Ford Pinto Case

Running head: Ford Pinto Case Study – Was Ford to Blame in the Pinto Case? Taking a Side Mayo Smith, George Deese, Josh Eubank, Mignon Waller, Michelle Stower and Jaime Arnold University of Phoenix Take a Side Bad business decisions can be seen throughout history; however none has stirred such controversy as the error made by Ford Motor Credit concerning the 1971 Ford Pinto. Despite many safety concerns Ford CEO, Lee Iacocca and Ford executives began the production and distribution of the 1971 Ford Pinto. During routine safety tests of production models, it was discovered that every Ford Pinto tested and sustained a ruptured fuel tank during a slow to moderate speed rear end collision. The resulting fireball could cause severe burn injuries and even death to its occupants. Ford engineers designed a solution. By installing a baffle between the gas tank and the rear bumper, the threat of it possibly rupturing was nearly obsolete. These modifications would only have cost $11 per vehicle to complete. After conducting a cost/benefit analysis, Ford estimated that the cost of lawsuits and the amount Ford would have had to pay (estimated at more than $50 million), far exceeded the amount saved ($20. 9 million), by not installing the baffle (De George, R. , 2006). How can a major corporation put a price on human life? Had I been involved in the dilemma concerning the Ford Pinto, I would have somehow convinced Lee Iacocca and the executives at Ford to install the baffle. I would have gone to the press and the U. S. overnment with my concerns over the safety of this vehicle. Iacocca wanted a car that would cost under $2000. Instead of raising the price of the Pinto, the profit margin for Ford could have been decreased. The stakeholders certainly would have agreed considering the safety concerns. It was only going to cost $11 per car which would have been a total of $20. 9 million; a small price to pay considering how many Pintos sold between 1971 and 1978. Installing the baffle would ha ve thrown off the production date, but the defect would no longer be a problem. The defect should have been corrected after the first year of production, however, since it was not the entire dilemma was a terrible business decision (De George, R. , 2006). Corporations more so than individuals, have a moral obligation to keep the public safe from harm. When it comes to making and selling a product, in the case of human safety, money should not be an underline factor in doing what is considered morally the right thing to do. Ford acted unethically when they introduced an unsafe vehicle that eventually caused serious injuries. The Ford Corporation crossed the line when knowingly decided not to make the necessary repairs in the Pinto which would ultimately save lives. Corporations have an ethical obligation to assume responsibility and admit their wrong doing. Did Ford have an internal office where an employee could go and report such wrong doing without suffering retaliatory actions? Whistle blowing was something new in both the corporate and public worlds. How many people knew what was wrong with the Ford Pinto and refuse or were afraid to come forward with their concerns? The obligation not to harm any person primary falls on the responsibility of those who manage the corporation. If other people know about this, they could have had a hand in stopping this. However, other members of the corporation are not morally responsible for the actions of the corporation such as assembly workers, engineers, or office workers. According to University of Phoenix (2009), â€Å"whistle blowing is reporting improper activities to an appropriate person. † If consumers and owners of the Ford Pinto known in advance that the Pinto would explode in low impact crashes and that death was a high factor, the sales would have probably been lower to none which in turn would have been even costly to the Ford Corporation. CEO Lee Laccoca should have thought about the long-term effects of taking consumer trust for granted and avoided the negative repercussions of the Pinto if a recall was issued and handle properly. Ford could have avoided the negative publicity. Meeting obligations is very important in a social environment. Ford was operating on how internal social capital was more important than external capital. Most likely before the Pinto fires Ford had a good reputation as being one of the safest automobile in the car industry. Greed was the motivation behind Ford’s immoral ethical business decisions which resulted in the lost of many human lives. The competition of small cars was emerging and American consumers were very interested in this market. Ford decided to act quickly before they would begin to lose market their share in the marketplace. Ford’s decision had nothing to do with the concerns of the consumers but with the money it was making and their status in society. In 1971, the year the Ford Pinto was released to the public, the organization knew about the potential safety issues the car faced when a rear-end collision occurred. According to DeGeorge (2005), Ford prepared a cost-benefit analysis to determine if it would be cheaper to fix the problem, an exploding gas tank, or wait to pay out possible lawsuits that could occur after the accidents happened. Ford ultimately decided it was better financially to produce a car that was dangerous to the owner. It appears another current automotive company may have followed some of the same practices as Ford did in the 1970s. It was recently made public that there was a safety problem in some of the models Toyota produces. The problem with the Toyota’s cars is a gas pedal that causes sudden acceleration. Although it is still unclear when Toyota discovered the problem with the gas pedal sticking, and how they determined what the next steps would be, Toyota did appear to know about the problem and did not initially do anything to resolve it. In an article written by Rooney (2010) â€Å"Toyota has been criticized for not responding quickly enough to customer complaints about sudden acceleration, which have been blamed for several accidents resulting in injuries or death† (Toyota Recall: What took so long? paragraph 10). It does not matter what decade, or year, this type of scenario happens, organizations have a moral responsibility to inform the customer about any potential danger he or she faces when purchasing a car from the respective company, especially when the flaw is potentially fatal. In both cases, Ford and Toyota should have made it public as soon as they knew about the problem. If these organizations would have made the safety issues known immediately to the consumers, the consumers would have been able to make a well informed decision about the car they were thinking about purchasing; they may have even decided to purchase a different car that was safer. Rational thinkers will not put their lives, or the life of their families, in danger. As a country, America has a government that has implemented consumer safety laws in an attempt to protect the consumers from these types of situations. Reference Tech Republic (2010). Interactive Inc. ‘Steer clear of these 10 illegal job interview questions’ Retrieved March 21, 2010, from http://www. techrepublic. com Linda Klebe Trevino, Katherine A. Nelson (2007). Axia College, Decide What’s Right: A Prescriptive Approach. Retrieved on March 20, 2010 https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader. aspx De George, R. (2006). Whistle Blowing. Retrieved March 31, 2010 from https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/eReader. aspx.

Foils for Odysseus Essay

The Odyssey is the epic that has been read time and time again, by varying ages, digging its way into our hearts, becoming an instant classic. Odysseus and the adventures of his homecoming create a much different tale than Homer’s other work, the Iliad, provided. The epic is not about bloodthirsty men trying to get their hands on kleos anymore; it is about the homecoming of a man who uses his wits, not his weapon. In the Odyssey, the characters balance – Homer provides contrasting characters to show the readers the traits that Odysseus holds and how it builds his character development and even those who are foils to him. Odysseus’ own son, Trojan War companions, and wife create the man that is called Odysseus, highlighting the various facets of his personality throughout the epic. Odysseus’ son Telemachos matured since the very first book of the Odyssey, becoming more self-confident in his capabilities, more powerful in the speeches he makes, and more impo rtantly, more determined to rule the kingdom that will one day become his. The growth that Odysseus undergoes in his travels, such as growth in intellect, maturity and strength, his son goes through as well. The emotional growth in the paralleling stories of Telemachos and Odysseus holds a key part to the storylines. When Telemachos travels to Sparta he meets Menelaus, Odysseus’ friend from the Trojan War. When Menelaus mentions Odysseus, the young Telemachos first tries to stay strong and continue to hide who he is but breaks down and cries, showing he still has a lot to learn. Odysseus is known for his tricks, especially in the Odyssey where he specializes in not being who he says he is for ninety-five percent of the epic. As Telemachos tries to accomplish being a trickster like his father he shows he has potential but it is not the right time yet to be as tricky as Odysseus is. In book 21 of the Odyssey Telemachos sets up the trial of the twelve axes perfectly for the suitors, even though he was never taught how; only Odysseus knows how to set them up so flawlessly. When it came time for Telemachos to try his hand at stringing his father’s god-like bow that only he could string, he came very close. If it were not for Odysseus’ signal the boy would have strung the bow and won. He had the potential to be just like Odysseus, stringing the bow that only Odysseus could string, proving that Telemachos has matured to the point that he could almost take his fathers place. He yields the contest to the suitors, stating: ‘Shame on me. I must be then a coward and weakling, or else I am still young, and my hands have yet no confidence to defend myself against a man who has started a quarrel. Come then, you who in your strength are greater than I am, make your attempts on the bow, and let us finish the contest’ (Book 21,131-135). As the suitors witness his failure, Telemachos starts to use and perfect the use of clever responses just like his father, making the suitors feel safer than they really are, not letting them see through his ruse. After the Trojan War ended and time for the homecoming of the soldiers came about, the men who were featured in Homer’s Iliad journeyed on their merry way, back to their homes they left behind for twenty years. Ag amemnon, Nestor and Menelaos all had different homecomings, but each of them creates a nicely knit foil for Odysseus. As Agamemnon stepped inside his own home after twenty years of being away, his wife Clytemnestra and her newfound lover Aegisthus, who was Agamemnon’s cousin, greeted him with a nice bath. Before Agamemnon arrived, Clytemnestra was plotting the death of her husband due to the sacrifice of their daughter, Iphigenia. Agamemnon was stabbed to death by the vengeful tag-team. Agamemnon’s son, Orestes, unleashed vengeance upon his mother and her lover. Agamemnon’s family is a foil for Odysseus’ family life. Odysseus’ family loves him very dearly and has done no wrong as he was away. Penelope, unlike Clytemnestra, stays loyal to Odysseus and even creates an ingenious plan to keep the suitors off her back. Telemachos on the other hand has to deal with the suitors who are trying to marry his mother and have been dishonoring his father, Odysseus, eating their fill since they sat their butts on the stools they deem as weapons. Telemachos can’t even stan d up to the suitors as Agamemnon’s son took revenge on the people who killed his father. This shows how Telemachos should be as a son and will soon be as he grows up to be more like his father. Menelaos had a long homecoming due to the gods, just as Odysseus had. Menelaos angered the Egyptian gods, due to the lack of knowledge of Egyptian customs. He was able to get home with all of his crew, unlike Odysseus, who was a lone survivor. Although Menelaos had an easier homecoming than Odysseus, he did not have a  faithful wife, just like Agamemnon. Helen was the reason for the Trojan War; for Menelaos it was not easy to forgive an unfaithful wife to that degree. He cannot rejoin the present as easily due to all that was lost in Troy, destined to be full of grief for eternity. Then there is Nestor, the man whose name means â€Å"Returner†. Nestor was the one who had the easiest and most peaceful return home. His palace was full of peace, unlike Odysseus and the other two men. As the three war heroes returned back to their homes, none of them had to disguise themselves as someone else, making it obvious who they were, which was good and bad. Odysseus had to resume pretending he was someone else, generally from Crete, until he was certain that the people who caused the most threats were out of the picture. That was a smart move on Odysseus’ part. Penelope was Odysseus’ faithful, cunning and stunningly beautiful wife. Penelope, just like Odysseus, tests people until she gets enough information to her liking. For example after Odysseus reveals himself to the household and asks for Penelope, Penelope does not believe the news so quickly. She was not so gullible as to be excited about simple information; she wanted cold hard proof. Penelope shows her cleverness when she wants to see Odysseus, telling Eurykleia: ‘Dear nurse, it would be hard for you to baffle the purposes of the everlasting gods, although you are very clever. Still, I will go to see my son, so that I can look on these men who courted me lying dead, and the man who killed them’ (Book 23, 81-84). She is not willing to let anyone know she is excited to see her husband, so she plays it off cool, saying she was just going outside in order to see her son, not even mentioning Odysseus by name. Penelope constantly reconsiders and rethinks what she should do, just like Odysseus tends to do because he never wants to be caught off guard, until Penelope, as clever as she is, starts playing the same game he does. She orders Eurykleia to ‘make up a firm bed for him outside the well-fashioned chamber: that very bed that he himself built. Put the firm bed here outside for him, and cover it over with fleeces and blankets, and with shining coverlets’ (Book 23,177-180). Knowing Odysseus would get flustered with her idea, he revealed who he was by stating that the bed could not be moved due to it being made of the olive tree trunk that the house was built on. Not one person could out wit Odysseus and yet, his own wife did so easily. Penelope was just as smart as Odysseus, making them perfect foils for one another. Odysseus was a man of wit and courage, one who was unfortunate enough to anger the gods. Even with his unlucky fate of a long homecoming, he was blessed with a loyal and loving family, a family that highlights the various facets of his personality. All of these characters molded Odysseus, just as he molded them through the events of the Odyssey. They reflect his growth as a character with their own trials and tribulations. We find the best depiction of Odysseus’ growth in comparison to other characters; his wife, his comrades, and his son all bring out different elements of his personality. Without any of them, Odysseus would not be the great character we all know and love.

Develop marketing strategies Essay

The assessment task is due on the date specified by your assessor. Any variations to this arrangement must be approved in writing by your assessor. Submit this document with any required evidence attached. See specifications below for details. Performance objective In this assessment task you are required to review and evaluate marketing opportunities for an organisation and develop marketing activities that reflect the strategic directions of the organisation. Assessment description For the organisation outlined in the case study provided, identify two marketing opportunities and evaluate each opportunity for risks, strengths, weaknesses and alignment with organisational objectives. After you have reviewed the opportunities, select the best fitting opportunity for the organisation and develop marketing strategies, approaches and activities to take advantage of the opportunity. Procedure You are required to submit a report that addresses all of the elements listed in the procedure. The report should be structured using the headings below. Organisational overview 1. Develop an organisational overview that: a. outlines the strategic direction and organisational objectives b. outlines the current size, capabilities and resources of the organisation, including any notable strengths and weaknesses c. identifies any gaps between the objectives, and the current capabilities and resources. Opportunities 1. Identify two marketing opportunities that meet the objectives and evaluate the risks and benefits of each opportunity. 2. Recommend the opportunity that best addresses organisational objectives and: a. develop a marketing mix strategy that fits within the capabilities and resources of the organisation b. describe how your strategies align with the strategic direction of the organisation, and give justifications for your selection c. detail a marketing performance review strategy using an appropriate tool (competitive analysis, life cycle model, value chain analysis, etc.) to review the performance of the organisation against marketing objectives d. include the metrics to be used in measuring marketing performance. Tactics 1. Detail the tactics necessary to implement the strategy you have outlined, including: a. scheduling of activities to enact the strategy b. costing c. accountabilities and responsibilities d. a plan for coordinating and monitoring scheduled activities including KPIs. 2. Outline any legal and ethical requirements that impact on the selected tactics. 3. Describe how the tactics fit within identified organisational resources and capabilities. Specifications This assessment can be completed in your own time, as you work through the related topics in either the Student Workbook, or under the guidance of your assessor. The assessment is due for completion at the completion of Section 2 of the Student Workbook unless another submission time/method is suggested by your assessor. Check with your assessor whether it is appropriate to use a computer for the submission of the report (electronic), or if the assessor requires a hardcopy (printed) version. You must provide: a report containing documents that support all of the instructions outlined in t he procedure above. Your assessor will be looking for whether you have: identified a suitable marketing opportunity conducted research to assess and analyse the market prepared a report outlining your marketing strategies to best take advantage of the identified market opportunities organised your report under the headings suggested in the procedure. Adjustment for distance-based learners: No variation of the task is required. A follow-up interview may be required (at the discretion of the assessor). Documentation can be submitted electronically or posted in the mail. Case study Houzit is a chain of homewares stores in Sydney that specialise in bathroom fittings, bedroom fittings, mirrors and decorative items. They currently have 15 stores spread across the greater Sydney area, with all stores being managed and coordinated from their head office in Milton. You have recently been appointed as the marketing manager and must now review the organisation and devise marketing strategies that will move Houzit towards its strategic goals. The CEO has also asked you to consider some marketing opportunities that may assist Houzit in reaching its goals, and provide him with brief summary evaluating two alternatives, including the benefits and risks associated with each option, and making a recommendation for the opportunity most likely to produce results. You have gleaned the following information about Houzit: Houzit is close to entering its fifth year of operation; offering a wide range of home-ware items on easy-to-manage payment terms and supplies a three year guarantee on every item sold. The typical target customers have the following characteristics: sophisticated people who are house proud shoppers who will drive to an easy-to-access store customers who require payment plans to spread their commitment over an extended period renovators and new home builders 20–50 year olds. Houzit recognises the following trends and focuses its efforts on them. Quality – Preference for high quality items is increasing as customers are learning to appreciate differences in quality. Unique items – Customers want homewares that stand out from mass-produced, low quality items. Selection – People are demanding a larger selection of choices, they are no longer accepting a limited selection of homewares. The typical Houzit store has the following characteristics: Location – A commercial, suburban neighbourhood, or urban retail district. Design – Bright and functional. Size – 1,000–1,500 m2. Employees – 15–20 full time, plus several casuals Types of transactions – 60% cash, 40% on long-term repayment plan. Sales break-ups between the existing Sydney stores reveal: 30% bathroom fittings 35% bedroom furnishings 20% mirrors and decorative items 15% lighting fixtures (recent addition). A new customer’s first purchase is generally of mirrors and decorative items and this gives us the opportunity to sign them up to our loyalty program. In a brief discussion with the CEO, you asked about the changes taking place in legislation that could impact on Houzit’s operation. The CEO explained: ‘There is a big push by governments on the issue of sustainability. This focuses mostly on environmental issues of waste management and energy conservation. Houzit stores have been deliberately designed in the past to be bright and comfortable places to shop. This means a significant cost in electricity usage to run the lights and the air-conditioners. With the new regulations we are going to have to find ways to still provide customers with what they want without the high electricity usage.’ Strategic plan (extract) Vision Houzit will be a national retail brand, catering to the needs of home makers with a range of unique, high quality homewares made accessible to all through our easy to manage payment plan. Mission By 2020, Houzit will have a significant retail presence in homewares in every Australian capital city, starting with 15 stores in the greater Sydney area and growing to 100 Australia wide. Objectives 1. Increase sales from $15million per year to $20million per year in the next three years. 2. Increase our loyalty customers list from 10,000 to 15,000. 3. Establish brand recognition in Sydney so that at least 1 in 3 people recognise our brand in a random survey taken in 18 months time. SWOT Analysis Strengths: Excellent staff who are highly skilled and knowledgeable about homewares. Great retail space that is bright, functional and efficient for a commercial urban district. High customer loyalty among repeat customers. Assortment of offerings that exceed competitors’ offerings in quality, range and accessibility. Weaknesses: A limited marketing budget to develop brand awareness due to the lack of critical mass and store cover. The struggle to continually fund the growing long-term repayment plans taken out by our customers. Opportunities: A growing market in a high growth area with a significant percentage of the target market still not aware of Houzit’s offer. Increasing sales opportunities outside of our target area – greater Sydney. Threats: Competition from local independent retailers can drive down prices, as owner operators have lover overhead costs than our staff-run stores. Competition from national chains moving into the Sydney market. A slump in the economy reducing customer’s disposable income spent on homewares.

Week 3 team assignment outline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Week 3 team assignment outline - Essay Example ICQ, or an internal control questionnaire, has been filled out by the auditors, based on information provided by the internal audit department of Apollo Shoes. That information was pertaining to Revenue Cycle and processing of sales transactions. However, the information was not capable of assessment as a part of Revenue Cycle of Apollos shoes, and the applicability of internal control procedures designed for sales transactions processing, on those transactions, could not be identified. It was necessary for that all Sales transactions would be identified accurately and processed according to the established procedure in order to be capable of going through the process of risk assessment of internal controls. There was another risk of understated revenue and fraud. It is very important that number of sequences should be present on all invoices, shipping documents and processing checks. There was missing information as to the number sequence used for invoices, processing checks and shipping documents in order to ensure completeness. In case of missing invoices, shipping documents and processing checks, it will be difficult to identify and may lead to financial loss, inappropriate quality of relation with suppliers/customers and even Fraud. The above two issues can materially misstate the amount of revenue and receivables, and the quality of work will be affected. These two issues can possibly be an indication of Fraud, and auditors may need to be withdrawn from the audit altogether. It is very necessary for the management to pay close attention to our audit finding and investigate the reasons of any deviations from established control procedures. In case of absence of any related control procedure, management should consult auditors on establishing new internal controls or finding any substitute methods to mitigate the identified

Solving case study problems on operation management

Solving problems on operation management - Case Study Example To do this, Chatsworth Company applied some theories of interaction design (Dawes 2007). A theory that was used in this case study is the information foraging theory. This theory is based on assessment of cost and benefits with an aim of achieving the set goals. According to this theory, whatever is being sought during information search has to be clearly defined. Simon and his team visited various similar companies to see how they run their adventure playground. During browsing, which is basically information foraging, there is interaction with the source and the end goal is to see how the information acquired can help the current state of the company. Chatsworth even sought assistance from the managers of different companies with regard to the situation of the company. Information gathered from different sources was analyzed and used to evaluate which of the four options was the best to go with (Pirolli et al, 1999). Another theory evident in this case study is the activity theory. The theory suggests that minds are the product of how much people interact with others people and the experiences they gain in their everyday lives. This theory will help understand how the process of decision making can be done correctly. Chatsworth took the first initiate in identifying that there was really a problem. The adventure playground was consuming a lot of money compared to the profit; therefore, definitely something had to be done. The promotion and education manager had been involved in other decision making scenarios, but this one was different. As the theory suggests, it is through interaction with different people in our surrounding that we learn (Cooper 2007). Simon and his team first came up with four options: to remove the adventure playground, do nothing about it, substitute it with a similar one or replace it with a better one. After weighing these possibilities, the best one remained to replace it with an

Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 10

Terrorism - Essay Example They therefore result to terrorism as a fight back mechanism and to destabilize the government. Some also want to loot the national resources and this cannot be done in a stable country. They therefore strike then when the chaos ensue they loot and defraud the government. Yungher identifies a number of goals that terrorists want to achieve with their activities. They include political motives. Since a certain group is not satisfied with the government that is ruling they result to terrorism to destabilize it. Economic reasons. This is evident mainly in the ocean where ships are taken and a ransom required to flee them. This has been one of the major ways of getting an income from the terrorists. Another goal is to intimidate a certain group of people. This is done in regions where they want to dominate. Religious terrorism is also common and religious intolerance has facilitated the rise in terrorist activities across the world. The major component is fear. A certain group feels insecure that they result to terrorism to feel secure. The other one is violence. After being attacked, certain people result to terrorism as the way of fighting back. Violence is a major component of terrorism and many terror attacks are depicted by the violence involved. Religion. Religion has played a key role in shaping terrorism. Religious intolerance has been seen as a major reason in boosting terror activities. Civilian targets. Many terrorists will attack the civilians as a way o passing their message. A good example is the September 2001 attack in the US. Terrorists use the social media to execute their terror activities. From my opinion, the social media is a good choice due to the large number of people that they are able to reach. The anonymity that is guaranteed by the social media is also needed. Propaganda has been used as a tool for long in various mischiefs and so many terrorists use it to intimidate their target. They therefore use it to claim

Family Business Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Family Business - Research Proposal Example But it is very normal for governance issues to arise in a family business every now and then because a family business, like all other non-family businesses, involve more or less the same issues like personalities, passions, power, deadlines, resources, supervisors and subordinates. Conflicts can be avoided and resolved if arise because of good governance strategies that govern not only the business but also the family that runs that business. Many large and medium sized family businesses are running in the Middle East today that contribute a great percentage of GDP to the region. But most businesses survive only until the third generation and very few pass on to the fourth generation because of generational conflicts and difference of opinions and perspectives between the elders and the youngsters of the coming generations. Hypothesis: Governance issues bring bad reputation to the organization and are the main cause of splitting up or failure of a business that was running smoothly and earning large profits before the dispute.

Global Marketing Strategy. Project Shakti Essay

Global Marketing Strategy. Project Shakti - Essay Example Still, it is undeniable that unless a business is a monopolist, it will have to face competition in the market. As a result, a market will always consist of many business organizations competing for the same customers and the same profit making opportunities. Therefore, it is the duty of the management of the organization to device strategies and mechanisms that it can use to be ahead of its competitors. This is referred to as gaining competitive advantage (Chaston, 2012). In the global markets, an organization faces competition from a variety of organizations. Therefore, the company has to build and sustain its competitive advantage in order to succeed in such an environment. How can Shakti contribute to HLL’s bottom line? It is for this reason of gaining global market competitive advantage that HLL formed project Shakti. Shakti can contribute to HLL’s bottom line by using implementing a number of strategies. One key strategy is the creation of new brands. The Shakti p roject can come up with new and unique brands in the market to assist in catching the attention of already existing customers (PWC, 2011). In addition, new customers will also be attracted and thus, this will be an easy way of creating customer loyalty for the organization. The management will also have gained competitive advantage since; it will be the only provider of that product in the global market. Therefore, it is highly probable that the price of the product will not be affected by other market prices. Creation of new products should also be accompanied by high quality products and efficiency in production. With high quality products, customers will be able select the organization’s products out of the products of the competitors. This will help HLL in building global competitiveness since it will be a step further as compared to its customers. Use of Price Leadership Strategy Shakti can also achieve HLL objective by using the strategy of price leadership. Instead of being the follower, the organization could focus on always being the price leader. This way, it will be able to set its prices according to its costs of production. Price leadership is a strategy that assists in building competitive advantage since; the organization will be the one setting the prices of the competitors. Therefore, the organization has the advantage of being able to choose the quantity to supply to the market while, the competitors’ supplied quantities are dependent on the supply of the price leader (Hill & Jones, 2012). What economic value is Shakti creating? What social value? Social Values Shakti is creating a lot of economic and social values in the Indian Society through a number of ways. One social value that stands out is the empowerment of women (Rangan & Rajan, 2005). In India, a large number of women are underprivileged and marginalized. Having women being involved in the Shakti project was a way of making women feel needed and of importance to the s ociety. It is thus a way that promotes social values in the society since women are able to hold a place in society. The society also develops since; with men already at work and women now occupied with the Shakti project, there will be no idlers and thus the society will achieve more. Economic Values The Shakti project also comes with a number of economic values; one of the main economic values is the introduction of information technology to the Indian villages (Rangan & Rajan, 2005). In addition, creating the communities portal is a way of enlightening the villagers and introducing them to new ideas and information sources. With access to a wide variety of information, the villagers might also become more innovative thus enhancing the economic value of the village. The villagers can

Supply Chain Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Supply Chain Management - Essay Example However, this conclusion entirely depends on the method used to compute the discount rate and it has not been clearly specified whether inflation and other economical changes have been accommodated in this discount rate. The required IRR for the investment is 15%. But the actual IRR for the investment turns out to be 23.5%, which is higher than the required rate. This indicates that the investment is preferable, when the required and actual IRR values are concerned. IRR indicates the discount or interest rate at which NPV equates to zero, i.e., a ‘no gain – no loss’ situation. Higher this rate, higher is the margin of safety. As the actual IRR is higher than the required IRR for the investment, it is clear that the investment is profitable and SBX has a safety margin of about 5.5 %, in case any of the estimations go wrong. Depreciation is straight line and the salvage value is zero – Straight line depreciation is not a valid measure and it is highly unlikely for the salvage value to be zero (at least equals to scrap value in real

Cultures in the World Essay Example for Free

Cultures in the World Essay To define culture is not easy because culture means different things to different people. Hence there many definitions of culture as there are many different cultures in the World. Anthropologists define culture as social behaviour of human beings. To others dance, music, theatre, artifacts and fashion constitute culture. On the other hand, fashion is a style characteristic of the social elite and is mainly associated with social class and is highly dynamic. Hence fashion should be in current mode for instance a garment. Fashion, style, vogue or even mode are used interchangeably to refer to a preferred type of dress, behaviour, adornment or a way of life at a given time span. In broadest terms fashion usually refers to conventions which are generally accepted by a society or by any culture or even a subculture. Style like mode often stresses the adherence to standards and elegance and should be socially accepted. For instance miniskirts were the mode in the late sixties. Vogue is applied to style or fashion that prevails widely but often suggests enthusiastic but short lived acceptance (The American heritage 2003). Wilson, further states that fashion is always in a continual change and sets the terms for all sartorial behaviour (Wilson 2003). The importance of fashion can never be overemphasized in the current world since fashion now is always around us from media to our daily lives in clothing and even automobile sector. Let it be clearly noted that fashion is for aesthetic as well as societal class, elegance and modesty. In the current years fashion has become a major factor affecting the psychosocial wellbeing of major cultures and subcultures in the world. This influences the life of people both in style and preferences and their economical sphere. The growth of fashion is linked with the development of cities and urban centres in the 14th century and the growing sophistication of the courts. But it is only in 15th and 16th centuries when people developed the culture of fashion and class such that they felt shameful to wear outdated clothes (Wilson 2003). The entrance of fashion led to increased spending on clothes and a clear cut class differences. The rise of bourgeoisie became so much crucial in the development of fashion and style. The poorest class received the cheapest clothing with the people in the highest level in class ladder wearing the most expensive clothes. With the rise of Industrial revolution came capitalism hence new markets for clothes in fashion and fashion became more and more important with the circulation of images in mass communication. GENDER AND FASHION In the current contemporary world, fashion has become the order of the day. Media houses and world class beauty and model centres have been developed all over the world especially in Europe and U. S. A. However, unlike the past where fashion was associated with female, this industry welcomes both genders nowadays. But because of the past skewed interest of ladies in the industry they are still the major players. Nevertheless, almost every one in the current society setting especially in urban areas appreciates fashion and style and is a product of the same in one way or another. People are more conscious when it comes to fashion and no one is willing to be left behind in the outdated world hence consumption of these fashion products has tremendously risen. ‘Dress is a practical negotiation between the fashion system, the social conditions of everyday life such as class and gender as well as rules or norm governing particular social situations. The outcome of this complex interaction cannot be known in advance precisely because the habitus will improvise and adapt to these conditions’. Thus dress is a personal attempt to orientate ourselves to particular circumstances and thus recognise the structural influences of the social world and the individual on the other (Entwistle 2000) FASHION AND MODERNITY Fashion has kept pace with modern life. It has followed every step the global world is making and is by itself part and parcel of the globalised world. From North to South, West to East fashion is seen to influence the global ways of life. However, this is bringing about similarity and extinction of cultures since fashion and culture are linked and the change of one leads to change of the other. Since fashion is dynamic it follows that the fashion of yester years is different from the fashion of today hence today’s fashion is new and can be termed as modern. Modern fashion has greatly been affected by the present technological advancement and the entrance of new marketing approach. For example, the use of internet has revolutionized this industry. It is not a wonder therefore what is considered modern in London today is even being used the following day in Washington. This has promoted customized fashion products to promote what many fashion stars look for in fashion; uniqueness and class. Fashion and style industry has in the recent decades been well established with increased sales as many people go for class and fashion. Also, the quality of the products has greatly developed thus fashion has become our way of life. FASHION, SUBCULTURAL YOUTH STYLES It is important to distinguish between the concept of youth culture and youth subcultures. In general terms youth culture is more homogenous, doing similar things and being treated in the same way playing down aspects of differentiation. This idea was much popular with U. S sociologists in early 1960s. In modern youth culture emphasis is more on subcultures. Unlike the 20th c where fashion was highly linked with class, in 21st c the line of demarcation has narrowed and the mode of classification is not only on class lines but across a wide plane of social and cultural identities. Hence the youth even in ghettos are coming up with their modes of fashion. The issue of subcultures within the large framework of culture in a society is a major phenomenon. Hence these subcultures act as the seed bed for fashion that is embraced by the larger society. The link between class and identity is far less apparent in the 20th c, in particular since high fashion is democratised and not longer the prerogative of a small elite. In contemporary culture distinction does not run along class lines alone but across a wide plane of social identities. Thus, rather than being only imposed from the top, fashion is also ‘bubbling up’ from the street and youth cultures (Entwistle 2000). The use of style brings across clear identity within the youth and serves to sometimes oppose dominant values within the society. Youth tend to solve their problems of culture and fashion in their own unique understandable way hence they act against the main stream fashions of the old. However their fashions and style are dominantly affected by the media and celebrities entertainment industry. Fashion trends brought forward by top musicians come fast and go quickly. These fashions and styles linked with subcultures are known to be diverse as the youth are dynamic. Therefore the rate of change of any fashion within a subculture is higher than in the dominant cultures. The youth also customise fashions by either adding or removing some parts from the original fashion to create a different identity. And for sure youth have revolutionised the world of fashion and culture, in the contemporary world. Therefore fashion is regarded as a mode of identity by the youth and serves as the avenue through which the youth express themselves. EFFECTS OF FASHION ON CONSUMERISM The cycle of fashion in the modern times has been found to influence the level of consumerism in the current world. Fashion is fueled by change and conversion. Designers always persuade their customers that their new fashions are everything they need. In the next season the same designers convince their customers to bade farewell to outdated designs and instead embrace the new trends in their latest collections. Western societys culture of mass consumerism has widely been influenced by the fashion cycle. Sociologist Stella C. (1993) likens fashion cycle with the rolling waves of the sea. As one fashion gains popularity and is outdated another style is gaining momentum and this change our modern culture. Today’s fashion is not only placed on the contest of youth, sexuality and historicism, but also previous culture movements and shows fashion reflects its surrounding, its subjects but ultimately itself. FASHION AND CLASS Fashion is known to influence lifestyle and how people relate within the society. However this relationship is both on the individual and societal levels. Fashion is a product of class division since many people want to be seen in a unique way within any given society and societies also show their class differences using fashion hence affecting the culture of present societies. CONCLUSION It is true that fashion and culture are highly interlinked. A culture that appreciates fashion is a culture that is dynamic and ready to follow where its fashion leads it to. Modern culture is hinged on the fashion of each passing day and unlike the past psychosocial behaviour is influenced by fashion on a larger scale. Youth subcultures promote their own form of fashion which may be interlinked with fashions within the larger sphere of culture. These fashions serve to show their rebellious identity. The cycle of fashion has seen unnecessary changes of fashion due to designers who look forward to make profits and are out to change fashions as quickly as practicably possible. Hence the world is supposed to be aware of these uncalled changes in fashions. Unethical issues are also related to fashion and culture. Therefore, some people see it like their religious and spiritual beliefs are affected by fashion. However on a global perspective fashion has promoted the entrance of more products in the world market leading to increased competitiveness. Modern global culture is a mirror of fashion and design. REFERENCES Bruzzi Stella, and Patricia Gibson, 2000, Fashion Cultures: Theories, Explorations, and Analysis. London; New York: Routledge. Craik, Jennifer, 1993, The Face of Fashion: Cultural Studies in Fashion. London; New York: Routledge. Entwistle, J. 2000, The Fashioned Body: Fashion, Dress and Modern Social Theory. Cambridge: Polity Press. Malossi, G. 2000, Material Man: Masculinity, Sexuality, Style. New York: H. N. Abrams. The American Heritage, 2003, Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition by Houghton Mifflin Company. U. S. A.

Wittgensteins Picture Theory in the Tractatus

Wittgensteins Picture Theory in the Tractatus AN EVALUATION OF WITTGENSTEIN’S PICTURE THEORY IN THE TRACTATUS Wittgenstein created the picture theory of meaning in his Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus as a way to look at how design and the mechanics of artistic drawing are translated from an interaction with the physical world as well as to expound on his interests in ethics and the mythical state of existence. This paper explores Wittgenstein’s picture theory as it is explained within his work, Tractatus, in order to understand the true dynamics of what he was trying to propose and how it is still relevant today. Before delving into the obtuse philosophical ideas that Wittgenstein puts forth in his first book, the Tractatus, it is important to take a moment to first get a sense of why the book was written and why it seemed to be so difficult to digest. This book was written while Wittgenstein was serving with the Austrian army during World War I and whilst a prison of war in Italy (Jago 2006: 1). The idea of the book sprung out of his work related to the â€Å"analysis of complex sentences into symbolic components† (Cashell 2005: 6). His theory was that â€Å"if a proto-sign was discovered to represent the universal form of the general proposition, then such a sign would somehow also demonstrate the logical structure underlying language: that which enables language to describe†¦a reality apparently indifferent to our description of it† (Cashell 2005: 6). His conclusion that â€Å"the relational form (logo) co-ordinating thought, language and the world was pictorial in natu re† (Cashell 2005: 6), setting the foundation for the Tractatus. The book is written in a condensed writing style that reflects the depth and complexity of what Wittgenstein was trying to express in as logical manner as possible (Jago 2006: 1). Wittgenstein divided the book up into a series of numbered paragraphs that represented seven integer propositions and created an outline of the book (Hauptli 2006: 6). The Tractatus was the vehicle that Wittgenstein used to explain his picture theory. It is important to note that the picture theory did not just mean visual images. The theory also incorporated language, music, art, and engineering. Primarily, Wittgenstein relied on engineering, or projection drawing, as the basis for the picture theory because it seemed like the easiest way to explain his ideas (Biggs 2000: 7). His main objective in creating the Tractatus was to â€Å"determine the limit of expression of thought† and â€Å"establish the notion of the projective form in his picture theory† by making â€Å"a logical correspondence between the language and reality† (Actus 2007: 2-3). The picture theory is defined as â€Å"a theory of intentionality, i.e. aboutness† (Mandik 2003: 2). The premise of this theory attempted to make â€Å"an explicit distinction between what can be said and what can be shown† (Biggs 2000: 7). In simplifying what he was trying to say, the basic idea of the theory â€Å"says the function of language is to allow us to picture things† (Jago 2006: 1). Wittgenstein was fascinated with the idea of how to achieve pure realism in visual, artistic, and language mediums (Mandik 2003: 1). It is about using these mediums to create â€Å"the identification of aboutness with resemblance: something is about that which it resembles† (Mandik 2003: 2). Everything is based on the fact that observations are made of â€Å"how paintings and photographs represent their subjects,† meaning they have the properties of those objects but have the inability to be the same as those objects (Mandik 2003: 3). Since anything can resem ble a number of objects without being those objects, there is much that is open to interpretation just like words used in sentences can have a lot of meanings (Mandik 2003: 4). However, Wittgenstein did suggest that there had to be a logical connection between the reality and the picture projected of that reality (Actus 2007: 1). In delving farther into the idea of what can be said and what can be shown, many who have studied the picture theory believe that it is based on the analogy of depiction where â€Å"an engineering drawing is derived by means of projection from the object, and the way in which language and/or thought is derived from the world around us† (Biggs 2000: 1). This analogy does not mean that the world is like the representation but instead is based on an interpretation of what the artist or mechanical engineer sees from their perspective (Biggs 2002: 2). This means that â€Å"language or other forms of representation stand in a relationship to the objects that they represent, and this relationship is analogous to the relationship that subsists between pictures and objects† (Biggs 2000: 7). Wittgenstein’s depiction of performance spoke about the ability to â€Å"reconstruct an object from its representation, to reconstruct a thought from a sentence, etc.† (Biggs 20 00: 4). It is important to emphasize here that â€Å"what a picture means is independent of whether it is a truthful representation or not† (Jago 2006: 1). What is more important is the idea â€Å"that the lines in the diagram are related together in a way that mimics the way the things they correspond to are related† (Jago 2006: 1). In this way, he made the distinction between showing and saying (Mandik 2003: 1). It is important that pictures showed something instead of said something, doing this through grammar, form, or logic within the human and natural languages (Hauptli 2006: 3). Instead of simply trying to interpret what the world appears to look like, Wittgenstein took it to the next level by trying to â€Å"operate within the model and draw conclusions about properties in the world† (Biggs 2000: 3). Labelled the â€Å"theory of description, he elucidates logically the essential situation when the languages describe the reality† (Actus 2007: 3). This is where the â€Å"thing is whether it keeps a proper (right) relation to the reality (Actus 2007: 3). This involved actual mathematical calculations rather than simple depictions and moved the person toward â€Å"graphical statics and dynamic models† (Biggs 2000: 3). In carrying this thought process over into the world of language, Wittgenstein then believed that a method could be constructed that enabled decisions related to ethical matters and other intangible ideals (Biggs 2000: 3). Overall, Wittgenstein was looking to achieve â€Å"a perfect language† (Biggs 2000: 6). His theory of language says that â€Å"sentence work like pictures: their purpose is also to picture possible situations† (Jago 2006: 2). His philosophy was not concerned with mental pictures that come from language but relied on â€Å"a more abstract notion of a picture, as something that either agrees or disagrees with any way the world might have been, and which says, this is the way things actually are† (Jago 2006: 2). In other words, â€Å"For sentences to have sense, they can not depend exclusively on the sense of other sentences – ultimately there must be elementary propositions which get their sense not from other sentences, but rather direct ly from the world† (Hauptli 2006: 3). To Wittgenstein, the world is comprised of â€Å"simples, which are named by certain words† that are put into a certain number of combinations that create reality (Hauptli 2006: 3). This other viewpoint on Wittgenstein’s picture theory has become known as the â€Å"form-of-life,† which was about the â€Å"general relationship of notation and conceivability† (Biggs 2000: 7). This invoked the idea that Wittgenstein proposed that humans try to â€Å"live from the nature of the world† rather than just imitating or depicting it (Biggs 2000: 7). This would allow humans to â€Å"understand the reality of life† which is currently unexplainable because it is hard to see directly (Actus 2007: 3). Going back to the original simplified idea about the theory, language then becomes a way for humans to get in touch and experience the true reality of life and nature. It is this idea of being connected to nature on another level that suggests that Wittgenstein’s picture theory also included his ideas about and interest in the metaphysical. In fact, Albert Levi concluded that the Tractatus represented â€Å"a picture of traditional metaphysical dualism (Cashell 2005: 3). This is evident in his metaphor of the eye in which â€Å"it can see only that which his other than itself† as he says that â€Å"from nothing in the field of sight can it be concluded that it is seem from an eye† (Mandik 2003: 7). In connection to metaphysical beliefs, Wittgenstein â€Å"took language, logic, world and self to be coextensive† and concluded the Tractatus by stating that anyone will truly understand the world once they move beyond his limited suggestions about the world (Mandik 2003: 8-9). His comments here at the end of Tractatus emphasised his belief that â€Å"all philosophical reflection is meaningless† (Jago 2006: 4). Wittgenstein illustrated the difference between that meaninglessness and what he was attempting to do in this book by showing his readers things instead of attempting to draw conclusions for them (Jago 2006: 4). In this way, his book concludes with his interest in the mystic and metaphysical, taking the reader on a journey through his thoughts and creating pictures through the language he uses within the book to show instead of tell. References Actus. (2007). Wittgenstein and his picture theory. Available at: http://www.actus.org/witt.html. Biggs, M.A.R. (2000). Visualisation and Wittgenstein’s â€Å"Tractatus.† Faculty of Art and Design, University of Hertfordshire, 1-9. Cashell, K. (2005). Attempt to understand Wittgenstein’s picture theory of the proposition. Available at: http://www.ul.ie/~philos/vol2/cashell.html. Hauptli, B. W. (2006). Hauptli’s introduction to the Tractatus. Available at: http://www.fiu.edu/~hauptili/IntroductiontoWittgenstein’sTractatus.html. Jago, M. (2006). Pictures and nonsense. Philosophy Now. Available at: http://www.philosophynow.org/issue58/58jago.htm. Mandik, P. (2003). Picturing, showing, and solipsism in Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. Available at: http://www.petemandik.com/philosophy/papers/witt.html.

Further Study Local Or Abroad Education Essay

Further Study Local Or Abroad Education Essay According to our topic, further study local or abroad, journal by Mazzarol. T. and Soutar G. N. explain in detail, why we are choosing this topic, demand for education particularly higher educational, has traditional been driven expectation of its ability to raise the economic and social status of the graduate. For people in less development country limited access to education in their own country lead to a significant rise in the number of international student studying oversea. Between 1960 and 1970, the average growth in the inernational students flows was around 9 percent, and continued about 6 percent from 1970 to 1980 (Hughes, 1988). While there is some evidence of a slowing in the overall flow of international students during the 1980s and 1990s (Kemp, 1995), a global industry has been created. The global pattern of international flows may be experience by a combination of push and pull factors that encourage to study eversea. Push factors operate within the source country and initiate a students decision to undertake international study. Pull factors operate within a host country to make that country relatively attract to international students. Some of these factors are inherent in the source country, some in the host contry and other in the students themselves. In the other hand, Bakalis S. and Joiner T. A. (2004) said, encouraging students to undertake part of their study abroad is likely to not only enhance a students employability but also assist in developing important life skills. Plus, also identify some of the factors that may be associated with students participation in tertiary study abroad programmes, by investigating some of the reasons that may be explain the absence of a strong culture that values international study experiences. Againts this background, note that previous studies attempting to explain the participation of students in study abroad programmes have not considered the difference in personality dimensions of students participate, and those who do not. They argue that students who have personalities characterized by perceptivity to diversify and change are more likely to participate in an exchange programme compared who do not participate. Conclusion, this two authors give us brief description about why we are choosing this topic, study local or abroad and what might be the factors and the reasons for the students to continue study abroad or stay in their home country. As our own, we discovered that culture, cost and employer perception will be another factors that attibute to the decision to further study local or abroad. Problem Statement Recent trends have seen an upward surge in the number of students further study outside of their country. This research is to determine the specific factors that influence study abroad decisions by students. Beside, this research is done to discover which one is better,pursuing inside or outside of the country. Statistical analysis will indicate the decision to participate is influenced by several factors. The research will also discover the effects of a study abroad programme on students in term of personal growth and career development. Not even that, it also touch on the cost involve as the students decide to further study outside of their own country. By this study, the student will be able to experience on how to interact with the foreignersand it will directly affect their future career in what ever directions. The research will find out, does personal growth in term of emotional maturity, empathy, flexibility is one of the factor that student will consider and do this factor r eally benefits them. In addition, this research is to discover whether students will get intelectual development in term of critical thinking, problem solving, when they are in the foreign country. The research will find out whether the study abroad programme improve their cultural understanding or they want to improve their career prospects, or they are pursuing study outside their regional country because of joining their friends which also participate in such programmes. Furthermore, this study will also discovered that if the students participate in study abroad programme,whether it shows any significant difference in global perspective and cross cultural cosmopolitanism. Based on the  Open Doors 2009, the international student annual mobility report issued by the US Embassy in year 2008, there was a 9.5% increase in the number of Malaysian students who enrolled in the United States, up from 5,428 students in the 2007/08 academic year. In year 2009 worldwide  Open Doors  report shows that the total number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States increased by 8% to an all time high of 671,616 for the 2008/09 academic year. Moreover, Malaysia is ranked as 21st among other countries sending students to the United States with 5,942 having enrolled for the 2008/09 academic. This show United States remained a top destination for Malaysian students who wanted to study abroad due to the quality and prestige associated with an American degree. Research Objective 1.2.1 To determine the most important factor that effects their decision to study abroad or locally. 1.2.2 To determine the least important factor that effect their decision. 1.2.3 To examine the relationship between the factor and the decision to further study abroad or local. 1.3 Scope of The Research The title of the research is further studylocally or abroad, which one is better. Therefore, our respondent of this research is among UiTM students. The dependent variable for our research is culture, cost and employer perception. Besides, the independant variable is further study local or abroad. 1.4 Significant of The Research The important of the research to the study is, it helps the student to see the pros and contras of furthering study abroad or local. In addition, the students are able to make a right decision whether to go for abroad or local. The importance of the research to the university is, the university can identify the best factor that influenced the students decisions on furthering studyabroad or local. It will also allow a university to know whether they provide with a good service to studentscompare on what international students expects from them. The important of the research to the country is, it helps the country to know whether most of the students chose to go for abroad or locally. It also helps the country to know what is the most important reason that influences the students decision. Moreover, it also helps the country to know whether the level is on the same league with other country. 1.5 Key Term/ Concepts 1.5.1 Further:Contribute to the progress or growth of 1.5.2 Study:To apply ones mind purposefully to the acquisition of knowlegde or understanding of (a subject). 1.5.3 Abroad:A foreign country or country in which to live or travel(John le Carrà ©) 1.5.4 Local:Relating to a city, town, or district rather than a larger area which is not broad or general. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Introduction This chapter provides a review of the literature on the topic Further Study Abroad or Locally. Section 2.1 explain on the and benefits and advantages of studying abroad. Section 2.2 is on Factor Influence Study Abroad. Section 2.3 is about barriers study abroad. On the other hand section 2.4 explain on advantages and benefit studying locally. Section 2.5 about barriers studying locally and lastly section 2.6 explain factor influence study locally. Section 2.7 provide the conceptual framework. Finally 2.8 is identifies the Hypotesis of the study. 2.1 Literature Riview 2.1.1 Benefits and Advantages of Studying Abroad According to Chesterton G. K. (1986), the journal is about the benefit a student can expect from joining a study abroad programme. The teaching style in the classroom will be different, so the student will be forced to develop their own ability to learn. The lifestyle and social rhythm within the walls of the university or educational center will be different, forcing the student to expand their social skills in order to get assistance from tutors, teachers assistants, school staff, classmates, as well as to make friends among their peers. While the students personal development will pay dividends immediately after their return in the form of higher social standing, and increased scholastic productivity from their improved cognition, the student will also derive much benefit from the expansion of their communication abilities later. They will develop their character and achieve a new degree of self-reliance. It is important to note that while cultural exploration goes far beyond loca ting foreign counterparts, and extends deeper into matters of language usage, the arts, social relationships, alien religious observance and geopolitics will produce an impossible to remove impression on ones character and a lasting sense of self-confidence. In conclusion, the student can get lot of benefit by furthering abroad. According to Hammer M. R. (1997), the journal is about culture and benefit that student get when they choose to further abroad. Choosing to go for abroad give they access to intercultural competence, knowledge of other cultures an awareness of the dignity and worth of every human being plus respect for cultural differences. Furthermore, it increases their intercultural friendships as the time spent with people from other cultures upon their return to their own country are more. Significantly it lowers their level of anxiety or discomfort around other cultures, and leads to a significant increase in intercultural competence, especially for students who began the program with a polarized view of other cultures. Next, the benefit is foreign-language speaking ability anxiety around other cultures and the social networks. In addition, they gain the ability to act as a responsible global citizen increase in students knowledge of the host culture, moves students forward dramatically in thei r spoken fluency in the host countrys language. In conclusion, the student will learn lot about culture and gain some benefit from it. According to Dwyer M. M. (1999), the journal is about benefit of study abroad. Furthering abroad good in term of personal growth, 97 percent said studying abroad served as a catalyst for increased maturity, 96 percent reported increased self-confidence, 89 percent said that it enabled them to tolerate ambiguity, and 95 percent stated that it has had a lasting impact on their world view. Findings also show that study abroad leads to long-lasting friendships with other. In addition it give intercultural development, 98 percent of respondents said that study abroad helped them to better understand their own cultural values and biases, and 82 percent replied that study abroad contributed to their developing a more sophisticated way of looking at the world. The experience of living and studying in another country was so eye-opening. Lastly study abroad ignited interest in a career direction pursued after the experience, compared to 60 percent of non-intern respondents. In addition, 83 per cent said that it allowed them to acquire skill sets that influenced their career path, compared to 75 percent who did not intern. In conclusion, students choose to further abroad for better understanding their own culture value. According to Peters C. K. (2000), the journal is about competitive advantages.Competitive advantages over students who never venture abroad to study, including improved foreign language skills and a more cosmopolitan. Furthermore, they gain international perspective plus greater tolerance for other opinions and ability to think more originally. In addition, they see more than one perspective on an issue, greater self-reliance and self-confidence plus more comfort with complex situations. In conclusion, there are advantages and disadvantages of furthering abroad. According to Yu A. H. et. al (2004), modelling the effects of the study abroad programs om college students. Studya abroad programs facilitate improvement in five education outcomes, learning, culture immersions, personal growth, foreign interaction and career development. Plus, they also believe foreign environment helps students learn how to cope with phsychological and physical changes . In conclusion , the implications is languange learning effects, the focus of much research on study abroad outcomes are not the only significant results from such programs yet cultural immersion and carrer advancement should be more focusing on. According to Dwyer M. M. (2002), the journal is about conventional wisdom in the study abroad field has held that more is better; that is, the longer students study abroad the more significant the academic, cultural development and personal growth benefits that accrue. The study was designed to measure the longitudinal correlations between specific program features language study, housing choice, duration of study, enrollment in foreign university courses, participation in an internship or field study, among others and a variety of student outcomes. Long-held beliefs that studying abroad for a full year has more significant and enduring impact on students were supported by the data of this study. While it has been long believed that study abroad changes peoples lives, little evidence exists to explain what kinds of tangible changes occur and for how long. This study shows that study abroad has a significant impact on students in the areas of continued language use, academic attainmen t measures, intercultural and personal development, and career choices. In conclusion, the age-old premise that more is better holds true when it comes to the duration of a study abroad experien. According to Farrell P. and Suvedi M. (2002), studying abroad in Nepal, understanding impact on students lives. The valued outcome of study abroad is to help the individual acquire a deep understanding of another culture, and to begin appreciate and develop empathy for people who are different, plus there will be an impact on the intellectual, international perspectives, cross-cultural interest and personal development students.They also revealed three areas of significance, language proficiency appeared to increase substantially, a greater interest in international affairs and a large increase in their level of knowledge about the host country. Finally , students study abroad will experience higher level of self-confidence and sociability , also they will learning about cultural sensitivity, social and professional polish , wider personal horizons and improved career opportunities for students. They believe students who adapted quickly to new people , places and situations, were abl e to communicate and think critically. According to Wang B.C.Y and Bu.N. (2003) attitudes toward international careers among male and female Canadian business students after 9-11. The advantages of study abroad are personal growth , exciting new life experiences and travel opportunities , plus , family factor appears to weigh more in education decisions. In conclusion , students who have at least one of their parents travelling internationally for work are more likely want to study outside from their country , next, the more languages they can speak, the more likely they thinking about study abroad because they confidence in their ability to interact effectively in foreign environments . Lastly, students who have foreign friends are also interested in study abroad than who do not, this might be because socializing with them can be a various learning experience which increases curiosity toward foreign culture and decrease anxiety about them. According to Sheila J. Curran (2007), why must need to student further study abroad and it is a way to gain critical career advantage for each individual itself. There are multiple benefits accrue to those who spend significant time in another country and also a significant proportion of students see the experience as an important part of their college. Everybody knows student likely to have fun, but when we think about study abroad as a way to gain critical advantage we will find that all foreign experiences are not created equal in the minds of employer. Therefore, employer were looking for graduate who can communication as well as writing, know the important of cross cultural understanding and an appreciation for different point of view and also it make student gravitated in demonstrate maturity, initiative, and creativity. According to S. Chan (2009). Further study abroad is not learning alone but the total experience that lures our student to foreign shores. In 2009, statistics review that there are already 23000 Malaysian students currently studying in Australian institutions of higher learning, over 13000 in the United Kingdom (UK) and another 6000 students in the US. There are biggest reasons for going overseas to complete their tertiary education is to enhance their employability prospect. In the other hand, going overseas may help a student built his self-confidence. The multinational companies also may prefer candidates from foreign universities who had perception that student exposed to different nationalities and cultures and also there better communication, interpersonal skill and enabling them to cope better in a matrix organization. According to Ingraham. P. (2004) the journal is about the idea that study abroad is deeply beneficial and important for undergraduate students. However there is a relative scarcity of systematically gathered qualitative and quantitative information that assesses the impact of study abroad. In their study, they have outlined six goals for studying abroad including to facilitate students intellectual growth, contribute to students professional development, accelerate students personal growth, develop students skills for relating to culturally different others, enhance students self-awareness and understanding of their own culture and also contribute to the internationalization of the students home department, college, or university. Other than that, they also discussed that studying abroad to have an impact on students intellectual growth (including both academic performance and language learning), personal growth, intercultural awareness, and professional development. In conclusion, t he research should help to understand the type and amount of learning that takes place in study abroad. According to Tammy O. (2004), the journal is about advantages of study abroad in term of career goal. Some choose to go abroad to increased interpersonal skills and a broadened understanding of international business practices. It also because employers view study abroad favorably and believe study abroad experiences develops highly-desirable skills for career advancement. People believe having a study abroad experience is beneficial in increasing ones career opportunities. In addition, employers consider interpersonal skills the most important qualification for a potential job candidate this study assumes that a positive study abroad experience will lead towards a favorable international dimension in a given career. These dimensions would include a positive outlook on working in an international capacity plus the development of skills useful to international business, and entry into a career with international involvement. In conclusion, students believe that study abroad experience is beneficial to them in term of career opportunity. According to Ozturgut O. (2007), the journal is about benefits of studying abroad for students in higher education. The benefits were discussed in three different categories. First one is Knowledge Transfer where knowledge in normal disciplines is more frequently and rapidly transferred from one country. Second, International Education and Research provides an understanding of different cultures regarding their socio-cultural, political, economic, and educational systems. Third benefit is Border-crossing communication and discourse where learning and research in an international setting is one way of experiencing different views, which will then broaden ones horizon and promote global perspectives as a leap forward in students developing critical and reflective thinking skills. In the article, he also cited from Carlson et al. (1991) that the students participate in study abroad programs to improve their cultural understanding and to improve their career prospects. Other than that, v arious academic, financial, and other personal reasons affecting the number of students participating in study abroad programs and their choice of target country were also discussed in the article. All in all, it is explained through this study that study abroad programs have benefits to both institutions and individuals. According to the Bott J.P. (2008), the journal is about benefit of furtheringabroad to humanity. Students studying abroad put a positive face on the nation. The student will recognize that they are in fact an representative representing their home country and should act accordingly, Even if the student does not have any understanding of the foreign policy or pop culture and cannot answer questions well, it is only natural that they very presence abroad will have a humanizing effect and lead to a more favorable impression of their country provided they are respectful of, and interested in the host country, its people and customs. The student has the opportunity to create lasting good will by showing similar respect in return, because such accord is rarely exchanged between members of differing castes or status within those societies. The cumulative effect of such good will, leads to further exchanges of ideas, trade and peace. Students studying abroad tend to carry with them youthful idealism and will tend to speak out against injustices and violations of their mores. In conclusion, furthering abroad give big impact to the student original country. According to Gonyea R.M. (2008) the impact of study abroad on senior year engagement . Students who study abroad expect to expand their perspectives on world affairs, understand diverse cultures, acquire languages and gain maturity and self-awareness. The effects of study abroad will be increased interest in global issues, better skills in other languages and personal growth such as independence, social confidence, sensitivity toward people from other countries and more interested and self-assurance in continuing global travel . They also believed that study abroad program are often constructed and assessed . Plus , students with higher grades, better educated parents and strong engagement in the first year of college are more likely to participate in study abroad . In conclusion, those who participated in study abroad program significantly higher levels of engagement in two forms of deep learning(integrative and reflective) and in diversity experiences . Study abroad participants al so reported more gains in personal and social development than their peers . Based on The Star dated on 23rd October 2010 by Eugene Mahalingam, the news is about studying abroad versus locally. Choosing study abroad has its own benefits and disadvantage. Studying abroad requires a huge financial support because most of the country in the oversee cost of living is higher compare in Malaysia. Foreign graduates are more expert in English and have better thinking skills. They are more mature and independentthan local graduates. On the good side student with foreign qualification are more preferable among the employer compare student with the local qualification. Moreover the education standard offered in overseas is far better because education concept in Malaysia more towards academically-driven. According to Lisa C. (2004), the journal is about global awareness . It was defined by four categories which intercultural awareness is about students in the abroad group were generally more aware than their peers at home of varying national and cultural perspectives. For personal growth and development, students abroad reported developing a greater appreciation for the arts than those on campus. In addition, the awareness of global interdependence was about those who travel may develop greater sensitivity towards other world-views. Lastly is functional knowledge of world geography and language is about daily challenge of trying to communicate in an environment where they were at a distinct verbal disadvantage. In conclusion, the students who spent the month abroad were more confident in their levels intercultural awareness and functional knowledge than their peers who remained on campus. News from Bernama dated Dec. 21, 2012, stated that Malaysians Government will handle the programme to Malaysian student who study abroad to expert in their mother language. The programe would be held on during semester break in cities referring to region and continent, said by Dr. AwangSariyan. The collaboration with KPM establish syllabus where bring benefit as well as advantages gained from the programme. This would ensure Malaysian student did not outdate to learn basic and advanced knowledge and information which regards to the mother tongue. Besides that, the planning already approved and currently update by Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri MuhyiddinYassin. Therefore, Malaysian students are able to enhance their knowledge which regards to national language. 2.1.2 Factor Influence Study Abroad According to Aminuddin Mohsin (2011) Private Company was allocated RM 8.13 mil for its scholarship programme for this year. This can be conclude as factor that influence individual itself to continue studies, whether locally or abroad which is scholarship given. The private company which is Maxis recognized that, it is importance to them further studies where education is the most important to develop human capital and factor of culture, technology and innovation we will easy to adapt then.Morever, while the company focusing in given scholarship there directly support our government in helping eligible individual gain access to their tertiary education. According to Mazzarol T. and Soutar G. N. (2001), push-pull factors influencing international student destination choice . For people in less develop countries, limited access to education in their own countries led to significant rise in the number of international students studying overseas. Other factors influencing the selection of a country study destination have been a commonality of language, the availability of science and technology-based programs and the geographic proximity of the home and host countries. In conclusion, other factors that motivating the student of their decision to study abroad are personal recommendations, cost issues, the environment , social links and overseas course was better than local plus the local environment also influences the attractiveness of a host country. News from Bernama dated Dec 11, 2012 which attracts Malaysian students to study abroad is Indias Government provide financial scheme in academic year 2013-2014(Study offer in India under self-financing scheme, 2012 ). This be very attractive news where Malaysian student able to study abroad with help from Indias Government. The news will give opportunities to candidates who interested to further study in medicine, dentist, pharmacy and engineering. Application form can be obtains directly to Level 28, Menara 1, MontKiara. For further information and enquires can be through official website Indias Government. The information include course related, duration of each courses, expenses incurred, flight schedule, and etc. the application form need to be the hands of Indias Government before 31 March. This is because the form will take another 6 month before the result will out. There are many stages to process the application form. Therefore, end result only will be out on September 2013. In conclusion, Indias Government provide financial assistant to those who interested further studies there. News dated Oct 10, 2012 from Bernama which related to mechanism that can be reason why wants study abroad. This is because Pahang Chair will provide financial scheme to those interested in programme stated in University of Yarmouk in master and doctorate programme. Recently, Pahang MenteriBesarDatuk Seri Adnan Yaakob made agreement in memorandum of understanding (MoU) with President Prof DrSutan Abu Orabi in Amman. IKIP International College who owned by Pahang Foundation make another one step ahead compared to other colleges, where made agreement with universities from oversea. With this, IKIP International College will be known to other countries and make the colleges level same as other oversea universities. Besides that, this be place where can interchange information and knowledge with others. Also can generate new ideas and bring improvement to Malaysia when the respected student coming back their hometown. The student not only knows culture there as well as lifestyle that adop ted here. Cross culture can happened with or without notice about it. The relationship can increase the level of understanding each other. In conclusion, financial scheme provided by Pahang Chair give benefits to students in many ways. Accorrding to Nattavud P.(2003), the choices of international education were investigate in order to improve marketing strategies. Interpersonal influence and recommendation from family members are among the important sources of information and encouragement for complicated services like international education. The flows of students internationally result from a combination of push and pull factors. There are four basic choices prior to studying abroad which is the choice of country, city, academic course and of university. The studies indicated the chronological order of choice of country, city, academic course and then university. Otherwise, there are five factor familial influencing factors which is finance, information, expectation, competition and persuasion on choices of international education. All of five choices of international education, familial influencing factors have stronger impact on the decision to study abroad, choice of country and city than choice of academic pr ogram and university. The study conclude that the different level of education perceived the influence of the family in the different way and the need for international education and the decision-making process of each group of student are dissimilar. According to Gray B. J. (2003), the journal is about five main brand positioning dimensions which are environment, reputation, graduate career prospect, destination image and cultural integration. This positioning dimension can be summarized as a universitys learning environment which talk about excellent staff, facilities and research resources while the reputation is about the brand name, achievements and high standard of education that student can get. Next, graduate career prospects will talk about graduates employment prospects and expected income that the student might get as a student that graduate from that university and employers views of that university graduates. In addition destination image also is one of the reasons of making a decision, which it covers, political stability, safety and hospitality. Lastly, student will consider cultural integration where it related to religious freedom and cultural diversity. This is to ensure that they can adapt with that place. In co nclusion, these five main brand positioning dimensions give big impact on student decision. According to Bakalis S. and Joiner T. A. (2004), the participation in tertiary study abroad programs, the role of personality. The main obstacle apart from cost which been menti

Blogging: Its for everyone Essay -- essays research papers fc

Recently, Merriam-Webster announced that, based on â€Å"online lookups,† the number one word of the year was â€Å"blogs† (Morse, Page 1). Their definition of a blog is â€Å"a web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer† (Morse, Page1). This definition is inaccurate based on my research, as blogs are not always â€Å"personal† and can include more than one author. Throughout my research, many bloggers in the blogoshere have referred to websites as blogs that discuss business only, business and personal details, and more than mere â€Å"reflections† of a personal nature. As blogs become more popular and affect different forms of communication with a higher degree of magnitude, I am confident that the definition of blogs will morph closer to my definition of blogs (short for weblog, a web site that contains an online journal including, but not limited to, reflections, com ments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer(s)) than the Merriam-Webster definition. This paper will discuss blogs (what they are), bloggers (who they are), blogging (should you do it and is it profitable), and the impact of blogs on media. I will start by talking about how blogs started, and who some bloggers are. Next, I will discuss the amount of revenue that can be made, and how that revenue is made, from starting a blog. Finally, I will show the impact blogs have had on the mainstream media, specifically, the most recent Presidential Election. The culture of the internet has created a subculture of bloggers that, as evidenced by the number of persons looking to find a definition of the word (however inaccurate the definition may be), is growing in popularity and is therefore a prescient topic for persons to be informed about. Blogging started, albeit without a proper name and with an even more vague definition, as soon as the internet was invented. Just as writing a journal started with the first writers thousands of years ago, blogs arose at the same time as the medium of the internet was born. This created some new challenges to the conventional writer. According to The Handbook of Digital Publishing, the greatest strength of publishing online material is â€Å"displaying the interrelated nature of information connected with hyperlinks† (Kleper, Page 197). The use of hyperlinks is extensive in blogs... ... power of a blog, everyone now can own their own version of Leibling’s press, and the power of that concept is freedom at its highest form. Bibliography Ante, Spencer. â€Å"Blogging for Dollars.† www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_30/b3843096_mz016.htm 2004. Page 1. Brewer, Jay. â€Å"Shaving Blog.† www.shavingstuff.com 2004. Page 1. Bushell, Sue. â€Å"Blogging for Profit.† www.cio.com 2004. Page 1. Case, Karl and Fair, Ray. â€Å"Monopolistic Competition and Oligopoly.† Principles of Microeconomics. Prentice Hall. 2004. Page 281. Gard, Lauren. â€Å"Blogging by the Numbers.†www.businessweek.com. 2004. Page 1. Kleper, Michael. â€Å"What Makes Web Site Visitors Come Back?† The Handbook of Digital Publishing. Prentice Hall. 2001. Pages 194, 196. McGann, Rob. â€Å"Blogging Tips† www.smallbusiness.blogspot.com 2004. Page 1. Meeker, Mary. â€Å"Annual Report 2004" www.smallbusiness.blogspot.com 2004. Page 1. Morse, Allan. â€Å"Home Page.† www.merriam-webster.com 2004. Page 1. Rowse, Darren. â€Å"To Blog or Not to Blog?† www.livingroom.org 2004. Page 1. Simpson, James. â€Å"L† Simpson’s Contemporary Quotations. Prentice Hall. 1988. Page 82.

Brain Disorders :: essays research papers

The brain, which weighs only three pounds and is made up of eighty percent water, is the key organ of our nervous system. It is divided into three different parts: the Cerebrum, the Cerebellum, and the Medulla Oblongata. The â€Å"gray matter† of the brain is about one-eighth inch thick and it gives the brain its gray color. Inside the brain is the cortex, which is made up of billions of neurons. These neurons extend into the cerebral hemisphere and it controls all mental activity. In this report I will be discussing different disorders of the brain and how they affect the every day life of people who may have these disorders. (The Volume Library 900)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first disorder that I will be discussing is a disease called Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (A.D.H.D.). This disease has not just been recently discovered. It was first discovered in the eighteen hundreds by a British physician where the first book about Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder was written, â€Å"Fidgety Phil.† Up until the 1960’s it was called minimal brain function. Medication is not a new treatment either. In the 1930’s a medication called Dexedrine (d-amphetamine) or Desoxyn (methamphetamine), now known as Ritalin, was used. (Wender, M.D. 15)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This disease is present in three to ten percent of school-aged children and four to five percent in adults. A.D.H.D. is more common in boys than in girls. To determine if a child has A.D.H.D., there are not set psychological or laboratory test but the testimonies of the people who are involved in the patients’ everyday life. However there are certain criteria that can define and diagnose symptoms. In many cases medication can reduce and to an extent eliminate A.D.H.D. This is true in about seventy percent of school-aged children who have A.D.H.D. and in about sixty percent of adults who are on the medication. Another plus of the medication is that it is not addictive if it is not abused. To reduce the symptoms of A.D.H.D. in adults therapy may also be helpful. Although, the use of medication to treat A.D.H.D. can be very controversial. (Wender, M.D. 9) Some characteristics of school-aged children with A.D.H.D. are problems in school like math, reading, and spelling because twenty to thirty percent of children have learning disorders. The most common symptom is attention difficulties, distractibility, and hyperactivity. Not all patients of A.D.H.D are hyperactive, therefore a new diagnosis was identified: Attention Deficit Disorder (A.