The Great Gatsby: “It is Nick who makes Jay Gatsby into The Great Gatsby”

The ambiguous â€Å"greatness† of Jay Gatsby is imparted to the reader through the thoughts and observations of Nick Carraway, a character who is personally involved in the intricate events and relationships featured in the plot. He is therefore an excellent choice of narrator as this participatory role places him beside the ‘great' namesake of the book, which is essentially how he appears to portray the idealistic, materialistic and yet naive character of Jay Gatsby. In using Nick as such a device, Fitzgerald presents an insight into Gatsby which is gradually developed from ambiguity to admiration as he refines Nick's perception throughout the ‘riotous excursion'- as Nick metaphorically describes the action of the novel – and establishes his often negative outlook on the selfishness, greed and moral corruption of American society. Nick is conveniently able to acquire this personal knowledge of Gatsby through his approachability, causing other characters to confide in him through his inclination â€Å"to reserve judgement†. However, his negative judgement of society (from which Gatsby is ‘exempt') ironically contradicts his initial claim to impartiality, and Nick continues to judge people thereafter. This reveals his viewpoint to be increasingly subjective and lends his character the virtues of being realistic, thus possessing human failings which evoke a more complete persona, and not merely a mouthpiece for Fitzgerald's thoughts. However, covertly, he also communicates the author's condemnation of 20's society as his own, since Fitzgerald has incorporated such judgements into his personality, creating the illusion of an impartial narrator while pursuing his satirical condemnation of the Jazz Age and his apparent admiration of the idealism implicit in the American Dream (represented by Gatsby's impossible optimism). Indeed, Fitzgerald's use of this â€Å"intelligent but sympathetic observer† at the centre of events â€Å"makes for some of the most priceless values in fiction† (William Troy, 1945). The values of â€Å"economy and intensity† are achieved by his central role in events, while â€Å"suspense† is achieved through Nick's personal flaw of not fully perceiving Gatsby's character, causing revelations about Gatsby's past and present to be frequent and striking. We think particularly of how Gatsby â€Å"came alive† to Nick in Chapter 4 through Jordan's reminiscing, and of how, in Chapter 9, revelations are still made after his death (such as the schedule brought to Nick's attention by Gatsby's father) which consolidate Nick's respect for his extensive ambition. Nick's perception of Gatsby is limited in certain aspects as the latter is an ambiguous character, though this incomplete knowledge does not deter Nick's positive view, which develops from not knowing Gatsby at all to admiring him for his strangely noble, if delusory, dream. Gatsby's ambiguity simply fuels fascination in Nick, who uses the adulatory adjective â€Å"gorgeous† to describe him, and proceeds in his narrative to seek the reason for this attraction in the mystery of Gatsby. The apparent bias presented in Nick's narration may also be due to many connections felt with Gatsby as a result of similarities between both their characters and Fitzgerald himself: many of Gatsby's characteristics are often Fitzgerald's own, incorporated into his character alongside Nick's. Just as the author had fought in the war, so have his characters, a fact which had taken Daisy away from Gatsby and excitement away from Nick's life as he â€Å"came back restless†. They both seek to reclaim these things, Nick by coming East and Gatsby by reacquiring Daisy's love. Nick empathizes with Gatsby's longing, and here perhaps Fitzgerald incorporates his own experience of losing the affections of his first love, Ginevra King, this failure in achieving his own dream revealing bias in the author himself. This may be the reason for the author positing that Gatsby is â€Å"great† while also impressing his negative opinion on the causes of both his and Gatsby's failure – in this case society, and the class differences which precluded Fitzgerald's relationship with the wealthier King. In the wider context of social satire, this contrast between dreams and failure is analogous to the rich and poor within American society, and is portrayed through the rather obvious symbolism of the â€Å"Valley of Ashes† whose uncomfortable proximity to the higher class Eggs foregrounds the vast disparity between rich and poor in the Roaring Twenties. Initially Nick only perceives the visible side of Gatsby – his material possessions and his parties where guests â€Å"came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars† in Chapter 3. He describes the parties as dreamlike, perhaps reflecting Gatsby's outlook on life, and tempting, as wealth was in 1920s America. Fitzgerald's simile of the guests being insect-like expresses Nick's observation of the superficial materialism and immorality of American society (emphasized in the former quotation by the sibilance of â€Å"whisperings†), as they are only tempted by Gatsby's wealth, drawn like moths to his light, while making Gatsby seem somehow compelling and superior to them as they revolve around him In direct contrast to such shallowness, Fitzgerald reveals Nick's admiration for Gatsby's â€Å"romantic readiness†, and his â€Å"infinite hope† in his idealistic love of Daisy, to further build the â€Å"great† element of Gatsby's personality as it is discovered. This aspect of Gatsby, when introduced, also makes him â€Å"more real† (EK 1925) and empathetic, than American society of the time, as his dream is revealed to be for love, not material status. These poetic descriptions, though also used ‘in order to persuade us that Gatsby is a man of poetic sensibility†, do not imply that â€Å"Fitzgerald takes the dangerous, no-hands course of simply saying so† as Kenneth Tynan (1974) states. In fact, Nick's positive opinions of Gatsby are developed very subtly and implied throughout events in the plot. These gradually build the impression of Gatsby's imaginative and beautiful sensibility, such as Nick's discovery of his idealism regarding Daisy's love. At times, such usages of poetic narrative depictions contrast sharply with the dull, bare portrayal of the poorer sections of society. To this end, light is used by Nick in positive descriptions throughout the novel, his own and Fitzgerald's fascination with modern developments of his time projected through Nick's observant and admiring documentation of places lit by electric lighting, such as Gatsby's house which was ‘blazing with light,' and the important symbol of Gatsby's â€Å"hope† for Daisy's love – the symbolic green light at the end of Daisy's dock, ultimately described, with pity, as an â€Å"illusion. Light is thus used in a symbol of both Nick's admiration felt at Gatsby's â€Å"hope†, and his sympathy as it is for an immaterial romantic goal (love), which disregards Gatsby's material prominence. Nick also favourably compares Gatsby to a seismograph; an ‘intricate' device driven by unknown/seen forces which mirrors Nick's own impression o f him. This analogy is not merely an â€Å"apt†¦ symbol for the human sensibility in a mechanized age† (Edwin S. Fussell 1952), showing Nick's focus on material developments; it is also clearly used to accentuate his opinions on how admirable Gatsby's â€Å"heightened sensibility† is. Nick's use of such comparisons also suggests the ambiguity in his rendering of Gatsby. Nick only makes us aware of Gatsby's personality in strategically placed narrative elements. These staged revelations, though revealing aspects of Gatsby that hint at criminality (like his activities in Chicago and various other rumours) simultaneously emphasize his admirable qualities such as his prizing of Daisy's love. Indeed, Nick's narration increasingly overlooks Gatsby's flaws, both his and Fitzgerald's views increasingly colouring the tale and casting Gatsby's dream in a positive light. By creating this empathy with Gatsby, Fitzgerald effectively communicates the intense disappointment felt at the intrusion of reality on idealism in the final chapters of the novel, and sympathy for the failure of Gatsby's dream is invoked. Clearly, though Maxwell E Perkins (1924) feels that Gatsby's ambiguity is â€Å"mistaken† as it makes his character more nebulous, Fitzgerald actually uses this as a main method of drawing the reader into a prominent theme of illusion, the ultimate illusion being love itself. The mysteriousness of Gatsby is also used to enable Nick's â€Å"growth in moral perception† (Troy 1945) which Troy describes as a â€Å"necessity† in such a narrator; Nick gradually perceives Gatsby's â€Å"moral† side- his â€Å"innate purity†, and society's lack of this in comparison, subsequently favouring Gatsby and giving some credibility to EK's evaluation of Gatsby being â€Å"more real† than the other characters due to the paradoxically pure nature of his dream. In this respect, Chapter 4 is used to further Nick's, and the reader's, positive perception of Gatsby. It features Jordan recounting a â€Å"romantic† memory of Daisy's former relationship with Gatsby, Fitzgerald effectively digressing from Nick's narration in order to impart a very deliberate and important revelation from Gatsby's past. It is this relationship which Gatsby seeks to reclaim by means of his wealth, and is the basis of the â€Å"romantic readiness† admired in him by Nick. Nick subsequently colours his narrative with the new awareness and says that Gatsby â€Å"came alive to me, delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendor†. With this metaphor of a birth, Fitzgerald makes a clear effort to separate Gatsby's huge vitality from the â€Å"purposeless splendour† of materialism, and, by extension, of American society, which he condemns through Nick's judgement of it. In Chapter 6 Fitzgerald again manipulates narrative structure in Nick's tale of Gatsby's origins, as at this stage in the plot's chronology Nick is not privy to this information- it was imparted by Gatsby himself â€Å"very much later† in the novel, and is presented achronologically to renew readers' faith in Gatsby before it is severely challenged in chapter 8, â€Å"with the idea of exploding those first wild rumors about his antecedence†. Fitzgerald reveals a specific part of Gatsby's background through Nick's narration, selected to instill sympathy for Gatsby in the reader by describing his younger self's (Gatz's) upward struggle from poverty, and the author's admiration for the idealistic dreams that had spurred him to create a â€Å"universe of ineffable gaudiness† that he elaborated nightly until â€Å"wedding [these] visions to [Daisy's] breath†. This metaphor reveals the uniting of Gatsby's original ambitions with a dream of love, and is also used to invoke sympathy for the extent to which his dreams are ultimately and perhaps tragically revealed to have gone â€Å"beyond her, beyond everything†. This revelation of Gatsby's â€Å"childlike notion of beauty and grace† (Maxwell Geismar 1947) is illustrated by this analeptic episode, strongly suggesting Gatsby's ultimate innocence and â€Å"pure† dreams beneath his materialistic exterior Fitzgerald presents the social context of the novel through the transformation of the American Dream in the '20s: the new generation of Americans were â€Å"dedicated more than the last to the fear of poverty and the worship of success†, as Fitzgerald himself had stated at the time. Society's material methods of gaining this success are portrayed negatively through Nick's condemnation of the Dream, as Nick has established himself as valuing morals and hard work highly; his family had become â€Å"prominent† through ownership of a â€Å"wholesale hardware business†, while Fitzgerald's own childhood took place in a farming, working environment. Similarly, the values admired in Gatz's willingness and determination to work for and succeed in gaining his dreams are symbolically those lost values of society that had appealed to Fitzgerald, and would appeal to Nick's sensibilities, which is why Nick still portrays Gatsby as being â€Å"great† in contrast to Jazz Age society which seeks goals through material means rather than hard work. This is paradoxically true in spite of Gatsby's own materialism, because the latter is portrayed as unimportant to Gatsby beside his love for Daisy. Through Nick's narrative, then, Gatsby is presented as embodying the old work ethic of a meritocracy but also its transformation to materialism, and ultimately the unattainable goals of the American Dream, this factor essentially providing the grounds for seeing Gatsby as a tragic hero. His idealistic dreams as Gatz are implied to be â€Å"incommunicable for ever,† as they are, in fact, â€Å"wed to Daisy's breath† which is just as perishable as his money. In Chapter 7, Tom's revelations about Gatsby's criminal bootlegging cause the brittle faiade of Jay Gatsby to be â€Å"broken up like glass† against Tom's â€Å"hard malice†, this simile depicting Nick's dislike of the malicious Tom and of the superficiality of the American Dream, but also, crucially, the way Gatsby's dreams have been demolished due to his â€Å"reliance upon material power as the single method of satisfying his searching and inarticulate spirit† (Maxwell Geismar 1947). Gatsby is thus left â€Å"watching over nothing†, this nihilistic phrase ending the chapter and corroborating the sympathy felt by Nick at the hopelessness of Gatsby's â€Å"dead dream†, making Nick â€Å"not want to leave him†. With his death in Chapter 8, this sympathy might indeed render Gatsby not merely â€Å"great†, but genuinely tragic. Thus as readers, we feel ultimately that Nick's (or Fitzgerald's) message is that the â€Å"colossal vitality of [Gatsby's] illusion† is curtailed by the faults of society and that Gatsby himself, by contrast, is â€Å"greater† than his social milieu. Gatsby's is â€Å"the tragedy of a romanticist in a materialist society† (Kuehl, 1959), his immaterial dreams inevitably perishing in the face of society, the hopelessness that it's glamorous exterior encloses, communicated throughout the novel both by the satire of the parties, the obvious symbolic qualities of the Valley of Ashes, the similarly tragic George Wilson, and the doomed Myrtle. Clearly, though John McCormick (1971) regards Daisy as â€Å"the agent of Gatsby's downfall, just as she had been the agent of his rise,† the apparent cause of Gatsby's failure â€Å"went beyond her,† being the â€Å"vital illusion† created by society which had surpassed Daisy; she had only been the springboard for his ideals. The author's message is ultimately a poignant one of hope being obscured by failure, communicating both Fitzgerald's admiration of such dreams, and contempt of the reality which smothers them. In this sense, Nick's voice in the novel is undeniably Fitzgerald's. Having said this, Nick is rendered sufficiently autonomous to be a convincing narrator in his own right, as Gatsby finally also receives sympathy due to tangible affinities formed with him, such as that of disillusionment, which Nick empathizes with as he has been a victim of his own illusion regarding the true nature of Daisy and Jordan, and Gatsby's character itself. A â€Å"growth in moral perception† (when applied to Nick) is â€Å"the tale of the novel† (Troy, 1945) as it is this which ensures Nick's positive portrayal of Gatsby: Nick comes to discover his true history and admired ambition as Gatz, as well as the ultimate tragedy of his still believing, in the face of such adversity as his â€Å"dead dream. This moving naivety clearly proves, however, that in Gatsby's case any growth in moral perception does not apply; even though Daisy has clearly returned to Tom's alluring wealth in Chapter 8, Gatsby innocently, and dumbly, states, â€Å"I suppose Daisy'll call, too,† not perceiving the immorality of the age he lives in. As Kuehl (1959) says, â€Å"it is illusion, and not it's materialization† which is the centre of Gatsby's character – he is a dreamer despite his material status, and his â€Å"heightened† goals will never be materialized, making them pale in comparison to the concrete aspirations o f society and contradicting E. K's evaluation – Gatsby is not precisely â€Å"more real† than society, but he is â€Å"greater† in many ways, as both Nick and Fitzgerald successfully portray him at the close of the novel: the noble dreams that inspire Nick's admiration within Gatsby are only unattainable due to denounced external factors, and therefore ultimately do not subtract from Gatsby's tragically â€Å"great† portrayal.

Abbey policy holders Essay

But the massive loss suffered by Abbey in 2003 has affected shareholders. At a time where other banks are making record profits (Royal Bank of Scotland recorded 6.2 billion profit before tax9), the Abbey shareholders may not even receive any spare capital that has came from the sale of assets in the wholesale bank. As Abbey sold off over 80 per cent of the assets of the wholesale bank, analysts were hoping that Abbey could return between 1.2bn and 1.5bn to investors via a special dividend or share buy back. However, the chief executive of Abbey, Luqman Arnold was said to be â€Å"increasingly cautious† about the amount of cash that would be released due to regulatory changes. Whether or not this will affect the position of the shareholders is still unknown. Customers are an important group of stakeholders for Abbey. They are outside stakeholders. Communicating with them is a vital part of Abbey’s strategic plan. They do this by advertising on various mediums, (television, radio, etc). This has proved successful in the past, as Abbey have won various awards for their â€Å"Plain English† approach. This strategy of not using banking terminology was very successful. However, should customers not be satisfied, there is also a customer relations unit available to help solve disputes. But a recent development regarding profits has upset many customers. For the second year in a row, those customers with a â€Å"with-profits† policy will not receive their annual bonus. There will also be higher exit penalties for those who choose to leave the with-profit policy, which could reach up to 10 per cent. This affects nearly 400.000 of Abbey policy holders.  According to Abbey’s employee report â€Å"Employee involvement and effective communication remain vital to {our} success.† 10 There are various means of communication, from an intranet site, to a quarterly magazine (abbeyview). There are a growing amount of concerns among the staff in Abbey however, in the amount of job losses that are occurring within the organisation. As part of their return to traditional banking, Abbey has been cutting a vast number of jobs, many in the fund management sector. Many jobs have gone abroad to India. This has caused conflict not only amongst employees, but among the general public also, who are outside stakeholders of Abbey also. They see it as downsizing and taking jobs away from Britain. Recently, eight executive directors of Abbey have been paid à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2.8 million made up of cash bonuses and shares between them, at a time when the company has suffered massive losses. The bank’s staff got an average of about six percent of their salary as a bonus last year, which was a rise of two percent from a year earlier. A member of the ANGU, (Abbey National General Union) said â€Å"Staff were very pleased with the bonus that was paid out in a difficult year. However, in light of what management received it wasn’t very much†. This could lead to further problems in the future. Conclusion Abbey are still in the middle of a three year turnaround, so are asking their stakeholders to bear with them. But with the massive losses, and the seeming disregard for employees, shareholders and customers alike, they may find that it will take longer than three years to have their strategy.

Biosensors or enzyme electrodes

Biosensors or enzyme electrodes INTRODUCTION OF BIOSENSORS:- Biosensors or enzyme electrodes invariably refer to such devices that sence and analyze biological informations. A biosensor is a device that detects, records, and transmits information regarding a physiological change or the presence of various chemical or biological materials in the environment. More technically, a biosensor is a probe that integrates a biological component, such as a whole bacterium or a biological product (e.g., an enzyme or antibody) with an electronic component to yield a measurable signal. Biosensors, which come in a large variety of sizes and shapes, are used to monitor changes in environmental conditions. They can detect and measure concentrations of specific bacteria or hazardous chemicals; they can measure acidity levels (pH). In short, biosensors can use bacteria and detect them, too. PRINCIPALS OF BIOSENSORS:- A biosensor essentially comprise of the following two major parts 1- Biological component- For sensing the presence as well as concentration of analyte. In the presence of a certain molecule the biological system changes the environment. The measuring device sensitive to this change sends a signal. This signal can be converted into the measurement parameter. Often the biological system is an actual cell. The key thing to remember is that it is an actual organism that detects the concentration change of the molecule in the media. This organism could be the same one as the one in the media or it could be different. In either case it must be kept separate from the media. This can be done with a membrane that is permeable to the molecule that is being measured but impermeable to the cells and most other macromolecules in the reactor media. 2- Physical component:- Transducer:- A device that converts energy from one form into another e.g., telephone companies use transducers to convert sound energy into electrical energy to be carried long- distance through telephone lines and then another transducer a t the receiving end to convert the electrical energy back into sound A biosensor is a sensing device that consists of a biological component coupled to a transducer that converts biochemical activity into, most commonly, electrical energy. Types of Biosensors:- There are different types of biosensors, which have different applications. These are listed below. Calorimetric biosensor Potentiometric biosensor Amperometric biosensors Optical biosensor Acoustic wave biosensors Calorimetric biosensor:- When the physical change is heat, released or absorbed by the reaction it is calorimetric biosensor. It measures the change in temperature in the solution containing analyte Separate thermistors measure the temperature of the solution before entry into the small packed bed column containing immobilized enzyme and also at the time of leaving the column. Calorimetric biosensors are most widely applicable and can be used to measure turbid and strongly coloured s olutions. Maintenance of constant sample temperature is the disadvantage of this type. At the transducer surface, an electrical potential is produced due to changed distribution of electrons and this type of biosensors are called potentiometric biosensors. They use ion sensitive electrodes, commonly pH meter glass electrodes for cations, glass pH electrodes coated with a gas-selective membrane for CO2, NH3 or H2S or solid-state electrodes. These electrodes convert the biological reaction into electric signal. Potentiometric Biosensors

Major Sources of Inflation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Major Sources of Inflation - Research Paper Example However, it is the duration of recession that determines whether the recession is harmful or not. Ideally, cyclic recession should end in few months and should initiate the process of recovery. Although, USA is one of the safest economies of the world, even then its history is pervaded with periods of recession at frequent intervals. In this essay, we are going to look at the recession of 1973-1975 and compare it with the crisis that hit the world in the second quarter of 2007. (Amadeo, 2010). The recessionary period which started in the year 1973 lasted almost 16 months before finally ending in March 1975. There were several causes that contributed to the intensity of this recession. The major reason behind this troublesome period was that the USA had gone off of the gold standard and had started to print more currency. This was the fundamental reason that initiated the recession. In the first phase, this printing of money resulted in inflation. This can be explained by a simple phenomenon of two much money chasing too few goods. When the government prints more money, more money is accumulated in the people’s hands and they start spending more. However, if the increase in the production of goods and services is less than the speed at which the quantity of money is growing, it leads to recession as people then are prepared to pay high prices for goods which are less than the aggregate demand. Similarly at the same time, the government had started wage-control measu res which increased the cost of production and many firms made the expensive workers redundant and started producing at a capacity below the maximum capacity. This initiated a cycle where less production and high wages resulted in inflation and a never ending spiral was created. As a result of this recession hit the US economy. At the same time, USA’s GDP started falling and there were three consecutive period of negative growth. In 1974’s third

Pragmatics of Computer-Mediated Communication Case Study

Pragmatics of Computer-Mediated Communication - Case Study Example As a partner in the exploratory activities at Nabila, my company has tried to do all it can to ensure that our working relationship is not compromised by this financial problem. However, lack of correspondence and cooperation from your firm has left me with no choice but to communicate to you directly. As the VP of PTI, I am solely responsible for this deal and the subsequent amount spent in installing the gas lift system, and so my job could be on the line here. I request that you take this matter into your stride and address it as professionally as possible because my company views this is grossly unethical and would be forced to take measures in case correspondence is not forthcoming. Please note that we are as willing as ever to continue working with you, but we have to do it on clear terms. Currently, the situation inhibits our cooperation and I believe that we could both benefit from clarity on this issue. Having tried, unsuccessfully, to contact Congoil on the abovementioned issue, I am left with no choice but to ask for your assistance on this matter. Congoil has so far indicated an unwillingness to cooperate with my company through correspondence or payment of the money duly owed to us. I believe that you have a good understanding of how things work in this region. I also believe that you have a good understanding of how communication should be conducted in this region. Kindly find it in you to talk to Congoil through Mr Rugeiro or any other Congoil official on how to resolve this matter. I am counting on you as a friend and a professional in the industry, and someone who could possibly understand how Congoil operates. I also have a strong hunch that maybe we are not using the right channels of communication in trying to find a solution to this mess.   I have heard that the culture here is high-context, polychromic, risk and uncertainty averting, and high power distance.     Ã‚  

Bailey Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bailey Corporation - Case Study Example Capital structure represents the proportion in which various long-term capital components are employed. The capital decisions have been recognized as the most important decisions affecting the successful working of any firm. This is due to the fact that the capital structure affects the cost of capital, net profit, earnings per share, dividends payout ratio and liquidity position of the firm. These variables coupled with a number of other factors determine the value of a firm. Therefore capital structure is a very important determinant of the value of a firm. There are different forms of financial securities offered by a company in order to secure the required funds from the investors. The most common method of raising long term finance is the issue of common stock. The common stocks of a corporation do not carry any special rights in terms of payment of dividend as compared to preferred stock. Preferred stocks carry a specific percentage of return on the investments by the preferred stock holders. In addition the preferred stock holders stand in priority to the common stock holders in getting a distribution of the assets of a corporation in the event of its winding up. In some instances the preferred stock holders also carry special voting rights as distinguished from the common stock holders. Convertible securities are bonds or preferred stocks that are convertible into a specified number of shares of common stock at the option of the stock holder. This is yet another of form financial security being offered by the corporations to secure the long term investment of the stock holders. The convertible security provides the convertible holder a fixed return in the form of interest or dividend and also the option to exchange a bond or preferred stock for common stock. Warrants and derivatives are a relatively long term option to purchase common stock at a specified exercise price over a specified period of time. Warrants are used to obtain a lower interest rate and to raise funds when the firm is considered as having a marginal credit risk. Warrants are also issued to compensate the underwriters and venture capitalists at the time of founding a company in return for their services or as commission payable to them. (Chapter 22) Bailey Corporation Case a) Number of Shares Outstanding 1,800,000 New shares Issued 800,000 Total Number of Shares 2,600,000 Retained Earnings $ 7,580,000 Earnings per Share after the Offering $ 2.92 (7,580,000/2,600,000) Assumed price earnings 12 Initial Price per share 12 * 2.92 $ 35.04 b) Total proceeds 800,000 * $ 35.04 $ 28,032,000 Less: Underwriting spread @ 5% $ 1,401,600 Less: Out of Pocket Expenses 300,000 Total Cost $ 1,701,600 Net Proceeds $ 26,330,400 c) Current Earnings $ 7,580,000 Number of original outstanding stock 1,800,000 EPS on original stock outstanding $ 4.21 ($ 7,580,000/1,800,000) Return needed for achieving

Developmental Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Developmental Psychology - Essay Example some people had turned out not to be extraordinarily uncomfortable or disagreeable, thereby tending to suggest that the theory of midlife crisis as a â€Å"universal age-related stage† is a myth. The text categorically states that most of the adults who go through some sort of crisis at this stage suffer from general psychopathological problems. Aside from this, adults experience some sort of fundamental change characterized by generativity at some point in their lives, but nothing approaching a universal crisis-level event. The transition rather takes the form of unique challenges and issues, which may be successfully negotiated by ego resilience. The age at which these transitions occur is not predictable, as such transition does not seem to be age-related (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2008). Some people may experience midlife crisis while others may not because individuals deal with the challenges and issues in different ways. Midlife crisis may be different for men and women. Women tend to perform the role of â€Å"kinkeeper† (one who keeps the family together), and therefore would experience midlife crisis more when the older generation becomes dependent and dies, or the younger generation become adults and leave the family home. Women tend to feel the crisis more with respect to their children, and men with respect to their parents. The changes are biological, sociological and psychological. Women experience the climacteric, a biological process during which menopause takes place. Men’s biological changes are more gradual. The hormonal changes cause responses in people’s psychological makeup. The changes for both genders are likewise sociological, because both men and women redefine their roles, in accordance with their cultural background, together with the loss of responsibility to children and to parents who pass on. (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2008:493). Question 2--- Drawing upon material from the text, respond to the following questions: How have workplace

Management - questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Management - questions - Essay Example Going by globalization, consumers do have access to a wider range of goods and services. Globalization allows the MNCs and countries to produce goods at most competitive prices by allowing for the usage of inputs from diverse sources. Globalization also enables the nations and MNCs to have access to wider markets. In an international context, globalization ushers in harmony and coexistence amongst varied nations. It allows the businesses, inventors and entrepreneurs to access much greater opportunities for manufacturing and investment. Globalization allows for the management of business fluctuations like the rise in the prices of food items in any country by making way for the pooling of production from diverse sources. Yet, this in no way means that globalization has everything good associated with it. Globalization also has its disadvantages. Considering the fact that globalization allows for a sharing of markets and resources, this may lead to the stifling of growth and developmen t in the undeveloped nations or small local companies by more developed nations or stronger MNCs. Globalization has also allowed for the integration of world markets. A direct consequence of this is the spreading of economic fluctuations in one country to the other countries and economies dependant on it. For instance, the recent housing bubble bust and the ensuing recession in the USA soon spread to Europe and many developing Asian economies. In a pragmatic context, as globalization involves exchange of people and resources amongst nations, it could lead to a spread of communicable diseases and pests from one nation to other. The mad cow epidemic in Europe soon impacted the beef consumption around the world, thereby impacting the beef producers at a global level. Globalization has made the markets more competitive. Hence, the big MNCs having ample resources at their disposal may suppress the rise of smaller local companies. Globalization is a process allowing the sharing of resourc es, technologies, cultures and ideas and hence it has its merits and demerits. 2. The advantages and disadvantages of centralized and customized decision making are to a great extent dependant on the organizational structure of an institution or organization and the qualities inherent in it. In a centralized organization, it is the top managers who take all the important decisions without soliciting any inputs from below. Centralized decision making is mostly opted for by such companies who wish to consolidate the power and decision making at the top level. Companies opt for centralized decision making owing to varied reasons. For instance if the CEO of a specific company harbors a specific visions and intends to keep it pure and in consonance with one’s perceptions, one will centralize the decision making functions so as to retain as much control over the company as possible. Vatican is an apt example of an institution that is given to centralized decision making. Centralize d decision making also helps the companies that are facing a crisis and hence desire to be led by one decision making source to ensure stability. However, centralized decision making is of little advantage in a company which has a smart and diversified work force and that operates in multiple markets. As in a centralized decision making framework, the entire power is consolidated with the top management, this could jeopardize the stability of a company if the top management fails owing to losing touch with the ground realities. In

Rational Database Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Rational Database - Assignment Example The journalists write the story of the news they collect and enter it into a form. After they write their stories, they submit it to the database by pressing the â€Å"submit† on their screens. Immediately they press the "submit"; the data enters the database. The data is stored in the database in tables that are called store tables.   These tables are organized to have the headlines, the dates, the venues and cities, the content, the images and other attributes of the story. Then the query that will display which information is written down. Therefore whenever a visitor visits the website, the query runs and will show the news as HTML to him when he strikes on the query.   There are important things in choosing it as a good primary key for the database. First, it is unique; there is no other ‘formula 1’. Secondly, the key will be easy to see and easy to access the information from it. It will also be used as a link to the story in the table that cannot be written directly.

Math Anxiety and Math Self-Efficacy Essay Example for Free

Math Anxiety and Math Self-Efficacy Essay Objective: This is a descriptive-correlational study which investigated the relationship between math anxieties, math self-efficacies and math achievements of maritime college sophomores in Iloilo, Philippines. Method: This research was conducted at the three campuses of St. Therese- MTC Colleges, namely: Tigbauan, La Fiesta, and Magdalo Sites during the first semester of academic year 2004-2005. The participants of the study consisted of 316 maritime sophomores who were chosen using proportional random sampling. The data for this study were gathered using standardized questionnaires. For mathematics achievement, the mean of their grades in mathematics subjects taken in their first year were used. Basic descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, t-test for independent samples, and Pearson-Product Moment correlation test were used to analyze data. Result: The study found out that the majority of the maritime sophomores belonged to the â€Å"terminal† case of math anxiety or was on the verge of becoming impatient, yet the majority had a high math self-efficacy level. Their math achievements, on the other hand, were generally poor. They differed significantly on their math achievement when grouped according to math anxiety and math self-efficacy. Finally, negative but significant relationship existed between math anxiety and math self-efficacy and math anxiety and math achievement while math self-efficacy and math achievement were positively and significantly related. In other words, those with low math anxiety had high math self-efficacy and consequently they performed better in math than those with high math anxiety and low math self-efficacy. Discussion: Results indicated that the higher math anxiety is the lower is math self-efficacy and math achievement. In the same manner, lower math anxiety results to high math self-efficacy which in turn results to high math achievement. This is consistent with studies done by previous researchers like Richardson and Suinn, (1972), and Suinn, et al, (1972) to name a few. Although three decades and cultural differences separated the studies, still similar results have been observed. This only implies that when it comes to factors related to math performance, time and culture have no bearing on the results. Conclusion: Generally, maritime college sophomores’ math achievements were poor. However, when they were grouped according to math anxiety and math self-efficacy, it showed that those with high self-efficacy had higher math achievement than those with low self-efficacy. Moreover, those with high math anxiety had lower math achievement compared to those with low math anxiety. The study suggests that math educators must look into building students’ confidence in mathematics to overcome their anxiety and thus, improve their overall performance in math.

Bill of Quantity in Civil Engineering

Bill of Quantity in Civil Engineering INTRODUCTION As stated in the assignment brief, the objective of this assignment is to appreciate and disseminate the knowledge, techniques and skills of measurement into actual practice and to expose the students with the production of Bills of Quantity referring to the measurement work done as part of tender documentation requirements. Based on CESMM, measurements can be classified as coordination and planning of quantities and also to list the details of the work to ensure it is running with a consistent, systematic and new construction techniques were explained well. Bill of Quantities is prepared by Quantity Surveyor based on measurement from the construction drawings / building plans. This document has been used in the construction of buildings which has been detailed in the context of the quantity of each category of work performed. For an example, building works, mechanical, electrical works, civil, structural works and infrastructure works. The contractor will priced or estimate all the works associated in completing the buildings during pre-construction stage. The civil works measurement referred to a document called Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement (CESMM). Before this document is produced, the party who responsible for the working measurement refers to the method adopted in the United Kingdom named ‘CESMM 2nd Edition or 3rd Edition’. There are most of the benchmark method used in building works, they use their own measurement system. This leads to inconsistencies in the measurement procedure. As a result, contractors are having difficulty to appreciate the tender. Work on the actual measurement must take into account the complexity of the work undertaken. Work measurement for any item of work is also closely associated with the activities and construction methodology. TASK 1 Discuss the importance of Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement (CESMM) in the civil engineering works / projects taking-off. Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement (CESMM) is to be used in conjunction with the Conditions of Contract for Civil Engineering Works. CESMM does not deal with the preparation of Bills of Quantity for mechanical electrical engineering work, building work or work which is seldom encountered in civil engineering contracts. If any such work to be included in the contract, such work shall be measured in accordance with their respective Standard Method of Measurement and shall be stated in the Preambles to the Bills of Quantity. CESMM provides a standard format, either in the form of items components and how they should be measured. A multi-level classification introduced in CESMM or space for a description of the work that can be developed. In the other hand, CESMM is to understand the purpose of using a standardised method of measurement. CESMM measurement method using the concept of method-related charges to present the cost of construction at the site in more obvious, such as covering the cost of site preparation and building machinery operating costs, and labor force. The importance of CESMM are be able to prepare bill items and re-measure completed work in accordance in civil engineering works. Be aware of the structure and application of Method Related Charges, unique to CESMM and the benefits arising from this facility. Be aware and appreciate the relationship of the Method of Measurement and the Conditions of Contract in the civil engineering works. TASK 2 Identify and discuss the contents of the tender document to be prepared for the tendering stage. The tendering stage is the process of selecting and appointing the contractor for the main construction contract. The contents of the tender document to be prepared for the tendering stage are: Letter of Invitation to tender– The bidder produce a formal letter to the tenderer, stated the tender closing date and time. Introduction-The tenderer invites bidder to submit a detailed proposal on the provision of equipment/system/software/services/works are detailed in the Tender Document. Conditions of contract – A written agreement is intended to bind the contractor appointed by the employer based on the laws and conditions imposed and agreed. Contract Drawings – technical / detailed construction drawings for measurement / costing by Quantity Surveyor / engineers – prepared by architect / engineers. Specification / Preambles A brief description of the materials and workmanship, the standard or quality of workmanship .It must convey the architect and engineer’s requirements. Bill of Quantities – Prepared by the Quantity Surveyor/stint on the size of the construction drawing plan / building. This document has detailed all the quantities for each category of work used in the construction of buildings. For example, building works, mechanical, electrical, civil, structural works, infrastructure works and other contractors would cost / budget all work related to the completion of pre-construction building. Investigate the Tenderer Financial standing – Look back into the audited accounts for past three years whether they have stable financial background. Get confidential report from firm’s bank. Instructions to Bidder – Purpose of Instructions. Tender Acknowledgement. Tender Document Preparation of Proposals. Submission of Proposals – (technical unpriced commercial proposals, priced commercial proposals, softcopy format) Acceptance of Bidder’s Proposal. Validity of Bidder’s Proposals. Queries Confidentially of Tender Document. Audit of Bidder’s Facilities. .Pre-award Meetings. Bidder Questionnaires Forms. Suspension and cancellation Award of Contract. Proposal Submission Guidelines. Scope of Works, Technical Specifications Requirements. Bill of Quantity (BQ) and Price Schedules. Bidder’s Compliances to Tenderer General’s Terms and Conditions. Tender Acknowledgement Form. One of the contents in the tender document is conditions of contract. What are the available conditions of contract, which are commonly used in the construction project? Contract Agreement. Letter of Acceptance. Tender and Appendix to Tender (as submitted by the Contractor in the Tender) Particular Conditions of Contract, Conditions Part 11(Part of Tender Document) General Conditions of Contract, Conditions Part 1(Example, as published by DM) Specifications(parts of Tender Documents) Drawings. Priced Bill of Quantities. What are the functions of the conditions of contract? The functions of Contract Conditions is to set out the principal legal relationship between the parties to a construction project, determining the allocation of risk and consequently, price. Conditions of contract must be read in conjunction with specification documents, drawings bills of quantities, activity schedules and special conditions. Standard form contracts often comprise suites of contracts with ‘back to back’ subcontracts, consultant appointments and collateral warranties. The formal conditions of contract in a tendering process is: Certification of free competition For the purpose of restricting competition to the price in the tender shall not be taken in consultation discretion. Restriction of publicity action Tenderers are not authorised to mention in their publicity that they have been invited to tender, are tendering or have tendered. Validity period of tender The tender shall specifically state a period of validity of 4 months from the closing date for the receipt of tenders, or such other period as may be provided for in the Special Conditions of Tender. Period for tender preparation The closing date for submission of tenders is stated in the cover letter. Extensions of this period, requested in writing, will only be considered by the Agency if operational requirements so permit, and if, in the case of competitive tendering, fair competition is not thereby impaired. Requests for extensions received less than two weeks before the closing date will,not be considered. Right to audit During its validity period, to request the tenderer to provide evidence of any element of his quotation and may call for additional detailed information irrespective of the type of price proposed. The Agency reserves the right to audit the quoted prices. Negotiation prior to contract award The Agency reserves the right to negotiate with one or more tenderers before taking a decision on the placing of a contract. The offer shall remain valid until changes are agreed in writing. The original offer, as modified shall constitute a binding revised offer. CONCLUSION Civil Engineering is a broad field containing many engineering sub-fields, such as transportation engineering, environmental engineering, geotechnical engineering and construction engineering. I understand the knowledge, techniques and skills of measurement with the production of Bills of Quantity referring to the measurement work according to the requirements of Tender Documents. In addition, I must also thanked to my group members and also my lecturer, Mr. Kumarason, as they helped me a lot in the measurement part in Task 2. It helps to create clear open channels of measurements and the procedures in tendering documents, improved my productivity in measurements skills and help keep morale high. In short, this assignments helps me to accept the idea of working in a construction site in future, following the rules and achieving correct Tendering Document. Therefore, this assignments helped me share ideas which ultimately lead me to innovation and better opportunity in my future under takings. REFERENCES Traditional Contract tender.info.[online] Available at : http://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Traditional_contract:_tender  [Accessed on 8th July 2014] Construction Contract Conditions.info.[online] Available at : http://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Construction_contract_conditions [Accessed on 8th July 2014] Bill of Quantity.info.[online] Available at: http://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Bill_of_quantities [Accessed on 9th July 2014] Seeley I.H., Winfield R. – Building Quantities Explained, Fifth Edition, Macmillan (1999) Willis A.J., Willis C.J. – Elements of Quantity Surveying, Seventh Edition, Granada (1978)

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt Essay -- Midni

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was written by John Berendt and was 388 pages long. This was a non-fiction story of the beautiful town of Savannah, Georgia. John Berendt was a reporter who lived in New York and one night while dinning out he realized that one plate of food cost him the same amount of money that it would to fly to Savannah. So he did and he found himself in love with the city and stayed. It is a spellbinding story peopled by a gallery of remarkable characters: a fading belle who packs a pistol in her dà ©colletage; a charming, piano-playing con man who moves like a hermit crab from one empty showplace house to the next, accompanied by his high-living entourage and pursued closely by his creditors; a moneyed dowager who conducts business from a cruising Mercedes limousine; a sour alcoholic inventor who claims to own a vial of poison so powerful that it could kill off the entire city; a voodoo priestess in purple shades; and a foul-mouthed black drag queen who passes so convincingly for a woman that she is able to extort abortion money from the parents of her white boyfriend. With these and other people from savannah, Berendt reviles his alliances and enemies in the town where everybody knows everybody else.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The exciting colorful town of Savannah is said to be the main character in this Novel, but the main character was actually John Berendt, he was the narrator and main character . He was a reporter from New York who made savannah and the people in Savannah his interest, his home, and his life. He learned all about this secluded city through observation, meetings, and gossip. He was an intelligent man who always knew where to be at the right time. There was this one scene in the book where he was having an interview with Jim Williams when Danny Hansford walked in, in a tirade, with a shirt on that said F-U on it. Well earlier that day his other friend Joe Oldem had been talking about this strange man who woke up in his bed with that same thing printed on his shirt. John was in the right place at the right time to put two and two together. Jim Williams was the other major character in this book, he was an antique dealer who owned one of the nicest homes in Savannah. He was a major ... ... job at it. The strongest features of the book was the way he described the people and the city as being one, The weakest part of the book was that the actually story of the murder didn’t start until the second part of the book. If I was the author I would probably incorporate more of the murder story line into the first part of the book and introduce the character’s throughout the whole book not just the first part ( the book was separated into a part 1 and part 2).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ending of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was very satisfactory, Jim was found not guilty of Danny Hansfords’s death. Jim threw his first Christmas party of the year for the first time in 8 years, where he found himself remaking the guest list. Then at the very end he died, I believe that it was ideal for him to die, it was uncanny though that he died in the same place that he would of died 8 years ago if Danny had shot and killed him like he intended too. After Jim’s death Savannah was still the same. It was growing inward away from the real world, living in its own. The book starts with the town and ends with the town and I found that to be very satisfactory.

Use of Weather in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre :: Jane Eyre Essays

Use of Weather in Jane Eyre    In the novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, good weather is Bronte’s tool to foreshadow positive events or moods and poor weather is her tool for setting the tone for negative events or moods.   This technique is exercised throughout the entire novel, alerting the readers of the upcoming atmosphere. In the novel, Jane’s mood is, to a degree, determined by the weather mentioned. For example, after Jane was publicly and falsely accused of being a liar by Mr. Brocklehurst, an upcoming positive event was predicted when Jane described her surroundings, â€Å"Some heavy clouds swept from the sky by a rising wind, had left the moon bare; and her light streaming in through a window near, shone full both on us and on the approaching figure, which we at once recognize as Miss Temple† (62).   Surely enough, Miss Temple invited the two girls to her room and treated them with cake and tea, which brought Jane comfort from the public humiliation.   â€Å"We feasted that evening as on our nectar and ambrosia; and not the least delight of the entertainment was the smile of gratification of our hostess regarded us, as we satisfied our famished appetites on the delicate fare she liberally supplied† (65).   Another example of this is Jane’s first morning at Thornfi eld.   A positive mood was foreshadowed when Jane described the weather as such: â€Å"The chamber looked such a bright little place to me as the sun shone in between the gay blue chintz window and carpeted floor, so unlike the bare planks and strained plaster of Lowood, that my spirit rose at the view† (90). This not only foreshadowed the positive mood of Jane, but also the experience she would have in the near future living in Thornfield.   She would soon discover her husband to be Mr. Rochester and appreciate her companies such as Mrs. Fairfax and Adele, who for the first time in her life treat her as an equal.   All positive weather described in the novel foreshadowed either a positive mood or event, sometimes both.   Bronte was consistent with this use of the weather. On the other hand, poor weather in the novel was used to foreshadow negative events or moods.   In the opening of the novel, when Jane was living in Gateshead, she was reading while an unpleasant visit of John Reed was foreshadowed:   â€Å"After it offered a pale blank of mist and cloud: hear, a scene of wet lawn and storm-beat shrub† (2).

Volcanoes Essay -- essays research papers fc

A Look Into Volcanoes I. Introduction Volcano: defined is a mountain or hill formed by the accumulation of materials erupted through one or more openings (called volcanic vents) in the earth's surface. The term volcano can also refer to the vents themselves. Most volcanoes have steep sides, but some can be gently sloping mountains or even flat tablelands, plateaus, or plains. The volcanoes above sea level are the best known, but the vast majority of the world's volcanoes lie beneath the sea, formed along the global oceanic ridge systems that crisscross the deep ocean floor. According to the Smithsonian Institution, 1511 above-sea volcanoes have been active during the past 10,000 years, 539 of them erupting one or more times during written history. On average, 50 to 60 above-sea volcanoes worldwide are active in any given year; about half of these are continuations of eruptions from previous years, and the rest are new. Mount St. Helen Volcanic eruptions in populated regions are a significant threat to peo ple, property, and agriculture. The danger is mostly from fast-moving, hot flows of explosively erupted materials, falling ash, and highly destructive lava flows and volcanic debris flows. In addition, explosive eruptions, even from volcanoes in unpopulated regions, can eject ash high into the atmosphere, creating drifting volcanic ash clouds that pose a serious hazard to airplanes. II. Volcano Formation All volcanoes are formed by the accumulation of magma which is molten rock that forms below the earth's surface. Magma can erupt through one or more volcanic vents, which can be a single opening, a cluster of openings, or a long crack, called a fissure vent. It forms deep within the earth, generally within the upper part of the mantle which is one of the layers of the earth's crust, or less commonly, within the base of the earth's crust. High temperatures and pressures are needed to form magma. The solid mantle or crustal rock must be melted under conditions typically reached at dep ths of 50 to 60 mi. (80 to 100 km) below the earth's surface. Once tiny droplets of magma are formed, they begin to rise because the magma is less dense than the solid rock surrounding it. The processes that cause the magma to rise are poorly understood, but it generally moves upward toward lower pressure regions, squeezing into spaces between minerals within the soli... ...the first blobs of melt. As melting continues other minerals start to melt as well, and the chemistry of the magma changes. From studies like this geologists have determined that the early stages of a Hawaiian volcano's life is generated by magmas derived from only small degrees of partial melting (such as only 5% of the source melting and the rest staying behind). On the other hand, when the volcano really gets going (such as at Kilauea and Mauna Loa), the percentage of source rock that melts to produce the magma is perhaps as high as 20%. There are many other ways in which chemistry is used in volcanology, including the studies of volcanic gases, crater lakes, and trying to determine the temperatures that lava had at the time they were erupted even long after the eruption has ended. Bibliography Bibliography 1999 Microsoft Encarta; Volcanoes 1980 USGS; www.vulcan.wr.usgs.gov 2000 Volcano World; http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/frequent-questions/grp13/question1544.html 1980-2000 USGS; www.vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/photo/volcanoes/MSH/framework.html 1993-2000 Microsoft Corporation; various volcano media 2000 FEMA; www.fema.gov/library/volcanof.htm Word Count: 2186

Mne Challenges in Emerging Markets Essay

International business and global innovation Individual report 1. Please discuss MNEs challenges in emerging markets? How can MNEs solve these? First of all, I would like to mention that It would be hard to describe challenges in emerging markets of the whole world, because question either can be roughly generalized or otherwise requires deep and wide research which is not the case right now. That’s why in my discussion I would like to stop on one country – Russia. The Russian economy is growing by 7. 7 per cent per year, supported by the soaring price of oil. But with stories about government corruption and mobsters, how attractive is the country for the more entrepreneurial-sized business? I would like to discuss some of the challenges most companies face while entering this emerging market. I would like not to talk in details about common problems and stereotypes which are often mentioned about Russia, amongst those I already noticed are high level of corruption, gangsters and seemed political instability. And one thing I would like to mention first is a labor problem. Management in Russia is faced presently with two major issues in the labor force: the battle for highly qualified specialists and the cost-to-productivity ratio. The battle for top specialists has become extremely rough in the recent time. Recruiting companies are very busy these days with headhunting. Professionals already receiving top salaries at multinational corporations are being stolen away, often by Russian majors, attracted by dramatic salary increases. It used to be that the professional would look at these offers with skepticism, questioning the reputation or stability of most Russian companies. Nowadays, these people do not worry as much and instead look at the cost-of-living, which is also rising dramatically, especially in major cities among which are Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and many others. The situation has gotten so bad that many companies are afraid to let their specialists be quoted in articles or to send them to conferences or other events where headhunters or competitors may be looking around in search for their next pray. It would be impossible for me not to notice the other side of this process which is the fact that labor market has become â€Å"spoiled.Salaries are steadily increasing but productivity levels are not. At the current salary levels, business owners and management are becoming increasingly sensitive to productivity levels and attempting to demand more work ethic and more productivity from their highly paid employees. At the same time, there is very little choice in the current market. More and more foreign-owned companies in partic ular seem to be looking more closely at hiring and importing foreigners, now that Russian salaries are roughly on par with those of foreigners in many sectors. Foreigners coming from countries known for higher productivity levels and initiative are especially attractive – minimally in the hopes that they can set an example. Young foreigners eager to gain experience in Russia’s developing market, are finding work – particularly in sales, client relations, business development, and marketing. So, generally it can be summed up that finding qualified local partners and employees is a difficult process. The pool of managers who understand Western accounting and business practices remains limited, as well as the pool of qualified, experienced Russians proficient in English. Another big challenge and â€Å"nightmare† for most foreign-owned companies operating in Russia is lease rates for commercial real-estate. It’s avoided by most foreign-operated Class A properties, but the situation is quiet bad in most of it’s sector lower. It is the rare landlord who fulfills most of his side of the contract. Moreover, rental contracts in Russia are usually biased toward the landlord. As a result foreign companies often find themselves looking for a new place. However, finding a better situation can be extremely difficult in Russia’s current real estate market. Centrally located, Class A property can run $USD 2000 and more per square meter per year. Bidding wars are not unusual and most other classes of property are seeing equal pressure. These are two challenges which I would like to point out, apart from that I’d like to briefly mention other challenges: * Government bureaucracy, poorly established rule of law and corruption affect such areas as establishing a business, tax collection, dispute settlement, property rights, product certification and standards, as well as Russian Customs clearance.Adequate financial resources for Russian buyers still remain a problem, but it is not as acute as it was in years past. There are more foreign banks operating in Russia and more cash circulating within the economy due to the Russian oil and gas boom. * The Russian government continues to use its oil and gas resources to increase the states’ ownership in certain strategic industries and companies. So it is not completely clear to forei gn companies which sectors are open to them for investment without Russian majority partners. The Russian Government continues its work on defining what are Russia’s strategic sectors. And after I stated challenges I must answer the second part of the question which is how to overcome these challenges. And in my view, a fundamental consideration must be there as a major phase of preparation if someone is going to go into Russia. This preparation involves surrounding company’s branch with reliable people, having an adequate concept of what is to be done and a well-defined strategy plan. You also need the necessary investment capacity and time arranged to follow this way. 2. You are expatriated to work in an emerging market (e.India or Brazil) What capabilities do you need? What and how can firm provide you for the expatriation in emerging markets? (Maybe take one country as example) I think generally company must have an on-going business processes with the country, otherwise the necessity of having employees overseas is indistinct. There can be several cases when headquarters would need their employee to be expatriated to the subsidiary or partner company, f or example:* Company knowledge and experience diffusion or sharing; * Leader position in one of the overseas branches;Emerging market opportunities opened etc. Brazil is a great example of an emerging market. And if life will propose the opportunity for me to work there, I think I’d take it with great pleasure. Of course, there’re certain capabilities I must possess to take this kind of job opportunity: * Particularity of doing business in Brazil is that a potential Brazilian partner is essentially looking for two things: someone they like and trust as well as someone who is competent in business. The most important of these is to build a strong relationship first which will then naturally lead to trust. Time must be invested in getting to know people on a personal level in order to allow for open and honest discussions in business. So, naturally, the environment will require from me to be a trustworthy, sophisticated person with a clear understanding of benefits and goals. * Another point Brazilians usually comment on is the tendency of European and American business people to â€Å"get straight down to business†. This can be seen as offensive and even aggressive. It is good practice to indulge in small talk whether it is asking about their children or chatting about the latest news or football (soccer) results. This interesting feature of business ethics will require from me a positive, easygoing attitude at all times. * Despite Brazil poses as an emerging, fast-growing market English proficiency still remains low levels especially in the social sector and in the matter of daily life. So in my understanding extradition to Brazil will be more effective with readiness to learn Portuguese at least until the level which will allow me to be independent on the matter of daily life, e. g. survival level of it. * Apart from all of that, I should have a clear view of business ethics and interpersonal relationship customs in Brazil. One of the important things is that I will have to be ready for a total change of values and concepts in any part of business and social life. In fact, that rule can be applied to all of cultures. In Rome act like a Roman.

Global Warming Issues Facing the U.S. Today Essay

Throughout history, the fastest increase rate in the average global temperature has been recorded during the past 50 years, and experts further believe that the trend is alarmingly accelerating. Global warming is a complex phenomenon, and its full-blown consequences are difficult to foresee ahead of time. Nevertheless, every year scientists gain more knowledge of how global warming is upsetting the planet, and many have the same opinion that definite outcomes are expected to take place if present trends persist. Unless Americans reduce global warming emissions, distressing and almost irreversible impact on the country, planet and its life will be greatly expected in the near future. United States Issues Air pollutants, particularly carbon dioxide that is accumulating in the atmosphere is condensing extensively, trapping the heat of the sun and causing the earth to warm up. Despite the fact that Americans make up merely 4 percent of the world’s inhabitants, yet through fossil-fuel burning, they generate roughly 25 percent of the worldwide carbon dioxide pollution, which is considerably the largest share of any nation (â€Å"Global Warming Basics†). In the United States, the largest sources of carbon dioxide are the coal-burning power plants, producing 2. 5 billion tons annually; while automobiles running throughout the country’s streets are the second largest source, producing almost 1. 5 billion tons each year (â€Å"Global Warming Basics†). In the United States, global warming is already causing damage in its numerous regions. In June 2006, a panel organized by the United States National Research Council, the leading science policy body of the country, expressed confidence that the planet is the hottest it has been in at least four centuries, and probably even the last 20 centuries (â€Å"Global Warming†). Snow buildup in the United States has declined by almost 60 percent and winter seasons have abridged in a number of regions of the Cascade Range in Washington and Oregon since the early 1950s (â€Å"Global Warming Basics†). Oregon, Arizona and Colorado suffered their most terrible wildlife seasons, and drought produced relentless dust storms in Kansas, Colorado and Montana, and floods caused hundreds of millions of dollars in destruction in North Dakota, Kansas, Colorado and Montana. All the same, by the last part of the century, global warming is expected to further elevate the typical temperatures of the United States to three to nine degrees, which is expected to affect more of the country’s species and wildlife that cannot endure warmer environments. Americans wellbeing is as well in jeopardy, as abnormal climate changes may bring about the spread of certain illnesses, a greater possibility of heat stroke, poor air quality, and the flooding of the country’s foremost cities. Conclusion America must take a leadership function in solving the global warming crisis. Technologies exist today that make power plants produce electricity from nonpolluting sources, cars burn less gas and run cleaner, and electricity consumption lower and more efficient. Americans can take the initial move in seriously campaigning for energy conservation and manufacturing of more efficient appliances, as well as increase their reliance on renewable energy sources such as geothermal, sun and wind. Currently, the challenge for the country is to be certain that these solutions are implemented. Unfortunately, while the technologies are present, the country’s political and corporate will to put them into extensive exploitation are waning. Without doubt, every Americans must demand for it if development and environmental sustainability are desired to be achieved. Works Cited â€Å"Global Warming. † 2008. Standford SOLAR Center. 16 March 2009 . â€Å"Global Warming Basics. † 18 October 2005. Natural Resources Defense Council. 16 March 2009 .

International Marketing Planning and Strategies Essay

McDonald’s is a world-famous company that provides fast- food in China. In the course of offering its services, it faced stiff competition from its rival Kentucky Fried Chicken company. The management therefore had to put into consideration some local business practices such as quality of food, staff welfare and other environmental issues. McDonald’s restaurants in China were being operated as joint ventures along with other local companies. This ensured elevated brand quality and effective management control as compared to its competitors in the market place. Additionally, its ability to quickly adjust to the varying local conditions made it to take advantage over many other competitors (Ko, 2008, 1). Through the invention of the new technology and vast capital, the company developed its own internal supply network which made them to have access to both domestic and export markets. The development of infrastructure enabled it to get its supply from within the country thus saving cost of importation. McDonald’s implemented the traditional Chinese culture which enabled it to quickly make its way to the market. For instance, it decorated its restaurants with designs symbolizing traditional Chinese culture. It also offered special festive items such as Prosperity burger during the Lunar New year. This attracted many people to eat from their restaurants. The company kept on adjusting its menu in order to capture the favorites of the people. Due to the rising competition in the market place, McDonald’s had to partner with Sinopec, a petroleum company, in order to build drive-through restaurants in most of its petrol stations in China so that it captures many customers to counter the high rate of competition. They had also to collaborate with the Chinese online shoppers so as to attract internet users for their foods and other promotional items. The company carried out an advertising campaign to bring awareness to the people of McDonald’s products. McDonald’s took advantage of young Chinese customers’ social influence. Despite the fact that it was offering its food at higher prices, the young generation viewed this restaurants as trendy places to socialize with their friends and families. They also preferred the restaurants’ site as they offered good atmosphere for relaxing. McDonald’s engaged in national campaign and took benefit of Beijing hosting the Olympic Games. They used the Chinese slogan which made it to attract many customers which made it to improve its business operations. Opportunities and threats McDonald’s faced great challenges, for instance, the rising inflation in china made it to raise its prices for almost all its products in order to make up for the surging cost of materials. This made the level of consumers to decline drastically. It also faced social threats and critics which pointed out that they did not apply health and environmental standards observed in China (Ko, 2008, 3). The transformation of China to a developed nation posed a threat to McDonald’s as it was uncertain whether it was going to sustain its momentum of operation. Marketing strategies To sustain its operations, McDonald’s should carry out some marketing strategies such as engaging in successful community and media relation program that will enable it to have increased coverage and reputation without spending a fortune. Another strategy is to set up joint promotions. In this case, McDonald’s must identify uniqueness and behavior of its frequent customers, look for other non-competing businesses already reaching them and then formulate a technique to set up joint promotions. They can also make use of emerging market trends and take advantage of increased sale opportunities before their competitors.

Comment of the way Blake uses imagery in Songs of Innocence andSongs of Experience Essay

Comment of the way Blake uses imagery in Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience to give different perspectives on the human condition. Blake portrays very different views on the human condition in Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience by using imagery. He uses different sorts of imagery to build a picture in the readers mind. Blake may intend to use language to associate words to a larger picture, perhaps by using connotations. This method adds a lot of depth and meaning to the poem. An example of this can be found in ‘LONDON’. The use of the word ‘blackning’ may appear simple and straighforward, yet Blake may of intended this word to have several meanings. Black is a sinister colour which may be associated with evil, as well as suggesting Londons filth. This foreboding connotation would complement the poems tone and imply rather pessimistic views on the human condition. Blake often uses bold and striking descriptions, which appeal to the readers imaginations and often helps them relate to the poems setting, characters, or overall meaning on a more personal level. In ‘Nurse’s Song’, Blake builds an idealised setting in the readers mind. This gives a happy and postive view on life, by describing a setting typical of dreams, or fairy stories in which evil is non-existent. This is a huge contrast from the descriptive language used in poems from Songs of Experience. Here, stronger and perhaps more realistic and brutal images are portrayed. For example, in ‘The Tyger’, the first two lines set a very specific scene. ‘Forests of the night’ is a fairly simple yet strikingly threatening line. A dark forest is the place the reader would least like to be, especially accompanied by a tiger. The use of alliteration, ‘burning bright’ emphasises the harsh and strong ‘b’ sound, and helps set the scene. Perhaps this use of the word burning is supposed to put the idea of hell into the readers mind. The physical and mechanical language used later on is extremely vivid, and one cannot help associating this with the industrial revolution, which would of been occuring at the time Blake wrote his poems.

The Roles of The Presidents Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Roles of The Presidents - Essay Example Documented evidence available indicates that the administration of President Dwight David Eisenhower is considered to have been responsible for starting the war. His presidency is in fact looked at in two contexts, with the most prominent one involving the strategy he employed to wage the Cold War. He was intensely dedicated to the policy of containing socialism by deploying economic and military aid, forming defensive alliances, and finally by threatening to exercise U.S. military power (Jonathan, 2004). With the exit of the French from Vietnam, it is stated that Eisenhower decided to support the South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem believing to get some success in return. This was not to be the case With this failure, Eisenhower knew that a destructive atomic war was in the offing. Although he wanted to avert this possibility as much as possible, he was on the other prepared to employ clandestine and deliberately misleading methods to achieve his nation's national security goals (Jonathan, 2004). He had used the same strategy in Iran and later in Guatemala working through the Central Intelligence Agency. Although his party lost control of Congress, he won an overwhelming personal victory at the polls. President John F. Escalation of the conflict. President John F. Kennedy ascended into office with a conviction that America might and ought to shape the destiny of the world's developing countries. Primarily, Vietnam was not one of his mental preoccupations. In fact Vietnam was not on his list of priorities nor was it either discussed as a key issue at the transition meeting during the take over from Eisenhower. But sometime in the middle of his administration when the Vietnam issue had become more urgent, Kennedy simply remarked that Eisenhower never uttered the word Vietnam (Sylvia, 2004). He never strongly condemned the Vietnam War, an indication that he aided in its escalation. In fact it is only one of his key advisers who is known to have spoken against the war. President Kennedy started sending American forces to Vietnam in May 1961 and by the end of 1962, the military had received 11,300 US officers operating in South Vietnam, thus slowly escalating American involvement in the war. But towards the end of 1963, the war was still far from being over. This caused President Kennedy to organize the assassination of Diem of the South Vietnam regime. Before Kennedy was able to pull out 1,000 men from Vietnam at the end of the year as he had announced, was assassinated on November 22, 1963, having helped to escalate America's military, political, and maybe psychological commitment to Vietnam (Jonathan, 2004). Responsibility for America's disappointment in the Vietnam War is most squarely placed at the feet of Lyndon Johnson. It was him following President Kennedy's death in 1963 that increased America's military involvement in Vietnam and it was also during his administration that most American casualties were suffered. It is even documented that on 28 June 1966, the United States started bombing petrol, oil and lubricants facilities in the North Vietnamese cities of Hanoi and Haiphong, a move considered in many quarters as directed mainly against civilians (Jonathan, 2004). President Nixon on the other hand must be held accountable nearly as much as Lyndon Johnson for the failure of

International business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

International business - Research Paper Example Vehicle and real estate consumption was is also in a decline falling 1.3% in January with an 80% vacancy in the tourist destination of Haikou and Sanya indicating that there is not much extra cash floating around. The reason attributed behind the Chinese economic slowdown is the lessening of its stimulus spending. The latest stimulus program that had been implemented was three years ago and Chinese authorities are not seemed keen on implementing another stimulus spending again. It is now seemed aware that the previous stimulus spending activities resulted in overbuilding that they are now cautious to overspend so as not to add to the already massive overcapacity of the Chinese economy that would run the risk of overheating. As an alternative, the Chinese government are encouraging investment from private enterprises. Although it is not admitting that it is wary of the seeming decline of its growth, China is now more concern with maintaining its growth so that it will not slid to a

School shootings and active shooter and the media Research Paper

School shootings and active shooter and the media - Research Paper Example This act has obtained wide media attention and are frequent in the United State of America. They have resulted in countrywide change of schools’ rules concerning discipline and security. Among the reasons for this shooting are school bullying and psychiatric drugs. (Schechter DS February 16, 2011) Schools bullying public seems to play a big part in the lives of many of the school shooters. It consists of the criminal, casualty and one or more witness. This create public disgrace for the victim. The victim being disheartened develop depression, poor social skills and do worse in school performance. Psychiatric drugs has caused hostility, ferocity murderous ideation, and zone of high profile of school shootings. At least 41 school shootings are committed by those taking these drugs. (Schechter DS February 16, 2011). Apart from school shootings, there is also a rise in active shooters. The active shooters specifically engage in killings or try to kill people in a limited population area. They also use rifles. This act has raised up and results to pressure of insecurity to the student in the education institution and the country at large. (http://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness) Media as the source of data has worked hard to eradicate the crime. The media have developed some refrains that inspires public perception of school violence. They include: social problematic frames (Evans, 2011) This common form incites fear by characteristic performances of school as wide spread wonders. It has taken information which suggests that school violence incidents are out of regulations and offer evidently support in the form of recent statistic to support the argument. (http://moralpanic.wikispaces.com/1.09.+Media+Portrayal+of+School+Shootings) Good news- Bad news frame. Although certain parts of an article may deliver the data that rates of school hostility have dropped, the frame

Current Nutritional and Nutraceutical Approches for the Treatment of Essay

Current Nutritional and Nutraceutical Approches for the Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome - Essay Example Various diets and nutraceutical supplements which inhibit or significantly arrest the various symptoms will be discussed in this thesis. Metabolic syndrome, clinically termed as â€Å"Syndrome X,† is in fact a constellation of symptoms leading to hypertension, obesity, and lipid abnormalities. The main factor underlying all these symptoms are traced to a resistance to insulin on the one hand and excessive release of insulin on the other. Syndrome X has a history which is of recent origin. The obesity dimension to the syndrome was added on subsequently in order to reveal the interconnectedness of the symptoms. The main causative factors leading to Syndrome X relate to poor dietary habits and lifestyle related factors. These include diets with high fat content, abnormally rich consumption of refined sugar, sedentary lifestyles with low or no physical exercise and a genetic make up that makes an individual susceptible to Syndrome X. The incidence of Syndrome X in the Western world has assumed alarming proportions. For instance, in USA, data from the National Health Nutritional Survey for the years 1988 to 1994 re ports that nearly 50 million Americans exhibited symptoms of Syndrome X (1). In the year 2006 Syndrome X figures may be well past 75 million. Such a wide prevalence automatically qualifies this syndrome as a topic of research. The emphasis of the research is to develop several approaches towards treating Syndrome X. In fact Syndrome X has been defined with limited symptoms in its theoretical construct however its physical manifestations are far and wide. Though, invariably, it is associated as a major cause of cardiovascular disease, it is also acknowledged that the syndrome may be a big contributory factor and accessory in morbidity and mortality in other conditions like non-alcoholic fatty-liver, female reproductive disorders, polycystic ovary

The impact of advertising on children and youth Thesis

The impact of advertising on children and youth - Thesis Example Advertising through media options have often been argued, mostly in the negative connotation, to strongly influence the children and youth. Correspondingly, whether media exposure has been one of the major contributory factors towards the degrading social contexts, especially within the segment comprising of children and youth, has been a commonly debated issue in the global plethora (Villani, 2001). Where scientists accuse these media advertising to influence the psychological as well as the physical growth of the children and the youth, socialists argue 21st century advertising to encourage violence within the society. Stating precisely, obesity, learning behavior of children and youth, lifestyle preferences of these populaces and on the whole the development of these individuals have been widely argued as strongly influenced by advertising in the recent phenomenon (Wiecha and Kim, 2013; Kunkel et. al., 2004). Where on one hand, the significance of advertising has increased in the industrial context; on the other hand, social issues such as school drop-outs, teenage pregnancy rate, violent acts performed by young adolescents as well as obesity has also increased. Hence, researchers have often been inclined towards examining any possible linkage between these alterations in the industrial and the social contexts which has, in major instances, led to the classification of advertising as a negative force in this context. It is worth mentioning in this context that advertising is applied with the sole intention to generate awareness amid the targeted audiences. However, when concentrating on the impacts caused by advertising on the children and youth, either positive or negative, it can be observed that not the intention but the contents of advertising tend to impose major influences on these populaces (Diaz, 2011). Apparently, owing to the fact that a majority of the audiences of media today comprises children or youth, it becomes quite challenging to exclude th ese populaces from the audience group even though the message conveyed through the advertising is actually intended towards other age group people. Role of parental guidance has also been argued in this context which is expected to obstruct the negative influences caused by advertising on the adolescents. However, studies conducted with emphasis on this particular aspect, yet lack precise connotation to the linkage or the impact caused by advertising on children and youth along with the limitation of rational judgments on the role of family as well as the advertisers to combat such an issue (The Australian Psychological Society, 2000). This thesis will be aimed at assessing the linkage between advertising initiatives through television, internet as well as print media and the development of children and youth from a social perspective taking into account the various measures recently adopted by governmental bodies, industrial communities as well as social organizations. With this ai m, the thesis will critically evaluate the psychological as well as the physical impacts caused by advertising on the populaces (i.e. the children and youth) suggesting few remedial actions based on the identified benefits and risks associated with such media exposures. Advertising to the Young Audiences Advertising to the young audiences, that is to the children and the youth has been proved to be quite beneficial for the advertising industry throughout the globe. It has been apparently observed in this similar circumstance that the advertising industry spends nearly about $12 billion per year on making advertisements particularly targeting to the

Porter s 5 forces analysis for luxury good industry Assignment

Porter s 5 forces analysis for luxury good industry - Assignment Example They usually have brand loyalty and may not want to switch because the brand defines them. However, their preferences can shift very often, making it hard for the firm to meet their needs continually. As a result, firms in this industry have to work harder to be able to continually impress the customers with the latest innovations. This costs the firm very much, but they can get their investment back because the customers are willing to pay more dollars for the products, as long as they are happy with the product. The threat of substitutes is high for this sector because they are readily available. Furthermore, the luxury goods are not a necessity and so the buyers can easily survive without them. As a result, when the economy is not doing well, the luxury market is likely to suffer first and the most. In such a case, the buyers can easily switch to substitutes because the switching cost is very low, or no switching cost at all. This makes it hard for the firms in this sector to have a strategic advantage over its customers. Firms in this industry are therefore hard pressed to make sure that the customer will not have the need to switch to an alternative because if they do not do that, they will easily lose their customers. One of the factors identified by Porter (1998) with regard to the strategic position of a business is the supplier bargaining power. For the luxury products sector, the suppliers do not have much bargaining power. This is because they can easily switch to other suppliers in an easy and efficient way without any significant cost. This means that the bargaining of suppliers is moderate, or even very weak in some instances. The firms can easily get the items being supplied by one supplier from almost any other supplier in the market. If the firm is able to buy in bulk, they even have an even bigger advantage. Usually, the number of suppliers is very high ad this gives more bargaining power to the buyers and less power to the suppliers.

Memorandum Introduction Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Memorandum Introduction - Assignment Example A perplexing matter that requires more analysis is why are these residents participating in risky illegal affairs that can result to drastic measures? The paucity of affordable housing in New York City has contributed to most individuals in the city residing, in makeshift apartments. The housing experts estimate that there are 100,000 illegal apartments in New York City. Last year, Buildings Department officials acknowledged 18,126 complaints concerning illegal units (Belsha, n.d.). Furthermore, the group of poor homeowners who pay more than half their income in mortgage are struggling to hold onto their homes, thus are renovating their basement and cellars for occupation. The DOB issues annually more than 4,440 violations for illegal conversion of basements, cellars, and attics: - which are not fit for human occupancy due to health and safety risks as specified by The New York City Building or Housing Maintenance code, Article 5- Occupancy of cellars and basements. Councilman Lander, you have asked me to explore the legalization of basement units, including through the new city council legislation based on the standardization of safety and health measures. In this memo, I will evaluate stakeholder interests, by restoring the preferences given to homeless families. This will be achieved by the creation of a new rent financial support program and reformation of DOB code, Article 5- Occupancy of cellars and basements; that will create a momentous dent in restructuring building codes outlawing basement

Humanities Today - Define humanities and give current examples Essay Example for Free

Humanities Today Define humanities and give current examples Essay The Encyclopedia Britannica (2006) defines the humanities as Branches of knowledge that investigate human beings, their culture, and their self-expression. (Humanities). Those branches of knowledge include philosophy, literature, languages, the arts, religion and history. The humanities examine the human condition by studying the elements of culture that describe what is or was valued and considered important at a particular point in time. 15th century Italian humanists referred to the humanities as studia humanitas which means the studies of humanity, indicating secular literary and scholarly activities (in grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, moral philosophy, and ancient Greek and Latin studies) that that they thought to be more humane and classical rather than divine (Humanities, 2006). In contrast, the physical sciences tend to examine the world and its phenomena objectively, without reference to or consideration of human meaning and purpose, a key aspect of the humanities. Scholars further argue that the humanities are distinguished from other modes of study by either their subject mater and by the method of investigation used. One philosopher called the humanities the spiritual sciences and the human sciences (Humanities, 2006). He described them as areas of knowledge outside of the physical sciences. On the other hand, another turn-of-the-century philosopher instead characterized the humanities according to their method of study. He argued that the humanities do not seek or follow general laws, as the sciences do; and that they focus on values within human and cultural contexts, which is directly contrary to scientific methodologies. As described above, the humanities seek to understand the values of a people and their perceptions based on their direct expression through the arts, their language, and philosophies. Science is motivated by the desire to understand natural phenomena and dependent on empirical observation (Talk: Humanities, 2006). The 21st century brings a variety of social, economic, and technological changes. Following is a demonstration of the humanities in the 21st century through the examination of its art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature. Art Is modern art in crisis? A new philosophical criticism emerged in the person of American critic Arthur Danto, who came out with the idea that the objects [of art] approach zero as their theory approaches infinitythat is, art really is over, having become transmuted into philosophy (Art Criticism, 2006). In his book The End of Art, author Donald Kuspit (2005) suggests that, Art has been replaced by postart, [ ] as a new visual category that elevates the banal over the enigmatic, the scatological over the sacred, cleverness over creativity. Contemporary art, or art that is done now, is largely characterized by its indefinability. It tends to include art made from the late 1960s to the present, or after the supposed or putative end of modern art or the Modernist period (Contemporary Art, 2006). Todays art, like most of the humanities, has been transformed by technological, economical, and sociological advancements. It may or may not use traditional forms such as painting or drawing, and often includes the use of any variety of materials, video, or even performance as a part of it. One trend seems to be a focus on world issues such as cloning, the price of oil, gender and sexuality, human rights, and war. A representative example is one of the most talked-about sales in the contemporary market. Maurizio Cattelans The Ballad of Trotsky (1996), a stuffed horse hanging in a leather sling from the ceiling, sold for $2,080,000 in 2005 (Art and Exhibitions, 2006). Music Contemporary music has also been greatly influenced by 21st century globalism. It has seen a development and acceptance of world music, or music that features or originates in a different culture. American artists such as Paul Simon and Sting featured musicians and singers from other countries and went on to win Grammys and American Music Awards. Simons Grammy Award-winning album Graceland (1986) featured black South African Musicians who controversially recorded and toured with him despite a widespread trade boycott of South Africa, selling more than five million copies since its release (World Music, 2006). Sting featured Farhat Bouallagui on his Brand New Day aIbum and Vicente Amigo and Anoushka Shankar on his Scared Love album. In the wake of their success, record stores became more willing to stock music of their kind. Architecture Critics have described one trend in 21st century architecture as deconstructivist architecture. In popular usage, the term has come to mean a critical dismantling of tradition and traditional modes of thought (Deconstruction, 2006). Technology has played a significant role in the development of deconstuctivist architectural methodologies. Architects such as Frank Gehry, who designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain used computer modeling to develop its angular, anthropomorphic exterior. Made mostly of titanium, the museum was designed to represent the industrial heritage of the citys past. The museum was an international success and helped put Bilbao on the worlds cultural map. Philosophy A notable philosophy of the 21st century is that of the democratic community. Community in this case is defined globally. Philosophers such as American John Dewey believed in social planning, in conscious intelligent intervention to produce desirable social change; and he proposed a new guide to enlightened public action to promote the aims of a democratic community (Philosophy, 2006). Deweys writings and teachings have brought modern society to a place where it considers that it is only as strong as its individual members and their willingness to work together to evolve and to meet the challenges facing it. Technological advancements in travel and communication alone have created a new world where anyone can send anything just about anywhere in a matter of minutes, days, or hours including explosives and disease. In addition to diseases like HIV and the Bird Flu, this world community is faced with issues of severe weather such as killer tsunamis and hurricanes, and world terrorism. Modern philosophies like that of Dewey support the more pragmatic view and approach to solutions to societal issues of this type as the only way to successfully meet them is as a community. Literature Like many of the arts in contemporary society, literature is plagued by commercialism and by the desire for a quick paycheck. Contemporary literature features a great deal of writings about true events the more sensational and graphic the better. In addition, it features a trend in crime study and investigation, beyond that of the mystery and private eye novels of the past. Todays novels get into the science and methodology of solving violent crimes. Authors like James Patterson, Sue Grafton and John Grisham have enjoyed great popularity. Their success can be attributed to many things. The content and subject matter of these authors works feeds societys desensitization to extreme violence and its increasing demand for subject matter that is more violent and more shocking in order to be more compelling. Further, several of these authors stories have been made into movies. The humanities are distinguished by their examination of the aspects of culture and the human condition through the eyes of the humans who experience and create them. The approach to their study differs from that of others areas of study, as does their focus on the reflection on human meaning and purpose. 21st century humanities continue to reinforce the idea that current culture and the human condition is reflected in them, no matter what century. References: Art Criticism. (2006). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 4, 2006, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Premium Service: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-236417 Art and Art Exhibitions. (2006). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 4, 2006, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Premium Service: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-234830 Contemporary Art. (2006). Retrieved June 3, 2006 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Contemporary_art Deconstruction. (2006). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 4, 2006, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Premium Service: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-9029711 Humanities. (2006). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 3, 2006, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Premium Service: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-9041479 Kuspit, D. (2005). The End of Art. Cambridge University Press. Marcel Duchamp. (2006). Retrived June 3, 2006 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Marcel_Duchamp Philosophy, History of. (2006). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 4, 2006, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Premium Service: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-8876 Talk: Humanities, (2006). Retrieved June 4, 2006 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Talk:Humanities World Music. (2006). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 4, 2006, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Premium Service: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-93180.