“The Road” By Aaron Bellam Essay

History has had little conscience when it comes to human suffering and struggle. The world has brought us murder, torture, and terror in the packages of war, politics, and everyday human relationships. Religious battles keep racism, greed, and suffering real. The positive is not always apparent when one looks at human existence. Aside from the physical struggle humans had to endure and overcome, emotions also challenge us in hard times. Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, a story set after an apocalypse, takes the characters beyond physical challenges like cold and hunger. In their dystopia, the characters must also face their emotional struggles. As they journey across the dark, barren land, the boy and his father experience the feelings of desperation, fear and hope. The first emotion that urges the pair on in their journey is desperation. The father and son are desperate for many things; food, warmth, and not to be caught and raped by others. As well; the two are desperate to find and share with other good guys. The man and his emaciated bay have such a strong desperation to find food and food is so scarce that the pair finds â€Å"the bones of a small animal dismembered and placed in a pile, possibly a cat†. (McCarthy.2006.Pg26) This find is proof that other survivors have turned to alternate forms of food to try and give themselves energy for the trek. Warmth is another huge luxury that the father and his boy wish they had. After a find of supplies in an abandoned house, they ‘sat wrapped in the quilt naked while the man held the boy’s feet to his stomach to warm them. (McCarthy. 2006.Pg31). The man is obviously willing to do anything; he is determined to keep his son warm and comfortable, even if it takes away from his own comfort. Hiding from people looking to catch others to eat is a further element of despair the two are forced to cope with. Cannibals roam this dystopia. After finding people in a cellar, some with limbs chopped off, the son is left horrified. The man and the son are desperate to find other ‘good guys’ like them so that they aren’t alone. Moreover, there are many other emotions the trekkers are desperate for; however these four are some of the most pressing. Ironically, this ugly emotion helps to keep the two going. The second, and most important emotion that drives the father and his son forward, is Fear. The apocalypse has given the man and his son reason to be fearful of many  things: Strangers, Starvation, and being alone. The father is so afraid of strangers that every time they come across another person he becomes very hostile. When they came upon a traveler, they followed him, perhaps because â€Å"The traveler was not one for looking back. They followed him for a while and then they overtook him.† (McCarthy.2006.Pg161) The man has changed drastically since his wife le ft him, and he has become very protective of his son. Starvation is another fear that drives them forward; food is very scarce and when they find food they do what they can to keep people from taking it from them. When the pair sees an old man called Ely walking down the street the father says I see and â€Å"the boy turned and looked at him. I know what the question is the man said. The answer is no. What question? Can we keep him? We can’t.† (McCarthy.2006.Pg.164). After the death of his father the boy is discovered by a family that had been following them. Even though the man had taught him to be very cautious around other people, the boy was very lonely and feared having to travel by himself ,so after making sure that they were â€Å"good guys†; he asked them â€Å"are you carrying the fire? Am I what? Carrying the fire. You’re kind of weirded out, aren’t you? No. Just a little. Yeah. That’s ok. So are you? What, carrying the fire? Yes. Yeah we are.† (McCarthy.2006.Pg283/284), he decides to travel with the family. And while fear is one of the most important emotions the pair faces in the book it is also one of the most important that people have faced since we first developed emotions. And even though fear plays a big part in their movement forward there is still another that is just as important. The Third and final emotion that is expressed in the novel is hope. The boy’s character is a sign of hope to the father throughout the book. In the father’s view the boy is almost described as holy, â€Å"if he is not the word of god, god never spoke†, which gives the sense that the boy is precious to the man and that the boy is the father’s hope like a god is a religious person’s hope. The boy also gives a sense of hope to the reader. This is from his sense of goodness and innocence, the way he gave food to the old m an at the side of the road, which in this world the reader gets a sense that goodness and innocence is unheard of. This gives this bleak, horrific, world a feeling of humanity, a feeling that gives the destroyed world a future â€Å"Goodness will find the little boy. It always has. It will again.† In the road there is a repeated reference to ‘carrying the flame’ which is a symbol  of hope. It is a symbol that mankind will always live on throughout any circumstances. When the man dies he tells the boy the he is now carrying the flame which shows the man’s hope of a better future or merely a just a future for the boy. The food is a sign presented by Cormac McCarthy of hope, when the food is low the scene is shown grimly and when the food is plentiful. When they find the bunker full of food, page 146, the text is full of short sentences ‘Canned hams.’, ‘Corned beef’ which show the father’s joy and almost disbelief of how hopeful the future will be with this plenty. Other than the boy the father has hope in very few things. But one thing which is shown throughout The Road is the father’s sense of morals. The father always reassures the boy and himself that they are the good guys, because they aren’t turning to cannibalism, which gives them the hope to keep them going because they are, to the father, keeping goodness in the world alive, ‘carrying the flame’. In the father’s dream, page 2, the father and the son are holding a light, ‘Their light playing over the wet flowstone walls.’ Which could be interpreted as a reference to the ‘carrying the flame’. The mother is a character presenting hope that has been lost. The mother commits suicide as this is what she sees as the brightest option. The mother says â€Å"as for me my only hope is for eternal nothingness and I hope it with all my heart.† (McCarthy.2006.Pg58/59), this shows how the mother has lost all hope of a future and nothingness is better than life on borrowed time. The last paragraph in the road is full of hope for the boy and the earth’s future. Cormac McCarthy presents the theme of hope in many different ways. He shows the lost hope of people in end of the world situations, the mother and the cannibals. The hope for the future, carrying the flame and the last paragraph. The hope for goodness and generosity in the world, the father’s view of the boy and carrying the flame. Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, a story set in a post-apocalyptic earth, showed the journey off a Man and his son: as they faced physical challenges, such as, Cold and Hunger, they also faced emotional challenges through Desperation, Fear, and Hope. This is a story that shows the perseverance of a man and his son, as they fight to survive.

Management Models

Assessment Task One | Understanding the First Five Topics Competing Values Framework & The 4+2 Formulae The Competing Values Framework and the 4+2 Formulae are models that represent the management research perspective of balancing outward and inward development, and how important the equilibrium of both areas is, in the success and continued success of a business. The Competing Values Framework has been developed over 100 years of theoretical management models, with with each era having developed its own theories and practices born out of the period’s socioeconomic conditions.The Competing Values Framework is split into four main quadrants which re? ect the four main periods of prosperity and economic challenges. The quadrants re? ect the period’s dominant philosophy of management and represents the relationship within management, in regards to the degree of control and whether that control is projected internally or externally. In the extended research, the understandi ng of an inverse relationship of competing values has developed into an integrated management model. The inverse relationship between values represents the ‘push-and-pull’ of a successful management concept.The balance of each idea or value keeps the entity open to development of new concepts but also retains the checks and balances and inward e? ciency. The CVF represent a dichotomy of management values that in equilibrium are highly e? ective. In contrast to the Competing Values Framework the 4+2 Formulae was developed though the study of 160 companies over a 10 year period working with 50 academics and consultants with well recognised research tools. Their study of these companies was to determine what made them successful or what made them fail.The research into these companies was retroactive, starting starting in 1986 and selecting a variety of businesses with similar scale, scope and ? nancial means. The 4+2 formulae is a structured two tiered model, with the mai n principles of business; Strategy, Execution, Culture and Structure and the selection of two secondary business practises; Talent, Innovation, Leadership and Mergers & Partnerships. The 4+2 Formulae is a representation of the best practices of a successful business, it outlines the core components and practices these companies developed to become successful.This is formulae representation of a ‘recipe for success’. The formulae expresses that concept of the four main core values of a business and integration of a pair of focused expansion concepts into which new prospects can be developed. The di? erence between the research of the Competing Values Framework and the 4+2 Formulae is shown in how di? erent the concepts are. The CVF is a consolidation of four management models built over the last century and expresses the careful balance in values that lead to success.The concept of this framework is to express the sensitivity of a business in the amount of control applie d and the balance of further growth with management of e? ciency. The research of the CVF also focused on the models of management and the theoretical concepts of each era, developing and contrasting each theory with the next to develop a diverse understanding of the paradigms in which management is based. In contrast to the 4+2 formulae which focuses on the growth or recession of a business though it core business practices and varying practices in growth.The 4+2 formulae is structured to be set of core values with an integration of two secondary business practices primarily focused on growth. The research into the companies showed that the each successful company excelled at the four core practises and incorporated any two of the secondary. In summary the research of each model di? ers in that one focuses on model and theorem based argument (the ideas and concepts of business) and the other focuses on the execution of core values and the incorporation of secondary growth orientate d practices (the application of ideas). Although these models are di? rent in the way they express the concept of success the main core values of both are very similar. For example; the 4+2 formulae calls for the exemplarily execution of Strategy, Execution, Culture & Structure, these fall into the main quadrants of the CVF and also inversely linked to each other exhibiting the relationship between each. Strategy, re? ects the Rational Goal model of direction and clarity, the roadmap. Execution, re? ects the Open systems model of growth, innovations and adaptation. Culture is core of the Human Relations model, it represents the embodiment of people and the empowering of sta?.Structure re? ects the Internal Process, of control, the checks and balances, the re? nement of e? ciency. The similarities of the Competing Values Framework and the 4+2 Formulae is not surprising, they both come from the study of business values. The comparisons of the core values in the 4+2 formulae and the CV F show how closely related they are. The 4+2 formulae is a study of business practices and contrasting that to the CVF which is a study of business models throughout the last century, we can see that the models are sound being proven in theory and practice.The CVF a theoretically based model and the 4+2 a practice based model have overlapping values, making it a very sound model, as the theory is proofed by the practice. What makes these concept more concrete is the study of business in practice in a current economic period and applying a historic study of theories to that study, showing major similarities in those core values. This would substantiate soundness of both the Competing Values Framework and the 4+2 Formulae. The Compering Values Framework gives us the tools to develop and check our progress.It is a compass in giving us the direction required, while the 4+2 formulae is the roadmap, its structure allows us to progress through each stage and ? nd new avenues for growth and innovation. Using the CVF we can always check our performance and rede? ne our direction. Personal & Professional Leadership : Exploring informative detail & Key Concepts The comprehensive model of leadership expressed in ‘The importance of personal and professional leadership’ (Mastrangelo. A. Eddy, e. and Lorenzet, S. 2004), outline the e? ectiveness of a leader at an organisational level through the understanding of parallel leadership practices.Professional leadership and Personal leadership qualities run parallel to each other and both support and enhance the others ability to in? uence and cultivate willing cooperators. The article motif shows that leadership behaviour and actions are important in determining the e? ectiveness of the leader, and that a successful leader must be concerned with both task and peoplerelated issues. Professional and Personal leadership in the model is expressed as a integrated practice, as each component lends itself to the other; suc h ideas are expressed in the articles ‘The Theory of the Business’ (Drucker, P. 994) & ‘Trends that could shake up your business’ (Ofek, E. and Wathieu,L. 2010) . These articles express how e? ective leaders in? uence individuals to work cohesively towards organisational success. Leadership is as much about in? uencing others with a comprehensive understanding of business and business direction as well as in? uencing them though interpersonal relationships. Both articles place leaders in a position where knowledge of business practices, having a perspective and vision for organisational success, and growth are important in an individual’s perception of trust in a leader’s expertise.Individuals will more likely trust a leader who has the expertise, the insight and vision of growing and developing the organisation. Trusted leaders should have a more expansive way of thinking to engender changes within the organisation and the marketplace. The ma in concept of these two articles express that a leader requires the ability to have forethought and the ability to adapt to di? erent situations. Professional leadership requires leaders to be clear on direction, be able to develop strategies to follow and coordinate the uni? d energies of individuals toward organisational success. Followers require this foundation of expertise as re? ected by; Professional leadership is an essential step in the leadership process. It provides a foundation that leads to willing cooperation. ( Mastrangelo. A. Eddy, e. and Lorenzet, S. 2004, page 446) Druker, Ofek and Wathieu also hint that the e? ectiveness of these leaders are interrelated to the perception of the leader as a knowledgable and trustworthy person. Therefore the Professional leadership quality is symbiotic with the perception of the leader, which is also re? cted in our model: When an organisation has created a direction that promotes both individual and organisational success, values continuous improvement, makes it clear to employees their role is in helping achieve organisational success†¦ will likely lead to perceptions of expertise, trust, caring, sharing & morality. – (Mastrangelo. A. Eddy, e. and Lorenzet, S. 2004, page442) This gives a more informative depth to the model, as we can see how interactions of the personal side of leadership can a? ect the e? ectiveness of leaders. Personal leadership is an important re? ction of the person who is leading, ‘Discovering Your Authentic Leadership’ (George, B. Sims, P. McLean, A. and Mayer, D. 2007. ) details how the personal narrative can feed how genuine a leader is perceived. The story of David Pottruck former CEO of Charles Schwab shows us that one sided use of professional leadership is ine? ective. David saw his hard work and long hours as a positive way to ensure success and achieve results, however this only intimidated his colleges and lead to a mistrust between himself and his f ollowers. In this instance a leader who did not realise his e? ct on his followers or chose to ignore them was in the end ine? ective at leading. His pursuit of results and success alienated him from others and created an environment devoid of willing cooperation. In ‘Why should Anybody Be Lead By You? ’ (Go? ee, R. and Jones, G. 2000) the article asks why as a leader, do you have the privilege of leading? The article questions why and how a leader is successful and expresses that there are four qualities that successful leaders possess. This article’s concept re? ects trait theory to an extent, the article points out key traits that all successful leaders possess have but also speci? d that each quality is di? erent from one leader to the next. Go? ee and Jones argue that leaders need to bridge the gap between professional leader to personal leader. The article argues that the nature of using only professional leadership will lead to a perception of a ? awlessne ss, a leader who is ? awless in work would not need help or want it, thus alienating him from a cooperative environment. The article suggests that leaders bridge the gap, by selectively revealing ? aws, ‘Sharing imperfection is so e? ective because it underscores a human being’s authenticity’- (Go? e, R. and Jones, G. 2000, page 65). Showing your follower that you are genuine and approachable – human and humane’ – (Go? ee, R. and Jones, G. 2000, page 66). These ideas of allowing your followers to see a chip in your armour shows that you are willing to take one for your team and are as just as human as they are, building trust between you and others. These ideas are echoed in our model; Organisational members must have con? dence in the expertise of their leaders , and must trust that the leaders are doing what is best for everyone. – (Mastrangelo. A. Eddy, e. and Lorenzet, S. 004, p441) The willingness to rely on another† has als o been found to be an important factor in establishing trust (rousseau et al, 1998). Trust in this perspective has as its basis reliability, which is enhanced consistency and predictability. (Cook & Campbell, 1979; Deming, 1982; Kerlinger, 1986) Personal leadership incorporates the sharing nature of humility and the ability for individuals to care for each other. Becoming a more genuine leader allow for greater interaction between leader and follower, creating a support team which allows them to keep you on track.Selectively admitting faults and limitations on knowledge and experiences would only enhance a leaders humility. As seen from; Researchers have have suggested that leaders should move beyond the hero myth or â€Å"great man† perspective on leadership(Murrell,1997), show their humanness by being open about their limitations in knowledge and experience(Weick,2001), and focus more on how followers in? uence the process of leadership(Uhl-Bien,2006). – (Owens, B. & Hekman, D. 2012, ‘Modeling how to grow: an inductive examination of humble leader behaviors, contingencies, and outcomes’ Academy of Management Journal, 2012, Vol. 5, No. 4, 787-818) Ideas from the ? ve main articles elaborate on the e? ectiveness of a leader though the incorporation of personal characteristics of the leader. Each article has its own way of developing the concept that professional leaders are e? ective only when they are perceived as good leaders in their own right. Trust, care, sharing and morals are valued highly by individuals who follow these leaders and are developed through personal leadership qualities. The foundation for leadership is the understanding of business practices (professional leadership) develop the foundations of personal leadership around it.Becoming a successful leader calls for a more developed and in depth practice in personal leadership. George et al, calls for the use of personal narrative to enrich the values and become a mo re authentic leader, authentic in a sense that the leader believes in what he/she is doing. Authenticity relies on the leader being passionate about what they do and in e? ect caring about it. Go? ee et al. & Owens et al argue that the admission of faults and limitations in ability when selectively done will bene? t a leader in that becoming more genuine.A leader who is able to admit faults shows that they are able to be empathetic and fosters a sharing informative environment. These ideas are all matched in our model by Mastrangelo et al. though three theorems: 1. Professional Leadership (providing direction, process and co-ordination will be positively related to willing cooperation 2. Personal leadership (ie. demonstrating expertise, trust, caring, sharing and morals) will be positively related to willing cooperation. 3. Personal Leadership will mediate the relationship between professional leadership and willing cooperation.Mastrangelo et al. expresses that these three concepts lead towards willing cooperation and are explored in depth when you layer the other 5 articles. Firstly as outlined, the professional leadership provides the direction, process and coordination, the basis of business practice, which is echoed by Drucker in ‘The Theory of Business’ and by Ofek & Wathieu in ‘Trends that could shake up your Business’. These articles concentrated on the professional leadership skills of being able to provide direction for the organisation, but also outline the importance that each individual understands as well.The articles give detail on how leaders must be able to make others understand and also be able to think outside the box, to have a way of forward thinking. Secondly, Personal leadership requires the demonstration values of the person. The foundation of professional practice where the expertise is expressed if followed by the understanding and comprehension of the follower, and their acceptance and trust leader’s expertise. The development of further values goes on to build this trust. As George et al. , Go? ee et al. and Owens et al. examines, the development in the character, the authenticity of a leader is the expression of their personal values and to show that they are also human. The idea to let go of the heroic leader perspective and adopt a more humble approach, to allow your followers to connect on an interpersonal level. The development of a fostering relationship that allows though the understanding of individuals, to care for each other to understand that each person has their own faults and short comings, developing a larger and more complex investment in their leader.Thirdly, the quality of the personal leadership will mediate the e? ectiveness of the professional. As individuals develop a more complete and authentic perspective of a leader the e? ectiveness of professional leadership will progress. As leaders become more aware of both their own and followers strengths and weak nesses their development into becoming a more e? ective continues to grow. When they reinvest what their followers have invested in them, they start to empower others to lead.They not only inspire those around them , they empower those individuals to step up and lead. – (George, B. Sims, P. McLean, A. and Mayer, D. 2007). The degree in which e? ectiveness is measured is by the depth and willingness of others to help and follow a leader, based on their personal leadership. These articles give a detailed view of the model, as its expresses both real world and theoretical concepts that both elaborate and embellish Mastrangelo et al. focus on the importance of personal and professional leadership.

Assessment of the Connection between Unlawful Acts and Genetic Make-Up

Assessment of the Connection between Unlawful Acts and Genetic Make-Up It is argued that violent criminal behaviors are the unfortunate results of genetic transmissions of mental and psychological problems from one generation to another. Research in neurochemistry and advanced technology has supported this notion by indicating that various violent behaviors and emotional disorders result from disruption of the normal activity of the brain. The disruption of the normal activities of the brain, results from altered gene and various environmental factors that lead to violent behaviors. Despite the claims that have often been made, humans do not have an instinct to kill nor a special aversion to it. Instead, as this paper maintains, the propensity to kill results from a subpersonal level due to genetics. Each one of us is a product of genetics, the predisposition of nongenetic constitutional proclivities and aversions, of motives and compromises determined by our interpersonal and somatic experiences. Research showing a family connection to criminality often attracts extensive media attention. The news coverage of research on a Dutch family found to have had a genetic mutation that seemed to predispose its males to aggressive behavior sounded like reports of pathological families in the early part of the century. Although journalists will consistently quantify, showing that family patterns do not settle the debate over root causes, they tend to promote the theories of scientists who believe that genetic predisposition is an underlying basis of violent behavior. Research guided by Charles Darwin’s (1809-1882) theory of evolution, hypothesized that aggression associated with violent behaviors, like most forms of aggressive behaviors, an innate characteristic of the human species. Darwin believed that at any particular point, the features of every life form, from the smallest microbe to the largest mammal which includes human beings are the result of changes brought about over several generations through a process of â€Å"natural selection (Wright, 2014)..† Natural selection happens because, in every species, there is a genetically influenced variability among people in terms of behavior and appearance. People whose inherited characteristics help them in adapting their environment through eluding predators, withstanding the elements, and finding food and water are the most likely to survive and mate successfully procreate and mate, thus passing on their genetic heritage to the next generation. The genes of those without adaptive characteristics are more likely to die out along with unfortunate individuals who carried them. While considering the evolutionary roots of crime, psychologists have maintained that people have inherited genetic propensities for aggression from early ancestors and that violent behaviors have helped human species in adapting and surviving during thousands of years of changing environmental demands. Others have maintained that the aggression is adaptive even today, still required in making sure that human species survive. Evolutionary theories note that all through the history of mankind, males have been more active compared to a female individual in terms of survival associated activities like hunting for food, finding and fighting for mates, and protecting close relatives and territory. So, it does not come as a surprise that compared to females, human males, are considered more aggressive and still retain the physical as well as hormonal features essential in displaying aggression. These aggression-related features have survived because they have been seen to work out. The book by Barabara Oakley â€Å"Evil Genes: Why Rome Fell, Hitler Rose, Enron Failed, and My Sister Stole My Mother’s Boyfriend† provides explanations on the impact of genetics in our neurobiology and the way in which genes have effects on peoples habits towards sociopathy and selfishness. The argument that the author brings forward proposes that some people may be inclined to take advantage of others or be â€Å"born bad† due to personality disorders that were present during birth. Even though the Y chromosome theory, was for the most part media hype, research on the genetic influence of chromosomes is promising. Since males only have a single x chromosome, in any case, that chromosome is a mutated gene, men tend to be stuck with dysfunctional copy, while women have a backup copy safeguarding against this problem. The MAOA gene, found in the x chromosome is said to result in aggressive behavior in cases of abnormal versions of the gene (Baum, 2013). The protein in the MAOA assists the body in metabolizing and taking control of the chemical messenger known as neurotransmitters. For the people who cannot make the MAOA protein, they are exposed to the suffrage of borderline intellectual disability, the lack of impulse control, violent behavior and aggression. Often, human beings can inherit some form of a gene that is less effective in producing the MAOA protein hand has been associated with violence. For instance, a recent study discovered that a variant of the MAOA gene that is less effective in producing proteins leads to increased possibility of violent behaviors, but this only happens when the person has undergone childhood abuse or maltreatment. And even though still in their childhood stages as a legal defense, genetic influences are currently being introduced as mitigating circumstances in cases involving murder, with different outcomes. An example is the case of a convicted murderer Abdelmalek Bayout, who stabbed and killed a man and had his sentence reduced in court because he had a low-activity MAOA gene (Farisco, Petrini, 2012). He had his sentence reduced from 12 to 9 years, even though he was still considered responsible for the behaviors he committed, the mitigating circumstance of having an aggressive gene was important during the sentencing. Therefore, genes have a connection with antisocial behavior and empathy, but these featuring characteristics relate to the environment. The DNA of some people may make them look for dangerously exciting environments, which results in the reinforcement of the genetic effects. Genes alone, however, do not determine behavior, but instead, it is a combination of genetics and life events and circumstances that might contribute to violent behavior. Genes are often used in explaining frequent and troubling contradictions of violent behaviors. Why do some people, despite extreme challenging childhood experiences, become productive, even celebrated members of society, while others who had every advantage and opportunity, turn out badly? Based on the literature review above, it can be concluded that genetic contributes to violent behaviors at an approximate rate of fifty percent. On the other hand, environmental factors also account for the other fifty percent of the unexplained cases involving violent behavior. Acts of murder, rape, serial killings and destruction caused on people; family violence, gangs wars; and even terrorist activities are examples of violence that arise from intergroup rivalry, from the need to have a higher status to striking fear in others. Currently, the age-old habit of human beings to divide into status-differentiated groups like victors and vanquished or interpersonal violence continue to lead others to believe that in an era of weapons of mass destruction, the same genetically influenced behaviors that have long ensured the survival of human species will eventually lead to its demise.

Multinational Financial Management Master Essay

Multinational Financial Management Master - Essay Example Teacher and staffs of the Department and the Faculty Dean are extremely helpful. Devoid of their assistance this study could not have reached its ultimate conclusion. All the optimistic attributes of this dissertation have driven from those mentioned above. The conclusions or any other errors, omissions and mistakes within this dissertation are attributable just to the author. By Financial Management we mean efficient use of economic resources namely capital funds. According to Phillippatus, "Financial management is concerned with the managerial decisions that result in the acquisition and financing of short term and long term credits for the firm". Here it deals with the situations that require selection of specific assets (or combination of assets), the selection of specific problem of size and growth of an enterprise. Here the analysis deals with the expected inflows and outflows of funds and their effect on managerial objectives and Multinational Financial management focuses on decision-making in an international context. So the discussion on Multinational Financial management is a very important issue for this present time. Competing in a global marketplace presents many challenges. ... CHAPTER-3 METHODOLOGY 24 3.1 Methodology 24 3.2 Research Design 25 3.3 Primary Research 26 3.4 Reliability & Validity of Interviews 26 3.5 Interviews 26 CHAPTER-4 RESULTS / FINDINGS 28 4.1 Why Multinational Financial management 28 4.2 Selecting Global Expansion Strategy 28 4.3 Capital Budgeting For Multinational Corporations 29 4.4 Payment Terms in International Trade 30 4.4 Sample and Data 30 CHAPTER-5 CONCLUSION 36 Bibliography 38 Websites 38 CHAPTER-1: PROBLEM STATEMENT 1.1 Introduction This dissertation describes the perceptions & opinions of Multinational Financial management factors affecting their drives & examination. 1.2 Background: By Financial Management we mean efficient use of economic resources namely capital funds. According to Phillippatus, "Financial management is concerned with the managerial decisions that result in the acquisition and financing of short term and long term credits for the firm". Here it deals with the situations that require selection of specific assets (or combination of assets), the selection of specific problem of size and growth of an enterprise. Here the analysis deals with the expected inflows and outflows of funds and their effect on managerial objectives and Multinational Financial management focuses on decision-making in an international context. So the discussion on Multinational Financial management is a very important issue for this present time. 1.2 Rationale of the Research: Competing in a global marketplace presents many challenges. While the most obvious factors may include determining demand, acquiring trainable local talent, setting up efficient distribution routes, and making strides in global marketing,

Hinduism and Buddhism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hinduism and Buddhism - Assignment Example Although it has well defined doctrines, in many ways Buddhism is identical to its mother religion Hinduism. However, there are numerous differing aspects that make both religions classical. Indian society during the Vedic period (Aryan Culture) consisted of four castes such as Brahmans (priests), Kshatriyas (kings), Vaishyas (farmers and business men), and Sudras (slaves). The noble castes Brahmins and Kshatriyas enjoyed all social privileges; and menial jobs were allotted to lower castes. Social and religious injustice prevailed over the community in the forms of ‘untouchability’ and discrimination. The Sudras in fact were the invaded Dravidians who were not at all considered as human beings. Brahmins were cherished as the noblest status of birth to attain God; and lower castes did not have access to spiritual secrets or Vedas. Buddha was born in the royal family of Shakya clan but relinquished all worldly possessions in search of the real cause of human suffering. Unlike others he showed great compassion to all human beings irrespective of their castes. His broad concept of human brotherhood gained wide appreciation among people of all classes and sects. Although Buddha wanted to renovate the social setup, he believed that it could be possible only through self reformation. According to Hinduism, human life is bound to unending cycle of death and rebirth. One needs to realize the individual soul that is ‘Atman’ as the initial step to attain the ultimate freedom. If Atman is the individual self, Brahma/God is the supreme universal self that is the true treasure of eternal happiness. Therefore the meaning of individual life is to attain the Brahma. This actualization or salvation is known as Moksha. However, one can not easily attain it because it is determined by the law of cause and effect that is Karma. To illustrate, the status of one’s birth is determined by the deeds/karma

Exercise 5.3 and 5.4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Exercise 5.3 and 5.4 - Assignment Example He said that many drivers had removed their winter snow tires and the dusting was enough to create conditions in which cars slid off the road.                   A call to the National Weather Service at Fargos Hector International airport also yielded that a narrow band of storm clouds rolled across central North Dakota, dumping just a tenth of an inch of snow. The NWS spokesperson Todd Drizzle said, â€Å"We got a bit more than we expected," adding that forecasters had expected "mere flurries." D. B. Dotty, 124 W. Breedlaw Road, who also witnessed the accident, testified that the ground froze fast the previous night to near zero. â€Å"The concrete was so cold this morning that instead of melting, the snow turned to ice. Nobody expected it. It got slick all of a sudden," She said. When I arrived there, motorists had fled the scene of the accident and backed up half a mile on both sides of the scene. Responding also to the accident were a water-tanker truck, a paramedics unit, a rescue squad, two fire engines, state and county troopers and a tow truck. The other car driver John Washburn, a 22-year-old undergraduate at North Dakota State University, was unhurt after driving his white Geo Metro into a mailbox on Poplar Avenue. Mr.Washbum regretted having pulled off his snow tires the previous week. â€Å"I guess Ill wait a few more weeks next year. Sure stinks to get stuck in the snow," he said. A police spokesperson observed that most of the 60 accidents occurred between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Melinda Frades, a 69-year-old woman has lost to fire a home and small barn at 384 Serramonte Ave. The estimated value of the property was $1.2 million. The fire began at about 4 p.m. at the bottom of a hill near the highway and spread up to the top, where it reached the single-story ranch-style house. According to Woodside Fire Capt. Jan Spiegel, it looked like it might have been something somebody threw from a car, although this is yet to be

The helping process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The helping process - Essay Example Assessment is the basic step in the development of a helping process. It involves a comprehensive evaluation of the situation to identify the problem and give insights of the possible remedy (Poulin, 2010. Moreover, the professionals get the overview of the skills and capability of the people in need of help. Therefore, I can be observed that assessment stage lays the foundation for the helping process development. However, some ethical considerations must be followed when conducting the assessment process. For instance, the people involved in the assessment exercise should be informed fully about the practice to eliminate ignorance. In addition, the rights of individuals, as provided for in the constitution, must be followed appropriately.PlanningThis phase focuses on putting the necessary structures and strategies in place to facilitate a smooth process of helping those in need. In essence, the planning stage facilitates the collection of the required resources to enhance a success ful process. During the planning stage, the people to be helped are prepared for the projected activities to improve their efficiency. Barsky (2010) states that the planning stage must follow certain ethical principles to ensure that social and constitutional rights of individuals are not infringed. For instance, the professionals organizing the helping process should ensure that the budgeted expenses are with the reach of institutions responsible for implementing the new developments.

Grass Growth in the Presence of Salt Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Grass Growth in the Presence of Salt - Lab Report Example Investigation of relevant literature reveals that grasses exposed to high levels of salt can suffer root damage, disease, and are less resistant to drought (Swift & Koski, 2007). Furthermore, studies have shown that as the salinity levels increased, root, shoot, stem, height, growth, and visual quality decreased in the grasses (Alvarez, 2006). It has also been noted that certain species of grasses are more resistant to salinity than other types of grass and can even flourish in salty waters (Vasques, 2006). The scientific method will be used to answer the question: Is grass growth inhibited by the presence of salt? Hypothesis: The saline levels present will have a direct effect on the growth rate of the grasses tested in that more salt will decrease the growth rates and less salt will allow the grasses to grow and flourish. Prediction: If the salt levels are increased then the growth of grass will decrease and vice versa. Controlled Experimental Method: To test the hypothesis, a cont rolled experiment will be conducted in the following manner: Two types of grasses are selected and cultivated under normal conditions in small pots for approximately three weeks to establish hearty seedlings. Each type of grass-Eragrostis Love grass and Miscanthus Adagio- are cultivated in four pots each. One pot of each type of grass will be used as a control and will not receive any salt. One pot of each type of grass will be watered in a solution that is 0.25% saline, 0.50% saline, and 0.75% saline. The plants will be grown for a total of 4 weeks (28 days) under test conditions and each plant of the eight plants will be watered every other day with the respective solutions. The soil will be tested weekly to determine the salinity levels of each plant and observations will be made daily to determine the quality of the plant. Measurements of the growth of each plant will be taken on a weekly basis and the data will be compiled and analyzed at the end of the 30 day experiment. The e ntire experiment and all variables will be redundant in case any of the plants experience unexpected complications or there should be the accidental introduction of an unforeseen variable. Results: The salinity levels and growth rates for the grasses are indicated (see Figure 1) as recorded each week. The predicted outcome was achieved and the hypothesis was proven correct. The saline levels had a direct effect on the growth rates of the grasses although the love grass proved to be a heartier species of grass and was less affected by the amounts of salt present. Figure 1- Growth Rates and Salinity Levels for sample Grasses WEEK 0 WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 Growth Salinity Growth Salinity Growth Salinity Growth Salinity Growth Salinity Control Love grass 8† 0 mmhos/cm 12† 0 mmhos/cm 13† 0 mmhos/cm 19† 0 mmhos/cm 22† 0 mmhos/cm Control Adagio 5† 0 mmhos/cm 8† 0 mmhos/cm 12† 0 mmhos/cm 15† 0 mmhos/cm 18† 0 mmhos/cm Love grass 0.25% 8† 0 mmhos/cm 11† 3 mmhos/cm 13.5† 5 mmhos/cm 17† 8 mmhos/cm 20† 10 mmhos/cm Adagio 0.25% 5† 0 mmhos/cm 8† 3 mmhos/cm 11† 5 mmhos/cm 13† 8 mmhos/cm 15† 10 mmhos/cm Love grass 0.50% 8† 0 mmhos/cm 9† 6 mmhos/cm 10† 10 mmhos/cm 11† 15 mmhos/cm 12† 18 mmhos/cm Adagio 0.50% 5† 0 mmhos/cm 7† 6 mmhos/cm 9† 10 mmhos/cm 11† 15 mmhos/cm 13† 18 mmhos/cm Love grass 0.75% 8† 0 mmhos/cm 8.75† 10 mmhos/cm 9† 16 mmhos/cm 10† 20 mmhos/cm 10.75† 24 mmhos/cm Adagio 0.75% 5† 0 mmhos/cm 6† 10 mmhos/cm 6.75† 16 mmhos/cm 7.5† 20 mmhos/cm 8.75† 24 mmhos/cm Conclusion: The results of this experimented has proven that the hypothesis can definitively be accepted. In addition, the supplementary information

The woman warrior by maxine hong kingston Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The woman warrior by maxine hong kingston - Essay Example This story is evocative of Chinese patriarchy and a society where a woman in a socially undesirable position finds everything being stripped away from her, including her identity, so that when Kingston’s mother tells her the story, she informs her daughter that â€Å"We say that your father has all brothers because it is as if she had never been born† (Kingston 1). Such is the harsh fate that meets women and her mother uses this story as a basis to caution her daughter against sexual indiscretion, for it is not the man who must suffer the consequences, but the woman. There is no attempt made by anyone in her family to even consider that the aunt could have been a victim of rape or a passionate sexual individualist as Kingston imagines - instead, the villagers attack her family home and humiliate her to the point where her life becomes unbearable and she finally kills herself. The section of the book titled â€Å"White Tigers† is one of the best stories indicating the dichotomy in the treatment accorded to women as opposed to men. Kingston narrates the old Chinese saying which states that â€Å"when fishing for treasures in the flood, be careful not to pull in girls’, because that is what one says about daughters, even when one is in America (Kingston 52). Her own family is no different, because they mouth the same words and prepare the same ink drawings of unwanted little girl babies being pushed down the river with long flood hooks. She remarks with irony that she has read in an anthropology book that the Chinese say â€Å"Girls are necessary too† (Kingston 52-53), but in her own experience, she has not found it to be so. The story of White Tigers is Kingston’s re-telling of the traditional story of the Chinese warrior, Fa Mu Lan, a woman who dons the guise of a man, creating a character who is not limited by the boundaries of her gender. She is a brave swordswoman, and Kingston’s writing brings her fighting skills to life in stunning visuals

Music Therapy and Intellectual Development Essay

Music Therapy and Intellectual Development - Essay Example According to the Canadian Association For Music Therapy (1994), music therapy is the use of music and musical instruments to encourage, uphold and restore mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Key object of this text is to demonstrate effectiveness of music therapy in encouraging cognitive, perceptual, social, learning, and emotional development among children in order to facilitate intellectual development. Appeals to Ethos It is important to start by noting that music therapy is an established health profession which utilizes clinical and evidenced based music intervention to accomplish personalised objectives within a therapeutic intervention. Music therapy can be taken from any place considering that there is no distinctive environment for the therapeutic environment (Green, 1994). It is advisable that before highlighting the needed treatment the qualified music therapist must first assess the strengths and needs of the client in question. Key among the treatment pro vided by the music therapists include but not limited listening to music, creating, singing, and/or moving to music. It is noteworthy that music therapy has no age restriction (Teppo, 2010). ... Additionally music plays a significant role in promoting a positive state of mind which is important in suppressing psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Above all music is important for improving learning abilities especially among children with speech, concentration, social and cognitive challenges. By allowing young children to engage in music therapy which in most cases will involve re-creating and listening to music these children may end up improving the intellectual prowess in varied ways particularly those relating to speech, language and cognitive development. Appeals to Pathos It is unfortunate that several students at tender age get to school with various cognitive language, emotional and language problems. Such challenges have always curtailed effective performance of such students in class exercises and general academic exams. Such students with learning disabilities always lag behind their peers with effective intellectual disabilities. Effect ive integration of music in the school curriculum at early childhood will undoubtedly promote a learning environment that motivate all the children irrespective of their deficiencies wants to engage in learning process. These children who require extra assistance in areas of socialization, motor development, speech and language, self expression, and cognition must be given an opportunity to engage in early childhood music therapy (Barbara & Ray, 2000). This exercise will enable such disabled children to improved their intellectual development and hence compete effectively. Appeals to Logos It is common knowledge that a child may not develop intellectually if he/she is experiencing cognitive,

The Role of Art in Poetry Essay Example for Free

The Role of Art in Poetry Essay These different ways of addressing this theme are partly because of their different styles of poetry. Keats is a Romantic poet, while Auden is more of the modern style. In these two poems we can see the marked differences between these two writing styles. We can also see the similarities in the message that these authors are trying to get across. This common message is one of the permanence of art in an ever changing world. First let’s take a minute to examine the two different styles of literature that these men used in the pieces. These poems were written in two distinct methods, â€Å"Ode on a Grecian Urn† was written in the Romantic style, and â€Å"Musee des Beaux Arts† was written in the modern style. These two ways of writing are very different both in style, themes, and methods. While the earlier style of romanticism was more about a reflection of man in nature and the world around him, the modern style is more of a true telling of what is happening in the poets mind. The modern style may not be as flowery, or flattering as romanticism, but it is the truth as the poet sees it. Some authors have been both Romantic and Modern poets but most of the poets that we have studied in this class are from one style or the other. Romantic poetry is a style that was marked by a fascination with the power of the interior of humans and the grand nature of human faculties. (Sanger, 2013) I think one of the best definitions of this poetic era comes from romantic poet William Wordsworth who said â€Å"All poetry is spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings reflected upon in leisure† (Sanger, 2013) . Before the Romantic period, poetry’s purpose was to imitate nature or to create a Mimesis. Greenblatt, 2006) The purpose of the written word was to record tradition, and there were rules of format that had to be followed. In the Romantic period however, it was the author who created nature and poetry was more spontaneous. There were no rules anymore. Poets were now lead by the heart and not the head. (Sanger, 2013) The Romantic period’s key idea was that the world is created by us when we experience it. This was an idea introduced by the philosopher Emmanuel Cant. Romantic poet Percy Shelly echoed this thought when he said â€Å"all things exist as they are perceived. (Sanger, 2013) Another great idea of this period was that if two ideas contradicted each other that it didn’t necessarily mean that they both weren’t true. That was the great thing about this age. It was all about the experience put down on paper, which is very similar to Modern poetry in that way. It was the way that they went about it that made these two styles so very different. The Modern period of literature was marked by a more fluid style. The poems in this period were filled by a stream of consciousness and were more experimental in nature. The rules of rhyme and meter that were more popular in the Romanic period and were required in the eras before that were thrown out of the window for the most part. Modern poets were not as concerned with nature as the Romantic poets who went before them. The modernists were more focused on individual experience, and were very interested in experimentation with language and forms of literature. As modern poet W. H. Auden himself said, â€Å"Poetry is not magic, but a form of truth telling that should disenchant and disintoxicate. (Greenblatt, 2006) This is similar to the idea of defamiliarization which we learned about in Critical Writing and Literature Analysis. In Modern poetry there are even fewer rules than there were in Romanticism. The authors had free range to make up words, leave out punctuation and capitalization, and reinvent ancient mythologies. This was a whole new literary world. (Sanger, 2013) â€Å"Ode on a Grecian Urn† was written by John Keats in 1820 and it was written in the Romantic style of poetry. This poem was part of the famous series of Odes that was written by Keats at the culmination of his poetic abilities. (Greenblatt, 2006) In this piece we see an ancient urn of unknown origin that is clearly admired by our author. Who are the figures on the Urn? Are they men or Gods? We will never know, but the answer to these questions is not very important. What they have to say and what we can learn from them is what is important. We learn the value of poetry and art from this poem. In this poem Keats starts out speaking to the urn itself. He calls it â€Å"Thou still unravishd bride of quietness! Thou foster-child of silence and slow time† (Greenblatt, 2006) Here he is speaking directly to the Urn and tells us that the Urn and its figures do not speak for themselves, that he does that for them with this poem. Its â€Å"father† who was the artist started this conversation, and now Keats is picking up where the unknown sculptor has left off. Keats goes on to say. â€Å"Sylvan historian, who canst thus express a flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme† (Greenblatt, 2006) . In this he is saying that the sculptor has done much better than the poet ever can. This is classic self deprecation that we have seen in other poems by our author. Keats is well known for these tactics. As Keats continues this poem he goes on to ask us several questions about the sacrifice that is depicted on the urn. We are never given the answers to these questions because the urn cannot speak for itself. It cannot answer the questions that are put to it. The sculptor of this urn is long dead, along with anyone else that was around when it was made or when those depicted were in existence. The urn is left to stand alone through time in silent testament to history and art. In this stanza he is telling us of the permanence of art. Once the piece of art is completed it is unable to change, the world changes around it, but the figures on the urn are forever young. As he starts the second stanza Keats leads with a statement in which he tells us that sometimes the mental experience of something is better than the actual experience. â€Å"Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter† (Greenblatt, 2006) However, he also tells us that being depicted on an urn may not be all good. â€Å"Fair youth beneath the trees, thou canst not leave† (Greenblatt, 2006) . These figures have not only been immortalized, they have also been trapped. We can see that this in a way is both a blessing and a curse. The youth will never get to kiss the one he loves but he can also never disappoint her. But Keats tells the youth â€Å"do not grieve; she cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, for ever wilt thou love, and she be fair† (Greenblatt, 2006) The Urn works both ways, the woman he loves cannot disappoint him either by aging or changing in any way. He also uses this stanza to drive home the idea of the permanence of art by repeating the word â€Å"Forever† throughout this part of the poem. Keats then goes on to addresses the objects he sees on the Urn. In doing this he is telling us what he admires in life and nature as reflected in this artifact. These are things that Keats wishes he could hold onto forever instead of being sickly. He wants us to notice these things that he is pointing out because they are what keep art and poetry alive. They are representations of the best of life. Here we also find Keats’ use of nature in this poem which marks him as a romantic poet. â€Å"Ah, happy, happy boughs! That cannot shed your leaves, nor ever bid the spring adieu† (Greenblatt, 2006). These trees are also unchanging, they can’t shed their leaves or change seasons. Keats is the same in a way because he will always be young. He will never be able to grow and mature, much like the tree on the urn. Keat s then goes on to talk more about the mysterious sacrifice he sees depicted on the urn and which he mentioned in the first stanza. He wonders about the possible lives of these people and where they are going. Again we are given no answers by the urn because it cannot speak. This is a repeat of the ideas we saw in the first stanza. It keeps the mystery of the urn alive. Who are these individuals? We don’t need to know. We can only guess at their intentions. It is also his own way of saying that art has a life of its own. The people depicted could be nice everyday people, or they could be mass murderers. There is no way to know, that is a beautiful thing about art that it is very subjective. In the final stanza of this Ode we are reminded again that this Urn is a piece of art that has stood the test of time. The Urn has been around hundreds of years and will continue to last as long as someone cares for it. Even if the Urn itself is destroyed we will always have this poem to remember it by. Throughout this poem we see the same theme over and over, things that do not, and cannot change. This we can see from this piece is both a blessing and a curse. While the figures depicted are visually always the same, they will never get to experience the wisdom and fulfillment that comes with a full life. I come finally to the most quoted line of this poem â€Å"Beauty is truth, truth beauty† (Greenblatt, 2006) . This line is the epitome of the transcendental ideals which are another cornerstone of the Romantic ideals. This idea shows that there are three sides to the same thing. Truth is reality, goodness is in accord with truth, and beauty reveals something’s goodness. Sanger, 2013) We can see when we look at this statement in the correct light and using this theory that a thing is beautiful if it reveals its truth. (Sanger, 2013) I believe that this poet has accomplished the goal that he has set for himself with this final line. This poem reveals the truth of art and poetry and how one can reflect on the other. The Urn is in a way a poem itself. What Keats says about the urn is also true about the poem. He is creating his own Urn when he writes this poem. We can see the dying poet wishing that he himself was more like the urn he speaks of. Keats wishes that he was the â€Å"fair youth† that the Urn depicts. It is interesting to note that often in ancient times urns were used for funerary rites and would even sometimes contain the remains of people. This urn that Keats has created contains him in a way as it has helped keep his memory alive for hundreds of years after his death. This poem is Keats’ own stab at the immortality that the urn has attained for its sculptor, even if we don’t know who that sculptor was. He is writing a poem that he hopes will outlive us all like the urn has. Keats uses art to depict a theme of hopeful hopelessness. He knows he will not live and is doing his best to leave his mark upon the world much like the maker of the urn has. Clearly this Urn has stood the test of time since presumably it has been around for centuries at this time. This is what Keats is attempting to do with all of his poetry and I believe he was successful or we would not be discussing him in this class. The second poem for this assignment, â€Å"Musee des Beaux Arts† was written by W. H. Auden in 1938. The style of this poet in our book is described as â€Å"flat, ironic, and conversational† (Greenblatt, 2006) and I think that is a good description of this poem in general. It is almost like we are eavesdropping on a conversation about a recent visit to an art museum. In this conversation we see though that there is a value to the art that he is describing to us. In the first stanza of this poem we are introduced to the artist of the painting without actually knowing who he is or what painting we are talking about. What we do know is that he was one of the â€Å"Old Masters† and that in Auden’s opinion they had the right way of looking at things. They could see the truth of human existence and that the great and the terrible can happen alongside each other. They saw things as they should be seen. They noticed things that most people don’t, as we see when we go further into the piece. Auden goes on to depict a birth that he describes as miraculous. As we discussed in class this can be seen as the birth of Christ (Sanger, 2013) However since I have no religious knowledge, when I read this piece I saw it as birth in general. All births are in their way miraculous. There are also often children waiting alongside the aged for their younger siblings to be born. While the old people love to see babies born the children often wonder if the baby will take their place. In this vignette we can see that there are two sides to every story. Next Auden reminds us again that the masters have not forgotten the truths that our author is talking about. One of these being, â€Å"That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course† (Greenblatt, 2006). With this he is reminding us that although bad times can come and we often feel abandoned that it too will pass. He is saying that no matter what is happening in the world the dogs and horses of the world go on doing their thing and that the world continues turning. Finally in the last stanza Auden tells us the name of the painting that he admires so much. The painting that he calls â€Å"Brueghel’s Icarus†, is in fact the painting â€Å"The Fall of Icarus† by Pieter Brueghel. According to the notes in our textbook â€Å"Auden also alludes to other paintings by Brueghel: the nativity scene in ‘The Numbering at Bethlehem’, skaters in ‘Winter Landscape with Skaters and a Bird Trap’, a horse scratching it behind in ‘The Massacre of the Innocents’† (Greenblatt, 2006) We can see from this that Auden seems to have a full knowledge of this artist’s works. In Brueghel’s Icarus we have a very interesting scene. The mythological figure Icarus struggles against death after his famously disastrous flight and crash. While this is happening the people around him just go on with their days. Many of the people who are present n this painting seem to know what has happened and simply go about their business anyway. We are clued in to this fact when he describes Icarus’ calls for help with the evocative imagery of â€Å"the forsaken cry† (Greenblatt, 2006). This phrase brings to mind a cry that is heard but ignored. The ploughman hears this but goes on with his work. The crops wait for no one. We continue to see in this poem that despite this horrible thing happening to Icarus the world goes on around him. The sun still shines even on the drowning boy’s legs. The ship that encounters him has better places to be so they simply sail past the drowning teenager. â€Å"The expensive delicate ship that must have seen something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky, had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on. † (Greenblatt, 2006) Auden clearly tells us here that the ship had to have seen the boy but the crew still went about their business as if nothing had happened. An interesting thing to note in this piece is that throughout this poem Icarus is addressed as a boy. I believe that the author does this to tell us that even mythical people are just that, people. The mythical, the amazing, and the horrible all exist alongside each other. This whole poem is about this theme. The great things that we hear about are also things that just happen to people. Most of the time, the world around these people does not, or chooses not to notice the great and terrible everyday events. These things that happen are ignored and moved past on a daily basis. Even the people who they happen to are expected by the world to move on and get over it. There is no way to know if Auden meant this poem as a criticism of society, or a wakeup call to those who read it, but in a way we can see how it would be one or both of these. The world is asleep; we see the suffering in the world all around us and generally we do nothing to stop it. He is saying that bad things happen next to good things, and that the world is an amazing place. We often don’t notice that fact unless it is pointed out to us as it has been pointed out to us by Auden with this poem. We can see when we look at these poems side by side that while they are very different they are attempting to do the same thing. Both of these authors are using poems about art to show us great truths about the world and how we see it. They are both trying to tell us that art has great value. Paintings and Urns are in their own ways a kind of time capsules that we can use to look back on the past and these poems have that power as well. They are time capsules because each of them is a great example of their respective genres of poetry. â€Å"Ode on a Grecian Urn† is a great example of Romantic poetry because in it Keats uses nature imagery and tells us of the great human faculties that exist in all of us if we just look around us. At the same time â€Å"Musee des Beaux Arts† is a great example of Modern poetry with its lack of rhyme scheme or pattern. Auden’s style is much more casual but still gets the point across. The point of this poem is that art is there to be a representation of the world, that we should take the time to look at it, and the world around it. Art and poetry are both about how they affect you as a person, how they shape your world. These poems both do a great job of awakening the power of art in all of us. If we take another look at both of these poems we can see that while they are very different that they do share some similarities. They both share the same theme of art and artists, and the permanence of art in a changing world. In â€Å"Ode on a Grecian Urn† Keats writes â€Å"When old age shall this generation waste, thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe† (Greenblatt, 2006). This passage reads almost like a line from â€Å"Musee des Beaux Arts†. In this line we can see the great parallel in these poems. Keats is saying here exactly what Auden has, that the world does not stop for great events. The Urn will sit â€Å"in the midst of woe† (Greenblatt, 2006) much like the world that we see in â€Å"Musee des Beaux Arts† moving around both great and horrible events happening. People go on with their lives despite these things. The great masters in Auden’s piece along with the Sylvan historian in Keats’ understood this fact. This is why art is created, to remind us of the world that was. It may not be a true representation of the world, because it is the artist’s version of the world. Bibliography Greenblatt, S. (2006). The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York: W. W. Norton ;amp; Company, Inc. Sanger, K. (2013). Class Notes. (D. M. Phelps, Performer) Flint, MI, USA.

How Students and Teachers Can Avoid and Prevent Plagiarism Essay Example for Free

How Students and Teachers Can Avoid and Prevent Plagiarism Essay Plagiarism has been any and every writer’s concern, both in the scholarly and non scholarly sense. It is the dreaded term which implies various complications from those who choose to plagiarize, those plagiarized by accident, and those authors who are mere victims of such unfair treatment. From the students’ standpoint, great and keen consideration must be done in the process of how they choose to construct their ideas and write about a required topic. With the lenient accessibility of information within a click’s reach, plagiarism even gets more tempting. The Michigan Library Association (MLA) Forum (2008) adds â€Å"With the Internet offering students such a wealth of information at their fingertips, it is no surprise that one of the main reasons that they commit acts of plagiarism is simply due to how easy and convenient it has become† (n. p. ). Hence, students must understand the definitions and details of what plagiarism is and what to do and what not to do as a plagiaristic situation arises. Students always use plagiarism checker free. Students must maintain their academic responsibility as they fulfill the scholastic obligations. Students should be responsible in understanding and realizing other tools available to them as they fulfill certain literary requirements. The use of methods like proper paraphrasing, formal, and correct citing of references, being consistent to the requirements of a specific referencing style— plagiarism may be avoided given that all must be understood and well executed by the student. From the teachers’ standpoint, there are a series of issues which must be explained to the student. The clear discussion of what plagiarism is and the consequences it brings must be well and thoroughly comprehended by the students. Teachers should emphasis the valuable use and importance of the use of bibliography. As the Plagiarism. org (2008) writes: â€Å"Emphasize that the annotation has to be in their own voice and words, and should specifically discuss the relevance of the source to their research† (n. . ). Teachers should make themselves clear and specific in what they demand of their students. They should help exercise further the skills of their students such as by assigning the students to make a presentation which would enhance their research and idea conceptualization. It is also of beneficial importance for teachers to be creative in building their students’ skills in writing formal academic works.

Misuse of the Internet in Academic Institutions

Misuse of the Internet in Academic Institutions Internet, the World Wide Web and computers have become a widely accepted aid in education and their influence in nearly all spheres of human existence is constantly increasing. The internet provides access to a very wide range of material that can be readily accessed with a few clicks. Although the easy search capability inherent in the inherent is very beneficial for researchers, there is also a tendency which has been widely reported amongst the young students to indulge in academic dishonesty by copying and pasting material into their assignments without adequately understanding the content or acknowledging its original source. Such practices which have been amongst the most widely reported abuses of the internet and which have been known as plagiarism have caused many educators to express their concern. However, plagiarism is not the only misuse of computers, the internet and the World Wide Web which has been noticed at academic institutions. The misuse of computers, the internet and the World Wide Web is subject to constant evolution as inexperienced users as well as the evil genius continue to spring new surprises. Cyber law is also constantly being changed to take into account new practices which may be construed as being a misuse of the internet. Many practices in which internet users may indulge and which may be construed to be a misuse if the internet can render individuals subject to criminal liability. It is, therefore, important to ensure that all internet users are adequately educated and informed about the misuse of computers, the internet and the World Wide Web. This essay takes a look at the misuse of the internet in academic institutions and what can be done to reduce the incidence of such misuse. The use of the internet and the World Wide Web has seen a massive increase throughout the world because it is possible to readily disseminate information, search for specific information or content and rapidly communicate over vast distances for a relatively small cost using the new mediums (Case, 2002, Pp. 1) and (Solarz, 2002, Pp, 29 39). Internet and the World Wide Web have also seen a growing use in education, especially for distance learning and in presenting online courses. Most academic institutions use the internet or the World Wide Web to varying degrees for their academic activities (Gearhart, 2000, Pp. 1 10). However, like any other tool, the internet and the World Wide Web are also subject to misuse, especially by the relatively inexperienced users, who are mostly students at academic institutions. The most widely discussed misuse of the internet and the World Wide Web which has been presented in literature is plagiarism or copyright infringement. This refers to students copying and pasting material for their term papers or assignments from sources on the World Wide Web, without adequately acknowledging the sources used and hence claiming the work to be their own (Anderson, 2000, Pp. 1 10), (Clough, 2000, Pp. 1 15), (Weiner, 1998, Pp. 1) and (Davidson, 2004, Pp. 1). Although students and other academic users of the internet are allowed to search for knowledge on the internet, understand the material, extract ideas and then discus this knowledge in their work after acknowledging the source of such ideas, mere copying and pasting without any understanding does not aid learning, resulting only in a rapid write-up which can then be submitted for the award of marks or credits. Term papers, essays, dissertations and projects are readily available on the internet for downloading and may also be written by other writers for a fee. However, there is a fine line dividing good and evil with regard to such materials which are widely available on the World Wide Web. A student or researcher may use such material to gain insights into an academic question or to gain an understanding of what is available in the literature, as well as for understanding how others who may be more experienced may have tackled an academic matter. Such an approach may assist in learning and can be considered to be similar to seeking the assistance of a tutor for helping with individual learning. It is normally expected that a student or a researcher will use the available material on the internet and attempt to improve on it by adding their own insights. Such a process can aid in real learning. After all, no one is born with all the knowledge and the knowledge which a student acquires has to come from somewhere. Sources of knowledge and information include text books, teachers notes, tutorials or many other sources such as audio visual material, with additions to the existing knowledge base that is available to humanity being relatively rare and infrequent. However, downloading pre written material from the internet or having it written by another author and submitting such material as ones own is academic dishonesty which does not greatly assist learning. Even a tutor who teaches a pupil in a face to- face encounter can complete an assignment for their pupil, who can then hand this in as the pupils own work, but no real tutor will do such a thing and most will try to make the issues or the subject clearer to a student, which is what teaching is all about. Teaching involves making issues, which may be complex for a student, clearer and easier to comprehend as well as presenting new ideas and material which may be most relevant for a stage of cognitive development and building on foundations of knowledge or learning. The material available on the World Wide Web assists in this process of learning because it is very readily searchable and quickly accessible (Gearhart, 2000, Pp. 1 20). Even though plagiarism or academic cheating has been so widely discussed, this is by no means the only misuse of the internet which is to be found in academic institutions or at work in business (Langelier, 1997, Pp. 34 39) and (Charlesworth, 1996, Pp. 6 41). This essay attempts to take a look at the misuse of the internet and the World Wide Web in academic institutions and what can be possibly done in order to minimise such abuse. Although several technology and sanctions based approaches are available to deter internet misuse, the most appropriate first approach to reduce the proliferation of such misuse is by educating internet users and students at academic institutions. Educators and administrators of academic institutions have a certain responsibility to educate new users and students about what is considered to be good internet etiquette, what is unacceptable, how certain actions may result in an internet user violating the law and what can the law do to those who may be found guilty of certain offences. Whereas software for scanning works submitted against millions of web pages or copying in a class are available, those who are required to submit assignments should also know how to present proper citations in their work. Students should also be made aware of the fact that the basis of all knowledge is truth and that human progress could not have been possible without honesty and truth in all observation s, academic writings as well as in the reporting of experimental results. It is also likely to be helpful if students are made aware of the reason why they may have been asked to submit an assignment, what they are likely to gain as a result of honestly making an effort to complete an assignment and how they may seek assistance of tutors or material available on the World Wide Web to complete their assignments or research. They should also know that unless they make an honest and sincere effort to learn through their hard work, investigation as well as curiosity, no tutor or material on the World Wide Web is likely to be of any real assistance. Those who do seek assistance from sources outside of their own efforts are expected to make sincere efforts to improve upon what they are able to receive and although all knowledge has to be sought from somewhere e.g. from text books, encyclopaedias, knowledgeable persons, literary journals, or the World Wide Web, only honest as well as sincere personal efforts, questioning, pondering or thinking are likely to produce a again in personal knowledge, improve the intellect as well as add to wisdom. Educators should try to discuss an academic institutions plagiarism and cheating policies with those who are associated with the institution and impress upon others how the philosophical concept of truth and its definition which had been shaped in the times of the early philosophers such as Socrates and Plato assisted humanity to progress (Weiner, 1998, Detecting and Discouraging Internet Academic Misconduct) and (Hricko, 1998, Pp. 1).

Oedipus And Blindness Imagery Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the story of Oedipus the king, Sophocles beautifully demonstrates the imagery of sight versus blindness through the use of tragedy and ignorance. Oedipus is ignorant to his own incest, therefore causing the first instance of his blindness. The second instance of Oedipus’ blindness is the ignorance of his true parent’s identity. The third instance of Oedipus’ blindness is a literal one, in which he physically blinds himself after finding the body of his mother, or wife. Sophocles utilizes his skill of creating a tragic character by showing Oedipus as blind on multiple levels, all the while being unaware of his blindness until the end.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oedipus’ first encounter with blindness is in the incestuous relationship he has with his mother. Although Oedipus does not realize the nature of his relationship he nor his mother take into account the prophecies they have both heard. The gods may not choose to show pity on Oedipus because he deliberately tries to usurp their power by leaving who he believes to be his mother and father. Oedipus is blind to the fact that his mother, his wife, the mother of his children is the fulfillment of the prophecy he hears long ago.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second instance of Oedipus’ blindness is his misinterpretation of who his true parents are. His hubris bars him from acknowledging the fact that he could not avoid the prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mother. Oedip...

Future Of Television Essay -- essays research papers

The Future of Television Hello, and welcome to the wonderful world of time travel. Technology is a growing part of our society today, and it is going to be very important part of our future. I am going to show you what technology is doing for television from now, into the next century. Sit back, relax, and buckle up as we embark on our journey through time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To start off, HDTV(high definition television) is what we have to look forward to in the next three to five years. Now, you are probably asking yourself what is HDTV? HDTV is an all-digital TV broadcast signal that delivers high-resolution, wide-screen picture, and six channels of digital sound. Though computer experts and scientists are working on a more advanced 3D and polygraphic television, it is too far away to tell when it will be done, and how much it can do. As of now, twenty-six stations have filed their intentions to begin digital broadcasts. Digital television sets are on sale now, though the price is between five to ten thousand dollars. There is a converter box on sale as well that you hook up to your TV, and it changes the regular signal to digital to your TV screen you have at home now. That is approximately three to six thousand dollars. You are probably saying to yourself at this point, â€Å"Other than being more expensive, what am I getting out of a HDTV that I am not getting from the TV at home? To start with, as of now, we use 525 lines of resolution,(makes up the screen, with colors) where HDTV has anywhere from 720 to 1080 (Sobel 73). Next, is the difference between the picture screens. The HDTV has a width to height ratio of 16:9. The average TV now is 4:3. Other than getting a bigger screen with a great picture, you are getting digital sound. HDTV broadcasts will be encoded with Dolby Digital (AC-3) audio, featuring 6 separate audio tracks. Each track can be sent to a different speaker allowing detailing and realistic sound (Sobel 74).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now, as the tour rolls on, we take a look to see what is in store for us in the near future. By November of 1999, the FCC is requiring that the top 30 markets (cities) join the digital broadcasts. By that time, the average price will drop dramatically(Zwirn interview). On average, the first HDTVs made will be between twenty-four to sixty-four inches. The fact is, the more markets that join di... ...l have the feel of reality. This is called hyper-reality (Zwirn interview).You can watch a whole three hundred and sixty degree shot of any program. This means you can watch a football game from any part of the field. Change the channel to channel 3 and you can watch David Letterman from the audience point of view, or Dave’s point of view. â€Å"Hyper-reality is going to be the most amazing, and breathtaking thing that you will ever see in your life†(Kirkus Barnes and Nobel). Just like HDTV, hyper reality will start off extremely expensive, though just be patient, and in no time you will have one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I know after that wonderful trip into the future, it is tough to come back to the somewhat boring present. Think about the next time you are watching TV, what it will look like digitally, or in hyper-reality. The way TV is going, it is going to change the way we think, live and learn. It is amazing how far we have come from the first TV, when critics said it turned you into a zombie. Well if TV back then turned you into a zombie, just think about the TV of tomorrow will do to you. The future is waiting at our doorstep, and it is our turn to let it into our lives.

Money Laundering Essay -- Business Ethics

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, money laundering is the process by which one conceals the existence, illegal source, or illegal application of income and then disguises that income to make it appear legitimate. Money laundering involves a three step process which includes placement, layering and integration (Albrecht et al, 2009). Placement is the first step and it includes the launderer opening up an account at a bank or some other type of financial business to make deposits with the illegal money. The placement step is often looked at as the most risk taking step because the launderer does not know the reaction of the bank and how they are going to accept a large cash deposit. If the deposit is too large the bank can recognize it and this could be considered a red flag for the bank. The purpose of this step is to avoid the authorities and to remove the money as far away from the source as possible. The second step is called layering. This is where the launderer hides the money by opening up other accounts at other banks and makes transactions between these different accounts sometimes even in different countries. This makes it very hard to track the exact location of the money. The last step is the integration step. The money is finally used out into society and seems to be legal, legit money but it really came from an illegal crime. Theses launderers use the money to buy houses, cars and anything else that is expensive. Now these launderers have lots of money that they have obtained illegally (Albrecht et al, 2009). Money laundering is extremely important because it is not just a crime that was created overnight. This scheme took time and intelligence to be thought out. We are not dealing with dumb pe... ...money laundering? Crime school: money laundering: true crime meets the world of business and finance (pp.21-22). Buffalo, N.Y: Firefly Books. Perez, E., & Mollenkamp, C. (2010, March 18). Wachovia settles money-laundering case. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704059004575128062835484290.html Reuter, P. & Truman, E.M. (2004). The anti-money laundering regime. Chasing dirty money: the fight against money laundering (pp.46-48). Washington, D.C: Institute for International Economics. Statistical data – money laundering investigations. (2011). Retrieved March 20, 2011, from IRS website: http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforcement/article/0,,id=113002,00.html Woods, B.F., (1998). The money laundering phenomenon. The art and science of money laundering (pp 1-4). Boulder, CO: Paladin Press. Money Laundering Essay -- Business Ethics According to the U.S. Department of Justice, money laundering is the process by which one conceals the existence, illegal source, or illegal application of income and then disguises that income to make it appear legitimate. Money laundering involves a three step process which includes placement, layering and integration (Albrecht et al, 2009). Placement is the first step and it includes the launderer opening up an account at a bank or some other type of financial business to make deposits with the illegal money. The placement step is often looked at as the most risk taking step because the launderer does not know the reaction of the bank and how they are going to accept a large cash deposit. If the deposit is too large the bank can recognize it and this could be considered a red flag for the bank. The purpose of this step is to avoid the authorities and to remove the money as far away from the source as possible. The second step is called layering. This is where the launderer hides the money by opening up other accounts at other banks and makes transactions between these different accounts sometimes even in different countries. This makes it very hard to track the exact location of the money. The last step is the integration step. The money is finally used out into society and seems to be legal, legit money but it really came from an illegal crime. Theses launderers use the money to buy houses, cars and anything else that is expensive. Now these launderers have lots of money that they have obtained illegally (Albrecht et al, 2009). Money laundering is extremely important because it is not just a crime that was created overnight. This scheme took time and intelligence to be thought out. We are not dealing with dumb pe... ...money laundering? Crime school: money laundering: true crime meets the world of business and finance (pp.21-22). Buffalo, N.Y: Firefly Books. Perez, E., & Mollenkamp, C. (2010, March 18). Wachovia settles money-laundering case. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704059004575128062835484290.html Reuter, P. & Truman, E.M. (2004). The anti-money laundering regime. Chasing dirty money: the fight against money laundering (pp.46-48). Washington, D.C: Institute for International Economics. Statistical data – money laundering investigations. (2011). Retrieved March 20, 2011, from IRS website: http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforcement/article/0,,id=113002,00.html Woods, B.F., (1998). The money laundering phenomenon. The art and science of money laundering (pp 1-4). Boulder, CO: Paladin Press.

Hardware and Software requirements for the DTP facilities needed Essay

A client from the GNVQ Sports Catalogue Group has asked me to produce a document of at least 16 camera-ready copy pages. The GNVQ Sports Catalogue Group is a small sized company that are a mail order company. They sell sports goods like shirts, footwear, equipment for different sports, clothes etc. The last catalogue is out of date and they need a new catalogue to keep up to date. The catalogue has to advertise the company’s goods and sell them. The client will choose a catalogue to run with to sell the goods. The client wants the following things to be covered in and on the catalogue. The front and back cover has to look professional. An index can be set out in different ways maybe to look for an individual products or products underneath a category. An order from must be put in to the catalogue. In the order form details for the customer to fill in must include name, address, Product ID, Product Name, Quantity, Sub Total, Total. The client stated that 5 orders could only be made on one order form. On the order form also the details that must be include are the company address, phone and fax numbers, postage and package details must be included. The inside pages of the catalogue have to contain the following things. On the pages there must be the name of the product that is being sold on the page where it is noticeable. Also the picture of the product should be on the page. There should be a product description describing what type of product you are selling. This description must include the product ID, product name and price. Other additional things that can be included are like what sizes the product comes in. Hardware and Software requirements for the DTP facilities needed Here I will tell and describe what type of hardware that I need to produce the catalogue. The reason why I did my draft designs the way I did is because of the following reasons. I picked up three catalogues and I analysed them in the following way. The first catalogue I am going to analyse is the FCUK (French Connection United Kingdom). The theme of this catalogue is beach/casual wear. Front cover The front cover is ok. Parts of a word on the front cover have been split up. In between these large letters it has the company name in red, which is in the centre. Underneath the company name it says â€Å"buymail† (hence the fact I got this catalogue by post). It then has a female model at the bottom of the front cover. Along the bottom it has what season the catalogue is in. Underneath they have the contact phone number and the company email address if you want to email them about something. The phone number is in a red colour also. I think the company put their company name and number in red so it stands out and that the people know where to reach them. When you open up the catalogue it has the following logo. The logo is orange and yellow. This gives a feel of the summer, beaches and warmth. Underneath the logo is a brief statement. It entails certain things like they comment on the clothes that are further in the catalogue and other things. It then has the company’s email address. Page Layout Throughout the catalogue the page layout is very similar to one another inside. The page layout inside the catalogue is as follows. On the first page it has a picture of a woman. At the bottom left corner it is says â€Å"Ladieswear pages 3-28†. On the next page are the products being displayed. The products are sort of in a circle shape and in the middle is another product. Underneath it has the description of the product. The description underneath the products includes the product name, style number, colour and the sizes it is available in. The products on the page are displayed on a white background. They also have the description underneath the products. This makes the products stand out. The people modelling the clothes on some pages are on a creamy background. They do not have a contents page. But the front-pages before that particular section starts there is a picture of a person and the related product that is being sold on the pages ahead. It also says how many pages long the section is next to the picture. This may act as a contents page. The lack of good description about the product may be a good thing because potential customers may not want to read lots of detail; they may want to go straight to the product. They also do not have an index. I think this is going to make it a bit hard for the customers to find a specific product they want. I think this because when the person is filling out the order form they might forget a tiny detail about the product and they need to find it quick. They cannot do that in this catalogue therefore they would have to go through the catalogue to find the product they need. I think having an index in the catalogue is very important because it will make it easier for the person to look for a specific product. Back cover The back cover is as follows. It just has pictures from the beach. It also has the company in short (FCUK) in pink on the back cover. At the bottom of the page it has in the same style writing as the logos on the inside page it says â€Å"MEMORIES OF Fcukiki Beach†. This is also in orange and yellow to make it a summer, warmth and beach feel.

Customer feedback Essay

The purpose of this report is help Dave Smith, the General Manager of the Landmark Hotel Auckland to improve the hotel’s current customer satisfaction measurement scheme by comparing a range of survey methods and recommends the most appropriate survey programme for the hotel. The report is broken down to two sections. The first section defines customer satisfaction and articulates the importance of measuring customer satisfaction. Section one also compares the functions of CSQs and TripAdvisor.com and introduces the content analysis method to the Landmark Hotel. The second part of the report defines measures of central tendency and dispersion and presents calculations from the guest survey spreadsheet provided. Based on summary table 1.1, the report briefly describes what the calculations mean to the hotel and produced a short recommendation. The report is produced with several limitations, which need to be addressed and overcome for future research. The recommendation made to Landmark Hotel under the first part, regarding the most appropriate research method was selected based on one of only two options. Further, since there is no standard ways to perform content analysis, the report simply presented what appeared to be the most logical procedure. Finally, the recommendation regarding internal marketing was much generalised due to word limits. PART A Defining Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction has been a topic of great importance in business practices. There is an overwhelming amount of outcome definitions characterising customer satisfaction, many of which have not yet been empirically tested. According to Yi (1993), some academics and practitioners define customer satisfaction from an outcome-based approach. Alternatively, other perceives and defines customer satisfaction as a process. Engel and Blackwell (1982) defined customer satisfaction as â€Å"an evaluation that the chosen alternative is consistent with prior beliefs with respect to the alternative† (p. 501). This definition is comparable with the disconfirmation theory, which proposes that guests are either satisfied or dissatisfied based on their expectations prior and subsequent to the purchase of the actual service experience. In this section, we are particularly concerned with the importance of measuring customer satisfaction. Fortunately, this question can be answered directly using the service-profit chain. The service-profit chain is simply a proposition of a series of linkages between â€Å"profitability, customer loyalty, and employee satisfaction, loyalty, and productivity† (Heskett, Jones, Loveman, Sasser & Schlesinger, 1994, p. 164). Customer satisfaction represents a crucial role in the service-profit chain because satisfaction is essentially a driver of customer loyalty (retention, repeated business and referrals), which directly impacts the profitability of a hospitality firm. Customer satisfaction is extremely important because it produces word-of-mouth, reduces operating overheads and facilitates price premiums (Denove & Power, 2006). Hospitality firms constantly look for more effective ways to measure customer satisfaction. Managers try to achieve greater accuracy in survey outcomes and use them to reliably address the gaps between management’s visions and the customer’s needs. Comparing Data Collection Methods Guest Feedback Forms Guest feedback forms, comment cards or customer satisfaction questionnaires (CSQs) are frequent tools used by most hotels for measuring customer satisfaction. Barsky (1992) stated two major disadvantages of guest comment cards, â€Å"poor construct validity†¦ poor statistical validity† (Barsky, 1992, p. 51). Yesawich (1978) also hypothetically considered CSQs as â€Å"more often than not, unreliable and statically invalid† (p, 72). Barsky (1992) further argues that guest comment cards may indicate customer satisfaction or dissatisfaction and related trends, but generally does not provide sufficient information for decision-making. Poria (2004) outlined several key advantages of using CSQs during guest complaints. Poria claimed that asking the guest to fill in CSQ would allow the staff extra time to resolve the problem and calms the guest. Tripadvisor.com In comparison with CSQs, Tripadvisor.com is an online interaction platform. Unlike the majority of quantitative methods, online customer reviews often articulate psychological changes of the hotel guests. According to Li, Ye and Law (2012), online reviews are more likely to convey guest’s true feelings, which make up for the missing information that was not captured by guest surveys. Tripadvisor.com and other eWOM platforms allow managers to interact with the guests, form one-to-one dialogues and perform qualitative content analysis. Content analysis is a systematic and objective approach to make inference from written data (Downe†Wamboldt, 1992). Like all qualitative research methods, content analysis is concerned with meanings and contextual aspects of a service experience. Content analysis can be described as an intensive exploration of a single customer review and typically, managers look for rich and vivid descriptions in the review, rather than generalised knowledge. However, content analysis and comparable qualitative research methods may lack scientific validity. Thus, it is difficult for managers to make reliable generalisations from a confined sample size. Research Methods and Design The Landmark Hotel needs to go beyond measuring performances and begin to understand perceptions and gain practical and context-dependent knowledge relating to specific guest experiences. I recommend the Landmark Hotel to focus on qualitative content analysis. Content analysis can be performed on online guest reviews as well as guest comment cards. Additionally, I recommend the use of open-ended question in guest comment cards in order to provide greater insights to the guest’s feelings (Lukas, Hair, Bush & Ortinau, 2005). According to Guthrie and Abeysekera (2006), content analysis requires a randomly selected sample, clearly defined criteria of analysis and a systematic data categorisation method, so that statistical analysis of the data can be performed. Downe†Wamboldt (1992) proposed an eight step procedure that the researcher should follow when conducting content analysis. These steps can be briefly described as 1) selecting unit of analysis, 2) defining the categories, 3) defining the categories, 4) testing for reliability and validity, 5) define or revise coding rules, 6) pre-testing the revised category schemes 7) data coding and 8) reassessing reliability and validity. According Marković and Raspor (2010), reliability of content analysis can be improved by developing coders for similar contents. Data coding allow researchers to measure frequency and percentage through tabulations, compute measures of central tendency and dispersion, test for difference, association and interdependence by performing t-tests and chi-square analysis using SPSS applications. Integration After the results have been analysed and interpreted, the researcher can choose to integrate and present the research outcomes within the hotel using an analytical report that is credible and believable. The report clearly defines the research problem/issue and the research methodology, which clearly articulates the objectives of the research, the research design used, descriptions of samples and the sampling methods and the how data are analysed. The results section is the most important section. This section should contain presentations of findings that are relevant to the research problem. The report should also contain a conclusion section, a recommendation and a limitation section which illustrates â€Å"extraneous events that place certain restrictions on the report† (Lukas, et al., 2005, p. 557). PART B Calculations and Definitions of Measurements Considering the guest survey spreadsheet, I have calculated the measures of central tendency and dispersion for each behavioural intention scale. For measures of central tendency, I have computed the mean, median and mode respectively. These measures are used as data reduction, which describes the set of responses through a single value. The mean is â€Å"the arithmetic average of the sample† (Lukas et al., 2005, p. 436). The mean is derived from the sum of all values pertained from the responses and divided by the exact number of valid responses. The median is â€Å"the middle value of a rank-ordered distribution† (Lukas et al., 2005, p. 436). The mode is defined as â€Å"the most common value in the set of responses to a question† (Lukas et al., 2005, p. 436). Standard deviation is a measure of dispersion. It is defined as â€Å"the average distance of the distribution values from the means† (Lukas et al., 2005, p. 438). The Excel function which I have used to compute the standard deviation of the data given was STDEV.S. STDEV.S estimates standard deviation from a sample rather than the entire population. The guest survey spreadsheet provided a number of intention statements aimed to obtain some ideas about guest experiences for certain aspects of the hotel. The management hoped to explore the guest’s intended behaviours as much as possible and the likelihood that guests will demonstrate predictable behaviour towards staying at the hotel in the foreseeable future. Table 1.1 shows that first and second rating scale demonstrated a lower average value in comparison with other rating scales. Evidently, service standard and staff competence to make guests feel accustomed during their stays did not meet the required expectations. Question eight also shows that on average, guests would not recommend the Landmark Hotel to others. Recommendations I postulate that service quality could be a major contributory factor to declines in booking rates. According to Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1985), there are ten determinants of service quality – competence, courtesy, reliability, responsiveness and understanding are five relatively important determinants directly influenced by staff. Additionally, empathy and assurance are additional components of service quality directly determined by hotel personnel, as proposed in the SERVQUAL scale (Parasuraman et al., 1988). For the purpose of restoring and improving service quality, I recommend an adjustment of focus onto internal marketing activities. According to George and Gronroos (1991), â€Å"internal market of employees is best motivated for service-mindedness and customer-oriented behaviour by a marketing-like approach, where marketing-like activities are used internally† (p. 86). Internal marketing is essentially a process of building a customer-oriented culture through training and achieving internal satisfaction. Internal marketing implies a number of activities besides training utilisation. Take, for example, regularly assessing internal satisfaction, empowerment, and the provision of adequate supervisory support, open communication policies and the development of a sound reward system all forms part of internal marketing activities that seeks to achieving continuous quality improvements. References Barsky, J. D. (1992). Customer satisfaction in the hotel industry meaning and measurement. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 16(1), 51-73. Denove, C. & Power, J. D. (2006). Satisfaction: How every great company listens to the voice of the customer. New York, NY: Portfolio. Downe-Wamboldt, B. (1992). Content analysis: method, applications, and issues. Health care for women international, 13(3), 313-321. Engel, J. F., & Blackwell, R. D. (1982). Consumer behavior. New York, NY: Hole, Rinehard and Winston. George, W. R., & Gronroos, C. (1989). 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