EliteClean International Logistics Strategies Essay

EliteClean International Logistics Strategies - Essay Example These techniques are used to detect areas of non-value adding processes otherwise defined as waste so that the necessary steps can be taken to eliminate them. One of these techniques is value stream mapping. Value stream mapping According to Mangier (2003) value stream mapping is a technique of creating a â€Å"one-page picture† of all the processes that take place in a company. This is the process from the time a customer places an order for a product until the customer has received the product at their location. The aim of value stream mapping is to illustrate the flow of material and information across and throughout all the processes that add value from the stage of production to shipment to the customer. Value stream maps documents both value-adding and non-value-adding processes from production to shipment. In creating the value stream map business and manufacturing waste can be easily identified and thus becomes the basis on which improvements can be made to the company ’s operations. Mangier (2003) indicates that there are four steps involved in value stream mapping. They are i. Defining the product or product family; ii. Creating the â€Å"current state† value stream mapping (CSV); iii. ...   The dishwasher line is manufactured in South Korea; the laundry product line in China; and the range cookers in Thailand. The value stream map for EliteClean is shown below. Figure 1 – Current State Value Stream Map In Figure 1 above a number of activities leading to the production of items are duplicated. There are several persons carrying out procurement activities. Instead of the head office obtaining information on materials required for production, the factories are allowed to do their own procurement. This procurement is carried out by the factory manager in the case of laundry and the chief production engineer who may delegate it to a production manager at the other factories. There are several trucks of raw material going to the three different factories. Some of these trucks carry similar items which are purchased separately by the three different factories. Elite Clean has employed a push-based supply chain strategy. The factories which are located in South Korea , China and Thailand produce items without any knowledge of demand and ship them to the regional distribution centers (RDCs). These distribution centers are located in Birmingham in the UK, Jordan in the Middle East and Chicago in the USA. There is a capacity problem at the RDCs due to the fact that there are too many inventory items in stores. There is some concern that some of these items may become obsolete. There is a cost involved in holding inventory. Additionally, when the storage facilities are too packed there will be a problem moving out inventory on a first-in-first-out basis. Items are not transported to the distribution centers based on demand.

Hate It or Love It Essay Example for Free

Hate It or Love It Essay

Benefits Of A Fixed Term Deposit Account Marketing Essay

Benefits Of A Fixed Term Deposit Account Marketing Essay The purpose of this document is to propose a solution in order to increase the customer term deposit balances by 20. This brief contains an about the company section, marketing objective, the campaign objective, who are the target audience of such a product, explanation of the product, how the product can be distributed, our competition, USP, key messages, deliverables, timing and budget. About the company Customers choice bank was set up in 1990. Our vision is to become one of the best banks compared to other local banks in Malta. We are dedicated to giving an efficient and excellent service to our customers by helping them discover the best solutions to their financial requirements. Our bank offers products such as home loans, personal loans, internet banking, deposit accounts, financial planning, corporate financial services, life assurances, retirement plan and more. Therefore we target people who are personal and also those who have a business. We already succeeded in a campaign before which was about internet banking and our aim was to attract 10% of our existing customers to start using internet banking. We are looking forward to succeed in other future campaigns. Marketing objective To increase customer term deposit balances by 20% in 3 months. The campaign objective The campaign must: 1. Create impact, and raise awareness of the bank as a term deposit provider. 2. Promote the benefits of the term-deposit product. 3. Educate the customers as to the benefits of the maturity of the term deposit. 4. Provide 5,000 leads for sales consultants to contact regarding this product. 5. Result in 2,000 term deposit sales which is an increase of 20% in customer term deposits. Target audience The customers we should be targeting are both female and male, aged over 18 years. They should have at least à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1000 to open the term deposit account. Personal customers who have a long term surplus liquidity may want to benefit from the interest rates of this term deposit product. The Product à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1000 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬4999 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬5000 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬24999 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬25000+ 2 years 3% p.a 4.15% p.a 4.30% p.a 3 years 3.10% p.a 4.40% p.a 4.60% p.a 4 years 3.30% p.a 4.60% p.a 4.80% p.a 5 years 4.20% p.a 5.10% p.a 5.20% p.a 6 years 4.50% p.a 5.30% p.a 5.50% p.a 7 years 4.80% p.a 5.50% p.a 6.00% p.a 8 years 5% p.a 6.00% p.a 6.50% p.a 9 years 5.50% p.a 6.50% p.a 7.00% p,a 10 years 6% p.a 7.00% p.a 7.50% p.aWe are offering a fixed term deposit product named Customers Choice Term Deposit that its interest rate is better than all of our competitors fixed term deposit interest rates. With a term deposit, a customer can invest his or her surplus liquidity in this account in order to gain interest upon maturity which depends according to how much money the client invested in it and for how many years the client chooses to put them for. The interest rate gets higher, the longer the client chooses to invest it for and the more there is money invested in it. This product should be only offered to people of 18 years or older with a surplus of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1000 or more. Below, one can see our proposed fixed term deposit product: A customer may choose from a fixed term between 2 years and 10 years and will receive an interest on his/her money invested according to the amount of money invested. Benefits of a fixed term-deposit account: A customer will be able to earn a higher interest rate from a term-deposit account than from the usual savings account. Less risky than investing in property and/or shares. No fees are involved if the customer breaks the term. Compound interest can be gained. Features of a fixed term-deposit account: The customer applying for a term-deposit account must be at least 18 years of age. The minimum requirement is à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1000. There is no maximum limit. Interest will be gained when the term deposit account matures or paid annually into a savings account. Terms and conditions (see Appendix 1). Distribution This product can be purchased from a branch network, through a third party broker, via telephone directly from the provider or via internet by applying from the banks website. The competition We have 10 competitors which are APS bank, Banif Bank, Bank of Valletta, FIM Bank, HSBC, Lombard, Mediterranean bank, Nemea bank, FCM bank and IIG bank. By comparing our proposed product to similar products offered by other organisations (see Appendix 2), one can see that our product was made to be better than our competitors similar products. APS bank is offering a range of fixed time periods of 1month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years and 5 years. Banif bank is offering a 3-Year Flexi Term deposit account that  gives the customer the interest rate of 3.15% per annum for a 3-year term while the customers can still withdraw the funds before the maturity day. Bank of Valletta is offering a range of 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years and 5 years fixed term deposit account for customers who make a minimum deposit of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬200 into the fixed term deposit account. FIM bank is offering a fixed term deposit account periods of 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years for customers who make a minimum deposit of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬25000. HSBC bank is offering a fixed term deposit account period of 7 days, 1month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years and 5 years for customers who make a minimum deposit of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1000. Lombard bank is offering a fixed term deposit account of 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years for customers with a minimum deposit of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬10000. Lombard bank also offers the 5 Xtra and 7 Xtra fixed term deposit accounts which are a 5 year term and 7 year term fixed term deposit accounts respectively. Mediterranean bank is offering a 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years and 5 years fixed term deposit accounts for customers who make a minimum deposit of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬5000. Nemea bank is offering a 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 18 months, 2 years, 3 years or 5 years fixed deposit account for customers who make a minimum deposit of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬10000. FCM bank is offering a 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years or 5 year fixed term deposit account for customers who make a minimum deposit of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2000. IIG bank is offering a 3 year term deposit account with an interest rate of 4.65% payable or compounded quarterly, half yearly or annually for customers who make a minimum deposit of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬25000. USP Our fixed term deposit account has the best interest rates in the whole market. Together with this account, we are offering a free credit card, a free debit card and the opportunity to use internet banking for free to customers so that customers can check the bank accounts that they have with us. Key messages The product has attractive interest rates. The product is easy to attain It is a product that many clients require but many have not yet bought. Overall the product offering should be seen as being a quality product that is customer-focused and therefore giving a good return rate for the deposits that customers put in their fixed term deposit account, which is all offered by a name that a customer can trust. Deliverables We require a promotional campaign which is to include branch advertising, newspaper advertising, direct mail and PR. You are expected to deliver the following: A strong consumer message 2 posters to use as in branch displays 1200 A5 flyers to be distributed in peoples homes around the banks area A newspaper advertisement to use in the national press for 3 months A fulfillment pack consisting of a product brochure, terms and conditions and an application form. Television advertisement A mailing pack including a brochure, terms and conditions and an application form for mailing existing clients of the organisation. Extra brochures for new customers in branches who are interested in similar products. Recommendations for PR activity. Timing The marketing campaign will be running from the beginning of March till the end of May. The design of the newspaper, posters, brochures and flyers takes 3 days to finish and it will begin on the 1st of March and end on the 3rd of march. The design of the television advert and the billboard advert will take 4 days to be completed and it will begin on the 1st of March and end on the 4th of March. The printing of the posters, brochures and flyers will only take one day and therefore the printing will begin from the 4th of March till the 5th of March. The posters can be set up in the in-branch displays from 6th March till the 31st of May. The flyers could start to be distributed in homes on the 6th of March while the brochures could start to be put together with the terms and conditions and the application forms to use them as mailing and fulfillment packs. The newspaper advert could be shown from the 4th of March onwards every Sunday for 3 months (that is for 24 days). The billboard could be set up on the 5th of March till the 28th of May (that is for 84 days since every b illboard can be rented for 28 days). The television advert will be shown every Saturday and Sunday for three months starting on the 5th of March and ending on the 31st of May. All bus advertisements can be set up on the 1st day of March till the 31st of May. Budget The budget is à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬45000. The budget is divided between the campaign budget and the marketing agency fee. The campaign budget is à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬34265.03 and the marketing agency fee is à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬6046.77 for a total of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬40311.8. [see Appendix 3 and 4]

Psychotherapy Essay -- Psychology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

My preferred theoretical orientation is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The main assumption of CBT is that events and situations in life do not cause emotional problems (e.g., guilt or depression); rather problems are due to irrational beliefs and perceptions about the situations (Corey, 2009). The goals of CBT focus on correcting the client’s automatic and self-defeating thoughts, which should ultimately help them to develop a more adaptive philosophy of life (Corey, 2009). I like that this approach focuses on challenging and changing the client’s cognitive distortions, core beliefs, automatic thoughts, and schemas. Another positive aspect is that this approach focuses on the cognitive triad, which consists of how one views the self, the world, and the future (Corey, 2009). Furthermore, CBT places responsibility on the individual to put insight into action by making changes to their thoughts and behaviors, both in and out of the therapy sessions (Corey, 2009). In order to bring about change, the client needs to understand that the primary source of difficulty lies in how they perceive events based on their belief system (Kellogg & Young, 2008). Overall, CBT is a structured approach that emphasizes EVTs, learning, empowerment, brevity, and focusing on the individual (Kellogg &Young, 2008). CBT is open to using techniques from other approaches that fit the needs of the client, and the empirically validated techniques of CBT, when individualized for the client, work well in other approaches (Corey, 2009). These aspects of CBT make it a useful approach that can be adapted for individuals from different cultural and economic backgrounds (Corey, 2009; Kellogg & Young, 2008). In general, CBT is a structured approach and inclu... ...manual (Craske & Zucker, 2001). It is rare for a client to come into therapy with only one disorder that has the outlined symptoms of the diagnosis that calls for a particular treatment. Therefore, following the manual stringently may not help the client improve, but making slight deviations depending on the client’s characteristics and circumstances may allow the technique to be successfully adapted and useful for the individual. It is also likely that a clinical psychologist will add their own individual preferences to therapy no matter what therapeutic approach or technique they use (Scaturo, 2001). A balance between the use of manualized treatments and clinical judgment to formulate the case conceptualization is needed to be used in order to gather enough information on the client to successfully use any necessary treatment techniques (Craske & Zucker, 2001).

Working Overtime and Job Satisfaction in Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao

[pic] Working overtime and Job satisfaction in Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao Name: Yujie Hou Relation No. 74759 Mentor: Sandy Loup Internship in Front Desk & Executive Lounge, Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao, China Stenden University Leeuwarden The Netherlands Bachelor of International Hospitality Management September, 2012 Table of content Declaration of own work3 Introduction4 Chapter 1. Company Description5 Chapter 2. Project Exploration8 Chapter 3. Literature Review9 3. 1 Working overtime9 3. People who work overtime12 3. 3 The reasons of working long hours12 3. 4 Job satisfaction and working overtime13 3. 5 Conceptual model. 15 3. 6 Problem definition16 Chapter 4. Methodology16 4. 1 Research design16 4. 2 Instrument design17 4. 3 Limitations of Research Methods17 4. 4 Data Analyze18 Bibliography19 Appendix 1. 21 Appendix 2. 22 Declaration of own work 1. This work is composed by me. 2. This work has not been accepted in any previous application for a degree or diploma, by me or anyone else. 3. The work of which this is a record is done well and truly by me. 4.All verbatim extracts have been distinguished by quotation marks and the sources of my information have been specifically acknowledged. Date: September 01, 2012 Name: Yujie Hou Signature: Introduction In 1993-1994, 23% of females and 27% of males claimed to have worked unpaid overtime (Bell and Hart, 1999). The Beijing Bureau of Statistics said employed people in China's capital worked for 5. 9 days, or 47. 2 hours, a week on average (Xinhua News Agency, 2006). An online survey of 15,000 people from a well-known Chinese job-hunting website shows a shocking figure that over 40% of the respondents worked vertime without paid. An incredible reality from Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions reported that more than 50% of Hong Kong women who have full-time jobs work overtime at least two hours every day. Why do Chinese people work overtime become an ordinary phenomenon? How do they feel about working overtime? How do Chinese feel about having to work overtime? Do they feel happy? Can the company get more benefits from employee working overtime? The relationship between overtime working and job satisfaction and how working overtime involves in job satisfaction could be discovered.On behalf of understanding, measuring and improving job satisfaction is an advantage competitive in hotel management team. Therefore, this project mainly focuses on figuring out how working overtime impacts on job satisfaction, and in order to help managers in Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao to get a better method of measuring working overtime and improving employee satisfaction. First of all, a company description is given in the report. In this chapter, not only the general knowledge of the company itself will be introduced, but also the figures of staff turn over, salary of employees and a SWOT analysis are given.The following chapter Project Exploration high lighting the purpose of this management project, furthermore, the litterateurs are reviewed in the following chapter, a conceptual map is drawed into detail points, problem statement and research questions are mentioned as well. Last but not least, the chapter of Methodology decribes a method of research method, instrument design, data collecting, data measuring and analysing. Chapter 1. Company Description The full name of the company is Shanghai Hongqiao Yuanyi Hilton, which is a joint venture business with Yuanyi Group and Hilton Worldwide.Yuanyi Group is the owner of hardware facilities and real estate, Hilton hotels ; resorts is a managerial role in the property. The company is a sub-brand of Hilton worldwide, which is Hilton hotels ;amp; resorts. It is a full service five star hotel which opened in October of 2010. The facilities of the hotel are complete, plush and luxury. The company is located in Hongqiao Economic and Technical Development Zone, is just 15 minutes from Hongqiao Airport (Terminal I) and 13km from People's Square in the hea rt of Shanghai.Apart from the above events, there is a buffet restaurant Essence indulging in fine Pan Asian and Mediterranean cuisine at the all-day and sample authentic Cantonese dishes at Yue Xuan which is an a la cart restaurant. Additionally, Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao provides a business center, lobby lounge Pulse, Delicatessen, Vine Bar, fitness center and a stay connected Executive Lounge to satisfy the diverse needs of the guests The company places marketing emphasis on both business travelers and leisure travelers, and also Japanese guests which is a main market for the company itself.There are over 500 work members in this company, which including foreigners, locals and also staffs from other cities in China. Most of the head office managers and directors are foreigners. Full-time contract employee accounts for 72. 8%, and the part-time contract employee takes up12. 4 percentage in this company mostly in banqueting and Essence restaurant and the trainees occupy 14. 8 percen tages. The company is a newly opened hotel, and the executive building was just partly open in April, 2012.The biggest problem of the Human Resource Department is the talent gap. In order to attract more new interviewees, every Wednesday is the company Open day and people can go to the Human Resource department to hand in their CVs without an appointment. Through the monthly employee party, it can be seen that there are always new staffs join in the Hilton family. As the information shared from the HR assistant manager, the staff turn over of year 2011 was 13. 1%, it is higher than the average hotel staff turn over rate which is 10% in Shanghai (Fang Xu, 2010).The turn over of head office employees in this company is also very high, during the period of the author's internship, the General Manager, Director of Finance, Director of the operation, Director of business development, F;B manager, Front Office Manager, three Duty managers played job-hopping to another company. There are 1 1 levels accounted in Hilton, such as GM is the highest level which is 11 and trainee is level one. The salary of the trainee is 1,000RMB, around 120 per month. The biggest employee amount is level three, the average salary is 2,800RMB (=â‚ ¬346) per month, supervisors are at level 5 which can own 3,400RMB (=â‚ ¬419. ) per month. As an example gave within duty managers, the salary of foreigner' is three times than the Chinese employee in the same level position. A following SWOT analysis table shows an overall idea of the company's both internal and external conditions. The internal part includes Strengths and Weaknesses. The Strengths are more focuses on the company facilities and around the environment. For instance, the golf court is a big strong point of Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao, which is just in a walking distance. The weaknesses are mostly from the guest complains.For example, the 80RMB of parking fee is a big guest complains in this company and it happens almost everyda y. Three separated buildings are a weak point because it is very complicated for the guests to find the direction. The service quality is a frequent criticism object from customers. The external part is focused on the financial environment and competitors. Shanghai attracts 215 million domestic tourists and 8. 5 million foreign tourists in 2010. In addition, tourism revenue of Shanghai in 2010 is 305. 3 billion RMB (Shanghai tourist development report, 2012).There are 44 five-star hotels and 64 four-star hotels in Shanghai and 11 five-star and 7 boutique hotels are building up. Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao won the ‘Top Seller' in September 2012 in Asia Pacific area. The company has a lot of opportunities and it is a great time, but also it is facing with various challenges. Table 1. Chapter 2. Project Exploration During a period of 10 months, it turned out that it apparently it was difficult for employees to finish their tasks within the required time resulting in having to work o ver time.In hotel operation departments, there are three shifts, in general, morning shift staffs working from 7am till 3pm, the afternoon shift from 3pm till 11pm, and the rest hours are evening shift. However, most of the employees in Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao will spend quite long time in the shift turnover period, and it leads directly to work overtime in everyday and in every department. Furthermore, these over hours will not be counted into paid overtime working. Front office is not the only department, but it apparently most frequently in the company.Moreover, as it was written in the previous chapter, the turnover rate in Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao is higher than the average rate. Especially in front desk department, since 2011 November till 2012 September there were 5 employees quitted their job who had worked there over one year and 9 trainees had not worked over 6 months which means they quit before they became a formal staff. It be seen through the first two sentences writt en in the introductory chapter that working overtime is very normal in China and the reality shows it is a truth in Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao.This project is trying to identify the relationship between working overtime and job satisfaction, and enhance to give the managers of Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao a further consideration of monitoring overtime working and improving employee satisfaction. Meanwhile, job satisfaction is a source of long-term competitive advantage in the hospitality industry, by the core values of Hilton Worldwide which is described as Hospitality, Integrity, Leadership, Teamwork, Ownership and Now, each values have a strong connection with job satisfaction.For the Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao, this management project could be a helpful way to get more involved into employee satisfaction and measuring overtime working as well. Chapter 3. Literature Review This chapter concentrates in working overtime and job satisfaction. Figure has an intuitive feeling to compare the di fferent hours of working overtime in different places, so the first paragraph research figures to give an overview of working overtime in selected places and according to law and compare with China's situation.The following two paragraphs are in an attempt to find out who works overtime, and the reasons of people work overtime. Furthermore, the job satisfaction of different genders, the importance of job satisfaction and the relationship between job satisfaction and overtime working will be reviewed in the last paragraph. Last but not least a conceptual model covers the main point which includes the literature review. 3. 1 Working overtime In this part, the definition of working overtime is given, and some figures of overtime hours in different countries and a table of standard and maximum working hours for comparison.Working overtime is normally approved in advance by the Head of Department and is agreed in order to complete work for a deadline or to meet additional demands. Howeve r, the initial periods of less than half an hour are not classified as work overtime. Additional hours or overtime will not qualify for payments until the member of staff has worked to their number of basic contractual weekly hours (Working additional hours and overtime, 2011). Pascal and Damien (2000) found that about 20% of European employees work 45 or more hours a week, and about 13% of the full-time employee's weekly work over 50 hours.Long work hours are also a common phenomenon in the United States: more than 1/4 of US men and 11% of women work more than 50 hours a week (Jacobs ; Gerson, 2004). In addition, extreme overtime work is pervasive in Korea and Japan where many employees work more than 60 hours a week (Amagasa, Nakayama, ; Takahashi, 2005). A reach showed that there are only 13. 7 percent worked for no more than eight hours a day in China, 40. 3% worked eight to nine hours, 23. 48 percent put in nine to 10 hours a day and 22. 0 percent worked more than 10 hours (Xin hua News Agency, 2006). In generally overtime work is a common phenomenon in both Asian and Western countries. Working overtime also occurs in developed countries both in Asia and Western. Moreover, China has the most numbers of populations who work over 8 hours everyday which accounts at 86. 3%. The following figure gives a clear picture of the standard working hours in selected places, and the maximum overtime hours allowed in the law and also the overtime pay rate. |Table 2. | | | |Selected places |Standard working |Maximum overtime hours allowed |Overtime pay rate | | |Hours | | | |Finland |8 hours/day |Up to 138 hours within a period of 4 months |1. 5 times of the regular rate of pay for the first two hours | | |40 hours/Week |Up to 250 hours during a calendar year. |2 times for any extra hours. | | |The yearly maximum can be exceeded at 80 hours on a local agreement. | | |France |35 hours /week |Up to 220 hours per year. |Each hour of overtime is payable at 10% to 50% higher than the | | | |This limit may be exceeded with a collective agreement between the employer |regular hourly rate, depending on the cumulative total overtime | | | |and employee. |hours worked. |Ireland |48 hours /week |No specification of legal maximum overtime hours The actual working hours |No statutory obligation on employers to pay employees higher rates | | | |may fluctuate considerably as long as the average working hour per week is |for overtime works. | | | |not more than 48 hours over 4, 6 or 12 months (depending on circumstances) | | |Japan |8 hours /day |Up to 2 hours per day for jobs this may cause harm to health. No lower than the rate stipulated by Cabinet Order within the range| | |40 hours/week | |of no less than 25% and no more than 50% over the normal wage per | | | | |hour or per day. | |Malaysia |8 hours /day |Up to 4 hours per day except under special occasions. |1. 5 times of the regular rate of pay. | | |48 hours /week | | | |Singapore |8 hours /day |Up to 72 hours per month |1. 5 times of the regular rate of pay. | |44 hours/week | | | |South Korea |8 hours /day |Up to 4 hours per day |1. 5 times of the regular rate of pay. | | |40 hours /week |Up to 12 hours per week. | | |Taiwan |8 hours /day |Up to 4 hours per day and 46 hours per month. |; 2 hours, at least an additional 1/3 of the regular hourly rate. | | |84 hours two week | |2

Poppaea Sabina, Mistress Then Wife of Emperor Nero

Poppaea Sabina, Mistress Then Wife of Emperor Nero Poppaea Sabina was the mistress and second wife of the Roman emperor Nero.  Neros bad acts are often attributed to her influence.  Her birth year is unknown, but we know she died in 65 C.E. Family and Marriages Poppaea Sabina was born the daughter of a woman with the same name who committed suicide. Her father was Titus Ollius. Her paternal grandfather,  Poppaeus Sabinus, was a Roman Consul and a friend of several emperors.  Her family was wealthy, and Poppaea herself owned a villa outside Pompeii. Poppaea was married first to Rufrius Crispinus of the Preaetorian Guard, and they had a son.  Agrippina the Younger, as empress, removed him from his position, as he was too close to a previous empress, Messalina.   Poppaeas next husband was Otho, a childhood friend of Nero.  Otho would go on after Neros death to briefly become emperor. Then Poppaea became mistress of the emperor Nero, Othos friend, and about seven years younger than she was. Nero appointed Otho to an important post as governor of Lusitai (Lusitania).  Nero divorced his wife, Octavia, who was the daughter of his predecessor, the Emperor Claudius.  This caused a rift with his mother, Agrippina the Younger. Nero married Poppaea, and Poppaea was given the title Augusta when they had a daughter, Claudia. Claudia did not live long. Murder Plots According to the stories told of her, Poppaea had urged Nero to kill his mother, Agrippina the Younger, and to divorce and later murder his first wife, Octavia. She is also reported to have persuaded Nero to kill the philosopher Seneca, who had supported Neros previous mistress, Acte Claudia. Poppaea is believed to have stirred Nero to attack Christians after the Fire of Rome and to have helped free Jewish priests at the request of Josephus. She also advocated for her home town of Pompeii, and helped it gain considerable autonomy from the Empires rule.  In archaeological study of the city of Pompeii, where volcanic tragedy preserved the city within 15 years of Poppaeas death, scholars have found evidence that during her lifetime, she was considered a virtuous woman, with many statues in her honor. Nero and Poppaea were, according to some contemporaries, happy in their marriage, but Nero had a temper and became more and more erratic.  Nero reportedly kicked her during an argument when she was pregnant in 65 C.E., resulting in her death, possibly from the effects of the subsequent miscarriage. Nero gave her a public funeral and proclaimed her virtues.  Her body was embalmed and buried in the Mausoleum of Augustus. Nero proclaimed her divine. He was even said to have dressed one of his males slaves as Poppaea so he could believe she had not died.  He had Poppaeas son by her first marriage killed. In 66, Nero remarried. His new wife was  Statilia Messallina. Otho, Poppaeas first husband, helped in Galbas successful revolt against Nero, and made himself emperor after Galba was killed.  Otho was then defeated by Vitellius forces, and he subsequently killed himself. Poppaea Sabina and the Jews The Jewish historian Josephus (who also died in 65 BCE) tells us that Poppaea Sabina interceded on behalf of Jews twice. The first time was to free priests; Josephus went to Rome to plead their case, meeting with Poppaea and then receiving many gifts from her. In the second instance, a different delegation won Poppaeas influence in its cause to keep standing a wall at the temple that would keep the emperor from seeing the Temples proceedings. Tacitus The main source for information about Poppaea is the Roman writer Tacitus.  He does not depict kind acts, such as those reported by Josephus, but instead depicts her as corrupt.  Tacitus, for instance, asserts that Poppaea engineered her marriage with Otho specifically to get closer to, and eventually marry, Nero. Tacitus does assert that she was quite beautiful but shows how she used her beauty and sexuality as a way of gaining power and prestige. Cassius Dio This Roman historian also villified Poppaea in his writing about her. The Coronation of Poppaea The Coronation of Poppaea, or LIncoronazione di Poppea, is an opera in a prologue and three acts by Monteverdi, libretto by G. F. Busenello. The opera focuses on the replacement of Neros wife Octavia by Poppaea. The opera was first performed in Venice in 1642. Also known as:  Poppea (Italianized spelling),  Poppaea Augusta Sabina, Poppaea Sabina the Younger (to differentiate from her mother)

Important Cities in African-American History

Important Cities in African-American History African Americans have contributed tremendously to the culture of the United States. First brought to America hundreds of years ago to work as slaves, blacks won their freedom after the 19th century Civil War. However, many blacks remained very poor and moved throughout the country seeking better economic opportunities. Unfortunately, even after the Civil War, many white people still discriminated against blacks. Blacks and whites were segregated, and the education and living conditions of black people suffered. However, after several historic, sometimes tragic events, black people decided to no longer tolerate these injustices. Here are some of the most important cities in African-American history. Montgomery, Alabama In 1955, Rosa Parks, a seamstress in Montgomery, Alabama, refused to obey her bus driver’s order to surrender her seat to a white man. Parks was arrested for disorderly conduct. Martin Luther King Jr. led a boycott of the city bus system, which desegregated in 1956 when segregated buses were deemed unconstitutional. Rosa Parks became one of the most influential and famous female civil rights activists, and the Rosa Parks Library and Museum in Montgomery now displays her story. Little Rock, Arkansas In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional and that schools should soon integrate. However, in 1957, the governor of Arkansas ordered troops to forcibly prevent nine African American students from entering Little Rock Central High School. President Dwight Eisenhower learned of the harassment the students experienced and sent National Guard troops to aid the students. Several of the â€Å"Little Rock Nine† eventually graduated from high school.   Birmingham, Alabama Several important civil rights events occurred in 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. In April, Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested and wrote his â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail.† King argued that citizens have the moral duty to disobey unjust laws such as segregation and inequality. In May, law enforcement officers released police dogs and sprayed fire hoses on a crowd of peaceful protesters in Kelly Ingram Park. Images of the violence were displayed on television and shocked viewers. In September, the Ku Klux Klan bombed the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church and killed four innocent black girls. This particularly heinous crime incited riots across the country. Today, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute explains these events and other civil and human rights issues. Selma, Alabama Selma, Alabama is located about sixty miles west of Montgomery. On March 7, 1965, six hundred African American residents decided to march to Montgomery to peacefully protest voting registration rights. When they tried to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge, law enforcement officers stopped them and abused them with clubs and tear gas. The incident on â€Å"Bloody Sunday† enraged President Lyndon Johnson, who ordered National Guard troops to protect the marchers as they successfully marched to Montgomery a few weeks later. President Johnson then signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Today, the National Voting Rights Museum is located in Selma, and the path of the marchers from Selma to Montgomery is a National Historic Trail. Greensboro, North Carolina On February 1, 1960, four African-American college students sat down at the â€Å"whites-only† restaurant counter of Woolworth’s Department Store in Greensboro, North Carolina. They were refused service, but for six months, despite harassment, the boys regularly returned to the restaurant and sat at the counter. This peaceful form of protest became known as a â€Å"sit-in.† Other people boycotted the restaurant and sales dropped. The restaurant was desegregated that summer and the students were finally served. The International Civil Rights Center and Museum is now located in Greensboro.   Memphis, Tennessee Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited Memphis in 1968 to try to improve the working conditions of sanitation workers. On April 4, 1968, King stood on a balcony at the Lorraine Motel and was hit by a bullet fired by James Earl Ray. He died that night at the age of thirty-nine and is buried in Atlanta. The motel is now the home of the National Civil Rights Museum. Washington, D.C. Several crucial civil rights demonstrations have occurred in the capital of the United States. The best-known demonstration was probably the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in August 1963, when 300,000 people heard Martin Luther King give his I Have a Dream speech. Other Important Cities in Black History African-American culture and history are also displayed in countless more cities across the country. Harlem is a significant black community in New York City, the largest city in America. In the Midwest, blacks were influential in the history and culture of Detroit and Chicago. Black musicians such as Louis Armstrong helped make New Orleans famous for jazz music. Struggle for Racial Equality The civil rights movement of the 20th century awakened all Americans to the inhumane belief systems of racism and segregation. African-Americans continued to work hard, and many have become enormously successful. Colin Powell served as the United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005, and Barack Obama became the 44th US President in 2009. America’s most important African-American cities will forever honor the courageous civil rights leaders who fought for respect and better lives for their families and neighbors.

Promote Your Writing On Facebook

Promote Your Writing On Facebook Promote Your Writing On Facebook Promote Your Writing On Facebook By Guest Author This is a guest post by Lela Davidson. If you want to write for Daily Writing Tips check the guidelines here. Love it, hate it, or tolerate it, Facebook is here, maybe not to stay- because nothing is changing faster than media- but it’s here now. Facebook is an important way to reach readers and network with clients, fellow writers, and editors. I use Facebook every day to engage readers (and potential readers), and to network with those who can help me reach more readers. Through significant daily interactions, ‘branded’ messages, and posting links to my work, I hope to build that all important ‘platform’ we someday-to-be-bestsellers need. A Short History of a Reluctant Facebook Junkie I opened my Facebook account under duress. A client required links from a Facebook profile to the blog posts I’d written. I’d already tried (and given up on) social bookmarking sites like Digg and Stumble and I resented the extra time it took to pimp my posts. I wanted to be a writer, not waste time working the system of you-click-my-link-I’ll-click-yours. However, in the short time the assignment lasted, I got hooked on Facebook. Interacting With Readers and Others Chatting up old friends on Facebook was training for how I use it now, which is more strategic, but not too different. I’ve branched out from my ‘real’ friends, embracing the concept of â€Å"Facebook Friends,† who may or may not be people I actually know IRL (in real life- do the kids still say that?). The decision about what to share and with whom is the biggest challenge for writers wanting to use Facebook for professional networking. For me it has been a seamless transition from my friends, to their friends, and beyond because most of what I write is personal. If I’m writing about the hair balls in my bathroom for a magazine essay, I don’t mind telling you about them in my status bar. Facebook allows me to engage readers and convert would-be readers, by giving them a preview of my longer writing. Keeping Your Distance If you don’t want to get too personal with readers you set up a Page, which is different from a Profile. Readers can become fans of your page and this fan status shows up in the information section of their profiles. Interaction from a page is limited, but it’s better than nothing. In addition to frequent status updates, it’s also extremely important to comment on your Facebook Friends’ status and links. This is interactive media. If all you do is talk about yourself, eventually no one will listen. Developing a Platform Both established and aspiring writers need a platform in order to sell their work. In Get Known Before the Book Deal, author Christina Katz defines platform as: . . . all the ways you are visible and appealing to your future, potential, or actual readership. Katz emphasizes that platform development is important not only for authors, but also for aspiring and soon-to-be authors. Interaction with your Facebook Friends builds the foundation of your relationship so that when you post a link, they may read it or pass it along via the Share function of Facebook. This lets every one of their Facebook Friends know that 1) it exists, and 2) they think it’s cool enough to be associated with. And Finally, Posting Those Links Wherever you are in your writing career, you have a core fan base of people who like what you write because they like you- family, friends, neighbors. Even my ‘real’ friends who aren’t interested in my writing are still interested in me. Maybe their friends and family might like what I’m writing. Facebook is the easiest way for them to share my stuff. The more I interact with them the more they are likely to find something they like. When that happens, the spread can be viral. I hope. It’s important to note that links are different from status updates. They don’t show up in your status bar, and unless they get a lot of Likes (thumbs up) or comments, they may not show up in your Facebook Friends’ news feeds either. I don’t feel like I’m pestering people with my links if I occasionally post more than one in a day. Also, when I’m commenting on someone else’s status, sometimes it’s natural to include a link. For example, I write a lot on family topics so whenever someone posts a status about their kid losing a tooth, I’ll comment with a link to an essay I wrote about the inflation of Tooth Fairy payouts. Friending Editors and Fanning Magazines As my essays have started to get picked up in more print magazines, I try to Friend the editors and become a Fan of the magazine’s website. (Sorry, fellow DWT guest author, but Friending and Fanning are verbs.) A lot of print magazines publish online versions. When the piece runs, I post a link, as well as thanking and tagging the editor in my status update. Before an editor has bought something of mine, we can connect as Facebook Friends. Though we may never meet in person, Facebook savvy gives me an edge over the hundreds of other writers hitting the inbox. Many of those editors use the same email on Facebook as they do for submissions, so I use Facebook’s automated ‘Find Friends’ utility to identify them. When it comes to social media there are no experts. So jump in- from wherever you are- and play. That’s what I did. Facebook has expanded my reach, helped build my ‘platform’, and put me in direct contact with readers, clients, and editors. It can do the same for you. Lela Davidson’s award-winning column, After the Bubbly, appears regularly in Peekaboo magazine, and periodically in other magazines throughout the country. She is the parenting columnist on HubPages and a regular contributor to ParentingSquad. Find out more on her wildly entertaining blog. Or just Google her. She loves to be Googled.    Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Using "a" and "an" Before WordsHow Long Should a Paragraph Be?Mankind vs. Humankind

Presentation Draft of Online Shopping Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Presentation Draft of Online Shopping - Essay Example Currently, organizations are engaged in effort to provide a secure e-shopping framework that will help the people to access these services without any financial risk. Online shopping refers to a form of electronic commerce where customers can purchase goods or services from organization over the internet (Sakarya & Soyer, 2013). Online shopping is also referred to as e-shopping since it is an internet dependent service. The history of online shopping dates back since the year 1979 when Michael Aldrich invented the videotext system that was computer dependent for transaction processing. The development of the World Wide Web in the early 1990s provided an opportunity for commercial use of online business. Among some of the earliest pioneers of online shopping includes the Pizza hut Shop and the e-Bay that is now know worldwide. There are many reasons why customers prefer online shopping in the contemporary business environment. One of the major reasons why most customers prefer this method is because it is not limited to distance. It becomes easier for them to purchase products from wherever they may be and have them delivered to them. Also, online shopping attracts customers due to availability of discounts, which companies issue out as strategies to motivate customers to shop online. Also, it is also a secure way for the customers to purchase without having to carry money physically, which is presents high risk of theft (Nirmala & Dewi, 2012). Since they can use a smart card to purchase online, they avoid having to carry loads of cash, which is a great risk for their money. This is the major reason why the online shopping market is swelling rapids and is projected to reach $237 billion by the year 2015. From a close analysis, online shopping has a wide range of benefits to both the customers and the business organizations. For the

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

Homeless - Assignment Example Homeless population experiences enormous challenges in both access and care relative to utilization of health care. Paraphrasing and citing is an exciting experience, but one that is characterized by a number of challenges. One of the critical challenges is trying to merge the author’s point of view with personal understanding of the text. The paraphrase must be consistent with the information that the author is trying to relay. Another challenge is expressing what is understood from the text without losing the intended meaning of presented theories and concepts. The articulation of these aspects and subsequently citing them constitutes the highlighted challenges. To overcome the above challenges, it is important that one reads and understands the text before paraphrasing and citing the text. Doing so will ensure that the most critical points are captured and cited appropriately. Taking some time to view text reviews and use of text information in other sources can effectively aid and enhance the paraphrasing and citing experience. Consequently, the underlying challenges are

Democratic and Mutilcutural Classroom Research Paper

Democratic and Mutilcutural Classroom - Research Paper Example In a democratic classroom, it was expected that the class members air out their view on the whole idea without fear of contradiction that maybe negatively geared. In which case, the democratic setting was to demonstrate a high-level participation of students with guidance of the teacher when need arises. For diversity, on the other hand, the students interviewed was composed of students from a diverse community outlook basically consisting of blacks, Latina and whites. The cultural diversity required understanding and appreciation of the diversities. Through this research, it was found out that Hook’s theory applied best in getting the students to share ideas thus democracy was highly advocated for. The diversity to some extent was seen to contribute to the lack of democracy in some cases. Introduction This research was carried on a diverse group of students and minor consideration of the staff. The whole process included the visit to the school and observation of the real sit uation. Other methods were also applied which resulted to a result that was analyzed critically and conclusions drawn. This was done with an aid of some philosophical theory ideas from Bell Hook. This theory highly proposed the democratic setting of a classroom to work better for a learning system. Diversity on the other side was viewed as an asset that could help in having a wider understanding of varied cultural views, norms and diversity hence enriching knowledge. Literature review In this subject education, a class to be handled by a teacher can consist of students from different cultural backgrounds; this can potentially form a basis of discrimination against some students. As such, the minors in the population are most likely to fall a victim of the discrimination. On the other hand, according to Thomas (2003) a democratic class may exhibit fairness to most of the students who make a decision in case of any undertakings. These students, therefore, exercise the full freedom of putting what is in their interest. However, the few who may not be for the same idea may not be considered but forced to join the majority (Amy 46). A class exhibiting such a kind of setting whereby there is diverse cultural outlook expression and a majority preference choice, there may be challenges and merits associated with it. To begin with, multicultural classroom is a can be termed to be sensitive hence prompting the students to achieve their potential (Kymlicka 26). This type of class allows the student to have an understanding of their own culture and appreciate the similarities and differences with other perspectives and cultures in the process of their interaction. The well-known components of such a class are influence of culture in a society, components, which are academic in nature and relevant to the various cultural groups, and the communication skills that can be applied effectively across cultures. In such a case, the teacher can give preparations to all the student s so that they may be multicultural competent ii the diverse society. For a democratic classroom, the students and teachers make a decision on what they feel is right to be done (Portelli & Solomon 33). It is more contribution based than authoritative. Various characteristics may be associated with this type of classroom. This may include hand in hand working of the teacher and student to enable students to apply what they learn in their community, application of the learnt points

Orgnaisational structure and design Analyses McDonald's individual Essay

Orgnaisational structure and design Analyses McDonald's individual - Essay Example Most of the restaurants are operated locally (nearly 75%) and the chain of restaurants, one of the most successful brands of today, serves not less than 58 million customers per day (Our Company, n.d.). To achieve goals every organization has certain plans and strategies. The first step to the fact is having well defined mission statement. Mission statement is a sort clarification by the company to the outside world about their prime objective. The mission statement of McDonald's states "be our customer's favorite place and way to eat" (TIUA, n.d.). The vision of the leading restaurant chain reads, "McDonald's vision is to be the world's best quick service restaurant experience. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile" (McDonalds Mission Statement, n.d.). To achieve the vision and the mission of any organization, it needs well set objectives and goals for the short and the intermediate term as vision and mission generally represent the long term status of the company. McDonald's, in 1979 came up with a popular scheme of 'happy meal' in which a toy was offered with the meal. Also to successfully implement the strategy taken, the company related their toys with many movies and their famous characters. The business strategy of McDonald's is that of a franchisee system.... The Business Strategy The business strategy of McDonald's is that of a franchisee system. The company generally employs local work force as the franchisee holders. It has a dual advantage. At the first place, the company can leverage out the contacts and networks of the local franchisee. On the other side, the local franchisee can use the global brand name of McDonald's and can get more footfalls in side the restaurant. Today, the biggest challenge faced by most of the multi-national companies is that of survival amidst continuous change and technological innovation. As the world is becoming increasingly smaller, people are becoming more conscious about the value for money. McDonald's in order to face and win such a tumultuous condition has been laying great emphasis on the following Speed - World has become very fast today. People have so many commitments to fulfill with the twenty fours of day. They would not like to wait for food for long at the restaurant. McDonald's has got this indication long before. It conducted certain surveys which revealed that the customers want the services at prompt. The company has been laying importance on speed since then. Cost - As customers are increasingly becoming aware about their hard-earned money, the only way out to have swift survival is through supplying quality food at low or reduced cost. One of the successful strategies in this regard initiated by the McDonald's is that of value meal. Under this scheme, customers enjoy discounts when they purchase number of items at once. Also some franchisee owners issue special discount on a special item on a special day of the week. Nutrition - McDonald's

Researching Tourism and Hospitality Operations Essay

Researching Tourism and Hospitality Operations - Essay Example In 2007, Isadore Sharp sought an exit from this long-term investment, selling the multi-national Four Seasons properties to Kingdom Holding, owned by Al-Waleed bin Talal from Saudi Arabia and Cascade Investments, controlled by the software and technology guru Bill Gates. Upon taking this business private, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts were able to internalise international expansion efforts, redevelop the business model, and restructure financial governance of the business without undo pressures from international investors in the stock market. However, this acquisition of Four Seasons in 2007 came at a time just prior to the global recession occurring between 2008 and 2010, which radically changed the predictability and revenue growth opportunities for this luxury hospitality business. The business’ long-term profitability has been impacted by a series of government-imposed austerity packages in European nations, reforms in the banking sector in Asian and North American cou ntries, and changes to consumer sentiment about luxury travel and tourism and its correlation to their personal finance availability. Hence, the economic and social conditions in the luxury tourism sector suddenly changed, creating a new set of pressures on Four Seasons to sustain its existing business model whilst still considering redevelopment of its long-standing brand to better service the contemporary consumer in the post-20th Century tourism sector. This report examines the macro- and micro-level factors impacting many dimensions of the Four Seasons value chain, its strategic focus for long-term sustainable growth, and marketing in a very saturated and dynamically competitive international hospitality sector. The report further examines the marketing prowess of Four Seasons, the business’ current and long-term operational strategies, and the characteristics of consumer behaviour that impact Four Seasons’ service ideology, and cost structures impacting profitabil ity with this business. 2.0 Macro and Micro Analysis of the Industry To better understand the performance and productivity of the current Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts business model, it is necessary to examine the macro- and micro-level factors that impact sustainability of competitive advantage influenced by industry conditions. 2.1 PESTLE Analysis POLITICAL The influence of political factors for Four Seasons is disparate, due to the dynamics of being a multi-national business with presence in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia. In Asia, the hospitality sector has significant difficulties sustaining hospitality-centric operations without the direct support of government. For instance, in India, the government imposes substantial taxation on luxury hotels, which raises the costs of operations and increases prices along local supply chain networks. It is even difficult to establish strategic alliances or joint ventures with major tourism airline carriers in many Asian count ries where Four Seasons operates, thus impacting co-branding strategy opportunities and the ability to create periodic promotional incentives to entice more consumer interest in bookings due to the government influence and government-imposed costs. However, in some countries, such as Canada (Four Seasons is headquartered in Ontario, Canada) and Europe, governments provide incentives for consumers to engage in shopping with guarantees that they can reclaim the

The Glass Menagerie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Glass Menagerie - Essay Example She would rattle off the numerous names of her suitors and she would recount their consequent fame and fortune after some years. However, she would always refer to her husband with a note of regret and sadness. Amanda also failed to accept the disability of her daughter, Laura, who is a cripple, so she refused to face the reality that Laura would naturally have fewer suitors due to this disability. Instead, she would say that there must be a typhoon on a certain day since Laura has no gentleman callers. Amanda also exercises considerable control over her children. For instance, Amanda demands that Tom, her son should join them during meals. One of her dreams is that Laura gets to marry a fine gentleman. She also wants Laura to study the typewriter and practice the shorthand so that the gentlemen callers will perceive that she is well-bred. Laura has a low self-esteem as shown by her deep sensitivity to the negative perceptions of other people. She also seems to have an unstable mental condition. Instead of braving the negative perceptions of her classmates at the Business College, she instead chose to stay at home and be comforted by the presence of her glass collection. Hence, she settled for a less daunting feat: playing with beautiful glass figurines everyday.

Orgnaisational structure and design Analyses McDonald's individual Essay

Orgnaisational structure and design Analyses McDonald's individual - Essay Example Most of the restaurants are operated locally (nearly 75%) and the chain of restaurants, one of the most successful brands of today, serves not less than 58 million customers per day (Our Company, n.d.). To achieve goals every organization has certain plans and strategies. The first step to the fact is having well defined mission statement. Mission statement is a sort clarification by the company to the outside world about their prime objective. The mission statement of McDonald's states "be our customer's favorite place and way to eat" (TIUA, n.d.). The vision of the leading restaurant chain reads, "McDonald's vision is to be the world's best quick service restaurant experience. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile" (McDonalds Mission Statement, n.d.). To achieve the vision and the mission of any organization, it needs well set objectives and goals for the short and the intermediate term as vision and mission generally represent the long term status of the company. McDonald's, in 1979 came up with a popular scheme of 'happy meal' in which a toy was offered with the meal. Also to successfully implement the strategy taken, the company related their toys with many movies and their famous characters. The business strategy of McDonald's is that of a franchisee system.... The Business Strategy The business strategy of McDonald's is that of a franchisee system. The company generally employs local work force as the franchisee holders. It has a dual advantage. At the first place, the company can leverage out the contacts and networks of the local franchisee. On the other side, the local franchisee can use the global brand name of McDonald's and can get more footfalls in side the restaurant. Today, the biggest challenge faced by most of the multi-national companies is that of survival amidst continuous change and technological innovation. As the world is becoming increasingly smaller, people are becoming more conscious about the value for money. McDonald's in order to face and win such a tumultuous condition has been laying great emphasis on the following Speed - World has become very fast today. People have so many commitments to fulfill with the twenty fours of day. They would not like to wait for food for long at the restaurant. McDonald's has got this indication long before. It conducted certain surveys which revealed that the customers want the services at prompt. The company has been laying importance on speed since then. Cost - As customers are increasingly becoming aware about their hard-earned money, the only way out to have swift survival is through supplying quality food at low or reduced cost. One of the successful strategies in this regard initiated by the McDonald's is that of value meal. Under this scheme, customers enjoy discounts when they purchase number of items at once. Also some franchisee owners issue special discount on a special item on a special day of the week. Nutrition - McDonald's

The Glass Menagerie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Glass Menagerie - Essay Example She would rattle off the numerous names of her suitors and she would recount their consequent fame and fortune after some years. However, she would always refer to her husband with a note of regret and sadness. Amanda also failed to accept the disability of her daughter, Laura, who is a cripple, so she refused to face the reality that Laura would naturally have fewer suitors due to this disability. Instead, she would say that there must be a typhoon on a certain day since Laura has no gentleman callers. Amanda also exercises considerable control over her children. For instance, Amanda demands that Tom, her son should join them during meals. One of her dreams is that Laura gets to marry a fine gentleman. She also wants Laura to study the typewriter and practice the shorthand so that the gentlemen callers will perceive that she is well-bred. Laura has a low self-esteem as shown by her deep sensitivity to the negative perceptions of other people. She also seems to have an unstable mental condition. Instead of braving the negative perceptions of her classmates at the Business College, she instead chose to stay at home and be comforted by the presence of her glass collection. Hence, she settled for a less daunting feat: playing with beautiful glass figurines everyday.

Methods to Conserve Energy Essay Example for Free

Methods to Conserve Energy Essay Using natural energy resources doesnt necessarily mean you will conserve any energy, yet we do advise every household to research the possibility of implementing natural energy resources to influence their home power supply. This will conserve the fossil fuels we are currently consuming at an alarming rate. Many little things can be done in an attempt to conserve energy in the home. It is knowing how to do these little energy conservation processes that many people do not know about, understand, or Just dont care. Another way relating to how we can conserve energy is to ensure whenever we have finished using appliances that may have a light on them (such as a standby light), we switch the appliance off, or unplug after use. Little things can make a big difference in conserving energy around the home, and this is especially true for dishwashers, washing machines and dryers. Modern dishwashers have energy saving wash cycles, we strongly advise the use of such features, washing machines can be set to lower temperature washes, when sed with the right washing powder, and a dryer, well if you own a dryer, get rid of it and dry your washing naturally on a washing line. Hybrid cars can make a difference to your carbon footprint, and can help you save energy. No, they will not eliminate carbon emissions from their exhausts, yet they will greatly reduce the amount of carbon you pump into the air each year. The only reason you should need a 44 vehicle is if you live in a rough terrain area, or constantly snowy area. When you choose your next car, be sure to check the miles per gallon to see how fficient your car will be, this not only helps the environment but it saves you money on fuel too. When conserving energy, we can also look to our heating methods, why not reduce your heating thermostat or radiators by only 1 degree for a lengthy time, and compare your heating bill? If you recycle more, you will be helping to conserve energy put into making new versions of what you have recycled, and this also reduces the burden on landfill sites and incinerators which are not good for the environment

Effects of Culture on International Business

Effects of Culture on International Business INTRODUCTION The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate the concept of culture in relation to international business. More specifically, is to dig deep and clarify the impact of culture on international businesses. According to Copland and Griggs (1985, p.43) there is no culture right or wrong, just differences we must make value judgments as to whether or not cultural behaviour is good or bad, better or worse. It is wrong to assume that people in different cultures think, feel and act in the same way. In international business dealings, ignorance of cultural difference is not just unfortunate, it is bad business (Arwind, 1989, p. 25). Sensitivity to cultural difference is crucial to successful international business operations. Ignorance of cultural differences could end in disastrous business blunders. A discussion on culture should first begin with a definition. In a simple term, culture is how things are done around here (Mullins, 2005). On the other hand, (Hofstede 1980) referred to culture as the software of the mind. In other words, it is the social programming that runs the way we think, act and perceive ourselves and others. However, culture is an extremely broad concept and very difficult to define. At present there are estimated to be over 200 different definitions of culture. There is no general agreement with regard to the definition of culture. To some, culture refers to the distinctive way of life of a particular group of people (Herskovitz, 1952, p. 17) or a complete design for living (Kluchholm, 1951, p. 86). Others refer to culture as a pattern of behavior transmitted to members of a group from previous generations of the same group (Hall, 1977, pp. 16-17). Culture is not simply a product of conditioning (Grosse and Kujawa, 1992, p. 322) acquired, learned or transmi tted from one generation to another. Culture also shapes peoples values, attitudes, beliefs and behavioral patterns (Terpestra and David, 1985). It is therefore crucial for international business men and women to understand fully not only how people in different cultures behave but why they behave in the way they do. GEERT HOFSTEDE AND HIS CULTURAL DIMENSIONS One of the most influential pieces of research in relation to national cultures is the work of the Dutch researcher and business consultant Geert Hofstede (1980 2001). He analysed survey data from 116,000 employees of IBM in more than 40 different countries. He initially identified four, later five basic dimensions to express differences between national cultures: 1. Power distance this is the extent to which inequalities among people are seen as normal. This dimension stretches from equal relations being seen as normal to wide inequalities being viewed as normal. Examples of countries with high power distance scores are the Philippines, Singapore, France and Greece. In contrast, countries with low power distance scores such as Britain, Sweden and New Zealand favour a more democratic style of management and flatter organisational structures. 2. Uncertainty avoidance this refers to the degree to which societies feel threatened by ambiguous situations and the extent to which they try to avoid uncertainty situations. In countries with high uncertainty avoidance, such as France, organisations adopt strong bureaucracies and career stability and generally discourage risk taking activities. Countries such as Britain and Norway which exhibit low uncertainty avoidance will adopt more flexible structures and encourage more diverse view. 3. Individualism/collectivism in an individualist culture people tend to look after their own interests and those of their immediate family whereas in collectivist culture there is a tighter social framework in which each person respect the group to which he or she belongs. For instance, in the USA, people are expected to take care of themselves and their immediate family only. In collectivist societies such as Japan, however, people are integrated into strong, cohesive groups which throughout peoples lifetimes continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. For example, Toyota is Japanese, General Motors American origin companies. According to Hofestede we can take Toyota in the more collectivist side of the organisational culture whereas General Motors is more on individualistic side. In Toyota being in a team is more important. However, in General Motors it is more important that individual contribute to the organisation. 4. Masculinity/femininity In a masculine culture the dominant values are said to be ambition, assertiveness, performance and the acquisition of money and material objects whereas in a feminine culture values such as the quality of life, maintaining personal relationships and care for the weak and the environment are emphasized. For example, the most masculine countries in Hofstedes framework are Japan and Austria. In contrast, the Scandinavian countries fall into the feminine category with more emphasis on work-life balance. 5. Time orientation Bond (1988) and his colleagues called this Confucian dynamism. Hofstede relabelled it long term versus short term orientation. In countries exhibiting a long term orientation, there is a focus on the future and saving and persistence are valued. Companies in Japan are examples of a long term oriented society, have traditionally taken a longer term view of investment. In contrast to companies in Western economies, it is not necessary to show profits year by year but rather progress toward a longer term goal. Other comparable studies of national values that compete with Hofstedes work-related values framework include: Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (1961), Hall and Hall (1990), Schwartz (1992), Trompenaars and Hampden-Turner (1998) and Javidan et al (2006). According to Geert Hofstede Analysis. [2008, online] For those who work in international business, it is sometimes amazing how different people in other cultures behave. We tend to have human instincts that deep inside all people are the same but actually they are not. In other words, if we go into another country and make decisions based on how we operate in our own home country, the chances are we will make some very bad decisions. Understanding Hofstede module helps international business men and women analyse the cultures in countries in which they will do business. According to Ferraro, G (1998, p. 63) Hofstede research gives us insights into other cultures so that we can be more effective when interacting with people in other countries . If understood and applied properly, this information should reduce our level of frustration, anxiety and concern. But most important, Hofstede will give us the edge of understanding which translates to more successful results. The Hofstede Model of Cultural Dimensions can be of great use when it comes to analysing a countrys culture. There are however a few things one has to keep in mind. McSweeny (2002), for instance, argues that Hofstede study suffers from a number of important weaknesses, such as the assumption of cultural homogeneity within a country and the difficulty of generalising for a national culture on the basis of sometimes quite small samples of one occupational group in one company. Personally, I believe the averages of a country do not relate to individuals of that country. Even though this model has proven to be quite often correct when applied to the general population, one must be aware that not all individuals or even regions with subcultures fit into the design. It is to be used as a guide to understanding the difference in culture between countries, not as law set in stone. As always, there are exceptions to the rule. Secondly, how accurate is the data? The data has been collected through questionnaires, which have their own limitations. Not only that, but in some cultures the context of the question asked is as important as its content. Especially in group-oriented cultures, individuals might tend to answer questions as if they were addressed to the group he/she belongs to. While on the other hand in the United States, which is an individualistic culture, the answers will most likely be answered and perceived through the eyes of that individual. And lastly, is the data up to date? How much does the culture of a country change over time, either by internal or external influences? THE IMPACT OF CULTURE THROUGHOUT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSES When Disney decided to open a Disneyland in Europe, it seems the company failed to do its cultural homework on everything from French business negotiating styles to employee flexibility and dress habits to consumer spending patterns and eating preferences. The company had a system that worked in the United States and Japan, two very diverse cultures and evidently saw no good reason to change it to adopt to European sensibility. According to Roman Dicia a French editor day one began with a nightmare. The French people, who tend to wear their cultural hearts on their sleeves howled about Yankee cultural imperialism when Disney managed to buy 1,950 hectares of prime farmland. The farmers whose families had worked the land for centuries were bounced. French newspaper railed at the American invaders in a very public display of anger and insult. Before they started anything, the company had managed to alienate the community, partly because it had underestimated the attachment to the land of one segment of French society. Next, Disney offended French sensibility when it used lawyers rather than its executives to negotiate constriction and other contracts for EuroDiseny. It was simply not a French thing to do. In France, lawyers are considered a negotiating tool of absolute last resort. The use of lawyers early on in the progress was a sign of mistrust and backhand rejection of French ways. On the other hand and in terms of operations, Disney ignorance of European culture and French working norms caused more problems. The company, which prides itself on the squeaky clean all American look of its employees, instituted a strict dress code for its employees, barring facial hair, dictating a maximum length for fingernails and limiting the size of hooped earrings. The staff and its unions rebelled at this perceived attack on everyday French fashion. In addition, Disney got several other important details wrong. For example, lunch times inside EuroDisney bordered in disaster. While Americans visiting Disneyland prefer to eat at irregular intervals, as they wonder the park confines, Europeans are used to sit down at lunchtimes. As a result the parks restaurants became very busy at the lunch hour as everyone tried to eat once and were empty the rest of the day. Customers complained of long lunch time lines and the pressure to eat quickly. The staff complained of being overworked at lunch time and underworked during the rest of their shifts. To top it off, Disney, in keeping with the family friendly theme, barred the serving of alcohol, perhaps the ultimate insult in a country where the consumption of wine at mealtimes is a birthright. It was so unlike Disney to get so many details so wrong says one US based securities analyst who follows the company. Maybe its not such a small world after all. The company cultural insensitivities cost it a lot of money and goodwill. I think it is a reminder to any company or individual doing business in another country, the devil is often in the cultural details. They can make or break you. But for Disney at least, alls well that ends well. After making some significant cultural adjustment, EuroDisney is no longer the economic drain it once was on company coffers. Another great example is McDonald. McDonalds worldwide is well known for the high degree of respect to the local culture. However, years ago when McDonald restaurants entered into India, McDonald faced some problems in relation to the transformation of the menus according to the Indians culture. For example, for thousands of year, Indias Hindu culture revered the cow. Hindu scriptures state that the cow is gift of the God to the human race. The cow represents the divine mother that sustains all human beings. McDonalds is the worlds largest user of beef. So how can a company whose fortunes are built on beef enter a country where the consumption of beef is a grave sin? Use pork instead? However there is a large population in India who are Muslim and Muslims do not eat pork. McDonalds responded to this cultural food dilemma by creating an Indian version of its Big Mac The Maharaja Mac which is made from mutton. Other additions to the menu conform to local sensibilities such as the McAloo Tikki Burger which is made from chicken. In fact, India is the first country in the world where McDonalds does not offer any beef or pork items. All foods are strictly separated into vegetarian and nonvegetarian lines to conform with preferences in a country where many Hindus are vegetarian. So much so that the mayonnaise and the soft serve are also 100% vegetarian and only vegetable oil is used as a cooking medium. It may seem silly for McDonalds to be taking away the burger for which is became famous for but in such a multinational company, they had to do what was best for business. Other comparable examples include: the non Kosher KFCs in Israel, what is acceptable and not acceptable in the Jewish religious book and also Pizza Hut in Saudi Arabia, Halal and non Halal meat. Also a great case can be IKEA. IKEA had a very successful culture that facilitated its expansion into various countries. However, this view did not turn out to be successful in the USA where in they ran into a few problems like different tastes in furniture and cultural change. In addition, more competition and changes in Swedish laws on furniture made expansion into the USA very difficult. Longer shipping periods added to the expansion misery and IKEA had to adopt a more adapted culture to enhance sales in the USA. The cultural problems that IKEA faced in USA were, for examples; the use of the Swedish flag outside IKEA was very irritating to some Americans. Different tastes and the Swedish style of the furniture, this refers for example to preferences of some designs, different size in beds that meant the US consumers were not used in European ones and some found the IKEA beds just too small and the meaning of colors, etc. Also they were not much happy with the cash and carry service and they wanted better and faster delivery at home and do not enjoy queuing. Not every American is used to do shopping outside cities or can do, like Chinese and also, in America more media advertisements were needed. The word of mouth was not much successful as in Europe. They also had the problem with the different management style. For example, Swedish managers are expected to be ambassadors and explain the IKEA way to non-Swedish co-workers in overseas operations. This has proved relatively easy in the Netherlands but not so in Germany, France and the United States. Grol et al.s (1998) research on problems encountered by IKEAs management of people in Germany, France and the United States, although producing some national stereotypes, indicates that in Germany there were problems of addressing managers using first name and understanding managers authority; doing exactly as the manager asks and not using ones own initiative. In France there were problems of informality being seen as a sign of weakness or indecisiveness, meaning that employees could do what they want. In the United States people felt uncomfortable with the Swedish lack of showing emotion; avoiding conflict and not setting themselves apart by avoiding self promotion. There were also pr oblems with instructions by managers not being spelt out and the longer term Swedish management approach of explaining why things are done: this is seen as indecision. There was a perception that individual achievement is not rewarded in view of a Swedish avoidance of discrimination in pay increase. As a consequence they lost key American managers because of slow progression and not being sure of their role or future in the organisation. IKEA had to accept a different culture and at the same time keep its own. Otherwise it will either not succeed on the US market or it will not be IKEA anymore. IKEA has met cultural problems, especially in the US, due to a lack of information about these cultural differences. Indeed IKEA did not conduct any market research before entering new market and did not use local expertise. However, the expansion abroad of IKEA has eventually been possible even if they met some difficulties along the way. This can be attributing to the fact that IKEA concept is very effective but also because the company have made special efforts to adapt its products and services to various cultural environments. We dont spend much money or time on studies. We use our eyes and go out and look, and say it will probably do quite well here. Then we may adapt, but quite often we stick to our opinions, says Mr. Anders Moberg, IKEAs chief executive. Therefore IKEA changed the rules of the retailing industry. This was considered quite dangerous because IKEAs expanded its stores internationally without having data and information about the new country but it has been successful, in Europe, where the concept of IKEA is effective, without necessary adaptation. But, in the United-States, IKEA had to struggle in the early years and made several changes to its retailing formula to adapt to US requirements. On the other hand, a different scenario can be Wal-Mart. When Wal-Mart first expands in Mexico they ran into many cultural problems. For example, they found that the Mexicans prefer to buy fresh produce at the local stores. They also found out that many Mexicans do not have cars which cannot buy in large volumes as in the United States. However, Wal-Mart did not give up and developed strategies to meet the local conditions. For example, they hired local managers who understood Mexican culture, building smaller stores that people could walk to and offering more fresh produce and low prices. Their strategy did pay off, Mexicans started to change their shopping habits and Wal-Mart became one of the largest retailers in Mexico. Wal-Mart also discovered that they can expand into China as they found out that the Chinese were bargain hunters and open to the low price strategy and the wide selection of products offered by Wal-Mart. However, to succeed in China, Wal-Mart also found it had to adapt its merchandising and operations strategy so it can engage with the Chinese culture. For example, Wal-Mart has learned that Chinese consumers insist that food must be freshly harvested or even killed in front of them. Some Chinese consumers were offended when Wal-Mart was trying to sell them dead fish. So Wal-Mart began to display the meat uncovered, installed fish tanks into which shoppers could plunge fishing nets to pull out their evening meal and began selling live turtles for turtle soup. The Wal-Mart scenario proves that culture can have a big effect on the business strategy. For example, in the case of McDonalds; meat prepared after halal is printed on the label before exporting meat to Saudi Arabia or as we seen above, McDonalds created the The Maharaja Mac which is made from mutton for the Hindus. Also, Coca Cola had labeled on bottles supplied to the gulf to contain non-alcohol or in the case of Nokia when introduced Hindi SMS for Indians users of mobile phones etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ CONCLUSION Culture is important for many aspects of business life especially when a business must interface with people, either as customers, employees, suppliers or stakeholders (Aswathappa, K 2008, p. 78). Deal and Kennedy (1982) argue that culture is the single most important factor accounting for success or failure in business. Goffee and Jones (1998) argue that no business strategy or programme can or will succeed without the appropriate culture in place. Mullins (1999) suggest that culture helps to explain why different groups of people perceive things in their own way and perform things differently from other groups. He also suggests that there is nothing accidental about cultural strengths, there is a relationship between culture and the business performance. When it comes to analysing a countys culture, Hofstade module of cultural dimensions can be a very useful tool as there is no current discussion on culture in a business context is complete without reference to Hofstede. On the other hand, Disney, McDonalds, IKEA and Wal-Mart are evidence to support the argument that in which the impact of culture in international business is very important. Personally, I never claim that culture is the only thing we should pay attention to. In many practical cases it is the economic or political factors provide better explanations but sometimes they dont and then we have to go back and look for answers throughout history and culture. I also believe that too often people emphasize the differences rather than the similarities in cultures and view these differences as threatening and negative rather than as opportunities for creative solutions. It is an easy trap to fall into. What we need to remember is that anyone can cope successfully with cross cultural relationships with the proper mindset. All we need to have is to change our mental computer disk and reprogram ourselves.

Nursing Care as Applied to a Client with a Mental Health Problem Essay

An extended essay demonstrating the candidate’s ability to evaluate how the application of theoretical knowledge gained during the course influences and effects the provision of quality nursing care as applied to a client with a mental health problem. The aim of this assignment is to explore the application of theory to practice with regards to a client with a mental health problem. In order to effectively care for clients, nurses need to regularly evaluate their knowledge and assess this knowledge increases the quality of mental health nursing care. The client chosen for this assignment was a female, 39 year-old suffering with agoraphobia. She was a single Asian origin, but living in a council flat in London with her father and sisters. The duration of the clients' illness was approximately nine years, since about 1987. For the purpose of the reader, this essay will be written in the first person, as it will make the assignment more coherent. I worked with the client in the community for the duration of my placement. Therefore, for two months I had regular contact with the client everyday. The client needed nursing intervention because she needed help in coping with her agoraphobia. Due to this phobia she was reliably housebound and could not successfully carry out her activities of daily living. Her father did the shopping and housework. In addition to this the client's functioning was impaired due to other physical problems. She suffered from epilepsy and she had a tumour growing in the left hemisphere, which affected her right-sided mobility. â€Å"A phobia is a fear of a specific of a specific object or scenario† ... ...each session. I then used his list as a reference when the client began to ramble. If supervision had not been used we could have become stressed through interpretation and lack of reflection. Supervision is important because it enhances nurses' education, orientation, support and facilities and nurses to think about how to use of self. (Hinchcliffe 1994). Therefore, the nurses are constantly learning and gaining insight, which impresses clients'. Quality of cares and protects nurses. So we can see from this essay that all the care subjects we have gained knowledge of in the course can greatly improve the clients' care it and our ability to care for them. We are constantly learning in practice and need to use knowledge, but supervision, reflection and other disciplines to improve our standard of care. Nursing Care as Applied to a Client with a Mental Health Problem Essay An extended essay demonstrating the candidate’s ability to evaluate how the application of theoretical knowledge gained during the course influences and effects the provision of quality nursing care as applied to a client with a mental health problem. The aim of this assignment is to explore the application of theory to practice with regards to a client with a mental health problem. In order to effectively care for clients, nurses need to regularly evaluate their knowledge and assess this knowledge increases the quality of mental health nursing care. The client chosen for this assignment was a female, 39 year-old suffering with agoraphobia. She was a single Asian origin, but living in a council flat in London with her father and sisters. The duration of the clients' illness was approximately nine years, since about 1987. For the purpose of the reader, this essay will be written in the first person, as it will make the assignment more coherent. I worked with the client in the community for the duration of my placement. Therefore, for two months I had regular contact with the client everyday. The client needed nursing intervention because she needed help in coping with her agoraphobia. Due to this phobia she was reliably housebound and could not successfully carry out her activities of daily living. Her father did the shopping and housework. In addition to this the client's functioning was impaired due to other physical problems. She suffered from epilepsy and she had a tumour growing in the left hemisphere, which affected her right-sided mobility. â€Å"A phobia is a fear of a specific of a specific object or scenario† ... ...each session. I then used his list as a reference when the client began to ramble. If supervision had not been used we could have become stressed through interpretation and lack of reflection. Supervision is important because it enhances nurses' education, orientation, support and facilities and nurses to think about how to use of self. (Hinchcliffe 1994). Therefore, the nurses are constantly learning and gaining insight, which impresses clients'. Quality of cares and protects nurses. So we can see from this essay that all the care subjects we have gained knowledge of in the course can greatly improve the clients' care it and our ability to care for them. We are constantly learning in practice and need to use knowledge, but supervision, reflection and other disciplines to improve our standard of care.

The Important Role of Water in Toni Morrison’s Beloved Essay -- Critic

Water has always been a source of life but many do not take into account it's strength and ability to kill. From its cleansing nature, it washes away dirt; from its’ powerful potency it holds total destruction. With its flowing characteristic, water is able to form to any shape and make its’ way around any object. The multiple possibilities water possesses, engages, while takes away the mystery. In Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved, water manipulates many factors causing destruction in the community. The direction it leads Beloved in, takes her from the past into the life of society while altering the notions of the future. The water creates a portal for Beloved taking her through death and life to a sense of belonging because it holds life-giving vitality as well as the ability to take life allowing her to move back and forth through worlds as the past gives possibility to the future. The water yields a home for Beloved as she finds herself lost and confused. As Beloved emerges from the water, she searches for a place of belonging in the life she left behind. â€Å"I come out of the blue water†¦ I need to find a place to be (213).† Because she has been lost inside the spiritual world, she searches for a â€Å"home† after being reborn. Once she finds this home, she is able to accept herself and can begin taking revenge on Sethe for what she did to her. Her simple beginnings of praising and worshiping her mother, captures Sethe’s complete devotion and love. â€Å"Rainwater held on to pine needles for dear life and Beloved could not take her eyes off Sethe (57).† With Beloved constant flattering nature, Sethe handed herself over to Beloved and she became part of the family. Beloved’s evil ways of manipulating Sethe into caring more about her than Den... ...returns to help Sethe. â€Å"Stay there. Don’t move. Let me heat up some water. Is it all right, Sethe, if I heat up some water?† (272). Paul D gets rid of the frozen water in Sethe’s life. This paves the road for different possibilities in her and the rest of the townspeople’s lives. Although Sethe is devastated from Beloved’s disappearance, the melting of ice lets her change and focus on the future instead of the past. Beloved finds a sense of belonging in returning to life after searching through death as she moves through the portal created by water. Its soft nature cleanses and washes away the bad but also holds the capability to destroy life. Water eases Beloved’s transportation between worlds. It has always been a source of wonder and continues to amaze people. The passion of water alters anything in its path paving its own path regardless of its surroundings.

A Little Literature: Reading, Writing, Argument Essay

â€Å"A Little Literature: Reading, Writing, Argument† is a book that spans across multiple genres of literature and allows the reader to get a taste of classical and contemporary issues regarding the different values of society and how they evolve amongst secondary cultures (Barnet). The man to send rain clouds, by Leslie Marmon Silko â€Å"The man to send rain clouds† was originally published in the late 1960’s. The story revolves around the culture of the native Indians and the significance of culture in every day domestic life. The story presents to the reader how external influences impinge on these domestic values and customs, and how these external influences continue to do so as time passes by. Using the characters of the Catholics and the Pueblos, Leslie Marmon Silko has narrated how an evolving culture is considered to be a fading culture and how the people of that culture attempt to keep it alive in its original form through their actions and preferences. This is a story about an old man and his grandsons and their wives. It begins with the death of the old man, the story implies, that the old man and his grandsons were shepherds and farmers. The old man being left to tend to the sheep dies peacefully under the shade of the tree. The grandsons when discover that he has died, they adorn his face with paint symbols similar to that of the native Indian rain makers. Then this group heads on home. However in the entire story, there is a lack of emotion and expression on the grandson’s part. The only emotion that can be ascertained is that of interest and anticipation on the grandson Leon. Leon seems to see the old man’s death as a means to send them rain, which also brings to mind the fact that perhaps the town was suffering the drought season. Anyhow the old man is buried without any religious preliminaries mandatory for a Christian burial, with the exception of the sprinkling of Holy Water on the old man’s body, which Leon insists on, giving the excuse that by doing this the old man will never feel thirst. However even though the Priest insists on full religious ceremony, the grandsons take no heed and proceed without. However when the old man is buried Holy water is sprinkled on his body and grave. At this point Leon exclaims that his grandfather will be able to send rain. From the above story, comes forth an in depth view of common town life that hold secret beliefs of the Native Indians and their power of Indian magic. In this case it seems that the grandsons are in a way almost excited by the fact, that their grandfather will be able to initiate rain for the town. Or rather they presented their dead grandfather as a sacrifice to the rain maker. It is for this reason that they paint his face with symbols and lines and bury the Christian parishioner without any rightful Christian rights. â€Å"Only approved Indians can play: Made in USA†, by Jack Forbes This historic piece of penmanship was published in 1979 and like all the other works of literature in the book â€Å"A Little Literature: Reading, Writing, Argument†, this too takes the reader In â€Å"Only approved Indians can play: Made in USA†, Jack Forbes writes about American Indians and how the modern day American society chooses to interact with them. Forbes has used characters of Indian descent to show how Indian Americans learn to visualize the change they long for even when it cannot be attained. Unique and struggling, the characters introduce the reader to the wide array of Indian American lifestyles. â€Å"The two†, by Gloria Naylor In Gloria Naylor’s, â€Å"The Two†, we see a metaphorical approach towards the sensitivities in the relationships of life. For instance, the yellow mist is observed to be a metaphor that presents to the reader the countless complicated and interrelated intricacies that swarm the lesbian couple. The Oriental Contingent, by Diana Chang Many books, articles and stories have been written about the influences of a culture upon a society or that of a society on a culture however few have been written about people of the same culture learning to live in a foreign country. One such is â€Å"The Original Contingent† by Diana Chang. The â€Å"Original Contingent† was published in 1989. In the â€Å"Oriental Contingent†, Diana Chang brings to light the ways in which the Asian populace measures up and compares each other. â€Å"The Original Contingent† achieves its purpose by taking us through a journey of two young women as they both consider each other to be of a better native heritage than the other. By portraying the two women pushed apart by the extent to which they have absorbed the cultural concept of being Chinese and having a Chinese heritage, the Original Contingent explores how the Chinese American culture evolves horizontally within the community and is passed down vertically. â€Å"Who’s Irish†, by Gish Jen â€Å"Who’s Irish† was first published in June 2000 by Vintage Publishers. Writer Gish Jen has been acclaimed by many critics to be an Asian American Writer with an east coast sense of culture and heritage. It is common knowledge that the process of migrating to America and often causes collisions in cultural respects and lead to much confusion. â€Å"Who’s Irish† by Gish Jen centers around the slow and painful process that people more than often have to go through after migrating to another land. Highly fascinating is the way Gish Jen has used a rare blend of Chinese and Irish cultures to demonstrate her point of view. â€Å"Who’s Irish† explores some of the most important avenues of the significance given to culture in the modern day society and how the process of transformation and adaption of culture influences the people directly as well as indirectly. â€Å"The lesson†, by Toni Cade Bambara Toni Cade Bambara’s â€Å"The Lesson† speaks about more than racial and economic inequalities but highlights a related subject that has been rarely given its due importance. Toni Cade Bambara speaks of beyond the injustice of life where man learns the importance of being willing to learn new things. Toni Cade Bambara uses his lead character in â€Å"The lesson† to portray the tendency people have to resist letting the process of learning shape their minds, yet choose to let the process take effect in their subconscious. At times, as Bambara shows us, the process takes place at an even higher level when we tend to accept the knowledge we are given but we choose not to show that we have accepted our error. By showing a stubborn little young girls journey through the process of learning and realization, Bambara speaks of how we learn new things as we live and how we choose to defend our pride as we learn that our perceptions of the reality we live in may be wrong. Works Cited Barnet, Sylvan. A Little Literature: Reading, Writing, Argument. Longman, 2006. A Little Literature: Reading, Writing, Argument Essay â€Å"A Little Literature: Reading, Writing, Argument† is a book that spans across multiple genres of literature and allows the reader to get a taste of classical and contemporary issues regarding the different values of society and how they evolve amongst secondary cultures (Barnet). The man to send rain clouds, by Leslie Marmon Silko â€Å"The man to send rain clouds† was originally published in the late 1960’s. The story revolves around the culture of the native Indians and the significance of culture in every day domestic life. The story presents to the reader how external influences impinge on these domestic values and customs, and how these external influences continue to do so as time passes by. Using the characters of the Catholics and the Pueblos, Leslie Marmon Silko has narrated how an evolving culture is considered to be a fading culture and how the people of that culture attempt to keep it alive in its original form through their actions and preferences. This is a story about an old man and his grandsons and their wives. It begins with the death of the old man, the story implies, that the old man and his grandsons were shepherds and farmers. The old man being left to tend to the sheep dies peacefully under the shade of the tree. The grandsons when discover that he has died, they adorn his face with paint symbols similar to that of the native Indian rain makers. Then this group heads on home. However in the entire story, there is a lack of emotion and expression on the grandson’s part. The only emotion that can be ascertained is that of interest and anticipation on the grandson Leon. Leon seems to see the old man’s death as a means to send them rain, which also brings to mind the fact that perhaps the town was suffering the drought season. Anyhow the old man is buried without any religious preliminaries mandatory for a Christian burial, with the exception of the sprinkling of Holy Water on the old man’s body, which Leon insists on, giving the excuse that by doing this the old man will never feel thirst. However even though the Priest insists on full religious ceremony, the grandsons take no heed and proceed without. However when the old man is buried Holy water is sprinkled on his body and grave. At this point Leon exclaims that his grandfather will be able to send rain. From the above story, comes forth an in depth view of common town life that hold secret beliefs of the Native Indians and their power of Indian magic. In this case it seems that the grandsons are in a way almost excited by the fact, that their grandfather will be able to initiate rain for the town. Or rather they presented their dead grandfather as a sacrifice to the rain maker. It is for this reason that they paint his face with symbols and lines and bury the Christian parishioner without any rightful Christian rights. â€Å"Only approved Indians can play: Made in USA†, by Jack Forbes This historic piece of penmanship was published in 1979 and like all the other works of literature in the book â€Å"A Little Literature: Reading, Writing, Argument†, this too takes the reader In â€Å"Only approved Indians can play: Made in USA†, Jack Forbes writes about American Indians and how the modern day American society chooses to interact with them. Forbes has used characters of Indian descent to show how Indian Americans learn to visualize the change they long for even when it cannot be attained. Unique and struggling, the characters introduce the reader to the wide array of Indian American lifestyles. â€Å"The two†, by Gloria Naylor In Gloria Naylor’s, â€Å"The Two†, we see a metaphorical approach towards the sensitivities in the relationships of life. For instance, the yellow mist is observed to be a metaphor that presents to the reader the countless complicated and interrelated intricacies that swarm the lesbian couple. The Oriental Contingent, by Diana Chang Many books, articles and stories have been written about the influences of a culture upon a society or that of a society on a culture however few have been written about people of the same culture learning to live in a foreign country. One such is â€Å"The Original Contingent† by Diana Chang. The â€Å"Original Contingent† was published in 1989. In the â€Å"Oriental Contingent†, Diana Chang brings to light the ways in which the Asian populace measures up and compares each other. â€Å"The Original Contingent† achieves its purpose by taking us through a journey of two young women as they both consider each other to be of a better native heritage than the other. By portraying the two women pushed apart by the extent to which they have absorbed the cultural concept of being Chinese and having a Chinese heritage, the Original Contingent explores how the Chinese American culture evolves horizontally within the community and is passed down vertically. â€Å"Who’s Irish†, by Gish Jen â€Å"Who’s Irish† was first published in June 2000 by Vintage Publishers. Writer Gish Jen has been acclaimed by many critics to be an Asian American Writer with an east coast sense of culture and heritage. It is common knowledge that the process of migrating to America and often causes collisions in cultural respects and lead to much confusion. â€Å"Who’s Irish† by Gish Jen centers around the slow and painful process that people more than often have to go through after migrating to another land. Highly fascinating is the way Gish Jen has used a rare blend of Chinese and Irish cultures to demonstrate her point of view. â€Å"Who’s Irish† explores some of the most important avenues of the significance given to culture in the modern day society and how the process of transformation and adaption of culture influences the people directly as well as indirectly. â€Å"The lesson†, by Toni Cade Bambara Toni Cade Bambara’s â€Å"The Lesson† speaks about more than racial and economic inequalities but highlights a related subject that has been rarely given its due importance. Toni Cade Bambara speaks of beyond the injustice of life where man learns the importance of being willing to learn new things. Toni Cade Bambara uses his lead character in â€Å"The lesson† to portray the tendency people have to resist letting the process of learning shape their minds, yet choose to let the process take effect in their subconscious. At times, as Bambara shows us, the process takes place at an even higher level when we tend to accept the knowledge we are given but we choose not to show that we have accepted our error. By showing a stubborn little young girls journey through the process of learning and realization, Bambara speaks of how we learn new things as we live and how we choose to defend our pride as we learn that our perceptions of the reality we live in may be wrong. Works Cited Barnet, Sylvan. A Little Literature: Reading, Writing, Argument. Longman, 2006.