A Separate Peace Essays (579 words) - Phillips Exeter Academy

A Separate Peace A Separate Peace is a coming-of-age novel about two boys at boarding school and their friendship during World War II. There are three significant scenes of violence that occur in the novel; however, the core of the plot is based upon one. The first and most poignant is the incident where Gene, the narrator, jiggles the tree branch while he and Phineas, his best friend, are preparing to jump, causing Phineas to fall and break his leg. The next scene of violence is when Quackenbush calls Gene a lame and Gene pushes him into the water. Lastly, Gene pushes Leper out of his chair while visiting him after he is accused of causing Phineas injury. All of these occurrences contribute to the overall meaning of the work. One of the climaxes of A Separate Peace happens at the first scene of violence. Until this scene, the reader is unaware of Genes evil side. He is so overtaken by his jealousy and rage toward Phineas that he succumbs to his emotions and causes Finny to fall off of the tree branch. This shows the immature, childish side of the characters. Not only are they climbing trees, which is a behavior commonly practiced among children, but children also do not know how to handle feelings and emotions, and commonly react with violence. Gene then proceeds to dive off of the branch like nothing happened, apparently satisfied with his achievement; showing the reader that, like a child, there is little or no remorse for ones actions. The next scene of violence, in which Gene reacts to Quackenbush, is caused by Quackenbushs referral to Gene as a lame for deciding to be a crew manager instead of going out for a sport. This is after Phineas accident, which Gene feels responsible for; and he takes the insult personally. Genes reaction to the insult shows the reader the actual closeness between Gene and Phineas. By taking the insult to such a personal level, the reader is able to understand how Gene and Finny have become almost as one person. Gene feels as though he is crippled himself because of the tightness of the bond between them, and the guilt he feels for Finnys injury. The theme of maturation also becomes clear, as Gene feels heavy-laden with guilt and responsibility for the decision he made to jounce the branch. The last violent scene also depicts Genes struggle between maturity and immaturity. He causes Lepers chair to fall over when accused of making Finny fall from the tree. On one hand, the child-like trait of resorting to violence when confronted with anger and embarrassment is shown. He is aware Leper knows the truth, but is unwilling to face it. However, on the other hand, by becoming angry and defensive in the first place, Gene shows he is remorseful and responsible for his actions. Violence in some form is a part of most every mans youth, and it can even be paralleled to the fighting occurring in Europe at that time. Though the violent scenes in A Separate Peace are few, they contain great purpose and are significant contributors to the novel as a whole. Each event is symbolic to the rite of passage traveled by Gene and his peers, not only becoming men fighting for a peace within, but soldiers fighting for a peace of nations. English Essays

Free Essays on The Chrysanthemums

In John Steinbeck’s short story, â€Å"The Chrysanthemums,† the author uses the flower to symbolize the main character, Elisa. Like the title flower, Elisa is soft and delicate with a tough, protective shell. She worries for herself and her flowers that an insensitive person will be able to get inside the gates and wreak havoc among her feelings and flowers. Both the woman and the chrysanthemums have a unique beauty. Both the woman and the flowers possess attractiveness, but in comparison to other woman and flowers, Elisa’s beauty has become muted internally. Just like the flower, she needs to be pampered in order to bloom. As the story comes to a close, Elisa begins to blossom and show confidence, and allows the protective gates to be broken down around herself and her flowers. Chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa by having sensitivity under a strong outer layer. Steinbeck describes Elisa’s face as â€Å"lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water† (246). When reading this passage, the reader pictures a hard working face, but a meek soul as one looks through Elisa’s kind eyes. The author portrays Elisa as a sweet young woman afraid to show her true feelings out of fear of having her sensitive side trampled by a less caring human being. Her figure â€Å"looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man’s hat pulled low down over her eyes, clod-hopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron† (246). Here one sees that Elisa hides her feminine form with manly apparel. Also, she â€Å"wore heavy leather gloves to protect her hands† (246). A feeling of fear comes from Elisa as if she is afraid to show her true self because she worries about being hurt. However, she wears a barely noticeable print dress because she enjoys ! being a woman. When a woman dresses up for an event she will almost always wear a dress because it symbolizes femininity. Elisa wears a dress, but covers it with... Free Essays on The Chrysanthemums Free Essays on The Chrysanthemums In John Steinbeck’s short story, â€Å"The Chrysanthemums,† the author uses the flower to symbolize the main character, Elisa. Like the title flower, Elisa is soft and delicate with a tough, protective shell. She worries for herself and her flowers that an insensitive person will be able to get inside the gates and wreak havoc among her feelings and flowers. Both the woman and the chrysanthemums have a unique beauty. Both the woman and the flowers possess attractiveness, but in comparison to other woman and flowers, Elisa’s beauty has become muted internally. Just like the flower, she needs to be pampered in order to bloom. As the story comes to a close, Elisa begins to blossom and show confidence, and allows the protective gates to be broken down around herself and her flowers. Chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa by having sensitivity under a strong outer layer. Steinbeck describes Elisa’s face as â€Å"lean and strong and her eyes were as clear as water† (246). When reading this passage, the reader pictures a hard working face, but a meek soul as one looks through Elisa’s kind eyes. The author portrays Elisa as a sweet young woman afraid to show her true feelings out of fear of having her sensitive side trampled by a less caring human being. Her figure â€Å"looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man’s hat pulled low down over her eyes, clod-hopper shoes, a figured print dress almost completely covered by a big corduroy apron† (246). Here one sees that Elisa hides her feminine form with manly apparel. Also, she â€Å"wore heavy leather gloves to protect her hands† (246). A feeling of fear comes from Elisa as if she is afraid to show her true self because she worries about being hurt. However, she wears a barely noticeable print dress because she enjoys ! being a woman. When a woman dresses up for an event she will almost always wear a dress because it symbolizes femininity. Elisa wears a dress, but covers it with...

Freeman Stakeholder Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Freeman Stakeholder Theory - Essay Example Employees have their jobs and livelihoods at stake and suppliers provide raw materials to the corporation, hence its success is vital to their success. Similarly, managers, customers and the community are other stakeholders in the corporation, all of whom stand to benefit from it. (Freeman, 1984). On this basis, Freeman argues that changes that have occurred in corporations law have resulted in constraints, in that stakeholder interests are being compromised in the interest of promoting the interests of stockholders, which has produced an outcome that is not conducive to the general good. He therefore contends that all stakeholders have the right to benefit equally and need to participate in determining the future direction of the firm. The purpose of the firm cannot be described as merely that of maximizing profits for stockholders (Freeman, 1999). Freeman bases his Doctrine of Fair Contracts on a normative basis, i.e, that fairness dictates that the purpose of the firm and its operations should be such as to ensure that there is a basic equality maintained among all groups of stakeholders. Therefore, the normative basis applies justice and fairness, as outlined in Rawls’ theory, using the device of the social contract. Under the social contract, every person has the right to certain basic liberties, which are equal to that which others have (Rawls, 1971:53). Furthermore, opportunities should be available to everyone without restriction and they must be of the greatest benefit to the least advantaged members of society (Rawls, 1971:303). Applying a normative basis to stakeholder holder theory, the guiding principle is that a firm should be managed in such a way that the benefits are balanced for all stakeholders and this is achieved by the Fair Doctrine principles outlined above. When a firm is managed in such a way that only stockholders benefit, then this may undermine the

Taxation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 11

Taxation - Essay Example In the 2011 budget, Mr. Alistar made no changes on the income tax rate but stated that if the tax rate remained permanent, it would lead to long lasting damage to UK’s economy. Since 2009 when the tax rate was introduce, to date, the tax rate has been questioned and changed on several occasion in the budgets. In the 2012 budget, Mr. Osborne, who was the Chancellor by then, announced a tax cut from the 50% to 45% and thus the taxpayers could escape the 50% tax rate at a cost of  £1 billion to the taxpayer. This tax rate change was implemented by the Government and the additional tax rate has since remained at 45%. There have been many discussions as to whether the tax rate should remain at 45% or be added back to 50% (Seely, 2014:21). This paper argues against the restoration of the 50% additional rate of income tax by the UK government. Several arguments have been brought forth against of a restored tax rate of 50%. One of the arguments is that a low tax rate has an affirmative impact on output, and employment because it offers incentives to boost these activities. If the taxes are raised, people avoid the kind of work that attracts high tax rates. This means that if people do not carry out work that has high tax rate, the output in the country is reduced and the same happens to the level of employment. With unemployment and output levels reduced, then this additional tax rate will act as a barricade to economic growth, and thus Britain will lag behind other nations on matters regarding the growth of the economy. Raising the tax rate will castigate activities that are taxed. The overall result of this is that less tax is attained because the more something taxed then the less is gotten from it. Since some people have built up enough capital that they can contentedly leave on, high taxes push such people to quit wor king or even work less. Those that continue working stop working hard in order to avoid earning extra amounts. The effect of reduced work,

Literature Review 'Family Business Sustainability' Essay

Literature Review 'Family Business Sustainability' - Essay Example Frequently a dichotomy is made amid the "family" and "business" where these two aspects forms distinctive subsystems which interact so as to form a complete structure named "family business". When family forces and business forces demonstrably interrelate and impact one another, then scholars agree that a blend is exists among the two aspects, implying a new and exclusive system which is termed a family business. Previous studies sought to define family business in relations to ownership or management and the controlling systems, and also intergenerational transfers, this view offered some insights into the manner of business. (Rosenblatt, 1995) However, this approach had some limitations, currently there has been a shift on how a family business is described and the focus presently is on establishing the business intention and its vision as ways of knowing is the business can be defined as family business. Alongside this new "strategic" perspective of a business, there is also a new approach which looks on the resources (capital, human, knowledge, materials) accessible to a specific business as a method of determining its standing. Resources based view (RBV) of a business suggests a business is a "family business" where the function of a family has a confirmable effect on role and also performance of a particular business. Though the past definitions and descriptions have not been completely replaced, there is a current change in analytical basis to encompass significant elements of business practice, for example visions, culture and intentions. (Rosenblatt, 1995) Business management of family business Business management of family businesses varies deeply from the management of broadly held public businesses. Family owners focus on management and also facilitates making of decisions, that can equally lower management costs and allow unusual though strategically beneficial decisions. (Rosenblatt, 1995) A well-functioning business system assist build trust and conviction in the family, and a excellent family dynamic, which in turn is an asset to the family business since it enables every separate part of management to work better and be able to add extra value whilst remaining inline with the different constituents of the management system. These management benefits can present apparent economic gains. (Rosenblatt, 1995) Nonetheless, a rising business turns into more and more complex and crafts its own requirements for a further formal organizational arrangement or structure. At such a time Family business managers have to adjust their management practices as a result. Certainly, success compels the want to adjust and modify, and every one of family businesses finally face this truth. (Rosenblatt, 1995) The character of Family Ownership Family members mainly have a high focus on management and leadership, on top of having a high emotional connection to the business. A family could have a feeling of moral commitment to other business stakeholders, or view the family business as means for creating a positive input to community. Furthermore, family members at

Critical Regionalism In Free Movement Cultural Studies Essay

Critical Regionalism In Free Movement Cultural Studies Essay In an era where free movement of information, products and services has increased tremendously, the society is increasingly experiencing incidences of homogeneity. More than ever, the global population is assuming a common culture that is characterized by a high level of uniformity. Although this is in most instances considered to be western culture, it is notable that local cultural aspects are also being incorporated in the global culture. Just like other aspects of culture, it can not be disputed that architecture has equally experienced increased homogeneity. Emergent research argues that although internationalization of culture is an indication of societal advancement, it can also have detrimental effects on local culture. In this respect, it is particularly feared that internationalization undermines creativity and innovation as local efforts are integrated in to designs that are then accorded a global orientation. The current trend has culminated in a conflict between internationalization and regional artists who argue that their efforts are increasingly undermined by the former. Increasingly, preservation of local and regional architecture and culture in general is becoming tricky. Preservation and conservation of local culture and architectural designs is requiring complex efforts in order to attain optimal results. It is against this background that this paper provides an explicit review of the concept of critical regionalism form Kenneth Framptons point of view. In order to enhance a harmonic consideration, the essay is classified in different phases that exhaustively review particularistic aspects of this conception, the contribution of Jorn Utzon to the subject under review, practical examples with respect to how culture has been unified in the modern cities, the response of critical universalism to future technology and several other concerns that are related in different ways to the co ncept of critical regionalism. According to Butler and Spivak (2007), critical regionalism refers to the concentrated efforts or attempts that seek to synthesize or mainstream the rooted aspects of a given region such as physical attributes and cultural characteristics with the relevant technology being employed in development at that given time. The main aim of the efforts is to counter the inherent lack of identity and placelessness by putting in consideration the unique aspects that are found within the context or environment of the given building. Besides being mindful of the local environmental aspects, the ultimate architecture also incorporates the universal aspects that characterize the contemporary mobile society. In the long run, the final architecture can be considered to be sustainable and unique in different ways. This is fundamental in preserving the local culture, encouraging creativity and innovation and at he same time enhancing societal advancement. The notion of sustainability is integral to thi s conception as the final piece of architecture needs to be both functional and aesthetic n nature. Critical regionalism is a concept that has been accorded increased attention since historical times. The term was initially coined by Liane Lefaivre and Alexander Tzonis. It was later analyzed and accorded new meanings by Kenneth Frampton in the preceding years. In his Towards a Critical Regionalism, Frampton provides an explicit analysis and review of different methodologies that can be employed in embracing modernity without compromising the role of the local knowledge. He also cites a host of modern construction practices that compromise the ability of the developers to incorporate important cultural aspects in constructions. His main argument revolves around the contention that as much as assuming modern values and attributes is imperative for enhancing competitiveness within the global sphere, equal attention also needs to be accorded to diverse features that are found in the environment that the building would be located. Several authors of whom Powell (2007) is represented contend that internationalization has increasingly contributed to the erosion of critical traditional values, culture and attributes. Almost all aspects of the global population are undergoing a significant transition and more emphasis is being placed on homogenous cultures. In his review, Ricoeur (1965) contends that the current trend towards modernization can be implicated for disregarding the role of old civilizations in development. He argues that critical regionalization provides a credible alternative that can be employed in resolving the emergent challenges. The fact that the concept recognizes the importance of continuous evolution makes it instrumental in sustainable decision making as past lessons are used in determining the nature of future decisions and moves. The activities that are proposed by this conception tend to be flexible and can be employed in redefining the current decisions in order to adopt timely intervent ions that would reverse the current destructive trend. In his critical review of culture and civilization, Frampton (1983) indicates that the current state of architecture and building is essentially conditioned by the building industry. This has led to the development of building restrictions and regulations that determine not only the design but also the citing of the buildings that are set up in different areas. The fact that the respective building codes and regulations are standardized and replicated in different areas undermines the ability of mainstreaming vital cultural concerns during construction of buildings. Contravention of the set restrictions and regulations often exposes the given developer to stringent measures that impact negatively on their welfare. This has led to the increase in high rise buildings that in most instances assume a similar design. At this point, it can be argued that this has played a leading role in suppressing cultural expression as well as creativity and innovation. In his research, Jameson (1983) c ites that the current developments in this regard are laying undue emphasis on the concept of utility as opposed to different aspects whose interplay culminates in a sustainable construction practices. The concept of critical regionalization according to Powell (2007) seeks to counter this trend by ensuring that as much as certain building codes are strictly adhered to, room is also provided for creativity, innovation and incorporation of critical cultural aspects. In essence, modernization is placed within the traditional concept and vice versa. In current times, arts are increasingly employed in enhancing creativity and innovation. Artists use this medium to express their diverse cultural aspects to the entire world. It is also a viable way through which culture is preserved by the respective society and used for educational purposes in future. The fact that innovation and creativity is slowly but progressively being undermined through the gravitation of arts is also worrying. In this regard, it is argued that entertainment and manufacturing of commodities are providing avenues through which the society is increasingly developing a hybrid global culture. Specific techniques, methodologies and standards of constructing buildings provide limited room for inculcation of vital cultural aspects in the same. This is where critical regionalism comes in handy in a bit to counter the scenario. In this regard, the concept initiates and maintains an acceptable level of resistance that contravenes the set standards and procedures. This according to Frampton (1983) has been critical in putting brakes on the avant-garde pendulum. Respective efforts are geared towards a noble cause of preserving certain ideals that characterize the present day culture. As indicated earlier, Frampton (1983) postulates that the current arrierre-garde holding position is likely to culminate in incidences of resistance and a persistent identity giving culture that is characterized by universal techniques. Seemingly, it is defined by the enlightenment progress myth that does not advocate for a return to vernacular forms. Critical regionalism at this point is defined as a bridge whose central position demands that the future architecture must pass over it in order to attain optimal results. Essentially, it is argued that position of critical regionalism demands that both universal civilization and world culture accord it utmost attention. This recognition is characterized by deconstruction of alien forms that have been forcefully or intentionally acquired by the global society and limitation of the economy that entirely depend son technological production. A classic example of such a situation has been cited by Frampton to constitute Jorn Utzons Bagsvaerd Church that was built in 1976 and is located in Copenhagen. This is an exemplary illustration of the concepts of world culture and universal civilization. The construction of the exterior part was basically based on the universal technique. This is built using concrete blocks and concrete wall panels that are pre-cast. These are set up in a repetitive manner that creates an impression of a grid. Notably, this building code is found across the globe and it constitutes one of the important regulations that are set forth by the industry. Thus it can be considered a universal attribute that is in line with the global expectations with regards to building and construction. Interior Design of Jorn Utzons Bagsvaerd Church However, the interior part can be considered to express the world culture or secular culture that is typical to Copenhagen. One dominant feature of the interior pertains to the concrete vault that is not economic in nature and is not common on a universal scale. The inherent manipulation of light is only typical to sacred places found in the region. As mentioned afore, this is not an implication of western culture; rather it can only be likened to Chinese pagoda roof that is a representation of world culture. Also worth acknowledging with regard to the concept of critical regionalism is the mainstreaming of the regional peculiarities in the construction process. In this respect, Lovine (2004) asserts that buildings need to put in consideration the environmental features and attributes of the locales within which they are situated. Generally, modernization puts lays particular emphasis on economizing the available space and in most instances, it is forced to get rid of certain aspects such as topography. The elimination of such aspects is a clear indication that certain techniques are employed during construction. Notably, other important aspects such as climate have also been controlled by human techniques during construction. In his research, Norberg-Schulz (1980) asserts that these aspects are important as they represent certain cultural aspects of the developer. Critical regionalism counters this by assuming the principle of building the site that incorporates diverse environmental asp ects that are also a reflection of the cultural aspects of the given population. A classical illustration of the importance of preferring tectonic over scenographic features is exemplified by the Aaltos SSynatsalo Town hall that was constructed in 1952. In this, a tactile surface is successfully employed in enhancing the legibility of the architecture. The brick steps that line the exterior and lead to the chambers of the council create a harmonic impression that arguably affirms the feet as it meets each tread. The inside of the chambers are then made up of wood that presents a different feeling and reading altogether. Generally, Slessor (2004) contends that designers that put in consideration regional criticism need to incorporate aspects of a physical as well as localized sense of place. Respective elements that can be effectively employed in attaining this included orientation, topography, lighting characteristics, micro climatic conditions and vegetation. Further, probabilities for natural ventilation, natural lighting and shading for cooling purposes are equally important. The benefits that accrue from this are not only economic in nature but they also place the building within the physical environmental surroundings and enhance the general harmony of the two. The inherent sense of interaction with the natural surroundings is an indication of environmental sensitivity that is critical in the twenty first century. Of great importance would be the employment of local materials for construction that not only cuts down economic costs but also enhances the performance of the given building. Also worth mentioning with regard to critical regionalism is the ability of the designer to clearly interpret the passage of time using the building. According to Foucault (1986), a building that provides clear ways of recording and understanding the passage of time is a clear expression of the period that it was constructed. This is important as it enables the society to understand it in light of historical revolution. The respective recording methods can also offer a basement upon which future construction can be devised as well as understood. In particular, attitudes regarding durability, permanence, change and decay that are related to recording are a vital expression of the sensibility of the region. Further, Butler and Spivak (2007) indicate that emphasis on the importance of human interaction during construction is also an important aspect of regional criticism. In this regard, the given design needs to consider the organization as well as structure of the family that would reside therein. In certain communities, concerns expand beyond the domestic sphere and incorporate the dimensions of the community within which the family is situated as well as the economic and political structures that characterize the region. Issues pertaining to power, the ability of the design to either express invitation or exclusion is also accorded utmost attention during this time. Other concepts include democracy, hierarchy and bureaucracy. These need to be clearly defined as they are critical in the understanding of the places and spaces that buildings present. Also equally important to critical regionalism is a clear understanding of human dignity and organization within the building. Emergent aspects such as leisure time need to be put in consideration during the construction process. In this regard, Jameson (1983) indicates that the twenty first century tendencies lay particular importance on the separation of spaces employed in production and consumption. These differences have been identified to have diverse impacts on the holistic functioning of the society. Relative concerns also involve the responsibility of individuals within vast business environments, the compartmentalization and separation of activities in the course of the process of production and the role of machines in the production process are important architectural concerns that need to be interpreted effectively. Arguably, all the above concepts interlink and interrelate with each other to culminate to culminate in a suitable environment that is supportive of the activities of the post industrial society. Questions revolving around mass production and participation of individuals in the entire process need to be addressed accordingly. Human dignity needs to be upheld to attain optimal production that is fundamental for successful operation. At this juncture, it can be ascertained that critical regionalism is an all inclusive concept that generally seeks to enhance sustainable development with respect to architecture and construction. In his research, Davey (2001) ascertains that the concept of regulation of building codes across the globe has led to unification of designs. Most cities adapt their design from the grid structure. The buildings contained therein tend to be of a similar design that is influenced by the set and standardized regulations. For instance, commercial buildings that are mostly found within the central business districts of cities such as New York and London tend to be of a similar design. This differs from those employed for constructing buildings in residential areas. Again, these tend to adopt a distinct design hat is stipulated by the technical expertise in the industry. The fact that developing economies are also increasingly adopting this trend has various implications on future construction and architecture in general. According to Slessor (2000), the replication of these designs in developing countries can be attributed to the concept of westernization that is perceived to be more ideal than the cultural aspect. This is likely to have detrimental effects on the cultural welfare of the societies in general. In particular, this would probably be unified and would compromise the concept of diversity n the long run. Also worth mentioning are the current trends that tend to consider local and regional designs to be global in nature. Basically, this is contributed to by changes in perceptions that tend to accord certain cultural designs more importance and preference than others. At this point, it can be contended that future architecture is compounded by various complexities that need to be effectively addressed by relevant institutions, persons and authorities. Certainly, creativity, innovation and cultural diversity are increasingly being compromised by internationalization of building codes. The loss of diversity is likely to have devastating effects on the wellbeing of the society as it would negatively impact on the ability of the given society to cushion itself against destructive environmental effects. Several factors have been put forth by relative studies in a bit to address this glaring shortcoming. Powell (2007) maintains that the concept of sustainability needs to be revisited and made a mainstream factor during construction and architectural design. In this respect, it is suggested that practical measures need to be undertaken to significantly reduce energy consumption of buildings. Statistical evidence shows that the amount of energy consumed by the buildings is equal to those employed in the industrial sector. This can be attained if natural resources found in the given environment are employed in construction of buildings found therein. This implies that the architectural designs that are employed in such areas need to be localized. Capitalization on the topography and other natural features found in the given environment also need to be assumed in order to reduce the resources employed in construction. Powell (2007) indicates that the current trend is leading to unification of architectural designs that undermines diversity. Environmental aesthetics is also being compromised by the internationalization of architectural designs. Techno-scientific-cum-economic agendas have inherent problems that could be difficult to resolve in future. Therefore, viable alternatives that reflect distinctive cultural aspects of a community need to be explored. Conclusion From the preceding analysis, it is certain that critical regionalism is an all inclusive concept that is based on the principle of sustainability. It is made up of various concepts that are imperative for sustainable development. It not only appreciates the importance of modernization in architectural design and building construction but also ensures that relative decisions are informed by important lessons learnt in the past. Traditional cultural aspects are integrated in architectural designs and construction that is driven by critical regionalism. The current trends have raised various concerns with regard to architectural designs and building codes being employed on a global scale. As it has been prescribed by this study, practical intervention measures need to be undertaken in order to counter the current scenario. The concepts of sustainability and inclusion of physical features like topography need to influence the development of modern architectural designs. This will not onl y save resources but will enhance diversity that is critical in cushioning the society against various threats.

Wal-Mart?s SMART Inventory System Essay -- essays research papers

After extensive last minute digging, I finally found a manager who trusted me enough to supply me with the name of the inventory system that is used. Unfortunately for me this is all I could uncover from my employer, but it is a start. Wal-Mart uses the SMART system. Because of the way it is spelled I can only assume that it is an acronym. I have been searching for over an hour on Google.com and finally produced some meager results, but here they are. Background From the results produced, I am at the deduction that SMART is not an acronym after all. SMART is basically a tracking system, it keeps track of all our inventory, the on-hand counts, and can automatically reorder product that is low or empty. As stated last week, most interaction with the SMART system is through the Telxon. Just to recap, the Telxon is a 900 MHz wireless handheld terminal equipped with a barcode scanner. When a barcode is scanned, almost instantly the item number, a short description, on hand counts and amount on order are displayed. The technicalities are a mystery to me but I can only assume that the Telxon is linking to the SMART database to retrieve all of this information. All from a simple thing like a barcode which is just a set of numbers that are unique, like a primary key. Strengths of SMART The actual database has to be enormous. There are so many products that the Wally keeps track of. All of which must be in the same database because products we don’t carry will still scan and give...

Gloablization Positive and Negative Impact

Advantages of Globalization Globalization means increasing the interdependence, connectivity and integration on a global level with respect to the social, cultural, political, technological, economic and ecological levels. Advantages * Goods and people are transported with ease and speed * the possibility of war between the developed countries decreases * free trade between countries increases * global mass media connects all the people in the world as the cultural barriers reduce, the global village dream becomes more realistic * there is a propagation of democratic ideals * the interdependence of the nation-states increases * as the liquidity of capital increases, developed countries can invest in developing ones * the flexibility of corporations to operate across borders increases * the communication between the individuals and corporations in the world increases * environmental protection in developed countries increases Effects of Globalization enhancement in the information flo w between geographically remote locations * the global common market has a freedom of exchange of goods and capital * there is a broad access to a range of goods for consumers and companies * worldwide production markets emerge * free circulation of people of different nations leads to social benefits * global environmental problems like cross-boundary pollution, over fishing on oceans, climate changes are solved by discussions * more trans-border data flow using communication satellites, the Internet, wireless telephones, etc. international criminal courts and international justice movements are launched * the standards applied globally like patents, copyright laws and world trade agreements increase * corporate, national and sub-national borrowers have a better access to external finance * worldwide financial markets emerge * multiculturalism spreads as there is individual access to cultural diversity. This diversity decreases due to hybridization or assimilation * international t ravel and tourism increases * worldwide sporting events like the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup are held * enhancement in worldwide fads and pop culture local consumer products are exported to other countries * immigration between countries increases * cross-cultural contacts grow and cultural diffusion takes place * there is an increase in the desire to use foreign ideas and products, adopt new practices and technologies and be a part of world culture * free trade zones are formed having less or no tariffs * due to development of containerization for ocean shipping, the transportation costs are reduced * subsidies for local businesses decrease * capital controls reduce or vanquish there is supranational recognition of intellectual property restrictions, i. e. patents authorized by one country are recognized in another Advantages in the Developing World It is claimed that globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. The civil liberti es are enhanced and there is a more efficient use of resources. All the countries involved in the free trade are at a profit. As a result, there are lower prices, more employment and a better standard of life in these developing nations.It is feared that some developing regions progress at the expense of other developed regions. However, such doubts are futile as globalization is a positive-sum chance in which the skills and technologies enable to increase the living standards throughout the world. Liberals look at globalization as an efficient tool to eliminate penury and allow the poor people a firm foothold in the global economy. In two decades from 1981 to 2001, the number of people surviving on $1 or less per day decreased from 1. 5 billion to 1. 1 billion.Simultaneously, the world population also increased. Thus, the percentage of such people decreased from 40% to 20% in such developing countries. Globalization means increasing the interdependence, connectivity and integration on a global level with respect to the social, cultural, political, technological, economic and ecological levels. Advantages * Goods and people are transported with ease and speed * the possibility of war between the developed countries decreases * free trade between countries increases * global mass media connects all the people in the world as the cultural barriers reduce, the global village dream becomes more realistic * there is a propagation of democratic ideals * the interdependence of the nation-states increases * as the liquidity of capital increases, developed countries can invest in developing ones * the flexibility of corporations to operate across borders increases * the communication between the individuals and corporations in the world increases * environmental protection in developed countries increases Effects of Globalization enhancement in the information flow between geographically remote locations * the global common market has a freedom of exchange of goods and capital * there is a broad access to a range of goods for consumers and companies * worldwide production markets emerge * free circulation of people of different nations leads to social benefits * global environmental problems like cross-boundary pollution, over fishing on oceans, climate changes are solved by discussions * more trans-border data flow using communication satellites, the Internet, wireless telephones, etc. international criminal courts and international justice movements are launched * the standards applied globally like patents, copyright laws and world trade agreements increase * corporate, national and sub-national borrowers have a better access to external finance * worldwide financial markets emerge * multiculturalism spreads as there is individual access to cultural diversity. This diversity decreases due to hybridization or assimilation * international travel and tourism increases * worldwide sporting events like the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup re he ld * enhancement in worldwide fads and pop culture * local consumer products are exported to other countries * immigration between countries increases * cross-cultural contacts grow and cultural diffusion takes place * there is an increase in the desire to use foreign ideas and products, adopt new practices and technologies and be a part of world culture * free trade zones are formed having less or no tariffs * due to development of containerization for ocean shipping, the transportation costs are reduced * subsidies for local businesses decrease capital controls reduce or vanquish * there is supranational recognition of intellectual property restrictions, i. e. patents authorized by one country are recognized in another Advantages in the Developing World It is claimed that globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. The civil liberties are enhanced and there is a more efficient use of resources. All the countries involved in the free tra de are at a profit. As a result, there are lower prices, more employment and a better standard of life in these developing nations.It is feared that some developing regions progress at the expense of other developed regions. However, such doubts are futile as globalization is a positive-sum chance in which the skills and technologies enable to increase the living standards throughout the world. Liberals look at globalization as an efficient tool to eliminate penury and allow the poor people a firm foothold in the global economy. In two decades from 1981 to 2001, the number of people surviving on $1 or less per day decreased from 1. 5 billion to 1. 1 billion. Simultaneously, the world population also increased.Thus, the percentage of such people decreased from 40% to 20% in such developing countries. The Negative Effects of Globalization globalization point out to its negative effects. Some of them are listed below. * Developed nations have outsourced manufacturing and white collar j obs. That means less jobs for their people. This has happened because manufacturing work is outsourced to developing nations like China where the cost of manufacturing goods and wages are lower. Programmers, editors, scientists and accountants have lost their jobs due to outsourcing to cheaper locations like India. Globalization has led to exploitation of labor. Prisoners and child workers are used to work in inhumane conditions. Safety standards are ignored to produce cheap goods. * Job insecurity. Earlier people had stable, permanent jobs. Now people live in constant dread of losing their jobs to competition. Increased job competition has led to reduction in wages and consequently lower standards of living. * Terrorists have access to sophisticated weapons enhancing their ability to inflict damage. Terrorists use the Internet for communicating among themselves. Companies have set up industries causing pollution in countries with poor regulation of pollution. * Fast food chains lik e McDonalds and KFC are spreading in the developing world. People are consuming more junk food from these joints which has an adverse impact on their health. * The benefits of globalization is not universal. The rich are getting richer and the poor are becoming poorer. * Bad apects of foreign cultures are affecting the local cultures through TV and the Internet. * Enemy nations can spread propaganda through the Internet. Deadly diseases like HIV/AIDS are being spread by travelers to the remotest corners of the globe. * Local industries are being taken over by foreign multinationals. * The increase in prices has reduced the government's ability to sustain social welfare schemes in developed countries. * There is increase in human trafficking. * Multinational Companies and corporations which were previously restricted to commercial activities are increasingly influencing political decisions. Disadvantages of Globalization So what's the harm if the entire world is coming together on a common platform?Why are we even discussing whether globalization is good or bad for the world? As we said earlier, everything has a good side and a bad side. The bad side of globalization predominantly revolves around the fact that the preferences differ from nation to nation, and coming to a consensus on any issue becomes more difficult when too many nods are required. When it comes to globalization, the difference between the rich and poor nation can be a major hindrance. Even though the richer nations will try to assimilate and help poor nations come up, they will not sacrifice on their national interests willingly.Economic Problems:Â  If the entire world becomes a global village, any sort of economic disruption in one nation will have a disastrous impact on various other nations which are closely related to it in terms of trade and commerce. It will be a domino-effect wherein disturbance in one economy would result in disturbance in another, and so on! Cultural Problems:Â  Cul ture and globalization also seem to be at the loggerheads. Critics of globalization are also of the opinion that it will hamper the age-old cultures which have been followed religiously all over the world.There are many countries in the world which would never agree to compromise when it comes to culture or religion. Migration will become even easier, and the influence of local cultures and traditions will slowly start to wear down. Incessant westernization of Southeast Asian nations has already put western cultural beliefs and traditions under the scanner in these countries. Unemployment:Â  One may feel that globalization is promoting employment, but the fact is exactly reverse of this is happening, especially in developed countries wherein people are losing jobs as a result of outsourcing.Several major companies from the United States and United Kingdom have outsourced their jobs to the developing nations in Asia, this has in turn resulted in unemployment in these countries. Spre ad of Diseases:Â  Increase in flow of people will also result in spread of diseases, and thus make people more vulnerable to health issues. We do have many examples in history wherein outbreak of a particular disease happened in some part of the world, and before we could realize it spread throughout the world.The critics of globalization and those involved in anti-globalization movement often argue that the implications of this phenomenon will be seen in economics, culture, health and employment, and most of the countries are not ready to take on these disadvantages head-on. Taking their seriousness into consideration, it is not at all possible to turn a blind eye towards these negative effects of globalization. The need of the hour, therefore, is to evaluate the pros and cons of this concept to find out which of the two have an edge over the other.

a genius at work essays

a genius at work essays I saw the movie and the book Tuck Everlasting. There were many similarities and some differences between to movie and the book. I will name some. In the movie Jesse falls from a Ferris Wheel. In the book he falls from a tree. In the movie Winnie was talking to a turtle. In the book she was talking to a toad. In both the movie and the book Winnie runs away from home and meets Jesse. She is about to drink the water from the spring but Jesse stopped her. In both the Tucks kidnapped Winnie and took her to their home. They then explained their secret to her. She ate and slept over that night. In both the Man in the yellow suit follows the Tucks, but in the movie he tries to stop them from getting any further than they already were. He shot Miles and he noticed something was peculiar about the Tucks. In the movie Angus (Tuck) put his hand in fire and then placed in it cold water. The burns instantly disappeared and thats how Winnie knew the secret was true. They could live forever. In both Angus and Winnie went into the boat and he told her about the significance of the wheel. In both the movie and the book the Man in the yellow suit took The Tucks horse and rode back into Treegap with it. Then he makes a deal with the Fosters that if he brought Winnie home he would get the wood. They agreed and the search was on for Winnie. In both Jesse asked Winnie if she could drink the spring water when she was 17 so they could be together. In the movie it started to snow the next morning. In the book the Man in the yellow suit knocked on the door to the Tucks house. In the movie he just went inside uninvited. In both the Man in the yellow suit planned to sell the spring water to people who deserved it. In the book Mae hit the Man in the yellow suit in the back of the head with a gun. In the movie Angus shot him in the chest. In the movie Angus went to jail. In the book ...

The Semantic Web Essays

The Semantic Web Essays The Semantic Web Essay The Semantic Web Essay BMO Internet Security Final Project Paper University of Toronto SCS 2115 Professor: Dr. Ken K. Wong By: Kevin Fernando 13/06/2010 The semantic web is a vision created and promoted by Tim-Berners-Lee and the World Wide Web Consortium. In his article the Semantic Web in Scientific American (2001) Berners-Lee explains that The Semantic Web is not a separate Web but an extension of the current one, in which information is given well-defined meaning, better enabling computers and people to work in cooperation What Berners-Lee means by this is that in its current state, internet technology is not designed in a way in which computers and machines can interact with each other most efficiently. The primary reason for this disconnect is lies in the difference between information produced primarily for human consumption and that produced mainly for machines. Currently most web technologies are created for human interpretation and merely use machines to store and transfer this information. For example in a search engine, the use of key words and database descriptions allow machines to cross reference the search syntax provided by the ender user and locate the best matching result based on this syntax. However the issue here is that while the machine can read the syntax (the raw structure) of the terms presented it does not know the semantics or the meaning of the phrase/words entered. So if the user was looking for â€Å"cheap cars in Toronto† listings with â€Å"economical vehicles In the GTA† may be by passed by the search engine. Therefore, Berners-Lee’s vision with the Semantic Web is to provide a language that expresses both data and rules for reasoning about the data and that allows rules from any existing knowledge-representation system to be exported onto the Web. One of the best applications of the benefits of the Semantic web is through the example of two users seeking medical attention for their mother. In this example the users dispatch their personal Semantic Web Agents (a software search engine) to cross reference various parameters (availability time, insurance terms, distance, service rating etc. ) and work with each other in finding a hospital solution that satisfies all of the desired stipulations. The primary technologies/techniques involved in developing the semantic web are XML, RDF, URI, and ontologies. Through their implementation in meta-data, these methods enable the Semantic web to â€Å"understand† the relationships within the queries of its users and aid them in locating information. In my opinion â€Å"The Semantic Web† as a term will become not a fad, but a marketing cliche much like the term Web 2. 0 has. However, I am certain that while not all, some, of the underlying principles behind it will definitely surface as web technologies advance. I say this because if one is too look closely enough it is easy to spot sites and technologies that already display â€Å"semantic web† concepts. For example, www. Amazon. com will aggregate user reviews and page views to display recommended other products that other individuals with interest in the same item liked when you search for a specific item. Another example I find remarkable is a feature within Google maps. If you would like to search for pizza restaurants around a particular area, you can simply type â€Å"pizza near [the address, land mark or postal code of your choosing]. Google will then display all pizza restaurants indexed within the vicinity of stated geographical location. This is interesting because in this example the user is asking a question in the way that they would normally direct it to another person rather than translating the question to search syntax the machine can search for. Ultimately, I think this is the direction the semantic web will take – better database indexing, greater understanding of synonymous terms/phrases by search engines, and personalized recommendations based on user trends. While I do not think it would be impossible, I think it would be quite a few years before the emergence of a user deployable, effective software agent that can conduct complex multi-variable search tasks is realized. I say this because in order for this to occur in a useful fashion, the meta-tag data techniques used by the semantic web would need to be universally incorporated into virtually every website ever built – no easy task by any stretch of the imagination. In short, I think that while the concept of a true Semantic Web may be too utopian for reality, some of the guiding principles will be adopted in the inevitable transition to what might be later coined â€Å"Web 3. 0† For Electricite de France, the implemented Semantic web technologies have many potential benefits for their consumer end users. For example, within the research and innovation section, interlinking tags, RDF information, ontology instances and tagged content will enable these individuals to locate articles, films, books, services etc. more efficiently than prior to its implementation. Similarly, shareholders and investors may be able to locate critical decision making financial information with greater accuracy because of the inclusion of these methods. Furthermore, if blogging, RSS and wiki contribution features are available to the general consumer public, then such contributions can easily be located, edited, searched and viewed by various users. In addition, collaboration and discussions between end users and employees such as engineers and researchers can be made more efficient. This will be a key factor if voice of the consumer research and feedback were to be integrated into engineering efforts. Lastly, as a result of the embedded ontology meta-data, the site will be able to dynamically suggest related content for viewing based on a user’s search criteria and related other user search trends. Based on the potential of semantic web technologies, I am confident that its implementation would greatly increase the efficiency at my place of employment in the online learning industry. Firstly, from inter employee relations and collaboration perspective, as with Electricite de France, Semantic technologies would aid personnel with locating, organizing and working with organizational information resources. For example, the benefits could be realized in greater screening accuracy when selecting new candidates for Human resources, better database query tools for consumer trend data in marketing, and more efficient sharing of coding scripts for course development, to name a few uses. The other benefits that would arise would be from a consumer end user perspective. Currently, in the client services department (composed of technical support and student services) there is a knowledge base whereby end users such as students and instructors can search for already documented solutions for any inquires they may have. However, this search could be made vastly more superior and effective if semantic technologies were implemented within it. In such a scenario users would be able to find not only the solution to their own issue, but related issues as well as the ontology information would create these relationships. Moreover, less tech savvy users would have more success using the knowledge base then before as the system would be able to reference their search strings with synonymous words and phrases in finding a solution. So these are a few examples of the many conceivable benefits that could be derived from the implementation of this technology by my current employer. Kevin Fernando

English Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

English Assignment - Essay Example One of the most apparent similarities these films have was the inclusion and introduction of a new dance routine apart from the previous routines of the lead characters. The introduction and its corresponding activities paved way in the establishment of a love affair between them. In the case of Dirty Dancing, the newly incorporated dance routine was the ‘Mambo’, ‘Paso Doble’ for Strictly Ballroom and ‘Hip-hop’ for Save the Last Dance. Another similarity that could easily be observed was that the lead females for the movies have been struggling, as a newbie, to unleash their full potential in dancing. As what we have observed, they had acquired the confidence to move forward and become proactive through the encouragement, motivation and inspiration given to them by their teacher/partner. It could also be noted that among the films, there was a presence of supportive and loving father which initially will be the cause of hindrances in their relat ionship and activities but eventually the differences and constraints was sorted out. Finally all the movies portrayed awesome finale performances by the lead characters (Ardolino; Carter; and Luhrmann). Aside from differences, these three films also depicted differences. Some of the notable variances were the gender of the lead characters and their family conditions. Baby for Dirty Dancing is a girl that came from a rich family not literally involved in dancing, Scott on Strictly Ballroom is a male coming from a middle income family that is into ballroom dancing, and Sara on Save the Last Dance is a female dreaming to be a ballerina and living with her estranged father since her mother died from a car accident. Another difference that these films had were the hindrances that the lead characters encountered in their pursuit of excellence, one is from the father who misunderstood the situation and prevented her daughter to have any form of affair to the instructor, another is from a deceitful friend that never wanted them to win their much coveted competition and lastly was from an ex-girlfriend and a friend with illegal undertakings (Ardolino; Carter; and Luhrmann). Though there are several differences and similarities in the main plot, it can be inferred that dance was used in these movies in such a way that it aided the main characters in their search for love, fame, happiness and self-expression. It was evident that dancing was used to express their feelings and serves as an outlet for what they strongly felt about. Also, dancing encouraged and motivated the main characters to be an achiever and discover along the way their true potentials. For every movie we had watched before, there were these characters that catch our attention, not because they are the main characters but because the characters they portray have either big or small resemblance to our own experiences or experiences of the people we know and love. In these particular movies, the character s that I can relate the most are the lead characters of Strictly Ballroom and Save the Last Dance; Fran, Scott, Sara, and Derek (Ardolino; Carter; and Luhrmann). Fran, being a daughter of a not so well off family and initially an ugly duckling who dreamt of becoming a grand prix dancer, seized the opportunity to achieve her dream the moment it was available. She never let disappointments,

Managing change at Cox's Container Company Case Study

Managing change at Cox's Container Company - Case Study Example The researcher states the general manager of the company (Erica Wilson) does not include her workmates in the survey. She found that the company lacks actual cost and operational controls. She recommends the company to employ financial and managerial specialists. In addition, when the new employees are employed to work on budgetary control, others do not support them. Abdul Aziz is one of the opposing workers of the organization. The above problems that are facing this group need to be analyzed. The analysis can be carried out in two ways. The first approach involves analyzing all the employees affecting the performance of the company. These employees include the senior managers, middle managers, and business expert such as accountant. Failure of an organization can be linked to the failure of the employees. In this company, the employees are unconcerned with each other. They do not cooperate, communicate, or consult each other. Harold Cox is the senior most executive in the Cox†™s Container Company. He is politically and financially involved with people’s affairs. His leading job is to develop strategic and long-term decisions of the company. This involves planning the long-term profitability of the company through increasing sales. In addition, he is responsible for delegating some powers to his juniors. For instance, he has assigned Erica Wilson to evaluate the actions of the company. Erica Wilson is the general manager of the company. She is responsible for making operational decisions of the company.