First Perceptions of Blanche Dubois Essay

â€Å"What are your early perceptions of Blanche? † In what ways has Tennessee Williams created this response? The delineation of Blanche Dubois as seen in the first chapter of Tennessee Williams ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ is one of astonishment and acceptance. She has obviously had to travel some distance to reach her destination and I think that this has taken its toll on Blanche and affects her patience later on in the scene, and which may also explain her growing hysteria. The first time the Blanche is depicted by the stage directions, the reader (or view of the play) obviously notices that she does not fit in with the poor, run down area of New Orleans that she had entered: â€Å"Her expression is one of shocked disbelief†¦ looking as if she were arriving at a summer tea or cocktail party in the garden district†¦ Her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light. There is something about her uncertain manner, as well as her white clothes, that suggests a moth† From this description, we can infer that, like a moth that is attracted to the light or flame, which will undoubtedly burn it, she too could be attracted to something that could hurt her in some way. The white that she is wearing also suggests purity and innocence, possibly reflecting her arrival to the alien world. Throughout the first scene, Blanche is constantly interacting with the different characters of the play, including Eunice, Stella and Stanley. She also only talks to these characters singularly, which allows for dramatic irony to develop and also concentrates the interaction between her and another character, which allows her to express her different views to the three characters in the opening scene. I think this allows Blanche to communicate different aspects of her character, and her social class, which seems to alter the way she communicates with the different characters she encounters. Blanche talks to Eunice as if she has not spoken to someone of Eunice’s class very often. She responds to Eunice with short and simple answers and does not seem to want to get into a conversation with her. Towards the end of their conversation, Blanche seems to get impatient, as she wants to be left alone and has a small outburst: â€Å"What I meant was I’d like to be left alone†. I think this reflects Blanche’ belief of her social class, and that she is above others (especially the black, lower class). After her encounter with Eunice, Blanche is given a short amount of time to reflect on her new surroundings, which she is obviously not comfortable with or use to by her statement to herself: â€Å"I’ve got to keep hold of myself†. This shows the tension and hysteria building up within her, which will later on be released. Blanche is much more open and talkative with her sister, and is thrilled to see her, although disappointed to see that Stella is living in such an area of New Orleans. There seems to be tension between the two sisters, created by their uneasiness of how they talk of their past and the anxious, tension building stares that they give each other, and the way that Blanche seems to control the conversation; trying to keep herself talking until she has to stop and realize the reality of her situation and where she is. Blanche also seems to be very defensive of herself, and talks of her pain of watching the people around her die in her own home. She seems to think that Stella may look down on her for losing Bell Reve, and becomes hysterical towards the end, until she reaches another climax and bursts out with: â€Å"I let the place go? Where were you? In bed with your – Polak! † . Blanche also seems concerned with her own self image: â€Å"But don’t look at me, Stella, no, no, no, not till I’ve bathed and rested! â€Å". I think that this also is due to her class and her belief that she is of a higher social status than the people around her (with the possible exception of her sister). Her other weakness seems to be her drinking. She nervously looks around in Stella’s and Stanley’s flat for some alcohol and has some, but later on says (indirectly) that she had not had one and that she would only drink one a day. I think this may show Blanche’ nervousness and what she may do when she is nervous. She therefore may use alcohol as an escape from reality, and the place, which she finds herself in. Blanche seems a bit uneasy around Stanley when they first encounter, and is much less talkative than she is to Stella (possibly, again due to her social class beliefs). Also, I think she is not used to people being so direct with her, as Stanley asks her a personal question to do with her last love quite early. This ends in a climax and her proclaiming: â€Å"I’m afraid ‘m going to be sick†. Looking at the scene as a whole, I can see that Blanche is not use to her new environment, and that she is finding it difficult to get used to her settings, possibly because she was caught completely by surprise when she discovered where her sister lived. This I think has took its toll on Blanche as it has weakened her throughout the first scene and made her slightly hysterical.

‘Of Mice and Men’ †The Theme Of Lonelyness Essay

Many of the characters in ‘Of Mice and Men’ are lonely. They experience loneliness and seek comfort in many different ways. Loneliness is defined as the unhappiness that is felt by someone because they do not have any friends or do not have anyone to talk to. People deal with loneliness in many ways. Introverts form a barrier and keep people away. They want to be isolated from others and keep to themselves. They have neither roots nor friends. Introverts usually keep quiet and draw in on themselves. However, extroverts are the opposite. They seek attention and react to their environment by being aggressive or are overwhelmed with emotions. Loneliness is a major theme in ‘Of Mice and Men’; George and Lennie manage to avert it by their relationship; it embitters Candy and Crooks and it kills Curley’s wife. Steinbeck sees loneliness as a part of the human condition, something we are born with, and something we either fight or endure for the rest of our lives. Soledad, ‘Our Lady of Loneliness’ is not a nurturing environment. It is a place where everybody is isolated because there is a lack of trust and friendship. The Great Depression of 1929 led to this because in many states of America there was unemployment, a lack of money and no relief offered to jobless men and women. Without work, many people lost their self-respect; others continually struggled to find work, often travelling thousands of miles across America, leaving homes and families behind them. They were known as itinerant workers. In the country things were almost worse than they were in the cities; farmers were being driven off their land, there had been a series of droughts which had ruined the crops and dried up the soil and farmers could not afford to re-pay the bank loans which helped them to buy their farms in the first place. Men used to move from ranch to ranch trying to look for work to earn a living and because of this, it was hard for them to make friends. Some who realise that they are lonely seek comfort in many ways such as having a ream or reading books like Crooks does. Others who are lonely, like Curley do not seek comfort because they are not aware of it. During that time, many of the Americans sought comfort by having the American dream; which was to own a piece of land however big it was and to earn money from it. One of the characters who experiences loneliness and seeks comfort by having a dream is George. He does not experience it as much as the other characters on the ranch as he has a companion, someone who he can befriend. George looks after Lennie and acts like a parent figure. An example of this is when Lennie drinks â€Å"from the surface of the green pool.† George is always looking out for him to protect him from danger. â€Å"‘Lennie!’ he said sharply. ‘Lennie, for God’s sake don’t drink so much.† George has to take care of Lennie, even though he knows that Lennie has a disability, he continues to teach him about what is right and wrong. However, George does suffer loneliness as he is often seen playing solitaire in the bunkhouse alone. George may be lonely because he cannot have intellectual conversations in his relationship with Lennie. Therefore, he often goes to the whorehouse with the other men on the ranch. Although George is more likely to be lonely than Lennie, they share true companionship. They are able to trust each other and are together as one. They are two completely different characters yet they are so close. George is like a parent figure who is â€Å"small and quick† and Lennie the complete opposite; someone who is â€Å"large.† The men on the ranch see it as a surprise to see the two of them together; they cannot understand the relationship that these two share as the have never had it themselves and do not understand that they themselves are lonely. Slim admires George and Lennie’s relationship because he understands that people do need friends. â€Å"He ain’t mean,† said Slim. â€Å"I can tell a mean guy a mile off.† His wise nature helps him to understand Lennie and the situation George is in. Although at first Candy does not understand George and Lennie’s relationship, he begins to understand it when he loses his dog. However, Carlson nor Curley do not understand their relationship, as they are not aware that it exists themselves. Those who do realise seek comfort. George and Lennie both share a dream together. â€Å"Some day- we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs-â€Å" â€Å"An’ live off the fatta the lan.† The dream gives them something to live for; without each other, the dream is worthless. Later in the novel when Lennie is shot George does not want to continue with the dream because he knows that it cannot happen, as Lennie is not there anymore. George tries to seek his comfort by talking to Slim and telling him how he feels. He is able to do this, as Slim understands what he is going through. The dream he shares with Lennie also helps him to seek comfort; this makes him feel closer to Lennie as they are sharing it. George knows that the dream is unattainable yet he still keeps hold onto it. â€Å"I’m stayin’ right here. I don’t want to get mixed up in nothing. Lennie and me got to make a stake.† This suggests that George needs Lennie’s hospitality and without him, the dream is nothing whatsoever. Lennie seeks comfort by petting small animals. He has a need for physical contact, usually with small animals. This makes him unable to control this need to display warmth and he is unable to see the consequences even though he â€Å"were sick the previous night.† Being able to learn from the past is one of his dangerous failings and it seems to catch up with him wherever he goes. Lennie is not lonely because he has George. Without George, Lennie would not be able to survive because he constantly needs to be taken care of. Another reason why Lennie might not be lonely is that he does not know what loneliness is, therefore he does not realise that people on the ranch are lonely, he just knows that he does not like it on the ranch. â€Å"Le’s go, George. Le’s get outa here. It’s mean here.† This suggests that Lennie has some sense of danger; even though he does not know what it is, therefore he feels uncomfortable, scared, and insecure. Another character that is also insecure is Crooks; he is lonely because the other men on the ranch do not mix with him as he is black, a â€Å"Negro,† and has also injured his back. Even though he did have part of the dream when he was younger; he has now lost it and misses it. The fact that he did have the dream and has now lost it makes it even more distressing for him because usually if you have not had something you do not miss it. However, if you do have it and then you lose it, you become intense, insecure, and scared to communicate with others because you might be afraid that you may lose your individuality. There is racial prejudice in Soledad, which makes Crooks isolated therefore, he is aware that no one likes him and feels ostracised from the bunkhouse. Crooks is â€Å"proud† and â€Å"aloof† because he has learnt to be this way this due to the years of constant abuse therefore, he suffers alone in silence by reading â€Å"a mauled copy of the California Civil code for 1905†. This suggests that he is literate, independent, and knowledgeable as his purpose is to educate himself and is very aware of his rights. As Crooks is lonely, it has a negative effect on his behaviour as he becomes aggressive with anyone who comes into his bunkhouse and he does not like to communicate with others. He is more of a reserved character who gets angry and is emotional. He says â€Å"You got no right to come in my room† because he is not used to visitors as he is isolated from others and has no clue what George’s friendship means to Lennie when he tells Lennie that George is not going to come back. His anger and pride get the better of him on this occasion; he uses it as a defence against the harsh treatment he receives from the people on the ranch. Crooks tries to seek comfort from the loneliness he has; he does this by talking to Candy and Lennie about the past and his feelings even though he knew that Lennie is not listening to what he is trying to say. This made Crooks relieve the emotions he had drawn into himself. At first, he is â€Å"aloof† but gradually realises that Lennie is not a threat because his manner is open and not prejudice. He reveals about his childhood when he played with white kids and was unaware of prejudice. He happens to realise that the value of communicating is important and taunts Lennie with the idea that George might not return for him because he seems to get pleasure in Lennie feeling the loneliness he feels. Crooks happens to know â€Å"It’s just bein’ with another guy. That’s all † that counts. He causes torture and knows that Lennie is understanding about him being lonely because â€Å"Crooks’ face lighted with pleasure in his torture† and when â€Å"a guy gets too lonely, he gets sick.† He knows this because he has had the love and affection from his childhood and has experienced the American dream; the same dream George and Lennie want to achieve. â€Å"I remember when I was a little kid on my old man’s chicken ranch. Had two brothers. They was always near me, always there.† Crooks remembers a happy childhood with the companionship of his brothers. He becomes friendly with Lennie because he knows that Lennie wants the dream as much as he does and he also knows that â€Å"never a god-damn one of ’em ever gets it† because it is unattainable. Curley’s wife is another lonely character in â€Å"Of Mice and Men.† She presents herself as a tart because of the intense loneliness she experiences. She seems to always want to get attention from the other men however this does not happen the way she wants it to because everyone she approaches rejects her. She is treated like a possession by Curley and is not expected to have her own personality. Although the other people on the ranch do notice her, they do not communicate with her for fear of Curley’s anger. It is sad that she cannot communicate with the men and that there are no women on the ranch for her to befriend. She is vulnerable and a miserable, immature women who is desperate for love and companionship. The reason why she is so miserable is that she did not have enough confidence to trust her mother. She was brought up in the atmosphere of violence and this is what has made her personality, which is an extrovert, who seeks attention from others; but truly inside from the heart she is quite pleasant woman whose personality was not yet discovered by the men on the ranch until she was dead. Curley’s wife wears â€Å"her fingernails red† and â€Å"she has a little bouquet of ostrich feathers in the insteps of her mules.† Not only this but she also provokes attention by â€Å"thrusting her body forward† in the doorway when George and Lennie are introduced. Her â€Å"full rouged lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up† shows that she is always seeking attention, and is very flirtatious. The way she moved, â€Å"so that her body was thrown forward† shows she is provocative even with strangers, such as George and Lennie. At first she is portrayed as a tart because she is described as a girl â€Å"who had full, rouged lips† and â€Å"her fingernails were red†; this suggests that she is presented as a tart as red is symbolic for danger and passion; but a the novel develops we begin to understand why she behaves in a flirty way. We are able to see what she is really like inside and if she had more confidence and trust in her then maybe she could have been a different person. She â€Å"coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes. all of them nice clothes to wear† and she â€Å"coulda sat in them big hotels, an’ had pitchers’ taken† of herself. However, her dream could not have been achieved because the man who promised her all this never wrote back. She wants to overcome her loneliness by being in the movies and wants to have some friends to befriend. Curley’s wife is lonely because of her actions. They have led to her being lonely and desperate for affection and comradeship. She has a different image to how the men perceive her. She wants recognition by others to show them that she is not a tart and she can be a friendly person. She shows her vulnerability and humanity by considering Lennie by trying to tell him how she feels. Curley’s wife tells Lennie her secret because she knows that Lennie will not say anything and even though he does not understand what she is trying to say, he is able to just listen to what she says. Candy is totally opposite to Curley’s wife as she is an extrovert and he is an introvert. Candy is lonely not only because he has lost his dog but his dream has also been shattered. Candy was very proud of his dog and it is a shame that they were parted; as together, their companionship was strong. Candy said â€Å"you wouldn’t think it to look at him now, but he was the best damn sheep dog I ever seen† because he loved his dog and it was the only thing that stopped him from being lonely; he was very compassionate about his dog. When Carlson assumes that Candy can soon get another pet, Candy is being pressurised by him and has to give the dog up. If you love someone so much then you will let them go because you would want to do the right thing for them rather than being selfish and choosing what is right for you. Candy’s dream is to be with George and Lennie and own a ranch. He announces to Curley’s wife that they are going to have a house of their own. Curley’s wife appreciates this and makes him angry but he controls his temper and orders her to leave, telling her that she is not wanted. Candy gains confidence and courage to tell her what people think of her. Candy’s eagerness shows that the dream is actually becoming a reality to him. â€Å"I ain’t much good but I could cook, tend the chickens and hoe the garden.† He is willing to help around the farm and to buy the ranch because he is desperate for his dream to become a reality and wants companionship. He knows that he is an old man almost useless because of his age and a broken hand yet he is willing to sacrifice everything he has just for his dream to come true. Candy is lucky to have a dog for companionship because he and his dog are the closest thing on a ranch to George and Lennie’s relationship. His dog was â€Å"a good sheep dog when he was younger. He stood his broom against the wall.† He is lucky because the other characters do not have anything to love or trust. He felt that he should have shot the dog himself. Candy is angry with Curley’s wife because he knows that she has destroyed their dream. But after he realises that she was in pain, was sad and looking for companionship. â€Å"Now Candy spoke in his greatest fear,† tells us that he was terrified that his dream had been shattered. Candy tries to overcome loneliness by shutting everyone out and is left to grieve in his own world. The silence indicates pain and loneliness. When his dog was shot, Candy â€Å"rolled slowly over and faced the wall and lay silent† because there was tension built up in the atmosphere and Candy was upset because of the loss of his dog. Candy curls up into a foetal position. His spirits are lifted when he is part of the dream but then again it is shattered when Curley’s wife dies. He forms a barrier and shields himself from the outside world. He experiences anxiety and does not want to talk to anyone because he is too upset and he finds it difficult to talk to them about his problems. Curley is also lonely but does not realise it. His loneliness has affected his character. He is very aggressive and feels superior to the other men, especially those who are larger than him. This suggests that he wants to have power over everyone else. His aggression shows his character suggests that he is very short tempered â€Å"an’ Curley’s handy, god-damn handy† as he â€Å"got in the finals for the Golden Gloves.† Curley has no trust in anyone not even in his wife as â€Å"he spends half his time lookin’ for her.† He treats her like a possession and even though he has only married her for a week, he is always looking for her. He is an extrovert who is insecure. He seeks comfort by beating up people. When the men on the ranch gather to attack him, he feels threatened by it and has to prove that he is superior to everyone else. He does this by attacking Lennie and lashing out on him even though Lennie has not done anything to him. He says â€Å"come on, ya big bastard† because he wants Lennie to feel how he feels and wants to beat him up because he is larger than him. Curley does not know that he is lonely; he thinks that everyone has a lower status than him so he can boss them around. His dream is to have power over everyone else and wants to get respect from them. His dream has already been achieved. In â€Å"Of Mice and Men† Steinbeck shows us that those who have no understanding of relationship are totally unaware of George’s and Slim’s emotions because they have no friendships themselves. Carlson’s final observations are insensitive and show that he is ignorant of his own loneliness. Neither he nor Curley understands the pain George is experiencing. George and Lennie manage to avert loneliness by their relationship. Steinbeck sees loneliness as a part of the human condition, something we are born with, and something we either fight or endure for the rest of our lives. â€Å"I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing on their heads. Hundreds of them. They come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every dam one of ’em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a god-damn one of ’em ever gets it.† Steinbeck suggests that everyone has a dream even though it is unattainable; it keeps their spirits up and makes them look forward to achieving, something that is inspiring and to keep their hopes up.

Microsoft strategic alliance with Nokia

Abstract Nokia is a very big telecommunications company that has experienced serious brand and financial issues in the recent years, and lately forged an alliance with Microsoft to try and save the situation. This paper is going to examine the strategic alliance between the two giant companies by evaluating their external and internal environments. It will also examine three different growth strategies and then select the most appropriate one. From the evaluation of the growth strategies in the paper, product development has been selected and it is the only way that the company can attempt to come closer to its competitors or even beat them in the market. Introduction and Company Background Nokia, which is a Finish Company that manufactures mobile phones, has been in existence since the creation of the earliest mobile devices, and the corporation has managed to take the world by storm by domination of the mobile industry (Roy, 2011, p. 23). The company has a large market and has been producing the best mobile phones over the years. However, things have not been smooth for the company in the North American market where penetration has been an uphill task. This is particularly bad news for the company because it is a region where smartphones have become a necessary commodity for every individual, regardless of their standards of living. The smartphones market went up by as much as 50 percent in the year 2011 and Google has been in the lead in the industry with their Android, a young operating system. The company is well aware of their problem all over the world, and the United States of America in particular. This forced them to hire Stephen Elop, who became the first person from outside Finland to head the company. This new chief executive officer joined the company from a high-ranking position at the Microsoft Corporation in the year 2010. He had a primary task of increasing company’s market share cap on the Asian and North American markets. Being the first person from outside Finland to head the company, he became under a lot of pressure to ensure that the share losses of the market of the company are reversed. Nokia found it difficult to perform in the market for smartphones and that is why they decided to have an alliance with the Microsoft Corporation to try to save the situation (Saylor, 2012, p39). This was the first major step that the new CEO took. The unexpected cooperation with the Microsoft Corporation elicited several debates regarding Nokia as well as about the general smartphones market (Schwarzinger, 2012, p.53). The IDC (International Data Corporation), which is a company for market analysis, and monitors the smartphones market, predicted that the Windows Phones would become the second largest provider of software for smartphones globally (Grant, R 2010, p. 31). The analysis and prediction is based on the strategic alliance between Nokia and Microsoft Corporation. Combined with the projected growth in the sales of smartphones and the predictions given by the ICD, then why is it that there was negative action by the financial market when he news of the two giant companies collaborating came outThis is one of the questions that many financial analysts have been asking themselves. This paper examines the strategic alliance between the two giant companies by evaluating their external and internal environments. It will also examine three different growth strategies and then select the most appropriate one. External AnalysisThe Five Forces Framework of NokiaThe present competition that Nokia is facing in the phone industry has greatly affected its market share. However, it still holds a considerable share of the market in the industry that is ever changing. The microenvironment is the internal factors that affect the customers, staff, competitors and the shareholders (Henry, 2008, p.24). The five forces model is the most appropriate for the evaluation of the microenvironment of Nokia as it takes into consideration the clients, suppliers, competitors as well as the new entrants.The power of suppliers: moderateAlthough the company relies on its suppliers to provide equipment, there are numerous large manufacturers of equipment that they can turn to (Baron, 2008, p53). Currently, Microsoft is the supplier of software for the company and they have a high bargaining power together. In addition, the company is in a good position to bargain as well as negotiate with any mobile phone hardware p roducer because there are a large number of the suppliers of equipment, which are readily and easily accessible should their current suppliers attempt to ask for more money with them. Moreover, the alliance with the Microsoft Corporation is regarded as a coup for Nokia and not Microsoft. The Microsoft Corporation may have more power in the negotiation of price along with the share as the pact is of more significance to Nokia that the Microsoft Corporation.The power of buyers: highThe customers have an increasing power because of increasing variety of alternatives available in the sector of mobile telecommunication. Majority of Nokia’s competitors also offer the same packages and the sector is very sensitive to matters like the prices with clients seeking the best value for their money. Majority of the customers are also tied into the long-lasting contracts and thus having to change from one mobile phone to another is hard and costly for consumers. The sector has a very compet itive market that has a variety of choices, which makes the customers to have much power as they can choose to go to the various competitors of Nokia if they are not contented with what the company is providing.The threat of new entrants: lowThe market of mobile phone is well-established and a lucrative one, and there is a relatively low threat of new entrants, as the technology that is needed to rival the devices that are already existing is very advanced. This is something that cannot be achieved easily by any company. The barriers to entry into the market are very high, as any potential new entrants need a lot of investment in marketing and technology so that they can be in a position of challenging the companied that are already established (Hill, et al, 2009, p.53). The threat of any potential new entrants is not probable as the initial cost that is required to enter the industry is very high and requires a lot of investment in time to be in a position of competing against the organizations that are already established. Currently, Nokia has a 29 percent of the entire global mobile telecommunications market and for any new entrant to get a little bit of their market needs a long-term scheming or even products that are highly innovative as compared to any other seen in the market (McGuigan, et al 2010, p. 41). For this to be possible, the new competitor needs very high investment for marketing and R&D, in order to get positive result.The threat of substitutes: Very lowIt is beyond reasonable doubt that mobile phones are an everyday essential in human being’s lives presently and they would not find it easy to replace, as consumers will not be in a position of having constant contact when they are not near their houses, family members or even friends (Baron, 2008, p.53). Nonetheless, the consumers may make contacts with individuals through other forms of media like email address, home telephones and social networks. However, it will not be easy for peo ple to keep in contact in their daily lives, as the forms of communication are not convenient. Contrary, smart phones come with several functions and specifications, meaning there are many substitutes offered that focus on just a single function. Presently, mobile phones are an everyday requirement in the lives of human beings because of the fundamental functions they are capable of performing and can all be found in a single handset. Only smart phones have the ability to make phone calls, send messages, and browse the internet in a single device. Another thing that makes them an extremely critical device to human beings is the fact that it enables them to communicate constantly and at any place. Thus, the threat of alternatives is very low because a mobile phone is not only for making calls or for sending messages but many some other functions. Without the mobile phones, people will find it very difficult to have a replacement, since it can provide a lot to them all in one device. People also rely on the mobile phones greatly and might not easily find an alternative that has the whole functions of a mobile handset.Competitive rivalry: lowThe competitors of Nokia turned to smartphones and androids early enough while Nokia delayed in releasing their first smart phones, and hence lagging behind competitors like Apple and HTC (Hahn, and Kibora, 2008, p. 12). Their strategic alliance with Microsoft, though offers some lifeline, still needs some time before catching up with the rest. There is high competition from big corporations like Blackberry, LG and Sony Erickson. The industry of mobile phone has very high rivalry and needs huge amounts of investment in marketing and the R&B to be able to compete with the established companies (Stonehouse, et al, 2007, p.43). Nokia had a slow shift into the market of smartphone, and this has left them trailing their competitors. Therefore, there is extremely high competitive rivalry and the company needs to be alert of their r ivals’ threat on their business especially with the Apple iPhone and RIM Blackberry’s rising popularity. Competitive rivalry in the industry is the principal threat to the Nokia Company because they are seriously behind in the market of Smartphone and it really needs a lot of efforts to raise their market share. Internal AnalysisSWOT AnalysisSWOT analysis is the most appropriate tool for the strategic planning analysis by companies’ management. It is a critical tool to the improvement of business because it embraced or followed the concept that success in the digital economy is the deployment of an incorporated value chain that extends beyond and across the business Saylor (McGuigan, et al 2010, p. 17). Nokia is a leading company in the mobile phones industry and its strategic alliance with Microsoft is expected to be a game changer. It is therefore important to look at the company’s internal environment.StrengthsGrant (2010, p.55) says that Nokia currently enjoying more that 32 percent market share in the mobile phone industry, and this is expected to even increase following the new pact with Microsoft as they will be provided with operating system affordably and sufficiently. Both Nokia and Microsoft are well respected and trusted brands as they have been there since the star t of the mobile phones and have been able to retain the trust of customers. Now in their association with Microsoft, they have regained strength in the market of smartphone, as it is a pact that has brought together two giants in their respective sectors. Having a strong brand name is an advantage since it enhances consistency; however, it is no secret that their brand name has had some wavering and now considered promotion of brand (Grant, 2010, p.43). The alliance between the two companies also means that Nokia has a secure and steady supplier market in Microsoft, where there will be enough time to concentrate on innovation, production and marketing. The company has a strong internal R+D. Nokia became one of the first companies to the market despite not dominating the market of Smartphone, the company became one of the because of their exceptional R+D program. The new chief executive officer has brought some new ideas to the organization and influenced its entire image.WeaknessesN okia has had its market share drop from the end of the last year in the industry of Smartphone. They have not been able to realize that Smartphones are a way of life amongst the users currently, with support software for the mobile phones that are very low. These are in the forms of applications, contrary to Blackberry and Apple that both have their individual App World. Nokia has an insight of only building phones that are brick shaped, which gives them lack of prestige in the present market of (Smartphonen, 2011, p.35). There are weak subdivisions in the company; they own as well as manage the Symbian but have abandoned it and instead gone for the windows 7, meaning than Symbian is now making losses (Saylor, 2012, p.54).OpportunitiesThe corporation has the chance of developing their own version of the App store OVI, since their new mobile phones are being launched and hopefully accepted in the market. The company also has an opportunity of developing more products with the Microso ft Corporation and explores more opportunities that might come up from the deal. Diverse self-sufficient and valuable portfolio; Microsoft could also do diversification of their immense portfolio and dispose parts of it that is not profitable in the probable future.ThreatsIf further loss of the share of market for Nokia continues being lost to the other big producers of Smartphones, they would actually consider withdrawal from the industry of Smartphones. The industry of mobile phones is not different from that of fashion with a quite quick turnaround. Nokia are investing lots of funds in trying to have a successful penetration into the market. By the time they succeed in doing so, the market could possibly have again shifted and had another serious breakthrough into another kind of mobile phone (Saylor, 2012, p.57). With the mobile phones software in the present day industry being as critical as the hardware, it is important that the Microsoft Corporation do not have excessive powe r as if the novel devices are a great success. It would not be good for the Nokia Company if Microsoft chose to raise their price on the pact or even walk out of it all together. Issues and challenges facing the company The challenges for Microsoft and Nokia alliance are overwhelming. Microsoft has still not been able to rise above the minuscule share of the market in the United States or even globally, even despite joining forces with Nokia. The Blackberry’s implosion was actually the best chance for Microsoft to get hold of its market share, but that did not happen. The company has to put in a lot of effort to carve out its niche in a world that has been dominated by the Android and iOS (Saylor, 2012, p.59).Missing appsThe Windows Phone still has the same old problem despite now being with more Nokia; that is the lack of a sufficient app ecosystem (Donner, and Steenson, 2008, p.35). Microsoft is not getting anything from Nokia in terms of software that was not already in th e Windows Phone. This is because the strongest mobile software asset of Nokia, which is its maps business, was not part of the agreement. After more than three years into the deal, Windows Phone still does not have table stakes apps as such like the native customers of Instgram and YouTube. The stance in the tablets is excessively bleaker. The Windows RT, which is the version designed for tablets specifically, is a very big flop and the Window 8 applied on tablets has not done any better in the market. The iPhone has successfully turned mobile phones, together with business mobile phones into a wholly consumer business (Saylor, 2012, p.70). This has an implication that the acquisition of Nokia has dragged the Microsoft Corporation into a sector that it should have avoided as much as possible. In other words, Microsoft is not a good consumer organization. Still it is not easy to see what the new CEO who has a good record of accomplishment in the companies he worked before has brought into the Nokia Company.The Xbox ProblemThe Xbox is a one consumer bright spot of Microsoft. Even without taking into account, the Xbox’s sunk cost and the fumbled Xbox One’s release, the segment of Devices and Entertainment is too small, particularly in the profit share that cannot make any significant difference (Goggin, 2011, p.23). With very little expectation for immense growth in the game console and set top box industry, the Xbox is going to make no difference for the company.Reinforce successEvery business requires reinforcement and mobile phone industry is no exception. Another area of power or strength is the web services, especially those serving business and not the ones that are consumer-facing. Although Microsoft is behind Google in several aspects, it is much ahead of Apple, which usually appears as having very little idea about the web services as it is much into the devices (Saylor, 2012, p.73). This is something the two companies have not taken advant age of, and they might realize it a little bit late if the other companies have realized their shortcomings and countered them accordingly.Brand imageFor any business to be successful in the market, brand image must be at its best because it is what consumers will be looking for. This is because everyone wants to consume a product they are well familiar with. For the Nokia Company, its brand image has dwindles constantly to a great deal such that people are no longer comfortable buying and using its products. This is something that might make it difficult for them to regain their initial status as the leading mobile phone maker, despite alliance with Microsoft (Saylor, 2012, p.79). They might pump in a lot of money in an attempt to save the situation but may as well flop if proper marketing and investment in technology is not done to win back its customers. If things do not work out for the company as expected, then it will be a big loss for Microsoft as it entered into a partnershi p with a company that was already going down.Generation of Strategic growth optionsEvery section of an organization is affected by a marketing strategy. It is all about the use of everything at the business’ disposal in creation of value for others. Customers are also included in this but workers as well as shareholders benefit. The marketing strategy’s major purpose is setting out the means by which the marketing objectives that are agreed are to be accomplished. One of the most appropriate ways to analyze the different strategies that can be used by an organization in growing the business is with the ANSOFF Matrix (Schwarzinger, 2012, p. 42). The model takes into account the opportunities of providing available and new products and services within the present and new markets together with the levels of risk that come with them. Below are possible three strategic options that can be employed by the company:Market penetrationThe aim of this strategy is selling products to a market that already exists. This has been proposed because Nokia has an already existing market even though it seems to be losing it at a higher rate. Market development This strategy refers to the completion of market development successfully (Hahn and Kibora, 2008). The method has been proposed because the Nokia Company appears to have lost touch with the huge client base that it enjoyed when it was performing still well. 5.3. Product development This section of the Ansoff matrix aims at being updated as regards the latest technology in the industry. The strategy has been proposed because the company appears to be lagging behind in terms of innovation, and this is where their competitors have fully taken advantage of to win the game (Kovvali, 2011, p.73). Evaluation of strategic growth optionsMarket penetrationThe aim of this strategy is selling products to a market that already exists. Nokia has an already existing market even though it seems to be losing it at a higher rate. For the company to be able to achieve this, there are several things that needs to be done such as: changing the pricing plan; this should be done in a manner such that it is competitor or penetration based. Changing the pricing plan means that they will be reducing prices of their products in an attempt to attract more customers or even maintaining the existing ones. However, in doing so, the quality of the products must also be high as consumers do not only go for the price but they want to enjoy the value for their money. For the prices to be reduced as much as possible and to ensure sustainability, a lot of resources needs to be pumped in, which the company may also not be having, considering the financial crisis that it faced (Kovvali, 2011, p.63). Introduc e discounting; the company can also introduce discounting services whereby customers pay certain amount of money in buying a particular product or quantity. Starting up a different promotion campaign or considering changes on the present one; shifting from one campaign strategy to another or improving on the available one may also help the company in getting the message home, thus attracting more customers. 6.2. Market development This strategy refers to the completion of market development successfully. Nokia Company appears to have lost touch with the huge client base that it enjoyed when it was performing still well. The company has an option of penetrating or developing new markets that its products has not reached. This can be done through targeting a completely new client base and carrying out vigorous product promotions in order to attract them. Some other means through which this can be achieved is researching and selling the products to a different market segment in instances of poor market share and saturation (Kovvali, 2011, p.79). They can also change the periods that adverts are run on television and change the places in which the display of print adverts happen. This is the best way of ensuring that the products appeal to a completely new market. The company can also reduce the present prices of its products to help in attracting a wider range of clients. 6.3. Product development This section of the Ansoff matrix aims at being updated as regards the latest technology in the industry (Bull, 2007). The company appears to be lagging behind in terms of innovation, and this is where their competitors have fully taken advantage of to win the game. The mobile phone industry is just like fashion where trends come up each day and players in the market try to beat each other by being creative and innovation in an attempt to win the customers as much as possible. Companies like Samsung have rose to great heights due to their technological inventions and they are really doing well in the Smartphone market. They have been coming up with new applications that have been appealing to customers and that are why they are really selling (Kovvali, 2011, p. 34) Nokia should pump in a lot of cash and invest heavily in technology because it is the only way to succeed in the business. Description of selected strategyProduct developmentThe selected strategy for at Nokia is product development. Nearly everyone knows that this has been the biggest undoing of the company as they have not been able to keep up with the pace at which technology is growing. Just as said earlier, the mobile phone industry is just like fashion where trends come up each day and players in the market try to beat each other by being creative and innovation in an attempt to win the customers as much as possible. Therefore, the company has no option but to invest in technology if at all they are serious about regaining the lost market share. They should produce some high-tech products with a lot of features that fit specific market segment. With the strategic alliance with Microsoft, the company stands a good chance of recovering as this is an opportunity to get a source of finances that they require to keep up with the new technological development (Saylor, 2012, p.89). Microsoft is also known for its creativity and this alliance puts Nokia in a good position because they will be able to get the best operation systems that are updated to meet the current market requirements. Moreover, the alliance will enable the company to have a pool of new ideas as together two giants that have been leaders in their respective industries for several years. Conclusion It is no doubt that the alliance between Nokia and Microsoft is the best decision ever made by the management because it is a chance of recovering from the fall to try to catch up with the current industry leaders. Pundits see it as a major coup for Nokia, but Microsoft also stands to gain from the pact. Nokia should use this opportunity to venture fully into the Smartphone market by doing product development. They should invest heavily in technology and even employ more staff that can bring meaningful changes. The company has been doing well in the other growth strategies such as market penetration and market development, but has not been doing product development. From the evaluation of the growth strategies above, product development is the only one that has remained and it is the only way that the company can attempt so as to come closer to its competitors or even beat them in the market. The Smartphones market is still growing and there are several opportunities that are yet to be exploited and with Microsoft on board, it only needs proper strategies to conquer the market. However, if proper measures and strategies are not in place then the highly hyped alliance might as well be a waste of time and resources as other companies will continue steadily while Nokia continue to fall steadily. References Baron, N 2008, ‘Adjusting the Volume: Technology and Multitasking in Discourse Control’, in Katz, J. (Ed.) Handbook of Mobile Communication Studies, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass, pp.177-94 Baron, N 2008, Always on: Language in an Online and Mobile World, Oxford University Press, New York. Batson-Savage, T 2007, ‘†Hol Awn Mek a Answer Mi Cellular†: Sex, Sexuality and the Cellular Phone in Urban Jamaica’, Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies, Vol.21, No.2, June, pp.239-52. Bull, M 2007, Sound Moves: Ipod Culture and Urban Experience, Routledge, London. Donner, J, and Steenson, M 2008, â€Å"Beyond the Personal and Private: Modes of Mobile Phone Sharing in Urban India.† In The Reconstruction of Space and Time: Mobile Communication Practices, edited by Scott Campbell and Rich Ling, 231–250. Piscataway, NJ: Transaction Publishers. Goggin, G 2011, Global Mobile Media, New York: Routledge. Grant, R 2010, Contemporary Strategy Analysis: Text Only. John Wiley and Sons. Hahn, H and Kibora, L 2008, â€Å"The Domestication of the Mobile Phone: Oral Society and New ICT in Burkina Faso†. Journal of Modern African Studes 46. Henry, A 2008, Understanding Strategic Management. Oxford University Press. Hill C. et al 2009, Strategic Management Theory: An Integrated Approach. Cengage Learning. Kovvali, G 2011, â€Å"Cell phones are as carcinogenic as coffee†. Journal of Carcinogenesis 10 (1): 18. McGuigan, J. et al 2010, Managerial Economics. Cengage Learning. Roy, D, 2011, Strategic Foresight and Porter’s Five Forces: Towards a Synthesis. GRIN Verlag. Saylor, M 2012, The Mobile Wave: How Mobile Intelligence Will Change Everything. Perseus Books/Vanguard Press. Schwarzinger, A 2012, Porter’s Five Forces Framework – An Analysis of the Swiss TV-Broadcasting Industry. GRIN Verlag. Stonehouse, G. et al 2007, Global and Transnational Business: Strategy and Management. John Wiley and Sons.

HR Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HR - Research Paper Example Daily functions include such things as providing advice to various levels of management and employees regarding company policies and procedures. Also included is acting as a liaison between employees and management (Human Resources Generalist Duties and Responsibilities 1). This is an area large in scope, and relies on the Generalist to be able to retain and recall information quickly and accurately. Since problems and questions are not often exactly duplicated, it requires ability to handle new situations based on similar issues that occurred in the past. A Human Resources Generalist performs other functions on a weekly basis. Examples of these items could be assisting with payroll processing and answering payroll related inquiries from employees or managers. Also, gathering unemployment paperwork for use in unemployment benefits hearings is another function often performed weekly depending on the size of the company (1). Other functions are performed on a monthly basis by the HR Generalist. Examples include assisting in providing counsel to employees with regards worker’s compensation, short-term disability, FMLA, and other employee leave issues. Maintaining company bulletin board postings for internal job openings, along with required legal and compliance issue postings is also critical. Recruitment strategies often need slightly revised on a monthly or semi-monthly basis. Too, monthly audits of HR files including I-9 forms are needed (1). Finally, some issues are performed yearly. Such items as these could be participation in job fairs; revisions and improvements in job descriptions; advising managers and employees on yearly employee benefit options; and holding benefits meetings and training (2). There are several areas that I would have strong interest in performing as an HR Generalist. A first such issue would be working as a liaison

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 246

Assignment Example This has seen to the decline of this practice. By providing the benefits of hanging clothes outside, the author tries to convince people to hang clothes in the sun. In fact, the author goes on to give the economic benefits of clothesline compared to dryers. In the article, the main issue is the decline of clotheslines. Although dryers and washers have contributed to this decline, some house provisions forbid residents from using clothesline (Dewolf, 2007). The established rhetorical mode in the article is comparison and contrast. In the second paragraph, â€Å"...where I discovered that St John’s was precisely the opposite of Calgary.† The author contrasts the use of the clothesline in Montreal and St John’s, and the use of dryers and washers in Calgary. Similarly, in the third paragraph, â€Å"Montreal is similar to St John’s,† this is central to residents in both places using clotheslines. On the same, the author gives possible reasons as to why the clotheslines still feature in St John’s and Montreal (Dewolf,

Design Patterns Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Design Patterns - Research Paper Example This notification can encompass particular information and facts regarding the topic of the notification. However, the subject can eliminate any of the observers from the list when there is no need for a specific observer to be informed regarding these events or changes with respect to the matter they are registered with the subject. They are used when there is need maintaining constancy and reliability between connected objects while not affecting coupling characteristics of classes. For instance, these patterns can be used when an object needs to be able to inform other objects without having suppositions on the subject of those objects. Moreover, the observer pattern consists of the following elements (Osmani, 2012): Subject: This component is responsible for managing the operation related to observers, such as facilitating, eliminating, or adding observers into the list (Osmani, 2012). Observer: This component is responsible for offering an up to date interface for observers that need to be informed regarding any change (Osmani, 2012). Concrete Subject: This component is responsible for managing transmission and notifications to objects regarding changes to state. It also maintains the state of ConcreteObservers (Osmani, 2012). ConcreteObserver: This component is responsible for establishing and maintaining a reference to the ConcreteSubject. In addition, it also implements a modern interface for the observer to make sure that state is compatible with the subject (Osmani, 2012). Advantages The observer patterns allow software development teams to think effectively about the associations among various elements of software application (Osmani, 2012; Toal, 2012). These patterns also allow software engineers to recognize what application layers have straight associations which could be alternatively replaced with a set of observers and subjects. In this scenario, these patterns can be effectively employed for splitting a software application into a number of sm aller, more freely joined components with the purpose of improving code maintenance as well as competency for re-use (Osmani, 2012; Sud, 2013). These patterns are useful for establishing and maintaining a one-to-many dependency between objects (Marakana Inc., 2013). These patterns provide an excellent communication mechanism for instance, when there is a change in the state all the related objects are notified automatically (Marakana Inc., 2013) Disadvantages As discussed above, these patterns support for decoupling however by decoupling various objects, it can frequently turn out to be hard to get assurance that specific components of a software application are working as they are expected to do (Osmani, 2012; Pierry, 2013). It is believed that in these patterns subscribers are relatively unaware of the subsistence of each other as well as are sightless to the price of switching publishers. Hence, because of this dynamic association between objects, it is difficult to track the upd ate dependence (Osmani, 2012; Sud, 2013). 2. The Factory Pattern The Factory pattern is also one of the most important creational patterns, which is concerned with the concept of developing objects. However, it differentiates with other patterns of the base of a property and that is it doesn't openly require software engineers to make use of use of a constructor. On the other hand, a Factory provides software engineers

Life in the Antebellum U.S Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Life in the Antebellum U.S - Essay Example The Native Americans were the initial occupants of land in America. They hunted and gathered to sustain their nutritional requirements. President Thomas Jefferson saw the institution of a policy which allowed Native Americans to retain their ancestral lands east of the Mississippi. The only condition attached to this was that the native population was to assimilate themselves with the rest of the population. They were to supplement their hunting and gathering practices with agriculture. As time elapsed, it became impossible for the government retain their policy. The rapid population increase among the immigrants and Whites in America made it improbable for the government to retain this policy. They, therefore, resorted in the displacement of Native Americans from their ancestral land. The president Andrew Jackson signed 'the Indian Removal Act’ on May 26, 1830 (Keegan 72). The acquired land was to be used to set up plantations. These would ensure large-scale production of cro ps that would be used for food and other industries. It would also provide the immigrants with a place to settle in; where they could begin building their lives. Time ensued, and the Whites encroached on Native American’s land outnumbering the native population. They assumed total ownership of the land and established their own institutions and systems. The Natives signed treaties that guaranteed them equal land West of Mississippi in exchange for their original parcels of land. Tribes that did not co-operate faced forceful eviction from their lands by government officials who abused their power. For example, the Cherokee people experienced forceful eviction from their land. This was after signing the ‘Treaty of New Echota’ by a small part of the entire tribe. The tribal leaders missed out of the entire treaty signing process. This led to the death of estimated 4,000 tribe members in 1835. The march came to be known as the ‘Trail of Tears’ (Keegan 27 ). The government justified their actions by claiming that the natives’ presence disrupts the harmony in the region. They also claimed that the land would benefit the American population. However, this was not entirely true. Many of the government officials were greedy and simply desired sole ownership of the land. This led them to act in inhumane ways that led to the death of many Natives. These officials also did not honor the terms of the treaties in which they coerced the natives to sign. The Antebellum period saw increased manufacturing of products in America. Most manufacturers were, therefore, in need of cheap labor to meet their manufacturing demands. This could only be provided by immigrant workers. There were two categories of immigrant workers in the antebellum period. The first lot is the workers who migrated to America left their homes to search for a means to sustain their livelihood without coercion. The others underwent forceful eviction from their countries w ithout their approval. The zeitgeist of that time supported the expansive use of slave labor. The thriving slave market profited from the sale of slaves acquired from conquered states in the African continent (Keegan 33). A variety of factors worked together to contribute to widespread colonialism; and in turn to slavery all around the world. The superior states were always in constant disagreement as they all rushed to acquire colonial territories overseas. The Berlin conference 1885-1886 came up with guidelines of

Operations Mangement Coursework (Five Questions)

Operations Mangement (Five Questions) - Coursework Example An organization uses operating performance to attract and retain customers and also serve them in a profitable manner (Hsu, Tan, Kannan &Keong Leong 2009, p. 835). Operations vary in different industries, but in general, they include things like on-time delivery, customer acquisition, running efficiently, and developing new products and services. According to Barney (1991, p. 56), the internal organization of resources in a firm is the determinant of the firm’s performance and strategy. Barney further defines resources as capabilities, assets, attributes, knowledge and information, and all things that are under control of the firm to enable it implement strategies that aid in improving effectiveness and efficiency. Porter (1996), on the other hand, asserts that the most essential resources are the ones that are hard to imitate, superior in use, more valuable, and difficult to substitute. According to the two authors, a firm’s competitive advantage resides on inherent heterogeneity of strategic resources that are controlled by the firm (Barney 1991, Porter, 1996). Therefore, failure to strategically integrate operations, finance, and marketing results in a weak and inconsistent company’s strategy, and its execution will be inefficient and flawed. In today’s world operation activities have become the dominant element in planning and management of production capacity (Stevens 2009, p. 5). Whether you are running a manufacturing firm or a service company, the organization deals with issues of what and the amount of production, and means of measuring performance. In many firms, operations are viewed as an identical partner with finance and marketing. The operations staff of an organization concerns with the planning and management of production capacity, accompanied by production facilities and equipment. Operations gives an

Integrating the Bible in the High School Curriculum Essay

Integrating the Bible in the High School Curriculum - Essay Example This essay stresses that the America of today that is rent by crime and heathen practices is only reflecting the Bible-less policy of years in the recent past, but if the Bible is integrated into the school curriculum now, the America of the next few decades could evolve into a better place, with a greater focus on moral and ethical values rather than hedonistic values that have led to substance abuse. This paper makes a conclusion that there are two major reasons why integrating the Bible into the school curriculum may not only be an excellent option, but may actually be necessary. On the one hand, the Bible is a valuable source of academic learning and would enrich the educational experiences of young people if introduced into the curriculum. It would allow students to explore a fascinating range of historical events and classical literature. Secondly, it would inculcate within them the values of love and forgiveness and bring discipline and focus into their lives through the teaching of moral and ethical values. The Bible contains a wealth of stories that offer profound insights into human nature, and have spawned many offshoots in literature. On an overall basis, student understanding and appreciation of classical literature would be enhanced if the Bible is introduced into the school curriculum. Religious and spiritual instruction that focuses upon the teaching of ethical and moral values through the Bible can only enrich the character of students.

Assignment for the American Government Class Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

For the American Government Class - Assignment Example Each member of congress has a member of staff who manages the office and in the drafting of legislature. Members of the congressional committee also have their own staff similar to the congressional budget office, office of technology assessment. b. What are the differences between departments, agencies, and bureaus? Departments are pieces of a business, that is, a business can be divided into several departments, to make it easier to manage, an agency part of a large bureau and a bureau is the highest in the chain of command. c. How is the federal bureaucracy staffed, and how has this changed since the nineteenth century? In the 19th century, the presidents could hire and fire staff of the federal bureaucracy as they saw fit, this created an office, which was filled with the president’s allies and friends, but no work was being done. Today the staffs do not have to be hired by the president only, but the senate must come in and approve of them, as well. Question # 2 a. What did Justice Meyer mean by "ancient liberty?" He means that it is necessary to consider ancient and active liberty this is the liberty to engage in active and constant involvement, in collective power, this is when considering the resolution of a case. b. Discuss his three basic views, in detail, with regard to the constitution. Make sure to include and discuss the framework he writes that the constitution creates.

Answer three question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Answer three question - Essay Example young girls as heroines, some young enough to be still living at home, for they do not know exactly what to expect from a man, or from life at large. Use of magic realism is a inevitably observed theme, and Bender finds it difficult to find a reason to continue. This story begins with gusto and then fizzle out, with weak juxtapose with use of multiple plot lines, without much more point than to showcase the skill of the juggler (Bender, 2012). 3. Upon reading the legacy, Bender’s characters typify gender in a relatively expected way, her male and female characters assuming an almost perfect binary coherence to one another. Her stories are unique, and do not relate to any previous available literature work.. Examining her text, one cannot ignore her female protagonist’s relationship to patriarchy (Bender, 2012). This paper finds that Aimee stories are influenced by her life experiences, and she agrees on this by saying she felt her adolescence was unequipped for all the

Meiji Period Essay Example for Free

Meiji Period Essay Meiji means ‘the enlightened rule’ in Japanese. In Japan the period from 1868 to 1912 is called ‘Meiji Era’?. (Meiji Period). The name Meiji was chosen by the young prince Mutsuhito, when he succeeded his father to the throne. During this period Japan emerged as a world political and economic power. Japan underwent a surprising progress from medieval society to important and primary military power and economic power in Asia. During the Meiji period the emperor was only fifteen years old but he was fortunate to have a group of excellent advisors who brought amalgamation of eastern and western cultures. They adapted western ideas while retaining the importance of the east. During this period the government made all efforts to build up its military strength and progress economic status. The samurai warriors were the traditional military system in Japan. The samurai system was replaced by the essential military service. The army was trained by the Prussian and French instructors. In two major wars that is in Sino-Japanese war of 1894-95 against china and Russo-Japanese war of 1904-05 against Russia, the Japanese army proved its superiority. Japan has emerged as the strong new power in Asia after these two wars. The Government gave importance to the ideas and interests of farmers, samurai, merchants and former feudal estate owners. Foreign experts were employed in the fields of defense, industry, agriculture and transportation and their methods and practices were cautiously considered and adopted. Political and social reforms were given much importance during this period. Some of the reforms include declaration of religious freedom in 1873; the lunar calendar which was considered most important by the Japanese society was replaced by Gregorian calendar, introduction of the taxation system, freedom of trade, and freedom of land acquisition and in 1890 first elections was held for DIET. Along with this education was also given utmost importance and was made compulsory. The attendance at schools stood at ninety-eight percent by the end of the Meiji period. The Meiji era was a phase of strong emotions and radical reforms. The government intended to build Japan as a democratic country. Many of the Japanese scholars were sent to western countries to study languages and western science to improve the agrarian economy of Tokugawa Japan in to developed industrial sector. By means of huge governmental investments, the communication networks and transportation were developed. The first telegraph line was established between Yokahoma and Tokyo in 1869, a horse-drawn tramway system was introduced, national postal service was introduced in 1871the first steel bridge known as Azuma steel bridge was opened, in 1872, Meiji emperor opened the first train connection between Tokyo and Yokahoma. The powerful and large businesses in Japan known as zaibatsu were supported by the government to develop and support the industries and businesses. The period in 1880’s also led to financial crisis due to huge expenditures which led to the reform in the currency system and establishment of the Bank of Japan. The textile industry became the largest industry and grew faster in Japan until World War II. In 1889 Japan established its first European style constitution. The emperor was top of the navy, executive, army and legislative power. During the Meiji period, Japan emerged as a major power and a developed country. Japan was changed totally by the western stone buildings which include deparment stores, banks and government sites. The Meiji period led to the economic boom and standard military power. REFERENCES: 1. Meiji Period (1868-1912), Japan cultural profile, October 5, 2006. http://www. culturalprofiles. net/japan/Directories/Japan_Cultural_Profile/-13234. html

Causes and Effects of Mental Illness

Causes and Effects of Mental Illness Depression (major depression) is a common mental disorder characterized by a period of intense and negative emotions, lack of interest, anhedonia (lack of pleasure), guilt and low self-esteem feelings, sleep disorders and normal appetite, loss of energy and difficulty in concentration. People who suffer from depression usually they have not presented the same symptoms and even if they have the same symptoms, their intensity varies. Depression can transform from a transient to a chronic condition, preventing the steady mental functioning of people and -in extreme cases even lead to suicide. The social and economic impact of depression usually is difficulty in maintaining close relationships, alcoholism, accidents, misuse of health services, reverberations the whole family and more on children, early retirement, and substance abuse. The depressed person suffering from the disease thus transformed and expressed in many ways such as hypochondriacal symptoms, impotence, insomnia or hypersomnia, poor appetite or overeating, and offending behavior. Moreover, depression can occur in various forms such as with most physical illnesses. However, in these types, there are several variations in the number and severity of symptoms. The following three types of depression frequently arise in people who suffer from this disease. The major depressive episode is manifested by a combination of symptoms and affected significantly the functionality of the individual. An incident such as this episode may occur once, or more frequently, several times during the life of the individual and ordinarily lasts around 6-8 months. A less severe form of depression, dysthymia, is a milder side of symptoms, but more chronic disorder. In this form, individual generally retains much of the functionality but however, there is a danger to drop back into a major depressive episode. Bipolar disorder or manic depression is otherwise a severe mental disorder characterized by cyclical swings of emotion, where in that period of intense elation (mania) alternate with periods of depressive episodes. The person in the manic episode shows hyperactivity, socially inappropriate, shows cheerful, with large energy reserves, but has impaired judgment and impaired social behavior which can be fatal for the person himself but also for those around him. Various theories have been developed by several scientists are unable to determine the exact etiology of depression. There are some factors that contribute to either the start or the most intense manifestation of the disease. Many scientists have studied the depression generating mechanism based on an individuals behavior. Ferster (1973) indicates that the depressed person may have the disease at intervals, during which accepts negative stimuli and isolation from the social environment without corresponding positive stimuli which could maintain his mental balance. Additionally, starting from childhood where negative stimuli are unable to meet the individual needs (such as the mothers indifference towards the child) cultivate the belief that the environment has grown not to offer anything on the person who is pessimistic. Also, Ferster, comments on the role of anger in depression, as psychoanalysts recognizing that anger is a component of the emotional disorder but explains that the angering event often avoided by the sufferer due to the negative reaction of the environment to anger. Therefore held that feeling and the result is the further isolation of the patient from the community and lack thereof supporters. The Rado (1964), Bibring (1953) and Jacobson (1964), completing the classic analytic interpretation pointed out that it is not necessary to have an objective loss to occur depression. They outline that, something negative relative to narcissism, the love and appreciation that nourishes everyone about him, a frustration or failure would seriously undermine the feeling of self-esteem, can paralyze a persons ability to act, resulting in a recall depression. Mendelson (1967) believed that depression is due to the collapse of ego and self-confidence because of a loss or disappointment. O Schneider (1958) described the people suffering from depressive psychopathy as follows: quietly, constantly gloomy, serious, without the ability to have fun. The peace and calm seen as something meaningless and pain and suffering as a virtue. They give great importance to the operation and are oppressive but also sensitive individuals. Schneider made a distinction between depressive personality and endogenous depression which more correlated with phases of mania and depression thus rejecting the idea that a depressive personality is an extreme form of depression expression. This personality is due in early irritation predisposing the individual to become negative and pessimistic On the other side, the forms and effects of depression differ by gender. Women are 2 to 3 times more susceptible to this disease than men. Some researchers such as Hauenstein (1991) have suggested that this is due to the fact that women express more easily and more intensely their feelings, from the opposite gender, is more large percentage of the female population that will seek medical care in relation to the male gender, women affected, think and imagine different scenarios and versions if concern for a problem, leading to cause the beginning of an emotional disease while men distract their attention from the problem and focus on their goals. However, the difference is quite large, so it is believed that a combination of biological and psychosocial factors contribute to a higher frequency. The causes that can lead an individual to depression vary depending on the evolution of his life. More specifically, it is clear that there is no single reason to explain this disorder (as usually happens with many other illnesses in general). Surveys have identified several factors that appear to contribute in varying degrees to the illness of depression. We can consider the depressive disorder as the final common result of a variety of factors which act on the constitution of each individual and the specific social context. If we look at depression in this way then the various interpretations of the ground, either purely biological or purely psychosocial cease to seem to contradict each other, but rather that they complement each other.

Employee Privacy During Employment

Employee Privacy During Employment In the world, which thrives on the internet and other electronic media to network with the job and non-job related communication, the employee privacy has become a concerned subject. But in the reality, the employee doesnt have much privacy. This document will display information on employee privacy during employment. We discuss background checks, electronic surveillance, the internet and email privacy and more. Employee privacy laws for both U.S. and European union are different in multiple ways. In this document, we will compare the laws by researching the various applicable employee privacy laws both the nations implement for the corporate sector. The two aspects of employee and employer relationship are monitoring employee and conducting background checks. United States European Union The diminished expectation of privacy at the work environment. At the work, environment employees are entitled to expect privacy. Monitoring of employees is okay if the employer is providing a full notice about the monitoring activities and its purpose. Failing to notice will subject the employer to liability Only on instances of important business need and specific instances employee can be monitored by the employer. It is much stricter than the US privacy laws. The privacy laws in use a patch work of the U.S. federal and state privacy laws which regulate the collection of data on certain instances of sensitive information protection of health or financial information, special protection for groups such as children, address the certain abuse of apparent market failure. The collection and use of personal data across all sectors is regulated with omnibus data protection laws. Table 1 United States vs European Union privacy law differences 2.1. United States The primary federal law leading the background checks in united states is the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). FCRA is applicable to both California and Illinois, the state laws can provide more rights to employees but they will not be able to take away the basics of FCRA. The FCRAs goal is to protect and provide accurate the information regarding the credit history, capacity, reputation and worthiness of the employee/consumer. FCRA is only applicable for the employers or firms and not for individuals who want to perform a background check on themselves or verify their credit reputation. Only particular agencies and employers are eligible for requesting FCRA for the background check. The employer who is requesting the background check must have be complied with certain other Federal and state laws. The employers who request for background check report for employment purpose, per the FCRA the employer or the agencies must provide the employee/ applicant a clear and noticeable printed notice about the change and receive a printed consent from the employer who is requesting the report. The documented printed should be a separate document and not part of another document. Agency who provide the background service for employment, the employer must be certified that the employer: Should have employees consent in printed format Must have provided notice to the employee. The reports information shouldnt be used in violation for equal employment opportunity regulation. Employer must be complied with FCRA requirements, before executing any action with the report In California, the FCRA has a plus, where it allows the applicants who have gone through background check view there report and know if any information is any inaccurate. And it also allows the employer to perform the checks. As FCRA in whole only allows the agency third party to perform the checks. In California, this process is called Investigative Consumer Report (ICR). An employer can only request reports for certain positions and per the categories the applicant must be informed. 2.2. European Union In the European union when the employer wants to run a background check on the applicants or the employees in the firm, to assess and verify the details, the employer must comply to the local member state laws at the firms location and the Data Protection Acts (DP Acts) for EU. Every member state has specific laws which affect the background check, specifically for criminal records. Every member states background check will have a different report. Local state Labor and Employment laws also have obligations on the checks. 2.2.1. France In France for background checks the employer must get prior permissions from the DP Acts in France it is called CINL, this is to collect information for background check. The employer only allowed to get personal information only which is directly relevant to the background checking. The law in France prohibits checks on credit transactions, even if the applicant is willing to provide. Only for certain categories of job position it can be retrieved and must be with consent and information which can be retrieved is limited. The applicants apply for certificate of good standing to get conviction, court record or legal judgements and proceedings. The employer must inform the applicant with the information about: Data transfer to United States People who will receive the information Purpose of the data collection Ability to correct data after its collection Mandatory questions CINL specifies that all the information about the applicant can be viewed and edited after submission of the application for checking. 2.2.2. Germany In Germany Bundesdatenschutzgesetz (BDSG) is the DP Acts that regulates the local law where the applicants personal information cannot be collected and processed without the permission from the applicant, consent is a must and lawfully. Only limited information can be retrieved from the applicant and any violation will lead to fine up to 300,000 pounds. The applicants work development experience and criminal history can be collected and processed. Only during the recruitment process, if failed a written consent will be required from the applicant. Credit worthiness cannot be checked under German DP Acts. 2.2.3. United Kingdom In UK, the information commissioners Office (ICO) regulates the DP Acts. Is very general background checks, they can collect information about the applicant for specific job. The difference is the ICO states that the data collected must be destroyed in a secure  Ã‚   manner within six months. 3.1. United States Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) denies monitoring and tapping of electronic, email, oral and wire communications. Only email accounts given by the employer can be monitored. Stored Communications Act (SCA) is about the stored messages and its access. It is unlawful to access the contents or electronic communication without authorization or intentionally. It also a violation to prevent alter the data in the storage. The SCA states that the employers being the service providers of the email communication service which is dedicated for the firm can be used to monitor the employees email communication and retrieve the email, this has been approved by the US Court. The employers are also reserve the right to monitor the internet usage of the employees in the firm. Employers already mention the policies which will be implied and is requested by the employees to go through them be aware of them being monitored. 3.2. European Union The European unions DP directives and telecommunication directive are considered also European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and article 29 working party opinion, all these laws are implied on the monitoring of employees. Monitoring of the employees by the employer is not encouraged until unless there are specific business needs. If the employer decides to monitor an employee then the Working Party asks the employer to follow certain guidelines and be complied, with keeping in mind the employees right to privacy: Transparency Necessity Finality Legitimacy Proportionality Accuracy and data retention Security 3.2.1. Transparency Monitoring is prohibited and is limited in few circumstances, All the policies must be accessible by the employees which specify about monitoring. The employers should clearly mention the actives which will be monitored. The employer should beforehand inform the employees about the monitoring activities. If any misuse is alerted, the employee must be informed about it at the earliest 3.2.2. Necessity Monitoring should be performed only if necessary for exceptional cases. The data related to monitoring  Ã‚   must  Ã‚   be destroyed securely and not retained more than the specified period. Privacy impact assessment must be performed before the monitoring starts. 3.2.3. Finality The data which is collected for monitoring, must be dedicated to the monitoring tasks only and should not be misused by using the data for other process and functions. All monitoring data is specific to the process requiring the monitoring. 3.2.4. Proportionality Monitoring of the employee data must be in scope and hidden monitoring actives must be voided by the employer. If the employer implements less intrusive monitoring of employee it is better.   Any important notification must be informed to the concerned member. Having an audio and video monitoring at a place which is expected to ensure privacy must be avoided. 3.2.5. Accuracy and Data Retention The data must be stored only for 3 months and not more. The data collected must be for the mentioned monitoring objectives.   The data collected must be retained and updated for the period of task which required the monitoring. 3.2.6. Security The employer must have in place protection for the personal data logged from monitoring and make sure the data is not being altered or breached. 3.3. France Employee must be informed before monitoring is initiated. The employer must define the policies properly with the mention of disciplinary actions. Before making the policies final the labor inspector must approve the internal rules mentioned in the policy. The related files and emails which are monitored must only be viewed with the concerned employees presence and only during an investigation. 3.4. Germany The employers communication facility must be prohibited to use, until necessary. Then the employee monitoring is approved. The employer is not allowed to tap, sniff or monitor the internet usage or email communication of the employee private internet provider. If email and document are mentioned as private or sensitive, they must be excluded from being monitored. The DPO and Works council must be involved and monitoring actives must be recorded and documented in a legal framework 3.5. United Kingdom Interception of communications and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act(RIPA) regulate the monitoring laws. They specify the extent an employer can try to monitor and record the data of the employees. and, how the data is being monitored, is it internally or being sent over the network. Mobile device communication monitoring is allowing. The employer must inform the employees about the monitoring, adhering the transparency requirement. And any unlawful monitoring is same a criminal offense. 4. Conclusion Both the regions European Union and United States have different approached toward the employees privacy. In European Union employers, must justify every detail collected about the applicant or employee and the monitoring is nearly denied in law in France, Germany and United Kingdom, these state members impose their own laws. Alternatively, which in United States, the data collection from the employee and applicant is legal under the law until unless it is being misused and deviating from the purpose of the collected personal information. The employees monitoring is also allowing and is regulated under law. For JP Consulting Inc under both legal government administrations, a twofold method is reasonable, the Sites in EU must control the data collection and its monitoring activated per the local state member laws of France, Germany, United Kingdom and in U.S they can have monitoring and data collection extensively. https://www.privacyrights.org/consumer-guides/employment-background-checks-california-focus-accuracy http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes.xhtml http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcradoc.pdf https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/articles/pdf/pdf-0111-fair-credit-reporting-act.pdf http://blogs.dlapiper.com/employmentgermany/2016/10/18/background-checks-aka-pre-employment-screenings-in-germany/ https://www.loc.gov/law/help/online-privacy-law/germany.php http://webcasts.acc.com/handouts/Flick1[1].pdf http://employment.findlaw.com/workplace-privacy/employee-privacy.html https://www.mofo.com/resources/publications/monitoring-employees-striking-a-balance.html

The Problem of Global Warming Essay -- Greenhouse Effect Climate Chan

The Problem of Global Warming Imagine you are placed into the future. The year is 2100. You begin to live in this new world. You hear about huge storms over much of the USA that cause severe damage and flooding. San Francisco, New York City, New Orleans, Seattle, and Miami all experience major flooding from the ocean level having risen so high. Thousands and thousands of people perish each summer across the USA alone—hundreds die in Chicago as the temperature soars to 100 for 2 weeks straight. No, this isn’t total fantasy. These events all could occur. All of them could result from one thing—global warming. Global warming is a huge problem with many consequences that people don’t realize could occur. If we work together, though, we can stop them from happening. In this essay, I’ll tell you about global warming, its causes, and what we can do to help stop it. First, global warming is fairly new--the talk of this problem is fairly recent, and so is the problem itself. For example, according to â€Å"Why Files,† from the University of Wisconsin website, â€Å"the global warming debate first heated up in the late 1980’s.† When you look at the attached graph, from â€Å"Meteorology Today,† you can see that temperatures have simply soared in the past century, especially in the last 25-30 years. Due to dramatic increasing, global warming has become a very large problem as of the last few years. Temperatures have really increased. According to NOAA, the second warmest year on record in the world was 2001. In a â€Å"Why Files† report on global warming, it is said that â€Å"the 10 warmest years in the 150-year history of recorded temperatures have all occurred since 1983.† This means that 10 of the last 21 years have been in the list of the top 10 warmest years since record keeping began. So as you can see, the world is heating up. In the Europe heat wave of 2003, London reaches 100 degrees Fahrenheit for the first time EVER, and in France alone, nearly 30,000 people died. And recently in Antarctica, grass was actually seen! According to the Green Car Congress website, â€Å"scientists have reported that broad areas of grass are now forming turf where there were once ice-sheets and glaciers.† Never before was grass seen there Now, where are all of these s izzling temperatures coming from? In other words, why is the world warming? Global warming is occurring because of the EXPANS... ...son can’t stop global warming—we need to group together as a whole to try to help prevent it. The more people informed about global warming, the better. Now you understand about global warming, tis causes, its harmful effects, and what we can do to help stop it. I encourage you to join me by informing people about global warming, and trying to help put a stop to it. Works Cited â€Å"Heating Season.† The Why Files. Ahrens, Donald C. â€Å"Climate Change.† Meteorology Today. Keith Dodson. Pacific Grove. Brooks/Cole, 2003. 520-544 â€Å"Grass Growing†¦In Antarctica.† Green Car Congress. â€Å"Global Warming-Frequently Asked Questions.† National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. â€Å"Tropical Deforestation-Deforestation and the Global Carbon Cycle.† NASA Earth Observatory. â€Å"Global Warming-Emissions-Individual.† U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. â€Å"Causes of Global Warming.† EcoBridge. â€Å"Global Warming-Potential Effects of Global Warming.† NASA Earth Observatory. â€Å"Consequences of Global Warming.† Natural Resources Defense Council. â€Å"Heat Waves and Climate Change: Fact Sheet.† Harvard Medicine. â€Å"How to Fight Global Warming.† Natural Resources Defense Council.

Junk :: essays research papers

In my last speech I talked about globalization and more specifically the affect of NAFTA on the Mexican corn farmers. As a result of the removal of tariffs on agricultural products, Mexico, a country once self sufficient in basic grains, today imports 95 percent of its soy, 58 percent of its rice, 49 percent of its wheat, and 40 percent of its meat. This has resulted in Mexican corn farmers being put out of business. More than 80 percent of Mexico's extreme poor live in rural areas, and more than 2 million are corn farmers. There is no way they can compete with subsidized American agribusiness. In my last speech I didn’t mention the affect of globalization on the U.S. In the U.S., a comparison between the 1930s and today tells a similar grim tale. Then, 25 percent of the population lived on the nation's 6 million farms; today, 2 million farms are home to 2 percent of the population. Small family farms have been overwhelmingly replaced by large commercial farms, with 8 percent of farms accounting for 72 percent of sales. Small family farms can’t compete with the large industrialized farms, where the only relevant objective is profit margin. While doing my research for this speech I was trying to find some type of policy that the U.S. carries for globalization, to my surprise there is no actual outlined policy. There are policies on various different topics that all fit into the globalization. I would like to concentrate on our trade policy in terms of agriculture. The World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Agriculture (AOA) requires that countries open their economies to agricultural products. Due to the low or at times non existent tariffs on importing and exporting we are cutting jobs domestically and abroad. With American markets already saturated, the U.S. is aggressively pushing to open up foreign markets -- with great success. Already, one out of three acres planted in the United States produces food or fiber destined for export, and one quarter of American farm sales are now exports. Though agriculture was the incentive to lure the Third World into the WTO and other trade agreements, it has turned into the most contentious issue as the Third World is devastated by the dumping of cheap and subsidized agricultural products from the United States and the European Union. While beefing up agribusiness with agricultural subsidies (the U.

Literary Analysis Night by Elie Wiesel

At first before he got deported from his home, Slight In Transylvania. He was an Innocent young boy who studied the Talmud â€Å"Hilled and Bea helped them with the work. As for me, they said my place was In school† (2). Since he was able to be sent to school by his family and have the chance to learn that shows that he was from a well off family. But once he entered the concentration camp, unaware of the terrors he was going to face, changed his life completely â€Å"Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed (32)†.The life changing experiences that Lie went through in the concentration camps scarred him for life. The burning of the little children and their mothers affected him in such a way that it would stay with him for the rest of his life. Ell also turns from religious to loss of faith. When he was still in his hometown he studied the Talmud â€Å"l was twelve. I believed profoundly. During the day I studied the Talmud, and at night I ran to the synagogue to weep over the destruction of the .This shows that he was dedicated to his religion and believed in God. He came from a religious family that taught him to praise God and show great respect towards Him. But when he was put in the concentration camp he lost his faith in God â€Å"For the first time, I felt revolt rise up in me, Why should I bless His name? † (31). For the first time Lie stood up to his religion and rebelled. The horrible things he saw in the concentration camps shocked him and angered him; How could his god let these things happen?Before he went to the concentration camps, such a thought wouldn't Ross his mind. He was loyal to his god and to his religion, until the dreaded day he entered the camp. Towards the end of the story, Ell shows no concern of death lingering In the air. He turns from caring into Indifferent. When his father was coming towards the end of h is life he did everything In his power to keep him alive, â€Å"Like a wild beast, I cleared a way for myself to the coffee cauldron, and I managed to carry back a cupful† (101).He tried giving his father anything that would help him get better, and took It back to IM, After his father's death nothing mattered to him anymore, It was as If he had lost everything he had fought for â€Å"I had to stay at Buchwald until April eleventh. I have nothing to say of my life during this period. It no longer mattered. After my father's death, nothing could touch me any more. † (107)All his cares and wants Oligopolies rater Nils Tanner Ana let nil He Llano's even tank AT Nils parents or AT ones he lost. Even when he was rescued he felt no Joy or relief, he felt indifferent.The settings in Night help readers to understand each character and what they present. Lie turns from innocent to haunted by being taken away from a secure community and being but into a completely different and horrible environment. He also turns from religious to loss of faith by forced to believe that his god would tolerate such an inhumane act and everyone in the world was indifferent towards what was happening in the concentration camps. Lastly he turns from caring to indifferent after his father passes away. Nothing mattered to him anymore as if he had lost everything he fought for.