Tuesday, December 24, 2019

How Is the United States Economy Effected If Most...

There are a lot of different pros and cons when asking this question. In my opinion this would be terrible idea because every economic system is not the same. Therefore if this were to take place it would it automatically eliminate a numerous amount of great opportunities and achievements that the United States economy has worked so hard for, for so long. Loss of national sovereignty being a tremendous downfall for the United States economy being that the whole goal of the United States were to be independent. In such a union, not every member country is as strong or weak as the others economically or structurally. Meaning right now the United States as well as other countries have certain boundaries and threshold within their†¦show more content†¦in the same bracket. Would the U.S. be willing to accept that? How would the hypothetical global central bank decide on common interest rates for underdeveloped countries like Somalia, emerging countries like India and developed co untries like the U.S.? There would be mayhem! A few countries may gain, but a number of countries might just go into crisis the very next day. I believe this statement to be very true due to the fact that every country is economically equal so this would only benefit countries that have a good economic system. What the Euro experience has taught us is that even countries which are not vastly different from each other in terms of economic health, can face a phenomenal crisis within just 10 years of the creation of the single union. How then would you expect a global currency encompassing countries with vastly different structures, in vastly different stages of growth and using vastly different means of managing their economies to be stable? Its not only improbable, but close to impossible! I agree 100% with this article because it only makes since to be independent as countries everything that the united states has worked for would go to waste due to the fact that everything that th e us economy has have been built on freedom and independence if most countries were to come together as 1, It would only defeat the purpose of everything that the countries have created on their own. The last thing that should beShow MoreRelatedInternational Monetary System5852 Words   |  24 Pagesinternational trade capital movements are financed exchanges rates are determined. MNCs operate in a global market, buying/selling/producing in many different countries. For example, GM sells cars in 150 countries, produces cars in 50 countries, so it has to deal with hundreds of currencies. What are the mechanics of how currency and capital flows internationally? International Monetary System - Institutional framework within which: 1. International payments are made 2. Movements of capitalRead MoreInternational Monetary System5858 Words   |  24 Pagesinternational trade capital movements are financed exchanges rates are determined. MNCs operate in a global market, buying/selling/producing in many different countries. For example, GM sells cars in 150 countries, produces cars in 50 countries, so it has to deal with hundreds of currencies. What are the mechanics of how currency and capital flows internationally? International Monetary System - Institutional framework within which: 1. International payments are made 2. Movements of capitalRead MoreThe Full Convertibility of Renminbi: Consequences and Influences8173 Words   |  33 PagesThe Full convertibility of Renminbi: Consequences and Influences Abstract This paper indicates the issue of full convertibility for the Chinese currency, Renminbi(RMB), and its impact on the economy of China. It does not only point out the sequencing of Renminbi’s full convertibility, expounding the detailed concepts procedure of currency convertibility (current account convertibility and capital/financial account convertibility and full convertibility) but also focus on the necessity andRead MoreThe current Economic Situation in SA, India and Germany6345 Words   |  26 Pages2020. The main resources employed by and entrepreneur are: Raw Materials; Labour and Capital. Capital can be in the form of machinery, equipment, buildings and anything used in the production of goods and services. The spending on capital within a country leads to the production of more goods and services as well as increasing the variation in goods and services i.e. developing new markets. This expenditure in due course leads to economic growth. Over the period 1995 to 2 005, in comparison to GE andRead MoreUnited Arab of Emirates Country Notebook18844 Words   |  76 PagesUnited Arab of Emirates Country Notebook Presented to Dr. Shahira El Alfy Prepared by: Mohamed Ibrahim Osama Mosher Ismail Ahmed El-Mohamady Hesham Mostafa Eslsca 36 – Global Management I. Cultural Analysis: Identification of the Emirates History: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) consists of the seven emirates, which are: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al-Khaimah, Ajman, Umm Al-Qaiwain, and Fujairah. They were united as a federalRead MoreSelected Topics24764 Words   |  100 PagesPART 1: Selected Research Topics for Semester Project Topic 1: Demand Theory Title: General demand function Aim: This study empirically investigates the determinants of quantity demanded of any product and the role of the other factors in X economy. Methodology: In this study, Ordinary Least Square (OLS) is conducted to empirically investigate the determinants of quantity demanded of any product. Model: Qd=f (P, I, PR, T, PE, N) The Theory says: Qd=f (P, I, PR, T, PE, N) Read MoreUnited Arab of Emirates Country Notebook18844 Words   |  76 PagesUnited Arab of Emirates Country Notebook Presented to Dr. Shahira El Alfy Prepared by: Mohamed Ibrahim Osama Mosher Ismail Ahmed El-Mohamady Hesham Mostafa Eslsca 36 – Global Management I. Cultural Analysis: Identification of the Emirates History: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) consists of the seven emirates, which are: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al-Khaimah, Ajman, Umm Al-Qaiwain, and Fujairah. They were united as a federalRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 Pagesfrom the Library of Congress ISBN 0 7506 5938 6 For information on all Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann publications visit our website at http:/ /books.elsevier.com Printed and bound in Italy Working together to grow libraries in developing countries www.elsevier.com | www.bookaid.org | www.sabre.org Contents Preface Overview of the book’s structure 1 Introduction 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Learning objectives The nature of marketing The management process Strategic decisions and the nature

Sunday, December 15, 2019

My Choices for Room 101 Free Essays

The first thing that I would out into room 101 is the money grabbing, cold-hearted, kill joy mugs. These people walk around, head down, scribbling away in their nasty little books, feeling proud of ruining yet another innocent person’s day. If you haven’t guessed yet, I am talking about the selfish traffic wardens. We will write a custom essay sample on My Choices for Room 101 or any similar topic only for you Order Now 99. 9% of vehicle/car owners don’t even realise that they have done anything to deserve a parking ticket! How would you like it if you had paid for a 1hour pay and display ticket and you came to your care at 1 minute past and a warden was stamping the sticky yellow piece of paper on your windscreen?. For arriving at your car one minute late you have to pay a massive fine of i30. Right, imagine this. You have just had the most wonderful day out with your family, and you all had a good time, suddenly you walk over to your car to find the dreaded yellow ticket. The smiles have now hit the floor. But wait, you check your paid and displayed ticket and you are back before the expiry time†¦ so why are you getting charged? Then you read the note†¦ You put your parking ticket on the wrong side of the windscreen. How can there be a right and wrong side to put a paid and displayed ticket? As I said before, selfish, and the wardens get a little gold star off his boss!! So, I am sure that you will agree with me that the only way to avoid getting a parking ticket is to leave you windscreen wipers on full speed when you leave your car Katie Price: Speaking about brassy and common, it would be rude not to mention the queen of brassy and common; â€Å"Jordan† aka Katie Price. Without a doubt I would send this excuse of a woman to room 101. Every time I step into a newsagents or corner shop she is on the cover of â€Å"Ok! † magazine, why? Why is somebody so talent less so vulgar and so disgusting branded a â€Å"celebrity? † The lengths she will go to for money makes me want to vomit and question why she’s so popular. She continuously puts her children in the spotlight and exploits them for all that there worth. She often sets the camera on them in her countless reality programmes where you can see from her vulgar language what a disgusting person she is. Constantly she moans to the media how hard it is to care for her son’s illness, the same son that when she was pregnant with him spent most of her time drinking. The media being a joke it has announced this woman â€Å"Mother of the Year. Is a â€Å"Mother of the year† one who swears and makes crude comments over national television, appears in countless men’s magazines, and stumbles out of nightclubs confused? I could actually not think of a worse role model for teenage girls – even younger! Than Katie Price, an anorexic glamour model that has nearly died during plastic surgery trying to perfect the â€Å"perfect† looks The first thing I have chosen to talk about as something I hate most is adverts. Whether its adverts on the television or in a magazine, they are all greatly irritating and I think many people will agree with me. I am going to talk about tele advertisements. Tele adverts are highly annoying and unwanted by everybody. For example, lets pretend you have just turned on the tele and have flicked onto an interesting movie. It’s a horror film, your favourite. Your getting really into the movie and enjoying it, the suspense is building up and your dying to know what’s going to happen. Your coming to the climax of the film, you cant wait to see what happens and your on the edge of your seat†¦ nd then the film stops and is replaced for 2 to 3 minutes of adverts. Your sense of excitement has disappeared immediately hasn’t it? When the film eventually appears back on your screen, you have lost the desire and excitement to watch the movie that you had just 3 minutes ago. Research shows a massive 91% of people agree with us, saying adverts ruin television programs, and a huge 79% of people asked said they wished advertisements were banned! So, what I wonder is why aren’t adverts getting stopped forever? Well, when asking around I’ve been told that some people wrongly think adverts are useful, saying they use this time either to go to the toilet or make a drink or snack. Well, when counting up the amount of advert breaks in-between an hour-long program I was watching yesterday, there was a massive 4 breaks interrupting it! No way do people need to get up and do these so-called useful things 4 times in an hour, which is every 15 minutes, which is ridiculous! Furthermore, adverts are there simply to advertise different products or services. But, who actually watches the adverts? Definitely not me, and I’m not the only one. A massive 94% of people don’t pay any attention to the adverts, and 86% of these people change the channel over whilst the adverts are on. So, adverts, they do nothing but annoy people, they ruin the programs you watch and the advertisements don’t get any attention by the vast majority of the population, therefore meaning they aren’t doing the job they are there for. They are annoying and pointless, and I am sure everyone will agree they should definitely be put into room 101. How to cite My Choices for Room 101, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Raped Essay Example For Students

Raped Essay I know about things I shouldnt know about. Things most people dont know about, and dont want to. Rape. A word that haunts many. A year ago, I was at a party with my best friend. We were drunk, apperntly she was more than I. I wanted to leave, I didnt want to go without her though. But, she wanted to stay with her new boy friend. So I left. I walked the 4 miles home, drunk. From what I heard, after I left, she did the same with her new guy. Everything I say is both speculation and fact. She drove him home, they took a detour to a field where you can see everything from, it was late, so they decided to sit in a tree and watch the sun rise. Moments later he managed to get her down and lay in the grass, to look at the stars. After that, I can only guess. Because she was found days later naked, with cuts abd bruises, and her clothes all over the field. My best friend was raped and murdered.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Rise of Christianity free essay sample

Although secular historians are not normally going to acknowledge the primary reason for Christianity’s rapid rise, there are several reasons that even they acknowledge. Three of these causes for the speedy growth of Christianity that historians recognize are: (1) the contrast between the teachings of Christianity and that of the pagan religions, (2) the admirable lifestyle of the Christians, and (3) the willingness of Christians to die for their faith. As the church historian Philip Schaff wrote, â€Å"Christianity rises far above all other religions in the theory and practice of virtue and piety. It sets forth the highest standard of love to God and to man. †¦The wisest men of Greece and Rome sanctioned slavery, polygamy, concubinage, oppression, revenge, infanticide; or they belied their purer maxims by their conduction. †3 The teachings of the pagan priests and even the pagan philosophers paled in contrast to the teachings of Jesus. It was not difficult for even unlearned Romans to see the foolishness of worshipping statues and images. We will write a custom essay sample on The Rise of Christianity or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Furthermore, as taught in mythology, the Greek and Roman gods were no better than the vilest of humans. The God of Christianity was quite different. Even though the Romans often lived immoral lives, they valued many of the qualities that Christians lived out: honesty, faithfulness in marriage, kindness and love to neighbors, and trustworthiness. As Schaff wrote, â€Å"Deeds speak louder than words. The finest systems of moral philosophy have not been able to regenerate and conquer the world. † 4 One of the Christian apologists declared to the Romans, â€Å"We don’t speak great things, we live them! † 5 At no other time in the history of Christianity did love so characterize the entire church as it did in the first three centuries. And Roman society took note. Tertullian reported that the Romans would exclaim, â€Å"See how they love one another! † 6 Justin Martyr sketched Christian love this way: â€Å"We who used to value the acquisition of wealth and possessions more than anything else now bring what we have into a common fund and share it with anyone who needs it. We used to hate and destroy one another and refused to associate with people of another race or country. Now, because of Christ, we live together with such people and pray for our enemies. 7 Christianity rose rapidly because of this notable contrast between the lives of Christians and those of pagans. A third reason for the rapid rise of Christianity was the readiness of Christians to die for their faith when necessity arose. The very fact that Christians were willing to suffer un-speakable horrors and to die rather than disown their God was, next to their lifestyle, their single most effective evangelistic tool. Few, if any, Romans would die for their gods. There had to be some substance to Christianity if it meant so much to those who practiced it. In fact, the Greek word for â€Å"witness† is martyr.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

New Zealands History, Government, and Geography

New Zealand's History, Government, and Geography New Zealand is an island country located 1,000 miles (1,600 km) southeast of Australia in Oceania. It consists of several islands, the largest of which are the North, the South, Stewart and Chatham Islands. The country has a liberal political history, gained early prominence in womens rights, and has a good record in ethnic relations, especially with its native Maori. In addition, New Zealand is sometimes called the Green Island because its population has high environmental awareness and its low population density gives the country a large amount of pristine wilderness and a high level of biodiversity. History of New Zealand In 1642, Abel Tasman, a Dutch Explorer, was the first European to discover New Zealand. He was also the first person to attempt mapping the islands with his sketches of the North and South islands. In 1769, Captain James Cook reached the islands and became the first European to land on them. He also began a series of three South Pacific voyages where he extensively studied the areas coastline. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Europeans began to officially settle on New Zealand. These settlements consisted of several lumbering, seal hunting, and whaling outposts. The first independent European colony was not established until 1840, when the United Kingdom took over the islands. This led to several wars between the British and the native Maori. On February 6, 1840, both parties signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which promised to protect Maori lands if the tribes recognized British control. Shortly after signing this treaty, though, British encroachment on Maori lands continued and wars between the Maori and British grew stronger during the 1860s with the Maori land wars. Prior to these wars, a constitutional government began to develop during the 1850s. In 1867, the Maori were allowed to reserve seats in the developing parliament. During the late 19th century, the parliamentary government became well established and women were given the right to vote in 1893. The Government of New Zealand Today, New Zealand has a parliamentary governmental structure and is considered an independent part of the Commonwealth of Nations. It has no formal written constitution and was formally declared a dominion in 1907. Branches of Government in New Zealand New Zealand has three branches of government, the first of which is the executive. This branch is headed by Queen Elizabeth II who serves as the chief of state but is represented by a governor general. The prime minister, who serves as the head of government, and the cabinet are also a part of the executive branch. The second branch of government is the legislative branch. It is composed of the parliament. The third is the four-level branch comprised of District Courts, High Courts, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. In addition, New Zealand has specialized courts, one of which is the Maori Land Court. New Zealand is divided into 12 regions and 74 districts, both of which have elected councils, as well as several community boards and special-purpose bodies. New Zealands Industry and Land Use One of the largest industries in New Zealand is that of grazing and agriculture. From 1850 to 1950, much of the North Island was cleared for these purposes and since then, the rich pastures present in the area have allowed for successful sheep grazing. Today, New Zealand is one of the worlds main exporters of wool, cheese, butter, and meat. Additionally, New Zealand is a large producer of several types of fruit, including kiwi, apples, and grapes. In addition, the industry has also grown in New Zealand and the top industries are food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, mining and tourism. Geography and Climate of New Zealand New Zealand consists of a number of different islands with varying climates. Most of the country has mild temperatures with high rainfall. The mountains, however, can be extremely cold. The main portions of the country are the North and South islands that are separated by the Cook Strait. The North Island is 44,281 square miles (115,777 square kilometers) and consists of low, volcanic mountains. Because of its volcanic past, the North Island features hot springs and geysers. The South Island is 58,093 sq mi (151,215 sq km) and contains the Southern Alps - a northeast-to-southwest oriented mountain range covered in glaciers. Its highest peak is Mount Cook, also known as Aoraki in the Maori language, at 12,349 feet (3,764 meters) above sea level. To the east of these mountains, the island is dry and made up of the treeless Canterbury Plains. On the southwest, the islands coast is heavily forested and jagged with fjords. This area also features New Zealands largest national park, Fiordland. Biodiversity One of the most important features to note about New Zealand is its high level of biodiversity. Because most of its species are endemic (i.e.- native only on the islands) the country is considered a biodiversity hotspot. This has led to the development of environmental consciousness in the country as well as eco-tourism. New Zealand at a Glance Population:  4.9 million (2018 estimate)Capital:  WellingtonArea:  103,737 square miles (268,680 sq km)Coastline:  9,404 miles (15,134 km)Official Languages:  English and MaoriHighest Point:  Mount Cook (Aoraki) at 12,349 ft (3,764 m) Interesting Facts About New Zealand There are no native snakes in New Zealand76% of New Zealanders live on the North Island15% of New Zealands energy comes from renewable sources32% of New Zealands population lives in Auckland References and Further Reading â€Å"The World Factbook: New Zealand.†Ã‚  Central Intelligence Agency, 22 April 2010.â€Å"New Zealand.†Ã‚  Infoplease.â€Å"New Zealand.†Ã‚  U.S. Department of State, Feb. 2010.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Applied Business Research and Strategies

Companies uses various strategies in order to appeal to their customers and establish a competitive advantage in the industry. Wild bean cafà © is a coffee and food stores spread across various locations in the UK  (Patterson, 2010). The report is regarding Wild Bean Cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s initiative taken to enhance the various services it provides its customers, which has been analyzed by use of Hertzberg two factor theory. The second part of the report caters to the strategic position of the company if its wants to gain greater market share in UK, which has been analyzed through strategic clock. Wild bean cafà © is a chain of coffee stores operating in the UK, side by side BP petrol pumps. The company offers refreshments and snacks for road travellers who stop at the petrol pumps to refuel. The company provides a wide array of menu option for breakfast, lunch and drinks along with sweets which has high customer appeal. The company’s food joint and coffee shop is a favorite of the UK travellers which has been analyzed using the Hertzberg two-factor theory. According to the theory there are two pertinent factors that causes satisfaction amongst customers, they can be grouped as motivators and hygiene factors  (Liu, 2011). Motivators : The factors that motivate customers to have coffee and food items at Wild Bean Cafà © is the fresh coffee they provide in terms of quality and standard. The food quality and variety at the outlet has an appeal to the taste buds of the consumers in UK. Coffee has tremendous energizing properties which is an added advantage for travellers to stop and eat or drink at the store. Hygiene Factors : The hygiene factors can also be called the basic factors that make customers choose Wild Bean Cafà ©. The cafà © shops are strategically located at petrol pumps; this allows customers to freshen up and provides an opportunity to rest between their journey. The stores are well maintained and are clean which provides the basic hygiene factors for customers to select the cafà © shop  (Patterson, 2010). Figure 1: Hertzberg two factor theory for customer satisfaction Wild Bean Cafà © in the UK caters to a particular market segment of specially travellers as they are located beside BP petrol pumps. The company caters to a distinct set of customer profile in order to expand in UK and gain more market share the company has to apply Strategic Clock to consider the alternatives. The strategic clock offers various alternative strategy like differentiation, low cost, low price, hybrid of moderate price and differentiation, focused differentiation, increase price or standard in product, high price and low value, low value and high price  (Covin, 2006). Amongst the various strategic alternatives available the company can select low price strategy. The company faces immense competition from Starbucks hence it cannot adopt differentiation strategy hence in order to gain greater market share across UK it needs to lower its overall costs. By lowering of its costs, initially it might have to face reduced profitability but it can attract a lot of customers  (Piercy, 2008). Through this strategy the company can become a very powerful force in the market but it needs to evaluate the low price sustainability as it needs to maintain certain standard costs. Figure 2: Strategic clock for Bean Wild Cafe The discussion on Wild Bean Cafà © provides useful insights to the various factors the company caters to while attaining customer satisfaction. The company provides a wide range of coffee and food items that have a high appeal to the customers hence these acts as motivators. In the strategic clock the company should adopt a low price strategy in order to compete in the market which will provide the company differentiation and attract a high number of customers. Covin, J. G. (2006). Strategic process effects on the entrepreneurial orientation–sales growth rate relationship. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 57-81. Liu, C. T. (2011). The effects of relationship quality and switching barriers on customer loyalty. . International Journal of Information Management, 71-79. Patterson, P. G. (2010). How the local competition defeated a global brand: The case of Starbucks. Australasian Marketing Journal (AMJ), 41-47. Piercy, N. (2008). Market-led strategic change. . Routledge. Getting academic assistance from

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Duties as a Field Grade Officer over the next 10-Years of Your Carreer Essay

Duties as a Field Grade Officer over the next 10-Years of Your Carreer - Essay Example The enemies will never show pity and mercy so to avoid any such circumstances the field officers must be the worthy leaders who can lead there teams, platoons and battalions to victory1. Being a field officer I personally feel and know how important this assessment could be, not only for the nation but also for us personally. As we all are aware that the world is getting modernized and so to remain on top of our game we must be well equipped and intact with all these modern necessities. If we compare the military with business industry there are quite a bit of similarities. In business to evaluate an employee’s performance different feedback processes could be used like the 360 degree model or the graph evaluation process. Likewise in the military a performance evaluation test like leader evaluation assessment and development will help a field grade officer like me to identify my mistakes and moreover correct them out. It will furthermore aid me help my colleagues in a proper manner where I will be able to give an honest feedback. Having around 10 to 15years in serving the nation assessments like these on continuous basis will support leaders like us to be near perfect by eradicating our mistakes or bad habits. Today defending the country has been more of an information work rather depending on manual work. The art of war has become more technical and technology based so we must not shy from courses like leader assessment and development as it will soon become an integrated part of military world. Field officers are automatic leaders as the platoons or teams come under them so such courses will be very useful in giving training2. Moreover being a good captain, leader is always everyone’s desire and that is also one of mine. Courses like this will help me become an inspirational leader and will help me lead others with zeal and exuberance. This will aid me and will help me out in boosting my confidence. Furthermore when seniors will find my work im pressive and notice my exuberance it will be quite likely for me to step up the ladders as that could help me get promotion. It is going to be a complete turnaround as once field officers will become great leaders by such courses the field officer position will become more competitive, the leader assessment and development course will become more famous and it will end favourable for our military. A leader development and assessment program would help me become a complete leader. A leader not only works for himself but he has to look for the benefit of his group also so it is actually a selfless job. Courses like this will aid me in making the right decisions in tense situations, even in cases of ambiguity and chaos I will be cool as a cucumber. This is only possible if I am developed as a leader and so it explains why it is imperative for me to be a part of the course. Furthermore it is a good saying that a good leader always leaves behind his successor equally good or maybe better so the system keeps running. In my next 10 to 15 years I will have this thing in mind and if the bar for me as a leader will be raised it will surely help me be a better leader which will eventually pave the way for me to leave behind great successors. Leader assessment and development will give me a better eye to identify the rightful successors that will be future leaders. Such programs will also help me to train more efficiently. Getting training in such program sees me having a relaxed retirement after 15 years

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Humanities Week 4 discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Humanities Week 4 discussion - Essay Example Expressionism is mainly characterized use of realistic color and utilization of perspective techniques in regeneration of an illusion of reality (Chilvers, 2009). Moreover, the colors are normally selected in order to suit the emotion felt or in creation of the emotional effect. Expressionism painting responds to the current challenges via motivation in arguing individuals to abandon their underlying conventional means of viewing things and embrace fresh perception of the ever-dynamic universe. The underlying messages are mainly voiced by the prevailing groups that are normally baffled society, broadening the gap amidst traditional culture and the corresponding avant-grade art. Impressionism was radical art movement that emanates from the corresponding moving outdoors from the underlying studio and painting (Chilvers, 2009). The artist broke up the prevailing light into numerous colors and paint such that viewers eye could be mixed and blend from far. Conversely, Expressionism mainly depicted emotions via feelings of the universe and underlying artist. Moreover, Expressionism art in the 20th century mainly reconnoitered the prevailing innermost landscape of the soul whilst those of the 19th century rematerialize painting with coloring and beauty depicting natural landscape fundamentally in diverse

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Hamlet Appearance vs Reality Essay Example for Free

Hamlet Appearance vs Reality Essay Appearance vs. reality in Shakespeare’s, Hamlet, is a jaded yet common theme. This play is teeming with characters that play their roles behind a veil of duplicity. They often appear to be one way when they really are something entirely different. Things within the play appear to be true and honest but in reality are polluted with evil. Many of the characters within the play hide behind a mask of dishonesty. Four of the main characters that hid behind this mask are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Polonius, and King Claudius. From behind this mask they give the impression of a person who is sincere and true, in reality they are overwhelmed with lies and evil. One of the most obvious examples of appearance vs. reality in Hamlet is the character of Claudius. Claudius longed to be king, rule the land and crown his queen. He gave no regard to the feelings of the family. He was jealous and ruthless in pursuing his dream†¦ruthless to the point of murder. He pretends to be concerned and upset with the actions of Hamlet and his well being, when in reality he is frightened that Hamlet is aware of his deadly secret. It was as if he cast a spell on the whole kingdom for his own self-fulfilling interest. Our â€Å"innocent† Claudius even summons spies to investigate the origin of Hamlet’s madness†¦not for the good of Hamlet but for himself. He is indeed a jaded character, whose kind aura masks the face of a selfish murderer as he says â€Å"whose whisper o’er the world’s diameter, as levels as the cannon to his blank transports his poisoned shot, may miss our name and hit the woundless air. Oh come away! My soul is full of discord and dismay! †- Claudius, act 4 scene 1, lines 42-46. This quote demonstrates how Claudius seems to be worried about Hamlet and his actions when he is really fearful of him discovering the truth. In addition, the king’s royal associate, Polonius, appears to be a loyal and trustworthy servant to the kingdom throughout the play, willing to take on tasks and burdens requested by their majesties. However, in reality Polonius is an evil, greedy selfish man, who serves not his kingdom but himself. One example of this is how Polonius appears to be happy, concerned and supportive of his son, Laerte’s, journey to France. He seems to be supportive of his son until he sends Reynaldo as an emissary, in order to detect what sort of mischief he stumbles upon in France. In addition, Polonius, again, displays his devious characteristics when he spies on Hamlet and Ophelia in an attempt to analyze Hamlet’s madness. He soon orders Ophelia to stop seeing Hamlet, as he brainwashes her with lies about Hamlets motives, when in reality Hamlet is truly in love with Ophelia. Once again, Polonius proves his scheming behavior when he listens in on Hamlet and Gertrude’s conversation while in the bedchamber. Hamlet finally teaches him his lesson when he unexpectedly murders the â€Å"rat. † In reality Polonius is anything but a loving father watching out for his children, he uses everyone to his advantage and for his own purposes; this proves as evidence for his sneaky demeanor. Even two of Hamlet’s childhood friends are victims of the appearance vs. reality theme. They were sent and bribed by the king and queen to try and determine the cause of Hamlet’s insanity. They approach Hamlet as long-lost pals when they are really anything but. They were there not as friends but hired help for Hamlet’s condition. In act 2 scene 2 line 299, Guildenstern quotes â€Å"What should we say my lord? † Completely denying the fact that they were sent for by the king and queen. Hamlet quickly reveals the truth and says, Were you not sent for/ And there is a kind of confession in your looks, which your modesties have not craft in color. (Shakespeare 2:2:278) From these words he is demanding an answer from his schoolmates as to their unexplained arrival. At the end he tells them nothing. As the play continues his friends are asked again by the king to go to Hamlet and try again to find the real reason for Hamlet’s behavior. Hamlet insults them at every chance knowing that they are lying to him about their purpose of the visit, ’Tis as easy as lying: govern these ventages with you finger and thumb, give it breath with your mouth (Shakespeare 3:2:348) The twins show their appearance of being Hamlets friends but in truth they have a hidden reason for visiting with Hamlet. Both show that it will be very difficult for Hamlet to uncover the reliability hidden within the lies. Throughout the play, characters help to show the theme, which is appearance verses reality. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Polonius, and the king all appear to be good and honest. As Hamlet finds out, all contain lies and have hidden intentions within them. As each character is presented in the play all appear to be good and honest making it a hard for Hamlet to uncover the hidden truth about the nature of each character. Throughout the play everyone puts up a front so to speak, for different reasons. Hamlet believed that the world was corrupt and deceiving, this led him to become violently ambitious. Claudius was manipulative and cunning, and used his greed to achieve what he desired. Deception is a major theme of the play. Obviously throughout the play there are many discrepancies between appearance vs. reality. It seems everyone is jaded and full of deception or ulterior motives. With such controversial people in the kingdom, it is quite appropriate to state that there truly is something rotten in the state of Denmark.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Michael Jackson :: essays research papers

Many people would pass up listening to the styles of the new/old Michael Jackson, but do you know why? Why do people absolutely refuse to claim they have ever heard his music? Why do parents ban their children’s CD selection from some of his greatest hits, like Bad, or Thriller? Why do people hate him? Many reasons of course, some lies, some true, some public. And some private.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Michael was very famous from the beginning of his life. He started at such a young age, he doesn’t remember much. His memories are so vague, he can’t remember why a lot of people began hating him at that age. Well, one thing was that his sister’s, LaToya, and Janet, weren’t included. In his book, â€Å"Moonwalk†, written a few years back, he stated that people would see them on the streets and shun them, saying they were â€Å"sexist siblings† and â€Å"they should let the girls be in the group.† Michael, of course, had no choice in this whole ordeal, which was hard on him, because him and Janet got along well, at the early ages. Seeing and hearing this stuff made Michael very optimistic, and sensitive on the situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Michael was in the Jackon-5, he had absolutely no freedoms. He would have late-night recordings, and would have troubles in school. Most of his attention from his parents was on the business, they never gave him the attention he lacked, he was pretty lonely.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After Michael grew up, and he moved on in his career out of J-5, he was thought low of to everyone in the music/movie industry. Brooke Shields once quoted that he was a â€Å"lowly-person, who needed help†, plus some other things that cannot be said.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jackson did have some people of whom thought very high of him, Elizabeth Taylor was one of his best friends throughout the hard stages. He looked up to her, and vise versa. With the help of her, he got through the depression of his family members (LaToya mostly) disliking him, and disapproving of him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Michael realized that his reputation was not the hottest on the press, he totally gave up on his self image, caring less on what he looked like, and began foolish rumors about himself. He use to tell reporters when they would ask him on his â€Å"transformation to being white† that â€Å"his dad beat him to white.† They of course gulped in every bit of information ever said, sarcastic, or not.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Love in Different Country Essay

Studying in the U.S. for nearly a year, I learned a lot of knowledge and I made a lot of friends. Some of them are foreigners. This year’s study is very effective for me. In the United States, I found some phenomenons are different between my country and the U.S. Now I mainly want to talk about love in the U.S. and China. The United States is a free country. The United States advocates free development. It pays attention to every person’s personality. Some American friends told me that love is very easy in the United States. Both men and women like each other, then they can fall in love. The parents will not hinder the child’s decision. So children can choose their partner if they want. In China, love and marriage is a very serious and very important thing. The parents always provide a lot of requirements to their children. For example, if my child is a boy, I will tell him, â€Å"Your wife in the future must be a very nice woman. Her family condition must be consistent with our condition.† because in China, many parents consider that only if both parties are consistent with their conditions, the future life can help each other, and the lives will be happy. In my opinion, I think the two points of view are so different, but each opinion has its reason. My questions are: What makes loving anybody in the United States not similar? How do different people in the U.S. falling in love It also represents the different cultures between China and the U.S. If I were allowed to choose which waysuits me, I will choose the American way because I love freedom. Notes: This needs more information in the second and third paragraphs about the reasons why each country has these â€Å"rules† about love. Then, in the conclusion, you can talk about how freedom is an American trait of love and that these reasons are why you want to choose an American style of love or choosing a partner.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Bali Versus America

The number of various cultures spanning the globe is immense. Cultures are influenced and driven by a unique language and style all their own. The land of Bali and America are separated by thousands of miles and have contrasting differences in what is viewed as acceptable behaviors and mannerisms. Language barriers can form walls of separation between what is culturally acceptable in these two countries. These cultures develop influential ways of living that are firmly rooted in tradition.I will discuss the different attitudes and in-born beliefs surrounding the subject of politeness as well as the issue of confrontational behaviors. The way people communicate goes beyond the different languages spoken in America and Bali. . For example, an American woman with mixed decent of Italian and Jewish/Hungarian was raised in the hustle and bustle of New York City. If we placed her in Bali, she would be viewed as an outcast. It’s her New-York-Minute attitude where she needs to be verb ose and outspoken to get her point across and get what she wants, both in the workplace and in her leisure.Some Americans might be taken aback by her husky attitude and view it her in-your-face attitude as insulting and rude. Other people, however, would simply see her as another American trying to make her place in society. The discussions surrounding polite behaviors in America take on differing viewpoints in Comparison to the people of Bali. Americans can be very intense and, according to people of Bali, they would be seen as insulting and out-of-control. It’s the American demeanor and body language that is also so different from the Bali culture.It is also common knowledge among certain Jewish families in America to expect an individual to stand up for her rights and be willing to object to views that oppose her Jewish way of life. Many Americans are expected to be confrontational and argumentative. This is not a choice, but instead a way of life for many Americans and a cultural expectation. Then, if we venture to the beautiful landscapes of Bali, we find a much more complacent society. In fact, emotional arguments are almost never even heard of in Bali. The people of Bali are very kind, soft-spoken and set in their way of showing great respect to one another.A linguist living in Bali for numerous years can attest to this. Try to take the pleasant, soft-spoken cultural demeanor back to New York City and a lovely Balinese traveler might discover that the congested, faced-paced whirlwind known as New York is too loud and offensive—even instilling a sense of fear in an individual. A person will discover, dependent on how deeply-rooted they are in their cultural origin, be it in America or Bali, that they must adapt if they want to survive and succeed in a society with such stark contrasts to one’s homeland.Regardless of the language barriers found in dialogue, contrast is furthered and muddled-over by the cultural influences that are sew n into family tradition. From the same token, many Americans—New Yorkers included—can also feel the fear-factor begin to kindle unpleasant feelings if they are immersed in a soft-spoken culture such as Bali. The people of Bali would be very apprehensive—even shocked—by how American treat one another. The people of Bali view politeness and respect very highly. Bali people would wonder how Americans can function by the way they are so rude and offensive to one another.Par to this apprehension stems from a combination of cultural-language elements: for one, the attitude surrounding confrontation and arguments in America and Bali are so different that they would cause great problems if an American were to move to Bali and vice-versa. Then, when this duress—regardless of how small it might be—is compounded with foreign cultural influence, a resulting sense of fear is likely to occur. The Bali people would be the ones who are fearful of the Americ an’s aggressiveness.If an American were to move to Bali, she would also be culturally shell-shocked but from a different perspective. The Bali people would not react to the American’s rudeness and lack of sensitivity. Thereby making it nearly impossible for an American to succeed in this country American cultures and Bali cultures find argument to be influential, but with contrasting expectations. Life is meant to be interesting and filled with excitement. It’s a means of opening up and sharing one’s personal beliefs that are paramount to success in this culture.Americans are brought up in a society that almost requires aggressiveness. Sometimes this aggressiveness does not consider being polite. It is ignored, at least according to the people of Bali. Bali people, in fact, might deem this behavior as rude and self-serving. This, in turn, can put people on the defensive, sensing the needed to act guarded or cautious when immersed in American cultural beli efs. In closing, it is apparent that the various cultures differences surrounding polite mannerisms and confrontation in the work place and on the home front are starkly different.It’s a different ways of experiencing life. The language barriers are but one challenge that people face if they choose to live or work in a country other than the one they were raised in. As this world becomes more and more global, on both business and family fronts, it’s easy to see that a person doesn’t have to travel out of her own country to experience another culture. The stark contrast of cultural influence is but another step toward uniting this planet as we seek ways to work and live together, harmoniously. SOURCES Listening to Other Cultures, Tannin, Deborah. pp. 221-224

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Emission Reduction Essay examples

Emission Reduction Essay examples Emission Reduction Essay examples | Emission Reduction | ECON220-1301A-06 | | Ashley Baker | 3/10/2013 | | The two policies that I chose that could be used to reduce the total amount of emissions are Cap and Trade, and a Carbon Tax. They both â€Å"create incentives for businesses and households to conserve energy, improve energy efficiency, and adopt clean-energy technologies† (Policy Basics, 2013). â€Å"The Cap and Trade policy specifies the amount of allowable emissions† (Policy Basics, 2013). â€Å"A Carbon Tax is the obverse of Cap and Trade: rather than fixing the amount of allowable emissions, it specifies their price† (Policy Basics, 2013). I believe that the Cap and Trade policy would work not only because it creates incentives for businesses and households, but it also gives you a certain amount that is allowed. I also think that a Carbon Tax would work because if you were to go over the price that was given you would be charged extra, and no one wants to pay more than what they use. A Carbon Tax also creates incentives for businesses and households. Ther e are many benefits for each of the policies, but I am going to share two for each of them because I feel that they are the most important ones. The two benefits for the Cap and Trade policy are that it â€Å"provides a cost-effective way for the U.S. to adjust to a more sustainable use of energy† (Earl, 2009), and that â€Å"it motivates other countries to join the emission reduction commitments† (Earl, 2009). The benefits of a Carbon Tax are that it â€Å"replaces command-and-control regulations and expensive subsidies with transparent and powerful market-based incentives† (Morris, 2013), and that it â€Å"promotes economic activity through reduced regulatory burden and lower marginal tax rates† (Morris, 2013). There will be no cost for either the Cap and Trade or a Carbon Tax. â€Å"Jim Sims says that the question of how much will it cost is absolutely imperative for policymakers to answer† (Carey, 2010). We think that everything has a cost but in reality not everything does, a policymaker cannot make you pay for one of their

Monday, November 4, 2019

BMW Differentiates Itself Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

BMW Differentiates Itself - Essay Example BMW is one of the first firms to incorporate the idea in its vehicles in Europe and Asia markets. Its continued research has led to the adoption of efficient dynamics technology. The enhancements have led to the production of vehicles producing less than 140g of carbon dioxide per kilometer. The technology incorporates the interaction of electric motors and combustion engines in the vehicles as a strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The differentiation has increased its competitive advantage against rival firms because most customers are cautious about the pollution levels while purchasing vehicles (Mahnken, 2012). BMW has also launched the e0drive model that runs on electricity making it its first vehicle to use green energy. The BMW hydrogen runs purely on hydrogen fuel in an approach to conserving the environment. The differentiation took place in 2004 before most of the rivals had invested in environmental saving techniques in their production of automobiles. Secondly, BMW has employed latest technological enhancements in its vehicles. It has installed onboard diagnostics systems that can be used to monitor the car’s operational and management modes remotely. The company had a time advantage of installing the technology before most of its rivals. Moreover, the firm has used the knowledge to come up with strong and light vehicles to enhance speed through the use of carbon fiber materials. Technology has also facilitated changes in aerodynamics, transmission and safety of its customers; hence having a competitive advantage. Thirdly, BMW has integrated human emotions and with the production of its vehicles. Its designs awaken customer emotions and passions through providing the tastes and preferences of the customers. The automobile company has mostly ventured in luxury vehicles. Clients can customize their vehicles through by changing features such as color and physical looks while making their orders. The customer-firm connection is not found in

Saturday, November 2, 2019

The ableist conflation by Joel Reynolds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The ableist conflation by Joel Reynolds - Essay Example As many groups have done, disabled people have been engaged in what Anspach calls â€Å"identity politics†; politics that endeavor not only to change society’s conception and response to disabled people, but also to change the self-concepts of disabled people themselves. The work of disabled people in changing how they think about themselves continues, as the disability community struggles for self-definition and self-determination, as well as for civil rights. One of the most important problems facing the political struggle of people with disabilities is the necessity of developing a positive sense of identity. The very idea of a positive disability identity flies in the face of long-standing social â€Å"wisdom† about disability. The reason for this lies in the cultural beliefs about disability that have determined the status and perceptions of disabled people in our society today. Historically, disabled people were viewed as social and moral deviants, violations of the natural and cosmic order of the universe (Reynold, J). The response to such â€Å"deviance† was to protect society by separating disabled people from society in asylums, jails, basements, attics, etc. Disabled people were not considered fully human, had no role in society, and no basis for a positive social identity The theories of psychosocial identity development in onset disability, particularly minority identity development, provide a useful framework for exploring the concept of disability identity development as a minority culture phenomenon. Within the literature of identity development, few theorists have explicitly addressed the issue of disability, yet the models provide fertile ground for exploration. In contrast, an extensive body of rehabilitation literature exists that is grounded in the medical view of disability that has generated research findings that support and reinforce a medical

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Mainland china culture oriented market Research Paper

Mainland china culture oriented market - Research Paper Example Essentially, the diversity in culture is among the core aspects significant while a company puts interest in the global market; moreover, most business researchers and leaders put a lot of focus on this factor, as it is a core determiner of where a company stands in the international market. In some countries such as China and Japan, people buy products basing on the perception of a group i.e. people buy foodstuffs putting into consideration every member of the family: however, in the US and UK people purchase things according to their own opinion or preference (Fernanda 2009). This is among the main factors causing the difference in market approach and market plan i.e. States in Asia prefer collective advertising while the United States concentrates on individual advertising. The main cypher that relates to how the culture impacts, is the language which most states consider to signify vanity and a legacy; however, there are other symbols that matter just as much but this is the basis of how an organization approaches a certain market. This research paper focuses on mainland China as an emerging market; moreover, it analyses the difference between China based companies and others from the west evaluating the market plans and approach for the two. Most corporations in China have developed over the years as their businesses plans, strategies continue to become more refined and leaning more to the culture; however, this poses as a challenge to the companies in the western countries (Sin 2004). Most of these corporations that try to enter the international market fail because they overlook the cultural differences in mainland China and the only way out is to understand the diversities and exploit them through new marketing strategies that will be the foundation of the overall success in these markets. In an exploration of the Chinese’ market approach, its essential that one compares the dissimilar kinds of corporations and organizations

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Experimental Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Experimental Study - Essay Example Initially, participant clinics, instead of individual participants, were recruited based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) willingness to participate in the study; (2) the number of patients; and (3) similarity of clinical routines. During this stage, there were a total of 179 patients in all the clinics being considered. The following exclusion criteria were adopted in the selection of individual participants for both groups: (1) duration of diabetes of less than 6 months; (2) mental retardation; (3) lack of fluency in the Dutch language. Only eight patients were excluded, but 80 patients refused to participate. After the baseline data have been obtained, 2 clinics were allocated for monitoring intervention and 2 clinics were allocated to control group. Informed consent was administered among patients willing to participate in the research study. The initial sample size is 46 patients for the intervention group and 45 patients for the control group. Data collection at baseline was not discussed in detail in this study, but in the related study with the same set of authors (De wit, et al., 2007).   All patients and their parents were administered a booklet containing questions regarding demographic information and questions to assess their physical and psychosocial well-being which were to be answered at home and returned by mail or submitted to the clinic during one of their routine appointments. Most recent glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c)  and treatment regimen were recorded form the patients’ charts. Physical and psychosocial well-being  of the patients was measured using the 87-item child report version of the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ-CF87), while their parents completed the CHQ-PF50 equivalent to the CHQ-CF87. Depression, as part of the psychosocial well-being of the patients was assessed using the 20-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Scale for Depression (CES-D)  for both patients and their

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Marketing Strategy Of Sony Marketing Essay

Marketing Strategy Of Sony Marketing Essay Question. What is the relevance of Setting of marketing objective vis-à  -vis product launch. Please explain with the help of a product / company. Ans. MARKETING is defined as a social and managerial process by which individual and group obtain what they need and want through creating, offering and exchanging products of value with others. Marketing objectives define what you want to  accomplish through your marketing activities. There are several important factors to consider when establishing effective marketing objectives. Stating marketing objectives directs the development of your marketing plan. Marketing objectives should contribute toward achievement of the overall business objectives i.e. how much do you need to sell to achieve X% cost recovery or profit/loss-and should be based on the information gleaned in market research. Marketing objectives must: Be clear. Be measurable. Be achievable. Have a stated time frame. Include a sales forecast (at least one marketing objective). SMART Approach = Setting specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time specific objectives When setting objectives it is very important to ensure that your objectives are; specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time specific, or SMART for short. The SMART approach allows you to effectively manage your marketing activities and importantly be able to determine how successful they have been and whether they have delivered the particular benefits sought. The SMART approach is explained to illustrate how you address each area; Specific   are your objectives stated in a way that is precise about what you are hoping to achieve? Measurable   Can you quantify each objective, i.e. can you use a unit of measure such as market share in percentage or dollars or other to provide a way to check your level of success? Achievable   Are your objectives reasonable in terms of what you can actually achieve or are you setting your sights too high? Realistic   Do you have sufficient employees and resources to achieve the objectives you have set, if you dont then they are likely to be unrealistic? Time specific   When are you hoping to achieve these objectives, you need to define a timing plan with target timing for each specific objective? Having some marketing objectives is a must for success RELEVANCE OF SETTING MARKETING OBJECTIVES:- When a business creates a new product, a comprehensive marketing plan is expected to accompany the product release. A marketing plan is put in place to help reduce the financial risks involved in releasing a new product. Active Products When you advertise new manufactured goods, you are also marketing the whole company. One of the marketing objectives for new products is to take you back customers about the products that the company already has on the market, according to the small business experts writing for the Entrepreneur website. The simplest way to make obvious this is when a musical artist has a hit record. Not only does that hit record sell well, but the documentation label will also try to include the artists entire directory in the marketing as well. Good marketing works to set up the product and the company both as brand names that the consumer will remember. Competitive Analysis Your marketing plan for your new product needs to show how your produce exposes new weaknesses in the competition, according to business legal expert Carol Ann Waugh writing for The Publishing Law Center website. In order to remain competitive, your marketing study for new products needs to include a competitive examination that includes information on how your product fits into the market and how the competition may be able to take hold of more of your market share. Without understanding how your product is affected by the competition, you may see any initial sales gains wiped out as the competition releases a product that makes yours obsolete. Preparation for the Future A positive company is always thinking ahead, and the information gathered on a new product release now can help make future releases more successful. Pay close concentration to the function your new product receives from preliminary consumers prior to the product being accepted by the mainstream. By doing wide-ranging market research of how yours new manufactured goods accepted, you can develop ways to move future products into the mass demand phase of the marketing process faster. You can expand effective test groups that will help you make the necessary alterations to your products that will make future new product marketing programs more successful. Example of relevance of setting marketing objective is:- Marketing strategy of Sony: The marketing strategy of Sony aims at gaining youth consumer attention and creates their brand image as innovative brand. Sony is also having an attention gathering slogan i.e. MAKE.BELIEVE which means its an invitation. And a promise. We promise you that anything you imagine, you can make real. Sony is also having the official partnership with the 2010 FIFA World Cup Football Competition in South Africa. Sony offers wide range of products like bravia TV, cyber shoot camera, vaio laptop, etc. Sony had launched its nationwide sales promotional campaign entitled Sony Days 2009 Lets Cheer-offering a wide range of special offers- starting from June 12 until August 2, 2009. Increasing Brand Awareness or Brand Recognition. Good Graphical representation in the form of Billboards, Posters, Animated banners, etc. Change from Theory P (Push Based) Company must make view of marketing to Theory T (Trust Based) focusing on customer relationship. Other Schemes- example: Lustrous coating, custom keyboards, etc. The other Promotion strategy is the Sony Notebook Recycle Promotion. Purchase a Sony VAIO notebook receive free recycling for your existing notebooks.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Themes in Oedipus Rex Essays -- Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

The Themes in Oedipus Rex  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   Sophocles’ tragedy, Oedipus Rex, contains one main theme, which this essay will consider. The theme is the general doctrine or belief implicit in the drama, which the author seeks to make persuasive to the reader (Abrams 170).    In â€Å"Sophocles’ Moral Themes† Robert D. Murray Jr. cites a critic who is strictly moralist in the interpretation of the theme of Oedipus Rex:    Let C. M. Bowra speak for the moralists:    The central idea of a Sophoclean tragedy is that through suffering a man learns to be modest before the gods. . . . When [the characters] are finally forced to see the truth, we know that the gods have prevailed and that men must accept their own insignificance.    In short, for Bowra, the essence of each play of Sophocles is a message urging humility and piety (45).    Van Nortwick, seemingly in support of Bowra, describes Oedipus’ tragic flaw as something equivalent to the lack of modesty before the gods which Bowra refers to:    As ruler, he is a father to Thebes and its citizens, and like a father he will take care of his â€Å"children.† We see already the supreme self-confidence and ease of command in Oedipus, who can address not only other people’s children as his own, but also be a father to men older than he is. But beyond even this there is, in the sretched posture of the citizens, the hint of prostration before a deity. We are â€Å"clinging to your altars,† says the priest. . . . That he also exudes a godlike mastery in the eyes of his subjects only strengthens the heroic portrait. . . .(21-22).    The â€Å"godlike mastery† to which Van Nortwick refers is the same mastery which Creon in his final lines designates as the cause of the... ...of Oedipus Rex, edited by Michael J. O’Brien. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.    Jevons, Frank B.   â€Å"In Sophoclean Tragedy, Humans Create Their Own Fate.† In Readings on Sophocles, edited by Don Nardo. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1997.    Murray, Robert D. Jr. â€Å"Sophocles’ Moral Themes.† In Readings on Sophocles, edited by Don Nardo. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1997.    â€Å"Sophocles† In Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. NewYork: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984.    Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Transl. by F. Storr. no pag. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/browse-mixed new?tag=public&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&part=0&id=SopOedi    Van Nortwick, Thomas.   Oedipus: The Meaning of a Masculine Life. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1998.   

Thursday, October 24, 2019

The Vernacular Language

The Vernacular Language Over the course of humanity, there have been many different languages that have come and gone. As this topic is being discussed, we can probably assume that there is another spoken or written language being developed for use in one way or another. Latin is one of the most prominent languages and was one of the longest used amongst those that were educated and within literature. The real questions that beg to be answered are the origins of the language and what were the impacts the spread of vernacular language had on cultures during this period.The Latin language has survived in one form or another for over two thousand years, dating back to around 75 B. C. and still in use today. No matter where we look, we can see the influence of this language. Dating back to the founding of Rome, in 753 B. C. , they have been at war and have been a nation that has conquered many different countries. While the rise of the Roman empire began in 406 B. C. with the attack of V eii, there was not a true injection of country traditions until later in history and ending in the 12th century.This spread of the empire is where the spread of the Latin language took place and the spread of the vernacular language. To start, what is vernacular language? According to the free dictionary (n. d. ), vernacular is defined as the standard native language or a country or locality. The everyday language spoken by a people as distinguished from the literary language or a variety of such everyday language specific to a social group or region. Note that this term originates from Latin vernaculus. Even some of our definitions of words come from Latin.As we progress through this report, we are now starting to see how much of an impact this language had on society. The Roman Empire was vast and their reign over a large portion of the world lasted for many years. As they conquered nations, their traditions slowly became the traditions of that native land. Most of their reign cov ered Europe as we know it today and spanned hundreds of years. With the spread of a nation, comes the spread of their culture as well. Language is the oldest form of expression within a culture and passing this on either through force or assimilation has a lasting impact on those involved.The Latin language has survived in one form or another for over 2,000 years. It is the parent language of many modern day languages such as Italian, French, Romanian, Portuguese, and the Spanish language. As it was already noted earlier in this paper, even words in the English language have roots that can be traced back to the Latin language. One of the main reasons that the Latin language was so prominent is the fact that it is a form of communication. Culture does not spread without communication. Without communication, we cannot pass on knowledge or exchange ideas amongst each other.If we did not have communication, we would not be the culture that we are today. To say that the Roman Empire had an impact on the entire world is making a very moderate statement. The Roman Empire has had influences in all of society and include areas such as poetry, music, the arts, and architecture as well as language. While most people associate the Empire with a lot of the aforementioned, none of it would have been possible without the Latin language. Again, we are pointed back to the ability to communicate with others and to be able to pass on knowledge.It does not matter how advanced a culture is or may appear to be if they have no ability to pass any of this on to another culture. Not only does it allow the passing of knowledge, it also accomplishes one other hurdle in terms of the world and the growth of the world. With different languages and having nobody be able to communicate, we would never be able to come to a form of peace. Having the ability to relate to others in different parts of the world allow us to relay intentions, be it for good or other purposes.Without this communicat ion, most wars may have ended in the complete annihilation of countries instead of peace or some form of agreement between the two nations that were at war. The last section to discuss today is the lasting impact that the vernacular languages had on our society. What are some examples of this? Look around and you can easily see them if you know what you are looking for. Let’s begin with the author of this paper and continue from there. The author has had his name passed on from generation to generation. While the use of his name stopped for a while, it was started again with his great grandfather.Passing this down, the use of Latin numbers, or more commonly known as Roman numerals, is used to dictate which number of that name he is. For the author, he is the fourth consecutively named son and as such, after his last name is IV to represent the fourth. Look at dictionaries when researching words and you will also notice that these words have root definitions to them. An excell ent example of the use of Latin is in scientific studies. Genus, phylum, etc. all come from Latin origins. The last one to mention that still has Latin roots is the naming of the NFL Superbowl games using the Latin numbering system.In closing, the Latin language and the vernacular language has had a lasting impact on society and will continue to have this impact. It is a part of almost every culture today in some form. Without this vernacular language, society would not be where we are today. References Latin Language Blog (2010, March 24). Latin Numbers 1-100 | Latin Language Blog. Transparent. com Blogs. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://blogs. transparent. com/latin/latin-numbers-1-100/ Map of The Roman Empire. (n. d. ). Global Ministries – The United Methodist Church – General Board of Global Ministries.Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://gbgm-umc. org/umw/corinthians/empire. stm Matthews, J. (2007, October). Beginnings of Vernacular. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://ac-support. europe. umuc. edu/~jmatthew/naples/vernacular. htm Pulju, T. (n. d. ). History of Latin. Rice University — Web Services. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www. ruf. rice. edu/~kemmer/Words04/structure/latin. html The History Channel (n. d. ). Timeline – Rome: Rise and Fall of an Empire on History. History: Shows, Schedules and Resources. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www. history. o. uk/shows/rome-rise-and-fall-of-an-empire/season-1/timeline. html TheFREEdictionary. com (n. d. ). Vernacular languages – definition of Vernacular languages by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia. In Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus – The Free Dictionary. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www. thefreedictionary. com/Vernacular+languages University of Calgary (1996, August). First Europe Tutorial – Latin and Vernaculars. Home | University of Calgary. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from htt p://www. ucalgary. ca/applied_history/tutor/firsteuro/lang. html

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

PUMA case study Essay

In order to arrive at the correct judgment of what will be puma’s opportunities and threats, let analyze the external environments factors affecting the company basing on the PESTEL and industrial competitive factors using five forces framework. And later when determining the company’s strengths and weakness I will look at the company’s internal capabilities by looking at its value chain, value network and any other competitive factors which gives the company more competitive advantage than rivals. By definition external environmental factors are those factors which have impact on company although the company has either very little or no control at all over those factors. Usually these factors are classified as PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal). External Political Factors These refer to the following sub-factors:(I)Government stabilityThis has influence to any business. When the government in which Puma operates become unstable politically business will definitely be affected. For example civil wars affect both operations, leisure’s and sports events which are Puma’s business. In our case study we saw that after terrorist attacks of September, 11, 2001 and wars in Afghanstan, geopolitical uncertainty led puma to shift its production from Pakistan to China (Puma case study, 2003). (ii)Foreign Trade Regulations These includes treaties and agreements which must be respected by the member countries and Companies (Czinkota, Rivoli and Ronkainen, 1992).For example General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade(GATT),regulations in respect of monopoly and competition standards, Trade fair Act(1997), Paris conventional for the protection of industrial property, to name but a few. These have impact on Puma since wherever it operates it must adhere to. (iii) Taxation Policy These have impact on Puma’s business because are an expenses which reduce revenue but it can also be used as the barrier to entry to the targeted potential markets. Some government use to fix higher tax to incoming foreign company. Economic Factors These factors have a huge impact on Puma’s business. These are factors like cost of energy, oil, inflation, recession and recovery. For example interest rates(interest on loans and borrowings), inflation and unemployment has got negative impact on business since an increase of one or both of these factors is equivalent to the raise of business running costs at the same time will mean reducing the purchasing power(inflation and unemployment) of the people. GNP Trends can have impact on Puma’s business since a good GNP shows that the per capita income of the people is good. Positive growth trends means increases on people purchasing power which has a positive influence to Puma. People with big disposable income can spend more on the leisure like sports and also buys more of the products as oppose to the people with less disposal income. Sociocultural factors(i)Population demographic; there are arguments that the population is getting older and therefore Puma should starts to focus on the senior people segment in order to remain profitable and for business growth. (ii) Uneven income distribution means there are few people with disposable income (the rich) and the majority have very less purchasing power. It is not therefore a market puma should target. (iii) Lifestyle Changes These have the impact in business and it needs the company to be strategically innovative in order to cope with peoples’ taste/fashion changes to retain and persuade the customers. This is one of the factors making customers switch from one product to the others of the same use. (iv) Attitudes to work and leisureSince Puma operates globally it is possible to meet different societies with different attitudes to work and leisure. Negative attitude to work and leisure will have negative impact to business and positive one will have positive impact to Puma business. Technological FactorsProbably these are the most dramatic forces shaping our destiny which creates whole new markets and destroy others. These are such as;New discoveries/development and speed of technology transferThese makes the products life cycles get short and creates a fierce competition among industries and hence forcing the company to invest more on R&D so as to remain strategically innovative (cost implication to business). Technological factors can lead to both high rate of obsolescence and Increase Company’s budget (through R&D). Environmental factorsMost of the nations and international bodies have been enacting laws to protect the environment (green issues).Companies have been compulsorily required to adhere to these laws; for example the law to internalise pollution, waste remittance and all legislations regarding safety and environment issues. These have significant impact to business like Puma because it reduces revenue. Legal factorsThe company which operates globally must expect different laws in different markets place within its operations. For example employment laws, health and safety regulations and financial regulations. It will also need to know advertising and promotion regulations, pricing regulations and consumer protection legislations. (Brassgton and Pettiti, 2007). Porter’s five forces of competitive strategyWas developed as a way of assessing the attractiveness (profit potential) of different industries. It helps to identify the sources of competition in an industries or sectors (Johnson, scholes and Whittington, 2006).The focus is in the environmental factors influencing this competitiveness; which are as follows;(i) Threats of new entrantsThere are six major sources of barriers to entry which includes economies to scale, capital requirements, and control of distributition channel, customer loyalty, experience and retaliation. (Porter, 1998). To my opinions and with reference to sports industry for more than three decades, threats of entry has a very little influence to Puma. This is because to enter into sports industry you need not only heavy capital and technology but experience and knowledge together with attractive customer base which is the strong barrier to entry. Suppliers Power Suppliers can have power if;(a)There are a concentration of suppliers and they can purchase in big quantities(b)Suppliers have a wide range of customers and can easily switch from one supplier to the other(c)The cost of switching from one Supply another is very high and,(d)If they pose a credible threats of integrating forwards into the industry business. To my opinion these conditions does not apply to Puma and therefore can not be threats because Puma policy on suppliers is such that Puma have no long term relationships with supply and the fact that production, logistics, distribution have been outsourcing surely Puma will be having very few suppliers (mostly not related to production and transport departments). In addition to that it is not possible for those suppliers to integrate backward into industry’s business. Buyers bargaining power According to Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2006) buyers are likely to have influence on industry’s business if the following condition prevails;(a)There are concentration of buyers and they purchase a big volume(b)The cost of switching a supplier is lower or involves little risks(c)The buyer pose a credible threats to integrate backwards to make the industry’s product. To my views this factor is not a threat to Puma because buyers are scattered all over the world such that they can not have collective bargaining power and the cost of switching from Puma to another suppliers is very big and risks because Puma is among reliable and paying company. The threat of substitutes Substitutes reduce demand for a particular â€Å"class† of product as customers switch to alternative even to the extend that this class of products becomes obsolete (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2006).Looking at the trend of sports industry for more than 40 years you will find that there are always Puma and the big three which dominates the sport industry and each having a very attractive customer base and thus this is a justification that Substitutes is no a threats to Puma. Competitive rivalryRefers to organisations with similar products and services aimed at the same customer group; which for Puma can be Adidas, Nike and Reebok and Fila, Diesel and Prada for football, running, basketball and apparel and accessories respectively. This is not a threat at all since for this factor to be threats the following conditions must prevail; there are must be numerous competitors and are roughly have equal size and power which is not the case for sports industry(Look at Adidas,Nike, Rebook and Prada,diesel and Fila) all have different power and sizes. The other factor is that for the rivalry to take place the markets must be matured but this is not the case for Puma because although the traditional market segment were heading to mature there are several niches which offer attractive growth, and yet analysts expect growth in geographical regions for football especially Europe, Asia and Americans. Opportunities and threats Looking at the environmental factors and the five forces affecting Puma I have noted some of the opportunities and threats for the company;OpportunitiesTrends of accessories/equipments is attractiveIf accessories can be properly managed can be greater opportunity for puma to grow the business. Currently 60% of the total sales are generated from footwear division, but according to experts apparel and accessories categories are showing attractive growth rate .why not Puma utilise this opportunity by providing its customer variety of such products by focusing on both high-value and stylish product and lower priced products so that can get shares from companies like LVHM, Hugo Boss and Prada. In my opinion Puma can start focusing on virgin markets such as Racing especially Horse racing, skateboarding, snowboarding to mention but a few. Alliances and joint venture Although puma has acquired some of the largest companies such as Swedish Tretorn the European third largest manufacturer of Tennis balls, it is not enough. Alliances and joint venture is one of the major opportunities for Puma to both expand geographical markets for its products and at the same time get access to valuable technology and competences. Threats Puma faces both intertype and intertypes competitorsPuma’s internal capabilitiesIf the companies are to achieve competitive advantage by delivering value to customers, they need to understand how that value is created or lost (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2006).Puma’s value Chain has been divided into two; Primary and Support activities. If you consider the primary activities side you must understand that puma is described as Virtualized Company. Its in-house resources and activities such as inbound outbound logistics, operations and Procurement have been outsourced. This gives the company to deal with its core competency more effectively. It does not mean however that the company doesn’t care for the outsourced activities but the management are very careful on the selection of suppliers, logistics providers and producers but also it has a strong information technology infrastructure which helps them to coordinate easily and efficiently. Human resources management Puma with no doubts it has a strong HR by looking at the CEO and his deputy. The CEO being graduate in international business administration and having an ample experience in international business and marketing and worked for Colgate-Palmolive. Also the deputy CEO having an extensive experience in supply chain management and strategy implementation is one of the justifications that the company have strong HR capability. Technology development Puma has a proprietary technology which helps the company in terms of innovation and designing and also in information technology. For example the company due to technological ability developed shudol shoe. One of the technological innovations can also be seen on â€Å"cell technology†. To manage its entire coordination and consolidation from all 80 countries is one of the justifications that Puma is strong technology wise. Marketing and SalesPuma’s strengths come from the best implementation of its strategies in marketing and sales. Puma’s core competencies have been divided into marketing, brand and product management. Brand ManagementOne of the major reasons for puma’s turnaround was the new  positioning of the brand itself (refer to case study).One of the strategies used is sponsorship of either individual player or teams and associated the company with charismatic personalities who proliferate the desired brand perception, recogonition and awareness It has association with biggest names in history of sports such as Pele, Maradona and Cruyff. Recently the CEO, use the technique of associating the company with entertainment professional such as Arnon Milchan (the influential film maker),David Matalon and Peter Chernim these stars making brand appears in several Hollywood production. Apart from sponsoring teams like Jamaica and Cameroon Puma has been organising several events such as Puma street soccer in 1994 and 4SOME competition in 2003 aiming at both displaying puma label and communicating Puma philosophy. By 2003 the brand was so high that super stars like Madonna were proud to wear Puma Product without any compensation. Marketing Puma’s marketing division is responsible for all Puma advertising, promotions, PR and selling. Strong promotion and advertisement helps Puma be known company globally. Management are careful to select a media of advertisement and promotions.Footbal, Basketbal and running cups have become the mega events watched by viewers from across the global. Puma has been sponsoring either individual or teams. As a result these events offer excellent marketing opportunities for the company to create awareness of its brand. It has been fine turning its marketing strategies for football cups from 1960’s when Stars like Pele, Maradona and Cuyff to recent stars like Madonna. Product management Product management at Puma concerned with designing, operating and maintaining good products. This ensures that the company doesn’t only produce but creates a product that people will want to buy. Fistly; the company has a wide range of product which help the company to easily respond to different customers with different levels and interests. For example Puma football, running and basketball and others in accessories and equipments. In terms of technology and also to ensure that it offers customers’ product of high quality Puma has association with engineers and famous designers such as Jil Sander Mihara.For instance Puma innovation was â€Å"Cell technology† which convinced famous athletes to be Puma products such Cameroon National soccer team and Jamaica running professionals. Puma is innovative in each stage of the production for example to develop the new â€Å"Shudol shoes† worked with the team of Jordan Grand prix engineers. From Puma’s internal capabilities the following strengths and weakness have been observed;StrengthsStrong brand-name image/company reputationPuma has a reputation for being a pioneer in sports and the brand has very strong heritage in world football, featuring a glittering list of past brand ambassadors which includes some of the biggest names in the history of the game such as Maradona, Pele and Cruffy.It boasts most of the exiting teams and individuals and as a result of having such sports people as customers creates good atmosphere for Puma to enjoy not only the survival but also the company growth. Attractive customer base Having the association with quality players it gives an image to most of the people that the company have quality as well. As the results puma has loyal customers worldwide. This landmark deal laid a foundation for sports marketing and PR drive which saves and strengthens Puma’s position as one of the best performers on footwear, apparel and accessories for years now. Lower cost base and marketing Focused CompanyPuma is a virtualized company because it has outsourced all production, procurement of materials, distribution and logistics making its working capital just small. This make the company not only have a lower cost base but more importantly focuses in its core competencies. Weakness(i)The virtualized company can have serious strategic weaknesses in the long runPuma mainly depends on partnerships, collaboration and networking. Although virtual can meet and satisfy its customers adequately just like other, there arguments that such an extreme form of outsourcing are likely to result in serous weakness in the longrun, as the company become devoid to core competences and cut off from the learning which can  exists through understanding these activities in house (Johnson,Scholes and Whittington,2006). (ii) PricePuma products’ prices are relatively lower than rivals. This is a weakness because price may bring implication that you product has lower quality because most of customers associates high price with high quality. Therefore if the product is priced lower to some customer it will mean that its quality is lower as well. Secondly it reduces the revenue especially if it is not accompanied by high volume of sales. To determine and propose the optimal strategies for Puma in light of the above SWOT and analysing possible change issues and challenges in implanting the strategies. Having looked at Puma’s strengths and weakness and taking into consideration opportunities and threats the company can encounter. The following are my proposal of what would be the optimal strategies for the company:-A Hybrid strategyUnder this strategy the company seeks to not only provide product or services benefits which are valued by the customers that are different from those of competitors but also provide those products at a lower price than that of competitors. It has both lower price strategy and differentiation strategy. Lower price strategyThis can be a best strategy for Puma given its financial position and market shares as compared to rivals. Also Puma has already some element of this strategy which can be a foundation for the implementation of hybrid strategy. For example Puma’s products have lower price than those of competitors, defenitely is because the company have a low cost base after outsourcing all logistics, production, procurement of materials and distribution.Without lower cost base you can not sustain this because lower price reduce margin which unless you have some where within other portfolio to subsidise your business will be very difficulty to sustain. However lower price strategy alone can not be effective and sometimes is dangerous because is can led to â€Å"price war† as your rivals imitate what you  have done. Thus to be strategically safe it should be accompanied by differentiation. Differentiation seeks to provide products that offer benefits different from that of competitors and that are valued by buyers. In this case Puma can upgrades its product’s quality and add to them appealing attributes than that of competitors. This can be achieved by Puma because the company have been in this line of business for decades now such that it clearly know its strategy customers (what they want ) and it clearly know what are the competitors(what they offer and their strengths).After upgraded the products Puma can sell them at similar price of that competitors. In this occasion Puma will be increasing its market shares as more people will go for its products. In addition to that Puma can use hybrid strategy to enter into the markets where their rivals are well established. If you look at the big three i.e. Adidas, Nike and Reebok you will note that they are more well off in terms of both financial and present in every country than Puma making it difficulty for Puma to grow the business and grab from them the market shares. But entering the market with a superior product and with lower price will help Puma to take market share, divert the attention of the competitors, and establish a foothold from which they could move further (Porter, M, 1998). It should clear however that the best results from implementation of the hybrid strategy depends on the sustainability of the strategy itself. And to achieve this Puma need to work harder in order to achieve more sales volume so that to compensate the reduced margin due to selling products at the lower price. This can be achieved by strategically driving down costs .For example Puma should encourage more e-business which will enable the company to sell more but maintain lower cost base. It will also enable the company to sell across the boundaries with very minimum resources but yet be able to achieve high volume at least cost. Also incorporating the supply chain into the system with a quick delivery time which can be a critical success factor. Change issues and possible challengesDefinitely what is behind hybrid strategy is selling at the lower price than that of competitors and at the same time seeking to provide products that offer benefits different from those of your competitors. To achieve efficiencies and productivity from hybrid strategy Puma will need to make changes on the entire staff within and around the organisation. It will need to change employees ‘attitudes so that to direct efforts and dedication to achieving of the positive results from the operations with least costs. This can only be achieved if the management will inspire the people towards Maximising output subject to minimisation of cost (cost sensitive strategy) and build and maintain the marketing and sales focused team. To achieve lower cost base require real time visibility to cost-critical information for many important decision that impact cost prior to products delivery. This visibility must be immediate available and understood to all who impact costs in the process across the enterprise. Selling at a lower price reduce margin and to compensate the lost margin you need to increase sales volume. You can achieve this by having a skilled and competent sales force because such a sales force can; †¢Effectively persuade customers to buy and hence increase market shares. †¢Reduce time and efforts necessary to sell by increasing the relationships level with customers. †¢Increase competitive ability and strengths by reducing predictability and delivery concise and consistent. Financially the good sale force can have the following positive results;†¢Good team can expand the size of each deal and close more deals. †¢Can decrease selling expenses. When the team doesn’t perform well sales cycles are extended and multiple calls are required to convince customers. †¢Lower recruitment and training cost. †¢Also if you able to sell more with fewer costs associated with sales efforts your margin increase. †¢A good team easily adapt to changesAll these can positively contribute to lowering down the cost base for the best implementation and achievement of the hybrid strategyReferencesBrassington and Pettitt (2007) Principle of MarketingCzinkota, rivoli and Ronkainen (1992) International business (2nd edition) New York, London, sydnet, Tokyo-The Dryden pressJohnson, Scholes and Whittington (2006) Exploring corporate strategy (7th edition) London Prentice Hall. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_analysishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competitive_strategyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_5_forces_analysishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PESTELArmstrong. M. (2006). A handbook of Human Resource Management Practice, (10th edn), Kogan Page, LondonGrant, R.M. (2005), â€Å"Contemporary Strategy Analysis†, Blackwell Publishing Ltd., Oxford (U.K.), 2005Hunger, J. David & Wheelen, Thomas L. (2003) â€Å"Essentials of Strategic Management†. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.