Collectivism vs. Individualism Essay

The research to examine the cultural norms of Korea as compared to that of US, is based on two particular core dimensions: United States as an individualistic country, and Korea as a collectivistic country. In fact, this is the first thing that comes to mind, knowing that collectivism vs individualism is a major characteristic that differentiates these two countries. Lifestyle and living arrangements In a study by Lee and Ro Um (1992), it is discussed about the major difference between Koreans and Americans in their evaluations of product attributes was the different weights each put on the importance of the family. Koreans tended to be more family oriented in their product evaluations than the Americans. This meant that the products were selected. Korea has a family-oriented culture. For a young couple, living with elders (parents) has been a cultural norm in Korea, although in United States this living style is unusual normatively and behaviorally. According to Korean National Statistics office, 1993, almost three out of four Koreans people aged 60 and over live with their children, a percentage of 74.7%. The percentage that lives with a spouse only is 13.2% and living alone, 10.6%. Explore the gaming culture of Korea Why South Korean people play games In South Korea more than half of the 50 million populations play online games frequently. Gaming in this country is not just a hobby but a way of life. Currently in the country are 10 professional gaming leagues which are sponsored from the successful corporations such as SK Telecom and Samsung.   According to a news article published CNN , in South Korea almost half of all games have been sold since the game launched in 1998. StarCraft is a legitimate business, ranking in hundreds of thousands of dollars in earning. According to a news article published in BBC [4], in South Korea games are nationally televised and they fill-up stadiums. Extremely popular is the multi-player gaming. Being a professional video-gamer is a serious business. They attract huge sums in sponsorship and can make more than $100,000 a year. Professional players in South Korea are treated like  sports stars. Some of the most famous players from league matches and sponsorship could earn more than $400,000 per year. South Korea hosts the annual World Cyber Games. The country registered more than 15 million people for online gaming, which is 30% of the population. Gaming Addiction and the Government Intervention in South Korea As a consequence as a strong video game culture, South Korea since early 2000s reports of addicted gamers dying or murdering loved ones in order to satisfy their addiction. When a mother tried to stop her son from playing games, he killed her. Approximately 14% of Koreans between ages 9 and 12 suffer from Internet addiction because there are cable channels devoted solely to the games.[5] South Korea has been treating the disorder for years. In 2002 the government opened an Internet-addiction treatment center. In 2005, a 28 years old South Korean man went into cardiac arrest and died after reportedly playing an online game called StarCraft for 50 hours straight. The man did not sleep properly and did not eat well. He just made few bathroom breaks and for very short periods of sleep. In 2006 the government opened a hotline for gaming addicts. Moreover, hundreds of private hospitals and clinics in the country opened specializes units to treat the disorder. In 2010 the government ordered a â€Å"nighttime shutdown† for gamers. This happened after police discovered a 3-month old baby who starved to death while her parents were busy with their virtual baby on a game. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism ordered the three most popular operators of the games to block people under age 18 from playing games between midnight and 8 a.m. The government has significantly slowed down the Internet connections of young players if they play for lots of hours into the night. More over in the National Assembly several other bills were pending that would control kids gaming habits. Where South Korean people play games South Korean entertainment industry is note based on home entertainment system such us console video game system, home theater etc. Instead it is created outside of the home in various places called â€Å"Bangs†. Recently South Korean people play games in the country’s Internet cafes, known as â€Å"PC- Bangs†. The PC Bangs are especially dominant in big cities like Seol, where  is a density of population. It is important that the PC-Bang industry now can provide computers and Internet service to those that previously did not have the economic conditions to possess these technologies. Analysts consider that the social environment of the PC-Bang is the most important factor to make the PC Bang attractive and popular to users. Other factors are: the high-performance computers, high-speed internet connection and low fee usage. [6] Most bangs are cheap; the patrons pay an hourly fee, ranging from $1.00 to $1.50 USD an hour. In South Korea going to a bang is the sam e as going to the bar in USA. Economic Conditions According to an article in About.com , the industry of video game has a large share of South Korea’s GDP. â€Å"According to the Ministry of Culture, in 2008 the online-gaming industry earned $1.1 billion dollars in exports. Nexon and NCSOFT, South Korea’s two largest game development companies reported a combined net income of over $370 million in 2012. The entire game market is estimated at approximately $5 billion dollars annually, or about $100 per resident, which is more than three times what Americans spend. Games like StarCraft have sold over 4.5 million copies in South Korea, out of a worldwide total of 11 million.† The same article says that video games stimulate the black economy of the country. What they play Relatively a small number of games are played in South Korea, the most popular of them are: League of Legends, FIFA Online 3, Sudden Attack, Lineage, Dungeon & Fighter, Blade & Soul, Aion: The Tower of Eternity, Echo Soul, Cyphers, World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Warcraft 3. [9] StarCraft- The most popular game in South Korea of all the times is StarCraft. Star Craft is a military strategy game, which is developed by Blizzard Entertainment. [10] World of Warcraft (WOW) – Another popular game at most of the time is the World of Warcraft, developed by Blizzard Entertainment. World of Warcraft is a massively multi-player online role-playing game or MMORPG.

10-Perseverance Essay

To our beloved President and Cavite School Life founder, Mr. Ernesto V. Yu, to our adorable Cavite School of Life director and Finance Officer, Ms. Maybelle O. Yu, to the man with a big heart, our Principal, Mr. Roberto G. Dumali, to our efficient student affairs coordinator Mr. Francis H. Mangrobang, to our handsome Discipline Coordinator, Mr. Rogelio T. Chavez, to our school board members, faculty and staffs, parents, family, fellow graduates, guests, ladies and gentlemen. Good day. There is a Latin dictum which says and I quote, â€Å"Ex abundancia cordis, os loquitur† which means, â€Å"From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks!† Today, allow me to speak of Angelic words, of words of wisdom, of words of love and of words of joy and thanksgiving. For today, in this very historical place, and in this very important moment in our very lives as graduates of 2013, we have witnessed the fruits of our labor! Today, I stand before you not as a superhero, nor a genius, and not even the best of all but as one with you who can truly prove the proof of success despite of nothingness. See more: Analysis of Starbucks coffee company employees essay Yes, nothingness or poverty is never a hindrance to a true success! Once more, we have proven that. Once more, I have proven that. As you may all have known, my parents are never rich. You must have known and learned how my father, Papa Boy, labored so hard to send me to this wonderful and spirit filled school. You must have known as well, how my mother, Mama Paz has to give up some of her wants just so that I can pursue my studies. When Papa Boy got a stroke that almost send him to eternal rest, I almost lose hope for he is the only one who provides us with our basic needs especially my school needs. Thinking that I might stop from schooling really sends shivers down my spine. As I look at Mama Paz crying, I could not but feel the tremendous pain of a mother who was not only thinking of how could Papa survive much more to her fears of asking me to stop from schooling. Despite that, my family stood still with faith and trust and even inspired me more to study well. It took us months of really praying and holding of our hands together, sharing whatever little we have for none in my family would allow me to stop from schooling. Even if Mama Paz did not tell, I knew then that she had to do so many things (call it part time jobs) just to make ends meet. Papa Boy on the other hand fought so hard to regain health the soonest. â€Å"Alam kong nahihirapan ng husto si Papa pero nilalabanan niya ang kanyang sakit para maiwasan ang nag aambang kamatayan dahil alam ko sabi niya sa sarili niya, andiyan pa si Jasmine na kailangang makapagtapos ng pag-aaral.† Indeed I was and am so lucky to have parents like them—di man mayaman pero hindi nila ako pinababayaan. Papa Boy and Mama Paz, maraming salamat po sa lahat lahat. Hindi ako darating sa kinaroroonan ko ngayon kung hindi dahil sa inyo. I love you po! I am also grateful to Cavite School of Life because though my father was sick at that moment, they didn’t abandon him, they still gave him a chance and hope to live and work for his family, most especially for me, his daughter. This we owe so much to Mr. Ernesto V. Yu and his family, we will forever give thanks to them, Words are not enough to express how blessed we are to have you Mr. and Mrs. Yu in our life. Needless to say, how grateful I am too to all of my teachers, especially my adviser, Ms Maricar, my classmates and my friends who are so supportive and understand my situation. They have always been there in times when truly I needed them most. When I first came to Cavite School of Life, I didn’t expect that I will be changed and be improved for the better, because in my previous school, our Principal seems didn’t care about us, unlike here I really felt that I’m a part of the family and here, our teachers wanted us to learn not just for school but for life, I’m very overwhelmed by the people here, because they helped me to prepare not just for college but also for our future. I was a second year student when I started studying here in Cavite School of Life, at first I was only a girl in the corner, doesn’t care what around or what’s happening, I also can’t understand why I’m here in Cavite School of Life. A lot of questions in my mind such as why I’m studying? What’s God’s plan for me? I have no idea at all. But after two months, I just woke up then I realized that everything seems at place, I’m growing, I’m learning and I’m happy. The next thing I know is that, my relationship to God became better, and I found out that the school philosophy, â€Å"WE LEARN NOT FOR SCHOOL BUT FOR LIFE† is true. This school shelter and taught us not only for school, they also prepared us to live our life outside. After this night, we will be leaving the school but the lessons that we learned will remain in our hearts forever, Thank you Cavite School of Life for that. That is the thing we will surely treasure the most. Indeed my very own life is a living testament of success despite scarcity. That indeed behind the hills of sacrifices lay the valley of success. If we stand together as I, we could do anything. Now I could say that the greatest gift my parents give me, besides life, is education. The same thing I believe is what every parent here now is giving to each one of us. May I invite you all therefore to be one with me in giving the greatest and deepest expression of our gratitude to them who have labored so hard and worked so well so that we may become what we are today. Fellow graduates, let us all stand therefore and give the loudest and sincerest to our dearly beloved parents! As we leave the portals of our dear Alma Matter, let us always remember not only the good and funniest memories but life’s learning experiences we have gained. Let us treasure them and bring them to whatever we go so we can also become the bearers of light and life. Let us always remember that what we are now is God’s gift to us and what we became of ourselves is our gift to Him.

A Membrane-Enclosed Nucleus Essay Example for Free

A Membrane-Enclosed Nucleus Essay ? They are very small–individually not more than one single cell–however there are normally millions of them together, for they can multiply really fast. A number of bacteria cause disease, these are called pathogenic bacteria. Fortunately our immune system knows how to deal with them. However not all bacteria are ‘bad guys’. We need bacteria to stay alive. Bacteria are prokaryotes (single cells that do not contain a nucleus). Microbiology is the study of prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses. Did you know that bacteria can get sick too. Bacteriophages are able to attach themselves to certain types of bacteria and inject their genetic material in the bacterial cell. Then, using the bacterial machinery, the DNA multiplies itself. Eventually from this multiplied genetic information so many new bacteriophages are formed that the cell bursts. The offspring of the bacteriophage has destroyed its bacterial host, and in so doing millions of new bacteriophages are released. These can attach themselves to new bacteria to complete their life cycle. With our immune system we defend ourselves against a bacterial infection. Antibiotics can help us win the battle. When you report a bacterial infection to your physician, you are probably prescribed antibiotics. The term ‘antibiotics’ (literally ‘against living things’) is mainly used for substances that kill or prevent the growth of bacteria, as opposed to antiviral or antifungal substances. Antibiotics are not active against viral infections. Antibiotics are extremely important in medicine, but unfortunately bacteria can become resistant to them. Antibiotics have probably been around nearly as long as microorganisms have, and nature has provided bacteria with means to overcome their action. Resistance to antibiotics can become problematic, for it makes these powerful medicines completely ineffective. Some bacteria have learned to deal with practically all types of antibiotics we have available, and this can cause real problems in health institutions. Strict quarantine measures are needed to prevent the spread of such superbugs for we have little weapons left against them. A Membrane-Enclosed Nucleus. (2018, Nov 06).

THE LEO BURNETT COMPANY Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

THE LEO BURNETT COMPANY - Case Study Example This created creativity problems as idea developed by one team needed some time to be understood by the team in another country headed by someone else. Website Creation also caused problem because it had to be approved by the London Head Quarters. All in all creativity problems were caused by lack of de-centralization. Budget problems were caused by additional members of creativity teams that had to be hired to serve the different markets of Canada and Taiwan. Communication problems were caused by communication routing structure as everything had to be passed through London Head Quarters. 2) The autonomy given to Chinese team was much greater than the Canadian Team. This resulted in lack of creative effort by the Canadian Team. Their ideas were also not understood well by the Team in London. Even though everything required approval, Carmichael was not around as she was travelling so much, so getting approval before every major decision posed a big problem. There were also misalignments in technology and budget goals. The budget allocated was far less than the technology that the sub-teams were supposed to use. 3) Virtual Team is extremely difficult to manage as everyone is working on his own and coordination is pretty less. This leads to lack of synergy and team efforts and often the results are less than expected. In case of OBC, the headquarters in London sometimes rejected the idea of Canadian brochure of using ‘three-piece’ advertising flier. They were thinking about their own ideas. This lead to a problem as there was little or no coordination between the two teams just like it happens in a team working physically close to each other. However, the benefit of the strategy was that decisions were made by people of the respective markets who had knowledge about the market and hence more realistic decisions were being made while working in a virtual team. 4) Centralization is an old policy now and OBC should look to

Retail Marketing (Tesco) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Retail Marketing (Tesco) - Assignment Example A very humble beginning in 1919 when Jack Cohen began this journey gradually transformed the fortunes. Strong Government support: It was the state patronage which encouraged the promoters of Tesco to plan for future. Not many hurdles were created by the political class. In fact Tesco also kept the ruling class in good humor by taking politically correct steps from time to time. Minimal competition during those early days: Those were the golden days when Tesco came out with its first branded tea in 1924, not many competitors were around and terms like 'cut-throat' were not even introduced. Satisfied customer: Grabbing customer attention is not a big deal but retaining customer loyalty requires sound thinking at the top. A satisfied customer often takes pride in becoming a goodwill ambassador for the company. Tesco team says, "our core purpose is to create value for customers to earn their lifetime loyalty." By all accounts it can be said that they are indeed working, quite successfully, towards that. Reigns in the hands of able management and shrewd strategists: "Winners don't do different things, They do things differently"1 This statement gives full credit to strategists of successful enterprises. Strategic decisions provide a direction in which the organisation is to move. Organisation's mission and objectives find a reflection of strategists. Tesco has a long term strategy for growth, based on four key parts: growth in the Core UK, to expand by growing internationally, to be as strong in non-food as in food and to follow customers into new retailing services. Committed workforce: Organisations are not passive components. They are live, full of activity and environment-responsive like living beings. With time organisations acquire a character and develop a typical personality and we tend to make an image of the employee depending on the organisation he/ she works for. This very personality of the organisation considerably influences the functions of organisation in the long run. Reasonably good industrial relations: Keeping the workforce in good humor by providing them with adequate benefits and considering them as an inseparable part of the organisation helps in resolving the disputes quickly. Good investor relations: This becomes all the more important when general public has a stake in any. After becoming Tesco PLC from Tesco Stores (Holdings) in 1983, Tesco became a public company and it has been sharing good amount of its profits with investors. Understanding the environment: Continuously monitoring the environment and following the leads is key to a successful business. Continuously studying the different aspects of environment (social, political, legal, technological, etc) and taking corrective and adaptive steps accordingly helps in growing of an organisation. Tesco started computerised check out counters as early as 1982 and this stride continued with opening of www.tesco.com and its online operations. On the societal front Tesco states, "One of our most important values is to treat people how we would like to be treated."2 With this in mind Tesco makes a significant contribution to communities through its charitable giving and community-based education programmes Making excellent use of its strengths and grabbing the opportunities at the right moment: Understanding one's strengths and making fullest use of the opportunities makes a

Principles of Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Principles of Marketing - Essay Example However, product, place and pricing seem to be the most critical things which determine the success and failures of the product in the market. This paper analyses the importance of Price, Product and Place in the marketing mix. â€Å"To create the right marketing mix, businesses have to meet the following conditions: The product has to have the right features; The price must be right; The goods must be in the right place at the right time† (Marketing mix (Price, Place, Promotion, Product)) The product is the most important thing which determines the success of marketing efforts. No product can survive long in the market if it does not have the right features. For example, current mobile phones have multimedia facilities like camera, audio, video recording and playing, internet & email, touch screen command facilities, etc. It is difficult for a mobile phone product to succeed in the market at present without all these facilities. At the same time if a mobile phone manufacturer succeeded in incorporating any other unique features to their product, they will become the leaders in the market. For example, touch screen facility was introduced in the market for the first time Apple Inc though their revolutionary product iphone. Since the introduction of ipod, many other companies incorporated touch screen facilities to their products. However, no products tasted success just like the iphones. In short, incorporation of the right feature at the right time is important for the success of the product in the market. Products which meet the needs of the consumers will succeed in the market whereas products which failed to catch the attention of the consumers will fail in the market. â€Å"The price should fit the target audience’s ability to pay, and may also need to factor in incentives such as margins for wholesale and retail traders or providers who ensure that the product is delivered to the customer† (4 Ps - Product, Price, Place and Promotion). It is difficult for a product manufacturer to set same price for a product in different markets. They should give discounted price to the wholesalers so that the wholesaler would be able to raise the price slightly to get some profit. Moreover, price can be altered based on the supply and demand theory in economics. When the supply is inadequate with respect to the demand, the prices can be increased whereas when the supply is more than the demand, the prices could be lowered to create more demand. Seasonal pricing is another strategy which is played by the product manufacturers in the market. In some special occasions like, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, President’s Day etc, product manufacturers decrease the price in order to create more demand and to increase the selling. â€Å"Pricing is not as simple as it might seem. In some situations, a lower price will not necessarily mean that more will be sold as the price level could also influence the perceived quality of a product† (Four Ps Of Marketing - Product, Price, Promotion, Placement). Extremely low or higher prices may create misconceptions about the product in the minds of the consumers. For example, Chinese products are extremely cheaper compared to the prices of the competitors which created a sense of inferior quality in the minds of consumers. Thus when a rich person takes a buying decision, he will go for products from other countries because of the established perception about the cheap quality of Chinese products. In short, adequate

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reflection paper - Essay Example One of my married friends often finds faults in the actions of his wife such as being a nagger when he himself drinks a lot. Most likely, marriage counselors hear the social exchange theory most of the time when a spouse says that â€Å"I am tired of doing all the work in this marriage†. It is but typical for couples to present themselves socially desirable especially when they are faced with counselors. They never want to be blamed for a failed relationship in the first place. On larger groups such as sports teams, a coach is needed who can objectively assess the game since the players would have a tendency to blame each other. Anchors would often be used to categorize team members who made the team win last season as against who made it lose this time. Although social psychology is basically ordinary psychology, it can contribute a lot in analyzing organizational behavior. It is not just interesting but very educational as well. â€Å"The self† is what we refer to as our own selves; our own separate identities. People see themselves in different cognitive dimensions called self-concepts. A self-concept is one’s definition of his or herself whether it is positive or otherwise. Many people see themselves in different forms of self concept. These concepts are manifested by the choice of clothes a person wears and the way they speak to others. This can give access to knowing a person’s self-esteem. Self-esteem is an emotional dimension of self-awareness that is given by one’s self-value. There are people with high self-esteem who generally get along with other people and enjoy being in the spot-light. In contrast, those with low self-esteem tend to be more self-centered and timid. Self-conscious people tend to fall victim to the spotlight effect. The spotlight effect is when a person feels like they are being given more attention than they are being given in reality. In my experiences, I often feel the effects of the spotlight e ffect. The spotlight effect tends to intimidate me from my surroundings but other times it makes me feel like a star. The social self feels a yearning to belong. People will always try to find a niche for themselves in society. This is where they can find like-minded people with similar interests. The social self is the sense of self that takes over when in a social environment. Group standings also influence the actions of the social self whether it is conscious or sub-conscious. Some social selves are expressed through supplication. These people want to be seen as pathetic. Relatively, there are people who express themselves through ingratiation. These people try to gain others’ attention in order to satisfy their own petty. People who express themselves through self-promotion try to make themselves look good to others. These people tend to be show-offs and there are those who present themselves with exemplification. These people try to put on a mask to satisfy themselves o r others. I find this information to be interesting because I meet people who fit these characteristics every day. Social cognition is our perception of others. Social cognition can be shaped by external as well as internal influences. My expectations of others require that people must be fair to others treat everything and everyone with respect, but I know

National Identity and Language Rights Research Paper

National Identity and Language Rights - Research Paper Example The official thinking goes that one language is necessary for the inherent unity of the country. However, the unofficial reason for these laws, according to many, is racist at its core – because language is not just an abstraction or way to communicate, but also is vital to one's culture and place in society, deeming one's language as inferior is akin to deeming one's culture as also inferior. Another issue is that these laws are probably unconstitutional, as they disenfranchise potential voters who do not know the language. As voting is a right for all citizens, forcing a citizen to vote without knowing what he is voting for, or forcing this citizen to stay home, is unconstitutional. These are just some of the reasons why English only or official English laws are unworkable. But still, legislatures and the people try to make them work, as evidenced by the different movements that have sprung up in this milieu. There are a variety of reasons for the movement to make English the official language. Citrin et al. (1990) identified some of these reasons in their study of the municipalities and states where English only or English as the Official language have been adopted. One of these reasons is historical in nature. English-only in public opinion began in earnest around the turn of the century, as people immigrating from Southern and Eastern Europe stirred xenophobic feelings among Americans, culminating in the â€Å"Americanization† movement that â€Å"insisted that national unity depended upon cultural homogeneity and a common language† (Auerbach, 1993, p. 10).

Sai.m Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Sai.m - Essay Example h crises; moreover, the fact that the effects of recession on markets that are based on Islamic banking has been limited proves the effectiveness of Islamic banking scheme towards its western rival. Current study focuses on the examination of the solutions that Islamic banking can offer regarding the limitation of losses caused because of the credit crunch. In order to understand the potential solutions of Islamic banking against the credit crunch it would be necessary to refer primarily to the characteristics and the framework of Islamic banking as an alternative scheme of banking compared to the traditional (western) banking system. In accordance with Iqbal et al. (1987, p.29) ‘the central requirement of an Islamic financial system is the replacement of the rate of interest with the rate of return on real activities as a mechanism for allocating financial resources’. On the other hand, Saeed (1996) notes that ‘the investment activities of the Islamic bank would be based on the two legal concepts of Mudaraba and Musharaka, alternatively known as profit and loss sharing (PLS)’ (Saeed, 1996, p.51); in other words, the existing principles and mechanisms of Islamic banking can be used in order to control the pressure of the global market – which is based on the western banking system; in this case, an appr opriate customization of the rules of Islamic banking system would be required in order to suit to the needs and the potentials of customers worldwide (Scharf, 1983, p.18).On the other hand, Islamic banking system has an important weakness: the lack of an appropriate regulatory framework; this means that in case of failure the allocation of risk among the persons that participated in a specific investment initiative may not easy; furthermore, the recovery of damages would also face difficulties (Ledgerwood, 1999, p.56). The above problem is examined in the study of Venardos (2005); in the specific study it is noted that ‘an appropriate regulatory

Global Managerial Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Global Managerial Economics - Essay Example There are guidelines that need to be discussed with respect to setting up operations inside Mexico or any member of the NAFTA conglomerate. First, the OECD Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprise drafted on June 27, 2000 and within the Annex outline the guidelines of multinational enterprises address the general policies in that they should: 3. Encourage local capacity building through close co-operation with the local community, including business interests, as well as developing the enterprise’s activities in domestic and foreign markets, consistent with the need for sound commercial practice 5. Refrain from seeking or accepting exemptions not contemplated in the statutory or regulatory framework related to environmental, health, safety, labour, taxation, financial incentives, or other issues 9. Refrain from discriminatory or disciplinary action against employees who make bona fide reports to management or, as appropriate, to the competent public authorities, on practices that contravene the law, the Guidelines or the enterprises policies Within other large automotive companies, using the example of General Motors, the importance of operating succinctly with foreign countries in an effort to work within the confines of NAFTA and OECD including the applicable corporate social responsibilities. For instance, General Motors’ Mexico Corporate Social Responsibility information includes: GM Mexico operations now recycle 94.5% of their hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. As a result of this recycling rate, all Mexico facilities eliminated the disposal of hazardous wastes in landfill beginning in August 2003. Hazardous waste is now recycled or used as alternative fuel. Since 2000, land filled waste has been reduced from 7,369 metric tons to 444 metric tons during 2003. The financial savings from this are calculated to be $990,173. Additionally Non-Hazardous Waste landfill has been

Conscription Crisis Canada 1942 Essay Example for Free

Conscription Crisis Canada 1942 Essay Despite King’s promise, in 1940 the government passed the National Resources Mobilization Act, a law that authorized limited conscription of Canadian men. From 1940 to June 1941 when Hitler invaded USSR, Canada was Britain’s most important ally. This was a time of crisis; the Nazis were in control of Europe and were steadily expanding their power and influence. Pressure mounted on Prime Minister King to increase Canada’s contribution to Britain, including soldiers. Supporter to conscription pointed out that Britain had the draft and the Canada should follow its example. But king believed that he had kept there would be no conscription for overseas service. In 1942 he decides to hold a plebiscite that would ask votes directly, heather they would permit king to break his earlier promise. On April 27, 1942, the plebiscite was held. When the votes were counted King’s worst fears were realized- English and French Canadians were clearly split on the issue. English Canada voted to release King and bring in overseas conscription. In August and September of 1944, Canadian troops were fighting fierce battle in Europe and losses were a heavy. Army commander overseas believed they needed 15 000 new troops to maintain Canada’s ability fight the Nazis. On November 13, 1944, while meeting with his Cabinet, King made an announcement that shocked everyone. He reminded Ralston that he had submitted his resignation two years earlier and that he now accepted it. McNaughton was now the new minister of defense! King had once again escaped the trap of overseas conscription. English Canadians regarded these men as cowards and referred to them as â€Å"zombies† or â€Å"the walking dead† . Again King was pressured to introduce conscription and again he came up with a solution. Limited overseas conscription of 16 000 of the â€Å"zombies† took place immediately- there would be conscription of men who had not already been trained as soldiers. Louis St. went along with King’s decision and the feared Quebec riots did not materialize. Some of the â€Å"zombies† deserted but most of those who were sent overseas fought bravely and brought honor to their country.

Critical Evaluation Of Brand Strategy Of VGI

Critical Evaluation Of Brand Strategy Of VGI Abstract This report is a depiction of the brand strategy adopted by an automobile company Volkswagen. This primarily covers the brand management by the company including the critical evaluation of the brand strategy adopted with context to its brand value, brand image and brand positioning. The report provides the reader to have critical analysis of the brand management and at the end of the report a conclusion is drawn on the basis of analysis in the body of the report. In main part of the report there is VIP analysis followed Boston matrix and product life cycle for the detailed explanation of topic. Various brand strategies adopted by the company are also touched in this part of the report. The conclusion is followed by some suitable recommendation of the brand strategy management of the company. Introduction Branding The concept of branding in market is related to the production of brand and in the views of Hankinson Cowking (1993) that branding is tagline that used to differentiate product from other competitors in market. Branding is defined as identity of a specific product, service or business. A brand can take many forms, including a name, sign, symbol or slogan. The world brand began simply as a way to tell one persons cattle from another by means of a hot iron stamp. The word brand began has continued to evolve to encompass identity- in effect the personality of o product, company or service. In the views of Johnson and Scholes (2002, pp. 140) branding is an important feature for saturated market and for the slow growing markets. The brand provides recognition and allows adding value, image and position to the company. An effective brand strategy is very useful for the survival and future growth of company. Branding is used to promote the products of the company in an easier and effective way. It builds up identity and for communicating the story of brand as in India the concept of storytelling is popular tool for advertising. Importance of Branding The branding is the face of the product that company offers to its customers hence every company has to toss their branding strategy effectively. Since this is beneficial in making the impression of product or services in the mind of customers. An effective and impressive brand name always attracts the customers and keeps the position and image of the company in their minds. This even gains to make the customers think and moved towards the use of another product of same company to which they are not familiar. A good quality brand image in business matters a lot; the brand of the company is always seen as in differential part of the company which shows its value and quality. With an effective and strong brand the image of the company goes rise. Strong brand of business facilitate other brands to link with each other different products of the company. The brand name of company used for the different products of the company for effective selling in market. (Source Hankinson Cowking, 1997 pp- 156) Company Introduction VOLKSWAGEN DAS AUTOS The automobile company is well known for its services and higher satisfaction among their customers. Volkswagen group of India is subsidiary of worldwide famous Volkswagen AG. It switches to brand of Volkswagen in addition to two other existed brands of Skoda and Audi in Indian market. These brands possess its own character manoeuvres in an autonomous manner. The establishment of this subsidiary was in year 2007. In Indian autos market the brand image is featured by the size of vehicle, technologies of driving and different features like ABS, EPS and air bags and galvanized bodies of automobiles. Multi branding v/s Corporate Branding There are two main concepts taken corporate branding and multi branding that are explained as followed by the company: Multi Branding: Concept of multi branding in the company mainly based on the objective to become most innovative manufactured volume complies with best quality product specifically considering medium to long term classless. With theme and slogan Vorsprungdurch Technik of Audi brand in considered as solid brand in automotive premium segment. In addition brand of Skoda is a combination of intelligent concepts in using space and technical innovation also covering the design and good money value (Kapfere, 2009, pp 276). Corporate Branding: Volkswagen carries three main brands by having messages of responsible innovation and providing Enduring Value. The car under the corporate brand there is passenger cars convey reliability and quality and engineering of German skills at the global level. This facilitate in becoming the first choice in millions of the customers when buying a car. Critical Evaluation of Brand Strategy of VGI In the views of Porter (1993), for successful administration of a company there must be an identified strategy that itself serve as a position and must be able to handle competition through brand strategy of the company and is primarily differentiate into three parts as. Cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy and focus strategy. Brand strategy of Volkswagen is well maintained. As India is important market for the strategic marketing especially in automotive industry. There are good opportunities for future growth as a result of outstanding conditions of demands. But the noticeable condition is that there is very high competition full with challenges of conditions of market, different lifestyle, and behaviour of consumers. Branding is key success factor for Volkswagen in order to gain good market position and competitive advantages therefore it become very successful in the Indian Automobiles of market. As branding plays a vital part for the Volkswagen and make it differentiate from other competitors in market. Kotler has viewed his comment on the leadership that a cost leadership is not possible, differentiate is their competitive strategy (Kotler, 2008, p.468). Also Varey considered brand as unique and for selling the proposition in the emerging markets. Branding Value of Volkswagen The brand value is an important aspect of a brand. This can be illustrate as the customers are usually willing to spent or pay more for that product that is related to any known brand, they preferred brand that the product. The brand value is hence defined as that extra money made by a company or can be made from the selling of its products in solely way only due to the name of its brand. For example For Volkswagen group India there is late entry of the Volkswagen group of India in the market as compared to other competitor rivals. Due to this company has lack to gain the first mover advantage in market and hence less gain in the brand value. For further development the company in order to strengthen its brand value it follow the strategy by making corporate statement innovation for everyone. While marketing any product, importantly in India, the most crucial factor is quality and price of product as India is at a halt a poor country. Brand Image for Volkswagen Brand image is specified as those qualities which are related to the association to customers with the particular brand. It is expressed as the human behaviour and their wants and desires, but not enough it also associates with the situational use, price and quality of the brand. Here example can be taken as the Mercedes Benz which possesses a string brand image due to its product quality and features and their price, this came to make an image of brand in the minds of customers about that particular product. The brand image is not an inherent character for a company brand though this can be achieved through the advertising and campaigns. Brand image is identity of the product in market and is a symbol of the company that make its impression and image in the minds of customers. The Volkswagen with its new brand name Das Auto along with its vision, the company is going to create new image by surrounding proximity and convenience via affordable innovations. The Volkswagens brands of Skoda and Audi managed in such a way that curved their position in stiff ad competitive automobile market and creating their baton of brand image in consciously sensitive markets like India. Brand Positioning In the view of Armstrong (2002), brand positioning zeroes in on customers and gives them a reason to buy a product in preference to others; it differentiates a product from other products based on attributes. Walter (1997) also states that position of brand is perception among target customers. The Volkswagen group of India as came back into market after the period of ten years it has going to position its brand again in the minds of their customers and in market. The company has positioned its brand bracketed to set of above middle classed customers whose income is above average and have the thrill to show off as and where compared to brand Audi which is expensive and very showing type is designed for those types of consumers that are sporty and want to show off more with expensive expenditure. On contrary the Volkswagen brand is suitable for the average persons and also full the desire to show off. The company has managed them with a separate position in market. According to a stat ement given by the director of VW passengers cars Mr. Neeraj Garg that the company will take some time for making its position and there is a slow process to gain position into the minds of customers of India. Segmentation In India most driving factor is recognised affordability, due to this the market of domestic cars is segmented on to accordance with their prices. There is price based competition in Indian market therefore the car is segmented as below: Multi Segmentation Geographical segmentation Demographical segmentation Social Class Marketing Strategy Marketing Strategy adopted by Volkswagen brand after its launch in India in 2007 in relation to marketing Mix Marketing Mix Marketing mix of Volkswagen Brand Source: Kotler, P Armstrong, G (2004) For brand strategy of Volkswagen there is involvement of first P according to marketing mix is Product as described in model. The product in this model is defined as that combination of services and goods sell to the customers by the company or organisation in target market (Armstrong Kotler, 2005). From analysis it is found that product is also a part of Brand name. Design and quality are the main product features that possess variety in them. Here an example can be quoted for a brand of Volkswagen Touareg that has been sold in India comprises of a package of seating, engine, breaks and engine etc. (Volkswagen India, 2009). Hence for product strategy the company is equipped with variety and design in their products including warrant for them which in turn results in good response from the customers and make them satisfied and bring loyalty in them. The second P in this model if marketing mix is price. Price is of a product or service is defined as that amount which is paid by customer to the organisation or company for buying their products or services offered to them (Armstrong Kotler, 2005). While discussing the price strategy it has been found that there are 61 dealership offers high prices for the products to sell in India as compared to their rivals like Honda city and Ford, but there is variation that the company charge interest rate by 4.5 5.0 % instead of other rivals make with 8% or more as a loans given by banks or building societies of other rival car makers. This facility is attributed by the Volkswagen financial Services that aided to support the sales of the company to their customers. There is next P for the marketing mix is Place that is also very crucial in Brand management. The place usually referred to that place where there is availability of products of company to their customers. As in concerned to Volkswagen the company involved in using dealers and distributors for the purpose of the sales of their products. There are two modes for the dealers to get authorised either through franchised or direct ownership of company. For the company their network related to their dealers is very important and is maintained in a proper way because the product of the company are introduced through them to the customers, hence it is very important. In the views of Kotler 2005 the company usually share their losses and profits both with their dealers for purpose to maintain the quality of cost leadership. At present the Volkswagen has fine relationship with their dealers in India and also involve in the dealing of their products with Skoda with 61 leaders (Top News, 2010). The last and fourth one P is Promotion. The promotion has variance in their objectives that has to be achieved in market. The promotion is usually handled with the tool of advertisement. The promotions for customers are added through the advertisement that results in the excitement among them. The aim of promotion is to pull in target consumers. These promotions are based on the scheme of non profit but in turn results in the profit for the company (Bradley, 1993). For example the Volkswagen Company in year 2009 has launched a promotion named Pre Monsoon campaign published by Motor beam, 2009. This promotion is for the purpose to establish the brand of company India. In India the company offered a variety of range of services to their customers and fro this company is getting profit from the promotions of the company brand. Pricing strategy Pricing strategy of Volkswagen: In the vies of Lowe and Doole (et al 2006), for any company at the initial stage of launch in market introduced with two adopted strategies for pricing, one is marketing skimming price strategy and other one is market penetration pricing. The company Volkswagen has choose the strategy of market penetration pricing. In this strategy previously the prices were set high so that there can be coverage of initial investment this is so because the company had invested a lot of money in the business to set up the unit in Pune, Maharastra. Ansoff Growth Matrix Model for Strategy Source: Kotler, P Armstrong, G (2004) For further analysis there is discussion in accordance with the given model of Ansoff Growth Matrix for Volkswagen. This model usually depicts the different areas of market development of the product of the company. This development is in relation with company and that aspect that are very important for the diversification of market. The thing is that this company has been diversified as it enters into new market. Market development According to Reiziger (et al, 2003) when a company took entrance into a new market and launch themselves by introducing existing products this is came to know as the development of market, and the main aim of the company is to lure the customers from the their existing competitors in that exiting market i.e. new market. The company Volkswagen has got the entry into Indian market in 2007 by launching their product Jetta, then after two years in 2009 the company has launched two new cars in market with their existing brand using the brand value in market these cars are ionic beetle and the Touarge sedans (Volkswagen India, 2010). Diversification Again in the views of Reizger (2003) this is the entrance of any new company with having the launch of their new product under its own brand is termed to be diversification. This strategy is commonly recognised as most risky one as there is introduction of two new entities one is market and other one is product. For the Volkswagen diversification is not so risky, as it has already successfully launched a variety of cars in the market with its own brand and in accordance with its brand image and with every brand it has inched higher and created sense of the demand in the market on every launch of new products. Most currently the company has as innovation there are four new car that has gone to be launched in 2012 and these new coming products are SUVW, Couple, Up and Blue Sport (Volkswagen, 2010). Conclusion Recommendation: As from above discussion it is concluded that Volkswagen has got an effective branding strategy but there are some factors that has to be taken into consideration for the company to make its brand VIP. In India this company is represented by three brands i.e. Audi, Skoda and Volkswagen and posses their own identity and features and an independent manner in market. The brand of Volkswagen along with Audi and Skoda provide good level of consistency and excellence in the market within the existing value, image and position of its brand in target market of automobiles. It has also been concluded that the company adopted brand leveraging strategy. The product launched by the company are good from all aspects and given for strengthen the brand image and identity in market. Having discussion over the marketing mix all the aspects of the marketing mix by the Volkswagen are handled in an effective way, company cover all areas of price, promotion, place and product well but there is some need to pay emphasis over the promotion and price aspect of the brand strategy to get the good response in market. It is also concluded that there is lack of loyalty factor in Indian market of Auto brands as compared to the other markets. The company Volkswagen is new in the market and hence there is low brand awareness of the company in market. There must be raise of awareness among all the required fields of market. There must bring up some improvements and creation of the brands. As in Indian market which is basically driven by the price and prerequisites, company Volkswagen carry on its brand with the quality factor only. This is criticised here because this strategy will create hindrance in the brand development and prosperity of the company. The factor of Cannibalization can be seen as it can pay an important role for the Volkswagen approach for the branding i.e. multi branding approach and hence resulting in the brand that are new take the business away from that which are already established in market. There are some suggestions that the company can adopt for the effective brand management are to drive the response of the customers as they are the key link for the success of the company and there must be online and offline programmes of marketing. The company has to be involved in the Build Brand Engagement process to learn how the consumer wants to link up with the brand of product. They must continue to attempt at increasing the customer loyalty.

Analysis Of The Lord Of The Flies

Analysis Of The Lord Of The Flies Throughout the novel Lord of the Flies, various views and motifs are portrayed. Of these views and motifs, the main message which is illustrated is one that questions society. It is clear from the very beginning that is a message conveyed in this novel. On the whole, Golding is portraying a good versus evil which are represented by Jack and Ralph. In Lord of the Flies a variety of ideas can be extracted on what the message Golding is trying to show. Golding wrote this novel in order to show the basic contrast of good and evil in society and how things can get out of hand if your primal urges are left uncontrolled. Throughout this novel, a great deal of contrasts are portrayed, one major one being good versus evil. To fully understand why Golding chose to write this book based on a good and bad motif, we have to look at the time period it was written in. During the time period this book was written in, the cold war was a major concern in everyday life. Golding, just as many other writers chose to write about the wrongs of communism in a subtle way, using children as a vehicle. In Lord of the Flies Golding uses Ralph, the leader of the tribe, to portray good and society (and probably democracy with the conch, everyone had an opinion), Jack on the other hand represents evil and what can happen if let uncontrolled (and perhaps in a way communism). All through the novel, Jack and Ralph quarrel to see who gets control of the tribe. Eventually of course, evil wins. In Lord of the Flies, there are many characters, but the most noticeable ones are of course Ralph and Jack, along with a handful of others I will describe the role they play in the book and how they all show either good or evil. Ralph Ralph is definitely the novels main character. He is elected as leader of the group mainly because he is in possession of the conch shell. He shows the good that there can be on the world. He is committed to keeping to society and following the example which was set by the elders. Jack Jack is the character that co-exists with the main character. He is not elected as the leader of the tribe. This leaves him in a jealous rage which continues throughout the book. He illustrates the evil that exists in society and how people can get dragged into it, sometimes against their own will. Jack continually makes life difficult for Ralph and does not follow the right example. Piggy Piggy is the wise intellectual boy in the novel. He is introduced very early on along with Ralph. Piggy represents societys brains and his cries for order go unheard, just like they do in real life. He is good in the way he does nothing wrong, but too weak of word to do anything just. Simon Simon is perhaps the only really good person in the novel. By the way Golding describes his character, there seem to be no flaws in it. He represents the natural goodness in people, but he is to weak to do anything about the evil. There are a significant amount of props, or scenery used in the Book Lord of the Flies, many of them with a meaning. At the very start of the book we are introduced to a very important one which also has a sociological meaning to it. The Conch shell is used to summon the boys at the beginning and impresses many of them making them think of him as a natural leader. Seeing there is nothing left of the plane wreckage the conch shell is one of the only things they have which is linked to society and therefore becomes a powerful symbol of civilization. It is used throughout the book effectively by Ralph but when it is flattened it symbolizes the complete downfall of civilization and the loss of control. Another important symbol in the novel is the beast. It stands for the fear which all of the boys have and the savagery they all have. All of the boys, especially the littleuns are afraid of the beast but only Simon recognizes that the fear is within the boys themselves. Because the beast l ies within the boys, more savage they act, the more apparent the beast is. The loss of power is one very remarkable problem Ralph seems to have from the very start. As soon as Jack comes into the scene, there is a sense of rebellion. Jack protests in some of the very first chapters that he should be leader instead, but it led to nothing. Ralph seems to be on top of things on the whole, but as soon as Jack started trying Ralphs leadership, things went on a downhill slope. In Lord of the Flies, something called Id and Superego are subconsciously integrated, forming a contrasted point of view. Id and Superego are a ideas of Sigmund Freud, a professor of psychology. Id is the primal urges you have, while your Superego is where you respond to what you think society expects of you. In the novel, these two types of personalities are both applied, leaving a very contrasted set of characters. The Superego in Lord of the Flies is definitely Piggy. He is the one who is always questioning whatever he or someone else is doing is right. He compares all of his experiences to what his auntie says. Someone with a Superego usually is concerned with what society thinks of them, just like Piggy is afraid of other people judging him. The Id on the other hand is nearly the complete opposite of the Superego. In this book, Jack and his tribe exhibit the Id in every human being. His tribe follows what they like doing, or in other words their primal urges. This can mean hunti ng, feasting, killing etc. It is possible that Golding chose to show these two very different types of personalities on purpose, but without an answer, we are not quite sure. In the above I have explored just one of the dozens of arguments there are to make about Lord of the Flies. Good versus evil are both very clearly portrayed in this novel making it easy to distinguish which one is which. In the book, political views are subtly illustrated in the form of children, one Jack, one Ralph. In a mà Ã‚ ¹lange with other characters, Golding created a modern day society on a small scale where good an evil exist simultaneously and in which the Id is let loose.

Fats in the American Diet Essay -- Essays Papers

Fats in the American Diet There has been a myth in our society for the last few decades about fats. Ever since the USDA created the food pyramid in the early 80’s, the feeling towards fats has been that all types are bad for one’s health and should be consumed at a minimum. However, more recent studies have shown that not all fats are detrimental, and some are necessary in maintaining healthy bodies. Certain types are helpful for reducing the risk of cancer, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Without fats the body could not absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K because they help move the supplements into the bloodstream where the vitamins get absorbed (Graham par. 2). Simple actions like a regular consumption of nuts, helps aid in lowering the risk of heart disease and diabetes 2 (Medical Update par. 6). There are many different types of fats in our diet. Monounsaturated and Omega-3 and 6 fats are the healthiest forms, while saturated and trans-fats are the worst kinds. While a gram of any type of fa t contains the same amount of calories (nine per gram) the health benefits are definitely not equal (Good, Bad Fats par. 1). This paper will look into the different types of fats and their impact both positively and negatively on the individual. It will provide information on popular diets, and a look into the current USDA’s food pyramid which is under pressure to be reevaluated. Nutritional ingredients in foods that people consume on a regular basis will also be examined. Within the past few years a new commercial fat product developed by Proctor & Gamble has been developed. This commodity is called olestra and it has been surrounded by controversy. This raises the issue of whether government should be involved in any of the health de... ... Aug2003, Vol. 237 Issue 2 - â€Å"Heart Smart Advice Updated for 2000: More Fat. But Make it ‘Mono’ Please† by Golub, Catherine, Environmental Nutrition, Jul99, Vol. 22, Issue 7 - Hellmich, Nancy. â€Å"Atkins, South Beach, or Dr. Phil? An expert rates the books.† USA Today 15 Jan. 2004. - â€Å"Monounsaturated fat Appears Protective against Breast Cancer†, Women’s Health Weekly, 01/19/98 - â€Å"New Food Labels Help Consumers avoid the Worst Fats.† Consumer Reports, Dec. 2003 - â€Å"A New Healthy Food Pyramid† Medical Update (source included in back, no other info) - â€Å"The New Rules of Fat†, By: Schuler, Lou, Men’s Health, Nov2002, Vol. 17, Issue 9. - Sienko, Michell J. and Robert A. Plane. 1966 chemistry: Principles and Properties. McGraw-Hill Co., NY. - Stanton, Michele. â€Å"The Atkins Diet Reconsidered.† Prevention, Jan. 2003, Vol. 55, Issue 1 Fats in the American Diet Essay -- Essays Papers Fats in the American Diet There has been a myth in our society for the last few decades about fats. Ever since the USDA created the food pyramid in the early 80’s, the feeling towards fats has been that all types are bad for one’s health and should be consumed at a minimum. However, more recent studies have shown that not all fats are detrimental, and some are necessary in maintaining healthy bodies. Certain types are helpful for reducing the risk of cancer, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Without fats the body could not absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K because they help move the supplements into the bloodstream where the vitamins get absorbed (Graham par. 2). Simple actions like a regular consumption of nuts, helps aid in lowering the risk of heart disease and diabetes 2 (Medical Update par. 6). There are many different types of fats in our diet. Monounsaturated and Omega-3 and 6 fats are the healthiest forms, while saturated and trans-fats are the worst kinds. While a gram of any type of fa t contains the same amount of calories (nine per gram) the health benefits are definitely not equal (Good, Bad Fats par. 1). This paper will look into the different types of fats and their impact both positively and negatively on the individual. It will provide information on popular diets, and a look into the current USDA’s food pyramid which is under pressure to be reevaluated. Nutritional ingredients in foods that people consume on a regular basis will also be examined. Within the past few years a new commercial fat product developed by Proctor & Gamble has been developed. This commodity is called olestra and it has been surrounded by controversy. This raises the issue of whether government should be involved in any of the health de... ... Aug2003, Vol. 237 Issue 2 - â€Å"Heart Smart Advice Updated for 2000: More Fat. But Make it ‘Mono’ Please† by Golub, Catherine, Environmental Nutrition, Jul99, Vol. 22, Issue 7 - Hellmich, Nancy. â€Å"Atkins, South Beach, or Dr. Phil? An expert rates the books.† USA Today 15 Jan. 2004. - â€Å"Monounsaturated fat Appears Protective against Breast Cancer†, Women’s Health Weekly, 01/19/98 - â€Å"New Food Labels Help Consumers avoid the Worst Fats.† Consumer Reports, Dec. 2003 - â€Å"A New Healthy Food Pyramid† Medical Update (source included in back, no other info) - â€Å"The New Rules of Fat†, By: Schuler, Lou, Men’s Health, Nov2002, Vol. 17, Issue 9. - Sienko, Michell J. and Robert A. Plane. 1966 chemistry: Principles and Properties. McGraw-Hill Co., NY. - Stanton, Michele. â€Å"The Atkins Diet Reconsidered.† Prevention, Jan. 2003, Vol. 55, Issue 1

Saras Secret Essay -- essays papers

Saras Secret Moving to the big city was a big step for Sara. Her parents always warned her about the dangers of city life, but she never let the warnings hinder her decision. Her dream of a fast paced life has been with her for as long as she could remember, and nothing could change her mind. Sara was brought up in a small town about 200 miles from the city. This was a town in which everyone was friends with everyone, and most of the doors where never locked. Looking at this town was like looking at a painting that would be hanging up in a museum somewhere. In fact, Sara's house looked like, it too, would have its own painting. Nothing was ever out of place, it even seemed as though each blade of grass knew that it had a particular position in which it need to stay, and the inside of their house was no different. Her parents where very protective over their only child. They always knew everything that went on in their daughter’s life; or so they thought. Sara kept something secret from her parents for as long as she could remember. Sara was born with something so different that she felt that if her parents ever found out, they wouldn't ever be able to accept it. After Sara graduated from high school she felt as though she needed to get out of the life she knew, and start over in a whole new environment. Convincing her parents that she should move to the city was the hardest part for her, but finally after months of constant debating, her parents finally gave in. But they never stopped telling her how they felt. Even as Sara was walking out to the moving truck with the last box, her parents told her that she was making a mistake and that only trouble is found in big cities. But Sara wasn’t listening, she knew that she was going to love her new life, trouble and all. Sara's apartment was on the small size but it didn’t seem to make a difference to her, she was finally on her own. She found a job at an accounting firm about a week after her arrival in the city. The tall building that her new job was in was a beautiful sight to her, and at that time she knew that she belonged there. Her new office was only about 6 blocks from her new home, so most of the time she walked to work. She would often stop to look up at the tall buildings, admiring how they seemed to look like those tall trees she once saw on a road trip with her parents.... ...purse back to the women, she took him by the wrists up to the street to the nearest police officer. She told the policeman what happened and then left wondering when she was going to get her reward. Sara then started to walk up the street, to catch her breath. When she reached the spot where she had heard the first women scream, the city froze, not by her doing, but by the spirit. Again, a faint light appeared from the manhole, and turned into a man’s face. Sara was excited that she was finally going to get what she had been working so hard for. And then the spirit started to speak, â€Å"You have done well Sara, you have saved the two people you needed to, to be able to receive your prize. But the thing is, you have already received it.† Sara didn’t quite understand, so the spirit went on, â€Å"You saved not one life, but the life of many. And you have risked a lot, so a lot is returned to you. The best reward is not of material value, but the feeling of value in yourself.† The spirit then vanished just like it had appeared. Sara then knew what the spirit had taught her. Sara decided to dedicate her life to saving others, and to only use her powers for the good of mankind.

A Cleaner Future: A Comprehensive Pollution Prevention and Reduction Pr

A Cleaner Future: A Comprehensive Pollution Prevention and Reduction Program Introduction Pollution is a major problem globally and it becomes greater as the human population continues to rise exponentially. One of the major problems with increased population is higher waste production, which creates increased air, soil, and water pollution. To resolve this problem waste reduction must be of primary importance in preventing and reducing pollution. Waste management can be an expensive undertaking if not managed correctly so sustainable practices must be addressed. While pollution prevention and reduction programs can be expensive if not managed correctly, waste reduction is essential for the reduction and prevention of pollution. Recycling, Water preservation, Municipal solid waste management, and population stability are the essentials to a cleaner tomorrow. Municipal solid waste (MSW) is a significant problem globally. The biggest obstacle in waste reduction is public involvement. Society specifically in-developed countries produce significant waste through overconsumption. To address this problem it will take significant public participation. Careful considerations and planning must go into confronting the issue of MSW with the public. According to O'Connell (2011) â€Å"Waste and consumption practices are multi-dimensional and the methods for engaging the public in reducing MSW must incorporate feelings, practical considerations, and education.† It is evident that for significant municipal solid waste reduction to occur education and public feelings must be addressed. Without public participation MSW reduction cannot occur. The pollution prevention and reduction program will take aim at educating the public of the significance ... ...& Industry. (Document ID: 1552023631). Jiboye, A. (2011). Sustainable Urbanization: Issues and Challenges for Effective Urban Governance in Nigeria. Journal of Sustainable Development, 4(6), 211-224. Retrieved January 23, 2012, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 2535474281). O'Connell, E.. (2011). Increasing Public Participation in Municipal Solid Waste Reduction. The Geographical Bulletin, 52(2), 105-118. Retrieved January 8, 2012, from Research Library. (Document ID: 2517583571). Miller, G. T., Jr., & Spoolman, S. E. (2012). Living in the environment: Concepts, connections, and solutions (17th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning Wang, H.. (2010). A Sustainable Decision-Making Model for Materials Recovery Facilities Problems in Waste Management. Competition Forum, 8(2), 248-253. Retrieved January 9, 2012, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 2174555611).

Practical Life Exercises in Montessori and Development of Social Skills

â€Å"We can imagine an adult’s society organized as constructive society on the same lines as children’s that is on lines with this natural society of cohesion. Attachment to other people is the first stage which brings all men to work for a common ideal. It would be good for men if society could be constructed like this but we cannot command this. It must come from nature. If nature is the basis the construction will be superior, but without this basis there can only be an artificial construction which breaks down easily. † (The Child, Society and the World,  p 24, Chap III) Maria Montessori termed a child as a â€Å"Spiritual embryo†, which is in the embryonic stage of the future fully transformed adult. A society is a group of adults, while a group of children can be termed as an embryonic stage of the future society. A group of children is nothing but a school or a place where children spend time together. Hence, Montessori termed social development as possibly the most important element in her schools. Her emphasis on children being allowed the freedom to work alone and to develop concentration did not mean that she underestimated the importance of social development. Instead what she saw was that it was precisely because the children were allowed to work in such freedom that they then displayed their innate social cohesion. She saw that true discipline and harmony was something that came from within and was not something that could be enforced. â€Å"The children then are orderly and have a harmonious discipline. A discipline in which each has different interests. It is different from the discipline of a soldier, with his forced obedience, when we all have to do the same thing at the moment. This is a social discipline and it brings people into harmony with each other. † (The Child, Society and the World, p 24, Chap III) Dr. Montessori designed her environment as a miniature of the world outside. She provided social exposures in all angles to a child in her environment. â€Å"There is a great sense of community within the Montessori classroom, where children of differing ages work together in an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competitiveness. There is respect for the environment and for he individuals within it, which comes through experience of freedom within the community. † (The Essential Montessori: An Introduction to the Woman, the Writings, the Method, and the Movement, Elizibeth. G. Hainstock, Plume publishers-Penguin Group) A child when enters a Montessori environment, will be in a pre-normalized state, with fear, anxiety, confused and other not so well felt condition. Pre-normalized child can be brought to normalized state by giving him purpo seful work, through structured environment. What is this purposeful work and how is a structured environment defined? A child will have certain inner urge for certain kind of the work according to which, she will be prompted to focus her attention on certain elements in her environment, for a certain period of time. These periods are termed as sensitive period. There are six of these sensitive periods Sensitivity to Order: The Child shows the need for order in several ways like seeing things in accustomed places. Learning through their five senses: The child has a natural curiosity to explore things around him, feeling them with his five senses. Sensitivity to small objects:. The sensitivity to small details holds the child’s attention for an extended period, fostering the ability to focus. Sensitivity to language: The Absorbent Mind of the small child makes an intellectual achievement unconsciously under the guidance of a special â€Å"sensitivity† that enables it to select certain sounds from all the other phenomena in the environment. Sensitivity to co-ordination of movement: In this period, the child has an involuntary inclination to perform and repeat movement purely for the sake of gaining greater and more precise control. Sensitivity to social aspect of life: Children pay special attention to other children of their own age. The work of Sensitive period enables recognizable affections and friendships to develop. In this way, the child learns to be part of a group. Sensitive periods provide children a natural tendency to learn. The stages of learning exist for which there should be corresponding educational environments and appropriately trained teachers to â€Å"prepare the environment. † The child learns independently using the components of the environment and the teacher guides and observes the child who chooses his activities. The teacher is the link between the child and the environment. The learning environment cultivates individualization, freedom of choice, concentration, independence, problem solving abilities, social interaction, interdisciplinary breadth and competency in basic skills. The Montessori classroom is a â€Å"living room† for children. Children choose their activities from open shelves with self-correcting materials and work in distinct work areas – on tables or on the mats on the floor. Over a period of time, the children develop into a â€Å"normalized community† working with high concentration and few interruptions. An environment includes the following components: 1. Practical Life Exercises 2. Sensorial Education 3. Language Development 4. Arithmetic 5. Cultural Education Montessori Practical Life Exercises (PLE) is seen as the cornerstone of the Montessori method. These exercises provide the opportunity for purposeful work; assist young children in their development- physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally. PLE are designed to teach children life skills as these help children develop intelligent and be in responsible contact with their surroundings. These enhance the children's control over their movements, exercising the muscles of the whole body with understanding and willed purposes. The materials given will be familiar, tempting and is food for the sensitivity of the child. â€Å"An isolated individual cannot develop his individuality. He must put himself in relationship with his environment and within the reach of the events and the life of his times. † (http://www. montessori-namta. org/NAMTA/PDF%20files/Outcomes. pdf, Child’s Instinct to Work, Maria Montessori) A Montessori Practical Life Exercise area is prepared in such a way that, a bit of everything is put into it. This particular area is dynamic and varies from school to school and place to place. It depends on the interest and the creativity of the adult and also reflects the cultural practices of that particular place. â€Å"The objects which we use for practical life, have no scientific significance; they are the objects in use, where the child lives and which he sees being used in his home; they are made, however in sizes adapted to the little man. Montessori Maria, The Discovery of the child, Pg 108, 2006) Evidently, a Montessori environment is a miniature of the society outside, where a child is exposed to the similar things that he finds in the world outside. The way a child works with these material and with the other kids is nothing but a mini community created inside the Montessori environment. Practical life exercises are designed to teach children life skills. The practica l life area is of great importance in the Montessori classroom, yet it is the least standardized since almost all the materials are teacher made or assembled. The Practical Activities allow the child to try doing what adults all around may be seen doing each and everyday – for example, dressing one-self, cleaning then home, and greeting people. In addition to giving the child an opportunity for self-development, these activities provide an orientation to the customs of the child’s particular society. These precise contents of the Practical Activities should therefore differ from culture to culture. † (Getmann David, Basic Montessori: learning activities for under-five, St. Martin's Press, 1987) Principles of the Montessori Practical Life Materials †¢ Each material must have a definite purpose and be meaningful to the child †¢ The difficulty or the error that the child is to discover and understand must be isolated in a single piece material. †¢ The materials progress from simple to more complex in design and usage. †¢ The materials are designed to prepare the child indirectly for future learning. †¢ The materials begin as concrete expressions of an idea and gradually become more abstract. Montessori materials are designed for auto-educative and the control of error lies in the materials themselves rather than in the teacher. The control of error guides the child in the use of the materials and permits him to recognize his own mistakes. Addition to the above principle, the following points must be considered when preparing the practical life exercises. †¢ Materials are kept together in a small basket or on a tray. It should be grouped and kept together according to the level of development to which they correspond. They must be taken from and returned to its original place. †¢ Materials are kept within their reach. †¢ Materials must be of the right size, weight, clean and intact. †¢ Materials are identical among themselves with exception of the variable quality which they possess. †¢ Materials must be attractive in colour, brightness and proportion †¢ Materials should be limited in quantity. â€Å"Te teacher superintends, it is true: but it is things of various kinds, which call to children of various ages. Truly the brilliance, the colours, the beauty of gaily decorated objects are none other than voices, which call the attention of the child to themselves and urge him to do something. Those objects possess an eloquence which no mistress can ever attain to. â€Å"Take me† they say â€Å"See that I am not damaged, put me in my place. † And the action carried out at the instigation of things gives the child that lively satisfaction, that access of energy, which prepares him for the more difficult work of intellectual development. (Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child, pg 110) Practical Life Exercises are meant to resemble everyday activities and all materials will be familiar, real, breakable, and functional. The materials will also be related to the child’s time and culture. In order to allow the child to fully finish the exercise and to therefore finish the full cycle of the activity, the material will be complete. In the environment, the Directress may wan t to color code the materials as well as arrange the materials based on difficulties in order to facilitate the classification and arrangements of the work by the children. The attractiveness will also be at utmost importance as Montessori believed that the child must be offered what is most beautiful and pleasing to the eye so as to help the child enter into a â€Å"more refined and subtle world†. Activities: All the activities given will have certain Direct aims and certain Indirect aims. Direct aims are those, where the child learns to do the particular activity and the purpose of the activity is served. Where as indirect aims are those, where child learns many more things from the activity. There are four major categories in Practical Life Exercises. They are 1. Exercises that help in the development of Motor skills: 1. Rolling and unrolling: The child will be presented to roll and unroll different types of mats- this helps him in being independent and also social skill of winding up and completing a the full job is indirectly presented 2. Carrying: Activities like carrying the mat, chair, table and tray are presented to the child. The direct aims of these activities are, development of motor skills where as the indirect aims are, the child is made to learn social skills like carrying things without hurting others, without making much noise and with graceful movements. These social skills are indirectly presented to the children through these activities. 3. Spooning: Here, the child learns to transfer beans from one bowl to another, one bowl to two equal bowls, to two unequal bowls, to three equal bowls, to three unequal bowls and to another identical bowl with the indicator line. The child learns to transfer beans but the social skills like holding the spoon gracefully, transferring it without spilling much and without making much noise. This gives the child confidence to be independent in the school, at home and also at the social gatherings 4. Dry Pouring: Presentations given here are pouring the dry beans from one jug to another jug, bowls in the same manner as said above. Here the child learns the pouring of dry beans along with the social skills of holding a jug, carrying the jug with bowls, pouring things without making much noise and with minimum spilling. 5. Wet Pouring: Here again the child will be doing the same activities as above but with the liquid and funneling also will be introduced. Child will be presented with and apron to wear and a plastic mat to work on, which gives him an idea of difference between the dry and the wet activity. Wearing an apron and the responsibility of wiping the spilt liquid enhances his independence and an awareness of the environment this increases his confidence and also owning thre responsibility. 6. Transferring, Pegging and Folding: Child will be exposed to things like tweezers, tongs, chop sticks, etc, and also to sorting and differentiating. Pegging with paper clips, cloth clips and peg board are also introduced. The child’s social skills of using these objects in a graceful manner are enhanced. The child learns to unfold and fold the napkins in five different ways. The napkins are unfolded and folded with gentleness of touch and the evenness of pressure. This gives the child an exposure to the social skills like folding and unfolding the different variety of cloths. 2. Exercises for the care for the environment: The activities like Sweeping, Opening and closing of different types of bottles, boxes, unlocking and locking locks, latches etc, treading the bead, tearing and cutting papers, polishing, etc are presented. These activities help the child in dealing with the above mentioned things, so that his ability to be independent is enhanced. . Exercises for the care for self: The child is thought washing his hands, face etc, also the different dressing frames are given to work with so that he can be self dependent. He can be independent enough to tie his own bow, button his own shirt, tie his own lace and zip and unzip his bag by himself. 4. Exercises to develop social grace and courtesy: The child is thought to greet, interrupt, invite and offer a seat, a glass of water, scissors, pen, and other day to day useful items. Children are made to play silence game, where their love towards silence is discovered. Waling on the line enhances the balance and the grace in walking. Apart form these activities; any activity that the directress feels appropriate is also given. The activities and the materials thus help the child in the overall development also the way, child interacts with the other children and adult inside the environment is also favorable for his the social development. Kids in the Montessori environment are vertical grouped where children of different ages are put together. There will be no uniformity in their age-wise activities. This gives them an experience of diversification, but in a single environment. The purpose behind keeping only one set of each activity in a Montessori environment is also to make the children work as a social group. Any child, who wants to work with the material, will have to wait if it is being used by some other child. This builds a concept of co-existence. Dr. Montessori many times illustrated that, in her environment children work as a group rather as an individual. She gives an instance for this. Once in her environment, children heard the sound of some precession and rushed to the window to watch it. Only one boy who was working with some material could not wind up so fast and go with them. His eyes were filled with tears, seeing which all the other kids rushed to him and helped him in winding up and all of them enjoyed the show together. This shows that in a Montessori school even though the kids work individually, they exist as a group or a community and work together for the good of the whole. This is so evident that the child in a Montessori environment is a microcosm of the society. And the reality of this society lies in unity and coherence, respect and love. Children learn to use the knowledge they have gained in an appropriate way in an appropriate environment. Dr. Montessori says â€Å"One ought to each everything, one ought to connect everything with life, but there ought not to be suppressed, by directing them ourselves one y one, the action which children have learnt to carry out and to place in practical life. This assigning of their proper places to action is one of the most important things which the child has to do. † (Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child, Pg 120) Conclusion: The practical life exercises are the beginning activities which improve motor control, eye hand coordination and concentration. The practical life exercises include environment care, pouring, polishing, washing, and serving. Children love these Practical Life Exercises and are also taught good work habits by being encouraged to complete the whole task, see that all materials needed are arranged in order, and make sure the entire exercise is a vailable for use by the next child. Teaching the children to be thoughtful of the rights of other children, they are prepared for a successful citizenship and career. The practical life activities contribute invaluably to the development of the whole person with inner discipline, self direction and a high degree of concentration. † http://montessoriclc. net/education/practical-life/ Thus the Practical Life Exercises not only develops the child’s academic ability but also enhances the child’s social ability. The child in a Montessori environment is not isolated with the syllabus but he is prepared to face the society outside, exposed to the materials and the environment similar to what he finds out side the school. With these activities child is given the concept of hard work, self help and owning the responsibility and above all they will know how and when to apply what they have learnt. The children own their environment and take up the responsibility of setting it and cleaning it up. They get united with children of different age groups and through these activities and the concept of coherence, love and unity is established. â€Å"A society seems to be more united by the absorbent mind than does by the conscious mind. The manner of its construction is observable and may be compared to the work of the cells in the growth of an organism. It seems clear that society goes through an embryonic phase which we can follow among little children in the course of their development. It is interesting to see how, little by little, these become aware of forming a community which behaves as such. They come to feel part of a group to which their activity contributes. And not only do they begin to take an interest in this, but work on it profoundly, as one may say, in their hearts. Once they have reached this level, the children no longer at thoughtlessly, but put the group first and try to benefit for its benefit. This unity born among children, which is produced by a spontaneous need, directed by an unconscious power, and vitalized by a social spirit, is a phenomenon needing a name, and I call it ‘cohesion in the social unit’. † (Mari Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, Pg 240) Dr . Montessori always believed in a healthy society not only with intellectual richness but also with a lot of harmony, peace, unity and love. In her opinion, the first step in building a healthy society is building a harmonious and lovable environment in the schools. Thus she designed her environment as a miniature of the society and the child in the environment as a microcosm of the whole society who represents the community or the world he lives in, who co-exists with the people around, owns the responsibility of protecting the world he live in, who moves forward coherently and with a lot of love and respect to each other. Every man in a boat race rows his hardest for the boat, knowing the full well that this will bring him neither personal glory nor special reward. If this become the rule in every social undertaking, from these which embrace the whole country down to a smallest industrial console and if all were moved by the wish to bring honor to his group, rather than to himself, then the whole human family will be reborn. This integration of individual with his group must be cultivated in the schools† (Maria Montessori, The Absorbent mind, Pg 243) Bibliography |Sl. no |Name of the author |Name of the book |Publication and year | |1. |Montessori Maria |The Child Society and the World |Montessori- Pierson Publishing Company,| | | | |2008 | |2. Montessori Maria |The Absorbent Mind |Kalakshetra Publications, | | | | |1949 | |3. |Montessori Maria |The Discovery of the Child |Kalakshetra Publications, | | | | |1949 | |4. Hainstock. G. Elizibeth |The Essential Montessori: An Introduction to |Clio press, Oxford, England, 1989 | | | |the Woman, the Writings, the Method, and the | | | | |Movement | | |5. Getmann David |Basic Montessori: learning activities for |St. Martin's Press, 1987 | | | |under-five | | Websites (http://www. montessori-namta. org/NAMTA/PDF%20files/Outcomes. pdf, Child’s Instinct to Work, Maria Montessori) http://montessoriclc. net/education/practical-life/

Language competition in the Tongue Essay

Learning a second language has been proven to be a worthwhile experience to many individuals from different nations across the world who wanted to engage in world affairs and fruitful foreign correspondences despite the difficulties that they encountered in the initial steps they took in completing the second language course. Some linguists have noted that the linguistic journey for the purpose of learning a second language becomes difficult when the learner mentally entertains notions that the second language will be extremely difficult to understand, and will be almost impossible to use in daily conversations. Fortunately, some second language teachers know this kind of fear so they train the learners to trust in themselves and allow the experience of learning a second language to be as much fun as possible. However, no motivation can change the fact that learning a second language is not really easy. The good news is the task is not impossible to achieve at all. One can learn a second language when one is determined to do so. What could make learning a second language easier is always the level of enthusiasm and willingness to practice and overcome the difficulties in learning. Learning a second language poses three layers of difficulties: 1. ) flexing the old tongue to be familiar with the phonology of the new language, 2. ) uttering the phonemes and morphemes of the new lexicon without interference from the first language, and ultimately, 3. ) being able to use the new lexicon correctly in sentences and conversations. First, the phonology is observed, and then absorbed by the learner. Phonology is the study of the sound system of a given language and the analysis and classification of its phonemes?. Humans begin to perceive phonemes of their first language even before one reaches a year old. This set of sounds is retained to memory and used throughout one’s life unless a second language is introduced. Naturally, the first language will interfere with the perception and utterance of the new phonemes at the initial stage of learning because the first phonemes have already been solidly established in the part of the brain that processes sounds and speech. Over time, and through constant exposure to and practice of the second language, the new phonemes will have its place in the memory and will be processed by the brain in a distinct manner. The time that it would take for the phonemes of the second language to be fully independent from the first phonemes varies from person to person, specifically from one’s willingness to learn. Some learners never get past the overlapping phonemes of two or more languages in their perception, while those who try harder are able to distinguish and express one from another. After the phonemes comes the morphemes, the smallest units of speech that convey meaning.? Prior to using the second language in conversations one has to be even slightly familiar to some morphemes. At the initial stage of learning morphemes of the second language, one will initially meet interference by the first language. This concept — ? As defined in www. hyperdictionary. com. ? www. hyperdictionary. com. of linguistic interference is called code-mixing. Code-mixing is the use of elements (phonological, lexical, morphosyntactic) from two languages in the same utterance or stretch of conversation (Genesee & Nicoladi 12). It is also normal among bilinguals, as they use code mixing to adjust their brain in learning the new lexicon, using the first language as point of reference, not necessarily or immediately point of translation. Eventually, learners gather more words into their memory and later become competent in distinguishing one code from the other. Morphemes should not keep the learner from trying to learn more about the second language because this stage will define the final stage in learning a second language, its actual use in complete sensible sentences. The third layer of difficulty in learning a second language is actually using the new language in sentences and conversations. It is expected that learners of a second language would struggle with morphemes, as discussed above. The manner in which learners adjust to learning morphemes should also be applied to avoid committing morphological overgeneralization in the new language. Morphological overgeneralization is inability to distinguish the different ways in which grammatical rules apply differently in two or more languages. It can be seen in some English language learners who may initially prefer non-finite forms (e. g. , she go) before they use finite (e. g. , she goes) forms in their utterance and written sentences. Practically, this is a problem under grammatical errors. But since it is covered by the morphology of the new language that is trying to be absorbed and put into practice, the error becomes classified as morphological overgeneralization (Paradis & Genesee, 2). Another example of morphological overgeneralization is inadvertently applying lexicon grammar twice in an utterance or sentence. For instance, language learners who know that the past tense of â€Å"halt† is â€Å"halted† are likely to forget in the early stages of their learning process that there are some exemptions in adding â€Å"-ed† to indicate the past tense. To give a specific example, the past tense of â€Å"go† is â€Å"went;† but some learners might use â€Å"wented† in their speech. Teachers and tutors of second language learners have to be extremely patient and very creative in their job. If they give more details about the language and more examples for common usage, then the learners will have more fun in learning. On the other hand, learners of a second language should find inspiration from foreigners across the world who dared to study new languages and are now competent bilinguals or multilinguals. References: Genesee, F. , & Nicoladis, E. (2006). Bilingual acquisition. In E. Hoff & M. Shatz (eds. ), Handbook of Language Development, Oxford, Eng. : Blackwell. Online Dictionary. 12 Mar 2007. http://www. hyperdictionary. com Paradis, J. & Genesee, F. (1996). Syntactic acquisition in bilingual children: Autonomous or interdependent? Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 18, 1-2.