarajan.P.R Cooke.R.A (1990), strategic types, distinctive marketing competencies and organizational performance: A multiple measures study, Strategic management journal, vol 11, pp.365-383 Cox Ledbetter (1977), The operations management agenda: an update. Journal of Operations Management, 8, 250–262 Datamonitor Europe (2004), Tesco PLC profile 2004, www.datamonitor.com, updated 2006, accessed 25th July 2011 Dillman (1978), Mail and telephone surveys: The total design method, New York, Wiley publishers Flynn, B. B., Sakakibara, S., Schroeder, R. G., Bates, K. A., Flynn, E. J. (1990). Empirical research methods in operations management. Journal of Operations Management, 9(2), 250-284. Johnston.R, Chamber.S, Harisson.A Slack.N (2003), Cases in operational management, London, Prentice hall Krajewski.L.J Ritzman.L.P (2002), operations management, New Jersey, Pearson education Inc. McCutcheon, D. M., Meredith, J. R. (1993). Conducting case study research in operations management. Journal of Operations Management, 11(3), 239-356. Meredith, J. R., Raturi, A., Amoako-Gyampah, K., Kaplan, B. (1989). Alternative research paradigms in operations. Journal of Operations Management, 8(4), 297-326. Meredith.J.R., Samson, D. (2001). Call for papers: Special issue of Journal of Operations Management on case study and field research. Journal of Operations Management, 19(1), 117-118. Miller, J.G., Graham, M.B.W., (1981). Production operations management: agenda for the ’80s. Decision Sciences 12, 547–571. Nice group (2006), Tesco and business systems UK Ltd work together to ensure a consistent approach to quality management, http://www.nice.com/about/success-story.php.id=27, updated 2005, accessed 25th July 2011 Prasad, S., Babbar, S. (2000). International operations management research. Journal of Operations Management, 18(3), 209-247. Robey Smith (1973), An empirical assessment of the perceived relevance and quality of POM-related journals by academicians. Journal of Operations Management, 10, 194–212. Saunders M., Thornhill.A, Mark Lewis.P (2009), Research methods for Business students, 5th edition Scudder, G. D., Hill, C. A. (1998). A review and classification of empirical research in operations management. Journal of Operations Management, 16(1), 91-101. Stuart, F. I., McCutcheon, D. M., Handfield, R. B., McLachlin, R., Samson, D. (2002). Effective case research in operations management: a process perspective. Journal of Operations Management, 20(5), 419-433. Swamidass, P. M. (1991). Empirical science: new frontier in operations management research. Academy of Management Review, 16(4), 793-814. Tashakkori Teddlie (2003), Quantity and Quality in Social Research, London, Routledge Publishers Wacker, J. G. (1998). A definition of theory: research guidelines for different theory-building research methods in operations management. Journal of Operations Management, 16(4), 361-385. How to cite OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, Essay examples

NAFTA Essay Thesis Example For Students

NAFTA Essay Thesis InJanuary 1994, the United States, Mexico, and Canada implemented the NorthAmerican Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The goal of NAFTA is to create bettertrading conditions through tariff reduction, removal of investment barriers, andimprovement of intellectual property protection. NAFTA continues to graduallyreduce tariffs on set dates and aims to eliminate all tariffs by the year 2004. Before NAFTA was established, investing in Mexico was a difficult process. Investors needed the Mexican Governments approval and were also required tomeet specific investment guidelines. These requirements necessitated investorsto export a set level of goods and services, utilize domestic goods andservices, and transfer technology to competitors. Under NAFTA, investors nolonger need government approval to invest and are treated as domestic investors. NAFTA has also increased intellectual property rights and allowed companies toobtain patents in Mexico and Canada. In the past, companies were hesitant toexport research and development intensive goods; with increased intellectualproperty protection, however, exports of these goods has shown a definiteincrease. As a result of better trading conditions, exports and imports of mostother goods have increased along with the research and development intensivegoods. In Mexico, the elimination of investment barriers has allowed investmentto expand. Increased trading and investment has then created many jobs, raisedthe Gross Domestic Product, and lowered consumer prices. The macroeconomicprinciples defined in Economics 103 relate to NAFTAs impact on aggregate supplyand demand, employment, investment, and their effects on national income. Thefree trade established by MERCOSUR also involves countries within South America. MERCOSUR, the Southern Common Market ( Mercado Common del Sur) was establishedin 1991 after a series of other free trade treaties failed to meet the standardsof the countries involved. It is set up on the basis of free trade zones andeventually to lead to a common market. Before MERCOSUR there was ALALC, theLatin American Free Trade Association. It was formed in 1960 and set up freetrade zones through the periodic negotiations between the members of theassociation. ALALC ended in the 1970s due to these negotiations because theywere left to the discretion of the countries involved and unfair practicesstarted to occur. After ALAC, came ALADI, the Latin American IntegrationAssociation. Founded in 1980, it established economic preference zones insteadof free trade. This encouraged economic growth and increased actions andagreements between countries that previously had no connections. In 1986Argentina and Brazil signed a Treaty for Integration, Cooperation, andDevelopment which was origi nally set up to remove tariff barriers and tietogether the macroeconomic policies of the two countries. This Treaty is whatled to MERCOSUR. MERCOSUR is a process of integration to form a common market onthe foundations of open regionalism. In March of 1991 Paraguay and Uruguayjoined MERCOSUR and most recently Chile became a part of the market in 1996. Thegoals set by the agreement are to create free transit of production goods andlifting of non-tariff restrictions on transit goods. It was set up to adopt acommon trade policy with nations that are not a part of the market and to set upa fixed common external tariff for all to follow. There are quite a few othergoals that was set by MERCOSUR including a clause that states that the countriesinvolved will be able to adjust their laws for the purpose of strengthening theagreement. The main point of MERCOSUR is to set up free trade among SouthAmerican countries and to encourage new countries to join (americasnet.com). Another related trade agreement conveying the benefits of international trade isthe General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT). A trade agreement thatconveys the positive outcomes of international trade is the General Agreement onTrade and Tariffs (GATT). It was created in 1947 and like NAFTA promotesinternational trade through the reduction of tariffs. Today, GATT encompassesover one hundred countries and 90% of the worlds trade goods (Sabir 1). Therehave been eight different versions of GATT, each resulting in a new tradeagreement. The most recent is referred to as the Uruguay Round and is one of thelargest and most comprehensive trade pacts in history (Deng 1). The UruguayRound Agreement cuts tariffs by one-third, increases coverage for textiles,clothing and agriculture and creates a new World Trade Organization(Congressional Digest 258). The WTO settles dispute settlements, regulates thepolicies agreed upon and reviews countries trade practices and policies. Inaddition, the Ur uguay round proposes reductions in nontariff protective barriersto trade (Gottheil 350). The Uruguay Round and WTO make up an important part ofGATT. GATT as a whole is based on principles that ensure all participatingcountries receive benefits. These principles include nondiscrimination,protection of domestic industries and provision of stable basis for trade(Congressional Digest 258). With such a solid foundation, the policies of GATThave taken force. Much like NAFTA, GATT proposes to increase trade through thereduction of tariffs. However, GATT is more inclusive of the internationaleconomy. As NAFTA, MERCOSUR, and GATT establish free trade throughout theAmericas and other parts of the world, the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA)represents countries throughout Western Europe. It was initially formed in 1960by Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. Theoverall objective of the EFTA and of these founding states was to remove tradebarriers throughout We stern Europe, such as import tariffs and quotas, and touphold open practices in world trade (EFTA Page). The framework of the EFTA haschanged significantly since its initial founding as many member states have comeand gone along the way. In 1972, the existing EFTA countries signed free tradeagreements with the European Union, thus eliminating import tariffs onindustrial products. Since then the EFTA has worked to strengthen itsrelationship with the European Community. The current constituents of the everchanging EFTA include Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland (EFTAPage). The free trade agreements established by the EFTA cover intra-EFTA trade,trade with the European Union, and free trade outside of the EFTA or EU. TheEFTA is currently in the midst of procuring free trade agreements with countriesin Central and Eastern Europe and even with other countries around the world(EFTA Page). These free trade agreements serve to promote unified movementwithin the EFTAs economic r elationships and to strengthen Europesinternational trade alliances. According to EFTA web page, free tradeestablished by the EFTA is an, essential process in the continuousbuilding of economic, social, and political ties between the countries of Europeand thus enhancing our common objective of closer European integration(EFTA Page). Agreements with the EFTA reduce tariffs between countries, enhanceand allow for more stable foreign investment, and support the removal of tradebarriers. In establishing all of these rights, the EFTA hopes to create anenvironment that is supportive of entrepreneurship, competition, and economicactivity within its various market structures (EFTA Page). Analysis Free Tradeagreements are prevalent throughout the world, each representing trade within aparticular region. The success of free trade is unique to each individual tradeorganization. NAFTA, MERCOSUR, GATT, and the EFTA, overall, have created foundedmany positive aspects in international trade. The free trade that NAFTA hasestablished among the United States, Mexico, and Canada has greatly benefitedthe U.S. economy. During the years from 1994 to 1997, U.S. trade with Mexico andCanada rose 44 percent. This extensive growth is accredited primarily to thereduction of tariffs. As tariffs were lowered, U.S. goods became cheaper andmore competitive in Mexican and Canadian markets, and at this lower price levelthe quantity demanded of U.S. goods increased. On the attached graph, as theprice level drops from A to B, the quantity demanded increases from C to D; itbecomes less expensive for U.S. firms to supply goods to Canada and Mexico asthe supply curve shifts from AS to AS. In order to meet the new demand, thefirms must hire new workers and increase investment. Between 1994 and 1997, 90to 160 thousand jobs were created in the U.S. due to the increase of trade withMexico, and 2.4 million jobs were dependent upon trade with Mexico and Canada. Animal Cruelty leads to Human EssayThis is seen in graph 2, where the aggregate expenditure curve (AE) shifts tothe right (AE). As shown by the graph, the level of national income increasesfrom 250 billion to 300 billion. Therefore, increasing net exports will increasethe level of national income. By eliminating import taxes, world incomewill increase as much as $5 trillion in the next 10 years. Higher world incomesmean more demand for our commodities (Kleckner 1). With an increase innational income, the standard of living in the United States and otherparticipating economies should increase. More jobs will be created for theunemployed, helping the economy reach the full employment level. At this level,all resources would be in use. Similar to other free trade agreements, thepurpose of those formed through the EFTA is to strengthen European as well asinternational economies. In establishing a strong foundation for free trade, itseems that the EFTA has done much good for economies w ithin Europe. According tothe EFTA web page, Ministers emphasize EFTAs strong credentials as a freetrade organization and underline that free trade and economic integration playan increasingly important role in securing work, welfare, peace, and democracyin Europe (EFTA Page). Its visible effects on international trade provideonly a nominal indication of the many accomplishments of the EFTA; its work canalso be observed in terms of its underlying affect on the economy. Inestablishing strong international relationships, it has expanded the level ofexporting and importing, increased employment, raised consumption, and ineffect, also enhanced the average GDP for countries active in the EFTA(Fortune). Each part of this integration serves a beneficial purpose, andpositive aspects of the EFTAs work are evident in economies throughout Europe. As the EFTA has worked to strengthen relationships not only within its membercountries, but all over Europe and the rest of the world, it has establishedmany alliances, thus creating a solid base for foreign trade. The level ofexporting and importing, particularly among European countries has shown adefinite increase. The expansion of foreign trade creates potential for moreemployment opportunities; it can also be directly related to its aggregatesupply, and in effect, its level of GDP. The increase in exporting, being asignificant expenditure included in the calculation of GDP, is shown in itseffect on GDP growth. Within the free trade of the EFTA, the level of employmentin member countries also has been affected. As the degree of economic activityincreases due to free trade alliances, many areas, including that of employmentalso begin to change direction. The expansion of exporting mentioned beforeplays a role in the variable level of employment. Increased employment will addto the level of human capital as rising imports and exports expand capitalresources, thus contributing to an outward shift in the aggregate supply curve. Any increase in resource availability for land, labor, capital, orentrepreneurship will allow for an outward shift in the production possibilitiescurve, followed by a similar shift in the aggregate supply curve, eventuallyincreasing real GDP. Rising employment can also effectively create a rise inconsumption and in average national income, ultimately adding to real GDP. Consumption can be affected not only by a rise in the employment level, but alsoby the reduction in tariffs provided by the EFTA. When consumers have to payless for their goods, their level of real wealth has the effect of increasing. Lower prices enable them to buy more goods with the same level of income; thereis the illusion of greater income. This feeling of increased wealth, along witha rise in the actual level of employment, contributes to increased consumption. The increasing degree of consumption will, again, lead to greater nationalincome, and to a higher level of real GDP. A rise in trade combined withincreasing levels of employment and consumption allows for potential growth inthe level of GDP. According to Fortune magazine, the average GDP of thosecountries belonging to the EFTA rose an average of 2.1% each year (Fortune 7). As trade, employment, and consumption increase together, GDP has a tendency todo so as well. EFTA countries approaching a level of full employment due tochanges in trade, tariffs, and consumption will eventually experience itsbeneficial effect on the economy. Conclusion In general, it seems that each ofthe researched trade agreements has been successful in promoting overalleconomic growth throughout the regions of the world. NAFTA MERCOSUR The positiveeffects of GATT are numerous and widespread. GATT has proved to be highlysuccessful in removing barriers to trade in goods. In eight consecutive rounds,GATT has lowered tariffs on manufactured products from more than 40% to below 4%among developed nations. In part as a result, world merchandise trade,measured in the tens of billions of dollars at the inception of GATT, now standsat $5 trillion (Break down the barriers). This growth has broughtprosperity to developed countries as well as developing countries. Some of thesebenefits are re sult of the larger scope of world trade rules and the largeproportion of the economy that is covered under GATT. The EFTA has been fairlyeffective in following through with its one underlying goal, the removal oftrade barriers within and outside of the EFTA. It has also been proficient incultivating its relationships with third world countries. Its success in theseareas has allowed for the growth of its member countries in areas of trade,employment, consumption, and eventually also national income and real GDP. Itseems, however, that it needs to do more in order to have a more influentialpresence. Since its initial founding, the number of member-countries in the EFTAhas dwindled from seven to only four. The EFTA is clearly not the most prominentfree trade organization in Europe; it is apparent that the European Union holdsthe position of dominance, as many EFTA countries have defected to the EU overthe years. The EFTAs minority power in Europe and the simple reality of itssize may c ause many countries to brush it aside. While it has united with theEuropean to Union to accomplish many things such as the European Economic Area,it might be more effective if it could handle more significant matters on itsown. Bibliography EFTA Page. EFTA Secretariat EFTA Surveillance Authority EFTA Court. 23 March1999 *http://www.efta.int/structure/main/index.html*. How They AddUp. Fortune 126.13 (14 Dec. 1992): 152 153. http://www.americasnet.com/mauritz/mercosur/english; MERCOSUR Sabkar, Maysoon; http://bmb.net/our_views/Reports/Country/paraguay_1.htm, 1998 http://www.embassy.org/uruguay/econ/mercosur/merc-002.htm ; Embassy ofUruguay, Washington D.C. 1996 http://www.heinlein.com.ar/eco.htm ; ArgentinaBriefGovernment

IM Not Scared Cahrts Micheles Increasing Maturity and Sense of Morality. Discuss. Essay Example

IM Not Scared Cahrts Micheles Increasing Maturity and Sense of Morality. Discuss. Essay I’m Not Scared is a coming of age text, written by Niccolo Ammaniti, and it is based on the journey of a young Michele Amitrano moving from childhood innocence to experience. Initially he is naive and ignorant towards things that has no impact to his ‘perfect little world’, however, after encountering several events he changes his perspective. This takes form through the influences of his peers, adults and a reflection of himself. Among Michele’s peers there are several whom that mould the journey of his increasing sense of morality and maturity. Skull, the tyrant leader of the children’s gang, is corrupted. He takes joy from tormenting and bullying others, he also enjoys giving orders but if they are not fulfilled he can ‘turn nasty. ’ Michele’s initial awakening of his morals comes from one of Skull’s cruel punishments. Skull forces Barbara to unbutton her shirt and show her ‘tits’ to everyone by threatening her saying that, ‘If you don’t, you can forget about coming with us anymore. ’ Obviously living in such a small, rural and secluded town like Acqua Traverse, that would seem like the end of the world to a 9 year old and hence against her wishes she reluctantly obeys. We will write a custom essay sample on IM Not Scared Cahrts Micheles Increasing Maturity and Sense of Morality. Discuss. specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on IM Not Scared Cahrts Micheles Increasing Maturity and Sense of Morality. Discuss. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on IM Not Scared Cahrts Micheles Increasing Maturity and Sense of Morality. Discuss. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Out of curiosity Michele takes a peek, however he immediately feels regret like he has committed a crime. Barbara then takes her bottled up frustrations out on the small helpless and innocent dog, Togo. She pushes the dog under the mud in order to drown him, but when confronted by Michele, who witnesses everything. She immediately denies it all and produces excuses to try and explain her actions. ‘He’s crawling with ticks and fleas. That’s why I was giving him a bath. ’ As she tries to kill Togo, she actually sings the song called ‘The Beautiful Goodbye’ implying that this was the final farewell for the powerless dog. His best friend Salvatore is not any better he is manipulative and corrupted by greed. He ridicules Michele’s ‘Judas secret’ to later use it to his advantage and betrays Michele’s trust for the opportunity to gain driving lessons from their nemesis Felice. Felice Natale, who is Skull’s older brother, is the result of their brute of a father. With no moral sense at all, he is unaware of the consequences of his actions, such as the unnecessary lustful attack on Teresa right in front of Michele. He is forced to take care of Fillipo, who nicknames Felice as he â€Å"lord of the worms†, because he often threatens to squash him like a worm. As Michele learns more about the truth of the corrupted evil adult world, he changes his perception on everything. The pure image of his father whom he worshipped like an idol becomes tainted and shatters after he overhears his father threatening to cut off Fillipo’s ears. It was his comment â€Å"Two ear s we’ll cut off. Two. † That makes him doubt every little thing he once knew. The representation of his father warps into the bogeyman. ‘Papa was the bogeyman. By day he was good, but at night he was bad. ’ Through this experience of betrayal his wisdom increases and learns to accept the harsh reality. That monsters exist within people rather than imaginary figures. Michele’s mother Teresa is an admirable character that tries to protect Michele. She understands the consequences of actions long before the kidnapping of Fillipo, but as a woman in a male-dominated society, she is powerless to voice her opinions. Thus, she warns Michele â€Å"When you grow up you must go away from here and never come back. So that he does not become corrupted and influenced to be involved in criminal acts like all the adults in Acqua Traverse. At the beginning of the story Michele already displays a strong sense of justice which aids his maturity. His innate sense subconsciously prevails at times of need. The first signs of awakening morality are already evident at the beginning of the text, when he resists Skull’s second attempt to force Barbara to do another forfeit which consisted of showing her ‘slit’. Regardless of the consequences he takes responsibility because of his sense of morality. He intuitively volunteers to do it in her place because of the guilt he felt from the first forfeit. â€Å"There was something dirty, something.. I don’t know. † Although Michele is righteous he allows his greed to provoke him into revealing Fillipo’s whereabouts to Salvatore in order to gain the jinxed plastic football team that he does not really like. Yet upon reflection he immediately feels horrible and realizes that what he has done was bad, as he says ‘I was worse than Judas who had bartered Jesus for thirty pieces of silver†. Another similar challenge that Michele confronts is when his parents bribe him with a new bike to not see Fillipo. However, after his first encounter of being overcome by greed he knows better and decides to go against his father’s oath in order to save Fillipo which compensates for the ‘Judas secret’. The turning point for Michele when he loses his innocence and advances to maturity is when he realizes that he too is not perfect. He learns that he is capable of committing heinous crimes just like the adults did, because at the end of the day he too is human. â€Å"What was in my nature? What could I do? † was what he thought to himself. After all the blood of his father, who is a criminal, runs through his veins. However despite Michele’s age his ethics, compassion and innate sense of what is right are guides he uses to do the right thing. He gains wisdom through the experiences and events that occur throughout the text which result in a loss of naivety in order to become an adolescent.

Friar Lawrence Essays

Friar Lawrence Essays Friar Lawrence Paper Friar Lawrence Paper Imagine a scenario in which: a) you trust the leader of a contingency, like a president or a king, b) this person offers you misguided advice, c) you suffer greatly as a result of said advice, and d) this man or woman you trust continues to hurt you with more egregious errors. Perhaps you are thinking of George W. Bush, when he sent a country in recession to war on credit two times in a row. Maybe my hypothetical situation is reminiscent of poor parenting; e. G. , a father works late in the office for five consecutive days, but keeps forgetting to transport his daughter from daycare. Now, I cannot Imagine that Bush spent large sums on his presidential campaign with the Intent of poorly managing the united States. Likewise, the hypothetical father who neglects his child probably wanted to make more money for his family. However, as I will argue in this paper, a person who assumes the role of confidant or leader is guilty of malignant if they continue to facilitate harmful effects. Friar Laurence, a religious official in the prestigious and holy Order of SST. Francis, was a leader with malignant. He acted as a figure of neutrality between the Montague ND Capsules, yet took actions that harmed both families and ultimately resulted In the death of Romeo and Juliet. Against his better judgment, Friar Laurence impassively married Romeo and Juliet without the blessing of either family. Either unable or unwilling to learn from his earlier mistakes, Friar Laurence devised a poorly planned plot to save Juliet from her engagement to Paris. Worst of all, Friar Laurence trusted an incapable person, Friar John, with a message that could have saved the lives of Romeo and Juliet. : Friar Laurence first poor decision was to marry Romeo and Juliet. In act five, scene three, and lines 232-235, the friar eloquently downplays the severity of his mistake: l married them, and their stolen marriage day was Tables doomsday, whose untimely death banished the new-made bridegroom from this city With the skill of a trapped politician, Friar Laurence quickly summarizes his wrongdoing, which In turn will cause the listener (the prince) to assume less guilt. If a District Attorney were present, he or she might have asked Friar Laurence why he did to confront the Montague and Capsules before marrying young children, particularly when such a union could result in upheaval. There was certainly an assumption of risk when Romeo and Juliet were married, and any reasonable person could have predicted resulting conflict. A religious leader might have prompted Romeo and Juliet to confront their respect families, profess their undying love for each other, and ask permission to marry. By sneaking around, Friar Laurence changed the fate of the entire story. Romeo and Juliet cannot be held equally expansible because they were young and without authority; it was up to Friar Laurence to act appropriately when given the power of responsibility. The friar did not forewarn the young couple, either. Instead, he bought into their juvenile ideals of romance. In act 2, scene 6, lines 36-37, he says For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone / Till holy church Incorporate two In one. Such encouragement Is hardly good Friar Laurence devised a plan to fake Gullets death, then later send for Romeo. Today, such behavior is known as conspiracy to pseudoscience. Though this is not inherently a criminal act, it is dishonest (covering for the false death of another), it causes massive suffering (imagine those who cared for Juliet), and it will perpetually create negative consequences. In act five, scene three, and lines 238-241, the friar explains, Then she comes to me, and with wild looks bid me devise some mean to rid her from this second marriage, or in my cell there would she kill herself As a friar, Laurence stepped completely out of his bounds. His duties to Juliet should have been limited to motional and spiritual guidance. Imagine a suicide prevention hotlist, which often faces situations similar to Friar Laurence. If a modern Juliet called a suicide specialist, it would be the specialists duty to remove access to convenient methods of suicide, or perhaps use optimism to promote mental resilience. However, the instant you offer poison to a suicidal adolescent girl for purposes of faking her own death, it should be clear that you are acting very inappropriately. Friar Laurence trusted Friar John with a letter that could have saved Romeos life. Most people who heavily invest themselves in the affairs of others bear a moral duty to their well-being. If I personally had married Romeo and Juliet, acted as their confidant, devised Gullets escape plan without telling Romeo, and knew full well that my influence had already played a hand in death and chaos, then I would certainly take it upon myself to protect Romeo and Gullets lives with my best ability. However, Friar Laurence relegated this responsibility to Friar John, who knew nothing of the situations severity and ultimately failed to deliver the letter. When summarizing this event, Friar Laurence delicately removed all traces of guilt from the parties involved: But he which bore my letter, Friar John, was stayed by accident and westernizes returned my letter back (Romeo and Juliet, 5. 3, 249-251). It is clear that Friar Laurence is negligent, rather than malicious. Unfortunately, though, he never confessed to his percentage of fault. Instead, he tells the prince, And if aught in this miscarried by my fault, let my old life be sacrificed, some hour before his time, unto the rigor of severest law (Romeo and Juliet, 5. 265-268). This halfhearted attempt at accountability is carefully placed at the end of his explanation. By taking an apologetic approach with the prince, yet carefully minimizing his role in the tragedy, Friar Laurence pried himself from the Jaws of suspicion and left a free man. If he were truly guilty, or truly felt emotionally connected to Romeo and Gullets death, he would have been more forthcoming. If I were guilt- ridden, I surely would have confessed my role in events, thus allowing for a fair sentence to be made. After the friars testimonial, the prince is convinced that Laurence is still a holy man. But as members of a democratic and modern free world, we must ask: would a Just system grant amnesty to a man who extended himself to two young and hopeful children, only to repeatedly betray their trust and fail them in the end? If you believe in a fair world, or even if you are simply moved emotionally by the loving, passionate characters of Romeo and Juliet, I am sure that you will agree that Friar Laurence is a leader who is guilty of malignant.

Dolphins Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dolphins - Essay Example Another factor was that pent-up consumer spending from the Great Depression and war exploded into a period of economic dynamism that propelled American hegemony. 2. The Bretton Woods System is a landmark contribution to the world economy. In the mid-20th century this system worked as a means of establishing the rules and financial regulations for the world’s major industrialized countries. Major independent nations met in Bretton Woods in 1944 and agreed to establish a number of major institutions. Among these institutions are the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) (Boyer). The system required world nations to adopt a exchange rate that tied their currency to the US dollar, allowing the IMF the ability to correct transitory payment imbalances. 3. 1968-1971 witnessed the decline of Bretton Woods System. The decline of the Bretton Woods System was greatly linked to United States currency policy changes. While during the establishment of Bretton Woods the United States had been the unchallenged hegemonic power, by the late 1960s Japan and Europe had both gained considerable economic clout. Another factor was that the Vietnam and Cold War increasingly made the United States position as the world’s central banker untenable (Boyer). In the early 1970s the United States went off the gold standard in what has been termed the Nixon Shock, effectively ending this early period of Bretton Woods. 4. 1968 experienced worldwide revolutions that posed significant challenges to modern capitalism and communism. In large part the children of this era grew up in an environment where they had ready access to television with global reach. The ability to look into foreign nations engendered an environment of self-reflexivity and the 1968 protests were the incarnation of these changing perspectives (Boyer). Both capitalist and communist nations experienced these protests. While not

World Wide Flu Epidemic Kills 20 Millions. 1918 Essay

World Wide Flu Epidemic Kills 20 Millions. 1918 - Essay Example The fort was an outpost in Kansas where new soldiers were trained before being sent off to Europe for World War I. A company cook apparently came down with the symptoms of the flu which appeared similar to the symptoms of a bad cold. He was isolated immediately; however, within the next hour, several soldiers were also admitted to the infirmary for the same symptoms as the cook (Rosenberg, 2010). Despite their best attempts to contain the symptoms, the flu spread quickly to the Fort Riley population and after several weeks, about a thousand of them were infected by the flu; towards the end, 46 of them died (Rosenberg, 2010). Similar incidents were soon reported in different military camps in the US and this spread on board transport ships and inadvertently this disease reached Europe via infected soldiers. When the epidemic reached Spain, the Spanish government immediately made the epidemic public; and since most people first heard the attack from the Spanish broadcast, the flu was n amed the Spanish flu (Rosenberg, 2010). It later also infected Russia, India, China, and Africa; but by the end of 1918, the first wave of the disease gradually tapered out. The second wave of the flu was however more deadly. It struck three port cities all at the same time (Boston, US; Brest in France; and Freetown in Sierra Leone) (Rosenberg, 2010). Hospitals were overwhelmed by the second wave as the patient population overflowed and depleted their supplies. The flu had a major impact on victims as within a few hours, symptoms of extreme fatigue, fever, and headache, already started showing up (Rosenberg, 2010). Patients were also subjected to powerful bouts of coughing which most often tore their abdominal muscles. Blood was often seen from the mouths, nostrils, and from their ears. Other patients also vomited (Rosenberg, 2010). This disease sometimes killed patients within a matter of hours from the first symptom manifesting and others within a day or two of the

Cell proliferation experiment, Immunoprecipitation and western blot Essay

Cell proliferation experiment, Immunoprecipitation and western blot experiment, cell imaging experiment - Essay Example The aim of this work was to elucidate the mechanism by which cp250 causes tumors and identify which signaling pathways were activated by its binding to the cell. The first experiment looked at the effect of cp250 on cell proliferation and compared it to the effect of the growth factor PDGFA and the second and third experiments looked at which pathways were triggered by the binding of cp250 to hepatocytes. The aim of this experiment was to determine whether cp250 caused cell proliferation in hepatocytes and also to establish whether it was recognized by the same receptor that bound the growth factor PDGFA. As shown in Table 1, cp250 and PDGFA clearly have similar effects on cell proliferation. Hepatocytes that were treated with either cp250 or PDGFA both showed an increase in proliferation as compared to cells that were not given either. Moreover cp250 and PDGFA appear to bind to the same receptor, PDGFR. There does not appear to be any synergism when both are used together. Hepatocytes that were treated with antisense RNA to the receptor prior to incubation with the ligands did not show a significant increase in proliferation. In addition, scrambled siRNA that does not target any cellular mRNA does not affect the binding of either cp250 or PDGFA to the receptor. This indicates that the binding of cp250 is specific to PDGFR. The next step was to identify which downstream elements in the signaling process were activated on binding to the receptor. In order to do this, hepatocytes that were treated with cp250 and PDGFA were lysed and complexes that were formed were pulled down with an antibody to the receptor. Western blots with antibodies raised against different downstream signaling molecules were performed to identify which components were complexed with the receptor after activation. Controls were performed with cells treated with water. As can be seen in Fig.1A, cp250 and PDGFA both bind to the receptor PDGFR, confirming the first experiment. From Fig.1B, it can be seen that Phospholipase gamma 1 (PLC1) is recruited to the receptor after treatment with either cp250 or PDGFA. From Fig.1C, it can be inferred that autophosphorylation of PDGFR and phosphorylation of PLC1 take place, indicating the activation of PLC1 takes place once it is recruited to the activated receptor. Confocal Microscopy The aim of this experiment was to confirm the activation of the inositol phospholipids pathway and further characterize the downstream signaling pathway set off by the binding of cp250 to PDGFR. The confocal images show that when rat hepatocytes transfected with EGFP-tagged PLC1 are treated with either cp250 or PDGFA, the PLC1 is localized to the cell membrane, indicating their recruitment. This localization is markedly absent in cells treated with water alone. On addition of the red fluorescent Ca2+ sensing dye X-rhod-1, there is an increase in red fluorescence in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes treated with cp250 or PDGFA but not with water. This indicates that the IP3 signalling pathway has been activated upon binding of the viral protein. DISCUSSION The present work was intended to try and deduce the probable mechanism by which cp250 acts upon the hepatocyte and causes tumorigenesis. Given its similarity to the growth factor PDGFA, it seemed reasonable to postulate that it bound to the same

Characteristics That Define Community Base Tourism

Characteristics That Define Community Base Tourism In any widely developed, competitive market, like ours, quality service delivery of a consistent and superb hospitality separates business that do well from those who struggles to keep their head above the waters. Quality service is about personalized connection. Its about how people feel after theyve purchased from you or spend days of their lives in your care whether is on a vacation or a business trip. Its about the closely developed bonds, the stunning relationships and the extra-ordinary and positive feelings between the team and the customers. Hiring the most exceptional individuals who understand this concept and delivering it naturally on a daily basis. Product or name aside, it is widely believed that service and hospitality accounts for seventy five (75%) of what is actually sold. Companies are therefore empowered to engage their teams driving them to understand both and responsibly delivering them at the highest possible standard. Hospitality industry is one of the service sectors, with relatively high level of customer contact. The higher the level of customer contacts the more numerous and higher the growth of the organization, quality services include but not limited to: Benefits Under-promise and over-deliver, this by all means should be the ultimate goal for every successful company in the hospitality sector, being attentive and passionate about their customer needs. Once a customers needs are satisfied, you automatically build the foundation and establish a relationship based on sincere trust and devoted loyalty. Collectively contributing to customers loyalty and hence retention which is integral for success and sustained growth in this industry. Feedback Always remain open to suggestions. Understanding what exactly your customers expect and desire from you. Placing a suggestion box in your reception area, cafà ©, air travel or tourism office so you can garner feedback from your customers. Furthermore, dont just gather customer recommendations, but expeditiously act upon them showing that you really care and appreciate their business and value their opinion. It is very essential to understand the importance of quality customer service in hospitality in order to make a positive difference to the business through active listening, learning and implementation. Prompt Service Providing the best service is only the first step, providing it above and beyond the required pace is most essential in achieving a desired goal. Not being fast enough may cause you to lose an important customer and several other referrals. Keep in mind that if your customer is not satisfied, he will knock on other doors until someone else will, constantly learning how to innovate, meeting high expectations and providing excellent service. Customers should be the center of your universe and your services should be designed and tailored to meet their needs. Convenience Both the hospitality and other service related industries thrives on convenience. If customers convenience is missing, this essential ingredient, your business wont last long unless numerous changes demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction. Service and hospitality industries were predominantly built to offer the basics of convenience to customers. Knowing that today the industry is expanding and the competition is rapidly expanding, hotel conglomerates are getting more and more innovative, thinking of various means to achieve highest possible standards in convenience offerings. Value Customer needs to be treated with priority no questions asked, and he should see superb value in the services received. Once a customer strongly believes he is getting a great value for the money he is paying, he will in no doubt keep coming back. On the contrary, dissatisfaction with your service will make him turn back and look for value offerings from your competition and paint a daunting picture of your business with his friends and associates. Without these essential tools and services no industry especially in the hospitality sector will survive and stay afloat. Community Based Tourism Community based tourism is tourism in which local residents  (often rural, poor and economically marginalized)  invite tourists to visit their communities with the provision of overnight accommodation. A community by definition implies individuals with some kind of collective responsibility, and the ability to make decisions by representative bodies. Community based tourism (CTB) enables travelers and tourists alike to discover local habitats, wildlife while celebrating and respecting traditional native cultures, rituals and norms. Communities will be fully aware of commercial along with social values placed on their natural and cultural heritage through community based tourism, hence fostering conservation and preservation of these resources. Nature lovers can visit naturally preserved areas accompanied by a local guide who explains traditional uses of the various plants and local forest lore, transmitting not just information but experience. CTB distinctively provides an excellent alternative to community development thats previously not sustained, giving both rural and urban communities an additional source of much needed income. In supporting community-based tourism, one can immerse themselves in the day-to-day living of the local and indigenous community members while helping to preserve their environment and rich cultural heritage. Community Based Tourism is normally a jointly planned and managed tourism activity of local groups: this new business never can be the main or only income source of the communities and cooperatives but can be an additional income possibility for locals while effectively reducing the impact on the environment. Characteristics that define community base tourism are: Seeks to integrate natural beauty and the daily life of communities. It promotes productive and sustainable practices It adapts itself to the dynamics of rural life making it more welcoming and relaxed. Is sustained by local initiative and participation, strengthening local organizations, which are made up of a wide cross section of families or of the community in general. Fosters participation of the locals in the economic activity, distributing the benefits evenhandedly, while supplementing income obtained by farming. Encourages land ownership by the local population. Local culture passed on to the next generation Build community management organization Environmental Encourage respect for different cultures Development in response to the community needs A percentage of profits from tourism is contributed to a community fund for economic and social development of the community Fostering a shared learning process between hosts and guests A local with organization or mechanism exists to manage tourism with the ability to link tourism and community development Benefits are fairly distributed to all. Educating and building understanding of diverse cultures and ways of life. Raising awareness of natural and cultural conservative among tourists and the local community Stimulated by the sight of tourists and increasing support from government offices and local business operators, development agencies along with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), communities are fast developing the infrastructure and services required for sustainable CBT. Rural community tourism in  Jamaica for example, is a showcase of conservation of large tracts of virgin rainforest, reforestation work and organic agriculture as now been explored by the cockpit country and also a showcase of the rich musical heritage and colonial occupation when we were once enslaved, Travelers support these work through their visits and purchases of memorabilias available on location. WHAT TRAVELERS CAN DO Successful community tourism is mutually beneficial for the communities and for the travelers. The big question is where to go? As some communities do have their negative side that spruce its ugly head every now and then. UNDERSTANDING FAILURE Community based tourism is not always successful; we could begin to look at these failures as pathways to great success. Rural community base tourism takes place in already marginalized areas. Created with great intentions, community-based tourism projects and activities are generally abandoned when political pressures arise, jealousies deeply intensify or the heralded ecotourism dont arrive. Many developers talk of integrating communities into tourism, but they rarely visit a community and ask what it is locals would want to see done or the main areas that needs urgent attention. Instead, operations are just imposed in an all too familiar top-down fashion. Likewise, many travelers may require to be graced with the experience community base tourism, but within two to four days they begin to complain that the services are not up to their standards or lack any form of professionalism. Greater time should be spent getting to know your guests. It normally pays off with a richer and more filling experience for all concerned. Successful community-based tourism succeeds when it achieves mutual benefits for  locals and visitors. Factors Influencing Caribbean Tourism Growth The Caribbean is experiencing a tourism boost. The Caribbean islands have historically been popular with tourists from America, Canada and Europe. During the global economic recession, tourism growth slowed but remained strong. And now, with the ongoing recovery, tourism numbers are steadily rising with a 4 percent increase in 2010 alone. Ease of Access For most people living in the northern hemisphere, the Caribbean is the quickest getaway destination where they can be on a beach with a colorful drink in one to four hours. The Bahamas, for instance, has islands that are barely 50 miles away from Florida. This has made the Caribbean a favorite of many travelers and contributes to tourist growth. Airlines continue to create more flights such as the Jetblue route from both Boston and New York to the Turks and Caicos. And for those who prefer not to fly, there are numerous cruise ship options. These include the Royal Caribbean Cruises that visit the Bahamas, St. Thomas and the Disney Cruise Lines, which are tailored for families and take them not only to islands like Antigua, but also privately owned islands such as Castaway Cay. Cost As noted above, there are many options for getting to the Caribbean. Consequently, reaching the region is equally affordable, especially when compared with other destinations in Europe, Asia and even parts of Latin America. You can find an affordable ticket for a quick trip during off season when there are less tourists. And for large islands with airports that are hubs for air carriers, like the Bahamas and Puerto Rico, cheap tickets are available almost year round. And upon arriving, visitors can enjoy themselves without going broke. Save, of course, if they opt to shop at prime luxury stores, which can be found on many islands. This affordability is an essential factor in the regions tourism growth. The Caribbean has a variety of accommodations from high-end luxury resorts to bed and breakfasts and everything in between. These options mean that visitors of all economic levels can come to the region. But in addition to the accommodations is the affordable cost. Resorts and hotels continue to present competitively priced accommodations that attract visitors. Reputation The Caribbean has been visited by tourists since the 1800s, and tales of its beauty and relaxing environment precede it. In fact, the Royal Victorian Hotel was built in the Bahamas during the American Civil War, one of the earliest such establishments in the region. This continuing good reputation makes it easy for tourists to visit for the first time or return for a repeat vacation. Also, the region is known for being safe, alleviating concern from families and single visitors. According to the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the Caribbean Basin in the most tourist-dependent region in the world. The regions tourism dollars exceed gross exports by about a third of total receipts, and about a million workers are employed in the tourism industry. Many factors influence tourism in the Caribbean Basin. Global Economics Since the global financial crisis, which began in 2008, the Caribbean Basin has seen a slight decrease in visitation due to higher unemployment, particularly in major markets such as the United States. Weather Patterns Hurricanes and major tropical storms impact tourism in the Caribbean a great deal. Hurricane season in the Caribbean is June1 to November 30. In Caribbean islands where major storms are rare, such as Curacao, tourism remains unaffected by weather. Oil Prices As the price of crude oil increases, airlines cut back on flights to the region. This reduces access to the Caribbean Basin, resulting in a lower tourism rate. Promotion The CTO has increased the marketing and promotion of the Caribbean region, with more emphasis on Internet social websites, online booking agencies and international marketing offices. Incentives More deals and incentives by host countries attract more visitors. The CTO aims to provide attractive vacation packages to travelers, especially during holidays and the off-season.

The Ethics in Artificial Intelligence Systems :: Computer Technology

The Ethics in Artificial Intelligence Systems Introduction Not too long in history were computers invented. In fact, computers were first invented within this very century. Today we can see that computers are extremely helpful in our daily lives. The field in technology has improved so much in just the last few decades. We can see this by examining the technological advancements in computers themselves--such as having more capacities, storing more memories, performing more tasks and even in a less amount of time, etc. By observing the inconceivable progressions, one can see that not only will the field in technology will grow but grow exponentially. Thus, the growth in technological innovations will be promising to society. With this in mind, for the past few decades, many people especially scientists, researchers, and inventors have devoted so much time and energy in AI (artificial intelligence). The subject matter of artificial intelligence has brought many anticipation in society. Not only does artificial intelligence has many pr omises such as efficiently solving "numerous technical problems," but also AI would promise for a better understanding in "cognitive processes, particularly, the human mind" 1. Before we go any further, let's take a look at the history behind artificial intelligence. History The concepts of the development of artificial intelligence can be traced "as far back as ancient Greece." 2 Even something as small as the abacus has in somehow led to the idea of artificial intelligence. However, one of the biggest breakthroughs in the area of AI is when computers were invented. So who was this genius that came up with this idea of computers? One would have thought that computers were first â€Å"originated in the United States, but this is not true.† 3 Nonetheless, the United States of America, Britain, and Germany all happened to create the computer during the same era. Germany was actually the first country that developed the computer. And the man that represented Germany is Konrad Zuse. Zuse â€Å"had the world’s first general-purpose programmable computer up and running† by the end of the year 1941. 3 Next came Bletchley Park, who represented Britain; he was a "top secret wartime establishment which was devoted to breaking the We hrmacht's codes." 3 With the help of mathematicians and engineers, Park was able to build "an electronic computer for deciphering coded messages" called the Colossus.